The encounter with the other player had been a useful reminder to maintain a low profile, but his primary focus remained unchanged: reach Level 10 and overcome the tutorial guardian. The most direct path lay through continued grinding, pushing both his character level and his skill execution towards perfection. He decided to head towards the Gnarled Briar Patch, an area reputed to hold slightly tougher challenges.
The journey east took him through denser woods where sunlight struggled to pierce the canopy. The mobs shifted accordingly, from wolves and spiders to Level 7 Vine Creepers – serpentine plant creatures that lashed out with thorny tendrils – and Level 8 Elder Thorn Boars, larger and significantly more aggressive than their lower-level cousins, with thick hides and wicked tusks.
"Okay, Level 7 and 8 mobs. Good test for the 87% Defend. Need to push that to 90% to match the Slash."
He engaged a Vine Creeper first. Its lashing attacks were fast, requiring precise timing on his blocks. << Skill Success! SCR 87%! Damage Blocked: 50! >> << Damage Taken: 10! HP: 180/190 >> He countered with his powerful 90% [Basic Slash]. << Skill Success! SCR 90%! Damage Dealt: 35! >> The Creeper recoiled, its viney hide splitting under the impact. Drake pressed the attack, blocking another lash, and finished it off.
He then found an Elder Thorn Boar rooting aggressively near a thicket. Its charge was powerful, demanding maximum mitigation from his shield. He focused intently on the timing, recalling the patterns from the lower-level boars but anticipating greater force. WHAM! << Skill Success! SCR 87%! Damage Blocked: 60! >> << Damage Taken: 28! HP: 152/190 >> "Hits like a truck! 87% isn't enough for these consistently. Need that 90."
This became his new grind. He meticulously hunted Elder Thorn Boars, letting them charge, focusing entirely on perfecting his [Defend] timing. He used [Perfect Recall] constantly, analyzing the fraction of a second difference between a solid 87% block and the elusive 90% window. Failures weren't common thanks to his already high baseline, but achieving that next tier felt like pushing against a wall. Block at 87%. Analyze. Adjust stance slightly. Block at 87% again. Analyze. Try anticipating the charge fractionally earlier... CRUNCH!
<< Skill Success! SCR 90%! Damage Blocked: 70! >> << [Peak Performance Replication] updated: [Defend] SCR 90%! >> << Damage Taken: 18! HP: 134/190 >>
"Ninety! Finally!" A wave of relief and satisfaction washed over him. His next block against a boar's tusk felt immensely more secure, mitigating almost all the damage from a standard hit. Now both his core skills were executing at 110% potential effect, locked in permanently.
With his execution baselines solidified at a high level, Drake shifted focus slightly towards pure EXP gain and the ever-present, near-hopeless hunt for gear upgrades. He began methodically clearing packs of Vine Creepers and Elder Thorn Boars in the Gnarled Briar Patch. His Slash carved through the Level 7/8 mobs efficiently, while his Defend made him remarkably sturdy for a tutorial-geared player. Fights were still engaging, requiring constant attention to positioning and timing, but the outcome felt almost predetermined thanks to his talent's consistency.
Hours passed in the game. Drake cleared section after section of the Briar Patch, the only sounds the clash of steel, the shriek of dying mobs, and the occasional system notification for EXP gain or vendor trash loot ([Cracked Thorn], [Boar Tusk Fragment]). He knew the odds were stacked against him finding usable gear; the forums were full of complaints about players reaching Level 10+ in nothing but starter rags. He kept grinding anyway. Persistence was his nature.
After felling a particularly large Elder Thorn Boar near the center of the patch, he spotted the welcome glint of a loot sack icon.
<< Item Acquired: [Rugged Leather Gloves] (Normal)! >> << Item Acquired: Copper Coins x25 >>
"Gloves! Finally." He eagerly checked the stats.
[Rugged Leather Gloves]
Quality: Normal
Type: Hands Armor (Leather)
Armor: 9
Durability: 50/50
Requirements: Level 7
Stats: +1 Endurance
"Normal quality, just +1 End. But it's actual armor, replaces the empty slot. Good enough." He equipped them, his character now clad in Normal helm, chest, boots, and gloves, with the Rare bracer. Only his legs remained in the basic starter [Roughspun Trousers].
The small success spurred him on. He continued the grind for another hour or two, methodically working his way through the Briar Patch, pushing deeper into areas with denser Lvl 8 populations. He found a clearing dominated by Hulking Briar Roots (Level 8), slow but tough plant-based elementals that hit hard and had high HP. They provided good EXP and forced him to use his defense reliably. As one crumbled under his sustained assault: another loot sack!
<< Item Acquired: [Durable Leather Trousers] (Normal)! >> << Item Acquired: [Pliant Root] x1 >> (Crafting Material)
[Durable Leather Trousers]
Quality: Normal
Type: Legs Armor (Leather)
Armor: 15
Durability: 65/65
Requirements: Level 8
Stats: +1 Strength
"Trousers! Took long enough. The set is complete... well, a complete set of mismatched Normal quality leather." He equipped the trousers, finally replacing the last piece of his cloth starter gear. The stat bonuses were tiny, but the increased base armor from having actual leather in every slot made a noticeable difference in survivability. Combined with his Rare bracer and high SCR defense, he felt quite tanky for his level.
The consistent EXP from grinding these higher-level mobs for hours finally bore fruit. As the last Briar Root collapsed, the level-up notification sounded.
Ding! LEVEL UP! You are now Level 8! << Base Attributes Increased! HP/MP/Stamina Increased! +2 Attribute Points Available! >>
Drake assigned the points, continuing to boost STR and PRE for damage. Level 8. His SCRs were solid at 90%. His gear, while only Normal quality outside the bracer, was a complete functional set. He felt prepared.
"Level 8. Skills at 90%. Full Normal gear set plus the Rare bracer. This is probably as geared-up as I can reasonably expect to get from grinding in the tutorial zone. Time to focus purely on hitting Level 10."
Character: Drake
Level: 8Class: Warrior (Base)
Strength (STR): 16
Agility (AGI): 14
Endurance (END): 18
Intellect (INT): 5
Spirit (SPR): 5
Precision (PRE): 13
Skill Completion Rates (Locked Baselines):
[Slash] 90%[Defend]: 90%
Notable Equipped Gear:
Weapon: [Well-Used Longsword] (Normal, +1 STR)
Shield: [Basic Shield] (Normal, No Stats Assumed)
Chest: [Sturdy Leather Jerkin] (Normal, +2 END)
Head: [Reinforced Leather Helm] (Normal, +1 END)
Hands: [Rugged Leather Gloves] (Normal, +1 END)
Legs: [Durable Leather Trousers] (Normal, +1 STR)
Feet: [Traveler's Leather Boots] (Normal, +1 AGI)
Wrist: [Worn Alvari Bracer] (Rare, +3 AGI, +2 PRE, +2% Crit Chance)
Titles:
[Unblinking Persistence] (Effect ???)
[Known Hand] (Slight Faction Rep/Disposition Boost)