The reason Karl actually cared about the commotion forming around him was simple: he knew [HolyDemon] from his past life.

They weren't friends, and they never teamed up. Not once.

[HolyDemon] was the type who played alone, moved alone, fought alone, and preferred not to be tied to anyone.

But even then, Karl couldn't deny the guy wasn't a bad person.

His ID might have had "Demon" in it, but that didn't mean much in a world like this.

Many players picked edgy names for the sake of it.

Still, Karl stayed where he was for a few seconds, listening.

"Oh my god, it's actually him."

"No way—no way that's really [HolyDemon], right?"

"Damn!"

Of course they were getting worked up.

Anyone who understood anything about [Gods Ascension] knew exactly why players reacted this way.

[HolyDemon] wasn't just some strong guy.

He wasn't even just "famous." He was one of the top 50 players in the entire world.

Level 102, currently exploring the latest available region alongside all the other monsters disguised as human beings.

Humanity had lost 99.9% of its population during the [First Calamity], and because of that, the number of truly powerful players was tiny.

Most humans who survived had gone through [Gods Ascension], sure…

But how many had the strength, talent, or courage to keep climbing past the deadly zones, past the brutal regions, and past the monsters that were basically world-ending calamities on their own?

The answer: barely anyone.

So of course the people standing at the top, people like [HolyDemon], were practically treated like celebrities.

Karl had seen it in his past life too. Players worshipped the strong.

They flocked around them, tried to act friendly, tried to get quests together, tried to leech off their fame.

But Karl also knew a hard truth: most of the top-ranked players were not "good people."

Not in the slightest. Out of the top 50, maybe three or four were decent.

The rest were… complicated.

But Karl didn't care. As long as they stayed out of his way, they could do whatever they wanted.

He wasn't in a position to challenge people like them anyway.

With his level still low and his strength not yet where he needed it to be, he knew he had to be patient.

He held his staff loosely at his side and turned away.

"Not yet," he murmured in his head.

He didn't expect anyone to recognize him at this stage.

His ID was known, but not his face. And he preferred it that way.

Right now, his only job was to get stronger. Everything else could wait.

But unbeknownst to Karl, surrounded by dozens of other players, [HolyDemon] himself looked at him.

He stood near the center, scepter in one hand, surrounded by players trying to talk to him or get his attention. None of them mattered to him.

[HolyDemon] was a priest-class player with a [Hidden Class] and an SS-Level Talent.

Neither his class nor his talent were as strong as Karl's, but they were still incredible on their own.

His eyes, sharp and instinctive from countless battles and near-death experiences, drifted over the crowd until they landed on exactly one thing:

Karl's back as he walked toward the city's exit. For a brief moment, no one else existed.

---

[ID: Oblivion]

[Level: 25]

[Class: ???]

[Talent: ???]

[Demon Analysis: What the hell is this thing?]

---

[HolyDemon] didn't follow after Karl, but as expected, he knew the ID [Oblivion], and even his "analysis" said something was weird.

That last line… this passive of him never reacted that way.

'Well,' HolyDemon thought calmly, 'if this guy is as strong as he seems, he'll end up joining "us" anyway. Sooner or later.'

He wasn't concerned. Everything had a rhythm in [Gods Ascension].

Strong players always rose. They always attracted attention.

And eventually, they always crossed paths.

…

Karl, meanwhile, had already left [Floral City].

Normally, he would've found a merchant, sold his loot, and emptied his bag, but since his inventory space had expanded massively, he didn't need to rush.

He simply kept walking until he reached the outer gate.

Fwish!

With a quick gesture, Karl summoned Moonless again.

The massive wolf-like beast appeared instantly, and Karl climbed onto her back.

As soon as he settled in place, he pointed toward the far distance—the spot where the massive crimson flower hung in the sky like a looming omen.

"Let's go to its base," he said. "In my past life, I never bothered. Everyone said it was useless. But this time…"

He tightened his grip.

This time he wasn't leaving anything behind.

Just like the [Moon Tower] had been the main [Major Zone] in the [Moon Plains], the [Flower Labyrinth] was the main [Major Zone] in the [Blooming Lands].

It was the true starting point of the region.

The first real test. It was also technically the first proper [Major Zone] in the entire game.

Because unlike the [Moon Tower], the labyrinth wasn't optional.

You couldn't skip it, or find a path that allowed you to cheat your way through.

The only way to reach the next region was to survive the labyrinth and find its exit.

And inside, the monsters were far stronger.

Some of the sections inside were notorious for being "death zones."

Karl remembered hearing a rumor in his past life that one part of the labyrinth was never cleared, not even once, because the monsters there were too strong.

No one knew if the rumor was true, but Karl wouldn't be surprised.

He didn't care. He wanted inside.

Moonless rushed ahead, claws digging into the flower-covered ground with each rapid step.

As Karl rode, he looked around at the landscape.

The [Blooming Lands] really were beautiful.

A sweeping field of flowers stretching endlessly, with petals drifting gently through the air.

It would've been the perfect spot to relax if it wasn't infested with monsters capable of tearing limbs off in seconds.

The number of players out here was average for this region, nothing special.

Karl wasn't surprised.

Most of the current population of [Gods Ascension] was already in the third region, the one after this.

Three years had passed since the game descended.

Those who survived the [First Calamity] were usually tough enough to defend themselves, and after so much time, the majority had reached level 55 to 70.

That was where most of them stopped.

Not because they didn't want to advance, but because the risks were too high.

The monsters became unpredictable. The zones were more unforgiving.

Players wanted to move forward, but to do that, they needed to bet their lives again and again.

Dying was easy.

Fwish! Fwish!

About ten minutes passed, and Karl could see he was getting close to the giant crimson flower.

The air grew heavier, darker.

Players rarely came out this far, there was no reason to.

Nothing valuable spawned in this area. Which was exactly why Karl came.

The pressure in the air increased with every meter they traveled.

It felt like something was watching. Like something massive was breathing right above the clouds.

But before Karl could think further—

BAM!

Moonless suddenly leaped into the air, nearly throwing Karl off her back.

A massive serpent burst out of the ground beneath them, fangs snapping shut where they had been a split second earlier.

'Holy hell.'

Karl exhaled sharply. He wasn't scared, but he was extremely grateful.

Moonless' instincts were terrifyingly sharp.

The mount skidded across the ground as she landed, twisting her huge body to face the attacker.

Karl spun his staff and glared at the creature rising before him.

---

[Vine Serpent (Level 27)]

Rank: Epic (Boss)]

[HP: 300,000]

---

It had the same health as Moonless. Not shocking, since it was higher level and a boss.

Its body was enormous, covered in overlapping green scales, with thick vines wrapped around it like armor.

Its yellow eyes narrowed.

HIIIISSSSSS!

The serpent opened its mouth wide, showing a full set of massive fangs.

A wave of killing intent burst outward as it roared.

But Karl wasn't intimidated. Not even close.

Looking at its health, he couldn't stop the grin growing on his face.

'One spell is all I need,' he thought, raising his staff. 'Don't get in my way.'

He pointed the staff forward.

Fire Meteor!

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