Novel Full Chapter 37: Players Killers Already? Hub City
Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Players Killers Already? Hub City
Appraisal!
Leon slowed to a stop and crouched slightly, pressing his palm against the ground. The familiar sensation spread through his arm as the skill activated.
Ding!
In an instant, a massive map unfolded before his vision, layers of terrain and landmarks spreading outward like a living projection.
“Perfect.”
It wasn’t a map of the entire [Lower Domain]. That would have been impossible, the place was far too vast for that.
But it showed everything around him in clear detail. Plains, roads, monster zones, and distant landmarks all appeared at once.
Leon’s eyes moved quickly across it.
“And there’s the desert.”
He focused on the golden stretch to the side. It wasn’t as far from the plains as he had initially thought. That meant Emilia couldn’t be too far away.
“And ahead…” his lips curled into a grin, “…the first city.”
The symbol was clear. Roads converged there from multiple directions, marking it as a central point.
“That should be somewhat safe.”
Of course, Leon knew better than to believe any place in [Eternal Ascension] was truly safe.
Danger existed everywhere, in one form or another. But cities were different. Rules were tighter. Players gathered. Opportunities appeared.
Once he reached it, he could finally begin what he had planned for the [Lower Domain].
Just like in the [Novice Village], this stage was full of chances: hidden ones that only someone with knowledge of the future could truly exploit.
Leon broke into a sprint, his body moving smoothly across the plains. The grass bent under his feet as the wind rushed past him.
It didn’t take long before monsters began to react.
A [Plains Bear] burst from the tall grass with a roar, its massive body charging straight at him.
Leon didn’t slow down. A single strike was enough to bring it down.
Further ahead, a group of [Dwarven Goblins] tried to surround him, crude weapons raised. They didn’t last even a few seconds.
One after another, monsters attempted ambushes. None of them succeeded.
Leon moved efficiently, killing only what got in his way and ignoring everything else. His goal wasn’t to grind here. It was to reach the city as quickly as possible.
Eventually, as the plains stretched thinner and the terrain began to change, Leon saw it.
In the distance, rising above the land, stood the first city. Even from far away, it was impossible to miss.
“That’s it.”
The place was known as [Hub City].
The name was simple, but accurate. It was the central hub for most players entering the [Lower Domain].
Roads from different zones all led there, making it a natural gathering point.
Inside, players from countless races crossed paths: elves, demons, and races Leon couldn’t immediately name.
Some were friendly. Some weren’t. Good people and bad people mixed freely.
Leon’s gaze shifted slightly.
Beyond the city, further off to the side, he could see the desert stretching endlessly. That path also led to the city, connecting the [Hard] spawn zone directly to it.
And then, by sheer coincidence—
Ding!
[You have received a message from “Saintess”]
Leon blinked.
[Saintess: Look to your left.]
“…?”
Leon turned his head. That was when he saw her.
Emilia was running toward him, her scepter held firmly in her hand. Her robes fluttered behind her as she closed the distance quickly.
Leon stopped moving. A wide grin spread across his face as he waited for her to reach him.
“You run really fast for a priestess.”
Emilia came to a stop in front of him and puffed out her chest, clearly proud.
“I’m not a priestess. I’m a saintess,” she said firmly. “And even though I have support spells, I can fight with magic too.”
“I know.”
Leon wasn’t surprised.
The [Desert] was the [Hard] spawn zone of the [Lower Domain]. Enemies there ranged from five thousand to six thousand five hundred combat power.
For someone to survive there alone, and kill monsters consistently, meant they were far from ordinary.
The fact that Emilia was doing it so early already made things clear.
’As expected from someone from a high-level world.’
Leon didn’t like the way worlds were categorized. Too many people judged others based on that label alone. Still, he couldn’t deny reality.
There were exceptions, but higher-ranking worlds usually produced stronger individuals.
“I wanted to ask about your talent,” Leon said as they began walking toward the city together. “Is it…”
“Elven Saintess,” Emilia replied immediately, a grin forming on her face. “SS-Level.”
Leon nodded.
“As I thought. That explains why you were allowed to use that ID.”
Things were starting to connect in his mind. His theory was becoming clearer.
Certain [Talents] or [Titles] acted as conditions. Without them, some IDs simply couldn’t be used.
He hadn’t come up with that idea out of idle curiosity. In his past life, there were players with extremely specific names, names that clearly meant something. Too many coincidences for it to be random.
Perhaps, if a name was too unique, it meant it was tied directly to something deeper.
They continued forward. The closer they got to the city, the fewer monsters appeared.
The area around [Hub City] was relatively clear, maintained by players themselves.
After a few minutes of walking, Leon reached for his [Storage Space], intending to check the items he had collected earlier.
Then—
Fwoosh!
A sharp sense of danger washed over him.
Leon’s expression changed instantly. He turned around just in time to see an arrow flying straight toward them.
“Shit.”
Emilia reacted at the same moment. Both of them dodged aside as the arrow slammed into the ground behind them.
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted where it landed. The shockwave sent dirt and debris flying.
Leon felt the impact, but his [Purple Jade Necklace] activated, absorbing most of the damage.
Emilia was thrown slightly off balance, but her constitution was high enough to endure it.
Still, the situation was clear.
“Player killers already,” Leon sighed. “They usually become more common later. I didn’t expect them this early.”
Darkness Barrier!
Leon cast his skill instantly. A faint, dark barrier formed around him, thick and durable.
Thanks to his sub-talent, its defensive power was far higher than normal.
“What do we do?!” Emilia groaned. “We don’t even know where they are! Why would they attack us?!”
“Items,” Leon replied calmly, “When you kill someone, you can take everything in their [Storage Space]. With how many people are in [Eternal Ascension], one or two deaths don’t matter to them.”
In his past life, many player killers were lazy. They relied on numbers or cheap tactics. These ones were different.
That arrow alone was strong enough to kill most unprepared players instantly.
After that first attack, no second arrow came.
Either they realized Leon and Emilia weren’t easy targets and backed off, or they were waiting for another opportunity.
“Player killers are usually overleveled compared to their victims,” Leon said. “Let’s get to [Hub City] quickly.”
Emilia nodded.
They broke into a run, moving at full speed. Both of them stayed alert, constantly glancing back in case another attack came.
Fortunately, none did.
Even in the [Lower Domain], danger was always present. And Leon knew this was nothing compared to what awaited later.
As they ran, Leon glanced at Emilia, then opened his friend list briefly.
“Eleonore, David, Aaron, and Alice should be fine on their own for now,” he thought. “But eventually… they all die.”
Early success meant nothing. If he wanted to survive long-term, he needed to grow stronger than everyone else. Much stronger.
With that thought firmly in his mind, Leon and Emilia finally reached the massive gates of [Hub City].
But as they drew closer, Leon frowned.
“…That’s more people than I expected.”
The city was crowded. Not just inside the walls, but outside as well. Players gathered everywhere, resting, trading, arguing, and preparing.
“I hope we don’t run into any elves from my world,” Emilia said quietly, her expression darkening. “I’m not sure I can beat them.”
“Even with eight thousand combat power?” Leon asked, surprised. “How strong are they?”
“Not strong enough for an S-Rank assessment,” Emilia replied, “but stronger than me. And there are a lot of them.”
Leon nodded.
“Then we’ll be careful.”
After a few more minutes, the two of them passed through the gates.
Ding!
[You have entered “Hub City”]
[Please be careful, for an event will be happening soon.]
“Oh?”