[Lives: 10 → 12]
Stark had obtained 2 lives from killing the shadow wolf, and thus gained them.
'Two lives isn't much at all, but that's a start,' he thought, narrowing his eyes slightly. 'I'll need to keep searching for more monsters.'
After dealing with the first white orb, Stark stepped toward the other two that had appeared.
Without hesitation, he reached out and touched them one by one, feeling a faint pulse of energy pass through his fingertips as each was absorbed.
One was a piece of equipment.The other was a skill book.
[Shadow Fur Boots (Common): Physical Resistance +2, Movement Speed +3%. Requirement: Level 1]
[Skill Book: Shadow Slash (Common): Assassin-type skill book. Requirement: Level 1.]
The shadow wolf he had killed was only a level 1, common-rank monster. It was no surprise that the loot wasn't anything exceptional.
Still, Stark was satisfied.
Without wasting time, he equipped the [Shadow Fur Boots], feeling the slight improvement in his movement.
'Seems like weak monsters like these really don't give me [Evolution Points], or maybe its a low chance,' he mused, glancing back at the wolf's fading corpse. 'I'll have to see what happens with a boss.'
After making sure there was nothing else left behind, Stark turned away from the clearing and headed deeper into the forest.
The air here felt thicker, shadows stretching across the ground like claws reaching for prey.
Somewhere in the distance, faint shouts and clashes echoed through the trees.
Meanwhile, in the novice town, many players who had already died once or twice were beginning to form small teams.
Some were cautious, others desperate, but all of them were aware of one thing: they couldn't afford to lose all their lives.
Slowly, they ventured out to explore, their movements hesitant but determined.
As Stark advanced, the forest grew darker, the sunlight breaking only in thin streaks through the canopy.
His footsteps were quiet, measured… until a sudden scream tore through the silence.
"HOLY SHIT, WHAT IS THAT THING!"
Another voice followed, trembling. "W-We killed one of those shadow wolves, but what the hell is that?!"
Stark's eyes flickered in the direction of the sound.
Through the gaps between the trees, he spotted the source: a young couple, one dressed as a priest, the other an assassin.
They stood frozen, faces pale, as an enormous shadow loomed over them.
It was a massive wolf, its dark fur rippling with every movement, and its eyes glowed an ominous purple that seemed to pierce straight through the soul.
---
[Mother Shadow Wolf (Level 1)]
[Rank: Uncommon (Boss)]
[HP: 1,500]
---
Not a normal monster, but an uncommon-rank boss.
Its health points alone were far higher than any common creature at this stage, and the oppressive aura it gave off was suffocating.
When Stark reached the edge of the clearing, a slow smile spread across his face.
'A boss would guarantee evolution points, wouldn't it?'
The truth was obvious: no ordinary player could handle this creature.
Even a group of ten would be torn apart before they could chip away a quarter of its health.
The [Mother Shadow Wolf] was the leader of the [Shadow Wolves], and true to its title, several of its smaller kin lurked nearby, their eyes glinting from the shadows, waiting to pounce.
Stark stood silently, his gaze cold, as the boss raised a massive claw toward the couple.
He had no intention of saving them.
He didn't know them after all, and he would prioritize the people close to him.
The air shifted, and from the brush around them, several shadow wolves suddenly emerged, closing in.
"Take this!" the assassin shouted, darting forward with his dagger.
But the attack barely grazed the boss's fur. In seconds, the two players were surrounded.
Teeth and claws flashed. The couple's attacks were too weak, their health too low, their resistance pitiful.
They could do nothing but watch as the wolves closed in and tore into them.
"Ah—!"
A flurry of red damage numbers burst above their heads.
Within moments, their bodies collapsed, fading into motes of light.
Each of them had lost one life, the essence of which transformed into small glowing spheres.
The nearby wolves eagerly absorbed them, their bodies twitching faintly as if savoring the stolen vitality.
That was the moment Stark had been waiting for.
The wolves, including the boss, were all grouped together, the perfect target.
Great Fireball!
Mana surged to the tip of Stark's staff, forming a blazing sphere that pulsed with heat.
He let it fly.
BOOM!
-390! -390! -390!
The explosion engulfed the cluster of wolves.
Most of the smaller ones were instantly incinerated, leaving behind only scorched patches on the grass.
The [Mother Shadow Wolf] staggered back, snarling, its purple eyes blazing with fury.
ROOOOARRR!
The sound shook the clearing as the boss locked onto Stark and charged.
'I only have 100 HP… any hit will kill me,' Stark thought, his lips curling into the faintest smirk. 'But even then…'
Fwish!
He sidestepped with precision far beyond what most players at his level could manage, narrowly avoiding the boss's swipe.
Mages weren't meant for close combat, one hit was usually a death sentence.
But Stark wasn't like other mages.
Ten seconds passed. His [Great Fireball] cooldown ended.
Fwish! BOOM!
-390!
He repeated the process twice more, his movements sharp and deliberate, the fireballs crashing into the boss and steadily burning away its health bar.
Now the creature was barely clinging to life. It knew it too.
With a sudden surge of speed, the [Mother Shadow Wolf] lunged, its fangs bared, determined to take him down before the end.
This time, Stark couldn't dodge.
Magic Shield!
A shimmering blue barrier erupted in front of him, the impact shaking his arms as the boss slammed into it.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the shield, but it held long enough.
By the time it shattered, Stark was already raising his staff again.
Great Fireball!
Fwish! BOOM!
-390!
The blast engulfed the wolf's head, and with a final, echoing roar, the uncommon-rank boss collapsed.
Ding!
[You have killed "Mother Shadow Wolf (Level 1 Uncommon-Rank Boss)"]
[You have gained 250 experience points.]
The rush of experience hit immediately.
Ding!
---
[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 2!]
[You have gained 5 points in all of your attributes, and 5 free points to distribute.]
But then, another notification appeared right beneath it.
[You have gained 2 Evolution Points!]
---
"Amazing," Stark muttered, his eyes brightening. "So killing bosses really does give evolution points."
And with that level up, another system message appeared.
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have unlocked the "Novice Town #783's" Level Leaderboard!]
[You have gained 1 Prestige Point!]
At that same moment, a system-wide announcement rang in the minds of every player in Novice Town #783.
[Player "Oblivion" has killed "Mother Shadow Wolf (Uncommon-Rank Boss)" and was the first to reach Level 2!]
[The "Novice Town #783's" Level Leaderboard is now open!]
By now, hundreds of players were gathered in the town.
Most were teenagers or adults, though a few elderly individuals had also appeared.
The reaction was immediate.
"What the hell, he already killed a boss?"
"I couldn't even kill a single monster, this game is rigged!"
"How could anyone reach level 2 so fast?"
Meanwhile, the young couple Stark had ignored revived in the central square, the system informing them that they now had only 9 lives left.
"Hey… do you think that lives thing is real?" the priest girl asked, her voice low. "If we lose them all… do we die?"
"Impossible. There's no way that's true," the assassin replied automatically, though there was doubt in his tone.
"But think about it… we woke up here, in this strange world, and everything is too realistic…"
Before he could answer, the system notification of Stark's kill reached their ears.
"What? Wasn't the [Mother Shadow Wolf] the thing that killed us? And someone killed it?!"
"How? Who the hell is this 'Oblivion' guy?"
"Didn't it have a bunch of shadow wolves with it too?"
The more they thought about it, the more their confidence crumbled.
"Maybe he had a full team of professionals with top-tier talents?"
"No. Look at the leaderboard, his is the only name on it."
They checked.
---
[Level Leaderboard:]
[1. Oblivion: Level 2]
---
No one else had even reached level 2 yet.
The realization hit them, this person might not just be first in their town, but possibly first in the entire world.
That thought was terrifying.
But for others, it was motivating.
"Better safe than sorry. Let's just assume this game is the real deal."
"Agreed."
In Novice Town #783, as more people gathered, the urgency in the air grew.
Groups began forming with more care, players seeking out those with different classes and useful skills/talents.
"The max team size right now is ten. We're missing three more people!"
"I'm a [Holy Warrior], I have a skill that allows me to protect my comrades. Let's go together!"
Determination and hope sparked across the town.