[Welcome, Brave One.]
[You have been chosen to enter—the Eternal Continent.]
[Here, death is the norm, and blood and fire are the only order.]
[Only those who tread the path of immortality shall laugh at the end.]
[May you find your own road amidst death and slaughter.]
A piercing whistle split the silence.
"Woooo—! Rumble! Rumble!"
Trafalgar's eyes snapped open. He found himself seated inside a pitch-black train. The tracks stretched into the void, while outside the window lay an endless abyss, a darkness so deep it seemed to swallow the entire world.
The carriage was crammed with strangers of all kinds. They had just awakened from unconsciousness, panic flashing in their eyes. Mouths opened to scream, yet their voices were sealed by some mysterious curse. All that escaped were muffled, choking groans.
Trafalgar's chest tightened as well—but unlike the terror-stricken crowd, his eyes glimmered with a dangerous light. A joy that shouldn't exist in such a place.
"Reborn…" he whispered, his fingertips trembling. "I've actually returned. Ten years back… the very day the train first departed."
Excitement burned for only a heartbeat before cold clarity reclaimed his mind.
In this devouring otherworld, fear was useless. Only cold calculation and ruthless resolve would ensure survival.
He turned his head, staring at the swirling void beyond the glass. Within those endless vortices, it felt as though countless unseen eyes were watching. The train shuddered as it hurtled forward, carrying them all toward an unknown fate.
Memories surged like a flood.
In his past life, he had sat on this very train. That day, the voices of gods and demons had thundered in his ears, declaring to every chosen soul—
[Upon arrival in the Novice Grounds, hunt the monsters. Within thirty days, reach Level Ten… or face annihilation.]
And back then, he had faltered. Terrified by the brutality of the monsters, he had cowered in ruins for three whole days, barely clinging to life. By the time he finally mustered the courage to lift that rust-eaten blade, others were already thriving, growing strong in fire and blood.
By the time he barely scraped his way to Level Ten on the final day, the names at the top of the leaderboard were already towering at Level Fifteen—dominating every dungeon and hoarding every treasure. In that life, he was doomed to crawl in the shadows, living like an insect.
A cold smile tugged at Trafalgar's lips.
"How laughable," he whispered, a blade of frost flashing in his eyes. "But this time… I've returned with ten years of memories. No one will ever trample me again."
Just then, the train lurched violently. Light flared within the carriage as the darkness outside split apart.
A forest shrouded in poisonous mists slowly emerged in the distance.
"Woooo—!" The whistle screamed one last time before the train ground to a halt.
The doors slid open soundlessly. A wave of icy air poured in.
[Trial Grounds—"The Rotting Marshlands."]
[Total entrants in this region: 1,000.]
[Personal Status Panel: Activated.]
[Regional Channel: Unlocked.]
[Quest Issued: Reach Level Ten within thirty days—or face erasure.]
[Remember, Brave Ones. This is a perfectly fair game. The marshlands swarm with monsters. Slay them to gain experience and loot. If you cannot adapt, only utter annihilation awaits.]
The torrent of information crashed into their minds. Many clutched their heads in agony, collapsing back into their seats.
Trafalgar too felt the stabbing pain in his skull—but instead of panicking, he inhaled slowly, steadying his focus. With a calm murmur, he spoke:
"Panel."
A translucent screen snapped into existence before his eyes.
——[Personal Status Panel]——
Name: Trafalgar
Level: 1 (EXP 0/100)
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Constitution: 6
Spirit: 6
Combat Power: 50 (Base 48 + Weapon 2)
Equipment: Novice Longblade (Attack +2, Rank: Mortal)
Skills: None
[Hint: Every point of base attribute = +2 Combat Power]
[Hint: +1 Attack or Defense = +1 Combat Power]
Trafalgar nodded, unsurprised.
"As expected… the starting stats are fully inherited from one's real-world physique."
In his past life, Trafalgar had been nothing more than a shut-in—listless, unmotivated, surviving on cheap pizza and hollow dreams. Aside from his obsession with games, he had no real strengths. And that was why, in his first descent, he fell hopelessly behind… almost dying before he even escaped the Novice Phase.
Now, the carriage had devolved into chaos.
[Damn it, my Combat Power is only 45?!]
[Hah! I've got 89! I was a martial arts champion in the real world!]
[Anyone willing to carry me? I'm just a programmer!]
[Shit—my pants are gone! Somebody give me some pants!]
The conductor's cold, merciless voice thundered in their minds once again:
[Before the beast tide descends, each of you will be granted a single draw.]
[Talent, equipment, skills, artifacts… your fate shall be decided here!]
Instantly, the entire carriage erupted into madness.
Before every passenger, a golden chest shimmered into existence, radiating dazzling brilliance.
"Open!"
Trafalgar did not hesitate for even a breath. His hand shot out and pressed against the lid. He remembered it too clearly: in his previous life, when he had opened this chest, all he received was a shriveled bag of [Stale Bread]. That pathetic food kept him alive for three meager days—yet it also cost him the chance to rise when it mattered most.
But this time—
Ding!
The golden chest burst into blinding light. A pillar of radiance pierced the heavens.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the Unique SSS-Tier Talent — "100% Drop Rate"!]
Trafalgar froze. Then, deep within his eyes, a blaze far more intense than ever before ignited.