The forest around Adam felt calmer now that Kamiko had left. The tense feeling she brought faded a little, like when you loosen a tight knot just slightly. But Adam didn't let himself relax.
He kept his focus sharp, like a perfectly pointed knife. He wasn't going to let one short, annoying meeting mess up his important plans. Kamiko might be trouble later, sure, but right now, he had bigger things to deal with immediately.
His mind instantly went back to his main goal: getting as many useful resources as he could before tons of new players showed up tomorrow. He knew exactly what was going to happen.
By this time tomorrow, the game servers would probably be jammed full. The Beginner Village, which felt pretty quiet now, would totally change.
He could picture it clearly from his past life: prices for everything useful would jump sky-high. Simple healing potions that cost a few copper coins now might cost ten times more.
Basic stuff needed for crafting would become hard to find because thousands of new players would be trying to do the same starter quests and collect the same easy-to-get items.
The paths he just walked, quiet enough now to hear his own footsteps, would be packed with confused, new players, all shouting, asking questions, getting in each other's way, and desperately trying to grab any loot they could find.
This short time, this first day, is super important, Adam thought, adjusting the simple leather strap on his worn shoulder bag. It's my best chance. He started walking towards the village with purpose, his boots making soft crunching sounds on the dirt path leading out of the woods.
Unlike almost every other player starting the game, Adam wasn't worried about leveling up fast right now. That seemed totally wrong to him, based on tough lessons he learned before. He knew better this time. In his first life, he'd made that exact mistake.
He'd gone after experience points (XP) like everyone else, rushing through quests, killing monsters just to make the XP bar fill up faster. But he hadn't focused on building a strong base. He hadn't collected enough money, enough materials for making things, or met the right people early on.
Later, when the game got harder, he found himself struggling, always falling behind players who had been smarter, not just faster. This time, he had a plan, a strategy built from painful past experience.
"Experience points can wait," he mumbled quietly, the sound almost lost in the chirping of birds. He could see the wooden walls of the village ahead now, with smoke drifting up from a few chimneys.
The low buzz of activity from inside got louder as he got closer. "Resources. Money. Contacts. That's what I need right now. That's the real power early in the game."
He reached the main gate of the village. It wasn't fancy, just strong logs tied together, and it was currently wide open. Two guards in simple leather armor stood on either side, looking bored but keeping an eye out.
They barely looked at Adam as he walked through, just another new player among the first wave arriving.
Stepping inside felt like entering a whole new place. The ground changed from soft dirt to hard-packed earth and rough cobblestone streets. The air smelled different too – a mix of smoke from cooking fires, damp dirt, sawdust from a nearby carpenter shop, and maybe a faint smell of farm animals.
Wooden houses, mostly one story high with roofs made of straw or wooden tiles, lined the streets.
Shops had signs hanging over their doors, with simple pictures or words showing what they sold: a hammer and tongs for the blacksmith, a loaf of bread for the baker, a bubbling flask for the potion maker.
Even though it was the middle of the day and the sun was bright, glowing lanterns hung from posts and buildings. Maybe it was just how the game looked, or maybe they were magic.
Either way, they made the village feel cozy and welcoming, even with the busy feeling coming from the players moving around.
The village wasn't empty, but it wasn't super crowded yet either. Small groups of players stood chatting near the well in the center. A few were looking at the quest board outside what looked like the village leader's house.
Others were already heading to different shops, looking excited or confused. Adam ignored them all. He knew exactly where he was going.
He walked straight towards the marketplace, which is always the busiest spot in a starting village.
His steps were quick and sure, moving easily around slower players without bumping into them. He didn't have time to wander around or look at the sights. Every minute was important.
He heard bits of conversations as he walked. "Where do I find the slime swamp?" one player asked another.
"Did you see how much that basic sword costs? It's crazy!" complained a third. "Need one more person for the wolf cave quest!" someone shouted, trying to start a group.
These were the sounds of a new world starting up, full of excitement and discovery. Adam blocked it all out, ignoring the noise, focusing only on his goal.
The market square opened up in front of him. It was a wider area where the cobblestones were smoother because so many people walked there. It was definitely the center of activity right now.
Sellers had set up colorful stalls with canvas roofs stretched overhead for shade. Their voices rose above the general chatter as they called out what they were selling.
"Fresh apples, sweet and crisp!" shouted a farmer. "Get your strong leather gloves here, best protection!" advertised another. "Potions! Minor healing, stamina boosts, get 'em while they last!" cried a man with glowing bottles arranged neatly on his table.
Adam looked over the area quickly, his eyes sharp and judging. He wasn't interested in buying fruit or regular gear yet. He saw plenty of basic stuff for sale at what seemed like okay prices.
But his knowledge of the future screamed a warning. The cost of important things, especially stuff that wasn't easy to find or make nearby – like better weapons, fancier gear, or rare ingredients – would shoot up soon.
"This village is too far from anything important," Adam muttered quietly, glancing at a stall where a seller was arguing loudly with a player about the price of arrows. "It makes things difficult." He remembered maps from his past life.
The closest big town, a place called Silver City, was several days' travel away, even for skilled players. Being so far away meant getting goods to this small village was expensive and took a long time. Shipping costs made prices higher for anything brought in.
On the other hand, it also meant local stuff, like the Fang Wolf parts he was carrying, might sell for a little less here than in a big city, but selling them now was still better than waiting.
He pushed deeper into the busy marketplace, ignoring the tempting things for sale and the sellers calling out to him. The air here was thick with smells – spices from one stall, cooking meat from another, the sharp metallic smell from a simple forge set up at the edge of the square.
A vegetable stand caught his eye for a second – bright red tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, and bumpy potatoes piled high in baskets. It looked amazingly real.
Nearby, the potion seller's stall glittered with bottles of shining liquids – red for healing, blue for magic power, green for energy.
They glowed softly, promising quick help for common problems adventurers faced. Adam made a mental note of where the potion seller was for later but kept moving. His focus was total: find the right shop, sell his loot, get the copper coins he needed.
He scanned the signs hanging above the different shops and stalls around the square.
Blacksmith, Armorer, Fletcher (arrow maker), Alchemist (potion maker)... he walked past them all. He needed a general store, the kind known for buying monster parts and random loot, hopefully one that paid fairly, or at least quickly.
After walking almost all the way across the square, dodging two players who were excitedly comparing the stats on their new rusty daggers, he saw it on his left.
Squeezed between a noisy bar and a quieter tailor shop was a building a bit bigger than the ones next to it. An old wooden sign hung above the door, swinging slightly in the wind. Simple words were carved into it: Adventure Mart.
"This is it," Adam thought. A tiny bit of satisfaction showed on his usually blank face. This matched what he remembered. This shop was known for being direct and getting things done, even if it didn't always pay the absolute best prices.
He pushed open the heavy wooden door. It creaked loudly on its old hinges, letting everyone know he'd arrived. He stepped inside. The noise and activity of the marketplace faded behind him, replaced by a quieter, calmer feeling.
Inside, the shop was simple, practical, and darker than the bright square outside.
Rough wooden shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, filled with all sorts of items helpful for adventurers.
He saw coils of rope, stacks of torches, basic leather armor pieces, empty potion bottles, stones for sharpening weapons, backpacks, sleeping bags, and various tools. It wasn't fancy, but it looked well-organized and had all the basic stuff.
A faint, nice smell filled the air – a mix of old wood, dried herbs hanging from the ceiling beams, and maybe a hint of dusty paper. It gave the place an old-fashioned, reliable charm, like it had been helping adventurers for a long time.
Behind a strong wooden counter at the back of the shop sat an old man. His white beard was neatly trimmed, which stood out against his wrinkled face. He looked old, but his eyes were sharp and smart when they looked up at Adam as the door creaked shut.
They seemed to take in everything about Adam in one look – his basic gear, his focused attitude, the way he moved.
Even though he was old, the shopkeeper seemed like he was in charge, like someone who had seen countless adventurers come and go and wasn't easily fooled or impressed.
Adam didn't waste time looking around or checking out the items on the shelves. He walked straight to the counter, moving confidently but carefully. He stopped right in front of the old man.
The shopkeeper raised one bushy white eyebrow, leaning forward just a little on the counter. He didn't say a standard greeting like "Hello" or "Welcome." "You're not here just to look around, are you, young man?" he asked. His voice was rough, like stones rubbing together, but it didn't sound mean.
Adam looked right into the old man's sharp eyes. "No," he replied simply, his voice steady and calm. "I'm here to sell."
A small smile appeared at the corners of the man's lips, making the skin around his eyes wrinkle. "Straight to business. Good. Then you've come to the right place," he said. He waved his worn hand towards the counter space in front of Adam. "Let's see what you've got."
Adam opened his game inventory, a see-through screen that only he could see popped up in front of him.
He mentally chose the loot he had carefully collected from the Fang Wolves he'd hunted earlier in the forest.
Ten sharp, slightly curved fangs, several pieces of raw wolf meat still fresh enough to be used for cooking or simple potion-making, and the small pile of copper coins the wolves had dropped for some reason – a normal game thing he didn't think much about.
With a quick thought to confirm, the items appeared instantly on the smooth wooden counter. They made soft thudding and clicking sounds.
The fangs had a dull shine in the shop's dim light, the meat looked red and rough, and the copper coins made a small clinking sound as they landed. The shopkeeper's eyes immediately locked onto the items, and a spark of professional interest showed in them.
"Ah, Fang Wolf materials," the old man mumbled. He picked up one of the fangs and turned it over in his fingers, checking its point and base. Then he poked at the meat.
"Not bad at all. These are in pretty good shape, too. Clean kills, looks like." He glanced up at Adam quickly, maybe judging his skill by how good the loot looked.
Adam stayed quiet, letting the shopkeeper look over the items as long as he wanted. He knew about how much they were worth from playing the game before. He waited, trying to look patient even though he wasn't feeling very patient. Time was passing quickly.
Finally, the man carefully put the fang back on the counter and stood up straighter, looking Adam right in the eye again. "Alright. For this whole pile – the fangs, the meat, and these few coins you already got... I'll give you 150 copper coins," he said. His voice was firm but sounded fair, like he wasn't planning to argue about it.
Adam frowned just a tiny bit. 150 copper. It wasn't amazing. He knew, especially in a few days, this stuff might sell for closer to 200 or even 250 copper to players who were desperate or needed them for specific crafts. But arguing over the price would take time.
It might take even longer if the shopkeeper didn't want to budge. Right now, being fast and efficient was more important than getting every single last copper coin. He needed the money now to buy other things before their prices went up.
"Deal," Adam said simply, without pausing.
The shopkeeper nodded, that faint smile coming back. He seemed happy with the quick agreement.
"Efficient. I like that in an adventurer," he said, maybe surprised Adam didn't try to bargain. He reached under the counter and pulled out a small, worn leather pouch.
He counted out the copper coins – small, dull brown metal circles – the sound of metal clicking echoed a little in the quiet shop. He pushed the pile across the counter to Adam. The deal was done.
Adam quickly swept the coins into his inventory using his mind, the number on his internal screen updating. His brain was already working fast, planning his next steps. This amount, plus what he already had, should be enough.
Enough to buy the important supplies he needed before the next hunting. He needed specific tools, maybe some basic ingredients for crafting or potions, things that would let him use his future knowledge in ways other players couldn't even think of yet.
As Adam was mentally getting ready to leave, the shopkeeper didn't turn away right away.
Instead, the old man looked Adam up and down again, his eyes staying on him for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Tell me," the shopkeeper said, his rough voice cutting into Adam's thoughts, "based on how focused you are and how good those wolf parts look... Are you an adventurer?"
Adam stopped, a little surprised by the direct question. He thought about it for a second. Was he just an 'adventurer'? Sort of, yes. But what he planned to do felt much bigger than that simple label.
After hearing the shopkeeper's question, Adam looked the old man right in the eye and slowly shook his head, just a simple 'no'. Then, before the shopkeeper could ask why not, Adam leaned forward a little bit, his own voice low and direct. "Actually-," Shopkeeper asked, deciding to take a chance based on a feeling, "Will you do a favor for me?"
The second the words were out of Shopkeeper's mouth, something happened. A bright blue, see-through window suddenly appeared right in front of his face, floating in the air between him and the shopkeeper. Bright white letters glowed inside it:
[Mission Triggered!]