chsdbacks Chapter 3 Choosing a Career
Chapter 3 Choosing a Career
Beginner Continent #9527
The heavy scent of damp earth hung in the morning air, carrying the unique humus aroma of a primeval forest.
In the center of the starting village No. 10086, the enormous altar resembles an ancient behemoth lurking in the mist.
The surface of the bluish-gray boulder gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen in the dim morning light, silently bearing witness to the weight of time.
At the edge of the altar, five magnificent statues, each ten meters tall, stand like silent guardians.
The warrior's greatsword reflected a cold light.
The mage's staff was wreathed in elemental glimmers.
The assassin's shadow seemed to be moving.
The archer's longbow was fully drawn.
The pastor's gestures exuded a comforting aura.
—The cold metal and the flowing fabric intertwined in the morning breeze, exuding a breathtakingly solemn and imposing aura.
Om-!
Without warning, the magic circle in the center of the altar, covered with ancient runes, suddenly burst out with a dazzling pure white light!
Thousands upon thousands of beams of light, like sharp blades breaking free from the earth, instantly tore through the pervasive morning mist and pierced the sky.
Within the pillar of light, cries of alarm and curses rose and fell in waves:
"Ouch...who stepped on my foot?!"
The light receded like a tide, leaving behind a dense crowd of figures that filled the entire altar, each with a look of bewilderment and fear on their face as they entered this strange world for the first time.
"Damn, this is the starting area? It's pretty rough..."
"Ouch! Bro, why are you pinching me?!"
"Hehe, let's see if I'm dreaming..."
"Then pinch yourself! Are you using me as a guinea pig?"
"Of course it hurts to pinch yourself!"
"Hahaha! The battle for supremacy across all realms, I've arrived! My era has come!"
"Dude! I have the C-rank talent [Brute Force], which gives me +40% base physical attack. What about you?"
"What a coincidence, I'm also a C-rank [Tough Skin], with +40% base physical defense!"
"Damn! I'm only D-rank [Accuracy], with a 30% hit rate... Bro, please carry me! I'll be your servant from now on!"
A bespectacled, somewhat refined-looking young man approached with a mournful expression.
"Haha, I have the B-rank talent [Elemental Affinity], which increases the effect of elemental spells by 30% and reduces the cost of elemental spells by 30%."
"Holy crap! B-rank?! Boss! Really a boss!!" The bald man's eyes widened instantly.
"Holy crap! Boss! B-rank! I need to beg for your help!"
"Yes, yes, boss! We'll follow you from now on!"
"A true powerhouse! An absolute goldmine! Boss! From now on, we'll follow you! You tell us east, we'll never go west!"
The tall, thin man and the bespectacled youth immediately surrounded them, their faces full of flattery.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Boss! Help us out! B-rank talent! This is invincible from the start!"
Seven or eight people immediately gathered around, all expressing their determination to follow.
The enormous altar instantly erupted in a frenzy, a bustling marketplace filled with the sounds of people, excitement, anxiety, and ambition colliding in the air.
Lin Tian frowned slightly, shutting out the noise around him.
He frowned slightly, his face showing neither the bewilderment of a newcomer nor the obsequiousness towards the so-called "big shot".
Lin Tian's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, calmly scanning this unfamiliar world.
A large crowd of about ten thousand people gathered.
As my gaze swept across the edge of the altar, the five colossal statues, each unique in form, stood silently amidst the clamor, radiating an undeniable aura of power.
—The warrior's fortitude, the mage's mystery, the assassin's cunning, the archer's precision, and the priest's holiness. The symbolism of each profession is self-evident.
Just then, that cold, emotionless voice, which seemed to resonate directly in the depths of the soul, descended once more:
Welcome to the "Battle for Supremacy in All Realms," all chosen ones.
This is beginner continent number 9527, and beginner village number 10086.
At the edge of the altar stand the heritage statues of the five basic professions.
From this moment forward, please choose one of the following classes based on your will and talents: Warrior, Mage, Assassin, Archer, or Priest. This choice concerns the foundation of your power and is irreversible; choose carefully.
[A simple temporary shelter has been prepared for you outside the altar. Once the shelter is bound, you will receive basic security protection.]
[Wishing everyone... a pleasant gaming experience.]
The last four words, spoken in a cold tone, seemed to carry an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible hint of amusement and mockery, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, sending a chill involuntarily down the spine of the listener.
"Enjoy the game?" Lin Tian's lips curled into a faint, cold smile.
This is no game; it is an arena for survival and death.
The moment the words fell, the more than 10,000 people on the altar exploded like water droplets thrown into a pot of boiling oil!
The pent-up chaos found an outlet, transforming into surging torrents of people rushing madly toward their favorite statues!
Lin Tian's mind raced:
"[Beyond God-level Talent: Enhancement]... This means that any profession is merely a vessel for my talent."
The starting point is important, but the height of the finish line is defined by me.
"Only brutes are obsessed with close-quarters combat. In this world where strength reigns supreme, the 'mages' who control the elements and understand the laws are the true masters."
His eyes narrowed, and he strode forward, walking steadily and firmly toward the mage statue holding the Star Staff.
A large crowd gathered in front of the monk's statue.
It took Lin Tian nearly ten minutes to finally squeeze under the statue's base.
As he approached the cold stone seat, a semi-transparent curtain of light silently appeared before his eyes:
[Adventurer, do you confirm your class change to 'Mage'? This choice is irreversible.]
"Confirmed," Lin Tian replied without hesitation.
[Job change successful! Class: Mage.]
[Base attribute bonus: Intelligence +2.]
[Mage Trait: With each level increase, the main attribute 'Intelligence' gains an additional 2.]
[Gained initial skill: F-rank 'Fireball'.]
With a thought, Lin Tian clearly displayed the skill information:
Fireball (Level 0)
[Rank: F]
[Effect: Condenses the power of fire, consumes 10 mana, and deals fire damage equal to 150% of spell attack power to the target.]
[Casting Range: 15 + (1.0 * Spirit) meters]
[Cooldown: 2 seconds]
"150% magic attack bonus... With my current magic attack of 14 points, one fireball will deal 21 points of damage."
"And based on my current attributes, my casting range is 20 meters."
Lin Tian quickly calculated in his mind,
"Mages should focus on Intelligence, and level up by increasing Intelligence... So other classes, such as Warriors, Assassins, Archers, and Priests, should be similar in that they should focus on Strength, Assassins, Agility, or Agility/Strength, and Priests on Spirit."
"The most urgent task is to familiarize myself with the power system as soon as possible, and then... level up!"
Don't use the free uses of Fireball yet. It's easier to upgrade it in the early stages, so save them for when you get a higher rank. That's the most cost-effective way to upgrade it.
He turned his gaze outside the altar, "While the talent [enhancement] is strong, it is not a direct combat power."
Only by continuously acquiring skills and equipment, and 'upgrading' them to the extreme, can one snowball their advantage and turn a small advantage into an insurmountable gap!
He didn't linger, turned around, squeezed out of the crowd, and headed straight for the makeshift temporary housing area on the outskirts of the village.
In a cluster of low, makeshift wooden houses, Lin Tian quickly found an empty house in a secluded corner.
He stretched out his finger and lightly touched an inconspicuous rune on the door frame.
[Temporary address successfully linked.]
The runes on the doorplate dimmed instantly, turning into a deathly gray.
"We have a place to stay."
Lin Tian took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the scent of earth and vegetation. His gaze fell on the unknown jungle outside the village, shrouded in a thin mist and from which the faint cries of wild beasts could be heard. His sharpness was like a blade being drawn from its sheath.
"Now... it's time to 'level up'!"
After saying that, Lin Tian ran out of the village.
. . . . . .