Tang Zheng

Biodata

Name	Tang Zheng (唐正)
Alias(es)	Free Will Tang; Gray Armored Knight; “black-haired genius alchemist”
Species/Race	Human; later develops Dragon Lord bloodline traits through his classes 342
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Crown 425
Occupation/Role	Player; alchemist; divine, arcane, mental, and other-system magic caster; combatant
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Basic Class opportunity: Warrior	3	Refuses the Warrior class prompt, preserving limited class slots for a carefully balanced build. Each Basic Class consumes fifteen levels of the level-100 cap. 3
Overall Level 2; Sword Saint acquired	8	Learns Quick Slash, automatically gaining the Mid-tier Sword Saint class. Gains Slash Damage, Instant Reflection, and Fourfold Slash of Light. 8
Overall Level 5	21	Status records Genius 1, Sword Saint 4, and the Basic production classes Potion Maker and Alchemist. 21
Overall Level 6; Thief unlocked	29	Raises Sword Saint to Level 5, acquires Stealth, and unlocks the Thief Basic Class. 29
Overall Level 7	31	Reaches Genius 1 / Sword Saint 6 while travelling from Carne Village into the Great Forest of Tob. 31
Overall Level 11; Sword Saint maximized	40	Reaches Sword Saint 10. His HP, Physical Attack, and Agility reach 113; Slash Enhancement reaches 10%. 40
Shaman Adept acquired	129	Spends three skill points to gain the Mid-tier Shaman Adept class, unlocking Soul Guide and Totem Possession. 129
Overall Level 28; Cursed Knight and Valkyrie advancement	134	Maximizes Cursed Knight, gaining an Instant-Death effect on curse attacks; acquires Valkyrie and Purifying Throwing Spear. 134
Overall Level 32	144	Status records Genius 10, Sword Saint 10, Shaman Adept 1, Magic Swordsman 1, Cursed Knight 5, and Valkyrie 5. 144
Summoner unlocked	160	Learning Composite Element Summoning: Wetland Elemental unlocks the Summoner Basic Class. 160
Overall Level 36; Magic Swordsman maximized	161	Maxes Magic Swordsman, substantially increasing mana and life force. 161
Gray Armored Knight (Unique) acquired	187	The gratitude and expectations of rescued humans grant him the unique Basic Class Gray Armored Knight. 187
Magic Overlord acquired	258	Completes the Arcane, Divine, Mental, and Other System requirements; converting Mad Wizard triggers the Special Class structure Magic Overlord. 258
Overall Level 48	330	Reaches Sacred Knight 7 and gains Dark Knight 1 while developing the path toward Holy Lord. 330
Overall Level 60–61; Dragonic Overlord maximized	342	Rapidly advances through Level 60 to 61 and maxes Dragonic Overlord, causing a major surge in physical power and visible Dragon Lord bloodline influence. 342
Overall Level 71; Primordial Chanter maximized	391	Immediately maximizes the newly acquired Primordial Chanter class at the cost of more than forty million experience. 391
Overall Level 74	406	Reaches Level 74, then removes the Mid-tier Commander class while maintaining the same overall level. 406
Overall Level 86 → 100	515	Repeatedly changes classes to force himself to Level 100 before confronting Saphis Xoth, overcoming a decisive level gap. 515
Oracle Envoy acquired	545	Successfully advances into the Special Class Oracle Envoy through fused holy and dark energy. 545

Background / History

Tang Zheng was an ordinary person before transmigrating, without prior sword training or combat experience. His Player talent allows him to receive experience, select classes, obtain skill points, and develop game-like abilities in the New World. He immediately recognizes that a careless build would leave fatal weaknesses against Nazarick, so he rejects an early Warrior advancement despite needing strength. 3 35

He first studies the Royal Tournament to assess Gazef Stronoff and Brain Unglaus, discovering that his Genius class can learn observed techniques through skill points. His first class gains establish his initial combat path: Sword Saint abilities, divine magic, practical life spells, alchemy, and stealth. 6 8 29

After surviving an Eight Fingers ambush, Tang Zheng begins using lethal force without hesitation. He kills the attackers, conceals the evidence in his Item Box, and uses the experience and stolen skills to strengthen himself before departing for the Great Forest of Tob. 27 28 29

His forest campaigns transform him from a cautious traveller into a regional power. He defeats dangerous magical beasts, subdues Ogre Gu and Rularus, kills Hamsuke, acquires monster-based powers through Totem Possession, and exploits powerful creatures as subordinates, resources, or sources of experience. 132 137 139 143

Tang Zheng later destroys Six Arms, restructures Eight Fingers’ Security Department through Sakhuronte and Imina, and leaves the Kingdom before Imperial surveillance can constrain him. 127 129 130

Appearance

Tang Zheng is initially depicted as a young black-haired human with dark brown eyes, inexpensive clothing, and an unassuming appearance that conceals his abilities. His physique becomes progressively firmer and more muscular as his classes raise his physical attributes. 3 40

• Usually has black hair; Dragonic Overlord briefly produces golden strands, which he forcibly suppresses. 342
• Wears gray armor while acting as the Gray Armored Knight. 187
• Can manifest bright gray, crimson, or shadow-capable Body Armament armor. 143 212
• Can shrink himself to half-size with Shrink or take animal forms through Wild Shape. 111 123

Personality

Tang Zheng is methodical, risk-conscious, and intensely focused on long-term optimization. He treats every class slot, skill point, item, and source of experience as a limited strategic resource, refusing immediate gains when they could compromise his final build. 3 29 408

In battle, he observes abilities before committing fully. He exploits compatibility, timing, terrain, resistances, and psychological weaknesses; when an enemy exceeds him physically, he relies on curses, mobility, summons, teleportation, and attrition rather than reckless confrontation. 123 128 381

His pragmatism becomes increasingly ruthless. Tang Zheng kills enemies for experience or information, uses Charm Species: All to impose obedience, and treats conquered monsters and hostile factions as resources. He nevertheless preserves useful survivors, such as craftsmen or potential subordinates, when their skills serve his broader plans. 137 159 197 270

Despite his confidence, Tang Zheng is not blindly arrogant. He retreats from Hamsuke when he cannot penetrate its defense, avoids provoking True Dragon Lords without preparation, and declines powerful relic classes that would disrupt his carefully constructed build. 132 342 408

Abilities & Skills

Player and Genius

Tang Zheng’s innate Player talent gives him a status system, experience-based growth, class advancement, skill points, and the Item Box. His Genius class allows him to learn abilities that would normally require incompatible classes or attributes.

• Learned Flow Acceleration after observing Brain Unglaus use it. 6
• Learned arcane Magic Arrow from a scroll despite appearing to be a divine caster. 27
• Can obtain classes through compatible equipment or by learning a related skill. 8
• Can invest experience directly into powerful Mid-tier and higher classes, producing unusually high base attributes. 28
• Uses the Item Box to store supplies, weapons, corpses, monster materials, and evidence. 28 40

Swordsmanship and Martial Arts

Sword Saint progression grants Tang Zheng instinctive familiarity with swords, defensive technique, and physical combat that he never possessed before transmigrating. 14 35

• Quick Slash — a Sword Saint strike dealing enhanced damage. 38
• Fourfold Slash of Light — launches four rapid slashes; Tang Zheng develops Fourfold Slash of Light: Breakthrough by concentrating all four hits onto one point. 8 137
• Instant Reflection — enables rapid evasive retreat and counterattack. 8 58
• Mind’s Eye — improves evasion and senses attacks outside his normal field of vision. 160
• Invulnerable Fortress — can nullify a physical attack if blocked with correct timing. 380
• Shrink — halves his size and grants up to 100 additional Agility, but can only be used twice daily. 111

Magic Overlord and Multi-System Magic

Tang Zheng develops magic across the Arcane, Divine, Mental, and Other Systems before gaining Magic Overlord, a Special Class designed around their synthesis. 258

• Magic Overlord strengthens elemental magic, mana recovery, MP, magical attack, magical defense, and variable spell effects. 258
• Can cast regular tier magic without mana by consuming experience. 258
• Can ignore a target’s resistance to one chosen element. 258
• Goddess Kali’s Sigh: Elemental Annihilation Day — erases elemental magic, skills, and creatures in the surrounding area, including Tang Zheng himself. 258
• Uses Elemental Attribute Change with Magic Swordsman abilities to adapt attacks to enemy weaknesses. 334 468
• His utility magic includes Papermaking, Warming, Odorless, healing, Flight, Teleportation, Greater Teleportation, and detection spells. 29 130 215 469

Curses, Control, and Holy Skills

Tang Zheng combines dark and holy abilities through Cursed Knight, Valkyrie, Holy Lord-related, and Oracle Envoy progression.

• Dark Wave — releases cursed energy that restricts or freezes targets; its curse can suppress natural regeneration. 123 127
• Charm Species: All — a fourth-tier mental ability capable of charming and controlling targets of any race. 132
• Purifying Throwing Spear — a ranged Valkyrie holy attack with a guaranteed-hit option. 134 469
• Unclean Impact Shield — a limited-use Valkyrie skill that can negate attacks or effects; Tang Zheng uses it against apparent Instant-Death abilities. 380
• Translocation Damage — converts received damage into mana loss, allowing him to survive Zesshi’s Judgment Reflection. 468

Summoning and Independent Combat Aids

Tang Zheng uses summons to pressure enemies, protect himself from close-range attackers, and create numerical advantages.

• Flame Archangel, Peace Authority Angel, Observer Dominion, and Judgment Throne Angel serve as major angelic summons. 134 156 227 469
• Hell Cerberus is a level-70, tenth-tier summon with exceptional strength and durability. 400
• Shadow Clone creates a separate combatant, though it principally inherits Tang Zheng’s mana and agility and has a short duration. 303
• Soul of the Heroic Spirit inherits his full attributes and is far stronger than a Shadow Clone in raw statistics. 303
• Composite Element Summoning allows him to call Wetland, Sandstorm, Blizzard, and other elemental spirits. 160 193 469

Totem Possession and Body Armament

Shaman Adept gives Tang Zheng access to creature souls through Totem Possession. He can place totems on five body locations, using them either for physical enhancement or for a chosen innate ability of the original creature. 130

• Hamsuke’s first totem grants 50 Physical Defense and allows him to select Body Armament. 142 143
• Because of racial and class incompatibility, Body Armament becomes Degraded Body Armament: an active skill that consumes 10% of his HP and provides defenses equal to half his own values. 143
• The armor can be dismissed freely and partially manifested, though partial use is inefficient because it costs the same as full-body activation. 143
• Rune Technology upgrades it into Rune Body Armament with Blessing of Abundance, allowing it to absorb materials and gain abilities. 211 212
• Its High Tier form gains Shadow Ambush, Ice Attribute Resistance, Curse Conversion, and Scorching Sound Wave. 212

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Rune Body Armament — High Tier transforming armor enhanced by absorbed Hamsuke remains, a mysterious scale, White Dragon Bone Armor, and Sun Anglerfish scales. 212
• Magic greatsword — Ogre Gu’s middle-tier weapon; can change size and carries a low-level poison coating. 137
• Frost Pain — High-tier lizardman weapon with freezing abilities; Tang Zheng stores it because its racial restriction prevents him from wielding it. 160
• Orb of Death — stores mana and can summon a Bone Dragon. 128 130
• Death Guard Armlet — carried as a safeguard against Instant-Death techniques. 333 380
• Two-Realm Mandala — World Item obtained after defeating the Four Heavenly Kings; contains alternate spaces and can create permanent elementals. 381 515
• Downfall of Castle and Country — World Item later used in Tang Zheng’s plans and control operations. 489
• Twelve Trials: Proverbs — Guild Weapon used in his later operations. 489
• Resurrection Ring · Common — revives its wearer at full health inside the Guild Stronghold, costing one level and a randomly dropped Relic-grade-or-higher item. 528

Relationships

• Nfirea Bareare — Tang Zheng recognizes Nfirea’s exceptional unrestricted item-use talent early and later keeps him under Zesshi’s protection during the Floating City operation. 3 515
• Blackie / Lesser Barghest — loyal companion, mount, scout, and combat support; assists in exposing the invisible Demon Snake and travels with Tang Zheng during major campaigns. 123 139 161
• Imina — trusted operative appointed as the new Mawmvis and placed over Eight Fingers’ Security Department. 129
• Go Gin — initially confronts Tang Zheng over Ogre-blood potions; their battle ends in mutual recognition after Tang Zheng’s curse and mobility force Go Gin to concede. 121 123
• Ogre Gu — defeated, charmed, and used as a subordinate, training partner, source of information, and source of regenerative blood. 137 143
• Rularus, the Demon Snake of the West — defeated and intimidated into submission; later helps restore order in the southern Great Forest of Tob. 139 143
• Crusch Lulu — Lizardman spellcaster controlled through Charm Species: All; Tang Zheng uses her knowledge to obtain lizardman magic and information. 159 160
• Yaluer — human ally who reveres Tang Zheng as the Gray Armored Knight; receives the Dimensional Shift ring after the Grey Dwarf campaign. 187 197
• Enri Emmot — subordinate and travelling companion; Tang Zheng tests her willingness to kill, while her association with Free Will allows her to intimidate stronger fighters. 223 342
• Zesshi Zetsumei — powerful Godkin subordinate and recurring sparring partner; their relationship blends combat rivalry, admiration, and Tang Zheng’s tactical instruction. 425 467 469
• Honor — former God-kin Captain forcibly recruited into Crown after repeated defeat and healing; becomes Crown’s second Godkin member. 425
• Gelos Hornfury — deferential intelligence handler and de facto steward who manages reports, research data, and administrative tasks for Tang Zheng. 507 528

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Early advancement and Royal Tournament: Delays class selection, observes Gazef and Brain, and discovers the practical value of Genius-based skill learning. 3 6
• E-Rantel and Eight Fingers ambush: Gains Sword Saint, alchemy, stealth, and utility magic; kills the first Eight Fingers attackers and leaves for the Great Forest of Tob. 8 27 29
• Great Forest of Tob: Hunts monsters, maximizes Sword Saint, defeats regional rulers, gains Shaman Adept, and develops Totem Possession and Body Armament. 40 129 143
• Six Arms and Eight Fingers takeover: Crushes Six Arms, kills Zero, Diyanoch, and Mumvist, then installs Sakhuronte and Imina within the organization. 127 128 129
• Lizardman and Wetlands campaign: Uses angel summons and mental control to destroy Lizardman resistance, acquire their magic and treasures, and expand his summoning options. 156 159 160
• Despair Valley and Grey Dwarves: Saves Yaluer’s people, earns the Gray Armored Knight title, conquers the Grey Dwarf Oasis, and exceeds one million experience. 187 197
• Abelion Hills expansion: Acquires Magic Overlord after completing all four magic systems and begins conquering useful demi-human races rather than simply exterminating them. 258 270
• Two-Realm Mandala trial: Defeats the Four Heavenly Kings through teleportation, summons, attrition, and massive experience expenditure, obtaining his first World Item. 380 381
• Crown and Godkin recruitment: Defeats Zesshi, recruits Honor, and expands Crown while navigating the Slane Theocracy’s relics and political threats. 408 425
• Floating City conflict: Forces himself to Level 100, destroys eleven controlled True Dragon Lord corpses through Elemental Annihilation Day, and prepares to confront Saphis Xoth. 515

Trivia

• Tang Zheng’s early strength growth is so abrupt that he briefly stumbles after standing because his body has not yet adjusted to his increased attributes. 8
• He originally had no sword training; Sword Saint progression grants him instincts and familiarity that feel like years of practice. 14 35
• His Justice Value falls from 51 to 23 after the Lizardman campaign, a change he views favorably because he wants to avoid justice-based abilities. 161
• Tang Zheng considers level loss from resurrection insignificant because his Player system lets him regain levels rapidly. 528