Chapter 4 : First Quest
Axton never imagined he would stumble upon such an overpowered talent on the very first day of the game.
What were the odds?
Normally, abilities like this only came into play later on, after countless hours of grinding and progression.
But now?
From the very start?
Just how powerful could he become as the game went on?
Even Axton didn't know.
He could only imagine such.
His privilege didn't seem to have any sort of limit. At least, not yet.
"The more enemies I fight, the stronger I get. I couldn't have asked for a better talent than this… truly worthy of its SSS rank."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
He couldn't hide it as his face was all smiles.
It felt unreal, like he had become the kind of overpowered protagonist he usually only read about in novels and other works of fantasy.
Not only did he have a unique privilege, he also had an SSS rank talent!
Two massive bonuses right from the start.
He chuckled to himself. "I really hit the jackpot this time."
******
*Ding*
[Please input a name]
Axton let out a long sigh.
He hadn't even thought about what username to pick yet.
He rubbed his chin, trying to come up with something cool.
"Godslayer."
[This username is no longer available]
"Tch. Figures."
He tried again. "WarGod."
[This username is no longer available]
"KingKratos."
Same response.
Axton groaned and tried a few more names, but the result was the same every time.
All the cool ones were already taken.
"Damn, people are really fast."
He leaned back in his chair, thinking.
If he couldn't come up with something unique, maybe he could borrow from history.
A name flashed into his mind—one belonging to one of the greatest conquerors the world had ever known.
"Khan."
*Ding*
[The name [Khan] has been successfully registered]
[After successful registration, a name cannot be changed or edited]
"Good enough," Axton muttered. He wasn't the type to obsess over names anyway.
Next step.
[Please select a race]
A dropdown list unfolded in front of him.
[Humans]
[Elves]
[Goblins]
[Orcs]
[...]
"Human."
[Human race has been successfully registered]
[Please select a profession]
Another menu appeared.
[Warrior]
[Mage]
[Tank]
[Healer]
[Assassin]
[Ranger]
This time, Axton didn't hesitate.
"Warrior."
It was the obvious choice.
With [Battle God] as his talent, relying on raw strength and combat prowess would maximize his growth.
Warriors were all about physical power, and Axton was already destined to become a beast on the battlefield.
He briefly considered the ranger class, but it wasn't as focused on close combat.
For him, warrior was the perfect fit.
He quickly filled in the remaining details, everything needed to complete his avatar's physical data.
When he finished, another notification rang out.
[Congratulations!]
[You will now be automatically teleported to a beginner village]
[Beginner Village #666]
A flash of blinding light swallowed his vision. Instinctively, Axton shielded his eyes with his hand.
The next second, his surroundings shifted.
He appeared in a large, bustling novice village.
******
"Damn it! I didn't get an S rank talent!"
"An A-rank ice talent isn't bad, I guess. At least it's not B-rank."
"This is insane… it really feels like another world. Just like they promised!"
All around him, the air buzzed with excitement and chatter.
Players exclaimed in wonder as they explored the village and admired their surroundings.
Some didn't waste any time at all and rushed straight toward quest-giving NPCs, eager to begin their leveling journey.
Axton glanced down at himself.
Like everyone else, he was dressed in basic starter gear.
[Newbie Armour]
Effect : +1 Defense
[Axe]
Effect : +1 Attack
It wasn't much, but at least it was something.
It was better than running around barehanded, that was for sure.
Regardless, the starting gear was trash in every sense of the word.
The only way to improve was to complete quests and hunt monsters for loot drops. But with New Eden's infamous low drop rates, there was always a painful chance of coming back empty-handed after a fight.
"Well… no choice but to grind," Axton muttered.
He decided to explore the village first.
Maybe he'd find something useful or better yet, a quest.
******
After wandering for a while, something finally caught his attention.
"Excuse me, young one."
A clear, calm voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
Axton turned and saw a middle-aged man standing behind a shop counter.
The man had a sturdy build, rough hands, and a black bowl in one hand.
Behind him was a shop, stacked with all kinds of metals, ores, and potions.
'An alchemist? Or maybe a blacksmith?' Axton wondered aloud as he approached.
Curious, he stepped forward. "How may I help you, sir?"
He made sure to be polite.
In games like this, NPCs often had hidden mechanics, and some could be much stronger than early-stage players.
He had no intention of offending one.
******
*Ding*
[You have triggered a quest response from the blacksmith — Iron Buck]
[Quest]
— Iron Buck needs your help to retrieve an ore from the mountains west of the village. However, the mountains have been overrun by Horned Mountain Goats. Slay the goats and bring back their horns as proof.
[Rewards]
— 5 Horns of Mountain Goats : 1 Cloth Armour (Common grade)
— 50 Horns of Mountain Goats : 1 Cloth Armour (Common grade), 1 Pair of Shoes (Common grade)
— 100 Horns of Mountain Goats : 1 Cloth Armour (Common grade), 1 Pair of Shoes (Common grade), 1 Weapon (Common grade)
Axton's eyes scanned through the quest description.
It was obviously designed for beginners.
The rewards weren't anything extraordinary, but they were still a solid improvement over the trash-tier newbie gear.
Cloth armour would give him extra defense.
Shoes would increase his speed.
And if he managed to gather a hundred horns, he'd even be granted a weapon upgrade.
Of course, all of them were common grades.
Nothing flashy.
But even the weakest common gear would be a huge step up right now.
[Do you accept?]
[Yes / No]
He already knew the choice to make.