In outdoor Player vs Player (PK) combat, even novice players will incur sin points. The initiator of the PK, if successful in killing the opponent, gains +1 sin point, while the opponent does not gain sin points for killing the initiator during the counterattack period. The higher the sin points, the greater the death penalty. Sin points decrease automatically, with one point decreasing every 5 hours while in the wilderness. Once sin points exceed 10, players are wanted by the guards of major cities. Upon entering the city, they will be apprehended and imprisoned, with sin points decreasing by 1 per hour in jail. Sin points can also be cleansed with money, but the required amount is substantial: 1000 gold coins to remove one sin point.
Players below level ten do not incur level or experience penalties upon death, but they may still drop equipment or even money. Alex didn't attack the shieldbearer in front of him. Instead, with a subtle step, he maneuvered between the shieldbearer and the warrior, leaping forward to strike the novice mage who was about to cast a magic projectile at him. The length of the Eternal Moment of Destiny, combined with Alex's arm length, allowed his regular attack to reach up to two meters. Caught off guard, the novice mage felt a sudden piercing pain in his throat as a "-196" red number floated above his head, instantly depleting his 90 HP, and he collapsed to the ground.
A critical hit again!
A one-hit kill! A one-hit kill in the novice village's PK scenario! Such a feat would not be considered extraordinary in the later stages of the game when player strength begins to diverge. But to witness a one-hit kill in the novice village, where everyone starts at the same level, was beyond belief.
As they stood in stunned silence, Alex's attack followed swiftly. With a single sweep of his sword, he struck both the trainee shieldbearer and the trainee warrior, jolting them out of their stupor. They retaliated with the only attack skills they possessed, their strikes aimed at Alex's body. The massive damage numbers of nearly two hundred filled them with fear, but their greed intensified amidst their shock. Such an attack power was considered "monstrous" at novice stage. Without a doubt, everything stemmed from that extraordinary weapon, far from ordinary.
As if anticipating the attackers' moves in advance, Alex's body subtly leaned backward, simultaneously retracting the Eternal Moment of Destiny. His dual swords, one-handed and two-handed, almost simultaneously stabbed towards the space just in front of his chest, with only a hair's breadth separating them from his torso. The maneuver, thrillingly executed, seemed as if it had been meticulously calculated. At the same time, a slender arrow whizzed past his ear.
With reflexes and perception far beyond ordinary, even without consciously focusing, Alex's body instinctively evaded the imminent attacks. His Eternal Moment of Destiny struck again, and two red numbers floated above the heads of the shieldbearer and the warrior. The warrior's life was drained, and he vanished into a white light, returning to the novice village. Pale-faced, Red leaf Iron Wall stepped back, but before his foot could move, Alex was upon him. A black shadow loomed in the shieldbearer's eyes, followed by the sound of his demise.
With simple strikes, lightning fast, two more fell to Alex's hand. Alone behind the rock, the novice archer froze, until, finally regaining his senses, he attempted to flee. But Alex's figure was already upon him, and the massive weapon descended...
"Ah!"
A dramatically exaggerated scream halted Alex's attack. The novice archer sat paralyzed on the ground, his face drained of color, pleading, "Spare me... please spare me, big brother. I'll give you all my equipment, just don't kill me."
Alex's interest piqued at the dramatic reaction. With a playful grin, he asked, "Are you afraid to die? You seemed pretty happy shooting just now."
Players below level ten don't lose levels even if they die, and even if they did, given his current level of only three, it would take him less than half an hour to regain it. There's no reason for him to be scared to this extent. But this unfortunate player from the Red Leaf Alliance, in his first foray into the game, foolishly set the pain tolerance rate to 100% for a fully immersive experience. For him, taking a hit from Alex would feel no different from being struck by an axe in the real world. He regretted it the moment he entered the game, but, as they say, Destiny doesn't offer second chances.
Observing the fear on the archer's face with interest, Alex casually retracted his Moment of Destiny and said, "Alright, I've always been a compassionate person. Even though you were untrustworthy and initiated the attack, I shouldn't be ruthless. Here's the deal: I'll ask you a question, and if you give me a satisfactory answer, I'll let you go."
The novice archer's expression eased slightly, nodding eagerly. "Thank you, big brother... Ask away, I'll tell you everything I know."
"Do I look handsome?" Alex asked nonchalantly, lightly tapping the Moment of Destiny with his finger.
"Ah... handsome! You're the most handsome guy I've ever seen." The trainee archer nodded hastily. Even if Alex were a Quasimodo fallen from the sky, he would have to give a satisfying answer against his conscience.
Chirp!
A black arc of light streaked across the trainee archer's body, accompanied by a pig-like scream. Another spectacular critical hit number floated up. After the scream, the body turned into a white light, following his unlucky comrades back to the newbie village.
Alex stood up, his eyes hiding a world-weary gaze as he looked towards the desolate north, sighing softly. "You know too much."
Walking over to the giant ferocious wolf's corpse, Alex picked up three bottles of healing potions and the scattered coins on the ground. As he counted the coins, Alex couldn't help but be shocked... This three-star boss actually dropped fifty copper coins, equivalent to fifty cents... a whopping sum!
Putting away the fifty cents, Alex then examined the properties of the three pieces of equipment dropped by the giant ferocious wolf:
Wolf Boots: Level 5 Steel Implement, Requirement: Melee Class. Made from the skin of the giant wolf, these boots offer some flexibility. Stats: Defense +5, Movement Speed +3.
Wolf Shoulder Guard: Level 5 Steel Implement, Requirement: Melee Class. Made from the skin of the giant wolf, these shoulder guards have decent defensive capabilities. Stats: Defense +10, Strength +2.
Wolf Knee Guards: Level 5 Steel Implement, Requirement: Melee Class. Made from the skin of the giant wolf, these knee guards have decent defensive capabilities. Stats: Defense +8, Constitution +2.