Justin stepped beyond the towering gates of Brightmoon City, his breath forming mist in the crisp morning air. Before him stretched the **Forest of Howling Winds**, a vast expanse of ancient pines whose gnarled roots snaked across the frostbitten earth like veins of a slumbering giant.
The trees stood unnaturally tall, their bark blackened by time, their branches heavy with snow. A perpetual mist clung to the forest floor, swirling around Justin's ankles as he moved deeper into the wilderness. The air smelled of iron and pine—and something else. Something wild.
[System Alert: Entering Restricted Zone - Moonfang Wolf Territory]
[Recommended Level: 5+]
Justin's fingers tightened around the hilt of his **Ironfang Sword**, a basic weapon provided to all Warrior-class beginners. The blade was unremarkable—its edge slightly chipped, its crossguard rusted—but in his hands, it hummed with potential.
He didn't need to check his quest log again. The objective was simple:
**[New Player Quest: Trial by Combat]**
- **Objective:** Slay 10 Moonfang Wolves (0/10)
- **Reward:** 100 EXP, [Basic Sword Manual]
With his **10,000x Converter**, that reward would become **1,000,000 EXP**—enough to catapult him past the early levels in a single strike.
But first, he needed to find his prey.
A twig snapped.
Justin froze.
From the mist emerged a beast that made his blood run cold.
From between the blackened pines, twin silver orbs gleamed. The beast emerged slowly, its massive paws sinking deep into the snow with each deliberate step.
[Alpha Moonfang Wolf - Level 7 (Elite)]
[HP: 500/500 | MP: 100/100]
[Threat Assessment: Moderate]
[Skills]
• Lunar Howl (Passive): +20% attack speed during night
• Bloodscent Frenzy: All stats double below 30% HP
• Pack Mentality: Summons 2 Moonfang Cubs when injured
The wolf was enormous—easily the size of a small horse—with fur as black as midnight and eyes that glowed like molten silver. Drool dripped from its fangs, steaming as it hit the frozen earth.
It lunged.
Justin barely sidestepped in time, feeling the rush of air as the wolf's claws grazed his shoulder.
**-15 HP!**
His heart pounded, but his mind remained eerily calm.
*"Weapon Master,"* he thought, *"show me what you can do."*
As the wolf circled for another attack, Justin adjusted his grip on his sword. The moment the beast pounced again, he **reacted.**
His blade moved faster than it should have—guided not just by skill, but by something deeper. An instinct.
**Slash!**
**-120 HP! (Critical)**
The wolf howled, staggering back. Justin didn't let up.
"[Skill "Basic swordsmanship" gained]
**[Swordsmanship Proficiency Gained: +50 (Beginner: 50/100,000)]**
*(Weapon Master Bonus: +50 → +5,000)*
His muscles burned, but the **Weapon Master** talent amplified every movement, every flick of his wrist, every shift in stance. The system fed him data—angles, force, momentum—as if the sword itself was whispering its secrets to him.
Three more strikes.
**-80 HP!**
**-95 HP!**
**-110 HP! (Critical Hit)**
The wolf collapsed, its body dissolving into motes of blue light.
[EXP gained: +70]
Talent 10,000x converter activated!
You have received 700,000 exp!
[Available Options:
● Level up to Level 9 (requirement: 500,000 exp!)
● Increase skill proficiency (requirement: 200,000 exp!)
● Increase skill quality (requirement: 200,000 exp!)
● Increase item quality (requirement: 200,000 exp!)]
Justin's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. "Interesting," he mused, studying the unexpected options before him.
Although all the available options were enticing, Justin knew exactly what he needed most at this moment. Without hesitation, he choose the first and Last Options.
[Please choose an item that you want to upgrade.]
An item? How do I choose an item?
He was confused. It was then that he suddenly thought about something.
He grabbed the Iron fanged sword tied to his waist and muttered. "Can I use this?"
[Do you want to use your Equipment Upgrade on the selected item?]
[Yes] [No]
Justin muttered [Yes].
[Congratulations! You have upgraded your Common Steel Sword to Uncommon Steel Sword!]
[Uncommon Steel Sword]
Sharpness: 50
Durability: 20
Justin furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed the changes on the sword.
It's a bit heavier and the blade seems to be sharper than it was before. Is this because of the Upgrade ?
Alaric wanted to put it to the test.
He swung the sword a couple of times.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Alaric realized immediately that the sword had truly improved. Although it was a bit heavier, every blow from his sword now carried more strength.
A common steel sword became a powerful weapon after being upgraded by that card. Amazing!
Justin's eyes flashed with joy. With this sword, his strength would significantly improve.
**[EXP Received: 500,000]**
**[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
…
[Level Up!]**
[Status Window]
**Name: Justin **
**Species:Human**
**Title:** N/A
**Class:** Warrior
**Level:** 1 → 9
**Experience:** 10/200000
**HP** 100 → 1,400
**Mana:** 20 - 350
**Strength:** 10 → 55
**Defense:** 10 - 55
**Dexterity:** 8 → 44
**Agility:** 9 → 36
**Vitality:** 6 - 24
**Intelligence:** 7 → 25
[Each levelup for the warrior Class increases str by 5, Dext by 4, agi by 3, Vit by 2 and int by 2]
,**Free stats points** 36 (each levelup gives 4 free stat point for all beginner classes)
**[Skills:]**
**[Basic swordsmanship: 5,050/100,000 (Beginner)]**
**[Equipments]**
[Uncommon steel sword
Attack power: 50-100
Durability: 20]
Despite his satisfaction with the level up, Justin exhaled, rolling his shoulders. **Nine more wolves to go.**
The remaining wolves fell quickly to his enhanced blade. With each kill, his proficiency climbed, though the diminishing EXP returns confirmed his growing strength. By the tenth wolf, Justin stood amidst a circle of dissolving corpses, his breath steady despite the exertion.
By the time Justin felled his ninth wolf, the forest had gone silent. Too silent.
**[New Player Quest: Trial by Combat]**
- **Objective:** Slay 10 Moonfang Wolves (10/10)
,**Rating:** SSS (slain An Alpha moonfang wolf)
- **Reward:** 100 EXP, [Random Basic Sword technique, Basic Appraisal technique (F Rank)]
[Congratulations, you have Acquired basic sword technique "Minor Heaven splitting sword strike" (F-Rank)]
Ding
[10,000 converter talent Activated]
[+100Exp gained - 1M Exp gained]
[Minor Heaven splitting sword strike (F-Rank) - Minor Heaven splitting sword strike (C-Rank)]
[Basic Appraisal technique (F Rank) - Basic Appraisal technique (A-Rank)]
Then he muttered "status Window "
**Status Window**
**[Name: Justin]**
**Species:**Human
**Title:** N/A
**Class:** Warrior
**Level:** 9
**Experience:** 1M/200K
**HP:** 1,400/1,400
**Mana:** 350/350
**Strength:** 55 + 170(from equipment)
**Defense;**55
**Dexterity:** 44
**Agility:** 36
**Vitality:** 6 - 24
**Intelligence:** 7 → 25
**[Talents]**
1. **10,000x Converter (Ancient)**
2. **Copy (Ancient)**
3. **Fusion (Ancient)**
4. **Weapon Master (Mythic)**
**[Skills:]
**[Basic swordsmanship: 5,050/100,000 (Beginner)]**
**[Minor Heaven splitting sword strike (C-Rank):When activated deals 10X the base attack damage on the opponent]**
**[Basic Appraisal (A-Rank); Automatically Views the information and stats of those below the skill level]**
**[Equipments]**
[Uncommon steel sword:Equiped]
Attack power: 50-100
Durability: 20]
Looking at th crazy effects of these skills, a smile couldn't help but break through his lips, grinning widely
Seems Am unable to gain exp from the other wolves due to the level gap, Well it's only fair enough., Justin muttered dejectedly
A snowflake landed on his nose. Then another. Justin looked up to see the snowfall intensifying - but only in a perfect circle around him.
Then—**a presence.**
He turned slowly.
On the largest pine's lowest branch, a figure materialized from the storm itself.
[Luo Bingbing - Saintess of Snow Sword Sect]
[Level: ???]
[Rank: SS (Peak)]
[Title: "Frostblade Paragon"]
Atop the snow-laden branch stood a woman clad in robes so white they seemed woven from moonlight itself. Her hair, black as a starless night, cascaded down her back in a silken waterfall. A face so devastatingly beautiful tha it could cause the downfall of nations, Her eyes—**piercing, calculating**—locked onto him with the weight of a blade at his throat, Her presence was overwhelming. The air itself seemed to thicken, each snowflake freezing in place as she studied him with eyes like glacial pools.
"You," she said, her voice colder than the wind, "fight like a man who has already mastered the sword."
Justin kept his expression neutral. "I've had practice."
Bingbing's lips curled into a smirk. "Practice doesn't explain **this**."
In a blur, she **moved.**
Her sword—**a blade of glacial blue**—flashed toward him faster than he could blink.
Justin barely raised his own weapon in time.
**CLANG!**
The impact sent him skidding back, his boots carving grooves into the frozen earth. His arms trembled from the force.
*"Copy Talent—activate!"* Justin commanded inwardly.
**[Analyzing Target…]**
**[Skill Detected: Frostblade Ascension (B-Rank Sword Art), Ice Affinity (SS Rank Affinity)]**
**[Do you want to Copy? Y/N]**
Justin mentally confirmed.
**[Affinity Copied: Ice Affinity]**
**Effects:** Grants the ability to use ice mana, and wield related techniques below the Affinity grade.
**[Skill Copied: Frostblade Ascension]**
**Effects:** Imbues sword strikes with freezing energy, slowing enemies.
**Grants 200% ice Damage to Attacks.**
Justin confirmed, feeling foreign energy flood his meridians. His next parry erupted in a cascade of frost
Despite not using 1% of her strength on the strike, Luo Bingbing's eyes narrowed. "You hesitated. Why?"
Justin didn't answer. Instead, he **counterattacked.**
His body moved with newfound precision, his blade tracing the same icy arcs as Bingbing's.
**[Swordsmanship Proficiency: +200 → +20,000 (Weapon Master)]**
Steel clashed against steel, the forest echoing with their duel.
Bingbing's smirk widened. "You learn fast."
[+25,000 Swordsmanship Proficiency!]
[+18,000 Swordsmanship Proficiency!]
When Bingbing finally disengaged, her expression was unreadable. "Three days," she said simply before vanishing into the storm.
The notification appeared as the snow resumed its natural fall:
[Hidden Quest: Saintess' Trial]
• Objective: Earn Snow Sword Sect's recognition
• Time Limit: 72 hours
• Reward: Swordsman Class Unlock
Justin exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the suddenly calm air. As he turned back toward Brightmoon City, he failed to notice the spectral figure observing him from the treeline - a woman with eyes older than the heavens themselves.
Justin exhaled. **Things just got complicated, guess am unable to level up for now because of the class advancement, But she sure is beautiful tho.** Muttered Justin with a dazed look
Justin exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the suddenly calm air. As he turned back toward Brightmoon City
---
**Meanwhile, in the Snow Sword Pavilion, built in a glacial castle in a towering peak many miles above ground**
Luo Yanyan, Matriarch of the Snow Sword Sect, set down near her teacup.
"Explain," she said, her voice like a winter gale.
Luo Bingbing stood before her. "Mother, he wielded the sword as if born to it. And…" She hesitated before saying. "He replicated my **Frostblade Ascension** after seeing it once."
Yanyan's fingers tightened around her fan.
"Interesting."
-
---
**Chapter 2 End**