The world dissolved into a stream of golden light before solidifying into an ethereal temple floating in a sea of stars.
A holographic figure, an angel with sparkling wings, greeted Jason.
She introduced the world, the basic mechanics, and the twelve main classes.
Jason didn't hesitate.
He chose the Blademaster, the class he had perfected over a decade.
For his name, he chose Aethel, a simple, powerful nod to the world he was about to conquer.
He adjusted his appearance by 15%, enough to be unrecognizable to his old enemies but still familiar to himself.
When the system offered a choice of starting zones, he selected the one tied to Silverstream City: Crimsonleaf Village.
It was a well-known hub for independent players, far from the choking influence of the major guilds.
He spawned in the middle of a bustling village square.
The world was more beautiful than he remembered.
The air smelled of fir and roasting meat.
NPCs with intelligent, life-like eyes went about their business, their conversations dynamic and unscripted.
Dozens of new players, all clothed in the same drab gray novice gear, ran around like headless chickens, either harassing NPCs for quests or immediately sprinting towards the wilderness.
Jason took a moment to just breathe it in.
Then, he opened his stat panel.
[Aethel]
Level: 0
Class: Blademaster
HP: 100/100
Attributes: Strength 5, Agility 3, Endurance 4, Intelligence 2, Vitality 2.
Free Attribute Points: 4
Most new players, especially melee classes, would dump all their points into Strength for higher initial damage.
It was the common wisdom.
It was also wrong.
Without a second thought, Jason allocated all four points into Agility.
His Agility jumped to 7.
This was the secret.
In the early game, attack speed and movement speed were king.
Hitting faster meant more damage over time, and moving faster meant better positioning and survival.
A notification chimed.
It was Jay.
"Dude! Where are you? This place sucks!" Jay's voice, filtered through the game's comms, was a mix of awe and frustration.
"I'm in a place called Murkwood.
I've been slapped by three giant mosquitos already, and I swear one of them stole my starting bread!"
Jason chuckled.
"I'm in Crimsonleaf Village.
Get over here.
It'll take you about eight hours, but it'll be worth it."
"Eight hours?! I'll be so far behind!" Jay wailed.
"Trust me," Jason said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"I know a way to make up for that lost time, and then some.
Consider it inside information."
Convinced by Jason's unwavering confidence, Jay murmured his agreement and set off on the long journey.
Jason's eyes scanned the town square.
New players were crowding around the guard captain, a burly man named Marcus, who was handing out generic quests: Kill 10 Wild Boars, Collect 5 Sun-Kissed Berries.
They were slow, boring, and offered pitiful rewards.
Jason had no time for that.
He was hunting for bigger game.
His gaze fell upon a figure no one else was paying attention to.
An old, unkempt man named Alaric sat by the central fountain, his tattered clothes hanging loosely, his face blank with quiet despair.
A few well-meaning players had tried to give him a copper or two, but he simply stared through them, unresponsive.
They quickly dismissed him as a broken, purely cosmetic NPC.
Jason knew better.
He walked over, ignoring the stares of other players.
He didn't offer money.
Instead, he opened his inventory, took out one of his ten pieces of starting bread, and held it out to the old man.
"You look like you could use this more than me, old-timer," Jason said, his voice soft.
For the first time, a flicker of light appeared in Alaric's dull eyes.
He slowly reached out with a trembling hand and took the bread.
He took a small bite, chewing as if it were the finest meal he'd ever had.
He looked up at Jason, his gaze sharp and lucid.
"Kindness is a rarer currency than gold, young man," Alaric whispered, his voice raspy.
He leaned closer.
"The man who runs this town, Mayor Valerius… he is not what he seems.
He hosts a grand banquet tonight at the Town Hall.
A… special vintage will be served from a ceremonial cask.
If someone were to cause a commotion… and spill the wine… a great evil might be revealed."
Expose Mayor Valerius's secret at the banquet tonight.
Time Limit: 4 hours.>_
Jason smiled.
This was it.
The unique quest that would set him miles ahead of everyone else.
But before he could head to the Town Hall, a hulking figure blocked his path.
It was a Warrior player, decked out in the same novice gear but with a brutish, arrogant sneer.
His name, Slabjaw, floated above his head.
"Hey, newbie," Slabjaw grunted, flexing his biceps.
"I saw you got some coppers from that first quest. Hand 'em over. Consider it a 'new player tax.'"
Jason just raised an eyebrow.
"Tax? Funny, I don't remember electing you."
Slabjaw's face turned red.
"You got a smart mouth, huh?" He unslung the massive novice axe from his back.
"I'll teach you some respect!"
He charged, swinging the axe in a wide, clumsy arc.
To the other Level 0 players, it was a terrifying attack.
To Jason, it was happening in slow motion.
He took a single, precise step to the side.
The wind from the heavy axe shrieked past his ear, missing him by an inch.
Before Slabjaw could recover his balance, Jason moved.
He was a blur, his 7 points in Agility making him impossibly fast.
He didn't even use his sword yet.
He pivoted on his heel, the ground crunching under his boot, and drove his fist forward with his entire body's momentum.
"BOOM!"
The punch wasn't magical, but the sound of it landing was like a muffled explosion.
It connected squarely with Slabjaw's gut.
A visible ripple of force went through the larger man's body.
The air rushed out of his lungs in a pained gasp, and he stumbled back three, four, five steps, his eyes wide with shock and pain.
He felt a deep, vibrating force run straight through his bones.
"Wha—?" he wheezed.
He never got to finish.
Jason was already in motion again.
His novice sword, a simple piece of sharpened metal, became an extension of his will.
He used his first skill.
[Chop!]
The blade sliced through the air, leaving a faint silver trail.
It wasn't aimed at Slabjaw's chest, but at the leather strap holding his shoulder guard in place, a critical weak point.
The sword landed with a silenced thud, dealing just 8 damage, but the force of the blow, combined with the earlier punch, was enough.
Slabjaw's Health bar, still nearly full, barely moved.
But his pride was shattered.
He was a big, strong Warrior, yet this skinny Blademaster had just danced around him and knocked the wind out of him with a single punch.
Humiliated and frightened by Jason's impossible speed, Slabjaw turned and fled, dropping 3 Copper Coins in his panic.
Jason calmly bent down and picked up the coins, a faint smirk on his face.
"A new player tax," he muttered to himself.
"Guess it's time to pay the mayor a visit."
He turned and walked towards the magnificent Town Hall at the end of the street, its doors flanked by two imposing Level 25 guards. The banquet, and his future, awaited.