บท 9: The real show is just getting started
"Successfully used [Element of Lightning]!"
Mike snagged the newbie reward and didn't waste a second before using it.
A tingling sensation spread throughout his body, and Mike felt the lightning elements around him become more active, constantly calling to him.
"Element of Lightning Affinity +100%!"
"Mana regeneration speed +100%!"
"Learned Lightning skills [Lightning Arrow], [Blessing of Lightning], [Charge Up]!"
Descriptions of the three skills appeared in front of Mike one by one:
"[Lightning Arrow (Lv1)]: Deals (50+1*Intelligence) Lightning damage, 100% chance to slow, 33% chance to paralyze.
Mana cost: 60
CD: 3s"
With Mike's current Intelligence at 9, a single Lightning Arrow could deal 59 damage.
Without accounting for defense, three Lightning Arrows would basically make newbie participants throw in the towel!
The minor monsters in the newbie instance, with HP ranging from [50-100], posed no threat to Mike!
Just the Lightning Arrow skill alone was enough for Mike to score highly in the newbie instance.
Mike continued reading.
"[Blessing of Lightning (Lv1)]: Casts Blessing of Lightning on oneself or an ally, adding 20 points of Lightning damage to normal attacks and 25 points to magical attacks.
Mana cost: 100
Duration: 30s
CD: 45s
[Charge Up]: The next Lightning skill used has its effect doubled.
Mana cost: 10
CD: 10s
Note: The specific values of this effect are influenced by the caster's level.
"Whoa—"
Mike hadn't expected the three randomly acquired Lightning skills to complement each other so well!
"Using [Charge Up] with [Lightning Arrow] could burst 118 damage instantly, enough to one-shot minor monsters!"
Mike quickly calculated in his mind.
"If the combo sequence is changed to: [Charge Up] → [Blessing of Lightning] → [Charge Up] → [Lightning Arrow]..."
"Double Blessing of Lightning, adding 50 extra magic damage, with a base damage of 59 from Lightning Arrow, totals 236 damage!"
"That's a burst increase of a whole 100%!"
Given Mike's years of experience in online gaming, [Charge Up] was definitely a killer skill!
Even in the later stages of the instance, while [Lightning Arrow] and [Blessing of Lightning] might become obsolete, [Charge Up] would still be his core skill!
Suddenly, a wild idea popped into Mike's head.
"What if I use [Charge Up], and then hit it again with another [Charge Up]? What would happen?"
Trying to exploit a glitch here or what?!
Each [Charge Up] uses up 10 mana points and has a cooldown of 10 seconds.
Thanks to the [Element of Lightning] boost, Mike's mana regen is so fast he recovers 50 mana points in 10 seconds, so he's not sweating about running out of juice.
Basically, if Mike feels like it, he could keep spamming [Charge Up] until the cows come home!
"That's exponential growth, doubling up every time!"
"If this actually works..."
Mike's getting all pumped up, itching to give it a whirl.
Besides the newbie gift pack, the Tower of Truth also threw in a plain old wooden staff, no frills, just a tool for casting spells.
"Newbie gift pack all handed out, ready to enter the newbie instance?"
"Let's roll!"
Mike feels a whirlwind hit him, the pure white space blurs, and his consciousness fades like the tide.
When he opens his eyes again, Mike finds himself in a dim corridor.
His boots clack against the granite floor as he scopes out his surroundings, can't help but be impressed.
Mike stretches out his hand and touches the corridor wall.
The rough texture, uneven surface, even a good amount of dust sticks to Mike's fingertips!
"Alright, time to get down to business!"
Mike grips his staff, eyes the path ahead.
The newbie instance he's in is a narrow corridor, 2.5 meters high, 1.5 meters wide, just enough room for two to walk side by side.
Along the walls, every 5 yards, there are torches mounted, casting a faint glow and lighting up the corridor.
"According to the guide, the first stretch of this newbie instance has 20 monsters."
Up ahead, a massive shadow looms, and with the [Eye of Truth] chiming in.
Monster: Cave Giant Rat
HP: 50/50
[That's all you need to know about this critter, now fry this filthy sucker with your Lightning Arrow!]
This rat's huge, nearly 7 feet tall, blocking the other end of the corridor, and it seems to have sniffed out Mike's arrival, slowly moving his way, making some weird noises.
"Here it comes!"
Mike lifts his staff, ready to cast.
"Charge Up—"
A pale blue light envelops Mike.
He doesn't rush to battle the beast but waits as it inches closer.
"Roar—"
Boom, boom, boom—
With roars and heavy footsteps, the monster's shadow looms over Mike, almost suffocating.
Anyone else might have panicked and attacked by now!
Mike counts the seconds quietly, stepping back to keep a safe distance.
"Just 5, 4..."
The Cave Giant Rat is close enough now, reeking like a sewer rat.
Well, it is a rat, right?
No worries then.
"...3, 2, 1!"
Cooldown's up, Mike immediately casts again.
"Charge Up."
The pale blue light flares up once more, this time a shade deeper.
"Lightning Arrow"
Mike wastes no time, though it's his first fight, he's surprisingly smooth, no wasted movements.
Boom—
A lightning arrow, thin as a finger, forms in front of Mike and zips through the air, hitting the Cave Giant Rat with ease!
Zzzt—
A series of electric crackles, with a burnt scent, and a bright red number floats above the Cave Giant Rat:
[-236!]
The Lightning Arrow zaps for 236 points of Element of Lightning damage!
The Cave Giant Rat's health bar wipes clean, and it crashes to the ground, dissolving into white light particles, leaving behind 3 copper coins.
Mike pumps his fist, totally pumped.
"This works!"
"[Charge Up] stacks! First time it's double, second time it's quadruple, third time it's octuple!"
This ain't no simple sequence; it's geometric, baby, exponential growth!
[Fun Fact: Charge Up can stack up to 30 times]
After stacking it 30 times, Mike's power surge is gonna be off the charts!
Mike's breathing gets heavier just thinking about the sheer terror of that power.
Maybe just one Lightning Arrow could obliterate a boss!
Scooping up the copper coins, Mike looks down the corridor.
The ruckus from the fight has woken up more Cave Giant Rats, and they're now prowling the corridor for prey!
Mike bites his lip, trying to keep his cool to not mess up the upcoming fights.
"The real show is just getting started!"
---
"Blessing of Lightning."
Mike slaps on a buff and sprints forward with a burst of speed.
"Blessing of Lightning lasts for 30 seconds, adding an extra 20 points of Lightning damage to regular hits."
"With the Cave Giant Rat's HP at 50, and my Strength at 9, that's a base physical attack of 9. With Blessing of Lightning, that's a hit of 29 damage!"
Mike dashes up to a Cave Giant Rat and slams his staff down hard.
"-28!"
"-31!"
After two hits, the Cave Giant Rat collapses just like the previous one, turning into light particles and dropping three copper coins.
"Gotta move fast!"
Mike doesn't waste any time.
While fighting, he keeps firing off [Charge Up], refreshing it the moment it's off cooldown!
This means, for a short time, Mike can't use [Blessing of Lightning] or [Lightning Arrow] without losing all progress!
To stack up more [Charge Up] for a killer blow on the final boss, Mike needs to take down as many Cave Giant Rats as possible during the buff time of [Blessing of Lightning].
"-30!"
"-29!"
"....."
A series of numbers pop off the heads of the Cave Giant Rats, and in the dim corridor, more rats keep falling.
Meanwhile, the timer on Blessing of Lightning keeps ticking down!
"10,9,8..."
Less than 10 seconds left!
The intense back-to-back battles are starting to take a toll on Mike.
In the Tower of Truth, a simulation with 100% realism, the fatigue feels absolutely real.
Mike takes a deep breath, eyes the corridor ahead, but doesn't stop moving, his staff swinging continuously.
In the last 10 seconds with the boost from [Blessing of Lightning], Mike takes down four more beasts.
From entering the newbie instance to now, in just one minute, Mike has taken out 12 Cave Giant Rats!
If word of this efficiency gets out, it's gonna drive folks wild!
Mike's focus is all in on the fight, with 8 more Cave Giant Rats to go!
"Charge Up!"
While battling, Mike keeps stacking the Charge Up buff.
Another Cave Giant Rat charges at him, its body slicing through the air with a piercing screech.
Without [Blessing of Lightning] and unable to cast Lightning skills, Mike has to rely on basic attacks to combat the foe.
In his view, a few red spots light up on the Cave Giant Rat, with a note:
[This is the enemy's weak spot, hitting it deals double damage. A mage in melee? Maybe rethink your class strategy?]
"This talent's got a sense of humor."
Mike ignores the snarky comment and focuses on the weak spots.
His staff thrusts forward, hitting one of the red dots.
"-39!"
"Hit Cave Giant Rat's weak spot, dealing double damage with a temporary blinding effect!"
Mike quickly follows up with two more staff hits on the red spots, efficiently taking down his opponent.
"Seven left!"
With the help of [Eye of Truth], even a mage relying on basic attacks can breeze through this challenge!
"Hit the weak spot..."
"Hit the weak spot..."
"....."
Five minutes later, Mike is the only living creature left in the corridor.
"Phew—"
Mike exhales deeply, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
All the Cave Giant Rats have turned into experience points and copper coins for him.
Now he finally has a moment to check the prompts.
From the previous kills, he gained 100 experience points.
"Congrats on reaching Level 2!"
"Gain Strength+1, Intelligence+2, Spirit+1, Agility+2, Constitution+2, free attribute point: 1."
With the level up, a white glow surrounds Mike, infusing him with new strength and wiping away his fatigue.
HP and MP fully restored, Mike's condition is at its peak as he glances at his attribute panel.
All his stats have seen a nice boost, and he adds the extra free attribute point to his Intelligence.
Checking out his stats post-level-up, Mike recalls the guide.
"According to the magic academy's textbook, inside the Tower of Truth, the attributes you gain when leveling up are influenced by a bunch of stuff. Race template, class template, how you leveled up... all these factors play into the stat boosts!"
"During most of the previous fights, I was all about melee attacks with those Cave Giant Rats, barely used my skills. So, when I leveled up, my Strength/Constitution/Agility got a bigger boost than my Intelligence/Spirit!"
Thinking about it, Mike feels kinda stuck.
A mage winning by melee? That's just not right.
He tucks away the attribute panel and, while stacking up [Charge Up], continues down the corridor.
The dark corridor is eerily quiet, enough to freak anyone out, with cold drafts occasionally brushing past.
Mike speeds up, unfazed by the creepy vibes.
Soon, he reaches a fork in the path.
"Left or right?"
Mike knows this is the second stage of the newbie instance.
The textbook is clear: left leads to a mob of monsters, a full-on ambush.
Right, there's a tough elite monster that most folks wouldn't dare tackle.
According to last year's big data analysis, going left has a 48.9% higher payoff than right.
Looking left, sure enough, a note pops up:
[10 stinky bats thirsting for your blood]
[And in a dark corner, a mutant bat lurks]
11 bats, huh?
The bat stats flash before Mike's eyes, a bit tougher than the Cave Giant Rats, especially with their speed.
To the right:
[A young Cerberus is sleeping, please don't disturb it, or you'll end up its meal]
Cerberus?
Mike didn't expect such a powerhouse elite monster on the right!
In the textbook's monster manual, [Cerberus] is definitely the toughest elite in the newbie instance.
No contest!
Even in its youth, its three heads can cast three different types of skills, dealing massive damage. Plus, its hellish lineage gives it super high health and a terrifying regen rate, along with strong resistance against both physical and magical attacks.
It's every newbie's nightmare, the ultimate boss, an insurmountable wall.
Mike's gaze shifts, and there on the wall right in front of him, a note appears!
[Lucky you, don't move the stone on the left, or you'll unlock the hidden level!]
Hidden level?!
---
[Hidden level, requires Luck 5 or above to trigger]
Peeping the note, Mike nods slightly.
Luck5, that's a steep ask for a newbie.
But with Mike's 10 points in Luck, it's a piece of cake.
Plus, the way to trigger the hidden level? That's top secret—Mike hasn't heard a peep about it!
"What's in this hidden level?"
Mike focuses harder, and notices that the more he concentrates, the more info pops up in the notes.
[Once you enter the hidden level, all the monsters in the newbie instance wake up and join the chase to take you down...]
"Yikes—"
Mike feels his blood pressure spike.
10 blood-sucking bats, 1 mutant bat, that's manageable.
But the real trouble is the juvenile [Cerberus]!
"Monster: Cerberus (Juvenile)
Lv:10
HP: 20,000
MP: 12,000
Physical Defense: 150
Magical Defense: 200
Skills: ...."
20,000 HP, that's like 100 Mikes combined!
With a physical defense of 150, regular attacks won't even scratch it.
Immune to magic damage under 500, and it takes 33% less damage from magic hits over 500!
After reading about Cerberus, Mike almost shuts down.
"How in the world did the supreme being Morpheus ever take down Cerberus? That's just insane!"
Mike checks the time.
[Charge Up] stacks one layer every 10 seconds, that's 6 layers a minute.
Since entering the newbie instance, 5 minutes have passed.
Mike's stacked up 30 layers of Charge Up, and he can't stack any more.
30 layers!
What does that mean?
It's not just 30 times stronger.
It's 2 to the 30th power!
That is...
A terrifying number pops up before Mike: [1,073,741,824]
Note: Due to a mysterious effect, full damage can't be dealt right now.
1.07 billion times! Even with some mysterious effect reducing it, seeing that number makes Mike's eyelids twitch and his jaw drop.
A billion times!
One Lightning Arrow could deal 60 billion damage!
It's just a Cerberus, right? Forget the juvenile version, even a full-grown Cerberus has got to go down!
Suddenly, Mike's feeling pumped.
Being cautious around a Cerberus? That's not how Mike rolls!
Bring it on!
With 30 layers of [Charge Up], Mike's got some seriously scary firepower.
Following the hint, Mike moves a nondescript stone and uses it to sketch a complex pattern on the wall.
Well, it's not really that complex. Once he's done, it looks like this.
ूाीू
As Mike finishes the last stroke, the entire corridor begins to shake, with bits of rock and sand falling down. The stone wall in the middle slowly cracks open, revealing a hidden bronze door.
Mike inserts the Key to the Secret Passage, obtained in Custom Space, into the lock of the bronze door. The next moment, the bronze door slowly opens, revealing a passage in front of Mike.
"This pattern is way too complex, triggering the hidden level is like finding a needle in a haystack!"
Mike's been busy for a while, and casually stuffs the stone into his backpack.
Don't just toss stuff away, even a plain-looking stone might be the key to unlocking something epic!
As the wall splits, something weird happens in the corridors on both sides of Mike!
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—
In the darkness, nearly ten shadows zip by, circling overhead, their blood-red eyes fixed on Mike, craving for blood.
These vampire bats don't attack right away, instead, they have a silent standoff with Mike.
"Roar—"
From the right corridor, an angry roar echoes.
Then, with loud crashes and the sound of chains breaking, the ground shakes non-stop!
A monstrous creature breaks free from its cage!
And obviously, it's gunning for Mike!
Rip, chew, swallow!
Driven by its hunting instincts, it charges forward, its claws ready to tear through skin, its fangs eager to taste blood!
"Here it comes!"
Mike is all in, gripping his staff tightly, not daring to slack off.
He's got only one shot!
[Blessing of Lightning] is clearly not gonna cut it!
Mike can't match the speed of Cerberus, this isn't some clunky Cave Giant Rat.
One wrong move, and even a graze from the beast could turn Mike into a ghost, with no chance of a comeback!
Can't exactly slide tackle it and hope to feed it, right?
[Lightning Arrow] is Mike's only option!
With thirty layers of [Charge Up], [Lightning Arrow] can deal massive damage!
One shot, one kill!
Mike holds his breath, eyes glued to the dark corridor, as a countdown appears before him.
"..5.4.3.2.1!"
"Now's the time!"
Mike yells out, swinging his staff forward!
"Lightning Arrow!"
The massive Lightning Arrow fires instantly, with thirty layers of Charge Up, filling the entire corridor!
Cerberus has no room to dodge!
As it emerges from the shadows, eager for the hunt, it is suddenly struck by a bolt of lightning.
Snap, that was quick!
A mix of defiance, anger, confusion, and bewilderment flashes in its eyes.
It thought... the enemy was so weak... why is it the one falling?!
Before it can even howl, a terrifyingly huge number pops above Cerberus' head, turning it completely to ash!
Mike, drained of all mana and weakened, hasn't even had the chance to enjoy the thrill of slaying Cerberus when a system notification pops up.
"Level up to 10!"
Mike is thrilled!
Level 10!
You gotta know, leveling up in the Tower of Truth is tough, getting experience is beyond hard!
Mike had to grind down 20 Cave Giant Rats to move from level 1 to 2.
Taking down Cerberus shot him straight to level 10!
"Gain Strength+50, Intelligence+50, Spirit+50, Agility+50, Constitution+50."
Since it was a leapfrog kill, and a solo one at that! Tower of Truth dished out a hefty attribute bonus.
"This is a major score!" Mike can hardly contain his excitement.
Even without counting the newbie instance's settlement rewards, or the loot dropped by Cerberus.
Just the attributes alone are a huge win for Mike!
And there's loot!
Mike looks ahead, the corridor widened by the Lightning Arrow is a mess.
Cerberus left a vague wolf-shaped imprint on the ground.
And on top of the charred remains, a golden glowing orb quietly lies on the ground!
"Let's see what good stuff popped out!"
---
The golden orb emitted a tempting glow.
[A skull of Cerberus, but it's chicken-flavored]
Mike reached out, and as the golden light slowly faded, a skull the size of a soccer ball floated in mid-air, crystal clear like amber, except it was colored in red, yellow, and blue.
"Special material, huh?" The skull landed in Mike's palm, sending a warm sensation throughout his body.
"Special Material: Cerberus Skull (SSS grade)
Effects: Can be used in crafting equipment, items, etc.
When carried, Strength +100, Constitution +100, Mana Recovery Speed +500%."
"An SSS-grade material!" Mike hadn't expected that just carrying this material would bring such a huge boost to his attributes!
"If I could turn it into a staff, it would be at least SS-grade equipment!" Mike stashed the skull in his backpack. This was probably the biggest score of the trip.
The supreme being [Morpheus] had once slain Cerberus, earning an SSS-grade rating in the newbie instance, causing quite a stir at the time. Thinking of this, Mike felt a surge of pride. He had done the same thing as Morpheus!
Supreme being—those two words carried a lot of weight. No, wait! Mike turned and looked towards the opening in the central stone wall, his eyes burning with fervor. He could do even more than a supreme being!
The hidden level of the newbie instance!
"Although I don't know what lies ahead, I've come this far already." Mike walked back to the opening, ready to continue exploring. But first, there were some minor nuisances to deal with.
Due to that bolt of lightning was so shocking, the bats were literally petrified, clinging to the wall, too scared to move.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh— Bats kept falling from the sky, struggling for a moment after hitting the ground before dying. They were scared to death.
Ten vampire bats, plus one mutant bat, in front of Mike, were as fragile as paper mache! Since Mike had already reached level 10, and the vampire bats were only levels 2-4, they couldn't provide him with any experience.
Thus, Mike only collected a bunch of copper coins.
He glanced at his attribute panel, and compared to when he first entered the Tower of Truth, Mike's stats had nearly sextupled! His health points had also shot up to 1800!
Of course, this included the extra 100 Constitution from the Cerberus skull, which added 1000 points to his life. You gotta know, leveling up and boosting attributes inside the Tower of Truth is no walk in the park!
The stats Mike now boasted were something many level 20 or 30 participants could only dream of! Plus, any boost he got here would sync up with the real world!
For Mike, it was just one night's work, but his physical condition had improved six to seven times over! It was almost too wild to believe, yet it was happening right before his eyes!
Mike closed his attribute panel and started tallying up his loot.
He had taken down 20 Cave Giant Rats, netting 60 copper coins, and 10 vampire bats, bagging another 90 copper coins, plus 2 silver coins from the mutant bat. All in all, Mike had 3 silver coins and 50 copper coins.
In the Tower of Truth, there were three types of currency: gold, silver, and copper, all in a decimal system.
10,000 copper coins equal 100 silver coins, which equal 1 gold coin. And 1 gold coin is worth $1,000.
So, after a hard day's monster slaying, Mike had made a grand total of... 35 bucks. In today's pricey America, 35 dollars might only buy a box of condoms..
After counting his current spoils, Mike once again stood at the entrance to the hidden level. He hadn't been slacking off in the meantime; he had started stacking up [Charge Up] again!
Judging from his one-hit wonder with Cerberus, [Charge Up] was nothing short of a miracle move. Once stacked high enough, it was unstoppable!
The passage of the hidden level was pitch black, impossible to see anything. Mike tore a torch from the wall of the previous passage and lit up the area in front of him.
[No danger ahead, scan complete!]
With the reassurance from [Eye of Truth], Mike felt a bit more at ease, but he remained on high alert.
In the dark corridor, Mike cautiously moved forward. "Feels like I'm heading downward!"
He realized that the passage he was in was sloping downwards.
"The newbie instance is at the bottom of the Tower of Truth."
"If I'm going down, could it be... there's a Level Zero?!"
The idea nagged at Mike, unshakable. The Tower of Truth was shrouded in mystery, and despite three centuries of human research, its secrets remained largely undeciphered.
Guided by the flickering torch, Mike had trekked a considerable distance, stacking up his Charge Up so many times he'd lost count. Suddenly, a pungent smell assaulted his nostrils.
"What the—?!"
"Sulfur? Have I stumbled into an underground lava pit?!" Mike wondered aloud, his guess seemingly confirmed as a wave of heat slammed into him.
Whoosh—
The sudden blast of hot air was so fierce it snuffed out the torch in Mike's hand.
Snap—
The sole source of light vanished, leaving only faint sparks that cast a very weak glow. Darkness enveloped Mike.
The corridor fell into an eerie silence...
But the darkness lasted less than a second.
Mike's vision brightened again.
[How could an SSS-tier talent not include night vision?]
Mike couldn't help but roll his eyes.
You could've mentioned the night vision earlier, instead of letting me wander around with a torch for ages. This talent isn't so shabby after all!
[Say that one more time, why don't you?!]
Clearly, the Eye of Truth wasn't pleased with Mike's underestimation.
With the Eye of Truth activated, Mike sped up considerably. His vision was crystal clear, missing no detail. Moreover, the Eye of Truth helpfully displayed a distance: [Remaining: 5.6 miles]
"The corridor is this long?" Mike was astonished. He had already walked a great distance, yet nearly 6 miles still lay ahead.
"Better pick up the pace!" Mike started to run, his movements as fluid as a cheetah's, speeding through the corridor.
His physical condition was already top-notch among his peers, and after the enhancements from the Tower of Truth, his running speed was phenomenal. Moreover, the previous battles had helped Mike adapt even better to his new physical capabilities.
What was more astonishing was that after running nearly 5 miles, Mike wasn't out of breath, nor did he break a sweat.
"This is incredible!"
Mike's understanding of the Tower of Truth had always been purely academic, something he'd describe as textbook-level. Only now, feeling the changes firsthand, did he truly appreciate the magic of the Tower of Truth.
Most importantly, all the enhancements Mike was enjoying could be synced 100% with reality!
200 meters from the endpoint, Mike slowed down, gripping his staff, ready for battle.
150 meters... 100 meters... 50 meters...
Closer, ever closer!
Finally, Mike stopped in front of a massive bronze door.
---
The bronze door was engraved with mysterious and arcane patterns that seemed to hold some hidden secrets. Mike scrutinized the design, memorizing the entire pattern in his mind.
[This is a trace left by an indescribable entity of terror, proof of its existence]
[Continue observing for 10 seconds, and you will be mentally contaminated by an entity from the void]
[10,9,8.....]
The Eye of Truth provided a countdown warning.
Just as the countdown reached the last second, Mike shifted his gaze to ensure his safety. The surrounding sulfur smell was choking, and the temperature was terrifyingly high, nearly at the human limit.
[Place your hand on the bronze door, and you've completed the hidden level. Easy parkour, right?]
"That easy?" Mike frowned, feeling something might be off.
The designer of the hidden level had placed a powerful boss like Cerberus at the beginning. Yet, at the end, there were no monsters?
Where's the boss? Where's the reward?
Mike was all geared up for Charge Up, but nothing happened. What a letdown!
"Triggering the hidden level, a total of about 6 miles of underground passage, and this hidden level is just too easy?"
Mike quickly figured out where the problem lay. "It's Cerberus!"
A light bulb went off in his head, connecting all the dots.
"The content of the hidden level was actually to run 5.6 miles under the pursuit of Cerberus, reaching the final bronze door!"
"In other words, this was a life-and-death escape route, not some easy parkour!"
However, for Mike, the most difficult task had been dealt with first!
Cerberus was barely released when Mike mercilessly obliterated it, turning it into a pile of ash.
Even its skull now lay quietly in Mike's backpack!
Cerberus, meant to be the hunter, was taken down by Mike like a mere slime.
How do you even explain that?
Mike's method of clearing the level was truly unprecedented.
"If it were anyone else, even if they triggered the hidden level, their chances would be slim to none of surviving Cerberus's pursuit!"
After understanding the true nature of the hidden level, Mike felt much of his confusion dissipate. He looked around to make sure there was nothing worth taking before he could rest easy.
Following the prompt, Mike placed his palm on the bronze door. A blue light emanated slowly from his palm, spreading throughout his body.
The Core of Truth crystal he had seen before now hovered in front of him. A notification sounded in Mike's ear:
"Newbie Instance·hidden level, cleared!"
"Calculating clearance score...."
"Score calculation complete!"
"...."
Almost simultaneously, the same notification echoed in the ears of everyone in the Tower of Truth!
"Congratulations to participant [Thor] for achieving an SSS rating in the Newbie Instance!"
The moment the announcement was received, people's hearts jolted.
Before they could even express their shock,
A new Tower of Truth announcement swept across the screens again!
"Congratulations to participant [Thor] for achieving an SSS rating in the Newbie Instance·hidden level!"
"....."
All public channels fell into a deathly silence!
Not even a single word was spoken in the channels!
The entire Tower of Truth, even the whole world, fell into silence.
Only silence, only speechlessness, could express their feelings at this moment!
Hidden level?
What hidden level?
The Tower of Truth had been studied by humanity for three hundred years since its arrival, even during the hardest times, the research never stopped!
How come no one ever mentioned a hidden level?!
Countless questions surged in people's minds.
These questions exploded with immense energy, becoming the focal point of discussion on all social platforms!
"What is a hidden level?"
"What are the hidden rewards?!"
All questions eventually converged into one: "Who the heck is Thor?!"
Right now, the world's eyes are on Thor!
Two Tower of Truth announcements have sent shockwaves through humanity, Earth, and even the Abyssal Plane.
"SSS-level talent has emerged, initiating the Dawn Plan..."
"Issuing a call to arms for Battle Lords, all registered Battle Lords must report to the designated location immediately!"
"The Abyssal Plane is entering a level two combat readiness state..."
...
Thor, by merely achieving an SSS rating in the Newbie Instance, has stirred up a storm like a butterfly flapping its wings!
Of course, all this is temporarily irrelevant to Mike.
He just cleared the Newbie Instance.
After the Tower of Truth's announcement, a generous reward lay before Mike!
"SSS-level clearance of the Newbie Instance, reward: All attributes +50, Luck +1, gold coins +100,000, Trade Secret Realm Pass!"
"SSS-level clearance of the Newbie Instance, reward: One special job change opportunity!"
"SSS-level clearance of the hidden level, reward: [Blessing of Truth]!"
From the dazzling announcements, Mike found the real benefits that were implemented.
"100,000 gold coins?! That's like a hundred million dollars?"
Seeing such a large sum of money, Mike was also somewhat shocked.
A hundred million! What's that mean? You could buy 2 million deluxe $50 burgers!
This vast wealth was beyond ordinary comprehension, even Mike took a few seconds to calm his emotions.
Before today, he only had two thousand dollars in his bank account, a six-digit password protecting a four-digit savings.
Wealth skyrocketing by fifty thousand times, enough for a normal person to spend for ten lifetimes, seemed somewhat surreal.
But!
100,000 gold coins were just the least impressive part of this reward!
"All attributes +50, Luck +1... The rewards for an SSS-level clearance are really generous, no wonder supreme beings rise so quickly."
Mike mused.
The current supreme beings of humanity were all SSS-level clearers of the Newbie Instance.
Their growth was like cheating in a game, shooting up like a rocket!
Now, having achieved an SSS-level clearance himself, Mike somewhat understood the journey of his predecessors.
High base attributes, increased Luck, 100,000 starting gold coins, and one special job change opportunity!
Their starting points were not on the same level as ordinary participants!
A golden light descended, appearing before Mike, occasionally flashing with lightning.
[Stormweaver (Lightning)·One job change opportunity]
[Upon use, change to the hidden class Stormweaver, automatically gain Lightning Specialization, all Lightning spell effects +100%, mana consumption -50%!]
[Stormweaver Class template rating: SSS. ]
[Man, what are you hesitating for, go for it!]
---
The advantages of the Stormweaver class were crystal clear under the Eye of Truth's guidance.
Once the orb was in his possession, blue lightning flickered and danced at Mike's fingertips, quickly spreading a tingling sensation throughout his body.
"Job change successful!"
Meanwhile, on Twitter Trends and Top Stories, six out of the top ten were about Thor!
Whether it was the Tower of Truth, the online world, or real life, Thor was the most mentioned word.
After the job change, a new attribute panel appeared before Mike:
ID: Thor
Talent: Eye of Truth (SSS-level)
Level: 10
Class: Stormweaver (Lightning)
HP: 3600/3600
MP: 1800/1800
Strength: 126 (+100)
Intelligence: 145
Spirit: 135
Agility: 124
Constitution: 131 (+100)
Luck: 11
Equipment: Novice Staff
Skills: Lightning Arrow, Blessing of Lightning, Charge Up, Thunderclap Strike
Status: Lightning Affinity, Lightning Specialization
Due to the job change, Mike's attributes had slightly increased, each by about 20 to 30 points. What baffled Mike the most was that, as a mage, his Strength and Constitution were higher than his Intelligence and Spirit!
What kind of mage was this? A melee invincible mage swinging a big red stick at anyone who came close?
Mike had to accept the reality.
After becoming a Stormweaver (Lightning), Mike gained a new skill [Thunderclap Strike] and a new status [Lightning Specialization].
"[Thunderclap Strike (Lv1)]: Summons a Thunderclap Strike from the sky, hitting the enemy and dealing (200+2*Intelligence) Lightning damage. When the enemy's health is below 30%, it deals true damage instead.
Each hit with Thunderclap Strike permanently increases the base Lightning damage of this skill by 5 points. Enemies hit by Thunderclap Strike are 100% slowed and randomly receive a negative buff.
Mana cost: 200 points
Cooldown: 2s
Mike's Intelligence attribute is 145, so 200+145*2=490.
With the 100% bonus from Lightning Specialization, a single Thunderclap Strike can deal 980 Lightning damage!
"No wonder it's an SSS-level hidden class!"
After reading the description of Thunderclap Strike, Mike was curious for a moment. This skill not only had high damage and a short cooldown but also had significant growth potential. Each hit on an enemy permanently increased the damage by 5 points!
Mike looked around, unable to find a target to test his new power, and he was incredibly curious, almost wishing he could strike himself with a Thunderclap Strike!
"Cool it, cool it!" Mike muttered to himself, trying to contain his excitement.
The effects of [Thunderclap Strike] and [Lightning Specialization] perfectly matched the SSS-level class template—genuine quality!
This also meant that Mike's growth rate and potential had just leveled up!
"What other goodies do I have?" Mike wondered, tucking away the attribute panel and shifting his focus to the other rewards.
Besides the attribute boosts and the class change, he had also been awarded a [Trade Secret Realm Pass] and a [Blessing of Truth].
The Trade Secret Realm Pass was a golden card, about the size of a regular credit card, unadorned with any patterns or markings. It simply read, "[This pass grants entry to the Trade Secret Realm]."
"Trade Secret Realm Pass?" Mike racked his brain for any related information.
"According to the lore, it's one of the Tower of Truth's special neutral zones, accessible with either a [temporary pass] or a [permanent pass]. Once inside, everyone's appearance and aura are concealed, represented only by a random identifier."
Looking again at the golden card, Mike's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was a hot ticket item! Even a temporary Trade Secret Realm Pass could fetch a million bucks on the open market!
The pass in Mike's hand was a permanent, unlimited-use card—its value was off the charts! Even major powers, with Battle Lords at their helm, might not possess such a high-level pass!
Pocketing the golden card carefully, Mike planned a future visit to the Trade Secret Realm.
Having cleared the novice instance and leveled up to 10, it was time to upgrade his gear. Plus, he needed to gather some materials and items for his upcoming explorations.
Mike then turned his attention to the last reward: "Blessing of Truth?"
"[Blessed by the Tower of Truth, the chosen one will have their rating increased by one grade every time they clear an instance or ascend a level in the Tower of Truth.]"
"Cool!" The significance of this blessing exceeded Mike's expectations.
Without a doubt, all the rewards he had received so far paled in comparison to the [Blessing of Truth]!
A permanent grade boost! What does that even mean?
If Mike could nail a perfect run, that's an SSS rating. With the [Blessing of Truth], that would bump him up to SSSS—a rating that even surpasses the Tower of Truth's own limits!
With this blessing, Mike's growth rate would blow everyone else out of the water!
"No wonder this is the reward for acing the hidden level with an SSS rating!" Mike thought to himself. "The three supreme beings who rose to prominence among humans only cleared the novice instance at SSS level. None of them triggered the hidden level!"
"That means, the [Blessing of Truth] is mine alone!" In other words, Mike's growth rate, potential, and even his limits could potentially surpass those of the seasoned supreme beings!
Of course, this was all theoretical for now!
Mike was well aware that if he revealed his true identity now, a demon god from the Abyssal Plane could snuff him out in a heartbeat!
A dead genius is worth less than a living rat!
Surviving, realizing his potential, and becoming a new supreme being—that was Mike's top priority!
Putting away the description of the Blessing of Truth, Mike calmed his emotions. "My first foray into the Tower of Truth was just the novice instance. The other areas of the Tower are off-limits for now."
Mike stared at the golden pass in his palm, deep in thought. "Should I check out the Trade Secret Realm today?"
"Is there a risk of blowing my cover?" he wondered.
"According to the textbook, there shouldn't be. Besides, if I want to get stronger, I need resources, and the Trade Secret Realm Pass is a must-visit!"
Mike made up his mind. Better sooner than later!
He pressed his thumb on the pass, and a golden glow filled his vision, enveloping him completely.
A long string of numbers and letters flashed in his mind—his identifier in the Trade Secret Realm Pass.
The next moment, the golden light faded, and Mike found himself tucked away in a corner of a bustling market.
The street wasn't exactly spacious, packed with people shoulder to shoulder. Stalls lined both sides, displaying all sorts of glittering treasures, while vendors shouted their wares, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Secret news! Secret news! The Defense Headquarters has issued Order Number Twenty-Six, calling all Battle Lords to report immediately!"
"Today's newsletter, get an inside look at Thor's journey to power!"
"Recruiting Battle Chiefs level warriors, must have at least an A-level talent. We're forming a loyal followers' league for Thor!"
Mike was baffled. What's with all the Thor talk? Nine out of ten conversations in the Trade Secret Realm Pass seemed to revolve around him.
Before he could gather his thoughts, an enthusiastic voice rang out. "Bro, new face, huh? You new here?"
Mike turned to see a green-skinned goblin standing beside him, striking up a conversation.
Mike nodded and asked curiously, "How did you know I'm new?"
"I've never seen your identifier before, and I know everyone who frequents the Trade Secret Realm Pass! Plus, you haven't morphed your appearance; that's typical newbie behavior."
Morphed appearance?
Mike turned and caught his reflection in a mirror, seeing himself as a gray cloud with occasional flashes of lightning.
"Here in the Trade Secret Realm Pass, everyone's identity is kept secret. Your voice, appearance, fingerprints, even your soul's energy are all masked!" the goblin explained enthusiastically.
"Just picture a form in your mind, and your appearance will change accordingly."
Following the goblin's advice, Mike concentrated, and the cloud quickly swirled and condensed into a humanoid shape made of clouds.
"Forgot to introduce myself—I'm a trade broker at [Mystic Market], just call me Foreskin," the goblin said, handing Mike a business card with his Trade Secret Realm Pass identifier.
"Anything you need to buy or sell, you can come to us at [Mystic Market]. Newcomers get a 2% discount!"
Mystic Market.
Mike mentally noted the name and nodded at the goblin. "Thanks, I'm just looking around."
"No problem, you can message by identifier in the Trade Secret Realm Pass if you have any questions," Foreskin said, his service attitude impeccable. "But remember, some information comes with a price!"
---
After parting ways with Foreskin, Mike wandered aimlessly through the Trade Secret Realm, his ears bombarded with shouts from all sides.
"Team up for the 59th floor of the Tower of Truth exploration! Veteran Battle Lords leading the way, hurry up!"
"Abyssal Planes level mission, cleanse a space corrupted by a demon god, generous reward!"
"Reward for information on the demon cult increased by 30%! Bounty for high-ranking demon god followers doubled!"
"..."
The items in the Trade Secret Realm Pass were way out of Mike's league; he was just there for the spectacle. The mainstream items traded here started at millions of gold coins!
Mike had just over 100,000 gold coins in his pocket, not even enough to buy scraps.
After roaming for a solid hour, Mike finally stopped and stood in a corner of the trading market. Piecing together snippets of conversations he'd overheard, he began to grasp the current situation.
"Because of my triple-S rank in clearing the hidden instance, the Defense Headquarters has triggered a level two alert?" Mike was astonished, not expecting his actions to cause such a stir.
A level two alert meant the consumption of resources beyond measure. The Defense Headquarters, manned by three supreme beings, was akin to a massive federal organization.
Mike also learned that the Defense Headquarters had always had a plan for nurturing the 'fourth supreme being'. They were waiting for a seedling who could clear a triple-S rank newbie instance, the birth of a new supreme being for humanity.
Thus, as soon as news of Mike's achievement broke, the formidable war machine of the Defense Headquarters sprang into action, gears turning at full speed. The pre-established contingency plan was executed methodically.
Increasing educational resources, summoning all Battle Lords to stand guard, eradicating Earth's demon cult followers... All these measures were taken with one goal in mind—to provide a healthy growth environment for Thor.
"The Defense Headquarters hasn't made a big show of searching for my identity. There might be moves behind the scenes, but they're being very restrained on the surface."
Mike nodded to himself, understanding the rationale behind their actions. If they directly sought out 'Thor', exposing Mike's identity while he was still in a very vulnerable stage, it would bring endless trouble. The demon gods would never sit idly by as humanity raised another supreme being.
The three supreme beings had already brought humanity and the Abyssal Plane to a stalemate, even allowing humanity to organize small-scale counterattacks. Once Thor also ascends to a supreme being, it would spell doom for the Abyssal Plane!
The only choice, when Thor fully matures, is to nip him in the bud.
The Defense Headquarters' response is to erase all potential threats as much as possible. As for Thor's own growth, given his triple-S rank clearance of the newbie instance, there's nothing to worry about!
Understanding all this, Mike felt a lot more at ease. With no immediate risk of his identity being exposed, Mike refocused on his own growth.
He came to the Trade Secret Realm specifically to exchange resources for faster development.
"All this stuff is way too pricey, and even if I could afford it, I don't meet the level requirements!" Mike scanned the area, pulled out the business card he had from before, and sent a message to Foreskin.
"Happy to serve you!" The green-skinned goblin popped up in front of Mike once again.
Mike, catching him off guard, asked, "How happy?"
Foreskin was stumped... he had no comeback for that!
"Alright, I... ahem... I have a friend," Mike started with a common opener. Anything inconvenient could be pinned on a 'friend'. Creating friends out of thin air!
"My friend's junior just awakened his talent today, entered the Tower of Truth, and cleared the newbie instance."
Foreskin quickly caught on to what Mike meant, "You want to get some equipment and items for this junior of yours, right? Let me find something; here's a commonly used recommendation list!"
Goblin Foreskin handed over a list, clearly prepared in advance. Mike glanced at it and frowned.
"Why is it all D-grade, E-grade equipment?" The enhancements from these pieces of equipment were negligible, practically junk. Mike would be better off fighting bare-handed than using this trash.
Foreskin patiently explained, "For newbie participants, the most important thing is to level up. Equipment at this stage is just consumable! Once you level up, then it makes more sense to consider higher-quality equipment."
Mike nodded, understanding the logic.
We are got to consider the bang for your buck, right? A level 10 S-grade staff without any growth potential is worse than a level 50 common staff!
He pressed on, "Got any staffs that can grow?"
Back when he received the newbie gift pack, Mike had the chance to pick a growable A-grade staff, but he had to painfully let it go for a better reward later on.
"There are some, but..." Foreskin hesitated, then pulled out another list. "Staffs with growth potential usually have hidden conditions for advancement. Each time you complete an advancement, it refreshes with new hidden conditions! So, you see... these pieces of equipment are kind of a mixed bag."
He added, "And they're pricey!"
"Upgradable equipment that's both expensive and a mixed bag," Foreskin said earnestly.
At [Mystic Market], they pride themselves on fairness. Those who can enter the Trade Secret Realm are either rich or noble. Even a temporary pass costs a million bucks a pop! How could an ordinary Joe afford that?
Therefore, Foreskin preferred doing business that builds over time rather than making a quick buck.
Curious like a newbie, Mike asked, "Since the conditions for upgrading equipment are hidden, isn't there any way to find them out?"
"There is a way," Foreskin explained patiently. "Master-level blacksmiths can pay a price to reveal the current conditions for advancement."
"But a master-level blacksmith charges a fortune, way over ten million! And once the equipment advances, the conditions change again. You can't possibly hire a master blacksmith to appraise it every single time, right?"
Foreskin's points made sense.
Upgradable equipment had two main features: 1. Hidden advancement conditions; 2. Refreshed conditions after each advancement.
Essentially, upgradable equipment was like a money pit, requiring massive resources to develop. It was a high-stakes gamble, often resulting in a total loss.
However, these features were practically irrelevant in front of Mike. He could see right through the advancement conditions with just a glance! Even the maximum number of times an item could be upgraded and its future upgrade path couldn't escape Mike's eyesight.
Remembering something, Foreskin added, "Oh, and there's another way to identify advancement conditions. There's an S-grade talent called [Sharp Eye] that can identify the conditions of equipment advancement with a 50% success rate, limited to three times a day."
Foreskin didn't elaborate much on S-grade talents, as it involved confidential information. If Mike wanted to know more, it would cost extra.
Mike just chuckled after hearing this. The gap between S-grade and SSS-grade talents was simply too vast!
After hearing all this, Mike still stuck to his original interest. "Let's take a look at the upgradable equipment anyway. Maybe I'll find something that catches my eye."
"Here's the list," Foreskin said, handing it over. "All these items can be upgraded at least three times!"
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