Two hours later, Lucas hit Level 1 , securing the 10th spot on the leaderboards. He could've claimed first if not for the hour spent acquiring the Demon's Heart and another cooking eel fillets. The top nine were all guild leaders, leveraging sheer numbers to dominate grinding spots.
Take Damon Voss, leader of the top-ranked Sovereign Dynasty, who'd flooded the server with 50,000 guild members. They seized a newbie town's Level 1 mob zone immediately, exploiting a game mechanic: whoever landed the first hit claimed full kill credit. Damon struck each mob once, while 10 mages finished it off—catapulting him to the top of the leaderboards.
A beeping sound cut through his focus; it was a message. Lucas had blocked friend requests to avoid hassle, so only Lila—his sole friend—could reach him. "You're amazing! You're top 10 on the leaderboards!" her message read.
"Just lucky. How's your side? Started the quest yet?" Lucas replied. "Still gathering eels. They're hard to catch!" Lila shot back. Lucas remembered—new players lacked his reflexes to net the fast-swimming eels. "Take your time. When you hit the cave, stay low. If others follow, it's no longer a secret."
"I will! And don't worry—I didn't tell anyone your name. I know you want to lay low," Lila teased. Lucas smiled, typing, "Good girl. I'll get you a gift next time we meet."
On the riverbank, Savannah roasted eels as her guild debated their next move. "We need to grind fast—falling behind the first tier means we'll never catch up," she said. Sebastian frowned, "How are the leaderboard players leveling so quick? Even that unknown Lucas hit Level 1!"
Tristan, still bitter, snapped, "That Lucas is arrogant. I tried to buy his trick, but he blocked me." Just then, Lila raised her hand: "I know a spot—no one will steal mobs. Coordinates 7985.9867. An old man there sends you to a cave with Level 1-2 mobs."
Tristan scoffed, "It's a trap! Why'd he give it up?" Savannah overruled him: "He knew the eel recipe—he might be a closed beta tester. We've got nothing to lose." The guild voted 5-2 to go, leaving Tristan seething—he hated Lila's connection to Lucas, but planned to buy his way to the top once RMT launched in 15 days. Little did they know, Lucas's grind was about to get even more absurd.