"I swear this doesn't make any sense," Alan said, puffing his cheeks like an annoyed child. "These aliens show up talking about peace, and then they scatter us across the planet like it's some kind of game."
Max ignored Alan's childish complaints. "If this really is a game," he said calmly, "the smartest thing to do is read the wiki."
He tapped the glowing interface of the glove. "Right now, the help tab is the closest thing we have."
While others stumbled around discovering things through blind luck, Max and their group spent the entire day studying the system.
Persistence might look stupid to others — but it was already putting them ahead.
The three of them headed toward the Katsu field.
A Katsu was a strange creature that looked like a boar mixed with some kind of mutant beast. Its thick body and rough hide made it look almost like a living tank.
Ashton rushed at it without thinking.
The Katsu slammed into him instantly, sending him flying across the ground.
Max tried fighting more cautiously, circling the beast and looking for an opening.
Leo, being naturally agile from years of playing football, slid forward on his knees and attempted to slash its side.
But the blade barely scratched its hide. The creature's skin was far too tough.
While the others struggled, Zack sat on a nearby rock, calmly observing the fight.
After watching for a moment, he finally spoke.
"Its eyes," he said. "They're the weak point."
The team quickly followed his plan.
One of them distracted the beast while the other two rushed forward and slashed at its eyes.
The Katsu let out a furious screech before collapsing to the ground.
A moment later, all of them leveled up — even Zack, who had barely moved from his rock.