The sun hung high over the Kingdom of Eternal, casting long, golden rays across the rolling hills of the rabbit grounds.
Arthur, his breath steady and his gaze sharp, took one last look at the scorched and battered earth behind him.
The "Rabbit Massacre," as the forums would undoubtedly call it within the hour, was over. He adjusted the strap of his basic leather quiver, feeling the unfamiliar but satisfying weight of a successful hunt.
He wasn't just walking back with experience points; he was walking back with the quiet confidence of a man who had glimpsed the hidden gears of the world.
As the towering white-stone walls of Patrian loomed ahead, Arthur slowed his pace. The entrance to the fortified city was always a bottleneck of activity—merchants haggling with tax collectors, weary travelers seeking an inn, and, of course, the ever-present player base.
The guards at the gate, usually stern men with rusted halberds and even rustier personalities, caught sight of him. Their posture shifted instantly.
The lead guard, a man named Hannes who had barely spared Arthur a glance earlier that morning, broke into a wide, toothy grin.
"Back so soon, Arthur?" Hannes called out, signaling his men to part the crowd. "The woods seem quieter already. I reckon the rabbits are gone for good for this year!"
"Just doing my part, Hannes," Arthur replied with a polite nod.
[Your Affinity with border guard 'Hannes' increased by +5]
The guards chuckled and waved him through without the usual bureaucratic delay. As Arthur stepped into the cobblestone streets of the city, he felt the weight of several dozen stares. It wasn't long before he realized why.
Near the city fountain, a group of players—clothed in the mismatched rags of the "Newbie" tier—were gathered in a circle.
One was sitting cross-legged, eyes squeezed shut in a parody of meditation, while another was frantically swinging a wooden practice sword at the air, trying to mimic a high-speed lunge.
"It's not working, man!" one of them groaned, collapsing onto the stone. "I saw that guy doing this for three hours. He just sat there, then he got skills. Why aren't my stats moving?"
Arthur walked past them, pulling his hood slightly lower. They're doing a half-baked effort, he thought, a trace of pity flickering in his mind.
They think it's a pose. They don't realize that meditation in this world isn't about the sitting—it's about the synchronization of breath and mana. You can't just mimic the form; you have to inhabit the intent.
He suspected someone had recorded his session at the rabbit grounds. In a world like Satisfy, information was the most valuable currency, second only to gold. They were trying to reverse-engineer his "hidden technique," unaware that his progress was rooted in a combination of future knowledge and grueling, repetitive discipline.
Without careing any more about them Arthur decided to head towards the Market of Patrian.
The market district was a sensory overload. The smell of roasted skewers competed with the pungent aroma of alchemical herbs, and the shouting of vendors created a rhythmic chaos. Arthur navigated the crowd with practiced ease. He wasn't here for luxury; he was here for utility.
He stopped at a stall draped in canvas, overflowing with utility gear: coils of hemp rope, bundles of dry firewood, and small tinderboxes.
"Hey, mister," Arthur addressed the vendor, a portly man with a grease-stained apron. "I'd like to buy some rope, firewood, and a few boxes of matches."
The vendor looked up, his eyes widening as they landed on Arthur's face. He let out a booming laugh that caused several nearby players to jump.
"Ohh! If it isn't the Little Hero of Patrian!" the vendor shouted, his voice carrying across at least three city blocks. "The lad who cleared the fields! Of course, of course! For you? Free of charge! Take the best hemp I've got!"
Arthur felt his ears turn red. "Mister, please, I can pay—"
"Nonsense!" the vendor bellowed, waving his arms to attract a larger crowd. "Look here, folks! Even the little hero Arthur uses 'Barnaby's Best Gear' for his adventures! If it's good enough for our little Hero, it's good enough for you!" A big number of croud started to gather around the stall.
"Come back and buy here in the future, lad! Just tell 'em Barnaby treated you right!" The merchant named 'Barnaby' said to Arthur and he took the items, laughing awkwardly as he beat a hasty retreat as a wave of second hand embarrassment washed over him.
The "shameless advertising" was a double-edged sword. On one hand, free items were a boon for his meager gold reserves. On the other hand, the notoriety was becoming a beacon.
Now I know how Grid's opponents felt, Arthur mused, remembering the legendary tales of the "Overgeared King" promoting the Comet group's Diamond Capsule during the second National Competition. The embarrassment is a debuff all on its own.
Once he cleared the city gates and reached the quiet path leading toward the southern valley, Arthur finally took a moment to breathe. He sat on a mossy rock, shielded from view by a cluster of birch trees, and opened his inventory.
It was time to inspect the rewards from the hidden quest he'd completed. He hadn't had the chance to look closely at the Deluxe Set. As the windows materialized in the air, a sapphire hue bathed his vision.
[Deluxe Cloak]
[Rating: Epic
Durability: 105/105 Defense: 25
* Agility: +20
* Special Effect: Reduce damage received from blunt attacks by 10%.
* Set Bonus: When all Deluxe sets are equipped, a bonus set effect will be activated.
* Description: Clothing given to exceptional adventurers who have proven themselves to be among the best.
* Conditions of Use: Arthur
* Weight: 15]
Arthur whistled. "Twenty agility on a cloak? That's insane for a starting item."
He moved down the list, his excitement growing. The Deluxe Gloves offered attack speed, the Boots provided terrain adaptability (crucial for the marshes of the Slime Valley), and the Shirt and Pants provided a massive boost to Stamina and raw defense.
Then, there were the weapons.
The Deluxe Sword boasted an attack power of 225-370. To put that in perspective, a standard iron sword for players at level 20 usually topped out at 80. But it was the Deluxe Bow that caught his eye for the upcoming hunt.
[Deluxe Bow]
[Rating: Epic
Attack Power: 410
* Hit Rate: +5%
* Skill: 'Piercing Shot' will be generated.
* Description: A bow crafted for those who never miss their mark.
* Weight: 90]
Finally, he looked at the set bonus.
[Deluxe Set Bonus]
* All Stats: +50
* Critical Hit Rate: +10%
* Movement Speed: +5%
* Stamina Consumption: -5%
"Fifty points to all stats..." Arthur whispered. The sheer math of it was staggering. At these early levels, 50 points in Strength and Agility made him a god among men. "These items will easily carry me to level 150. Kraugel... why didn't you find this?"
He pondered the question. Kraugel was a genius of control, a man who moved like water. Perhaps he had been so focused on his own path that he bypassed the specific, mundane triggers Arthur had exploited.
Or perhaps the world was changing, reacting to a player who knew its secrets before they were written.
"Slimes are next," Arthur muttered, packing his gear. "Physical resistance is their specialty. They're basically bags of liquid. Slashing at them is like trying to cut the ocean. But heat... and piercing pressure... that's a different story."
The entrance to the Slime Valley was marked by a shift in the air. The atmosphere became humid and cloying, smelling of ozone and wet Earth. The valley floor was a vibrant, sickly green, dotted with translucent orbs that pulsed with a slow, rhythmic light.
Arthur climbed a small ridge to scout the area. He needed a layout. The slimes here weren't the cute, bouncy mascots of other games; they were acidic, predatory, and possessed a hive-mind aggression if disturbed in groups.
Suddenly, a high-pitched scream shattered the silence.
Arthur's head snapped toward the sound. It came from a grove of "Weeping Willows" near the valley's edge.
Without a second thought, he pivoted and sprinted. His new Agility stat made him feel weightless; his feet barely touched the grass as he blurred across the terrain.
As he rounded a large boulder, the scene unfolded: A woman was cornered against a tree. She looked to be in her early twenties, her light brown hair disheveled and her dark blue eyes wide with terror.
She clutched a wicker basket to her chest as a Poisonous Slime—a bubbling, purple mass of toxic sludge—reared up to lung.
Arthur didn't slow down. In one fluid motion, he unslung the Deluxe Bow. He skidded to a halt, his boots carving grooves in the dirt. He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, feeling the wind, the humidity, and the heartbeat of the valley.
Huff...
He exhaled, his eyes snapping open. The bowstring was pulled back to his ear, the wood humming with tension.
Twang!
The arrow wasn't a mere projectile; it was a streak of light. It whistled through the air, catching the sunlight before burying itself deep into the core of the purple slime.
[Critical Hit!]
[You have dealt 673 damage.]
[You have defeated the Poisonous Slime.]
The creature shuddered, its translucent body turning black before dissolving into a puddle of inert goo.
[You have acquired 10 silver coins.]
[You have acquired a Poisonous Slime-Damaged Core.]
[20 Experience has been acquired.]
Arthur lowered the bow, the silence of the valley rushing back in. "Made it just in time," he breathed. He was genuinely surprised; NPCs rarely wandered this far into the valley unless they were high-level hunters.
The woman collapsed, her legs finally giving out. She began to shake, the adrenaline leaving her body in a wave of tremors.
Arthur approached her slowly, tucking his bow away to appear less threatening. He reached out a hand.
"Miss, are you alright?"
The woman didn't take his hand. Instead, she lunged forward and buried her face in his chest, sobbing hysterically.
Arthur froze. He could feel the warmth of her breath and the soft pressure of her weight against him. He was a warrior, a hunter, a man with the knowledge of the future—but he was still a young man, and he was thoroughly flustered.
"It's okay," he stammered, awkwardly patting her back. "You're safe now. The monster is gone."
After five minutes of gentle reassurance, the woman finally pulled back, wiping her eyes. Her name was Anna, a pharmacist from the outskirts of Patrian.
She explained, through intermittent sniffs, that her young daughter had fallen ill with a rare "Wasting Fever." The only cure required the fresh sap of the Elder Slime Trees and the core of a Queen Slime.
"I knew it was dangerous," Anna whispered, her voice trembling. "But the shops... they charge so much for the raw materials. I couldn't wait any longer."
A blue notification box flickered in Arthur's peripheral vision.
[Hidden Quest: Anna's Desperation]
Difficulty: B-
Description: Protect Anna while she gathers ingredients to save her daughter.
Clear Conditions: Ensure Anna's safety and assist in harvesting.
Reward: Affinity +50, 10% Shop Discount, Map of Slime Valley, 1 Medium Health Potion, 1 Silver Coin.
Title Unlocked: [Protector] & [Guardian]
Arthur looked at the rewards. The titles alone were worth the effort. [Guardian] provided a 10% defense boost to all equipped items—a massive multiplier when paired with the Deluxe Set.
"I accept," Arthur said, offering her a genuine, warm smile. "Don't worry about payment. I was planning on hunting here anyway. Consider me your personal escort."
Anna's face flushed a deep crimson. "T-Thank you, Sir Arthur... You are truly as kind as the rumors say."
[Affinity with Anna has increased by 10]
Arthur coughed, looking away to hide his own embarrassment. He reached down and pulled his Deluxe Spear from his back.
While the bow was good for distance, the spear's reach would allow him to keep a perimeter around Anna.
"Stay close to me," he commanded, his voice shifting into a more professional, focused tone. "The Slime Forest is just ahead. The trees there are old, and the slimes are smarter."
As they entered the forest, the canopy thickened. Glowing moss hung from the branches like emerald chandeliers. It was hauntingly beautiful, a place where nature and magic bled together.
Anna gasped, her fear momentarily replaced by wonder. "It's... it's beautiful. I've lived in Patrian my whole life and never knew..."
Arthur chuckled, watching her look around with wide, child-like eyes. It was a stark contrast to the terror he'd seen minutes ago.
Anna realized she was being watched and turned even redder.
"Ahem! S-sorry about that," she squeaked, grabbing her harvesting knife. "Anyway, Sir Arthur! Please keep a lookout! I need to extract the sap from these three trees!"
Arthur nodded, his eyes scanning the shifting shadows of the glowing moss. He plunged his spear into the soft earth beside him, keeping his hand near the grip, while his other hand hovered over his bow.
'I won't let a single drop of slime touch her, not on my watch.' Arthur vowed.