After discovering another trait of *One More Time*, Ethan felt a surge of excitement. Now, with the ability to deal double damage, he wasn't much different from an archer.
Without hesitation, Ethan started firing arrows rapidly. One arrow after another, his experience quickly reached 99.99% of level 0.
"Just a little more, and I'll reach level 1!"
Ethan kept going, aiming another arrow at a snow hare and letting it fly. The arrow pierced the hare's head, staining the snow with its crimson blood.
**[Adventure Log: You have slain a Snow Hare. Your level has increased to 1.]**
**[Ding! You have gained 1 attribute point and unlocked 1 feat!]**
**[Ding! *One More Time* triggered. You have gained an additional attribute point and an extra feat!]**
"Holy crap! What the…!"
Ethan stood frozen in shock, completely dumbfounded. If the double damage from earlier had been a pleasant surprise, this was an outright shock—almost terrifying.
In the world of Argoth, there was a strict and well-defined system for leveling up. That was…
Starting from level 1, each time you leveled up, you would receive 1 attribute point, and every two levels, you would unlock a class-specific feat. This was the foundational rule, known as the "Rules of the Gods," and it applied to everyone—players, NPCs, and even different races.
This system was immutable unless, like some NPCs, you trained or learned through rigorous practice. But that method was slow, incredibly slow.
Yet here he was, not only receiving an additional attribute point but also unlocking an extra feat!
From his double class choices earlier, to the double damage, and now these extra points and feats—*One More Time* had blown away his expectations, leaving him in awe.
The talent had completely upended his understanding of the game's rules. He couldn't help but recall the talent's description: *"If you can restart your life, then what can't you do again?"* This thought sent a chill down Ethan's spine.
Now, he began to suspect that his rebirth might not have been a random accident, but the result of some powerful entity's machinations.
But then again, why would such a being bother with someone as insignificant as him?
"I don't get it, I just can't figure it out!"
Ethan shook his head, feeling mentally exhausted from overthinking.
Still, what was done was done. He had been reborn, and nothing terrible had happened so far. So, why not follow the path laid out before him? He could level up, grow stronger, and eventually, take his revenge.
With that realization, Ethan's mind cleared, and he felt optimistic about the future.
*Whew...*
He took a deep breath to calm himself down before distributing his attribute points.
Magicians and rangers were often considered garbage classes because they were too balanced. Take the magician class as an example: it required agility and spirit as its main attributes, with a touch of intelligence. This made it hard to distribute the few attribute points they gained.
Of course, all classes had this issue, but it was more pronounced for magicians.
Because of this, some players chose extreme builds, putting all their points into one attribute. In his previous life, Ethan had taken this approach, building a high-agility rogue, pouring all his points into agility.
It was an unbalanced and unhealthy path. It might have been powerful in the early game, but in the later stages, it would definitely fall behind.
Before, Ethan had been worried that the magician class would be tough to handle, especially in the early game. But with *One More Time* on his side, he could now proceed with confidence.
He assigned 2 attribute points, one into agility and one into spirit, then opened the feats menu.
If attribute points were the foundation of growth, then feats were the extensions of those foundations, giving each class its unique flavor.
**[Silver Tongue: You have a natural talent for persuasion. With just a few words, you can change people's thoughts, even their beliefs!]**
**[Trait: Diplomacy +3]**
**[Quick Hands: You can quickly learn and use small tools, including but not limited to darts, daggers, cards, crossbows, keys, and… other items.]**
**[Trait: Perception +1, Dexterity +2]**
**[Note: Diplomacy, Perception, and Dexterity are hidden attributes, influenced by your basic stats.]**
**[Hidden Attributes include: Attack, Defense, Evasion, Perception, Willpower, Climbing, Carrying Capacity, Presence, Diplomacy, Dexterity, Fire Resistance, Ice Resistance, Poison Resistance...]**
Both feats fit the magician class, but Ethan was most pleased with *Silver Tongue*. While it might seem unremarkable, the +3 boost to Diplomacy could prove invaluable in certain special quests.
After distributing his points, Ethan didn't rest. He resumed hunting monsters, aiming to reach level 5 as soon as possible so he could begin executing his plan.
Meanwhile, outside the Treasure Cave dungeon, a group of players had gathered.
Leading them was a female swordfighter, standing tall at 175 cm, her long legs perfectly straight. She wore leather armor, carried a greatsword on her back, and her boots crunched against the ground with each step. She radiated a fierce and heroic aura.
Standing beside her was none other than Backstrap Kid, the player who had made a deal with Ethan.
"Boss, that's the strategy. We just need to use fire magic to melt the ice layer."
"That's it?"
Naomi looked doubtful. They had traded two valuable general skills for this strategy, but it sounded too simple. Then again, they had signed a Sacred Contract. If the strategy was fake, the other party would owe them ten times the compensation.
"Boss, should we give it a try? We're already here," Backstrap suggested from the side.
"Backstrap, do you think we have time to waste?"
At that moment, an unwelcoming voice chimed in.
"What if the strategy is fake? We'll have wasted our daily dungeon entry for nothing!"
**[Note: Players can only enter the same dungeon on the same difficulty once per day!]**
The speaker was an archer, somewhat handsome, though his gaze constantly wandered over Naomi's body, giving off a sleazy vibe. He pushed Backstrap aside, standing next to Naomi with a smile.
"Naomi, Backstrap definitely got scammed. How could a newbie have a dungeon strategy?"
"You're wrong! I wasn't scammed this time!" Backstrap's face flushed red as he tried to defend himself.
"Am I? The Treasure Cave record hasn't been beaten, so where would this 'strategy' come from? Did he get it from the developers?" the archer sneered. "As far as I know, *Godfall* is a mysterious game, and there aren't any internal employees. What would you know?"
"You…"
Backstrap pointed at the archer, but couldn't find the words to refute him.
"Enough, both of you."
Naomi sighed in exasperation. "Regardless, we have to try this strategy. If it works, we'll have a chance to catch up to the top players. Even if we can't, we'll still make a name for ourselves in The Northlands."
"Naomi, I've told you, if we join forces, those top-tier players are nothing but small fry—"
"Enough, Hunter. Don't push it. We're only engaged. I have my own plans."
Naomi cut off Hunter mid-sentence, then moved toward the entrance of the Treasure Cave.
**[Do you wish to enter the Treasure Cave dungeon?]**
"Yes."
**[Choose a difficulty: Easy, Hard, Expert, Nightmare]**
"Easy."
**[Choose a mode: Solo or Team]**
"Team."
**[You have chosen the 'Treasure Cave' dungeon, Easy difficulty, Team mode. Please gather your teammates and enter the dungeon within 5 minutes.]**
"Everyone, get ready. Don't let your guard down."
With that, Naomi stepped into the Treasure Cave, her team following close behind.