Level 7

A few hours after falling asleep, Ray woke up feeling refreshed. With nothing else to do, he decided to log back into the game.

Upon logging back in, Ray found himself at the entrance of the forest. As he ventured deeper into the woods, he was surprised to see Sarah already there. She appeared to be alone, as her friends were not online. Engaged in a battle with a pack of wolves, Sarah's presence and actions piqued Ray's curiosity, prompting him to approach her location silently.

From a distance, Ray observed Sarah closely, noticing things he hadn't before. Sarah wielded a shield and a standard sword, an unusual choice for a female player in the gaming community. Typically, girls preferred flashy or cool weapons, but the sword and shield combination was more characteristic of a tanker—something that didn't align with the typical preferences of female gamers. However, the true surprise for Ray lay in the way she fought.

Sarah's fighting style was deceptively simple yet profoundly efficient. She relied on basic moves to combat the wolves, a tactic that might seem unremarkable to an untrained eye. But for Ray, whose ability was God of War and who had a natural aptitude for combat, the depth of her technique was clear. Her style was a masterpiece of economy and precision, marked by the absence of any unnecessary movement. Every action she took served a purpose, conserving energy and maximizing effectiveness.

Sarah's approach to combat was a blend of patience and precision. She would wait for a wolf to make its move, usually a pounce or lunge, and then raise her shield to block the attack. The moment the wolf recoiled, dazed from the impact, she would counter with a swift and decisive strike from her sword. This method of fighting ensured that she was always in control, never overextending herself or wasting energy.

The beauty of her style lay in its balance between offense and defense. Her shield provided robust protection, allowing her to absorb and deflect blows, while her sword enabled quick, calculated counterattacks. Each move flowed seamlessly into the next, creating a rhythm that was both controlled and relentless. This balance meant she could maintain her stamina over prolonged battles, a crucial advantage in the dangerous, wolf-infested forest.

Ray noted that the only thing hindering her performance was her equipment. Her sword and shield, though well-suited to her style, were of low quality and seemed to be on the verge of breaking. Better equipment would undoubtedly enhance her effectiveness, allowing her to dispatch enemies even more efficiently.

Watching her fight, Ray couldn't help but admire the elegance of her technique. Her movements were a testament to the idea that combat didn't always have to be about flashy skills or overpowering strength. Sometimes, the most effective strategies were those rooted in simplicity and precision. Sarah's fighting style was a perfect example of this philosophy—no wasted energy, no unnecessary actions, just pure, disciplined combat.

As Ray continued to watch, he realized that there was much he could learn from Sarah's approach. Despite the difference in their abilities, the principles of efficiency and control were universally applicable. He made a mental note to incorporate some of her tactics into his own fighting style, recognizing the value in her disciplined approach.

"The only thing that I can see slowing her down is her equipment, which seems to be of low quality and is even about to break," Ray thought to himself as he watched her fight. If she had better gear, she would be even more formidable. This observation only deepened his respect for her skills and resourcefulness, making him all the more determined to improve his own combat abilities.

But alas, it was that same terrible gear that was hindering her fight. With the last pounce of the wolf, her shield broke, leaving her completely defenseless. The breakage of her shield and the wolf's pounce left her off balance, making her easy prey for the wolves.

Of course, Ray wouldn't just let her die. He appeared to save her without hesitation. He didn't summon his scythe because, after watching her fight, he realized he was focusing on the scythe's power rather than his own skills. More precisely, he wasn't training his skill.

He unequipped his scythe and summoned a shield and a sword, just like Sarah, and immediately started attacking the wolves. Usually, someone in his situation wouldn't have done that since he hadn't fought effectively with the shield and sword. Thankfully, Elric had squeezed in training of several weapons during their time together, so even if Ray had never used a weapon in battle, he would still at least know a bit of the basics.

Besides, he didn't really need that much skill. He just wanted to try the way Sarah fought for a while.

The wolves glared at him as he suddenly approached them. Usually, they would have pounced at just the sight of his presence, but since they had fought for long with Sarah, they waited a bit to observe their prey by circling him. But their primal instincts couldn't be stopped as one of them broke out of the formation and pounced on him. Ray was already ready. The wolf's teeth, aiming at his face, were instead met with iron.

The wolf tasted blood and immediately wanted to run away, but it was too slow as a sword slashed at its body and split it in half. The others wanted to avenge their fallen comrade, but it was the same situation: Ray would block then counter, though not as effortlessly as Sarah.

Sarah quietly watched the whole thing unfold without saying a word, just in case she would distract Ray as he fought. She didn't even know that Ray was trying to fight like her; she didn't know anything about the fighting style that she was using.

When Ray was done fighting the wolves, he approached her.

"Hey, Sarah, what's up?" he asked.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"I'm good too."

"It seems that you're leveling up. What level are you?"

"I'm just level 6."

"Me too."

"I tried going for a dungeon quest, but I wasn't able to."

"Why?" asked Ray.

"Apparently, I'm too weak to fight, and for me to take dungeon quests, I must be level 7. I could have done the other quests, but those would only give me money, not experience, so I decided to hunt so I could at least start taking some dungeon quests."

"Oh, okay. Do you want to level up with me so that we can do it together?"

"Okay."

And this was how the two of them brought danger and mayhem to the wolves that made the forest their residence. Ray had to give Sarah the sword and shield he had since she had no other weapon. They killed so many wolves that they finally reached level 7. Just like before, Ray gained three stat points but decided not to use them until later.

"Okay, let's go and do a dungeon quest."

"Before that, we need to get you better equipment, or do you want to die in the dungeon?"

"No, I don't," she replied.

"Okay, come on, let's go. I know a blacksmith in the city; maybe he could craft equipment for us."

They moved for a bit until they arrived at the blacksmith's area. Inside, a burly man was sitting at the reception desk, doing nothing in particular.

"Hello, young man. Nice seeing you. What can I do for you?" asked the man in a polite voice.

"I would like to get some equipment for me and my friend, if you don't mind."

"Of course. What would you like?"

"I would like a set of armor, the same for my friend but with the addition of a sword and a shield."

"Okay. How would you like to pay for the equipment? I accept money, materials, and monster cores," replied the man.

"Oh, if it's materials, then will this cover it?"

Ray then proceeded to bring out from his storage a mountain of materials that he had harvested from the wolves in the tutorial. The man was greatly shocked by the amount of materials there.

"If it's not enough, I still have some more."