The guild hall's wooden doors creaked shut behind them as they stepped back into Novice Village 49554. The square was still bustling, but the mood had shifted—excitement had turned to urgency, as players raced to grind levels, complete quests, and stake their claims.
"First, we need to master the advanced skills," Karen said, spinning his sword in his hand. "Rage Fire and Arc Slash aren't just button-mash moves—they're about timing."
Sophia crossed her arms. "Then teach us. That's why you're here."
They found a quiet clearing on the village outskirts, away from the crowds. Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling the grass, and Karen stepped forward, facing the team.
"Rage Fire burns health for attack power—use it when you're low but have an opening. Arc Slash hits multiple targets, but it leaves you vulnerable if you miss." He demonstrated, activating Rage Fire—his sword glowing red—as he sliced through a nearby tree trunk. The wood split with a crack, charred at the edges.
"Whoa," Blaze muttered.
"Tank, you go first. Use Rage Fire when you're drawing aggro—trade health for threat." Karen nodded at the shield bearer.
Tank grunted, raising his shield and activating the skill. His axe blazed, and he brought it down on a boulder. The rock shattered, sending fragments flying. "Feels like I could take on a boss."
"Don't get cocky," Karen said. "Frost, heal him—Rage Fire drains 20% health per use. Timing your heals with his skill activation is key."
Frost nodded, her hands glowing blue as she cast a healing spell on Tank. The shield bearer's health bar refilled, and he grinned.
One by one, Karen walked them through the skills. Hawk paired Arc Slash with his bow's area-of-effect shots. Jason used Rage Fire to finish weakened enemies. Blaze combined Arc Slash with fire spells for chain damage. Sophia mastered the timing, activating Rage Fire mid-combo to turn the tide of a mock fight with Jason.
By mid-afternoon, the team moved like a well-oiled machine.
"Now for the real tutorial," Karen said, pulling up the quest log. "The Village Elder has a quest—clear the Wolf's Den, collect 50 Wolf Fangs. It's a level 6-8 zone, and it's crawling with players. We'll use it to test our coordination."
They set off, the path winding through forests and hills. The Wolf's Den came into view— a cave mouth surrounded by gnarled trees, with players already fighting packs of silver-furred wolves.
"Rossettis," Jason hissed, nodding at a group of red-tagged players near the cave.
Karen's jaw tightened. The Rossetti guild members were picking off lone players, stealing their Wolf Fangs.
"Stick to the plan," he said. "Tank, draw the wolves. Blaze and Frost, area damage. Hawk, cover the flanks. Jason, sneak around and grab the fangs. Sophia and I—we'll handle the Rossettis."
Tank charged, slamming his shield into a pack of wolves. The beasts snarled, swarming him. Blaze unleashed a firestorm, incinerating three at once. Frost froze the rest, buying Tank time to hack them down.
The Rossettis noticed, and four of them broke off, charging toward the team.
"Two each," Sophia said, drawing her sword.
Karen darted forward, meeting a burly warrior head-on. The Rossetti swung a mace, but Karen dodged, activating Arc Slash. The sword cut through the air, hitting the warrior and a nearby archer.
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The archer stumbled, and Karen finished him with a Full Strike. He turned, blocking a mace swing with his sword—sparks flew—and drove his blade into the warrior's chest.
Behind him, Sophia had taken down her two opponents, her sword dripping with wolf blood.
"Clear!" she shouted.
Karen nodded, joining the rest of the team. The wolves fell fast, their fangs clinking into the inventory. By sunset, they'd collected 50 Wolf Fangs, and the team's levels had jumped to 7.
As they walked back to the village, a notification popped up on everyone's HUD: Guild Reputation Increased! Wings of Liberty Ranks #5 in Novice Village 49554.
"Top five," Hawk said, grinning. "Not bad for a day's work."
"Not good enough," Karen replied. "The Rossettis are #3. We need to be first."
Sophia nodded. "Tomorrow, we tackle the Forgotten Temple—level 10 dungeon, exclusive loot. If we clear it first, we'll jump the ranks."
They reached the Village Elder, turning in the Wolf Fangs. The NPC handed over gold, experience, and a map.
"This leads to the Forgotten Temple," the Elder said. "Beware—the guardian is a powerful beast, and it guards a relic that binds to your genes."
Karen took the map, his eyes narrowing. A gene-binding relic—exactly what they needed to boost their skills.
"Log out, rest," he said to the team. "Tomorrow, we take the temple."
One by one, they vanished, logging out for the night. Karen lingered, staring at the map. The neural bracelet vibrated—another message from Dr. Cole.
Ella walked 50 steps today. She wants to watch you play tomorrow.
A smile tugged at Karen's lips. He closed his eyes, logging out.
The tin hut was dark, but the clinic's window glowed with a faint light. Karen walked over, pressing his forehead to the glass. Ella was asleep, her chest rising and falling steadily. Dr. Cole sat beside her, reading a book.
He knocked softly, and the doctor looked up, gesturing for him to enter.
"She's doing better than I dared hope," Marcus said, lowering his voice. "The GX-07 is working beyond expectations. Her gene sequence is stabilizing."
Karen nodded, sitting on the edge of the cot. Ella stirred, opening her eyes.
"Did you win?" she mumbled.
"Almost," he said, brushing hair from her face. "Tomorrow, we take the temple."
"Can I watch?"
Karen hesitated. The game's violence might be too much, but her eyes were bright with hope.
"Sure," he said. "I'll set up a second screen."
Ella smiled, drifting back to sleep.
Karen stayed for an hour, talking to Marcus about the relic in the Forgotten Temple. The doctor's eyes widened when Karen described it.
"Gene-binding relics—they're legends," Marcus said. "If it can enhance your in-game genes, it might have real-world applications. For Ella."
Karen's heart raced. A real-world cure. It was a long shot, but it was hope—something he'd almost forgotten how to feel.
He left the clinic, the map burning in his pocket. Tomorrow wasn't just about ranking up, or beating the Rossettis. It was about the relic. About Ella. About rewriting their fate.
He lay down in the tin hut, the neural bracelet glowing softly. 8 hours, 32 minutes until launch.
Tomorrow, the tutorial would end.
Tomorrow, the real fight began.