Blade moved silently through the outskirts of the Frostvale forest. Snow-dusted trees stretched into the distance, their branches creaking under the weight of ice. Frost wolves prowled nearby, and Blade's eyes followed a trio moving cautiously between shadows.
> "Time to grind XP… and see what else I can find."
He fired Daylight from behind a tree. The bullet struck a wolf mid-leap, steam hissing as the frost evaporated. The creature collapsed, XP and Low-Grade Beast Leather appearing in his inventory. He moved deeper into the forest, finding a small herd of wild boars near a frozen creek. Swift strikes of his sword and precise bullets from Daylight dispatched them efficiently.
> [Inventory Update: Low-Grade Beast Leather x12, Frostwood x23, Frost Boar Tusk x6]
[XP Gained: 980]
Blade grinned. Other players might have already passed him in level, but none had his style. His black leather jacket, hood, goggles, and Daylight set him apart.
Further in the forest, Blade noticed movement—a player hunting wolves nearby. The stranger glanced up at him, weapon drawn. Blade smirked. With a flick of his wrist, fire surged from his hands, though controlled to avoid attracting attention from NPCs. The player went down silently.
As Blade's body radiated a faint yellow glow, a system message appeared:
> [Warning: Player Killing Detected. Yellow Status – Caution. If status turns red, entry to Frostvale village will be blocked and imprisonment is mandatory.]
Blade ignored the warning, moving quickly to loot the player. Another hunter spotted him mid-grab, and Blade dispatched the second player with a well-placed fire-enhanced shot. His yellow radiance flared brighter, a visible signal to any nearby players that he was on alert.
> "Yellow… not bad. Still leaves room to move," he muttered, wiping snow from his jacket.
The Frostvale forest teemed with wildlife and unsuspecting players. Blade hunted strategically, alternating between wolves, boars, and the occasional careless adventurer, always careful not to let his warning status turn red.
By nightfall, his inventory was overflowing, XP steadily climbing, and the forest echoed faintly with his controlled flames. Frostvale was his playground, and Blade was already rewriting the rules.
> "Level 10 can wait… there's plenty of power to gain right here."