In the city of Caria, Venix walked through the streets, trying to find the Adventurer's Hall where he could further his Tier 1 abilities.

As he strolled through the city, Venix also accessed his internet and logged into his social media account. In a group chat, Venix sent a message.

"Hello, everyone. It's been a while. Can you tell me the names of your games in Nine Heavens?" Venix messaged in the group chat.

Within a minute, the first response came.

"Huh? You finally show up and ask for our game names? I remember you used to refuse to share your game name. Now, feel our retaliation!" Moon Flower replied.

Darkest Man Alive responded almost simultaneously with Moon Flower : "Darkest Man."

"..." Moon Flower.

Moon Flower had just vowed to exact revenge on Venix by refusing to disclose her game name in Nine Heavens, but at the same time, someone else revealed their game name to Venix.

Wasn't that a bit of a slap in the face?

"You scoundrel! Why did you mention your game name!? Are you trying to make me look foolish?" Moon Flower angrily scolded Darkest Man Alive.

"Hahaha!" Venix livened up the conversation and added fuel to the fire.

Simultaneously, Venix searched for his friend's name in his friend list and discovered that his friend was currently playing as Anima Race.

"It was a mistake! You should be able to see that the message I sent was almost at the same time as the one you sent!" Darkest Man Alive tried to defend himself.

Moreover, Darkest Man Alive retracted the message revealing his game name and removed it for everyone.

"I've added you, @Darkest Man Alive, please confirm it 😉" Venix sent this message to the group.

"Eh? @Handsome And Brave, why are you suddenly asking for our game names?" Another group member, Bravery Swordsman, asked Venix.

Handsome and Brave was Venix's username in this group chat.

"There's something that happened before, which made it difficult for me to share my game name. I can't tell you the reason yet, but it's all resolved now," Venix replied.

"Alright, I won't ask further. As for my game name, it's the same as my chat account." Bravery Swordsman replied.

"Captain, you're the best! Not like that vengeful witch who's so cruel!" Venix responded.

"Who are you calling a vengeful witch?" Moon Flower immediately appeared and replied to Venix's message.

Venix just laughed, and one by one, the group members shared their game names in Nine Heavens.

This group chat had a total of 10 members, including Venix. They all came from different parts of the world.

There were 7 men and 3 women in this group chat, and they had all met in other virtual games, forming friendships that had lasted for more than 2 years.

Three of them were from the Asian continent, including Venix. Moon Flower was one of the women, and Versitalise was a man.

On the other hand, Darkest Man Alive was from the African continent, and he was a 25-year-old adult.

There was also Bravery Swordsman from the European continent and two others, Rainflow, a woman, and Heavens Punch, a man.

The remaining three members were from the American continent: Loc Boch, a man, Candy, a woman, and Four Eyes, a man.

All their friend's account names were the same as their actual names in the game, except for Venix.

Because of this, Venix decided to change his account name to 'Dawn Shadow' to match his in-game name.

After adding all his familiar friends, Venix contacted his sister, Yuna, and asked for her game account name.

Yuna's in-game account name is 'Fairy Blossom,' and Venix added her as a friend.

Unfortunately, Nine Heavens restricts players to remain in their respective regions.

It's only at high levels that players from all over the world can unite in one place and meet.

After completing everything, Venix finally arrived at the Adventurer's Hall in the city of Caria.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Venix stepped into the Adventurer's Hall.

Upon entering the Adventurer's Hall, Venix saw five NPCs standing to provide players with specific lessons.

Each NPC taught players about Attack, Defense, Recovery, Positive Effects, and Negative Effects.

Positive Effects, such as buffs to support teammates and enhance their attacks or defenses, while Negative Effects are the opposite.

Venix approached the NPC teaching about Attacks.

"Look, is that player selling all of their equipment?"

"Is that player being robbed?"

"Right, there's a group of evil players who kill solo players after they leave the city and force them to surrender their valuable items."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it really happens. If they don't hand over their items, they'll be continuously killed by that group of people until their items are all dropped and they die."

"That's why we need friends. People like him who don't have friends will have a hard time in this game."

Venix fell silent.

In reality, he didn't mind forming a team with other players, but there was a catch. Previously, he was a small bird! And when he arrived in this city after passing the Tier 0 Trial, he was alone!

And there was indeed something wrong with the clothes he was wearing. Currently, Venix only carried a sword on his waist, wearing ordinary and somewhat dirty clothes.

Venix shook his head slightly and paid no mind to the comments of others.

As Venix approached the old man NPC who taught about attacks, the old man NPC smiled.

"A little bird will eventually grow. Young one, do you want to learn about the differences between attacks and defenses in handling energy?" The old NPC smiled.

"Eh?" Venix raised his eyebrows slightly.

In this game, NPCs were indeed NPCs, unlike in other virtual games that attempted to create lifelike NPCs. Some games went to the extent of creating NPCs that behaved like real humans, with their own thoughts and emotions.

From player forums, Venix knew that NPCs in Nine Heavens were just regular NPCs and nothing special.

What surprised Venix was that this NPC appeared to refer to him as a 'little bird.' Was it a coincidence, or was the NPC programmed that way?

"Please teach me, sir," Venix bowed slightly. Even though the one in front of him was just an NPC, Venix instinctively showed respect due to habit.

"Good. In that case, take this." The NPC extended his hand, and a white light ball appeared on the palm of his hand.

Slowly, the white light ball moved toward Venix, and Venix extended his hand, receiving the light ball in his palm.

[ Does the player want to learn the basics of 'Attack Principles' and take the test? (Yes/No) ]

Venix said, : "Yes."

In a short while, Venix's body shone, and he disappeared from the Adventurer's Hall.

Darkness enveloped Venix for 10 seconds before he finally regained his vision.

Thud ~

Venix landed in a white world.

In front of him stood an old man with white hair, dressed in ordinary clothes, smiling warmly at Venix.

The old man raised his hand upward and flicked his fingers, explaining, "Basically, an attack is meant to destroy something, annihilate something, or kill something."

Boom!

In an instant, this white world was filled with flames that burned from all directions!

Venix felt that it wasn't flames, but an enormous energy that filled the entire white world!

The old man extended his hand, and immediately, a thin red energy was drawn into his palm, forming a slender energy cord.

"All energy is the same. It's like the air and water we encounter in our daily lives. Only when we can control this energy can we transform it into something else," said the old man.

Then, the thin energy cord began to slowly grow larger, as if it were going wild, as if possessed by a demon from hell.

"In the end, what matters most is our purpose..." The old man sighed sadly as he said this.

A piercing sound echoed...

Instantly, the thin cord in the old man's hand radiated a very strong sense of danger towards Venix!

Kill! Destroy! Annihilate!

In Venix's mind, he heard certain shouts, as if they were conveying something about what was in front of him.

Unbeknownst to Venix, his body was already drenched in sweat!

Within this white world, red fiery energy burned all around them. However, the thin energy line in the old man's hand was far more terrifying than the red energy engulfing the surroundings.

"That's how it feels... I hope you can remember this and go further in the future," the old man said.

After the old man said that, he threw the thin energy cord towards Venix!

Slash ~

Thud ~

Venix's body fell, and he sat on the floor, feeling the horror from the thin energy cord.

The thin energy cord targeted his head, and Venix felt no pain. Eventually, the thin energy cord entered Venix's brain!

Whoosshhh ~

Instantly, Venix felt the basic knowledge of the attack principles mentioned by the old man and slowly absorbed it.

Venix sat on the floor of this white world and closed his eyes.

He entered a strange state and learned the attack principles mentioned by the old man.

Venix lost track of time as he continued to absorb the attack principles mentioned by the old man.

In the end, Venix seemed to have assimilated all the attack principles mentioned by the old man and opened his eyes.

When Venix opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark room with an iron door in front of him.

[ 'Attack Principles' Test Begins! ]

[ The player must break the locked door with their energy. Using fists or anything is allowed. ]

[ If the player gives up, there is an exit door behind the player. ]

Venix turned to look behind and saw that there was indeed an exit door behind him.

This game is more complex than I thought," Venix said with a serious expression.

Why does it seem like all aspects within the game are teaching players the basics of superpowers?

Venix stood up and walked towards the locked door.

Venix extended his hand into the air and drew a straight line downward.

Ssiinngg ~

Instantly, a thin energy cord appeared in front of him.

Venix frowned and tried to make this thin energy cord sharp and strong, just as the old man had demonstrated.

Venix attempted for 5 minutes but failed to make the slightest change in the thin energy cord.

"What was I thinking? Clearly, the old man's level is vastly different from mine," Venix realized the truth.

The old man must be at the peak level! Venix couldn't possibly compare to him in his current state?

Then, Venix clenched his fist, and immediately his fist ignited with golden-red energy!

Venix pulled his fist back and struck forward with great force!

Boom!

Venix's fist hit the iron door, causing the iron door to vibrate strongly, as if it would collapse!

But in the end, the door still stood firmly.

"Uhhh... My hand hurts!" Venix pulled his hand back, holding his fist and wincing in pain.

He had confidently tried to be cool when he punched the door earlier, but now, Venix regretted his decision.

"Sword!" Venix drew the sword from his waist and held it in his right hand, which still hurt slightly.

"Deadly Sword!" Venix shouted, attempting to activate the 'Deadly Sword' skill.

[ Sorry, this skill cannot be used here ]

A system notification appeared in front of Venix.

"Huh? That's not possible?" Venix scratched his head in confusion. He then realized that this was the test of attack principles. He could use other means to attack, but essentially, he had to enhance the weapon he was using with his own energy and control, based on his understanding of the attack principles.

Realizing this, Venix channeled his energy into the sword in his hand.

Whooossshhh ~

The sword in Venix's hand was immediately enveloped in golden-red energy.

Venix closed his eyes and focused on forming the attack principles for his sword.

Whoosshhh ~

The golden-red energy in Venix's hand grew denser and more compact, seamlessly merging with the sword and emitting a faint golden-red glow.

It was much easier to form attack principles on a solid physical object. It only required compacting the player's energy into the object itself. After the energy and the physical object merged perfectly, the player just needed to further reinforce it.

Forming attack principles on the thin energy cord was very difficult. The energy was like water and air. Without the help of other tools, could it become dangerous and lethal to others? Of course, in the case of a natural disaster, but that was different in this context.

After condensing his energy and merging it with the sword, Venix held the sword firmly in his hand and made a strike forward.

Slash ~

With a single blow, the previously locked door in front of him easily split, revealing the way out to Venix.

On the other hand, Venix frowned.

"It's not a matter of whether I use my fist or a sword to pass this test. But... the most crucial aspect is that the principle of power perfectly merges with the medium without using much force, and even a tree branch could split this door," Venix realized the truth of this test.

Essentially, this test was meant for players to understand the principles of attack.

Then, Venix walked forward and entered a black portal behind the broken door.

[ Congratulations to the player for passing the 'Attack Principles' test! ]

[ Player gains Ability ]

[ Seed of Assault: Increases the player's attack power by 50% ]

Upon returning to the Adventurer's Hall, Venix noticed that the new Ability he had gained increased his attack power by 50%!

This was a significant boost!