Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1: Demonic City

Translator: Yukidaruma Translations  Editor: Yukidaruma Translations

In the year 2035 came the shocking news of a great explosion occurring in the airspace above one of the biggest cities in Xin Country—Roiling Ocean City. Not only did the landmarks and geographical areas in its surroundings abruptly undergo a huge transformation, but an otherworldly dimensional-gap also appeared in the skies. This caused a part of the current world to partially merge with the Other World.

Afterward, the city underwent a series of transformations which led other people in the world to name it Demonic City, one which had caught the attention of countries worldwide.

From the time of the great explosion until now, it had already been 16 years. And at this very moment, Fang Xingjian, 16 years of age, was standing atop a bluestone bridge, practicing his Basic Sword Technique.

He had learned this set of Basic Sword Technique from a common martial school. Although it was simple, it contained the full set of basic sword moves which were essential knowledge for every practitioner in Demonic City.

An hour later, under the glare of the winter sun, drops of perspiration were shining on Fang Xingjian’s body. The vigorous set of movements had made his muscles heat up repeatedly, tempering them.

After finishing his set, Fang Xingjian gradually pulled his sword back, meanwhile focusing his attention on the Stats Window in his brain.

Name Fang Xingjian

Age 16

Occupation Warrior’s Squire

Level 9

Strength 9

Agility 9

Reaction 6

Endurance 6

Flexibility 6

Basic Sword Technique Level 3 (15325/32500)

Single-handed Sword Grab Level 2 (23455/42200)

Cross-slash Level 2 (11325/23900)

Those who had experienced the transformation were akin to people in an MMORPG world; they could level up and even add points to their stats. Within the circumference of the world in Demonic City, everything had undergone a core transformation, while the original laws and physics of the world no longer applied here. Ever since Demonic City and the Other World had merged together, all material objects within the boundaries of the city manifested as if they had entered the Other World. When material objects entered Demonic City, they would undergo a change where their information would be presented as data and statistics. Naturally, this also applied to humans.

For example, earlier, when Fang Xingjian had been practicing the basic sword skills, he had gained experience in both the Basic Sword Technique and the Single-handed Sword Grab. As long as he kept practicing, and as long as he met the requirements, his level of proficiency in these two techniques would naturally rise.

Those with good talent would gain a lot of experience points after each practice session, and would also require little experience in order to advance to the next level. Not only that, if one’s talent was great enough, the level of one’s techniques could break into level 10, 12, 13, and even level 15!

However, Fang Xingjian knew what his own talent amounted to. Based on the large amount of experience points he needed in order to advance to the next level, he knew that his talent was only average. At most, he would only be able to train the three techniques he was practicing up to level 10.

Cautiously, he put the long training sword away. Each and every one of his training weapons had been bought with the savings he had managed to put together cent by cent. Thus, he cared for them a great deal.

Next, Fang Xingjian took up the hundred-jin-heavy steel greatsword lying by his side. The greatsword was a blunt, monolithic practice tool, which sacrificed all other factors in favor of weight.

With Fang Xingjian’s physical strength, both his hands trembled as he lifted the greatsword. His agility also slowed extremely when he tried to execute sword techniques with the weapon, facing extreme difficulty in using it.

After practicing only half a set of the Basic Sword Technique, he could not bear it anymore. The sword fell to the ground with a clatter, spidery cracks appearing on the ground from the impact. Fang Xingjian drew in huge breath after huge breath, both his arms aching with pain and soreness, unable to lift the greatsword again.

“This won’t do, I’m still so far away from the realm of ‘lifting a heavy object as though it were light’.”

The state where one had the ability to wield a hundred-jin-heavy sword whilst dancing about as though wielding a common sword was called ‘lifting a heavy object as though it were light’. Legend said that this was a standard originating from the Other World. It would only be achievable when one’s strength, agility, endurance, and flexibility stats each reached 10 points or more.

Strength, agility, reaction, endurance, and flexibility were known as the ‘five major attributes’.

The strength attribute represented the ability to fight against resistance, in motion.

The agility attribute represented the muscles’ actions: the contractions of one’s muscles, as well as their explosive strength.