Success tasted like blood and gold. With the first solo kill under his belt, Ash Valor stopped playing it safe. He stayed on the move, drifting through the wastes to pick off stragglers or joining high-level boss raids just long enough to secure a kill count. For the first time since the world ended, things felt like they were finally looking up.
"Eyes sharp, everyone," Ash called out as he scanned the horizon. "High-level spawns are thickening. We need to fall back toward the Rampart. If a Level 50 boss wanders out of the fog, we’re dead before we can blink."
In the distance, Level 40 monstrosities prowled the ruins. Ash gave them a wide berth. The monsters were recovering, their aggression spiking as the waves grew more coordinated. But to Ash, this was an opportunity. Higher density meant more chances to snipe elite kills. Occasionally dropping a Level 30 Elite solo felt like a godsend.
Of course, arrogance nearly got him killed.
A botched pull dragged a Level 40 Dread Widow straight into his lap. Ash didn't hesitate—he slammed the emergency flare in the Guild channel, screaming for backup. It took a dozen members of the Skystrider Guild to bring the Level 45 monstrosity down. As the one who initiated the pull, the experience gain was staggering. Twenty days into his excursion, the golden light of a level-up washed over him.
He had hit Level 30.
"You absolute maniac," a voice grunted.
Stone stepped forward, his shield still humming from the Dread Widow’s last strike. He’d been the one to take the threat off Ash at the last second, saving him from being turned into a silk-wrapped snack. Stone looked at Ash, blinking as if he barely recognized the man behind the dusty, notched gear.
"An Archer pulling a world boss? Are you suicidal, or just stupid?"
Despite the chaos, Stone’s smile was as humble as ever. In a world where people died every hour, seeing a familiar face was a luxury.
"Just doing my part for the Guild," Ash joked, wiping sweat from his brow. He wasn't about to admit he’d just misjudged the widow’s aggro range.
Stone chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't rush it. You’ll be more useful to us alive. Holy shit, look at your combat log—five thousand damage on that last rotation? You might be leveling slower than the front-liners, but your foundation is solid."
"I've got a few buffs helping me out," Ash said modestly.
"Modesty doesn't get you to the top of the charts. You’re punching way above your weight class."
A guttural roar echoed from the deep wastes, cutting their reunion short.
"Duty calls," Stone said, his expression hardening. "A Level 50 just spawned. Today’s the day we get rich."
Ash didn't stay behind. He trailed the Vanguard, his movement speed now so high he actually outpaced Stone’s heavy armor. They ran into an Undying Skeleton king; Ash secured his contribution, soaked up the experience, and dipped out before the real danger started.
[Level 30 Reached. All Stats +1. Free Stat Points +5.]
[Attack +50, Attack Speed +0.1, Attack Range +5m, Inventory Slots +10]
The Level 10 milestones were massive. The bonuses seemed semi-random, but Ash wasn't complaining. A forty-five-meter range? That was a massive safety net. With the increased fire rate, soloing bosses was about to get a whole lot smoother.
The next morning, the Guild chat exploded with system notifications.
Calder Moss has joined the raid.
Lina Warden has joined the raid.
Caden Marlowe has joined the raid.
Fifteen veterans had returned to the fold, and their levels were staggering—all of them Level 60 or higher. Ash stared at the screen. He’d spent a month grinding like a dog just to gain five levels. How the hell had they gained ten?
"I'm back, losers!" Caden’s voice boomed through the voice comms. "Check the tags. Level 68. Bask in the glory."
"Shut up, Caden," Lina snapped, though her tone was light. "Level 66 here. Did you guys miss us? Don't answer that. We brought gifts."
Ash usually tuned out the posturing, but "gifts" changed the equation.
[Caden Marlowe’s team has distributed 2 Gold to the Guild!]
[Lina Warden’s team has distributed 1 Gold to the Guild!]
By the time the high-level returning players were done showing off, Ash’s purse had swelled to 120 Gold. Even the 5 Gold he’d lent out months ago was returned with interest. With the heavy hitters back, the atmosphere in the Rampart shifted. The fear that had gripped the Guild for months began to thaw.
Over the next month, casualties plummeted. The Galeforce Squad hadn't lost a single man. Ash had amassed six thousand Guild Contribution Points—roughly six gold in value—and he wasn't spending a cent of it.
Save up 200,000, he told himself. Get a real Skill Tome. Stop relying on scraps.
With the pressure eased, the Skystrider leadership issued new orders. "Starting today, high-rankers will lead Level 40+ Dungeon runs. We need everyone at Level 50, fast. The Stellar Pact is reporting harder times ahead. We’re forming an Assassin's Creed—Level 50+ rogues only—to push into the deep wild. If you find materials, donate them. Our Artificers have hit Iron-Tier; Guild gear prices are dropping by twenty percent."
The message ended with a quote from Evan Valor, a name that carried the weight of a god.
"Level 100 is where the game actually begins."
The words chilled Ash. Humanity had spent centuries crawling toward the triple digits. Millions had died just to reach that threshold, and now one of the strongest men alive was saying it was just the starting line?
"Does the road ever end?" Ash whispered.
He’d been proud of hitting Level 30. Now, it felt like he was just a child playing in a sandbox while a storm gathered on the horizon.
He needed to see what lay beyond Level 100.
The frontline pushed forward. While the elites hunted Level 70 world bosses, Ash focused on his own progression. He took the Galeforce Squad through Level 30 Dungeons, securing a few more achievements and helping Chitin reach Level 30.
Ash finally pulled the trigger on a gear upgrade. He sold his old Bronze Bow for 60 Gold and dropped another 40 to pick up a Level 30 masterpiece.
[Bronze Bow (Level 30)]
Str +35, Agi +35, Spt +35
Attack +121, Range +15m
Effect: 10% chance to trigger Critical Strike (Atk +300).
The range boost alone was worth the gold. His total range hit 50 meters—a sniper’s dream.
[Ash Valor: LV30]
Total Stats: 2760 | HP: 6719 | Atk: 3126 | Def: 421
Attack Speed: 0.4 | Attack Range: 50m
"Victor," Ash asked as they geared up. "What are your total stats looking like at Level 30?"
"A little over 2016, Captain," Victor Warden replied. Like Ash, he had an E-Rank talent.
Ash nodded. Between his full set of Bronze gear, his 'One in a Million' passive, and the mountain of low-grade herbs he’d consumed, he was nearly 700 points ahead of his peers.
"Not bad," Ash said.
Victor smirked. "Drop the act, Captain. I bet you’re sitting at 2500."
"Something like that," Ash replied, hiding a grin.
But the Level 30 Dungeons weren't enough anymore. He needed the Level 40 "Dreadbone Ravine." It was a ten-man gauntlet, and Ash knew Chitin’s next evolution materials were hidden inside.
The Ravine was a nightmare of scaling difficulty. It featured a Necromancer boss that summoned ten waves of Undead, each wave ten percent stronger than the last. By wave ten, the Undying Knights had 52,000 HP and 1,800 Attack. These weren't bosses—they were trash mobs with boss-tier stats.
Normally, no Level 40 party would take a Level 30 Archer. Ash decided to gamble on his reputation. He posted his raw stats in the Guild channel, hoping someone would see the potential.
A notification popped up instantly.
[Clair Stone has invited you to a party.]
Ash froze. Clair. He remembered her from the early days—she and Stone had been a pair back when he was power-leveling newbies through Level 1 runs.
He hit accept.
"Ash," Clair’s voice came through a private message. "Experience is calculated by Contribution Points. Your output might be lower than the Level 40s, so you’ll get a smaller cut of the XP. Is that okay?"
"I'm just happy for the invite, Clair. It’s fair."
"Good. Bring health pots. If the waves get messy, I might not be able to keep a heal on you 24/7."
The entry fee for the Ravine was a steep 1 Gold per person. The party gathered at the entrance: two tanks, two healers, and six DPS. Ash was the glaring outlier.
"A Level 30? Are you kidding me?" a mage scoffed. "This isn't a nursery. One mistake and we all wipe."
"If you don't have the gear or the footwork, kid, just leave now," another added.
Clair stepped into the center of the group, her staff glowing faintly. "He’s with me. His output is fine, and his dungeon experience is better than yours. We’re moving."
Ash didn't waste time. He sold his remaining Level 20 filler gear and spent 110 Gold to fully kit himself in Level 30 Bronze pieces. By the time he was done, his Attack sat over 3,300.
They entered the Ravine. It was a massive canyon, hundreds of meters wide. As the first wave of Undying Skeletons surged forward, Ash summoned Chitin and vaulted onto the crab’s armored shoulder.
"A Universal Summon skill?" Seth Crane, the party’s Level 40 Summoner, stared in shock. "Those books cost a fortune. Who the hell are you?"
"A gift from a friend," Ash said, not lying but not telling the whole truth.
"Enough talk!" Rex Warden, the Lead Tank, roared. He slammed his shield into the ground. "First waves are easy. Conserve mana!"
[You have gained Battle Fervor: Attack +600]
[Clair Stone has cast Rejuvenation on you.]
Ash’s attack power spiked to 4,000. He didn't even need the heals—he was standing fifty meters back, well outside the skeletons' reach. He began to rain down arrows.
-3468
-3915 (Critical!)
The experience started rolling in. It was faster than anything he’d seen in the wild. By the second wave, Ash’s damage count climbed past the bottom-tier DPS. He didn't have to dodge; he just stood there and fired.
[Ding! You have obtained: Undying Crystal Core x1]
Ash’s heart leaped. A core! He immediately used the 'Fusion' command on Chitin.
[Chitin: HP +100, Attack +5, Defense +2]
It was a small gain, but if he farmed enough of these, Chitin would become a monster.
By wave six, the difficulty spiked. The skeletons were being replaced by Undying Sorcerers and Elites with aura buffs.
"Focus the Sorcerers!" Rex yelled. "Don't let the summons stack up!"
The mage unleashed a Sea of Flames, incinerating dozens of bone-warriors, but more kept coming. By wave ten, two hundred Undying Creatures flooded the ravine from all sides.
"Chitin, go! Hold the flank!" Ash commanded. He jumped down, his fingers a blur as he unleashed Quad Shot after Quad Shot.
The party was forced into a desperate retreat, the tanks bleeding out despite the healers' best efforts. But Ash stayed calm. He was a ghost on the battlefield, his high movement speed allowing him to kite six skeletons at once while maintaining a steady stream of fire.
"Ash, get back to the formation!" Rex screamed. "You're out of bounds! You're going to pull threat—wait, how are you still alive?"
Ash didn't answer. He danced through the bone-claws, his cloak fluttering in the wind. He was the only one in the party whose gear wasn't stained with blood. He wasn't just surviving the Ravine—he was mastering it.