Awakening: Reincarnating With the SSS-Level Extraction Talent

[Player "MartialMage" is attempting to establish a new city: "Overlord City" using a "City Building Scroll."]

[As it is the first city that will try to be established, it is now time to further explain how cities work in Universal Descent!]

The panels glowed brightly, forcing Alex and Alice to focus.

Lines of information scrolled down in quick succession.

"Here we go," Alex muttered.

The game's mechanics laid themselves bare for everyone online to see.

[To recap the information that is known:]

[Once acquiring a "City Building Scroll," an individual can establish a city by claiming an abandoned one scattered throughout the land or by building their own from scratch. However, the latter option is significantly harder.]

[Using the scroll in an existing city requires a payment of 100 gold coins, while creating a city from nothing costs 500 gold coins.] Discover more stories at empire

[Once a city is established, its layout and infrastructure will be automatically remodeled based on its level.]

[Every city has an altar—a core structure that serves as its lifeline. The altar may be in a prominent, well-guarded location or hidden away, making it difficult to find but easier to damage if discovered. The altar grows stronger as the city levels up, gaining better defenses over time.]

[All cities begin at Level 1, regardless of location or origin.]

[Players and NPCs who officially join a city become its inhabitants. The city's fame and infrastructure improve as it grows, allowing for better markets, guild halls, crafting stations, and overall facilities.]

[In this case, MartialMage is attempting to establish the now Level 1 "Overlord City."]

"That's… a lot of information," Alice mumbled, finishing the last line of text.

Alex had already absorbed everything. With his past knowledge of the system, nothing here was new to him.

"Not really," he replied with a grin. "The real fun starts now."

Alice raised a brow in confusion.

As if on cue, a new panel appeared, but this one was a crimson hue, signaling something far more serious.

[However, creating a city from nothing is not as simple as it seems.]

[There are strict rules in place to ensure only the worthy may establish a city.]

[To prove your worth, you must undergo the "Monster Tide Trial."]

Alice blinked. "Monster Tide Trial? That doesn't sound good…"

Alex chuckled. "It isn't. But it's fair."

The next set of text detailed the trial:

[During a Monster Tide Trial, monsters will emerge from all directions, attacking the city relentlessly for 12 hours.]

[The goal is to defend the city and, most importantly, protect its altar. If the altar's HP reaches zero, the trial is considered a failure, and the city is lost.]

[The city's defenders must hold the line, repelling wave after wave of increasingly powerful monsters. Walls can be breached, but the altar must remain intact to succeed.]

[Each trial corresponds to the city's current level. For example, a Level 1 trial occurs when a city is first established, and subsequent trials occur when upgrading the city to Levels 2, 3, 4, and beyond.]

[Creating an empire or evolving a city into something greater will require even more challenging trials.]

"Great," Alice muttered. "Twelve hours of non-stop fighting. Sounds exhausting."

Alex shrugged. "It's only exhausting if you're on the wrong side of the fight."

Before Alice could respond, another panel appeared, highlighting the camps involved in the trial.

[There are three camps in the Monster Tide Trial:]

[1. The Monster Camp: The monsters tasked with destroying the city's altar. They are relentless, attacking anything in their path, including other players if provoked.]

[2. The Defenders Camp: The group of players and NPCs dedicated to protecting the city. Successfully defending the altar earns participants rewards based on their contribution during the trial.]

Alice frowned. "So, people can join the city's defense and get paid for it?"

"Exactly," Alex confirmed. "It's an easy way to make money or get equipment, especially for those who aren't part of a guild."

"And what's the third camp?"

Alex's smirk widened as he pointed to the new text that had just appeared.

[3. The Attackers Camp: Players who choose to side against the city, fighting alongside the monsters to destroy the altar. Note: Monsters will still attack you on sight, making this the most difficult camp to succeed in.]

[Attackers who manage to destroy the city's altar will also receive rewards, but they are far greater than those given to defenders. However, choosing this camp comes with its own risks.]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

At the sight of this, Alex knew the player base would be divided.

On one hand, defending the city offered steady, predictable rewards.

On the other, attacking provided the potential for much greater gains, but at the cost of making enemies.

"Let me guess," Alice sighed, "no one's going to want to attack him."

Not only would they make enemies of the [Overlord Guild] but also all the guilds and families associated with Daniel: it was a bad idea, and if they found them in the real world they could also potentially kill them.

Also, no one wanted to die at this point of the game as it meant the possibility of losing an item or some levels.

"No way I'm attacking."

"I need money, I'm joining the defenders!"

"I'm not participating, don't wanna risk it."

The reactions were mixed.

Meanwhile, the panels continued to provide more details.

[During Monster Tide Trials, the revive time for dead players is reduced from 30 minutes to 10 minutes. This ensures relentless action for both defenders and attackers.]

"Holy crap," Alice muttered. "So it's basically a free-for-all bloodbath."

Alex laughed. "Pretty much. But the real question is, which camp will you choose?"

"Attackers, duh," Alice smiled, "I'm killing everyone there!"

A loud ding interrupted their banter, and a new notification appeared.

[MartialMage has confirmed the usage of the "City Building Scroll" after reviewing the rules!]

[The first Monster Tide Trial for Overlord City will begin in 2 hours. Players may now choose their camps!]

With that, the panels vanished, leaving Alice staring at the empty space in front of her.

"You okay?" Alera asked, noticing Alice's pale expression.

"Monsters… cities… trials…" Alice muttered, clearly overwhelmed.

Alex laughed, patting her on the back. "Don't worry. It's not that complicated. You'll figure it out."

Still, Alice didn't look convinced, but before she could spiral further into panic, Alera ushered the group into her house.

"Lilith has been waiting," Alera said with a warm smile.

Inside, the tantalizing aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air.

Lilith beamed at the sight of them, her tail wagging eagerly as she placed dishes on the table.

"Dig in!" she chirped.

The group sat down, the tension from earlier fading as they enjoyed the meal.

For a moment, the world outside, monster tides, trials, and players, felt like a distant concern.

An hour later, Alex and Alice stepped outside, their gear ready.

Alex adjusted the [Mask of Concealment] over his face, ensuring his identity would remain hidden.

"Where to now?" Alice asked.

"Star City," Alex said, opening the [World Map]. "I need to claim my reward for staying at the top of the rankings."

Alice raised a brow before also nodding, "Oh yeah... I didn't grab it either... and neither did Aurelia I think."

"Yeah."

He hadn't wanted to show his face at the academy after the chaos he'd caused by stealing the [Vial of Undead Blood].

But with the Monster Tide Trial approaching, he couldn't afford to wait any longer.

"Let's get this over with," he muttered, initiating the teleport.

With a flash of light, the two vanished, leaving the Fox Queen's village behind as they reentered the bustling heart of Star City.