"Please select a class."
With his talent awakened, the next step was choosing a class.
There was no hesitation.
Zane Carter had long grown sick of grinding, farming, and selling loot for cash. The thought of killing monsters over and over again made him physically nauseous.
This time, he was going to play the game for fun.
And so, he picked the one class he had always loved but rarely played—the Thief.
"Congratulations, you have chosen the Thief class."
"You have acquired the following starting skills: Dagger Mastery, Light Armor Specialization, Stealth, and Steal!"
"You have gained the Thief's unique class trait: The Secrets of Strength and Speed."
[The Secrets of Strength and Speed]
Type: Class Trait
Effect: Every 10 points of Agility increases Attack Power by 1.
[Dagger Mastery]
Type: Weapon Mastery
Effect: Grants proficiency in daggers, short swords, and other similar weapons, allowing seamless and precise control.
[Stealth]
Type: Active Skill
Rank: Tier 1 · LV1 (0/100 EXP)
Effect: Enter stealth mode using expert concealment techniques, becoming invisible for 10 seconds. Movement speed increases by 10%. Attacking or being attacked will break stealth.
Mana Cost: 40
Cooldown: 40 seconds
[Steal]
Type: Active Skill
Rank: Tier 1 · LV1 (0/100 EXP)
Effect: Attempt to steal a random item from the target with a 1% success rate. Cannot steal bound items.
Mana Cost: 20
Cooldown: 20 seconds
"Assign 'Steal' and 'Stealth' to Infinite Potential!"
[Success! 'Steal' has been assigned to Infinite Potential!]
[Success! 'Stealth' has been assigned to Infinite Potential!]
Zane used his talent, filling two of his ten slots right away.
This had been his plan from the moment he awakened his SSS-Rank Talent.
Normally, Tier 1 active skills had a level cap. Each rank-up increased the cap by one.
But now, both Steal and Stealth had no limit.
Zane was eager to see what would happen once these skills broke past their original restrictions.
With that, his character was fully created.
Character Information
Player: Not Your Average Worker
Class: Thief
Level: 0
HP: 100
MP: 100
Attack Power: 11
Magic Power: 10
Physical Defense: 10
Magic Defense: 10
Movement Speed: 10
Accuracy: 5
Evasion: 2
Stats:
Constitution: 10 (Affects HP)
Strength: 10 (Affects Attack Power)
Intelligence: 10 (Affects Magic Power & MP)
Endurance: 10 (Affects Defenses)
Agility: 10 (Affects Speed, Accuracy, and Evasion)
Spirit: 10 (Affects MP Recovery & Special Skills)
Talent: Infinite Potential (SSS)
Skills: Steal (Tier 1 · LV1), Stealth (Tier 1 · LV1)
Each stat played a specific role, with Strength increasing attack power, Intelligence boosting magic, and Agility enhancing speed and reflexes.
Willpower was a unique attribute. The game's official website described it as the mental strength of a player, affecting mana recovery and some skill effects.
At first glance, Zane's character panel looked completely ordinary.
But he was not concerned. With an SSS-Rank Talent, nothing else mattered.
Confirming his selection, he entered the game.
A glowing teleportation sigil formed beneath his feet, and his vision blurred as he was pulled into the world of Ascension Online.
When the dizziness faded, he found himself standing in a massive town square.
[You have arrived in Maple Leaf Town!]
A system notification rang in his ears.
Maple Leaf Town was a small settlement built in a Western fantasy style. Its streets were lined with elegant stone buildings, and beyond the square, narrow alleyways led deeper into the town.
Around him, white flashes flickered as more players materialized in rapid succession.
"Whoa, is this really a game? It feels way too real!"
"The graphics, the lighting—damn, that NPC is hot. Can we flirt with NPCs in this game?"
"No wonder this game is a global phenomenon. The realism is insane. My kidney was totally worth selling for this VR pod!"
Excitement buzzed through the crowd as players marveled at the environment. Some stood in awe, while others wasted no time forming parties and preparing for their first quests.
"All Skyfall Guild members, rally at my location!"
"Any Domination Guild players here? Gather up! We're gonna power level and wreck this server!"
"Veteran MMORPG player looking for a solid long-term team. Must have a D-Rank Talent or higher!"
The town square was alive with energy as players introduced themselves, strategized, and rushed to get ahead.
Zane had no interest in joining a group.
Breaking away from the crowd, he noticed a steady flow of players heading west.
Curious, he followed them and found himself in front of a massive announcement board.
At the top of the board, a welcoming message was displayed:
"Welcome, adventurers from another world!"
The message was signed by Mayor Slater.
Beneath it, a long list of beginner quests was posted.
Quests were divided into repeatable and limited-availability types.
The first quest on the list was a simple repeatable task:
"Protect Maple Leaf Town: Eliminate 30 monsters outside the gates."
Limited quests, however, had strict level requirements and could only be accepted by a certain number of players.
This meant that whoever got strong first would claim the best rewards.
"Same old grind fest," Zane muttered. "They want players to dive headfirst into farming. No thanks."
He had no intention of playing the game the conventional way.
Instead of running around completing quests, he had a different plan—level up Steal and take whatever he wanted.
"Wait a second… this quest looks interesting."
As he turned to leave, something caught his eye.
At the bottom of the board, a single quest stood out.
Unlike the others, this one had no level requirement.
That was unusual. Normally, quests were arranged in increasing difficulty. The ones at the bottom should have been the hardest, yet this one had no restriction.
Curious, he examined the details.
[Unusual Phenomenon at Lonely Wind Cliff]
Type: Quest
Description: Strange lights have been appearing at the summit of Lonely Wind Cliff. The cause is unknown. To ensure the safety of the town, any adventurer who investigates will be generously rewarded.
Quest Giver: Mayor Slater
Rewards:
100 Gold, 1x Silver-Tier Equipment Set (First come, first serve!)
Requirements: None
Attempts Allowed: One per player
"Whoa, an unlimited entry quest at the very bottom?"
"And it's personally issued by the mayor. Completing it might increase our reputation with him!"
"This is huge! We need to accept it before it's gone!"
Players hurried to claim the quest, some already pulling up their maps to locate Lonely Wind Cliff.
Early-game gear was scarce. A full Silver-Tier Equipment Set was an unbelievable reward.
Zane accepted the quest as well.
Then, along with a surge of players, he stepped out of the town gates.
"All Domination Guild members, head for Lonely Wind Cliff! Move!"
"Thief squad from Skyfall Guild, scout ahead! Everyone else, start leveling!"
Within moments, the area outside the town turned into a chaotic rush as players raced toward the mysterious location.
Watching them go, Zane smirked.
There was no way this quest was going to be that easy.
Something was off.
Instead of rushing in blindly, he decided to train his skills and observe from the sidelines.
After all, why fight for rewards when he could just steal them later?