The top-tier clearing teams of the Guild had already conquered the Level 16 Dungeon and were setting their sights on Level 17. Ash Valor’s group wasn't far behind. After grinding the Level 14 Dungeon for weeks, the Galeforce Squad was operating like a well-oiled machine.
While Ash’s level remained stagnant due to his massive experience requirements, his teammates were soaring. Funneling the experience intended for two hundred people into a mere twenty resulted in an explosive growth rate. However, the Level 14 Dungeon was no longer a walk in the park. Several runs had ended in near-disasters, and one close call nearly resulted in a total party wipe.
They weren't the strongest squad in the Guild by raw stats, but they were undoubtedly the most relentless. After a solid month of non-stop dungeoneering, the entire team had caught up to Ash, hitting Level 155.
Suddenly, the Level 14 Dungeon yielded nothing. They had hit the ceiling.
"The Level 15 Dungeon is a 500-man raid," Vera Laine noted, looking over the data. "We can’t brute-force that with twenty people. Not yet."
"The Guild has dedicated Level 15 teams," Orion suggested. "Do you want to merge with a larger raid group?"
The squad shook their heads in unison. Joining a large raid meant bureaucracy, slower clears, and diluted loot.
"The Plane War starts in about three months," Ash said, checking his calendar. "We still have a window to push our limits. We’ve got a solid foundation and enough Gold from a month of farming. We need to hit Level 170 before we even think about Level 15 Dungeons."
"If we can't clear it ourselves by then, at least our levels will be high enough to join the elite frontline teams without being dead weight," another member added.
It was a pragmatic approach. High-level dungeons rewarded permanent attribute points and War Merit, but a twenty-man squad simply lacked the utility for massive raids.
Orion watched them with quiet satisfaction. Ash had successfully forged a pack of elites. When these twenty eventually joined the main raid forces, they would be the vanguard. The Level 17 Dungeon required a thousand elites—a number the Skystrider Guild was currently struggling to muster.
"Open-world grinding yields less loot per kill, but the mob density is higher," Ash mused. "We can ramp up the kill count and push the levels faster that way."
More importantly, Ash needed to farm kills for his One in a Million talent. He was desperate to see what Level 5 held.
"Vera, you’re the strategist. How do we maximize the efficiency?"
Vera tapped her chin. "I have a proposal. Everyone chips in three million Gold. We lend it to Grant Fang to evolve Shadowtalon to Epic-Tier."
Grant’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Holy sht, Vera! You’re like the sister I never had. I’m an orphan, you know—I’ll legally change my name to Grant 'Tiger' Fang right now if that’s what it takes!"
"Shut up while I'm talking, Grant," Vera snapped, though a smirk played on her lips.
"Right. Sorry. Continuing."
"Once Shadowtalon evolves, Dusk Whitmore will donate his full set of Epic-Tier gear to the summon," Vera continued.
Dusk winced. "I just finished that set..."
"It doesn't matter," Vera countered. "Your personal stats are secondary to the plan. With our composition of tanks and healers, we can ensure Shadowtalon stays alive while we dive into Level 200 zones."
The team fell silent, processing the audacity of the plan. Level 200 mobs offered astronomical experience. With Ash’s current damage output, as long as they avoided high-tier flying bosses, they could effectively farm the sky.
"Level 200 open-world mobs are actually weaker than Level 14 Dungeon elites," Ash noted, his interest piqued. "If we stack Wards on Shadowtalon, it's doable."
"We could clear entire packs in two skills," Grant added, his excitement building. "If we do this for three months, we might actually hit Level 200 before the war."
Decision made, Vera began scouting the map. "We need to avoid the territories held by Eternal and the Ruinblade Guild. Their lands are crawling with high-rank bosses we aren't ready for. But this region here—the Deadlands—is mostly Undying. Their only aerial threat is the Undead Wyvern. They’re massive and easy to spot from a distance."
"We can't stay stationary, or we'll be swarmed," Ash added. "We stay mobile. A constant flight path."
"One problem," Brett Fang interjected. "The Captain’s mana. He’s going to burn through it faster than we can blink."
"Then we spend more," Brett continued, his voice hardening. "Everyone puts in another ten million Gold. We buy every Gold-Tier mana potion on the market. If we’re going to do this, we go all in. We’ve been coasting on the Captain’s coattails for long enough. If we can’t help with the killing, we help with the bankrolling."
Ten million each. Two hundred million Gold total for consumables. It was insanity. Even the wealthiest merchants would call them mad.
"I’m in," Hazel Lane said immediately. "I want that level cap."
"Agreed," another echoed. "We can earn the gold back once we're Level 200."
Ash looked at his team, moved by their resolve. "If you're all bleeding your accounts dry, I won't let you down. Once these potions run out, I’ll cover the rest of the bill. Let's show them what real power-leveling looks like."
The logistics were settled. Ash popped a string of high-end buffs.
[You have consumed Epic-Tier Berserker's Draught: Attack +100% for 24 hours.]
[You have consumed Epic-Tier Elixir of Might.]
[You have consumed Epic-Tier Elixir of Insight.]
[Aura of Wrath Active: Ranged Damage +10%]
[Aura of Blessing Active: HP/MP Regen +10%]
[Max Mana +20%]
Grant had completed Shadowtalon's evolution. The beast was now a towering, obsidian-feathered terror clad in glowing Epic plate armor.
"I'm renaming him," Grant declared, patting the creature's flank. "Blackwing. Our flagship."
Blackwing let out a piercing screech. Its stats were reaching the realm of legendary creatures like The Golden One.
"Captain, Blackwing awakened four abilities: Windmastery, Velocity Surge, Wind Blade, and Phase Step," Grant reported.
"Perfect. Speed for the hunt, Phase Step for survival," Ash said. "Mount up."
Twenty people crowded onto Blackwing’s broad back. It was tight, but the beast didn't even strain as it took flight.
"Grant, keep us at nine hundred meters," Ash commanded. "Support, keep the mana flowing. Tanks, Wards on standby. If you get bored, take a nap. I've got this."
As they reached the Deadlands, Ash didn't wait. He drew his bow, and the sky ignited.
Meteor Volley.
[Kill Count +136 | Gold +253 | Exp +3,519]
"The radius on Meteor Volley is up to 180 square meters," Ash muttered, his eyes tracking the damage numbers. "My base attack is 1.4 million now. Each arrow in the volley is hitting for 140,000."
They tore through the sky like a vengeful comet.
"Captain, valley ahead," Vera called out. "Abyssal Widows. Level 170."
"Clear them," Ash said. The density was perfect. Millions of spiders carpeted the ravine. "There's a Dread Widow in the center—a True Boss. That's a War Merit point for everyone if we down it."
Humans had once been the masters of Azure Prime. Now, barely fifty miles from the Prime Citadel, the world belonged to monsters. The Galeforce Squad spent three days in the clouds, burning millions of Gold in mana potions every twenty-four hours.
The result? They hit Level 158. A level a day.
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
Ash cleared Level 200 mobs in two volleys. His seven mana-batteries could barely keep up with his consumption.
"We're nearly a hundred miles out," Ash noted, looking at the horizon. Towering, jagged peaks pierced the clouds in the distance.
"Those are the Southreach Range," Vera said, checking the Nav Grid. "Southhaven is the southernmost Citadel of the original hundred. Only fifty-four remain."
"Azure Prime used to be a sphere," Grant added, his voice low. "Now? Nobody knows how far south the world goes. A few years ago, Evan Valor led an expedition there. They stood on those peaks and swore they’d lead humanity across them one day."
Ash felt a surge of respect. Evan Valor had cleared these lands back when the Void Rifts were even more volatile. The reason Skystrider could even exist today was because of the path Evan had carved.
"Captain, look," Vera pointed. "A swarm."
A dark cloud was rising from a distant forest.
"I think I found the Brood Queen of the Phantasm Darklocusts," she said. "If we take her down from a thousand meters up, it’s a zero-risk kill. I checked the records—there's no Kill Count entry for this specific variant. This could be a World First."
Ash grinned. "I'm not doing it for the fame, but a threat to the Guild is a threat to us. Let’s move."
Within the hour, they found her: The Shadowswarm Matriarch, a Level 190 behemoth. Around her, hundreds of millions of Chitinborn Locusts churned in a living sea of mandibles.
"This is it," Ash whispered, his hands trembling with excitement. "This is the ultimate farm."
At Level 160, the locusts were fodder. Their experience was lower than the Level 200 mobs, but their sheer numbers were staggering. Ash stood at the edge of Blackwing’s back, his silhouette framed by the sun.
"Mana! Give me everything!"
He rained hell down upon the swarm. The sky turned black with falling locust carcasses.
The Matriarch’s massive head turned upward, her multifaceted eyes locking onto the speck in the sky.
"You... the human, Ash Valor?" her voice hissed directly into his mind.
Ash blinked. "You know me?"
"You are in the top thousand of The Death Mark Registry," the Queen hissed. "Leave this place, or you will find no path to life."
"I'm flying at a thousand meters, your Majesty," Ash retorted. "I think I'll stay."
He signaled the team. "If things get hairy, everyone use a Random Displacement Talisman. Grant, you pick us up at the rally point. But for now, we feast."
Vera nodded. "The Matriarch is stationary while she's spawning. She’s a sitting duck."
For a full day, they hovered. Ash burned three million Gold in mana to maintain the slaughter. The efficiency was double that of the open-world mobs.
[Ding! Level 160 reached. All Stats +100 | Attack Range +20m | Attack +16,000 | Attack Speed +0.2]
The squad cheered as they all hit the milestone. But then, a different series of prompts appeared before Ash.
[Ding! You have triggered One in a Million. Random Stats +20.]
[Ding! Your Kill Count has reached 100,000,000. Achievement Unlocked: Bloodthirst Incarnate.]
[Lifesteal effect upgraded to Lifesteal Aura: Absorb 10% of damage dealt as HP. Range scales with Willpower.]
[Talent Grade Upgraded: One in a Million (LV5)]
Ash’s heart hammered against his ribs—until he read the new requirement.
[One in a Million (LV5): Every 'True Monster' (Boss-Tier) killed grants +1 to a random attribute.]
[Requirement for Next Level: Kill 100,000 True Monsters.]
"You have got to be kidding me!" Ash roared at the sky.
The grind had just shifted from "mass slaughter" to "boss hunting." To trigger this ten times a day, he’d need to clear high-level dungeons constantly for the next twenty-seven years.
"This system is trying to kill me," Ash groaned. The millions of locusts below suddenly seemed much less appetizing.
"Captain? You okay?" Grant asked. "You just gave us a 10% Lifesteal aura. That’s insane."
"I'm fine," Ash lied, looking dejected. "Just... worrying about the future."
"Forget the future! Kill the boss!"
Ash sighed and drew his bow. With his range increased, he was now firing from nearly 1,200 meters. The Matriarch couldn't even reach him with her spit.
[Planar Broadcast: Player 'Ash Valor' has achieved the World First Kill of The Shadowswarm Matriarch. All Players: All Stats +10.]
[Guild Notification: Ash Valor has slain The Shadowswarm Matriarch. All Guild Members: All Stats +100.]
[You have slain The Shadowswarm Matriarch. War Merit +1 | Exp +650,000 | Gold +190,000 | Contribution +950,000]
[Loot: Radiant Scepter (Epic-Tier)]
"Here, Vera. Happy birthday," Ash said, tossing the scepter to the stunned mage.
He looked at his stat sheet. One boss. One attribute point.
"I miss the old days," he muttered. "When a thousand kills meant something."
Somewhere in a distant, shadowed valley, a lone figure stared at a floating system screen, his face contorting with rage.
"That son of a bitch Ash Valor!" the man screamed into the empty air. "He stole my World First! That was mine!"
Back on Blackwing, Ash felt a chill, but ignored it. Orion’s voice crackled through the Guild comms, sounding more impressed than usual.
"Good work, kid. You just saved the southern trade routes."
Ash leaned back against the dragon-scale armor of the mount. "Yeah. Great. Only 99,999 more to go."