SILENT GROWTH

The sun inside Beginner's Rest was beginning to rise when Akhil stepped back through the west gate. His footsteps were steady despite the exhaustion pulling at his limbs. Every movement reminded him of the hours spent inside Howling Mines, fighting, dodging, surviving. His reinforced leather armor bore the scratches of narrow escapes, and his Iron-Edged Dagger hung at his side, still carrying the faint stains of defeated enemies. He didn't draw attention. Players around him were too busy bragging about their easy dungeon runs and flashy new skills, too loud to notice a boy quietly stepping back into town after a night of risking his life.

He made his way straight to the merchant square, where dozens of NPC stalls and small player booths filled the open space. Bright banners advertised rare potions, shiny gear, even pets for players willing to spend Credits or real-world cash. Akhil passed them without slowing. Those luxuries weren't for someone like him yet.

Finding the second-hand merchant tucked into a dusty corner, he sold his collected Ghost Ore Fragments, earning 30 moreCredits. The merchant didn't bother speaking, just waved a hand lazily as the Credits transferred. Akhil didn't mind. Recognition wasn't what he was after. Progress was.

With his current total reaching 120 Credits, Akhil opened the equipment list carefully. He scanned through dozens of overpriced weapons before settling on two simple purchases: a reinforced leather armor set for 80 Credits and an Iron-Edged Dagger for 35. Both were plain, worn-looking compared to the dazzling enchanted items on display nearby, but their stats were honest. Useful.

As he equipped the armor, he felt the difference immediately. His movements grew a little heavier but a lot safer. He tightened the straps on the shoulder plates, feeling the rough texture bite into his palms. Real protection. The Iron-Edged Dagger rested nicely in his hand — not too heavy, not too light. Sharp enough to cut if swung right, strong enough to survive a real fight.

He opened his Status Window with a thought.

[Akhil's Status Window]

Class: Glitchborn (Hidden Class)

Level: 6Health

(HP): 320/320

Mana (MP): 100/100

Stamina (SP): 160/160

Strength (STR): 11

Agility (AGI):8

Intelligence (INT): 3

Vitality (VIT): 8

Dexterity (DEX): 7

Luck (LUK): ??? (Hidden)

Skills:

Night Predator (Passive)

Whisper Sense (Passive)

Minor Poison Resistance (Passive)

Equipment:

Weapon: Iron-Edged Dagger

Armor: Reinforced Leather Armor

Boots: Worn-out Sandals

Accessory: Broken Miner's Amulet

Credits: 5

Quest Active: None

He smiled faintly, closing the window. It wasn't much compared to those rich guild players flexing their enchanted cloaks and lightning blades, but to him, it was something far greater proof that he had survived on skill and will alone.

There were no system-wide achievements announcing his victories. No waves of admiration from random players. Only the quiet satisfaction burning steadily inside his chest.

And that was enough.

The morning crowd thickened as Akhil made his way toward the town's marketplace. He passed groups of beginners showing off their pay-to-win gear, laughing loudly as they planned easy dungeon runs designed for groups of ten or more. Some players threw Credits at rare cosmetic shops, buying shiny skins and flashy mounts. A few of them even mocked weaker players who hesitated at the quest boards.

Akhil watched quietly from a distance. He saw how the powerful stuck together, building guilds based not on strength but on wealth. He saw how weaker players, those who couldn't afford to buy advantages, gathered nervously near low-paying mission boards, trying to survive in the cracks between the giants.

It made him think.

He didn't hate them. He didn't envy them.

But he understood now he would have to carve his own path, far away from where the powerful played.

Moving carefully through the crowd, he found the Quest Board pinned against the far wall of the marketplace. Dozens of papers fluttered in the gentle game breeze. Most were standard tasks: kill wolves, collect herbs, escort a merchant across a safe road. None paid more than twenty or thirty Credits. Boring. Safe.

He reached for one without thinking, almost ready to take it.

Then something caught his eye.A half-torn notice, covered by other posters.

[Urgent Request: Missing Courier - Last Seen near Crimson Hollow]Reward: 150 Credits + BonusDanger Level: HighRecommended Level: 10+

The words 'Danger Level: High' should have made any beginner walk away.No one else even looked at it.

But Akhil pulled it free without hesitation.

Crimson Hollow was a poisonous swamp east of town, known for hidden quicksand pits, fast ambush predators, and deadly status effects. Most players didn't step into it until they had teams and healers.

Akhil didn't have either and that was why it was perfect.

He accepted the quest with a thought.

[Quest Accepted: Missing Courier]

Objective: Find and rescue the lost courier.

Reward: 150 Credits + Bonus.Time Limit: 48 hours (in-game time).

He folded the quest notice and tucked it into his belt.

This mission wouldn't be about flashy fighting or loud victory.It would be about survival.Speed.Instinct.

Everything he had sharpened through silent suffering.He tightened his new armor straps, checked his dagger's edge once more, and turned toward the eastern gate.

Behind him, buried in the shadow of a rooftop, a green-armored figure lowered his hood slightly, eyes gleaming with interest.

WhisperToma watched Akhil disappear into the crowd.He shook his head in amazement.

"Most players don't even dare look at that swamp until Level 15... and this guy's walking in at Level 6."

Toma smiled.

"He's going to be something special."

And somewhere, in a hidden corner of the town's guild registry, another name was being marked silently.

Outside Beginner's Rest, the eastern world changed quickly.

The clean cobblestone streets gave way to dirt paths, then to mossy trails barely visible between dying trees. The smell of wet earth and decay thickened in the air.

The entrance to Crimson Hollow loomed ahead is a slow-sloping swamp covered in thick, muddy waters and twisted roots. Faint buzzing sounds came from giant insects moving through the heavy mist. The ground squelched under Akhil's feet as he moved carefully toward the swamp's edge.

He crouched low behind a fallen log and observed.

Several smaller monsters — poison frogs, acid snakes, and leech slimes floated and moved across the shallow pools.Each creature was dangerous if underestimated.Their poison effects would sap health over time, weakening players until even the weakest hit could kill.

Most players would rush blindly and die.Akhil didn't.He checked the quest details again.The lost courier was supposed to have taken a shortcut through Crimson Hollow.Somewhere inside, hidden under all the danger, was a survivor or a body.He had to find him.

Taking a deep breath, Akhil activated his Night Predator skill.His body grew lighter.His steps quieter.His breathing sharperHe moved carefully through the swamp, staying low, using fallen branches and rocks as cover. He waited patiently for slimes to drift away before sprinting across open patches. He threw stones to distract frogs away from his path.

Every move was calculated.Every breath, deliberate.By the time he reached the third section of the swamp, he hadn't lost a single health point.Yet danger lurked ahead.In the mist, two larger shapes moved.Sharp, fast.Predators.

Their names floated into view:

[Crimson Lurker — Level 8]

[Crimson Lurker — Level 9]

They had spotted him.There was no avoiding the fight now.

Akhil gripped his dagger tightly and shifted into a low stance.This was not the kind of fight he could win by strength alone.He would have to use the swamp itself.

And if he failed...he would die here without anyone even knowing his name.

But Akhil smiled grimly under the mist.He hadn't survived Howling Mines to die here.

Not now.

Not ever.

TO BE CONTINUED.............