Escaping from those three big bosses, Null finally let himself breathe. His heart was still pounding, his armor feeling heavy and smelling like fake blood and metal. The canyon behind him was quiet now—just the wind blowing where the Wolf Alpha had died. Ah this place is much better. Lets stay here for a bit longer.
For a minute, he just stood there, enjoying the calm. The feeling of winning. The game messages still floating in his mind: First Blood. World's First Bronze Boss Kill. Stuff that didn't mean anything in real life—but here, in this game, it felt huge and for Leo, right now it means the world to him.
"Come on," he said to Stella sitting on his shoulder, her gold scales shining in the light. "Lets go. No point standing around when theres stuff to do."
Stella chirped quietly, flapping her wings a little. Having her there made him feel better. Even though she couldn't talk, her smart eyes and calm feeling helped him think straight. She reminded him that sometimes you gotta be smart, not just strong.
[System Alert: You have entered the map — New Haven Settlement!]
The place went crazy when he walked through the gate. So many players everywhere, looking at everything in the town, talking about how real everything looked. This was the first full-immersion VR game ever, and the graphics were so good people were actually arguing about whether you could tell it from real life. Players were fighting about physics, how smart the NPCs were, and little details like the way leaves fell from trees. No bugs, no weird glitches, no lag—everything was smooth and perfect. Leo even heard some players are able to do it with npcs as long as they consent. So are they even npcs at that point. Hard to say but lets save that for the future.
People started looking at Null right away. He heard someone whisper, "Is that the guy who killed the Wolf Alpha by himself?" Another person said, "On the first day... thats crazy."
People had started calling it "First Dawn" when someone managed to kill a Bronze boss solo on opening day. It wasn't about being super powerful, it was about having the balls to try it when everyone else was still killing rabbits and collecting flowers. The fact that he did it made everyone notice him. I mean hard not to when you have an world announcement about yourself on the first day.
Null ignored everyone, walking past them quickly. Unlike most people, he hadn't wasted time on dumb beginner quests. He went straight to fighting, using Stella to skip all the boring early game stuff. Well not like they can copy what he did.
At the town leader's house, the old man came shuffling out when Null walked up. Null pulled out the silver bracelet he found and handed it over.
"You were looking for this, right?" Null asked.
The old man's eyes lit up. His hands shook as he took it. "Thank you! Now I can... finally ask Widow Liu out for dinner!"
Null laughed a little. "Not bad for playing matchmaker for old people." But when can I get some action
[System Alert: Congratulations! You have completed Hidden Quest — "The Town Leader's Secret Crush."]
Reward: +60% EXP, [Simple Ring] (Bronze-grade)
A soft ding sound followed.
[You have reached Level 10! You can now choose your class!]
The old man pointed toward the north gate. "To leave this town, you have to pass the Test Beyond the Valley. Those who make it might find special paths... hidden classes, secret skills, and rewards normal players don't get."
Null stepped back, thinking hard. He remembered those three silver bosses... all level twenty... grinding levels would take forever, and even then, fighting three at once was suicide. There had to be a smarter way.
He looked at Stella sitting calmly on a nearby barrel. Her quiet presence helped him think. He didn't need her to tell him what to do, he could just feel what she was thinking this was the bond they shared, and it helped him plan. He thought through his options:
Option one: grind levels like everyone else. Killing monsters over and over, risking fights, buying healing potions, slowly getting stronger. Boring and took too long. Even with Stella's help, it would still suck and he aint about that life.
Option two: split them up. Lure the bosses away from each other and fight them one at a time. Fewer enemies, more control, and they wouldn't see it coming. He'd need to manage his supplies carefully—healing potions, buff items, maybe even special weapons. Timing and where he fought would be everything. He definietly need to put his new found skill to use. While everyone is still stuck with the same skills.
He made a fist, feeling determined. This is it. If I want to survive and get stronger, I gotta be smart, not just hit things harder. One boss at a time. Lure them away, then attack.
He breathed out slowly, letting the plan form in his head. But first, he needed money—for potions, items, and supplies to help him win. And that meant selling stuff.
Null pulled out the loot from the Wolf Alpha: Alpha's Fang, Alpha Hide Armor, and Alpha Dagger. He put them in the town square for people to bid on, which made everyone look and start talking.
The crowd moved closer, people whispering and pointing. "Whoa, Bronze gear and he's just selling it?" "I didn't think early game stuff would be worth this much." "And that dragon... crazy for something that just hatched."
BlazeRunner pushed his way to the front, looking surprised. "Wait... you're the one who killed the Wolf Alpha alone? By yourself... on the first day?"
Null just nodded, not making a big deal about it. The crowd kept talking, people amazed that someone actually pulled it off.
The auction started. Prices went up fast. Some rich girl with her friends walked up confidently, paid more than anyone else, and bought the Alpha's Fang. BlazeRunner looked pissed that someone outbid him, but since she had so many people with her, he didn't say anything. Leo noted her name to be Elena.
People in the crowd kept talking. "No way... she actually bought it for such a high price she must be rich."
"That dragon gives him such a big advantage, no wonder he could solo the boss."
Null counted the money coming into his account, already thinking about what to buy next. Healing potions, buff items, were his top priority. With enough preparation, he could pull the silver bosses apart, fight them one by one, and survive something no normal player should be able to do.
The day wasn't over yet. Outside the town walls, he could almost see those three huge boss shapes waiting. Null looked toward the foggy distance, hands tightening.
He whispered to himself, mind racing, "Time to use luck, skill, and preparation together... First Dawn isn't just a cool name. It's what I'm gonna be." First in everything.
Stella chirped softly, her eyes sharp and watching, like she was saying they'd face whatever came together.
Null's mind was already working through the steps: separate them, lure them away, then attack. Be patient, time it right, and use everything he and Stella could do. The real adventure was just starting.