The Eternal Sovereign

"I intend to resign from Hidden Origin. I will pay the contractual penalty within the allotted time."

The smile froze instantly on the manager's face.

"Wha... What? How did you know?"

Lucas, having spoken his piece, turned to leave. "You never intended to give me the S-rank talent code in the first place, did you? So I'm just here to inform you that I will no longer work for Hidden Origin."

He opened the door and headed out.

Behind him, the guild leader of Hidden Origin slammed his desk and shot to his feet!

"Lucas, have you thought this through?! If you breach our contract, the penalty is half a billion!"

"Even you, can you afford half a billion without Hidden Origin's support?!"

"You only won the world championship two months ago; you haven't even had time to secure endorsement deals!"

"Leaving the guild! Earning money won't be so easy!"

For Epochal World's top assassin and best raid leader, earning half a billion wasn't inherently difficult.

The problem was that Lucas hadn't yet capitalized on his recent accolades.

Without turning around, Lucas replied as he walked, "You're planning to give the S-rank talent to that newcomer you've been secretly grooming, right?"

"You leaked the rumor that I'd be getting the S-rank assassin talent to dissuade me from joining other guilds."

The third server was the last in Epochal World.

If one couldn't secure a good talent on this server, there would be no further opportunity to create a new character.

After Lucas won the championship, other guilds extended offers with S-rank talent activation codes. However, he refrained, due to Hidden Origin approaching him privately and claiming they had an S-rank assassin talent reserved for him.

Trusting in his long-standing partnership with Hidden Origin, Lucas believed them and rejected the other guilds' invitations.

He now realized he'd been too naive in his first life, trusting their word without a contract.

But then again, he was young back then, and easily taken advantage of.

Lucas waved dismissively without looking back, saying calmly, "Guild Leader, I won't be manipulated like this. Our professional relationship ends here."

"Wait! Lucas! Where are you going?"

"No other guild will take you now. The server is about to open, and their talent slots are already decided. They won't change their plans on such short notice!"

"If you stay with Hidden Origin, I can at least give you an A-rank talent code. Do you really want to start with a random talent?!"

Lucas had already gone far ahead, descending the stairs and disappearing from view. Only a faint voice drifted back: "Don't worry about me, Guild Leader. We'll be seeing each other soon."

"But I doubt you'll want to see me for long."

Leaving the guild, Lucas returned home.

"Half a billion in penalties... that's going to hurt."

He ran his hand through his hair.

"If I can't pay that off, I might lose this mansion."

Starting with half a billion in debt was truly hell-mode difficulty.

"If I can't pay it, they'll probably seize the gaming pod and sell it off."

"Then I'll have to play at the 'Pod Bar'."

But these were minor concerns.

To someone who had reincarnated twice, this adversity was nothing.

"Bro, you're back?"

A familiar voice greeted him as his sleepy-eyed sister, Bella, emerged from her bedroom.

"Yeah, I'm back."

Bella rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep.

"Weren't you supposed to be at the club all night, grinding the game?"

Seeing his sister again, Lucas's expression softened considerably. "I quit."

Bella was his half-sister from his mother's remarriage. Lucas's biological father had left before he could even remember.

His mother remarried, and his stepfather had a daughter, Bella.

Though they weren't blood-related, Lucas and Bella had grown up together.

But three years ago, their parents were killed in a car accident, leaving him and his sister to rely on each other.

Remembering memories from "centuries" ago, Lucas felt a pang of emotion.

"Bella, when the new Epochal World server opens later, come play the game with me for a while."

Bella was her nickname.

Hearing Lucas's invitation, Bella perked up noticeably.

"Really?!"

Her brother was a professional player, always training, leaving him no time to play with her, even online.

She was thrilled he'd make time for her!

Though she had only recently started college, she was already a serious gamer.

"But won't that affect your progress?"

"Bro~"

The server launch was a big deal; all the guilds would be rushing to level up. As a professional player, for him to spend time with an amateur like her...

Although she was skilled for a girl, she was only average.

If she played with him, she might hinder his progress.

Seeing Bella's concern, Lucas smiled. "Don't worry, I have a plan."

He added, "It's almost time for the server to open. Get ready to log in."

"Oh... here's an activation code. Copy it when you log in."

"Activation code? Really?! Waaah! I knew you were the best brother ever!"

Lucas sent the code to Bella's phone. Upon receiving it, she copied it into the gaming pod's clipboard.

Lucas returned to his room and lay down in his gaming pod.

"I hope this life goes smoothly. I really don't want to do this again."

The clock struck twelve, and Lucas closed his eyes in the pod.

Epochal World – Connecting

Buzz

His brain connected to the network, and he entered a vibrant, colorful world.

Please select the server you wish to enter

Server One: Illusion

Server Two: Emptiness

Server Three: Infinity

"Select Server Three: Infinity."

Entering server

No character detected on this server. Please create a character.

Please enter your name

"Call me... Azure."

This was a name he had used for three lives.

Buzz

Light shone, and different weapons appeared on the ground.

Behind each weapon stood a different deity.

A long staff topped with a colored crystal, behind which stood the Magic God Izparut, hands raised in a grand gesture.

A white, gleaming longsword, behind which stood the War God Cain, roaring skyward with a battle-axe raised high.

A staff capped with a green orb, behind which was the gentle Life God Kumiloni, wreathed in verdant energy.

An unremarkable black dagger, behind which was the shadowy God of Assassination, Tish, enshrouded in black mist.

A silver-white flintlock pistol, behind which was the Mechanical God Mani, composed of gears.

A golden longbow, behind which stood the Bow God Luluwe.

A gray shield, behind which stood the Guardian God Obadus, composed of sturdy earth and stone.

Mage, Warrior, Priest, Assassin, Gunslinger, Archer, Guardian.

These were Epochal World's starting classes.

"Here we are again, at the crossroads."

Lucas recalled his previous lives.

In his first life, before reincarnation, he chose the Assassin class as a member of Hidden Origin.

That scummy manager had changed his mind and didn't give him the S-rank talent code. Lucas couldn't immediately retaliate due to the half-billion penalty.

He could only follow the guild and compete with Tier 1 teams for dungeon first clears, but the resources he obtained were limited.

Most of the resources went to Hidden Origin, leaving him far behind.

In his second life, his first reincarnation, Lucas again chose the Assassin class. But the reincarnation was sudden and unprepared.

He received an A-rank talent after rebirth. Lucas chose a solo playstyle this time, leaving Hidden Origin and developing on his own.

But the A-rank talent was too weak to reach the end.

In his third life, his second reincarnation, Lucas chose the Assassin class and managed to obtain a special SS-rank talent activation code.

Again, he chose a solo playstyle, securing first clears left and right and shaking the entire Epochal World.

He even reached the stars and challenged the Gods.

Only to realize... there were too many Gods to kill.

This life, his fourth, was his third reincarnation.

Lucas gazed at the dagger, sighing. "I can't choose you this time."

Lucas surveyed the deities, not lingering on any of them.

"After three lives, if I don't have some special methods, I'll have wasted my time."

"Special activation code."

Buzz

A window popped up before Lucas.

Please enter activation code:

You have only three attempts. After three failed attempts, you will lose activation privileges.

This was the special exchange.

In Epochal World, completing certain quests or achievements on the first two servers could reward the player with activation codes.

An A-rank code could sell for 20 million on the market.

And that was before the game began affecting the real world.

After Epochal World began to affect reality, an A-rank talent code could fetch up to 20 billion.

By then, the value of money had decreased.

As for S-rank codes...

They were always priceless. They could still be bought before Epochal World affected reality, but after that, not even the resources of an entire nation could secure one.

Lucas, however, wasn't aiming for an S-rank code.

"Entering code..."

Activation Code: HFJKSNDCJKSHU7895UWGBEHGER8Y89432UJRUWGR74Y38RU1JDRUIHSF984758092UJRFH2894Y5892UJRIUH24795YU290JRDJKASBFHJGRUSIHJFOISJFOIYHR9EUYT90043IR09U309RU3894

Lucas stared at the 300-character code and thought, "No one could guess this right by chance..."

But then, he suddenly remembered something.

"No... that's not entirely true. There's still a chance someone could get it right."

Lucas clicked confirm.

"But not right now."

Congratulations, activation code completed.

You have successfully activated – Eternal Sovereign

This was the only talent with the potential to grow to SSS-rank.

It was also the only activation code in Epochal World with SSS-rank value.

Talent: Eternal Sovereign (A)

All effects of this talent are only active when you are a guild leader.

Effect 1: Elite – The fewer members in the guild, the stronger the other effects of the talent will be amplified.

Effect 2: Challenge Mission – When the guild receives a challenge mission, completing the challenge will grant special, rich rewards (the fewer the number of people, the higher the rewards for completing the mission)

Effect 3: Name – After leaving the guild name in the named segment, you will receive richer rewards than under normal circumstances (the fewer the number of people, the more rewards)

Effect 4: Myriad Domination – You can obtain all the abilities of any member of your guild, and copy the equipment he wears, duration: 2 minutes, cooldown time: 2 minutes (the fewer the number of people, the longer the duration, the shorter the cooldown)

Description: An extremely special guild buff talent, this talent seems to have endless possibilities.

This talent, though only A-rank, had the potential to grow, even to the legendary SSS-rank.

"But... this A-rank seems a little overpowered."

He had never heard of any A-rank talent having four effects upon initial activation.