When Ling Ye opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the blood-red light of transmission but lying on soft grass beneath a sky so vividly blue it almost hurt to look at. A gentle sea breeze brushed across his face, carrying with it the distant sound of crashing waves.
He sat up slowly, his senses sharpening. Just as he tried to take in his surroundings, a faint chime echoed in his ears.
A pale-blue holographic screen materialized before his eyes, its runes flickering with a faint divine glow.
[Welcome to the Battlefield of Myriad Races.]
[Here, you shall ascend as a Lord, ignite the fire of your divine nation, and wage wars across countless worlds.]
[Your territory has been activated. Honorable Lord, please name your domain.]
The same familiar opening sequence. Ling Ye's gaze hardened. He already knew how this world operated.
He thought for a moment before saying firmly, "Immortal City."
This world would be filled with monsters, bloodshed, betrayal, and endless challenges. But this time, he would not fall. This time, his territory would never be erased from existence.
[Name confirmed. You are now a recognized Lord. Mentally command to access your Territory Panel.]
[Please confirm your in-game ID. Default ID: Ling Ye. Using your real name is recommended for finding friends and forming alliances. Would you like to change it?]
In his previous life, like most others, he had used his real name. It made finding loved ones easier. But that naïve mistake had cost him dearly. This time, revenge required anonymity.
"Change it," he muttered under his breath. "ID: Dark Night."
[ID confirmed. Honorable Lord Dark Night, please proceed to draw your Lord Talent.]
A metallic voice echoed as a card appeared before him, hovering in midair. Its surface shimmered with chaotic, swirling patterns—this was the Talent Card, the foundation of every Lord's future.
Talents were ranked from E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, up to SSS, and they determined the very ceiling of a Lord's growth potential.
Last life, Ling Ye had drawn an A-rank Combat Talent that boosted his troops' stats by fifty percent. Strong, yes—but nothing compared to the top Lords. Sophia, for instance, had pulled an S-rank Auxiliary Talent that allowed her to teleport her entire territory three times a day, giving her unparalleled mobility.
"This time, it's probably still A-rank," Ling Ye murmured, not expecting a miracle. "But no matter. With my memories of the future, even an A-rank is enough to crush everyone in my path."
He reached out and tapped the card.
WHOOSH—
A seven-colored light burst out of the card, dazzling and overwhelming. Ling Ye froze, his breath catching in his throat.
What the hell? An A-rank card should shine orange. Seven colors… what was this?
[Congratulations, Lord Dark Night. You have drawn the Unique Talent: Infinite Golden Traits.]
"Unique… Talent?" Ling Ye's eyes widened in shock.
In his entire past life, in all the countless battlefields and combined zones he had seen, no one—not even the so-called god-tier players—had ever possessed something called a "Unique Talent." This… this was above SSS rank. Something transcendent.
With trembling anticipation, he opened the talent details.
[Talent: Infinite Golden Traits]
[Rank: Unique]
[Effect: As a Lord, you can attach unlimited golden traits to yourself, your heroes, your troops, and even your entire territory.]
[For every level you gain, you earn one Golden Trait draw. Current draws available: 1.]
A grin slowly spread across Ling Ye's face.
Golden Traits were like passive skills, buffs, or special abilities that permanently altered a target's power. Some Golden Traits were so powerful that they could rival entire SSS-tier talents on their own.
And he could draw one on every level. At level 100, that meant 100 separate talents stacked on himself and his army.
This wasn't just strong—it was absurd. A cheat code. A guaranteed path to supremacy.
"Let's test this out," he whispered, excitement burning in his chest. "Draw trait."
The system responded instantly.
[Golden Trait Acquired: Instant Training.]
He opened the trait's description, his heart pounding.
[Instant Training]
Effect: All troop training completes instantly. No waiting period required.
Ling Ye burst out laughing, the sound raw and victorious. This was game-breaking. Normally, even with ample resources, training troops took time. Low-tier soldiers could take minutes, but high-tier, elite units could require hours per single recruit.
But with this? As long as he had the resources, he could conjure an entire army on the spot.
Just this one trait alone could be considered SSS-tier, giving him the power to snowball beyond anyone's imagination. And this was only the first draw. Future levels would only stack more absurd abilities.
Infinite Golden Traits… this was true domination.
His eyes gleamed with cold determination. "This time, I'll rise faster than anyone can comprehend."
Before he could bask in his newfound power any longer, the mechanical voice rang again.
[Attention: Earth's inhabitants have been divided into Novice Zones based on their cities. You have been placed in Zone #518, population: 1,000,000.]
[The Novice Zone lasts 30 days. Day 1 is a Protection Phase—no monster attacks will occur. Starting Day 2, nightly monster waves will invade your territory.]
[On Day 30, a global Monster Tide will sweep the zone. Only the Lords who survive will merge into the next sector. Good luck.]
[Starter troop nest and resources have been issued. Begin your first constructions now.]
Ling Ye skipped the tutorial this time; he didn't need handholding. What caught his attention was the reminder of how deadly this battlefield truly was.
In his previous life, Zone 518 had started with a million Lords. By the end of the 30 days, fewer than two hundred thousand survived, the rest devoured by monsters, destroyed by stronger Lords, or dying in reckless exploration.
And this wasn't even considered a particularly deadly zone. Some zones had been wiped out completely, with no survivors to speak of.
His gaze turned sharp as steel. "I can't waste time. The sooner I start mass-producing troops, the sooner I secure my territory."
He raised his hand, opening the construction menu. The holographic interface expanded, showing his starter troop nest and basic building options. This time, he would not make mistakes. He had future knowledge, an invincible talent, and a burning need for vengeance.
This time, Dark Night would crush anyone who dared stand in his path.