After quickly finishing his al, Ethan rushed back ho, donned his headset, and logged into Oracle. Ti was of the essence, and he couldn't afford to waste it. To get ahead in the ga, he needed to outwork everyone else. Rich players with gaming pods could stay logged in indefinitely, so his only option was to grind relentlessly.
Re-entering the ga, Ethan found himself still in the Class Hall of Golden Ridge City. His first instinct was to check his inventory. The system rewards included two skill books he hadn't examined yet. Noticing one of the books glead with a golden hue, Ethan's breath quickened. His earlier frustrations lted away as excitent took over.
[Immortal Physique]
Unique Passive Skill: For every monster killed that matches or exceeds your level, permanently gain 1 to maximum health.
Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief. "This... This is as good as my talent, maybe even better! And it's unique?" He could barely contain his glee. "Assassins are known for their burst damage, but what if I beca as durable as a tank? The despair that would bring to my opponents..."
The thought sent a thrill down his spine. Selling this skill book could fetch an astronomical price, but Ethan dismissed the idea imdiately. With trembling hands, he took the book from his inventory and learned the skill. Seeing the new entry in his skill nu made it feel real, and his excitent turned into determination.
Turning his attention to the second skill book, he examined it:
[Voidstep]
Clears all negative effects on the user. The user enters a void state, becoming untargetable for 1 second.
Mana Cost: 100
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Class Requirent: Assassin.
"Another god-tier skill," Ethan muttered. He quickly learned it as well. Between these two abilities, his kit was now formidable.
He reviewed his updated skill list:
[Insight]: Allows the user to view details of monsters up to 10 levels higher. No cost, no cooldown.
[Quickstep]: Increases movent speed and attack speed by 50% for 30 seconds.
Mana Cost: 50.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
[Stealth]: Grants invisibility, reducing movent speed by 30%. Lasts 5 minutes.
Mana Cost: 1 per second.
Cooldown: 1 minute. Invisibility breaks upon attacking, being attacked, or coming into physical contact. The effect cannot deceive bosses that are 10 or more levels higher than the user, nor can it deceive normal monsters that are 30 levels higher. Additionally, it can be countered by skills like [Eagle Eye].
[Backstab]: Attacking from behind deals 150% physical damage and ignores 50% of the target's defense.
Mana Cost: 30.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
[Immortal Physique]: A unique passive skill that increases max health by 1 for every monster killed at or above the user's level.
[Voidstep]: Clears negative effects and renders the user untargetable for 1 second.
Mana Cost: 100.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Looking over his skills, Ethan felt his fingers itch with anticipation. He wanted to test these skills imdiately, but he knew better. First, he needed to familiarize himself with the main city and its potential quests.
Leaving the Class Hall, Ethan wandered down Golden Ridge City's bustling main street. Lining the thoroughfare were shops catering to every need: Weapon Shops, Clothing Stores, Jewelry Boutiques, Potion Shops, and General Stores.
Curious, Ethan entered a weapon shop. Browsing the inventory, his mood darkened. The store sold white-tier weapons ranging from level 11 to 100. "So they're undercutting us players now? How am I supposed to sell white-tier gear?"
After a mont, he sighed. "Well, it's a good thing I already sold off my stock back in the novice village. Guess I cashed out just in ti." He recalled the effort he'd put into selling all the white-tier gear, glad he had made the profits while he could. "Anyway, white-tier gear after level 10 even has level restrictions. Players will probably stop caring about it soon enough." Resolving to focus on higher-tier loot from bosses, Ethan dismissed the frustration.
The weapon shop not only sold weapons but also offered the option to learn life skills, such as weapon crafting. By learning weapon crafting, players could eventually forge their own gear. Each player could master up to three life skills, but Ethan dismissed the idea imdiately. "Learning life skills is too ti-consuming," he thought. "Especially early on, it costs a fortune and eats up valuable ti, and the gear you craft is subpar." He shook his head, deciding that his ti was better spent hunting bosses. "Killing bosses is faster and more rewarding," he muttered.
Continuing his exploration, Ethan visited a General Store and purchased two Return Scrolls for 10 silver coins each. He then noticed a Map Scroll priced at 1 gold coin.
"What's so special about this thing?" he wondered, inspecting it:
[Map Scroll]: Unlocks the map feature for Golden Ridge City and its surrounding 10 kiloters. Displays monster locations within this area.
Ethan groaned. "So that's why there was no map in the novice village. They're making us pay for it."
Still, with nearly 90 gold coins in his wallet, Ethan didn't hesitate to buy it. Using the scroll imdiately unlocked the map feature, revealing nearby landmarks and monster zones. Areas beyond the 10-kiloter radius remained shrouded in darkness, requiring exploration to uncover.
"Not bad. This is definitely worth it," Ethan admitted, feeling more confident in navigating the city.
Golden Ridge City was vast. Beyond the comrcial zones, Ethan discovered NPC residential areas. Most of the hos were unremarkable, but a few might contain hidden quests or unique rewards. Spotting these would require luck and persistence.
He also explored the Player Market, where players could set up stalls for free trading. Unlike the auction house, no fees were required. So players even purchased shops, allowing them to sell items without being physically present. However, shop prices started at tens of thousands of gold coins—a luxury far out of Ethan's reach.
Further exploration revealed an Arena, Taverns, and even a Lord's Manor, each offering unique activities and opportunities. The sheer scale of the city left Ethan awestruck.
Eventually, he arrived at a massive structure rivaling the Class Hall in grandeur. Its sign read: Temple of War.
Intrigued, Ethan entered. The vast interior housed lifelike statues lining a central corridor. Each statue depicted a hero in a dramatic pose, their achievents inscribed below. At the end of the corridor lood a swirling portal.
Ethan approached the nearest statue, a rugged man with a determined gaze. The plaque read:
In the Year 356 of the Age of Radiance, Grib the War God single-handedly slew dozens of Star Glory-tier beasts and held off a Celestial-tier beast for two hours before falling in battle. Honored as a War God and enshrined in the Temple of War.
The description evoked mories of his first experience in Oracle's imrsive world. He couldn't help but feel a deep respect for the hero's sacrifice.
Moving on, Ethan stopped before another statue. This one depicted a silver-haired woman with an aura of nobility. The plaque read:
In the Year 487 of the Age of Radiance, Silver Frost, the Ice Mage Deity, transford herself into a forbidden spell. She froze 3,000 kiloters of land, sealing the Demon Lord and his army of one million beasts in ice. Her sacrifice ensured humanity's survival and earned her a place in the Temple of War.
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