"Wow… this place is incredible."
Marcus turned slowly, taking it all in. Towering walls surrounded the vast plaza, and the streets were broad and gleaming with polished stone. Magnificent buildings rose in every direction, their spires catching the light, their designs elegant and majestic. It truly felt like stepping into a prosperous, powerful city from another era.
Unbelievable. Marcus couldn't help but admire the realism. Dragonfly Corp had outdone themselves, the level of detail in Dominion was beyond anything he'd imagined.
Yet something felt strange. The massive square was almost empty. Only a handful of system NPCs and armored city guards patrolled the area. Not a single player was around.
Compared to the bustling Newbie Village, the Dragon's Peak Citadel felt eerily quiet.
No matter. He had things to do.
Marcus straightened his gear, took a breath, and started jogging toward The Guild Hall, his footsteps echoing against the cobblestone as the sunlit city loomed around him.
Players can undergo their first class advancement at Level 10. The class system in Dominion is structured as follows:
At Level 10, Fighters can advance into one of four professions: Warrior, Knight, Archer, or Assassin.
The difference between a Warrior and a Knight lies mainly in their focus. Warriors lean toward offense, usually distributing their attribute points between Strength and Constitution in a 3:2 or 4:1 ratio. Knights focus more on defense, allocating points to Strength and Constitution in a 2:3 or 1:4 ratio. Of course, there are always exceptions, some Warriors build purely for offense, while others favor tanking like Knights, and vice versa.
Archers usually split their points with one in Strength, one in Constitution, and three in Agility, or sometimes three in Strength and two in Agility. Their key strength is long-range combat.
Assassins invest heavily in Agility, relying on speed and precision. Their playstyle revolves around assassination, traps, and stealth. These classes demand quick reflexes and skilled control to bring out their full potential.
Meanwhile, Mages at Level 10 can advance into Sorcerer, Cleric, or Warlock. Mages generally invest their points into Focus, but each subclass differs based on its skill specialization.
Sorcerers are usually elemental mages, fire, water, lightning, earth, or wind. Their elements shape their attack styles, but their main role is straightforward offense.
Clerics serve as support units, capable of enhancing allies' attributes or restoring health. They're the backbone of any party and often the difference between success and defeat.
Warlocks are summoners, such as Necromancers who call forth skeletons, or Beast Tamers who summon animal companions.
At Level 50, players can advance again, deepening their chosen paths.
For the Fighter classes:
Warriors can advance to Berserker or Samurai.
Knights can advance to Paladin or Dark Knight.
Archers can advance to Sniper or Hunter.
Assassins can advance to Rogue or Killer.
For Mage classes, the second advancement represents mastery of their original path:
Sorcerers become Arch-Sorcerers.
Clerics become High Clerics.
Warlocks evolve based on their specialization, for instance, a Necromancer becomes a Deathmage, while a Beast Tamer becomes a Beastmaster.
The third class advancement occurs at Level 80, though no details are available on the official website. Players are left to discover those paths themselves.
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Marcus had no hesitation about his choice. He was going to be a Knight.
The moment he stepped into the Guild Hall, he made a beeline for the Knight Captain's station.
The captain; Markos, stood tall in full armor, a longsword resting at his hip. His presence radiated confidence and strength, the kind of aura that inspired loyalty without a single word. Seeing him only strengthened Marcus's resolve.
"Hello," Marcus said, his tone steady but excited. "I'd like to advance to a Knight."
"Greetings, Stonehaven," the captain replied, his deep voice carrying authority. "I am Captain Markos. Welcome to the ranks of the glorious Knights."
The familiar chime of the system echoed in Marcus's ears.
Ding! Stonehaven, Captain Markos is about to advance your class to Knight. Do you accept?
"I accept," Marcus said without hesitation.
Ding! Stonehaven has advanced to Knight! Your abilities have increased significantly. Attack +50, Defense +100, Health +100.
Each class advancement brought a powerful boost. The exact bonuses varied depending on the profession: Warriors gained +100 Attack, +50 Defense, and +100 Health. Archers received +100 Attack, +50 Defense, +50 Evasion, and +50 Health. Assassins earned +100 Attack, +50 Defense, +100 Evasion. Mages gained +100 Attack, +50 Defense, +50 Health, and +50 Mana.
These were only the baseline increases. The real distinction between professions came later, through skill progression and point distribution. It was this careful balance that made Dominion so addictive, every class had its own strengths and weaknesses, and true mastery depended on the player.
As the community often said, "There's no strongest class, only the strongest player." Hidden classes, of course, were another story, their potential was almost limitless.
A bright light enveloped Marcus as his surroundings briefly blurred. The sensation of energy flooding his body was unlike anything he had felt before, warm, powerful, and exhilarating.
Ding! Congratulations, Stonehaven, on advancing to Knight! You have learned the basic Knight skills: One-Handed Mastery and Shield Mastery. Additional skills can be learned from the Knight Captain.
Marcus grinned, unable to hold it in any longer.
He had done it. He was finally a Knight.
After all the grinding, that single title felt like a reward worth every moment. For a long while, he just stood there, laughing softly to himself, savoring the feeling.
In the real world, Marcus had always admired the ideal of the knight, noble, disciplined, and unshakably loyal. He had dreamed of becoming a heroic champion in a grand medieval empire, clad in armor and sworn to protect the innocent. He never imagined a game like Dominion would actually give him that chance. Thanks to its near-perfect virtual reality technology, every sensation felt real, every sound and movement authentic. It was unlike any other game he had ever played.
"Ding! Congratulations, Stonehaven, for being the first player in Dominion to advance class! Reward: 300 Reputation, 50 Gold Coins, the 'Explorer's Medallion,' and a detailed map of the Dreamland Continent."
Marcus froze, then grinned.
'Holy smokes! A first-place bonus!' This was exactly what he had been working for.
He quickly opened the reward menu.
Explorer's Medallion: Once a Divine Item, it was obtained by a Rogue known as Silas the Wanderer. Silas devoted his life to exploring the Dreamland Continent, using this medallion to travel across nearly every region. However, during his search for the four legendary locations; the Cloudfall Cascades, the Phantom King's Temple, the Phoenix Canyon, and the Elemental Nexus, he found nothing. His endless frustration twisted into resentment, and he was ultimately consumed by inner demons, dying from a sudden, violent illness. Much of the Medallion's power was sealed by that lingering hatred.
Marcus let out a low whistle. Wow, what a backstory. He couldn't help but feel both impressed and a little sorry for Silas.
That kind of obsession was admirable, but also tragic. Marcus wasn't the type to dwell forever on what he couldn't achieve. Life, whether virtual or real, was full of setbacks. The best thing to do was to stay calm, learn from the pain, and keep moving forward.
He checked the Medallion's current attributes.
Explorer's Medallion — Requirement: None. Luck +2, All Basic Attributes +5, Movement Speed +2, Attack Speed +1. Cannot be traded or dropped.
Special Effect: If the wearer fulfills Silas the Wanderer's dying wish by finding the four legendary mysterious areas and breaking the seal of resentment, the Medallion's full power will be restored.
The stats were... decent. Not bad, but not exactly amazing either. Still, a reward was a reward, and free bonuses were never something to complain about. Since medallions didn't take up an equipment slot, he simply slipped it over his head.
It looked plain—a simple metal plaque with faint engraved patterns, but he kind of liked that. Modest, unassuming, and full of hidden history.
Next, he opened the second reward: the Detailed Map of the Dreamland Continent.
Dreamland Continent Map — Drawn by Silas the Wanderer during his lifetime of exploration. Unique Item. Cannot be traded, dropped, or shared.
Marcus's eyes lit up. 'Haha, this is amazing!'
The map was covered with handwritten notes and symbols. Every town, region, and resource node was labeled, along with monster habitats and terrain details. It wasn't just a map, it was an adventurer's legacy. With this, traveling and grinding would become infinitely easier.
After admiring his rewards for a while, Marcus turned to his newly unlocked Knight skills.
One-Handed Mastery — Level 1 (0/2000). Passive. Increases proficiency with one-handed weapons. Attack +20.
Shield Mastery — Level 1 (0/2000). Passive. Enhances shield defense capability. Defense +20.
They were straightforward enough, solid foundational skills, but nothing fancy. The kind that every Knight started with.
He looked up at Captain Markos. "Captain, I'd like to learn more skills. How do I go about that?"
Markos gave a firm nod. "Here is the list of skills currently available to you."