CHAPTER 671

【 YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO KEEP GRINDING 】

—

A loud cry from an eagle echoed through the valley, followed by rhythmic shouts filled with fierce determination.

On a stone platform built atop the precipice, more than thirty fully armed melee players raised their swords and unleashed their skills again and again on the training dummies lined before them. Each strike rang out with metallic force, forming a steady rhythm that shook the platform.

Standing among them was Yeye, who had already advanced to Silver-rank. He tightened his grip on his newly purchased purple Epic-grade greatsword, took a firm stance, and roared as he brought the blade down with all his might.

A burst of bright light flared when his sword struck the stone dummy, scattering sparks that briefly illuminated the dust-filled air. The impact was powerful enough to vibrate through his arms, yet the training dummy remained completely unscathed.

This was to be expected as these dummies were crafted by Moe Moe Committee and modified from puppets excavated from titan ruins. Their bodies were reinforced with ancient materials, turning them into excellent training tools. Thus, ordinary strikes from newly promoted Silver-rank players could not harm them at all.

In truth, every trainee on the platform was a fresh Silver rank melee warrior and this entire session was designed to help them adjust to their new strength.

While they trained, a veteran Silver rank warrior patrolled the area. His equipment looked slightly worn, but his gaze was sharp and his presence alone kept the trainees alert. He moved steadily through the rows, correcting stances and pointing out flaws with practiced ease.

“Keep your footing steady. Do not depend too much on the system’s auto guidance. While it can help you execute skills properly, but it also has its own limits.”

He paused to observe a pair of players correcting their grips before continuing.

“If you want to defeat an opponent of the same rank one on one, if you want to survive longer in battlefield missions, if you want to stand a chance in pvp duels, then relying on the system alone will never be enough. You must train constantly and grasp the essence behind every skill you use.”

“Do not underestimate these training sessions. They will help you grow stronger and adapt to the power of Silver rank more quickly. In fact, what you learn here can even carry over into the real world.”

He tapped one of the dummies with the hilt of his sword.

“If you can perform your skills without system assistance, you may find that you will become very skilled in reality as well.”

Laughter rose from the group.

The coach shot a glance at the laughing players, his grin widening as he raised his voice just enough for everyone to hear.

“Oh, so you are doubting me, huh? Sure, you cannot cast any magic spells you learn here in real life, but physical melee skills are different. If your body can keep up with what your mind has absorbed, your reaction speed and coordination will definitely improve.”

A player in the back raised his hand and called out in a playful tone.

“Then what is the point if our real bodies cannot keep up?”

A few more chuckles followed. The coach let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled his eyes in reply.

“At the very least, you can look impressive enough to fool average untrained people. That is not a bad perk, right?”

His remark triggered another burst of laughter.

Their lighthearted chatter lingered in the air as everyone returned to their drills, the steady rhythm of strikes mixing with cheerful voices.

Just then, a clear dragon roar echoed from above, sharp enough to cut through the noise on the platform.

The players looked up and saw a small golden dragon, about seven or eight meters long, flying in from the horizon.

Its movements were elegant and graceful. Although its body was not yet fully grown, the faint aura of a true dragon emanating from it could already be sensed by everyone. ȐἈƝòᛒЕṨ

Hearing the familiar roar, the coach lifted his head. A warm, almost paternal fondness softened his sharp expression.

“Christine, I’m over here!”

He waved vigorously, and the young golden dragon descended with a gentle spiral. After landing, the creature then pressed its snout against him in a friendly nudge, earning a completely unguarded, foolish grin from the usually strict coach.

He gave Christine a few firm pats on the head before turning back to the group.

“Alright, that is it for today’s session. We will continue in four in-game days. Make sure to practice on your own. ElvKing is not like most games. If you want to grow stronger here, then just leveling up and collecting better equipment are not enough. Repetitive and sometimes tedious skill training is extremely important.”

“I hope that one day, some of you will make it onto the combat rankings.”

With that, he mounted the dragon’s back in one swift motion.

“See you in a few days!”

With a clear dragon roar, the coach flew away from the training grounds.

As the golden dragon vanished into the distance, Yeye wiped the sweat from his forehead. A faint glimmer of envy surfaced in his eyes as he murmured:

“That looks incredible. I really wonder when I will be able to get a dragon companion of my own. Golden dragons look so impressive…”

A calm, deep, slightly magnetic voice answered from beside him.

“Heh, that depends on whether you can afford to raise one. Without that golden dragon, a top player like Optimist, whose ranked in the top twenty on the combat leaderboards would never bother running training sessions like this just to earn extra money.”

Yeye turned, startled for a moment, then broke into a wide grin.

“Senior Wind, you are here?”

Standing next to him was a tall melee player clad in sturdy armor. It was an old acquaintance, a veteran who had helped Yeye when he first entered the game, FacetheWind.

“I came here to Mountpeak City to handle some business, so I decided to stop by and take a look at this rather famous technique training class. It’s been quite popular on the forums lately.”

He spoke with an easy smile, then stroked his chin thoughtfully as he examined Yeye from head to toe.

“So, how is it? Is Optimist’s training class really useful?”

Yeye lifted his greatsword, showing a bit of pride in his posture.

“Yeah, it is very effective. I can tell I have gotten stronger. When I was still Iron-rank, I thought letting the system handle my skills was enough, but I never expected that I could actually better execute techniques on my own, just by relying on my own will and understanding.”

FacetheWind nodded with approval.

“Exactly. There used to be very few Silver-rank players, and anyone who reached that stage was considered a big shot. But now that the number of Silver-rankers has grown, the differences between individuals are becoming easier to see.”

He crossed his arms and continued in a thoughtful tone.

“Relying only on system assistance makes your combat style too rigid. Once you truly understand a skill, you can use it in creative ways that the system cannot replicate. The higher your rank, the more noticeable this becomes.”

“That is true.”

Yeye agreed without hesitation.

FacetheWind let out a small sigh.

“In that case, I should probably sign up for his class too. Optimist is one of the top warrior players, even if the tuition fee hurts a little…”

He glanced at his system wallet with exaggerated sorrow.

“Well, you get what you pay for. And like you said, Coach has a golden dragon to feed. Plus, sometimes Senior Boxlunch stops by as a guest coach. That is Boss Box, the number one combat player in the entire server! And once in a while, Miss Nightingale shows up with him too.”

Yeye sheathed his weapon as he spoke.

“Stop joking. Everyone knows you members of Moe Moe Committee get special discounts.”

FacetheWind replied with a mix of laughter and mild reproach.

After that, he let out a sigh filled with a hint of regret.

“It is a pity. I really hoped you and Nana would join our guild. I did not expect you two to get poached in the end.”

“Ahem… we could not help it. Moe Moe offered too many benefits. The housing prices here are so ridiculous, and Boss Cat told us that if we joined her guild, Moe Moe would provide us with housing. So the two of us ended up joining.”

Yeye said this with a slightly embarrassed tone, scratching his cheek as he spoke.

After speaking, Yeye glanced at the system clock and asked casually:

“Brother Wind, are you free later?”

FacetheWind raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

“What is this, Coconut? Planning to buy me a drink?”

Yeye scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed.

“Well, it has been a long time since we last met after all. Why not call Sister Donut and the others too? Mountpeak City has plenty of good places to eat. Plus, it will be evening soon. I will treat you tonight.”

FacetheWind shook his head slowly.

“What a shame. The rest of the guys are currently busy roaming Maple Leaf Territory. They probably cannot return for a few days.”

“Maple Leaf Territory? I thought the civil war there had already ended. If I remember correctly, that map area is still outside our fully playable zone, right? We still do not have full access there yet, isn’t it?”

“Oh yeah, the war is over. But the Borderlord colluded with an evil god—that has been confirmed. Because of that, the situation in Maple Leaf Territory is still pretty unstable, with rebels and chaos running rampant everywhere…”

“So are you guys playing as mercenaries again? Helping the Borderlord or trying to suppress the rebellion?”

FacetheWind shrugged.

“Nah. Right now, no one in their right mind wants to support someone linked to an evil god, except a few reckless players. Otherwise, they would risk losing favorability with the Goddess. So most participating players are just hunting bandits instead. And the bandits in Maple Leaf Territory have been unbelievably rich lately.”

“Ah, I guess that is to be expected in a collapsing society. I do not even dare look at the videos on the forum showing what is happening there since it is too tragic… Sometimes I wonder if ElvKing will ever get banned for depicting such gruesome scenarios.”

“Heh, it won’t trust me. If ElvKing were going to be banned, it would have happened long ago. I have a feeling the next major storyline is approaching. I really miss the old days of 10,000-player war events! Charging forward while listening to that battle theme… Summoning missions are exciting, sure, but they still lack the scale and intensity of a server-wide war event.”

The two continued chatting casually, voices mingling with the evening breeze. Yeye glanced up at the sky, the colors of sunset reflecting off the clouds, as the city below hummed with activity.

“Enough standing around. If Sister Donut and the others cannot come, then so be it. It has been too long since I last saw you, Brother Wind. Tonight, let us have a few drinks just the two of us.”

FacetheWind chuckled.

“Aren’t you still underage?”

“This is a game,”

Yeye replied with a roll of his eyes.

Still chatting and laughing, the two left the training platform atop the cliff and made their way into Mountpeak City.

The city was carved into the mountainside, with rings of structures spiraling around the terrain, creating layered depth and a striking, unique style. Although it was a fortress city, it had been meticulously landscaped. Magical lamps floated along the streets, casting a warm, steady glow that highlighted the city’s wealth and careful design.

Every building was constructed from solid stone, blending the elegance of Elven architecture with the classical, mysterious style of Western castles. Heavy stone slabs paved the streets, worn smooth by countless footsteps. Players of all appearances mingled with the city’s permanent residents, including Elves, dwarves, humans, and even some rarer underground races. Merchants and caravan workers hustled along the thoroughfares, adding lively movement and sound to the cityscape.

Yeye led the way to the Black Dragon Tavern, a popular establishment run by Moe Moe Committee. They ordered a pitcher of Elven fruit wine and settled into a cozy corner. Around them, a bard performed an unfamiliar tune, and exotic NPCs drifted in and out of the tavern, adding to the lively, immersive atmosphere.

Looking around, FacetheWind clicked his tongue in amazement.

“It feels like the types of NPCs from other factions here keeps increasing,” he observed.

Yeye nodded.

“I know right? Since this city is a famous transfer hub on the shortest route from the western surface to the underground world. According to Sister HootyBird, the city is planning further expansion. The mining district near the tunnel is already mapped out as the next residential zone, and they even plan to build a forging center.”

Yeye took a sip of the sweet fruit wine and smiled.

“Little Salty Cat is truly impressive. Everyone initially doubted her outrageous plan to build a city here, yet she actually created a thriving metropolis. And it has not even been two years, right?”

FacetheWind sighed, filled with genuine admiration.

“Yeah, Boss Cat really has remarkable foresight.”

Yeye nodded sincerely, his eyes reflecting genuine admiration.

Noticing the youth’s approving expression, FacetheWind clicked his tongue.

“Boss Cat, huh… Seems like you really admire Little Salty Cat. So the rumors were true. They say she really idolizes Senior Féng, and any player Senior Féng takes an interest in, she will do her best to recruit. I even heard Salty Cat tried poaching Brother Can before.”

“That is possible, but I haven’t seen Senior Féng since then.”

Yeye said, his tone tinged with a hint of disappointment.

The more Yeye trained under Optimist’s class, the more he appreciated how brilliant Féng’s guidance had been. With him being able to advance to Silver-rank so quickly, successfully taking on priest as a secondary class, and becoming a somewhat notable paladin within Moe Moe—all of it was thanks to the advice she had given them. ..

Unfortunately, he had not seen her since that fateful day.

Though he did recall a server-wide announcement mentioning her name recently; it seemed she had completed a quest involving the faith conversion of an important NPC.

FacetheWind tilted his head, curiosity in his gaze.

“What about Nana? Where did she go? You two usually stick together.”

“Nana? She is still grinding for a Silver advancement slot in the Demon Lord Labyrinth right now,” Yeye replied, clinking his glass lightly against FacetheWind’s.

“She still hasn’t acquired it?”

FacetheWind sounded somewhat surprised, raising an eyebrow at the news.

“Sigh… actually, she did get it once. She even advanced to Silver rank, but then tragedy struck. Wasn’t there a battle in Maple Leaf recently? Well, we also participated in it secretly, but who would have thought that idiot forgot to bring enough resurrection coins! So when she was killed by that evil god, she ended up losing a couple of levels…”

Yeye shook his head, a mixture of frustration and sympathy crossing his features.

FacetheWind: “…”

“Ah… really?”

After a long pause, he only managed to utter that single word. Then the older man frowned in puzzlement.

“So why aren’t you helping her grind for it?”

“I had training class today, remember? And Nana should probably be finished with her grind today too,” Yeye replied before adding, “getting a slot shouldn’t be difficult. The drop rate has been pretty high these past few days, after all…”

FacetheWind nodded in understanding.

A moment later, he noticed Yeye’s expression shift.

“Hm? Speaking of which, Nana sent me a message just now. Let’s see….oh, she finally got the slot. She says she will teleport back here shortly.”

Yeye’s eyes lit up.

“Congratulations.”

༺⟐༻

After a short while, a certain energetic girl finally burst into the tavern.

“Brother Wind, long time no see!”

As soon as she entered, Nana greeted him enthusiastically.

“Nana, long time no see,” FacetheWind replied with a warm smile.

Without hesitation, Nana bounded toward their table and plopped herself down beside Yeye. She then grabbed the fruit wine he offered and downed it in one swift gulp.

“Ahh~ That felt amazing,” she sighed, setting the cup down and leaning back in her chair with a dramatic slump.

“Ah… finally, finally! I never have to grind through that damned Labyrinth again. I was honestly ready to collapse after days of farming for the class advancement slot,” she exclaimed, relief evident in her voice.

“It is not easy to acquire. Even with the increased drop rate, it still takes effort. Congratulations on advancing,”

FacetheWind said with a laugh.

Then he added, chuckling wryly,

“Though… if you plan to stop grinding in the Demon Lord’s Labyrinth entirely, that may not be possible unless you forego upgrading your equipment to artifact grade.”

Nana’s expression twisted in frustration.

“The Artifact Repair Point Scroll, right? I knew it…” she muttered.

“Hahaha, keep working hard. But you don’t have to grind if you don’t want to. You can always accumulate contribution points gradually instead,” FacetheWind said, proudly displaying his recently repaired artifact dagger.

The two young players stared at it with envy.

“Then I’ll just save up instead. I’m not expecting to get a top-grade artifact that easily. Something decent is enough for me right now. Honestly… I’m sick of seeing the Thirteen Demon Kings. I’ve fought them so much that I’m afraid I’ll start hallucinating them in my dreams. Sometimes I feel like they already recognize me…”

Nana slumped back into her chair again, exhausted just recounting the ordeal.

However, just as the group continued chatting, a new system message flashed across their vision.

【

】

【Announcement: Elven Kingdom will undergo a non-downtime update in three days. Please check the official website for details.】

“Another update?” FacetheWind raised an eyebrow, finishing the last of his fruit wine and opening the official website through the system interface.

A moment later, his eyes widened, and he cursed aloud without restraint.

“What the hell!?”

“What happened?” the two younger players asked in unison.

FacetheWind swallowed once and explained,

“The devs are about to unlock the next stage of Silver rank, the intermediate Silver-rank.”

Yeye: “…”

Nana: “…”

“Already? I just barely finished advancing,” Nana groaned, squirming in her seat like a distressed bug.

FacetheWind continued reading the announcement carefully, his expression gradually shifting into something stranger.

“Nana,” he said, turning toward her.

“What is it, Brother Wind?” the girl asked, finally pausing her fidgeting.

“You’re probably going to have to continue grinding in the Labyrinth,” he pointed to the location listed for the drop of the intermediate Silver advancement slot in the announcement.

Nana froze, speechless, as her eyes widened in dismay.

----------------------------------------

〘 PREVIOUS 〙

〘 NEXT 〙

— —

----------------------------------------