Metatron moved silently through the forest outskirts of Frostvale, snow crunching under his boots. Wolves prowled near frozen streams, and in the middle of the woods, wild boars rooted through the snow. He hunted efficiently, alternating between Daylight for ranged strikes and swift sword slashes for close combat. Each kill added XP, beast materials, and crafting resources.
> [Inventory Update: Low-Grade Beast Leather x15, Frostwood x28, Frost Boar Tusk x9, Scrap Metal x22]
[XP Gained: 1,200]
Metatron noted the faint glow of his yellow warning radiance. Player-killing earlier had put him on alert, but no other hunters had approached this far into the forest today. He smirked, knowing his powers gave him the edge in combat while keeping his Gunslinger façade intact.
A small group of players crossed his path, careless and chatting among themselves. Metatron hesitated. A single flick of Reality Sync fire would take them down easily, but he held back. Instead, he circled them, taking the occasional boar and wolf as practice, careful to avoid escalating his warning to red.
> "Better save the real display of power for when I'm alone," he muttered.
By late afternoon, his inventory was nearly full, and XP steadily crept closer to Level 10. Metatron found a secluded spot deep in the forest, away from wandering players. He crouched on a frost-covered rock and opened his interface to check stats, inventory, and skill cooldowns. Everything was balanced, and all materials he wanted for crafting were accounted for.
Satisfied, he leaned back and activated the logout command.
> "See you tomorrow, Frostvale."
Instantly, his avatar began to shimmer, pixels fragmenting from his body. First the arms, then the torso, and finally his head and legs. Each piece of him blinked briefly in the air before vanishing entirely. Within seconds, nothing remained. The forest was empty once again, leaving only the tracks of his hunt behind.
> "Offline… for now."
Metatron's mind was already planning tomorrow's grind: more XP, better materials, and more controlled experimentation with fire and gun. Frostvale might still be a frozen village in the snow, but for him, it had become a world of endless possibilities, waiting for his return.