Saint Galen's teleporters sent new players to starter villages for early leveling (capped at Level 10). Lucas returned to the crowded safe zone and ported to Giant's Hollow—a village named for the cliffside's giant-like silhouette at sunset.
The Level 1-2 mob spawns outside were overrun. A Level 1 Horned Deer materialized, only to be hacked down by six players in seconds. One cheered as he claimed the XP. Lucas smiled—it was exactly like his past life. Devs had opened 50 starter villages per main city, but 10 million players had flooded the launch, cramming 20,000 per village.
Forsaken World had a brutal XP curve, trapping low-level players in endless weak-mob grinds. But Lucas had a better plan—a game exploit to farm high-level mobs, and a side quest for a game-changing recipe.
Mages were infamously cash-strapped, burning through Mana Potions faster than they could earn Gold. In his past life, players had uncovered hidden NPCs with rare skills—one was Bramwell, Giant's Hollow's chef, who gave a Golden-Rarity recipe for Crispy Electric Eel Fillets to anyone who brought him 10 eel fillets. No one had found the eels until months later, when a player stumbled on them in the Lando River, two kilometers from the village.
The recipe was a Mage's lifeline: consuming it restored 200 HP and 350 Mana over 30 seconds, plus a 1-hour buff of +5 Intelligence and 8 Mana Regen per 5 seconds. It had sparked a server-wide frenzy—and Lucas intended to monopolize it first.
Outside the village gate, he spotted Bramwell—a portly man pacing anxiously by the river, fishing rod in hand. Lucas approached. "Sir, is something wrong?"
Bramwell exhaled in relief. "My partner's coming for dinner tomorrow, and she's begging for my Crispy Electric Eel Fillets—but the eels are gone! I'll teach the recipe to anyone who brings me 10 fillets!"
"Don't worry—I'll track them down." Lucas grabbed a harpoon from Bramwell's supplies.
System Notification: Quest Accepted – Bramwell's Request: Collect 10 Electric Eel Fillets.
The game's realism rendered Fire Magic useless underwater—he'd have to rely on the harpoon. Lucas headed for the Lando River, arriving 30 minutes later. The riverbank was empty; players had cleared out all Level 1 Murlocs.
He ducked under a small bridge. Nearby players tensed, assuming he was here to steal spawns. "Find your own spot, buddy—this area's claimed," a Warlock snapped.
Lucas ignored him, leaping into the water. A gray timer appeared above his head—players could only stay submerged for 2 minutes before drowning, a fate that had claimed more newbies than any mob. He scanned the riverbed, eyes locked on his target: Level 5 Electric Eels, their bodies glowing with faint blue energy.