The pixelated corpse of the Flamesnake dissolved into motes of light as FloatingPagoda_DivineWolf lowered his bow. A notification pinged – a video from ShieldMountain. Probably some lag-induced glitch or a funny wipe compilation, DivineWolf mused, tapping 'play' with mild curiosity.
The footage loaded. An Archer, clad in simple newbie gear, danced amidst a grove of hulking Level 10 Treants. The first thing that struck DivineWolf wasn't the movement, but the numbers.-426-426-426...A steady, relentless stream of crimson damage figures blossomed above the Treants' heads like deadly flowers. DivineWolf's professional instincts kicked in instantly. "High damage," he muttered, his brow furrowing as he mentally calculated the attack power needed for such consistent over-leveled hits. Early game, with basic gear? Impossible without some serious hidden quest luck or… an exploit? He leaned closer, skepticism warring with intrigue.
Then, his analytical mind stalled. Completely.
It wasn't just the damage. It was the dance.
The Archer – ID barely visible: Snow Emperor – flowed across the uneven, root-strewn ground. It wasn't running; it was a seamless, rhythmic glide. A micro-step back, the smooth, almost lazy draw of the bowstring, an instantaneous flick of the wrist to aim, the sharp twang of release – and then the cycle repeated, barely a heartbeat later. Against the lumbering Treants, it looked effortless, like water flowing around stone.
DivineWolf's breath hitched. "How… how is someone moving this smoothly already?!" The question echoed in the sudden silence of his private channel. He knew, better than most, the brutal learning curve of VR stutter-stepping. The disconnect between willing your physical body to move, draw, aim, and fire in perfect, rapid succession was immense. Early adopters usually looked like puppets with tangled strings. This? This was artistry. Transcendent, impossible artistry.
His own fingers twitched, phantom memories of his own clumsy attempts at maintaining fire while kiting. The sheer fluidity on display was humbling, almost offensive. No one should be this good on Day One. His initial suspicion of an exploit faded, replaced by a dawning, profound respect… and a sharp spike of professional greed.
"Which guild is he with?" DivineWolf's voice was tight, urgent, as he fired off a message to ShieldMountain, his eyes never leaving the screen. The Archer dispatched another Treant with contemptuous ease. "We need him. Find out. Offer a ten million annual contract. Minimum. Escalate if needed." The shock had evaporated, replaced by the fervent hunger of a guild leader recognizing a game-changing asset. This wasn't just a player; this was a potential cornerstone for Floating Pagoda's dominance.
"On it, Boss," came ShieldMountain's prompt reply, the text laced with an undercurrent of excitement DivineWolf noted but didn't dwell on. His focus remained laser-locked on the screen, dissecting every frame of Snow Emperor's movement, trying to imprint the impossible rhythm into his own muscle memory.
Meanwhile, deep within the Twisted Treant grove, the real Snow Emperor, Lin Tianhao, was locked in a rhythm of his own. The relentless thwip-thwip-thwip of arrows leaving his bowstring was a counterpoint to the guttural groans of dying plant monsters. Godslayer's Twilight's infamous drop rates lived up to their reputation. Mountains of vendor trash – brittle twigs, scraps of mossy bark, the occasional dull copper coin – filled his inventory slots. The only notable drop so far had been the Renewal Ring hours ago. Frustration was a familiar companion, tempered only by the steady, visible growth of his health pool with each successful hit. Life was stacking. That was the real prize.
Ding!
The distinct, higher-pitched chime cut through the monotony. Tianhao's arrow paused mid-draw. A shimmer caught his eye near the roots of a freshly felled Elite Treant. Not more moss. An actual item!
He strode over, brushing aside virtual foliage. Nestled there were sturdy-looking shoulder guards fashioned from dark, hardened wood and bound with tough vines.
Treant Pauldrons: Common
Requirement: Level 10 (All Classes)
Effect: HP +200
Durability: 100/100
Basic, but practical. More importantly, sellable. He glanced at FloatingPagoda_ShieldMountain, who was diligently (if somewhat clumsily) trying to hold the attention of a nearby Common Treant, acting as a makeshift tank/distraction. "Want it?" Tianhao called out, holding up the pauldrons.
ShieldMountain's eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. "Hell yes! Though, Emperor Snow," he added quickly, a note of caution entering his voice, remembering the ring's price, "this can't be ring-level pricing, right? Shoulders are… well, shoulders."
Tianhao assessed the eager buyer. Pauldrons were a standard gear slot, easier to fill than rare accessories like rings. "Three thousand," he stated, his tone leaving no room for haggling. It was a fair price for the market, inflated by demand but not exorbitant.
"Deal!" ShieldMountain agreed readily, relief and satisfaction evident. The transaction pinged instantly through the game's secure system. Tianhao felt the minor influx. Currency would lose its luster later, he knew, a grim future shadowing his thoughts. But right now? It was purely fuel – fuel for life expenses, fuel for his sister's recovery. Once those fires were banked, he'd shift to trading power for power within the game itself. This was just a necessary step.
Suddenly, golden text, bold and impossible to ignore, scrolled across the top of every player's vision, accompanied by a resonant, system-wide chime:
<< GLOBAL SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT >><< CONGRATULATIONS TO PLAYER [WARBLADE_FURYKNIGHT] FOR BEING THE FIRST TO REACH A MAIN CITY! >><< REWARDS GRANTED: >>
+500 GOLD
+1 OBSIDIAN-GRADE CLASS SET
+1 CLASS SKILL BOOK
+50 FREE ATTRIBUTE POINTS<< WE ENCOURAGE ALL PLAYERS TO STRIVE FOR GREATNESS! >>
The announcement repeated twice, its grandeur echoing in the suddenly still grove.
"HOLY SH*T!" ShieldMountain's jaw dropped. He instinctively checked the in-game time display. "Already?! Furyknight hit 10? And that reward… it's insane! Obsidian Set?! Fifty points?!" His voice was a mix of awe and sharp envy. "Think of the lead he's got now! Why are we still here grinding rabbits and trees?!" The allure of the main cities, the promise of advanced classes and grand quests, suddenly felt intensely tangible.
Tianhao, however, remained utterly impassive. He watched the golden text fade, his expression unchanging. Insignificant. The rewards were flashy, yes, a potent early boost. But they paled in comparison to the hidden treasures buried within these very Newbie Zones – treasures Furyknight had just permanently forfeited by rushing ahead. Countless players in his past life had wept bitter tears of regret upon realizing what they'd left behind, lured by the siren song of the 'next stage'. The true foundation of power was often laid in these humble beginnings. "Pick up the pace," he said calmly to ShieldMountain, his voice cutting through the younger man's excitement. "Focus."
ShieldMountain blinked, tearing his gaze from the phantom glow of the announcement. He looked at Tianhao, the man grinding relentlessly amidst Level 10 monsters while seemingly ignoring a god-tier reward. The contrast was jarring. "Uh, right, Emperor Snow," he stammered, refocusing on his Treant. Then, curiosity bubbled up again, mingling with a newfound respect. "Speaking of… Someone with your skills… which powerhouse guild are you with? Dragon's Fang? Celestial Vanguard? You gotta be core raid material."
Tianhao loosed another arrow, felling a Treant with mechanical precision. "Solo."
"Solo?" ShieldMountain nearly tripped over a root. The word hung in the air. This level of skill, this calm disregard for conventional paths, screamed top-tier guild backing. Solo players simply didn't operate like this. Then, like a puzzle piece snapping into place, it clicked. Lin Tianhao must be an Old Guard Legend! A veteran from the keyboard-and-mouse glory days, a master of strategy and game sense, eventually sidelined not by lack of skill, but by the cruel limitations of aging reflexes and slowing APM. Godslayer's Twilight, being full-dive VR, erased that physical barrier. Here, raw skill, decades of accumulated knowledge, and ironclad nerve could shine again, unfettered. It explained the impossible technique, the preternatural calm, the focus on fundamentals over rushing. He was rebuilding his legend from the ground up, on his own terms.
Seeing Tianhao already sighting his next target, utterly absorbed in the rhythm of the hunt, ShieldMountain wisely swallowed his next dozen questions. The forest floor demanded his attention before a stray vine slapped him silly. He focused on his tanking, a newfound sense of being in the presence of gaming royalty settling over him.
Ding! You have reached Level 4! +5 Free Attribute Points.
The notification was a quiet counterpoint to the earlier fanfare. Tianhao didn't hesitate. All five points flowed into Attack Speed. His rate of fire jumped from 0.93 to 1.03. Simultaneously, his relentless assault had pushed his health pool past another significant threshold, further amplifying the True Damage behind each shot. He felt the subtle shift, the fractionally quicker draw, the slightly reduced delay between shots.-448-448...The numbers confirmed it. Still five arrows per Common Treant, but the gap was narrowing perceptibly. Each volley felt tighter, more responsive. Beside him, ShieldMountain watched Tianhao level with naked envy. The harsh reality of the 90/10 EXP split meant his own progress crawled like sap down a winter trunk. He sighed, thumping his shield against a Treant's leg with more force than necessary.
"Finally," Tianhao murmured, his gaze locking onto a denser cluster of trees deeper within the gloomy grove. Amongst the common giants lurked thicker, more menacing forms, their bark darker, limbs twisted with unnatural knots. His target lay ahead.
Twisted Treant (Elite): Level 10
HP: 5,700 / 5,700
Attack: 49
Skills: Renewal, Vine Whip, Vine Bind
The Elite variant. Identifiable not just by size, but by the faint, sickly green glow emanating from its joints and the thicker, more sinuous vines that seemed to twitch with predatory awareness. The addition of Vine Bind – a targeted root – changed the dynamic entirely. No longer just a damage sponge; it was a genuine threat.
"Emperor Snow!" ShieldMountain called, spotting the Elites and instinctively moving forward, shield raised. He thumped his modestly geared chestplate. "Need a tank? I can soak for you! Got a few decent pieces now!" His earlier windfall had funded some basic defensive gear, bolstering his confidence.
"No." Tianhao's refusal was immediate, flat. He didn't wait for a reaction. His bow came up, the string drawn back to his ear in one smooth motion, and the first arrow was already screaming towards the nearest Elite's glowing core.Thwip!-449!Thwip!-449!...The damage was consistent, respectable. Thirteen arrows would fell one. But the true spectacle wasn't the numbers; it was the dance against danger. Under Tianhao's masterful kiting, the Elite Treant, despite its greater threat, died before its grasping vines could close half the distance to its tormentor. It was a lesson in control, in understanding aggro ranges and movement speed down to the millimeter. The Vine Bind animation started once, a telltale coiling of green energy in the Treant's "hand," but Tianhao was already three steps sideways and launching another arrow before the spell could manifest.
Ding! You have slain an Elite Twisted Treant. EXP +321.
A faint, satisfied smile touched Tianhao's lips for a fleeting second. This was efficient leveling. The EXP was significantly richer than the common mobs. Even ShieldMountain, benefiting distantly, gained a respectable 32 EXP, a noticeable bump from his usual trickle.One. Two. Three…Tianhao's rhythm became a metronome of death. Draw, step, aim, release. The Elites fell, and with each kill, his hidden strength, his ever-growing Health pool, climbed relentlessly, silently compounding his power.
More golden announcements flashed across their vision, heralding other players reaching the coveted Level 10 and departing for the main cities. Each announcement was a siren song to ShieldMountain.< < SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT >>< < CONGRATULATIONS TO PLAYER [NIGHTSHADE_ECHO] FOR REACHING A MAIN CITY! >>(The rewards listed were substantial, but noticeably less grand than the First achiever)
The names bloomed like fleeting fireworks – guild elites, sponsored stars, a few exceptionally lucky or skilled solo players. ShieldMountain groaned, the sound echoing his internal struggle. "The opportunity cost… it hurts," he lamented, watching another name fade. "We're missing out on so much!"
Tianhao remained the picture of icy focus. The announcements might as well have been background noise. His arrows never faltered, his steps never lost their rhythm. His world narrowed to the next target, the next dodge, the next incremental gain in his core stats. The cities could wait. The real foundation was being forged here, in the grimy heart of the newbie zone.
Ding!
Another distinct chime, pulling ShieldMountain from his bout of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Another shimmer near a fallen Elite. Tianhao scooped it up – a sturdy chestpiece crafted from interlocking plates of dark, resin-streaked wood.
Treant Cuirass (Elite): Level 10
Effect 1: Magic Resist +10
Effect 2: HP +500
Durability: 100/100
"Whoa! Emperor Snow!" ShieldMountain's eyes widened, momentarily forgetting the cities. "Is this… part of the set you mentioned?!" The potential power of a full set was a powerful motivator.
Tianhao nodded, tossing the hefty cuirass towards him. It landed with a satisfying thud at ShieldMountain's feet. "Yes. Kill enough Elite Treants, and the full Treant Set will drop. Persistence pays." It was a simple statement of fact.
ShieldMountain hefted the cuirass, feeling its virtual weight. Excitement warred with a touch of sheepishness. "You're a legend, Emperor Snow! Seriously," he added, scratching the back of his helmet, "when you logged out earlier… I kinda thought you ghosted me. My bad." He chuckled, the sound slightly embarrassed.
Tianhao merely suppressed an internal eye-roll. Trust was a luxury he afforded sparingly. "Focus. More to kill." He turned back to the grove, nocking another arrow. The rhythmic thwip-thwip-thwip resumed, the soundtrack to their grinding symphony.
An hour bled away, marked only by the fall of Elites and the steady chime of drops. The blessing of newbie zones – rapid respawns – barely kept pace with Tianhao's relentless slaughter. The forest floor became littered with dissolving plant matter and the occasional glint of copper.
Ding! You have reached Level 6! +5 Free Attribute Points.
The notification was welcome. Without pause, the points flowed into Attack Speed: 1.13. The increase was tangible – the bowstring snapped back fractionally faster, the delay between volleys shrinking. Three more pieces of the coveted Treant Set clattered into his inventory during that hour – Greaves, another Pauldron, a Helm – all promptly handed over to a progressively more ecstatic ShieldMountain.
A player in Godslayer's Twilight had 13 equipment slots: Main Hand, Boots, Breastplate, Cuirass, Helm, Cloak, Ring (x2), Necklace, Pauldrons (x2), Greaves (x2). ShieldMountain now clutched 4 pieces. Nine more to go. But the potential was already intoxicating. This set wasn't just good; intelligence gathering from other zones confirmed it was undisputedly the BiS (Best in Slot) for Shieldbearers in the entire pre-20 bracket. Nothing else rumored or found even came close. The promise of becoming an unbreakable bulwark fueled ShieldMountain's fading doubts about staying behind. Maybe, just maybe, the Emperor knew what he was doing. He hefted his shield with renewed vigor, ready to face the next wave of angry trees. The path to becoming an indomitable fortress started right here.