PLAYER SYSTEM C30 PLAYER FAME RISES

The moment Jack struck down the Flybeast Queen, the system notifications lit up—not just his screen, but the global server itself, just as it had when he defeated Blob Alpha, another Elite Monster.

[Global Announcement: Congratulations to player Lar*** for defeating an Elite Monster!]

[Alert: The Eight Bonus Reward Slots for Elite Monster Defeats are nearly filled. Only two slots remain. After that, Elite Monsters will no longer grant bonus rewards.]

The message echoed across the interfaces of players around the world.

In the depths of Mine City, the dwarven underground metropolis where aspiring Engineers honed their craft, players paused as the notification appeared.

A human avatar clad in a sleek, human-sized mecha suit rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Lar-something again? Isn't that the same player who took down the first Elite Monster?" he muttered.

Standing beside him, a dwarf avatar—smaller in stature, but equal in height thanks to his bulky mecha suit—nodded.
"Could be," he replied. "There’s a good chance it's the same guy."

The human avatar turned his gaze toward a modest banner bearing three stars, fluttering on the far wall of their base. His expression grew serious.

"I’m getting curious about these top players," he said. "Eyeron, we need to find and recruit them—especially this ‘Lar-whatever.’"

Eyeron crossed his arms, his face thoughtful. "I’m with you, Mack-Mack. But tracking them down won’t be easy. They’re spread across different factions—humans, elves, demons… if we’re lucky, maybe even dwarves like us."

He paused, frowning slightly. "Word is, that Lar guy—the one who killed the first Elite Monster—is on the human side. If that's true, he’s likely a warrior, mage, or knight. And since we’re over here in the dwarven region, it’s going to take time to reach him."

Mack-Mack nodded, thoughtful. In this game, players were teleported to factions based on their chosen class.

A human choosing Warlock, for instance, would be sent to the Demon faction, while a demon who picked Knight would start among the Humans.

After a moment, he glanced at Eyeron. "You’ve got a point. But from what I’ve heard, in a few weeks, players—no matter where they started—will be able to travel between regions through Portals. Right now, teleportation’s restricted... but it’s only a matter of time before that opens up."

Eyeron stroked his beard, thinking. "Hmm… maybe we don’t just look for him in-game. What if we search outside too? Post some real-world cash rewards—something tempting enough to lure this player out."

Mack-Mack grinned. "Not bad. But we need to be careful—scammers will flood in fast."

Eyeron snorted. "Let them try. I’ll make sure they regret wasting our time."

Mack-Mack laughed. "Easy, now. I don’t want our guild, Three Stars, earning a bad rep this early."

"Aye, aye." Eyeron scratched his head, still grinning. "But no promises if they push me."

---

Elsewhere, other guild leaders and rising players were also stirred by the global announcement.

In Luke Town, inside a cozy medieval-style tavern, a young woman sat by the window, swirling a cup of steaming coffee. Her sleek mage gear shimmered faintly in the dim light.

She had sharp, intelligent eyes, her dark hair tied back in a loose ponytail. The light from outside caught the faint glow of the arcane sigils etched into her robes.

Her brows lifted slightly as she read the latest notification.

"Hmm… only two bonus slots left, huh?" she murmured, taking a sip. The warmth of the drink didn’t distract her from the pressure building.

"Thanks to this Lar guy, now I’ve got competition." She shook her head. "Two Elite Monsters in such a short time... that’s no joke. I struggled just to take down one."

Setting her cup down, she stood and reached for her staff, the crystalline head pulsing softly.

"I didn’t come here to be second-best," she said, eyes narrowing with determination. "I’m going to be the number one player in this game. And Lar, whoever you are... I won’t lose to you."

---

Jack had no idea about the stir his victory had caused across the server. Right now, his mind was on something simpler—loot.

He focused on gathering the drops from the fallen Flybeasts, especially from the Queen herself. With a swift motion, he gouged out her eye using his dagger, the item he’d been seeking glowing faintly in his hand.

After storing everything neatly in his inventory, he made his way back to the Artifact Store.

Selene looked up, surprised to see him so soon.

"Oh? You’re back already? It’s only—" she glanced at the clock, "—12 PM. Don’t tell me you’re giving up? Was the task too much for you? Did the Flybeast Queen take you out?"

Jack just smiled, saying nothing. Instead, he reached into his inventory and dropped the Flybeast Queen’s Eye onto the counter.

Selene froze, eyes locked on the shimmering orb. Then, they widened in disbelief.

"This... this is the Flybeast Queen’s Eye! The Epic item!"

She leaned in, quickly pulling out a small magnifying lens, examining the eye with practiced focus. After a moment, she looked back at Jack, astonished.

"You… You actually defeated the Flybeast Queen? This fast!?"

Jack’s grin widened, pride creeping into his voice despite his casual stance.
"Yeah. She was tough, but nothing I couldn’t handle."

Selene’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Incredible! That’s seriously impressive."

Jack shrugged, trying to play it cool.
"It’s nothing."

Selene clapped her hands, excited. "With this eye, I can craft an Epic accessory for you! So, what’ll it be? A ring or a necklace? I’ll embed the eye into it—and in return, I’ll keep a small piece of it for my own work, deal?"

Jack stroked his chin, thinking. "Hmm… a ring sounds good."

"Got it!" Selene nodded eagerly, glancing toward the back room, clearly itching to start crafting.

"Wait," Jack called out before she could rush off.

She paused, turning back with a raised brow.
"What is it?"

"I’ve got more parts from the Flybeast Queen, and drops from the common Flybeasts. You interested in buying them?"

Selene’s eyes lit up.
"I’ll take the Queen’s parts, definitely. As for the common ones… not much use to me. Try selling those at the vendor stalls."

Jack nodded and placed the Queen’s tough wings and other rare parts on the counter. After a quick appraisal, Selene handed him 14,000 silver—which the system converted to 1,400 game coins.

With that, Jack left the store, pockets heavier, and picked up a few potions from nearby player vendors.