"I'm not sure. My head is throbbing painfully," the 'Tia' murmured, clutching her head. Evidently, the chaotic recollections were bombarding her senses, inflicting a pain akin to the pricking of needles.

  Kenley promptly said, "There, there. If you can't recall it, don't force yourself. Don't push your mind beyond its limits."

  The 'Tia' took a moment to compose herself before nodding.

  However, Kenley could distinctly sense her weariness. "You should take a brief respite. I'll have another conversation with Tia," he suggested.

  "Very well..." After a short while, Tia regained her consciousness.

  "Master, what transpired?" she inquired, her concern palpable.

  Kenley related all that had just occurred to Tia, and her expression gradually assumed a more complex demeanor.

  Both my elder sister's name and my great-aunt's name elicited a response. It is plausible that due to the shared memories between my elder sister and my great-aunt, and the profound affection they harbored for each other, whether it be my elder sister or my great-aunt, they would undoubtedly exhibit a potent emotional reaction to the other," Tia said, furrowing her brow.

  "Well, this certainly complicates matters. It could be either your great-aunt or your elder sister. This is truly a perplexing conundrum," Kenley said, pressing his forehead, feeling a sense of bewilderment himself.

  "Here's a thought," Kenley pondered for a moment before stating, "Let's await the completion of my trial as one of the Silver People. Subsequently, we shall journey together to the East Coast and aid the church in fulfilling the purification mission. Then, we will return to the ruins of Gaifei Kingdom to seek out relevant clues. Perhaps we will uncover the answer then."

  Tia's countenance brightened with joy. "Thank you, Master!"

  Yet, Tia then continued, "However, Master, the trial of the Silver People is likely to require several years to complete.... And there will be numerous perils along the way. Master, the fact that you were able to complete the trial of the Bronze People at the tender age of eighteen is already an extraordinary accomplishment. But attempting to hasten the completion of the trial of the Silver People without a substantial accumulation of time will be arduous."

  In Aude Continent, individuals lacking in talent typically remain stagnant at level 30 throughout their lives. Those with a modicum of talent are able to endure the trial of the Bronze People, but that is often around the age of thirty to forty. Many who attain the rank of the Silver People are seldom younger than forty or fifty years old.

  Someone as exceptionally gifted as Sword Saint Roland is truly a paragon among prodigies. Becoming one of the Silver People before the age of thirty is truly remarkable. After all, they do not possess the ability, like players, to rapidly level up by slaying monsters through the use of a system. Consider Puffman of the Magician Association, who, despite being hundreds of years old, remains entrenched at the seventh rank without making any headway.

  If Kenley were to become one of the Silver People before the age of twenty, it would be nothing short of astonishing.

  Upon hearing Tia's words, Kenley conveyed his understanding. The passage of time within the game is remarkably swift. In the span of four years of the game's operation, seven expansion packs have been released, and three eras have elapsed in the history of Aude Continent. For a player to reach level 99, even employing the most efficient method outlined in the strategy guide, excluding the time for sleep and meals, it would require at least upwards of 80 hours.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Nevertheless, even so, at least three years would have passed within the game world.

  Currently, Kenley is at level 50, and it has taken him half a year to progress through the levels by vanquishing monsters. After all, this is the real world, where activities such as traversing maps, handling affairs, engaging in communication, and forging equipment all demand time. It is inconceivable that Kenley could attain level 99 within a mere ten days; that would be highly implausible.

  Moreover, as he advances in level, the process of Kenley's leveling up becomes increasingly arduous. Drawing from his actual experiences in the Kenley Republic and the Bilak Swamp over the past two months, currently, when he defeats a level 50 monster, he only gains 7% experience.

  In the game, new monsters will respawn after a period of time following their defeat, but in the real world, each slain monster is one less. And the process of a monster emerging from its lair, maturing from infancy to adulthood, requires anywhere from a decade to several decades. How can one possibly afford to wait? Thus, after eradicating a monster lair, one must once again traverse the map in search of a new monster location.

  The prerequisite for world teleportation is that one must have personally explored the location beforehand. However, in the real world, foreigners are required to sign a transit permit to cross the border of another country. Do you truly believe that one can simply venture out to explore new areas at will? Border patrol soldiers would be highly likely to regard you as a spy.

  Were it not for Kenley's noble status, the issue of border crossing alone would pose a formidable challenge for him.

  Therefore, considering all these factors, based on Kenley's currently calculated fastest leveling speed, he should reach level 60 and be eligible to participate in the trial of the Silver People around the middle of next year.

  The process of leveling up from level 50 to level 60 will likely take at least half a year. At his current level of 50, slaying an ordinary monster of the same rank only grants him a 6% increase in experience. Moreover, the higher the level of the monster, the fewer of them are present in the lair. Many of the monsters are in their juvenile stage (around level 20 or 30), thus offering minimal experience.

  After clearing a monster lair, one must seek out a new lair, and the time invested in this process is also a significant cost. It must be acknowledged that the game offers a great deal of convenience. Only when one experiences the real world does one truly appreciate the challenges and frustrations it presents.

  "However, Master, your rate of growth is truly extraordinary. In the span of half a year, you have advanced from the first rank to the fifth rank, an achievement that eludes the grasp of countless individuals. It took Knight Captain Daina a full decade to reach the fifth rank," Tia said, gazing at Kenley with profound admiration.

  Kenley scratched his head in resignation. Indeed, he had been overly ambitious. After all, this was the real world, and his rapid rate of growth was likely to startle many.

  "Nonetheless, this is still far from sufficient, Tia. In the future, we may encounter even greater perils. My current strength is insufficient to ensure the complete safety of both of us," Kenley said, gently stroking Tia's head.

  He was alluding to the impending Doomsday Scourge expansion pack in the near future. By then, demons would invade, calamities would run amok, and the land would be transformed into a hellish landscape of utter brutality.

  Neither the Cain Empire nor the Gray Empire would be able to escape this dreadful cataclysm.

  "Master, what are you referring to?" Tia clearly detected the trace of worry on Kenley's face.

  Kenley shook his head. This was not the opportune moment to burden Tia with additional stress. Tia had only recently reached level 46, and her rate of leveling up had already lagged behind his.

  Even if Kenley assisted Tia in absorbing the blood of high-level monsters, she would not be able to enhance her strength as rapidly as he had.

  This was because Tia had specific requirements regarding the quality of the blood. Monsters of the elite variety could significantly boost Tia's strength, but for ordinary monsters, Tia would gain minimal growth even after absorbing their blood.