The Amethyst War Tiger had dropped 12 gold coins, 20 recovery potions, and — of all things — as many as five pieces of equipment, not one of them ordinary: two shimmering with golden light, three shimmering with silver-white. Glinting with gold were a shield stamped with a tiger’s roaring form and a fanged golden dagger; the silver-white ones were a broad suit of armor and two identical pairs of war-tiger boots.
Tiger-Soul Shield — Gold-grade. Use Requirement: Level 20 Guardian. Unidentified, cannot be used.
Tiger-Fang Blade — Gold-grade. Use Requirement: Level 20 Assassin. Unidentified, cannot be used.
War Tiger Blaze Armor — Silver-grade. Use Requirement: Level 20 melee-type class. Unidentified, cannot be used.
War Tiger Boots — Silver-grade. Use Requirement: Level 20 melee-type class. Unidentified, cannot be used.
Tossing out some of the relatively junky-attributed gear in his backpack, Ye Tianxie put the five pieces glinting with gold and silver into it. The Amethyst War Tiger was a Level 20 Lord BOSS, so the gear it dropped naturally had use levels around 20 as well. But whether the three Silver items or the two Gold items, announcing any one of them to the world would be enough to set off a considerable sensation.
Turning over the Amethyst War Tiger’s body, two paper scrolls of differing size came into view — one a dim gray, the other a plain white. Ye Tianxie picked up the gray scroll, and just as he’d expected, this was something with an extremely low drop rate, something that could scarcely ever appear — a skill scroll!
Skill Scroll — Frenzied Battle Intent — Use Requirement: None. Upon use, you will learn the skill “Frenzied Battle Intent.” Can be activated when HP falls below 20%; once activated, physical attack, magic attack, and movement speed all increase by 30%, defense drops by 50%, costs 30 MP, lasts 30 seconds. Upgradeable.
Frenzied Battle Intent… this was, of all things, the berserk technique the Amethyst War Tiger had triggered on the verge of death. And it was plainly stronger — not only was its activation condition not as harsh as the tiger’s below-10%-HP requirement, but it changed from passive trigger to a self-controlled active activation. A 30% boost to attack power and movement speed was something even a second- or third-advancement support skill of an attacking class would struggle to reach. More astonishing still… this was an upgradeable skill. It meant it would grow stronger and stronger in the course of continued use.
Ye Tianxie didn’t rush to use this skill scroll; he stowed it away and picked up the other scroll. As the white scroll landed in his hand, a clear chime sounded in his ears:
“Ding… Congratulations on passing the Abyss-difficulty class-advancement trial. You may at any time use the ‘Proof of Abyss Trial Completion’ to request the novice village chief to teleport you to the Lost Continent. As you have passed the highest-difficulty trial, we will issue an announcement three times to proclaim it to the world. May we ask whether you wish to hide your name?”
“Hide my name?” The corner of Ye Tianxie’s eye twitched. “I’d have to be sick to hide my name! And three times isn’t enough — announce it five times for me! Let the whole world know my name, Xietian!”
The scroll in his hand was the “Proof of Abyss Trial Completion.”
That clear female voice held it in for the longest while, and in the end gave no reply — whether at a loss for words or already taking it as consent, there was no telling.
……
……
“Ding… System announcement. The party led by player Zangshen has successfully passed the Nightmare-difficulty class-advancement trial, becoming Fate’s first party to pass the Nightmare trial. All party members — Zangshen, Divine Domain Ying, Divine Domain Fallen Star… all twelve receive the reward of Strength +4, Constitution +4, Agility +4, Spirit +4, Luck +1, Charm +1, plus a random Bronze piece suited to their class, along with a bonus reward of 20 Renown. We hope all players will keep up the effort.”
Whoosh…
That system chime, ringing out across the entire Huaxia Region, was like a meteor from beyond the heavens crashing down onto a calm lake surface, kicking up countless shattering waves. The Divine Domain Pact… a name far from unfamiliar, one symbolizing an enormous power base and strength. It had, sure enough, once again pulled far ahead of other players… While countless players were still failing time after time in the Hard-difficulty trial, struggling bitterly again and again, the Divine Domain Pact actually had a party that had already passed the Nightmare-difficulty trial!
Some were jealous, some envious, some could only sigh in silence… The enormous advantage possessed by a power base this vast was not something these ordinary players could match. They could amass enormous wealth and the finest gear, and assemble a party with the most thorough preparation, the best equipment, and the best composition. That Nightmare-tier trial was perhaps something only such behemoths of the gaming world had the ability and standing to pass.
Outside Novice Village No. 12000, twelve white lights flashed one after another, and then twelve figures appeared there — men and women among them, classes each different, the ratios balanced just right. And the gear on them was stunningly dazzling. Bronze items were exceedingly rare; so long as a single player had one Bronze item on them, they’d become a focus of people’s envy and attention. Yet these twelve people each had at least two Bronze items on them, and the vambrace of the tall man standing at the very front shimmered, moreover, with a silver-white light that made pupils contract.
“Hahahaha, we did it!” The Apprentice Archer holding a Bronze bow, topped by the name “Divine Domain Fallen Star,” cried out in excitement. And every face wore an excited expression. In the Nightmare trial, they’d failed time and again, and this time, at last — supported by powerful strength, well-provisioned gear, the favor of luck, and consummate coordination — they’d achieved success, holding out to the very end through close call after close call and passing the Nightmare-difficulty trial.
“Hmph, the first party to pass the Nightmare trial is us after all. The Son of Heaven of Wings That Shroud the Sky must be wearing quite an ugly look right now.” A tall man holding a heavy shield, named Divine Domain Sky-Wall, said. He was one of this party’s two Guardians, bearing the most damage and protection during the trial. His name was far from unfamiliar to all Huaxia players, because in Slaying Gods, he’d been the Divine Domain Pact’s strongest wall of protection.
Zangshen’s gaze slanted toward the novice village, a faint smile surfacing on his face. “Well done… but don’t get smug. With Sha Wujin’s help, the Son of Heaven should be able to pass the Nightmare trial too. Now, use this last afternoon to settle everything left unfinished in the novice village, then get to a city to advance your class first thing. We have to establish our power base on the Lost Continent at the fastest possible speed and knock down Wings That Shroud the Sky!”
To him, Wings That Shroud the Sky was his strongest — you could even say his only — rival.
The “Son of God” of the South, the “Son of Heaven” of the North: the heirs of the two strongest power bases in the nation of Huaxia, two proud sons of heaven watched by the world. Whether in the real world or the game world, they had never once ceased their open and covert struggles, which grew fiercer as time went on. And in some behind-the-scenes talk, the root of the strife between these two arguably strongest young men of Huaxia wasn’t the mutual rejection and suppression of each other’s power bases, but rather one person…
A femme fatale named Liu Qiyue.
“Young master, word just came in… Grey Wolf’s party was wiped out ten minutes ago at the fifth gate of Hard mode. The Son of Heaven’s party entered Abyss difficulty with Sha Wujin two hours ago, and was wiped out half an hour later. After regrouping, they’ve now entered the Nightmare-difficulty trial.” Divine Domain Ying reported the news he’d just received to Zangshen.
“Hmph,” Zangshen gave a mocking smile. “Overrating themselves. Abyss difficulty simply cannot be passed…”
“Ding… System announcement. Player Xietian has successfully passed the Abyss-tier class-advancement trial, becoming the first player in the World of Fate to pass the Abyss trial, gaining the reward of Strength +5, Constitution +5, Agility +5, Spirit +5, Luck +1, Charm +1, Comprehension +1, plus a bonus reward of Renown +100, and obtaining the Huaxia Region’s first Novice Village Hero’s Badge. His name will be recorded forever in the annals of Fate.”
“Ding… System announcement. Player Xietian has successfully passed the Abyss-tier class-advancement trial…”
“Ding… System announcement…”
“Ding… System announcement…”
“Ding… System announcement…”
Something seemed to suddenly lodge in Zangshen’s throat, and he couldn’t get out another word.
(Though Frenzied Battle Intent’s 30% attack and speed boost is quite considerable, it looks like a death-wish skill any way you slice it… but you’d best remember its name. This is no bit-part skill — as it evolves step by step, it becomes this book’s most monstrous skill… one of them.)
(End of Chapter 47)