---Third POV---
Viktor tucked the small sphere back into his chest and silently calculated the consumption of divine power.
Obtaining over 3,000 divine power in one go... This could be used to compensate players who discovered artifact fragments by restoring the experience points lost before their deaths.
No problem at all.
In fact, in just two more days, his divine power would exceed the 30,000 mark.
He could then purchase some new features for the "game"!
Thinking of this, his steps became even lighter, entirely putting the small sphere and the stone tablet map out of his mind.
---
Meanwhile, on the forums, players were still fiercely debating.
[So, the difficulty spike we experienced was just because we triggered a rare reward, which automatically raised the corresponding difficulty?]
[Case closed, move on!]
[Wait! I just thought of something. If we had hatched the Blackrock Toad earlier, could we have achieved the first monster-kill milestone?]
[Another missed opportunity!]
The next day, the revived LootGoblin was lively and full of energy.
Before he could even finish counting the rewards from the Blackrock Toad dungeon with teary eyes, he was startled by the sudden influx of new tasks.
"Blacksmith's helper, greenhouse assistant, weapon factory recruitment..."
Looking at the densely packed task page, his mouth formed an "O" shape.
"Why are there suddenly so many new tasks?"
Hadn't he only been offline for a single day?
The last time the task list looked like this was during his first few days in the game.
After reading through the task requirements, he smacked his forehead, suddenly realizing.
"Almost forgot, the dungeon isn't just a monster-hunting area, it's also an iron mine!"
While players had previously discovered various mineral resources in the forest, the riverside iron mine was stable, easy to transport from, and had a massive capacity.
Although yesterday's explosion caused some damage to the veins, the Blackrock Toad had a nest that covered a wide range. This level of damage was negligible for such a rich iron deposit.
Honeyvale Town had finally stepped into the Iron Age!
His mind quickly conjured up dozens of iron tools they could currently put to use. Then he shook his head again.
"No, forging iron isn't that simple."
Even though he knew the blueprints and how to use crafted tools, he wasn't a real blacksmith, he was a mechanical engineer. Trying to produce finished products on his own would take an unknown amount of time.
It was better to let Hawkes figure it out slowly on his own.
"Forget it; developing the beginner's village isn't as important as conquering the game. Priorities first." With that, he ran to the player apartments, stuffed the bundle he had packed days ago into his game backpack, and hurried toward the Inverted Space.
When he arrived, the other 49 players who had earned the qualification to explore the new map were already waiting there.
Besides looking slightly shorter due to their overloaded backpacks, their feet were surrounded by an assortment of odd tools, including the corpse of a worm. Excitement and determination were written all over their faces.
LootGoblin's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"This... this is..." He thought he was already well-prepared, but some players had gone even further.
In the crowd, NeverShowOff noticed him and waved.
"Over here!"
Since LootGoblin was one of his long-time fans, NeverShowOff had deliberately saved him a spot.
LootGoblin, who thought he would be in the last batch, was overjoyed. "I'm coming!"
The cramped space was just enough for the dwarves to stand.
He looked around.
"Where's ProGamer_Daddy? I saw his name on the final roster last night."
"He is busy researching iron mining with Hawkes, so his spot was given to the next person in line," Garble explained.
NeverShowOff smiled helplessly. "The way he's acting, he's one step away from starting a research institute in the game."
"Who even picks science-oriented skills in a fantasy game?" Hedgehog crossed his arms and chuckled.
"Good thing he chose the Light faction and has enough money to heal himself. Otherwise, with his habit of blowing things up every few days, who knows how much he'd owe in resurrection materials by now!"
ProGamer_Daddy not being there was just a small episode.
---Viktor's POV---
I scanned the players and didn't care about the strange tools they brought. Following protocol, I assigned the players their main task for this outing.
---
Find the Siren hidden in Nary Town.
---
This had been previewed before, so none of the players objected. At most, they whispered about the storyline.
"Is the siren the oversized fish they brought back the other day?"
"Don't talk nonsense, it just has an ugly face. Its upper body still looks somewhat human."
"Ugh... do you think the siren NPC for our faction is going to have a similar... 'unique' appearance?"
"I refuse to believe it! Claire can't be a sea monster!"
I had already learned to selectively ignore the players' strange concerns. I pulled out two items.
One was the same type of small game sub-server box that NeverShowOff and the others had obtained on their last outing. The palm-sized box glistened like obsidian in the sunlight.
This time, I brought out three finished products.
"This is an improved spatial signal amplifier. Its effective radius is about ten kilometers, ensuring normal communication within this range."
Ten kilometers seemed large, but if you let 50 players run wild in the open world, it was far from enough!
But I had no choice.
Crafting sub-servers consumed divine power, and I still hadn't found a viable way to accelerate its growth. Three amplifiers were the maximum support I could provide.
I surveyed the players below.
"Decide among yourselves who will keep them, where to place them, and how to hide them."
"I need you to select three team leaders to ensure their safety. This also means the three leaders will control the movement range of all 50 players."
Ignoring the mixed expressions among the players, I added, "Of course, if they get damaged, you're responsible for repairing them or bringing them back."
These amplifiers were painstakingly crafted from a bunch of useless magical devices salvaged from the goblin warehouse. Getting replacements before finding new materials wasn't going to be easy.
Moreover, strictly limiting the items' uniqueness and irreversibility was the only way to curb the players' overflowing curiosity.
After speaking, I gave them half an hour to discuss.
I watched as NeverShowOff stood silently among the crowd, frowning without saying a word.
Hedgehog nudged him with his elbow, getting straight to the point. "So, Show, do you have any thoughts about being the team leader?"
Garble thought for a moment. "His identity as a game streamer is definitely a strong point. He's well-known and trustworthy. If he's willing, he'll definitely secure a spot. Though being a team leader means taking the blame easily, it also helps recruit players and unite people's loyalty. And who knows? It might even allow us to indirectly control the direction of the main storyline! Overall, the opportunities outweigh the risks."
NeverShowOff curl his lips into a smile. "I think so too. To maintain our strength as players in the top tier, we must take the initiative in activities tied to the main storyline!"
He glanced around at the others nearby. "If no one else has any objections, I'll apply."
Interesting.
The 10-kilometer activity range for players would indeed be an invaluable trump card if used wisely. These players were more strategic than I'd initially given them credit for.
LootGoblin clapped him on the knee and said enthusiastically, "Go for it! You've got our votes!"
Child glanced up, unable to hold back from interjecting. "I've been meaning to ask, can a goblin like you really blend into a human city?"
"For the last time, I'm a dwarf! And I asked Hawkes about it. In human border towns like these, dwarves passing through or temporarily staying isn't an issue."
I nodded mentally.
Unlike elves, dragons, or sirens with fixed territories, dwarves were indeed accustomed to migrating as entire clans. Occasionally, they would encounter human towns to trade unique goods, which was entirely normal. At least some of them were thinking practically about integration.
In less than 7 minutes, the three team leader candidates were chosen by the players, with NeverShowOff among them.
I was a little surprised. "So fast?"
I had thought a position requiring the delegation of authority would attract fierce competition, or no volunteers at all. Unexpectedly, there were exactly three. Apparently, influential figures had already emerged among this small group of players without my notice.
Was this the prototype of a guild? I didn't need to think too hard about it. Once actual guilds formed, their impact and roles would only grow. Some might even rise to become battlefield commanders or other leader-level figures. Something to keep in mind for future planning.
I handed three small boxes to the players. Then, I cleared my throat loudly. "There's one more thing for you."
This time, the item I took out wasn't as portable as the signal boxes. It required a translucent cloth bag and was the size of two pounds of rice.
Child, who had been yawning from waiting, froze mid-yawn when he saw what I pulled out. Dropping his crossed arms, he leaned forward. "Is that… a teleportation array?"
"No, this is not a teleportation array," I corrected. "It's a resurrection array prepared specifically for you."
Other players quickly caught on and cheered excitedly.
"A save point!!"
"Really? We're getting a second save point?"
"Does that mean we don't have to respawn in Honeyvale if we die?"
"Awesome! The developers are finally being humane!"
The crowd erupted in excitement. Even NeverShowOff's tense expression softened. "If only this feature had come sooner."
The hubbub grew louder. I shook my head with a sigh. I knew this would happen.
That was exactly why I had saved this announcement for last. Managing player expectations was an art form in itself.
After they calmed down, I briefly explained how to assemble the resurrection array before immediately activating the teleportation array to send the eager players on their way.
Flashes of white light brightened the space, and what had once been as bustling as a marketplace suddenly fell silent.
Luminaris appeared behind me, perching on my shoulder. "Are you sure those beginner-level undead can handle an advanced magic array?"
I tilted my head with a smirk. "You finally decided to leave your chapel?"
Even though I had assigned him the highest workload among the NPCs, requiring him to stay in the chapel during work hours to help players unlock new skills, he rarely ventured outside, even during his free time.
He puffed up his chest like a plump little sparrow. "Hmph, those short-sighted undead... Who knows what kind of accidents will end them?"
It seemed he was getting along well with the players. Since I had enabled the translation feature, his initially capricious goddess-like image among players had crumbled, downgraded to something closer to a mischievous little imp. Ironically, this downgrade made him more approachable, and his favorability had skyrocketed.
Even his overall goodwill toward players had improved significantly, which was actually a good sign for long-term stability.
Without lingering at the now-empty teleportation array, I nodded at the townsfolk guarding it and left with Luminaris.
As we walked, I replied, "If they can piece together a teleportation array, they can handle a new resurrection array just fine. No need to worry…"
This semi-finished resurrection array was made using scraps from the original design, making it smaller and easier to set up than the standard version. In truth, the players themselves deserved credit. Ordinarily, creating life-related arrays required a tremendous amount of divine power. But the players' frequent use of revival mechanics had drastically reduced the divine power cost, allowing me to complete it just in time for their departure. Magic arrays could be likened to a type of magical circuit that required innate talent to use. Since players didn't have to worry about such restrictions, naturally, some would excel.
For example, the player named Child was particularly impressive in that regard...
The 50 players I had sent on external missions still needed more time to gather valuable intel. After they left, I temporarily shifted my focus from them.
With a stable iron supply secured, Honeyvale was bound to undergo significant changes.
I first visited the mining site, which had become the second fastest place for leveling up after the logging grounds. For players under Level 5, it was a haven for grinding experience.
Simple one-wheeled carts were being pushed frantically by them, sending sparks flying.
"Make way, make way!"
"Transport lane! No jaywalking!"
"Seize sunny days, endure cloudy ones, and work through drizzles!"
"If you're not dead, work until you drop!"
"Hey, Lord Viktor and Luminaris! Mwah! Got any quests for us?"
Dodging a burly player's exaggerated air kiss, I nodded politely and continued forward with Luminaris. The enthusiasm was admirable, if occasionally overwhelming.