The earth vibrated under a frenzied stampede of hundreds of legs.
The GoldArthropod roared, its cluster of compound eyes twitching in unison. It possessed a terrifying passive: the ability to pierce any stealth below Level 2. Even a ghost wouldn't go unnoticed. But Ethan Quinn wasn't relying on shadows—he was relying on raw, suffocating speed.
The beast lashed out, mandibles snapping and spiked limbs tearing through the air, but Ethan was a phantom. Compared to the erratic, terrifying mechanics of The Gilded Phantom, this Gold-tier boss was predictable. He moved with a cold, rhythmic grace, dancing through the carnage until his cooldowns reset.
Then came the counter-strike. Each heavy hit shaved off a staggering sixth of the boss’s health bar.
Ashen Rose and her team watched from the periphery, frozen in a state of suspended disbelief. They didn't see a fight; they saw a slaughter. Realizing it was outmatched, the GoldArthropod did the unthinkable—it turned tail and fled.
It didn't get far. Ethan blurred, covering two hundred meters in a heartbeat. He caught the creature at the edge of the treeline and ended it with a single, decisive stroke.
[You have slain ‘GoldArthropod (Lv. 8 Gold)’]
[Experience Gained: 6,970]
[Evolution Points Gained: 6]
[Tradeable Lifespan Gained: 420 Days]
Before the others could catch up, Ethan triggered Greedy Grasp.
[Evolution Points Gained: 6]
[Evolution Points Gained: 8]
[Evolution Points Gained: 6]
[Tradeable Lifespan Gained: 440 Days]
[Mana Regen: 2.9/sec]
A surge of pure, addictive power washed over him. One Gold boss. 28 Evolution Points and nearly 2,000 days of tradeable life. The synergy between Greedy Grasp and the Soulfire Bell was a cheat code, catapulting his progression light-years ahead of the general player base.
The experience was substantial, but the wall between Level 10 and 11 was steep—requiring a massive 100,000 points. He remained at Level 10, but the loot more than made up for it.
His eyes locked onto a specific drop.
[Void Aegis (Platinum): Assassin Skill]
Active: Converts all current Evasion Rate into Damage Immunity Shields.
Duration: 8 seconds.
Cooldown: 60 seconds.
Conversion Rate: Every 20% Evasion grants 1 layer of Shield. (Evasion returns after shields are broken or expire).
Requirement: Level 8.
Ethan’s heart hammered. This is the one.
With this skill, certain "impossible" bosses—especially those in the Godforsaken Reaches—became viable solo targets. He learned it instantly. With his Phantom Blur already evolved to Epic tier, his passive evasion sat at a staggering 75%. Activating Void Aegis would grant him three layers of absolute damage immunity.
He didn't stop there. He dumped 6 Evolution Points into it immediately, forcing it into its Epic form.
[Void Aegis (Platinum → Epic)]
Duration: 14 seconds.
Conversion Rate: Every 10% Evasion grants 1 layer of Shield.
Now, his 75% evasion translated into 7 stacks of immunity. He could walk through a god's tantrum and come out without a scratch.
He turned his attention to his offense. He spent another 16 Evolution Points to triple-evolve Virulent Dart, pushing it to Jade tier. The range increased to 17 meters, and the poison damage nearly doubled. With a five-second cooldown, its sustained DPS now rivaled his ultimate burst skills.
Finally, he checked the gear. The GoldArthropod had been generous.
Ring of Featherweight (Platinum): Agility +20, +20% Move Speed, +20% Attack Speed, +20% Cooldown Rate.
Gauntlets of the Crimson Hide (Gold): Phys Def +18, All Elemental Res +15, Constitution +12, Lifespan +588.
With the swap, Ethan’s Cooldown Rate hit 55%. His Phantom Flurry, once a 12-second wait, was now ready every 7.7 seconds. He was becoming a relentless engine of death. His stats were equally monstrous: 51 Constitution, 106 Physical Defense, and over 1,500 days of personal lifespan. He was no longer a glass cannon; he was a fortress.
By the time Ashen Rose reached him, Ethan was already packing his bags. She looked at him with a mix of reverence and naked greed.
"You actually soloed it," she breathed. "The rumors didn't do you justice. Any... Mage drops? I’m buying."
Ethan pulled a frost-blue tome from his inventory. "Frost Barrage. Gold tier. Area of effect, ten-hit bounce. 800 days, fixed price."
It was a Level 7 skill book, far superior to the Level 5 versions currently flooding the market. Ashen Rose winced at the price, but she knew the value. That skill alone would triple her grinding speed. She scrambled to pool lifespan from her teammates.
"800 days. Deal."
The trade was finalized, and Ethan vanished into the woods. He needed to get back to the hub. It was time to put out a bounty: 30 days of life for the coordinates of a Silver boss, 100 days for a Gold. He would let the masses find his prey for him.
As he moved, a private message pinged. It was Victor.
Apparently, Evie Quinn wants to gift 'Shade' a Bronze-tier skill book.
Ethan scoffed, a bitter sound lost in the wind. The irony was suffocating. Evie, his sister—the woman who had eventually gouged out his eyes to please Fynn Solo in his past life—was now trying to curry favor with his secret persona.
In their previous life, he had spent nine years providing for her. Food, shelter, skills, lifespan—he had given her everything, and she had treated it as her birthright. She was a parasite of the soul. If things didn't go her way for a single second, she would scream and rage. But for "Shade," the mysterious hero who had killed the man she loved, she was willing to play the benefactor.
If you knew I was Shade... if you knew I was the one who ended Fynn Solo... you'd curse me for eternity, Ethan thought. But for a stranger, you're all smiles and gifts. Some things never change.
He ignored the message and messaged Victor back: Meet me in town. Bring lifespan. I have stock.
Victor replied instantly: On it.
They met in the lightless basement of an abandoned church on the outskirts of Ember Hollow. Victor was there, along with Vera—the "Justicar"—and a petite woman in white cleric robes, Iris Snow.
Vera, looking lethal in her silver-light armor that accentuated her athletic frame, stepped forward immediately. She didn't waste time. "Did you do it? Did you kill Fynn Solo?"
Ethan didn't blink. He caught the scent of her perfume mixed with the cold tang of metal. "Are you planning on arresting me, Vera?"
She pointed to her head. "Check my tag. I'm the Justicar."
Ethan looked her up and down, a playful, dangerous glint in his eyes. "And who do you think was 'justice' in that alleyway? Me or Fynn?"
Vera’s stern mask broke into a faint, reluctant smile. "Relax. We’ve reviewed the logs. We know what Fynn and Lily Jiang were planning. Riverspan Industries was basically running a slave labor camp. Legally, the government can't touch you... yet. We're sticking to the cooperation agreement."
Ethan nodded. He knew they were only playing nice because they couldn't catch him. For now, that was enough.
"Let’s talk business," Ethan said.
He opened his trade window, and the basement was suddenly bathed in the multi-colored glow of high-tier loot. Platinum gear. Platinum skills. Gold accessories.
The air in the room vanished. Victor, Vera, and Iris Snow froze. They had been proud of their progress, having managed to take down a Silver boss recently, but the items Ethan was displaying were from a different world entirely.
"Platinum?" Iris whispered, her eyes wide as she stepped closer to the display. "How is this even possible? The first-kill announcements for Platinum bosses haven't even triggered yet."
Ethan Quinn didn't answer. He just waited for the offers to roll in. In this world, power didn't just talk—it screamed.