Chapter Three: Racial Factions

Having witnessed the true might of the gods and knowing their existence beyond doubt, Zhao Xu dared not show any disrespect, even when faced with these mere statues within the game. He quickly composed himself and studied the interface before him.

Once the players completed the guide interface and ascended the celestial stairway, they would enter the world of Arthur. Upon death, before using a resurrection stone, they would also remain in this Hall of Creation.

Zhao Xu, not wishing to waste time, glanced at the guide panel and, using mental controls, entered the same ID he had used in his previous life—Midsummer.

After confirming his name, a sequence of racial options immediately appeared, the seven great races projected before him in sculpted relief. They were, in order: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Half-Orc, Halfling, Half-Elf, and Gnome, each corresponding to distinct occupational talents, attribute adjustments, and racial abilities.

“Human,” Zhao Xu chose without hesitation.

Truth be told, humans were considered a powerful race in Arthur. Their unique talent for bonus feats and skill points was often underestimated in the early game. So he had no intention of living as a different race, even though elves enjoyed lifespans of several centuries. As long as his plans succeeded, he would never lack methods to extend his life.

Many, however, struggled to accept their new forms after transmigrating, especially those who became gnomes.

Gender was locked as male by the system, avoiding any mishaps in identity after transmigration. His body type was set as average, matching the human standard. He made only minor adjustments to his eyes, skin, and hair—just enough to correct small flaws, as the system did not allow drastic changes.

At last, he reached the alignment test.

Arthur’s alignment chart ran horizontally as Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic; vertically as Good, Neutral, and Evil. The three-by-three grid formed nine alignments. Players could either choose their starting alignment or take a questionnaire to determine it.

Zhao Xu selected True Neutral directly.

In truth, he leaned toward Neutral Good, but classes, spells, and even NPCs paid close attention to alignment. Naturally, he chose the least restrictive—True Neutral—and would adjust according to future events.

For faith, he set it temporarily as “alignment faith.” The game made no urgent demands in this regard; even clerics could begin with allegiance to an alignment rather than a deity, with many players only choosing a patron god after some experience.

After completing his choices, his character sheet appeared at last:

Name: Midsummer
Race: Human / Outsider (Earth)
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Build: Average
Weight: 76 kg
Height: 183 cm
Status: None
Alignment: True Neutral
Faith: Alignment Faith
Eyes: Black
Skin: Yellow
Hair: Black
Base Speed: Walk 30 feet/round (about 9.1 meters every 6 seconds)
Language: To be determined
Racial Traits: At 1st level, gains 4 extra skill points; with each subsequent level, gains 1 extra skill point; at 1st level, automatically gains an additional feat

After verifying the panel for any errors, Zhao Xu let out a soft sigh.

Many would have already chosen their stats and class and entered the game at this point. But Zhao Xu had seen, after Earth’s destruction and the mass transmigration, just how revered high-level players became, and how a single archmage could turn the tide of war. He knew well that, in Arthur’s world, personal strength determined everything.

No matter how quickly one hurried through these steps, it was meaningless; the upcoming basic class training would delay everyone, sometimes for hours, sometimes even a week—those were the records set by the fastest players.

As his panel faded from view, the hall was filled for the first time with an ethereal, sacred chant.

Six pillars of light, all equal in height, rose before him—Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

Zhao Xu’s nerves were stretched to the utmost.

Once in Arthur’s world, a person’s physical and mental attributes would be entirely governed by these scores. Intelligence truly dictated intellect. He remembered a half-orc player who began with 8 Intelligence, but after racial penalties, was left with only 6—scarcely above the level of a simpleton. Before transmigration, he had naturally been able to operate his character with an average Intelligence above 10. But after crossing over, he was left with only 6—barely more than a dullard.

Many players risked everything for extreme attribute spreads, but Zhao Xu dared not. Maximizing the benefit of each attribute—this was his inerasable advantage over other players.

Before him, all six attributes started at 8, with the light pillars resting at that height.

His test account had 28 ability points.

Between 8 and 14, it cost 1 point for each attribute increase.
For 15 to 16, 2 points per increase.
For 17 to 18, 3 points per increase.
18 was the starting cap; to go higher would require leveling up or equipment.

In his previous life, he had only ever obtained a single +2 Strength belt, and attribute increases from leveling came only once every four levels.

He glanced to the right—beside the 28 ability points was a bonus +4. He had 32 points in total, a reward for being among the first wave of players to log in within the first 24 hours of launch. This was the only chance in the game to get 32 points.

In his past life, Zhao Xu hadn’t been so lucky; starting with only 22 points, he had 10 fewer than those who played from the opening moment.

Still, he was considered fortunate. The billions of ordinary people who never entered the game or created an account, after transmigration, ended up with all attributes at 10—equivalent to a mere 12 points.

Having lived again for ten years, Zhao Xu was the greatest cheat player in all of Arthur.