Village Chief

"Now only the last Grey Wolf tail remains," I muttered to myself. After harvesting the three parts, I quickly hid, knowing that leaving these corpses would surely attract the wolves, thanks to their heightened sense of smell.

As I crouched behind a thick bush, waiting, I could already hear the distant howls of the Grey Wolves drawing closer. The scent of blood from the fallen Orcs and Troll was strong enough to lure them in, just as I had planned.

I readied myself, keeping Puddle alert on my shoulder. "Stay low," I whispered, patting him gently as we both waited. Moments later, two large Grey Wolves emerged from the shadows of the trees, sniffing the air cautiously. Their silver-gray fur glistened under the dim light of the forest, and their sharp eyes scanned the area, unaware of my presence.

"One tail," I reminded myself, gripping my sword. "Just need to take one down."

The wolves moved closer to the bodies, lowering their heads to inspect the carnage. That was my moment. I whispered to Puddle, "Water jet" as he nodded and released a small but precise beam of water that struck one of the wolves directly on the snout.

The wolf yelped in pain, drawing the attention of the other, but before it could react, I leaped out from my hiding spot and charged forward. With a quick swing of my sword, I aimed for the stunned wolf's neck.

[You have defeated a Grey Wolf, Level 12]

[You have gained 12,250 exp]

The other wolf growled and charged toward me, but Puddle was quick to respond. He launched another Light Bullet, distracting it just long enough for me to slash at its side, bringing it down as well.

[You have defeated a Grey Wolf, Level 14]

[You have gained 14,650 exp]

I knelt down beside the fallen wolves, cutting the tail of the larger one and tucking it into my inventory. "All done," I whispered to Puddle, who gave a small, satisfied jiggle.

"Now, let's get out of here before more of them show up."

After securing the Grey Wolf tail, I began making my way out of the Black Forest. The dense, eerie atmosphere clung to me as I retraced my steps, careful to avoid any more dangerous encounters. The occasional distant howl reminded me that I wasn't completely in the clear yet, but Puddle and I moved swiftly, staying low and alert.

As I neared the forest's edge, the trees began to thin, and the familiar sights of the beginner village came into view. The warm, welcoming light from the village lanterns pierced the dimming twilight, offering a sense of relief after the intense battles in the forest.

"We made it," I muttered to Puddle, who jiggled happily on my shoulder.

It was time to turn in these items and claim my next reward. The village chief would be waiting. "Let's go get what's ours," I said, striding toward the village gates.

The village guards looked at me and nodded. "It's good you're back," one of them said, offering a brief but sincere greeting as I nodded in response.

Now, the village wasn't as empty as before. It was bustling with activity, filled with players of all levels. Some wore impressive equipment—likely bought from the recent currency exchange that had started. The wealthier players were already flooding the auction house, acquiring powerful gear and rare items while others like me were still running around in beginner village attire.

In Final Life, the game mechanics closely resembled real life. For example, a mage could wield a sword—though only if they met the required strength stats or other specific prerequisites. There were no strict boundaries like in other games; however, one could have multiple classes, but each came with its own trials and challenges. Most players were content with just two or three classes, as even completing one trial was a daunting task. The death penalty that reset progress was enough to make anyone think twice before trying to balance multiple roles.

And then there was the stat allocation system. Regardless of how many classes a player had, the game only granted ten stat points per level. This clever limitation kept players from becoming too overpowered by hoarding classes, as they would spread their stat points too thin across multiple skill sets. It was a delicate balancing act—one that required careful planning for anyone aiming to truly master multiple classes.

I made my way through the busy streets of the village, heading toward the village chief with a clear goal in mind—to claim a quest that would reward me with a special item, equipment, or even a skill. Normally, this quest would lead to the acquisition of a special class, but since I had already unlocked a unique class through an alternate method, the possibilities for what I could receive were wide open.

The village was alive with activity, players rushing around, some teaming up, others shopping or preparing for their own adventures. But I was focused. This quest was key. Special items in Final Life weren't just about stats—they often came with hidden effects, rare abilities, or utility that could change a player's entire approach to the game.

I finally reached the chief's house, a humble yet imposing structure, standing out from the rest of the village with its ornate carvings and an air of authority. Stepping inside, I could feel the weight of the moment. This was the final step before advancing to the next stage of my journey.

The village chief, a grizzled old NPC with sharp eyes looked at passing players.

I approached him and greeted, "Hello, Village Chief."

"Ahh, another hardworking bud," he said, with a knowing smile. "It seems you are ready to bloom. Now tell me, which town would you like to go to?"

Several notifications flashed in front of me.

It was a list describing hundreds of towns, all part of just one region—the western part of the kingdom where this beginner village was located.