Adrian stood near the edge of Yurei Hollow, his newly acquired copper tunic snug beneath a dark hoodie. He glanced down at his inventory screen one last time, double-checking the bonuses from his equipment.
Copper Tunic:
+3 Defense
+3 Agility
Hoodie:
+2 Agility
Adrian, Sarah, and Alice stood near the edge of the village square. Their gear had been upgraded—simple yet effective additions that hinted at their growing prowess in Reaper's Echo . Adrian adjusted his new copper tunic and hoodie, feeling a subtle shift in his stats.
Adrian Vale
Level: 4 (76 / 100 EXP)
HP: 120 / 120
Strength: 4
Agility: 9 (+2 from Hoodie, +3 from Tunic)
Endurance: 4
Stamina: 5
Intelligence: 3
Luck: 1
Physique: 7 (Tier 0 – Unawakened)
He glanced down at his status screen one last time, satisfaction flickering across his face. The combination of agility boosts from both pieces made him feel lighter on his feet, more connected to every movement. His Physique stat hummed softly beneath it all—a quiet reminder of how much effort he'd poured into honing his body within this world.
He looked and turned to face the others. "You guys need to know about what we're walking into."
Sarah raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "You mean the giant glowing 'Boss Ahead' sign wasn't enough?"
"No, seriously," Adrian pressed. "I overheard one of the villagers earlier. They said the boss in this cave isn't just any monster—it's a polar bear like that one we faced, and it is three times bigger than a person."
Alice's eyes widened slightly. "Three times? That's… Crazy, are you serious?"
"Crazy?" Sarah echoed, feigning shock. "That's terrifying! What else did the villager say?"
Adrian hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It's smart. It doesn't charge blindly like the wolves or even the Alpha Cave Bear we fought before. It uses the environment against you."
"That sounds like a nightmare," Alice muttered, gripping her axe tightly. "Anything else?"
"He mentioned something about ice spikes," Adrian continued. "Said the bear can use the spikes around the cave, and that is a problem on its own…"
"We have to fight a boss like that in the beginner village," Sarah finished grimly. "Great. Just great."
Despite the tension, Adrian forced a reassuring smile. "It's not all bad. We can respawn and fight it again differently. Remember the Alpha Cave Bear? If we stick together, stay sharp, and adapt, we'll make it through."
Sarah smirked, cracking her knuckles. "Yeah, well, I didn't come this far to get turned into a popsicle. Let's do this."
Alice nodded, determination hardening her expression. "Agreed. No backing down now."
"Are you ladies finished checking your stats and equipment?" Adrian asked casually, looking between Sarah and Alice.
Sarah rolled her eyes, adjusting her Copper Boots with a smirk. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get moving already. I'm ready to see something other than snow and wolves. This place is giving me cabin fever."
Alice nodded in agreement, leaning on her Iron Rank Axe. "Same here. As much as I love playing whack-a-mole with monsters, I wouldn't mind seeing some actual variety for once. Ice and snow are not bad, but I want to see something else, and this game is being annoying than it needs to be."
Adrian sighed but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Alright, I get it takes maybe one and a half days sometimes to clear the beginner village, but we are almost there. Let's head toward the boss cave."
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the familiar crunch of snow underfoot gave way to hushed whispers among players scattered throughout the area. Unlike before, the forest no longer felt empty. When Yurei Hollow felt eerily deserted outside its core zones, the woods now teemed with activity. Groups of adventurers clustered around campfires, trading stories and loot. Merchants hawked rare herbs and enchanted trinkets. Even solo grinders could be seen darting between trees, chasing after wandering beasts.
Their presence didn't go unnoticed. More than once, curious players approached them, drawn by the sight of three well-equipped companions traveling together.
"Hey there!" called out a cheerful voice behind them. A young man jogged up, his mismatched armor jingling loudly. "Mind if I join your party? You guys look like pros!"
Sarah groaned audibly, waving him off without turning around. "Not interested, thanks."
Another player sidled closer, trying to strike up conversation about quest strategies. Adrian ignored him entirely, letting Sarah handle the dismissals with practiced ease. She spun dramatically, clutching her chest as though wounded. "Oh no, kind sir! Save me from these dreadful woods!" she cried mockingly, batting her eyelashes before shooing him away with exaggerated gestures.
When another persistent admirer lingered too long, Adrian finally interjected. "We're good, we are not looking for any members," he said flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Thanks for asking, though."
Sarah shot him an amused glance. "Getting tired of being everyone's knight in shining armor?"
Adrian shrugged, smirking faintly. "Let's just say I've had enough practice ignoring distractions."
After what felt like hours of dodging unwanted attention, they finally reached the entrance to the rumored boss cave.
The scene was chaotic—dozens of players milled about, forming parties, comparing gear, or simply waiting impatiently for their turn to enter. Many wore full sets of armor, their weapons gleaming menacingly in the dim light filtering through the canopy above.
Sarah scowled at the line stretching out from the cavern mouth. "Ugh, seriously? Are we really going to wait our turn like chumps?"
Before Adrian could respond, a smooth voice interrupted them. "Hi there."
Adrian turned to find a heavily armored figure standing nearby. The man wore full plate armor polished to a mirror finish, his sword resting confidently on his hip. Blonde hair framed his face, and dark green eyes glinted with self-assurance. He smiled broadly, clearly aiming for charm.
"It's pretty rare seeing girls in-game," he said, directing his words toward Alice. "Even with my top-tier gear, you're hitting me with critical attacks." He chuckled, clearly expecting laughter in return.
Instead, Sarah choked back a laugh and burst out cackling uncontrollably. Adrian struggled to keep a straight face, biting back a grin as Alice stared blankly at the man, processing whether this was actually happening.
Finally, she shook her head and stepped away, muttering, "I'm not interested. Just want to play the game in peace."
The man blinked, momentarily taken aback. Then his expression hardened slightly. "Huh? Don't you know who I am? I'm Jason Syris, super rich. I can take you anywhere, any country. Baby, you name it."
Alice raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Okay, buddy. I hear you, but I'm really not interested. You're not even my type."
Jason leaned forward, undeterred. "Everyone's my type, sweetheart. I can make sure—"
"Alright, "Mr. Knight, Sir Jason,'' Adrian cut in sharply, stepping beside Alice, draping an arm lightly over her shoulder his expression remained calm, but his eyes carried a clear message: fuck off. Alice didn't flinch—in fact, she seemed completely unfazed, as though she'd expected this exact reaction.
"This is my girlfriend, so why don't you back off and find someone else to annoy? Or maybe try those cheesy lines on someone who cares."
Sarah snorted, crossing her arms. "And FYI, that's like my big sister you're trying to win over, so don't even think about it."
Adrian then pointed to Sarah with a smile," And that girl is like my little sister, so she's off limits too
Jason's face twisted into a mask of fury. His hand shot to his sword hilt, drawing it partially as he pointed it directly at Adrian. "You think you're funny, huh? Looking down on me like that?"
Adrian met his glare evenly, refusing to budge. Behind him, Sarah crossed her arms, her lips curling into a smug grin. For all his bravado, Jason looked ridiculous—an overconfident peacock surrounded by people who saw right through him.
The tension hung thick in the air, unresolved as Jason's blade hovered inches from Adrian's chest.
Adrian's heart pounded steadily, but outwardly, he remained composed. His fingers twitched slightly, itching to reach for his short sword, though he resisted the urge. This wasn't the time or place for a fight—not yet. Instead, he focused on maintaining eye contact with Jason, his expression unreadable but firm.
Sarah, meanwhile, leaned casually against a nearby tree, chewing gum as if this were mere entertainment. "Wow, drama queen much?" she muttered under her breath, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Alice, standing slightly behind Adrian, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Is this guy for real? Can we just ignore him and move on?"
Adrian nodded slightly, still locked in a silent standoff with Jason. "Yeah, let's go. We didn't come here to babysit spoiled kids."
Jason bristled at the insult, his grip tightening on his sword. "You calling me a kid? Do you have any idea who I am?"
"Nope," Adrian replied smoothly, finally breaking eye contact to glance dismissively at Jason's armor. "And honestly, I don't care. Go flex somewhere else."
For a moment, it seemed like Jason might lunge forward, his pride clearly wounded.