People sometimes wondered aloud.

"What would happen if all players went back to level one?"

They spoke of a world without the massive wall built by the frontrunners over six long years. A time when surviving in a dungeon with focus was more important than whether your class was Legendary or Special. Looking back on those early days when the top players pushed ahead, monopolized information, hoarded items, and stacked up levels, it was a thought worth having.

"Half of the current rankers probably wouldn't even be in the running, right?"

"Even if everything was reset, they still have all the information they've accumulated, so it wouldn't be the same starting line. Their class utilization alone would be miles better than newly awakened players."

It was a great topic for debate, one where no one could definitively say who was right. That was inevitable. Such a scenario could never happen in reality.

However, amidst the countless assumptions and controversies, a few things were universally acknowledged.

"First of all, Legendary Classes would have a massive head start."

Assuming all players started at level one, Legendary Classes were overwhelmingly superior. The reason was simple: at level one, with no skills, the most important thing was pure stats. Even before the age of players, the physical difference of just a few kilograms was significant enough to warrant weight classes in sports; innate stats were crucial. Legendary Classes, depending on the type, had at least five times more stats than a Normal-grade class. And even compared to a Unique, it was three times more, and to a Special, twice as much. This massive gap was possible because most players' base stats were in the single digits, but the visible difference was undeniable.

And so, people concluded that if everyone started from the same line, a player's growth potential would truly be determined by their class. Of course, it wasn't absolute. A player who knew how to fully utilize their class's advantages could always find a way to grow. But as a general rule, that's how it was.

And for the first time in six years, this common theory was being proven in reality.

—Wow, is Fly even human?

—He's just wiping the floor with those mobs.

—Those monsters look like they're a decent level, too.

The spectators could see the provisional status windows of the players participating in the event. Although most details, including their class, were private, just seeing their level and stats was enough to reveal at a glance how quickly a player was growing. They couldn't help but be surprised.

Fly cast his spells at the perfect place and time. Even though they were basic spells, the magic he cast while running and rolling through the fray was still convenient against a level 8 monster.

—He's already level 4.

—But it's only been ten minutes?

The event map, fittingly for an event, allowed for rapid growth. The monster levels, visible to both players and spectators, and the hidden items scattered everywhere, provided many avenues for advancement. These elements were designed to accommodate players whose classes weren't combat-oriented, though most participants' were. They would find these items, arm themselves, and hunt monsters to level up.

Since everything but their weapons had vanished upon teleporting, even the most basic farming was crucial, if only to cover their exposed skin—with just the essentials concealed by the system. Of course, this led to some very biased opinions among the spectators.

—Shin Hyejeong should have been Korea's representative.

—Are you trying to ruin the event? Shin Hyejeong already runs around dungeons dressed like a game character. If you wanna see that, just go look for those videos.

Only one thing mattered. After observing the various players, the numerous spectators came to a single conclusion: for the most part, a player's growth rate depended on the difference in their class level. This proved to be a rather entertaining element.

—This island is huge. This is gonna be good later on, isn't it?

—So we're gonna see Fly massacre the other rankers, right?

It wasn't just his potential; his growth rate was insane. There was a certain kind of fun in a game that flowed so easily it bordered on boring. It was the same reason people sought out private servers for RPGs.

—I saw monsters over level 90. The forest was too foggy to confirm the exact location, but still. If he plays his cards right, he might get even stronger than his current level.

—God, I hope the individual match lasts a long time.

—It has to. For only one person to be left standing on an island this big.

This was clearly more than just a one-off event. While everyone's stats were normalized, their classes remained the same. The growth they achieved here, the abilities they would display upon reaching levels higher than they had in reality—it was all a glimpse of what each player would become.

—I wanna see a meteor.

—That's it, I'm locking my screen on Fly from now on.

The most anticipated player was, by far, Fly. But those who knew how to truly enjoy the event had already found their man.

—Whoa, how is Kim Buja already level 15?

They had found the one who could pull ahead the fastest when everyone was forced to start from scratch.

3.

[The individual match has begun.]

[Each participant will be randomly summoned to Hunting Island with one Provisional Life. All items except equipped weapons will be collected as the match begins. Participants can raise their Provisional Level through hunting and grow via Provisional Stats. Skills will be unlocked according to level, and participants can arm themselves with items found across the island or acquired by hunting monsters. The condition for victory is for only one player to remain standing. Points will be awarded based on survival ranking. Blessings or curses will be bestowed upon the participants on Hunting Island each day, and various sudden events will occur depending on the region.]

[Day 1 Blessing has been granted.]

[All players on Hunting Island are granted the 2x Experience blessing.]

[Time Remaining: 23 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds]

A hologram had appeared the moment he was transported here. The explanation was lengthy, and some parts seemed to lack detail, but the overall rule was simple: a battle royale. Fight until only one player remained standing. Games like this had been around for ages. It was a captivating concept, especially in FPS games where it enjoyed overwhelming popularity.

There was likely no one alive who didn't know the rules, so it didn't take long to grasp. He skimmed the wall of text and dismissed it. Since there were no specific rules worth memorizing, the system probably intended for him to learn by doing. It didn't matter. What mattered now was pulling his dagger from the heart of the player he'd just killed—a man wearing nothing but a pair of shoddy underwear for decency—and distributing the stats he'd gained.

[Provisional Agility has increased by 3.]

In the real world, stat points were a rare commodity, so he saved them meticulously. Here, however, he invested them without a moment's hesitation, a smile spreading across his lips. He started moving immediately, his mind constantly churning.

'First, I hunt.'

How big was this island? Having been summoned to a beach, Kim Buja could make a rough guess.

'It's huge.'

If the intent was simply to have players fight each other, there would be no need to make the island so vast that he couldn't see its edges at a glance. Adding monsters to the mix could even discourage player-versus-player combat. The fact that they existed anyway meant their purpose wasn't simply to hinder player growth. They were fodder.

They were fodder for nearly two hundred players to level up quickly. They were a stepping stone to eliminate lulls in the action, allowing everyone to grow stronger and keep each other in check. That's why Kim Buja moved. He had killed the player before him simply because he was in the way. He'd gotten lucky; the dead player hadn't. For now, encounters like this would be rare. He threw himself into the bushes at the entrance of a forest thick with overgrown trees and opened the Gold Shop—the one thing that could maximize his class's potential.

* * *

The level 18 Black Wolf Leader. The elite monster that roamed the rugged forest didn't possess any special skills, but with all players currently below level 10, it was threatening enough just by moving in a pack and using the terrain to its advantage. While it tucked its tail and didn't dare approach the territories of higher-level monsters, in this forest at least, it was the king.

The king strolled leisurely through the woods, flaunting its majesty. It had been a while since a piece of fearless, weak prey had wandered into its forest. After trampling it to its heart's content and enjoying a meal of raw meat, its pride was high, and its belly was full. Was there any more tender human meat wandering around foolishly on its own? Even as it walked with a relaxed gait, its senses were on high alert. And then it found its prey.

"Grrr?"

Not far away, a lone human was cutting through the vines blocking his path with a short-bladed dagger.

"Grr."

Its steps came to a halt, its massive body pressing low to the ground. Even as the ruler of this forest, it always gave its prey its full attention.

"Growl."

Of course, that didn't mean it fought with all its might out of fear that its opponent might be stronger. Having already consumed one human as a snack, the Black Wolf Leader was convinced that humans were weak. The one it saw now didn't give off any particularly threatening scent. Its instincts screamed. 'Eat it!' Spurred by the temptation, it kicked off the ground.

A low, deep howl echoed through the forest. An arrogant display, showing not a sliver of concern that its prey might hear and flee. But it wasn't worried. The Black Wolf Leader was certain of its speed. It ran with all its might to ensure its prey couldn't escape.

Fortunately, the prey, who had turned his head, behaved just as the wolf expected. First, he panicked. Then, he turned his back. He scrambled away so slowly that even a wolf pup could have caught up.

'Krawr!'

With a roar of victory, the wolf leaped. The moment it was airborne, it saw the smile on the human's lips, who had only turned his head while showing his back. That was not the expression of prey. It was the expression of a hunter. The very expression the Black Wolf Leader always wore when looking at its own prey.

It was a trap.

Its senses, which it thought were so sharp, belatedly sounded a warning, but it was too late to turn its body in mid-air.

At the same time, a tiny sound registered in its sensitive hearing. And it wasn't just one or two.

'Click-click-click-click!'

'What was that?' The Black Wolf Leader's thoughts went no further.

Magic bullets poured out from countless hidden traps, mercilessly piercing his tough hide and massive body.

"Hah. The levels are rolling in. Now this is why you spend money."

For Kim Buja, who had single-handedly hunted a level 18 elite monster at a mere level 3, it was a signal flare. This was a stage worthy of his talents, and he was ready to put on a show.

* * *

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.