《VRMMO: Basic Attack》 1 Prologue The year 2150. The future. The world has changed. Throughout the decades, Earth flourished. The wars that were present all over the world ceased. The superpowers shook hands and set aside their racial and ethnical discrimination, and welcomed foreign cultural movements. The poorer and lacking countries were given aid as opportunities upon opportunities to advance presented themselves. Be it in the field of medicine, agriculture, education, resources and energy, communication, technology, and etc, all the industries progressed with extraordinary speed. Currently, the leading industries were technology and medicine. The global technological advancement successfully allowed continuous interstellar voyages. Mars has been terraformed, turning the massive and desolate red planet into a habitable place for humans. This, in turn, solved the troubling problem of overpopulation and the disappearing natural resources throughout Earth. And it didn''t just end there! Humanity''s technology continuously broke through its bottlenecks and moved forward through the years, allowing the terraforming of planets that were beyond the solar system, possible. But out of all the fields within technology, the field of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and communications developed the most. With the help of advanced quantum computers and AI''s, space travel became much easier due to their unrivaled calculations and trial tests. Artificial Intelligence solved countless problems that have blocked the way for human technological and scientific advancements. Paired with the rapidly developing Virtual Realities where innumerable trials and experiments were held, the path to technological elevation was finally paved! And it didn''t just end there¡ª Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Intelligence exchange and information delivery across tens of thousands of astronomical units were made possible. Communication and contact that distanced as far as a lightyear was even miraculously realized! Such impossible achievements were finally accomplished after more than a century! The swift development of humanity''s technology and machinery was unstoppable! As for the field of medicine and health, the achievements here weren''t the least bit inferior! With the founding of the Global Health Care and Pharmaceuticals in the year 2050, which nearly every country in the world allied to create and contributed in, miraculous antibodies to counter countless diseases and terminal illnesses were produced! The illnesses that terrified the world before such as cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer''s disease, heart disease, liver disease, and etc, cures and medication for all of them were finally realized! This achievement made the world rejoice as those who were suffering under said illnesses couldn''t help but be moved in tears of joy. And what was even more amazing were the Life Serums that were produced and delivered worldwide. The heaven-defying drug was capable of increasing a human''s lifespan! Such effects drove the world''s richest tycoons and the higher-ups of both the government and politics alike, mad! The Life Serum was capable of increasing the lifespan by a minimum of 50 years! The even better yet rarer ones could even increase up to 100+ years! How astonishing! Of course, for the masses and the common people of the world, there were inferior drugs that were created with lesser yet still amazing effects. After all, the best of those drugs and serums were created with painstaking efforts and numerous resources; naturally, they were limited in number. As the average lifespan of humans reached 130 to 150 years, the people''s health naturally improved. Their bodies became immune to common diseases and their vitality was greatly heightened. This is where Martial Arts come in. As the people gradually improved their physique with the help of both medicine and technology, the advantages brought by Martial Arts improved their bodies to an even better degree, making it stronger and healthier. Be it ancient eastern Martial Arts that dated back hundreds of years to thousands of years ago or the western ones that surfaced a few centuries ago, nearly 90% of the population practiced and versed themselves with Martial Arts. And now, our story will begin within the world''s first man-made created country. The home of the rich and powerful, this country boasts of the world''s most advanced technology, the best medical facilities available, and is the country of martial arts. Nowhere else would you find another place where experts and geniuses of all fields were scattered along the streets like ants. Enjoying the most successful of economic development for years now, this country is called Alpha. 2 Prologue 2 New Era City, Capital of Alpha. Amazingly designed skyscrapers towered up to the sky with the sunlight reflecting from their glass windows. Abundant commerce filled the streets of the city alongside numerous restaurants, ranging from small-scale ones to high-class first-rate restaurants. One could see innumerable people coming and going from the streets, they were like ants that filled the places with their numbers. There was a plethora of carefully designed modern to classical houses and apartment complexes, alongside luxurious mansions and a great number of four and five-star hotels that were built on different levels of lands, competing against each other. The abundant and lush trees, the bountiful grasses, the beautiful and unique types of flowers; all the greenery and nature alongside the buildings added a hint of natural beauty to the modern yet classical New Era City. Inside a rustic, clearly worn-down dojo, punching bags hung from the wooden ceiling alongside numerous wooden training dummies that filled the place. At this moment, at the dojo''s backyard, an old hammock tied between two trees could be seen swinging, with a figure on top who seemed to be sleeping. "Ah, finally, there''s none of that nagging voice around." the figure suddenly said. As a refreshing breeze blew by, this place resembled a quiet picturesque scene that was taken from a classic movie. As the hammock continued swinging, the figure''s appearance could be seen. He had jet-black hair that flowed along with the breeze and incredibly smooth skin that one would mistake for a woman''s. He had sharp features with a perfectly sculpted nose and lips; he seemed to be around 19 years old. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Even with his eyes closed, one would find it hard to find a person with a face comparable to this young man''s. At that moment, the young man''s tranquil expression suddenly disappeared as he abruptly opened his eyes. He propped himself up and stared at the blue sky which he found quite dull at this moment. As his true amber eyes, that could be said to be golden in color, stared at the firmament, a downcast sigh inevitably escaped his lips. "Old master... where have you gone?" Jaden whispered. He couldn''t help but remember those times that he both wished to and not to forget at the same time. As he held the hammock still, he leaned forward and extended his arm to the ground, grabbing a black, futuristic-looking helmet. ... "Brat, come over here." said a slender old man with a long white beard. This old man had his back straight akin to a sword and his cheeks had a tint of red, clearly suggesting his energy and vitality despite his age. His eyebrows were white and his short hair gray. The old man beckoned at the familiar figure that was doing a punching routine in front of a punching bag. "What is it this time, old master?" asked Jaden as he delivered a casual punch to the punching bag. Thud! As Jaden turned around, a hole that was clearly ripped open presented itself on the other side of the punching bag all of a sudden. The grains of sand flowing out from it could be seen. Staring at the black helmet that the old man carried, a queer expression took hold of Jaden''s face unconsciously before he shouted. "What the! Master! Where did you stea¡ª" Wham! Jaden didn''t even finish his words before a resounding slap reverberated in the surrounding. "Oh?" Surprised, the old man looked at the arm that blocked his palm before taking his hand back. His face turned a bit red, clearly embarrassed as he grinned. "Brat, just ''cos you''ve gotten a teeny tiny bit better, you plan to rebel huh?" Jaden simply smirked in response before shifting his eyes onto the black helmet. "Ehem." Pretending that nothing just happened, the old man slightly coughed before extending his left hand, which held the black helmet, towards Jaden. "A game will come out very soon. It''s going to be unprecedented and will surpass all of its predecessors and peers," he said with a grin. "This is a gaming helmet specially dedicated to that game, and it''s yours now! As for the gaming capsule, it''s in your room." Stroking his beard, the old man had a satisfied smile on his face, clearly expecting an awed response. "How is it, impressive no?" ... Jaden couldn''t help but laugh when he remembered his reaction back then. Stroking the black helmet, he sighed and thought. ''It''s been almost a year since he disappeared... is he really not coming back?'' The helmet had no cords, and other than the letters [D-01] on its surface, a button, and a speaker, there was nothing else. Taking out his touchscreen phone from his pocket, Jaden unlocked it as he looked at the time. "It''s noon," he said as he stared at the [12:00] clock on the screen. "It should be time." Stepping out of the hammock, he started walking back inside the house and towards his room. The room was pretty small but it was clean and tidy. There was barely any design or pieces of furniture other than the essential ones like the bed, chairs, and etc. However, the one thing that did stand out amongst all others was the obsidian-colored gaming capsule right beside his bed. Jaden walked towards it and stroked its sleek surface. The external was simple. There wasn''t anything else except a small chamber for nutritional liquids and food that entered a tube that would keep the person healthy without feeling hungry while inside. Other than that, there was also a small screen with a shape that outlined a palm displayed on it. Extending his hand, Jaden put his palm on the screen. A second later¡ª Ding! Whoosh¡ª The screen suddenly brightened as the surface of the gaming capsule started to slowly separate, revealing a small room that seemed to exactly fit Jaden''s body. Jaden took a deep breath before putting on the helmet and laying inside. Whoosh! A second later, the parted surface started closing. ''It''s dark...'' Jaden thought as a visor suddenly dropped down from above and covered his eyes. Right then, two rays of light beamed out from the visor as it shot at Jaden''s eyes. And then¡ª [Ding!] [Optical Analysis complete!] [Identity confirmed!] [Would you like to launch the game Everlasting?] "Yes." Although a bit surprised at the presence of the systematic voice, Jaden subconsciously agreed. [Launching Everlasting now, please wait a moment.] At that moment, gas similar to dry ice suddenly sprayed all over his face, forcing him to close his eyes. And then¡ª [Ding! Loading Complete] [Welcome to the Everlasting Continent!] 3 Introduction [Welcome to the Everlasting World!] As the monochrome voice echoed in Jaden''s ears, he suddenly felt muddleheaded as a faint headache rushed in his head. And then¡ª Opening his eyes, what welcomed Jaden''s vision wasn''t the previously black space, but instead the blue sky that seemed to limitlessly extend. ''Whoa!'' Taken aback at the sudden change of environment, Jaden suddenly saw his point of view diving downwards as if a shifting of a camera view. At that moment, the systematic voice returned once again, seemingly narrating the game''s background lore. [Divine, celestial, transcendent; such are words that could describe the sanctified lands where countless races reside in. Purity encompassed the seemingly endless firmament and sacred light shone upon the blessed lands where darkness dare not touch. The boundless ocean which was impossibly deep as an abyss contained all mysteries of nature and extended beyond the boundaries of the horizon.] [Such a wonderful place can be called a paradise.] Right then, the view once more suddenly changed as Jaden overlooked numerous cities and kingdoms from above, as if he was a god up on the heavens, overseeing the mortal world. The cities had countless human populations, some even hailing from different races such as the savage orcs, the noble elves, the steadfast dwarves, and so on. Tall, thick, and seemingly indestructible walls covered the kingdoms and acted as both a protection and a display of might to the outside world. Temples of worship dedicated to specific gods seemed to be everpresent throughout all kingdoms and cities as Jaden ''flew past'' them. Grand and luxurious palaces made out of all kinds of rocks and ores presented itself, displaying both an imposing and dignified aura, befitting that of the home of rulers and kings. ''Amazing...'' It was a sight to behold. Jaden didn''t even need the presence or guidance of that systematic voice to enjoy the views that were displayed for him; it was as if he was flying as he saw all kinds of miraculous things; he had already immersed himself in this magical world without even noticing it. Just then, the systematic voice returned and the scenes before his eyes changed. [Just like this, tens of thousands of years passed and the world lived in harmony and peace.] [Then, everything changed when the Great Demons attacked!] (Author: :D) At that moment, the peaceful sky changed and the stable continent suddenly darkened as the clouds above turned gloomily dark, hovering over every inch of land. The winds churned and roars of thunder reverberated across the world; bolts of lightning flashed as they domineeringly descended from the sky, creating destruction and havoc everywhere. It was as if the gods above were smiting the mortal world as they purged the lands; the apocalypse has come! As the kingdoms descended into utter chaos, 72 crimson red portals suddenly appeared in different places; they were the gateway to and from hell! Dug! Dug! Dug! The earth trembled so hard that one could even hear the sound of it from thousands of miles away. Millions upon millions of terrifying demons strode forward from their infernal world and unto the surface. Be it the land, the sea, or the sky, the demons were present! Although the presence of demons had been gone from the world for tens of thousands of years, the humans and those from other races still knew what their purpose is for leaving their scorching and devilish realm. [Conquest! War! Slaughter!] [All kinds of horrendous things happened yet the innocent ones remained too weak to resist.] Painful howls resounded all over the world as countless beings cried for help. The races who worshipped gods prayed for their respective deities, asking for a miracle, asking to be saved from this worldwide turmoil. Calamity. Annihilation. Genocide. Countless innocent lives were taken by those despotic demons; they tyrannically plundered cities, violating and devouring every human they came across. All the kingdoms in their wake were either destroyed, burned throughout, or was razed to the ground. But they all had one thing in common. All the living beings within were annihilated. For these demons, after innumerable years in Hell, the time to hunt finally presented itself. And the humans and other races were their prey! Even the elderly and children weren''t spared as they could only cry in pain and wallow in despair before ending up either inside the stomach of those damned demons or dead through suicide. The latter people unwillingly took their own lives rather than become food for those sick predators. Seeing all those humans getting killed or devoured with his own very eyes, although Jaden knew that they were not real human beings, he still felt a wave of raging anger in his heart. Anger towards those cruel demons. As he continued watching, he couldn''t help but grit his teeth and clench his fists. [Just as all hope seems to be lost, the humans, along with all kinds of races, banded together and formed an Alliance to resist the enemy''s invasion.] As one final stand, the humans and the other races retaliated! Guardians, Knights, Swordsmen, Assassins, Magicians, Priests, Paladins; All kinds of experts from a diverse range of races and professions emerged. From previously unknown vagabonds to famous figures, one after another, the Alliance fought back and warred against the seemingly unstoppable demons. While the devilish army from hell was indeed monstrously powerful, the alliance''s higher-ups believed that they weren''t the least bit inferior to those mindless, savage demons. The factions of these races formed an alliance as they did their utmost to push the army of demons out from their territory. [A light of hope appeared amidst the endless dark clouds that loomed over the entire world.] [Mass slaughter and extermination took hold.] [Countless demons were slain as countless humans and those of other races died.] [The fear of the ''preys'' finally turned into anger.] After countless death and battles, the demon army''s relentless attacks finally halted. The Alliance repelled the invaders! [Or did it?] At that moment¡ª Just as that flicker of light that was the world''s hope finally started to blaze into an undying fiery flame, an unstoppable monster revealed itself. ''What a powerful aura. I can already feel his insane strength just by looking at him...'' Looking at that monstrously colossal figure that had four arms and four eyes, Jaden''s face turned serious. [Great Demons. The pinnacle of demons and the enemy of all good things.] A thunderous voice roared across the world. "Puny desperate ants! I, the 67th Ruler of Hell, Degoras, has arrived. Succumb before my power and I shall consider letting you all live as my servants!" [Degoras, the 67th of the 72 Great Demons.] As the loud, snarling voice reverberated everywhere in the world, the weaker ones couldn''t help but bleed from their seven orifices just from the sound alone; while those stronger experts turned pale from the powerful aura that spread across the distance of tens of thousands of miles. [The diverse races'' Alliance dreaded this newly arrived monster. Based on his voice alone, which was carried by the wind and vibration, even a common man could discern the terrifying strength that was present, let alone the world''s experts.] ''The 67th Ruler? Of the 72, he''s number 67. Are they ranked based on their strength? Doesn''t that mean there are 66 more demons that are stronger than him?'' Jaden thought as he overlooked Degoras who had terrifying flames spewing out from his nostrils as he breathed. ''What the heck, I don''t think the players could even fight these monsters even if they were given a few years to grind!'' he surmised. ''...well, I guess that''s more enemies for me to surpass and defeat?'' he said grinning. While the rest of the player base might indeed have a hard time, he believed that he was an exception. ''It''s just a matter of time.'' Jaden''s heart started to beat rapidly as he glared at the 10-meter tall demon. His heart was burning. To a battle maniac like him, those monsters only served as a temporary goal. He would eventually surpass and destroy them with his own hands. [The Great Demon Degoras destroyed cities and killed countless humans with but a wave of a hand, drowning those places he''s encountered in scorching flames that literally came from hell itself.] [Despair once more brewed and loomed over Everlasting with the appearance of this monster from hell.] With the continuous actions of this harbinger of death, the frightening idea of a global genocide took over the people''s minds. Who can stop him? Who can stop them? Just one Great Demon trod upon the world unstoppable, then what if the rest of those Rulers of Hell also came out? [At that moment, just when all hope was once again lost, what would go down in history and be called as God''s Advent, finally came.] Rumble... Crackles of lightning reverberated throughout the firmament as bolts of lightning ferociously descended, smiting the demon army into smithereens. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! At that moment, a strange phenomenon took place all over the world. The color of the skies changed as the events that were happening throughout Everlasting depicted itself, it was akin to a hologram projection, only this one was magnified to a ridiculous degree. At that moment, regardless of their race, be it humans, orcs, elves, dwarves, fairies, and even those intelligent monsters, they all rejoiced at the scene of the demon army''s destruction. [A war is inevitable.] Roarr!!!! The Great Demon Degoras roared towards the sky when it saw its minions being killed like ants. "Mere tricks! Descend if you all dare!" His voice reverberated everywhere as he fearlessly stared at the arcs of lightning looming over the clouds. At that moment, a burst of thunderous laughter suddenly reverberated from the heavens. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" [Destruction and Annihilation are always present in the wake of the War God.] A figure then materialized up in the air, right above Degoras, staring at him with great interest. It was as if he was looking at a harmless ant that he could crush with ease anytime. When the humans of the world saw this figure appear, cheers rang out within every kingdom, city, and village. They knew what the arrival of this figure meant! His statues were erected all over the world! The previously extinguished fire that blazed within everyone was once again ignited, their previous anguish and desperation turning into hope and faith. Although this godly figure didn''t carry out many miracles for Everlasting''s inhabitants, they still knew of him since he was the second most famous God right after the Goddess of Light and Wisdom, Elena. Standing in the air, this figure wore a crimson armor so red that it was as if it was painted with the fresh blood of his enemies. His glowing eyes shone with an intense red light as his entirety overflowed with power. The space surrounding him was as if it was melting from his presence alone! [This is the power of a God.] The system said, resounding in Jaden''s ears. "Grrrr! LAKAS!" Degoras snarled as his expression darkened. The previous arrogance that was present in his voice disappeared entirely as his heart, if he even had one, started trembling. [The overbearing power of the War God overwhelmed the Great Demon.] ''Amazing.'' Jaden thought as he stared at Lakas'' burly figure. Although the War God was only three meters tall, completely dwarfed by the size of the Great Demon, it was the demon that seemed small instead. Just the aura alone exuding from the War God had dominated Degoras'' spirit. He saw it. Fear. It was present within the demon''s eyes. Jaden smiled as he looked at those familiar eyes. ''Soon, those eyes will be present when the rest of those so-called Great Demons faces me.'' Lakas looked at the Great Demon and grinned. "Arrogant. Domineering. Overbearing. You''re different from the rest of those sly demons. You walked out alone from your scorching ruined world without help from the others. You''re pretty stupid. I like it." Right after saying those words, Lakas lifted his foot in the air and stomped downwards. Crimson red energy exuded from him and materialized into a translucent gigantic foot, slamming down towards the Great Demon. The Great Demon didn''t even have time to think before feeling suffocated by the mighty power. Degoras'' face turned even more ugly than it already was as he roared defiantly, using all the strength and demonic power within his body to resist. However, it was all for naught as the dark, crimson flames inside of him were extinguished upon contact with the red energy. BOOM! The gigantic foot tyrannically stomped Degoras down the ground with his face first. The earth trembled intensely as a large piece of land around the demon sunk and turned into a crater. ''Hehe.'' Jaden couldn''t help but giggle at the scene. That proud and arrogant demon was decimated down the ground, crushed like an ant. At that moment, golden rays of light suddenly beamed down from the sky, parting the gloomy clouds. Jaden shifted his eyes at the source of it and heard the system''s narration once again. [With the rays of sunlight serving like a backdrop of a scene, the Angel of Judgement descended.] Clad in golden armor that glittered as if stars from the cosmos were present inside it, this figure flew from the heavens and towards the War God. [Her beauty transcended one''s imagination.] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Standing in the air alongside Lakas, this female figure had an appearance that transcended humanity. She was so breathtaking that while she wore an armor meant for battle and war, it didn''t tarnish her otherworldly beauty one bit, elevating it instead. [She is the Light of Eden.] The blinding light radiating from behind her was so resplendent that it illuminated the whole world, bringing forth warmth and hope to the fatally wounded and mentally exhausted inhabitants of Everlasting. Her appearance was similar to what humans of Earth would think a Greek Goddess looked like, except, this one had a heroic bearing and had features that were only told in holy books and myths and legends. Jaden marveled as he saw the most beautiful face that he had seen in his entire life. His eyes then shifted towards the flawlessly white wings on her back and onto the luminous halo that was inches above her head. [And at the same time, the Flames of Judgement.] As her golden hair fluttered along with the wind, a golden fiery sword suddenly appeared in her hand. Different from the previous, terrifying flames of Great Demon Degoras that literally came from hell, the golden flames that blazed all over this angel''s sword radiated a sense of holiness and purity, yet equally terrifying in power. At that moment, a name was cried out repeatedly across the world. "Archangel Uriel!" Even War God Lakas couldn''t help but admire her beauty and valor. He then smiled as he pushed his foot down the ground; one could hear the ground cracking, or was that the poor, yet totally deserved it, Great Demon Degoras'' body? Lakas greeted with the most charming smile he could show. However, it was a pity that although it could be said that he was the strongest God in the Infinite Realm, his appearance was quite average... barbaric even. "It''s great that you could come here despite Eden''s war against the Fallen Ones, Lady Uriel." Archangel Uriel glanced at the smashed Degoras with a pair of ice, cold eyes before sweeping her gaze towards all directions. It was as if her gaze could pierce through time and space as she looked at certain figures beyond this realm, sitting on their thrones and staring back at her. Most of them were vigilant and frightened but there were some that were indifferent and cheerful, like that huge titan that was giving her a sly smile. That titanic demon was so huge it dwarfed even Degoras, the size difference was immense! "Baal." She gritted her teeth before shifting her focus on the War God. Meanwhile, all this time, Jaden somehow saw exactly who those ''figures'' that Uriel was looking at, even though it all took but a second. ''Those were probably the Great Demons...'' he muttered in his heart. "I greet the God of War. Thanks to your presence, those at the upper 72 seats won''t dare make a move. It seems that I am not needed here." Uriel said, her voice sounding extremely soothing to hear. Thud! Crack! Lakas smiled widely as he unconsciously stomped the ground once more. He then said with a heroic air, his face serious. "Lady Uriel, your presence is welcome everywhere. Why don''t we first take care of this bunch and¡ª" He couldn''t even finish his words before he heard a tapping sound which he very so recognized. The War God immediately shifted his eyes beyond Everlasting and down to the ruined world that was Hell. At that moment, at the deepest realm of the 72 Infernos of Hell, he saw that familiar colossal titan sitting on a massive throne tap its armrest. A nanosecond later, The War God looked up above the sky and saw a black bolt of lightning flashing towards him. He then grinned viciously. "Bastards, what made you all so brave?" As his words finished, Uriel also saw the black lightning descending. Lakas welcomed it and struck out a punch. BOOM! The explosion upon the collision of two different powers was like a trigger, a horn indicating the start of a war. Right then, terrifying demonic auras suddenly descended unto the world, spreading throughout all lands. One by one, terrifying figures exited from the 72 portals that had previously appeared. It wasn''t just the War God and the Archangel who saw this. All of Everlasting''s inhabitants, who were looking up at the firmament which somehow displayed all that was happening, saw it as well. Their hearts sunk. While the War God had unrivaled prowess and was present to aid them, alongside the Archangel Uriel, no matter how strong and powerful they were, countless lives will still be lost. It was the attack of all 72 Great Demons! Their powers were undeniably beyond that of mortals! The strongest of them was as strong, and some even stronger, than most gods! [The Great Demons'' assault finally started.] When Uriel saw this scene, she closed her eyes for a moment before pointing her index finger, which started glowing, towards the sky, towards her home and birthplace, Eden. As the ray of light carrying her message beamed towards the realm of Angels, a war clearly disadvantageous for the races of Everlasting begun. Jaden felt sorrow as one scene after another flashed past his eyes. Scenes of humans being slaughtered in millions like livestock. The armies that previously resisted the demons were burnt to ashes and dust in but mere moments. Cities were decimated and razed to the ground. Kingdoms went into upheaval before eventually being destroyed. Scenes of all kinds of races being devoured, assaulted, or enslaved appeared before his eyes. Jaden clenched his fists and for the first time, killing intent radiated from him. His eyes turned cold while his heart burning with flames. He had never been so furious his entire life. His face was so livid and his head incensed that he had forgotten that those ''beings'' weren''t actually real. The scenes then changed once more. Gods from the Infinite Realm descended, battling the Great Demons. While the ones ranked 33rd and below had strength below that of Gods, those that ranked from that threshold, up to the 1st seat, had powers comparable to the Gods. Some were even stronger! Wars and battles were where Lakas, the War God shone. Clearly enraged at the invasion of hell''s forces, he had slaughtered nearly half of the Great Demons, all of them high-ranked ones. Even those that ranked at the forefront of the 72 such as Beleth, Vinorik, Asmodeus, and Ekizon, which were all ranked 4th, 6th, 9th, and 21st respectively, were defeated and grievously wounded, forcing them to return to their Infernal Realms to recuperate. He was so unstoppable that only Baal, the 1st seat of the 72 Great Demons, could match him! And this is while fighting continuously without rest! Alongside Archangel Uriel, they displayed unparalleled combat prowess befitting that of peak figures of their respective factions. [The war continued for days, weeks, months, and even years.] [And it didn''t end there. The Wars of Gods and Demons didn''t die down one bit, but heightening instead.] [Decades passed and centuries went by in a blink of an eye.] [Famine and Drought swept the world, reducing its inhabitants.] [The Alliance was destroyed and the different races turned against one another.] [Everlasting also became the battlefield for the armies of Eden and the Fallen Ones.] [The scope of the war had gotten so out of hand that 90% of the world''s civilization had been exterminated and destroyed.] [Even Gods and Archangels fell, their blood dying the earth crimson and their potent powers within absorbed.] [Milleniums upon millenniums passed before the wars eventually stopped.] [The Gods returned to the Infinite Realm and the Great Demons descended back to Hell. The Angels returned to Eden while the Fallen Ones flew back to the Netherworld.] [The remaining races that survived became the inhabitants of the world.] [However, while only a few did survive, they were the strongest, the fiercest, and most tenacious of all.] [Would this be a good omen for humanity?] [As the population dwindled due to the warring of the remaining species and races, the landscape of the world took a drastic change.] [The once boundlessly large land of Everlasting separated into two: The West and East Continent.] [Compared to other races with inherent advantages, humans hung at the bottom of the food chain due to their weaker physiques and limited innate talent. ] [However, through their extraordinary reproductive abilities, humanity tenaciously survived the chaotic battlefield that was the world. They were like fragile wildflowers that refused to be blown away by the wind.] [After suffering under the hands and claws of the demons, monsters, and the other races, the time for humanity to flourish eventually came.] [Other than humanity''s extraordinary ability to produce offsprings, another one of their abilities shone greatly, becoming one of the most important factors for their survival.] [It was their ability to adapt.] [The legacies of Gods, Angels, and Demons that were buried after the world-ending battle were unearthed and inherited by the humans!] [The path to gaining strength finally presented itself! Through the inheritances, humanity finally obtained its chance.] [Enlightenment! Insights! Imagination! For humans, the sky was the limit!] [The Golden Era of Humanity finally ushered.] 4 Character Creation [The Golden Era of Humanity finally ushered.] the system said as it repeatedly rang in Jaden''s ears. Whoosh! Immediately, the new world that he watched like he was experiencing it himself, disappeared. The surrounding colors started vanishing one by one until finally, only a white blank space remained. Jaden started looking around right after his body seemingly materialized out of thin air. ''I guess that was the end of the game''s trailer?'' he thought. Step, step, step. The strange white space was deathly quiet, Jaden could hear his footsteps despite being barefoot. ''The floor''s really smooth...'' At that moment, the system''s voice, which he had been used to hearing by now, spoke once again. [The server of Everlasting World will officially launch in one hour.] [The server is currently offline, however, character creation is open.] [Would you like to create your character now?] Jaden didn''t even hesitate for one second before answering. "Yes." [Please pick the desired name for your character.] ''Name huh...'' Holding his chin, Jaden pondered deeply on what his in-game name should be. After all, this was a very important matter. However, it didn''t take him a long time to make a decision. A few moments later¡ª "Sky," Jaden said slowly. [The name of your character has been changed to Sky.] [Please remember that changing your name in-game is impossible unless you delete your account and restart from the bottom.] [Do you confirm the name Sky?] Jaden smiled. "Yes." ''It is a good name.'' [The name Sky has been confirmed.] At that moment, a translucent blue window suddenly appeared in front of Jaden, startling him. [Please inspect your character window.] ____________________ Name: Sky Level: 0 Class: None Health: 15/15 Mana: 5/5 ? Strength: 1 ? Vitality: 1 ? Agility: 1 ? Intelligence: 1 ? Dexterity: 1 ? Fortitude: 1 Stat points: 10 ____________________ [You have been given 10 extra stat points which you can allocate to your desired attribute once in-game.] ''It seems that to make it fair, everyone will start with the same amount of stats.'' Jaden surmised. Just as he was thinking about that topic, out of nowhere, a bright light suddenly appeared before him. A second later, this light suddenly started forming a silhouette, outlining a human figure. It seemed to have the same exact proportions as Jaden''s. Eventually, the figure that was made of up of clusters of light started dimming, its blinding radiance decreasing. A face appeared. It looked exactly like Jaden, like a doppelganger. ''It''s like looking in a mirror.'' Jaden thought as he moved his head sideways, which was copied by the clone. The clone mirrored even his actions. Jaden raised his hand forward, wondering if he could touch this insanely handsome figure. However, it was futile as both hands passed through each other. A hologram? Avatar? Just then¡ª [Would you like to alter your appearance?] [Your features can only be adjusted 80% from the original appearance.] "No thanks," he immediately answered. ''Why would I want to change this face...'' he thought while tilting his head and stroking his chin. His actions were copied by the clone, which started caressing its own face. As he was admiring his looks that probably ranked within 0.00001% of all of humanity, one by one, weapons started out of thin air. Longswords, greatswords, heavy swords, daggers, spears, wooden staffs, hammers, bow and arrows, axes, all kinds of weapons appeared. Although their appearance were crude and blunt, as if made by a novice blacksmith, their sheer number alone was a sight to behold. There were hundreds of them! [Please pick your starting weapon.] Even though Jaden could see numerous weapons floating in mid-air, he didn''t hesitate walking towards a common-looking longsword. He stretched his hand and grabbed it by the hilt. Stroking the metallic surface of the blade, just like every time he touched a sword, Jaden felt that sense of familiarity. "I choose this." Jaden smiled. [Ding! Weapon selection is now complete.] As the system''s words finished, the clone that was standing still suddenly stretched its hand as a sword, completely identical to the one that Jade held, appeared. [There are six starting attributes, which are: Strength, Vitality, Agility, Intelligence, Dexterity, and Fortitude.] [Strength correlates to your attack power and ability to carry weight.] [Vitality to your health, regeneration, and defense.] [Agility to your attack speed, movement speed, and body control.] [Intelligence to your magic power, maximum mana, and mana regeneration.] [Dexterity to your hand-eye coordination, reflex, and accuracy.] [Fortitude to your resistance to abnormal effects and debuffs. Stat points can''t be distributed to this stat.] [These are the vague explanation of each of these attributes. Experiencing them for yourself will be a better explanation than mere words.] [Hidden stats could also be unlocked in-game by clearing quests and accomplishing achievements, however, stat points cannot be distributed to them.] [There will be no starting classes, you will have to complete certain quests to unlock and obtain a class.] [There are several ratings for the different classes.] [Normal-rated classes are common and the lowest rating among all classes.] [In Everlasting, there are hidden quests that yield hidden classes that are rated Rare, Epic, and the very limited Legendary.] [These classes have unique aspects and features that give the user an advantage over other classes.] [There are also Growth-type classes. Through completing quests or gaining achievements, they can increase their rating when certain conditions are met. Reaching Legendary is even possible!] ''What a unique game this is...'' Jaden thought in his heart as he admired whoever created the Everlasting World. ... At this moment, Alpha, New Era City, at the main headquarters of Destiny Group, the company that produced the Everlasting World¡ª "ACHOO!" An old man sneezed as he was looking at the incredibly large screen in front of him. ''Hehe, I wonder who''s cursing me behind my back?'' he wondered while stroking his long white beard. "Chairman Young, are you by any chance sick?" A blond young man wearing a suit walked up and asked. The old man shook his head in response and laughed heartily. He smiled while stroking his beard. "Probably just some old friends talking about me. Anyhow, is everything ready?" "Yes." the blond young man nodded. "Prime is functioning perfectly. We''re now just waiting until the official launch." "How much time is left?" "30 minutes till launch, sir." ''Only 30 minutes are remaining until the game starts, little brat.'' thought Chairman Young as he looked at the figure on the large screen. The young man who was swinging his sword was actually Jaden! If he knew that his master was watching him right now, what would his reaction be like? How about when he finds out that his master was actually the Chairman of Destiny Group, and is one of the most, if not the most, influential people in the world! Taking a look at the screen, the blond young man asked. "Chairman Young, do you know him?" "Hoho, do I know him?" the old man laughed before displaying his signature grin. "Listen to what I''ll say, Team Leader Bennett." Team Leader Bennett nodded his head with a serious face. The old man pointed his finger at the screen with a grin. "That young man there, just like the name he picked, he will be the sky." ... [Attention! There is only one minute left before the game''s launch.] Hearing the system''s words, Jaden stopped waving and slashing his sword and looked at the large, digital number that appeared in front of him. It was a countdown. [59] [58] [57] [56] [55] [54] [53] [...] [...] [...] [Attention! There are only ten seconds left before the game''s launch.] [10] [9] [8] [7] [6] [5] [4] [3] [2] [1] [Ding!] [The official launch of Everlasting World has now commenced!] [Good luck on your adventures and I wish you the best of experience in Everlasting.] Bzzzzzzz! At that moment, the white blank space that surrounded Jaden suddenly started spinning as if the whole world was being turned upside down. And then, multi-colored rainbows of light descended from above, enveloping him. He could hear a continuous buzzing sound in his ears, as if indicating that something was about to happen. Forced to close his eyes due to the blinding luminosity, Jaden then felt as if he was moving, passing through layers upon layers of some sort. Whoosh! A few seconds later, he suddenly felt the hard ground present under his new, rugged leather shoes. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Different from the smooth floor inside the white blank space, this one felt bumpy, as if there were rocks. Opening his eyes, what greeted Jaden''s vision was a gloomy, barren wasteland. There were so many bones, skulls, and skeletons around that they filled probably 80% of the land. Jaden: "... DAMN IT!" Where is that beautiful blue sky and those tall, awe-inspiring buildings from the trailer?! Where is the bustling city filled with rowdy NPCs?! Where are the flocks of players that should''ve appeared by now?! Why am I the only person in this place?! Where the hell am I?! ... Hahaha~ Meanwhile, the old man that was sitting on his chair and enjoying Jaden''s predicament was laughing his heart out. ... Jaden: "..." *Sigh* "It seems its the evening now. What should I do first..." Jaden muttered as he looked at the orange hue on the sky. Just as he was enjoying looking at the only good thing in the area that was the sunset, he suddenly heard bone-popping sounds coming from afar behind him. Kluk. Kluk-kluk-kluk. Ge-ge-ge. ''A Skeleton monster?'' Jaden thought as he looked at the figure that was walking towards him. The skeleton monster was wearing a crude, coarse armor while its fingers that were already reduced to bones, clutched a longsword. As the undead walked, the sword it held was dragged on the ground, leaving a line of mark on its trail. ''Are those equipments from when it was still alive? How come he''s still wearing it? "Heck, that sword is even better than mine," As Jaden looked at the skeleton monster, a window that was similar to the status window he had previously seen suddenly appeared at the corner of his retina. ____________________ [Skeleton Warrior] Species: Undead Level: 15 Health: 1,140/1,140 ____________________ ?! A Level 15 monster already? How unlucky am I? Tsk. "...hmm,'' Looking at the Skeleton Warrior, Jaden rubbed his chin as he narrowed his eyes. He then proceeded to check the sword in his right hand. ____________________ [Beginner Longsword] Rating: Normal Durability: 10/10 Attack Power: 1~2 ____________________ Jaden: "..." ''Can I even deal some damage with this thing?'' Just as he was cursing the creators and devs of the game in his mind, the Skeleton Warrior suddenly started running towards him. Clank, clank, clank. The metallic sound of the Skeleton Warrior''s armor hitting each other could be heard in the quiet area. Jaden was taken aback. "It''s pretty fast..." He thought that since it''s an undead, it would be slow. After all, that thing was just a set of bones. It seemed that he was wrong. "Well, even if I die, I''m Level 0 anyway." Jaden grinned. Following what that systematic voice had told him when he was creating his character, he thought in his head¡ª ''Status!'' Immediately, his status window appeared. ____________________ Name: Sky Level: 0 Class: None Health: 15/15 Mana: 5/5 ? Strength: 1 ? Vitality: 1 ? Agility: 1 ? Intelligence: 1 ? Dexterity: 1 ? Fortitude: 1 Stat points: 10 ____________________ Looking at the 10 free stat points, Jaden grinned before adding all of them into the Strength stat. 5 Abaddon ____________________ Name: Sky Level: 0 Class: None Health: 15/15 Mana: 5/5 ? Strength: 11 ? Vitality: 1 ? Agility: 1 ? Intelligence: 1 ? Dexterity: 1 ? Fortitude: 1 Stat points: 0 ____________________ Just as Jaden finished putting all 10 stat points into Strength, the Skeleton Warrior had already reached him and swung its sword from above. "Let''s go," Jaden smiled as he stepped to the right, just barely dodging the sword by a hair''s breadth. Thud! "Guluk-bulk!" the Skeleton Warrior''s maw chattered up and down, seemingly annoyed for missing its target. Ignoring the incoherent babbling, Jaden leaned on one foot before swiftly spinning around the skeleton''s back. Hup! He clenched the hilt of his sword and slashed the skeleton''s shoulder which held its weapon. Clang! The sword struck its target''s armor. [You have dealt 9 damage to the target.] "...what?" Jaden was stupified when he saw the red-colored single-digit number that appeared above the skeleton''s skull. He cringed at the damage he dealt which didn''t even take 1% of the Skeleton Warrior''s total health. Ke-ke-ke-ke-kek! The Skeleton Warrior seemed to laugh as its maw jumped up and down, its eyes curving into a shape of a crescent moon. Being looked down upon by a monster that most likely hung at the bottom of the world''s food chain, Jaden''s face reddened. ''Damn, are all monsters like this? Can others also react exactly how a real human would?'' Just as he was thinking this, a skeletal fist suddenly came towards him. Jaden evaded it with ease by ducking. He then sliced his sword adjacent to the location which he previously attacked. [You have dealt 9 damage to the target.] Following that, he twisted his foot and circled around the skeleton, striking its shoulder once more. [You have dealt 8 damage to the target.] [You have unlocked the passive skill: Sword Mastery.] [You have learned Beginner Sword Mastery Level 1.] ''Sword Mastery?'' As Jaden jumped back from the Skeleton Warrior''s attack, he read the description of the very first skill he had received which appeared at the corner of his retina. ____________________ [Sword Mastery (Passive)] Beginner Level 1 (0%) ? When a sword-type weapon is equipped, attack power will increase by 2% and attack speed by 0.5%. ? Can level up. ____________________ ''It''s only Beginner Level 1...'' he thought for a second before an idea popped up in his mind. His eyes then shifted to the Skeleton Warrior that was running towards him. Kurug! As soon as it reached its target, the Skeleton Warrior brandished its sword and slashed down from above. Jaden could hear and feel the wind being sliced as he bent his knees and held his sword horizontally. As soon as the two swords collided, he swiftly sidestepped and slashed the undead on its shoulder. [You have dealt 13 damage to the target.] When the Skeleton Warrior turned to face Jaden, he had already moved to its blind spot and struck the same spot once more. [You have dealt 12 damage to the target.] As he kept circling around the Skeleton Warrior, it couldn''t keep up despite possessing more stats than him. Just like this, a few minutes passed. As Jaden controlled the flow of the battle, the metallic shoulder-piece of the Skeleton Warrior already started cracking, clearly due to being targeted again and again. After constantly moving around and swinging his sword for a while, Jaden started getting used to his body, despite it being as weak as an ant compared to his real one. ''If this battle had been in the real world, I would''ve dismantled this Skeleton Warrior in just a few seconds. '' "Kekuk-luk!" the Skeleton Warrior cried out as it extended its bony left hand, picking up its weapon that had dropped on the ground. One could see its right arm missing as it struggled to move. Fractures could also be seen in its faceless skull. Meanwhile, a foot swept the hilt of the undead''s sword, kicking it a few meters away. Clang. Leaning on his forwarded foot, Jaden pivoted and delivered a reverse roundhouse kick to the vulnerable skull. [You have dealt 10 damage to the target.] But it didn''t end there. Continuing the kick, he used the same leg and clutched the undead''s neck. He then jumped with his other leg, using the previous one as an anchor to wrap around the Skeleton Warrior like an agile snake. He then delivered an elbow strike. [You have dealt 8 damage to the target.] Dropping down the ground, a dropkick followed the elbow as the Skeleton Warrior was forced to step back. [You have dealt 8 damage to the target.] Picking up the sword that he had impaled on the ground previously, Jaden slashed his sword upward and followed it up with a swing from above. [You have dealt 14 damage to the target.] [You have dealt 17 damage to the target.] Jaden then finished off the combo by spinning the sword around his body. Clang! [You have achieved a 6-hit combo! Damage has increased by 60%.] [You have dealt 32 damage to the target.] [Your understanding of the sword has increased.] [Beginner Sword Mastery Level 1 has leveled up to Beginner Sword Mastery Level 2.] [The Beginner Longsword''s durability has dropped by 1 point.] Despite having no eyes, Jaden could feel the Skeleton Warrior ''glaring'' at him with hate. He simply smirked as he glanced at the Skeleton Warrior''s armor, which had long turned crude. Numerous scratches could be seen everywhere on its surface, clearly due to Jaden''s attacks. Jaden then shifted his eyes onto his sword which had already turned dull. -------------------- [Beginner Longsword] Rating: Normal Durability: 3/10 Attack 1~2 *Needs urgent repair, otherwise, the sword will be destroyed.* -------------------- "There''s only three points left in its durability...I hope it can last." Jaden mumbled. He then grinned at the Skeleton Warrior. "You better drop something good." Dashing towards it, Jaden brandished his sword once more. ... ... [The Beginner Longsword''s durability has dropped to 0.] [The Beginner Longsword has been destroyed.] [Alone, you have won against an enemy that should''ve been impossible to defeat given your current strength.] [World Reputation +10.] [All stats +1.] [You have received the skill book: Skeleton Summoning.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have received: Rusted Claymore.] [You have received: Bone Dust x50.] [You have slain an enemy 15 levels above you, experience points received increases by 150%.] [You have received 8,550 EXP.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has ri...] [Your level...] [Your...] [...] "That''s a lot of system announcements," Jaden said as he saw numerous blue windows that kept popping up. "First, the drops." -------------------- [Skill Book: Skeleton Summoning] Rating: Unique [1] Type: Active ? Use to learn the skill Skeleton Summoning. ? Summon a skeleton to fight for you. Class Restriction: None. -------------------- ''What a vague description, this skill seems useless...'' Jaden thought. Summon skeletons to fight? What can those fragile set of bones do when fighting against stronger monsters... "I guess they can become bait?" -------------------- [Bone Dust] ? Skeletal remains that have turned to dust. ? Usage unknown. ---------- [Rusted Claymore] Rating: Normal Durability: 24/24 Attack: 11~19 ? Strength and Agility +1 User Restriction: Level 4 or higher. More than 15 Strength. -------------------- "Not bad for a Level 15 mob." Jaden nodded his head, satisfied. The whole battle only took a bit more than half an hour so it was pretty worth it. Of course, it took that long because of the level gap between him and the Skeleton Warrior. [2] "Let''s learn the skill first." [Do you want to use the skill book to learn Skeleton Summoning?] "Yes." [Ding!] [You have learned Skeleton Summoning.] -------------------- [Skeleton Summoning (Unique)] Lv. 1 (0%) Speak the words "I Summon You From the Realm of the Dead, Skeleton!" to activate the skill. ? You can summon a ''Growth-type Skeleton'' that will gain 5 stat points, which you can allocate, after every level-up. ? The skeleton will start off at Level 1. ? The summoned skeleton''s basic stats are 1 Strength, 1 Vitality, 1 Agility, and 1 Intelligence. ? Equipment can be worn. Skill Duration: Until the summoned skeletons are recalled or destroyed. Skill Usage cost: 50% of current health. Cooldown: None -------------------- "?!" Although Jaden cringed at the summoning chant, he was still stunned. "Isn''t this basically a battle pet? It can level up but its level doesn''t drop if it dies? I can allocate its stats? The skeleton can even wear pieces of equipment? Although the cost of 50% of the current health to summon is pretty ruthless, nonetheless, this skill actually seems pretty good. "What a good start." Jaden giggled. Everlasting World only officially launched less than an hour ago but he felt as if days had already passed. In his mind, although the battle took forever to finish, the struggle was worth it. Cough! "I Summon You from the Realm of the Dead, Skeleton!" with an embarrassed red face, Jaden yelled. A second later¡ª What answered his call was a strange dark vortex, which suddenly appeared beside him. A dark, gloomy aura exuded from the vortex, which dropped the surrounding temperature to a considerable degree. The vortex was so dark it was akin to a black hole! Only, this one had a diameter of 3 or so meters. And then¡ªa skeleton jumped out. Clack, clack, clack!. One could hear its bones shaking and popping as soon as it emerged. Jaden: "..." Contrary to his expectation, the skeleton was pretty small. His own height was 185 cm and the skeleton only reached up to his shoulder. ''Yep, it looks useless alright.'' Its appearance was subpar. Cracks could be seen on the surface of its skull and its whole body was white. It looked so weak that it might shatter in one slash of a sword. Clack, clack! The maw of the skeleton moved up and down as it stared at Jaden as if greeting its master. [Please name your summoned skeleton.] Jaden grimaced. "Can you speak?" Clack? ''...right.'' "Well, too late for regrets now. From now on, your name is Abaddon, do you like it? A powerful name right?" [Your summoned skeleton is now named Abaddon.] [The summoning chant has now changed to: I Summon You from the Realm of the Dead, Abaddon!] Jaden shuddered at the system''s announcement about the summoning chant. ''Well, let''s check your status window first.'' _________________ [Abaddon] Level: 1 Health: 50/50 Mana: 10/10 Strength: 1 Vitality: 1 Agility: 1 Intelligence: 1 Stat points: 10 _________________ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''How weak.'' Jaden shook his head as he looked at the skeleton with pity in his eyes. He then stroked its head which he found quite smooth. Clack? "Don''t worry about being weak. I''ll power level you. In the future, you''ll become the strongest undead!" Clack! Clack clack! Abaddon''s jaws moved up and down, seemingly happy about it''s master''s words. Jaden then shifted his focus onto the 10 free stat points. ''Since you''ll be in the frontline pretty much every time, how I''ll allocate your stats will be extremely important.'' So what should I go with? Full strength? Strength and agility? Strength and vitality? Or would a balanced growth be better? But a jack of all trades is a master of none. 6 1,000 Swings! _________________ [Abaddon] Level: 1 Health: 50/50 Mana: 10/10 Strength: 1 Vitality: 1 Agility: 1 Intelligence: 1 Stat points: 10 _________________ ''Hmm...since our levels are still pretty low, the Strength stat will play the most important role in increasing our attack power and level grinding...'' Jaden thought as he stared at Abaddon who was also looking at him mindlessly. ''But looking at its stats, this guy won''t be able to take even one hit from a Skeleton Warrior unless I increase its Vitality...'' ''I guess balancing its attributes should be the most viable path right now. I''ll then decide how to allocate its future stat points when our level gets higher.'' he decided. A few minutes passed as he thought how to allocate the free stat points. "This should be alright." _________________ [Abaddon] Level: 1 Health: 80/80 Mana: 20/20 Strength: 5 Vitality: 3 Agility: 3 Intelligence: 3 Stat points: 0 _________________ Jaden nodded his head as he looked at the skeleton''s status window. Although Abaddon was still as weak as an ant, the phrase ''A thousand-mile journey begins with a single step'', is a perfect description of its circumstances. However, the pace and momentum of its journey will be different and unique¡ª ''It''s following me after all.'' Jaden grinned. "Since you don''t have a weapon, let''s hunt some monsters first for some equipment," he said. Clack, clack! ''Good. But first¡ª'' ____________________ Name: Sky Level: 5 Class: None Health: 85/85 Mana: 14/14 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ? Strength: 13 ? Vitality: 7 ? Agility: 7 ? Intelligence: 7 ? Dexterity: 7 ? Fortitude: 7 Stat points: 50 ____________________ "It seems that my attributes increase only by a single point after each level up," Jaden muttered. "But that +1 to all stats earlier was a total surprise." Remembering the system message saying that he had achieved the impossible by killing the Level 15 Skeleton Warrior while only being Level 0, he laughed. ''I guess the game''s system rewards players who are able to achieve impossible tasks...'' "This''ll be fun.'' he grinned as he put all his free stat points into Strength. [Do you confirm adding 50 stat points into Strength?] "Yes!" ____________________ Name: Sky Level: 5 Class: None Health: 85/85 Mana: 14/14 ? Strength: 63 ? Vitality: 7 ? Agility: 7 ? Intelligence: 7 ? Dexterity: 7 ? Fortitude: 7 Stat points: 0 ____________________ Just as he finished allocating all his stats, Jaden heard a familiar sound from afar. "Kuluk-Kuk, Kuk!" Perfect! Jaden''s eyes shone as he looked at the armored Skeleton Warrior that was running towards them. A bit different from the previous one he had slain, this Skeleton Warrior''s sword looked better and its armor seemed sturdier. ____________________ [Skeleton Warrior] Race: Undead Level: 17 Health: 1,380/1,380 ____________________ "Abaddon, its time for battle!" CLACK CLACK CLACK! A few seconds later... Thud! [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has been slain.] Jaden: "..." His jaw dropped, Jaden was stunned when he saw Abaddon rush towards the Skeleton Warrior fearlessly, only to be destroyed with a single swing of a sword. It didn''t even hesitate one bit as it ran towards the bigger undead. ''Of course it''s stupid, it''s Intelligence stat is only 3 points after all...'' "You actually dare harm my precious Abaddon?" Jaden sneered as he stared at the rushing Skeleton Warrior. "Jokes on you, he''s immortal!" "I Summon You from the Realm of the Dead, Abaddon!" Jaden shouted, his face a bit red. [50% of your health has been consumed.] Clack Clack Clack! Jumping out of the black vortex, despite having nothing on its eye sockets, Abaddon ''glared'' at the Skeleton Warrior, seemingly enraged for being killed in a blink of an eye. Clack! "Wait!" Jaden cried out immediately, fortunately stopping the fool of a skeleton from courting its death once again. He grimaced. "You! Stay in your place! Watch and learn from your master." Shifting his eyes towards the Skeleton Warrior that was less than a meter from him, Jaden dashed forward. Clang! Parrying the attack, Jaden used the enemy''s strength and bent his knees, spinning his Rusted Claymore around his body. [You have dealt 92 damage to the target.] Without wasting even a millisecond, Jaden used his body''s spinning motion to circle around the undead, delivering a horizontal slash at its back. [You have dealt 98 damage to the target.] Clack clack! Abaddon''s jaws moved up and down as it waved its bony arms, seemingly cheering for its master. ''Damn, this virtual body is still miles away from my real one. Although I''m already moving at the limits of its capability, the agility stat is still way too low to keep up with me.'' "I wonder when I''ll be able to catch up to my real body''s strength or even exceed it," Jaden whispered under his breath. Without letting the slow undead react, Jaden kicked its back and struck with his sword. [You have dealt 22 damage to the target.] [You have dealt 90 damage to the target.] Stomp! He then kicked his foot on the ground and leaped at the skeleton''s side, slashing it in its waist. [You have dealt 92 damage to the target.] "KUCRUK!" The Skeleton Warrior cried out as it desperately swung its sword towards Jaden, only to be evaded with ease. Jaden struck once more the moment he dodged the undead''s sword. [You have dealt 90 damage to the target.] He kicked it again and slashed from above. [You have dealt 25 damage to the target.] [You have 98 damage to the target.] Right then, Jaden shouted towards Abaddon. "Come join the battle!" Clack clack! Abaddon''s jaws moved as it started running towards the Skeleton Warrior, which was as twice as big as it. Jaden warned. "I have its aggro, be sure to dodge its occasional attack¡ª" Clack! [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has been slain.] "..." "It''s too dumb. Should I increase its Intelligence first? Jaden didn''t know whether to laugh or cry when he saw Abaddon punch the Skeleton Warrior before being killed once again. "Damn, how can it learn how to fight if it''s so dumb then..." Jaden muttered while dodging an attack and slashing forward. [You have dealt 95 damage to the target.] "Wait!" At that moment, an idea popped into his head. ''How can it learn? By teaching and training of course!'' he thought while weaving left and right, evading the Skeleton Warrior''s sword repeatedly by a hair''s breadth. ''Since its a growth-type skeleton, it should possess comprehension, even if only a hint of it. Other than its stats increasing, it should be able to evolve in other areas too. '' Such as combat and martial arts! "Good. Let''s try it out later." Jaden''s eyes gleamed as a smirk crept up his lips. "But first, our little Abaddon will need a weapon," he said as he stared at the Skeleton Warrior whose sword was broken and its armor chipped and cracked. [You have dealt 99 damage to the target.] [You have dealt 97 damage to the target.] [You have dealt 99 damage to the target.] [You have dealt 95 damage to the...] [You have dealt 96 damage...] [You have dealt...] [You have...] [You...] [...] [...] [You have slain the target.] "Finally!" Jaden grinned. [You have slain an enemy 10 Levels above you! EXP received +100%.] [You have received 7,150 EXP.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [You have received: Rusted Claymore.] [You have received: Rusted Chestpiece.] [You have received: Bone Dust x70.] [Beginner Sword Mastery Level 2 has leveled up to Beginner Sword Mastery Level 3.] [..] ____________________ [Rusted Chestpiece] Rating: Normal Durablity: 35/35 Defense: 55 ____________________ Glancing at his full HP which had recovered from the 50% health cost for summoning Abaddon, Jaden grinned. "I Summon You from the Realm of the Dead, Abaddon!" Whoosh! The black vortex appeared. Clack clack clack! So did the little white skeleton. ''So Abaddon needs to be summoned to receive experience points huh.'' Jaden thought as he looked at the skeleton''s status window which remained the same. "Abaddon!" Jaden called out. Clack! "I am very disappointed with your performance earlier. Very disappointed," he said while shaking his head. One could sense the frustration in his voice. Clack? "Weak. You are still too weak." ...clack... Abaddon lowered its head in shame as it stared at the ground. Jaden then smiled. "So to become stronger, I will have to train you." C-clack? He smirked as he threw the Rusted Claymore in his hands to Abaddon."Here, catch." "We will train right here, right now! Understood?" CLACK CLACK! Jaden nodded his head before pointing his finger towards the Rusted Claymore on the skeleton''s hands. "Okay then. First, the basics, I want you to swing that sword 1,000 times!" "Did you hear me? 1,000 swings, like this." Jaden demonstrated by lifting his sword from above and slashing downward. Whoosh! One could hear the air being sliced despite the speed being not that fast. Clack clack! Abaddon''s maws jumped as it praised its master. "Did you see that? 1,000 swings okay? Nothing more nothing less!" Clack Clack! Abaddon immediately copied Jaden''s earlier posture and stood straight with its right leg a bit forward and the other a bit backward. It then slashed down from above. Whoosh! "Good. Again!" Whoosh! "Again!" Whoosh! "Again!" Whoosh! "Agai..." "Ag..." "..." An hour passed just like that. While Abaddon continuously swung his sword, Jaden killed another Skeleton Warrior, increasing his level by 1. The experience points were divided between the two of them. Eventually¡ª [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has learned Beginner Sword Mastery Level 1.] [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has learned the skill: Chop.] 7 Growth [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has learned Beginner Sword Mastery Level 1.] [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has learned the skill: Chop.] ---------- [Chop] Lv. 1 (0%) Deal 150% of your attack power to a single target. This skill will ignore 30% of the target''s armor. Mana Cost: 20 Cooldown: 1 minute. ---------- [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has achieved an unprecedented feat of creating its own skill!] [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has leveled up.] [You have received World Reputation +100.] [You and your summoned skeleton Abaddon have unlocked the hidden stat: Comprehension.] [You and your summoned skeleton Abaddon have received +10 Comprehension stats.] "This little guy''s actually able to learn a skill by itself?" Jaden was taken aback. "But he didn''t do anything except doing the same action repeatedly..." And a thousand times at that! Good thing that a skeleton undead doesn''t have a thing called stamina, after all, such feats could probably only be done by a handful of people across the world. "Wait...then doesn''t that mean that different actions can be rewarded with different skills if repeated enough times?" ''Whoa, what a unique feature!'' Jaden couldn''t help but praise the creator of Everlasting World once more. Such a feature of creating skills would definitely be helpful for a martial arts genius such as him. Looking at Abaddon, Jaden felt the skeleton actually looked cute at this moment, especially those big eye sockets and its moving jaws, looking especially comical. "Good work." he smiled as he stroked its smooth skull. He then shifted his attention to a particular system message in front of him. [You have unlocked the hidden stat: Comprehension.] ----- [Comprehension] ? The probability of increasing a skill''s proficiency/mastery rises. The probability of creating your own skill increases. The higher the stat, the higher the effect ----- "Since it''s a hidden stat, I won''t be able to add stat points on it, how sad." Jaden shook his head. "Otherwise, leveling up skills would''ve been way easier." ''Hmm, I should find some time and learn [Chop] as well.'' But for now, we level up and make our way towards civilization. Looking at Abaddon who had its skull tilted, staring at the sword in its hand, Jaden smiled. "Since you''ve learned how to attack, now you need to learn how to dodge. Don''t even think about blocking an attack from a Skeleton Warrior. One slash from them is enough to kill you." Jaden warned. Clack clack. Abaddon nodded its head. ''But first, let''s fix your free stat points.'' -------------------- [Abaddon] Level: 2 Health: 110/110 Mana: 35/35 Strength: 10 Vitality: 6 Agility: 6 Intelligence: 6 Comprehension: 10 Stat points: 0 -------------------- "Okay, since you''ve trod upon the path of the sword, focusing your stat points will be easier when we reach the higher levels." "But first, you need to work on your dodging skills," Jaden said while stepping backward. "Do you remember being insta-killed by those puny Skeleton Warriors TWICE?" Clack Clack! "Good! Use that anger and train yourself, enough to allow you to dodge their attacks with ease." Clack! Jaden nodded his head at Abaddon''s enthusiasm. "Okay, now, attack me with all you''ve got¡ª" Before Jaden could even finish his words, the Rusted Claymore that Abaddon wielded suddenly rose. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Ting! Blue light could be seen condensing on the crude blade as it swung from above. It was the skill [Chop]! Whoosh! The air was sliced as the skill-enhanced sword descended unto Jaden. Grinning, Jaden sidestepped and punched the skeleton on the face. Thud! [Warning! You have attacked your own summon. Damage reduced by 50%.] [You have dealt 12 damage to the target.] Blasted a fist on the face, Abaddon was forced to take a few steps back before regaining his stance. Raising his hand towards the skeleton, Jaden beckoned with his fingers. He smiled. "Remember to avoid my attack." Clack clack! Abaddon''s maws moved up and down as the two Rusted Claymore clashed against each other. Clang! Ignoring the system messages that popped up at the corner of his retina, Jaden gracefully twisted his wrist and sliced at Abaddon''s armor horizontally. [Warning! You have attacked your summon. Damage reduced by 50%.] [You have dealt 75 damage to the target.] "Remember. Dodge." Thud! [Warning! You have attacked your summon. Damage reduced by 50%.] [You have dealt 11 damage to the target.] Thud! [Warning! You have attacked your summon. Damage reduced by...] [You have dealt 14 damage...] Thud! [Warning! You have attacked...] [You have...] [...] [...] And just like that, time passed. Seconds passed, minutes passed, hours passed. Jaden didn''t hold back on his attacks one bit. Although he made sure not to kill Abaddon and let his HP increase through resting, his fatal attacks didn''t wane. Actually, they intensified. Although Abaddon tried to defend, it was all for naught due to the difference in attributes. After all, Jaden''s poured all his stat points into Strength. One punch of his would send the skeleton tumbling back and one slash of his sword would take a large chunk of Abaddon''s health. However, during this time, Jaden finally realized why Abaddon was deemed by the game''s system as a growth-type skeleton. ***** Meanwhile, at Destiny Group''s HQ. "AHAHAHAHAHA!" Chairman Young was laughing his heart out as he stared at the two figures on the screen. It was a strange training between a young man and a skeleton. "Whew...." Wiping the tears at the corner of his eyes, Chairman Young couldn''t help but remember the time when he had trained Jaden, isolated up the mountains. He remembered the time when he used a wooden sword to force that little brat into tears and snot during his training. "That brat, he''s even using my training method, although he tweaked it a bit." Chairman Young grinned. "If that poor skeleton could produce tears, then it''ll probably be wishing it had never been chosen as that brat''s summoned skeleton." He then shook his head. ''Aii, is this the birth of a super undead swordsman?'' he thought as he stared at Abaddon on the screen who evaded Jaden''s sword and retaliated with a [Chop]. "It''ll be fun witnessing both of your growth." he grinned mischievously before switching his attention onto another large screen. Displayed on that screen was a woman with a heart-stoppingly beautiful face. She wielded a crude iron spear, repeatedly swinging it towards a few low-leveled skeleton monsters. "Hmm...are they going to meet each other?" he whispered before a smirk crept up his lips. ***** Two swords clashed. Clang! [Beginner Sword Mastery Level 4 has leveled up to Beginner Sword Mastery Level 5.] [You have learned the skill: Chop.] [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon''s Beginner Sword Mastery Level 2 has leveled up to Beginner Sword Mastery Level 3.] [Future paths are being opened for Abaddon.] "Phew." Jaden exhaled as he jumped backward. "Okay, that''s enough for now." Clack clack! Abaddon nodded before adopting a posture and swinging its sword once more. Whoosh! Ignoring the skeleton who seemed to have started liking sword training, Jaden looked at a particular system announcement. [Future paths are being opened for Abaddon.] He was surprised. ''This dumb skeleton? Really?'' Glancing at Abaddon who was slashing at the air, Jaden cupped his chin. "Well, he has improved at a rapid pace." ''From a harmless skeleton to a sword-wielding one. It is pretty impressive...'' ''Should we start grinding levels now?'' he thought for a moment. "Hmm, we should start hunting those Skeleton Warriors." he said grinning. 8 Still Too Weak [You have slain the enemy.] [You have received 3,221 EXP.] [Your level has risen.] [You have obtained: Rusted Claymore.] [You have obtained: Bone Dust x55.] [Your summoned skeleton Abaddon has leveled up.] "Add all stat points into strength!" ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 8 Class: None Health: 115/115 Mana: 30/30 ? Strength: 96 ? Vitality: 10 ? Agility: 10 ? Intelligence: 10 ? Dexterity: 10 ? Fortitude: 10 ? Comprehension: 10 Stat points: 0 ____________________ If any current players were to look at Jaden''s stats, they would probably think he was a crazy lunatic for adding all of his stat points into strength. Such a build was called a glass cannon. While he might possess attack power way beyond his peers with the same level, his health was so low and defense so fragile that one attack from a higher-leveled monster would instantly kill him. For a player to go for such a stat build is either a crazy lunatic or an overconfident lunatic. However, it was a good thing that Jaden was quite different from your average young lad and typical crazy lunatics. Since he entered the game, he hasn''t taken a single damage from monsters. His health remained untouched all this time, except for when he summoned Abaddon which took 50% of his current HP. People might call him a hacker in a fit of shock if the rest of the player-base community were to know this fact. To not get damaged even once despite hunting several higher-leveled monsters, even for Earth''s martial arts grandmasters, how would that be possible? After all, the difference between using a virtual body and one''s real body is nothing insignificant. Adapting to a virtual body was easier said than done! "Hmm, let''s fix this guy''s free stat points first..." Jaden grinned as he stared at Abaddon who was clad in a rusty armor and sword. ____________________ [Abaddon] Level: 5 Health: 150/150 Mana: 55/55 Strength: 18 Vitality: 10 Agility: 10 Intelligence: 10 Comprehension: 10 Stat points: 0 ----- Skills: [Basic Sword Mastery] (Lv. 3) [Chop] (Lv. 1) ____________________ After hunting several Skeleton Warriors for two hours, his level rose by two, and three for Abaddon. "I guess I should start hunting monsters stronger than Skeleton Warriors," Jaden said. A few hours earlier, his experience bar rose rapidly as if it was on steroids. Now that he was Level 8, however, although it''s speed wasn''t slow, it wasn''t as fast anymore. Of course, in Jaden''s perspective, it was extremely slow. Before, he only needed to take down one Skeleton Warrior to level up once or twice, but now, he needed to take down at least five to level up. "Hmm, since I and Abaddon share the EXP we get, if I leave this guy to hunt in this area while I go for stronger monsters, our leveling speed should increase, right?" Jaden whispered as he shifted his eyes onto Abaddon. Clack clack? After leaving Abaddon to fend for himself against a Skeleton Warrior earlier, the little skeleton was actually able to win through kiting and basic swordsmanship. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. After all, after fighting Jaden, how could a Skeleton Warrior''s dull fighting skills compare? Although dealing with two or more Skeleton Warriors would be pushing it, now that Abaddon was level 5 and was wearing multiple dropped equipments, hunting a lone Skeleton Warrior would be doable. And if Abaddon''s level went even further, hunting multiple monsters would definitely be possible. ''His combat experience should also develop if he were to continuously hunt by himself.'' Jaden thought. "Ok." he decided as he clapped his hands. "Abaddon." Clack! Staring at the skeleton''s gaping eye-sockets, Jaden grinned. "Since you''re still too weak to fight higher-leveled monsters, you must continuously hunt Skeleton Warriors in this area by yourself." Clack? Abaddon tilted its head in confusion. "I won''t always be able to help you. You need to get stronger by yourself if you want to follow me in the future, understood?" Clack clack... With its head lowered as if ashamed, Abaddon''s jaws moved up and down, seemingly reluctant. ''Hehe, cute.'' Jaden grinned and stroke the skeleton''s smooth skull. "Well then, I''ll go now." he laughed. "You need to be stronger when I see you again, okay?" Clack! Clack! "Good." he smiled as he turned around and walked away. ...clack, clack... The gloomy clouds up on the sky and desolately dark wasteland around made a picturesque scene of a little armored skeleton waving its bony hands goodbye towards a young man''s back. Although a bit strange, it was nonetheless a unique scene. The two separated as quickly and relaxedly they met. ***** Meanwhile, a few miles away, a proud kingdom stood. Buildings made of the rarest of ores and metals towered up the sky, exuding a sense of dignity and pride through and through. Some of them seemed to be inspired by the medieval era while some simply screamed the words ''fantasy world''. The towering walls that circled the capital were built with the best of the best of magical stones and minerals. They were built so tall that even hulking monsters such as trolls and ogres would be dwarfed in comparison. It seemed impenetrable, capable of withstanding the long vicissitudes of time. Sacred temples for worshipping different gods were present. Priests and bishops could be seen coming in and out of their sacred ground as they held holy books and tools. Huge arenas for entertainment were also there, seemingly used for gladiator fights and tournaments. A countless number of people flocked here and there as bulky fighters and warriors made their way inside. Grand mansions, villas, luxurious restaurants, common houses, every building that was designed could be said to be dignified and refined, yet delicate and classic at the same time. This kingdom is EverGuard. At this moment, at the heart of the kingdom, a golden-colored colossal palace stood, seemingly made of gold. Hundreds of royal guards protected the place as they shifted their schedules between themselves. The security was so tight that even a fly wouldn''t be able to get in. Within the Keep, an exalted golden throne could be seen in the heart of the palace. A man sat there. It was the King of EverGuard. Long, platinum-colored hair fell on the man''s shoulder like a waterfall. He wore a delicate golden robe that screamed the words ''luxurious'' as a black shield with a golden dragon inside could be seen depicted throughout the surface. The clothing seemed to be made by the best amongst tailors. The crown atop his contrasting white-platinum hair was the color of gold and precious gems of different colors were socketed, circling around. Right then, the king stood up. A deep majestic voice was heard. "Heaven-blessed individual," he said as his crimson eyes stared at the kneeling figure below his throne. "Tell me your name." The figure on one-knee looked up, leaving the king in marvel as he looked at the otherworldly beautiful face. "Your Majesty, my name is Queen." As Queen looked at the king sitting on the throne, she couldn''t help but be shocked inwardly at the status page that appeared in his eyes. ____________________ Name: Roland EverGuard Age: 35 Level: ??? Class: ??? Title: [King of EverGuard], [The Youngest Legend], [One that Hunts Great Demons] ____________________ [You are overwhelmed by Roland''s presence.] [Your stats have been reduced by 50%.] [Roland is looking at you.] ''Crazy.'' Queen thought in her head as she saw the ??? in the status window. ''And those titles!'' her eyes were stuck at the words [The Young Legend]. Her heart started to rapidly beat as the words the Destiny Group stated right before the game''s launch reappeared in her head. [Legend. The highest form of trainable strength. Anyone who can become a Legend will possess the strength to fight Gods, Great Demons, and other mythical creatures.] And right now, an NPC, a Legend, was before her. And it was even the youngest one at that! 9 Devilwood Fores "The wheel of fate has begun and the ancient prophecy from a hundred thousand years ago is about to be realized," Roland said as he stared at the kneeling figure below the throne ''Prophecy? Is it about the appearance of players?'' Queen thought. Everlasting World''s background lore was vaguely explained by the Destiny Group, leaving the billion-wide player-base of the game in obscurity. Even someone like her, who had an exalted status in the real world, barely had a hint of information about the game. "Heaven-blessed individual. Human with an immortal soul. What is the purpose of your visit to my kingdom?" the King''s deep voice rang out within the entire Keep despite him withholding his aura and power. Queen looked up and replied. "Your Majesty, I and my comrades wish to establish a Guild in your illustrious kingdom, please grant us the permission to a garrison in EverGuard." "A Guild? Consisting of similar heaven-blessed individuals such as you?" the King asked. Although she didn''t know why she and the other players were being called ''heaven-blessed individuals'', she nonetheless played along. "Yes, Your Majesty." Roland became silent for a few moments before saying. "EverGuard is considered to be the frontline guardian of humanity against the world''s myriad hostile creatures," he said. "By establishing a force and forming a connection with the kingdom, you will be subjected to do tasks that will benefit the greater interests of both EverGuard and the human race." Queen nodded her head. "That is naturally so, Your Majesty." "Good." the King smiled. "However, you must know that the forces of EverGuard are of the peak of this world. To complete the establishment of your guild, you must prove your strength." At that moment, a system prompt appeared in Queen''s eyes. [The quest ''Founding a Guild'' has been generated.] ____________________ [Founding a Guild] Difficulty: ??? [1] You wish to establish a guild in the EverGuard Kingdom, which stands at the pinnacle of the world. However, to do this, you must first prove your strength to the King. There have been strange occurrences that have been happening in the Devilwood Forest. Demon Spawns, a type of monster born in Hell, are appearing at a rapid rate and have been killing warriors and merchants that passes through the forest. Kill 100 Demon Spawns and find the reason for their rapid appearances. Quest Clear Conditions: 1. Kill 100 Demon Spawns. 2. Find the source for their appearance. Quest Clear Reward: Level +3. Guild Creation Order. Affinity with King Roland will open. Failure Penalty: Lose the trust of King Roland. ____________________ "Head over to the Devilwood Forest, slay the Demon Spawns, and find out the truth regarding the arrival of the minions of the Great Demons," Roland said. ''A quest with an A-rated difficulty, it''ll definitely be hard to finish.'' Queen thought as she accepted the quest. ''Demon Spawns, I wonder how strong they are...'' ***** Meanwhile, [You have reached Devilwood Forest.] [As the first player to enter Devilwood Forest, EXP and Gold received increases by 20% for 3 days.] [Warning! The recommended level for this map is Level 100!] Ignoring the system''s loud warning and the red-colored words that appeared in his eyes, Jaden stepped forward without hesitation. As he passed by what seemed like a formless and colorless barrier, the world in his vision suddenly took a drastic turn. In less than a second, he found himself in an eerily dark forest with trees as tall as 20 meters, towering up the sky. The sky was dark and gloomy; faint rumbles of thunder could be heard from time to time. The whole place was so quiet that one would probably hear a pin drop down the ground even from a hundred meters away. ''Hmm, this Level 100 map is connected right beside the previous map with the Skeleton Warriors... then doesn''t that mean both maps are actually high-leveled ones?'' he thought as he remembered the place where he first appeared. When he logged in and was sent in that desolate wasteland littered with skeletal remains and countless bones, there were no system announcement that named the map. As a result, he didn''t know the minimum level required for the place, unlike now, when he was warned by the system about the Devilwood Forest. "I wonder if I should''ve just stayed in that map and looked for stronger undead monsters," he whispered before shaking his head. "Ah, whatever. Abaddon will sweep through that place by himself." ''I hope.'' He then glanced at his status window. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 15 Class: None Health: 185/185 Mana: 70/70 ? Strength: 103 ? Vitality: 17 ? Agility: 17 ? Intelligence: 17 ? Dexterity: 17 ? Fortitude: 12 ? Comprehension: 12 Stat points: 70 ----- Skills: [Basic Sword Mastery] (Lv. 7) [Skeleton Summoning] (Lv. 1) [Chop] (Lv. 2) ____________________ After passing through the undead map which took him hours upon hours, Jaden encountered and slew a lot of Skeleton Warriors on the way. This raised his level seven times, increasing his main stats by 7 points. Even his Fortitude increased by 2 points after long hours of continuous walking, running, and fighting. His Comprehension too also increased by 2 points after his Sword Mastery''s level rose a few times. Ignoring the rest of the skills, Jaden focused on the skill [Skeleton Summoning]. -------------------- [Skeleton Summoning] (Unique) Lv. 1 (75%) Speak the words "I Summon You From the Realm of the Dead, Skeleton!" to activate the skill. ? You can summon a ''Growth-type Skeleton'' that will gain 5 stat points, which you can allocate, after every level-up. ? The skeleton will start off at Level 1. ? The summoned skeleton''s basic stats are 1 Strength, 1 Vitality, 1 Agility, and 1 Intelligence. ? Equipment can be worn. Skill Duration: Until the summoned skeletons are recalled or destroyed. Skill Usage cost: 50% of current health. Cooldown: None -------------------- Although Jaden didn''t know how Abaddon was faring right now, all by himself, at least he knew that the little skeleton hasn''t died yet since he didn''t receive any system message about it. "Just leaving Abaddon summoned increases the proficiency of the skill. I wonder what will happen when this skill levels up to Lv. 2." Jaden couldn''t help but look forward to the skill leveling up. Shifting his attention to his free stat points, he became silent. ''The monsters in this area will definitely be stronger than those rigid Skeleton Warriors. My level is definitely too low to even try to grind in this place.'' he thought as the red-colored Warning kept flashing on the corner of his retina. ''I guess I need to start adding points into Agility, since this body wouldn''t be able to keep up with my reaction speed and reflexes.'' Evading those monsters attacks would probably be impossible if I only keep adding points into strength... Since after all, their stats would be way higher than mine. For a while, Jaden contemplated how he would go about adding the stat points. After a while¡ª "Add 35 points into Agility." [Ding! Agility has increased by 35 points.] ''Let''s save the rest. I''ll need to see how fast and strong the monsters here are first. If this body can''t keep up with me then I''ll add the rest of the points in Agility mid-fight.'' he said in his heart. At that moment¡ª Just as Jaden finished allocating his stat points, a figure appeared. *Growl* It''s two large diluted eyes viewed its surrounding from their sockets as a sharp nose rested below alongside its big underbite mouth that took one''s attention. Razor-sharp teeth that could bite through metal could be seen followed by a forked tongue that displayed menacingly. It had a tall explosive build with two scaly black arms dangling on both its sides that ended with broad hands and incredibly long and sharp nails. A horn sprouted from its forehead which glowed with a powerful aura, indicating its strength. Right then, the demon''s attention shifted onto the lone human figure that was Jaden. Jaden''s eyes narrowed. -------------------- Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. [Demon Spawn] Race: Demon Level: 110 Health: 124,000 -------------------- *GROWL* As if it found a prey, the Demon Spawn ran towards Jaden with impeccable speed, crossing a distance of dozens of meters in but a few seconds. Feeling the trembling ground and the terrifying aura that exuded from the rushing demon, Jaden''s blood boiled with excitement as a wicked grin crept up at the corner of his lips. An impossible fight was ahead. ''Add all stat points into Agility!'' 10 Reaping Rewards [Due to the enormous level difference, your stats have been reduced.] [All stats have been reduced by 50%.] [The Demon Spawn''s aura suppresses yours.] [Damage reduced by 10%.] [Stamina consumption increased by 20%.] [Movement speed reduced by 15%.] "Damn, I guess I''m in trouble." Sky grinned as he glanced at the notification windows that kept popping up. [1] Who would''ve thought that the map he entered had monsters above Level 100. That''s more than five times his own level! This battle was akin to a harmless rabbit standing up to a ferocious lion! Anyone in his shoes right now would probably shit themselves in despair. However, it was a good thing that Sky was different from your average Joe. While the gap between him and the monster was terrifyingly huge, he felt no fear despite being the target of a horrifying-looking demon that could definitely kill him with one attack. GRAAA! Right then, the Demon Spawn''s hulking 10-foot figure dwarfed Sky as it stood before him, opening its large maws filled with teeth capable of shredding even metals. Sky''s handsome face was placid, as calm as the ocean as he stared at the monster''s eyes that were as large as his fists. Thud! The Demon Spawn''s claws missed by a hair''s breadth as it struck the ground, creating tremors. Donned with a [Rusted Chestpiece], Sky threw the sword in his hands and took out a [Rusted Claymore] from his inventory bag. This one''s durability points were still full. Inside his bag, there was a total of 50 [Rusted Claymore]s which he picked up on the way since he definitely knew that he would need spare weapons as the [Rusted Claymore]''s durability tend to drop quickly. Immediately, Sky sliced towards the Demon Spawn''s extended arm. [You have dealt 55 damage to the target.] Roar!! Sky couldn''t help but laugh at the damage he just dealt when compared to the ones he dealt against Skeleton Warriors, which ranged from 300 to 500 damage each attack. The difference was immense! Grrrr! The Demon Spawn became enraged when it saw its weak prey retaliate. Raising its arm, it swept sideways, the long sharp nails in its hand intending to mutilate Sky. Sky could feel the air being sliced. He could even feel the stinging feeling of the claw as if it was right before his face despite it being still a few feet away. He didn''t dare block the attack lest his sword''s durability drop by a half. He ducked to the side and spun around while brandishing his sword. [You have dealt 59 damage to the target.] Using the center of his gravity, Sky followed up with a [Chop] as he slashed upward. The [Rusted Claymore]''s blade lit up with a blue flash, lighting up the dark forest that was under nightfall. [You have dealt 116 damage to the target.] He then followed it up with a kick, launching himself backward a few feet away. [You have dealt 11 damage to the target.] He shook his head as he glanced at his sword and at the Demon Spawn''s right arm, which barely had a scratch on the place he attacked twice. "This might take a while." he grinned. ROAR! The Demon Spawn leaped after Sky as it brought down its claws from above. ***** Meanwhile, at the Ancient Undead Plateau¡ªthe place where Sky spawned. A small figure could be seen, fighting three Skeleton Warriors at once. This figure was clad in armor identical to the ones its foes wore. The same went for the sword in its hand and helmet on its head which was rusting. The figure''s eyes couldn''t be seen at all as darkness instead displayed. Brandishing its sword with ease against three opponents, Abaddon used [Chop] and its sword flashed with blue light, hacking through one of the Skeleton Warriors. Thud. Bones fell and pieces of equipment littered the ground only to be ignored. Abaddon focused his attention on the other two Skeleton Warriors and dispatched both of them in a few minutes. While its movements weren''t fluid or graceful, it nonetheless proved effective against its present and previous enemies. After all, it had just begun to walk on the path of the sword. Clack clack. Abaddon stared at the equipment on the ground and replaced the ones he had before treading forward. But at that moment¡ª Clop, clop, clop. The sound of a horse''s hooves clip-clopping was heard. Shifting his attention to the source, a foreign skeletal monster presented itself. Clack? Abaddon tilted its head. It was a skeleton horse with hooves burning with blue flames. Sitting atop the horse was a skeleton knight donned in a slick, black armor. Flashing crimson runes that formed a shape of a dragon were engraved on the surface, suggesting its origin was far from ordinary. Different from the rest of the monsters that Sky and Abaddon had seen before, this skeleton knight''s skull and eyes were blazing with azure flames, it was as if this skeleton knight hailed from the underworld itself. Meanwhile, a sheathed greatsword hung on its back, its appearance ordinary, it could be said to be dull even. However, the aura it released was so terrifying that the temperature in the surrounding drastically dropped. It was bone-chilling! Of course, since Abaddon was an undead, it didn''t feel it or was affected by it one bit. "Weakling." the skeleton knight stared at Abaddon. Clack clack? "While you are as weak as an ant, I can see potential within you. Tell me your name." Clack! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Abaddon? A good name." ***** After hours upon hours of fighting, Sky had long gotten used to the stats reduction and level suppression. While the Demon Spawn overbearingly suppressed him in terms of attributes and strength, its combat efficiency proved to be subpar. Although it was fierce and wild, it was exactly just that, one-dimensional. It was akin to a frenzied animal that simply relied on its instincts to fight. Therefore, to Sky, whose combat experience was simply out of this world, the Demon Spawn was only comparable to a strong yet slow monster, which couldn''t even land a single attack. Of course, while that may be true, Sky couldn''t deny the Demon Spawn''s large health pool that took forever to diminish. It was a good thing that Sky improved especially so during battles. Notably so was his skill that was the Sword Mastery, which increased his damage output. After playing Everlasting World for a while now, he had long noticed that one''s skill proficiency increased to a greater extent when fighting monsters beyond one''s capabilities. And right now, what he fought was a demon that was nearly 100 levels above him. [The passive skill Beginner Sword Mastery has reached Level 10 and will now develop into Intermediate Sword Mastery.] [Ding!] [Strength, Agility, Vitality, and Dexterity +10.] [Intermediate Sword Mastery Level 1 has been learned.] -------------------- [Sword Mastery (Passive)] Intermediate Level 1 (0%) ? When a sword-type weapon is equipped, attack power will increase by 20%, and attack speed by 10%. ? Critical hit chance increased by 10% and critical damage by 15% ? +5 Strength, Agility, Vitality, and Dexterity every time this skill levels up. ? Can reduce level restrictions of sword-type weapons by 10 levels. -------------------- [You have advanced upon the path of the sword even without being a swordsman!] [World Reputation +300.] [Intermediate Sword Mastery Level 1 has leveled up to Intermediate Sword Mastery Level 2.] Sky ignored the repeated system notifications and focused on his target. Throwing away the broken [Rusted Claymore] in his hand, Sky pulled out the last sword in his inventory bag. Whoosh! Evading the terrifying claws, he stepped forward aggressively and stabbed the Demon Spawn''s right eye. [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 142 damage to the target!] Sky then targeted the other eye with [Chop]. [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 355 damage to the target!] Looking at the wobbling figure of the Demon Spawn, laughter couldn''t help but escape his lips. "A bit more." he grinned as he glanced at the demon''s health bar, which only had around 5% remaining. ... ... [The enemy has been slain!] [You have achieved a miraculous feat!] [You have single-handedly won against an enemy that should''ve been impossible to defeat given your current strength!] [You have received: Blessed Necklace.] [World Reputation +1,000.] [All stats +10.] [You have earned the Title: One who Challenges his Limits.] [You have slain an enemy 95 levels above you! EXP received +950%] [You have received 2,832,525 EXP.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has...] [Your level...] [Your...] [...] [...] 11 Leveling up with Steroids [Your level has risen!] [Your level has risen!] [Your level has...] [Your level...] [Your...] [...] [...] [You have obtained: Cursed Blade.] [You have obtained: Intermediate Potion x5.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Eyes.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Fangs x10.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Skin.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Claw.] [You have slain a minion of the Great Demons.] ------------------ [Blessed Necklace] Rating: Unique Durability: 10/10 Health +1,000 Dark Magic Resistance +10% Poison Resistance +10% Intelligence and Luck +15 ? You have a 50% chance to ignore any abnormal condition (60 minutes cooldown). A unique treasure blessed by the Goddess Elena. User Restriction: None ---------- [You have unlocked the hidden stat: Luck.] [Luck]: The probability of fortuitous phenomenon increases. The chances of beneficial effects will increase. ------------------ ------------------ Title: [One who Challenges his Limits] Rating: Unique You have continuously challenged and won against monsters that are impossible to defeat with your current strength. For continuously challenging and overcoming your limits, you have earned this title that only extremely few could attain. ? Unlock the hidden stat ''Fighting Spirit''. ? All stats +10. ? Maximum Health +30%. ? Attack Power +20% against enemies multiple levels above you. ---------- [You have unlocked the hidden stat: Fighting Spirit.] [Fighting Spirit]: The lower the health, the greater the attack power and mental composure. ? The higher the number, the higher the effect. ? Stat points can''t be distributed to this stat. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ------------------ "The higher the risks, the greater the reward." Sky laughed as he watched the continuous rush of notification windows. Glancing at the hulking body before him that was lying on the ground, he walked towards it. One could see one of the demon''s sturdy arm detached from its body. Numerous wounds and cuts donned its black physique, with fresh blood gushing out. Even its eyes were bleeding profusely as gaping holes could be seen. The ground was dyed with crimson blood. Sky picked up the sword that dropped from the monster alongside quite the numerous miscellaneous items. ------------------ [Cursed Blade] Rating: Rare Durability: 170/170 Attack Power: 90~180 ? Strength and Agility +7 ? There is a certain probability of activating the ''Bleed'' effect. ? There is a low probability of activating the ''Fear'' effect. User Restriction: Level 30 or higher. More than 100 Strength and 50 Agility. Beginner Sword Mastery Level 4 or higher. -------------------- "Finally." Sky grinned. " A weapon that won''t break after a few attacks." ''Hunting will be a lot easier now.'' After picking up his loot and gearing himself with his new equipment, he then focused his attention on his status window, which had drastically changed. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 33 Class: None World Reputation: 1,410 Health: 1,915/1,915 Mana: 275/275 ? Strength: 148 (+7) ? Vitality: 60 ? Agility: 110 (+7) ? Intelligence: 45 (+15) ? Dexterity: 60 ? Fortitude: 45 ? Comprehension: 22 ? Luck: 10 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 10 Stat points: 180 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 2) [Skeleton Summoning] (Lv. 1) [Chop] (Lv. 2) ____________________ After killing the Demon Spawn, Sky''s level started rising as if on steroids. It was a shocking 18 level ups! "Now, how should I divide the stat points..." he thought as he looked back at his fight against the Demon Spawn. There is definitely more than one of those monsters on this map. "Adding points into Strength is a must to increase my attack power, which in turn will quicken my damage output." "Agility increases my attack speed, so adding points into this stat will elevate my DPS." "As for Vitality, as long as I don''t get hit, even if I don''t focus on adding points in this stat, I won''t die. With enough Agility, which also improves my movement speed, reaction, and body control, dodging those Demon Spawn''s attacks which lacks essence and technique wouldn''t be a problem." ''But what about Dexterity.'' Sky thought. ''Even though it''s on 60 points already, I don''t feel any different.'' The introduction said that Dexterity correlates to one''s hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and accuracy. However, to Sky, who possesses unrivaled martial arts, he had long train himself not just in hand-eye coordination, but throughout his entire body! His reflexes were honed to the point that even if was shot by a gun point-blank, he would be able to dodge with ease! As for his accuracy, he was extremely versed in all kinds of weapons. If he held a sword, a weapon he was most proficient with, while his virtual body might not be able to keep up with him, the only way that his attacks would miss is through wide attribute gaps or usage of movement skills. He was literally a superhuman! Someone who had transcended a human''s physical limits! "Ok, it''s decided." "Add 90 points in Strength and Agility." [Ding!] [Strength stat has increased by 90 points.] [Agility stat has increased by 90 points.] ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 33 Class: None World Reputation: 1,410 Health: 1,915/1,915 Mana: 275/275 ? Strength: 238 (+7) ? Vitality: 60 ? Agility: 200(+7) ? Intelligence: 45 (+15) ? Dexterity: 60 ? Fortitude: 45 ? Comprehension: 22 ? Luck: 10 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 10 Stat points: 0 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 2) [Skeleton Summoning] (Lv. 1) [Chop] (Lv. 2) ____________________ ''Now.'' Sky licked his lips and grinned. ''Let''s hunt.'' ***** At this moment, a group of five consisting of three males and two females arrived at the gloomy forest. [You have reached Devilwood Forest.] [Warning! The recommended level for this map is Level 100!] When the system warnings appeared in the eyes of the members of the group, all of them were surprised. "Oh? Guild Leader, how come we didn''t receive any World Rep for discovering this map." The one who asked was a blond young man. He was clad in coarse, grey-colored plate armor and wielded a greatsword. He was handsome and exuded a gentle yet firm air, befitting that of a knight which young maidens often dreamed of. The rest of the members remained silent at his question. ''No way, right?'' they all thought at the same time. They all had the same speculation at that moment yet none of them said what they were thinking. "Guild Leader." called a woman with long black hair. Wearing a sky-blue robe with a wooden staff in her grasp, she had a face so beautiful that a single glance from her would make one''s heart skip. "It seems that we''re not the ones to arrive here first," she said, her face serious. Meanwhile, Queen, who stood at the forefront of the group looked afar and seemed to see something as she sharted forward. "Boss?" "Guild Leader?" The four members glanced at each other before following after her. A few moments later¡ª "What?!" "Is this real?" "Who did this?" The party members were shocked senseless as they stared at the massive corpse of the Demon Spawn. Fresh blood was still oozing from the dead monster''s wounds, suggesting that it had died just recently. However, despite being already dead, a terrifying aura still exuded from the corpse, suggesting its powerful strength when it had been alive. Queen''s breathtaking face turned serious as she turned to her group. "It''s a dead Demon Spawn. For it to emit such pressure. It''s stronger than I initially thought." she said. "The system warned us that the recommended level for this place is at least Level 100, but this monster seems to be stronger than other monsters at the same level." Kyle, the blond knight, also agreed. "Guild Leader''s right. Although we''re just here to check out how strong these Devil Spawns are, it seems that keeping our lives will be hard if we ever get their aggro." Meanwhile, the party''s main tank, a man with a muscular bulky figure who held a large round shield, was silent as he stared at the dead corpse. "There''s another issue," he said. "Looking at the Demon Spawn''s wounds and cuts, they all look the same." "What''s your point?" Kyle asked. With an awed yet eager-for-battle expression, a young man clad in complete black attire replied. "Idiot," he said, drawing the glare of the blond knight. "That means that one person took care of that monster there." ''To fight and kill a monster that strong and that high-leveled... for such a player to appear just a day after the game''s official launch...'' As he said his words, his eyes involuntarily narrowed as he played with the sharp dagger in his hand. "That player, is even more of a monster than that monster." 12 A Sight to Behold The rest of the party members turned silent at the words of the black-clothed young man. Kyle subconsciously shook his head and blurted. "Eyy, no way. The game just officially launched, it''s impossible for a player to become so strong in a single day. As for cheating, it would be even more impossible since Prime, Destiny Group''s Super AI is impossible to hack..." The blond knight''s words were what the others thought of this moment. After all, it was impossible for them to accept the idea of a player who already has the ability to slay monsters at such a level at this point in the game. Salvator, the team''s main tank, nodded his head. "Both Spectre and Kyle have a good point. However, we also can''t rule out the chance that an NPC may have done this." Queen also nodded her head as she stared at the demon''s corpse, which started to dissipate. "I agree with Salvator. The one who did this is highly likely to be an NPC instead of a player." "Guild Leader." Su Yan called out. "Should we follow that person''s trail?" as she said that, she pointed her wooden staff at the footprints that were left on the barren ground. "We should," Queen answered. "If that person happens to be a strong NPC, we can watch him battle the Demon Spawns..." "¡ªthat way, we can gauge their power." Spectre finished her sentence. Queen nodded and started treading forward, followed by the rest. ***** At this moment, far away, ahead of Queen''s party, a figure could be seen dashing swiftly around a colossal figure. The size difference was so huge that the former was completely dwarfed by the latter. However, despite the gap in height and physique, the large figure that was a Demon Spawn was unable to land even a single hit at its target. Sparks lit up the surrounding and clashing sounds were heard. Wielding the [Cursed Blade], Sky''s damage output was on a whole different level compared to before. Boom! As he dodged the humungous fist of the demon that was bigger than his head, Sky used [Chop], the blade of his sword flashing with blue light as it targeted the bleeding gash on the demon''s elbow. [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 954 damage to the target!] [The target has lost an arm!] [The target is now in a vulnerable state.] GRUAAAAA!!! The Demon Spawn howled as its large left arm fell on the ground, its crimson blood spraying out like rainfall. "Pei." His face splattered with the demon''s blood, Sky spat out as his lips turned into a grin. Without even wiping the blood on his face, he sent out another [Chop]. [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 1,120 damage to the target!] At this moment, with his face smeared crimson, despite having a handsome face, he looked like an asura that came from hell¡ªbloodthirsty and ruthless. ''Faster.'' Clenching his sword, Sky dashed at the demon''s flank and slashed horizontally. [You have dealt 790 damage to the target!] ''Faster.'' Brandishing his weapon, Sky was as if in a trance as he released three attacks in a second. [You have dealt 810 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 842 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 833 damage to the target!] ''Faster!'' With no mercy on his enemy, he unleashed a flurry of attacks with his sword as he swiftly circled around the demon, assaulting it from different angles. [You have dealt 849 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 811 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 877 damage to the...] [You have dealt 898 damage....] [You have dealt...] [You have...] [You...] [...] [...] ROARRRRRR!!! Howls and cries escaped the large maw of the Demon Spawn, yet it couldn''t do anything as cuts and wounds, appeared all over its body. From mere flesh wounds, nearly all of them turned bone-deep after being hacked and slashed multiple times. Despite merely having a bit more than 100 points in Agility, at this moment, Sky used the utmost his virtual body could use as his current speed reached into extremity. His figure was so fast that as he continuously dashed around the Demon Spawn, his silhouette turned blurry, akin to a fleeting shadow as the demon turned even more battered, grievous wounds appearing all over. His lips dripping with crimson blood, Sky''s grin never disappeared. As for whose blood it was, obviously, it was the demon spawn''s. He didn''t mind the gory scene at all. He brought down his sword towards the demon, repeatedly and never-ending. At that moment¡ª [The War God is watching you.] A system notification appeared on the corner of his retina. However, regardless of its importance, it was nonetheless drowned among the continuous appearance of notification windows in Sky''s vision. It was completely disregarded. [The War God is surprised at your intensity and fervor.] That notification window wasn''t even noticed by Sky as he swung his sword at the demon who was bleeding profusely. [You have dealt 888 damage to the target!] [Cursed Blade''s option effect ''Bleed'' has been activated.] [The target will suffer 20 damage per second for 10 seconds.] [You have dealt 900 damage to the target!] [Cursed Blade''s option effect ''Fear'' has been activated.] [The target is under the influence ''Fear'' for 3 seconds.] AOOOOOO!!! The Demon Spawn shrieked as if it had descended into madness, swinging its fists all over. Clearly vulnerable, Sky took advantage of the [Cursed Blade]''s option effect and unleashed a barrage of sword slash, causing the continuous appearance of red-colored three-digit numbers above the demon''s head. Slash! Hack! Slice! Stab! Pierce! Swing! He had at least attacked twelve times until the ''Fear'' effect on the Demon Spawn wore off. However, Sky didn''t let up one bit even after the monster regained its senses. Time passed, and eventually, the demon''s health dwindled down. 50%...40%...30%...20%...10%...5%..3%...1%... And finally¡ª "Phew." Sky exhaled and looked up at the sky, his breathing rapid. [The enemy has been slain!] [You have achieved a miraculous feat!] [You have single-handedly won against an enemy that should''ve been impossible to defeat given your current strength!] [You have received World Reputation +1,000 for your Combat Achievement!] [All stats +5.] [You have slain an enemy 75+ levels above you! Experience points received has increased by 750%!] [You have received 637,318 experience points.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has...] [Your level...] [Your...] [...] [...] [You have obtained: Intermediate Potion x3.] [You have obtained: Beginner Mana Potion x5.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Eyes.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Bones x4.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Claws.] [You have obtained...] [...] [...] [You have slain a minion of the Great Demons.] [Intermediate Sword Mastery Level 2 has leveled up to Intermediate Sword Mastery Level 3.] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. [When a sword type-weapon is equipped, attack power will increase by 22%, and attack speed by 11%. Crit chance increased by 12% and critical damage by 20%.] [+5 Strength, Agility, Vitality, and Dexterity.] Sky smiled when he saw the numerous notification windows. He felt a sense of satisfaction whenever he saw such things. He could even sense a faint feeling of his strength gradually increasing. "What a magical game..." He laughed as he thanked the creator of the Everlasting World in his heart. After nearly two decades, he finally had a platform to showcase himself. After living in isolation his whole life and after his old master level, he finally felt a sense of belonging in this world. ''Little brat. Remember, never show your strength unless it is absolutely necessary.'' Sky grinned when he remembered these words which his master had repeatedly told him. In the real world, he was incredibly strong. He knew of it. That was why he always held himself back. Otherwise, his name would''ve been known throughout the world already. However, in this game, in this new world, it was different. "I don''t need to hold back anymore." he threw his head back and laughed as blood dripped down his face. The current sight of him laughing like a maniac was a sight to behold. Holding a black sword with his crude armor drenched in the blood of the demon, alongside the immobile hulking corpse that lied on the ground which was gushing out blood continuously, the image was somewhat scary and frightening. And right now, this sight was seen by a party of five. ***** Queen and her party had been walking carefully and cautiously for a while, and thankfully, they never encountered a single monster and a Demon Spawn. As they passed trees that towered up the sky, at least 10 meters tall, their surroundings became darker and darker. The sun was setting and light had difficulties penetrating the dark forest that was filled with mysteriously large plants, flowers, and trees. "Damn, what a spooky place." Kyle shook his head as he vigilantly looked around. From time to time, howls and cries could be heard. Whether it came from monsters or ghosts, they didn''t know. Even the temperature in the surrounding dropped and they clearly felt it as they felt chills running through their spines. Spectre, the young man clad in black attire, was leading the party. Since he had already changed into the Assassin Class, he was the most suitable member to scout ahead in the darkness. His breathing was silent and composed and his senses sensitive. It was clear that he had previous experiences playing the class. At that moment, he halted his steps. "Wait," he whispered. Although his voice was low, the rest of the party heard him and they all stopped moving. Spectre crouched down and closed his eyes. "At least 300 meters ahead, I hear something." "Something?" Kyle urged. "What is it? Tell us." "Shush!" Spectre hissed at the knight and turned quiet for a few moments. "Fighting," he said as he stood up and looked at Queen. "There''s a fight ahead." "It could be the person who killed the previous Demon Spawn," Queen said. Spectre nodded. "Lead the way." "Okay." The party picked up their pace as they traversed the distance carefully and steadily. After a while¡ª AOOOOOOO!!!!!! A resounding roar reverberated in the surrounding, turning Queen''s and her friend''s faces pale. "What the hell..." Kyle cursed as his face hardened. Just a roar had already left them breathless. What if they were to face that monster? "They''re close," Spectre whispered. He walked forward even though his complexion was pale. Salvator followed right behind the assassin as he tightened his grip on his round shield. Queen and the rest followed suit. And then, they saw it. Up ahead, a hundred meters away, they saw a gigantic monster. A huge head with two large diluted eyes. A sharp nose rested below it alongside a big underbite mouth. The monster''s maw was open and razor-sharp teeth capable of shattering rocks with ease were seen. It was followed by a forked tongue that hissed like a snake''s. Dark smoke escaped the demon''s mouth as it flew towards the human that it targeted. The monstrous sight was simply frightening. Add that to Everlasting World''s realism which bordered 100%, they felt the daunting aura that emanated from the demon, and they couldn''t help but shiver because of it. However, at this moment, what was more of a frightening sight was the image of the howling demon, with its body filled with gashing cuts and bone-deep wounds. Even its right arm was sliced off, its connected part lying down the ground with blood flowing out. Right then, Queen and the party''s attention was completely locked onto the figure that was incredibly small compared to the monster. Wielding a black sword and a coarse armor, the figure''s black hair fluttered along with the wind as he danced around the colossal demon. His weapon hacked and slashed the demon which seemed slow, unable to even retaliate. Once, twice, thrice, the sword added new wounds upon the demon''s body that was already riddled with lacerations. Boom! The demon swung its fist, yet that figure dodged it by a hair''s breadth, his face bone-chillingly calm. His expression was so indifferent it was as if he wasn''t fighting a life and death battle at this moment. It was as if he had already experienced such things before, and right now, his battle with this Demon Spawn was but another one of those days. And eventually, the most shocking thing they ever saw presented itself before their eyes¡ª ROARRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! With a reluctant and resentful cry, the gigantic Demon Spawn collapsed on the ground and never stood up again. 13 Meeting Read Authors Thoughts Pls Queen: "..." Spectre: "..." Salvator: "..." Kyle: "..." Su Yan: "..." Staring at the collapsed Demon Spawn, the party members all had their jaws dropped on the ground in absolute shock. While they were indeed shocked at the death of the monster however, what made them more aghast was the presence of the small, green arrow that pointed down on the young man''s head. The significance of that arrow was what shocked them senseless. "That''s a player!!!" Kyle yelped, his face horrified. "It''s actually a player?! Not an NPC?!" cried Su Yan. Queen, Spectre, and Salvator''s faces were also dumbfounded and they all stood in their spot as if paralyzed, trying to comprehend what in the world was happening. "Ahahahahaha!" at that moment, a burst of loud laughter forced the five to regain their senses as their gazes were all focused at the chuckling figure standing before the dead demon. As they looked at the young man, they all tried to see his face only to find it futile due to the presence of the blood that was smeared all over his face. Kyle felt a chill in his back as he shivered when he heard the laughter. His face, weapon, and armor dyed with blood, as that figure laughed after killing the Demon Spawn, it was as if he was the demon instead, not the dead monster. "Why don''t we get out of here? Lest this crazy guy finds trouble with us." Kyle recommended, his voice as quiet as a mosquito. However, just as he had finished whispering his words, he suddenly saw that figure stop laughing and turn towards their direction. ''!!!!'' Kyle felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest when he saw the young man looking over. At that moment, Queen and the others saw the pair of dazzling golden eyes sweep over them. ***** ''Oh? Players?'' Sky thought as he stared at the five-man party tens of meters away. "This is my first time meeting players," he muttered under his breath. ''Actually, this is my first time meeting other people after a long time.'' sighing ruefully, he couldn''t help but be saddened for being isolated from society. The only time he had left his isolated training and to go back to civilization was when his master suddenly disappeared. Other than that, before, he only ever had contact with ferocious animals of the wild, where he was forced to kill for food. Wolves, crocodiles, snakes, bears, tigers, lions, it was countless in number. After waiting, hoping for the old man to come back, which he found futile, he then decided to leave his secluded training and went back to civilization¡ªtowards New Era City and to the home address that the old man left on a piece of paper alongside a quite a few stalks of cash. "Now that I think about it, did that old man steal that money?" ''That dirt poor old master. He has no money so where could he have run off to anyway...'' he thought while remembering his master who always wore torn-up clothes, alongside his signature grin that seemed to be plastered on his face. Of course, while he was sad about his lonely past, drifted away from the ever-growing world, he didn''t regret it. After all, his current physical and combat attainments were due to his own reclusive training while growing up alongside his master. Shaking his head, Sky left his thoughts and focused his attention on the players that stood from afar. Taking the spoils that dropped from the Demon Spawn first, Sky thought for a moment before walking towards the group. One step, two steps, three steps. As he walked while staring at the five, a few status windows popped up in his vision. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Queen Level: 13 Class: Warrior --------- [STATUS] Name: Su Yan Level: 13 Class: Magician --------- [STATUS] Name: Kyle Level: 11 Class: Knight ---------- Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. [STATUS] Name: Salvator Level: 11 Class: Knight ---------- [STATUS] Name: Spectre Level: 12 Class: Assassin ____________________ "Pretty..." muttered Jaden in a daze as he stared at the woman leading the group. Donned in armor, she held a spear nearly two meters long as she stood with her back straight. As her long black hair flew along with the wind, her breathtaking face presented itself before Sky. Sky was totally attracted to her proud valiant temperament. She looked heroic wearing an armor despite her equipment being rudimentary. After regaining hold of his senses, his eyes then swept the others in her group. A beautiful magician. A blond knight. A brown-haired muscular knight with a shield. And a masked assassin. "Hmm, their levels are a bit low though..." ?! The group heard Sky''s words. Immediately, glaring eyes focused on him, which was followed up by the appearance of his status window in their eyes. In just a second, those glaring eyes that wished to pierce holes turned into shocked, dumbfounded ones. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 40 Class: None ____________________ ''Level 40?!!'' ''And he doesn''t even have class?!'' Unaware of their shock, Sky wiped the blood on his face, albeit not all of it, and displayed the most charming smile he could muster. "Hello friends." Since it was his first time meeting people, other than his master, in a while, the corners of his lips were somewhat stiff. Despite the amicable smile he displayed, the blood present all over him depicted a ferocious look instead. However, it was a good thing that Sky''s face wasn''t one that you would see even on rare occasions. Queen and Su Yan, the only women present, couldn''t help but stare at that face with smudges of blood. Seeing this scene, despite his rapid pounding chest, Kyle glared at Sky with displeasure. On the other hand, Salvator, had a suspicious expression as he looked at the young man. ''Why does he look familiar..?'' Meanwhile, "Your moves earlier," Spectre spoke as he played with the dagger in his hands. "While they were simple and easy, profound mastery lied beneath them." "Oh?" Sky was surprised before a genuine smile appeared on his face. "You are a martial artist as well?" Spectre''s words were right. "While your movement at the battle was simple and even looked easy to imitate, your usage of that ''simplicity'' was without a single flaw." saying his words, Spectre''s eyes narrowed. "I know of famous martial artists known all over the world, yet I believe that even those ''grandmasters'', wouldn''t be able to do what you just did." Sky remained silent as he looked at the assassin with interest. "That''s even more so with the current level of our virtual body, which is inferior to our real ones. " Spectre said. "To control the flow of the battle against such a high-leveled monster like it was nothing, at this stage of the game, could be said to be impossible." Su Yan and Kyle looked at the assassin in surprise. ''This martial arts madman is actually praising someone at such extent?'' they both thought. Even Queen and Salvator were taken aback. They were all close friends in real life, so they all knew each other''s identity. For that guy, who was a figure feared in both the martial arts community and in the military, for him to say such things. It only meant one thing. ''A terrifying person.'' As they all looked at the young man with a face that was out of this world, they couldn''t help but feel a chill run through their spine. Sky only laughed in response to Spectre''s words. ***** Meanwhile, at the Ancient Undead Plateau¡ª Two figures could be seen, current in the heat of battle. Clack clack! After taking the bones of his slain enemies and integrating them into his own body, Abaddon''s height had increased a few inches and its bones had improved, seemingly sturdier than before. Currently sitting atop a skeleton horse, Abaddon fought a Level 55 undead monster called [Bone Terror]. Different from the skeleton horse that appeared in front of Abaddon a while ago, the one mounted was smaller, and no flames were present on its bony hooves. As Abaddon swung the [Rusted Claymore] in his hands, the [Bone Terror], an undead twice his size, swung the bone ax in its grasp. Bang! Neighh¡ª Abaddon was flung a few meters away like a ragdoll. Clack! Fragments of his [Rusted Chestpiece] were chipped off as a few of them started falling apart. "Weak!" yelled the skeleton knight with a burning skull who was watching from afar. The skeleton knight had his arms folded as he sat atop his skeleton horse, which was twice as big as the skeleton horse that Abaddon mounted. Abaddon''s jaws moved as he stood up and climbed his mount with difficulty. "How do you expect to become stronger when you can''t even kill such a trifling skeleton?!" the skeleton knight roared. Clack! Abaddon''s skull shook as if denying that he was weak. "Oh? You disagree?" the skeleton knight guffawed. "Then prove me wrong! Kill that Bone Terror!" Clack clack clack! Abaddon whipped the reins of his mount as they charged forward. His sword flashed with blue light as it swung through the air. The Bone Terror''s red eyes flashed as its huge body that was covered in bone armor moved. The monster roared as it welcomed the sword with its ax. Clang! It was a deadlock. But right then, Abaddon''s skeleton horse rose up as its hooves descended onto the Bone Terror. Thud! Abaddon followed it up with another [Chop] as his sword started illuminating once more. Taking advantage of the situation, he stabbed his sword forward, intending to pierce through his enemy''s bone armor. Kruooooo! The Bone Terror was forced back as the claymore pierced through the gaps of its bone armor. However, this, in turn, enraged the monster as its bone ax suddenly flashed with a crimson light. Its red eyes that hid behind its bone helmet shone as the ax smashed towards Abaddon. Abaddon was able to instinctively react thanks to Sky''s training as he tried to parry the ax. Clang! Crack! Upon collision, the Rusted Claymore cracked due to the overbearing strength behind the bone ax, which continued on towards Abaddon, smashing into his armor. Seeing Abaddon''s armor being shattered as the ax caved itself into his chest, the skeleton knight shook his head. "It''s been hours, and you''ve even won against multiple Skeleton Warriors at the same time, but how come you''re not getting stronger." Despite being undead, the skeleton knight''s expression was so depictive it was as if he was a real human, and not just an AI. However, despite how advanced his AI was, how could he have possibly known that Abaddon''s master had already forgotten to check its own skeleton summon''s level let alone allocate the free stat points. Due to this, only Abaddon''s sword mastery and combat senses improved, which allowed him to fight against undead that was higher level. Of course, whether this was a good thing or not, that will be seen in the future. Or would it be right now? At that moment, Abaddon, who was kneeling on the ground and had difficulty standing up, was suddenly shrouded in darkness. A black vortex appeared above it, which continuously ejected dark smoke that encased Abaddon. The skeleton knight was taken aback. "Wait... don''t tell me..." ***** At this moment, Sky, who was walking alongside Queen and her party, suddenly stopped as a surprising notification window appeared in his vision, completely taking his focus and attention. [The skill Skeleton Summoning Level 1 has maxed out its skill proficiency!] [Skeleton Summoning Level 1 has leveled up to Skeleton Summoning Level 2.] [The skill Skeleton Summoning will be updated shortly, please wait a few moments.] [Abaddon is undergoing evolution...] [Evolution complete!] [The stats of Abaddon have increased significantly!] [Due to certain influences, Abaddon has obtained the class Skeleton Knight.] [Due to certain influences, Abaddon''s Beginner Sword Mastery has evolved to Intermediate Sword Mastery.] [Due to certain influences, Abaddon has learned the passive skill ''Beginner Riding Mastery''.] [The class bonus effect will increase Abaddon''s strength, vitality, and intelligence by 10.] [The class bonus effect will unlock the stats ''Charisma'' and ''Fighting Spirit''.] [Skeleton Summoning (Lv. 2) has been updated!] 14 Abaddons Evolution Seeing Sky stop walking, the party was confused as they also halted. They all looked at Sky who was staring at the air in front of him with a delighted expression. [Abaddon''s level has risen.] [Abaddon''s level has risen.] [Abaddon''s level has risen.] [Abaddon''s level has risen.] [Abaddon''s level has risen.] [Skeleton Summoning (Lv. 2) has been updated!] -------------------- [Skeleton Summoning (Unique)] Lv. 2 (0%) Speak the words, ''I Summon You From the Realm of the Dead, Abaddon!'' to activate the skill. ? You can summon a ''Growth-type Skeleton Knight'' that will gain 10 stat points every level up, which will automatically be allocated as follows: +3 Strength, +3 Vitality, +1 Agility, +1 Intelligence, +1 Charisma, and +1 Fighting Spirit. ? The summoned Skeleton Knight''s base stats are 50 Strength, 50 Vitality, 30 Agility, 20 Intelligence, 10 Charisma, and 10 Fighting Spirit. Previous stats will be added alongside the base stats. ? Equipment can be worn. Skill Duration: Until the summoned Skeleton Knight is destroyed or recalled. Skill Usage: 40% of current health. Cooldown: None (I-i...C-can...clack...F-finally...clack...Speak...Clack!) -------------------- ''Ooooh, what an improvement!'' Jaden was elated as he read the numerous notification windows. ''Even the skill window changed.'' The description of the skill had changed considerably. Abaddon has gotten stronger. ''It seems that the little guy is doing well by himself.'' ''Wait, why a knight though?'' he thought. ''And what were those certain influences earlier? Unable to come up with any answers, Sky threw the questions at the back of his head and checked Abaddon''s status window. ____________________ [Abaddon] Level: 24 Class: Skeleton Knight Health: 1,770/1,770 Mana: 645/645 ? Strength: 87 ? Vitality: 79 (Note: 1:20 HP ratio) ? Agility: 59 ? Intelligence: 59 (Note: 1:10 ratio) ? Comprehension: 10 ? Charisma: 10 ? Fighting Spirit: 10 Stat points: 95 ---------- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 1) [Chop] (Lv. 2) [Beginner Riding Mastery] (Lv. 1) [Bone Sword] [Bone Armor] [Summon Skeleton Horse] ____________________ ''Good.'' Sky nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the improved status window. Glancing at the free 95 stat points which Abaddon accumulated before the evolution, which he had also forgotten, he grinned before adding them all into Strength. ''Since you''ll be grinding with me from now on, your damage needs to be much stronger.'' ____________________ [Abaddon] Level: 24 Class: Skeleton Knight Health: 1,770/1,770 Mana: 645/645 ? Strength: 182 ? Vitality: 79 ? Agility: 59 ? Intelligence: 59 ? Comprehension: 10 ? Charisma: 10 ? Fighting Spirit: 10 Stat points: 0 ---------- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 1) [Chop] (Lv. 2) [Beginner Riding Mastery] (Lv. 1) [Bone Sword] [Bone Armor] [Summon Skeleton Horse] ____________________ ''Oh, he even got four new skills?'' Surprised, Sky started reading their skill page. -------------------- [Riding Mastery] Beginner Level 1 (0%) ? Movement speed increases by 50 when riding a mount. ? Attack power increases by 1% when fighting atop a mount. ? Reduce stamina consumption of the mount. ---------- [Bone Sword] ? The Skeleton Knight is equipped with a Bone Sword. ? Attack power increases alongside the Skeleton Knight''s level. ---------- [Bone Armor] ? The Skeleton Knight is equipped with a Bone Armor. ? Defense increases alongside the Skeleton Knight''s level. ---------- [Summon Skeleton Horse] ? The Skeleton Knight can summon a Skeleton Horse from the Abyss as its mount. Duration: Until the Skeleton Horse is destroyed or recalled. Cooldown: 2 hours. -------------------- "Good!" Sky laughed. Completely forgetting that he was traveling with other people, at this moment, Sky, who had gotten a bit used to it, chanted the Skeleton Summoning. With an eager expression, he shouted. "I Summon You From the Realm of the Dead, Abaddon!" ''Come, Abaddon!'' he thought as he spread his arms out. However¡ª [Abaddon has refused your summon.] "?" [The Skeleton Summoning skill was unsuccessful. Your health will not be consumed.] Queen and the others: "..." "...what?" Sky was surprised at the result. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Right then, as his arms were fully spread out, he suddenly felt a couple of stares on him. They were a bunch of judgemental eyes, gazing at him. "Ehem." With a red face, Sky coughed as he retracted his arms. He then looked at the group and waved his hands while smiling. "Please don''t misunderstand." The party members had odd and peculiar expressions as they stared at him. Kyle''s body couldn''t resist twisting. "The cringe," he whispered. Despite his low voice, since the surrounding was devoid of any noise, everyone present heard his words. Sky''s face was that of embarrassment. "No no, you see, I was trying to summon my Skeleton Knight so I had to say those words to activate the skill." Queen looked away. Su Yan giggled as she also looked away. Salvator and Spectre did the same. Kyle had a mocking smile plastered on his face as he stared at Sky, as if he had just found a weakness. "Cheh, what do you mean summon your Skeleton Knight. At this point in the game, do you think such a skill exists?" He continued while sneering. "Why did you say Skeleton Knight? You should''ve just said a Death Knight or a Bone Dragon instead." "Summoning a Skeleton Knight..." he laughed. "Those monsters are at least level 40 and above! Even us five wouldn''t have an easy time beating one. And you say you could summon one?" As the blond knight continued to mock, Queen and the other four exchanged glances, their eyes holding contemplative. ''Actually, it might not be impossible for this guy.'' they all thought at this moment while looking at Sky who was trying to fix the situation. For someone who already climbed to Level 40, for someone who had solo-killed a Level 100+ monster, such a thing wasn''t impossible. However, they couldn''t help but be embarrassed for him when they remembered the summoning chant. ***** At this moment, at the Ancient Undead Plateau¡ª A black vortex hovered above an incredibly thick black gas that seemed to bundle around something. Right then, the black smoke separated as they slowly ascended, back to the black vortex. As if nothing had just happened, the black vortex disappeared in less than a second, returning the surrounding back to normal. "It evolved to a Skeleton Knight?" muttered the skeleton knight with the burning skull as he watched from afar. A few seconds after the black vortex disappeared, what was left behind was eventually shown. It was a skeleton knight. It was 190 cm tall and was clad in a sleek bone armor that covered its entire body, from top to bottom. As it sat atop a skeleton horse, an intimidating aura radiated from it. Hiiiiing¡ª Two holes could be seen on its white bone helmet which had a horn in the middle that pointed upwards. And from within those two holes, blue flickering flames could be seen, which seemed to be the skeleton knight''s eyes. They were like a pair of will-o-wisps! The next second, the skeleton knight pulled out the bone sword that hanged on its waist as its blazing azure eyes stared at the Bone Terror from afar. While the Bone Terror was superior in size to the skeleton knight, since the latter was mounted, it was actually taller instead. "Clack...E-enemy...clack...F-fight..!" the skeleton knight said, albeit disjointedly. Neighhh! With its reins pulled, the skeleton horse rose up proudly before rushing towards the ax-wielding monster. The skeleton knight glared at the Bone Terror as it closed in. Raising its sword, the skeleton knight swung from above. Bang! The bone sword made contact with its enemy''s ax as a resounding sound was heard. The Bone Terror was pushed back a few steps due to the surprising strength behind the attack. Kruooooo! Roaring, it retaliated as it swiped with its ax. Clang! The two weapons clashed once again. However, the outcome was the same as the Bone Terror was forcibly pushed back. The skeleton knight didn''t let up. With its improved sword mastery, the bone sword lit up with blue light as it swung in the air. Seeing this, the Bone Terror instinctively parried. Clang! This time, a crack could be seen on the struck edge of the ax. The Bone Terror glanced at its weapon before looking at the skeleton knight. Its aura dominated, in fear, the Bone Terror took a few steps back. However, the skeleton knight didn''t stop its assault. One after another, it brandished its weapon as the bone sword repeatedly shone with blue light. Eventually¡ª Crack! The bone ax shattered as the Bone Terror knelt on the ground, its wrist also fragmented. Clop, clop, clop. The skeleton horse walked forward. Staring at its enemy that was on the brink of its death, Abaddon clenched his sword. "Finish it." a voice rang from afar. Abaddon glanced at the source as his eyes landed on the skeleton knight with the burning skull. "F-finish..." his eyes shifted back to the target. "B-become...S-stronger..!" Raising his arm, Abaddon hacked from above as his sword decapitated the Bone Terror. "I-i...W-win..." 15 Joining Thud, thud, thud. The broken skeletal body of the Bone Terror plummeted down the ground. Clack. Abaddon''s jaws moved as he hopped off his mount and crouched beside the littered bones. He extended his arm and grabbed the ones that weren''t broken. Suddenly, dark smoke appeared out of nowhere and wrapped around them. In just a few seconds, the bones completely integrated themselves into the black smoke, it was as if they dissolved like a cube of sugar into coffee, albeit, in this circumstance, it was a formless gas instead of a liquid. Hummmm¡ª There was a soft humming sound as the black smoke flew towards Abaddon and wrapped around him. Seeing this scene, Drax, the skeleton knight with the blazing skull nodded. "As an undead, and a lowly one at that, to become stronger, you must absorb the bones of the undead enemies you''ve slain." "Consume. Absorb. Dominate." As if his words were the trigger, the dark gas that revolved around Abaddon linked itself to him until it was eventually absorbed. Abaddon stood up and raised his head. The blue flickering flames that were his eyes shone as he remounted his skeleton horse. "Let''s go," Drax said as he pulled his horse and rode deeper into the Plateau. Abaddon nodded his head and followed after. Despite the bright moon that shone upon the world, the moonlight had difficulty penetrating the region as darkness filled the surrounding. As the two continued going deeper, they eventually disappeared into the shroud of darkness. ***** ''What is that little guy doing?'' Sky thought as he read the system notification that his Skeleton Summoning had failed. ''Did he get himself an opportunity?'' Unable to find an answer, he shrugged and put the thought at the back of his head. Since the little skeleton is busy right now, he''ll come later on his volition. "Apologies for the delay." Sky smiled at Queen and the others. "Should we start hunting Demon Spawns now?" The party members looked at each other before Queen nodded. "Thank you in advance." she smiled, displaying a refreshing charm. "With your help, we''ll be able to create our Guild earlier than expected." Right then, Spectre intruded. He looked at Sky with an unknown smile. "Now that we''re talking about our Guild, Sky¡ª" Sky looked at him. "?" "¡ªwould you like to join our guild when we finish our quest and finally create it?" Surprised, Sky was silent at the assassin''s offer. His heart started to beat rapidly in expectation. "I''ve never joined a Guild before." he smiled wryly. "Actually, this is the first video game that I''ve ever played..." As someone who lived in the mountains with barely a contact with the civilization, he had never tried playing a video game before, despite always yearning for it. "What?" Kyle exclaimed. "The first video game? Ever? So you''ve just been introduced to gaming lately?" ''What the heck! Although you''re a martial artist, no matter how great you are, your control and game sense should be mediocre right now!'' he thought in his heart. Even the others were shocked. Kyle''s shock was justified. For decades, since the boom in the virtual games industry, its been commonly known that even famous and accomplished martial artists had a hard time adapting themselves in virtual reality. This was even more so for the numerous VRMMO games that had been developed throughout the years. In this genre, combat and control were of the utmost importance. The difficulty of controlling one''s game avatar compared to one''s real body wasn''t anything insignificant. As the world''s technologically advanced, the industry also developed. The various VRMMORPGs that competed against each other progressed their games as well. One''s five senses in-game was greatly improved. Vision, hearing, touch, smell, taste, adapting to such a drastically changed environment was easier said than done! The pain sensory system, while it could be adjusted, its effects were still considerable. The monsters. While they were indeed ''created'', due to the improved realism, the feeling that one would have when facing a monster was massively distinguishable when compared to just seeing pictures and drawings of it. What would a martial artist, a human, in the end, feel when it faces monsters that were created and based on myths and legends. Fear, of course. Without even discussing the difficulties of adapting to one''s game avatar, which would definitely be weaker in the beginning, just the visual impact alone would make it hard for even those with hearts-of-steel. The realism of the world and the environment in-game made it hard for even the most critical of critiques to find fault! It made it hard for one to distinguish the differences between the real and the virtual. However, such a new, different experience proved to be a great attraction to the masses. The realism was so excellent that people actually ''lived'' in virtual reality worlds instead, where they could ''live longer'' due to the time dilations. Magical, a word fitting for the ''worlds'' that were created. Worlds where even the handicapped and the elderly could ''live'' vigorously and explore to their heart''s content. It was also due to this magical charm, something that''s impossible in reality, that the people of the world strove to play virtual reality games. Queen, who had a blank expression, regained her senses and looked at Sky. His eyes were clear and face honest. He didn''t seem to be lying. "Still, I would like to invite you to join our Guild," she said as she extended her soft, dainty hands. With smiling eyes, Sky shook her hand and agreed. The player-base community didn''t know it, but at that moment, the one who would be hailed as the strongest has joined the unstoppable guild that eventually stood at the apex. He, was the one considered as the sky which countless players sought to catch up to; he, the one whose name and stories were sung by the wandering bards, both NPCs and players alike; he, the one who became a legendary player, was titled as the strongest of all¡ªthe undefeated! Of course, that story will be told another time. ***** New Era City, Revelation TV¡ªthe world''s #1 gaming broadcasting station. At this moment, at the highest floor of the building, a stern-looking middle-aged man stood by the window and stared afar. His brows were sharp and his eyes reserved. As he stood behind his chair, he could be seen releasing a puff of smoke as he tapped his cigarette on the ashtray atop the desk. *Whoooo...* The view that nearly overlooked the whole city was completely taken in by him. Right then, just as he was enjoying his quiet time, the door to the office was suddenly swung open. Ferociously swung open, the rear of the door slammed the edge of the cabinet at its side. Bang! "Boss!" yelled a young man who was seen entering. Wearing a suit, this young man seemed to be in his early 20s. "...damn," his brows frowning due to the interrupted of his quiet time, the man turned around stared at the young man. "What''s the news?" "Boss!" the young man greeted before reporting. "All five of our ace reporters have completed their class quest and got Thief class." "Good." the boss nodded. "Tell them to increase their levels first before they start sniffing for some articles." He continued. "Also, tell them that useless and mediocre stories such as low-tier quests, random PK''ings, already completed monster raids, and so on will be immediately discarded! Revelation only publishes newsworthy articles." "You got it boss" the young man saluted. "Also, how''s the investigation for Lunatic going? Any news of him appearing in Everlasting World yet?" "As of right now, we haven''t received anything from our sources. Boss, do you think Handsome Lunatic will conquer this game as well, like the previous ones he played?" The boss turned quiet at the question. He was silent for a few moments before saying. "It''s hard to say. Although that God of Gaming has walked unrivaled at the previous VRMMO games, Everlasting World is different." "Maybe we''ll get a surprise this time," he said as he puffed a smoke once more. "For the past few years, be it Spirit Sword, Age of Atalanta, Endgame Online, and the other VRMMORPGs, they''ve all been conquered by that guy, becoming a legend in the gaming industry. However, I have this nagging feeling that this time will be different..." ***** Meanwhile, at the sovereign power of Everlasting''s West Continent¡ªCamelot, Standing before the gigantic gate that was the entrance to the empire, a man in his early 20s could be seen. His features were sharp and his skin was without blemish, something that countless females would be envious of. His eyes were the color of the ocean; while he looked easygoing and laidback, one would still recognize the pride and arrogance present in his eyes. Although there was a crowd of NPC merchants and civilians that were simply countless, one couldn''t help but look and focus on that figure instead. Clad in black chainmail that was stained with blood, a bloodthirsty aura exuded from him as the stench of iron could be detected. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Dragging a giant sword that was nearly two meters in size, the young man looked at the gate with a smirk before walking forward. 16 Teamwork "Halt!" the guard by the huge gate shouted. Donned in a gray armor and helmet, the guard held a polearm that was nearly two meters long as he stared at the person walking at the front. "State your name!" "Hmm?" the guy in the blood-smeared chainmail glanced at the guard as a status window appeared in front of him. ____________________ [Camelot Knight] Level: 180 Health: 175,500/175,500 ____________________ ''Just a mere nameless NPC...'' he thought as he read the status window. As someone who had conquered multiple VRMMO games and remained unrivaled throughout those times, the experience and game sense he possessed was vastly superior compared to your average lad. ''It''s a fact that anything or anyone, be they an NPC or a monster if they were without a name or a title, then they were but expendable characters in the game. His eyes full of indifference, he replied. "I''m Handsome Lunatic. The one who will stand at the top of this world." ***** Currently, within the Devilwood Forest, a group of six people could be seen fighting a monster that resembled an infamous demon talked about in myths and fables. Boom! Hup¡ª Sky grunted as he was launched into the air due to the shockwave from the Demon Spawn''s stomp. He somersaulted and landed beside a beauty whose appearance could be said to be '' kingdom-toppling 1 '' "It''s a bit stronger than the one I killed previously," he said. Queen nodded as she clenched her iron spear. "It''s a few levels above the one you slew earlier." Her beautiful face was serious at this moment. She glanced at her status and saw a few system messages about her stats reduction and debuffs. "With you here, it''s doable," Spectre said as his figure turned blurry. He stepped into the darkness which the surrounding was covered in and disappeared. It was the assassin and other such class'' most important skill¡ªStealth. As his figure blended in the darkness, Salvator raised his round shield which shone with a white luster and dashed towards the Demon Spawn. "Be sure not to get hit if possible." Sky warned. The attack power of that monster was no joke. He didn''t even know if that guy could survive a single attack from the Demon Spawn. Salvator didn''t say anything but he nodded his head. "Provoke!" he roared as he activated a taunt-skill, inciting the monster''s aggro for a few moments. "Nice one!" yelled Kyle as he lowered his body and tightened his grip on his greatsword. In less than a second, his weapon started glowing as he struck the Demon Spawn. [You have dealt 80 damage to the target!] "Damn, so weak," he grumbled when he saw his puny two-digit damage. "Of course it''s weak!" smirked Su Yan as her mouth moved, seeming to chant a spell while holding her wooden staff forward. " Calling the elementals of flame¡ªFireball! " A second later, a small crimson-colored magic formation appeared at the front of her staff as a fire was launched from within. [You have dealt 149 damage to the target!] She didn''t let up as she conjured multiple magic attacks, albeit all of them basic. [You have dealt 92 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 110 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 105 damage to the target!] "Tsk." Kyle clicked his tongue as he saw the red-colored numbers appear above the Demon Spawn. "A magician''s DPS is really something else, putting all your stat points into a single stat, how envious." "Hmph." Su Yan only smirked in response. "Less talking more fighting," Queen said as she smashed her spear at the monster. The sight of the valiant beauty was simply astonishing. Roar!!!! Right then, the enraged Demon Spawn roared as it suddenly pointed its claws at Salvator. Its claws turned jet-black, darker than night itself. A stream of black smoke suddenly revolved at the monster''s claws. Seeing this, Sky''s expression changed as he dashed forward, his speed incredibly swift. "Careful! It''s using a curse-skill!" Since he had fought and beat a Demon Spawn earlier, he had also experienced its skills firsthand. ''They were no joke.'' Therefore, when he saw the demon''s actions, he instantly knew that it was casting a skill. It was a debuff that would reduce one''s stats and movement speed by 30% while draining one''s health by 800 damage every second. And the skill''s duration was 5-minutes long! It was a good thing that the Demon Spawn casted it when it was on the brink of death. Otherwise, he would''ve died from the DoT alone since the curse-skill couldn''t be dodged without special items or skills that could purify such debuffs. Therefore, when he saw the monster cast the skill on Salvator, he swiftly warned the guy. Since Salvator''s level was only a third of his own level, the man would instantly die once he gets cursed. Salvator heard his words as he felt a chill run down his spine. He didn''t hesitate one bit and immediately withdrew. Kraaaa!! The demon didn''t seem to agree as it howled. However, right before it released its skill, Sky appeared under its massive figure and used [Chop] towards the monster''s wrist. His high strength stat proved itself useful as his weapon shone with blue light, hacking the demon''s flesh. [You have dealt 1,202 damage to the target!] [You have interrupted the target''s skill.] Roarrrrrrrr!!!! The Demon spawn howled in rage as it swung at Sky. One could hear the wind being sliced. However, just then, a blurry figure suddenly appeared behind the monster. It was Spectre! The assassin jumped and used one of his arms to wrap around the demon''s neck, while the other came towards the demon''s right eye. He caught the demon off-guard as his dagger stabbed its target. [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 200 damage to the target!] Spectre plunged his weapon deeper as he climbed the demon''s shoulder who cried in pain. He then pulled his dagger out and stabbed its other eye before leaping down, leaving his weapon embedded in the demon''s eye. His figure once more disappeared as he stepped in the darkness, suggesting his Stealth''s cooldown was finished. His timing, decision making, and control of his skills were impeccable! Seeing this, Sky smiled and unleashed an onslaught of slashes at the Demon Spawn. The others followed suit and used their available skills as they relentlessly attacked. Just like this, time passed and the Demon Spawn''s health dwindled, while the team''s synergy increased. ***** [The enemy has been slain!] [You have received 100 World Reputation and +1 Fighting Spirit for your Combat Achievement!] [All stats +1.] [You have received 413,828 experience points.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [Your level...] [Your...] [...] [...] [You have obtained: Intermediate Potion x2.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Meat.] [You have obtained...] [You have...] [You...] [...] [...] "Finally." Sky sighed in relief as he glanced at the Demon Spawn''s corpse before looking at his status window. While he considered the fight to be ''easy'', the monster''s giant health pool was a different matter altogether. Sure none of its attacks could hit him since he could read the demon''s attack pattern through its minute body movement allowing him to dodge with ease, however, he had still suffered under the level suppression and stats reduction, which led to his decreased DPS. Add that to the Demon Spawn''s health, it was enough to give Sky a headache. The fight was too long and too stale! ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 46 Class: None World Reputation: 1,510 Health: 2,175/2,175 Mana: 500/500 ? Strength: 251 (+7) ? Vitality: 73 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ? Agility: 213(+7) ? Intelligence: 58 (+15) ? Dexterity: 73 ? Fortitude: 58 ? Comprehension: 22 ? Luck: 10 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 11 Stat points: 130 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 4) [Skeleton Summoning] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2) ____________________ He smiled at the free stat points. But this time, he didn''t use all of them. "Add 30 stat points into Strength and Agility." ''Since I have teammates now, I won''t have to solo and keep using all the free stat points.'' he thought. Let''s save them for a rainy day. [Strength stat has increased by 30 points.] [Agility stat has increased by 30 points.] ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 46 Class: None World Reputation: 1,510 Health: 2,175/2,175 Mana: 500/500 ? Strength: 281 (+7) ? Vitality: 73 ? Agility: 243(+7) ? Intelligence: 58 (+15) ? Dexterity: 73 ? Fortitude: 58 ? Comprehension: 22 ? Luck: 10 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 11 Stat points: 70 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 4) [Skeleton Summoning] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2) ____________________ Meanwhile, while he allocated his points into the two stats, Queen and the others had dazed expressions. The reason for this was the continuous notification windows that appeared in their vision. They didn''t seem to end as they kept popping up! Kyle sucked in a cold breath seeing them. He then suddenly laughed like a madman. "Hahahahahahahahaha! Power!" he shouted as he raised his fists while tears streamed down his eyes. "This is what I''m talking about!" ''Why''s he laughing and crying at the same time?'' Sky thought, confused. Of course, he didn''t know the difficulty of raising one''s level. He didn''t know how much difficulty Kyle had experienced just to reach Level 11. And now, after just a single battle, his level suddenly soared rapidly, as if on steroids. While they didn''t overreact like Kyle, Queen and the others were also giddy at this moment. How could they not be happy when they saw their experience bars filling up continuously without stop. "Damn it, I had to travel around EverGuard, talk to hundreds of NPCs, and do all kinds of things just to reach Level 11..." Kyle choked exaggeratedly. "Who knew I could level up this fast just by killing a monster..." His teary eyes then shifted towards Sky as he dove towards him. Sky: "...?!" "Big brother!" he cried as he grabbed Sky''s leg. "Handsome big bro! Please let me ride your bus! 1 " Blez no H8 for the CH WN term... Powerleveling, boosting, etc. 17 Hmmmm Queen and Su Yan''s expression darkened at the sight of the begging blond knight. ''Damn it, we just recruited him and you''re planning to annoy the hell out of him already?!'' Salvator and Spectre merely looked away, as if they didn''t see anything. "Oh?" Sky was taken aback for a second before smiling. Moving his arm, he raised his hand and looked at his clean fingernails. He then blew air on ''em as he said. "My international bank account number is AC024XXXXXXXX" "Eh?" Kyle was dumbfounded. Sky grinned in response. "Where else can you find such excellent power-leveling service at this stage of the game? For the right price, your leveling speed is guaranteed to skyrocket! Miles ahead of countless of players!" '' Haysss... The monthly rent for the dojo is about to come and I''ve no money left.'' he thought as he sighed. ''Where did that old man get the money to buy the gaming capsule anyway? He had enough money to buy such a thing but none for the dojo?'' Actually making money could be said to be incredibly easy for him. However, he had given his word to his master that he wouldn''t use his martial arts for any kind of profit. At that moment, he remembered the old master''s words. '' Little brat! Trust me, making money will be easier very very soon. Remember to play the game that''ll come out!'' ***** A few hours later, the fifth Demon Spawn they encountered¡ª Roarrr!!! " Provoke! " Salvator yelled as he smashed his shield at the Demon Spawn''s stomach. Immediately after, he jumped back, barely dodging the demon''s claw. [You have dealt 92 damage to the target!] Infuriated, the monster''s attention was fully focused on him. Gruaaaaa!!! Thud, thud, thud! The demon ran after him as its gigantic feet crushed the ground, leaving the earth vibrating after each step. Fireball! Whoooooosh! What followed his attack were multiple flaming orbs that exploded upon contact with the demon. Boom boom boom! [You have dealt 330 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 300 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 316 damage to the target!] "Let''s go!" Kyle laughed as he used [Charge], causing his figure to rapidly rush towards the Demon Spawn''s flank. At that moment, the Demon Spawn suddenly turned around, suggesting the taunt skill''s duration was gone. The demon smiled malevolently as it swung its arm at the knight. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Nice try!" the blond knight sneered. Right before getting hit by the attack, Kyle canceled his skill midway and spun around, brandishing his sword in a fluid motion. Tiiiing. A humming sound was heard when his greatsword glowed with light as it slashed at the Demon Spawn''s arm. [You have dealt 295 damage to the target!] Following that, Kyle, with his body lowered, dashed at the demon''s right side and swung his sword from the side. As the greatsword moved in the air, the weapon''s blade flashed with blue light. It was the skill [Chop]. He had bought a skill book of it from a swordsman trainer in EverGuard for 10 gold. It was expensive since gold rarely dropped from low-level monsters. [You have dealt 310 damage to the target!] At that moment, Sky, who was wearing a new black-colored armor, appeared at the Demon Spawn''s rear out of nowhere. His eyes were calm as he also used [Chop]. [You have dealt 1,450 damage to the target!] He followed it up with a barrage of attacks, releasing two slashes each second. ''It''s a pity that my attack speed is still slow.'' he thought. [You have dealt 1,005 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 910 damage to the target!] [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 1,310 damage to the target!] ''Faster!'' [You have dealt 1,120 damage to the target!] [You have dealt 1,030 damage...] ''Faster!!'' [You have dealt...] [You have...] [You...] [...] Right then, a notification window popped up, taking his attention. [The War God is looking at you.] [The War God is curious about you.] ''War God? Lakas?'' he thought as he tumbled to the side, dodging the Demon Spawn''s claws by a hair''s breadth. The scenes in the introduction flashed past his eyes as he recalled that dominating figure that slaughtered countless demons and multiple Great Demons. ''Interesting...'' Just as he was remembering those scenes that seemed too realistic, a delicate voice interrupted his thoughts. "Sky!" Queen called out. Roarrrrrr! The Demon Spawn''s cry shook the Devilwood Forest as black smoke suddenly appeared at its claws. The demon then pointed at Sky, who was momentarily distracted. "Damn it." [You have been cursed with the skill ''Affliction''.] A skull-shaped mark appeared above Sky''s head at this moment. [Your health will decrease by 800 points every second.] [Your stats have been reduced.] [You feel stagnated.] [You feel exhausted.] The terrifying skill that nearly took his life during his first battle against a Demon Spawn presented itself once more. However¡ª [The Blessed Necklace has purified the curse ''Affliction.] [You have resisted.] Sky sighed in relief when the [Blessed Necklace] activated. Unless he used all the [Intermediate Potions] that he had, he would''ve died in less than 10 seconds due to the DoT. He then jumped away from the Demon Spawn and focused. "Oh? The skill didn''t affect you?" Spectre''s blurry figure suddenly appeared and asked curiously when he saw the skull mark that was above Sky''s head, disappear. "I have an item that gives me a certain chance to ignore debuffs." Sky smiled before rushing towards the monster. Spectre nodded and blended into the darkness once more. Queen sighed in relief when she saw Sky resist the debuff. ''Fighting a Demon Spawn without him... we would''ve team-wiped if he died.'' as she thought of this, she leaped towards the demon and stabbed towards its head. Just like this, time passed as the monster''s health bar started draining. ***** [The enemy has been slain.] [You''ve killed a minion of the Great Demons!] [You have received +100 World Reputation for your Combat Achievements.] [All stats +1.] [You have received 95,233 experience points.] [You have obtained 1,100 gold.] [Your level has risen,] [Your level has risen.] [Your level has risen.] [You have obtained: Cursed Blade.] [You have obtained: Cursed Chestpiece.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Meat.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Skin.] [You have obtained: Demon Spawn''s Bones x3.] ]You have obtained...] [You have...] [You...] [...] [...] "That''s the fifth one," Queen said with a bitter smile. "Only 95 more to go..." Hearing her words, the party groaned. "Ugh, only 95 more..." "That''s a yikes." "This quest will take forever!" "Should we just garrison in a different kingdom..." Sky looked at them who were all complaining. However, as they complained, the determination in their eyes didn''t waver. It was clear that they didn''t mean what they said. Sky smiled. He felt good. "Boss, Imma log out for now. I''m pretty tired, phew." Kyle groaned as he arched his back exaggeratedly. "Me too, I''m getting hungry," said Su Yan as she extended her arms up and stretched body charmingly. Her features displayed the epitome of oriental beauty. It was a beautiful sight. "Pretty... hey!" Kyle whispered in a daze only to be whacked by Su Yan. "Okay, let''s rest," Queen said. "That''s all for today. Leave a message in the group chat when you''re gonna play." Although her gorgeous face was expressionless, it still betrayed the hint of exhaustion in her eyes. She then glanced at Sky. "Since we''re in each other''s friend list now, I''ll also add you in the group chat." The group chat that she talked about was the integrated app within the gaming capsule, which could be accessed in-game and outside the game. The app allowed one to message, call, or video-call anyone who had the app. Of course, there were also tons of other features that needn''t be mentioned. It was developed by Destiny Group way before the opening of Everlasting World. Linking the app to the gaming capsule and Everlasting World was a smart idea and made the communication between one another easier. "See you later, Sky!" "Cya tom. bro!" "Nice meeting you!" "Okay." Sky nodded his head as he saw them log out, their game avatars blurring before eventually disappearing. "Now, what should I do about this..." he whispered as he looked at certain notification windows. [Due to continuous exhausting activities, you are in a state of hunger.] [Stats have been reduced by 60%.] [Movement speed has been reduced by 50%.] [You are hungry.] [You feel exhausted.] [Your status might worsen if you do not satiate your hunger.] "Hmm..." He looked at his inventory for anything that could remedy the situation, only to find it futile. "The Intermediate Potion only heals my HP, it doesn''t remove any status ailments..." At that moment, a certain item that he previously found useless caught his eye. ____________________ [Demon Spawn''s Meat] A chunk of flesh from a Demon Spawn. Edible. ____________________ "Hmmm..." 18 The Sword in the Monolith Devilwood Forest. A gloomy forest filled with darkness encroaching in all directions. Different from before, the number of animals and native monsters in the area has shown a decline with the appearance of foreign creatures that hailed from Hell¡ªDemon Spawns. From time to time, terrifying roars could be heard alongside numerous screeching cries, as if continuous slaughter were taking place. However, at this moment, deep within the grim forest, a fiery light could be seen, which was followed by ascending smoke. It was a fire. A figure could be seen crouching beside the fire as he held two skewers, actually, they seemed to be branches from a tree instead, piercing meats that were being roasted. It was common knowledge among experienced hunters that one shouldn''t lit a fire within a forest lest he attracts wild animals, or in this case, monsters. However, the handsome young man seemed to be without a care in the world as he stared at his meat skewers with a face full of expectations. "Almost done..." muttered Sky as his mouth salivated. Although the demon meat didn''t release any rich, savory fragrance, his hungered stomach created the imagination of an appetizing aroma. A short while later¡ª [You have learned the skill: Cooking.] [You have learned Beginner Cooking Mastery Level 1.] [Your hunger has been satiated.] [Your stats has returned to normal.] Chomp. Sky ignored the notification windows as he took a bite from one of the meat skewers. "Hmm..." he closed his eyes as he chewed, focusing on his taste buds. "... not that good but not that bad either." he judged, a bit disappointed. "It''s bland. There''s hardly any flavor except for the smoky taste." I guess that''s demon meat for you. Why would it taste good? He then shifted his eyes to the new skill he received. ____________________ [Cooking] Beginner Lv. 1 (0%) ? Enhances the taste of cooked meals. Increases the recovery of stamina when consumed. Depending on the quality of ingredients used and skill mastery, the taste of the cooked food will vary and temporary buffs could be added. ____________________ He then looked at his status window, which has improved drastically. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 58 Class: None World Reputation: 2,010 Health: 2,465/2,465 Mana: 645/645 ? Strength: 298(+7) ? Vitality: 90 (+5) ? Agility: 261(+10) ? Intelligence: 75 (+15) ? Dexterity: 89 ? Fortitude: 75 (+5) ? Comprehension: 27 ? Luck: 15 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 20 Stat points: 190 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 5) [Skeleton Summoning] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2) [Cooking] (Lv. 1) ____________________ "Good." Sky smiled at his improved stats. Different from last time when he allocated half of his total free stat points, this time, he didn''t spend any. ''Since my current attributes are sufficient to solo a Demon Spawn, I should save these stat points for a rainy day.'' He then proceeded to look at his current equipment. Its been a while since he had replaced the equipment he previously used, which were dropped by the Skeleton Warriors. For his weapon, he had the [Cursed Blade], which was had a Rare rating and gave +7 points to strength and agility. As for his armor, he had the [Cursed Chestpiece], which also had a Rare rating and gave +5 points to vitality and fortitude. And lastly, he had the [Cursed Greavers], which had a similar rating and added +3 points into agility. Sky was satisfied with his current gear. He quickly finished the rest of the meat skewers and stood up, extinguishing the fire before leaving. As the residue smoke rose to the sky, his figure blended into the darkness as he headed deeper into the forest. ***** [You have reached ''Heart of Devilwood'' the very center of Devilwood Forest.] ''Strange, it''s been a while already and I haven''t seen any Demon Spawns on my way here...'' Sky thought as he looked around. However, what he saw was the same as what he saw all this time that he had been in this place. It was the endless number of trees and the ever-present darkness. Just as Sky was about to head deeper, his eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared into the distance. Despite the lack of light, he was still able to see those numerous figures in the distance, all of them drawing his attention. Gigantic physiques. The flames that burst from their bodies from time to time. The dark smoke that gathered around them. These features were all too familiar to Sky. They were Demon Spawns. And there were a lot of them, at least dozens. Sky controlled his breathing and minimized his unnecessary movements as he moved forward. He could see the Demon Spawns huddled around on a stone scaffold, kneeling, which he found to be quite a bizarre image even in this place. As he moved closer, the image became clearer. An obsidian monolith stood atop the platform and strange symbols were engraved on its surface. Those symbols seemed to date back to ancient times as a strange aura exuded from them. It was as if they were telling a story. However, while the image seemed out of place, alongside the dozens of kneeling Demon Spawns that were present, what took Sky''s attention was the black sword atop the monolith. Sky, who was a swordsman himself, couldn''t take his eyes away from the sword. He was attracted to it, akin to a man attracted to a captivating woman. The sword penetrated the monolith from above and besides its hilt, only half of the blade remained visible. The other half pierced the stone as if sealing something within. The surface of the hilt seemed to be made from an unknown creature''s skin or scale and had the color of the night itself. As for the blade, it was also the color of jet-black, and a bone-chilling aura radiated from it, repelling the Demon Spawns, their expressions that of fear. As they knelt before the monolith, their expressions wasn''t that of reverence or respect, but that of fear and rage. Their expressions were so vivid and human-like that one would find it hard to understand that they were not real beings. Some of them kept roaring as they tried to resist and stand up, only to find it futile as their knees, as if they had magnets, remained stuck and grounded. The pressure from the monolith, or was it from the sword, overpowered them. ''Amazing...'' Sky thought as he stared at the sword in the stone. Ignoring his safety, his eyes were in a daze as he stepped closer, closer to the Demon Spawns, closer to the monolith, and closer to the sword. Grrrrrrrrrrrr... Roar!! Kruooooo!! The kneeling demons howled and roared towards Sky, yet he completely ignored them as he continued treading forward. As if sensing something getting closer, a humming sword could be heard from the black sword as the crimson aura that surrounded it became denser and stronger. The red aura started compressing and in an instant, a crimson sword light was formed. Whoosh! Then, without a warning, the sword light pierced towards Sky with an unstoppable intent to kill! At that moment, Sky''s previously dull eyes regained their senses as they became clear. The color of red was reflected in his eyes as he instinctively swung his sword. C-crack! [Your weapon has been destroyed.] The Cursed Blade fragmented upon contact with the red light as pieces of it fell down the ground. Fortunately, the red light also stopped its advance after the clash. It then dispersed back into its previous translucent aura and encircled the monolith once more as if nothing just happened. The black sword atop the stone also stopped humming and returned to normal. ''Good thing I reacted fast, otherwise I would''ve died.'' Sky sighed in relief before throwing the broken But that sword... His eyes were once again focused on the black sword that pierced the monolith, but this time, he wasn''t distracted and his senses weren''t spellbound. He glanced at the marble steps that led to the monolith and stepped forward. The Demon Spawns all stared at Sky with malevolent eyes. Bellowing sounds and growls couldn''t help but escape their sharp-teethed mouth. Oh, how they wished to devour him right then and there. Who knew if Sky was oblivious to their menacing gazes or he just didn''t care but he lifted his foot and took his first step. One, two, three... A few seconds later, he had ascended before the monolith and swept his eyes on the strange marks on its surface. His gaze then landed on the black sword that was stuck in the stone. At that moment¡ª [The sword is ''looking'' at you.] Engrossed at the moment, Sky reached out his hand and grasped the obsidian-colored hilt. Whoooooosh!! In less than a second, the surrounding crimson-red aura suddenly flew towards him and revolved around his body. The crimson aura seemed to be endless as they continued to wrap around Sky, intending to encase him like how a scabbard would sheathe a sword. And in an instant, alongside the red aura, he disappeared. 19 A Prison of Opportunity [You have arrived at an unknown space.] Right after the system notification, Sky flashed his eyes open and swept the surroundings with his gaze. The sky was blue and white clouds were present, however, the lack of sun above was conspicuous. Towering trees were could be seen all around him, forming a forest that looked exactly similar to Devilwood Forest. However, the vibrant, peaceful atmosphere in this place juxtaposed that of the gloomy, desolate forest. "Another aspirant?" said a tranquil voice, waking Sky up from his stupor. A few meters away, an exact duplicate of the obsidian monolith built in the Devilwood Forest could be seen. Sitting cross-legged atop the monolith, a man could be seen clad in a long fitting white robe, a bit similar to a dopo worn by Confucian scholars. Long hair, the color of the ocean, fell on his shoulder like a waterfall. He had a pair of captivating black eyes that seemed to be able to see through one''s soul. As the man looked up and down at Sky, the latter also scrutinized him. With a tall nose bridge and sword-like brows, this man that seemed to be in his early 30s had an appearance no way inferior to that of Sky''s. [You have encountered a powerful being of this world.] Sky didn''t need to be reminded by the system as he stared at the blue-haired man. ''Strong.'' That was the first thing that came to his mind. Although the mysterious man didn''t radiate any oppressive power or dominating aura, his instincts kicked in, telling him that this person was powerful, incredibly powerful beyond his imagination. He trusted his gut, his instincts which was honed after hunting countless wild animals throughout his whole life. Even he never felt this kind of feeling from his master. This was a first for him. Of course, while his instincts were one of the reasons for this assumption, the second reason was of equal importance. And that was the presence of the colossal figure floating mid-air behind the mysterious man. Thick and heavy chains that were of golden color could be seen throughout the monster''s body. From its large mouth that was sealed to its gigantic feet that were snared, from its arms that were larger than Sky''s waist and were pulled behind it to those large claws that were chained down within the earth; those golden chains were present and seemed to come from the black monolith. The monster appeared to be paralyzed and had its eyes closed while keeping a kneeling position in mid-air. "A heaven-blessed individual? Have the wheels of destiny started spinning?" the mysterious man spoke as he sighed. "It seems that Everlasting is about to descend into chaos once more." Sky, who was distracted, didn''t hear the man''s words as his attention was completely focused on the kneeling monster. ____________________ [Ekress (Great Demon) (Sealed)] Level: ??? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Health: ??? Mana: ??? ____________________ Sky''s jaw dropped as he stared at the status window that appeared. ''This monster''s a Great Demon?'' he shouted in his heart as he stared at the Great Demon''s head which had four horns that were akin to a crown. Flames could be seen spewing out of the demon''s nose as it breathed in and out. [This fellow here is Ekress. The 17th Ruler of Hell.] said the mysterious man as he stared at Sky''s shocked face. It took a few moments for Sky to regain his senses as he shifted his eyes onto the sitting man with the azure hair. [You have failed to identify this being.] ?! I can''t see this NPCs status window? How come? Sky was surprised at what just happened. The mysterious man smiled and seemed to see through his thoughts. [Your current strength is still insufficient.] Sky looked at him and was silent for a few seconds before straightforwardly asking. "Who are you? And what is this place?" he asked as he looked at his surroundings, which looked exactly like the Devilwood Forest. [You can call me Asura.] the man smiled, he didn''t seem to take offense at Sky''s straightforward attitude. [This place, is a prison.] Prison? Sky''s eyes drifted back to the chained Great Demon. The mysterious man continued with a smile. [And also a place of trial. ] "Trial?" Sky was confused. "Trial for what?" ''What a game this is, grabbing a random sword in a forest sends you in a different world that''s actually a prison for a top-tier BOSS monster that''s being sealed.'' The mysterious man didn''t answer his question immediately and instead looked afar, towards the horizon. A smile crept up his lips, seemingly recalling pleasant memories. [A long time ago, when the War of Gods and Demons ''finished'', what came after was a turbulent time for humanity. An era of struggle.] [It was a time of struggle, but also a time for opportunities.] [Beseiged by countless monsters and all kinds of races, humanity was forced to adapt at the sudden change of the world, forced to fight for survival.] [It was said that a calamitous time is a disaster for the world, but it is also an opportunity for one to rise to the top.] [Countless humans died at the hands of foreign invading races and terrifying monsters. However, it was also thanks to this time where we were backed to a corner that our potentials developed.] [Numerous inheritance and fragmented legacies of the gods, angels, fallen ones, and great demons were present after the war. Using those opportunities, humans were able to strengthen themselves, finding enough power to retaliate, enough power to establish a foothold in the chaotic world of Everlasting.] Right then, the mysterious man looked at Sky. A pair of golden and black eyes stared at each other. [Martial arts, magic, smithing, crafting, alchemy, technology; humanity entered what would go down in history as the ''Golden Age''.] [However, it was also during those times where transcendent beings showed themselves once more.] [Wars, albeit on smaller scales than the War of Gods and Demons, once again triggered.] [Great Demons of the lower seats climbed from Hell.] [Gods descended from the Infinite Horizon.] [Angels crusaded from Eden and the Fallen Ones embarked from the Netherworld.] [Chaos and havoc wrought the land of Everlasting once again, causing the death of innumerable humans.] Sky saw the mysterious man''s eyes sharpen as his voice became majestic deep. [But this time, humanity isn''t as helpless from before.] [There were defenders, guardians of humanity with great strength present in this era.] [While there were indeed vile ones, nonetheless, every single one of them ceased their bad blood and restrained their grudges for the sake of saving humanity from genocide.] [These people, were called Supremes¡ª] [¡ªand I was the strongest of them all.] As his calm voice drifted, the mysterious man''s azure hair started floating upwards as a powerful aura started circulating around him. Sky''s body unwillingly trembled due to the power, but his gaze remained resolute as he met the former''s eyes. [Terrifying Great Demons? Slaughter them!] [Those two-faced gods that spoke of benevolence yet their actions malevolent? Kill them!] As he said that, a black sword materialized before the mysterious man as he grasped its hilt. As soon as he held the sword, his aura and temperament immediately changed. [It was fortunate that those proud Dragons didn''t join the chaos, otherwise, I wouldn''t even know what humanity''s outcome would be.] [During those times, only the angels of Eden helped defend us. It was thanks to them that our casualties reduced substantially.] [Even my life was saved by one of them. By her.] A refreshing smile couldn''t help but escape the man''s lips as a certain face appeared in his mind. [At that time, I was just a handsome dashing man who held a sword and only a handful of people knew my name. The people thereby called me Asura, after I slaughtered numerous of those ''transcendent beings''.] [I was given a lot of honored titles.] [Godslayer.] [Demon Hunter.] [Bane of Hell.] [Savior of Humanity.] [Sword Saint.] [And so on.] Each of those titles shocked Sky to his core as he looked at Asura in awe and respect. Other than that, there was also a hint of desire to battle behind his eyes. [And right now, the me that you are seeing is but a will that I left behind in this sword.] He said as he raised the familiar black sword that looked unremarkable. [Its hilt was formed from a Great Demon''s skin and bones and its blade forged using the metal of the gods, Adamantium.] [It''s been blessed by an Archangel and has bathed in dragon''s blood.] [In this place, I''ve left this sword for the fated one.] [Do you wish to wield this sword?] "Yes." Sky nodded without hesitation. At that moment, the mysterious man walked towards him, step by step. Standing before him, the mysterious man plunged his sword down the earth and glanced at him. [Others came before you, much stronger than you are now.] [The people of this era called them Legends yet they all failed in the end.] [So¡ª] he smiled, staring at Sky''s unwavering eyes. [¡ªwhat makes you different?] [Are you the fated one?] [Are you worthy?] 20 Forsaken "Am I worthy?" Sky muttered as he stepped forward and stood before the black sword, Forsaken. Asura stared at him with a mysterious smile. "I don''t know." Sky shook his head. "I don''t know if I''m the fated one that you''re talking about or if I''m worthy in your perspective." He then extended his hand towards the sword''s hilt. "However, I also have a question for you." Staring at the black sword, Sky gripped the hilt as a powerful aura suddenly started radiating. "I will soon stand at the apex and it''s only a matter of time." "To become my weapon, are you worthy?" Asura smiled when he heard his words. [An immense strength is suppressing you!] [All stats have been reduced by 90%.] [You feel disoriented.] [Your five senses have become sluggish.] Sky ignored the system notifications as he used all his strength to pull out the sword. Humm... A humming sound was heard as Forsaken trembled. [You have encountered a sword only told in myths and legends.] With his full attention on the sword, Forsaken started moving up, inch by inch. However, as this went on, the aura that Sky was enduring also intensified. [Your current strength isn''t qualified to wield the weapon!] [Your body, mind, and soul are suffering in agony.] Sky''s expression paled as he suddenly felt a tormenting pain. It was fortunate that he had experienced all kinds of pain growing up alongside his master. It was also fortunate that the pain sensory of the game itself was limited; it allowed the players to feel acute pain in-game while not fully experiencing the exact pain that one would feel when that certain experience happens. [Your health and mana are being consumed.] [Your health and mana have fallen at critical levels.] Sky saw his HP and MP decreasing rapidly as he struggled to pull the sword. [A certain power has influenced your health, forcing it to remain at the minimum.] His health dropped to 1 HP. Although he didn''t die, what followed after was even worse. [An immense strength is suppressing you!] [Your level has dropped to level 45.] And it didn''t end there. Under Sky''s shock, his level started falling, way faster than it had previously risen. [Your level has dropped to level 44.] [Your level has dropped to level 43.] [Your level has dropped to level 42.] [Your level has dropped to level 41.] [Your level has dropped to level 40.] [Your level has dropped...] [Your level has...] [Your level...] [Your...] [...] [...] Eventually¡ª [Well done, my succes sor.] Asura spoke while laughing. [Your level has dropped to level 1.] [All stats, except hidden stats, have been reset.] At that moment, right after his level was reset to level 1, the sword stuck in the monolith was finally liberated. [You have obtained the sword spoken in myths and legends, Forsaken.] [Due to the gap of your level and the power of Forsaken, the sword has been sealed and weakened to allow you to wield it.] [Accomplish certain tasks to unseal the sword''s powers.] ____________________ [Forsaken (Sealed)] Rating: Unique Durability: 1,000/1,000 Attack Power: 230~320 (Scales with the user''s level.) ? All stats +30 ? Charisma and Charm +50. ? This sword has been blessed by an Archangel. 150% increase in health recovery and a 200% increase in damage against dark creatures. You will be respected by NPCs of the Righteous Faction. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ? This sword was made using a Great Demon''s skin and bones. All demonkins within an area of a 100-meter diameter of the user will be suppressed, reducing their stats by 50% (stats reduction based on the level difference). You will not be suppressed when facing a Great Demon. ? This sword was forged using Adamantium, the metal of the gods. There is a low probability of activating the ''Divine Punishment'' skill. Every time Divine Punishment is activated, lightning will descend from the sky and strike all enemies near the user. The damage of Divine Punishment will be fixed at 10,000 (based on the user''s level) and will ignore defense and all types of resistance. ? This sword has bathed in the blood of a dragon. The user will possess the passive skill ''Dragon Aura'', which will suppress all the desired targets near the user, weakening their concentration and five senses to a considerable degree. There is also a low probability to activate the skill ''Dragon Fear''. Every time Dragon Fear is activated, all enemies near the user will succumb to a ''feared'' state for 10 seconds (duration based on the level difference). You will not be suppressed when facing a dragon. ? This sword was used by the greatest swordsman to have ever lived. All skills, except sword-related, will be locked. Except for sword mastery, all sword-related skills +1 level. The user''s mana pool will be locked until the sword is fully unsealed. The user will unlock the resource ''sword energy''. The maximum sword energy pool is based on the user''s sword mastery 1 (Your maximum sword energy is 500. Sword energy recovers by 1 every second and after every attack.) To unseal, finish the following tasks: 1. Train your sword mastery to the pinnacle ¡ª Task incomplete. 2. Defeat a Legend ¡ª Task incomplete. 3. Kill a Great Demon or slay 100,000 demonkin monsters. The level of demons slain cannot be below your current level or they will not be counted ¡ª Task incomplete. Demons slain: 0/100,000 4. Obtain an Archangel''s approval or blessing ¡ª Task incomplete. 5. Slay a dragon or obtain one''s approval ¡ª Task incomplete. This sword was the weapon of the strongest human to have ever lived. It was forged using a great demon''s bones and skins and the metal of the gods. It has received an archangel''s blessing and has bathed in the blood of a dragon. After tens of thousands of years, Forsaken has finally landed on the successor of Asura, although. the sword has been weakened and sealed. The successor must unseal the sword to return it to its peak. Conditions of Use: Sky. Cannot be dropped or traded. ____________________ [My successor.] Asura called. Sky, who finally pulled Forsaken from the obsidian monolith, looked at him. [The wheels of destiny have started spinning. The ancient prophecy has come true. You will need strength to survive in the coming future.] Sky, who had forgotten that he was back to level 1 and was instead elated and giddy with his new weapon, cooled down. "Prophecy? What prophecy?" Asura was silent in response and only spoke a few seconds after. [A long, long time ago, there was a prophecy known by all. I cannot divulge much as your strength is too weak and only knowing will put you in peril.] Nonetheless, Asura spoke with a serious expression. [''Heaven-blessed'', one with an immortal soul. Their arrival shall be the trigger of an unprecedented war! None will be safe from the chaos, destruction or salvation, their actions will determine the world''s fate.] Now, it was Sky that was silent. He didn''t doubt the man''s words since someone like him, such an NPC, would not lie. He also trusted his gut. ''Heaven-blessed? Immortal soul? Does he mean us? The players and our ability to respawn?'' Sky thought. The immortal soul part probably correlated to a player''s ability to indefinitely respawn. ''Also, an unprecedented war? Does that mean that it will surpass the one that I saw in the game''s introduction?'' thinking of this, a chill couldn''t help but run through his spine. Numerous gods, great demons, angels, fallen ones, monsters, humans, elves, dwarves, giants, and so on, there were simply countless participants, albeit most of them unwilling, during that War of Gods and Demons. The war shown in the game''s introduction was so big that he couldn''t even fathom how it could possibly be surpassed. ''Actually, with billions of players, it''s not impossible.'' But that''s in the future, it will definitely take a few years, in real-life, to happen. At that time, absolute strength would be the key, the answer to all questions. ''Strength, absolute enough to crush all oppositions.'' Sky said in his heart. [I cannot say more other than that.] Asura said as he waved his hand. [Before you came here, there was a man that tried to unseal Forsaken. Obviously, he failed, but I''ll send you to his place since he''s currently the strongest human present. Of course, he''s still weak compared to me.] With a smirk on his face, Asura pointed at Sky. Suddenly, red-colored energy surrounded the latter, the same way how he was encircled when he was teleported to this ''prison of opportunity''. "The one before me? Who was he?" Asura smiled. [It has been years since he came here. He was a bit older than you and was a genius with a good heart and terrifying potential. I don''t know much about him but he told me that his name was Arthur.] Arthur? Just as Sky was thinking of the name, the crimson energy started drowning his entirety. Whoosh! A few moments later, the energy dissolved and left nothing behind, as if no one was there just a few seconds ago. Asura, who just used his powers to send Sky to the Camelot Empire, glanced at the Great Demon chained behind him before staring towards the horizon. His eyes suddenly sharpened. [Oh? A dragon is getting restless.] ? Beginner Sword Mastery = 100 max sword energy. ? Intermediate Sword Mastery = 500 max sword ? energy. ? Advanced Sword Mastery = 1,000 max sword mastery. ? ??? = ??? max sword energy. 21 Imperial City of Camelot Empire As the sovereign power of the West Continent, Camelot Empire was the focal point where players sought to seek opportunities. The empire had a vast territory and encompassed numerous maps that contained low to high-level monsters, offering the players the perfect grinding spots to level up. Other than the monster-populated maps, the empire boasted of the highest number of NPCs, both hidden and public ones. The quests these NPCs handed out bestowed good rewards, in both gold, experience points, items, and equipment, once completed. Therefore, thousands of quests were given out and finished one after another. Opportunities were abundant for both the casual and hard-gamers. At this moment, at the Imperial City of Camelot, dozens of people, both players and NPCs, could be seen flocking in and out of the Arena of Glory. The Arena of Glory was considered ''heaven'' amongst the PvP experts and battle maniacs. Other than the glory and fame earned, one could also receive battle points after every challenge. Using these battle points, one could trade them for pieces of equipment and skills! Such a feature naturally delighted the players. Expert gamers and real-life martial artists flocked inside the arena, intending to display their combat prowess for all to see. There were numerous stages for both one-on-one battles and group battles, however, there was a platform that had a condensed number of audience that the other stages paled in comparison. "God Lunatic is here!" "What luck! I didn''t expect that I''ll be able to see him fighting this early in the game!" "I heard he''s been challenging anyone he sees in the capital, be they players or NPCs. He hasn''t changed at all!" "I know right, that war freak, same old same old." "Eh? His opponent looks a bit familiar..." "I reckon so as well." "Wait... a bald head, a physique similar to a bull''s, and he''s using an ax... what the, isn''t that Morgan from Dragon Age?" "Morgan...? Ah! That super strong baldy¡ªehem, I mean that super strong madman that slaughtered an entire guild by himself!" "You''re right, It''s him. I only recognized him now that you''ve mentioned it." "Wait, didn''t he challenge God Lunatic in Dragon Age as well?" "Yes, he did. It was live-streamed too so millions of people saw him getting beaten black and blue." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Ahahahaha, I remember that too." At this moment, atop the platform made of mystical rocks and ores, two figures could be seen. One was a bald-headed burly man that was donned in armor, holding a battle ax with both hands. He had a grim expression on his face as he stared at his opponent. The other was an incredibly handsome figure clad in chainmail, dragging a giant sword behind him as he walked forward. His eyes were that of indifference as he looked at his enemy up and down. A screeching sound could be heard from the friction of his sword and the floor, grating the ears of the burly man. ''Damn it, fighting this crazy guy, how unlucky!'' the burly man thought in his heart as he saw the status window in his eyes. ''He even has a cool-sounding title at this stage of the game?!'' ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Handsome Lunatic Title: [One who Challenges his Limits] Level: 20 Class: Warrior ____________________ Level 20?! His level is nearly twice as mine... With a forced smile on his face, he said. "Lunatic, It''s been a long time since our last battle in Dragon Age. Your leveling speed is as impeccable as ever." "Hm?" Handsome Lunatic looked at him with a confused expression before displaying a lazy smile. "And you are?" The burly man''s smile froze. A vein nearly popped out of his temple as his face turned fierce. "Arrogant as always. You haven''t changed at all. It seems you''ve forgotten my face. I am Morgan, I had the same name in Dragon Age and we''ve battled before!" "I don''t know you." Handsome Lunatic shook his head with a disinterested expression. "Don''t be so offended. I don''t remember anyone that doesn''t pique my interest." What an a******* Incensed, Morgan''s body trembled in rage from being looked down on. He didn''t say any words further and immediately used [Charge]. Staring at the rushing figure, Handsome Lunatic''s lips turned into a mocking smirk. He neither dodged out of the way or used a defensive skill. He clenched the hilt of the giant sword and swung from above. The wind howled and the two weapons clashed. Boom! ***** At this moment, on the other side of the Imperial City, a crimson beam suddenly flashed from above, parting the clouds in the sky. Whoosh! In an instant, the red beam landed in front of a conspicuous tower. Zhooooom!! [You have arrived at Camelot Empire''s Imperial City.] [Your level has dropped to level 1.] [Your stats have been reset.] [You have unlocked the hidden stat ''Charisma''.] [Charisma: Persuasive power. It affects the amount of influence one can apply to others. The higher the stat the higher the effect.] [You have unlocked the hidden stat ''Charm''.] [Charm: The power to attract other people, primarily those of the opposite sex. One becomes more attractive and charming. You will be favored by most people and sometimes even enchant them.] [The active skill ''Skeleton Summoning'' has been locked.] [Recalling Abaddon now...] [Due to a certain influence, the recall has failed.] [Due to a certain influence and the skill being locked, you will no longer receive a portion of experience points from Abaddon''s slain enemies.] Sky, who was dizzy from the sudden teleportation, heard continuous system notifications. However, before he could even regain his senses, a red beam, suddenly shone upon him from above. Crimson energy encircled his whole body. He could feel his armor being stripped away. It was a weird feeling. Whoosh! And then, in a few seconds, with a whooshing sound, the crimson energy dissipated. [You have received: White Swordsman''s Robe (Growth).] "Whoa!" Sky looked down and suddenly saw his body clad in a long fitting white robe. ''Comfy...'' he thought as his skin made contact with the soft and silky robe. Just as he was enjoying the pleasant feeling, a black light beamed from above, piercing his body. ?! There was no damage, however, the system notification that followed was actually worse. [Great Demon Ekress, who was sealed by Forsaken, has regained a portion of his powers. Ekress'' grudge towards Asura, which has spanned for thousands of years, has been transferred to you, Asura''s successor.] [You have been cursed by Ekress.] [Experience points received will be halved until the curse is lifted.] Sky sighed. ''It can''t be all good right? I easily obtained a super powerful weapon, of course, there''ll be a catch.'' Just as he was thinking of that, he was surprised as he heard a familiar voice enter his ears. The voice didn''t come from anywhere, it was as if it was a transmission directly towards him. It was Asura. [My successor, the White Swordsman''s Robe is something I made myself during my free time, waiting for my future successor. Consider it as my final gift.] [Master your swordsmanship and display the glory of my, Asura''s successor!] [We shall meet again when the time comes. I will be watching you.] Sky remained silent as he heard the words pass by his ears. For a short while, he stared at the horizon with a serious face. He then bowed 90* degrees towards the direction, showing his deep respect. ''We shall meet again very soon.'' he said in his heart. [Ding! A ¡ïHidden Quest¡ï has been triggered!] [You cannot refuse the quest.] ____________________ [Hidden Quest - Asura''s Successor] Difficulty: ??? You have inherited the strongest swordsman''s sword, Forsaken, and have become Asura''s successor. However, you still don''t know who Asura is. Who is Asura? It was said that he was the strongest human and swordsman to have ever lived, however, other than that, you don''t know much. Follow the legends of Asura. Find out his story, only then will you truly understand Asura and succeed his will. At that moment, a new legend will be born. This quest has the chance to transform the world of Everlasting depending on the development. ? There is no time limit for this quest. Quest Clear Conditions: Complete all linked quests. First Chain Quest: Master Swordsmanship. Second Chain Quest: Unseal the sword, Forsaken. Third Chain Quest: ??? Quest Clear Reward: Unknown. ____________________ Sky read his first quest ever and read it very carefully. ''Indeed, I don''t know much about Asura, other him being the strongest.'' he thought. ''I should find some time to look him up in the forums and read some books about him.'' Deciding that, he then checked the new equipment that he just received. -------------------- [White Swordsman''s Robe] Rating: Rare (Growth) Durability: 270/270 Defense: 300 ? Agility +15 ? Charm +15 ? Slightly increases the growth proficiency and mastery of all sword-related skills. ------------------- Sky nodded in satisfaction. ''With this [White Swordsman''s Robe], mastering sword mastery will be a bit easier now.'' He then finally checked his status window, which looked completely different now. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 1 Class: None Title(s): [One who Challenges his Limits] * All stats +10 * Maximum Health +30% World Reputation: 2,010 Health: 510/510 Mana: 205/205 ? Strength: 11 (+30) ? Vitality: 11 (+30) ? Agiltiy: 11 (+30) ? Intelligence: 11 (+30) ? Dexterity: 11 (+30) ? Fortitude: 75(+5) ? Comprehension: 27 ? Luck: 15(+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 20 ? Charisma: 0 (+50) ? Charm: 0 (+75) Stat points: 190 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 5) [Skeleton Summoning] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2¡ú3) [Cooking] (Lv. 1) ____________________ "Wow." Sky was surprised. ''It''s actually better than I thought. Way better than when I started in that undead map.'' After looking at his status window, he then glanced at his surroundings. Other than the lofty tower that seemed to be made of stone behind him, the area was only composed of dilapidated and broken buildings, seemingly withered from the vicissitudes of time. Of course, there were also other players in the vicinity, albeit a few, entering the large archway of the tower which seemed to be the entrance. "Was I hallucinating just now? Please tell me that guy didn''t just descend from the sky." said a random player. "Also, what was the red light? It seemed that he was sent here through it?" questioned another person. "Wow! Look at his cloth armor, that white robe looks so cool!" "I know right? Should we ask him where he got that robe from?" The players near Sky only saw the view of his back, since he was facing in the opposite direction of the stone tower. At that moment, the players in the entrance saw him turn around. And then, under their dumbfounded eyes, Sky''s robe billowed as his flawless face was revealed. Tap, tap, tap. His figure was reflected in the eyes of the players as they watched him walk towards the archway in front of the stone tower. A cool silky white robe, jet-black hair that fluttered with the wind, and a pair of golden eyes. Under their dazed faces, that dashing figure entered the tower. [Ding!] [You have arrived at the Tower of Trials.] [Built by the War God himself, the tower tests one''s will, courage, and combat prowess.] [Warrior, test yourself and surpass your limits.] [Only the worthy shall be rewarded.] [Do you wish to enter?] Glancing at the notification windows that popped up, Sky didn''t hesitate. "Yes." 22 Training Hall New Era City, Destiny Group HQ¡ª "Chairman Young! Chairman Young!" at this moment, a young man could be seen and heard, running and yelling at the same time. Thud! The door to the Chairman''s office was slammed open by a kick. Chairman Young reflexively stood up and glared at the young man by the door. "What the hell, calm down will you?!" "Ch-chairman Young!" the blond young man called out as he gasped for breath. "Damn it, take it easy boy! Breathe in, breathe out." Chairman Young said as he gestured. "Follow me, breathe in, that''s right... and breathe out." "Now, talk, team leader Bennet." Team leader Bennet finally regained his calm a few moments later. Staring at the old yet still bustling old man, he uttered slowly. "Chairman, something big just happened. The event XX-04 has been triggered just now." "What?!" Chairman Young, who just finished sipping his tea, suddenly spew out as he stood up again. "XX-04... XX-04... wait, isn''t that related to Asura? The succession quest? "Did someone obtain Forsaken already?!" as he asked this, a face suddenly appeared in his mind. Team leader Bennet nodded with a serious expression. "It is the quest that you and Prime designed, sir. Before the official launch of Everlasting World, Prime re-checked and re-calculated the estimated time of when the players will be on contact with certain, hidden items and quests." He continued. "It was estimated it would take at least a year, in-game, for the players to discover Forsaken. At that time, the mainstream players would''ve been at least Level 20 to 40 while the elite and experts at Level 50 and above. Even then, the calculation suggested that it was highly unlikely for the event to happen due to Devilwood Forest being an isolated map with a dense number of Level 110+ Demon Spawns. Chairman Young interrupted. "But suddenly, this plan was ruined when a player obtained Forsaken and received the Asura''s succession quest." He sighed and asked with a bitter smile. "Is it him?" Bennet nodded and sighed. "Yes, it is player Sky." ''Damned brat!'' Chairman Young cursed with a smiling face. ''It took me a long time to create that quest, yet you actually triggered it so early in the game?'' "That kid is really something else..." Helpless, he also sighed. "There''s nothing we can do, we can''t interrupt the flow of the game, otherwise it would besmirch the purpose of creating a world with a fate dictated by its players." Team leader Bennet agreed despite being reluctant. "It''s a good thing that we created an offset for the user of Forsaken, that weapon is just too strong, and it''s potential even more terrifying. Just thinking of what might happen when it reaches the Legendary rating gives me the chills." * * * * * [You have entered the Training Hall.] As soon as Sky heard the system notification, he opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of dozens of figures. Most of them had green arrows pointing down their heads while only some had none. Obviously, the former were players and the latter NPCs. His ears took in the bustling sound of people arguing, haggling, and chatting. He was astonished. The view and atmosphere in this place contrasted that of the outside, where only a handful of people could be seen. Sky looked below and saw his feet planted on the ground. He then started walking. After a few moments, one after another, the players nearby swept him a glance before doing a double-take. Immediately, whispers and murmuring could be heard. The eyes of the males were instantly stuck on Sky''s clothes, their eyes shone with awe and envy as they stared at the white robe that billowed with the wind. "Look, look at that guy, look at what he''s wearing!" "Hmm, what is it? What the, where did he get such a handsome robe? Looks like it also gives some nice stats." "Wait, look at his level, his status says he''s only level 1. That means he couldn''t have gotten that from a monster drop, right?" "That means he''s a newbie! Did he buy that robe then?" "Damn, when did Everlasting World become a Pay-to-win game..." The guys had suspicious looks all over their faces as they discussed the [White Swordsman''s Robe]. Meanwhile, the girls¡ª "Omo, how handsome..." "Perfect eyes, perfect nose, perfect lips, and perfect skin. A perfect 10/10 face!" "10/10? In my opinion, that''s at least a 20/10." "20/10? Even the most famous Hollywood superstars can''t compare with him, that''s definitely a 30/10." "More like a 40/10." "I think it''s a 50/10 instead..." "..." "..." As Sky passed by them, he heard passing remarks. They talked about his level and his robe. Oh, and also, apparently his face was being rated. His face couldn''t help but redden from the embarrassment. He wasn''t used to it, being the focus of attention. Just as he was about to keep his head down, he suddenly saw a wide area with a flat ground, filled with wooden dummies. There were about a thousand of them and a few players could be seen, wielding wooden swords as they struck the dummies. By the walls, there was a large rack that held so many wooden swords that they seemed uncountable. As soon as Sky saw the swords, his eyes and mind only focused on them, he was unaffected by external thoughts now, completely ignoring the gossiping people in the surrounding. ''It seems the wooden swords that those players used came from there.'' Sky thought as he walked towards the direction. At that moment, he suddenly remembered the words of Kyle and the others. ''Did you know, when you''re low-leveled, you can actually train really hard and increase your stats like strength and agility permanently?'' the blond knight said. ''The rest of our friends that didn''t come to scout these Demon Spawns are training in a place called Tower of Trials. They said that there were 100 floors and if you clear each floor, you''ll be rewarded.'' Salvatore said with a smile. ''With inhumane training, you can increase your stats.'' Sky muttered in his heart as he pulled out a wooden sword from the rack. Then, he reached inside his inventory bag and swapped out his items and the [White Swordsman''s Robe] and equipped his beginner equipment. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The watching players were taken aback at his action, wondering why he switched to using Common-rated beginner equipment instead of the white robe. He also de-activated his title, remembering Queen''s words that one can actually turn a title on and off. Sky checked his stats. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 1 Class: None World Reputation: 2,010 Health: 15/15 Mana: (Locked) Sword Energy: 1/500 ? Strength: 1 ? Vitality: 1 ? Agility: 1 ? Intelligence: 1 ? Dexterity: 1 ? Fortitude: 75 ? Comprehension: 27 ? Luck: 15 ? Fighting Spirit: 20 ? Charisma: 0 ? Charm: 0 Stat points: 190 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 5) [Skeleton Summoning ¡ª Locked] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2) [Cooking] (Lv. 1) __________ Just as he was about to start hitting a wooden dummy, an NPC, that seemed to be the instructor, suddenly came towards him. He had a brawny physique and a fierce look as he stared at Sky. "Young warrior, I presume this is the first time holding a sword." Sky: "?" Just as he was about to reply, the instructor didn''t give him a chance to and said. "Sword training is an absolute necessity when it comes to confronting monsters. Let me give you some advice, hold your sword tightly, take a free wooden dummy, and strike it in any way you want." "Once you feel that you have enough strength, go up the stairs and start climbing the tower. Test your limits. Good luck, young warrior." after saying that, the instructor pointed at the spiral stone staircase in the distance and left, leaving Sky in an awkward feeling. Sky went silent for a few moments before he shook his head and walked towards a wooden dummy. The wooden dummy resembled a humanoid figure as he stood before it. Then, he began beating it. One, twice, thrice, he smacked and slashed his wooden sword onto the poor dummy, his actions drawing weird looks from the crowd. "What is he doing?" "Hmm, he''s only level 1, so maybe he''s trying to get used to his game avatar?" "I reckon so as well. The difference between our real body and our game avatar is nothing insignificant after all. After hunting with Queen and her friends for hours, SKy had received some information from them, since they found out that he was completely new, akin to a country bumpkin, when it came to video games. Although it''s only been a day, it seemed that his new guild friends had great sources of information regarding the game. In Everlasting World, for newbie players, it was most common to carry out as many quests as possible, building an affinity with NPCs before they start leveling up. They first earned money and formed their connections with other players. Then, once they had enough level and equipment after completing numerous quests, they proceeded to hunt monsters in known favorite spots with their newfound friends, after all, the AI of the monsters in Everlasting World are pretty advanced, they were capable of adapting during battles. Of course, this was only for the higher-leveled ones, the lower-level monsters were but a resource for the players. Sky ignored the strange gazes directed to him as he focused on striking the wooden dummy. Right now, he''s in some sort of trance as repeated his actions non-stop. He was sweating buckets. His gray shirt and pants, his beginner equipment, absorbed his sweat and clung to his body. Although he was like this, the eyes of the female gamers were stuck on him like glue. Blows upon blows were unleashed towards the wooden dummy, disregarding his current low stamina. He concentrated on the synergy of his mind and motor nerves as he moved in constant motion. Just like this, without taking a breather or a one-minute break, an hour passed. The surrounding players'' strange eyes turned to that of curiosity and respect. Although this place was frequented by users that sought to test their skills and show off, none of them have ever been like Sky. None of them have even seen a never-ending beating of a dummy. "This guy''s insane, this isn''t something as simple as getting used to his game avatar." "A handsome face with a heart of iron, how envious. Damn, I feel like beating a wooden dummy now too." "Stop dreaming, someone like you? I bet you''ll quit after 10 minutes." "How can he keep doing that without taking a single break? Remember that he''s still only level 1, meaning his stats are at the bare minimum." Right now, everyone in the Training Hall gathered nearby and watched Sky. [Strength has increased by 1 point.] "Finally!" Sky laughed when he saw the system notification. He glanced at the notification window and ignored his tired state. For him, this short yet intense training wasn''t anything remarkable. After living with the old master, his daily training could only be described as ''inhumane''. Something like this didn''t faze him one bit. "Continue!" A few hours later¡ª [Vitality has increased by 1 point.] [Agility has increased by 1 point.] [Dexterity has increased by 1 point.] [Strength has increased by 1 point.] After tiring the heck out of himself and using nearly all the possible muscles in his body, four of his main stats rose. It took him four hours. Without eating or drinking, he didn''t stop once from hitting the wooden dummy. "It''s broken?" Sky mumbled as he stared at the shattered body of the dummy. ''I''ll increase my stats as much as possible before I start climbing the tower. That''s currently the most efficient way.'' After thinking so, his eyes then landed on the dummy beside the one he just destroyed. He clenched his wooden sword and walked towards. Under the horrified faces of the surrounding players, Sky swung his sword once more. 23 Richie Lee New Era City. As the central hub of the recently built man-made continent, there were a plethora of opportunities that could be sought in this bustling city. However, similar to the other countries around the world, the competition was just as fierce. Now that humanity has been focusing on fitness and health, there were numerous dojos and schools that taught martial arts, competing against each other. Some of them were already settled for a long time, becoming reputed, while some being established only recently. However, the one thing they had in common was that they taught martial arts and fighting techniques to the masses. There were countless martial arts created in history. Some of them even dating back thousands of years, becoming a part of humanity for a long, long time. Unfortunately, martial arts that survived such a long passing of time were but a few amongst the few. Boxing and Wrestling were such examples. They were most likely among the very first martial arts to be created, dating back to 2000 to 3000 BCE or even older. There was also the Bokator, which translates to ''pounding a lion''. It was an ancient martial art that originated from the battlefield of Cambodia from at least 1,700 years ago. The famous Shaolin Kung Fu, which was born 1,500 years ago in Central China, was also fortunate to survive till this day. While a lot of martial arts were lost in the long history of time, quite a number of them persevered. They were practiced and passed on for generations, inherited for years, allowing them to survive until the present day. Of course, there were ones that were developed and created hundreds of years ago, a bit more recent than the said formers. To name a few: Dim Mak, or ''Touch of Death'', was known as pressure-point fighting. It was introduced around the 1300s and was an incredibly lethal martial art that targeted an opponent''s acupoints, it was dangerous enough to kill. Muay Thai, which dated around the 14th century, was also known as the ''Art of Eight Limbs'' for its use of elbow and knee strikes. Popularized for hundreds of years, it has proven to be effective in both sports and streetfighting. There were also some recent ones that were only developed a century ago, such as Jeet Kun Do, Keysi Fighting Method, Brazillian Jujitsu, Vale Tudo, Krav Maga, and so on. With the entrance of martial arts, the people of Earth, who had utilized the body-enhancement serums and health-improving medicines developed by the Global Health Care and Pharmaceuticals, started practicing martial arts, which benefited one''s health while improving the physique. Certainly, not everyone taught and practiced in such lethal martial arts, most of them simply practiced for the sake of working out and exercising. Of course, with the rise of martial arts, the crime rate didn''t decrease but increased instead, as most of the criminals were versed in combat themselves. This then led the masses to further practice martial arts, for its benefits in health and self-protection, killing two birds in one stone; it lead to a worldwide circulation of martial arts At this moment, a dilapidated, worn-out dojo barely stood in the capital city. A signboard could be seen atop the rustic building displaying the words, [Unparalleled Martial Arts and Combat]. The domineering name contrasted that of the poor and penniless state of the dojo. At this moment, a young man could be seen on the entrance, standing in front of a crude wooden door. This young man had an average build and an ordinary appearance. Wearing branded clothes and shoes, alongside with a sports car that he just exited, he seemed to come from a wealthy family. "Is this the place?" he whispered as he stared at the crumpled sheet of paper in his hand. "The people in the neighborhood said that he lives here." He then glanced at the placard above that displayed the awesome dojo''s name. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Hello! Is anyone there?!" * * * * * At this moment, inside the dojo, a whooshing sound could be heard as the surface of the black gaming capsule parted. A figure rose from within. He removed his gaming helmet and shook his head before stepping out of the capsule. "What an amazing game." Jaden thought as soon as he logged out of Everlasting World. "The game feels so real, be it my actions, the other players, the NPCs, the buildings, or the world itself, everything looks so real that it would be hard to differentiate it with reality." He laughed. "Whoever created this game, you are a genius!" He then stretched his body before glancing at the wall clock in his room. He was surprised when he saw that it was 10 in the morning. "I can''t believe I played for a whole day. I didn''t even eat or drink anything!" The game launched at exactly 12:00 yesterday. This means that he''s been playing for nearly 24 hours without even noticing the time. He seemed to not have noticed his hunger during that time as well as he rubbed his grumbling stomach. However, just as he was thinking about what to eat, he heard a knocking sound. "Hm?" Jaden frowned as he walked towards the door. He then opened it and saw a young man around the same age as him. Black hair and brown eyes, Jaden swept a glance at his clothes then towards the piece of paper in his hands. "Who are you?" The young man''s face turned to that of excitement as he stared eagerly at Jaden. ''Yes, it''s him, that face is impossible to mistake for someone else''s!'' Noticing those strangely bright eyes and that face that was as red as a tomato, Jaden''s brows creased. "Hey man, I don''t swing that¡ª" Just as he was about to chase away the stranger, Jaden suddenly saw him kneel. Putong! "Master!" the young man cried. Master? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I have a disciple? Jaden''s face turned strange. "Umm, what¡ª" But before he could even talk, he was interrupted again. "Master, you probably don''t remember such a trivial moment but you saved my life a few days ago. " the young man said emotionally as tears brimmed down his eyes. "I came here to thank you for saving my measly life..." "I saved your life...?" Taken aback, Jaden tried to remember what happened a few days ago. A few moments later, he finally recalled a certain time when he passed by an alleyway on his way back to the dojo. During that time, he saw a young man around his age crying with a black and blue face and was surrounded by three men who all happened to have a mohawk haircut. Those three gangsters all had jungles knives in their hands as they squared up on the poor young man. "Ah, you were that guy who called me brother, shifting those gangster''s attention towards me." Jaden didn''t know whether to laugh or cry when he remembered that moment. He was just walking home then. Since the area was isolated, there were only a few people in the street, so, when he heard someone calling out ''Help me big bro!'' from the alleyway where he was the only person nearby, he unconsciously looked back. Naturally, the gangsters glanced at him before delivering a punch on the young man''s stomach, hindering the hope of his diversion-run away tactic. Those gangsters seemed to have thought that he was the young man''s real brother. They probably thought that he was from a super-rich family due to his unique face that one wouldn''t come across even for a lifetime. When the three gangsters came up at him waving their knives menacingly, Jaden looked at them as if he was looking at a bunch of clowns and wiped the floor with them. How could he be scared of a few grown wannabe gangsters when he''s wrestled with saltwater crocodiles and even hippos, some of the world''s baddest animals? How could he be scared of a small knife when he even held open a lion''s jaws barehanded? The whole ordeal only took a few seconds so he went home instantly afterward, ignoring the nearly naked young man whose top and shoes were stripped away. "Yes, yes, that was me. Master, please forgive me for doing such a cowardly act." the young man howled as he grabbed Jaden''s leg. He felt indignant since he was desperate at that moment. Wait. Right then, an idea suddenly hit Jaden. His strange eyes turned to that of seriousness as he looked at the crying lad. "How ''bout this. If you don''t want to experience such humiliation again, why don''t you apply¡ª" "Master, please teach me martial arts! I only know how to spend money! In this day and age where one can''t even spend his money safely, please give me the strength!" * * * * * The next day. Standing beside a sandbag with improved outer leather were Jaden and Lee, the new student of [Unparalleled Martial Arts and Combat]. "Ehem, let master demonstrate 1% of his strength." Jaden coughed as he grinned. Lee nodded his head like an obedient student. "Watch." Jaden smiled as he held out his palm, turning it into a fist. "Modern martial artists tend to tunnel vision, focusing solely on the upper body and arm strength when punching." He said as he tilted sideways, putting weight onto his left foot. "It''s not wrong, but it''s not enough. First, you will learn to train each of your muscles, both in the lower and upper body. This way, you can use entire body strength and weight in each punch." As he said so, Jaden''s arm tightened as he bent it back. Then, in a single flowing moment, his body twisted, his center of gravity and weight shifted, and his arm whipped as his fist came piercing towards the sandbag. Thud! ''What the F***!'' Lee''s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Jaden''s fist which came out on the other side of the sandbag. He then stared at Jaden with heated eyes. "Master, when will I be able to do that?" as he asked his question, he couldn''t help but fantasize about showing off his manliness in front of pretty girls. His body shivered in excitement at the thought of it. Jaden looked at Lee as he shook his head. "Your body is too weak. I assume that you''ve never practiced martial arts before, or even worked out or exercised for that matter." "A strong body is the stablest foundation." His smile then shifted to an evil one, similar to the one his old master had when the latter was training him. "Until I say enough, you will do 500 push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, plus 50 kilometers of daily running. This is while wearing a few weights that I''ll be giving you." "Oh right, do you play Everlasting World?" * * * * * Training Hall. "Look, he''s at it again. "Damn, he''s seriously insane! How can he not get bored or tired?" "Is he holding a grudge against someone? Maybe a love rival in real life?" "Or maybe someone took his money and refused to pay it back?" "That''s a good assumption. I would probably be holding a grudge too if that were to happen to me." "It seems he''ll never stop until he breaks the dummy, again." Currently, probably due to either his looks or weird actions, Sky had become a celebrity amongst the players in the Training Hall. "Is it just me or did that dummy tremble from fright just now?" "Eh, so it wasn''t just me?" As Sky struck and smashed every inch of the wooden dummy, the same questions arose from the spectators as they watched. "How long has it been today?" "Hmm, 9 hours, give or take." "He doesn''t have any plans on stopping does he?" "Maybe he''s raising his sword mastery before hunting monsters?" "But it''s pointless to do that, I''ve tried already. My beginner sword mastery level 2 only increased by 1% after hitting a dummy for two hours..." "Wow, you did that for two hours? Impressive." "Hehe, no biggie, nothing compared to that crazy guy there. Anyway, if you''re planning to raise your sword mastery, it''s better to do it on a monster, like a slime or rabbit or something." 24 Another Hidden Ques Hup! Thud! With a grunt, Sky struck the wooden dummy using the most primitive way as he smashed it, pouring all the strength that he had. The result? The dummy broke. Sky wiped his forehead that was filled with sweat as he took a deep breath. His clothes were drenched and tightly hugged his body, his hair was soaking as if he just took a shower, and beads of sweat fell from his forehead down to the ground. His chest heaved up and down as he panted, he gasped for breath while reading the notification window that appeared in his blurry eyes. [Your stamina has fallen to critical levels.] [Rest and food consumption are recommended to return your stamina to its peak state.] [Strength has increased by 1 point.] [Vitality has increased by 1 point.] Ignoring the red-colored warning notification, Sky took out a scone that he bought from a nearby shop and walked towards another wooden dummy. His actions caused the surrounding spectators to take in a cold breath. Their expressions were that of pain and pity as they stared at Sky''s wobbling figure. "He''s not using any skill, he''s not taking a rest, and neither is he taking a break, what is the purpose of his actions?" asked a nearby warrior. His question was what the rest of the players were thinking. As if answering his question, a warrior wearing heavy armor walked from behind the crowd, causing the players to part. He looked at Sky for a few moments before glancing at the one who asked the question. "I think he''s trying to increase his stats," he said, attracting everyone''s attention. "Huh? You can improve your stats by hitting a dummy?" asked the same person in surprise. The warrior wearing the heavy armor nodded. "That''s right." Another player asked a question this time, he seemed to be skeptical about the former''s words. "You can increase your stats by hitting a dummy? Then why don''t you go ahead and start hitting one, instead of struggling to raise your level?" This player''s words seemed to speak the rest of the crowd''s thoughts as they all nodded their heads. What a joke, if one could raise his stats by doing such a thing, then this Training Hall would''ve long been overcrowded with people fighting over one of those dummies. The armored warrior didn''t say anything in response and remained quiet. As one of the very first players to have arrived at the Tower of Trial''s Training Hall, he learned some information from reliable sources. If a player uses up his stamina and pushed himself to his limits, his vitality and strength will grow. Similarly, if a magician used numerous spells, using up all his mana, then his intelligence will increase. He himself has tried it before since it was common knowledge in all MMORPGs that improving one''s strength during the initial phase was easier compared to when one''s level is higher. By increasing one''s stats in such an early stage, it will take effect throughout the whole game. It may even play a crucial role in the future, it may even push you ahead of your peers, giving you an advantage. However, ''I have no plans of undergoing such a drill for 10 hours just to get a bit of stats.'' he thought with a bitter smile. Such a struggling and laboring drill to increase one''s stats was simply trivial compared to the bonus stat points when one leveled up. Although he knew that such an insane training had a limit in increasing stats, that didn''t stop him from respecting Sky from the bottom of his heart. Hardworking people should always be respected. Currently, he seemed to be the only person to have seen through Sky''s actions. As he stared at the sweating young man, he was convinced that his conjecture was right. ''Y''all can forget about getting this info!'' he snickered in his heart. ''Y''all gonna be regretting it later, that you didn''t get the chance to increase your stats during the game''s initial phase.'' He shook his head while sneering and made his way towards the Tower of Trial''s 1st Floor. * * * * * At this moment, two people could be seen arriving in the Training Hall. It was a man and a woman, both of them seemed to be in their 30s. As the two made way, their equipment was conspicuous amongst the crowd of players wearing heavy-type or plate-type armors. The two wore brown, leather armor and a dagger could be seen tied to their waists, suggesting that their class was a Thief. Curious at the commotion, the two walked towards the crowd and asked a random person. "Hello there, we are reporters from Revelation TV or RTV for short, and we''re wondering why the crowd is gathered over here. Anything interesting?" asked the woman with a smile. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Hm? You guys aren''t from around here, are you? Otherwise, you both would''ve known the crazy guy over there." said the person as he pointed. "Oh?" following the direction, the two newcomers saw a figure, soaking in sweat and striking a dummy with a wooden sword. It was a level 1 newbie. "What is he doing for him to be sweating so much?" asked the man beside the woman with a strange expression. "Also, why is everyone here watching him anyway?" Why are you trying so hard to beat-up a dummy? Look at you, you''re even sweating so much, how long have you been doing this? Also, what is up with these people? Don''t they have any business somewhere else, instead of watching a noob beating up a dummy? "Hehe, let me tell you something, that guy over there has been hitting wooden dummies ever since he came here. He''s never taken a break, ever!" said the random player as he laughed loudly. He''s been doing that since he came here? The two reporters from RTV exchanged strange looks. "Is there anything else that''s happened around here? Something interesting and scoop-worthy?" asked the male reporter. He ignored the struggling noob afar, after all, how could someone so weird pique his interest? That random player was silent for a few moments before answering. "Well, some high-level players already started climbing the Tower of Trials. Look over there, see that obelisk? The names of the players who have climbed the highest are engraved there." he said as he pointed at a stone obelisk near the stairway that led to the tower''s 1st floor. "I see, thanks for the info." the male reporter nodded and started walking as he glanced at his partner. "Let''s go, maybe we can find something interesting enough there." The female reporter spared Sky one last glance before following after him. It was said that what wasn''t meant to be, wasn''t meant to be. How could they have thought that the most news-worthy article that they could''ve gotten was exactly that ''noob'' that they ignored? * * * * * Just like that, time passed. Sky logged on to Everlasting World daily, except for when he either slept, ate, or supervised Lee who had been trying to escape his claws. He was addicted. The game, which gave him new thrills and a new world that was full of opportunities, was like a drug to him. It was thanks to his monstrous physical conditions that allowed him to sleep with no more than three hours a day. Every time he logged in, he maximized the 1:3 time ratio of real-life and in-game time and spent 63 hours striking a wooden dummy. Every time he destroyed one, he would move on to another and continue. Blood, sweat, and tears accompanied the system notifications that brought him joy while he struck the poor dummies in the training area mercilessly. He didn''t regret his decision. While it was indeed painstakingly hard, he felt the pleasurable feeling of his strength that grew day by day. He felt elated every time he heard the system notification that said that his stats has increased by 1 point. Bored? He wasn''t bored one bit! If you worked hard, you become stronger! When you become stronger, you can kill stronger monsters! It was that simple to him. During this time, he also contacted Queen and the others. He explained to them what happened. From finding a super-powerful sword to his level and stats resetting, he told them everything and that he was currently training in the Training Hall. Of course, his story gave them a shock. Kyle, who already found his own super-powerleveling service, couldn''t help but complain in indignance at what happened. Meanwhile, the others gave him encouraging words and said that they would support him later on so he should just focus on grinding. However, they didn''t offer to help him regain his level, after all, what help could they give when the lad had reached level 50+ in a single day. Help him? They might slow him down instead! With Sky being temporarily unavailable, Queen and the others all strove to grind on monster-populated maps instead, trying to increase their levels as fast as possible so they could finish their guild creation quest. * * * * * After two weeks (six weeks in-game)¡ª [Due to your diligent hard work and unwavering spirit, you have unlocked the hidden stat ''Perseverance''.] [Perseverance: Your stamina consumption in action will decrease significantly. Physical damage is reduced and ignoring debuffs is possible. The higher the stat the higher the effect.] [Strength has increased by 1 point.] [Vitality has increased by 1 point.] [Dexterity has increased by 1 point.] [Agility has increased by 1 point.] "Phew." Sky exhaled as he wiped the sweat off his forehead while looking at the broken dummy in front of him. "It seems that increasing my stats any further is improbable." he smiled. "At least I unlocked a stat though. Hmm, perseverance huh?" Just as he finished reading his notification windows, he suddenly heard his name being called out. "Sky!" a deep voice shouted. ? Surprised, Sky turned to the direction of the voice and saw an NPC heading his way. It was the instructor. Sky looked at him and a status window appear. ____________________ [Instructor Nick] Title: [Training Hall Instructor] Level: 150 ____________________ Who would''ve thought that this brash-looking man was a Level 150 NPC? "Sir?" Instructor Nick looked at him and nodded in satisfaction. "I have been watching you train, young warrior. Your hard work and effort impressed me." "Thank you, sir." Sky laughed. He appreciated the NPCs words since he did work hard after all. "I have never seen anyone like you before," said Instructor Nick. "Even the most tenacious people I know, they can''t compare to you." Sky grinned in response. Instructor Nick patted his shoulder and looked at him in the eye. "On the account of your efforts, I''d like to let you in on a secret." Sky''s smiling face turned into a serious one as he nodded his head. "I am listening, sir." Instructor Nick pointed at the stone staircase that leads to the upper floors of the Tower of Trials and said. "There''s a wide-spread legend that said that whoever climbs to the peak of the tower will be able to meet the War God." He paused for a moment before continuing. "However, what the others don''t know is that other than meeting the War God himself, whoever reaches the top will also be able to obtain the [Orb of Miracle]." Sky gasped when he heard his words. "Orb of Miracle? It sounds formidable!" "Of course." Instructor Nick grinned, resembling the one that Sky had earlier. "It was said that whoever obtains the [Orb of Miracle] will acquire any kind of power that he wished." At that moment¡ª [Ding!] [You have triggered a ¡ïHidden Quest¡ï!] ____________________ [Hidden Quest - Orb of Miracle] Difficulty: ??? A legend has circulated in Camelot that whoever shall climb the peak of the Tower of Trial will meet the God of War. However, what most people didn''t know was that an artifact of the gods rested itself at the tower''s summit. Orb of Miracle. The treasure of the Goddess of Light and Wisdom, Elena. Climb the tower, clear the trials, and obtain the orb. ? Unless the orb is obtained by another player, this quest will be available and will have no time limit. Quest Clear Conditions: Obtain the Orb of Miracle. Quest Clear Reward: A chance to create your own class. Quest Failure Penalty: None. ____________________ 25 Lets Go! Ancient Undead Plateau¡ªa map that even the current high-level players dared not enter. At this moment, within this desolately gloomy map, a young knight could be seen. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and he was clad in gleaming gray armor. It was Kyle. Clang! A clanging sound was heard as Kyle''s sword clashed with the Bone Terror''s ax. "You''re pretty strong!" he smirked as he stared at the undead''s blazing eyes. "However, I''m stronger!" as he said those words, his figure suddenly charged forward with unstoppable momentum. Since they were fighting close range, the Bone Terror wasn''t able to react to the sudden change of pace as the knight''s sword struck its head. [You have dealt 833 damage to the target.] "Haha!" Kyle didn''t let up as continued with a basic attack after using [Charge]. His motion was as fluid as water as he displayed his magnificent control. [You have dealt 420 damage to the target.] Using the motion of his body, he followed it up with a [Chop] as he turned around, his sword flashing and illuminating the dark night. [You have dealt 992 damage to the target.] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. With a resentful cry, the Bone Terror''s skull was ripped off its skeletal body as the undead collapsed on the ground. [You have slain the enemy.] [You have received 18,220 experience points.] [You have obtained: Bone Dust x20.] [You have obtained: Bone Terror''s Ax.] "Oh? It''s ax dropped?" Kyle was taken aback when he saw the white ax made of bone drop down the ground. "Nice, now I just need 10 more Bone Terror Axes to complete the quest." he smiled as he glanced at his quest that he received from an NPC in EverGuard. Clop, clop, clop. However, just as he finished collecting his spoils, he suddenly heard a clopping sound of a horse''s hooves. Turning around, what welcomed his eyes was a terrifying undead that mounted a skeleton horse. It was a Skeleton Knight. Donned in black armor and black helmet, this undead knight resembled that of the black knight told in myths and legends. Kyle shuddered when met the undead''s will-o-wisp-like blue flickering eyes. He tried to see what monster it was only to find it futile. [Due to certain circumstances, your identification skill has failed.] Identification. It was a passive skill that all players had and it displayed the information of whatever they saw, be it an item, a monster, a player, an NPC, or even a plant. However, at this moment, Kyle experienced the failure of this nigh omniscient skill. Clack, clack. ''Huh?'' Kyle was startled when he heard a strange sound coming from the skeleton knight. It seemed to have said something to him. Then, he looked around quickly and noticed that he was in the strange monster''s way so he immediately stepped to the side. Clop, clop, clop. Holding his breath, Kyle''s eyes were glued to the undead as he saw it and its mount walk away. "Phew." when the undead''s large figure finally vanished within the darkness, he sighed in relief. "Thank god that monster wasn''t aggressive and didn''t attack me," he whispered. "Wait, now that I think about it, that undead seemed more like an NPC instead of a monster." As he muttered under his breath, he couldn''t help but glance at the direction where the skeleton knight disappeared once more. ''Where''s it going anyway?'' he thought. Unable to find an answer, he shook his head and looked for another Bone Terror, wanting to complete his quest as soon as possible. Meanwhile¡ª At a familiar desolately empty plain, that skeleton knight dismounted his horse and looked at the surrounding. "M-master. W-where...?" * * * * * Like wildfire within a forest, there was a rumor that spread amongst the players in Camelot. It was a rumor about a madman with a shockingly handsome appearance, endlessly swinging his sword at wooden dummies. It was said that he never took breaks or rest-times as he demolished wooden dummies every day, from dawn to dusk. Some say that the reason was that he has a hidden sadistic fetish and a barbarous attitude. Some say that it was because of his love rival in real life. There were even some that said the reason was because someone owed him money in real life but refused to pay it, so he held a grudge and released his frustration by beating up wooden dummies in-game. Nonetheless, while none could confirm the truth behind these rumors, there was something that they all agreed upon. It was that this madman had a heart of iron and an unbending will. Hours upon hours, as if he knew neither the words exhaustion or fatigue, he showed no mercy at the helpless and defenseless dummies that had zero to none abilities to retaliate. And as time passed, such rumors were exaggerated and started circulating around Camelot. Curious players flocked towards the Imperial City, wanting to see what this handsome madman looked like. Dozens turned to a hundred, and hundreds turned to a thousand. Players upon players entered the Training Hall and watched the madman''s inhumane ''training'' as he sweated buckets. However, one day, this madman suddenly disappeared! * * * * * Camelot Empire, in the Imperial City''s Tower of Trials¡ª Oblivious to what had transpired in Ancient Undead Plateau, Sky stood before a stone obelisk that towered up the sky and saw engraved characters and numbers on its surface. ---------- Tower of Trial''s Leaderboard: [Rank 1]: Handsome Lunatic (Lv. 35) ¡ª 54th Floor. [Rank 2]: Queen (Lv. 32) ¡ª 49th Floor. [Rank 3]: Spectre (Lv. 30) ¡ª 47th Floor. [Rank 4]: Claude (Lv. 30) ¡ª 47th Floor. [Rank 5]: Leland (Lv. 30) ¡ª 47th Floor. [Rank 6]: Walker (Lv. 30) ¡ª 47th Floor. [Rank 7]: Leonard (Lv. 29) ¡ª 45th Floor. [Rank 8]: TwistedFate (Lv. 29) ¡ª 45th Floor. [Rank 9]: Su Yan (Lv. 29) ¡ª 45th Floor. [Rank 10] Kyle (Lv. 29) ¡ª 45th Floor. [Rank...] [Rank...] [...] [...] ---------- Seeing all those names displayed on the obelisk, Sky muttered some words silently that only he could hear. Then, he shook his head and took a look at his status. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 1 Class: None Title(s): [One who Challenges his Limits] World Reputation: 2,010 Gold: 7,799 Health: 1,610/1,610 Mana: (Locked) Sword Energy: 500/500 ? Strength: 36 (+30) ? Vitality: 41 (+30) ? Agility: 29 (+30) ? Intelligence: 11 (+45) ? Dexterity: 26 (+30) ? Fortitude: 75 (+5) ? Comprehension: 27 ? Luck: 15 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 20 ? Charisma: 0 (+50) ? Charm: 0 (+80) ? Perseverance: 15 Stat points: 190 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 5) [Skeleton Summoning ¡ª Locked] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2¡ú3) [Cooking] (Lv. 1) ____________________ Explosive growth! That''s what happened in Sky''s status. He focused on bringing up his stats as much as possible, before he began hunting for monsters or climbing the Tower of Trials. While other players might say that it''s not worth it or that it''s inefficient, such things didn''t apply to Sky. Even an inch of advantage ahead of the current players, much less such a massive increase in stats. After such a long time of extreme training, his stats rivaled that of players with levels multiple times higher than his. Add that to his equipment and health, he could even PvP players above level 10 with ease, and this was not counting his expertise in combat and martial arts that he had integrated in-game. Although he couldn''t create skills based on his real-life techniques, he could nonetheless execute them! When displayed, such terrifying techniques would probably horrify their victims. Such an advantage in the game''s early phase would affect his performance in the later phases and give him dominance once his level starts rising. If you heard people using such ways to increase their stats, then you would wonder why no one else did the same. After all, with higher stats, it''s much easier to hut monsters and increase your level. However, take another look. You have to constantly hit scarecrows for hours without stop. Physical exhaustion and non-stop labor, pair that with the boredom that came, can you handle that? If you do that for five hours a day, that would add up to 150 hours in one month. If you do that for ten hours a day, that would add up to 300 hours in one month. But Sky did it for 21 hours a day. That''s more than 600 hours in one month. He trained for six weeks (in-game). That was more than one month in real-life and nearly two months in-game. He trained relentlessly as if there was no tomorrow. He experienced the difficulties of raising his stats when his stats became higher, yet he didn''t stop. Would a normal person do that? Would you be able to do that? However, Sky did agree with the people that said that the increase of stats was too slow. He trained relentlessly for six weeks, after all, so he knew more compared to those players that claimed such. He experienced the difficulties that those people in the forum couldn''t even comprehend. But he didn''t regret it! While he might not be the smartest person in the world, he was confident that when it came to working hard, he wouldn''t be inferior to anyone. And now, as Sky read the names on the stone obelisk once more, he wasn''t disheartened one bit. Flames of determination were burning inside him! ''I will catch up¡ª'' he said in his heart, his eyes blazing and unwavering. ''¡ªand surpass you all.'' Trying to calm his spirit, he then went over his status window once more before his eyes landed on the three-digit free stat points that he had. "As for the 190 free stat points, let''s leave that for now and increase our stats when clearing multiple floors instead." After talking to Queen and the others, they gave him tips and tricks on how to climb and clear the Tower of Trial''s floors easier. Of course, these tips only reached up to their updated cleared floor, which was below Floor 50. Nonetheless, their info would certainly provide assistance to Sky as he climbed the tower. "Let''s go!" he said as he walked towards the stone stairway that led to the upper floors. 26 The Climb A month after the launch of Everlasting World, more and more people sought to play the game as a continuous batch of new players started joining. After watching the game''s strikingly life-like introduction, these players would then start creating their game avatars before being sent into a random city or kingdom. They could be sent to a poor city or a bustling one, or they could be sent to a lowly kingdom or a superior one. Some lucky players might even be sent to Camelot. As the ruler of the West Continent, it was a given that the empire was bound to be the most populous region of Everlasting. Of course, this was because the Eastern Continent was currently locked, remaining as a mysterious plot of land to the players. Otherwise, Camelot''s title as the ''most-popular place'' in-game could''ve been challenged. Some rumors and gossip in the player-base community forums said that there are monsters in the obscure continent that are much stronger than the ones in the western continent. Some say there are angels, great demons, and even dragons that were waiting to be discovered in that uncharted territory. However, all of these were but mere speculations. Who knew if there were any truths behind these so-called legends and fables. Anyway, at this moment, within Camelot''s Training Hall, hundreds of players flocked in and out of the area. Other than training and familiarizing themselves with their avatars, they also wanted to see the famous madman whose reputation had long since circulated around the empire. However¡ª "Eh? Where''s our mascot? He''s not here? *Gasps* How could it be?!" "Hmm, I don''t see him anywhere. Isn''t he supposed to be beating up wooden dummies as per his everyday schedule?" "Apparently, everyone''s been looking for him since this morning, yet no one has even seen a shadow of his figure." "This is unfortunate. Watching the madman hitting a dummy has become one of my favorite past-times." "Me too. This place feels empty without him..." Unbeknownst to Sky, the players in the Training Hall were searching for him all over the place, some of them even looked for help in the forums, hoping to find out where the Training Hall''s mascot was. Sky didn''t even know it but his arduous training had invigorated dozens of players, forcing themselves to train even harder. When they were tired, they would go to the wooden dummy area and watch that figure sweating his heart out for hours and days. The players who saw such sights would feel shame for not even being 1% as hardworking as the madman. They would see him the moment they logged in, and they would see him the moment they logged out. To be honest, the players didn''t care for the reason behind his actions. Curious, indeed, but they didn''t need to know. He worked harder than anyone else, that was enough. Therefore, respect couldn''t help but well up in the hearts of those who watched him. While some mocked and sneered, most of the players had positive impressions towards Sky. They had already gotten used to the young man hitting the wooden dummies 24/7. Therefore, they found it weirdly strange that he disappeared all of a sudden. * * * * * [You have entered the Tower of Trial''s 1st Floor.] [Godspeed, warrior.] With a bright flash, Sky opened his eyes and saw darkness everywhere. His eyes couldn''t help but narrow as he tried to examine the place. "This... this is a dark passage, like a corridor devoid of light?" he whispered as he gripped Forsaken''s hilt. Sky looked in the surrounding and surveyed the area, and found out that the floor wasn''t that spacious. Ten people wouldn''t even seem to be able to stand together, shoulder to shoulder unless they squeezed amongst each other. It was an ideal place for a frontal fight. You can only forge ahead because if you backed down, you''re dead. Stonewalls that seemed impenetrable stood on both sides of the passageway, supported by multiple columns that towered up the ceiling. Sky walked forward a few meters with his hand on the wall, blindly feeling his way through the passage. He rhythmed his breathing and controlled his senses. It didn''t take long before his eyes, albeit slowly, started adapting to the darkness. Still, his vision couldn''t reach very far due to the lack of light. The passage was eerily calm that he could hear his own breathing and even heartbeat. At that moment¡ª Fwoosh! Sky heard a familiar sound of something whizzing through the air. He instinctively ducked his head and saw an arrow fly past him. A few strands of hair fell down his head, suggesting that he had barely dodged out of the way. "Kukukuku-ku." Right then, Sky heard a sniveling sound. Glancing at the direction, he saw three small green figures a few feet away. Their faces were ugly and their skin shriveled. Two of them held crude, wooden sticks, and the last one held a bow with a quiver hanging behind him. They were goblins. ____________________ [Goblin Archer] Level: 5 Health: 100/100 ---------- [Goblin] Level: 3 Health: 60/60 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ---------- [Goblin] Level: 3 Health: 60/60 ____________________ "Kukuku." Three three ugly goblins seemed to sneer at Sky as ugly smirks crept up their lips. The Goblin Archer drew another arrow from his quiver and notched it at his bow, immediately he pulled the bowstring. At the same time, the two stick-wielding goblins rushed towards Sky with fierce expressions. Their blood-red eyes betrayed their urge to devour the human before them. ''I''ve become a target for these goblins?'' Seeing this scene, Sky didn''t know where to laugh or cry. Whoosh! an arrow was fired. Sky''s golden eyes were fixated onto the flying arrow as it traveled in the air. When it was just a few feet away, he raised his hand and swung his sword. Crack! The goblin archer was taken aback, however, Sky didn''t let up as he moved forward and swung Forsaken towards the two rushing creatures. [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have received 30 experience points.] [You have received 26 experience points.] [You have obtained: Worn Goblin Loincloth.] [You have obtained 5 copper coins.] Sky saw that the experience points he received were already halved by the great demon''s curse, however, he didn''t mind it since it was one of the prices he had to pay for obtaining a super-legendary sword. Shocked at the death of its two partners, the goblin archer wasn''t able to react before a jet-black sword hacked its body into two. [You have slain the enemy.] [You have received 54 experience points.] [You have obtained: Smelly Goblin Loincloth.] [You have cleared the 1st Floor.] [Reward(s): Strength has increased by 1 point.] ''?! I got two of them?!'' his face black, Sky didn''t even glance at the two brown cloths that dropped on the ground as he looked at the few notification windows that popped up. "That was the first floor?" he muttered as he shook his head, walking deeper into the pitch-black passageway. A few seconds later, a familiar stairway that was made of stone appeared. ''I guess that''s the way to the 2nd floor.'' he thought as he started climbing up. * * * * * [You have entered the 2nd Floor.] The place didn''t change at all and remained to be a dark passage that was void of light. Oh, and goblins were here too, like the previous floor. But this time, their numbers doubled. Six goblins, two had bow and arrows while the other four used fragile sticks. However, that was not enough. Clearly, even if the number of goblins was multiplied by ten, the result would still be the same. [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have cleared the 2nd Floor.] [Reward(s): Fighting Spirit has increased by 1 point.] * * * * * The 3rd Floor''s monsters were the same. Their number doubled that of the 2nd Floor and Goblin Warriors, with leather armors and iron swords, were present this time. They seemed to be stronger than the stick-wielding goblins, however, not a single one of them could even survive a single slash from Forsaken. The result¡ª [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain...] [You have...] [You...] [...] [...] * * * * * Time passed. Sky, with unstoppable momentum, steamrolled the defenseless goblins up to the 10th Floor, which had more than 500 goblins. They ranged from goblin warriors, shamans, and archers. While the goblin shamans proved to be the most annoying to deal with amongst them all since they could cast buffs, debuffs, and curses, they still couldn''t resist a single attack from Sky before perishing. Like a tiger amongst a flock of sheep, Sky preyed upon the goblins, displaying strength beyond comprehension to that of his level and cleared the 10th floor with ease. And now, after getting the clearing reward, he didn''t hesitate climbing the stone stairway, towards the 11th floor. * * * * * [You have arrived at the 11th Floor.] Woosh! Clang! With the distinct sound of air being sliced, the sound of metal clashing could be heard. Sparks flew after every collision and briefly illuminated the pitch-black passageway. Sky struggled to see the enemy attackers and only saw the silhouette of the enemy barbarians. There were five of them. Their coordinated attacks suggested that they somehow had the advantage of being able to see in the darkness as they relentlessly attacked Sky, bringing forth the battle to a stalemate. The endless darkness engulfed his vision and sought to terrorize his confidence and will to battle. Due to the game''s realism that made it hard to even distinguish it from reality, even a martial artist would feel fear at this point, much less a normal person. However, Sky was different from your average martial artist, let alone a normal person. Clang! Clang! Swords clashed and sparks flashed. While the darkness suppressed his eyesight, he was still able to see the vague silhouettes of the topless barbarians who all had robust physiques and wielded greatswords. Furthermore, his hearing was enhanced due to his lack of vision, becoming more sensitive. This further enhanced his reaction speed and reflexes, displaying Sky''s unparalleled senses. While it seemed that the barbarians had finally put a stop on Sky''s rampaging momentum, the death of one of them instantly collapsed the stalemate. Forsaken shone with blue light as a familiar skill was used. Different from the previous times, the blue light illuminated the dark corridor as it left afterimages while traveling in the air. It was ?Chop?. With the use of sword energy and Forsaken''s property to increase the level of all sword-related skills by 1, the skill was considerably strengthened! ---------- [Chop (Enhanced)] Lv. 3 (9%) Enhanced with sword energy. Deals 450% attack power to a single target. The skill will ignore 50% of the target''s defense. Sword Energy Cost: 100 Cooldown: 40 seconds. ---------- The targeted barbarian''s expression turned to that of fear as he immediately tried to parry the skill with his greatsword. Clang! C-crack! The barbarian''s weapon cracked and fragmented, as pieces of it fell down the ground. However, the illuminated Forsaken didn''t seem to want to stop as it continued to hack towards its target. [You have dealt 1,375 damage to the target.] With a resentful cry, the barbarian collapsed with a large gash on its neck. [The enemy has been slain.] "Phew." Exhaling, Sky grabbed and stretched his neck that had gone stiff. "Now that I''m getting used to the darkness, it''s time to speed things up." With a wicked grin, he dashed towards the remaining barbarians and used ?Chop? consecutively, using up all his sword energy reserve. Forsaken shone with blue light multiple times, creating a strange illuminating scene within this place that light couldn''t seem to penetrate. [You have dealt 1,300 damage to the target.] [The enemy has been slain.] [You have dealt 1,422 damage to the target.] [The enemy has been slain.] [You have dealt 1,398 damage to the target.] [The enemy has been slain.] [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 1,745 damage to the target.] [The enemy has been slain.] [You have cleared the 11th Floor.] [Reward(s): You have unlocked the hidden stat ''Perception''. You have received the skill book ?Keen Sensitivity?.] [Perception: The ability to sense the environment. You can discover targets and predict risks. The higher the stat the greater the effect.] ---------- [Skill Book: Keen Sensitivity] Rating: Rare Type: Passive ? Use to learn the skill ?Keen Sensitivity? ? Heightens the five senses and improves one''s reaction speed and reflexes. Class Restriction: None ---------- 27 Sins and Deb New Era City¡ªOracle Hotel. This hotel could be considered as one of the best, if not the best, hotel in Alpha.. Although the price of staying in Oracle screamed the word ''expensive'', it boasted the best and most advanced leisure facilities and relaxing amenities in the world, suggesting that the price was worth every penny. The hotel guaranteed a luxurious and glamorous time befitting that of its widespread reputation. Political leaders, celebrity superstars, rich tycoons, foreign royalty, nearly all of Oracle''s clients were VIPs and were amongst the top 1% of the country, or even the world. Elites or nobility, they could be seen coming and going throughout the hotel. Towering up the sky with one-hundred-and-one stories in total, rumors said that from the 90th floor and above, there was only a single presidential suite on each one, and only the most important of the most important people could stay there. They were the 0.01% of the top 1% of the elites. Their backgrounds were illustrious; they possessed enough power to change the flow of the country''s economy! Some of them even held positions in the military comparable to that of the highest officials! At this moment, at Oracle''s 99th floor, there was a grandiose presidential suite. The suite was so large that there was even an indoor swimming pool and a personal gym inside. Be it the living room, the bedrooms, the bathroom, the kitchen, they were all built using the latest modern designs, displaying an incredibly laving lifestyle. Right now, inside the master''s bedroom, a woman in her early 20s could be seen lying down on a king-sized bed. She had a high-straight-edged nose, big black eyes that resembled crystalline obsidians, and red lustry lips. Pair those with her silky black hair and unblemished olive-like skin, her features displayed the epitome of beauty. "Mmmh..." despite the soft, satin-like bathrobe that she wore, her perfect hourglass-figure was presented as she charmingly stretched her body. If Jaden were to see this person, then he would immediately recognize that familiar face which one couldn''t mistake for someone else''s. It was Queen. At this moment, a ringing sound was heard coming her wrist. Riiiiiiiiinngggg! Riiiiiiiinnngggg! Glancing at the high-tech watch on her wrist, Queen saw the number that was on display. Her delicate brow rose as she tapped the watch''s surface twice. Whoosh! Suddenly, a tiny hologram projection appeared and displayed an old man nearing his 60s. The quality of the project could be said to be perfect, suggesting how advanced the tech, that was the watch, was. The old man had a beard and mustache that was the color of snow and wrinkles could be seen on the corner of his eyes, his forehead, and his cheeks. Despite his looks, one would be surprised that this person was actually already in his 90s! The serums developed by the Global Health Care and Pharmaceuticals were simply miraculous! To think that such drugs could bring back decades of youth was simply a miraculous achievement. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Mr. White, any news?" Queen asked, her voice graceful and melodious. The butler, Mr. White, immediately answered while shaking his head. "Answering young miss, we still haven''t gotten any result or information about that child. Our people have looked all over the world and even turned cities upside down, however, it was all unsuccessful." ''Nothing at all?'' Queen''s forehead creased as she went silent for a few seconds. Then, she shook her head while saying. "That poor child, I still can''t believe that father actually resorted to such methods just to save our wealth." Hearing her words, Mr. White hesitated for a moment before saying. "Young miss, although what happend was indeed terrible, the master did it for the family''s sake¡ª" "Yes, I''ve heard that countless times." Queen interrupted, frowning. "It was all for the family''s survival. However, his actions and its result nonetheless broke apart another family! But it seems that he doesn''t care about that fact one bit... We must repay our debt to that child... and also to his late parents." The butler was silent in response, his eyes full of complicated emotions. Queen sighed bitterly. "They said that he should be around 19 to 20 years old now, right?" "Indeed, young miss." "You know, I was only four years old when that happened, but I remember everything as clear as day". she said, sadness present in her voice. "For years, I''ve been wondering what happened to that child. Did he die after the accident? Did he survive? What happened to him?" Mr. White remained silent, however, the hologram projected the bitter expression on his face. "Our family have sinned. For years, guilt and shame gnawed on my heart." Queen said, her voice trembling. "So when you gave me the news saying that the child was alive, I was ecstatic. I immediately thought of telling mother and father, however, when I thought about it, and I thought about it for a long time, I realized that they won''t apologize and ask for forgiveness for what happened, let alone atone for their sin. How would that child react if we met in such circumstances?" The butler''s lips trembled as if he wanted to say something, but he didn''t in the end. Taking a deep breath, Queen closed her eyes and exhaled. "Whenever I thought of that time, I would find my heart tightening, I found it hard to breathe. Although it was my parents that did it, I can''t stop feeling like this, feeling this depression..." Opening her eyes, she glanced at the butler''s projection. "Please, use all of our resources, take all measures, and find him. So we can finally correct the right from wrong, once and for all." Tapping the watch''s surface twice, Mr. White''s hologram projection vanished. Walking towards a large window, Queen took in the scene which overlooked nearly all of the city and sighed bitterly. * * * * * Tower of Trial, 20th Floor. Inside the seemingly never-ending dark passageway, dozens of silhouettes could be seen dashing between the columns that supported the corridor''s ceiling. The sound of metals clashing could be heard alongside painful howls and cries which reverberated in the surrounding, echoing everywhere. Flashes of sparks briefly illuminated the passageway, shedding the darkness within and displayed the numerous figures that were battling. Clang! A clashing sound was heard followed by a cracking sound, suggesting that a weapon had been broken. Crimson red energy circulated Sky as he swung Forsaken, unleashing a barrage of attacks. [You have recovered 1 sword energy.] [You have recovered 1 sword energy.] [You have recovered 1 sword energy.] [You have recovered...] [You have...] [You...] [...] The red-colored sword energy was translucent as it revolved around Sky. When Forsaken shone with blue light, hacking a barbarian to death, the circulating sword energy became thinner, becoming more transparent. However, after every slash which was followed by bloodshed, the red aura, albeit slowly, once again started becoming denser. While the consumption rate of the sword energy was rapid and brisk, the recovery rate speed was only a bit inferior when compared. Thanks to that, Sky was able to use ?Chop? after every short while when his sword energy was depleted. [You have dealt 1,820 damage to the target.] [The enemy has been slain.] [You have dealt 1,900 damage to the target.] [The enemy has been slain.] [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 2,350 damage to the target!] [The enemy has been slain.] One by one, the one-hundred barbarians that encircled Sky were reduced to half their total number as multiple shining loot dropped down the ground. Dodge. Can''t dodge this one, block it. Deflect! Parry and c ounterattack. Under the assault of dozens of greatswords, Sky''s expression was that of absolute focus as he weaved, dodged, and parried the enemies'' non-stop attacks. Currently, his mind could only be described with the word calm. Right now, he didn''t even rely on his ability to catch minute body movements or neither did he calculate or predict the enemies'' attacks. He solely used his instincts and impulse, which were honed for more than a decade in the wild. With his mind clear and heart steady, the synergy between his motor nerves and decision-making processes was at its optimum state as he displayed the acme of body control that reached perfection. If one observed from afar, one would think that Sky was dancing in the battlefield as his figure remained untouched under the violent duress of the barbarians. Ting! Clangggg! Crack!!! Using the weight behind his enemies'' attacks, Sky would use softness against hardness and would gently parry their greatswords and unleash a fatal counter which would reap the aggressor''s life. Their necks were lacerated, their chests penetrated, and their forehead stabbed. There were no wastage of movements when opportunities to strike presented themselves. A barbarian would die every time Forsaken was swung in the air. [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have slain...] [You have...] [You...] [...] [...] Argghhhhh!! Half an hour later, the resentful cry of the last barbarian resounded in the quiet surrounding as he collapsed on the ground. The animal hide that he wore bathed in his own blood as a massive gash on his stomach could be seen. Seeing this scene, Sky''s expression remained emotionless as he whipped his arm, ridding the blood off Forsaken''s blade. As the blood splattered on the ground, the system message regarding his reward popped up. [You have cleared the 20th Floor.] [Reward(s): Strength, Fighting Spirit, and Perception has increased by 1 point. You have obtained: ?Barbarian Tribal Headband?.] ---------- [Barbarian Tribal Headband] Rating: Rare Durability: 110/110 Defense: 55 ? Strength and Vitality +5 ? Attack power increases by 1% when you lose 1% of your health (Up to a maximum increase of 10%). User Restriction: None. ---------- Holding a cloth that was the color of blood on his hand, Sky read the Barbarian Tribal Headband''s information. The headband seemed to be made from a monster''s skin but its surface wasn''t coarse, it was smooth and soft instead. He equipped the headband and started eating a scone to recover his stamina while looking at his status window. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 5 Class: None Title: [One Who Challenges his Limits] Coins: 8,003 gold - 98 silver - 25 copper Health: 2,040/2,040 Mana: (Locked) Sword Energy: 12/500 ? Strength: 46 (+35) ? Vitality: 51 (+35) ? Agility: 39 (+30) ? Intelligence: 11 (+45) ? Dexterity: 36 (+30) ? Fortitude: 75 (+5) ? Comprehension: 30 ? Luck: 15 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 40 ? Charisma: 5 (+50) ? Charm: 5 (+80) ? Perception: 11 ? Perseverance: 15 Stat points: 240 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 6) [Skeleton Summoning ¡ª Locked] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2¡ú3) [Cooking] (Lv. 2) [Keen Sensitivity] ____________________ 28 Divine Punishmen Camelot Empire. One month after the official launch of Everlasting World, a name familiar to all the gamers in the world started circulating once again. Handsome Lunatic. Be they casual gamers or hard gamers, be they ordinary players or expert ones, they all knew this player whose might was unrivaled across numerous VRMMO games. They called him God Lunatic, suggesting this person''s exalted fame amongst hundreds of millions of gamers. They dubbed him as the greatest gamer ever due to his peerless combat records in PvP and his achievements in completing legendary quests in PvE. He was known by all as the strongest. And now, he, the strongest, has appeared in what could be debatable, the hottest game in the world! His fame has extended all over the players in Camelot who all made their way into the Arena of Glory, hoping to watch God Lunatic''s awesome skills. And at this moment, a certain rumor suddenly spread regarding the gaming god, in both in-game and at the forums. "Hey, have you guys heard about it yet? God Lunatic''s summoned pet?" "Ah? Are you talking about that skeleton of his? I''ve heard about those rumors too, could it be that they''re real?" "Absolutely real! I''ve seen it with my own two eyes. He summoned the skeleton during a fight in the Arena of Glory!" "*Sigh* I saw it too... Who could''ve thought that summoning an undead to fight for you without changing to the Necromancer class is possible." "I''ve heard that God Lunatic has changed into a hidden class, one which gives him the ability to summon and upgrade an undead." "To the commenter above, that rumor is bullsh*t! No such thing happened. His class that''s displayed in the Tower of Trial says that he''s still a warrior." "Rumors say that he actually obtained a unique skill book in the high-level map [Ancient Undead Plateau." "Yes, the one above, I also heard that rumor. They said that God Lunatic got the skill book from hunting Skeleton Knights or Bone Terrors, monsters way above his current level." "With God Lunatic''s abilities, won''t that skeleton become as strong as a boss monster in the future?" "Yes, I think so. Have you heard of the Chinese adage ''Like a tiger that has been given wings''? It means that the already God Lunatic''s power would be redoubled, becoming much stronger than before." "Haysss... who could compete with him at that time then? Is he gonna remain invincible as always? Similar to the past?" "Probably so. But what I''m more interested in is that rare skill book that lets you summon an undead. I''m gonna farm that skill book in the Ancient Undead Plateau once I hit level 40." "Oh? You do know that the drop rate of such skill books are incredibly low right? It''s probably one-in-ten thousandth. What level are you now?" "Ehem, I''m level 5." "..." "..." * * * * * Meanwhile, at the Tower of Trial''s Training Hall. Currently, hundreds of people could be seen huddling in front of the stone obelisk which showed the rankings of those who have climbed the tower. "Holy sh*t!" a player shrieked, his voice so loud the surrounding players glared at him in annoyance. "Look, it''s the madman! His name is in the rankings!!!" "What!" immediately, his words shocked the crowd as they furiously looked at the ranking leaderboard. "Where? Where''s our Training Hall''s mascot? You''re not lying are you?" "You probably saw it wrong. He was only level 1 when he¡ª" A few seconds after the denial of numerous players, a loud shout suddenly took them by surprise. "What the f*ck! The mascot! Look! He''s rank 70!" ???!!! Shifting their attention to the leaderboard, the surrounding players'' eyes started traveling downward. And then, they saw it. ____________________ Tower of Trial''s Leaderboard: [Rank 1]: Handsome Lunatic (Lv. 37) ¡ª 56th Floor. [Rank 2]: Queen (Lv. 33) ¡ª 50th Floor. [Rank 3]: Spectre (Lv. 31) ¡ª 49th Floor. [Rank 4]: Claude (Lv. 31) ¡ª 49th Floor. [Rank 5]: Leland (Lv. 31) ¡ª 48th Floor. [Rank 6]: Walker (Lv. 31) ¡ª 48th Floor. [Rank 7]: Leonard (Lv. 30) ¡ª 48th Floor. [Rank 8]: TwistedFate (Lv. 30) ¡ª 48th Floor. [Rank 9]: Su Yan (Lv. 30) ¡ª 47th Floor. [Rank 10] Kyle (Lv. 30) ¡ª 47th Floor. [Rank...] [Rank...] [...] [...] [Rank 70] Sky (Lv. 8) ¡ª 30th Floor. ____________________ !!! Gasp! 30th Floor?! Level 8?! What the f*ck?! How is that possible?! * * * * * Hup! Facing a Centaur, a half-man half-horse creature, Sky dodged the large ax that swung towards him by a hair''s breadth. Boom! The ground caved in from the centaur''s attack, suggesting the shocking strength behind the swing. Stones littered the ground and dust diffused in the air. Holding his breath, Sky''s eyes narrowed as he saw the large figure that was over two meters tall rush towards him behind the smoke dust. Buzzz. A buzzing sound was heard as Forsaken''s blade suddenly shone with a red light. "Killing Cleave!" said Sky as he used his brand new skill that he received as a reward. ---------- [Killing Cleave (Enhanced)] Lv. 1 (3%) Enhanced with sword energy. Deals 300% attack power to a single target. Damage increases by 1% for every 1% missing health of the target. (Maximum Damage increase: 50%) Sword Energy Cost: 250 Cooldown: 120 seconds. ---------- The crimson aura that was the sword energy circulating around Sky suddenly diminished, becoming translucent upon the usage of the skill. With a flash of red light, ?Killing Cleave? was unleashed at the centaur which was caught off-guard. Since the centaur''s health was on the brink of diminishing completely, the skill was further strengthened as Forsaken hacked towards the centaur''s chest. [You have dealt 3,200 damage to the target!] [The enemy has been slain.] [You have received 1,200 experience points.] [You have obtained: 3 gold coins.] [You have obtained: Centaur''s Battleax.] [You have cleared the 30th Floor.] [Reward(s): Strength, Vitality, Agility, Dexterity, and Fighting Spirit has increased by 1 point.] "Phew." Sky sighed in relief after seeing the centaur collapse. The fight took him nearly half an hour to finish since the centaur''s attributes were superior to his. Furthermore, the monster''s health pool exceeded 50,000. Pair that with the centaur''s agile movements and terrifying strength, even Sky had trouble killing it. "The monsters in this tower is completely different from the ones outside," he whispered. "Their movements and thinking are way superior to the monsters I''ve fought before." Thinking of the goblins below the 11th Floor and barbarians below the 30th, they all had improved qualities in terms of combat and usage of skills. They had synergetic unity and accurately used their numerical advantage when fighting against Sky. Their AI was more advanced when compared to the monsters that Sky had fought outside the tower. ''Even the Demon Spawns were inferior to this centaur in terms of combat prowess. The only advantages they had were their higher level and overwhelming attributes. If a centaur had the same level as a Demon Spawn, there''s no doubt that the former would win.'' he thought as he spared the disappearing corpse of the dead monster a glance while walking. "It seems that this tower is more special than I thought," mumbling under his breath, he ascended the stone stairway and headed to the next floor. [You have arrived at the 31st Floor.] Clop,clop, clop. As soon as Sky heard the system notification, he suddenly heard the sound of multiple hooves clip-clopping. Although he couldn''t see anything due to the darkness, Sky knew that the sounds came from the centaurs that were running towards him. Right then¡ª Fwoosh! Ting! Hearing that familiar sound, Sky instinctively raised Forsaken and deflected an incoming arrow. Clop, clop, clop, clop. The clip-clopping sound intensified, suggesting the arrival of the centaurs. Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! One after another, the sound of arrows piercing through the air was heard as Sky swung his sword repeatedly. -Human! -Human! Kill!! The resounding roars of the centaur reverberated in the dark passageway as Sky finally saw their figures. There were five of them, holding bows and arrows with axes and spears hanging behind their backs. They were rushing towards him! Dug! With a stomp, one of the centaurs arrived before Sky as it raised its ax and swung it from above. At the same time, multiple arrowheads made their way towards him, the centaurs didn''t want to give him a chance to retaliate! ''Parry the attack and dodge the arrows.'' Sky thought when he saw the situation. "Chop!" Clenching Forsaken''s sword, Sky used ?Chop? as his sword shone with blue light. Clang! The sword and the ax clashed. [You have suffered 390 damage.] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. [You have dealt 1,090 damage to the target.] Despite taking damage from the impact from the clash, Sky remained calm and focused on the incoming arrows. Keen Insight displayed its magnificence and blended together with the Perception stat. Gliding and weaving, he dodged the arrows with the most minute movements and spun towards the centaur''s back, hacking Forsaken towards it. [You have dealt 700 damage to the target.] Sky didn''t mind being caught between his target and the other four centaurs that shot the arrows. -Human! Invader! -Kill him! Seeing their comrades being attacked, the four centaurs on Sky''s flank a few meters away roared aloud and started rushing towards him, throwing their bows and arrows aside. Sky ignored them ad used another chop on the same spot on the centaur''s back and jumped on top of it. [You have dealt 2,000 damage to the target.] Arghhhhh! The centaur cried in pain as it madly jumped about, trying to shake Sky off its body. However, Sky wasn''t gonna let that happen as he grabbed its neck tightly and gripped Forsaken''s hilt. Without caring for the oncoming centaurs, Sky stabbed his sword on his target''s head mercilessly. [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 1,345 damage to the target.] The gory visual didn''t deter Sky at all since he had seen and experienced things much terrible than that. Hooooooo. Crimson red aura started forming around his body as his sword energy started to revolve. -Die! Human scum! Just then, another centaur arrived beside Sky and stabbed its spear towards his head. Sky immediately hopped on the head of the centaur that he was mounting, barely dodging the spear attack. Clenching his sword''s hilt, Sky used another ?Chop?, this time on one of the centaur''s eyes. The poor centaur couldn''t even retaliate as blood started gushing out. [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 2,494 damage to the target.] Enraged, the other four centaurs swung their weapons at Sky, wanting nothing more than to kill the wretched human. However, at that moment¡ª [Forsaken''s option ''Divine Punishment'' has been triggered.] Crackle! Crackle! Who knew whence it came from, bolts of lightning that were the color of gold suddenly appeared at the 31st Floor''s ceiling. The sudden change in the situation could be said to be drastic and extreme. A terrifying aura could be felt coming from above as the five centaurs shivered in fright, their faces grim as if they met their maker. How could these mere centaurs resist the awesome power of the gods? Just the godly aura alone already suppressed these creatures, forcing them into subservience. The roaring of thunder could be heard as the lightning above threateningly crackled, it was as if the gods above intended to smite all evils in the world, extinguishing them once and for all. Then, without even giving notice, the divine punishment descended. Boooooom!!!!! 29 Hidden Class Stone? Another month (in-game) passed by, and during this time, Sky''s climbing speed within the Tower of Trials started slowing down. It slowed down to the point that he couldn''t even clear a floor even if he tried hard to for a whole day! Sure, he saw the progress and improvement of the AI of the centaurs as he climbed through the floors, but that wasn''t what slowed Sky''s progress. Instead, it was their numbers. From the 37th floor onward, the number of the fierce centaurs exceeded 300! And their increase in number didn''t stop! Although the levels and attributes of these monsters were lowered and reduced to balance Sky''s level, one of the Tower of Trial''s features, their large health pool and shocking number finally brought Sky''s speed to a halt. Dealing with one centaur already took him a whole five minutes without interruption and at least ten minutes if under the attacks of other centaurs; how could he kill such a staggering number of centaurs with his current strength? While Forsaken''s passive skill ?Divine Punishment? was extremely formidable against a crowd, dealing tens of thousands of damage to each one of them, its chance of activating was awfully rare, at least one-to-a-thousandth! How could Everlasting World''s Devs allow a continuous activation of ?Divine Punishment?? That would basically break the game itself, whoever had such a skill would destroy the balance, of course, they had to nerf it hard. While his stats saw a stable increase after clearing numerous floors, obviously, it wasn''t enough for Sky to rampage towards the tower''s peak. He wasn''t immortal. He couldn''t breeze through their groups with ease. He had to struggle to kill even one, so how could he finish all of them? In the end, even if Sky''s combat prowess and control were out of this world, he was nonetheless restrained by this world instead. At this moment¡ªTower of Trials 39th Floor. "Lacerate!" using the newest skill that he received a few floors earlier, Sky shouted. ---------- [Lacerate (Enhanced)] Lv. 1 (5%) Enhanced with sword energy. Deals 150% attack power to a single target, applying the ''Fatal Wounds'' effect for 30 seconds. ''Fatal Wounds'' reduces healing effects from all sources by 50%. Sword Energy Cost: 150 Cooldown: 180 seconds ---------- Forsaken turned into a black shadow and only its silhouette could be seen as it slashed towards the last centaur of the floor. The speed was so fast it was as if the skill couldn''t be dodged! [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 2,450 damage to the target. The ''Fatal Wounds'' debuff has been applied.] The large centaur roared as its chest bled profusely. However, its eyes were bloodshed as it seemed to ignore the pain it felt as its front legs and body rose. ?Brutal Smash?. It was one of the skills that the centaurs in the upper 30+ floors had. The large ax of the centaur glowed with crimson light as it smashed down on Sky, intending to decimate him into smithereens. Sky remained calm as he withdrew his arm after using Lacerate. Bending his knees a bit, he clenched his sword with two hands and swung it upwards. "Chop!" Whoosh! The air seemed to split open as the sword traveled in the air while flashing with blue light. Bang! A loud sound exploded upon contact and Sky''s foot caved in down the ground, web-like cracks could be seen below as he withstood the impact. On the other hand, the centaur''s ax was broken after the clash as both skills canceled each other. Both of them took slight damage but it seemed the centaur was on the losing end as it staggered a few feet backward. ''Kill!'' Sky''s eyes was that of absolute focus when he saw the opportunity. He dashed forward, his steps as fast as the wind as he made his way towards his target. Inclining his right arm, which held Forsaken, he gathered momentum and stabbed forward mercilessly. "Execute!" The sword penetrated the centaur''s chest and stabbed towards its heart! [Critical hit!] [You have dealt 4,445 damage to the target!] [You have slain the enemy.] [You have received 2,590 experience points.] [Your level has risen.] [You have obtained: 9 gold coins.] [You have obtained: Centaur''s Leather Gloves.] ---------- [Centaur''s Leather Gloves] Rating: Rare Durability: 210/210 Defense: 80 ? Strength and Dexterity +7. ? The weight of the weapon held becomes lighter. User Restriction: More than 50 strength and dexterity. ---------- Since the centaurs themselves were weakened and their levels reduced to balance with Sky''s, the equipment they dropped, of course, was weakened as well. However, he nonetheless equipped the gloves since it was better than nothing. Of course, what Sky was waiting for the most came after that. [You have cleared the 39th Floor.] "Finally!" It was what he worked for. [Reward(s): Strength, Agility, and Vitality have increased by 2 points. You have obtained ? Fragmented Heroic Warrior''s Stone (1/3)?.] "Haha... hahaha..." Plopping down the floor, Sky laughed as he lied down tiredly, extending his arms out. "Whoooohh... that was harder than I thought." Recalling the crazy battle just now, he couldn''t help but guffaw, his laughter filling the entire dark passageway. It was thrilling and absolutely crazy! ''God I love this game!'' he shouted in his heart. The feeling he felt every time he battled in-game was even better than the exhilarating times he felt when hunting wild animals barehanded. In this world, he could fight whenever he wanted! In this world, he could battle strange creatures that didn''t exist in reality, an opportunity that one couldn''t experience in the real world even if one looked for it his whole life! In this world, he was free! "It took a whole month, but I cleared it in the end!" he chuckled as he calmed down his rapid breathing. His perseverance stat, while still low compared to his other stats, worked like magic as he felt the changes in his stamina while he fought. It was thanks to this stat that he wasn''t gasping for breath at this very moment. Sitting up, he muttered under his breath after thinking for a while. "The 40th floor... I should start leveling first before I start climbing again. The enemies on the upper floors will definitely be harder to take-on than the centaurs." After deciding that, he inhaled a breath of fresh air and started walking backward, towards the stairway which he ascended from earlier. The corpses of the centaurs around started illuminating with white light and started to turn into bright particles. Eventually, these particles started rising up the air and disappeared above the lightless ceiling. Sky has seen this scene countless times now so he simply ignored them and checked his status. ____________________ [STATUS] Name: Sky Level: 15 Class: None World Reputation: 2,550 Title: [One who Challenges his Limits] Coins: 8,863 gold - 23 silver - 95 copper Health: 2,530/2,530 Mana: (Locked) Sword Energy: 3/500 ? Strength: 72 (+42) ? Vitality: 67 (+35) ? Agility: 55 (+30) ? Intelligence: 20 (+45) ? Dexterity: 49 (+37) ? Fortitude: 84 (+5) ? Comprehension: 33 ? Luck: 17 (+15) ? Fighting Spirit: 59 ? Charisma 6 (+50) ? Charm: 6 (+80) ? Perception: 20 ? Perseverance: 35 Stat points: 340 ----- Skills: [Intermediate Sword Mastery] (Lv. 8) [Skeleton Summoning ¡ª Locked] (Lv. 2) [Chop] (Lv. 2¡ú3) [Cooking] (Lv. 1) [Keen Sensitivity] [Killing Cleave] (Lv. 1¡ú2) [Lacerate] (Lv. 1¡ú2) ____________________ Sky''s smiled in satisfaction when he saw his improved stats. However, his wide smile became even bigger when he saw the number of free stat points he had. It was a shocking 340 points! ''Hahahahahaha, should I add all these points into Strength?'' Sky shook his head and laughed. "Just jokin'', of course, I''m just jokin''." He had learned a few things after playing for a while now. One of the few things he learned was that adding all the free stat points into one''s strength wasn''t a very good idea, especially with a big number at that. ''Glass cannon? I think that''s what its called? Those who deals a lot of damage but gets killed in just a few hits.'' he thought, remembering the term that his new student, Lee said. His plan was to increase his level and obtain as many free stat points as possible and allocate them before climbing the tower again. While his stats were high for his level, it was nonetheless his low level that restricted his abilities in the end. ''That kid, when''s he gonna come back anyway?'' Remembering Lee, who used the excuse of having a family meeting to get away from his inhumane training, Sky shook his head. ''I thought he wanted to get stronger? Doing 1,000 push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups a day is pretty easy already compared to what the old master made me do...'' Thinking of the time when he had to do push-ups until the old man said otherwise, with a boulder on his back and weights tied around his waist, he couldn''t help but grit his teeth indignantly. "To think that I had to it for an entire day every time he was in a bad mood, damn it." A few tears couldn''t help but escape his eyes when he remembered those times. "Positive thinking... positive thinking..." muttering the words that what has become his mantra for years now, Sky checked the other item he received for clearing the floor. ---------- [Fragmented Heroic Warrior''s Stone (1/3)] A mysterious stone with an obscure power buried inside. Get all three stone fragments to unlock a hidden quest with a chance of receiving the hidden class ''Heroic Warrior''. ? Drops upon death. Conditions of Use: Find all three fragments. ---------- "A hidden class?" Sky was taken aback when he saw the description of the black stone in his hand that was the size of an egg. "Hidden classes are stronger than the normal ones." This was one of the few things he had also learned. Through some mysterious methods and quests, one could change his class for a hidden class and obtain power far beyond the norm. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Staring at the black stone, Sky shook his head and stored it in his inventory. "No matter how strong this class is, it definitely can''t compare to the one I''ll be making when I complete the [Orb of Miracles] quest." 30 Strained Family Alpha, New Era City. In one of the most expensive districts within the city, mansions and villas could be seen, their designs spanning from modern to classical. Just from their incredibly large territory alone already suggested the people that lived in such homes had illustrious backgrounds. Elites. Nobles. Higher Circle. There were numerous names that were given to them by the citizens of New Era City. At this moment, a mansion that seemed to be inspired by Victorian-era constructs stood proudly as a large fountain could be seen, built before the mansion. The stone walls that wrapped around the area and the black-gold coloured iron gates, alongside the guards standing by the entrance, suggested that the territory was heavily secure. Right now, inside the Victorian-style mansion, two people could be seen inside a study, looking at each other. One was a young man and the other in his mid-50s. The two people had strikingly similar features, it looked as if they were nearly the same person, with only the contrasting age as the difference. Lee, the young man, had his head lowered as he stood before his father, Ryu Seung-Woo. 1 Father Ryu stared at Lee, his facial expression stoic. He said nothing and merely glared at his son, whose head was lowered as if a kid who did something naughty and was caught. The atmosphere within the study turned suffocating as neither of them said anything for a few minutes. While Lee''s body posture seemed meek, his eyes that stared at the floor was that of utter calmness, completely different from his usual bubbly attitude around Jaden. ''What''s it gonna be now?'' he thought as he held his breath and awaited his punishment. A short while later, a deep voice was heard. "Look at me," said Father Ryu. Lee raised his head and an instant later¡ª Pak! The resounding sound of a slap was heard as his face was welcomed by his father''s swinging palm. Lee staggered backwards a few steps, the right side of his face turning red. "Whooooh." sighing, his expression remained the same, that of calmness, as he regained his footing and stared at his father. "Go back to Korea." Father Ryu emotionlessly said, his tone that of an order instead of a request. He seemed to not feel any remorse for slapping his own son. "Go back and live with your grandfather. There, you can do whatever the hell you want. I will not interfere with your life any longer, you have my word." Lee''s heart sunk as he felt his stomach churn. However, while he felt upset, he didn''t show any emotion as he shook his head. "I cannot do that, Father. I''ve said it, countless times already, I won''t go back there." The attitude in his words, while uttered indifferently, contained firmness, firmness on his decision regarding his feeling towards his family back in Korea. Father Ryu''s face remained aloof as he stared at his son. He didn''t care about the latter''s stance and said. "This is my house. As long as you are standing in this house, you will obey, refusal is not an option." "Father, please forgive your unfilial son, but I can''t and I won''t go back." "Okay," said Father Ryu, surprising Lee for a moment. However, his next words caused him to laugh bitterly. "Maid! Butler! Who''s out there?! Come here!" From outside the study, an answer was heard. "Yes." Following that, a man in his 30s, wearing a black suit and tie, came inside and saluted at Lee''s father. "Sir, what are your orders?" "Go to his room, pack up his clothes in a suitcase, and give it to him." Father Ryu said as he pointed at Lee. "Also, cancel all his bank accounts and all financial support." The butler was shocked for a second and glanced at Lee, who had a complicated expression, however, he nonetheless complied. Nodding his head, he left the study, closing the door on his way out. Father Ryu then glanced at his son before walking towards his desk, towards the chair behind it. "Since you refuse and wish to do whatever you want, then there''s only one solution. Leave the house." Picking up one of the documents on the ebony escritoire, he sat down and started reading it, ignoring Lee who stood frozen, staring at him. Lee opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something but didn''t in the end. An exhausted sigh escaped his lips as he turned around and walked towards the door. Opening it, a creaking sound was heard. "Reputation and power... they''re more important than your own son I guess." after saying that, he left and slammed the door close. The study became silent once again, however, one could be able to feel the tense and heavy atmosphere.Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. * * * * * "Oh? You''re back?." Behind the dojo, Jaden sat up on his hammock when he heard footsteps. Looking at Lee, who had a silly smile plastered on his face, his expression turned suspicious. "What''s with the luggage and suitcase, going somewhere again? Also, I didn''t hear the revving of your car when you pulled up, did you leave it at home?" Lee smiled brightly and raised his suitcase. "Master, I''ve decided to become a more filial disciple. So, I decided to live with you from now on." Bowing his head, he said. "Please take care of me..." "Live? Live what? With me?" pointing at himself, Jaden asked incredulously and Lee nodded in response. Jaden rubbed his chin and thought for a few seconds. ''Live here eh? Doesn''t that mean he''s gonna be paying rent?'' when he thought so, a smile surfaced on his face. "Good, good disciple, filial disciple, master is so happy." "So you agree? Thank you, master!" "Of course, since the dojo''s expenses are a lot, you''re gonna have to pitch in and pay your¡ª" "Expenses? Master, what expenses are you talking about?" Lee laughed at Jaden''s words. "Other than your gaming capsule, you rarely use electricity. You don''t even turn on the lights at night or use hot water, right? So your electricity bill should be very low." ?! Jaden was surprised when his lie was seen through. The colour of his face turned red for a moment as he coughed. "I-is that right? Then what about the food that you''ll¡ª" "Master, food? Of course, I''ll be getting my own food, you don''t have to worry about that." Lee sighed as he said. "Master, although I''ve no money anymore, you don''t have to worry so much about me." "?! What? What do you mean you don''t have money anymore?" Jaden shouted. Then, glancing at the luggage and the suitcase once again, he stared at his disciple. "... did you do something bad and got kicked out of the house? So you lied when you said that you decided to live here because you wanted to become a better disciple?" "Eh?" Lee was taken aback and scratched his head. Not knowing what to say, he could only nod his head in response. However, torn at his master''s last question, he immediately shook his head in denial. Seeing his uncomfortable expression, Jaden didn''t ask any further questions regarding why he was kicked out and simply shook his head in dismay. ''Damn it, I should''ve asked for his training fee when he showed up at my doorstep.'' Remembering the time when Lee suddenly showed up and asked to be taken as a disciple, Jaden regretted not asking for money right then. "I must''ve been out of my mind, becoming so excited that I forgot to ask for the training fees then..." he murmured under his breath, shaking his head in regret. "Eh, master, did you say something?" "Nothing, *cough*, so you lied Jaden''s face turned dark but he couldn''t bring himself to say that he didn''t even have enough money to pay the dojo''s monthly rent, and the deadline was about to come too! ''Ah, I can''t be as shameless as the old master. How can I ask rent money from my disciple?'' "Heh, since you''re back, then you can proceed with your training. 1,000 push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups a day. Also, 50 kilometres of running during every sunrise, wearing the weights that I''ll be giving you." After saying that, he shook his head and went inside the dojo, back towards his room, back towards Everlasting World. Lee was left alone, frozen in place, the number ''1,000'' echoing in his head. * * * * * Tower of Trials, Training Hall. Logging in at the location where he logged out the last time, Sky appeared at the training hall, right beside the stone staircase that led to the upper floors. "Shame, such a shame..." he muttered as his avatar materialized. However, at that moment, the discussion of the surrounding players immediately took his attention. "Hey, hey, did you hear about Destiny Group''s announcement this morning?" asked a random player. "Of course I did, I was watching Revelation TV when the breaking news came in!" answered another passerby. "I can''t believe that Destiny Group actually partnered with nearly all the top international banks, on a global scale at that!" "I know right? I can''t believe that they''re gonna open an auction platform! Selling equipment for instant cash, converting gold coins into instant cash, hohoho, I really can''t fathom how powerful the Destiny Group is to be able to do this." "Damn... with how popular Everlasting World suddenly became, won''t those tycoon corporations and leading enterprises be entering the game to advertise themselves? Sponsoring players, won''t they be able to take over the game simply by throwing money in? Who knew this game would become Pay-to-win too..." "Idiot! Destiny Group already put a limit on that! How can the group let those companies break the game? Don''t forget how powerful the group is, even those tycoons can''t afford to anger the group!" "Right! Due to Destiny Group''s technology, which no other can compare to, they have connections in the political, military, industry and business fields. If someone dares provoke them, with how powerful the group is, they would just be digging their own graves." Hearing the heated discussion, Sky perked up his ears when he heard them talking about money. "Hehe, selling items and equipment for instant cash, I''ll be rich in no time." "Kek, you? Dream on! I don''t even see a single Rare-rated equipment on you. Do you think those trash equipment of yours will be able to sell?" "Forget items and equipment, you can directly convert gold into instant cash! Damn it, I wonder what the conversion rate is?" Surprised, Sky''s heartbeat sped up. ''Selling equipment for real-life money? Convert gold coins into instant cash?'' Lee''s name is Ryu Lee. ''Ryu'' is his surname.