Level up!

The captain let out a deep sigh, his shoulders loosening as the weight of the conversation eased. "Yeah, it's true. At first, everyone was on edge. The thought that dying in the game would mean dying in real life? That's what terrified us all the most. But now that we know the actual penalty, just a massive reduction in our stats; it's like a weight has been lifted. We might be knocked down, but we can still get back up and try again."

His voice carried a mix of relief and exhaustion. "I guess you could say they've given us a window to climb out of, without taking the whole roof off."

William glanced around, noticing how calm everyone seemed. The tension that had once hung heavy in the air was gone, replaced by a quiet sense of determination. The other players, now aware of the penalty, had accepted it.

"Hey," the captain interrupted his thoughts, gesturing towards the nearby church, its steeple rising above the small village. "You just came from the church, didn't you? You should know, the priest has a way to fix what's been sealed off in your spirit value."

William raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Go there and pray once a day," the captain continued, eyes narrowing slightly as if recalling details he had only recently learned himself. "The priest offers a blessing to groups like ours. For those of us who've died, each blessing restores 0.1 of our spirit value. It's not much, but it's something."

As the captain explained, William's mind started piecing things together. "Ah, so that's why there are so many players lingering in Iron Mine Village. They aren't here to grind levels, they're waiting for their blessings, right?"

The captain nodded. "Exactly. A lot of them messed up a few days ago. They're stuck here until they can get back on their feet."

In reality, the spirit value penalty wasn't as simple as a fixed reduction of 0.4. It was far more complicated than that. While physical stats could eventually recover, the soul and mind were different. Damage to the spirit value was semi-permanent, affecting how a player thought, felt, and acted. For most players, this slow degradation made it feel like their mental strength would never fully return.

Even William, usually calm and collected, found it daunting. Recovering from a bad night's sleep was one thing; a simple rest would fix that, but soul damage? That was a whole other beast. Mental exhaustion from soul damage didn't just fade away. It clung to you.

Thankfully, though, there was still hope. "The priest can restore 0.1 of your spirit value with each blessing, and the death penalty reduces it by 0.4. In theory, you could be back to normal in four days."

But the captain's face grew somber. "In practice, it's not so simple. Blessings lose their effect the more you get them. The first few might work, but after that? It takes longer and longer to feel any real change. If you die again too soon, there's no guarantee you'll ever get back to your peak just from blessings."

William was beginning to see why so many players had gathered here. The priest, overburdened by the daily influx of desperate players, had come up with a solution, group blessings at set times each day. No more one-on-one sessions; it was simply too exhausting for the old man. Now, the village had become a waiting ground, with players hanging around, sharing information and counting the hours until the next blessing.

"So, you died too?" William asked, tilting his head at the captain. He had assumed the captain would be out leveling up by now, not hanging around the village.

The captain smiled sheepishly and shook his head. "No, I'm here for someone else." He pointed at the boy standing beside him; James, a younger player who looked not much older than William himself.

"James died during the first day of the beta test," the captain explained softly. "I'm just here to make sure he's alright, to get him blessed." His voice was filled with concern as he glanced at Yun, who had a determined, if not slightly weary, look on his face.

William nodded, understanding the situation a bit better now. There was a quiet camaraderie here, a shared struggle, as players gathered to heal; not just their characters, but their minds as well.

James stood there, looking a bit shy and awkward, the same way he did when he used to go grocery shopping with his mom and they'd run into a chatty neighbor. His mother would dive into conversation, and James, bored, would fiddle with his phone, until suddenly, his mom would switch gears and call him out for something embarrassing, leaving him cringing in public. The memory felt all too familiar in this moment.

"So that's how it is," William nodded slightly, piecing it all together. It was clear now why the church was such a big deal. Having a place with actual, tangible theocracy was a game-changer. The blessings here weren't just symbolic; they were real and, even better, they were free.

James, however, wasn't in the best shape. He was carrying the weight of a death penalty, and everyone knew what that meant. Players hit with the penalty struggled to level up, their stats crippled, and their condition abysmal. It was especially tough for those like Yun, who had died on the very first day of the beta test. Falling behind that early meant you were always playing catch-up with everyone else.

William could see through the captain's intentions. Helping Jamea now wasn't just an act of kindness, it was smart. Offering a lifeline when someone's drowning is far more meaningful than tossing confetti at them when they're already on solid ground. The captain was clearly investing in James, likely choosing him as a teammate with the belief that James would remember this when he got back on his feet. Friends made in times of hardship tend to stay by your side for life.

"Hey, big brother," the captain broke in, using the term playfully despite looking older than William, who had a younger, more boyish appearance. "Did you go to the church just now to get blessed?"

William, though a bit surprised at the 'big brother' title, simply nodded. The captain was shameless in the best way, throwing out the honorific without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

"The priest here's pretty well-known, right?" the captain went on. "Everyone always stops by for a quick blessing before heading out on a hunt. I mean, the buff isn't huge, but it's free, so why not?"

"I tried," William replied with a sigh, shaking his head. "But he didn't give me anything."

The captain froze mid-thought, clearly caught off guard. "What? The priest didn't give you a blessing? That can't be right. I mean, even for high-level players, it might not do much, but refusing outright? No way."

"You must've made him mad," the captain blurted out in disbelief, eyes widening. The priest was known for his good temper, so it was shocking to hear that William had been refused. "What did you do to upset him? You must've done something big; angering a priest around here isn't easy."

William shrugged, unsure himself, but the captain's mind was racing. Everyone knew the churches in these villages were usually friendly, even offering food to starving players. Sure, the meals weren't exactly gourmet, but it kept players from starving to death. Over time, players had come to think of the priests as protectors, looking at them like lost sheep who needed to be kept safe from the dangers of the outside world. They'd even try to talk players out of adventuring altogether.

"Every time we go for a blessing," the captain said, chuckling at the thought, "they try to lecture us, telling us to stay safe, avoid danger, you know the drill. They don't want us out there risking our necks. But we've got no choice, right? How else are we going to level up and gain experience if we don't fight monsters? That's the whole point of the game."

The captain paused, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "A few players here and there take their advice, but the rest of us? We just nod, smile, and then go right back to the grind. Once they see we're not backing down, they give in and hit us with the blessing anyway."

It was a funny, almost comical ritual. The priests knew they couldn't stop the players from diving headfirst into danger, and the players knew that, no matter what, they'd still get their blessing in the end. The whole thing felt like a game within the game; a quiet battle of wills between the priests and the adventurers, with both sides walking away satisfied in their own way.

"If you get to know the priest well enough, he'll skip all the lecturing," the captain said with a grin. But then he paused, realizing something. "Wait, I just remembered… that guy's only been to Iron Mine Village once, and that was three days ago."

"No, it's something else," William responded with a slight smirk, his lips curling as if he knew more than he let on. Without elaborating, he slung his rifle over his shoulder and gave the captain a nod. "See you around."

With that, he turned and strode out of the village, his figure slowly disappearing into the distance. James, watching him go, leaned in closer to the captain and whispered, "Who is he?"

James was used to the captain's friendly attitude toward everyone, but the way he'd been practically glowing with enthusiasm when talking to William was a rare sight. It was at least three times the excitement he'd shown when they ran into that level 4 player last time.

The captain glanced around cautiously, noticing a few players casting curious glances in their direction. Leaning in, he lowered his voice and said, "That's a big boss."

Yun's eyes widened. "You mean, his level is really high?"

The captain nodded, lowering his voice even more. "Three days ago, he was already level 4. And he's been out there hunting monsters this whole time without dying. He's got to be level 5 by now, maybe even level 6."

Yun's jaw practically dropped. "Level 5? Already?"

In a village where the top players had only just hit level 5 today, that kind of progress was mind-blowing. No wonder people called him "Big Brother." It wasn't just a title of respect; it was a recognition of his skill and survival instinct in this brutally tough game. Befriending someone like that couldn't hurt. In fact, it could open doors that most players could only dream of.

"Damn," the captain muttered, his frustration slipping out. "This game is brutal. Once you're back to full health, we've got to figure out a better way to level up. We can't keep falling behind like this."

As the captain voiced his determination, William had already reached the edge of the misty forest, the dense trees stretching before him like a tangled maze. His destination? The mysterious magical grocery store nestled somewhere near the abandoned mine. The path was treacherous, if you could even call it a path. There were no man-made roads here, not even the faint trails left by goats.

The overgrown vegetation was wild, with thorny vines twisting like natural traps, blocking his way. The uneven terrain made it hard to see what lay ahead, and every step forward was a battle in itself. William, though physically strong, found his pace painfully slow. The deeper he ventured, the more the forest seemed to close in on him, restricting his movement and forcing him to hack his way through.

Drawing his spear, William swung it with a sharp, practiced motion. The blade sliced through the dense vines, clearing enough of a path to give him some relief. His muscles tensed with the effort, but with each swing, he felt the weight of the forest's grip lessen.

Now, it wasn't just about walking, it was about cutting his way forward. His spear became not just a weapon but a tool of survival.

Suddenly, a sharp noise cut through the air.

[Hint: You are attacked by a blood-sucking poisonous mosquito.]

Reacting instantly, William swatted the creature down with precision.

[You killed the blood-sucking poisonous mosquito, experience +1.]

Before he could fully recover, another danger appeared.

[Hint: You were attacked by a triangular snake.]

With a swift thrust of his spear, William dispatched the snake, its scales gleaming darkly in the faint light filtering through the canopy.

[You killed the triangular snake, experience +2.]

The snake's body shimmered, revealing its value beyond mere experience points.

[Snake skin: a common magic material. Tough old snake skin can resist slashing attacks to a certain extent.]

William pocketed the material, his eyes scanning the forest for the next threat. Sure enough, he wasn't done yet.

[Battle Tips: You have encountered a charming flower demon.]

A sinister laugh echoed through the trees as a creature, half-flower, half-woman, slithered into view. But William didn't hesitate. With a powerful strike, he brought her down, petals scattering like fallen leaves.

[You killed the Enchanting Flower Fairy, experience +5.]

[Flower Fairy Petals: Special magic material, can be used to make various magic potions.]

William took a moment to catch his breath. The forest was full of danger, but with every victory, he grew stronger. Each creature, each encounter, brought him closer to his goals. And more importantly, his innate talent—"killing to prove your truth"—was steadily coming into play. Every fight was sharpening not just his skills, but his understanding of the world around him.

And the deeper he went, the more he knew: the forest held many more secrets, and he intended to uncover them all.