A procession of eager hopefuls, each player silently willing to be the one selected by the town's AI to receive a coveted quest from Mayor Valerius.
They shifted restlessly, complained, and argued among themselves, unaware that the quest-distribution system in Aethelgard's Echo was far more advanced than those found in older games.
You couldn't just wait your turn; you had to earn an NPC's attention.
Jason, now known in-game as Aethel, watched them from across the square with a sense of pity.
They were playing checkers while he was preparing for a game of 5D chess.
His unique quest, [The Mayor's Deception], was a golden ticket, but it required a very specific key to unlock.
That key was a public disturbance, but not one that would get him arrested by the two hulking Level 25 guards flanking the entrance.
Attacking an NPC of the Mayor's status was a one-way trip to the in-game jail, a penalty that would set him back hours.
He checked his inventory.
10 pieces of starting bread, 10 units of water, and the 3 Copper Coins that the bully Slabjaw had so generously donated.
It wasn't much.
He needed more capital for the next phase of his plan.
His eyes scanned the frustrated crowd, looking for a mark.
He found one almost immediately.
A player named 'Solus,' a Shield Warrior, was grumbling to his friend.
This is useless! I've been here for an hour, and the Mayor hasn't even glanced in my direction.
At this rate, I'll still be Level 0 when my grandkids are born.
I should just go fight more of those stupid Moss Sprites.
Jason's lips curled into a slight smile.
Perfect.
He strode over with the practiced ease of a seasoned consultant.
"Moss Sprites are a trap," Jason said casually.
Solus and his friend turned to look at him, their expressions a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.
"Sure, they're Level 0, but their defense is deceptively high for their level, and they barely drop any copper. You're wasting your time."
Solus grunted. "And you know a better spot, I suppose?" he asked, his tone thick with sarcasm.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Jason replied smoothly.
For a small consultation fee, of course.
Think of me as your personal leveling advisor.
Solus's friend scoffed.
"A consultant? You're wearing the same trash gear as us. Why should we listen to you?"
"Because I know things you don't," Jason said, his confidence unwavering.
"I'll tell you what.
The information costs 20 Coppers.
Pay me 10 now, and the other 10 after you've confirmed the spot is as good as I say.
If I'm lying, you're only out 10 coppers.
If I'm right, you'll make that back in less than five minutes."
Solus considered it.
The offer was low-risk, and the desperation to get ahead was a powerful motivator.
He sighed and traded 10 Copper Coins to Jason.
"Alright, 'advisor.' Spill it."
Jason pocketed the coins.
"Behind the abandoned lumber mill on the west side of town, there's a small ravine.
It's crawling with Level 0 Shadow Weasels.
They have zero defense, die in two hits, and respawn every thirty seconds.
More importantly, they have a high chance of dropping [Weasel Pelts], which the tailor in town buys for 2 Coppers each.
You'll be drowning in money and EXP."
Solus's eyes widened.
The level of detail was astounding.
He hadn't seen information that specific on any of the player forums.
He quickly added Jason as a friend. "The name's Solus.
If this works, I'll send the other 10.
Thanks.
He and his friend hurried off, their spirits renewed.
Jason now had 13 Copper Coins.
He made a quick stop at the town grocer and spent 10 of them on five of the largest, reddest, and most overripe tomatoes he could find.
They looked practically explosive.
With his ammunition secured, he marched towards the Town Hall.
He walked straight past the long line, ignoring the chorus of angry shouts.
"Hey! Get in line, punk!"
"Who does this guy think he is?"
Jason didn't even glance at them.
He pushed open the heavy oak doors and stepped inside.
The hall was opulent, with red carpets and golden tapestries.
At the far end, seated behind a massive desk, was Mayor Valerius.
He was a portly man with a greasy smile, a Level 15 Elite with a daunting 2,400 HP.
He was in the middle of patronizingly dismissing another player.
"Yes, yes, the town appreciates your enthusiasm, young hero.
Now run along, there are boars that need… dealing with."
Jason strode forward until he stood right before the desk.
He didn't say a word.
He just took one of the large, squishy tomatoes, wound up his arm, and let it fly.
SPLAT!
The tomato exploded against the Mayor's puffed-up chest, sending seeds and red pulp splattering across his pristine white shirt and chubby face.
The entire hall went dead silent.
The players in line stared, their jaws agape.
The Mayor's smile vanished, replaced by an expression of pure, unadulterated shock.
Current Relationship: Cold.>_
Before anyone could react, Jason unleashed his full verbal and fruit-based assault.
"You, sir, are a corrupt, wine-guzzling charlatan!" he yelled, hurling another tomato that splattered against the wall behind the Mayor.
"Your policies are terrible, and you smell of cheap cologne and desperation!" Another tomato hit the desk with a wet smack.
Current Relationship: Hostile.>_
The Mayor's face was turning a shade of purple that perfectly matched the stains on his shirt.
His body began to tremble, not with fear, but with incandescent rage.
"Guards! GUARDS! Arrest this hooligan!" he shrieked.
But Jason wasn't finished.
He threw the last two tomatoes with passion.
"And another thing! Your fancy banquet tonight? I hear the wine is absolutely to die for! Maybe you should have a glass and calm down!"
That was the trigger.
At the mention of the wine, the Mayor's eyes glowed with a feral, red light.
"ROOOOOOAAAAARRRR!"
A thunderous roar burst from his throat, so powerful it caused the ground to tremble and sent the wall hangings shivering in its wake.
The very air vibrated with raw, monstrous power.
His fine clothes ripped apart as his body swelled, muscles flexing and expanding at an unnatural rate.
Rough brown fur spread over his skin, his fingers grew into sharp claws, and his face changed into a long, wolf-like snout dripping with saliva.
In seconds, the arrogant Mayor Valerius was gone, replaced by a towering, eight-foot-tall Werewolf.
His level indicator spun wildly before settling on ???, and his name glowed a menacing, blood-red.
The other players were paralyzed with terror.
They expected the Level 25 guards to rush in and pulverize Jason.
Instead, the guards' AI protocols kicked in.
Their objective was to protect the town from monsters.
And the hulking werewolf in front of them was now the biggest monster in the room.
"A monster has infiltrated the Town Hall! Eliminate the threat!" one guard yelled, drawing his massive greatsword.
The two guards charged, not at Jason, but at the transformed Mayor.
Jason smirked.
His gambit had paid off perfectly.
By not using a game skill or a direct weapon attack, he hadn't been flagged as an aggressor.
He had simply used words and produce to provoke the NPC into revealing its true nature, turning its own guards against it.
The battle was short and brutal.
The Werewolf, despite its ferocity, was no match for two elite guards ten levels higher than its base form.
Steel rang against claws, and the floorboards groaned under the heavy impacts.
The Werewolf lunged for Jason, but a guard intercepted it with a shield bash that sent it stumbling back, right into the path of the other guard's descending blade.
As the Werewolf's health plummeted, Jason moved.
He darted forward, a blur of motion, and as the guards delivered another devastating blow, he saw his chance.
With the monster's HP down to its last sliver, he activated his one skill.
[Chop!]
His novice sword was a mere pinprick, but it was the pinprick that burst the balloon.
The blade sank into the creature's thigh, and with a final, agonizing howl, the massive Werewolf collapsed, its body dissolving into particles of light.
You have exposed the dark power corrupting Crimsonleaf Village.>_
You have Leveled Up!>_
Jason instantly shot up to Level 2.
He quickly looted the shimmering [Mayor's Insignia] from the floor and melted into the now-panicked and screaming crowd of players, making his escape before anyone could identify the mysterious, tomato-wielding hero.
Once safe in a quiet alley, he opened his rewards.
First, the attribute points.
He now had 8 to spend.
Without hesitation, he dumped all of them into Agility, bringing his total to 15.
The world seemed to slow down around him; his body felt lighter, his reaction time impossibly sharp.
Next, he opened the [Luxurious Ornament Box].
Inside, sitted on a velvet cushion, was a ring.
It was crafted from a strange, dark metal that seemed to absorb the light, with faint, pulsing violet lines etched into it.
[Ring of Gravity] (Mysterious-Iron Rank)
Equipment Requirement: Level 0
Attributes: Strength +2, Agility +1, Endurance +1
Additional Skill: [Gravity Liberation] - Instantly reduces the gravity affecting the user by 90% for 30 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Jason's heart hammered in his chest.
This was even better than he remembered from his past life.
The ring he'd read about was only Bronze rank.
This Mysterious-Iron version was a game-changer.
With his Agility now at 16 (15 + 1 from the ring), and a skill that could make him practically fly for 30 seconds, he was in a league of his own.
He was well on his way to reaching 20 Agility, which he knew would unlock a hidden passive skill that would make him even more untouchable.
He equipped the ring, feeling a surge of new power.
He had a unique quest reward, a massive EXP lead, and a piece of gear that no one else would see for weeks, if not months.
"Phase one complete," he whispered to himself, a predator's smile spreading across his face. "Now, for the real fun."