The entrance to the Level 2 dungeon, the Whispering Grove, was anything but quiet.
It pulsed with the frantic energy of a medieval market pushed to the brink, loud, wild, and barely holding together.
Hundreds of Level 2 players, fresh-faced and full of ambition, swarmed the area.
Temporary stalls, hastily assembled from digital wood and canvas, lined the path, their owners shouting out deals for potions, whetstones, and common-grade equipment.
"Party of five, need one more Healer! Normal mode run, quick and easy!" a burly warrior bellowed.
"Selling slightly-used leather boots! Only one small goblin-blood stain, barely noticeable!" an assassin chirped, holding up a sad-looking pair of shoes.
The air crackled with shouting, recruiters, merchants, and desperate players all fighting to be heard.
Most parties were struggling to clear the dungeon on Normal Mode, a testament to its difficulty.
Tales of party wipes were common, whispered between sips of recovery potions like ghost stories around a campfire.
Amidst this bustling chaos, Jason Henry's small group stood out, and not in a good way.
Jay Antonio, his ever-enthusiastic friend, was trying his best to assemble a team.
"Hell Mode dungeon run! Looking for brave souls! Guaranteed epic loot and bragging rights for life!" Jay shouted, puffing out his chest.
The surrounding players glanced over, their interest piqued, but then their eyes landed on Jason.
Their expressions shifted from curiosity to disbelief, then to open ridicule.
A large, glowing 'Lv. 1' floated mockingly above Jason's head.
A nearby Shield Warrior, part of a fully-equipped team, nudged his friend.
"Look at that guy. Level 1, trying for Hell Mode? Is he trying to set a speed-run record for dying?"
His friend, a Ranger, chuckled.
"Maybe he lost a bet. Or maybe he thinks 'Hell Mode' is just a spicy food challenge. Poor guy."
Jay's face reddened, but Jason remained unfazed, a calm smile on his face.
He was used to being underestimated; it was a weapon he had wielded for a decade in his past life.
"Don't worry about them, Jay," Jason said quietly.
"The right people will come. We need players who are skilled, not just high-level. Look for stability, not arrogance."
Just as he spoke, a palpable hush fell over the crowd.
The chaotic chatter died down as players parted like the Red Sea, their eyes fixed on a trio of players approaching the dungeon entrance.
Leading the group was a woman of breathtaking beauty, even with her appearance slightly altered by the game.
She was clad in pristine silver and blue battle armor that shimmered with a faint, magical light.
This was Aurora, the Vice-Guild Leader of Seraphim, one of the top guilds, and a Berserker known throughout the game as the 'Ice Queen' for her cool demeanor and devastating power.
Flanking her was a fiery redhead in crimson mage robes, her expression a mask of arrogance.
This was Ember, a Flame Witch renowned for her explosive temper and equally explosive spells.
The third was a young Cleric, her face full of innocent curiosity as she took in the scene.
"It's Aurora!" someone whispered in awe.
"The Snow Goddess herself!"
"Wow, Seraphim is here to clear the Whispering Grove? I bet they'll be the first to clear Hard Mode!"
Ember's gaze swept across the crowd with disdain, but her eyes paused on Jason's group.
A smirk played on her lips.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" she said, her voice dripping with mockery.
"A Level 1 Swordsman trying to recruit for Hell Mode? Aurora, look. Some people really don't know their own limits. He's probably so poor he couldn't even afford to level up properly."
Jay Antonio bristled, about to fire back a retort, but Jason placed a calming hand on his shoulder.
Aurora's eyes, as cool and clear as a winter sky, flickered towards Jason.
She didn't mock him.
Instead, a flicker of curiosity crossed her face.
There was something about the Level 1 player's composure, the way he held his sword, the jet-black, ominous-looking Abyssal Blade—that felt… different.
He didn't seem like a clueless newbie.
He radiated an aura of unshakable confidence.
"Let them be, Ember," Aurora said, her voice soft but firm.
Her party moved on, heading towards the dungeon portal.
Jay let out a sigh of relief. "Man, that woman is intense.
But her friend Ember… what a piece of work.
He then decided to change tactics.
"Alright, new plan!" he announced, turning back to the crowd.
"Maybe the 'Hell Mode' part is scaring people. How about we show them what we've got?"
With a dramatic flair, Jay Antonio equipped his three pieces of Bronze Equipment.
A metallic gleam radiated from his new staff, boots, and bracers.
The surrounding players, who had been snickering, suddenly went quiet.
Bronze gear was a status symbol this early in the game.
A player with one piece was considered lucky; a player with three was a certified expert.
A player named Captain Cautious, the leader of a party that had just rejected them, stared with wide eyes.
"Three… three Bronze pieces? On a Cursemancer? How is that even possible?" He immediately regretted his earlier dismissal.
The tide of public opinion began to turn.
A few players who had been on the fence started to look at Jason's group with newfound respect.
"See?" Jason murmured to Jay. "A little proof goes a long way."
He scanned the crowd, his eyes finally landing on a dejected-looking Guardian Knight sitting alone on a rock.
The man was Level 1, clad in shabby gray starter gear, looking like he'd just been fired from his job as a scarecrow.
Jason walked over.
"Looking for a party?" he asked.
The Guardian Knight looked up, his eyes weary.
"You'd take a Level 1? Every party I've asked has laughed me out the door.
Said they need a Level 2 tank at minimum."
"I'm Level 1," Jason said, gesturing to the number above his head.
We're going to Hell Mode.
It's not about the level, it's about how you play.
I need a Guardian Knight who listens to commands and can adapt.
I see you haven't allocated your attribute points yet.
That shows you're cautious and waiting for the right team.
That's the kind of player I want.
The Knight's eyes widened in surprise.
Jason had read him perfectly.
"My name's Tank," he said, a spark of hope in his voice.
"If you're willing to take a chance on me, I'm in."
"Welcome to the team, Tank," Jason said with a smile.
He knew this player from his past life.
'Tank' would later become 'Titan,' the unbreachable main tank for the guild Brilliant Stars, a man whose defensive skills were legendary.
Securing him now was a massive victory.
With Tank on board, Jason quickly recruited two more Level 1 players who had been struggling to find a party: a quiet Oracle named Dreamer and a perpetually hungry Summoner named Munch.
Their party was now complete:
Jason (Lv. 1 Swordsman),
Jay Antonio (Lv. 2 Cursemancer),
Solitary Blade (Lv. 2 Warrior),
Tank (Lv. 1 Guardian Knight),
Dreamer (Lv. 1 Oracle),
and
Munch (Lv. 1 Summoner).
A party of six, with four members at Level 1, declaring their intent to enter Hell Mode.
The surrounding crowd was dumbfounded.
"They're actually going in!"
"This is either legendary courage or legendary stupidity."
Ember, who was still waiting for her own party to fill up, scoffed loudly.
"They'll be out in less than a minute. What a waste of time."
Jason ignored them all.
He looked at his newly formed, ragtag team.
They were nervous, but there was a flicker of determination in their eyes.
They were the underdogs, the rejects, and they had nothing to lose.
"Alright, everyone," Jason said, his voice steady and confident.
Forget what everyone else is saying.
Trust me, and trust each other.
We're not just going to clear this dungeon.
We're going to be the first.
Are you with me?"
A chorus of determined "Yes!" answered him.
Jason turned and walked towards the swirling, ominous portal for Hell Mode.
The air around it was cold, and a low, menacing hum emanated from within.
He took a deep breath, the faces of his past betrayers flashing in his mind.
This was more than just a dungeon run.
This was the first step in building an empire that would dwarf theirs.
With the eyes of every player at the entrance fixed on them, Jason Henry and his unlikely crew stepped into the portal.
The swirling vortex of light consumed them, and the crowd held its breath, waiting for the system announcement of their inevitable, swift demise.
But it didn't come.
There was only a chilling silence.