[Dungeon Cleared. Team Members: All Stats +30, War Merit +3, Gold +30,000.]
Two hours. It had only taken two hours for the Galeforce Squad’s destiny to be completely rewritten.
"The total haul from this run—thanks to that Epic-Tier Phantom Summon drop—is pushing sixty million Gold," Ash Valor said, his voice steady despite the astronomical figure. "I’m taking twenty percent. The rest of you walk away with 2.52 million each."
For Ash, his personal cut amounted to twelve million. If he factored in the liquid value of the War Merit rewards, the haul technically pushed past the hundred-million mark. It was the single biggest payday of his career.
The members of Galeforce stood frozen, the weight of the numbers finally sinking in.
"I’m an overnight millionaire," Grant Fang muttered, staring at his trembling hands. "I don’t even know how to spend this much."
"Captain, we have to hit Southhaven, right?" Brett suggested, his eyes bright. "A feast. The best wine in the city. We’ve earned it."
"There’s no time for that," Ash cut him off, already checking his inventory. "Restock and reset. We’re hitting the next one immediately. You guys are leveling too fast—at this rate, we’ll be grinding Level 140 dungeons by tomorrow."
"Living the dream," Lyra sighed, though a smile played on her lips. "Except there’s no actually 'living' involved. Just endless monsters."
"Life is a luxury for those who aren't dead," Ash retorted. "We survive first. Everything else comes second."
He could see it in their eyes—they were becoming efficient, cold-blooded killing machines under his lead. It was exactly what they needed to stay alive in Azure Prime.
"Alright, initiate the exit teleport," Ash commanded. "Once we’re out, upgrade your gear immediately. If there isn't anything specific you need from the market, dump your War Merit into Attribute Fruits. And one more thing..." He paused, his gaze hardening. "Don't let this money go to your heads. Stay low, stay quiet, and get rich in the shadows. Understood?"
Ten thousand War Merit could be exchanged for a staggering hundred million Gold. It was a terrifying sum, yet in the high-stakes world of Level 140+ awakened, it could vanish in an instant. Grant, for instance, was nearing his next summon contract. Between evolving his Skeleton Ranger to Epic-Tier and nurturing a new summon to Gold-Tier, his two million would be gone before the sun set.
Ash checked his own balance. He had roughly thirteen million Gold to play with. Five million to push my weapon to Level 3 enhancement, he calculated. The remaining eight will stay in the bank for emergencies.
[Dungeon instance complete. Spatial Conduit closing. Commencing extraction...]
Inside a dungeon, the global communication channels were silenced. The moment Ash’s boots hit the cobblestones of the Guild Grounds, a barrage of system notifications detonated in his mind like artillery fire.
[Planar Broadcast: Ash Valor’s team has cleared a Hidden Dungeon, achieving a feat of Remarkable Merit.]
[All practitioners within the Azure Prime Plane: All Stats +100, War Merit +1.]
Ash stood rooted to the spot, his jaw tightening. A Planar Broadcast? For a hidden dungeon?
The rewards were obscene. A flat +100 to all stats for every living soul on the plane was a world-altering event.
"Uh, Captain?" Grant smirked, gesturing to the glowing sky. "About that whole 'staying low' thing... I think the universe has other plans."
"You’re just too good, Ash," Nina added, stifling a laugh. "The system won't let you be a nobody."
[Guild Members: All Stats +200, War Merit +10, Guild Contribution Points +100,000.]
[Your War Merit Rank has increased to Level 2. Current Plane Ranking: 1st.]
Ash had edged out his teammates for the top spot only because he’d landed the killing blows on the final bosses. The leaderboard was a sea of Galeforce names.
1. Ash Valor
2. Brett Fang
3. Lyra Fang
4. Grant Fang
...
21. Evan Valor
"Holy sht," Ash whispered. The Crimson Vow guild members were going to lose their minds when they saw this. The world was going to think the Fang family was some ancient, hidden superpower.
[Achievement Unlocked: Rising Star (Top 100 Rank). Reward: All Stats +100, Attack Power +2%.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Peerless Excellence (Top 10 Rank). Reward: All Stats +200, Attack Range +200.]
[Achievement Unlocked: The Apex (Rank 1). Reward: All Stats +500. Title Granted: Unrivaled.]
"Is this what Evan Valor feels like all the time?" Grant asked, looking at his new stat sheet.
"Evan took the top spot before the Merit system even settled," Ash said, trying to downplay it. "It doesn't matter. We’re at the top now, but once the whales start grinding, I’ll be lucky to stay in the top hundred. This is a one-time spike."
He checked his new title.
[Title: Unrivaled — All Stats +5%.]
It was one thing to catch a lucky break once. To hit a Planar Broadcast a second time? That wasn't luck. Ash Valor’s name was no longer just a rumor; it was a brand. By providing a +100 stat buff to the entire population, he’d essentially handed every person in Azure Prime a massive gift.
Inside the Skystrider Guild, the atmosphere was electric. Orion, the Guild Leader, looked like he was about to have a stroke from pure euphoria as he watched the Guild Contribution Points (GCP) tick upward.
[Orion has leveled up the Guild to Level 7.]
[Member Cap increased to 400,000. Reserve Cap increased to 800,000.]
[Guild Buff Updated: All Stats +350, Attack +25%, Defense +25%.]
Orion didn't wait. He jumped straight onto the guild-wide broadcast, his voice cracking with a mixture of greed and sheer joy.
"Listen up, you beautiful bastards! We just hit third place in Southhaven!" Orion roared. "While we’re hot, I want everyone recruiting! I want the strongest, the fastest, the deadliest! We’re building a hundred defense towers! A thousand!"
He took a jagged breath, his voice dropping into a tone of mock-solemnity. "And finally, let us give thanks to our Legend. Ash Valor is the blueprint. His epic rise will be documented in pamphlets and distributed for free! Now, let me tell you about the time he—AGH!"
A muffled thud echoed through the channel, followed by a sharp yelp.
"Dammit, Ash! I’m trying to build your brand! Why are you hitting me?" Orion’s voice came back, sounding winded. Even without his bow, Ash’s increased stats meant a simple shove packed the punch of a sledgehammer.
"Orion, shut up," Ash snapped over the team channel. "You ever hear the phrase 'the tall nail gets hammered down'? Shut the hell up."
"Too late for that, kid! Everyone knows who you are! The players know you, and the boss monsters in the wild are probably studying your face as we speak. We use this momentum to grow the guild, or we waste it."
"Then promote the guild," Ash growled. "Leave my name out of it."
"You think I want to talk about you?" Orion scoffed. "I’m dying of jealousy over here! That Death Strike proc? On an Archer? It’s cheating. It’s straight-up cheating."
Orion paused, his voice turning uncharacteristically sweet. "By the way, Ash... I did just give you that 300,000 Gold earlier..."
"You’re not getting a refund, Orion."
"No, no! I was just thinking... you got room for one more on the next run?"
"Get lost."
As his fame grew, Ash found himself retreating further into the shadows. He adopted a cold, distant persona—not because he was arrogant, but because the alternative was being swarmed by sycophants every time he stepped into a tavern. He wanted to grind. He wanted to get stronger. He didn't want to be a celebrity.
The new recruits looked at him with a mixture of awe and fear, keeping a respectful distance. He was the "High-Cold" Elite, a figure of myth walking their halls.
Orion, of course, did the opposite. Every time he met with The Stellar Pact or other guild leaders, he dropped Ash’s name like a tactical nuke. Even Zane had changed his status message to: Ash Valor is my brother.
Ash sighed, looking at his rewards. "The achievements are nice, but we won't hold the top of the leaderboard for long. Don't get comfortable."
"We don't care, Captain," Brett laughed. "I just gained 100,000 HP from one achievement. I’m happy to be a 'has-been' at this rate."
"My crit rate just jumped 10%," Nina added, checking her daggers.
The rewards were tailored to their classes. For Ash, that extra 200 meters of range was the most terrifying buff of all.
"Vera," Ash said, turning to the mage. "Upload the footage of the statue fight to the forums."
"On it, Captain."
Grant blinked. "Wait, I thought we were being low-key? Now we're posting highlights?"
"Strategy change?" Lyra teased. "The Captain’s body is more honest than his mouth."
"Shut it," Ash snapped, though there was no heat in it. "We’re posting it as a warning. People need to see how dangerous these hidden dungeons are. And more importantly, I want them to see that we only won because of a lucky Death Strike proc. I want the world to think I’m lucky, not powerful. If they think it was a fluke, they’ll underestimate us."
It was a half-truth. Without that proc, they’d be dead.
"Spend your money wisely," Ash commanded. "I want the highest possible power-to-gold ratio. Go."
Ash headed straight for the market.
[Purchased 1,000 Enhancement Gems. Cost: 5,000,000 Gold.]
[Soulbound Weapon enhanced to Level 3. All bonuses increased by 30%.]
[Level 4 Enhancement requirement: 10,000 Gems.]
"Ten times the cost for the next level," Ash muttered. "Figures."
He turned his attention to his jewelry. His necklace and ring were top-tier, likely to stay with him for dozens of levels.
[Ring enhanced to Level 2.]
[Necklace enhanced to Level 2.]
[Cost: 1,650,000 Gold.]
With six million left, he started buying out the permanent stat-boosters he’d previously been too poor to afford.
[Consumed Elixir of Might (Gold-Tier). Strength +20.]
[Consumed Ironhide Pill. Vitality +20.]
[Consumed Focus Draught. Stamina +20.]
His gold reserves bottomed out almost instantly. It was never enough. But as the elixirs took effect, he felt his spirit expand, his muscles knitting tighter, his senses sharpening to a razor edge. Between the guild buffs, the weapon enhancement, and the raw stat injections, he had ascended to a new plane of lethality.
[Ash Valor: LV155]
[Total Stats: 342,658]
[Attack Power: 636,026]
[HP: 1,028,300 | MP: 246,352]
[Defense: 98,112]
[Range: 1,005m | Attack Speed: 10.8 | Movement: 186]
[Crit Rate: 74% | Phase Step: 30% | Reflection: 30%]
A thousand meters of range, he thought, a grim satisfaction settling over him. Over six hundred thousand base attack. A million health. Even his mana pool was deep enough to fire fifteen consecutive Meteor Volleys. With team buffs and potions, his peak attack could easily break the million mark.
The rest of the squad wasn't far behind. Brett’s health had eclipsed two million. Grant had finally pushed his Skeleton Ranger to Epic-Tier and, following Zane’s lead, had contracted a flying mount—a sleek, lethal Shadowtalon.
"Check it out!" Grant yelled, hovering a few feet off the ground on the back of the dark-winged beast. "My Skeleton Ranger even rolled an aura! +10% ranged damage for the whole squad!"
It wasn't as strong as Hazel’s Warbrand Aura, but it stacked.
"Captain, you might be stronger," Grant gloated, patting the Shadowtalon’s neck, "but I’ve got wings now. Eat my dust."
Ash looked at the bird, then at Vera.
"Grant," Vera said, suppressing a smile, "you realize the Captain only let you buy that mount so he’d have a mobile firing platform in the next dungeon, right? You’re not a pilot; you’re a taxi."
Grant’s face fell. "Wait, what?"
"Focus on getting that bird to Epic-Tier," Ash said, ignoring Grant’s pout. "We’re going to need the mobility for the high-level zones. Our weaknesses are still there—if we hit a mob with high reflection, I'm useless. I'll need you guys to carry the weight."
Ash checked his quiver, the leather creaking under his touch. "We’re done here. Let’s move."
"Already?" Grant groaned. "I haven't even finished shopping!"
"Relax, Grant," Lyra laughed. "We should just get the Captain a new achievement: The Grind Lord."