A group of Sky Dragon Family players loitered near the dungeon entrance, chatting idly. Suddenly, a few familiar figures stepped out from the portal.
"Hey, big brother, you guys are out already?" Sky Dragon Iris called out, stepping forward.
As she got closer, her smile faltered. Pine and Fruit both wore grim expressions, and even Wolf — usually cheerful had deep furrows on his brow.
"Tsk, tsk. Truly impeccable," Sky Dragon Roar muttered, shaking his head. He gestured toward Iris. "You guys continue organizing the groups. Once you're in, follow Featherlight's commands. Fruit, Pine, Wolf, and I will be leaving the starting zone now. Let me know once you're done and offline."
"Understood," Iris replied with a nod.
She watched as Sky Dragon Roar and Wolf turned and walked away, then turned to the remaining players standing around, bored and waiting. "Alright, who's up for the second batch? Let's go! Move it!"
Just moments after stepping out of the dungeon, Ryan silently removed Sky Dragon Roar and his team from the party using his leader privileges. Without wasting time, he invited the next wave of players and walked straight back into the dungeon.
The players who had exited with him glanced back at his retreating figure, admiration written plainly on their faces. But when questioned by their waiting companions, they merely shook their heads and sighed, offering no explanation. The rest were left utterly confused.
Over the next two hours, Ryan led group after group out of the starter zone — forty players in total. Meanwhile, more and more Sky Dragon Family members kept arriving, swelling the numbers of level five players at the dungeon entrance.
The unusual activity caught the attention of other guilds. Curious about the growing crowd, their players quickly posted updates to their respective forums, and soon, scouts from rival organizations began to trickle in.
Ryan paid it all no mind. He left the logistics and chaos to the Sky Dragon Family. His task was nearly complete. One final group to complete the fifty-two players — and his responsibility would be over. He could finally leave.
---
Dreadfang Alpha Guderian let out one last mournful cry before crashing to the cold stone floor. Ryan had lost track of how many times he'd killed the beast, but its generous experience rewards never disappointed.
"A ring with +1 Stamina. Who wants it?" he asked.
With leader loot enabled, Ryan posted the stats in the party chat. One player quickly claimed the item, and Ryan handed it over without fuss.
"Alright. You can go back and turn in your quests," he said flatly.
Without waiting for thanks, he disbanded the party and began walking up the stone steps toward the glowing portal.
Behind him, the light faded from the dungeon entrance. Outside, Sky Dragon Iris remained standing alone, watching the last few Sky Dragon Family players hurry toward the quest turn-in area.
"Featherlight, here's your payment," she said, transferring 52,000 dollars to Ryan's account. A playful smile touched her lips. "You jumped at the chance to help us for just 500 bucks. Now, not even twenty hours later, that's multiplied a hundred times."
"We both got what we wanted," Ryan replied coolly.
He gave her a slight nod, then turned and walked away without another word.
Sky Dragon Iris watched his back as he left. A curious look crossed her face. She gently touched her own cheek.
"Does my system-generated face really not draw your attention at all?" she murmured.
Her figure shimmered for a moment, then gradually faded as her character logged out.
Moments after Sky Dragon Iris had logged off, another character appeared in the same spot — one that looked almost entirely different from before. She wore pristine white Priestess robes, her features radiant and alluring enough to make most players stop and stare.
Of course, it was still Sky Dragon Iris.
She had re-entered the game with a new look, having adjusted her real-life appearance just slightly before logging in.
"This time, I'll make sure to capture you," she whispered, her voice laced with determination.
Her gaze drifted, lost in thought for a second — but when she noticed a group of players heading her way, she quickly spun around and ran toward the starter village.
The number of new players flooding into the starting zone had reached a critical point. It was overcrowded to the brink. Ryan discovered this firsthand upon his return to the village — a difficult journey even for him, now that the area was teeming with people.
Still, he wasn't too concerned. In his previous life, the starting zone had undergone seven rounds of mirroring to accommodate the playerbase. Even the early towns had been mirrored three times before everything finally unified into a single flat world when players reached the main city. Technical limitations wouldn't be a problem.
What did concern him was whether the crowd would slow down his sister's progress.
To his surprise, after reaching out to Mia, Ryan learned that she was already close to level five — nearly matching the speed of some professional players.
That left him momentarily stunned — and more than a little proud.
Maybe one day, he mused, when he formed a small elite team of his own, Mia could be part of it.
With that thought, Ryan decided not to turn in his current quest just yet. Finishing it would send him straight out of the starting zone, and returning would cost him at least thirty minutes of travel time. Better to wrap things up with Mia first.
They quickly met up, and Ryan led her through a string of efficient quests. Before long, Mia had hit level five.
After helping her pick up the main quest, Ryan stepped back.
"Alright. From here on, you're on your own," he said. "Go find a party at the dungeon. You need more experience with group fights."
Mia looked hesitant, so Ryan gave her a reassuring nod.
"I'm not helping you this time. Your instincts are excellent — honestly, better than a lot of pros. When you party up for Blood Hollow, don't be afraid to die. There's no penalty in the starter zone, so take the risks. Your goal is to understand why the party wipes and learn from it. If you haven't cleared it by tomorrow, I'll come and lead you through."
He gave her a firm pat on the shoulder, then gently nudged her forward — sending her off to begin her journey of independent growth.
Watching Mia's figure slowly disappear into the crowd, Ryan let out a long breath. A soft smile touched his lips as he turned and made his way toward Warden Nard.
---
[Main Quest Updated]
Report: Newcomer Featherlight, you have earned my recognition.
The front lines of war are not yet a place you can easily tread — but you may now venture into more dangerous territories.
This morning, my superior, Bogusson, sent urgent word. The situation in Goldmine Town is critical. I need your help. The Empire needs your help.
Objective: Travel to Goldmine Town
Reward: 500 EXP, 1 Silver Coin
---
Ryan's screen went black. When it brightened again, he found himself seated in the back of an open-top carriage. The wheels clattered steadily as the horses galloped forward, carrying him farther and farther from the starting zone.
He looked back one last time — then faced ahead, eyes calm.
"You got this, Mia," he murmured. "I better see you online, bright and early tomorrow."
Then he closed his eyes and logged off.
By the time he logged back in, the carriage would have dropped him off in Goldmine Town — the real journey was about to begin.