The warm, orange light from the lanterns inside the Adventure Mart flickered, casting moving shadows on the wooden shelves.
These shelves were filled with useful things for adventurers – coils of rope, stacks of torches, simple leather armor, empty glass bottles for making potions, stones to sharpen weapons, backpacks, and rolled-up sleeping bags.
The air still had that cozy smell of old wood, dried plants hanging from the ceiling, and maybe a little dust.
Adam stood still in front of the shopkeeper's worn wooden counter. His eyes were locked on the bright blue message box that had just popped up in front of him, which only he could see.
Mission Successfully Triggered.
He barely had time to read the first message when a second one appeared right below it:
Mission Provider: Mister Being (Shopkeeper).
Adam looked away from the glowing blue words towards the shopkeeper. Mister Being, the old man with a face full of wrinkles like a map and sharp eyes that didn't miss much, leaned forward a little.
His old hands rested flat on the smooth counter. He looked thoughtful for a second, then his face changed, showing a hint of worry, maybe even desperation.
"Young man," Mister Being started. His voice was steady, but you could hear a little shake in it now, a feeling of urgency that wasn't there before. "I find myself in a tough spot. I've been needing some help... with a pretty big task."
Adam tilted his head slightly to show he was listening, but kept his face blank. He didn't say anything to hurry the old man, just waited for him to keep talking.
Inside, though, Adam's mind was racing. Getting a secret mission from a regular shopkeeper this early in the game? This was unexpected, but could be really good. These kinds of missions often gave much better rewards than the normal quests posted on the village message board.
"It's about supplies," the shopkeeper continued, looking serious.
"The village needs meat, you see. And some other... parts. To be exact, I need someone strong and skilled enough to collect 200 kilograms of raw meat from the Fang Wolves out in the forest. And while you're doing that, I also need 40 of their sharpest fangs." He sighed softly and shook his head.
"It's not easy, I know. Those wolves are dangerous, especially when you need so much. But," his eyes met Adam's again, and a little bit of hope showed in them, "the reward will definitely be worth your time and effort."
As Mister Being finished talking, Adam's game screen updated again. The details of the mission appeared clearly in another sharp, blue window:
Mission Details:
Objective:Collect 200 kg of Fang Wolf raw meat and 40 Fang Wolf fangs.
Reward:25 Silver Coins and 50 Copper Coins.
Provider:Mister Being (Adventure Mart Shopkeeper)
Adam read the details closely. 200 kilograms of meat – that was a lot. It meant hunting down many, many wolves. 40 fangs was also a big number. This wasn't going to be a quick five-minute job. But then his eyes focused on the reward: 25 Silver Coins and 50 Copper Coins.
A tiny smile, almost too small to see, appeared on Adam's lips. 25 silver! This early in the game, that was a huge pile of money. Most players would be lucky to get even one silver coin after days of doing simple quests and selling useless items.
The extra 50 copper was just a nice bonus. With that much money, he could buy up important supplies, maybe even get some rare materials if he found any, long before their prices jumped up like crazy when all the new players arrived tomorrow.
"This is perfect," he thought, his mind already figuring out if the time needed was worth the amazing reward. "This is exactly the kind of great opportunity I needed to get my plans going and get way ahead of everyone else." He was already planning to hunt wolves anyway to level up and get basic stuff.
This mission just made doing that incredibly more valuable.
Mister Being watched Adam's face carefully. He saw the spark of interest in Adam's eyes and the small change in how he stood. The old shopkeeper leaned in a little closer, his voice dropping slightly, full of hope.
"So, what do you say, young man? It's a dangerous job, I won't lie. But you look like you know how to handle yourself. Will you help an old man out? Help the village?"
Adam didn't need to think about it. The risk seemed okay, especially since he knew from the future where the wolves liked to hang out and how they acted.
The reward was amazing for this early in the game. He mentally focused on the mission window and clicked the 'Accept' button in his mind. A soft chime sound, that only he could hear, played, and a message flashed quickly:
Mission Accepted!
Mister Being must have gotten some kind of notice too, because his worried look disappeared instantly. A wide smile of real relief spread across his face. The stress seemed to just melt off his shoulders.
"Oh, thank you!" the shopkeeper said, his voice warm and thankful. "Thank you very much! That takes a huge worry off my mind. Take your time, be careful out there, but please try to get the items as soon as you can." He stood up straighter, looking much happier. "I'll be right here, waiting for you to come back."
Adam gave a quick, short nod. He opened his inventory screen and put away the 150 copper coins he'd just earned from selling the first batch of wolf parts.
He adjusted the simple gear he was wearing, feeling the importance of the task settle on him – not like a heavy weight, but like a challenge he was excited to face. As he turned to leave the quiet shop, he looked back over his shoulder at the hopeful shopkeeper.
"I'll get what you need," Adam said. His voice was calm but sounded firm and determined. He pushed the creaking wooden door open and stepped back out into the village.
The bright sunlight outside hit Adam's eyes, making him blink after being in the dim shop. The noise of the village square came rushing back – players chatting, sellers shouting, the sound of hammering from the blacksmith in the distance.
The air felt warmer here, full of energy and the slightly messy buzz of a brand new game world.
Adam stopped for a second, letting his eyes get used to the brightness. He took a deep breath, smelling the mix of cooking food, woodsmoke, and dust.
His thoughts were already completely focused on the mission. He thought about the numbers again: 200kg of meat, 40 fangs, 25 silver coins.
As he started walking away from the market, automatically putting the coins from his earlier sale deeper into his virtual backpack space, he muttered quietly to himself.
It was a habit he had from his past life when he played alone for long hours.
"This mission... it's exactly what I needed right now." He imagined all the new players arriving tomorrow, struggling to do basic quests that paid maybe 10 or 20 copper coins.
"If I can finish this quickly, maybe even before today ends, the silver I earn will give me a huge head start over everyone else."
A sneaky grin slowly appeared on his face, which was rare for him. "And with that kind of money," he thought, his eyes shining with planning, "buying up this shopkeeper's useful stuff – maybe some better potions, tools, or even that slightly better cloak I saw on the shelf – will be a great first step before prices go up."
Mister Being might end up selling his best items right back to the person who earned the money from him.
Adam walked towards the edge of the village, moving faster now. His path took him past the big, open fields next to the village houses. Here, he saw groups of other players already working hard. They were alongside the farmer characters (NPCs), doing simple jobs.
Some were awkwardly carrying heavy sacks of grain towards a barn, their characters moving stiffly. Others were bent over, taking care of rows of digital plants while the farmers watched them.
The low sound of busy work filled the air, mixed with occasional grunts, some laughter, and a few clearly annoyed shouts when a job turned out to be harder than it looked.
"Looks like they found the basic farming missions," Adam noted, glancing at them without slowing down.
He could see the looks on the players' faces – some were focused, trying hard to earn their first few copper coins; others already looked bored or annoyed by the boring, repetitive work.
It was exactly the kind of slow, grinding task he was trying to avoid.
He chuckled softly, a dry sound without any real amusement. "They can have fun with their little chores. Picking virtual potatoes and chasing runaway chickens."
His eyes looked towards the line of trees in the distance – the entrance to the forest where his real challenge, and his real reward, was waiting. "I have bigger things to do. More important things."
Leaving the groups of farming players behind, Adam walked faster. His boots crunched on the path leading away from the farm fields and towards the wilder part of the map.
His steps were steady, and he walked with quiet confidence as he got closer to the forest's edge.
The forest stood in front of him like a quiet, old protector. Its huge trees – oaks, maples, and pines – reached high up, their thick leaves forming a roof that blocked out most of the sunlight.
Long, moving shadows lay across the ground, making the entrance look dark and maybe a little scary.
Adam stopped right at the edge, where the dirt path ended and the wild forest floor started. He let his eyes get used to the dimmer light coming through the leaves.
The air here felt cooler and smelled damp, like earth and old leaves.
The sounds of the village faded away behind him. Now he heard the quiet sounds of the forest: the soft rustling of leaves in a light wind, the constant buzzing and chirping of bugs he couldn't see, the occasional call of a bird high up in the trees, and, farther away, the faint cry of some animal he didn't recognize. It felt like stepping into a totally different place.
Taking a slow, deep breath, Adam stepped off the path and into the woods.
The ground under his feet immediately changed from hard dirt to soft soil, cushioned by layers of fallen leaves and moss. The earthy smell got stronger, rich and making him feel connected to the place. He felt a sense of knowing wash over him, which wasn't unpleasant.
"Finding your way around a place like this isn't easy for most people," he mumbled, his voice almost too quiet to hear over the forest sounds. He looked around at the thick bushes and plants, the lack of clear paths, and how the trees all started to look the same after a while.
"Without special skills to detect things, or track animals, or even just a good sense of direction, most new players would get totally lost in here very quickly."
He glanced down at the faint animal tracks that crossed the forest floor – easy to mistake for real paths if you weren't paying attention. A little bit of amusement showed in his eyes.
"That's one of the things that makes this game hard, but also fun for people who prepare. No glowing arrows showing you where to go, no map markers telling you exactly where your quest is. The game doesn't hold your hand here."
But Adam wasn't worried at all. He didn't need the game to help him find his way. He had a much better advantage, something no other player had right now – his memories from his past life.
He had spent tons of hours, days, even weeks, fighting monsters and exploring in this exact Beginner Village forest when he played the game the first time. He had learned it the hard way back then, getting lost many times, accidentally walking into dangerous areas without being ready.
But because of that struggle, he had memorized every twist and turn, every important landmark. Every hidden open spot, every place where certain plants or rocks could be found, every spot where certain monsters appeared – it was all perfectly clear in his mind, like having a super detailed map inside his head.
His steps became sure and confident as he moved deeper into the woods. He didn't pause when faint trails split; he knew exactly which way led towards the areas where Fang Wolves usually hunted.
The bushes brushed against his simple pants and boots, and sometimes thorny vines caught on his cloak, but he moved through it all easily, like he'd done it a thousand times.
The distant growls of unseen creatures sounded a bit closer now, echoing faintly through the trees, but they didn't bother him.
A small, determined smile appeared on Adam's face as he pushed aside a low-hanging branch. He whispered to himself, his words full of excitement, "Alright, let's see how far ahead I can really get before the others even figure out how to leave the village properly."
Following the map inside his head, Adam eventually got to a specific place he remembered well.
The trees weren't quite as thick here, and the sound of running water got louder. He carefully walked closer to the edge of the clearing and saw it – the river he was looking for, shining in the sunlight that came through the leaves.
And just like he remembered, this riverbank was a known spot, a place where packs of Fang Wolves often came to hunt and drink.
Adam crouched down low, pressing his body against the rough bark of a huge oak tree near the clearing by the riverbank. His gloved hands rested lightly on the bark to keep himself steady.
The forest around him was full of quiet sounds – the whisper of leaves moving, faraway bird calls, and the clear, soft sound of the nearby river flowing over smooth rocks.
His breathing was slow and even, hardly making a sound as he carefully looked around the side of the tree, checking out the scene in front of him.
Just a short distance away, in patches of sunlight coming through the trees, a group of eight Fang Wolves were gathered near the riverbank. He counted them quickly – five big adults and three smaller, younger pups.
Their fur was a smooth, dark gray, looking almost silver where the light hit it. They blended in surprisingly well with the shadows and rocks. They looked both beautiful and very dangerous.
The adult wolves stood alert, their bodies ready. Their pointy ears twitched all the time, catching every tiny sound. Their dark eyes scanned the area like predators looking for danger. They seemed to be protecting the pups.
The three young ones, though, seemed to have no idea anything was wrong. They were splashing and rolling around clumsily near the edge of the water, nipping at each other playfully and making little yipping sounds.
Adam's eyes sharpened. His mind instantly went into hunter mode, figuring out the layout, where the wolves were, and the possible dangers. Taking out the whole pack without getting attacked himself would need careful aiming, patience, and a good plan.
One wrong move, one loud sound, and the adult wolves would charge him in seconds. That would turn this hunt into a desperate fight to stay alive.
He reached up and pulled the simple hood of his cloak further down over his head. As he did, he mentally turned on the basic stealth magic woven into the cloth – it was a low-level item he had made sure to get early.
A faint shimmer, almost impossible to see, seemed to ripple around him for a second as the magic started working, helping him blend in better with the dark shadows and plants around the bottom of the oak tree.
It wasn't perfect invisibility – moving suddenly or stepping on a dry twig would still give him away – but it gave him the important advantage he needed to attack first without being seen.
Adam's fingers gently touched the cool metal handles of the daggers strapped to his belt. Five of them. He had just gotten them from Mister Being's shop minutes ago, paid for with the coins from his first wolf hunt.
They weren't amazing legendary weapons, just good quality steel blades. But they were sharp, well-balanced, and much better than the rusty starting knife most new players had.
He pulled two of them out smoothly. The polished metal shone faintly even in the shade. Holding them felt good, like he was ready. This preparation made him feel quietly confident.
His eyes locked onto the pups playing near the water. They were the smallest, the weakest, and busy playing. Logically, they were the first targets.
Taking them out quickly would make the pack smaller and might even confuse the adults for a critical second. Keeping his movements slow and small, he took a soft, careful breath and whispered the game command, "Mark."
Right away, glowing red symbols, like targets in a video game, appeared in the air just above the heads of two of the splashing pups. The symbols pulsed with a soft, threatening light.
The game system understood his command, locking his next throwing attacks onto those targets. Adam felt a little spark of satisfaction – the plan was starting.
Gripping the first dagger tightly, he adjusted his position behind the tree. He drew his arm back slowly and smoothly, using the throwing motion he'd practiced thousands of times in his past life.
With a final breath out, the blade flew from his hand. It sliced through the air making almost no sound, just a hiss. It looked like a gray blur against the green background. It hit the first marked pup right on top of its head with a hard thunk.
The young wolf let out one short yelp of surprise and pain before its legs gave out. It collapsed right away into the shallow water at the river's edge, sending ripples spreading out across the clear water. It stopped moving immediately.
The second marked pup, surprised by the splash and the yelp from its sibling, turned its head. Its ears went flat against its head as its instincts screamed DANGER.
It saw its sibling fall, saw the ripples spreading, but before it could fully understand the danger or make a sound, Adam's second dagger was already flying through the air.
This one hit its mark too, burying itself deep in the back of the second pup's head. It fell silently onto the muddy bank next to its sibling.
A faint blue glow appeared in the corner of Adam's vision as game messages popped up:
Critical Hit! 100 Damage dealt to Fang Wolf Pup.
Critical Hit! 100 Damage dealt to Fang Wolf Pup.
Congratulations! You have defeated [Level 3 Fang Wolf Pup]. Reward: 200 XP.
Congratulations! You have defeated [Level 3 Fang Wolf Pup]. Reward: 200 XP.
(Total XP: 400)
The messages disappeared as quickly as they showed up. Adam allowed himself just a very quick smile. Two down cleanly. Six wolves left – five adults and the last pup.
The adult wolves froze instantly as the faint sounds – the yelps, the splashes – finally reached their sharp ears from across the clearing. Their heads snapped up.
Right away, the fur along their backs stood up straight, making them look bigger and scarier. Low, dangerous growls started deep in their chests, a rumbling sound in the quiet air.
They reacted with amazing speed and teamwork. Spreading out by instinct, they formed a tight half-circle around the last pup, which was now whining in fear.
They shielded it with their bodies. Their sharp claws dug into the damp dirt of the riverbank as they lowered their heads, their eyes scanning the trees around them, searching for where the attack came from.
"They're smart," Adam muttered again quietly, actually impressed even though they were his enemies.
They didn't panic or just charge blindly; they immediately got into a defensive group. This wasn't going to be as easy as just picking them off one by one if they stayed like that.
Using the moment while they were focused on the riverbank, Adam slipped away from where he was behind the oak tree. He moved silently, his feet making no noise on the soft ground, staying low.
The stealth magic on his cloak shimmered faintly as he moved like a shadow through the bushes to another large tree about 20 meters to the side. This gave him a different angle to attack from.
He knew he couldn't be careless; the wolves' sharp senses were now fully alert. Their sharp eyes were checking every shadow, every moving leaf, and their noses were probably sniffing the air for any strange smells.
Crouched behind the new tree, feeling its rough bark against his back, he carefully looked around the edge.
He reached down and pulled out two more daggers from his belt. He had three left now. His fingers tightened around the familiar handles as he focused his thoughts and whispered the command again, "Mark."
This time, the glowing red target symbols appeared above the heads of three of the adult wolves – the ones that were positioned a little farther out in the defensive half-circle.
The markers flickered, pulsing a bit faster now, highlighting them as targets in the tense situation. It was a riskier plan, targeting multiple adults at the same time.
Adam didn't give them time to notice the marks or react more. In one quick, smooth motion, he threw the two daggers at the same time, one from each hand. It took a lot of concentration and practice to throw accurately with both hands, but years of playing games had made it almost automatic for him.
The two blades spun through the air, silver blurs flying on slightly different paths, aimed with deadly accuracy at two of the marked adult wolves.
Thwack! The first dagger hit its target – a big male wolf standing protectively closest to the last pup. The blade hit it right between the eyes, going deep into its skull with deadly force.
The wolf collapsed instantly, falling in a heap without even making a sound. Its body twitched hard for a second then went completely still.
A new message flashed, much brighter this time:
Critical Hit! 500 Damage dealt to Adult Fang Wolf.
Congratulations! You have defeated [Level 5 Adult Fang Wolf]. Reward: 500 XP.
Bonus XP Awarded: +200 XP (Single-Strike Kill on Elite Monster!)
700 XP from one kill! Adam clenched his fist tightly for just a second in quiet victory. That was a huge amount of experience points. But there was absolutely no time to celebrate.
As the big wolf fell, the remaining wolves – three adults and the terrified pup – burst into angry snarls. Their defensive group broke apart as they finally figured out the direction the attack came from.
Their sharp teeth were showing, spit dripping, as they scanned the trees where the daggers had flown from, getting ready to charge.
The forest seemed to hold its breath. The air felt thick with danger. Adam quickly moved again, ducking lower behind the tree as the angry wolves looked towards where he had just thrown from.
He knew better than to underestimate the four wolves left – three adults (one still marked, two unmarked) and the pup.
Even if they were hurt or scared, trapped wolves fought hard. Their defensive positions were gone now. Instead, they looked aggressive, ready to attack anything that moved.
From his new hiding spot behind a thick bush near the tree, Adam watched how the wolves were moving frantically.
They sniffed the air hard, their heads whipping back and forth. They scanned the treetops and the bushes, their growls echoing louder now, full of anger and threat.
"They're smart, reacting fast, but they're still predictable animals," he thought. A determined, cold grin touched his lips. "They react to the immediate danger, the last place they saw an attack come from. They aren't thinking several steps ahead."
His last dagger felt cool and solid in his hand. The weight of just one remaining blade reminded him that he needed perfect aim for his next throw. He couldn't afford to miss or waste this chance.
Adam shifted his focus, his eyes narrowing. He ignored the unmarked wolves for now. He carefully targeted the remaining adult wolf that still had the glowing red symbol above its head from his earlier command. It was pacing back and forth nervously near the pup.
"This ends here," he murmured, the words a quiet promise to himself. He got ready to use their predictable reactions against them, to trick the remaining wolves and claim victory – getting closer to finishing his mission – which would put him even farther ahead of all the other players struggling back in the village.
The deep shadows of the forest almost hid him completely as he adjusted his grip on the final dagger. The faint growls of the angry wolves reminded him that the fight wasn't quite over. But Adam was ready.