"There's no point in us staying here any longer," Bars said, his voice clear and resolute in the eerie silence of the cave. "We need to go back immediately."
Lina turned her pale face, still in shock from the Black-Robed Figure's final words, toward Bars. She could only manage to mumble, "Mhm." In her current state of mind, she accepted Bars's leadership without question.
They left the cave with the same silent, swift steps they had used to enter. When they reached the familiar sunlight and clean air of the forest, they both took a deep breath. It was as if they were cleansing their lungs of a toxic air.
As they walked toward the Genesis Grove, it was Lina who broke the silence. "That man... the robed one... he said 'the real world will fall with them'," she whispered. "What could that mean, Bars?"
Bars swallowed, thinking of the ring in his inventory. It was hard to ignore the threat, but he knew he had to calm Lina down. He offered the most logical explanation he could.
"Maybe it's just the game's story," he said with a shrug. "A dramatic script written to create atmosphere, to scare the players. Very impressive, I have to admit."
Lina immediately clung to this idea. It was the most plausible safe harbor to soothe her fears. "Yes! Yes, that must be it," she said, her voice more lively. "You're right, it's just a game after all. How would an NPC, no matter how advanced, know about the real world? Hah, for a moment there, I was actually scared."
They seemed relieved to take refuge in this explanation, but in a corner of both their minds, that ominous whisper lingered.
When they reached Elara, Bars handed the small vial to the wise instructor. Elara took the vial, examined it carefully, and the calm expression on her face vanished instantly. It was replaced by deep concern.
"Ancient Poison... This is the very evil that disrupts the balance of the Valley," Elara's voice was stern. "However, this Valley is sealed. This place is a protected pocket universe, created for new souls like you to prepare for the world. You cannot pass through this seal and open yourselves to the outside world until you reach Level 10 and become strong enough."
She fixed her gaze on them. "If you have any thoughts of confronting this threat or reporting it, you must first survive and grow stronger here. You have no other choice."
This information settled on them like a heavy weight. They were trapped here.
[QUEST COMPLETE! YOUR REWARDS: 800 EXP, 90 COPPER COINS, 2x WEAK HP POTION]
The reward they received felt insignificant compared to the gravity of their situation. There was only one thing they had to do: hunt, get stronger, and find a way out of this valley.
"Tomorrow morning... we continue hunting," Bars said with determination. Lina nodded wearily. "See you tomorrow." Her avatar shimmered and disappeared.
Bars was once again alone in the Genesis Grove. He sat under the Great Tree. His heart was pounding, not with anticipation, but with an excitement mixed with fear. He opened his inventory and focused on 'The First Ring.'
With trembling fingers, he gave the 'Equip' command. The moment the ring appeared on his finger, the small stir he expected didn't happen. Instead, a pure, overwhelming flood of power surged into his veins. His vision went black for a moment. System notifications flashed before his eyes at lightning speed:
[INTELLIGENCE +20]
[AGILITY +20]
[STRENGTH +20]
[MAX HP +1000]
[MAX MP +1000]
His character status window opened before him. The numbers spun wildly, reaching levels impossible for a Level 2 player. HP: 1160. MP: 1230. What he felt... was divinity. The power gap between him and everything else in the Valley had instantly become an unbridgeable chasm. He could feel the energy around him; the mana in the leaves of the Great Tree, the life force of the insects in the grass... He looked at his hands. There was a faint, crackling aura of energy around his palms.
He was no longer just a Mage. He was the secret god of this valley.
But this overwhelming power was not a cry of victory, but a lump that formed in his throat. This was a secret. How was he going to hide this monstrous power from his closest friend, his only ally? How would he fight side-by-side with her? Lina's modest Light Shield was now like nothing next to his enormous mana pool.
The simple iron band on his finger had bestowed upon him not just power, but also an overwhelming loneliness and a heavy responsibility.
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Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to rate and leave a comment; any feedback or criticism is welcome!
I'll be releasing a chapter a day. Stay tuned!
This is my first release, so I'm releasing 10 chapters!