Chapter 4: The escape from Xylar-7

The tremors subsided, leaving behind a scene of devastation. The luminescent fungi cast an eerie glow on the cracked walls and the scattered debris. Panic had given way to a stunned silence among the remaining laborers.

Tims felt a surge of power, a heady mix of exhilaration and control. He accessed his status, the information cascading down his vision:

> [Tims Ackah - Level 10]

> [Class: Absolute God of Endless Chaos and Destruction]

> [Skills: Cosmic Rupture (Level 5), Dimensional Shift (Level 3), Reality Warp (Level 2), Godly Presence (Level 4), Mining (Level 7), Endurance (Level 8)]

> [Talents: Quick Learner, Resourceful, Strategic Mind]

> [Reputation: Xylar Mining Corporation: Hostile]

>

He noted the new additions. "Talents," he mused. "So that's how they represent innate abilities." His talents suited him well. "Reputation... Hostile. That's putting it mildly."

Then came the flood of notifications:

> [Level Up! Tims Ackah has reached Level 10.]

> [New Skill Points Available.]

> [Global Ranking: Tims Ackah has entered the Top 3,000,000,000 Players.]

> [Server Ranking: Tims Ackah has entered the Top 2,000,000 Players on Xylar-7.]

> [Xylar-7: Mining Colony Overrun Event Triggered.]

>

Tims's eyes narrowed. "Three billion? Two million?" The numbers were staggering. He had a long, long climb ahead of him. He had known he would be far from the top, but he didn't realize how far.

He allocated his skill points, enhancing Cosmic Rupture and Dimensional Shift. He then focused on the NPC ranking of Xylar-7.

> [Xylar-7 Most Powerful NPCs:]

> 1. Overseer Grak (Level 487) - Affiliation: Xylar Mining Corporation

> 2. Foreman Zorgon (Level 452) - Affiliation: Xylar Mining Corporation

> 3. Elder Fungal (Level 410) - Affiliation: Indigenous Xylar Lifeforms

>

Tims stared at the levels. "Four hundred and eighty-seven?" The overseer was a monster compared to him. He realized the power disparity was immense. He was a small fish in a very big pond.

A wave of determination washed over him. He would close that gap. He had to.

He accessed the game's map, his destination marked: Aetherium Outpost, the nearest settlement. As he began to move, he thought about the global rankings.

> [Global Ranking: Top 10 Most Powerful Entities]

> 1. The Celestial Arbitrator (Level 4,500) - Affiliation: The Cosmic Concordance

> 2. The Void Titan (Level 4,480) - Affiliation: The Shadow Legion

> 3. Empress Lyra (Level 4,450) - Affiliation: The Galactic Imperium

> 4. The Oracle of Xantus (Level 4,430) - Affiliation: The Seers of Xantus

> 5. The Ironclad Colossus (Level 4,400) - Affiliation: The Forge Masters

> 6. The Whispering Serpent (Level 4,380) - Affiliation: The Cult of the Serpent

> 7. The Chronos Anomaly (Level 4,350) - Affiliation: The Time Weavers

> 8. The Living Star (Level 4,320) - Affiliation: The Astral Guardians

> 9. The Shadow Broker (Level 4,300) - Affiliation: The Shadow Syndicate

> 10. Grand Magus Valerius (Level 4,280) - Affiliation: The Arcane Order

>

"Four thousand five hundred," Tims whispered, a mix of awe and resolve in his voice. "They're practically gods." The affiliations hinted at the power structures of the multiverse. He knew he needed to learn more.

As he walked away from the ruined mine, leaving a trail of destruction, Tims Ackah knew that his old life was irrevocably over. He was no longer just a desperate young man from Ghana seeking a way to help his family. He was the Godforged Tyrant, and the multiverse, with its billions of players and godlike entities, would come to know his name. He would climb those rankings, and he would become more than just a name – he would become a legend, a force to be reckoned with.