The echo of Tony's words—"You can make the top 100"—still lingered in Suzy's heart as the party made their way deeper into the herb fields. She clung to them like a lifeline, her chest swelling with new determination. Maya walked silently at her side, stealing glances at her little sister's brightened expression.
But while the sisters carried their own emotions, the world outside their small party was shifting at an overwhelming pace.
When Ancient Myth launched, the player count exploded instantly. Eight billion users logged in within the first hours. Then, as word spread about the game's unprecedented fidelity and immersion, the numbers skyrocketed. Within a single day, the count reached fifteen billion.
The industry had never seen anything like it. For comparison, Clash of Titans—the undisputed giant of the previous era—had peaked at twenty-two billion players over a decade of dominance. But Ancient Myth was rewriting history overnight.
By the ten-hour mark, thirty-five billion souls were inside its vast servers. Forums across the net exploded with disbelief, memes, and wild speculation. Smaller gaming companies panicked. Even major studios scrambled to shut down servers of their old titles, conceding defeat before the unstoppable tide.
Some analysts claimed the servers could host the entire global population—over eighty billion people. The thought alone sent shivers through the gaming world. Everyone, from children to veterans, from casual players to esports professionals, felt the same irresistible pull: if you don't start now, you'll be left behind forever.
Tony, however, seemed unaffected by the madness outside. His focus was on the two sisters beside him.
"Big brother… thank you for your words earlier." Suzy's soft voice carried both gratitude and a touch of awe.
Tony slowed his pace, turning to her with a serious expression. "Do you think I said that just to make you feel better?" He shook his head firmly. "No, Suzy. Of all the players I've met, your talent is in the top ten. You have sharp reactions and a mind that adapts quickly. When I fought that humanoid plant, you didn't just copy me—you understood. In mere seconds, you changed your entire fighting style. That's something no normal player can do."
Suzy froze, stunned by his conviction. Her lips trembled. "B-big brother… are you saying… I could become a Gaming Master?"
Tony scoffed. "Gaming Masters? Hah. Those people are trash compared to the true strong. What I'm saying, Suzy, is that you can surpass them. You have the potential to become one of the legends of Ancient Myth."
The sisters exchanged wide-eyed glances, the words shaking them to their core. Suzy nearly burst into tears. A legend? Her?
Tony's expression softened. "Tell me, Suzy. Which elements do you have affinity with?"
In Ancient Myth, elemental affinity defined a mage's future.
There were nine elements in total:
Five basics: Fire, Water, Earth, Light, Dark
Three advanced: Ice, Lightning, Wind
And one special: Time, a mysterious, godlike attribute.
For melee fighters, affinities could only be discovered after long battles and accumulated skills. But for magic classes, the system revealed their affinities upon class selection, though the exact mechanics remained a mystery.
Suzy puffed her chest with pride. "When I chose mage, I felt a tickle in my head. The goddess said I have Fire, Earth, and… Wind!"
Her smug little smile made Tony chuckle—and flick her forehead lightly.
"Good girl. Two basics and one advanced element. That's a rare combination. My guess wasn't baseless—you truly have the potential to reach heights few can imagine."
Suzy giggled, rubbing her forehead, but her eyes shone with excitement.
Tony's gaze shifted to Maya. "And you?"
Maya straightened, though part of her feared her answer would pale beside her sister's. "I have Water and Earth. Perfect for healing."
"Not bad." Tony nodded approvingly. "You don't have your sister's outrageous potential, but with dedication, you can still rise high. Don't let her leave you too far behind."
Maya's heart stirred at his words. She loved her sister dearly, but the thought of Suzy outpacing her filled her with both pride and burning resolve. No… I won't let myself fall into her shadow. I'll grow stronger too.
"After this quest, I'll give you both training exercises and movement drills," Tony continued. "Work hard. Don't waste your gifts."
As he turned to loot the fallen humanoid plants, a frown tugged at his lips. Why am I going this far for them? Normally, I'd never bother helping strangers without gain. But for these two… I want to guide them. Protect them. Strange.
He shook his head, pushing the thought aside.
The corpses yielded rich rewards:
Bronze ×78
Silver ×3
Mana Potion ×1
Health Potion ×4
Mutant Rock (Rare) ×2
Branch (Uncommon) ×5
[Earth Staff](Iron Rank, Lv.3)
Int +8, Ag +8, Vit +6
Additional Magic Damage +20
[Plant Protector](Bronze Rank, Lv.3)
Defense +10, Attack Speed +6
Healing Efficiency +30%
[Nature Hand](Iron Rank, Lv.3)
Ag +11, St +10, Int +9
[Gravity Pull](A-Rank, Action-Type)
Pulls enemies in a 3×3 yard area into a paralyzed state for 2s
Cooldown: 1 min
Suzy's eyes widened. "What a haul, big brother! You must have insane luck."
Tony smirked. "Maybe. But we're probably the first to kill humanoid plants. First kills always drop better loot."
He distributed the rewards without hesitation. Suzy received the Earth Staff, Nature Hand, Gravity Pull, and two Health Potions. Maya was given the Plant Protector and the rest of the potions. Both sisters also got one silver and twenty-six bronze each. Tony kept the crafting materials.
The sisters' gratitude was plain, though Suzy looked especially ecstatic, clutching the Earth Staff like a child with her first toy.
After questioning the villagers, Tony discovered that the herb-pickers had been harassed by wild boars.
"Perfect," he said. "Not too dangerous, but enough for training."
He explained calmly, "What you two need most now is timing. When to attack, when to block, when to evade. Mastering timing is harder than raw power. Once you have it, everything else becomes easier."
In the herb fields, nine boars snorted and pawed at the ground, their tusks gleaming. Tony lured two away, demonstrating his method. His movements were crisp, his strikes precise—never wasting energy, always hitting at the perfect moment.
When the sisters tried, the difference was stark.
Suzy barely managed to tank a single boar with Maya's constant healing. Their coordination was shaky. Their timing—hesitant. After a grueling struggle, they defeated two boars and collapsed in exhaustion.
Meanwhile, Tony battled two boars at once, weaving between them effortlessly. His footwork was fluid, his timing flawless. Every dodge and counterattack seemed preordained. Watching him was like watching a dance.
Suzy's heart pounded. Once again, she felt her mind break open.
She clenched her new Earth Staff, eyes blazing. "I want to try something!"
Before Maya or Tony could stop her, she drew the aggro of three remaining boars.
"Suzy!" Maya gasped, her heart leaping. But she didn't panic. She trusted her sister's instinct, adjusting her position to cover her with healing while keeping her own distance.
Suzy steadied her breathing. Normally, she chanted her spells—safe but slow. For Gravity Pull, she drew a magic circle in the air, but her control was clumsy, wasting casts.
But now… something clicked.
Her hands moved instinctively, one tracing a glowing circle while her lips chanted an incantation. Two spells at once. Fireball and Gravity Pull.
The air trembled. Flames roared. A surge of force yanked the three boars together into a cluster.
Then—BOOM!
The fireball detonated in their midst, burning tusks and hide alike. Damage numbers blazed across the screen.
Maya froze in shock. Even Tony's eyes widened.
"Double casting…" he muttered. "She actually did it. Without training. Without guidance. She's a monster."
For most mages, double casting was nearly impossible without months of practice and mentorship from a great teacher. To Suzy, it had come naturally, born from instinct and desperation.
Her genius was undeniable.
And Tony knew, in that moment, that Suzy's path would be anything but ordinary.