The difference between ordinary players and experts often had less to do with raw strength than with how they approached difficult situations.
Following the game's intended progression could certainly guarantee a minimum reward. But if they couldn't think beyond the usual approach and find a more efficient way to clear the level, they might secure the bare minimum while never reaching the hidden ceiling.
Take the present situation. When most newbies saw the dragon insect's all-covering dragonfire, they hurriedly retreated to the second level of Abyss City at the veteran players' urging. But the dragon-slaying squad and the three teams that had joined forces with them did the opposite.
A couple in their team, both using Aztec templates, flew high into the air to scout.
They took some time to pick out the safe zones in the third-level area where they could shelter from the dragonfire, then marked them on their shared electronic map. After that, the couple—one a fae and the other a demon—plotted the most efficient "frog-leap" route across the map. Finally, they divided the team into two groups based on its members.
They spent over ten minutes preparing. The veteran players were busy hacking away at the elite insects and the ground-bound swarm lord in the central nest, with no time to pay attention to the outskirts. That meant the "real flying dragon" buzzing around overhead was a stage boss they could challenge.
"All right, here's the plan. Listen up, everyone!"
The fae wore an expensive exoskeleton, and he'd removed and set aside anything that might hinder his movements. The only thing he carried was a fusion rifle "sponsored" by the veteran players earlier. He addressed the dozen or so people eagerly waiting in front of him:
"We'll split into Groups A and B and follow the