Cain had entered the novice world while residing in the Greyson family estate. Upon returning briefly, he made sure to inform the surrounding intelligence operatives of his progress before disappearing back into the novice world to continue leveling up.
The operatives, stationed strategically around the estate, heard Cain's report firsthand as he appeared.
"I've completed the zone boss and village boss first kills after three hours in the novice world," Cain announced with confidence, "Though I regret not achieving the world boss first kill. Report this immediately to the family elders."
With that, Cain vanished, re-entering the novice world. Early stages were crucial, and he couldn't afford to waste precious time lingering.
...
However, the operatives left behind were left dumbfounded.
"What did he just say? That the world boss first kill wasn't his?" one of them stammered, disbelief clear in their tone.
Just two hours earlier, the family had received a report of someone completing the world boss first kill in under an hour. The Greyson family naturally assumed it was Cain, their unparalleled genius, blessed with two god-level talents. This revelation shattered that assumption.
The intelligence operatives wasted no time reporting this unexpected development to Marcus Greyson and the family elders.
Upon hearing the report, Marcus Greyson, the patriarch, was visibly shaken. His face darkened as he processed the implications.
"What do you mean it wasn't Cain who achieved the world boss first kill? That's impossible!" Marcus thundered, disbelief coloring every word.
Cain, with his dual god-level talents, was the family's pride and their ticket to future dominance in the Ten Thousand Races Battlefield. How could someone surpass him?
Julia Greyson, Marcus's wife, was equally alarmed but quickly composed herself. "If it's not Cain, then someone else has taken that honor. Find out who it is immediately," she instructed firmly. "If we can recruit them into the Greyson family, do so at all costs. If not, ensure we never cross them. Whoever they are, their talent is monstrous, and their potential in the Ten Thousand Races Battlefield could be unimaginable."
Marcus nodded gravely. "The player's ID was Wraith, correct? Focus your investigation on highly talented players in the Solaris region. Start with those who've awakened A-level or higher talents but lack any significant backing. They're most likely to be this Wraith."
The intelligence network of the Greyson family sprang into action. Wraith's unprecedented feat of claiming the world boss first kill had already created ripples throughout the Solaris region and beyond. Yet, no family or official faction had stepped forward to claim him as their own, leading to the logical conclusion that Wraith was an independent prodigy.
For the Greyson family, this was both an opportunity and a threat. If Wraith joined another family or faction, it could upset the balance of power for years to come. Their mandate was clear: locate and secure Wraith before anyone else could.
...
Meanwhile, the Solaris Military Command was conducting their own investigation. Senior officers convened to review a list of all players in the region who had awakened A-level or higher talents.
Several names stood out.
The first was Raiden Steele, a scion of the powerful Steele family, who had awakened a hidden talent—a rarity even beyond god-level talents.
The second was Cain Greyson, well-known for his dual god-level talents.
Finally, there was Mia, an orphan who had awakened an S-level special talent. Mia had grown up in a small orphanage near the Greyson estate and had only recently caught the military's attention due to her talent awakening.
Of the three, Raiden and Cain were the likeliest candidates, but neither family had claimed Wraith's accomplishment. This left Mia as a possibility, though the lack of confirmation from any of them left the military puzzled. Perhaps Wraith was an unknown entity altogether.
"Greyson family just confirmed—it wasn't Cain," one intelligence officer reported.
"Steele family denies it was Raiden," another added.
This left the senior officers exchanging uneasy glances.
"If it's not Raiden or Cain, and Mia hasn't confirmed it's her... then we're dealing with a wild card," one officer muttered. "A hidden talent no one anticipated."
...
At the same time, the Noxbourne family, another prominent household, was also scrambling to identify Wraith. They saw an opportunity to forge an alliance, with some even suggesting their family's heiress, Serena Noxbourne, pursue a closer relationship with Wraith.
What none of them realized was that Wraith—the player they were so desperate to find—was the same person Serena had broken up with not long ago: Lukas.
...
Elsewhere, in the novice world, Mia's progress was steady. With her S-level talent, she had achieved both the zone boss and village boss first kills in her region, keeping pace with Cain's progress.
"I wonder how Lukas is doing," she thought, her fists clenching at the memory of how the Greyson family had wronged him. "Once I grow stronger, I'll make sure to stand by him and ensure they regret their actions."
...
Back in the 92nd district, within the 18th Novice Village, Lukas had already reached the outskirts of the Black Wind Bandits' hideout. Four guards stood at the entrance, ready to intercept him.
Two charged forward as soon as they saw Lukas, while the other two blew into horns, summoning reinforcements from within the bandit camp.
Lukas didn't hesitate. His blade flashed as he met the first attacker head-on. One clean slash, and the bandit was split in two, his body falling apart in a grotesque display of blood and gore.
A damage number appeared in the air:
—2741.
The second bandit met the same fate, cut down in a single strike.
[System Notification: You have killed a Level 5 Bandit. You have gained 50 experience points.]
More bandits poured out of the hideout, responding to the horns. Dozens now surrounded Lukas, with more arriving by the second.
Undeterred, Lukas dove into the fray. With each swing of his blade, another bandit fell. To him, they were nothing more than experience points waiting to be claimed. In the chaos, his calm precision turned the battle into a massacre.
To the Black Wind Bandits, Lukas was not an opponent—they had unwittingly invited their executioner.
...
Lukas stood amidst the chaos, his blade cutting through the oncoming horde of bandits. In just four or five minutes, nearly a hundred had fallen to his relentless assault. His precision and skill were unmatched, and soon, the familiar voice of the system echoed in his mind.[System Notification: Congratulations, you have reached Level 5. You have gained 500 free attribute points. With the augmentation of your Main God-Level Talent, you have gained an additional 5000 attribute points.]
The system's prompt filled Lukas with satisfaction. His current level now stood at:
[Level: 5 (1.2%)]
Ignoring the newly acquired points for now, Lukas continued his rampage, determined to clear the Black Wind Bandit camp completely.
[System Notification: You have killed a Level 5 Bandit. You have gained 50 experience points.]
...
Another five minutes passed, and the bandit corpses piled up. Lukas had slain hundreds, and the system chimed again.
[System Notification: Congratulations, you have reached Level 6. You have gained 600 free attribute points. With the augmentation of your Main God-Level Talent, you have gained an additional 6000 attribute points.]
Another surge of power coursed through Lukas. "At this rate, I'll clear the entire camp and likely hit Level 8. By then, my stats will skyrocket, and no one in this novice world will even come close to matching me."
He smirked at the thought. With his current trajectory, even players from previous generations under Level 50 wouldn't stand a chance against him.
...
The remaining bandits began to retreat, their morale shattered by Lukas' merciless slaughter. Seeing this, Lukas pursued them deeper into the camp.
As he entered the heart of the Black Wind Bandits' stronghold, reinforcements arrived. Unlike the ordinary bandits he had been cutting down, a new wave of elite enemies appeared.
[Elite Bandit: Level 6]
Attack: 471
Defense: 461
Agility: 460
Health: 5000
The elite bandits were far stronger than their ordinary counterparts. Their higher stats and health pools presented a marginally greater challenge, but Lukas knew they were still no match for him.
To prepare for the battle ahead, Lukas allocated the 11,000 attribute points he had earned from his recent level-ups. He distributed them evenly across his five stats, adding 2,200 points to each.
After the distribution, his updated stats were as follows:
Attack: 4932 (+300)
Defense: 4926 (+20)
Agility: 4920 (+200)
Health: 49200
Mana: 49200
Fully prepared, Lukas charged into the group of elite bandits. As they approached, he unleashed his Wind Slash skill.
Blue energy surged as his mana decreased by 5232 points, but the result was devastating. A wave of energy cleaved through the ranks, instantly killing multiple elite bandits.
[System Notification: You have killed a Level 6 Elite Bandit. You have gained 60 experience points.]
The system's notifications were almost drowned out by the carnage. The elites were stronger, but against Lukas, they might as well have been ordinary mobs. Even without using skills, his normal attacks were enough to bring them down with just a couple of strikes.
Lukas continued his relentless assault. He moved like a storm, each swing of his blade precise and deadly. The elite bandits fell one after another, unable to put up any meaningful resistance.
[System Notification: You have killed a Level 6 Elite Bandit. You have gained 60 experience points.]
...
Minutes later, after slaughtering nearly forty ordinary bandits and close to a hundred elites, the system notified Lukas of yet another level-up.
[System Notification: Congratulations, you have reached Level 7. You have gained 700 free attribute points. With the augmentation of your Main God-Level Talent, you have gained an additional 7000 attribute points.]
The remaining bandits, now numbering just over a hundred, looked on in terror. Their once-unshakable confidence had crumbled under Lukas' overwhelming might. They huddled together, unsure whether to fight or flee.
Their hesitation was broken by a booming voice.
"Who dares to challenge the Black Wind Bandits?! Show yourself!"
From the depths of the camp, three imposing figures emerged. Tattoos covered their muscular torsos, and their expressions were fierce and cruel. The leaders of the Black Wind Bandits had arrived.
Lukas focused his gaze on the one leading the group.
[Black Wind Bandit Leader: Level 7]
Attack: 781
Defense: 471
Agility: 470
Health: 6000
Despite their intimidating appearance, Lukas remained unfazed. "They're stronger than the elites, but still not enough to stop me."
Without waiting for them to act, Lukas activated Wind Slash once more. The speed and precision of the attack left the leaders with no time to react. The leading bandit's health dropped to zero as his head separated from his body.
[System Notification: You have killed a Level 7 Bandit Leader. You have gained 70 experience points.]
The remaining two leaders fared no better. Lukas quickly dispatched them with skillful strikes, their bodies crumpling to the ground.
[System Notification: You have killed a Level 7 Bandit Leader. You have gained 70 experience points.]
[System Notification: You have killed a Level 7 Bandit Leader. You have gained 70 experience points.]
With the leaders defeated, Lukas turned his attention back to the remaining bandits. Their fear was palpable, but he showed no mercy. One by one, they fell until none remained.
As the last bandit fell, a thunderous roar echoed through the camp.
"How dare you kill my men?! Prepare to die!"
From the central hall of the Black Wind Bandits' hideout, an enormous figure emerged. The bandit lord himself had arrived.
Lukas watched as the hulking man stepped into view. His muscles rippled, and he carried a massive blade that exuded a menacing aura.
[Boss: Black Wind Bandit Lord – Level 8]
Attack: 1101
Defense: 710
Agility: 601
Health: 750,000
The system promptly issued a notification to the 18th Novice Village's chat channel:
[System Notification: The Black Wind Bandit Lord has appeared. Defeat him to claim great rewards.]
The announcement sent shockwaves through the village. Once again, all eyes turned to Wraith.
"It has to be Wraith. Who else could summon a Level 8 boss?"
"He's unstoppable. I just hit Level 1, and he's already taking on Level 8 bosses?"
"Wraith's talent must be god-tier. Comparing ourselves to him is pointless."
Back in the bandit camp, Lukas smirked. "A Level 8 boss? Let's see what you've got."
He allocated his newly earned 7,000 points entirely into attack, raising his offensive power to unprecedented levels.
Attack: 11,932 (+300)
Lukas surged forward, his blade glowing faintly as his enhanced stats brought him to unmatched speed and strength. The Black Wind Bandit Lord roared, swinging his massive blade in a sweeping arc, aiming to cut Lukas in half.
With a sidestep, Lukas evaded the strike effortlessly, his counterattack swift and brutal. His blade cleaved into the Bandit Lord's shoulder, the impact causing a deep wound.
[–23,044 HP]
The Bandit Lord grunted, pulling back and striking again with ferocity. Lukas matched him strike for strike, dodging and weaving between attacks with agility far beyond the boss's reach. Each clash of their weapons sent shockwaves through the battlefield.
Deciding to end the fight swiftly, Lukas activated Wind Slash once more. A surge of energy coalesced around his blade, and with a decisive swing, the energy wave blasted into the Bandit Lord's chest.
[–47,088 HP]
The Bandit Lord staggered, his health plummeting. Though formidable, his stats were no match for Lukas' overwhelming offensive power. With a flurry of strikes, Lukas closed the distance and launched his final attack.
[Critical Hit: –116,220 HP]
The Bandit Lord let out a final roar before collapsing to the ground. His massive body hit the dirt with a thunderous crash, and a vibrant green glow emanated from his lifeless form as loot exploded from his corpse.
[System Notification: You have slain the Level 8 Black Wind Bandit Lord. You have gained 8,000 experience points.]
[System Notification: Congratulations, you have reached Level 8. You have gained 800 free attribute points. With the augmentation of your Main God-Level Talent, you have gained an additional 8,000 attribute points.]