Chapter 16: Village Equipment Rankings, Sisters' Dilemma
A Hidden Ranking System?
"Obtaining Dark Gold equipment actually opens up a ranking system for the entire village?"
Jack muttered in surprise.
Curious, he quickly navigated through the system menu and found the Village Equipment Ranking section.
Village Equipment Ranking
Note: The ranking updates daily at 12:00 a.m. Based on ranking positions, corresponding rewards will be issued each day. After the novice period, a mystery gift package will be awarded based on the final ranking!
Top 10 Equipment Holders in Novice Village G233
NO.1: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848)
Equipped Item: Top-grade Tang Sword +2 (Lv1 Dark Gold Quality)
Daily Reward: 30,000 Experience Points
NO.2: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848)
Equipped Item: Fine Crossbow (Lv3 Rare Quality)
Daily Reward: 20,000 Experience Points
NO.3: Liu Mouren (Player ID: PD1400)
Equipped Item: Berserker Shoulder Armor (Lv1 Rare Quality)
Daily Reward: 10,000 Experience Points
NO.7: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848)
Equipped Item: Wind Necklace (Lv2 High Quality)
Daily Reward: 5,000 Experience Points
NO.10: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848)
Equipped Item: Exquisite Leather Boots (Lv1 High Quality)
Daily Reward: 5,000 Experience Points
---
The rankings only displayed the top ten players, and Jack had four of the ten spots!
With the daily passive experience gain reaching 60,000 points, Jack was beyond pleased.
"I don't even have to grind for experience anymore... this is insane!"
Despite his excitement, he also noticed a few other strong players on the list.
"That Liu Mouren guy in third place must be pretty strong if he managed to get Rare Quality armor."
Still, Jack knew the gap between first place and third was massive.
"If I can keep this pace up, I might be able to claim all ten slots eventually!"
Feeling a surge of motivation, he clenched his fists.
However, he didn't have much time to grind today—the Blood Moon was about to rise. He needed to return to the cabin area before nightfall to avoid unnecessary dangers.
---
Jack's Current Status
Before heading back, Jack checked his character panel.
Character Panel
Name: Jack
Player ID: SJ,8848
Race: Carbon-based Human
Level: Lv1 (645/5000)
Occupation: None
HP: 430/430
Energy: 105/105
Attributes:
Strength: 89
Agility: 72
Spirit: 21
Stamina: 28
Endurance: 20
Free Attribute Points: 0
Skills:
Insight (Advanced Skill)
Holy Light Illumination (Lv1, Advanced Skill)
Fire Control (Lv1, Rare Skill)
Violent Force (Lv1, Rare Skill)
Equipment:
Fine Tang Sword +5
Exquisite Leather Boots
Energy Coin Balance: 213
Talent: Chaos (SSS-Rank Quality)
With his enhanced stats and new skills, Jack had adapted to dual-wield combat—his Tang Sword in one hand and Crossbow in the other.
On his way back, he hunted monsters with ease.
His high agility allowed him to fire arrows while running. As he moved, his sword flashed, finishing off enemies in a single strike.
With every kill, he gained experience rapidly.
Returning to Mirkwood, he found that the Cat Demons were no longer a threat.
"As long as I land a hit, they die instantly—weak point or not."
Despite his constant movement, Jack's leveling speed was still outrageous.
---
Explosive Reactions from the Village Chat
The moment the Village Equipment Rankings were revealed, the public chat exploded.
"Damn! Out of the top 10, this SJ,8848 guy owns FOUR slots?!"
"No wonder he was the first to kill the Violent Cat Demon—this guy's a monster!"
"A Dark Gold-quality Tang Sword? That's insane!"
"Dad! I've finally found you! Please take me under your wing!"
Within seconds, hundreds of messages flooded the chat.
There were 900+ players still alive in the village, all competing for just ten leaderboard spots—making Jack's dominance even more impressive.
Many worshipped his strength, some begged to join him, and others... had darker motives.
"Does anyone know who SJ,8848 is? I'll pay 20 Energy Coins for info!"
"Hiding his name again? If I had his strength, I'd show off immediately!"
"Come on, 8848! Be a man like Liu Mouren and reveal yourself! Let us admire you!"
However, those who understood human nature saw through this deception instantly.
"Be careful, SJ,8848. These guys are trying to find you to steal your equipment."
Jack, reading these messages, remained silent.
"Smart move hiding my name. Otherwise, I'd be swarmed by either bootlickers or backstabbers."
With a smirk, he closed the chat and focused on reaching his cabin.
---
Sisters in Danger
Meanwhile, in a small wooden house in the village, two sisters—Su Qiutong and Su Youwei—were in deep trouble.
A loud knock echoed through their cabin.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Outside, a group of men sneered.
"Open the door, little sisters! We're good people!"
"No need to be scared, we just want to 'play' together."
"Hahaha, I've been watching you two all day. You barely went outside, right? You must be hungry. Don't worry, we have Energy Coins for you! Just open the door, and we'll share them for free!"
It was a trap.
These scumbags had been waiting for a chance to prey on vulnerable players—and the two sisters were their latest target.
Inside the cabin, Su Qiutong and Su Youwei huddled together, their bodies trembling.
They knew that as long as they kept the door shut, they were safe—the Novice Protection Period guaranteed it.
But this safety was only temporary.
"We can't stay locked in here forever. Eventually, we'll have to go out for food and resources."
Su Youwei's voice trembled.
"Sister... what do we do?"
Su Qiutong stroked her younger sister's head, trying to act calm, even though she was terrified inside.
She whispered, "Don't be afraid... I'll think of something."
But deep down, she knew they were trapped.
If only she had awakened a combat-type talent—they wouldn't be in this mess.
Even worse, she regretted her hesitation earlier.
"I should have approached that strong player who killed the first Goblin boss."
"If I had teamed up with him back then, we wouldn't be helpless now."
But it was too late.
Now, all they could do was hope for a miracle.
---
To Be Continued…
For more episode visit patreon
patreon.com/Jutsu_143