The Game Maven’s claims immediately resonated with a large number of casual players. Even several top-tier pros found themselves nodding along; the logic was hard to ignore.
Watching the thread grow, Bulwark Pagoda was fuming.
Truthfully, he still believed in Liam. He had been carried through levels by the man himself, and those mechanics—that sheer technical skill—simply weren’t something an ordinary player could possess.
The problem was, he had no way to fight back. Liam hadn't leveled up in ages, and now he had actually de-leveled. Even if Bulwark Pagoda wanted to spin the narrative, he had nothing to work with.
Still, he refused to back down. He posted a brief reply:
"Everyone makes mistakes. Frost Monarch probably had some real-life business to attend to that kept him away for a while. He likely tried to force his way through a high-level area to catch up on progress and got caught off guard. That’s all."
It was a blatant excuse, and it earned him nothing but mockery from the forums.
At the Pagoda Club headquarters, Bulwark Pagoda had just hit 'post' when a private message popped up.
"Stop meddling in Frost Monarch’s business. More importantly, stop posting that nonsense online. You’re making our family look like idiots."
Bulwark Pagoda’s face soured. "Even you think he’s finished?"
"Is he not? The facts are right there in front of you."
Bulwark Pagoda was momentarily speechless, but he gritted his teeth. "I believe this is just a temporary setback. He’ll rise again."
Liam was completely unaware of the storm his single-level drop had caused.
Stepping out from the Altar of Rebirth, he found Old Grog waiting. The old man chuckled. "Not bad. You actually managed to shave off six thousand HP from the Elder Mayor."
Liam’s mouth twitched. "I never would have guessed the Elder Mayor was a Brawler."
"He is indeed. A Frost-Fire Brawler, to be precise."
Liam waved him off. "Whatever. I need to go grind."
Leaving Novice Village, he headed straight for The Twisted Thicket.
Entering the dungeon, Liam’s gaze sharpened. During that brief clash with the Elder Mayor, he hadn't been wearing the Purifying Jade Amulet. He hadn't actually expected to win or even deal significant damage; the goal had been to scout the Mayor's skills and, more importantly, secure Miller the Smith’s trust.
Now that Hand of Heavenly Punishment had reached 3 Star-Rank, every Basic Attack stacked 3 HP.
However, the same problem persisted: the mobs in The Twisted Thicket were too fragile. They died far too quickly for him to stack HP efficiently.
After two solo runs, Liam successfully hit Level 10 again.
Re-reaching Level 10 provided no additional Attribute Points (AP), but that didn't matter. He didn't rush back to the village immediately. Instead, he stayed in the thicket until his HP stack reached a staggering 250,000.
The higher his health, the more room he had to breathe.
Back in Novice Village, at The Iron Anvil, Liam turned in the quest.
Ding! You have completed Miller the Smith’s quest. Reward: AP +5.
Liam frowned. The reward was underwhelming. Still, he kept his expression neutral.
"Miller, the Elder Mayor’s strength is beyond anything I imagined," Liam said. "I can’t face him alone."
Miller the Smith nodded. "He has dominated this village for a long time for a reason. He is not easily toppled."
"How do we deal with him then?" Liam asked.
"I will face him head-on. You will provide support from the flanks." Miller paused, then continued, "But before that, I need you to go to The Iron Grotto with Old Grog."
Ding! Miller the Smith has issued a Hidden Quest.
Quest Objective: Kill Old Grog.
Penalty: Unknown.
Reward: Unknown.
Liam’s brows shot up. When the Elder Mayor had hit him with that Combo Strike earlier, it had felt strikingly similar to Old Grog’s style. He’d had his suspicions.
Now, it seemed Miller the Smith shared them.
"Understood," Liam nodded.
Old Grog showed no sign of realizing Miller’s intent. He led the way toward The Iron Grotto with Liam following close behind.
At the entrance of the cave, Old Grog stopped and turned, a knowing smile on his face.
"So, Frost Monarch... Miller the Smith sent you to kill me, didn't he?"
Liam felt a jolt of genuine surprise. Old Grog already knew.
"Don't look so shocked," the old man said. "Miller is paranoid by nature. He must have noticed something, which is why he sent you here with me."
Liam let out a short laugh. "If you knew, why did you come?"
"Because I have to," Old Grog replied. "I must die. It’s the only way for you to fully gain his trust."
"Oh?" Liam tilted his head. "I thought attacking the Elder Mayor already did that."
"No. He doesn't trust you yet."
Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows of The Iron Grotto.
Liam’s eyes widened.
It wasn't just anyone. It was the Elder Mayor.
Liam couldn't help but feel that this tiny Novice Village was turning into a goddamn game of triple agents.
"I take it Old Grog really is your man," Liam said bitterly.
The Elder Mayor nodded. "Indeed. We even left those clues for Miller to find on purpose. The goal was to have you kill Old Grog, cementing your place at Miller’s side."
"And then what? Sabotage? A knife in the back during the final fight?" Liam asked.
"Something like that. Do you remember the Mandragora Draught I gave you? Slip it into Miller’s wine flask. Once he drinks it, you will be the greatest hero of this battle."
Liam fell silent, appearing to weigh his options.
The Elder Mayor, sensing hesitation, pressed further. "Frost Monarch, you’ve spent enough time in this village. Help me with this, and I promise you rewards that far exceed anything available at this stage of the game."
Liam remained quiet, looking as if he were deep in thought.
In reality, his mind was already made up. He hadn't been able to stand his ground against the Elder Mayor last time because he wasn't wearing the Purifying Jade Amulet. With the amulet, the Mayor’s crowd control wouldn't be able to chain him down.
Furthermore, he was sitting on 80 unallocated AP. If he dumped them all into Movement Speed, his agility would reach a terrifying level.
"Fine. I’ll trust you," Liam said after a long pause, his voice serious. "The things Miller offered me weren't that useful anyway. I hope you have something better."
As he spoke, Liam’s arrows were already flying toward Old Grog.
Old Grog didn't resist. He simply stood there, meeting his end with a peaceful expression. Not only did he refuse to fight back, but his Azure-Patterned Serpent remained coiled and motionless beside him.
Ding! You have achieved the World First for Azure-Patterned Serpent. A Server-Wide Broadcast is about to be initiated. Would you like to hide your name?
"No."
[Server-Wide Broadcast]: Congratulations to player Frost Monarch for achieving the World First kill of the Azure-Patterned Serpent! We hope all players continue to strive for excellence!
Ding! You have achieved the World First for Old Grog. A Server-Wide Broadcast is about to be initiated. Would you like to hide your name?
"No."
[Server-Wide Broadcast: Congratulations to player Frost Monarch for achieving the World First of Old Grog! This announcement serves as a testament to his prowess. May all players continue to strive for excellence!!]
[Server-Wide Broadcast: Congratulations to player Frost Monarch for achieving the World First of Old Grog! This announcement serves as a testament to his prowess. May all players continue to strive for excellence!!]
The world-wide announcement echoed twice in rapid succession.
The news acted like a shot of adrenaline for Bulwark Pagoda, who had been feeling dejected just moments before. His excitement hit a fever pitch. Two boss kills back-to-back? If that wasn't clout, nothing was. It was the perfect ammunition to shove back in The Game Maven’s face.
"@The Game Maven, what do you have to say now? Frost Monarch just secured two World Firsts in a record-breaking window. Seriously, who else is doing it like him?"
"To use your own logic, this proves exactly what I said before—that level drop was nothing but a fluke!"
The Game Maven didn't back down just because Liam had pulled off a double kill. His rebuttal appeared on the forums shortly after Bulwark Pagoda’s post went live.
"Two low-tier bosses don't prove a thing. Every sign points to Frost Monarch still being stuck in the Novice Village. Is killing two starters in the tutorial zone really something worth bragging about at this stage?"
A new round of vitriol ignited across the boards.
Meanwhile, Liam—the eye of the storm—was blissfully unaware of the online drama. Standing over the fallen forms of the Azure-Patterned Serpent and Old Grog, he began to loot the corpses.
Ding! You have received Skill Tome x2.
Ding! You have received Equipment x3.
Ding! You have received Special Item: Golden Warding Charm.
Ding! You have received Special Item: Wine Gourd.
Ding! You have received Gold Sovereigns x10.
The rewards weren't exactly mind-blowing. Liam skimmed through the skills and equipment, but none of them outclassed his current gear. He quickly turned his attention to the special items.
Golden Warding Charm
Type: Special Consumable
Effect: Upon activation, grants [Golden Aegis]. Magic Resistance +100, Armor +300.
Duration: 5 minutes.
Note: Single-use item.
Wine Gourd
Type: Special Tool
Effect: Collect and place rare materials/herbs into the gourd to automatically brew specialized spirits. Results include, but are not limited to, permanent AP gains and temporary buffs.
Note: The rarer the materials, the more potent the brew.
Liam’s interest piqued.
The Golden Warding Charm was mediocre at best for his needs, but the Wine Gourd was clearly something special. Though he didn't yet understand the specific recipes for different buffs, the potential was massive. The only catch was that rare materials weren't exactly easy to come by in the early game.
After stashing the loot, Liam spared a final, cold glance for the Elder Mayor before heading back toward the Novice Village.
The Iron Anvil.
Miller the Smith was hard at work, his hammer rhythmically striking hot iron. When he saw Liam approach, a satisfied grin spread across his face.
"You didn't disappoint me."
Ding! You have completed Miller the Smith’s quest.
Quest Reward: Gale-Runner Set x1.
Liam’s eyes narrowed as he inspected the new gear. The Gale-Runner Set was actually quite formidable for his build. Most importantly, it offered significant boosts to Attack Velocity and Movement Speed.
However, he already had the Bloodstained Necklace, two Gold Grade rings, and The Ninefold Longbow. He needed to optimize.
The Ninefold Longbow was a non-negotiable; its Life-Steal and raw stats were too powerful to drop. The Heavy Thunder Ring, on the other hand, was replaceable. After a moment of calculation, Liam decided to prioritize the set's utility over raw power.
He swapped out one Heavy Thunder Ring, equipping ten pieces of the Gale-Runner Set alongside the remaining ring, the Bloodstained Necklace, and his longbow.
As the final piece clicked into place, his stat sheet underwent a radical transformation.
"When do we move out?" Liam asked, cutting straight to the point. He had wasted enough time in the Novice Village and was itching to progress.
Miller gave a cryptic smile. "Right now."
"How are we handling this?"
"The Mayor and I have clashed in the shadows more times than I can count," Miller said, his voice dropping an octave. "But this time, you’re the wildcard. You’re the variable he didn't account for."
"Oh?" Liam raised an eyebrow. "Explain."
"In a straight fight, neither of us can truly gain the upper hand. But with your help, the scales won't just tip—they’ll break."
"I see." Liam nodded. "So, we’re heading straight to The Desolate Precipice to settle this?"
"Exactly. But before we go, head to the tavern. Buy me two jugs of wine."
Liam was slightly surprised—the man actually wanted a drink before a life-or-death battle? "Fine."
At the tavern, Liam secured the wine.
Despite his secret deal with the Elder Mayor, he didn't poison the jugs. He had no intention of playing favorites. Regardless of who won, Liam wanted it to be a pyrrhic victory—a bloody, exhausting mess. Only then could he step in and reap the ultimate rewards from both sides.
When Liam returned with the wine, Miller didn't drink immediately. Instead, he produced a Silver Testing Needle and dipped it into the liquid.
"Old Grog was his man, after all," Miller muttered, watching the needle closely. "Even with him dead, I have to be careful."
Liam felt a flicker of amusement. So this was the "absolute trust" the Mayor had bragged about? The needle test proved Miller didn't trust Old Grog, and by extension, he didn't trust Liam either.
Once the silver remained untarnished, Miller finally smiled.
"Let's go."
Liam followed Miller to The Desolate Precipice.
The Elder Mayor was exactly where he had left him, sitting calmly in the gazebo, sipping tea. As the pair approached, he looked up, a thin smile playing on his lips.
"We’ve known each other a long time," the Mayor said, his voice steady. "Does it really have to come to this?"
Miller let out a harsh, guttural snort. "I didn't want this either. I warned you, but you refused to listen. You left me no choice."
"Listen to what? Your plan would destroy this village."
"No, you're the one destroying it!" Miller roared, his composure finally breaking. "I want a permanent solution. Your way is just boiling the frog. Under your 'protection,' this village is already dead; it just hasn't stopped breathing yet."
The Mayor sighed, a look of profound disappointment in his eyes. "Still as stubborn as ever."
"You're the one who's blind!"
The Mayor shook his head. "Then there’s nothing left to say."
As the words left his mouth, a shimmering light enveloped him. A suit of silver armor materialized over his robes. A full Silver Grade Set—an absurdly powerful tier for a starter zone.
However, Miller was even more prepared. His body erupted in a golden glow as the Black Tortoise Set materialized around him.
"So, you finally finished the Black Tortoise Set," the Mayor noted, his expression turning grim.
Miller nodded, a predatory glint in his eyes. "I have our friend here to thank for that. He brought me the materials I needed. Without him, I wouldn't have finished it in time."
"It's a pity," the Mayor said, his confidence seemingly unshaken. "You only have ten pieces. If you had the full thirteen, I might actually be worried."
"Still arrogant, even at the end?" Miller barked.
Without another word, Miller lunged. He raised his spiked shield and slammed forward, initiating a thunderous [Vanguard Charge].