"No way…" Zeroflux gave a bitter laugh. "That's crazy. He's playing on a completely different level." "Looks like we can't base our future progression plans on him anymore," StormHalo sighed. "Otherwise, we'll die without even knowing how we died. As for NightTiger… I can only say he was a little too reckless." "Yeah." ZeroFlux nodded, his expression gloomy. Though they were top-ranked players, they weren't particularly close with NightTiger. Even so, there was always a sense of mutual respect. The fact that a top-ranked player had died in the Abyss-level tier advancement trial served as a harsh warning to them. They might not know how Nighthale had achieved his victories, but one thing was certain: It wasn't just his level; even his strength was far beyond anyone else's. After all, his achievements could be chalked up to luck or coincidence once or twice.But when so many "coincidences" kept piling up around the same person… There could only be one explanation: He possessed absolute strength. "I'm logging off. I need to revise my advancement plan." After saying that, StormHalo headed for a safe zone. ZeroFlux remained silent. In an era where virtual MMORPGs had reached such advanced levels of development, game studios had long evolved into fully-fledged industrial chains of their own. These game studios would often customize complete and detailed progression plans for each of their top-ranked players. Whether it was their levels, skill choices, or even their daily grinding routes and farming spots, everything was carefully planned in advance. That was why players like StormHalo could level faster than ordinary players, always staying ahead of the game. Natural talent definitely mattered, but strategic planning was equally crucial. But after NightTiger's tragic death, ZeroFlux knew one thing: The existing progression plans crafted by their respective game studios had just been reduced to useless scraps of paper. After all, their reference model… was Nighthale. "The winds of change have begun to blow…" A long time passed before he finally let out a heavy sigh and headed for the safe zone. … Meanwhile… News of NightTiger's failure to clear the Abyss Trial and his subsequent death spread rapidly. Thanks to the massive promotional campaigns his game studio had previously invested in, combined with Doomsday's own popularity, it took only a few minutes for the news to reach hundreds of millions of people around the world. A headline instantly shot to second place on the trending searches: 'NightTiger Failed the Abyss Trial, Died in Hospital After Resuscitation Attempts Failed.' "No way! Even NightTiger couldn't clear the Abyss Trial?! Isn't the difficulty level way too broken?" "Forget clearing it. Judging by the time stamps, he didn't even last a full minute." "The real question is… what caused his death? Does failing a Tier Advancement Trial mean you'd actually die for real? That's just insane." "Yeah. If that's true, who besides Nighthale would even dare to attempt the Tier Advancement Trials? What's the point of even playing?" "This is crazy. This game isn't meant for humans!" "Has any other top-ranked player even attempted the other Tier Advancement Trials? Or can someone contact Nighthale and ask what's going on?" "Don't just call him Nighthale; you should call him the Legendary Nighthale! At this point, he's the one true player of Doomsday!" … The discussion raged on endlessly, showing no signs of dying down. And, naturally, the focus of the discussion was the Tier Advancement Trials. Most players hadn't even reached Level 3 yet. But it was only a matter of time before their levels met the requirement. And so, the big question arose: How were they supposed to clear the Tier Advancement Trials? Were they going to be stuck at Level 10 forever? Fear and panic spread everywhere, especially among the first batch of elite players who had just reached Level 10. Not a single one dared to challenge the Tier Advancement Trials, instead waiting for someone to explain what was happening. But there was no official announcement from Doomsday. Everything remained shrouded in mystery. It seemed the questions weren't going to answer themselves. The players would have to figure out the answers on their own. … At the same time, the Level 20 trial grounds. Aiden sank into deep thought as he watched the Watcher's corpse fade away. The Monarch-level boss, just like the Rogue he had fought previously, had not dropped any equipment—only a small fragment gleaming with a cold brilliance.He picked it up. 'Abyss Stone Fragment 2 (tier unknown, unidentifiable).' Sure enough, it was another fragment of the Abyss Stone. "What exactly is this?" He frowned at the two fragments, now sitting in the corner of his inventory. The Rogue had dropped Fragment 1. And now, the Watcher dropped Fragment 2. Does that mean I'll eventually receive Fragment 3, Fragment 4, and so on in future Abyss Trials? It seems to be a quest chain that began at Level 10. "I wonder if it's going to be equipment, an item, or some kind of skill?" He mused, anticipation rising in his heart. A quest chain spanning so many levels and requiring the completion of multiple Abyss-level tier advancement trials… It wouldn't make sense unless the final reward was some apocalypse-tier item or equipment. In fact, it might even be divinity-tier equipment! Too bad that completing the quest chain is still something far, far off.