The hum of the bronze sword still lingered in the forest air as Kiriya watched Lina's retreating figure, his fingers unconsciously brushing against the hilt.
The residual ripple of his Phantom Slash against her armor felt like a pebble thrown onto the calm surface of a lake, sending tiny waves through his carefully plotted "solo plan."
"Just a minor incident," he muttered, shaking his head to dismiss the faint unease. "But before leaving, she handed me a medium health potion—not bad at all."
Opening his character panel, the golden glow from reaching level 10 had not yet completely faded, and the new Phantom Slash skill icon stood out brightly in the list.
That was what deserved his attention right now. With an area-of-effect skill, his solo-farming efficiency would soar, bringing him a step closer to challenging the level-15 Boss, Bloodthirsty Boar King.
After gathering the materials from the fallen Fang Wolves, Kiriya made his way back to Greenleaf Town.
The afternoon forest was livelier than the morning; here and there, groups of players moved through, laughter and skill sound effects intertwining in the warm light.
Passing an open clearing, he spotted three players struggling against a level-10 Thorn Bear.
The Mage's fireballs kept missing, the Priest's healing light was always a beat too late, and the Berserker swung his battle-axe wildly, unable to even hold the bear's aggro.
"Need some help?" Kiriya asked instinctively, pausing mid-step.
The words brought a frown to his brow. This sort of proactive offer went against the "solo principle" he had set for himself.
The three players seemed to grab at a lifeline. The Mage shouted, "Great! We've been stuck here for half an hour, this bear's hide is just too thick!"
Kiriya fell silent for a moment, but ultimately summoned two clones.
"Left flank, draw its attention. Right flank, harass."
With simple commands, his figure already slipped like a phantom to the bear's flank.
Three Phantom Slashes erupted almost simultaneously, the half-moon arcs of sword energy connecting under the sunlight, instantly cutting the Thorn Bear's HP by nearly a quarter.
"Whoa! Area damage!" The Berserker stared in disbelief, frozen mid-swing.
Kiriya ignored their astonishment. His clones and main body moved fluidly, the sword arcs striking joints and the abdomen with surgical precision.
Less than two minutes later, the Thorn Bear that had left three players helpless dissolved into white light.
[EXP Gained: 150]
[Current Level: 10 (610/1500)]
"Amazing!" The Mage approached excitedly. "What class are you? We're short on DPS—want to team up for the level-12 dungeon? Double experience!"
The Berserker chimed in: "Yeah, yeah! Our Priest's heals are more than enough; you won't die!"
Kiriya sheathed his sword and quietly said two words: "No thanks."
"Why not?" The Mage looked puzzled. "Team play levels up so fast—you must be exhausted soloing."
"Too much hassle."
Those few words were like ice, freezing the atmosphere in an instant. Kiriya wasn't being deliberately cold; he was stating the truth.
Teaming up meant accommodating others' pace, negotiating loot distribution, and suppressing anger when someone made a mistake. He played games for the thrill of conquest—not to babysit others.
As he turned away, murmurs drifted from behind him.
"Who does he think he is, acting so high and mighty?"
"Probably afraid we'll slow him down, pretending to be noble."
"A lone player—what can he accomplish? By the time he hits the level-15 Boss, he'll be begging for a party."
The words felt like tiny pebbles, slightly uncomfortable underfoot, but insufficient to sway Kiriya's resolve.
He walked straight into Green Town's weapon shop, exchanging his 500 copper coins for a Reinforced Bronze Sword (+30 ATK) and buying ten Small Mana Potions—soloing a Boss was exhausting enough without running out of MP.
Exiting the shop, he bumped into a familiar figure.
Lina stood before the bulletin board, tracing her finger over the level-15 main quest: Hunt the Bloodthirsty Boar King. Ice-blue eyes flickered with hesitation. Her shield hung across her shoulder, its edge still wet with morning dew—she had just returned from the forest.
"Still checking the quest?" Kiriya asked without thinking, stepping forward.
Lina turned, giving a slight nod. "Yes. I heard this Boss is tough; I need a party." Her gaze flicked to the new sword in his hand. "Are you going too?"
"Yeah."
"Team up?" Her tone was casual, as if discussing the weather. "I asked a few players earlier; they didn't dare try it."
Kiriya froze for a moment. This was the first time someone had proactively invited him to team up—and it was the white-haired knight he had accidentally grazed earlier.
His first instinct was to refuse. But looking into Lina's clear, steady eyes, the words caught in his throat.
He remembered the morning when she had been brushed by his sword without complaint, calmly noting how "the range is impressive"; he remembered her hesitation at the quest board, her finger lingering on the words Team Suggestion.
She wasn't unable to find teammates—she was carefully choosing someone trustworthy.
"No thanks." Finally, Kiriya said, the words firm, "I'm used to going alone."
A flicker of surprise crossed Lina's eyes, then she regained her composure. "Because you think teaming up is a hassle?"
"Yes." Kiriya didn't hide it. "Coordinating positions, assigning skills, dealing with mistakes—it's all too time-consuming."
"But some Bosses… you can't beat solo." Lina lightly traced the frost pattern on her shield. "Like the Boar King's Savage Stomp. Its area covers the entire spawn point; soloing leaves no place to dodge."
"There's always a way." Kiriya's voice carried unshakable confidence. In his mind, he had simulated a dozen strategies: clone positioning to draw aggro, instant-dash timing to evade skills, and even calculating the precise intervals for mana potions.
Lina studied the stubborn determination in his dark gray eyes and finally smiled. "Good luck then." She said no more, turning toward the town exit. Her silver-white cloak sliced a clean line through the wind. "I'll go find teammates."
Kiriya remained where he stood, watching her figure vanish at the town's gate, the faint ripple of unease returning. He reached for the Medium Health Potion Lina had left in his inventory, feeling the residual coolness through the bottle.
"Annoying as hell," he muttered, tightening his grip.
With gear secured, Kiriya stepped out of Greenleaf Town. The road to the level-15 Boss grew emptier, occasional groups of players throwing curious glances at the lone swordsman.
"There he goes, the one who refuses to team up."
"Seriously, taking on the Boar King alone? Must be crazy."
"Wait and see him get wiped—level-15 Boss penalties are brutal."
Voices like wind swept past, but Kiriya ignored them. Every step fell along the path he had meticulously planned. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting long shadows behind him—solitary, yet resolute.
At the canyon entrance, he paused, checking cooldowns one last time. Summon Clones: 10 seconds remaining. Phantom Slash: 5 seconds. Blink Step: ready.
Breathing deeply, Kiriya gripped his reinforced bronze sword and stepped into the canyon players called the "Novice Nightmare."