[Divine Descent System - Godslayer]
Host: Kael Voss | In-Game ID: Zhu Shen
The second the neural immersion headset locked onto his brainwaves, a gentle, warm white light enveloped Kael Voss's entire consciousness.The quiet living room of Villa 12, the hum of the security system, the faint glow of the clock—all of it vanished in an instant.
What replaced it was a world so vivid, so real, that even his years of virtual gaming experience could not prepare him.
Tall, ancient trees towered into the sky, their branches interwoven into a vast green canopy. Golden sunlight spilled through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the soft, moss-covered ground. The air was fresh and crisp, filled with the scent of pine resin, wild berries, and blooming mountain flowers. A gentle wind rustled the leaves, and the clear chirps of exotic, colorful birds echoed through the woods.
This was Divine Descent—the second world designated by the Century of Peace Treaty.
A series of crisp, clear system notifications sounded directly in his ears, without the slightest electronic distortion:
Ding! Global server launch successful. All regions synchronized.Ding! Character DNA binding completed. In-Game ID confirmed: Zhu Shen.Ding! Class confirmed: Novice Warrior. Initial stats applied as preset.Ding! Spawn location locked: Emberwood Forest, Novice Camp 4791 (Aeria Federation region).Ding! Welcome to Divine Descent. May your journey be blessed by the Moon Goddess.
Kael slowly opened his eyes.
He stood in the center of a cramped, chaotic novice square. Thousands upon thousands of players had spawned at the same moment, their figures flashing into existence in bursts of white light. Shouts, laughter, arguments, and guild recruitment calls exploded into a deafening cacophony.
Every player wore the same tattered novice linen outfit: rough gray shirt, loose pants, and straw sandals. At their waists hung a rusted novice short sword—the only starting weapon.
Kael lowered his head and quickly called up his character panel, his eyes scanning every line to ensure zero deviation from the pre-set plan:
[Character: Zhu Shen]Level: 1Class: Novice WarriorHealth: 120Mana: 80Strength: 12 | Stamina: 6 | Agility: 6 | Spirit: 5Talent Stats: Luck 5 | Insight 5Unlocked Skills:
[Detection Lv.1] (All-class): Consumes 5 Mana. Checks target basic attributes.[Heavy Strike Lv.1] (Novice Warrior): Consumes 10 Mana. Deals 110% physical damage.Equipment: Novice Linen Armor, Novice Pants, Novice Sandals, Novice Short Sword
All stats were perfect. No errors, no deviations.
Before he could finish checking, two more bursts of white light appeared directly beside him.
The first figure was tall and lean, his face cold and sharp, exuding a silent, dangerous aura even in ragged novice gear. His panel flashed briefly:Character: ShadowLevel: 1Class: Novice Warrior
It was Gareth.
The second was a small, delicate figure in a novice cloth robe, her eyes wide and sparkling with wonder, staring at the surrounding trees and flowers as if she had stepped into a fairy tale. Her ID floated above her head:Character: Luna
Lila Elias.
The three of them had successfully spawned together—no separation, no server mismatch.
"Everyone is here," Kael said in a low, calm voice, his eyes sweeping over the chaotic crowd. "Stick to the plan strictly. We leave this camp at once. The more we stay, the more we delay. The first four hours decide the entire early game."
Gareth nodded silently. He already had his right hand on the hilt of his novice sword, his body relaxed but ready to explode into motion at any second.
Lila stayed close behind the two men, her small hands already clutching the linen gathering pouch that came with her novice setup. Her eyes were alert, already searching for the herbs Kael had taught her to identify.
The three of them turned and pushed through the throng of players, their steps steady and fast. Most newcomers were still dazed, arguing, or shouting recruitment messages—none of them noticed the three unusual figures slipping away into the forest.
A short walk outside the novice camp was the primary leveling area for new players:
Thorn Hare (Lv.1): Weak, fast, low health.Forest Wolf (Lv.3): Aggressive, moderate attack.Goblin Grunt (Lv.2): Large groups, low defense, high experience reward.
This was exactly the target Kael had chosen for their speed-leveling route.
"Shadow, you take the front. Focus on critical strikes on weak points. I will cover your left and right flanks. Luna, you stay one meter behind us at all times. Only gather herbs that are far from monsters. Do not approach, do not attack, do not take risks," Kael ordered in a low voice.
The moment he finished speaking, Gareth moved.
He unsheathed his novice sword in a smooth, silent motion, his body darting forward like a shadow. A Goblin Grunt, who had been hobbling around holding a rotting club, had no time to react before a sharp, precise slash landed directly on its neck.
A bright red damage number popped up:
32! (Critical Strike!)
The goblin let out a shrill wail and collapsed to the ground instantly. A few copper coins and a tattered piece of linen dropped from its corpse.
Kael followed immediately. He raised his left hand and cast [Detection Lv.1] on a second goblin.
Target: Goblin Grunt (Lv.2)Health: 60Attack: 12Defense: 5
He gripped his short sword and unleashed [Heavy Strike Lv.1].
28!
The goblin staggered and fell.
The two of them moved like a well-oiled machine.Shadow dealt instant, lethal damage.Zhu Shen controlled the field and supplemented kills.
Their speed was monstrous.One monster every two seconds.A group of five goblins wiped out in ten seconds.
The nearby players who were struggling to hit monsters stared in complete shock:
"Who… who are those two?! They're killing goblins in one hit!""That's impossible! We're all Level 1 Novice Warriors!""They must be top pro players from before Divine Descent launched! This speed is insane!"
Kael and Gareth did not spare them a single glance. They did not chat, did not hesitate, did not rest. Their eyes were fixed only on their experience bars, which surged forward at a terrifying rate.
Lila followed quietly behind them, her small hands moving quickly. She plucked Ember Grass, Moonbloom, and Thin Leaf Herb—all low-level materials that would be critical for early potion crafting. She kept perfect pace, never falling behind, never distracting them. She was the most reliable, quiet support imaginable.
Forty-eight minutes later.
Ding! Zhu Shen has reached Level 10!Ding! Shadow has reached Level 10!
A golden light wrapped around the two men, their stats rising sharply, their bodies feeling stronger and more agile.
Ordinary players would need an entire day to reach Level 10.They had done it in under an hour.
"Level 10," Kael said, his voice calm. "Time to move. North. Frostfang Cave."
The three of them turned away from the busy leveling grounds and headed toward the northern, uninhabited part of Emberwood Forest.
Ten minutes later, they reached a wall of dense, sharp, black thorns.
[Whispering Thorns]Type: Dangerous terrainEffect: Randomly pierces and deals damage. Blocks most players.
This was the natural barrier that hid Frostfang Cave. Almost all new players would avoid it.
But Kael had memorized the only safe path.
"Luna, do you remember the gap I showed you on the map?" Kael asked.
Lila nodded hard, her eyes bright. "Between the third and fourth vine! The safe gap!"
She bent down and slipped through the narrow opening nimbly.Kael and Gareth followed closely behind.
The moment they passed through the thorns, the entire world changed.
The temperature plummeted. A cold, biting wind blew. The ground was covered in a thin layer of white frost. The trees were dead and black, their branches twisted like ghostly claws.
At the end of the short, icy cave path, deep in the darkness, a pair of huge, glowing blue eyes suddenly opened.
A low, savage, bone-chilling growl echoed through the cave, shaking the frost off the walls.
Kael immediately raised his hand and cast [Detection Lv.1].
The boss's full panel appeared in front of them:
[Fenrir's Whelp]Type: Mythic Beast (Mini-Boss)Level: 15Health: 1,800Attribute: IceAttack: 85Defense: 42Trait: Frost Bite slows movement by 50% for 3 seconds.Weak Point: Right eye
The first real boss battle of their Divine Descent journey had officially begun.