I Obtained The Abyssal Harbinger Mythical Class At Level 1

The village of Redleaf had never been more alive with tension. The market square, once bustling with laughter and idle chatter, now buzzed with hushed whispers and darting eyes. News of Ethan and Brandon's brutal encounter with the rival players had spread like wildfire, and the consequences of their actions were starting to take root.

Ethan stood in the corner of the tavern, his hood drawn low over his face. The Abyss Dungeon clear had already made him famous, but the recent deaths of the rival players had painted a new target on his back.

"Did you hear?" a player at the next table whispered to his companion. "The system marked them as killers. Bounties on their heads and everything."

Ethan's eyes narrowed. This wasn't unexpected, but hearing it confirmed made his chest tighten. He glanced at Brandon, who was nursing a mug of ale across the room.

"Bounty, huh?" Brandon muttered under his breath when Ethan relayed the news. "That's just perfect. As if surviving wasn't hard enough."

"They forced our hand," Ethan replied, though the words felt like a weak justification even to him.

Outside the tavern, a crowd had gathered around a newly erected board near the village square. Ethan and Brandon pushed their way through the throng, the murmurs of the players growing louder as they approached.

There, in bold letters, was their first taste of the game's new mechanic:

[WANTED PLAYERS]

Name: Ethan Cross

Bounty: 500 Gold

Last Seen: Redleaf Village

Name: Ironbreaker

Bounty: 300 Gold

Last Seen: Redleaf Village

Ethan cursed under his breath. "They're painting targets on our backs."

A player beside them sneered. "You two must be worth killing. That's a lot of gold."

Brandon shot him a glare, his hand instinctively moving to his sword. "Try it and see what happens."

---

Global Announcement: The Wildlands Unleashed

Suddenly, a chime echoed through the village. Everyone froze as their status windows flickered open.

[GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT]

The New World System Update:

Wildlands Unleashed: All areas outside of major cities and villages are now classified as Wildlands.

In Wildlands, player-vs-player combat is enabled.

Players can now loot items from defeated players in Wildlands.

Kill counts will be tracked. Players with high kill counts will receive exclusive rewards but will also be marked as public enemies.

New questlines and mechanics introduced for bounty hunters and fugitives.

Welcome to survival mode.

---

The moment the announcement ended, chaos broke out. Players began shouting and scrambling for cover. The village, which had been a sanctuary, now felt like a ticking time bomb.

Ethan turned to Brandon, his voice low and urgent. "We need to leave. Now."

Brandon nodded, his face pale. "Agreed. If we stay here, it's only a matter of time before someone comes for us."

They slipped out of the village under the cover of night, their footsteps muffled by the thick underbrush of the surrounding forest. Ethan's senses were on high alert, his Abyssal Harbinger instincts warning him of every rustle in the trees and snap of a twig.

"This is insane," Brandon muttered. "How are we supposed to survive when every other player out there wants to kill us?"

"We get stronger," Ethan replied simply. "And we make sure we're the ones doing the hunting, not the other way around."

As they moved deeper into the forest, Ethan's instincts screamed at him. He stopped abruptly, raising a hand to silence Brandon.

"What is it?" Brandon whispered.

"We're not alone," Ethan replied.

Moments later, a group of five players emerged from the shadows, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight.

"Looks like we found ourselves some bounties," one of them sneered.

Ethan tightened his grip on his gauntlets. "You don't want to do this."

The leader of the group, a burly man wielding a massive axe, laughed. "Oh, but we do. Hand over your gear, and we might let you live."

Brandon stepped forward, his sword drawn. "Funny, that's exactly what the last group of idiots said."

The players charged, and the forest erupted into chaos.

Ethan activated [Abyssal Rupture], dark tendrils bursting from the ground and wrapping around one of the attackers.

[Damage Dealt: 900 HP]

[Enemy HP: 0 / 900]

The player's body collapsed, his items scattering around him.

Brandon clashed swords with another attacker, their blades sparking with each strike. Ethan turned his attention to the leader, who swung his axe with brutal force.

[Abyssal Barrier]

The dark shield absorbed the blow, but the force pushed Ethan back several steps. He retaliated with [Abyssal Strike], his gauntlet slamming into the man's chest.

[Damage Dealt: 1,200 HP]

[Enemy HP: 300 / 1,500]

The leader snarled, blood dripping from his mouth. "You'll pay for that!"

Ethan didn't give him the chance. He finished him off with a powerful uppercut, the dark energy of his gauntlet ripping through the man's torso.

[Critical Hit! Damage Dealt: 300 HP]

[Enemy HP: 0 / 1,500]

By the time the fight ended, all five attackers lay defeated, their items scattered across the ground. Ethan and Brandon stood in the aftermath, breathing heavily.

"This isn't a game anymore," Brandon said, his voice trembling.

"No," Ethan replied, his expression grim. "It's war."

They gathered what loot they could carry and continued deeper into the Wildlands. The bounties on their heads had made them targets, but they refused to back down.

If this world wanted them to fight, they would fight. And if it wanted them to survive, they would do whatever it took to survive.