The glimmering interface hovered before Tony, revealing one of his newly acquired rewards. His brows furrowed as he scanned the text, the item seeming almost pitiful compared to his other spoils.
[Wuhán Root Seedling]
Quality: Common
Type: Grain Seed, Special Item
Description: A hardy seed that grows into Wuhán Root, the primary staple food of orcs. Long-term consumption gradually increases the Constitution by up to 10 points.
"Common quality, huh?" Tony muttered under his breath, a wry smirk tugging at his lips. Out of all the loot he had gathered, this one was undeniably the weakest. Ten Constitution points over a long period? Hardly worth his attention—not for someone like him who could grow stronger simply by breathing.
But the thought barely had time to settle before something clicked in his mind, his sharp gaze narrowing in sudden realization. This wasn't about him.
For the vast majority of the world's population—ordinary Awakened, the countless E and F-grade talents scraping by—a permanent increase of ten Constitution points could mean the difference between life and death. Survival in a dungeon often hinged on tiny advantages, and this was far from tiny for them.
And if there was food that boosted Constitution, then surely there were other foods that increased Strength, Agility, or even Spirit. This changed everything. The idea of an entire population gradually enhancing their stats was no longer just fantasy. Clearing Trial Dungeons might one day become a dream within reach for everyone.
"No wonder the Orcs managed to thrive in that frozen wasteland," Tony murmured to himself, the pieces falling into place. "It wasn't just brute force. This root was their foundation—a slow-burning fuel that turned weaklings into warriors." Over time, their sheer numbers and improved vitality could have allowed them to rise, unnoticed, until they became a formidable empire rivaling elves and humans alike.
"Tony!"
A familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts. Yuqing hurried over, eyes wide and cheeks flushed, her excitement barely contained. "That tier suppression of yours was insane! And the title you got… It's completely busted!" She was still reeling from their victory in the Ascension Dungeon, her voice filled with awe.
Tony's expression darkened slightly, his tone low and firm. "Don't talk about the title's attributes. Not to anyone." His gaze was steely, leaving no room for argument. "We don't need to give potential enemies any extra motivation."
Yuqing nodded rapidly, her grin faltering before it returned twice as bright. "Got it! But wow, the rewards are incredible. Fifteen crystals of every attribute—and I even got a skill book!"
Even for someone who had mostly tagged along for the ride, the first clear rewards were ridiculously generous. She hesitated, then sent Tony a trade request.
He blinked, then accepted, curious. A single skill book appeared in the trade window:
[Stomp]
Quality: Common
Type: Active Skill
Effect: Slam the ground hard enough to create a shockwave, stunning enemies within three meters. Targets with higher Spirit or Constitution resist the effect more effectively.
Tony's eyes narrowed slightly. "A control skill." Even at the lowest quality, having a reliable stun could be a game-changer. If it could be leveled beyond its limit, it would become even more valuable.
He thought back to the fight against Ruun, the minotaur boss. The brute had slammed the ground at one point, but Tony hadn't felt anything. It made sense now; his own Spirit and Constitution had completely negated the effect.
He looked up at Yuqing. "I'll take it. What do you want in return—command tokens, a weapon, attribute crystals?"
Yuqing shook her head vigorously, hands flapping as if to push away the thought. "No, no, nothing! It's a gift, Tony. Thank you for letting me tag along. Without you, I wouldn't have gotten even half of this."
Tony's lips curved in a faint, almost amused smile, but his tone stayed firm. "I don't do charity trades. What's yours stays yours."
She opened her mouth to protest, but his unyielding gaze silenced her. Eventually, she relented with a small nod.
"Take the attribute crystals," he said after a moment of thought, dragging forty crystals—ten of each type—into the trade window.
Her eyes went wide. "Tony, that's… that's way too much! These things are worth tens of millions right now!"
"Stop measuring everything in money," Tony said sharply, his voice carrying weight that made her stiffen. "These are your future, Yuqing. Selling them for quick cash would be stupid. You lost potential growth by being dragged through the dungeon, but this makes up for it, maybe even more than you would've gained alone. The future belongs to the Awakened. Remember that before you chase pocket change."
Her face flushed a deep crimson, and she stammered, "I… I understand."
Satisfied, Tony said no more. He didn't like long speeches, but he meant every word. Privately, he had grown to respect Yuqing—sharp, observant, clearly used to analyzing information. If she stayed level-headed, he wouldn't mind teaming up again. But if greed blinded her, he wouldn't waste time reaching out again.
With their loot sorted and accounts settled, they added each other as friends and left the dungeon.
Back in the real world, the Transcendent Forum exploded with activity. The sun was high now, far more people awake than during the late-night chaos. Many had gone to bed after the Awakening only to wake up to a completely changed reality.
"What the hell? The world's gone nuts overnight!"
"Bro, I woke up with an S-tier talent!"
"Damn it, so many first-clears happened while I was asleep. I feel like I just lost a billion dollars…"
The hottest topic remained the Ascension Dungeon. Hours had passed without updates, no team daring to share progress, and many assumed no one would make it through today. The penalties for failure were brutal enough to keep everyone guessing. Most people returned to their normal lives, thinking it'd take days for the air to clear.
Then, the system shattered that illusion:
[World Announcement: Congratulations to Tony and Yuqing for clearing the Ascension Dungeon: Rise of the Beastmen (Part I). They have ascended to Tier One. Special reward granted: Title – Pioneer.]
The entire planet erupted in chaos.
"No freaking way, someone did it already?!"
"Tony again?! This guy dragged four people into what everyone called a death squad and still beat every pro team? What kind of god-tier talent does he have?!"
"I regret it so much… Why didn't I join his party when he was recruiting?! To those who called it a suicide run—do you not feel guilt crushing your hearts right now?!"
"First and second Tier One Awakened in the whole world. Absolute legends."
Others noticed that only two names were listed.
"Did the other three die? Damn, that dungeon must've been hell if even Tony couldn't keep everyone alive."
"Forget that, I'm just jealous of Yuqing. She hitched a ride on the strongest player alive. Jackpot of jackpots."
"Pioneer must be some crazy title to make it into a world announcement. I'd kill to know what it does…"
Friend requests and messages flooded their inboxes, but neither answered. Even those who had left the dungeon early had shut off all communications, drowning in regret.
Tony returned to his apartment in New Haven, stretching lazily, a rare sigh of relief slipping from his lips. "Finally home…"
But the calm didn't last. Another system alert rang out, the voice cold and mechanical:
[World Announcement: Earth's Awakened have cleared all zero-tier dungeons within twelve hours. Exceptional performance detected. As a reward, the countdown to the next calamity has been initiated.]
"Countdown?" Tony froze, his instincts prickling. He strode to the window, eyes scanning the sky.
And there it was—above the city's skyline, the clear blue sky shimmered as colossal words burned themselves into existence:
[Incoming Disaster: Demonic Beasts (Ghost-Class) – 90 Days Remaining]
A chill ran down Tony's spine. The victory felt hollow now. This was only the beginning.