C - Tier Mage Card

Realizing the enormity of such a venture, August knew it wasn't something he could achieve overnight. It would require careful planning and orchestration, not to mention significant resources.

For now, he needed to focus on more immediate concerns—like paying off his debt to Damon.

He had a little over two weeks left to come up with over half a million dollars. The clock was ticking, and he needed to act fast. He bookmarked several job listings and forums for future reference and decided to check back later when he had more to offer.

Before leaving the cafe, August joined a popular social media platform for players called "Player Haven." It was a hub for gamers to connect, share tips, and trade items. He placed an ad for one of the items he had extracted, specifically the Basic Dagger, hoping to attract potential buyers.

**Ad Posted:**

"Basic Dagger for Sale - Extracted from Enders Light. Extremely sharp with slight magical properties. Serious inquiries only. Contact for details."

Satisfied with his efforts, August logged out and left the cyber cafe, feeling a rush of anticipation. He knew the dangers of selling these items, but he also saw the immense potential for profit. His mind buzzed with possibilities as he made his way back home.

Back at his place, August reviewed his notes and started to map out a more detailed plan.

He listed the steps he would need to take to establish a secure trading company, including potential partnerships, security measures, and marketing strategies. He also made a list of immediate tasks, such as finding trustworthy buyers for his extracted items and exploring more job opportunities.

He checked his Player Haven account and saw that his ad had already received a few views and one inquiry. Excited, he quickly responded to the potential buyer, providing more details about the Basic Dagger.

With that settled, August decided to log into Enders Light once more. He still had a goal to reach level 20 by the end of the week, and he couldn't afford to waste any time.

As he donned the VR helmet and the familiar world of Enders Light materialized around him,

August re-entered the game with renewed vigor, determined to make significant progress. He continued his systematic approach to grinding, focusing on the same types of monsters that had brought him success before. Each battle honed his skills further, and the experience points piled up.

The familiar system notifications became a comforting rhythm:

[You have defeated Goblin Minion. 800 EXP]

[You have defeated Wolf Minion. 800 EXP]**

[You have defeated Wolf Arch Lord. 1800 EXP]

[You have defeated Forest Troll. 2500 EXP]

His strategy remained the same: target monsters he could handle efficiently, avoid unnecessary risks, and maximize his experience gains. With each battle, he grew closer to his goal.

Hours passed, and the experience bar steadily filled. Finally, another system notification appeared:

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 18!]

August allowed himself a moment of satisfaction before diving back into the fray. He knew he needed to keep pushing if he wanted to reach level 20 by the end of the week.

After logging out, August once again felt the physical benefits of his time in the game. He was energized and clear-headed, ready to tackle the next set of challenges. He checked his Player Haven account and saw several more inquiries about the Basic Dagger.

One offer seemed particularly promising, and he arranged a meeting in a very open location with the buyer for the next day.

With the Basic Dagger potentially sold, August turned his attention to the other item.

He carefully examined the Bronze Shortsword considering how best to market them. It was unknown if these weapons were even legal to have so there was no doubt that most buyers would just want them as some sort of props.

Which was why he would have to market them in a way that would be appealing to the rich.

As the day drew to a close, August reviewed his schedule and made adjustments based on his progress. He set specific goals for each day, balancing his time between grinding in the game, managing real-world tasks, and planning for his future business venture.

August re-entered the game with renewed vigor, determined to make significant progress. He continued his systematic approach to grinding, focusing on the same types of monsters that had brought him success before. Each battle honed his skills further, and the experience points piled up.

The familiar system notifications became a comforting rhythm:

[You have defeated Goblin Minion. +500 EXP]

[You have defeated Wolf Minion. +700 EXP]

[You have defeated Wolf Arch Lord. +1000 EXP]

[You have defeated Forest Troll. +1500 EXP]

His strategy remained the same:

He grinded for over a day and the experience bar steadily filled. It was the same rinse and repeat actions but he couldn't care less since they brought results.

During one of his battles with a group of goblins, a system notification appeared:

[Congratulations! You have obtained a Tier C Mage Card!]

August picked up the card, examining it closely. The card shimmered with magical energy, and as he activated it, another notification appeared:

[You have learned a new spell: Lightning Bolt]

The spell immediately added to his magical arsenal, giving him another powerful tool for combat.

August smiled in excitement at the new discovery. He decided to test the Lightning Bolt spell on the next group of enemies.

<[ Lightning Bolt Is Being Casted ]>

- 500 MP

'Wow... It takes up so much Magical Power...'

August watched as bolts of electricity arced through the air, striking multiple targets with precision.

[ -3000 HP ]

[ -3200 HP ]

[ -4000 HP ]

[ - 3600 HP ]

The damage done by a single lightning bolt was so immense that it had August's jaw agape. The spell was incredibly powerful.

[You have defeated Goblin Minion. +500 EXP]

[You have defeated Goblin Minion. +500 EXP]

[You have defeated Goblin Minion. +500 EXP]

[You have defeated Goblin Minion. +500 EXP]

Taking out over five enemies with a single attack was quite substantial.

As he continued grinding, August noticed that his experience gains were starting to slow down. Despite his efforts, the experience points from killing the same monsters were diminishing.

Finally, after another few hours of intense grinding, a system notification appeared:

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 19!]

August allowed himself a moment of satisfaction before seeking out another group of beasts

However, he quickly noticed a problem. The experience points he was gaining from the monsters in this area had dropped significantly.

While this amount of EXP would still be substantial for other players at his level, it wasn't enough for him due to his overall higher power from the dual-class avatar.

[You have defeated Goblin Minion. +100 EXP]

[You have defeated Wolf Minion. +150 EXP]

The drastic reduction in experience points was a clear sign that it was time to move on to more challenging grinding areas. Staying here any longer would be a waste of time and effort.

August opened his player database and reviewed his current stats and skills:

←←←←←←←←

Name: Aleman

Level: 19

Class: Assassin/Mage

EXP: 0/350,000

HP: 4500/4500

MP: 3200/3200

Gold: 215

Skills: Shadow Dance, Hidden Strike, Slash, Dash, Dual Wielding, Fireball, Arcane Shield, Lightning Bolt

←←←←←←←←

Satisfied with his progress, he decided it was time to seek out more challenging areas that would offer better experience gains.

One of the reasons August needed to reach level 20 as soon as possible was that, players couldn't take on quests in the Tagharuim Kingdom until they became a level 20 player.

'If I head back to that TG Adventurer's Guild, I'll have to pay money again... I'll just check for one myself,' August decided.

He opened his map and studied the surrounding regions, looking for places known for their high-level monsters and lucrative rewards.

One area that caught his eye was the Cave of shadows, a notorious region filled with powerful creatures and dangerous terrain.

It was well-known among players as a high-risk, high-reward area, perfect for those seeking to level up quickly. The monsters there were rumored to be at least level 20 and above, making it an ideal place for August to continue his journey.

Before heading out, August made a mental note to prepare thoroughly. He checked his inventory to ensure he had enough potions and supplies for the journey:

←←←←←←←←

Inventory:

- Leather Armor

- Healing Potion x4

- Uncommon Toxic Dagger

- Danting Pendant

- Runic Sword

- Goblin Tooth x10

- Minor Health Potion x5

- Wolf Pelt x3

- Iron Claw x2

- Mid-tier Mana Potion x3

- Troll Club

- Thick Hide

- High-tier Health Potion

←←←←←←←←

'This should be enough.'

With that, August set out towards the Cave of shadows.

As he made his way through the trees and shadowy underbrush, he felt a rush of anticipation. Based on the timing of Ender's light, he had been grinding in the western woods for nearly two weeks alone.

He had gotten used to it already and now that he was headed for a different area, he didn't know what to expect.