Just as Leon was about to sink into despair—thinking of throwing the jar into the air or, at worst, venturing out to find the Night King and try turning his bicycle into a motorcycle—a miracle happened.
He didn't know which god had intervened, but a voice—tinged with subtle guilt, impossible to tell if male or female, young or old—sounded in his mind:
[ You can summon the Panel at any time to allocate points. You can also call the System to check its functions. ]
As compensation for your late arrival, each of your six attributes will increase by ten points, and you may choose a skill specialization from the top three categories."
Still in shock, Leon instinctively summoned the panel.
Before him appeared a familiar, yet slightly different, interface from his previous life:
[ Identity: Leon Victor (Night Watch recruit)
Rating: 0Family: Level 0 (No fiefdom)
Strength: 15 (one-handed, two-handed, polearm)
Agility: 13 (bow, crossbow, throwing)
Stamina: 16 (riding, running, forging)
Cunning: 11 (tea pouring, tactics, vices)
Social: 11 (charisma, leadership, trade)
Intelligence: 13 (management, medicine, engineering)
Available attribute points: 0
Available Skill Focus Points: 0
Available max-level skill specialization times: 1
Inventory:
"Bug-bitten, rat-gnawed board with no fur; Night Watchman's torn face and soft armor"
"Rusty Kingdom one-handed sword"
"Battle-scarred Kingdom short bow"
"Bald Arrows ×21"
Currency: 0 Gold Dragons ]
Leon stared at the panel, mouth agape. There was no other explanation—he was simply too poor.
In the freezing, monotonous expanse of the Wall, where even peeing required care to avoid frostbite, his original meager salary had likely been donated to some technician at the Red Romance Leisure Club in Mole Village for "psychological comfort."
So when Leon logged in this time, he inherited nothing but battered, ugly equipment and zero wealth.
Yet just as despair had almost consumed him, the panel and system appeared like a lamp in the darkness. After a brief moment of gloom, Leon's spirit lifted.
"Don't be afraid. As long as I have this panel, it won't be long before I can single-handedly defeat the Night King!" Leon clenched his fists. Gazing across the unchanging wilderness from the watchtower, a spark of ambition ignited in his heart.
Based on his understanding of his body, Leon realized that, by the standards of ordinary Night's Watch recruits, his brute strength alone was more than three times that of his peers.
This wasn't mere arithmetic—it was exponential growth in power.
He confidently speculated that when his strength reached thirty points, he could face even giants.
In the world of the original Mount & Blade, a strength of around thirty marked a true swordmaster—someone who could dominate the battlefield. But this was the low-magic world of A Song of Ice and Fire, and Leon's knowledge extended only as far as the area around Black Iron Castle.
The lands beyond the Wall were a mystery, full of unknown dangers. Dragons and White Walkers existed, but whether Daenerys or the Night King would act logically was uncertain. Could his body survive a dragon's fire? Could he defeat an army of the undead?
These thoughts creased his brow. Leon knew he couldn't act recklessly; until he understood the world and its threats, caution was vital.
A voice—neither male nor female, neither old nor young—spoke into his mind:
[ Given your current equipment, I recommend maxing out your specialization in one-handed swords. I am leaving now. Don't forget to check the Thousand-Faced God System I left for you. ]
The voice continued after a pause, noticing Leon's rapidly changing expressions:
"Fate brought us together. Will you tell me your name?"
Leon hesitated, anxiety tightening his chest. If the voice truly left, he might lose access to the rewards it promised—the novice gift pack.
After a long silence, he realized the voice was gone.
Leon muttered to himself, "The one who walks away holds the power."
Taking the advice to heart, he carefully spent his skill points to fully master one-handed swordsmanship.
When the gray icon flashed with dazzling light, a surge of power coursed through him. He felt as if he and the sword had become one. Grasping the rusty blade beside him, he swung it twice. Despite its worn edges, the weapon felt alive in his hands. Every strike carried unstoppable force, as if no enemy could withstand it.
But when the sword dance ended, a cold, distant loneliness settled over him. He had reached a pinnacle few could imagine—but there was no opponent worthy of matching him.
The weight of this solitude pressed down for a moment. He sheathed the sword and shook it off.
"This… is what it feels like to reach max level?" he muttered. Once sheathed, the overwhelming sense of invincibility faded.
He straightened, clearing his mind. "Ahem. Time to get down to business, System!"
A new panel appeared before him:
[ Thousand-Faced God System (Growth Type)
Description: The faith of the Thousand-Faced God sees death as God's "gift"—the end of suffering. By offering dedication, God grants this "gift." Assassination is considered a sacred ritual.
Active Quest: Kill Alliser ThorneReward: Black and White Kiss — a steel sword forged by the finest Valyrian smiths. Indestructibility is subtle; the weapon carries a trace of the Thousand-Faced God's divinity.
Passive Task: Bloodthirst — after defeating 10 people, restore some stamina (10 / infinitely scalable). ]
The instructions were concise and clear, leaving no room for confusion.
Yet Leon had two immediate questions running through his mind:
Who exactly was Alliser Thorne?
What did it mean to "restore some stamina"?