"Anyone up for grinding frogs at the pond? Need a priest! We'll go as soon as we have a full party!"
"Selling level 5 gear! Whiteboard battle axe, rare staff, and a full set of basic armor. Anyone interested?"
"I'm a human mage, now level 3. Anyone need a party member?"
...
As evening approached, the world of the Divine Realm continent felt incredibly real.
The setting sun gradually dipped below the western mountains,
Yet the novice village remained lively.
With players joining in, the village was even more bustling than at the start.
A crowd gathered at the village entrance, some seeking to form teams, others selling gear, and some simply socializing and sharing game strategies…
Various players added different hues to this seemingly ordinary village.
"Once I reach level 10, I should be able to learn new skills, right… Master!"
Ethan Drake walked slowly through the novice village, ignoring the surrounding players.
He touched his wrist, gazing at the dimming western sun, lost in thought.
He currently had four skills, all acquired from his starting class selection.
The first was the most basic shape-shifting ability.
Shape-shifting: Allows transformation between the Apocalypse Dragonkin and human forms at will.
This skill is used to hide and protect oneself from the many NPCs and factions on the continent that might view him with hostility. However, in human form, his attributes are halved, and he cannot use Apocalypse skills.
This is why Ethan Drake would switch to human form when returning to the village.
Most of the NPCs in the novice village are neutral, but there is likely a priest from the Holy Light Church responsible for medical support and related tasks.
It would be troublesome if he were discovered.
The remaining skills are combat types.
Apocalypse Fury (usable in Dragonkin form): When rage meter is full, you can enter a fury state, increasing magic/physical damage by 100%, reducing damage taken by 50%, and increasing attribute magic resistance by 5. Cooldown: 5 minutes. Consumes 1 rage point and 1% of health per second.
An enhancement buff skill that doubles combat power for a short period, halves damage, and increases attribute resistance.
It's very powerful!
But timing is crucial to avoid self-destruction.
A high-level initial skill!
Even in later stages, it retains its importance.
Black Flame Fireball: A black flame magic ball that causes massive magical damage to enemies within range, with additional corrosive burning effects. Cooldown: 10 seconds. Consumes 10 mana.
Claw Tear (usable in Dragonkin form): Uses sharp claws to perform close-range slashing attacks, causing physical damage with a chance to trigger bleeding effect.
Two attack skills: one primarily for physical damage, the other for magical damage.
Both are outstanding skills.
They completely outshine a mage's fireball and a warrior's heavy strike.
Buffs, magic, physical attacks,
The skills are very comprehensive.
Ethan Drake's abilities are far superior to those of other players starting with just a single basic skill.
This is the power granted to him by that great being!
Now, on the first day of the server, while top players with team support are still only level 5,
This lone wolf player has already reached a jaw-dropping level 7.
Relying on the Dragonkin's formidable physique and skills, he easily defeats monsters of the same level in the wild.
After not traveling far,
"Oh, adventurer, you're back so soon!"
An elderly man in rough clothing greeted him with a smile.
"Village Chief, here are the Wind Demon Wolf claws you wanted!"
Ethan Drake took out a pair of bloodstained claws from his inventory and handed them to the man, speaking in a serious tone.
"You… you really did it!"
"Adventurer, you're the strongest I've ever seen! Here's your reward!"
The old man's eyes widened with admiration as he spoke, smiling as he handed Ethan Drake a package.
"Congratulations, you completed the quest: Wind Demon Wolves in the Northwest of Baiyun Village!"
"Earned 1000 Experience Points!"
"Earned 10 Silver Coins!"
"Received Rare Item: Hero's Battle Sword x1!"
"Congratulations, you leveled up!"
"Please open your status panel to allocate points!"
With the system prompts echoing, a warm flow rose within him.
His body began to glow with a golden light.
He leveled up.
As he planned, he reached level 8.
"Brave adventurer, since you've come this far… I believe you can handle it! I have one last task for you. If you succeed, I can offer you a generous reward, but it may be very dangerous. Are you ready?"
The old man sighed lightly, lowering his gaze slightly. His murky old eyes seemed to convey seriousness as he spoke to Ethan Drake.
"Of course!"
"Good, I hope you head to the southernmost part of the village…"
The old man pointed towards the southern part of the village, preparing to explain the task details to Ethan Drake.
However, the next moment, his eyes widened in shock.
His words trailed off, halting abruptly.
"Wh… What… How is this…?"
He looked at the southern sky, his lips moving without producing coherent words.
His knees trembled uncontrollably.
Under the dimming sunset,
In the sky,
Black wings covered the sky, eclipsing the sun's last light.
Nightfall came early!
A sense of dread seeped into everyone's souls.
It felt like the end of the world.
They stopped breathing, staring blankly upward, gazing at the sky.
At the horizon,
A vast, dark dragon soared through the sky!
The apocalyptic disaster, the Final End Dragon!