The morning in Seoul started with the sound of the rain hitting the window. Ji-Hoon stayed in bed for a few extra minutes, just listening to the rhythm. His body felt heavy, like he was sinking into his mattress. He wasn't sure if it was because he was tired or if the game was starting to change how he felt in the real world.
He got up and walked to the kitchen. His mother was there, putting on her shoes. She looked better than she had a few days ago. Her face wasn't as grey, and she seemed to move with more energy.
"I'm off to the community center to check on that pottery class," she said, giving Ji-Hoon a quick smile. "I'll be back in time to make dinner. Don't work too hard on your studies, okay?"
"I won't, Mom. Have a good time," Ji-Hoon replied.
After she left, Ji-Yoon came into the room. She was holding her tablet, checking the bank balance. "I just paid for the first month of the class. It's done. We also have enough left over for a week of high-quality groceries. No more cheap ramen for Mom."
Ji-Hoon felt a sense of pride. They were only seven days in, and they were already changing things. "Let's go back in," he said. "I want to reach Level 3 today."
[Sync Rate: 99.8%]
[Location: Village of Oros]
The village was busy when they arrived. A new group of players had spawned, and the air was full of shouting. These new players were running around in circles, trying to find the quest NPCs. They looked energetic and loud.
Selena and Zenith walked through the crowd like ghosts. No one looked at them. They didn't have nameplates, so the new players probably thought they were just part of the background. They walked to the village gate and headed back to the woods.
"We need 1,000 more XP to reach Level 3," Selena said as they walked. "That is many spiders."
"Or something bigger," Zenith suggested. "The spiders are good, but they are hard to find. What about the Stone Boars near the river? They are Level 5."
"They have very thick skin," Selena reminded him. "It will be hard to draw the blood."
"We have to try," Zenith said. "If we want to change, we have to do things that are hard."
They reached the river after an hour of walking. The water was clear and cold, rushing over grey stones. Near the bank, they saw a Level 5 Stone Boar. It was larger than the forest boars they had seen before. Its fur was covered in dried mud that was as hard as rock.
Zenith picked up a heavy rock from the ground. He didn't have a weapon, so he had to use his hands and the environment. He didn't feel weak. Even though he was only Level 2, his grip felt very firm.
"I will hold its head," Zenith said. "You go for the throat."
Zenith ran forward. The boar saw him and let out a loud snort. It lowered its head and charged. Zenith didn't move aside. He waited until the last second and then threw his weight onto the boar's neck.
The impact was loud. Zenith felt the wind go out of him, but he didn't let go. He wrapped his arms around the boar's thick neck, squeezing as hard as he could. The boar bucked and kicked, trying to throw him off.
Selena didn't waste any time. She moved in with her skinning knife. The boar's skin was very tough, like cutting through thick leather. She had to use her Divine Light to make the blade cut deeper. The golden light shimmered on the knife as she worked.
Finally, the boar let out a long breath and collapsed.
[You have defeated 'Stone Boar' (Level 5).]
[Experience Gained: 160 XP (Split: 80 XP Each).]
[Total Progress: 580/1,500 XP]
"80 XP," Zenith panted, sitting on the ground. "That's much better."
Selena knelt by the boar. This was the most important part. She used her jars to catch the thick, dark blood. When she drank it, she felt a strange sensation. It wasn't just Nausea anymore. It was a feeling of thickness. It felt like she was swallowing liquid lead.
She closed her eyes and focused. She used her light to spread the blood through her veins. She could feel her heart beating slower, but stronger.
[Human Density: 99.9%]
Zenith froze. He looked at the system message. "Noona! Look! The number moved!"
Selena opened her eyes. Her pupils looked a tiny bit sharper than they had a minute ago. "0.1 percent," she whispered. "It took seven days of drinking blood and eating cores, but the system finally had to admit that we are changing."
Zenith quickly took the mana core from the boar. It was a dark, earthy brown color. He bit into it. It was much harder than the wolf cores. It cracked like a walnut in his mouth. He swallowed the bitter dust and felt a heavy warmth settle in his stomach.
"We are doing it," Zenith said, his voice full of joy. "It's working."
They spent the rest of the day by the river. They killed four more boars. Each fight was a struggle. Their clothes were ripped, and Zenith had a large bruise on his chest from where a boar had hit him. But they didn't care about the pain. They were watching the number.
By the time the sun started to set, they were exhausted.
[Human Density: 99.8%]
[Experience: 900/1,500 XP]
They walked back to Oros in the twilight. The village felt small and quiet compared to the energy they felt in the woods. They went to the market and sold the boar hides. The merchant was impressed.
"Stone Boar hides? These are very hard to get for people of your level," the merchant said, weighing the leather. "I will give you a good price for these."
They received their gold and walked to their bench. They watched the stars come out.
"We are 0.2 percent less human now," Zenith said softly through the party link. "Does it feel different?"
"It feels like I am finally waking up," Selena said.
They logged out and went to the kitchen for a late dinner. Their mother was already home. She was glowing with happiness. "The class is wonderful, children! I made a small bowl today. It's not perfect, but the teacher said I have a natural touch."
Ji-Hoon looked at his mother and then at his sister. This was why they were doing it. The game was just a world of numbers, but the happiness on their mother's face was real.
"I'm glad, Mom," Ji-Hoon said. "Next time, you should show us the bowl."
"I will," she promised.
That night, Ji-Hoon slept deeply. He didn't feel like a Level 2 Mage. He felt like something that was slowly becoming heavy, deep, and powerful. The slow burn was finally starting to catch fire.