Chapter 13 : First Announcement
Axton received a 3-star skill book and 1000 experience points.
Skill books were leagues above skills that came attached to items.
Item-based skills could only be activated when the item was in your possession.
Lose the item, and the skill is gone too.
But a skill book? Once learned, the skill became a permanent part of you, yours forever.
Axton clenched the book in his hand.
This… this is what real progress looks like.
And then there was the other reward.
Experience points (Exp).
They weren't just for leveling up.
Experience could also be invested into leveling individual skills.
The sound came.
*Ding*
[Congratulations!]
[You have leveled up!]
[+2 level ups!]
[You have gained +10 free stat points to distribute.]
*Shing* *Shing*
Two pillars of radiant light engulfed Axton in quick succession, signifying a successful level up.
His body trembled, not with pain but with exhilaration as the system granted him two levels in an instant.
His chest swelled.
His heart raced.
The fight against the Great Wolf, a beast well above his current level, had been a gamble.
Yet here he was, alive, stronger, and generously rewarded for his efforts.
"I'm unstoppable," he muttered, pride burning in his voice.
With his stat points waiting to be distributed, Axton turned his attention to the real prize — the 3-star skill book.
******
"Inventory."
He opened his inventory and selected the shining book that radiated with a faint golden aura.
…
[Skill Book]
Skill : Pierce
Rank : 3-star
Level : 1
Description : This skill increases the chance of breaking through a target's armor by 10% within 5 seconds. Each level increases the effect by 1% for a maximum of 10 levels. (Cooldown : 1 minute)
Drawback : Consumes 10 mana points to use.
…
Axton's eyes sparkled. "Pierce… Not bad at all."
It wasn't flashy, but he knew its worth.
The ability to bypass an enemy's defenses could mean the difference between victory and death.
Ten percent at level one didn't look impressive, but that was only the beginning.
"Looks like you'll fit in nicely with my style," he said, smirking.
Without hesitation, he learned the skill.
*Shing*
The book dissolved into a flurry of white motes that streamed into his chest like a shooting star piercing through the night.
*Ding*
[You have mastered the skill – Pierce.]
"Perfect."
He immediately poured experience points into the new skill, feeding it without restraint.
*Ding*
[Your skill [Pierce] has leveled up.]
[+6 level ups!]
[+6% increase in skill efficiency.]
"Level six already…" Axton clenched his fist, feeling the newfound strength flowing in his veins. "This should make hunting much easier."
Eager to test it, he glanced around for monsters. But the forest was strangely empty, as if the Great Wolf's death had scared every living thing away.
"Tch." He clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Guess I'll have to wait."
He redistributed his stat points with careful thought, then prepared to leave.
That was when the next prompt appeared.
*Ding*
[Congratulations!]
[You have earned extra rewards for being the first to kill a grade 1 level 4 monster, the Great Wolf.]
[Rewards]
— A village-wide announcement has been initiated.
— +100 Reputation points
— +1 Mythical point
[Choose whether to hide or reveal your name.]
Of course, his critical hit applied.
Axton blinked. "Huh? Mythical point?"
He quickly pulled up the interface, scanning for details.
Nothing.
Frowning, he tapped into a special feature of New Eden — the ability to connect directly to the real-world internet.
For Axton, it was his mysterious bracelet acting as the link.
He accessed the official New Eden forums.
The information there was brief but enough to light a fire in his chest.
[The more Mythical Points a player gathers, the higher the chance of awakening a Mythical Event.]
[Players can enter a Mythical Event which guarantees rare rewards.]
That was all.
Nothing else.
No tips.
No guides.
No explanations.
Axton chuckled. "So it's like that, huh? A hidden mechanic…"
He didn't mind.
Just knowing he had unknowingly taken a massive first step toward such an event was enough to satisfy him.
His eyes drifted back to the prompt.
Hide his name or reveal it?
"Hah!" Axton unknowingly chuckled, pride creeping into him. "What kind of conqueror hides his name? Afraid of what? A few jealous players? That's coward talk."
"Let them know me. Let them all know me."
He chose to leave his name open for all.
*Ding*
[Village Announcement!]
[Congratulations to player [Khan] for being the first to kill the grade 1 level 4 monster, the Great Wolf.]
[Congratulations to player [Khan] on being the first to gain Mythical Points.]
The announcement boomed inside the heads of every player in Novice Village #666.
Floating windows appeared in the sky above the village, shining for all to see.
The reaction was immediate.
For several seconds, silence.
Players froze mid-motion, staring up at the glowing panels.
Then chaos erupted.
"What the actual fuck?!"
"A Great Wolf? Already?!"
"That's impossible! We just started this damn game!"
"I'm still stuck at level one…"
"Me too!"
"Same here!"
The mood spiraled.
Most players were still struggling to take down Horned Mountain Goats, low-level monsters that attacked in herds.
Even that required teamwork and endless grinding.
Yet someone had just slain a Grade 1 beast far beyond their reach.
Some players dropped their weapons in despair.
Others cursed under their breath.
Many were filled with envy, whispering about cheating or developers favoring certain players.
But not everyone reacted with bitterness.
"I… I want to meet him," a young woman whispered, her cheeks flushed red as her heart fluttered.
She gazed at the name glowing across the sky
[...Khan]
Across the village, murmurs grew louder.
"Khan…"
"Khan…"
"Who is he?"
"What kind of monster player is this?"
The announcement spread like wildfire.
Guilds immediately took notice.
Some saw him as an opportunity to recruit.
Others viewed him as a threat to their rise.
Inside one of the inns, a group of men dressed in matching attires sat in silence.
Their leader slowly opened his eyes, the faint glow of the announcement reflecting in them.
"Khan…" he muttered, committing the name to memory.
This man was Silva, the branch leader of the guild, Grand Nexus.