Kim stepped through the shimmering barrier at the edge of the forest, and the atmosphere shifted. The sound of digital birds faded, replaced by a low hum of bustling life. The Bronze District stretched before him — a sprawling player hub built from copper-plated towers and floating neon signs advertising everything from gear repairs to daily quests.
NPCs bustled about, hawking wares with scripted enthusiasm, while lower-rank players hustled through the square, their usernames hovering in bright yellow over their heads. Kim's own tag — "F-9 | KimZero" — drew no attention. Just another noob.
He ignored the side quests for now. They paid in scraps. Instead, he weaved through alleys to the underground market — a dim, less-regulated zone where whispered rumors traveled faster than official patch notes.
He needed coin. Fast.
A familiar NPC, Mervin the Vendor, squinted at him from behind a stand loaded with mismatched armor and glitched potion bottles. "Back again, rookie? Broke already?"
"Still broke," Kim muttered, flashing the few broken fang drops he'd gathered in the forest.
Mervin scoffed. "You'll need more than this to last the week."
"I don't need the week. Just the night."
The vendor frowned but tossed Kim a few bronze credits — barely enough for food buffs, let alone rent. Kim pocketed it anyway. He had no choice.
As he left, something flickered in the corner of his HUD — a notice:
[C-Rank Exclusive Forum Access Unlocked: TradeNet]
Kim stopped walking. Forum access? Already?
His hands moved instinctively, opening the new UI tab. The TradeNet forum gleamed with activity — player-to-player trades, dungeon rumors, gear hacks, even mercenary listings. One post caught his eye:
"Rare loot drop from Fracture Spire boss. Willing to buy at premium. PM now."
Fracture Spire… That was the dungeon near the Emerald Brushline. A solo F-9 like him couldn't possibly take on the boss. But—
His eyes narrowed. Maybe he didn't have to fight it. Maybe he just had to be there when it died.
---
Later that night, Kim snuck into the back entrance of Fracture Spire, hugging the shadows. Higher-ranked players swarmed the main entrance, prepping for a raid. He wasn't here to join them.
Instead, he used the jagged rocks along the cliff face to climb to a hidden overlook near the boss chamber. He watched, crouched, heart pounding, as the team below began their assault.
Glitches tore through the air, sparks flying as the stone-plated centibeast roared. Kim readied his inventory. If just one piece of loot dropped within range, if he could just tag the boss with a single dagger throw…
He hurled it.
[Boss Tagged: +1.4% Contribution]
A long moment passed. Then the beast shrieked and collapsed. Loot exploded in digital fireworks.
Among the items was a glowing shard — dark red, with ripples of light coursing through it.
[You have obtained: Embercore Fang — Epic Item Drop!]
His jaw dropped. Epic. From a 1.4% tag. That was unheard of.
Minutes later, the TradeNet forum exploded.
He sold the Embercore Fang for enough coin to cover two months' worth of payments — and then some.
An hour later, he wired the first payment through the in-game capsule credit kiosk.
Just before midnight, a message popped up on his HUD.
[Loan status: Paid in full for August. Enforcement delay cancelled.]
Kim slumped against the capsule wall in real life, exhaling in relief. They wouldn't come for his home. Not this month.
He wasn't rich. But he was alive. And for the first time in weeks, safe.
He smiled faintly, heart still racing.
Maybe, just maybe, he was finally starting to level up.