After finishing the talent modifications, John stood up.
His eyes fell on the Lv.3 wolf still roaming nearby.
Even after he had slaughtered so many guild members, the wolf remained leisurely, wandering the area.
Now it lay lazily on the grass, basking in the sun, completely ignoring the corpses around it.
John raised his dagger, smiling faintly.
"The monsters around Novice Village are really easy. As long as you don't attack first, they don't enter aggro state."
He gripped his dagger and activated Boundary Break.
The wolf was instantly locked on.
Aim, power, throw!
The motion flowed smoothly like water.
The dagger shot out, transforming into a streak of cold light, striking precisely between the wolf's eyes.
Before the wolf could react, its skull exploded under the terrifying force.
[-1797!]
The Lv.3 wolf, with 1,300 HP, was instantly one-shot.
[Lv.3 wolf killed. Experience gained: 300!]
[Level up! Reached Lv.2!]
Sein and his group had been grinding for half an hour just to get one person to level 2.
John leveled up almost instantly.
This was the difference a talent made!
Unfortunately, no equipment dropped due to the low drop rate.
"Time to calculate… those guys should have respawned by now. Time to head back."
John retrieved his dagger and turned toward Novice Village.
Meanwhile, back in Novice Village, at the Revival Spring, members of the Opportunists guild began to respawn.
Sein was the first.
He staggered out, face pale, clutching his neck.
Apocalypse simulated pain incredibly realistically.
The agony of having his throat slashed by a dagger before death still made him break into a cold sweat.
"I… I got killed?"
Sein looked down, sensing something wrong.
All his equipment—even the clothes on his body—had vanished!
Not only that.
His panel instinctively opened, and his mind went blank.
"My… talents?!"
The golden Universal Synthesis that had once shone in his talent panel was gone.
"Impossible… how could it disappear…"
Sein muttered to himself, panic visible on his face.
He frantically refreshed his panel, but Universal Synthesis never reappeared.
Splash!
Another figure emerged from the Revival Spring.
It was swordsman Raymond.
His situation mirrored Sein's: naked, talents gone.
"Fuck! Where's my sword and gear?!"
Raymond looked at his empty hands, panicked, covering himself.
Then, warrior Kaer, blond mage Pierre, shield swordsman Hansen, vice leader Ham…
Members of the Opportunists guild emerged one by one from the Revival Spring.
Seeing everyone in the same stark state, their expressions were priceless.
It was as if a curse had struck them all: talents, equipment, copper coins—everything gone!
Even their newbie gear vanished!
A group of naked players stood in the Revival Spring like plucked chickens.
The scene was absurdly comical.
Passing female players and NPCs stopped to watch, covering their mouths to stifle laughter.
"Eh? Why are all these guys butt-naked?"
"Wow… such perverts just as the server opened."
Some bold female players even pointed at Sein, giggling:
"Look at that guy… so tiny!"
Sein's face turned a deep purplish-red.
Clutching himself, he roared,
"Get out of here, or I'll gouge your eyes!"
The crowd quieted briefly, then burst into louder laughter.
"Getting mad already! Small guy, big temper."
"Put your pants on before talking!"
"If it were me, I'd quit the game."
Each insult pierced Sein, making his whole body tremble.
He gritted his teeth and yelled,
"John! I'll kill you!!!"
"G-Guild Leader…" someone asked quietly behind him, "without talents and gear, how can we take revenge?"
Sein took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
His face darkened.
"I've built some connections over the years.
I'll borrow some copper coins to buy a set of base gear and catch up.
Even if I have to borrow, I'll tear John apart.
Or my reputation is ruined!"
Vice leader Hansen cautiously asked,
"Gear can be bought with money… but what about talents?
Those… you can't buy with money, right?"
Sein froze, sinking into silence.
In Apocalypse, acquiring talents was nearly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
When logging in, the system randomly assigned F–SSS-level talents based on class.
Once assigned, there was no changing them.
The only other way to redistribute talents was using a talent stone, only available in the late game.
And at this moment, the only person who knew how to obtain a talent stone was John, reborn.
Sein and his team had almost no chance of regaining talents.
Realizing this, Sein's mind exploded.
He cursed loudly,
"Bastard! I shouldn't have taken in that white-eyed dog!
Playing a damn assassin and sneaking to betray me!
You mutt… if you've got the guts, fight me one-on-one, and I'll crush you with one hand…"
Bang!
Mid-curse, a massive force hit Sein from behind.
He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, tumbling across the ground like an old dog.
By the time he got up, half of his HP was already gone.
Ringing in his ears, he struggled to lift his head.
A figure had appeared at the spot where he had been standing.
It was John, just returned from the wilderness!
Fights were rare in Novice Village.
This scene immediately drew the attention of many players.
Even NPCs gathered at the noise.
"J-o-h-n!" Sein's voice trembled, shrill with rage.
He didn't even notice when John had appeared behind him.
But it was obvious: John had just slapped him, knocking away half his HP!
"You dare return to the village!"
Having his humiliation witnessed by so many players and NPCs—and with his nemesis right in front of him—Sein lost all rationality.
"I'll kill you!"
Sein roared, grabbing a short sword from a nearby village militia.
"Die!"
He lunged at John.
The spectators gasped.
The militia's short swords weren't weak; one strike could kill.
But…
Faced with the crazed attack, John didn't dodge or flinch.
He didn't even blink.
Clang!
The short sword hit John's robe, producing a huge metallic collision and sparks.
A large white damage number appeared above John's head.
[-0!]
The strike did absolutely no damage.