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Meanwhile, Cassius was watching the video on the forums, sulfurous smoke curling from his mouth.

"Yes, all of it is footage from reality."

"It showcases key events that have influenced the situation in Anzeta."

Cassius suddenly felt as though an unseen pair of eyes were watching and silently recording everything. Even with his near-peerless power, he couldn’t glimpse the existence behind it.

He continued browsing the forums until he came across a new post from Singo.

"Launch Strategy: Erezaghe Beginner’s Guide"

"There are currently twelve available starting locations across Anzeta, including Strav Fort, Waltz City, and Arlanburg. However, I only recommend one and a half locations—Northwind Fortress as the one, and Baator City barely making up the half. Also, there’s only one faction worth choosing—the Ember Kingdom. "

"In terms of class selection, the Ember Kingdom boasts overpowered classes like the Crimson Scale Conqueror and Dragon-Oath Paladin, which give players a head start over other classes. The sub-classes in other northern factions are lackluster, with only the Bosque Principality’s Lionheart Paladin offering some strength—but that’s a noble’s private army with extremely harsh advancement requirements, and its power can’t compare. "

"Faction-wise, there’s no contest. The entire beta version revolved around the Ember Kingdom’s history. Nearly all the main storylines are tied to the kingdom. It features crushingly advanced technology and a top-tier faction leader in [Ember King - Cassius]."

"Put it this way, even if you lose on the battlefield, you still get to watch a cutscene of the Red Dragon annihilating the opposition. I even suspect the developers are pushing this as the ’main protagonist faction.’"

"For players who want rapid progression, start in Northwind Fortress—there are countless opportunities there.

Whether you work in the factories to earn money or take a job at an agency, you can quickly accumulate startup capital.

For adventurers who want to level up early, I recommend starting in Baator City.

The hostile monsters in Storm Highlands offer plenty of experience. "

Mantou also posted his "strategy guide."

But rather than a guide, it came across as a smug brag, dripping with Versailles-style humility.

"The Crimson Scale Conqueror isn’t all that strong; it’s just nice to ride a wyvern and take in the sights."

"Huh? You mean the Sheriff perks? Just a few hundred faction points daily. Nothing much—barely enough for a Dragonblood Elixir or something."

In addition to strategy posts, there were also lore analysis posts. At least half of them mentioned the "Ember King," speculating that he was either the final boss or a developer-chosen protagonist.

Cassius browsed these posts, nodding slightly.

"Good. The expected results have been achieved."

"Now, it all depends on the public launch."

For nearly a decade, Cassius had worked toward this moment.

From subduing the tieflings to seizing Northwind Fortress and establishing the Ember Kingdom, his aim was to dominate the beta version’s main storyline [The Cleansing of Northwind Fortress].

This would cement his faction as the players’ primary choice, preparing to welcome even greater power in the future.

Players weren’t just "undead" in their thousands; they represented a talent pool and technological system from another world. By the mid-to-late game, even real-world nations would have their forces involved, becoming the shadow backers of major guilds.

For example, [Machine God Cult] later incorporated top scientists from various countries. They built massive floating fortresses, and their guild leader, [Iron Frenzy], was effectively reduced to a figurehead.

Now, Cassius had achieved his goal. He had even compelled the mysterious "system" to set him as a central figure in the game’s lore.

"It’s time to make preparations."

With this thought, Cassius activated a magical mirror to summon Langpu in Northwind Fortress.

The ogre mage’s ugly face appeared in the reflection once more.

"Master, what are your orders?"

"The Starfallers are arriving soon. Instruct all departments to make the necessary preparations."

"Yes, Master."

Langpu agreed without hesitation, then hesitated briefly before adding, "Master, the item you requested now has a preliminary design."

Designing this magical equipment had strained Langpu’s intellect. Supervised directly by Cassius, any errors would carry unimaginable consequences. The design had gone through more than thirty iterations.

Worse, the equipment’s details were classified as state secrets, meaning Langpu couldn’t delegate the task to the mages of the Magic Department. He had to complete the design himself.

The final blueprint depicted a luxurious golden crown, perfectly fitted to Cassius’s head. Made of enchanted mithril, it was adorned with numerous priceless gemstones.

[Crown of the Supreme Dragon]

"Not bad."

Cassius glanced at it. Unable to decipher the three pages of intricate magical circuits, he nodded slightly to indicate his approval.

"At least it looks the part."

Weeks passed.

"Yes!"

"I got in! I secured a beta slot!"

In a room filled with gaming pods, Ji Ming pumped his fists in the air with excitement.

Having followed Mantou’s videos about "Erezaghe", Ji Ming had eagerly waited for a year. With single-minded determination and lightning-fast reflexes honed over thirteen years of singlehood, he snagged a beta slot.

Those fifty thousand slots were gone in an instant, with millions left disappointed.

Furious fans flooded forums, cursing the developers for not releasing more slots.

Ji Ming wasted no time unpacking the rune-engraved, magic-themed "Erezaghe" pod and setting it up in his room.

He snapped a photo to show off on the forums, sparking envy and resentment, before comfortably settling inside.

Having studied Mantou’s videos, Ji Ming knew the game mechanics inside and out.

[Please enter your nickname.]

After a moment’s thought, Ji Ming chose his most frequently used gaming alias: "Lonely as Snow," exuding a masterful vibe.

Knowing the game used facial recognition, he avoided reckless behavior—unlike the now-infamous "Brother Holy Light."

[Connecting to neural network...]

[Scanning your physical data...]

[Creating your character...]

[Character creation complete.]

[Lonely as Snow]

(Note: Standard human stats average 10.)

Strength — 11

Agility — 10

Constitution — 11

Intelligence — 10

Perception — 10

Charisma — 12

"Wow, nearly a maxed-out human. Way better than that Charisma 9 ogre Mantou," Ji Ming thought smugly.