Combat Level 4. I only need a little more experience to hit Level 5 and unlock the Iron Sword, he assessed. The quickest way to get that experience, plus more Gold Coin bonuses, is to hunt the remaining "First Kill" mobs.
He equipped his Stone Sword, checked his two consumables—the Minor Orb of Resilience and the Flask of Minor Swiftness—and took a deep breath.
"It's now or never."
He didn't bother using his spiral staircase. He broke out of his base and began mining straight up through the stone layers, relying on the efficiency of his Stone Pickaxe to power through. He ascended rapidly, the air growing colder and damper as he neared the dirt level.
🏃 The Surface Dash
When he reached the surface layer, the night was pitch black. The thick birch forest canopy blocked what little moonlight existed, plunging the area into oppressive shadow, broken only by the eerie, red glow of his handheld torch. He could hear the collective cacophony of the Nightmare mobs: the hissing, the rattling, the groaning. The surface was now a true hellscape.
Lucas quickly scaled a tall birch tree to get an overview. From his perch, he spotted two immediate targets: the distinct, eight-legged silhouette of a giant spider lurking near the collapsed dirt tunnel, and—more worrying—the faint, green pulsating light of a Nightmare Creeper moving through the undergrowth.
He made his decision. The Creeper was the highest threat. Its explosion radius on Nightmare mode would be massive, and dealing with it first was paramount, especially to claim the 'First Kill' bonus.
Lucas dropped down from the tree, pulled the cork on the Flask of Minor Swiftness, and drank the bubbling, blue liquid.
An intense surge of energy coursed through the holographic simulation of his body. His vision sharpened, and the forest seemed to slow down around him.
[Status]: Speed I (1:30 remaining)
He didn't need to be stealthy; he needed to be fast. He was a blur of motion, leaping over exposed roots and sprinting through the thick brush. The Speed I effect was exhilarating, allowing him to close the distance to the Creeper in mere seconds.
The Nightmare Creeper was roughly twice the size of a standard Creeper. Its skin was mottled green and brown, covered in thorny protrusions. When it spotted Lucas, its pace didn't increase, but its body began to swell with frightening speed.
HISSSSSSSS! The sound wasn't a warning; it was a promise.
Lucas knew the trick: hit-and-run tactics. But with the speed boost, he had a better chance.
He darted in, swung his Stone Sword with full force, and immediately broke contact, covering ten meters in a single stride.
CLANG! His sword struck the Creeper's torso.
The Creeper barely flinched, but the hit was enough to stagger its swelling process for a split second.
HISSSS... BOOM!
The explosion came sooner and louder than he anticipated. Lucas was already running away, but the blast radius was enormous, tearing up the earth and splintering the birch trees. The force of the detonation hit his back, sending a wave of searing, simulated pain through his body. He tumbled forward, his health bar dropping by a shocking five hearts.
That was too close! He thought, scrambling to his feet. He saw the black smoke and shredded terrain where the Creeper had stood.
[System]: First Kill Achieved! Congratulations to player Pendragon for eliminating a hostile entity (Nightmare Creeper)!
[System]: First Kill Bonus Granted: 50 Gold Coins.
[System]: Monster Gold Coin Drop: 20 Gold Coins.
[System]: Special Item Drop: Iron Plate Fragment.
[System]: Player Pendragon Gold Coins: 550.
A chunk of tarnished, heavy metal lay smoking in the fresh crater. Lucas ignored the burning sensation in his back and snatched it up.
Iron Plate Fragment
Use: Can be combined with 3 Iron Ingots at a workbench.
Effect: Crafts one piece of Iron Armor without requiring the Level 5 Armoring Skill.
Lucas's eyes widened. A direct bypass! This was exactly the kind of item that broke the early-game progression. He had seven ingots back in the chest, meaning he could now craft two pieces of Iron Armor—likely the helmet and the chestplate—before any other player could. This was priceless.
He used the Iron Plate Fragment and some dirt to quickly patch the worst of the health damage to his body, then took a few seconds to breathe. His Speed I was still active, but his health was low. He needed food, but he also needed the Spider bonus.
He sprinted toward the collapsed tunnel where he had seen the giant spider. This mob offered the perfect opportunity to raise his combat skill without the risk of an explosion.
The Nightmare Spider was massive, with glowing red eyes and mandibles that dripped venom. It didn't crawl; it pounced.
It spotted Lucas and launched itself at him.
Lucas, using the remaining speed boost, juked sharply to the left. The Spider slammed into the ground where he had been standing, kicking up dust and dirt. He immediately spun around and began attacking the creature's exposed abdomen, the soft spot.
He noticed the combat experience flashing on his status bar with every successful hit.
SLASH! The Stone Sword bit deep.
SLASH!
SLASH!
The spider writhed, spitting a corrosive, green liquid that splashed near Lucas's feet, dissolving the grass.
He had to be flawless. One direct hit from those poisoned mandibles could drain the rest of his health. He concentrated entirely on footwork, relying on his years of muscle memory from the original game, translated now into his physical actions. He circled the monster, hitting only when it was recovering from a strike.
Finally, with a loud, chitinous crack, the Stone Sword struck a critical blow. The Spider screamed—a shrill, unnatural sound—and dissolved into particles.
[System]: First Kill Achieved! Congratulations to player Pendragon for eliminating a hostile entity (Nightmare Spider)!
[System]: First Kill Bonus Granted: 50 Gold Coins.
[System]: Monster Gold Coin Drop: 15 Gold Coins.
[System]: Special Item Drop: Small Pouch of Enchanted Dust.
[System]: Player Pendragon Gold Coins: 615.
The system also flashed a personal notification:
[Status]: Combat Skill Level Up! Combat Skill is now Level 5!
[Status]: New items unlocked: Iron Sword, Iron Axe, Iron Shovel, Iron Hoe.
Lucas punched the air with his free hand. Level 5! The Iron Sword was now craftable.
The special drop—the Small Pouch of Enchanted Dust—was a small, silken bag that felt strangely warm to the touch.
Small Pouch of Enchanted Dust
Use: Can be applied to a weapon or tool.
Effect: Grants a random, Level I enchantment (e.g., Sharpness I, Efficiency I).
An immediate enchantment! This was even better than the Iron Fragment. A Sharpness I Iron Sword would ensure he dominated the early-game combat.
The rapid-fire announcements—Creeper Kill, Iron Plate Fragment, Spider Kill, Enchanted Dust, and the Level 5 Skill unlock—sent the other 9,999 players into a frenzy.
On the Server-Wide Chat (Now being flooded):
@Tankard: "He's over 600 gold! Pendragon is cheating! How does he have Iron already? REPORT!"
@Queen_of_Dirt: "Iron Plate Fragment? Is that a unique drop? He's getting stronger, we need to hide!"
@TheBuilder: (Private message to his fledgling alliance): "He didn't find Iron Ore; he found a way around the skill gate. He will have Iron Armor before sunrise. Our priority just changed. We need to find the remaining first kills—the Enderman, the Blaze—or we need to find Pendragon and take his coins."
@BeastSlayer69: (Now cowering in a ravine): "I knew it! That Pendragon guy is a machine! This isn't fair!"
Lucas didn't spare a second reading the chat. He used the last of his remaining wood to craft a new Iron Sword. The feeling of the heavy, balanced weapon in his hand, even through the simulation, was satisfying and reassuring.
He immediately applied the Small Pouch of Enchanted Dust to the blade. A pulse of violet light emanated from the sword.
[Status]: Enchantment Successful. Iron Sword is now enchanted with Sharpness I!
He was now armed, armored (soon to be), and rich. But the remaining dangers of the night were still there, and the other players were now hunting bonuses and, potentially, him.
He secured the precious Iron Plate Fragment and prepared to retreat back to his deep mining base, knowing his next step was converting his Iron Ingots into actual defense