Blue Wind Town was designed to be a starting hub, but today, it looked more like a war zone than a peaceful settlement. Every single NPC with a quest marker above their head was surrounded by dozens, if not hundreds, of players, all frantically clicking to accept missions before others could take them.
The NPCs Were Overwhelmed
The blacksmith, a burly man with a hammer resting on his shoulder, had sweat dripping down his forehead as players bombarded him with requests.
The innkeeper, who usually had a calm and friendly demeanor, now looked exhausted as he repeated the same quest dialogue thousands of times per minute.
The town guard, tasked with giving out the standard "kill 10 monsters" quest, had grown impatient. Any player who took too long reading the details got skipped over as the next one clicked faster.
> "Damn it! Someone sniped my quest!"
"How do I unlock the hidden NPCs? This guy's quests are garbage!"
"Skip the dialogue, bro! Just take the quest and go!"
Rex stood in the middle of the chaos, arms crossed. He wasn't in a rush.
Smart Players Had Already Moved On
While most casuals fought over beginner quests, the more experienced players had already disappeared from the square.
Beta testers who knew the quest routes had skipped these NPCs entirely and headed deeper into the town to find less obvious quests with better rewards.
Elite players from Tier 3 guilds had already figured out which quests could be stacked and were maximizing their efficiency.
A few lone wolves weren't taking quests at all—they were heading straight into the wilderness, planning to level up faster by grinding monsters without the quest limitations.
> "Tsk, a few are thinking ahead," Rex muttered, noticing the strategic players moving. "But most of these fools are just following the crowd."
He knew from experience—blindly rushing into quests was a mistake. The real opportunities weren't in these beginner missions. They were hidden, buried behind difficult challenges that most players wouldn't even consider in the first few hours.
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While the combat-oriented players rushed toward quests and monster hunting, another battle was raging in Blue Wind Town's outskirts—the war over resources.
Early-Game Profiteers
A select few merchant-minded players had figured out a different strategy:
Instead of leveling up through combat, they were focusing on gathering materials to sell at high prices.
They knew that crafters and guilds would pay huge amounts of gold for rare resources once equipment crafting became necessary.
These players rushed out of town, searching for trees, ores, and herbs before the demand skyrocketed.
The Gathering Frenzy
Blue Wind Forest, just outside town, was swarming with woodcutters, miners, and herbalists.
Lumberjacks were swinging axes at trees so fast that some areas were stripped bare within minutes.
"Timber prices are gonna crash if we cut too much!"
"I don't care! Sell it fast before prices drop!"
Miners were bashing at rocky outcrops, fighting over the same iron veins.
"Dude, you stole my ore spawn!"
"Too bad. Finders keepers."
Herbalists were running around picking herbs, trying to gather enough to sell for potions.
"Healing potions are already overpriced. We can make a fortune flipping them!"
Players who were too slow or unlucky found themselves empty-handed, complaining in chat about how all the best gathering spots were already monopolized.
> System Announcement: "⚠️ Due to overwhelming resource collection, certain low-tier materials are now in high demand. Prices in the auction house have adjusted accordingly."
Rex chuckled. As expected, the economy was already shifting—and they weren't even an hour into the game.
While the majority of players focused on quests and grinding, another group was thinking long-term.
Guild Recruitment Starts Early
Near Blue Wind Town's fountain, players with guild banners were already standing on crates, shouting for recruits.
"[Join Iron Legion] – Hardcore PvP Focused, No Weaklings!"
"[Healers Wanted] – Looking for Priests and Clerics for our dungeon team!"
"[Trade Union] – Merchant-focused guild, we buy and sell in bulk!"
These early guilds weren't just looking for random players—they were actively building the foundation for their future dominance.
Tier 3 Guilds Take Control
Unlike casual players, a few top-tier guilds had already established themselves before launch.
Some had arranged early-game alliances, ensuring that their members would help each other get ahead.
Others had designated team leaders, sending squads to farm specific mobs or monopolize hidden dungeons.
A few even had spies planted in rival guilds, gathering information to sabotage enemy progress.
> "Most of these guilds will collapse in a few weeks," Rex muttered. "But the ones who survive… they'll be a problem."
He wasn't interested in joining them. He had his own path to carve. But watching the power struggle unfold was always entertaining.
The Smarter Players Were Already in Motion
Beyond the recruiters and traders, a handful of players stood out—the ones who weren't yelling for attention but were silently making moves.
A duelist with a unique rapier stood near the tavern, calmly watching others while flipping through a book on sword techniques.
A cloaked figure was seen slipping into the alleyways, speaking in whispers to a black-market trader NPC.
A small party of four players had already left town, heading in the direction of a hidden dungeon that wasn't even on the main map yet.
> "Tsk, some of them actually know what they're doing," Rex thought. "Interesting."
As he watched the town fall into complete chaos and competition, a faint crimson glow surrounded his body.
That was when the system message changed everything—the Demon's Blessing had been bestowed upon him.
And from that moment, Rex's path diverged from everyone else's.
Note this is small chapter i will make sure it is interesting fron next chapter sorry my brain did not work to cover next part here as next chapter will be large.