《Apocalypse: My NPC Life Before the Players Arrived》 Chapter 1: The Apocalypse Game Julian Thorne was having a seriously bad day. As a staunch atheist, he''d never considered the possibility of becoming a frequent flyer in the interdimensional travel club. Yet, here he was, having transmigrated not once, but twicein the span of just over two years. Two years ago, a seemingly ordinary night of heavy drinking had landed him on Blue Star, a world similar to Earth but laughably backward in the entertainment department. Instead, they were obsessed with gaming. Forget Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, or even Marvel... This world was a blank slate, ripe for a literary copycat to make a killing. It was a plagiarist''s dream come true. Except, the readily available and dirt-cheap Personal AI, along with a virtual reality game called "Apocalypse," had quickly derailed his ambitions. At first, he had just wanted to dip his toes into this new world''s tech. But he had quickly become addicted. Even though he was a latecomer to the game, his superior gaming talent allowed him to quickly catch up. He''d even managed to build a powerful guild, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with among the players. But his good fortune had run out. Just a moment ago, he had been gathering a large group of players, preparing to tackle a level 70 Heroic-difficulty dungeon in Apocalypsecalled "The Jasonath Haunted Mansion." While waiting for his teammates and casually opening a newly downloaded mini-game on his Personal AI to kill some time, he was engulfed in a blinding light. Next thing he knew, he was here. Dilapidated window frames, a gloomy atmosphere, shadowy figures, flickering candlelight... Visibility was less than two feet, but he could still tell he was in a run-down room. Cold sweat trickled down Julian''s back. He realized his hands were bound behind him, tightly secured with rope. He was surrounded by soft whimpers and sobs, indicating he wasn''t alone. The scene was straight out of a horror flick. Julian felt a surge of panic. He shifted closer to the flickering candlelight, seeking a semblance of safety, only to jump back in fright at the sight of a contorted, chubby face next to him. Upon closer inspection, he saw it was just a young, overweight kid, his face a mess of snot and tears. The kid was blubbering, "We''re done for! We''re totally done for..." "I don''t want to die! I want to go home!" The kid''s blubbering was surprisingly loud and repetitive, like a broken record stuck on those two lines. Even a normally calm guy like Julian couldn''t help but roll his eyes. Two minutes later, a door creaked open in the distance, letting in a sliver of light. Three men, hooded and cloaked in black robes, entered the room. Julian felt the chubby kid next to him shudder violently. The kid instantly shut up, his sobs reduced to intermittent gasps. By the light filtering in from the doorway, Julian recognized the black flame insignia on the left breast of the robed men. He was stunned. "That mark... isn''t that the Curse Cult?" The lead cultist pointed to a teenager in the distance and said coldly, "You. Come here." "No, no, I don''t want to die... Help me..." The teenager''s face was a mask of despair. Before he could struggle, the other two cultists dragged him out, his cries echoing behind him. The door slammed shut with a resounding bang, plunging the room back into darkness and silencing the pleas for help. Julian shivered. No doubt about it, those three were definitely cultists from the Curse Cultin the game Apocalypse. These guys went around proclaiming the end of the world, spreading plagues, and had a sick obsession with sacrificing living people in all sorts of twisted rituals, trying to summon their Evil God ¨C though they usually failed miserably. So, he had actually transmigrated intothe game and had the misfortune of becoming one of their sacrifices. Holy crap, no wonder this place looked familiar. This was the very dungeon he was about to raid just minutes ago: The Jasonath Haunted Mansion! The first promotional trailer for Apocalypsewas based on this dungeon. The normal difficulty setting for The Jasonath Haunted Mansionhad a simple premise: A few Curse Cultmembers had captured a group of people and taken them to their stronghold, The Jasonath Haunted Mansion. They planned to use the incantations from The Book of Ithanwayto perform a ritual sacrifice to appease their Evil God. The players'' goal was to stop the sacrifice.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. As an introductory dungeon, The Jasonath Haunted Mansionwasn''t particularly difficult. Most of the Curse Cultmembers were ordinary people. Only the priest, Niram, possessed supernatural powers. But here''s the problem: that was a game. In reality, there was no guarantee anyone would come to the rescue. What now? "This is insane!" Julian could only lament to the heavens. As mentioned before, Apocalypsewas a globally popular Fully Immersive Online Game. When Julian first transmigrated to Blue Star, Apocalypsehad already reigned supreme as the top immersive game for three consecutive years. The game blended countless elements from fantasy games and novels, creating a vast and intricate world. It was powered by a new generation of Super AIs that controlled and evolved the game world, making it impossible for humans to interfere. Most importantly, the environments, characters, and storylines were incredibly realistic, making it feel like a genuine alternate reality. Based on the dungeon''s background, this should be the early stages of the game. Supernatural beings were rare, and the Curse Culthadn''t officially surfaced yet. Most of its members were basically acting like clowns, running around with a handwritten copy of The Book of Ithanway, kidnapping people for their rituals. But for two whole years, their success rate had remained at a solid zero percent. Yet, these so-called clowns now posed a lethal threat to Julian. And according to the dungeon''s storyline, if they weren''t stopped, this particular sacrifice would actually succeed. Just then, a line of text flashed before Julian''s eyes: [Sacrifices have died. Current progress: 26/36.] "This is... a dungeon prompt?" Julian''s heart skipped a beat. It seemed like the ritual was nearing its completion. He was running out of time. "Status!" To Julian''s relief, when he focused his mind and tried to call up the menu as he would in the game, a familiar interface actually appeared before him. Character Status Name:Julian Thorne/Wayne Stilwell Race:Human Template:NPC [Beta Testing Countdown: 48 days 3 hours 42 minutes] Age:23 Level:2 Class:Assistant Instructor[1/10] Natural Force Affinity:0 Arcane Affinity:0 Talents:Hidden Attributes:Strength 7, Dexterity 8, Constitution 8, Willpower 8, Intelligence 9, Charisma 98 HP:80 Willpower (Stat):7/8 Mana:0 Life Skills:Basic Alchemy Normal Skills:None Personal Feats: Family Motto:None Influence:None Renown:0 [A completely unremarkable commoner with no talent for cultivation whatsoever. Utterly useless, except for his looks.] Having a status screen was a good thing, but these stats... were a complete mess. According to Apocalypse''s attribute system, Natural Force Affinitywas a prerequisite for becoming a warrior. A score of zero meant that was out of the question. Zero Arcane Affinitymeant he was also barred from becoming a mage. As for his attributes, 10 was considered the average for commoners. His Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution were all below average. The 9 in Intelligence was shocking in a bad way. The description in the brackets about having no talent for cultivation was definitely not an exaggeration. As for his highest stat, Charisma... that had to be a beautiful mistake. If he had to guess, all his initial attribute points must have been dumped into this one stat. In Apocalypse, 100 was the maximum for Charisma. Anything above 70 was considered high, 90 was considered super attractive, and a freak like him with a starting Charisma of 98 was practically unheard of. But what good was being handsome in this situation? In this world, power was everything. Otherwise, he might get kidnapped and forced into a life he didn''t want, with no chance to even cry for help. Also, based on his NPC status, he probably didn''t have the same respawn privileges as players. If he died here, it might be permanent. This was ridiculous. Apocalypsehad been running for three years, and he had never heard of anyone disappearing while playing the game. Why was he so unlucky? "Huh, what''s this?" Julian suddenly noticed an option labeled [Transmigration Simulator]in the lower right corner of his status screen. Wasn''t that the mini-game he was about to play before he transmigrated? Could this mini-game be the reason he got Sword Art Online''d? He mentally "touched" the option, and a series of prompts appeared: [Welcome to the Transmigration Simulator. Game resources are downloading... 95%... 96%... 99%... Loading complete.] [Transmigration Simulator is starting... This game is also known as "A Thousand and One Mes." We hope you enjoy your experience.] [You currently have 2 Transmigration Coins. You will receive a daily stipend of 1 Transmigration Coin at 12:00 AM. You may also purchase more coins through the in-game shop.] [Death in the simulator does not result in real death. It may simply be a segment of your life in a parallel timeline.] [Upon completing certain special Achievements or influencing the world, you will receive corresponding rewards.] [The simulator will protect your mental well-being, but please remember that moderation is key. Excessive gaming can be harmful.] "This looks incredibly sketchy." After carefully reading the introduction, Julian turned his attention to the game interface. As a veteran gamer, his assessment was: this interface is way too simplistic, right? Chapter 2: First Transmigration Simulation Three lonely options filled his vision: [Shop], [Scenario], and [Achievement]. Both the [Shop] and [Achievement] tabs were currently empty. Clicking into the [Scenario] interface, he found only one available map: [Lost in Paris]: Transmigration Cost ¨C 1 Transmigration Coin With a balance of only 2 Transmigration Coins, he had no other choice. Might as well spend one and see what this was all about. Focusing his attention on [Lost in Paris], several more lines of information popped up. [Preparing for transmigration...] [Matching with your parallel self...] [Please select three of the following ten talents as matching criteria] [1. Uneven Legs (White): Your legs are of different lengths.] [2. Narcissist (Blue): You are very handsome, but extremely self-absorbed.] [3. Doctor of Electrical Engineering (Purple): You are an authority in the field of electrical engineering.] [4. Healthy Diet (White): Your diet consists only of vegetarian food. You never touch meat.] [5. A Touch of Luck (Green): Your luck is slightly improved.] [6. Zidane (Purple): You possess Zidane''s godlike soccer skills, but as a consequence, you have his 35-year-old hairstyle.] [7. Literary Talent (Blue): You have a high aptitude for literature.] [8. Fair-Minded (Blue): You are just and impartial in your dealings.] [9. Fashionable (Green): You have excellent taste in clothing.] [10. Intersex (Purple): Your reproductive system is a bit different from others.] [Please choose your talents carefully. Each rematch costs 1 Transmigration Coin] Julian Thorne: ... This game was a bit ridiculous, wasn''t it? What the hell was with "Uneven Legs"? And what was up with "Zidane"? And "Intersex"? Seriously? Honestly, there weren''t many good options. Only 3, 5, and 7 seemed remotely useful. [You have selected Talent 3, Talent 5, and Talent 7.] [Match successful. Your parallel self is a Doctor of Electrical Engineering with high literary talent and good luck. He often wins free drinks in "second bottle free" promotions.] [When you die in the simulation, the game ends.] [Boarding the Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Transmigration complete.] A few seconds later, Julian, still waiting for something to happen, was dumbfounded. He had expected to be whisked away with a flash, escaping his predicament, but he was still in this dark, gloomy room! The only difference was that blue text was now scrolling before his eyes. He''d been tricked! This was a text-based game! [You have transmigrated to Paris in 1894. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.] [December 18, 1894: As a Doctor of Electrical Engineering, you are full of ambition, eager to invent an electrical generator, only to be shocked to discover that generators already exist in this world. Your professional knowledge tells you that the first generator was invented by a Frenchman named Pixii in 1832. You should have transmigrated to the first half of the 19th century. Also, you haven''t eaten today, and you''re very hungry. But don''t worry, as a researcher, it''s common to forget to eat or sleep. You can definitely endure it.]You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. [December 19, 1894: You finally figure out the exact date. Still ambitious, you want to beat Tesla to the invention of the two-phase AC generator, but you find yourself without a partner, without research tools, without a laboratory, and without anyone willing to support you. You still haven''t eaten today, and you''re very hungry, but you can still endure it... or can you?] [December 20, 1894: You''re starving and dizzy with hunger. You decide to find any job just to survive, but your French is not very fluent. You can read but can''t speak. You start to regret not having studied French properly. Transmigration isn''t so simple after all.] [December 21, 1894: Your clothes were stolen by a homeless man, and you were beaten up pretty badly. You lingered outside a bakery for a long time. You seem to be quite lucky; a kind person across the street has been observing you for a while. He buys you a few pieces of bread. You cry with gratitude.] [December 22, 1894: Another day of failed job hunting. However, your French communication has improved a lot. At least you can understand some of it and have a basic conversation. You have acquired the skill: Basic French Fluency] [December 23, 1894: You no longer have the strength to walk. Starving, you reach out to the bread displayed in the window of a roadside bakery. You are discovered and beaten severely. A few of your ribs are broken, and you are in too much pain to walk. You have gained the feat: Basic Endurance. You have acquired the skill: Basic Pickpocketing] [December 24, 1894: It''s Christmas Eve, and it''s snowing. The aroma of turkey wafts from the shop windows. The atmosphere outside is festive. You lie in the snow and freeze to death anonymously on the streets of Paris. Two days later, the same kind person helps you find a grave to be buried in.] [You have gained the achievement: Orphan of Gaul.] [Evaluation: From transmigration to death in 7 days, words like ''all talk and no action'' and ''mediocre and useless'' hardly describe your incompetence. However, it''s worth mentioning that the person who gave you bread and paid for your burial is named Romain Rolland. Inspired by your unfortunate transmigration, he created the famous masterpiece "Jean-Christophe" in 1897, which will be remembered throughout history. Your tragic character not only shocked all of Europe but also made Romain Rolland famous, earning him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1915 and sparking a movement in France to denounce the unfair social system. In a sense, this literary giant feasted on your misfortune.] [Rating: F, World Exploration: 0.2%. Because you had a profound impact on the history of world literature, you have received 1 Transmigration Coin and 500 experience points.] "That''s it?" Looking at this short, boring, and tedious life, Julian''s expression shifted from confusion to disbelief to utter shock. He wanted to curse, but he didn''t know where to start. Finally, he could only sigh: "Sigh!" Although he was speechless and unwilling to admit it, if he had really transmigrated himself, he probably wouldn''t have fared much better. He had disgraced all transmigrators. [Simulation ended. Please make your choice as soon as possible.] [1. Randomly obtain three skills and feats acquired during your transmigration.] [2. Randomly draw three items obtained during your transmigration.] Seeing these two options, Julian chose the first one without hesitation. [You have acquired the skill: Basic Pickpocketing.] [You have gained the feat: Basic Endurance.] [You have acquired the skill: Basic French.] [Because you have mastered two or more foreign languages, you have unlocked a new sub-class: Linguist] A moment later, Julian felt a surge of basic French and pickpocketing knowledge enter his mind, and a new feat appeared in his skill bar. [Basic Endurance: Constitution Growth Modifier +0.13, Willpower +1. The influence of negative debuffs such as hunger, thirst, and cold is slightly reduced.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª In "Apocalypse," Strength determined physical attack power and its upper limit. All melee damage-dealing classes had high Strength. Dexterity determined movement speed, attack speed, and evasion ability, and also increased ranged attack power. For ranged physical damage dealers, increasing Dexterity was a safe bet. Constitution increased maximum HP. Each point of Constitution added 10 base HP and 12 Stamina. Some feats and skills could affect this coefficient and even slightly increase defense. Willpower determined resistance to abnormal statuses and the maximum Willpower (Stat). Higher Willpower meant higher resistance to abnormal statuses and increased learning speed. Intelligence was equivalent to spellcasting talent and mana regeneration speed, determining the attack power and sustainability of magic-based classes. This was the primary attribute for magic-based classes. If this attribute was low, magic-based classes were basically out of the question. Charisma affected the initial affinity with characters and factions and provided discounts when trading with NPCs. Looking at the new skills and feats on his panel, Julian confirmed one thing: The two games had indeed merged. What he gained in the Transmigration Simulator could be brought back to reality. Chapter 3: An Ordinary Life This was pretty impressive. The last transmigration only lasted seven days, yet it had granted him two skills and a feat. If he had lived longer... Wouldn''t that have been the express lane to taking off? Basic Endurance was a rare feat that increased Constitution. Expert French Fluency wasn''t particularly useful in the game, but it did grant him the auxiliary profession of Linguist, which could make things a bit smoother during simulations. As for Basic Pickpocketing... Combined with his Nimble Fingers feat, he might be able to undo the ropes behind him with a bit of effort. Just then, the door opened again, and three Curse Cultists entered. They roughly pulled up a young man from the floor and dragged him out. Even Julian couldn''t help but break out in a cold sweat. The young man had been taken from a spot not far in front of the chubby kid. Maybe in a few more rounds, it would be their turn. Before long, another line of text flashed before his eyes: [Sacrifice deceased. Current progress: 27/36] According to the Dungeon''s setting, these inhumane cultists would sacrifice 36 people in a short period. Everyone here was on the chopping block. None could escape. The chubby kid was trembling, leaning closer to Julian and whimpering, "Hey, do you think we''re dead meat?" Julian understood the kid''s need for comfort, but he never lied. Besides, everyone was in the same boat. After a moment of silence, the honest Julian answered truthfully, "Yeah, and probably in a pretty gruesome way." The chubby kid was speechless. If there were a system for tracking negative emotions, a "-1000" would probably be floating above the kid''s head right now. Seeking solace only to receive the opposite, the chubby kid finally broke down, wailing loudly. He was only sixteen or seventeen, but he must have had some training. His lung capacity was impressive. His cries were incredibly loud, almost like an opera singer. Many people in the room had been crying, but the chubby kid''s outburst instantly silenced them all. "I''m still young. I haven''t enjoyed life enough. I don''t want to die. I really don''t want to die..." The chubby kid cried his heart out, his body shaking, rolls of fat jiggling along with his sobs. "Don''t cry. Everyone dies eventually, sooner or later. Besides, look at all these people here to keep you company," Julian said, startled by the kid''s wails, quickly trying to comfort him. But his words only added fuel to the fire, and the chubby kid cried even harder. "I don''t want to die! My father is a Duke. I''ll be a Duke someday, too. And... I''m engaged to the daughter of Count Harold. We''re getting married in two years. Sob... Is there anyone who can save me? I want to get married..." The chubby kid''s sobs grew more intense. Julian''s expression turned a bit strange. This chubby kid, despite his appearance, was actually the heir to a Duchy and already engaged. Here he was, having lived two lives and still never married. The disparity of life was truly something. Wait, a Duke? He recalled that there were only two Dukes in the Kingdom of Bryston. The one who lost his heir at the beginning should be... A message suddenly popped up on his interface: [You have triggered a D-rank quest: "The Gratitude of House Vester." Accept/Decline?] Julian understood immediately. He was right; it was House Vester. Without hesitation, he accepted! [Quest Details: As the banner of the Kingdom of Bryston''s nobility, House Vester has only one legitimate heir: Alan Vester. His significance to House Vester is paramount. Try to rescue him from this predicament, and you will gain the friendship and gratitude of House Vester. Of course, the choice is yours. Not saving him will not cause you any loss, and no one will blame another victim.] It really was House Vester. Julian''s eyes flickered. According to the game''s lore, besides the standard Warrior, Mage, Priest Trinity, this world also had the unique class systems of Meteorologists and Lineage Knights. House Vester was a representative of the Lineage Knights. Lineage Knight families usually possessed prominent status, a family history long enough to fill a book, and a Family Motto they must strictly adhere to. By adhering to their Family Motto, they could wield various extraordinary powers. But in the game, Lineage Knights only emerged about a decade ago, and their initial role wasn''t in combat. In his previous life, while browsing the game''s Great Library, Julian had come across an interesting anecdote: About seventy to eighty years ago, there was a powerful family in the Kingdom of Faric called House Bladensburg. Their Family Motto was "Fair trade, meticulous to the last penny, never suffer a loss."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Although meticulous to a fault, their integrity and fairness quickly helped them become the largest merchant family in the Kingdom of Faric, accumulating immense wealth. But when the Kingdom of Bryston conquered the capital of the Kingdom of Faric, this vast fortune became the root of disaster. The then-King of Bryston, Charles V, forced the patriarch of House Bladensburg to hand over their wealth. But because of their Family Motto, the family members had to be meticulous and could not suffer a loss. They wouldn''t give up their money, even at the cost of their lives. To force a confession, the King broke the bones of the House Bladensburg patriarch one by one. Before dying, the patriarch finally awakened the power of their Family Motto and uttered a curse: "All who take the gold of House Bladensburg shall suffer eternal punishment." Although the patriarch of House Bladensburg died, the other family members were not as stubborn. Charles V eventually obtained the fortune. However, as the curse foretold, all who took possession of the money met with misfortune. Charles V himself died in a freak accident during a hunting trip, falling from his horse. To this day, the mansion of House Bladensburg had become a tourist attraction, filled with gold coins, but no one dared to take even a single one. This was the power of House Bladensburg''s Family Motto: "Fair trade, meticulous to the last penny, never suffer a loss." Adhering to their motto brought them great wealth, and those who forced them to break it paid a heavy price. Although he didn''t know House Vester''s Family Motto or the current level of supernatural power in this world at the beginning of the game, one thing was certain: saving the chubby kid, Alan, would definitely be a huge gain. But for now, Julian needed to ensure he had the ability to escape first. He had used one Transmigration Coin earlier and regained one after completing a transmigration. Looking at the two remaining Transmigration Coins, Julian chose to simulate again. [Preparing for transmigration... Transmigration Coin -1] [Matched with a parallel version of you...] [Spend another Transmigration Coin to reroll for new Talents?] Julian chose no without hesitation. He only had one Transmigration Coin left; he needed to use it wisely. [You have selected Talents 3, 5, and 7 by default.] [Your parallel self is a Doctor of Electrical Engineering with high Literary Talent and a knack for luck, often winning free drinks in promotions.] [Current Scenario exploration progress: 0.2%. Upon reaching 66.7% exploration, you will gain the right to unlock the next simulation Scenario.] [The game ends when you die in the simulation.] [Boarding the Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Transmigration complete.] [You have transmigrated to Paris in 1894. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.] [December 17, 1894: As a Doctor of Electrical Engineering, you have mastered Basic French, making communication easier. You try to strike up conversations everywhere, hoping to find a partner to build a two-phase AC generator. Nobody pays you any attention. Everyone thinks you''re a madman. But that''s okay; genius is often lonely.] [December 18, 1894: You didn''t eat yesterday, and you haven''t eaten today either. But that''s okay; poverty can''t defeat a giant, but hunger can. With no other choice, you find a job washing dishes at a restaurant.] [December 19, 1894: Washing dishes...] [December 20, 1894: Washing dishes... Today, you broke 3 plates and had to pay a compensation of 40 Pence. It actually feels like the plates washed you instead (Happiness -1).] [December 22-25, 1894: Washing dishes... On Christmas Day, you encounter a man named Romain Rolland. Although you should have had a lot in common, the conversation ends on a sour note due to a communication barrier. You feel that you really can''t waste any more time.] [January 1, 1895: You spend your first New Year in Paris. To celebrate, you get a job at a textile factory.] [January 2, 1895: After being away for so long, you hear the familiar hum of machinery again. You feel that this kind of life isn''t bad, except for the poor air quality (Happiness +1, Health -1).] [February 5, 1895: Your luck turns. You spend 10 Francs on a lottery ticket and win the second prize of 25,000 Francs (Wealth +2).] [June 7, 1895: Your charm and handsome looks attract the attention of a blonde girl named Elina, the daughter of the textile factory owner. It''s a beautiful name.] [June 10, 1895: You''re in love (Happiness +1).] [July 17, 1895: Your relationship faces strong opposition from the factory owner. You really want to say the line, "The tide turns every thirty years, don''t look down on a young man just because he''s poor." But before you can say it, you''re fired!] [July 18, 1895: You''re furious. You start building a two-phase AC generator. Once again, "The tide turns every thirty years, don''t look down on a young man just because he''s poor".] [February 15, 1896: Forget thirty years, you''re already dirt poor now (Wealth -2).] [March 7, 1896: You get a job at a machinery factory. Soon after, you''re promoted to engineer''s assistant (Wealth +1).] [April 5, 1896: You fall in love with a beautiful, ordinary factory worker named Maggie. That same year, Tesla invents the two-phase AC generator (Happiness +1, Happiness -2).] [End of 1896: You and Maggie get married. Married life is ordinary but happy.] [Early 1897: Two years of life in France and a long-term marriage have vastly improved your French. You can now read and write without difficulty, and your spoken French is indistinguishable from a native speaker. (You have gained the skill: Expert French Fluency).] [Mid-1897: You''re promoted. You are now an engineer at the machinery factory (Wealth +1, Happiness +1).] [End of 1897: Due to your outstanding performance, you are headhunted by John Rigby & Co., a firearms company.] [1898: With your fluent French, you start submitting articles to newspapers and magazines. Some of them receive positive reviews. Soon after, you become a part-time columnist for Le Figaro (Wealth +1).] [1900: Although your talent is not high, your work allows you to passively master the structure and firing methods of firearms. (You have gained the feat: Firearms Knowledge. You have gained the skill: Basic Shooting Proficiency).] [1899: Your first son is born (Happiness +1).] [1901: Your first daughter is born (Happiness +1).] [1923: Your son gets engaged, and your daughter marries a decent gentleman (Happiness +1).] [1925: You have two grandsons and one granddaughter (Happiness +1).] [1935: You start to feel old, and everything feels like a struggle (Health -2).] [1939: Germany invades Poland, marking the beginning of World War II. The flames of war spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. That same year, your wife, Maggie, passes away. You sit alone at home, feeling empty inside. Looking back on your 40-plus years together, if you could do it all over again, what choices would you make? (Happiness -4). You have gained the achievement: Sense and Sensibility] [September 1940: Germany bombs Paris. Your home is destroyed by the bombardment. As an ordinary person, you die in the air raid.] Summary: Happiness: -1, Health: -3, Wealth: +2. A mediocre life, neither particularly poor nor particularly happy. You have gained the achievement: An Ordinary Life Evaluation: D. Scenario exploration progress: 29.2%. Because your exploration progress exceeds 20%, you have received 1 Transmigration Coin. You can receive this reward for every additional 20% of exploration progress. Chapter 4: Literary Luminary [Simulation complete. Please make your selection promptly.] [Option 1: Randomly acquire three skills and feats obtained during your transmigration.] [Option 2: Randomly draw three items obtained during your transmigration.] Julian Thorne: ... It took a while for him to snap back to reality. This transmigration had been so lifelike that even the text summary left him feeling melancholic. Sense and Sensibility, if he could redo that life and choose again, would he go back to Maggie, his wife of forty years, or to Elina, the sweet first love of his youth? He didn''t know. He truly didn''t. It was an impossible choice, like choosing between his right hand and his left. Maybe he would pick the one with the bigger, prettier boobs. Despite the heartache, he made his choice with lightning speed, selecting the first option without hesitation. Although he''d spent a long time as a firearms engineer in the simulation, and choosing the second option might have netted him a gun, it was still just a maybe. In his current situation, choosing the unknown was foolish. The first option, with its known skills, was far more stable, especially since all three skills were urgently needed. [You have selected Option 1.] [You have acquired the feat: Firearms Knowledge.] [You have acquired the skill: Basic Shooting Proficiency.] [You have acquired the skill: Expert French Fluency.] [Due to mastering more than one specialized language, your Linguist rank has increased! You have gained the skill: Body Language.] [Body Language: Allows communication through physical gestures when there is a language barrier. Success Rate: 50%. Stamina Cost: 5.] The upgrade to Linguist also granted him one random attribute point and one free attribute point. The random point went to Dexterity, raising it from 8 to 9. Julian hesitated for a moment before allocating the last attribute point to Dexterity as well, bringing it up to 10, the average for a normal person. Not bad. He wondered if it was possible to manipulate the simulation''s progress. Now that he had Basic Shooting Proficiency, if he could get his hands on a gun, his chances of escape would significantly improve. Bang! The door was suddenly pushed open again. Every hair on Julian''s body stood on end as he went into high alert. Three Curse Cultists entered the room. The sacrificial process in the real world was clearly several times faster than in the game. In just half an hour, several more rounds of sacrifices had taken place, bringing the current progress to 30/36. At this rate of two sacrifices per round, even Julian couldn''t be sure if he would be chosen in the next one. The chubby guy next to him, Alan, was scared out of his wits, his face as white as a sheet. Julian could hear his heart pounding like a drum. Fortunately, the terror didn''t last long. The three cultists quickly took two people away, and the door was slammed shut again amidst hysterical cries. Julian: ... Sometimes, this kind of drawn-out torment was the hardest to bear. It was like something out of a Hitchcock horror film. Were these people insane? Wait, what was that smell? Julian furrowed his brow and took a deep breath. A faint, foul odor of sulfur permeated the air. "Hey, do you smell something?" Alan, who had probably also caught the scent, asked in a trembling voice. "Sulfur," Julian replied grimly. Legend had it that Evil Gods resided in Purgatory, a place famously known for rivers of flowing Lava and mountains of bright yellow Sulfur. Thus, the arrival of an Evil God was always accompanied by a strong sulfurous stench. According to the Dungeon''s storyline, whenever a player failed to clear it, and the Curse Cult successfully completed their sacrifice, a cutscene would show a silhouette of an Evil God, looking like a creepy spider.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. That''s why Julian had said earlier that the summoning had actually succeeded. Alan, coming from a noble family, was also aware of this lore. He took a deep breath and burst into tears again. "Waaah, I don''t want to die..." "Can anyone save me..." "I''ll give you anything, waaaaaah..." Alan''s wails were highly potent, not only incredibly infectious but also delivered with the power of an operatic tenor, sending shivers down Julian''s spine. Julian felt like his skull was about to be split open by the vibrations. Julian: ... Were you a train spirit in your past life or something?! [Sacrifice complete. Current progress: 32/36.] A loud cheer erupted from outside, indicating that the Curse Cult was making progress with their summoning. He couldn''t wait any longer. Julian opened the simulator and initiated another transmigration. [Preparing for transmigration... Transmigration Coin -1] [Matched with a parallel version of yourself...] [You have automatically selected Talent 3, Talent 5, and Talent 7.] [Your parallel self is a Doctor of Electrical Engineering with exceptional Literary Talent and incredible luck, often winning free drinks in promotions. You are known for your Fair-Minded nature and are well-liked by everyone.] [Current world exploration: 29.2%. Upon reaching 66.7% exploration, you will gain access to the next Scenario.] [Game Over upon death in the simulation.] [Boarding the Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Transmigration complete.] [You have arrived in Paris, 1894. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.] After a familiar set of lines, the wheels of history started turning once more. [December 17, 1894: As a Doctor of Electrical Engineering, you possess Expert French Fluency, allowing you to communicate like a native. You did nothing special and found a job washing dishes at a restaurant.] [December 19, 1894: Washing dishes...] [December 20, 1894: Washing dishes... If dishwashing had a professional ranking, you would be a Dishwashing Grandmaster, capable of washing 3 to 4 dishes simultaneously. (Happiness -1)] [December 22, 1894: Washing dishes... After a week, you''ve saved up a small sum of money. (Wealth +1)] [December 22-25, 1894: Washing dishes... On Christmas Day, a man named Romain Rolland dined at the restaurant. Thanks to your Expert French Fluency, your conversation flowed smoothly, finally escaping the awkward small talk. Sharing a high level of literary appreciation, you hit it off immediately and quickly became good friends.] [December 27, 1894: Your friendship with Romain Rolland progressed rapidly. With his financial support, you quit your dishwashing job and rented a cheap apartment.] [January 1895: You officially began your writing career. Possessing great Literary Talent, your first short story, "Letter from an Unknown Woman," was published in Le Figaro with Romain Rolland''s introduction. Rolland hailed it as "a stunning masterpiece!"] [January 10, 1895: Your first work brought you considerable fame. Soon, your second short story, "The Metamorphosis," was also published. Your name began to spread throughout Paris. (Wealth +2, Happiness +1)] [February to May 1895: You published six more short stories destined for literary immortality: "The Chameleon," "The Gift of the Magi," and other classics brought you both fame and fortune. You became known as one of the best short story writers of the late 19th century. (Wealth +1)] [May to September 1895: You began working on your first novel, "The Magic Mountain." Its publication caused a sensation throughout France. Upon its completion, its influence spread worldwide. (Happiness +1)] [November 1895: "The Magic Mountain" was completed. A renowned critic declared, "''The Magic Mountain'' is the essence of European life." Its influence spread worldwide. (Happiness +1)] [December 1895: Having accumulated sufficient funds, you, ever true to your original goals, assembled a team to research two-phase alternating current generators.] [January 1896: With ample funding and manpower, what could possibly stop you in this world? You successfully developed a two-phase alternating current generator! Your research was implemented across the country, bringing you immense profits. (Wealth +3)] [February 1896: People began comparing you to Leonardo da Vinci. Your novel, "The Magic Mountain," was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Your handsome appearance, talent, and Fair-Minded nature made you extremely popular. You officially entered high society and began attending social events. At one such event, Romain Rolland introduced you to a minor Italian aristocrat. Due to having had too much to drink, you forgot his name, but no matter, you figured forgetting the name of a minor aristocrat wasn''t a big deal. (You have gained the achievement: Pride and Prejudice).] [March 1896: You re-encountered Elina at a party. It was love at first sight, again. (Happiness +1)] [October 1896: Due to a lack of seniority, you did not win the Nobel Prize in Literature. (Happiness -2)] [April 1897: You married Elina in a grand ceremony. Elina''s relatives from Lyon attended, including her childhood friend, Jonathan, a tall and handsome young man. Clearly, childhood sweethearts are no match for fated encounters.] [May 1897: Your second novel, "One Hundred Years of Solitude," began serialization. This masterpiece brought you even greater fame and fortune. (Wealth +2)] [August 1897: A killer known as Bluebeard began operating in Paris, claiming the lives of several widows. One of the murders occurred near your home. To ensure your safety, you started collecting expensive pistols and daggers, selecting the best ones, loading them with bullets, carrying one on your person, and locking another in a chest along with a well-sharpened dagger.] [October 5, 1897: Your novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude" was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before the announcement, while meeting with Romain Rolland at a tavern in Paris, you were attacked by a strange man. You pulled out your gun and shot him seven or eight times, but to no avail. He eventually caught you, drained your blood, and you died. You have gained the achievement: Interview with the Vampire] [Simulation End] [Summary: Happiness: 7, Health: 0, Wealth: 6. This should have been an incredibly glorious life, with a beautiful wife, a successful career, and great wealth, but it was cut short by an unexpected event. You''ve started to glimpse the truth of this world, which is good. It''s worth mentioning that after your death, perhaps to commemorate the deceased, perhaps because your books were truly that exceptional, you became the winner of the third Nobel Prize in Literature! Many believe you were the best writer of the late 19th century, tragically taken too soon.] [Rating: C+. World Exploration: 49.2%. Due to exceeding 40% exploration, you have received 1 Transmigration Coin. You will receive this reward for every additional 20% of exploration. Due to your significant impact on the world''s literary history, you have received 1 Transmigration Coin.] Julian: ???? How did a perfectly normal 19th-century France suddenly take such a bizarre turn? Chapter 5: The Ritual A sudden appearance of a vampire caught Julian Thorne completely off guard. If there were text floating above his head right now, it would undoubtedly be a string of question marks. One moment he was on top of the world, feeling like he was about to take flight, and the next he was being drained by a vampire. Was this really how he was going to die? Wait a minute, the late 19th century, Paris, France, vampires... A strange expression crossed Julian''s face as he made a guess. Could he have transmigrated into the world of Underworld or Bram Stoker''s Dracula? Highly likely!!! [Simulation complete. Please make your selection as soon as possible.] [Option 1: Randomly acquire three skills or feats obtained during your transmigration.] [Option 2: Randomly draw three items obtained during your transmigration.] Honestly, there wasn''t much to think about. Although he had acquired Advanced Writing Proficiency during the simulation, survival was the priority right now. Advanced Writing Proficiency was completely useless in this predicament. It wasn''t like Death Note, where he could just write someone''s name down and decide their fate. That was just wishful thinking. On the other hand, the item draw guaranteed a gun and a dagger. "Hold on, if I draw items, where will they be stored?" Julian suddenly remembered a crucial detail. His hands were currently tied behind his back. If the items just appeared on his person or dropped to the floor, he was screwed. He hadn''t expected the simulator to answer, but to his surprise, the damn thing actually replied: "After claiming the items, they will be stored in your inventory. You can access them at any time." "Inventory? How do I take things out of it?" The simulator didn''t respond this time. Instead, a white glove icon appeared on the simulator interface, with an arrow pointing to the right of the achievement tab. Julian: ????? Only then did he notice a red dot on the achievement tab. To the right of the tab was an inconspicuous small right-facing arrow. He clicked it, and it immediately switched to a second page, displaying two small tabs: [Items], [Quests]. There were two more grayed-out tabs next to them, obviously not yet unlocked. What the hell! What genius designed this UI? Naturally, he chose the second option. [You have selected Option 2.] [You have obtained a rare-grade weapon: Ivory-handled Colt M1873 Revolver.] [You have obtained a rare-grade weapon: Swedish Sjogren Inertia Shotgun.] There were only two items, no third one. Julian was taken aback at first, but after a moment of thought, he understood. In the game Apocalypse, item rarity was ranked as follows: Trash (Gray) < Common (White) < Good (Green) < Rare (Blue) < Unique (Purple) < Epic (Pink) < Legendary (Orange) < Artifact (Red). It seemed that for something to be considered an "item" by the system, it had to be at least Rare-grade. Otherwise, there would be too many eligible objects. No wonder his simulated self had specifically collected expensive guns and daggers. It was just that the collected daggers weren''t of high enough rarity to be counted. What a pity. However, this confirmed that he could, to some extent, control the direction of the simulation! He opened the item tab and, sure enough, there were two new items inside: an ivory-handled revolver and a shotgun that looked seriously badass.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Focusing his attention on the two guns, tooltips quickly popped up: [Ivory-handled Colt M1873 Revolver]: God created men, but Colt made them equal. [Swedish Sjogren Inertia Shotgun]: 12-gauge, a real Hornet''s Nest maker, a true murder weapon. Only after seeing these two guns did Julian feel a sense of relief. There wasn''t enough time left for another simulation. Although he hadn''t gained any supernatural powers, having firearms meant he at least had a fighting chance. The time for his counterattack had finally arrived. His plan was to use his Basic Pickpocketing skill, combined with the Nimble Fingers feat, to untie the rope behind his back. Then, he would untie the others, and the four of them would ambush the Curse Cult cultists. It would be like four people running a dungeon. Difficult, but not impossible. But ideals were one thing, reality another. He was stuck on the very first step. Ever since he acquired the Pickpocketing skill, Julian had been trying to untie the rope, but it only seemed to be getting tighter. What the hell! Where were those Nimble Fingers? His hands felt more like feet. Julian took a deep breath, continuing his attempts to untie the rope while checking the panel. A red dot was flashing on the achievement tab of the panel. Any gamer would know what that meant: something to claim. He hurriedly opened it and saw that, without realizing it, he had somehow managed to complete a series of achievements. Achievements: [Orphan of Gaul] (No attribute bonus) [Sense and Sensibility] (No attribute bonus) [An Ordinary Life] (No attribute bonus) [Pride and Prejudice] (No attribute bonus) Achievement [Four Classics Quartet (I)] completed. You have obtained 1 Skill Point. You have discovered a hidden quest. Hidden Quest Available for Redemption: A Literary Life [Yes/No] After choosing to redeem it, the "Four Classics Quartet (I)" achievement was cleared, and a hidden quest appeared under the quest tab. Hidden Quest: (Can be triggered under special circumstances) [A Literary Life]: Deep down, you''ve always harbored a literary dream. In your future life, pursue this dream. In both the real and simulated worlds, complete a total of 1,000 books (0/1000). Quest Hint: Read ten thousand books, and your writing will flow like water. This quest will definitely be harder than you think. Good luck, future literary master! Quest Reward: Unknown Future literary master Julian: ... He had no idea he''d been hiding a literary dream all along. Also, this simulator was a scam! What "future life"? Heavy footsteps echoed from outside the door again. Clearly, a new round of sacrifice was about to begin. The room was filled with weeping. Julian was the only listener to three people crying. Then, the sole listener was dumbfounded. These three managed to cry with the intensity of thirty people! If one had to pick the most pitiful crier, it would be the chubby kid, Alan. He wailed loudly, while the other two whimpered softly, providing a kind of harmony. It was like a suona rendition of "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" ¨C extremely rhythmic. The crying blended perfectly with the eerie atmosphere. A recording of this played in a mourning hall would surely make anyone feel heartbroken. Julian himself was starting to panic. The ritual was nearing its end, and there were only four people left in the room. He had a 50% chance of being the next victim. The door was pushed open, and three Curse Cult cultists entered. The leading cultist immediately pointed at the chubby kid who was crying the loudest. "You, come with me." "No, not me!" The chubby kid scooted backward, his face filled with terror. Then the cultist pointed at Julian. "You, come too." Probability was a bitch, and so was Murphy''s Law. If anything can go wrong, it will. This was going to be troublesome... Julian and Alan were dragged to their feet and stumbled after the three Curse Cult cultists towards the door. Just like in the game, outside the door was a long, "king" shaped corridor with six rooms. At the end of the corridor was another door. If he remembered correctly, across this corridor, the living room on the right was the ritual chamber. The more desperate the situation, the calmer Julian became. This was the effect of the Extreme Calm feat. The Jasonath Haunted Mansion was a typical European-style mansion. The corridor was about 55.77 feet (17m) long. At his current slow walking speed, it would take about 25 seconds to cross. In those 25 seconds, there was absolutely no way he could untie the rope. The only way out was to use the skill point from the [Four Classics Quartet (I)] achievement on Basic Pickpocketing! Then, he would do his best and leave the rest to fate. Without hesitation, Julian immediately opened the game panel and upgraded Basic Pickpocketing to Intermediate. In this situation, every second of hesitation was a crime. Skill points were precious, but they could be earned again. He only had one life. A moment later, Julian flexed his fingers and tried again. With the improved Pickpocketing skill, he quickly made progress. He was likely tied with a sailor''s knot. It would probably take about 32 seconds to untie it. The closer they got to the ritual chamber, the stronger the smell of sulfur and blood became. Behind the corridor door, a massive creature seemed to be lurking. Julian could faintly hear a "huff... huff..." sound, gradually growing louder. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the others. He couldn''t see the expression of the one leading the way, but the two cultists walking beside him were fervent, and the chubby kid looked dazed as if he were hearing some evil whispers. It must be that my perception is too low to hear the creature''s whispers, Julian thought. He took a deep breath and sped up his hand movements. With a soft "click," the main knot of the sailor''s knot came loose. Just then, the leading cultist pushed open the door to the ritual chamber. Chapter 6: Marien Even for someone like Julian Thorne, who had seen his fair share of bizarre events, the sight that greeted him upon entering the sacrificial chamber was deeply unsettling. The chamber was a grotesque tableau of horror. It was dark, damp, and filthy. Blood, viscera, and a strange purple mucus coated the floor and walls, giving the place the sickening ambiance of an abattoir. The air hung thick with the coppery tang of blood, stinging the nostrils. At the center of the room, perched upon an altar, was a colossal, corpulent figure shrouded in an ominous black mist. Around her, Curse Cultists stood in vigil, each connected to her by a pulsating red beam of light. It was obvious they were in the midst of a sacrificial ritual. The upper half of the figure was recognizably female, at least in the sense that the usual feminine features were present. But the face was utterly monstrous, a horrifying mosaic of compound eyes and razor-sharp mandibles. Her lower half was that of a gigantic spider. As the three Curse Cultists shoved Julian and the young, chubby Alan into the chamber, the monstrous figure lifted her head. Her myriad compound eyes locked onto Julian, and he could practically feel the raw hunger radiating from her gaze. It was as if she was already savoring the taste of him. Her mouth opened, revealing a dark chasm lined with rows of serrated teeth. As their eyes met, the hairs on the back of Julian''s neck stood on end. This wasn''t fear, but the primal response of an ordinary human in the presence of a being far beyond the natural order. He recognized this creature. He never expected that the demon summoned by these Curse Cultists through The Book of Ithanway would be her¡­ Marien, the Wandering Siren. Marien was the first supernatural creature that Players encountered in Apocalypse. A low-level demon, and also a tragic figure in her own right. According to the lore, Marien was once the beauty pageant queen of a small country east of the continent. Lured by the glamour of the big city, she came to Darkland, where her tragic fate began. Like many such stories, the naive young woman was deceived by a scoundrel who abandoned her after squandering all her money. Penniless, she was forced into a life of prostitution. Five years later, the weary Marien found love again. She fell for a small-time street thug in Darkland, spending her savings to buy him a house and bearing him a lovely son. But this second love, too, lasted less than a decade. Marien, no longer in her prime, could not hold onto her lover. As he became increasingly distant and neglectful, a panicked Marien sought out a dark sorcerer, attempting to use black magic to reclaim her youth. Her attempt failed. The uncontrolled dark magic ravaged her appearance, twisting her features into a grotesque mask. And so, on a rainy night, Marien was thrown out of her own home by her lover. Four cold words were all he left her: "Get lost, monster." Utterly broken, Marien vanished into the rainy night. When she reappeared six months later, she had pledged herself to an ancient god, transforming into a spider-like monster. She brutally devoured her lover and son, turning her former home into a nest. Driven by insatiable hunger, she occasionally hunted humans, though it only served to further corrupt and twist her soul. In the early stages of the game, Marien was infamous. She roamed Darkland, preying on countless novice Players. For Players under level 10, encountering this spider monster was a death sentence.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Due to her "exquisite" appearance and her maw lined with two rows of sharp teeth, there were even some "brave" souls on the game forums who expressed "special thoughts" about her. But now, looking at the real Marien, Julian could only offer his respect to those brave individuals. Lowering his head, avoiding Marien''s gaze, Julian took a deep breath. If this creature was indeed Marien, then he might have a sliver of a chance. He knew her skills well, and newly born low-level demons often needed to devour a large amount of flesh and blood to replenish their strength. They were driven more by madness than reason, making them somewhat easier to deal with. "Priest Niram, the sacrifices have been brought." "Offer them to the Evil God. May the Evil God accept their souls, ma-do-ra-mo-ra-di-na¡­" a man in a black hood and black priestly robes intoned in a low voice. "Ma-do-ra-mo-ra-di-na¡­" the leading cultist echoed, then forcefully shoved Julian towards Marien. Julian stumbled forward, nearly close enough to dance cheek-to-cheek with Marien, close enough to smell the foul breath emanating from her gaping maw. It stank. Julian silently inhaled, and the ropes binding his hands and feet quietly fell away. In the next instant, a finely crafted revolver materialized in his palm. He raised the gun, aimed at Marien, and pulled the trigger. The trigger bar pushed the hammer back, the cylinder stop moved the ratchet, the cylinder rotated, the firing pin struck, hitting the primer, and the gunpowder ignited in the chamber, releasing a cloud of thick smoke. With a resounding bang, a golden bullet spun out of the barrel with tremendous force! -253! Everyone present was stunned into silence. All eyes turned to the altar. The next moment, the bullet, spinning rapidly, slammed into one of Marien''s compound eyes, sending a spray of green blood into the air. "Argh!" Marien shrieked in pain, her eight legs thrashing on the ground. Her two scythe-like, twisted forelegs slashed towards Julian. "Kill him! I want him torn to pieces, his flesh and blood sacrificed to the great True God Nyarlathotep!" The man in the black one-star priestly robe was the first to react, exploding in a furious rage. "Yes, Priest Niram!" From the edge of his vision, Julian saw several black-robed cultists wielding greatswords charge towards him. Priest Niram, having finished his part of the offering, stepped back and began chanting. A sense of impending doom washed over Julian, but his mind remained calm. After firing the shot, he used his left hand to slap the revolver''s hammer, the cylinder quietly rotating, reloading. Simultaneously, he pushed off the ground with his right foot and lunged to the front right. Bang! Bang! Basic Shooting Proficiency granted him exceptional accuracy. Even in mid-lunge, two consecutive shots struck Marien''s compound eyes with pinpoint precision, releasing a spray of viscous green fluid. This series of swift, decisive actions left the young, chubby Alan, who had been scared witless moments before, utterly dumbfounded. In his eyes, the dimly lit room, filled with the stench of blood, was suffocating. A familiar figure in a black academic robe was firing as he lunged to the right, hitting his target repeatedly. As he landed, he narrowly avoided Marien''s heavy, descending forelegs. Boom! The ground cracked under the force of the blow. Shadows danced, and the figure in black still didn''t stop. Instead, he sprinted forward. Alan, who considered himself a rather skilled warrior, knew that a charge had a range of 25 yards. The figure in front of him clearly knew this as well, his movements perfectly timed to stay out of the charge''s blind spot. Then, as he ran, the muzzle of his gun flashed again. Two more bullets screamed out, one finding the throat of a cultist with deadly accuracy, blood erupting in a crimson spray. The other bullet disrupted the black-robed priest''s chanting, a nascent fireball still flickering on his right hand. The priest hastily hurled the incomplete spell at the figure, but it was dodged with another well-timed lunge, the fireball instead striking the onrushing Marien. The fireball exploded on Marien''s body. The figure landed in a crouch, his black robe flaring slightly. "Awesome!" Alan''s eyes lit up. He made a decision. If he survived this, this guy, no, this brother, no, once a brother, always a father, this father, he was determined to acknowledge. But at that very moment, having lost three compound eyes and taken a fireball hit, Marien finally snapped. She took a deep breath, her abdomen beginning to swell. Chapter 7: Kill Shot This was it - the prelude to the Banshee''s Wail! Julian Thorne reacted the fastest. In his past life, during his time playing Apocalypse, Marien had always used this move. As one of the most troublesome bosses in the early game, she always caught a bunch of noobs off guard with it. The only solution was to find cover as quickly as possible. So, Julian immediately turned and sprinted towards the right side of the altar, zigzagging as he went. He heard the whoosh of a fireball behind him, and a massive ball of fire brushed past him, igniting the wooden floor. Flames instantly erupted, reaching high into the air. Having missed his initial target, Niram, clearly unaware of the danger posed by the Banshee''s Wail, continued chanting with a grim expression. Ignoring Niram''s attack, Julian ran like hell. Finally, he managed to narrowly avoid the brunt of the attack by diving behind the altar where Marien had been, flattening himself on the ground. At the same time, a piercing sound wave blasted through the room¡ª [You have been hit by Banshee''s Wail! You have taken 57 damage!] [You have been hit by Banshee''s Wail! You are now in a state of Dizziness, movement speed reduced by 50% for 10 seconds!] Even though he was prepared, Julian was still hit. He felt a warm liquid flowing from his nose, and his head spun. He instinctively reached up to touch it and found his hand covered in bright red liquid. That was close! Seeing his HP plummet to a mere 25 and his stamina almost depleted, Julian''s heart pounded. If it weren''t for his extensive experience in the game in his previous life, he would have been a goner. Even so, his health was dangerously low. Fortunately, according to Apocalypse''s settings, HP would slowly regenerate outside of combat. Otherwise, he wouldn''t stand a chance in the upcoming fight. The others weren''t so lucky. Marien''s Banshee''s Wail swept through the room like a miniature hurricane. The scattered flesh and blood on the floor were blown away, and Alan, along with everyone else in the room, fell backward, blood trickling from their mouths and noses. The Curse Cult members who had just charged in were the worst off. Caught in the center of the blast, they were instantly knocked off their feet and sent flying before they could react, landing heavily on the ground, unconscious. After a while, the enraged Marien finally stopped her wail. Her eight legs moved rapidly as she searched for her enemies. Her primary target was, naturally, Julian, who had dealt her a significant blow. But unable to find him immediately, she locked onto Niram, who had just hit her with a fireball. Niram: ...! "Stop, stop! I''m not your enemy!" Niram shouted, having just recovered from the direct hit of the Banshee''s Wail. But the newly born, low-level demon was driven more by madness, easily losing its rationality. He felt his body lighten as Marien''s sharp forelegs grabbed him and stuffed him into her maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. Moments later, a bloodcurdling scream and the sickening sound of crunching filled the air.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The scene sent shivers down Julian''s spine, his heart pounding in his chest. He had heard that in his previous life, a particularly "imaginative" player with the ID "Sadwind the Great" eventually acted on his impulses and engaged in intercourse with Marien. The outcome was pretty grim. Witnessing the scene before him, Julian almost felt like singing a certain song to him, if circumstances allowed: Keep Your Roots Intact. Seeing Marien''s health rapidly recovering after devouring Niram, Julian didn''t hesitate any longer. He ejected the spent shell, spun the cylinder, and calmly fired another shot at Marien. Bang! The bullet struck Marien''s forehead, piercing straight through and leaving a deep hole. Green blood splattered to the ground, sizzling and corroding the floor. However, Marien seemed unfazed, her health bar only dropping slightly. She immediately shifted her target and, with a furious roar, charged towards Julian, who was hiding behind the altar, her eight long legs propelling her forward. Julian didn''t rush to dodge. He squeezed the trigger, his left hand spinning the magazine, unloading bullets into Marien. His ivory-handled Colt M1873 Revolver had a custom magazine, but it still only held 10 rounds. After four consecutive shots, the magazine was finally empty! The result was that Marien''s HP finally fell below half. Her massive body reached Julian, and she suddenly leaped into the air, pouncing on him. "D... I... E... you ant!" Julian remained calm, his gaze sharp as he stared at Marien. The empty M1873 Revolver suddenly vanished from his hands, replaced by another weapon he had acquired in his previous simulation: the Swedish Sjogren Inertia Shotgun. As its description stated: 12-gauge, Hornet''s Nest maker, a true weapon of mayhem. Julian raised the Sjogren Inertia Shotgun, squinted, aimed at Marien''s head, and pulled the trigger. Boom!!! Blood splattered everywhere. With a deafening roar, Julian was pushed back a step by the shotgun''s massive recoil. Marien let out an ear-splitting shriek and crashed heavily to the ground. -697! This shotgun truly lived up to its reputation as a weapon of mayhem. With just one shot, Marien''s health plummeted from half to a quarter, leaving her on the brink of death. Marien landed heavily on the ground, took a deep breath, and prepared to unleash another Banshee''s Wail. But her mouth was suddenly stuffed with a long, thick gun barrel. Bang! Bang! Two more shots rang out, sending flesh and blood flying. Julian''s eyes were cold and sharp. Ignoring the burning pain in his arm, he fired two more shots directly into Marien''s gaping maw. In an instant, Marien''s health bar was emptied, and the madness in her eyes rapidly faded. "No, my children, my love... I don''t want to die..." Julian had no time for her last words. He pulled the trigger, firing a third shot. Marien''s massive body collapsed to the ground. Moments later, her flesh disintegrated, turning into a swarm of small, crawling spiders. "Finally, it''s over..." Julian let out a long sigh of relief, returning the shotgun to his Inventory. He realized his back was soaked in cold sweat. [You have killed the low-level demon, Fledgling Marien. You have gained 3500 experience points. You have attracted the attention of the Evil God Nyastora.] Julian shook his head helplessly. The 3500 experience points were nice, but the side effects of killing a demon were quite obvious. There was a chance of attracting the attention of their boss. Talk about bad luck. Apocalypse was a game with a high degree of freedom. Players could not only join the forces of good but also join the forces of evil through a series of quests, even pledging allegiance to an Evil God. And now, it seemed he had already made his choice ahead of time. He glanced around. Marien had inadvertently helped him earlier. Her powerful Banshee''s Wail had cleared the room. The Curse Cult members were either still dazed or had lost their ability to fight. What a good woman. He suddenly understood Sadwind the Great''s peculiar tastes a little better. Julian picked up a greatsword from the ground, tested its weight, and began to finish off the remaining Curse Cult members lying on the floor. [You dealt 80 slashing damage to the enemy!] x5 [You have killed a Curse Cultist! You have gained 1200 experience points!] x5 [Your reputation with the Curse Cult has decreased by 5000 points! Current reputation: Hatred!] After finishing them off, Julian gained 6000 experience points, and his reputation with the Curse Cult dropped to Hatred. But it didn''t matter. As a champion of justice, shouldn''t he be fighting against such evil forces? Chapter 8: Escape In his past life, Julian Thorne had joined the game relatively late, missing the first version when the Curse Cult was at its peak. Nevertheless, he had heard of their infamous reputation. Spreading plagues, performing random sacrifices... and that was just the tip of the iceberg. The leader of the Curse Cult seemed particularly enthusiastic about destroying the world and wiping out humanity. To achieve this goal, they had allied with the Death Cult, the Plague Cult, the Goddess of War, and various other Ancient Gods. They changed allegiances faster than even the infamous Lu Bu, earning them the title of the "Three-Surnamed Bastard" of this world. Even after repeated failures, they remained steadfast in their "noble" ambition of world destruction. Eventually, even the Players were moved by their persistence. They had never seen such a motivated group of villains. However, the transmigrator Julian expressed indifference. They obviously haven''t met Big Big Wolf and Brilliance Joe. When it comes to being motivated, those two are the real deal. Julian searched the bodies of the Curse Cult members, finding nearly 7 Viktars and 50 Roschens. Other than that, he found some addictive drugs and a few weather forecasting sticks. Weather forecasting sticks were used to predict the weather, although they weren''t always accurate. According to the laws of the Kingdom of Bryston, all inns and dormitories were required to provide guests with a free weather forecasting stick each day. They worked similarly to pregnancy tests: after scraping, one red line within 10 minutes indicated sunny weather for the foreseeable future, two red lines indicated rain, and one red line with a faint red line indicated cloudy or special weather. These poor bastards! Julian pocketed the money and weather forecasting sticks he had looted from the Curse Cult members and opened the game interface. Killing Marien and the cultists had netted him a total of 9,500 experience points. Adding the 500 points he already had, his experience points officially exceeded 10,000. In the early stages of the game, this was a small fortune. In Apocalypse, experience points could be used to level up both class levels and normal skills. Life skills like Alchemy and Enchanting could only be leveled up by accumulating proficiency. Julian''s current class was Student, and his secondary class was Linguist, neither of which were combat-oriented. Therefore, he didn''t need to spend experience points on leveling up his classes for now. Experience points in Apocalypse were like money in real life - you could never have enough. In his past life, Julian had seen many Players who squandered their experience points, only to find themselves lacking when it mattered most. Therefore, after careful consideration, Julian spent 5,000 experience points to upgrade his Basic Shooting Proficiency from Basic to Advanced, finally increasing his combat power somewhat. It would also be useful when fusing skills later.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The interface changed again. Name: Julian Thorne/Wayne Stilwell Race: Human Template: NPC [Beta Testing Countdown: 47 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes] Level: 2 Class: Student/Assistant Instructor [1/10] Secondary Class: Linguist [2/10] Natural Force Affinity: 0 Arcane Affinity: 0 Talents: Hidden Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 10, Constitution 8, Willpower 9, Intelligence 9, Charisma 98 HP: 46/80 Stamina: 36/96 Willpower (Stat): 7/9 Mana: 0 Life Skills: Basic Alchemy Normal Skills: Expert French Fluency, Intermediate Pickpocketing, Advanced Shooting Proficiency Other: Omitted for brevity. "Bro, could you help me untie this rope?" Alan Vester, the chubby young man, asked weakly. Although he hadn''t been of any help during the whole ordeal, Alan had watched everything unfold with a growing sense of awe toward the person before him. While this awe had diminished slightly as he was tied up like a pig waiting to be slaughtered and left alone for a full five minutes, it returned when Julian untied him. Alan grasped Julian''s hand, tears welling up in his eyes. "You''re a good man!" "While I appreciate the sentiment, I''m not interested in physical repayment, especially from men." Julian winked at Alan, cracking a lighthearted joke. "I wasn''t planning on repaying you with my body," Alan quickly retracted his hand, as if electrocuted. He realized that Julian was trying to ease his tension with humor, and he felt a surge of gratitude. Before Julian could speak, Alan quickly added, "I will definitely repay you, I promise! You will also have the friendship of House Vester, especially my personal friendship!" [You have unlocked a new faction''s reputation!] [House Vester''s favorability towards you has increased by 1,500 points!] [House Vester: Friendly (1,500/3,000)] "It''s okay." Julian smiled, not dwelling on the repayment. Even without it, gaining House Vester''s favorability was already worth it. As a transmigrator, he had countless ways to make money, but opportunities to unlock new faction reputations were rare and valuable. In Apocalypse, the concepts of monarchy, theocracy, and family were paramount. Theocracy held the highest authority, monarchy was the most powerful, but the emergence of the supernatural power known as Family Motto made the concept of family incredibly important. Through continuous development, nobles with Family Motto grew increasingly powerful, their influence permeating the military, political, and commercial sectors of their respective countries. For Players, maintaining good relations with such factions could lead to opportunities to purchase rare items and skills, and even a slim chance to become a member of a noble family with a Family Motto. Take House Vester, for example. This family controlled the Alchemy Association. Being on good terms with them was like having a backer in the Alchemy Association, which would be extremely beneficial for his future development. After Julian''s well-timed joke, the atmosphere between them became much more relaxed. However, the D-rank quest [House Vester''s Gratitude] remained uncompleted, likely requiring him to escort Alan out of The Jasonath Haunted Mansion. Might as well go all the way. Julian took Alan back to the previous cell, where two other survivors were huddled, trembling with fear. When they saw Julian and Alan, they nearly burst into tears of gratitude. After some conversation, by the time the four of them reached the entrance of The Jasonath Haunted Mansion, they had a general understanding of each other''s identities. Besides Julian and Alan, one was named Richard Pesa, whose family ran a sizable herbal medicine shop. The other was named Luke, whose father was a tax official in Dakeland City. Julian pushed open the door. It was around midnight, and a chilling 50¡ãF (10¡ãC) breeze made him instinctively shrink his neck. So this is the game world? Just like in the game, The Jasonath Haunted Mansion was located in the dock area. Nearby was a tavern called The Bull and Clover, where Julian had previously set a respawn point in the game. Not far from the mansion was a long street. At one end of the street was an area frequented by prostitutes. Even now, a few were still soliciting customers emerging from the bars. As the four of them crossed the street, heading towards the nearest police station, a luxurious carriage stopped in front of them. Chapter 9: The Game Forum Julian Thorne''s pupils contracted. The gold-trimmed, white-bordered double-headed eagle insignia looked similar to the Russian coat of arms from his past life, but this was actually the crest of the Kingdom of Bryston''s unique intelligence agency: the Wardens of the Sun. The Wardens of the Sun might sound like a group of bouncers working in a red-light district, but they were, in fact, a special task force within the Kingdom of Bryston, responsible for dealing with supernatural threats. Initially, they were tasked with handling supernatural incidents. However, after the game''s public beta launch, their focus shifted towards Players. Any Player who broke the law would be hunted down and either killed or captured, quickly turning the Wardens into a name whispered in fear among the Player community. And now, immediately after his transmigration, he had a run-in with them. The carriage stopped by the roadside, and a middle-aged man in a black fedora stepped out. He approached the group with an aura of quiet authority. "Uncle Keene!" The chubby Alan Vester exclaimed joyfully, "Are you here to pick me up?" "It''s on the way, young Alan. I''m glad you''re alive!" The man smiled, doffing his hat in a slight bow. "My name is Keene Vester, of the Wardens of the Sun, and also little Alan''s uncle. Do you all have time for a little chat?" Keene Vester? The future leader of the Wardens of the Sun, and one of the most powerful Meteorologists in the human world. Julian vaguely remembered that he was already a demigod when he first appeared in the game. Who knew House Vester had such a big shot hidden up their sleeve? Julian was secretly surprised. Curse Cult, you never fail to impress. Useless at everything except causing trouble. His mind raced, but he managed a smile and nodded. "Of course, it would be my honor." Keene Vester chuckled, replacing his hat. "Then please, get in the carriage. Don''t worry, it''s just a chat." The carriage was spacious, with a plush red carpet lining its floor. Julian found a seat. The young Vester began to recount the day''s events. Alan Vester was quite the storyteller, and he described the incident in great detail. The only part he missed was Julian drawing the Swedish Sjogren Inertia Shotgun and killing Marien, as he had been knocked unconscious by her Banshee''s Wail. But he seemed pretty good at filling in the blanks. Based on what he''d seen earlier, he managed to concoct a thrilling gunfight scene in his mind. Julian: ... The supposed intensity and dramatic twists of the gunfight left even him a little bewildered. Was I really that badass? Keene Vester, however, listened intently. Only after Alan had finished did he speak, his voice thoughtful. "You''re saying they summoned a demon through a ritual sacrifice? Are you sure?" "Yes, a huge spider-like demon," the young Vester said, before adding, "If it wasn''t for Mr. Stilwell, I doubt any of us would have made it out alive." "I understand." Keene Vester nodded, extending a hand elegantly. "Mr. Stilwell, House Vester will forever remember your assistance." [D-Rank Quest [Gratitude of House Vester] Completed. You have gained 6,000 EXP.] [Your Favorability with House Vester has increased by 1,800 points!] [House Vester: Revered (300/6,000)] [You can now share information with House Vester to a certain extent and will receive a 20% discount at all House Vester shops and auction houses.] Even someone as seasoned as Julian couldn''t help but feel a little excited. Reputation with hidden factions like House Vester was the hardest to grind, but the rewards were also the greatest.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Perhaps because his reputation had reached Revered, Keene''s gaze towards Julian softened considerably. "You all have Wayne to thank. According to the Wardens'' data, in the past two years, the Curse Cult has performed seventy-two rituals in the Kingdom of Bryston, involving a total of 2,592 people. Only twenty-seven survived." We really were lucky... Hearing this, everyone looked at Julian, their hearts filled with gratitude. We owe you our lives! Keene didn''t seem intent on making things difficult for them. After asking a few more questions and taking down their statements, he concluded the questioning and offered to drop them off on his way back. Richard Pesa and Luke Shaw lived in the nearby Old Town district and got off midway. A while later, the young Vester also alighted, escorted by several guards back to the Duke''s mansion, leaving only Julian and Keene in the carriage. "Where to?" Keene inquired. "Vickers University, please," Julian replied. The memories left by his predecessor were fragmented, but some basic information remained. His current identity was that of a fourth-year student at Vickers University, about to graduate and facing the pressures of finding a job. The carriage turned and headed towards the Vickers University campus on the other side of the city. The Duke''s mansion was located in one of the most prosperous areas of Drakon, adjacent to the commercial district. Even though it was already late at night, the streets were still bustling with people due to the pleasant weather. The ten-meter-wide streets weren''t exactly packed, but the carriage still had to navigate through a fair amount of traffic. Keene took out a bottle of liquor from under the table and twisted off the cap. "Northern Sea Elephant Seal''s Ice Dew liquor, with a bit of aphid juice. It''s quite good. Care to try?" "No, thanks. I rarely drink." Just the mention of aphid juice made Julian''s face contort in discomfort, and he politely declined. He had a strong aversion to anything insect-related. Keene poured himself a glass and smiled. "Alright, now let''s talk about the real issue." "The real issue?" "Yes, I withheld some information earlier." Keene took a sip of the Ice Dew liquor, his voice low. "The Curse Cult did indeed perform seventy-two rituals in the Kingdom of Bryston, with 2,592 people involved, and twenty-seven survivors. But supernatural events are never that simple. Why don''t you take a guess at what happened?" "They all died?" Julian offered, playing along. "A good guess!" Keene said, his expression unchanged. "But the reality is far worse. Six of those twenty-seven were from Drakon, and we kept in contact with them after they were rescued. But within three days, some reported experiencing auditory hallucinations, as if a voice was constantly whispering in their ears, goading them to do crazy things. At first, we didn''t take it too seriously, thinking it was just a result of extreme stress. That was until one of them actually turned into a Fallen, causing significant casualties. This was the first recorded incident of eldritch influence related to a supernatural event in Bryston''s history. Later, seventeen of the remaining twenty-six individuals also experienced these hallucinations. Some committed suicide, others transformed. Only nine were spared." Julian felt a chill run down his spine. In the game Apocalypse, there was always a lore about ancient gods being good at manipulating people''s minds. But the game was one thing; having it happen to him in real life was another matter entirely. "I''m telling you this so you''ll be vigilant about your mental state. If you experience any hallucinations, come to me immediately," Keene said calmly. "I understand," Julian replied earnestly. Keene nodded, lifting his fedora. "Alright, that''s all for tonight. Go home and get some rest. Tomorrow might bring a surprise. Also, there''s going to be a heavy downpour soon. There''s an umbrella in the carriage, take it with you." The carriage stopped in the quiet campus. Julian, looking somewhat bewildered, took the umbrella and got off, watching as the carriage receded into the distance. The sky was clear without a cloud in sight, but the weather in this world didn''t follow logic. The moment Julian opened the umbrella, a torrential downpour began. "This damn weather," Julian muttered, shaking his head after a moment of stunned silence. He checked his pocket watch; it was almost 1:00 AM. Although his predecessor''s memories were incomplete, he still had his student ID and dorm keys. He vaguely recalled that he lived on the east side of the campus. Following the cobblestone path, he reached the student dormitory and inserted his key into the lock. The door opened smoothly. Memory serves me right, Julian thought, relieved. ... Julian''s dorm was on the sixth floor. He walked down the narrow corridor and opened the door. The room was empty. His roommate, Jonathan, was a cheerful rich kid who kept a dog in the dorm. The dog was supposedly of a rare breed, but it was a bit dim-witted. Jonathan''s door was ajar. Julian glanced in; the guy was out, but the dog was in, sprawled out on Jonathan''s bed, snoring away. Julian: ... Only Jonathan would tolerate this. If that dumb dog ever dared to sleep on his bed, he''d grab it by the scruff of its neck and throw it out the window. After a hot shower, as Julian was about to go to bed, a few notifications popped up before his eyes. [Important Notice: Dear Players, Beta Testing is about to begin. The official Apocalypse forum is now live.] [Important Notice: The first episode of the Apocalypse series is now available on the forum and other platforms. This series is automatically generated by the Personal AI. Players interested in learning about the game''s lore are encouraged to watch.] The game forum? Julian was momentarily stunned, but with a thought, he was already on the forum''s homepage. Chapter 10: The Video Chapter 10: The Video The forum''s layout was identical to the one he remembered from his past life, even down to the specific sections. [Daguerre''s Medal (Newcomer Zone)] [Daguerre''s Banner (Recruitment Zone)] ... Numerous posts had already sprung up, buzzing with comments. Among the trending threads, he even spotted a few familiar IDs. There was ''Emperor Griefblade,'' and the renowned strategy guru, ''Whisperwind,'' among others. The Recruitment Zone was already bustling with activity, as various professional guilds established their presence and began seeking new members. A wave of nostalgia washed over Julian Thorne, a strange sensation of how things have changed. Wait a minute... A sudden question struck Julian Thorne. Even if he had transmigrated into the game world, did he still exist in the real world? He recalled the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Because of time travel, two Harry Potters existed in the same time-space; thus, young Harry Potter discovered that the older Harry Potter was spying on him, and the older Harry Potter cast a spell to save the parallel-universe young Harry Potter. At the time, the film left him a bit confused, but now that he was in a similar situation, he understood instantly. With a flicker of hope, he attempted to enter his old username and password. [This user is not registered. Please try again.] He tried to make a post. [Unregistered users are not permitted to perform this action.] Then he attempted to register. [User IP not detected. Unable to complete identity verification. Please check your network connection.] So much for movies being helpful, damn it! After a series of failed attempts, Julian Thorne finally gave up. It seemed he was stuck as a lurker, only able to view posts but unable to post or reply. Whatever, let''s check out the video first! He navigated to the pinned post on the homepage and played the first episode of the featured series¡ª"The Offering." The video began with a rousing orchestral score. Opening Text: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. The scene opened with a panoramic view of Bryston''s capital, Darklund. One half of the sky was blanketed in a blizzard of snow, while the other half was drenched in a torrential downpour. The camera zoomed in, starting from a towering clock tower that pierced the clouds, then sweeping across a bustling trade district. The streets were thronged with people, and one individual even paraded a leashed Thunder Lizard through the crowd. A picture of prosperity. The scene rapidly descended, plunging into the depths beneath Darklund, where a colossal ancient god was imprisoned, its body engulfed in viridescent, fel flames, roaring skyward from time to time.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Clang..." The clock tower''s bell tolled, and the camera abruptly focused on the statues of the Four Heroes, standing sentinel along the banks of the Seton River. A single tear of blood suddenly welled in the eye of the statue of Sir Archibald, the Flame of Justice, positioned at the very center, before trickling down. The scene shifted again, this time to a dilapidated mansion. A group of black-robed cultists were conducting a ritual. Julian Thorne: ????? Why does this feel so familiar? No, extremely familiar? The video transitioned to a dimly lit cell, crammed with people. The air was thick with the sounds of quiet sobbing. Through a series of quick cuts, the audience grasped the gist of the plot. A millennium ago, this monstrous ancient god was sealed underground by the mortal champions of the gods¡ªfour legendary heroes. With the aid of these heroes, a city was built above, which is now the city of Darklund. Centuries ago, the gods waged war amongst themselves for dominance and faith. The conflict ended in mutual destruction. Not only did the gods fall into a deep slumber, but even the elemental laws were thrown into chaos by the war, impacting the mortal realm. This resulted in Apocalypse''s extremely erratic weather patterns. Acquiring supernatural powers had also become increasingly difficult. Moreover, numerous areas of elemental instability appeared across the continent on the battlefields of the gods, forming zones virtually inaccessible to humans, known as "Weather Tides." A thousand years later, the stories of the war of the gods could only be found in ancient texts, and the ancient god sealed beneath the earth had long been forgotten, with only the statues of the Four Heroes remaining by the Seton River. A group of cultists, seeking to bring about the end of the world, attempted to use a sacrificial ritual to summon a demon from another dimension. This is where the story began. The scene noticeably sped up, showing a sequence of people being taken away for the sacrifice. Then, the hexagram array in the ritual chamber lit up point by point, and a gigantic, bloated, spider-like female demon was summoned. The cultists erupted in cheers. It really is this place... Julian Thorne felt the urge to facepalm. What''s going on? Why am I suddenly about to be on stage? The video''s pace was rapid, showing one young person after another being fed to Marien as offerings. Suddenly, the perspective shifted to Julian Thorne and fixed on him, with the name "Wayne Stilwell" appearing above his head, catching even Julian Thorne himself off guard. Simultaneously, a flurry of comments scrolled across the screen: "High-energy warning!!!" "Ahhh, so handsome! He looks a bit like Bieber, what do you gals think?" "Bieber, my foot, don''t be silly." "Everyone, pay attention, don''t fast forward, high energy throughout!" "Look at how calm he is, he''s definitely got something up his sleeve!" "Wayne is my hubby!!!" Julian Thorne: ... While it was nice to be complimented, being compared to Justin Bieber wasn''t exactly something he''d be proud of. The video version of himself was indeed quite handsome. He was currently resting with his eyes closed. Beside him sat a chubby young man, his face streaked with tears and snot. Well, his looks were originally a 98 out of 100, but with the little fatty as a foil, it instantly became a 120, undoubtedly delivering a critical hit to first-time viewers. Indeed, a beautiful woman often has an ugly best friend. Sorry, little fatty! Suddenly, the door opened, and three black-robed Curse Cult members entered, taking both Julian Thorne and the chubby young man away. Julian Thorne frowned slightly, and his hands, hidden behind his back, began to work at the ropes. The video even provided a close-up of his hands. Despite being bound, it was clear that his fingers were incredibly nimble, a blur of motion. The tightly tied sailor''s knot quickly loosened under his efforts. Even with the ropes loosened, Julian Thorne''s expression remained impassive. Only when the sacrifice began and he was pushed towards the spider demon did he brazenly draw his gun, revealing his fangs! The comments reached a fever pitch at this moment! "Strong, strong, strong!" "Damn, low-key, patient, then BAM, I''m hyped!" "Beautiful, strong, and tragic, this guy is definitely the protagonist, who agrees, who disagrees?" "Agreed!!! Totally badass!" From an outsider''s perspective, even Julian Thorne had to admit that he looked really cool. In the video, as he pulled the trigger on Marien, the director included a long shot. The scene resembled Don Quixote charging at a windmill, creating a powerful visual impact. Then, facing the combined assault of Marien and a group of Curse Cult members, Julian Thorne calmly spun the cylinder, completing a reload. He pushed off the ground with his right foot, executing a diving roll to evade Marien''s heavy strike, leaving a long fissure in the ground where he had been standing. He completely toyed with the massive supernatural creature, playing it like a fiddle. Then came Julian Thorne''s rapid advance, perfectly timed to exploit the blind spots in the charging warriors'' formation. He even managed to fire two shots with effortless grace while running, taking down a cultist and interrupting the mini-boss''s Fireball incantation. He then performed another diving roll, preemptively predicting the Fireball''s trajectory, causing the mini-boss''s spell to slam into the pursuing Marien. Then, after landing from the roll, the hem of his black academic robe billowed in the wind, the entire sequence executed with breathtaking fluidity. Countless Players expressed that they were completely blown away. Chapter 11: Peeping The reason for their excitement was simple. The Julian Thorne in the video wasn''t just handsome, making it easy for Players to project themselves onto him. He was also incredibly composed, even in the heat of battle. Every move he made was calculated, as if he had everything under control. In short, he was the embodiment of coolness. Although it was a bit embarrassing, Julian himself was enjoying the video quite a bit. It''s a strange feeling, watching a video where others are praising you. The more they praised, the more bizarre it felt. But it wasn''t just praise. With over 2,000 Apocalypse arena matches and an 89% win rate in his past life, this was simply a statement of fact. The video continued. In the clip, Marien, consumed by rage, took a deep breath, clearly about to unleash a powerful attack. The Players watching the video held their breath for Julian. But their worries were unfounded. The Julian in the video didn''t hesitate for a second. He dashed forward, narrowly dodging Marien''s ultimate move, "Banshee''s Howl," while the Curse Cult members surrounding him weren''t so lucky. Then, as Marien pounced, Julian casually drew his gun and fired. When the bullets ran out, a shotgun suddenly appeared in his hand, and he blasted Marien three times, killing her instantly. The scene was visually stunning. The video was nearing its end. As Marien collapsed, transforming into countless tiny spiders, the live comments exploded again. "Damn, he did it again!" "Show off, yes, but also incredibly cool!" "He''s just too good..." "So much charisma, and so handsome. Anyone who doesn''t think he''s the protagonist is crazy, right? Right?" "Dude, everything in Apocalypse, including this video, is generated by the Super AIs. Theoretically, there''s no such thing as a protagonist." "Even if he''s not the protagonist, he''s at least a Chosen One! Calling him the protagonist isn''t wrong!" The scene flashed again. It was a familiar setting: the entrance to Vickers University. A young man with a scar on his face, dressed like a new student, raised his hands and clenched his fists. "I''m going to be the Son of Weather!" The name above his head read: Apprentice Alchemist - Leandro de Pesa. The scene shifted once more. A girl with fiery orange hair and a voluptuous figure, wearing patched-up clothes, was running a street stall, hawking her wares to passersby. When someone tried to haggle, she smiled and said, "My Family Motto is ''Fair trade, haggle over every penny.'' You won''t get a single Roshen more from me." The name above her head read: Apprentice Swordsman/Merchant - Chris Bladensburg.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The live comments were instantly flooded with the word "Wife." The scene shifted again. In an endless darkness, a book lay still. Though no one was touching it, its pages began to turn on their own, flipping rapidly. It was filled with densely packed names. After a moment, it stopped on a particular page. The first name on the page was - Wayne Stilwell. The screen went black, and the video ended. Julian: ... Ending it there was just cruel! He was curious about what that book was. It gave him a bad feeling. But the Super AI had chosen to end the video at that exact moment, a truly despicable act. As for the two people before, they were familiar, and their lines were incredibly cringey, making him feel second-hand embarrassment. In the original Apocalypse game, this cringey guy was the Chosen One of the game, Leandro de Pesa, a genius alchemist and an idiotic Meteorologist. And the cringey girl was also kind of a Chosen One, named Chris Bladensburg. She was pretty cute, had a large chest, and was known as "Wife" by many Players in his past life. There was even a saying: "The doujinshi section can''t live without Chris, just like instant noodles can''t live without the seasoning packet." He remembered that these two were new students this year. School would start in a few days. He should find some time to meet them and see if he could ride their coattails. Wait a minute... This time, he was featured in the video alongside these two Chosen Ones, and his screen time was clearly more than theirs combined. It seemed like he was really getting the protagonist treatment. He should be the one they are trying to ride the coattails of. If he didn''t know that Apocalypse had no protagonist, he would have believed it. Julian took a deep breath and scrolled down to the comment section. The video had just been released, so many people were probably still watching it, but there were already a lot of comments. "Calm, wise, handsome, powerful... Standard protagonist template. I''m betting on this guy." "Same here. I''ll follow him when Beta Testing starts." "This promo video is good, but can it be longer?" "Am I the only one who thinks that Leandro is the protagonist? Cringey, black hair, scar, standard shonen protagonist." "It says Beta Testing, when does Beta Testing start? I''m getting impatient!!" Looking at the comments, about half of the people seemed to think that he was the predetermined protagonist of the Apocalypse game. Honestly, it was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. Because he was also a Player, he knew how strong Players could be. If he could build up his reputation among the Players, it could definitely help him thrive in the game. As for the plot... Who cares? It shouldn''t change too much. In his past life, the plot of the first expansion revolved around the ancient underground god Nyastora. A little adaptation, like changing the protagonist, wouldn''t hurt. [Ding! You have significantly impacted the world of Apocalypse. You are rewarded with 1 random Skill Point.] Julian: ... He had just been thinking about the Transmigration Simulator, and it suddenly gave him such a pleasant surprise. Random Skill Point +1! Julian''s eyes welled up. This was too touching. Games that gave out random Skill Points so readily were rare. Was this the legendary "conscientious game" everyone talked about? So, not only did he get rewards for impacting the simulated world, but he also got rewards for impacting the game world... He had been worried all day and was planning to rest early, but now he wasn''t tired at all. Let''s transmigrate! [Preparing for transmigration... Transmigration Coin -1] [Matching with a parallel version of you...] [Would you like to spend another Transmigration Coin to re-roll your Talents?] Having become wealthy, Julian didn''t hesitate to choose yes. [Please select three of the following ten Talents as matching criteria] [1. Athletic Genius (Blue): You possess exceptional athletic abilities.] [2. Crooked Mouth Dragon King (Purple): Every time you smirk, things get easier. Just do it, NIKE.] [3. Zidane (Purple): You have ball skills as godly as Zidane, but as a consequence, your hairstyle is identical to his at age 35.] [4. Tony Stark (Purple): Like Iron Man, you''re a typical playboy, a bit sarcastic but intelligent and ingenious, and a scientific genius, although not as great as him, but not far behind.] [5. Interracial Love (White): You are naturally a furry, and you especially liked the Tauren when playing World of Warcraft.] [6. Sail-like Back (White): Your back muscles are exceptionally developed.] [7. Verbal Tai Chi Master (White): You''re a master of verbal Tai Chi, gracefully deflecting any conversational attack with the fluidity of the martial art.] [8. Wisdom at Forty (Green): You will become wiser when you reach the age of forty.] [9. Mechanical Ascension (Purple): Flesh is weak, ascend with machines. Note: You may find that this world does not have the parts you need.] [10. Honest and Reliable (Green): You never lie.] [Please choose!] Chapter 12: Scientific Genius Chapter 12: Scientific Genius 1, 2, and 4 were decent, and 9 was tempting. Mechanical ascension sounded pretty damn cool, but considering the historical context, Julian Thorne wasn''t keen on the idea of losing certain... parts. After a moment''s thought, Julian made his picks: 1, 2, and 4. [Talent 1, Talent 2, and Talent 4 selected.] [Matching successful. Your parallel self is a playboy and a scientific genius, with an exceptional aptitude for athletics¡ªboth in and out of the bedroom. If you could ignore that Nike-swoosh grin, he''d be quite likable.] [Game Over upon death in the simulation.] [Initiating Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Transmigration complete.] [You have arrived in Paris, 1894. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.] [December 17, 1894: Freshly transmigrated into Paris and unfamiliar with the lay of the land, you''re not exactly thrilled about the prospect of menial labor. While contemplating life on a random street corner, you try your luck with the ladies. Blonde? Rejection. Brunette? Rejection. Another brunette? Rejection. Redhead? You flash your signature, devil-may-care grin, and... jackpot. You borrow some Francs, buy a box of condoms, then proceed to purchase a leather whip. After an hour of fun in a public restroom, you find yourself moving into the redhead''s place. Skill acquired: Expert Flirting Proficiency] [December 18, 1894: Turns out your redhead, Jenny, is a loaded widow, the type that could probably pay the bills with her a. First day in and you''ve already hit peak performance... in bed.] [December 19-20, 1894: Still in bed... ] [December 21, 1895: Legs wobbly, hands like jelly, you decide that maybe, just maybe, you shouldn''t be devoting your entire existence to the pleasures of the flesh. You''re a transmigrator, not a goddamn sex machine!] [December 22, 1895: The tables are turned. (Health -1, Happiness -1)] [December 23, 1895: Still getting worked over. (Health -1, Happiness -1)] [December 24, 1895: Feeling the emptiness of it all, you decide a job might not be so bad after all. With your social skills and scientific brilliance, you land a gig at a hot new tech startup.] [February 15, 1896: After two months of actual work and a bit of saving, you sweet-talk your old flame, Jenny, into lending you some capital and put together a research team.] [April 1896: You invent and improve upon the wireless telegraph.] [August 1896: You invent the optical interferometer and use it for spectroscopic and fundamental metrology research. (Feat acquired: Scientific Genius)] [May 1897: You build the first airplane and successfully defy gravity, taking to the skies. (Achievement unlocked: Aim High)]Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. [June 1897: Your research is raking in the dough. Jenny''s loan has netted her a tenfold return, and you''re now one of the most sought-after tycoons in Europe. You''ve officially entered high society, attending fancy galas. At one such event, you bump into Romain Rolland again. Some friendships are just meant to be, and this is your third time becoming best buds. (Achievement unlocked: Friends, Again)] [September 1897: At another gala, Romain Rolland introduces you to a minor Italian noble. This time, you make a point to remember his name: William A. Zeppeli. Huh. Rings a bell.] [October 1897: You make an effort to get closer to William A. Zeppeli. After all, who could resist a charming, genuinely friendly gentleman? You discover that Zeppeli''s in France hunting for an evil Stone Mask, a cursed artifact that turns people into vampires. Apparently, his old man bought it.] Julian''s mind did a backflip. The Stone Mask! No way... So, it wasn''t some Interview with the Vampire or Bram Stoker''s Dracula scenario he had landed in. He was smack-dab in the middle of JoJo''s Bizarre Adventure. In the manga, William A. Zeppeli was the mentor of the protagonist, Jonathan Joestar. He had picked up a technique called the Ripple, an ancient martial art, in Tibet. It was basically like channeling the power of sunlight, and it could seriously mess up creatures of darkness. Plus, it had some pretty sweet anti-aging perks. If he could learn the Ripple from Zeppeli, that would be one hell of a score. The simulation continued. [November 1897: You learn that Zeppeli is a master of the Ripple, a powerful technique that simulates the power of sunlight. Seeing the strength of your friendship, Zeppeli agrees to teach you this secret art. The price? You have to help him find the Stone Mask.] [December 1897: As a natural athlete, you have a special talent for the Ripple, mastering it quickly. You also start looking for a nobleman named George Joestar. Skill acquired: Ripple (Beginner)] [January 1898: The Ripple is working wonders. You''re practically overflowing with energy. Seriously, the perks of being rich are insane. (Happiness +7)] [April 1898: You start dominating other sports. You''re the king of French football, scoring seven goals in a single match. You''re a sprinting legend, smashing the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter dash 70 years ahead of time, setting a new world record. You even swim across the Atlantic, just you and the open water, no support.] [Late July 1898: Your Ripple technique is getting seriously good, surpassing even Zeppeli''s. He introduces you to his master, the great Ripple master, Tonpetty. A true Ripple master.] [August 1898: You find out that Elina is acquainted with George Joestar! She leads you to him in Lyon. And what do you know? George Joestar''s son, Jonathan Joestar, the very first JoJo, is none other than Elina''s childhood friend! But as they say, childhood friends never win. [September 1898: You meet George Joestar''s adopted son, Dio Brando. You hit it off immediately. Who could say no to the friendship of a renowned scientist, football star, and athletic legend? You discover he''s got a knack for science too, and you suggest he pursue further studies at the Sorbonne. Changing a villain''s life trajectory, one step at a time. Not bad.] [October 1898: While visiting the Joestar estate, you detect traces of the Stone Mask. After some negotiation, you buy it from George Joestar. You should hand it over to Zeppeli, fulfilling your promise, but your scientific curiosity is burning a hole in your pocket. The guilt is eating at you, though. (Epic Item acquired: Stone Mask, Happiness -1)] [1898-1899: While your research on the Stone Mask is hitting a wall, your scientific endeavors continue to flourish. You rack up 67 patents in two years, many of which bring in even more ridiculous amounts of money. You''re pretty sure your wealth rivals even the oldest of the old money. (Wealth +11)] [September 1899: You make an astonishing discovery. The spectrum above the Stone Mask exhibits a "Doppler-Fizeau effect," a redshift. It''s both drawn to and repelled by sunlight. What could it mean? You also find that when the mask comes into contact with blood, it actually sprouts bone spikes that pierce the brain. Ancient people were ingenious in their own, terrifying way.] [October 1899: Your research on the optical interferometer, spectroscopy, and fundamental metrology gets you nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics! And the winner is... you! It''s the ultimate dream for many scientists. (Happiness +3)] Chapter 13: Perfect Run [December 1899: You begin to delve into a vast collection of literature, encompassing both scientific and theological works.] [February 1900: You and Elina are wed in a grand ceremony. Elina''s relatives from Lyon attend, as does Jonathan Joestar.] [March 1900: Your honeymoon is blissful. After consulting with Zeppeli, you attempt to teach Elina the Ripple breathing technique. Unfortunately, she lacks the aptitude for it.] [May 1900: After three years of studying the Stone Mask, you''ve spent a fortune to create an exact replica. You successfully transform a monkey into a vampire, its superhuman strength and agility leaving a deep impression.] [June 1900: Dio Brando, having completed his studies, visits you. He discovers your secret and suggests you don the Stone Mask. He argues that humanity is inherently limited and that a great man like you shouldn''t be constrained by a frail body. You refuse, demonstrating the power of the Ripple: even humans can surpass their limits.] [July 1900: With the consent of Zeppeli and Master Tonpetty, you teach Dio Brando the Ripple breathing technique. Dio begins to view you as a close friend and brother. To your delight, he shows exceptional talent in physics. You wonder if he might actually become a decent person in this life.] [August 1900: You hand over the replica Stone Mask to Zeppeli, fulfilling your promise¡ªa small compromise for the sake of science. He destroys the mask, embraces you, and returns to his homeland, Italy. This is the last time you see each other.] [The publication of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Romain Rolland declares it: "A book one must read in one''s lifetime."] [1901: Your first son is born, and Romain Rolland becomes his godfather. (Happiness +1)] [October 1901: One Hundred Years of Solitude earns you your second Nobel Prize in Literature. You gain the achievement: Nobel Laureate (II). You become a legend in your own time. (Happiness +3) (Renown +1)] [1902: Your first daughter is born.] [1902-1922: You secure over 230 patents. Money becomes a mere number. In 1918, your first bed partner in this world, Jenny, succumbs to the Spanish Flu. You''re surprised by the depth of your grief.] [1923: Your wife, Elina, begins to show her age, while you remain youthful due to the Ripple. Over the past two decades, you''ve continued to study the Stone Mask, seeking to understand its power to transform living beings into vampires. Your efforts are fruitless, but your knowledge of the mystical arts grows. (You gain the skill: Basic Mysticism)] [1925: Your son becomes engaged to the daughter of a duke, and your daughter marries a prominent nobleman. (Happiness +1)] [1929: You have two grandsons and two granddaughters. (Happiness +1)] [1937: Elina has aged considerably, while you still appear to be in your thirties. Out of respect for Elina, you cease all intimate contact with other women.] [1939-1940: Germany invades Poland, igniting World War II. The flames of war spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. In June 1940, German forces bomb Paris. Your home is destroyed in the attack, and your son is killed. You gain the achievement: Besieged]This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. [1941-1942: Seeking vengeance, you enlist in the Allied forces under an assumed name. Your exceptional combat abilities quickly earn you recognition.] [1942-1945: You participate in countless battles, emerging unscathed. You become a legend within the army.] [1945: Thanks to your efforts and those of countless others, the war ends in victory. Upon returning home, you discover that Elina has passed away. A part of you seems to die with her. (Happiness -7)] [1945-1950: You become consumed by mysticism, rarely leaving your home, not even for your old friend Romain Rolland. In 1954, Romain Rolland passes away in Paris. You attend his funeral. (You gain the skill: Intermediate Mysticism, Happiness -5)] [1968: Your daughter passes away before you. The experience of attending her funeral feels surreal. You sense your own aging¡ªloosening teeth, sagging skin¡ªbut there is still much to do. Perhaps Dio Brando was right; humanity is limited... To achieve your goals, you must transcend humanity. With no more ties to this world, why remain human? You gaze into the mirror and don the Stone Mask. Soon after, newspapers report the death of the renowned philanthropist, scientist, author, and two-time Nobel laureate, Julian Thorne. The world mourns. You gain the feat: Vampiric Constitution. You gain the feat: Rapid Recovery.] [1970: Your close friend, Dio Brando, is on his deathbed. You, now restored to youth, visit him one last time. You tell him that he was right 70 years ago¡ªhumanity is indeed limited. The aged Dio Brando dons the Stone Mask and regains his youth. He embraces you, thanking you for his new life. A few months later, he disappears without a word.] [1970-1972: You hear reports of vampire attacks in Sweden. Could it be Dio? You can''t be sure.] [1989: The Loma Prieta earthquake strikes. You, now utterly alone, anonymously donate the vast majority of your wealth to the earthquake relief efforts¡ªan enormous sum. They are still searching for the donor to this day. You relocate to the United States, settling in your hometown in California.] [2001: Due to your warning, the FBI intercepts crucial intelligence, averting the 9/11 attacks.] [2001-2024: The flourishing United States and the industrious spirit of people worldwide make you believe that perhaps humanity is not so limited after all. Their wisdom and courage are the power to surpass any limit. You shed all burdens and retreat into seclusion. The only inconvenience is that your ageless appearance requires you to change your identity and residence every decade.] [April 2024: You awaken in your modest California dwelling to find yourself seemingly transported back to Paris in 1894.] Summary: Congratulations, you have completed a glorious and brilliant life. You have cleared this Scenario! In this transmigration, your life surpassed 99.99% of transmigrators. Even after countless years, your deeds are still revered and celebrated! You are considered the greatest philanthropist, scientist, author, physicist, theologian of the 20th century, the first true football king in history, and the founder of the 100-meter sprint. A legend far surpassing even Leonardo da Vinci! Many believe that if your later obsession with mysticism hadn''t somewhat affected you, your achievements would have been even greater. Some even speculate that you were a transmigrator or an alien. Perhaps those people have a gift for prophecy. Evaluation: A+, World Exploration: 89.2%. Due to exceeding 80% exploration, you receive 4 Transmigration Coins. Due to your profound impact on world literature, you receive 3 Transmigration Coins. Due to your monumental impact on the development of world science, you receive 4 Transmigration Coins. Due to achieving a perfect clear of Lost in Paris, you will be granted the opportunity to retain one talent in the real world! Having achieved an A+ rating and a perfect clear, the legendary vampire Julian Thorne has become a hidden transmigration template, selectable under extremely lucky circumstances. What the¡ªa perfect loop? The me in the simulator became a vampire, lived until now, and was then pulled back into the loop by the simulator. It''s like a set of Russian nesting dolls. For a moment, Julian even suspects that he''s lost a part of his memory, that he really is a vampire, and that the him inside the simulator is the real him. Nesting dolls, huh? I can play that game too. [Congratulations, Player, on completing the novice Scenario. New functions and Scenarios have been unlocked. Please make your selection promptly.] [1. Randomly obtain three Skills or Feats acquired during your transmigration.] [2. Randomly draw three Items acquired during your transmigration.] Chapter 14: Inventory Time Reaping the rewards of his efforts? Hell yeah! It was a feeling beyond words. After all those deaths and restarts, the payoff was finally here, and it was bigger than ever! Including the single Transmigration Coin left over from the previous run, he was now a man in possession of a whopping 12 Transmigration Coins!!! A man destined to master time itself! "Achoo...!" A sudden gust of cold wind assaulted Julian Thorne, fresh out of the shower and still stark naked, forcing a sneeze out of him. He padded over to the window, stared out for a few seconds, and realized that it had started snowing at some point. Julian: ... He quickly slammed the window shut and fished out a white shirt. What the actual hell? It was just raining when he came upstairs, and now it''s suddenly a blizzard. This weather...must be taking lessons from the Sichuan Opera with all those face changes. In the world of "Apocalypse", the weather was so erratic that every dorm room at Vickers University was equipped with a gas heater. However, since the northern Walrus-men controlled the coal mines, gas was pretty damn expensive. A few hours would burn through 1 Roschen. The Roschen was the second tier in the Kingdom of Bryston''s currency system, derived from the ancient Faric word "Groschen," meaning "shiny thing." One Roschen had the purchasing power of about 20 bucks in Julian''s original world. Not exactly cheap. Above the Roschen was the Victa, worth 10 Roschen, and each Roschen was further divided into 10 Vinney. There were even cases in the past where poor students froze to death in their rooms trying to save a single Roschen during extreme weather. If it weren''t for the money he''d looted from those Curse Cult goons, Julian probably wouldn''t have been willing to spend the money either. Sheds a tear for being broke. jpg. Julian inserted a Roschen and turned the knob on the gas heater. A blue flame flickered to life, growing in size. From a modern perspective, the heater''s design was pretty ingenious. It had a heat sensor and an overheat switch that automatically shut off the gas if the internal temperature got too high. It was practically as good as a modern appliance. As the heater roared, the room temperature quickly rose. Savoring the warmth, Julian let out a sigh of relief. He was just about to crawl back into bed and continue studying the Transmigration Simulator when a woman''s scream pierced the air from outside. "Aaaah!" Startled, Julian rushed to the window and peered out. Due to the meteorological tides, travel between cities wasn''t exactly convenient. Many students, like Julian, stayed on campus during the holidays. The lights in a dozen dorm rooms flickered on as others, clearly disturbed by the scream, looked outside as well. Outside the dormitory was a small grove of trees, a popular spot for couples to get it on when the weather was nice. But now, with the heavy snow, visibility was near zero. All he could hear was the rustling of snow falling on the leaves. There were no further sounds. Nobody was willing to brave the snow in the dead of night to investigate. After a while, the dorm lights switched off one by one. "Probably just a stray cat," Julian heard someone say from downstairs.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. No way that was a cat... But Julian wasn''t brave enough to go down alone either. He took a deep breath, double-checked that the windows were locked, splashed some water on his face in the bathroom, and opened the Transmigration Simulator panel again. First things first: time to claim the rewards. The choices this time were pretty interesting. There were definitely some good things in the JoJo world. Julian had lived for so long in the simulation, becoming a legendary vampire on par with Count Dracula. Besides the Stone Mask, his collection might even include the Arrow or other powerful artifacts. But right now, the most attractive thing to him was the Ripple Breathing Technique. There was no need to take risks for some uncertain possibilities. So, he obediently chose option one. [You have chosen Option One.] [You have acquired the skill: Expert Flirting Proficiency.] [You have acquired the skill: Ripple Breathing Technique (Beginner).] [You have acquired the skill: Occultism (Intermediate).] [Expert Flirting Proficiency]: +1 to Charisma checks. With your immense charm and thick skin, your attempts at flirting are often successful. [Ripple Breathing Technique (Beginner)]: A highly effective breathing technique. Grants an additional +3 to Strength and +3 to Dexterity. [Occultism (Intermediate)]: +1 to Intelligence. You have a deep understanding of the occult and have learned how to craft some occult items. A surge of knowledge flooded Julian''s mind. His head throbbed as information about the occult and the complete Ripple Breathing Technique filled his brain. It took a while for him to recover. He took a deep breath, and immediately felt a surge of warmth rising from his lungs. Life energy pulsed through his body, making him feel incredibly alive. How to use the Ripple, how to conduct it through objects¡ªit all felt instinctive now. It was a surreal feeling. After a long, exhausting day, he should have been tired. But now, Julian felt invigorated. His body was free of aches, and his mind was clear of fatigue. Damn, this game really is something else. Clicking on the [Occultism] skill, a list of formulas and methods for crafting supernatural items appeared. At the top of the list was the Stone Mask, followed by Voodoo Doll, Silver Bullets, Holy Water Formula, and so on. It seemed this legendary vampire version of him was quite superstitious! But... what was the deal with the Stone Mask? Was he supposed to create vampires in this game world? [Detected that the Player has achieved a perfect clear in the "Lost in Paris" Scenario. You have one chance to retain a Talent in the real world. Proceed with the draw? Yes/No] "Retain a Talent in the real world? How does that work?" [You may choose one of the three Talents selected during this transmigration. The retained Talent will be available in both the real world and the simulation world. However, you can only have one additional Talent in the simulation world, which can be replaced at any time.] No need to even think about it! Julian''s heart pounded with excitement as he chose "Yes." [Draw complete: You have obtained the Purple Talent: Tony Stark (Purple).] [Tony Stark (Purple)]: Like Tony Stark, the Iron Man, you are a typical playboy, a bit of a smart-ass but incredibly intelligent and exceptionally gifted in scientific research. Julian paused, then asked, "System, if I have this Talent, will my personality change too?" The system, for once, seemed to hesitate for a moment: [No, your personality will primarily be based on your true self.] Julian nodded. The game panel refreshed again, and his stats underwent a dramatic transformation¡ªthe first significant change since he started this whole transmigration gig. His Dexterity, in particular, had surpassed that of an ordinary person by a full thirty percent, firmly placing him in the realm of the extraordinary. His Charisma had reached an unprecedented 99! Name: Julian Thorne/Wayne Stilwell Race: Human Template: NPC [Beta Testing Countdown: 47 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes] Level: 2 Class: Student/Assistant Instructor [1/10] Subclass: Linguist [2/10] Talent: Tony Stark (Purple) Attributes: Strength 10, Dexterity 13, Constitution 8, Willpower 9, Intelligence 9, Charisma 99 HP: 80/80 Stamina: 96/96 Willpower (Stat): 9/9 Mana: 0 Life Skills: Basic Alchemy, Intermediate Occultism Normal Skills: Expert French Fluency, Intermediate Pickpocketing, Basic Shooting Proficiency, Expert Flirting Proficiency, Ripple Breathing Technique Other details omitted. [Description: An ordinary person who''s starting to become somewhat combat-capable, but still vastly outclassed by his own looks.] Julian''s eyes welled up. The final description had finally changed from "a completely useless person except for his looks." Progress! Oh, right. What about the new Scenario and new function mentioned earlier? He opened the simulator panel again. Sure enough, a small red dot had appeared on the Scenario tab, indicating new content. And one of the two previously locked tabs was now accessible: Shop. Chapter 15: The Second Scenario He hurriedly opened the Scenario page. Sure enough, below the original Scenario, a new one had appeared. The first Scenario he had cleared was now grayed out and unselectable. The new Scenario had a rather impressive name: Endless War. [Endless War]: Transmigration Cost - 5 Transmigration Coins. The transmigration price had quintupled! Julian, who had thought he was rich with his 12 Transmigration Coins, felt his face turn green. What a rip-off! Was this inflation rate even remotely reasonable? As for this Scenario, Julian remembered playing a small tower defense game with the same name. So, his first impression was that it was probably a fantasy-type Scenario. But this simulator was known for being unpredictable. It could just as easily be a modern warfare setting. Julian had absolutely no clue about its patterns. He then clicked on the newly available feature: the lottery page. The rules were simple: 1 Transmigration Coin per draw, or 9 for a 10-draw. The current prize pool consisted of items from the cleared JoJo''s Bizarre Adventure Scenario. Free Draws: 3 Julian: ... Wasn''t this just the monetization model of gacha games? As someone who had always had terrible luck, never even winning a free bottle in a "buy one, get one free" promotion, Julian had never been interested in lotteries. Except, of course, when it was free. Without hesitation, he clicked on the lottery. Maybe he could get lucky with a single draw! [You have obtained the rare item: Browning M1906 Pocket Pistol, with several .25 ACP rounds.] Try again! [You have obtained the rare item: Colt M1908 Vest Pocket, with several .25 ACP rounds.] Wait a minute. Julian, his face darkening, went to the bathroom to wash his face. One more time! [You have obtained the legendary item: Webley & Scott Bulldog Revolver, with several .45 ACP rounds.] Julian: ... He was indeed incredibly unlucky. Counting the two guns already in his inventory, he now had five! Who could possibly use that many guns at once? Was he supposed to be Doctor Octopus? To hell with this lottery! If he did it again, he''d chop his hand off! He took out his pocket watch. It was only a little after two. The night was still young. Having just learned the Ripple power and gotten a taste of its benefits, Julian wasn''t sleepy at all. He found some pieces of black bread in the room, ate them, and then lay in bed, staring at the new Scenario he hadn''t entered yet, feeling an itch. Should he... give it a try? In the end, his gaming addiction won. He selected the new Scenario, Endless War, and chose to enter. [Preparing for transmigration... Transmigration Coins -5] [Please select a transmigration mode...] [1. Direct Transmigration.] [2. Transmigrate using a Parallel World Template.] Huh, even the transmigration modes had changed?If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Curious, Julian chose option 2 to take a look. Three cards appeared before him. The first card depicted him wearing a black suit and sunglasses, with a cold, ruthless expression. His personality was cold and cruel. His talents were [Precision Shooting] (Blue), [Bullet Time] (Orange). His skills were [Expert Marksmanship] and [Expert Hand-to-Hand Combat]. The title was Ruthless Mobster - Julian Thorne, and the transmigration cost was 15 Transmigration Coins. The second card showed him in a purple suit and clown makeup, with a capricious and unpredictable personality. His talents were [Criminal Genius] (Purple), [Explosives Genius] (Purple), [Master Marksman] (Purple), and [Obstacles] (Gray, Negative Talent). His skills were [Master Intimidation], [Expert Bomb Making], and [Expert Negotiation]. The title was The Maniacal Jester - Julian Thorne, and the transmigration cost was a whopping 25 Transmigration Coins. The third card showed him also in a black suit, sitting confidently at a gambling table, holding a piece of chocolate. His personality was proud, confident, and composed. His talents were [Gambling God] (Red) and [Winning Strike] (Purple). His skills were [Godlike Gambling] and [Basic Marksmanship]. The title was Supreme Gambling God - Julian Thorne, and the transmigration cost was an outrageous 100 Transmigration Coins! Julian read the description and immediately understood why the transmigration costs were so high. Aside from helping him clear the Scenario faster, another reason was that after using a template character to clear the Scenario, there was a chance to obtain that template''s skills and talents. This was very tempting. Any of these three character cards would be a huge boost for him. Below, there was a refresh timer: 23:59:59. Clearly, after the timer ran out, these three cards would be refreshed. Even though he really wanted them, looking at his balance of 7 Transmigration Coins, he instantly lost all enthusiasm. He couldn''t afford a single one! [You have selected Transmigration Mode 1] [Please select three of the following ten talents as matching conditions] [1. Enigma (Blue): No one knows who you are. Your name and your origins are a mystery.] [2. Vampire Constitution (Purple): Your physical abilities far exceed those of humans. You are immortal and undying, but you will be destroyed by sunlight.] [3. Underdog (Green): This is my legendary life. Don''t look down on a youth in poverty, don''t look down on a middle-aged man in poverty, don''t look down on an old man in poverty.] [4. Cross-Species Love (White): You are not a furry, but furries love you. You are naturally loved by furry creatures.] [5. Faceless (Green): You were born without a face, but you are immune to all mind and psychic control magic.] [6. Super Gambler (Purple): You have an exceptional talent and intuition for gambling. When you go all-in, your luck will be greatly enhanced.] [7. Sweet Tooth (White): You have a strong preference for sweets, to the point of being unable to live without sugar.] [8. Social Butterfly (Blue): Your social skills are maxed out. You can quickly become friends with anyone.] [9. Business Genius (Blue): You have a great talent for business, which is enough to complete your capital accumulation.] [10. Soul Transmigration (Blue): You choose to transmigrate your soul, thus having countless possibilities.] [Please choose!] Compared to the last transmigration, the options this time were much worse, and many were simply nonsensical. Option 2, Vampire Constitution, should have been added to the pool after the last cleared Scenario. It looked great but had the drawback of being vulnerable to sunlight. Without knowing the plot, he could easily die instantly, wasting 5 Transmigration Coins. Choosing 10 was also risky. The potential gains were too unstable. It was better to choose 6 and 8, which were at least positive talents. After hesitating for a moment, he chose 6, 8, and 9. [You have selected Talent 6, Talent 8, and Talent 9.] [Your current talents are: Gambler, Social Butterfly, Business Genius, and the permanent talent Tony Stark.] [Matching successful. Your parallel world self is a playboy, a social expert, a genius in both research and business, and also a die-hard gambler.] [When you die in the simulation, the game ends.] [Boarding the Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Transmigration complete.] [You have transmigrated to New York in 2006. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.] New York in 2006? What Scenario was this again? Call of Duty? [July 1, 2006. You appear alone on the streets of New York. After some conversations, you learn that you are in Flushing, an area where most of the residents are Asian immigrants from mainland China and Taiwan. With your outstanding appearance and social skills, you earn a small sum of money through a few simple dice cup tricks.] [July 2, 2006. You are robbed at gunpoint by several thugs, but how could these small-timers possibly threaten you? You turn the tables and rob them instead, obtaining $900 in cash.] [July 3-12, 2006. You place small bets at more than a dozen small casinos, earning a large sum of money. You then quit while you''re ahead and lay low for a while. As a gambler, you know that greed is a gambler''s greatest enemy. It whispers promises of riches but delivers only ruin. First comes the greed, then the need, then the deed that lands you in the gutter, or worse. If you don''t know when to stop, that will be the end of any gambler. (Family Background +2)] [July 13, 2006. You rent an apartment in Flushing and settle down. You begin to learn about this world and are shocked by what you find. In this world, there is a Stark Industries¡ªin Manhattan, for example, the landmark is not the Empire State Building of your previous life, but the 1,138-foot (347 meters) tall Stark Tower.] Julian was also a little stunned. The answer was obvious. This second Scenario was likely the Marvel Universe. Chapter 16: Gun Kata The big question was whether this was the comic book universe or the movie one. Compared to JoJo''s Bizarre Adventure, the Marvel world was undoubtedly a whole lot more dangerous. Forget everything else¡ªjust the sheer number of superheroes and supervillains popping up all over the place was enough to give anyone a migraine. You could probably chuck a rock in New York and hit a superhero. Julian Thorne could already picture the ways he was going to die. Repeatedly. But, thankfully, he''d landed in 2006. The first Iron Man movie was supposed to happen in 2008, so he had at least two years to get his act together. The simulation continued. [2006, July: Since you''re a transmigrator, not a native of this world, you don''t have an SSN or a driver''s license. You''re basically screwed in New York. So, you hit up Chinatown and buy an SSN from a guy named Martin Li for $3,000. According to Li, it''s the real deal.] [2006, August: You keep hitting the casinos, placing small bets. Some you win, some you lose. But with your precise control, you always come out ahead. By the end of August, you''ve got $88,000 to your name. You swear this is the last time you''ll ever set foot in a casino. (Net Worth +1)] [2006, September: After some research, your sharp business mind confirms that this world does indeed have Stark Industries, Hammer Industries, Oscorp, and Pym Technologies. These tech giants are way ahead of your previous world. But in the telecom sector, things are pretty much the same. Even the big shots on TV are still using those clunky flip phones with two screens. Give you some time, and you''re confident you can pull a fast one and take the lead in the telecom industry.] [2006, October: After some prep work, you drop $2,000 to register a phone company called Pineapple.] [2006, November: Your R&D skills are right up there with Tony Stark''s. In under two months, you whip up two prototype phones based on the iPhone 4 in your garage. Retina display, IPS screen tech, and a PPI three times higher than any other phone at the time. When it comes to milking the system, you don''t hold back.] [2006, December: You spoke too soon. To raise more capital, you head to Vegas. You swear this is really the last time. You go on a 28-day winning streak, raking in $1.95 million playing 21. But now you''re blacklisted from every casino in Vegas and probably the whole US. Still, you should have enough cash now. This is definitely your last time in a casino. (You gained the skill: Gambling (Intermediate), Net Worth +2)] [2006, December: You spend a ton of money on TV and newspaper ads, even though you haven''t even started mass production. You''re going all-in, no safety net. To a high-roller like you, gambling in Vegas and starting a business are basically the same thing¡ªjust different places, different rules, and different people to bet against.] [2007, January: Turns out you''re running low on cash. Damn. You shell out $10,000 to enter the WSOP No-Limit Texas Hold''em tournament. Winning means a $6 million prize. (Net Worth -2)] [2007, February: A total of 8,773 people entered the WSOP this year. You, a complete unknown, beat out a 39-year-old shrink named Jeremy Young to take the championship. (You gained the skill: Gambling (Advanced), Net Worth +5)] [2007, March: After three months of ad blitz and hype, your Pineapple phone is a massive hit. It''s selling out everywhere. The smooth OS, Retina display, and crystal-clear images seem like they''re from the future, totally blowing those ancient flip phones out of the water. Your strategy worked. You''ve won this battle!] [2007, April: Your startup is a runaway success. Like every other lucky bastard who caught the wave at the right time, your net worth is exploding. In America, your phone is the ultimate status symbol. Even big shots like Norman Osborn and Tony Stark are using it. (Net Worth +9)]Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. [2007, May: This month, you dated every Playboy cover girl from the first issue of ''05 to May ''07. You''re exhausted. (Happiness +7)] [2007, June: You meet Tony Stark at a party. Similar personalities and almost identical abilities make you two feel like you''ve found your doppelgangers, except you''re way better looking. Despite the mutual dislike, you become decent friends.] [2007, July: You, being the honest guy you are, are the target of an assassination attempt. Some low-level thugs spray your ride with bullets. Luckily, one of your employees happens to be driving by, and you escape unharmed. You find out the employee''s name is John Wick, a security guard at your company. To thank him, you pay off his wife''s medical bills¡ªshe has cancer¡ªand find her the best doctor, helping to stabilize her condition. He''s eternally grateful.] [2007, August: Over time, you and John Wick become good friends. You also keep in touch with Tony Stark, hitting up a few parties together. You''re friends, but also rivals. Especially in the dating scene. You''ve got your looks, Tony''s got his money. It''s obvious who comes out on top.] [2007, September: A few of your phone retail stores get trashed by some punks. That night, a guy named Wesley comes to you, saying he represents a businessman named Wilson Grant Fisk, who wants to buy out your Pineapple company. You flat-out refuse. Even if you know he''s Kingpin, he''s not getting your company for free. To ensure your safety, you hire some bodyguards.] [2007, November: You''re targeted in another assassination attempt. A few days later, the news reports that renowned philanthropist and businessman Wilson Grant Fisk was shot and killed. The next day, you see John Wick, who''s injured. You share a knowing look.] [2007, December: By chance, you discover that John Wick is a master of all forms of Gun Kata, and is also highly skilled in the Mozambique Drill and the Center Axis Relock (C.A.R.) shooting stances. His movements are like poetry in motion. Is this Marvel or Wanted? After much pleading on your part, John finally agrees to teach you Gun Kata.] [2007, December - 2008, June: Your business is booming. You''ve hired tons of employees. The Pineapple 2 is out, and sales are still through the roof. Meanwhile, under John Wick''s tutelage, you''ve grasped the basics of Gun Kata. (You learned the talent: Gun Kata: Death''s Rhythm (Blue), You learned the skill: C.A.R. System (Basic))] [Death''s Rhythm: A unique combat state that allows you to integrate any ability into combat, significantly increasing the user''s combat ability and battlefield analysis.] [2008, July: Tony Stark heads to Afghanistan to sell some weapons. Two days later, the media reports that Tony Stark was attacked by the Ten Rings in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. His status is unknown, and he''s out of contact.] [2008, October: Three months later, Tony Stark returns to the US. After a period of seclusion, the first thing he does is show off his newly upgraded Mark II suit to you. After a close look at the Iron Man armor, you figure you could replicate it perfectly, given enough time. The only big issue is the power source.] [2008, November: Tony Stark invites you out for drinks. You''re crushed to death by a giant robot that falls from the sky. You gained the achievement: Death from Above.] [You are dead.] Summary: Your life was pretty smooth, but one thing needs to be said: you''re way better at gambling than you are at business. Also, after you died, Tony Stark defeated Obadiah Stane in his Iron Monger suit and avenged you. Then, at the press conference, he said those famous words: "I am Iron Man!" In a way, he danced on your grave. Evaluation: C+, World Exploration: 34.8%. Since your exploration is above 20%, you''ve earned 3 Transmigration Coins. Because you had some impact on the world''s scientific development, you''ve earned 1 Transmigration Coin. Keep it up! [Simulation ended. Please make your choice, Host.] [One: Randomly obtain three skills or specialties acquired during your traversal.] [Two: Randomly draw three items acquired during your traversal.] Julian Thorne: ... Death came so suddenly that Julian Thorne was stunned for a couple of seconds. Then, he was filled with rage. That damn Tony Stank was a real piece of work. It wasn''t even his business, but he still managed to get him killed. Next time he transmigrated, he''d have to find a way to get back at him. But even though this run was short, the rewards were substantial. [You have chosen option one.] [You have obtained the talent: Gun Kata: Death''s Rhythm (Blue)] [You have obtained the combat skill: C.A.R. System (Basic)] [You have obtained the skill: Gambling (Advanced)] Sure enough, he got another talent and another combat skill! Apart from being a bit short-lived, Julian Thorne was pretty satisfied with this haul. Gambling might be useless for now, but the C.A.R. System and Gun Kata: Death''s Rhythm were huge boosts to his combat abilities. Combined with his existing firearms knowledge and Advanced Marksmanship, it felt like a whole new class was taking shape. Chapter 17: The Murder Meanwhile, on the west side of Darkland City... A young man in a fedora stepped off a carriage and trudged through the snow towards the House Vester mansion. Keene Vester sat at his desk, a finely crafted pipe clenched between his teeth. He was poring over several yellowed pages under the glow of a gas lamp. Ever since the inventor William Murdoch discovered that the spark of gas extracted from coal could be used for illumination, gas had gradually replaced whale oil as the primary fuel for heating and lighting in the Kingdom of Bryston. At first, people feared the bright light of gas lamps. Ladies of high society turned up their noses at them, worried that the harsh light would reveal too much about their complexions. But just as the arrival of the supernatural era was irreversible, gas lamps gradually spread from shops, theaters, and streetlights until they became a fixture in every home. A knock came at the door. Keene looked up. "Sherlock? Come in." "It''s me. I''ve finished the investigation, as you ordered," the young man announced, stepping briskly into the room and tipping his hat in greeting. "Have a seat." Keene gestured to a bottle on the table. "Fancy a glass of Ice Dew wine? With aphid juice." "No, thank you." His offer rejected again, Keene sighed and shook his head. "What''s the situation at the scene?" "This sacrifice was indeed carried out at the Jasonath Haunted Mansion. We found the bodies of seven cultists from the Curse Cult at the ritual site. Five of them died from bladed weapons while unconscious, as there were no signs of struggle. The other two died from gunshot wounds, each with a single, fatal bullet hole." "There''s clear evidence that a supernatural creature was present and killed at the ritual site. Several large pools of corrosive blood were found on the floor. Based on the trajectory and shell casings found at the scene, there was definitely an intense gunfight. The shell casings came from two different guns: one a small-caliber revolver, the other likely a high-powered rifle. Here''s the analysis report on the ritual." The young man handed a stack of papers to Keene. If Julian Thorne were to see this report, he would be shocked. The young man had almost completely reconstructed the entire sequence of events just by analyzing the bullet marks, the positions of the shell casings, and the distribution of blood. "Hmm." Keene took the report and flipped through a few pages, nodding thoughtfully. "What about The Book of Ithanway? Was it found?" "No, just like before. It disappeared after the ritual," the young man shrugged. "Alright, maybe it really did grow legs and run away," Keene chuckled wryly. After seeing the young man out, Keene sat back down at his desk and picked up the report again. "To take down a supernatural creature with just firearms... that''s one hell of a skilled kid. As for his weapons..." He took a deep drag from his pipe, his brow furrowed in thought. With the ever-expanding uses of gas and its increasing popularity among civilians, the Kingdom had begun to recognize coal as a precious resource. King Charles V had poured the nation''s resources into modifying an ancient alchemical warship dating back a thousand years. Powered by a steam engine and alchemical arrays, equipped with 24 Vulcan cannons and 18 Invincible cannons, the vessel could reach a speed of 21 knots. This steel behemoth, the largest of its kind in human history, was currently docked at the city''s western military port. Its purpose: to conquer the walrus-men of the north and seize their abundant coal resources. Meanwhile, elemental tides were becoming more frequent, and rumors were circulating about elemental creatures attacking humans within the Kingdom. Two years ago, the court''s Chief Mage, Elam, had made a prophecy: "The gods are about to awaken. The supernatural will fully revive. The world will be flooded with countless fearless and undying Chosen Ones. Their arrival will be both a disaster and an opportunity." At the time, no one believed this prophecy. But now, with supernatural power becoming increasingly active, the bottleneck that had long hindered his progress had vanished. Perhaps soon, he would successfully advance to become a Sky Knight. At the same time, throughout Darkland and the entire Kingdom of Bryston, more and more supernatural incidents were occurring.Stolen story; please report. Thinking back to Elam''s prophecy... Keene turned to look out at the heavy snow falling outside, a mix of anticipation and apprehension in his voice as he murmured, "A new era has begun..." ... The next day, Julian Thorne awoke to bright daylight streaming into his room. He fished his pocket watch out from under a pile of clothes and flipped it open. The hands pointed to exactly 7:00 AM. "Nice, good habits!" Julian congratulated himself. He got dressed and hopped out of bed, noticing that his roommate, John, still wasn''t back. The idiot dog, Bobby, who had been occupying John''s bed, was now awake and running around the room, tail wagging furiously. According to the lore of the game Apocalypse, this breed of dog was unique to the world. They were hyperactive, highly sensitive to light element, and also known as Sun Dogs. They were born with the ability to accurately tell time. After training, a very small number of these time-telling dogs could even predict the weather. But this dog, Bobby, looked pretty dumb. He definitely didn''t seem like the weather-predicting type. After running around for a while, Bobby, seemingly tired, walked over to the wall with a swagger, lifted his leg, and proceeded to leave a steaming pile of dog shit on the wall, as if determined to make his presence known. Julian stared, speechless. A weird thought crossed his mind. This Apocalypse world was hardcore. Even a dog had to learn a technical skill like time-telling and still put in the effort to make a statement, even if it was just a shitty one. If even dogs were hustling this hard, how could he justify slacking off? Charge! Wait a minute, that''s my wall! You''re dead meat! Julian grabbed a nearby broom. The dumb dog, perhaps sensing his anger or feeling guilty, turned around, stuck out its tongue, and promptly swallowed the evidence in one gulp. With the crime scene cleaned up, he bounded towards Julian, tail wagging even more vigorously. Julian: ... Get lost! After giving the mutt a good scolding by the ear, Julian quickly washed up and opened his wardrobe to pick out his clothes. In this world, there were strict rules about clothing. Non-nobles weren''t allowed to wear colored clothes, so his wardrobe was filled with nothing but black and white garments. He finally settled on a white shirt and a black vest. After putting them on and topping it off with a soft felt hat, he checked himself out in the mirror and gave a thumbs-up: Perfect. His predecessor had a very regular schedule. The first thing he did every morning was jog around the campus, followed by breakfast at a diner called "The Pig and Whistle." Afterward, he''d head back to his dorm, change, and go to the Alchemy building. As an outstanding fourth-year student with excellent grades in Alchemy, Wayne Stilwell had long been Professor Wesley''s Assistant Instructor, helping him prepare lesson plans and alchemical materials, and occasionally even teaching classes for him. In return, his predecessor had limited access to the school''s alchemical materials and equipment, plus a monthly stipend of 5 Victors, equivalent to 50 Rosens. To celebrate his first day in this new world, he decided to skip the workout. But he''d keep the Assistant Instructor job for now. For one, he was broke, seriously broke. He had a grand total of 15 Victors in savings, seven of which he''d scrounged up yesterday. But he couldn''t touch most of it because he had to pay 10 Rosens in tuition fees every week after school started. One wrong move and he''d be a penniless dropout. And then there was the Transmigration Simulator, which also needed funding. After his transmigration yesterday, Julian had 11 Transmigration Coins left, enough for two more transmigrations. He''d asked the system, and apparently, topping up one Transmigration Coin cost a whopping 10 Victors, equivalent to two months'' daily stipend. And each transmigration cost a mind-blowing 50 Victors! The thought made Julian''s heart ache. That goddamn Tony Stark! He ripped me off for ten months'' salary! And he still had the nerve to show off in front of me in the game! I''ll make him pay for this in Apocalypse when I have the chance! If he thinks he can get away with scamming me in a fully immersive online game just because he''s rich in real life, he''s got another thing coming. I''ll show him what a max-level Player can do to an NPC, even if he is based on Iron Man. Besides easing his financial strain, the other reason to keep the job was to mooch off the school''s alchemical materials and equipment, just like his predecessor. According to the official setting, main class skills and most secondary class skills could be learned through skill books or from NPCs. But life skills and their associated skills were much harder to acquire. Not only were the skill books rare, but they also required a ton of practice to master. Take Enchanting, for example. Or Alchemy. There was a saying in Apocalypse: "Want to be broke? Pick up Alchemy. Want to be broke and have no life? Pick up Enchanting." That''s where it came from. Although Julian didn''t have a combat-related main class yet, free access to the school''s alchemical materials and equipment would not only allow him to quickly accumulate experience but also raise his skill level, killing two birds with one stone. Properly dressed, Julian left the dorm. Unlike his previous world, the student dorms at Vickers University were co-ed. Even though it was cold, there were still plenty of scantily clad young women walking around. They didn''t shy away from Julian, instead greeting him with smiles: "Morning, Senior Wayne." "Senior Wayne, skipping your workout today?" This body''s popularity with the ladies was surprisingly high. With the boost from his Expert-level "Flirting" skill, Julian felt a bit like a tiger among sheep as he made his way to the dorm entrance, returning greetings along the way. Ah, this feels good... Facing the morning sun, he practiced a few rounds of the Ripple Breathing Technique. To his surprise, he noticed a small green plus sign next to both his Strength and Dexterity stats, indicating that they were slowly increasing. Maybe in a few days, he might see some significant growth from this. The Growth Modifier must be insane. This skill is seriously OP, Julian mused. The dorm was across from a small artificial forest, usually a prime spot for "field battles." Right now, a crowd had gathered outside the forest, suggesting that something had happened inside. Curiosity piqued, Julian walked over and overheard two guys talking: "Heard there was a murder in the woods last night." "Yeah, it''s true. I heard the victim was a sophomore girl." "Apparently, it was pretty gruesome. Her organs were all ripped out." Hearing that last sentence, Julian frowned. He instinctively started walking towards the woods. Chapter 18: Talking Business In the Kingdom of Bryston, only the uptight zealots of the Curse Cult frowned upon a little premarital fun. So, a secluded grove like this was a popular spot for couples to, well, you know... engage in "field battles". The crime scene was nestled just inside the woods, not far from a stone bench that probably saw more action than a brothel''s mattress. The bodies were discovered by another pair of early-morning lovebirds, who probably wished they''d slept in. Cops were already on the scene, some poking around the area, others shooing away the rubbernecking students, and the rest setting up a perimeter with white tape. Huh, is that...? Julian Thorne squinted, spotting a familiar figure near the officers. It was one of the Sun Wardens who''d been trailing Keene Vester last night, the one who peeled off when they hopped in the carriage. He was a young guy with dark hair, sporting a deerstalker hat and a face that could get lost in a crowd. The only reason Julian remembered him was because he looked eerily similar to his old friend, Lee Stone. Seriously, the resemblance was uncanny! The guy was currently crouched down, his eyebrow furrowed in concentration. Julian decided against greeting him. He wrinkled his nose instead. Even from this distance, the stench of blood was overpowering. Freud was right; lust really did make people lose their minds. Who in their right mind would come here for a morning quickie after this? Couldn''t they get their rocks off in their dorms? Thanks to last night''s snowfall, Julian could clearly make out a dark, frozen pool of blood on the snow, along with a pile of what looked like...colorful confetti, half-buried in the snow. The scene was still fresh, a gruesome tableau that made him want to look away. Among the onlookers, Julian spotted his mentor, the esteemed Professor Wesley, standing with a few other faculty members who were stuck on campus. They all wore grim expressions. Compared to the somber professors, the students were much more animated. There wasn''t much crying going on. Instead, a lively discussion filled the air, suggesting the deceased wasn''t exactly winning any popularity contests. After eavesdropping for a bit, Julian gathered a few key pieces of intel: First, the victim''s name was Sharon, a sophomore alchemy student at Vickers University, technically Julian''s junior. Apparently, she was a spiteful, materialistic snob, and not well-liked, even by her roommates. But she was a diligent student. Second, the cause of death was indeed being gutted. The two lovebirds, who were currently losing their breakfast nearby, could attest to that. The pile of festive-looking stuff on the snow also painted a pretty clear picture. Her organs were ripped out. Just then, the crowd parted as two officers emerged, carrying a corpse covered with a white sheet. They loaded it onto a carriage. Julian rubbed his chin, lost in thought. Murder by gutting... that sounded like the handiwork of those lunatics from the Society of Vital Alchemy.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Despite the noble-sounding name, the Society of Vital Alchemy was as evil as they came. They believed that life could be synthesized, and that with the right formula, humans could play God and create anything. This was the exact opposite of the fundamental principle of alchemy: equivalent exchange. In the game "Apocalypse," they were responsible for quite a few atrocities. The dark-haired Sun Warden emerged with a few other officers. His eyes lit up when he saw Julian. He flashed his badge and approached, "Good morning, Mr. Stilwell. My name is Sherlock Moriarty. Mr. Keene Vester sent me to find you. If you don''t mind, shall we have a chat over there?" Sherlock Moriarty? Holy crap, it''s a Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty mashup... As Sherlock walked over, Julian felt several pairs of eyes on him, probably pegging him as a suspect. He sighed inwardly and nodded, "I''d be happy to. We actually met yesterday." Sherlock smiled, "You have an excellent memory. I was standing fourth from the left of Mr. Keene Vester." It''s not my memory, it''s your Lee Stone face... Julian thought silently. They moved to a more secluded spot, and Sherlock stopped, looking at Julian intently. "Mr. Stilwell, do you have any thoughts on this case?" "Nope, wasn''t me," Julian said, feigning ignorance. "I know it wasn''t you, but my eyes tell me you have something on your mind. Don''t worry, your secret''s safe with me," Sherlock said, his gaze unwavering. "I really don''t. But if I had to say something..." Julian looked at Sherlock''s expectant face, thought for a moment, and said hesitantly, "Maybe you should change your hairstyle? It doesn''t really suit you." They stared at each other for a moment before Sherlock finally shrugged, giving up. "Noted. Alright, let''s get down to business. Mr. Keene Vester sent me to deliver something to you as a token of his gratitude, and also to discuss a potential business deal." Sherlock pulled out an intricately designed gold card and handed it to Julian. "This is a VIP card for House Vester. It grants you VIP access to the Blaiston Alchemy Association and a 20% discount at all House Vester-owned businesses." Julian accepted the card without hesitation. "I accept. Please thank Mr. Keene Vester for me. So, what''s this business deal you mentioned?" What a coincidence. The reward was exactly the same as the quest reward. Julian almost suspected that the game panel had planned this all along. Sherlock smiled and leaned in closer. "Mr. Stilwell, or rather, the organization you represent, seems to have some high-quality firearms in your possession?" Sherlock was carefully observing Julian''s expression as he spoke. His profession had honed his observational skills, and he could immediately tell if Julian was lying. However, Julian simply nodded, and with a flick of his wrist, a revolver materialized in his hand, spinning playfully. "We do, but the quantity is limited. Make me an offer." Sherlock was taken aback by Julian''s straightforwardness. "I do have some firearms, but not many. If you want them, you''ll have to pay up." Sherlock hesitated for a moment. Currently, the market price for a handgun in the Kingdom of Bryston was around 10 Victors. However, the revolvers Julian possessed were superior in both firepower and performance by at least 30%. Although the world was still dominated by the supernatural, firearms definitely had their place. "15 Victors for handguns, 18 for rifles." Sherlock offered a price, already prepared to take a small loss. As long as the price wasn''t outrageous, he was willing to accept. "Deal." "Firearms are just firearms, after all. The Sun Wardens have a limited budget, so we can''t offer too much... Wait, did you just agree?" Sherlock was stunned. Julian pulled out another gun and handed both to Sherlock with a smile. "I am a citizen of the Kingdom of Bryston, after all. I only have one rifle at the moment, which I need to keep for myself. But I have three revolvers, and I can sell you two for now." Sherlock nodded. Whether Julian was sincere or not, his actions had earned his goodwill. Julian remained calm on the surface, but inside, he was ecstatic. To him, selling two handguns was no big deal. It was just a matter of spending a single Transmigration Coin on a lottery draw. His previous three draws had yielded three weapons, indicating a pretty high drop rate. One Transmigration Coin was only worth 10 Victors when directly Topping Up, which meant he was making a clean profit of 5 Victors per revolver without lifting a finger. That was equivalent to his current monthly salary. In the early stages of the game, as supernatural powers gradually resurfaced, the scarcity of firearms would become more severe. In a few months, the Kingdom of Bryston would be able to produce similar firearms. He needed to capitalize on this opportunity to fill his empty pockets. Chapter 19: Alchemy To ensure this business venture had legs, nailing the right price point was crucial. It was all about that long-term grind, a steady drip instead of a quick burst. "Pleasure doing business." The deal was struck, and the guy was quick with the money, a real smooth operator. He took the gun, toyed with it for a moment, and tried to spin it on his finger like Julian had, only to fail spectacularly. A dry cough followed, a blush creeping up his neck as he handed over four crisp banknotes. "By the way, best avoid being out at night if you can. Things have been¡­ hectic lately. The councilors are even considering pushing for a curfew." "Got it, thanks." Julian accepted the money, noting two 5-Victors and two 10-Victors. He''d never even seen a 10-Victor note in real life! It was mostly green, featuring the mug of Charles V, Kingdom of Bryston''s first king. The designer had even gone the extra mile, incorporating a fancy watermark into his beard. The bills practically radiated that intoxicating inky smell. Damn! One of these was worth two months of his stipend! Maybe it was the lingering influence of his predecessor''s fragmented memories, but at that moment, Julian felt a profound connection with these banknotes. Love at first sight, you could say. He schooled his features, fighting the urge to plant a big, sloppy kiss on the money. Folding them neatly, he tucked them into his inner pocket and casually asked, "That law wouldn''t pass, would it?" "Obviously not. It steps on too many toes. No nightlife means no, well, you know¡­ and it would slash tax revenue by a third," Sherlock said with a hint of sarcasm. "My guess is, that brainless councilor will be out of a job soon." He had a point. Even after Julian transmigrated into the game, he never heard of any curfew law in the Kingdom of Bryston. Mentally, he lit a candle for that unnamed councilor. They shot the breeze for a while longer before Sherlock tipped his Fedora and took his leave. He''d taken a few steps when Julian, also about to head off, turned back. After a moment''s hesitation, he called out, "Agent Sherlock, have you ever heard of the Curse Cult?" "The Curse Cult?" He paused, caught off guard, but his detective brain kicked in instantly. "The Curse Cult, a bunch of lunatics who believe life can be created through alchemy. They originated in the eastern Kingdom of Ruins, obsessed with creating all sorts of alchemical life through experiments. What, do you think they''re involved in this case?" "It''s just a theory. I heard that within the Curse Cult, there''s a faction that''s not only obsessed with creating life through alchemy but also with alchemically enhancing themselves. At first, they tried using machines and animal organs, but they found that nothing beats the human body¡­" Just then, a system prompt popped up: You have triggered a B-rank quest: Alchemical Phantom. Accept? Yes/No? "Of course, it''s just something I heard in passing. Treat it like a bedtime story," Julian added, subtly accepting the quest. "No, you''re onto something. It all makes sense now!" Sherlock''s face lit up with a mix of surprise and excitement.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. What he thought was a dead-end case suddenly had a ray of hope, thanks to Julian''s tip. He practically sprinted towards the horse-drawn carriage parked outside the woods. [B-rank quest: Alchemical Phantom progress: 25%] Meanwhile, a bunch of cops were still milling around, and more were arriving on the scene. Murders weren''t exactly rare in the Kingdom of Bryston, but one at a place like Vickers University? That was unheard of. As the top university in the Kingdom of Bryston, every student here was either a future pillar of society or the scion of some big shot. If this case got out, it would send shockwaves through the entire kingdom. The pressure on both the Darkland City Police Department and the university was immense. After a while, the vice-chancellor walked over to the students and announced that no one, students or faculty, could leave the campus until further notice, pending the investigation. While Julian understood the vice-chancellor''s intention to assist the investigation, he couldn''t help but shake his head. This was clearly the work of a Transcendent. This lockdown might work on ordinary folks, but against a Transcendent? A few cops started questioning students passing by. Probably because they''d been briefed beforehand, Julian wasn''t stopped. He put his hat back on, walked down the path, made a turn, and stopped in front of The Pig and Whistle breakfast shop. It was a breakfast joint named after a tavern in World of Warcraft''s Old Town. The owner, Mrs. Turin, was in her seventies, taking care of her paralyzed husband, who was ten years her senior. On nice days, you could often see her pushing his wheelchair around campus. "Mrs. Turin, three pounds of cupcakes, please." "Sure thing, little Wayne. By the way, what''s all the commotion over by the dorms?" Mrs. Turin asked as she picked out the cupcakes. "Someone died in the woods. Sharon, a Sophomore alchemy student," Julian replied succinctly. "Oh my! I remember her, such a sweet girl. We got along quite well. What a shame. She just told me the other day that she''d found a wonderful boyfriend." Mrs. Turin clasped her hands together in a gesture of prayer, a look of sorrow on her face. "Oh? She had a boyfriend?" Julian was surprised. The version he''d heard was that Sharon had a terrible temper and no friends, let alone a boyfriend. "Yes, I''m sure of it. She said her boyfriend was handsome, talented, a real gentleman. And that he was madly in love with her," Mrs. Turin recalled. This boyfriend sounded a bit suspicious. Julian nodded, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. He took the cupcakes and headed towards the Alchemy Building. The Alchemy Building wasn''t far from the student dorms, a four-story standalone structure. Professor Wesley''s alchemy lab was on the second floor. As Professor Wesley''s Assistant Instructor, Julian''s duties included helping him with his coursework and being on duty in the Alchemy Building, preparing Alchemical Materials and Alchemical Equipment. With the start of the semester just days away, the Alchemy Building was already buzzing with activity. As soon as Julian walked in, he saw Sherlock at the front desk, asking questions. He greeted him and headed up the stairs to the second floor. Opening the lab door, he was hit with a pungent smell of alcohol. Julian opened the windows to ventilate. His specialization under Professor Wesley was Applied Alchemy, focusing on how to apply alchemy to everyday life. Of course, Medicinal Alchemy was also a required subject. Today, he needed to prepare iodine, sage, calming flowers, goldenrod, sun orchid, daisy root¡­ [Ding! You have completed an alchemy material check. Gained 3 experience points.] [Ding! You have completed an alchemy material check. Gained 2 experience points.] In "Apocalypse," there were multiple ways to gain experience. Besides killing monsters and completing quests, Life Skills could also provide a significant amount. So, even Life Skill players had a viable path. Julian expertly prepared the dozens of Alchemical Materials Professor Wesley needed for the afternoon, racking up nearly 200 experience points in the process. He let out a sigh of relief. The next four hours were all his. Right now, he only had a few basic materials to practice with, and the quantities were limited. He opened his Basic Alchemy skill panel. His proficiency was pitifully low, with only two recipes mastered: Basic Mana Potion and Basic Health Potion. The former required calming flowers, nightshade, and iodine, while the latter used the more common ginkgo leaves and daisy root, both of which the lab had plenty of. If his goal was simply to level up and grind proficiency, then crafting Basic Health Potions was clearly the more efficient choice. Chapter 20: Gotta Get a Discount [Beginner Healing Potion: Requires Ginkgo Leaf, Daisy Root, Crystal Vial.] The [Basic Alchemy] skill flooded Julian Thorne''s mind with a deluge of alchemical knowledge. The precise method for crafting [Beginner Healing Potions] was instantly ingrained in his memory. How much Ginkgo Leaf to use, the exact ratio, the amount of Daisy Root, the precise ratio for that too, and the specific techniques required - he knew it all. In the game, brewing potions was just a matter of standing in front of an alchemy table and watching a progress bar. Now, he had to manually operate a crucible, distillation flasks, and other tools. This was some high-end stuff. 5 grams of Ginkgo Leaf, 7 grams of Daisy Root, a dash of iodine to balance the medicinal properties... Julian meticulously added the herbs to the crucible, brought it to a boil, and then poured the mixture into a beaker. In his skill panel, his [Basic Alchemy] proficiency slowly increased, going from 7 to 8. In under five minutes, a steaming vial of Beginner Healing Potion was ready. [Beginner Healing Potion] Quality: Common Type: Consumable Use: Restores a small amount of health. Note: Drink it! Once the Beginner Healing Potion was ready, Julian took a tentative sip. It tasted alright, probably wouldn''t kill anyone. He set the newly made potion aside and started on another batch, following the steps meticulously. [You have completed a potion. Quality: 63. Gained 36 EXP, 1 Proficiency Point.] [You have completed a potion. Quality: 77. Gained 41 EXP, 2 Proficiency Points (Extreme Calm +1).] Thanks to his [Nimble Fingers] and [Extreme Calm] talents, Julian''s potion-making was incredibly stable and had a high success rate. His speed also increased with his proficiency, going from one potion every five minutes to one every three minutes, with a success rate approaching a staggering 90%. Three hours flew by. Julian reached for another crystal vial, only to grasp at empty air. He''d used them all up already? Snapping out of his immersive state, Julian stared at the table overflowing with Beginner Healing Potions, utterly bewildered. Julian: ... Someone tell him what to do with all these healing potions. He was in a hurry! He could already picture Professor Wesley''s grim face... Although he might have gotten into a bit of trouble, the experience gained was pretty sweet. In just over three hours, he had racked up around 6,000 EXP, and his Basic Alchemy proficiency was almost a third of the way to the next level. Whatever, the one who screwed up was Wayne Stilwell, what did it have to do with Julian Thorne?The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. At 1 PM sharp, Professor Wesley pushed open the door to the alchemy lab and was immediately stunned by the scene before him. The lab floor was spotless, the windows were sparkling clean, and the materials for the afternoon''s lesson were neatly prepared. But then... the sheer number of Beginner Healing Potions covering every surface made him question his sanity. Wesley checked the remaining materials, his face devoid of any emotion. He picked up a vial of Beginner Healing Potion, sniffed it, and found the quality to be excellent. He had used 120 sets of ingredients to produce 112 potions, an astonishing success rate, even higher than most intermediate alchemists. Considering Wayne Stilwell was still just an apprentice, his talent was undeniable. With time, he might even reach the ranks of advanced or even master alchemist. But what was the kid thinking, brewing so many Beginner Healing Potions? "Rosie, get in here!" he bellowed. "Coming, coming!" A pretty girl scurried in a moment later, looking flustered. In all her time as his Assistant Instructor, she had never seen Professor Wesley lose his cool like this. "Rosie, take all these Beginner Healing Potions to the school''s alchemy shop. Put them on sale for 20% off for the next week. And get me another batch of crystal vials," Wesley said, his face still stern. "Also, tell Wayne Stilwell to stop making healing potions. He can make any other potion he wants, but he''s solely responsible for the welcome ceremony in four days." "Yes, sir," Rosie nodded frantically, sneaking a peek at the table. She was also shocked by the mountain of Beginner Healing Potions. This was hardcore, even for him. With this many potions, they probably wouldn''t sell out until next semester at the normal price. No wonder they needed a discount. They definitely needed a discount! Meanwhile, Julian was already back in his dorm, clutching a stack of books. He''d saved up the 6,000 EXP from his alchemy session, planning to use it later when he had accumulated more. After two world simulations, his [A Literary Life] quest progress had crept up to over 300. He was getting closer to completing it. With some more reading in the real world and another three or four simulations, he might just finish it. [A Literary Life]: Deep down, you''ve always harbored a dream of becoming a writer. Make that dream a reality in your future endeavors. Read a total of 1,000 books across both the real world and simulated worlds (353/1000). Setting the books on his desk, Julian eagerly opened the Shop interface and dumped all 30 of his newly acquired Victor coins into it. The 30 Victors, still warm from his virtual wallet, vanished instantly. His Transmigration Coin balance increased by 3, bringing it to a total of 14. He then navigated to the lottery page and selected a ten-pull. A ten-pull only cost 9 Transmigration Coins, a pretty good deal! [You have obtained Rare Item: Springfield Rifle, with a number of 7.62mm rounds] [You have obtained Rare Item: Colt M1878 Revolver, with a number of .45 ACP rounds] [You have obtained Rare Item: Lee-Enfield Rifle, with a number of .303 British rounds] [You have obtained Epic Item: 1792 French Armor] ... Just as Julian expected, the lottery was filled with firearms. The ten-pull yielded 7 guns, 2 useless French antiques, and a dagger. He could keep the dagger for himself. As for the guns, there were five revolvers and two rifles, and none of them were particularly good. Based on the market price of 18 Victors for a rifle and 15 Victors for a revolver, he could potentially make over 100 Victors if he sold them all. He was getting closer to transmigration freedom. After the lottery, he had 5 Transmigration Coins left. If this transmigration didn''t go well, he would only have one more chance in the near future. Julian took a deep breath and initiated another transmigration. [Transmigration in progress... Transmigration Coins -5] [Please select a transmigration mode...] [1. Direct Transmigration.] [2. Template-Based Transmigration.] The three templates, Extreme Hacker, Joker, and God of Gamblers, had only about 10 hours left on their refresh timers. He couldn''t afford them, so Julian chose option 1 without hesitation. [Spend one Transmigration Coin to reroll talents?] Julian declined. [You have selected Talent 6, Talent 8, and Talent 9.] [Your current talents are: Gambler, Social Butterfly, Business Genius, and the permanent talent: Tony Stark.] [Matching successful. Your parallel world self is a playboy, a socialite, a genius in both research and business, and an unrepentant gambler.] [Current world exploration progress: 34.8%. Upon reaching 66.7% exploration, you will unlock the next Scenario.] [The game ends when you die in the simulation.] [Boarding the Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Transmigration complete.] [You have arrived in New York City, 2006. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.] Chapter 21: Second Tour in the Marvel-verse The usual intro sequence wrapped up, and the text crawl began. [July 1st, 2006: You spawned in New York, totally broke and solo. Right next to you was Flushing, a melting pot of Chinese and other Asian immigrants. You used some dice cup tricks to swindle your way to your first 300 bucks, then decided to chill before things got out of hand.] [July 2nd, 2006: You shelled out $170 for a Glock. Even a good guy needed to be strapped. You hit up Clinton on Manhattan''s west side, aka Hell''s Kitchen. You set up your dice cup hustle again and scored another $400.] [July 3rd, 2006: The local lowlifes finally wised up. You got jumped seven times in one day, netting a sweet $3,200. Seriously, these guys were amateurs!] [July 4th, 2006: You continued your, uh, community outreach, getting "mugged" four more times for a total of $1,600. The last one introduced you to some weirdo in a blue onesie calling himself "Super Duper," who thought you were the bad guy. You couldn''t be bothered to explain, so you just beat his ass too.] [July 5th, 2006: More "fishing." Crime rates were surprisingly low today, with only one mugging. At least you finally hit the $5,000 milestone. Guess you were cleaning up the streets. (Net Worth +1)] [Late July 2006: You hunted down John Wick and, after some serious persistence, became bros. Even though you were broke, you pushed him to get his wife a medical checkup. A few days later, John Wick found you, gave you a hug, and thanked you for saving his wife''s life. She had early-stage cancer, but it was totally treatable. You had no clue what happened to John Wick after your screw-up in your past life, but you just smiled and said it was all good.] [August 2006: At your request, you started training with John Wick to up your gun game. In late August, you found Martin Li in Chinatown and scored an SSN for $3,000, finally getting a legit ID in this Marvel world.] [September 2006: With $5,000 in seed money, you played a dozen casinos in Long Island and Queens, carefully balancing your wins and losses. Your sick gambling skills quickly built up a fat stack of cash. By the end of September, you''d set up a small lab and started digging into energy research. (Net Worth +2)] [October 2006: After a lot of thought, you decided to take on the cell phone industry. After some hardcore research, you published a paper on graphene in Nature, sending the science world into a frenzy. You claimed graphene batteries were a total game-changer compared to lithium-ion.] [November 2006: You forked over $2,000 to register a phone company, calling it "Pineapple." This time, you cranked out a working prototype fast. The main deal was figuring out how to use the intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions on the graphene surface and electrodes to make a battery that was 15 years ahead of the curve. Since similar stuff had already shown up in 2021 in your past life, it wasn''t rocket science for a big brain like you to copy it after a month of work. You finally cracked the graphene battery code.] [December 2006: You dropped another paper in Nature spilling the beans about your breakthrough and saying a phone with this graphene battery was coming soon. Besides its slick design and killer specs, the battery had triple the juice of the current top dog and could fully charge in under 15 minutes. The whole world was shook.] [January 2007: Your Pineapple phone launched. All the other specs were straight from your past life''s data, including the Retina display and IPS tech. The PPI was triple that of other phones at the time, and the battery was, obviously, graphene. As you figured, even though it launched four months earlier than in your past life and with two months less ad time, the phone¡ªwhich was four years ahead of its time¡ªand your two Nature papers generated crazy hype.]The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. [February 2007: Your company was another slam dunk. The Pineapple 1 was crushing its past-life numbers, even with a 20% markup. It was bodying Nokia, which had 75% of the US market, becoming the ultimate status symbol phone¡ªbecause it was legit future tech. (Net Worth +8)] [Late March 2007: Your success was off the charts, like every other lucky SOB who caught the wave. Your net worth was exploding. In the US, your phone was the go-to for ballers. Even big shots like Norman Osborn and Tony Stark were rocking it. (Net Worth +11)] [March-April 2007: You found the broke-ass Ivan Vanko in Russia and bought the Arc Reactor tech from him for a boatload of cash. In mid-March, you built an even bigger lab and started pulling in scientists for top-secret research on AI and upgrading the Arc Reactor. You had the cash, you had the gear¡ªnothing could stop you. Not even God.] [May 2007: Kingpin seemed to be sniffing around. You hired John Wick as your bodyguard, and he was down to help. At a party, you bumped into Tony Stark again. Just like in your past life, your similar vibes and skills made you both rivals and decent friends. But friends or not, you weren''t going to let him off easy after his stunt before.] [June 2007: Pineapple went public on NASDAQ, and the stock went up 40% on day one. Your wealth was going through the roof.] [July 2007: After six months of grinding, your AI project was done first. You named it "Keeves." You immediately hit up Tony Stark to flex. Even though he was salty, he had to admit it was just as good as his J.A.R.V.I.S.] [August 2007: Thanks to John Wick, Kingpin''s hits on you totally flopped.] [November 2007: After over a year of hardcore training, your shooting skills were way better! You learned the skill: C.A.R. System (Intermediate). You learned the skill: Mozambique Drill (Basic).] [December 2007: With the help of 30+ scientists, the new Arc Reactor was finally a go. As the head honcho, you designed the mini reactor in a rectangle shape, still using palladium. You had a feeling about a new element to swap out palladium, but that would probably take more dough and some luck.] [January 2008: Business was booming. You were hiring like crazy, and the Pineapple 3 was flying off the shelves.] [February 2008: The new Pineapple HQ, the Pineapple Tower, was finished.] [March 2008: Based on the Mark II armor you remembered, whipping up a copy was easy peasy for a science whiz like you. Inspired by the flicks you''d seen, you even made a portable suitcase armor ahead of the game. After manual activation, the case popped open, letting the user grab the glove structure. The back armor''s metal skeleton and the chest armor''s metal skeleton then auto-locked into place. The arm armor on both hands also snapped onto the arms. Finally, the outer armor layer closed up, firing up the main power until the whole suit was on¡ªa seriously genius idea. You called this bad boy "K-Mark 1" because, screw it, why not? You learned the skill: Precision Machining (Expert).] [April 2008: Some dude named Wesley came by again, repping Kingpin and wanting a piece of your company. You weren''t about to let him get a slice, so you told him to kick rocks. In late April, a bunch of your phone stores got trashed and looted. Your ride even got sprayed with bullets by some thugs. Even John Wick caught some damage. In the dead of night, a metal suit blasted off from the Pineapple Tower.] [April 2008 (cont.): Your Iron Suit wrecked most of Kingpin''s crew, and he himself got messed up bad and went into hiding. You started doing some hero stuff around New York. People started calling you "Iron Man."] [May 2008: You called up Tony Stark and showed off your Iron Suit. The look on his face was pure gold.] [Late May 2008: S.H.I.E.L.D. finally caught on. A hot chick named Natalie Rushman applied to be your secretary. You knew right away who she was¡ªBlack Widow, no doubt.] [June 2008: Hormones did their thing, and you and Natalie Rushman got it on. After hanging out for a while, you thought she might actually be into you. So, after one last round in the sack, you called her out on her real ID: S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff. The look of "you''re such a player" on her face was one for the books.] [Mid-July 2008: Natasha Romanoff came back with a VIP pass from S.H.I.E.L.D. to join the future Avengers Initiative. They even handed you a script to play it cool and deny being Iron Man. But, when all eyes were on you, you tossed the script and shouted to the whole world, "I am Iron Man!" (Legendary Status +1). You scored the achievement: Iron Man.] At this, Julian Thorne couldn''t help but crack up, slapping the table. For real, if he had transmigrated, he would''ve done the exact same thing. Payback''s a bitch, Tony Stark, for flexing at his grave! (In his past life, that is). Chapter 22: Sacrifice [Late June 2008: S.H.I.E.L.D. was pissed about your "I am Iron Man" public announcement. You couldn''t care less. Tony Stark, however, was salty about it, saying you were shameless but also pretty damn cool.] [July 2008: Tony went to Afghanistan to sell some weapons. Thanks to your prior arrangements, John Wick helped him escape danger. Stark returned to the States safely and thanked you profusely.] [August 2008: Your company, Pineapple Corp., expanded into the energy sector. Graphene batteries were now powering electric vehicles.] [September 2008: Congress came knocking, demanding you hand over the Iron Man suit, claiming that individuals shouldn''t possess weapons of mass destruction. You flatly refused. Surprisingly, during the hearing, Stark, the biggest weapons manufacturer in the U.S., testified on your behalf, claiming that your Iron Man suit was not a weapon but a high-tech prosthetic. That guy was alright; lying through his teeth for you. You decided to forgive him, for now.] [October 2008: Your friendship with Tony deepened. As a token of your manly bond, you planned to gift him an Iron Man suit. Stark, playing hard to get, claimed he never accepted gifts from men, but he took it anyway. This month also brought an unexpected surprise: your research on graphene earned you a nomination for the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics, and you actually won.] [November 2008: After winning the Nobel Prize, your legend grew. Pineapple Corp.''s stock prices soared, influenced by your rising fame.] [December 2008: At the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm, you met Dr. Erik Selvig, a physicist and astronomer, and his student Jane Foster. Selvig had also been nominated for the Nobel Prize and was there as a guest. It was love at first sight, followed by a night of passion.] [January 2009 - March 2009: Stark helped you upgrade the Iron Man suit twice, improving its firepower, speed, and endurance. He didn''t seem interested in being a superhero himself; he just wanted to prove he was a better researcher than you. In his mind, that time was better spent chasing supermodels.] [April 2009 - March 2010: Two more Iron Man suit upgrades were completed during this period. One night, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury invited you to join the Avengers Initiative. Why did it have to be called the Avengers? Why not the Pineapple Alliance? Fury''s face turned green at your question.] [April 2010: Just like in the original timeline, a hammer fell from the sky, landing in New Mexico. Though you weren''t paying much attention, you got the gist of it through Black Widow. After a fierce battle, Thor reclaimed his hammer and defeated the Destroyer, but he didn''t get the girl. Jane was in New York, on vacation with you.] [July 2010: The Hulk and the Abomination had a showdown in downtown New York. Of course, you were there. Thanks to your careful planning and coordination, the battle caused minimal damage and no casualties. Your reputation skyrocketed. Sometimes, late at night, you wondered if a real crisis hit New York, and a nuke was launched, would you do what Stark did in the movies? Sacrifice yourself, carrying the nuke into the wormhole? You probably wouldn''t.]Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. [September 2010: Nick Fury once again invited you to join the future Avengers. After careful consideration, you agreed. The offer was simply too good to pass up.] [November 2010: With your help, Captain America was recovered from the North Atlantic ice ahead of schedule and brought to New York. Knowing the original plot, you warned Fury not to mess with the Tesseract to avoid the Battle of New York. He agreed.] [March 2011: The unexpected happened: Foster was pregnant with your child. What a shocker. Though you weren''t planning on getting married anytime soon, you were thrilled. After some discussion, you decided to keep the baby. (Happiness +2)] [January 2012: You had your first child. Holding this tiny life, you felt a new connection to this world. (Happiness +2)] [June 2012: Everything was going smoothly, both in your personal life and your career. However, you discovered that Fury had broken his promise. He was still conducting Tesseract experiments in the underground base, hoping to harness its power for limitless energy and create weapons of mass destruction. In mid-June, Loki appeared at the base, stole the Tesseract, and brainwashed Hawkeye. Then, at Fury''s suggestion, the original Avengers were assembled. The initial roster was you, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, the Hulk, and Hawkeye. Despite your displeasure, you joined.] [July 2012: Despite your best efforts, you failed to stop Loki''s scheme. He used the Tesseract to open a portal above New York, unleashing hordes of Chitauri invaders. You and your comrades fought with everything you had but couldn''t hold them back. Minutes later, when the Security Council launched a nuke, you hesitated for less than a second before making your choice.] [Years later, everyone who was there still remembered it clearly. In the face of certain doom, a silver Iron Man suit soared into the sky, carrying the nuclear warhead, and flew straight into the wormhole without hesitation. Someone had to make the sacrifice. Why not you? The worst that could happen was starting over.] Summary: Your life was truly legendary, not just in science, but also in business. Some say the song of humanity is the song of courage. In the eyes of many, in that moment, you were the very embodiment of justice and bravery. Notably, after your death, influenced by your actions, Stark chose to inherit your Iron Man legacy, becoming the second Iron Man and joining the Avengers. In this timeline, many years later, when Stark snapped his fingers, sacrificing himself to save humanity, it was likely, in no small part, due to the impact you had on him, having replaced Yinsen. Evaluation: B+, World Exploration: 56.8%. Because your exploration exceeded 40%, you earned 3 Transmigration Coins. Due to your significant impact on the world''s scientific development, you received an additional 4 Transmigration Coins. Keep up the good work! [Simulation ended. Please make your choice as soon as possible.] [One: Randomly acquire three skills or specialties obtained during your crossover.] [Two: Randomly draw three items obtained during your crossover. Note: The Iron Man suit does not currently have an Arc Reactor. The Arc Reactor is a unique item from the "War of Infinity" world and must be drawn separately from the "War of Infinity" prize pool.] Julian Thorne: ... Although he didn''t want to admit it, if it were him, he probably wouldn''t have chosen self-sacrifice. As for why his simulated self made that choice? Maybe it was because of friendship, maybe family, or maybe just a momentary impulse. But doing so wasn''t a loss. There was nothing to regret. As for the choice... Choosing two would likely result in getting the Iron Man suit, but without a power source, it was useless. Without hesitation, Julian chose one. Chapter 23: Intermediate Alchemy [You have selected option one.] [You have acquired the skill: Mozambique Drill (Basic).] [You have acquired the skill: C.A.R. System (Intermediate).] [You have acquired the life skill: Precision Mechanical Engineering (Expert).] [Mozambique Drill (Basic): A close-quarters combat technique involving two rapid shots to the body followed by a headshot.] [C.A.R. System (Intermediate): Grants an additional +1 to Dexterity. A comprehensive combat system that integrates close-quarters and ranged attacks, moderately increasing your combat effectiveness.] [Precision Mechanical Engineering (Expert): In this world, no one understands precision machinery better than you.] "Not bad," Wayne Stilwell muttered, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. In the world of "Apocalypse," you could never have too many Skills. Besides their individual uses, Skills could be combined in a unique gameplay mechanic called Skill Fusion. Players could expend experience points to fuse two or more intermediate-level Skills, creating a new, basic-level Skill. Fusion had a chance to fail, with a base success rate of 60%. This rate increased with the level of the initial Skills. For instance, fusing two advanced Skills was almost guaranteed to succeed, while two intermediate Skills had a 40% chance of failure. Even if the fusion was successful, the new Skill wasn''t necessarily powerful. However, it would definitely combine aspects of the original Skills. And if the new Skill was underwhelming, you could always try again, since the original Skills were retained, albeit with their proficiency reset to zero. For example, there was a must-have fusion for Warrior Players. By combining the combat Skill [Slash] with the general Skill [Dodge], they could create [Evasive Slash]¡ªa god-tier Skill that was both offensive and defensive. Julian Thorne was particularly interested in the Dodge Skill. However, acquiring it required a Dexterity stat of 10. When he first arrived in this world, his Dexterity was only 8, but now he had finally met the requirement. This was one of the most appealing aspects of "Apocalypse." As long as you had enough experience, you could create countless new Skills. Once these Skills formed a coherent system, you could even create a new class at an NPC. However, in the four years the game had been running, no one had managed to achieve this feat. And that was precisely Julian''s goal. His Natural Force Affinity and Arcane Affinity were both zero, meaning he couldn''t become a Warrior or a Mage. So, he might as well create his own class. With only a month and a half left until the Beta Testing, he needed to create his new class within that time. As for the name? He was leaning towards "Gunslinger." A class that primarily used firearms, combined with elements of mysticism and mechanics, and was highly effective against dark creatures. Of course, the most important thing was that it had to be cool. That way, he could rake in the dough from the Players. The game panel updated again. Character: Julian Thorne/Wayne Stilwell Race: Human Template: NPC [Beta Testing Countdown: 47 days, 12 hours, 22 minutes] Level: 2This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Class: Student/Assistant Instructor [1/10] Secondary Class: Linguist [2/10] Natural Force Affinity: 0 Arcane Affinity: 0 Talents: Tony Stark (Purple) Attributes: Strength 10, Dexterity 13, Constitution 8, Willpower 9, Intelligence 9, Charisma 99 HP: 80/80 Stamina: 96/96 Willpower (Stat): 9/9 Mana: 0 Life Skills: Basic Alchemy (Basic), Mysticism (Intermediate), Precision Mechanical Engineering (Expert), Gambling (Advanced) Normal Skills: Expert French Fluency (Expert), Pickpocketing (Intermediate), Basic Shooting Proficiency (Advanced), Pickup Artistry (Expert), Ripple Breathing (Basic), Mozambique Drill (Basic), C.A.R. System (Intermediate) Other details omitted. In his Quests log, the progress of the hidden Quest [A Literary Life] had reached 523/1000. It seemed his previous self wasn''t a stranger to books. All in all, it was a good haul. Julian contentedly opened a book he had borrowed from the library. ''Learning makes me happy,'' he thought sarcastically. The book was about the Alchemist Secondary Class, titled "Equivalent Exchange: The Origins and Development of Alchemy," authored by an unknown alchemist named Tom Chambers. The book was filled with dry alchemical theories, along with some obscure terms and illustrations. Julian patiently read through it. After half a minute, the panel finally displayed a message. [You are self-studying Basic Alchemy. Based on your Willpower, your proficiency has increased by 2 points (Extreme Calm +0.2).] [You are self-studying Basic Alchemy. Based on your Willpower, your proficiency has increased by 3 points (Extreme Calm +0.3).] [You have learned a new alchemy recipe.] "Just like in the game," Julian thought, his heart filled with excitement. He focused and continued flipping through the pages. A 150-page book granted him nearly 200 proficiency points. He then picked up a second book... By the time he finished all the books he had brought, his Basic Alchemy proficiency was about halfway full. He also learned two new recipes: the Basic Brute Strength Potion, which increased attack power, and the Basic Stone Shield Potion, which increased defense. Just then, a knock came at the door. Probably John. Julian, without bothering to put on a shirt, went to open the door. He opened the door to find a rather pretty girl standing outside. She had brown hair, light brown eyes, and looked to be in her late teens. She was wearing a typical Briceton dress, but her legs were so long that the skirt seemed a bit short, revealing a pair of straight, fair legs that made him take a second glance. It was her... Rosie Lily, the alchemy prodigy, considered the second-best waifu by future Players in "Apocalypse". The reason was simple: she was cute, had a great figure, and those legs... well, who doesn''t love a cute girl with long legs? In his fragmented memories, although they both studied under Professor Wesley, they didn''t interact much. She was quite shy, always acting serious, but whenever she saw him, she''d blush and avoid him like a startled deer. "Ah..." Rosie Lily covered her mouth in shock, seeing Julian shirtless. True to form, she lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her dress, her long legs shifting nervously. "Mr. Stilwell, could you please put on a shirt?" Julian didn''t tease her further and started putting on a shirt while asking, "What can I do for you?" Recalling her purpose, Rosie took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and imitated Professor Wesley''s tone, "Professor Wesley asked me to tell you that you can make any potion you want, but no more Healing Potions. Also, you''ll be in charge of the orientation for new students four days from now." She actually did a pretty good impression. Julian nodded with a slight smile, "Got it. Anything else?" "Hmm? Do you want a donut?" Rosie subconsciously pulled out a donut from her pocket. "Sure." Julian took the donut from her hand. It was still warm. "..." Realizing what she had done, Rosie hung her head in embarrassment. She had a bad habit of eating when she was nervous, and the more nervous she got, the more she ate. She had messed up again. After seeing Rosie off, Julian shook his head with a smile. She was kind of cute, in a way. For the next two days, Julian followed his routine, shuttling between the alchemy lab, the library, and his apartment. Although his memory was still fragmented, he gradually pieced together his relationships. His best friend was his roommate John, and he was also on good terms with a chubby guy named Fred from the next room. It seemed every protagonist needed a fat friend. Unlike the first day, Julian didn''t churn out as many potions. On the first day, he made Basic Mana Potions and Basic Brute Strength Potions. On the second day, he made some Basic Mana Potions and Basic Stone Shield Potions. By noon on the second day, his Alchemy Skill leveled up, and the long-awaited panel notification appeared. [Your proficiency has reached 100%. Alchemy has reached Intermediate level.] [You have acquired the Secondary Class: [Alchemist''s Apprentice]. Willpower +1. You have gained 1 free Attribute Point.] [You have learned the Skills: [Potion Brewing], [Item Transmutation], and [Conversion].] [You have learned new recipes: Intermediate Healing Potion, Intermediate Mana Potion, Gold to Iron.] The real benefit of reaching Intermediate Alchemy wasn''t these three somewhat useless recipes, but rather that he had finally met the prerequisite for learning a god-tier alchemy recipe. Chapter 24: Oil of Immolation [Oil of Immolation (Hidden Formula): When applied to weapons or projectiles, it imbues the object with a fiery visual effect and adds fire damage. ] Fire damage was one of the most effective damage types against creatures of darkness, a fact that spoke for itself. But the real kicker was the visual effect. Weapons coated in Oil of Immolation erupted in flames, looking ridiculously cool. In his past life, this formula was hidden within a meteorology book in the Vickers University library, tucked away in a chapter describing frost monsters. It took years before a Player finally discovered it. And who was that Player? None other than the game''s chosen one, Leandro de Pesa ¨C alchemy prodigy, meteorology dummy, and the owner of that badass flaming greatsword featured in the promotional videos. No wonder he was so popular. But, as Leandro hadn''t even enrolled yet, the formula was still up for grabs. This was one of the main reasons Julian Thorne had been grinding alchemy so hard these past few days. If he could snag this formula, all the hard work would be worth it! After tidying up the alchemy lab, Rosie arrived for her shift. This girl was a workhorse. Not only did she work as an Assistant Instructor like Julian, earning 5 Victors a month, but she also had a part-time job at the university''s alchemy shop. Talk about a grinder. Julian greeted her with a grin. "Afternoon. Got any snacks?" Rosie gave him a wary look and clutched her pockets protectively. But in the end, Julian managed to snag a red bean pastry from her. In return, he treated her to a cup of black tea, courtesy of Mrs. Tur¨ªn, who sent him a delivery every day at noon. After a relatively pleasant afternoon tea, Julian bid farewell and headed back to his dorm to grab the books he''d finished. It was time for a library run. He returned the borrowed books as usual and made his way to the meteorology section. As one of the top three libraries in all of the Kingdom of Bryston, Vickers University''s collection on meteorology was comprehensive, to say the least. The forum in his past life had been vague, only mentioning that the formula was in a book by Roger Moore. The problem? Roger Moore was a prolific author from a century ago with four books on meteorology. Staring at the four thick tomes, Julian wished he had a forum or live chat to consult. He lugged the stack of books to a table and started reading. In "Apocalypse," there were three ways to learn formulas: from another Player, from a formula sheet, or through self-discovery while reading. If you were lucky, a passage in some ancient text might just be a hidden formula. He finished three books without any results, though his meteorology skill kept climbing. It wasn''t until he was near the end of the fourth book that he finally got a hit:If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [You have learned Meteorology (Basic). You have gained the skill [Weather Observation]!] [You have learned the formula [Oil of Immolation]!] [You have learned the formula [Sleepless Draught]!] [Oil of Immolation (Hidden Formula): Requires Flame Flower, Fire Scale Fish Oil, Crystal Vial, and Sun Orchid Root to craft. When applied to weapons or projectiles, it imbues the object with a fiery visual effect and adds fire damage. ] [Sleepless Draught (Hidden Formula): Requires Nightshade, Nettle, and Gillsweed to craft. When consumed, it grants heightened energy and removes the need for sleep. ] "Finally!" Julian pumped his fist, a surge of excitement coursing through him. This was a jackpot. The [Oil of Immolation] was self-explanatory, but the [Sleepless Draught] would be a hot commodity among factory owners, no doubt. Flame Flowers and Sun Orchid Roots were common and cheap herbs. Fire Scale Fish Oil was a bit rarer but still under 5 Rosens. Julian had enough cash on hand. Checking the time, he saw it was almost evening. Julian rushed to the university''s alchemy shop and bought two sets of ingredients for 20 Rosens, then rented an alchemy lab for another 4 Rosens. He couldn''t wait to get started. Unlike the basic potions he''d made before, the Oil of Immolation was a high-difficulty intermediate-level concoction. Plus, he was spending his own money this time, so extra caution was warranted. "Huu¡­" Exhaling a breath, Julian deftly lit the alcohol burner. Maybe it was his 13 Dexterity, but his movements felt more agile than ever, his hands perfectly in sync. He methodically ground the herbs, added them to the beaker along with a buffering agent, and began heating the mixture. The process was intricate and, frankly, luck-based. [You have attempted to create an alchemical product. Quality: 7. Crafting failed. You gain 26 EXP and 1 point in proficiency.] Five minutes later, a burnt smell wafted from the beaker. Julian frowned. Failure! He only had one set of ingredients left. He forced himself to calm down. Methodically, he heated the beaker, brought the potion to a boil, added lead salts and other stabilizers, and continued heating. The process flowed seamlessly, without a single misstep. A few minutes later, the panel lit up. [You have attempted to create an alchemical product. Quality: 72. You gain 46 EXP and 2 points in proficiency.] Success! Julian finally let out a sigh of relief. A crimson liquid filled the test tube. After it cooled completely, he carefully poured it into a crystal vial. Focusing his attention on the vial, he saw the description: [Oil of Immolation (Common Quality): When applied to weapons or projectiles, it imbues the object with a fiery visual effect and adds fire damage. ] Not bad, quality-wise. After a moment''s hesitation, Julian poured the oil into a small bowl and fished out a bullet from his inventory. Carefully, he dipped the bullet into the Oil of Immolation. As if by magic, the bullet burst into flames the moment it touched the oil. With a flick of his wrist, Julian retrieved the bullet. It was now wreathed in flames, though the fire was just a visual effect from the oil and didn''t actually give off any heat. [Special Item: .45 ACP Round] [Attribute: Burning] [Description: A bullet coated in Oil of Immolation, dealing an additional 13-25 fire damage.] "It worked!" Julian stared at the burning bullet in his hand, a thrill of excitement running through him. It had just been a theory before, but now he knew it was possible. He proceeded to dip another 8 or 9 bullets into the oil, retrieving them after a few moments. All ten bullets were now special rounds. When he tried to dip the eleventh, he found that the half-bowl of Oil of Immolation was empty. 20 Rosens for two sets of ingredients, 4 Rosens for the lab rental, and a 50% success rate meant 24 Rosens for 10 special bullets. A bit pricey. But the cost would go down as his proficiency increased. Julian pulled out his ivory-handled Colt M1873 revolver, popped out the cylinder, and loaded the ten flaming bullets one by one. One thing was for sure: if he ran into another creature like Marien, he could take it down with ease. ¡­ After returning the rented lab equipment, Julian realized it had started to rain. Thanks to the unpredictable weather, umbrellas were available for loan at any university facility. Julian borrowed one from the alchemy shop, bought a few pounds of bread from a roadside store, and headed back to his dorm. Chapter 25: The Hidden Template By the time Julian Thorne got back to his dorm, it was already seven. Surprisingly, his roommate John, a guy who was usually more myth than man, was actually there! John was sitting on his bed, looking utterly miserable and chain-smoking. His dog, Polly¡ªwhom he treated like a son¡ªwas excitedly jumping all over him, slobbering all over his face. Julian watched this touching father-son moment in silence. He couldn''t bring himself to tell John that Polly had just been snacking on something decidedly less savory in the bathroom. Noticing Julian, John crushed his cigarette with a sigh. "Dude, Wayne, I''m so screwed. My dad''s probably going to kill me." From what Julian recalled, John''s family was loaded. His dad was one of the biggest businessmen in Darkland City, owning a whole string of, ahem, "entertainment establishments" in the red-light district near the old city. Julian had often fantasized about asking John for a "tour" of these establishments, but could never work up the nerve. Julian: ? He set his bread down on the table, intrigued. "No way, you''re his only son. He wouldn''t actually disown you, would he?" "...You didn''t get into some kind of trouble, did you?" John shook his head gloomily. "If it was trouble, it''d be easy. Unless it was a major felony, my dad could always bail me out." He let out another long sigh. "Remember that shop I invested in? It''s about to go bankrupt. I''m going to lose everything." Julian''s interest evaporated. He''d been hoping for some juicy family drama, maybe an illicit affair with a step-sibling or something. "It''s just a failed investment," Julian said, shrugging. "It''s not that big of a deal for your family, right?" "My dad gave me ten thousand Victors..." John said. Julian: ... According to his memories, John had started his business venture in July, investing in a boutique potion shop outside the campus. By the end of July, he decided it wasn''t making enough money, so he tore it down and rebuilt it as a boutique weapon shop. In his words, "If you''re going to do it, do it right." And now it was September 2nd. ...Yeah, if Julian were his dad, he''d probably strangle him too. "You''re doomed. Just wait for the sweet embrace of death. Remember to haunt me when you have your funeral," Julian quipped. Once again, John served as a stark reminder of the disparity of their lives. Julian quietly grabbed his clothes and headed to the bathroom, eager to escape the presence of this disgustingly wealthy individual. When he emerged from the shower, John was already asleep. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. It was the gas meter guy, coming to collect the coins from each room. He gave Julian a look that screamed "prodigal son" as he emptied the meter. Holy crap. In just three days, Julian had already racked up over 4 Roshen in gas bills. "Broke again," Julian sighed. The sound of rain pattering against the window grew louder. Julian closed it, hopped onto his bed, and sat cross-legged. With the urgent need for alchemy supplies temporarily resolved, he finally had some time to sort through his abilities. Julian opened his character panel. After several days of grinding, he had accumulated over 23,000 experience points, some from practicing alchemy and some from his studies. Currently, Julian had 7 normal skills available for fusion: Expert French Fluency, Intermediate Pickpocketing, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Expert-level Pickup Artistry, Novice Ripple Breathing Technique, Novice Mozambique Drill, and Intermediate C.A.R System.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. To level up the Ripple Breathing Technique from Novice to Intermediate required 10 Intelligence, and Julian was currently at 9. Luckily, he had one free attribute point remaining. He allocated it to Intelligence, finally reaching the average human baseline. With the attribute requirement met, Julian immediately upgraded Ripple Breathing Technique to Intermediate. [Ripple Breathing Technique (Intermediate): A breathing technique with exceptional effects, granting an additional +4 Strength and +4 Dexterity.] The Strength and Dexterity bonuses had increased by one point each, and the description had changed from "exceptional" to "very exceptional"¡ªnot a massive upgrade, but still an improvement. Next, Julian selected Advanced Firearms Proficiency and Intermediate Ripple Breathing Technique for skill fusion. [Fuse Advanced Firearms Proficiency and Intermediate Ripple Breathing Technique? This fusion will consume 8000 experience points. Success Rate: 70%] The success rate was lower than in the game, probably because Ripple Breathing Technique wasn''t a game skill. Without hesitation, Julian confirmed the fusion. The experience points for both Ripple Breathing Technique and Firearms Proficiency were reset, and the skills reverted to Novice. [Fusion successful. You have acquired the skill: Ripple Shot.] [Ripple Shot (Novice): A shooting technique that infuses bullets with Ripple power, dealing extreme damage to dark creatures. Using this skill grants a +3 bonus to Strength and Dexterity checks.] Julian''s eyes lit up. He had envisioned many possible outcomes for fusing Ripple Breathing Technique and Firearms Proficiency, but Ripple Shot was the best he could have hoped for. Although it didn''t incorporate the accuracy bonus from Advanced Firearms Proficiency, it successfully integrated Ripple power into his bullets and added a +3 bonus to Strength and Dexterity, maximizing its offensive potential. He had about 8,000 experience points left. Glancing at his skill list, he decided to also upgrade the Novice Mozambique Drill to Intermediate. [Mozambique Drill (Intermediate): A close-quarters combat shooting technique that involves quickly firing two shots into the target''s body followed by a headshot. Deals increased damage compared to the Novice skill.] [Fuse Intermediate Mozambique Drill and Intermediate C.A.R System? This fusion will consume 8000 experience points. Success Rate: 48%] [Fusion successful. You have acquired the skill: Rapid Pursuit.] [Rapid Pursuit (Novice): A deadly close-and-long-range combat shooting technique that allows you to enter a special combat state, passively increasing your combat effectiveness.] "It actually worked?" Even Julian was surprised by his luck. However, the skill description was pretty vague, much like the "Fatal Tempo" specialty he had learned from John Wick. He wasn''t sure how effective it would be in practice. After leveling up his skills, he spent some time reading, bringing his reading progress to 547/1000. It was just past eleven o''clock. Checking his remaining 9 Transmigration Coins, Julian, who had been holding back for two days, finally gave in. He opened the Transmigration Simulator and initiated a traversal. [Preparing for traversal... Transmigration Coins -5] [Please select a traversal mode...] [1. Direct Traversal] [2. Traversal using a parallel world template] As usual, he checked the available templates for the second option. The previous templates¡ªExtreme Hacker, Insane Clown, and God of Gamblers¡ªwere gone, replaced by three new ones. The first template showed a bespectacled, scholarly version of Julian with a personality marked as "Astute" and a blue-tier talent "Design Genius." His skills were "Architectural Design (Expert)" and "Accounting (Intermediate)." The title was "Architect Julian Thorne," and the traversal cost was 3 Transmigration Coins. The second template depicted Julian in a black mage robe, three fireballs floating in his hands. His personality was "Volatile," and he possessed three purple-tier talents: "Fire Magic Prodigy," "Magic Affinity," and "Magic Focus." His skill was "Fire Magic Omniscience (God)." The title was "Inferno Julian Thorne," and the traversal cost was a whopping 250 Transmigration Coins¡ªoutrageous! When he saw the third template, Julian couldn''t help but exclaim softly. The image showed a world-weary Julian in a black suit, half-hidden in shadow. His personality was "Wise" and "Calm." He had a plethora of talents: "Research Genius (Purple)," "Athletic Genius (Blue)," "Vampire Physique (Purple)," "Daywalker (Purple)," and "Rapid Regeneration (Purple)." His skills included "Ripple Breathing Technique (Expert)," "Painting (Expert)," "Writing (Master)," "Firearms Proficiency (Expert)," and many more. The title was "Legendary Vampire Julian Thorne," and the traversal cost was 0. Julian stared blankly for a moment before it hit him. After clearing "Lost in Paris," he had received a notification that "Legendary Vampire Julian Thorne" had become a hidden template, selectable with extremely good luck. Was today his lucky day? There was no contest. Julian immediately selected option 1 and chose "Legendary Vampire Julian Thorne" for his traversal. [Matching successful. In this parallel world, you are the greatest scientist and the greatest writer of the 20th century, a physicist who has won the Nobel Prize twice, and a war hero who helped the Allies win World War II. You are a legend, a living myth, and also a vampire who can walk in the sunlight. The Stone Mask granted you the gifts and body of a vampire, but your body, already partially modified by the Stone Mask and the Red Stone of Aja, has also given you the ability to walk in the sunlight. What changes will you bring to this world? Only time will tell.] [Current world exploration progress: 56.8%. When world exploration reaches 66.7%, you will unlock the next map.] [Game Over if you die in the simulation.] [Boarding the Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Traversal complete.] Chapter 26: The Legendary Vampire [Note: Using a template for transmigration allows free choice of time and location.] [Note: Template characters possess a degree of autonomy and often exhibit unexpected behavior.] [You are considering the time and location of your transmigration.] [You have selected New York City, Brooklyn, 1940.] [You have transmigrated to New York in 1940. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.] ... [March 19, 1940. You stand on a New York street. The city is already a concrete jungle, choked with traffic and teeming with skyscrapers, showing early signs of the global metropolis it will become. A wave of boredom, a familiar companion, washes over you. But then, a spark. Maybe it''s time to stir things up a bit. You''re an extraordinary being, sure, but your real power lies in your endless lifespan. Physically, you figure you''re probably weaker than a juiced-up Captain America. A flicker of nostalgia crosses your mind as you think of your old pal, Dio Brando. You can''t help but wonder just how far humans can push their limits.] [March 20, 1940. It''s confirmed. You''re in Brooklyn, on the southeastern edge of Manhattan Island, a predominantly Black neighborhood. By nightfall, you''ve witnessed seven brawls, and some gangbangers even tried to jump you. Seriously? These guys have lost it. You could have turned them into dust, but really, you''ve mellowed out over the centuries. Instead, you simply relieved them of their cash and turned them into vampires. A little parting gift.] [March 21, 1940. After spending the last 40 years chilling in the Californian countryside, you''ve pretty much mastered the art of being a lazy bum. Money? You''re not exactly hurting for it, but you need a cash flow to coast through this extended vacation called life. You decide to pay a visit to Stark Industries, figuring you might as well offer your services. But Howard Stark, in all his wisdom, can''t be bothered to meet with a Chinese guy. Apparently, he doesn''t believe a member of your race could be a genius in the making. You leave with a smile. This world is full of surprises. You can''t even be a proper slacker in peace.] [Late March 1940. You establish a tech company called "Stargazer," a nod to Oscar Wilde''s famous quote: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." The location? Right across the street from Stark Industries. Petty? Maybe. Satisfying? Absolutely.] [April 1940. Your research skills are, to put it mildly, god-tier. As a fledgling company, you quickly make a breakthrough, although it''s technically a re-breakthrough since you already achieved it in your past life. You invent and improve upon the transistor, a device later hailed as one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century.] [May 1940. You introduce the transistor radio and transistor television, marking the first commercial application of the transistor. The invention starts to rake in serious dough. This is hailed as a landmark event in the electronics revolution.] [November 1940. After more than half a year of dedicated effort, you build the world''s first supercomputer. Unlike the ENIAC, which wouldn''t be built until 1946, a behemoth that occupies 1800 square feet (167 square meters), consumes 150kW of power, and can only perform 5,000 additions or subtractions per second, your supercomputer can perform nine million logical operations per second, all while consuming less than 100 watts of power.]Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. [December 1940. You hold a massive press conference to announce your invention. The whole nation is stunned. Scientists, including Albert Einstein himself, flock to Stargazer to witness this electronic marvel. Einstein even declares that this invention will fundamentally alter the way people work and think.] [January 1941. As expected, the US government starts placing orders for your supercomputer. Your company begins to expand rapidly. Your warm, Nike-like smile charms the pants off everyone, and you become buddies with Einstein, Abraham Erskine, and a bunch of other eggheads. Your team successfully recruits John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, who will later win the Nobel Prize in Physics and become presidents of the American Physical Society.] [February 1941. You and your team invent and refine the silicon integrated circuit, pioneering the history of world microelectronics.] [March 1941. You invent the electronic eye camera and the integrated circuit television.] [June 1941. You announce that computers will soon be available for commercial use. In just over half a year, your company has quadrupled in size.] [June 1941 - November 1941. You secure 37 patents, mostly stuff you brought over from your past life. Under your leadership, your company expands like wildfire, not just in electronics but also in the military and aerospace industries. You''re not the biggest player yet, but your reputation as a scientist already surpasses Howard Stark''s.] [December 1941. Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. The US joins the Allies and declares war on the Axis powers. World War II kicks into high gear. For you, it''s just another Tuesday.] [January 1942. You start planning something big. Using your arcane skills, you perfectly recreate a Stone Mask, just in case.] [February 1942. Phase one of your plan is a success. You secretly travel to Norway and beat Red Skull to the punch, snatching the Tesseract from a church in T?nsberg. So, this is what the legendary container of the Space Stone looks like? (You have obtained the legendary item: The Tesseract)] [May 1942. As the former "Father of Aircraft," your designed jet aircraft successfully completes its test flight. In late May, your buddy Dr. Abraham Erskine invites you to join Project Rebirth, which he is leading. You discover that the supercomputer being used in this project is, in fact, your own creation. You win this round.] [June 1942. You''re intrigued by Project Rebirth, especially the Super Soldier Serum. According to Erskine, it can enhance a user''s metabolic function and all bodily functions, allowing them to use 100% of their brain capacity, reaching the peak of human potential. You can''t help but wonder what would happen if a vampire took this serum.] [December 1942. Thanks to your supercomputer, the project progresses rapidly. The Super Soldier Serum is completed three months ahead of schedule. You use a pre-installed backdoor in the computer to intercept and record all data related to the serum.] [February 1943. You successfully replicate the Super Soldier Serum in your lab. For testing, you have a monkey don the Stone Mask, turning it into a vampire monkey, and then inject it with the serum. The result is disappointing. The monkey becomes incredibly strong, but its body quickly breaks down, and it dies.] [April 1943. You and your team try to improve the Super Soldier Serum. This time, the test monkey survives for an extra day. Its terrifying strength and agility leave you shaken.] [May 1943. Howard Stark hosts the "World Exposition of Tomorrow" in New York. You''re on the guest list. When you chat with Howard, he has no recollection of rejecting you years ago. You chuckle, unfazed. After living for over a century, nothing can get to you anymore. But you still tell him the truth, and the look of embarrassment and shock on his face is priceless. At the expo, you also meet up with your friend Abraham Erskine, as well as the future Captain America and Winter Soldier. You notice that, just like in the original timeline, Erskine is quite fond of Steve Rogers and helps him enlist in the Strategic Scientific Reserve.] [June 1943. After a month of training, Steve Rogers, just like in the original timeline, is injected with the Super Soldier Serum and successfully enhanced! By monitoring the supercomputer''s progress, you suspect that it might be because Steve Rogers was exposed to radiation during the enhancement, specifically vita-rays, but this needs further testing.] Chapter 27: Winston [July 1943: Based on your previous hypothesis, you subjected the bloodsucking ape to Life-ray radiation. The experiment proved successful. After being injected with the Super Soldier Serum, the ape survived. Its strength and agility increased exponentially, and its size expanded to nearly two meters. Even more astonishingly, its intelligence skyrocketed. The thirst for blood vanished, and within a short period, it learned human language, capable of basic communication. You named it Winston. It regarded you as its father and was fiercely loyal. ] [August 1943: Winston''s intellectual development was rapid. Perhaps the claim that the Super Soldier Serum could unlock 100% of the brain''s potential was true. In just one month, it mastered human language, engaging in complex conversations and even assisting you in your experiments. With its help, you finally resolved to inject yourself with the Super Soldier Serum.] [September 1943: After undergoing Life-ray radiation, you received the injection and survived. The effects were remarkable. Tests showed your strength and agility had tripled, with room for further improvement. Your mind was clearer than ever before. You took a Mensa test and scored an IQ of 168, eight points higher than Einstein. Winston, however, scored an astonishing 170.] [November 1943: With Winston''s assistance, you continued to refine the Super Soldier Serum, eventually achieving a 30% dilution that allowed for direct injection. You locked the highest-quality vial in a safe. (You have obtained item: Super Soldier Serum).] [Late November 1943: The leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States, and Great Britain met in Tehran, Iran. The "Tehran Declaration" was issued, confirming their agreement on a plan to defeat the German forces and their commitment to building a peaceful postwar world. Captain America finally ended his bond-selling tour and headed to the European front. As a member of the Strategic Scientific Reserve and the most prestigious scientist of the time, you were also called to the front lines.] [December 1943: You brought Winston to the European front and introduced him as your assistant. His arrival initially caused a panic, but soon, the gentle and intelligent Winston won everyone over. Within half a month, Winston, whose combat prowess surpassed even Captain America''s, joined the Captain''s Howling Commandos.] [January 1944 - August 1944: With the Strategic Scientific Reserve joining the fray, the Germans suffered a series of defeats on the Western Front. Without the Tesseract, even the Red Skull and his HYDRA could not stop the Howling Commandos'' advance. Your exceptional combat and command abilities also began to shine, gradually earning you command of the Strategic Scientific Reserve.] [September 1944 - March 1945: Under your command, the Strategic Scientific Reserve captured Arnim Zola, HYDRA''s chief scientist and strategist. Using Zola''s intelligence, the SSR began to consistently thwart HYDRA''s schemes. During the war, Steve Rogers showed you that human wisdom and courage could overcome any limit. You forged a deep friendship.]If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. [May 8, 1945: Thanks to the efforts of countless individuals, Germany surrendered. On August 6th and 9th, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan subsequently announced its unconditional surrender, bringing World War II to an end.] [November 1945: You witnessed the marriage of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter. Your wedding gift to them was two vials of serum that could slow down the aging process.] [December 1945: The Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme, appeared before you, warning that you had caused a divergence in the timeline, creating a new parallel universe. You could only shrug. What could you do?] [1945-1946: You and Winston became national heroes in America. Upon returning to the States, you helped establish the Strategic Scientific Reserve''s secret headquarters and renamed it the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. You became its first director, effectively running it as your own personal domain. Some referred to the organization as the Starry Sky Agency. (Renown +1).] [1947-1948: After the war, your contact with Einstein intensified. You attracted him to join your research on the Tesseract with the promise of the anti-aging serum and the Tesseract itself. During this time, your company, Starry Sky, also experienced rapid growth, especially in the field of integrated circuits. With John Bardeen and Walter Brattain under your employ, two renowned figures in the field, and under your guidance, CMOS technology was born. To this day, over 95% of integrated circuit chips are based on CMOS technology.] [1949: At your invitation, Dr. Zola also joined the Tesseract research group. Now, besides Howard Stark, the four brightest minds in the world were gathered in one place.] [1952: Your research on the Tesseract finally yielded results. You extracted an isotope from the Tesseract, a powerful energy source with limitless potential. It was the same new element that Tony Stark would later use to replace palladium. Unfortunately, current technology was insufficient to synthesize this element. Even a transmigrator like you was powerless, and you had to shelve the project for the time being.] [1953: You built a library next to your mansion and, no matter how busy you were, always made time for reading.] [1953-1960: You filed over 140 patents, including groundbreaking inventions like the personal computer. Starry Sky Tech''s scale had long surpassed Stark Industries.] [1961: After five years of development, you, Einstein, and Winston successfully created an Arc Reactor, capable of outputting 2 billion joules of energy per second. It could meet the energy needs of Starry Sky Tech and serve as the power core for future Iron Man suits.] [1968: Your invention of the transistor in 1941 was nominated for and won the Nobel Prize in Physics.] [1970: You stepped down as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and recommended Steve Rogers as your successor. Though reluctant, he accepted the position.] [1972: You began to retreat from the public eye, rarely participating in Starry Sky''s management. However, you still held 85% of the company''s shares.] [1975: Despite the anti-aging serum, your friend Einstein passed away. Still, he enjoyed a remarkably long life.] [1983: You resumed your efforts to synthesize the Tesseract isotope. In an era of limited technology, this process was expected to be extremely lengthy. That same year, Dr. Zola approached you, seeking to become a vampire to extend his lifespan. You granted his request.] [1999: Your friend and rival, Howard Stark, passed away. His 29-year-old son, Tony Stark, took over Stark Industries. You sensed that a chaotic new era was about to begin.] Chapter 28: Climbing the Tech Tree [1999: Your hunch was spot on. The intel from Steve Rogers was a real jaw-dropper. Thanks to you and Einstein beating everyone to the punch with the Arc Reactor, Stark Industries in this timeline had leaned more towards biomed. Back in the original timeline, Howard and Maria Stark got whacked by the Winter Soldier because Howard cooked up five batches of Super Soldier Serum, and some Hydra goon lurking in SHIELD''s higher-ups got wind of it. But in this world, it looked like Tony Stark might have scored the complete recipe for the Super Soldier Serum.] [2000: According to official market valuations, your company, Starlight Corp, had hit a market cap of over 1.5 trillion, basically on par with Apple Inc. in the real world. With your 85% stake, you were losing a cool million every minute. At this rate, you''d be broke in a mere 300 years. Not bad, all things considered. In July, you had your first meet-up with Tony Stark at some fancy gala. He seemed like a decent guy, pretty humble for a young''un¡ªthough, let''s be real, nobody had the right to be arrogant in your presence. But Winston, your AI buddy, told you he didn''t vibe with Stark. His reason? Smart people''s auras just clash. You: "????" ] [2001: Even in the 21st century, you hadn''t forgotten about finding a bedmate. Aside from your weathered aura, you looked like you were in your twenties. The public was clueless about your vampirism, figuring you were just a war hero and legendary scientist hopped up on anti-aging serums. Meanwhile, after years of practicing the Ripple Breathing Technique and continuous refinement of the Super Soldier Serum, you could feel your intellect, strength, and agility steadily increasing, and you hadn''t even hit your limit yet.] [2002: After 18 years of blood, sweat, and tears, you finally synthesized an isotope of the Tesseract. Way harder than it looked in the movies, let me tell you. As a scientist, you could confidently say that pulling off new element creation like in the movies was a load of bull, a total violation of the law of conservation of energy! To create this "Star Element," you first dropped a fortune on a 4-kilometer-long superconducting supercollider, zapping it with 5 terawatts of power, just to smash subatomic particles and fuse new atomic nuclei. This process alone took at least three days. This new element, which you dubbed [Stellarium], was an incredibly potent energy source. Not only was it safe and clean, but it also boosted the energy output of miniature Arc Reactors threefold, hitting a whopping 6 billion joules per second.] [2003: You stepped back into the limelight, taking the reins of Starlight Corp once again, and announced your entry into the clean energy sector, focusing primarily on controlled nuclear fusion. Humanity''s energy history was about to get a major rewrite.] [2005: Stark Industries announced they''d successfully developed a human enhancement serum, drawing the attention of the entire world. Your hunch was right on the money.] [Late 2005: You learned that Bruce Banner, in a freak lab accident, got blasted by a massive dose of gamma radiation, splitting off a second personality¡ªthe Hulk. He could now transform at will. The green guy was now on the scene. You tracked down the Hulk and had a little brawl. No clear winner emerged.] [2006: With the help of Winston and Dr. Zola, you started developing an Iron Suit, using the miniature Arc Reactor as its core. You made it a habit to spar with the Hulk every now and then. You could tell the big guy was starting to get a complex.] [Late 2006: Tony Stark vanished during a business negotiation, only to resurface half a month later. Upon his return, he immediately fired Obadiah Stane and sued him for attempted murder. Meanwhile, a new superhero decked out in a gold and crimson suit started making waves on the streets of New York. Just like your old-world Batman, this guy had peak human physique, and his suit was packed with all sorts of high-tech goodies. It was ridiculously over-the-top, even equipped with thrusters for flight and gliding. This hero called himself Phoenix Man. Of course, you knew Phoenix Man was just Tony Stark, being as flashy as humanly possible.] [Early 2007: Sure enough, with SHIELD hot on his heels, Tony Stark casually admitted he was Phoenix Man. Later, during a press conference, he tossed aside the script SHIELD had prepared for him and declared, "I am Phoenix Man!" Watching Tony on TV, Winston remarked, "That guy is way too showy. I''d rather die than pull a stunt like that." You chuckled, saying nothing. Truth be told, you could see that Winston was just lonely and wanted a new friend.]Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. [2007: You completed your first Iron Suit, a beast far superior to anything in the movies. Winston took a real shine to it, so you just gave it to him. Winston named it "The Stomper." For the first time, the Hulk actually ran from a fight with you!] [March 2007: Winston started zipping around in The Stomper, playing the hero and helping folks left and right. People started calling him Iron Man. Because of his unique height and build, some even figured out Winston''s real identity. Anyway, you could tell he was having a blast. The Hulk, on the other hand, wasn''t having such a great time. You went for another round with him, and he got his green butt handed to him.] [May 2007: Steve Rogers himself paid you a visit, asking if the Iron Suit was your handiwork. You owned up to it and told him Iron Man was actually Winston. Faced with his old war buddy, Steve didn''t have much to say, except to ask Winston to deny his identity at a press conference. But at the conference, Winston, too, ditched the script and belted out, "I am Iron Monkey!" Iron Monkey?! You were having tea at the time, and even your legendary composure cracked. You did a spit-take all over your screen.] [July 2007: Phoenix Man and Iron Monkey had a throwdown in the streets of New York. Iron Monkey came out slightly on top. Tony Stark started upgrading the Phoenix Armor, aiming to create an Iron Monkey-buster suit. He set his sights on Vibranium. Coincidentally, so did you. You bought up a ton of Vibranium to upgrade the materials for your miniature Arc Reactors, crafting even more advanced Iron Suits.] [August 2007: With Steve Rogers playing peacemaker, Winston and Tony Stark buried the hatchet and even became buddies. You were happy to see Winston make a new friend. On the flip side, something not so happy happened. When you went to find Bruce Banner, the Hulk refused to come out and play.] [2007-2010: As the new decade rolled in, you rolled out seven generations of Iron Suits. You even gifted one each to your old pals Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter for their birthdays. Even Tony Stark got one, though he claimed he never accepted gifts from men. Of course, he tsundere-accepted it in the end. As a thank you, he gifted you one of his Phoenix Suits. (You have acquired the Epic-grade item: Phoenix Suit Model 1.)] [April 2010: Just like in the original storyline, a hammer fell from the sky, landing in New Mexico. You were pretty invested in this, so you and Steve Rogers headed to New Mexico together. What happened next caught you off guard. Steve Rogers easily lifted Mjolnir and gained the power of Thor! A late-to-the-party Thor could only yell to the heavens, "No..." But in the end, things went back on track. After an intense battle, Thor reclaimed his hammer and defeated the Destroyer. The only one worried was Steve Rogers. After witnessing the power of Thor and the Destroyer, he started to think that Earth might be facing more and more alien threats.] [July 2010: The Hulk and Abomination had a major showdown in downtown New York. But with you and three Iron Suits on the scene, it was hardly a big deal. The Hulk turned back into Banner the second he saw you, and a surrounded Abomination was dumbstruck. With SHIELD''s Deputy Director Nick Fury providing backup, the damage was minimal, and there were no casualties.] [September 2010: After witnessing more and more uncontrollable powers, Steve Rogers invited you to rejoin SHIELD to counter unknown threats. After some thought, you agreed and resumed your position as SHIELD Director. Of course, Steve Rogers and Nick Fury still handled the day-to-day operations. You preferred to have your fate in your own hands rather than being ordered around.] [April 2011: You started loading up SHIELD''s Helicarrier with a bunch of new weaponry.] [June 2012: Despite all precautions, Loki still managed to lock onto the Tesseract''s energy signature, appearing in the underground base and making off with it. Mid-June, at your suggestion, the Watchmen... er, I mean, the Avengers were formed. You, Winston, Thor, Tony Stark, Black Widow, Hulk, Hawkeye, Steve Rogers, and Peggy Carter made up the new generation of Avengers. You even custom-made an Iron Suit for each of them, because money was basically just a number to you.] [July 2012: Loki still managed to open the portal. But when the Chitauri poured through, they were met with a fully prepped Helicarrier and six Iron Suits... It was a cakewalk, much easier than anyone expected. The hilariously clumsy Loki even face-planted, as usual... Under your leadership, you easily defeated the Chitauri and Loki, even snagging the Mind Stone scepter. Even Thor, who came to assist, was stunned. In the end, the Tesseract stayed on Earth because everyone, including Thor, agreed that Earth was safer than Asgard at the moment.] Chapter 29: Perfect Clear - Marvel [February 2013, New York City: The Battle of New York, though contained, still reduced half the city to rubble. The alien invasion sent shockwaves through the UN Security Council and governments worldwide. You seized the opportunity, using this chaos to declassify S.H.I.E.L.D. intel on the Skrulls and the Kree, revealing that extraterrestrials had been eyeing Earth since the ''60s and ''70s. The Security Council, understandably freaking out, authorized you to assemble a task force capable of countering alien threats. (Achievement Unlocked: Men in Black)] [March 2013: With your help, Tony Stark upgraded his Phoenix Suit, enhancing it with not only an exoskeleton and an arsenal of high-tech weaponry but also the ability to achieve high-speed flight without relying on external propulsion. You recognized that Tony Stark was forging a new path. Even without the Iron Man armor, he was one of the Avengers'' heaviest hitters, easily on par with that brooding bat-guy from Gotham. [April 2013, Avengers HQ, Starlight Tower: Doctor Strange paid a visit, claiming to have jumped back five years from 2018. In his timeline, the cosmic tyrant Thanos had collected all six Infinity Stones and, with a snap of his fingers, wiped out half of all life in the universe, including Earth. He''d scoured over three thousand parallel universes, simulating over ten million possible outcomes, and found only one where Thanos could be definitively stopped ¨C a timeline where you existed. But even then, it was probably a one-shot deal. The other Avengers were skeptical, but when you had S.H.I.E.L.D. confirm that another Stephen Strange was currently performing surgery in San Francisco as a neurosurgeon, they started to buy it. Doctor Strange explained that the only way to save the universe was to beat Thanos to the punch ¨C collect all six Infinity Stones and snap him out of existence across the entire timeline. Supreme Sorcerer Gu Yi then appeared, confirming Strange''s claims, but warning that this course of action could accelerate the Dark Dimension''s encroachment on Earth or even fracture the timeline, creating even more parallel universes. After you all agreed to save the universe, Doctor Strange summoned Avengers from another reality: Black Widow, a surprisingly intelligent Hulk, Iron Man (another Tony Stark), a Captain America version of Steve Rogers, a seriously out-of-shape Thor, and even the Guardians of the Galaxy... Most of them got along, except this world''s Thor and the overweight Thor, and the two Tony Starks (Phoenix and Iron Man) seemed to have a bit of a rivalry brewing. You could understand Thor''s feelings, though. If your younger self learned you''d end up looking like that in a few years, you''d have a breakdown too. [May 2013: At the suggestion of Iron Man Tony Stark, you spearheaded the formation of the Illuminati, a covert organization composed of Earth''s most brilliant and affluent superheroes, dedicated to resolving crises that threatened the planet and even the cosmos. Winston, the two Tony Starks, the two Bruce Banners, Dr. Zola, Doctor Strange, Mr. Fantastic, Black Panther, and atomic physicist Hank Pym all joined the ranks. [May 2013 - July 2013: The Illuminati''s combined efforts led to an unprecedented surge in technological advancement. In just three months, Earth''s tech progressed further than it had in the past five years, even culminating in the development of a spaceship capable of interstellar travel. [August 2013: You hitched a ride through the Bifrost to Asgard and, with Odin''s consent, extracted the Aether (Reality Stone) from its subterranean vault. The out-of-shape Thor also had a tearful reunion with his deceased mother, sharing a heartfelt embrace.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. [September 2013: You set a course for Morag to secure the Power Stone. You ran smack-dab into Gamora, Nebula, and Ronan, who were on a mission from Thanos to retrieve the Orb. Moments later, Thanos''s flagship arrived, hot on their heels. Despite their formidable power, facing two Tony Starks, two Caps, two Hulks, and two Thors, even Thanos took a beating. Not to mention Winston, who was every bit as capable as Captain America. It was a hard-fought victory, but you knew that if you had faced Thanos''s entire army, the outcome might have been very different. [Late September 2013: You retrieved the Power Stone from Morag. Now, only the most enigmatic of the Infinity Stones remained ¨C the Soul Stone. [November 2013: Your journey led you to Vormir, the desolate asteroid where the Soul Stone was hidden. After learning the steep price of obtaining the Soul Stone, Winston chose to sacrifice himself. He smiled, telling you that as a monkey, he had already received so much from you ¨C family, friendship. Now, he wanted to return to nature. From 1943 to 2013, a full 70 years, you had witnessed him grow from a scrawny little monkey to a war hero, and finally, a superhero. He had been your loyal companion through 70 years of solitude, never leaving your side. Even for someone who had seen their fair share of loss, his passing hit you hard. But the most important thing was, you finally had all six Infinity Stones. [January 2014: You traveled to Nidavellir, where the dwarf king Eitri forged the Infinity Gauntlet. After each of the six Stones was set into place, you slipped the Gauntlet on and snapped your fingers. Across 921,031 parallel universes, Thanos turned to dust. [February 2014: The time-traveling Avengers returned to their respective realities. According to Doctor Strange, even the slightest ripple could cause a tidal wave of change. This time-traveling escapade had branched off from one universe into countless others, creating thousands of new parallel realities. Hopefully, they would all find their way. [April 2014: After returning from Nidavellir, you held a funeral for Winston. Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter retired from S.H.I.E.L.D., buying a farm in the countryside to live out their days in peace. [June 2014: Tony Stark and his secretary, Pepper Potts, became an item. He still missed Winston from time to time, occasionally sending you messages to vent. [March 2015: With no more loose ends, you resigned from your position as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and slipped back into a normal life, occasionally taking down a criminal or two and catching up with Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and the others over drinks. You were just an ordinary guy now. [April 2022: You woke up, back in Brooklyn, 1941, flat broke. Outside, the city was a gridlock of traffic and towering skyscrapers. [Summary: Congratulations! You''ve completed a glorious and brilliant life. You''ve cleared this Scenario! In this run, you outperformed 99.99% of other transmigrators. Even after countless years, your deeds will be revered and sung. You are considered the greatest scientist, businessman, and war hero of the 20th century, and the greatest scientist, businessman, philanthropist, and hero who saved the world of the 21st century. You have become an idol to countless people. When children are asked who they want to be when they grow up, the standard answer has become you. Evaluation: S. World Exploration: 95.2%. Reward: 10 Transmigration Coins (for exceeding 90% exploration). Reward: 7 Transmigration Coins (for significantly impacting the world''s scientific history). Reward: 12 Transmigration Coins (for profoundly impacting world history). Reward: Because you achieved a perfect clear in "Endless War," you have earned the opportunity to retain one talent in the real world. Due to achieving an S-rank evaluation and clearing the scenario, the Legendary Vampire Julian Thorne template has been updated to the Epic Vampire Julian Thorne template. With a bit of luck, it might be selectable.] Chapter 30: Super Soldier Serum [You have received 1 Skill Point for achieving your first S-rank evaluation.] [Congratulations, Player, for clearing the scenario. New map and new elements unlocked.] [Your current alignment: Lawful Neutral.] [Please select your reward as soon as possible.] [Option 1: Randomly acquire three skills or specialties obtained during your previous transmigrations.] [Option 2: Randomly draw three items obtained during your previous transmigrations.] So this alignment is a new element... Julian Thorne mused. It seemed that each simulation would alter his alignment, influencing his actions in subsequent simulations. His eyes lit up when he saw the rewards. He never expected an S-rank evaluation for this run. The rewards were incredibly generous: a whopping 29 Transmigration Coins and a precious Skill Point. However, he found himself torn between the two options. The Legendary Vampire template he had chosen this time, although free, was even more powerful than templates like the God of Gamblers or the Ultimate Underworld Boss. Transmigrating with a template allowed for a chance to draw its skills, and there was a high probability of obtaining overpowered Expert or even Master-level skills. But the items... the Super Soldier Serum was incredibly tempting. After careful consideration, Julian chose the second option. [You have selected Option 2.] [You have obtained the Epic-grade item: Super Soldier Serum.] [You have obtained the Epic-grade item: Phoenix Suit MK 1.] [You have obtained the Rare item: Broken Infinity Gauntlet.] [Super Soldier Serum]: Epic-grade item. A diluted [Super Soldier Serum] (30% concentration). Can be directly injected. Enhances the user''s metabolic functions and all physical capabilities, unlocking the body''s potential. [Phoenix Suit MK 1]: Epic-grade item. A suit created by the Phoenix, Tony Stark, from Earth-83716. Lacks thermal weapons but possesses a wide array of functionalities. [Broken Infinity Gauntlet]: Rare item. A gauntlet broken after the Snap. "Yes! Super Soldier Serum!" Julian was thrilled. The Phoenix Suit MK 1 was a pleasant surprise, too. He opened his inventory and retrieved the serum. It was a 5ml syringe filled with a pale yellow liquid containing some small black particles. According to the simulator, death was unlikely. Even if the serum failed, the worst-case scenario would be ending up with a skull face like the Red Skull. Screw it, I, Julian Thorne, have never relied on my looks! He took the syringe, inserted it into a vein in his arm, and slowly pushed the plunger, injecting the serum into his bloodstream. A sharp, searing pain instantly spread throughout his entire body. "Hiss¡ª" Julian gritted his teeth as an unbearable agony coursed through him. It felt like he''d been hit by a truck, his body torn apart, even his bones seemingly shattered one by one. He nearly blacked out from the pain.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. After an indeterminate amount of time, the excruciating pain gradually subsided. Julian exhaled deeply, feeling utterly drained. He checked the information panel, and it was flooded with notifications. [You have used Super Soldier Serum (30% concentration). Integration progress: 48%. No vital radiation detected... Serum absorbed!] [You have used Super Soldier Serum (30% concentration). Integration progress: 77%. No vital radiation detected... Serum absorbed!] [You have used Super Soldier Serum (30% concentration). Integration progress: 100%. Integration complete! Compatibility: Perfect] [You have gained +10 Strength, +10 Dexterity, +10 Constitution, +5 Intelligence.] [You have gained the specialty [Transcendent Physique].] "[Transcendent Physique]?" Julian was stunned. He checked his attribute panel again, and there it was, a new specialty: [Transcendent Physique]. "Is this... an Elite specialty?" Julian was astonished. In the game "Apocalypse," there was a special type of specialty called Elite specialties. These were exclusive to Elite-template NPCs and bosses. They were generally very powerful, and even Elite NPCs didn''t always possess them. For example, Julian''s [Transcendent Physique] increased his primary attribute growth by 0.35 per level. This meant that every 3 levels, Julian would gain an extra primary attribute point. Considering the level cap of 60 in the first expansion, Julian would have 20 more primary attribute points than others. Absolutely insane. For Julian, the [Transcendent Physique] specialty undoubtedly secured his growth potential. He might even be able to challenge those legendary NPCs in the future. His panel had changed: Name: Julian Thorne / Wayne Stilwell Race: Human Template: Elite NPC [Beta Test Countdown: 45 days, 12 hours, 22 minutes] Level: 3 Class: Student / Assistant Instructor [1/10] Subclass: Linguist [2/10] / Apprentice Alchemist [1/10] Natural Force Affinity: 0 Arcane Affinity: 0 Talents: Tony Stark (Purple), Gun Kata: Lethal Rhythm (Blue) Attributes: Strength 20, Dexterity 23, Constitution 18, Willpower 9, Intelligence 15, Charisma 99 HP: 180/180 Stamina: 196/196 Willpower (Stat): 9/9 Mana: 0 Life Skills: Basic Alchemy (Intermediate), Mysticism (Intermediate), Precision Machinery (Expert), Gambling (Advanced) Normal Skills: Expert French Fluency (Expert), Basic Pickpocketing (Intermediate), Basic Shooting Proficiency (Beginner), Flirting (Expert), Ripple Breathing Technique (Beginner), Mozambique Drill (Beginner), C.A.R System (Beginner), Ripple Shot (Beginner), Rapid Pursuit (Beginner) Other details omitted. Damn, I''m already an Elite NPC. Based on the description, he should be roughly equivalent to an average supernatural being at the start of the game. This transmigration had been incredibly fruitful. Besides the serum, the other major prize was the Phoenix Suit MK 1... This reward was a pleasant surprise for Julian. After all, every man dreamed of wearing a powered suit. After making sure the door was locked, Julian selected the Phoenix Suit MK 1 from his inventory and equipped it. Almost instantly, a gold and red suit materialized on his body. Helmet, arm guards, torso, back, and leg pieces all snapped into place, forming a seamless, crimson and gold armor. His combat rating instantly soared to 995, a fivefold increase! It''s cool, it''s powerful, but it''s way too flashy... No wonder nobody asked Tony Stark to do their hair. Only he could pull off this aesthetic. The helmet was half-covered, with two feather-like "ears" on either side, exposing his mouth. It was equipped with night vision and a thermal imager. The suit offered excellent protection, including fire, impact, and slash resistance. The gauntlets had an adhesive property, making climbing easy. There were about a dozen buttons on the arm guards, their functions unknown for now. He dared not test them in the room, fearing he might accidentally fire some hidden weapon. The utility belt contained a rope, a cutting tool, a breathing apparatus, and even two hidden throwing knives. The cape seemed to be made of a special material that, when electrified, could unfold into a pair of wings, likely allowing for short-distance flight and gliding. In short, it was like a less-equipped Batman suit, but it was still incredibly awesome! This suit could serve as his trump card, but he''d have to change the color scheme later. It was way too conspicuous. After admiring himself in the mirror for a while, Julian reluctantly unequipped the Phoenix Suit and turned his attention to his other gains. [Detected that the player has achieved a perfect clear in "Endless War." You have one chance to retain a talent in the real world. Proceed with the draw? Yes/No] [Yes!] [Draw complete: You have obtained the Blue talent (Athletic Genius).] Athletic Genius (Blue): Your athletic ability is exceptionally outstanding. Julian was a little disappointed that he didn''t draw any of the purple talents, but the red dots on his achievement and mission panels quickly made him forget his disappointment. Chapter 31: The Alchemist Phantom Everyone knows red dots in a game mean a quest is complete or there''s loot to grab. And when there''s loot, Julian Thorne doesn''t waste time. He tapped open the quest log. Sure enough, "A Literary Life" was done, sitting pretty at 1000/1000 and flashing "Claim Reward." But that other B-rank quest, "The Alchemist Phantom" - the one about the murders in the woods - was still a big, fat question mark. [B-Rank Quest: The Alchemist Phantom] [Quest Details: The clues point to the Society of Alchemists. They''re obsessed with creating life through alchemy, and now three people are dead. Every second you waste, another victim might fall. What are you going to do?] [Objective: Capture or kill the Alchemist Phantom haunting the campus.] [Reward: 50,000 EXP, Goethe''s Alchemy Manual x1] Julian had been poking around in his spare time, but the only lead he''d dug up was that the dead girl, Sharon, had a boyfriend. A real looker, apparently. Some people even mistook Julian for the boyfriend, assuming he was out for revenge. Ridiculous. Still, the quest progress had inched forward, from 25% on the first day to 62%. No clue if it was his own legwork or Sherlock''s, the private detective, but he had seen Li Tie, the Sun Wardens, in his deerstalker hat, stalking around campus rain or shine. Julian wondered what kind of salary a Sun Wardens operative made to work this hard. He clicked to claim the "A Literary Life" reward. The interface flashed: [You have completed the Hidden Quest: (A Literary Life).] [You have received: (Epic Vampire¡¤Julian Thorne Character Card) x1] [You have gained 1 skill point.] [You have gained 30,000 EXP.] [You have unlocked a new series of Hidden Quests.] [Epic Vampire¡¤Julian Thorne Character Card: Temporarily gain the combat prowess of the Epic Vampire Julian Thorne. Duration: 15 minutes.] Hell yeah. A grin split Julian''s face. The vampire version of himself from the simulation could brawl with the Hulk. This was a serious trump card. [Redeemable Hidden Quest: A Literary Life (II) [Yes/No]] He chose to redeem it. Another hidden quest popped up in the log. Hidden Quest: (Triggerable under special circumstances) [A Literary Life (II)]: Deep down, you harbor a literary dream. Continue pursuing this dream in your future endeavors. Complete 5,000 books across simulations and the real world (1,000/5,000). [Quest Details: Read ten thousand books, and your writing will flow like a river. This is the second step of a long journey. Keep it up, future literary master!] [Reward: Random Template Reward Card x1, Skill Point x1, 50,000 EXP.] Julian gritted his teeth. Was he seriously stuck with reading forever? Next, he checked the achievements tab. His jaw dropped when he saw one of the completed sets. Holy crap!The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Achievements: [Aim High] (No stat bonuses) [Siege] (No stat bonuses) [Airborne] (No stat bonuses) [Hot Pursuit] (No stat bonuses) [Iron Man] (No stat bonuses) [Men in Black] (No stat bonuses) [Achievement: Hero Movie Saga (I) completed. You have gained 30,000 EXP. You have unlocked a hidden quest.] Hidden Quest: (Triggerable under special circumstances) [True Colors]: Only a true hero acts according to their nature. Become a recognized hero in at least three simulation worlds. Progress (1/3). [Quest Details]: Follow your heart. This quest isn''t difficult, but the challenge lies in your persistence. Keep it up, hero!] [Reward: Unknown] Julian breathed a sigh of relief. This one was practically a freebie. As long as he stuck to his lawful neutral approach in simulations, it should be a breeze. If only he could complete it in the real world. He could patrol the streets of Darkland City, playing vigilante every day. One day wouldn''t be enough? Fine, two. Two not enough? How about a month? A month of that... ...and he''d probably be behind bars. Done tallying his gains, he opened the map. Sure enough, a new location had appeared after "Endless War." The name was even cooler: "Across the Four Seas." Julian remembered a Hong Kong film with the same name he''d seen as a kid, starring Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung. It was about two art thieves. Good stuff. The price was even cooler: 25 Transmigration Coins. What a rip-off! He''d thought his 30 coins made him some kind of high roller. Now, he was just stunned. All that work, and it was barely enough for one trip? Julian sat on his bed, numb, staring out at the rain. He took a few moments to calm down, fighting the urge to punch the developers. That night, all his dreams were about coining it. In the dead of night, a strange noise jolted Julian awake. It was coming from outside. He pushed open his door. John, who had been sleeping on the sofa, was gone. The entire room was bathed in an eerie red moonlight. The moon outside had turned blood red! A whisper slithered into his ear: Run, little insect. But you can''t escape death''s shadow. Destruction and death are always watching. Everyone dies. No one escapes, not even this world... Julian''s heart hammered. He looked around. From the walls, from the cracks in the floor, countless tentacles erupted, thrashing wildly. He sat up with a gasp. Rain lashed against the window, the curtains billowing in the wind. The gas lamp was still burning, its red light blinking on the meter. Damn it! Another shilling gone! It had all been a nightmare. He opened his status screen and was immediately bombarded with notifications. [You are under the influence of an unknown entity''s whisper. Intelligence: 15, Willpower: 9. Resistance failed. Willpower -1. Current Willpower: 8/9] [You are under the influence of an unknown entity''s temptation. Intelligence: 15, Willpower: 9. Resistance failed. Willpower -1. Current Willpower: 7/9] [You are under the influence of an unknown entity''s whisper. Intelligence: 15, Willpower: 9. Resistance failed. Willpower -1. Current Willpower: 6/9] ... So it wasn''t a dream, after all. While he was asleep, his Willpower had been whittled down to 4/9. If it hit zero, he''d probably go completely insane. If he were just a regular player, he could just off himself and respawn. But now, he might only have one life. He wasn''t counting on another transmigration. His face was grim. This must be what Keene had been talking about. He was being targeted by the Curse Cult and their Evil God. He hadn''t felt anything before probably because his Intelligence was below 10, not even average. But today, after injecting the Super Soldier Serum, it was at 15. There were ways to deal with this, temporarily. He could boost his Willpower or seek help from Keene or the Ascetics. They probably had ways to suppress the whispers. As he was thinking, the quest log updated again: [B-Rank Quest: The Alchemist Phantom progress updated to 85.7%.] Julian: ... He grabbed his pocket watch from the bedside table. 3:38 AM. Julian was speechless. Just how much did the Sun Wardens pay these guys? "Huh?" His hearing, enhanced by the Super Soldier Serum, picked up a faint sound from outside, carried on the wind through the storm. Gunshots, it seemed, coming from the direction of the Alchemy Building. He had to check it out. The decision was instant. The B-rank quest''s EXP reward was nothing special, but that other reward, Goethe''s Alchemy Manual, that was something he wanted. It could instantly level up his Basic Alchemy skill. He threw back the covers and grabbed his white shirt, buttoning it up quickly. Dressed in his shirt and black trousers, he checked the special bullets in his revolver, threw on a suit jacket, grabbed his fedora, and tucked an umbrella under his arm. Then, he opened the window. The downpour had emptied the streets. All the lights in the apartment building were off. No one would notice him. He took a deep breath and started running, leaping from the sixth-floor window, ten meters up. As the wind whipped past his ears, a suit of red and gold armor materialized around him, the cape spreading out like wings as he glided forward. Seventy meters away, Julian landed silently. The Alchemy Building was just ahead. The armor vanished, replaced by his formal attire. He pulled his fedora down firmly, popped open his umbrella, and strode toward the building. Chapter 32: Horvath A carriage emblazoned with a double-headed eagle, the distinct mark of the Sun Wardens, was parked in front of the Alchemy Tower. The lock on the door was busted, the door itself hanging ajar. Julian Thorne closed his umbrella, pausing on the steps to listen. The sounds of a struggle echoed from the upper floors of the Alchemy Tower¡ªthe distinct thud and bang of a fight in progress. This is it. Without hesitation, Julian pushed the door open. The sounds of the fight grew louder. As Julian moved toward the stairs, a sharp crack and the splintering of wood preceded a body crashing through the stair railing. The figure tumbled down, managing a clumsy roll, and ended up kneeling before Julian as if in supplication. He quickly recovered, leveling a pistol at Julian. "Who''s there?" Even in the dim light, Julian recognized him instantly. The deerstalker hat, the familiar face¡ªit was Sherlock. Julian raised his hands, a wry smile on his face. "Should I say ''no need for formalities,'' or should I just surrender now?" Sherlock, recognizing Julian, visibly bristled. If there were a system for tracking negative emotions, a notification of +1000 would surely be popping up above his head. He rolled his eyes, about to retort, when his expression suddenly shifted. "Get down!" BANG! A muffled sound erupted, and from the seemingly empty stairwell above, a transparent bullet of compressed air shot out, emitting a high-pitched whine. Julian threw himself backward as a thud signaled the projectile''s impact, leaving a deep hole in the ground. "What the hell?" Before Julian could get his bearings, more air bullets rained down from above. Invisible to the naked eye, he could only rely on his hearing and instincts to evade. A whoosh of air rushed past him. Julian instinctively dove to the left, then broke into a zigzag sprint, moving like a phantom in the darkness. Dirt sprayed upwards as a trail of bullet holes appeared on the ground. "There''s an invisible guy up there. He''s the killer in this case. We underestimated him. He''s already taken out two of us." Sherlock''s face was etched with regret, but he didn''t stop moving, firing two shots toward the stairs as he spoke. BANG! BANG! Wood splinters flew from the stair railing as two new bullet holes appeared. Whether they hit their mark was unclear, but the Alchemy Tower fell silent once more. An eerie silence. "An invisibility user?" Julian''s expression turned serious. The Apocalypse game did indeed feature Espers. Esper abilities were either activated by specialized serums or inherited through other bizarre means. Some of these abilities were undoubtedly difficult to deal with. But invisibility seemed a bit too overpowered, didn''t it?This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Just then, an intense premonition of danger washed over him, raising gooseflesh on his back. Julian''s eyes widened, and he instinctively leaned back. The air shimmered, and a transparent air bullet materialized behind Julian, hurtling towards him. It grazed his fedora, sending it tumbling to the ground, a neat hole punched through its center. Clearly, if he had reacted a fraction of a second slower, his head would have been turned into a fine red mist. Sherlock, quick on the uptake, tossed a handful of gray powder at the space behind Julian. "Thunder!" Instantly, a dark thundercloud formed in the air, miniature lightning bolts flashing within its confines. A Meteorologist''s trick... Julian recalled that Meteorologists could manipulate localized weather conditions, creating advantageous battlefields. They were also proficient in close combat, marksmanship, and spellcasting¡ªessentially, their entire combat style revolved around the weather. In the wilderness, they could accurately predict weather changes, too. As the thundercloud gathered, Julian heard the faint sound of footsteps retreating, likely the invisible assailant trying to avoid the impending storm. On his skill bar, the icon for [Gun Kata: Lethal Tempo] began to glow faintly. Julian felt his mind enter a strange state, an indescribable sensation of having everything under control. He abruptly stopped his backward lean, twisted his torso, and an ivory-handled Colt M1873 revolver materialized in his hand, spinning smoothly. Gripping the handle, he aimed at a seemingly empty spot and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The skill he had been charging up was instantly unleashed. Wave Shot! Sherlock, standing a short distance behind him, widened his eyes in astonishment. What the hell was that? From his perspective, he saw a bullet engulfed in roaring flames erupt from the gun''s barrel, the space around the bullet rippling as if torn. A muffled groan came from a corner of the open space, accompanied by a spray of blood. The outline of a young man wearing a monocle materialized, a look of shock on his face. A hit! Sherlock''s senses sharpened, and he immediately joined Julian in firing at the revealed figure. Crack! The young man''s figure, struck by the bullets, fractured and shattered like a broken mirror. A Mirror Image... Julian thought to himself. Moments later, the air vibrated again further away, and a barrage of air bullets flew towards them. Sherlock cursed and rolled out of the way. Julian, facing the same onslaught, didn''t stop. Instead, he charged forward like a cheetah in another direction! "Watch out!" Sherlock shouted. His enhanced senses told him that at least two air bullets were on Julian''s trajectory. But he quickly shut his mouth, because as Julian charged, he seemed to see the invisible projectiles, dodging them with fluid grace before aiming and firing at another empty space. The icon for [Hot Pursuit] on his skill bar began to flash. CLANG! A flaming bullet shot out, deflecting mid-air. A metallic shriek followed, as if some heavy object had been knocked aside. A dagger clattered to the ground. Julian took a step back, then pushed off with his right leg, leaping forward while still airborne. Behind him, Sherlock''s voice, low and resonant, chanted in ancient Faric: "Frostbite!" A dusting of gray powder spread across the floor, instantly coating it in a thick layer of frost. Two distinct footprints appeared on the frozen surface. Julian, still mid-air, raised his right hand without hesitation and fired at the footprints. A sharp cry of pain rang out. A figure rolled on the ground, becoming visible once more, but it was no longer human. It was a grotesque creature covered in gray scales. Its head was bloated and misshapen, only vaguely resembling a human''s. Viscous fluid dripped from its scales. It clutched its wounded side with its left hand and extended its right, muttering in a garbled voice: "No, wait, wait, I just want to live..." Before it could finish, Julian raised his revolver and coldly pulled the trigger. The burning bullet pierced the creature''s skull, causing it to explode in a shower of gray brain matter and green slime. Julian shook his head, staring at the creature''s corpse. "No, you don''t." In the game, creatures like this had usually lost all semblance of humanity. A system notification popped up: [You have killed Horvath Guy. You have gained 2800 experience.] [B-Rank Quest [The Alchemist Phantom] completed. Reward: 50,000 experience.] [You have obtained the rare item: Goethe''s Alchemy Manual x1. Claim it?] "No." Now wasn''t the time. After the creature died, Julian bent down and picked up a thick notebook from the floor. [Ordinary Item: Horvath''s Diary.] Julian opened the journal. Sherlock, clutching his injured side, quickly approached and stood behind Julian, reading along with him. Chapter 33: The Diary The diary was written in Ruinish. So, this Horvath Guy was most likely an exchange student from the Kingdom of Ruins. The Kingdom of Ruins was the birthplace of alchemy. Over half of all ancient alchemical texts were written in Ruinish, making it a mandatory subject for alchemy majors. Julian had no trouble reading it. Horvath clearly had a habit of keeping a diary. Today was September 2nd. This entry was from six months ago, starting on March 2nd. The first few entries were filled with mundane details about his studies and alchemy. It was obvious he had a passion for the craft. "March 2nd. Finally got my hands on some real alchemy today. It''s the most fascinating thing in the world! You wouldn''t believe the crazy reactions you can get from just a beaker and a crucible. The best part is, even though the substances change, the total mass stays the same. After all, only through the destruction of one thing can another be born. Professor Bislok seems to really like me. Well, duh. I''m going to be a master alchemist someday." ... "March 19th. After half a month in the alchemy department, everything''s going smoothly. Professor Bislok has taken me under his wing, even made me class president. But the other day, I overheard Professor Bislok arguing with Professor Walter. Bislok was saying that human souls have weight. And if something has weight, it falls within the scope of alchemy. So, using alchemy to refine souls, even create life, is totally doable. But Walter argued that creating life is God''s domain. According to the principle of equivalent exchange, the creation of one life necessitates the death of another. I didn''t fully get it, but it blew my mind. The next day, I asked Bislok if souls really have weight. He gave me this knowing look. He told me: Yes." ... "March 21st. Professor Bislok took me to a private clinic. An old woman lay on a bed, on the verge of death. The bed was equipped with an incredibly precise weight measuring device. Her current weight was 90 pounds. Over the next six hours, her weight steadily decreased. Probably just the body''s water slowly evaporating. But the moment she died, her weight dropped by exactly three-quarters of an ounce. Bislok told me that those three-quarters of an ounce were her soul. It''s insane! I want to know where the soul goes after death, and if there''s any way to bring it back. Goddess above, this stuff isn''t in Goethe''s Alchemy Manual. I feel like I just stumbled upon a hidden door in the darkness." ... "March 29th. I knew I was destined for greatness! Today, Professor Bislok asked me to help him organize some ancient texts from the Era of the Four Heroes at his place. And guess what? I found a mysterious alchemical booklet hidden in the pages of one of the books! It was written by some ancient alchemist named Goodwin! What a #£¤%@ (some Ruinish slang I don''t get). I swiped the booklet. I have a feeling this thing is going to change my life." Julian''s expression turned serious. This Horvath kid was too naive. It was obvious that Professor Bislok was a member of the Curse Cult, slowly luring Horvath in. In the future, players could only learn about the Era of the Four Heroes through promotional videos. It was said to be a time when the gods still existed, and the Four Heroes were their representatives on earth. In the game, statues of the Four Heroes stood by the Seton River in the capital city of Dakland. Even in the game, the history of the Four Heroes was shrouded in mystery. It was difficult to find any records in the libraries.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. An ordinary university professor just happened to have a collection of ancient texts from the Era of the Four Heroes? And he trusted a student to organize them alone? Yeah, right. Julian shook his head and continued reading: "March 30th. I read the entire notebook. Turns out, it''s only half of the original. The other half is hidden in the library of Vickers University. But even this half blew my mind. It''s filled with some seriously messed up alchemy, written in ancient Frick. Like, mixing sheep organs and human semen with leech powder and snake venom flower to create a substance that can modify a person''s bloodline, giving them special abilities. Or using horny goat weed and some animal organs to brew a potion that can make a woman fall in love with you. As wicked and complicated as it is, I couldn''t put it down." "April 5th. I''ve been selected as an exchange student to Vickers University. I hate Daguerre''s weather!" "April 11th. Farewell, Ruins. Farewell, Inek University!" "April 21st. The people of Blaiston are really annoying. Arrogant and full of themselves. Not a single person said hi to me all day." "April 23rd. I think I''m in love. Oh, Maggie, you beautiful woman, I want to (followed by a bunch of lewd fantasies)." "April 24th. Today was a depressing day. Maggie has a boyfriend, and he''s a total meathead." "May 12th. I can''t stand this one-sided love anymore. I wonder if that stuff in the booklet is real? I gathered all the ingredients according to the recipe and started brewing. Hope it actually works!" "May 17th. After taking it for five days straight, Maggie confessed her love to me today! Holy crap, the recipe actually works!" "June 17th. This past month has been both sweet and frustrating. Maggie and I moved in together and did everything lovers do. But that meathead ex-boyfriend of hers keeps causing me trouble. I''ve been beaten up seven times in the past two weeks. No, I can''t let this go on. I remembered another alchemical process recorded in that booklet." "July 5th. Finally managed to gather all the ingredients. Sheep organs, snake venom flower, leech powder, and as for the semen, well, I took care of that myself. After five days of mixing and brewing, the finished product looks like a giant condom. Do I really have to transplant this thing into my body?" "July 11th. I finally did it. And the recipe actually works. I''ve gained the superpower everyone dreams of: invisibility! I beat the crap out of Maggie''s ex and his goons. Then, I snuck around the women''s bathroom and public carriages. I''m living every man''s dream!" "August 24th. Life''s been good, but I''ve been feeling off lately. My memory''s getting worse. I put something down in the morning and forget about it by noon. I''m starting to grow scales on my face. What the hell is going on?" "August 25th. My symptoms are getting worse. I have to write things down more clearly in case I forget. Today, I received an anonymous letter, telling me to go to 5 Graham Street. It said they could fix my symptoms. Turns out, it''s a bunch of lunatics calling themselves the Curse Cult. They''re planning to plant five alchemical bombs during Vickers University''s orientation, and I''m supposed to plant one of them. These bombs are powerful, but what do I care? I agreed. They gave me the recipe. Only then did I realize that the first transplant is called ''Aberration.'' Now, I have to refine healthy human organs one by one and transplant them back into my body..." "August 26th. Maggie, you''ll forgive me, right?" "August 28th. The experiment worked. After transplanting Maggie''s stomach, I can turn back into a normal human. But my memory hasn''t improved, and my temper''s gotten worse. At the same time, I''ve set my sights on Sharon. She''s cute, just my type. After taking the potion, I''ve never been so into someone..." Julian already knew what happened next. Horvath brutally murdered Sharon. He skipped the rest of the diary. It was filled with insane ramblings that made him extremely uncomfortable. This Horvath guy started off okay, but he turned into a complete scumbag. Horny, selfish, and self-serving. It was clear that Julian didn''t kill the wrong person. Julian and Sherlock exchanged a horrified look. These Curse Cult lunatics were planning to target Vickers University''s orientation. This was insane. Chapter 34: Level Up Vickers University was the oldest and most prestigious institution in the Kingdom of Bryston, perhaps even the entire world. Its history stretched back to the era of the Four Heroes. To even think about setting off a bomb here... you''d have to be completely insane. If these lunatics succeeded, it would send shockwaves throughout Bryston. Of course, not the good kind of shockwaves. Julian Thorne''s expression turned serious. He might not feel a strong sense of belonging to this world yet, but he was still a student at Vickers. And if his memory served him right, he was scheduled to help with the freshman welcoming ceremony in three days. What a damn coincidence. He had to get involved. Sherlock''s face was pale. He took a deep breath and said, "This is urgent. I need to report back to Sir Keene Vester immediately. The police will be here shortly to handle things." He paused. "By the way, since you took down the suspect, you''ll be receiving a substantial reward once I file my report." But Julian shook his head, a serious look in his eyes. "I didn''t kill him. It was you, the brave and fearless... uh, Sherlock, who took him down." Sherlock nodded, understanding immediately. He wouldn''t want to expose his identity and draw the attention of those madmen from the Curse Cult either. Sherlock gestured to the worn leather-bound journal in Julian''s hand. "May I take Horvath''s diary as evidence?" "Of course." Julian handed it over without hesitation. "Thank you," Sherlock said sincerely, carefully stowing the journal away. "One more thing. We tested those firearms you provided. They''re quite effective. Do you have any more in stock?" Julian''s ears perked up. He still had five revolvers and two rifles sitting in his inventory, and he was itching to sell them. "I do. You can pick them up anytime." "Excellent. I''ll send someone over tomorrow afternoon," Sherlock confirmed. "Same price as before? 15 Vics per handgun, 18 for the rifles. And what about the bullets? Are those for sale?" He had witnessed the battle firsthand, and those fire bullets had left a deep impression. If they could be replicated, the firepower of the Sun Wardens would increase significantly. "I only have eight of those special bullets left," Julian explained. "And the crafting process is incredibly complex. Each one is a labor of love." "I''m prepared to offer a premium," Sherlock said, a hint of urgency in his voice. He emphasized the word "premium." Julian shook his head. "What I mean is, they''re for sale... but the price just went up." Sherlock: ... After some intense negotiation, Julian and Sherlock reached an agreement for a batch of the special ammunition. Each round, which cost a mere 2 Shins to produce (and could potentially be made even cheaper), was sold for a whopping 10 Shins. To show his good faith, Sherlock even paid a deposit of 10 Vics upfront, padding Julian''s meager wallet a little more. "Keep this matter under wraps," Sherlock advised, his mood much improved after sealing the deal. "Leaking this information could bring you a lot of trouble."Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "I understand," Julian replied, knowing exactly what Sherlock meant. Sherlock tipped his fedora in farewell and climbed into his carriage, hurrying away. Julian watched the carriage disappear into the distance. He pulled out his pocket watch and flipped it open: 4:20 AM. He took a deep breath, picked up his umbrella from the ground, and propped it open, a satisfied feeling washing over him. Tonight''s haul was undoubtedly the biggest since he had entered the game. But the treacherous game world and the looming crisis also ignited an unprecedented sense of urgency to improve his abilities. Back in his dorm, John and his idiot dog were still fast asleep, cuddled together on the sofa. "Ignorance is bliss," Julian mused. Closing the door, Julian took stock of his gains. Completing the hidden quest [A Literary Life] had netted him 30,000 EXP. The B-Rank Quest [The Alchemist Phantom] had rewarded him with a hefty 50,000 EXP. Adding his previous savings and the EXP from killing Horvath Guy, Julian now had nearly 90,000 EXP in his account. With such a surplus, there was no need to hold back. Julian decided to dump his EXP into his [Alchemist Apprentice] secondary class. [[Alchemist Apprentice] leveled up to 2. Willpower +1 (1.35 with Extraordinary Physique), Intelligence +1 (1.35 with Extraordinary Physique). You have gained 1 Attribute Point.] ... [[Alchemist Apprentice] leveled up to 10 (MAX). Willpower +1 (1.35 with Extraordinary Physique), Intelligence +1 (1.35 with Extraordinary Physique). You have gained 1 Attribute Point.] Each class was capped at level 10 and required a class advancement to continue leveling. He spent a total of 80,000 EXP, raising his [Alchemist Apprentice] secondary class from level 1 to the maximum level of 10. Including the bonus from his Extraordinary Physique trait, he gained a total of 12 Willpower, 12 Intelligence, and 9 Attribute Points. His overall level rose to 13. Generally, it''s a good idea to prioritize leveling your main class¡ªlike Mage, Warrior, or Paladin¡ªsince the main class grants a substantial boost to HP, which is pretty crucial. But Julian was a special case. He still didn''t have a combat-oriented main class, so he had to settle for leveling his [Alchemist] secondary class for now. Now that [Alchemist Apprentice] was maxed out, further advancement required him to reach the Advanced level in Basic Alchemy, which would take some time. As for using Goethe''s Alchemy Manual to level up? The cost-benefit ratio was just too low. Possible, but not worth it. He''d be better off saving it for when his Basic Alchemy skill was higher. After maxing out his [Alchemist Apprentice] secondary class, Julian had less than 10,000 EXP remaining. He decided to spend it on upgrading his [Hot Pursuit] skill to intermediate. He had discovered during the earlier fight that this skill was incredibly useful. When activated, his combat awareness became razor-sharp, even surprising himself. Horvath was actually stronger than him in that fight, but he had managed to kill him thanks to his exceptional composure and battle instincts. This skill had played a major role. And just like that, 90,000 EXP was gone in under half a minute. Julian''s character sheet was refreshed. ¡ª----------------- Name: Julian Thorne/Wayne Stilwell Race: Human Template: Elite NPC [Beta Testing Countdown: 43 days, 12 hours, 22 minutes] Level: 13 Class: Student/Assistant Instructor [1/10] Secondary Class: Linguist [2/10], Alchemist Apprentice [10/10] Attributes: Strength 20, Dexterity 23, Constitution 18, Willpower 21, Intelligence 27, Charisma 99 HP: 180/180 Stamina: 196/196 Willpower (Stat): 18/21 Attribute Points: 9 Combat Rating: 399 (Other details omitted) ¡ª----------------- In just one night, Julian''s combat rating had skyrocketed. He decided to hold onto the remaining 9 attribute points for emergencies. With his leveling complete, he checked the time again: 4:50 AM. Feeling pretty good about things, Julian decided to catch some more sleep. This time, he didn''t dream of anything weird, and his nap was especially sweet. [Important Notice: Episode 2 of the "Apocalypse" series is now available on the forums and other platforms. This series is automatically generated by the game''s Super AIs. Players interested in learning more about the game''s lore are encouraged to watch.] At 7:00 AM the next morning, he was jolted awake by a system notification. Julian''s eyes snapped open, startled. He was in the middle of a deep sleep when a mechanical female voice suddenly echoed in his mind. He was lucky he didn''t fall out of bed from the shock. Chapter 35: Episode Two "Episode Two of the ''Apocalypse'' series?" Julian Thorne cycled through his Ripple Breathing Technique several times before he managed to calm his racing heart. A wave of confusion washed over him. If his memory served him right, the second episode of the "Apocalypse" series wasn''t due for a few more days. After all, the protagonist, Leandro de Pesa, hadn''t even enrolled yet. The Apocalypse AI produced these episodes not just to promote the game, but also to introduce players to the important factions and characters they''d encounter in the early to mid-game. In his past life, the second episode focused on the "Chosen One," Leandro de Pesa, and the Life Alchemy Society. The third episode then introduced the official faction, the Sun Wardens. But now, episode two was airing several days early. Was this some kind of butterfly effect caused by his own actions? Julian accessed the game''s forum through the interface. Thanks to the increased promotional efforts, the number of posts had exploded. To his surprise, because of his center-stage appearance in the first promotional episode, he found a dedicated sub-forum named after him, complete with its own moderators. Since the forum was managed by the game''s developers and not the AI, Julian figured even they probably thought he was the main character now. But the posts in his sub-forum... something felt off. A quick glance revealed a sea of posts with identical formatting: [Wayne - Here for Wayne #Wayne Stilwell], giving off some serious fan club vibes. And then there was the fanfiction. Since the first episode provided so little information, the writers had to rely heavily on their imaginations. After clicking through a few of these stories, Julian felt a chill run down his spine. The female fans were obsessed with shipping, and most of them paired him with Chris Bridon Razor. The other pairings were far more bizarre: some shipped him with Leandro de Pesa, others with the little fatty, and some even went as far as to pair him with Marien or, even worse, the cultists... "What the actual f*ck!" Julian shuddered. He navigated to the pinned post. The episode''s title was "The Alchemist Phantom." Julian''s lips twitched. "Figures." He started the video. The episode opened on a snowy morning. Julian, dressed in a white shirt and black vest, stepped out of his apartment. The AI was clearly playing to the audience, giving Julian a long, drawn-out close-up that immediately set the comments ablaze. The plot unfolded quickly. Julian discovered a murder scene in the woods. Sherlock, a member of the Bryston Kingdom''s official Sun Wardens faction, made his formal entrance, engaging Julian in conversation. Sherlock''s name popped up above his head: Sun Wardens Third Squad Captain, Meteorologist - Sherlock Moriarty. Through their conversation, Julian informed the audience that the culprit was likely a member of the Life Alchemy Society. Over the next few days, Sherlock conducted his investigation. He first identified all teachers and students from Ruins at the academy, then questioned them about any recent unusual behavior. He then meticulously investigated each individual, eventually narrowing down the suspect to Horvath Guy.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Sherlock''s investigation revealed that Horvath had a girlfriend named Maggie who had mysteriously disappeared. He had also been seen growing close to the victim, Sharon. He was the only one who fit all the criteria. It took only two days to identify the killer. The video fast-forwarded to a dark night inside the Alchemy Building. Sherlock, accompanied by two other Sun Wardens, cornered Horvath Guy. A fierce battle was imminent. The two sides clashed. Initially, under the suppression of Sherlock''s weather-based abilities, Horvath struggled. But when he activated his invisibility, the battle quickly turned one-sided. The two Sun Wardens were swiftly killed by Horvath''s air bullets, and Sherlock''s situation grew increasingly precarious. The players watched with bated breath, the comment section falling nearly silent. This tension was abruptly broken when the camera switched to Julian, instantly reigniting the players'' excitement. "Here it comes!" "High-energy warning! Fasten your seatbelts!" "My hubby''s about to save the day!" "Damn, the protagonist is the protagonist for a reason. His IQ is clearly on another level. Sherlock spent days investigating, but this guy seemed to know who the killer was from the start. He went straight to the Alchemy Building." "No doubt. I bet Wayne suspected the killer from the very beginning." These commenters were, of course, those who had skipped ahead and were now returning to leave their mark. Julian: ... He wished he could tell them they were reading too much into it. If it weren''t for the system prompt and the sounds he''d heard, he wouldn''t have had a clue the killer was in the Alchemy Building... For some reason, the AI had omitted the scene of Julian gliding in his Phoenix Battle Suit. Instead, it showed Julian, in formal attire and holding an umbrella, walking towards the Alchemy Building. Even Julian had to admit he looked incredibly cool. The scene was practically wallpaper-worthy. His 99-point Charisma stat was no joke. The episode continued... Julian pushed open the door, just as Sherlock fell down the stairs. He rolled and ended up kneeling before Julian, pointing his gun at him. The comments exploded with the same line: "Shall I say ''no need for formalities'' or should I just surrender now?" A barrage of air bullets flew towards Julian, which he dodged with incredible speed. Then, as he leaned back to avoid a bullet from behind, Sherlock unleashed his lightning. The AI gave Julian a wide-angle close-up as he twisted his body mid-lean, an ivory-handled revolver appearing in his hand as if by magic, spinning it around his finger. The entire sequence was crystal clear, and it looked absolutely badass. Before the players could even react, the next scene sent them into a frenzy. A burst of flame erupted from the muzzle of the revolver. The AI provided a detailed close-up and slow-motion shot, allowing players to see the revolver''s mechanism in action: the finger pulling the trigger, the hammer being cocked, and a blazing bullet spinning out of the barrel with astonishing speed. Due to the slow motion, players could even see the ripples around the bullet, as if it were tearing through space itself. "Holy sh*t! What kind of skill is that?!" "Goddamn, that''s so cool!" "Holy crap, he''s got it all figured out..." "F*ck, I want to learn that skill too! It''s too awesome!" With Julian''s appearance, the number of comments surged. When Julian started fighting, the number of comments quintupled compared to a few minutes ago, showcasing his immense popularity. Based on the two episodes aired so far, Wayne''s character perfectly aligned with the players'', especially the female players'', preferences. He was devastatingly handsome, intelligent, powerful, had a good personality, and was even occasionally humorous. He was the perfect protagonist template. Two minutes later, when Julian, with Sherlock''s help, forced Horvath to reveal himself and then coolly pulled the trigger, killing the fully-monsterized Horvath, the comments reached their peak. "Holy crap! That was so badass! Cool, collected, and decisive. I''m in love!" "Claiming my hubby once again..." "Stop being such a fangirl, upstairs. But damn, even I, a guy, like him! Forget it, gender doesn''t matter anymore. Claiming my hubby..." "Be careful out there, guys. These zero-overflow events are getting more frequent. Even boys need to protect themselves." Julian: ... The first half of the episode had been quite tense, like watching a detective drama where the detective was getting his ass kicked. It was only now that it finally felt satisfying. Finally, when Julian picked up the diary from the ground and began to read, the AI helpfully added subtitles. The players finally understood the motive behind the murder and gained a deeper understanding of one of the major NPC factions in the game: the Life Alchemy Society. Chapter 36: XBs Class Breakdown And that''s where the journal abruptly ends. The second episode continues for a few more minutes, cutting to a dimly lit room. A group of figures are huddled together, hatching a plan. Surprisingly, besides the Life Alchemy Society, there are also cultists from the Curse Cult, draped in their signature black robes. As the camera focuses on them, players learn that the alchemical bomb plot is a joint effort between the Curse Cult and the Life Alchemy Society. To ensure the plan goes off without a hitch, a council member from the Life Alchemy Society is being dispatched from the Kingdom of Ruins to oversee the operation. This whole alchemical bomb business is new. It never happened in Julian''s past life. Clearly, his presence has already started to significantly alter the course of events. And just as they''re about to reveal the identity of the council member and delve into the specifics of their plan, the second episode comes to an end. That''s it? Just like that? Julian was fuming. Seriously? Even the AI has learned how to cliffhanger now? Would it kill them to give him a little more intel? Seriously! But, you know, after watching this episode, even he''s starting to believe that he might actually be the protagonist. Think about it. The major events in the game so far: the Curse Cult''s sacrificial ritual, the Alchemist Phantom incident, and now the impending alchemical bomb plot. If you look closely, there''s one common thread weaving through all of them: him. It seems like he''s already drastically changed the game''s early-stage storyline. Not that he had much of a choice. What else can he do at this point but take it one step at a time? Shaking his head, Julian starts browsing the forums. This game is actually showing potential to blow up. In just a few days, the number of registered forum users has surged to twenty million. And this is before the Beta Testing even starts! It''s giving off some serious Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077 vibes¡ªhyped to the moon before even launching. Most of the forum posts are about him, seeing as he''s the only guy who''s been front and center in both trailers. Julian scans through the posts, but most of them are fluff. Finally, he stumbles upon a half-decent analysis post: "A Beginner''s Guide to Apocalypse in 5 Minutes (Part 1) - A Look at Class Choices." The author, going by the handle "XB," is a guy, and someone Julian knows well. Besides Apocalypse, there''s another extremely popular MOBA game on Blue Star. XB used to be a pro player in that very game. During a crucial team fight in a major tournament, XB was playing a control-heavy hero. The team captain ordered him to initiate on the easiest target. XB''s team executed flawlessly, perfectly CCing the easiest target¡ªa ranged minion. They lost the match, and XB got roasted into oblivion by the fans. After that, he retired from the pro scene and dived into Apocalypse. In Julian''s past life, they even teamed up in the arena for a while.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The guy might be slow on the uptake and a walking meme, but he''s actually pretty knowledgeable about gaming. It''s kind of surreal, reading a post from someone he knew in his past life, but from the perspective of an NPC. Julian clicks on the post without hesitation. XB: "Hey everyone, it''s your old buddy XB! Great to see you all in Apocalypse. Starting today, I''m hanging up my pro player hat and joining you all in this new adventure. I''m sure you''ve all seen the second episode of the trailer series. My boy is still going strong, taking down that invisible superhuman freak. Throughout the episode, he really showcases the power of the Ranger class." Julian: ... Dude, are you okay? You''re freaking me out. He keeps reading. XB: "Anyway, let''s cut to the chase. I''m going to break down the pros and cons of each class in Apocalypse based on the information we have so far." He''s uploaded a video to the post, meticulously analyzing the class strengths frame by frame. Video.mp4 Even Julian, who was actually there, almost gets swayed by XB''s analysis after watching the video. XB: "In the first episode, we saw at least three classes: Wayne Stilwell''s Ranger, Cultists A, B, and C''s Warrior class, and Cultist D''s ranged spellcasting class, likely a Mage. Did you guys notice that at the seventeenth-minute mark, Cultists A, B, and C each try to charge and stun Wayne? They raise their hands, but the charge range seems to be within 25 yards. You can see in the video that Wayne keeps them at that distance, completely neutralizing the two Warriors. Also, note that Wayne''s target priority is the monster first, then the Mage, and lastly the Warriors. This shows that he considers the Warriors the least threatening, which proves to be true. So, in my opinion, the Warrior class lacks mobility and is too clunky. They can''t deal damage, they can''t chase, they''re basically useless. Unless you''re dead set on playing a Warrior, I wouldn''t recommend it for newbies." XB: "As for Mages, they seem to have decent damage output. From what we''ve seen, they can dish out ranged damage and have some crowd control. The only issue is the casting time, which makes their viability in PvP questionable." XB: "The second episode also features three classes: Wayne''s Ranger, Sherlock''s Weather Mage, and the monster Horvath Guy''s Superhuman class. From the video, it looks like Weather Mage is a support-oriented class, combining support and damage-dealing capabilities. I highly recommend it for the ladies. As for the Superhuman class, we don''t have much info on it yet, but judging from the introduction, it should be pretty strong in combat. Overall, Wayne''s Ranger seems to be the hero class of the early game. High damage, high mobility, and most importantly, huge potential for growth. The protagonist''s class, the devs'' pet project¡ªhow could it possibly be weak? XB''s advice: don''t fight the meta. Pick the strong classes. But don''t worry if you want to try other classes. Every patch brings a new OP, so who knows what the future holds?" Damn, that''s a compelling argument! Julian is genuinely impressed. That''s XB for you. His analysis isn''t just wrong; it''s spectacularly wrong. The Warrior class, which he totally trashed, is actually the strongest class in the early game. After all, it''s the class of Leandros, the protagonist of Julian''s past life. Even XB himself was swinging a big sword around back then. Meanwhile, the Ranger class he''s hyping up doesn''t even exist yet. It''s barely a concept. He should rename this post "A Beginner''s Guide to Getting Rekt in Apocalypse in 5 Minutes." What''s hilarious is that a significant number of players actually agree with this nonsense. The forum admins even pinned the post! Julian: ... Is this game doomed already? But XB''s post does remind Julian that he needs to create his own new class system ASAP. With the current hype, if he can come up with a complete class system, he''ll be raking in the benefits. According to the game''s standards, a complete class system needs at least 6 class specialties, 2 core buff skills, and more than 10 active skills. His Ripple Breathing Technique, Precision Mechanical Mastery, Mysticism, and Marksmanship can roughly be considered class specialties. And the passive combat boost from Hot Pursuit can count as a core buff skill. What he''s really lacking are active skills. Looking at it this way, he''s not that far from his goal. Closing the control panel, Julian washes up and heads to the Alchemy Building for his daily routine. Overnight, the atmosphere at Vickers University has completely changed. Early this morning, after Sherlock left, a squad of police arrived to remove Horvath Guy''s body and announced that the Alchemist Phantom case was closed. Since it involved Supernatural Power, the students were pretty excited, still buzzing about it. The ex-boyfriend of Maggie, one of the key figures in the incident, nearly pissed himself and thanked Horvath for not killing him. The faculty, on the other hand, were relieved. A Supernatural Creature hiding among the students had been found. That''s good news. Although a few people had died, at least further casualties were prevented.