“I would kill you all in 10 seconds,”

In reaction to Rem's audacious proclamation, four players erupted into laughter, Namika herself, might have been slack-jawed by such frivolous and arrogant words. However, having encountered similar declarations thrice already and witnessing them happen, she found herself partially immune to the bravado.

Thereupon, Rem, true to his bold claim, swiftly killed the quartet of players within a mere 10 seconds, by showcasing a masterful blend of useful skills, strategic movements and unparalleled control abilities.

Namika observed in silence as Rem adeptly gathered the spoils left by the fallen players. Turning to her with a gentlemanly smile, he remarked, "Koyoma-san, we should hurry, follow me." With those words, he swiftly darted into the woods once more.

Defiance colored Namika's tone as she retorted, "Don't order me around. I know what to do." Nonetheless, she begrudgingly trailed behind him.

For a brief stretch, they navigated the forest trail heading westwards. Eventually, they turned left, returning to another level 5 monster fields. Despite nearing the edge of the hunting grounds, their journey was interrupted by five players who were far from accommodating, opting to fight and confront the duo rather than allowing them to pass undisturbed.

The five players started to talk among themselves.

"That armor's a real fancy, ain't it?."

"We could make a killing by selling that gear."

"Hope she'll drop it once she's down, something better would also do."

"Shame, she's a looker, but profit comes first."

"These folks are in cloaks, that kid is even with a mask – are they trying to be all mysterious, ehh?”

The five players obstructing their way varied in levels, from 4 to 5, with one Healer, two Guardians, a Swordsman, and a Mage.

Stepping forward, Rem pointed his sword at them, monotonously he declared, "I will kill all of you within 25 seconds."

In response, the five players erupted into laughter, mocking and pointing fingers at Rem.

Observing the scene, Namika couldn't help but think, 'This stubborn fool refuses to even ask for my help.'

This encounter marked the fifth group of players hindering their journey since departing Blackwater town hours ago. Rem, in every encounters, persistently asserted his ability to defeat them within specific timeframes—5, 6, 7, and 10 seconds. This time, he extended the estimate to 25 seconds, perhaps acknowledging the heightened strength of these Player killers compared to before.

Throughout their one-hour journey, Namika discerned that Rem lacked both gallantry and a penchant for charming her with his actions. Her inclination leaned towards the belief that he simply found joy solely during the combat, or on relishing the challenge of surpassing his self-imposed time limits.

Concealing her internal annoyance with a masked smile, she asserted, "I'll assist you in dealing with them; we can't afford to spend 25 seconds on these fools."

Drawing her swords from their scabbards, Namika swiftly advanced toward the Cleric and Swordsman on the left, while Rem took on the remaining trio.

"I sense an unusual aura about this girl. Even though she looks like a Guardian, she is charging without a shield?" remarked the priest.

The swordsman retorted, "So what? I'm not ordinary either.”

Namika unleashed her formidable arsenal of attacking skills—[Slash], [Wind Slice], a swift [Whirlwind], followed by [Fire Slash], and finishing with [Chop]. The 'not ordinary' swordsman fell to her skills in a mere 5 seconds. Shifting her focus to the priest, who hadn't even had the chance to heal his comrade, Namika utilized [Fast Step] and [Rush], swiftly reaching him. Another round of her deadly skills ensued, and the priest met his demise in just 3 seconds, devoid of even a scream.

Turning her attention to Rem, she found him already efficiently collecting the loot dropped from the three death players, his Shadow Doppelganger standing by his side.

‘Damn it,’ Namika cursed inwardly. She knew that Rem was stronger than her, most likely because he outclassed her in levels and boasted better equipment and skills compared to her. However, she refused to be discouraged, as she understood that when she reached his level with improved equipment and skills, she could match or even surpassed him.

Namika, herself was a formidable powerful among the new generation. She stood at level 6 with 9 skills and 6 spells in her repertoire. She was equipped with the finest gear the game currently provided, acquired through her own and her team's abilities without any help from her family.

Witnessing a beta tester, armed with prior in-game knowledge, surpassing her strength fueled not just frustration but a potent surge of anger within her.

After Rem gathered the spoils from the fallen players, he pivoted towards her, ready to speak. However, Namika preempted him, asserting, "As I mentioned before, don't command me. I understand the urgency to move before my rival guilds catch up."

"I was considering suggesting a break, given the continuous hour of running and the recent battle. But seeing you're lively, let's press on," he declared, turning to hasten deeper into the woods.

"How can we rest when there are people following us?" she scoffed, then hurriedly followed behind him. Despite her outward demeanor, she was feeling a bit tired.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"How much for the lesser stamina potions? Give me five; I'd like to buy them." Asked Namika.

Namika had seen him consume a yellow potion after the third PK players encounter. She then learned it was called a lesser stamina potion. Although he had previously offered her one like a casual snack, she couldn't bring herself to borrow it for free. In fact, she felt a bit hesitant and ashamed to even reveal any stamina depletion from her part.

"One silver each, I think that's a fair price," Rem responded.

"Rem-san, are you trying to rob me?" she twitched at the extravagant price, managing to keep some semblance of patience. However, she felt a simmering frustration.

Rem remained silent for a moment before saying, "I'd give you 3 silver for 5 vials of Stamina potion; that's my final offer," Namika sighed at those words.

"Why act like you're losing in this deal? Even though the lesser stamina potion hasn't hit the market yet due to its low drop rate, after more recipe drops, I think the lesser stamina potion, even if put in high priced should be around 40-50 bronze.”

The lesser healing potion caused quite a stir when it initially hit the market, priced at around 70-80 bronze. However, as its recipe became more common, the cost had now stabilized at 30-40 bronze.

Rem nodded and remarked, "I see. So, would you buy the potion, or should I give it to you for free?" He seemed uninterested in prolonging the discussion.

Namika, her patience teetering on the edge due to his nonchalant and disrespectful tone, restrained her emotions and replied, "Give me the 5 vials. I'll buy them for 5 silvers; I'll go with your original price." Whether it was 3, 5, or 10 silvers, it wasn't a substantial amount to warrant a major fuss from her.

Rem halted his running pace and traded the 5 vials of Lesser stamina potions for 5 Silvers.

Namika examined the sparkling yellow water, gave it a shake, uncorked the stopper, and took a sniff. Feeling refreshed from the scent alone, she proceeded to drink the entire liquid in three sips. Initially, nothing happened, but after a while, her dwindled stamina began to replenish slowly and steadily.

"Judging by your expression, I guess it worked. Let's keep moving," Rem declared, taking the lead once again through the thickets.

Feeling somewhat rejuvenated, she followed him with light steps, observing Rem's petite figure as he navigated through the forest terrain. Rem's overall stature appeared slight, as if he hadn't been eating well; standing at about 5 feet tall.

He had disclosed to her that this was his true appearance, having halted his transformation to conserve energy, as he claimed. Despite not having seen his face, due to the blue mask he wore to conceal it from her, his body structure matched the information Silent Wind had provided.

The only clue Silent Wind provided about Rem was that he was a middle-aged person, vague and leading nowhere. Therefore, Namika attempted to gather information about Rem and Elsa by canvassing the town near the Black Mountain dungeon. To her surprise, she received reports indicating the presence of an NPC named Elsa Granloe in Blackwater town. Though uncertain if it was the same Elsa Granloe, she pursued the lead.

Yet, she wasn't alone in this endeavor; other prominent guilds had the same idea as her. They too scoured Blackwater town for Elsa, who was currently to be staying at an inn at the moment.

The other prominent guilds remained unaware that she was with the other high profiled person, Rem.

However, being a member of the Koyoma household and the Vice Leader of Requiem of the Light, she attracted attention. As she left Blackwater town with Rem, some players, especially those from prominent guilds, began tailing them since their departure. Rem, however, assured her that he could elude them using the varied terrains.

Namika matched Rem's pace toe to toe, she was following this unknown person recklessly, but not foolishly. While she didn't fully trust him, she placed her trust in her ability to gauge a person's personality.

From their earlier conversation in the alley, Namika sensed that Rem harbored no ill intentions toward her, and he seemed indifferent to whether she would assist him in his quest or not. While she hadn't heard of any beta testers for New World, she justify that being a beta tester is how he attained a higher level faster than others and conquered the Level 10 dungeon ahead of time. Even if he could not make her reached level 10 in a day, she would have him in her grasped in any negotiations in the future.

Furthermore, if he failed to help her reach level 10 in a day, there was still the promise of compensation with the 5 pieces of Dawn armor.

Namika had actively participated in the auction held in Blue Burn town organized by Elsa several days ago. Rem, present beside Elsa that day, unveiled 7 pieces of Dawn Armor for auction, proving him as the forger for the armor. She fiercely bid and successfully acquired one, securing for herself the most magnificent breastplate armor she had ever seen. Eager for more, she wished he could give her additional armor for her guildmates.

Lacking sufficient funds at the time, the remaining 6 pieces were swiftly claimed by Sora, who refrained from spending coins during the initial stages of the auction.

In real life, Sora's family and hers were business rivals, and personally, her sentiments towards Sora and Aoi weren't optimal, likely influenced by the strained relationship between their families. However, in her unwilling subconscious, she held them in high regard, even viewing them as her true intellectual and martial rivals capable of surpassing both her wits and strength. In short, she respected them both.

Earlier in the alley, when she discovered that Rem was the person who appeared alongside Sora and Aoi in that auction, she felt more delighted than shocked. To a certain extent, she acknowledged him, much like her rivals did. This was one of the reasons she placed her trust in Rem, the self-proclaimed Beta tester.

After running for some time, Rem led her to cross the river west of Blackwater Town, using a narrow plank-bridge. A mile or two further south, they hastily crossed the great road from the Nondeor Bridge, entering Nondeor land. Bending southeastwards, they ascended the slopes of Nondeor Hill. As they started climbing its first slopes, Namika looked back and saw Blackwater Town far off in the Black Mountain.

After a short rest, they resumed their journey. The morning weather was calm, with the sun shining, but smoke-like wisps of mist crept up the hill-sides from the streams and deep meadows. Thin-clad birches, swaying lightly above their heads in the breeze, created a white smoke-like pattern against the blue sky.

"If there are any pursuers left, this terrain would probably confuse them," remarked Rem as he continued climbing the slope.

Namika couldn't help but think, 'If this guy doesn't lead me back, I would really get confuse too, forever stuck here.'

Soon, they reached a narrow road that undulated up and down, veering away from the main road in the Water-valley. It wound over the skirts of the green Nondeor hills toward Wood End, a wild untamed level 10-20 area.

They had marched on in silence without encountering any monsters from the beginning. If she had any doubts earlier, now Namika was sure he must be a beta tester. The level of terrain knowledge he demonstrated today was impossible to acquire at this stage of the game.

Rem stood at the ledge, watching the savanna below with palpable excitement. "We are here," he spoke.

"I would not go into this dangerous land if you don't tell any plan ahead," Namika said.

Wood End, as displayed on her system map, was shown as an area filled with monsters with a minimum level of 10, while she was only at level 6. Normally, she would need her elite 50-man team to even venture into the outskirts of the place. However, considering Rem's beta tester status, she wondered if he had some secret means to navigate this savage land.

"I do have a plan; let's talk while we walk," Rem confidently suggested.