**Ding! You've gained 1 attribute point!**
**Ding! 'Try Again' triggered, granting you an extra attribute point!**
Ethan allocated his two points to Agility and Spirit before pulling out the skill book given to him by the Frost Dragon. He chose to learn the skill.
**Ding! You've learned *Create Fire Out of Nothing*.**
**Create Fire Out of Nothing**: You can create and control fire at will.
**Casting Requirement**: Requires a flame source.
**Cooldown**: None.
"Finally, I've mastered *Create Fire Out of Nothing*!"
Ethan snapped his fingers, and a ball of fire appeared in his palm. With the *Eternal Fire Seed* as his medium, he could generate fire endlessly. Even without the *Eternal Fire Seed*, he could use other materials like paper, dry grass, cotton, twigs, or even clothing to create fire.
Testing it out, Ethan snapped off a branch from a nearby tree and tossed it 10 yards away. With another snap of his fingers:
*Poof!*
The branch ignited, burning gently with a soft flame. Ethan smiled and activated his *Flame Jump* ability.
In an instant, he vanished from his spot, reappearing right next to the burning branch.
"Not bad."
Ethan was satisfied with both the *Flame Jump* and *Create Fire Out of Nothing* skills. They were, after all, core abilities of a magician. The latter skill could not only help position his *Flame Jump* but could also be used offensively. Although Ethan didn't have any talent that boosted fire magic, he now possessed the *Eternal Fire Seed*, which provided a massive boost to his firepower.
With that in mind, Ethan turned toward the clearing ahead.
"Come out, King of Assassins."
Though nothing was visible before him, Ethan knew that his clone was still nearby, engaging in combat with Mad Dog's team. After his call, the *King of Assassins* appeared at his side, and not far off, Mad Dog and the remaining two rogues also materialized.
Mad Dog stared at Ethan and his clone, completely stunned. He could hardly believe that it had been a clone attacking them the entire time. The clone skill was extremely rare—he didn't even have one himself. Where had this rookie, *Dustwalker*, acquired it?
"What now, boss?" one of the remaining rogues asked nervously.
"We retreat and report to the guild leader," Mad Dog said decisively. He had seen enough to know that *Dustwalker* was no ordinary player. He was a top-tier expert. His stealth and assassination skills were practically undetectable, and he seemed to anticipate their every move.
With that, Mad Dog began to retreat cautiously.
*Snap!*
A sharp sound echoed through the air.
Suddenly, the smell of burning flesh filled Mad Dog's nostrils.
"Boss! You're on fire!" one of the rogues shouted.
Mad Dog glanced down and, to his confusion, saw flames engulfing his companions instead.
"No, wait!" Panic flashed across his face as he realized this might be one of *Dustwalker's* abilities.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a sharp pain pierced his chest. A gleaming dagger had lodged itself deep in his heart.
"Why are you so fast? Even your clone moves faster than me. Is that even fair?" Ethan teased, having used *Flame Jump* to close the distance instantly. He had planned to deliver the killing blow but was beaten to it by his own clone.
"End it quickly. There are more waiting for us," *King of Assassins* said coldly as he moved to finish off the remaining two rogues.
The result was predictable.
After eliminating Mad Dog's team, Ethan rummaged through their gear. As expected of *Third Heaven's* elite players, they had some decent loot. He found a silver dagger, two iron short swords, leather armor, boots, and various potions, all of which he stored in his *Hat Trick* inventory.
"Time to deal with Archangel."
Having looted the bodies, Ethan and his clone began advancing toward the edge of the forest.
…
Meanwhile, Archangel was on his way to where Ethan was last seen, excited by the prospect of finally cornering him. But then, he noticed that Mad Dog had gone offline. Not just him—several of his rogues had also disconnected.
"What the hell?" Archangel frowned. He had ordered them to track down *Dustwalker*. Could there have been a power outage on their end?
When players disconnect, it's the equivalent of them returning to *Terra*, so Archangel had no idea they had actually been killed.
Just as he was about to send a message, he noticed even more players going offline one after another.
"What the fuck is going on? Are you guys slacking off?"
A moment later, a voice in the guild chat yelled out, "Boss, Dustwalker's coming for us!"
"Dustwalker?!" Archangel's heart skipped a beat. He immediately realized how bad the situation had become. They weren't just going offline—they were being killed.
"What the hell? How's he killing so many people by himself?"
As another member dropped, Archangel couldn't sit still any longer. He shouted into the guild chat:
"Everyone, get out of the forest now! Retreat immediately!"
"Boss, help! There's another one chasing me!"
"What? Another person? Does Dustwalker have backup?"
"No, boss! It's another Dustwalker! He has a clone skill!"
"A clone!"
Archangel's eyes widened in shock. A clone skill was incredibly rare and difficult to counter without specialized abilities. This rookie was definitely hiding his true strength. He wasn't just any new player—he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Realizing the danger, Archangel prepared to leave the forest himself, fearing he might be next.
But just as he moved, a flame ignited nearby, and Ethan stepped out from the fire.
"You…" Archangel's eyes were filled with disbelief. How had *Dustwalker* moved so fast?
Not wanting to take any chances, Archangel drew his greatsword and assumed a defensive stance.
"Heh, still want to fight?" Ethan smirked, snapping his fingers.
*Poof!*
Suddenly, Archangel's clothes erupted in flames. He gasped as intense heat surrounded him, the pain almost making him black out.
*Snap!*
With another snap of Ethan's fingers, the flames vanished as if they had never been there.
*Huff… Huff…* Archangel dropped to his knees, gasping for air. In just a few seconds, his life force had almost drained away. What kind of fire was that? How could it be so powerful?
Looking up at Ethan, Archangel asked cautiously, "Why didn't you kill me?"
"It's simple. You're going to pay me to stay alive," Ethan said with a smile.
Killing Archangel would be satisfying, but he'd rather squeeze some money out of him—especially that 30 gold in compensation.
"How much do you want?" Archangel asked through gritted teeth. He had never felt so humiliated in his life. Even in guild wars, he had never been in such a helpless position.
Ethan raised his hand, showing five fingers.
"One hundred gold and one million in cash."
"No way!" Archangel rejected the demand immediately. That price was absurd and far beyond what he had expected, especially the 100 gold. While their guild was wealthy, gathering that much gold in *Godfall* was no easy feat due to the game's unique economy system.
"Well, if that's your choice…" Ethan raised his hand to snap his fingers again.
"Wait!" Archangel quickly waved his hand to stop him. "I can give you the million in cash, but 100 gold is too much."
"How much can you offer?" Ethan asked.
"Twenty gold."
"Not enough. Eighty."
"Fifty. That's the best I can do."
"Deal."
Archangel reluctantly agreed, feeling utterly defeated.