Two arrows whistled through the air.
They came from the two archers accompanying Sword Twenty-Three. But this time, Wang Xian didn't ignore them like before.
He turned, swung the staff in his hand, and crack! crack!
Both arrows snapped in mid-air, deflected by a precise swing.
–0–0
Even though the arrows had been broken, two damage numbers still floated above Wang Xian's head—zeros.
It wasn't real damage, more like the system acknowledging the hits. This kind of block was rare—and very difficult to pull off.
Blocking long-range attacks, like arrows or magic, wasn't something just anyone could do.
For arrows, a successful block meant:
Your strength must be more than double the shooter's.
You need a keen sense of timing to predict the trajectory.
You must be fast enough to react.
Blocking with a shield was different—it reduced incoming damage by at least 90%, assuming the arrow couldn't pierce it.
As for magic? Blocking it was, most of the time, pointless. Magic damage often had splash or zone effects, and even single-target spells had small AoEs. The best defense against magic was killing the caster.
That's why the sight of Wang Xian breaking the arrows mid-flight made jaws drop.
Can he really do that?!
Apparently, yes. And judging by the smug grin on his face, he enjoyed the attention.
"How did you do that?" one of the stunned archers finally asked.
Wang Xian grinned wide. "Take a guess."
Then he waved his staff.
Fwoosh! Whoosh!
A fireball and wind blade launched toward the two archers.
The blood drained from their faces. They'd seen what happened to the assassins. Their health and defense were just as low—if not lower.
This could only end one way.
Or so they thought.
The fireball and wind blade hit the ground… at their feet.
The two froze.
Missed? Let them go? Or… humiliation?
"Don't try me again," Wang Xian said flatly. "Next time, the magic won't hit the ground."
He switched his staff to his left hand and wagged his right index finger at them.
They got the message.
Wang Xian didn't want to kill them—not because he couldn't, but because they were from the official Dragon Kingdom military. They were soldiers. Patriots. People who stood on the front lines when the real wars came.
He didn't want to harm those who would one day protect the country, even if they'd just attacked him.
Turning away from the stunned group, Wang Xian stepped up to the glowing, hovering star.
He reached out and grasped it.
With a glance at the item's info, he confirmed what he already knew: it was indeed the job transfer item for the hidden class, [Lord of the Stars].
Satisfied, he tucked it into his inventory and turned to leave.
"Brother Dali, leaving so soon?" a voice called out.
It was Qin Zheng.
Wang Xian looked at him. "Don't tell me you want the item too?"
"Of course not," Qin Zheng laughed. "I meant... you weren't going to forget me, were you?"
"Forget you?" Wang Xian blinked. Then he quickly took a step back, putting some distance between them. "Listen—I'm straight. Not interested in men."
"I'm straight too!" Qin Zheng snapped. "I meant we should add each other as friends."
"Ohhh. You should've led with that!" Wang Xian exhaled in relief, then sent over a friend request. "Don't scare people like that."
"I swear..." Qin Zheng muttered, accepting the request.
"I got something to do, so I'm heading off. Later!" Wang Xian waved and turned.
Only to feel something grab his leg.
He looked down. Sword Twenty-Three was lying on the ground, one hand clutching Wang Xian's calf.
"You still wanna fight?" Wang Xian asked, brow twitching.
Sword Twenty-Three shook his head. "No."
"Then what is it?"
"Add me."
Wang Xian stared.
Seriously?
After all that? The sneak attack? The ball-busting kick?
"You want to add me as a friend?" he asked.
Sword Twenty-Three coughed awkwardly, then stood up. "I need your help."
"Oh?" Wang Xian raised a brow. "Let's hear it."
"You know the main cities? The ones the system mentioned after players hit level 10?"
"Yeah, of course."
The Main Cities were system-generated mega-cities that appeared after the first players hit level 10. Each one could hold at least 100 million people. Based on world population, countries received a specific number of cities. On average, it was about one city per 200 million people.
Smaller countries sometimes had to share main cities.
And the Dragon Kingdom? It had several, each critical to the coming digital age.