Only strength can save you

In his exploration, Aiden stumbled upon a small clearing surrounded by thick, gnarled trees. The spot was perfect for an ambush or a last stand, should he need to defend himself or his teammates.

He marked it in his mind, considering it a potential fallback position if things turned dire during the real event.

Moving onward, Aiden encountered a few evolved monsters which he silently slayed. The strongest of them was an initiate beginner rank, which gave him a few points.

Looking at the leaderboard on his watch, Aiden found his name.

Rank 95: Aiden Raines

He scanned the list of the top 200, finding only one familiar name.

Rank 45: Lila Carnell

"She is doing quite well," Aiden remarked, impressed to see Lila's name in the top 50.