[Scarlet Edge of Devastation and Pierce]
Rarity: Rare
Attack Power: 90–190
Critical Rate: 15%
Devastation: Critical damage +30%.
Pierce: Ignores 10 points of target armor when attacking.
Bloodletting: Triggers a bleed effect on attack, causing the target to lose 20 HP per second for 60 seconds. High chance of activation, with a possibility of inflicting a severe wound that reduces the target's movement speed by 20%.
Ethan's eyes scanned the weapon's stats panel, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. A glimmer of satisfaction flickered in his gaze.
"Attack power increased by 30 points, and it even comes with the 'Bloodletting' trait," he muttered to himself, his fingers lightly tapping the hilt of the Scarlet Edge.
This new trait was undeniably powerful at this stage of the game. Twenty points of bleed damage per second for a full minute—totaling 1,200 damage. That alone was enough to surpass the total health of many common monsters!
Even more valuable was the severe wound effect, which slowed the target's movement speed. Whether chasing down enemies or making a quick escape, it was a game-changer.
"Not bad. This thing's practically unstoppable for farming mobs early on," Ethan nodded to himself, already formulating a plan in his mind.
He sheathed the weapon and turned his attention to his skill panel, ready to use his evolution points to enhance his abilities. But just as he was about to proceed, he noticed something unusual.
Normally, whenever he upgraded his skills, DerpyKitty would be buzzing around him, chattering excitedly like a hyperactive kid, offering her unsolicited opinions.
But this time, the silence was almost eerie.
Ethan looked up and glanced around, finally spotting the source of the problem.
"That idiot…"
Not far away, DerpyKitty was slumped against a stone wall, looking utterly drained. Her face was pale, her lips cracked, and she could barely stand upright.
Ethan immediately realized what was wrong—classic symptoms of dangerously low hunger and hydration levels.
"She actually held out this long…" Ethan shook his head, a mix of exasperation and amusement flickering across his face.
From his experience, reaching this state meant she hadn't eaten or drunk anything for at least four hours. And yet, despite that, she had stubbornly kept working on crafting Bone Powder for him without a single complaint.
"What a stubborn little thing."
Ethan sighed, walking over to her. He crouched down and scooped her up in his arms.
She was so light it felt like he was holding nothing at all, her body soft and delicate like a feather. Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, brushing against Ethan's arm with a cool, silky touch. Her face was so pale it was almost translucent, completely devoid of color.
Ethan didn't linger on the sight. Without hesitation, he carried her into a nearby cave. He gently set her down on the ground, instructed a skeletal guard to stand watch at the entrance, and then turned to leave, intent on finding food and water for her.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side of Twilight Ravine, a group of five players emerged.
Leading the group was a towering warrior wielding a massive iron greatsword. His imposing figure exuded strength, and his steady, deliberate steps radiated confidence.
Behind him were four female players clad in necromancer robes. Their eyes were glued to the warrior, filled with admiration and awe.
The warrior's in-game name was Skybreaker, and his reputation preceded him—he was a substitute player for the Cloud9 esports club.
Cloud9, one of the top ten gaming organizations in the world, boasted countless elite players. Among them, the most legendary were the Twelve Gods, a group of unparalleled champions. One of these gods, known as the Fist God, was none other than Saitama.
Globally, Cloud9 ranked seventh among gaming clubs, and Skybreaker had recently gained fame as the prodigy personally taken under the wing of the Fist God just three months ago.
"Wow, being mentored by the Fist God himself must be such an incredible honor!" one of the necromancer players gushed, her eyes practically sparkling as she gazed at Skybreaker like he was a divine figure.
"An honor?" Skybreaker's smug grin froze for a moment, and a bitter thought flashed through his mind.
Honor? My ass!
Can anyone called one of the "Twelve Gods" even be considered normal?
For the past three months, Skybreaker had been living in what could only be described as hell.
Over 18 hours of grueling training every single day. And for three whole months, his Fist God mentor had him practice just one movement.
Yes, one single movement.
And the most absurd part? This so-called "movement training" involved him running in circles with a random mob in Everfall, using camera angle manipulation to keep the mob locked in place.
"Camera angle manipulation" was something Skybreaker had only ever read about on forums. He never imagined he'd have to experience it firsthand—and for three months straight, no less!
He was so dizzy from running in circles that he almost threw up.
It wasn't until the end of those three months that his Fist God mentor finally revealed the truth. The movement he had been practicing was none other than the legendary Phantom Step, the signature technique of the once-revered player The Tyrant Ethan, whose name had shaken the entire server.
The moment Skybreaker heard that name, he nearly passed out from sheer joy.
But when he came to, he realized the training had only gotten worse. Instead of running circles around one mob, he now had to deal with three.
"You're still a beginner," his mentor said coldly. "The true Phantom Step requires you to survive for an hour while being swarmed by a hundred Swift Wasps, without getting stung even once."
Hearing this, Skybreaker nearly broke down on the spot.
How the hell is this something a normal person can learn?!
If Dark Scrolls hadn't launched early, he probably would've been stuck in this hellish training for another two or three years before he even scratched the surface of the technique.
But once he entered the game, he realized that those three months of torment hadn't been for nothing.
Just now, he had casually shown off a tiny fraction of Phantom Step, and the four undead girls following him had practically lost their minds. Their eyes lit up like they were on something, and they started calling him a "god" on the spot.
And when they found out he was the Fist God's apprentice, they became full-blown fanatics, worshiping him like he was some kind of deity. They looked like they were ready to drop to their knees and start bowing.
Yeah, this feels pretty damn good.
"By the way, god-tier player, why did you bring us to this Twilight Ravine?"
Evelyn Nightshade, a member of the Nightshade Guild, frowned as she glanced around. The barren canyon clearly didn't inspire much confidence.
"Why else? To level up, of course," Skybreaker replied, his tone carrying a hint of smugness. "My mentor told me there's a monster here called the Stone Golem. Back during the beta, this was where he leveled up. Only players with over 60 attack power can even survive here."
"Wow, the Fist God was in the beta too?" The four undead girls' eyes sparkled even brighter, as if they'd just uncovered some earth-shattering secret.
"Of course," Skybreaker said with a proud smile, his tone dripping with self-satisfaction. "My mentor told me that while he was grinding here, he ran into another top-tier player, and the two of them had an epic duel."
"A top-tier player?" Isla Nightshade's eyes lit up as she grabbed Skybreaker's arm excitedly. "Was it one of the other Twelve Gods? Come on, tell us what happened! I love hearing gossip about gaming legends!"
The other undead girls crowded around him, chattering excitedly and bombarding him with questions, their voices brimming with anticipation.
Skybreaker, basking in their attention, felt his ego inflate even further. His grin grew wider as he soaked in their admiration.
But just as he was about to continue his story, Evelyn Nightshade suddenly stopped in her tracks. She glanced down at a pile of rubble on the ground, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Uh… god-tier player, there doesn't seem to be any monsters here," she said hesitantly.
"No monsters? That's impossible!" Skybreaker tore his gaze away from Isla Nightshade's… ahem… and turned to look deeper into the canyon.
The next second, he froze.
"What the hell… it's been cleared out? How is that even possible?!"
...