"Yes, just like that! That’s exactly how you do it," Cole praised his teammates' efforts.

They’d lost count of how many Spitfire Gladiators they’d taken down, but one thing was clear: their [Weapon Mastery], coordination, and overall skills had all improved. Every bow user below Level 10 had unlimited arrows, and North and Mason made the most of that advantage.

"It’s about to fall!" Maras shouted.

This time, Cole didn’t need to intervene. The team was finally operating like he wanted them to. Maybe it was because of Eden’s promise—a spot in the workshop and a salary if they met his expectations. Either way, the results were satisfying.

North delivered the final blow, and without wasting a second, Cole commanded, "Let’s go help Eden!"

No one hesitated. They executed his command with utmost seriousness.

They really are promising, Cole thought. Maybe we can truly build an elite team in the future.

As Eden saw his reinforcements approaching, he didn’t waste any time. Chased by his two adversaries, he ran to join his party. This time, the team dispatched the monsters quickly and efficiently.

"Maras, Karas, each of you take a monster!" Eden instructed, positioning himself between the defensive line. "If you manage to kill them without our help, I’ll reward you," he promised the entire team.

Eden placed a hand on Cole’s shoulder, signaling him to step back. This was the third time the party had attempted to handle two monsters simultaneously. The first two attempts hadn’t gone well, resulting in some deaths, but Eden was confident this time they’d succeed.

"They’ve still got a lot to learn, but if they stay focused, they can become professionals in Ahartohaim," Eden remarked.

"Yeah, I’ve noticed some of them played VR games before, just not at our level," Cole added.

"What do you think of Aurin?" Eden asked.

"He’s got the skills, but he’s not fit to lead the team. At least, that’s my take for now," Cole replied.

"I think you’re right," Eden agreed. "Speaking of which, would you like to lead our workshop?"

Cole turned his head slowly. "Are you kidding? You’ve contributed more than I have, and it was your idea. I would’ve never thought of creating my own workshop. I planned to join Blue Feather with you. That’s why I can’t—"

"I won’t have the time to manage everything, and I certainly can’t lead a large group in the traditional sense. I have bigger plans, and I’ll need to operate solo for many of them. That’s why I need you to take on the role of front leader. It’s hard to explain now, but I’ll show you what you need to do over time," Eden explained.

"...Fine, we’ll do it your way," Cole conceded. "You've not hit your head or anything right? Showing me what i need to do? You speak like you've done things like these before."

"Fall back!" Karas yelled as he dodged the [Charge]. Immediately, he sprang back to his feet and resumed tanking the monster.

"They deserve a reward for their effort," Cole noted. "What do you plan to give them?"

"Money," Eden replied. "Money is always good. It’s the main reason some of them started playing Ahartohaim in the first place."

Eden and Cole continued to chat while observing the fight without intervening. The team didn’t need their help, and after a few minutes, the first monster fell. The team then focused their efforts on the remaining one.

----------------------------------------

[Congratulations, you have reached Level 4.]

+ 2 Attribute points

----------------------------------------

"Awesome," Cole said as the notification rang in his head. "Imagine how fast we’ll be at Level 100 if we invest most of our points in speed."

Eden gave his brother a long gaze.

"What?" Cole asked.

"Don’t ask where I got this information from because it’ll only remind me of my regrets," Eden began. "Ahartohaim is built in stages, i've told you before. Right now, we’re in the integration stage until Level 20. After that, things will change. I’m not exactly sure how, but some of what we consider game mechanics will either evolve or disappear."

"..."

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Listen, from what I know, the average level of the inhabitants is 20. The integration stage is designed to help us adjust and reach that level. Once we hit Level 20, the game changes. That’s all I know, but keep it to yourself," Eden finished his words.

"Change how? So we struggle to adapt until Level 20, and then the game changes?" Cole asked.

"Something like that. That’s why we need to become as powerful as we can before reaching that level," Eden said. "It’ll be fun."

Cole didn’t seem thrilled by the prospect and looked troubled by his thoughts.

Eden let him be. It was better to mentally prepare now than just go with the flow. That’s how he saw it, but he knew not everyone thought like him. He also knew that not everyone would stay once the real danger began.

The HP of the last Spitfire Gladiator continued to drop. The long-range classes didn’t slack off, nor did Aurin, who slashed with his knife like his life depended on it. Maras and Karas took turns, their brotherly bond giving them an understanding of each other that was far superior to others. They just needed guidance on how to harness it.

"This one’s mine," Damian said, preparing to land the finishing blow. But his projectile was slower than Mason’s arrow, and the kill was stolen—not that it mattered for the EXP since they were in the same party.

"Sorry, it wasn’t intentional," Mason apologized.

"You owe me one!" Damian shouted.

"Well done, take a break," Eden ordered as he approached the group. "Give me your bank account details, and I'll send 500 credits to each of you."

"Really?" North asked, surprised.

"Nice! I can finally buy the VIP Guide," Damian said excitedly.

Eden paused. "The one written by Herman Tolf for Ahartohaim?" he asked.

"Exactly! I heard it’s packed with details, and even the big workshops are using it," Damian replied.

"If you keep it a secret, I'll send each of you a copy," Eden offered, opening his [Character Card] to transfer the money.

"What do you mean by 'sending us a copy'?" Damian asked, curious.

"I happen to know the creator, so I can get a few copies free of charge. But if you share them, that's on you. The files are protected by a program that will automatically destroy them if tampered with or changed between devices," Eden explained. If he hadn’t done the Beta Testing with Cole, he might’ve claimed to be the creator himself, which would’ve earned even more trust from his teammates. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that.

"Are you serious?" Maras asked, stepping closer to Eden.

"Yes, why would I lie?" Eden replied. "Now, give me your bank account details so I can send you the money. After a short break, we'll resupply."

"Aren't we done for the day?" Karas asked. He was tired—it was already night—and he just wanted to go home and relax.

"After we resupply, you'll be free to log out. But we need to gather provisions first. Tomorrow, we start early," Eden said.

With that, he began transferring the reward to his teammates. He knew that people needed motivation, and for those who lacked it, money was a reliable incentive, even if it wasn’t a large sum.

After the short break, the party set off again. But to everyone’s surprise, Eden didn’t head back to Akem. Instead, he led them through a nearby forest, seemingly on the hunt for food, but with a different target in mind.

"Why don’t we just go back to the city and buy some food?" Karas asked.

"We’ll need our money for other things, so it’s better to save it. Besides, grilled meat is delicious," Eden replied.

"Shh, I think I spotted a deer," Cole whispered, motioning for Mason to follow him.

"Let’s walk quietly and search for wild animals. The long-range classes will take them down," Eden instructed.

Cole’s eyes had indeed spotted a deer. Mason approached as quietly as possible, drawing his bowstring and releasing an arrow that pierced the animal's ribcage. The deer bolted immediately, letting out a sharp cry. Cole and Mason pursued it, knowing the wound was fatal and the animal wouldn’t get far.

Eden continued leading the party deeper into the forest. Aurin and North had gone after a wild boar, leaving him alone with Damian. But if used wisely, Damian could still be effective. Bow users had greater piercing power and longer range than staff users, making them better suited for hunting.

"What do you think you’re doing?" a voice called out from ahead as the sound of footsteps grew closer.

"Damian, call the rest of the team. We’re under attack," Eden said calmly, his voice so measured that it took Damian a moment to grasp the meaning of the words.

"Are you deaf? I asked what you’re doing here!" the voice demanded again.

"We’re just out for a night walk," Eden replied mockingly. "What else would a party be doing in a forest at this hour besides hunting for food?"

"Then go hunt somewhere else. This area is ours," said a mean-looking bow user who was approaching Eden, flanked by two shield users.

"No can do. As you can see, we only have a staff user. Do you know how hard it is to hunt in these conditions? Don’t worry, we won’t take much. One or two mammoths should be enough," Eden said with a straight face.

The players before him started laughing. "Mammoths? That's what are you hunting for?" asked the bow user named Shadan.

"Yes. We passed up two deer because we’re hunting mammoths. Why? Aren’t there any mammoths here?" Eden asked, maintaining his serious expression.

Some people laughed again at his absurd words, but Shadan’s expression darkened.

"Eden, what are you doing, man?" Damian whispered from behind.

"You ignored two deer to go hunt mammoths?" Shadan asked coldly. "Do you take me for a fool?"

"That’s exactly what you look like," Eden retorted. "You’re the first idiot who’s ever dared to tell me where I can and can’t hunt."

Shadan forced a laugh. "If you don’t want us to send you back to the spawn point, apologize and get the hell out of this forest."

"Boss, I don’t think it’s a good idea to—" Karas began, but Eden cut him off.

"You seem to have some decent items on you. How about you drop a few before we send you back to the spawn point?" Eden said loudly, taking a step forward.

"Kill them!" Shadan shouted, raising his hand. Instantly, arrows and fire projectiles rained down on Eden’s party.

"Ambush!" Eden yelled, drawing his sword and charging at the shield users blocking his path.

"This is insane," Damian shouted from behind as Karas and Maras shielded him. "Why did you do this?"

"Count the attacks!" Eden ordered, landing a low kick just above a shield user's knee, dropping him to the ground in a state of [Severe Pain], and dealing [ -7 ] damage.

"Count what?" Damian shouted, not understanding Eden's command.

But Maras and Karas understood—they’d heard this instruction countless times today.

"The attacks," Maras said. "I took an arrow and a fireball."

"Same here," Karas added. "There are only four enemies in the bushes."

An arrow whizzed past Eden, fired by Shadan.

"You missed," Eden said, stabbing the downed shield user in the neck, dealing [ -38 ] damage. "Don’t hide behind your shields like that. Advance!" he commanded his people.