[The Trial will commence in fifteen breaths. Trial Candidate "Alex," prepare yourself.]
[Fifteen… Nine… Eight…]
The countdown echoed through the starry hall.
Alex drew in a deep breath. There was no time to study every new and mysterious skill he had gained. Once he set foot in the trial world, there would be time enough for that.
His eyes skimmed over his status panel, and his heart stirred.
—His health remained cursed at a pitiful 1.
—But his mana pool had surged to a staggering 600.
—His spell power had climbed to 30 points.
—And his free attribute points per level had leapt from 5 to 15!
This meant his growth as a class was triple that of an ordinary Necromancer. With his attribute multipliers, it was nearly nine times stronger than mundane professions.
This—this was worthy of the title Reaper.
"Lois… Simon."
A frigid glint flickered in Alex's eyes.
In this newborn world, death was no longer a game mechanic—it was a final, irreversible end.
Inside the "Novice Village," there was protection. Death would only cost experience and levels.
But the moment one left the village, every death meant more than lost progress. Each time, a tenth of one's lifespan would be stripped away—at least ten years.
And if less than ten years remained? Oblivion. True annihilation.
—And he… had started with only a single year.
—For him, death meant absolute extinction.
The countdown ended.
Flash!
A blinding white light engulfed the hall.
When Alex's vision cleared, he stood upon the square of a rustic village.
[Welcome, Trial Candidate.]
[This is Novice Village No.134 of the Dragon Empire. May you survive your first journey here.]
Around him, the square lit up with one white flare after another as countless figures appeared in succession.
Some broke down crying.
Some cursed in rage.
Others shouted in wild excitement.
"What is this place? I want to go back!"
"Hahaha! A world of data? I'll rise to the top for sure!"
"Opening with an SSS-rank talent—bow before me, trash!"
"Cleric here! Any big shots need a healer?"
The plaza roared with noise, prayers and boasts blending into a chaos that was equal parts temple chant and slaughterhouse wail.
But Alex didn't rush into the crowd, begging for quests or forming parties.
He simply stood there in silence, eyes cold, watching the scene unfold. Then, without a word, he turned away and walked alone toward the edge of the village.
—He had only one year of lifespan.
—He had no time to waste in meaningless chatter.
At the village gates, others were already swinging swords and axes at low-level beasts, their shouts mingling with the cries of the dying creatures.
Alex's agility, however, was locked at 1. Every step was heavy, sluggish. It took him more than ten minutes just to reach the outskirts.
Yet his mind was not on his faltering pace, but on the glowing runes inscribed across his panel of talents and skills.
Skill Panel
[Summon Skeleton] (F · Lv.1 · Active)
Summons a fragile skeleton to fight for you.
Casting: 3 seconds | Cooldown: 30 seconds | Mana Cost: 20
(Stats scale with Spirit.)
[Scorch] (F · Lv.1 · Active)
Ignites an enemy with soul fire, dealing damage equal to 150% of Spell Power over 5 seconds.
Casting: 2 seconds | Cooldown: 5 seconds | Mana Cost: 10
These were the pitiful techniques of a lowly necromancer—frail skeletons and feeble flames.
But the Reaper was different.
[Life Link] (A · Lv.1 · Active)
Link your life to an undead minion, sharing damage and survival.
Instant cast | Cooldown: 10 seconds
With this, his cursed 1 HP was no longer an inescapable death sentence—it could be anchored to his summons, extending his survival through their bodies.
[Summoning Amplification] (S · Passive)
All summoning spells cast in half the time.
Cooldowns halved.
Summoned creatures gain +50% stats.
Summoning capacity increased fivefold.
This was a true throne's authority. The path of summoning was already one of overwhelming numbers. Now, amplified and multiplied, his future undead legions would be vast beyond imagining!
In addition, a new artifact had appeared within his grasp.
[Book of the Dead]
Class Exclusive (Alex)
Cannot be dropped. Cannot be destroyed. Cannot be traded.
Grows with level.
Unlocks the Page of Laws at Level 10, allowing the learning of Reaper-exclusive forbidden arts.
For now, the ancient tome lay silent, its pages sealed. Yet Alex knew in his heart—this would become the cornerstone of his power.
At last, his gaze shifted downward, to a single hidden line etched beneath his class panel:
[Greed Trait: Fused with Class.]
The moment he read those words, his breath quickened. His pupils contracted sharply.
—This… this was the true horror of Forbidden.