"E-rank class talent means five free stat points per level. I heard D-rank gives seven points per level."
As for those B-rank and C-rank geniuses, don't even get him started.
Once you became a professional, you entered a whole new world. Tons of character panel functions became available.
Rex opened his panel and looked at his friends list—not a single friend.
He naturally had friends, but after they awakened, most of them had already left the orphanage.
Before leaving, they'd given him their ID numbers. Now he could finally add them as friends.
There was so much he didn't understand. He had to find people to ask.
Those orphans older than him had always looked after him. Now Rex could finally get in touch with them.
Rex excitedly entered one ID number after another, but the notifications he received made his heart sink like lead.
[River, ID: 874569, deceased!]
[Sage, ID: 745895, dead for over six months. Identity cancelled.]
[Rowan, deceased.]
[Phoenix, no such person found.]
Rex tried adding several friends and got the same result every time.
The outcome sent chills down his spine.
He had a few more ID numbers but didn't dare enter them anymore.
As long as he didn't check, there was still some possibility.
He couldn't quite face this reality yet. Better to hold onto some hope.
After a while, Rex finally calmed down.
The mortality rate for low-level professionals was really high.
"In that case, might as well go mining."
Hard work and exhaustion, sure, but at least you'd be alive.
"But man, that just doesn't sit right with me."
"Plus, the mortality rate for mining's pretty high too."
Who didn't want to become a powerful awakened one?
Who didn't want to live with dignity in this world?
"Even if I'm gonna be a miner, I should at least spend these three silver coins first."
Three silver coins—enough for a good meal at Dragonstar Restaurant.
Of course, that would be way too extravagant.
Rex obediently opened the trading market to see if he could buy some useful supplies.
His starting point was too low. He needed to build up some strength.
The game had been around for hundreds of years now, so low-tier items were pretty abundant.
What previous generations might have risked their lives for—a single medicinal herb—could now be bought with some money.
The mortality rate for professionals was still high now, but way better than hundreds of years ago.
Everything was getting better. Naturally, it would keep improving.
Rex opened the trading market, only looking at low-tier items.
[Basic Strength Potion—adds one point of strength per dose. Each person can take up to ten doses. 3 silver coins per bottle.]
[Basic Agility Potion—adds one point of agility per dose. Each person can take up to ten doses.]
[Basic Beast Meat—consuming it increases constitution.]
Rex looked at various enhancement items and realized he couldn't afford a single one.
Kids from wealthy families could consume tons of precious potions and rare ingredients right after awakening.
A level one character only had a few base stat points, but they could pile their total stats up to several hundred using all kinds of rare treasures and precious equipment.
Everything here was suitable for him, but not a single thing was affordable.
"Only got 3 silver coins total. Better not spend this money yet."
To stay in Dragon City, money got deducted every day.
If he ran out of money and got teleported out, Rex figured he wouldn't survive more than an hour.
"Better equip the weapon first."
[Ding! Attack power +8, Agility +2.]
No more, no less—Rex's total attack power was now exactly 20.
"Gotta level up a few times first."
Each level gave one base stat point, and if he put all five free points into strength, his attack power would increase by 12 per level.
Two hours later, Rex finally reached his destination.
The city plaza—the teleportation point for dungeons of all levels.
Even though it was almost evening, the place was still packed with people.
The lower-level the dungeon, the more crowded it was.
"Need DPS for level one dungeon. Must have attack power over 100."
"Guardian with 1000 health looking for team. Can do ten runs straight."
"Carrying newbies through dungeons. Only 1 silver coin per run."
All kinds of messages were overwhelming—everyone looking for teammates.
Dragon City had a huge population. Over a hundred thousand professionals might awaken every day.
Rex asked several teams in a row and got coldly rejected every time.
Even for low-level dungeons, people were cautious.
One mistake and someone could die.
[Riley has rejected your team request.]
[Avery has rejected your team request.]
[Quinn has rejected your request.]
[You have joined Harper's team.]
See, there were still good people in this world.
[You have been removed from the team.]
"..."
Rex didn't have many strengths, but he had patience and perseverance.
Others might give up after half an hour, but Rex waited a full five or six hours.
He didn't even know how many times he'd been rejected. Not until it got completely dark did Rex finally give up.
"In the end, it all comes down to strength!"
People really had no reason to carry a weak level one like him, but Rex had no other options.
"Getting started is way too hard."
Just as Rex was lamenting this, he heard the sound he least wanted to hear:
[Ding! A new day has arrived. 100 copper coins deducted.]
The sudden voice in his head made Rex frustrated.
He really wanted to curse, and a bunch of people nearby were already cursing up a storm.
"Damn it! I spent all day killing monsters in the newbie training ground to save up some copper, and it's all gone in one go!"
"Newbies need time to grow too! I can't even afford a single piece of common equipment."
"One monster only gives one copper coin. I never wanna go back to that newbie trial ground."
Hearing these complaints, Rex's eyes lit up.
"Newbie trial ground?"
Rex had never heard this term before. He was about to ask the chubby guy who was cursing.
"Already level three—did he level up in that newbie trial area?"
The chubby guy was sharp and immediately noticed Rex's gaze.
"What're you looking at? What's so interesting? You're only level one and you wanna freeload here? You don't even have a single piece of common equipment. You only belong in the newbie trial ground."