For the next several days, this archer Rex was basically getting into close combat with angora rabbits.
Later on, when he pulled back the distance a bit, Rex could actually hit his targets.
[Experience +1.]
[Copper coins +1.]
The system notifications were undeniably beautiful. Each copper coin was precious to Rex.
Two full days passed. After getting bitten countless times, Rex finally heard that pleasant sound:
[Ding! Level +1, all stats +1, free stat points +5.]
"Finally leveled up. Two days for one level—not too fast, not too slow. Just right."
After leveling up, Rex put all his free stat points into strength.
[Total stats: 37 | Attack power: 32]
Once he added the stat points, Rex felt like one arrow could take out eighty percent of an angora rabbit's health.
"Level up one more time and I can one-shot them. If my accuracy's a bit better, one arrow for three rabbits isn't impossible."
"Attack speed's still too slow though. Gotta raise agility too."
Later on, his efficiency at pulling and killing monsters would improve a lot.
"Going from level two to three needs 300 experience!"
Meaning he still had to kill five or six hundred more angora rabbits.
"Won't finish in just a day or two!"
Once his attack power went up, his killing speed would increase.
Another day passed. After killing angora rabbits all day, Rex's whole body ached. He could barely lift his arms.
He was just too exhausted. He slept two hours, then charged back into the rabbit horde.
"Killed 167 monsters today, earned 167 copper coins. Pretty dang good."
At this rate, that was already enough to cover a day's expenses in Dragon City.
Of course, saving up copper coins was completely impossible.
During his most difficult time, the newbie trial ground became his best refuge.
"Too bad zero-level angora rabbits don't drop equipment."
"They're giving money and experience. Shouldn't be greedy for more."
Wasn't this way more comfortable than mining, and without any danger?
Too bad he could only stay here until level five.
For the time after that, Rex's routine was simple: kill monsters, recover, kill more monsters.
Over a dozen days passed, and Rex didn't find it boring at all. Instead, he was full of energy.
His daily kill count kept increasing.
[Ding! A new day has arrived. 100 copper coins deducted.]
As his proficiency went up, his grinding efficiency got higher and higher. By his calculations, Rex was making a few dozen copper coins per day.
Basically no other expenses.
"At this rate, I can save up one or two silver coins in a month!"
Just thinking about that number made Rex feel like he was getting richer and richer.
"Making money now—should I celebrate by eating some meat?"
"Nah, gotta hold back. Can't get cocky that easily."
Having some earnings every day was undeniably the happiest thing.
For the next month, Rex left early and came back late every day.
From level one to two took him two and a half days.
From two to three took six days.
By the time he hit level four, it was already half a month later.
Initially leveling up only needed 100 experience, but by level four it had jumped to 1,200.
[Rex: LV4]
[Total Stats: 52 | Defense: 10]
[Attack Power: 56 | Attack Speed: 0.2]
After all this training, Rex's arrow accuracy had improved somewhat.
As long as the distance wasn't too far, he had about a one-in-three chance of hitting.
Later on, Rex's daily monster kill count became pretty stable.
"To reach level five, need another 2,000 experience."
Meaning he could still get four to five thousand more kills in the newbie trial ground.
"Dungeons are nice though—no level restrictions. Can grind infinitely."
But running a dungeon once cost so much money. If your luck was bad, you'd lose money.
"In the newbie trial ground, can get 8,000 kills."
Still a ways off from the One in Ten Thousand requirement.
"That one stat point is way too damn hard to earn."
Plus, one random extra stat point wasn't really all that useful anyway.
"Gotta hurry up and hit level five."
Every extra day spent here was an extra hundred copper coins—the cost was too high.
After grinding for twenty-nine days straight, Rex finally heard the system announcement:
[Killed angora rabbit. Experience +1, copper coins +1.]
[Ding! Level +1, all stats +1, free stat points +5.]
[You have reached level five. You will be teleported out of the newbie trial area.]
Finally level five. He was leaving the newbie trial area, but honestly, he was still a total newbie.
Rex was really reluctant to leave, but he couldn't change anything.
"Goodbye, rabbit buddies."
Rex waved his hand and disappeared from the grassland.
[Ding! You killed 8,000 angora rabbits within one month and reached level five. Achievement unlocked: Practice Makes Perfect! All stats +1, silver coins +2.]
Hearing this announcement, Rex jumped for joy.
"Holy crap, there are achievements?"
Killing eight thousand angora rabbits in one month was definitely difficult.
Rex hadn't had a single good night's sleep these past days. Killing monsters day and night—that's how he managed to hit level five in one month.
Obviously, only experience gained in the newbie trial ground counted toward this achievement.
Eight thousand angora rabbits—a total of 4,000 experience points.
Most people left the newbie trial area after hitting level three or four. The rest usually needed thirty to forty days to finish killing all these monsters.
After a month of hard work, Rex's wealth had grown noticeably.
[0 gold, 6 silver, 21 copper!]
Seeing that number, Rex was grinning ear to ear.
"Too bad this money can barely buy one ordinary piece of common equipment."
Naturally he couldn't buy equipment. That would be too extravagant.
When you didn't have money, you had to spend it where it mattered most.
Otherwise, if you ran out of money and got teleported to the wilderness, that'd be a tragedy.
"After becoming a professional, everything costs money!"
Outside the newbie trial ground, Rex carefully looked at his current stats again.
Now at level five, his strength was definitely way better than before.
[Total stats: 81 | Attack power: 72]
He'd put all his free stat points into strength. His attack power still had a long way to go before hitting a hundred.
"With this strength, I'll still get rejected in dungeons."
"What can I do? Gotta keep moving forward. The gap in strength can only be made up with my thick skin."
Rest was impossible—it was only noon right now.
Next goal: clear a level one dungeon.
After a month, Rex returned to the dungeon teleportation point.