With only one opponent left, Cole was exposed, but he kept moving, making it difficult for the bow user behind him to get a clear shot. A more experienced archer might have succeeded, but from a Level 1 bow user, high expectations were unrealistic.

Eden slashed at the leg of one of the sword users, but his blade only inflicted pain and a damage of [ - 12 ], failing to sever the limb. His level was too low and his strength too little to achieve that. He blocked the other sword user’s attack and pushed him closer to the group of ranged classes.

Noticing the fight getting too close to his group, Celestial launched a basic fire attack, which missed Eden.

"Fall back," Celestial ordered, increasing the distance between his group and the fight.

Eden smirked, seeing their retreat.

Opportunity presenting itself, Cole wasted no time. He slammed into the shield user and dashed toward Celestial's group. The ranged classes opened fire, but Cole, like a relentless wolf, charged through the damage, closing the distance in a few swift steps. His sharp weapon tore through the ranks, spreading fear among the players.

Eden stabbed one of his opponents in the heart, dealing a damage of [ - 36 ] that drained the player’s HP to zero. The player’s body disappeared without dropping any loot. Ignoring the remaining sword user, Eden sprinted to aid Cole. The ranged classes needed to be dealt with quickly.

"Block them!" Celestial shouted to the staff users, trying to buy time for his retreat.

"Pointless," Eden muttered as he cut down a fleeing staff user with low HP. The player vanished, leaving behind a gray robe.

"Some of them are Level 1," Eden noted, pleased with the discovery.

An arrow suddenly pierced Eden’s leg, causing [ - 13 ] damage. He turned to see the bow user targeting him from afar.

So tough without skills, Eden thought, frustrated. I can’t wait to hit Level 20 and leave this nonsense behind.

But Eden didn’t have time to focus on the bow user for much longer. The sword user he’d left behind had caught up.

"Playtime's over," Eden called out, loud enough for Cole to hear.

The sword user slashed diagonally with powerful momentum. Eden blocked the strike, then skillfully guided his blade with his palm, driving the tip into the man's heart. A satisfying [ - 36 ] damage appeared above the sword user's head.

Eden kicked the sword user behind the knee, forcing him to kneel. An arrow flew toward Eden, but instead it pierced the kneeling player's body. Eden showed no compassion to the friendly fire displayed by his adversaries and slashed the sword user's neck, sending him to spawn.

Meanwhile, Cole thrust his sword into the chest of the staff user, who had tried to shield Celestial’s retreat. The player’s HP dropped to zero, but not before an arrow struck Cole’s back, dealing another [ - 14 ] damage.

"Stick your arrows where the sun don’t shine!" Cole yelled, straightening up despite the pain. Without pausing, he faced off against the shield user before resuming his pursuit of the player named Celestial.

"I’ll handle the archers," Eden shouted.

"Skin them alive," Cole responded, channeling all his remaining strength to finish off his opponent quickly.

As Eden focused on one of the two archers, the other began providing cover fire for his comrade’s retreat. But no arrow could deter Eden; many missed their mark by a large margin.

. . .

About fifteen minutes later, Eden returned, exhausted from the chase. Cole had been waiting for a while near the ancient trees, still breathing heavily.

"How’d it go?" Cole asked.

"One of them escaped," Eden replied, lying down and staring up at the sky. "What about you?"

"Managed to kill the boss in the end. He dropped nothing though," Cole replied.

"We need a team," Eden said, panting heavily.

Cole nodded in agreement. "If they weren't noobs, we could've died this time."

Once Eden had caught his breath, he advised, "Take your [Character Card] and search for Aurin, Damian, Red Sunset, Code North, Maras, and Karas. Give them a call and tell them we’re forming a stable party. Mention that we’re Beta Testers and can provide equipment. They can join if they pass our test."

Cole gave Eden a long look. "Your friends?"

"No," Eden replied seriously. "I found their names on the forums and did a little digging. They seem worth a shot."

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

That was what he said, but it was a complete lie. The truth was that they were people Eden had interacted with in his previous life. He knew their potential and their problems in the early stage of the game, so he thought they might answer to his call and grab the opportunity.

"Alright," Cole said, pulling out his [Character Card].

Without giving much thought on the matter as he didn't really care where did Eden took his information from, Cole began searching and calling the players Eden had named.

Not all of these were the strongest players who would eventually reach the top of Ahartohaim and become godly figures. They were people Eden had worked with in the past or knew about, individuals with potential but no current backing. He couldn’t recruit established players already committed to other workshops or groups; he had nothing to offer them yet.

What Eden needed now were capable people with untapped potential and no allegiances. They were the ones who could help him, and in return, he could help them. He didn’t want to risk taking in people who might betray him or abandon Ahartohaim when things got serious. Instead, he preferred to work with those he knew, ensuring they wouldn’t turn their backs on him when it mattered most.

"So, five out of six," Eden noted after Cole finished the calls.

"Yeah, Red Sunset declined," Cole said. "But it’ll take some time for the others to reach Akem. The closest, Code North, is still a few hours away."

"Let’s get back to grinding. The poison won’t last forever, and I want to hit Level 3 before we leave the valley," Eden said, getting back on his feet.

"Let’s hope no one’s waiting for us when we get out of here," Cole said. "I’m going to lure another golem."

Eden nodded, and after Cole left, he began making a few more calls of his own. He tried to remember as many useful people as possible, but his memories weren’t fully restored, and recalling everything was a challenge.

"Zizi, do you remember anyone who might be useful?" he asked, frustrated after another failed call.

“There should be a past version of Natalie, right?” Zizi asked.

“She’s in Equinix at this point in time. There’s no way I can recruit her,” Eden responded.

“What about that old man? Lamtard if i'm not mistaking.”

“He’s an inhabitant, Zizi,” Eden reminded her.

“Then how about Mason?”

Eden paused for a moment. “Who’s Mason?” he asked, frowning. “I don’t remember anyone by that name.”

“He’s the guy who claimed he learned how to make arrows directly from Timothy. You went to explore the ruins of Kallopy with him,” Zizi explained, trying to jog Eden’s memory.

“I honestly don’t remember him, and I’m certain I’ve never been to Kallopy,” Eden said after a moment of reflection. “But if you say so, I trust you. Was ‘Mason’ his real name or just his in-game alias?”

“Mason Han, or maybe Mason Larv. I can’t recall exactly,” Zizi replied. “But are you really going to trust me on this without hesitation?”

“Everyone makes mistakes, Zizi. You and I included. Just because I don’t always listen to you doesn’t mean I don’t trust you,” Eden said, finding a ‘Mason Larv’ on the player list.

Zizi fell silent as Eden connected the call and managed to persuade Mason to come to Akem for a trial.

When Cole returned with another golem, the grinding resumed, and a few more hours flew by. Their food supplies dwindled, and fatigue began to set in. Another Forest Guardian spawned, stronger then before as there were three players currently in the valley. However, this time, Cole didn’t allow himself to be hit so easily and whine like a spoiled brat.

The challenge had increased, but Cole and Eden's prior experience gave them an edge. The fight was long and proved to be more tiring then they had anticipated, however, in the end, they managed to came close to finishing it.

“You take the honors,” Eden said, letting Cole deliver the final blow to the monster.

“This is payback,” Cole muttered, stabbing the creature and ending its life. A piece of equipment and 22 coppers dropped. Unfortunately, the equipment was a pair of boots suited only for staff users.

“Just our luck,” Cole grumbled, disappointed but willing to accept the loot, even though he couldn't equip it.

“Destiny,” Eden said, patting Cole on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s take down one or two more golems, then head back to Akem. I am starving.”

Cole nodded in agreement.

. . .

By the time Eden and Cole exited the valley, night had fallen over Ahartohaim. Fortunately, no one was waiting for them, which meant fewer complications. Probably, Celestial and his group had to log out as they were running out of time. Eden couldn't find another explanation.

Being at Level 3, Eden and Cole had the possibility of spending much more time in Ahartohaim then the regular Level 1 players. This being said, there wasn’t much left before their meeting with the first two recruits, but enough to grab a bite to eat.

After filling up on soup, Eden and Cole strolled through the familiar streets of Akem, heading toward the meeting point. Near a fruit stall at the city gate, two bow users stood, not acknowledging each other’s presence, acting as if the other didn’t exist.

Eden’s lips curled into a smirk. “Two of the most sociable individuals,” he murmured.

Stopping in front of them, Eden offered a slight smile and introduced himself. “Greetings, gentlemen. I’m Eden, and this is my friend Cole. We’re both Level 3 sword users.”

The introduction did little to change the expressions of the two bow users. However, when Eden mentioned their levels, the reserved and closed-off attitudes of the two shifted instantly.

“Mason, Level 1.”

“North, Level 1.”

The bow users introduced themselves simultaneously, extending their hands. Cole quickly stepped in to shake Mason’s hand while Eden did the same with North, avoiding any awkwardness.

“Let’s find a better place to talk,” Eden suggested, leading the way toward the city gate.

He didn’t plan on having the conversation in a restaurant; it was better to head to a place where he could test their skills right away.

Once they reached a spot in the nearby forest, Eden turned to face the two bow users. “I don’t care how you reached Level 1, but I do care about your current abilities,” he said with a serious tone.

The truth was that weapon mastery could be advanced not only through practice in both real life and game, but also by using Mastery Books. However, such books were even rarer than skills and hard to come by. If no one knew their locations.

“Before I give you your assignment, do you have any questions?” Eden asked.

“I have one,” North spoke up. “If you’re recruiting random players to form a stable party, that means you don’t work for a workshop, right? So, if you really are Beta Testers, why don’t you join one?” His skepticism was evident.

“We don’t want to be controlled,” Eden replied, surprising the bow users with his straightforwardness. “You can take this information however you like, but we’d appreciate it if you'd keep it to yourselves. We’re not like the regular Beta Testers—we know things they don’t. And because we have access to such information, we prefer to work independently and build our own power for the sake of our futures.” He paused briefly. “If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.”

“Are you saying that someone won’t have a future if they join an established workshop with strong backing?” Mason asked.

“Not at all. Everyone’s free to choose their own path. Greatness can be achieved in many ways. But Cole and I have our own method,” Eden said with a friendly smile.