《Awakening: Reincarnating With the SSS-Level Extraction Talent》 Chapter 1: Chapter 1: SSS-Level Extraction Talent, Re-Launch of Universal Descent Ding. Alex''s eyes shot open. He gasped, jerking upright and instinctively touching himself all over. Yet his body was whole. No pain. No blood. ''Where''s the sword?!'' he looked around, fearing for his life, he perfectly remembered being crushed by the [Sword of Darkness], wielded by the [God of Darkness]. But strangely enough, there was no giant sword, or any weapons at all. Instead, he was just in a bed? Confusion rushed over him as he took in his surroundings: a dingy, cluttered room. "This is¡­?" His eyes scanned the small apartment, the wallpapers on the wall and broken furniture extremely familiar to him. "My old apartment?" He stared in disbelief. This cramped, shabby ce had been his home before the world fell apart. Before the gameunched. Before the gods. "What the hell happened¡­" Alex rubbed his forehead, trying to remember hisst memories beforeing back to this ce. And suddenly, with a powerful headache, he remembered his final moments: destroyed world; angels, demons and monsters apocalypse; gods taking over; and finally, humanity losing the war in the end. "Did I¡­ go back in time?" this was his conclusion. Instinctively, he reached out for his phone, something that he hadn''t had the time to do in a long time since he was too busy fighting for humanity. 2024, May 23, 11:56 PM. Alex had truly gone back in time, to a time before all of this happened. To a time before theunch of "Universal Descent", a simple game at first nce, but one that wouldpletely change humanity as we know it. "Wait a damn minute¡­" Alex''s eyes widened as he saw the time. He could never forget it as it was one of the most important days of his life, but didn''t the gameunch on the 24th of may, at the exact moment midnight struck? 2024, May 23, 11:59 PM. "!!!" His heart pounded in his chest. There was only a minute left before the ''announcement'' that would change the world appeared! 11:59 PM¡­ 12:00 AM! This time, Alex was ready. He had lived through it all once. He knew the horrors that awaited humanity. And now, with this second chance, he wouldn''t waste it. Ding! At this moment, a majestic chime came from the sky, and a panel appeared in front of Alex. [Humans of Earth, the universal server has been connected with you, and the first batch of public beta ess is now being issued randomly!] Of course, this waspletely normal, he had already experienced it once, after all, but all the people outside that received this very same panel must have been just as confused as he first was in his first life. As Alex was thinking about that, his left wrist suddenly began to hurt. He quickly nced down, fully knowing what this was. And that''s when he saw aplex circle of runes form around his wrist, constantly spinning. The runes formed a bracelet around his skin, glowing with a radiant white light before slowly fading, embedding themselves into his flesh. All of this seemed like a dream, but Alex needed to take this seriously now that he knew what was bound toe. Suddenly, as the process ended, the majestic voice sounded again. [The 20 million ces for the first public beta have been distributed.] [Beta testers can now enter the game at any time, please check the specific rules yourself.] [Humans of Earth, I hope you can break out of the helling for you, and contribute to the defense of the universe.] "¡­" Alex in his first life was like many others, thinking that it was a joke, a mere prank, but no, this wasn''t. He looked down at his wrist, and with a thought, the rune ring appeared again. This [Rune Bracelet/Ring] was directly connected to the game, and it was what allowed all yers to ess the game. The technology has been checked by thousands of scientists, but none of them could even understand how it worked. Everything they needed could be found in that so-called game, after all, there was no need to question it. [Do you wish to enter the game?] [Yes/No] [Note: not entering the game right now is not advised!] "¡­" Alex hesitated as his fingers hovered over the [Yes] option, but then he clicked it. Whether he joined the game or not wouldn''t change the fact that the apocalypse would descend on earth. He would rather participate again with all his knowledge than just sit down and do nothing! Alex clicked on [Yes], and suddenly, he felt extremely dizzy. No matter how many times it happened, he surely would never get used to it. He was currently in a ck void, in a dimension between reality and the game, and so, new panels appeared before him. [Wee to Universal Descent!] [Scanning identity¡­ Alex Rogue!] [Identity confirmed, please enter an ID!] Alex already knew what to expect in this game, and so he also understood the importance of having a unique ID, since that was the name that everyone both inside and outside the game would see. "¡­" after thinking for a bit, Alex nodded. [ID: FateBreaker] He would keep this as his ID to constantly remind himself of his purpose: to not end up like the him from his past life. This was pretty much all. [Do you want to check the rules?] ''Why not?'' he couldn''t remember them all after all. [Rules]: 1. The ratio of game time to real time is 2:1, meaning that for every two minutes that passes in the game, one minute passes in the real world. 2. Items such as property upgrades and equipment obtained in the game can be brought into reality once the ''first stage'' has ended. 3. You can currently enter the game for only up to 12 hours every 24 hours, this is based on earth time by the way, meaning that it will be 12 hours in reality, but 24 hours in the game, and the time can be freely allocated, so you can leave whenever you feel like it! 4. The game currency is connected to reality, and all financial institutions on Earth are bound to the "Cosmic" Bank, meaning that you can sell and buy equipment, and transfer that money directly to reality or to the game. 5. The real world has been invaded by magic, and monsters in the game will gradually begin to appear randomly. 6. More rules may appear as the game continues. "Yep," this was it, and Alex remembered them all perfectly, how could he not after all? These were simply but the basic rules, and more would appear down the line, but for now it was fine. As the rules stated, Alex and humanity were on the verge of enterering a new era from the moment this game started. Human society would undergo earth-shaking changes as a response, and the entire would be built around ''Universal Descent'', the ''yers'' of the game bing world famous people, especially those at the top. [Scanning attributes¡­ awakening talent!] "Here we go again¡­" Alex sighed. This had already happened once in his previous life, and so he could sense the energy flow his body as the system was deciding on a talent. But Alex wasn''t surprised either: after all, he already knew what he would be getting. He was about to get a C-Level [Enhanced Melee Damage] talent. Talents were spread out around several categories: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS. F being the lowest and worst all, you couldn''t even call those talents, and SSS being the highest, Alex perfectly remembering that the people in his previous life who had those were the strongest. [Talents at SS-Level or above are unique, meaning that if someone gets them, there won''t be someone else who has the same!] Talents are based on the attributes, which is why it is scanning them, but it didn''t mean that it wasn''t luck too, it was a mix of both. After a few seconds, the panel sounded again as it appeared in front of the man. [Scanplete!] [C-Level talent "Enhanced Melee Damage" was nned to be given, but the "power of reincarnation" has been detected, thus changing it.] [Awakening unique SSS-Level talent: "Extraction"!] "¡­!" for the first time, Alex''s eyes actually widened, surprised to see an actual change. But doesn''t changing the past also mean changing the future? "No¡­ it doesn''t matter, this future NEEDS to change," he couldn''t allow these creatures to destroy Earth and kill billions of people, not now that he knew what wasing. Maybe¡­ with this new talent and opportunity, surely he would manage. In the end, he just decided to check his talent''s effects. [Talent Effect #1: Upon defeating a monster, you can see a list of items/talents/skills/attributes you can extract from that monster and specify what you want to extract from it, note that currently only ONE thing per monster is allowed to be extracted, so choose wisely.] [Talent Effect #2: Defeating monsters will grant you "Extraction Points", which you can useter on to enhance your talent or buy items.] These were all the effects of his talent, but it was normal, every talent only got a minimal amount of perks, and they would increase as time went on. [Please choose your upation now.] Universal Descent only had six professions in the beginning: Warrior, Mage, Archer, Priest, Assassin and Summoner But this was only what appeared on the surface. Because once you enter the game, you realize that there are hundreds of other rare and hidden professions that could be found frompleting tasks or trials in the game. Meaning that currently, the one he would choose would mostly be his main, but he would still get another one, as Alex already had a rough idea of what to do once inside. "Mage." In his previous life, Alex had made the foolish choice of choosing ''Warrior'' as it was the one that sounded the coolest, he had been imagining himself rushing at the front line of battle to sh down enemies, and also because his previous talent was about melee damage. But reality was much different than you would believe it to be, and in the end, [Warrior] ended up being the worst ss of all, making him wish he had at least chosen [Assassin]. It was weak even against the priests, and though there were some amazing warriors in his previous life, he wasn''t among them. But even then, even with his C-Level talent and "bad" profession, Alex had actually still managed to be a grand warrior, many calling him a ''miracle'' among warriors. He wouldn''t make the same mistake though, and that is why he chose Mage, though he did hesitate between that and Assassin. They were bad in the early stage, but once they acquired powerful spells, they were unstoppable beings, those who had hidden professions or talents rted to it even more. Ding! [You have be a Mage!] [Profession and talent have been given, entering the world of Universal Descent!] Suddenly, the world around him changed, and the ck void was now reced by a magnificent scenery. [yer ''FateBreaker'' has entered the "Novice Continent"!] Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Spawning in the Novice Village, The Start of the Game [Watch out for this continent''s races, most aren''t friendly with humans!] But before he could even observe any further, he heard the exmations of all the others around him, after all he wasn''t the only yer! "Wow! This is so realistic!" "What in the hell, how can science even exin this? This game is definitely created by a higher being¡­" "Let''s team up!" "Maybe I can kill myself without the fear of dying now¡­" "HEY, DON''T TOUCH ME, I CAN STILL FEEL IT!" All around Alex were other yers, both men and women, each of them wearing a set of gray clothes, the oldest seemed to be in their 50s and 60s, while the youngest might be only 14 to 15 years old. Alex looked down, and just as expected, he was also wearing the same gray clothes: this was the basic outfit for new yers after all. The clothing didn''t give any attribute points though, which made them extremely weak, and everyone would soon enough change them once they got their hands on something better. Other than the clothes though, each yer was carrying the respective weapons from their sses/professions: assassins had daggers, archers had bows, priests had crosses, warriors had swords, summoners had nothing, but it was because they could already summon a level 1 beast of their choice. And as for Alex, once he looked down, he noticed that in his right hand was a mage staff, meaning that he had truly be one. [Wee to ''Novice Vige 666''!] [Novice Vige Assessment: Reach level 10 and defeat the boss to be able to ess the first city, any novice vige that doesn''tplete this task within a week (in the game) will be wiped out.] Green scenery and flower scent were all around the now panicked yers in this novice vige (yes, there were thousands of other viges as you might expect), small buildings and houses located in their surroundings to help them out. "Hm¡­" Alex hadn''t been in this ce for so long that he didn''t really remember, but surely his memories woulde back once he explored a bit. Alex noticed that there were many buildings made of wood and rocks in the vige. But, the most surprising feature of all in this vge was¡­ the presence of another race. They looked like humans, but they were taller and had silver-colored skin, literally. They couldn''t really be human when you looked at them from this perspective, and their ears were a bit pointy, not as long as elves though. ''NPCs,'' Alex mumbled. In "Universal Descent", NPCs were one of the main features, and this game was in fact so realistic that if you didn''t see their appearances, you truly wouldn''t be able to differenciate a conversation between a human and an npc. Once the ''first stage'' ended, you wouldn''t even be able to call them NPCs anyway. But no matter what the other yers tried to do tomunicate with these beings, they wouldn''t answer no matter what, as they didn''t seem to care. They just took a look at the yers and then pretended that they didn''t exist. "ANSWER ME, YOU LITTLE SHIT," a grumpy strong man with a horrible personality tried to forcibly pull one of the silver-skinned humans, but he was immediately pped by it, sent crashing against one of the houses. Boom! The man died from the impact, and his body disappeared in a speck of blue light. "¡­" everyone knew they shouldn''t mess with these things now if they wanted to reach level 10 and not get wiped out. The only inhabitants of this vige that spoke were the shop owners, but nobody had money yet, so once they noticed these yers weren''t possible clients, they kicked them out. ''Low reputation,'' Alex mumbled. [Reputation] is one of the systems in this game too, and you will only be able to trigger special events when increasing your reputation among some races, thus gaining favors from them. So in the end, all people (and Alex) could do was to try and kill monsters to level up. To do that, Alex along with his low-level mage staff received a single skill: Fireball! It was the lowest-ss skill that you could get from the mage ss, meaning that it was level 1 and could only deal around 9-11 magic damage to the mobs outside the vige. ''I can''t get quests yet, need to aim for the secret one to increase my reputation.'' It was important to keep your reputation with the NPCs high in the beginning. And they do not forgot about you, meaning that the man who tried to hurt one of the silver-skinned humans would have a hard time adapting. It was only the [Novice Vige] though, so not important, although if you really wanted to leave it you would definitely need to be stronger. The vige has four entrances and exits: north, east, south and west. Alex chose the east, it didn''t matter much but he liked that way. When he arrived at the east entrance of the vige, Alex saw arge area of ??farnd outside. Various crops like wheat, corn and more were nted in the farnd. But among these crops and the dirt, Alex noticed that there were many [Demonized Rats] moving, eating the crops as they found them. These big ck rats were about the same size as dogs, with scarlets eyes and sharp teeth. He also saw that many yers were currently fighting these level 1 monsters, the scene was truly out of this world. "Team up to fight the demonized rats!" "Come and fight the rats together, they''re too strong!" [Your plete'' status window is avable.] ''Oh, right,'' Alex nodded. [ID:] FateBreaker [Level:] 1 (0/100) [upation:] Mage [ss:] Apprentice Mage [Talent:] Extraction (SSS) [Health Points:] 50 (Vitality x 10) [Mana Points:] 70 (Spirit x 10) [Speed:] 4 (Agility x 1) [Magic Damage:] 7 (Spirit x 1) [Physical Damage:] 3 (Strength x 1) [Magic Resistance:] 7 (Spirit x 1) [Physical Resistance:] 5 (Vitality x 1) [Attributes:] Vitality 5; Strength 3; Agility 4; Spirit 7. [Skills]: Fireball Level 1; Deal 10 points of damage to target + 100% of user spirit to target; consumes 10 mana; 3-second cooldown. [Attributes Points:] 0 [Skill Points:] 0 [Equipment:] Low-Level Wooden Staff (Common) [Strength Evaluation:] 0 Star His attributes and status window was pretty much the same as in his previous life, except for the fact that he was now a mage, and also that his talent was now SSS. But before Alex could begin fighting¡­ he needed to do onest thing. He headed toward the exit, but instead of passing through, he went to the side, an old and frail-looking silver-skinned human resting against the wall. Most people passed by him since they feared being hit and killed by these things, plus they were extremely unfriendly, but Alex knew better. "Hello?" he spoke to the old man. "Oh?" and he opened his eyes, "It is rare for someone to speak to someone like me¡­" "I do not judge, sir, you seem distressed, need help with anything?" Alex perfectly knew that this very same old man was his key to sess, as he was the one that gave the beginner quest of this entire game. "Now that you say it," the old man rubbed his chin, "These demonized rats have been destroying our crops, would be very useful in one of you could get rid of¡­ let''s say, 10 of them?" "Sure." Ding! [You have triggered the F-Level novice vige quest: The Beginning Of it All. Kill 10 Demonized Rats and in exchange your reputation among the vigers will increase by 50!] "Get rid of those and I''ll pitch in a good word for you," the old man said before going back to his original position, resting against the giant fence. A yer''s reputation among viges/race can go from 0 to 100. 0 means that they are neutral with you, and the more tasks you do, the more it increases, the max being 100 which meant they are favorable and agree to speak or help you out. This beginner quest would already fill up this bar by half! On the other hand, reputation could also go in the negatives, if it does, then it bes increasingly harder to go back to 0. Attacking one of them for no reason for example would result in -100 reputation, which means they would be hostile, some of them even trying to kill you on the spot. Having nothing else to do, Alex immediately passed the threshold of the vige''s exit and entered the first area: [Demonized Farnds]. "Kill it!" "FUCK, IT BIT ME!" yers were struggling, and that was normal: the monsters in this game were insanely difficult to defeat if you didn''t have the proper technique, and as none of these people had ever fought monsters in their lives, even the strongest among them would die in one to two attacks max. [Demonized Rat] Level: 1 HP: 40 Context: Originally ordinary rats, they were corroded by ck magic energy, thus bing violent and bloodthirsty. These things were the first monsters in the game, but they already had 8 agility points and their strength reached 7 points too, meaning that they were faster than most of the yers, each of their [Strike] dealing 12 damage. "Alright, here we go," Alex sighed as he raised his staff, aiming it at one of the lonely rats that was eating crops. Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Extraction Talent Usage, The Alchemist鈥檚 Request It was the first time he was using magic since he had been used to swinging a de, but it still felt strangely familiar to Alex. Was it because of the years of experience? Or because his SSS talent helped him out? And talking about his talent, would it activate after he killed the monster or during battle? So many questions, so little answers, and so all he could do was fight to see. Fwish! Fireball! He waved his staff in the rat''s direction, and a fireball shot out, perfectly hitting the demonized rat. -17 (10 damage for fireball + 100% spirit damage which is 7 right now) The rat let out a high-pitched scream as it was engulfed in mes, its body twitching before finally getting up and charging at the human. "Strike!" the demonized rat was way faster than Alex, but thankfully enough, the 3-second cooldown passed quickly and he sent yet another fireball at it. Boom! -17! He repeated that once more and so the ''Demonized Rat'' fell to his spell, burning to ashes as its 40 health points dropped to 0. "¡­" [Killed level 1 Demonized Rat, gained 10 experience points.] The leveling in this game was horrible as well, or more like, extremely difficult, taking 10 of those things most people struggled against to level up once. Alex was pretty much the only one that managed to kill a demonized rat alone, all the others struggling to swing their weapons or even cast their spells, missing them even at point nk. [Please choose something to extract from this monster.] But this time, something unusual happened: a new panel appeared before him. [Rusty Sword (Common) ck Rat Helmet (Common) Beginner Backpack (Common)] All these things are items, and ones that you would usually have a hard time dropping from such beginner mobs! And yet, now that he had the SSS-Level [Extraction] talent, Alex could choose. He couldn''t see the description of the items, but the mon'' beside their names should be an indicative, right? Meaning they weren''t that rare. [Please choose to extract, or close the panel to choose nothing.] Alex clicked on the backpack option since it was the most obvious to pick. Ding! [Beginner Backpack (Common) has been selected!] And suddenly, a light appeared above the demonized rat''s body. "Holy!" "Is that an item?" "We''ve killed 4 rats, how did we not get any?" People immediately looked in Alex''s direction, envious of his luck. Alex picked up the item, and just as expected, it was a very small brown backpack. [Beginner Backpack (Common): Able to hold 5 Common/Umon items inside.] This was fair, and so he put it around his shoulder and carried it, this could be useful to store the other items forter. "Let''s go," Alex turned around and aimed his fireball at another demonized rat, carrying the same process from before and not allowing it to even get close to him. Boom! Boom! Boom! -17! -17! -17! It fell as well, and so Alex yet again went up to its body, expecting to be able to pick another item. But this time, the panel strangely didn''t appear. "¡­?" [Not all monsters can be extracted, only 20% do when using your talent at its current level.] ''¡­Of course'', Alex''s talent was powerful, and so as a counter measure it restrained him to only 20% of monsters being able to extract, though that meant he could choose the extracted drop he wanted! He didn''t bother to care much more than he did, and so he continued searching for lone [Demonized Rats] to kill. ¡­ [Killed level 1 Demonized Rat, gained 10 experience points.] Ding! [You have leveled up to level 2, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] The notification finally shed before Alex as he finished off thest demonized rat, and he immediately put all his free attribute points in Spirit. [You havepleted the quest "The Beginning of it All", return to the silver-skinned elder for your reward!] ''No list on this one either,'' he mumbled as the rat he just killed didn''t stop anything. After battling 10 rats, only two of them had dropped an item: the backpack was obvious, as he had picked it, and the second item he picked was the [ck Rat Helmet (Common)]. [ck Rat Helmet (Common): put it on your head to increase your physical resistance by 2 (not the vitality stat, only the resistance).] And so on his head he now carried a small helmet made out of the rat''s fur. People around Alex were yet again bbergasted as he magically got another item, while they hadn''t gotten anything. Some bold yers did approach Alex though. "Hey, man, how about we form a team together? We can fight the rats and gain experience when the timees! I''m not demanding too much, just a helmet!" "Brother! Look at me, look at me! I''m a mage, and my output is high! I''ll give money once I get some!" "Hey, can you take my sister with you? My sister can run with you!" and some were even giving him¡­ weird offers. All the men and women nearby wanted Alex to group with them, because apart from anything else, getting a free piece of equipment is a bonus people were willing to take. It can greatly improve their abilities inbat after all. Plus, as the rules stated, this is a game that affects reality, so if there is an opportunity to improve, people won''t miss it. Facing the crazy yers, Alex felt a little numb. Especially the women who were running around. He took a look and found that some of them were really good-looking. But these girls were only trying to make a mess of his pure mind (not so pure)! He hadpleted his quest, so all he wanted to do was leave now, he struggled to squeeze out of the encirclement then shouted: "Don''t worry, if there is a lot of equipment, I''ll try to take it to the vige and set up a stall!" After saying that, Alex ran toward the east entrance of the vige. He wasn''t nning to form a team for the time being, as it was useless in the beginning stages. Many people though did form guilds: there were organizations in the game that people could join andpete against others. The [Guild Ranking] was one of the main perks, as the top guilds were featured and thus gained more poprity both inside and outside the game. Right now though, there weren''t this many guilds, only three people figuring out how to create one. [Guilds Ranking:] [Top 1: Overlord Guild Top 2: Striker Guild Top 3: Shadow de Guild] But this wasn''t the only ranking the world of Universal Descent had in store. They weren''t revealed yet to the public as it only happened one week after the game wasunched, meaning when the [Novice Assessment] was finished, but for now he simply needed to keep going. ¡­ "Thank you so much for your help, you aren''t as bad as I thought you were," the elder beside the entrance sighed. Ding! [You havepleted the quest: The Beginning of it All, and your reputation among the vigers has increased by 50.] This meant that he was now able to discuss with some of the vigers and even ess the [Alchemy] and [Items] shop. Usually, you would need to upgrade your reputation to the max to be able to talk to the [Vige Chief] and receive the quest that would allow you to leave, as well as some information about secret quests, but Alex already knew everything so he just did that to leave quickly. And he also knew of the S-Level secret quest that was hidden in the forest around the novice vige. But first of all, Alex headed toward the [Alchemy Shop]. [Novice Vige Reputation: 50/100] "Oh, hello, yer," the silver-skinned alchemist greeted Alex as if they had known each other for months. "Hey, do you need help with anything?" Alex wanted potions as he could now store them in his [Beginner Backpack], and so this was the best solution to both level up and increase his equipment. "Now that you say it¡­" the alchemist mumbled, "I need a few [Blood Rabbit''s] fur to make a potion¡­ if you bring some to me I''ll exchange it to you for other goods." [You have triggered the E-Level novice vige quest: Alchemist Ingredients. Bring 5 "Blood Rabbit Fur" in exchange for some potions and +25 reputation.] He was now ready to move to the next area: the forest. Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Item Extraction in the Forest Anyone that would dare step foot inside of it would be met by some powerful monsters that didn''t die as easily as the rats. And it was also the case with Alex, as even he struggled a bit. Fireball! Boom! -26! He was being followed by two [Blood Rabbits]. [Blood Rabbits] Level: 2 HP: 60 These monsters had high speed, at around 16 and high spirit as well, being at 12. They werepletely white, with crimson eyes, and a small ck horn at the top of their head, which they use to cast the [Red Crystal] skill, creating a small shard that could pretty much one shot most yers at their current level. Alex though had been fighting for 10 years, so he rolled away each time, his techniques even though they didn''t match with his current physique still holding strong. Fireball! Boom! -26! His spirit attribute now having reached 16 meant that he did much more damage, and so the two [Blood Rabbits] died after a few fireballs were sent toward them. "Phew¡­" [Please select something to extract!] ''Nice!'' he was ecstatic, as it meant better loot. [Blood Rabbit Fur (Common) Horned Staff (Umon) ''Red Crystal'' Skill (Rare)] "¡­!" Alex''s eyes widened. A skill? And a [Rare] one to extract at that! In the world of Universal Descent, items/skills were scattered across nine categories: Common, Umon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythical, Divine and Artifact. Which meant that Alex just got the opportunity to get a skill from the third category! And the chance to get it was already enough of a warning as to how rare it was! "Extraction!" he instinctively ced his hand against the rabbit and mumbled those words. Ding! [You have gained the ''Red Crystal'' skill!] [Red Crystal Level 1; Deals exactly 40 damage to target; consumes 15 mana; 5-second cooldown.] He had actually managed to gain a skill! The fact that monsters could have their skills as extraction drops also meant that Alex could select them if he had the chance to! "¡­" he couldn''t suppress his excitement after knowing that, this meant the ability to be so much stronger than before, and didn''t the other panel from before says that attributes and talents were possible too? He was probably the only person in the entire world to have a second skill after all! But this wasn''t all the notifications! Ding! [Fireball has increased to Level 2, damage increased from 10 to 20!] In this world, there are ways to level up your skills other than [Skill Points]: you also have the option to keep constantly using them, thus making your spell casting and mastery better, which will eventually level it up. Once a skill, no matter how powerful or rare it is, reaches level 10, you can then use [Skill Points] to upgrade it to its next tier. For example, once Fireball reached level 10, Alex would have to use a determined amount of skill points to upgrade it to its next and stronger form, which is why he needed to keep his skill points in check as using them all to max its level wasn''t a good idea for now. But until then, he needed to keep going. Fireball! Boom! -36! It now only took two fireballs to get rid of a [Blood Rabbit], and even those that tried to ambush him were easily in. Red Crystal! He would cast the skill, creating a small crimson shard the size of his palm at the tip of his low-level staff, then sending it toward the rabbits, piercing their heads and almost immediately killing them because of the high damage. The cooldowns also meant that Alex could pretty much spam his skill one after the other, not allowing any of the rabbits to get close to him. This kept going for two hours, and in the meantime, Alex acquired all five [Rabbit Fur] he needed, but also a [Horned Staff], which he immediately equipped as it gave him +6 spirit. [You have leveled up to level 3, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] [Experience: 45/300] Yet again, the points went on his spirit, since putting the maximum amount of damage possible was his priority. "I guess that''s already enough," he mumbled as he put all the [Rabbit Fur] in his [Beginner Backpack], "I still need money though." The currency of Universal Descent was as follows: 1 gold coin = 100 silver coin = 10000 copper coins. One copper coin in this game equates to around one dor in the real world, and so it makes it much easier for those that are rich and have been selected to be at a much bigger advantage. And so if Alex really wanted to break free from his fate like in his previous life, money would be a very important part of it all. After around ten minutes, Alex left the forest and arrived in the [Farnds] again, but this time, instead of heading directly toward the vige, he instead decided to stop: he wanted to get some loot from the rats before. It was significantly easier now, as a single one of his fireballs dealt EXACTLY 40 points of damage, and of course, the [Red Crystal] also killed them in one shot since it did 40 damage too. Getting rid of the [Demonized Rats] was now a piece of cake thanks to the [Horned Staff] too, the new staff he got from extracting. Soon enough, the prompt that asked him to select something to extract appeared, and he selected another [Beginner Backpack] to increase his inventory slots to 10. Then he continued, ying over 18 rats before finally filling his second backpack with five [ck Rat Helmets (Common)]. "Good," he smiled as he packed everything, going back to the silver-skinned alchemist and showing what he found to him. "Oh!" he seemed pleased, "Very good!" he nodded, "Well then, you can have three of my potions as thanks." The silver-skinned alchemist handed Alex three potions, each onebeled with a different color: green, blue and red. The green was a low-level [Health Potion], used to recover 150 heath at once, the blue was a low-level [Mana Potion] to recover 150 mana at once. And finally, the most interesting of all, the red potion was a [Poison Potion]. "Oh?" if he made someone or something drink this potion, they would immediately be poisoned, and if their health is too low, it was immediate death. "Thanks for your service," the Alchemist bowed as he took the [Rabbit Fur] to the back of his store. "No¡­ problem?" Alex titled his head as he also put the potions in his backpack and left. But right as he left, he immediately smiled again. "It''s time," he mumbled as he headed toward the main square of the novice vige, meaning the ce with the most people of all, "Time to open up shop!" Alex sat on the ground, attracting the attention of some of the yers, then he pulled out the five [ck Rat Helmets (Common)], as well as the [Health Potion] and [Mana Potion] alongside one of his [Beginner Backpack], cing them on the ground in front of him. And then, he shouted. "Cheap items! Cheap Items! Useful for beginners!" Yes, Alex was nning to sell his items. Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Selling Items, Richard the Rich Dad "What''s that?" "Items?" People immediately surrounded Alex''s made up shop, noticing the items on the ground. In Universal Descent, selling and trading were one of the most important features, so the system was adjusted in a way to make it easier for merchants. Basically, he had set a holographic price tag above the items, meaning that everyone could see the prices wherever they were. [ck Rat Helmets (Common) - 75 copper coins Health Potion (Umon) - 2 silver coins Mana Potion (Umon) - 1 silver coins Beginner Backpack (Common) - 5 silver coins] This seemed expensive, but anyone who actually went inside the shop would easily figure out that Alex was selling them at a price twice as cheap as current market value. Basically, the man nned to make sure that there was NOpetition with him whatsoever. As the yers surrounded Alex''s makeshift shop, they began to haggle over the prices. "I spoke to the alchemist, and that health potion was around 3 silver coins¡­" "Yeah, I saw that the mana one was 4 silver coins too, how is he getting those items?" Many were suspicious, because even though they knew the game would affect reality, spending real money all of a sudden seemed like a bit much. Most of the people just stayed back while looking, but some other ill-intentioned ones saw that as an opportunity. Fwish! A guy jumped from among the crowd, wearing a mask, then took both the [Health] and [Mana] potion, as well as the backpack. "SEE YA SUCKERS!" heughed as he was from the [Assassin] profession, making it harder to catch him. "Oh, looks like he got scammed anyway." "Bad idea to set it up with no protection¡­" People around were speaking, but as a response, Alex just got up, then aimed his horned staff toward the thief, sending a fireball and red crystal toward him. Boom! Boom! With extreme precision, the two attacks hit him, and as an assassin''s health was low, he immedietely died, copsing to the ground. Ding! Then his body shed and turned into specks of blue light that evaporated in the air. Alex quickly rushed to retrieve his items, and ced himself back in his original position. "¡­" "What the fuck?" The other yers were absolutely bbergasted after what they had just witnessed. In Universal Descent, death is obviously not permanent, but there are two penalties to dying: first of all, you get forcibly brought back to reality, and you could only reconnect after 30 minutes (aka one hour in game), and second, you may lose some levels. Dying repeatedly within a short amount of time could also end up removing some of your skills and even equipment, and if you die way too much, you get reset to 0, back to the novice vige! It wasn''t much right now as they were still in it, but it also prevented people from dying from someone and immediately going back to attempt yet again, as there was the risk of losing everything. And suddenly, HE appeared. A slender and handsome middle-aged man came over. He was wearing a tattered robe with a few patches on it, it was a very basic piece of armor. But even in a tattered robe, the middle-aged man''s aura was still strong, and Alex immediately smiled as he saw who it was, how he could not recognize that guy after all? He nced at the equipment on the stall, and a look of shock appeared in his eyes. Then he looked up at Alex and said with a smile: "Young man, you seem lucky to have dropped so much equipment, is that your talent maybe?" But Alex didn''t answer: "Do you want to buy it?" Seeing that Alex was unmoved by his temptation, the middle-aged man said no more. As a businessman, he naturally had good vision. With the impact of this game on the future, the young man in front of him would surely have an extraordinary future, especially with the ability to get so much equipment from these insignificant monsters. "Young man, my name is Richard," the businessman introduced himself, extending his hand. Alex shook it, and then said: "I''m Alex." He didn''t even care about revealing his real name to that guy since he could be trusted. Richard looked around at the crowd that had gathered to watch the scene unfold. He could see the envy in their eyes, and he knew that Alex was someone special. "Alex, I am the chairman of the group called "Syndicate" in the real world." Of course, Alex already knew all of that, and the reason was quite simple: Richard was actually one of the few people that fought the beasts of the apocalypse in his previous life, he was a precious ally that also helped him. He, at some point, had died, falling to a legendary boss, but Alex never forgot about him, and he wouldn''t forget about his reason to fight either: to avenge his daughter. She had been killed during one of the first beast attacks on their world, and he had failed to protect her, so he vowed to keep fighting monsters until the very end. Richard''s introduction made the people around him surprised. "The Syndicate?!" "Isn''t that one of the top 50 groups in the world? What the hell is he doing here?" "Well, you don''t choose to be a beta tester or not, do you, folks?" Richard justughed, and everyone quieted down. But basically, for Alex, it meant that a big customer was here, and that he wasn''t short of money at all. Among the 20 million beta testers from the first batch, there were bound to be some insanely rich people after all, right? "Well, then, I''ll take three helmets, the two potions and the backpack, should be all too useful," Richard mumbled as he clicked several times on his panels. "Very well," Alex nodded as he initiated the transaction. [Do you want to pay 10 silver coins and 25 coppers coins to yer "FateBreaker"?] [Yes/No] Richard clicked YES without a hint of hesitation, and so the funds were transfered to Alex''s ount. Just like that, he had made over 1025 dors! An enormous amount of money for a beginning. Soon enough, Universal Descent would take over the entire economy, and spending fortunes on equipment would be all toomon, so he was just making use of his advantage to get a good start. "I appreciate the business," Alex nodded. "No problem, keep doing what you''re doing, but don''t forget to priotize me if you find anything else." "¡­I''ll try," Alex smiled. Ding! [You have received a friend request from RichDad, do you want to ept?] [Yes/No] "Yes," Alex clicked on the option, and suddenly he was added by the chairman. "Thank you, have fun in your business," Richard nodded as he left, and the yers made way for him. "No problem." Less than five minutester, Alex sold thest two helmets he had to some other yers, no one else daring to try and steal from him after they saw him literally snipe that guy from such a distance. He closed shop right afterward, people making way for what they now called the "shopkeeper". Alex didn''t mind though, and so he immediately left the vige again, going inside the forest, toward the level 3-4 area, aiming to be even stronger. Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Into the Wild, Hunting and Power Boom! Boom "Srksiih-!" the level 4 [Green Snake] that tried to catch Alex off guard was killed by his session of attacks. Currently, the boy was in the middle of the novice vige''s forest, trying to chase some level 3 [Wild Boars] and level 4 [Green Snakes]. His attempts had been sessful until now, none of the monsters managing to get a hit on him as his skills managed to keep them far away. Of course, you wouldn''t expect such precision and power from a beginner mage, but Alex had the experience from before, so channeling his powers became much easier even with his new ss. The moment the new yers figured out how to handle their weapons, killing low-level monsters became increasingly easier, and so more and more people began to enter the forest. The [Novice Vige] is a beginner area, so it was normal that people struggled. Though you shouldn''t underestimate it, because beginning area also meant most of the time ways to be stronger much quicker. And thankfully enough, Alex actually knew of one of them: there was an S-Level Secret Quest that would guide him to an even better area, as well as grant him a [Legendary] item, yes, you heard that right! He had already reached level 4 at this point, since killing [Green Snake] gave him 20 experience, and [Wild Boars] 17, cing his four attribute points in agility this time as he needed to keep up with them. But after killing yet another snake. Ding! [Please select something to extract!] [Snake Backpack (Umon) 10 Agility Attribute Points Low-Level Snake Armor (Common)] "Oh!" for the first time, Alex was actually able to get the option to extract agility points from the monster, basically stripping it away from its attributes and absorbing them himself! ["Extraction" isn''t used to only drop ''items'', if the user is lucky, then such options can appear and be chosen: skills, talents, attributes, equipment, etc¡­] [Rarity doesn''t matter, if it is avable, it will be an option at some point.] "Alright," Alex nodded, and although those 10 agility attribute points looked very juicy, he still decided to take the [Snake Backpack]. Why? Well because his current backpack only had 5 slots, which wasn''t good enough as he nned to stay in the forest for a while to get items and toplete the quest. Ding! [Snake Backpack (Umon) has been selected!] [Description: 10 inventory slots that can store items frommon to rare rank] The backpack was green in color, made of the snake''s skin, and though its size wasn''t any bigger than the beginner one, it still seemed to be able to hold more items. Fwish! Boar Charge! Yet, before he could even truly take a break, another level 3 [Wild Boar] rushed in his direction. [Wild Boar] Level: 3 HP: 120 This thing had 17 points in strength, 12 in speed, but its magic resistance was pretty damn low. Fireball! Red Crystal! Alex waved his staff twice as the boar charged him, and both spells hit it directly, canceling its attack. -55! -40! It was sent flying in the opposite direction, but not quite dead yet, charging up to the human with its high speed. ''Shit,'' Alex''s cooldown wouldn''t be fast enough to cast a skill again, and thus for the first time he was forced to roll away. Thankfully, years upon years of experience as a warrior ended up helping him out even here, as he wasn''t sure his [Physical Resistance] would have resisted the boar''s charge. Fireball! Boom! He immediately sent another fireball, and the boar died. Ding! [Please select something to extract!] And so through insane luck, he got two prompts back to back! It was a miracle! [Wild Boar Trophy (Rare) Boar Meat (Common) Boar Tusk (Umon)] "Damn, it even extracts food?" Universal Descent yers also needed to eat, obviously, as not eating could result in you dying and thus being logged out from starvation. Stocking up on food was an important matter as he clearly remembered suffering several days in some dungeons because of theck of food. [Current Status: Hungry] Hungry was only the first stage of starvation, so he still had a few hours before actually being in danger. And as for the [Wild Boar Trophy], well¡­ it wasn''t that useful to be honest. As stated in the name, it was but a trophy, its only valueing from the fact it had a low drop rate and rare. Nheless, he still picked it as it was the rarest and most valuable, then put it inside his backpack. Ding! [Fireball has increased to Level 3, damage increased from 20 to 40!] [Red Crystal has increased to Level 2, damage increased from 40 to 70!] And coincidentally, both his skills had leveled up again, increasing his damage output. "¡­Let''s go," he mumbled as he kept going deeper inside the forest. ¡­ In that same forest, not that far from Alex, a girl was currently fighting one of the [Wild Boars]. She was wearing a worn-out leather armor, with her snow-white arms and thighs exposed to the air. Her tall and slender figure rugged and sweaty from thebat. She held a long bow, her eyes were sharp, and her arrow hit the eye of the dark wild boar in the distance with intense precision. Her face was beautiful, and even more so when she was concentrated on her target, like a predator. Her name was Alice, and she was a level 3 archer with the [Star Archer] SS-Level talent. Fwish! She shot another arrow, its edge glinting with the power of the stars as sheunched it toward a [Green Snake] this time. [Green Snake] Level: 4 HP: 130 Fwish! Boom! -149 Each of her arrows were infused with her basic skill [Star Shot], dealing massive damage to enemies. In exchange for very high damage, the archer ss had several weaknesses: first of all, if the fight got too close, they would be at immense disadvantage, and in addition to that, they had to recharge their arrows every time, taking a bit of time. And let''s not talk about the chances of missing your target. Thankfully though, Alice seemed to have none of these problems, each of her shots precise and deadly. Ding! [You have leveled up to level 4!] "Phew¡­" she sighed, it took her a bit of time, but she had done it. And suddenly, right as she leveled up, she heard a notification from her panel. [Private Messages - 1 new message] "Hm?" she only had one contact, so there was no surprise as to who it could be. [1 friend - online] [RichDad: Bought a few set of equipment from some crazy merchant, sending you the equipment via trade soon!] This was all he said before logging off the game. Richard was an extremely busy man after all, and before the first beast attack which killed his daughter, he usually didn''t y this game much at all, only doing it when it benefited Alice. [Alice Starfield: Thank you, dad.] And so, just like this, she continued heading deeper inside the forest. Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Alice Starfield, The Star Archer Alice was currently among the top yers of Universal Descent, her growth almost matching Alex''s. Somehow, she perfectly knew how to use her bow, even though she had only taken one or two archery sses in real life (which her father forced her to take). Her life was pretty dull and easy, being the daughter of the CEO of the "Syndicate" group pretty much set the difficulty of her life on easy. And yet¡­ ''This is fun!'' once she entered Universal Descent, she actually had fun for the first time in a while, she saw a purpose in what she was doing! Everything felt so real, and it probably WAS real, since this game would apparently affect reality, so getting stronger felt great and the thrill of fighting was omnipresent. Her father''s money could actually be useful to herself for once as well, as it meant being able to gather equipment very fast! She kept advancing further inside the forest, trying to see just how far it would go for a novice vige area. But suddenly, behind her appeared a massive figure. "Growl!" She turned around and¡­ "Oh." [Bear King Boss - Level 5 (Elite)] In Universal Descent, bosses were spread across eigth categories: Elite, Epic, Superior, Legendary, Mythical, Demigod, Divine, Universal. This boss was from the first category, which meant that it obviously shouldn''t be that strong. And yet, even though it was only level 5, a boss was still a boss. Bear w! Star Defense! The bear king swung at the archer, who immediately created a star-shaped yellow barrier in front of her while crossing her arms. Fwish! Boom! But the barrier only served as a way to reduce the damage and impact, and so it still shattered, sending Alice flying toward one of the trees, hitting it with her head. -126! Her vitality stat was at 21, meaning that currently, out of the 210 HP she had, only 84 remained. ''Argh¡­'' but just like the thrill she had been feeling by hunting those monsters, the pain was just as real too. She struggled, but still got up as the bear charged at her again. That thing was twice as big as her, its fur ck and its eyes burning with a crimson color. As an archer, she should have noticed that thing before it got too close to her, yet that thing somehow only made noise once it was close enough, and so now she ended up in this situation. Star Shot! She shot one of her arrows at the charging bear. Boom! -74! But they didn''t do that much damage at all?! Of course they didn''t. [Bear King Boss - Level 5 (Elite)] [HP: 176/250] Bosses of course have better attributes than normal monsters, meaning that this particr one''s magic resistance was currently at 27, being able to resist most magic attacks you could throw at it! And so, this also meant that the star arrow hadn''t stopped its momentum at all, the bear king still charging at the girl. "Ah¡­" she sighed, "First death, here I go," she was sad that she would be forced to go back to level 4 after such a good first run, but you couldn''t do anything about it. At the novice vige, the level of the yers was low, so dying mostly meant reset back to square one if you were under level 3/4, though you keep your skills and equipment, as well as technique, meaning that getting back to your original level shouldn''t be this hard. "¡­" Alice closed her eyes, expecting the impact at any time now. But instead, she heard something else. Fwish! Boom! Boom! The giant ck bear was hit by a fireball and red crystal shard, the mix of these two attacks actually canceling its charge on the girl. -69! -70! Alex appeared behind one of the trees, having noticed the figure of the giant bear from a distance as it roared and made a lot of noise. "GROOWLLL!" the bear was hit by the attack, but it still had a bit of HP, which it used to immediately dash toward Alex, trying to close the distance. But it wasn''t fast enough. Fwish! Fireball! -69! The fireball hit the bear king right in its face, causing it to roar in pain and fury as it lit up, and so it fell to the ground right before reaching him. Ding! [Please select something to extract!] "Lucky me!" Alex smiled. [Bosses have a 100% chance to activate the ''Extraction'' prompt.] "Oh," I guess it made sense, since someone with a talent like his should obviously be rewarded for defeating a strong monster, right? Alex focused on the options that appeared before him. [Bear King''s Fang (Umon) Bear King''s Chest Armor (Rare) ''Charge'' skill (Common)] "Hmm¡­" he pondered for a moment, his eyes scanning through the list. He hesitated between the [Charge] skill and [Bear King''s Chest Armor], and to be honest, he had almost chosen the former by sheer instinct as he had been a warrior before. But now, as he was a mage, this skill didn''t serve any purpose to him. And so he selected the better option. [Bear King''s Chest Armor (Rare) has been selected!] [Description: grants 11 points of magic resistance to the wearer.] "Oh!" this was way better than he thought. Ding! [Killed level 5 Bear King, gained 75 experience points.] But s, this wasn''t enough to level him up as he now required 500 experience, since every level up added 100 experience points to the needed amount. [Do you want to equip the "Bear King''s Chest Armor"?] "Yes," he nodded, and it immediately disappeared from his hands in a white sh before appearing on his chest, "Very usesul." This little system made it possible to switch gear in battle, and thus also change strategies depending on the monster you faced, which is why always having a backpack or storage ring with useful items was important. "Are you okay," he then turned his eyes toward Alice, who was looking at him with widened eyes. "¡­Who are you?" Oh, right, Alice in this world didn''t know about Alex. They hadn''t been particrly close to be honest, Alex knowing most things about Alice from her father as he sometimes at night would keep telling him and hispanions about how sweet of a girl she was before being killed. The only time he had interacted with her was when they killed some monsters together in the first city, but other than that¡­ she died rather quickly. So quickly in fact that Alex suspected that something had happened in his first life to cause this. Each powerful families and groups had several beta testers among them, so it was pretty normal they fought each other for power since this game would be more and more important as time went on. "The name''s FateBreaker," Alex pointed at himself while smiling, "But you can call me Alex," he reached his arm to help her out. Alice looked up, and she couldn''t deny that this man had saved her, and also that he looked particrly handsome, so she grabbed his arm which helped her get up. "My name''s Alice, and that monster took me by surprise¡­" "Yeah, they do that sometime, smart bastards," he sighed, these creatures could really be devious at times, especially at the upper levels. But before Alex could say anything else¡­ Ding! [yer StarPillow invites you to join a party!] ''Oh wow.'' Chapter 8: Chapter 8: New Companion, Heading to the Secret Quest ept! Alex almost immediately epted this request, he actually didn''t expect it toe so soon! "Oh wow," he mumbled as he turned his head toward Alice, just to see her grin. "Your spells are good, Alex," she nodded, "I''m sure that with you, I should be able to snipe my enemies easily!" "¡­Right," he nodded back. Ding! [Party has been formed!] [2 members: FateBreaker and StarPillow!] When inside of a party, the experience you get from killing monsters is distributed equally among the party members, whether they participate in the kill or not doesn''t matter. This would slow down Alex a bit, but he trusted Alice''s abilities, and it didn''t matter anyway, since he would soon enough be able to participate in the S-level quest. Alice had died exactly two weeks after theunch of Universal Descent, but Alex was confident her abilities were good enough to survive if someone else was there with her. The first attack of ''beasts'' on the real world wasn''t actually a real attack, it was quite literally only three novice monsters that entered the Starfield family''s home and killed her since, well, powers from the game weren''t transferred to reality yet. The guards of the family immediately were able to kill all three monsters with guns, but it was toote, and thus Richard had be a full-time yer of this game, abandoning even his business to be stronger. Alice''s mother had passed away when she was young, so Richard just wanted to avenge the only person he cared about, something Alex respected. But, what would happen if Alice survived this encounter with monsters? Alex nned to help, as an ally with an SS-level talent was greatly needed. Fireball! Alex suddenly cast a spell, hitting a [Wild Boar] that was behind Alice. "Second time I save you, you owe me," Alex smiled. "Heh¡­ maybe some day," she chuckled. Alex sent yet another Fireball, killing the wild boar. [Killed level 3 Wild Boar, gained 12 experience points.] And as expected, the only got half the experience, which meant that Alice got some of it too. Star Shot! Fwish! Boom! The beauty shot her bow at a level 4 green snake who was trying to bite Alex, killing it instantly. "Just for your information, I saw it," he smirked. "Oh well, let''s go anyway, I wanna go deeper!" "Fair." To be honest, Alex was looking for something very specific in this forest, but it was so big that actually finding it would be difficult without a bit of exploration. All that he knew was that it was in the final area, and that the location was marked by an "X" that was engraved on a tree. [You have entered the level 5-10 area!] After a few minutes, Alex and Alice finally entered the final area of the forest, only meeting two more monsters in between. "This is thest area, you should watch out, the final boss of the novice vige is there," Alex informed Alice. The novice vige was a level 1-10 area, and the path to the first city, Dawn City, would only be unlocked once a yer defeated the boss. Star Shot! Star Shot! Star Shot! Alice was extremely quick with her attacks, and as being an archer didn''t require any mana, all that she needed to do was create her arrows andunch them toward monsters. Boom! Boom! Boom! -134! -131! -135! Alex was quite surprised that she was doing better damage than he was. But, at that moment, something unexpected happened. Ding! [Please choose something to extract!] The prompt appeared in front of him. "¡­!" And that''s when Alex realized: as he was getting experience from those kills, the talent considered the monsters killed by his party members as part of the 20% chance of the prompt appearing! [Snake Backpack (Umon) 10 Agility Attribute Points Low-Level Snake Armor (Umon)] He picked the snake armor this time, the item appearing on top of the green snake''s body in the form of a green light. "Here," he immediately gave it to Alice, who blushed a bit as she received the gift. She hadn''t had any luck with item drops, so seeing someone actually get one, and an umon tier at that, was kind of cool. "Are you sure?" she mumbled, the snake chest armor in her hands. "Yeah, don''t worry about it," he nodded, and so the beautiful girl equipped it, giving her a +8 magic resistance boost! And so they continued inside the forest, ughtering any of the monsters they saw, including the newly introduced level 6 [Rage Bears] and level 7-8 [Poison Snakes]. Eventually, Alex reached level 5, granting him more stats that he put into spirit. He now had x2 [Poison Rings], which reduced poison effects by 10% and one [Bear w Dagger] that he got from the bears, he had picked those since they were the only good items. "What the hell?" every time he got an item drop, Alice''s face grew with more surprise than before, thinking: how the hell is he getting this many items? Even when she asked Alex, all he would answer was "trust the process". This continued for an hour, and by then Fireball had reached level 4 and Red Crystal level 3, [Fireball Level 4; Deal 60 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 10 mana; 3-second cooldown.] [Red Crystal Level 3; Deals exactly 100 damage to target; consumes 15 mana; 5-second cooldown.] At this very moment though, Alex finally saw it. One of the trees looked slightly different than the others, and once he approached it, he saw an X engraved in the trunk by a de. "Found it," he smiled as he looked up, "Alright, Alice, let''s do this!" "???" she was confused as there was nothing in their surroundings but when she looked from Alex''s, position her eyes widened: there was a small cabin in the tree, concealed in a way that you wouldn''t see it except from this very precise angle. Fwish! Alex headed to the other side of the tree, and as expected, adder the color of the trunk was there, almost invisible. He immediately took it, climbing and entering the cabin after a few seconds. Alice quickly followed as she didn''t want to be alone in the forest, and if Alex was this confident, then there was no reason to be scared. She climbed up and opened the small trap door that served as an entrance, and once she opened her eyes to check out what was inside the wooden cabin. All she saw was¡­ a burly silver-skinned human holding her nk, blood pouring out from it as she coughed out blood too. A magnificent golden mage staff was beside her, and she seemed in extremely bad shape. Alex smiled as he saw this scene: this was the S-level secret quest of the novice vige, he had actually found it! Of course, he hadn''t been the one to do it in his previous life, but knowing it now was also an advantage. "Hello?" Alice was quite considerate for people, so she immediately tried to reach for the silver-skinned human. "Don''t approach me, fool," but she totally rejected her, grabbing her staff and pointing it toward her. "What''s your current reputation with the silver-skin?" Alex asked her with a wide smile on his face as she stepped back. "Uh¡­ 50, since I did the first quest," she titled her head, looking adorable. "Yeah, I knew it." And this time, once it was Alex who approached the silver-skinned girl, she actually let him pass, dropping her weapon on the ground. "yer, I need your help," she said, panting. Chapter 9: Chapter 9: S-Level Secret Quest, Goblin Area Token "My name is Aris, and I''m a member of the silver-skin, I''ve been attacked by these damn goblins, then poisoned by a few poison snakes¡­" the girl spoke, trying her hardest to let out intelligible words, "The goblins have an antidote to this poison, but its hidden at the very end of their area, guarded by their king." You could already see where this was going. Aris was a level 30 silver-skin mage, and she was actually the strongest member of her tribe. The reason why she allowed Alex and not Alice to approach her was simply because of the [Reputation] system. You precisely needed 75 or above reputation to be able to trigger this quest, any less could result in Aris rejecting you, and if you insist, she will dly attack you even while wounded, since taking care of yers at such a low level was a piece of cake for her. "Here," she put her hand in her pockets then pulled out a small coin with a goblin head on it. [Secret Goblin Area Token] [Teleports you to the secret goblin area, a level 10-20 area.] "Bring me that antidote and I''ll reward you generously, I don''t think I have more than two days before dying, so please¡­ be quick." [You have triggered the S-Level novice vige quest: The Greatest Silver-Skin Mage. Complete the secret goblin area and bring back the antidote for massive rewards, as well as increasing your reputation with the silver-skin to 100!] [Warning: do not attempt to kill Aris, she WILL kill you.] This was the famous S-level quest that you could only unlock after achieving 75 reputation and finding this secret entrance. "Did you get something cool?" Alice cutely peeked from Alex''s shoulder, noticing the small token in his palm. "Yeah, we''re going on a new adventure," he smirked at the girl, and she nodded in excitement. They soon left the cabin, leaving the silver-skin girl behind as she held on to dear life. "That''s sad, we should definitely help!" Alice nodded. "¡­" but for the first time, Alex didn''t say anything or smile, he only looked up at the cabin with eyes full of hatred, "¡­Right." He had absolutely no n to save that silver-skin. ¡­ At this point, Alice and Alex were able to easily defeat level 8 and above monsters, even managing to take down a level 10 [Earth Fox]. Fireball! Boom! -196! -20! -20! These [Earth Foxes] were supposed to be one of the strongest monster in the forest, but Alex was easily killing them with a single fireball each, his mastery of his spells bing much better. The reason he dealt so much damage though was different: fire was the earth foxes'' weakness. [Weakness found: dealing 200% of damage and inflicting burn effect!] With their 250 health points, these things stood no chance, plus Alex easily avoided their attacks. Ding! After fighting 8 of these things, he had managed to get two extraction prompts! [Fox Ears mon cosmetic, increases charm) ''Rock Throw'' skill (novice-spell) ''Earth Shield'' skill (novice-spell)] "¡­!" Alex was bbergasted: these things had two skills to give out! And so he selected both of them without hesitation. Ding! Ding! [You have gained the ''Rock Throw'' skill!] [Rock Throw Level 1; create a small ball of rock that you can throw at enemies, damage depends on spirit, chance of stunning; consumes 20 mana; 3-second cooldown] [You have gained the ''Earth Shield'' skill!] [Earth Shield Level 1; create an earth shield that can block up to 300 damage at once; costs 50 mana; one-minute cooldown.] ''Again?!'' Alice noticed Alex crouching as heughed by himself: this was a sign he got something from the monsters. Not only was Alex''s spell mastery incredible, allowing him to take care of most of the monsters by himself, but he was also getting so many items that even she was confused! [Killed level 10 earth fox, gained 17 experience points.] [Killed level 10 earth fox, gained 17 experience points.] Four earth foxester though, they both leveled up to level 6, and then, Alex pulled out some [Fox Ears] out of nowhere, giving them to Alice. "Put them on, you would look great with them on your head!" he gave her a thumbsup, and her face turned red. She didn''t know where he got these from, probably from the monsters, but this was extremely embarassing. "I¡­ uh¡­" yet, for some reason, she couldn''t push herself to refuse, and she put them on. These things were only cosmetic, meaning that they granted no additional stat points, all they did was increase your charm, and god damn did it work on Alice: the fox ears blended in with your hair the moment they were equipped, and the ears began to twitch and move, almost as if alive! ''I should open up a cosmetic shop,'' Alex thought, surely this would be a hit! Nheless, they kept going afterward, Alice not removing the ears after Alex called her cute. Alice''s arrows became stronger the more she used them, and she even leveled up her skill twice, able to two-shot most enemies in the forest now. Their damage output at this moment should definitely be in the top 1 percentile of Universal Descent, no questions asked. And so, suddenly, after defeating more earth foxes and grabbing two more [Fox Ears] in the process, Alex finally decided that it was time for the quest. "You ready?" he asked Alice, who was still wearing the fox ears, they were twitching cutely, making the girl even more adorable than before. "Yes!" she nodded "Alright," Alex grabbed the [Secret Goblin Area Token] from one of his backpacks, holding it in his palm, "Hold my hand." "¡­" Alice''s face turned red, but she followed orders, he had already exined to her that this would teleport them in a secret area, so she wasn''t THAT surprised. [Do you wish to activate the ''Secret Goblin Area'' token?] [There is no going back, and using the token will destroy it, meaning that death inside the area means that you won''t be able to go back.] "Doesn''t matter," Alex mumbled as he crushed the small golden token with his hand. Suddenly, a green glow enveloped them, and they were transported away. Fwish! Ding! Using some advanced teleportation spell or technology, they were transported to another forest, one that looked oddly simr to the one they were previously in, though Alex knew it was different. [You have entered the level 10-20 secret goblin area!] [Difficulty: Normal] [Objective: Find the Antidote by Killing the Goblin King!] [Additional rewards will be given based on performance, though remember performance below S-tier will not get any additional rewards!] [The secret area will disappear if both yers die or it is cleared, so make use of that chance!] Secret areas can range between several difficulties: Normal, Hard, Epic, Infernal, Abyssal and Impossible. The higher the difficulty was among those six categories, then the harder the objectivepletion conditions would be. Alex had tried to pass through several secret areas in his past life, but each time he miserably failed as they were ALL set up in a way so that the yer is at a disadvantage. "Hm¡­ doesn''t look like anything happened," Alice mumbled as she looked around, keeping her bow and arrow in position in case anything happened. And she was right to do that, because less than ten secondster. "Humans!" they heard a voice from behind, and group of small and green goblins appeared, each carrying a small dagger in their hands. Fwish! Star Shot! Alice shot one of her arrows, but it was actually deflected by one of the goblin''s daggers. "What the fuck? They can block now?!" she was astonished and taken aback. This was the difficulty of a [Normal] secret area! Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Killing Goblins, Extracting Attributes Block! Block! Block! These devious goblins, all level 10 or above, easily countered Alice''s arrows, only receiving up to 10 points of damage. [Name: Forest Goblins] [Level: 10] [HP: 400] These things had high hp, but their magic resistance was extremely low, only being at 12, their strength on the other hand was no joke, reaching 28! A single stab could cause [Blood Loss], and adding that to the initial damage, both Alex and Alice could die in one hit. Fireball! Red Crystal! Rock Throw! But once met with Alex''s attacks, the goblins couldn''t block. "Argh, human is strong!" the group of five goblins couldn''t even get close that they were all annihted. -149! -137! -178! "Wow¡­" Alice''s eyes sparkled, her arrows couldn''t reach, but the mage''s spell hit all goblins with incredible precision, not a single one missing its target. [Killed level 10 forest goblin, gained 21 experience points.] They gave around 42 experience each, but of course, it was divided. Ding! [Goblin Dagger (Common) 7 strength attribute points Goblin Ear (Common)] "!!!" Alex got the option to increase his stats again, and this time the other items were garbage, meaning that he immediately selected it. If it worked like he thought, then it meant he would surely rise far beyond others! Ding! [Your strength has been increased by 7!] He had never used his free attribute points on strength, and it started with 3 at the start, meaning that after 5 levels, it should currently be at 28. [Attributes:] Vitality 30; Strength 35; Agility 33; Spirit 47. And yet, it seems like the 7 points were indeed permanantly added! This was incredible news, and Alex immediately thought about the possibilty of doing the same thing with his spirit attribute since he remembered there being more [Goblin Mages] the closer he got to the king. To be honest, he had no use for [Strength] right now, but it would be usefulter, especially when he got to the [Profession Task] or to the [ss Orb]. "Hey?" Alice appeared in front of Alex as he was spacing out, "You ready?" "Oh, yeah," he nodded. "Sorry for being useless¡­" she was sad, thinking that she could be useful, yet here was Alex, doing all the work! "It''s fine, archers are supposed to stay at the back anyway, cover my nks." Alice beamed, these were the words she wanted to hear, "Aright! I''ll try my best!" They went deeper inside the goblin territory, Alex taking care of the goblins with two of his spells, then Alice waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike them. Soon enough, they met up with another type of goblins: [Goblin Archers]! "That''s my time to shine," Aliceughed as she pulled out her arrows and began to shoot. And she actually managed to aim her bow perfectly, hitting the goblin archers before they could even realize what was happening, and of course, aiming at the head was a weakness, meaning that she dealt 300% of the damage she usually did, killing them instantly! Meanwhile, Alex was profitting from all of this! [Your strength has been increased by 7!] [Your strength has been increased by 7!] And he managed to extract 5 agility from the archers! [Your agility has been increased by 5!] [Your agility has been increased by 5!] When they got rid of the all the goblins, he had gained over 42 strength and 25 agility! Plus, he leveled up to level 7, and all his spells except for [Earth Shield] went up by one level! [Fireball Level 5; Deal 100 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 10 mana; 3-second cooldown.] [Red Crystal Level 4; Deals exactly 150 damage to target; consumes 15 mana; 5-second cooldown.] [Rock Throw Level 2; create a small ball of rock that you can throw at enemy dealing 250 damage, chance of stunning; consumes 20 mana; 3-second cooldown] Attribute points being a possible extraction drop made it so much better in Alex''s eyes, since he could always choose them if none of the items pique his interest, and if they did, then he could just select them and keep repeating the process over and over! Extraction was truly deserving of being an SSS-Level talent, merging luck, items and plundering all in the same spot! Of course, beginner items were bad since it was only the novice-vige, but when you went deeper, you would soon realize that some monsters even have some items with a 0.00001% drop rate, and then, Alex would be able to extract those, right? He clearly remembered in his past life people speaking about the "LEGENDARY UNDROPPABLE DEMON DRAGON EGG" or "0.0000000001% EXCALIBUR", some people farming against certain monsters for months, but with no luck in dropping any of them, so would he be able to extract them too? One of the rankings that would reveal itself in a week was the [Item/Equipment Ranking], the person with the rarest item of all being at the top, and to be honest, there was no chance anyone could beat Alex at it except if they got godly luck, or if he himself gave/sold them the overpowered item. After a while and a bunch of stat gains, Alice and Alex reached the outskirts of the [Goblin Territory], finally able to see flickers of light. "Alright, that''s where the real challenge begins," everything before that was only the path to the goblin area since the goblins from before were only there to defend it. In here were the strongest of goblins: [Goblin Warriors], [Goblin Mages] and at the end was the [Goblin King]. Goblins warriors were taller goblins wearing armors, and mages wore small dresses, carrying a [Stick Staff], able to cast only two spells. Both these monsters were level 15 though, almost double Alex and Alice''s. "A-Are you sure?" she could feel that a single strike would result in death, and so her confidence plumetted. But Alex was excited: mages are heavily focused on spirit, meaning that with enough luck, spirit attribute drops should appear! And if they didn''t, then he would sell their staffs to low-level yers since they were definitely better than the default ones. Alex would greatly need money forter, because even though it wasn''t the case right now, money would be one of the core parts of Universal Descent. Want to participate in a giant trial along with some other yers? Whoops, it''s 100 gold coins for entry, and you lose it all if you die! Want to dere war on a vige, guild or city? Double whoops, it''s 1000 gold coins, and dying resets you back to level 0, oh and we''re also taking some of your skills aspensation! Alex had already experienced it all, the ruthlessness of this world, and so he was ready. As said before, Universal Descent was going topletely change the entire economy of this world, and even though it had onlyunched less then 4 hours ago in the real world (8 hours in the game), it would quickly change as more people discovered about the stakes at hand. But people that weren''t in the game weren''t gonna take it seriously until the very first attack on the Starfield''s family home, the footage of the novice beasts terrifying the world. Only after a month would the number of beta spots increase to 100 million, making Universal Descent even more popr. And this is when more disasters would ur. "Earth to Alex, wake up!" Alice waved her slender hand in front of him as they were currently hiding behind trees under the mage''smand, "You said you were gonna do something!" "Right," he nodded, and so he pointed his staff at the closest [Goblin Mage]. Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Sweeping Through the Area, Defeating the Goblin King In Universal Descent, as you might have already seen before, monsters have weaknesses and weak points, and if a yer manages to find/aim for those weak points, the damage the monster receives is doubled, tripled and sometimes they are instantly killed. This is what happened with the [Earth Foxes] against Alex''s fireballs. And this is what was about to happen to the [Goblin Mages]. Fireball! Boom! Alex perfectly aimed for the closest goblin mage, shooting it in the head with the fireball. [Weakness hit, dealing 400% of initial damage!] So the 156 points of damage he would have dealt suddenly turned into 624, destroying the mage''s head and turning it into ashes. [Goblin Mage] Level: 15 HP: 480 Mages tend to have less HP than other sses, and even Alex currently only had 350 health points, as he didn''t put any attributes on it. [Please extract something!] Though it seemed luck was on his side. [Stick Staff (Umon) Goblin Cloak (Common) +12 spirit attribute points] Alex couldn''t help but grin, almost wanting to jump in joy if it wasn''t for the fact he would alert the goblins more than he already did. "He is dead!" "Humans!" "Find them and bring their heads to me!" he heard the king from afar. Alex quickly took the spirit attribute points, then ordered Alice to shoot an arrow at another mage. She nodded, then did just as told, her aim perfect. Fwish! Boom! [Weakness hit, dealing 400% of initial damage!] It obviously died. And so they were able to get rid of the goblin mages at the entrance, meaning that it was safe for them to go. "Alright, here goes nothing." The two yers dashed toward the entrance of the goblin territory, alerting all the others who had found the corpses of the dead mages. "HUMANS HERE!" "KILL! KILL HUMANS!" The [Goblin Warriors] were tanks with over 600 health and 52 stat points on strength, so they needed to be especially careful! "Goblin Strike!" One got awfully close to Alex while he was casting a few spells to kill the nearby goblins. "ALEX!" Alice shouted in horror as she saw the monster get close, yet unable to do anything. "¡­" but Alex didn''t seem affected at all, not even bothering to activate [Earth Shield], instead he just turned around and ced his [Horned Staff] horizontally in front of the de, actually blocking it. "What?" the goblin was surprised, but Alex immediately pierced its head with the staff''s horned edge, killing it instantly. [Direct hit to head, dealing 1000% of damage] 820! Alex had gained a ton of strength from defeating those goblins before and acquiring their stats, and so his strength stat reached 82 points before he even realized it, meaning that he was essentially stronger than those things. He repeated that process several times, taking the [Goblin Warriors] in closebat as their armors and high magic resistance made it too hard to do magic damage to them, and so all Alex did was aim for their exposed necks. The mages on the other hand tried to hit him with their spells, but his [Earth Shield] would easily tank most of the attacks. He hadn''t been this strong at this point while being a warrior in his past life, so it was a blessing! "Wow!" Alice was baffled, she never imagined to see a mage that was good in closebat. And it wasn''t even about his stat points: even without them, Alex avoided the attacks and blocked them with such flow and precision it almost looked like he had years of experience. Thirty minutes passed, and all the warriors and mages were defeated. Ding! Ding! His skills leveled up by one level, and he also reached level 8. [Fireball Level 6; Deal 150 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 10 mana; 3-second cooldown.] [Red Crystal Level 5; Deals exactly 200 damage to target; consumes 15 mana; 5-second cooldown.] [Rock Throw Level 3; create a small ball of rock that you can throw at enemy dealing 350 damage, chance of stunning; consumes 20 mana; 3-second cooldown] [Earth Shield Level 2; create an earth shield that can block up to 400 damage at once; costs 50 mana; one-minute cooldown.] In addition to that, he acquired 48 additional spirit stat points from the mages, and 34 vitality from the warriors. [Attributes:] Vitality 69; Strength 82; Agility 67; Spirit 116. His attributes were already beginning to look way better than before too, though he wished he could upgrade his talent already. "Humans," and of course, eliminating the dozens of goblins in their surroundings meant that the only one left was the king. "Oh?" "Boss!" [Goblin King - Level 20 Boss (Elite)] HP: 2000 That thing had a high amount of health, and lets not talk about his strength and agility. "Shit shit shit shit," Alice panicked and instinctively threw an arrow at it, but the king just blocked it using his palm. He was massive, much bigger than most of the goblins and even slightly taller than Alex. On his head was a crown that glowed with a golden aura, and he didn''t seem to have any weapons. But even then. Goblin Charge! The goblin king saw all its kins dead on the ground, and his blood boiled, all his thoughts filled with the idea of killing the humans before it. Fwish! "AH-!" Alice was too slow, and she couldn''t even react that the king was already in front of her, his charge strong and fast enough to one shot her. "NOT TODAY!" but Alex was confident, and so he ced himself in front of the charge, activating [Earth Shield]. With the level up, his shield could now tank up to 400 points of damage. But even with that¡­ Crack! Boom! The shield shattered, and though he stopped the king''s momentum, Alex was sent flying toward a nearby tree, crashing onto it and receiving 200 points of damage. This meant that this thing could deal more than 400 damage per attack! "A-ALEX!" Alice panicked again as she knew it was her fault, and so the king took advantage of that and lifted his hands behind her, ready to smash her to bits. But of course, the mage wouldn''t let it. Fireball! Red Crystal! Rock Throw! Boom! Boom! Boom! It was an actual triple headshot hit! Ding! [Weakness hit, dealing 300% of damage!] -798! -600! -1050! Let''s just say, the king didn''t survive this, and his eyes widened as he fell. ''Is this human¡­ a beginner mage?'' he thought, his body crashing onto the ground and bleeding out. Alex sighed as he approached the corpse of the king, making sure it was dead, then helped Alice to move as her legs were trembling. "¡­Thanks," she mumbled, blushing, she couldn''t believe that Alex actually managed to win in a single attack! Well, not really an attack, but he got rid of the boss in such a short amount of time it was scary to think about. [Killed Goblin King Elite Boss, gained 120 experience points!] And of course, the experience was split into two, which Alice felt bad about since she had been useless, as other than annoying Alex, she hadn''t done anything. Yet Alex actually didn''t even seem to mind that much. [You havepleted the Goblin Secret Area (Normal Difficulty), with an SSS rating!] [+20 to all stats, +10 skill points] [Additional reward: Talent Evolution Fruit (Artifact)] Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Talent Evolution Fruit, Passionate Interaction [+20 to all stats, +10 skill points] He immediately put his stat points in spirit, then read the next panel. [Additional reward: Talent Evolution Fruit (Artifact)] [Description: consume the talent evolution fruit to gain a single perk for your talent, the perk is random and will depend of the rating of your talent, meaning it could either be strong or weak!] "¡­!" Alex''s jaw almost dropped, he hadn''t expected something like that, at least not so soon. He had heard of the evolution fruit, but he had never even been close to the one, as getting one was already hard enough. Just to put it into retrospective, these things went into the market for roughly 2000 gold coins, that''s 20 million dors. "Alex?" Alice tilted her head, looking as adorable as ever before with her stunning figure and fox ears. "¡­" but Alex was too busy imagining all the cool things he should do with his new artifact, because yes, this fruit was at the top of the item rankings chain, even above [Mythical] and [Divine]! If he kept it around until the [Item Rankings] came out, then he would surely get jealous nces from everyone. Alex wanted to instantly use it, but before that, he nced at the corpse of the goblin king. [Use ''Extract'' on the king!] There was no item list this time, it was simply asking him to use his skill on it for some reason. "Extraction," Alex put his palm against the monster while mumbling the word, and his hand suddenly glew with intense energy. Ding! [You have extracted ''Crown of the Goblin King (Rare)''!] He hadn''t been given a choice, but at least he got something, and so he put it inside his backpack, deciding to check it outter; After all, he currently had something much more important at hand. [Consume the fruit to get a new perk for ''Extraction''!] As soon as he approached the fruit to his mouth, Alex smelled a fragrance that felt refreshing. Then he took a bite, and it melted in his mouth, it was sweet and delicious. It tasted good! And here he was thinking that he would have to endure for power! In a few mouthfuls, he finished the whole fruit. Soon enough, the talent evolution fruit entered his stomach and turned into a warm current of aura and energy that flowsed through his entire body, causing his whole body to heat up. Ding! [After eating the talent evolution fruit, you have gained a new perk for ''Extraction''!] Ding! Ding! Ding! "Alex?" Alice was actually quite surprised, seeing his body light up with energy all of a sudden, and the smile on his face growing wider. [Talent Effect #3: Potential Extraction; once every in-game 24 hours (meaning 12 hours in real life and 24 hours in the game), you will be able to use extraction on an item to extract its full potential and enhance it; this only works on items for now, so trying it on anything else will fail the extraction and spend the talent effect for the day.] "Holy¡­" wasn''t this overpowered? He didn''t really understand THAT much, but if it could only be used once every 24 hours, then it meant it would be OP, right?! To be honest, Alex immediately wanted to use it on his [Horned Staff] to test it out, but he stopped himself as he knew that what wasing will be way better. And thus, he finallypleted everything he needed. Or so he thought, because the moment he took another step, the heat that had been burning him tripled in power. "¡­!" Alex fell to his knees, his head and crotch burning for some reason, his giant member fully erect. [Talent Evolution Fruit side-effect: intense desires, not taking care of your urges may cause reduced attributes, and if prolonged may even lead to death.] "What¡­ the?" he was panting on the ground, and Alice immediately went to check on him. "Alex?" she shouted as the boy looked at the ground, using every ounce of willpower he had to not do something reckless. "Alice¡­ I may have some bad news¡­" Alice titled her head in confusion, but before Alex could even exin, the very same side-effect panel appeared in front of her. "¡­" her face turnedpletely red as she read it several times, wanting to make sure, "I¡­ huh¡­" She didn''t know what to say. On one hand, Alex had saved her several times, and thanks to her the ''thrill'' she felt when fighting had increased, and it wasn''t that she hated the idea of giving him her first time. But¡­ is it even possible inside a game? If even the panel says it, then it means it must be possible though. "D-Don''t worry¡­ I''m fine¡­" Alex got up, his face flushed and his breath heavy as he brandished his staff, "I''ll just¡­ go back to the vige, the alchemist must have a cure¡­" "What if he doesn''t?" "Well¡­ I guess I''ll do what I need to do," he diverted his eyes, and she understood. But for some reason, Alice didn''t like that idea, and so she approached him. His face was flushed, and his eyes unfocused as all he could see was fog. "S-So big!" she mumbled as she saw the member in front of her after undressing him, it was the first time she saw one! "¡­" but right as she was about to undress herself¡­ Alex acted first. Fwish! Rip! He removed all her clothes, including the [Snake Armor] he gave her and throwing them away, leaving her utterly naked as she tried to cover her body. "Ah~!" Alex pushed her onto the ground, his member ready to battle. She gasped in pain as his organ tore through her, blood staining the ground beneath them. So this was really happening inside a game, huh? But Alex wasn''t himself right now, or maybe all this fruit did was increase his horniness, maybe he was this intense to begin with? After the initial pain, pleasure and satisfaction reced Alice''s feelings, and she began moaning. "Mm~¡­" Forgetting about the initial shyness, Alice wrapped her arms around Alex''s neck, her flushed face looking directly at him. But Alex''s condition wasn''t so easily cured, and so he moved faster and faster, granting the archer more and more pleasure. ''I didn''t know there was something as good as this,'' she thought as each thrust pushed her deep into a sea of pleasure She received climax after climax, her juices leaking everywhere, and soon enough, it was Alex''s turn, releasing all of his own juices inside her. "T-That was¡­ mm~ good¡­" she smiled in satisfaction as she got ready to get up, "Are you okay, Alex?" But of course it wouldn''t be this easy: he grabbed her arm and put her into the ground again. "Heh?" "Not¡­ enough¡­" he mumbled as switched positions. "W-WAIT!" she didn''t have the time toin that she began climaxing over and over. ¡­ 2 hourster. Tears dropped down the girl''s cheeks and her tongue dangled out of her mouth, her face clearly showing pleasure. Alex had reached his limit, and so in one final thrust he released the rest of his liquid inside, knocking the girl out for good after such an intense session. [Party member ''PillowStar'' has been knocked out!] ''Damn,'' Alex retrieved his senses, actually, he did since a while, ''Didn''t mean to go this hard¡­'' He began carrying the girl in a piggy back position, then headed toward the very end of the goblin area. On top of the goblin king''s throne was now a potion, glowing with a beautiful aura. [S-Level Poison Antidote!] [Drink it to clear ANY sort of poison from your body!] This was an extremely precious item, and Alex took it in one of his hands, impossible for him to put it inside any of his backpacks since they could only store up to ''Rare'' items. Yet again, Alex was massively tempted to use his third perk on his backpacks to see what ''extracting the full potential of an item'' meant, but he stopped himself, deciding that carrying the potion was smarter since he wouldn''t have it for a long time anyway. [Do you wish to leave the secret goblin area?] "Yes." And so he was teleported away. Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Killing the Strongest of the Silver-Skins As the bright light of the goblin territory faded away, Alex felt a slight jolt, and in an instant, he was standing in the familiar woods he had been leveling up in with Alice. He nced at Alice, still unconscious on his back, and made a mental note to be extra cautious. Thest thing he wanted was to face any threats while he was carrying her. [You have acquired the necessary item for the quest ''The Greatest Silver-Skin Mage''!] [''Guiding Light'' has decided to help you!] "Oh?!" A small blue orb appeared in front of Alex, disying a trail of blue energy in the direction Alex needed to take to go back to the quest location. [This is ''Guiding Light'', they can be trusted.] "Guiding Light" isn''t just a feature that appears once in a while to help yers with their quests, not at all: they are an actual entity who''s sole purpose is to aid yers it WANTS to help, basically, it was a sentient entity that could do what it wanted. And strangely enough, it seemed as though Alex caught its eyes, since it usually didn''t help! It had only helped Alex once in his past life, yet here it was, already taking a liking to him it seems. ''Useful,'' he smiled. But of course, knowing where you need to go didn''t mean no danger, as after less than ten minutes, he stopped, instinctively tightening his grip on Alice. Out from the bushes leaped three [Poison Snakes], their scales glinting menacingly in the light; the creatures hissed, baring its fangs. "Just a few snakes, huh?" Alex muttered, his confidence surging. "Let''s see what you''ve got." He quickly readied himself, feeling the familiar warmth of magic coursing through his veins. Fireball! The fireball erupted from his [Horned Staff], hurtling through the air and striking one of the snakes squarely on the side. The creature writhed in agony as mes engulfed it, its hissing fading to silence. A panel appeared before him, announcing: [Critical hit, dealing 150% of initial damage!] -444! The snake was obliterated into ash as it only had 400 HP, and Alex couldn''t help but smile at the ease of the kill. He got rid of the other snakes just as easily, and one of them actually let out an [Extract Prompt]! "Let''s see what you''ve got," he said, reaching down to the pile of ash. [Poison Ring (Common) +10 agility stat points Poison Snake Tongue (Common)] He already got two poison rings, so he chose the second option. [You have extracted 10 agility points from Poison Snake.] Continuing through the forest, he spotted a group of two [Rage Boars] milling about. And though Alex wanted to continue as to not put Alice in danger, he eventually decided to get rid of them. Rock Throw! Boom! Boom! -350! He summoned a massive boulder from the ground, flinging it with all his might towards the nearest boar. The boulder struck it squarely on the side, sending the beast tumbling, these things were level 10 and had 550 HP! The boar instantly recovered while alerting its teammate, and so the two of them charged at the human. "Red Crystal!" The crystal shot forth like a dart, piercing another boar with dazzling light. Ding! [Weakness hit, dealing 300% of damage!] -600 Fireball! Then hepleted his assault by burning the other one. Yet again, he was able to extract something from these things! He bent down and selected what he wanted from them. [Extracting¡­] His body glowed with energy as he imed two portions of [Boar Meat]! [You have extracted 2 Boar Meat from Rage Boar.] As he traversed the forest, he could sense the danger looming, and monsters didn''t miss a chance to attack, but they were bing increasingly easier for him to dispatch. After a few more encounters, Alex''s skills leveled up: Fireball reached Level 7; Rock Throw leveled up to Level 4; and Red Crystal increased to Level 6. And in addition to that, he also managed to reach level 9 rather quickly, since you get the entire amount of experience if a member of your party is out cold. Alex kept following [Guiding Light], and eventually reached the tree with the secret cabin at the top. [Did you enjoy ''Guiding Light''s'' service?] [Y/N?] This entity was extremely prideful, and if you ever as much as considered your choice for more than two seconds, then it would never appear before you again: this was the mistake Alex made before. And so as soon as this prompt appeared, Alex immediately shouted YES! [Guiding Light appreciates your support!] And then the blue orb disappeared. "Phew¡­" Alex had arrived, but before climbing the cabin, he needed to do something else. Something you wouldn''t expect. He took [S-Level Poison Antidote] which he had been carrying in his left hand, then opened the bottle. Then he searched inside his backpack and pulled out the [Poison Potion]. He opened it as well, and began mixing its content with the one of the antidote. Merging a poison with an antidote was an extremely bad idea, as it would almost triple the effects of the initial poison. And so, after a few seconds, Alex observed his craft. [S-Level Poison Anti-Antidote] The color was slightly different since the poison was red, so Alex was hoping she wouldn''t notice. As stated before, Alex had absolutely no intentions to save her, and not any of the silver-skin humans actually, the reason was simple: they were enemies of humanity, joining the forces of evilter to kill them. Alex looked at his newly crafted potion, then smirked as he climbed up the invisibledder of the secret cabin. Inside, the atmosphere was thick and heavy, and he spotted the silver-skinned human lying on the floor, panting weakly. Her silvery hairy syed around her head, glistening like moonlight. But despite her dire condition, there was a hint of menace in her eyes as she saw him. "Help me," she rasped, desperation tinged with an unspoken threat, "Did you bring it?" He stepped closer, holding the [S-Level Poison Anti-Antidote] he had just mixed. He felt the tension in the room rise as he approached, but he yed it off the best he could. "Here," he said, extending the potion toward her, "Drink this." The silver-skinned woman''s eyes sparkled as she noticed the potion, "Oh, so you finally brough this potion, human!" "¡­" Alex didn''t answer. Without waiting for further exnation, she grabbed the potion and gulped it down, her eyes widening as the liquid flowed down her throat. Almost immediately, her expression changed from relief to shock. "What¡ª" she began, but her words were cut off as her body convulsed violently. Alex stepped back, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched her struggle. The potion he had created wasn''t just a cure; it was a lethalbination meant to stop her in her tracks. "Fool!" she spat, her voiceced with venom, even as she faltered, "I was going to¡ª" But before she could finish her threat, she realized that her time was counted, and so she grabbed her golden staff, pointing it at the human. Her golden staff glowed ominously as she pointed it at him, ready to unleash a powerful attack. But Alex was already prepared. "Rock Throw! Fireball! Red Crystal" he invoked, throwing everything he had at her right as she was about to use her skill. -1! -1! -1! "Your end is nigh, human!" yet Alex''s attacks did absolutely nothing, only making her angrier than before, "ARE YOU COURTING DEATH?" WATER TORRENT! But just as she was about to unleash her spell, the potion''s effects overwhelmed her. She staggered, her eyes going wide with realization, and in an instant, she copsed, lifeless, the golden staff slipping from her fingers. The tension in the room dissipated, reced by an eerie silence. "Wow¡­" Alex breathed, his heart racing as he approached the fallen body. "d I didn''t trust you," he muttered, shaking his head as he looked over the body, confirming that she was truly dead. Alex knew that she was going to betray him no matter what. "Let''s see what you''ve got," he gently ced Alice on the ground and approached the silver-skin''s body. Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Potential Extraction, New Legendary Staff Alex approached Aris'' now deceased body, her eyes devoid of any life, and her skin now dull and cold, reflecting the light filtering through the small cabin window. [You have poisoned "Aris, The Silver-Skinned Mage", and gained 36,748 experience points!] "Holy!" as he had been the one that created and gave her the potion, it was considered as though he was the one who finished her off! Ding! [You have leveled up to level 10, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] Ding! [You cannot leveled up anymore until participating in your ''profession'' trial!] [The profession trial is located before Dawn City, the first city!] This basically locked out Alex until his vige unlocked the first city by defeating the final boss of the novice vige, until then all he could do was extract from monsters and stack up experience. [Experience: 36285/1000] Ding! [You have failed the S-Level quest: ''The Greatest Silver-Skin Mage'', because your target has died!] This meant he wouldn''t receive any rewards, but to be honest he didn''t care much about it. Because¡­ "Extract¡­!" [You have extracted ''Aris''s Golden Staff''!] [Description: Grants +500 spirit when equipping it, and increases spell casting speed!] He just got an item way better! The staff materialized in his hands, its golden surface gleaming with the magic still imbued within it. As he examined the staff, he felt an electric thrill pulse through him, the essence of Aris pulsing into the very fibers of the weapon. And that''s when he immediately remembered the third perk of [Extraction] he had gotten from the [Talent Evolution Fruit]! [Talent Effect #3: Potential Extraction; Once every in-game 24 hours (meaning 12 hours in real life and 24 hours in the game), you will be able to use extraction on an item to extract its full potential and enhance it; this only works on items for now, so trying it on anything else will fail the extraction and spend the talent effect for the day.] He had been saving it for this exact moment, and he could hardly contain his excitement as he gripped the staff tightly. "Potential Extraction," he shouted as he concentrated on his third perk. The world around him blurred, and a brilliant light enveloped the staff, colors swirling in an enchanting dance. Alex felt the energy surge around him, the very fabric of magic bending to his will as he drew forth thetent potential from the staff. Fwish! Fwish! The staff''s appearance gradually changed as [Extraction] began to extract its full potential, shaping it into the optimal form. Ding! [You have sessfully enhanced "Aris''s Golden Staff!"] [New Legendary Item: "Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage!"] [Description: Grants +1000 spirit when equipping it, increases spell casting speed by 200%, and boosts the effectiveness of all magical spells!] "Incredible¡­" Alex could feel it in the sheer texture of this staff that it was strong. [You will be able to use ''Potential Extraction'' on an item in: 23:59:43 hours!] And so just like this, Alex became the strongest yer in his novice vige, no, in the entire game. But just as his satisfaction was about to reach its peak, something else came to drop it down a little. Ding! Another notification popped up under the one that told Alex he had failed the quest, stealing his focus. [You have killed a silver-skinned human mage: reputation -1000.] Alex''s brow furrowed as he read the message, but he was far from troubled. His reputation among the Silver-Skin was now utterly tarnished forever, with no way to recover from that, but he had anticipated such a consequence. They were a race that ranged from level 10-20, a beginner one, so it didn''t matter much. Gripping the Elysian Staff tightly, Alex turned away from Aris''s body, leaving her behind as he grabbed Alice''s body and stepped out of the cabin, he had everything he wanted and needed now. "A¡­ Alex¡­?" suddenly, he heard a voice behind him, and he saw that Alice had opened her eyes, her head resting cutely on his shoulder, "Where are we?" "Justpleted the quest," he replied. "Oh, so did you save Aris?!" Alice beamed, she was like a true youngdy, enjoying happiness and when stories ended well. "Yes," Alex smiled, "I sent her to salvation and saved her corrupt soul from this game." "???" Alice tilted her head in confusion, "Alright?" But right as they were beginning to walk back toward the vige. "Grooarrr!" a [Bear King Boss] appeared, and this time it was level 7. [Bear King Boss - Level 7 (Elite)] [HP: 750] It rushed toward Alex and Alice, trying to sh them both. "AH, W-WATCH OUT!" Alice pointed at it, she just woke up and was instantly thrown into danger again. But this time, Alex was extremely calm, simply pointing his new staff toward the bear, and using a single fireball. Fireball! Boom! -1374! That thing instantly caught on fire and died, and Alex extracted another [Bear King''s Chest Armor] from it, putting it inside his snake backpack too, which was almost full by now. [Beginner Backpack: 5/5] [Snake Backpack: 6/10] "¡­" Alice looked at the monster before her, "What?" The number that rose up above the beast''s head was¡­ weird?! Since when could Alex do so much damage? "Alex?" "Yes?" "How long did I sleep for?" "Around¡­ an hour?" "And so, you can now do over 1000 damage?" "Yes." "¡­Alright," she didn''t even question it, Alex was already exceptional as he was, so such growth spurts should be expected, and no, she''s not talking about the other ''kind'' of growth. "I''ll be logging off," he dropped her on the ground and smiled, he had been inside the game for around 12 hours, meaning 6 hours in the real world, and he just wanted to rest now. "Oh wait, before," Alice said, her voice soft, "Can I have your number? I''d like to stay in touch¡­ outside of the game." "Sure," he replied, sending his number through the [Party Chat]. "See you on the other side," she said, her smile tinged with something deeper, "I''ll disconnect soon too!" "Yeah,ter." [Do you want to log off?] "Yes." Alex''s body was surrounded with energy, and in a sh of blue light he disappeared. Less than five minutester, Alice disconnected too. ¡­ As the digital world dissolved around her, Alice found herself back in her room, her heart racing from the intensity of her gaming experience. The moment she logged out, her father, Richard, stood at the doorway, his expression expectant. "How was the game?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice. "Um, it was good," she replied, her mind still racing with thoughts of Alex and their shared moments. "Just good?" Richard teased, raising an eyebrow. "You look like you''ve seen a ghost!" She felt her cheeks warm at his observation, but she quickly brushed it off. "No, it''s just¡­ I was really into my character. I leveled up and stuff." "Ah, I see!" He chuckled, clearly amused. "Just make sure to take breaks, I know this game is important and all, and that you were selected, but being at full of energy means getting stronger!" "Yeah, I will," she promised, though her mind kept drifting back to Alex. The way he had wielded Aris''s staff, the confidence radiating from him¡ªit was intoxicating, and it stirred feelings within her that she didn''t fully understand. "I''ll send you the items I bought soon," he informed her as he closed the door behind, sensing that his daughter wanted some time alone. "Thanks dad," she smiled, and he smiled back. "Phew¡­" Alice rested on her bed, her arm covering her eyes, and her cheeks flushed, "Ah¡­ Alex¡­" Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Daniel Thunder, -1000 Reputation "Hm?" the guild master of the "Overlord" guild, Daniel, nced up with calm indifference, sitting on his wooden desk, just looking at his panels. Creating a guild required 100 gold coins, an exorbitant amount for most yers who had just started the game, but for Daniel, backed by his family''s vast wealth and connections in the real world, it had been a trivial cost. When you create a [Guild], you immediately get ess to a [Level 1 Guild Building] in the vige, which you can use to start your operations, and also all members now have ess to the [Guild Chat] to speak with each other from anywhere in the game. [Overlord Guild] [Current member count: 253] Daniel, a mage by ss, had a reputation for ruthlessness, just like his family. His tall, broad frame didn''t fit the typical image of a caster, yet his sheer aura demanded respect. "Speak." The man swallowed hard, "Sir! One of our members was attacked by a¡­ uh, merchant in the street earlier today. While he was attempting to acquire¡­ items, the merchant killed him instantly with a fireball!" Daniel raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued, "An NPC merchant?" attacking NPCs could severely damage the guild''s reputation with the silver-skinned inhabitants of the game, something he had no intention of risking "No, sir," the other man shook his head, "It was a human mage, he threw a fireball and killed him instantly from a very long distance, I think his talent may be even stronger than yours-" Fwish! Fireball! Boom! -540! The fireball soared across the room and struck the guild member directly in the chest. There was no time for him to react; the force of the spell sent him flying back, his body disintegrating into pixels in an instant after a sh of blue light. "Neverpare me to anyone else," Daniel said coldly, his gaze fixating on where the man had stood just moments before, "Spend the next thirty minutes reflecting on your words." The man''s corpse disappeared, and Daniel sat back on his chair, his mind racing. A yer strong enough to one-shot one of his guild members? A merchant? Daniel narrowed his eyes. Something didn''t add up. "Hm¡­" Daniel Thunder was his name, and as you might expect, he was from the ''Thunder'' family, professionals in martials arts that owned many businesses. He and his sister were the only ones in his family to get beta ess to Universal Descent, suddenly making them the most important figures in their family, even more so than the head: their father. As a martial artist, Daniel''s sister picked the [Assassin] ss, something they took pride in, but Daniel on the other hand didn''t pick it since his [Talent] was rted to magic. He had only quit the game for twenty minutes to take a small break, but once he told his father and grandfather about his ss, they immediately began to berrate him, thinking it was foolish. You''ll see soon enough, old man¡­" Daniel growled to himself, his grip tightening on the staff. "I''ll crush anyone who dares stand in my way." His thoughts drifted back to the mysterious mage, and hispetitive spirit red to life. As the leader of the Overlord guild, he couldn''t let such a threat go unanswered. His fingers danced over the virtual keyboard as he wrote a message for the entire guild. [MartialMage: Everyone prepare and level up, tomorrow we move into the deepest zone of the forest to take down the novice vige''s final boss. Be on the lookout for a powerful mage merchant¡ªeliminate him on sight. The Overlord guild will reign supreme!] Immediately, responses flooded in. [MilfLover23: YES, SIR!] [Ilovedogs: I''ll watch out for him!] [Eatordie: Let''s get it!] Daniel smirked, satisfied. Whoever this mysterious mage was, Daniel would ensure that he never became a threat. "I don''t know who you are, but I will find you¡­" ¡­ The bright rays of the morning sun greeted Alex as he appeared out of thin air thanks to his [Rune Bracelet], the weird symbols spinning around his wrist for a few seconds before disappearing. His limbs felt heavy, his mind still buzzing with the intensity of the game. The clock on his phone read 6:00 AM, and he realized he had been in Universal Descent for nearly six hours straight, from midnight until now (12 hours in the game). "Damn, that was intense," Alex muttered to himself as he shuffled toward his bed, "More than in my previous life at least¡­" Despite the thrill of battle, his body screamed for rest. Without a second thought, he copsed onto the mattress, pulling the covers over himself. Sleep came quickly, and for the next eight hours, Alex slept like a rock, recovering from his in-game adventures. When he finally woke, the sun was high in the sky, and after a quick breakfast of eggs and toast, his phone buzzed with a message. "Hm?" there was only one person that could contact him. [Alice: Hey! I have some things to take care of, but I''ll be onter. Let''s meet in the game when I finish!] Alex smiled, sending a quick reply. [Alex: Sounds good. See you there.] With that, Alex touched his wrist, the weird rune bracelet appearing again. [Do you wish to enter the game?] "Yes," he said, eagerly logging back into the world of Universal Descent. The familiar sensation of the game enveloped him, and soon enough, he found himself standing right where he had left off¡ªthe forest clearing where the corpse of the [Bear King Boss - Level 7 (Elite)] stilly before him. Now, at level 10, Alex felt an overwhelming surge of power coursing through him. His stats had improved dramatically, and with the ability to deal over 1,000 damage per attack, there was little in this forest that could pose a threat to him anymore. "Only need one more thing," now that he got Aris''s staff and even enhanced it, his reputation among the silver-skin was at -1000. Yet he knew he couldn''t not go to the vige anymore, so he needed onest item: a mask that would conceal his identity to NPCs. And he knew one possible monster he could extract these masks from: the [Mask Monkeys] at the deepest level of the forest, right before the boss. This was his legitimate only chance to be able to y ''normally'' as long as he was in the novice vige, when he left though he would immediately sell the mask. He currently shouldn''t have any enemies, and though he knew that as the game went on, factions, as well as other races, would begin to battle one another, it was still fairly calm for now. [FateBreaker: I''m going deeper inside the forest to bring something, you can go to the vige, you''re strong enough.] He sent this message just in case so that Alice could read it, then he went in the opposite direction to where he came from. He was already close to the final zone anyway, so it didn''t matter much if he had to walk ten more minutes to reach it. And so he did. Ding! [You have entered the level 5-10 zone!] Yet again he met some level 10 [Earth Foxes] and a new type of monsters, [me Scorpions], which all died, the former giving him an additional [Fox Ear], and thetter 22 points of spirit after getting two prompts from them. And soon enough, he encountered the [Mask Monkeys]. "Finally," Alex smiled. Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Acquiring a Mask, Going back to the Village Fireball! Boom! The spell shot from Alex''s staff with a searing trail of me, exploding upon impact with the unfortunate [Mask Monkey]. The creature let out a shriek as the fiery st disintegrated it in an instant. -1396! The damage numbers floated before him. The [Mask Monkeys] only had 700 HP, and they were level 10¡ªrtively easy prey for someone of Alex''s caliber. Their main strength, however,y in their agility, with 53 points, making them remarkably fast and difficult to hit. Several of Alex''s spells had already missed as the monkeys darted through the trees like shadows, their pale masks glinting in the dim light of the forest. They looked like normal monkeys, although skinnier, and were wearing a white monkey mask on their faces, perfect for Alex, who wanted to hide. If he didn''t, then the entire vige of silver-skinned humans would immediately hunt him down. Killing one silver-skin would usually cost a yer 250 reputation points, but Alex''s situation was far worse. Not only had he killed the strongest mage among them, but he had done so by betrayal. Rock Throw! Fireball! Red Crystal! Alex unleashed a flurry of attacks, his staff glowing with power as he alternated between spells. The [Mask Monkeys] were fast, but they couldn''t outrun his barrage forever. -460! -1396! -370! In moments, thest of the monkeys fell, their masked faces hitting the ground as their bodies disintegrated. And two prompts shed before Alex''s eyes. [Please select something to extract!] [Monkey Mask (Rare)] [13 agility attribute points] [Monkey Arm (Common)] Without hesitation, Alex selected the first option twice, maybe he would need it, who knows. The same masks the monkeys had been wearing materialized in his hands. ''Missionplete,'' he didn''t care about anything, and so he turned around, putting one of the monkey masks in his snake backpack. [Do you want to equip the ''Monkey Mask''?] [Description: It will conceal your identity from low-level NPCs, but if they notice you inside the vige, it bes useless. Will not work on yers.] This was only but a temporary measure anyway, so it didn''t matter. Alex didn''t equip the mask instantly though, as it was extremely ufortable and did decrease his visibility, plus he was still in the forest. "Well, let''s go," he was about to leave the forest when suddenly, the ground trembled beneath him. With a loud rumble, a massive fire wall erupted from the earth, cutting off his escape. Alex''s eyes widened in shock. "What the¡ª?" And before he could react, a monstrous presence loomed behind him. Towering over him, with a body asrge as a carriage and ws that gleamed like molten metal, was the [me Scorpion Queen]. Her dark body was covered in glowing red veins, like magma, and her segmented dart curled menacingly above her, burning with fire. [Level 10 me Scorpion Queen (EPIC)] This was no ordinary boss. The [me Scorpion Queen] was an epic-tier enemy, above the elite category. Her level was 10, the same as Alex''s, but her health bar gleamed ominously at 1300 HP, with formidable resistance! Alex immediatelyunched a fireball at her, hoping to kill her instantly. -1! Yet reality hit him like a brick: the fire queen was, as you might expect, immune to fire damage. Her mouthparts clicked as if in amusement, "Foolish human, you dare challenge me with fire? In my domain?" Before Alex could react, the queen raised her tail, and a vortex of mes swirled around her, growing hotter andrger by the second. Then, with a terrifying screech, she unleashed Fire Storm. Alex had no choice but to summon his [Earth Shield], and the thick barrier of rock and dirt rose in front of him. But even as the shield absorbed most of the st, the sheer power of the attack overwhelmed it. -874! [Warning, 116 health points remaining!] Desperate, Alex used his magic to hurl a [Red Crystal] at her, followed by [Rock Throw]. The spells struck, but their damage was disappointing. -140! -260! The queen''s magic resistance was absurdly high, reducing the impact of his attacks to almost nothing. Alex''s mind raced. Fireball was his strongest skill, the one that relied on his high spirit attribute to deal massive damage. But here, against a creature immune to fire, it was useless. He was out of options: his most powerful weapon had failed him, and his other spells were barely making a dent in the queen''s health. But then, an idea formed in his mind. It was reckless, dangerous, and entirely out of character for a mage. Yet, it was his only chance. [Do you want to equip your ''Horned Staff''?] Alex epted and the staff materialized in his left hand, and then he did the unthinkable: he dashed forward, closing the distance between himself and the scorpion queen. The queen''s many eyes blinked in confusion, "A mage¡­ trying to engage me in closebat? Howughable." Her tail shot forward, the stinger aimed directly at his heart. But Alex was quicker. He raised his staff, deflecting the blow with a swift movement thanks to his high strength attribute. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through his arms, but he held firm. Before the queen could strike again, Alex drove the sharp end of his staff into her side. -350! The queen screeched in pain, her body convulsing. For the first time, real damage numbers floated above her. Alex didn''t hesitate. He twisted the staff, using his high strength attribute to drive it deeper into her carapace. The queen reared back, her pincers shing wildly, but Alex was faster. With a flick of his wrist, he shed her head, piercing it. [Critical Damage!] -1050! With a final, agonized scream, the [me Scorpion Queen] copsed, her immense body hitting the ground with a resounding thud. Alex stepped back, breathing hard, his health still dangerously low. [You have defeated the me Scorpion Queen (Epic Boss), and received 140 experience point!] [Extract avable!] For the second time ever, a list didn''t appear, and this could only mean one thing. "Extraction!" he ced his palm against the queen''s hot body. [You have gained the ''Fire Storm'' skill!] A slow smile spread across Alex''s face as he saw this panel. "Looks like it wasn''t useless after all¡­" [Fire Storm level 1; deal 50% of your spirit to enemies in arge area; consumes 100 mana; 30-second cooldown] He finally had a skill that could be used to take out many enemies at once! "Well, let''s go," Alex smiled and then took the opposite direction to where he came from, ready to head back to the vige. ¡­ Thirty minutester, and after ying a few enemies, giving him 34 spirit and 25 agility, Alex could now see the vige from his current location. His new ''identity'' would usually start from now on, and though he would get stares from yers, the NPCs wouldn''t suspect a thing! Everything is gonna be alright! Or, so he thought. Because suddenly. Bzzz! "Hm?" it was a notification! [PillowStar (Alice): Hey, I just came back into the game and saw a bunch of silver-skins hunting, I spoke to them and it seems that my reputation with them increased to 70!] [FateBreaker: Nice!] Completing quests wasn''t the only way to increase your reputation, simple talk or showing genuine good intentions was sometime enough, and Alice had such a charm that even the silver-skin probably saw she was a good person to the core. [Alice: And guess what¡­ hehe~] [Alex: What?] There was a few seconds of silence, Alex swallowing his saliva. [Alice: Look behind you, hehe~] Alex did what he was told as he saw the message, and he was immediately met with the sight of Alice, the beautiful youngdy, and behind her were three silver-skins, two men and one woman. "¡­Oh shit." Fwish! Fwish! The moment the other raceid eyes on Alex, they instantly dashed towards him, the two men wielding swords, and the woman staying at the back as she pointed a bow at him. This was bad. Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Silver-Skin Battle, 3 VS 2 The moment Alex appeared before them, the silver-skinned humans spotted the glowing [-1000] suspended above his head. To them, it was more than just a number¡ªit was an unmistakable signal, their instinct was immediate and brutal. It was something imprinted inside of them all, so it was natural to them to do it. A neutral reputation of 0 meant indifference; anything above was respect or even fear, while a minor negative score like -100 might get you sneers and rejection. But -1000? That was in a league of its own. It was an unspoken rule: kill on sight. The three silver-skinned warriors wasted no time. The first two warriors charged at Alex without hesitation, swords glinting in the dappled light. And the third¡ªa woman archer¡ªstayed back, nocking an arrow to her bow. Fwish! Fwish! Their movements were swift and precise, leaving Alex barely any time to react. He had faced tough opponents before, but nothing like these, in this life that is. [Damien, Silver-Skin Warrior - Level 20] [Sam, Silver-Skin Warrior - Level 19] [Yor, Silver-Skin Archer - Level 16] Alex''s heart pounded in his chest as he realized the gravity of the situation. The warriors were stronger than him, their levels and stats high enough to be a real threat. ''Damn it, this isn''t good¡­'' Alex thought, his mind racing. This was just the beginning of Universal Descent, and already the level gaps between him and the NPCs was high, no wonder no one in his past life dared to defy them for no reason. If he couldn''t figure something out fast, he was finished. Earth Shield! A wall of earth materialized to his left, just in time to block Damien''s iing sword sh. The impact was enough to send cracks across the shield, but it held, for now. Meanwhile, Sam''s sword came down from the right, forcing Alex to react quickly. He swung his golden staff up to parry the strike, barely deflecting it in time. Even though he managed to block both attacks, Alex knew it wouldn''tst long. His Earth Shield was already crumbling, and Sam''s strength was more than he could handle in directbat, meaning he had only one advantage left: his agility. "Got you!" Alex muttered under his breath. With a quick flick of his wrist, he equipped his [Horned Staff] and lunged forward, aiming for Damien''s exposed neck. He knew that if he didn''t deal significant damage soon, the situation would spiral out of control. [Critical Hit!] -1250! The staff pierced through Damien''s armor, sinking deep into his flesh. Blood sprayed from the wound as the warrior stumbled back, clutching at his neck. It was a powerful blow, but not enough to finish him off. At level 20, Damien had over 3000 HP, and Alex''s single critical hit barely brought him to half health. Damien snarled in rage, eyes burning with fury. Before Alex could follow up, the warriorshed out with a vicious kick. "Argh!" Alex was thrown backward, his body mming into a nearby tree with a loud thud. -500! Pain radiated through his back as he copsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Fighting two silver-skinned warriors head-on was pure madness, but he didn''t have a choice as they were relentless. "ALEX!" Alice''s voice rang out through the chaos, she was standing a few paces away, her eyes wide with fear. She couldn''t understand why the silver-skins had turned on them so suddenly! Meanwhile, Yor, the archer, had been waiting for her moment. Seeing Alex distracted, she drew back her bowstring, aiming directly at his chest, and her arrow flew through the air with deadly precision. Fwish! Alex hadn''t seen the shoting: he was too busy trying to fend off the warriors. But Alice did, her instincts kicked in, and without thinking, she pulled out her own bow and fired an arrow of her own. The two projectiles met in mid-air with a loud ng, deflecting each other harmlessly to the ground. Yor frowned, confused, "Why are you protecting him?" she hissed, her voice now showing hostility toward the girl. Ding! [You have protected an enemy of the silver-skins. Your reputation has dropped to -500.] Alice gasped as the notification appeared before her. By standing with Alex, she had just made herself an enemy of the silver-skins too, her reputation had plummeted, and now she, too, was a target. Yor''s eyes narrowed as she switched targets, raising her bow to aim at Alice. But Alex was faster. "NOT TODAY!" he shouted, raising his staff toward the archer. With a burst of energy, heunched a fireball straight at Yor. BOOM! The fireball hit its mark, striking Yor square in the face. [Critical Hit! Receiving 200% damage and ''burn'' effect.] -2860! Yor screamed as mes engulfed her body, her form writhing in agony as the fire consumed her. Within seconds, the archer copsed to the ground, dead. "YOR!" Damien and Sam shouted in unison, their voices filled with fury. With theirrade fallen, their attacks became even more aggressive, they swung their swords with reckless force, forcing Alex onto the defensive. Alex gritted his teeth, struggling to keep up. He dodged one swing, barely managing to sidestep the other. His advanced agility and strength were the only things keeping him alive, but he was running out of stamina. "I''m getting tired of this," Alex muttered, his patience was wearing thin. Spotting an opening, Alex lunged forward, driving his [Horned Staff] into Damien''s neck for the second time. Squelch! -1250! The blow was deep, but this time, something unexpected happened. Crack! [Your ''Horned Staff'' broke!] [Next time, don''t use it as a melee weapon, idiot.] Alex cursed under his breath. "Old habits die hard¡­" Damien stumbled back, blood pouring from his neck. He was still alive, but barely hanging on, Sam, however, showed no signs of stopping. "DIE, HUMAN!" Sam bellowed, swinging his sword in a wide arc. "Earth Shield!" Alex conjured another barrier, but this time, it shattered instantly under the force of Sam''s strike. With a final burst of energy, Alex raised his hand and unleashed [Fire Storm]. Fwoosh! A swirling vortex of mes erupted around the two warriors, engulfing them in a zing inferno. The mes roared like a living beast, consuming everything in their path. Damien''s screams were drowned out by the roar of the firestorm as it tore through his remaining health. -610! Sam staggered backward, his armor scorched and smoking. The firestorm had weakened him, but it wasn''t enough to kill him. Still, Alex now had the upper hand. With a few more quick spells, Alex overwhelmed Sam,unching fireballs and rocks at him in quick session. Sam, already weakened, had no choice but to fall back, and eventually, his defenses crumbled, Alex''s final attack bringing him to his knees. Sam copsed, his body lifeless. Panting heavily, Alex wiped the sweat from his brow, ncing around to ensure no more enemies remained. He made his way over to Alice, who had been watching the entire battle in stunned silence, she was shaken but unharmed. "You alright?" Alex asked. "Y-Yeah¡­ but now what?" Alice asked, still processing everything that had just happened. "We''re criminals to them now¡­ What are we supposed to do?" Alex sighed and reached into his inventory, pulling out a second [Monkey Mask], one he had extracted earlier. "We adapt." He handed the mask to Alice, who took it hesitantly. "Put this on," Alex said, slipping his own mask over his face. Alice nodded, sliding the mask over her face. Together, they made their way through the forest, heading back toward the novice vige, their faces concealed. They stepped into the [Demonized Farnds], then left them just as quickly as there was no use for them anymore. Alice was currently level 8, meaning two levels under the required one to participate in her ss trial, but until then she should be fine with Alex. Both yers, wearing their monkey masks, entered the vige, and as expected the NPCs didn''t attack them. The minimum reputation you can have is -1000, but surely after killing three more, Alex would have surely gone to -3000 if that was possible. "What''s your goal, and why were you hunted by them?" Alice asked, confused. "Hm¡­ I may or may not have done something bad, who knows," he smiled, "We survived though, didn''t we?" "Barely!" They reached the square of the vige, now with yers who looked at bit stronger than they were yesterday, most having lost the gray beginner clothes and wearing some kind of armor. "Well, time to set up shop again!" he had acquired many items, and money was essential, so he was ready. "Set up shop¡­?" Alice''s eyes widened as she saw the boy take out all the items he wouldn''t need from his backpack, "Wait a damn minute, did you sell rat helmets, potions and a backpack to a middle-aged man before?" "Yeah," Alex smiled, knowing perfectly that Alice figured it out. "Holy shit, this might actually be fate!" she beamed. Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Overlord Guild Attack, Wiping Them All The sun beamed down from above, casting light across the novice vige square. His monkey mask hid his expression, but behind it, he remainedposed, almost methodical, as heid out each item on solid ground, not bothering to ce anything underneath. "Alright, let''s see what we''ve got here," he muttered to himself, double-checking the items before neatly arranging them for disy. [x2 Poison Ring - 5 silver coins] [Bear Dagger - 2 silver coins] [x2 Fox Ears (cosmetic only) - 30 copper coins] [Crown of the Goblin King - 15 silver coins] [Bear King''s Chest Armor - 10 silver coins] The assortment wasn''t legendary, but it was enough to attract attention. Alex had also set aside the boar meat, knowing he could use itter if necessary, and kept the [Wild Boar Trophy] in his inventory. It was worthless to yers, but he knew an NPC who might pay handsomely for it. As soon as Alex sat down, it didn''t take long for the crowd to notice him. "Hey, isn''t that Shopkeeper?" one of the yers whispered, pointing toward Alex. "Oh yeah! I heard he sold some pretty good items yesterday!" another yer chimed in, his voice rising with excitement. A few others began to gather around, murmuring among themselves. "Let''s go check it out!" someone called out, and suddenly, a small crowd began to form around Alex. "I heard he''s dangerous too," a more cautious yer remarked, "Someone tried to steal from him yesterday, and¡­ well, it didn''t end well." Alex remained silent, his eyes scanning the crowd behind the mask as the buzz of conversation grew. He had somehow earned himself a reputation as a mysterious shopkeeper with incredible power. To him, it was amusing. The yers began to examine the itemsid before them, some crouching to read the descriptions. "Holy crap, this armor looks strong!" one of the yers eximed, pointing at the Bear King''s Chest Armor. "And that Crown of the Goblin King¡­ damn, I need that," another muttered. Within fifteen minutes, everything Alex hadid out was sold. Even the cosmetic Fox Ears had disappeared, snatched up by eager yers wanting to show off their style. Ding! [Gained 37 silver coins and 60 copper coins!] "Wow, you''re popr!" Alice said with a grin, looking particrly adorable with the pair of Fox Ears she''d kept on from earlier. The ears twitched slightly as she spoke, making her look even more yful. "Just average," Alex replied with a nonchnt shrug, "Let''s go." As they stood up, Alex''s mind was already focused on his next objective¡ªthe vige chief. His n, the one he''d been quietly working toward, was simple: he wanted to kill the chief before anyone else had a chance to trigger the questline and im the rewards. The chief was strong, sitting at level 20, but Alex was confident. They began to walk toward the vige outskirts, Alex grabbing both his backpacks, one slung over each shoulder. The day was warm, and the novice vige hummed with the activity of new yers leveling up and trying to survive. But before they could get far, a suddenmotion erupted behind them. "Holy shit, is that the Overlord Guild?" "Why are there so many of them?" Alex turned slowly, his eyes narrowing as he saw the approaching group. It wasn''t just a handful of guild members; there were dozens¡ªat least 100 yers in total¡ªmarching into the vige square, their armor gleaming and weapons ready. "Move out of the way, fools!" one of the guild members barked, swinging his sword and cutting down a nearby yer to make an example out of them. The square began to empty as yers scrambled to get out of the way, many retreating to the edges to watch from a safe distance. Alice looked confused, "What''s going on? Why are they here?" But Alex already knew, and he stood still, waiting. At the front of the group was a tall, imposing figure with a staff in hand. His robes were embroidered with the emblem of the Overlord Guild¡ªa skull with empty eye sockets. "Hello there, merchant," Daniel, the leader of the guild, sneered as he approached, "I heard you shot one of my guild members yesterday. Is that true?" Alex smiled beneath his mask. "If you''re talking about the thief, then sure, I did. Very easy to kill, by the way. If that''s all your guild can do, I don''t have much to worry about." Daniel''s face twisted with fury at the insult. His grip tightened on his staff, "You''re going to regret that." Daniel was always someone with an immense EGO, and in Alex''s past life, he had be an extremely powerful mage thanks to his talents, hard work, and of course, money. Alex was surprised to see him so early, but he couldn''t have known that the thief was a member of his guild, and even if he knew, he would have still shot anyway. Without warning, Daniel barked an order to his guild members, "Kill him! All of you!" Dozens of yers rushed forward, swords drawn and spells ready to cast, but Alex didn''t move. His fingers twitched as he lifted his staff. "Fire Storm," he whispered. Fwoosh! A swirling vortex of mes erupted from his staff, and in an instant, the storm of fire engulfed the advancing yers. They didn''t stand a chance¡ªblue shes marked each of their deaths as their health bars instantly drained to zero. In mere seconds, over a 83 yers had been reduced to nothing, their bodies disappearing as the fire storm burned them alive. "What¡­ what the hell?!" Daniel stammered, stepping back, the mes reflecting in his wide eyes. Only a few of his members had survived, those who had been standing farther back. "What are you doing?!" Daniel roared at his remaining men, "It''s one versus a hundred! He''s on cooldown!" "S-Sir! Y-Yes, sir!" the remaining members stuttered, terrified but obedient. They rushed forward, casting spells and swinging their weapons at Alex. But Alex was ready. With swift, calcted movements, he began to cast more spells,unching fireballs and rocks toward his attackers. Some fell before they even got close, and the ones who attempted to fight him in close range were immediately hit by his golden staff, dealing good damage. ''Since when can a mage do that?!'' they all thought. With one final swing of his staff, Alex dispatched thest of the guild members. They fell to the ground, lifeless, leaving only Daniel standing in the square, his fury boiling over. The two stood in silence, facing each other¡ªa standoff. "You think you''re clever, don''t you?" Daniel sneered, "But I have the best fireball in Universal Descent. You''re dead." With a flick of his wrist, Daniel cast a massive fireball, hurling it toward Alex with deadly precision. But Alex didn''t flinch. He raised his staff, and with a calm, measured motion, heunched his own fireball in response. The two projectiles met in mid-air¡ªbut Alex''s was stronger. It tore through Daniel''s spell, continuing on its path and mming into the guild leader. -1430! Daniel''s body crumpled as the fireball consumed him, his health dropping to zero in an instant. As his form faded away, he could just make out the sight of Alex, standing tall, lifting his mask to reveal a massive grin. "See you in an hour, idiot," Alex muttered as Daniel''s body disappeared. Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Daniels Rage, Going to the Silver-Skin Chief [Sent back to reality!] Daniel''s eyes shot open, and the world around him rushed back into focus. The familiar sight of his luxurious room greeted himvish furniture, expensive paintings, and grand decorations¡ªbut none of it brought himfort now. His head buzzed with fury, his heart pounding like a war drum. How had he lost to that insignificant mage? Worse yet, the other''s fireball overwhelmed his own! [You will be able to log back into ''Universal Descent'' in 29:54 minutes!] The message glowed in front of him like a taunt, reminding him of his failure. "This is¡­ FUCKKKKKKK!" He began screaming as he broke and smashed everything he could get a hold of in his room. There were expensive things, but to him it was like a drop of water in the ocean, for now, he just wanted to let his frustration go. The door burst open, and Aurelia, his younger sister, stepped inside. She was tall and striking, her long hair cascading over her shoulders and it was hard to believe she was an assassin with those giant mountains on her. Her sharp eyes immediately scanned the wreckage. "Brother, what are you doing?" she asked, her tone a mix of surprise and irritation. For a moment, Daniel didn''t respond. His chest heaved with every breath, his eyes wild with fury. He grabbed another expensive vase, ready to hurl it, but Aurelia was faster. With swift, precise movements, she subdued him using a martial art technique she had mastered long ago. Her arm snaked around his, her legs locked his body in ce. Daniel struggled, but the hold was firm, she had always been better than him at that after all. "Calm down!" Aurelia demanded. After a few minutes, Daniel''s breath slowly evened out and he finally retrieved hisposure as he got up, "This fucker¡­" Aurelia raised an eyebrow, puzzled, "What happened?" "FateBreaker," Daniel spat the name of his now biggest enemy, "I''m going to destroy him." He stormed over to his bed and summoned his [Guild Chat] panel, and yes, you could use that in real life, the members of your guild receiving the notification both in the real world and in the game. [MartialMage: This is but a small loss, members. The guy likely used a cheat. We will continue leveling up, but do note that the raid will happen today instead of tomorrow to reach the first city faster. if anyone sees the yer ''FateBreaker,'' do not engage him head-on. Sneak attacks only.] He had changed the date of the raid because of ''FateBreaker'': Daniel wanted to grow stronger to take his revenge fast, and this novice vige wouldn''t allow him to do that. Meaning that his only choice was to get to the first city. After typing his message, he turned toward his sister, "Get out." Aurelia, used to her brother''s moods, was already halfway out the door before he even finished. "It''s fine, Daniel, youplete the novice vige assessment, you''ll get your revenge in the first city," he groaned. And so he began staring at the countdown timer still ticking in his vision. "Fifteen more minutes," he muttered, "When I get back, FateBreaker¡­ you''re done." ¡­ Back to Alex, he had immediately ran away from the novice vige square after causing chaos. "What¡­ the... puff... fuck!" Alice''s voice rang out behind him. She was trying her best to keep up but was clearly struggling. Without hesitation, Alex scooped her up into his arms, her light weight hardly slowing him down. "If we get spotted by silver-skins, its over." He continued running for a while, and stopped when reaching a random alleyway, making sure no one followed him. But, right as he stopped, he heard an announcement. Ding! Ding! Ding! [Server Announcement: Be careful of yer ''FateBreaker'', he is a criminal and an enemy of the silver-skins, anyone who kills him will immediately receive 100 silver coins.] [Server Announcement: ¡­] The announcement echoed three times, and everyone in novice vige 666, whether they were inside of it, in the farnds, or the forest, heard it. It was the vige itself that put this announcement, probably since he was already at -1000 reputation, yet in addition to that killed three silver-skins and now caused havoc. "Alex, what in the hell did you do," but surprisingly, Alice wasn''t mad or fearful: sheughed, small tears appearing in her eyes as she couldn''t hold herself back, pping her legs back and forth as he still carried her, "Seriously¡­ hahaha¡­" Alex was confused, but a small smile formed on his face as he saw the girl, letting her go from his grip after a few seconds. She had never had so much fun in so little time! She was extremely happy she made the choice to create a party with Alex yesterday, best decision of her life! But Alex knew that now that he was outed, it wouldn''t take much more time before he was found, the silver-skin guards probably already looking for him, and some yers too, though the NPCs would have a hard time with his mask. "Hey, that guy has a mask!" Alex heard someone, and he noticed a group of four yers point at him. "Who else could hide underneath a mask, get his ass!" one of them was an archer, pointing an arrow at them. But Alice was quicker, and without Alex even asking her, she sent an arrow toward the yer, hitting him in the head, causing critical damage. Poof! That yer vanished in a sh of blue light. "THEY GOT CASPER! IT''S THEM!" They immediately rushed toward Alex and Alice, but a few spells was enough to dispatch the three. ''Too bad I can''t extract from yers yet¡­'' As yers didn''t truly die during the first stage of the game, it was impossible to extract anything from them, the only thing he could possibly do is steal items. "Hey, Alice," Alex sighed. "Hm?" "Stay back, they don''t know you are with me, and I have something to do." He nned to kill the [Silver-Skin Chief] today to get the rewards as early as possible, since the questline and first city had been unlocked on the third day of this game, meaning he shouldn''t sit around doing nothing. "O-Oh, alright, I think I''ll level up in the forest, then!" she smiled adorably, and he patted her head. "Alright," Alice quickly ran toward one of the novice vige exits, wanting to level up to level 10 to catch up with Alex, "See youter, then!" "See ya," Alex smiled, but when Alice was out of sight, he dropped his joyful expression, going back to his usual one, "Let''s get that guy." He was determined to kill the chief to get those rewards, as they would be greatly needed forter. ¡­ Back in the heart of the novice vige, Alex stood before the massive stone building where the [Silver-Skin Chief] resided. The entrance was locked, only essible to those with 100 reputation point, but Alex had no intention of earning his way in. With a flick of his wrist, he cast a Fireball spell, hurling it toward the door. The st echoed through the square as the wooden doors splintered into pieces. [You have entered the ''Silver-Skin Chief''s'' building!] [Knock at the door in front of you to summon the chief.] Alex stepped inside. The lobby was dimly lit, dust hanging in the air. And at the far end of the room, a heavy wooden door awaited him. Without hesitation, he walked up to it and knocked twice. "Pizza delivery." The room grew eerily quiet. Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Killing the Silver-Skin Chief, Triple Rewards As the door opened, the Silver-Skin Chief groaned in confusion, "What the hell''s a pizza?" He opened the door wider, but before he could react further, Alex already had his staff raised. Fireball! Fwish! Boom! The fireball erupted from his staff, hurtling toward the chief''s chest. The impact was immediate, sending therge NPC stumbling back, his face twisting in shock as mes seared through his armor. -1430! The hit had dealt more than half of the chief''s health, which was 2300, in a single strike. "You little¡ª!" the chief snarled, rage burning in his eyes as he regained his footing, he didn''t know who this human was, but if it was attacking him, then he was killing it. Fwish! With a speed that caught Alex off guard, the NPC charged forward, lifting one of his massive legs. m! The kick connected squarely with Alex''s stomach, the force sending him flying backward. His body crashed into the entrance door, knocking the wind out of him. -746! "Argh¡­" Alex groaned, pulling himself to his feet. He wiped the blood from his lips, his health bar dropping drastically. "You''re going to regret that decision," the Silver-Skin Chief growled, pushing the broken door aside. His booming voice echoed through the square outside as yers who had been passing by gathered to watch, pointing and whispering. "Haha¡­ we''ll see," Alex replied, his voice steady but determined. This was not Alex''s first time fighting the Silver-Skin Chief. In his past life, the chief had killed him swiftly when he was just a beginner, leaving Alex no choice but to respawn. But this time was different. This time, Alex had his legendary staff, he had the stats, he had the damage to get rid of it, he wouldn''t lose. The chief lunged forward again, his massive fists aimed at Alex. But Alex, prepared this time, raised his staff. "Earth Shield!" hemanded. A shield of solid rock formed in front of him just in time to block the chief''s attack. The force of the punch shattered the shield into pieces, but it had absorbed most of the damage. Alex smirked, knowing the NPC wasn''t expecting his defense. The Silver-Skin Chief staggered for a moment, caught off guard by the earth magic. Alex seized the opportunity. Fireball! Fwoosh! Another fiery projectile sted toward the chief. But this time, the chief anticipated the move and dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the spell. The battle continued just like that: the chief''s strength was overwhelming, but Alex''s agility and magic kept him alive. Each time the chief attacked, Alex either blocked it with his staff, earth shield when he could, or dodged just in time, casting fireballs, crystals and rocks in quick session. "COME ON!" The Silver-Skin Chief roared in frustration, swinging wildly at Alex. But Alex was quick, and he saw the opportunity there. He ducked under one of the chief''s heavy blows, and with a swift move, he struck the chief''s leg with his staff. Crack! The hit caused the chief to stumble, tripping him up just long enough for Alex to cast another spell. That was all Alex needed. He quickly raised his staff, fire surging at the tip. Fireball! Alex cast, sending the ming projectile straight into the chief''s chest again. Fwoosh! Boom! The fireball exploded on impact, engulfing the chief in mes. His health bar dropped to zero in an instant, and his massive form copsed to the ground. -1430! The battle was over. The Silver-Skin Chiefy lifeless at Alex''s feet, his body slowly beginning to disintegrate into nothingness. Ding! [Server Announcement: The Silver-Skin Chief has been killed by ''FateBreaker'', granting him 10 free attribute points and 3 skill points!] [Server Announcement: ¡­] The message echoed three times not just for Alex but across the entire server. yers in the vige and beyond were stunned. How had someone killed the level 20 chief this early in the game? It was impossible! Even if 50 of them joined forces, they would do too little damage to actually kill it! Meanwhile, Alice, who was busy hunting boars and snakes in the forest, received the same notification. She couldn''t help butugh. She''d been gone for ten minutes and already Alex had caused chaos. [You have in ''Silver-Skin Chief'', gaining 17,371 experience points!] [Your reputation with the Silver-Skin race has reached the bottom of the abyss.] [In exchange, your reputation with some other races, enemies of the Silver-Skins, has increased by 50!] [Ding! You have earned 1 Prestige Point!] Alex put his 10 free attribute points into Vitality, knowing he would need more health in the future. But his job wasn''t done yet. [Extract from the ''Silver-Skin Chief''!] ''Extraction...'' Bosses seemed to never truly have a list of items, instead, the object Alex extracted from them was based on luck, or maybe it was decided from the start, who knows. Ding! [You have extracted ''Pact of the Silver-Skin Killer''] [Description: A proof that you have beaten the chief of the silver-skins, this may be used to cause special events in the future.] "Hm¡­" he didn''t know anything about that, but it was probably since no one truly had the idea of killing the chief in his past life, at least not in this vige. That thing didn''t have a rarity, so he was able to put it inside his [Beginner Backpack]. He stepped past the chief''s crumbling remains and entered the room the NPC had emerged from. The real treasure was still inside. This was the true reason Alex hade here: to im the Silver-Skin Chief''s rewards. When getting 100 reputation, you could meet with the chief, who would give you a B-Level quest: eliminate the level 10 final boss of the novice vige. Whoever did that would be able to choose among three rewards the chief had in his office. But since Alex had killed the chief, all three were his for the taking. He stepped forward and eyed the items disyed on ornate pedestals inside the chief''s room. You would usually be restricted to only one per novice vige, but here he was, ready to take all of them. The first was a shimmering fruit, its surface glowing faintly with magic. [Talent Evolution Fruit (ARTIFACT)] [Description: Consume the Talent Evolution Fruit to gain a single perk for your talent. The perk is random and will depend on the rating of your talent, meaning it could either be strong or weak!] "Heh," Alex smiled: this meant another perk, because yes, you could stack up [Talent Evolution Fruits], though he would need to wait for Alice because of, you know, the side-effect. The second item caught Alex''s attention next: a dark, rune-inscribed orb that pulsed with power. [Orb of Dual ss (ARTIFACT)] [Description: This rare artifact allows the user to obtain a secondary ss in addition to their primary ss. Use wisely, as it cannot be changed once chosen.] Alex''s eyes widened. This was an incredibly valuable item. Most yers were restricted to one ss, but with this, Alex could be more versatile,bining the power of a Mage with something else. Andstly, there was the third item: a simple parchment with intricate details drawn across its surface. [Novice Vige Map (LEGENDARY)] [Description: The map of the novice vige, will show locations of secret areas, andpletion rate of the map.] These were all the items, incredible for a novice vige, isn''t it? That was why only one person could get them, and only one of the three items at that. Daniel had been the one toplete that task in his previous life, and he had chosen the [Talent Evolution Fruit], granting him an additional perk that made him much stronger than he was right now. Oh, and by the way, you don''t see their descriptions or names when you choose the items afterpleting the quest, which is why Daniel didn''t pick the [Orb of Dual ss]. Without hesitation, Alex grabbed all three items. Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Second Talent Evolution Fruit, Synthesis Perk Alex put the [Talent Evolution Fruit] and [Orb of Dual ss] in each of his pockets as they perfectly fit, but he decided to use the [Novice Vige Map]. Ding! [Do you want to use the map? This action cannot be undone!] "Yeah," there was no reason not to, as once he left this vige he wouldn''te back except if he died several times. Ding! A new panel appeared, expanding before him and disying an aerial view of the novice vige. It was a map, far more detailed than anything he had expected. The buildings, paths, and even forest passages were shown in intricate detail. Most of the areas were lit up, indicating that Alex had already explored them at least once. [93%pleted] Only 7% of the map was grayed out, and that small unexplored section was at the farthest end of the forest¡ªthe location of the final boss. "Nice..." This meant that he had actually explored everything, as this map did in fact show the locations of the secret areas: you could see a small cabin icon at the ce where Aris, the silver-skin he had poisoned, had been resting. But, most surprising of all: a small dot was moving on the map, apanied by a name above it: [StarPillow]. "Oh!" Alex eximed. It was Alice! The map allowed him to track her location in real-time. The small dot moved steadily in the forest, where Alex had expected her to be grinding for experience points. With a confident smile, Alex closed the map and left the building, fully equipped with everything he needed, wanting to find Alice. "THE CHIEF''S DEAD!" "FIND THAT HUMAN!" He heard the silver-skins shout as soon as he was from a fair distance of them, and couldn''t help but smirk. ... [+Beginner Backpack, +Bear Dagger, +Poison Ring, +37 spirit attribute, +27 strength attribute, +12 agility attribute] On the way to Alice, Alex extracted several items and attributes from monsters, and each of his skills leveled up once. [Fireball Level 8; Deal 300 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 10 mana; 3-second cooldown.] [Red Crystal Level 7; Deals exactly 500 damage to target; consumes 15 mana; 5-second cooldown.] [Rock Throw Level 5; create a small ball of rock that you can throw at enemy dealing 620, chance of stunning; consumes 20 mana; 3-second cooldown] [Earth Shield Level 3; create an earth shield that can block up to 540 damage at once; costs 50 mana; one-minute cooldown.] [Fire Storm level 2; deal 52% of your spirit to enemies in arge area; consumes 100 mana; 30-second cooldown] Soon enough, he would be able to upgrade some of them, as he had made the smart choice of saving up his skill points rather than using them right away like many others. He did more than enough damage anyway, all monsters in the forest dying instantly to his spells. "Alice," he called out as he spotted her in the clearing ahead, and the girl, who just shot a snake, turned to look at him. "ALEX!" she jumped in to hug him, "How did you find me?" "Map," he tapped a few times on his panels, and Alice was able to see the map, as being in a party with her allowed him to share this information. "Oh well, I just leveled up to level 10 and have been asked about some profession trial in the first city!" the girl smiled, her face beaming. "Yeah, you''re gonna have to wait a bit for that, as we need to kill the final boss of the novice vige first." Alice also teased Alex about killing the chief all of a sudden, and he just dismissed it, being humble. Then, finally, Alex reached into his pocket, pulling out the [Talent Evolution Fruit]. "¡­" without saying a word, he opened his palm to show it to her. Alice''s face turned a deep shade of red the moment she saw it. "Uh..." she didn''t know what to say, they had just done it yesterday so intensely, and she didn''t know if she could handle it, Alex was just too strong for her. But eventually, "Fine... but we need to find somewhere private to do it..." "It''s fine," Alex smiled, "I got a ce already!" Using the map he had acquired, he headed toward the hidden cabin, because even though it would be too difficult to find it normally, his map now showed the exact location. It didn''t take more than ten minutes for both Alex and Alice to be at the top. Aris'' body had already disappeared by now, as it had been fully looted, so no reason to keep it there. Alex obviously knew that, even he wouldn''t feelfortable having sex next to a deceased body. [Consume the fruit to get a new perk for ''Extraction''!] He approached the fruit to his mouth, this time already knowing it would taste good, and ate it with a few bites since it wasn''t that big to begin with, roughly the size of his palm. "Is it good?" Alice asked. "Yep!" Alex smiled, "If I find another one I''ll see if I can make you try it!" "R-Really?" she blushed. Ding! [After eating the talent evolution fruit, you have gained a new perk for ''Extraction''!] Ding! Ding! Ding! [Talent Effect #4: Synthesis; Combine items, skills, or abilities to create something stronger, do note that not all items can be merged, and that the more powerful the items, the higher the chance of failure based on your level.] "Holy¡­" this was another perk that would allow him to upgrade equipment and skills! But just as he was getting ready to experiment, another notification appeared. [Talent Evolution Fruit side-effect: intense desires, not taking care of your urges may cause reduced attributes, and if prolonged may even lead to death.] Alex felt the effects of the evolution fruit on him instantly, and as he looked at Alice, he noticed that she had already removed all her clothes, revealing her decently-sized breasts to him. This didn''t save her from the roughness of his mighty stick, though, as Alex pinned her to the ground and immediately began to kiss her, inserting his member inside. He went hard and fast,pletely dismissing her previousment about wanting it not being as intense. "Ohhhh~" but even then, it looked like Alice enjoyed it more that way as she kept climaxing over and over while kissing him. After Alex''s first climax, he noticed that the floor of the cabin already soaked with her juices. "Look at you, you keep cumming ten times more than I do..." he grabbed her breasts with his hands. "I''m sorry~" she pleaded. But Alex wasn''t allowing her mercy. After an intense hour, Alicey on the makeshift bed he had created with their clothes. She was panting, clearly exhausted, but satisfied, her body trembling from the aftermath of their passionate encounter. Alex, having satisfied both his desires and the fruit''s side effects, got up, careful not to disturb her rest. He still had work to do. "Let''s test out this synthesis thing¡­" Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Using Synthesis; Getting Better Items Alex stood in the quiet cabin, the remnants of his earlier intimacy with Alice lingering in the air, the girl still resting, though her eyes were opened. But now, his focus had shifted. The synthesis feature that came after eating the fruit and enhanced his talent could definitely be useful if it truly did what he thought it did. And so he immediately wanted to use it. He nced at the items in his inventory, trying to grab his [Golden Staff] alongside a [Poison Ring]. "Synthesis!" But it did nothing. ["Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage" and "Poison Ring" cannot bebined, try something else!] He tried a fewbinations afterward, but all of them failed. ''Finding a match is more difficult than I thought¡­'' [Use your brain.] ''Damn.'' But this advice unironically actually helped him understand how it worked better: why the hell was he even trying tobine Boar Meat with a Poison Ring? Trying to create poisoned meat? No, he needed to be smart with it. And so the first thing he did was pull out both of his [Beginner Backpacks]. They were useful, but two backpacks took up unnecessary space. "Synthesis!" And this time, it actually did something! Ding! [Synthesis: Beginner Backpack + Beginner Backpack = ?] The system glowed for a moment as the two items floated in front of him, merging together into a swirling ball of light. After a second, the light faded, and in their ce was a single,rger backpack. [Advanced Backpack (Rare): Increases inventory space to 40 slots. Reduces weight burden by 25%, and can now carry ''Epic'' items ] "Perfect," Alex muttered to himself, slinging the [Advanced Backpack] onto his back. It was a significant upgrade, giving him more room to carry loot and making travel easier by reducing the weight of his gear. Next, Alex strategically eyed the [Bear Dagger] he had recently looted. It was already a decent weapon, but it could be better. He nced at the [Poison Ring] in his inventory and quickly decided that adding a poison effect to the dagger would make it much deadlier. [Synthesis: Bear Dagger + Poison Ring = ?] The items merged in the same way, glowing briefly before transforming into something new. [Bear Poison Dagger: Inflicts 100% of strength with each strike and has a 25% chance of dealing the poison effect: 20 damage per second for 10 seconds. (Umon)] Alex grinned. He didn''t use a dagger, but the one he owned had probably quadrupled in value since it not only packed a punch but also had a lingering effect with its poison. This would make close-rangebat much more effective. Lastly, Alex had one morebination in his mind: Bear King''s Chest Armor and Wild Boar Trophy, two rare-tier items. "Synthesis¡­!" he used the skill while thinking of these two. But yet again, something strange happened: the system issued a warning as soon as he tried to initiate the synthesis. [High risk of failure: both items will break! Proceed with caution.] Alex winced at the thought. Losing both items would be a disaster. The armor reduced the damage he took, and the trophy could be sold to a collector in the first city. "Not worth it," Alex muttered, canceling the synthesis attempt. He''d need more levels and perhaps better control of the synthesis feature before attempting such a risky merge. Satisfied with his current upgrades, Alex decided it was time to check his overall status. He hadn''t done so since the beginning, and after all the leveling and gear upgrades, he was eager to see just how much stronger he had be. With a mentalmand, his character panel appeared in front of him: [ID:] FateBreaker [Level:] 10 (54797/1000) [upation:] Mage [ss:] Beginner Mage [Talent:] Extraction (SSS) [Talent Effect #1:] Upon defeating a monster, you are able to extract an item/attribute/skill/talent from them, with a 20% chance of the prompt appearing. [Talent Effect #2:] Defeating monsters will grant you "Extraction Points", which you can useter on to enhance your talent or buy items. [Talent Effect #3:] Potential Extraction; You can use this to extract the full potential of an item and thus enhance its powers. [Talent Effect #4:] Synthesis; Combine items, skills, or abilities to create something stronger. [Health Points:] 1090 (Vitality * 10) [Mana Points:] 2570 (Spirit * 10) [Speed:] 174 (Agility * 1) [Magic Damage:] 257 (Spirit * 1) [Physical Damage:] 139 (Strength * 1) [Magic Resistance:] 257 + 11 (bear armor) (Spirit * 1) [Physical Resistance:] 139 + 2 (rat helmet) (Vitality * 1) [Attributes:] Vitality 109; Strength 139; Agility 174; Spirit 257 + 1000 (golden staff) [Skills:] [Fireball Level 8: Deal 300 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 10 mana; 3-second cooldown.] [Red Crystal Level 7: Deals exactly 500 damage to target; consumes 15 mana; 5-second cooldown.] [Rock Throw Level 5: Create a small ball of rock that you can throw at the enemy, dealing 620 damage, with a chance of stunning; consumes 20 mana; 3-second cooldown.] [Earth Shield Level 3: Create an earth shield that can block up to 540 damage at once; costs 50 mana; one-minute cooldown.] [Fire Storm Level 2: Deal 52% of your spirit in damage to enemies in arge area; consumes 100 mana; 30-second cooldown.] [Attributes Points:] 0 [Skill Points:] 21 [Equipment:] Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage (Legendary), Snake Backpack (Umon), Bear King''s Chest Armor (rare), Advanced Backpack (Rare), Bear Poison Dagger (Umon), Wild Boar Trophy (Rare), 2x Boar Meat. ... Everything seemed in order, except for one detail Alex had never taken the time to observe before: the second perk of his Extraction talent. He had never paid much attention to the [Extraction Points] until now. "Strange," Alex muttered, "What''s Extraction Points, and why haven''t I seen them before?" As if in response, a new prompt appeared in front of him: [You need to ask for it.] "Can I see my Extraction Points then?" Alex asked. [Ding!] [Extraction Points: 47/100] [Reach 100 Extraction Points to enhance your skill and get ess to the shop!] [One extraction = One extraction point; this amount will increase as you progress.] [Enhancing your talent may increase the odds of triggering the prompt!] Alex''s eyebrows shot up. "Interesting," he muttered, rubbing his chin. If so, then he needed to try and kill more monsters instead of focusing on the levels, he just got an [Advanced Backpack] that can store 40 items up to epic-tier after all, making it much easier. Just then, Alice finally stirred from her rest, stretching as she sat up. She quickly gathered her scattered clothes and began to dress, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "That was¡­ intense," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Alex chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, "Yeah, it was. I didn''t mean to¡ªwell, I mean, you seemed to enjoy it." Alice blushed even more, nodding quickly. "No, it was¡­ good," she admitted, biting her lip shyly. After a few more awkward moments, they both finished dressing and left the cabin, ready to head back down to the forest floor. "Let''s get going," Alex said. "We need to deal with the final boss before the other yers beat us to it." As they descended into the forest, Alex killed a few wandering monsters, adding more loot and experience to his ever-growing inventory. He was about halfway to the boss area when he overheard voices ahead, causing him to pause and motion for Alice to do the same. "Quick! The leader said we need to go now if we want to unlock the first city!" one voice said urgently. "Yeah, that FateBreaker guy ruined our initial ns," another grumbled. "Honestly, I don''t want to meet him. If he managed to beat MartialMage, he must be terrifying¡­" "Shhh! If he hears you, you''re dead!" Alex narrowed his eyes, listening as the yers hurried past. They were heading deeper into the forest, likely towards the boss. And if they were talking about him, that meant they were gunning for the final boss kill, just like he was. The first city had been opened on the third day in his past life, but now it was going to be on the second, as Daniel''s EGO probably got hurt. He grinned, "Looks like we''ve got somepetition, Alice," he said, his tone filled with excitement. Alice raised an eyebrow, curious. "Are we going to let them get to the boss first?" "Not a chance," Alex replied, his eyes gleaming, "Let''s have some fun, Daniel." Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Snatching The Forest Python Boss, Daniel Enraged Daniel and the hundreds of guild members he summoned for this very asion were all grouped together, now facing the boss before them. It was a level 10 elite boss, the [Forest Python], it was the most challenging monster in this entire zone, blocking ess to Dawn City. It was basically a giant serpent, towering over the trees and humans with its long, scaly body, it had 3000 HP and was probably the strongest foe that could be encountered until now, ignoring Aris. "IN POSITION," Daniel ordered as he pointed at the monster, "Defeat it, but make sure to allow me to get the final blow, the Overlord guild will reign supreme!" "SIR! YES, SIR!" They had people from every ss. "Archers, mages and priests, stay back; assassins and warriors, rush at it, even one point of damage is good enough; and finally, summoners, send your beasts at it!" All the members shouted in unison as they began to work to kill that thing. Though that boss revealed itself to be tough, a single strike from its tail or bite enough to kill a dozen of Daniel''s men. As Alex and Alice advanced deeper into the forest, the sound ofbat grew louder. The shouts of yers, shing weapons, and the monstrous roars of the [Forest Python] echoed through the dense trees, drawing Alex''s attention. He quickened his pace, eager to reach the scene and witness the chaos firsthand: he knew how much Daniel struggled against it in his first life. As Alex approached, the sight before him was almost unbelievable. Hundreds of yers, all members of the ''Overlord'' guild, were engaged in a desperate battle against the python. The guild had swarmed the area, their objective clear: they wanted to im the first kill on the boss and unlock the path to Dawn City. Daniel stood at the back, protected by his very own [Earth Shield] spell, awaiting for his people to do most of the damage before acting. In the middle of it all, the [Forest Python] thrashed wildly, its enormous body crashing through the trees as it fought off wave after wave of attackers. It took 158 yers dying for the monster''s health bar to flicker on the edge of death, just a sliver remaining as the yers continued their assault. [Forest Python HP: 128/3000] The members couldn''t do more than 25 points of damage per attack because of the beast''s high defense. "Hold it steady!" Daniel yelled, his voice filled with determination,"Let me take over the moment its health goes under 50!" The [Forest Python] let out a deafening roar, its tail whipping through the ranks of yers, sending several flying into the air. The creature''s final stand was proving to be as brutal as expected, but the guild members pressed on, eager for the reward that awaited them. Alex watched from the shadows, his eyes narrowing. It was the perfect moment. The guild had done all the hard work, wearing the boss down to itsst health. "Time to have some fun," Alex whispered, a smirk forming on his lips. ¡­ Just as the [Forest Python] reared back for a final strike, Alex stepped forward, his eyes locking onto the beast. With a quick flick of his hand, he summoned the power of his two most destructive spells. [Fire Storm]! A swirling inferno erupted around the [Forest Python], engulfing it and the surrounding yers in a torrent of mes. The mes ravaged everything in their path, scorching the ground and burning through the weakened health bars of both the boss and the yers caught in the chaos. "NOOOO!" Daniel shouted, realizing who this yer was, "IT''S MINE!" He cast [Fireball] again, aiming to at least kill the boss, even if he died afterward. "I cast my spell before his," Danielughed, already picturing himself mocking Fatebreaker for his stupidity as his fireball charged. But it was futile. [Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage!] [Description: Grants +1000 spirit when equipping it, increases spell casting speed by 200%] Because even though he started his spell first, Alex''s fireball still ended up being the first to be sent. "WHAT?" Daniel was astonished, the two fireballs rushing at the boss amidst the chaos of the [Fire Storm]. Boom! Boom! But one spell had hit before: Alex''s. The impact was enough to finish the boss off, its remaining health disappearing as it let out a final, agonizing hiss. [Ding! You have defeated the Forest Python! You receive 284 experience points.] [Ding! You have killed a ''World Boss'' and earned 10 Attribute Points!] [Ding! You have earned 1 Prestige Point!] Alex grinned as the server-wide announcement rang out three times in quick session: [Congrattions to FateBreaker for defeating the Forest Python and unlocking the path to Dawn City!] The area went silent as the reality of what had just happened set in. The remaining guild members, most of whom had perished from the [Fire Storm], looked around in confusion and horror. One by one, their health bars dropped as they fell victim to Alex''s spells, copsing onto the ground as the mes consumed them. Daniel''s eyes widened in shock as he saw his guild members dying around him. He nced toward Alex, who stood at a distance, his staff glowing ominously. "FateBreaker," Daniel muttered, his voice filled with disbelief. "That bastard!" Panic surged through Daniel as he realized the situation. His guild had done all the work, only for Alex to swoop in and steal the kill at thest moment. Desperation overtook him as he opened his menu, trying to log out before it was toote. [You cannot log off in battle, please go to safety and wait 30 seconds!] "Fuck!" Daniel cursed, his heart racing. Before he could react, a stray [Rock Throw] hurled from Alex''s staff and hit him directly. The impact was instant, his health bar depleting in a sh as his vision turned dark. [You have died.] Daniel''s body hit the ground, joining the rest of his fallen guild members, then he woke up in his room again. ¡­ As the mes died down, Alice stepped forward from her position, a bow in hand. She had been quietly picking off the few guild members who had tried to flee, her arrows finding their mark with deadly precision. One after another, those who had managed to escape the firestorm fell, each arrow bringing death with it. Alex raised an eyebrow as he watched her work, actually impressed, "Nice one, I think you deserve a reward!" Alice''s face blushed, "Huh¡­ maybeter hehe¡­" Together, they had wiped out the guild''s forces and imed the prize for themselves. As the dust settled, the once-deadly mist that blocked the path beyond the forest began to dissipate. A new path, clear and inviting, opened up in its ce: the full map of the world was now avable for them to explore! [The novice vige 666 assessment has beenpleted!] [The path to ''Dawn City'', the first city, is now avable!] [Go to the ''Profession Altar'' if you are level 10 to progress in your profession!!] The system announcements were clear. The path to Dawn City was open, and with it, the opportunity for Alex to advance in his ss. But first, he ced his palm on the [Forest Python] and used "Extraction". [Ding! You have extracted "Fang of the Python''!] [Fang of the Python (Epic): A powerful fang that can be used to enhance equipment. Highly durable and sharp.] A grin spread across Alex''s face as he pocketed the item in his [Advanced Backpack]. It woulde in handyter, and there was no telling just how much stronger it could make his gear. His eyes thennded on his skill list. [Fireball has leveled up to 9¡­ 10!] [Rock Throw has leveled up to 6¡­ 7!] [Fire Storm has leveled up to 3¡­ 4¡­ 5!] [Fireball Level 10; Deal 500 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 10 mana; 3-second cooldown.] [Rock Throw Level 7; create a small ball of rock that you can throw at enemy dealing 1000, chance of stunning; consumes 20 mana; 3-second cooldown] [Fire Storm level 5; deal 60% of your spirit to enemies in arge area; consumes 100 mana; 30-second cooldown] Ding! [Fireball has reached level 10; it can be upgraded to ''Grand Fireball'' using 10 skill points!] ¡­ Meanwhile, in the real world, Daniel had hosted a virtual meeting with his strongest guild members. "He killed all of us," Daniel growled, mming his fist on the table. "That bastard FateBreaker swooped in, stole the kill, and wiped us out!" The guild''s co-leader, a man named Vex, leaned forward, "He''s strong, but he''s only one yer. We still control the majority of the zone. We''ll track him down." Daniel''s eyes narrowed, his anger palpable, "I don''t care what it takes. I want him dead. Put a bounty on his head, whatever it costs." Vex nodded. "How much are we offering?" "100000 dors to whoever kills him," Daniel said through gritted teeth as this sort of money was nothing to him, "Spread the word. I want every yer in the game gunning for him." Vex smirked, "Consider it done." Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Orb of Dual Class, Assassin Profession Back in the forest, Alex and Alice walked toward the now opened path. The mist had fully cleared, revealing the road that would lead them to Dawn City. In the distance, the shimmering gates of the first city gleamed in the sunlight, and Alex noticed thousands of other pathsing from different directions to the city, probably from other novice viges. "First, the profession altar," he informed Alice as he pointed at a stone structure right before the entrance of the massive lv1 city. As Alex and Alice approached the profession altar, the atmosphere around them buzzed with energy. The altar was an imposing stone structure adorned with six portals, each marked with an emblem representing one of the six main professions: Warrior, Assassin, Summoner, Mage, Archer, and Priest. These portals shimmered faintly, awaiting the first batch of yers to begin their trials and enhance their professions by advancing. Alice, standing beside him, nced toward the portal with the archer symbol. She gave him a small smile, her excitement barely contained, "I think I''ll go, we''ll meet in the cityter," "Yeah," Alex nodded, "Good luck." Taking a deep breath, Alice stepped toward the archer portal. The moment she approached, the portal red to life. [Level 10 Archer detected,unching first advancement trial!] Without hesitation, Alice stepped through the portal, and in an instant, the vortex of swirling energy engulfed her. She vanished into her trial, leaving Alex standing before the mage portal, alone but focused. "My turn," he mumbled, his fingers running over the smooth surface of the [Orb of Dual ss] tucked in his pocket. He had been waiting for this moment. Pulling the orb from his pocket, he didn''t waste a single second as he took a deep breath and activated it. [Ding! You have activated the Orb of Dual ss, granting you ess to the second ss selection!] [Current ss: Mage] [Choose another profession among the avable ones: Warrior, Assassin, Archer, Summoner, Priest.] The options shed before his eyes, and Alex immediately began sifting through his choices. Warrior? No, he had already lived that life in his past. Heavy armor and brute strength didn''t suit his new approach. He dismissed it immediately. Archer and Priest? Both were long-ranged or supportive, and as a Mage, he already excelled at range and magic. There was no need to double down on that. That left him with two distinct choices: Assassin or Summoner. The Summoner ss was intriguing, especially considering the possibilities of taming powerful beasts. Alex knew that with his current strength, subduing certain rare creatures wouldn''t be an impossible task. The memories of legendary beasts came to mind: monsters so powerful that owning one would grant unparalleled strength. Summoners were known for their flexibility, allowing them tomand powerful pets while also offering support in battles. Though this didn''t mean other sses couldn''t have powerful pets, not at all, actually, in his previous life, the person that had the strongestpanion of all wasn''t even a summoner yer! But even then. "No, I need something to defend myself." He had noticed it, but don''t most of his fights end up in him being forced to block with his staff or at least swinging it? His current strength attribute was high; and he should make use of it. The decision was made. [Ding! You have chosen the Assassin profession!] [You have been given the basic skill: Strike!] [Strike Level 1: Deals 100 points of damage to a target + 100% of your Strength. No cooldown.] As you might expect, physical attacks don''t consume mana, instead they would consume stamina, but using too much of it in little time could cause [Exhaustion]. With his decision finalized, Alex finally turned to the mage portal. It called to him, a swirling vortex of blue energy with the emblem of a magic staff hanging above it. His primary trial as a Mage awaited him. He took a step forward. [Level 10 Mage detected,unching trial!] The portal surged with light, and as he stepped through, Alex felt the familiar pull of teleportation as the world around him blurred and warped. The sensation passed quickly, and when the light cleared, he found himself in a small, stone-walled chamber. [SSS-Level Talent detected, increasing trial difficulty ordingly!] The message blinked before him, catching Alex off guard. ''Oh?'' he didn''t know about that, which made sense since he only had a C-Level talent before. But before he could even think about it, a voice echoed through the chamber, exining the rules of the trial. [Wee, FateBreaker, you have a SSS-Level talent, thus setting the trial to its highest difficulty!] [This trial is divided into three parts: damage rating, fighting and finally, spell casting.] [The further you go in the trial, the better the rewards, your rewards will be based on how far you go and your rating at the end, which can range from F to SSS.] All of this seemed normal to him, except for the fact that it was set on the highest difficulty, and the fact he didn''t know the contents of the trial as he had passed the warrior one in his past life. [Good luck, FateBreaker.] Alex felt dizzy, and the room around him changed. In the blink of an eye, it transformed, now in front of him was a dummy. [First Trial: Damage Rating] [Try to do as much damage as the dummy as possible, your rank will be based on how much damage you do to it.] [You can use three spells.] The message disappeared, and Alex took a deep breath as he stepped forward, his eyes locked onto the dummy before him. The dummy had around 3000 HP, yes, it wasn''t much, but that was because at Alex''s current level, nobody would do more than 1000 damage in three spells, and even doing that would already be considered S-Rank. But Alex needed to do more than that, and so he opened up his skill panel, specifically the ''fireball''. [Fireball has reached level 10; it can be upgraded to ''Grand Fireball'' using 10 skill points!] He used up 10 of his skill points to upgrade it. Ding! [You have used 10 skill points to upgrade ''Fireball'' to ''Grand Fireball''!] [Grand Fireball Level 1; Deal 1000 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 100 mana; 2-second cooldown.] Not only did the damage double, but the cooldown was reduced by a second too, in exchange the cost of casting this spell had been multiplied by ten, but it didn''t bother him. And so with this, this trial wasn''t even a challenge anymore. Fireball! Red Crystal! Rock Throw! Boom! Boom! Boom! -2257! -500! -1000! The dummy was absolutely destroyed by Alex''s powerful spells, crumbling to dust upon impact as its HP reached 0 instantly. This was something that shouldn''t happen. [¡­] even the trial itself seemed to be shocked. But it quickly recovered. [You have somehow managed to destroy the dummy, an incredible feat for your current level, granting you an SSS-Rating and one prestige point!] These prestige points woulde in handyter, by the way. ''Thanks,'' Alex mumbled, not even breaking a sweat as for him, he had just cast basic spells, consuming 135 mana out of his 2570 avable ones. He was bing too strong. Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Profession Trial, SSS-Rating The stone chamber remained still for only a moment after thepletion of Alex''s first trial, but soon the familiar shimmer of magic began to ripple through the room once more. The damage trial was over, but the real test was just beginning. Alex knew that, despite the ease with which he had destroyed the first dummy, his SSS-level talent was now pushing the trial into the most extreme of difficulties. [Second Trial: Combat] A new message appeared before him. [You will face 10 Level 15 magic dummies. Defeat them to proceed.] Almost instantly, the room shifted again. The chamber expanded, and before Alex could even fully process the new surroundings, ten glowing figures appeared in a wide semicircle around him. Each one of them radiated power far beyond what any ordinary level 10 yer could handle. The dummies looked humanoid, but they were made of gleaming stone, their cores glowing with arcane energy. Their magical prowess would undoubtedly put Alex''s skills to the test. As soon as they fully materialized, the first dummy acted. "Fireball!" Then another did too. "Lightning Strike!" A searing st of fire shot toward Alex, followed by a crackling arc of lightning from another. He barely had time to raise his staff and conjure a the [Earsh Shield] to absorb the damage. Boom! Zap! -420! -248! The shield broke from the two attacks. These things weren''t wasting any time, but Alex wasn''t nervous at all for some reason. He retaliated with [Fire Storm], a swirling vortex of crimson, fiery energy burst into existence above the dummies, crackling with malicious power. The room erupted in chaos as the spell engulfed the dummies, leaving no room for escape. The effects were immediate. -760 HP! -760 HP! -760 HP! The numbers shed across Alex''s vision as the dummies took severe damage, nearly obliterating them in one massive blow since they only had 1000 HP. The damage was immense, but not enough to finish them off. As the mes of [Fire Storm] dissipated, the dummies quickly recovered, their cores ring with renewed energy as they prepared another synchronized assault. Ten spells flew toward him, the dummies now casting in unison: fireballs, lightning bolts, frost spears¡ªalling from different directions. He could tell they were adapting, bing more coordinated in their attacks, trying to corner him. There was no time to cast another spell either since too busy avoiding: he needed a different strategy. "Time to switch things up." Alex knew that pure magic wouldn''t get him through this alone. And so with a burst of speed, he darted to the side, narrowly avoiding a flurry of ice shards that mmed into the ground where he had been standing just moments ago. His Assassin agility kicked in, allowing him to move faster than the dummies could track. As he closed the gap between himself and the first dummy, Alex reached into his inventory and drew the [Bear Poison Dagger]. The de glistened with a toxic sheen, ready to tear into his enemies. In a seamless motion, he thrust the dagger into the nearest dummy, the de sinking into the glowing stone. Strike! Fwish! [Strike Level 1; Deals 100 of damage to target + 100% of strength to target, no cooldown.] -242! He just quite literally did just enough damage to kill it. One down. Without missing a beat, Alex spun on his heel, his right hand still raised and ready. As he continued to stab with his left hand, using [Strike] repeatedly, his right hand unleashed a [Grand Fireball] toward another group of dummies. -2267! The group of dummies, whom were pretty close to one another, died, not only from the impact, but also from the explosion of the fireball, killing four of them at once. One by one, the dummies fell. The room became a whirlwind of spells and strikes, Alex dispatching each enemy with a deadlybination of magic and physical attacks. His strategy of mixing spells with close-rangebat proved to be extremely powerful, and soon enough, only one dummy remained. "???" it seemed confused as to how it had lost all its friends. Yet even then, still glowing with residual arcane energy, thest dummy attempted to cast another spell, but Alex didn''t give it the chance. With a final burst of speed, he lunged forward, plunging his dagger deep into its core. -242! The dummy crumbled to dust like the others before it, leaving the chamber silent once more. [Choose something to extract x2!] "Oh!" and it seemed as though he could actually extract something from these puppets! [14 spirit attribute points] [''Lightning Strike'' Skill (novice-spell)] [Dummy Staff (Umon)] Without hesitation, he selected the skill first, then the attribute points since the [Dummy Staff] wouldn''t do anything to him. [You have gained the ''Lightning Strike'' skill!] [Lightning Strike Level 1; Deal 100 points of damage + 100% of spirit to target + 10% chance to cause stun to target; consumes 20 mana, 3-second cooldown.] Alex stared at the panel with a nk expression, it was always good to add spells to your arsenal, after all. [Trialplete! You have sessfully defeated all 10 dummies without taking a single point of damage! You are awarded an SSS-Rating for yourbat prowess!] Fwish! Ding! Then he immediately moved on to the third and final trial. The room shifted once more, and Alex found himself standing in front of a massive stone obelisk, glowing with arcane symbols. [Final Trial: Spell casting Mastery] The voice returned, echoing through the chamber. [In this trial, you must prove your mastery over spell casting. Three magical constructs will appear, each with a specific elemental affinity: fire, earth, and lightning. You must destroy them using the appropriate elemental symbols on them!] And then three glowing orbs materialized before him, each one representing a different element. Alex had faced simr trials in the past as a warrior, but this one was different. Basically, this was more like a target practice and intelligence than anything else. The first orb, glowing a deep crimson, represented fire. Alex had no time to waste as he summoned his [Grand Fireball] and hurled it toward the fire orb. The fireball collided with the orb with perfect precision, and it got destroyed immediately. Next came the earthen orb, its surface craggy and covered in moss, and Alex did the same with [Rock Throw]. The final orb, crackling with electricity, hovered menacingly before him. Alex quickly summoned the newly acquired [Lightning Strike], which he had never used, and the bolt of energy arced from his staff and struck the orb, causing it to flicker and copse into nothingness. But this trial wasn''t over. [Ultimate Trial Initiated¡­] The human before it had just achieved an SSS-rating in all three trials, this shouldn''t be possible! And so it initiated something even Alex didn''t know of: the ultimate trial. More orbs began to appear, each one cycling through different elements faster than before. Alex had to think quickly, switching between spells with precision and speed. His mind raced as he matched each orb to its elemental attribute, casting spells in rapid session. Grand Fireball! Rock Throw! Lightning Strike! Each orb shattered almost as fast as it appeared, and eventually, the trial had to concede: the human was too good, not missing his mark at all! And so finally, after what felt like an eternity, thest orb shattered, and the room fell silent. [Final Trialplete! SSS-Rating achieved for spell casting mastery!] Alex blinked, not even exhausted or even tired from all of this, his mana pool surviving well. [Congrattions, FateBreaker. You havepleted the Mage trial with an SSS-Rating in all categories. Your rewards will now be calcted...] The light intensified, and Alex felt himself being pulled toward it. His heart raced in anticipation of what rewards awaited him for his unparalleled performance. Ding! [Profession has advanced from ''Mage'' to hidden profession ''Unparalleled Mage'' (SSS-Level)] [You have officially be a "First Tier" or "One Star" yer!] [You have received 20x skill points, +50 spirit attributes, as well as a ''Mage Tower Token''!] 20 skill points was great news, as it meant that he should soon enough be able to upgrade another one of his skills. But what the hell was a [Mage Tower Token]? [Mage Tower Token (Artifact): Allows you to ess the mage tower and meet the transcendent mage, Arceus, he may take you in based on your performance, though note he has never ever taken any students in before.] "???" Alex had never heard of something like that in his past life, even among his mage friends. Who the hell was Arceus? In the end, it didn''t matter much. [The Mage Tower Token is not a physical object, it is directly stored in your system, it will be used when the time is right!] "Oh well," he didn''t know about it, but he lost nothing by going to checkter, if he found it, that is. Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Reaching Second-Tier, Dawn City As Alex stepped out of the shimmering portal that led him back to the advancement trial, he immediately heard a familiar voice. "Alex!" Alice''s voice was unmistakable. She rushed toward him, her face glowing with excitement and relief. "Hey, how did it go?" Alex asked, already knowing the answer from the confident way she carried herself. "Not too bad!" Alice replied with a grin. "I got an S rank overall, but I''m happy with it." Alex smirked, "You did great, Alice. An S rank is still impressive, especially this early in the game." He didn''t know if she got the same score in his past life, but it didn''t matter, for in exactly 12 days she was supposed to die. As he spoke, a series of notifications suddenly appeared in front of his vision, almost blinding him with their rapid session. [Congrattions! You havepleted the Mage Trial with an SSS-Rating.] [Your level limit has been unlocked!] [Level:] 10 (55081/1000) Suddenly, the limit he had been put on was removed, and so he received the entirety of the EXP he got from killing Aris and the silver-skin chief! Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have leveled up to level 11, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] [You have leveled up to level 12, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] . . [You have leveled up to level 20, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] The amount of experience you needed after the advancement trial obviously increased, now bing a 1000 increase per level. And also. [Strength Evaluation:] 1 star/First Tier His strength evaluation increased, meaning that he became a 1-star yer or first-tier, it''s the same thing. As in the name, these stars could be used to evaluate a yer, though there was no ranking rted to them as it would be too general. He ced all his attributes points in spirit, then closed the panels. "Well, let''s go," he pointed at the city before them, many yers having already entered it while they were inside their trials. Dawn City, the first major hub for yers fresh out of the novice areas, stretched out before them in all its glory. The city was bustling with activity, yers exploring and trying to find secrets, and NPCs there to help But it wasn''t the city itself that caught Alice''s eye¡ªit was the enormous, foreboding structure at its center, that raised so high that you could see it from even outside of it. "Wow¡­" Alice whispered, her eyes wide as she stared at the giant building, "Do you see that thing?" Alex followed her gaze to the towering edifice in the middle of the city. He quickly noticed that it was the Church of the Dawn. It dominated the skyline, its spires reaching impossibly high into the sky. The building radiated an eerie, almost ominous aura, far different from the usual warmth and light associated with temples. It sat on an elevated tform, making sure that everyone who entered Dawn City could see it. "Yeah, I do," Alex replied, his voice cold and detached. The memories from his past life were already flooding back. The Church of the Dawn seemed harmless at first, just another religious institution offering blessings and protection to yers. But Alex knew better. This ce wasn''t just a church, it was hiding something far more sinister. Alex recalled a conversation with one of his close friends from his previous life: "I swear, it was crazy, those fanatics were sting their holy magic everywhere, and right before they killed me, I caught a glimpse of something. An ancient-looking door, surrounded by five chains, it looked like some kind of seal, they were defending it like their lives depended on it." That memory stuck with Alex. It was one of the many things he hadn''t explored before his death. He had always been focused on his personal strength, but now, armed with his knowledge of the future, he knew that whatever the Church of the Dawn was hiding, it was tied to something far greater than anyone realized. Something so powerful that this door wasn''t opened even 10 years in the future. A door sealed by five circles, likely connected to an endgame event or a powerful artifact. But essing it wouldn''t be easy. The priests in the church were at least level 30 to 50, and even in his past life, yers around level 60 barely stood a chance because of the sheer number. And let us not talk about their leader, Aldrich, whose level was unknown. All that Alex knew was that this church and its members would be part of the army of the gods, though from a different god than the silver-skins. Most people, even humans, once the gods began to descend, abandoned everything to follow orders and not die. The people that stuck with Alex were who he considered the true heroes of humanity, and soon enough he would be able to meet with some of them. To enter the basement of the church and see the ancient door no one knew about, his options were limited. He could either raise his reputation with the church to gain their trust and ess their secrets through legitimate means, or he could break in and try to force his way through. Thetter option, however, was certain death at his current level. For now, Alex pushed those thoughts aside. He had plenty of time to deal with the churchter. First, he needed to get stronger. "So, where do we go now?" Alice asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. Alex scanned the city streets, noting the increasing number of yers flooding into Dawn City. He had already removed his mask, knowing that blending in with the growing poption would make it easy to avoid attention. But right as he was about to answer her question, already knowing what to do next, a notification sound chimed in his ear, catching his attention. [You can now use your ''Potential Extraction'' perk again, as it has been 24 hours in-game!] "Oh..." Alex smiled as soon as he saw that. Because he already knew which item he would upgrade. Maybe his dagger, because he became an assassin? NOPE! Try to upgrade his staff again in hopes it would work? Not at all! Then what, you might ask. Well, the [Novice Vige Map], what else! If [Potential Extraction] worked like it is supposed to work: extracting the full potential of an item to transform it into its best version. Then the [Novice Vige Map] would turn into one of the rarest items in this game: the [World Map]. In his past life, only two copies were reported, this was how rare it was, and people went at war to get it from another faction. And there was no chance in hell it would be avable here, only discovered by the [Phantom] guild after an entire year since the game dropped. But if his skill truly worked how he thought it did, then maybe... "Potential Extraction," he mumbled while thinking of the [Novice Vige Map] since it wasn''t a physical object. Oh, and by the way, the only way to get the map from another yer is to kill him, that is how it is transferred! The air around the panel with the map began to shimmer, and a deep, golden light enveloped it. Alex watched in awe as the map began to transform before his eyes. The simple panel that only showed the vige grewrger, and intricate details started to appear, expanding far beyond the boundaries of the novice vige. The light intensified for a moment before it faded, leaving behind a new notification. [You have sessfully enhanced "Novice Vige Map."] [New Artifact: "World Map."] Alex opened the new World Map instantly, and as expected, it was a massive, detailed map of the entire game world. Every major city, region, and hidden location was marked, though most of it was still unexplored., only disying a small "???" text. A percentage in the corner indicated how much of the map he had uncovered. [0.3%pleted.] But that wasn''t the most exciting part. The World Map had a unique ability. Legendary items, events, and rare locations would automatically appear on the map as they were discovered by other yers or triggered by in-game events. It was like having a guide to every major secret in the game¡ªsomething that was priceless for any yer. [Legendary items and events will appear on the map as they happen!] This was it. This was the kind of advantage that could propel him far ahead of everyone else. "Alex?" Alice''s voice broke his concentration. She was staring at him, clearly confused by his intense focus on something only he could see. "Yeah," Alex said with a smile, his mind already racing with possibilities, "I know exactly where we''re going next." Alice''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? Where?" Alex grinned. His first objective after leaving the novice vige was now crystal clear. He would seek out the Awakener''s Set, the best equipment set avable to new yers. With the World Map in hand and his level skyrocketed, he knew exactly where to find it. "Follow me," he said, heading deeper inside the city. Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Tolkien, The Legendary Blacksmith For now, he had several tasks: get into the church to see what the hell that ancient door was, or if it even existed in the first ce, get the [Awakener''s Set], which was the strongest piece of equipment a new yer could have. Getting the set granted you three prestige points too! And finally, maybe try to find that [Mage Tower] he got the token of from the trial. He tried to look for it in the [World Map], but no such location was disclosed, probably since everything was grayed out though. "So that''s the city!" "Hi, can I join your church?" "Watch out, they''re level 50!!" People around him were just discovering their surroundings, trying to adjust to whatevery ahead, but the church members, much like the silver-skins, just ignored them, and also taught a lesson to whoever tried being funny. Most of the yer''s characters were now in the [Famished State], meaning that they would need to eat if they didn''t want to lose their hp and strength. Eating in real life does NOT equate to eating in the game by the way, so make sure to be ready to eat four times a day if you''re really into ''Universal Descent''. "Let''s go find a restaurant, shall we," the boar meat he had wasn"t cooked, so no point in trying. "Yes!" and Alice nodded, smiling. They went to a random restaurant, greeted by a normal-looking NPC, and ordered their food, eating and paying before they left, their stomach now full. "You asked me to follow you, what''s inside the city that''s so important?" "Don''t worry, we''re close." Beside the church of the dawn and its secrets, there wasn''t much in the first city as it was the first hub where yers could actually meet and talk, it wasn''t safe because of the [Events], but at least much more than the others. There wasn''t much¡­ except for the [cksmith]. He was someone that Alex wanted to meet early at all costs. Alice followed Alex as they walked for thirty minutes, arriving in some sort middle-ss street, not too luxurious but not poor either. Alex kept looking around, eventually stopping as his eyes fell on the [Legendary cksmith] sign above a shop. "Bingo," he grinned as he headed toward it. "New customers," Tolkien, the huge cksmith with his orange beard spoke as he struck the de he was repairing a few times. "Not really, I just wish to talk," Alex smiled as he entered. "..." Tolkien raised his eyebrows in response. [Tolkien, The First City cksmith] [Reputation: 0/100] Other than with races, you can have a reputation with individual NPCs, meaning that you can actually form rtionships. "I don''t know what you want, kid, but this is a cksmithing shop-" he was about to argue, but Alex immediately pulled out his [Bear Poison Dagger]. And immediately, Alex heard a notification sound. Ding! [+25 reputation with Tolkien.] "Great heavens, this is but a fine de, did you make it yourself?" Tolkien asked, inspecting the dagger with his eyes from afar. "Of course, everything was done by me except for the materials, which I hunted myself." [+10 reputation] "A hunter AND a cksmith, boy we don''t see those often nowadays." It didn''t take long for Alex to raise his reputation to 50 with the cksmith, and the moment he did, he finally asked the question. "Do you know about some weird armor that''s around these parts?" Alex didn''t know if this would seed, but it would be much more difficult if it didn''t. "Hm..." Tolkien thought for a bit, "Oh, maybe you''re talking about the awakener''s set, am I right?" "YES!" Alex almost wanted to jump, but he remained calm on the outside. "Well, I know that it''s inside of the ''Undead Temple'', pretty close from here, you just need to get lucky with the boss drops, but let me tell you something first, boy," Tolkien smiled. ''Here we go,'' this was the start of the S-Level quest. After all, Alex already had a rough idea of where it was, and with his extraction talent, getting it wouldn''t be difficult. But there was one problem with that equipment. "That armor''s been lost for long, and I even heard that it''s been cursed, so if you do find it, bring it back to me and I''ll make sure to fix it back up, touching such a legendary item would be an honor!" Ding! [You have triggered S-Level Secret Quest: "The Awakener''s Set"; defeat the boss and find the set, then bring it back to Tolkien so that he can fix them and his reputation with you will grow to the max.] [Failure Penalty: Tolkien Reputation reset to 0.] This was the reason Alex spoke to him, not because he wanted to fix the [Awakener''s Set], but because of the [Reputation]. Tolkien was no normal cksmith, he was actually one of the most powerful ones in this entire game, being able to forge mythical weapons if given the right materials, and even remove/insert curses into items! He was one of the NPCs with an SS-Level Talent: [Exorcist cksmith]. Building a rtionship with him would be essential forter, and apart from this quest and some rare encounters, there was literally no way to raise your reputation with him to 100. The more the game went on, the more cautious he would be, and so Alex wanted to earn his trust quickly. "Thank you," Alex nodded, quickly leaving the shop. "Make sure toe back boy, and also show me some of your next work if you do anything!" "I will," Alex nodded as he left the shop. But as soon as he left, he heard something. Ding! [Your ''World Map'' has been updated!] ''Oh?'' He opened it up, and strangely enough, one of the ''???'' texts disying a location close to the first city was reced by [Undead Temple], and a red pinpoint was ced on it, showing the text "S-Level Quest Location". Yes, the world map could actually also disy the locations of quests, making it even better than he expected. "Did you find what you needed?" Alice asked Alex, the cute fox ears she was still wearing twitching. "Yeah, we''re almost done, just need to find the items now, plus it''s in the ce where you should usually go as a new yer, making it even better," he smiled, and she excitedly nodded. "Help me level up then!" "No worries, I will." They left Dawn City quickly afterward, heading toward the [Undead Temple], which was a level 20-40 area of the open-world. ... Church of the Dawn, Leader office. "Lord Aldrich," one of the church members kneeled, "The members at the entrance have reported that the ''yers'' have arrived." "Very well," Aldritch spoke, not even looking at his subordinate, instead sipping on his golden ss of wine, "But why do youe all the way here to tell me such... futile news." "Well," The member mumbled, "Our members have detected that one of the yers had the ''Pact of the Silver-Skin Killer'', meaning that they killed one of the silver-skin chiefs!" "Oh?" Aldritch raised his eyebrows, finally turning to face the person before him, "Seems like not all these fools are useless after all," heughed, "He would make a great ally, try to see, but do not get noticed." "Very well, Lord Aldritch," and so the member disappeared in a trail of ck smoke. As you might expect, the church of the dawn members were enemies of the silver-skins, and vice-versa, so that the ''Pact of the Silver-Skin Killer'' he got meant that now, Alex''s reputation among them was already set at 50/100. "Well, well, lets see what there is in store for us," Aldritch sipped into his wine again, "Hey, you," then he pointed at another member, who gulped. "Y-Yes, sir!" "Any news about the ''Door of Destiny''?" he asked, curious. "N-No, sir, people are in the basement, constantly inspecting it as always, but nothing has happened y-yet." "Very well," Aldritch turned back, returning to his own thoughts, "Let us see how this unfolds then." Chapter 28: Chapter 28: The Undead Temple, Dave The Super Human Alex and Alice headed toward the temple, having to leave the city. As said before, this is an open-world game, meaning that if you felt like it, you could walk in a straight line for hours and maybe end up in a level 500+ zone, though you would probably die before from the monsters roaming thend. For Alex though, this wasn''t a problem. "Make sure to check the map," he informed Alice, and she opened up the panel, noticing the now massive map in front of her. "What the hell, how did you even unlock this?!" she was quite shocked. "Just be grateful haha..." When unlocking the [World Map], or any map to be honest, you could activate a setting which allowed all party members to have ess to it, a true overpowered feature! "You see the pinpoint with the word ''Undead Temple'' above?" Alex asked, and Alice nodded, "That''s where we go." "Okay!" Alice beamed. It didn''t take them more than ten minutes to arrive at their locations following the map, meeting some yers along the way who received intel from some of the city NPCs to go there. The ''Undead Temple'' was a level 20-40 area though, meaning that every single one of them would die except if they had an SS or SSS talent to support them. It was the area you were supposed to visit as a new yer, but prepare to die if you''re not ready! The ''Undead Temple'' is a beginner level dungeon which contained 3 levels, along with a secret zone containing the Undead King, a boss Alex couldn''t take right now as it was level 50. The weakest of the monsters were the ''Temple Zombies'' and ''Undead Skeletons'' both in the first floor and level 20-25 at least. But Alex wasn''t scared, he quickly went down the stairs that led to the first floor of the temple, just to see dozens of yers getting in. "THAT THING CAN INFECT YOU, RUN!" "The skeletons are too strong!" "Retreat, members, retreat!!!" The shouts and panic were all too familiar to Alex. He''d seen it countless times before: yers who thought they could brute force their way through everything. But the Undead Temple wasn''t forgiving to yers. None of them were even putting a dent on these things. No one... except for one person. He was a burly man, using his bare hands to smash the zombies'' and skeletons'' heads. "Dave..." Alex mumbled extremely quietly as he recognized the yer. But between smashing the heads of two zombies, the man turned around, looking at Alex. ''Did someone call me?'' Dave thought, narrowing his eyes in Alex''s direction, eventually he shook his head and returned to the gruesome task at hand. His S-Level talent, "Super Human," gave him incredible physical prowess and unmatched sensory abilities, including one of his abilities being [Super Hearing]. Dave was one of thepanions Alex had made in his previous life, and he was a beacon of strength. Though, he had died from the hands of the ''Hatred Demon'', a strange being that would appear and cause havoc if you didn''t stop the ritual of the ''Hatred Sect''. Dave also came from a rich family, and even the armor and ''gauntlets'' he was currently wearing were bought by his family money. ''Lucky bastards,'' Alex though as he sighed, all these people were granted money to buy anything they wanted, and here he was, struggling. Alice noticed Alex staring and tilted her head, "Alex? You okay? You''ve been staring at that guy for a while." Dave''s ears twitched as he heard that with his super hearing: that guy was definitely staring at him. Alex forced a grin. "Oh, I was just looking at the monsters," he said, waving it off, "Let''s go." They pushed forward, and Alex raised his staff. A Grand Fireball formed at the tip, its heat pulsing with raw power before itunched towards a nearby zombie. The explosion of mes engulfed the creature, turning its decayed form into ash in an instant. -2367! [Temple Zombie] [Level: 25] [HP: 2000] The zombies weren''t hard to kill for someone like Alex, but their [Infection] talent made them dangerous. Every hit carried the risk of turning a careless yer into one of the mindless undead, and even though he didn''t want to admit it, this happened to him once in his past life. Still, that didn''t bother him, he was in control, and this area was well within his skill level. Ding! A familiar prompt popped up. [Choose something to extract!] [Rotten Flesh (Below Common)] [+6 Vitality Stat] [Zombie ws (Common)] Not the most exciting rewards, but the vitality boost was always useful. He selected the vitality stat, and the notification faded. [You have in "Temple Zombie," gained 54 experience points!] Next to him, Alice was holding her own, firing arrows into a group of skeletons. Each shot was precise, though her damage output wasn''t as high as Alex''s. -731! Her arrows pierced through bone, shattering the skull of one of the skeletal warriors. Alice was still in the early stages of her progression, ''Earth-Level Archer'' as her advancement profession. But soon, with enough experience, she''d advance to the ''Moon-Level'' and possibly the ''Star-Level'' even? She had never gone past the earth-level title before since, well, she died, but maybe it could be different this time with him around. Together, they fought their way through the first floor, dispatching zombies and skeletons with ruthless efficiency. These monsters wouldn''t be enough to allow Alex to level up since he needed 11000 experience point, but as said before, getting materials and [Extraction Points] was more important, as well as helping Alice to level up because of the experience sharing. Boom! Boom! Boom! Grand Fireball! Red Crystal! Rock Throw! He didn''t use [Fire Storm] because of Dave, but using it would have made everything much easier. Dave on the other hand kept ncing at the yer that was killing monsters faster than he did. A surprise as he thought he was much stronger, able to deal more than 2000 health with his bare hands even though he was only level 13. After about twenty minutes, the floor was littered with undead corpses, and Alex''s vitality had increased by 66 points, while his strength had gone up by 47. However, he had also extracted an [Undead Skeleton Bow (Rare)], which Alex handed to Alice. "This should help you out," he said with a grin. Alice''s eyes lit up as she took the bow, inspecting its stats, "+75 strength points per attack?!" she eximed, practically bouncing with excitement, "This is amazing! Thanks!" She threw her arms around Alex in a quick hug, nting a kiss on his cheek. But just as they were about to descend to the second floor, taking the worn stone steps deeper into the temple, a shadow loomed behind them. "Hey, you," a voice called out, deep andmanding. Alex turned to find Dave standing there, pointing at him with an outstretched finger. "Hm?" Alex raised his eyebrows. "I''ve been watching you kill all those monsters," Dave spoke, ncing around at the carnage Alex and Alice had left in their wake, "I am¡­ impressed!" "???" Alice was confused, how could a man go from serious to friendly so easily. "Continue the good work," Dave was on the verge of turning around to continue his journey. But suddenly, Alex lifted his staff, conjuring a [Grand Fireball] and throwing it toward Dave. Fwish! Boom! Dave rolled to the side, fury in his eyes as he was ready to attack the mage that tried to kill him. But once he looked at his previous position, he realized that two [Temple Zombies] had been behind him, on the verge of hitting him with their ws. Two attacks at the same time from these things pretty much guaranteed an infection! "¡­" He coughed, "Good work!" and then he ran away. The prompt appeared and this time he decided to extract two [Zombie ws]. Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Rushing Through The Floors, Gaining Attributes "Synthesis!" [Zombies ws + Zombies ws = Sharpened Zombie ws!] "Synthesis!" [Undead Skeleton Bow + Sharpened Zombie ws = Sharpened Undead Skeleton Bow (EPIC)] "Here," he upgraded the bow for Alice then gave it back to her, it now granted a +200 strength bonus! "W-Wow, can I really take it?" this was more than money could currently buy her. "Take it, it''s fine," Alex nodded, "Let''s go though, I want to reach the third floor with the boss room." With her level up and advancement, Alice could now do a little under 1000 damage, way more than 99.99% of current yers. And it was only the end of the second day right now! In [Universal Descent], everything went fast at the start, it was but at the end of the first week that everything would stabilize as more people would discover the open-world and explore. But right now, he needed to focus on getting the [Awakener''s Set] first. The only monster that could drop it was the boss of the third floor, and even then there was a less than 1% chance to get it. Meaning that the difficulty of the quest mainly came from both trying to get to the boss, but also to get the set in the first ce! Alex and Alice went through the second floor easily, meeting a few awakeners along the way, but not anything interesting as they yed hundreds of monsters. [+108 strength, +163 vitality, +47 agility, +121 spirit, x4 Ghoul Wings (Umon), x2 Undead Boots (Umon)] He got a MASSIVE amount of attribute points, each [Hell Storm] he unleashed causing massive damage across the floor, and finishing with his spells. By the time he reached the stairs to the third floor, Alex''s level was now level 21, and each of his skills had leveled up thrice except for Grand Fireball who leveled up twice, and [Strike] not leveling up as he didn''t use it. Ding! Ding! [Red Crystal has reached level 10; it can be upgraded to ''Crimson Shard'' using 10 skill points!] [Rock Throw has reached level 10; it can be upgraded to ''Boulder Smash'' using 10 skills points!] He had 41 skill points; and so Alex didn''t stop himself. He used up 20 of his skill points to upgrade both skills. Ding! Ding! [You have used 10 skill points to upgrade ''Red Crystal'' to ''Crimson Shard''!] [You have used 10 skill points to upgrade ''Rock Throw'' to ''Boulder Smash''!] [Crimson Shard Level 1; Deals exactly 1000 damage to target; consumes 75 mana; 4-second cooldown.] [Boulder Smash Level 1; create a small ball of rock that you can throw at enemy dealing 2000 damage, chance of stunning; consumes 200 mana; 10-second cooldown] Other people would struggle to upgrade even one or two of their skills because of the level requirements and how long it took to get the skill points, but Alex managed just fine. The [Undead Ghouls - Level 28] and [Advanced Skeletons - Level 30] weren''t even able to harm him, all falling from his spells, only giving him more and more attribute points as he advanced. When they reached the third and final level of the [Undead Temple], there weren''t any yers around them, no one daring to go, or those that tried instantly dying. The third floor of the [Undead Temple] was dark, oppressive, and filled with the scent of death, it was a vast underground with a massive amount of corridors that twisted and turned, seemingly without end. The enemies here were tougher, deadlier, and more cunning. [Undead Wraiths ¨C Level 30] [HP: 4500] The first of the enemies to appear was a floating, skeletal figure wrapped in ethereal, tattered robes. Its glowing, red eyes locked onto Alex and Alice as it let out a piercing shriek, summoning other creatures from the darkness. Following the wraiths, other terrifying monsters joined the battle [Ghastly Reapers ¨C Level 32] [HP: 4800] These spectral beings moved silently, their ck cloaks blending into the shadows. [Death Knights ¨C Level 35] [HP: 5000] Alex didn''t flinch as the creatures swarmed toward them. He had been preparing for this, every stat boost, every upgraded skill, and every piece of equipment was for moments like these. With a swift motion, he conjured a powerful fireball. Grand Fireball! Alex cast his skill, sending a searing ball of me toward the approaching wraith. -2693! The fireball hit the wraith directly in the chest, causing a massive explosion that lit up the surrounding area. That thing lost half of its life like this, and the beings around it were hit by the explosion too, causing massive damage. "¡­Damn," Alice had been scared after seeing them all, so menacingly advancing, but after just the first spell none of these things were are problem anymore. But that didn''t mean she wouldn''t do anything. Alice, now wielding her upgraded [Sharpened Undead Skeleton Bow (EPIC)], fired arrows rapidly. Each shot found its mark, doing significant damage with every hit. -1050! -980! The +200 strength bonus from the bow had turned her into a damage-dealing machine, and now her attacks were much more than a mere nuisance to these higher-level monsters. "Keep going, we''ve got this," Alex encouraged, his voice calm as he prepared another spell. "Crimson Shard!" A shimmering red crystal appeared in his hand before hurtling toward the nearest Death Knight. The impact was devastating, shattering its chest te and causing the knight to stagger before crumbling to the ground. Dozens of monsters infested the corridors, each trying to kill the humans. But s, they were all targets to Alex, who mercilessly ughtered them all. In the end, all they did was grant him attribute points! [+47 Strength; +56 Vitality] "BEHIND YOU!" Alice called out as another wraith floated behind Alex, lifting its ws, confident it was going to tear the human apart as he was a mage. But of course it wouldn''t work, as Alex turned around fast and struck the wraith with his [Bear Poison Dagger] Strike! -546! He dealt way less damage since his strength was lowpared to his spirit, but who cares. Strike! Strike! Strike! A few more strikes were enough to kill the being. As they fought, Alice leveled up again, reaching level 17 (+4), while Alex himself reached level 22 and was only 2000 experience away of level 23. ¡­ After what felt like an eternity, the duo now stood before a towering door at the end of the hallway. Its massive frame was covered in intricate, ancient runes, the stone appearing weathered and cracked from centuries of neglect. But something was wrong: right beside the door, dozens of undead creatures were pounding on some kind of barrier. "Krakrkk!" "Grrr¡­" "...?" Alex furrowed his brows, watching as the monsters struck the shimmering blue barrier, unable to pass through. He couldn''t see what was beyond it, but there was clearly something, or someone, inside, holding them off. Without hesitation, Alex summoned his magic, determined to clear the path. "Grand Fireball! Crimson Shard! Boulder Smash!" Thebination of spells was deadly, dealing massive area-of-effect damage. The entire room lit up as mes, crystals, and rocks mmed into the undead creatures. Each one fell in rapid session, unable to withstand Alex''s onught. Ding! [Choose something to extract!] The familiar prompt appeared, and Alex swiftly selected the first extraction. [Ghastly Reaper''s Cloak (Rare)] [Description: +45 Agility, +100 magic resistance] The cloak shimmered for a moment before disappearing into his inventory. Alex smiled, this could be sold or given to an assassin for a fair price or a favor. Ding! [Choose something to extract!] A second prompt followed after another kill. [Death Knight''s Cursed de (Rare)] [ss: Warrior] [+60 Strength, +20 Vitality, +50% Damage against Undead] This was a great weapon, but could only be used by warriors, so Alex wasted no time adding it to his [Advancement Backpack] forter use. With thest of the undead dispatched, Alex took a moment to catch his breath and survey the battlefield, making sure every monster was dead. The path to the giant door was now clear. But what caught his attention wasn''t the door itself¡ªit was the figure slumped against the wall inside the barrier. "...?" The blue barrier flickered for a moment before dissolving, revealing an old man, wounded and bleeding profusely. He wore tattered robes, his face pale and lined with pain. As Alex and Alice approached, the man''s eyes fluttered open, and he coughed weakly, blood dripping from his mouth. "I¡­ Those bastards got me," the old man rasped, clutching his side as blood pooled around him. "N-Now I''ll never be able to deliver the goods... to them..." Before Alex could say anything, the old man''s body convulsed, and he slumped forward, lifeless. In his hand, a single item remained¡ªa letter, glowing faintly with an orange hue. Alex approached and grabbed it. Ding! [You have acquired: "Letter of The Hatred Sect"!] Alex stared at the item in his hand, the implications of the letter racing through his mind. This wasn''t part of the original [Undead Temple] dungeon, he had actually never seen it in his past life. Whatever this "Letter of the Hatred Sect" was, it had to be important, connected to something muchrger than just clearing out the dungeon. Alice peered over his shoulder, "What do you think it''s for?" Alex''s eyes narrowed as he examined the letter, "I''m not sure yet¡­ but we''re going to find out." Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Hatred Sect Letter, Death Revenant Alex stared down at the letter from the Hatred Sect, its edges glowing faintly in his hand. The official seal of the sect, an ominous emblem of a blood-red demon w, made it clear this wasn''t just some random note. He recognized the crest instantly from his past life, a sect that shouldn''t have surfaced for at least another year. His face turned cold as he scanned the contents. [Old man, you''ve already received the instructions, right? We need you to kill the boss of the ''Undead Temple'' quickly before the yers arrive. We need one of the items the boss drops to continue the ritual. Failure will result in death. We believe in you. Do not deceive us. If you are about to die, destroy this letter. Sacrifice your life for the Hatred Demon, for he is our lord and will rise above all.] Alex''s grip tightened on the letter, "So that''s why he was here" he muttered, ncing at the now-dead old man slumped on the ground. The old man had clearly been trying toplete the sect''s mission but had failed, likely ambushed after attempting to flee from the boss room. Alex turned the letter over, his eyes narrowing as he read thest part scrawled on the back. [The summoning is 30%plete. If we want to speed it up, we''ll need more sacrifices. The ''yers'' should be enough to make up for that. If needed, we''ll unleash an attack on their novice viges to secure lower-ranking ones.] Of course, if Alex assumed that this letter and old man were also present in his past life, then it wouldn''t change anything as to how the flow of events ured. But even then; Alex had a bad feeling. Could his actions change the future that much to begin with? The opening of the city happened on the second day instead of the third, that is true, but this is only because Daniel''s EGO was hurt, meaning this was a small matter. But could his future actions change the entire course of the game? He didn''t know, maybe he would soon. He attempted to store the letter in his inventory, but before he could, it started glowing dangerously. Reflexively, Alex threw it away just as it exploded into mes. [Letter host has died. Erasing evidence.] [You have served your purpose. What a failure to the great Hatred Lord.] The mes quickly consumed the letter, leaving only ash in its wake. Alice tilted her head in confusion, "What just happened?" "Doesn''t matter" Alex said coldly, his eyes narrowing as he turned back to the massive door, "Let''s go" Without hesitation, Alex pushed the ancient door open. Beyond ity the boss chamber, vast and ominous, illuminated only by flickering blue mes. The air was thick with the stench of rot, and in the center stood the final obstacle, a towering, skeletal figure d in obsidian armor, its eyes burning with malevolent energy. [Boss: Death Revenant ¨C Level 40] [Rank: Epic] [HP: 15,000] The Death Revenant King raised a massive sword with one skeletal hand, pointing it toward Alex and Alice, a hollow growl echoing through the chamber. "¡­" Alex already knew of the boss''s stats, so there was no need to pretend to be shocked. Though you could note that it was from the [Epic] rank, meaning one rank above [Elite]! With no hesitation in his movements, Alex readied his spells. "Stay back" Alex instructed, ncing at Alice. She gave a curt nod and backed away, understanding that the first strike was crucial in a fight like this. The moment the Death Revenant moved, Alex sprang into action, "Grand Fireball!" he roared,unching a massive orb of mes straight at the boss. -2498! The fireball hit its mark, igniting the Revenant King''s decaying armor. But it was far from enough to bring the creature down. The boss retaliated swiftly, raising its sword high before mming it into the ground. BOOM! Shockwaves rippled through the ground, cracking the floor and sending debris flying toward Alex. He dodged, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the attack. "Boulder Smash!" Alex conjured a massive rock and hurled it at the boss. The boulder smashed into the Revenant King''s chest, staggering it for a brief moment. -2000! The Revenant growled and closed the distance, swinging its sword at Alex, the de slicing through the air with deadly precision. Alex barely evaded the strike, his movements swift and fluid. As the sword came down again, Alex cast another spell. "Crimson Shard!" A shimmering red crystal shot forward, piercing through the Revenant King''s arm. -1000! The battle was fierce, with the Revenant King relentlessly attacking while Alex dodged, countering with spells and strikes. Alice, from a distance, shot arrows whenever she could, each one adding a small but critical amount of damage to the boss''s dwindling health. "Strike!" at some point, Alex decided to grab his [Bear Poison Dagger] and dash toward the boss, wanting to attack it in a closebat match. He kept avoiding the very slow swings of its sword, while he himself retaliated with his own strikes! -556! 556! 556! And after a few strikes, a panel he had never seen appeared before him. [''Poison'' caused to boss!] [Deals 20 damage per second for 10 seconds!] It was the weakest poison you could apply, but it was still good enough for him. Finally, after a grueling back-and-forth, Alex saw an opening. "Grand Fireball!" he used the skeleton''s body as a jumping pad to jump up, then he sent the massive fireball toward it, his expression just as neutral. The Revenant raised its sword in defense, but the fireball was too strong. It exploded against the monster''s chest, engulfing it in mes. BOOM! The Death Revenant''s health bar dropped to zero, and with a final, blood-curdling scream, the boss copsed into a pile of bones. [You have in ''Death Revenant'', gained 647 experience points!] [Strike has leveled up to level 2¡­ 3!] [Strike Level 3; Deals 300 of damage to target + 100% of strength to target, no cooldown.] Ding! [Choose something to extract!] Alex focused ahead as the familiar prompt appeared. And so he stared at the options. [Vial of Undead Blood (Legendary)] His heart skipped a beat. The Vial of Undead Blood was undoubtedly what the Hatred Sect had wanted, the key to elerating the summoning of their dreaded demon. Taking it would dy their ns. But the second option was far more interesting to him. [Cursed Awakener''s Set (Legendary)] The 1% chance drop set had appeared (though it became 100% with his talent)! Alex had to make a choice: the vial or awakener''s set. In the end, it took him only thirty seconds to make his choice. Ding! [You have extracted the ''Cursed Awakener''s Set'' from Death Revenant] "Who even cares about the hatred demon," Alex muttered, his eyes gleaming, "If I get strong enough, I''ll smash it to bits with a fireball!" Just like that, Alex acquired what he needed, essentiallypleting his task. [Go back to Tolkien to finish your quest!] The road back up was easier since most of the monsters were dead, and those that weren''t didn''t even dare show themselves in front of him. Following the [World Map], he left the [Undead Temple] and arrived back at [Dawn City]. Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Breaking the Curse, Overwhelming Stats "It''s cursed," Alex replied, "If I put it on I''m dead." Alice blinked in surprise, her eyes widening, she hadn''t expected that, "Cursed? You mean... like... really cursed?" Alex nodded, his gaze steady as he recalled the notifications from the system: [Cursed Awakener''s Set; Includes boots, pants, armor and helmet; but is currently cursed by the ''Undead King''.] [To remove the curse: either kill the ''Undead King'' or find an exorcist strong enough to dispel it, or try to dispel it yourself using your ''spirit'', though failure will strengthen the curse.] "One more reason I need Tolkien''s help," Alex muttered. The legendary cksmith had the strength and power to break this curse. With their path set, the two began the journey back toward Dawn City. As they neared the gates, a group of armored figures in ck and red robes stood waiting¡ªmembers of the Dawn Church. Their insignias gleamed in the morning light, their presence imposing. They formed a semicircle, blocking the main road, as if waiting for someone. One of the guards, a tall man with a square jaw and piercing blue eyes, stepped forward. His gaze fell on Alex, and his eyes widened, looks like he found the person, "You there," he called out, voice stern and authoritative, "You''ve been summoned by the leader of the Dawn Church. He requests an audience with you." Alex''s eyes narrowed. He didn''t trust the Dawn Church. They had their own agenda, and in his past life, they allied themselves with the gods. "I''m not interested," Alex said tly, his hand tightening on the hilt of his dagger, "I''ve got other business to attend to." The guard''s expression darkened, "Refusing a direct request from the Dawn Church is not a good decision, are you sure?" [Reputation: 50/100] Alex''s jaw tightened, but he didn''t hesitate, "Yeah, I''m sure." [-25 reputation with the Dawn Church] "Very well," the guard replied, his toneced with a hint of menace, "But remember this¡ªthere will be consequences for your actions." Alex didn''t even flinch as he walked past the guard, not even looking behind. This made his reputation go down, but who cares anyway, Alex had made his choice already: he didn''t want to associate with the dawn church members, no matter what. "Was that really a good idea?" Alice asked once they were out of earshot, "They seemed... serious." "Doesn''t matter," Alex replied, "I don''t need the church''s help, and I certainly don''t want their attention, I''m getting to that door with or without their blessing." ''That door¡­?'' Alice titled her head, but didn''t ask. As they entered the bustling streets of Dawn City, Alex immediately went to the cksmith shop. Inside, Tolkien was hammering away at a glowing de, hisrge frame hunched over the anvil. "Oh!" his eyes lit up as he saw the boy arrive, "Did you...?" Alex nodded and ced the cursed [Awakener''s Set] on the table between them. The cksmith''s eyes gleamed with admiration as he examined the intricate armor, its dark, ominous energy still pulsing faintly. "MAGNIFICENT!" Tolkienughed, his voice booming through the shop. Without hesitation, he grabbed his hammer and infused it with a powerful holy exorcist aura. The hammer began to glow with a bright golden light, crackling with energy as he raised it high. "Stand back!" he warned. Alex stepped back as Tolkien brought the hammer down with a resounding crash, the force of the blow reverberating through the air. To Alex''s surprise, the moment the hammer struck the armor, the cursed aura vanished, dissipating like smoke in the wind. There was no struggle, no ritual or whatever, just one decisive strike. "Done," Tolkien dered with a satisfied grin, cing his hammer back on the anvil, "What did you expect, boy? They don''t call me the legendary cksmith for nothing!" Alex blinked, momentarily stunned. He had known Tolkien was strong, but to dispel a curse as powerful as that with a single strike? "Thank you," Alex said, genuinely impressed. Tolkien waved a hand dismissively, "Bah, don''t mention it, it was an honor toy my hammer on such fine equipment." Ding! [You have received the ''Awakener''s Set''.] [Your reputation with Tolkien has been maxed. You can now request his help if needed.] [You havepleted the S-Level Secret Quest!] Alex smiled, his heart racing with excitement as he grabbed the ''Awakener''s Set''. This was it¡ªthe armor he had been striving for! [Do you want to equip the ''Awakener''s Set''?] Yes! The armor materialized onto his body, fitting him perfectly. It was sleek, dark, and powerful, each piece gleaming with energy. [Awakener''s Set (Legendary): +1000 Physical Resistance, +1000 Magic Resistance, +750 Strength, +500 Agility.] "W-Wow!" Alice''s eyes sparkled as she rushed forward, touching Alex''s armored arms, "You look so cool!" Alex couldn''t help but smirk, "Thanks." With this armor, he was nearly untouchable by monsters in the early areas. His physical and magical resistance was off the charts, and the added strength and agility made him a deadly force. His dagger felt more powerful in his hand, and with his new speed, he knew he could take down enemies in mere seconds. "Thank you, Tolkien," Alex said, bowing respectfully to the cksmith. Tolkien grinned, already returning to his work, "Go, boy. Use that armor wisely." As Alex and Alice stepped outside the shop, a familiar ding echoed in the air three times. Ding! Ding! Ding! [yer ''FateBreaker'' has acquired the unique ''Awakener''s Set'', he has been granted 3 prestige points!] At this point, yers were getting used to it: every single global announcement had been about ''FateBreaker'', so who cares at this point. But before he could take another step outside, a familiar figure approached him: Richard Stardust, known as RichDad in the game, and Alice''s father. "Oh," Alex said, blinking in surprise, "Hello there, sir." Richard smiled elegantly, his posture as refined as ever, "Don''t be so formal, Alex. We''ve already added each other as friends." "Right," Alex scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "Just a habit." Richard chuckled, turning his attention to Alice, who stood beside him.,"And look who''s with THE Shopkeeper," he teased, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Dad," Alice groaned, pushing his hand away, "I already told you, I''m doing fine! I''m level 17 now!" "Oh really?" Richard raised an eyebrow, ncing at Alex. "You''ve been helping her, I see." Alex shrugged, "She''s been pulling her weight." Richard''s expression shifted slightly, a more serious tone in his voice as he looked at Alex while walking away, "Make sure to protect her, boy. Or else..." The aura around Richard suddenly became oppressive, and Alex nodded, feeling the weight of the man''s words, "I will." With that, Richard smiled once more and disappeared in a sh of blue light. "Your dad''s... intense," Alex muttered. Aliceughed awkwardly, "Yeah, you get used to it." ¡­ Meanwhile, far from Dawn City, in the novice vige, Daniel respawned after his hour-long cooldown (30 minutes in the real world), fury burning in his chest. His guild co-leader, Vex, stood beside him. "No more waiting around," Daniel snarled, "We''re leveling up to 10 and heading to the city. Then we find FateBreaker." "On it, boss," Vex replied, and the two of them dashed toward the forest to grind levels. Daniel wasn''t going to give up. He had already ced a bounty on Alex''s head, and soon, the entire game would be hunting him. ''FateBreaker'' was strong, Daniel couldn''t deny it, but in front of thousands of yers, even a demon could crumble. At least, that is what Daniel told himself, as he didn''t realize that in ''Universal Descent'', there were entities capable of taking on millions of yers by themselves. Alex wasn''t currently one of them, but surely a thousand yer could be taken care of. Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Message Received, Stardust Estate In his second day in ''Universal Descent'', Alex opened up the path to the first city, got his second ss,pleted his advancement trial and now got the [Awakener''s Set] after killing the boss of the [Undead Temple] and extracting it. Alex felt that today had been very productive. "See you tomorrow," he nodded at Alice, who hugged him. "See you, Alex!" [Do you want to quit ''Universal Descent''?] "Yes." A sh of blue light erupted, and then Alex disappeared, waking up in the real world again ¡­ Alex opened his eyes in the real world, the familiar blue glow of the runes in his wrist fading into the dim light of his room. His mind was still racing with everything that had transpired¡ªhis second ss, the [Awakener''s Set], and most importantly, his future ns. Now back in reality, he stretched, the weight of the virtual world still lingering on his shoulders. His muscles felt sore, but stronger, more defined than they had been before. It was as if his real body was already catching up to the enhanced physique of his avatar inside the game. "Hm..." he muttered as he noticed the change; "I''m hungry." Now with enough money to eat well, Alex decided to go out for a quick meal. An hourter, he had eaten well, enough to restore his strength, and so he began to go back to his house. Right as he was about to arrive back home though, he received a message on his phone. [Unknown Sender] [Come to the ''Stardust'' estate tomorrow morning, do not bete.] "...!" Alex stopped in his tracks. This wasn''t some random text¡ªit was an invitation, an invitation to Alice and Richard''s home. "Does Richard want to speak with me? But we just talked in the game..." Alex''s brow furrowed as he stared at the message. The timing was odd, to say the least. Could this be rted to the uing attack on their mansion? He knew it wasing in 6 days (twelve in-game days), but why invite him now? Still, the opportunity couldn''t be ignored, and so he decided it was worth the detour. He was already the strongest yer in Universal Descent anyway, missing a few hours of ytime wouldn''t hurt too much. The next morning, Alex prepared himself, dressing in the best clothes he had, though they were still casual by most standards. A taxi pulled up outside, and Alex climbed in, directing it toward the Stardust estate. After a decently-long drive, Alex finally arrived in front of the ''Stardust Estate''. The sprawling gates of the Stardust estate loomed ahead, intricate designs woven into the iron. To his surprise, the guards opened the gates without even asking who he was, and he was guided into the house by a butler who led him to a grand living room. Two couches sat facing each other, and on one side were Richard and Alice. "!!!" Alice''s eyes lit up when she saw Alex enter, and a massive smile crossed her face. He looked just as handsome as he did in the game, and it sent her heart racing. "Hello, Alex Rogue," Richard greeted with a calm smile. "Hello, sir," Alex responded as he sat down opposite them, ncing between the two, "It''s... strange seeing you in real life. Though, honestly, your appearance isn''t that different at all." Richard waved the remark aside, exhaling deeply, "Let''s cut to the chase, boy, you''re probably wondering why we''ve called you here, after all." Alex nodded, leaning forward slightly, "Yes, this is... unexpected." Richard sighed and began to tap into something in the air. ''Panels?'' Alex thought, after all, they could now be used tomunicate between friends in-game. And suddenly, a notification shed before Alex''s eyes. Ding! [You have received a message from ''RichDad''!] "...?" Alex blinked, and he opened it up to find a single image attached. [An attack on your family home will happen in 2 weeks. Do not try to resist. You and your daughter will die.] A chill ran down Alex''s spine as he read the ominous letter. There was no doubt¡ªit was real. "We''re thinking this might be a prank, maybe from one of ourpetitors-" Richard said, but his voicecked conviction. "It''s not," But Alex replied immediately, his tone calm but his eyes sharp. He nced at Richard, knowing full well the gravity of the situation, "Those bastards are nning something serious. I don''t know all the details, but they''re definitely up to something." The attack in their previous lives hadn''t been a random urrence, Alex realized now. Richard studied Alex carefully, as if weighing the boy''s resolve, "What do you suggest? You''re the strongest person in Universal Descent, at least in my eyes. What do we do?" Alex was silent for a moment, thinking hard. Twelve days wasn''t a lot of time to prepare, and the monsters they would face were immune to conventional weapons like guns and bullets. In his past life, Richard had hired 500 armed guards, and they had all been ughtered: guns were useless against these creatures. There was only one real option, "Sir," Alex began, locking eyes with Richard, "Would you be willing to give us a house, one that''s away from the estate, and allow Alice to live with me?" "..." Richard didn''t say anything at first, his gaze moving from Alex to his daughter. Alice''s face flushed a deep red, her eyes wide with surprise. "If Alice isn''t against it," Richard finally said, voice serious, "then I see no reason why not." Both men nced at Alice at that moment, waiting for her response. "W-Well..." she stammered, clearly trying to process the sudden turn of events. But deep down, she didn''t seem opposed to the idea at all, "I-It''s for protection and I trust Alex, so o-okay." "It is decided then," Richard nodded. After some more discussion, the n was set. Richard agreed to have a vi prepared for them by the next morning, giving Alex a safe base of operations to protect Alice. But as Alex was preparing to leave, Richard stopped him. "You don''t have to go," Richard said, a faint smile ying on his lips, "You can stay here tonight. Besides, you n to log into the game soon anyway, don''t you?" Alex paused in his steps, surprised by the offer. It was true, he had been thinking of upgrading his apartment eventually, but this was much better! "Very well." The butler guided him to avish guest room,plete with a king-sized bed that looked almost too luxurious to touch. Alex sat down on the edge of the bed, still trying to process everything, and Alice entered the room behind him. "Do you think... it''s real?" she asked softly, sitting down beside him. "Yes," Alex replied, nodding firmly, "But don''t worry. I''ll be there to protect you." Alice''s eyes softened, and she moved closer, wrapping her arms around Alex in a sudden hug, "Then let''s get stronger together. We''ll be ready." Ding! [Do you want to enter ''Universal Descent''?] "Yes," they both said in unison, and in an instant, they were pulled back into the game. Twelve in-game days wasn''t much time, but with the right preparation, he could change her fate. Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Back in the Game, Leveling Up Thirty hours had passed since Alex logged out of Universal Descent. The game world, however, never slept. Thousands of yers flooded into the open zones, with more and more novice viges clearing the paths to Dawn City. The [Undead Temple], which had once been Alex''s ground, was now filled with yers attempting to level up and seize opportunities. But none had made the same progress as Alex. His grasp on the game had be something legendary, though most yers had no clue who FateBreaker truly was. In the deep woods surrounding Dawn City, Daniel''s guild, Overlord, had spent most of their time grinding through mobs, leveling faster than many of their rivals. And after Daniel hadpleted his [Advancement Trial], he had quickly caught up to the other top yers. Ding! [You have obtained an ''S-Level Guild Building Scroll'' from your S-Level rating at the trial!] Daniel couldn''t help but grin as he saw the notification. As said before, you could create a guild using 100 gold coins, and though that was expensive, there were a TON of benefits in doing so. But expanding your guild would be difficult. First of all, you only get a very small building in the city when your guild has just been created. The only way to upgrade that into a giant building, big enough to hold all of your members, would be to get the [Guild Building Scroll], which Daniel just got. But that wasn''t all! Once your guild expands and bes more popr and strong, you would even be able to create an entire city! Yes, you heard that right! Later in the game, wars between cities would be a thing as more and more guilds created some. And of course, powerful guild means that more yers want to join it which equals even more power! [Description: Use this scroll to create your very own ''Lv5 Guild Building'', which you and your guild members can teleport to at any time!] "Vex," Daniel called, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "Yes, Leader?" Vex, his ever-loyal servant, stepped forward. Though outwardly calm and reserved, Vex was a powerful force in the game, having earned an SS rating on his advancement trial, a score even higher than Daniel''s own. Daniel smirked, "That FateBreaker guy has probably already entered the city. I want you to focus on tracking him down. With your new ss and skills from the trial, you should be more than a match for him." "Yes, Leader," Vex replied with an even tone, though a glint of something unreadable flickered in his eyes. "We''ll deal with him properly. Once we knock him down to level 1, I''ll have some of our members camp his spawn point and kill him on sight. Keep him stuck in the novice vige. Let''s waste his time until he quits." Vex nodded obediently, he was basically Daniel''s right hand, both in-game and in real life, following him around and listening to anything he said as his family literally owned him. "Good, then let''s get going, I want to level up quicker and get some items at the nearby shops," Danielughed as he headed inside the city. "Understood," Vex replied, then turned to the group of guild members behind him, "Spread out and find FateBreaker, but do not engage. Just observe." "SIR! YES, SIR!" The guild members saluted, ready to hunt for their elusive target. Each of them was being wellpensated, so they didn''t care about the morality of it, they were here to do a job. ¡­ Meanwhile, back in Dawn City, a shimmering blue light enveloped Alex and Alice as they appeared in front of the cksmith shop. Alex took a deep breath, scanning his surroundings. He had logged out just before one of the city''s busiest districts, and now, yers bustled around. ''Alright, around 3 to 4 days left before the rankings and the first event,'' Alex thought, though he was extremely confident he should be able to deal with all of it easily. Plus, he also nned to use the chaos of the event to enter the church and see that ''door'' he had heard of in his past life. Maybe that could lead him to a clue on how to stop the gods or the cataclysmic beings that would soone. But that wasn''t his only focus: many of the most powerful/useful zones and dungeons were still locked behind events or gated by enemies far stronger than most yers could handle. And so that meant, that before anything could happen, Alex would need to get through the [Night Howler] event! It would be difficult. But an event almost meant an opportunity to get stronger, and Alex already knew of one! "So what should we do while waiting now," Alice asked Alex, excited to see what he reserved for them. "Hmm..." Alex thought, "To be honest, might as well go back to the ''Undead Temple'' to level up both ourselves and our skills, we will need it, also to get items to sell..." "Do I get free samples~?" Alice asked while beaming, the fox ears on her head twitching. "Sure, I''ll give you a discount!" "Damn..." ¡­ The Undead Temple was now much more crowded than when Alex had first arrived. Dozens of yers were farming the lower floors, working in groups to tackle the hordes of skeletons and zombies. It seemed like the entire novice yer base was swarming the temple to gain experience, but none had ventured as deep as Alex had before. "Hm... I guess finding another temple or area that doesn''t have people would be a stretch now," Alice said, scanning the waves of yers as they entered the temple, "Seems like every other yer is here." "Not really," Alex replied, a confident grin spreading across his face, "Let''s go deeper, most of these yers can''t even touch the monsters on the third floor, let alone take on the boss. And the best part? The boss has probably respawned by now." The thought of the boss respawning excited Alex. Thest time he fought it, he had extracted the [Awakener''s Set], but if it had respawned, he might be able to extract another rare item from it, maybe the [Vial of Undead Blood]! "Alright, lead the way, oh fearless mage!" Alice beamed, eager to see whaty ahead. The two made their way through the lower floors of the temple, slicing through weaker monsters with ease. As they descended to the third floor, the atmosphere grew colder, and the number of yers thinned out significantly. The stronger enemies down here weren''t something the average yer could handle. Yet, Alex and Alice moved with confidence. Grand Fireball! Crimson Shard! Boulder Smash! Boom! -2698! -1000! -2000! His skills were more than enough to overwhelm most enemies. And by the time they wiped all of the monsters out, Alex had leveled up to level 24 and his skills had gained 2 levels each except for Fire Storm which had gained one. Strike! Strike! Strike! -1724! -1724! -1724! Poisoned! [Strike Level 5; Deals 500 of damage to target + 100% of strength to target, no cooldown.] (500 + current strength which is 474 + 750 from "Awakener''s Set" = 1724) His assassin ss also started doing much more damage, able to wipe out all enemies in three strikes. Finally, they reached the third-floor boss chamber, the heavy doors looming before them, the boss''s aura visible underneath. "Looks like it respawned," Alex said, his voice filled with anticipation. "And we''re the only ones crazy enough to fight it again," Aliceughed. Alex pushed open the door, revealing the familiar sight of the level 40 [Death Revenant] standing in the center of the chamber, its hulking figure cloaked in shadow and decay. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the boss''s red eyes glowed menacingly as it turned its gaze toward them. "Ready?" Alex asked, drawing his dagger and pointing it at the boss. "Always ready, boss," Alice replied, her fox ears twitching with excitement. Chapter 34: Chapter 34: New Boss Plus, Temple Secret Area [Death Revenant - Level 40 - NB+] [HP: 30000] You might have noticed the NB+ next to the level, and also the fact that the boss now had 30000 HP instead of 15000, well, there is a simple reason for that! NB+ stands for New Boss Plus, meaning that someone who beats a boss and attempts to beat it again will be forced to fight a stronger version. You might think this is a disadvantage as that''s a system that pretty much discourages people from fighting the same boss again, but not at all. In exchange for being stronger, the boss has now a higher chance to drop better loot, and gives more experience! Plus, if you die to it once, it immediately resets back to its normal state, even if it''s NB+9. NB+1 wasn''t that difficult, and along with his new [Awakener''s Set], the Death Revenant had absolutely no chance of winning! Lightning Strike! Grand Fireball! Crimson Shard! Boulder Smash! Zap! Boom! Boom! Boom -2258! -2908! -1250! -2400! The boss, which was level 40 and supposed to be able to even take out an entire squad of yers of the same level, had lost almost one fourth of its health at the first spells Alex threw. "Human¡­ die¡­" the revenant approached Alex, closing in the distance between them and swinging his massive hands. But Alex didn''t even bother to avoid, or summon his [Earth Shield]. BAM! "Got¡­ you¡­" "Heh¡­ that awakener''s set is more powerful than I thought!" -12! The boss did 12 points of damage to Alex. [Physical Resistance:] 470 + 1000 (Vitality * 1) This meant his physical resistance was at 1470, enough to survive even a blow from this thing without a single scratch! That armor was extremely powerful, and that is why Alex wanted it, and also why it was cursed, making it difficult for anyone who got it to actually wear it without dying. The battle after that wasn''t even challenging for Alex, as he quickly depleted the Revenant''s life and killed it. Alice tried tond in some arrow shots, but the enhanced boss was too much for her, though she currently was level 20 so it is understandable. [You have in ''Death Revenant'', gained 836 experience points!] "Extraction!" [You have extracted "Vial of Undead Blood" (Legendary)] That was the only other drop that had a chance to appear from killing the boss, so he obviously extracted it, a small vial with crimson red/dark liquid appearing in his hands. ''Ah¡­'' but he had nowhere to ce it since his backpack could only store items up to Epic, one rank below Legendary! Ding! [Potential Extraction is avable!] It had been 30 hours since he left the game, aka 15 hours in real life, meaning that he could use it again! Without hesitation, Alex grabbed the [Advancement Backpack] and used the perk on it. "Potential Extraction!" The air seemed to vibrate as Alex focused his energy on the Advancement Backpack. A warm, golden glow enveloped the item, and Alex could feel its potential being unlocked. Ding! [You have sessfully enhanced "Advanced Backpack!"] [New Legendary Item: Superior Backpack] [Slots Increased to 100, can store items up to Legendary] Alex''s eyes lit up as he saw the notification. He quickly stored the Vial of Undead Blood in the backpack, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. "That was close," Alice said as she read the skill description, "worried we''d have to leave it behind." Alex smirked, "Yeah, this vial could be useful in the future." Alice''s eyes sparkled with curiosity, "What does it do?" Alex looked at Alice with a perplexed look, "Nothing much, we''ll seeter," he lied. No need to inform her of the [Hatred Sect] yet. The Hatred Sect, as in their names, were from the [Abyssal Humans] race, a race of pure evil that corrupts thends wherever they go. And as you might expect¡­ they are under the orders of the [God of the Abyss], a being hidden deep in the seventhyer of the [Abyss], a tier 6-7 secret area. Of course, Alex knew the location, and the [World Map] would surely help, but he wouldn''t go until a long time. The [God of the Abyss] was the weakest of the gods, and they had actually managed to kill him in his past life, though he was the only one that died, all others had overwhelming strength and power. Even killing that God took hundreds of sacrifices, and they had been on the verge of losing to it, too. "Alright," Alex after killing the boss and extracting the item he wanted immediately headed toward one of the corners of the chamber. "Huh?" Alice was confused, "Aren''t we going?" "No, we still have one more thing to do," Alex smiled as he pressed the wall. As Alex pressed the wall, a small section of the stone slid open, revealing a hidden entrance. "What the hell?" Alice''s eyes widened as she peered into thepartment. "What is that?" "Secret!" Alex put his hand inside thepartment, just big enough to fit it, and reached out for a lever at the very end, pulling it down. Rumble! Rumble! [A secret zone has been discovered!] As the rumbling subsided, the stone wall behind the Death Revenant''s chamber began to slide open, revealing a narrow passageway. Alice''s eyes sparkled with excitement, "Wow, how did you know about this?" Alex smiled, "Just a little trick I learned." He led Alice through the passageway, which twisted and turned through the temple''s ancient stonework. The air was thick with dust, and cobwebs clung to the walls, suggesting that this path had been hidden for a very long time. As they walked, the walls began to change, disying intricate carvings of undead creatures and dark magic rituals. The passageway finally opened into a giant chamber and from the entrance you could see a blood altar, in the middle a small disy with a red liquid inside. [Pour your blood into the altar, and the ''Undead King'' may appear.] [Warning, you shouldn''t do that.] [Letting the Undead King out of its slumber will make it go wild.] In Alex''s previous life, many people tried to kill that thing, but even though it was only level 50 currently, it was actually from the third category for bosses: Superior. It was above [Elite] and even [Epic], making it an incredibly powerful foe for the beginning. Actually, the people that had summoned it in Alex''s past life had died from its hands, and so it escaped the temple, causing chaos. It took ten full hours of people fighting to kill it once, and that''s not considering the twist with the [Undead King]. This could potentially happen again if Alex overestimates his capabilities. "Are you gonna¡­ do it?" Alice asked, fearful. "Yep," but Alex smiled, "Don''t worry, I''ll protect you with my life, little fox." "¡­!" Alice blushed as she touched the [Fox Ears] she was still wearing, and then nodded. Alex stepped toward the altar, his dagger in hand. He paused briefly, looking at Alice. "Stay back." With a swift motion, he cut his own finger and ced it in front of the altar. And the moment the first drop touched the crimson liquid. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The once dormant carvings on the walls red to life, glowing an eerie red. And a swirling ck mist gathered in the center of the chamber, forming a towering figure. Skeletal and cloaked in tattered robes, the Undead King emerged, its hollow eyes glowing with a fierce blue light [The Undead King has awakened!] "You dare to awaken me, human?" Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Undead King The air in the chamber felt heavy, oppressive. The Undead King stood before Alex, towering and menacing, its skeletal figure cloaked in dark, tattered robes. Wisps of ck mist swirled around the creature, giving off an eerie, malevolent energy that seemed to sap the warmth from the air. The glowing blue eyes of the Undead King locked onto Alex, as if sizing him up, measuring his strength. The system''s notification blinked in the corner of Alex''s vision. [Undead King - Superior Boss - Level 50] [HP: 100,000] A Superior Boss. But Alex was calm, he had already expected this, and so the fact the Undead King hefted a massive, jagged ck sword didn''t surprise him either. It moved with unnatural speed, raising the weapon high as it prepared to strike. Alex stood his ground. "Stay behind me, Alice," Alex said over his shoulder, his voice was calm, but his eyes never left the Undead King, "You can''t beat it." Alice nodded, clutching her bow tightly, her face pale. She was only level 23 now, and even though she wanted to help, she knew that getting too close to the boss would mean instant death. The Undead King''s sword came crashing down. BAM! Alex raised his hand just in time, casting Earth Shield. The shimmering barrier of rock materialized infront of him, absorbing the blow. The force of the impact sent cracks rippling through the shield, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. -2137! The shield shattered, but it had done its job. "Grand Fireball!" Alex shouted, channeling his mana. A massive orb of fire erupted from his staff hurtling toward the Undead King. The spell exploded on impact, engulfing the boss in mes. -2908! Butpared to its 100,000 health points, this amount of damage was clearly nothing. The Undead King staggered back, blue mes licking at its skeletal frame, but immediately recovered. "Once I beat you, I will plunge this world in darkness¡­" The king spoke before swinging its sword horizontally this time. Alex barely had time to react, ducking under the swing. BAM! Even with the dodge, the force of the swing sent a shockwave that struck Alex, and his health bar dipped dangerously. -400! "Damn it," Alex muttered, feeling the sting of the hit through his armor. The [Awakener''s Set] was absorbing most of the damage as it gave him 1000 additional points of both physical and magical resistance, but the boss''s strikes were brutal. Normally, a hit like that would deal over 2000 damage, enough to kill any other yer at his level in one blow. Even with his enhanced resistance, each hit chipped away at his health. He couldn''t afford to take too many more like that. "Alex, are you okay?!" Alice cried out from behind him, her voice filled with worry. Star Shot! Fwish! -273! "Damn," Alice''s face turned cold. "I''m fine, just stay back!" Alex quickly cast Lightning Strike, and a bolt of lightning shot from his staff, crackling as it mmed into the boss. -2258! The Undead King convulsed slightly from the electrical impact, but it wasn''t enough to stop its assault. It raised its sword once more, this time with an eerie green light flickering along the de. Alex''s eyes widened, he recognized that glow. "Spirit sh!" But Alex just dodged the blow while deflecting it with his own strength. "¡­" This kept going for a good ten minutes, but little by little, Alex was gaining on the king, able to deal so much damage to it that it now only had a little under 10000 HP. The Undead King straightened, its glowing eyes zing with unnatural light. It raised its sword high, chanting something in anguage Alex didn''t understand. The air around them grew thick with dark energy. "FOOLISH HUMAN, I SHALL REIGN OVER THE SURFACE!" the Undead King bellowed, its voice echoing through the chamber. Before Alex could react, the Undead King disappeared in a swirl of ck mist, teleporting upward. "!!!" Alex''s eyes widened in shock. "No way¡­" The realization hit him like a truck: he knew exactly what the Undead King was nning. "THAT FUCKER ESCAPED!" Alex cursed, turning on his heel and rushing toward the entrance of the chamber. He had to stop it before it reached the surface. "W-What''s happening?!" Alice called out, struggling to keep up with him. "The Undead King¡ªit''s going for the city! We have to move!" Alex dashed through the twisting corridors of the temple, his heart pounding in his chest. He shed through the undead minions that crossed his path with ease with his daggers or spells to clear the way. He didn''t even bother checking the e xtraction prompts. For five long minutes, Alex sprinted through the temple, his mind racing. Finally, Alex burst through the temple''s exit and emerged into the open air. But the sight that greeted him was¡­ special. The Undead King stood on a hill just outside the temple, towering over a group of yers who had been unlucky enough to cross its path. With a single swing of its massive sword, it cut through half a dozen yers at once, their health bars evaporating in an instant. The yers immediately vanished in a sh of blue light. "Fucking hell!" they were all mad, after all they were killed out of nowhere! The Undead King showed no mercy, its glowing blue eyes fixed on the distant city of Dawn. It was slowly making its way toward the city, cutting down anyone who stood in its path. Grand Fireball! Without hesitation, Alex activated his spell, sending a massive fireball at the superior boss! -2908! The Undead King turned, its eyes locking onto Alex. It let out a low growl, as if recognizing him as the real threat. "You cannot stop me¡­ foolish human¡­ quit your attempts¡­" ¡­ "Boss!" A member of the [Overlord] guild found Daniel while he was talking to a few shop NPCs to gather items. "Hm?" "A B-Boss has appeared outside the city, reported to be l-level 50!" "¡­?" Daniel''s eyes widened, but he still kept his calm, "Okay, what does that have to do with us?" "W-Well¡­" the man fidgeted, having a hard time speaking, "T-The guy fighting it currently perfectly matches FateBreaker''s spell casting and physique¡­" "SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT SOONER," Daniel finished paying for his new [Dawn Holy Staff] and dashed toward the entrance of the city. Ding! [MartialMage: FateBreaker has been spotted fighting a powerful boss just outside the city, get him while he is distracted and kill the boss at the same time, our guild will be at the top!] [SIR! YES, SIR!] "Perfect¡­" Daniel smiled before opening up another panel. [Private Message to Vex] [MartialMage: Get ready, we will show that fool our full power.] [Vex: Yes, boss.] And so hundreds upon hundreds of [Overlord] guild members dashed toward the entrance of [Dawn City] to try and catch Alex off guard. Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Defeating the Undead King, Soul Contract The battlefield was pure chaos as the boss and Alex faced one another. The Undead King towered over the ins between the city and the temple, its massive, decayed frame cutting an imposing figure against the horizon. Its hollow eyes glowed with an eerie light, and with each step it took, the ground trembled beneath its weight. All around, yers scrambled to avoid its devastating attacks. Daniel and his team from the Overlord Guild had just arrived, but they now hung back, waiting for the perfect opportunity. "Now!" Daniel hissed to Vex, his second-inmand, "Send in the strike team while he is busy, we''ll get him in an ambush and make him regret his previous decisions!" Vex nodded, motioning for a dozen yers from their guild to circle around and ambush Alex. But as the yers charged forward, eager to strike, they found themselves caught in the chaos of the battle. The Undead King moved with terrifying speed for its size, swinging its massive arms in wide arcs that sent waves of debris and destruction across the field. Anyone who got too close was instantly killed by the shockwaves alone. Worse, when the yers did manage to attack the boss, their efforts barely registered. [MartialMage: IDIOTS, DON''T TRY TO ATTACK THE BOSS! YOU''LL ONLY DO 1 DAMAGE!] Even so, a few of the more reckless guild members attempted to take on Alex. But with a swift flick of his wrist, Alex would cast a spell, cutting them down where they stood. Alice, by his side, loosed arrows with deadly precision, picking off anyone who dared approach. [MartialMage: FUCK! JUST BACK AWAY! WAIT UNTIL HE''S EXHAUSTED FROM FIGHTING THE BOSS!] The n was sound in theory. But as the fight wore on, it became clear that Alex wasn''t tiring at all. Around Alex, Alice, and the Undead King, tens of thousands of yers stood watching. A tenth of them were members of the Overlord Guild, ready to strike whenever they could find a weakness. But the Undead King wasn''t giving anyone a chance. "STOP... TRYING... HUMAN!" The Undead King roared, its voice shaking the entire battlefield. Grand Fireball! Boom! -2908! The fireball exploded against the Undead King''s chest, staggering the massive boss. The dark energy surrounding its form flickered for a moment as it dropped its colossal sword to the ground. "T-THIS IS... IMPOSSIBLE..." The Undead King roared, its voice filled with disbelief. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," Alex muttered, clearly unimpressed. He twirled his staff in his left hand and started sprinting toward the boss, dagger in his right. The Undead King, sensing the danger, mmed its hand down where Alex had been just moments before. But Alex was too fast. He leapt onto the boss''s arm, using it as a tform to propel himself up toward its head. Strike! Fwish! sh! -1974! The cut left a deep, jagged mark across the Undead King''s skull, and Alex flipped back,nding smoothly beside Alice. "Y-YOU... FOOLISH... MORTAL-" the Undead King growled, but before it could finish its sentence, the blue light in its eye sockets red. Then, with a deafening explosion, its head shattered into pieces. Ding! [You have in secret boss ''Undead King'', gaining 8742 experience!] [+10 prestige points!] Alex reached level 26 with that! "WOW!" Alice gasped, her eyes wide in amazement. "Haha¡­" Alex chuckled, already moving toward the crumbled remains of the boss''s body. Without wasting a second, he activated his [Extraction] skill. Ding! [You have extracted an artifact: ''Soul Contract''!] [You can use it to contract with any being, whether an NPC, a monster, demon or even god, though the other party needs to ept!] [It is not a physical item until you are ready to contract, so it will be stored in your inventory!] "Oh..." Alex''s eyes lit up as he read the description, a grin spread across his face. "Amazing¡­" "What is?" Alice peeked over his shoulder, trying to see what had gotten him so excited. "You!" Alex suddenly spun around and grabbed Alice, lifting her off the ground yfully. "~~!" Alice let out a small yelp, her face flushing red as she fidgeted in his arms. After their brief, yful moment, Alex set her down gently and his expression grew serious again. He could feel the tension in the air. The battle might have been over, but there were still hundreds of yers watching them, slowly closing in. Alice, noticing the shift in his demeanor, turned to see the wave of yers approaching, "W-What should we do...?" she asked, her voice tinged with fear. "Don''t worry... they can''t even put a dent in me," Alex replied with a calm smile. He ced a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Stay close." His main concern was for Alice''s safety. The moment anyone dared touch her, he would make them regret it. Within seconds, the first wave of attackers rushed forward, but Alex wasted no time. Grand Fireball! Boom! The fireball exploded in the middle of a group of yers, instantly killing dozens of them. Strike! sh! Alex moved through the crowd with ease, his dagger shing as he cut down yer after yer. Each strike was lethal, and the yers fell like flies,pletely outmatched by his overwhelming power. Lightning Strike! Boulder Smash! Crimson Shard! The battlefield erupted with explosions of magic, each spell taking out multiple enemies. The overwhelming power of Alex''s abilities left the attacking yers with no chance. And even when they managed to hit him, their attacks only dealt 1 point of damage, thanks to his Legendary [Awakener''s Set]. The tide of battle soon shifted entirely in Alex''s favor. One by one, the yers were wiped out, leaving a trail of blue shes anywhere he went. "HOW?! LITERALLY HOW?!" Daniel screamed from the backlines, his voice filled with frustration and disbelief. His ns had fallen apart. "THIS CANNOT BE POSSIBLE!" "Leader, we should go," Vex advised, his voice calm despite the chaos, he had seen enough to know that Alex was far beyond their ability to handle. "NO, FUCK THAT SHIT!" Daniel shouted, his eyes wild with desperation. Fireball! In a final, desperate move, Daniel raised his staff andunched a fireball toward Alex. But Alex didn''t even bother to acknowledge it. Grand Fireball! Boom! Alex''s fireball intercepted Daniel''s mid-air, overpowering it with ease. The explosion that followed instantly vaporized Daniel, leaving nothing behind as his body shed. "Told you so," Vex sighed, shaking his head as he turned away. With a resigned look, he began to walk back toward the city, not bothering to wait for the rest of his guild. The battlefield was quiet now, with only the wind and the faint crackle of magic lingering in the air. Alex stood at the center of it all, unscathed and victorious. "Guess that''s done¡­" he muttered, looking around at the carnage he had left behind. Alice stepped up beside him, still in awe of everything that had just happened. "You¡­ You really are incredible¡­" she whispered, her eyes full of admiration. Alex chuckled, scratching the back of his head, "It''s nothing. Just doing what I had to." But inside, he couldn''t shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot moreplicated. With the Undead King defeated and the Overlord Guild humiliated, there was no telling what woulde next. Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Resurrection Process, Passionate Rest After the battle had ended and the battlefieldy silent, Alex took a deep breath, surveying the carnage left behind. Bodies of yers from the Overlord Guild had all disappeared, back to reality, their attempts to ambush him utterly futile. But just as he was about to turn to Alice, ready to leave, a new notification shed in front of him. Ding! [The Undead King has initiated the "Resurrection" process.] His eyes widened slightly, though not out of surprise. He had expected this. Of course, the Undead King wouldn''t stay down for long, secret bosses like that never did. He nced at Alice, who was busy looking through the loot they had gathered from the battle. "We should leave," Alex said, his voice calm. Alice looked up, confused, "Why? Isn''t the boss dead?" "For now," he muttered, his mind already elsewhere. "But it''lle back. There''s a resurrection process for the Undead King, after around one week it''sing back." This would mean that it woulde back exactly one day before the attack on Alice and the Stardust Estate. "Oh... then let''s head out," Alice nodded, trusting his judgment. With that, the two logged out of the game, the virtual world around them dissolving into nothingness. They opened their eyes to the real world, the familiarfort of the stardust estate mansion returning to their senses. The night was calm, and Alex leaned back in his bed, stretching his arms. He knew they had to be up early the next day, and there wasn''t much left to do now in the game besides leveling up and waiting for the rankings to open. And with the looming move to their vi, it was best to get some rest. He slept like a baby that night, the bed extremelyfortable. ... But the next morning, while he got up and headed toward the bedroom, a soft knock on the door interrupted him. A servant entered quietly, bowing respectfully. "Sir, the vi has been fully prepared as you requested." Alex nodded. "Thank you." The servant left as quickly as he arrived, and Alex made his way to the living room, where he found Alice and Richard already waiting for him. "Everything is set," Richard, announced. "Great!" Alice beamed. "I can''t wait to see the new ce." Alex smiled too, but there was an edge to his expression, as if the idea of the move unsettled him just a bit. Still, he kept his thoughts to himself. "Let''s go," Alex said, standing up. It took them around thirty minutes by limousine to get there. The next moment, they arrived, and Alex''s jaw nearly dropped. The vi was breathtaking. It stood tall with two stories of elegant architecture, its white walls gleaming under the afternoon sun. A massive pooly in the backyard, and the entire ce was fully furnished, fromvishly decorated rooms to the kitchen stocked with everything they could ever need. "Wow¡­" Alex muttered, stunned by the luxury. Alice, too, was taken aback. She had been living in a whole mansion before, but this vi was still incredible. They spent the next few hours getting acquainted with the ce, exploring the various rooms and marveling at the luxuries. As the day went on, the weight of the game, the stress from the battles, all seemed to melt away. As the evening set in, they both ended up in their bedroom, the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the curtains. Alice walked over to Alex, her hands brushing against his arm. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with affection. "It''s been a while since we had some time for just us," she said softly, a hint of yfulness in her voice. Alex''s gaze softened, his arm wrapping around her waist as he pulled her close. "You''re right. We deserve a break." Their lips met in a heated kiss, and Alex''s hand immediately reached for Alice''s clit, ying with it mercilessly. "Ahn~ That''s n-not f-fair hiiii~" Alice''s eyes already rolled back. "You''re such a masochist..." Alex smiled. "T-That''s ahn~ not t-true...~" "Well, prove it," Alex lifted her up and brought her to their bedroom before beginning his own assault. Alice tried to resist and use her own techniques, but they all remained useless as she was inexperienced, in the end deciding that the pleasure from letting Alex do whatever he wanted was better. "Hiiii~" her womb was getting mercilessly smashed by Alex''s thick member, and she couldn''t stop climaxing, staining the sheets over and over. "So you admit being a masochist?" Alex smiled while pounding again, feeling that he would climax for the third time soon, though that number was palepared to the dozens of climaxes Alice already had. "Y-yes!" Alice moaned, "I''m yours~" "Good answer," and then he released everything inside of her. This kept going for hours, until the two eventually (more like Alex, since Alice didn''t have a say) decided to stop. The next day passed in a blur of rxation. Alex and Alice spent the morning lounging by the pool, taking in the sun and enjoying the calm before the storm. As evening approached, they decided to head out for a date, visiting a nearby restaurant before wandering the city streets hand in hand. The day was quiet, peaceful, and perfect. But Alex knew it wouldn''tst. When they returned to the vi, the sun had already set, and the night was peaceful once more. They fell into bed together, exhausted from the day but happy. Alex couldn''t remember thest time he felt so at ease with everything that happened in his previous life. Morning came quicker than either of them expected. "Hm¡­" Alice stirred in her sleep, her face buried in the pillow. "Wake up, Alice," Alex said gently, shaking her shoulder, "We need to log into the game." She groaned, pulling the nket over her head, "Already¡­?" Alex smiles "Yep. The rankings unlock today, remember?" That got her attention. Alice sat up, rubbing her eyes and nodding groggily. "O-Okay¡­ I''m up." The two of them immediately got up and activated the bracelets around their wrists. They sat down, and with a sh of light, they were teleported into the game world. [Do you wish to enter the game?] "Yes!" Fwish! Ding! ... They appeared outside of Dawn City, but immediately made their way inside. The city was massive, bustling with activity as millions of yers gathered in anticipation of the ranking opening. The atmosphere was electric, everyone excited for what was toe. Above the city, a massive countdown timer floated in the sky. 4 minutes remaining. Alex looked around, spotting several familiar faces in the crowd. There were yers from all over the world, some who had already made names for themselves, and others who were just starting to rise through the ranks. Everyone was here for the same reason¡ªthe novice vige assessment hade to an end, and now the true test was about to begin. "Looks like we''re just in time," Alex said, ncing at Alice beside him. She nodded, her eyes scanning the crowd, "Yeah¡­ This is going to be huge." The timer continued to tick down, the tension in the air rising with each passing second. This was it. The end of the novice phase. The opening of the rankings. And the beginning of the first major event. Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Rankings, First Event The timer reached zero, and immediately, a notification appeared before every yer in Universal Descent. [All novice viges that have failed to reach the first city have been wiped out!] [The Rankings have been opened!] The moment these notifications shed before his eyes, Alex knew the game had entered a new stage. Beside him, Alice blinked in surprise as the rankings unfurled before them, each ranking disying the top ten yers in various categories. [Level Ranking:] [First, Fallen Devil, Mythic Summoner, Level 27] [Second, FateBreaker, Unparalleled Mage, Level 26] [Third, StarPillow, Earth-Level Archer, Level 22] [Fourth, Tricky, Clown Warrior, Level 21] [Fifth, Miria, Saintess, Level 21] ... [Tenth, Axolly, Knight of the Sun, Level 18] The level ranking only disyed raw levels, which made it impossible to judge the actual strength of each yer. Alex knew that ifbat prowess had been a factor, he would have ranked even higher than the top spot. But, for now, he was content to sit just under the radar at second ce. Then, another screen popped up in front of him. [Equipment Ranking:] [First, FateBreaker, Awakener''s Set, Legendary] [Second, FateBreaker, Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage, Legendary] [Third, FateBreaker, Superior Backpack, Legendary] [Fourth, FateBreaker, Vial of Undead Blood, Legendary] [Fifth, StarPillow, Sharpened Undead Skeleton Bow, Epic] ... [Tenth, Tricky, The Power Gauntlets, Epic] "Of course..." Alex smirked, seeing his name dominate the Equipment Ranking. His legendary items put him far above anyone else, with Alice following closely behind, equipped with the Sharpened Undead Skeleton Bow he''d synthesized. Only items that were physically held counted towards this ranking, so artifacts like the [World Map] and [Soul Contract] didn''t appear, but that was an advantage in keeping some of his power hidden. Alice nced at him, clearly impressed. "You''ve got four of the top slots." "Not bad, huh?" Alex replied, giving her a wink. Next came the Pet/Companion Ranking. [Pet/Companion Ranking:] [First, Fallen Devil, Fire Wyvern, Divine-Level Pet] [Second, Fallen Devil, Earth Tiger, Legendary-Level Pet] [Third, Donut, Light Fairy, Legendary-Level Companion] [Fourth, BeastMode, Shadow Wolf, Legendary-Level Pet] [Fifth, Transcendence, Water Fox, Legendary-Level Pet] ... [Tenth, Miria, Fallen Spirit, Epic-Level Companion] This time, Alex didn''t even ce, but he wasn''t surprised. He had no pet orpanion, and most of the yers in this ranking were Summoners, a ss specializing inmanding powerful creatures. Lastly, a new category popped up. [Prestige Points Ranking:] [First, FateBreaker, 18 Prestige Points] [Second, Fallen Devil, 10 Prestige Points] [Third, StarPillow, 7 Prestige Points] [Fourth, Miria, 5 Prestige Points] [Fifth, BeastMode, 5 Prestige Points] ... [Tenth, Donut, 2 Prestige Points] As the notifications continued rolling out, yers all around the city murmured excitedly. "Wow¡­" "That FateBreaker guy is insane!" "If you hear me, FateBreaker, join our guild! We''ll pay you hefty amounts every month!" "Hah, don''t join them! Join us!" Alex could hear the conversations buzzing around him, but before he could reply, a blinding light illuminated the entire nighttime sky, and every yer instinctively looked up. [Congrattions to all yers who have reached the first city. Your path to saving the universe is only beginning... Keep going.] A figure descended from the heavens, radiating a soft glow. It was ethereal, barely distinguishable in form, but its presence was unmistakable. "Wow! A god?" someone nearby shouted. "Is that a saint?" another yer spected. The entity was neither, yet both. Its name was [Hopeful Light], a being of the same type as [Guiding Light], but it exuded an aura of optimism and encouragement. It existed to guide yers, urging them to continue their journey to restore bnce to the universe. After delivering its brief message, Hopeful Light vanished, leaving yers in awe. Alex, however, was unfazed. He knew that for every benevolent entity like Hopeful Light, there were others¡ªdarker, more malevolent [Lights] lurking within the game. [The lock mechanisms of this world have been released. Everything is now unlocked. It is up to you to find your own path!] Before the novice vige phase ended, much of the open world had been locked. Now, everything was essible. yers could explore far-off regions, discover hidden quests, and level up in previously inessible areas. Around him, the yers were already abuzz with excitement, eager to leave the city and begin their next journey. Alex, too, was ready. But just as everyone was about to leave to do their own thing, the excitement reaching an all-time high, a notification appeared, freezing everyone in ce. [The First Event will now start!] [Event: Night Howlers - Nightmare Difficulty] [Duration: 3 days] [Good luck!] Events were just like items, quests and areas, they were also divided into categories: Easy, Normal, Hard, Hell, Nightmare, Abyss, Eternal. The first event was from 5th category, showing just how difficult it would be for the average yer! CLICK! The air around the city shifted as an invisible force suddenly locked down all the exits. Barriers formed at the city''s borders, preventing anyone from leaving. "Oh boy¡­" Alex smirked, his eyes narrowing as he felt the tension rise in the city. Alice grabbed his shirt, her voice trembling. "A-Alex, w-what''s happening?" Alex ced a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It''s the event. Looks like we''re stuck here until the first night ends." The event notification continued, outlining the rules. [If you die, you will not respawn until the end of the event.] [The 24 hours in-game limit has also been removed for the duration of the event.] A hushed murmur spread through the crowd. This was serious. Death would mean being sidelined for three whole days, unable to level up, participate, or gain rewards, basically, you can''t ess the game. Suddenly, the air grew cold, and a spine-chilling howl echoed through the streets. "Oh no¡­" Alice whispered, her face paling as the realization dawned on her. In the distance, dark shadows appeared over the rooftops of Dawn City. Large, hulking creatures with glowing red eyes moved swiftly through the darkness, they were Night Howlers, ferocious wolf-like beasts with twisted, corrupted forms. [Objective: Survive the Night Howlers'' attack.] [1 point per Night Howler killed.] [The people with the highest score will be rewarded.] The beasts were Level 20, a dangerous threat to most yers, especially those who were under-leveled or poorly equipped. But for Alex, they were nothing more than another challenge to conquer. "Stay close to me, Alice," Alex said, drawing his dagger in one hand and gripping his staff in the other, "I''ll handle them." The first wave of Night Howlers descended upon the city. Screams filled the air as yers scrambled to defend themselves. Some yers fought valiantly, but others were quickly overwhelmed. The howlers struck with brutal efficiency, their ws tearing through weaker yers with ease. Alex, however, was ready. "Grand Fireball!" A massive sphere of me erupted from his staff, mming into the oing horde of howlers. The explosion tore through the pack, instantly incinerating three of the beasts and earning him three points. Alice wasn''t far behind, nocking an arrow on her bow. "Star Shot!" she shouted, unleashing a wave of arrows that rained down on the howlers, taking out two more in quick session. As the night wore on, more yers joined the fight, theirbined efforts slowly pushing back the wave of howlers. But for every beast they killed, more seemed to take its ce. Alex darted through the battlefield with ease, using his agility to weave between attacks. His dagger shed in the moonlight, cutting down any howlers that got too close. His strikes were precise, each blow dealing devastating damage. "Boulder Smash!" A massive rock formed at the edge of his staff, which he hurled at a particrlyrge howler, an [Elite] that earned 5 points when killed, stunning it before following up with a strike that cleaved its head clean off. Alice fought beside him, her arrows finding their marks with deadly uracy. Together, they made a formidable team, each supporting the other in perfect sync. Though even when the howlers tried to attack him, they did only 1 point of damage: Alex was mainly focused on protecting Alice. But as the hours passed, the battle showed no signs of stopping. More and more howlers appeared, with many variances: some now had wings, others two heads, and some could jump at intense heights. The once orderly streets of Dawn City had be a chaotic battleground. [Event Leaderboard:] [First, FateBreaker, 89 points] Alex was at the top, and by a significant margin, but he wasn''t slowing down. His stamina was unmatched, his gear giving him the edge he needed to keep going. As the night continued, it became clear to many that survival wasn''t just about skill, it was about endurance. Alex smirked. For him, there was no question whether he would survive or not. Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Night Howlers Event, Scoring Points As the first night of the Night Howlers event ended, the battlefield was eerily silent. The streets of Dawn City were littered with specks of blue light, indicating the massive amount of yer that had died. The event had been merciless, wiping out nearly half of the participating yers in just a single night. The survivors gathered their breath, their faces pale with fear and exhaustion. But Alex? He was unfazed. [First night has ended] [Disying Score¡­] [First, FateBreaker: 473 points] [Second, Fallen Devil: 342 points] [Third, BeastMode: 311 points] [Fourth, Miria: 262 points] [Fifth, StarPillow: 187 points] [The first night of the event has ended. Congrattions to all those who survived!] The announcement was met with a collective sigh of relief. Many yers had barely made it, fighting tooth and nail to stay alive. For others, hiding had been their only option. But for Alex, it had been almost too easy. His Grand Fireball spell had decimated hordes of Night Howlers in one blow, and with so many other yers around, it was nearly impossible to get overwhelmed. A system notification followed, exining the mechanics of the uing nights. [You are now free to go back into the open world or into reality!] [In exactly 24 hours in-game (or 12 hours in real life), you will be forcefully logged back into the game or teleported to the city, no matter what you are doing!] [Yes, even if you are... upied with ''private'' things, you will still be teleported.] "Damn," one yer muttered. "Not that I''m getting any action anyway!" another joked. "Can''t rte!" came the smug response. [The Night Howlers will grow stronger on the second day, so feel free to grind levels quickly!] This announcement was a death sentence for lower-level yers who hadn''t prepared properly. It was clear the event was designed to push yers to their limits. With stronger monsters on the horizon, those who failed to level up quickly would likely be wiped out. The smarter ones rushed to the temple and other leveling spots, hoping to gain enough strength to survive the second night. NPCs, meanwhile, barricaded themselves indoors, leaving the city''s defense mostly to the knights and priests of the Church of the Dawn. But Alex had different ns. He wasn''t just here to fight the Night Howlers; he had a mission. ... The Second Night The second night arrived without much change in the city''s atmosphere. Many yers had already figured out a loophole: if you hid inside an NPC''s home, you could avoid the Night Howlers entirely. While this tactic wouldn''t them any points, it kept them alive, which was all most yers cared about. Only the brave or foolhardy remained outside to battle the beasts. Alex and Alice stood in the center of the city, surrounded by the carnage of the second wave. Advanced Night Howlers, now at level 25, swarmed the streets. But to Alex, they were just more experience points waiting to be collected. With one powerful sweep of his staff, he sent a horde of them flying, their bodies crashing into the stone walls like ragdolls. [+232 experience!] [+232 experience!] [+232 experience!] [+1 point] [+1 point] [+1 point] Every spell and strike from Alex was lethal, his power so overwhelming that Alice barely had time to contribute. She fired a few arrows here and there, picking off the stragglers, but it was clear she was outmatched by Alex''s sheer destructive capabilities. Despite her own strength, she couldn''tpete with his Legendary gear and high stats. As the second night came to an end, Alex''s level had skyrocketed to 31, while Alice had only reached level 26 The Night Howlers granted decent experience, but Alex''s dominating presence on the battlefield made it difficult for anyone around him to gain much ground. [FateBreaker: 873 points] [+537 Strength, +647 Spirit!] He had extracted attribute points from them, since this was all they gave. His [Strike] Kill skill also had leveled up to 10, which he promptly upgraded to [Powerful sh], now capable of dealing 1500 damage per strike. As the third night loomed, Alex was ready for whatever came next. ... The Third Night The tension in Dawn City was palpable as the third night approached. yers were nervous, knowing that this would be the most dangerous part of the event. The Night Howler Terror, the boss of the event, was rumored to appear. It was a level 50 monster, far beyond the capabilities of most yers, and even the church members would struggle to handle it. "Alice," Alex said quietly, turning to her with a serious expression. "I need you to stay inside one of the NPC houses tonight." Her face fell. "But why? I can fight too! I want to help you." Alex shook his head. "I have something I need to do. It''s dangerous, and I can''t afford any distractions. Please¡­ just trust me." Alice hesitated, clearly unhappy with the idea of hiding while Alex went off on his own. But she knew better than to argue. "Okay¡­ Just promise me you''ll be careful." "I will," Alex said, his voice softening. He ced a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I''lle back for you when it''s over." Reluctantly, Alice agreed and went into one of the nearby empty NPC homes. As the door closed behind her, Alex turned his gaze toward the heart of the city, where the church''s grand cathedral loomed. The third night began, and just as predicted, the Night Howler Terror made its appearance. The massive beast towered over the city, its blood-red eyes glowing ominously as it let out an ear-piercing howl. Its body was wreathed in dark energy, and its mere presence sent shockwaves through the air. yers screamed and scattered as the monster charged through the city, leaving destruction in its wake. Church members and city guards rushed to confront it, but Alex had no interest in joining them. His target wasn''t the Night Howler Terror¡ªit was the church itself. As he approached the towering cathedral, a group of church members spotted him. One of them, a man wielding a staff, approached him with an air of authority. "HEY, YOU! GO BACK INSIDE, PUNK!" the church member barked, pointing his staff at Alex. Alex remained silent, his eyes cold as he sized up the man in front of him. "I SAID, GO BACK INSIDE!" the man growled, raising his staff as if to cast a spell. But Alex was faster. In a blur of motion, he dashed toward the church member, his dagger shing in the moonlight. Before the man could even react, Alex''s de sliced clean through his throat. [Aimed for vital point, 500% damage] -16,375 HP The man''s eyes widened in shock as blood gushed from his wound. "W-What the¡­" he gasped, clutching his throat. "But¡­ you have¡­ a magic staff¡­" He copsed to the ground, his life draining away as he bled out. [You have in "Dawn Church Member Lv40," gained 782 experience points!] Ding! [Your reputation with the "Church of the Dawn" has reached -100!] Alex stood over the fallen church member, his expression unreadable. The fact that his reputation hadn''t dropped further indicated that the church didn''t care much about its lower-ranked members. But that wasn''t Alex''s concern. He had bigger ns. His eyes turned to the cathedral once more, he knew what was inside: that door, he wanted to see it, and if it didn''t exist, then so be it, at least that is one mystery less to solve. Making his way through the streets, Alex arrived at the grand entrance of the cathedral. The building was heavily guarded, but most of the church''s forces were upied with the Night Howler Terror. Taking advantage of the chaos, Alex slipped past the remaining guards by killing them and entered the building. Inside, the cathedral was just as grand and imposing as he remembered from his previous life. Ornate stained-ss windows lined the walls, and the air was thick with tension. Alex had no time to admire the architecture. He made his way to the back of the cathedral, where an elevator-like mechanism was hidden behind arge tapestry. It was a secret known only to a few, but Alex had the knowledge from his past life. Pulling the lever, the elevator began to ascend, taking him to the upper levels, which is where the actual church was located since it was elevated. The third night was far from over, but Alex''s real battle was just beginning. Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Aldritch, The Door of Destiny As the elevator slowly ascended toward the upper levels of the Church of the Dawn, all Alex could do was wait. And as the elevator went up extremely slowly, and it would take around five minutes before Alex reached his location. The rhythmic sound of gears turning echoed around him, and he focused on his thoughts while waiting for the elevator to reach its destination. "...Oh, right," While the elevator climbed, Alex remembered something crucial: his Potential Extraction ability. He tapped into his panel, and the notification popped up in front of him. ["Potential Extraction" is avable!] He had almost forgotten about it amid the chaos of acquiring the vi with Alice and battling through the previous nights of the event. Now, he realized this was the perfect moment to enhance his gear. Well, to be honest, there wasn''t much he could use that perk on currently, at least anything that was worth using it on. But even then, Alex had already thought of what to select next, and so he pointed at the [Awakener''s Set] he was currently wearing. "Potential Extraction," he whispered. A soft glow enveloped his body, transforming the armor he wore. The texture shifted, the material bing more refined and powerful as the light intensified around him. Ding! [You have sessfully enhanced "Awakener''s Set."] [New Mythical Item: "Superior Awakener''s Set."] Alex felt the surge of power course through him, a rush of exhration as the stats updated before his eyes. [Superior Awakener''s Set (Mythical): +3000 Physical Resistance, +3000 Magic Resistance, +1500 Strength, +1000 Agility.] ... [Magic Resistance:] 1165 + 3000 (Spirit * 1) [Physical Resistance:] 480 + 3000 (Vitality * 1) [Attributes:] Vitality 480; Strength 1025 + 1500; Agility 305 + 1000; Spirit 1165 + 1000. His overall attributes had dramatically improved. Now, even monsters that dealt over 3000 points of damage wouldn''t scratch him, and his physical damage and agility had nearly doubled. This enhancement meant that his fights as an assassin would be significantly easier. Lost in his thoughts, Alex almost didn''t notice when the elevator came to a stop. The doors slid open, revealing the interior of the real cathedral. Instantly, he felt a chilling aura wash over him. Before he could gather his thoughts, a figure stepped forward from the shadows. It was Aldritch, the leader of the Church of the Dawn, standing with an imposing presence. He held a ck staff in his right hand, its tip glowing faintly in the dim light. "Hello there, FateBreaker," Aldritch greeted with an unsettling smile. Alex froze, raising his staff instinctively, "Stay back!" he warned, aiming the weapon at the church leader. "There''s no point in doing that. You can''t deal damage to me," Aldritch replied nonchntly, his confidence apparent. With a sudden flick of his wrist, Alex unleashed a barrage of spells¡ªGrand Fireball, Boulder Smash, Crimson Shard, and Lightning Strike. Each spell lit up the chamber in brilliant colors, crashing into Aldritch with explosive force. -0! -0! -0! -0! Alex''s eyes widened in disbelief. His spells had dealt zero damage. Not even one damage, which was the average even when a person had overwhelming defensepared to the other''s attack: straight up zero. "Is that¡­ all?" Aldritch tilted his head, a grin still stered on his face, as if he were humoring a child''s attempts at being threatening. Alex realized at that moment the magnitude of Aldritch''s power. Even in his previous life, he had known Aldritch to be one of the most formidable NPCs in Universal Descent, yet he had never encountered him directly. The stories had painted him as an almost mythical figure, though he didn''t know if he had survived the previous apocalypse. "You''re here for the door, aren''t you?" Aldritch cut through Alex''s thoughts, a knowing look in his eyes. The boy''s heart raced; if Aldritch knew about it, then the intel from his previous life was indeed urate. "Yes," Alex admitted, nodding cautiously. "Very well," Aldritch said, his smile widening. "Follow me, then." ... Alex followed Aldritch through the dimly lit corridors of the cathedral, feeling a mix of intrigue and apprehension. As they descended deeper into the underground, the atmosphere shifted; it felt charged with energy, a heavy presence that weighed down on Alex''s shoulders. After what felt like an eternity of winding stairs and hidden passages, they arrived at arge, circr chamber. The room was mostly empty, save for a massive gate at the far end, emanating a powerful aura. Surrounding the gate were five chains, each a different color, glimmering ominously in the low light. "Behold¡­" Aldritch announced, raising his staff as a panel appeared in front of Alex simultaneously. [The Door of Destiny] [For what is your purpose right now, human? Find out by opening it!] [Though, opening it will not end the nightmare you are currently in.] "What the hell?" Alex muttered, stepping closer to inspect the gate. It was majestic and foreboding, its surface adorned with intricate carvings. But the five chains caught his eye. They were thick and heavy-looking, each pulsating softly as if they were alive. He reached out to touch the chains, hoping for some kind of interaction. But no matter how much he pressed or pulled, nothing happened. The gate remained sealed, its presence looming like a dark cloud. "See anything?" Aldritch asked, his expression suddenly serious, "We''ve been at it for years, that thing just... doesn''t answer." "Nope, nothing of importance. Just tells me it''s the Door of Destiny or whatever," Alex shrugged, trying to appear nonchnt, even though his heart raced in anticipation. "Damn," Aldritch sighed, crossing his arms. "Well, at least it was worth the try¡­" Before Alex could respond, Aldritch continued, "Make sure to remember the exit path by the time you want to get out of here. The guards of this church won''t be as nice as I am." With that, he gently swung his staff, and a dark mist enveloped him. He vanished, leaving Alex alone in the chamber. But the exact moment Aldritch disappeared, a notification pinged in front of Alex. Ding! [The Door of Destiny has noticed you.] "Huh?" Alex muttered, ncing around the empty chamber. The chains began to rattle violently, and the gate emitted a bright light, casting eerie shadows across the walls. [FateBreaker, you are a formidable human.] [Do you think you are formidable enough to open me, though?] "Is that a challenge?" Alex smirked, his confidence growing. [If you wish to do so¡­] With a flourish, five square panels appeared in front of each of the chains, each featuring a small bar that resembled a coin slot, simr to those found in arcades. [Find the five tokens and open me, then our destiny shall merge, and our strength shall grow.] Before Alex could fully process what was happening, five holographic images of coins appeared in front of him. [Find them all!] [The Token of Wrath, The Token of The Abyss, The Token of The Undead, The Token of the Tower, The Token of Nightmares.] [For the only way to move forward is to find them all, or else humanity will be doomed.] [Good luck.] With that, the light surrounding the door flickered and dimmed, leaving Alex in darkness once more. "Where do I find them?" he shouted into the void, but there was no response. Silence fell over the chamber, and the weight of the situation began to sink in. Ding! [You have triggered SSS-Level Ultimate Hidden Quest: "The Door of Destiny"; Find all 5 tokens and unlock the chains to enter the Pce of Destiny.] "Great," Alex muttered, running a hand through his hair. He could already feel the pressure of the quest weighing down on him. If he didn''tplete this, who knew what consequences would follow? Would he and humanity die at the hand of the gods again? But before he could formte a n, he decided that the best course of action was to leave the church and head straight for the chaos outside. ... With his heart racing, Alex sprinted back through the cathedral, retracing the steps Aldritch had taken him through. He reached the entrance, pushing through the heavy doors and stepping back into the night of Dawn City, no guards visible anymore as they had all gone to find the [Night Howler Terror]. "IT''S THERE, GET IT!" "FUUUCK- MY LEGGG!" That thing was extremely powerful, so powerful in fact it was taking in dozens if not hundreds of guards and yers by itself. But thankfully for all them, Alex was about to step in. "Ok..." he focused, "Let''s do this," he opened his eyes, pointing at the [Night Howler Terror] in the distance, who moved at intense speed through the city. Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Night Howler Terror, Howlers Soul Shard Alex pointed his staff at the Night Howler Terror, eyeing the massive creature thrashing through the streets. He needed to be the one tond the final blow. The loot that the monster would drop was too valuable for him to let anyone else take it. "WATCH OUT!" "GRRRWAAA!" The beast howled as guards and yers, thinking they could take it down, charged in from all sides. Despite their efforts, they were no match for its strength. ... [Night Howler Terror] [Level 50 - High Tier 2] [Rank: Superior] [HP: 100,000] Its stats were identical to the Undead King Alex had beaten earlier, showing just how tough the Night Howler Terror really was. For most yers, this fight was impossible, but Alex had faced worse before. Now, without Alice to protect, he could go all out. Grand Fireball! A massive ball of me shot from his staff, mming into the beast''s side. -3318! The impact was huge. Alex''s Grand Fireball had hit level 7, doing insane damage thanks to his Spirit stat. While most yers were only managing to hit for two-digit damage, Alex had just sted 3,000 HP off the creature. The Night Howler Terror froze, then turned its glowing eyes directly at him. Alex knew that look¡ªit had marked him as the bigger threat. "GRRrrrr..." the beast growled and used [Foe Detection] to lock onto Alex. Now it wasing for him, abandoning all the other yers and guards around it. "Oh, crap..." Alex muttered as the beast started charging. "It''s leaving!" "It must be low on HP!" "Hah, it probably got scared of my aura!" a cocky yer shouted. But Alex knew better. The Terror wasn''t retreating¡ªit wasing for him. With a sudden leap, the Night Howler Terror shed down at him with its massive Dark ws. But Alex was ready. Earth Shield! A glowing shield formed around him, absorbing the blow. m! Break! The shield shattered, taking the brunt of the attack, but Alex was thrown backward, barely staying on his feet. "Grrr... (foolish human!)" the creature growled. Alex smirked, brushing off the hit. "Sorry, I don''t speak whatever that is." He quickly retaliated, sending a flurry of spells at the beast. Boulder Smash! -2700! Crimson Shard! -1750! Lightning Strike! -2618! Each hit connected, chipping away at the Night Howler Terror''s massive health pool. The final spell, Fire Storm, enveloped the street in mes, scorching the Terror and anyone unlucky enough to be too close. -1139! -1139! -1139! "AAAHH!" some yers screamed, caught in the ze. Alex wasn''t holding back, and a few yers even fell from the burn damage. They weren''t his main concern, though. "Hey, what the hell!?" one yer shouted, trying to put out the mes. "Did he just hit us on purpose?" "Take him down!" another screamed. A group of yers turned toward Alex, swords and axes raised, ready to teach him a lesson for burning them. But they didn''t know who they were dealing with. As the yers charged at Alex, their attacks were useless. -1! -1! -1! They barely scratched him, thanks to his insane physical and magical resistances from the Superior Awakener''s Set. Alex felt no need to entertain them. He quickly unleashed another Grand Fireball, killing all of them and sending them back to reality at once. "Pathetic," Alex muttered, his focus still on the Night Howler Terror, who was preparing another heavy strike. The creature roared, frustrated by the constant hits it was taking, but Alex knew it was getting close to the end. He dashed forward, putting his staff away and pulling out his [Poison Bear Dagger]. Now it was time to finish things. The Terror raised its ws for another swipe, but Alex had already closed the gap. He leaped into the air, flipping over the beast''s head, and shed down with his dagger. -2738! -2738! -2738! Three swift cuts tore into the creature''s face, each hit digging deep into its flesh. The Night Howler Terror let out one final, agonized roar before copsing to the ground with a massive thud, shaking the street. Ding! [You have defeated the Night Howler Terror and gained 7463 experience points!] [+100 event points!] [+5 prestige points] [You have leveled up to level 32, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] The beast''s massive bodyy still, a lifeless heap of fur and ws. Alex stood over it, panting slightly, but with a satisfied grin on his face. Around him, the few remaining yers looked on in shock, murmuring to each other as they realized what had just happened. "That''s... him." "It''s the FateBreaker!" Some yers weren''t about to let Alex walk away unchallenged, though. A small group of them rushed toward him, weapons at the ready, their eyes gleaming with greed for whatever loot the Night Howler Terror might drop. "Take him out before he takes everything!" But as they swung their weapons at him, it was the same story. -1! -1! -1! They couldn''t hurt him. "Are you serious?" Alexughed, shaking his head. He dealt with them swiftly, sting them away with quick spells. Knocking them down like dominoes. Once the street was clear, Alex bent down and reached toward the Night Howler Terror''s corpse, extracting the loot it had dropped. The other yers were either too scared or too knocked out to stop him. "Extraction..." he touched the Superior Boss''s body while mumbling. Ding! [Please choose something to extract!] There were options! [Night Howler Terror''s Dagger (Legendary Item)] [Howler''s Soul Shard (Legendary Material)] [Night Cloak of Terror (Epic)] "Hm..." He couldn''t see the descriptions of items, but he hesitated between the soul shard and dagger. The only real question he needed to ask himself was: is the dagger better or worse than the one he is currently using. After all, he still needed to hold his staff with one hand, meaning that unless he grows a magical third hand, there was no way he could wield two daggers. "Oh well," in the end, Alex decided to select the [Howler''s Soul Shard]. Ding! [You have extracted "Howler''s Soul Shard" (Legendary Material)] [Description: The crystallized essence of the Night Howler Terror. Used in high-level crafting to create armor or weapons with significant boosts in physical and magical resistance, it can also be used for ######] "Huh?" The end of the description was blurred out, almost as if it had been removed on purpose. "Synthesis," Yet Alex quickly moved on as he wanted to try something. [Synthesis: Superior Awakener''s Set + Howler''s Soul Shard = ?] It could actually be synthesized! "Oh..." But in the end, Alex decided to put the soul shard inside his [Superior Backpack], making sure to keep it at the back of his mind just in case he needed itter. Now, all Alex needed to do was head back toward Alice. That is, if he found where she was hiding... The city was big, big enough to hold millions upon millions of yers, and he actually didn''t remember where the house the girl was hiding in was ced! "Well, I just have to use the world map," Alex was ready to open it up. But suddenly, a blue light appeared in front of him. [Guiding Light has decided to help you.] "Oh wow," it was the second time the blue orb appeared before him, a blue path of aura drawing itself in front of Alex. Alex trusted [Guiding Light], and so he followed the path with no hesitation. He could have used the map, but oh well. [Guiding Light appreciates your trust.] After ten minutes, where he killed a few more [Night Howlers] and gained 32 strength attributes, he finally reached the end of the line, which pointed at a familiar house. Knock! Knock! "W-Who is it?" he heard Alice''s voice, and Alex smiled. "It''s me!" Immediately, the door opened and Alice jumped to hug Alex. "Where were you!!" "Haha... just doing things, but it''s fine now that I''m here, isn''t it?" "I-I guess so..." the girl blushed, her fingers fidgeting. Chapter 42: Chapter 42: End of the Event, S-Level Shadow Pet Egg As the sun began to rise, the streets filled with the remains of a chaotic night. With the defeat of the [Night Howler Terror], no more [Night Howlers] could be summoned, leaving the remaining stragglers easy prey for the yers and guards. Those who hadn''t hidden were already tearing through thest of the creatures, taking advantage of the now vulnerable beasts. Byt the time the sun was up, each monster had been killed, granting Alex an additional 218 point in strength and 137 in agility, these night howlers were more of a blessing that Alex would have ever anticipated. In his past life, these things had been such a chore to fight, yet here he was now, able to one shot all of them! Ding! [The First Event has beenpleted.] ... [Points Ranking] [First, FateBreaker, 1327 points] [Second, Fallen Devil, 743 points] [Third, Shadow, 645 points] [Fourth, Miria, 531 points] [Fifth, BeastMode, 530 points] ... Alex smirked as he read the results. He was still leagues ahead of anyone else. Not even [Fallen Devil], the second ce holder, hade close. Ding! [You have achieved an SSS-Rating during the first event!] [Obtained: S-Rank Shadow Pet Egg!] He nced at the item that appeared in his inventory. The egg was jet ck, swirling with dark, smoke-like tendrils across its surface. It pulsed faintly as if alive, radiating an ominous, yet intriguing, aura. He couldn''t hatch it yet, but the idea of gaining a pet was good. [The hatching method is not avable yet.] A [Shadow Pet], no less, this was an incredible reward. These pets were known for their power and stealth, capable of dealing immense damage from the shadows while remaining unseen. It was a perfect match for his growing power. The egg vanished into his panel, stored away for now. Pets couldn''t be carried in normal backpacks anyway; they had their own space within the system. As Alex pondered the egg''s potential, the system prompted him once more. Ding! [Reminder: Earth Shield and Fire Storm have reached level 10!] [Reminder: Your Extraction Points have exceeded 100 (currently sitting at 337).] "Oh yeah..." Alex muttered, remembering that fighting this many monsters obviously allowed his skills to level up. Despite all his achievements though, the system was tight with skill points, forcing him to carefully choose when and how to upgrade his abilities. [Skill Points: 23] Notice how even with all his achievements, Alex only had barely enough skill points to upgrade his skills, this was to show just how difficult leveling one of your skills up was! [Earth Shield has reached level 10; it can be upgraded to ''Stone Barrier'' using 10 skill points!] [Fire Storm has reached level 10; it can be upgraded to ''Inferno Tempest'' using 10 skill points!] Without hesitation, Alex spent 20 of his points to upgrade both skills. Ding! Ding! [You have used 10 skill points to upgrade ''Earth Shield'' to ''Stone Barrier''!] [You have used 10 skill points to upgrade ''Fire Storm'' to ''Inferno Tempest''!] [Stone Barrier Level 1; create a barrier around you that can block up to 3000 damage at once; costs 500 mana; one-minute cooldown.] [Inferno Tempest level 1; deal 100% of your spirit to enemies in arge area; consumes 1000 mana; 20-second cooldown] Alex nodded in approval. These new upgrades would significantly enhance his defenses and offensive capabilities. With [Stone Barrier], he could withstand even harder hits, and [Inferno Tempest] would rain destruction on anyone foolish enough to challenge him. The cooldowns were reasonable, and the mana cost was manageable, especially considering his Spirit attribute was sky-high. Now, onto the Extraction Points. Ding! [Extraction Points: 337/100] [You can upgrade your Extraction Talent!] "Do it." A golden light enveloped Alex''s body, causing Alice, who had been nearby, to nce over in awe. "Wow..." Alice whispered, her eyes wide as golden specks floated in the air around him, shimmering in the early morning light. Alex, however, remained focused. His eyes were locked on the system panels in front of him. [Congrattions! Your "Extraction Talent" has been upgraded!] [A random upgrade has been selected... Description Check!] "Hm?" [You can now check the descriptions of the items in your extraction prompt!] A grin spread across Alex''s face. One of the biggest annoyances he''d had with the Extraction Talent was not knowing what each item was before he extracted it. But now, that problem had been solved. "Finally..." Alex muttered to himself, satisfied with the new functionality. [Extraction Points to next level: 227/1000] ''Damn,'' he thought. This would take a while, but it was progress. He couldn''tin. With the upgradespleted, Alex decided to check his status window, assessing all the changes and additions from the night''s event. [ID:] FateBreaker [Level:] 32 (3472/14000) [upation:] Mage; Assassin [ss:] Unparalleled Mage; Beginner Assassin [Talent:] Extraction (SSS) [Talent Effect #1: Upon defeating a monster, you are able to extract an item/attribute/skill/talent from them, with a 20% chance of the prompt appearing.] [Perk #1: Description Check, you can now check the descriptions of the items before selecting them.] [Talent Effect #2: Defeating monsters will grant you "Extraction Points", which you can useter on to enhance your talent or buy items.] [Talent Effect #3: You can use this to extract the full potential of an item and thus enhance its powers.] [Talent Effect #4: Synthesis; Combine two items, skills, or abilities to create something stronger] [Health Points:] 4580 (Vitality * 10) [Mana Points:] 11710 (Spirit * 10) [Speed:] 447 (Agility * 1) [Magic Damage:] 1171 (Spirit * 1) [Physical Damage:] 1281 (Strength * 1) [Magic Resistance:] 1171 + 3000 (Spirit * 1) [Physical Resistance:] 485 + 3000 (Vitality * 1) [Attributes:] Vitality 485; Strength 1281 + 1500; Agility 447 + 1000; Spirit 1171 + 1000 [Skills]: (1 UPGRADE) [Grand Fireball Level 7; Deal 1800 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 100 mana; 2-second cooldown.] (1 UPGRADE) [Crimson Shard Level 6; Deals exactly 1250 damage to target; consumes 75 mana; 4-second cooldown.] (1 UPGRADE) [Boulder Smash Level 5; create a small ball of rock that you can throw at enemy dealing 2400 damage, chance of stunning; consumes 200 mana; 10-second cooldown] (1 UPGRADE) [Stone Barrier Level 1; create a barrier around you that can block up to 3000 damage at once; costs 500 mana; one-minute cooldown.] (1 UPGRADE) [Inferno Tempest level 1; deal 100% of your spirit to enemies in arge area; consumes 1000 mana; 20-second cooldown] (1 UPGRADE) [Powerful sh Level 1; Deals 1500 of damage to target + 100% of strength to target, no cooldown.] [Lightning Strike Level 8 ; Deal 1100 points of damage + 100% of spirit to target + 10% chance to cause stun to target; consumes 20 mana, 3-second cooldown.] [Attributes Points:] 0 [Skill Points:] 3 [Prestige Points:] 23 [Equipment:] Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage (Legendary), Snake Backpack (Umon), Bear King''s Chest Armor (rare), Poison Bear Dagger (Umon), Wild Boar Trophy (Rare), 2x Boar Meat, Fang of the Python (Epic), x4 Ghoul Wings (Umon), x2 Undead Boots (Umon); Ghastly Reaper''s Cloak (Rare); Death Knight''s Cursed de (Rare), Rat Helmet (Common), Superior Backpack (Legendary; 100 slots), Superior Awakener''s Set (Mythical) [Important Items:] Mage Tower Token (Artifact), Vial of Undead Blood (Legendary), Soul Contract (Artifact), Howler''s Soul Shard (Legendary Material) ... [The event has ended, you can now do whatever you want.] As the system announced the end of the event, most yers immediately logged out, relieved they had survived, even if they hadn''t earned much from it. Only a few had managed to score real rewards, and most left the battlefield feeling dejected, though it wasn''t as bad as those who had actually died. "My rank dropped because I didn''t participate muchst night..." Alice sighed as she looked at the points ranking. Alex gave her a reassuring pat on the head. "Don''t worry about it. We''ll get stronger anyway." Alice blushed at his gesture. "Thanks. So, what do you want to do now?" "I think I''m going to log off. There''s something I need to handle in the real world." "Alright," Alice said with a smile. "I''ll see you in like... uhm... 20 seconds," sheughed. [Do you want to quit the game?] "Yes." Both Alex and Alice logged off, waking up in their shared vi bedroom. They often slept together, like a married couple, despite their rtionship still developing. It was afort to be close, especially considering the dangers looming in both the game and the real world. Immediately after waking up, Alex opened his contact panel. There was something he needed to do, and it couldn''t wait. [Friends:] [StarPillow: Offline - Chat] [RichDad: Offline - Chat] He clicked on [RichDad], sending a quick message to Richard, Alice''s father. [FateBreaker: Regarding the attack in four days, please do not ce any guards close to the vi. Guns won''t work on these things.] He expected it to take hours for Richard to respond, given his busy schedule. But to his surprise, the reply came within seconds. [RichDad: Ok.] Richard didn''t question Alex''s warning. His daughter trusted Alex, and that was enough for him. Plus, Alex had proven time and time again that he knew what he was doing, especially when it came to threats. With that taken care of, Alex sighed. There was still so much to do. In four days, the attack would happen, and although he had acted like a big shot in front of Richard, the truth was that Alex didn''t have a surefire way to protect Alice in the real world yet. He wasn''t some superhuman out here. He was just Alex Rogue. Still, he had a n¡ªat least the start of one. And no matter what, he was determined to keep Alice safe. There was no other option. Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Resurrection of the Undead King, Thousand Skeleton Army Alex and Alice took a one and a half day break from the game, meaning that three days passed inside. They went on another date (freshly paid by Alice as she had a golden VIP card), and during the night, Alex prepared dinner as they cuddled together in front of the TV. "The Universal Descent game has taken over the world, it has been released around 5 days ago, yet all 20 million beta testers are already considered as celebrities, even more those that were at the top of the rankings!" the reporter spoke with a very enthusiastic voice. "We cannot be truly sure what is happening inside, but I can promise you one thing, folks, I''m sure that this is incredible," the beautiful woman smiled, "Hopefully they increase the beta tester spots so that more people can try it out!" The entire talk of the world was about ''Universal Descent'', and of course, if they talked about the game, they talked about those at the top. The ID ''FateBreaker'' became the most spoken one of all, as that guy was seemingly dominating all the rankings. [Universal Descent Forum] [HorizonZero: I promise you, that guy is crazy, there''s no footage, but I heard from a friend he was fighting a giant skeleton!] [Miakeith: Bullshit!] [Kori45: Nah, it''s true, I say it, that guy has insane spells.] [Ulisse: I hope the gameunches more ces soon... it''s unfair!] From kindergarteners to people at the top of the corporatedder, everyone was talking about the game and wanted to know what was happening inside. "Hmm~" Alex looked down, and he saw Alice resting against his chest. He smiled, mischievously grabbing her chest too. "H-Hey," but this only turned her on, "F-Fine, if you want to do it, let''s go!" They enjoyed yet another night of pleasure, one of them more than the other, though. ... The next day came; and after yet another breakfast Alex prepared, a skill he had acquired from spending time alone in the apocalypse, he finally got ready. Today was a big day: the [Undead King] was about to resurrect! And directly after that, then the attack on Alice would happen. The task he had been given: to save Alice from the three novice monsters that would appear, was an almost impossible one. The only true way would be to send one of his abilities in the game to the real world, but as it had been only 6 days now, there was no chance this could happen. Unless, he did something very precise. And even if he did that thing, he wasn''t even sure it would work. He had to take his chance, though. [Do you want to log into the game?] "Yes," Alice was still sleeping, but he had already informed her beforehand that he would go inside the game early, so it didn''t matter. ... Fwish! Alex appeared in Dawn City, inside the house Alice had been hiding in during the third day of the event. "AAAAH!" he heard a scream behind him, and saw a woman NPC shout, "W-What are you doing in my house!" "Oh, my bad," Alex just bowed before taking his leave, confusing the girl. He left Dawn City by taking the entrance gate and then opened his [World Map]. There was a pinpoint between the [Undead Temple] and [Dawn City] marked with the text "Undead King Corpse". Even better than that, the map had a timer above that text, which quite literally showed when the king would resurrect, the [World Map] was truly deserving of being an artifact item! [38:51 minutes left before resurrection!] The timer was ticking down, but Alex reached the corpse rather quickly. It was still there, untouched, no one daring to try and see if they could get any items as it had been sitting there for almost a week in the game at this point. Almost no one was around currently, except those that were heading inside oring back from the [Undead Temple], but otherwise, Alex just waited. Some people pointed at him,ughing as some guy was foolish enough to rest against the boss for no reason. 30 minutes passed like this. [5 minutes remain!] "..." [3 minutes remain!] "..." [60 seconds.] The boss''s body began to shake, some of its destroyed body reforming, and its burned cloak getting repaired. A dark mist began to surround the Undead King. "What the..." "WATCH OUT!" "RUN!" The nearby yers immediately sensed and saw the presence, running out before it could awaken. Meanwhile, Alex just got ready for action, pulling out his dagger and staff, then backing away from the body. "..." Ding! [The Undead King has resurrected!] "Foolish humans..." the king seemed to talk to himself, "Now that this fool is gone, I can take over this city..." But right as the Undead King moved his body, his eyes fell on Alex, who was still standing there. "Oh," the king let out, "Spawn killing?" "No," Alex shook his head, "I have an offer for you, Undead King." "Hm?" ... [Undead King] [Legendary Boss - Level 60] [HP: 150,000] The King while getting resurrected had gone through a level and rank upgrade: from level 50 to 60, thus his HP reaching 150,000; and also he had gone from being a [Superior] rank boss to a [Legendary] one, one rank above. He had reached a 3-star evaluation, bing a third-tier monster, way above Alex, who was only at the second. "Do you think you have the guts to offer me something, foolish human?" the undead kingughed, "I am above you now, you cannot defeat me." "Hm." Suddenly, the undead king kneeled down, making his skeleton palm touch the ground. "The power of the undead shall rise above all." Ding! [Talent, Undead Lord, Activated!] Fwish! A dark mist surrounded the area again, and then as the Undead King used his true power, the ground trembled. "..." Alex was unfazed, he just looked down. And then, out of nowhere, around a hundred skeletons appeared, emerging from the ground. "Come on, human, you are nothing before the lord of the undead, bow down!" [Undead Skeleton] [Level 30] [HP: 5000] ... Each of the skeletons were level 30 or around that, but this didn''t even scare Alex, not in the slightest. "Come on, human, show me what you''ve got!" "Ok." Grand Fireball! Boulder Smash! Lightning Strike! Crimson Shard! Inferno Tempest! -3325! -2400! -2624! -1750! -1524! First of all, most of Alex''s spell has be so big that they didn''t only hit a single skeleton, not at all, for example, the [Grand Fireball] hit around a dozen of them! And let''s add [Inferno Tempest], which quite literally, thanks to its upgrade, hit every single monster, Undead King included. Around 20 of the skeletons fell from that first spellbo. [Do you want to extract?] [Do you want to extract?] [Do you want to...] And five extraction panels appeared in front of him, he swiftly selected the spirit stat points on them though, gaining 60 spirit points. "Fool, my army is still standing," The Undead Kingughed, clearly unbothered, "ATTACK, MINIONS!" All the skeletons, some carrying swords, other bows, the rest spears, dashed toward the human, dozens of arrows flying toward him. -1! -1! -1! But Alex didn''t even bother activating his [Stone Wall] to protect himself, as the arrows didn''t do anything to him. Grand Fireball! Inferno Tempest! This kept going for no less than two minutes before every single skeleton had died, [Inferno Tempest] being too overpowered against huge hordes of enemies. "Is that all?" Alex raised his eyebrows. "FOOL!" the Undead King sneered, his EGO hurt, "COME FORTH MINIONS!" He repeated the same process, but this time he summoned over a thousand skeletons, this drained most of his mana, but he was confident it would be enough to kill the human once and for all. Spoiler alert, it wasn''t, Alex immediately killing every skeleton with his spells, and even those that got too close and dealt 1 or 2 damage points were then immediately killed by [Powerful sh]. Ten minutester, all the skeletons were down. Alex had gained 2153 spirit points. Yes, no kidding. [Spirit: 2737 + 1000] He was bing more and more of a spell machine. "Thanks for the stats," Alex nodded. "FOOLISH! FOOLISH! FOOOOLISH!" The Undead King, losing patience, immediately dashed toward Alex, wanting to end the human once and for all, fuck that skeleton army, they all sucked anyway, and he could defeat them too if he had wanted! "So about that offer-" "FUCK YOUR OFFER," The Undead King mmed his massive sword at the spot Alex had been in, but it was just met with a massive [Stone Wall] that protected the boy, "What the?" Grand Fireball! Fwish! BOOM! -5537! The damage was insane, but inparison to the king''s massive 150,000 health points, Alex still had work to do. Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Soul Contract With the Undead King The battle between Alex and the now [Legendary] Undead King had reached its boiling point. The air itself seemed to thicken with the sh of their immense power. Every spell Alex hurled, every strike he delivered, had worn down the king until he knelt, his once overwhelming aura reduced to a mere flicker of its former self. The Undead King''s health bar blinked ominously. [HP: 231/150,000] "You can''t win," Alex spoke as he saw the king kneel before him, his health so low he couldn''t even stand straight anymore, though the fire of defiance still smoldered in his sockets, "Listen to my offer." The king let out a gutturalugh, hollow and eerie, "You think I care?" His voice grew louder, bolder, "I can resurrect as much as I want, fool!" And he was right¡ªbeing undead meant that as long as no priest performed a true exorcism, he coulde back, stronger each time. But Alex, unflinching, smiled coldly, "That''s false." The king''sughter faltered, and his gaze locked on Alex, hollow sockets narrowing in suspicion. "How so?" "I know where the [Annihtion Crucifix] is." Alex''s smile widened, and his words hit the Undead King like a thunderbolt. The king''sugh died instantly, reced by a stunned silence. His now nonexistent pupils widened as the weight of Alex''s im began to sink in. The [Annihtion Crucifix] was an ancient artifact of immense power, capable of wiping out the very essence of any undead, including the king''s. Even the most legendary undead couldn''t resurrect once their soul was obliterated by the Crucifix. "You lie!" the king spat, though his voice trembled, betraying his fear. He knew about the [Annihtion Crucifix]. All undead did. The mere mention of it was enough to send shivers through their ancient bones. "Wanna try your luck?" Alex''s eyes gleamed with confidence. "Or do you prefer not to take the risk?" The king fell silent, staring at the human before him, in his eyes, he could see that Alex was saying the truth. In the end, the undeadking exhaled¡ªa wheezing, rattling sound¡ªand bowed his head slightly. "I would rather not." The admission hung in the air for a moment, the great Undead King, ruler of the undead legions, acknowledging his own vulnerability. He was only in his weak form right now, only growing stronger as time went by and after every resurrection, but that was one of the reason Alex went for him so early: while he still had a chance to beat him solo. Alex stepped forward, his voice calm but firm, "I want you to form a [Soul Contract] with me. That''s all." The Undead King''s head snapped up. His glowing eyes zed with indignation, "Are you serious, human? Do you have any idea what that means?" His voice seethed with disbelief. "Absolutely," Alex nodded, his gaze unwavering. The deal was simple¡ªAlex would be his master, and the king would be bound to obey. It was either that, or Alex would take the time to find the [Annihtion Crucifix] and end him permanently. The king understood the implications well enough. He was immortal, but not invincible. A [Soul Contract] was one of the few things that could subdue such a creature. If he died now, the human had an entire week in the game to find the [Annihtion Crucifix] and annihte his soul. And "Soul Annihtion" is the most painful way for an undead to go, meaning that he would rather just kill himself and not resurrect rather than endure that. At this point, the Undead King knew he had no real options. If he refused, Alex would kill him, then spend a week hunting the artifact to make sure he never rose again. And even if Alex didn''t find it the following week, the king knew that when he woke up, Alex would be there, waiting, stronger than he was, and so the cycle would repeat. His pride screamed at him to fight on, but his survival instincts were louder. "You don''t have another option, so decide quickly," Alex threatened, his voice cold. The Undead King sighed, a low, rattling sound that echoed from his hollow chest. "Fine," he growled, clearly defeated. "Let''s do your [Soul Contract]. I''ll agree to your terms." Alex grinned, "Good." A faint blue light shimmered between them as the contract began to take shape. The [Soul Contract] Alex had once taken from this very Undead King appeared again, its ancient runes swirling and glowing in the air¡­ The contract itself resembled a ghostly scroll, with glowing letters slowly writing themselves across its surface. Slowly, the contract floated between them, expanding its influence as the magic bound their essences together. "By this [Soul Contract]," Alex began, his voice clear andmanding, "I will be your master. You will follow my orders, and your essence will be bound to mine. Is that eptable?" The Undead King red at the contract, his glowing eyes flickering with disgust. But the fear ofplete annihtion made him swallow his pride. He bowed his head slightly. "I ept, human." The moment the words left his mouth, the scroll burst into bright light. Ancient symbols circled around them, twisting like serpents made of pure magic. Tendrils of blue energy shot from the scroll, wrapping around the king''s form. The magic surged, and the contract''s power sealed their bond. The king''s body shuddered, his bones rattling as his essence was forcibly linked to Alex''s soul. The energy crackled, the pressure immense as it locked the king into submission. Slowly, the Undead King''s massive skeletal body began to dissolve, breaking down into dark energy that spiraled toward Alex. The once-mighty king shrank into nothing, his form slipping into Alex like smoke. It was over. Ding! [Soul Contract with "Undead King" Established!] [Undead King - Level 60] [Tier: Three-Star] [Rank: Legendary] [Master: FateBreaker] ... With the contract sealed, the Undead King''s formpletely disappeared, merging with Alex''s being. The king was no longer a foe, but a summonedpanion¡ªbound to serve. A faint chill ran through Alex as the king''s essence fused with his, altering him slightly. He felt the shift almost immediately. [The essence of the "Undead King" has been linked to yours¡­] [Granting FateBreaker the "Undead Lord" Talent.] Alex took a deep breath as the new talent integrated into his avatar. ... [Undead Lord Talent - Rank F] [Description: As the master of the undead, you have the ability to summon and control undead creatures. Summon up to five skeletons, who will follow yourmands and fight alongside you in battle. Each skeleton has its own stats based on your level, and they can be summoned or dismissed at will.] [Skeleton Summon Limit: 5] [Skeleton HP: 3000 each] [Cooldown: 1 minute per skeleton] [Next Advancement Task: Have your undead kill 100 monsters/yers.] (0/100) [Advancement Reward: Talent upgraded to Rank E.] ... Alex read through the description, satisfied. It was just the beginning, but the talent could be leveled up. The more he used his skeletons, the stronger they''d be. This was his prize for dominating the king¡ªa legendary undead under hismand. Other than the initial talent you get at the beginning of Universal Descent, which has its rank set in ce, any other talent always starts at F-Rank, no matter how powerful it is. The only way to then upgrade that talent is toplete the advancement tasks. The field where the battle took ce was quiet now, no trace of the Undead King left, except for the aura Alex now carried. The contract was done, and he had won more than just a fight. It was time to test his new power. Summoning the skeletons was just the first step in his n. With a smirk, Alex muttered, "Let''s see what you can do, my undead army." Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Undead Lord Talent, Skeletons Summon Alex stood in front of the ancient stone temple, a surge of energy coursing through him after contracting with the Undead King. It was time to test out his newfound power¡ªthe ability to summon skeletons under hismand. He raised his staff, focusing his mind on the summoning process. The air around him shimmered as arcane runes began to glow, their light expanding outward in a circle beneath his feet. With a swift motion, Alex thrust his staff forward, calling forth the undead from beneath the ground. "Rise," hemanded, his voice echoing. From the earth, five skeletons burst forth, their bones ttering together as they formed into solid, humanoid shapes. Each one held a bone sword, ready for battle. The skeletal warriors stood at attention, their eyeless sockets locked onto Alex, awaiting his nextmand. These skeletons had 20 percent of his attributes points (Strength, Agility and Spirit), except for their vitality, which still left them with 3,000 HP each. ... [Skeleton Warrior] [Master:] FateBreaker [Cost:] 100 Mana [Attributes:] Vitality 300; Strength 449; Agility 289; Spirit 747 [Skills:] Strike. ... Their strength, agility, and spirit stats were lower than his, but even at a fraction of his power, they were formidable. The fact that he could summon five at a time made them a significant force. Do note though, that when talking about the skeleton''s stats, the increase in strength and agility he gets from the [Advanced Awakener''s Set] is indeed considered. This also works with the [Elysian Staff of The Silver Mage] by the way. [Attributes: Vitality 485; Strength 744 + 1500; Agility 447 + 1000; Spirit 2737 + 1000] So 744 + 1500, which is then divided by 5, and so on. "Let''s see how you do," Alex muttered as he stepped inside the [Undead Temple] to test out his abilities. The temple was a dark, eerie ce, filled with monsters of the [Undead] type, it was the perfect ce to test out his new summons. His footsteps echoed as he led the skeletons deeper into the temple, some of the many yers inside pointing at them. Right now, most people could already enter the second floor, but only a very small fraction could ess the third! In no time, monsters began to appear, [Temple Zombies], [Undead Ghouls] and [Temple Skeletons]! "Go fight them," hemanded his little army, and they immediately marched toward their kin. Alex stopped and watched as his skeletons charged forward. Their bone swords shed through the air as they engaged the enemy, using their basic [Strike] ability. The first monster, a decayed zombie, lunged at one of Alex''s skeletons. But the skeleton was fast. It parried the attack with its sword, then countered with a heavy sh that cut deep into the zombie''s torso. The other skeletons joined the fight, moving in unison as they overwhelmed the monsters with sheer numbers and coordinated strikes. "They''re strong," Alex thought, impressed by how well the skeletons handled the creatures. Despite only having a fraction of his stats, they were performing exceptionally well. One of them even managed to slice through two monsters at once, its de cutting through the decayed flesh with ease. As they advanced, more monsters fell before them. Alex didn''t even need to lift a finger, the summons did all the work! Plus. [Extract from "Undead Ghoul"] [Extract from "Temple Zombie"] He still gets the extraction prompt when his skeletons kill! At some point, he met with some yers, who seemed to be from the [Overlord] guild as they recognized him. "SHIT!" "WE''RE STUCK, RUSH AT HIM!" But Alex didn''t even flinch. The humans, seeing Alex alone with his skeletons, thought they had the upper hand. They drew their weapons, clearly underestimating his undead army. "Let''s see what you can do," Alex said quietly, watching the scene unfold. The yers charged, but Alex''s skeletons moved swiftly, cutting them off. One of the yers swung a sword at the nearest skeleton, but the skeleton parried the blow and retaliated with a swift strike that sent the yer reeling. Another skeleton shed through the defenses of a second yer, knocking them to the ground. Within moments, the yers were overwhelmed and killed, shing in a blue light before disappearing. "Not bad," Alex mused. His skeletons had proven their worth, even against human opponents. But the battle had taken its toll, and one of his skeletons finally fell, its bones crumbling to dust under the weight of too many attacks. "Ah, so you can still die," Alex muttered, "Well, you do have 3000 HP, makes sense." But within a minute, he was able to summon the fallen skeleton back, its bones rising from the ground as if nothing had happened. He smirked¡ªhis undead were practically endless. Even if they fell in battle, he could bring them back as long as he had time and the mana. By the time his talent leveled up, could he possibly have an army of undead of many different types? [Advancement Task:Skeletons Kills (39/100)] He would need to discover how to do that, though. But it didn''t matter, as now it was time for a real test. Alex descended deeper into the temple, making his way to the third floor, where the [Death Revenant] boss awaited. His skeletons got rid of literally everything, and even when one or two fell, they would quicklye back. [+231 Vitality, +137 Strength, + 65 Agility] [Advancement Task:Skeletons Kills (78/100)] None of the items interested him, so he just kept selecting the [Attribute Points] over and over, plus, increasing his stats also meant powering up the skeletons! When he entered the boss room, the [Death Revenant] turned its hollow gaze toward him. He had fought this boss twice before, but it had gotten stronger since then. Its level hadn''t increased, but it was now at NB++ (New Boss ++), a significant boost in power! ... [Death Revenant - Level 50 - NB++] [HP: 60,000] The massive undead monster stood tall, its entire body cloaked in shadow, its skeletal hands clutching a gigantic sword. It was far more intimidating than it was before. But Alex stayed calm. He wasn''t here to fight directly; this was an experiment. He gestured to his skeletons. "Go," he ordered, "Take it down by yourselves." His five skeletons charged forward, bone swords raised high. The [Death Revenant] let out a bone-chilling wail and swung its sword at them. The de connected with the first skeleton, taking half of its life, but it still kept going! The other four who hadn''t been hit also rushed at it,nding blow after blow on the revenant. Despite being weaker than the boss, the skeletons were relentless. They dodged and parried the revenant''s attacks as best they could, their bone swords chipping away at its health. Over the course of ten minutes, each of Alex''s skeletons fell, their bones scattered across the floor. But not before dealing a solid 30,000 damage to the boss¡ªhalf of its total health. "Incredible," Alex thought. He hadn''t expected his skeletons to do so much damage. Despite only having 20 percent of his stats, they had managed to wear down the boss significantly. Satisfied with the results, Alex decided to finish the fight himself. He raised his staff and unleashed a powerful series of spells, bombarding the [Death Revenant] with sts of magic. The revenant howled in pain as its health quickly dropped to zero. Ding! The [Death Revenant] crumbled into dust. [You have in ''Death Revenant'', gained 1372 experience points!] He was level 32 though, which meant he needed 23000 experience points to level up! "Extraction," regardless, he touched the boss''s body for the third time, extracting something from it. Ding! [You have acquired ''Undead Land Secret Area Token'' (Mythical)] [Find it on the map, and you will be granted ess to undeadnd, it is also where the "Undead Lord Trial" will take ce as a necromancer/undead lord.] ... "Amazing," Alex muttered, storing the token in his system inventory since it wasn''t considered a physical item either. The possibilities it offered were endless, but that would be a quest for another time. Even better, just minutes after the battle, Alex was able to summon his skeletons again. Their bones rose from the ground, ready for another fight. He smiled, knowing these undead soldiers would be a valuable asset moving forward. "Now, there''s one more thing," Alex said to himself, remembering the extra perk he had gained from the [Undead King]. In addition to binding the king''s essence and bing his master, Alex had inherited a powerful ability: [Death Call]. [Death Call: Once a day, you can summon the Undead King to aid you in battle.] It was a game-changer, something that could turn the tide of any difficult fight. And also, it could be used for the attack, at least, Alex hoped. Ding! A message suddenly appeared in his interface. It was from Alice, asking where he was. Alex quickly sent her his location, and soon they met up. Alice''s eyes widened when she saw the skeletons marching beside him. "Wow," she said, stepping closer to inspect them. "These are incredible." She wasn''t scared at all. In fact, she seemed more fascinated by the skeletons than anything else. The skeletons stood still as she touched their bones. They didn''t react, of course¡ªthey had no feelings, no emotions. But they didn''t mind her presence as long as Alex didn''t. "Come on," Alex said. "Let''s head back inside the [Undead Temple]. I''ll help you level up." Together, they ventured back into the dark halls of the temple, Alex''s skeletons leading the way. The attack was happening in less than 12 hours based on the time from his past life, so Alex needed to be careful. If his n doesn''t work, then he would surely die too. Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Silver-Skins Attack, Death Call In a dark area inside one of the novice viges. "So you heard about the n?" a man spoke, his ID was Dawn. "Yes," in front of him were three silver-skin warriors, the three strongest of the novice vige he was in, "We''ll get her, don''t worry." "Well, you better, otherwise you won''t be paid, I''m a busy guy, so just do it quickly, you already have the location," Dawn''s tone was cold, "Go inside the vi, kill anyone and anything you see, ande back, I want no civilian casualties beside those in the vi." "Right," the silver-skins nodded. Beside Dawn were two other human yers, each of them silent as they let the leader speak. Soon enough, the silver-skins left, and the three humans yers stood there. "Hey, Dawn, you think this is gonna work?" one of the men, named Sato, asked. Dawn chuckled, shaking his head, "Of course it''s going to work. One silver-skin is stronger than the best human we''ve got on Earth, so with three of them? Alice doesn''t stand a chance." "Very well," the other man, Lucas, nodded, "Then I guess the Stardust family is done for?" "Yes," Dawn said with a sigh, as if a great weight was about to be lifted off his shoulders. "Finally, after all this time." Dawn was the son of the head of one of the biggest financial institutes in the real world. They had been thinking of getting rid of Richard, or at least the only person close to him: Alice, to guarantee he wouldn''t meddle in their affairs. The appearance of ''Universal Descent'', and Dawn discovering the SSS-Level "NPC Call" artifact, which can transfer up to three NPCs in the real world for a short period of time, had been a blessing. Killing them via assassination could cause suspicion, no matter what they tried to do, but now, but if it was by supernatural means, it would ensure that there would be no suspicion, no trails leading back to them. "The n is in motion," Dawn smiled. "Yes, boss," Sato and Lucas spoke at the same time. ... Hourster, deep inside the novice vige, Altros and his silver-skinned warriors stood before a glowing pedestal. The [NPC Call] artifact was currently in his hands, pulsing with a sinister light. His twopanions stood behind him, ready. "Are you ready?" Altros asked. The two silver-skins nodded silently. They had no fear, only focus. Altros activated the artifact, and in an instant, the world around them shifted. The game world blurred and twisted, then vanishedpletely. The silver-skins were transported into the real world, right in front of arge, luxurious vi. The air felt different here¡ªthicker, more real. The silver-skins looked around, disoriented for a brief moment. "They are inside," one of the silver-skins said, gripping his dagger tightly. "Good," Altros replied, a smirk forming on his face. "Easy money. We''ve been informed they don''t have powers here." The third silver-skin looked confused. "By the way¡­ what is this world?" Altros shot him a sharp nce. "We don''t get paid to ask questions. Focus on the mission." Without another word, Altros grabbed his bow and marched toward the entrance of the vi. The silver-skins were professionals, and they wasted no time. Altros signaled to one of hispanions, who destroyed the door with a simple kick. BOOM! The door blew off its hinges, sending splinters flying in every direction. Alex, who had returned from the game after killing monsters in the [Undead Temple], had been focused on every sound at the time, and so he immediately jumped to his feet, grabbing Alice. "ALICE!" he shouted, his voice filled with urgency. "YOU GO HIDE, I''LL TAKE CARE OF THEM!" Alice froze, her face pale with fear. She had never been in a situation like this before. Trembling, she obeyed, running to their bedroom and hiding under the bed. Tears welled up in her eyes as she curled into a ball. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced¡ªit was terrifying. In the living room, the silver-skins entered, stepping over the debris of the door. They moved silently, their weapons at the ready, their eyes scanning the room. But all they found was Alex, standing there, unflinching. He was calm, unnervingly so, and his eyes fixed on them with a cold, calcting gaze. The leader of the group, Altros, took a step forward, his bow at the ready. "Hello," Alex greeted them with a chilling smile,pletely unbothered by their presence. Altros narrowed his eyes, sizing him up. "Hm¡­ doesn''t matter. We''ve been ordered to kill anyone in the vi." "By whom?" Alex asked, his voice sharp. He wasn''t just curious¡ªhe wanted to know who was behind this. Altros chuckled, shaking his head. "Sorry, kiddo. That''s a professional secret." "¡­" Alex remained silent, his expression unchanged. Altros raised his bow, the tension in the room thickening, "Tell us where the girl is, and we''ll make your death as painless as possible." Still, Alex said nothing, his cold eyes watching them. "Refuse to talk?" Altros asked, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "¡­" Alex remained silent, his mind already focused on his next move. Altros sighed and pped his hands, "Torture him." At hismand, the two silver-skins rushed forward, one brandishing a dagger, the other a sword. Their speed was astonishing¡ªfar faster than any normal human could track. And in the real world, their movements were a blur even for Alex. But even then, the man stood calm, unwavering. "Death Call," he whispered. The air around Alex grew cold, the temperature in the room dropping rapidly as dark energy began to swirl around him. A deep, resonating sound filled the space, like the echo of a thousand souls crying out in agony. [Death Call: Once a day, you can summon the Undead King to aid you in battle.] A figure began to materialize above Alex, its form towering and ominous. The skeletal figure of the Undead King loomed over the room, its hollow eyes glowing with an eerie light. The silver-skin warriors stopped in their tracks, their faces twisting in fear as they looked up at the massive entity before them. "You summon me for these fools?" the Undead King shrieked, its voice like the grinding of bones. Altros and his warriors stood frozen, their bodies trembling. The two silver-skins closest to Alex looked at each other, fear shing in their eyes. "Begone, fools!" the Undead King roared. With a single swipe of his skeletal hand, the Undead King sent both silver-skins crashing into the walls with a deafening thud. The force was overwhelming, and their health bars, invisible in this world, had beenpletely drained. -7462! -6832! The two silver-skins crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Altros, still standing, could hardly believe what he was seeing. His legs trembled as he watched the giant skeletal figure looming over Alex, obeying his everymand. "W-What the hell¡­?" Altros stammered, his voice shaky. "This¡­ this isn''t supposed to be possible¡­ they said there wouldn''t be any powers in this world. THEY LIED TO US!" No, they hadn''t lied. It was just that Alex was a special case. The [Soul Contract] he had formed with the Undead King allowed the king''s power to transcend the boundaries of the game early on and manifest in the real world. This was only possible because a [Soul Contract] was something almost impossible to get until one year after the gameunched. And even if someone got it, they would only be able to contract with weak foes, as no strong monster would ept. Altros was now facing a power far beyond anything he had anticipated. "Who lied to you?" Alex asked, his voice cold and calm. "If you tell me, I''ll consider sparing you." Altros hesitated, his mind racing. He knew he couldn''t defeat Alex¡ªnot with the Undead King protecting him. His only hope for survival was to give Alex what he wanted. "His ID is Dawn," Altros finally admitted, his voice trembling. "He ordered me to kill the daughter of Richard Stardust¡ª" Before he could finish, Alex gave the order to the entity above him. The Undead King raised its bony hand and mmed it down on Altros. The silver-skin leader was crushed in an instant, his body shattered beneath the immense force of the undead''s attack. "Dawn¡­" Alex whispered, his eyes narrowing in fury. He remembered that name all too well. "Is that all?" the Undead King asked, its hollow voice echoing through the room. "Yes," Alex replied. "You can go now. Thank you." "Very well," the Undead King said before dissolving into a mist of ck smoke, vanishing from the room. It still needed to retrieve its full power, and in the mental void it was put in because of the contract, it could do that in peace. Alex stood there, breathing heavily but filled with a sense of relief. He had saved Alice from certain death, and in the process, he had learned the identity of the person behind the attack. Dawn. The name echoed in his mind, filling him with a burning rage. There would be no mercy. Now, it was time for Alex to strike back. And he was ready to kill more. Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The Attack is Over, Comforting Embrace After getting rid of the silver-skins that tried to attack him and Alice, Alex immediately went back to their bedroom, looking for Alice. But once he took a single nce at the bed, he immediately raised his eyebrows. ''...Is she an idiot?'' Alex thought. After all, Alice''s legs were literally peeking from under the bed, and anyone with functioning eyes could see her. "Sigh..." Alex felt mischievous, and so he reached for Alice''s legs, grabbing them. "AAAAAAHHHHH-" Alice shook like crazy. "Calm down, It''s me," Alexughed, unable to hold it in. After a few seconds, Alice calmed down, and she crawled out of her "hiding spot", her eyes red and full of tears, seeing that, Alex felt bad, but the prank still made himugh. "W-What happened..." Alice wasn''t even mad, she just wanted for Alex to be safe. "They''re gone," Alex smiled. "So... did you..." "Yep, I killed them." "!!!" As she heard that, Alice immediately jumped to hug Alex, letting more tears escape her pretty eyes, "Thank you so much..." "No problem." Alice tried to reach for Alex''s pants as she felt extremely thankful and a bit horny after seeing him so handsome, but Alex refused. "I need to contact your father first," Alex gently pushed her away while opening up the chat panel. "..." Alice looked disappointed, and Alex noticed it. "Don''t worry, as soon as I finish what I have to do, I''ll show you who you belong to," he smiled, and Alice''s eyes lit up. ... [FateBreaker: Attackers dealt with, need someone to clean it all up, though, oh, and please also someone to repair our door and walls as they''ve been destroyed.] Instantly, a reply came. [RichDad: A team is on the way, thank you for the help.] [FateBreaker: No problem, Richard.] As previously said, Richard had been a greatpanion of Alex in the apocalypse in this past life, but he wasn''t really fit for it to be honest. Many times Alex had to save him, and in the end, Richard sacrificed himself in front of a boss to allow Alex and the team to win. Now that Alice survived, though, there was no reason for him to y the game, instead letting her be in good hands with Alex. Richard, with this recent attack, already trusted Alex as a possible future son-inw. Less than 20 minutes passed, and soon enough, a team of specialized forces came inside the vi, all wearing suits and equipment that is needed to clean corpses. "Here," Alex pointed at the silver-skin corpses, the entrance door, and the walls with crack all over them. "Very well," the leader of the squad nodded before they began to work. ... 3 hourster, everything had been fixed: the corpses and blood had disappeared, almost as if never there, the walls have been repaired, and the door was back in ce. "Thank you," Alex bowed his head. "That''s our job," but the leader was humble. Once the team left, it almost felt like there had never been an attack to begin with. And so, only Alex and Alice were left in the vi, inside the living room, thetter right next to him as she went down after the cleaning squad left. "Are they gone-" she spoke, but almost immediately, Alex grabbed her from the waist and lifted her up, "H-Huh?" "Bedroom, I''m going to show you who you belong to, remember?" "...!" Alice''s face turned crimson red, but she couldn''t deny she was excited. Alexunched her onto the bed, and without a single second of hesitation removed all of his clothing, revealing his throbbing member, ready to pierce Alice. "Gulp..." Alice, wearing a mini-skirt, gulped, knowing that she was about to be punished, or maybe it was a reward, who knows. Alex removed all of Alice''s clothes as well, and the girly there, on the bed, waiting for Alex to take the initiative as always to bring her to heaven. But this time, Alex just stood still, in front of the bed, then he pointed at his member, "Suck it." "Huh?" Alice''s face flushed, she had never done such a thing! How could she ever hope to be good at it! "You heard me,e." Alice agreed, cing herself in front of Alex''s rod. "Sniff..." instinctively, she sniffed it, and the scent it emanated was powerful. It wasn''t unpleasant, not at all: it was addictive, for some reason. Her movements were clumsy and slow as she sucked and moved her hand up and down in rhythm. "Grr..." and it was the first time she could actually hear Alex''s small moans of pleasure, making her smile mischievously as she tried even harder. Alex''s member touched the back of her throat, and even went deeper, yet she didn''t stop. At the same time, she began to touch herself down there, the feeling of Alex''s thing making her horny. She worked hard to please her master- I mean, herpanion! Just like that, five minutes passed, then ten, then twenty... Alex didn''t seem to be at his limit though, as he kept looking at Alice, stroking her hair gently as she tried her best. "What the hell is your thing made of?" she removed it from her mouth, feeling sore. "No idea," Alex smiled, "Let me do something, can I?" "S-Sure," Alice let him do whatever he wanted. And so, Alex grabbed the back of her head and suddenly thrust it all the way inside her mouth, making her reach his stomach. "~~~," Alice''s eyes rolled back, and tears welled up in her eyes. Ten minutes of thatter, Alex finally reached his limit, "Take everything!" "~~~" He released an abnormal amount of liquid inside of her mouth, releasing his hand to allow her to spit it out if she wanted. But surprisingly, Alice didn''t: she gulped it all down repeatedly, satisfaction in her eyes. "Mhh~ delicious," this made Alex''s mind go kaboom, as he immediately pounced on the girl. "Looks like I''ll have to teach you even more than I believed..." Without wasting time, heunched her on the bed, then inserted his member inside of her, moving fast. p! p! p! "MMMHHH~" Alice climaxed the moment he put it inside, and after that, every thrust was another sea of pleasure to her. Hours passed. "S-Stop, I-I learned my lesson, p-please," Alice groaned as she clutched the bedsheets tightly, her eyes still rolled back as she experienced another climax. "Nope, we need to go all the way through." "Oh~" "Do you know who you belong to, now?" he asked before kissing her, their tongues intertwining. "Y-Yes, I belong to you only..." Alice''s heart lit up as she spoke, climaxing again. ... Next morning came, and Alex released his white liquid onest time inside of Alice before she finally copsed. Alex was satisfied, but not nearly as he thought he would be. ''What the hell is wrong with my stamina...'' he thought, it was unreal that he could probably keep going for days if he felt like it: it was just that Alice would break if he did. In the end, he wasn''t tired, and so he immediately opened up his status panel, wanting to check if anything new had happened. And it did! The official forum for [Universal Descent] wasunched now, it wasn''t fan made or anything of the sort, it was the official one, and every single yer was already registered with their ounts. [Any new ways for a newbie to level up?] [Help, I can''t beat those stupid undead zombies!] [Is the third floor of the temple impossible to ess?] Already thousands of discussions had been opened. But the one that interested Alex the most was the #1 trending at the top of the page. And it read: [Limited Time Event - Toxic Forest]. Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Limited Time Event, Acquiring Poison Antidote [Limited Time Event - Toxic Forest] When he first saw it, Alex was shocked, since there was no such thing before he went offline to fight the attackers. In other words, the event and discussion had been triggered overnight, and became the topic among millions of yers! Of course, Alex perfectly knew what this event was about. And someone even disyed an image of the panel they received onceing close to the forest! This was a feature introduced to allow other people that weren''t in the game or didn''t have the time to be able to see. Later on, a broadcast feature will be avable, but until then, images are good enough. ... [Area: Toxic Forest] [Type: Limited Time Event] [Difficulty: ???] [Rewards: Earn points for each monster killed. Points can be exchanged for rare items such as Pet Seal Cards, Magic Crystals, Experience Points, Reputation Points, and more.] [Duration: 48 hours] ... Alex was immensely excited. The reason? Well, because some of the rewards were [Pet Seal] cards! Remember how he got an [S-Rank Shadow Pet Egg] for scoring first in the event at Dawn City? Well, you actually needed a [Pet Seal] that matched the pet egg''s rank to be able to start the hatching process. This would surely cost hundreds of points, but Alex was ready. And also, he would need [Magic Crystals] to help his pet evolve further. ... [Item: Magic Crystal] [Quality: Rare] [Effect: Help pets upgrade and synthesize consumable materials for pets.] ... If he got enough of those, not only could he use [Potential Extraction] on them one by one to push them to their highest forms, but he would also be able to directly use [Synthesis] to enhance his shadow pet''s power! Basically, this event was a treasure trove for Alex. ... [Event Timer: 22:42:39] And above the page with the official discussion of the event, a timer was ticking down. By the way, as Alex is currently in the real world, we use reality''s time, meaning that when inside the game, the event would be around 44 to 45 hours away! But there was one single little problem with this event: poison, and Alex could read several posts about this already. [The Toxic Forest is blocked by a wall of poison, if you enter it you will begin to receive -100 damage per second until death!] [What the hell?] [I can confirm, my friend died trying to rush inside!] The problem was that the forest was filled with [Poison Mist], meaning that anyone who wanted to participate would need to get a [Poison Antidote] to participate. And oh boy were these things difficult to get. You could buy them at the alchemist, of course, but this was the "expensive" way of doing it. Otherwise, you could maybe try to learn the [Alchemy] skill from a mentor, which made more sense, but would also cost you. Andstly, you can try to gather the materials yourself, though you would need to then pay the [Alchemist] to brew them together. As for Alex, he had no such issues. [Synthesis] could help him out, and he already had some basic alchemy skills from his past life, meaning that learning would be much quicker. In the end, Alex got up, prepared breakfast for himself, while leaving a portion to Alice, then immediately connected to ''Universal Descent''. ... As Alex logged back into Universal Descent, the familiarndscape of [Dawn City] loaded around him. The city bustled with yers, NPCs, and merchants hawking their wares. But Alex''s mind was focused. The [Toxic Forest] event had been announced, and he had around 45 hours until it officially began. He needed to be ready. His first objective: acquiring enough [Poison Antidotes] to survive the toxic mist that shrouded the event area. Since he''d need one antidote every hour, and he nned to be in there for the full duration, Alex calcted he''d need at least 40 to 50 antidotes¡ªjust to be safe. With that in mind, he headed toward the alchemist''s shop nestled in the heart of Dawn City. The twisting alleyways led him to a small, unassuming wooden door with a sign etched into the top: [Fiora''s Potions & Brews]. As Alex entered, the shop was filled with the pungent aroma of herbs, drying flowers, and bubbling potions. Behind the counter stood an NPC, Fiora, a seasoned alchemist in herte fifties with a sharp gaze, she was one of those NPCs with personal reputation, which is why she didn''t care that he was at -300 with the church. She greeted Alex with a knowing nod. "Another adventurer preparing for the Toxic Forest event," she said, already guessing his purpose, "You''ll be needing antidotes for the poison mist, yes?" Alex stepped closer to the counter, "Exactly. I need a lot of them. You wouldn''t happen to have a recipe for [Poison Antidotes], would you?" [Reputation with Fiora: -20] Fiora crossed her arms, giving him a scrutinizing look, "It''s not a simple brew. Gathering the right ingredients is one thing, but bncing the potion is another. I can sell you the recipe, but you''ll need to have at least some basic alchemy skills to craft it yourself, which I don''t think you have." A grin spread across Alex''s face, "That''s not a problem. I have enough experience." "Good. I''ll sell you the recipe for 10 silver coins." This is a hefty amount, the price of 10 antidotes actually, but it didn''t matter. ... [Poison Antidote Recipe Acquired] After the transaction wasplete, Fiora handed Alex a scroll with detailed instructions on how to create the antidote. The materials list included: ... [Luminous Leaf:] Found in novice vige forest. [Snake Tongue:] Can be extracted from poison snakes. [Fire Fox Tail:] Can be extracted from fire foxes. ... All of these items could be found in the novice vige, and his [Synthesis] ability would let himbine them efficiently. "Thanks," Alex said as he tucked the scroll into his inventory, "Now, I just need to gather the ingredients." Fiora nodded, "If you''re short on time, I have some of the materials in stock." He nced at the stock of materials behind Fiora. While buying them would save time, Alex preferred going out to gather the ingredients himself. ... With the recipe secured, Alex left the shop and headed toward the forest surrounding the novice vige, and the one outside Dawn City. The towering trees and undergrowth were dense, but it didn''t take long before he spotted the first material on his list¡ªLuminous Leaf. The glowing, greenish-blue leaves dotted the dark corners of the forest floor, providing just enough light to make them noticeable. He quickly gathered enough to meet the recipe''s requirements. And as for the [Fire Fox Tail] and [Snake Tongue], he had no other choice but to hunt the monsters himself. It took him around 3 hours, and over 900 monsters, but in the end, he finally managed to gather the ingredients, leveling up to level 33 in the process. ... [Materials Gathered: Luminous Leaf x100, Snake Tongue x100, Fire Fox Tail x100] He had grabbed 100 of each because he needed to get some for Alice too. Without wasting time, he began the synthesis. Ding! Ding! Ding! [Synthesis: Luminous Leaf + Snake Tongue + Fire Fox Tail = Poison Antidote] The three items glowed for a moment before merging together, and once the light faded, all that was left was a small vial with green liquid inside. ... [Item: Poison Antidote (High-Quality)] [Quality: Rare] [Duration: 1 hour] [Description: Drinking this potion will negate low-level and middle-level poison entirely.] ... When brewing a potion, you would need to be very precise as to not make mistakes and reduce the quality. But with [Synthesis], Alex was able to instantly made the antidotes with the highest quality possible for a [Rare] potion. Each synthesis would create a single [Poison Antidote], and considering the poison miststed for 48 hours, Alex decided to make 100 antidotes to be safe. It took several minutes for the system to craft all 100 antidotes, but Alex''s patience paid off. And the vials of pale green liquid now sat in his inventory, glowing faintly. [Poison Antidote x100 Acquired] [Superior Backpack: 100/100] [Snake Backpack: 10/10] His backpacks were full, but satisfied with his preparations, Alex sat back and opened the event panel again. The countdown continued to tick away. [Event Timer: 42:02:11] There was still plenty of time, but he knew that being over-prepared was never a bad thing. Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Toxic Forest Event, Poison Mist Before leaving the novice vige forest, Alex performed a quick scan through his inventory. He had obtained a second [Snake Backpack] and decided to take advantage of his synthesis ability. He activated the synthesis process andbined the two identical items. Ding! [Synthesis Complete!] [Snake Backpack + Snake Backpack = Python Backpack (Legendary)] [Can store up to 250 items, up to Legendary rank.] A satisfied grin formed on Alex''s face. His inventory space had just increased significantly, providing him with enough room for all the rare items he hoped to collect during the uing event. "Perfect," he thought, stashing the newly synthesized backpack into his inventory. Now, Alex turned his attention to something even more important: his prized [S-Rank Shadow Egg]. "Hey, panel," he called out. "Show me the S-Rank Shadow Egg." Ding! A panel appeared before him, showing the shadow egg inside a blue square, standing still. Beneath the egg was a notification that read: [Needs an S-Rank Seal Card to Hatch.] But Alex wasn''t focused on hatching it just yet. Instead, he wanted to try something else¡ªsomething potentially game-breaking. [Potential Extraction is avable.] He couldn''t use his ability on a living being. For example, the moment the egg began the hatching process, there was no way he could enhance it. But what about when it is still in its egg form? He didn''t know if it would work, but it was still worth the try. He eyed the egg carefully, and then whispered, "Potential Extraction." Ding! [Do you want to use ''Potential Extraction'' on ''S-Rank Shadow Egg''?] Alex smirked. This was exactly what he hoped for. "Yes." Ding! [Extraction sessful! You have enhanced ''S-Rank Shadow Egg'' to ''SSS-Rank Shadow Egg''!] [Your pet was supposed to be a ''Night Howler Terror,'' but it has now evolved!] It worked. The process had elevated his pet from an already powerful S-Rank to the ultimate tier: SSS-Rank. Alex could feel his excitement build. In most cases,panions could grow to be as powerful, if not more powerful, than their masters. This SSS-Rank pet was going to be an absolute beast, capable of turning the tide in any battle. "Nice," Alex muttered, satisfied. Just as he finished admiring his newly enhanced egg, a notification popped up in the corner of his vision. Ding! [StarPillow: Where are you?] It was Alice. Quickly, Alex pulled up his [World Map] to check her location. She was standing at the entrance of Dawn City, waiting for him. [FateBreaker: Coming, don''t worry.] Without wasting any time, Alex made his way toward the city. Along the way, he noticed numerous yers struggling with preparations for the Toxic Forest event. Many were desperately trying to gather ingredients to make poison antidotes, while others were panicking over the high cost of buying them outright. Twenty minutester, Alex arrived at the entrance to Dawn City, where Alice was waiting for him. She looked as radiant as ever, a small smile of relief on her face as she spotted him. "Finally, you left me behind, you big jerk!" she teased, but her tone was light-hearted. "Sorry, I was busy preparing for the event. Here, take this," Alex said, pulling out several poison antidotes from his new [Python Backpack] and handing them to her. "Oh?" Alice raised an eyebrow, impressed. Archers, inparison to most sses, get a starter inventory that can hold up to 500 slots, a good advantage that can help them store not only arrows, but items from any rarity too. That is why Alice didn''t need a backpack, archers never needed one, as when they upgraded their profession, their inventory size increased too. It was just to make it convenient for them. "So, what do we do now?" Alice asked, tucking the antidotes away. "Well, I''ve pretty much prepared everything," Alex said with a shrug, "so we just need to head into the event." "Damn, you keep treating me like I''m a baby by doing everything yourself!" Alice pouted yfully. Ignoring her banter, they decided to head into the city for some final preparations. The knights and members of the church eyed Alex warily, but his reputation was just high enough to avoid any trouble with them. After a quick stop at the alchemist to check for anyst-minute supplies, the two of them logged out for some rest. ... The next morning, Alex awoke to the smell of breakfast¡ªwell, kind of. Alice had tried her hand at cooking, but it didn''t exactly turn out as expected. You couldn''t expect someone that had been sheltered, with a dozen private chefs, to be good on their first try. "Is it good?" she asked, her eyes hopeful. "Uhm¡­ no," Alex replied honestly, though he took a few bites anyway. "But I''m sure you''ll improve." After a quick meal, it was time to get back to business. [Toxic Forest Event: 4 minutes remain] The event timer was ticking down in real-world time, meaning there were just a few more minutes before the action started in the game. [Do you want to join ''Universal Descent''?] "Yes." ... In an instant, both Alex and Alice were teleported back into the game, appearing at the entrance to Dawn City. The city was packed with yers, all of them scrambling to prepare for the Toxic Forest event. "Selling cheap antidotes!" "Looking for a party!" "The alchemist is out of stock¡ªsomeone help!" Chaos filled the streets as yers rushed to buy antidotes or find parties to join. The poison mist would only dissipate once the event ended! Without the antidotes, they wouldn''t survive the poison mist that filled the forest, which meant they wouldn''t be able to collect any points or im any rewards. Alex didn''t care about themotion. He was fully prepared. His main focus now was earning enough points to secure that SSS-Level Seal Card he needed to hatch his enhanced pet. Ding! Ding! Ding! [One minute remains!] The game made a global announcement, reminding everyone that the event was about to start. Alex checked his map. The gray mist that had previously obscured the [Toxic Forest] had been reced by a detailed map of the area, showing a dense forest with several key locations marked. This event revealed itself to be much more juicy than expected by many. Thus, all the major guilds would participate. The [Night Howler Apocalypse] was an event you were forced to participate in if you were inside the first city. But the [Toxic Forest Event] was something you had a choice to participate in or not, meaning that it became ten times as popr and wanted! Especially with the rewards already disyed! As the clock hit zero, another announcement rang out: Ding! Ding! Ding! [The Toxic Forestndmark has been made public. yers may now enter and begin earning points by defeating monsters.] [Note: There is no ranking. Points are all that matter.] [Don''t forget your poison antidotes!] The antidote market had exploded overnight, with the price of a single antidote rising from one silver coin to five. Any avid businessman would have had an orgasm at this return, Richard included, maybe. But Alex didn''t need to worry about that. He had already prepared plenty for both himself and Alice, and nned to sell the leftovers. They made their way toward the forest, passing by countless yers who were struggling to buy antidotes or joinst-minute parties. As they approached the entrance, a green mist loomed over the forest¡ªthick, toxic, and deadly. "That''s strong," Alice gasped as she stared at the mist in awe. "That''s low-level poison," Alex corrected her, his tone calm. "We''ll be fine." Before stepping into the mist, both Alex and Alice pulled out their antidotes from their inventories and drank them. Ding! [You are now immune to poison for 59:59 minutes.] "Let''s go," Alex said, his voice firm as he pointed toward the forest. And with that, they both stepped into the toxic wilderness, ready for whatever challenges awaited them. Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Entering the Toxic Forest, Starting Event As soon as the event began, yers from all directions poured into the [Toxic Forest], creating an almost chaotic scene at the forest''s edge. The major guilds led the charge, formingrge teams to efficiently farm monsters. These creatures, at level 20 to 25, were perfect targets for most yers who had leveled up enough to participate in the event. However, Alex knew that the deeper parts of the forest hid much stronger monsters, some as high as level 40¡ªa death sentence for anyone unprepared. Ding! [You have received the effect ''Poison'', but thanks to your antidote, you are immune!] Those who had consumed a high-quality antidote, like Alex and Alice, were safe from the forest''s poison. But not everyone was as fortunate. Ding! [You have received the effect ''Poison.'' You have consumed a low-quality antidote, thus the poison effect is reduced.] -5! -5! -5! "WHAT? I GOT SCAMMED!" one yer shouted in frustration, clutching his side as the poison drained his health. "SHIT!" another yelled, quickly chugging health potions to counter the poison''s damage. Even if yers managed to craft antidotes themselves or buy them from others, they had to be wary of quality. Poorly made antidotes only lessened the poison''s effects rather than fully neutralizing them. And those without antidotes altogether? They couldn''t step foot inside the forest without risking death in seconds¡ªunless they had a special passive skill to resist poison. At the entrance to the [Toxic Forest], tens of thousands of yers gathered, but only about ten percent of them actually made it inside. Most were stuck, scrambling to either find better antidotes or formst-minute parties. Daniel''s guild, thoughrge, had barely managed to gather around a thousand antidotes for its members, enough to send some of them into the forest. Participating in events like this was critical¡ªthose who seeded gained ess to rare loot that could propel them ahead of other yers. Every monster in offered points, and those points could be exchanged for valuable items. [Points Shop:] [Magic Crystal (Rare):] Buy for 25 points/piece. [Pet Seal Card (Rare):]Price varies by quality; B-Rank 50 points; A-Rank 100 points; S-Rank 250 points; SSS-Rank 1000 points. [Bottle of 15,000 Experience Points (Legendary):] 200 points/piece. ... The shop had some tempting items, but Alex''s eyes were fixed on the SSS-Rank Pet Seal Card. It was the most expensive item, but essential for hatching his shadow pet egg. In addition, he needed at least 50 Magic Crystals to synthesize and help his pet grow after hatching. Doing the quick math, Alex realized he would need around 2,250 points to get everything he wanted. Monsters in the forest only awarded around 5 to 10 points each, so he would have to be both fast and efficient to umte that many points. "The poison feels weird," Alicemented, pinching her nose as they walked deeper into the forest, a faint green mist swirling around them. "You''ll get used to it," Alex said, checking their surroundings. "We need to find some monsters to kill before others clear them out." With thousands of yers entering the forest, it was likely that they''d run into others at some point, but for now, their focus was on finding and killing monsters. One small but important rule made the event even more dangerous: the ability to steal points from other yers. [If you kill a yer, there is a chance to acquire some of their points when they respawn!] Alex smirked. This feature added a whole new level of tension to the event. Ambushes would bemon, and in his past life, major guilds like Overlord and Madmen had spread their members across the forest to backstab unwary yers. Alex had been ambushed like this in his past life, so he knew the dangers. Still, in Alex''s eyes, killing humans for points was far easier than hunting down high-level monsters. "This event''s going to turn into a bloodbath," he muttered, scanning the forest. While some yers would be chasing after [Magic Crystals] and [Pet Seal Cards] (mainly summoners), most were after the [Bottle of 15,000 Experience Points]. For the average yer, who was around level 15, this item represented a guaranteed level-ups by at least two to three levels. But for Alex, who was level 33 and required 24,000 experience points to level up, it wasn''t worth it. Alice, at level 26, was in a simr position, though she could maybe level up once using it. They didn''t have to wait long before encountering their first monster. ... [Toxic Lizard] (Common) [Level: 25] [HP: 5000] [Warning: Its tongue causes mid-level poison.] ... Fortunately for Alice and Alex, the antidotes thetter had crafter were of high-quality, thus negating the effect of even middle-level poison. The others wouldn''t be so lucky, though. A lizard the size of a wolf slithered toward them, its tongue flicking dangerously. "Ready?" Alex asked, raising his staff. "Go for it!" Alice replied, her bow at the ready. With a quick wave of his staff, Alex cast Grand Fireball. Boom! The fireball collided with the lizard, instantly reducing it to a pile of scorched flesh. -5537! [You have in ''Toxic Lizard lvl25''. You gained 176 experience points.] As the game''s leveling system dictated, Alex received reduced experience points for killing a monster below his level. Alice, however, earned three times the experience since the lizard was closer to her level. Ding! [Would you like to extract from ''Toxic Lizard''?] Alex grinned. His extraction ability activated on the very first kill. He quickly initiated the process. ... [Venomous Lizard Scales (Rare): Durable scales with a faint poison effect. Can be used for crafting toxic-resistant gear. The rare material makes it highly sought after by armorers.] [Lizard Fang (Common): A sharp fang from the Toxic Lizard. Mostly used as a basic crafting material, but with little value beyond low-tier weapon enhancement.] [Poison nd (Umon): A small sac filled with the lizard''s mid-level poison. Can be used in alchemy or to coat weapons for a limited time.] ... As said before, Alex, thanks to his [Extraction Points] reaching 100, could now check the descriptions of the items before even extracting them! Ding! [You have extracted Venomous Lizard Scales (Rare) from ''Toxic Lizard''.] Ding! [You have gained 8 points from ying ''Toxic Lizard''!] [Event Points: 8/2250] "Not bad," Alex said, moving forward. "Let''s keep going." Alice nodded, though she didn''t get any points from the kill¡ªpoints weren''t shared among party members. As they ventured deeper into the forest, they encountered more monsters: a few more Toxic Lizards, and even Poisonous Spiders. Alex''s extraction skill continued to pull valuable resources from the monsters, earning him more points. The spiders gave him strength attribute points, by the way. By the time they reached their next area, Alex had umted 73 points. Not bad for a few low-level kills. The amount of points you gain would increase the deeper you went. Suddenly, a noise from deeper in the forest caught Alex''s attention. As they approached the source of themotion, they saw a group of yers wearing matching emblems: the Overlord guild. "Heh¡­" Alex muttered, recognizing them instantly. "Hey!" Alice whispered urgently. "It''s those assholes from before!" Even she remembered the unpleasant encounter they''d had with this guild. "Yeah..." Alex chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Let''s y a little trick on them." Alice''s face lit up with excitement. "Okay!" Together, they quietly approached the Overlord guild members, ready to cause some trouble. Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Destroying The Overlords Guild Supply, Gaining Points "Time for a little payback." He signaled for Alice to follow, and they quietly circled around the Overlord yers. The group was currently resting near a cluster of [Toxic Lizards], farming them efficiently for event points. There were around fifty members in total, which is what 1000 antidotes could get them. Their voices filled with confidence as they casually fought off monsters. "ARGH-" one of them died once in a while, but it didn''t matter to Daniel. Several backpacks filled with antidotes were lined up next to them, a clear sign they were preparing for a long grind in the poisonous forest. "Let''s take out their antidotes first," Alex whispered with a grin. "Without those, they won''tst five minutes in here after their own expire..." Alice nodded, already nocking an arrow. They crept closer, staying low and out of sight as they positioned themselves for the attack. Alex raised his staff, quietly cast Grand Fireball. He aimed at the row of antidote bottles stacked on a rock, right next to several backpacks, each filled too. If a backpack is destroyed, then all the contents inside would be destroyed. Of course, items of Epic, Legendary, and above had the durability to survive. But the [Poison Antidotes] were ''Rare''. "Ready?" Alex whispered. "Ready." With a quick flick of his wrist, Alex unleashed the spell. The me struck the backpacks'' dead center, and in an instant, the antidotes were reduced to ashes. "What the¡ª?!" one of the Overlord members shouted, his eyes wide as he realized what had just happened. Before the Overlords could react further, Alice let loose her arrows, taking down two of the yers who stood closest to the antidotes. They didn''t even have time to shout. Chaos erupted. "AMBUSH!" one of them yelled, scrambling to draw his weapon. But it was toote¡ªAlex had alreadyunched a Lightning Strike spell, the electric current hitting 4 yers. Ding! [You have killed ''MilfLover73'', stealing 16 points!] [You have killed ''GunOwner'', stealing 13 points!] . . Panic spread through the Overlord guild as they realized their antidotes were gone. "-5! -5! -5!" Several of the members clutched their throats, gasping for air as the poison drained their health rapidly, since they had low-level ones. One by one, they fell, unable to recover without the antidotes. And Alex got rid of the stray ones. "FATEBREAKER, STOP RUINING EVERYTHING!" Daniel shouted, "TAKE THIS!" He had learned a new spell: [Water Ray], and so he used it. But it was futile, as a single [Boulder Smash] blocked the water and mmed onto Daniel, killing him. [You have killed ''MartialMage'', stealing 38 points!] Ding! [+574] [Event Points: 655/2250] "Well, that was satisfying," Alice said with a smirk, lowering her bow. Alex scanned the battlefield, nothing was in view anymore. Without antidotes, it would take Daniel a while before entering the forest again. At this point, the simple sight of Alex probably would terrify him enough to instantly log off! "Let''s keep moving," Alex said, satisfied with the result. "The deeper we go, the better the rewards." They ventured further into the forest, facing stronger and more dangerous enemies as they went along. The poison in the air grew thicker, and the monsters were no longer just Toxic Lizards. Ahead of them, a new enemy emerged from the shadows. ... [Venomous Fangbeast] (Umon) [Level: 30] [HP: 7,500] ... The Venomous Fangbeast was arge wolf-like creature, its fur bristling with venomous spikes. Its eyes gleamed with a menacing glow as it darted forward with incredible speed. "Watch out!" Alice called, already releasing a volley of arrows aimed at the beast''s legs to slow it down. Alex raised his staff and cast [Stone Barrier] just in time to block the creature''s dash. The beast mmed into the barrier, but the shield held firm. Alex retaliated with Grand Fireballsending a wave of fire crashing into the Fangbeast''s side. -4,624! The creature''s defense was high, so less damage done. The Fangbeast howled in pain, but it quickly recovered, lunging at Alex again with its venomous fangs bared. Alice fired another round of arrows, hitting the beast in the nk and staggering it momentarily. Alex followed up with a quick [Lightning Strike], the energy surging through the creature''s body. -2,987! The Venomous Fangbeast copsed, defeated. Ding! [You have in ''Venomous Fangbeast''. Gained 50 event points.] A massive amount of points, but no yer at this point could have dealt with that thing beside Alex, so it wasn''t surprising. After dealing with a few more enemies, like the Venomous Fangbeasts and the swift Toxic Raptors that roamed the area, Alex checked his event points. [Event Points: 1237/2250] It had been two hours, and he had already half of what he needed to get everything he wanted! "We''re making good progress," Alice said, wiping the sweat from her brow. "But this ce is getting tougher." "Yeah, and we''re close to the center of the forest," Alex replied, his eyes scanning the thickening mist ahead. "That''s where the real challenge begins." They pressed on, their footsteps cautious as they ventured into the heart of the [Toxic Forest]. [+237 strength, +137 agility, +Venomous Lizard Scales x8, +Fangbeast Fur x3] With that, his strength had reached over 1000! [Attributes:] Vitality 716; Strength 1165 + 1500; Agility 729 + 1000; Spirit 2737 + 1000 ... But that wasn''t all! Using his skills so much meant that they would level up! [Grand Fireball has leveled up to level 8... 9!] [Crimson Shard has leveled up to level 7!] [Boulder Smash has leveled up to level 6... 7!] [Stone Barrier has leveled up to level 2!] [Inferno Tempest has leveled up to level 2!] [Lightning Strike has leveled up to level 9... 10!] The damage on his skill was raised, and his lightning ability could now be upgraded! [Lightning Strike has reached level 10; it can be upgraded to ''Lightning Bolt'' using 10 skill points!] He used up 10 of his skill points to upgrade it. Ding! [You have used 10 skill points to upgrade ''Lightning Strike'' to ''Lightning Bolt''!] [Lightning Bolt Level 1 ; Deal 2000 points of damage + 100% of spirit to target + 10% chance to cause stun to target; consumes 200 mana, 5-second cooldown.] ... "Amazing..." Alex nodded. He only had 14 skill points now though, so he needed to find a way to get more. But suddenly, the ground shook, and a powerful roar echoed through the forest, making the trees tremble. The mist parted, revealing a massive creature emerging from the depths of the forest. It was the big boss. ... [Venomous Swamp Basilisk] (Epic) [Level: 40] [HP: 30,000] [Warning: can cause high-level poison (poison antidote won''t work on that)!] ... The Venomous Swamp Basilisk was a terrifying sight. Its body was covered in dark green scales that shimmered with a sickly glow, and its eyes burned with a dangerous, predatory intensity. The ground beneath it was scorched and covered in poisonous sludge, evidence of its deadly presence. Alex quickly analyzed the boss, "Hm." It wasn''t a challenge for him. Especially after having defeated the [Undead King]. "Any ideas?" Alice asked, already positioning herself for an attack. "Yeah." Alex grabbed his staff with his two hands, then mmed it against the ground. "Come forth, my undead." Fwish! Five skeletons emerged from the ground before the two, standing up, wielding their bone swords. "Get rid of that thing." The skeletons nodded as they dashed toward it. They couldn''t be poisoned after all, so they made the perfect shields for Alex and Alice. Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Killing the Boss, Talent Upgrade, Madmen Guild Attack The battle between Alex''s skeletons and the [Venomous Swamp Basilisk] erupted in full force. The skeletons¡ªthough possessing only 20% of Alex''s formidable stats¡ªstood unwavering against the gigantic creature. Each of them wielded their bone swords with precision, hacking away at the basilisk''s thick, poisonced scales. The [Venomous Swamp Basilisk] let out a terrifying roar, shaking the ground and releasing a burst of poisonous mist around it. The mist hung in the air like a deadly cloud, but the skeletons moved through it unaffected, as poison held no effect over the undead. The basilisk lunged at the first skeleton with its venomous fangs bared, but Alex was ready. He raised his staff and muttered a quick incantation. "Stone Barrier." The ground beneath the skeleton''s feet erupted, creating a solid rock wall that absorbed the brunt of the basilisk''s attack. The creature recoiled, shaking its head in frustration. One of the skeletons seized the opportunity, swinging its sword in an arc that struck the basilisk''s exposed side. Though it was only a chip in the creature''s health, it was enough to draw its attention back to the undead attackers. Meanwhile, Alice stood at a safe distance, her bow nocked with a new arrow. She aimed for the beast''s glowing eyes and released the shot. The arrow streaked through the air and struck the basilisk, causing it to flinch. -1,298! The damage indicator floated above the basilisk''s head, proving her shot was effective. But the creature was far from finished. The basilisk roared again, this time summoning a torrent of venom from its maw that sttered across the ground, sizzling upon contact with anything organic. The venom might have been a death sentence for a normal yer, but Alex''s skeletons marched forward, their bones unscathed by the toxic liquid. Alex raised his staff again, then began to cast every single one of his spells. Grand Fireball! Crimson Shard! Lightning Bolt! Boulder Smash! Inferno Tempest! -5737! -1700! -5737! -2700! -3924! The Basilisk was already on the verge of death. [The boss has been stunned by ''Boulder Smash''!] Two of the skeletons lunged at the immobilized basilisk, their bone swords gleaming as they hacked away at its legs. Their attacks were relentless, each one chipping away at the basilisk''s HP, bit by bit. But the creature retaliated, swinging its massive tail in a wide arc. CRASH! The tail connected with two of the skeletons, sending them flying into the trees with a sickening thud. Their bones shattered upon impact, and they crumbled to dust. "Two down," Alex muttered, his eyes narrowing. But the remaining skeletons pressed on. Alice loosed another volley of arrows, aiming for the basilisk''s softer underbelly. Each shot hit its mark, and the creature let out a pained screech. -1,212! -1,078! The basilisk was weakening, its movements growing slower. It lunged once more, but this time, Alex anticipated its attack. Before it could do anything; the skeletons assaulted it again. And so with a coordinated strike from the skeletons, aided by another shot of [Lightning Bolt] from Alex, the basilisk copsed to the ground, its life force finally extinguished. Ding! [You have defeated the boss of the ''Toxic Forest'', gained +500 points!] [You have in ''Venomous Swamp Basilisk'', gained 1,721 experience points!] [Event Points: 1737/2250] "Those skeletons are strong!" Alice marveled, her eyes wide with surprise. "Yeah," Alex said with a smirk. The skeletons had proven their worth. Even though they were a fraction of his power, they had held off an [Epic] boss long enough for him and Alice to do the real damage. Summoning each skeleton cost 100 mana, but with Alex''s staggering 27,370 mana pool, he could summon them over and over without worry. The fight had barely made a dent in his reserves. [Extract something from the boss.] A prompt appeared, and Alex kneeled down, touching the boss with his little finger as he feared the poison. Ding! [You have received the passive skill "Poison Resistance"] [Description: you can resist any poison, whether it is low, normal, high, or extreme-level!] "Oh!" Alex was quite pleased, as it meant that from now on, and in the future, poison shouldn''t work on him anymore! ... Over the next few hours, Alex and Alice ventured deeper into the forest, ying more monsters with the help of Alex''s undead minions. Alex was mostly content to let the skeletons do the heavy lifting, as he had a goal in mind: to upgrade his [Undead Lord] talent. Ding! [Event Points: 2340/2250] He had surpassed his point goal, but that wasn''t the only milestone he reached. Ding! [E-Level Advancement Task: Have your undead kill 100 monsters.] (100/100) [Advancement Reward: Talent upgraded to Rank E.] The skeletons had done it. The moment he''d been waiting for had finally arrived. The transformation began instantly. A dark, ominous aura enveloped Alex, and the power of the [Undead Lord] surged through him. His body tingled with energy as the skill evolved. [Undead Lord talent has been upgraded to E-Rank.] The change was immediate. Alex now had the ability to summon ten skeletons instead of just five. Each of them had the same stats, except for a whopping 5,000 HP now. [D-Level Advancement Task: Defeat 250 monsters with your undead.] (0/250) "Wow..." Alice''s voice trailed off as she gazed at the small army of skeletons that stood before them. The skeletons looked even more formidable than before. Their bone swords gleamed with a dark, menacing energy, and their movements were sharper and more precise. "With these guys, taking down bosses like the basilisk will be easy," Alice remarked, still in awe. "Yeah, we won," Alex smiled, his eyes glowing with satisfaction. There was no ranking prize for finishing first in the event, so Alex had no interest in rushing. He had already gained what he wanted, and now it was time to spend the points he''d earned. He opened the [Points Shop] and quickly made his purchases. [You have bought the SSS-Rank Pet Seal Card for 1000 points!] [You have bought "Magic Crystal" x50 for 1250 points!] Alex had spent everything, but it was worth it. The event was now officially over for him. He quickly left the forest, but not from the side he came from. As said before, beyond the [Toxic Forest] was another part of the map. There would be more to do there. But as they made their way toward the edge of the forest, preparing to leave, Alex couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. And then, just as they were about to step out of the poisonous fog, a sudden blow struck the back of his head. -1! Alex turned around slowly, ring at the culprit. Standing behind him was a man, smirking triumphantly, thinking his blow should have at least knocked him out. But Alex''s expression darkened as he recognized him. "...You," Alex growled. The man¡ªDawn¡ªstood there with a smug grin, nked by nearly a hundred yers. But that grin quickly faltered when he saw Alice standing beside Alex, very much alive. "What the¡ª?" Dawn''s eyes widened. He recognized her immediately, his shock clear as he stammered, "How... how are you alive?" "Surprised?" Alex was the one to answer, his voice ice-cold, "Thought your little attempt at murder would work, huh?" Dawn''s face paled. How did that guy know? Why was he with Alice? What the hell is happening?! Dawn is the leader of the [Madmen] guild, an up-and-rising one currently. He had joined the game a bitte, but was quickly recovering the lost time using his family''s wealth. In Alex''s past life, the Madmen guild had been disbanded to join the Overlord guild, Daniel and Dawn bing best friends. But now, Alex wasn''t about to let any of that slide. His patience had worn thin. "Skeletons," he said, his voice like steel. "Get your kills." Ten skeletons surged forward, meeting the hundred Madmen guild yers head-on. The battlefield erupted into chaos. Alice watched, amazed, as Alex''s skeletons tore through their ranks, while Alex himself stood still, casting only [Stone Barrier] when necessary, watching the carnage unfold. -346! -271! "IT''S NOT WORKING!" someone from Dawn''s guild screamed as they desperately tried to break through the barrier. But it was futile. In mere moments, the Madmen guild was reduced to nothing more than a memory. Each of them shed in blue light before disappearing. Dawn stood alone, watching in disbelief as his men were cut down, including Lucas and Sato, the co-leaders. Alex approached the man, his eyes zing. "Realize your ce, trash, and quit this game while I''m still feeling merciful." Dawn smirked, his confidence wavering. "I''d love to see you try¡ª" Before he could finish, Alex''s skeletons closed in, delivering the final blows. Dawn''s health plummeted, and he copsed. -533! -533! -533! "..." "Are you okay?" Alice asked, her voice soft, noticing how quiet Alex had be. "...Yeah, I''m fine," Alex replied, shaking off his anger. "Let''s go." Together, they left the forest, the ambushers dealt with, and Alex ready for whaty ahead. [You have left the ''Toxic Forest''.] Now, in the vast opennd ahead, it was finally time to hatch the egg Alex had been waiting for. Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Hatching the Egg, SSS Primordial Shadow Dragon Alex and Alice emerged on the other side of the [Toxic Forest], feeling refreshed as they could breathe actual air. Thanks to Alex''s newly acquired [Poison Resistance] passive skill, he no longer needed to use antidotes to fend off the toxic effects of the forest. They now stood in a vast field of grass, and in the distance, the outline of a city came into view. "That''s Bell City," Alex said, recognizing the level 2 city. It was also the location of the [World''s Association], and where the second event would take ce. It was a ce he knew well from his past life, as there would be a need toe back to it repeatedlyter on. As soon as this event ended, the toxic mist of the forest would disappear. Meaning that all yers strong enough would be able to ess this area of the map. As the two took in the newndscape, Alex''s map automatically updated, marking new locations and points of interest that he could go to if he wanted to grow stronger. Though, most of it was still grayed out. [1.4%pleted.] "Less than two percent, after all that," Alex mused, realizing just how enormous the game world truly was. But that was just the beginning. Ding! Ding! Ding! A series of notifications echoed through the air. [Global Announcement: yers ''FateBreaker'' and ''StarPillow'' are the first to enter the second part of the map after the "Toxic Forest." They are both granted 5 prestige points!] [Global Announcement: ...] [Global Announcement: ...] Alice''s eyes lit up with excitement. "That''s us!" she said, bouncing. Alex nodded, though he remained focused on something else. [Avable: SSS-Rank Pet Seal Card; x50 Magic Crystals] He also opened up the battle disyed the egg of the shadow pet, cing them right next to each other. "Alright." He had hatched an egg in his past life, but it was a low-level monster that didn''t even help him. After a short while, he made the hard decision of letting it go, since it wasn''t worth keeping it to fight monsters stronger than it was. The ranking of a beast not only meant it''s potential, but also its power, obviously. An F-Rank beast, even though it is level 100, would struggle against monsters of the same level. On the other hand, an SSS level 50 pet could easily ovee monsters at the same level, if not higher. Deciding that it was time, he swiped the [SSS-Rank Pet Seal Card] toward the egg, releasing the seal. [You have used an "SSS-Rank Pet Seal Card" on your "SSS-Level Shadow Pet Egg".] The system messages flickered in front of his eyes. The hatching processpletely differed from pet to pet, but it usually just takes time for the beast toe out. Or at least, that is what Alex thought. Because the moment the panel disappeared, another one came to surprise him. [The hatching process is starting.] The egg began to glow faintly after that. Then, it suddenly vanished from the panel and appeared in Alex''s hands. The shell was warm, pulsating with life. "!!!" Alex stepped back, cing the egg on the ground. Cracks began forming along the shell''s surface, small at first but growingrger with each passing second. The sound of it breaking echoed in the empty field. Fwish! The egg exploded open, and dark energy surged out in every direction. A shadowy figure emerged from the remains of the shell. At first, it was hard to see what it was. But then the smoke cleared, and Alex saw it. A dragon. Not just any dragon, but a massive, sleek creature with scales as ck as the night, eyes glowing a fierce crimson. [You have hatched "SSS-Level Primordial Shadow Dragon"!] The dragon stood before Alex, its presence overwhelming. Even for a game, it felt too real, too powerful. Discover worlds on m-v le-mpyr "Holy crap..." Alex muttered, stepping back instinctively. This wasn''t just some random pet. This was a [Primordial Dragon], one of the ten most powerful dragons in the game. There is one thing Alex forgot to mention about pets. The higher the rank of the pet, the harder it is to tame it and have it listen to you. Because, yes, a pet can actually run away if you either: treat them badly, or they just don''t like you at all. And what was in front of Alex was a beast that is almost impossible to tame. The dragon''s eyes scanned the surroundings before locking onto Alex. "You..." the dragon spoke, its voice deep and ancient. "You are the one who summoned me?" Alex swallowed. He knew this was bad. Really bad. A dragon of this caliber wasn''t just a pet you could tame with a fewmands. There was a very high chance it could rebel, or worse, kill him. "You dare summon me, a member of the primordial dragons, you puny human?" the dragon growled, stepping forward. Its enormous body loomed over Alex like a shadow. "Uh..." Alex stepped back, trying to figure out his next move. He had brought the necessary resources to secure this pet, but things were already going off-script. "Me, a primordial dragon, hatched by someone as weak as you?" The dragon''s voice wasced with contempt. "Quit making meugh." Alex quickly calcted his options. If he got lucky, the dragon would simply kill him. If he didn''t, it would banish him to the [Dragon Realm], which was basically a death sentence for someone of his current level. It was a tier 8 area, after all. But Alex wasn''tpletely unprepared. He fumbled in his inventory and pulled out the stack of magic crystals he had saved. "This better work," he muttered. "Synthesis!" Alex called out. [x50 Magic Crystals = S-Level Magic Crystal!] The crystals fused into arge, shimmering gem that glowed with immense power. It was an S-Level magic crystal, but Alex knew that wouldn''t be enough. So he activated one more perk. "Potential Extraction!" The crystal shimmered, and energy surged into it. The gem transformed, its color deepening into a bright, blinding glow. [You have enhanced "S-Level Magic Crystal".] [You have acquired a new artifact item: "Maxed Out Magic Crystal".] [Description: if given to any pet, greatly enhances their power, as well as their loyalty to you.] This was it¡ªthe rarest tier a magic crystal could be at, and his only shot at taming the dragon. The dragon opened its mouth, dark mes forming between its jaws. "Goodbye, human," it sneered, preparing to incinerate Alex on the spot. "Wait!" but Alex shouted, raising the crystal into the air while pointing at it, "I have this!" The dragon''s mes flickered and then died in its throat as it saw the crystal in Alex''s hand. "Oh?" The dragon''s eyes narrowed, intrigued. "A maxed-out magic crystal... It seems I underestimated you." Even among the [Primordial Dragons], this crystal was an incredibly valuable treasure, something that could shift the bnce of power among them. "I didn''te here unprepared," Alex said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "But in exchange for this, you have to be my pet." The dragon stared at Alex in silence for a long moment. Then itughed. A deep, boomingugh that shook the ground beneath them. "Did you seriously think this would work?" the dragon sneered. It stepped closer, ws gleaming. "I''ll banish you to the [Dragon Realm], and the others will fight for that crystal. You won''t survive long enough to regret this." Alex''s heart pounded in his chest. This was it. The moment he had been dreading. He was out of options. But just as the dragon was about to strike, a shadowy figure appeared behind Alex. Fwish! It was the [Undead King]. The dragon paused, its eyes widening slightly. "Alphox," the Undead King said calmly, addressing the dragon by name. The shadow dragon¡ªAlphox¡ªstared at the undead figure for a moment before smirking, "Well, if it isn''t the good old Undead King. What brings you here?" "Nothing, but I would appreciate it if you didn''t immediately execute this human, as it would affect me as well," the Undead King sighed, being forced to leave its slumber for that was annoying. "Interesting..." Alphox''s voice trailed off as he studied Alex again, "It seems you have more powerful allies than I anticipated." Alex blinked, confused. How did the [Undead King] know this dragon? And more importantly, what was going on? "You may want to rethink your approach, Alphox," the [Undead King] pressed on, his voice calm but firm. "This one is under my protection." The dragon narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased. But after a moment, he backed off slightly, "Very well." Alex exhaled, realizing just how close he hade to being stuck in an infinite loop of spawning inside the [Dragon Realm] and dying. "You''re lucky, human," Alphox said, turning his gaze back to Alex. "You''ve caught my interest, and for now, I''ll y along." With that, the shadow dragon lowered its head slightly, acknowledging Alex as its master¡ªat least for now. "I''ll see how far you can go, but if anything happens, though, I''ll immediately leave." A pet as powerful as Alphox could break the master-pet bond whenever he wanted, meaning he had nothing to lose from that. And so that meant only one thing. Ding! [You have tamed the "SSS-Level Primordial Shadow Dragon"!] Alex stared in disbelief as the notification appeared. Somehow, against all odds, he had managed to pull it off. But the danger wasn''t over yet. If Alphox ever felt betrayed or mistreated, he could easily turn on Alex. For now, though, the dragon was his. Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Maxed out Magic Crystal [Please select a name for your pet!] A panel popped up in front of Alex, disying a virtual keyboard for him to choose a name for his newly hatched dragon. But before he could even begin typing, the name filled itself in automatically. A-L-P-H-O-X. "I don''t have a say in this?" Alex raised an eyebrow, ncing at the dragon. "No," Alphox, the shadow dragon, smiled with a mixture of arrogance and amusement. "Guess not," Alex muttered, rolling his eyes. Alphox shifted his gaze to the giant skeleton above Alex, "But anyway, how did you get hold of the undead king?" "I beat him," Alex shrugged. "No way you beat him, he is far stronger than you are!" "It''s true," the Undead King spoke up, his voice thick with irritation. "I''ve been weakened by the Undead Lord. I''m regaining my strength, but until then, I''m bound to this... human." Alphox let out a deep, rumblingugh that echoed in the open air. "How the mighty have fallen! Bound by a contract to such a weakling." He nced at the Undead King with what seemed like pity. "To think we were once rivals. How disgraceful." "Save your breath," the Undead King groaned, "I have no interest in chit-chat. I''ll be in my space." With that, he dissipated into a cloud of dark smoke and vanished back into Alex''s contract space. Alex was still confused, but it seems that the Undead King and Alphox knew each other from somewhere. This had saved him, and thanks to it, Alphox epted to be his pet. Alphox was prideful and had an immense EGO, so he obviously wouldn''t listen to orders, but at least he would take care of monsters and yers. "Here," Alex lifted the [Maxed out Magic Crystal] in front of the shadow dragon. "Good," The dragon''s eyes glowed with recognition, and without hesitation, he lunged forward, biting down on the crystal. It shattered instantly in his massive jaws, releasing a surge of energy that swirled around his body like dark mes. [Yourpanion, "Alphox" has consumed a "Maxed Out Magic Crystal" and retrieved 20% of his "Primordial" powers.] Primordial Dragons are at around the 8th tier, meaning level 1000, so right now, Alphox had be a tier 4 pet, soon to be tier 5. Reminder that tier 3 is level 60, tier 4 is level 100 and tier 5 is level 250. Alphox let out a satisfied growl, his scales shimmering with newfound energy. Even though he had been just hatched, the power of a [Primordial Dragon] was evident. He could easily overpower Alex. "Good, I feel the power, your action is appreciated, human," Alphoxughed, "Now these other dragons won''t mock me once I retrieve my full power." It seems that Alphox was the only one among the ten [Primordial Dragons] to have ended up inside a pet egg. "Pet Panel," Alex whispered. ... [Name: Alphox] [Type: Primordial Shadow Dragon] [Rank: Tier 4] [Master: FateBreaker] [Skills: Shadow mes, Strike, Fly...] [Description: One of the member of the ten primordial dragons, the most powerful dragons in ''Universal Descent'', nearly impossible to tame.] ... Just like yers, pets could grow stronger by leveling up and acquiring new skills. But unlike yers, pets often relied on items or events to progress rather than just defeating monsters, as you couldn''t see their real level, only their star ranking. "Interesting," Alphoxughed, "I guess that should be enough for now." With his new powers, Alphox was now officially a 4-Star or Fourth-Tier Pet. This ranking works the same as with humans. Level 10 = 1 star ; Level 35 = 2 stars; Level 60 = 3 stars; Level 100 = 4 stars; Level 250 = 5 stars; and so on... You could also refer to those as Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3... As the game progressed, people would start being addressed by their star ranking. This is how it made it easier to know who you should fight or not. "Impressive, FateBreaker," Alphoxughed as he saw Alex''s panel, and yes, he could do that. "Huh, Alex?" Alice, beside him, spoke, "Did you... tame it?" "Hm..." Alex scratched his chin, "I guess you could say so..." If he wanted to keep the [Shadow Dragon] with him, he would need to grow much stronger. The only reason it stayed was because he seemed interesting, as well as the fact the [Undead King], whom it seemed to know, was with him. "So, what''s your deal with the Undead King?" Alex asked. Alphox smirked. "He and I go way back. We fought many battles in the ancient wars. I could have destroyed him back then, but circumstances spared him. He''s lucky I''m not in the mood to reminisce right now." His eyes shifted toward the horizon, "But it seems you hold something else of interest, human." "Hm?" Alphox''s gaze was locked onto Alex''s inventory, where the "Undead Land Secret Area Token" was stored. "I see you possess the token," Alphox said, grinning wickedly. "That token gives you ess to the Undead King''s homnd. Wouldn''t it be fitting for him to return and witness what has be of his old domain?" Undead Land was thend of the undead, as in the name, and it was a 4-Star to 5-Star area, meaning that only someone that is level 100-250 should ess it. Alex frowned. "Undead Land? That''s a Fourth to Fifth-Tier area. I''m only level 33. I''m not ready for that!" The shadow dragon chuckled darkly, "Your level matters little to me. We''re going." Fwish! Before Alex could argue further, Alphox raised his wings high and without any warning, shot into the sky, his ws gripping the back of Alex''s armor. In seconds, they were soaring far above thendscape. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Alex yelled, the wind whipping against his face. Stay updated with m-v le-mpyr "Testing you," Alphox replied, sounding amused. "Show me that you are worthy to be my master." Alex frantically messaged Alice, who had been left behind. [StarPillow: What the hell just happened?] [FateBreaker: The dragon doesn''t listen to me, but don''t worry about me, I''lle back eventually.] [StarPillow: Oh, alright, I think I''ll just log off then, my dad sent me a message.] [FateBreaker: Alright, have fun, I''m sure I will...] Closing the chat, Alex focused on the scenery below. The lush fields of grass had given way to a dark and twistedndscape. The sky above was filled with ominous clouds, and a cold, eerie wind swept through the area. This was clearly not a ce Alex was ready to explore. After what felt like an eternity of flying (20 minutes), Alphox finally descended. Alex couldn''t deny the scenery from above was impressive, he had wished he could ride on the dragon''s back, not under it. "And... We''ve arrived." Below, a thick ck mist loomed, obscuring everything within it. [World Map Notification] [You have discovered "Undead Land." To ess it, use a token.] "Have fun, ''Master''" Aphox mocked as he dropped Alex, resulting in him falling at high speed toward the mist. "DAMN YOU, ALPHOX," Alex shouted, but the shadow dragon didn''t listen. Just like the [Undead King], pets also have personal spaces inside the host, and upgrading those spaces is an essential way of keeping your most powerful pets in check. Alphox immediately seeped inside that space. "COME BACK!" [You have called "Alphox" from inside the "Shadow Dragon Pet Space"...] ["Alphox" has refused your call.] "Damn." The mist swirled around him, and just before he hit the ground, a notification popped up. [Undead Land Secret Area Token has been detected, automatically using it.] [You have discovered a new area in the map: Undead Land.] [Level 100-250 Area.] [Good luck!] Fwish! He passed through the mist, the location of [Undead Land] now marked on his [World Map]. CRASH! He hit the ground hard. -2371! But thankfully enough, he didn''t die, even from such a height, thanks to his [Superior Awakener''s Set]. And so, now, he was in [Undead Land]''s starting area. "Fucking hell..." he didn''t n to go here until a while, because there was no chance a level 33 yer could even beat this area, but here he was. At least that''s better than the [Dragon Realm]. Oh, and the reason why Alex had been panicking was because when you enter a secret area that is on the map, meaning like the [Dragon Realm], the [Abyss] or in that case [Undead Land]. Then your spawn point is immediately reset to here. [Spawn point set!] Meaning that even if he died, he would just appear back here. [As Undead Land is an advanced area, death will not remove any levels, and you will not be forcefully logged off.] He was stuck here. He groaned, pushing himself to his feet and taking in his surroundings. Dark wastnds stretched out in every direction. The ground was cracked and barren, and strange, skeletal trees dotted thendscape. In the distance, a massive castle loomed¡ªundoubtedly the [Undead Castle]. It was the home of the new [Undead Lord]. Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Undead Land, The Gate Alex stood up, brushing the dirt off his armor. The notification about the reset spawn point shed in front of him, and he grimaced. He knew exactly what it meant¡ªhe was stuck here in the [Undead Land] until he either found a way out or somehow survived long enough to level up and escape. Thetter seemed nearly impossible at level 33. In the distance, the towering [Undead Castle] loomed, a dark fortress silhouetted against the ominous sky. It was where the current [Undead Lord] resided. Alex had a feeling that ce would eventually be his destination, but he had no intention of marching there just yet. Not without a n, at least. "Great. Just great," Alex muttered to himself. "All thanks to that damned dragon." Despite his frustration, Alex knew Alphox wasn''t really to me. The dragon was powerful, yes, but unpredictable and uncontroble. The fact that it hadn''t burned him to ashes right away was a miracle in itself. He opened his [Pet Panel] once again, ring at the name disyed under ''Pets.'' [Name: Alphox] [Master: FateBreaker] The irony was almost palpable. Alex let out a bitter chuckle and closed the panel. He couldn''t waste timeining. If he was going to survive here, he had to act quickly and carefully. His first objective was clear: scout the area, avoid getting killed, and find some way to level up without attracting too much attention. Easier said than done in a ce with undead monsters far above his current level. "Time to move." With a snap of his fingers, Alex summoned his [Undead Skeletons]. Ten skeletal figures emerged from the ground, their bony forms crackling with energy. Every monster in this area is a forth-tier undead, so there was no chance first-tier Alex could ever hope of beating them. Ding! [The Undead Skeletons are in their homnd, thus, their power is doubled.] Alex grinned despite the grim situation. His skeletons now took 40% of his stats instead of 20%, making them more useful. Still, even with their boost, it wouldn''t be enough against the monsters in this cursednd. Luckily, the tier two level-up happened at level 35, meaning that Alex only needed two more levels before being able to get it. He took a deep breath and began to walk, his skeletons forming a protective line in front of him. Thendscape was barren and bleak, a wastnd stretching toward the massive castle in the distance. There was nothing alive, not even the sound of wind¡ªjust silence and the weight of dread hanging over everything. As Alex trudged forward, the imposing silhouette of the castle grewrger. Its features became more distinct: jagged towers, ck stone walls, and the faint glow of something sinister beyond its gates. He knew the real danger was only beginning. Finally, after what felt like hours, Alex reached the entrance to the castle. Two massive skeleton guards stood vigil by the gate, towering at least ten meters tall, their armor ancient and battered but still imposing. [Skeleton Guards - Level 150] [700,000 HP] Alex swallowed hard. These guys were way out of his league. Even if he tried to cast a spell at it, it would do less than one damage, much like against Aldrich. But there was nothing Alex could do. A tier 1 yer against a tier 4 monster was like putting a pit bull against a toddler. As he approached, the two guards stepped forward, their massive swords scraping the ground. "State your purpose, human," one of them rumbled, his voice like grinding stone. "Or you will fall to our des." The massive undead guards, wearing aplete set of armor that hid whatever they looked like, spoke as Alex approached. Alex hesitated. He hadn''t thought this far ahead. "Uh... I want to see the Undead Lord?" The guards exchanged looks before one of them chuckled, a deep, eerie sound that echoed in the silence. "Why would the Lord entertain a weakling like you?" The other guard nodded. "Perhaps he''s a ve. But why isn''t he bound?" "But..." the first guard whispered low enough for Alex not to hear, "There aren''t any undead beside us... it doesn''t make sense..." They noticed the ten undead skeletons in front of Alex, thinking that they had captured a human for the Lord. The only way for Alex to leave this area is: -To kill the Undead Lord. -To takeplete control of Undead Land. Read now on m_vl_em_p_yr -To get permission from the Undead Lord. All three of these things seemed impossible for the current Alex. "What did you do, Alphox..." Alex groaned. "If you wish to be my master, you need to show me what you''re made off, foolish human," Alphox answered from within Alex. "Those undead look weak, can''t be part of our grand Undead Land," the guards continued, "Though, Undead Land has long-lost all of its greatness..." They continued their conversation as if Alex wasn''t even there, their massive swords resting casually in their hands. It was clear they didn''t consider him a threat. Alex knew he couldn''t fight them. If they wanted, they could crush him in an instant. But they seemed amused more than anything else. "So, should we kill him?" one asked the other. "I don''t see any reason not to, we''ll speak with the Lord about the ten skeletons with him." "Alright." The two guards turned toward Alex, and both took a step forward, raising their des. "You''ve been denied entry, human. Leave now or die." "We know you are like us, able to resurrect, so do note back." It seemed that Undead monsters were in fact aware that the yers could revive. Alex had never talked to any undead in his past life, but this was an interesting piece of information. Alex braced himself, but just as the guards were about to attack, a voice echoed through the air. "Do I have to do everything myself?" The guards froze. "That voice..." "No way..." Out of the mist, the [Undead King] materialized, hovering above Alex. He looked more elegant, both because his rest in the [Contract Space] allowed him to be stronger, but also because in Undead Land, his stats were also boosted. "L-LORD!" the guards eximed in unison, dropping to their knees. "IT''S THE KING!" The two guards kneeled down as they saw the [Undead King] appear. The [Undead King] smirked. "Still loyal after all these years, I see. Good." He turned his gaze to Alex. "Let this human pass. He''s here to meet the Undead Lord." The guards hesitated but quicklyplied. "Yes, King!" they said, scrambling to their feet and grabbing the handles of the massive gate. Even though it had been hundreds of years since the king was thrown away from [Undead Land], every undead still present respected him. Alex watched in awe as the gates creaked open, revealing the dark courtyard beyond. Ding! [You now have ess to the "Undead Castle"!] The notification was satisfying, but Alex couldn''t shake the uneasy feeling in his gut. The [Undead King] disappeared back into his contracted space, his voice lingering in the air. "I cannot yet challenge the current Lord, but soon, I will reim my throne." The guards stood aside, ring at Alex with thinly veiled disgust. "We don''t know why the King is with you, human," one of them spat, "but you may enter." "Don''t die, we''re not letting you pass this gate twice, we''re already disrespecting the Lord''s orders as respect for the previous King." "Alright," Alex mumbled. Chapter 56: Chapter 56: The Castle, Undead Lord As the massive gates of the [Undead Castle] creaked open, Alex felt a cold wave of dread wash over him. The [Undead King] had intervened, granting him ess to the castle, but that didn''t make him feel any safer. He was still a level 33 yer in an area meant for level 100¨C250 powerhouses. One wrong move, and he could end up back at the spawn point, and as the guards informed him, they wouldn''t let him pass a second time. With his respawn point set here, and the game limit removed, he could be in here for months if not years. The two towering guards stepped aside, ring at him with disdain as they gestured for him to enter. Alex took a deep breath, steeling himself. He didn''t have a choice. The only way out was forward. "Great," Alex muttered under his breath, his steps hesitant as he crossed the threshold into the castle courtyard. The courtyard was normal, but with a fountain in the middle that let out some ck liquid. Alex didn''t even want to know what was inside. The moment he stepped inside the castle, he could feel the oppressive atmosphere¡ªthe very air seemed thick with malevolent energy. Shadows moved across the ancient stone walls as if they had lives of their own, and the distant echo of ttering bones and eerie whispers filled the space. "Any bright ideas, Alphox?" Alex grumbled, ncing at the pet panel, half expecting the dragon to mock him again. But Alphox remained silent, probably content to sit back and watch Alex struggle. "Of course you''re quiet now," Alex sighed, shaking his head. "Fine, I guess it''s just me and my bony friends." His 10 [Undead Skeletons] shuffled along behind him, their doubled stats providing somefort, though he knew it wouldn''t be enough if something serious came his way. The weakest undead here could wipe the floor with them. As Alex moved deeper into the castle, he noticed something odd¡ªdespite the haunting atmosphere, the path was strangely... empty. No guards, no monsters. Nothing stirred in the shadows except his own imagination. It was unsettling. "I don''t like this," Alex muttered under his breath. He nced around, gripping his staff a little tighter. The feeling of being watched was overwhelming. He was walking into the heart of enemy territory, yet everything felt... too quiet. He approached a long, arched corridor leading into the throne room. Massive stone pirs lined the hall, and above him, chandeliers made of bones hung precariously, casting faint, eerie glows across the space. Suddenly, a low, ominous voice echoed through the hall, causing Alex to freeze in his tracks. "Who dares enter my domain?" Alex''s heart pounded as he looked up, eyes wide. A figure appeared at the far end of the corridor¡ªtall, draped in dark, tattered robes, with eyes glowing like molten fire. The aura of power radiating from the figure was overwhelming. [Undead Lord ¨C Level ???] [Rank: ???] Alex couldn''t even see the lord''s level, which only made things worse. But he was confident that this thing is a tier 6 boss, at least, meaning it was above level 400. "Shit," Alex muttered, taking a step back instinctively. His skeletons shuffled forward, forming a protective line in front of him, but he knew they wouldn''t stand a chance. "You''vee here, a mere mortal, to my realm?" The [Undead Lord] sneered, his voice deep and echoing. "Do you seek death, or something more foolish?" Alex swallowed hard, forcing himself to stand tall. "I... I seek an audience. With you." The [Undead Lord]ughed, the sound cold and chilling. "An audience? With me? You, a child, wish to speak with the ruler of [Undead Land]? You amuse me, human." Alex''s mind raced. What was his y here? He couldn''t fight this guy. He would have had a chance with the [Annihtion Crucifix] artifact, which even the [Undead King] feared. And to be honest, he had nned to get it beforeing to this zone. "But Alphox ruined everything..." he groaned. "Haha, ''master'', I''m sure you''ll manage!" Alphox grinned from within. Discover more at m''vl em|p yr [You have called "Alphox" from the "Shadow Dragon Pet Space"...] [Alphox has refused your call.] "God fucking damn it." His only hope was to somehow convince him to let him leave now, or at least not kill him on the spot. "I have the [Undead King] with me," Alex said, his voice firmer than he felt. "He vouches for my presence here." At that, the [Undead Lord]''s glowing eyes narrowed. "The king, you say? That traitor..." Dark mist swirled around Alex as the [Undead King] materialized beside him once again, his regal form floating ominously. "It''s been a long time, hasn''t it?" The [Undead King] spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The tension in the air thickened as the two undead rulers stared each other down. "You dare return to mynd, after all these centuries?" The [Undead Lord] growled, his skeletal hands tightening around the hilt of a massive dark de that had appeared out of nowhere. The [Undead King] chuckled. "I don''t return to bow before you. I return to reim what is mine." The [Undead Lord]''s fiery gaze shifted back to Alex. "So this is your pawn, King? A lowly human?" "Well, no," Alex was the one to speak, "He is contracted with me, I''m his master." "HAHAHA-" the Lordughed, "How embarrassing!" "..." "Perhaps," the [Undead King] responded smoothly. "But we both know that I am the rightful ruler of thisnd. And while I may not have the power to take it back just yet... I will." While inside of Alex''s [Contract Space], the king had managed to regain some of his strength, reaching level 100, which equals to the fourth tier. Alex''s stomach churned. This was going south fast. He needed to find a way out of this, but there was no way he could intervene in a power struggle between two undead titans. Suddenly, the [Undead Lord] pointed his dark de at Alex. "And what of you, mortal? Why should I let you live, when your very presence offends me?" Alex''s heart raced. Think. Think fast. "Because..." he began, scrambling for words, "I can help you." The [Undead Lord] raised a bony brow. "Help me? You, a speck of dust in my kingdom?" "Yes," Alex said, his voice determined, "I have something no one else here has¡ªinformation" Alex was about to use everything he knew from his past life. He hadn''t spoken to any undead, but he clearly remembered that he and hispanions had fought an army of them. The Undead Lord had been a part of this army. And the one controlling them all was the strongest Necromancer in all of ''Universal Descent''. Which they didn''t even manage to kill in Alex''s previous life because of his sheer power. "Lich, The Necromancer," Alex suddenly spoke, looking at the lord. "...!" and the skeleton''s hollow eyes widened. "...?" Even the [Undead King] seemed surprised. Lich was a taboo name in the undead world. Just think about it, for undead monsters, using necromancy is basically like very, so no wonder they hate it. That is also the reason why the [Undead King] was banished from here: he became corrupt and started using [Necromancy]. He did summon thousands of skeletons to fight Alex after all, enving his own people in the process. Though, many of the undead still respected him, as seen by the guards. Or maybe it''s just that they feared him? Who knows. Basically, they would do almost anything to kill that idiotic necromancer. Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The Lords Test, Alphox Actually Does Something As Alex uttered the name of the dreaded necromancer, "Lich, the Necromancer," the silence in the [Undead Castle] was deafening. The [Undead Lord]''s fiery eyes flickered, and the tension between him and the [Undead King] seemed to freeze in ce. The mention of Lich had clearly rattled the Lord, though he tried not to show it. "That name..." the [Undead Lord] rumbled, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "You speak of someone that is doing something as idiotic as that fool beside you." The [Undead King] scoffed but said nothing, his cold gaze remaining on the [Undead Lord]. The two titans were locked in a silent war of wills, but Alex could sense that the name he''d just dropped had shifted the power dynamic, even if just slightly. "You know of Lich''s return?" the [Undead Lord] pressed, stepping forward. The ground beneath his feet seemed to tremble with each movement. Alex nodded, though his heart was hammering in his chest. He was treading on dangerous ground, but it was his only shot. "I''ve seen it. Lich is gathering his forces, not just here but across the other realms. He ns to enve every undead, including you." The [Undead Lord] stiffened, his molten eyes narrowing. "Lich has been in hiding for centuries. What proof do you have that he is preparing to make a move now?" Alex took a deep breath. He had no real proof beyond his knowledge from his past life, but he had to sell this. "He''s already started enving lesser undead. It''s only a matter of time before he turns his eyes here." The [Undead Lord] seemed to consider this, his eyes flicking to the [Undead King] for a moment before returning to Alex. "If this is true... then perhaps you are not as useless as I thought." Alex felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe he could talk his way out of this. But then, the [Undead Lord] raised a skeletal hand, and the ground beneath Alex''s feet began to tremble. "However, I will not take the word of a mere mortal without a test of your strength." Alex''s stomach dropped. "A test?" "Indeed." The [Undead Lord] grinned, his skull gleaming in the dim light. "You im to be the master of the [Undead King]? Then prove your worth. Survive, and I might consider your words. Fail, and your bones will join my collection." Before Alex could react, the ground in front of him split open, and from the dark abyss, a figure began to emerge. The air filled with the stench of decay as an enormous undead warrior climbed out of the chasm. d in ancient, rusted armor, the creature towered over Alex, its eyes glowing with an eerie blue light. [Undead Warlord - Level 100] [HP: 500,000] Alex''s breath caught in his throat. This was bad¡ªreally bad. The warlord stood three times as tall as Alex, wielding a jagged, ckened greatsword that radiated dark energy. His skeletons, even with their doubled stats, were no match for this monster. "Fight," the [Undead Lord]manded, his voice booming through the hall. "Show me the strength of the one who dares im the [Undead King] as his own." The warlord let out a low growl and charged at Alex, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground with each step. "Shit!" Alex cursed, quickly summoning his skeletons to form a defensive line in front of him. "Get ready, guys!" The ten skeletons stepped forward, their swords raised, but Alex knew they were hopelessly outmatched. He cast [Stone Barrier] on himself. It wouldn''t help much against a monster like this, but it was all he had. The [Undead Warlord] swung its massive greatsword in a wide arc, and the force of the blow shattered two of Alex''s skeletons instantly. -21,938! Their bodies crumbled into dust, their health pools no match for the warlord''s power. "Dammit!" Alex gritted his teeth, quickly summoning more skeletons to rece the fallen ones. But it was a losing battle. The warlord was too strong, and every swing of its sword decimated Alex''s forces. One by one, his skeletons fell, their bones cracking under the sheer force of the warlord''s attacks. Alex tried to cast [Grand Fireball], firing a ball of fire at the warlord, but the attack barely scratched its armor. The warlord didn''t even seem to notice. -142! In a matter of seconds, Alex was down to hisst two skeletons. The warlord''s sword came crashing down again, and with a sickening crunch, thest of Alex''s minions fell. Now it was just him. "Alphox!" Alex shouted in desperation. "I need your help!" But there was no response. "Undead King!" Nothing either. ''What about the [Death Call]?!'' "I helped you with the gate, I consider this to be the death call." "Fuck." The warlord advanced, its glowing eyes locked on Alex as it raised its sword for a final blow. Panic surged through Alex. He was out of options. He could try to run, but the [Undead Lord] would never let him leave now. He was trapped. The greatsword came down, and Alex barely managed to roll out of the way. The de mmed into the ground, sending cracks spider-webbing across the stone floor. Alex scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. "Come on, Alphox, where the hell are you?!" Explore uncharted tales at m-vlem|p-yr And then, just as the warlord raised its sword for another strike, a deafening roar echoed through the castle. A shadow passed over Alex, and he looked up to see Alphox, the [Shadow Dragon], materializing in the air above him. [Alphox - Tier 4 Pet] [Master: FateBreaker.] "Finally!" Alex gasped, relief flooding through him. "Wouldn''t be fun to see you die and be stuck here," Alphoxughed. Alphox let out a guttural growl as he descended, his massive wings beating against the air. Hended between Alex and the warlord, his dark scales glinting in the dim light of the castle. The [Undead Warlord] hesitated for the first time, its glowing eyes narrowing as it faced the dragon. "You called, ''master''?" Alphox''s voice was dripping with sarcasm, but Alex didn''t care. He was just d the dragon had shown up. "Yeah, yeah, just kill that thing!" Alex shouted, backing away to give Alphox room to fight. Alphox''s lips curled into a cruel smile. "With pleasure." The dragon let out a deafening roar, and dark energy surged around him as he lunged at the warlord. Alphox''s ws tore through the warlord''s rusted armor like it was paper, leaving deep gashes in its undead flesh. -84,000! -84,000! 84,000! The warlord swung its greatsword at Alphox, but the dragon was too fast. With a powerful beat of his wings, Alphox dodged the attack and retaliated with a st of shadowy fire. -170,000! The mes engulfed the warlord, and for the first time, the undead creature let out a pained roar. Alex watched in awe as Alphox tore through the warlord with ease. The dragon''s power was on apletely different level. In mere moments, Alphox had reduced the once fearsome [Undead Warlord] to a pile of smoldering bones and ash. The warlord was level 100, but Alphox, having gained 20% of his power back, meant that he would be at around level 200, a clear overkill. [Your pet "Alphox, The Shadow Dragon" has defeated the "Undead Warlord"] [Experience gained: 120,000] [You have leveled up to level 34, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] [You have leveled up to level 35, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] [You have leveled up to level 36...] [You have leveled up to level 37...] Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have reached Tier 2!] Alex let out a breath he hadn''t realized he was holding. [Extraction prompt triggered...] [Warlord Greatsword (Epic)] [Undead Skill: Aura of Death] [Warlord Armor (Rare)] Not having too much time to think about that or to check the descriptions, Alex selected the skill. He would check it outter. "Thank god for dragons," he muttered, ncing at Alphox, who was now casually flicking the ash off his ws. "Well, that was entertaining," Alphox said, his tone bored. "But you really need to stop relying on me for everything, ''master.''" "Very well," the [Undead Lord] said, his voice echoing through the hall. "It wasn''t you, but I consider allies as a proof of strength." Another notification shed in front of Alex. Ding! [You have earned the right to leave the "Undead Land"!] "I have no interest in you anymore, human, go," Lord just gestured. [Note: your token was refined, and you can now enter and leave undeadnd at will.] "I have a question before," Alex risked. "Hm?" "Why aren''t there any undead here?" This is Undead Land, so there would be thousands if not hundreds of thousands of undead roaming. Yet the only ones he met were the two guards at the start, the warlord, and the undead lord. "..." the [Undead Lord] sighed, "There is nobody left but a small amount of us, human." "?" "Undead Land''s inhabitants are currently less than a hundred, so no point in meddling on such useless talk." "How hypocritical!" the king suddenly materialized again, "Ournd has no one inside of it but you and a few others, yet you tell me that I''m a traitor that ruined everything?" Alex didn''t feel like creating problems, and so before the undead lord could even answer, he grabbed his [Undead Land Token] and used it. [Would you like to leave now?] A wave of relief washed over Alex. He quickly pressed "Yes." As the ck mist swirled around Alex, signaling his exit, the [Undead Lord] gave him a final look. "We will meet again," the lord whispered ominously, just as the world around Alex dissolved into shadows. And then, with a sh, Alex was gone, leaving the oppressive atmosphere of the [Undead Land] behind him. Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Aura of Death Skill, Tier 2 Player The gray expanse of the destend stretched out before Alex as he stepped out of the mist of the [Undead Land]. Dead trees stood crooked like skeletal fingers grasping at the sky, and brittle grass, colored an unnatural gray, crunched beneath his feet. "Can you take me back?" Alex asked, turning to Alphox, who still hovered beside him, his enormous form casting a long shadow across thendscape. The dragon turned its cold eyes to him, then without so much as a second nce, said, "No," before vanishing into his [Shadow Pet Space]. "Damn." Alex sighed, his breath curling in the cold, deste air. Alphox had saved him from the [Undead Warlord] not too long ago, but there was something about the dragon that made him uneasy. It was difficult to think he would need to keep that dragon around for long... Shaking off the thought, Alex turned his attention to the glowing notification still hovering in front of him. His fingers twitched as he opened the details of the newly acquired skill he extracted from the warlord. ... [Undead Skill: Aura of Death] [Description: Grants surrounding undead allies a deathly aura that increases attack damage by 100% and defense by 200% for 30 seconds. Can only be applied to undead creatures summoned by the caster. Cooldown: 1 minute.] ... Alex blinked in surprise. "Huh... so I can buff my skeletons just like that?" It was strange, but also incredibly useful. If his minions could grow stronger through skills, then they might actually be able to help him out more and not remain powerless against strong foes. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Experience magic on m-vl-e-mpyr This could change his entire strategy. He made a mental note to experiment with the skill as soon as possible. After dealing with the skill, Alex shifted his attention to the attribute points he had gained from leveling up. Without hesitation, he dumped all of them into Spirit to maximize his mana pool and magic skills damage. Satisfied with his decision, he quickly nced at his status window: ... [ID: FateBreaker] [Level: 37 (21,470/28,000)] [upation: Mage; Assassin] [ss: Unparalleled Mage; Beginner Assassin; Apprentice Undead Lord] [Talent: Extraction (SSS); Undead Lord (E)] [Pets: Alphox (Primordial Shadow Dragon, Tier 4)] [Attributes: Vitality 736; Strength 1932+ 1500; Agility 932 + 1000; Spirit 3557 + 1000] [Skills: Grand Fireball lv9 (Intermediate); Crimson Shard lv7 (Intermediate); Boulder Smash lv7 (Intermediate); Stone Barrier lv2 (Intermediate); Inferno Tempest lv2 (Intermediate); Lightning Bolt lv1 (Intermediate); Poison Resistance (Passive); Aura of Death (Undead).] ... By the way, skills, whatever their rank are or how much damage they do are always spread between 5 categories: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, High-tier and Max-tier. Every skill starts at [Basic] tier, no matter what, through upgrading it with skill points and mastering its usage, it will evolve. Most of Alex''s skills were Intermediate, meaning they could still be evolved three times before reaching the max. Once reaching the max, there is no more level up except for [Forbidden Spells] or [Ultimates]. But no one at the current level could do any of that. His progress had been substantial, and even though he was still a [Beginner Assassin] and [Apprentice Undead Lord], he would soon be able to evolve them. The [Unparalleled Mage] ss on the other hand might not provide immediate benefits currently, but Alex knew it was a path that would ultimately lead to dominance. But for now, thendscape around him was empty. Nothing but dead trees and the cold, eerie wind rustling the gray grass. There was nothing in sight for kilometers, just the endless stretch of destion. As he prepared to set off, Alex was suddenly pulled from his thoughts as a crow''s cry echoed across the deste in he hadnded in. Alex froze. The ck-feathered bird perched ominously on a twisted tree branch ahead, its beady eyes glinting with something more than just hunger. Alex''s heart skipped a beat. "ck Crow," Alex muttered under his breath, immediately recognizing the bird, "Why are they... nevermind." The bird wasn''t just any crow¡ªit was a living emblem of the [ck Crow Guild], an infamous assassin''s guild known throughout ''Universal Descent''. Their leader had a strange ability to control these crows, using them to spy on targets from vast distances. He could recognize that it was the real deal from the crimson eyes of the crow, as well as the fact it was simply staring at him, doing nothing else. Alex wasted no time. "I hate being watched," he muttered, pointing his staff at the crow. Without hesitation, he cast [Grand Fireball]. A massive orb of me burst from his staff, streaking toward the crow with blinding speed. The bird didn''t even flinch as the fireball engulfed it, exploding with a loud BOOM. Dark mist swirled where the crow had been, confirming Alex''s suspicions¡ªit wasn''t a normal bird. The [ck Crow Guild] had an interest in him, or maybe they were just observing [Undead Land], who knows. The [ck Crow] guild is an NPC guild that would y a partter in the game. They are all tier 6 powerhouses (level 400+) that could kill anyone as long as you paid them. "Now I need a way to go back¡­" Alex muttered, irritation creeping into his voice. He needed to get back to [Dawn City], but traversing this deadnd on foot would take too long. And let''s not forget that his spawn point was set inside [Undead Land], so if he met with a powerful monster, it would be difficult to win. Just as he was contemting his next move, another notification shed across his vision. ... [You have reached level 35 and thus became a tier 2 yer!] [As a reward, you have unlocked a new perk for your ''World Map''!] Alex blinked. "Wait, what?" Normally, reaching tier 2 didn''t provide rewards like this. Something was different. A new message appeared, exining further: [You have unlocked the ''Fast Travel'' perk!] [Description: The ''Fast Travel'' perk allows you to teleport instantly to previously visited locations. Open your World Map to ess teleport points. Teleportation consumes no resources and can be used freely outside ofbat.] Alex''s eyes widened. This was a game-changer. He quickly opened his [World Map], which expanded in front of him in a translucent blue ovey. As the map unfurled, he noticed new glowing dots had appeared on it¡ªeach marking a location he had already visited. There were exactly five avable points: [Dawn City] [Undead Temple] [Toxic Forest] [Novice Vige 666] [Undead Land] Excitement surged through him. Alex didn''t hesitate. He clicked on [Dawn City] [Do you want to fast travel to ''Dawn City''?] "Yes!" In an instant, the world around him warped. He felt a brief sensation of weightlessness as the destend disappeared, reced by the bustling streets of [Dawn City]. He had appeared right by the entrance! The city''s towering walls loomed in the distance, and the familiar hum of life filled the air. "Hey, that guy just appeared out of nowhere!" someone muttered nearby. "Are you dumb? He probably used a teleporter," another scoffed. Alex ignored them, too preupied with the implications of his new ability. What he had just gotten was something beyond anything possible. With only two [World Maps] in the entire world of Universal Descent (3 counting his), it means that only three people were able to do that. The only other way yers can travel easily was either: from a fast pet, using a vehicle, or using a [Teleporting Warp]. For example, shops in [Dawn City] sold [Dawn City Warps], which you could use to instantly teleport back here if you''re outside of battle. But using those was expensive, and each use consumed one, meaning you couldn''t do it infinitely. Without wasting time, Alex opened the map again and clicked on [Novice Vige 666]. Another sh of light, and he was standing at the entrance to the small vige he had first started in. He repeated the process, testing each location, then teleporting back to [Undead Land], right in front of the ck mist he had just escaped from. Every time, the teleportation was wless¡ªseamless, instantaneous. Finally, he returned to [Dawn City] and let out a long breath. This perk was the real deal. After unlocking a new location, he could teleport there anytime, no longer constrained by the slow travel methods of others. "Alright," Alex murmured to himself, opening the map once more, his eyes lingering on the distant dot marked [Toxic Forest]. He needed to cross that ce while the event was happening again if he wanted to reach [Bell City] and continue his journey. Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Black Crow Guild, Heading to the Next City Far away, in a dimly lit chamber, a woman sat cross-legged on a high-backed chair made of polished obsidian. Her long, raven-ck hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her skin glowed faintly in the sparse light filtering through the narrow windows. Her eyes, a deep crimson hue, were closed as if in meditation, but her mind was elsewhere¡ªfocused, concentrated on her power. She was sitting around a table, with other people observing what she was doing. "You think she saw something?" "Never seen her this focused, so she probably did." And less than 30 secondster. The connection snapped. Her crimson eyes shot open, glowing faintly in the dimness of the room. The disruption was immediate, unmistakable. A surge of irritation swept over her as she realized what had happened: one of her crows, her eyes across the vast world, had been destroyed. It was the crow that was supposed to survey [Undead Land]. Did one of the undead see it? No, they weren''t smart enough to detect that. So it was a human. "Who dares..." she whispered, her voice barely audible but dripping with curiosity. Standing from her chair, she moved gracefully across the room, her long ck robes trailing behind her. "Leader?" "Shut up," she replied. The chamber she upied was at the heart of the ck Crow Guild''s hidden sanctuary, a fortress of assassins known only to a few. The ck Crow Guild wasn''t just feared¡ªit was legendary. Its members, all trained killers, could end lives without a trace, and its leader, Ravenna, was the most feared of them all. Ravenna extended her hand, summoning a holographic map that hovered in midair. It disyed the location where her crow had been stationed¡ªnear the edge of the Deste Land, in the vicinity of [Undead Land]. She frowned as she saw the remnants of the crow''sst moments¡ªthe unmistakable re of a powerful [Grand Fireball] spell. "That kid..." she muttered under her breath. "I don''t like being watched," she heard from the crow''s [Super Hearing]. But instead of being mad like she always was, she suddenly smiled. It was rare for a human to actually notice that her crow was a camera. "So you don''t like being watched, hm? Interesting." She tapped a slender finger on the map, considering her options. She could send assassins, but they would kill him without thinking. That kid was strong, she could feel it, but not enough of a threat¡ªyet. No, for now, she would watch from afar, waiting for the right moment to strike. "Aleothor," she called out, and another ck crow appeared out of thin air, "You are my most powerful and stealthypanion, watch that kid and do not let him notice you." "Very well, mydy," the crow bowed before flying out of the window. Aleothor was actually a level 200 pet, meaning that it was stronger than Alex and the Undead Kingbined. ... Meanwhile, back in the Toxic Forest. Alex trudged forward, trying to reach the end quickly to arrive at Bell City. The air here was thick and heavy with the stench of decay, and a low fog clung to the ground, swirling around his ankles. Alex narrowed his eyes, keeping his senses sharp though. He didn''t participate in the event anymore, but there were still more than 24 hours before it ended. Raising his hand, Alex summoned his minions. Ten skeletal warriors emerged from the ground, their bones rattling as they rose from the dirt. Their empty eye sockets gleamed with an eerie blue light, and they clutched bone swords. "Let''s move," Alexmanded, his voice steady. The skeletons marched ahead, their bony feet crunching against the dead leaves. As they moved deeper into the forest, Alex heard the sound of yers and monsters fighting. "WATCH OUT!" "SHIT, IT GIVES HIGH-LEVEL POISON!" And right as he thought he was off the hook, some of these creatures appeared before him. [Toxic Wolves] with glowing green eyes and fur dripping with venom circled the group, their growls low and menacing. Alex smirked. "Let''s see how you handle this." With a flick of his wrist, he cast his new skill [Aura of Death], enveloping his skeletons in a dark, pulsating energy. [Increases attack damage by 100% and defense by 200% for 30 seconds.] Their attacks would be stronger now, their defenses bolstered. Without hesitation, the skeletons charged at the wolves, their swords shing through the air with deadly precision. One of the Toxic Wolves lunged at a skeleton, its jaws snapping shut with a sickening crunch, but the skeleton didn''t falter. With one swift strike, its sword cleaved through the wolf''s neck. -873! -873! -873! Green blood sttered the ground as the creature let out a final, guttural whimper before copsing. Even the blood of these things had been poisoned, it seems. The other wolves howled in rage and charged as a group, but Alex was ready. "Let''s make this quick." He raised his staff, channeling a burst of mana into his next spell. "Inferno Tempest!" A wall of fire erupted around the wolves, engulfing them in mes. Their howls turned into shrieks of agony as the fire consumed them, leaving behind only charred husks. [+113 event points!] [What do you wish to extract?] [Poison Wolf Fur (Umon)] [Description: Can be worn to protect yourself from low-level poison; +50 magic resistance.] [Toxic ws (Rare)] [Description: Can be used on swords, daggers, arrows and shield to infuse them with the ''Poison'' attribute.] [+2 Skill Points (Legendary)] ... "!!!" Alex''s neck almost snapped by how fast he turned back to look at the panel. Skill points! [You have reached tier 2, thus your extraction talent now allows the extraction of skill points, though they are rare.] "Amazing!" It seems that upgrading his extraction talent worked also when his strength evaluation increased! He had also been struggling with leveling up his skills because of the sheer difficulty in acquiring these skill points. But now, maybe he could actually manage to get to the max! [Skill Points: 20] As said before, you can level up skills by either using them many times, though no one really knows the exact amount, it''s randomized but gets bigger after each level. Or, the second way, is to use skill points. Continue your journey with m.vl-em,py-r [1 skill point = +1 level for skill.] But you would have to remember the fact you needed a massive amount of them to evolve your skills once it reached level 10. It was all about strategy and how to put out your skill points. In the end, Alex quickly moved on. After what felt like hours of battling through the thick undergrowth and poisonous creatures, the trees began to thin. The sickly yellow-green leaves gave way to clearer skies, and the oppressive fog lifted slightly. In the distance, the silhouette of Bell City came into view, its towering walls rising against the horizon. [Extraction talent activated, +6 skill points, +84 strength, +Poison Wolf Fur x2] [Your "Powerful sh" skill has leveled up to level 2!] [Your "Lightning Bolt" skill has leveled up to level 2!] [Your "Boulder Smash" skill has leveled up to level 8!] [Your "Crimson Shard" skill has leveled up to level 8!] [Your "Grand Fireball" skill has leveled up to level 10!] [Do you want to consume 50 skill points to upgrade "Grand Fireball" to "Explosive Fireball"?] 50 skill points. Reminder that Alex only has 26 right now. This was just how expensive evolving your skills is. "Maybeter." Alex let out a breath of relief as he emerged from the forest, the Toxic Forest finally behind him. With a determined look in his eyes, he set his sights on Bell City and began walking, his skeletons trailing silently behind him like loyal shadows. Whatevery ahead, Alex was ready. Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Bell City, The Dark Dungeon As Alex approached the towering walls of Bell City, he couldn''t help but marvel at the sheer size of the ce. Unlike the more modest Dawn City, Bell City was an imposing fortress, with massive stone walls that stretched high into the sky, guarded by dozens of watchtowers. Even from a distance, Alex could see the glow of magical barriers shimmering faintly in the air¡ªwards meant to protect the city from outside threats. It was normal: this area of the map had more monster attacks. Bell City was much more calm than Dawn City. Maybe that was since he was the first to enter it. Ding! Ding! Ding! [Global Announcement: yer ''FateBreaker'' is the first to enter Bell City, and thus has been granted 5 prestige points!] [Global Announcement: ...] [Global Announcement: ...] Alex made his way through the crowded streets, taking in the sights and sounds. He passed by a marketce where vendors sold rare ingredients for crafting, exotic pets, and magical items. One stall was even selling enchanted tattoos, which promised to enhance the wearer''s stats permanently, though at a steep cost. Another shop disyed Runestones, powerful artifacts used by mages to boost their spellcasting abilities. "Looking for anything special, traveler?" a shopkeeper called out to him as he passed. Alex shook his head, his eyes scanning the wares. He wasn''t here to shop, not yet at least. His goal was the dungeon outside the city, but a little exploration couldn''t hurt. He paused as he passed a grand building, its entrance nked by towering statues of armored warriors. Above the door, a sign read "The Hall of Heroes". "Oh, wow," Alex froze in front of it, "It''s been... so long." Curious, Alex stepped inside. The Hall of Heroes was one of the biggest structures in Bell City. But in contrary to what you might think, it wasn''t a shop, or even a useful structure for the yers in that regard. Instead, inside was just a massive hallway with ten massive statues inside: the heroes. They were ancient people who had once saved the world from the wrath of the demon king. Of course, it was so long that they had died since, and a new demon king was elected, but regardless, people in this world respected them. Alex''s face turned cold as he observed each of the giant statues. He then stopped at the end of the hallway, where the statue of the most powerful heroid. "You..." Alex looked at the man''s stone face with disgust. These so-called heroes were supposed to be all dead, but right as the gods descended, they had been revived by someone or something and caused havoc. These legendary heroes, turning to the dark side, had killed many people. And even to this day, Alex didn''t know how they had been brought back. Actually, most of the things from his past life were a mystery. ... Alex headed toward the [Collector]''s shop and sold the [Wild Boar Trophy (Rare)] he had stored for 50 silver coins. A good price for such a low-ranked item. After exploring the city for a few more hours and remembering theyout again, Alex decided it was time to head out toward the main point of interest for yers. Ding! ["Bell City" has been marked on your ''World Map''.] He would be able to fast travel back if needed. But more importantly. [The Dark Dungeon] The dungeon was located just outside the city walls, nestled in a valley surrounded by towering cliffs. It was a massive structure, almost like a fortress in its own right. The entrance was arge, gaping maw of stone, nked by two enormous statues of ancient warriors, their swords crossed in front of him as if guarding the way. The dungeon was notorious for being thergest beginner dungeon in the entire game, with 25 floors that ranged from Level 10 monsters on the first floor to Level 250 tier 5 monstrosities on the final floor. At first, no yer beside Alex and a few other could have the luxury of going past the fifth floor. The moment he crossed the threshold, a strange sensation washed over him. The air inside the dungeon was colder, heavier, and filled with an oppressive sense of danger. The walls were lined with ancient carvings, and the floor beneath his feet was smooth, polished stone. Faint whispers echoed through the cavernous halls, like the voices of long-dead adventurers warning him to turn back. But Alex wasn''t the type to back down from a challenge. He opened his World Map briefly, confirming that the dungeon entrance had now been marked. If he needed to, he could teleport back here at any time. Ahead of him, a long corridor stretched into the darkness, lit only by the faint glow of magical torches. Although it had 25 floors, there were only three ''sections'' for this dungeon. [Floor 1-10: The Basics] [Floor 11-20: Spider Nest] [Floor 21-25: Devil''s Nest] The first floor was straightforward. Alex summoned his skeleton warriors, their blue eyes gleaming in the dim light, and sent them ahead to clear the path. The monsters here were low-level goblins, barely a challenge for him. His skeletons tore through them with ease, cutting down the creatures with swift, efficient strikes. Read now on m_vl_em_p_yr asionally, Alex would cast a spell, an Inferno Tempest or Lightning Bolt there, just to keep himself sharp. Otherwise, he would just sh down with his dagger. As he moved from room to room, the dungeon''syout became moreplex. After clearing several floors, Alex reached the final chamber before reaching the sixth floor. [Extraction talent activated: +48 strength, +39 vitality, +12 Spirit, +34 agility.] [Skills Level-Up: Inferno Tempest (+1), Lightning Bolt (+1), Powerful sh (+1)] He did notice something though: when he fought weaker enemies, his extraction ability would start granting him only 1 point in stats. After hundreds upon hundreds of monsters, though, he leveled up. [You have leveled up to level 38.] And also... [D-Level Advancement Task: Defeat 250 monsters with your undead.] (382/250) [Advancement Reward: Talent upgraded to Rank D.] He was yet again surrounded by the dark mist that marked the evolution of his talent. [Undead Lord talent has been upgraded to D-Rank.] [C-Level Advancement Task: Defeat 1000 monsters with your undead.] (182/1000) The difficulty of the tasks was getting higher. And of course, a talent evolving also meant new perks. ... [Undead Lord Talent (D-Rank)] [Max Skeletons: Increased to 15 skeletons (from 10).] [Stat Scaling: Skeletons now have 30% of Alex''s stats (up from 20% at E-Rank).] [Greater Skeletons: Every five skeleton summoned will be a "Greater Skeleton", possessing enhanced stats.] [Mana: 500 MP per skeleton summon now, and 5000 for a greater skeleton.] ... "Expensive!" Alex shrieked. With this out of the way, Alex finally decided to close down all the panels and continue. He was at the very end of the fifth floor, and so that could only mean one thing: boss. Now, standing before the staircase leading down to the sixth floor, Alex felt an unsettling shift in the dungeon''s energy. And suddenly, blocking the path forward, appeared a giant monster. [Goblin Warlord] [Level 60 - Elite Boss] The first 10 floors contained the most basics of monsters, as in the name, so it wasn''t that surprising to see a goblin elite. [Defeat the boss to go forward, otherwise you will be stuck here.] This was how the [Dark Dungeon] worked so that people didn''t just rush forward to the lower levels. Chapter 61 Greater Skeleton, Goblin Warlord The dim, eerie light of the dungeon''s fifth floor flickered as Alex extended his hands forward, focusing his mind and summoning his undead minions. A familiar surge of mana pulsed through him, but this time it felt heavier, more demanding. His eyes narrowed as the energy coalesced into the form of five skeletons. Yet, something felt different. Instead of the usual set of skeletal warriors he was ustomed to, a towering figure emerged amidst the familiar quartet. [-7000 Mana.] The mana drain bit into him, but the sight before him made the cost worth it. Standing among the four lesser skeletons was a new creation¡ªa greater skeleton. This wasn''t just a slightly more powerful version of his regr summons; this was something else entirely. At nearly twice the height of itsrades, it wielded a massive bone sword that radiated dark energy. Its bones were thicker, reinforced with an ethereal glow that suggested immense durability. A glowing panel materialized in front of Alex, disying the creature''s stats: ... [Greater Skeleton] [HP: 15,000] [All other stats are set at 3,000.] ... Alex''s eyes widened at the sheer bulk of its health and the bnced attributes across the board. Unlike his other skeletons that mirrored his own stats, this greater skeleton had its own defined power. This thing was a tank! He couldn''t help but smirk. But just as he was admiring his creation, another panel popped up in front of him. [Equipment Slot #1: Weapon] "Huh?" Alex blinked. [You can currently equip your ''greater skeletons'' with weapons you extract.] "Incredible!" he muttered to himself, grinning. This meant that all the weapons he had no use for wouldn''t just be sold off for cheap. Now, they could serve a higher purpose¡ªequipping his ever-growing undead army. An army. Yes, he thought. Slowly, but surely, he was building something greater than just a few minions. With a greater skeleton leading the charge, his forces could dominate these floors. Would it be possible to send them while he isn''t even there? He barely had time to revel in the possibilities when the air in the cavern shifted. A low rumble echoed through the walls, and a wave of heat brushed against his face. The Goblin Warlord was still here, after all! d in spiked armor and wielding a colossal war axe. Its red eyes burned with malevolence, and a guttural growl rumbled from its throat. ... [Goblin Warlord] [Level: 60] [Tier 3 Elite Boss] [HP: 100,000] ... Alex grinned as the panel disyed the warlord''s stats. "This''ll be fun." It was stronger than the [Death Revenant] and [Undead King]! It was also the first tier 3 boss that Alex was about to actually fight, since the monster inside [Undead Land] had been taken care of by Alphox. With a flick of his wrist, his undead minions surged forward, led by the greater skeleton. The Goblin Warlord let out a roar, raising its axe high before charging at Alex''s army. The ground trembled beneath its massive strides. Alex reacted quickly, summoning a searing ball of me in his hand. "Grand Fireball!" The zing sphere shot forward, colliding with the goblin''s chest and exploding in a burst of fiery energy. -6569! The Goblin Warlord staggered back, its chest scorched, but it barely seemed fazed. With a snarl, it swung its axe, cleaving through two of Alex''s lesser skeletons in a single strike, reducing them to bone shards. -10,389! -11,381! True damage! It ignored their defense using its axe! Alex needed to be careful, as he actually had only slightly more HP than the skeletons. "Alright, big guy. Let''s see how you handle this," Alex muttered under his breath, focusing on his greater skeleton. "Attack!" Alexmanded, and his hulking undead warrior charged forward, meeting the warlord head-on. Bone met steel as the greater skeleton''s bone sword shed against the goblin''s war axe. The two titans locked in a brutal struggle, neither giving an inch. The Warlord had 3500 points in strength, slightly superior to the greater skeleton, but regardless, the skeleton held on! Alex knew he couldn''t just rely on his undead. He needed to wear the warlord down fast. He extended his staff, summoning a shard of blood-red energy, "Crimson Shard!" The shard shot forward like a bullet, embedding itself in the Goblin Warlord''s side. -2128! The warlord roared in pain but continued swinging its axe. The greater skeleton managed to parry the attack but was knocked back by the force. -8738 Alex''s mind raced. The warlord''s endurance was impressive, but if he could keep chipping away at it with ranged attacks, he might stand a chance. He summoned another spell¡ªthis one more vtile. "Inferno Tempest!" A wave of scorching fire engulfed the warlord, causing it to roar in fury as mes licked its armored form. -4797! The damage wasn''t enough to finish it, but it weakened its defenses. The greater skeleton seized the moment, plunging its bone sword deep into the warlord''s gut. -3,000! The Goblin Warlord staggered, its movements growing sluggish. Alex saw his opportunity, and so he let go of his staff while grabbing his [Poison Bear Dagger], then rushed toward the warlord. Seeing the human get close instead of letting his army attack, the Warlord smiled. ''It''s my win!'' it thought as it raised its axe, ready to strike. But Alex was ready. "Now!" Alexmanded, and the greater skeleton swung its sword in a wide arc, cleaving into the warlord''s neck. [Weakness hit, dealing 300% of damage!] -9000! Then Alex began to sh the warlord repeatedly from below using [Powerful sh]. Soon enough, it fell. [Goblin Warlord defeated.] [You have gained 5,382 experience points!] [Extraction Talent Activated.] ... [Goblin Warlord''s Axe (Epic)] [Description: grants +500 Strength to the wielder.] [+1 Skill Point] [+5 Strength Attribute] Alex approached the fallen warlord and examined the massive war axe. He smiled. "This will do nicely." [You have extracted "Goblin Warlord''s Axe".] Taking the weapon in hand, he immediately slid it to his greater skeleton. And a panel appeared in front of him. [Do you want to give ''Goblin Warlord''s Axe'' to your "Greater Skeletons"?] Without hesitation, Alex selected ''Yes.'' The bone sword in his greater skeleton''s hand dissolved into dust, reced by the enormous war axe. The sight of his undead minion wielding such a powerful weapon sent a thrill through him. "Perfect," he whispered. With the warlord defeated, Alex retrieved a key from the goblin''s remains¡ªhis ticket to the next floor. [You have defeated the Goblin Warlord, granting you "Floor 6-10 Dungeon Key"] He turned to the trapdoor ahead, inserting the key, and heard the heavy clunk of the lock disengaging. But just as he was about to descend, a message appeared. [StarPillow: Did you manage to escape the dragon''s grasp?] He stopped in his tracks, then let out a quick smile before answering. [FateBreaker: You could say that. It agreed to stay with me.] He barely had time to hit send before a familiar voice echoed in his mind. "Don''t push your luck, human," the dragon''s voice growled as it materialized beside him, its enormous form towering over him. "When am I getting my next maxed-out crystal shard, by the way?" the dragon asked, impatient. Alex scratched his chin. "Maybeter?" "Mhm, well, it better happen." "Maybe once you start helping out." "I''m already helping you by not killing you." "Can you both shut up?" The Undead King appeared above them, his ethereal form radiating power. "Meeting that damned Undead Lord fired me up. I need to get stronger." "..." "Oh, by the way, Alex," the Undead King turned his gaze to the boy. ''None of them calls me master, the disrespect!'' Alex thought, but quickly moved on. "Yes?" Enjoy more stories on m-vlem|p-yr "If you want to get stronger fast, I may have a way," the King smiled as he pressed his hands together, and a dark energy began to surrounded them all, "Let''s see if I''m strong enough to do this now..." Chapter 62 A Way to Become Stronger, The Undead King Curse The Undead King''s ethereal form pulsed with energy as he hovered above Alex, his eyes gleaming with an intensity that sent a shiver down Alex''s spine. The dark energy in the air had thickened, curling around him like smoke, seeping into his skin. This wasn''t the usual aura that came from the king¡ªit was something else, something dangerous. ... [Undead King] [Tier 4 - Level 150] [Master: FateBreaker] ... "Do you want power, human?" the Undead King rasped, his voice deep and foreboding. Alex frowned. The only other offers of power he heard about in his past life were those given by the [Gods] or [Hatred Demon]. "What are you getting at?" Alex asked, eyeing the king cautiously. "Haha, I see, you''re trying to do that?" Alphoxughed, "I heard anyone who received it died." The Undead King''s grin spread slowly as he grouped his arms together. Ding! [The Undead King is initiating the ''Undead King Curse''.] [As it''s master, do you ept?] Curses aren''t only negative: they could also help you out. Getting the curse of the [Hatred Demon] for example would enhance your powers by a lot, granting you new perks and a whole range of skills. But every curse had a side effect, no matter what. The [Hatred Curse] of the hatred demon would force you to kill people to keep going, otherwise you straight up die. And curses are extremely advanced rituals, meaning that it''s not just your character in the game that dies: it is your soul. If your soul dies, you die in real life too, that is something the curse givers didn''t tell you, and how the [Hatred Sect] as well as the [Gods] tricked thousands of people into giving them power. A price to pay for immense power. Alex''s heart skipped a beat. It sounded insane! But the thought of gaining more power, of having abilities that could push him past his limits¡ªit was tempting. "And what''s the catch?" Alex asked, narrowing his eyes. "This doesn''t seem like the kind of deal thates without a price." The Undead King chuckled darkly, "Ah, you''re sharp, human. Yes, there is a price. The merging of our essences will grant you power, but ites with a counter curse. A side effect, if you will." Alex clenched his fists, he didn''t like the sound of that. "What kind of curse?" The Undead King floated closer, his voice dropping to a low whisper, "A curse that will amplify certain... desires." "Desires?" Alex''s brow furrowed, his gut twisting with unease. This sounded more and more like a bad idea, but he knew what his options were. Without more strength, his progress in the dungeon would soon stall. He could feel it¡ªthe monsters were getting tougher, and he wasn''t getting stronger fast enough. Still, he had to know, "What kind of desires?" The Undead King''s eyes gleamed with amusement. "Let''s just say... I was not always an undead king. When I lived, I was an incubus, Alex." Alex blinked. "You were a what?" The king''s grin widened, and he said no more. "Haha-" Alphoxughed, "You should have seen him back then!" Alex already knew full well what the side effect of a curse given by an all-powerful incubus would be. The thought of whatever "desires" might overwhelm him under the influence of this curse sent a chill down his spine, but he wasn''t stupid. The power was too great to pass up. Plus, he had faced much worse than cursed desires, right? He could handle it. Right? "Fine," Alex said through gritted teeth. "Do it." Ding! [You have epted the ''Undead King Curse''] The Undead King''sughter echoed through the cavern as his spectral form expanded, the dark energy growing more intense, wrapping around Alex like chains. The swirling shadows closed in, and Alex felt a sudden surge of heat as the curse began to take hold. He dropped to his knees, gasping as a sharp pain shot through him, like something was being torn apart and stitched back together inside him. His veins felt like they were on fire, his body trembling as the essence of the Undead King began to merge more with his own. Alex gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain, but the heat kept building, and his heart pounded faster. His vision blurred, and for a moment, all he could think about was the overwhelming pressure of something deep and unfamiliar stirring within him. Suddenly, it was over. The shadows dissipated, and Alex was left panting on the ground, drenched in sweat. The pain faded, reced by a new, potent energy. His senses were sharper, and his connection to the undead was stronger than ever. He could feel the presence of every skeleton, every summoned creature, as if they were extensions of his own body. "Wow!" Alphox''s eyes widened, "You actually handled it!" "Why is that...?" Alex asked. "Well, curses have an extremely high chance of killing their users before they even receive them," the shadow dragon shrugged, "Impressive, human!" [Your favorability with "Alphox" has increased.] But the moment his vision was fully retrieved, Alex saw a ck panel in front of him. ... [Undead King Curse] [You have gained the following perks:] [Your "Undead Lord" talent will immediately go up by two levels.] [All your skills will evolve once.] [+2500 points to all attributes.] Find joy at m-vl_em|p,yr [Received "Cursed Eyes of the King".] [New skill "Aura": you can use your aura to pressure and intimidate weaker enemies.] [Side Effect: Uncontrolled desires may surface at inopportune moments.] ... Ding! [Your ''Undead Lord'' talent has advanced to C-Rank.] Ding! [Your ''Undead Lord'' talent has advanced to B-Rank.] [A-Level Advancement Task: Defeat 50,000 monsters with your undead.] (182/50000) "What the-" 50000?! How the hell was he going to do that! "You should manage with your new army," the king smiled as he faded away, "Doing that used too much energy, I hope you can manage everything else yourself." "Sure," Alex sighed, and now only Alphox remained beside him. "Hm..." Swiftly ignoring him, Alex opened up the new ''Undead Lord'' talent panel. ... [Undead Lord Talent (B-Rank)] [Max Skeletons: Increased to 100 skeletons.] [Stat Scaling: Skeletons now have 50% of Alex''s stats (Max reached)] [Summoning a single skeleton now costs 1,000 mana, no matter the type.] [Mass Resurrection: Ability to summon all 100 skeletons at once for 100,000 MP.] - - - - - [Greater Skeleton Upgrade: Every fifth skeleton summoned is a Greater Skeleton with enhanced stats and abilities.] [HP: 15,000] [Strength: 3,000] [Defense: 3,000] [Cost: 5000 Mana] - - - - - [NEW UNIT: Bone Knight: Every 20th skeleton summoned is a Bone Knight, a heavily armored skeletal warrior.] |HP: 20,000] |Strength: 4,500] [Defense: 4,000] [Cost: 7500 Mana] - - - - - [NEW UNIT: Spectral Wraith: Every 30th undead summon will be a Spectral Wraith, a ghostly, agile assassin that phases through physical attacks.] [HP: 10,000] [Strength: 7,000] [Agility: 6,000] [Spirit: 5,000] [Special Ability: Phase Shift ¨C Can be intangible for 5 seconds, avoiding all damage.] [Cost: 10,000 Mana] ... "Holy..." "Impressive!" [Your favorability with "Alphox" has yet again increased!] With this, he could truly be an undead lord! Ding! [All your skills will evolve once.] This meant that he wouldn''t need to use any skill points for all his abilities to increase to the [Advanced] tier! Ding! Ding! Ding! Alex was excited to see what his newly upgraded skills would look like. After all, each [Advanced] skill required 50 skill points to evolve! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 63 Huge Skill Upgrade, Eyes of the Cursed King Ding! Ding! Ding! He received several notifications as each of his skills leveled up once thanks to the [Undead King Curse]. ... [You have upgraded "Grand Fireball" to "Explosive Fireball"] (Advanced) [Deals 5,000 points of damage to target + 100% of spirit to target; consumes 1000 mana; 3-second cooldown.] ... [You have upgraded "Crimson Shard" to "Crimson Spike"] (Advanced) [Description: A jagged spike of blood-red energy that impales the enemy, leaving a lingering bleed effect for 5 seconds.] [Deals 4,000 damage to target; consumes 750 mana; 2-second cooldown.] ... [You have upgraded "Boulder Smash" to "Rock Crash"] (Advanced) [Create a massive boulder that can be thrown at the enemy dealing 5,000 damage, with a 50% chance of stunning; consumes 2000 mana; 8-second cooldown.] ... [You have upgraded "Stone Barrier" to "Stone Fortress"] (Advanced) [Create a sturdy barrier that can block up to 10,000 damage at once; costs 5000 mana; 30-second cooldown.] [Note: you can raise the barrier from the ground, meaning that you can keep it in ce, not just in front of you.] ... [You have upgraded "Inferno Tempest" to "Fire Vortex"] (Advanced) [Description: A swirling vortex of mes that engulfs all enemies within its range.] [Deals 150% of your spirit to enemies in arge area; consumes 10,000 mana; 15-second cooldown.] ... [You have upgraded "Powerful sh" to "Rending sh"] (Advanced) [Deals 3,000 damage to target + 100% of strength to target; no cooldown.] ... [You have upgraded "Lightning Bolt" to "Thunderp Bolt"] (Advanced) [A crackling bolt of lightning that strikes with tremendous force, leaving a residual charge that can affect nearby targets.] [Deals 6,000 points of damage + 100% of spirit to target + 15% chance to stun; consumes 2000 mana; 4-second cooldown.] ... With this, he had checked everything. "Or did you now," Alphox smiled. "Hm?" Alex raised his eyebrows, and once he turned toward the ck panel, he noticed everything was checked except for [Cursed Eyes of the King]. As Alex clicked on the cursed eyes panel, an intense, searing pain suddenly enveloped his vision. His eyes burned as though set ame from within, forcing him to clutch his head in agony. "AAAAAAAH-" The pain felt endless, his screams echoing in the hollow chamber. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the burning sensation faded, and Alex slowly opened his eyes. He blinked, adjusting to the light, and noticed that everything seemed sharper, clearer. "Interesting..." Alphox''s voice echoed from behind him, the shadow dragon observing intently. "The old bastard actually gave you his eyes." "W-What do you mean?" Alex stammered, still disoriented from the pain. "Those eyes," Alphox continued, "when the Undead King was alive, they were treasures. Thousands sought after them. We called them [The Eyes of the King]. Stolen from his corpse the moment he fell." "And what do they do?" Alex asked, still blinking as his vision began to return to normal. "Hm¡­" Alphox smirked, fading back into his shadowy realm. "You''ll figure it out on your own." With that, the shadow dragon vanished, leaving Alex alone in the final chamber of the fifth floor. "What the hell was that¡­" Alex muttered, his hands still on his eyes. The cursed power he had gained from the Undead King left him wondering if it would be a double-edged sword. His strength had surged, but at what cost? He quickly checked his updated stats. [Attributes: Vitality 3275; Strength 4564 (+1500); Agility 3466 (+1000); Spirit 6069 (+1000)] With his newfound power, Alex could now deal devastating damage, easily in the tens of thousands. But he had little time to dwell on his new abilities¡ªhe had a dungeon to clear. He stepped forward, heading down the trapdoor that led deeper into the dungeon. His goal was to try and reach the tenth floor before the end of the day. Ding! [You have reached the secondyer of the "Basics" section. Good luck.] With his 60690 mana points, Alex decided to summon more undead minions before progressing further. He raised his hands, focusing his mana. [+27 Normal Skeletons, +Greater Skeleton, +Bone Knight, +Spectral Wraith] [-49,500 Mana.] The ground trembled as the skeletons rose, materializing in front of him. Another ''Greater Skeleton'' took its ce beside the first, wielding a massive bone sword. But it is the two other figures that caught Alex''s attention. The Bone Knight stood d in dark, weathered armor, holding a shield and a spear made of bone. Its presence wasmanding, radiating an aura of discipline and might. Beside it, the Spectral Wraith hovered silently¡ªa semi-transparent, ghostly figure that radiated an eerie cold. Its long, ethereal limbs seemed to melt into the shadows, ready to strike with unnatural speed. "Let''s go, my army!" Alex called, pointing toward the hallway ahead. His forces, now bolstered by their new members, began marching forward, the undead warriors moving with unsettling precision. ... 6th Floor: The group soon encountered their first wave of enemies¡ªDozens of tier 3 [Shadowfang Hounds] at level 60. The creatures, hulking beasts with thick hides and deadly ws, charged at the undead army. Alex watched closely as his new additions joined the fray. The Bone Knight met the first of the monsters head-on, deflecting its powerful blows with ease. Its spear jabbed forward in quick, precise strikes, piercing the beast''s thick skin. The Spectral Wraith darted around the battlefield, its incorporeal form slipping through attacks effortlessly. With a sharp, chilling strike, it sapped the life from one of the monsters, leaving it weakened and vulnerable to the normal skeletons. Three skeletons fell during the battle, but it was a small losspared to the ease with which his forces dispatched the enemies. Ding! [You have in Shadowfang Hounds, gained 838 experience points.] [You have in Shadowfang Hounds...] [You have in Shadowfang Hounds...] Dozens of notifications popped up. [Extraction talent activated; +6 Strength, +3 Agility] The monsters were no match for his now-enhanced army: Alex didn''t even have to cast any spells! ... 7th Floor: The next floor presented a moreplex challenge, withrge groups of level 70 monsters attacking in waves. "Explosive Fireball!" he shouted,unching a fiery st into the midst of a group of monsters. The explosion rocked the room, sending debris flying and incinerating everything in its radius. -12,096! Insane damage! Though, he needed to be careful, as keeping his skeletons up meant he couldn''t recover that much mana to begin with. His Greater Skeletons charged forward, cutting through the beasts with their bone weapons, while the Bone Knight and Spectral Wraith provided strategic support, protecting the weaker skeletons and striking down key targets. Alex''s mana was draining fast, but his forces were holding strong. The battle was intense, but with every enemy in, his experience grew. Ding! [You have leveled up! You are now Level 39... 40... 41!] The progression was swift, and by the time Alex reached the 8th floor, he was already level 41, his power growing exponentially. His army had been thinned¡ªonly 8 skeletons, one Greater Skeleton, the Bone Knight, and the Spectral Wraith remained. But they were more than enough for whaty ahead. [Extraction talent activated: +4 skill points; +12 Spirit; +14 Agility.] It truly became much more difficult to get attribute points, each monster giving him only 1 to 2. But still, it was good enough. ... 10th floor: The eerie, damp atmosphere of the 10th floor unsettled Alex as he moved deeper into the dungeon. He approached a massive chamber, its walls lined with pulsating, web-like structures. ''The territory of the spiders is slowly revealing itself... huh...'' Alex thought, ''It''s the final room before their nest after all...'' The air felt thick with a strange energy, and he could hear a faint clicking sound echoing from within. At the center of the room, towering over 10 feet tall, stood a massive golem¡ªits body covered with ancient rock and moss. [You have encountered "Dungeon Golem" (Level 100) (Epic Rank)] [Rank: 4 Star] Alex grinned despite the odds. His forces may have been diminished, but this was a true test of their strength. "Alright, let''s see what you''re truly made of," Alex muttered to himself as he looked at his Bone Knight, Spectral Wraith, and Greater Skeleton. He raised his staff high, pointing it at the massive thing, "Show me what you''ve got!" The three ''bosses'' of his army responded to hismand, charging at the Golem with deadly intent. The battle had begun, and Alex would soon discover just how powerful his new abilities truly were. Chapter 64 Tier 4 Dungeon Golem, Easy Victory Alex approached the massive golem standing ominously in the center of the room. Its rocky form loomed over him, towering at least 20 feet tall, its body covered in ancient moss and cracked stone. The air felt thick with power, and the closer he got, the more palpable the energy surrounding the golem became. Ding! [You have encountered "Dungeon Golem" (Level 100) (Tier 4 Epic Boss)] [Health: 400,000] [Skills: Rock Smash, Smaller Golems Summoning, Earthen Fortify] "Huh?" Alex furrowed his brow. This wasn''t here before. In his past life, boss panels only showed basic information like the name, level and health, never details like skills. He had never seen this before. "The power of my eyes, human. Enjoy them!" The mocking voice of the Undead King echoed in his mind,ughter reverberating through his skull. "So that''s the [Cursed Eyes of the King]..." Alex muttered to himself. It seemed the cursed power he had inherited granted him this new level of insight. But insight wasn''t enough. He had a fight ahead of him. The golem''s massive, stone limbs shifted as it slowly turned to face him. Without warning, the fight began. The golem raised its arm and swung with immense force, mming a fist into the ground where Alex stood. BOOM! Alex dodged just in time, feeling the shockwave ripple through the floor. "Go!" Alexmanded, his army of skeletons and undead charging forward. The Bone Knight led the assault, followed by the Greater Skeletons and the Spectral Wraith, but the golem wasn''t alone. With a deafening roar, ten smaller golems materialized from the surrounding stone, each one roughly half the size of the Dungeon Golem. Ding! [You have encountered "Smaller Golems" (Level 100) (Tier 4)] [Health: 100,000] [Skills: Rock Punch, Stone Fortify] "Seriously?!" Alex cursed under his breath. This was more than he had bargained for. Not only did he have to face the main golem, but now there were ten more to deal with. The smaller skeletons charged first, but Alex could already tell this wasn''t going to end well. The first wave of attacksnded on the smaller golems, but... -1! -1! -1! The damage numbers were pathetic. Even with the buffs from his [Aura of Death], the weaker skeletons barely scratched the surface of the smaller golems'' rocky skin. The golems retaliated with brutal efficiency, crushing the skeletons one by one. CRASH! A Smaller Golem swung its massive arm, shattering two skeletons in a single hit. The bone fragments scattered across the floor as Alex''s undead army was reduced to dust in seconds. "They''re way too strong for the skeletons..." Alex gritted his teeth. He had expected a challenge, but this was getting ridiculous. He still had his stronger units left, but they were also getting overwhelmed. The Greater Skeleton lunged forward, its axe swinging at the main golem. The attacknded, but... -847! "That''s not enough!" Alex cursed. The golem''s defense was absurdly high, far higher than anything he''d fought before. The Dungeon Golem retaliated with a powerful punch, smashing directly into the Greater Skeleton''s chest. SMASH! -8,837! The Greater Skeleton was sent flying across the cavern, its body colliding with a wall. The force of the impact shattered part of its ribcage, and the golem wasted no time in following up with another strike. BOOM! The Greater Skeleton didn''t stand a chance. [Your ''Greater Skeleton'' was defeated.] Alex clenched his fist. "Damn it!" He knew these Tier 4 monsters were tough, but this was something else entirely. Maybe he had pushed his luck bying this far so soon. He was only a Tier 2 yer fighting a Tier 4 boss. Anyone watching would think he was insane. The Bony Knight, however, wasn''t deterred. With its spear in hand, it wove through the battlefield, taking on the smaller golems. -3684! -4271! -4317! The damage was decent, but it was still a slow process. It finally reached the main golem and swung its spear toward the giant''s head. SWISH! -1947! The damage was barely a scratch. The Dungeon Golem turned to face the Bony Knight, swinging its colossal arm down toward the skeletal warrior. But the Bony Knight raised its shield just in time, deflecting the blow. -1372! Even though the Bony Knight held its ground, the sheer power of the golem''s strike was wearing it down. "Come back," Alexmanded. The Bony Knight and the Spectral Wraith, who was also struggling to take down the smaller golems, retreated to his side. "Stay behind me. I''ll handle the big one, and you deal with the smaller ones." The two undead nodded wordlessly, positioning themselves behind him. Now it was Alex''s turn. He took a deep breath, focusing his mana. He had already lost most of his army, but he wasn''t out of this fight yet. [Attributes: Vitality 3328; Strength 4672 (+1500); Agility 3519 (+1000); Spirit 6103 (+1000)] "Explosive Fireball!" Alex shouted,unching the first attack. The massive fireball soared through the air and struck the Dungeon Golem directly in the chest. BOOM! -12,103! His damage was too high, and the golem didn''t have any [Magic Resistance]! The fireball hit hard, but it was just the beginning. Alex continued his assault, casting spell after spell. "Thunderp Bolt!" Lightning crackled through the air as the bolt of energy struck the golem, sending a shockwave through its stone body. -14,309! The golem tilted, but it wasn''t backing down. It swung its massive fist toward Alex, but he was already moving. His agility allowed him to dodge the attack, rolling to the side and preparing his next spell. "Rock Crash!" A giant boulder materialized in the air before mming into the golem with a thunderous crack. -5,000! The damage was adding up, but the golem wasn''t done. It summoned more rocks, hurling them at Alex with terrifying speed. One of them grazed his side, knocking him off bnce. -632! His health bar dipped slightly, but with his Superior Awakener''s Set granting him high physical resistance, the damage was minimal. He could endure this. The smaller golems tried to interfere, but the Bony Knight and Spectral Wraith held them at bay, dealing steady damage. Alex dashed forward, pulling out his dagger. His spells were draining his mana too quickly, and he needed to conserve energy for the final phase of the fight. Several arrows appeared around the golem as he approached. "Huh?" [The Cursed Eyes of the King are guiding you.] [Aim for these spots to deal more damage!] These crimson arrows were pointing at several spots: the back of the knees, the eyes, the top of the head... "Alright." He shed at the golem repeatedly, aiming for the weak spots his [Cursed Eyes] had highlighted. -947! -1223! -1034! Each strike chipped away at the golem''s health, but it was a slow, grueling process. Finally, after what felt like hours of relentless fighting, the Dungeon Golem''s movements slowed. Its massive form cracked and crumbled as its health dwindled. "This is it!" Alex gritted his teeth, casting one final spell. "Fire Vortex!" A swirling inferno erupted around the golem, consuming it in mes. The golem roared in pain as its stone body disintegrated into ash. Ding! Ding! Ding! [Global Announcement: "FateBreaker" is the first yer to reach the Dark Dungeon''s tenth floor.] [Global Announcement: "FateBreaker" is the first yer to...] [Global Announcement: ...] The message repeated three times, echoing throughout the world of ''Universal Descent''. Alex dropped to his knees, breathing heavily as the adrenaline slowly faded. His body ached, and his mana reserves were nearly depleted, but he had done it. A new panel appeared in front of him. [Extraction talent activated.] A grin spread across Alex''s face. The rewards were going to be worth it. Chapter 65 Call for Help, SS-Level Hidden Quest The colossal Dungeon Golem crumbled to dust, its fragments scattering across the stone floor. Alex let out a long breath, shoulders dropping. Just moments ago, he was fighting for his life against a Tier 4 powerhouse, a feat the game deemed "impossible" for yers at his level. Yet here he was, standing alone in the aftermath of his victory. A notification flickered to life in front of him. [Extraction talent activated.] Three extraction options materialized, each radiating a different energy. [Dungeon Golem Core (Legendary Material)] [Description: A rare heartstone infused with the power of an ancient dungeon guardian. Rumored to enhance constructs or grant durability to any armor crafted from it.] [Golem Rock (Epic Material)] [Description: Tough and resilient, Golem Rock has long been used in fortress-building for its imprable nature. It''s said to add extreme defense to anything it strengthens.] [Fragment of Abyssal Stone (Epic Material)] [Description: A dark stone fragment, pulsing with an otherworldly energy. Only harvested from defeated dungeon bosses, it''s a prizedponent for enchanters and mages alike.] ... Alex''s eyes scanned the options, fingers itching toward the first. The Dungeon Golem Core was a legendary item, leagues above what most yers could hope to acquire at his level. Without hesitation, he chose it. "Legendary gear, here Ie," he muttered, storing it inside his backpack alongside his many [Poison Antidotes] He was nning to go sell them all before the event ended to turn in a good profit. The aftermath notifications continued: Ding! [You have defeated "Dungeon Golem lv100"] [Experience gained: 100,000] [You have defeated x10 "Smaller Golems lv100"] [Experience Gained: 150,000] Another string of alerts followed as his experience bar rocketed up. [You have leveled up to level 42, all attribute points have been raised by 5, and you have 4 free attribute points to assign as well as 1 skill point!] [You have leveled up to level 43...] [You have leveled up to level 44...] . . [You have leveled up to level 48...] Alex''s eyes widened as he absorbed the upgrades. Seven levels in one go was more than he''d hoped! As he checked his attribute screen, more notifications unfurled. [Explosive Fireball has leveled up to level 2.] [Crimson Spike has leveled up to level 2.] . . [Rending sh has leveled up to level 2.] Basically, every skill leveled up once. And this was no easy feat by the way, as the more you upgraded your skills, not only would it be harder to evolve them because of skill points as the amount you needed to spend would increase, but simply having them increase in levels would be hard! His mastery of them was amazing! He exhaled, taking it all in, "Alright, time to go sell these antidotes and call it a day," he muttered, ncing at the piles of items cluttering his inventory. His little side business of antidote trading was about to pay off handsomely, especially with the event wrapping still active and more yers wanting to join in. Today had been absolutely terrible, or maybe it was good, who knows. The recent events had been overwhelming to say the least: the event, hatching the pet who sent Alex to Undead Land early, meeting the Undead Lord, going to bell city, and finally, fighting monsters in here after receiving the [Undead King Curse]. In roughparison, in his previous life, he would still be in the toxic forest, some of his poison antidotes dealing damage to him as they were of low-quality. Ding! [You have killed the "Dungeon Golem" and thus received the "Spider Nest Key"!] A key materialized in his hands, which he could use on the door the golem had been guarding. "Not a chance," Alex smiles. He had barely made it through the fight with the Dungeon Golem. Venturing deeper into the spider-infested floors was asking for trouble. At his level, he''d be torn apart by whatevery beyond that door. Only his [Bony Knight] and [Spectral Wraith] had survived, and they were the only undead he could summon for now, since his mana had run out. ''Mana''s a real issue...'' He stored the key in his inventory, then got ready to leave. Yet, right as he was about to teleport out, a panel appeared in front of him. Ding! [You have received a call for help.] Alex froze. A call for help? That wasn''t a regr notification, even for hidden quests. His eyes narrowed in curiosity, and he scanned the screen again. [You have triggered the SS-Level Hidden Quest; "Save the Fox Beast Tribe Princess"] [Reward: None.] [Time Limit: 1 week.] [Description: The Fox Beast Tribe Princess is inside the nest of the spiders (20th floor), go inside and rescue her before she bes a feast for the spider queen.] Alex''s eyes widened. An SS-level quest at this stage was insane. Worse, it was asking him to reach the 20th floor, where even the weakest spiders were around level 200. "No way," he shook his head, biting his lip. There was no record of any "Fox Beast Tribe Princess" in his past life''s knowledge, which likely meant she hadn''t been rescued back then. The fox beast n in [Universal Descent], or at least those that weren''t taken over and became monsters, which is the majority, were rthat had less than 1000 of them remaining. All the males were gone, leaving only the women. "Well..." Alex thought about it, "There''s nothing I can do," he shook his head. Just as he prepared to leave, though, a desperate voice echoed in his mind, sounding faint and broken. "Please, adventurer¡­ I beg you¡­ If you don''te, my n¡­ we¡­ we will be no more. I am giving my life force for this message, please¡­e¡­" The voice of the Fox Princess carried a sorrowful plea, trembling with pain and desperation. He winced, shaking his head. "I can''t. Even with Alphox, there''s no way we can handle that." A gleam of light shed beside him, and the form of Alphox, the Primordial Dragon, appeared in spectral form, his eyes zing with challenge. "Are you questioning my power, mortal?" "Yes," Alex replied bluntly. "Tier 4 or not, you''re still level 200, and I''m level 44. We''re out of our depth here." Alphox growled, his pride ring, "Weakling or not, I am still a Primordial Dragon! I''ll burn those wretched insects to ash if they dare face us." Alphox had an intense ego, just like every other primordial dragon, and he wouldn''t allow these weakling monsters to tarnish his reputation! The dragon only narrowed his gaze before retreating back into his spiritual space, muttering about "insects" and "weak mortals." Trying to shake off the whole incident, Alex pulled up his World Map, preparing to return to safer territory. [Teleportation points have been set on each floor.] "Oh." He had expected to be able to teleport to the entrance of the [Dark Dungeon], but he was wrong: a small point appeared, and when he clicked on it, he could select which floor he wanted to go to. [Fast Travel] was an even better perk than he believed. "Convenient," he muttered, impressed. For now, he chose [Toxic Forest], the ideal ce to offload his goods. A small circle expanded over his destination, and with a sh, he was gone, the dungeon fading from view. A brisk wind greeted him as he arrived in the Toxic Forest, the familiar scent of damp earth and old trees grounding him. He took a deep breath, grateful to be out of the dungeon''s oppressive atmosphere. He''d missed the open air more than he realized. "Well... Time to sell the goods again." Chapter 66 Selling Poison Antidotes, The Curses Side Effects The dark, bristling trees of the Toxic Forest loomed ominously. At the forest''s edge, Alex teleported, then immediately began to set up his makeshift stall, cing his 46 vials of high-quality poison antidotes in neat rows. The [Bony Knight] and [Spectral Wraith] teleported too, so it seems that Fast Travel could teleport his undead if he wished The undead stationed themselves on either side of him, acting like bodyguards. The sight alone caused many nearby yers to pause, their eyes widening at the sight of FateBreaker''s monstrous protectors. Alex began the sale, his face calm as a few yers approached, nervously eyeing the undead guards. "Four silver coins per high quality poison antidote," he announced evenly, prompting a few eyebrows to raise. [Poison Antidote - 4 Silver Coins] You couldn''t check the quality, meaning that the merchant could be lying, but it still one silver coin under market price. Some muttered about the price, but before anyone could turn away, one brave soul stepped up and paid, gulping as they reached for the antidote. Their face lit up momentster as they inspected it, "It''s actually high quality," they said aloud, surprised. And suddenly, the antidotes began selling like wildfire. Within minutes, Alex had nearly cleared his stock. "There''s too many people, should we steal?" he could hear some people. "Are you out of your mind? That''s FateBreaker!" "Don''t you see those massive undead around him?" "Oh, right¡­" It seems that people actually recognized his appearance now. Even though Alex hadn''t worn a mask in some time, the reputation of FateBreaker had spread far enough to make concealment pointless. Though he didn''t really n to do that anyway. Finally, after just ten minutes, thest antidote vial was sold, and he pocketed his earnings with a quiet smirk, this sale grantedAlex 184 silver coins, which means 1 gold coin and 84 silver coins! [Bnce/Money: 2 gold coins, 71 silver coins and 85 copper coins.] "Alright," he said as he stood, his movement alone prompting a ripple of nervous backward steps from the crowd. Even his undead felt the surge, the [Bony Knight] nking its armor as it moved, making some yers scatter. Why did he even have two undead beings with him? Were they pets?! "Come back," Alex whispered to his summons, and with a faint hiss, they both dissolved into dark mist, their spectral forms merging into his body. Ding! The game notification rang in his ears. [Since you have called your undead back while they were still active, you recover half of the mana spent to summon them.] [+8750 mana.] "Oh wow..." Alex muttered. It seems that if an undead is out of battle, and Alex wanted to bring them to him, he wouldn''t get nothing out of it! It cost 17500 mana points to summon and keep the bony knight and spectral wraith up, so bringing them back while they were still active and not dead meant he wouldn''t lose all of it! It was a good thing to remember. "FateBreaker!" "Look at me!" A group of people tried their hardest to look at his face, wanting him to acknowledge them. "Heh..." Alex wasn''t used to this kind of poprity, and so, flustered, he immediately opened his [World Map] and clicked on [Bell City]. Without another word, he nodded at the yers who had bought from him. "Thanks for the business," he said, disappearing in a sh. "Hey, wait!" "Damn, I wanted to talk to him¡­" "What''s with that teleport? So strange¡­" The crowd muttered as they began dispersing, some proudly showing off their new antidotes, happy they made such a great deal, since it was guaranteed they could enter the forest now. Alex''s reputation was unexpectedly rising among yers. ... Ding! Alex teleported to the entrance of Bell City, dropping right on the ground in front of the gate. "I did everything for today, just need to figure out a way to get to the 20th floor by the end of the week, huh." [SS-Level Hidden Quest; "Save the Beast Tribe Princess"] [Reward: None.] [Time Limit: 1 week.] [Description: The Beast Tribe Princess is inside the nest of the spiders, go inside and rescue her before she bes a feast for the spider queen.] Only on m v|le|mp|yr ... There was almost no chance he could do it, but might as well try while he had nothing to lose. One or two deaths were nothing to him, who had died hundreds of times in his previous life. Taking a steadying breath, he steeled himself for the task ahead. But as he took a step forward, a sudden pain exploded in his chest. BAM! "GARGH!" His knees buckled, the world swaying around him as his heart felt as if it had been struck with a hammer. Sweat poured down his brow as he gasped, barely managing to keep himself upright. "What¡­ the hell?" he choked out, clutching his chest. BAM! Another pulse hit, each one a fresh wave of agony. He dropped to the ground, his hands digging into the earth as his vision blurred. Then he heard it¡ªa cold, mockingugh echoing in his mind. "Oh, so it''s starting," the [Undead King] sneered, his voice dripping with cruel amusement. "Enjoy the side effects, human." "The side¡­ effects... of your curse?" Alex groaned, barely able to get the words out as each beat of his heart sent pain flooding through his body. "Precisely," the Undead King taunted. "Did you truly believe such power came without a cost?" Gritting his teeth, Alex forced one eye open. "Of course¡­ not," he muttered. As the pain dragged on, his initial shock began to dull. The searing agony became tolerable, his body adjusting to the relentless hammering of his heart. Ding! Another notification appeared, almost mockingly. [Your Undead King Curse has initiated.] [Side Effect: Uncontrolled desires may surface at inopportune moments.] Alex nced down at his body, realizing the full, embarrassing effect of the curse. Alex looked down, and indeed, he saw that his member was erect, as hard as steel. "You know, they used to call it the ''Incubus Curse'', but it was less powerful than it is now, though the side effects are the same." "Damn it¡­" Alex cursed under his breath. The Undead King''s taunt was no mere jest. The curse came with its own, painful conditions. If he didn''t find a way to satisfy rising desires, his very soul could be damaged, possibly even shattered, which meant real life death, not just in game. "Need¡­ to¡­ find¡­ Alice¡­" He whispered as he pulled up his Friends List and selected Alice''s name. ... [FateBreaker: Alice, where are you?] [StarPillow: At our home. Why?] [FateBreaker: I''ming.] [StarPillow: Oh, okay, I''m in the living room if you need me!] He hesitated, his finger hovering over the Logout button. He truly didn''t know if he would be able to satisfy him, or how bad this curse was. A panel appeared in front of him again. [For your information, this curse doesn''t care about realms. It follows you back to reality.] ''I already know...'' Alex shut his eyes in frustration but epted it. There was no avoiding it; escaping Universal Descent wouldn''t free him. He had to confront the curse head-on. [Do you want to leave Universal Descent?] "Yes," he replied, already feeling the strain as the world around him faded. Alex shed in blue light before teleporting out of the game. The transition was almost instantaneous. Opening his eyes, he found himself lying on his bed in the real world, his body still reacting, still cursed. He expected the curse''s side effects, but didn''t expect them to hit this hard.* The more powerful a curse is, then the strongest are its side effects. Did it mean that the undead king curse was one of the most powerful ones? After all, as the undead king became more powerful, his curse would increase Alex''s power as well. The pain had dulled, but the effect lingered, his mind fogged with an overwhelming urge he could hardly keep in check. Shifting out of bed, he steadied himself, breathing deeply as he tried topose his thoughts. Alice was in the living room. In his current state, he couldn''t approach her without exining the situation. But even as the curse dug its ws into his mind, he knew he''d endure it. He''d find a way to wield its power without being consumed by it. Alice was currently in the living room, and so, while trying to calm down his member down, he began walking toward her. Chapter 67 Removing the Curses Side-Effects, Bell City Opened Alex stumbled down the stairs, his senses overwhelmed. Every sound, every scent, seemed heightened, honed in on a single, primal urge. His gaze darted to the couch where Alice sat, engrossed on the TV. She looked up, a smile spreading across her face as she saw him. That smile was a beacon, drawing him in with irresistible force. "Hey," she said. "Hello-" The word caught in his throat, unable to form a coherent response. His eyes locked onto hers, a storm gathering behind them. He could see the confusion flicker across her face, reced with a curious, yful grin. "You seem a little distracted," she teased, standing up. She clearly seemed to want to have sex as well. Before he could speak, he was crossing the space between them, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. Her skin felt like silk beneath his touch, sending a shiver through him. "Alex?" she blushed, expecting a kiss. He didn''t answer, his focus narrowing to the curve of her lips, the way her chest rose and fell with each breath. He leaned in, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was both desperate and hungry. His fingers traced the line of her buttocks, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath his touch. Ding! [You have started taking care of your urges.] [The curse is slowly removing itself from your body, continue like this.] He pulled away, his eyes zing with a raw desire that frightened even him. "Alice¡­" he groaned, his voice rough, "I need..." He didn''t bother finishing the sentence. He ripped her shirt open, his hands moving with a practiced urgency. She gasped, surprised by his sudden aggression, but his touch was so dominant, so possessively needy, that she couldn''t help but let herself be taken. He held her close, and then, he inserted his member inside while they were still standing. "Isn''t~~ It~ harder~ than~ before~~?" she gasped between moans, her body climaxing after each thrust. "..." Alex didn''t speak. At this point, his vision was flooded, all he could see was Alice, and the panels that appeared beside her. [Take her.] Find adventures at m v lem|p-yr [Show her who''s boss.] [She can''t win against you.] They kept appearing and then leaving, but Alex ignored them. He moved with a savage intensity, driving deep into her, again and again. She gasped, her breath hitching with every thrust. "Alex," she moaned, her voice a mix of pain and pleasure. His hand tightened in her hair, pulling her closer, urging her to meet him. "Take this..." he groaned as he let out everything he had inside again. ''Is this enough...?'' Alex thought as he removed his member from inside of Alice. He immediately got an answer. BAM! The feeling of pain in his heart increased in intensity. The only time it didn''t hurt was when he was having sex, or had the intention to. He needed to keep going. "That was good-" Alice smiled, but she immediately gasped as Alex pushed her on the couch and inserted his member again, "Ohh~" "Not even close to done..." he mumbled, his eyes a spinning vortex of lust, "We''ll... keep... going as long as needed..." "Hiii~" Alice climaxed again, "Y-Yes!" ... Ten hours, and hundreds of climaxes from Aliceter, Alex finally calmed down. [You have satisfied your urges for now.] The side effects of the curse disappeared, and so, after cumming one more time, he finally stopped entirely. Alice was clenching the bedsheets since they had moved to the bedroom, half unconscious. Even she couldn''t handle the curse, and worse of all, Alex was still aroused. Moving her pupils and noticing that Alex''s member was still up, Alice sighed, "I don''t know what to do anymore... maybe we need to find you someone else, I can''t do it alone." "What?" Alex was confused by what she said. "Forget it," she smiled, "I''m gonna sleep..." "Good night," Alex kissed her on the cheeks, and the girl almost immediately fell asleep, tired, but satisfied. Feeling the same, Alex dropped, trying to sleep even though his bottom was still ready for action. ... Alex managed to fall asleep, but he was woken up by Alice. "Alex!" she shook him repeatedly, yet was still gentle, "Wake up!" "Hm..." Alex opened his eyes, confused. "Look!" Alice moved one of the real life panels toward him, and once his vision stabilized, he could read the words: [The Toxic Forest event has officially ended!] "...Oh." Counting the time they had sex, and adding it to the long hours of sleep they had, around 40 hours had passed inside the game, meaning that the event must have just ended not long ago. This was good for Alex, since there was something he needed to do. Or more like, there was something that would appear soon that he needed to attend. "Thank you," he kissed Alice on the forehead before heading to the kitchen, preparing toast as it was the easiest to make. If he remembered correctly, "he" would appear an hour after 10,000 people entered [Bell City], which should happen very soon since the toxic mist around the forest was now gone. While eating, Alex opened up the [Universal Descent Forum]. ... [Toxic forest is avable now!] [Dude, even without the mist, the monsters there are still too strong!] [Speak for yourself, peasant, I have an S-Level talent, so I''m already at Bell City!] [Bell City? Is that the next city?] yers were discussing among each other, some flexing their new items as well as their points. [Guilds] had also joined the forum, meaning that a new section appeared specially for them to post, possibly to recruit new members and disy their feats. [The ''Striker'' Guild is the one that scored the most amount of points in the event!] [The ''Overlord'' Guild is the first to reach Bell City, though!] It was fun to see them fight one another, and so Alex spent twenty minutes doing that. "Alright, I''m ready," Alice ate breakfast and got dressed. The clothes you have in real life are the ones that you teleport into when inside [Universal Descent], though it didn''t matter for people like Alex, who were wearing a full body armor. [Do you want to teleport inside of ''Universal Descent''?] "Yes," both Alex and Alice nodded, and they were both teleported to the game. ... Alex was teleported right in front of the gates of Bell City, since he had left there, while Alice was ced not far away, at the edge of the [Toxic Forest]. She had left the game after Alex was taken by Alphox to [Undead Land] and hadn''t touched the game for more than a day since as Richard, her father, had called for dinner. Seeing her not beside him, Alex immediately opened up his [World Map] and teleported to where she was, since both edges of the [Toxic Forest] were some of his [Fast Travel] points. "What-" Alice was taken aback once seeing him teleport out of nowhere. ''Oh, right, she never saw me use Fast Travel,'' Alex thought, grinning. "How did you do that? I''m pretty sure I saw you in Bell City on the map..." she asked, as she also had ess to the [World Map] from the party. She could see it, but she couldn''t [Fast Travel] or use any of its big features, though. "Don''t mind it,e close," Alex gestured, and Alice listened, hugging his arm. He didn''t know if what he was about to do would work, but it was always good to test out stuff. He opened his [World Map] again, then clicked on the dot of [Bell City]. [Do you want to teleport to ''Bell City''?] "Yes." A sh of blue light surrounded him and Alice, and in a few seconds, the two of them appeared right in front of the city. "W-What the hell?!" Alice was shocked, looking around. "Nice!" Alex was overjoyed, "So it works with people too, huh." This meant that he could teleport Alice and other people if needed in the future, an overpowered ability for sure! "What happened?" "Fast Travel," Alex exined how it worked, "Just think of it as a way to move to different locations easier." "Wow! Can I use it too?" "Huh, no, but don''t worry, I''ll make sure to carry you wherever I go, little fox," he touched the [Fox Ears] on her head, and she blushed. Back to seriousness, though, Alex looked around, noticing the hundreds of yers leaving the [Toxic Forest] to enter [Bell City]. At this rate, it wouldn''t take much more time for ''him'' to appear. Chapter 68 The Wandering Merchant Kars, Fate Gift Boxes Arriving in Bell City, Alex and Alice quickly noticed a shift in the atmosphere. The bustling city square was already packed with yers. But right as they entered, notifications chimed in session across everyone''s field of vision. [The city has reached capacity: 10,000 yers. The Wandering Merchant has appeared!] "Huh?" "Wandering merchant...?" Everyone was confused, except for Alex, who was excited. ''Here he is.'' It wasn''t long before an imposing NPC figure emerged, riding atop a grand, noble-looking carriage. The man was a sharp-looking character, with a monocle set precisely on one eye, a distinguished mustache, and attire reserved for nobles. His regal presencemanded the attention of every yer nearby. The man announced himself in a deep,pelling voice. "Adventurers, wee to my humble wandering shop," he intoned with a smile. "I am the Wandering Merchant, Kars. Here, you''ll find relics of the gods, treasures of ancient dragons, and items of unmatched power. All that''s left to wonder," he paused, his eyes gleaming, "is whether luck will favor you." The yers around him looked enthralled, eyes wide as if Kars had cast a spell on them. Alex, feeling the maic pull of Kars'' voice, narrowed his gaze. Kars gestured to the colorful assortment of boxes stacked high on his carriage, "All of this is in these Fate Gift Boxes," he exined, "anything could await, and who knows what Fate has in store?" This was one of the characteristics of [Universal Descent]. They are called [Fate Gift Boxes]. In these boxes, any item can be randomly dropped. From god-level equipment all the way to things that weren''t even worth a penny, it is possible to open anything. Basically, it''s straight up gambling, or gacha openings if you want to modernize it. In Alex''s previous life, because of the existence of the [Fate Gift Boxes], a particrly interesting business had also derived. Basically: buy a [Fate Gift Box] using all of your money and hope. If you get a good item, you can be rich overnight. If nothinges out... too bad! Alex tried this once in his previous life, let''s just say he regretted it. Despite the ominous nature of Kars'' words, the crowd surged forward, a mix of greed and desperation igniting in their eyes. Some were visibly trembling, others whispering about dreams of unimaginable weapons that could set them apart in this brutal game. "Ready to give it a go?" Alice whispered to Alex with a grin. "Though, those odds sound suspicious." Alex shrugged. Kars beckoned all of the yers forward, motioning for them to step up to the carriage. "Wee," he greeted them warmly. "You''ll find I keep a limited supply¡ªonly 1,000 Fate Gift Boxes in total¡ªand each adventurer may select only two. They are one gold coin a piece. Choose wisely." The first batch of [Fate Gift Boxes] was actually the cheapest one there would ever be. "I am putting them on a massive discount for today only, but from the next batch onward, they will return to their original prices!" Karsughed. These things were worth millions of dors, so no wonder. One gold coin could seem like a fortune to many yers at the beginning stages of the game, but all those that didn''t take their chance when they could, would regret it. No one dared to step inside or try, though, scared that they were going to be scammed. [Name: Kars Spikeford] [Race: Human] [Level: 50] This is what everyone could see from the outside when using their basic perception ability. But this was actually a status panel created from a [Faker] skill, meaning that the panel was wrong and fake. Of course, Alex knew better. And thanks to his [Cursed Eyes of the King], he could see the real stats of that thing. Check for updates on m-vl-em-py-r [Name: Kars Demonford] [Race: Demon] [Level: 400] [Tier 6] ... From the outside, Kars appears to be just a lowly level 50 wandering merchant. However, his true identity is that of a deceitful, high-ranking demon from the dark regions of the continent. But although he is a demon, he still has a fanatical love for gold coins. "I''ll try!" a random rich yer nodded as he gave 2 gold coins to Kars. "Very well, yer, enter my carriage and select your boxes!" Kars pointed, and the yer did as told, entering the carriage. Two minutester, the rich yer came out with two purple luxurious boxes in his hands. "W-Wow..." "Are these the fate boxes?!" Wanting to put on a show, the yer decided to open both boxes in front of the thousands of other yers. He threw them on the ground, and the boxes began to shake. [Ding Dong: You have opened the [Fate Gift Box], unfortunately, you didn''t get anything...] [Ding Dong: You have opened the [Fate Gift Box], unfortunately, you didn''t get anything...] "..." the yer blinked, "WHAT A FUCKING SCAM?!" "Hahaha~" "Damn." Others were both shocked, but also found it very amusing. There was one thing for certain now, though: no one would try to buy another box, especially after such a big scam was revealed. Two gold coins to get nothing is outrageous! "Well, I don''t think we should try anymore," Alice scratched the back of her head, she was rich, but spending money for no reason would be dumb. Alex, on the other hand, didn''t have the same opinion. He approached Kars'' carriage. "I want two [Fate Gift Boxes] as well, please," he said. "Very well, enter the carriage," Kars smiled, "You can select the boxes then pay me." With a nod, Alex approached the entryway into Kars'' carriage. From the outside, the carriage looked like a small traveling cart. But once inside, Alex found himself in a cavernous interior, lined with rows upon rows of Fate Boxes. The boxes were categorized by colors and positioned neatly on shelves, though the color didn''t change anything. Most yers wouldn''t notice any distinguishing marks or hints of what might be inside. After all, there was no real way to know. Most of the "Fate Gift Boxes" Kars was selling were manipted to have nothinge out of them. But a very small percentage of them did have some incredible items. Alex would have to get lucky. But, right as he was observing the [Fate Gift Boxes], his [Cursed Eyes of the King] suddenly activated, andhe felt his vision sharpen, cutting through the veil hiding the true nature of each Fate Box. At first nce, they looked identical, but with his sight enhanced, panels began to appear in front of each box. Most bore the bleak inscription [Nothing], confirming his suspicion that Kars had mostly stocked his shelves with empty promises. But a small, distinct few shimmered with [Item Inside]. "Wow..." he was surprised. He didn''t expect this at all, but it was great! And once Alex looked around for a few more seconds, he noticed one more description. Three boxes out of the 998 avable ones had a panel saying [Legendary Item Inside]. Alex didn''t hesitate, choosing two Fate Boxes marked with [Legendary Item Inside]. He stepped back outside, handing over the gold to Kars, who pocketed it with a gleeful smile. "Ah, excellent choices, Adventurer! May Fate favor you today." Turning to Alice, Alex gave a subtle nod before smiling. Following his lead, Alice entered the carriage and scanned the boxes, her eyes sharp as she considered her options. She didn''t have any real way to know though, and Alex couldn''t enter with her, so within minutes, she exited the carriage with two Fate Boxes of her own, handing over her coins to the merchant. Kars'' eyes sparkled as he received Alice''s payment. "A wise choice, youngdy! Both of you hold in your hands the potential of Fate itself." "Let''s hope you''re not lying about that," Alice quipped with a grin, raising an eyebrow. "Indeed, though Fate is an unpredictable mistress," Kars replied with a wry smile, his monocle glinting as he bowed. "Can I open them here," Alice asked, many people looking at her, hoping she did open them to see if it was truly a scam. "Hm..." Alex scratched his chin, "Sure." He could see it thanks to his eyes, but Alice had actually picked one box with an item inside of it! She was lucky! Instinctively, she threw both boxes on the ground, and thousands of eyes fell on them. [Ding Dong: You have opened the [Fate Gift Box], unfortunately, you didn''t get anything...] The first box gave nothing. "Knew it was a scam." "Fuck you Kars!" "Let''s raid that guy!" Of course, even if they tried, he would get rid of them all with a single flicker of his pinkie. But the second box on the other hand revealed itself to be much better. Ding! [Ding Dong: You have opened the [Fate Gift Box] and received the Legendary item: Bow of the Ice Queen!] Instantly, the entire city gasped in shock. Chapter 69 Bow of the Ice Queen, Two More Legendary Items [Ding Dong: You have opened the [Fate Gift Box] and received the Legendary item: Bow of the Ice Queen!] Following the surprise win of the Bow of the Ice Queen, the crowd buzzed with excitement, eager to see what else could be found within Kars'' Fate Gift Boxes. Whispers rippled through the crowd, a mix of awe and disbelief, and for every skeptic shouting "scam," there were two yers itching to test their luck. Alex gave Alice a nod. "Quite the show," he muttered with a smirk. Alice rolled her eyes, still holding the glittering bow that had appeared in her hand, its icy aura casting a faint chill into the air. [Bow of the Ice Queen (Legendary): +1500 Spirit, +1000 Agility, +3000 Mana, +30% Ice Damage Boost.] [Unique Skill: cial Rain - Unleash a barrage of icy arrows, dealing 200% damage and applying Frostbite to all enemies within range (1-hour cooldown)] Some weapons from the higher rarities not only gave incredible stats, but could also be used to cast unique skills attached to them. Though, do note that if you stop using the weapon, the only way you can keep that skill is by extracting it. Alex wasn''t sure he could do that right now, butter maybe. "Think we''re done here?" Alice asked, ncing at the crowd pressing forward toward Kars, each yer with gold coins in hand. "Yeah." The crowd was going wild. yers who had lost money were cursing their misfortune, while those who still had gold were scrambling to get their hands on a box before they sold out. With ast nce at the excited, frenzied yers still waiting their turn, Alex and Alice slipped away to a quieter part of Bell City. When they finally found a secluded spot, they sat down, Alex eyeing his respective boxes with anticipation. Visit our site at m-vl-em-pyr "Shall we see what Fate had in store for you?" Alice asked, half-jokingly. Alex nodded, cracking a smile. "Let''s." ... [Fate Gift Box] [Quality: Excellent.] [Effect: After use, there is a small chance that you can get a random item, pray for the protection of the goddess of luck. ] Alex didn''t hesitate. [Are you sure you want to open "Fate Gift Box"?] "Confirm." He then threw the first box to the ground, cracking it open. Inside, a pulse of light shot out, briefly illuminating their faces. As the light faded, he found himself holding a sleek, enchanted dagger, one he hadn''t encountered in the game before. [Ding Dong: You have opened the [Fate Gift Box] and received the Mythical item: Shadow Dagger.] "W-Wow!" Alice gasped, clearly impressed. "That''s got to be one of the best items you could''ve pulled!" Alex shook his head, both surprised and delighted. "Not bad for a ''game of Fate,'' huh?" Alex nced at the second box, already feeling the anticipation building. Without waiting, he cracked it open, another pulse of light illuminating his face. [Ding Dong: You have opened the [Fate Gift Box] and received a special item - Blood Altar (Artifact Level)!] [Blood Altar (Artifact):] [Effect: Using this altar summons a tier 7 Mythical-Level boss monster. Defeating it yields extraordinary rewards.] ... The panel''s description was as ominous as it was thrilling. A tier 7 Mythical boss wasn''t just a high-level foe, it was a world-altering entity capable of destroying entire regions with ease. Thankfully enough, since it''s an artifact level item, it can be stored inside the inventory system. Alice raised an eyebrow as she read over Alex''s shoulder. "That... might be the riskiest item I''ve ever seen in the game," she said, equal parts impressed and wary. Alex chuckled, tucking it safely into his inventory. "Yeah, that''s not something I''ll be using any time soon. I''ll wait until I''m a little more prepared to deal with a walking catastrophe." He finally took a moment to review his new dagger from the first box. [Shadow Dagger (Mythical): +3000 Strength, +2000 Agility] [Unique Skill: Shadow Veil - Enter an advanced stealth mode for 45 seconds, lowering detectability by 95% and increasing movement speed by 100% (10-minutes cooldown)] ... The mythical item was practically a gift for infiltrations, allowing him to almost vanish in the thickest of enemy territory. He couldn''t help but grin, already envisioning how this dagger could be put to use in future battles. Just like the [Bow of the Ice Queen], it also had a unique skill linked to it. Alice, now holding her Bow of the Ice Queen beside him, gave a nod of approval. "Looks like Fate really did us both a favor." They exchanged nces, a shared thrill coursing between them, but Alex wasn''t done yet. He turned his attention back to the Shadow Dagger, determination ring in his eyes. Closing his eyes, he whispered, "Potential Extraction¡­" The world around him blurred, and a brilliant light enveloped the dagger, colors swirling in an enchanting dance. Alex could feel the energy surge around him, the very fabric of magic bending to his will as he drew forth thetent potential from the dagger. Fwish! Fwish! The dagger''s appearance gradually shifted as the extraction process began, the de shimmering as it absorbed ambient energy and reshaped itself into an even deadlier form. Ding! [You have sessfully enhanced "Shadow Dagger"] [New Divine Item: Whispers of Shadows] [Whispers of Shadows (Divine): +6000 Strength, +3000 Agility] [Unique Skill: Shadow Veil - Enter an advanced stealth mode for 60 seconds, lowering detectability by 95% and increasing movement speed by 100% (5-minutes cooldown)] [Additional Skill: Shadow Strike - A swift, silent strike using the power of the shadows that deals 250% of strength to a target. If used from stealth, it applies a lingering bleed effect dealing additional damage over 5 seconds. (30-seconds cooldown)] ... "Incredible¡­" Alex murmured, feeling the power coursing through the newly upgraded dagger. He could almost sense its hunger for battle. +6000 Strength and a strike that deals 250 percent of your strength is insanity. With this, he could actually maybe manage to tear through the spiders in the [Spider Nest]. [You will be able to use ''Potential Extraction'' on an item in: 23:59:43 hours!] With a satisfied grin, Alex turned to Alice. "Looks like we''re both geared up now." "Yeah," she replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "But what''s next? We can''t just stand here, right?" "I need to stock up on some potions before we tackle the Dark Dungeon," Alex said. "I''ll need High Quality Mana Potions to keep my reserves full for when we go deeper in." Alice nodded in agreement. "Good idea. Let''s find an alchemy shop." They set off, weaving through the bustling streets of Bell City, the sounds of merchants hawking their wares filling the air. After a short walk, they arrived at a quaint shop filled with vibrant potions and mystical ingredients lining the shelves. "Wee! What can I do for you?" the shopkeeper greeted, a plump old man with a twinkle in his eye. Alex scanned the shelves and selected a handful of [High Quality Mana Potions], feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline as he spent some of his hard-earned coins. "I''ll take these. How much?" "10 silver coins per potion." Alex with his money bought 7 of them. [Bnce/Money: 1 silver coins and 85 coppers] He was now broke, but oh well. [High Quality Mana Potions (Epic): restores 20,000 mana when drinking them.] After settling the transaction, Alex felt prepared for the next stage of their adventure. "Alright, let''s get going," he said, stepping outside with Alice. Chapter 70 Dark Dungeon with Alice, Many Levels Up Alex opened his World Map, his finger hovering over the entrance to the fifth floor of the Dark Dungeon. "I''m going to teleport us there." "Wait, are you sure about this?" Alice asked, looking slightly nervous. "What if it''s really dangerous?" "It will be, but we''ll manage. I''ll make sure you''re safe," Alex reassured her, and with a deep breath, he confirmed the teleportation. In an instant, they were standing at the entrance of the fifth floor of the Dark Dungeon, a foreboding atmosphere hanging in the air. The reason why he didn''t immediately teleport to the tenth is because he knew Alice would get scared and overwhelmed, meaning he needed to get her levels up little by little to ensure she was strong enough. "Alright, let''s go," he said, urging Alice forward. "Just stick close to me, and be careful." "Got it," Alice replied, her expression a mix of determination and anxiety. The dungeon loomed ahead, dark and mysterious, with an eerie glow illuminating the narrow passageways. Alex could feel the pulse of danger throbbing within the walls, but he was ready. He nced at Alice, who was gripping her Bow of the Ice Queen tightly. It didn''t take long for them to meet the first batch of monsters: dozens of [Dungeons Goblins] appeared, all at level 50. Usually, his skeletons would take care of them, but this time he decided to do it himself. He dashed toward the first one and without hesitating swung his [Whispers of Shadows] dagger. "Shadow Strike!" 30,297! (4619 + 1500 + 6000 = 12119 x 2.5 = 30297) Instantly, three of the goblins were killed as the swing left a trail of shadows. "W-WOW?!" Alice was astonished! He had dealt over 30,000 damage! How do you do so much damage?" Alice asked, her eyes wide. "Heh, just luck I guess," Alex shrugged, trying to remain humble despite his obvious skill. The Dungeon Goblins only had 15,000 HP, so it was clear overkill. "Star Shot!" Alice tried her luck too. -1384! She dealt damage, but being at level 26 meant that the goblins were twice her level. "Don''t worry; you''ll get stronger as we go!" Alex encouraged, moving forward. They continued to clear the rooms, Alex easily dispatching goblins while Alice took potshots with her bow. As they progressed through the floor, they faced more waves of enemies. Each encounter helped Alice gain experience, slowly building her confidence and skill. And eventually, they reached the stairway leading down to the fifth floor. Alex nced at Alice, excitement mixing with caution in his eyes. "This floor is going to be different. We''ll face the Goblin Warlord at the end. Are you ready?" She nodded, her grip tightening around her Bow of the Ice Queen. "Let''s do this." The floor was dimly lit, and the ground was littered with the remnants of past battles. As they moved cautiously, the sound of rustling echoed from the shadows. Suddenly, the Goblin Warlord appeared, towering over them, dressed in battle-worn armor and nked by several elite goblin warriors. Its menacing aura was palpable. [Goblin Warlord NB+] [Level: 60] [Tier 3 Elite Boss] [HP: 150,000] [Skills: War Cry, Goblin Charge, Rampaging Fury] "Here we go," Alex muttered under his breath, feeling a surge of adrenaline. He summoned his undead, calling forth thirty skeletons to join the fray. They emerged from the shadows, ready to fight. Thirty is exactly the amount of skeletons needed to summon one [Greater Skeleton], one [Bony Knight] and one [Spectral Wraith]! He could have summoned more [Greater Skeletons] by the way, but if he did it would have taken too much mana that he could handle. [-49500 mana] As the Goblin Warlord let out a powerful War Cry, its goblin minions surged forward, but Alex''s undead army met them head-on. "Let''s keep the pressure on!" he shouted, dashing forward with his [Whispers of Shadows] dagger. He unleashed a series of attacks on the Warlord, using Rending sh to deal damage. -15,473! The goblin staggered but quickly regained its footing, retaliating with a vicious swipe of its axe. However, Alex had prepared for this. His skeletons engaged the minions, taking down several with swift, efficient strikes. "Keep pushing!" he called out, focusing on the Warlord. The Warlord unleashed Goblin Charge, barreling toward Alex with surprising speed. But he dodged, sidestepping the attack and following up with another Shadow Strike. -30,297! This kept going for a minute, and finally, with onest Shadow Strike, Alex plunged his dagger into the Goblin Warlord''s chest. -30,297! The Warlord fell to the ground, defeated, and a flood of experience points surged into Alex''s mind. Ding! [You have defeated ''Goblin Warlord NB+'', gained 8,500 experience points!] Alice cheered as Alex extracted the [Goblin Warlord''s Axe] (Epic) from the defeated boss and giving it to the greater skeleton. Feeling a rush of sess, they pressed on to the next challenge. Alex and Alice could now just stand back and rx as the undead took care of EVERY monster on the following floors. Ding! [Your undead have in "Dark Ghoul", gained 748 experience points!] [Your undead have in "Fire Spirit", gained 931 experience points!] He took way longer on each floor since he wanted Alice to level up as well. And so by the time they reached the end of the tenth floor, Alice had gone from a measly level 26 to an outstanding level 43. Every monster here was higher level than her, so it was expected. Alex on the other hand went from level 48 to level 54. [Extraction Talent Activated: +124 Strength, +59 Spirit, +42 Agility, +84 Vitality, +6 skill points] [Extraction Points to next level: 984/1000], he was also close to leveling up his talent! But it didn''t matter, and so after a few hours of grinding, Alex reached the door leading to floor 11. He already had the key from fighting the boss there, but it didn''t matter, since it respawned. The [Dungeon Golem] was back, and now in NB+ form. ... [Dungeon Golem NB+] [Level: 100] [Tier 4 Epic Boss] [HP: 500,000] [Skills: Rock Smash, Smaller Golems Summoning, Earthen Fortify] The battle began as the golem summoned ten [Smaller Golems] again, each one with 100,000 HP. "Alright, let''s see how easy this is gonna be now," Alex smiled, his staff in one hand and his new dagger in the other, his undead army marching forward. Explosive Fireball! A ball of fire began to gather at the tip of his staff, but suddenly, it stopped. "Huh?" [You have run out of mana!] [MP: 734/62,270] "Damn." Alex immediately grabbed one of his [High-Quality Mana Potions] from his backpack and drank it while his undead stalled for time. Ding! [+20,000 MP] "Explosive Fireball!" He tried again, and this time, the fireballunched, hitting the golem. -13,027! His damage was impressive! "M-My turn," Alice, hiding behind him, tried to do the same with her bow. Star Shot! -121! "Damn..." But she did almost no damage. Alex rushed in with his [Whispers of Shadows], closing the distance and taking care of the golem by repeatedly shing at it using [Rending sh] to deal 13,893 damage per attack. His strength had reached this high, even with its high physical resistance! In less than one minute, the golem fell, crumbling to the ground. "Alright," he smiled, extracting a second [Dungeon Golem Core]. Ding! [You have defeated ''Dungeon Golem lv100'', gained 10,500 experience points!] [You have defeated x10 ''Smaller Golems lv100'', gained 8,400 experience points!] This allowed him to level up once more, to level 55. Alice, on the other hand, got surrounded by golden light three times, meaning three level-ups! In a few hours, she had gone from being a level 26 Tier 1 yer to now being a level 46 Tier 2 yer! And she could only thank Alex for that! After their hard-fought victories, Alex headed toward the door that opened the [Spider Nest] section of the [Dark Dungeon]. He had really easily gone through all these floors, even monsters at level 100 not being a problem for him and his army of undead. But it didn''t mean the [Spider Nest] wouldn''t be difficult to go through. If he wanted toplete the [SS-Level Hidden Quest] he got out of nowhere and save the [Beast n Princess] at the 20th floor, he would need to prepare. From beyond this door, every single monster would be a tier 4 powerhouse. But with renewed determination, Alex pushed forward. [Do you want to use Spider Nest Key?] "Yes." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 71 Spider Nest, Going Deeper [Do you want to use the Spider Nest Key?] "Yes." Dive into the story on m|vl em pyr The door groaned open, revealing the dark, web-strewn passage of the next floor. Stale air wafted out, thick and suffocating, carrying the distinct, unsettling scent of decaying creatures. Alex gripped his [Whispers of Shadows] dagger tightly, peering into the shadows, his undead army nking him. He could sense the change immediately¡ªthis was no ordinary dungeon floor. The entire Spider Nest was like a living entity, breathing and pulsing, with webs crisscrossing from floor to ceiling, some so thick they seemed to form walls of their own. As he stepped inside, the ground beneath him felt sticky with webs. Along the sides of the narrow path, hundreds of other creatures hung in the dense webbing, trapped and drained dry by the predatory arachnids that lurked deeper within. "W-Wow..." Alice mumbled, hiding behind Alex. She was clearly too under-leveled to be essing such an area, but it didn''t matter. With a surge of determination, Alex took a deep breath. "Alright, let''s get moving." The moment he entered the Spider Nest fully, a rapid skittering echoed through the passageway as the door closed. [You have entered the "Spider Nest", do not get captured, as it will take time before they kill you.] These spiders had the vicious habit of leaving their prey glued to their webs for days, if not weeks, before they kill them. yers who get captured this way wouldn''t be able to escape, thus forced to die from hunger. Emerging from the shadows were the first wave of enemies, their segmented bodies and many-legged forms illuminated by the dim glow of the dungeon''s eerie lights. [Spiderlings] [Level: 110] [HP: 90,000] [Skills: Web Bind, Poison Bite] ... A swarm of small, nimble spiderlings rushed toward him, their fangs dripping with green venom. With a flick of his wrist, Alex signaled his undead to take the front line. Skeletons lunged forward, swords raised to intercept the horde. Explosive Fireball! The fireball burst forth from his staff, hurtling toward the advancing spiderlings and exploding in a wave of heat and mes. -12,103! It was enough to stop their assaults, making many of the spiders shriek as they hated fire: it burned their webs. "Heh..." Alex immediately noticed that, "If you hate fire so much, take this!" Fire Vortex! -10,654! Every spider in the hallway, as well as those far, were hit, their skins burning. A few more of these attacks, along with the undead attacking, and every spider was now dead. Alex didn''t even break a sweat! Ding! [You have in x54 Spiderlings! Gained 47,400 experience points!] [+1 Level] [Fire Vortex +1 Level; Explosive Fireball +1 Level] The skittering only grew louder after that, though, as more enemies appeared. "Let''s do this," pointing his staff at the sound. Alex was ready. ... It took him a few hours after that to reach the 15th floor, simply because he needed to regenerate his mana when needed. [Extraction talent activated: +182 strength, +103 spirit, +76 vitality, Spider Legs x6 (Rare), +7 skill points.] [Extraction Points: 1248/1000] [You can level up your talent.] And he was forced to enemies that were much tougher. Along the way, most of his skeletons had died, and keeping anything that wasn''t one of the giant ones wasn''t worth it. Meaning that right now, Alex had three [Grand Skeletons], two [Bony Knights] and one [Spectral Wraith] with him. He had leveled up three times, and Alice four, though the girl was more of a spectator than anything. [Level: 59 (8748/50000)] One level away from reaching Tier 3! And also, each of his skills went up by two levels. [Shadow Strike] had be his favorite skill to use along with [Rending sh], since cutting off the spiders'' legs was extremely satisfying. But before he could think about anything else, a few more spiders appeared. ... [Abyssal Tarant] [Level: 150] [HP: 120,000] [Skills: Shadow Cloak, Devour, Poison Storm] ... These spiders were enormous, covered in thick, bristling fur that glistened with poison. They had the ability to cloak themselves in darkness, making them difficult to spot. But they were facing someone better than them. One of them vanished before his eyes, slipping into the shadows, but Alex could perfectly see it thanks to his [Eyes of the Cursed King]. And when needed, he himself would use [Shadow Veil] topletely disappear from view. SLASH! Shadow Strike! -31,212! "SSKRRRII-" The spiders would bleed as well when he attacked them from the shadows. [+Bleed effect, dealing 20 percent of health over 5 seconds!] The beast screeched as it stumbled back, weakened but not defeated. Yet, with a single flick of his fingers, Alex''s [Spectral Wraith] moved in, phasing through its massive body and tearing through the spider''s internal organs, leaving it writhing in agony. Ding! [You have defeated an Abyssal Tarant! Gained 2,400 experience points!] The further he advanced, therger and more threatening the spiders became. Venomous Webweavers and Abyssal Tarants merged into the horde, alongside even deadlier arachnids. Alex nced back at Alice. She was breathing hard but held her ground, loosing arrows at anything that came close. Her level had steadily increased from all the monsters they had fought, her stats and confidence growing as they progressed. Ding! [Alice has reached Level 51!] It didn''t take much longer to reach the end of floor 15, and Alex was on the verge of reaching level 60. Atst, they reached the final room of floor 15. It was a vast chamber, its ceiling stretching far above and lined with thick, ancient webs. The air was tense, and Alex could feel the presence of something far more powerful than anything they''d faced thus far. He raised his [Whispers of Shadows] dagger, signaling his undead to halt. From the darkness, a massive figure descended slowly, its weight shaking the ground as itnded. The creature''s eyes gleamed like burning coals, and venom dripped from its fangs, sizzling as it hit the stone floor. [The Queen''s First Elite Guard - Superior Level Boss - Tier 4] [Level: 150] [HP: 750,000] [Skills: Venom st, Guard''s Wrath, Web Cocoon, Queen Call] The spider was colossal, easily twenty feet tall, with a dark, armored exoskeleton covered in barbs and spikes. Its legs were tipped with ws that could tear through stone, and its abdomen pulsed with a green, toxic glow. It had massive stats, and now, even with his [Superior''s Awakener''s Set], which protected him from all blows of the spiders, he wasn''t sure he would endure it. He was clearly pushing himself simply because he needed to reach the 20th floor before the time limit. Would rescuing the [Fox Tribe Princess] even be worth it? They had served zero purpose in his previous life, so why? "Alright, Alice, stay back and cover me. This one''s going to be a serious fight." She nodded, positioning herself at the edge of the chamber, bow at the ready. He couldn''t summon any more undead without putting his mana at risk, so he just ordered those already present to get ready as well. The guard let out an ear-piercing screech before mming the ground with one of its legs, and summoning a spear out of nowhere. "Skriskk (You are going to suffer, human)." "I think I''ll be fine, thank you," Alex smiled before summoning an [Explosive Fireball]. If he beat that thing, it meant he would be at the halfway point topleting his SS-Level Hidden Quest. Chapter 72 The Queens First Elite Guard, Queen Call In the depths of the Spider Nest, Alex moved forward cautiously. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and webs clung to every corner, cradling the remains of unfortunate NPCs who had ventured too deep. But Alex, bolstered by his undead army, moved with confidence toward his next target: The Queen''s First Elite Guard. The towering spider¡ªa sinister mass of gleaming chitin and venomous eyes¡ªstared him down from across the dark chamber. [The Queen''s First Elite Guard - Superior Level Boss - Tier 4] [Level: 150] [HP: 750,000] [Skills: Venom st, Guard''s Wrath, Web Cocoon, Queen Call] The guard clicked its pincers, dripping with venom, and in an instant, sprang forward. Its speed defied its size, a blur of fangs and fury. Alex sidestepped, instantly activating [Shadow Veil] to cloak himself, melting into the darkness. The spider paused, its eyes shifting back and forth in search of him. With a smirk, Alex prepared his counter, silently maneuvering around to strike from behind. [Shadow Strike] He lunged, his de emerging from the shadows and plunging into the creature''s side. The strike delivered a swift 250% strength impact and unleashed a bleed effect that would gnaw away at the spider''s health over the next five seconds. The spider reeled back, screeching in fury. -30,746! The effect of [Bleed] depends on target from target, but in 99% of cases, it always ends up including percentages rather than health. Ding! [Dealing 10% of Guard''s health over 5 seconds.] If a monster had skin that was too thick, or any other sort of perk that could stop the bleed, it wouldn''t do anything. But in this case. Fwish! -75,000! This single attack dealt over 100,000 damage! "W-WOW!" Alice''s eyes widened as the number sprang forward, "Y-You''re so good!" "Good start," Alex muttered, already preparing his next move. The spider retaliated, unleashing [Venom st], a torrent of green, toxic fluid that sprayed in every direction. Alex dived away, barely avoiding the searing acid as it ate into the stone floor where he had been standing moments before. Stone Fortress! Alex unleashed his skill, and a stone wall emerged from the ground between him and the venom st. -7,374! The fortress received damage, but as it couldn''t be poisoned, it easily survived. [Stone Fortress Level 4; Create a sturdy barrier that can block up to 15,000 damage at once; costs 5000 mana; 30-second cooldown.] "Shirksk... (You will not be spared)." The spider swung its giant leg once at the barrier, instantly shattering it. -14,394! These things could indeed do damage! But Alex was already gone once the [Stone Fortress] went down. From a safe distance, he summoned the [Explosive Fireball] and hurled it toward the spider. The fireball struck, enveloping the creature in mes and dealing a hefty 12,332 points of damage. mes clung to the spider''s body, its chitinous skin popping and sizzling. The spider screeched again, enraged, andunched itself at him once more, its colossal legs shing through the air. "Let''s see if you like a bit more force," Alex growled, summoning [Rock Crash]. A massive stone manifested above him, and with a thrust of his hand, heunched it toward the guard. The rock smashed into the spider, dealing another brutal blow that stopped its assault! -7,000! Alex wasn''t even letting it attack! The spider staggered, its movement slowing as Alex''s blownded perfectly Ding! [Spider Guard has been stunned.] Seeing his opening, Alex closed the distance, this time activating [Rending sh], his de cutting in rapid session, adding his strength to each hit and shing through the beast''s defenses. The guard screeched, now bleeding from multiple wounds, its HP bar dwindling but still formidable. In a desperate move, the spidershed out, striking with [Guard''s Wrath]. A barrier of energy crackled around it, and a pulse of pure power sted out, throwing Alex back. -4,832 He stumbled, feeling the raw force on him, but he braced himself, drawing upon his [Fire Vortex] to counter the beast''s fury. The firestorm ignited, consuming the entire chamber in a zing vortex. The guard''s health bar plummeted, the mes ravaging its body. But as its health dipped to critical levels, the spider guard''s many eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. It hissed and summoned its final skill: [Queen Call]. The Queen''s First Elite Guard let out a shuddering, guttural screech as its segmented body crumbled under Alex''s final blow. Venom seeped from its wounds, the life draining from its many eyes, but its legs twitched in onest desperate attempt to obey its Queen. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, the guard began to glow a deep, sickly green. Ding! [The Queen''s First Elite Guard has used "Queen Call" as ast resort.] Before Alex could react, a wave of energy washed over him, enveloping him and his undead army in a blinding green light. The air around him warped and twisted, pulling him out of the 15th floor. "A-ALEX?" Alice wasn''t taken with them. "Stay back!" Alex shouted before disappearing. When the light faded, Alex found himself in an enormous, dimly lit chamber. The walls were covered in pulsating webs that seemed to live and breathe, casting eerie, shifting shadows. The stale scent of decay was thicker here, almost suffocating. Around himy countless bodies, some human, some silver-skinned, others beast-like and strange, each one bearing the telltale signs of a slow, excruciating death by venom and starvation. Ding! [Wee to the "Queen''s Chamber"] He''d been teleported to the 20th floor¡ªthe final chamber of the Spider Nest. "Fuck... I didn''t even have the time to extract." Ding! [You have in "Queen''s First Elite Guard" and gained 26,700 experience points!] [You have reached level 60, thus bing a tier 3 yer!] [You are too far to extract the item.] The notification shed in his vision, but Alex barely had time to acknowledge it as a faint voice echoed through the chamber. "Savior! You came!" Alex''s gaze snapped toward the far side of the room, where a beast girly ensnared in thick, glistening webs. Her silver fur and fox-like features stood out among the corpses and darkness. Her amber eyes met his, filled with desperate hope and relief. Without thinking, Alex took a step toward her, but a sudden, thunderous sound reverberated through the chamber. A dark shape dropped from the ceiling, crashing down between him and the beast princess. The ground shook under the impact, and the creature before him unfolded its massive, twisted legs, each tipped with serrated ws capable of tearing through stone. [The Spider Queen - Legendary Dungeon Boss - Tier 4] The Spider Queen towered over him, a monstrous behemoth with an armored, segmented body covered in barbs and pulsating patches of purple. Her multiple eyes glowed with a cruel intelligence, locked onto him with malicious intent. Purple venom (extreme-level poison) dripped from her massive fangs, sizzling against the stone floor as she let out a spine-chilling hiss. "S-Savior, watch out!" the beast princess cried, her voice trembling as she struggled helplessly in her webs. Alex took a steadying breath, his [Whispers of Shadows] dagger already drawn, his spells at the ready. "Alright, spider," he muttered, his voice low and steady. His undead army arrayed itself around him, skeletal warriors gripping their weapons and his Spectral Wraith floating ominously by his side. "Let''s see what you''ve got." The Queen hissed, her massive body moving with disturbing fluidity as she circled him, her eyes watching every shift and movement. She reared back, then lunged forward with terrifying speed, her legs striking out with deadly precision. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 73 Spider Queen, Alexs First Death [The Spider Queen - Legendary Dungeon Boss - Tier 4] [Level: 200] [HP: 1,250,000] [Skills: Venom st, Wrath of the Broodmother, Shadow Bind, Queen''s Rage, Poison Mist] ... "Alright, spider," Alex growled, gripping his weapon tightly. His undead minions clustered around him, awaiting hismand. "Let''s see what you got." Without hesitation, Alexunched his first spell, Explosive Fireball. A searing projectile erupted from his hand and collided with the queen''s side. But when the smoke cleared, the damage wasughable. -4,495! The number was minuscule against her massive health bar, and Alex felt a cold sweat start to form. He steeled himself, shouting to his undead, "Hold her off! Buy me time!" The Grand Skeletons, Bony Knights, and Spectral Wraith charged at her, bones clinking and spectral weapons shimmering. They surrounded the queen, each aiming tond a blow. But in two brutal swings of her legs, the Grand Skeletons were reduced to dust. The Spectral Wraith barely had a moment to react before one of her pincers ripped it apart, its essence fading in a single, terrifying moment. The Bony Knights tried to shield themselves, their armor rattling as they blocked her strikes. But the queen''s strength was too overwhelming; she reared back and crushed them under several legs, their bones crumbling too. [All your undead have been in.] "Oh." Alex''s heart sank as he saw his loyal undead allies wiped out in an instant. He reached for a potion, knowing that summoning new minions would be impossible with his depleted mana. But as he raised the sk to his lips, the queen lunged. One of her spiked legs crashed down, shattering the vial in his hand. Alex''sst hope for backup vanished, and he found himself alone with almost no mana and no allies. All he could do was use spells and his dagger. His grip tightened around Whispers of Shadows, and heunched himself at her, shing in a desperate flurry with Rending sh. His sword struck her armored hide repeatedly, sending sparks flying, but every blow seemed to slide off her body, barely making a dent. -6,100! -6,180! Shadow Strike! -18,384! The numbers ticked away at her health bar, but with a 30-second cooldown, it would be too risky to actually deal with her this way. She barely seemed to notice his attacks, and when she did, it only seemed to enrage her further. With a blood-chilling screech, the beast released Queen''s Rage, her body surging with raw, ferocious energy. A single swipe of her leg struck Alex, sending him flying across the chamber. -6,492! His [Superior Awakener''s Set] still protected him from physical damage, but even then, the queen still did damage to him. He skidded to a halt against the stone floor. Pain throbbed through him, his vision blurring, but he forced himself back onto his feet. This wasn''t working. He was out of resources, out of options. "Damn it..." he muttered, forcing his legs to move as he prepared for onest-ditch effort. But before he could even get close, a dark mist poured out from beneath the queen, engulfing the room in a thick haze. [High-level poison has filled the room.] [Use a poison antidote.] But thankfully enough, his Poison Resistance held, and no amount of poison could ever hope to affect him. He tried to attack again while taking advantage of that fact, but then he felt it¡ªa piercing, sickening pressure at his side. Two of her legs drove straight through him, pinning him to the ground like an insect trapped by a pin. [Critical Blow received!] -9,485! -11,486! His vision swam as blood soaked his armor, pooling beneath him. The life drained from his body, his consciousness slipping as the queen''s face hovered above him, triumphant and monstrous. "SAVIOR!" The beast princess''s scream echoed through the chamber, filled with despair. Alex could barely make out her silhouette, watching him fall with horror. And with a final sh from the monster, everything faded to ck. [You have died.] [Sending you back to reality.] In a blinding sh of blue light, Alex found himself back in his bedroom, his heart pounding as he gasped for air. Sweat dripped from his brow, his hands trembling slightly. For a moment, he simply sat there, reeling from the experience, his mind trying to grasp what had just happened. "I... died¡­" he whispered. It was the first time he had experienced death in Universal Descent since he''d arrived in his second life. Even with his strength, his abilities, and all his preparations, he''d been no match for the queen. He clenched his fists, rage bubbling within him as the sting of humiliation hit. All his skills, his undead army, his mana pool¡ªeverything he''d worked so hard to build up¡ªhad been nothing against her might. He punched the wall beside him, his frustrationing out in a single, furious blow that left a dent in the ster. Ding! A message appeared before him. [Enemy was too powerful, thus no penalty was given.] But it didn''t matter. Even without a penalty, the defeat still stung. It was unexpected to be teleported all the way to the 20th floor out of nowhere, as he expected to go little by little, but even then, he was sure that the queen would have killed him. He was facing a level 200 beast while being only a tier 3 yer. He needed to be stronger before doing anything else. And though he only had 5 in-game days left to save the princess, he was sure he could do it if he manages right. [29:57 minutes until you can reconnect.] Now he needed to wait. Unfortunately, the game hadn''t fully merged with reality yet, so he couldn''t check out his status window or anything of the sort to do things while waiting. For example, he wanted to check his tier 3 advancement trial, but he couldn''t. Ding! [StarPillow: Alex, what happened? I saw that you died! I''ming over!] The notification broke through his thoughts. Of course, in Universal Descent, yers could see when their party members or friends died, and Alice must have been worried. Barely a minuteter, Alice materialized in the bedroom beside him, dressed in the same cute outfit she''d worn before going inside the game. Her face was a mix of worry and relief as she looked him over. Ding! But he then also received another notification out of nowhere. [RichDad (Richard): Are you okay, kid? Seems like something happened, thanks for keeping my daughter safe.] He noticed that Alex died, but Alice didn''t, so it was understandable. [FateBreaker: It''s fine, just had a small problem.] The message was left on read, but at least Alex knew that Richard saw it. "What happened?" she asked softly, cing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Alex forced a smile, patting her head to reassure her. "Just a little problem," he replied, his tone lighter than he felt. "Got caught in a trap." "These monsters¡­" Alice grumbled, frowning. "They''ll use any trick to win." "Yeah." Being sent to the 20th floor was a trap used by the guards if they knew for sure that the queen would win against the yers. But on the other hand, the fight Alex had with the queen hadn''t had any traps: it was fair, and yet he lost. He needed to be stronger within the next five days if he wanted to save that beast princess. Ding! [After your intervention, the time to save the princess has been reduced by 2 days as a penalty.] He felt a chill. That left him with only three in-game days to rescue her. Otherwise, she would die and it would have been useless. Time was slipping away faster than he''d anticipated. "Well, I''ll manage." He had to. But there was no way he''d rush back to face the queen unprepared. He''d need to be smarter, and he''d need every bit of power he could muster. He needed to do several things first: increase his mana pool to be able to summon all his undead, grow his attributes, as well as increase his skill''s level and damage output. If he wanted to defeat the level 200 legendary boss, then he would have to do all of this. And within three days. ... For the next half hour, Alex and Alice sat in front of the TV, watching news about [Universal Descent], which was taking over all the channels. They decided to take a small break, Alex also needing it to rethink of his strategy. But after eating and doing their "activities", it was now time to go back. Alex straightened, his determination renewed. Ding! [You can now reconnect to Universal Descent.] "Ready?" He grinned at Alice, who nodded excitedly. "Yes! Let''s go!" He pressed the button on his interface, anticipation buzzing in his veins. [Do you want to connect to "Universal Descent"?] "Yes." Chapter 74 Tier 3 Advancement Task, Skill Evolution Perk As Alex logged back into Universal Descent, the familiar streets of [Bell City] materialized around him as it is where his spawn point was set after entering it. Since the appearance of the wandering merchant and its incredible items, many people were ready to use their money to buy the fate boxes if they appeared. Plus, Bell City was overall just a better city than Dawn City with its corrupt church. As Alex took in his surroundings, a series of notifications filled his view. Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have reached level 60, thus became a tier 3 yer!] [Your experience is locked until youplete your advancement task.] [Two sses detected: Unparalleled Mage, Apprentice Assassin] [SSS-Rating detected for previous task and dual ss. Difficulty adjusted ordingly.] "Hm¡­" Alex muttered. In opposition to your first advancement task, which you did with the altar right before Dawn City, advancement tasks from now on would have youplete quest-like tasks. The difficulty would dependpletely on your rating from your previous advancement task, as well as what the system judges you to be able to take. All tasks are fair, and if you perform very well on a task, you will still get the maximum reward, though your next one will be much harder. Ding! [You will receive the hardest Tier 3 advancement task.] "Figures," Alex said, almost chuckling. Ding! [Tier 3 Advancement Task: Enter the Secret Realm ''Source of Poison'' and defeat the boss by the same name.] [Your rating will depend on your progress and performance inside the Secret Realm.] [Failure will result in an F-Rating.] With his experience temporarily locked at level 60, Alex''s main focus shifted to the new task. For Alex, it didn''t matter much since he could still extract attribute points and items, but it would still be annoying to be stuck. "Where is the realm?" [Toxic Forest] "Makes sense." He had never heard of such a ce before, but it was just like the goblin secret area to be honest, so not surprising at all. Alex brought up his [World Map], which now disyed a new point within the forest. When he clicked on it, instructions appeared. [Go there and await further instruction.] Advancement tasks for other yers might include simple objectives, like defeating a set number of monsters or retrieving an item. But not for him¡ªhis task was to conquer a secret realm. And since these challenges had to bepleted solo, Alice couldn''t assist him. "But this is good," Alex grinned. A harder task meant better rewards if he seeded. Just then, Alex noticed another new marker on the map within the [Dark Dungeon]. "Huh?" Of course, fast travel points appeared from floor 1 all the way to floor 15. But one single point had been added: [Floor 20]. This meant he could teleport there whenever he felt like it! And also... that he could try to fight the queen whenever he wanted. [Extraction Points: 1248/1000] [You can level up your talent.] "Oh, right." As he selected the option to level up his talent, a familiar surge of energy surrounded him, strengthening his abilities. [Extraction Points reached, granting a new perk for your extraction talent!] "Nice." This time, a new perk would be added to one of his talent effects: ... [Extraction (SSS)] [Talent Effect #1: Upon defeating a monster, you are able to extract an item/attribute/skill/talent/skill points from them, with a 20% chance of the prompt appearing.] [Perk #1: Description Check, you can now check the descriptions of the items before selecting them.] [Talent Effect #2: Defeating monsters will grant you "Extraction Points", which you can useter on to enhance your talent or buy items.] [Talent Effect #3: Potential Extraction; You can use this to extract the full potential of an item and thus enhance its powers.] [Talent Effect #4: Synthesis; Combine items, skills, or abilities to create something stronger] ... [Selecting Perk...] Ding! [Potential Extraction has gained a new perk: Skill Evolution!] "..." [Potential Extraction; Perk #1: You can now use your effect on skills to evolve them once every 3 days, for example, you can evolve "Explosive Fireball", which is from the advanced-tier, to it''s high-tier evolution.] [Though, do note that using potential extraction on your skills does not affect the fact you can still use it on one item every day.] "Wow." This meant that once every 3 in-game days, he could evolve one skill without the need for skill points or to upgrade its level to the max! An incredible perk. [Next Upgrade: 248/10000 Extraction Points.] Once the process wasplete, a message popped up from Alice. [StarPillow: HELP! I''M GETTING...] The message cut off abruptly, but Alex could see her location on the [World Map]: she was in the boss chamber on the dungeon''s 15th floor. "Ah, shit," Alex muttered, immediately teleporting to the dungeon. ... Once he appeared back inside the dungeon, he noticed that the [The Queen''s First Elite Guard] was back, and stronger since it was at NB+ now. [The Queen''s First Elite Guard NB+ - Superior Level Boss - Tier 4] [Level: 150] [HP: 900,000] "HELP!" Alice shouted, narrowly dodging a swipe from one of the guard''s massive legs. Her agility allowed her to evade, but it was clear she couldn''t hold out for long. Just as one of the guard''s spider legs came crashing toward her, Alex appeared, deflecting the blow with [Rending sh]. -15,985! His counterattack was immediate. Enraged by the creature''s attempt to harm Alice, Alex unleashed a relentless flurry of spells and shes. Without summoning his undead army¡ªsaving his mana for whaty ahead¡ªhe carved through the guard''s health with unyielding fury. Rending sh after Rending sh, spell after spell, he battered the beast into submission. Within three minutes, the massive creature crumbled. Ding! [You have in "Queen''s First Elite Guard NB+" and gained 17,400 experience points!] [Extraction Talent Activated!] [Toxic Armor Piece (Rare)] [Description: +1000 Strength, +1000 Physical Resistance, adds resistance to poison-based attacks.] [Spider Silk Cloak (Epic)] [Description: Increases agility by 500 and grants 1% chance of dodging an attack.] [Spider Guard''s Eye Ne (Legendary)] [Description: Boosts agility by 1,500 and reveals nearby hidden enemies.] After a brief consideration, Alex selected the [Spider Guard''s Eye Ne] and handed it to Alice. "Thanks!" she eximed, examining the ne. "But¡­ it''s so¡­ ugly." "Is that how you treat my gift?" Alex teased, feigning offense. "N-No, I like it!" She hurriedly put it on, feeling the surge in agility, "W-Wow." It felt as though her vision was sharper, and when she looked at the entrance from which theye to this room, she could see the outlines of nearby enemies. It was a great item if you wanted to avoid problems: perfect for her. Though, she did wonder just how lucky Alex was to get this and shrug it off. Once ready, Alex teleported both of them out of the dungeon and back to Bell City, where he exined his uing advancement task. "Wow, so it''s another solo mission," Alice said with a mix of worry and excitement. "Well, I''ll go grind on my own for a bit then." "Good idea," Alex replied, patting her head with a grin. "You''ll need to be strong enough to handle yourself out there." She nodded, and before they parted ways, Alex teleported her to the dungeon entrance to make things easier. "Give me your bow," he ordered, and Alice listened without a hint of hesitation, cing it in Alex''s hands. ''Potential Extraction,'' he thought as he touched the bow. The same transformation process as always happen, changing the bow''s appearance slightly. And when it was finished, the item became much more powerful. [You have sessfully enhanced "Bow of the Ice Queen"] [New Mythical Item: "cial Requiem"] [cial Requiem (Mythical): +5000 Spirit, +4000 Agility, +10000 Mana, +70% Ice Damage Boost.] [Unique Skill: Ice Torrent - Unleash a storm of icy arrows, dealing 250% of spirit damage and applying Frostbite to all enemies within range (30-minutes cooldown)] An incredible item. With this, Alice should manage to level up just fine. "Here," he gave the bow back to her, which she epted, then, with a focused gaze, he teleported himself directly to the [Toxic Forest]. "Alright, here we go," he murmured, standing at the edge of the eerie, mist-filled forest. Despite the looming challenge, a flicker of determination burned in his eyes. [2 Days Left] The timer was ticking, but Alex was ready to face whatevery within. Chapter 75 Evolving a Skill, Source of Poison Secret Realm Alex stood before the entrance to the [Toxic Forest], the path to the mysterious [Source of Poison] Secret Realm hidden within. But before diving in, he pulled up his status window, taking a moment to check his stats and skills. [ID: FateBreaker] [Level: 60 (8748/60000)] [upation: Mage; Assassin] [ss: Unparalleled Mage; Beginner Assassin; Apprentice Undead Lord] [Talent: Extraction (SSS); Undead Lord (B)] [Pets: Alphox (Primordial Shadow Dragon, Tier 4)] [Curse: Undead King Curse] [Attributes: Vitality 3553; Strength 4985 + 1500 + 6000; Agility 3626 + 1000 + 3000; Spirit 6330 + 1000] [Skills: Explosive Fireball lv5 (Advanced); Crimson Spike lv4 (Advanced); Rock Crash lv4 (Advanced); Stone Fortress lv4 (Advanced); Fire Vortex lv4 (Advanced); Rending sh lv5 (Advanced); Thunderp Bolt lv4 (Advanced); Poison Resistance (Passive); Aura of Death (Undead); Aura (Passive); Shadow Veil (Unique Skill); Shadow Strike (Unique Skill)] ... He eyed his skills list thoughtfully, and his mind wandered to a recent upgrade from his Extraction Talent: the new [Potential Extraction] perk. It let him evolve one skill every 3 days, pushing it to a stronger form. He looked over his options and, after some thought, decided to use it on [Explosive Fireball]. The moment he chose it, a glowing animation burst on his screen, lighting up his surroundings as the perk did its magic. Ding! [You have enhanced "Explosive Fireball" (Advanced).] [It has evolved to "Meteoric ze" (High-Tier).] [Meteoric zelv1: Deals 25,000 points of damage + 100% of Spirit to the target. Consumes 5,000 mana. Cooldown: 5 seconds.] "Wow..." Alex muttered as he examined the new stats. The damage increase was massive, making Meteoric ze one of his strongest spells. However, the mana cost was also steep, meaning he''d have to manage his resources carefully if he wanted to keep using it. Mana was indeed an issue he would need to resolve soon. With his preparationsplete, Alex set foot into the [Toxic Forest]. The path was thick with twisted trees and creeping vines, all drenched in a toxic haze. Monsters lurked in the shadows, but most were too weak to stand against Alex. One spell or a quick strike from his dagger was enough to cut down any level 25¨C50 creature in his way. Poison didn''t affect him either, so attacks didn''t even put a dent on him. -1! -1! -1! [Poison Resistance activated.] Even the poison fog didn''t bother him. His [Poison Resistance] nullified any damage he might have taken. He pushed through the forest, clearing monsters and grabbing drops as he went. [Extraction Talent activated: +28 Strength, +17 Spirit, + Poison Antidote (Low-Quality)] When he finally reached the heart of the forest, he was greeted by the forest''s boss again: a hulking creature with scales and sharp fangs. [Venomous Swamp Basilisk NB+ (Epic)] [Level: 50] [HP: 40,000] The basilisk hissed and slithered toward him, but Alex was quick to respond. With a swift [Shadow Strike] followed by a powerful [Meteoric ze], creating a small meteor-like sphere that he sent toward the monster. SLASH! BOOM! -30,007! 32,330! Ding! [You have in "Venomous Swamp Basilisk NB+" and gained 1,783 experience points!] [You have extracted "Basilisk ws" (Epic)] After picking up his loot, a new marker blinked on his map, guiding him to the entrance of the [Source of Poison] realm. [You have reached the location of the secret realm.] [Use this token to enter.] A small green token appeared in his palm, resembling the one he had used for the [Goblin Secret Area]. Without hesitation, Alex crushed it in his hand. [Do you wish to enter the Secret Realm: Source of Poison?] [Yes] [No] With a steadying breath, Alex selected [Yes]. His vision swirled, colors bleeding together before refocusing. The ground beneath him was an eerie green, and toxic mist floated in the air, thick and foreboding. The air stung his skin, and shadows twisted around him as he took in his new surroundings. Ding! [Secret Realm/Area: Source of Poison] [Difficulty: Infernal] [Tier 3¨C4 Area (Level 60¨C100)] [Objective: Reach the end and kill the "Source of Poison" boss.] [Note: Your rating will depend on how far you go and how well you perform.] [Failure will result in a low ranking.] ... "Sigh..." Alex stretched his neck, mentally preparing himself for the trial ahead. There was no time to waste, so he plunged forward, leaving no room for doubt. He was only level 60 and confident that these level 60¨C100 monsters wouldn''t be much of a challenge. A notification appeared as he moved deeper. [The Source of Poison is filled with an Extreme-Level Poison mist!] Numbers shed around Alex constantly. -0! -0! -0! He grinned. The poison was entirely ineffective, thanks to his [Poison Resistance]. But remember that even high-quality antidotes wouldn''t have saved most yers from damage here, meaning only those with strong resistance or ample antidotes could survive. It made sense that this task was seen as one of the hardest Tier 3 advancement quests. A careless yer could be eliminated instantly, resulting in an immediate F-rating. It was deceitful, but what else would you expect from a game that ims humanity will die. ... Alex continued further, noticing the surroundings growing darker and the poison mist intensifying. He encountered waves of venomous creatures: snakes, spiders, and poisonous beasts of all kinds. They lunged at him, but a quick spell or dagger strike easily cut them down. Each defeated monster granted him small rewards through his Extraction Talent, providing useful boosts to his stats and resources. [Extraction Talent activated: +32 Vitality, +15 Agility, + Poison Mist Cloak (Rare)] He examined the [Poison Mist Cloak] in his inventory. It granted a slight increase in poison resistance and added a misty aura around the wearer, slightly lowering detection by poison-based creatures. It wasn''t a significant upgrade but would be a good addition for when he needed stealth. As Alex ventured deeper into the Source of Poison, he decided it was time to call forth his undead army. The eerie mist thickened, and monstrous figures prowled in the darkness, creating the perfect backdrop for his legion. With a deep breath, he activated his [Undead Lord Talent], raising his hand toward the ground. "Arise." ck tendrils of energy swirled out from his fingers, sinking into the earth, drawing the remains of fallen warriors back to life. One after another, skeletons wed their way out, each equipped with their basic armor and weapons. Find adventures at m v lem|p-yr He continued until he had summoned thirty undead. He summoned 4 Grand skeletons since he could summon one every 5 normal skeleton except for when he summoned the [Bony Knight] and [Spectral Wraith]. So now, he could use his army to easily deal with this secret realm. [x24 Skeletons, x4 Grand Skeletons, x1 Bony Knight, x1 Spectral Wraith] [-61500 Mana] [Mana: 1800/63300] He almost put himself in debt to summon those skeletons, but after drinking another one of his [High Quality Mana Potions], he regained 20,000 Mana, which should be enough to continue forward. "Impressive," Alex muttered, scanning his new army. "Let''s move," hemanded, his voice barely above a whisper. The undead followed him into the shadows, their bones clinking and grinding as they fell into formation. The Bone Knight led the charge, with the Spectral Wraith vanishing into the mist, scouting ahead for ambushes. His regr skeletons and Greater Skeletons marched with mechanical precision, creating a wall of bone and armor. As Alex progressed, waves of venomous beasts lunged out from the poisonous haze, only to be met with relentless strikes from his skeletons. The Bone Knight stood firm against therger monsters, absorbing blows with ease and delivering powerful strikes. Meanwhile, the Spectral Wraith flitted through the battlefield, eliminating threats with quick, phantom-like strikes. His undead army proved to be unstoppable, plowing through any creature that dared to challenge them, clearing a path as they moved deeper into the realm. The toxic mists thickened, darkening his surroundings further. But with his undead clearing the way, Alex strode forward confidently, ready for whatevery at the heart of the Source of Poison. Chapter 76 Source of Poison Legendary Boss, Second SSS-Rating As Alex strode through the poison-filled forest, the dense fog barely slowed his undead army. His undead cleared away the creatures in their path, eliminating anything that dared to cross them. Alex merely watched, conserving his mana and energy for the true opponent that awaited him. The lesser monsters fell one by one, their toxic blood absorbed into the ground, leaving a faint, sickly-green glow along the forest floor. [Extraction talent activated; +73 strength, +48 vitality, +4 Skill Points, x7 Poison Grenades.] [Poison Grenade: Launch at enemy to deal high-level poison effect instantly.] Alex thought it could be useful, so he grabbed lots of them. Finally, after around an hour of that, Alex reached a clearing, wide and circr. Instinctively, he knew this was it¡ªthe heart of the secret realm. Before him loomed a massive creature oozing from the ground, a semi-translucent mass of virulent, dark-green slime that seemed to pulsate with every passing second. A putrid fog drifted up from its surface as if the beast itself were a living, breathing poison cloud. [Source of Poison - Legendary Level Boss - Tier 4] [Level: 100] [HP: 350,000] [Skills: Slime Body, Poison Call, Source of Poison, Toxic Wave, Engulf...] The boss shifted, its form twisting and writhing. Without hesitation, Alex''s undead army took formation, standing in silence, awaiting hismand. He pointed at two [Grand Skeletons], ordering them forward. The other skeletons nked from the sides, while the Spectral Wraith, almost invisible in the poison mist, hovered behind, waiting to strike. Alex knew he would have to fight strategically if he wanted to avoid exhausting his resources. "[Stone Fortress]!" he called out, raising a sturdy barrier in front of his forces. The solid stone barrier absorbed a wave of dark-green projectiles spat out by the slime, reducing the impactpletely as the boss couldn''t break through. The [Source of Poison] writhed in response, its bulbous form letting out a deep, vibrating growl. Alex raised a hand, casting [Meteoric ze] toward the boss. A sphere of ming energy rocketed from his staff, smashing into the slime''s center. mes erupted, searing the surface of the creature, causing it to ripple and emit a thick, toxic smoke. -32,330! His skeletons rushed forward, weapons raised, hacking at the boss with no hesitation. The Grand Skeletons and Bony Knight took the lead, delivering heavy blows to the slime''s base. But the [Source of Poison] retaliated, its body extending outward to engulf several skeletons whole. They dissolved in seconds within the acidic mass, their bones corroding into nothingness. A murky voice echoed from the boss, cold and mocking. "Foolish human¡­ Do you think you can stop me?" "Yeah, I think I can," Alex shrugged, unbothered. Crimson Spike! A red spike burst from the ground, and Alex sent it toward the creature, driving deep into its slimy mass. He kept casting, each spell chipping away at the boss''s health bit by bit, leaving trails of sickly ck liquid oozing from the wounds. But then, sensing Alex''s strength, the slime let out a powerful tremor that shook the entire clearing. [Poison Call] The air pulsed, and a loud rumble echoed throughout the forest. "Huh?" the ground beneath Alex''s feet trembled. It was as if thousands of feet were hitting the ground at the same time. And in less than a few seconds, he realized that his theory had been right. ''Let''s see you defeat everything in this forest, pathetic human,'' the slime smiled. From every corner, the forest answered, and a seemingly endless swarm of monsters emerged from the trees. Poisonous wolves with venomous fangs, serpents dripping with deadly toxin, and venom insects with wings flooded into the clearing, surrounding Alex and his undead on all sides. Alex''s grip tightened. Hundreds if not thousands of monsters poured in, their yellowed eyes fixed on him, thirsting for blood. "Aura of Death," hemanded, activating his undead''s most potent boost. An eerie dark aura radiated from his figure, seeping into his undead army, turning their bones darker, and their eyes glowed with a renewed intensity. [+100% Strength, +200% Defense] "Let''s do this, everyone," he said calmly, signaling his army forward. The clearing exploded into chaos. Undead and poison beasts shed. The skeletons swung their weapons, each strikending with twice the force, scattering the smaller monsters that attacked in waves. Alex weaved spells without pause, his [Meteoric ze] and [Fire Vortex] incinerating entire lines of enemies. [Rending sh] followed, cleaving through beasts that managed to get close. To Alex''s side, a Grand Skeleton fell, overrun by venomous wolves that hadtched onto its bones, gnawing and corroding its frame. Alex retaliated with [Thunderp Bolt], sending lightning crackling through the wolves, and their charred bodies copsed at his feet. The [Source of Poison] itself grew more frantic, enraged as it saw its poison-beast minions falling. It unleashed a massive wave of toxic sludge, which surged across the ground like a slow-moving flood. Stone Fortress! Alex''s barrier rose just in time, blocking the wave. The Spectral Wraith, floating just above the sludge, darted in, its ethereal ws swiping at the boss, tearing chunks of poisonous slime with each strike. But the [Source of Poison]shed back, and the wraith dissipated in the onught, fading into the mist. Despite the losses, Alex''s forces held their ground. He stepped forward, casting [Fire Vortex] in a wide arc. A swirling inferno ignited, engulfing the wave of poison creatures that charged him. mes roared and crackled, consuming beasts in its ze, clearing a path toward the [Source of Poison]. The boss seemed to tremble as its army dwindled, a ripple passing through its form. Knowing it was time, Alex gathered all his strength and shouted. Rock Crash! A massive stone materialized above his head, crashing down onto the slime''s form. The impact sent shockwaves through its body, leaving a dent as poisonous fluids spilled out in all directions. Its health bar finally began to approach critical levels. [Source of Poison has been stunned.] "Pathetic human¡­!" the boss seethed, struggling to reform. "Your reign ends here," Alex stated calmly, his hand alight with dark energy. Holding his dagger in his hands, he dashed toward the monster, ready to end it all. "Shadow Strike!" SLASH! -30,190! The battlefield grew silent as the slime''s body crumbled. His undead army took care of the alive monsters, the majority running away as they knew they didn''t stand a chance. Ding! [You have in "Source of Poison" and gained 2,832 experience points.] [You have cleared the Source of Poison Secret Realm with an SSS-Rating!] Alex exhaled, feeling the familiar surge of leveling up. He knew such a high rating meant something extraordinary. [You have leveled up to level 61!] With all these monsters he killed, it was obvious he would level up at least once. [Unparalleled Mage has gained the following perk: All mana cost for skills and summoning reduced by 50%.] He smirked. This perk alone was worth the trouble. The enhancement would give him unparalleled efficiency in battle. [Your "Apprentice Assassin" ss has evolved to "Assassin of Wrath"] No perks, though. And finally. [Your "Apprentice Undead Lord" title has evolved to "Powerful Necromancer"] Ding! [You have proven your worth, human.] [You will receive a reward worthy of that title.] A dark, twisted relic appeared in his hands, glowing faintly. [Relic of the Forsaken (Passive Artifact)] [Effect: You will start gaining 1000 Mana Points per second while this artifact is active.] [Note: it is always active, as it is stored inside of your system.] Alex gazed down at his new reward, a faint grin forming. With this, mana would never be a problem anymore. Chapter 77 Relic of the Forsaken, Source of Poison Core Alex grinned as he examined the faintly glowing relic now pulsing with life in his hands. [Relic of the Forsaken (Passive Artifact)] [Effect: You will start gaining 1000 Mana Points per second while this artifact is active.] [Note: it is always active, as it is stored inside of your system.] The mana problem was a thing of the past. With the Relic of the Forsaken, Alex could fully replenish his mana in less than a minute. In his mind, he couldn''t help but marvel at the reward; it was the kind of advantage other yers could only dream of. Completing the hardest Tier 3 advancement task with an SSS-Rating had granted him something formidable. Without this exceptional rating, the reward would''ve been nothing special, and he knew that was true for most yers. Once upon a time, he had been one of those yers, grinding for average rewards and modest gains. Closing down his status panels, Alex turned back to the massive, slimy remains of the Source of Poison. He had already extracted dozens of attributes points from the other monsters, so all that was left was the big boss. He knelt beside it, reaching out and cing his hand on its surface. "Extraction," he whispered. Ding! [You have extracted "Source of Poison Core" (Mythical)] [Description: An extremely toxic core that can be infused into a weapon to grant it the "Extreme Poison" effect. It can also be used for ########] "Hm¡­" Alex raised an eyebrow as he read the item description. Just like with the Howler''s Soul Shard, the final part was mysteriously redacted. He filed it away forter and mentally categorized it in his "Important Items" list, a personal inventory he''d created to track the treasures he would useter for sure. ... [Important Items: Mage Tower Token (Artifact), Vial of Undead Blood (Legendary), Howler''s Soul Shard (Legendary Material), Undead Land Secret Area Token (Artifact), Source of Poison Core (Mythical)] [Level: 61 (3,278/70,000)] Oh, and yeah, once reaching the third tier, you actually start needing 10,000 experience points between each level. It was an insane number, but when you knew about what wasing next, leveling up wouldn''t be so bad. "Seventy thousand¡­" Alex muttered as he noted the massive experience gap needed for his next level. The path to Tier 4 was grueling, but the progress he''d made with this secret realm felt like proof he could keep going. It was time to move forward. He didn''t know if he could take on the [Spider Queen] now, but he could always try with a fully-formed undead army. With only two days left to save her, he couldn''t afford to waste time. He could maybe just wait for this [Potential Extraction] new perk''s, since it would only be 1 day and a half in the real world, but it seemed like a waste. Alex needed to fight until he won, somehow. A faint blue prompt shed in his vision. [Do you want to leave the "Source of Poison" Secret Realm?] "Yeah." Ding! With a sh, Alex''s body was engulfed in blue light, and he was instantly transported back to the heart of the Toxic Forest. The air was sharp with a lingering acrid smell, and the familiar twisted trees surrounded him. The absence of the Toxic Basilisk, in earlier, left an eerie quiet. "Time to head back to Bell City," he murmured. He opened his map, pinpointing Bell City and activating his [Fast Travel] ability. The teleportation menu allowed him to jump directly to the location. A bright light surrounded him as he reappeared in front of Bell City''s entrance gate. [FateBreaker: Still fighting?] The reply came a minuteter. [StarPillow: Yeah! I''m managing fine thanks to your bow!] Actually, Alex gave her one of the most powerful items avable in the game as of now because of his [Potential Extraction] After all, it granted it +5000 spirit, and guess what, as the arrows are immediately infused with the [Ice] effect, then it means she deals a base damage of 7,500 at least. And if she uses the [Ice Torrent] skill, she can deal up to 15,000 at once to dozens of monsters. Basically, she was strong enough to easily take care of herself and level up. In the end, he just decided to leave [Universal Descent] for now and go back to reality. There was nothing else to do. With his enhanced stats, huge mana pool, and the possibility of summoning all of his undead, he was sure he could somehow deal with the queen. [Do you want to leave ''Universal Descent''?] Right as he was about to click on yes, he saw dozens of yers rush toward [Bell City], seemingly in a hurry. "Quick, the [World Association] has opened!" "Yeah, they give quests that can help you get items, levels and money!" "Let''s go fast before all of the good tasks are taken!" Alex heard several yers talk, but he just smiled: he wasn''t interested in that anymore. He clicked on [Yes], then shed in a blue light before disappearing. ... Back in the real world, Alex rubbed his eyes as he appeared in his bedroom. The game had felt more intense than usual, especially after his loss against the [Spider Queen]. But now, he felt a little more confident in his uing victory. [Alex: I''m back in the real world.] He sent the message to Alice just to inform her. [Alice: I''m going to fight the boss at the 7th floor, then I''lle!] "Oh, so she can fight the monsters up until floor 7 alone, huh." This was good progress, especially since she was only level 52 when he left her. Alex spent his time resting while watching TV for an hour or so. After a while, he heard a sounding from upstairs, and a few secondster, Alice went down, seemingly tired. Discover stories with m,v l''e-NovelFire "I don''t know how you keep fighting everyday like this," she sighs, sitting on the couch, "I am so tired..." "Hm, you''ll get used to it." Well, you''re kind of forced to if you want to survive in the future, but for now, it is only the [Build Power] part of [Universal Descent], so it is fine to be tired. "I know a way to not feel tired anymore, though," Alex mischievously smiles as he lunges on Alice, pinning her down. "..." her face instantly turns red, her eyes having a hard time locking into his, "I-I want it too..." she mumbled. Alex was a righteous man, so he would never do something the other party didn''t like. Well, that is except if he is under the effect of the [Undead King Curse] or that he straight up dies if he doesn''t do it. "Hm~" Alex reached under Alice''s pants. "Holy shit, you''re already soaked," he removed his fingers, and as expected, they were wet with liquid. "This... fighting makes me feel... weird," Alice tried to hide her expression, though Alex could clearly see what she meant. Without wasting time, he removed both of their clothes, feeling pent-up after all of this fighting. [By the way, having sex regrly actually decreases the odds of you receiving the side effects of the curse.] A panel appeared beside him, and it made him smile. "Well, let''s dig in," Alex grinned as spread out Alice''s slender legs and began to lick her clitoris. "~~~!" the wave of pleasure she felt at that moment was indescribable. It was as if the more she had sex with Alex, and the more he took the lead, the better she felt. She was already pretty much addicted, but if this kept going, she might never be able to go back. And yet, she didn''t stop him, each lick of his tongue bringing her closer to heaven as she climaxed over and over. "I love... it~~" she gasped between moans. After a while, Alex''s bulge became unbearable, and so, removing his face from her perfect vulva, he quickly got ready to insert it raw, like always. "I''m gonna make sure you don''t feel tired after what I''m about to do," Alex grinned. Alice''s eyes widened as the shadow of Alex''s mighty member appeared on her face. He lowered it, cing it quite literally on her face, meaning that she could sniff it, her eyes rolling back by the scent. "Beg for it,e on." "I-" He began to rub his member against her face, saliva dripping from her mouth. "Pl-Please fuck me..." "No need to ask me twice," Alex smiled as he lowered himself and inserted everything he had inside of Alice. She was as tight as ever, her hole always ready to take him in, already pretty much having acquired his shape forever. "~~~," the feeling of Alex''s manhood reaching her womb made her squirt a lot of juice, but even then, the man didn''t stop, shaking his hips and poking her. It was until ten minutester that he finally released everything he had inside of her. "Phew..." Alex wiped his brow. Alice''s eyes were so rolled backed it was almost impossible to see them. "Heh, we''re not even close to done," he smiled mischievously as he went for round 2. This kept going for hours on end. Chapter 78 Dark Dungeon 20th Floor, Back at the Queens Chamber Alex and Alice finished with their business, then went to bed. Morning sunlight seeped through the cracks in the curtains as Alex moved quietly around the kitchen, preparing breakfast. His mind was still hazy fromst night, but he was focused on cooking up something Alice could enjoy. While eating, Alice stared at Alex''s handsome face. ''I really need to find someone else is to take care of his urges alongside me,'' she thought, her gaze softening. It didn''t bother her that Alex might be with other women as long as she held a special ce by his side. Strangely, she was almost enthusiastic about it, realizing that having a bit of support might actually be¡­ ideal. They shared a few moments in silence, then cleared away the dishes before each went to log back into Universal Descent. [Do you want to log in inside of "Universal Descent"?] "Yes!" ... Momentster, Alex reappeared in front of Bell City''s towering gate, but he was already prepared to move onward. He opened his [World Map] with a flick, pinpointing his next destination. Then selected the end of the seventh floor to bring Alice with him, since she must still be inside. He warped instantly to a dimly lit room at the edge of the level. And before him loomed the silhouette of an NB+ boss, the monstrous guardian of this ce. Alice was indeed here, pulling out her bow and getting ready to take care of the boss. "Stay close," he said with a calm grin. With a few practiced motions, Alex unleashed a barrage of spells, and in less than ten seconds, the boss let out a brief roar before copsing in a cloud of dust. Ding! [Extraction Talent Activated: +30 Strength] Then he teleported them both back to the 20th floor, skipping the 16th to 19thpletely, as he had no use for them. He would grind there if he felt like winning was impossible, but until then, he would move forward from here. Because he hadn''t beaten the [Spider Queen], he only teleported to the entrance of the 20th floor, meaning he still needed to go through it all and find the exit. Which is what he does. Alex took a steadying breath before summoning his forces. He raised his arm, dark energy swirling around him as he channeled his mana into the ground. Shadows twisted and warped, materializing into a growing army. "Come forth, my undead," hemanded, his voice echoing ominously. [+24 Skeletons, +4 Grand Skeletons, +1 Bony Knight, +1 Spectral Wraith] [-30750 Mana] Thanks to his [Unparalled Mage]''s perk, it now cost 50% less mana to summon his undead, and use his skills! Alice''s eyes widened as the undead began to form around them. "Does summoning these¡­ things not take any mana?" she asked, awe written inly on her face. Every time she saw Alex summon them, she couldn''t help but be amazed by his powers. "It does," Alex replied with a shrug. "A lot, actually. But¡­" He nced at the item in his system inventory too, the [Relic of the Forsaken], glowing faintly. It pulsed, regenerating his mana at an unprecedented rate. Normally, summoning this much would force him to take another [High Quality Mana Potion], but this time, he didn''t need it. [Relic of the Forsaken: Active] [+1000 Mana¡­ +1000 Mana¡­ +1000 Mana¡­] With his mana replenishing at a rate of 1000 per second, Alex could afford to keep summoning in addition to the reduced cost. "Wait a bit," he told Alice, who watched as he repeated the process, raising more skeletons and grander forces every second. She was currently level 58, meaning that the bow Alex gave her indeed helped her out. But first, he needed to summon all of his army. He had never done it before, after all, summoning 100 undead seemed impossible with his mana pool, but now, it was actually possible! [+24 Skeletons, +4 Grand Skeletons, +1 Bony Knight, +1 Spectral Wraith] [-30750 Mana] He repeated that process one more time, then summoned hisst skeletons. [+8 Skeletons, +2 Grand Skeletons] And so with that, his entire army wasplete. He tried to summon one more to see if it worked, but as expected. [You cannot summon more undead.] [100/100 Limit Reached] Alex nodded in satisfaction, surveying his undead legion. Around him and Alice stood a small army, eager to follow hismands. "If this army can''t handle the queen, then I don''t know what can," he muttered. "Let''s go." With that, he motioned for his army to advance, and the skeletons began to march, their hollow footsteps ttering against the cold stone. The dungeon''s floor grew darker and more web-covered the deeper they went, echoing with the ominous rustling of giant spiders lying in wait. As they moved forward, they encountered the first of many monstrous spiders¡ªLevel 200 creatures with eyes glistening like ck ss and jaws dripping venom. The spiders lunged at them, but Alex''s undead soldiers formed a barrier, meeting the arachnids head-on. Skeletons and spiders shed, bone scraping against ws as the creatures tore into each other. Alice, standing close to Alex, nocked an arrow in her [cial Requiem] bow and aimed carefully before releasing it. The arrow shot forward, striking a spider''s face and freezing it mid-attack. Alex grinned at her uracy. "Nice shot." She shrugged, loading another arrow. "You made sure I had a good weapon." He nodded, then turned his focus back to the battle. Raising his hand, he channeled a spell,unching a [Meteoric ze] into a dense cluster of spiders. The explosion sent spider limbs and chunks of web flying. The spiders screeched and scurried in a frenzy, but Alex''s Spectral Wraiths moved in, their ghostly forms slicing through the remaining creatures with ease. Thanks to the [Relic of the Forsaken], using [Meteoric ze] was extremely easy as he didn''t have to worry about the mana cost. "Stay alert," Alex reminded Alice, though she was already scanning the room with keen focus thanks to the [Spider Guard''s Eye Ne] Alex gave her. The onught continued as more spiders poured in from side chambers, rushing at them with menacing speed. Alex''s Bony Knights met them with unyielding strength, their armored forms resisting the spiders'' attacks. Experience tales at m v|l e-NovelFire A few skeletons were destroyed, but Alex quickly summoned recements to keep their numbers strong. As they cleared each room, Alex felt the steady rhythm of growth. [Extraction Talent Activated: +217 Strength, +194 Spirit, +133 Agility, +126 Vitality, +12 Skill Points, x4 Spider Swords (Epic)] Alex collected the dropped items and handed the [Spider Swords] to his Grand Skeletons. "These should be useful." The swords glimmered darkly, their edges dripping with a strange venom. [Spider Sword (Epic): Deals 50% more damage to Spider enemies] With the new weapons distributed, his undead army pressed forward, cutting down spiders with greater efficiency. Their relentless advance through the dungeon continued, and both he and Alice felt themselves growing stronger. Ding! [You have reached Level 62!] [You have reached Level 63!] . . [You have reached Level 66!] The notifications confirmed his progress. He nced at Alice, who was also reveling in her own growth. [Alice: Level 60 (173,928/60,000)] She had leveled up six times, reaching the cap for her tier. Though she couldn''t level further until shepleted her Tier 3 advancement quest, she was still more powerful than when they''d first entered. Finally, they arrived at the end of the floor, and there, an ominous door loomed. A faded emblem of a spider marked the entrance, signaling that they had reached the [Queen''s Chamber]. Alex took a moment to assess their surroundings, adjusting his mana reserves and summoning back any undead they''d lost. Alice checked her equipment, and the two of them exchanged a nod. "Alright," Alex murmured, exhaling deeply as he steadied his resolve. The looming door was all that stood between them and the queen. With a swift motion, Alex pushed the doors open, revealing a cavernous chamber enshrouded in shadows and thick webs. The vast room was littered with the corpses of fallen NPCs and monsters alike, their bodies wrapped in silken strands. And there, at the center of the webbed throne,y the imprisoned fox beast tribe princess, her eyes wide and fearful. "She''s here," Alex muttered, eyeing the queen''s chamber warily. This was their final challenge. "Let''s do this," he said, gripping his dagger and staff tightly and giving Alice a determined nod. As they stepped forward, his undead soldiers filed in behind him. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 79 Round 2, Alex Versus Spider Queen The doors creaked open as Alex and Alice stepped into the [Queen''s Chamber]. Dim light filtered throughyers of thick webs, revealing a sprawling cavern with the massive, looming form of the Spider Queen at the center. Her obsidian eyes glistened, and her mandibles clicked, echoing through the eerie silence. "Here we go," Alex murmured, activating his [Aura of Death] skill. Dark energy radiated from him, wrapping his undead forces in a sinister glow, doubling their strength and tripling their defense for 30 seconds. The Spider Queen''s shriek signaled the start of the battle, and Alex''s undead army surged forward. The queen retaliated with long, deadly legs, smashing through the first ranks of skeletons with ease, her strikes powerful enough to send bones flying across the room. From above, hundreds of smaller spiders began to drop, summoned by the queen to overwhelm the intruders. But Alex''s undead intercepted them, their enhanced strength allowing them to mow down the smaller spiders. Every time an undead died, Alex would almost instantly summon it back. Meteoric ze! Crimson Spike! Rock Crash! Fire Vortex! Thunderp Bolt! He would send spell after spell, the reduced cost allowing him to do so without even caring. Whether he hit the wall, the queen, or even some of his undead warriors, it didn''t matter. Every time his [Aura of Death] would disappear, his skeletons would slowly get overwhelmed. But after a minute, he would use it again, using a massive amount of mana to help out his troops. SLASH! BOOM! FWISH! The [Grand Skeletons] would destroy everything in their way using their [Spider Swords]. The [Bony Knights] would charge in, killing spiders one after the other. And the [Spectral Wraiths] would hide away, shing any spider they could see. The master and mother of all these spiders, the [Spider Queen] stood back and went up using one of her threads, observing the situation from above. The Spider Queen''s gaze shifted, her countless eyes glinting with a sinister intelligence. "A human dares to enter my nest," the spider queenughed, "All of those that tried to save their friends before have died, you won''t be different." Instinctively, Alex looked toward where the fox tribe princess was. She was looking directly at him, eyes full of hope. Alex nodded, "You took me by surprise once, it won''t happen again." "Let''s see." She raised a wed leg and mmed it down, sending a shockwave across the cavern. The impact forced even Alex''s reinforced undead to stagger. Alex steadied himself and nced at the queen''s abdomen, where a faint mark flickered. "Huh?" Ding! [Cursed Eyes of the King activated.] [Disying weak point.] An arrow appeared in Alex''s vision, pointing toward the small mark, pulsing with a faint red glow. "There you are," he muttered, locking onto his target. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e-NovelBin [The Spider Queen - Legendary Dungeon Boss - Tier 4] [Level: 200] [HP: 1,250,000] [Skills: Venom st, Wrath of the Broodmother, Shadow Bind, Queen''s Rage, Poison Mist] ... The queen suddenly screeched, her voice rising into an earsplitting pitch that sent chills down his spine. With that signal, another wave of spiders rained from above, a mixture of small attackers and armored soldiers, far tougher than the earlier swarm. His remaining undead turned to face them, but Alex knew they wouldn''tst long without his intervention. He tried his best to throw every spell he could, but the cooldown he was ced on between each one was making it difficult. More and more undead were falling, and at this rate he wasn''t recovering them fast enough to keep summoning. "Fool," the queen spiderughed from above, untouched by any of Alex''s attacks. The first time around, it simply just came down to kill Alex and his undead, yet now, it stood up, not going down at all. Why is that? "Well..." Alex heard a voice behind him, and Alphox, the [Primordial Shadow Dragon], materialized out of nowhere, "It just means that you became powerful enough for her to fear you could do damage, doesn''t it?" The dragonughed, and what it said actually made sense. The first time, it was confident it could kill Alex, so it did that immediately. But now, because of his growing army and powerful spells, she actually feared for her life. This meant that Alex actually had a chance! "ALRIGHT!" Alexughed, Alphox''s appearance actually hyping him up. "Well, I''m bored, so I''ll help you," Alphox shrugged and spread his wings, flying toward the queen. Both were level 200, so it was a fair fight between two high tier 4 monsters. Alphox didn''t waste time, striking the queen in the abdomen, then cutting off the thick thread that was holding her up. Fwish! -73,834! Alphox''s damage was incredible, and it was obvious he was much stronger than the spider queen. Without wasting time, the [Shadow Dragon] unleashed his [Shadow mes] skill. Alphox''s ck mes zed across the chamber, clearing out every remaining spider in a devastating wave. Thest of Alex''s undead soldiers crumbled under the intense heat, leaving only him, Alice and the Spider Queen amid the scorched remnants. "W-What the hell?!" Alice was confused, didn''t the dragon hate Alex? Alex felt a surge of exhration; with his army gone, this battle had be a true test of his skills. He tightened his grip on [Whispers of Shadow], his dagger thrumming with dark energy. The [Spider Queen] on the other hand got up, locking her eyes on Alex too. "Don''t disappoint me," Alphox smirked, withdrawing to let Alex take the final stand alone. "Wouldn''t dream of it," Alex replied, a fierce grin breaking across his face. He dashed forward, his dagger poised, using [Shadow Strike] the moment he was at a close distance. He swung at the abdomen, which was still faintly glowing thanks to his [Eyes of the Cursed King]. SLASH! [Weakness hit, dealing 300% of damage.] -91,875! "FOOOOOL!" the queen actually felt the damage this time, her eyes zing with fury as she swung her ws at the human. Every movement of the Spider Queen was fast and lethal, each swipe or thrust threatening to end the battle. Alex moved like shadow itself, slipping through gaps in her attacks, striking and retreating with practiced precision. While avoiding, he would keep throwing spells to deal passive damage. And when he got close enough, he would activate [Rending sh], feeling the familiar surge as his de carved through her weakened carapace, amplifying the damage. SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! -15750! -47250! -15750! The queen''s health bar dipped with every strike, but she retaliated with relentless fury. Poison mist billowed from her, but just like always, the [Poison Resistance] buffpletely dulled the effect. Sheshed out with a venomous w, which grazed his arm, sending searing pain through him. -8,384! The damage was big, even with his extremely high physical resistance. Alex gritted his teeth, his health bar dropping but his resolve unshaken. "DEATH CALL," Alex shouted, and the undead king materialized above him. "Hm?" "TAKE CARE OF HER!" he pointed at the spider queen, and the king just nodded. He rushed toward the massive spider, locking her in ce using dozens of skeletons hands he summoned from the ground. In her desperation, the queen raised herself high and mmed down with all her weight, cracking the stone and hands beneath her. But it was already over at this point. Alex focused his energy, drawing on [Shadow Strike] onest time, his agility allowing him to dash toward her. With every ounce of strength, he plunged his dagger straight into her weak point, channeling the power of [Whispers of Shadows] into a critical blow. -91,875! The Spider Queen let out one final, ear-piercing shriek. Her body quivered and copsed, her colossal form slumping into the cracked stone. Alex panted, steadying himself as the massive creaturey still. Ding! [You have in x472 Spiderlings, gained 584,934 Experience Points!] [You have in x263 Armored Spiders, gained 452,901 Experience Points!] [You have in "Spider Queen," gaining 174,291 Experience Points!] Alex felt the sensation of power coursing through him. [You have leveled up!] [You have leveled up!] [You have...] . . [You have leveled up to level 75!] [Level: 75 (90,058/190,000)] An incredible amount of experience, allowing him to level up 8 times! And of course, along with that, dozens upon dozens of extraction panels appeared around him. [Extraction Talent Activated!] [Extraction Talent Activated!] [Extraction...] He had needed the help of [Alphox] and the [Undead King], but at least, Alex had defeated the spider queen. Chapter 80 Lilith, The Fox Tribe Princess As Alex sifted through the aftermath of his fight with the spider queen''s minions, he activated his [Extraction Talent], his gaze scanning the underlings'' scattered remains as the system processed his actions. [Extraction Talent Activated: +57 Strength, +23 Spirit, +34 Vitality, +3 Skill Points, +Web Leggings (Epic)] "Not bad," he thought, slipping the Web Leggings into his increasingly crowded backpack. Most of these extractions were average, but even minor boosts in stats and equipment were valuable. However, his real interesty in the spider queen herself. No extraction prompt appeared, meaning that there was only one item to extract from it. Alex approached its giant body and pressed his palm against it, whispering "Extraction". Fwish! Ding! [You have extracted "Queen''s Carapace Shield" (Legendary)] [Description:A dense shield crafted from the Spider Queen''s exoskeleton. It offers immense physical resistance as it can block up to 20,000 damage.] "Pretty good," he stored it inside of his backpack, which was, at this point, getting pretty damn full. But it was worth it. There was a reason why Alex''s wasn''t selling any of his items: he would need them all forter. [Equipment: Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage (Legendary), Python Backpack (250 slots), Bear King''s Chest Armor (Rare), Poison Bear Dagger (Umon), 2x Boar Meat, Fang of the Python (Epic), x4 Ghoul Wings (Umon), x2 Undead Boots (Umon); Ghastly Reaper''s Cloak (Rare); Death Knight''s Cursed de (Rare), Rat Helmet (Common), Superior Backpack (Legendary; 100 slots), Superior Awakener''s Set (Mythical), x13 Venomous Lizard Scales (Rare), Fangbeast Fur x3 (Umon), Poison Wolf Fur x2 (Umon), Whisper of Shadows (Divine), 3x High Quality Mana Potions (Epic, Restores 20,000 per potion); Dungeon Golem Core (Legendary Material), Spider Legs x6 (Rare), Poison Antidote Low-Quality x1 (Umon), Basilisk ws (Epic), x7 Poison Grenades (Epic - deals high-level poison), Web Leggings x1 (Epic), Queen''s Carapace Shield (Legendary)] And yes, I took note of everything he had. ... "S-Savior..." A gentle, trembling voice pulled him from his inventory. Alex nced over to see the fox-eared princess still ensnared in the webbing. Her breaths were shallow, her face pale. "Oh, right." He hadn''t forgotten her, but extracting was indeed the first thing he thought of. With a flick of his staff, he cast [Meteoric ze], and the spell''s mes illuminated the chamber before bursting against the ceiling, melting away the sticky webs. After a few seconds, the princess fell, and Alex caught her in one swift move, as the fall was pretty big from up there. "T-Thank... you..." she was breathing hard, her health low. "No problem," Alex shrugged, "Alice, please give me one of your poison antidotes." "A-Alright," Alice nodded, opening her archer inventory to retrieve one of the small sks Alex had synthesized. Alex helped the princess drink the antidote, and as the venom''s effects began to fade, herbored breathing calmed. She must have been poisoned for a long time, the spider queen, that sadistic maniac, probably keeping her alive to suffer. "Take this too!" Alice pulled out another potion with green liquid inside. Inspecting it, Alex was surprised. [High Quality Health Potion (Legendary)] [Heals 50,000 HP] "Thank you," Alex nodded, it must have been expensive. He didn''t want to rely on others for stuff like money and such, but in such a case, he would dly ept it. He made the princess drink the health potion, and noticed her skin, pale from poison, gradually regaining color. She had long hair, a beautiful face and curves you would usually not see often. But the feature that interested Alex the most were obviously the [Fox Ears]! It meant that she was the princess of the [Fox Beast Tribe]. Alex really tried to search in the deepest parts of his mind, but he truly couldn''t remember anything about them. He knew about [Fox Spirits] as they were extremely powerful entities. But he had never heard of a [Fox Beast Tribe]. Which meant that they either had all died, since most of the beast races only had a small amount of them left, the vast majority with only the females remaining. Or they just never yed a part in the war. Thetter would be unlikely. He did remember the princess speaking about her tribe being in danger if she didn''t go back, too. Ding! [You havepleted the SS-Level Hidden Quest, "Save the Beast Tribe Princess"] [Reward: None.] ... He had done it. And though he got no reward, he couldn''t deny this small task had indeed pushed him to be able to take on high tier 4 monsters just for the sake of it. As her strength returned, the fox girl¡ªnow fully alert¡ªgave him a grateful, if somewhat dazed, look. "I-I''m alive...?" she looked around, just to see Alex''s handsome face looking down, "S-Savior?!" "Take it easy," Alex assured, setting her gently on her feet. Despite herck of attire, he noted she carried herself with quiet dignity. She wasn''t wearing any clothes, but it didn''t bother him at all. Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin "Thank you so much for saving me," she stammered, her gratitude overflowing as she bowed repeatedly. "If I had stayed there another few days¡­" She kept thanking them for a few more minutes, both Alex and Alice feeling overwhelmed by it. But suddenly, her voice was stopped by a loud rumble. She froze, blushing as her stomach growled audibly. "I-I''m sorry..." "It''s fine," Alex shook his head while grabbing one of his backpacks, putting his hand inside and pulling out the two [Boar Meat] he had stored all this time. He conjured a small me at the tip of his staff, cooking the meat until its aroma filled the chamber. Less than five minutester, the princess was eating the meat, tears of joy in her eyes. "..." As she finished, she wiped away her tears, smiling shyly. "Thank you¡­ again." Alice felt so bad, in fact, that she went up to the naked fox girl and hugged her. Despite having just met, she felt a strong kinship with this girl who had suffered so much. After a few more moments, the fox girlposed herself. "My name is Lilith, Princess of the Fox Beast Tribe. I came here to retrieve an artifact hidden on the dungeon''s final floor, but¡­ the Spider Queen ambushed my group before we could reach it." Lilith was actually a level 250 Tier 5 fox girl, and all her tribe was pretty much the same. A tier 5 tribe was pretty damn powerful at the beginning of the game, so it was surprising she was ambushed and captured. "I came unprepared with dozens ofpanions, we got poisoned, ambushed, and captured without mercy," Lilith looked sad when she spoke about herpanions, "I was the only survivor among all of us." "..." "..." Alex and Alice didn''t know what to say, there was nothing they could say. It was impossible to bring back the dead to life. "Yes there is," the Undead King intervened, but Alex ignored him, "Damn." "No need to worry about me, though," Lilith smiled, "I''m sure the rest of my people will be happy to know I survived." But Alex knew something was wrong. "Why did you need that artifact, and why did you seem so desperate abouting back," Alex asked these two questions, his gaze sharpening and bing serious. "Ah..." Lilith was taken aback, almost as if she just remembered everything, "T-THE DEMON TRIBE!" "Demon tribe?" Alex raised his eyebrows. "T-They said that they would attack our n, and as all of them are around level 300, we knew we didn''t stand a single chance..." ''Level 300?''Alex''s mind raced. This must be one of the weaker demon ns then, as the ones Alex knew of were at least Tier 7 or Tier 8. Still, level 300 demons were no minor threat. They could decimate ns, even ones as strong as Lilith''s. But this was good: this meant he actually had a chance. "We heard rumors of an artifact here that could help us against demons, but¡­ it''s guarded by powerful monsters," Her voice fell to a whisper as she recalled the devastation her people faced. So this was the full story: the fox tribe,prised of only female members, was dwindling. When they received word of the impending attack from the demons, they had tried to retrieve an artifact that could help them, only to be ambushed and massacred. "When is the attack happening?" Alex asked, his tone turning serious. Now that he knew, he couldn''t not get involved. Especially knowing that the demons were a race that caused havoc across humanity in his past life: destroying one of their ns would be great. Lilith bit her lip, calcting. "We got the message two weeks ago. The attack is scheduled for a month from then, which gives us¡­ about two weeks left." Alex''s lips curled into a faint smile. "Good. That''s more than enough time." With two weeks left, he''d make sure this demon tribe would regret threatening Lilith''s people. Chapter 81 Demon Nest Key, The Upcoming Demon Attack Ding! [You have received "Demon Nest Key" (Floor 21-25)] Alex surveyed the notification with satisfaction. Reaching the 20th floor of the Dark Dungeon brought him one step closer to itspletion¡ªand nearer to being capable of challenging Tier 5 monsters (level 250). At this point, the other yers could only possibly hope to take out level 70 monsters, yet Alex was already taking out triple that amount. "Quick," Lilith, the fox princess, urged beside him, her tail flicking anxiously, "I need to return to my n. They must know what happened here..." Alex raised a hand, halting her. "Hold on. What about the artifact?" Lilith paused, the light fading from her eyes. She didn''t answer at first, but he could see the answer within her gaze. They couldn''t hope to challenge the demon tribe at their current power level, not even close. The demon tribe''s weakest ns had legions of at least 10,000 soldiers prepared for battle. By contrast, her tribe¡ªwhat remained of it¡ªwas fewer than a thousand, a small band of females foxes who stood little chance in openbat. They needed that artifact, no matter what. "I''ll bring more of our people to conquer this ce, savior, don''t worry about us," Lilith said, though her tone was sad, almost as if she knew it was pointless. But Alex didn''t agree. "No," he shook his head, and Lilith eyes widened, "Don''t worry about, I''ll get that artifact." "Huh?" "I was nning to get it anyway, so it''s fine." That is a lie, he never knew about such an artifact in his past life, but if it truly existed, then it would immensely help in the future. Not only would he be able to help the fox tribe, allowing them to fight as they would probably be powerful allies, but he would be able to increase his reputation with them. "Where is it, exactly?" he asked, "I''ll do whatever I can to bring it within a week." Lilith''s eyes filled with tears as she heard that, and she went to embrace Alex. "Wow, calm down," the man sighed, she was naked, but it didn''t bother him, cing one of his hands at the back of her head. "All we know is that it is at the end of Dark Dungeon, meaning at the 25th floor, maybe it is one of the drop rates of the [Dark Demon], which is the final boss," she finally spoke, unsure of her own words. "Convenient," he muttered. The final boss would be a powerful gatekeeper for such an item, and the thought of facing it made his blood stir. "Well, you can always use your [Eyes of the Cursed King], can''t you?" Alphox spoke from within the space, this turn of events actually interesting him. "Never tried them on such a thing, so who knows," Alex shrugged. "Hm." "But first, savior, I need to introduce you to my tribe," Lilith suddenly became excited, bouncing up and down. Alex had a hard time deciding where his eyes should look at, but at the end, after feeling Alice''s gaze on his back, he settled on Lilith''s face. "Why didn''t you teleport out if you could?" he asked, curious. If the fox tribe was level 250, then they should be around this area of the map, since the further you went in [Universal Descent], then the higher level everything became. "Because I need to use my arms to teleport to our area, and they were locked by the webs," Lilith sighed, "No matter, get ready." Alex quickly stored the [Demon Nest Key] in his backpack, remembering everything Lilith had told him about this artifact and the demon race. He set up an automatic timer in his head. Ding! [2 weeks left until "Demon Tribe attack on Fox n".] [Reminder: the demons are level 300.] If he wanted to be able to defeat all 10,000 of these things, he would need to do many things: level himself up, enhance his stats, as well as get better equipment and better skills. Thankfully enough, he had [Potential Extraction] for both his equipment and his skills now, able to evolve a skill every 3 days. This meant that he had around 4 to 5 skill evolutions before the attack. And speaking about [Potential Extraction], Alex remembered he needed to use it. There weren''t that many items to use it on, so he tended to forget, but right now there was definitely something or two he could upgrade. His [Relic of the Forsaken] or [Python Backpack] were some of those. He first tried to use it on his [Relic of the Forsaken] since, you know, it was just the better item overall. And... [Potential Extraction is avable for this item.] "Yes!" Seems like even artifacts could be evolved if the conditions were right. He didn''t waste any time, touching his system screen where the item was and whispering the magic words "Potential Extraction". Ding! An aura of radiant energy enveloped the relic, and its appearance shifted, gleaming with renewed power. [You have enhanced "Relic of the Forsaken"] [New Artifact Item "Eternal Wraith Relic"] [Description: Regenerates 10,000 mana every second, this artifact cannot be broken, cannot be dropped, and cannot be stolen.] As the game progressed, killing a yer would have a chance of dropping one of their items, and stealing would be the norm. This prevented that, meaning that he would keep [Eternal Wraith] forever, probably. Even in the middle stages of the games, where every spell could cost hundreds of thousands of mana, Alex would be just fine with this thing. An incredible upgrade. Plus, remember that his costs were reduced by 50% thanks to the [Unparalleled Mage] profession. At some point, Alex would be a submachine gun of spells. ''I think that should be all,'' he thought, referring to the ways he could get stronger. But suddenly, he heard not one, but two voices in his head. Alphox stirred within him, his voiceced with impatience. "Foolish human, don''t forget about me. If you expect to stand against demons, I''ll need more strength too." Dragons instinctively hate demons, so it was obvious Alphox would actually help out if it came to it against these demons. "Don''t worry," Alex smirked, "You''ll soon get much stronger, Alphox." Alphox growled with a grudging before going back to his shadow space, "Good." Then, another voice¡ªpowerful, echoing in his mind¡ªspoke. "You''re overlooking another means of strength," boomed the voice of the Undead King. This time, he materialized above Alex, startling Lilith. "AAAAH-!" Lilith reacted instantly, stumbling down, "U-Undead King!" It seemed that even she knew of him. "You know of this old bastard?" Alex pointed at the king above him. "W-Who doesn''t? How did you manage to get him on your side?!" "Long story short, he beat him, and using a soul contract, the king became his servant," Aliceughed, helping Lilith up as she was used to such sights when she was with Alex. "W-Wow!" Lilith''s eyes sparkled, impressed by Alex''s strength even more than she already was, "You truly are the savior!" "d to meet expectations," Alex said dryly. "Anyway, King, what was that you were saying?" "There''s another way for you to be stronger besides equipment, skills and that stupid dragon." "Hey." "And what is it?" Alex ignored Alphox''s intervention. "The Undead," the King''s mouth opened, and his aura expanded, filling the room with its overpowering presence, even making Alice and Lilith take a step back. The King was overjoyed by the idea of having HIS undead be stronger. Alex''s undead were his, so there was no reason to hold back any information regarding that. "Care to exin how?" Alex asked, crossing his arms. "Aside from just leveling up my talent, of course." His Undead minions had been loyal, but if there was a way to empower them further, it would bolster his fighting force substantially. The Undead King considered it briefly. "You''ll discover the means in time," he replied dismissively, clearly more intent on making the statement than borating on it. He just wanted to inform Alex of that possibility. "Well, thank you anyway, I guess," Alex groaned as he looked back at the fox girl, "I''m finished." Lilith looked genuinely shaken by the immense allies Alexmanded: undead minions, a [Primordial Dragon], and now the [Undead King]? Lilith nodded, and her hand went to the pendant around her throat, her expression turning solemn. She muttered an incantation, one that was unintelligible to Alex and Alice, yet thrumming with a powerful, primal magic. The pendant glowed, casting a brilliant light throughout the room. Ding! [You are being teleported to "Fox Tribe Vige".] The dungeon walls around them faded away, and suddenly, they found themselves in a vast clearing under a star-filled sky. The air was cool and fresh, and Alex noticed they were now standing at the heart of an ancient forest. All around them, fox-kin began to appear, their curious, suspicious gazes fixated on the neers. Chapter 82 SS-Level Hidden Quest "Save the Fox Tribe Village" Alex and Alice appeared in the heart of the Fox Tribe vige, a quiet space hidden deep within the [Mystic Forest], which is a tier 5 arena a bit far from [Bell City]. Lilith stood beside them, having used her teleportation spell. Around them, dozens of fox-kin women¡ªeach with shimmering red or white tails and furred ears¡ªbegan to gather. The vige fell silent as they noticed the strangers. "L-Lilith?" "She''s back!" "Who''s that with her?" Some nced suspiciously at Alex and Alice, clearly wary of an outsider. Most races and especially humans were known enemies of the fox-kin, often trying to capture them for their powerful magic or rare abilities. In seconds, the vige square came alive as fox-kin women rushed forward, joyfully surrounding Lilith. Alex and Alice were momentarily forgotten for a short period of time. "It''s alright," she said firmly, drawing their attention. "This is Alex, the one who saved me. He helped me escape the dungeon." Her voice softened as she continued, "He''s a friend. I trust him." The fox-kin murmured among themselves, exchanging wary nces, but gradually, the tension in the air faded. A few of them even rxed, looking at Alex with curiosity. But as the crowd began to part, one figure stood out¡ªa tall, beautiful and elegant fox girl with silver-gray fur streaked with white, as well as two tails instead of a single one. She wore a ne of stones and feathers, her gaze calm and wise. She stepped forward, a quiet authority about her. "So, you''re the human who saved my daughter," she said, her voice steady. "Thank you for that. I am Alera, chief of the Fox Tribe." And at that exact moment, Alex understood everything. Why? Well, because he actually knew about Alera from his past life. Just like Aldritch, she was one of the stronger NPCs of [Universal Descent], fighting the [Abyssal Humans] and other evil races to avenge her tribe. She was currently around level 400, meaning tier 6, the strongest in this vige. But when he met her in his past life, she was an emotionless tier 8 powerhouse (level 1000) and didn''t care about killing, whether enemy or ally. ''So that is her story...'' Alex understood as he sighed. Her tribe died early from the hands of the demons, and that actually especially made even more sense why she would keep hunting demons one after the other before. It was confirmed: the attack happened in Alex''s previous life, and the [Fox Tribe] had lost. But now that he was here, he wasn''t going to let it happen. Alex returned her nod, "Just doing what I felt was right. I''m d I could help." Alera''s expression softened, "Then please, join us. I''d like to speak with you about¡­ the future." She led Alex and Alice through the vige. As they walked, Alex couldn''t help but notice the vige''s structure: the houses were skillfully woven from branches and leaves, blending seamlessly into the forest. Lanterns hung from tall poles, casting a soft glow, and woven charms dangled from doorways, whispering in the breeze. Everywhere he looked, he saw fox-kin women watching them, some with shy smiles, others with open curiosity. Several of the younger fox-kin moved closer to Alex, one of them with white fur and vibrant green eyes. She leaned in, smiling with a yful glint in her eyes, "It''s rare for us to see a human here. We hear¡­ stories about your kind." Alex kept his tone light. "Guess I''m here to prove not all of us are trouble." Sheughed, a soft, pleasant sound, and backed away with a curious look, clearly not the only one interested. Another fox-kin, this one with fiery red fur, sidled up beside him. "Think you''ll visit more often?" she asked with a wink. "Could happen," he replied, trying to keep the conversation friendly but not too encouraging. They were charming, sure, but he was here for business. Alera led them into arger structure near the center of the vige, one decorated with colorful feathers and woven vines. Inside, they took a seat around a low table. After a moment, Alera brought out a crimson, weathered scroll and ced it before him. The edges were worn, and it was sealed with the symbol of the demon tribe. "That''s what we received around two weeks ago," Alera sighed, "Those bastard, warning us as to make sure we knew we were powerless." "Why don''t you just leave," Alex risked. "There''s no ce for us, our vige is protected by a barrier, and trying to leave this forest would mean the majority of my people would die," Alera shook her head. She handed the letter to Alex, who opened it. ... [Demon Tribe Attack Order] [Our great demon king "Asmodeus" has decided that an attack will ur on your vige a month from now on.] [Asmodeus is a fair demon, and he informed us that if you survive this attack, he wouldn''t attack anymore for a while.] [Though I''m sure you already know that winning isn''t possible, and neither is escaping.] [Await your deaths in peace, fox women.] ... Alex''s gaze hardened as he read the words, "I''ll be here. I won''t let your tribe face them alone." The chief nodded, her expression one of gratitude and relief. "Then we are in your debt." Alera was pretty much the only person in this vige that could stop some of the demons, forced to take thousands of them at once previously. He didn''t know how she survived, but maybe the other fox women used their lives to save her. After they finished, Alex and Alice spent the next hour touring the vige. It seemed that nearly everyone wanted a moment of his time. Some fox-kin women offered him small tokens¡ªa braided bracelet, a carved stone¡ªand others simply wanted to talk, curious about his life beyond the forest. They seemed intrigued by his strength and calm demeanor, so unlike the stories they''d heard of humans. Lilith apanied them to be able to see all the fox girls she knew since childhood. Some of the women even tried to approach Alex with lustful gazes, most of them having never seen a man in their lives. But Alice would be the one stopping them. ''I said I epted other women, but I would be the one to choose if someone is alright,'' she thought. Alex wasn''t bothered though, he didn''t know about Alice''s intentions yet, so all he thought was that she was protective. "Come on girls, he''s my savior," Lilith sighed, trying to stop her people from approaching the only male they saw in years. Eventually, they arrived back at the vige square, where Alera was waiting for them. She looked pretty much the same as her daughter, including her figure, which was very endowed. "So around 2 weeks until the attack," Alex confirmed as he approached. Alera nodded. "Yes, we believe they''re gathering forces already. I''m afraid our time is short." Knowing that, Alex smirked, it indeed left him just enough time to prepare for the attack. "I''ll be back in a week, maybe two. Just know I''ll be here when you need me." The fox-kin around him let out small sighs of relief. Lilith gave him a soft smile, and her mother nodded approvingly. Maybe with Alex in the picture, they could be saved. Ding! [New Location Added to the World Map: Mystic Forest (Fox Tribe Vige)] [You can now teleport to Fox Tribe Vige at any time.] "Nice," this would make it easier for him toe back. As Alex prepared to leave, Lilith moved a step closer, her eyes steady as she looked at him. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For everything." "Anytime," he replied, his voice steady. "Stay safe until then." He turned to Alice, taking her hand. With onest look at the Fox Tribe vige and a nod to Alera and Lilith, he activated his teleport, bringing them back to [Bell City]. The moment theynded, a notification appeared. Ding! [You have received the SS-Level Hidden Quest, "Save the Fox Tribe."] [Objective: Save the Fox Tribe from the attack of the demons, as otherwise they will be wiped outpletely.] [Time: 2 weeks left.] [Reward: ???] Alex read the notification, his expression growing determined. The Fox Tribe had given him their trust, and he wasn''t about to let them down. "Alright," he muttered, a smirk forming as he clenched his fists. "Game on, demons." Chapter 83 Preparations for the Demon Attack Alex and Alice appeared at the entrance of Bell City, immediately surrounded by a crowd of yers. "Hey, that''s FateBreaker!" "Him?!" "Wow!" Alex saw many yers surround him and Alice as he appeared, and some others even running away, probably members of the [Overlord] or [Madmen] guild, tasked to notify their leaders of Alex''s movements. But Alex didn''t care about the growing crowd. His thoughts were on his next goal: getting strong enough to face thousands of level 300 demon monsters alone. Besides Alera, he was the only one that could act among all of the fox tribe. He was their only hope, literally. He didn''t need anyone''s help. He would do it by himself. Like he always did until now, Alex divided the SS-Level Hidden Quest into several smaller tasks he couldplete step-by-step. [Active Tasks] [Use your "Item Potential Extraction" every day.] [Use your "Skill Potential Extraction" every 3 days.] [Reach attributes worthy of level 300 monsters.] [Acquire another "Max out Magic Crystal" to level up Alphox.] [Conquer the "Dark Dungeon"pletely, meaning you need to defeat the boss and acquire the artifact that could easily y demons.] ... With a few nods, he acknowledged the quests, mentally nning his route through them. His "Extraction" tasks would be simple, with a steady buildup of power. And while he wanted to head to [Undead Land] to ask the [Undead Lord], he had more pressing matters at the moment. Besides, hispanion, the Undead King, reminded him that the Undead Lord wasn''t about to budge without a major threat. "The lord, that old bastard, is too full of himself. Even if you beat him, he won''t listen to you," the Undead King warned. "He''s just like you, basically," Alex muttered under his breath, ignoring the spirit''s indignant response. Without a good threat, it wouldn''t be possible for the Undead Lord to listen to Alex, he needed the [Annihtion Crucifix] both to beat and tame him. But right now, he couldn''t acquire it. He would need to wait. Just as he reviewed his tasks, he noticed Alice gazing thoughtfully at her own panel. "Alex," she said, "I have an advancement task." "Oh, crap. I forgot about that," Alex admitted, scratching his head. Advancement tasks were critical to yer development, but they were solo challenges. The problem with that was that Alex couldn''t help, no matter what, as if he tried to do the work and help her out, it wouldn''t count, and she might actually be given an F-rating for trying to cheat. "What''s your task?" he asked, peering at her panel. "It''s S-Ranked," Alice replied, "and I need to defeat the boss in the [Crossroad ins]." Alex let out a sigh of relief. It was tough but manageable for her, "Just remember, if anything goes south, call me immediately. And don''t forget¡ªyou''ve only got one shot at these tasks. Failure usually means a bad ranking." "Got it." Alice''s face brightened as she hugged him. "Thanks, Alex!" With a final smile, she turned and followed the arrow guiding her toward the [Crossroad ins]. "Good luck!" he called after her, watching her figure disappear into the distance. Now alone, Alex steeled himself, ready to delve even deeper into the [Dark Dungeon]. He wasn''t sure he could take on the next floors, but he wouldn''t receive any penalty for dying while trying, since all monsters are above his level. It was also the [Demon Nest] from floor 21 to 25, which should give him a good understanding of how these lower demon beings work. He was used to fighting level 600 ns, so maybe the lower-leveled ones worked differently. Plus, one of his tasks was to kill the boss and grab that artifact at the end, so he would need toplete it regardless. Besides the [Dark Dungeon] and [Max out Magic Crystal], all others tasks would pretty much be passivelypleted. ... After teleporting, Alex arrived once again in the familiar, shadowy depths of the dungeon He was currently in the [Queen''s Chamber], where he had defeated the Spider Queen a little over an hour earlier. Her massive, lifeless bodyy sprawled on the floor, the webs surrounding it torn and broken. Noting that she hadn''t yet respawned, Alex felt a strange satisfaction. Victory was fresh in the air. Pulling the [Demon Nest Key] from his inventory, Alex approached the ominous crimson door at the end of the chamber. Its surface glowed faintly with dark, runic inscriptions, pulsating as if alive. He inserted the key, and with a low, resonant click, the door unlocked. [You have opened the "Demon Nest" door.] Ding! Ding! [Global Announcement: "FateBreaker" is the first to open the door of the Demon Nest in the Dark Dungeon.] [Global Announcement: "FateBreaker" is the first to open the door of the Demon Nest...] [Global Announcement: ...] Alex blinked as the announcement repeated several times, echoing his achievement throughout the game world. By now, yers were growing ustomed to seeing his name pop up in system notifications, though they were surprised: many had discovered the dark dungeon by now. And doesn''t reaching the demon nest mean being able to take down a level 200 boss? Just how strong was FateBreakerpared to them?! And it seemed like word had spread fast. [Overlord], [Madmen], [Striker], [Snowke] and many more, all of them knew that FateBreaker shouldn''t be toyed with. Though Daniel and Lucas, leaders of the first two guilds respectively, weren''t gonna abandon yet. FateBreaker had toyed with them, and they would answer ordingly, even if it meant killing him in real life. Alex wasn''t aware of those intentions though, and so he focused on the task ahead: actually surviving more than five minutes inside the 21st floor. As the massive door swung open, Alex took in the sight of the 21st floor. The walls were slick and organic, lined with strange, pulsing veins of dark red and ck that gave off an eerie glow. The floor was littered with fragments of bone, ancient weapons, and shards of demonic crystal, while the air buzzed with a thick, unholy energy. In the distance, Alex could hear faint, guttural whispers as if the very walls were alive and watching him. Without wasting any time, he summoned his undead army. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] [-102500 Mana] The skeletons and undead sprang up from the ground, spectral and bone-d, their soulless eyes gleaming with faint light. The mana cost was massive, but Alex''s mana regeneration quickly kicked in, restoring his reserves. "Alright," Alex murmured to himself, casting a nce at his undead minions, "Let''s go." With a grin, he strode forward, the heavy door nking shut behind him. [A teleportation point has been set at: Dark Dungeon (Floor 21 Entrance)] The entrance sealed, but Alex wasn''t fazed. Now, with a teleportation point, he could retry indefinitely. As he and his undead horde moved deeper into the Demon Nest, the hostile environment intensified. Shadows danced along the walls, and strange symbols glowed intermittently. Every now and then, sharp, eerie sounds echoed around him, but Alex kept a level head, analyzing his surroundings and watching for threats. Then, he encountered the first group of demons. About a dozen of them slinked from the shadows, their grotesque bodies twisted and deformed, with dark, red eyes and elongated ws. Their levels were at level 210, and Alex could feel the potent malice radiating from them. He signaled his Spectral Wraiths forward, their ethereal forms gliding silently across the floor. "Aura of Death!" The demons barely had a chance to react as the Wraiths tore through them, phasing in and out of existence with deadly speed. The demons shrieked in agony, their forms flickering as the Wraiths drained them of life. But they didn''t die, instead screaming to bring out more of them. The remaining demons surged forward, but Alex''s Bony Knights intercepted them, shields raised. The sh of steel on bone resounded through the cavern, and Alex stepped back, letting his army handle the brunt of thebat. His skeletons swarmed the demons from every side, the battle a chaotic flurry of limbs and ws. In the midst of it all, Alex activated [Meteoric ze], his staff crackling with fiery energy as he knew the undead couldn''t deal with that alone. He hurled it into thergest cluster of demons, the mes erupting on impact and scattering them in a massive burst. -32,737! -32,737! -32,737! The demons caught in the st were charred to cinders, their anguished cries filling the air. He watched his army handle the stragglers, marveling at their sheer effectiveness. Despite the demons'' ferocity, his undead force moved in precise formation, an unstoppable wave of death and decay. When thest demon fell, Alex took a moment to assess his resources. He''d lost a few skeletons, but his mana was still solid. Summoning recements would be easy. Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin As he looked down the twisting path that led deeper into the nest, he felt a thrill of anticipation. Each step forward brought him closer to the artifact that could change everything in theing battle against the demons. "Alright," he muttered, ncing at his army, "Let''s see what this nest is really hiding." His resolve firm, Alex pressed onward, his army following as they delved further into the dark, demon-infested depths of the dungeon. This was just the beginning, and he intended to conquer every single threat standing in his way. But first... Ding! Ding! Ding! Several panels appeared in front of him as he approached the corpses of the demons. [Extraction Talent Activated!] [Extraction Talent Activated!] [Extraction Talent...] Couldn''t forget about the most important thing, can you? Chapter 84 Going Deeper in the Demon Nest [You have killed x93 "Low-Level Demons", gained 512,736 experience points!] Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have leveled up to level 76... 77... 78.] Getting levels in this area was much easier as the demons here were level 210 minimum. [Extraction Talent Activated!] [+Demonic w Shards (Legendary), +7 Lesser Demon Core (Epic), +Tainted ck Crystal (Legendary), +16 Strength, +8 Vitality] Along with all those useful items, some of Alex''s skills leveled up, though he didn''t even pay attention to them since [Potential Extraction] evolution perk was there. Pocketing the items, Alex signaled his remaining undead to press on. [Materials: Fang of the Python (Epic), x4 Ghoul Wings (Umon), x13 Venomous Lizard Scales (Rare), Howler''s Soul Shard (Legendary), Fangbeast Fur x3 (Umon), Poison Wolf Fur x2 (Umon), Basilisk ws (Epic), Source of Poison Core (Mythical), Dungeon Golem Core (Legendary), Demonic w Shards (Legendary), x7 Lesser Demon Core (Epic), Tainted ck Crystal (Legendary)] These were the items he could use on his future weapons or to help enhance items. He would need to test out several [Synthesis]binations to see if he could merge them together to make better materials. Actually, Alex decided to try it out. "The human''s here!" "Kill him!" "You will regret angering the demon tribe!" Several demons, both from the previous type and also some higher experienced one came, but Alex wasn''t bothered. He didn''t even look at them, instead focusing on his synthesis, trying out the different possibilities. "ARGH-" "UNDEAD, MOVE OUT!" But the demons would get overwhelmed, and every time an extraction prompt appeared in front of Alex, he would keep selecting the attributes. Thanks to his [Eternal Wraith Relic], and Undead Lord talent, he could summon his skeletons over and over, guarding him even at the cost of their lives. After around fifteen minutes, he finally tried out all the possibilities, feeling happy. Ding! [Extraction Talent Activated!] [+76 Strength, +46 Vitality, +53 Agility, +23 Spirit, +6 Skill Points] He also leveled up twice more, but the experience was reducing. [The more the system detects you to be fit to fight stronger enemies, then the less experience you get from "lesser ones" to prevent farming.] "Fair," Alex sighed, but he was more excited about his synthesis options. And he had many. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin [Fang of the Python + x13 Venomous Lizard Scales + Poison Wolf Fur + Basilisk ws = ??? (Mythical)] Putting all of his [Poison] type materials would actually result in a mythical item toe out! [Dungeon Golem Core + Demonic w Shards + x7 Lesser Demon Core + Tainted ck Crystal = ??? (Mythical)] And the same could be done for all the materials that he acquired from this dungeon. It seems that synthesis worked better when all the items were from the same category or the same type. In the end, he decided to synthesis the two to see if it would give him anything good. Ding! Ding! All the materials he had selected began to merge in a blinding light, and two items floated in front of Alex. [You have gained "High-Level Poison Crystal" (Mythical)] [Anyone who touches this thing will instantly receive the "High-Level Poison" effect.] [You have gained "Dark Dungeon Crimson Core" (Mythical)] [A high-grade core mainly used to sharpen des to their maximum.] "Hm." [Python Backpack + Superior Backpack = ???] Ding! [You have gained "Superior Python Backpack" (Mythical)!] [Can hold up to 500 items, all the way up to Mythical-Tier] "Nice." He had actually been forced to put the [Souce of Poison Core] (Mythical) in his pocket, but thanks to this, he was finally able to put everything he needed inside of his backpack without worry. These two items should have the same properties as all the previous onesbined, as well as an upgrade in overall utility. And finally, thest thing Alex did was grab his [Whispers of Shadows] and [Dark Dungeon Crimson Core]. If that core sharpened weapons, then maybe it could be done with his dagger too. He would need it forter, after all. [Whispers of Shadows + Dark Dungeon Crimson Core = ??? (Divine+)] His [Whispers of Shadows] is already Divine-Level, and even with the core, it seems that synthesizing an Artifact-Level item is harder than Alex thought. So instead, it got the [Divine+] rating, meaning that it is a Divine item, but still better than your average one. He didn''t hesitate a single second to do that. Ding! [You have acquired "Demonized Whispers of Shadows" (Divine+)] [Demonized Whispers of Shadows (Divine+): +15000 Strength, +10000 Agility] Alex''s jaw literally dropped to the ground. He had expected it to sharpen his weapon, but not THIS much! The skills on the dagger remained unchanged, but the sheer strength was astounding. Now, he could definitely deal with those demons. "Well, let''s go," he was finally done, and so he gestured for his undead to move. Clearing the next three floors had been incredibly easy. Not only did his [Skeletons] gains immense strength as well, each one of them basically rivaling a level 100-150 monster, but a single sh from Alex''s dagger caused around 26,000 HP now. And oh boy, let''s not talk about [Shadow Strike]. Alex kept going just like that, dominating every floor and demon no matter how strong they were. [Chain Demon] [Level: 220] [HP: 360,000] [Skills: Chain Smash, Horn Hulk, Punch...] ... [Winged Demon] [Level: 230] [HP: 375,000] [Skills: Demon Howl, Fly, Wing sh...] ... [Armored Demon] [Level: 240] [HP: 410,000] [Skills: Protection, Smash, Crimson Energy...] ... No matter what they would send at him, even if it was dozens if not hundreds of the demons, Alex wasn''t bothered. He would keep going, killing everything in his way, each demon granting him a bit more power to defeat the next faster. [+7 levels] [+372 Strength, +432 Vitality, +126 Spirit, +326 Agility, +12 Skill Points] He picked "Skill Points" because he would need themter, by the way. [Next Upgrade: 1372/10000 Extraction Points.] And finally, after around two hours, Alex reached the end of the 24th floor and found himself face-to-face with the towering boss guarding the entrance to the 25th level. The boss smirked, staring down at Alex with an amused look. "So, you''re the one who''s been causing trouble on my floors?" he taunted, his voice a deep, ominous rumble. "You''re just a little pest, aren''t you? I''ll make sure you regret ever stepping foot here." [Demon Chain Lord] [Level: 240] [HP: 1,600,000] [Skills:] [Infernal Chains:] Restrains and burns the target. [Hellfire Smash:] Powerful ground attack with intense mes. [Demonic Shield:] Summons a shield that absorbs damage. [Wrathful Surge:] Increases strength and attack speed for a limited time. ... Alex''s eyes narrowed. He wasn''t intimidated. With a quick wave of his hand, he summoned the rest of his undead army, signaling them to spread out and surround the boss. "Let''s see if you can keep up with this," he muttered, gripping his newly upgraded dagger, Demonized Whispers of Shadows. "I''ll bring your head to our boss." The boss scoffed, activating Wrathful Surge. His muscles swelled, a dark aura wrapping around him as he charged, swinging his massive, ming chains down at Alex. Alex sidestepped with ease, his agility so high it looked as though he teleported. His dagger gleamed as he closed the distance, delivering a devastating Shadow Strike that tore through the boss''s shield. -54,375! The boss staggered, his expression shifting from confidence to confusion. "What¡­?" "Didn''t expect that?" Alex quipped, moving with lightning speed. Each strike from the Demonized Whispers of Shadows or his spells chipped away thousands of HP, leaving the boss barely able to react. Meanwhile, his undead minions took advantage of the distraction, shing and biting from every angle. The boss roared, releasing Infernal Chains. ming shackles shot out, catching Alex off guard and restraining him in searing heat. But he quickly got out using his sheer strength. "HOW?" "I''m a strong guy, y''know," Alex smiled. In a rage, the boss raised his fist for a Hellfire Smash, aiming for the group of undead. mes exploded across the ground, wiping out several dozens of minions instantly. Yet, before the boss could recover, Alex lunged forward, his dagger gleaming with a another [Shadow Strike] enhanced by his high stats. The attack struck directly at the boss''s core, bypassing his defenses and causing him to stumble backward again. Desperate, the boss tried Soul Drain, hoping to absorb health from any nearby undead. But Alex''s minions were too fast, scattering before the skill could take full effect. The boss''s breathing grew ragged, his health now under a quarter. "This... isn''t possible!" the boss gasped, barely able to lift his weapon. But Alex wasn''t about to give him a chance to recover. With a final sprint, he shed with everything he had, the dagger slicing through the boss''s demonic flesh with brutal precision. And at the same time, he didn''t forget to cast every single possible spell in his mind. He pretty much had an infinite supply of mana, so might as well make use of it. The boss crumpled to the floor in disbelief, his mocking expression reced by utter shock. Ding! [You have in "Demon Chain Lord," gained 74,842 experience points!] Ding! [You have received the key to "Dark Dungeon Final Floor"] And of course. [Extraction prompt activated!] A notification popped up, and Alex grinned, eager to see what kind of legendary item he''d extracted from this once-feared boss. Chapter 85 Dark Dungeon Final Floor, Spirit Chains Skill Alex took a steadying breath, drawing his hand over the air in front of the fallen demon''s remains to trigger his Extraction Talent. A faint glow surrounded his fingers as he touched its body. Ding! [Extraction talent activated!] [Chains of Hatred (Legendary)] [Can be used as weapons if wielded right.] ["Spirit Shackles" Skill (Epic)] [Demon Lord Horns (Epic)] [Great material for weapons and potions.] ... Alex didn''t even hesitate: he selected the skill. After all, with his growing mana supply, he would need more skills to use it all. Ding! [You have extracted a new skill!] [Spirit Shackles (Basic): Powerful magic chains that bind enemies in spiritual constraints will emerge from your staff, reducing their speed by 60% for 10 seconds even after getting out. Once shackled, targets also receive 100% of spirit as damage; Mana Cost: 20,000 Cooldown: 3 minutes.] But actually, Alex decided to use some of his skill points this time around. Ding! [You have leveled up "Spirit Shackles" to level 10, it can evolve to "Spirit Chains" by consuming 10 skill points.] Ding! ["Spirit Shackles" has evolved to "Spirit Chains"!] [Spirit Chains (Intermediate): dozens of transparent chainse out of your staff, though this time, not only do they receive an 80% speed reduction, they also get stunned for 3 seconds. Once shackled, targets also receive 200% of spirit as damage; Mana Cost: 40,000 Cooldown: 2 minutes.] [Skill Points: 68] He still had lots of them, but when you reach [Intermediate] level for skills, it starts costing 2 skill points per level. The higher tier you went, the more skill points it took, and he wanted to save some forter. Satisfied, he tightened his grip on his staff and continued onward, his eyes glinting with determination as he approached the door to the 25th floor. The lock clicked as he used the key, triggering a slow, foreboding creak as the door swung open, revealing the dim, sloping path beyond. The path sloped downward, twisting and narrowing, like an artery leading to a dark heart at the center of the dungeon. Alex moved forward, his undead forces close behind. The steady, rhythmic nking of armor marked their descent into the suffocating shadows. "Going deeper," he murmured, feeling the unsettling shift in the atmosphere. Continue reading on m_v--NovelBin As they ventured deeper, the environment shifted: the walls seemed to breathe, and the once-slick surfaces took on a grotesque texture, appearing as if stitched together from skin. Finally, a notification appeared before him. [You have entered the 25th Floor.] Soon, Alex felt the familiar tug of hostility as a dense cluster of higher-level demons appeared in the distance. But this time, they weren''t just random demons¡ªeach bore a distinct mark on their foreheads, glowing with a faint crimson aura. "Guardians of the Pit," Alex muttered, these weren''t random monsters¡ªthey were level 250 elite minions. [Minions sworn to the demon lord within. Organized and battle-hardened.] There were at least thirty, their ckened armor and cursed weapons gleaming under the faint red glow of the dungeon''s walls. They formed up defensively, crafting a formidable wall, clearly well-trained for defense. "Strong, organized, and expecting me," he mused, eyeing the enemies as they approached. His undead forces mirrored his formation, the Skeletons and Bony Knights falling into line at his side. Alex nodded, whispering an order to his Spectral Wraiths, who melted into the shadows to take a wider arc behind the demons. It was time to test his new skill. He raised his staff, his voice firm as he invoked, "Spirit Chains!" Barely visible chains burst from his staff, weaving through the air beforetching onto several Guardians, momentarily binding them in ce. Boom! Boom! Boom! -15,782! -15,782! -15,782! The shackled demons fought against the restraints, but they were slowed enough for his Bony Knights to strike, lunging forward with weapons raised. The shing of swords and shields reverberated, filling the corridor with echoes of metal meeting metal. The Guardians that weren''t stunned counterattacked, tearing through several Skeletons in a single blow. Grimacing, Alex quickly re-summoned recements, fortifying his line. The Guardians'' crimson marks red, each thrust of their spears charged with dark energy as they closed in on his forces. From the shadows, his Spectral Wraiths struck, tearing into the Guardians from behind. They took life force from the enemies, who writhed under the assault, letting out guttural howls. Seeing an opportunity, Alex prepared another spell. "Meteoric ze!" he called, feeling the pulse of mana surge through his hand. He cast a massive fireball, which hurtled toward the monster, detonating on impact in waves of me and searing heat. The air thickened with the smell of scorched flesh as several Guardians fell, disoriented, opening up pockets in their formation. Just then, Alex spotted the leader¡ªa hulking, four-armed demon with serrated des. It towered above the others, its four burning eyes locking onto Alex. [Guardian Leader - Elite - Tier 5] [Level: 250] [HP: 1,200,000] [Skill: Four-armed swing, Elite Demon, Leadership, Demonic Dash...] Without hesitation, Alex activated [Spectral Chains] again,unching dozens of spectral chains from his staff. The chainstched onto the leader''s limbs, momentarily restraining it. "Attack, now!" Alex ordered, seizing the opening. With a loud crash, his Bony Knights surged forward, their swords aimed at the demon leader''s exposed torso. In quick session, they struck, chipping away at the demon''s defenses. But it was tough¡ªthe chains held only for moments before the demon tore through them, snarling as it broke free. "Alright, tough one." Alex''s smile didn''t falter as he maintained his spells, not stopping for even a single second. The demon roared, retaliating with vicious swings that forced Alex''s army back. His Spectral Wraiths darted forward, circling the leader and depleting its remaining energy. The fire in its eyes dimmed as its life force waned, and with a final, enraged cry, it copsed under thebined weight of the onught. [You have defeated a "Guardian Leader", and gained 83,238 experience poits!] As themander fell, the remaining Guardians hesitated, their morale visibly shaken. "He beat the boss!" "What do we do?!" Sensing the shift, Alexmanded his undead to press the advantage,unching a decisive counteroffensive. His army pushed forward with relentless strikes, driving the Guardians back until thest of them crumbled. Panting, Alex surveyed the notifications shing before him. He quickly extracted everything he could. [+Demonsteel Ingot (Epic Material), +75 Strength, +47 Spirit] And finally, he approached the leader, touching its body and extracting something from it. [+Fragment of the Guardian''s Crest (Mythical)] Alex eyed the crest fragment. [Description: grant temporary immunity to demonic energy or the ability to forge a weapon capable of piercing even demonic defenses.] He stored it carefully, but not before trying tosynthesize it with his [Whispers of Shadows]. [You cannot add this property to that weapon.] "Damn." Just as he turned to press onward, a soft clicking echoed through the corridor. He halted, signaling his undead to ready themselves. That sound wasing from somewhere on the floor. The sounds grew louder as he approached, rhythmically advancing toward it from the depths. They weren''t alone. The corridor eventually opened into a vast chamber, its walls towering far beyond what should be possible for an underground dungeon. Across the room, Alex saw it¡ªa massive figure seated on an obsidian throne. Two burning red eyes red at him from a chiseled face as the creature stood, revealing an imposing frame wreathed in dark energy. The demon was carrying a massive scythe in his right hand, tapping it repeatedly on the ground. [You have encountered the 25th Floor Boss: Demon Warden] The words shed before his eyes: it was the [Dark Dungeon]''s boss. [Demon Warden - Mythical - Tier 5] [Level: 250] [HP: 2,000,000] [Skills: Summon Minions, Dark Magic Affinity, Aura of Despair, Warden Smash, Dark Dungeon Master, Scythe sh...] With a bellow that shook the very walls, the Demon Warden roared, the sound reverberating through the chamber. Around him, hundreds of lesser demons slithered forth, each eager to throw itself into battle. "Your journey ends here," the warden rumbled, getting up from his seat and gesturing for the demons to stand back. "Hundreds, really?" Alex muttered, his mouth curving into a grin. Far from intimidated, he only tightened his grip on his staff and dagger, feeling the hum of his magic surge to life. His undead formed a defensive line around him, ready to answer hismand. "Alright," he murmured, determination gleaming in his eyes. "Let''s end this quick." Chapter 86 The Demon Warden, Completing the Dark Dungeon The atmosphere in the Dark Dungeon''s final room was oppressive. Shadows loomed and twisted as if alive, while the scent of ancient rot filled the air. Alex tightened his grip on the [Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage] and advanced deeper, feeling the thick presence of the [Demon Warden] up ahead. A sudden st of frigid air washed over him, nearly freezing him in ce as the towering form of the Demon Warden got up from his throne. The creature was a monstrous, horned fiend with skin as dark as coal, and eyes glowing a fierce crimson. "..." But Alex stared back with the same determination, ready to do anything in his power to win. He didn''t want to die again, like he did against the [Spider Queen]. "Let''s see what you''re made of," he muttered, gathering mana into his staff. The Demon Warden let out a deep growl, raising one wed hand. [Demon Warden - Mythical - Tier 5] [Level: 250] [HP: 2,000,000] [Skills: Summon Minions, Dark Magic Affinity, Aura of Despair, Warden Smash, Dark Dungeon Master, Scythe sh...] With a guttural roar, it lunged, aiming to crush him in a single swipe. "Not today," Alex said, invoking [Meteoric ze]. The fiery orb hurtled toward the Warden, lighting up the dungeon in a blinding sh as it struck the demon square in the chest. mes exploded outward, searing through flesh and charring the air. -38,780! The demon staggered but didn''t fall. Instead, it retaliated with a powerful st of dark energy, mming into Alex and sending him stumbling backward. -6,734! But the boy managed. "Alright, you''re tougher than I thought," he said, wiping blood from his lip. He steadied himself, focusing his mana. "Let''s try something else!" Around Alex were the hundreds upon hundreds of other demons, all looking at him. The warden had gestured for them to stand back, and Alex actually did the same with his undead. It was a true 1 on 1, and until one of them felt threatened enough to use their troops, it would stay that way. Heunched [Crimson Spike], sending a jagged spear of red energy into the Warden''s shoulder, piercing it and leaving a smoldering wound. The demon bellowed, the wound bleeding a dark, oozing substance. Its eyes red with anger, and it charged him with terrifying speed. "WEAK!" the demon snarled. As the Demon Warden closed in, Alex threw up a [Stone Fortress], just in time for the demon''s fist to crash into it. The barrier, having now 18,000, absorbed the impact, but cracks formed along its surface before shattering entirely. Alex leaped back, narrowly avoiding another swipe as he readied his next attack. "Take this!" he yelled, summoning [Rock Crash]. A massive stone formed above him, hurling down toward the demon. The boulder crashed into the Warden''s side, staggering it and creating an opening. -12,000! Alex quickly followed up with [Thunderp Bolt], the electric strike crackling through the air before mming into the demon''s chest, leaving it twitching as the stun took effect. -15,538! While the Demon Warden was momentarily dazed, Alex called forth [Spirit Chains]. Dozens of spectral chains erupted from his staff, wrapping around the demon''s arms and legs, immobilizing it and dealing continuous damage. "Not so tough now, are you?" he taunted, watching as the Warden writhed against the chains, its movements slow and strained. He raised his staff high and channeled [Fire Vortex]. A roaring cyclone of fire erupted around the Demon Warden, scorching its body as it roared. The intense heat singed its flesh, but even as mes licked across its skin, the Warden managed to tear free from the Spirit Chains, shrugging off the remaining damage. Alex still had max mana, meaning he could send an infinite amount of spells. But it was just the same for the warden. "Is that all?" even after all of this, it shrugged off the damage, which only dealt around 100,000 HP out of it''s 2,000,000 avable ones, "Well, this is boring now." The warden went back to his throne, grabbing the scythe that was leaning against it, then pointed it at Alex. "Come on, demons, it''s time to feast." The Warden''s voice boomed as he swung the scythe forward, its de crackling with dark energy. Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelBin A surge of demons rose from the shadows, flooding toward Alex''s undead army as a thunderous sh erupted across the room. "Too scared to fight fairly, heh, fine by me,"Alex wasted no time. With his staff alight with mana, he directed his undead forward. Skeletal soldiers shed with snarling demons, and the battle split the dungeon into a storm of shing metal, gnashing fangs, and torn flesh. He sidestepped as the Warden''s scythe whistled past him, the de tearing through the air inches from his face. Alex rolled to his feet, feeling the hot breath of the Demon Warden as it bore down on him with unrelenting fury. The scythe came down in a brutal arc, and Alex parried it with his staff, the force shaking his arms to the core. With the scythe pressed against him, Alexshed out, releasing a stream of spells. Each st of energy tore into the Warden''s defenses, chipping away at the monster''s seemingly endless stamina. The Warden, however, fought through the onught, his blood-red eyes fixed on Alex with an unwavering, predatory focus. sh! sh! Bam! Around them, the battle raged on. Demons shed against Alex''s undead army, bones shattering under ws while Alex''s Grand Skeletons retaliated with heavy blows, hacking down their foes. His Spectral Wraith darted through the fray,ncing dark energy into enemy ranks. "Arise! Arise! Arise!" in the meantime, Alex had to focus on his undead army, as allowing the demons to pass would be an instant loss. Alex forced himself to focus. Every move counted. Ducking under another scythe swipe, he leaped forward, his dagger shing in his hand. He drove it into the Warden''s side, feeling the resistance as the de met the demon''s flesh. Shadow Strike! Rending sh! Rending sh! Meteoric ze! Dark blood spurted out, staining his hand, and he twisted the de deeper, earning a guttural roar from the creature. The Warden retaliated, bringing his fist down. Alex felt his ribs crack as the blownded, pain shooting through him. -12,749! He gritted his teeth, summoning all the energy he had left to hold his ground. His vision blurred, but he wasn''t done. He unleashed a relentless sequence of attacks, throwing every spell he had, one after another, not giving the Warden a moment''s respite. The dungeon floor trembled beneath the barrage, cracks spiderwebbing through the stone as the two shed. sh! sh! sh! Scythe against dagger, with hundreds of monsters around them fighting. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of blows and counterblows, the Warden staggered, his towering form wavering. "Now¡­" Alex muttered, barely audible over the mor of the battlefield. He tightened his grip on his dagger, rushing forward. "YOU FOOL, I WILL KILL YOU!" The warden mmed down, but Alex faster, rolling forward and casting [Spirit Chains] to hold the warden down for even a second. And so with a final, determined thrust, he drove the de deep into the Warden''s chest, piercing through its demonic heart. [Eyes of the Cursed King] His eyes had actually guided him there, and he didn''t waste any time in doing what needed to be done. SHADOW STRIKE! [Weakness hit, dealing 1000% of damage.] "GARGH-" -545,625! An absolutely terrifying damage number. The Warden''s roar turned into a gurgle, his form copsing in on itself in a cascade of dark energy. Alex stood there, panting, the remaining demons getting destroyed by his army, even those trying to escape getting caught by the [Spectral Wraiths]. In the quiet that followed, a notification appeared in his vision. Ding! [You havepleted the Dark Dungeon!] "First try... nice." Chapter 87 Demon Hatred Emblem, Demon Hater Curse [You havepleted the Dark Dungeon!] [You have in x472 "Dungeon Demons", gained 2,404,664 experience points] [You have in a Mythical Grade Tier 5 "Demon Warden" boss, gained, 573,384 experience points] A shimmering light surrounded Alex as he leveled up. "..." There was a pause for a moment, as if the system was calcting his gains. And then, suddenly. Ding! Ding! Ding! [+Level] [+Level] . . [+Level] [You have reached level 94!] "Wow," Alex was already close to reaching the 4th tier! He quickly put his attribute points on Strength, then moved on to the extraction panels. He didn''t get much beside attribute points though, as all other items were useless other than selling, and he wasn''t focused on that right now. [+64 Strength, +40 Vitality, +13 Spirit] Of course, he did the same with the warden, cing his palm against his body. Ding! [You have extraced "Demon Warden Core" (Mythical Material)] This time, Alex didn''t even bother thinking. "Synthesis." [Elysian Staff of the Silver Mage + Demon Warden Core = ??? (Divine)] He needed more power from his staff, as right now his spells werecking the needed damage. But this would change that. Ding! [You have acquired "Demonized Staff of the Silver Mage" (Divine)] [+10000 Spirit, -50% Cooldown Reduction.] "Nice." With that, he could truly deal with those stupid demons when they tried to attack the fox tribe. But it wasn''t enough. Defeating hundreds of level 250 demons was one thing, but 10000 of them was a different story. Even he wasn''t confident he could do it. "Well, I did finish the quest, might as well move on," after this room was the final room of the [Dark Dungeon]. You would usally call areas like these the [Reward Rooms], because, well, it is there that all the rewards are avable for grabs. Alex didn''t waste any time. The entire chamber was now empty, the corpses of the demons down, as well as some of the remains of his undead. Taking a few steps forward revealed a door behind the throne of the dungeon''s boss. Alex stepped into the reward room, his gaze immediately drawn to a single pedestal in the center. A golden light beamed down on the disy, illuminating an item ced on a red cushion. "..." Ding! [You are the first to everplete this dungeon!] [Completion time is also outstanding at your current level.] [Thus, the highest reward has been granted: an artifact.] "!!!" Alex''s smile widened. The item the fox tribe wanted so much was here. And now it was his for the taking. He approached the pedestal, his eyes fixed on what looked like an ink stamp, with a strange symbol carved onto its surface. As he grabbed it, a new notification appeared. [Demon Hatred Emblem] [Description: Can be used three times, then it will be destroyed. Applying this symbol on your body will enhance your capabilities against all demonic-type enemies.] "Wow," he muttered, understanding now why the fox tribe valued it so highly. It didn''t list specific stats, but its rarity and limited usage spoke volumes. Not only would it weaken any demons he faced, but it would also bolster his own power. Without hesitating, he pressed the emblem to his arm. The pain was sharp, almost like a burn, as the mark seared onto his skin, leaving a faint, dark symbol. Ding! [You have received the "Demon Hater" Curse.] [No demons shall try to fight you.] [2 uses left.] He nced at the emblem again, a new idea forming. He held it up, calling, "Hey, Undead King,e here." "..." But no answer. "Sigh..." Alex didn''t want to do it, but he kind of forced his hand. [Death Call] The Undead King materialized before him, looking annoyed. "What do you want¡ª" Alex didn''t give him a chance to finish. He jumped up, pressing the emblem to the King''s forehead. A dark stamp appeared, searing into the Undead King''s form. "WHAT?" the Undead King roared, recoiling. "What did you do?!" Ding! [Undead Lord talent has been affected by the "Demon Hater" seal.] [All Undead minions have gained the perk.] Alex grinned. The King might not know it yet, but now his entire undead army was empowered against demons. Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelBin Alphox, who had been watching from the sidelines, chuckled. "I don''t need that. Dragons are natural enemies of demons," he sneered. "Yeah, yeah, I know," Alex replied with a smirk. "Didn''t n on using it on you anyway." The Undead King scowled, "Argh, whatever," and with a huff, he vanished back to his space. Without further dy, Alex activated his Fast Travel, the dungeon walls shimmering around him as he left the Dark Dungeon behind. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the [Mystic Forest - Fox Tribe Vige], ready to share the news of his sess. Thest thing he needed was to grind his levels and attributes while waiting for the attack, and of course, make sure the fox girls understood what he wanted them to do. The majority would just be expected to just support him, that is all he needed. Him and Alera would do the work, even Lilith and Alice if they wanted. As Alex materialized in the [Fox Tribe Vige], the sight of ancient trees and warm torchlight filled the surroundings. The fox tribe members quickly gathered, their ears and tails twitching with anticipation as they saw him return, noticing the faint glow of his new emblem stamped on his arm. "What''s that?" "New tatoo maybe..." Most of the fox girls looked at him interested and seductive looks, but Alex wasn''t interested in that. He wanted to see Lilith and Alera. And thankfully enough, it seemed that his arrival had been instantly notified as the "queen" and "princess" arrived. "Alex!" Lilith beamed. "..." Alex nodded, smiling. Alera, the fox tribe''s chief and the one most invested in retrieving the [Demon Hatred Emblem], stepped forward, her eyes gleaming as they fell on the dark mark on his arm. "!!!" her eyes widened at the sight, "Is that?" "Yeah," Alex actually didn''t waste any time, approaching Alera and grabbing her arm, resulting in the beautiful woman to step back, blushing, "It might hurt." He still had the [Demon Hatred Emblem] in hand, so he immediately stamped her arm with it. Alera was also called the [Ice Fox Queen] in his previous life because of her powerful ice abilities, mimicking her silver/white fur. She would be his greatest ally against the demons, simply by the fact she was currently level 400, meaning tier 6. "Ouch~" Alera let out a cute noise that she didn''t even know she could let out. Alex didn''t know how old she was, since beast races usually lived longer than regr humans, but to him she still looked as though she was in her prime. "And... done," Alex smiled as he removed the stamp from her arm, on her beautiful pale skin the same demonic symbol was left on her. [Alera has received the "Demon Hater" curse.] [3 uses reached, destroying artifact.] The stamp he was carrying in hand suddenly began desintegrating, and afte rless than three seconds it had be ash. An artifact item that could only be used so little meant it would be great in term of efficiency. And usually, there aren''t many copies of one item, as proven by the [World Map] which only existed in two copies. Reading the effects of the curse she received, Alera''s eyes widened. "Human! That''s amazing!" she went to hug Alex, her strength far higher than his, though it was mostly her twin mountains on his face that almost suffocated him. "No... Pro...blem..." Chapter 88 Undead Farming, Acquiring Magic Crystals in the Forest Alex managed to break free from Alera''s overly enthusiastic embrace, catching his breath and adjusting his clothes as her strength had nearly ttened him. As he straightened up, he noticed Lilith giving him an amused, if slightly annoyed, looks. He cleared his throat, a bit embarrassed, but quickly turned his attention back to Alera. "Actually, Alera," he began, "I wanted to ask you about something specific. Do you know any ways to help level up apanion, like a pet?" Alera''s gaze turned curious, but before she could answer, a dark shadow appeared above Alex, casting the whole area in a sudden dimness. Alphox materialized as soon as he heard the word "pet", his massive, scaly form hovering right over the group. "A DRAGON!" one of the fox women screamed, pointing with wide eyes. "THAT''S A PRIMORDIAL DRAGON!" Another fox girl dropped her food and bolted. Panic spread quickly through the entire tribe. Foxes scattered in all directions, fleeing from Alphox as if they''d seen a ghost. "Yes! YES! Run from me, fools!" Alex sighed, realizing toote that he''d overlooked one major detail: primordial dragons were universally feared across almost every race in this world. Even though Alphox''s aura was dimmed and weaker now, the sight of him was terrifying enough to make even level 500 warriors shiver. Alphox let out a small snort, a puff of dark mes escaping from his nostrils, causing even the bravest of fox girlx to freeze in ce. "So," Alera said, stepping back cautiously but only for a moment. "You want to help this... thing level up?" She tilted her head at Alphox, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully as she assessed the dragon''s form. Despite her initial wariness, she approached Alphox again, her confidence returning as she sensed he was harmless for the time being. "Yeah, exactly," Alex replied with a nod. Alera smiled, crossing her arms as she spoke. "I wouldn''t trust it, but oh well, it''s your choice," she shrugged before answering, "Well, actually, the monsters in the Mystical Forest have a small chance of dropping magic crystals." "Not anything too powerful, but they could work as level boosters." "The catch is that it''d take a while to get even one of them, but it could be good enough, right?" Alex chuckled, catching her confused expression as he did. "Yeah, leave that to me." Alphox let out a low growl, dark smoke curling up from his mouth in anticipation. "Finally," he muttered, clearly eager for some action. Instead of jumping into the fight himself, though, Alex took a deep breath and, for the first time, decided he''d let his army handle it. He was tired, and besides, he had an army for a reason. Alex raised a hand and summoned all of his undead minions with a single thought: 80 skeletons, 13 grand skeletons, 4 bony knights, and 3 spectral wraiths materialized in a cloud of dark magic. The vige square filled with their eerie presence, each one standing perfectly still, awaiting hismand. "What the hell?" Alera was tier 6, but wasn''t it only the Undead King, Undead Lord and high level necromancers that could do this? "Alright, you lot," Alex said, gesturing towards the edge of the vige that opened up into the Mystic Forest. "Go to the edge of the vige and take down anything you find. Stay close, though¡ªtoo far, and you''ll fall apart." [System Note: if your undead go too far from your aura, they will immediately crumble.] The undead moved as one, a silent, ominous force heading toward the forest''s danger zone, sticking close enough to avoid dispersing. Explore stories on m,v l''e-NovelBin Alex leaned back against a tree, letting himself rx as his army did the work. "I can prepare something for you if you want," Alera smirked as she saw Alex rest, "We have food, houses, everything." "It''s fine," Alex shook his head, wanting to stay as close to the edge as possible. ... As the undead warriors approached the Mystic Forest, they immediately encountered several tier 5 monsters lurking among the thick trees and glowing mushrooms. The forest was known for its powerful wildlife, and the undead had barely entered the edge of it when a pack of level 250 forest wolves ambushed them, teeth bared and ws extended. "..." "Let''s go..." Without hesitation, the bony knights took the lead, their skeletal bodies ttering as they formed a defensive line, "Don''t disappoint... the master..." The grand skeletons raised their swords or axes, swinging with brutal efficiency. As the wolves lunged, the undead responded in kind, countering with powerful strikes and imprable defense. The wolves may have better stats, but the undead were ruthless. The problem with sending the undead alone was that Alex would have a hard time summoning more of them to help those that died. Spectral wraiths swooped down from above, their ghostly forms slipping through the wolves'' attacks and delivering chilling strikes that weakened the creatures with every touch. Another wave of monsters soon arrived¡ªa horde of level 250 [Mystical Tigers], their ck eyes gleaming as they rushed toward the army. The skeletons pivoted, adapting to the new threat, their swords shing under the dim forest light as they hacked through everything. With each kill, Alex received notifications from afar, noting the experience points pouring in as the undead warriors dismantled their opponents. Despite their somewhat fragile appearance, the undead army was more than capable of holding its ground against these forest monsters. And Alex didn''t need to lift a finger as he watched their relentless progress! Of course, many died in the process, and the army was dwindling, but it was fine. Minutes turned into hours as the undead continued their skirmishes with various creatures: forest boars, enchanted treants, and even a few rogue earth spirits. Eventually, all of his undead fell since they weren''t invincible. But it was fine, because Alex got more than enough. [You have gained x54 Magic Crystals.] [+1 Level] With a grin, Alex activated his Synthesis ability, watching as the magic crystals floated in front of him, merging one by one until they transformed into a single, glowing blue gem. Ding! [You have created "S-Level Magic Crystal (Mythical)"] "You''ll get your food soon, Alphox," Alex grinned as he stored the crystal in his inventory, feeling satisfied. "Nice," and Alphox was actually pleased. [Your favorability with "Alphox" has increased.] Favorability with pets was important, and it was now the third time such a panel appeared. Maybe soon enough Alphox would actually help him out in battles. He just needed to wait for [Potential Extraction] to kick in now. He got up, feeling good about everything that had happened recently. Alera and Lilith were beside him, thetter looking at the sky. "Alright," Alex sighed, "That should be enoug-" He wanted to speak, but yet again, he was interruped by the feeling of his heart being struck by a hammer. "ARGH-" It was more powerful than before, so painful in fact that he spat blood. "ALEX?" Lilith approached him as he fell to his knees, breathing hard. "Hm," Alera kept looking at Alex, noticing a faint dark aura around him, "You''re cursed." "Cursed?!" Lilith gasped. "Yeah... I am..." Alex mumbled, struggling to get up, "This is the side effect of my curse." "What is the curse?" Alera asked, raising her eyebrows, "And what''s the side effect?" "..." Alex looked at Alera with a neutral expression. Saying the curse would be fine, but the side effect was another story. Alice also wasn''t there, and she''s currentlypleting her tier 3 advancement task, he couldn''t disturb her. In the end, after being pressed further by the [Ice Fox Queen], Alex gave in. "Curse of the Undead King," he sighed, "If I don''t have sex regrly, this happens," he gasped, spitting more blood. "..." "..." The two fox girls looked at one another, Lilith''s face turning bright red. Chapter 89 Taming Alera, The Fox Tribe Queen "Haha..." Alera covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking, "This is hrious. So, are you saying that if you don''t fuck, you die?" "Basically," he replied. "Then what''s the problem?" Alera crossed her arms, her eyes twinkling, "You''re an Undead Lord, right? So, have sex with undead." "..." Alex couldn''t even say a word, he was speechless. "Not... gonna work..." Alex''s heart was starting to be crushed like crazy again, and when he tried to get up, he miserably failed. He needed to find someone, and quick. "Well..." Alera suddenly spoke, "We have plenty of women here who would be willing to do it, so just choose, human, I''m sure many would even be willing to have your children." "M-Mom?!" Lilith''s face turned bright red, gesturing at Alex and shaking her head. "Oh... yeah..." Aleraughed again, "Well, Alex, how about my daughter, will she do?" "Maybe... who knows... they say my urges are too overwhelming for a single person..." He clearly remembered Alice telling him that she wouldn''t be able to keep them in check alone, and that she needed someone else. But right now, Alex was on the verge of snapping. "I am actually surprised you''re holding out this long, human," the undead king spoke from within Alex. "Agreed," Alphoxughed. Alex gritted his teeth, trying to fight through the pain. The curse was getting worse by the second, and he knew he didn''t have much time left before losing his morals. He looked at Lilith, whose face was still bright red, then back at Alera. "I... I don''t want to force anyone," he managed to say betweenbored breaths. Alera rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You''re not forcing anyone. We''re offering." She turned to her daughter. "Lilith, dear, why don''t you help Alex out? Consider it diplomacy." Lilith''s eyes widened. "M-Mom! I can''t just... I mean... we barely know each other and I won''t know what to do...!" Alex felt another wave of pain wash over him as he spat blood. "Well, then I''ll do it myself," Alera winked, her beautiful silver hair that reached her waist swaying as she kneeled, "Come on, get up, let me taste you~" "¡­" Alex''s mind raced, torn between his desperate need for relief and his lingering sense of morality. But as another spasm of agony tore through him, he realized he was out of options. With a shaky breath, he met Alera''s gaze. "I... I ept your offer," he managed to say. Alera''s eyes gleamed as she helped Alex to his feet. "Excellent choice. Let''s find somewhere more private, shall we?" She turned to her still-blushing daughter. "Lilith, dear, why don''t you keep an eye on things here?" Before Lilith could protest, Alera was already leading Alex away, supporting his body as they headed towards one of the nearby houses. Alera guided Alex into a cozy hut adorned with soft furs and glowing crystals. As she helped him onto the bed, her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, brushing against his skin. "Now then," she purred, her golden eyes glinting mischievously. "Let''s take care of that curse, shall we?" She reached for the ties of Alex''s shirt, but he caught her wrist. The pain was fading, reced by a burning need. He could feel the curse''s dark energy coursing through him, awakening something primal. "No," he growled, his voice deeper than usual. "I''ll be taking charge." In one fluid motion, he flipped their positions, pinning Alera beneath him. Her eyes widened in surprise. "H-Huh?" Alera didn''t expect that. Alex''s eyes glowed with an otherworldly light as he gazed down at Alera. He removed his armor using his status window, then his clothes, instantly revealing his manhood. "W-What? So big?!" she didn''t expect something like that, no way she could take it! A low growl rumbled in Alex''s chest. He gripped Alera''s ornate robes and, with inhuman strength, tore them away. The delicate fabric shredded easily, leaving the fox queen bare beneath him. She had massive breasts, and her thighs were so thick she could probably crush a watermelon with them. Everything about her was beautiful, beyond anything you could find on Earth. Alex imed Alera''s lips in a searing kiss as he joined their bodies. She gasped at the intensity, her back arching as Alex set a relentless pace. "Mh~" her eyes filled with tears, her womb clenching. The space filled with the sounds of their passionate encounter as Alex poured all his pent-up need into dominating the powerful fox queen. "Alright... Fox Queen... I''m about to make you mine..." Alex smiled. Being in charge of a tier 6 NPC felt incredibly good to him. "Oooohh~" Alera moaned as Alex''s member entered for the first time, her voice thick with ecstasy. Her ws dug into Alex''s back as a climax overtook her. Her body convulsed, "W-What was that?!" She had never experienced anything like this! "Shh... just enjoy..." Alex growled, his eyes zing with supernatural light as he thrust again, touching her fox ears at the same time, "They''re soft..." Each swing of his hips was another climax brought to the fox queen, who was already at his mercy at this point. Alera''s eyes rolled back, incoherent cries spilling from her lips. Her legs trembled as Alex drove into her relentlessly. She had lost count of her orgasms, each one blending into the next in an endless sea of bliss. Outside, the rest of the tribe could hear Alera''s cries of pleasure echoing through the vige. Many blushed and averted their eyes, awed by the intensity of what was happening in that house. "M-Mom?!" but the most shocked was Lilith, who couldn''t do anything but listen. "What''s happening to me," she felt something strange happening to her body, and once she touched her lower part, she realized that liquid was dripping from it. Instinctively, she began touching it again, letting out small moans, not caring about what all the others would think. Hours passed as Alex''s stamina seemed endless. By the time he finally finished, Alera was limp in his arms, utterly spent but glowing with satisfaction. As the curse''s hold on him faded, Alex gentlyid her on the bed. "That was... incredible," Alera murmured as white liquid dripped from her crotch, her voice hoarse, "We need... to do it again..." "Sure," Alex smiled as he kissed the fox queen onest time, "I''ll make you my pet." "~~~" Any other time, Alera would have be mad and made sure to erase the fool that treated her as a pet, but this time, she felt strangely aroused. If this continued, she would surely be addicted to Alex. "I''ll rest, do whatever you want," even Alera was tired from such a session, and so she slept on the bed. Alex on the other hand waspletely energized. He left the small house, and in front of it, he noticed Lilith against the wall, her hand reaching at her bottom. "What are you doing...?" he raised his eyebrows. "AAAH-" she suddenly removed her hand and got up, "N-Nothing, just... doing stuff." Alex looked at her hand, which was dripping with juice, but he decided to ignore it for now. "Sorry about that," he mumbled while leaving. "D-Don''t mind it," strangely enough, Lilith didn''t seem mad or anything, instead, she had some sort of excited look on her face. Chapter 90 Alphox Reached Tier 6? Maxing Out a Skill While waiting for Alice''s return from her advancement task, Alex rxed in the Fox Tribe Vige, content to let his perks recharge. Both [Skill Evolution] and [Item Potential Extraction] would be avable soon, so all he had to do was wait. The fox girls weed him warmly, offering various delicacies made from ingredients sourced in the nearby [Mystical Forest]. Their dishes were delicious, and Alex found himself thoroughly enjoying the unique vors. Not long after, Alera joined him, her cheeks flushed as she recalled their previous encounter. But she maintained her usual cool demeanor, embodying the [Ice Fox Queen] she was known to be. Beside her, Lilith smiled warmly. "You''re wee to stay here as long as you like, savior!" she said with enthusiasm. "Thanks," Alex replied with a grin, feeling at ease. Several hours passed before a message came from Alice. [StarPillow: I finished¡­ it was tougher than I thought, so I think I''ll just rest up in our vi.] [FateBreaker: I can prepare something for you if you want. I''m still here in the Fox Tribe Vige.] [StarPillow: It''s fine, just do your thing, you need to save them from the attack after all, right?] Alex couldn''t help but smile at her message, and so he just ended the conversation with an [I will.] Soon after, the notifications he''d been waiting for appeared. [Skill Evolution is avable.] [Item Potential Extraction is avable.] "Finally¡­" he murmured, reaching into his [Superior Python Backpack] to pull out the [S-Level Magic Crystal (Mythical)]. Ding! The crystal, just like the first time he had done it when he hatched Alphox, was surrounded by energy and began to transform, its power and shape changing. [You have enhanced "S-Level Magic Crystal (Mythical)"] [New Artifact Item: "Max Out Magic Crystal"] He didn''t have a moment to appreciate the transformation before Alphox appeared beside him, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Yeah, yeah," Alex sighed, tossing the crystal into the air. Alphox snapped it up and devoured it in one quick motion. "This is much appreciated, human!" Alphox growled, his voice carrying a deep resonance. [Your favorability with "Alphox" has increased!] Suddenly, a dark aura enveloped the primordial dragon, his body glowing as he transformed. His scales grew sharper, darker, and emitted a faint shadowy mist, adding an even more menacing edge to his appearance. His eyes gleamed with fierce intelligence that felt otherworldly. Ding! [Alphox has reached level 400, bing a Tier 6 pet!] [He gained two new skills:] [Eclipsing Roar: Alphox lets out a terrifying, dragon-ss roar, instilling fear in enemies within arge radius. Enemies affected by Eclipsing Roar are temporarily stunned for 3 seconds and lower their attack and defense by 20%] [Umbral Shield: Creates a protective shield of shadows around the user or an ally, absorbing all damage for three seconds and returning 25% of it back to the attacker.] ... Alex gave an approving nod, pleased with the powerful new abilities Alphox had gained. He also checked his status window just to make sure everything was alright. [Name: Alphox] [Type: Primordial Shadow Dragon] [Rank: Level 400, 6-Star] [Master: FateBreaker] [Skills: Shadow mes, Strike, Fly, Eclipsing Roar, Umbral Shield¡­] ... "Nice." But now, it was his turn to improve. Without hesitation, he opened his skill panel and scrolled to one of his core skills. [Do you want to upgrade "Meteoric ze" (High-Tier) to "Fire Meteor" (Max-Tier)?] "Yes." Ding! [You have evolved your skill to "Fire Meteor" (Max-Tier)] ["Fire Meteor" has reached the maximum tier and cannot be evolved further, except if turned into a Forbidden Spell.] The thought of a [Forbidden Spell] intrigued him, though he knew little about them beyond the fact that most powerful beings, like gods, held such skills. He checked out [Fire Meteor]''s updated stats: [Fire Meteor: Summons a meteor from the sky, dealing 200,000 damage + 100% Spirit to the target. Mana cost: 50,000. Cooldown: 10 seconds.] "Damn," he muttered, thoroughly impressed. Now he should be able to deal with monsters that have 1,000,000 health in less than a minute! Even less considering the 50% cooldown reduction from his [Demonized Staff of the Silver Mage]. And thanks to his +10,000 mana regeneration per second, he could practically cast it indefinitely. It was as if the world was aligning for him at this point. Now he would just need to upgrade his other skills, and for that he would have to wait. ... The days that followed felt like a well-earned break. He spent time in the real world with Alice, and whenever they returned to the game, she''d often join him at the Fox Tribe Vige. There, Alera would always be instructing all of her people on what to do when the attack happens. All fox girls ced their entire trust in Alex, and they believed in his power to save them. Even he didn''t know if he would manage, but with his upgraded skills and the tier 6 Alphox, he put higher chances of sess on his side. "One! Two! Three! SWING!" Alera shouted repeatedly, forcing the fox girls to make the same movements, as if they were in the military. "Working hard?" Alex smiled as he pped Alera''srge buttocks out of nowhere. "Hiii~?" she looked back to see it was the human, "Yeah, I''m managing well." Alex chuckled, noting her flushed cheeks as she nced away. This yful exchange had be something of a routine between them, one that even Alice had witnessed without much fuss. pping Alera''s ass any time he saw her was a ritual both Alex and Alera herself enjoyed. In fact, he even did it in front of Alice, who didn''t even seem to mind. "Don''t you feel jealous?" Lilith asked the first time she saw Alex do it. "Hm?" Alice turned her head, "Why would I? I''m actually happy someone else can contain Alex''s lust and his curse with me." "R-Really?" this sentence only made Lilith more excited for some reason, drool pouring out from her mouth. It was as if she had acquired a new fetish, though she tried really hard to suppress it. The curse came back two times during his break, one time he did it with Alice in the real world. But the second, she was so exhausted that she actually pressured Alex to do it with Alera, which he did to suppress the curse. Basically, Alice didn''t mind it at all, and frankly, it actually excited her just a little bit. ... During this downtime, Alex also managed to evolve another skill using [Skill Evolution] each time it became avable. [Do you want to upgrade "Rending sh" (Advanced) to "Severing Gale" (High-Tier)?] "Yeah." [Do you want to upgrade "Severing Gale" (High-Tier) to "Oblivion Strike" (Max-Tier)?] Ding! [You have evolved your skill to "Oblivion Strike" (Max-Tier)] [Oblivion Strike; A powerful dagger strike that deals 100,000 damage to target + 100% of strength to target; no cooldown.] "DAMN!" Alex was bbergasted. This was actually getting out of hand! After trying it a few times though, he got used to this damage, feeling satisfied with his progress. During the week he stayed in the vige, he obviously made sure to fight as it would be stupid not to try to get the most amount of stats and levels possible. [Extraction Talent Activated: +746 Strength, +693 Spirit, +561 Vitality, +589 Agility.] [Next Upgrade: 3471/10000 Extraction Points.] He made sure to only take attribute points. And so he managed to go from level 95 to level 100. Ding! [You have reached level 100, thus bing a tier 4 yer!] [Your level will be locked until youplete your advancement task.] His sses disyed proudly: [ss: Unparalleled Mage; Assassin of Wrath] It was already time to upgrade his rank again. After the tier 3 task he had gone through, which wasn''t that difficult, he could now try to get better items on his tier 4 task. But, what Alex didn''t expect, was the task that he would receive. [Iing massive event detected.] [You will receive the most difficult tier 4 advancement task for a yer of your caliber.] Ding! [Tier 4 Advancement Task: Defeat the "Demon Army" that will attack the Fox Tribe Vige.] Alex''s eyes widened as he processed the mission details, "Huh?" [Your rating willpletely depend on your victory or defeat in this battle.] [Failure will result in an F-Rating, while victory will result in an SSS-Rating.] [Good luck!] "What the¡­?" Alex was stunned. The sheer scale of the task took him by surprise. He took a deep breath, focusing his mind on the monumental task ahead. He''d spent days preparing and upgrading his skills, building trust with the fox tribe, and empowering Alphox. All that work was leading up to this moment. Now, he had to put everything he''d gained to the test. "Well," he murmured with a smirk, "I nned to save them anyway, this is just a bonus." Chapter 91 Tier 4 Advancement Task, 100 Million Beta Testers A few hours after Alex received his announcement about his tier 4 advancement task; another one appeared before him. Actually, it appeared in front of everybody. [Global Announcement: 1 in-game month (2 weeks in the real world) have passed since "Universal Descent"unched, and it has been deemed appropriate to allow more yers to enter.] [The number of beta testers has increased from 20 million to 100 million.] "Oh, yeah," Alex had almost forgotten because of everything happening, but something like that indeed was happening. This announcement, in the real world, appeared on every single TV and electronic device, no one able to miss it. And even those that did would know soon enough as someone from their surroundings or they themselves had a [Rune Bracelet] appear around their wrists. [You can now go inside of ''Universal Descent''.] Word spread like wildfire, and anticipation filled every corner of Earth as people were on their knees, begging to be selected. Humans all over the world were ecstatic at the chance to enter Universal Descent, especially with the number of testers jumping from 20 million to an astonishing 100 million. An additional 80 million people would soon get a chance to ess the game. For humanity, this was monumental. Millions of yers who had only dreamed of logging into the game now saw it as a possibility. Those who were selected could hardly contain their excitement. But Alex viewed the news from a different angle. To him, this was an influx of potential enemies. With millions of new yers, it was inevitable that some would possess SS-level or even SSS-level talents. Such power couldplicate things for him, as he''d be forced to contend with far more high-level threats. It was without saying that a major part of the powerhouses in his previous life came from the second batch of beta testers if not the third. He knew of a few yers with talents that could give him serious trouble, but he couldn''t take action just yet. His current priority was to prepare for the looming [Demon Invasion]. With only a few days left, he didn''t have the luxury of tracking down potential rivals. ... Actually, something strange happened for the first time to Alex. The day after the reveal of the increased amount of beta testers, he tried to yet again use [Potential Extraction] on one of his items. In this case, it was the [Fragment of the Guardian''s Crest] (Mythical) he got from the [Guardian Leader] inside the dungeon''s 25th floor. But... [You have tried to use "Potential Extraction" on the "Fragment of the Guardian''s Crest"...] [It has failed; this item cannot be enhanced.] To his frustration, the attempt actually counted against his daily use of [Potential Extraction]. He would have to wait until the following day before trying again. Undeterred, Alex nned to use it on a different item, figuring he''d had bad luck. The next day, he tried again, this time on the [Blood Altar], an item he had obtained from a [Fate Gift Box] that allowed him to summon a Tier 7 monster. This item held significant potential, so he was certain it could be enhanced. [You have tried to use "Potential Extraction" on the "Blood Altar"...] [It has failed; this item cannot be enhanced.] Once again, the extraction attempt failed, and he lost a daily use of the skill. It was baffling; he''d never encountered items that couldn''t be enhanced. After two failed attempts in a row, he gave up on enhancing either of these items, focusing on those he would getter. ... 6 more days passed after that, giving Alex the time to upgrade another of his skills to [Max-Tier]: Thunderp Bolt. [Do you want to upgrade "Thunderp Bolt" (Advanced) to "Thunderous Strike" (High-Tier)?] Ding! [Do you want to upgrade "Thunderous Strike" (High-Tier) to "Fury of Thunder" (Max-Tier)?] "Yes," he said again with a grin, knowing the power boost this would bring. [You have evolved your skill to "Fury of Thunder" (Max-Tier)] [Fury of Thunder: Unleashes three lightning strikes from the sky. Each strike deals 150,000 points of damage + 100% of spirit to the target, with a 50% chance to stun. Consumes 60,000 mana. 10-second cooldown.] The boost was immense. And Alex could already imagine how effective "Fury of Thunder" would be against the demons. Each lightning strike would devastate his enemies, especially with the chance to stun. With a satisfied smirk, he stored this newfound power for the battle ahead. ... As the days passed, Alex continued to prepare. And atst, the day of the attack arrived. A new system message shed before his eyes: [Tier 4 Advancement Task: Today is the day.] [3:47:21 before the attack.] A countdown timer appeared in front of him, ticking down the hours, minutes, and seconds until the invasion. Alex took a deep breath, knowing that this was the final stretch. He obviously informed Fox Tribe immediately, and the [Ice Fox Queen] nodded, her eyes steely with determination. She and Alex had been stamped by the [Demon Hater] curse/effect, meaning that they should manage much better against these beasts. Plus, Alex had his undead army, which also had that same [Demon Hater] effect, as well as Alphox and the Undead King''s [Death Call]. They weren''t going into this fight unprepared. Alera instructed the Fox Tribe residents to stay inside their homes and only defend themselves if necessary. They were told to only fight for their lives if escape was impossible, and if they were surrounded, otherwise they would need to run. Alex, however, had no intention of letting the demons get that far. With a grim expression, he watched the countdown tick closer to zero. [Demons to kill: 10,000] [5:00] "They''re gonnae from everywhere, but our vige has a barrier around it," Alera shouted to Alex, "That barrier has 50,000,000 HP, if they destroy it they''ll be able to enter, but we have to stop them!" "Right." Without wasting time, Alex raised his arm with a determined look on his face. "Rise, my undead," he whispered. Fwish! Fwish! Fwish! One by one, they emerged, spectral and skeletal warriors loyal to hismand. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] "Form groups of ten, led by one or two of the stronger undead. Defend the vige at all costs," he instructed. Each of his undead soldiers nodded, determination burning in their eyes. In different parts of their bodies, Alex could notice that the emblem of the [Demon Hater] was there. The timer continued to tick down. [1:00 minute left.] BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! In the distance, explosions rocked the earth, many rifts opening around the vige inside the [Mystical Forest]. This was how the demons nned to attack. And as expected, hundreds upon hundreds of them came out of the portals, each one of them looking strong and wielding a weapon. "ALRIGHT, LET''S DO THIS!" Alex shouted, his voice booming over the sounds of chaos. He took a deep breath and raised his arm, feeling the static charge of his recently upgraded skills. Fire Meteor, Oblivion Strike and Fury of Thunder. He was ready to use them to win. [Low-Level Demon n - Level 300] The demons approached in waves, then they all stopped right before reaching the barrier. "Abandon this vige and be ves of the demons," the biggest demon of them all, probablythemander, shouted, "None of you have to die!" "FUCK OFF," Alera shouted. "So it is like this," Grayar, the low-level demon nmander sighed, "Demons, erase this vige from the map." "SIR, YES, SIR!" Bam! Bam! Bam! The magical shield red and pulsed with each impact, but it held strong. [Tier 4 Advancement Task: Defend the Vige.] [Good luck.] Chapter 92 The Demon Hater Curses Effect, Start of the Demon Attack The battlefield stretched out before Alex, filled with the ominous glow of countless demons surging forward. From every direction, demons charged, their blood-red eyes and sharp weapons glinting in the dim light of the Mystical Forest. Experience more tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin [Demon Soldier] [Level: 300 - Tier 5] [HP: 800,000] [Skills: m, Punch, Demonic Aura, Strike...] The [Demon Hater] effect instantly activated though, surrounding him with a crimson aura that strengthened him. [Demon Hater Emblem: Doubles damage and defense against Demon monsters.] "Oh!?" Alex smiled. This could make the entire difference between victory and failure! Alera stood close, ready to defend her vige. The magical barrier held firm, but with the overwhelming numbers hammering against it, it wouldn''tst forever. "Defend the vige at all costs!" Alera''s voice rang out. Though her expression was set with determination, Alex could see the flicker of worry in her eyes. The countdown ended. BOOM! The first wave crashed into the barrier, the demon soldiers''bined impact rippling across its surface. Alex felt a surge of mana as he prepared for the onught. "Go... Undead..." he whispered. With the [Demon Hater] emblem glowing on their bodies, each of his summoned allies took position along the barrier''s edge, attacking with their weapons. The aura surrounding them intensified their strength, giving them a menacing edge against the demon army. Without warning, Alex raised his staff, activating [Fire Meteor]. WHOOOSH! A zing meteor descended from above, mming into the mass of demons outside the barrier with a deafening roar. It exploded on impact, dealing 435,158 damage to the target area and scattering nearby demons like leaves in the wind. "ARGH-" "What the hell is this power?!" 10,000 demons, but with his current skills, his endless mana pool and reduced cooldown/costs, he was a spell machine. But for every demon that fell back, more emerged from the portals, filling the void just as quickly. The effect of [Demon Hater] bolstered Alex''s strikes, each hitnding with twice the power against the demons. FURY OF THUNDER! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! He lifted his staff again, three thunder strikes hitting the area before Alex and dealing 335,158 three times to each demon caught in the area. And best of all, even those that survived were [Stunned]! This allowed Alex''s undead to attack without risking immediate death. Yet the overwhelming numbers made it clear: brute force alone wouldn''t win this fight. "Fire Vortex!" he shouted, summoning a swirling inferno that tore through the demons nearby. The mes spiraled out, each one dealing 170% of his spirit to the enemies caught in its path. Dozens fell, their bodies copsing under the fiery assault, but even more surged forward, showing no signs of retreat. [Demons Left: 9,743] "Give up, human and fox beasts!" Grayar shouted,manding his army forward. After a few more minutes passed, all demons had now entered the [Mystical Forest], the crimson rifts closing behind. Alera charged forward, wielding a gleaming spear made of ice. She swung it with precision, her strikesnding true. Ice sh! BAM! Instantly, dozens upon dozens of demons were evaporated as ice took over the terrain Alera swung at. -1,458,281! She dealt incredible damage, even more so thanks to Alex''s [Demon Hater] effect. "Stay strong, everyone!" Alera shouted, her voice steady despite the chaos. She was the only one among the foxes fighting, but she kept shouting to give confidence to her people, and also to announce that she was still alive. On the other side of the battlefield, Alice drew her bow, her arrows piercing through demons'' defenses. However, her damage wasn''t nearly enough to make a dent in the horde, and she quickly realized it. Her face twisted with frustration, and she retreated back to a safe distance, panting as she tried to reload. "They just keeping," Alex muttered, eyes narrowing. Thanks to his infinite mana pool and cooldown reduction, Alex could throw [Fire Meteor] and [Fury of Thunder] every 5 seconds. Of course, he used other skills in between, and also revived the undead that had been in. "Damn it," Alex gritted his teeth. Even with [Demon Hater] doubling his damage and defense, the sheer numbers made it a grueling challenge. But this wasn''t working. He needed something more. "I need to... attack in closebat," he tightened the grip around his dagger, knowing he would need to put himself at risk. But it would be worth it. "Oblivion Strike!" he shouted, lunging forward with his dagger. He plunged it into a demon soldier''s chest. -245,210! "!!!" While staying behind the barrier, he could take advantage of it to quickly strike the demons repeatedly. -245,210! -245,210! -245,210! And of course, his other hand would keep his staff raised to cast spells. The battlefield was pure chaos at this point. On one hand, thousands of demons were trying to pierce the defenses to reach Alex. On the other, Alera was dominating the other demons, easily dispatching of hundreds of them in a few strikes. And finally, the undead would do the rest, especially his [Leader Undeads] (AKA Grand Skeletons, Bony Knights and Spectral Wraiths) as their numbers when joined could easily kill dozens of demons. 20 minutes passed like this. [Demons left: 7,326] And they were doing decent! A loud roar echoed over the battlefield. Alex''s eyes locked onto the [Low-Level Demon n Commander] standing among the demon ranks, a towering figure with horns protruding from his helmet. "Destroy this vige! No mercy!" themander bellowed, his voice a low growl filled with menace. The demon soldiers surged forward, their renewed vigor crashing against the barrier again and again. It shimmered, holding for now, but Alex could see the cracks beginning to form. "Time to take down some more of these pests," he muttered. He extended his staff and unleashed [Spirit Chains]. Transparent chains shot out, snaring a dozen demons. The damage wasn''t significant, but stopping them was the true objective as he finished the job with a [Fire Meteor]. Alex took a quick nce beside him. His undead were holding their ground, but the toll was beginning to show. Even with the [Aura of Death] buff boosting their attack and defense, they were struggling against the endless horde. "You dare approach my vige, you assholes!" Alera shouted as she cast [Iceberg Surge], an attack that made a massive iceberg emerge from the ground, killing hundreds of demons instantly because of the power. "W-Wow," Alex was shocked, and he didn''t even know if he could win against her, in battle that is, since he clearly won in bed. "Alera, fall back if you need to!" he called out. "I''ll be fine!" she replied, though her voice was strained. The barrier flickered, its once-bright glow dimming under the relentless assault. A warning shed across Alex''s vision: [Barrier Durability: 10,000,000/50,000,000 HP] Alex clenched his fist. He knew it wouldn''tst if the demons kept this up. "Alright, let''s try this again," he said, summoning another [Fire Meteor]. The zing projectile tore through the sky,nding in the thick of the demon ranks with an explosion that sent shockwaves across the battlefield. A massive dent appeared in their numbers, but as quickly as they fell, more took their positions. These demons were willing to sacrifice thousands to be able to enter this vige, and once they did, it would be chaos. "COME ON!" Alex shouted. Fire Meteor! Shadow Strike! Spirit Chains! Fury of Thunder! BOOM! SLASH! FWISH! ZAP! "Rise again!" he shouted, calling forth more undead soldiers. His mana surged, and more skeletal warriors rose to his aid, their [Demon Hater] emblems glowing bright as they charged forward instantly. As Alex regrouped with his allies, Alera and Alice covered his sides. Alice fired arrows into the ranks of demons, providing a bit of breathing room, though her attacks barely dented their defenses. "Alright," Suddenly, Grayar, demonmander lifted his weapon, a twisted ck mace, and mmed it into the ground, releasing a powerful shockwave, "I have to do everything, don''t I?" BOOM! Alex felt the impact even through the barrier. It rippled, shing red. [Barrier Durability: 1,000,000/50,000,000 HP] "Alex! They''re going to break through!" Alera warned, fear flickering in her eyes. Alex scowled, sweat dripping down his face. They were running out of time. [Demons left: 5,747] "We''re not done yet!" Alex shouted, rallying his undead and bracing for the impending breach. But suddenly... "Finally need my help, heh?" he heard a voice, and once he looked up, he saw Alphox, the primordial shadow dragon, "I guess I''ll show those demons who''s king here." "Finally!" Alex sighed, feeling relieved to see the dragon spread his wings and begin flying in the air. "These fools won''t even know what hit them," Alphox smiled as he cast [Shadow mes] on the entire battlefield. Chapter 93 Alphoxs Flames, Defending the Fox Tribe Village Alex stood at the edge of the Fox Tribe Vige, his heart pounding as Alphox, the Primordial Shadow Dragon, soared overhead. The sky darkened as Alphox circled, casting an enormous shadow over the demon army below. Hundreds of demons froze in ce, their eyes wide with fear as they looked up at the beast. Alphox opened his mouth, a surge of darkness gathering in his throat. "Shadow mes!" A torrent of searing shadowy fire burst forth, raining down upon the demons. Hundreds were instantly incinerated, their bodies consumed by the ck mes before they could even scream. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and Alex grinned. "NICE, ALPHOX!" he shouted up, feeling a surge of confidence. The demons were now in disarray, many too stunned to move. "A p-primordial dragon¡­?" one of them stammered, backing away. "Commander, what do we do?" another demon asked, voice trembling. Grayar, their leader, wasn''t intimidated. His expression twisted with rage as he raised his massive mace, "We¡­" He mmed his weapon against the vige barrier with a thunderous ng, "BREAK THROUGH!" With a final strike, the barrier flickered, then shattered, leaving the vige vulnerable. As the demons rushed forward, Alphox''s mes needed time to recharge. But the dragon wasn''t finished. He hovered in ce, his eyes zing with excitement. "Human," Alphox''s voice echoed in Alex''s mind. "Hm?" Alex replied, summoning more undead as his previous forces continued to be cut down. "Get ready, and try to kill as many as you can." Alex barely had a moment to think before Alphox unleashed another skill. "Eclipsing Roar!" [Eclipsing Roar: Alphox lets out a terrifying, dragon-ss roar, instilling fear in enemies within arge radius. Enemies affected by Eclipsing Roar are temporarily stunned for 3 seconds and lower their attack and defense by 20%] A deafening roar split the sky, paralyzing the demon army. Every demon within the roar''s radius froze, stunned by fear. Their defenses and attack power plummeted by 20%, leaving them more vulnerable. "NOW!" Alphox''s voice thundered, and Alex didn''t hesitate. "Undead, breach the army!" hemanded. His army of skeletons and ghouls surged forward, cutting down stunned demons with ruthless efficiency. As they fought, Alex unleashed a barrage of spells, shing at the demons with his dagger. "Spirit Chains! Fire Meteor!" Alex''s spells mmed into the crowd, adding to the chaos. Beside him, Alera, the ice mage, conjured shards of frost that pierced through the demons, freezing their limbs and slowing their movements. Alphox dove from the sky, his ws raking through the ranks of demons, crushing them like insects. "YOU FOOLS, KEEP GOING!" Grayar shouted, refusing to let his army retreat. "WE WILL WIN!" [Demons left: 3,721] With the barrier gone, demons began spilling into the vige, and Alex''s undead retreated to protect the fox tribe''s homes. Alera moved back as well, positioning herself to guard the vulnerable vigers. "Aura of Death!" Alex cast the skill, strengthening his undead army. "Defend the houses at all costs!" The demons, desperate to reach the fox vigers inside, charged forward. Their ws and weapons shed against Alex''s undead army, but the undead held their ground, even as they were torn apart and reanimated to fight again. The [Demon Hater] effect was an absolute life saver in this situation, as the undead''s defense and attack doubled, it meant they could fight back. From within the houses, Alex could hear frightened cries and shouts for help. "More¡­" he muttered, pouring his mana into casting spell after spell. "MORE!" Heunched a [Fire Meteor] into the approaching demons, the zing rock crashing into them and scattering bodies in every direction. Then he unleashed [Fury of Thunder], and lightning danced across the battlefield, electrocuting anything in its path. Alphox had another round of mes ready. "Shadow mes!" he bellowed, preparing to unleash another fiery assault. But Alex raised a hand. "NO, DON''T DO IT!" he yelled. Alphox''s aim was locked in the center of the vige, where both demons and fox vigers were hiding. If he released the mes there, he''d kill not only the demons but also the innocents. "Alphox, aim beyond the vige!" Alex ordered. That primordial dragon truly didn''t care about the fox kin, he just wanted to get rid of the demons. But surprisingly, the dragon grumbled butplied, redirecting his breath toward an open area just outside the vige. The mes scorched the ground, vaporizing any demons caught in its path. Hundreds more fell, incinerated instantly. The battle raged on for twenty more grueling minutes, with Alex and his allies holding the line. [Demons left: 484] Now, the remaining demons were few enough to count. They hesitated, fear overtaking their bloodlust as they looked around at the decimated battlefield. "C-Commander, it''s not working! What do we do?" a demon stammered, his voice shaking. "Retreat?" another demon muttered. Grayarughed mockingly, "Retreat? You''re all just too WEAK!" The demonmander stepped forward, his mace gripped tightly as he red at Alex and the fox defenders. He marched into the vige with thest remnants of his army. Several fox homesy damaged, and some of the fox vigers were injured, but none had been killed. He fought with renewed vigor, his staff glowing as he unleashed a final wave of devastating spells. "Fire Meteor! Fury of Thunder!" "AAAHHH-" A few demons tried bargaining. "Human, join us, and we''ll let you use their bodies however you want!" They were getting desperate, but Alex wasn''t moved. "Disgusting," Alex sneered, sending another meteor crashing into their ranks. "All I want is for you to be dead." When Grayar finally entered the vige center, only 100 demons remained, huddling behind theirmander. The demons stopped moving, instead hiding behind theirmander. "Hm," Grayar mumbled with pure rage, "I guess I have to do everything around here. He swung his mace, killing a dozen of undead with a single swing. Grayar''s gaze shifted between Alex and Alphox, who hovered in the sky above, his wings stirring the air with powerful beats. "So, it''s just me and you, huh?" Alex smirked, holding his staff in one hand and his dagger in the other. Grayar''s grip on his mace tightened. "I''m going to kill you, human, and then I''ll destroy everyone here." Alera, worn out from casting her ice magic, stepped back. Though she was a powerful level 400 fighter, above Grayar, her mana reserves were drained, and she had to trust Alex now. Alphox, still eager for battle, circled in the sky, watching closely. "COME ON, HUMAN! JUST YOU AND ME!" Grayar bellowed, swinging his mace down with a force that shook the ground and created a crater at his feet. Alex grinned, unfazed. "Then let''s go, you ugly asshole." He gestured for his undead to back off. "Everyone else can watch." With a thunderous crash, Alphoxnded beside Alex, the earth shaking beneath his massive ws. Grayar took a cautious step back, his eyes darting between Alex and the dragon. "I''ll make this easy for you," Alex said calmly. "It''s just me against you. Alphox," he nced at his dragonpanion, "take care of the rest of his underlings." "With pleasure," Alphox growled, his tail sweeping through the remaining demons as he tore them apart with his ws. In seconds, he''d finished thest of them off. Now, only Grayar remained. [Demons left: 1] [Grayar - Legendary Demon Commander - Level 300 - Tier 5] Grayar red, his expression seething with hatred as he swung his mace in a wide arc, smashing through another line of Alex''s undead with a single blow. "You''re strong," Alex admitted, rolling his shoulders and preparing his stance. "But not enough. Let''s finish this." Grayar''s face twisted in rage as he raised his mace high. "I''ll tear you apart, human!" But Alex only grinned. As he readied his dagger, he felt Alphox''s presence, the dragon''s gaze locked onto him with approval. The fight was set. It was time for the final showdown. Chapter 94 Grayar The Demon Commander, Tier 4 Advancement Task SSS-Rating Alex locked eyes with Grayar, the towering Demon Commander who had led the devastating assault on the Fox Tribe Vige. The sky above was heavy with tension, and the remnants of demon forcesy scattered, wiped out by Alphox''s brutal assaults and Alex''s relentless spells. Only Grayar remained, standing defiant with his mace at the ready. [Grayar - Legendary Demon Commander] [Level: 300 - Tier 5] [HP: 3,000,000] [Skills: Mace Smash, Demon mes, Demonic Roar, Super Speed, Army Commander...] Grayar''s gaze was full of scorn as he bellowed, "You think a human like you can take me down? You''ll pay for every demon you''ve killed!" Alex smirked, gripping his staff and dagger, confidence ring. "Let''s see if you''re as tough as you talk." Grayar lunged forward, his mace smashing into the ground where Alex had been standing a moment before. But Alex had already activated [Shadow Veil], slipping into stealth and vanishing from sight. Grayar growled in frustration, sweeping his mace around to locate him, but his strikes hit only air. From the shadows, Alex whispered, "Shadow Strike." He lunged, his dagger shing into Grayar''s back. The blow left a deep cut, and a dark bleed effect started seeping from the wound. -113,025! ["Bleed" effect deal over 5 seconds.] -300,000! Bleed to 10% of his health down in mere seconds, an incredible attack. "You coward!" Grayar howled, feeling the sting of the bleed as his health dwindled. He snarled and unleashed [Demon mes], waves of dark fire erupting from his mace. Alex dodged back, avoiding the inferno that scorched the ground, but the intense heat made his heart pound as he realized just how close the attack had been. "Time to turn up the heat myself," Alex muttered, summoning [Fire Meteor]. A zing sphere appeared above them, then came crashing down, mming into Grayar. -435,158! Themander staggered, his armor charred from the impact. ''How is this human doing so much damage?!'' Grayar wanted to shout, but that would be admitting that the human is strong, and he refused that. Before Grayar could recover, Alex unleashed [Fury of Thunder]. Three bolts of lightning struck from the sky, each onending with a deafening crack, though only one of them hit themander. Grayar stumbled again, shaking from the electric energy coursing through him. -335,158! "Pathetic!" Grayar growled through gritted teeth, ignoring the burns and bruises forming across his body. He raised his mace and swung with his full strength, aiming directly at Alex. "Stone Fortress!" Alex shouted, raising a barrier just in time. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin Grayar''s mace struck the barrier, but it held firm, blocking the brunt of the blow. The stone shield cracked, absorbing the 20,000 damage limit, before crumbling. Grayar grinned, mistaking the cracked barrier for a victory. "Is that all you''ve got, human?" Alex scoffed, meeting his opponent''s taunt with another [Oblivion Strike], his dagger plunging into Grayar''s side and inflicting another critical blow. -245,210! Blood poured from the wound, and Grayar''s health plummeted further. With a snarl, Grayar activated [Super Speed], blurring forward and trying to outpace Alex''s agility. Alex, however, was prepared, his own speed honed from countless battles. As Grayar swung his mace again, Alex twisted to the side, narrowly evading the attack. He retaliated with another [Oblivion Strike], making sure to plunge the [Demonized Whispers of Shadows] as far as possible. Then he sent a [Fire Vortex] spell to consume Grayar. [Fire Vortex level 7; Deals 200% of your spirit to enemies in arge area; consumes 10,000 mana; 15-second cooldown.] -70,316! Grayar roared in fury, breaking through the mes, his skin charred and his breathingbored. He gritted his teeth, calling out in rage, "Enough games! I''m themander of the demon forces! I won''t lose to a human!" But Alex wasn''t listening. His focus was relentless as he unleashed [Spirit Chains]. Dozens of transparent chains shot from his staff, wrapping around Grayar''s limbs, stunning him for three seconds. Grayar struggled against the chains, each second tightening their grip and draining his strength. "YOU ARE JUST USING THE SAME SPELLS OVER AND OVER!" Grayar shouted, noticing that Alex was simply not letting him use his skills. "Time''s running out for you," Alex said, looking at themander with a neutral but still determined expression. Grayar finally broke free, smashing the chains with his mace. He was desperate now, his breathing shallow and body battered. He swung wildly, but Alex avoided each strike with abination of agility and tactical dodges, staying just out of reach and hitting him with his dagger. "Why won''t you just fall?!" Grayar growled, eyes wild as he stumbled, weakened by the cumtive attacks. The fox vigers and their defenders watched from their homes and windows, hope filling their eyes. Even Lilith, Alice, and Alera observed in silent support, their gaze fixed on the duel, their hopes pinned on Alex''s victory. As Grayar''s frustration peaked, heunched onest desperate attack, aiming a powerful blow at Alex. Alex knew he had to end this now as Grayar could go crazy and start attacking the others. He called down another [Fire Meteor], crashing into Grayar and sting him backward. Grayary sprawled on the ground, his health now a sliver of what it once was. He looked up, his voice now a weak plea, "W-Wait¡­ human¡­ I can offer you something." "Oh?" Alex raised an eyebrow, dagger still poised for the final strike. "I-I have a map," Grayar stammered, begging on his knees, desperate to save his own life, "A map of the demon n''s level 5 city! You want information, don''t you? I can give you what you want, I swear!" Alex considered it, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. "That''s tempting¡­ But I don''t need it from you." "What¡­ What do you mean?" Grayar''s voice was a mixture of horror and disbelief. Alex grinned, holding his dagger steady. "I''ll just extract it myself." Grayar''s face twisted in terror. "W-Wait! No!" Before he could utter another word, Alex brought down [Oblivion Strike], his dagger cutting through Grayar''s neck in a swift, decisive motion. Grayar''s head rolled to the side, and his body fell, lifeless. As the blood pooled around the fallenmander, a message appeared before Alex''s eyes. [Demons left: 0] [You have stopped the attack of the demons.] [You havepleted your tier 4 advancement task with an SSS-Rating!] Alex straightened, feeling the weight of victory settle over him. Around him, the fox tribe erupted in cheers, the fox girls rushing from their homes to celebrate. Lilith, Alice, and Alera ran over, embracing him with relief and gratitude. "You did it!" Alice cheered, beaming up at him. Lilith grinned, impressed. "You''ve really earned that victory, Savior." Even Alera, the vige leader, nodded in approval, her respect clear in her eyes. "You''ve saved us all. We''re forever in your debt." Alphox, who had watched the end of the battle with a satisfied smirk, gave a low, approving rumble. "Good work, human," he acknowledged before disappearing into his [Shadow Pet Space], content now that the demon threat was eliminated. The fox tribe was now safe, and he was sure these demons wouldn''t be annoying anymore. Well, even if they tried something else, he would be there to stop them. Chapter 95 Blessing of the Fox Spirit, Demon Clan Level 5 City [You havepleted your tier 4 advancement task with an SSS-Rating!] [You have already received the maximum possible titles for your two sses, though.] [Unparalleled Mage: No new upgrades.] [Assassin of Wrath: +10000 Strength.] "Wow!" Alex could barely contain his excitement. A boost like that was incredible, and with the enhanced power, he felt almost invincible. Then another notification chimed in his vision. Ding! [You have received the "Blessing of the Fox Spirit" effect (Passive)] [The spirit that protects the fox tribe has appreciated your will to defend them ¨C once per day, allows you to summon a shield that will tank an attack if you are on the verge of death.] "Wow..." this was an incredible effect, and as it was a passive, Alex wouldn''t have to think about it! Maybe it would even surprise him sometimes. In the end, it was an incredible reward. [Extraction talent activated: +743 Strength, +648 Vitality, +419 Spirit, +326 Agility, x8 Demon Hammer (Epic),x3 Demon Spear (Epic)] The demons hadn''t dropped much beyond their weapons, but he saw potential in them. He passed the gear to his grand skeletons, which would further bolster his forces. His gaze settled on Grayar''s lifeless, decapitated head. With a smirk, Alex knelt down and touched the demonmander''s head, feeling his extraction ability spark to life. "Extraction..." he whispered, his palm glowing. Ding! [You have extracted "Map of the Demon n''s Level 5 City".] "Heh, I told you I would get it anyway," Alexughed while staring down at Grayar''s body, "Looks like I won it all in the end." The map glowed briefly before vanishing and seeping into his [World Map]. Ping! A new marker appeared, disying [Level 5 Demon City] on it, a bit far from here. "That''ll be forter," he muttered, deciding that a full city raid could wait. He was strong, but he wasn''t ready to storm a demon metropolis alone. Soon after, more notifications rolled in. [You have in x6,847 "Low-Level n Demons", gaining 8,128,000 experience points!] [You have in "Grayer, The Demon Commander", gaining 1,000,000 experience points!] "What the-?" Alex was astonished by the amount of experience, weren''t he and Alice supposed to share? [Due to the party member''sck of action in the attack, they will only receive 10% of the experience.] Alex felt bad for Alice, but if he got stronger, it also meant that she would be safer, a win-win situation! Ding! Ding! Ding! In addition to the experience he had stocked up from his level being locked, Alex leveled up many times from the experience of the demons. [You have leveled up to level 101!] [You have leveled up to level 102!] . . [You have leveled up to level 109!] [Level: 109 (463,151/1,350,000)] It was a very good upgrade in terms of levels, especially for him, who could already fight level 300 armies. He adjusted his attribute points quickly, then let out a long breath of relief. It truly was over. "Savior!" "Alex!" Alera, Alice and Lilith called out again, all beaming. That sight alone was worth all the trouble he went through. "Savior," Alera was the one to speak this time, pressing Alex''s head against her massive chest, "If you wish me to do anything to help you, just ask, the fox tribe will do everything in their power to aid you." Ding! [Your reputation with the "Fox Tribe" has reached its maximum, they will now support you no matter what in the future.] "Thanks," Alex nodded, "But I don''t need anything much to be honest," he scratched his chin, "Just... maybe... if the effects of the curse gets worse, I''ll need help with that..." "Of course!" Alera blushed and nodded, "You can ask for my help with this any day," she winked, "And my daughter can even join us if she decides to stop watching in secret!" "M-Mom?!" Lilith face turned bright red, "B-But," she faced Alex, "I think I feel confident enough to h-help with t-that..." "Thank you," Alex was grateful to them both. He wasn''t sure about it, but as the [Undead King] grew stronger, it was possible the effects and perks of his curse would do too. "Mphm," Alice pouted, "And me too!" "Of course, I would never forget about you, Alice," Alexughed. Currently, monsters and people from inside of [Universal Descent] couldn''t go in the real world, which is a bummer since he would have loved to live with Alera and Lilith. It was fine for now, though. Richard would probably wonder what the hell''s happening if two fox girls started living in his vi after all. "Oh, by the way, dear," Alera suddenly spoke right as Alex was about to log off, calling him with a very unfamiliar name. "If you want, there''s rumors about some sort of temple deep in the [Mystical Forest], maybe you could check it out if you want, though I''m not sure..." "Hm." Alex knew of the [Mystical Forest]. And he had already heard of the [Mystical Temple], but he had never actually entered it since it wasn''t required to go further, plus he had been too weak to do so previously. The temple was the hardest area in the forest after all, not many people daring to enter, and once you''ve reached a high enough level, you don''t bother toe back to lower-level areas. "I''ll do thatter, thanks Alera," Alex smacked her buttocks again, "I''ll reward youter." Alera''s face turned red, "Yes, dear." But the temple would have to wait as Alex had currently more things to do than just explore the [Mystical Forest] for it. He woulde back to itter as going through the forest would be required to advance further in [Universal Descent] though. Until then, he needed to be careful of the additional beta tester spots that had opened, as they would reveal both more allies but also enemies. Before leaving, Alex took the time to turn around and give a kiss to Alera, who returned it, "Make sure to train the others, as something simr may happen in the future." "Yes, dear," Alera bowed, "Thank you." "No problem." [Do you want to leave "Universal Descent"?] "Yes!" Fwish! Alex vanished in a sh of blue light while waving at the other fox girls, who finally left their homes, noticing that there wasn''t any sound. "Thank you, savior!" "If you want, I''ll spend a night with you!" Alex couldn''t answer as he was teleported. ... Back in the real world. Alice also appeared beside him less than thirty secondster, her face both excited and happy. "You did it! You saved them!" she went to hug Alex. "Yeah!" "And you even got the respect of the queen and princess of the tribe, she seems very fond of you!" He couldn''t help but notice how she seemed perfectly content with his rtionship with Alera. He couldn''t understand how she didn''t feel irritated or jealous, as the only time she pouted was when he didn''t include her in his ns to sleep with the queen and princess. ''Well,'' Alex sighed, ''She is a weird girl after all.'' Alex couldn''t even imagine how this sweet girl had died in his previous life. And this only brought fury to him. The [Madmen] guild leader Dawn was the one that attempted to kill her, and he wasn''t done with his revenge. Even if it meant killing him in the real world, Alex would do it. After all, most of these assholes would associate with demons, evil spirits, abyssal humans and gods just to gain power. Which is why the increase in yers was both a blessing and a curse. Until then, though, Alex could rx for a bit, because until the yers reach [Bell City], there was nothing more to do. Soon, the second event would begin to go further in the map, and yers wouldn''t lose this opportunity to gain levels. Those that only joined around 6 days ago (3 days IRL) had a 1 in-game month behind from the others after all. But in contrast to what many believed, more "grindy" and "determined" yers would appear, making them even stronger than the first batch. Alex would be ready for it all. He smacked Alice''s buttocks just like he did with Alera, and the girl yelped. "I''ve seen you give me flustered nces every time I did that," Alexughed. "..." her was bright red, "T-then you can keep doing it..." "I will." Alex could rx for now. The calm before the storm. But in that case, it wouldn''t be a storm, but a world-ending supernova. Chapter 96 Aura Skill, Bell Citys World Association After taking a small break from [Universal Descent] for around 2 days, Alex felt the need to go back inside the game. It was now around 5 days since the new batch of yers arrived, and when remembering about his past life, he knew these yers weren''t joking around. One of the main reasons for that was the new category avable in the [Universal Descent Forum]: [Broadcasts]. With the increase to 100 million yers, yers could now post videos and live broadcasts of themselves. [How to level up fast in the novice vige!] [How to acquire an artifact level at the start!] [What to expect from the advancement ss trial] Such videos would appear, gaining millions of views, both from yers and those in the real world that were expecting to be able to enter soon. If in under two real life weeks, the amount of yers increased to 100 millions, then it was entirely possible in another 2 weeks it would increase again! [Do you want to enter "Universal Descent"] "Yeah." In a sh, Alex was teleported back into the game, with Alice joining him a momentter. They appeared within the [Fox Tribe Vige] in the [Mystical Forest]. "Oh!" and the first thing Alex noticed was the fact that the barrier protecting the vige was back up, "They don''t waste time, huh." "Obviously," a voice rang behind him, and he saw Lilith smiling, "If we don''t have this barrier, mom would have to constantly defend us, now all the monsters don''t even bother." Considering that thousands of level 300 demons had taken ten minutes to break the barrier before, it made sense that lesser monsters wouldn''t bother. "Appreciate it," Alex nodded, "Well, I think I''ll go, something big is about to happen." "W-Wait!" Lilith grabbed Alex''s arm, "Please just stand still for a few seconds," she mumbled while getting away. "...?" Alex tilted his head, confused butpliant. Lilith touched the pendant around her neck with one hand and, with her other hand glowing, reached up to ce it gently on Alex''s forehead. Ding! [You have been linked to Lilith and Alera.] "Hm?" "Now me and mom can contact you via telepathy whenever we need help, makes it easier," she beamed, "Though only we can contact you, not the opposite." "Oh!" that was incredibly useful, as it mean he would immediately receive the news if anything happened, "Then make sure to send me a message if you see anything suspicious" "We will," Lilith bowed. Not wanting to draw attention from the other fox tribe members, Alex opened his [World Map] and teleported to [Bell City]. ... As soon as he arrived, he was shocked at the sight. Bell City, once eerily empty, was now packed with yers. "Come on, we need to take quests!" "The World Association put out new ones?!" "How about we just head toward the dark dungeon instead?" All the new yers, who were already used to the world, were all ready to increase their levels. The fact so many got through the [Toxic Forest] also meant that they should be level 30 at least. Everything seemed pretty calm for now though. Just as Alex was moving through the crowd, someone suddenly shouted: "Isn''t that FateBreaker?" In an instant, all eyes turned to him. Even the newest yers were already aware of his reputation. "That''s him!" "Holy crap, keep back! I heard he soloed the entire dark dungeon!" "Already? But aren''t there hundreds of tier 5 monsters at the final floor?" "That''s the thing! No one knows how strong he is!" Alex didn''t bother talking to anybody. He just wanted to head to the [World Association Building] quick, as he was sure that the second world event would happen soon. [yers who entered Bell City: 993,471] The moment that number reached 1 million, the event would start. And unlike thest one, which locked them inside of Dawn City during the night, this one would happen in the entire surrounding area. It wouldn''t go beyond the [Toxic Forest] or [Dark Dungeon], happening exactly between the two though, so any yers wanting to avoid it could stay in Dawn City. But Alex didn''t worry about that. "FateBreaker!" "Look at me!" "Being famous is hard, heh," Alice teased Alex, hitting his arm with her elbow. "Hah, look who''s talking," Alex smiled, "Don''t you hear?" "Isn''t that Alice?" "From the Stardust family?!" He wasn''t the only one that was famous it seemed. As they approached the [World Association Building], a group of yers suddenly blocked their path. There were hundreds of them, and they stood right in front of the entrance. "A problem?" Alex asked, raising his eyebrows. "Yeah, the problem is you, asshole," the yers sneered¡­ "..." Alex instantly knew that these people would be annoying, probably yers that were jealous of his achievements, or from guilds like [Overlord] or [Madmen]. He knew they''d be annoying, but he also wanted to avoid creating any trouble within Bell City. Unlike Dawn City, and It''s [Church of the Dawn], Bell City housed powerful NPCs, many of whom he wanted to maintain a good rtionship with. Plus, these NPCs were actual powerhouses, most of them at tier 6 or 7, meaning that much like Aldritch, they could deal with Alex if he created problems. Deciding against a direct confrontation, Alex opted to use a skill he''d acquired through the [Undead King Curse], one he hadn''t yet tried. ''There''s a first time for everything,'' he thought, smiling slightly. "Quit smiling asshole, we''re gonna kill you, there''s hundreds of us, you can''t beat us, and I''m sure you used some item to beat the dark dungeon, if that''s even true to begin with." The leader of the group of shouting yers stepped forward, but as he did, an overwhelming presence washed over him and his group. Alex had used the [Aura] skill. [Aura: you can use your aura to pressure and intimidate weaker opponents.] To the yers surrounding him, it felt as if a massive devil appeared behind Alex, a towering figure of malice and strength. The leader, standing closest, visibly paled, his body trembling. A dark stain appeared on his pants as he lost control, his bravado evaporating. "Not so strong now, are we?" Alexughed, not even bothering to wait a single second for them to move. While keeping [Aura] up, he stepped forward, and all the yers made way for him, not wanting to stay close to this monster anymore. They all thought one thing at that moment: "don''t ever try to step in FateBreaker''s way." And even the leader of that small group decided he''d made a grave mistake and retreated without a word. ... Inside the [World Association Building], Alex noticed yers crowding around the massive [Quest Boards], which disyed quests ranging from C-level all the way to S-level, the highest avable. However, Alex wasn''t interested in these quests¡ªthey''d be too easy. As he scanned the familiar interior, nostalgia hit him. In his past life, he''d oftene here for quests. But today, he was here for something specific. He intended to speak to a certain person. Just as he was about to move deeper into the building, he overheard two voices nearby. "Get lost, Aiden," a woman with long ck hair and striking crimson eyes snapped at a middle-aged man. "I''m not helping you with that." "R-Ravenna,e on!" the man pleaded. "Your guild is powerful enough to do it." "I already said no. Find someone else," she huffed, scanning the room as if looking for an escape. "Oh shit," Alex froze, "Ravenna!" He instantly recognized her as the leader of the [ck Crow Guild], a powerful NPC assassin organization. She was known for her strength and influence. Alex had destroyed one of her crows when he''d escaped [Undead Land]. If she reviewed the footage, she could potentially recognize him. "Shadow Veil," Alex whispered, disappearing into the shadows right as Ravenna''s gaze fell on him. "Huh?" she mumbled, "I saw a face for a moment..." "S-See, I told you Ravenna, refusing that offer is making you go crazy!" "Are you implying I''ve lost my mind, Aiden?" Ravenna growled, causing the man to shrink back. She pushed past him, storming out of the building, both yers and NPCs clearing the way for her. "..." But as she left, she hesitated. "That face¡­" she murmured to herself. She''d only seen Alex''s face for a split second before he''d vanished, but something about it felt familiar. She racked her brain, trying to ce it, but the memory remained elusive. "Probably just my imagination." Meanwhile, inside, Alex''s heart raced. If Ravenna had recognized him, it would''ve spelled instant death. After all, she informed even her guild members that if anyone touched her crows, she would kill them instantly. [Ravenna - Leader of the ck Crow Guild - Level 700 - Tier 7] He was powerful, but even he wasn''t reckless enough to pick a fight with a tier 7 assassin. Breathing a sigh of relief, Alex walked toward Aiden, as he was the person he wanted to speak to. Chapter 97 Aidens Request, 1 Million Players in Bell City Alex approached Aiden, who was visibly stressed from Ravenna''s refusal, murmuring to himself as he paced outside his office. The [World Association] was only in the second city, but it was an important building nheless, many leaders and powerhouses grouping here to discuss sometimes. And of course, other cities also had their own [World Associations]. "They''ve all refused the offer¡­" Aiden mumbled, looking frustrated. "What am I supposed to do now?" A voice cut through his thoughts. "Need help with something?" Startled, Aiden looked over to see a young, determined-looking man staring at him. Alex''s intense gaze met his, exuding a calm yetmanding energy. Aiden frowned, his gaze trailing over Alex''s frame, sizing him up. "Move along, kid. You''re not strong enough for what I have in mind." To Aiden, Alex was a mere level 100. In his experience, someone at that level would need an entire team to handle even a fraction of the trouble ahead. Without waiting for a response, Aiden turned away, heading back toward his office. But Alex grinned, a spark of determination igniting. He looked at Alice beside him, who tilted her head, her fox ears twitching as she whispered, "That''s it?" Alex''s grin widened. "Not even close." He ced his palm on the ground, focusing his mana, and the shadows around him started swirling, dark energy seeping into the air. "Arise," he muttered. With a faint hum, skeletal figures materialized around him, slowly forming an impressive undead army. Fwish! Fwish! Fwish! [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] Aiden, feeling the sudden surge of energy, stopped and turned, his eyes widening as he saw the undead army filling the building. yers and NPCs alike gasped, some even running away at the sight of Alex''s dark summons. "What the¡­?" Aiden whispered, clearly taken aback. Alex tilted his head, smiling. "Is this enough?" Aiden''s gaze swept over the undead legion, feeling the aura they emitted¡ªone of real strength and mastery over the undead arts. He stared at Alex, his voiceced with both admiration and suspicion. "Kid¡­ I only know of two necromancers strong enough to summon these kinds of undead beings." Alex raised an eyebrow. "And who might those be?" Aiden''s voice dropped to a whisper, "The first is Lich, the most powerful undead lord in history." "And the second?" "The Undead King." Alex chuckled, his eyes sparking with mischief. "Good news, then. Undead King, show yourself." At his call, a towering figure materialized above Alex. A massive skeleton with a golden crown and a dark cloak appeared, emanating a chilling aura that made Aiden''s skin crawl. It was the Undead King himself. "Again?" the Undead King muttered, a tinge of irritation in his deep, hollow voice. "I was busy." Aiden''s expression shifted from shock to unease. He took a few steps back, his face pale as he processed what he was seeing. "Kid¡­ who are you?" Alex shrugged, snapping his fingers as the Undead King and his undead army dissolved into shadows, vanishing from sight. "Just someone looking to help." Aiden''s wariness turned to a thoughtful nod. This young man was clearly no ordinary yer, "Alright, maybe you can actually be useful." Aiden was one of the good NPCs in Universal Descent, known for his loyalty to Bell City. Aiden was one of the good NPCs in Universal Descent, not falling to the dark side and trying to defend this city no matter what, even when it fell by the hands of the demons and abyssal/dark humans. He was a tier 6 warrior, and though that was weakpared to many of the NPCs and monsters in the future, it was still decent. "So, what exactly do you need?" Alex asked, ready for a new challenge. As soon as he asked, a notification appeared before him. [You have triggered the SSS-Level Hidden Quest: "Blood Moon Secret Boss yer"] [Objective: Find and kill the secret boss that will appear once the blood moon arrives.] [Rewards: +100 Reputation with Aiden, 10 Gold Coins, and Skill Upgrade Orb (Divine)] "That''s all," Aiden said, his voiceden with concern. "We''ve received intel about an incredibly powerful creature set to appear when the blood moon rises, and it''s going to target the city. We need it taken out before it can do any damage." Alex raised an eyebrow. "Why don''t you handle it yourself?" Aiden smirked. "Because this ce won''t run itself. Someone has to keep things in order here," he said, turning back toward his office. He shut the door behind him, cing a [Do Not Disturb] sign on it. "I''ll try," Alex nodded, happy he managed to get that quest. An SSS-level hidden quest with an incredible reward, especially the [Skill Upgrade Orb]. Like his [Skill Evolution] perk, it could evolve a skill, but Alex was already considering giving it to Alice since he had his own perk for upgrading skills. Speaking of skills, he hadn''t used [Skill Evolution] yet. [Skills: Fire Meteor (Max-Tier), Crimson Spike (Advanced), Rock Crash (Advanced), Stone Fortress (Advanced), Fire Vortex (Advanced), Oblivion Strike (Max-Tier), Fury of Thunder (Max-Tier), Spirit Chains (Intermediate), Poison Resistance (Passive), Aura of Death (Undead Skill), Aura (Passive), Shadow Veil (Unique), Shadow Strike (Unique).] He was beginning to gain a good amount of skills, but some were beginning to fall short because of the increasingly difficult monsters Alex was facing. After browsing his skills, he settled on one that could use a boost. Ding! [Do you want to upgrade "Fire Vortex" (Advanced) to "Fire Tornado" (High-Tier)?] "Yes," he confirmed. Ding! [You have evolved "Fire Vortex" to "Fire Tornado"!] [Fire Tornado Level 1: Deals 300% of your Spirit as damage to enemies in arge area. Has a chance to inflict the "Burn" effect. Mana Cost: 100,000. Cooldown: 30 seconds.] A grin spread across Alex''s face. Percentage-based skills were powerful since they scaled with his Spirit stat, meaning they would only grow stronger as he advanced. With [Skill Evolution] taken care of, Alex nced at [Potential Extraction]. Turning to Alice, he held out his hand. "Mind handing me that ne?" Alice removed the [Spider Guard''s Eye Ne] he''d given her before, passing it to him with a curious expression. [Spider Guard''s Eye Ne (Legendary): Boosts agility by 1,500 and reveals nearby hidden enemies.] Alex activated [Potential Extraction], watching as the ne glowed briefly, transforming before his eyes. [You have enhanced "Spider Guard''s Eye Ne".] [It has been upgraded to "Mutated Eye of the Spider" (Mythical).] Alice''s eyes sparkled as she examined her upgraded gear. [Mutated Eye of the Spider (Mythical): Boosts agility by 5,000 and reveals nearby hidden enemies within 100 meters.] "Wow¡­" she murmured, admiring the increase in stats. With this upgrade, her agility had shot up significantly, making her faster and more elusive. "d you like it." Alex chuckled, ruffling her hair yfully. Reminder that she was still wearing the [Fox Ears] from before, meaning that the fox girls back in the [Fox Tribe Vige] did wonder for a few seconds if she wasn''t one of them. The fact she didn''t have a tail did expose her rather quickly, but maybe if Alex found a [Fox Tail] he could manage to disguise herpletely. Alice caught his smirk. "What?" "Nothing," he replied,ughing. With their preparationsplete, they exited the [World Association] building. Alex nced through the list of avable quests but didn''t find anything that interested him; the uing [Blood Moon] event would demand his full attention anyway. As they reached the street, Alice was about to speak when a notification appeared, this time visible to every yer in the city. [yers who entered Bell City: 1,000,000] Then another announcement followed. Ding! [Global Announcement: The "Blood Moon" event will start once the night falls. Be ready.] The message sent ripples of fear through the gathered yers. "Another world event?" "Be happy, I heard thest one gave incredible rewards!" "It''s my first event, I''m scared!" The name "Blood Moon" sounded ominous, after all. While most yers exchanged worried nces, Alex''s eyes gleamed with excitement. This was what he had been waiting for. Increasing his reputation with Aiden was good, but there was one very specific other reason why he wanted to do this. Hopefully he managed well enough to seed. "Here we go," he murmured, taking a deep breath as he surveyed the bustling city. The tension was palpable. Alice looked up at him, sensing his excitement. "Are you really ready for this?" "More than ready," Alex replied confidently. The event was about to begin. Chapter 98 Blood Moon Event, Acquiring Blood Fragments The day passed slowly as Alex and Alice lingered around Bell City, waiting for the night to fall. The streets were bustling with yers, many checking their inventories or purchasing supplies from the city''s various shops. Alex and Alice took a moment to enjoy a meal at a small restaurant to restore their hunger. Finally, the moment they were all waiting for arrived. As dusk faded into night, an eerie red light washed over Bell City. The moon rose high, and to everyone''s shock, it wasn''t its usual pale silver. It was deep, crimson red, casting an ominous glow across the city and surroundingnds. The sky darkened further as the Blood Moon reached its peak, signaling the beginning of the event. [Global Announcement: The Blood Moon event has begun.] [Event Duration: 1 Week] [Description: Blood Monsters will appear in the nearby surroundings, summoned and powered by the "Blood Moon".] [Each monster has a 1/100 chance to drop a "Blood Fragment", gather 10 of them to be able to get one of the items from the "Blood Shop".] [Warning! There are only 50 items in the shop, and each yer is limited to 3 items.] A second notification popped up for all yers. [Monsters will not spawn inside of the city until thest day.] Alex smirked. "Perfect," he said, eyeing the blood-red moon. "This is the event I''ve been waiting for." With Bell City''s borders safe, yers had the option to hide if they found the event too difficult. But Alex wasn''t interested in hiding. The items in the shop were actually pretty good, with a [First Come, First Served] policy, it would also help him increase his reputation with Aiden, the leader of the [World Association]. And finally, he had that onest thing he really needed to do. "Let''s go, Alice," he said, motioning toward the city gates. As they made their way to the edge of Bell City, they noticed many yers holding back, hesitant to venture into the darkness. A few brave souls ventured outside, only to retreat quickly after glimpsing what was waiting beyond the city''s safety. The Blood Moon bathed thendscape in crimson light as Alex and Alice stepped into the open field. Shadows shifted around them, and then, from dozens of rays of crimson light emanating from the moon, creatures began to emerge. It was as if the blood-red light itself was creating portals, releasing monsters from another realm. The creatures were grotesque, each covered in ayer of glistening, fresh blood and bearing eyes that glowed with an unnatural red light. The first wave surged forward, pouring out of the portals like a relentless tide. Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelBin [Blood Spiders - Level 80] [Blood Wolves - Level 90] [Blood Spirit - Level 50] And many more appeared. Shrieks and growls filled the night as the Blood Monsters set their sights on the yers outside Bell City. Panic erupted in the ranks of those gathered near the gate as the monsters began to tear through anyone unlucky enough to be caught. "HELP ME!" one yer screamed, just before being pounced on by a Blood Wolf. "The wolves are too strong!" shouted another, his voiceced with terror. "Retreat! Retreat!" Many yers fell back, realizing the sheer power of the monsters. But Alex was unfazed. "These are only level 80-90 monsters," he scoffed. "Perfect warm-up." Alex raised his staff, eyes almost bored. But then, a notification appeared before him. [You can''t extract "Blood Fragments," you have the same odds as everyone else.] "Damn," it was the first time the game actually intervened, "Oh well, it doesn''t matter," but in the end, who could even get close to his level? Fire Meteor! A massive meteor descended from the sky, crashing into a group of Blood Monsters with explosive force. The ground shook as the fiery impact obliterated a dozen monsters in an instant, leaving nothing but a smoldering crater where they once stood. Alice watched in awe, quickly pulling out her bow and nocking an arrow. She took aim at a nearby Blood Spider, firing with pinpoint uracy. Her arrows pierced through its body, requiring only a few shots to bring it down. "This is too easy," she murmured, a hint of confusion in her voice. "Or is it just me?" "You''re just too strong," Alex chuckled, ncing at her with a smirk. Hispliment made her cheeks flush, though she quickly refocused, firing another arrow at an approaching Blood Wolf. More monsters poured out of the portals, but Alex and Alice were more than prepared. "Fury of Thunder!" Alex shouted, casting another powerful spell. Bolts of lightning rained down from the sky, striking multiple monsters simultaneously. They convulsed and howled in agony as the electricity surged through them, leaving behind charred remains. Rock Crash! Crimson Spike! Spirit Chains! With each spell, Alex unleashed unrelenting devastation upon the monsters, mowing down wave after wave without breaking a sweat. Each attack hit its mark, obliterating clusters of Blood Spiders, Wolves, Spirits and more that dared to cross his path. Around him, yers watched in awe and envy. His attacks were precise and devastating, dealing damage beyond what they could hope to achieve. Many whispered in amazement, struggling toprehend the sheer power on disy. "That''s¡­ that''s spawn-killing!" someone muttered. "That guy''s definitely cheating, I''m gonna need a tutorial soon." But Alex didn''t care. He wasn''t here to y fair; he was here to dominate. More monsters continued to emerge from the crimson portals, but Alex''s spellcasting was relentless. He enjoyed using his magic from afar, not even bothering to pull out his dagger or summon his undead. He savored the thrill of watching his spellsnd perfectly, annihting everything in sight. After a minute, with over a hundred monsters felled, he finally received a notification. [You have received a "Blood Fragment"!] [1/10 until being able to open the shop.] He smirked. Even without his usual extracting abilities, it didn''t seem like it would take him long to gather enough fragments. "A week?" heughed. "Give me an hour, and I''ll have all 30 I need." Alex and Alice continued their onught, pushing deeper into the fields surrounding Bell City. Blood Monsters swarmed around them, their blood-soaked forms tearing through other yers in the vicinity, who struggled to hold their ground. One yer, wielding a sword, tried to fend off a Blood Wolf. He swung desperately, but his sword nced off its thick hide. The wolf pounced, and within seconds, his screams faded into silence, shing in a blue light and returning back to the real world. Another yer, cornered by a pack of Blood Spiders, called for help, only to be overwhelmed as their bloody bites drained his health. Chaos was everywhere, with yers fighting to survive or fleeing for their lives. Meanwhile, Alice provided support, her arrows flying with deadly precision. Each shot was calcted, targeting weak spots on the Blood Wolves and Spiders, thinning their numbers and giving Alex more space to unleash his powerful spells. The archer was doing incredibly well, even without Alex. yers nearby started to gather, watching in awe as the two of them fought. "They''re incredible," one yer whispered. "Look at their damage output!" "I didn''t know anyone could be that strong¡­" murmured another. Alex didn''t pay attention to the growing crowd. Instead, he focused on the task at hand. Dozens more monsters fell before him, reduced to ash or crushed under rock. Despite the limitations on Blood Fragment drops, he was making steady progress. After a while, he received another notification. [You have received a "Blood Fragment"!] [2/10 until being able to open the shop.] It was indeed too easy for him. Chapter 99 Blood Moon Shop, Getting the Required Items Alex and Alice continued to fight the [Blood Monsters]ing out of the Blood Moon Portals, but the experience gain was so little that it wasn''t even worth it in Alex''s eyes. [You have in x12 Blood Wolves, gained 1,374 experience points!] [You have in x38 Blood Spiders, gained 3,219 experience points!] He also gained around 250 points for each of his attributes in the process. And after two hours of ying endless hordes, Alex finally managed to collect the required fragments. [You have obtained a "Blood Fragment"] [30/10 Blood Fragments needed to open shop!] [You have reached the limit of fragments you can obtain.] He''d intentionally waited to gather all possible fragments before even opening the shop, preferring to have the full selection avable in one go. Alice, with her luck, had also managed to collect 12 [Blood Fragments] despite killing far fewer monsters. She would also be able to get an item thanks to that, and of course, Alex was nning to help her in the selection. "Open shop!" Alexmanded, and a crimson panel appeared before him. [Blood Moon Shop] But before he could take a closer look, Alice''s shout cut through the air. "Alex, watch out-" Alice tried to warn him, but it was toote: one of the [Blood Spiders] jumped and struck his head with its sharp legs. -1! But Alex wasn''t even bothered. "...!?" the spider, after realizing it did no damage to the human whatsoever, shrieked back, then tried to run away. "Oh no, you don''t," Alex grinned, turning to the panicked creature and cutting it in half with a swift sh from his [Whispers of Shadows] dagger. With a smirk, he turned to Alice, offering his hand. "We should head back." Alice blushed, grasping his hand as they teleported back to the entrance of [Bell City] thanks to the [World Map], arriving in the secure and bustling zone. Alex knew he could probably fend off these monsters indefinitely, but his main concern was Alice''s safety. Her current armor wouldn''t hold up long against some of the more dangerous creatures. Back in the city, Alex refocused and opened the shop panel once more. [Blood Moon Shop] Finally, he could check out the items without interruption. The crimson panel appeared in front of him again, disying all the items he could acquire, each one of them priced at [10 Blood Fragments]. "Hm." The interesting part with the shop was that you couldn''t see the descriptions of the items, only the names and images. Meaning that even the greatest items, meaning those at [Artifact] level couldn''t known. At least, that was what Alex believed. Because once he focused on the items, a panel appeared before him. ["Cursed Eyes of the King" activated] And as a result, above each item appeared a small description. "!!!" even Alex was startled. Just how good were those eyes of his? He would need to thank the [Undead King] more. Here''s what appeared: ... [Blood-Soaked Armor Set - Cost: 10 Blood Fragments] [A full set of armor imbued with the essence of Blood Moon monsters. Boosts HP by 5,000 and provides 25% physical resistance to all attacks.] ... [Soul-Shard Amulet - Cost: 10 Blood Fragments] [Allows the user to store the souls of defeated enemies, healing the wearer for 1% of max HP for each soul stored. Maximum of 50 souls.] ... [Blood Moon Shield - Cost: 10 Blood Fragments] [A robust shield that absorbs 2,000 points of damage and reflects 10% of all damage received back at the attacker.] And many more, obviously, since there were 50 avable items. Alex carefully read through each item''s description. He had 30 fragments and could only buy three items, so he needed to make wise choices. First, he decided to pick the [Blood-Soaked Armor Set]. It would be a gift for Alice. [Purchase Sessful: Blood-Soaked Armor Set.] But from there on, the following items would be those Alex needed for his real final objective in this event. He actually did not know what those items were before, only trying to remember them from the name, but the fact they now had descriptions made it so much easier. And those two items were those that looked the least interesting of them all: The [Blood Valley Token], which was just a coin, and the [Blood Art Scroll], which was a scroll. You precisely needed both of these items to be able to trigger what Alex wanted to do, as getting one individually wouldn''t yield the maximum results. [Purchase Sessful: Blood Valley Token.] [Purchase Sessful: Blood Art Scroll.] Alex let out a satisfied breath as the items materialized in his inventory. The first part of the n was sessful. Beside him, Alice was gazing at the shop screen. She had umted 12 fragments, so she could buy one item. Alex leaned over her shoulder, helping her assess the options. "I''d suggest the [Blood Arrows Creation Perk]," he advised. "You can create arrows after making monsters bleed, and they''re extremely strong, though they do cost blood to create." Alice nodded and selected them without hesitation, trusting Alex''s judgment, as he could see things she couldn''t. "Thanks, Alex. I would''ve probably gone for something shy instead of practical," she admitted with a smallugh. "And take this," he handed over the [Blood-Soaked Armor Set] to Alice, who blushed at the sight and immediately equipped it. [A full set of armor imbued with the essence of Blood Moon monsters. Boosts HP by 5,000 and provides 25% physical resistance to all attacks.] The armor felt surprisingly light to her, and the design was very... unique to say the least, mostly dark with strands of crimson pulsing light. It wasn''t as good-looking as Alex''s, but it was still great nheless. "Alright," Alex said, rolling his shoulders, "I did everything I wanted to do, do you want to go back to get more fragments for you?" Alice thought for a few seconds, but in the end, she shook her head, "Would take too long, and I''m already happy with the items I got." "Great," Alex expected such an answer, and even though he nned to help Alice if she said yes, he was more excited about what he was about to do next. [Blood Valley Token] and [Blood Arts Scroll] were both Artifact-level items. And it was thanks to their descriptions that Alex figured out it was the items he was seeking. [Blood Valley Token: Activate to enter the "Blood Valley" Secret Realm, Infernal Difficulty.] There were many interesting things inside that secret realm, including the boss of the SSS-Level Hidden Quest he needed toplete. But the thing he truly sought was at the end of it. And to gain those powers, he would need the [Blood Arts Scroll]. [Blood Arts Scroll: Grants the ability to learn the "Blood Arts" under very specific conditions, if you try to learn it and fail, the scroll will disintegrate.] In his past life, he had heard that the guy who got it had been stupid enough to instantly use it, and as he wasn''t eligible, he lost it. It was only butter in the game that people realized just how powerful [Arts] were, and so Alex nned to take advantage of his knowledge to acquire one early. He wasn''t 100% sure, but using everything he knew, it was the best solution he coulde up with. "Alright," he grinned as he took the [Blood Valley Token] in hand, "Let''s do this." Chapter 100 Blood Valley Secret Realm, The God of the Moon is Watching The moment Alex gripped the [Blood Valley Token], he crushed it in his hand. A deep crimson light burst from the crushed item, bathing him in a blood-red glow that seemed to radiate straight from the ominous moon hanging above. Alice, standing close by, was also caught in the glow. "What''s happening?!" she eximed, looking around in rm as the energy enveloped them both. Some nearby yers paused, looking on with confusion and awe. "Is the blood moon targeting them directly?" one murmured. "Or maybe it''s trying to erase FateBreaker itself?" Suddenly, a message popped up. [Teleporting you to "Blood Valley"¡­] The crimson pulse intensified, growing stronger by the second. Alex felt the world around him begin to ripple and bend, like reality itself was being twisted and reshaped. The ground trembled beneath their feet, jagged cracks snaking outward as the crimson energy warped the world around them. In the blink of an eye, the familiar outskirts of [Bell City] vanished. Alex and Alice were plunged into a new, eeriendscape. They stood in the heart of a dark, sprawling valley. The sky overhead was low and oppressive, tinted red by the sinister blood moon casting its glow over everything. Twisted trees could be seen across the valley, their branches wing toward the sky like skeletal fingers. A message appeared in front of Alex. [You have entered the Blood Moon Valley ¨C Secret Realm: Infernal Difficulty.] [Warning: All enemies in this realm are empowered by the Blood Moon.] Alex smirked, a hint of arrogance creeping into his expression. "How strong could they be?" Yet, as he dismissed the message, a new one appeared, sending a chill down his spine. [The God of the Moon has noticed you.] "Huh?" His eyes widened, "A god¡­ noticed me?" Alex didn''t know how many gods there were in [Universal Descent] as the only ones he met were the [God of the Abyss], [God of Darkness], [God of Nightmares] and... the [God of the Moon]. The [God of the Moon], as you might easily guess it, is the being that controls the [Blood Moon]. [The God of the Moon has decided to test you.] Alex felt a shiver run through him. "Test me...?" Gods were all-powerful beings, and that meant that no one could evene close to them in terms of power. This was a good thing for them, but it was also bad since not only could they not fight among each other, but no one was even worthy of fighting them, resulting in them being bored. Such a [Test] was just a distraction to the god, who wanted to see just how far this human could go. [The God of the Moon has used "Blood Buff" on all monsters in the Secret Realm.] [Good luck.] And of course, though Alex hated the gods with every fiber of his being, he still couldn''t afford to anger one, he wasn''t stupid after all. That thing could kill him by quite literally just looking at him. His strength wasn''t enough, and he wouldn''t overestimate himself just because he had aplished many things recently. "A-Alex, what''s happening?" Alice''s voice quivered as she clung closer to him, her eyes darting around the valley for any sign of monsters. The [Blood Moon] in the Secret Realm, which had been a normal size until now, suddenly grew five timesrger. Its light intensified, casting the entire valley in a red hue that felt alive, almost predatory. Ding! [Secret Realm difficulty has increased!] [From "Infernal" to "Abyssal"] Alex gulped as he saw that: if a secret realm or quest went up by an entire rank, it meant that the difficulty change was significant. The difficulty is based on how hard the average yer would find it. Maybe even he would struggle now. But even then, there was no turning back. "Maybe we should leave and prepare more?" Alice dared to ask. He checked his [World Map], but all the teleportation points were crossed out. There was no way out. The god had locked the realm, forcing him toplete whatever twisted test he had in store. "Not possible," he replied. He couldn''t show hesitation, not now. If he wanted toplete his SSS-Level Hidden Quest and possibly unlock his first [Art], he''d have to press forward. And even if a God stood in his way, he would still manage to get through it. Not far from them, shadows began to shift. Alex tightened his grip on his dagger, his eyes narrowing as monstrous figures emerged from the dark. Blood-red eyes gleamed in the dim light, and twisted forms lumbered toward them, their grotesque bodies cloaked in an aura of blood-red energy. [Blood Fiends] [Level: 200 + 100 (Blood Buff)] [HP: 700,000] [Skills: Blood Frenzy, Crushing ws, Moonlight Howl] ... The [Blood Valley], as Alex expected, was usually only a level 200 Secret Realm. But because of the test the [God of the Moon] was putting him through and the [Blood Buff] effect, all the monsters gained immense strength. Alice took a step back, her face pale. "Alex¡­ they''re just as strong as the demons from the [Fox Tribe Vige] attack!" "I know," he muttered, "but we don''t have a choice." Without wasting a moment, heunched his most powerful skills. Fire Metor! Fury of Thunder! Fire Tornado! With a series of quick gestures, Alex unleashed a barrage of attacks, wanting to get rid of the monsters before they could even get close. Boom! Zap! Zap! Fwish! -218,293! -218,293! 168,293! 168,293! -54,879! -54,879! [Blood Fiend has been stunned!] [Blood Fiend has received the "Burn" effect!] Several monsters received status effects from the [Fury of Thunder] and [Fire Tornado] skill. [Fire Tornado] was his newly acquired skill, and it resulted in a giant tornado of fire being summoned from Alex''s staff. It hit a massive area, and best of all: he could control it for a few seconds before it disappeared. Alice fired a few [Star Shots], her own attacksnding with precision, but she could only deal 15,000 damage, which was still respectable to be honest. She thought about using her newly acquired [Blood Arrows], but each time she tried, a message blocked her. [Not enough blood to create "Blood Arrow."] Frustrated, she continued using her standard [Star Arrows] and [Ice Arrows], aiming for the weaker monsters. Alex continued his assault, dashing into the chaos with his dagger to finish off any remaining fiends that were stunned. After a minute, the battlefield grew quiet. "These things are tough," he mumbled. "I really don''t like this ce," Alice whispered, sticking close to him. She nced around, nervous, every shadow seeming to hold another threat. After extracting the attributes he wanted, Alex gestured for Alice again, and she quickly followed him, heading deeper inside of the valley. ... Above them, far out of sight, the [God of the Moon] watched their progress. Reclining on a grand, cushioned sofa, he held a bunch of grapes in one hand, idly eating as he observed. "Well, well," he chuckled, amusement glinting in his eyes. "FateBreaker and StarPillow, is it? I wonder how long they''llst. Entertain me." The god''s voice was a murmur that echoed through the realm, unheard by anyone but himself. Chapter 101 Blood Buff, Reaching the End of the Valley Alex and Alice finally entered the Blood Valley, the air heavy with tension. His goal was to reach the end and check if his memories about his previous life were right. If he got everything right, then there was a way to learn an [Art] right now, especially with the [Blood Arts] scroll he had acquired from the shop. As said before, [Arts] are extremely powerful powers, rivaling top-tier spells and talents, and each one of them could be considered just as strong as an SS-Level talent. Alex would need this one if he wanted to dominate more than he already did. Especially when the monsters in theter parts of the game would be so overwhelmingly strong, even Alex''s stats would struggle. The crimson sky loomed overhead, and the ground beneath them seemed to bleed. A chilling silence hung in the air, broken only by distant rustling. Monsters stalked the valley, waiting to pounce. Alex raised his staff, ready. "Undead, arise!" hemanded. The earth cracked open as skeletons and undead creatures climbed from the ground. They were many, but not strong enough for whaty ahead. But they would serve as a distraction. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] The undead army surged forward, but almost immediately, the first danger revealed itself. A swarm of [Blood Bats] descended from the sky, screeching. Their sharp fangs glinted as they dove at the undead, shing and tearing. Alex didn''t hesitate. He raised his staff. "Fury of Thunder!" Three bolts of lightning struck the bats, sending them crashing to the ground. But the bats weren''t finished. They swooped down, even more bloodthirsty than before. Alex gritted his teeth. "Oblivion Strike!" With a sh, Alex dashed forward and cut through the bats. His strikes were swift and deadly, but more bats kepting. They dissolved into dust after each hit, but the swarm didn''t stop. His undead were pretty much also useless since the bats were flying, meaning they couldn''t reach them. Before he could catch his breath, a new threat arrived. [Blood Wolves] charged from the shadows, their glowing red eyes full of rage. These wolves were massive, bigger than any ordinary wolf, even those of the event around Bell City. Alex acted quickly, sending spells to stop the assault, but it was impossible to contain them all. These things were level 300 thanks to the [Blood Moon Buff], and in contrast to the demon attack from before, there was no barrier to protect Alex and Alice. Alex raised his staff. "Stone Fortress!" A barrier of stone surged up, protecting Alex from the wolf''s charge. The wolf collided with it, but the stone absorbed the blow. The undead army had already been overwhelmed. Skeletons, wraiths, and knights were torn apart by the bloodthirsty wolves. Only a few Bony Knights and Grand Skeletons remained, but they were quickly outnumbered. Nheless, Alex didn''t give up, summoning his undead one after the other as they still managed tond some hits. "I really need to find a way to enhance their power," Alex muttered. "Alice, get ready." Alice nodded, her [Mutated Eye of the Spider] ne glowing as she spotted enemies lurking in the shadows. She moved to a safer position, watching Alex''s back. Alex raised his staff again. "[Aura of Death]!" A wave of energy spread, boosting the undead. Their attacks became sharper, their defenses tougher, and they could now actually defeat the blood beasts. Alex quickly took advantage, striking the remaining wolves with deadly precision. They fell one by one. After thest wolf was in, Alex took a moment to survey the battlefield. Most of his army was gone, but it was fine, as a single thought brought hem back. "That was close," Alex muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But we''re not done yet." [You have in x12 Blood Spiders (Buffed), gained 302,834 experience points!] [You have in x19 Blood Wolves (Buffed), gained 458,183 experience points!] [Extraction talent activated: +87 Strength, +47 Spirit, +58 Vitality, +Bloody Fang (Epic)] The next challenge loomed ahead. In the distance, Alex could see a towering structure¡ªa monument rising from the blood-soaked earth. His heart raced as he approached. "This is it," Alex said under his breath. Alice stayed behind him, not wanting to expose herself. Her senses were sharp, and she was wary of more dangers. But Alex didn''t hesitate. He could feel the power of the structure calling to him. It was the thing he went through all this trouble to get, and he wasn''t about to give up. [You have leveled up to level 110!] He leveled up in the meantime, but such a small gain wouldn''t make Alex jump in joy. As they drew closer, Alex could see the structure more clearly. It was a fountain, much like the one in the courtyard of the [Undead Castle], but this one was made of jagged stone and surrounded by a strange, dark aura. The blood pooling around the altar looked almost alive, writhing and shifting with unnatural movement. It was the [Fountain of Blood]. He was almost there when Alice stopped him, her eyes narrowing. "Alex," she whispered, "something''sing." Alex froze. The air around them shifted. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and a figure emerged from the shadows. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin It was tall¡ªtowering over them¡ªand cloaked in a dark, blood-soaked robe that seemed to float like mist. Its eyes glowed red, piercing through the darkness. A wicked smile stretched across its spectral face. "Do you think you can use the [Fountain of Blood]?" the figure sneered, its voice reverberating in Alex''s mind. "No human is worthy of such power." Alex''s grip tightened on his staff. "We''ll see about that." The figure before them was not just any wraith. It was a [Blood Valley Wraith]¡ªa superior, Tier 5 boss-level creature. It was the big boss of this secret realm, and also the target of his SSS-Level Hidden Quest. [Blood Valley Wraith - Superior Boss - Tier 5] [Level: 225 + 100] "Oh shit," Alex knew that this was bad, he had never fought a level 325 monsters before, in this life that is, and don''t get it twisted, even 25 levels was a massive gap. Without warning, Alex raised his staff high. "Fire Meteor!" The sky darkened, and a massive meteor fell, streaking toward the wraith. The creature raised its hand, disappearing into the shadows with [Shadow Wraith], avoiding the attack. "What? Did you think monsters couldn''t avoid your attacks?" it mocked him, thinking that he was a fool. But the small human it mocked had already experienced things a thousand times worse than it, so there was little to no chance the boss could scare him. "Avoid this, then," Alex didn''t stop, he shifted his focus. "Fury of Thunder!" Yet again, as if mocking Alex''s attempts, the wraith simply dodged the first strike. "Foolish human-" But the thing it didn''t realize was that another two wereing. ZAP! ZAP! It was hit straight on, taking good damage. -168,293! -168,293! "Argh..." the wraith groaned, not expecting that this boy, even though he looked so weak, could be able to use such powerful magic. But it didn''t matter to it, all it needed to do was kill the human, and it would be granted immense rewards by the [God of the Moon], which it could feel was looking at them from above. "Do you think you can take what is mine?" the wraith took its stance again, focused on stopping Alex from approaching the [Fountain of Blood]. Chapter 102 Blood Valley Wraith, Blood Arrow Saves the Day Alex and Alice stared down the [Blood Valley Wraith] standing between them and the [Fountain of Blood]. Its grim smile widened as it took a stance, blood dripping from its wraith-like form. "Do you think you can just take what is mine?" the Wraith taunted. A status window appeared in front of Alex. [Blood Valley Wraith - Superior Boss - Tier 5] [Level: 225 + 100 (Blood Moon Buff)] [HP: 4,000,000] [Skills: Bloody sh, Shadow Wraith, Moon Call, Fountain of Blood, Bloody Beam¡­] ... Alex studied the status window with a grimace. The Wraith was stronger than anything they had faced so far, with stats that would require all their strength to ovee. "That''s a lot of health," Alex muttered, ncing at Alice. "Be careful." "You dare try to steal from me? The Fountain of Blood is not for your kind." [The God of the Moon is really interested in your fight.] And to make it worse, a panel appeared in front of Alex and Alice, making them gulp. Without another word, it raised its hand, and a blood-red energy gathered in the air, swirling into a massive orb. The ground beneath Alex and Alice quivered as monstrous shapes began to w their way out of the very Fountain itself. Blood Beasts emerged with terrifying roars. "Not good," Alex growled, summoning his undead army, or at least the undead that had died. Skeletons, Grand Skeletons, and Bony Knights materialized, their weapons at the ready as they charged toward the beasts. The Wraithughed darkly, its voice echoing in the distance. Alex''s undead fought valiantly, but it was clear that they were outmatched. The Blood Beasts tore through them with ease, ripping apart the skeletons like paper. The Grand Skeletons didn''tst long either, their bones shattering under the ferocity of the Beasts'' attacks. Even the Bony Knights didn''t stand a chance, their armored bodies torn apart by the beasts'' ws and teeth. Alex clenched his fists, the weight of the battle beginning to press on him. His undead, despite their resilience, were being overrun. "Fury of Thunder!" Alex shouted, thrusting his staff toward the sky. Three massive lightning strikes ripped through the clouds, each hitting the area around the blood beasts. The creatures howled as they were struck, but they weren''t destroyed. [Blood Beast has been stunned!] Dozens of monsters were stunned, and the undead took advantage of that. The Wraith only watched, its grin widening as it summoned more beasts. "Fire Meteor!" Alexmanded next, pointing his staff at the monsters. A massive meteor crashed down, exploding in a fiery ball of destruction. The mes consumed the beasts, but once again, the Wraith remained unharmed. Its malevolent presence only seemed to grow stronger. Alice, from behind Alex, was already firing off arrows with precision. Hundreds of arrows rained down upon the monsters, piercing their blood-soaked forms. Despite her relentless barrage, the Blood Beasts and Wraith seemed unaffected. "Keep it up, Alice!" Alex called out, but even his voice was filled with doubt. The Wraith raised its hand, and with a sudden burst of power, it unleashed a Bloody Beam. The beam shot across the battlefield, slicing through everything in its path. One of Alex''s undead knights was caught directly in its path and disintegrated instantly. "Dammit," Alex cursed under his breath. He could feel the pressure mounting with each passing second. "Moon Call!" The Wraith''s voice echoed as it summoned more creatures from the Fountain of Blood. Huge, hulking Blood Wolves appeared, their eyes glowing with the same dark energy as the Wraith''s. The wolves snarled, charging at Alex and Alice. "Not good," Alex muttered. "cial Requiem!" Alice called out, drawing her bow. [Unique Skill: Ice Torrent - Unleash a storm of icy arrows, dealing 250% of spirit damage and applying Frostbite to all enemies within range (30-minutes cooldown)] Her special skill sent a flurry of icy arrows into the horde of Blood Wolves. The ice-coated projectiles exploded upon impact, freezing several of the wolves mid-charge. The ones that managed to break free were slowed, enough to allow the undead to finish the job. "Incredible job," Alex called out, actually meaning it. Alex''s staff glowed as he summoned another Stone Fortress around them. The massive stone barrier shot up in seconds, protecting them from the onught of enemies. But even as it blocked the Blood Beasts and Wolves, the Wraith''s Bloody sh sliced through it like it was paper, and the barrier crumbled. Alex gritted his teeth. Bloody sh! Bloody sh! He was hit by two attacks from the wraith, who couldn''t help butugh. -27,827! -27,827! His HP was already beginning to dip dangerously low as the Wraith''s forces overwhelmed him. Fire Tornado! He summoned the giant tornado out of his staff, controlling it to hit the maximum amount of monsters, then without warning dashed forward with his dagger out. Oblivion Strike! Oblivion Strike! Oblivion Strike! [Weakness hit, dealing 300% of damage] [Weakness hit, dealing 400% of damage] Each of his strikes were perfectly aimed thanks to his [Cursed Eyes of the King], managing to not only hit the monsters, but also the wraith. 400,110! 553,480! 400,110! "You''re not going to win," the Wraith hissed, having lost 1,000,000 HP was tough, but it was still surviving. Alex and Alice continued to fight, but the tide was clearly turning in favor of the Wraith. "We need to act-" Alex spoke, aiming to sh at the wraith one more time. But right as he swung his dagger, the wraith used [Shadow Wraith] to seep into the ground, disappearing from view. "Huh?" "ALEX, BEHIND YOU!" Alice shouted. And before he could even realize it, the wraith had already materialized behind Alex. [FateBreaker HP: 8,496/58,150] "Oh shit-" He felt the blood drain from his face as the Wraith raised its ws, preparing to deliver the final blow. But just as the sharp ws came down, a golden light enveloped Alex''s body. A protective shield, bright and radiant, appeared in front of him, with the symbol of an orange fox disyed in the middle. [Blessing of the Fox Spirit activated!] The shield absorbed the blow, preventing the Wraith''s attack from cleaving him in two. Alex stared at the shield in awe, his breath ragged. The Wraith snarled, stepping back in frustration. "What is this? A trick?" Alex nced at Alice, then turned his gaze back to the Wraith. "Not a trick. Just a little luck." "Oh well, doesn''t matter," the wraith smiled, raising his ws again to attack. Alice, seeing Alex struggling, decided it was time for her to take things up a notch. Her eyes glinted as she gripped her bow tighter. She had been watching the flow of battle and waiting for the right moment. After sending hundreds upon hundreds of arrows to hit monsters previously, and also the wraith, she finally decides to try her luck in creating [Blood Arrows]. And... Ding! The crimson energy that formed around her bow surprised even Alice. Thirteen arrows, each made of solidified blood, appeared in front of her. They pulsed with power, their energy crackling. "W-Wow," her eyes sparkled. [Blood Arrows: Powerful arrows made out of the blood of monsters, enhancing their power, deals x5 of usual damage.] "Here we go," Alice whispered. She nocked one of the Blood Arrows and fired it with terrifying force that even knocked her back a little. The arrow sped through the air, its trail a line of blood-red light. The Wraith turned just as the arrow struck it directly in the face. The impact was immense. The Wraith staggered backward, its face disfigured by the blow. It howled in pain as its head snapped to the side. [Weak point hit with "Blood Arrow", dealing 1000% of damage.] -723,923! Even without Alex, her damage was terrifying! The Wraith reeled from the damage, the air around it crackling with fury. Alex grinned. "Nice one, Alice." The Wraith, however, was far from finished. It snarled, its form shifting as it prepared to strike again. But Alex was ready to end it once and for all. With a roar, he summoned all his power and shed through the air with his dagger. The Wraith''s body wavered as it kept receiving spell after spell, arrow after arrow, and sh after sh. "Begone!" Alex shouted. He followed up with another Fury of Thunder, sending arcs of lightning cascading through the Wraith''s form. "You are... worthy of using the [Fountain of Blood]..." The electricity coursed through the creature, and with one final scream, the Wraith copsed to the ground, defeated. His undead were also managing, no more monsters appearing from the [Fountain of Blood]. Alex let out a breath, staggering slightly. "That... was close." Alice was already moving toward the Fountain of Blood. "Is it over?" Alex nodded, his breath still shaky. "Yeah... for now." [You have in x583 "Blood Beasts", gained 4,109,000 experience points!] [You have in x436 "Blood Wolves", gained 3,582,940 experience points!] Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have leveled up to level 111!] [You have leveled up to level 112... 113... 114!] As the Wraith''s body was now lying there on the ground, Alex knelt beside it, his palm pressing against it. The extraction process began, and a panel appeared in front of him. [You have extracted the "Bloody sh (Epic)" skill!] "Nice," Alex muttered, ncing at the panel. "Let''s see what this can do." But right as he was about to check the description, another panel appeared before him. [Try synthesizing this skill with another one, it may yield formidable results.] "Oh?" he raised his eyebrows, but he was tempted, "Eh, why not." Chapter 103 Synthesizing Skills, Bleeding Strike, SSS-Quest Rewards [Try synthesizing this skill with another one, it may yield formidable results.] Alex didn''t hesitate, as he already had [Oblivion Strike], [Bloody sh] was pretty much just an extra skill that wasn''t necessary. And his talent clearly stated this: [Talent Effect #4: Synthesis; Combine items, skills, or abilities to create something stronger] It wasn''t only items, skills and abilities like [Soul Attacks], [Arts] and even [Laws] could be synthesized! Your journey continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin The two other concepts would only appearter in the game, though, so it wasn''t necessary to think about them. With an eager focus, Alex began to process, clicking on [Bloody sh]. [Bloody sh (Skill) + ??? = ???] He first selected Fire Meteor, just to test if thebination could work. But a red warning panel immediately shed. [These two skills cannot be merged, try something else.] His next choice was Oblivion Strike, and this time, there was no rejection. [Bloody sh (Skill) + Oblivion Strike (Skill) = ??? (Legendary Skill)] [Note that as "Oblivion Strike" is already at Max-Tier, the synthesized skill will also be of the same level.] "Makes sense," though Alex considered the possibility of it being reset to [Basic] since it would be a new skill. "Confirm," he agreed to the synthesis. And after a few seconds, the two skills merged. Ding! [You have acquired the skill "Bleeding Strike"] [Bleeding Strike; A powerful dagger strike that deals 150,000 damage to the target + 100% of strength; has a 5% chance to cause bleed.] "Wow."He couldn''t help but be impressed. Not only had the damage increase by 50,000, but there was now an additional effect, making it totally worth it. Meanwhile, Alice was also engrossed in her panels, her face lighting up as she took in her new stats. She was now level 86, and with her new [Blood Arrows], which could deal damage on par with Alex''s, she was bing much more powerful than before. Even Alex had been surprised by her different initiatives during the battle. "Nice job," he shouted to his undead army, and they all nodded, their eyes and faces hollow, but seemingly happy and cheering up. Alex could swear he even saw two of them bump fists. Finally, Alex took in the sight of the clearing battlefield, satisfied with how it had all yed out. [Ding! You havepleted the SSS-Level Hidden Quest "Blood Moon Secret Boss yer"] [Ding! Your reputation with Aiden has been maxed out, he may be able to help you out in the future.] [10 Gold Coins have been transferred to your ount!] [+Skill Upgrade Orb (Divine): Evolve any of your skills once.] He received the rewards of his hard work, feeling satisfied. But instead of using the [Skill Upgrade Orb] for himself, he decided to hand it over to Alice. He already had [Skill Evolution], and he wasn''t selfish enough to stop Alice from getting stronger when she was already doing this good. "Here, take this," he said, handing her the orb. "Huh, what''s this...!?" she nced at it, but upon looking up the name and description of that item, she couldn''t help but feel flustered, "A-Are you sure?" "Yeah, it''s your reward for working hard," Alex smiled, "Use it now, it would be better, except if you maybe want another sort of reward?" "T-Thank you," Alice beamed, kissing Alex on the cheek, the prospect of the other "reward" now on her mind. She didn''t waste any time, immediately essing her panels to select a skill. [Arrow Type: Star Arrows (¡Þ), Ice Arrows (¡Þ), Blood Arrows (12)] [Skills: Celestial Shot (Advanced), Shield of Night (Advanced), Super Agility (Advanced), Ice Torrent (Unique Skill), Blood Arrows Creation (Unique Skill)] She didn''t have that many skills to begin with, which was expected, as Alex was actually a weird case. Normally, yers learned skills through teachers or mentors or from skill books hidden throughout Universal Descent, especially in secret areas/realm or from hidden quests. But at this point in the game, both options were hard toe by, even Alex would struggle to find a [Skill Book]. And as for a [Teacher], he had the [Mage Tower Token] to meet up with Arceus, who was supposedly a [Grand Mage], but no real way to know where the tower was to begin with. Alice crushed the [Skill Upgrade Orb] and used it on [Celestial Shot], which evolved to [Sparkling StarShot] (High-Tier), each one of her arrows able to deal 50,000 damage now. Watching her excitement made Alex feel proud. Seeing her strength grow felt just as rewarding as leveling up himself. Hopefully, this happiness couldst... Because with everything that wasing up next, it would be hard. Turning his head back, Alex''s expression grew serious again as he nced at the [Fountain of Blood]. Anyone who saw it from there would probably think that it was just used to summon the [Blood Beasts] and [Blood Wolves] for the Wraith. But not at all. And even his [Cursed Eyes of the King] informed him of that. Ding! [Bathing in the "Fountain of Blood" may not do anything, but certain items can be used inside.] [Hint: You got that item from the shop.] It was quite literally giving him a tutorial of something Alex already knew, but to be honest, the confirmation did bring him some relief. He advanced forward, ncing down at the red liquid in the fountain. Its dark red surface rippled under the moonlight, casting an eerie reflection of his own face. He took a steadying breath before climbing onto the edge. "A-Alex?!" Alice, who didn''t know what the man was doing, was shocked, "Are you insane?" No sane person would jump into a pool of blood as ominous as this one. But after everything he''d been through, sanity was the least of his concerns. With a final nce back at Alice, he took the plunge, diving into the Fountain of Blood and letting the dark liquid envelop himpletely. Contrary to how shallow it looked, the fountain seemed bottomless, an endless abyss. The blood rose past his knees, then his waist, until he was entirely submerged. You couldn''t even the see the bottom of the abyss under your feet! But Alex wasn''t here to observe, holding his breath he summoned the [Blood Arts Scroll], its paper instantly soaking in blood. But that was a good thing, because instead of just tearing apart, the scroll began trembling, emitting a dark aura. [Conditions have been met.] Alex smirked; he''d triggered it. In Universal Descent, Arts represented mastery over specific powers. There were dozens if not hundreds of them: [Sword Arts], [Light Arts], [Abyss Arts] and many more. And to make it even better, every single [Art] is unique, meaning much like SS and SSS-Level talents, no one but their respective owner could get them. They could only be triggered under specific and rare conditions. For the [Blood Art], the requirements were specific: the user had to conquer this secret realm and bathe in the Fountain of Blood, proving themselves worthy. [Do you want to use the "Blood Arts Scroll"?] [Yes] [No] Alex didn''t hesitate in clicking yes. [Be quick, as emerging his body from the fountain of blood will break the link and destroy the scroll.] "Shit," the process could take up to a minute depending on the [Art]. Meaning that Alex is going to have to try hard and resist, otherwise all of this would have been for nothing. Chapter 104 Blood Arts, Very Low Mastery [Do you want to use the "Blood Arts Scroll"?] [Yes] [No] "Yes." As the blood seeped around him, the scroll absorbed it, darkening as if feeding off the energy. His vision began to blur, the pressure of the blood pressing against his body, yet he gritted his teeth, determined to see it through. A faint hum began to resonate from the scroll, growing louder as it siphoned his energy. His veins pulsed, filling with newfound power, but the strength was double-edged¡ªhis stamina ebbed away with each second, his body struggling to hold on. [Hold on.] He clenched his fists, muscles straining, every instinct in his body screaming at him to break the surface, to breathe. But he forced those thoughts away, focusing on holding out just a little longer. [20%¡­] [30%¡­] He counted the seconds, fighting through the blood pressing in from all sides. His heartbeat was a steady drum in his ears, each pulse echoing louder as the scroll continued to draw his energy. [50%¡­] He was halfway there. Every muscle ached, his lungs screamed, but he wouldn''t give in. His vision blurred at the edges, dark spots creeping in, but he forced himself to endure. He could see something emerging from the abyss, but it must be his imagination... right? [70%¡­] Sweat mingled with the blood on his brow, his hands clenched tight, nails digging into his palms as he gritted his teeth. The small dot of darkness grew bigger. [90%¡­] He was almost there. And under him, he finally saw the image of a creature emerging from the abyss, its massive hands grabbing Alex''s legs. Then the creature seeped inside of him. [100%¡­] Who said learning an Art wasn''t difficult? Atst, a final ding sounded. Ding! [Congrattions, you have acquired "Blood Art" (Unique Art)] [Blood Arts Mastery: Very Low] Much like skills, talents and items, Arts also have their very own ranking system. Every [Art] you acquire starts at a [Very Low] mastery, but the more you use it and get familiar with it, then the strongest it gets. There are six categories for its mastery: Very Low, Low, Average, High, Very High, Mastered. He could feel that his control over this new power was minimal at best, but even at a low mastery, the potential was undeniable. With the processplete, he allowed himself to go back to the surface. He took in a deep, desperate breath, savoring the air as it filled his lungs. At the edge of the fountain, Alice was waiting, her eyes wide with a mix of worry and relief. She took in his blood-soaked form, her expression twisting into disbelief. "What¡­ what did you even do in there?" she asked, her gaze running over his drenched figure. Alex let out a tired smile, still catching his breath. "Secured myself a little extra power," he replied, flexing his hands as he felt some sort of dormant energy crackling beneath his skin. With his mastery of the Blood Arts at a very low level, he couldn''t unleash its full potential yet, but the power was there, waiting to be tapped. Alice shook her head, a mixture of disbelief and admiration in her eyes. "You really are insane." "Probably," he admitted, ncing back at the fountain, now calm and still. He''de back if necessary, but for now, he''d gotten what he needed. Just then, a message appeared. [The God of the Moon has enjoyed the show, thus allowing you to leave!] A soft chime sounded. [Blood Valley has been added to your "World Map"] Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He opened the map, noticing a new sectionbeled [Secret Realms]. Blood Valley was listed there, its location marked as a ce he could return to if needed. Unlike the [Goblin Secret Area], which had disappeared afterpletion, the Blood Valley stayed. Since it was owned by the [God of the Moon], it remained open as a god''s domain wouldn''t just vanish. But then another message appeared. [I would hurry if I was you.] Alex didn''t waste any time, grabbing Alice''s hand as he activated his teleportation ability, selecting the [Fox Tribe Vige]. Gods weren''t known for their patience. If the God of the Moon decided, he could trap Alex in his domain. Thankfully, they managed to escape just as the teleportation activated. As they were being transported, a distant voice echoed in Alex''s mind. "And don''te back, weak human," it mocked,ced with disdain. Alex clenched his fists as the teleportation took hold. "We''ll see about that." Enjoy new adventures from m-v l''e|-NovelBin ... Within moments, Alex and Alice reappeared in the heart of the [Fox Tribe Vige]. "Savior!" "It''s him!" A flurry of voices rose as the fox women stopped what they were doing. Some were chatting, others farming, but the moment they saw him, their attention shifted entirely. They were immensely grateful to Alex for saving their vige from the demon army. Best of all, there had been no casualties among them¡ªa blessing given that their numbers were already low, with just under 1,000 left. For Alex, that was a victory he could be proud of. In his past life, he''d fought alone or with less than ten people against a twisted world, many of hispanions dying. But now, he had people worth protecting, allies he''d fight for again if it came to it. From the corner of his eye, he saw Alera and Lilith approaching. "Oh, you''re back?" Alera greeted, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah," Alex nodded, sighing with relief. "Done with everything I needed to do." With the items he''d wanted secured and Alice equipped with the [Blood-Soaked Armor Set] and [Blood Arrows Creation], he had no reason to participate in the event anymore. "You can rest as much as you want," Lilith beamed, clearly happy to see him safe. "Thanks," Alex said, nodding. But rest wasn''t a priority just yet. First, he needed to confirm thepletion of his SSS-Level Hidden Quest with Aiden. Then he''d focus on training the [Blood Arts]¡ªhis current mastery was too low to unlock its full potential. As he reviewed the new information on the Blood Arts, he saw its brief description. [Blood Arts (Very Low Mastery): Able to control your blood, as well as those of allies and monsters, to create weapons, skills, and summons to aid you.] [Tip: Focus on controlling your own blood in the beginning.] The description was vague, but the tip gave him a ce to start. Learning to control his own blood would be the first step, and from there, he''d explore the art''s potential. "I''m beat," Alice sighed beside him. "I think I''ll rest here for a bit." "Of course," Lilith nodded, guiding Alice toward thergest house in the vige where she and Alera lived. Alex watched as they headed off, feeling a small sense of relief knowing Alice was safe. "Please keep an eye on her." "Of course," Alera replied, ncing at Alice with a fond look. "She seems to be close to my daughter." "Yeah," Alex agreed, a small smile forming. With Alice in good hands, he opened his [World Map] and selected [Bell City]. The dot on the map expanded, revealing several options: Market, Entrance, and World Association. He chose the third option, teleporting directly to the front of the World Association building. The World Association''s za was bustling with yers, each one rushing around with an urgent purpose. "Quick, I heard there''s only 42 items left in the Blood Shop!" a nearby yer yelled as they ran. "Stop slowing us down, man! We''re going in without you!" another yer shouted, pushing through the crowd. The yers were frantic, clearly realizing just how valuable the [Blood Moon] event items were. The rush was inevitable, given the power and rarity of the rewards on offer. But Alex had his own goal in mind. Ignoring the crowd, he stepped inside the World Association, his sights set on finding Aiden. Chapter 105 Confirming with Aiden, Daniels Rage and Revenge, Training Square Alex went inside the [World Association] to find Aiden, while of course ignoring the dozens of people shouting his name, since he was getting used to it. Never could he have dreamed of being recognized in such a way in his previous life. Though he was one of the "fighters of humanity", it was too difficult to know who was with you and who wasn''t. Which is why he never trusted anybody except those already in his team. And even that didn''t mean that there weren''t traitors. While climbing the stairs to the second floor, Alex noticed a massive crowd of yers. And once checking from above to see what it was about, he saw Daniel Thunder, AKA MartialMage, the leader of the Overlord Guild. He was wielding a [Crimson Moon Staff], probably acquired from the event''s shop. Currently, Daniel was only level 58, around half of Alex''s level, and it made sense since Alex was just too advanced for everybody else. [Level Ranking:] [First, FateBreaker, Unparalleled Mage, Level 114] [First, Fallen Devil, Mythic Summoner, Level 97] [Third, StarPillow, Star-Level Archer, Level 89] [Fourth, Tricky, Clown Warrior, Level 80] [Fifth, Miria, Saintess, Level 75] ... [Ninth, MartialMage, Elemental Mage, Level 58 [Tenth, Axolly, Knight of the Sun, Level 53] ... Except for [Fallen Devil], who just like Alex knew what he was doing without being reincarnated, everyone else just managed on their own. But Alex couldn''t afford to be reckless, because as the game advanced, [Experience Areas] would appear, allowing yers to level up much more quickly. Ignoring all themotion below, Alex kept going up. "Huh?" Daniel suddenly felt a chill, and as he looked up, he noticed FateBreaker, "THIS GUY-" But after dying several times to the guy, Daniel decided that attacking him head on was stupid. Especially because you could see in the ranking that he had [158 Prestige Points]. And also that he was at the top of the [Pets Ranking] with a [Primordial Shadow Dragon]. "But don''t worry, FateBreaker," Daniel fumed, "I''ll establish a city, and even hire monsters or assassin NPCs to get rid of you..." Unbeknownst to Daniel, though, Alex was more than ready for that ... He continued up the stairs and down the halls until he found Aiden leaning against the wall, a cigarette in hand. Aiden nced upzily as Alex approached, a faint smirk ying on his lips. "Oh? You''re back?" "Yep," Alex replied casually. "Objectiveplete." Aiden nodded in approval, exhaling a cloud of smoke. The intel Aiden had gotten was that a monster could potentially attack Bell City. But it wasn''t the secret realm boss that would do it, as a level 225 monster, even without the [Moon Buff] was overkill. Aiden could get rid of it easily, but as said before, he is too busy. "Thanks for the help," Aiden said, flicking his cigarette aside. "Better safe than sorry, and it''s not like the other guilds would''ve lifted a finger. Especially not Ravenna''s." [Aiden Reputation: 100/100] Alex''s reputation with Aiden had reached its maximum. The old man trusted himpletely now, and Alex knew that if he ever found himself in a bind, Aiden would be there to help. "Well, I need to get moving," Aiden said, stretching. "There''s trouble brewing in some of the other cities, and I need to make sure everything''s under control." The [World Association] was a critical hub in higher-level cities, and its leaders bore the responsibility of maintaining order. City attacks were rare at this stage, but they would be more frequent as yers started creating their own. Monsters, rival yers, and other races would all be threats. "Thanks for the payout," Alex said, bowing slightly in respect. "No problem, kid," Aiden replied with a chuckle. "I''ll call on you if anything elsees up." With that, Aiden walked away, leaving Alex to decide his next move. Rather than descending back to the lobby, Alex chose to teleport out directly. He wasn''t in the mood to deal with Daniel or any other big shot yers looking for trouble. A single misstep could escte into a massive fight. And while Alex could obliterate the entire building with a skill like [Fire Meteor], he preferred to avoid unnecessary destruction. Opening his [World Map], Alex selected his destination and disappeared in a sh of light. ... The familiar sights of the [Fox Tribe Vige] greeted him as he arrived. And he immediately made his way to thergest house in the vige, where Alera, Lilith, and Alice were resting. Pushing open the door, Alex was met with the warm aroma of food being prepared. Alera stood in the kitchen, expertly slicing vegetables, while Alice and Lilith sat on a couch, chatting andughing. "Oh, you''re back already?" Alera greeted him with a smile. "Yeah," Alex replied, exhaling deeply. "Just had to confirm something. Now I can focus on other stuff." That stuff he was talking about was mainly the [Blood Art], though, as he would need to master it more if he wanted to upgrade its rank and gains more perks. To do that though, he would need to find a worthy opponent that would for sure not die if he sent a reckless attack. And lucky him, there was one in this very house: Alera! With a determined expression, Alex strode into the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves. Alera raised an eyebrow, clearly amused as Alex began helping her prepare sandwiches with surprising skill. "Oh?" she teased. "So your hands aren''t just good in battle and bed, it seems." "M-Mom?!" and Lilith, who was the only one who didn''t know about how good Alex was, spoke, flustered. "It''s fine," Alex smiled, "I''m used to cooking alone, and I''d rather finish this quickly, I need to ask you something, Alera." "Do ask, dear," the fox tribe queen chuckled, and after a few minutes, they werepletely done. A few minutester, with the sandwiches prepared, they all sat around the table. Despite the remote location of the vige, the furniture was surprisingly elegant. Alex took a bite of his sandwich, savoring the vors, but his mind was already on the conversation he needed to have. "I want to fight you, Alera," Alex said suddenly, his tone serious. Alera paused mid-bite, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him. "Oh? And why is that?" "I want to test something new," Alex exined. "You''re the only one here who''s strong enough to handle it." "In bed?" she teased again, a sly grin spreading across her face. "No!" but Alex replied instantly, "In an actual battle!" Alera chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment, but she didn''t dismiss his request outright. "You''re serious, aren''t you?" "Dead serious," Alex confirmed. Lilith and Alice exchanged nces, unsure of how to react. The idea of Alex challenging Alera to a fight was both exciting and nerve-wracking. "Well," Alera said, leaning back in her chair. "If you''re that eager, I suppose I can entertain the idea. But don''t go crying to me if you lose." Alex smirked. "I wouldn''t dream of it." The atmosphere grew lighter as they finished their meat. Once the table was cleared, Alera stood and stretched, her two tails flickingzily behind her. "Alright, Alex," she said, her tone yful but firm. "Let''s see what you''ve got. Meet me at the Training Square." The Training Square was a massive open area on the outskirts of the vige, specifically designed for battles and practice. It was reinforced with powerful wards to prevent coteral damage, making it the perfect ce for their sparring match. "You ready?" Alera pulled out her [Frostborne Spear], the one she used during the demon attack. "Yeah, but make sure not to try too hard, after all I said I just wanted to test some new powers," Alex nodded. Chapter 106 Training to Master the Blood Arts, Blood Blades As the spar began, Alex tossed his [Demonized Staff of the Silver Mage] to the side. He didn''t need it for this. He wasn''t relying on spells or brute force today¡ªthis was about mastering the [Blood Arts]. With deliberate precision, he drew his [Demonized Whispers of Shadows], the dark de glinting ominously. Without hesitation, Alex pressed the edge against his palm and dragged it across, crimson blood welling up instantly. The warm sensation of blood trickling from his hand sent a shiver through him. It wasn''t the pain that got to him¡ªit was the potential. He clenched his bleeding fist, ring at Alera, who stood a few feet away, her signature icy smirk stered on her face. "Whenever you''re ready, dear," she teased, spinning her [Frostborne Spear] effortlessly in her hand. The weapon shimmered, frost forming on the ground beneath her feet. Alex ignored her words, focusing inward instead. He had seen what masters of some [Arts] could do in his previous life. They were all extremely powerful, and even some ninth-tier powerhouses only used [Arts] as their weapons. But right now, though? His power was wild, untrained. Alex extended his palm forward, channeling his will into the blood dripping from his hand. "Move," he muttered. The blood quivered, forming small droplets that hovered in the air. His brows furrowed as he focused harder, trying to shape the liquid. But the blood simply sttered back onto the ground with a pathetic squelch. Alera chuckled. "Not so easy, huh? Maybe you''d have better luck using your staff?" He didn''t respond, gritting his teeth and trying again by shing his palm. Move. Shape. Control. The crimson drops trembled again, rising slightly, only to copse into a sticky mess once more. For hours, Alex repeated the same process. His blood would rise momentarily, swirl faintly, then crash to the ground. Each failure was met with a grunt of irritation, but he refused to stop. [Focus.] Each time he failed, such a panel would appear before him. As [Arts] are difficult both to learn and master, it wasn''t umon for it to give you some tips. Alera asionallyshed out with her [Frostborne Spear], sending shards of ice hurtling toward him to keep him on his toes. Alex dodged each one, his agility keeping him just ahead of her strikes. "You can''t train blood control if you''re dead, Alex," Alera said,unching a particrly sharp icicle his way. "Then don''t miss," he retorted, spinning to avoid the projectile. The first day passed with little progress. By the time the sun began to set, Alex''s vision blurred from the constant blood loss. He staggered slightly but steadied himself. "Enough for today," Alera said firmly, lowering her spear. "You''ll pass out if you keep pushing yourself like this." "I''m fine," Alex replied through gritted teeth. Though he didn''t resist as Alera tossed him a [Healing Potion] to replenish his strength. ... The next day, they resumed their training. Alex''s persistence was relentless. Every morning, he reopened the wound on his palm and poured his focus into controlling the crimson liquid. By midday, he could make the blood hover longer, shaping it into crude, jagged forms before they fell apart. Alera watched him closely, asionally stepping in to spar. She never went easy on him, her icy attacks forcing him to weave and dodge while maintaining his concentration. "You''ll need more than fancy tricks to hit me," Alera taunted, thrusting her spear forward in a flurry of strikes. Alex dodged each one narrowly, his blood flickering in the air like a chaotic swirl. He was getting better¡ªsteadier¡ªbut it still wasn''t enough. "Again," he demanded. By the third day, Alex was finally seeing progress. The blood hovering around him no longer wavered. It pulsed with his will, swirling into more stable shapes. He stretched out his arm, and the blood followed, forming a sharp, crimson de that floated mid-air. Ding! And that notification meant that he had finally seeded! [Blood Arts Perk #1: Blood des] [Using your own blood in battle, you can create several des made out of your blood, each one able to deal devastating damage to your opponent.] Alera raised an eyebrow. "Interesting," she said, taking a defensive stance. Alex didn''t hesitate. With a flick of his hand, the de shot forward. It sliced through the air with impressive speed, aimed directly at Alera. The [ Ice Queen] reacted instantly, spinning her spear and summoning a frozen barrier. The blood de mmed against the wall of ice, shattering it, though it lost its momentum in the process. "Not bad," Alera admitted, her tone serious for once. "But you''ll need more than one." Alex smirked. "Working on it." For the rest of the day, Alex repeated the process, honing his ability to summon the [Blood de]. Each attempt was faster, sharper, and more controlled. By evening, he could summon five des at once, each one hovering around him like crimson sentinels. Alera grinned. "Now that''s progress." On the fourth day, their sparring became more intense. Alera unleashed more strength, hurling volleys of ice spears and shards at Alex. He countered with his blood des, sending them flying to intercept her attacks. The crimson des shed against the icy projectiles, shattering them mid-air. The battlefield was a chaotic dance of red and white, each attack more precise than thest. But Alera''s experience was undeniable. She closed the gap between them, forcing Alex to rely on his agility to avoid her strikes. "You''re improving," she said, thrusting her spear forward. "But you''re still predictable!" Alex dodged the spear by a hair''s breadth, rolling to the side and summoning another set of blood des. Stay connected through m-v l|e''-NovelBin The important thing to consider with the [Blood Arts] was that every time Alex was hurt, he could summon more des. He sent them flying toward Alera in a wide arc, forcing her to defend. One de managed to slip past her guard, grazing her arm. -138,928! And the damage was incredible even against a tier 6 being like Alera! Alera winced but smirked. "Impressive. That actually stung a little." By the end of the spar, Alex was exhausted, his breathing in heavy gasps. Alera stood across from him, looking rtively unscathed despite the relentless assault. "You''re getting there," she said, lowering her spear. As Alex sat down to catch his breath, a notification appeared before him. [You have disyed incredible mastery of the "Blood Arts" starting perks!] [Your Blood Arts Mastery has been raised from "Very Low" to "Low."] He couldn''t help but smile. He was only able to summon a few [Blood des], but it was still good as you would gain more perks once your [Art] evolved. "I think I''ll manage the rest on my own," he smiled, grabbing Alera''s hand, "Thank you though." He knew she probably had things to do, but she still helped him with his request. "No problem," the Fox Tribe Queen smiled, "I made sure not to kill you, though." "Appreciate it." If Alera had felt like it, a single thrust of her spear could have ended Alex''s life. But with that done, he now felt a bit more confident in heading deeper inside the [Mystical Forest] to find the [Mystical Temple]. Chapter 107 Rain of Fire, Orc Tribe Members in the Forest After managing to master one of the [Blood Art]''s perks, Alex finally felt like it was the time to head deeper inside the [Mystical Forest]. Thanks to Alera''s intel, and his memories of his past life, he knew for sure there would be some kind of [Hidden Temple] at the end. But before doing that, he made sure to use his [Skill Evolution] perk. Ding! [You have evolved "Fire Tornado" (High-Tier) to "Rain of Fire" (Max-Tier)] [Rain of Fire; Deals 500% of your spirit to enemies in arge area and has a chance to deal the "Burn" effect; consumes 250,000 mana; one-minute cooldown.] "Hm..." Alex, for the first time, even though he had gotten such a powerful skill, was perplexed. His [Spirit] attribute was at 8313, meaning that he only had 83,130 MP, and so even with the 50% reduction for mana cost, the cost was still too much for him to cast it. And to make it even better, or worse, who knows. Ding! [You can synthesize "Rain of Fire" with one of your other skills.] It didn''t take him long to figure out which one it was. [Rain of Fire (Max-Tier) + Fire Meteor (Max-Tier) = ???] A skill that merged these two would indeed be immensely powerful, but the mana cost would be too much for him to handle. He decided not to do it. And so without wasting time, he immediately took everything he needed, and left thefort of the [Fox Tribe Vige] with Alice. "See youter," Alera waved at him, confident that not only him, but Alice too would need her help with Alex''s curse. "Cya," Alex nodded before disappearing behind a tree. ... [You have entered the "Mystical Forest"] He had only sent his undead scavenging for "Magic Crystals" before, meaning that he had never truly entered this area. Going through the forest was fairly easy for him, as any monster that he met was instantly killed using his spells or [Bleeding Strike]. It had only 5% of chance to cause [Bleed] to an enemy, but every time it did, Alex would focus on his [Art] and try to control it. [Blood Arts (Low Mastery): Able to control your blood, as well as those of allies and monsters, to create weapons, skills, and summons to aid you.] As the description says, it is possible to control the blood of monsters to create the [Blood des]. Though, whenever he tried, their blood wouldn''t even move. sh! He would sometimes sh his own palm to make sure his powers were good to go. And as expected, he was able to summon a certain amount of [Blood des] based on how much blood poured out from his wound. -2,000! Though that meant dealing damage to himself. To master the ability to control the blood of others, he would have to test it on people close to him, and he categorically refused to force Alice or Alera to do that. He would just need to deal with it himself, like he always did. After a few hours, and dozens of extractions, both [Attribute Points] and [x18 Magic Crystals] forter use, something strange happened. Rustle! Rustle! He heard a sound in the distance, and though at first he believed it was monsters, he heard actual voices. "So the demons expect us to find that shithole in the middle of this forest?" a rough voice could be heard. "I say we give up, it''s not even worth it." another proposed. "I agree, who even cares about the foxes, they''re weakpared to the other beast tribes," a third added. Alex hid behind a tree, holding his hand over Alice''s mouth in case she wanted to speak. He couldn''t afford to be seen or heard. Because... [Orc Tribe Members - Tier 6 - Level 400] These 2 meters tall beings with green skin and big muscles were insanely strong, basically, they shouldn''t be in this forest. "..." Alex observed, making sure not to interact with them. Even with his powers, he wasn''t sure he could beat tier 6 beings like these. Plus, listening on them could grant good information. "I''m toozy, let''s just tell the others we found nothing," the orc leader among the three, wearing some sort of bone ne, groaned. "Seriously, asking us toe all the way here for a bunch of foxes, who even cares about them when they won''t even be able to do anything during the [Competition]." "Let''s go." The three orcs were finally fed, and walked in the opposite direction, probably attempting to leave the forest. The fact they were here, and by their simple dialogue, Alex instantly figured out they had tried to find the [Fox Tribe Vige]. A tier 5 demon attack was something when said demons were level 300, but if it was a tier 6 orc attacks, not even Alera would win. There are dozens upon dozens of races in [Universal Descent], and as the game went on, more would be revealed. The [Demon n], [Fox n] and [Orc n] were a few of those, though there were more advanced ones like the [Devil n], [Angel n] and [Spirit n]. The fact orcs were here meant that the demons have hired them to check on what happened with the attack, noticing that none of the demons sent were responding. "No chance the demons could have lost against a bunch of foxes, right?" "Yeah, I think someone else helped them, as otherwise this should have been an easy victory." Orcs don''t work under Demons, don''t get it twisted, in fact, they are enemies that will, as the game goes on, have many wars between one another. But right now, both their ns were neutral, meaning that they had no hostilities against one another. After the orcs left, Alex let out a sigh of relief. "Those bastards," he gazed at their backs with pure hatred in his eyes, "Didn''t expect the demons to try something else, even though their leader said he wouldn''t attack anymore if they survived." Thetter that the fox tribe had been sent clearly stated this: [Our great demon king "Asmodeus" has decided that an attack will ur on your vige a month from now on.] [Asmodeus is a fair demon, and he informed us that if you survive this attack, he wouldn''t attack anymore for a while.] [Though I''m sure you already know that winning isn''t possible, and neither is escaping.] The second line clearly stated that the demons wouldn''t attack for a while if they survived this encounter. Yet here they were, sending other ns to do the job. Though thankfully, they sent the worst n to do it. Orcs were powerful in battle, but when it came to everything else, they were extremelyzy. They hadn''t even reached the center of the forest that they already gave up! "Let''s keep going," Alex nodded after making sure the orcs were gone. There was a risk of meeting orcs since these three were probably not the only group sent, but it was fine. Ding! [You have reached level 121!] He had gained 7 levels during the expedition, and it was the same for Alice, who held her ground fairly well thanks to her new [Blood Arrows]. Eventually, Alex reached the end of the [Mystical Forest], and as expected, he noticed a massive wall of fog close to it. "That must be it," he smiled, approaching it. Ding! [Do you want to enter the area: "Mystical Temple"?] [Infernal Difficulty - Level 300] [Yes] [No] "Yes!" Alex stepped cautiously through the dense mist surrounding the [Mystical Temple], Alice close behind. The atmosphere was thick with unease, the fog pressing in around them like unseen hands. It didn''t take long for the air to clear, revealing the structure ahead. "Here we go," Alex smiled, ready to see what all of this was about. Chapter 108 The Mystical Temple, Level 350 Ancient Sentinel The temple was colossal, with towering spires and intricate carvings etched into its stone. Ancient symbols glowed faintly along its surface, their light pulsing in a rhythmic cadence as though alive. Vines could be seen moving along the walls, blending the temple seamlessly into its surroundings, but the aura it emitted was unmistakably ominous. "This ce¡­" Alex muttered, his voice low as he scanned the area. "It feels... alive," Alice added, gripping her bow tightly, her eyes darting around for potential threats. Ding! [You have entered the area: "Mystical Temple"] [Infernal Difficulty - Level 300] The notification reaffirmed their situation. Alex narrowed his eyes. An Infernal Difficulty area was no joke, and even though he was far above the level requirement, he knew the challenge would be brutal. "Stay sharp," he warned Alice. Alice nodded silently, her expression determined. The temple''s entrance loomed ahead, nked by statues of robed figures. Their hollow eyes seemed to follow Alex and Alice as they approached. Carved runes glowed along the base of the statues, their light intensifying as the pair stepped closer. As they crossed the threshold, the air grew heavy. The temperature dropped, and a faint hum filled the space, vibrating through their bones. "Definitely feels like a trap," Alex muttered under his breath. Not wanting to take the gamble, he summoned a single skeleton and ordered it to move forward. But as it traversed the massive doorway, entering the temple, one of the statues'' sword came crashing down, killing it. "Damn." Alex muttered. Suddenly, the runes on the statues red brightly, and a booming voice echoed through the chamber. "Only those deemed worthy may proceed." Ding! [Challenge Initiated: Prove Your Worth] [Defeat the Guardians to enter the temple.] The ground beneath them rumbled as the statues began to move. Stone cracked and splintered as the figures stepped off their pedestals, their towering forms radiating an ancient, unyielding power. [Temple Guardian - Tier 5 - Level 300] [HP: 5,000,000] [Skills: Smash, Sword Swing, Guardian''s Eye...] Alex was unfazed as he stared at the two guardians. "Alice, keep your distance and aim for the joints," hemanded. "I''ll take the brunt of their attacks." "Got it," Alice replied, already nocking an arrow. Her calm demeanor was simr to Alex''s, herself getting used to all the crazy things inside the game. The first guardian lunged at Alex, its massive stone fist crashing down with earth-shaking force. Alex sidestepped just in time, repositioning himself right behind the monster. "[Bleeding Strike]!" He mumbled, shing at the guardian''s leg several times. -184,280! -184,280! -184,280! His de sparked against the stone, and while the cut wasn''t deep, it still dealt damage. Cracks began to appear along the surface, but the guardian''s ancient construction wasn''t going to make this easy. Meanwhile, Alice let loose a volley of [Blood Arrows] she had acquired from shooting monsters in the [Mystical Forest]. Thanks to them, she now had 63 [Blood Arrows] to use! Each one was aimed at the second guardian''s joints. The arrows struck true, chipping away at the stone and slowing its movements. The first guardian swung its massive arm again, forcing Alex to leap backward. He cut his palm using his dagger then activated [Blood Arts], summoning a trio of [Blood des] around him. The crimson weapons hovered in the air beforeunching toward the guardian. The des mmed into the guardian''s chest, cracking the stone more and causing it to stagger. -472,934! -438,583! -501,139! This was the power of an [Art], something you shouldn''t be able to acquire and master so early in the game! Alex didn''t waste the opening. He instantlyunched a flurry of spells at it, and after a while, the guardian crumbled to the ground in a heap of shattered stone. "One down," Alex muttered, turning his attention to the second guardian. Alice had done significant damage to its legs, forcing it to move sluggishly. She unleashed another barrage of arrows, aiming for its head this time. But the guardian pushed through them, and so right as it was about to m its massive fist against Alice, Alex intervened by blocking the blow with his dagger. His [Strength] stat surpassed the one of the guardian, meaning he could probably beat it in a arm wrestle if it came to it. Height doesn''t mean anything in this world, stats do. He shed a few times, then sensing the second guardian growing weaker, he decided to end it. "Fury of Thunder!" he roared. Three massive lightning bolts descended from above, striking the guardian and shattering itpletely. The temple fell silent once more as the remnants of the guardiansy scattered across the floor. Ding! [Challenge Complete: Prove Your Worth] [You may now ess the temple.] [You have in x2 "Temple Guardian", gaining 4,500,000 experience points!] [You have extracted "Guardian Sword (Epic)" and "Guardian Gauntlet (Epic)"!] Ding! Ding! He leveled up twice, reaching level 123. "Nice work," he said, ncing at Alice. "Your aim was perfect." "Thanks," she replied, lowering her bow. ... Inside the Mystical Temple. Their footsteps echoed as they moved deeper inside. There were several stone monsters and other guardians blocking the way, but Alex easily got rid of them, extracting their attribute points. And soon enough, they arrived at a massive door. "This must be it," Alex said. Alice nodded. Pushing the door open, they entered the chamber. Ding! [Boss Encounter: Ancient Sentinel] [Ancient Sentinel - Elite Boss - Level 350] [HP: 10,000,000] The massive stone figure stood in the center, its four arms holding glowing des. "..." it looked at the intruders, not speaking any word since it didn''t have a mouth. "Time to get serious," Alex said. He raised his staff and summoned his undead army to aid him. He hadn''t done it before because Alice had asked him to allow her to get more [Blood Arrows]. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] The Sentinel moved instantly, its des a blur. It cut through the skeletons before they could reach it. "Damn, it''s fast!" Alex muttered. Alice kept her distance, firing arrows at its arms, but the Sentinel''s speed made it hard tond a clean hit. Alex activated [Aura of Death], boosting his undead. The skeletons pressed forward, but the Sentinel swung its des again, cutting them down. "Spirit Chains!" Alex shouted. The transparent chains shot out from Alex''s staff, wrapping around the boss. But it only slowed it for a moment, as the chains were shattered the very next second. "Fine," Alex said. Fire Meteor! Fury of Thunder! A meteor broke the ceiling above the sentinel and hit it directly. -218,893! Then three lightning strikes hit the boss from that very same hole the meteor created. Zap! Zap! Zap! 168,893! 168,893! 168,893! [Ancient Sentinel has been stunned] Taking advantage of that opportunity, Alex immediately dashed the boss, using [Shadow Strike] as well as [Bleeding Strike] several times, repeatedly chipping away at its health. -2,874,923! He managed to deal a huge amount of damage that way. And as the sentinel finally escaped the stun''s effect and swung its de down, Alex managed to use [Stone Fortress] to save himself. Alice followed up with a barrage of [Blood Arrows], chipping away at its health. She even went as far as to use her unique skill [Ice Torrent], around a hundred arrows raining down onto the boss. Find your next read on m_v l|e-NovelBin -1,839,384! "Yes!" Alice was happy she managed to deal this much damage. But that was her biggest mistake: in a fight, you shouldn''t let your emotions affect you, even for a single second. Sensing her concentration falter, the sentinel used [Sonic sh] to close the distance between them, swinging its four arms at Alice. "Huh?" she didn''t even realize what was happening until the des were already mere centimeters away from her body. But Alex wasn''t going to let that happen. "RAH-" Using his momentum, he pushed Alice out of the way, taking the attack. -24,384! -24,384! -24,384! -24,384! Even his HP and armor didn''t save him, and so Alex was instantly killed. A notification promptly appeared. [You have been killed by the Ancient Sentinel. The Blessing of the Fox Spirit has triggered. Thest attack was blocked by the Fox Spirit.] He was saved by his blessing. "A-Alex, y-you''re bleeding a lot..." Alice gasped, feeling sorry that she had yet again been useless. But it was quite the opposite, actually: Alex smiled. Liters of blood poured out from several wounds in his body, and so using all that blood, he managed to create dozens of [Blood des] Without hesitation, he sent them all at the Ancient Sentinel, each one hitting it. -348,095! This was the damage of a single [Blood de], so I''ll let you imagine how much damage all of them did. Ding! [You have in the "Ancient Sentinel", and gained 5,000,000 experience points] [You have extracted "Ancient Sentinel Stone Heart (Mythical)"] [Description: a heart of stone, used to bring statues to live, it may be useful in the future.] "Hm." [You have leveled up twice: +10 to all attributes, +8 free points to assign.] [Global Announcement: yers "FateBreaker" and "StarPillow" are the first toplete the "Mystical Temple" and defeat the "Ancient Sentinel"!] [+20 Prestige Points!] "Huh?" but Alex raised his eyebrows, "That''s... it?" He knew that everyone besides him would struggle with such an area, but even for an Infernal Difficulty area, this felt... too easy. There had to be something more. And Alex would be correct in thinking like that. Because right as he was about to observe his surroundings to see if he wasn''t missing anything, a glowing panel appeared before him. [Guiding Light has decided to help you!] "Oh," Alex muttered. Chapter 109 The Mysterious Hall Secret Realm, Unexpected Draconic Encounter [Guiding Light has decided to help you!] A faint blue orb of light materialized in front of Alex, hovering gently: It was the [Guiding Light], the spirit that intervened when yers needed help finding something. This was the third time it had appeared for Alex, a rare urrence that suggested the spirit had taken a liking to him. As said before, [Lights] are also a type of divinities, some stronger than ever tier-10 monsters. "Be careful," but right as he was about to follow [Guiding Light], who directed him toward a specific wall in the chamber, Alphox appeared beside him, "I sense a draconic aura around here." "Huh?" "I''m saying I can feel the presence of a dragon nearby. I don''t know why, but it''s strong." "Thanks," Alex had a bad feeling, if a dragon was here in this early parts of the game, then it meant there must be something important, or dangerous. Following [Guiding Light] for a few seconds, the blue orb stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary way, then phased through it. "..." Alex titled his head in confusion. After a second, the orb appeared in front of Alex, then went back through the wall, repeating the action several times. "!!!" And Alex realized what it meant by that. [Have you appreciated Guiding Light''s help?] [Yes] [No] "Yes!" he instantly clicked on yes. [Guiding Light is pleased!] The orb shimmered brightly before disappearing entirely, and Alex followed in its footsteps. "What are you doing?" Alice peeked from his shoulder. She couldn''t see [Guiding Light], by the way, since the entity had specifically selected Alex as the yer it was helping. Without wasting time, Alex extended his arm forward, then marched toward the wall. To Alice''s shock, his arm passed through it as if the wall wasn''t there. "WHAT?!" Alice''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Stay close," Alex warned, ncing at her, "but watch out. I''ve got a bad feeling about this ce." Alice hesitated but followed closely as Alex fully stepped through the illusory wall. Readtest stories on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin [You have entered the secret area, "Mysterious Temple Hall"] [Difficulty: Impossible.] "Huh?" Alex froze. The word Impossible shed ominously in his mind. This was the highest difficulty an area could have, a clear message to yers: You cannot survive this. I mean, that''s why it has [Impossible] in the name. Usually, if an area has the Impossible Difficulty, it would be safer to just go back. But Alex wasn''t one to back down. As he emerged on the other side, his eyes swept over a massive, open hall. Its size dwarfed even thergest temple chambers he''d seen so far. At the far end of the hall, something glimmered faintly in the distance. "What''s that?" Alex narrowed his eyes. "It looks like¡­ a box?" Alice guessed thanks to her archer eyes, stepping up beside him But other than that, there was nothing else. No other rooms or anything of the sort: the entire area was this hall. "Maybe the monster is inside that box," Alex was cautious, mainly speaking to Alice as she emerged. The hall''s atmosphere felt alive, charged with an unsettling energy. Every step forward made the air heavier, as though the very walls were watching them. The intricate architecture around them stood in stark contrast to the rest of the temple. The carvings were more luxurious, as if this part of the structure was made to honor something divine. No monsters. No traps. Just silence. Theck of danger unnerved Alex even more. But as they reached the center of the hall, Alex noticed that it wasn''t a box, but some sort of coffin, only big enough to store a human-shaped body inside. It was made out of shimmering blue crystal, and you could see particles of aura dancing around it. "The boss is probably inside," Alice said confidently. "Maybe," Alex replied, but something about the coffin didn''t sit right with him. Before he could think further, his [Cursed Eyes of the King] red up. [WARNING!] Dozens of red panels burst into view in front of him, and before he could react, a massive shadow appeared above them both, blotting out the faint light in the hall. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT," Alice stumbled back, her voice echoing through the chamber. "..." even Alex felt ufortable at the sight. The sound of enormous wings beating filled the air. It didn''t take a genius to figure out what this thing was from all the clues, but Alex still looked up regardless, confirming his suspicions: It was a dragon. The dragon wasn''t asrge as Alphox, but its presence was suffocating. Beige scales covered its body, each one shimmering faintly in the dim light. Its ws were razor-sharp, designed to tear through anything in its path. p! p! p! The dragon, having used a [Camouge] skill to hide itself, finally realized that these humans were trying to get to the coffin, meaning that it needed to act. "You won''t pass," the dragon roared with a feminine voice before diving toward them. "Move!" Alex shouted, grabbing Alice by the arm and leaping backward. m! The impact shook the hall, the shockwave sending both yers flying, but thankfully enough that wasn''t enough to kill. Especially because of Alex, who already had a low amount of health from his fight with the [Ancient Sentinel]. "Get out of here, humans, I won''t repeat," the female dragon roared again, her blue eyes glowing ominously and blue mes almost escaping her mouth as a threat. "What are you, a dragon, doing here?" Alex asked, confused. Dragons were supposed to be rare, legendary creatures. Even the weakest among them were at least tier-5 or tier-6. "None of your business, don''t act like you know what a dragon should and shouldn''t do," the dragon took a menacing step forward, its ws scraping against the stone floor. But Alex remained still, unfazed, his gaze flicking to the coffin behind the dragon. "Is it about that coffin behind you?" he risked, and the reaction of the dragon to his question, which was another step and a raised eyebrow, confirmed his suspicion. Whatever was inside that coffin was the real reward. And the [Impossible] rank came from the fact that, well, not a single yer in this game right now could defeat such a dragon. "My name is Eleonora," the female dragon growled, her wings red as she charged up a ball of blue mes in her mouth, "Remember that name well as you die." [Eleonora - Dragon Tribe Member - Level 400] "Ice mes!" Eleonora unleashed a torrent of blue mes, the searing heat freezing the air as it surged toward Alex and Alice. "Shit," Alex knew this was bad, as the attack was unavoidable, and it would do too much damage to tank it even with the [Stone Fortress]. But just as the mes were about to engulf them, a dark barrier materialized in front of them. Umbral Shield! [Umbral Shield: Creates a protective shield of shadows around the user or an ally, absorbing all damage for three seconds and returning 25% of it back to the attacker.] The mes crashed against the shadowy shield, which absorbed the impact entirely. The barrier shimmered for three seconds before reflecting a portion of the attack back at Eleonora. "Huh?" Fwish! Boom! -746,372! The reflected damage wasn''t enough to seriously injure Eleonora, but it was still significant, showcasing the sheer destructive power of her attack. "You little-" Eleonora growled, startled that her mes had been deflected. Of course, she didn''t, after all, [Umbral Shield] wasn''t even one of Alex''s skills. It was one of Alphox''s, meaning that the [Primordial Shadow Dragon] was observing the situation from his [Pet Space]. Eleonora snarled, baring her teeth as she prepared another attack, her wings ring once more, and her presence domination the hallway. Chapter 110 Eleonora VS Alphox, Dragon Battle Alex steadied himself as the dragon, Eleonora, let out a low growl, her icy blue eyes piercing through him. The air in the hall was frigid, the aftermath of her [Ice mes] lingering like a warning. "You dare deflect my mes?" she hissed, stepping closer, her ws scraping against the polished stone floor. Alex clenched his fists. "We didn''te here looking for a fight with you, but if you insist, I won''t back down." Alice pulled herself up, dusting off her gear as she gave Alex a wary look. "Are you insane? That''s a dragon¡ªlevel 400! We can''t win this!" Alex ignored her, his eyes fixed on Eleonora, after all he knew he wouldn''t die now. The dragon was massive, her wings folded tightly against her body now, but the sheer size of her frame made her an imposing presence. Every move she made sent ripples of tension through the air. "What''s in that coffin? Why are you protecting it?" Eleonora''s expression darkened, and a wave of energy radiated from her body, forcing both Alex and Alice to brace themselves. "DIE, HUMANS!" Eleonora dashed toward Alex, raising her ws, ready to cut him in half, "I won''t let you get close to the princess!" ''Princess?'' Alex thought as he saw the giant female dragon''s w right in front of his face. Her stats were far superiorpared to his, meaning there was no chance he could deflect or avoid the attack. [Eleonora - Dragon Tribe Member - Level 400] [HP: 30,000,000] Plus, she just had too much HP and defense anyway. sh! She was about to finally end Alex and Alice, but before he ws could reach them, a towering figure appeared above the man. "Know your ce," it was Alphox, and he sneered as he deflected Eleonora''s blow with a single flick of his arm. Though they were the same level, Alphox was still a [Primordial Dragon], the highest title a dragon could get in [Universal Descent]. [Name: Alphox] [Type: Primordial Shadow Dragon] [Rank: Level 400, 6-Star] |HP: 50,000,000] Find adventures at m_v l|e-NovelBin [Master: FateBreaker] [Skills: Shadow mes, Strike, Fly, Eclipsing Roar, Umbral Shield¡­] His stats were just overall better, including HP. "...?!" Eleonora didn''t have the time to react that Alphox struck again at her, forcing her to back away. -3,847,371! This was a single attack from Alphox. Because even though they were both dragons of the same level, then if you truly wanted topare them, Eleonora would be an [Elite Boss], while Alphox would be a [Universal Boss]. This was the difference between heaven and earth, and showed just how powerful primordial dragons were. "A-Alphox?!" Eleonora mumbled in fear, her eyes widening, "W-What are you doing here, weren''t you dead?!" "Haha, me, dead?" Alphoxughed, "Quit your funny jokes, primordial dragons don''t die that easily." "..." the female dragon didn''t know what to say or do. Fighting humans was easy, but a dragon like Alphox could kill her at any moment if he wanted. Primordial Dragons were both respected and feared, and not a single normal dragon would dare try to disrespect one. "I''ll repeat that kid''s question," Alphox pped his wings,nding on the ground, "What are you trying to protect?" "L-Lord Alphox," Eleonora was visibly scared, but she didn''t leave or back down, "E-Even if it''s you, I need to protect the princess!" She got into position again, as if she wanted to attack again, clearly what was in that coffin was more important than her life. "So be it," Alphox growled, unleashing [Shadow mes]. Eleonora responded ordingly, using [Ice mes]. "Stand back," Alex ordered, raising his [Stone Fortress] in front of him and Alice, "Any hit from these mes, and it''s instant death." Though Alphox was protecting them, he needed to be cautious in front of such beings. Thankfully enough though, and as anyone could have predicted, Alphox''s [Shadow mes] were far stronger than Eleonora''s, meaning that they easily pushed the blue mes back. In less than 5 seconds, Alphox''s mes reached the other dragon, engulfing her. -4,371,955! -5,821,948! -3,579,211! She received a high amount of damage, burn marks visible on her body, and it was only because Alphox decided to stop casting the mes that she survived. She struggled to stand, her breaths ragged, but Alphox showed no mercy. In a blur, he pinned her down, his w pressing firmly against her neck. "Let us pass, fool, I do not like fighting and killing weaker dragons." Eleonora''s resistance faltered. She remained still, her breathing shallow but steady. Alphox gestured toward Alex, "Go. The coffin is at the end of the hall." Alex nodded, his gaze flickering toward the defeated dragon. Despite her condition, she red at him, her protective instincts still burning. "You should stand back," he asked Alice, and she nodded, not wanting to approach that dragon. With measured steps, Alex advanced toward the end of the hall. As he approached Alphox and Eleonora, he saw that the female dragon, pinned down, tried really hard to stop him from approaching, even going as far as trying to hit him with her tail. Though Alex avoided it, Alphox immediately answered with his own tail surrounded the beige dragon''s. When Alex finally reached the end of the hall, he stopped. The coffin was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was made of shimmering, crystalline ice, its surface wless and transparent. Inside, a figurey still¡ªa woman with delicate features and an otherworldly beauty. "Huh?" Alex blinked in disbelief. It was a person. "There''s no point," Eleonora shouted, "No one can free the princess from this coffin!" Alex eyed the female dragon, then immediately tried to lift the case, and just as expected, it didn''t budge. He could see the chest of the princess moving up and down, meaning that she was indeed alive, but stuck in there, in a sleeping state. Was that what the dragon tried to protect? Fire Meteor! Alex lifted his staff, a meteor crashing down from the ceiling and hitting the coffin. -0! But it didn''t do anything to it. He tried that with several other spells, with his dagger, and even the [Blood des], but no sess in that either. There was some kind of sealing magic stopping him from essing it. "How long has it been?" he asked the other dragon, pointing at the coffin. "At least hundreds of years," she muttered. "And I''ve been defending her ever since. You''ll get nowhere, human. Just leave." Alex ignored her again. Hundreds of years? This was far beyond his knowledge of his previous life. Which means that those that somehow found this secret area were killed, and that those that in fact managed to finally defeat Eleonora hadn''t found a way to open this coffin. This was way too mysterious for him to let it slide. But even he had no idea how to open that coffin, as he wasn''t a master in these kinds of arts. Alphox, sensing Alex''s struggles, approached the coffin, leaving Eleonora behind. The female dragon didn''t even bother stopping them: she only wanted the princess to be safe, and was sure that some day, a savior woulde to free her. Until then, she would make sure that no one else could cause problems. Shadow mes! Alphox risked it all andunched a barrage of mes at the coffin, but yet again, nothing. Strike! Strike! Strike! His ws simply bounced off. "Yeah," Alphox nodded, "This is a high-level curse, no attack can break it." "A high-level curse?" Alex''s eyes widened, he didn''t expect to find something like that. The [Undead King] curse, for example, was a high-level curse, but it had more benefits than anything else. On the other hand, negative curses like these had extreme effects, and in that case it would be locking this girl in this coffin for eternity. Just then, a panel appeared before him, triggered by his [Cursed Eyes of the King]. [Get the "Curse Breaker" (Artifact) or ask a powerful exorcist to break it. No other way.] The options weren''t ideal. Both paths seemed incredibly difficult. As Alex pondered his next move, Eleonora spoke again. "You won''t seed. You might as well leave while you can." But suddenly, he had an incredible idea. Back in [Dawn City], he had met with one NPC with the [Exorcist cksmith] talent. If he could manage to bring him here, then there was maybe a chance to deal with it. The [Curse Breaker] artifact was quite literally impossible to get in these stages of the game, after all. Chapter 111 Breaking The Coffins Curse, Tolkiens Help [Get a "Curse Breaker" (Artifact) or ask a powerful exorcist to break it. No other way.] The first one was impossible right now, but the second might actually be doable. "You won''t seed. You might as well leave while you can," Eleonora sighed, brushing a wing against the crystalline surface. "Hm..." but Alex was mainly scrambling his mind to remember if his solution might actually work. In the end, he had nothing to lose, and so he spoke. "Actually, I might have a way to break it, but I''m not sure." "?!" both Eleonora and Alphox looked at him with confused eyes. That kid had a way to break a high-level curse such as this one, ced by a [Grand Magus]? "You''re delusional, human," Eleonora sneered, not enjoying these jokes. Alice, after seeing that Eleonora wasn''t aggressive anymore, approached, and gasped as she saw the woman inside the coffin. "Alice," Alex eyed the girl, "Stay here for a bit, I''lle back in less than ten minutes if I find what I wanted." "O-Ok!" Alice nodded, confident that Alex could resolve this situation. "I will be staying here too, someone needs to keep an eye on her," he pointed at Eleonora with his ws. "L-Lord Alphox, it wasn''t of my intentions to offend you, I just truly believed that you were here to eliminate the princess!" "How can we eliminate her if the coffin she''s in is indestructible, idiot?" Alphox replied, annoyed, and Eleonora couldn''t really answer that. "Well, maybe she thought we had some sort of item to do it?" Alice intervened. Find more adventures on mvl Leaving these three arguing between one another, Alex opened up his [World Map] and selected the dot with the text [Dawn City] above it. Once he did, much like with [Bell City], a few specific sections appeared, since he had visited them. [Tolkien''s cksmith Shop] [Church of the Dawn] [Door of Destiny Chamber] "Nice!" Alex was pleased, since it meant he wouldn''t have to actually waste time by walking. He selected the cksmith shop, fading out in a sh of blue light. "What the?" Eleonora was baffled, "Spatial magic?!" "I am surprised too, don''t worry," Alphox sighed, "I could count on my ws the amount of people who could use that." "Well, he did tame you, so I wouldn''t be so surprised, and the [World Map] is pretty powerful," Aliceughed. "Hey, he didn''t tame me, kid," The primordial dragon groaned, though he couldn''t deny that he quite enjoyed thepany of the human named Alex. ... Alex materialized in front of the shop, only to find a sign hanging on the locked door: "The church has asked me for my help regarding some secret matters. I will be back soon." "Great," Alex grumbled, ncing around. Time was precious, and he couldn''t waste it waiting. He reopened the [World Map] and selected the next location: [Church of the Dawn]. As Alex materialized before the grand church, he was immediately met with resistance. Two armored guards stepped forward, their halberds blocking his path. "Halt! State your business!" Alex rolled his eyes. "I need to see Tolkien. Now." "No one enters uninvited¡ª" Alex didn''t let them finish. He didn''t even bother using his dagger or spells, he just used his bare hands, and the guards were sent flying, their weapons ttering against the stone floor. "Where is he?" Alex demanded, stepping over the groaning guards. "In the basement! With Aldritch!" one of them stammered, clearly intimidated. "Thanks." Alex smirked, reopening the [World Map] and selecting the [Door of Destiny Chamber]. Alex materialized in the dimly lit chamber, the oppressive atmosphere heavy with mystery. As expected, Aldritch was already there, his piercing eyes locking onto Alex the moment he appeared. A shadowy hand extended from Aldritch''s back, stopping mere inches from Alex''s neck. "Oh, it''s you," Aldritch muttered, withdrawing the spectral limb. Alex exhaled slowly, eyeing the towering man. Behind him, Tolkien, the massive cksmith, was hammering away at the golden door adorned with intricate engravings, five glowing chains anchoring it in ce. "What''s going on here?" Alex asked. "He''s inspecting the door," Aldritch replied, neutral. Aldritch seemed really obsessed with this door for some reason, as if he knew that something important was in there, but didn''t tell anybody. Alex would obviously never tell him about the fact he had gotten a quest rted to the [Door of Destiny], otherwise he might get tortured to give answers. Tolkien struck the chains with his hammer again, sparks flying but leaving no mark. "Ugh, nothing. These chains are impervious to everything I''ve tried, I''ve dealt with high-level curses, but that door and chains are stronger than that." Aldritch''s jaw tightened. "There''s no real way to open this door without receiving a panel or finding the appropriate items," he informed him, "This is all I could find." "Seems like the door needs to choose someone, and only that person will know which items it needs to bring," Tolkien added. And a sweat dropped from Alex''s brow as he heard that: this meant he was the person the door chose. "Why are you here?" Aldritch asked, breaking Alex''s train of thought. "Need Tolkien to help me with something," Alex said casually. There was no harm in sharing this particr detail. As he heard his voiceing from someone else, Tolkien straightened, finally noticing Alex. His work-focused trance had made him oblivious to everything around him. "Oh, you''re back, kid. Got anything new for me to forge?" "Not today. Just need your help with a curse." "Hmm¡­" Tolkien scratched his beard. "Depends on the curse. If it''s fresh, I might not be able to do much." "Couple hundred years old," Alex replied with a small grin. Tolkien''s eyes lit up. "Ah, then that''s manageable. But I''ll need to head back to my shop, since it''s probably far from here." As Alex raised his reputation with Tolkien to the max, even such a request would be epted, this was the importance of having good rtionships with NPCs! "No need," Alex smiled, grabbing Tolkien''s wrist then opening up the [World Map], "Hold tight." A new dot named [Mystical Temple] appeared, and so he just had to click on the [Mysterious Hall] subsection to teleport. ''Hopefully he can do it,'' Alex prayed as they both teleported right in front of Aldritch''s eyes, who didn''t even seem to be surprised. "Stupid door..." he mumbled over and over, "I''ll open you at one point... and I''ll finally be able to reach Godhood..." ... Alex and Tolkien materialized in the [Mysterious Hall] of the temple, the cursed aura immediately noticeable. Tolkien''s brow furrowed as he took in the sight of the [Ice Coffin] and the oppressive energy radiating from it. "This¡­ is powerful," Tolkien muttered, stepping closer to inspect it. The cksmith didn''t even seem surprised to see two dragons just standing there, and he approached the coffin without any fear. Eleonora flinched at his presence, her wings twitching nervously. "Who is that?" "He''s going to help," Alex said firmly. Alphox, who had been sitting idly, perked up at their arrival. "Finally, someonepetent." Tolkien ignored the chatter, running his hands over the surface of the coffin as if inspecting it. "The curse is deeply rooted, but I''ve dealt with worse. It''ll take some time, though." "How long?" Alex asked. "Around ten minutes." "WHAT?" Eleonora shouted as he spoke, "There''s no chance such a curse can be dealt with in 10 minutes!" "If it''s truly been hundreds of years since it was cast, then it must be weak, meaning that even I can deal with it," the ginger cksmith smiled, "Just keep the area clear," he added, already pulling out a set of tools from his inventory. Alex nodded, stepping back to give him space. He wasn''t the Legendary [Exorcist cksmith] for no reason! As Tolkien began his work, Alex leaned against the wall, his mind drifting to the looming mystery of the [Door of Destiny]. He still needed to find the 5 tokens, but he had no idea where to get them besides by their names. [The Token of Wrath, The Token of The Abyss, The Token of The Undead, The Token of the Tower, The Token of Nightmares.] For now, though, his focus was on saving the princess. Tolkien worked meticulously, his movements deliberate and precise. The tools in his hands glowed faintly as he channeled energy into the curse, unraveling itsplex web. Eleonora watched in silence, her expression a mix of hope and skepticism. Alphox, meanwhile, seemed genuinely impressed by Tolkien''s skill. Alice sat nearby, her eyes darting between Alex and the coffin. "Do you think it''ll work?" "It has to," Alex said simply. Minutes ticked by, the room silent save for the hum of magic and the asional scrape of Tolkien''s tools. Finally, a faint crack appeared on the surface of the coffin. Tolkien grinned, "Done, now the rest is up to you, kid," he smiled at Alex, "It seems that there''s not only a curse, but some other strange force that stops anyone not worthy from opening this coffin." The cksmith tried several times to lift it up, but it wouldn''t budge. "That''s more than enough," Alex bowed out of respect, teleporting Tolkien back to his shop then returning to the [Mysterious Hall]. He arrived in front of the [Ice Coffin], eyeing the sleeping girl inside. "Come on," Eleonora was more nervous than anybody else, "I-I never expected something like this to ever happen," tears welled up in her eyes. "Yeah, yeah," Alex smiled, cing his hands underneath and pulling it upward. Would he be worthy enough to lift it up, though? Chapter 112 Arcelia, Princess of the Maple Empire Alex gritted his teeth as he grasped the edge of the [Ice Coffin], his fingers digging into its frosty surface. A chill crept up his arms, but he held firm, pouring all his strength into the effort. The oppressive energy surrounding the coffin seemed to push back against him, testing his resolve. The room was silent, save for the faint hum of magic still lingering from Tolkien''s earlier work. Alice, Eleonora, and Alphox watched with bated breath as Alex strained against the coffin''s weight. "Come on¡­" Alex muttered, his grip tightening. A faint glow began to emanate from the coffin, a soft light pulsing in time with his efforts. Then, slowly, the glow from the coffin intensified, the light spreading outward until it filled the entire chamber. With a low rumble, the lid of the [Ice Coffin] began to shift. "It''s¡­ working?" Eleonora whispered, her eyes wide. Alex stepped back as the lid slid open, revealing the figure inside. Princess Arceliay there, her delicate features framed by silvery hair that shimmered in the light. Her eyes fluttered open, and she inhaled sharply, her breath visible in the cold air. "Where¡­ am I?" she whispered, her voice soft and musical. Eleonora rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside the coffin. "Your Highness Arcelia! You''re awake!" "Eleonora..." Arcelia slowly got up from the coffin, holding her forehead, and suddenly, her eyes widened, as if she remembered something important, "T-The Maple Empire, what happened to it since the war? Did we win?" "..." The beige dragon looked at the ground for a few seconds, then back at the princess, "We lost the war." "..." "They had hired Esteban, a Grand Magus, essentially annihting our troops with forbidden spells, as well as locking you up in this coffin for the past 300 years." "3-300 years?!" Arcelia gasped, fully emerging from the coffin now, her graceful figure visible to them all, "This is horrible..." She eyed the hall, noticing Alex, Alice and Alphox, who were all confused as to what the hell the two girls were talking about. "Maple Empire?" Alex tilted his head, he had never heard such a name in his past life, "What the hell is that?" "I don''t know," Alphox shrugged. If even Alphox, a primordial dragon, hadn''t heard of it, then the Maple Empire mustn''t have yed a big role in [Universal Descent]. Sensing the gazes of these people, and their attitudes, Arcelia took a step forward, her face disying a chilling expression. "If my empire is gone, then all I need is to bring it back to its former glory," she ordered, "Eleonora, subdue them." "Hum..." Eleonora, hearing such a request, couldn''t help but awkwardlyugh, "That''s not gonna be possible..." It was the very first time that the dragon had disrespected an order from the princess. "Why?" Arcelia asked, confused, "Don''t want you to bring back our empire?" "I do," Eleonora confirmed, "But I simply cannot beat them, observe the ck dragon on the left." Arcelia did as she was told, and her eyes widened: that form, those scales, and that aura... it was a [Primordial Dragon]! The princess of the [Maple Empire] was actually a peak tier 6 fighter at around level 600, higher than even Alphox. But right now, she just woke up from a 300 years sleep, and her magic powers were weak. Meaning that even Alice could deal with her if it came to it. "Gargh-" Arcelia suddenly got on her knees, coughing blood, "W-What''s happening..." A single gaze with his [Cursed Eyes of the King] gave Alex all the information he needed. Find your next read on mvl [Part of the curse is still deeply infused into her soul.] It didn''t tell him how to fix it, but at least he had the general premise. "Bad news," Alex sighed, "The Grand Mage that ced that curse on you seemed to really hate you and your empire, as he even went as far as to cing it on your soul." "On my soul?!" Arcelia gasped, "B-But why?!" ''Well maybe because of that attitude of yours,'' was what Alex wanted to say, but he refrained himself. "Calm down, princess, I''ll find a solution!" Eleonora tried to calm her down as much as possible, though it didn''t seem to work. "What''s wrong with them all?" Alice was the only one confused. The atmosphere had suddenly be extremely tense at the mention of a [Soul] or whatever. "I''ll exinter," Alex whispered, "Just wait." [Souls] hadn''t been truly mentioned up until now, except for a few asions, but they were basically the "core" of a person/being. In battles, you could either attack the body directly in hopes of dealing damage and reducing their HP to zero. Or, if you manage to get a [Soul Attack], you could attack their soul, dealing permanent damage. Attacking a yer''s soul andpletely shattering it leads to permanent death as well, even if it was only in the game. If your soul shatters, it''s game over, basically. And that is why Alex was so stressed and why it was so painful every time he received the side effects of the [Undead King] curse: the curse was hitting his very soul. Thankfully, not a single enemy could deal [Soul Damage] right now. But Alex would have to learn some attacks like thoseter, as some invincible and immortal enemies can only be killed by damaging their souls. Regardless of that, breaking the [Ice Coffin] curse was one thing, but one that was inserted in a being''s soul was a matter even Tolkien couldn''t resolve. For now, Arcelia would have to endure. "Human, I beg of you," Eleonora, the proud member of the dragon tribe, got on her knees, begging, "Please save the princess, she may not look like it, but she is kind!" Alex sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I''ll see what I can do," he said reluctantly. Eleonora''s head shot up, her expression a mix of gratitude and desperation. Alex nodded, opening up his [World Map] and grabbing everyone that was involved, meaning Alice and Arcelia, since both dragons just disappeared back into their [Pet Spaces]. After a few seconds, they materialized inside the [Fox Tribe Vige]. Then they were immediately greeted by Alera. "Another guest?" she asked, her warm smile unwavering as she noticed Arcelia''s condition. "She''s cursed," Alex exined, his tone serious. "The curse is embedded in her soul." Alera''s expression shifted, concern flickering in her eyes. "Bring her inside," she said, gesturing toward her home. The group followed, with Alex carrying Arcelia in his arms. Inside, Alera prepared a warm bed for the princess, and the man carefully ced her on it. "I''ll try to see what I can do," Alera said, her gentle hands brushing Arcelia''s silvery hair. Alex gave a curt nod. "Thank you," he said as he left the house. Once he went outside, he noticed Eleonora, who stood silently by the door after leaving the [Pet Space]. "There''s nothing else I can do for you," Alex admitted. Eleonora bowed her head respectfully. "Do not worry," she said. "That is more than enough." A system notification appeared in Alex''s vision. [Your reputation with "Eleonora" has reached 80/100.] A small but significant milestone, Alex thought, as Eleonora''s gratitude could prove usefulter. The dragon, after thanking the human onest time, went back inside her personal space, probably going to rest for weeks after staying up to defend her master all these years. Though for now, Alex needed to focus on the following events in the game, as it would slowly be more and more overwhelming. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 113 One Week Break, Alphox Reaching Level 500, Crimson Cataclysm and Second Blood Arts Perk After helping out Arcelia by giving her a warm bed in the [Fox Tribe Vige], Alex could do nothing more for her. He was out of his league when it came to soul curses, and only another [Grand Mage] could possibly remove it. Basically, there was no way for him to do that right now. And so, just like that, a few days passed. There was nothing else for him to do besides wait to see if Arcelia could wake up, and the blood moon event was still taking ce, so there was nothing else to do. Soon enough, yers would be strong enough to pass the level 100 area that was blocking their path to the level 3 city: Star City. Much like yer and monster ranks, every city ranges from level 1 to level 5, disying how powerful it is. Star City would be the most important city until now, in fact, more important than some of the level 4 and 5 cities that woulde next. Slowly, the world of [Universal Descent] was opening up, the only thing separating the yers and the world being their levels and strength. He would obviously go to [Star City] before anyone else since he could do it, but he wanted to rx for a bit. He could take a 1-week break, couldn''t he? During that week, he simply stayed around the [Fox Tribe Vige], ordering his [Undead] army to go into the [Mystical Forest] to kill monsters repeatedly. He did that until he was able to acquire 50 Magic Crystals, which she didn''t take long since he had already got some from his expedition to the [Mystical Temple] and leftovers from before. Ding! [You have created "S-Level Magic Crystal (Mythical)"] Ding! [You have enhanced "S-Level Magic Crystal (Mythical)"] [New Artifact Item: "Max Out Magic Crystal"] "Here, eat this," he called out to Alphox, who ate the Magic Crystal. [Your favorability with Alphox has increased!] [Alphox has reached level 500.] Alphox went through a sudden transformation, his body growingrger than it was, and his scale sturdier and more elegant. "That''s not your full size?!" Alex was shocked, seeing the dragon grow. "Are you kidding," Alphoxughed, "Primordial dragons grow muchrger than that!" "Damn," he didn''t expect that, but as long as the dragon got stronger then it was mine. But now, Alex was facing a new problem. [Your pet cannot get stronger from eating "Magic Crystals" anymore.] A pet wasn''t supposed to grow so much in such a short amount of time, since "Max Out Magic Crystals" were extremely rare under normal circumstances. Meaning that every time a pet reaches level 500, which was enormous, they became useless. Now Alex and Alphox himself would need to find another way to level up. "How do you usually do to level up?" Alex asked the dragon. "Well, normally a Primordial Dragon isn''t supposed to die, but I was betrayed by the others and killed," Alphox started, "But before I became a primordial dragon, I remember having to fight and kill other dragons, all other monsters wouldn''t give me any experience." "Okay," Alex understood now how to help Alphox grow stronger. If he remembered correctly, there was a [Dragon n] as well as a [Dragon Empire]. But another notification came to interrupt him: [Alphox has gained a new skill:] [Abyssal Dive: Alphox soars into the sky, gathering shadow energy before diving at high speed. Upon impact, deals massive shadow and physical damage in a 50-meter radius, stunning enemies close for 5 seconds.] "Not bad," Alex muttered, impressed. "This puts you even closer to being overpowered!" "Hah!" Alphox let out a smallugh, "Human I am already overpowered, just not as much as I previously was, but it wille in due time." Alex could feel that Alphox was getting morefortable around him, and it felt great to know he was doing a good enough job to have a Primordial Dragon not instantly reduce him to ashes. Alphox returned to his [Pet Space], and so Alex was left with everything he needed to do. During his small break, he also managed to use [Skill Evolution] twice, enhancing his [Crimson Spike] to Max-Tier. Alex activated [Skill Evolution] on Crimson Spike . Crimson energy swirled around the skill icon, signifying its transformation. Ding! [You have enhanced Crimson Spike (Advanced).] [It has evolved to Crimson Impaler (High-Tier).] [Crimson Impaler: Summons an enormous crimson spike that pierces the target, dealing 50,000 damage. Consumes 20,000 mana. Cooldown: 5 seconds.] Impressed but eager for more, Alex initiated the final upgrade 3 days after that. Crimson energy erupted as the skill ascended to its ultimate form. Ding! [You have enhanced Crimson Impaler (High-Tier).] [It has evolved to Crimson Cataclysm (Max-Tier).] [Crimson Cataclysm: Manymassive crimson spikes (12-18 and changes every time) erupt from the ground in a 20-meter radius, impaling all enemies within. Each spike deals 30,000 damage. Consumes 150,000 mana. Cooldown: 30 seconds.] "Wow!" even a skill that was usually not that goodpared to others was suddenly transformed after the upgrades! The 12-18 refers to the fact that each time the skill is cast, the amount of spikes that erupt from the ground is picked from this range. It would cost him 75,000 mana to cast it because of the mana reduction, meaning that he was just within the range to do it! And if each spike hits a target, he could do 360,000 damage, all the way up to 540,000! But of course, it didn''t mean that Alex cked off during his break, letting his undead do all the work: he was also training with Alera to wield his [Blood Arts]. In that small week, not only had he reached level 141, with thating a fair amount of stats thanks to the [Extraction] talent, but he had also gained a new perk for his [Arts]! It appeared to him after he thought of a way to distract Alera, since her skills were just too overwhelming, his undead not even able to reach her. She could throw dozens upon dozens of ice spikes with no cooldown, it just wasn''t fair. And so, as one of the spikes grazed his shoulders, he suddenly had a bright idea: what if he had a way to distract her? "Come on..." he mumbled, twisting the blood that came out of him into a human shape. At first, it didn''t look like anything, forcing Alex to use a huge amount of bloods to create it, but as his creation was finished, it suddenly opened its eyes, which werepletely white. Its body was made out of the crimson liquid, and it could move at Alex''smand. Ding! [Blood Arts Perk #2: Blood Clones.] [Summon clones of yourself made out of blood to distract enemies and help with other things, though do note that the clone only copies your agility, it cannot attack currently.] And of course, with that enhancement in blood mastery came another notification. Ding! [You have disyed incredible mastery of the "Blood Arts"!] [Your Blood Arts Mastery has been raised from "Low" to "Average".] With that, he grew a little stronger. But even after that week passed, Arcelia didn''t wake up, and her pet dragon, Eleonora, didn''t appear either. "She''s really sick," Alera sighed, "But I''m sure she''ll wake up at some point, though you''ll need to be careful because of the curse." "Do you know what the curse does?" his [Cursed Eyes of the King] informed him it was a [Soul Curse], but not what it did. "No idea, but we''ll have to consult." Other than that, everything seemed to go well. "I''ll go to Bell City for a bit," he informed everyone, and they all nodded, Alice deciding toe with him. They wanted to check out some shops and restaurants, and maybe go through the area that would allow him to ess [Star City]. They looked around the city for a few hours after that, enjoying the calm and peace, even though yers would shout Alex''s ID every few seconds. And so, right as the two of them were about to leave, heading toward the next part of the map of [Universal Descent], Alex suddenly heard a voice in his head. "Huh?" he was confused, but then remembered that Lilith had in fact put him intomunication with her and Alera through her ne before. "What''s happening?" Alice questioned, confused why Alex stopped. Lilith did that in case any danger happened while he wasn''t in the vige. And it seemed like she had done the right thing, because the message that appeared before Alex sent a chill down his spine. "T-There''s three orcs outside the barrier! Please help!" Lilith''s voice rang in his head. Chapter 114 Killing The Orc Tribe Members, The Undead King Actually Does Something Alex instantly teleported to the [Fox Tribe Vige] using his [World Map] once he heard Lilith''s voice in his head calling for help. Fwish! In less than three seconds, he was back in the vige square, looking around for any signs of these orcs. It seemed like he arrived just in time to hear the soft tapping sound echoing in the air. Turning towards the source of the noise, Alex''s sharp eyes caught sight of three towering figures. They were orcs, massive, brutish creatures, standing at least two meters tall. Their green, hulking bodies were covered in tattered armor, and their tusks protruded menacingly from their lower jaws. The orcs were circling the vige''s protective barrier, tapping it with their weapons and inspecting it. One of them raised arge battle axe, swung it in an arc, and mmed it against the barrier with a deafening thud. The impact sent ripples across the shimmering barrier, but there was no damage. "W-What the hell?!" Alice''s voice cracked through the tense silence. She was standing beside Alex, her body tensing with unease. The sight of the grotesque creatures sent a chill down her spine. The orcs weren''t attacking, but their presence alone was enough to make the air feel thick with hostility. They were trying to understand the barrier, testing its limits as if they already knew they couldn''t break through it with their current numbers. "We found it, it seems," one of the orcs muttered, its voice deep. "Yeah, but this barrier''s sturdy, though less than the one we have in our city," another smirks, "Bring a hundred orcs, and we''ll manage." "Nice one," the third orcughed. "The chief will surely reward us for our work!" The orcs'' conversation did little to settle the rising tension in Alex''s chest. Each of them was a level 400 elite, just as powerful as a boss of the same rank. Alex didn''t need to be reminded of how strong these creatures were¡ªhe could sense it in their auras. This was just how strong specific races of this world were. "Let''s go," one of the orcs spoke to his twopanions, "We''ll inform everyone, and by next week that vige''s gonna be done for." "This is bad," Alex muttered under his breath. But even though they were stronger than Alex, the man wasn''t about to let them go. If he killed them before they could spread the information, then he could prevent another useless attack on the fox vige. Without hesitation, Alex dashed forward. His agility, honed through countless battles, allowed him to close the gap between him and the orcs in mere seconds. But just as he was about to strike with his dagger, a sudden force of magic hit one of the orcs from the side. A massive shard of ice pierced through the air, mming into one of the orcs with bone-shattering force. The orc flew back, crashing into a nearby tree with a deafening crash. -2,746,218! The force of the impact created a hole in the trunk, but despite the damage, the orc didn''t die. Instead, it staggered back to its feet, furious but not defeated. "Do not EVER think you cane close to my vige and scare my daughter," a voice rang out, cold andmanding. Alex''s eyes darted to the source of the voice. Standing tall and proud was Alera, her silver fur shimmering in the moonlight. The Queen of the Fox Tribe had apparently received the same news of the intruders, and she wasn''t about to let these orcs make a mockery of her vige. "Heh~ A beautiful fox girl," one of the orcs leered, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Can we use her before killing her?" "Shut up," the most serious orc among them snapped, his voice tinged with annoyance. "Just eliminate these disgusting beasts and report back." Alera''s eyes narrowed as she gripped her [Frostborne Spear], its icy aura crackling with energy. "You ugly bastards won''t live long enough to inform anybody of anything!" she shouted, dashing toward the orcs. The orcs seemed amused. "Little foxdy seems confused," one of them sneered, drawing his weapon. [Orc Tribe Member - Level 400 Elite] [HP: 25,000,000] Each of them was immensely powerful, maybe even more so than Alera herself. "Male human, hehe~ Meat for the orcs!" one of the orcs let the other two deal with the fox tribe queen, instead facing Alex, "Ready to die?" "Shut the fuck up," Alex pointed his staff at the orc, ready to conjure his spells. Fire Meteor! Boom! The meteor instantly crashed on the orc''s head,ing from above. -219,983! But even with all of that damage, the orc wasn''t even fazed as he received the damage. On the other hand, Alera''s ice powers exploded to life. She conjured a barrage of [Ice Shards] and [Ice Spikes],unching them at the orcs with deadly precision. Iceberg Emerge! The ground around her shifted as a massive iceberg emerged from the earth, crashing into the orcs with tremendous force. Ice spread outward, freezing the very ground beneath their feet. But despite her strength, the orcs were no pushovers. Even as ice engulfed them, they pushed forward, their endurance and strength allowing them to break through the ice with ease. One of them raised his weapon and swung it down, catching Alera off guard. She dodged the de, but a kick after that blow sent her flying. "FOOL HUMAN MALE!" the orc Alex was facing bellowed as the meteor hit him, swinging his cleaver toward Alex. Fwish! sh! Alex barely managed to step back in time, but the de still grazed his cheek. Blood welled up from the wound, dripping down his face. "Thanks for the help, asshole," Alex muttered under his breath. Thanks to his [Blood Arts], even getting hurt was an advantage to Alex. With a wave of his hand, Alex summoned three [Blood des], the crimson weapons materializing from his blood. He sent them flying toward the orc, who arrogantly stood still, convinced they were too weak to matter. The des struck with pinpoint uracy, shing into the orc''s thick hide. -438,321! -512,940! -487,283! This time, the orc staggered back, clearly feeling the damage, and his arrogance faltered. "Nice try, fool," the orc grunted. "Undead, help me out!" Alex rose his hand upward, a dark energy hitting the nearby area, and his army emerging from the ground. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] "Let''s see you handle this," he smiled. Meanwhile, Alera was still holding her own against the other two orcs. Despite her best efforts, she was being overwhelmed. The orcs were powerful, their attacks relentless. They shrugged off her ice attacks, their endurance outmatching her magic, and they closed the gap with terrifying speed, forcing Alera to retreat. Alera was being thrown around, and despite her strength, it was clear she was struggling. Alex knew he couldn''t wait any longer as he watched. He needed to end this before things got worse. With a surge of determination, he finally used his [Death Call]. [Death Call: Once a day, you can summon the Undead King to aid you in battle.] The air around him shimmered as the dark energy enveloped him. And from the depths of the earth, a powerful presence stirred. The Undead King had been summoned. Having not summoned the king for a while, the ancient being had already grown to level 350, advancing on his path to conquering hisnd again. The ancient being, tall and skeletal, rose above Alex, with amanding presence. His eyes, hollow but filled with ancient power, red at the orcs. "ELIMINATE THEM," Alexmanded, his voice unwavering. "Haha, look, weak skeleton!" one of the orcsughed, taunting the Undead King. But the insult only fueled the king''s rage. He snapped his fingers, and from the ground beneath the orcs, dozens of skeletal arms emerged, grabbing hold of them with unrelenting strength. The orcs struggled against the grip, but the skeletal hands were too strong, holding them in ce. He stood silently for a moment before releasing a deep, rumbling groan. The orcs'' struggles became futile as the skeletal arms tightened their grip. The King had made his presence known. "Do what you want now," the Undead King muttered, his voice dripping with disdain. With a wave of his bony hand, he disappeared, leaving the orcs to their fate. Alex didn''t waste any time. He ordered his undead army forward, and with his dagger in hand, he moved in. The first orc fell quickly, the undead swarming around it, overwhelming it with sheer numbers. Alera, seeing the opportunity, acted fast, using her powerful ice magic to dispatch the remaining two orcs. And within moments, the battle was over. The orcs were dead. Their ns thwarted. Thanks to the Undead King''s intervention, the vige had been saved. Chapter 115 Alices Tier 4 Advancement Task, Moving to the Next City Ding! [You have in "Orb Tribe Member" and gained 10,000,000 experience points!] [You have leveled up to level 142.] [You have leveled up to level 143.] [+10 to all attributes and + 8 free points to allocate.] And of course, an [Extraction] prompt appeared before him as he had effectively killed one of the orcs. Ding! [Select a drop.] [Orc Cleaver (Epic)] [Grants 1,000 Strength to anyone strong enough to wield it.] [Orc Teeth (Rare Material)] [Can be used as a material to sharpen a weapon.] [Skull Ne (Common)] [It''s just a ne that the orcs wear to recognize each other, nothing special about it.] In the end, he obviously decided to select the Orc Teeth, as everything else was useless. "Thanks, dear," Alera sighed beside him, visibly injured from the fight, "Wouldn''t have won that without you." "You can thank the Undead King," Alex shrugged, "Though he probably won''t bother toe out." The only reason the Undead King wasing out was because he was kind of forced to thanks to the contract he had with Alex. [Death Call] was something he needed to follow, otherwise his soul might get eradicated. But thankfully, they had dealt with those orcs. Without that help though, even Alex and all of his undead struggled, meaning he would have probably lost if it kept going. The orc tribe was truly powerful, and do note that they aren''t even close to being the strongest! "Let''s go to Alice, she probably has a healing potion," Alex helped Alera up and the two of them walked to the queen''s home. Fox girls emerged from their houses to see if everything was alright. "The intruders are dead, no information has been revealed to the outside," Alera shouted, and everyone cheered, including Alice and Lilith. As Alex expected, the girl had more than enough [Healing Potions] for them both, allowing them to restore their HP. "I would watch out, though, if they detect their members died here, they could send more of them," Alera sighed again, worried about the safety of her vige. If only there was a way to keep them all safe in a good environment... "There is," a voice rang out in Alex''s ears, it was the Undead King, "If you take control of Undead Land, there might be a chance you can reach your goal." "Huh? What do you mean?" Alex was confused, but he got no answer afterward. That Undead King seemed to really like talking once and then never again for a few weeks. "That old bastard seems really focused on his cultivation now that he''s getting closer to reaching level 400," Alphox appeared as well, interested in such matters, "But I think the Undead Lord should already be above level 450 by now." Much like yers and the Undead King, the Undead Lord could also cultivate and battle to gain levels. He had allowed Alex to leave previously since he wasn''t a threat, and because the Undead King was with him, but he was sure he woulde back for another round. But if he truly wanted to fight and win this, Alex would be expected to be able to kill level 500 monsters at least, just to be safe. If he wanted to do that, though, he would need to go further inside [Universal Descent]. Basically, he needed to reach [Star City]. At this point, the average yer should be at level 60-70 only. People who were confident in their abilities though could already move to the next area of the map by traversing the [Crossroad ins], a level 100 area. It was the ce Alice had her third advancement task in. "Talking about advancement tasks, when''s your next one?" he asked her. "Urm..." Alice opened up her status panel, "Oh! I''m level 99!" This meant that she only needed one more level to unlock her own task. "Let''s do it now, that way we can go to [Star City]." It didn''t take more than 10 minutes for her to get the needed experience inside the [Mystical Forest] with the help of Alex. And so, of course, she received the notification. [Tier 4 Advancement Task] [Giving an appropriate task based on power and previous rating (S)] Ding! [Objective: Kill 3 Elite Monsters in the "Crossroad ins" by yourself.] [Bonus reward if you do it only using "Blood Arrows".] After informing him of her task, Alex smirked. "Perfect, you can go hunting monsters to stock up on Blood Arrows, then easily kick those elite''s asses!" Alexughed. After all, Alice had already been seen dealing damage to level 300 monsters, so a few level 100 elites were nothing to her anymore. "We''ll be going," Alex bowed, thankful to Alera for the hospitality, "We''ll probably be backter, though don''t expect us for a while." "No problem, dear," Alera smiled gently, passing her hand through the man''s hair, "Don''t forget toe if you need help with that curse." "A-And we''ll tell you if the other girl wakes up," Lilith intervened in a cute voice. "Thanks." Arcelia had shown no sign of waking up yet, so he might as well keep going until she did. Opening up his [World Map], he selected [Bell City], then teleported while holding Alice''s hand. ... Once theynded on solid ground, they instantly departed toward their location, which was in the opposite direction to [Bell City]. It didn''t take them long to reach it, though, less than twenty minutes, in fact. "That''s it," Alice nodded, remembering perfectly when she came here the first time. The moment Alex and Alice stepped foot in the [Crossroad ins], the scenery shifted dramatically. Rolling green fields stretched endlessly under the night sky, dotted with jagged rock formations and eerie, twisted trees. The air buzzed with tension, the cries of distant monsters adding to the ominous atmosphere. But the two of them were unfazed. "Well," Alex smirked as he gave a good smack to Alice''s butt, "Go get those elites, and make sure to get the bonus reward too!" "Y-Yes!" she beamed. With that, the two split up. Alice went to the ce where the most monsters appeared, while Alex simply prioritized reaching the end of the ins. Alex cracked his knuckles, not even bothering to summon his undead army. Instead, he just alternated between his spells, devastating the area and any monster with [Fire Meteors], [Oblivion Strike], and [Fury of Thunder]. The monsters barely had time to react, overwhelmed by his relentless assault. By the time he reached the end of the valley, the ground was littered with the corpses of defeated monsters. Not enough to level up, though, but he did acquire a dozen of attribute points on each stat. Finally, after an hour or so, he crested one of the hills blocking his view, and there, in the distance, he finally saw the massive level 3 city: [Star City]! He had reached his goal, and from here, it looked even more beautiful than he remembered it. Without wasting a single second, he slid down the hill and began running toward the city to check it out. He wouldn''t have much time to explore soon, so he might as well do it while he could. "Time for the next step," he murmured, gripping his staff tightly. [Star City] was not only the biggest and most powerful city up until now, but also the most dangerous. Even he needed to be careful of some people in there. Chapter 116 Reaching Star City, The City Building Scroll Ding! [Global Announcement: FateBreaker is the first yer to reach Star City, granting him 10 prestige points!] An announcement rang in front of every yer, but they weren''t surprised this time. It had been a while since the previous one, obviously, but even then, it was also FateBreaker who discovered [Bell City], and they knew just how strong he was. But on the other hand, many others were jealous of his sess. "That stupid bitch," Daniel bit his nails out of frustration, reading the announcement that appeared in the forum in real world, "I''m going to teach him a motherfucking lesson..." Daniel was so mad in fact that he had tried to find Alex''s whereabouts in the real world, but with no sess in that either. He could trace his location up to his previous apartment, but after that nothing. But anyway, even if he dide, Alex still had the [Death Call], able to eliminate all the intruders with an otherworldly entity. Even guns wouldn''t work on that thing. "The Thunder Family won''t allow such disrespect," Daniel shouted, mming his fist into the desk. A few secondster, the door of his luxurious chamber opened up, and just like before, Daniel''s sister, Aurelia Thunder, emerged from it. Find your next read at mvl "Can you shut up for a few seconds?" she asked, clearly irritated. "You wouldn''t understand, Aurelia," Daniel chuckled, shrugging and shaking his head, "Someone like you just can''t!" "If it''s about that stupid game of yours, then just get better at it!" And she wasn''t saying that just to piss him off. In fact, Aurelia was at a higher level than Daniel inside of [Universal Descent], ying the game a lot too. Well, everyone who was a [Beta Tester] was ying the game, to be honest. They were both from a martial arts family, heavily trained forbat, and that knowledge, paired with her assassin ss, allowed Aurelia to advance fast. She couldn''t understand why her brother selected the [Mage] ss, but all he told her was that his talent was rted to it. But even after the second batch of beta testers was issued, their father still wasn''t selected as a yer. "Listen, kids," he informed them at the start, "This game''s going to be important, and we''re probably going to have to be careful of the other families, or maybe ally with some others, so try your best!" "Yes, father!" Aurelia nodded. "..." but Daniel remained silent. Worse of all, the exact day the amount of yers increased to 100 million, several other powerful families like the [ck me Family] and [Garden Family] contacted them. "My son has been selected as a yer" or "We would like to see if your kids are interested in an alliance" weremon messages they received. But Mike Thunder refused all of it, stating that he didn''t want to do that yet. Aurelia remained solo, while Daniel created his guild. "I''m going to murder you, FateBreaker..." He opened up his [Guild Chat], eyeing the most recent messages from Vex, his second-in-hand. [We''ve got the "City Building Scroll" from my tier 3 advancement task, all that is left to do is to find an appropriate ce, and our guild will grow far stronger.] After a few weeks of fighting, recruiting new members, and upgrading their buildings, now in Bell City, the [Overlord] guild had finally acquired what they needed to advance even further: a [City Building Scroll]. [You can use this scroll on one of the abandoned cities scattered throughout Universal Descent to im it as your own, or simply on an avable plot ofnd to create one from scratch.] [Upon usage of this scroll, an altar will appear at the heart of your city, protect it at all costs as destroying it will result in your city falling apart.] [After iming a city using the scroll, you will have to face a trial: defend your city for 24 hours against hordes of monsters, as well as yers that wish to stop you.] [If you manage to defend the city, you will receive a rating based on how well you and its inhabitants have done, rewards will be given ordingly, and your city will be established.] "With this," Danielughed, "No chance anyone ever tries to stand in my way..." Many of the other families in the real world were already forming ns to create their very own cities, since the simple action of having a [Guild] is not enough. And what''s best: upon acquiring a city, you not only control it and choose its name, but you can also upgrade it and allow whoever you want to ess it. Basically, it was an immense privilege that many would love to have. Every city starts at level 1, but upon upgrading the altar and thus its defenses, it will also level up. Upon reaching level 5, you can evolve it to be an [Empire]. That was Daniel''s n, thus not only creating the [Overlord] empire, but also one for the Thunder family. Soon enough, all the other families woulde to beg for his help. "Perfect," heughed out loud, "Absolutely perfect!" [Vex: There are no abandoned cities nearby, that I believe that as the map grows and we ess the next area, they will be avable.] [MartialMage: Very good, make sure to keep all of this a secret as we not have idea what that "City Trial" or "Monster Attack" are.] [Vex: Very well.] And so with that, Daniel felt a little more confident in his powers. Because there were more benefits to creating a city, some he knew off, and some he didn''t. ... Back to Alex, he finally reached [Star City]''s entrance. As said before, it is the biggest and most powerful one yet, being a level 3 city and all of that. [Star City Guard - Level 200] Even the guards were level 200, twice the level of the average yer that woulde here. But Alex wasn''t interested in them, in fact, he didn''t care much about the city in itself. The reason why he was so excited was because of two things: First, the area around Star City was the biggest one of the map yet, stretching for hundreds of kilometers on end, with several areas and realms to explore. Until now, even around Dawn City and Bell City was simply the "tutorial", per se, as the area around them wasn''t that big. In Dawn City, people had just emerged from their [Novice Viges], and so the [Undead Temple] as well as the [Toxic Forest Event] guided them to the next part. In Bell City, it became a bit harder for yers, but it was also just as obvious that the [Dark Dungeon] was the main ce to fight. But around Star City, it was big, very big. Meaning it was the true point of the game where yers could actually start exploring the map for real. Of course, just like every previous city, it was delimited by another ce: the [Mystical Forest], a level 250 area. But until then, yers had more than enough ground around them to do whatever they wanted. And the second thing Alex was excited about was... "Here it is," he looked up, smiling, it was still just as big and luxurious as always, the massive building stretching for kilometers inside the city. It was the main attraction of [Star City] and its most important characteristic: [Golden Star Academy]. Chapter 117 Golden Star Academy, Members of the Hatred Sect Golden Star Academy was the only academy in [Universal Descent], located in Star City. It was mainly used as a hub for yers to grow stronger and learn new things about the game. Because other than the fact you could finally actually meet with some [Mentors], there was also lots of information to acquire by going there. Even Alex in his past life went there, and it had been useful. The Golden Star Academy is a school for yers from level 100-250, and of course, there were also hundreds of powerful NPCs there. The teachers for example were tier-7 or tier-8 depending on each one. This yet again brought memories to Alex, but not good ones: you could leave the academy at any point, but there was a harsh entrance examination, meaning most people didn''t want this opportunity. But inside the academy, bullying of the weak and trash talking were rampant, both among yers but also other human NPCs. "Oh well," he sighed, "Not like this affects me now." It could be useful to other yers, sure, but Alex had absolutely no reason to go to the academy whatsoever. Not only was he already past the rmended level to attend, but he also had all the information he could possibly need. Basically, no need to attend. Though, on the other hand, the reason he came to this city was because of the people themselves. But in contrast to Aiden and Tolkien, who he wanted a good rtionship with, the powerful NPCs in this city were enemies. Yes, Alex knew that they would join other factions and the godster on, causing havoc. [Star City: 1/100,000 yers.] Once 100,000 yers joined the city, then the entrance examination would begin, though by the current timeframe, it would only happen around a month from now. At that time, the [Beta Testers] restriction would bepletely removed, anybody on Earth unlocking the power to enter the game. Regardless, he advanced forward, wanting to at least check out the academy from its exterior. Would anyone believe Alex if he told them that the chairman of this academy, along with some of its esteemed teachers, were members of the Hatred Sect? Likely not. But Alex knew the truth. He''d seen the carnage their actions would bring in his past life¡ªhow they used students as sacrifices to fuel a grand ritual to summon the Hatred Demon. But Alex wasn''t going to allow that. He had already interrupted their ns a little by getting the [Vial of Undead Blood], but it wasn''t enough. His goal was clear: grow strong enough to eliminate every threat to humanity. Even if he had to pick them off one by one, the more powerhouses he destroyed, the higher humanity''s chances of survival. Alex approached the Golden Star Academy, its grand structure gleaming under the midday sun. The massive campus was surrounded by towering walls lined with runic carvings that hummed faintly with power. Enchanted banners waved in the wind, disying the academy''s crest¡ªa golden star wreathed in silver mes. "Alright, I saw what I need to see." As Alex turned to leave the academy gates, his shoulder bumped into someone. "Can''t you see where you''re going?!" a sharp voice barked. Alex stopped, looking down at the offender. It was a young man in shy armor, nked by two others. The leader''s level tag disyed 150, with hispanions hovering slightly below. They reeked of arrogance, the kind Alex had grown all too familiar with during his past life in the academy. He said nothing, brushing past them. "Oh no, you don''t, weakling!" the boy snarled, grabbing Alex''s shoulder. "I''m level 150, and you won''t do shit!" The group burst intoughter, emboldened by their leader''s confidence. The boy swung his sword, a wide, shy arc aimed at Alex. sh! -1! Theirughter froze. Alex raised an eyebrow as he turned around. Find more to read at mvl "..." "..." "..." The members of his group looked shocked. "A-Alright, lucky dodge!" he reassured himself, swinging again. sh! -1! The other two stepped back, exchanging nervous nces. The leader''s strikes grew more desperate, but the results didn''t change. -1! Finally, Alex sighed. "Are you done yet?" His calm, unbothered tone only fueled the leader''s frustration. "I guess it''s my turn now." Alex didn''t draw his weapon. Instead, he simply used his [Aura] skill, the pressure crashing down on the group like a tidal wave. The leader''s knees buckled. "W-what is this¡­?" one of them stammered. His sword fell from his trembling hands as sweat dripped down his face. Hispanions copsed entirely, gasping for air under the weight of Alex''s aura. "R-run!" the leader stammered, scrambling to his feet. The three of them bolted, vanishing into the crowd without looking back. But right as he was about to continue, he suddenly heard a feminine voice behind him. "Impressive." He turned to see a striking woman in an instructor''s outfit. Her sharp green eyes and confident stance exuded authority, though the faint smirk on her lips suggested amusement. Her name hovered above her head: [Mmi - Academy Instructor, Mid Tier-7 Mage, Level 800] "Got rid of them without lifting a finger," she said, crossing her arms. "Not bad for someone who isn''t a student." Alex narrowed his eyes, sweat dripping from his brow as she appeared. "..." He needed to be very careful. Because, after all, Mmi was one of the members of the [Hatred Sect] from his past life. "Not interested in joining," Alex replied, keeping his voice even. "I was just passing by." Mmi chuckled softly. "A pity. Someone with your strength could rise quickly here, and you seemed to know how to control your emotions in front of them." Alex shrugged. "They weren''t worth the effort." Her smirk widened, though it didn''t reach her eyes, which were cold and empty, "Fair enough. Just remember: not all threats are so¡­ harmless." With that, she turned on her heel and walked back toward the academy gates, her presencemanding respect among the bustling students. Alex watched her leave, his mind racing. Was she merely curious, or had she already identified him as a threat? Either way, the encounter had left him uneasy. Knowing that he couldn''t stay around here for long after talking to an instruction, he immediately teleported to the entrance of [Star City] using his [World Map]. The "teachers" and "chairman" should stay rtively calm in the beginning, as the game was only starting. But slowly, they would reveal their intentions while making sacrifices. Every teacher was a Tier-7 NPC, meaning that they were above level 700. But on the other hand, the chairman was tier-8, which is level 1000. There were little people that could go against him, and even when he was found out before, he simply vanished back to the sect. Soon after his disappearance, the [Hatred Demon] had been unleashed on the world of [Universal Descent], causing havoc. And worst of all: they weren''t able to kill it in Alex''s past life, meaning that it had still been roaming thend. When Universal Descent and the Earth merged, it was a true disaster. Every single entity that Alex didn''t kill had the potential of destroying whole countries in the real world, and he wouldn''t let that happen. He would either stop the entire ritual to summon the [Hatred Demon], or kill it after it appeared. No other choice. Chapter 118 The Other Cities, Helping Light Appears After visiting the academy and encountering one of the members of the [Hatred Sect], a teacher there, Alex finally left [Star City]. The moment he did, he received a notification from Alice. [StarPillow: Finished with my task, but I made a mistake and used an arrow that wasn''t a "Blood Arrow", the panel said that was my bonus wasn''t eligible because of that.] [FateBreaker: Don''t worry, I''m teleporting to the edge of the Crossroad ins.] Thanks to his [World Map], he could see the little dot named "StarPillow" move towards him, and so he simply teleported to the closest point that was avable to him. "Alice!" he shouted, and she was surprised to see him there already, as she thought he would wait in Star City. "Alex!" "So what''d you get?" he asked, after all it was the tier 4 advancement task, meaning that it must have given good rewards. "Hehe~ Not only are my Star Arrows twice as strong, but I also got the [Fallen Star] skill!" "That''s good," Alex nodded, proud, "But let''s go." "Oh yeah, the new city, we need to explore it-" Alice was enthusiastic. But Alex cut her off. "No, we won''t explore that city, there''s no need to right now." He quickly exined to Alice about the [Golden Star Academy] and how there was nothing else besides the entrance examination. So she understood perfectly that something ominous. Every time Alex had told her about a ce in such a way, it always meant something bad was there. "But don''t worry," he decided to try and bring the mood back, "There are other cities around here to explore." "What?!" Alice shouted, "Other cities?!" Readtest chapters at mvl Alex looked at her, surprised, but then realized that to the average yer, it indeed was surprising. This area of the map stretched for hundreds of kilometers, and so it meant that there were a few other cities beside Star City, in fact, there were exactly two of them: [me City] and [Wind City]. People who didn''t want to go to the Star City could go to the other two. Though they didn''t have much to explore either, as the main focus of this area was Star City and the Academy. ''Maybe that Mage Tower or whatever is here?'' he thought deeply, thinking back on the [Mage Tower Token] he got from his very first advancement task. Of course, he hadn''t heard of any such tower in his past life, but it wouldn''t be surprising if it was just hidden from the naked eye. It was weird in the first ce. [Grand Mages] were supposed to be beings above the tenth tier, meaning above level 1500. Yet no one had ever spoken about one named [Arceus]. Was he just a shut-in who stayed inside his tower all day and night, refusing anyone who got close? Or maybe... "No, let''s not think about that," he mumbled to himself. If he wanted to find the location of the [Mage Tower], he would need someone, or something, that had information. And as if the heavens had heard his cry for help, there was a sudden sh of green in front of Alex and Alice. "What the?!" Alex gripped his staff, ready to attack, "Watch out Alice!" "Huh?" but Alice was confused, "Watch out for what?" "The thing-" he realized mid-sentence that her response meant she couldn''t see that thing, "Never mind." There was only one type of entities that had such characteristics: the [Lights]. Until now, he had met with [Guiding Light] three times, and [Hopeful Light] when the rankings were unlocked. Each [Light] had its respective color, by the way. [Guiding Light] was blue, while [Hopeful Life] was yellow/golden. But on the other hand, the only light he knew of with a green color was... [Helping Light has decided to help you.] "Yep," he sighed, "Alright." In his past life, he had never encountered [Helping Light], only hearing talk about it in the forum and from other yers. As its name indicates, it only ever helped yers when faced with interesting situations. Just like gods, lights also wanted to experience a bit of fun, after all, which is why they could select who they wanted to help. [You seek information about the "Mage Tower"] [Correct?] The green orb hovered around him, waiting for his answer. "Yes," he nodded. "Who are you talking to," Alice titled her head, confused. [Very well, FateBreaker.] [I shall give you a hint.] But [Helping Light] inparison to [Guiding Light], who directly showed you the path, preferred to have you find the answer by yourself. For example, if you need to find an item and don''t know what to do, it only tells you the area it is in, it''s up to you to find it. That is why its name is [Helping Light], it only helps you, nothing more. But there was one more problem that concerned Helping Light: it sometimes asked for something in return. [Show me your strongest skills, if I am impressed I''ll give you the information.] "Of course," Alex sighed, feeling the pressure instantly. Lights were entities above the tenth tier too, so impressing them would be difficult. [Come on.] "Yeah, yeah," he straightened his shoulder, grabbing his staff''s handle with fierce intensity, pointing it forward. "What are you doing, there''s nothing here," Alice mumbled, but still gripping her bow, maybe there was an enemy that she couldn''t see. Though that would be hard to believe when she had the [Mutated Eye of the Spider] to help her detect enemies in a 100-meter radius. Alex decided to use his three most powerful spells for that show. [Helping Light] pulsed faintly, its green hue glowing brighter as if it anticipated his next move. And Alice looked at him with wide eyes, still unsure what was happening. "Alright," Alex muttered, closing his eyes briefly to focus. "[Fire Meteor] first." With a dramatic flourish of his staff, a massive meteor, zing with intense heat, broke through the clouds, descending rapidly toward the ground in front of Alex and Alice. Its impact was thunderous, shaking the earth and leaving behind a smoldering crater. [Helping Light] bobbed in the air, circling the meteor''s aftermath, seemingly observing every detail. Alex didn''t stop. He was just getting started. "Next up: [Rain of Fire]." Raising his staff high again, Alex summoned a swirling storm of fire in the skies. ming droplets began to pour down in a controlled radius, engulfing the surrounding area in an inferno. The heat was overwhelming, and the very air shimmered under the intense temperature. Anything that was within reach would have surely caught on fire. [Helping Light] swirled faster, glowing with a curious intensity. "Finally," Alex said with a smirk, "[Fury of Thunder]." A surge of electricity crackled through the air as three bolts of lightning streaked down from the heavens, striking the center of the burning crater left by [Fire Meteor]. The ground sparked and hissed as the lightning surged across the terrain, sending faint shockwaves outward. The light show was dazzling, each bolt illuminating the entire area in brilliant shes. "What the hell were you even hitting?" Alice raised her eyebrows, shooting an arrow toward the crater but hitting nothing. [Helping Light] hovered in front of Alex, pulsating brightly now, as if deeply impressed. Its voice resonated within his mind once again. [Alright, human, here''s the information you seek.] "!!!" Alex smirked, expecting some juicy information. Chapter 119 Information on the Mage Tower, The Chairman Knows! [Here''s the information you seek, human.] Helping Light hovered in front of Alex for a few seconds before a new panel appeared. Ding! [The Location of the Mage Tower is partially known by the chairman of Golden Star Academy.] [Once he tells you, your world map will automatically understand and urately pinpoint it for you.] And so with that information given, Helping Light shed in a green light and disappeared, leaving Alex sweating. This was the worst possible hint he could have ever gotten. It gave him an idea as to who he needed to see, but it was the goddamned chairman of the academy, meaning one of the leaders of the [Hatred Sect] that would do anything to revive the [Hatred Demon]. As said before, the chairman is a tier-8 powerhouse, meaning that he was at level 1000, simply just too overwhelming. And would he even reveal the information for free? No, probably not. But Alex couldn''t be so negative, he needed to go by himself, after all the chairman did "act nice" when he was in the academy in his previous life. "Alice," Alex spoke. "Yes?" "Let''s go back to Star City," he sighed, and she nodded. ... Inside of Golden Star Academy, Chairman Office The room wasvishly decorated, an borate mix of modern architecture and ancient aesthetics. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with texts both mundane and forbidden. A massive desk carved from ck obsidian sat near the center, and behind it stood Chairman Dominic, gazing out arge window that overlooked the academy grounds. The chairman was a tall man, his figure imposing even in stillness. His perfectly tailored robes exuded an aura of authority, and his sharp, chiseled face carried a perpetual smirk that hinted at his true nature. His crimson eyes, faintly glowing, were a dead giveaway of his ties to the [Hatred Sect]. The door to his office creaked open, and a woman entered¡ªMmi, one of the academy''s respected instructors. Her warm and cheerful demeanor was gone, reced by a cold, neutral expression. Her hollow eyes locked on Dominic as she stepped forward. "Chairman Dominic," she said in a monotone voice. Dominic turned, his smirk widening as he took in her appearance, "Ah, Mmi. To what do I owe the pleasure?" "I''ve encountered something strange recently," she began, her tone t. "I thought it prudent to report it to you." "Of course," Dominic said, gesturing for her to continue. "I found the [Vial of Undead Blood]," Mmi said, and instantly, the chairman got up from his desk, his smile fading. His crimson eyes burned brighter. "Where is it?" "My [Demon Eyes] detected a young man with it," Mmi revealed, talking about Alex. Once you join the [Hatred Sect], you automatically gain some perks, and one of them is the [Demon Eyes], able to detect demonic items and energy around someone. Mmi had only intervened in Alex''s intimidation because she detected such an item on him. In fact, she really enjoyed watching her students fight and injure one another, most times turning a blind eye. "Why didn''t you just steal it from him, then?" Dominic red at Mmi. If it was for the [Hatred Sect], he would even kill all the other teachers part of the sect. Any action that could cause harm to the [Hatred Demon] and the ritual needed to be found and eliminated as fast as possible. "It was in his system inventory, even killing him wouldn''t have done anything," Mmi shrugged, and Dominic finally returned to his usual attitude. "Hm, well, if he was in front of the academy as you say, there might be a chance he enters as a student, and when he does, we''ll do everything in our power to get that vial." Even Alex didn''t realize just how important the [Vial of Undead Blood] was to the [Hatred Sect]. Due to some setbacks, they were now 60% done with the ritual, but still had many items and things to deal with. The Vial of Undead Blood could increase that percentage by a staggering 10%, as well as grant the [Hatred Demon] the ability to summon minions. They wanted to bring him back to his full power, and that''s why every item in their [Demon Summoning List] was needed to be found if they didn''t want him tock some of his powers. "I''ll report this to the other members," Mmi spoke as she prepared to leave the office, "They might be interested in knowing that we found one of the three remaining items." "Do so, and be quiet about it." ... Bump! Alex tried to enter the academy from the main gate, which waspletely opened, but he bumped into an invisible wall. [Only students are allowed to enter.] "..." "Is it working?" Alice peeked from behind his shoulders. "You''re free to try and see for yourself," he sighed. Bump! Alice tried to enter as well, but was met with the same message. "So we can''t?" she questioned Alex, who red at the barrier. This made things infinitely harder for him. He would even be willing toplete a task from the chairman if it meant getting the location of that [Mage Tower], but not even being able to meet him was bad. "How about you just wait around here, him or the teachers must leave at some point," Alice said the most logical thing possible. But it was unlikely this would happen. Every teacher used [Teleportation Portals] set up in their dorms to travel from ce to ce, the meeting with Mmi earlier was actually extremely rare. Though that didn''t mean it couldn''t happen again. And when he thought about it, students of Golden Star Academy weren''t actually forced to go to school. If you were recognized as a student of the academy by having incredible results in the entrance examination, you could simply just... not go. Wouldn''t that mean Alex would be able to not waste his time going to ss, but also have the option to enter whenever he wanted? Keeping a close eye on the members of the [Hatred Sect] would also be beneficial for the future too. But for now, Alex didn''t n to wait a whole in-game month to participate in the entrance exam and thus be able to talk to the chairman. Why would he even do that when there was a better solution avable for him right now. "What is it?" Alice pondered. Alex smiled mischievously, "We cause chaos so that a teacheres to us." Find adventures at mvl "?" Alice was confused, until she saw Alex raise his staff forward, his mana flowing around him as he got ready to conjure as spell. He was actually nning to take the risk of attacking this ce just so that one of the teachers was forced to respond to him. Even if anyone tried to stop him, they were all level 250 max as students, and the guards were all level 200 at best. All these people would soon enough join the forces of evil, so even if it meant getting his reputation to -1000 again, he would still do it. Fire Meteor! He swung his staff, and from the sky emerged a giant meteor,ing down to destroy everything in its radius. Chapter 120 Attacking the Academy, Attracting the Attention of the Hatred Sect Members Alex stood at a safe distance from the towering academy, its spires glinting in the sunlight. He raised his staff, summoning a zing meteor from the sky that came crashing down, ready to destroy everything. "Let''s see how they handle this," Alex muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips. The sky roared as the fiery mass streaked downward, mes trailing like aet. Inside the academy, students and teachers alike stopped in their tracks, their heads snapping upward. "An attack on the academy?!" "That meteor looks insanely powerful!" The panic was palpable, but one of the five main teachers remained calm. Standing on a balcony, a man in sses observed the situation with a steady gaze. His robes flowed as he raised his hand, his voicemanding authority. "Absolute Barrier." A shimmering golden dome materialized over the academy, its edges pulsating with raw magical energy. The meteor mmed into the shield with a deafening explosion, fire and sparks flying in all directions. Students cheered. "Teacher Seth blocked it!" Seth adjusted his sses, a faint smirk on his lips. "Not just blocked," he said, his hand glowing with another spell. [Return to Sender]. The meteor''s mes shifted direction mid-air, and in a sh, it reversed its course, racing straight back to its caster. Alex barely had time to react. BOOM! The meteor struck him directly, the explosion shaking the surrounding area. Smoke and debris filled the air as the shockwave pushed through the street. For a moment, there was silence. Then, a faint glow enveloped Alex. [You have received lethal damage but were saved by the "Blessing of the Fox Spirit."] The barrier protected him from his own spell, but it wasn''t like he hadn''t expected that to happen. Meanwhile, Sethnded gracefully in front of Alex, his expression unreadable. His golden aura radiated immense power, a clear indicator of his Tier-7 status and his level¡ª750. "You attacked the academy," Seth said coldly, eyeing Alex with a mix of curiosity and caution. "That''s a death sentence, you know." Alex met his gaze, unfazed. "I want to talk to the chairman." Seth tilted his head, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What? You''re not a student, are you?" "No." Alex shook his head. "But I have urgent matters to discuss with him." Seth narrowed his eyes. The demonic aura around Alex was unmistakable, because much like Mmi, he could sense it too. He recognized it as the lingering power of the [Vial of Undead Blood]. The item was infamous, and sought after by the Hatred Sect toplete their summoning of the [Hatred Demon]. Seth also immediately thought that what Alex was talking about was the [Vial of Undead Blood] when referring to the urgent matter with the chairman. Was this kid part of the [Hatred Sect]? Perhaps this wasn''t just a random attack. "You''ve got some guts, kid," Seth said, finally lowering his guard. "Follow me." He tapped the barrier of the school with his staff, and it opened up slightly, allowing Alex to enter. Alice tried to follow after them, but Seth stopped her. "Only the guy," Seth said, eyeing Alice and blocking her with his arm. "..." "Don''t worry, Alice," Alex patted her head, "I''ll be back in less than ten minutes, I promise." "A-Alright," Alice smiled, deciding to lean against the gate to wait. Ding! [Golden Star Academy has been added to your World Map] Spatial Magic, which is what the World Map basically is, is strong enough to go past any barrier, meaning that he didn''t even need to be a student anymore to go inside! Alex followed Seth through the grand halls of the academy, students and staff whispering as they passed. Ornate golden designs lined the walls, and the faint hum of magical energy filled the air. Finally, they stopped at an imposing door engraved with intricate runes. Seth knocked once, and it opened. ''That kid has the vial of undead blood and wants to speak to you,'' Seth informed the chairman using [Demon Telepathy], which is one of the Hatred Sect''s perks. ''Let him,'' Dominic replied, his gaze growing serious. But actually, something strange happened as they used [Demon Telepathy]: panels appeared in front of Alex, disying the content of their conversation. "...!" It was yet again the [Cursed Eyes of the King], allowing him to see even magic waves. But how did they know about the [Vial of Undead Blood]? He had no idea. Read new chapters at mvl Alex sat across from the chairman of the academy, Dominic, arge man with amanding presence. Behind him, bookshelves filled with ancient tomes lined the walls. "You''ve caused quite themotion," Dominic said, his voice deep and calm. "So, what''s this urgent matter you need to discuss?" Alex leaned forward, cautious but directly going straight for what he wanted, "I need the location of the Mage Tower." Dominic raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharpening. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The Mage Tower? That''s quite the request." "I need it for something," Alex simply said. "..." Dominic''s smile grew wider, yet again using [Demon Telepathy] with all the teachers part of the [Hatred Sect]. [I think we might be able to the vial of undead blood soon.] That panel appeared in front of Alex too, though. And instantly, he realized what the chairman would ask from him. "I want one of your items," Dominic said neutrally, "Won''t be of much use to you, the name''s [Vial of Undead Blood]." Alex hesitated at this moment. The vial was a key piece of his n and had incredible value. Giving it up wasn''t an easy decision. Dominic''s aura red, filling the room with oppressive energy. "Don''t waste my time," he said firmly. Feeling the crushing pressure, Alex clenched his fist. "That?" He pulled the [Vial of Undead Blood] from his inventory and ced it on the desk, "I mean, you can take it, it just dropped from one of the bosses I killed, had no use for it." Yes, he decided to act oblivious to its use. Because if he did that, not only would the chairman not be suspicious of him, but he could also striketer. Dominic''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he picked it up. "Lucky you, then," Dominic said, his fingers tracing the vial''s edges. "As promised, I''ll show you the location of the Mage Tower." Dominic snapped his fingers, and Alex''s [World Map] opened up, revealing a new marker past the [Mythical Forest] itself, meaning in the next area. "There you go," Dominic said with augh, ecstatic that he managed to get the item the hatred sect wanted so much, just for some information about a tower, "Good luck finding your way there." Dominic knew about Arceus, the Grand Mage inside the tower, and he was confident that he wouldn''t ept this kid as a disciple. He didn''t ept anybody after all. Alex stood, his expression unreadable. "Thanks," he said simply, leaving the office without another word. As soon as the door closed though, a shadowy figure emerged from the bookshelves, having used the [Camouge] skill to blend perfectly with the surroundings. It was Yomi, another teacher and a hidden member of the Hatred Sect. [Yomi - Academy Instructor, Mid-Tier 7 Assassin, Level 800] Yomi grinned. "Should we investigate that guy?" "No need to," Dominic replied before pointing at the item he got, "For now, the vial stays here. My office is the safest ce in the academy. No one can break in without me knowing." He ced multiple seals and protections on the door, ensuring that even the most skilled intruder would be detected immediately. "We''ll bring it to the sect soon," Dominic said, his smile widening. "The leader and the Hatred Demon will be pleased." Yomi knelt. "Yes, chairman." Chapter 121 Giving the Vial of Undead Blood, Urges After Information "Thank you for the help," Seth whispered as he apanied Alex to the exit, "See you next time." Then the man went back inside, greeted by several students, who he waved at. "What happened?" Alice, who had been waiting for Alex, finally spoke. "You should be careful of these people," he red at Seth''s back, then looked at the window where the chairman''s office was located, "They''re evil." "..." Alice nodded, unsure what he meant but believing it regardless. After making sure everything was safe, Alex opened up his [World Map], checking out the dot that had appeared again. And just like he expected, it was beyond the [Mystical Forest], probably hidden inside a realm or a secret area. No wonder no one in his past life had heard or seen it, otherwise it would have surely made the news. [Secret tower with Grand Mage inside?!] This would be an appropriate title, able to generate millions of views. So either no one had found it, or someone did, and they kept it to themselves. Thetter would be unlikely, though you couldn''t really know as there were all sorts of people in this game. To get that information, Alex had to abandon his [Vial of the Undead Blood] to one of the mainmanders of the [Hatred Sect], though. He thought at first that he shouldn''t have brought it with him so close to people he knew wanted it. But then, after a few seconds, he realized something: wasn''t it only solely because they knew he had the vial that they allowed him to speak with the chairman? A blessing in disguise, maybe? After all, Alex had absolutely no intentions to let them keep it. If he wanted to postpone the arrival of the [Hatred Demon] as much as possible, then grabbing the two other items they needed would also be a good start. Though he didn''t know what they were to begin with. "So what now?" Alice asked, excited. "Hm..." He didn''t n to wait until yers got strong enough to ess Star City, since that could take up to a month from now. And he also didn''t feel like taking a small break from the game either. But as if answering his call, a panel appeared in front of him. [You should take care of your urges.] "Oh." This panel was something that often appeared in front of Alex now. Before the side effects of his [Undead King] curse appeared, inflicting immense pain on his soul, a panel woulde to warn him, allowing him to deal with them. "Let''s go back to the Fox Vige." "Why-?" Alice tried to ask, but as she saw Alex''s smile, she immediately understood, blushing, "O-Okay!" Fwish! The two teleported to the [Fox Tribe Vige], and immediately went to Alera''s home. By now, the curse could quite literally not be taken care of by Alice alone, and so she needed the fox tribe queen to help her out. But unfortunately for Alex, today was bad timing. "Oh?" it was only Lilith inside, beaming as she saw the two of them, "You guys are back so soon?" "Lilith, where''s your mother," Alex started sweating a little. "After the orc attack, she went into the forest to see if there wasn''t anything suspicious, she said she''lle back in a few hours-" As the words "a few hours" were uttered, Alex gritted his teeth. He turned his eyes toward Alice, who shrugged, but then, she suddenly had a bright idea. Sneaking behind Lilith, she grabbed her shoulders, "How about her, Alex?" "...?" Lilith raised eyebrows confused. "I... Yeah, I think that would do," he mumbled to himself, visibly trying to bnce morals and not getting destroyed by the curse. In the end, he decided to do it. "Lilith," he too grabbed her shoulders, pulling his face close to hers, "Want to help me with the curse?" Lilith instantly understood, her face turning bright red as she stammered, shocked that he would propose for her to do it. "..." but instead of trying to find any excuses or say anything unnecessary, she simply sighed, then answered, "Y-Yeah, I would like to." There was no need to keep the conversation going for no reason when she herself was interested. "Good," Alex smiled gently, making her heart flutter, "I wouldn''t have done it if you said no or hesitated." He didn''t want to take advantage of them, but now that everything was okay, there was no need to hold back. He lifted Lilith up with his two hands, then threw her into the giant bed, enough to hold four people at once, Alice following closely behind. "Don''t worry," Alice smiled besides Alex, "Let him do everything, and it will be okay!" It was Lilith''s first time too, so Alex needed to be gentle as much as he could as long as the curse hadn''t taken over his body. He removed her clothes, revealing her giant breasts and inverted nipples. "Huh," it was the first time he saw something like this. But as he began ying with them, Lilith''s moans echoing through the room, her nipples slowly began to reveal themselves, growing hard. "T-That''s... hah~ good..." "Then get ready," Alex grinned, grabbing them and twisting them like as if they were switches. "~~~" Just like that, Lilith experienced her first orgasm. Alex didn''t waste any time afterward, immediately inserting his thick member inside of the fox girl, while making sure to be as gentle as possible. "Ahn~" she moaned, the sheets under her stained with a bit of blood. But after the initial pain, Alex''s thrusts slowly began turning into waves of pleasure for the fox girl. And after a bit more, every single insertion morphed into an orgasm. "W-Wait~ a~ bit~" she couldn''t even utterprehensible words because of her animal moans, squirting some of her love juice everywhere. Alex while ying with the fox girl and making her feel the pleasure of her life didn''t abandon Alice either. Using his free hand, he kept fingering her, knowing all her weak spots meant she got her fair share of orgasms too. And just like that, Alex was yet again able to calm down the effects of his curse, while also including Lilith now. The fox girl seeped very infatuated with intercourse with Alex, as she kept asking for more even though hours had passed and Alice passed out. She was just as durable as her mother, if not a bit more for some strange reason. At some point, Alera returned home, just to see Alex aggressively smashing her daughter''s womb with his mighty member. "Heh~" the fox queen chuckled a bit before undressing herself and joining the fun, forcing Alex to fight the two of them at the same time. ... A few hourster, Alex opened his eyes, just to notice that only Alera and Lilith were sleeping on the bed, thetter clinging to him. Ding! [StarPillow: Important matter in the real world, I''ll take a small break from the game but keep doing what you need to do!] "Hm." Alice would sometimes have to participate in business meetings with her father, because even though that might sound crazy, she actually had a good knack for business. Read exclusive adventures at §Þ?? Her father probably wanted her to help him with something, and also because he hadn''t seen her since a few days. After making sure that everyone else was safe, Alex dressed himself by equipping his armor, then teleported to the [Mystical Temple] using his [World Map]. He wanted to find that [Mage Tower] as soon as possible in case it had some specific conditions to enter it. Chapter 122 Accessing the Mage Tower, Passing the Trial Fwish! [You have arrived at the end of the "Mystical Forest."] Alex materialized near the [Mystical Temple], the oppressive aura of magic from the nearby temple brushing against him. He turned his focus toward the unknown expanse beyond the forest. His instincts screamed that the key to the Mage Towery just ahead. The forest was eerily quiet. Beasts usually prowled this area, but instead, carcasses littered the ground. "Did Alerae through here?" he wondered aloud, crouching to inspect one of the corpses. The precision of the kills suggested her handiwork, but that clearly wasn''t ice magic. "Or maybe something worse." He straightened, shaking off the thought. Your journey continues with §Þ?? The Mage Tower was his only concern now as he left the [Mystical Forest]. Ding! [You have arrived at your location!] He was yet again in another field, and a few only a few minutes of walking, he arrived right on the dot that was supposed to show the location of the tower. And of course, nothing. "It''s gotta be hidden somewhere..." he mumbled. But an hour passed and Alex''s patience thinned. His [World Map] pulsed faintly, guiding him in circles. The mark for the Mage Tower was fixed in one spot, but the tower itself was nowhere to be seen. It didn''t help that thendscape grew increasingly strange. The terrain warped subtly¡ªtrees twisted at odd angles, and the mist that clung to the air sparkled faintly, as if infused with stardust. Alex tried various methods to uncover the tower. Whether it was use his spells on the exact dot the tower was supposed to be one, or check if there wasn''t some sort of hidden mechanism. Still, nothing. Alex groaned in frustration, leaning against a crooked tree. "Am I missing something?" His eyes wandered to his inventory, and then it struck him. Because amidst all the items he had acquired until now was the [Mage Tower Token]. [Mage Tower Token (Artifact): Allows you to ess the mage tower and meet the transcendent mage, Arceus, he may take you in based on your performance, though note he has never ever taken any students in before.] The description echoed in his mind as he held the token between his fingers. Could this be the key he was missing? He infused it with a small amount of mana. Suddenly, the token began to glow, its engravingsing alive with a radiant blue light. A soft hum filled the air, and a sh of light erupted before him. Ding! [Mage Tower detected nearby.] [Do you want to use the "Mage Tower Token" to ess it?] Alex''s eyes widened, then a grin spread across his face. "Finally." With a nod, he confirmed. In an instant, the world around him shifted. The dense mist parted, revealing a towering structure that seemed to pierce the heavens. Its surface shimmered like molten silver, inscribed with glowing runes that pulsed faintly in rhythm with the token in his hand. The Mage Tower stood before him. ... The moment Alex stepped inside, he was greeted by a vast, circr chamber. The floor beneath his feet was made of obsidian ss, reflecting the dim, otherworldly glow emanating from arcane torches lining the walls. The ceiling stretched impossibly high, disappearing into a swirling void of stars. The decorating power of a [Grand Mage] was impressive! Ding! A panel appeared before him. [Mage Tower Trial: To reach the top of the tower and meet with Arceus, you need toplete the Mage Tower Trial and climb all the way up.] [Failure will result in your Mage Tower Token being destroyed, and you being permanently banned from ever entering this tower again.] "Damn," Alex muttered. The stakes were high, but that only fueled his determination. He wasn''t about to let a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip through his fingers. With a deep breath, he stepped onto a glowing tform at the center of the room, which allowed him to go up. And after a few minutes of going up thanks to this weird elevator, Alex found himself in an immense, circr chamber. The walls shimmered with runes, and the floor was made of polished obsidian. In the center stood a massive figure, glowing with energy, and besides it was some sort of altar. Ding! [Mage Tower Trial: To reach the top of the tower and meet with Arceus, you must defeat the Guardian of The Tower.] A low growl echoed through the chamber. The ground trembled as the figure in the middle turned around. [Guardian of The Tower] [HP: 50,000,000] [Level: 500] [Rank: 6-Star Elite] The creature towered over Alex, its form a swirling mass of darkness with glowing red eyes and jagged ws. Its aura was suffocating, pressing down on Alex like a physical weight. "Level 500?!" Alex eximed, his heart racing. "Are they serious?!" The Guardian roared, its voice like grinding stone. Without hesitation, it lunged at Alex, its ws leaving trails of ck fire in their wake. Alex reacted instinctively, activating [Shadow Veil] to vanish from sight. The Guardian''s ws swiped through the air where he had stood a moment ago, carving deep gouges into the floor. "Alright, think," Alex muttered from the safety of the shadows. "I can''t beat this thing head-on. But I don''t have to¡ª" The Guardian''s glowing eyes snapped toward him, piercing through his stealth. "Shit!" Alex barely had time to summon [Stone Fortress] before the Guardian unleashed a wave of ck energy. The barrier shattered instantly, but it allowed him 0.1 seconds of leeway that helped him escape. "Alright, no more ying around." Alex unleashed [Crimson Cataclysm], summoning a forest of blood spikes that erupted from the ground beneath the Guardian. The spikes pierced its shadowy form, eliciting a guttural roar, but the damage was minimal. -749! -948! -1271! "I''m so fucked." The [Guardian of the Tower] dashed forward again, lunging at Alex and ready to slice him in half. He was an idiot, why did he think that a Grand Mage wouldn''t defend their territory with a powerful being? sh! The guardian swung its ws, and right as they were about to reach him... Strike! A giant dragon wing emerged from nowhere and mmed into the guardian, stopping it in its momentum. -4,485,948! "You need my help again, human?" Alphox grinned as he appeared, seemingly interested in seeing if he could manage to win. Both of them were level 500 now, that is the only reason Alphox came: to check if his powers were still good to go. The dragon''s massive form filled the chamber, its obsidian scales shimmering with dark energy. Its glowing violet eyes locked onto the Guardian, a low growl rumbling from its throat. "Alphox, it''s your turn," Alex said, leaning against the wall to recover. The dragon didn''t need further instruction. The Guardian lunged at Alphox, its ws glowing with abyssal fire. Alphox countered with [Umbral Shield], surrounding himself in a protective barrier that absorbed the attack and reflected a portion of the damage back to the Guardian. The Guardian staggered, and Alphox seized the moment. [Abyssal Dive]! With a thunderous roar, Alphoxunched into the air, gathering shadow energy as he soared. Then after a few seconds he dove at high speed, colliding with the Guardian in a devastating explosion of shadow and force. -12,374,904! "What the actual fuck," Alex was bbergasted. And in addition to that, the impact created a massive shockwave that rippled through the chamber, stunning the Guardian for five seconds. He took advantage of that opening to use [Strike] again and again, dealing damage to the boss. The Guardian faltered, its form flickering as its health dropped to critical levels. Alphox didn''t let up,unching into [ck mes] that struck with enough power to burn the ground beneath them. The Guardian let out a final, agonized roar before its body dissolved into a cloud of ck mist, leaving behind a glowing crystal. [Guardian of The Tower Defeated.] [Unfortunately, you cannot get experience from summons like these.] [Trial Complete.] Alex let out a shaky breath as he saw the notifications. "Mhm~" Alphoxughed, "Seems like even monsters at my level are too weak," he mumbled before disappearing. "Thanks, buddy," Alex muttered, a weak smile on his face. The altar at the center of the room began to glow, and a spiraling staircase appeared, leading to the next floor. Gathering his strength, Alex stood and approached the stairs. "At least that''s over," he muttered, ascending toward the summit. At the top, Alex found himself before a massive, golden door. The air was heavy with magic, and the door pulsed with an overwhelming aura of power. "This is it," Alex said, steeling himself. He pushed the door open, light spilling out and engulfing him entirely. Chapter 123 Arceus the Grand Mage, Alex Doesnt Give Up [You have entered Arceus'' Chamber] [It has been added to your "World Map"] Now even being banned from this ce would mean that Alex coulde back. As he opened the door of the top of the tower, he heard a voice from within. "Hm, no, that won''t work, needs more power~" It was a man''s voice, one that sounded surprisingly young for the [Grand Mage''s] supposed age. By his voice, you could guess that he was around 40 years old. And once the golden light that blinded Alex disappeared, his suspicions were confirmed: before him stood a man, wearing a long robe with stars all over it. He had blond hair and was especially handsome. "Hm..." [Arceus - Grand Mage - Level ???] There was no tier because Grand Mage in itself was a rank, it simply just was above tier-10. Meanwhile, Arceus was busy swinging his staff, doing who knows what. "No~ That magic won''t work either," he shook his head, "Creating these forbidden spells is difficult..." "Hm..." "Oh, what if I add a bit of this?" Arceus went back to his desk, writing something on one of the books ced on it, then returning to his ''tests''. "Hello?" Alex spoke, trying to grab Arceus'' attention. But that was a mistake. The moment he heard the voice, Arceus instinctively thought that a powerful intruder hade to his tower. "How...?" Arceus thought. No normal being should be able to reach this ce. It would require immense strength or cunning to defeat the Guardian of The Tower! His mind immediately jumped to conclusions. Another Grand Mage? A deity? Or worse¡ªone of the entities beyond this ne? In the end, he didn''t take his chances, and so as he turned around, he cast [Chaos Shard]. FWISH! A jagged, ck shard formed at the tip of his staff, firing at lightning speed. BOOM! Alex''s entire body exploded the exact instant the tip of the shard touched his skin. -784,327,906! "Annoying intruder, now I''ll have to clean up," Arceus sighed. But then he thought something: wasn''t this intruder too weak? If it was a Grand Mage or one of those entities he feared coulde for him, they would have easily avoided that attack. "Oh well, doesn''t matter to me," Arceus shrugged, "Shouldn''t havee here if you knew it was my domain." Ding! [You have been killed by "Grand Mage Arceus"] [Fortunately, the level difference is so high that you will not receive any punishments, and will in fact not even be forcefully logged off.] Stay tuned to §Þ?? After a few seconds, Alex appeared back in Star City, as it is where his spawn point was now set. "Damn." Alex didn''t expect to be instantly killed by the Grand Mage. He probably didn''t expect anybody to find him, and if anyone was strong enough toplete his small trial, then they could maybe be a threat, meaning he took no chance. [Your Mage Tower token broke since you have died inside of the realm.] "Oh." He grabbed his [Mage Tower Token] instinctively, and as expected it turned to dust before disappearing. This meant that he couldn''t go back to the [Mage Tower] realm using normal methods anymore. But well, why would Alex even care? When he entered the top floor room, his [World Map] had told him that "Arceus'' Chamber" had been added. And just as he thought, in the [Secret Realms] section of the World Map, the [Mage Tower] was added, the small dot past the [Mystical Forest] still avable. He was now able to click on it, and once he did, three subsections opened: [Bottom of the tower.] [Trial room.] [Arceus'' Chamber.] As said before, Spatial Magic is some of the most powerful magic avable, even Grand Mages like Arceus and Sebastian (the one that put the curse on Arcelia) having a hard time using it. Bans or seals meant nothing when someone had the ability to break through realms after all. Alex clicked on the [Arceus'' Chamber] subsection and was instantly enveloped in light. ... He reappeared in the chamber. Arceus was back at his desk, furiously scribbling into a thick tome. "No¡­ if I adjust this rune¡­ wait, what if I...?" "Hey there!" Alex called out cheerily. The Grand Mage froze, his golden eyes widening. "You again?!" He wasted no time, his staff glowing as another [Chaos Shard] materialized. Fwish¡ªBOOM! -784,327,906! "And don''te back!" But of course, Alex wasn''t going to give up, and so less than 30 secondster, he was already back in the chamber. "You''ll have to do better than that!" "Impossible!" Arceus roared, his frustration mounting. He cast a series of spells in rapid session. [Temporal Lock!] [Dimensional Seal!] [Arcane Erasure!] But none of it worked. Each time Alex died, he reappeared secondster, the seals breaking as if thews of magic themselves had been rewritten. After what felt like the hundredth death, Arceus stood in the center of the chamber, his robe singed, his hair disheveled, and his patiencepletely eroded. He wasn''t tired, since his mana pool was almost endless except if he decided to use some of his more powerful spells. But that kid was still wasting his time. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the entire tower. Alex, who had just finished dusting off his armor from yet another resurrection, grinned. "I want to be your student!" His eyes sparkled with determination. "I want to be the strongest mage there is." "Refused!" Arceus roared, firing another [Chaos Shard]. BOOM! Secondster, Alex was back again, grinning as if nothing had happened. "Come on, think about it," Alex teased. "You''ve got all this power, all this knowledge, but no one to pass it on to." "You''re delusional!" Arceus snapped. "Teaching is for mortals. I am beyond such trivialities!" "But aren''t you bored?" Alex countered after another death, "Locked in this tower, muttering to yourself, failing your own experiments. Wouldn''t it be more fun to have someone help out?" "I would rather eat my own staff than train a reckless fool like you!" Another [Chaos Shard]. BOOM! "Well..." Alex grinned, "What does it take to be your student? I''m just going toe back over and over, you know?" "..." Arceus didn''t answer, instead changing his spell and using [Swift Decapitation] to cut Alex''s head off instantly. -764,894,281! Ding! Alex was back. "So?" "Fuck you!" After what felt like hours of this chaotic back-and-forth, Arceus finally dropped his staff, running a hand through his golden hair. "I don''t understand," he muttered. "How are you doing this? No mortal, no entity, not even another Grand Mage should be able to bypass my seals!" Alex shrugged, "What can I say? I''m built different." Arceus red at him, his frustration evident. For the first time in centuries, he felt truly, utterly defeated¡ªbut not in battle, in sheer persistence. "Fine!" he snapped, throwing his hands in the air. "I''ll entertain this madness. But let me make one thing clear." He pointed his staff at Alex, his aura ring with power. "If you so much as waste one second of my time, I will erase you from existence in a way that even your ridiculous powers won''t reverse!" Alex''s grin widened. "Deal!" Chapter 124 Arceus Quest to Become a Student, Cave of Oblivion Arceus pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling a deep breath. His chamber, once a sanctuary of tranquility and profound study, now felt like a chaotic battleground for his patience. Alex stood before him, grinning smugly despite having died over a hundred times in the past hours. "Alright," Arceus growled, his tone sharp enough to cut through steel. "You want to prove yourself worthy? Then you willplete a task. Only then will I even consider you as my disciple." Alex''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Name it! I''m ready for anything." If he somehow managed to be the student of a [Grand Mage], then it could mean unlocking more spells and power. Basically, he couldn''t afford to disappoint. He coulde back infinitely, but if Arceus felt like it, the Grand Mage could potentially just curse Alex or deal [Soul Damage] to him. Arceus sneered. "Oh, I don''t think you understand the gravity of what you''re asking. To study under me is to hold the secrets of the cosmos in your hands. The task I''m about to give you has killed lesser beings than you before they even attempted it." "Sounds fun," Alex replied without hesitation, though cautious, "But remember that I''m immortal," he shrugged. Arceus arched an eyebrow, his golden eyes narrowing, "Are you immortal against Soul Attacks?" The moment he uttered these two words, Alex''s smile faded. "As I thought," Arceusughed, "You probably never met any monsters until now that could do that, did you?" "..." "Well get ready," the Grand Mage tapped his two hands together, and a few panels appeared in front of Alex. Ding! [New Quest has been given by a Grand Mage!] "You will retrieve the Heart of Cmity from the Cave of Oblivion." Ding! [You have triggered the SSS-Level Grand Mage Hidden Quest, "Be Arceus'' Student"!] [Objective: Bring the "Heart of Cmity" Artifact to Arceus.] [Time Limit: 1 Week.] [Reward: Arceus Student Title.] [Punishment in case of failure: ???] Alex didn''t even want to find out what the punishment was. "Observe the other panel now," Arceus pointed at the panel right next to the quest one. It was like some sort of screen, showing an ominous ck rift surrounded by swirling storms of fire and shadow. It pulsed with malevolent energy, sending shivers down Alex''s spine. "And," Arceus continued, his voice colder than ever, "you must retrieve it within seven days." Alex scratched his chin. "Seven days, huh? What happens if I''mte?" "If you don''t acquire the artifact I want within next week, then don''t even bothering back here, as I''ll start using [Soul Attacks] if you do," Arceus shrugged. But that wasn''t normal. In fact, what Arceus was saying didn''t make sense. "Why don''t you use them right now if I annoy you? You can do it easily and no one would know," Alex risked. "..." Arceus didn''t reply, "What I think does not matter to you, just do what I want you to do." "Cool, cool," Alex said nonchntly, moving on quickly, "Anything else I should know?" Arceus'' patience was clearly thinning again. "Yes. Should you seed, do not touch the Heart directly. Use this." He flicked his wrist, summoning a small crystal vial with intricate carvings. It floated over to Alex, who grabbed it and examined it closely. [Artifact Container (Artifact Item)] "And if I do touch it?" "You''ll likely implode, your existence erased across all dimensions," Arceus said, a hint of amusement creeping into his tone. "But feel free to test that theory if you''re curious." Alex gave him a thumbs up. "Got it. Don''t touch the heart. Easy enough." With a flourish of his staff, Arceus opened a swirling golden portal. The air around it crackled ominously, a stark contrast to the serene light of the chamber. Explore more stories with §Þ?? "Enter. And remember," Arceus said, his voice dropping into a menacing growl, "Failure is not an option." Alex grinned and gave a salute, "I''ll be back before you even realize it, teacher!" As he stepped through the portal, Arceus muttered under his breath, "Or not. Either oue suits me." ... As Alex emerged from the portal, he took in the sight before him. "Oh, I''m back here." The sky was a dull, sickly gray, and thendscape was barren, riddled with jagged rocks and ash-covered ground. An eerie wind howled faintly, carrying with it the faint stench of decay. Doesn''t this remind you of somewhere? Exactly! It was the area where [Undead Land] was located! Which meant that [Undead Land] should be pretty close from here. But Alex didn''t care about that for now. In the distance, the entrance to the Cave of Oblivion loomed like a gaping maw, its dark void pulsating with an ominous red glow. Ding! [Location Discovered: Cave of Oblivion] [Tier 6 Area - Rmended Level: 400] "..." "Scared?" Alphoxughed from within Alex, "You can alwayse back to get stronger!" Still, he wasn''t going to back down. "No, I''ll test out my skills right now and see the difference." "Not scared of the soul attacks?" "Why would I, by the looks of it, Arceus was wrong." Only monsters that were minimum level 500 could actually deal soul damage, meaning that even the boss of this area shouldn''t be able to kill him. He adjusted his gear, tightened his gloves, and started walking toward the cave. As he reached the entrance, he unsheathed his weapon and summoned all of his undead army for good measure. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] All of his undead emerged from the ground, seemingly happy to see this ce. "Alright, guys," Alex said to his army, "We go inside, and try our best!" The undead didn''t respond as they couldn''t, but they nodded excitedly, and one of the Spectral Wraith even bumped into Alex''s shoulder. Strangely enough, these undead beings seemed more human than some of the alive yers. "Alright..." Then, Alex entered the cave. ... Inside the cave, the atmosphere was suffocating. Crimson veins of energy pulsed along the walls, casting eerie shadows that danced like malevolent spirits. The faint echoes of dripping water mixed with guttural growls from deeper within. Ding! [Quest Reminder: Retrieve the Heart of Cmity] [Warning: All monsters within this cave are hostile.] But that wasn''t all that appeared before him, because right as hepletely stepped through the entrance, a crimson panel appeared in front of him. [You have entered an area cursed by the "Heart of Cmity"!] [Your spawn point has been set here.] "Huh?" Alex turned around, and saw that the entrance to the cave suddenly closed in on him. [You cannot escape anymore.] "..." "Feeling confident now?" Alphox keptughing, "This is hrious!" "Very funny." Alex turned back, sighing. He should have expected such a thing, but he just wanted to test his luck against level 400 monsters. And right as he took his first step, he suddenly sensed danger. [Warning!] Panels appeared in front of him, warning him about some unseen danger. It didn''t take long for him to realize what this was about. From the darkness ahead, a low growl reverberated through the cave. Two glowing red eyes appeared, followed by a hulking form. The creature stepped into the dim light, revealing itself. [Shadow Dire Wolf - Level 400 - Elite Monster] Chapter 125 Level 400 Shadow Dire Wolves, Cycle of Death [Shadow Dire Wolf - Level 400 - Superior Monster] [Rank: Tier 6] [HP: 25,000,000] [Skills: Infernal Swipe, Obsidian Roar, me Surge, Molten Leap, Infernal Endurance] The giant wolf, at least ten times Alex''s size, approached, appearing from the darkness of the cave. "This is insane," Alex took a step back, "Holy shit." It seems like the [Cave of Oblivion] was an area that held only elite and above monsters, meaning that each one of them was equivalent to a boss. "Alphox, how about you test out your strength again," Alex gripped his staff and dagger, his undead army positioning itself to defend him. "That monster is level 400, I am level 500, testing my strength is futile," Alphoxughed. Alphox only ever intervened when it was a fight that interested him. For the battle against Eleonora, he wanted to test the power difference between him and another dragon. And as for the guardian of the tower, Alphox had just reached level 500, so he wanted to test out his new skills as well as see if he could beat it. But against a level 400? Not a chance! Alex was alone on this one. Well, he had the [Death Call], but using it right now was stupid. The Shadow Dire Wolf towered over Alex, its dark fur bristling and eyes glowing ominously. Each step it took shook the cave floor, and its low growl sent chills through Alex''s spine. "Well," Alex said under his breath, "guess it''s all on me." The wolf lunged without warning, ws glowing with an infernal aura. Alex barely dodged, retaliating with a quick [Fire Meteor]. The meteor fell from the ceiling of the cave, crashing onto the monster. -219,993! "Yes," Alex was excited to know he could still deal decent damage to it. But its counterattack was brutal. Fwish! The wolf ignored every single undead, destroying them all by simply rushing through them all. Then its [Infernal Swipe] tore through Alex''s defenses, his [Stone Fortress] shattering under the force. A single swipe left him sprawled on the ground, vision fading. [You have died.] [Reviving in 5 seconds...] Alex respawned at the entrance of the cave, panting heavily. His HP and mana were restored, but the Shadow Dire Wolf was back to full health as well. In Universal Descent, you couldn''t possibly hope to abuse the system and respawn over and over to kill a boss. Especially in thetter game since the 30-minutes death restriction would be removed. Meaning that every time Alex died, it would fully regenerate. Alphox''sughter echoed from within the cave. "You failed already? Pathetic!" Alex ignored him and marched back into the cave. The cycle began again. The Shadow Dire Wolf''s attacks were relentless. Its [me Surge] engulfed the area in a wave of molten fire, incinerating Alex''s undead summons in seconds. When Alex tried to retreat, the wolf used [Molten Leap], closing the distance with a fiery explosion. His [Spirit Chains] slowed the wolf for a moment, but its [Infernal Endurance] allowed it to break free quickly. Even [Fire Meteor] and [Crimson Cataclysm] couldn''t bring its health down by more than a fraction before the fight ended. Alex died. Again. And again. And again... Every death was met with Alphox''s mockingughter. "You''ll copse from exhaustion long before you kill that beast!" Alphox called out, leaning casually against the cave wall. But Alex refused to give up. After hours of repeated attempts, Alex began to notice patterns in the wolf''s movements. Its attacks were powerful, but predictable. When it used [Obsidian Roar], Alex learned to activate [Shadow Veil] to avoid detection. When it charged forward with [me Surge], he used [Stone Fortress] to block long enough to be able to avoid it. Each death taught him something new. Little by little, he began to chip away at the wolf''s massive HP pool. Three days passed. Alex''s body screamed in protest from the repeated deaths and endless fights. His undead summons were obliterated almost instantly each time, but their brief presence gave Alex moments to reposition. The wolf''s movements, once overwhelming, now felt manageable. During one attempt, Alex used [Rain of Fire] to nket the area in mes, forcing the wolf into a vulnerable position. He followed up with [Fury of Thunder], three lightning strikes crashing down in rapid session. The wolf roared in pain, momentarily stunned. Alex seized the opportunity, casting [Crimson Cataclysm]. Crimson spikes erupted from the ground, piercing the wolf''s body repeatedly. Its health dropped lower than ever before. But it wasn''t enough. The wolf retaliated with [Molten Leap], mes engulfing Alex in a deadly explosion. [You have died.] Alphox''sughter rang out once more. "Three days, and you''re still failing. Give it up already!" Alex ignored him, determination burning in his eyes. His [Skill Evolution] was avable, and he used it on [Spirit Chains], evolving it to its next form. [You have evolved "Spirit Chains" (Intermediate) to "Chains of Restraint" (Advanced)] [Chains of Restraint lv1: thirty transparent chainse out of your staff, giving your enemies a 100% speed reduction and stunning them for 5 seconds. Once shackled, targets also receive 300% of spirit as damage; Mana Cost: 80,000 Cooldown: 3 minutes.] It was decent, but not an earth-shattering skill like the others. ... On the final attempt, Alex felt a shift. The wolf''s movements, once overwhelming, were now second nature to him. He opened with his newly acquired [Chains of Restraint], and this time, the monster couldn''t actually just breakthrough, meaning that he managed to stun the wolf and reduce its speed. -59,979! The undead would only then rush at the wolf, dealing the maximum amount of damage they could deal. -473,928! It wasn''t much, but when 100 beings attack you at the same time, it meant you could receive damage. As the wolf struggled, he unleashed [Fire Meteor], the massive projectile mming into its head. -219,993! And before the wolf could recover, Alex activated [Shadow Veil], disappearing from its sight. From stealth, he used [Shadow Strike], aiming for a weak point on its side. The attacknded perfectly, applying a bleeding effect that removed 10% of its hp. -2,500,000! Bleed was truly a fantastic effect. The wolf roared in fury, using [me Surge] to hit Alex. But the boy anticipated this, casting [Stone Fortress] to block the damage and immediately following up with [Rain of Fire]. The area filled with mes, the burn effect chipping away at the wolf''s health. When the wolf lunged with [Infernal Swipe], Alex dodged and countered with [Bleeding Strike], his dagger carving deep into its flesh. He kept going like that several times over. This simple strategy resulted in hundreds of deaths, but it was the best he could think of. His undead minions could only attack when the wolf was stunned, meaning that he only summoned them when needed. The wolf''s HP was dangerously low now. "Oh?" even Alphox was surprised. Alex raised his staff, channeling his mana for one final attack. "[Crimson Cataclysm]!" Dozens of crimson spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the wolf in a devastating flurry. The Shadow Dire Wolf let out one final, deafening howl before copsing. [You have defeated "Shadow Dire Wolf ¨C Superior Monster" and gained 50,000,000 experience points] Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have leveled up to level 144.] [You have leveled up to level 145.] . . [You have leveled up to level 151.] [+40 to all attributes and + 32 free points to allocate.] Alex dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. His body ached from the endless battles. The really interesting thing though with this cave was that as every monster was considered a boss level, the extraction rate was 100 percent! Ding! [Extraction talent activated!] [Attributes Points Pack (Divine)] [Description: Permanently increases all your attributes by 20.] [Shadow Dire Wolf Fang (Legendary Material)] [Description: Fang of a Shadow Dire Wolf, powerful beast located in the Cave of Oblivion, its fangs can be used to craft melee weapons.] [Shadow Dire Wolf Meat (Mythical Food)] [Description: Meat of a Shadow Dire Wolf, grants a massive but temporary strength buff.] Alex stared at the rewards, a small smile forming on his face. "Oh, so it''s finally starting," he muttered, ncing at the [Shadow Dire Wolf Meat]. As you might have noticed, this meat was ranked above even the legendary material, and its description stated that it had special effects. The longer Universal Descent went on, the more people would discover the incredible effects of food in this game. Right now no food could grant any effect, butter on, there would be some extremely powerful and specialized yers that could prepare dishes that could go as far as make you invincible or heal you from any status effect. It was akin to potions and alchemists, except this time instead of brewing you needed to cook. But just like potions, food also had its own rankings. It didn''t depend on the item itself though, as the [Shadow Dire Wolf Meat] was only ranked Mythical, but once you cooked it, your expertise would determine how well it would work. The higher the ranking of the food, the more powerful its effects would be. The [Shadow Dire Wolf Meat] was only Mythical, but its effects could be game-changing if cooked properly. For now, though, Alex decided to select the [Attributes Points Pack] since it was just too good to pass. Ding! [All attributes increased by 20!] "You actually managed it," Alphox said, approaching with a smirk. "Took you long enough." Alex red at him. "If you''re not going to help, at least shut up." Alphoxughed. "Fair enough. But don''t think this means the rest of the cave will be any easier." Alex sighed, gripping his staff tightly. He knew Alphox was right. The [Cave of Oblivion] was far from over. And if the Shadow Dire Wolf was just the beginning, he could only imagine what awaited him deeper inside. Chapter 126 More Monsters, Reaching the Heart of Calamity Alex took a deep breath, pocketing his hard-earned reward from defeating the first [Shadow Dire Wolf]. He was still basking in the afterglow of victory when¡ª Grrrowl! Another [Shadow Dire Wolf] leaped out from the darkness, fangs gleaming under the faint light. It pounced before Alex could react. "Ah¡ª!" The wolf tore into him with a ferocity that left no room for resistance. [You have died.] [Respawning in 5 seconds...] As the respawn timer ticked down, Alphox''sughter echoed mockingly in Alex''s head. "HAHAHAHAH!" Alphox wheezed. "I could watch this all day, human!" "Yeah, yeah, enjoy the show," Alex muttered as his form reappeared at thest checkpoint. He quickly checked his surroundings. Thankfully, the monsters didn''t respawn until a while, which meant he wouldn''t have to face the first boss again. Instead, Alex retraced his steps and found the wolf that had just killed him. "Your turn," Alex growled, narrowing his eyes. He repeated the same strategy he had used on the first boss, exploiting the wolf''s weaknesses. This time, he swiftly killed it, earning another rare reward. Yet again, he selected the [Attributes Points Pack], increasing every one of his stats by 20 points and leveling up 6 times thanks to the experience. Alex grinned as he reviewed his gains. "This ce is insane for grinding." Normally, it would be annoying to deal with all these monsters, but the experience amount and stat gains were more than anything he had gotten this far. Seems like being Arceus'' student already revealed itself to be a blessing before he was even epted! Alphox snorted. "Don''t let it go to your head. You''ve barely scratched the surface, kid." With newfound confidence, Alex ventured deeper into the cave, encountering more [Shadow Dire Wolves]. At first, he fought them one at a time, slowly gaining levels and attribute points. [+Level] [+Level] [+20 Points to All Stats!] The grind was relentless but rewarding. Alex''s stats skyrocketed as he spent hours fighting hordes of wolves. And so by the time he encountered new monsters, he was already stacked. [Level: 189 (4,084,284/27,000,000)] By the way, it was now an additional 500,000 experience points after each level. [+1140 Attribute Points to All Stats!] And he kept ying and ying. Over and over. By the time two wolves attacked him simultaneously, Alex was ready. "Fury of Thunder!" Zap! Zap! Zap! Bolts of lightning struck both wolves, stunning them momentarily. [Enemies stunned!] "Go, my undead!" Summoning his skeletal allies, Alex directed them to attack the stunned wolves while he prepared his other spells and dagger. sh! sh! sh! "Fire Meteor!" CRASH! A massive meteor of fire mmed into the ground, damaging the wolves and leaving scorched craters in its wake. But that wasn''t the best thing Alex had found from this. While experimenting, he actually figured out something very interesting. "Let''s try again," he mumbled. Blood des! He couldn''t withstand more than the two attacks from the wolves currently, meaning it was difficult using the blood from being attacked. So instead, Alex would simply sh his own palm, sending the blood des flying at the monsters, hitting them directly! [Weakness hit, dealing 500% damage!] -3,694,700! The results were devastating, but that makes sense as there indeed was a condition to use them. "This art is insane," Alex muttered, wiping the blood from his palm as thest wolf fell. "But I need to use it wisely." Eventually, Alex killed every monster in the cave of oblivion he could find, reaching the final chamber. It was vast and empty, save for a single pedestal at its center. Sitting atop the pedestal was the [Heart of Cmity], a pulsating, radiant artifact that seemed to hum with raw power. "..." Alphox sighed, clearly bored. "Come on, grab it and let''s get out of here." "You enjoy my suffering, don''t you?" Alex said, narrowing his eyes. "I enjoy watching fun things. And guess what? Your suffering is very entertaining." Alex shook his head and approached the pedestal cautiously. He remembered he couldn''t touch this artifact directly if he didn''t want to apparently "implode", which were Arceus'' words. So instead, he simply opened up his system inventory and pulled out the [Artifact Container] he was given. As he did, instructions appeared on a translucent panel before him. [Simply make the container touch the artifact, and it will automatically transfer inside.] Alex followed the steps carefully, approaching the crystal slowly, and making sure not to directly interact with the heart, he simply tapped it with the item. The artifact shimmered as it was sealed inside the container. [Heart of Cmity has been secured.] [Heart of Cmity: ???] Even with his [Cursed Eyes of the King], Alex couldn''t see the artifact''s full description. Inside the [Artifact Container] crystal was the image of the [Heart of Cmity], meaning that Alex had sessfully managed toplete the task. "Probably didn''t expect that, heh?" he spoke to himself, imagining Arceus'' reaction once seeing that he was back. "That''s it," Alex finally said with a relieved sigh, turning to leave. But then¡ª Grrr... Dozens of glowing eyes emerged from the shadows. A pack of [Shadow Dire Wolves] stepped into the chamber, their snarls echoing ominously. "Oh..." [Warning! If you die right now, the artifact will be brought back to its original spot: on top of the pedestal.] "Ah, shit," Alex muttered, gripping his weapons tightly, there were no chances he could take care of all these monsters alone, "Alphox, if you want to be a hero, now would be the time." The Primordial Shadow Dragon sighed but finally stepped in, casting a shadowy me that illuminated the chamber. But it wasn''t just wolves anymore. Emerging from the darkness were [Shadow Great Serpents] and [Scorpions of Oblivion], each of them elite monsters at level 400. They surrounded Alex and Alphox, their numbers seemingly ranging in the hundreds. This was definitely a trap, but one that the primordial dragon wasn''t scared of. But in retrospective, that wasn''t the worst of it. Because right now, with Alphox''s help it waspletely possible Alex could win and leave this cave, sessfullypleting his task. But then, what did Arceus even warn him about? He looked extremely confident that Alex wouldn''t be able toplete the quest for some reason, and he spoke about soul attacks too. But as said before, only monsters at level 500 and above can have a chance of getting soul attacks, and even then it was still quite rare. "Mere level 400 beings trying to oppose me, howughable!" Alphoxughed. Shadow mes! Alphox unleashed his signature attack, incinerating several enemies in a wave of ck fire. "Nice one," Alex said, preparing to follow up with a spell of his own. But before he could act, something unexpected happened. A massive head came down from the ceiling, biting into Alphox''s neck in one swift motion. "?!?" Alphox froze, his body trembling. "What the hell¡ª" Alex stared in horror as Alphox was forcibly recalled to his [Shadow Pet Space], where he would need to rest for a while. "Watch out, kid," Alphox groaned, "That thing instantly killed me." If it could kill a Primordial Shadow Dragon so effortlessly, its power was far beyond anything Alex had faced before. And it was at that moment that Alex realized why Arceus warned him about this quest and cave. Everything made sense as a panel appeared in front of him. [Heart of Cmity has been taken without permission.] [The Guardian of the Heart has been summoned to retrieve it.] The ground shook violently. From the ceiling, a massive figure dropped into the chamber, crushing dozens of monsters beneath its weight. The remaining creatures scattered, fleeing in terror. Alex gulped as the dust settled, revealing the neer. It was a towering, three-headed hydra. Each head was covered in dark, scaly skin, and its glowing red eyes stared down at Alex with murderous intent. [Three-Headed Hydra, Guardian of the Heart of Cmity, Tier 7 Level 700 Mythical Boss.] "...Oh no," Alex whispered. For a moment, there was silence. Then, the hydra roared, shaking the chamber. There was absolutely no chance Alex could win this. Chapter 127 Three-Headed Hydra, Soul Attacks The chamber grew silent for a moment as the Hydra stared down Alex, its three heads snapping menacingly. Its scale-covered body radiated an oppressive aura, each movement causing the air to tremble. [Three-Headed Hydra, Guardian of the Heart of Cmity, Tier 7 Level 700 Mythical Boss.] Alex''s breathing was ragged as he took a few cautious steps backward. This was not a battle he could win. Not now. Not alone. The Hydra roared, its three heads unleashing an earth-shaking bellow that made Alex instinctively cover his ears. The sound reverberated through his chest, making his entire body ache. Fire Meteor! Alex reacted on instinct, summoning one of his strongest spells. A zing meteor streaked through the air, crashing into the Hydra''s chest with a deafening explosion. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the chamber, yet as the smoke cleared, the Hydra stood untouched. -1 A single point of damage. Hundreds of millions of health points, unparalleled speed, and now, even his strongest attacks barely registered. "This is bad¡­ really bad¡­" he muttered, ncing around the chamber for an escape route. "World Map," Alex called out, summoning the navigation panel in desperation. He frantically tapped on the dot marking [Arceus'' Tower], hoping against hope for a way out. [You cannot teleport while inside of this area.] "Of course not," Alex cursed, mming the panel away. The Hydra took a step forward, its glowing red eyes fixed on him, filled with malicious intent. "Alphox!" he shouted, trying to summo, hispanion. [Alphox needs rest before being summoned back.] "Shit!" His strongest ally was still recovering from the Hydra''s earlier bite. "Death Call!" Alex yelled, his voice filled with desperation. The [Undead King] materialized in front of him, its tattered ck robe swirling with ethereal energy. The skeletal figure looked at the Hydra, its hollow eyes glowing faintly with unease. "We aren''t beating that thing, human," the Undead King stated bluntly, gesturing toward the towering beast. "I don''t care! Just hold it off for 10 seconds. No¡­ make it 5!" Alex barked. The Undead King sighed, lifting its bony hands to summon skeletal appendages from the ground. Hundreds of bone-like hands erupted from the chamber floor, wrapping tightly around the Hydra''s legs and necks. "Go!" the Undead King snarled before disappearing. Alex didn''t waste a second, bolting toward the chamber''s exit, his agility stat boosting his speed to a blur and his [Shadow Veil] skill activating to reduce his detectability. "Yes!" he thought as the door loomed ahead. For a moment, hope flickered in his chest. He might just make it. Snap! The Hydra tore through the skeletal bindings as if they were paper, its massive body surging forward with impossible speed. Alex barely had time to react before one of the Hydra''s heads lunged at him. "FUCK¡ª" "Three-Bite!" the Hydra hissed, its center head lunging forward. The first bite connected. But the Hydra''s attack wasn''t just physical. [Soul Attack detected.] Alex''s HP didn''t drop to zero¡ªit plummeted to 1, and then the real pain began. It wasn''t his body that hurt; it was something deeper. A searing pain unlike anything he''d ever experienced shot through him. It wasn''t his body¡ªit was his soul. "Gah!" He fell to his knees, clutching his chest as a notification appeared. Soul attacks weren''t like normal ones. They bypassed physical defenses entirely. With each hit, the damage targeted a person''s soul directly. A second head struck, jaws snapping against Alex''s side. His knees buckled as the torment doubled, his vision darkening. Sweat dripped down his face as he gasped for breath. "I''m... going to die." His vision blurred, and his movements slowed. He was at his limit. If the Hydra struck one more time, it would be over. Truly over. "This is it¡­" Alex whispered, "I might as well try something else..." His fingers trembled as he clutched the Artifact Container in his inventory. His mind raced back to Arceus'' warning: "Do not touch the Heart of Cmity directly. It will annihte you. Bring it to me safely." Alex gritted his teeth, ring up at the towering Hydra. "Who cares if I bring it safely if I''m already dead forever?" The Hydra closed in, its glowing eyes locking onto him, ready to deliver the finishing blow. Without hesitation, Alex gripped the [Artifact Container] as he took it out from his inventory. "Sorry, Arceus," he muttered under his breath. He hurled the container toward the Hydra, the glowing orb spinning through the air. [Snap your fingers to release the artifact.] "Let''s see what happens when you piss off the Cmity itself!" Alex growled. With every ounce of strength left in his body, he snapped his fingers. The moment the artifact was released, the air around the chamber changed. The Hydra froze mid-strike, its three heads rearing back as an otherworldly pressure filled the room. The [Heart of Cmity] floated in the air, pulsating with unimaginable energy. A crimson glow radiated outward, enveloping the entire chamber. The walls trembled, cracks spreading like wildfire as the sheer force of the artifact''s power destabilized the area. The Hydra roared in panic, its three heads snapping at the orb, but it was toote. The moment the Heart of Cmity made contact with the beast, everything stopped. The oppressive roars, the tremors in the chamber, even Alex''s ragged breathing¡ªall fell into a deafening silence. The Hydra''s massive form shuddered, its glowing eyes widening in shock as the artifact sank into its flesh. For a split second, Alex dared to think the Heart might destroy the creature outright, erasing its overwhelming presence. And then, the impossible happened. The Hydra''s body began to disintegrate. Not in the way Alex expected¡ªno fiery explosion or violent eruption of energy. Instead, the creature seemed to dissolve into nothingness, its scales, flesh, and aura being sucked into the artifact like smoke into a vacuum. The Hydra''s massive frame flickered, its three heads snapping erratically as they tried to resist the pull. "No¡­ way," Alex whispered, his voice barely audible. The once-unstoppable guardian of the chamber¡ªthe monster that had pushed him to the brink¡ªwas being consumed entirely. Within moments, the Hydra was gone. Completely. Not even a single scale remained. The chamber trembled violently as the artifact pulsed with raw energy, its crimson glow now almost blinding. The ground beneath it cracked and splintered, releasing bursts of heat and light as the Heart absorbed thest remnants of the Hydra''s existence. Alex stumbled back, his legs giving out as the oppressive force of the artifact grew stronger. BOOM! A shockwave erupted from the Heart, sending Alex flying across the chamber. He mmed into the wall, but not receiving any damage. The explosion shattered the chamber''s walls, massive chunks of rock falling from above as the entire structure threatened to copse. Alexy motionless for a moment, his body battered and his soul still aching from the Hydra''s earlier attacks. Dust and debris settled around him, and the heat from the artifact''s energy made the air nearly unbearable to breathe. But he was alive. Barely. Groaning, Alex pushed himself onto his hands and knees. Every movement felt like dragging a boulder, but he forced himself to look toward the center of the room. There it was. The Heart of Cmity, no longer floating but resting on the fractured ground. It pulsed violently, its crimson light dimming and brightening in irregr intervals, as if it were¡­ alive. The artifact had just consumed a Tier 7 Mythical boss without hesitation. He didn''t even want to imagine what would happen if it lost control. "¡­What the hell have I done?" he muttered, his voice hoarse as he approached the artifact. Chapter 128 Acquiring the Heart of Calamity, Your Soul has been Strengthened Alex hesitated as he crouched near the pulsating artifact, its crimson light casting ominous shadows on the chamber walls. The Heart of Cmityy motionless on the cracked floor, but its presence still weighed heavily in the air. He squinted and leaned closer, noticing the faint forms of the Hydra''s three heads within the heart, writhing as though trapped in some eternal torment. Ding! A notification window appeared, breaking the tense silence. [Heart of Cmity (Artifact): The first person to interact with this artifact will be trapped inside. The second person to touch it will be its master.] [There are many more perks to it, but that is all that can be revealed to you.] Alex frowned, his eyes darting between the artifact and the notification. "Trapped inside, huh? That exins the Hydra..." The warning was clear, but there wasn''t much choice. The cave was sealed, the artifact his only means of progress. The quest couldn''t bepleted without taking it either. He let out a long breath, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Here goes nothing." Slowly, Alex reached out, his fingers trembling as they neared the artifact. The moment his hand made contact, reality itself seemed to shift. The air turned heavy, and a searing pain shot through his arm. "Argh!" he winced, instinctively trying to pull away, but his hand remained stuck to the artifact. It felt like fire coursing through his veins, yet oddly, no damage notifications appeared. Instead, another message popped up: [Your soul has been strengthened by the "Heart of Cmity."] And then, the artifact vanished. Its crimson glow dissipated into Alex''s body, leaving behind an eerie silence in the chamber. "Huh," Alex muttered, flexing his fingers. The pain was gone, reced by a strange warmth that radiated from within. For a moment, he simply sat there, digesting what had just happened. He nced at the empty space where the artifact oncey. "So¡­ it''s inside me now?" Shaking his head, he stood up and opened the World Map. Selecting [Arceus'' Tower], he activated the teleport function. The chamber faded away, reced by the familiar walls and glowing runes of Arceus'' sanctuary. The towering mage himself stood in the center of the room, his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. His piercing eyes immediately narrowed on Alex. "What the hell?" Arceus said, shocked, "How the hell are you alive, there was about a legitimate tier 7 monster in there!" Trying to recruit someone as a student was a hassle, so Arceus gave him a quest he thought would be impossible. After the initial days, Arceus even believed the kid was already dead or abandoned. "Where''s the heart?" Alex scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, about that¡ª" Before he could finish, Arceus'' gaze sharpened, and his aura red. "You absorbed the Heart of Cmity, didn''t you?" Alex nodded. "I didn''t have a choice. The Hydra was going to kill me, and I couldn''t exactly leave it there, could I?" For a long moment, Arceus stared at him, his expression unreadable. Then, to Alex''s surprise, a small smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. "Foolish, reckless... but undeniably impressive," Arceus admitted. "You''ve done something no mortal should be capable of. That artifact should have obliterated you." Alex raised an eyebrow. "So¡­ you''re not mad?" "Oh, I''m furious," Arceus snapped, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But I''d be a greater fool than you to let such potential go to waste." A new notification appeared: Ding! [You havepleted the SSS-Level Grand Mage Hidden Quest, "Be Arceus'' Student"!] [You have received the "Arceus Student Title"!] ''LET''S GO!'' With a Grand Mage as a teacher, learning Forbidden Spells and more would be entirely possible! Alex could have never imagined in his past life he could grow strong enough to be recognized as "worthy" by a Grand Mage. Before Alex could respond, a chime from his interface drew his attention. Messages from Alice flooded his inbox. [StarPillow: Where are you?!] [StarPillow: It''s been two days, Alex. Answer me!] [StarPillow: I swear, if you''re dead, I''ll kill you myself.] [FateBreaker: Alive, just login into the ount and I''ll teleport you.] Without even giving him an answer, Alice connected into the game less than three minutester, appearing on his [World Map] as a small dot in the [Fox Tribe Vige]. "Wait a few seconds," he begged Arceus, and the Grand Mage groaned, "I''ll be back." Alex instantly teleported to the [Fox Tribe Vige], and grabbed Alice before she could even say hello to him. Then he used his [World Map] again to teleport them back. In a sh of light, Alice appeared in the chamber too, her eyes widening as she looked around confused. "H-Huh?" she mumbled, "Where the hell are we?!" As Arceus saw the neer, he simply groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Another one? Boy, this is a grand mage''s sanctuary, not a reunion spot for adventurers!" "Rx," Alex said, waving him off. "She''s not a mage." "Damn right she''s not," Arceus scoffed, "I only took you in because of your exceptional results in that little test of mine." The tension in the room was palpable, but Arceus finally relented with a sigh. "Fine. You''re my student now, and I don''t go back on my word. But if you''re going to be worth my time, we need to get you stronger. Far stronger." He raised a hand, snapping his fingers. Snap! A shimmering golden portal appeared behind him, its surface swirling with arcane energy. "Artemis," he called. From the portal stepped a striking figure¡ªa two-winged angel d in golden armor, his presence radiating authority and power. He knelt before Arceus, his voice calm and unwavering. "Yes, Master?" Arceus gestured toward Alex with azy wave. "This one. Take him to the [Double Experience Zone]. Make sure he trains properly. Kill him once or twice if he cks off." Artemis nced at Alex, his piercing gaze unnerving him. "Understood, Master." Before Alex could protest, Artemis grabbed him by the shoulder. "Wait, what about¡ª" Alex started, but his words were cut off as Artemis reached for Alice as well, pulling her through the portal with them. Arceus watched them disappear, a rare smirk crossing his face. "Let''s see how long youst, boy." On the other side of the portal, Alex stumbled as they arrived in a vast, open field bathed in golden light. The air here felt heavier, charged with energy. Alice dusted herself off, ring at Artemis. "Hey, a little warning next time?" Artemis ignored her, turning to Alex. "You''re in the Angel Territory now, I truly advise you to keep it down, angels aren''t nice beings." Chapter 129 Artemis, the Angel Follower, Level 5 Angel City Alex looked around and gulped at the sight: a massive city stood before him. [Angel City, Level 5] "I would rmend for you not to go inside alone, humans aren''t appreciated in there," Artemis mocked, "Except if you want to die." Alex perfectly knew that already though. Angels were in fact not here to help humans or even guide them: they were enemies. They associated with several gods and even went on city attacks to cause the maximum amount of chaos. What''s worse, every single angel is at least tier 6-tier 8, between level 500 for the weakest and 1000 for some of the strongest. Artemis was no different. [Artemis, Angel n Member, Level 800] Not every angel could deal [Soul Damage] by the way, because as said before, soul attacks in themselves were rare. Even a monster who had them couldn''t just spam them. Oh, and yeah, Soul Attacks do not work on monsters. They may work on NPCs though. "Alright, let''s go," Artemis sighed, walking toward the city. The two-winged angel snapped his fingers and golden chains attached to Alex and Alice''s necks, Artemis grabbing them with his hands. "You''re now ves of the angel race, act as ones," he mumbled to them as he walked forward. Alex stared at the towering gates of [Angel City, Level 5] , his stomach twisting into knots. The glistening spires and ornate structures within were undeniably breathtaking, yet the thought of walking into a ce where humans were universally despised sent a chill down his spine. "Wait," he muttered, turning to Artemis. "We have to go in there?" Artemis waved his hand dismissively. "Rx. You''ll be with me. As long as you stay close and keep your heads down, no one will bother you." "And if they do?" Alex asked. "Then I''ll handle it." His tone was cold and confident, leaving no room for argument. Despite his assurance, Alex couldn''t shake the feeling of dread as they approached the gates. Two towering angel guards stood on either side, their piercing gazes scanning everything that passed. [Two-Winged Angel Guard, Level 750] As Alex''s group drew near, one of the guards stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of a shimmering de. His eyes narrowed as they locked onto Alex and Alice. "Artemis," the guard said, his tone sharp. "What are you doing bringing them here? Humans are not permitted within Angel City." Artemis didn''t flinch. "They''re with me." The guard''s brow furrowed, his gaze flickering between the two humans. "You know the rules. This is highly irregr." "Take it up with the higher ones," Artemis said with a shrug, brushing past him. "I''m on orders." The mention of the higher ones silenced the guard, though suspicion lingered in his eyes. "You''ve been acting strangetely, Artemis. Don''t think I haven''t noticed." Artemis paused, turning back to face him. "What''s your point?" The guard stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You''ve been spending too much time away from the n, associating with questionablepany. Some are starting to wonder where your loyalties lie." A cold smile crept across Artemis''s face. "My loyalties lie exactly where they should." Before the guard could respond, Artemis spun on his heel and strode into the city, motioning for Alex and Alice to follow. "Don''t fall behind," he said, his tone clipped. The streets of Angel City were a marvel to behold. Golden cobblestones lined the pathways, and towering buildings shimmered with divine light. Angels of all shapes and sizes moved through the city, their elegant forms radiating an aura of power and grace. They looked at Alex and Alice with disgust, though calming down once noticing the chains binding them. Alex kept his head down, doing his best to avoid drawing attention. The asional nce from passing angels made his skin crawl, but no one approached them. "Stay close," Artemis murmured. "We''re almost there." "Where exactly is ''there''?" Alex asked. Artemis smirked, "The [Double Experience Zone] is located beneath the city. It''s a training ground for angels, but it''s also open to anyone." "Huh," Alex squinted his eyes, cautious. "Don''t worry," Artemis said, his tone light butced with amusement. "I''ll make sure you don''t die. Probably." Alex exchanged a wary nce with Alice but said nothing. After navigating through the city, Artemis led them to a secluded area near the outskirts. A massive circr tform sat in the center of a pristine courtyard, glowing runes etched into its surface. "This is it," Artemis said, stepping onto the tform. "Once you''re inside, the monsters will be around your level¡ªmanageable, but still dangerous. Your goal is simple: survive and grow stronger." Alex hesitated. "And what about you? Aren''t youing with us?" Artemis shook his head. "I have things to do, but I''ll be there if anything happens." Alex frowned but stepped onto the tform alongside Alice. As soon as they were both in ce, the runes red to life, and a golden light enveloped them. When the light faded, Alex found himself standing in a vast forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and moss. A notification appeared in his vision: [Wee to the Double Experience Zone - First Area: Angel Forest] [Monster Levels in the Angel Forest: 400¨C500] Alex sighed in relief. Unlike the overwhelming foes he''d faced earlier, these monsters were at least within the realm of possibility. "Okay," he said, summoning his undead, "Let''s get to work." Alice nocked an arrow, scanning the surroundings. "So what now?" "No idea, I don''t even know what Arceus wants of me." He wanted Alex to grow stronger for some reason, possibly because he noticed that his level was so low. Alex knew that the conditions to learning Forbidden Spells were extremely harsh, and even with a mentor like Arceus, it would be difficult. But even then, sending him to such a ce and even asking an angel to aid him was too much. He said he didn''t like guiding people, which is the reason why he never took a student, but he seemed very prepared for such an asion. Ding! "Huh?" and to make it more interesting, a panel appeared before Alex. [SSS-Level Grand Mage Student Quest #1 has been triggered, "Grow Stronger"!] [Reach level 300.] [Reward: ???] [Time limit: none.] "I wonder what the monsters in this ce are," Alice looked around, sweating dripping from her brow. As if in response, a low growl echoed through the forest. And a massive wolf-like creature stepped into view, its fur bristling with electricity. [Thunder Wolf, Level 410, Boss Monster] Chapter 130 Double Experience Zones First Monsters, Thunder Wolves Alex tightened his grip on his staff as a low growl echoed through the Angel Forest. From behind a thicket, a massive wolf emerged, its fur crackling with electric sparks. Its glowing eyes locked onto the intruders [Thunder Wolf, Level 410] [HP: 27,000,000] "That''s... not as bad as I thought it would be," Alex muttered, used to fighting massive boss-like wolves now thanks to the [Cave of Oblivion]. The beast exuded a menacing aura, its fur bristling with arcs of electricity dancing across its muscr frame. Its sharp ws gouged the ground, leaving charred marks in its wake. "Alright, same strategy as before," Alex mumbled, summoning his undead army. "I''ll take it down quickly before it calls for backup." Alice nodded, gripping her bow tightly. "Got it. I''ll slow it with [Ice Arrows] first." Alex raised his hand, summoning his undead warriors. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] "Go!" hemanded, and the undead charged at the wolf. The [Thunder Wolf] reacted instantly, releasing a loud howl that sent a wave of electricity rippling outward. Alex''s undead stumbled but pressed on, surrounding the beast from all sides. Alice nocked an arrow glowing with star energy and let it loose. "Sparkling Star Shot!" she shouted. The projectile struck true, embedding itself in the wolf''s nk. -7,849! It wasn''t much, but for someone of her level it was indeed fascinating, and note that this is only a normal arrow. Alex didn''t waste any time either, using some of his spells. Crimson Cataclysm! Spikes of blood erupted from the ground around the wolf, piercing its legs and forcing it to stagger. 14 spikes emerged and hit. -420,000! The wolf retaliated with a burst of lightning that arced between the spikes, shattering them and electrocuting twenty of Alex''s undead "Not bad," Alex muttered, summoning more undead to rece the fallen ones. "But you''re not getting away that easily." He activated [Fury of Thunder], sending three bolts of lightning crashing down on the wolf. Each strike caused the beast to howl in pain, its fur singed and its movements more erratic. [Thunder Wolf stunned!] Alice switched her arrows, pulling out a glowing red one. "[Blood Arrows]," she whispered, drawing back her bowstring. The arrow flew with a massive impact, hitting the wolf''s chest and causing a deep wound that began to bleed profusely. -78,938! [Bleed caused, dealing 10% of monster''s HP.] -2,700,000! "Holy shit," Alex was surprised, since when could this girl do this?! The wolf roared in fury, its body crackling with an intense electrical charge. "Watch out!" Alex warned as the beast unleashed [Thunder Strike], a massive explosion of lightning that sent the undead flying and forced Alex and Alice to dive for cover. They were saved thanks to the [Stone Fortress], but itpletely crumbled under the impact. "Damn, that thing hits hard," Alex muttered, getting back to his feet. Swish! Swish! Swish! Alice tried to send her arrows several times again, but to not avail, as the wolf learned from its mistakes and began to dash around to avoid them. "Watch out!" Alex pushed Alice out of the way, positioning his dagger as the thunder''s wolf teeth threatened to swallow him. He tried to push it away, but the electricitying out of it stunned him upon impact. -47,934! [You have been stunned.] "SHIT!" The Thunder Wolf stepped back, seemingly mocking Alex, and killing his undead left and right before dashing forward again. But right as the wolf was about to close the distance between them, Alice used up her unique skill. "Ice Torrent!" She unleashed a storm of [Ice Arrows], dozens upon dozens hitting the Thunder Wolf and forcing it to back away. But what was done was already done. -649,921! Not only did she do insane damage, but she also put the [Frostbite] effect on the wolf, slowing it tremendously. Taking advantage of that, Alex dashed with his dagger, using [Bleeding Strike] repeatedly, and his undead doing the same thing. -202,038! Every strike from [Bleeding Strike] deal over 200,000 damage by now, making it insanely powerful. Eventually... [You have in "Thunder Wolf" and gained 55,000,000 experience points!] Alex stepped back, catching his breath as the notification appeared before him. His exhaustion melted away as he realized what this kill meant. "Wait," he muttered, his eyes widening. "That''s..." He quickly did the math in his head. He and Alice were sharing experience, which meant the total gain was actually 110,000,000 experience points! Alice, too, seemed stunned. "A-Alex, this is insane!" she eximed, her levels skyrocketing. "I just gained 23 levels from one monster!" "Yeah..." Alex mumbled, still processing his own gains. Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have leveled up to level 190.] [You have leveled up to level 191.] [Level: 191 (4,584,284/28,000,000)] Alex couldn''t help but grin. Reaching level 300 wouldn''t be difficult now, as long as he didn''t meet an overwhelmingly strong monster, or an angel. Angels used the [Double Experience Zone] to train as it was blessed by the [God of Light], and the [Angel Forest] as said before was only the first zone. Meaning that there was a chance he could meet one of them in this zone if he wasn''t careful, and it would be instant death if he did. There were 4 zones in total: Angel Forest, Light ins, Dark Lands and finally... the Abyss. Yes, you heard that right, the tier 7-tier 8 area where one of the gods was currently resting was located there. Though you would need to reach minimum level 800 to try, and even then, angels knew they couldn''t afford to go there as any angel that went inside would nevere back. They even had a prophecy: when someone goes inside the abyss and emerges victorious, they will be crowned the savior of the angels. As said before, the [God of the Abyss] was the only god humanity had sessfully killed in Alex''s previous life, though that was only because he hadn''t been in the [Abyss] at that moment, which is his domain and where he is most powerful. Basically, Alex wouldn''t go there, he wasn''t stupid. After defeating the [Thunder Wolf], an extraction prompt obviously appeared before him. Much like the [Cave of Oblivion], most monsters here could be considered the "boss" type. Ding! [Pick something to extract] [Thunder Wolf Meat (Mythical Food)] [Description: Consuming this meat temporarily grants the eater a 30% boost to agility andplete resistance to lightning-based attacks for 24 hours.] [Thunder Wolf Fang (Legendary Material)] [Description: A rare crafting material imbued with lightning energy. Can be used to forge high-tier weapons or essories.] [Thunder Core (Legendary Item)] [Description: A concentrated core of lightning energy. Used in crafting or as a power source for certain skills and equipment.] Alex considered his options carefully. In the [Cave of Oblivion], he had often prioritized [Attribute Points Packs], but this time, he decided to take the [Thunder Wolf Meat]. He wanted to test the effects of food items again after so long, especially now with his new powers. He also nned to go back to the [Cave of Oblivion] to farm the shadow dire wolves there once they respawned. But for now, he would need to level up. ... The following days were a blur of constant battles and grinding. Alex and Alice moved through the [Angel Forest], systematically hunting down monsters and growing stronger with each kill. From [Lightning Stags] to [Angelic Falcons], the monsters varied in their abilities but all provided valuable experience. Alex relied heavily on his undead army, continuously honing his control over them while experimenting with his blood arts. Alice, meanwhile, grew more adept with her arrows,bining her skills in creative ways to maximize damage. [Extraction talent activated: x47 Thunder Wolf Meat, x3 Thunder Core +573 Vitality, +431 Agility, +1,193 Spirit, +783 Strength] Until eventually, this happened: Ding! Ding! [You have leveled up to level 250!] [You cannot level up anymore untilpleting your Tier 5 Advancement Task.] Alex stopped in his tracks, a grin spreading across his face. "Here we go," he said, his excitement palpable. Chapter 131 Level 250, Tier 5 Advancement Task, Kill an Angel Some of his skills, as well as Alice''s leveled up when they were killing monsters, but Alex didn''t care much about that. He had reached level 250, and Alice level 213. Ding! [You cannot level up anymore untilpleting your Tier 5 Advancement Task.] But before watching that task of his, Alex decided to use his talent perks to make sure he was ready. "Skill Evolution," he whispered, selecting his [Stone Fortress] skill. Ding! [Your skill "Stone Fortress" (Advanced) has evolved to "High-Defense Wall" (High-Tier)] [High-Defense Wall level 1; Create a sturdy barrier that can block up to 100,000 damage at once; costs 100,000 mana; 3-minutes cooldown.]] It was a massive increase, one that was greatly needed if he wanted to continue. Then moving to [Potential Extraction]. He didn''t use it much because he wanted to keep it in case an item needed an instant upgrade once he got it, but it didn''t happen much so he decided to use it regardless. He first tried to use it on the [Thunder Wolf Meat] in case it could great better effects. But of course. [Did you really think you could upgrade food?] It failed. "I mean, it worked on the shadow egg before," Alex shrugged before moving on to another item. In the end, he decided to upgrade his [Superior Python Backpack] (Mythical) as it only had 500 slots, and would soon be filled if he continued like that. Ding! [You have upgraded "Superior Python Backpack"!] [It has evolved to Divine item: "Divine Cobra''s Backpack"] [Description: it can hold up to 1000 items from up to Divine rank.] "Nice!" with that he wouldn''t need to worry about items for a very big while, "Alright, let''s read about that thing," he mumbled. He opened up his task panel. [SSS-Rating Detected for Previous Advancement Tasks...] [Adjusting difficulty ordingly...] Ding! [Tier 5 Advancement Task: Kill an angel.] [Requirement: Eliminate any member of the Angel n.] The simplicity of the description was deceiving. Alex knew the reality of facing an angel would be anything but simple. "Are you okay, you''re sweating..." Alice looked at Alex with worry in her eyes, she had gotten much stronger, each one of her arrows able to deal very big damage to even level 400 monsters. "Artemis!" Alex called out, and instantly, the two-winged angel appeared beside him from a portal. "Yeah?" "..." Alex was surprised, but didn''t question it, "My advancement task is to kill an angel, what do I do?" "Oh..." Artemis whispered, scratching his chiseled chin. Actually, Alex wanted to see the angel''s reaction. There was no way his loyalty to Arceus was so high he would even go as far as to not only betray but also kill another angel, right? Alex was proven wrong instantly. "Arceus told me to aid you until you reach level 300 at any cost, but advancement tasks are up to you toplete," Artemis mumbled, "But I''ll just tell, there are some level 500 angels still training in the forest sometimes." "Hm..." Alex urged him to continue. "Though they are extremely dangerous and hostile, sometimes they even attack one another, so I''d watch out," Artemis continued, "I don''t know if you''ll manage to beat them, but it''s up to you, if you don''t, you''re going to be stuck here anyway." "Are you gonna help if something bad happens?" "Nope," Artemis said bluntly, "Arceus asked me to assist you, but not in situations like this. If you fail to evenplete this small challenge, then you''re not worthy of being his student." Alex was perplexed, he didn''t know why Artemis knew so much and was given this much authority by Arceus, yet somehow wasn''t a student. "If you''re thinking about whether I''m a student or not, I''m not, I''m simply a servant ready to serve the master at all cost, for he is the one that will rise above all eventually." "Alright..." Alex raised his eyebrows. "Then good luck, I''ll grab your dead body and bring it back to the master if you die," Artemis chuckled, "Goodbye." And then he disappeared in a sh of golden light, leaving Alex and Alice alone. Alex clenched his fists after Artemis vanished, staring at the notification screen floating before him. "Kill an angel... Seriously? They want me to kill one of those?!" he muttered under his breath, his frustration growing. Alice frowned, her bow still in hand, but didn''t say anything. He rubbed his temple, letting out a deep sigh. "But I don''t have a choice. Advancement tasks are mandatory. If I don''t do this, I''m stuck at Tier 4 forever." Alice hesitated, then spoke softly. "Well... maybe there''s a way. If we find a weaker one, like Artemis said. You''ve beaten things way stronger than you before, right?" Alex gave her a wry smile. "Yeah, but this isn''t some random monster, Alice. Angels are... different." Alice wondered how herpanion knew that, but didn''t ask, as she knew he was already stressed enough. The pair moved cautiously through the dense Angel Forest, their steps muted by the mossy ground. Alex kept his senses sharp, his hand gripping his staff tightly, while Alice walked behind him, her arrows ready to be nocked at a moment''s notice. It wasn''t long before they noticed the atmosphere changing. The air grew heavier, charged with a faint divine energy that made the hairs on Alex''s arms stand on end. "Feel that?" Alice whispered, her voice barely audible. "Yeah," Alex replied, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "We''re getting close. Stay sharp." After a few more minutes of walking, they stopped abruptly In the distance, through a thick canopy of trees, a clearing came into view. "Look," Alice said, pointing. Alex followed her gaze and froze. There, in the clearing, stood a radiant figure, its golden wings glowing faintly even in the dim forest light. [Angel n Member - Level 500 Rank 6] The angel was tall and imposing, with armor that shimmered like polished gold. He wielded a massive de, the weapon crackling with divine energy. But he wasn''t alone. Facing him was a monstrous creature, a towering, scaly beast with fiery red eyes and jagged horns that scraped the forest canopy. [Divine Behemoth - Level 500 Rank 6 - Mythical Boss] [HP: 50,000,000] Alex''s eyes widened as he crouched lower, pulling Alice down with him. "That... must be one of those Artemis mentioned," he whispered. Chapter 132 Divine Behemoth, Meeting with an Angel [Divine Behemoth - Level 500 Rank 6 - Mythical Boss] [HP: 50,000,000] The angel and the monster shed in a violent storm of power. The angel swung his [Divine de] with blinding speed, sending arcs of golden light shing through the air. Each strike left deep gouges in the behemoth''s thick hide, the divine energy searing its flesh. -984,831! -736,274! -811,049! The Infernal Behemoth roared in fury, its massive ws tearing at the ground as it counterattacked. It unleashed a torrent of fire, the mes consuming the entire clearing and forcing the angel to take to the skies with his wings. "How is he dodging all of that?" Alice whispered, awe in her voice as she watched the angel effortlessly maneuver through the inferno. "He''s fast," Alex muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Too fast. If that thing gets in close, it''s over for us." The angel retaliated with a devastating move. Raising his de high, he summoned a massive pir of light that descended from the heavens, crashing into the Infernal Behemoth with explosive force. -12,573,923! The beast howled in pain, its massive frame trembling as it staggered backward. But it wasn''t out of the fight yet. The Infernal Behemoth mmed its fists into the ground, causing the earth to quake. Massive spikes of molten rock erupted from the ground, forcing the angel to retreat further. "Even he''s struggling," Alex whispered. "But look at the damage he''s done," Alice pointed out. "That thing''s already lost a lot of its health..." True enough, the Infernal Behemoth''s HP bar was rapidly depleting. The angel dove back into the fray, his de moving like a blur as he aimed for the beast''s head. The Infernal Behemoth roared, swiping its massive ws at him, but the angel twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the attack. With a powerful downward sh, the halberd cleaved into the beast''s skull, dealing a devastating blow. [Weakness point hit, dealing 1000% of damage] -17,823,901! Alex couldn''t help but marvel at the sheer precision and strength of the angel. "If that''s the kind of power I''m up against..." He trailed off, his thoughts racing. The angel''s movements, his strategies, the way he exploited the Infernal Behemoth''s weaknesses¡ªit was all valuable information. "Alex, do you think you can take him?" Alice asked hesitantly. "..." Alex analyzed the opponent, "I don''t know." The battle raged on, the forest trembling with each sh. The Infernal Behemoth unleashed one final desperate attack, a massive wave of molten fire that spread in all directions. But the angel was ready. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance, plunging his de into the beast''s chest. A blinding explosion of light followed, and when the dust settled, the Infernal Behemothy motionless, its massive body crumbling into ash. The angel stood tall, his weapon resting on the ground as he surveyed the battlefield. Alex let out a slow breath, "We should be careful." Alice nodded, her face pale. "If that''s what a level 500 angel can do... how are you supposed to beat one?" Before Alex could respond, the angel suddenly turned, his glowing eyes locking onto their hiding spot. For a moment, there was silence. Then, the angel began to move toward them, his de dragging along the ground with a menacing scrape. Alex crouched lower behind the bushes, motioning for Alice to stay still. "Don''t make a sound," he whispered, his voice barely audible. Alice clutched her bow tightly, her knuckles white. She nodded, her breathing shallow as her wide eyes remained fixed on the approaching figure. The angel stopped a few meters from their hiding spot, his head tilting slightly. His glowing eyes scanned the forest, his aura a palpable force that seemed to suffocate the air around them. "I know you''re there," the angel spoke, his voice cold and resonant. "There''s no point in hiding." Alex cursed under his breath. He knew it would be foolish to run; the angel''s speed would outmatch theirs in an instant. Slowly, he stepped out from behind the rock, his hands raised in a show of submission. "We mean no harm," he said neutrally. The angel''s piercing gaze locked onto Alex, then shifted to Alice, who reluctantly emerged behind him. For a moment, the angel was silent, his expression unreadable. His de rested on the ground, but his posture remained tense, ready to strike at a moment''s notice. "You are not from here," the angel said, his toneced with suspicion. His eyes narrowed as he studied them. "I don''t sense any divine energy from you." It was unthinkable for him that someone that wasn''t an angel could appear here, so he simply thought that their divine energy was slow, or that they were suppressing it. The angel hadn''t yet determined whether they were enemies, and that gave him a sliver of hope to counterattack. "We''re angels," Alex replied, unfazed by the divine energy. The angel''s gaze lingered on them, his glowing eyes scanning for any sign of deceit. The silence stretched, each second feeling like an eternity. Finally, he lowered his de slightly, though the tension in his stance remained. "If you truly are angels, then I believe showing me your wings won''t be an issue?" No divine energy was not that rare as not every angel could fight, but every angel had wings. And at that moment, Alex knew they were fucked. The angel''s eyes flickered, the faintest trace of amusement crossing his face. But then, his expression darkened. He stepped back, his de rising slowly. The air grew heavier, charged with an ominous energy. But before he could do anything else, Alex lunged forward, activating [Shadow Veil] then [Shadow Strike]. -91,320! In retrospective, that was pretty low, but that wasn''t what Alex sought. Instead... Ding! ["Bleed" has been dealt to "Angel Tribe Member", causing 20% of health.] -8,000,000! The angel, who had 40 million hp, was suddenly struck and hurt, forced to back away. His gaze sharpened, and a flicker of realization crossed his face. "Now I see... you''re not divine." The angel''s stance shifted, his grip on the de tightening as golden light began to emanate from him. "You do not belong here," the angel said, his voice low and threatening. "And that makes you a threat." The angel moved, his de slicing through the air with deadly precision. The ground where Alex and Alice stood erupted in a blinding sh of light. "Move!" Alex shouted, grabbing Alice''s arm and leaping out of the way just in time. The angel then fully turned towards them, his wings unfurling in a disy of divine power. Chapter 133 Slaying Seraphiel, Giant Blood Blade [Seraphiel, Angel Tribe Member, Level 500 Rank 6] [HP: 32,000,000/40,000,000] The air grew thick with tension as Seraphiel stood tall, his golden de glowing ominously. Seraphiel''s wings stretched wide, their golden feathers radiating a holy light that made even Alex hesitate. "You should not havee here, mortals," Seraphiel said, his voice resonating like a divine bell. "Thisnd is sacred, unfit for the impure." Alex gritted his teeth. "You''re the one who''ll regret this." With a m of his staff, necrotic energy surged outward, summoning a fresh wave of undead. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] The battlefield filled with the tter of bones as the undead marched forward. Bony Knights raised their shields, forming a wall to block Seraphiel''s inevitable assault. Spectral Wraiths hovered ominously, waiting for their chance to strike. "Attack!" Alexmanded. The undead swarmed toward Seraphiel, ws and weapons aiming for any weak spot they could find. Seraphiel didn''t flinch. With a single swing of his [Divine de], he unleashed a wave of energy that sliced through the undead ranks. -120,921! -150,843! -100,002! Bones shattered, and wraiths dissipated into nothingness. Alex''s forces were being torn apart. "Damn it!" Alex cursed under his breath. "[Aura of Death]!" A dark aura enveloped the battlefield, strengthening the remaining undead. Their attacks became more ferocious, their defenses more resilient. "Hold the line!" Alex yelled. Alice stood beside him, her bow already drawn. "Ice Torrent" she shouted, releasing a volley of ice arrows. The arrows arced through the air, their tips homing in on Seraphiel. -22,000! -25,000! -24,500! The ice arrow engulfed Seraphiel briefly, but he emerged unscathed, his radiant armor repelling most of the damage. "Is that all?" Seraphiel sneered. He raised his sword high, light condensing around the de. "[Heavenly Arc]!" A crescent-shaped wave of divine energy erupted from his de, carving through the undead ranks and heading straight for Alex and Alice. "[High-Defense Wall]!" Alex shouted. A massive stone barrier materialized in front of them, absorbing the brunt of the attack. Thanks to its upgrade, it could now absorb up to 100,000 points of damage! BOOM! The wall cracked under the pressure but held firm. Alex wiped the sweat from his brow, his mana reserves were almost infinite, but he needed to be careful. "We can''t keep this up," Alice said, loosing another arrow. "We don''t have a choice," Alex replied, his voice grim. "If we don''t stop him here, he''ll hunt us down." Seraphiel pped his wings, sending a shockwave that scattered the undead around him. "[Heaven''s Wrath]!" he intoned. The heavens opened above, and golden spears of light rained down. The ground erupted as the spears struck, obliterating the remaining skeletons and wounding the Bony Knights. -18,732! -14,821! -20,300! Alex barely dodged one of the spears, his cloak singed from the heat. "This guy''s insane!" he muttered. He swung his staff again, activating [Crimson Cataclysm]. Massive crimson spikes erupted from the earth, surrounding Seraphiel and impaling him from all sides. -32,000! -28,000! -30,000! Seraphiel grunted in pain but quickly shattered the spikes with a surge of holy energy. "Enough!" he roared. Chapter Read: The angel''s wings glowed brighter, and he ascended into the air, ring down at Alex and Alice. "Your insolence will not go unpunished." Before Alex could react, Seraphiel dashed toward Alice with blinding speed. "Alice, move!" Alex shouted. But it was toote. Seraphiel''s [Divine de] sliced through her, the attack so swift that it took a moment for the reality to sink in. SLASH! -194,823! Alice''s body copsed, split in half. Blood pooled beneath her as her form disintegrated into light. [Alice has been in, respawning...] Alex stared in shock as the notification appeared. His hands trembled, his mind racing. There was no respawn point here. Alice was gone, likely sent back to the Fox Tribe Vige or one of the cities. "Alice¡­" Alex whispered, his voice breaking. Seraphiel turned his gaze to Alex. "You''re next, mortal." Something inside Alex snapped. Rage bubbled to the surface, consuming him entirely. He let out a primal scream, shing his palms open with his dagger. Blood poured freely, pooling at his feet. "Come on, then," Alex growled, his voice trembling with fury. The blood began to swirl, forming into a massive crimson de that towered over the battlefield. [Giant Blood de] The weapon''s size made it nearly impossible to control, and Alex''s hands trembled under the strain. But he didn''t care. His fury drove him forward. Seraphiel raised an eyebrow, momentarily impressed. "An interesting trick," he said. "But it won''t save you." Alex''s grip tightened on his staff. "[Chains of Restraint]!" Transparent chains shot out, wrapping around Seraphiel''s wings and limbs. The angel struggled, but the chains held firm, reducing his speed and rendering him vulnerable. "This is for Alice!" Alex roared, hurling the Giant Blood de with all his might. The de streaked through the air, its crimson glow illuminating the battlefield. BOOM! The de struck Seraphiel with devastating force, engulfing him in a torrent of blood and energy. -13,902,271! [Bleed effect caused, dealing 30% of initial HP!] -12,000,000! Seraphiel staggered, blood dripping from his mouth. His wings faltered, and his glowing eyes dimmed as his health plummeted. "Impossible¡­" the angel muttered, his voice weak. He copsed to the ground, his de slipping from his grasp. "Human¡­ you are¡­ strong¡­" Seraphiel said before his body crumbled into golden particles. Ding! [You have in "Seraphiel, Angel Tribe Member," gaining 200,000,000 experience points!] Alex stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. His body felt heavy, but still satisfied after using his [Blood Arts] like that, otherwise it would have been instant death for him too. He was actually impressed by the damage from the [Giant Blood de]. Though that didn''t change his [Blood Arts] mastery, it was still "Average". [Blood Arts Perk #3: Giant Blood de; Use a lot of blood to summon a massive de, deals bleed 100% of the time.] He would need to unlock more abilities if he wanted to upgrade his mastery and gain new perks of his Arts, but it was still good. He turned his gaze to the spot where Alice had fallen. Not only that, but he had been reckless and weak, and that is why she had died from the angel. If he had been faster, or could have lifted his [High-Defense Wall] faster, then it wouldn''t have gone like this. Though he couldn''t deny that the rage of seeing hispanion die was the thing that brought him to the edge enough to summon the [Giant Blood de]. Ding! He received a notification a few secondster, but it wasn''t about his levels or his extraction prompt. [StarPillow: I''m back in the Fox Tribe Vige, can you maybe teleport me back here with your World Map?] [FateBreaker: Yeah, let me just deal with whatever I need then I''lle asap!] [StarPillow: You''re still fighting the angel?!] [FateBreaker: No, he''s dead, don''t worry.] With a final nce at the remains of the battle, Alex turned and crouched in front of the angel, extending his arm. "Extraction." Chapter 134 Karma Point, Reaching Tier 5 "Extraction..." Ding! [You have extracted a "Karma Point".] "Oh?" Alex did not expect to get one of those so soon, but it was expected when killing an angel. [Global Announcement: yer "FateBreaker" is the first to acquire a Karma Point, they may be usedter.] "Karma point?" "What the hell is that!" "FateBreaker take me in as your apprentice...!" Meanwhile, Alex stared at the notification, a neutral expression in his eyes. A new category had appeared between [Skill Points] and [Prestige Points]: it was [Karma Points.] [Karma Points: 1] Right now, they had no real use, butter they would. Ding! [You havepleted your Tier 5 Advancement Task with an... SSS-Rating, that angel stood no chance!] [You have truly grown into an astounding being, FateBreaker.] [+5000 to every stat.] [All your titles are already maxed out.] [In exchange, you may receive a "Talent Perk Fruit" (Artifact)] "Oh?!" [Talent Perk Fruits] are just like [Talent Evolution Fruits] except these instead granted a new perk to a talent. And best of all, these fruits actually allowed you to choose the talent effect you wanted to enhance! But before doing that, Alex quickly moved to the experience notifications that appeared since now that hepleted his task, he could finally possibly reach level 300. Ding! Ding! Ding! Chapter Stay: [Your level has increased to level 251... 252... 253!] [Level: 253 (38,834,821/60,000,000)] Three levels at this point were a very nice increase, especially for a single enemy. Angels aren''t affected by the [Double Experience Zone] buff, by the way. He was now getting closer and closer to level 300, which is when his first task as Arceus'' student would end. And now that he was done with all of his, he simply needed to use the [Talent Perk Fruit]. Maybe there were side effects though, so he decided to teleport to Alice''s location, then back to the [Light ins] using his [World Map]. A new section had appeared, disying [Double Experience Zone - Angel City]. And so he was able to teleport to each area of that zone. Of course, the further he went, the higher his chances of meeting a powerful angel, but as long as it was between the first two, he should be good. He specifically didn''t want to meet one of those twisted angels with [Soul Attacks] either. "So you actually won..." Alice gasped, watching the body of the angel Alex had killed. NPCs don''t disappear like monsters as each one of them is unique, meaning that someone would discover him at some point, and signal all the others. "Rise," he called, his undeading back from the dead again after getting destroyed by that angel. At this point, Alex''s undead couldn''t even put a dent on any enemy they met, they were practically useless. Of course, they helped when enemies were stunned and to gain a few precious seconds, but Alex would truly need to get them to be stronger. "Couldn''t agree me," Undead King appeared above the boy, sneering, "It''s time to upgrade our troops'' skills." "How?" Alex raised his eyebrows, confused. Other than by waiting for them toplete their advancement task, which was still to kill 50,000 monsters, there was no other way. He was much closer topleting it than before, but it still had some way to go. [Undead King - Level 450] "I cannot do it currently, for I have not attained even half of my original strength, but maybe HE can..." "He...?" "The Undead Lord." "Huh." Last time he went to [Undead Land], he met face to face with the [Undead Lord], who allowed him to leave. To Alex, all these monsters, including Alphox and the Undead King, were evil. They were with him right now, one agreeing him to be his pet since it''s interesting, and the others bound by a contract. But he couldn''t forget about his past life, there was no way to. And if he truly thought about it, even though the Undead Lord had been taken over by Lich, the all-powerful necromancer, he was still evil. "How can he help us, I don''t think a level 400 or 500 can truly help us..." "Hahaha," the Undead Kingughed, "Kid, do you truly believe [Undead Land] was a tier-4 area since the beginning?!" "..." "At first, thisnd was considered a tier 8 area, even the strongest of adventurers not daring toe close, and I was the king of it all!" "Alright..." Alex didn''t understand how any of this could help. "Well, we can just go back and kick the Undead Lord''s ass to retake it, you know?" Alex continued. Last time, Undead Lord was at level 400, and even if he somehow got stronger, Alex still firmly believed he could take a level 500 monster like him. The Undead King shook his head, his spectral form flickering slightly as he gazed down at Alex with a mixture of disdain and amusement. "Kid, you have no idea what you''re dealing with," he began, his voice reverberating with an ominous echo. "The thing you met in [Undead Land] was not the true Undead Lord." Alex frowned, crossing his arms. "What are you talking about? He was right there. I saw him." "What you saw was a projection, a mere fragment of his power. The true Undead Lord doesn''t show his true appearance often after all." Alex''s frown deepened. "And you''re saying this ''real'' Undead Lord is stronger?" "Stronger?" The Undead King let out a boomingugh that echoed through the ins. "Human, how do you think that mynd was taken over? Did you really think some level 400 giant skeleton could do that?" Alex''s confidence wavered for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a defiant smirk. "If he''s that powerful, how do you expect me to beat him? Just run in and hope for the best?" The Undead King''s gaze hardened. "Do not misunderstand me. I am not sending you to your death. I believe you already know the way to deal with any undead." "..." Alex thought for a second, his eyes widening, "The Annihtion Crucifix..." "Yes, now do what you need to do to find it." With that, the Undead King snapped his fingers and disappeared in a dark mist, leaving Alex behind. But there was one single tiny little problem with that information... Alex had lied. He didn''t know where the [Annihtion Crucifix] was. Well, actually he DID know, but not really: he knew that it was either in [Angel City], the [Divine Colosseum], or the [Cursed Cathedral], though the true location was unknown. Only one person had acquired it in his past life, and the only hint they gave was: "Somewhere divine and cursed at the same time." What could be more divine and cursed than the three choices he listed? Either way, getting it would be almost impossible right now. But in the end, Alex simply grabbed the [Talent Perk Fruit] in his hand, looking at Alice. "I''ll probably need you if there''s any side effects," he mumbled. "Ready any day of the week," Alice smirked, eager to help. Alex looked at the fruit in his hand, then without hesitation began eating it, ready to see what he could get from this. Chapter 135 Talent Perk Fruit, Double Extraction, Heavenly Arc Legendary Skill Nom! Nom! Alex popped the fruit into his mouth without hesitation. It wasn''t as vorful as thest artifact-level fruit he''d consumed, but it wasn''t unpleasant either. He swallowed it quickly, not giving the taste much thought. As he finished, a familiar sound echoed in his ears. Ding! [Please choose the talent effect you want to gain a new perk for.] [Talent Effect #1: Upon defeating a monster, you are able to extract an item/attribute/skill/talent/skill points from them, with a 20% chance of the prompt appearing.] [Perk #1: Description Check, you can now check the descriptions of the items before selecting them.] [Talent Effect #2: Defeating monsters will grant you "Extraction Points", which you can useter on to enhance your talent or buy items.] [Talent Effect #3: Potential Extraction; You can use this to extract the full potential of an item and thus enhance its powers.] [Perk #1: Skill Evolution; You can now use your effect on skills to evolve them once every week, for example, you can evolve "Explosive Fireball", which is from the advanced-tier, to it''s high-tier evolution.] [Talent Effect #4: Synthesis; Combine items, skills, or abilities to create something stronger] ... He had 4 talent effects right now, which was remarkable, considering most yers still only had one, and even those who managed to unlock a second talent were considered lucky. Unlocking a new talent effect anytime soon seemed unlikely, but his current set was powerful enough to keep him ahead of the curve. Those he currently had already did all the work anyway, so he didn''t really need to care that much about it, right? After a bit of thinking, he decided to select the [Talent Effect #1] as he wanted to see what kind of perk he could get. Perks, he knew, didn''t alter the base talent effect, his 20% extraction chance would remain the same. Instead, they added supplementary abilities that could make a talent much more versatile. A golden aura surrounded him as the system processed his choice. Warmth coursed through his body, and momentster, another notification appeared. Ding! [Talent Effect #1 has been selected.] [Perk #2: Double Extraction; Every extraction has a 5% chance to trigger the "Double Extraction" perk, meaning you can select two items out of the three avable instead of one.] "Oh!" Alex''s lips curled into a smile, "Not bad." While the 5% chance seemed low, the potential to double his rewards could turn an ordinary battle into a treasure trove. It wasn''t as consistently useful as perks like Description Check or Skill Evolution, but it was undeniably powerful in the right circumstances. His thoughts were interrupted by another notification. Ding! [Your "Undead King" curse has suppressed the effects of the fruit.] "Huh," Alex muttered, surprised. "Looks like I didn''t need Alice to step in after all." The curse, bestowed upon him by the [Undead King], was proving to be far stronger than even artifact-level items. [Try your new perk on the angel.] "Hm." Alex approached the angel''s body again, which was surrounded by undead beings now. "So did anything happen? Don''t tell me you''re going after a corpse?!" Alice gasped. "What?" Alex raised his eyebrows, "I just want to try my new perk, I got no side effects." "Oh..." Alice looked a bit sad as she heard that, but quickly recovered. Her talent, [Star Archer], was SS-Level, but even then it hadn''t truly unlocked all of its potential. [Talent: Star Archer (SS)] [Talent Effect #1: Gives the ability to use [Star Arrows] instead of normal, which deal thrice as much damage as others, as your talent upgrades, these arrows will be increasingly more powerful.] It was difficult for anyone to gain a new talent perk at this stage of Universal Descent, Alex was just the ultimate exception. Alex crouched down, putting his palm on the angel, and this time a panel actually appeared before him. [Choose something to extract.] [Angel Wing (Divine)] [Description: A single wing from an angel. Useless on its own as angels require two wings to fly. Cannot be utilized by other races.] [Heavenly Arc (Legendary Skill)] [Description: A crescent wave of divine energy unleashed from a de, capable of cutting through multiple enemies in a single strike.] [Karma Point (Taken)] [Description: ???] The third option, Karma Point, was grayed out, likely because he had already acquired it before. Selecting two items out of a single monster was actually so much better than he believed. He truly didn''tprehend why the extraction prompt wouldn''t appear against overly powerful opponents sometimes, forcing him to use extraction closely and thus getting a random item. But maybe there were truly some rules he didn''t know of? "Well, this is an easy choice," Alex said, selecting the Heavenly Arc skill. Ding! [You have extracted "Heavenly Arc" (Legendary Skill) from "Seraphiel, Angel Tribe Member."] [Heavenly Arc Level 1: Unleashes a crescent wave of divine energy. Deals 250,000 base damage + 100% Spirit. Mana Cost: 75,000. Cooldown: 1 minute.] Alex''s eyes lit up. It was a perfect skill for him, blending both magic and melee capabilities. "This is incredible," he muttered. "And I can actually use it." Angels typicallybined magic and melee in theirbat style. For most yers, angelic skills were difficult to use without dual professions, such as a Mage-Warrior hybrid. Fortunately, Alex''s unique build allowed him to bypass those limitations entirely as assassin was also considered a melee ss! However, the mana cost was steep, 75,000 per use. And even though the cost was cut by half thanks to his [Unparalleled Mage]''s ss mana reduction, it was still expensive, meaning that upon evolving it, it could be impossible to use. Alex nced at his skill points. [Skill Points: 318] "Time to put these to good use," he said, opening the skill menu. [Skills: Fire Meteor (Max-Tier), Crimson Cataclysm (Max-Tier), Rock Crash (Advanced), High-Defense Wall (High-Tier), Rain of Fire (Max-Tier), Bleeding Strike (Max-Tier), Fury of Thunder (Max-Tier), Chains of Restraint (Advanced), Poison Resistance (Passive), Aura of Death (Undead Skill), Aura (Passive), Shadow Veil (Unique), Shadow Strike (Unique), Divine Arc (Basic)] Alex had a lot of Skill Points to spend, and it was better to just use them on something as using [Skill Evolution] on a [Basic] rank skill was stupid. Ding! [You have used 10 Skill Points to upgrade "Heavenly Arc" to Level 10.] At max level for its tier, the skill was now significantly more potent. Ding! [Do you want to consume 10 Skill Points to evolve "Heavenly Arc" (Basic) to "Radiant Arc" (Intermediate)?] "Yes," Alex confirmed without hesitation. The process repeated, with the skill evolving to its Intermediate form and then being leveled up to level 10 once more. [You have used 20 skill points to upgrade "skill" to level 10.] As said before, the higher the rank, the more skill points it took, which is why people relied on [Skill Upgrade Orbs] or [Skill Books] to be stronger. Ding! [Do you want to consume 50 Skill Points to evolve "Radiant Arc" (Intermediate) to "Divine Arc" (Advanced)?] [Divine Arc Level 1: Unleashes arger wave of divine energy from long-range. Deals 500,000 base damage + 150% Spirit. Mana Cost: 300,000. Cooldown: 30 seconds.] Alex smirked. The skill was now devastatingly powerful, but the mana cost had also risen sharply. Yet somehow, thanks to his mana reduction and +5000 attribute points increase, he was now actually able to use it! [Spirit: 16583 + 10000 (Demonized Staff)] Which means he has 165,830 MP, more than enough for [Divine Arc]''s 150,000 mana points cost! With his new perk tested and his skills upgraded, Alex felt ready to take on the next challenge. The SSS-Level Grand Mage Student Quest required him to reach Level 300, and the path ahead promised to be grueling. "I hope you''re ready, Alice," Alex said, his tone confident. Alice nodded, her determination mirroring his own. Chapter 136 Elyon and Caleora, More Angels and Summon Days passed as Alex pushed himself to the limit, battling tirelessly in the Angel Forest and on the outskirts of the Light ins.d The serene goldenndscape, filled with glimmering grasses and motes of light, masked the relentless grind Alex endured. The monsters here, glowing and infused with holy energy, were unlike anything he had faced before. By the third day, Alex stood at Level 299, one step away frompleting his quest. Alice after reaching level 250 told him that it was enough for now, excited about her new powers and ready to deal with her own [Tier 5 Advancement Task], so she left. His body ached from endlessbat, and his mana reserves had been drained and replenished more times than he could count. Yet, he pressed on, his eyes burning with determination. [Extraction talent activated: +483 Strength, +504 Vitality, +851 Spirit, +328 Agility, +28 Skill Points.] [Attributes: Vitality 13,927, Strength 25,511 + 1500 + 15000; Agility 13,227 + 1000 + 10000; Spirit 17434 + 10000] He didn''t bother taking any items with him as attributes were the most important thing of all. One more fight. That is all he needed. Alex leaned against a glowing tree on the edge of the ins, scanning the horizon for his next target. His hands gripped his dagger and staff tightly. "Still not done, huh?" Artemis''s voice rang out from above,ced with his usual arrogance. Alex nced up to see Artemis hovering in the air, his golden wings spread wide. The faint glow of his aura matched thendscape, making him look like he belonged here. "Just one more monster," Alex replied, ignoring the smug expression on Artemis''s face. "One more monster," Artemis mocked, folding his arms. "That''s why humans are so weak." "You''re the one that''s been cking off," Alex retorted, rolling his eyes. Artemis grinned. "Someone has to remind you who''s the real elite here." With that, he took off, flying inzy circles overhead. "Don''t take too long. I''ve got better things to do than babysit you." Alex shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. He stepped back into the forest, his senses on high alert. He noticed an influx of angels in the ins recently, probably because of the fact the corpse of an angel was found previously. Which is why he didn''t back away from the forest too much. The ground trembled faintly, followed by the sound of soft growls. Alex froze, his hand tightening on his de. From the shadows of the forest, a massive Lightbringer Wolf emerged. Its silver fur shimmered with an ethereal glow, and its eyes burned with golden mes. "Huh," Alex muttered, readying himself for the fight, "I''ve found hundreds of monsters here, but that''s the first one of this type I see..." But before he could strike, the wolf tilted its head back and let out a piercing howl. The sound reverberated through the forest, sending chills down Alex''s spine. "Why now?" he murmured, narrowing his eyes. Activating his Cursed Eyes of the King, Alex scanned the wolf carefully. His vision sharpened, revealing the faint glow of a golden chain around the creature''s neck. "A pet," Alex realized. Above him, Artemis burst intoughter. "Oh, this is rich. You''ve really got a knack for trouble, huh?" He grinned, descending slightly but staying out of range. "I don''t want others seeing me with you. Adios!" Before Alex could respond, Artemis vanished in a sh of golden lightning, leaving Alex to face the iing storm alone. Momentster, the air around Alex shimmered. Two figures appeared from beside the trees, their golden armor glinting in the light. The first angel, Elyon, stood tall with a regal bearing. His wings spread wide, radiating a soft glow. In his hand, he held a massive Divine de, its edge glowing with holy fire. The second, Caleora, had a more ethereal presence. Orbs of divine light hovered around her, pulsating with energy. She held the golden chain that connected to the wolf, her grip firm andmanding. [Elyon - Angel Tribe Member] [Level: 520] [HP: 50,000,000] [Skills: Divine de (High-Tier), Holy Judgment (Advanced), Light Speed Dash (High-Tier), Radiant sh (Advanced), Angelic Barrier (High-Tier)] [Caleora - Angel Tribe Member] [Level: 530] [HP: 55,000,000] [Skills: Holy Chains, Divine Orbs, Light Summoning (High-Tier), Radiant Heal (Advanced), Blessing of the Ascended (High-Tier)] [Lightbringer Wolf - Angel Pet] [Level: 500] [HP: 40,000,000] Elyon''s golden eyes locked onto Alex, his expression cold. "A mortal daring to trespass here? Your arrogance will be your undoing." Caleora smirked, yanking the chain to bring the wolf to her side. "You''ve been marked by darkness. A pity. We''ll cleanse you swiftly." Alex steadied himself, his undead summons materializing behind him. Skeleton warriors rose from the ground, their empty eyes glowing faintly. "Cleanse me? Let''s see if you can," Alex said, his voice steady despite the odds. Two angels, along with one of their pets, this was bad. The wolf lunged first, its speed blinding. Alex sidestepped, activating Shadow Veil to blur his form. His undead warriors rushed forward, shing with the beast and distracting it. Elyon moved next, his Divine de slicing through the air with devastating force, able to see through the [Shadow Veil]. Alex barely managed to parry the strike, the impact sending shockwaves through his arms. Because of his attributes and levels gain, he could now actually face off against level 500 monsters. Meanwhile, Caleora''s Divine Orbs hovered around her, firing beams of holy light at Alex''s summons. Dozens of skeleton warriors disintegrated instantly, their remains scattering like ash. "Focus," Alex muttered to himself. He activated Aura of Death, boosting his undead''s strength and resilience while summoning more of them. The Bony Knights charged at the wolf, mming it into the ground. As the battle raged, Alex realized he couldn''t hold back. Channeling his energy, he activated his newest skill¡ªDivine Arc. It was the first time he used it because, well, sending a golden arc would attract the attention of those outside the forest. A massive crescent of golden energy erupted from his de, tearing through the battlefield. The attack struck Elyon directly, forcing him back and leaving a deep gash in his armor. [Critical Hit, Dealing 500% of damage!] -2,705,755 Elyon growled, his wings ring as he charged forward. He unleashed Radiant sh, a wave of holy energy aimed directly at Alex. Alex countered with High-Defense Wall, summoning a barrier that absorbed most of the attack. "Impressive," Elyon admitted, his voice tinged with grudging respect. "But you''re outmatched." Caleora, meanwhile, focused on supporting Elyon. She cast Radiant Heal, restoring the wolf''s health and bolstering its strength. The beast broke free from the Bony Knights'' grip, its glowing ws raking through Alex''s summons. The wolf then swung at Alex, who was forced to try and parry it. But even then... sh! -83,915! He got badly injured, a massive amount of blood flooding from his wound. But for him, this was good. "Enough of this," Alex growled. Summoning his blood, he activated Giant Blood de. The crimson weapon materialized in his hands, its size dwarfing his other des. He threw it with all his strength, the de cleaving through the wolf and reaching its head, which exploded upon impact. [Weak point hit, instant death.] -99,999,999! Even if you''re a god, if someone decapitates you or explodes your head, you instantly die. Elyon roared, his Divine de glowing brighter as he unleashed a flurry of attacks. Alex dodged and parried, his movements precise despite his exhaustion. Caleora, enraged by the death of her summon, sent her Divine Orbs flying at Alex, but he redirected them with Chains of Restraint, binding two of the orbs and flinging them back at her. -2,381,934! The impact staggered her, breaking her concentration. Alex continued as he used Rain of Fire, summoning a fiery storm that engulfed the battlefield. The angels screamed as the mes scorched their armor and wings. Seizing the moment, Alex lunged at Elyon, delivering devastating Bleeding Strikes. The de pierced through the angel''s chest, leaving a trail of dark energy that drained his health. sh! sh! sh! -192,011! -192,011! -192,011! Fwish! [Bleed, dealing 10% of opponent''s health.] -5,000,000! Elyon fell to his knees, his Divine de slipping from his grasp. In the meantime, to keep the other angel from attacking him, he sent both his undead but also several [Blood des] and his [Blood Clone] to distract her. Caleora, desperate, cast Blessing of the Ascended, a golden aura enveloping her as she prepared a final attack. But Alex was faster. He activated Fire Meteor, the massive fireball descending from the sky and mming into Caleora, cancelling her spell. The explosion rocked the forest, leaving a smoldering crater where she stood. Fury of Thunder! Then she was stunned. And so with his dagger he finished the job. The system notification rang in Alex''s ears as both angels fell. [Ding! You have defeated Elyon and Caleora, gaining 500,000,000 experience points!] A golden light enveloped Alex as his level surged to 300. Chapter 137 Angel Wings, Reached Level 300 [Ding! You have defeated Lightbringer Wolf, Elyon and Caleora, gaining 500,000,000 experience points!] Ding! Ding! [Your level has increased to level 300... 301... 302... 303... 304!] [Level: 304 (6,834,821/112,000,000)] Every single level added a staggering 2 million experience points between each level now. And of course, Alex had finally reached level 300. Ding! [You havepleted the SSS-Level Grand Mage Student Task: Reach level 300] [Return to Arceus.] "Took you long enough," Artemis appeared again, seemingly having been watching from above. No matter how much Alex looked at it, it was extremely weird for an angel to watch a human kill three of itspanions and do nothing about it. Was he bound by a contract to Arceus, or did he just respect him so much he was willing to betray all of his tribe? "Now that you''re done, I can finally take a break," Artemis was ready to leave, "I believe you''ll be able to find a way out thanks to that spatial ability of yours." "Wait!" but Alex held him off for a few seconds. "Hm?" "Do you..." he got ready to speak, "Have any idea where the [Annihtion Crucifix] is?" He was truly adamant on defeating the [Undead Lord] and acquiring Undead Land, no matter what. The more the game went on, the more stats the enemies would have, making it increasingly difficult to defeat them even with his extracted attributes. That is why he nned to get ready and acquire at least one or two [Forbidden] and [Ultimate] spells. But the moment he uttered the name of the item he wanted, Artemis'' figure blurred, appearing right in front of Alex, a de touching his neck. The angel had been so fast Alex didn''t even have the time to see how he did that. "Never ever talk about that again, kid," Artemis'' aura red around him before finally calming down, "And anyway, you won''t be able to get it, it''s protected by the [Divine Order of Angels], don''t try anything reckless." With that, Artemis spun in ce before disappearing. "..." Alex was shocked, to say the least, but now he knew that the crucifix was most likely here. He couldn''t defeat most of the powerful angels, but level 500''s should be easy to be dealt with right now. And speaking about dealing with angels, he turned back to see the bodies of Elyon and Caleora. Unfortunately, no matter how strong an NPC is, it is still considered as only one normal entity though and not a boss like those [Shadow Dire Wolves]. Thanks to Alex''s luck though, he still managed to get an extraction prompt. And this time, he decided to select the other option he wanted. Ding! [You have extracted "Angel Wing" (Divine)] [Description: A single wing from an angel. Useless on its own as angels require two wings to fly. Cannot be utilized by other races.] "If I can find a way to... never mind, I''ll think about thatter," Alex mumbled. In Universal Descent, "Human" was obviously not the only race/bloodline that yers could acquire. Whether it was Demon, Orc, Fox, Spirit and even Angel, by doing some very specific things and increasing your reputation with those races, you could be able to acquire their bloodlines. In that regard, items like the [Angel Wing] could only be utilized by that specific race. And now you might ask: what will Alex choose? Well... even he didn''t know! It all depended, and getting epted into a specific bloodline was extremely difficult. [Angel Tribe Reputation: -100] Back in the novice vige, silver-skins wouldn''t kill you simply for having this number, but for any other race, they would attack you on sight. Increasing his reputation with the angel tribe was now unlikely, even Artemis not regarding him high as he was simply following Arceus'' orders. With that done, though, Alex decided it was time to head back. "World Map," he called out as it appeared before him, and then he teleported to [Arceus'' Chamber]. ... Fwish! Alex hit solid ground only a few seconds after teleporting. "So you''re back, and I see you in factpleted your quest," Arceus didn''t even nce at Alex, "Well, I wouldn''t expect anything less, if you had died it would have just meant you weren''t worthy." For some reason, Alex felt like Arceus was giving him impossibly difficult tasks just to get rid of him, and then act like he expected all of it once the boy came back. It had been around a week since he had been given this task, and based on the timeline of the game, there were only 2 to 3 weeks before the academy''s entrance examination. "Here," Arceus took a book out of one of his bookshelves, throwing it toward Alex, "Never did this before, but I guess I''m supposed to reward you for your hard work...?" Arceus truly looked inexperienced, and so he simply threw one reward he thought was appropriate. Alex grabbed the book in midair, ncing at it using his [Cursed Eyes of the King]. [Volcanic Lance (Legendary Skill)] "...!" Alex''s eyes widened, he didn''t expect to get a legendary skill already. "I only have 5 of those books, so I guess the further you go in your training, the greater the skills you''ll acquire," Arceus shrugged, though he did smirk, "Of course, I''ll have you fully master each of these skills before moving, though." Alex noticed that Arceus stopped what he was doing to talk, meaning that he was actually enjoying being a teacher, if not just a little bit. Though of course, the Grand Mage would never admit it. "By the way," Alex sat on one of the chairs avable, "Why do you never leave this ce?" Alex knew of the Grand Mages as powerhouses beyond the concept of tiers, but even then, it was weird. Whether they joined the good or evil side, Alex still knew of them as they showed themselves. But what about Arceus? Did he maybe not tell his real name or show his real appearance? That was possible but unlikely as every Grand Mage boasted of their achievements every time. "Maybe you can''t?" Alex tilted his head. "..." as a response, Arceus smirked, "Of course I can leave, it is my domain, I just do not bother to except if truly needed, nothing can reach me in here, and I wouldn''t even know if the world was on the verge of copse thanks to all my seals." And that exined why he never showed himself when the gods descended and wars happened: he simply didn''t know. Arceus was... possibly the weirdest Grand Mage of them all. And Alex could only wonder what his true intentions were. Ding! [Your reputation with Arceus has risen by 5.] At least that was a good start, though it would be difficult to gain his favors. If he needed to increase his reputation 5 points at a time, it would possibly take months if not years, but in the end it was worth it. Having favorability with NPCs was amazing, but a Grand Mage was a whole other deal. If even one of them joined humanity''s side, then it wouldpletely turn the tides of a battle. Chapter 138 Grand Mage Student Quest Reward, Volcanic Lance Legendary Skill Alex held the [Volcanic Lance (Legendary Skill)] book in his hand, its fiery energy pulsating faintly. Without hesitation, he activated it, feeling a surge of power coursing through his body. His mind filled with intricate knowledge, his hands gripped his staff moving instinctively. The skill, now firmly etched into his abilities, felt like a natural extension of himself. [Volcanic Lance skill acquired!] [Volcanic Lance Level 1: Summons a massive, molten spear of fire andva, hurling it at the target. Upon impact, thence explodes in a 10-meter radius, dealing 250,000 base damage and an additional 200% Spirit as damage to all enemies caught in the st. Enemies hit are inflicted with "Burn". Consumes 100,000 mana. Cooldown: 45 seconds.] With a satisfied nod, Alex tucked the skill book away, knowing it had served its purpose. Even the [Basic] ranking of this ability was almost better than some of his fully maxed out ones, just to show how powerful these skills would be as the game progressed. Over the next few hours, Alex found himself observing Arceus in action. The ancient mage was unlike anything Alex had ever encountered. A series of strange magical symbols floated in the air around Arceus, glowing with shifting colors. With precise, fluid motions, Arceus manipted them, each gesture summoning or altering a spell. At times, runes flickered into existence and encircled the room, resonating with an ominous hum. Arceus flipped through thick tomes, muttering in an arcanenguage that sent shivers down Alex''s spine. Every few minutes, he would pause, wave his hand, and summon a swarm of glowing orbs that spiraled around him. The orbs pulsed rhythmically, as though they were alive, and Arceus directed them with the skill of a conductor leading an orchestra. One orb transformed into a miniature storm cloud, crackling with thunder. Another morphed into a tiny vortex of fire, its heat making Alex sweat from several feet away. The disy was mesmerizing yet eerie, a chaotic symphony of magic. Despite the awe-inspiring disy, Alex''s thoughts wandered. Questions brewed in his mind, and eventually, he spoke up. "Do you know about the Hatred Sect?" Alex asked, breaking the silence. Arceus didn''t pause in his work. Dozens of orbs continued to orbit him, but his calm voice carried across the room. "A bunch of lunatics who want to summon an entity, if I''m not wrong." "Precisely," Alex said, leaning forward slightly. "What do you think of them?" Arceus chuckled, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "A bunch of fools. If they believe the Hatred Demon will listen to them, then they''re wrong." The answer was unsurprising, but Alex felt the urge to dig deeper. "Who''s stronger, between you and him?" At this, Arceus finally nced at Alex, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "First of all, his real name is Aphostos. I have no idea why they call him the Hatred Demon¡ªit''s stupid," he said with a mocking tone. Then his expression darkened, turning serious. "And if he did in fact regain all of his powers, then I guess it would drain me a little." "Would you lose though?" "Nah. I''d win." The orbs around him suddenly vanished, dissolving into harmless sparks as Arceus finished whatever he''d been working on. "But," he continued, "for Aphostos to return, they''d need all the artifact items to summon him, and that''s unlikely." Alex noted the confidence in Arceus''s tone. It was clear the Grand Mage didn''t view the Hatred Sect as much of a threat, or at least, not yet. "Anything else interesting you know of?" Alex asked, changing the subject. Arceus shrugged and grabbed another book from a nearby stack. "Not much. I guess Undead Land, the Abyss, the Sacred Tree, the Academy, and all these different ns would intrigue some people. But me? I wouldn''t bother with them." He paused, his grin widening mischievously. "Except for one ce." Alex tilted his head. "Which is?" "The Door of Destiny, though even I don''t know how to open it. No amount of magic can make it budge." Alex''s eyes widened at the mention of the legendary door. Even Arceus knew of the door of destiny, yet it hadn''t considered him as "Worthy" ofpleting its task either. Before Alex could speak, a notification appeared before him to remind him of what he needed to do to possibly open it. [You have triggered SSS-Level Ultimate Hidden Quest: The Door of Destiny!] [Find all five tokens and unlock the chains to enter the Pce of Destiny. Tokens required: Token of Wrath, Token of the Abyss, Token of the Undead, Token of the Tower, Token of Nightmares.] "What''s behind it?" Alex asked, his curiosity now burning. Arceus leaned back, a faint smirk ying on his lips. "Who knows? It didn''t deem me worthy to enter, so I stopped wasting my time. But if you''re looking for advice, stay away from Aldritch. He''s obsessed with that thing and won''t hesitate to destroy anyone he sees as a threat to his research." The conversation ended there. Arceus returned to his experiments, clearly feeling he had fulfilled his "talking quota" for the day. Alex, however, couldn''t stop thinking about the Door of Destiny and the quest. The five tokens¡­ Where would he even begin looking for them? His thoughts turned back to the Hatred Sect. The conversation had reminded him of the Vial of Undead Blood¡ªan artifact he had foolishly handed over to them two weeks ago for information about this tower. That vial was one of the items they needed to summon Aphostos, he couldn''t afford to leave it in their hands any longer. "I need to go somewhere," Alex said, breaking the silence. Arceus didn''t even look up. "I''d rather you didn''te back." He waved dismissively, then continued, "I''ve no more tasks for you, so don''t return until you''ve mastered the Volcanic Lance. That should keep you busy for a few months," he added with a mockingugh. Alex smirked. "Alright." Arceus, always assuming he''d bested Alex, didn''t realize that with [Skill Evolution], Alex could max out the Volcanic Lance in just twelve days. For now, though, Alex had other priorities. Retrieving the Vial of Undead Blood was the first. The Hatred Sect held their meetings once a month, usually to discuss progress and exchange information, meaning there was a chance that it was still in the academy. The Chairman''s Office was one of the most secure locations in the academy and Universal Descent in general. Unlike Arceus''s tower, which relied on trials to deter intruders, the office was protected byyers of magical seals and rms. If an intruder triggered any of them, the entire area would lock down, and tier-7 powerhouses, if not stronger, would arrive within seconds to eliminate the threat. It was a near-imprable fortress. But Alex didn''t care. He would retrieve the vial no matter the cost, even if it meant losing a few lives in the process. Also... "World Map!" The map appeared before him, and while zooming on [Star City] and clicking on the academy, a subsection appeared, one that made him smile. [Chairman Office.] [Do you want to teleport there?] "Why not," he shrugged, clicking yes, already ready to simply check it out to see if it was there and immediately leave. Chapter 139 Lord X and The Hatred Sects Commanders, Required Items Far away, Inside the Hatred Sect''s Hideout. The vast chamber was drenched in a sinister atmosphere. Blood fountains bubbled ominously at the corners, their crimson streams catching the flickering light from moltenva flowing through grooves in the towering ck pirs. The room reeked of malice, and the air was thick with a palpable sense of dread. At the chamber''s center stood a massive circr table, carved from a single b of obsidian andrge enough to seat eight. Seven of the seats were upied, while the eighth stood empty. Its owner, Lord X, was currently on his feet,manding the room''s attention. [Lord X - Tier 10 - Level 1500] The leader of the Hatred Sect was a terrifying figure, both in power and presence. Towering above the others, his form radiated authority. Crimson eyes glowed from behind his ornate mask, its perpetual smile adding to his unsettling aura. The seated individuals were no ordinary figures either. Known collectively as the Guardians of Hatred, they were the sect''smanders Their levels ranged from Tier 8 to High-Tier 9, putting them at levels between 1000 and 1400. "Any new developments?" Lord X spoke, his glowing eyes scanned each of the Guardians. Kofuku, a jester-like figure d in mismatched patterns, grinned and leaned back in his chair. "Nope~" he sang, shaking his head. "It''s hard to find those items, y''know? Not like they''re lying around waiting for us to pick them up." [Kofuku - Tier 9 - Level 1300] "I''ve had no luck either," Kento groaned. ck, writhing tentacles encased his body, leaving only his pained expression visible. [Kento - Tier 8 - Level 1100] "A gentleman like me shouldn''t meddle in such meaningless matters," Gekidoughed while spinning the cane in his hand, a red hat on his head. [Gekido - Tier 8 - Level 1200] "Get a grip asshole, everyone''s searching!" Kyofu''s voice was a low hiss, his purple, snake-like tongue flicking in agitation, "Do your part, fool!" [Kyofu - Tier 9 - Level 1350] "Eww~ Get this thing out of here!" Yokubo, the golden-haired Guardian, recoiled, red bandages wrapped tightly around her frame. [Yokubo - Tier 8 - Level 1250] "..." Kito, thergest among them, remained silent. His dark, stone-like skin gave him the appearance of a statue, and his stillness only added to his intimidating presence. [Kito - Tier 9 - Level 1450] Finally, Dominic, thest of the seated Guardians, cleared his throat. The chairman of the Golden Star Academy had a sly grin on his face. "I have found something," he said, drawing every eye in the room. [Dominic - Tier 8 - Level 1000] "Oh?" Lord X raised his eyebrows, "That''s surprising." At this point, even though they held these meetings every month, they hadn''t found anything that could help them out, so the fact someone actually had information was surprising, to say the least. "And it''s concerning the ritual," Dominic smirked. The moment he said that, all of the Guardians'' eyes widened. "Tell us~" Yokubo said in a seductive voice. "Come on before I lick you," Kyofu joked while swaying his purple tongue from left to right. "Haha~ Lord X! Lord X! I say we cut off his arms if what he is going to say isn''t interesting~" Kofukuughed. "Look at the circle," Dominic said, and all of them did that instinctively. All eyes turned toward the massive crest at the far end of the room. The [Hatred Demon Summoning Crest] was a massive, intricate design etched into the floor with the blood of thousands of sacrificial followers. At the intersections of its demonic star pattern were five circr indentations, each meant to hold one of the required artifacts. Above the crest, an orb of blood floated ominously, its surface moving like ripples on a pond. This was the [Orb of Blood], a sign that the ritual was already in progress. Three of the five artifacts were already in ce, feeding the orb with their sinister energy. The three items were: [The Horns of the King], [The ws of Darkness] and [The Veil of Night] Every single one of these legendary/artifact items were linked to one of the [Hatred Demon]''s abilities, and they needed them all to retrieve it at its peak. The [Horns of the King] were granting the Hatred Demon its fearsome aura and regal appearance. The [ws of Darkness] were for its sharp ws that could cut through anything. The [Veil of Night] was a shroud that allowed the demon to move unseen and strike without warning, boosting its stats. The problem was that they already knew what the other items were, yet couldn''t find them no matter what. The first was the [Vial of Undead Blood], used to grant the Hatred Demon to summon minions to aid it in its conquest. And thest item of the spots around the blood circle were the [Eyes of Hatred], another artifact item that gave the demon unparalleled perception, enabling it to sense iing attacks and exploit its enemies'' weaknesses. "Do you have information about an item?" Lord X raised his eyebrows, skeptical. If he had found an item, why didn''t he bring it with him right now? It was stupid. "Yes," Dominic smiled, "But not information about an item... I literally found it." "!!!" The reaction was instant. All the Guardians, except for Kito, jumped to their feet. "WHAT?!" "Which one?" Lord X''s crimson eyes narrowed. "The Vial of Undead Blood. It''s currently in my office," Dominic revealed. Lord X''s tone turned sharp. "And why isn''t it here?" And to that question, Dominic''s true answer would surely get him killed, so instead he lied. "I needed to confirm its authenticity first, Lord X. I thought it''s best to ensure it was genuine before bringing it here." The real answer was: "I wanted to show off by first telling them that I found the item, and thus gaining much more attention and rewards than if he simply showed it." In the end, it didn''t matter much as he already knew what Lord X would say. "Very well," Lord X said, his voice calm butced with authority. "We''ll retrieve it now. No more time shall be wasted." "Yes, Lord, I already prepared something for such an asion," Dominic snapped his fingers, and a swirling portal opened in the air beside him, directly leading to his office. He didn''t take it with him, but only because he knew that it didn''t matter as he had a portal to grab it whenever he wanted. A few minutes won''t change much after all, right? "That is great," Lord X nodded, "Now we only need two more items." Two more items? But wasn''t the blood circle onlyposed of 5 spot? Where was thest item ced? "Do not forget about the final item, and the most important we need to acquire," he spoke to his guardians, "The Heart of Cmity must be ours at any cost." Yes, the artifact Alex got from the [Cave of Oblivion] was actually supposed to be used as the heart of the [Hatred Demon], without it, it was impossible to summon it. And the problem was that the [Heart of Cmity] seeped into Alex''s body, with even the man not knowing how to get it out. "We''ll find it though," Lord X finished, "But first, let''s grab that vial." The Guardians and Lord X stepped through the portal, emerging secondster in Dominic''svish office. But what greeted them on the other side was not what they had expected. Standing casually by Dominic''s desk, holding the Vial of Undead Blood in his hand, was a young man. "Oh," Alex said, ncing up at the neers, "Didn''t expect that..." Chapter 140 World Map Spatial Detection, Alex Takes Back the Vial Before teleporting to the academy, specifically to the chairman''s office, Alex needed to ensure it was empty. The risks were too high to act blindly. If the chairman or anyone else was present, it would spell certain death, not to mention the possibility of them hiding the [Vial of Undead Blood] beyond his reach. To avoid that, Alex sought help from the most reliable source he could think of. "Arceus," Alex called, approaching the mage who was engrossed in some arcane task. "Can you detect if someone''s on the other side of a spatial portal?" Arceus paused, turning his piercing gaze toward Alex. "I can," he replied evenly, though his tone hinted at annoyance. "But it takes considerable magic." "Could you do it for me this once?" Alex asked hopefully. "No." The reply was curt, and Arceus immediately returned to his work, ignoring Alex as if the conversation had never happened. Alex sighed. "Guess it''s up to me, as usual." Summoning the [World Map], he stared at the shimmering interface that materialized before him. The familiar dotbeled [Chairman''s Office] beckoned him to click, but Alex held back. He knew better than to act impulsively. Hesitating no longer, Alex tapped the dot. A notification rang out immediately. And the moment he did, a notification sounded. [You have reached Tier 5!] [Your World Map has sensed your distress and thus has gained a new ability.] Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Well, that''s convenient." The notification continued: [New Perk Unlocked: Spatial Detection.] [You can now channel the power of the spatial spaces to detect presences or spells in the targeted location.] He blinked, surprised. "It even detects spells? That''s¡­ actually impressive." This new ability was a game-changer. Not only could he confirm if someone was present, but he could also avoid traps or ambushes. Even if someone figured out the limitations of his teleportation, restricted to specific map points, it would no longer be easy to ensnare him. Focusing his mind, Alex activated the new feature, channeling mana into the [Chairman''s Office] dot. His senses extended through the void, scanning the target location for any signs of life or magical interference. After a tense moment, the results came back clear¡ªthere was no one there. But... [36 "Magic Seals", 12 "rm Spells" and 1 Spatial Portal detected.] "Damn," he muttered, a smirk forming on his lips, "though that won''t matter much." With a confident tap, Alex triggered the teleportation. The academy chairman''s office shimmered into view as Alex materialized within its opulent confines. The room was exactly as he remembered: an borate oak desk stood at its center, surrounded by shelves of ancient tomes and artifacts. His eyes scanned the space quickly, zeroing in on his prize¡ªthe [Vial of Undead Blood], resting atop a velvet cushion on a nearby pedestal. It radiated a dark, pulsating energy that seemed to whisper ominous secrets. Alex approached cautiously, half-expecting a hidden trap to spring. But no rms sounded, no defensive mechanisms activated. The way it worked was like this: if it detected someone trying to break from the outside, the rms would activate, thus stopping whoever was trying to intrude even if they broke the magic seals. But now that Alex was already inside, they wouldn''t activate. He reached out, wrapping his fingers around the cold ss. The vial was heavier than it looked, and its contents swirled like liquid shadows. "Too easy," Alex murmured, "You''re mine to begin with anyway." He turned to leave, but before he could activate the map again, the air behind him warped violently. A crackling portal burst open, and the Hatred Sect''s most powerful members stepped through. First came Dominic, his hopeful expression from a second ago now contorted with rage at the sight. Behind him, Kyofu and Kofuku and the others emerged, their sinister presences filling the room. Finally, Lord X himself entered, his crimson eyes locking onto Alex like a predator sizing up its prey. The room was deathly silent as they stared at each other. Alex broke the tension with a smirk. "Oh, didn''t expect that¡­" "You!" Dominic roared, his voice shaking with fury. "How did you¡ª" Lord X raised a hand, silencing his subordinate. His gaze never wavered from Alex, studying him intently. Despite the chaos of the situation, the sect leader exuded an air of unshakable calm. "You''re bold, boy," Lord X said, his deep voice resonating with power. "Stealing from us and standing here as if it''s nothing. Do you have a death wish?" Alex chuckled, spinning the vial between his fingers. "Death wish? Not quite. Wrong ce at the right time, maybe." His nonchnce only served to enrage the guardians further. "Arrogant bastard!" hissed Kyofu, his snake-like tongue flicking dangerously. "Hand it over, or I''ll carve you into pieces!" Kofuku cackled, the bells on his jester outfit jingling menacingly. "Enough," Lord Xmanded, his tone brooking no argument. He stepped forward, his aura suffocating as it filled the room. "You won''t leave here alive," he dered. "No one defies the Hatred Sect and survives." Alex''s grin widened, unbothered by the oppressive energy. "We''ll see about that." Before any of them could act, Alex tapped the [World Map] again. Since he hadn''t been attacked and thus wasn''t inbat, the teleportation feature remained active. "Sorry to cut this short," Alex said mockingly. "But I''ve got ces to be." A golden circle of light enveloped him just as Kyofu lunged. The snake-like guardian''s ws swiped through empty air as Alex vanished, leaving behind only their collective rage. ... Alex reappeared in the safety of the [Fox Tribe Vige]. Arceus had told him to note back until fully mastering the [Volcanic Lance] skill, and he felt like he would be instantly be found in any city because of the many hatred sect followers hiding. The inside of the vige, protected by the barrier from enemies, was the only safe ce. The familiar surroundings were a stark contrast to the tense confrontation he had just escaped. Without hesitation, Alex made his way to Alera''s home. He had two priorities: ensuring the vige was safe and checking on Arcelia, the silver-haired princess afflicted by the [Soul Curse]. The moment he stepped inside, Alera and Lilith greeted him warmly, enveloping him in tight hugs. Their relief at seeing him safe was evident. "You''re back!" Alera eximed, her fox ears twitching with excitement. But her expression turned serious as she led him to Arcelia''s room. The princessy still on the bed, her paleplexion and shallow breathing a grim reminder of the curse''s effects. "We''ve been trying to keep her stable," Alera exined softly. "But it''s hard." Alex frowned. "And any other problems?" Alera hesitated, then sighed. "Three more orcs showed up recently. I handled it." "Youwhat?" Alex''s head snapped toward her. "Why didn''t you call me?" "You seemed busy," she said, a bittersweet smile on her lips. Alex couldn''t deny it. Between the academy, the vial, and the Hatred Sect, he''d had his hands full. But still, the thought of Alera and the others facing danger without him made his blood boil. "We''ve been training," Alera added quickly, sensing his frustration. "With my help, the vigers took them down." Alex nodded, though his expression remained serious. "Good. But next time, call me. No exceptions." "I will," she promised, blushing slightly under his intense gaze. As they stepped outside, Alera hesitated. Her cheeks flushed red as she stammered, "If you ever need help¡­ with, um, your curse, just let me know." Alex chuckled, his usual grin returning. "Don''t worry, I''ve been dealing with it and resisting it more as of recently." Flustered, Alera quickly excused herself, retreating to her home. Alex watched her go, shaking his head in amusement. With the vige secure for now, Alex turned his attention back to his growing list of problems. The Hatred Sect wouldn''t forget this encounter, and Dominic had seen his face. Participating in the [Golden Star Academy Entrance Examination] was now out of the question, it would be walking into a trap. He needed a new n. And fast. Chapter 141 Show me your Worth, Student Now with that [Vial of Undead Blood] in his inventory, safely out of the [Hatred Sect]''s grasp, Alex felt more at ease. Sure, they had seen his face, but who even cares? Now he had the advantage of not allowing them to summon the Hatred Demon. Oh, and he could always teleport to the [Mage Tower], if they tried to break through Arceus would absolutely annihte them before they even had the time to realize it. Everyone knows you shouldn''t mess around with a Grand Mage. But now that he had nothing to do, all Alex needed to do was to upgrade [Volcanic Lance] to it''s max-tier to surprise Arceus. Ding! [SSS-Level Grand Mage Student Quest #2 has been triggered, "Show me your Worth, Student"!] [Objective: Cast the max-tier evolution of "Volcanic Lance" in front of Arceus.] [Reward: ???] [Time limit: none.] To do that quickly, Alex spent a few [Skill Points] to evolve it twice. He used 20 skill points to upgrade it to its intermediate rank, which was [Magma Spear], then another 70 to evolve it to [Hellfire Spear], which was the advanced tier. [Hellfire Spear Level 1: Summons a massive, molten spear of fire andva, hurling it at the target. Upon impact, thence explodes in a 100-meter radius, dealing 1,500,000 base damage and an additional 500% Spirit as damage to all enemies caught in the st. Enemies hit are inflicted with "Burn". Consumes 300,000 mana. Cooldown: 1-minute.] Okay, maybe it cost twice as much mana as his most expensive skill, but at least it was powerful, wasn''t it? Higher-ranked skills also meant more expensive costs and higher cooldowns. After all, in a battle, one minute was massive, as most of them could end in less than 5 minutes, giving the user the chance to use 5 [Hellfire Spears] at most. Though thankfully, Alex''s reduced cooldowns with [Demonized Staff of the Silver Mage] allowed him to use it more. "Upgrading it any more than that, and I won''t be able to use it," he mumbled to himself, eyeing the mana cost. With his [Unparalleled Mage]''s mana reduction, the skill would cost him 150,000 mana, just enough to use it. And though his mana regenerated extremely fast, he couldn''t go past his limit even if he wanted. Basically, Alex would need to find a way to increase his mana reserves, or in this case, his spirit attribute. "I can''t just rely on one or two shots in a fight," Alex muttered. "If I want to dominate, I need to push past my limits." He opened his status screen, staring at the Spirit attribute. It was high, but not high enough. "Maybe I have an idea," Alphox spoke for the first time in a week, appearing beside Alex, his obsidian scales and form looking more majestic than ever. "Wow." "The process of breaking through takes time for a dragon, and that small rest after that... attack from the hydra allowed me to grow." "..." Alphox snorted, his glowing eyes narrowing as he perched on a nearby boulder. "The [Elven Spring] could solve your issue instantly. One sip, and you''d gain 50,000 Spirit permanently. But..." "But?" Alex raised an eyebrow, knowing that Alphox never offered solutions withoutplications. "The elves guard it with their lives. Not just any elves, mind you¡ªthe [Sylvan Council]. They''re ancient, powerful, and not inclined to let outsiders near their sacred sites. If you step into their territory uninvited, you''ll find yourself against warriors who can manipte the very essence of nature." Alex grimaced, "Yeah, no, thanks. Besides, the elves are neutral. They won''t join the [Gods'' Army] or the forces of [Evil]. Attacking them would be... tactically stupid." "What?" Alphox tilted his head, confused as to what Alex was talking about. "Nothing, just go back to your space," Alex snapped his fingers, and Alphox seeped back into his shadow pet space. Alex closed his status screen, his fingers drumming on the hilt of his staff. "If I can''t rely on shortcuts, I''ll have to extract Spirit myself. There''s no other way." Based on the current evolution of the [Hellfire Spear] skill, the final tier would possibly require 500,000 mana, which was insane to any mage, even some of the higher-ranked one. Basically, he needed to reach 25,000 spirit by the next two weeks as he wanted toplete that task given by Arceus. And also before the entrance examination happened, as well as the true opening of [Universal Descent] to the world. In less than 2 weeks, the [Beta Tester] title would be fully removed, allowing everybody that wanted to enter the game. But of course, Alex was fine for now, as no one was strong enough to beat level 500 monsters like he did. In fact, Alex already had the perfect location toplete his tasks: the [Cave of Oblivion]. The [Shadow Dire Wolves], the mostmon monster there, had [Attributes Points Packs] (Divine) that increased each of his attributes by 20 permanently. Basically, it wasn''t the best ce to level up since the wolves were level 400, but at least he could get spirit and some [Shadow Dire Wolf Meat] to try and cook for Arceuster. Maybe he would even give him a new skill book if he enjoyed the food?! The [Shadow Dire Wolves] were considered boss monsters, and so they had a 100% chance to activate his talent. [Spirit: 17,434] He needed 25,000 spirit minimum, meaning that he would need to kill 379 or more [Shadow Dire Wolves]. This was not a lot, the only problem being the fact that he would need to wait for them to respawn once killing them all. Ding! [Do you want to teleport to "Cave of Oblivion"?] "Yes," Alex nodded, teleporting out of the [Fox Tribe Vige], now that he knew more orcs were showing up, he needed to be careful. ... Alex appeared inside of the [Cave of Oblivion], but not at the start as he decided to instead directly teleport to the [Heart of Cmity Chamber]. It was where he met the [Three-Headed Hydra], which was currently stored inside of the [Heart of Cmity], which in return seeped into his own body. It was weird when you think about it, but maybe it would reveal an incredible powerter on, who knows. Chapter 142 Grinding for Attribute Points, Hundreds of Attribute Points Packs The moment he arrived at the center of the [Heart of Cmity Chamber], which was massive and empty after he took the [Heart of Cmity] from its disy, roars and sounds could be heard from everywhere. [Shadow Dire Wolves], [Shadow Great Serpents], and [Scorpions of Oblivion] advanced as a single, menacing horde, encircling him after emerging from the darkness. But in contrast to the Alex from a week and so ago, he had now advanced far enough to not fear them. He had been saved by the Hydra previously, but this time it was only him. [Shadow Dire Wolf - Level 400 - Superior Monster] [Rank: Tier 6] [HP: 25,000,000] [Shadow Great Serpents - Level 420 - Legendary Boss Monster] [Rank: Tier 6] [HP: 30,000,000] [Scorpions of Oblivion - Level 450 - Legendary Boss Monster] [Rank: Tier 6] [HP: 33,000,000] The creatures numbered in the dozens, their forms grotesque and terrifying. Glowing eyes locked onto Alex, and the air grew thick with the scent of blood and shadow. A single one couldn''t even hope to fight Alex because of his high damage output, but when it was in suchrge numbers, it could be difficult. Yet, all Alex saw once these monsters emerged were experience points, new items and attributes, as every single one of them would activate the extraction prompt. The wolves charged first, their massive forms racing toward him with jaws wide and ws bared. Alex leapt back, his mana surging. [Crimson Cataclysm] The ground beneath the wolves exploded as crimson spikes erupted in every direction. Dozens of sharp spires skewered the monsters, impaling them mid-leap. Blood sprayed as several wolves staggered, but the onught continued. -30,000! -30,000! -30,000! One serpent lunged at him, its fangs dripping with venom. Alex sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its bite, and retaliated with a precise strike from his dagger. Bleeding Strike! -234,022! The de sunk deep into the serpent''s scales, and the massive creature recoiled, hissing as a crimson gash opened along its side. Before it could recover, Alex raised his staff, using his most powerful spell. "Hellfire Spear!" A massive molten spear formed above him, its heat radiating through the chamber. With a swift motion, Alex hurled the fiery spear toward the serpent. The impact was cataclysmic. The spear detonated on contact, engulfing the serpent and the surrounding enemies in a fiery explosion. The st obliterated everything in a 100-meter radius, leaving a smoldering crater where the serpent once stood. -1,637,170! -1,372,994! -987,612! The burn effects left the nearby monsters crippled, their movements sluggish andbored. The scorpions retaliated, their pincers snapping and stingers striking with precision. Alex conjured a shimmering barrier just in time. High-Defense Wall! The barrier absorbed the brunt of the attack, shattering under the force of the stingers but giving Alex enough time to reposition. "Time to end this," he muttered. With a wave of his hand, he summoned his undead army. From the shadows, skeletons, knights, and wraiths materialized. The chamber was now a battlefield of chaos as his undead shed with the encroaching monsters. [+80 Skeletons, +13 Grand Skeletons, +4 Bony Knights, +3 Spectral Wraiths] The skeletons swarmed the wolves, tearing into them with relentless ferocity. The knights shielded Alex from attacks, their towering forms intercepting lunges and strikes aimed at him. The wraiths glided through the battlefield, their ethereal forms delivering devastating blows to the serpents. While his summons upied the majority of the horde, Alex turned his attention to the scorpions as they were the strongest among all of them. Fury of Thunder! Lightning crackled overhead as three bolts struck down in rapid session. Each bolt mmed into the massive scorpions, dealing immense damage and briefly stunning them. Alex dashed forward, his dagger a blur as he targeted their vulnerable joints. Bleeding Strike! Each stab was calcted, every strike aimed to weaken their movements. -234,022! -234,022! -234,022! [Dealt "Bleed", causing 20% of health.] A dire wolf attempted to nk him, but Alex spun, shing with his dagger before summoning a fiery torrent above the battlefield. Rain of Fire! mes cascaded from above, engulfing the enemies in a wide radius. The scorching heat left burn marks on the ground, and the monsters trapped within howled in agony as their flesh sizzled. "Let''s see how you handle this," Alex said, raising his staff high. "Divine Arc!" A brilliant wave of golden energy surged from his staff, cutting through the battlefield like a de. The attack didn''t stop at one target¡ªit phased through every enemy in its path, dealing devastating damage. Wolves, serpents, and scorpions alike were dealt damage as the energy tore through them. -541,151! -541,151! -541,151! The remaining enemies hesitated, their instinctual fear kicking in. But Alex didn''t allow them to retreat. Chains of Restraint! Translucent chains shot out, binding the remaining monsters in ce. They struggled against the restraints, but it was futile. The chains sapped their strength, and Alex followed up with a final strike. Fire Meteor! A massive meteor descended from above, its fiery glow illuminating the chamber. The impact shook the cavern, and an inferno erupted, consuming thest of the monsters in a fiery ze. When the dust settled, Alex stood amidst the carnage, his breathing steady. The battlefield was littered with the remains of the horde, and the silence returned to the chamber. His spells, which he spammed over and over, had proven to be very useful, especially the high-damage [Hellfire Spear] and [Divine Arc] which could hurt many enemies at once. Ding! Ding! Ding! [You have in x34 "Shadow Dire Wolves", gaining 160,000,000 experience points.] [You have in x27 "Shadow Great Serpents", gaining 220,000,000 experience points.] [You have in x23 "Scorpions of Oblivion", gaining 460,000,000 experience points.] As said before, the higher your level of skills and attributes, the more the game adjusts the experience to force you to continue to fight stronger enemies. It was to force humans to grow stronger and not stay in the same ce, thus training them for what was about toe. Though no one except for Alex truly knew. The extraction panels soon followed. It was the same every time for the [Shadow Dire Wolves], so he simply selected the [Attributes Points Packs] 34 times. Ding! [+680 Strength, +680 Agility, +680 Vitality, +680 Spirit.] It was decent, and it also allowed all his other stats to increase, but it wasn''t enough yet. Then he moved on to the [Shadow Great Serpent]''s extraction choices: [Poisonous Serpent Meat (Epic)] [Description: In exchange for a massive temporary boost in agility, it will give the "Poisoned" effect to the user who eats it, dealing continuous damage for 6 hours.] [Shadow Great Serpent Fangs (Rare)] [Description: Can be used to craft sharp weapons with the "Poison" buff on them.] [Great Serpent Scales (Epic)] [Description: Can be used to craft the "Great Serpent Armor"] Alex''s looked down at his own body, his [Cursed Eyes of the King] activating to check the description of the armor he was wearing. [Superior Awakener''s Set (Mythical): +3000 Physical Resistance, +3000 Magic Resistance, +1500 Strength, +1000 Agility.] It had helped him a lot in the beginnings, but to be honest, it was starting to be outdated, especially at this stage of the game, even this random [Great Serpent Armor] probably surpassing it in terms of gains. ''Maybe I should ask Arceus,'' he mumbled, though he wasn''t sure he would answer, and even if he did, Alex wanted an armor thatbined both Spirit but also Strength because of his assassin ss. He decided to select 17 pieces of [Poisonous Serpent Meat] and 13 [Great Serpent Scales]. No one would try to eat this meat normally, since it gave a debuff even with the massive agility boost, but thanks to Alex''s [Poison Resistance], he didn''t have to worry at all! In the end, he simply moved to the [Scorpions of Oblivion]. And they granted him a very pleasant surprise. [Please pick what to extract.] [Superior Attributes Points Pack (Divine+)] [Description: Grants +30 permanent points to all attributes upon use.] [Scorpion Stinger (Legendary)] [Description: Can be used as a weapon or to enhance another.] [Oblivion Scorpion Pincers (Epic)] [Description: Can be used as a weapon, nothing else.] Of course, Alex wasn''t an idiot, and so he selected the [Superior Attributes Points Pack] 23 times. In fact, he even got lucky enough to trigger the [Double Extraction] perk he recently acquired, granting him the ability to take a [Scorpion Stinger] as well. [Perk #2: Double Extraction; Every extraction has a 5% chance to trigger the "Double Extraction" perk, meaning you can select two items out of the three avable instead of one.] Ding! [+690 Strength, +690 Agility, +690 Vitality, +690 Spirit.] "Nice." He left the [Heart of Cmity Chamber], then got rid of every single [Shadow Dire Wolf] outside of it, gaining more attributes. This kept going for 6 days, as he had to wait 1 day every time for the monsters to respawn, and thus repeat the process. But at the end of the sixth day, he finally managed to do it. [+7130 to all attributes.] The [Attributes Points Packs] he got were incredible, and though they had a less than 0.001% drop rate usually, extraction made it infinitely easier to get. [Vitality 22,427; Strength 34,011 + 1500 + 15000; Agility 21,727 + 1000 + 10000; Spirit 26,624 + 10000] He had also used up his [Skill Evolution] during those six days, allowing him to evolve [Hellfire Spear] to its [High-Tier] upgrade: [Spear of Hell]. And now, it was time to max it out and see just how good it would be. Chapter 143 Demonic Spear, Showing it to Arceus Ding! [Do you want to upgrade "Spear of Hell" (High-Tier) to "Demonic Spear" (Max-Tier)?] "Yeah," Alex confirmed with confidence, his finger tapping the confirmation prompt. Ding! [It has been upgraded.] [Demonic Spear: Summons a massive, molten demonic spear fused with the power of hell, hurling it at the target. Upon impact, thence explodes in a 500-meter radius, dealing 15,000,000 base damage and an additional 1000% Spirit as damage to all enemies caught in the st. Enemies hit are inflicted with "Burn". Consumes 500,000 mana. Cooldown: 2-minutes.] The mana cost was insane. To put that into perspective, even Alex with all of his extracted attribute points was only able to use it thanks to the [Mana Reduction] of his [Unparalleled Mage] title. And let''s not talk about the damage, it was absolutely massive. This quickly became his strongest skill, and he hadn''t even tested it out yet! [FateBreaker: Did you finish your task yet?] [StarPillow: No, I took a small break from it, it''s starting to annoy me...] For her task as a level 250 yer, Alice had been asked to retrieve an item from the [Mystical Forest], but she had no idea where to find it, and the constant attacks from monsters, though she handled them fairly easily, were annoying. He obviously couldn''t help, since everyone could onlyplete their tasks alone, but it was still taking a while for her. Her [Blood Arrows] should be powerful enough to two-shots these level 250 monsters, so it was mainly the item that posed problem. [StarPillow: You already know that I received an SS-Rank task this time instead of S-Rank because of my high ratings previously...] As said before, your task level adjusted based on your powers and previous ratings, and Alice''s repeated sesses had allowed her to advance to more difficult tasks. Alex on the other hand still had toplete SSS-tasks, sometimes the game making them on the spot because of how powerful he had be. Like for example with the [Demon Attack] task or the [Kill an Angel] one. But in the end it didn''t matter much. And so Alex simply returned to the Grand Mage''s tower using his [World Map]. He teleported inside of [Arceus'' Chamber], finding the mage doing his random experiments again. "You''re back," Arceus remarked dryly, his tone a mix of curiosity and exasperation. "Didn''t I tell you to onlye back once mastering the skill I gave you to the max?" "Oh, but I did," Alex replied, his smirk widening. "Thought you''d want to see." "...?" Arceus raised his eyebrows, confused what this human was saying. "I mean, I maxed out the skill you gave me, why the surprised look?" "That shouldn''t be possible, no one can master such a skill in such a short amount of times." "Try me," Alexughed, "If I''m wrong you can kick me out forever, and I''ll nevere back!" For a moment, Arceus simply stared at him, then sighed, the faintest trace of amusement curling his lips. "Fine. If nothing else, this should be entertaining." With a wave of his hand, Arceus conjured a swirling portal. "Let''s take this somewhere more appropriate. Follow me." The portal led to the middle floor of the [Mage Tower]. Alex nced around, immediately recognizing the location. It was the same ce where Alphox had fought the [Guardian of the Tower], an enormous, once-hostile beast that now watched them curiously from a distance. To Alex''s surprise, the guardian showed no signs of aggression, its towering form radiating calm as it observed Arceus. "Wechidna," Arceus genuinely smiled in front of Alex for the first time, and the beast approached, pressing its giant head against the mage, "Calm down, I''m just here for a bit." The mage turned to Alex, his piercing eyes gleaming. "Show me." Alex raised an eyebrow. "You''re just gonna stand there and watch?" Arceus groaned. "Do you ever stop talking? Here." "Training dummy," Arceus muttered, flicking his wrist. A humanoid figureposed entirely of glowing mana appeared in the center of the floor, its form shimmering faintly. "So you''re telling me," Alex said, raising an eyebrow, "you have a skill like that but never had a student to use it on?" "Shut up," Arceus groaned, already regretting his decision. "Now show me what you''ve managed to do in only six days." "Alright," Alex took a deep breath. He had never tried to use it before, but he felt like doing it right as he showed it to Arceus was appropriate. Alex stepped forward, and his staff glowed with a fiery red light as his mana surged. "Demonic Spear," he murmured, activating the skill. A tremor shook the ground as a massive, molten spear materialized above him. The weapon was enormous, pulsating with a sinister energy that filled the air with palpable heat. Dark tendrils of demonic aura coiled around its surface, and the faint, tormented faces of souls appeared and vanished within the mes. The sheer weight of the weapon''s presence made the Guardian of the Tower stir, its eyes narrowing as it observed the disy with a mixture of awe and unease. "Impressive..." Arceus murmured under his breath. Then with a swift motion, he hurled the spear at the dummy. The weapon tore through the air, leaving a trail of demonic mes in its wake. When the spear made contact, the resulting explosion was cataclysmic. A fiery shockwave expanded outward, obliterating everything within a 500-meter radius. The air rippled with heat as the mes consumed the dummy entirely, leaving behind nothing but charred dust. Arceus remained silent, his expression unreadable as he stared at the aftermath. Even the Guardian of the Tower seemed impressed, letting out a low rumble of approval. Ding! [You havepleted the SSS-Level Grand Mage Student Quest: "Show me your Worth, Student"!] [Your reputation with Arceus had increased by 5!] Alex turned to the mage, looking smug. "So? What do you think?" Arceus didn''t respond immediately. He seemed lost in thought, his gaze lingering on the scorched ground. ''How did this kid manage to do that in six days...?'' he wondered, his lips pressing into a thin line. Finally, he sighed, rubbing his temples. "It''s... the real deal," he admitted begrudgingly. "I hate to say it, but you''ve actually managed to impress me." Alex grinned, crossing his arms. "I''ll take that as apliment." "Don''t let it go to your head," Arceus grumbled. After a moment, he straightened, his expression turning serious. "Very well. You''ve earned another reward." Alex''s eyes widened with excitement, practically glowing at the prospect. "Really?!" Arceus waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. Don''t make me regret it." He made another portal appear, and after patting Wechidna again, they both traversed it, reaching the top of the tower, where Arceus'' chamber was. "As I said before, I only had 5 of those skill books, and now that I gave you one, only 4 remain," Arceus looked through his stuff for a few seconds before grinning, "Oh, these could be useful too." Seems like the Grand Mage had another idea on his mind. "I have three items I don''t use, but they could be very useful for someone who goes outside, I guess I''ll include them in the reward list." Alex was excited nheless, even items from a Grand Mage were the real deal too, he couldn''t afford to refuse. Chapter 144 The Reward Box, Mask of Concealment "Well then," Arceus grabbed the four skills books and three items he nned to reward Alex with, "Time to do some creative magic..." He muttered a series of unintelligible words, his tone low and deliberate. The air around him shimmered, and within moments, a vibrant, glowing box materialized before him. [The Reward Box] [After every quest and milestone reached, Arceus will draw an item from the box randomly to reward his student.] "Perfect," Arceus grinned, his expression reflecting a mischievous satisfaction. He carefully ced the skill books and items inside the glowing box, sealing it with a gesture. "Now, let''s see how well this works." A sharp ding resonated in the air. Ding! [Reward Box activated... drawing a random object from it...] "Huh," Alex was perplexed, he expected Arceus to give him the items, but it seemed like he decided to make that more fun for himself. In the end, it didn''t bother Alex, as it guaranteed an item or skill, no matter what. And the first he got was... Ding! ["Mask of Concealment" (Divine) has been pulled!] A white mask appeared in Alex''s hands. It was sleek and unassuming, covering only the upper half of the face. Yet, as he examined it, a description popped up in his interface. [Description: Once equipped, this item hides your status window, name, and face. The mask seamlessly blends into your skin, bing invisible to others, ensuring it doesn''t obstruct or annoy the wearer.] "..." Alex stared at the mask for a few seconds. There was no chance such a convenient item would be here, and even less chances for it to be the one that was picked. After stealing the [Vial of Undead Blood] right in front of the [Hatred Sect]''s eyes, he had given up on participating in the [Golden Star Academy Examination], but with this, it would be possible. As said before, being a student in the academy would mean that he would be detected as a student and thus be allowed to roam around freely. He could theoretically enter from the outside using the [World Map], but it was simply too risky; the academy was heavily monitored, and his identity would have been exposed in an instant. The academy held many secrets and the examination in itself also had some interesting items to take. "Now fuck off," Arceus groaned, waving Alex off as he returned to his cluttered desk. "But what about my next task-" "Your next task is to leave me alone for the next month, I''ll think of a way to help you enhance your skills in the meantime." Arceus seemed to be cold, but Alex noticed that he wasn''t as genuine in that hatred as before. Maybe seeing Alex''s efforts moved him a bit...? ''Nah, old guy just likes to experiment alone,'' Alex shrugged. And so with the [Mask of Concealment] in hand, he finally left the [Mage Tower]. He would often visit to make sure that everything was alright, but he was sure Arceus wouldn''t help him more. "And here I was, thinking I could learn a forbidden spell directly..." Alex sighed, though he knew even the yers at level 1500 in his previous life had a hard time with those. Forbidden spells were the top of the top, only a small fraction of yers and NPCs able to master them. In fact, one of the requirements to be a Grand Mage was to master not one, not two, but THREE forbidden spells. If Alex wanted to be one of them, he had a lot of work to go through. "Fox Tribe Vige," he tapped on the [World Map], teleporting out of the tower. As soon as he appeared in the square, he immediately put on the [Mask of Concealment] to check out how it worked from the perspective of other people. Then he advanced toward Alera''s house. "H-Hey, who''s that..." "Another man...!!" The fox girls around him were confused, and Alex couldn''t help but find that funny. Or at least, that was the case until Alera suddenly used her skills and agility to summon [Ice Shards] sending them at Alex, who was forced to avoid them by a hair''s length. "Holy shit..." Alera then dashed forward, ready to pierce the intruder''s throat. "Only one man is allowed inside of our vige, anyone else is an enemy, begone!" she shouted, ready to kill. And though Alex was fast enough to do it now that he could clearly see her he still decided to simply remove his mask. "!!!" noticing that it was their savior, Alera suddenly stopped using her own momentum and spear to stop the attack, arriving right in front of Alex, "D-Dear!" "Haha, sorry for the surprise," he grinned before smacking her buttocks again, making her face go red, "I just want to see your reaction." "Please don''t do this again, the other fox girls were scared," Alera sighed. "Yeah, sorry." At least, with that, Alex knew that even the people that were closest to him still couldn''t manage to pierce through the identity of the [Mask of Concealment]. He didn''t know if it would work for someone at level 1000 like Dominic, but if it was a Divine item, and even the description said it, then maybe it would. Suddenly, though, right as Alex was about to head inside Alera''s home to maybe teach her a lesson about trying to attack him, a notification popped up. [Exceeded allowed ytime, please log off.] "Oh." The 24 hours limit had been broken for the first time. He would usually take short breaks to make sure to replenish the timer and rest, but right now he was so excited about leveling up that he simply didn''t leave, even preferring to explore the cities while waiting for the monsters of the [Cave of Oblivion] to respawn rather than log off. ''Well, that limit''s going to be removed in a week anyway, so who cares,'' he thought before turning toward Alera, touching her back from behind and sending shivers down her spine, "Sorry, I can''t teach you a lesson right now, maybeter." "Oh..." The Fox Ice Queen looked disappointed, but in the end she simply smiled, "Alright, but next time I''m gonna be the one teaching you a lesson." "That would surprise me if you did, but I''ll take you up on that," he grinned. [Warning! Log off now!] "Yeah, yeah." He tapped the panel and after a few seconds vanished in a sh of blue light. In around a week, many things would happen inside of [Universal Descent] and the real world. First of all, the beta testers title would be removed, meaning that everyone would get a [Rune Bracelet] to log in inside of the game. Second, the time between [Universal Descent] and [Earth] would stabilize, meaning that the time inside of [Universal Descent], which went twice as slow as the real world, transforming 12 hours into 24 hours, would also go back to normal. And third, the limit for logging in would be removed, meaning that if you felt like it, you could stay inside of the game forever, as eating and sleeping inside of it would be possible to replenish your hunger and exhaustion. The world would enter the TRUE era of [Universal Descent] from there on, and that''s also when the real dangers would reveal themselves. Alex trained a lot simply for this moment, as it was the first part of the massive n of the gods to take over the earth, and then the universe. But first, he needed to wait. Chapter 145 Invited to the Stardust Estate Again, Richard Reveals Information Once Alex reappeared in his vi''s bedroom, he let out a deep sigh. The familiar surroundings of his real-world safe haven seemed almost alien after the countless hours he had spent immersed in Universal Descent. For Alex, the vi and the real world had be little more than ces to sleep before diving back into the game. Some people at this point might call him obsessed, but they would soon realize that everyone around them would be the same too. Simply put, this game was addicting to anyone who actually yed it. "Let''s get some food going first," Alex muttered to himself, rubbing the back of his neck. The kitchen felt oddly still as he moved around. He wished he could bring some of the monster meat from his backpacks into the real world, but it was s impossible currently. He would need an artifact item like a [Item Fusion Stone], and there weren''t any of them currently. Alice wasn''t currently home, and once he checked his panel, he saw that she was online. [Friends:] [StarPillow: Online - Mystical Forest] [RichDad: Offline.] Richard, in contrast to his previous life self didn''t y the game much at all. In fact, he didn''t even go inside even once except to explore the cities and see what was happening. He was confident his daughter would be safe with Alex, so there was no need to worry about items and whatnot when the man he trusted would probably give her everything at a discount or free. Alice had ess to her own VIP card, filled to the brim with money as she was given a monthly allowance. As said before, Alice often attends meetings and takes business decisions with her dad, she wasn''t jobless. He rummaged through the fridge, pulling out ingredients for a hearty meal. As he prepared the food, his mind wandered to the game again. The rhythm of chopping vegetables and simmering sauces was almost meditative, giving him a rare moment of rity. An hourter, two tes of steaming, mouth-watering food sat on the dining table. Just as Alex was cleaning up, his game interface buzzed to life with a message from Richard. [RichDad: Alex, I finally catch you offline, it''s bing harder and harder these days.] [FateBreaker: My bad, a lot is happening inside of the game, so it''s bing increasingly difficult to even lose one day of progress.] [RichDad: Understandable. Still, I wonder how you manage to spend so much time in the game while juggling other responsibilities.] Was he calling him jobless? He definitely was, wasn''t he? [FateBreaker: Haha...] [RichDad: No matter, can you pleasee to our residence, I wish to show you something important.] "Oh?" Alex raised his eyebrows, confused. There shouldn''t be any sort of important event or matter happening right now, if Alex based himself off of his previous life. "I mean, I guess changing this much from the previous timeline is bound to change things..." Though, and he knew better than to assume everything would follow the same path. In the end of his first life, the gods had won, and humanity had sumbed, with Alex being killed by the [God of Darkness]. Richard, as said before, was one of the people that had aided him all this time, fighting on his side after the death of his daughter, but now that Alice was alive, Richard did not participate in the game much at all,pleting changing the order of things. [FateBreaker: I will be there shortly.] [RichDad: A driver is on the way.] He did not know why he was sending messages via the game system rather than just using phones, but you would be surprised at just how many people were doing that, preferring the system to their technology. You could send pictures, messages, calls and broadcast to your friends, so it was pretty simr to a phone except for being able to be activated from anywhere immediately, making it more convenient. Even businessman and families that had been given ess to Universal Descent used it to chat among one another. Slowly but surely, the game was seeping into everyone''s lives, changing the previous "normal" into a new one. Thirty minutester, a sleek ck limousine pulled up to Alex''s vi. He scribbled a quick note for Alice and stepped outside, greeted by the crisp night air. [Alice, I''m heading out. See you soon! Food''s on the table.] ... The drive to the Stardust Residence took about an hour, giving Alex plenty of time to think. The shifting dynamics of this timeline weighed heavily on his mind. So much had changed. For better or worse, he wasn''t sure yet. Upon arrival, Alex was greeted by the usual grandeur of the Stardust estate. He was escorted to the same meeting room where he and Richard had discussed the attack on Alice a few weeks ago. Richard greeted him with a warm smile, extending a hand. Alex returned the gesture, curious about the purpose of this meeting. "Do you have anything new about the game?" Alex guessed he wouldn''t call him for business as he thought Alex didn''t have the skills, meaning that it must be about the game. And he would be correct. "Look," With a snap of his fingers, he sent a file to Alex''s panel. It wasn''t what Alex expected. The file contained an email exchange, and as Alex read it, his expression darkened. [Dark me Family: Hello, Richard Stardust, we have noticed the feats of your daughter and also know of the fact you are personally connected with the yer named "FateBreaker" in the real world, would you like to form an alliance between our two families? We have already gathered some of the strongest families there are, like the Garden Family, Eldritch Family, Celestial Family and more. Are you interested in coborating? If you get FateBreaker on our side, we assure you only good things will await you.] Alex gritted his teeth. The audacity of these people was staggering. Alex felt a surge of gratitude toward Richard. The man could have easily epted the offer, securing unimaginable wealth and influence for himself and his daughter. Instead, he had chosen to inform Alex, reaffirming his trust. "This is troubling," Alex admitted, setting the file aside. But now that he knew that, Alex would need to be much more careful. Families in his previous life had formed a few alliances, but never one of this sheer size, regrouping most of the big ones. What had changed that made them suddenly want to group into this giant entity of power? With their money, which was almost infinite, they could buy gear for every yer that joined them after all. Acting inside of Universal Descent and even taking over entire cities wouldn''t be impossible for them. Alex knew that very well from his previous life, some of them able to level up at very high speed and acquire incredible artifact items, even with talents below B-Level. Richard spoke, his expression serious. "They''re building something big. Whatever their ns are, they''ll have the resources to pull it off. "Hm¡­" Alex leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. "I''ll need time to figure out what they''re nning. Something about this feels... off." Richard sighed. "Do what you must. I''ll continue to keep you informed." Alex nodded, appreciating the support. As he left the meeting room, his resolve hardened. The game was changing in ways he hadn''t anticipated, and he needed to stay one step ahead. The stakes were higher than ever. Chapter 146 Offer from the Other Families, Waiting for the Opening of the Game Alex returned to his vi, or more like Alice''s vi, officially under her name. It didn''t matter much to him though; it served as afortable base while he alternated between the real world and Universal Descent. With his daily limit preventing him from logging back into the game for another 10 hours, Alex decided to rest. He stretched out on the bed, allowing the exhaustion from days of constant grinding and strategizing to take over. A lot of stuff would happen in the next weeks if not months, and he truly needed to try and get the maximum amount of rest before diving straight into the action. After about ten hours of much-needed sleep, a sudden sh and a loud sound jolted Alex awake. He instinctively got up, taking his stance even though he didn''t have any of his strength from the game. But luckily enough, it was just Alice,ing back from the game, looking exhausted. "That stupid quest... Finally done," she grumbled, oblivious to Alex standing a few steps away. She headed downstairs toward the living room. Alex followed her quietly, curious about her reaction to the meal he had left on the table. Sure enough, when Alice spotted the te of food, a small smile crept across her tired face. "Heh~" she murmured, reading the note he had left behind. "Guess he''s somewhere else then." But unbeknownst to her, Alex was right behind her, feeling the need to tease her after her taskpletion. Just as he was about to grab her shoulders yfully, Alice''s body reacted before her mind could catch up. In a blur, she performed a wless backflip,nding behind Alex with her leg poised to strike his face. The motion was so quick, so precise, that it left Alex stunned. "What the...?" he muttered, lowering his hands in confusion. Alice froze as well, her widened eyes mirroring his shock. "I-I''m sorry!" she stammered, dropping her defensive stance and rushing to him. She hugged him from behind, her voice trembling. "I don''t know what came over me... Are you okay?" Alex stood still, processing what had just happened. This level of reflex and precision shouldn''t have been possible outside the game, not yet, anyway. "It''s fine," he finally said with a sigh. "Just surprised, that''s all. Let''s move on." Alice nodded, though her mind lingered on what had happened. "Taste my cooking," Alex said, changing the subject with a smile. "You''ll feel better." Grateful for the distraction, Alice grabbed the te and took a bite. Her face lit up as she savored the vors, her exhaustion melting away. [6 days remaining until Universal Descent opens to the public.] Over the next few days, Alex fell into a routine. He started each morning by heading to the Cave of Oblivion, clearing out every monster and farming valuable resources. Part of the rewards, including Attribute Points Packs, went to Alice, allowing her to enhance her stats alongside him. Once the cave was cleared, he would move to the Double Experience Zone, battling increasingly stronger monsters, though of course trying to hide from the angels, as one bad encounter could mean they would be on his ass even if he respawned. At this point, Alex could handle creatures as high as level 500 with ease, though he knew his progress would slow when facing monsters at levels 550 and beyond. Stats were crucial, but skill and strategy were equally important. Alex understood this better than most and made sure to hone his techniques as much as his attributes. [+3270 Strength, +3270 Spirit, +3270 Vitality, +3270 Agility.] And it was the same for Alice, as he gave her half. [2 days remaining until Universal Descent opens to the public.] After finishing his daily grind, Alex logged out and stretched. He was about to head to the kitchen when his panel lit up with a notification from Richard. "I hope he doesn''t ask me toe to the Stardust estate again" Alex muttered as he opened the message. The contents, however, were far more ominous than he expected. [RichDad: I refused their offer, and look at this.] Attached was an image of an email exchange. The sender was the Dark me Family, a name Alex recognized from his previous life and the email previously shown by Richard a few days ago. Their response to Richard''s rejection was rming: [Dark me Family: You will regret this. Don''te cryingter when your daughter and family are erased from existence. We have obtained information about Universal Descent that directly connects it to our world. The peaceful times you cherish will soon be over. Enjoy them while theyst.] Alex clenched his fists. He had known this wasing, but seeing it unfold in real time brought back bitter memories. [FateBreaker: Don''t worry about their threats. What they''re saying is true, though. You should consider bringing more people you trust into the game, it''ll be safer in the long run.] A brief pause followed before Richard replied. [RichDad: I already have you and Alice. Isn''t that enough?] A small smile tugged at Alex''s lips. [FateBreaker: You''re in good hands, then. Leave the rest to me.] Later on, all these guilds and families would start to form cities to gain massive advantages, but Alex would be there to stop all of it if possible. The city building would start once the majority of yers were able to ess the area where [Star City] was, as it was the biggest area yet and also one that contained many abandoned cities where you could use your [City Building Scroll]. Of course, you weren''t limited to only one city, as long as you had a scroll, you could establish a new city by a different name and focus your operations there. The further you went into the game, the more powerful your city would be. After that small exchange between him and Richard, Alex continued what he was doing, repeating his routine of: farming attributes, leveling up, cooking, having sex with one of the girls, if not three at the same time, and then sleeping. And this continued until the veryst day. ... [10 minutes remaining until Universal Descent opens to the public.] Alex and Alice stood in Star City, surrounded by hundreds of other yers who had managed to reach this point in the beta phase. Most ranged from level 100 to 200, far below Alex''s current level. To avoid attracting attention, Alex wore the Mask of Concealment, hiding his identity. This was just in case any teacher saw him as he was sure they probably broadcasted his face everywhere, with a generous reward to anyone who had information. Even so, he could feel the weight of Alice''s amused gaze. "What did you do to end up with a bounty on your head?" she teased, grinning. "Just had a little disagreement with some powerhouses," Alex replied with a shrug. "Nothing serious." The timer ticked down. [5 minutes...] Alice tilted her head. "Are you sure it''s happening now? There hasn''t been any official announcement in the real world." "There wasn''t one thest two times either," Alex said. "Trust me, it''s time." [1 minute...] As the final seconds counted down, a notification appeared before every yer in the game and across the real world: [Universal Descent''s Beta Tester phase has officially ended.] [The game is now open to everyone. Enjoy!] Chapter 147 Opening of Universal Descent to the Public, Golden Star Academy Announcement [Universal Descent''s Beta Tester phase has officially ended.] [The game is now open to everyone. Enjoy!] [Time flow has been synchronized with the real world.] As the system announcement reverberated through the world, Alex stood calmly in Star City alongside Alice. The deration had undoubtedly shaken the virtual and real world, all news outlets and medias on fire because of the announcement. The air crackled with subtle energy as the [World Integration Update] finalized. Alex exhaled a quiet breath, already anticipating the chaos to follow. He even decided to open the forum for once. [New yers?!] [It has opened!] [Finally, I can enter, I quit my job to focus on Universal Descent!] [I''m new, any advices?] Thatstment, though it was sent mere seconds ago, already had over 10 million views and 1 million likes. Universal Descent was now taking the world by storm more than ever before, as everybody could ess it. The [Rune Bracelets/Rings] appeared around their wrists, allowing them to do anything a normal Beta Tester could do. And of course, as he predicted, the moment the [Public Phase] was initiated, a massive golden panel materialized in the air above Star City, shimmering with a regal glow. [Golden Star Academy Entrance Examination #1] [Participants: 1,258/100,000] [Criteria: Only yers above Level 100 are eligible.] "Wow," Alice''s eyes sparkled, "Should we go there!?" "Sure," Alex smiled, "If you want to die that is," he shrugged. "Damn." "But don''t worry, we''ll still participate in that entrance examination," he quickly followed as Alice looked down, "There''s stuff inside that academy that needs to be found." Of course, neither of them were going to participate in the sses as they were too strong already anyway, but regardless, it was still a good thing. [It''s finally open! My brother said this game is life-changing. I''m going all-in.] [Why can''t I leave the Novice Vige yet? Is it locked behind levels?] [Tips for beginners: Focus on agility or spirit stats early on. Trust me.] The forum was going ballistic, but Alex quickly closed it, not wanting to lose some of his precious brain cells reading it. "Hey," Alex patted Alice''s head, "Wanna go see the new yers?" "..." Alice frantically nodded, excited. Alex and Alice teleported to [Novice Vige 666], the familiar yet eerie surroundings a stark contrast to the bustling chaos they anticipated. Rows of shimmering teleportation circles red constantly as thousands arrived, their excitement evident as they took in the surroundings. The silver-skinned humans themselves seemed surprised. "I just created my guild, please join it!" "Seeking new yers with S-Level talents to fight!" "Join [Crimson Wrath]! Guaranteed support and power leveling!" Aliceughed, nudging Alex with her elbow, "Remember when this ce only had hundreds of people in it?" Alex smiled faintly, his gaze drifting over the scene. "It was bound to happen. Everyone wants a piece of this world now." As the duo walked through the crowded vige square, it didn''t take long for yers to notice them. A hush fell over a section of the za, quickly reced by excited murmurs. "Holy crap, that''s FateBreaker!" "No way! The legend himself?" Recognizing the opportunity, some Beta Tester guild leaders approached, bowing slightly out of respect. "FateBreaker," one began, a tall man d in sleek ck armor, his guild emblem shimmering in gold, "I''m Garret, leader of [Iron Vanguard]. I''d be honored if you''d visit our guild hall. We''ve heard of your exploits and-" Alex raised a hand, cutting him off with a polite but firm tone. "Not interested. But thanks for the offer." The man nodded awkwardly, retreating as whispers spread further through the crowd. "I think that''s good enough for now," he had the [Mask of Concealment], so his -1000 reputation with the silver-skins should be hidden, but even then he didn''t want to waste too much time in here. Fwish! And so the two teleported out of the [Novice Vige] right as more people were beginning to surround them. They teleported back to the [Fox Tribe Vige]. ''Around a week or more before the entrance examination if my memories are correct,'' Alex thought as he appeared in the vige square, ''That should let us enough time to prepare.'' ... Back inside of Novice Vige 666. Daniel and his [Overlord] guild, as well as Dawn and the [Madmen] guild members arrived in the vige shortly after the announcement. They couldn''t teleport, so they had to use a [Dawn City Teleportation Crystal] and rush to get there early. They had missed FateBreaker''s appearance, but it didn''t matter to them: right now, they were nning to recruit more people. Respectively, Daniel was level 143, and Dawn level 154, meaning that they were doing very decently, especially with the gear they bought and acquired. They ordered hundreds of their members to try and recruit newbies. The reason? Well, they wanted to establish their city quickly after training them. After acquiring the [City Building Scroll], it clearly stated: [After iming a city using the scroll, you will have to face a trial: defend your city for 24 hours against hordes of monsters, as well as yers that wish to stop you.] [If you manage to defend the city, you will receive a rating based on how well you and its inhabitants have done, rewards will be given ordingly, and your city will be established.] Meaning that being alone wouldn''t be possible: if a monster reached the altar, it would be game over, even if they were level 1000. "Come on Daniel," Dawnughed, watching the mage look at the ce, making him feel almost... nostalgic. "Oh, yeah," the man pped both his cheeks and continued his calls, "The Overlord and Madmen guild are recruiting, calling to all newbies, talents at B-Level or above only!" They wanted yers, but they still had standards. Right now, their two guilds still hadn''t merged to create a massive and powerful one like in Alex''s previous life, but it wouldn''t be long before they did. "I have an S-Level talent, recruit me!" "A-Level here, I can be useful..." "That''s stupid, I''m going to level up by myself." The yers were torn between gaining an advantage at the start but being bound to a guild, or going solo but with higher risks. For your information, the 30-minutes of wait time after each death was in fact not removed yet even after the game went public. It would be removedter, but right now it would be necessary to ensure everybody didn''t do stupid things. As Daniel and Dawn ramped up their recruitment efforts, the bustling Novice Vige 666 became a melting pot of excitement and ambition. But among the chaos, a subtle yet ominous presence went unnoticed by all, a shadowy figure lurking near the edge of the vige square, cloaked in a ck hood. "Interesting," the figure murmured, watching Daniel''s fervent attempts to gather recruits. "Even now, they''re desperate to control the masses. Typical." A faint smirk crept across their lips before they melted into the crowd, their presence like a fleeting whisper. On their hood, the symbol of the [ck Crow Guild], which was, as you expected, a ck crow with crimson pupils, could be seen. It seemed like that powerful NPC guild was also on the move. And they weren''t the only ones, across all of Universal Descent, every NPC and races could feel that something had shifted, making them more cautious than ever before. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!