The transition from the tutorial zone to the open world of Zenith Online was jarring. One moment, I was surrounded by docile slimes and cartoonish rabbits; the next, I was standing on the edge of the Silverwood Plains, a vast expanse stretching towards a horizon that seemed to shift and shimmer with unseen magic. The sheer scale of the world hit me like a tidal wave.
Around me, players were already forming groups, their avatars a chaotic mix of races and styles. Elves with glowing tattoos haggled with heavily armored dwarves, while nimble cat-folk darted between lumbering human warriors. The air crackled with the sounds of battle: the clang of steel, the whoosh of spells, and the guttural roars of creatures I couldn't even identify.
My initial excitement warred with a sense of being utterly, hopelessly lost. I checked my map, a confusing mess of branching paths, marked only with vague locations like "Ancient Forest" and "Dragon's Tooth Peak." I had no quests, no direction, just a burning desire to test the limits of my… unique skill.
I decided to stick to the plains for now. According to the system, the monsters here were low-level, suitable for players fresh out of the tutorial. My first target was a pack of Razorclaw Hyenas, their snarling forms prowling the tall grass.
I approached cautiously, my hand instinctively reaching for the non-existent sword at my hip. (I really needed to find a weapon.) I focused on the Plundering Genesis God skill, the familiar mental interface appearing.
"Target: Razorclaw Hyena Available Skills/Attributes:
Sharp Claws (F-Rank)
Pack Tactics (E-Rank)
Enhanced Speed (E-Rank) Success Rate: 0.8%"
Slightly better than the tutorial slimes, but still abysmal. I took a deep breath and selected "Enhanced Speed."
"Plundering Failed."
The hyena lunged, its claws scraping against my basic leather armor. I yelped, stumbling backward. Time to get serious.
I spent the next hour in a grueling cycle of attack, dodge, and failed plundering attempts. My HP dwindled, forcing me to consume the few healing potions I'd received in the tutorial. I managed to take down a few hyenas, their experience points barely making a dent in my level progress.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I got lucky.
"Plundering Successful! Acquired Enhanced Speed (F-Rank)."
A jolt of adrenaline surged through me. I felt… faster. My movements were slightly more fluid, my reaction time a fraction quicker. It was subtle, but noticeable. I grinned, ignoring the throbbing pain in my arm from a poorly timed dodge.
The next skill I targeted was Sharp Claws. This time, it took even longer. The hyenas were getting tougher, their attacks more coordinated. I died.
The world dissolved into a swirling vortex of colours, and I reappeared at the edge of the plains, a short distance from where I'd fallen. A message popped up:
"You have died. 10% of your earned experience has been lost."
I groaned. Death in Zenith Online had consequences. I trudged back to the hyena pack, a little more wary this time.
The grind continued. Levelling in Zenith Online was a slow, arduous process, a stark contrast to the power fantasy my unique skill promised. But with each successful plunder, with each level gained, I could feel myself growing stronger. My success rate, though still low, was slowly creeping upward.
I experimented with different strategies. I learned to use the terrain to my advantage, luring the hyenas into bottlenecks where I could fight them one-on-one. I discovered that dodging at the last possible moment gave me a slight edge. And I kept plundering.
By the end of the day (both in-game and in real life – I'd lost track of time), I was level 8, my body ached, and my inventory was full of hyena fangs and claws. I'd managed to acquire Sharp Claws (F-Rank) and Pack Tactics (G-Rank), in addition to Enhanced Speed.
I also realised a few crucial things about my skill:
Rank Matters: Plundering a skill at a higher rank was significantly harder.
Luck is a Factor: My base Luck stat from the tutorial was definitely helping, but I wondered if there were ways to increase it further.
MP Consumption: Each plundering attempt drained a sliver of my MP, limiting how many times I could try.
I found a small, relatively safe clearing near a stream and logged off, collapsing onto my bed in the real world. My head was swimming with information, my body buzzing with a strange mix of exhaustion and exhilaration.
Zenith Online was a brutal, unforgiving world, but it was also a world of endless possibility. And I had a secret weapon, a power that, if I could master it, could make me unstoppable. The grind was just the beginning.