The Gryphon King's wings beat against the thin mountain air, a rhythmic, heavy thrum that mirrored the frantic pounding in Arthur's chest.
Below, the jagged, frost-bitten peaks of the Gravelmark Mountains receded into a blur of white and slate-grey. Behind them, the Saharan border was a hornet's nest kicked by a giant.
The Red Knights—the literal embodiment of the Empire's wrath—were currently scouring the valleys, hunting for a divine frequency that had suddenly vanished into the high-altitude winds.
Arthur leaned against the Gryphon's warm, feathered neck, his breath coming in ragged, painful hitches. His sapphire blue eyes, once a mark of his previous self, had been forcibly overwritten.
Now, they pulsed with a rhythmic, ruby-red light—the "Red Energy" of the Saharan bloodline. It was a physical manifestation of an imperial heritage that had hijacked his very soul.
The [Prince of the Eternal Sun] class wasn't just a title. It was a catalyst. It had rewritten his digital DNA, purged his previous level-based stats, and replaced them with a foundation of pure, unadulterated potential.
But at Level 10, he felt like a god trapped in a porcelain shell. One wrong move, one high-level monster's stray swipe, and the porcelain would shatter.
'There are too many notifications...' Arthur thought, his head swimming. 'Ciel, filter the junk. I need to know exactly what this "gift package" did to my character sheet.'
A shimmering, translucent interface—far more advanced than any standard UI—materialized before his mind's eye. This was Ciel, his Manas, a sentient skill-intelligence that was the core of his reincarnation gift.
Ciel's voice echoed directly in his thoughts, calm and melodically sharp.
Arthur scrolled through the flood of system windows. Because he had already unlocked several hidden stats during his grueling time as a blacksmith and the successor of the Undefeated King, the system was forced to stack the rewards.
[Title: 'One who Became a Legend' has been acquired.]
[Stat Compensation: Composure, Indomitable, Dignity, Charm, and Insight have all received a +50 bonus.]
[New Specialized Stats Opened:]
* Resilience, Diplomacy, Political Power, Persuasion.
* Special Stat: Willpower.
* Unique Stat: Red Energy.
[Title: 'Sovereign of Red Energy' acquired.]
"My stats look like a grocery list for a king," Arthur muttered. He moved his gaze to the passive and active skills. His jaw dropped as he read the descriptions. These weren't just combat skills; they were the tools of a world-shapner.
[Strategic Sovereign - LV.1]
Rating: Legendary | Type: Passive
Effect: Increases overall team efficiency by 15%, boosts accuracy of strategic predictions by 20% while on the battlefield.
'With this skill, hunting with a party is a breeze, I'm is the ultimate party buff players could wish for!' Arthur saw the passive boost and mutter in his heart.
[Royal Administration - LV.1]
Rating: Legendary | Type: Passive
Effect: Your Administrator Status is considered SSS. Construction/Gathering speed +25%, Crafting time -20%.
Special: Unlocks 'Talent Search' to find Purple/Golden Named NPCs.
'Talent Search?' Arthur's eyes widened. 'I can find the hidden geniuses of the continent? If I get a fief, I won't just build a city; I'll build an empire. This is the ultimate "Lord" class. Skill'
He continued scrolling, feeling more like a monster with every line.
[Imperial Eminence - LV.1]
Rating: Legendary | Type: Active
Effect: Grants 50% Bonus EXP to all allies in the party for 1 hour. Consumption: 10 Red Energy.
'Well, this is kinda guild welfare type skill, I'll spent red energy in return my party members get exp bonus for an hour' Arthur felt like he became a buffer instead of swordsman.
[Imperial Wisdom - LV.1]
Rating: Legendary | Type: Passive
Effect: Intelligence +20%. Provides 100% Bonus EXP from Quests.
"100% bonus EXP from quests?" Arthur nearly fell off the Gryphon. "That's not just a buff; that's a skip button for the early game. If I get a repeating-quest like the Yatan cult purge, I'll be back to Level 100 in days."
[Imperial Unity - LV.1]
Rating: Legendary | Type: Passive
Effect: Team synergy +50%. Damage dealt +25%, Damage taken -25% when near allies.
'This skill is also good, but it's a party wise skill, solo raids like I did earlier times, won't work on it' Arthur felt he really need a team to maximize his class effects and skills.
Finally, he reached the two skills that sent a chill down his spine. The "Trump Cards" of the First Emperor.
[Imperial Supremacy - LV.1]
Rating: Legendary | Type: Active
Effect: 10-minute buff. All stats +15%.
[Imperial Ascendancy - LV.1]
Rating: Legendary | Type: Active
Effect: Grants a permanent +0-2 SP increase to a random primary attribute upon activation. (Cooldown: 48 Hours).
"Temproary empowerment to face against the odds and Permanent stat growth every two days?" Arthur whispered. "Even if I never kill another monster, I would eventually become the strongest being in the world just by existing."
But the crown jewel was the only skill rated EX.
[Sovereign Insight - LV.1]
Rating: EX | Type: Passive/Active
Effect: Penetrates the essence of all things. Disables mental magic/traps. See target's levels, stats, skills, potential, and even their zodiac sign. Reduces target's defenses by 30%. Critical Hit Chance +10%.
"Ciel... is EX rank the equivalent of Mythic?"
"I can live with being a cheater," Arthur grinned, though the grin was tired.
"Tell me the damage on the political side," Arthur asked, glancing back at the receding Saharan border. "The Red Knights... how close are they?"
"So they know I got it?"
Arthur let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The tension in his shoulders coiled and then snapped. "So I'm invisible, but I'm carrying the stolen crown. I'm the Usurper."
Ciel replied with a hint of digital amusement.
Arthur looked at his hands. He had lost the hundreds of points of Dexterity and Strength he had earned at Khan's forge. He felt weak, his muscles lacking the explosive power of the Level 172 Swordsman he had been only hours ago.
"They think I'm a thief," Arthur said, his voice hardening. "But this power responded to me. If the Emperor chose me over the 'bloodline' heir, then I'm the only one fit to hold it. I'm going to take everything back—every level, every stat point."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Gryphon King spiraled down toward the outskirts of Patrain, a fortified city known for its mercenary hubs and sprawling, monster-infested plains. It was a neutral territory, a place where gold mattered more than heraldry. The perfect place to disappear.
The Gryphon landed with the silence of a falling feather in a secluded wooded grove.
[The service is provided, Prince,] the beast rumbled, its giant golden eyes reflecting Arthur's ruby-tinted gaze. [The winds of the Gravelmark will wait for your return. Do not let the hounds of Titan catch your scent. If you fall, my promise dies with you.]
"I won't fall," Arthur promised, stepping off.
The Gryphon took flight immediately, its massive form vanishing into the night like a smudge of ink.
Arthur stood alone in the dark, the smell of damp earth and pine filling his lungs. He reached into his inventory and pulled out his old, oil-stained blacksmith's apron and a rough linen tunic. He stripped off the remnants of his armor—melted and useless—and pulled the peasant's rags over his head.
"Back to being an ant," he whispered.
"What's the plan, Ciel?"
Arthur gripped a basic iron sword he had kept in his bag—a spare he'd forged himself back at Khan's. It felt light, almost like a toy, but in his hands, it felt like a promise.
"3 million gold in my pocket, a Legendary Class in my soul," Arthur said, beginning his trek toward the city lights of Patrain. "Let the Red Knights search the mountains. The real fire is starting in the forge."
As he walked, his eyes glowed faintly red. In the far-off capital of Titan, the Emperor sat on his throne, staring at a flickering candle, wondering where the sun had gone. He didn't know that the sun was currently walking through a swamp, sharpening a piece of common iron.
[You have entered the territory of the Eternal Kingdom's city: Patrain]