The evening light fell across the meadow, catching in golden flashes on the tall grass.
Holographic messages began flickering in and out of existence, suspended in the air and vibrating with each new one that appeared. These were the viewers from the [Mortal World], watching the newcomers arrive in the [Rookie Territory].
[T0m-54: The rookies are here already? Can't wait to see this!]
[Yul1_087: Ugh, the nostalgia. I still remember my first time in the Spiritual Realm lol]
Several Awakened had already appeared, scattered across the field. Some sat in the grass with blank stares and pale faces, still disoriented, while others bounced on their heels, clumsily turning their new weapons over in their hands.
[0l4f_67: Look! First fight of the area!]
The thunder of hooves against dirt shattered the calm. Three boars with bristled fur and yellowed tusks came charging hard. In front of them, a blond, freckled boy sprinted in a panic, arms flailing wildly.
"Waaah!" His cry scattered on the wind as he tripped over his own feet.
[T4mal_07: LMAOOO look at him run! This is gold.]
[0n_Kn15T: This is exactly why the novice zone never gets old, always good for a clip. Someone's getting posted on Tok Tik tonight lol]
[C3lestL1ght: Poor guy... someone should help him, he's gonna get hurt.]
The lead boar lowered its head and charged. The hit landed square on the boy's backside, sending him flying through the air before he crashed into the ground.
"Oww..." the blond groaned, rolling through the grass as the beasts skidded to a halt and turned around to finish the job.
Just as the boars coiled for their final charge, a dark shape cut through the undergrowth at full speed.
[0laf_64: Who's that? Why is he running TOWARD the boars?? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?]
[K1ra_X8: He's just going for it?? This dude's insane.]
His black coat streamed behind him like a shadow trail, a wooden mask hiding his face.
"[Dash]," he called out quickly.
His body blurred. In the span of a blink, the distance between him and his target closed to nothing. He appeared right at the flank of the lead boar, already mid-charge.
"[Stab]," he said flatly.
The matte-metal dagger caught a sudden flash of light as it drove into the animal's belly.
Using the beast's own momentum against it, he dragged the blade in the opposite direction, carving a clean gash along its side.
The boar let out a choked grunt and collapsed into the grass, dissolving into a cloud of shimmer before vanishing entirely.
[+105 EXP] [×2 Boar Tusk] [×1 Boar Hide]
Sora reset his stance, keeping the dagger low and his eyes fixed on the other two.
[T0m-54: WoW, this guy actually knows what he's doing.]
[T4mal_07: Meh, lucky hit. It's a level one boar, chill.]
[Yul1_087: For a "lucky hit" he moves pretty clean. I still remember my first boar encounter and it was NOT like that lmao]
The blond boy lifted his head from the ground, eyes wide, staring at the back of the masked stranger who'd just saved his life.
Without so much as a thank you, he scrambled to his feet and took off running, too shaken to stick around for the rest of the fight.
One of the two remaining boars launched into [Charge]. Its tusks lit up with a silver glow, signaling a skill activation.
[K1ra_X8: Rookie mistake, going 1v3 solo at this level. With his stats I doubt he can do much against that chunky one.]
[0laf_64: Right, he just got here. He can't have much spiritual energy left after two skills back to back. No way he takes both of them.]
[K1ra_X8: This is exactly why the first thing you do when you enter the realm is find a party.]
The boar barreled toward Sora, but he'd already raised his hand toward it.
"[Fireball]," he said, his voice calm.
A small mass of flame began forming in front of his palm, growing until it became a full fireball.
The spell launched toward the boar, casting its shadow on the ground as it closed the gap, then slammed into the animal with a violent burst.
[+105 EXP] [×1 Boar Tusk]
The beast burned where it stood until its body dissolved into a fine mist that drifted apart in the air.
[T0m-54: No way! Was that a fireball?? I thought he was a close-range class?]
[K1ra_X8: That's what I thought too, but now I'm not sure. Some hybrid class maybe? Like a magic swordsman or something?]
[0laf_64: Or maybe his stats are just higher than normal.]
[T4mal_07: Oh come on, it's a fireball, literally the most basic spell in the game, idk why you're all acting like you just witnessed something crazy.]
Sora paid no attention to the comments drifting through the air. One boar left.
The animal scraped its hooves against the dirt, tusks beginning to glow just like the last one.
It charged at full force, but Sora was already ready.
"[Ice Stake]," he said, as frozen crystals gathered into a single sharp point.
The ice stake shot out with a sharp whistle, striking the boar square between the eyes and shattering on impact into several fragments.
The boar's thick hide had absorbed most of it, leaving the animal dazed but standing.
That was more than enough. The cooldowns on [Dash] and [Stab] had already cleared.
In a blink, Sora was in front of it, driving in the killing blow.
[+105 EXP] [+1 Boar Hide]
[K1ra_X8: ...Who the hell IS this guy?!]