The sensation of the neural link was different this time. In his past life, the connection had always felt grainy, like a low-resolution dream. But with the SSS-Rank seed active, the transition was seamless.
One moment, Jaxen was in a cramped, humid dorm room; the next, he was standing in a cathedral of white light.
[Initialization Complete.]
[Please select your Starting Path.]
Six spectral silhouettes towered over him. In the original Aetheria, these were rigid classes. But in this "Origin" server, they were merely Starting Kits.
Jaxen's eyes bypassed the heavy-armored Juggernaut and the twin-bladed Infiltrator. His gaze settled on the Acolyte.
To the average player, the Acolyte—or Priest—was a "dish." A support role meant to hide behind a shield-bearer and beg for scraps of XP. But Jaxen knew better. The Acolyte path had the highest density of status-altering abilities. For a man who could turn a 10-second buff into a lifetime of power, the Acolyte wasn't a support class. It was a factory of infinite growth.
"If I pick a damage class, I have to wait for others to buff me," Jaxen mused, his voice echoing in the hall. "But if I start with Faith-util, I am the source."
Moreover, by appearing as a 'weak' Priest, he could hide his SSS-Rank talent in plain sight. People would just assume he had high-tier gear or a dedicated team.
[Starting Path Confirmed: Acolyte (Classless Variant).]
[Gear Assigned: Novice Tunic, Willow Branch Staff.]
Jaxen looked down. His street clothes were gone, replaced by simple, rugged linen robes. He flicked his wrist, opening his status window.
Name: The Eternal Tao
Level: 1 (0/100 XP)
HP: 100 / MP: 180
Power (STR/INT): 12 (Phys) / 46 (Magic)
Defense: 15
Innate Talent: INF-BUFF (SSS-Rank)
Starting Skills:
Lesser Heal: Restores 46 HP. (10s Cooldown)
Smite: Deals 69 Holy True Damage. (20s Cooldown)
Jaxen spent his first potential point on Smite. True damage was king in the early game because it ignored armor. The 20-second cooldown was a nightmare for most, but he already had a plan for that.
[Please select your Spawn Zone.]
A list of 9,999 "Starter Sanctuaries" appeared.
"Zone 1024," Jaxen commanded. "Hollowshade Cathedral."
In the Western lore of Aetheria, Hollowshade was a village built atop the ruins of an ancient celestial battle. It was the only starter zone where the "Regional Blessing" interacted specifically with Faith-based players.
A pillar of golden light deposited Jaxen in the center of Hollowshade's plaza. The air was cool and smelled of incense and rain. Around him, hundreds of players were materializing every second.
The noise was deafening.
"Recruiting for Team Apex! Level 3 Sword-Slinger leading! Must have mic!"
"Buying copper scraps! 2 Credits per stack!"
Jaxen ignored the chaos. As soon as his boots touched the stone, a chime rang in his ears.
[System: You have entered the Hollowshade Sanctuary.]
[Event: Receiving 'The Pilgrim's Grace'. Duration: 60 Minutes.]
A faint white aura wrapped around his body. In the status bar, a new icon appeared.
[Pilgrim's Grace]: +1 All Attributes. +5 HP/MP Recovery per second.
Under normal circumstances, that timer would be ticking down: 59:59... 59:58...
But on Jaxen's screen, the timer flickered for a millisecond before being replaced by a horizontal infinity symbol: [∞].
"It works," Jaxen whispered, a chill running down his spine.
The +1 to All Attributes included Luck and Charisma, the two "Hidden Stats" that usually only increased every 20 levels. He was Level 1 and already had the luck of a Level 20 veteran. The +5 MP recovery was even more broken—it meant he could cast Smite and Heal infinitely without ever needing a mana potion.
"Hey! Robes!"
A loud, arrogant voice cut through his thoughts. A tall player with a shaved head and a massive, glowing Greatsword stepped into Jaxen's path. His nameplate read: [Big-G_Shark].
Behind him were four other players, all wearing the same "Shark-Fin" emblem on their tunics.
"You just spawned, right? You still got that Pilgrim buff?" Big-G asked, his eyes scanning Jaxen's basic gear. "Join Dynasty-Gaming. We're the top-ranked guild on the West Coast stream. Our leader is pushing for the Server-First boss kill. We need a 'buff-bot' to stay in the back and keep our tanks topped off. Do a good job, and we'll throw you some level 5 trash gear."
Jaxen looked at the man. In his past life, Dynasty-Gaming was a notorious "contract-trap" guild. they would recruit solo players, use them to clear dungeons, and then kick them before the loot was distributed.
"I don't do teams," Jaxen said, stepping around him.
The group went silent. Big-G's face reddened. "Listen, kid. You're an Acolyte. You've probably got Smite on a 20-second cooldown. You try to solo a Level 2 Wolf out there, and you'll be a corpse in ten seconds. Don't be a hero. Be a battery."
"I'll take my chances," Jaxen replied without looking back.
"Whatever!" Big-G shouted after him, laughing to his cronies. "Look at his eyes—he's got the 'Justice' glow. He definitely went for the Smite build. I give him five minutes in the woods before he's back at the respawn point crying for a party invitation!"
Jaxen didn't head for the woods. Not yet.
He navigated the winding backstreets of the village, moving toward the "Eastern Ruins"—a cluster of collapsed marble pillars that most players ignored because there were no monsters to kill there.
He counted the pillars, moving toward a specific patch of overgrown weeds in the shadow of a headless angel statue. He knelt, his fingers digging into the digital dirt.
After a minute, his fingers hit something cold and hard.
He pulled out a palm-sized stone carving. It was a figurine of a woman veiled in shadows, her hands clasped in a desperate plea.
[Item Found: The Prayer of Elena (Relic/Quest Starter)]
Jaxen didn't hesitate. He raised his Willow Staff and slammed a Smite directly into the stone carving.
To a normal player, this would look like insanity—using your only offensive spell on a piece of junk. But Jaxen knew the lore. Elena was a fallen saint; she didn't want prayers, she wanted judgment to free her soul.
The stone cracked. A surge of purple and gold energy erupted, swirling around Jaxen like a hurricane.
[System: You have released the Saint's Sorrow.]
[Buff Received: 'Elena's Martyrdom'. Duration: 2 Hours.]
Jaxen looked at his status bar.
[Elena's Martyrdom (SSS-Modifier)]:
Holy/Faith Damage: +100%
All Skill Cooldowns: Reduced by 90%
Duration: ∞
Jaxen's breath hitched.
His Smite cooldown had just dropped from 20 seconds to 2 seconds.
His Heal cooldown was now 1 second.
And with the Pilgrim's Grace giving him infinite mana recovery, he was now a mobile, rapid-fire artillery battery.
Suddenly, the stone carving in his hand began to glow with a soft, haunting blue light. A ghostly image of a woman appeared before him, her eyes wide with shock.
"Traveler..." the ghost whispered, her voice like wind through dry leaves. "You have the scent of the stars on you. Please... my sisters are trapped in the Shadow Woods. Will you help me?"
[New Quest Available: The Saint's First Burden (Difficulty: S)]
[Rewards: ???]
Jaxen gripped his staff, a cold smile on his face. "Lead the way, Elena."