[ID: Oblivion]
[Class: Heir of Oblivion]
[Talent: Infinite Evolution (SSS)]
[Level: 1 (0/500)]
[Lives: 10]
[Constitution: 10]
[Strength: 10]
[Agility: 10]
[Spirit: 10 (+5)]
---
[Gods Ascension] was extremely fair from the start, meaning every player began with the same base values across all four core attributes.
But that wasn't everything.
Each player also had combat attributes, which were what truly mattered in battle.
These combat attributes were calculated directly from the core stats.
---
[Health Points: 100] (Constitution x 10)
[Mana Points: 100] (Spirit x 10)
[Magic Damage: 10 (+5)] (Spirit x 1)
[Physical Damage: 10] (Strength x 1)
[Magical Resistance: 10] (Spirit x 1)
[Physical Resistance: 10] (Constitution x 1)
---
Everything looked exactly the same as in his previous life.
That wasn't surprising.
Neither his class nor his talent gave any early-game boosts.
And the reason he had +5 to Spirit was simple: he was holding a weapon.
Every class started with a weapon related to its nature, and since Karl had chosen a mage class, he received a low-level staff.
[Beginner Mage Staff (Common): +5 Spirit]
It didn't have any special effects or anything, it was just that.
Still, Karl wasn't disappointed.
Items were among the most important things anyone could have.
They could completely change how strong a person was, and the right piece of gear could make a massive difference in combat.
He would need to get the strongest items possible if he wanted to catch up to others.
And since he was already behind, building a reputation would help.
The best way to do that early on was through trading and selling drops.
Karl was just about to leave the square and head into the broken streets of the [Novice Town] when—
Fwish! Ding!
A sound echoed behind him, followed by flickering white light.
Dozens of bright particles appeared out of nowhere, slowly forming into human shapes.
More players had just spawned.
"Seriously, what the hell was that thing?" one of them said, looking pale and exhausted.
"Did you guys also fight that level 5 ice-type boss?" another asked.
"Yeah," a third replied, shaking his head. "I'm not touching that thing again. That monster wiped our whole team."
"Better to grind more. We're level 7 already, and even we struggle against it."
Karl overheard their conversation and made a mental note of it.
Information like that was always valuable.
[Novice Towns] were designed for players between levels 1 and 10.
Only after reaching level 10 could someone receive their [Advancement Task] and move on further to the [Ascension Continent].
He didn't dwell on the chatter for long.
With a steady step, Karl walked out of the square.
Nobody stopped him.
To the others, he was just another low-level mage with nothing special about him.
After a few seconds, he crossed the invisible boundary of the area.
Ding!
[You have left the "Novice Town #482 Square" (Safe Zone)]
Karl didn't mind.
He tightened his grip on his staff, calm and focused.
He had years of experience from his previous life and knew exactly what to do, even if this was his first time playing as a mage.
And the moment he stepped past the border, a new notification appeared.
Ding!
[You have entered the "Broken Town"]
---
[Broken Town]
[A beginner zone that allows new players to get used to the mechanics of "Gods Ascension", though still dangerous.]
---
In his last life, Karl had formed a small party when he first entered this place.
It was the safest choice.
Going alone was almost suicide for most players.
But now that he was walking by himself, he didn't feel unsafe at all.
If anything, he felt more in control.
He moved through the cracked streets of the ruined town, stepping over broken tiles and collapsed walls.
Wind blew softly through the empty alleys, carrying dust and faint echoes.
After a few minutes of silence, Karl suddenly stopped.
He felt something.
He raised his staff, taking a defensive stance.
And then he saw it.
Near a half-collapsed building, a dark creature crouched low to the ground.
---
[Shadow Rat (Level 1)]
[Rank: Common]
[HP: 100]
---
It was small and weak compared to real monsters, but enough to kill careless players who didn't know how to fight yet.
'Alright,' Karl thought with a grin. 'Here goes nothing.'
He had never played as a mage in his previous life.
Not once had he cast a spell before.
But even so, as he raised his staff, something about it felt natural.
The creature was about the size of a dog, its fur black and glossy.
Red eyes gleamed in the shadows as it sniffed the air.
"Krkrk?"
The Shadow Rat noticed him instantly and crouched, preparing to leap.
Karl didn't give it the chance.
Powerful Fireball!
'I don't need any mana to cast my spells, so it should be fine to use.'
He swung his staff forward.
A fiery orb burst to life at its tip, flames swirling tightly before shooting straight ahead.
Fwish! Boom!
The fireball exploded against the Shadow Rat's body, lighting up the area with a burst of red-orange light.
-450![1]
The number flashed in the air, and the rat's HP dropped to zero instantly.
The flames devoured it completely, leaving behind only ash and a faint scorch mark.
"Hah…" Karl looked at with eyes full of astonishment. "Incredible…"
It was the first time he had used a spell, and it had destroyed the monster instantly.
His first class passive of [Heir of Oblivion] made him deal ten times his normal damage.
Combined with his twice-evolved skill, the result was devastating.
'I would have dealt only fifteen damage normally,' Karl thought, looking at the burned spot. 'But now… this is something else.'
Ding!
[You have killed "Shadow Rat (Level 1)"]
[You have gained 50 experience points.]
As expected, the first kill gave him experience.
But there was something else that caught his attention.
Next to the charred remains, two glowing white orbs floated above the ground.
Karl reached for the first one.
Ding!
[You have gained 1 Life.]
"Nice."
[Lives: 11]
That meant it would now take eleven deaths for him to be permanently erased from the game.
Still, he didn't plan to die even once.
He turned toward the second orb and reached out again.
This time, it was an item!
---
[Shadow Rat Robe (Common) +3 Spirit, +4 Constitution, +2 Physical Resistance. Requirement: Level 1]
---
Karl grinned, "Perfect."
It wasn't anything rare, but it was a solid start.
For a level 1 monster, this was good loot.
He equipped the robe immediately.
Its fabric shimmered faintly as it wrapped around him, adjusting to his size.
His [Spirit] rose from 15 to 18, and his health also increased thanks to the [Constitution] boost.
He could feel the difference right away.
'Good,' he thought, looking at his stats again.
Once done, Karl took a deep breath and continued deeper.
'I'll need to find more skills soon,' he thought as he walked. 'I can't rely on one spell forever.'
Still, he knew that the [Broken Town] was decent in size.
Meaning that he would have the opportunity to find something else among all the monsters.
He walked on, calm and silent, the staff glowing faintly in his hand.
[1] 10 (Spirit) + 5 (Staff) = 15 x 3 (Powerful Fireball) x 10 (First passive) = 450.