There was a mix-up with chapter uploads. Chapter 76 was actually uploaded as 79. This has been corrected. If you unlocked the incorrect chapter, please feel free to go back and read the real 76. So sorry for the confusion.
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
Two days ago, Ethan had finally cleared his red name status, but the Advanced Stealth Skill Book had yet to drop.
So, he had remained in Ashen Gorge for another two days.
After countless Prairie Stalker kills, the very last one finally dropped:
[Skill Book: Stealth (Advanced)]
Usable by: Rogue, Druid (Panther Form)
Description: Enhances the existing Stealth skill upon use.
Seven days. Three entire levels gained. And only now did he finally get it. The drop rate was insanely low.
Without hesitation, Ethan grabbed the skill book and learned it immediately.
Opening his skill panel, he checked his progress:
Panther Form: Stealth LV1 (XP: 1/100)
Finally. He could now level up his stealth.
Mastering stealth mechanics had been the foundation of his rogue gameplay in his past life. With a high enough stealth level, he could drastically reduce the chances of being detected.
Now that his red name status was cleared, Ethan pulled out a Teleport Stone and returned to Harmony City.
The moment he arrived, Ethan was struck by the sheer difference from when he had first stepped foot here.
At the teleportation hub, voices overlapped as players hawked their wares, many of them sitting on the ground, selling items at makeshift stalls.
The three prime shop locations around the teleportation hub?
It was time to upgrade them into actual storefronts and officially kick off his business. With over 14,000 gold in his pocket, he had the capital to get things rolling and establish a reputation.
Ethan left the teleport hub and made his way straight to the Shop Upgrade Center. On the way, a heated argument caught his attention.
He glanced over and saw a commotion in front of the Master Engineer Guild.
One of the men, dressed in novice gear, had a badge pinned to his chest, the mark of an Engineer Apprentice.
A single star on the badge indicated his rank. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, but his weathered face made him seem older.
The other man was a warrior with a greatsword strapped to his back. His small stature made the massive weapon look utterly ridiculous.
A Dwarf Warrior, no doubt.
"This failure wasn't my fault," the Engineer Apprentice said quietly, head lowered.
"Oh? So it's my fault now?" The Dwarf Warrior sneered, looking up at him.
"I swear, someone tampered with my materials before I started."
"Shut it." The dwarf waved him off dismissively. "Our guild gave you so many resources, and you still made this garbage? You didn't even break even. And you still call yourself some hidden class Master of Demonic Engineering? Hah! You're just a delusional fool."
Then, without warning, the Dwarf Warrior jumped up and slapped the Engineer Apprentice across the face.
Since they were inside the city, PvP attacks had no damage, but the Apprentice's low-level status meant the impact still knocked him off balance.
His crafting tools clattered to the ground.
Three days ago, the system had officially opened the Main City access to crafting-class players.
Some Starter Zones had reached the 5,000-player threshold, triggering the requirement to allow life-skill players into the city.
For pure crafting players, hitting 75 proficiency points in their trade skill was enough to qualify for the transfer.
This was a quality-of-life update for non-combatants.
Currently, in the Northern Frontier Region, most Starter Zones had already exceeded the 5,000-player mark.
Only a handful of zones still hadn't met the requirement.
Most crafting-class players who made it into the Main City immediately headed to their respective Trade Guilds, where they could use system-provided crafting rooms to work on their creations.
Of course, these rooms required rent, nothing came for free.
Most crafting players joined recruiting guilds to keep their income stable.
Guilds provided the materials, and in return, these players crafted items and earned a steady wage.
The Engineer Apprentice quietly stepped back, gathering his scattered tools. His eyes burned with hatred as he glared at the Dwarf Warrior.
"What the hell are you looking at? Get lost before I slap you again!" The dwarf puffed up his chest, trying to look intimidating.
His beady eyes widened aggressively, but to everyone else, it just looked nothing more than an angry turtle trying to act fierce.
The Engineer Apprentice took a deep breath, turned around, and walked away in silence.
"Coward." The Dwarf Warrior spat in disgust.
"He didn't even fight back? Took a slap and just walked off?"
"If that were me, I'd be calling the guards right now."
"Maybe he's just biding his time," Ethan commented casually, his eyes flashing with interest. "The ones who endure the longest? They're usually the scariest when they finally strike back."
Some players glanced at him, but most dismissed the remark. A few even scoffed.
The commotion died down, and the crowd dispersed.
Only Ethan remained, watching the Engineer Apprentice's retreating figure, deep in thought.
"Well, well… Never thought I'd run into him this early." Ethan muttered under his breath.
This apprentice was someone he knew.
In his past life, this man had been one of Zachary's most loyal lackeys.
After Zachary secretly invested in Avalon Vanguard, seizing control of the guild, this engineer had joined him.
From that point on, Avalon Vanguard became infamous for its bizarre engineered weapons, all thanks to this guy.
Demonic Counter Shields.
Homing Explosive Bombs.
Fragmentation Magic Rounds.
The worst of them all? The Counter Shield.
That thing had caused Ethan to go red-named more times than he could count.
It could be used on yourself or given to others. The catch?
Reflected damage didn't trigger system aggression rules.
Ethan had no intention of fighting, yet enemies would activate the shield, baiting him into attacking. The system then flagged him as the aggressor, branding him with a gray name.
A gray-named player in the open world? Free game for everyone.
Suddenly, he was hunted by mobs of opportunists, many of them armed with Enhanced Jump Boots.
With no escape route, Ethan had been forced to fight back, killing the ones blocking his path.
And just like that, he was a red name again. Eventually, Zachary's guild sent Shadowstrike after him, initiating an endless cycle of assassinations.
And this "apprentice"?
This nobody had been responsible for all of it. And that was only a fraction of his work.
Later on, he even developed a Demonic War Machine, a giant mobile fortress that crushed entire enemy forces.
During one of the biggest siege wars, this machine single-handedly wiped out an entire army of Dragonspire's elite players.
And it all started with this pathetic, beaten-down apprentice, now walking away in disgrace.
ID: NoPaperOnTheBigOne
Ethan's lips curled into a smirk.
Fate sure had a funny way of bringing people back together.