Supernatural Awakening

After two days, the killing in Cross Lane had settled down. Soren had originally thought it would at least alert Amber City's guards, and he had even prepared an escape route. But he had not expected them to have no intention whatsoever of caring whether the Slums lived or died. It was only after Soren had wandered around the Dock District for two days and raised his Rogue class level to 3 that he learned a little more and understood why Amber City's Guard had completely ignored the escalating gang conflict in the Slums.

The reason was simple!

Something even more serious had happened in Amber City.

Although the Guard had tried their best to suppress news of the incident, bits and pieces still gradually leaked out.

—"Someone was skinned!"

This news had been quietly circulating through the Dock District's Gray Zone. The victim was a pitiful night watchman. By the time the Guard found him, all that remained was a bloody corpse. This was no ordinary Skinning Incident, because the human skin that had been removed was absolutely flawless, without the slightest damage. It had even been placed in the most conspicuous corner, as though mocking the Guard's incompetence!

There were only two kinds of people in this world capable of such superb skinning techniques.

One was fallen believers of the Evil Gods of Hell; the other was followers of Abyssal Fiends. Everyone who learned of the news felt a trace of panic, especially the nobles, who desperately pressured the Guard because the night watchman had been skinned while announcing the time in the noble district.

Followers of an Evil God or demons had infiltrated Amber City, and they were active near the noble district!

The Guard was now in complete chaos.

They were desperately searching for even the slightest clue. How could they possibly have the energy to care about whether the Slums lived or died?

After this news spread.

Many forces both inside and outside the city restrained themselves considerably. In particular, those who operated in the Dock District's Gray Zone had clearly begun limiting how often they acted. Since a Skinning Incident had occurred, there was no way things would end like this. Based on the Gray Zone's understanding of the Dark Domain, those lunatics would never simply stop.

The bloody incidents would likely escalate further!

When Soren heard the news, his heart jolted uneasily, and he immediately realized something.

This was a sign that the Age of Chaos was about to arrive!

Before the War of the Twilight of the Gods erupted, Hell's demons had been the first to act. Their followers had launched one bloody slaughter after another, with Skinning Incidents being the most common. This was an evil and ancient ritual, signifying that a new soul had fallen into the Chaotic Evil Alignment. It also meant that a certain evil Sacrificial Ritual, one that would sweep across the entire Southern Duchy, had begun. Have the serial Skinning Incidents already begun?

Soren stood in a corner of the Dock District, his expression unusually grave as he muttered, "Amber City!"

"This should be within the Southern Duchy."

"Though it feels unfamiliar, I seem to have heard this name before. Something major must have happened in Amber City before the turmoil began!"

"Otherwise, out of so many cities, I couldn't possibly have retained such a clear impression of it."

"What exactly happened?"

Soren frowned and tried his best to remember, but unfortunately, he still lacked enough clues. Far too many major events had happened one after another back then.

Even an Ancient Red Dragon had appeared!

Many people had seemed to go mad, planning to slay the dragon. Who would still pay attention to what happened in a single city of the Southern Duchy?

At that time, Soren had also been busy on the northern plains, wholly focused on finding a way to hunt that Hill Giant.

Slaying a dragon?

He had not been that naive back then.

Still, with only a level 5 Rogue class and no multiclassing, class changes, or advanced mastery, trying to independently hunt a Hill Giant was already a somewhat insane and extremely risky act. A Hill Giant had a Challenge Rating of 10, meaning that a party of Adventurers above level 10 only had a fifty percent chance of defeating it.

"The Skinning Incident has begun."

Soren looked at the goods constantly moving through the Dock District, as though foreseeing the coming turmoil, and muttered, "Looks like I should make a trip to the hidden treasure cave."

Strength.

That was the most important thing in an age of turmoil.

Because only strength could ensure his survival, and only strength could protect everything he cherished!

The Gods were about to descend.

The age of the Avatars had already begun!

Mortals were not qualified to interfere with the course of history, and no one could stop this catastrophe from arriving. Even the tens of millions of Players back then had failed to do so; Soren did not believe he could accomplish it alone. The only thing he could do was accumulate more strength before the age of turmoil truly arrived, at the very least gaining enough power to protect himself when faced with danger!

Two days.

That had been enough for Soren to roughly determine the location of the hidden treasure cave!

Nearly every city had such a hidden treasure cave. It was said to be the work of a powerful Lich from long ago, who had apparently been plotting some Intrigue, though it had fallen before completing it. Many people had explored these treasure caves in the past and found all sorts of miscellaneous items within, including components for creating a Lich's body. However, what truly attracted Soren was the Supernatural Equipment inside. Supernatural Equipment in this world was exceedingly rare, and obtaining it was far more difficult than anyone imagined!

The treasure cave was the only place in the early stages where one could obtain Supernatural Equipment, and there was even a certain chance of acquiring a Legendary Item.

Since it was a place arranged by a Lich, the clues would inevitably be related to Undead.

All one needed to do was ask around the city about haunted places, then perform some simple elimination, and the hidden treasure cave's location could be found.

In his previous life, such treasure caves had been thoroughly explored by others very early on. There should be no one competing with Soren now. However, since he could not find anyone trustworthy to act with him, he could only venture in alone. He could only hope that the challenge would not exceed level 5. After all, there had once been treasure caves with Challenge Ratings as high as 8 or more.

At the time, six Adventurer parties had been wiped out. Only the last party had completed it by sheer luck and obtained a Lich's Phylactery.

Unfortunately, it had already been damaged!

After keeping busy in the Dock District for two or three days, Soren's class level had risen to level 3, and his attributes had improved as well.

Name: Soren.

Race: Half-Elf.

Attributes: Strength 12, Dexterity 20, Constitution 15, Intelligence 18, Wisdom 15, Charisma 16.

Alignment: Lawful Evil.

Class: Level 10 Commoner/Level 3 Rogue.

Hit Points: 30/30.

Experience: 360,120 points.

Skill Points: None.

Attribute Points: None.

Status: Normal.

Class Skills—Stealth 78, Theft 35, Lockpicking 45, Traps 30.

Legendary Skill—Master Sleight of Hand.

Personal Feats—Dexterous Left Hand, Eidetic Memory.

Class Feat—Shadow Mastery.

After reaching level 3, the Class Experience Rogues gained from picking locks would greatly decrease.

Only sophisticated and complex locks could provide Class Experience, while even the simplest alarm traps could no longer improve Rogue techniques. Locks that had initially given dozens of points of Class Experience now gave at most a few points. Thus, Soren had no need to waste time on them. After all, from level 5 onward, Rogues basically found it difficult to gain Class Experience through lockpicking again.

Every Adventurer class received a noticeable improvement upon reaching level 3!

For example, Wizards could comprehend a spellcasting Feat upon reaching level 3 and could also learn and master Tier 2 Arcane Magic. Paladins could master the Feat of judging Evil at level 3, Druids could gain an animal sense Feat at level 3, and so on. Among them, Warriors likely gained the most, receiving a Class Feat called "Toughness Awakening," which permanently increased Hit Points by 10 and granted a 5% Saving Throw against physical damage.

This was a prerequisite for Legendary Warriors to comprehend "Absolute Toughness" and "Unyielding Resolve" in the future!

Compared to other classes.

The first Class Feat Rogues gained was fairly ordinary: the most basic Shadow Mastery.

In this special world, a person's strength encompassed many aspects. Some abilities came with one's class, while others were abilities one had trained and comprehended personally. Take Feats, for example. Personal Feats were unique abilities that one personally mastered through training and comprehension, whereas Class Feats were abilities and techniques possessed by the overwhelming majority of people in the same class.

Take Rogues, for example.

Nearly all Rogues above level 3 possessed the Shadow Mastery Class Feat, unless their innate attributes were so low that they could not even comprehend the most basic Shadow Mastery. Thus, other Rogues generally possessed the "Shadow Mastery" Class Feat, but they might not possess Personal Feats such as "Dexterous Left Hand" and "Eidetic Memory."

"Shadow Mastery: Through long-term training and conflict, Rogues gradually sense the power of shadows. This power has slowly seeped into their bloodlines, allowing them to hide themselves more effectively in the shadows. When Rogues use Stealth in shadows, their skill level increases by 5 points. When they launch an attack after leaving the shadows, they can deal an additional 1 point of Shadow Damage."

After advancing to level 5, one could become a Tier 2 Adventurer.

At that point, Rogues could master a Combat Skill—"Shadow Assassination"! Shadow Mastery was the prerequisite for learning Shadow Assassination!

At this stage, many classes would experience a noticeable improvement, though Soren preferred to call it "Supernatural Awakening."

Because the other Class Feats were much the same.

"Toughness Awakening: Through long-term training and battle, the power of a Warrior's bloodline gradually surpasses the limits of ordinary people. Ordinary injuries can no longer easily pose a fatal threat to him! The Warrior permanently gains 10 Hit Points and a 5% Saving Throw against physical damage. When determining abnormal statuses, he additionally gains a +2 advantage!"

Then came the Paladin's Class Feat.

"Judge Evil: A Paladin's steadfast faith has withstood many trials. When encountering an evil target, he can always easily identify it, preventing them from being deceived and exploited by evil targets. When a Paladin fights an enemy of an Evil Alignment, he can pray for a trace of Order's Divine Favor. This power has seeped into their bloodlines, so every time they strike an evil enemy, they can deal an additional 1 point of Divine Damage."

This was the prerequisite Feat for Smite Evil, and also the reason there were still so many Paladins alive in the world.

Their instincts toward Evil were very sharp!

Otherwise, those stubborn fools would have been played to death long ago.

There was not much difference between Class Feats. Most were Supernatural abilities awakened through increased class levels. Such Feats would gradually strengthen as levels rose, and many Class Feats were crucial to mastering top-tier abilities in a Legendary Domain. For example, if a Rogue wanted to comprehend the Combat Skill Shadow Step, he had to master a Class Feat at least as advanced as Lord of Shadows.