Chapter 2: Beginning as an SS-Rank Martial Artist!

No one can refuse the temptation of extra power.

Even the great boss of the Evil Spirit Sorcerers is no exception.

After closing the window again, he sat down at his cluttered desk once more.

With practiced ease, he opened the [Martial Artist] system panel, exclusive to players.

A profession card, shimmering with starlight, slowly unfurled before him like a cosmic curtain.

...

[Star Mark Martial Artist] (30th Anniversary Exclusive Edition) (Non-tradable)

Level: 1

[Talent]

Steel Will, Iron Body (SS Rank): You possess a will and body as unyielding as steel.

[Skills]

Basic: Skull-Cracking Fist, Level 0

...

In the pioneering era, even an A-rank talent was considered an extraordinary start—post a screenshot to the forums, and you’d have tens of thousands of replies in minutes.

But when the game entered its thirtieth year, how could the developers attract veteran players to new servers without introducing something fresh?

This [Star Mark Martial Artist], with its SS-rank talent and top-tier potential, was a gift from the developers to commemorate thirty years, a reward for veteran players—a brand new, high-potential character slot!

For someone like him, whose three main accounts had long since reached legendary status, such top-rank alternate characters were plentiful, gathering dust in his warehouse.

But at this moment, having transmigrated into “Sacred Legacy: The Eternal Canticle,” and finding himself a mere ordinary person—

Faced with this supreme SS-rank [Star Mark Martial Artist], Zorn Kolrick’s heart beat wildly, as if experiencing first love all over again!

“Though the [Evil Spirit Sorcerer] is a world-class boss, with immense base stats, most of its abilities are ranged or of the mystical, uncanny, and super-scientific variety. This class is not proficient in close combat.”

“But now...”

Zorn’s pupils narrowed slightly as he carefully examined the [Star Mark Martial Artist] card.

“With this SS-rank [Star Mark Martial Artist], everything changes.”

“This is one of the strongest early-game class sequences.”

“It can patch up the Evil Spirit Sorcerer’s initial frailty and lack of melee capability.”

“Moreover, the player template plus the boss template—this is a dual sequence!”

Taking a deep breath, he gently tapped the [Star Mark Martial Artist] card.

The card dissolved into a swirling myriad of starlight, which then flowed into his body, forming a celestial vortex.

Soul, will, arms, legs, torso, muscles, fascia—every aspect was being tempered as the [Star Mark Martial Artist] inheritance loaded within him.

Defense increased, balance improved, perception and reflexes heightened, and his affinity with “Qi” grew stronger.

Even without detailed system panel readouts, as a seasoned player, the subtle changes in his body were enough for him to judge his condition.

The sensation was eerily familiar, like a gentle bloom of power radiating from every inch of skin, deep into his soul.

An ordinary life, at the intersection of moonlight and night, now stepped onto the path of the extraordinary.

In this era of surging steam and awakening mysteries, uncanny powers were stirring once more.

All sequence powers originated from the hidden depths, tied to the forbidden.

Yet, the [Star Mark Martial Artist] clearly stood apart from these.

Joy as pure as moonlight blossomed across Zorn’s face as he reveled in the wondrous state of inheritance.

“Without this top-tier martial artist sequence, I would have had to wait for the official inheritance of the [Evil Spirit Sorcerer] boss sequence before taking action.”

“But now... with the martial artist sequence in hand, my safety and margin for error have both increased greatly.”

“Moreover, the [Martial Artist] sequence can completely conceal my true identity as an [Evil Spirit Sorcerer]—a crucial detail.”

“There’s still a week until the [Evil Spirit Sorcerer] inheritance. That’s enough time to accomplish a great deal!”

Standing by the window, bathed in silvery moonlight, he lightly tapped the balcony.

With transcendent power at his fingertips, his mind began to race.

“The age of steam is rising. Judging by the key threads of the major [Events], once I inherit the [Evil Spirit Sorcerer], the Kolrick family is headed for bankruptcy.”

“A series of misfortunes and tragedies will follow, like a giant hand squeezing my throat, forcing ‘me’ into decline, corruption, and madness—eventually becoming a mere pawn for those lurking in the shadows.”

“Among these are one overt [Event], and two hidden [Events].”

“The bankruptcy of the Kolrick family marks the beginning of the Evil Spirit Sorcerer’s descent into evil and depravity!”

“These [Events] and the conspiracies behind them aren’t aimed at me specifically. At this stage, I’m just the unlucky soul caught in the crossfire.”

“But... I’m afraid I can’t oblige.”

Zorn’s pupils sharpened, a cruel smile creeping across his face, as if a demon were grinning beneath the night and moonlight.

“This time, Zorn Kolrick will not be a reckless, naïve blank slate blundering blindly through the age of steam.”

“This time... I’ll take the knife into my own hands.”

“Now that you’ve met me, you’ll all be the feast laid out on my table!”

...

Dawn.

Birds sang crisply in the forest.

Zorn, having risen early, was practicing martial arts in the courtyard.

With the SS-rank [Star Mark Martial Artist] inheritance, he had awoken refreshed even before sunrise.

Transcendents often required only a little rest to be fully alert and energetic—the higher the rank, the more this was true.

Thus, transcendents could devote far more time and energy to their work, studies, and personal cultivation.

After the ninth repetition of the “Basic: Skull-Cracking Fist,” Zorn was lightly sweating.

He stood quietly in the thin mist of the backyard, keenly aware of the faint flow of “Qi” being drawn into his body.

“This SS-rank sequence is truly remarkable. Normally, only a third-rank martial artist could sense ‘Qi’—yet here I am, just at the first rank, already perceiving and beginning to master it.”

“No wonder it’s a top-tier character.”

“This SS-rank Steel Will, Iron Body—strengthening mental resistance to negative influences, enhancing physical defense and bone density, and dulling pain.”

“These traits give me formidable combat ability in the early stages.”

“The upper limit of an SS-rank sequence is immense—there’s no doubt about that.”

“But it still requires diligent cultivation to fully develop its potential.”

For the [Martial Artist] sequence, daily training, practice, and fighting all gradually increased one’s martial Qi, physique, and sequence level.

To grow rapidly, however, one needed real combat.

Brutal, bloody life-and-death battles were key to a martial artist’s advancement—and embodied the very soul of the sequence.

“Young master Zorn, breakfast is ready!”

The old butler, Grank, called from the steps under the eaves.

“Coming, Uncle Grank!” Zorn replied with a warm smile.

...

Breakfast was lavish.

Two blood velvet sausages, a small plate of bacon, a fried egg, a fresh vegetable salad with sweet dressing, slices of soft, fragrant croissant, and a large glass of fresh hot milk.

In Zorn’s memory, breakfast had always been plentiful, but today’s variety and portions surpassed the usual.

As he ate, he noticed his appetite was especially robust.

The martial artist sequence had already set him apart from his former self.

As he consumed and digested the large meal, he could once again sense the thin flow of “Qi” being slowly absorbed by his body.

Even digestion was a way to gather “Qi” and foster growth.

Of course, to truly advance within the “sequence,” one needed to engage in [Events], employ one’s skills and strategies, and drive the progression of those [Events].

This was the best method to improve in the world of “Sacred Legacy: The Eternal Canticle.”

After the maid Vanessa cleared the table and left the small dining room adjacent to the hall, Zorn turned to the butler.

“Uncle Grank!”

He was the first to look at Grank, who had been waiting quietly by his side.

“How are the family finances?”

Yesterday, when young master Zorn had advocated delaying that mysterious inheritance, Grank had felt that Zorn was maturing.

Now, hearing him inquire about the family’s finances, that feeling only grew stronger.

He felt no displeasure—instead, a touch of anticipation and pride.

Young master Zorn was truly growing up.

But when his mind turned to the family’s financial state, his brows knit together tightly.

After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke frankly.

“Young master, the northern Ainan plantation has long been unproductive, ever since those... those lost souls in the mist began to cause disturbances.”

“And the two houses in Ogran Old City—due to the family’s losses these past two years—have been mortgaged to the bank. If...”

He paused, then sighed.

“If the auction fails to cover the debt, we’ll need to make up the difference. We might even lose this very estate to the bank.”

Grank’s account gave Zorn pause, even though he knew the plot ahead—events were moving faster than he’d expected.

“Furthermore...” the old butler continued.

“In the Bay District, the dock handling company Baron Lyon invested in used to bring in generous monthly dividends last year.”

“But since Baron Lyon went to sea, the dividend payments have dwindled each month.”

“Half a year ago, the payments stopped altogether.”

“At present, the estate’s gold reserves are less than two hundred gold pounds.”

Zorn instantly grasped the implications.

He was all too familiar with the overt, gray, and criminal underbelly of this steam-powered, awakening world.

...

The Bay District—a hub where steam trains and river shipping converged.

A crossroads of profit, and a haven for gangs.

Once some gang leaders gained access to mysterious powers, they grew bolder—brazenly swallowing the assets of merchants and nobles with insufficient backing.

Of course, they’d always dared, but now their appetites had grown far more insatiable.

In such times of upheaval, a noble of ordinary status could barely keep their holdings, let alone prosper.

Lyon Kolrick, a seasoned aristocrat, had clearly realized this—driving him to seek the mysteries and powers of the deep sea.

No matter what, the family’s financial crisis was a pressing concern.

Without money, how could one become a boss of dark gods?

After a moment’s thought, Zorn turned to Grank.

“Uncle Grank, I need a map of Ogran City.”

Soon, a map three feet long and a foot and a half wide was spread before Zorn.

The first thing that caught his eye was the narrow strip of the northern “Mist Zone.”

There, the city’s Night Watchers, patrol squads, and the Holy Radiant Sun Church’s cathedral and knight order were stationed.

The “Lost” who emerged from the gray mists were usually eliminated at once.

If they entered the city proper, they’d cause no end of trouble.

Next was the “Old City” to the west.

Though it comprised a quarter of the city’s area, it housed more than half the population.

Crowded, filthy, chaotic, rife with thieves, plagued by poor law enforcement—these were the hallmarks of the Old City.

Then came the commercially vibrant “Bay District.”

And finally, the “New City”—prime land reserved for nobles, merchants, and upstarts, where every inch was worth its weight in gold.

Every server of “Sacred Legacy: The Eternal Canticle” had a slightly different city layout.

Understanding Ogran City in detail would help Zorn execute his various plans and participate in numerous [Events].

As his gaze swept across the map, Zorn rapidly absorbed a wealth of crucial information.

“The Bay District is much larger than I imagined.

This means that at this point in history, steam technology is more developed, and investment in that sector must accelerate. Those so-called ‘money-printing’ potions need to be researched and patented as soon as possible.

The tumult of mystery and transcendence will soon sweep the world.

The Bay District’s prosperity means more rich districts and more wealthy people.

Many nobles and merchants are eager for transcendence.

Some... well, some ‘shearing the fat sheep’—ahem, I mean, extraordinary industries catering to the rich—are probably reaching critical mass.”

With these thoughts, he rubbed his brow.

“The dock gangs have swallowed my rightful profits—there’s clearly a transcendent behind this.”

He paused, a trace of bloody amusement flickering in his eyes.

“How interesting!”

“Taking down the mastermind behind the dock gangs would ease the family’s financial woes—and these criminal gang members could serve as fuel for my Evil Spirit Sorcerer’s growth.”

“But the dock gang issue isn’t something my current [Martial Artist] sequence can resolve. I’ll need to wait for the [Evil Spirit Sorcerer] inheritance.”

“In the meantime, I should look for an [Event] where the [Martial Artist] can participate and profit.”

When his gaze landed on several special markings in the Old City, Zorn’s eyes narrowed—an idea struck him.

“Uncle Grank, has there been a rat infestation in the Old City lately?”

“Rat infestation?” Grank paused, then shook his head.

“I haven’t heard of an infestation, but... I have heard there have been a lot more rats lately.”

“And, it seems there have been quite a few [Rat Catchers] around!”

Rat Catchers!

At this, Zorn mused deeply.

“The Rat Catchers are appearing, but the infestation hasn’t yet broken out...”

“That can only mean...”

His eyes lit up.

“The treasure in the underground tunnels hasn’t been discovered yet.”

“That treasure isn’t just a hoard of Kruger gold coins—it also includes a [Forbidden Item].”

“At this stage, it could prove invaluable.”

“The rumor of a [Mystic Treasure] beneath the tunnels once caused quite a stir in Ogran, drawing many risk-takers into the labyrinthine sewers.”

“Those wielding sinister powers even committed several horrifying crimes in those tunnels.”

“Meanwhile, the rat infestation is one of the city’s [Major Events].”

A plan for obtaining the treasure swiftly took shape in Zorn’s mind.

After a moment, he looked to Grank.

“Uncle Grank, we need to go out. Also, I need you to go to Rueck Long Street and find a Rat Catcher for me.”