The wolves were down, the forest quiet again. Only the low rustle of wind and their steady breaths filled the silence.
Alice stretched her arms over her head. "We sell and bounce, yeah?"
"Agreed," Sarah said, flipping her sword once before sliding it back into its scabbard. "Inventory's not looking bad for a first run."
Adrian nodded, trailing slightly behind as they began walking back through the forest path. The air was cooler now, and the sun had lowered slightly in the sky—though the lighting remained soft and game-filtered. Every now and then, small particles of light drifted through the trees.
Physique EXP: +2 (Walking Recovery)
Physique: 4 – EXP: 57 / 100
They didn't say much. Just the light crunch of footsteps and the occasional flicker of a passing bird up in the trees.
Adrian glanced at the sisters ahead of him. They weren't just charging wolves like maniacs—they were confident. Every hit they took, they took head-on. That kind of confidence came from more than personality. He narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking.
'Just how high are their Strength and Endurance stats?'
He was fast, reactive. But he could feel it—Sarah's cuts had more force behind them, and Alice's hits were absolutely destructive.
'Maybe they're already past level 2 in some stats. With how tanky they are, their class must boost Strength or Endurance a ton.'
His grip tightened slightly on the short sword. He wasn't jealous, but curious. Assassin classes didn't get high base stats unless you pushed into the right growth path—and even then, it was risky with no armor.
He checked his own stats quickly.
Adrian
Level: 1 (28 / 100 EXP)
HP: 100 / 100
Physique: 4 (57 / 100)
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Endurance: 2
Intelligence: 2
Stamina: 3
Basic. But balanced.
He wondered what theirs looked like. Probably Strength or Endurance at 5 or 6 already.
'If I had their stats, I could've ended that wolf in one hit too…'
Still, he didn't regret his class. Assassin fit him. No one noticed his movements. His dodges weren't flashy—but they worked. What he lacked in raw power, he'd make up with speed, precision, and his Physique stat.
They eventually reached the edge of the forest and saw the village's outer fences coming into view again.
The village looked even more lively than before—NPCs were moving, selling, hammering, and chatting. Other players, a few of them in mismatched clothes and armed with crude weapons, were gathered around stalls, bartering or just showing off wolf hides.
"Looks like we're not the only ones who picked a fight," Alice said.
"Let's sell this junk," Sarah added.
They entered the village, heading straight for the merchant stalls near the west corner.
Physique EXP: +1 (Entering New Area While Tired)
Physique: 4 – EXP: 58 / 100
Adrian opened his inventory and saw the loot still sitting there—3 Beast Claws, 2 Beast Fangs, and 9 Copper Coins. Not bad.
His eyes flicked to the logout icon in the corner.
Not yet, though.
He wanted to check something before logging out. If the sisters would let him, he'd ask to peek at their stats later—just out of curiosity.
They reached the open-air merchant booth—an older NPC man leaned lazily against a post with a worn cloth hat drooping over his face. He looked up when the group approached.
"You've been busy," he said, voice gravelly. "Let's see what you've got."
Alice stepped forward first, dropping two fangs and a claw onto the display table. "Just a couple wolves."
Sarah followed, placing down her haul. "Same here."
Adrian added his own: a single claw and fang, along with the small coins they found earlier.
The merchant inspected each item with practiced indifference, then gave a slow nod.
"Hmm. Beast Claws, worth 2 copper each. Fangs… 4 each. I'll give you 18 copper total, split three ways."
Each of them received:
+6 Copper
Adrian's Total: 21 Copper
Alice accepted the coin and gave a stretch. "Guess that's our haul for today. Not bad."
Sarah tapped her logout icon. "Heading off."
Sarah has logged out.
Alice followed right after.
Alice has logged out.
Adrian remained.
He took a few steps toward the edge of the booth, pretending to look at the merchant's items—but really, he was watching the players in town. A group of five walked by, two carrying makeshift spears and another one armored up—actual armor, not beginner clothes. Leather, reinforced. One of them carried a shield, scuffed and bloodstained.
They were laughing about something. One of them said, "Got it off the third wolf, finally!"
'So armor drops… this early? From wolves?'
Adrian stared for a moment longer.
Then, almost without thinking, he pulled up his status screen again:
Adrian Vale
Class- Assassin
Level: 1 (28 / 100 EXP)
HP: 100 / 100
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Endurance: 2
Stamina: 3
Intelligence: 2
Luck: 1
Physique: 4 (58 / 100)
Coins: 21 Copper
He looked at the short sword at his side. No shine. Just steel. Good enough for now.
What really mattered were stats.
Alice and Sarah. The way they handled wolves with ease. That had to be from starting with tank classes—Iron Vanguard and Dragon Knight. Their Strength was probably already 5, maybe even 6 if they had growth boosts or invested well.
His Strength was only 3, and he could feel the difference in every hit he tried to make.
But what they didn't have—what they couldn't see—was the slow crawl of something else inside his menu. Something only his screen had.
Physique EXP: +1 (Mental Focus)
Physique: 4 (59 / 100)
It wasn't just about numbers. Physique increased the effectiveness of his stats. Not by a huge amount now—5% was minor—but it would build. It was building.
And while they pushed through with raw stats and class bonuses, Adrian's path was different.
He was getting stronger with every movement.
Walking. Swinging. Running. Dodging. Even breathing with focus.
He looked toward the gate again.
Wolves dropped armor. Armor sold for silver, not copper.
And wolves gave XP.
His hand hovered over the logout icon, then dropped.
'Not yet.'
He turned from the stall and began walking toward the east gate instead of logging off.
If he could find one more wolf before dark, he'd level his Physique, maybe even push it to 5. Maybe gain just enough experience to get to Level 2.
His heart beat faster—not just in-game, but in real life too.
It wasn't about catching up to the sisters.
It was about the curve. And he could already feel himself getting ahead of it.
Physique EXP: +1 (Determined Step)
Physique: 4 (60 / 100)
Real World – Late Afternoon
The soft glow of the VR pods dimmed as Sarah and Alice slowly opened their eyes. The world of forests and fangs faded, replaced by the quiet of their shared room—posters half-peeling on the walls, gaming gear scattered like confetti, and the hum of a nearby air conditioner.
Alice pulled off her visor first, exhaling. "Phew. I was not ready for that wolf lunge at the end."
Sarah sat up, brushing strands of hair from her face. "Same. But that class buff? I felt like I could punch a tree in half."
The room fell quiet for a second.
They both turned to glance at Adrian's pod across the room.
Still glowing. Still active.
"…He didn't log out," Sarah said, raising an eyebrow.
Alice tilted her head. "Guess he stayed in? Maybe wanted to poke around the menus."
Sarah leaned back, tapping at her phone. "Weird. He looked like he wanted out. You think it bugged?"
Alice shrugged. "He's probably checking stats or reading something again. You know how he is."
They both chuckled. It was true. Adrian did tend to get lost in screens and systems like it was his own little world. Still, something felt… mildly off. Sarah's lips pursed.
She unlocked her phone and started flipping through group chats and updates. "Lemme see if anyone else said something about logging issues…"
"While you do that," Alice said, grabbing a soda from the mini fridge, "I'm gonna take this victory sip like a true Iron Vanguard."
Sarah didn't respond at first.
A ping sounded.
Her eyes widened slightly.
She blinked, then double-checked the sender.
"Oh my god."
Alice turned. "What?"
Sarah turned her screen to her sister. "Look who just bought the game."
On the screen was a selfie: a grinning girl holding up the familiar VR chip with the logo glowing softly. Her room was clean and bright, decorated with fairy lights and pastel everything. The message read:
"Finally got it!! Let's play together soon! Just waiting for install~ 💫 Also—was that YOU in the trailer?? Looked like your sister too!!"
Alice leaned in. "Wait… who's that?"
Sarah frowned, then glanced at the name. "That's Kara. From school. My best friend in class?"
Alice tilted her head. "She looks… older?"
"I know, right? She's like fourteen but looks like she could teach Sunday school. Look at that—look at her outfit." She pointed at Kara's oversized hoodie and gentle smile. "Total priest vibes."
Alice grinned. "She's definitely gonna roll healer. Callin' it now."
Sarah smirked. "I hope so. We'll need one if we keep charging wolves like idiots."
Then, she narrowed her eyes, tapping to zoom in slightly.
"…Why are her boobs bigger than mine?"
Alice howled with laughter, nearly choking on her soda. "That's what you noticed!?"
"She's fourteen, Alice!" Sarah pointed with mock outrage. "That should not be allowed."
"Must be that OP class buff," Alice teased, wiping a tear. "+2 to Cup Size. Must be from the Holy Milk skill tree."
Sarah rolled her eyes, but she was smiling now. "Whatever. She better not out-level me."
Alice checked Adrian's pod again.
Still glowing.
"He's really in there," she muttered. "You think he's okay?"
Sarah looked at her phone again, pausing.
"I think… he's just getting into it," she said quietly. "We had fun. Maybe he wants to try hard too."
Alice nodded slowly. "Maybe. He was looking at our fights like he was figuring something out."
Another moment of silence.
Sarah grabbed her phone, sent Kara a reply with a teasing:
"You look like a healer. Don't forget your staff. I'm tanking everything."
Then she whispered to herself, almost absentmindedly, "Hope he finds his role too…"