Zane had the right instincts.
Ash Valor could feel it; his friend’s gamble on the Stellar Pact was more than just a career move—it was a strategic masterstroke. While the majority of the Crimson Vow was still entrenched within the city walls, an ordinary citizen didn’t have the clearance to touch them. To hunt the hunters, one had to become the law. If Zane played his cards right, he wouldn’t just be rising through the ranks; he’d be sitting on a goldmine of influence and intelligence.
The only downside to joining the enforcers was the agonizingly slow rate of Kill Count accumulation. Had it been otherwise, Ash would have happily bought his way into a badge. But growth was a personal journey, and for Ash, that meant the steady, bloody grind of the front lines.
"Chitin, get back to the base of the Rampart. Keep the rotation tight," Ash commanded.
Lately, they had been focusing on high-tier elites, which throttled his Kill Count velocity, but the experience gains were undeniable. Efficiency, however, required investment. Ash had just dropped 180,000 Gold to equip Chitin with a Level 110 Golden-tier weapon specifically for the attack speed buff. With a dozen summons working a twenty-four-hour shift, they were guaranteed to trigger the One in a Million proc at least three times a day.
It was a staggering investment, but LitRPG was a game of compound interest. A steady stream of sixty to seventy attribute points per day made the gold sink worth every coin.
When the Kill Count hits a hundred million, One in a Million will finally evolve, Ash mused, checking his status.
At Level 111, Ash had already filled several Universal Skill slots: Phantom Summon, Blink, Eye of Clarity, and Ward’s Bulwark. With a new slot opening every ten levels, he had plenty of room to grow, but the wilderness was becoming increasingly volatile. He needed more than just utility; he needed a hammer.
He pulled a Gold-Tier Skill Tome from his inventory, his breath hitching slightly. "Come on. Give me something devastating."
He activated the rune.
[Ding! You have awakened the skill: Meteor Volley.]
[Meteor Volley]: Unleashes a dense, torrential rain of arrows upon a designated area.
Area of Effect: Scales with the caster’s Willpower.
Damage: Each arrow deals 10% of total Attack Power.
Mana Cost: 20,000 per cast.
Range: Equivalent to maximum bow range.
Cooldown: None.
"Dense? How dense?" Ash muttered.
The description was vague, but a quick glance at his Mana pool—86,352—told him everything he needed to know. Despite having Intelligence stats that would make most Archers weep, he could only fire this thing four times before running dry. It wasn't a boss-killer; 10% damage wouldn't even tickle a Level 100 Boss. But for clearing trash mobs? This was a tactical nuke.
Standing atop the Guild Rampart, Ash looked down at the surging sea of monsters in the distance. He raised his bow.
"Meteor Volley!"
The sky didn't just darken; it screamed. Thousands of shimmering shafts materialized in the air, a localized apocalypse of steel raining down on a hundred-square-meter zone. The saturation was terrifying—two or three arrows per square inch. Against the large hitboxes of the wasteland monsters, a single target was catching hundreds of hits simultaneously.
A frantic blur of damage numbers erupted.
[-12,036]
[-11,839]
[-12,105]...
The entire zone was vaporized in seconds.
[Kill Count +98, Gold +2]
"The range is incredible, but that mana drain is a nightmare," Ash noted, his breath hitching as he watched his blue bar bottom out after four rapid-fire volleys.
Archers didn't have the natural regeneration of Mages. He needed to shore up his weaknesses. He immediately contacted Orion, securing a list of every Intelligence-boosting reagent available on the market below Golden-tier.
[You have consumed Violet Mindweed: Intelligence +2]
[You have consumed Heartbloom Orchid: Intelligence +2]
[You have consumed Tier II Elixir: Intelligence +10]
Thousands of Gold later, Ash’s Intelligence had surged by 2,000 points. His Mana pool now sat at a more respectable 106,325.
He didn't stop there. He filled his Universal Skill slots with passives designed to make him an unbreakable fortress.
[Damage Reflection]: +10% Defense, reflects 20% of melee physical damage. (Cost: 1.2M Gold)
[Granite Bulwark]: +10% HP, +10% Defense. (Cost: 1M Gold)
Combined with Ward’s Bulwark, Ash was starting to look less like a glass-cannon Archer and more like a mobile bunker. Even within the safety of the Guild Grounds, he habitually cast his Ward. Caution was the only reason he was still alive.
"Might as well go all in," he muttered, turning his attention to his Soulbound Weapon.
Leveling it to Rank 2 cost him 100 Enhancement Gems and another 500,000 Gold. Seeing the requirement for Rank 3—1,000 gems—nearly made him scoff. The system was a relentless glutton for resources.
[Golden Longbow (Rank 2): All buffs increased by 20%]
[Ash Valor: LV 111]
Total Attributes: 123,635
Attack Power: 141,026
HP: 498,300 | Mana: 106,352
Defense: 46,132
Attack Speed: 6.9 | Range: 320m
Skills: Tenfold Shot, Armorpiercer (Lv 2), Crushing Blow (Lv 2), Meteor Volley.
Universal Skills: Phantom Summon, Blink, Eye of Clarity, Ward’s Bulwark, Damage Reflection, Granite Bulwark.
After stocking up on Random Displacement Talismans and Instant Recovery Potions, Ash’s gold reserves were down by another three million. But looking at his 40% melee reflection and half-a-million HP, he felt a grim sense of satisfaction.
He pinged Zane. "What’s your total attribute count at now?"
"Just broke 100k. Why?"
"Nothing. Just checking."
Ash closed the chat. At Level 111, he was already outperforming Zane, who was Level 138. Most A-rank players at Level 110 plateaued around 110,000 total attributes. Ash was officially an anomaly.
He was ready to settle in for a decade of slow, steady grinding. But the world had other plans.
[PLANAR BROADCAST: The Azure Prime Plane integration has accelerated. Convergence at 90%.]
[The Azure Prime Plane will fully merge within one year. The Great Plane Defense War is imminent.]
[Sector 836 assigned. Prepare for the challenge.]
[Spatial stability is failing. Void Rifts are appearing globally. Eliminate them now, or they will stabilize into Spatial Conduits in one year.]
The message sent a shockwave through the world. This wasn't a choice; it was an existential clock. Safe zones were a luxury of the past.
[Azure Prime Dungeon cap increased to Level 30. Level 30 Dungeons are 10,000-man Raid Dungeons.]
[Citadel Defense Shields are failing. Construct fortifications immediately. Security Zones have been revoked.]
The news was a death knell for the weak. Without the safety of the cities, the non-combatant classes and the children were suddenly exposed. The world was forcing everyone—crafters and cowards alike—into the meat grinder.
But amidst the chaos, a beacon of hope flashed on the global leaderboards.
[Tigren Vanguard Dusk Whitmore has cleared a Level 19 Dungeon. All Azure Prime players: +20 to All Stats.]
[Evan Valor has sealed the Great Void Rift. Current Level: 240. All Azure Prime players: +20 to All Stats.]
Ash stared at the name. Evan Valor. Level 240.
The man was a legend, leading a thousand-man elite unit composed almost entirely of Mages and Mana-batteries. The rumors said that if you gave Evan infinite mana, he could solo the entire Plane. Ash had seen forum clips of the man—thousands of Water Elementals charging like a literal tide, while Flame Spirits blotted out the sun.
Evan Valor issued a public decree:
"The Rifts are too many. We must hold the Citadels and Guild Grounds. Fortify. Level up your Guilds. The top 10,000 players are to report to my unit immediately. We are taking the Level 20+ Dungeons."
The Skystrider Guild responded instantly. Caden Marlowe didn't hesitate, dumping 150 million Contribution Points to force the Guild to Level 6.
[Guild Grounds upgraded to Level 4: The Skystrider Guild Town.]
[All Members: +300 All Stats, +20% Attack, +20% Defense.]
The guild territory expanded tenfold, stretching its walls deep into the Level 100 monster zones. What was once a small outpost was now a fortress-city of twenty miles, capable of housing hundreds of thousands.
[Territory Bonus: +200% HP/Mana Regen, +20% All Stats within walls.]
Ash looked at his updated stats. In the territory, his attack power broke 200,000. His health hit 600,000.
"The Skystrider high command is playing with fire," Ash whispered. By expanding into Level 100 territory, they were practically begging for a siege. But they were right to do it. They needed the space and the resources before the year was up.
The Guild channel exploded with orders.
"All non-combatants to the Dungeons! Level 100+ combatants to the West Rampart! Prepare for City Defense!"
Ash didn't mind. For him, this wasn't a crisis; it was an opportunity. No more hunting in the dangerous wilds—the experience was coming to him. He could stand on the ramparts and rain hell from above.
He joined a team and immediately put out a call.
"Galeforce Squad recruiting! Requirements: Must have high-tier Mana-regen or Mana-transfer skills. Let’s turn this rampart into a graveyard."