{"status":200,"message":"ok","data":{"id":13222,"title":"Steal-God Leads Humanity to Glory","avatar":"https:\/\/cdn.kiki-story.com\/cover\/watermark_compressed_13222_novels_1778723164_34fFXuDFNL.png","author":"Lovell Miller","summary":"[Game-Reality Merge + Rebirth + Invincible + Power Fantasy] When the game merges with reality, the world is rewritten.\nIn his past life, Brandon Cole fought for the survival of the human race\u2014crushing the myriad races beneath his blade, standing alone as humanity's final shield. But at the peak of his glory, betrayal struck. His fianc\u00e9e, Aurora Lane, stabbed him in the back to seize a divine godhood for herself.\nDeath was not the end.\nReborn at the moment of the world's reset, Brandon gets a second chance\u2014and this time, he plays to win.\nAt the class selection screen, while others scramble for mainstream builds, Brandon locks in the hidden class: \"Heavenveil\". He awakens a god-tier talent with 100% guaranteed steal success.\nAncient racial artifacts? That was what he would take.\nClan-defining Divine Artifact? He wanted them.\nWith stolen power, legendary gear, and absolute control, Brandon turns his followers into walking gods\u2014fully geared, fully awakened, unstoppable.\nThis time, he will lead humanity to rise again.\nThis time, he will suppress the ten thousand races.\nAnd this time, the light of the human race will shine so brightly that no race in existence can eclipse it again.","category":{"id":98,"name":"Games"},"tags":["Rebirth","Heartbroken","Mistrust","Lies","Weak to Strong\/Poor to Rich","Easy Progression","Billionaire","Rich","Rare Beauty","Genius","Kickass Hero","Brave","Capable"],"ip":"18.97.9.172","display_num":3765,"like_num":1954,"library_num":36,"deep_link":"","publicity_page":{"name":"Steal-God Leads Humanity to Glory","settings":{"banner":{"type":1,"url":"https:\/\/ad-cdn.kikinovelread.com\/material\/cb55b531ff54a1366c5742e9d2b77c9a.jpg","is_auto":0,"interval":3},"novel":{"is_show_read_num":1,"is_show_like_num":1,"is_show_tags":1,"is_show_hot_comments":1,"chapter_idx_list":[],"hot_comments":[]},"content":{"en":{"id":"13222","recommend":"

\ud83d\udc9f<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/b>Continue Reading<\/b><\/font>\ud83d\udc9f<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/b><\/p>","custom":"

Chapter 1 Betrayal and Rebirth<\/font><\/b><\/h3>
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\"Brandon! This was your choice. Don't blame me for being ruthless. If you can become a god, why stay human? You didn't want that chance\u2014I did!\"\nBrandon Cole lowered his head numbly and stared at the dagger that had already pierced his chest. Dark red blood was spreading along the blade, soaking into his snow-white battle armor.\nHe looked up in disbelief at the woman he had loved for more than ten years, despair filling his eyes.\n\"After you die, I'll become a god in your place.\"\nThat familiar voice rang in his ears once more.\nBrandon felt his consciousness slowly slipping away. Even at the moment of death, he could not understand it.\nAurora Lane. The woman he had spent half his life loving. The woman he had been obsessed with, gone mad for, and risked everything for. One day, she had driven a cold dagger straight through his chest.\nHis mind grew dimmer and dimmer. His body felt as if it were plunging endlessly downward. It was as though he had fallen into hell, sinking forever\u2014until his awareness faded completely.\nIt felt like falling asleep.\n\u2026\n\"Brandon, let's break up.\"\nThe heart-rending pain had not yet faded when that familiar voice sounded again.\nBrandon jerked his head up. A figure both familiar and strangely unfamiliar stood before him.\nCars streamed past, horns blaring, pedestrians hurrying by. For a moment, he felt dazed. What is going on? Hasn't War of Ascension already fused with Earth? Why are there still so many modern things around me?\n\"Brandon, I'm a college graduate. You didn't even finish high school. We're no longer part of the same world,\" Aurora said calmly. \"I'm grateful for everything you've done for me over the years, but we really aren't right for each other.\"\nHe snapped out of his daze. The Aurora in front of him looked much younger. When he took in the surroundings, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him.\nIn an instant, long-forgotten memories surged back.\nWasn't this the day Aurora, egged on by her friends after graduation, had taken the initiative to break up with him?\nThat day seemed to be the launch day of the War of Ascension.\nBack then, he had been so heartbroken that he missed the first wave of registrations for the game.\nHe only entered War of Ascension a week later.\nAt that time, no one knew that this game would one day merge with Blue Planet and become a new battlefield where countless races would fight for dominance.\nBrandon looked around again. A question rose in his mind. So, does this mean I've been reborn?\n\"Brandon! I know you've been good to me, and I know you like me,\" Aurora continued. \"But I've always seen you as an older brother. If you don't mind, I can still be your little sister in the future.\"\n\"No,\" he said at once, shaking his head. \"Absolutely not. Aren't you breaking up with me? Fine. I agree.\"\nBrother, my *ss. Only an idiot would agree to be your brother. D*mn it.\nIt's just that Blue Planet hasn't fused with War of Ascension yet\u2014your sorry ass is only spared by the modern law.\nOtherwise, the first slash I'd make after being reborn would have been right across your throat.\nBut... \nPlenty of time left.\nSince I can't kill you for now, I'll take my sweet time torturing you.\nThis life, I'll make sure you suffer! You betrayed me! You betrayed our country and our people! \nNational enmity and familial hatred\u2014unforgivable!\n\"Really?\" Aurora asked.\nShe had expected Brandon to cling to her and refuse to let go. She had even been worrying about how to force him to agree to the breakup.\nShe never imagined he would accept it so easily. For a moment, her eyes lit up.\nIn his previous life, Brandon really had clung to her for several days after she asked to break up. To pressure him into giving in, Aurora had demanded that he earn 500,000 within a month.\nAfter graduating from high school, Brandon stumbled into online gaming. With his exceptional talent, he had risen to the top tier of professional players.\nEven so, his annual income had never reached 500,000.\nAurora's demand had clearly been meant to make things impossible for him, yet the Brandon of that time had naively agreed. And through War of Ascension, he had actually earned 500,000 within a single month.\nAs the game grew more popular, Brandon relied on his extraordinary talent to quickly climb into the top ranks nationwide.\nHis monthly income reached seven figures, and his net worth soared.\nAlmost everything Aurora wanted, he could give her. Naturally, she no longer wanted to break up.\nLooking back now, if War of Ascension had never existed, if he hadn't earned 500,000 in that one month, his relationship with Aurora would likely have ended right there.\nNow that he had been reborn and was viewing everything as an outsider, he only wanted to say one thing to his past self.\nYou were a complete idiot.\n\"Really,\" Brandon said without hesitation, nodding. \"But since we've broken up, shouldn't you pay back the money you spent while you were in school? I paid for that.\"\n\"Brandon, are you even a man?\" Aurora hadn't spoken yet when her best friend, Sarah Mitchell, snapped angrily. \"Those were normal expenses during your relationship. How dare you ask Aurora for that money back? I've never seen a man as cheap as you.\"\n\"Cheap?\" Brandon laughed. \"Since high school, I have paid all her tuition and living expenses. The bags she carries, the car she drives\u2014I bought them all. Even her underwear was paid for with my money. All told, that's over 1.8 million. Anyone with a shred of shame wouldn't call me cheap.\"\n\"Brandon, I'm so disappointed in you,\" Aurora said, staring at him with disdain. \"Is money all you see? Do you even see me anymore? You're vulgar beyond belief. If that's how you are, fine. I'll pay it back.\"\n\"Your words,\" Brandon said with a grin. He took out his phone and shook it. \"I recorded that. It's legally binding. You spent a total of 1.86 million of my money over the years\u2014just counting direct transfers. That doesn't include the bags, cosmetics, jewelry, or the car. I gave those willingly, so I won't ask for them back. As for the 1.86 million, I'll round it down. Transfer 1.8 million to me. Cash or bank transfer\u2014which do you prefer?\"\nWhen she heard the figure of 1.8 million, Aurora froze.\nEven she hadn't realized that Brandon had spent that much on her.\n\"Brandon, are you even human?\" someone shouted. \"You have the nerve to ask Aurora for such a small amount?\"\nThis time, it was Leon Walker\u2014Aurora's college classmate and her so-called male best friend. He was a rich heir with a family fortune worth several billion.\nIn his previous life, Leon had also been among the first players to enter War of Ascension.\nRelying on his wealth, he had founded the Tyrant Guild. With deep pockets and an early-entry advantage, the guild rose quickly.\nAfter War of Ascension merged with Blue Planet, the Tyrant Guild successfully became one of the Top Ten Guilds of Solaria.\nWhen the Bloodbound War began, the Solaria server was attacked by a coalition of multiple nations.\nLeon, who had been stationed on the Southeastern Defense Line, led the Tyrant Guild and surrendered without a fight.\nMillions of Solaria server players were slaughtered, and vast territories fell into enemy hands.<\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 2 Widowborn Saint Physique<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

Brandon's expression darkened at the sight of such a traitorous worm, his voice sharp. \"A small amount? Leon, you've got some nerve. If you really don't care, why not pay it off for her? With a discount, it's only 1.8 million. Surely you can handle that, right?\"\nStunned, Leon hadn't expected Brandon to shove the debt onto him.\nBut now that Brandon had him cornered, there was no way he could refuse outright.\nAnd truth be told, Leon did have a bit of interest in Aurora. If 1.8 million could win her heart, maybe it wasn't such a bad deal.\nAfter a moment of silence, he made his decision. \"1.8 million?\" he said with feigned disdain. \"Fine. Give me the account number. I'll pay for Aurora.\"\nWhoa\u2026 Well, that was unexpected.\nBrandon had thrown out the 1.8 million purely to annoy Aurora.\nEver since high school, Aurora had never been one to plan ahead. She spent as much as she had\u2014and no more.\nThe money Brandon gave her vanished before the month was over. She constantly needed his support. Without him, she might have starved long ago.\nBrandon had never expected to get the money back. Of course, if he could, great. If not, he had plenty of ways to ruin her reputation\u2014posting online, wielding the law like a hammer. There were a million ways. As long as he wanted, he could destroy her before War of Ascension and Blue Planet merged.\nBut Brandon hadn't anticipated Leon stepping in halfway through.\nSince Leon was willing to pay, Brandon didn't refuse. He quickly gave him his card number.\nSoon, his phone buzzed with a transfer notification.\n\"You got the money?\" Leon asked, half in pain, half in impatience. \"Stay away from Aurora from now on.\"\n\"Leon, that's generous of you,\" Brandon said cheerfully, glancing at the message. He leaned close to Leon and whispered, \"Aurora has a mole on her butt. It looks\u2026 lively when you touch it.\"\nWith that, he didn't wait for Leon's reaction. He hailed a maglev car and walked away.\n\u2026\nLeon's face drained of color, his stomach churning in disbelief.\n\"Leon, what did Brandon say? Why do you look so upset?\" Aurora asked, concern lacing her voice.\n\"Does your butt have a mole?\" he asked darkly.\n\"Ah?\" Aurora froze, equal parts shocked and embarrassed. \"How\u2026 How did you know?\"\n\"You said you'd never slept with Brandon,\" Leon said coldly. \"Then, how does he know about the mole? D*mn it! Tell me\u2014how many times have you been with him?\"\n\u2026\nMeanwhile, Brandon had long left, unaware that his offhand comment had sparked a fight between Leon\u2014the same man who had just spent 1.8 million to save her\u2014and Aurora. Even if he knew, he wouldn't have cared.\nAs for how Brandon knew about her mole? He'd experienced it in his past life. Luckily, he hadn't this time\u2014otherwise, things would've gotten messy.\nWhile he was lost in thought, Brandon's car arrived at Harborview Medical Center.\nHe went straight to Room 602.\nKnock. Knock. Knock.\nThe door creaked open.\nThrough the crack, a striking figure came into view.\nA young woman, around twenty-three, about 5'6\", with a slender, graceful frame.\nHer beauty was mesmerizing, as if every feature had been carved with care. Her large, sparkling eyes were like deep stars. A high, elegant nose sat above soft, cherry-colored lips. Her skin was flawless, delicate enough to almost feel the elasticity beneath the fingertips.\nLong hair framed her face and carried a faint, refreshing fragrance in the breeze.\nThe only flaw was the subtle weariness etched across her face, a hint of brokenness.\nThis was the Widowborn Saint Physique in full display.\n\"You are?\" she asked softly.\nWho would have thought this frail, exhausted woman was the Violet Empress\u2014once feared across all lands after the merge of War of Ascension and Blue Planet, her very name striking terror into countless races?\nHer soulbound forbidden spell, Violet Divine Thunder, had slain tens of thousands of powerhouses\u2026 until a traitor betrayed her, and she perished.\n\"You're Celeste Langley, right?\" Brandon asked evenly.\n\"I am,\" Celeste replied, puzzled. \"You're here for me?\"\n\"This post is yours, isn't it?\" He pulled out his phone, showing a screenshot of the post.\nThe title read simply: 'Selling Myself to Save My Mother.'\nHer face flushed red. She asked warily, \"How did you find my address?\"\n\"That's none of your concern,\" Brandon said, cutting to the chase. \"Five million to buy you\u2014is that still valid?\"\n\"Yes,\" Celeste said, biting her lip, finally nodding. \"It is. As long as it saves my mother, I'll do whatever you ask.\"\n\"Account number.\"\n\"Huh?\"\n\"I said, your account number,\" Brandon said calmly. \"You're mine now.\"\nCeleste stared at him for a long moment, confirming he wasn't joking, before giving him her card number.\nWithout hesitation, Brandon transferred the 1.8 million he'd just received. \"Here's 1.8 million. The remaining 3.2 million will arrive within seven days. Within that time, make arrangements for your mother. After seven days, you will come with me. Any problems?\"\nCeleste glanced at her mother in the hospital bed, then back at Brandon, and nodded. \"Why do you trust me?\"\n\"Because I want you,\" he replied without pretense.\nShe didn't expect such blunt honesty. She nodded stiffly. \"I understand. Seven days later, I'll go with you. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it.\"\nBrandon checked the time. \"Give me your phone number. I'll contact you later.\"<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 3 SSS-Rank Class\u2014Heavenveil<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

After Brandon left, Celeste closed the door, slid down the wall, and collapsed onto the floor. Tears poured out before she could stop them.\nDid I really sell myself? Does this mean Mom can be saved?\nCeleste had grown up in a family of teachers. Both her parents taught high school.\nMore than ten years earlier, when the school organized a trip for students to take the SAT, the bus lost control. Her father died in the line of duty while shielding his students.\nFrom that day on, everything fell on her mother's shoulders.\nOver the years, her mother worked herself to exhaustion to put Celeste through college. Before Celeste ever had the chance to repay that devotion, Melina Grant, her mother, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during a routine physical.\nTo pay for treatment, Celeste burned through her savings. She borrowed from everyone she could. When there was nowhere left to turn, she posted a desperate message online\u2014selling herself to save her mother.\nIt had been a last-ditch gamble. Not long after the post went up, it was drowned in insults and abuse.\nLittle by little, Celeste lost hope. She never imagined that such a post would become her lifeline in the end. Her mother's illness could be treated.\nThe weight on Celeste's chest eased a little, yet when she thought about her own future, uncertainty crept back in.\nThat man looked young. If he bought her, it had to be for her body, didn't it?\nCeleste looked herself over from head to toe. From now on, she belonged to him alone. That was it. In her mind, Brandon had bought her to use as a plaything. She had been prepared for that possibility.\nBut when she looked at her mother\u2014sleeping, her brow still knotted in pain even in rest\u2014Celeste let it go. Nothing else mattered.\n\u2026\nAt that very moment, Brandon was returning to his rented apartment.\nIf he had known what Celeste was thinking, he probably would have wanted to smash his head into a wall.\nFive million to secure a future top-tier powerhouse. That was highway robbery, plain and simple.\nAs for her body? He admitted it\u2014he was tempted. But he had never once thought of treating her like a toy.\nBrandon glanced at the time. It was 11:30 p.m.\nWar of Ascension would go live in thirty minutes.\nThinking of his login setup, he picked up his phone again. \"Evelyn, is my Vital Pod ready?\"\n\"You think I'd slack off on something you asked for?\" Evelyn replied, her voice full of teasing.\nHearing that familiar tone, Brandon smiled in relief. You're still alive. That's enough.\nEvelyn Miller was a hardcore gamer\u2014bad at it, obsessed with it, and proud of both. Brandon was the elite carry she paid a premium for.\nThey had known each other for five or six years. They had even slept in the same bed once, though nothing had happened. Their closeness spoke for itself.\nIn his previous life, after War of Ascension merged with Blue Planet and the Will of the Multitudes descended, Brandon had been ambushed by Godborn elites while hunting champions of the myriad races.\nEvelyn had led a rescue team despite the danger. In the end, she died blocking a killing blow meant for him.\nIt was Brandon's greatest regret. Every time he remembered it, his heart ached.\n\"Evelyn, it's really good to hear your voice,\" Brandon said quietly.\n\"What's gotten into you?\" Evelyn paused, then laughed and cursed. \"You've got a girlfriend, and you're flirting with an old woman like me?\"\n\"I'm single now,\" he replied lightly. \"And you're twenty-six. That's your prime. If anyone dares call you old, I'll fight them myself.\"\nThere was silence on the other end for a moment. Then, she snapped back, \"You break up and immediately come tease a woman past her youth? Using me for entertainment?\"\n\"Who's teasing you?\" Brandon shot back shamelessly. \"I'm just stating facts. If I were really flirting, I'd do it to your face. Flirting over the phone is boring.\"\nTrading barbs with Evelyn lifted Brandon's spirits. The lingering unease from his rebirth faded away.\n\"Being reborn really is amazing,\" he muttered.\n\u2026\nHe rode an autonomous maglev car back to his apartment. The War of Ascension installation crew was already waiting outside.\nAfter verifying his information, they finished the setup in ten minutes.\nOnce they left, Brandon took five minutes to grab a quick bite. He checked the time\u2014ten minutes to launch. After tidying up, he lay down in the Vital Pod.\nThe familiar opening cinematic played.\nBrandon found himself in darkness. Then, pinpricks of light shimmered into existence, as if heralding the birth of a new world.\nThe lights gathered, forming a blinding beam that shot into the sky.\nAt its peak, a vast, ancient Time Gate slowly opened.\nThe clash of steel and the thunder of war filled the air.\nIn the sky, beasts and flying creatures joined the battle. Massive Dragon wings blotted out the heavens as torrents of flame scorched the land black. Smaller fliers darted like arrows, claws and beaks striking with lethal precision.\nOn the ground, Warriors of countless races charged fearlessly. Cold light flashed from their blades, each swing claiming a life.\nWar drums, battle cries, and the ring of weapons fused into a grim, stirring symphony.\n\"Welcome to War of Ascension. Scanning your race\u2026 Race confirmed: Human. Identity locked: Human.\n\"Locating server\u2026 Server confirmed: Solaria. Please set your player ID.\"\n\"Dawnflare.\"\n\"Player ID confirmed. Your bloodline has been acknowledged by the myriad races. Special sequence activated.\"\n\u2026\n'Hidden Class: Void Watcher'\n'Description: Void Watchers guard the fractures of space across the cosmos. They can sense and traverse the void.'\n'Race: Void Insectoid'\n'Class Rank: S'\n'Note: Hidden Class Ranks, from highest to lowest\u2014SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, F. After switching to a Hidden Class outside your native race, your racial power is affected by that race. Against that race, suppression effect: \u221250%. Inheriting a Hidden Class of your own race negates suppression.'\n\u2026\n'Hidden Class: Nether Shadow'\n'Description: Masters of stealth and assassination, excelling in infiltration and close combat. They strike unseen and kill in a single blow.'\n'Race: Netherkin'\n'Class Rank: SS'\n\u2026\n'Hidden Class: Bloodline Guardian'\n'Description: The most exalted class among the Bloodkins. Guardians of the clan and keepers of pure bloodlines. Possess powerful healing abilities, providing vital support in battle.'\n'Race: Bloodkin'\n'Class Rank: SS'\n\u2026\n'Hidden Class: Dragon Knight'\n'Description: Knights bound by contract to Dragonkins, wielding unmatched mounted combat power.'\n'Race: Human'\n'Class Rank: SS'\n\u2026\n'Hidden Class: Heavenveil (Unique)\n'Description: A human who wields the power to deceive heaven itself. Able to acquire anything in silence. Those who walk this path possess unparalleled stealth and concealment, excel at lockpicking and system breaches, and retain formidable close-quarters combat ability.'\n'Class Rank: SSS'<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 4 SSS-Rank Talent\u2014Phantom Touch<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

In his previous life, Brandon had picked Dragon Knight to level up fast and earn money. It was a strong choice early on, and at the time, he didn't know that War of Ascension only gave players one chance to choose a class.\nOnce chosen, there was no resetting, no rerolling, no do-overs.\nBy the time he wanted to switch later, it was already too late.\nDragon Knight wasn't weak by any means\u2014in fact, it was top-tier among human Tanks. And the best part? It was easy to play, requiring minimal skill input.\nFor most players, that was a blessing. But for a perfectionist like Brandon, a Dragon Knight that didn't demand skill felt like a waste of his potential.\nReborn, free of the burden that was Aurora, Brandon could start fresh\u2014light, unrestrained, and free of hesitation.\nMore importantly, his greatest advantage now was his knowledge of War of Ascension: every treasure chest spawn, every rare resource, every hidden quest from the previous map.\nAn Assassin-class career could accelerate his resource collection tenfold.\nAnd this wasn't just any Assassin class\u2014Heavenveil was a unique SSS-Rank human Assassin.\nIn War of Ascension, a class' strength defined a player's baseline potential.\nThe stronger a Hidden Class, the harder it was to master\u2014and the lower the floor for unskilled players.\nMeanwhile, a player's personal ability determined the ceiling.\nThere was no doubt\u2014Heavenveil had one of the lowest floors for human Assassins. A weak player could take an SSS-Rank Heavenveil and perform worse than a regular Assassin.\nBrandon had seen enough of that in his past life, but that wasn't a problem for him. He had absolute confidence in his abilities.\n\"Do you want to choose the Heavenveil SSS-Rank (Unique) class? Once confirmed, this choice cannot be changed.\"\nHe selected Yes.\n\"Class confirmed! Congratulations, player! You have successfully switched to the Hidden Class: Heavenveil SSS-Rank (Unique).\n\"Congratulations! You've unlocked the Heavenveil-exclusive skill: Absolute Lockbreak.\"\n'Absolute Lockbreak SSS-Rank (Max): Instantly analyze and break any lock or mechanism, gaining effortless access to targets or items.'\n'Cooldown: None'\n'Skill Restriction: Heavenveil exclusive'\n\"Acquiring Hidden Class-related Talents\u2026\n\"Congratulations! You have obtained SSS-Rank Hidden Talent: Phantom Touch.\"\n'Phantom Touch Level 1 (0\/100): Transfer a target into your hand silently without touching it. Works on any target.'\n'Spirit Cost: 100 points'\n'Cooldown: 12 hours'\nBrandon froze.\nWhat had he missed in his last life? This was insane.\nIn War of Ascension, classes and Talents adapted to a player's physique. Reborn, Brandon had access to the same class pool as before\u2014but last life, he had picked Dragon Knight for Aurora, and that had cost him Phantom Touch.\nHe'd known Heavenveil would be strong, but not like this.\nIt ignored all defenses.\n100% guaranteed theft.\nAnything he marked was his\u2014no level too high, no species too powerful.\nIf Brandon wanted it, it was his. End of story.\nPhantom Touch alone was god-tier. But Heavenveil had another soulbound skill: Absolute Lockbreak.\nAny treasure chest. Any mechanism. Any lock. Brandon could open it. Instantly. Without limit.\nTogether, Phantom Touch and Absolute Lockbreak were the perfect combo for effortless acquisition.\nBrandon laughed, heart racing.\n\"Mine\u2026 all mine!\"\nThe only drawback was Phantom Touch's twelve-hour cooldown\u2014annoyingly long. But the Talent had a leveling system. Upgrade it, and the cooldown could drop significantly. He just didn't know the requirements yet.\nSuppressing his excitement, Brandon checked the time.\n'Server launch countdown: 03:12'\nDuring the lull, he pulled up his Character Panel.\n'Adventurer: Dawnflare'\n'Class: Heavenveil (SSS-Rank Unique)'\n'Title: None'\n'Level: 0 (0.00%)'\n'Fate: 0'\n'Attributes (Humans start with max 5 points of Physique, Strength, Fortitude, and Agility; max 10 points of Intelligence.)'\n'Physique: 5 (Affects HP. Each point of Physique grants 20 HP.)'\n'Intelligence: 10 (Affects Spirit and Spell Attack. Each point of Spirit equals 10 MP and increases Spell Attack by 4.)'\n'Strength: 2 (Affects Physical Attack. Each point of Strength grants 5 points of Attack.)'\n'Fortitude: 2 (Affects defense. Each point of Fortitude grants 3 points of Physical Defense and 3 points of Magic Defense.)'\n'Agility: 5 (Affects Attack Speed and Movement Speed. Each point of Agility grants 1 point of Movement Speed and 0.1% Attack Speed.)'\n'Free Attribute Points: None (Gain 4 Free Attribute points per level. One point is automatically allocated.)'\n'Charisma: 0'\n'Luck: 0'\n'HP: 100'\n'MP: 100'\n'Attack: 10'\n'Physical Defense: 6'\n'Magic Defense: 6'\n'Movement Speed: 5'\n'Exclusive Skill: Absolute Lockbreak SSS-Rank (Max)'\n'Instantly analyze and break any lock or mechanism, gaining effortless access to targets or items.'\n'Cooldown: None'\n'Skill Restriction: Heavenveil exclusive'\n'Talent Skill: Phantom Touch Level 1 (0\/100)'\n'Transfer a target into your hand silently without touching it. Works on any target.'\n'Spirit Cost: 100 points'\n'Cooldown: 12 hours'\n'Life Skill: Insight\u2014View info on monsters up to 10 levels above yours.'\n'Basic Skills: None'\n'Human Racial Trait: Among all races, humans possess the highest intelligence. Each level gained grants an additional 1 point of Intelligence.'\n'Heavenveil Class Trait I: Gain an additional 1 point of Agility per level. While in stealth mode, the effectiveness of stealth mode is increased by 100%.'\n'Heavenveil Class Trait II: Attacking an enemy from behind grants an additional 100% damage bonus.'\n'Heavenveil Class Trait III: While in hidden state, Movement Speed, Attack Speed, Attack Power, and Critical Rate are increased by 50%, and Critical Damage is increased by 100%.'\nDifferent races and classes all possessed their own unique traits. Under normal circumstances, a class usually came with only one class trait.\nBrandon hadn't expected to receive three. And each one was more broken than the last.<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 5 Soulreave Venom<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

Every time a Thief leveled up, they gained a point of Agility\u2014basic for any Assassin-class player.\nBrandon, however, was different. Each point of Agility came with a bonus: his stealth mode was increased by 100%.\nIn other words, when hiding, he was twice as invisible as any other Assassin.\nThis meant that once his Stealth reached a certain level, he could remain in a hidden state indefinitely.\nEven more crucial were his second and third class traits: Attacking from behind boosted Attack Power by 100%.\nWhile in a hidden state, Movement Speed increased by 50%, Attack Speed by 50%, Attack Power by 50%, Critical Rate by 50%, and Critical Damage by 100%.\nStacked together, these traits made Brandon terrifying. His base Attack was 100. A backstab doubled it to 200. The hidden state boosted it to 300. And a Critical hit? That skyrocketed his damage to a staggering 600 Attack Power.\nBrandon's Attack Power had literally sextupled.\nAssassins thrived on one-hit kills, and with this kind of firepower, even a Dragon Knight\u2014the ultimate tank\u2014wouldn't survive more than a few blows.\nUnlimited hidden state, 100% bonus from back attacks, 50% bonus from hidden state, and 100% Critical Damage. He was already unstoppable at the start; if he grew stronger, even gods wouldn't be safe.\nThe thought brightened Brandon's eyes.\nAs he lingered in thought, War of Ascension began its countdown.\n\"10\u2026\"\n\"9\u2026\"\n\u2026\n\"3\u2026\"\n\"2\u2026\"\n\"1\u2026\"\n\"Do you wish to log into War of Ascension?\"\n\"Yes!\"\n\"You have successfully arrived in Flamecrest Town.\"\nA flash of white light, and the once-empty village was filled with people. The quiet town instantly became a bustle of bodies, voices clashing over each other.\nLast time, Brandon had entered the game a week later. The novice village had been far less crowded.\nHe opened his inventory with practiced ease.\n'Rough Dagger (Common): Attack +1, Level Requirement: None'\n'Rough Tunic (Common): HP +5, Level Requirement: None'\n'Rough Pants (Common): Defense +1, Level Requirement: None'\n'Worn Boots (Common): Speed +1, Level Requirement: None'\n'The familiar starter gear brought a long-missed sense of comfort.'\n\u2026\nAfter equipping it, Brandon pushed through the crowd and headed east, toward Elder Alden.\nBefore leaving the novice village, players could learn basic skills from the Elder\u2014a fact few knew before the server launch. Most beginners grabbed weapons and charged outside, only to be mauled by Redfur Rabbits.\n\"You're a new Adventurer?\" Elder Alden asked after Brandon greeted him. \"What brings you here?\"\n\"I want to learn the starting skills for Thieves,\" Brandon said directly.\n\"There's no such thing as a free lunch,\" Elder Alden replied. \"Learning skills requires payment\u2014\"\n\"No problem,\" Brandon interrupted.\n\"Adventurer, I can offer three Thief-related skills.\"\nAs soon as Elder Alden finished speaking, three skills appeared before Brandon.\n'Stealth (Level 1): Enter hidden state for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 60 sec. MP: 1\/sec. Price: 50 copper coins'\n'Sprint (Level 1): Greatly increases Movement Speed by 50% for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 30 sec. MP: 10. Price: 50 copper coins'\n'Fatal Ambush (Level 1): Assassinates enemies while moving, chance to stun, +30% Physical Attack. Cooldown: 20 sec. MP: 10. Price: 100 copper coins'\n'Twin Thrust (Passive): Unlocks dual-dagger combat. Price: 10 silver coins (1 gold coin = 100 silver coins = 10,000 copper coins)'\n'Pickpocket (Level 1): Attempt to steal from targets, success chance increases with level. Cooldown: 60 sec. MP: 10. Price: 10 silver coins'\nThese five were the core early-game Thief skills. Brandon had to learn them all\u2014but a new Adventurer started with just 200 copper coins.\nAfter buying Fatal Ambush, Sprint, and Stealth, his pockets were empty. The remaining two would have to wait until he had more funds.\n\u2026\nOutside Flamecrest Town, the noise never ceased. Brandon didn't linger at the gates; he headed straight to the back hills.\nAccording to his memory, atop the hills lay a sealed ancient beast\u2014the Sky Serpent.\nWhen War of Ascension merged with Blue Planet, the Sky Serpent broke free from Flamecrest Town's control, slaughtering recklessly. In a single night, it poisoned over 100,000 Solaria citizens.\nBrandon had been the one to kill it. When he did, the Sky Serpent dropped an SSS-Rank Assassin skill book: Soulreave Venom, capable of bypassing defenses and applying deadly poison. The fully developed version could even kill gods\u2014a divine-level skill.\nWhen he chose the Thief class, Brandon had planned to grow strong first, then return to Flamecrest Town to claim Soulreave Venom.\nBut the Heavenveil class came with Phantom Touch, an absurdly overpowered skill that ignored all defenses and guaranteed 100% pickpocket success.\nWith Phantom Touch, Brandon didn't need to wait\u2014he could steal the skill book right now.\n\u2026\nDecision made, he set off toward Dragonfall Cliff, the Sky Serpent's resting place.\n\"Does anyone want to help me level up? I'm a Cleric with great healing.\"\n\"Don't think I don't know, a level 0 Cleric has no heals.\"\n\"Just because it's not in-game doesn't mean it's not real life.\"\n\"Team up to farm rabbits! Need a Tank Knight!\"\n\"Hey, what's your class? Want to team up?\"\n\"The area ahead belongs to level 3 Razorboars. If you go in at level 0, you're dead!\"\n\"Several guilds tried farming those Razorboars\u2014they didn't survive a minute. All got ported back for free.\"\n\"Why won't you listen?\"\n\"Ah, you can't reason with the foolish. Go ahead, get yourself killed if you want.\"\nBrandon understood their concern, but he wasn't about to blindly charge into danger. If he dared enter Razorboar territory, it was because he had a plan.<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 6 Acquiring an SSS-Rank Skill<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

The Razorboars were concentrated mainly in Brindlewood.\nThey were a charging-type monster, typically one to two times faster than an average player.\nCompared to the Level 1 Redfur Rabbits, Level 3 Razorboars were aggressive and hit hard.\nAnyone caught in their attack range would almost immediately be left on the brink of death after a single savage charge.\nNormal players didn't even have time to react.\nRazorboars did have a weakness, though\u2014they couldn't climb trees.\nOnce inside Brindlewood, simply moving quickly into the trees allowed a player to bypass the area with ease.\nOf course, this method came with a drawback\u2014it made dealing damage to the Razorboars impossible.\nFor Brandon, that wasn't an issue\u2014these Razorboars weren't his target anyway.\n'Warning: You have entered Brindlewood. Monster levels in this area are high. Exercise caution.'\nThe moment Brandon stepped into Brindlewood, a suffocating sense of lethal intent surrounded him.\nWithout hesitation, he leapt to the nearest cypress tree. Looking down, he saw four or five Razorboars charging toward the spot he had just been standing.\nThey paused, puzzled by his sudden disappearance, circling the tree as if searching for him.\nThat was too close.\nIf even one of them had hit him, he'd probably have been sent straight back to the nearest city for free.\nOnce his heartbeat stabilized, Brandon began weaving through the forest.\nBeyond Brindlewood lay the Hanford Plains.\nThe plains were dominated by wolf packs\u2014once they locked on, survival was nearly impossible.\nFortunately, Brandon now had Stealth and Sprint, plus the Thief's innate talent granting 100% hidden state.\nHe had twenty seconds of invisibility.\nIf a wolf locked onto him, he could immediately slip into stealth mode and use Sprint to escape.\nThis maneuver demanded extreme awareness, reflexes, and precision.\nEven with his familiarity with War of Ascension, it took Brandon considerable effort.\n\u2026\nTwo grueling hours later, he emerged from Hanford Plains.\nAhead loomed Dragonfall Mountain, crowned by Dragonfall Cliff.\nThe mountain rose over 3,600 feet, steep and jagged, strewn with massive boulders.\nPerhaps because it imprisoned the ancient beast Sky Serpent, no monsters dared approach within three miles, intimidated by its aura.\nThat was a relief\u2014Brandon only needed to reach the summit.\nFive hours of climbing left him exhausted, every muscle screaming.\nFrom the peak, a veil of mist shrouded the landscape, giving the mountain an ethereal, almost heavenly appearance.\nAfter a brief rest, Brandon relied on memory to locate Dragonfall Cliff.\nBefore he could even approach, a terrifying pressure slammed into him. A deep, resonant roar echoed across the mountain, shaking the very air.\nLightning split the night sky, illuminating the entire peak.\nIn that brief flash, a massive Sky Serpent slowly emerged.\nIts long, sinuous body glinted silver in the moonlight, each scale radiating a cold, lethal sheen. Every inch of its form seemed brimming with murder.\nThe Sky Serpent's eyes burned with an eerie depth, fixing Brandon with an unblinking stare. It coiled through the air, twisting and undulating like a colossal silver dragon in the night sky.\nThe presence of the Sky Serpent made the surrounding air feel solid, its pressure nearly suffocating.\n\"Ten thousand years! You despicable humans! You fragile creatures dare to scheme against me! I will wipe you out!\"\nIts roar thundered across the mountain, reverberating in Brandon's chest with raw terror.\nThe serpent gaped, revealing jagged fangs, saliva dripping in globs of slimy, viscous fluid. Its eyes gleamed with hunger, as if Brandon had already become a delectable morsel.\nJust as the Sky Serpent lunged, a golden wall of light descended from above, forming a massive barrier six feet from Brandon's side.\nThe serpent slammed its head against it, unable to react in time, letting out a pitiful, mournful scream.\nBrandon knew this was a ward designed to suppress ancient beasts.\nAs long as he stayed outside its boundaries, the Sky Serpent could not touch him.\nWith that realization, Brandon finally relaxed.\nHe casually activated Insight.\n'Monster Name: Sky Serpent (Ancient Beast)'\n'Level: Unknown'\n'HP: Unknown'\n'MP: Unknown'\n'Attack Power: Unknown'\n'Defense: Unknown'\n'Speed: Unknown'\n'Skills: Unknown'\n'Description: One of the ancient beasts of War of Ascension, revered as \"Child of Heaven, Jewel of Earth.\" Long and dragon-like, its silver scales shimmer with a cold, mysterious glow. Its deep, piercing eyes can see all things. Its appearance is often heralded by lightning, windstorms, and earthquakes. It wields devastating control over wind and lightning, and can traverse time and space.'\nAs expected, there was no information on the Sky Serpent.\nNo matter\u2014Brandon's goal wasn't to study it.\nHe activated Phantom Touch.\n'System Notice: Congratulations! You have successfully used Phantom Touch on the ancient beast Sky Serpent and obtained the SSS-Rank skill book Soulreave Venom.'\n'Soulreave Venom Level 1 (SSS-Rank): Any attack applies one layer of Poison Effect, dealing 5 HP per second for 60 seconds. The effect ignores all defenses. Targets already poisoned cannot be healed or purified. Additionally, poisoned targets have Movement Speed and Attack Speed reduced by 50%. The Poison Effect can stack up to 3 layers.'\n'Special Trait: Consuming different toxins increases Poison Effect potency.'\n'Restricted Classes: Assassin, Thief'\nBrandon had acquired Soulreave Venom in his previous life, so he knew exactly how powerful it was.\nEven so, his heart raced.\nD*mn it. This skill is insane.\nAny attack could apply a layer of Poison Effect.\nIt lasted sixty seconds and could stack up to three layers.\nThat meant hitting the same target three times in a row would fully stack the Poison Effect.\nIn the following minute, it could drain 900 HP from the target, but that wasn't even the scariest part.\nThe truly terrifying aspect was that poisoned targets couldn't be cleansed, and both their Attack Speed and Movement Speed were cut in half.\nIn other words, their attacks were at least 30% less effective than at full power.\nEven worse, poisoned targets couldn't be healed at all.\nThey could only watch helplessly as their health drained away\u2014until death.\nD*mn!\nEven at Level 1, this skill was monstrous.\nAt max level, it would be godlike.\nAnd there was more\u2014the skill could absorb and merge with other poisons.\nThe more toxins Brandon collected, the higher the damage per second from Poison Effect.\nWith a strong enough poison, he wouldn't even need to rely on Attack Power\u2014Poison alone could deal astronomical damage.<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 7 Repaying Them<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

Brandon was still basking in the thrill of acquiring Soulreave Venom.\nSuddenly, a deafening roar shattered the air, vibrating through his very bones, as if the world itself was being torn apart.\n\"Despicable, shameless human! How dare you steal from me! You're asking to die!\"\nThe voice dripped with unrelenting rage and hatred.\nBrandon met the furious eyes of the Sky Serpent with a smirk, completely unfazed. \"See you in twelve hours,\" he said.\nThe Sky Serpent was loaded with treasures beyond count, and in Brandon's memory, nothing in Flamecrest Town even came close to matching its power.\nBy any calculation, looting from this creature was worth every risk.\nBetter yet, it was sealed on Dragonfall Cliff. As long as he stayed outside the ward's range, the beast couldn't touch him.\nIn Brandon's eyes, the Sky Serpent was a walking treasure vault, and he had no intention of letting it slip away.\nFor now, the serpent had no idea it had just become Brandon's mobile hoard. Its massive body shook violently, slamming against the ward that imprisoned it, releasing roars of pure fury.\nIts gaze burned with hostility and hatred, locked on Brandon like a cornered, enraged monster ready to shred him to pieces the instant the chains broke.\nPhantom Touch was cooling down, and Soulreave Venom was secured. There was nothing left for him here.\n\"Twelve hours. Don't forget it,\" Brandon said cheerfully, bidding his moving treasure a casual farewell before walking away.\nAs he faded from sight, the Sky Serpent bellowed, \"Lowly human! Return what you stole from me, and I may spare your life!\"\n\"Dream on,\" Brandon muttered under his breath. \"Do you really think I'm an idiot?\"\nNot to mention I've already used Soulreave Venom\u2014there's no way it's coming back. Even if I could return it, I wouldn't.\nThe reason? Simple. I took it with my own skill\u2014why the hell would I give it back?\nOf course\u2026 I'm just kidding.\n\u2026\nIn his previous life, the Sky Serpent had escaped Dragonfall Cliff and poisoned hundreds of thousands of Solaria's citizens.\nSuch a threat could never be allowed to go unchecked. Brandon was determined to prevent the tragedy of his last life from repeating.\nAmid the Sky Serpent's enraged roars, he left Dragonfall Cliff.\n\u2026\nRetracing his path, he returned to Hanford Plains, found a safe spot, and logged off. The journey from Flamecrest Town to Dragonfall Cliff and back to Hanford Plains took twelve hours.\nEven though the Vital Pod could continuously supply players with all the nutrition their bodies needed, letting them stay inside for hours without stepping out, it couldn't erase everything. Players could maintain peak performance in the game, but War of Ascension was built to mirror the real world in every detail.\nNo matter how advanced the Vital Pod was, the exhaustion that came from long hours of labor in the game still sank into the body\u2014fatigue the Vital Pod simply couldn't fix.\n\u2026\nOut of the Vital Pod, Brandon tended to his personal needs, grabbed his phone, and scrolled for a restaurant. He settled on a barbecue joint.\n\"It's been years\u2026 I've really missed the taste of Solaria's cuisine,\" he said, nostalgia washing over him.\nAfter War of Ascension merged with Blue Planet, the continent had changed. The majority of the land followed War of Ascension's structure, but many of Blue Planet's creatures and plants had mutated.\nHumans constantly waged war over scarce resources.\nEventually, the Eternal Creed arrived. Nations led by Caldor and Jinora, facing defeat, surrendered and became servants of the myriad races, opening the door for outsiders to invade the newly fused Blue Planet.\nYears of conflict left little room for farming, and once-rich culinary traditions gradually vanished.\nWild meat, processed for quick meals, became the main source of sustenance. Its taste fell far short of Solaria's former cuisine.\nIt was midnight. The barbecue joint was nearly empty.\nThe interior was modern and stylish, bathed in warm yellow light that lent a cozy, inviting atmosphere. The air was thick with the rich aroma of grilled meat and spices, whetting the appetite instantly.\nBrandon settled into his seat, and before long, the grill was ready.\nSoon, flames danced beneath the sizzling grates, sending up plumes of smoke and the mouthwatering aroma of spices and oil. He picked up a thin slice of beef and laid it carefully on the hot grill. The meat sizzled instantly, its edges curling as rich, savory scents rose into the air.\nUnable to wait, Brandon flipped the beef with tongs, brushed it with a thick, flavorful sauce, and took a bite. The tender beef melted in his mouth, the smoky heat of the grill and the tangy, spicy sauce blending into a perfect harmony of flavor. It had been a long time since he'd tasted something this good.\nYears later, more than half of Solaria's people would be slaughtered by the myriad races.\nThat peace, that sense of safety, would vanish forever.\nA sense of urgency gnawed at him.\nBefore he turned six, Brandon lived in a happy, carefree home, but disaster struck without warning.\nWhen he was six, Harborview was hit by a magnitude 8.2 earthquake. His parents, desperate to protect their little boy, shielded him in the center of their embrace. And in doing so, they were ripped from the world forever.\nBrandon didn't know how long he had been trapped under the rubble. Only when a voice whispered nearby\u2014\"Is anyone there?\"\u2014did he weakly tap against the walls, hoping for a response.\nIt wasn't long before the soldiers found him and pulled him to safety.\nFor the next six months, Brandon stayed in the military hospital. The men and women who rescued him visited regularly, checking on him, offering small comforts and companionship.\nEven after he was discharged and placed in an orphanage, they still made time to take him out, letting him feel some semblance of a normal childhood.\nThrough them, Brandon saw what true responsibility looked like. He felt how these ordinary men and women, with nothing but their own bodies, built an unbreakable shield of steel to protect their homeland, preserving peace and safety for everyone.\nFrom that moment on, he carried a soldier's dream in his heart.\nYet in high school, circumstances forced him to make a harsh choice. To support Aurora's studies, he defied his rescuers' warnings and left school to work and earn money.\nStill, the spirit he absorbed from those people\u2014the courage, the unwavering dedication\u2014remained his guiding principle.\nIn his previous life, it had been the same.\nIn this life, it would be no different.\nThey had protected him and let him grow strong. Now it was his turn to repay them a thousandfold.\nReborn in this life, Brandon swore he would do everything in his power to safeguard the peaceful Solaria he cherished, but he knew he couldn't do it alone. He would need a team\u2014a group of heroes with unshakable resolve and unmatched skill.\nAnd Brandon knew where to find them.\nIn Solaria's darkest hours, when survival was at stake, there were heroes who would rather die than submit.\nIf he could win them over before the myriad races arrived, perhaps when that day came, Solaria wouldn't be defenseless.\nJust as Brandon was lost in thought, his phone rang.\n\"Uh\u2026 Um\u2026\"\nWhen he answered, all he heard was nervous breathing. The voice stammered and stumbled, barely forming a single complete sentence.\nBrandon didn't need to ask. He knew it was Celeste calling\u2014and he knew why she sounded so flustered, so he cut straight to the point. \"You can just call me Mr. Cole\u2014or Brandon. What's going on?\"<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 8 All-Servers 24-Hour Leveling Leaderboard<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

\"M-Mr. Cole\u2014\"\nBefore Celeste could finish, Brandon cut in with a teasing smile. \"Mr. Cole sounds a bit distant. Just call me Brandon.\"\n\"B-Brandon.\"\nBeing interrupted twice actually eased Celeste's nerves.\nHe never really cared about titles or forms of address. He interrupted on purpose, trying to make her feel how relaxed he was, so she could loosen up as well.\nIn terms of age, Brandon might even have been younger than her. But in reality, he had lived nearly ten years longer than she had.\nIf they really went by age, he would be the one feeling awkward.\n\"If there's something you want to say, just say it. No need to be so formal,\" Brandon encouraged calmly.\n\"Well\u2026\" Celeste let out a slow breath.\nFrom now on, I'm his mistress. If I stay this stiff in front of him, will he dislike it? If a mistress can't relax in front of her lover, how could he enjoy that?\nHe paid for me. That means I belong to him now. If I keep acting reserved and distant, what if he gets unhappy? And if he's unhappy, what about Mom's future treatment costs?\nNo. That won't do. I'm already his. I need to give him what he wants emotionally. However he wants me to be, that's how I'll be.\n\u2026\nOnce she sorted out her thoughts, she felt noticeably lighter. When she spoke again, her tone was much more natural.\n\"I've already paid my mom's surgery fees. The hospital will run tests tomorrow and the day after. If everything checks out, the operation will be in three days.\"\n\"Okay. I got it,\" Brandon said, nodding. \"Don't worry about your mom's condition. It will be cured.\"\n\"Thank you,\" Celeste replied earnestly.\n\"No need to thank me.\" He paused, as if remembering something. \"When your mom goes into surgery, message me ahead of time.\"\n\"Alright.\"\nShe didn't know why he wanted her to notify him, but she nodded and agreed anyway.\n\u2026\nAfter the call with Celeste ended, Brandon's phone rang again.\nThe corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he pressed the answer button, his tone light and amused. \"Evelyn, it's pretty late. Why are you still awake?\"\nInstead of a reply, an angry roar exploded from the other end. \"I'm furious! Absolutely furious!\"\nBrandon was taken aback. \"Whoa, Evelyn. Who dared to make you this mad? Tell me. I want to know which blind idiot messed with you.\"\nHis voice carried a playful tease, but his words did nothing to calm her down.\nEvelyn snapped back angrily, \"Who else? Those b*stards from Hanova, Jinora, and Caldor!\"\nBrandon was confused, but he still tried to soothe her. \"Evelyn, don't get so worked up. Start from the beginning and tell me what happened.\"\nHe tried to calm Evelyn down so he could get a clear picture of what was going on.\nHow did this suddenly turn into a fight with foreigners? And three countries at once\u2014Hanova, Jinora, and Caldor.\nBrandon didn't like those countries either, but given the current situation, it wasn't time for open conflict yet. There was no reason to get this angry over them.\n\"It's because War of Ascension just released the 24-Hour Leveling Leaderboard!\" Evelyn complained bitterly.\nBrandon understood almost immediately.\nTwelve hours after the servers opened, War of Ascension had launched the All-Servers 24-Hour Leveling Leaderboard.\nBrandon was well aware of this leaderboard.\nIt was a critical reference for how main cities were allocated across servers.\nIn War of Ascension, every server\u2014no matter how large or small\u2014started with twelve Level 3 main cities, four Level 2 main cities, and one Level 1 main city.\nAt different stages of the game, the system released different leaderboard challenges.\nCompleting them rewarded main cities.\nFor example, during the beginner phase\u2014the town stage, from Level 0 to Level 20\u2014all ranking events rewarded Level 3 main cities.\nDuring the Level 3 main city phase, from Level 20 to Level 60, ranking rewards were Level 2 main cities.\nDuring the Level 2 main city phase, from Level 60 to Level 120, ranking rewards were Level 1 main cities.\nOnce the Level 1 main city phase began, from Level 120 to Level 200, servers were reorganized. All servers merged together, and wars between nations began.\nAt that stage, the main rewards were National Relics. After all National Relics were distributed, War of Ascension would merge with Blue Planet.\nJust minutes ago, the system had released the All-Servers 24-Hour Leveling Leaderboard. And in the top one hundred, there wasn't a single Solarian.\nThat outcome was exactly the same as in his previous life.\nTo ensure fairness, War of Ascension used fixed starting towns, Level 3 main cities, Level 2 main cities, and Level 1 main cities for every server.\nThe more players a server had, the fiercer the competition for resources.\nSolaria's first wave of players numbered in the hundreds of millions. Even killing a rabbit in a novice village required fighting over it.\nMeanwhile, on servers like Jinora, Hanova, and Caldor, as long as one was capable enough, there were rabbits everywhere.\nWith limited resources, even if Solaria had top-tier players, skill alone couldn't make up for the lack of materials.\nSure, they could try fighting above their level. But with a beginner's bare-bones stats, success was nothing but a fantasy.\nThe final result was inevitable. Not a single Solarian made the top one hundred of the All-Servers 24-Hour Leveling Leaderboard.\nThe rewards for that leaderboard were massive.\nFirst place received three Level 3 main cities and one Silver Chest.\nSecond place received two Level 3 main cities and three Bronze Chests.\nThird place received one Level 3 main city and two Bronze Chests.\nFrom fourth to one hundredth place, each received one Bronze Chest.\nAfter twelve hours, nearly everyone on the leaderboard had already reached Level 3.\nMeanwhile, Solaria's highest-level player was still only Level 2. They were already a full level behind first place.\nIn the next twenty-four hours, surpassing those on the leaderboard was virtually impossible.\nAnd the main city rewards from the All-Servers 24-Hour Leveling Leaderboard directly affected a server's national fate.\nOne extra city meant one more resource hub.\nGame progression was a snowball from the very start. The more resources they gained early on, the smoother their development would be later.\nWith Level 3 main cities on the line, no one on the leaderboard would dare slack off.\nThose outside the top three would fight desperately to climb higher. Those already in the top three would fight just as hard to stay there.\nIn his previous life, Solaria had not placed a single player on this leaderboard, but this time, things were different.\nThat was because Solaria had Brandon Cole.<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 9 Stone Colossus Encampment<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

Evelyn wasn't furious because not a single Solarian appeared on the All-Servers 24-Hour Leveling Leaderboard. After all, she already knew how things stood in Solaria.\nWhat made her furious was the aftermath. Ever since the leaderboard went live, players from Jinora, Hanova, Caldor, and other nations had swarmed the War of Ascension forums, mercilessly mocking Solarians.\nNow, even if Solarians wanted to strike back, they lacked the confidence. All they could do was stew in silence.\nWhat stung even more was the in-game betting system, which seemed almost deliberately cruel.\nThe bets closed at noon.\n'Bet 1: Which nation will claim the top spot?\n'Currently:\n'Caldor\u20141 to 1.3\n'Hanova\u20141 to 1.2\n'Jinora\u20141 to 1.1\n'As for Solaria? A staggering 1 to 12,360\u2014and climbing fast.'\nThen came the next one.\n'Bet 2: Who will win first place?\n'Lucien Blackthorn (Caldor)\u20141 to 2\n'Ethan Park (Hanova)\u20141 to 3\n'Isaac Morton (Jinora)\u20141 to 5'\n\u2026\nAfter venting her frustration, Evelyn finally spoke. \"Brandon, can you power-level me? I want to hit number one and crush those foreigners. Name your price\u2014I'll pay whatever it takes.\"\n\"Evelyn\u2026 I can help you crush those foreigners,\" Brandon said with a wry smile. \"But I'm not doing the leveling for you.\"\n\"Why not?\" she asked, puzzled.\n\"You probably haven't read the War of Ascension rules,\" he explained. \"Each player can only have one account. Experience is based on contribution. Power-leveling? Practically impossible. You'll have to do it yourself.\"\n\"Are you kidding me?\" Evelyn snapped. \"This game's impossible! How am I supposed to level up?\"\nBrandon had no words.\nEvelyn had started with an SS-Rank Hidden Class: Holy Priest.\nTrue to her generous figure, the class was a powerhouse of healing\u2014a Cleric-type with insane sustain.\nBut that wasn't all. Holy Priests could cast curses, forbidden spells, and other abilities that dealt massive area damage. In short: a violent healer.\nWith that Talent in hand, it made no sense to waste time whining instead of leveling herself.\n\"What class did you choose?\" Brandon asked, pretending ignorance.\n\"Holy Priest,\" Evelyn grumbled. \"It's a Cleric. My Talent boosts healing and light-based spells by 100 percent\u2026 but I don't even have a single proper healing skill. I've been hitting rabbits with a staff all day, and I barely made it to Level 1.\"\nBrandon shook his head. \"There's an Elder Alden in town. You can learn skills from him.\"\nAfter a bit more small talk, Evelyn calmed down and hung up.\n\u2026\nBack from the barbecue joint, Brandon logged into War of Ascension again.\nHe checked the leaderboard.\n'1. Ethan Park, Level 3, Hanova server\n'2. Lucien Blackthorn, Level 3, Caldor server\n'3. Ryan Gold, Level 3, Hanova server\n'4. Cassian Aurelius, Level 3, Veloria server\n'5. Isaac Morton, Level 3, Jinora server\n'6. Alaric Ravenshade, Level 3, Volgora server\n'7. Julia Yates, Level 3, Jinora server\n'8. Andrew Ashford, Level 3, Caldor server\n'9. Charles Montague, Level 3, Veloria server\n'10. Martin Bright, Level 3, Hanova server\nA quick glance showed the top ten dominated by Hanova, Jinora, Caldor, Veloria, and Volgora servers.\nThe top 100? Roughly 80 percent from these servers. The remaining 20 percent came from a handful of smaller servers.\nSolaria? Not a single player in the top 100.\nClosing the leaderboard, Brandon opened the Solaria Global Forum.\nChaos reigned.\n'Why can everyone else kill rabbits freely, but on our server, we have to queue for a Level 1 bunny?'\n'D*mn it! Is War of Ascension rigged against Solaria?'\n'I'm done! Everyone, quit and protest!'\n'Yes! Mass logout!'\n'Screw this game! Whoever wants to play, fine\u2014but I'm deleting my account right now!\"\nThe importance of War of Ascension was no secret.\nEven high-ranking officials in other nations had gotten insider info long ago, though they'd quietly agreed not to disclose it.\nOfficial armies couldn't enter the game, leaving civilian players to develop freely. But no entry didn't mean no manipulation.\nEarly participation determined a nation's later power. So countries had quietly pushed citizens into the game, offering in-game support and resources. Some even infiltrated Solaria from the start.\nThe people inciting mass logouts? Many were funded by the Jinoran Ministry of Internal Affairs, aiming to weaken Solaria's future strength.\nIn his previous life, under the careful manipulation of certain schemers, Solaria had indeed suffered a massive wave of players quitting.\nThis time, Brandon wasn't about to stand by and let their plot succeed, yet he didn't step forward to expose it outright.\nAfter all, he was just one player with little influence\u2014if he spoke up, everyone would only laugh at him.\nThe best move was simple: take the top spot on the leaderboard, show Solaria's strength, and boost server morale.\nFor now, leveling wasn't Brandon's priority. Making money was.\nEvery War of Ascension bet was a cash windfall. All funds went straight to the winners, no cuts. As the game progressed, the stakes only grew.\nBrandon had no real-world resources. Supporting the entire Solaria server required massive in-game funds.\nThe Grand Ascension Wager was his chance for a big payoff with relatively small risk. It only accepted in-game currency.\nThe first round of betting was bound to be small.\nStill, every little bit counted.\nAnd besides, this wager involved the entire War of Ascension. If every early player put in just one copper coin\u2014and there were well over a billion of them\u2014that alone amounted to a staggering sum.\nItem and coin drop rates were abysmal.\n\u2026\nThirteen hours in, Flamecrest Town had yielded only a handful of Common items\u2014no Bronze gear yet.\nThis alone showed just how abysmal the drop rates were.\nStill, there was one reliable way to obtain equipment, skill books, and copper coins\u2014treasure chests.\nIn War of Ascension, treasure chests were divided into tiers: Bronze Chests, Silver Chests, Gold Chests, Obsidian Gold Chests, Ethereal Chests, Immortal Chests, Sacred Chests, and Divine Chests.\nBronze Chests had a 5 percent chance to drop Silver gear, Silver Chests had a 5 percent chance to drop Gold gear, and so on.\n\u2026\nEvery zone in Flamecrest Town contained two chests: one Unbound Chest and one Boss Chest.\nA Boss Chest was guarded by a boss monster. Defeat the boss, and the chest could be opened immediately.\nAn Unbound Chest, on the other hand, required a Thief with lockpicking skills. Whether it could be opened depended entirely on the Thief's ability.\nAnd that was exactly what Brandon had his eye on.\nUnlike other Thieves, who had to grind endlessly to raise their lockpicking skill, Brandon possessed a unique soulbound skill: Absolute Lockbreak.\nIt could break through any mechanisms, arrays, hidden realms, treasure chests, and more. Anything that required cracking or unlocking was meaningless in front of him.\nTo Brandon, treasure chests were his private backyard. Whatever he wanted, he simply went and took.\nSouth of the Hanford Plains lay the Stone Colossus Encampment.\nThat was Brandon's first destination\u2014and he had his reasons for choosing it.\nAfter an hour of stealthy travel, the Stone Colossus Encampment finally came into view.\nBrandon cast Insight, and the Stone Colossus' attributes appeared before his eyes.\n'Monster Name: Stone Colossus (Common)\n'Level: 7\n'HP: 10,000\n'Attack: 112\u2013138\n'Physical Defense: 80\n'Magic Defense: 60\n'Speed: 8\n'Skills: Boulder Rush, Granite Armor, Seismic Spikes\n'Description: A massive body formed of solid rock, with thick, powerful limbs. It boasts overwhelming Attack Power and formidable Defense.'\nIn the early stages of the game, the Stone Colossus was the single most dreaded monster among players.\nDespite being only Level 7, it possessed Attack Power and Defense that surpassed even Level 10 monsters.\nWorse still, it had three infuriating skills.\nSeismic Spikes slowed enemies. Granite Armor boosted Defense while restoring HP. Boulder Rush sent targets flying.\nCombined, the three turned it into a living nightmare.\nBut none of that troubled Brandon.\nIn his eyes, no matter how many strengths the Stone Colossus had, they were irrelevant. What mattered was a single, fatal flaw\u2014its speed.\nThe Stone Colossus had a pitiful speed stat of just 8.\nWith Soulreave Venom applied, that speed would be cut in half, dropping to 4.\nBrandon's own base speed was 5. Even without movement skills, he could kite the Stone Colossus with ease.<\/b><\/font><\/p><\/font>

Chapter 10 Stonecleaver<\/font><\/b><\/p><\/font>

The Stone Colossus' greatest edge lay in its high defense, massive HP pool, and innate recovery buff. Breaking through its defenses was already difficult, and even if players managed to do so, killing it while it continuously healed itself was a massive time sink.\nThat was why the Stone Colossus was considered the most obnoxious monster in the rookie phase, bar none.\nHowever, all of those advantages were completely useless against Soulreave Venom. The damage it dealt was true damage, ignoring all defense, and under the Poisoned State, healing was disabled. It was a perfect counter to everything the Stone Colossus relied on.\nNot long after Brandon entered the Stone Colossus Encampment, one of the Stone Colossi locked onto him. It immediately raised its arm and charged straight at him with Boulder Rush.\nAlready on high alert, Brandon activated Sprint at once, instantly boosting his movement speed by 50%.\nAs he sidestepped, the Stone Colossus that had committed to Boulder Rush barreled past him, missing by a hair's breadth.\n\"That was close,\" Brandon muttered.\nThe Stone Colossus' attack power hovered around 150, but under Boulder Rush, it spiked to roughly 200. At Level 0, if Brandon had taken that hit head-on, he would have earned himself a free trip back to town.\nThe moment he dodged the charge, Brandon didn't hesitate. He turned and struck back with Fatal Ambush.\n\"-1\"\n\"Poisoned State applied successfully.\"\n\"-5\"\n\"-1\"\n\"Poisoned State applied successfully.\"\n\"-5\"\n\"-1\"\n\"Poisoned State applied successfully.\"\n\"-5\"\nAfter three consecutive attacks, Brandon could clearly feel the Stone Colossus slowing down. At the same time, a steady stream of \"-5\" damage numbers began popping up over its head.\nWith three stacks of Poisoned State applied, the Stone Colossus lost 15 HP every second. With a total HP pool of 10,000 points, a single poison cycle dealt 900 points of damage.\nKilling one Stone Colossus took roughly twelve minutes, and taking them down one by one was clearly far too inefficient. So, after judging the timing, Brandon began actively pulling monsters.\nAt Level 0, Brandon's movement speed was limited. Kiting five Stone Colossi at once was already the maximum he could handle\u2014any more than that would be overdoing it.\nBrandon had nearly ten years of combat experience. Although he hadn't played a Thief in his previous life, many tactical principles were universal\u2014such as timing the release of control skills and exploiting monsters' skill cooldowns. And once slowed, the greatest threat the Stone Colossus posed to Brandon was Boulder Rush.\nFighting five Stone Colossi at the same time meant perfectly timing all five of their Boulder Rush activations, then weaving between them through Stealth and Sprint to keep pulling and dodging.\nAt the same time, he also had to watch out for sudden attacks launched by the other Stone Colossi. Throughout the entire process, his focus had to remain razor-sharp. One single mistake, and everything he had done would be for nothing.\nFinally, at 11 minutes and 50 seconds, the first Stone Colossus collapsed unwillingly, dissolving into a streak of white light.\n\"System Notification: Congratulations, you have successfully killed a Stone Colossus and gained 500 Experience. As you defeated a monster five levels above you, you have received an additional 100 Experience.\"\nWith the fall of the first Stone Colossus, the remaining four had also reached the end of their lifespans. A minute later, they were successively poisoned to death by Soulreave Venom.\n\"System Notification: Congratulations, you have successfully killed a Stone Colossus and gained 500 Experience. As you defeated a monster five levels above you, you have received an additional 100 Experience.\"\n\"System Notification: Congratulations, you have successfully killed a Stone Colossus and gained 500 Experience. As you defeated a monster five levels above you, you have received an additional 100 Experience\u2026\"\nReaching Level 1 required 10,000 Experience points. After nearly 13 minutes of fighting five Level 7 Stone Colossi, Brandon had gained only 3,000 Experience in total, and the experience bar sat at just 30%.\nIt was hard to imagine how difficult it must have been for players who relied on killing Level 1 Redfur Rabbits, earning only 20 Experience each, just to reach Level 1.\nBrandon let out a sigh and began checking the loot dropped by the five Stone Colossi.\nOne Common gear and fifty copper coins. This\u2026\nStaring at the pitiful drop rate, he didn't even know where to start complaining. Still, he inspected the Common gear's attributes.\nStonecleaver\u2014Common gear, produced at Level 7, with 18\u201325 attack power, usable only by Warriors and Knights. It was the massive greatsword carried by Stone Colossi themselves, crude in design but capable of delivering terrifying damage.\nIn War of Ascension, a gear's level did not determine the level required to equip it. In other words, even a Level 7 weapon could be worn by a Level 1 player. The level only represented the tier at which the gear dropped, not the requirement to use it.\nThat said, gears couldn't be worn without limitation. To properly wield a weapon's power, the level gap couldn't be too large. If it were, the weapon's full potential wouldn't be realized.\nIf Brandon's memory served him right, once players equipped gear more than ten levels above their own, the gear's effects would begin to diminish. The greater the level difference, the harsher the reduction. That was why overreaching too far wasn't recommended, and a ten-level gap was generally considered optimal.\nWhich meant that even at Level 0, this Stonecleaver could technically be equipped without restriction.\nBrandon himself obviously couldn't use the Stonecleaver, so he directly listed it on the Ascension Trading Platform and chose to trade it for Solaria Crowns.\nIn the early stages, players didn't have much in-game currency. A high-level weapon like the Stonecleaver wouldn't fetch a good price if sold for regular game coins.\nBesides, Brandon had just purchased Celeste and still owed 3.2 million on the remaining balance.\nThe reason he had agreed to pay the rest within seven days was precisely that, during the early phase of War of Ascension, even Common gears could sell for astronomical prices.\nAfter listing the Stonecleaver, he switched it to auction mode. The starting price was set at 1,000 Crowns, with a minimum increment of 100 per bid, and the auction duration was thirty minutes.\nOnce everything was set up, Brandon stopped paying attention to it. He continued pulling mobs and hunting Stone Colossi.\nOf course, he wasn't pulling monsters at random. If someone had access to a god's-eye view, they would have been surprised to discover that his pulling route formed a winding curve. When zoomed out, that curve gradually straightened into a line. And at the end of that line lay the Stone Colossus Encampment's Bronze Unbound Chest.\nEven with the experience of killing five Stone Colossi, Brandon didn't grow greedy or reckless. He still drew aggro from only five Stone Colossi, kiting them as he steadily advanced toward the Bronze Unbound Chest.\nAt that moment, he was fully immersed in kiting, completely unaware of his inbox lighting up nonstop. He was even less aware that the entire Solaria server had gone utterly insane over a single Stonecleaver.<\/b><\/font><\/p>

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