Status

Adrian opened the [Hero Panel] interface, and a wide array of hero templates appeared before him, making his eyes widen with excitement.

In the private server version of "Empire Maker", novice players were allowed to select any hero template—even the rare ones. But as he browsed, he noticed that most of the templates were greyed out and unavailable.

Curious, he clicked on one of the locked options, the [Monarch of the Fire Devil]. A message appeared instantly:

—The player's bloodline does not match. The [Monarch of the Fire Devil] template cannot be selected—

Each hero template required a specific bloodline, which typically wasn't an issue for most players. They could choose their race and lineage when starting the game, allowing them to match their desired template's requirements. But Adrian had no such choice—he was half-human, half-elf, a blend that limited his options significantly.

Elves, demons, dwarves, and those from the earthbound city—all of those options were barred from him. Even some of the human and elf templates were locked, like the [Spirit Magician] and [High Priest]. Frustrated, Adrian threw his hands up in the air. "Racist system!"

Still, he sifted through the templates to see what was left. Of the hundreds, only around thirty templates remained open to him. He scanned the options, eliminating ordinary templates like [Barbarian] and [Alchemist]. After much deliberation, he narrowed it down to two final choices: [Monarch of Vigour] and [Enraged Magus].

The [Monarch of Vigour] template would make him an unstoppable force on the battlefield, making him nearly invincible in Revernus Town. The description alone made Adrian's mouth water—he could see himself as the strongest fighter in town, a "human titan" of raw power.

But after a moment's hesitation, Adrian chose the second option: the [Enraged Magus]. It wasn't an easy choice, but he couldn't resist the allure of magic. As a battle mage who could only use self-enhancement magic, he couldn't ignore the power and prestige that magic held in the world of Mythilic. Wizards, sorcerers, and warlocks commanded respect and fear, wielding power that surpassed brute strength. Besides, the [Enraged Magus] was the only template he had access to that allowed spellcasting—a rare opportunity he wasn't about to pass up.

"I'll be a mage—even a wild one—as long as I'm a mage," he muttered, quoting a legendary caster he'd once heard of.

With a sense of finality, Adrian made his selection. A new character interface opened, and a detailed 3D model of himself appeared alongside his stats:

—Name—: Adrian Eternus

—Hero Template—: Enraged Magus

—Combat Class—: Battle Mage

—Hero Level—: 1 "Upgrade your territory to increase hero level"

—Personal Level—: 5 "You are a capable fighter"

—Strength—: 19 "You could wrestle a mammoth"

—Agility—: 13 "You move with the speed of a seasoned thief"

—Constitution—: 17 "You are disease-resistant and resilient"

—Intelligence—: 9 "A bit duller than average, far from an idiot"

—Perception—: 17 "You sense even the faintest shifts in your surroundings"

—Charisma—: 17 "People either admire or fear you, but no one ignores you"

—Mana—: 37

—Traits—

—Innate Strength (Personal Trait)—

grants you natural power. +2 Strength, +2 Constitution

—Fearsome Reputation (Personal Trait)—

You've earned the title "Shadow Blade" +2 Charisma in the Kruger region

—Enraged (Class Trait)—

When enraged, your Strength and Constitution rise. Afterwards, you experience fatigue.

—Lordship (Lord Trait)—

As a leader, your Charisma increases. +5 Charisma

—Enraged Mana (Hero Trait)—

Your mana derives from Strength and Perception instead of Intelligence, at the cost of limiting Intelligence-based mana gains. +2 Strength, +2 Perception

—Enraged Cry (Hero Trait)— In battle, you can release spells through a war cry at double mana cost.

—Basic Rage (Hero Trait)— Hitting or being hit builds your rage, enhancing your defence and damage.

—Spell List—

—Level 1 spells (3 mana)—

Intimidation, Furious Missile, Strength Buff, Stamina Buff, Speed Buff

Adrian's grin faded as he saw his Intelligence score. "You're telling me I'm below average? What a load of rubbish!"

But intelligence here referred more to a caster's ability to understand complex spell structures than to street smarts. And though he'd never admit it, casting magic wasn't his natural talent. But thankfully, the "Enraged Magus" template didn't rely on high Intelligence. This template, in a rare twist, allowed spellcasting through strength and perception—a perfect fit for Adrian's raw physicality.

With his current mana, Adrian could cast a dozen spells before running dry—more than enough to dominate most lower-tier mages in Mythilic. Just knowing he had that kind of power made him feel unstoppable. After choosing the template, Adrian's raw combat power was leagues beyond what it had been.

"Caius won't know what hit him", he thought, full of confidence. "Let's see how long he stays on top".

Adrian noticed two icons at the bottom right of the game interface:

—[Exit Game]—

which was greyed out, and

—[Minimise Game]—

He clicked on Minimise Game and in an instant, the interface shrank away. Darkness enveloped him briefly, and then he found himself back in the shaman's hut, staring at the ceiling.

Above him, old Rheas held a thick black needle, preparing to jab it into Adrian's head.

Startled, Rheas hesitated when he noticed Adrian awake. "Little Adrian, your body hasn't fully recovered yet—"

"Out of my way, Rheas, I don't have time for you!" Adrian barked, pushing the shaman aside. He had a score to settle.

Bursting out of the hut, he spotted Leo waiting for him outside.

"What are you still doing here?" Adrian snapped. "Didn't I tell you to gather the others?"

Leo jolted to attention, stammering, "They're ready, boss. Milan and Zig have the men prepared and waiting."

"Good," Adrian replied with a smirk. "Tell them we're heading to the mercenaries' warehouse. I'll meet you there."

Leo's eyes widened. "You're going in person?"

"Of course. Kuro's life is on the line." Adrian's voice hardened. "And Tyro... he wouldn't dare stand in my way."

"But... they have numbers..."

Adrian shot him a fierce look. "You doubt me?"

"No, boss. I wouldn't dare."

"Then move!" Adrian ordered.

As Leo sprinted off, Adrian drew his long, narrow blade and began walking toward Revernus Town, wiping the remnants of dark blood from its edge as he went. Behind him, Rheas watched from his doorway, murmuring to himself, "Seems like Revernus is about to be shaken to its core…"