006 Fury and Shield Armor!

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Blood Dragon Ring
Dark Gold, Bound, Right Hand Ring
Equipment Requirement: None
+12% Life Steal
+15% Constitution
Attached Skill: Body of the Blood Dragon
Extra Effect: When your health drops below 40%, life steal effect increases by 10%
Extra Effect: Each time you successfully drain life from an enemy, you gain the "Blood Fury" effect, increasing your critical damage by 5% and your critical life steal by 2% for 15 seconds, stackable up to 10 times. When "Blood Fury" reaches 10 stacks, you become immune to one crowd-control effect and your resistance to such effects increases by 25% for 10 seconds, after which the stacks are cleared.
Set (1/2): Bloodthirsty Lion Pendant
Description: One of the three great jewelry sets secretly forged by the Orc Alliance for the conquest of Xilo's main city.

"One of the three great jewelry sets!" Morning Wind never expected that the infamous Blood Dragon transformation accessory, which had swept through the battlefield a month later during the Horde's all-out assault against the Alliance, would end up in his hands. Blood Dragon—the name immediately sparked a realization in Morning Wind as he glanced over the attached skills.

Body of the Blood Dragon: Transformation Skill. Only the head remains, with no path of retreat—the Blood Dragon charges ever forward! Passive: You can sense the scent of more blood, increasing the healing effects of your skills by 50%. Active: You transform into the Blood Dragon, increasing your damage by 30%, defense by 25%, and movement speed by 30% until you log out. While transformed, you gain an additional neutral game ID, "Blood Dragon," and cannot be tracked. Cooldown: 1 hour. Cost: None (cannot be used in dungeons or arenas).

Blood Dragon! So it really is the transformation skill of the Blood Dragon race!

"A new game ID? That means you can hide your identity! Let me think about how to kill..." Seeing he could become untraceable, Morning Wind's role-playing as an assassin kicked in once more. Once he advanced his class, he could possess the attributes of both a Berserker and a Shield Warrior. With Berserkers able to dual-wield either two one-handed or two two-handed weapons, if he used a pair of one-handed swords in his regular form and switched to dual-wielding two-handed swords as the Blood Dragon, no one would recognize him.

Training his abilities! Morning Wind thought of ways to use this ring to hone his powers, keeping himself on high alert while in Blood Dragon form. As for whether this betrayed the interests of the Chinese server's players, that was not his concern. Once he reached level 30 and entered the world map, he would likely make enemies worldwide.

"Level up. Change class!" Morning Wind eyed the Talent Stone in his bag, eager to switch classes and gain dual talents, curious to see the full potential of the Blood Dragon.

Just as he was about to leave the city and grind through the night to reach level 10 for class change, he heard a tall, thin monk calling out, "Upgrade gems for levels below 10, in exchange for rare Windwalker Monk skill books! Quick trades!"

"A Monk? Someone actually chose that class!" Morning Wind was surprised to see the monk at the city gates. Anyone who managed to get upgrade gems had to be skilled enough to kill Scourge patrols, so this monk was certainly no novice. But why would such an expert choose the Monk class, notorious for its difficulty? Still, if one could master the Monk, they would be formidable—few in the gaming world could claim that.

"Monk, come to the warehouse, I have Monk skill books!" Monk skill books weren't valuable, but rare ones were scarce. Since he was just one level away from class change, Morning Wind decided to trade a skill book to save himself an entire night.

"Wretched donor, this humble monk only wants rare Windwalker Monk skill books. Don't bring me generic Monk books and waste my precious time with the ladies," the tall, thin monk said, hands together in a gesture that belied his irreverent words.

The Monk class has three talent trees—tank, DPS, and healer. The Windwalker Monk, as the monk said, was the damage-dealing spec. After a brief exchange, the monk resumed shouting, but Morning Wind pressed on, "I have a full set of Monk skill books. Take your pick!"

"Oh, no! Wretched donor, you can't judge a book by its cover. Who would've thought a pretty boy like you could collect so many Windwalker Monk skill books? I've got plenty of treasures to trade with you!" The bald monk, hearing this, ignored the crowd and hurried over to the warehouse with Morning Wind.

Morning Wind pulled out a set of basic rare Monk skill books for the monk to choose from, but the monk seemed greedy. "Wretched donor, I have a few Warrior skill books. Would you trade for them?"

"I've already maxed all Warrior skills and have plenty of gear. If you want to trade, hurry up!" Morning Wind was in no mood for the monk's insistent "wretched donor" jibes and wanted nothing more than to be done with him.

Hearing Morning Wind had maxed his skills, the monk grew anxious. Only an expert could have done that, perhaps even possessing post-class-change skills. Realizing it was impossible to swap all four rare Windwalker skills, the monk said, "Donor, let's add each other as friends first. When I find good Warrior gear, I'll trade you for the books. How about it?"

"Fine! Pick a book quickly and stop wasting my time!" Morning Wind said, and the monk chose a skill book, trading the upgrade gem in return.

System: You have used "Incomplete Upgrade Gem." Your level has increased to 10.

System: You have reached level 10. Please visit the main city Warrior Trainer for class change.

System: Player "KunKun for Health" wishes to add you as a friend. Accept?

Morning Wind received both prompts after using the gem. He hesitated at the friend's request, not liking the game ID, but added the monk anyway—he might need a party member for future dungeons.

Morning Wind arrived at the Warrior camp, wondering whether to become a Berserker or a Shield Warrior first. He chose the Berserker, his specialty, seeing Shield Warrior as merely a backup. Approaching the Berserker Trainer, Morning Wind said, "Trainer, I've come to change class to Berserker."

The Berserker Trainer, roused from sleep and somewhat annoyed, nonetheless followed city protocol and said politely, "Brave adventurer, your growth is impressive! To become a Berserker, you must possess both strength and might. Go to the Breezewind Plateau and slay the Tusked Giant Elephant. Bring back its two tusks to complete your class change quest."

"Understood!" Quest in hand, Morning Wind left immediately, not bothering to ask the guards for directions—he knew the terrain around Xilo City well after two years of playing.

The Tusked Giant Elephant on Breezewind Plateau is a level 14 elite. Morning Wind realized the Berserker Trainer, annoyed at being disturbed, had deliberately chosen a tough quest. The beast was as massive as a truck, and his only real worry was being impaled by its meter-long tusks—otherwise, it shouldn't pose too much trouble.

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Charge!

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Morning Wind dared not charge head-on, fearing the elephant would simply bowl him over. Approaching from the side, his skill execution was poor, and he failed to stun it. He followed with a Thunder Strike, dealing 10 damage, then began circling the elephant, avoiding a head-to-head clash.

Thunder Strike's paralyzing effect barely affected the massive beast. Soon, its trunk lashed out, forcing Morning Wind to retreat two steps to evade the attack. But after only two steps, the elephant had already turned to face him and charged.

-472

Morning Wind raised his shield to block, but the elephant sent him flying. Against such a beast, he was simply too weak to block it. At level 10, with only 880 health, half his life was gone in a single hit—another blow would be fatal.

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Heroic Leap! Picking himself up, Morning Wind somersaulted forward, landing on the elephant's back for 21 damage. There, he clamped his legs around the beast and began hacking away with his one-handed sword.

Before class change, Warriors had very few attack skills, and with the elephant's 6,000 HP, this fight would take a while. Still, the elephant couldn't retaliate while he was on its back.

Jumping onto the elephant mid-charge was difficult, and keeping balance even harder. Luckily, Morning Wind had experience riding horses, so staying atop the beast was no problem for him.

The elephant had plenty of skills—Charge, War Stomp—making close combat all but impossible. War Stomp would deal damage and stun him, followed by a devastating combo. Humans could quickly remove the stun, but Elves couldn't.

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After half an hour, Morning Wind finally wore the beast down. The elephant collapsed, and he looted its corpse, obtaining the two tusks needed for his quest and a two-handed sword.

Tusked Greatsword
Black Iron, Two-handed Sword
Requirement: Level 10
Damage: 59–107
+5 Strength
Extra Effect: 40% chance on attack to deal 20 bonus damage
Description: Proof of having soloed the Tusked Giant Elephant.

Equipment in the game is divided into Common, Bronze, Black Iron, Superior (Green), Excellent (Blue), Silver Flash, Gold, Epic, Legendary, Artifact, and the Horde-exclusive Dark Gold, which is between Excellent and Legendary in quality—practically artifacts in the early game. Scoring a Black Iron weapon at this point is already impressive. Morning Wind had only killed low-level elites before and had never seen a level 10 two-handed sword.

After returning to the main city via Hearthstone, Morning Wind rushed to the Warrior camp. Many players had reached level 10 and were doing class change quests. When Morning Wind returned with the tusks, the Berserker Trainer was shocked. "Brave adventurer, your valor makes me proud! Congratulations on becoming a Berserker!"

System: You have completed the class change quest and are now a Berserker. Strength permanently increased by 20%. You have learned the Berserker skills Bloodthirst and Berserker Stance.

System: Your performance has earned you recognition from the Berserker Trainer. You may enter the Training Tower once.

Bloodthirst: Berserker skill. Swing your weapon, immediately dealing 150% attack damage, restoring 2% of your max health, and generating 15 Rage. On hit, has a 30% chance to make your next three Whirlwind Strikes cost no Rage and have no cooldown. Cooldown: 4.5 seconds. Cost: None.

Berserker Stance: Stance skill. Increases all your damage by 30% and your off-hand attack damage by an additional 40%.
(Player off-hand attacks normally deal 50% less damage.)

Bloodthirst is the core Berserker skill. If you trigger Whirlwind Strike with no cooldown or cost, your damage spikes, since Warrior output depends on Rage. Class change also grants a unique stance passive, distinguishing the three Warrior specs: Berserkers for burst, Shield Warriors for defense and health, Weapon Warriors in between.

What surprised Morning Wind was the Berserker Trainer’s reward of a Training Tower entry. There, you could spend talent points to learn favorite skills, a privilege typically reserved for those who made extraordinary contributions to the Alliance or were recognized by tutors. Every 10 levels grants one talent point, with the possibility of earning more through other means.

"Thank you, Trainer!" After bidding farewell, Morning Wind found a secluded spot to use the Blood Thunder Stone.

Blood Thunder Stone: Talent Gem, cannot be dropped. Allows you to select an additional class talent, granting the power of Blood and Thunder. Requirement: Level 10.

System: You have used the Blood Thunder Stone, gaining the power of Blood and Thunder. You may select another class talent and complete a second class change.

Morning Wind went to the Shield Warrior Trainer for his second quest. The trainer, seeing Morning Wind already a Berserker, was amazed: "Brave adventurer, I never imagined you would be blessed with the power of Blood and Thunder. You have 30 minutes to complete your task!"

Thirty minutes? Morning Wind checked the quest and sprinted out of the city, returning 28 minutes later, panting but successful.

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"Well done! Brave adventurer, congratulations on becoming a Shield Warrior." The Shield Warrior Trainer completed the class change and handed Morning Wind a blue skill book. "If possible, I hope you become a Shield Warrior who can stand tall for the Alliance."

System: You have completed the class change quest and are now a Shield Warrior. Maximum health permanently increased by 20%. You have learned the Shield Warrior skills Shield Slam and Defensive Stance.

System: The Shield Warrior Trainer is impressed by your performance and has given you the skill book Iron Body.

Shield Slam: Shield skill. Bash the enemy with your shield, dealing 150% attack damage and removing one magic effect from the target, generating 15 Rage. Cooldown: 6 seconds. Cost: None.

Defensive Stance: Stance skill. Increases your defense by 30%, critical resistance by 20%, and reduces damage taken by 25%.

With a shield equipped, Morning Wind now had more attack skills. Defensive Stance would greatly boost his defense and reduce damage by 25%—essential for boss fights. However, only one stance could be active at a time; they couldn't be stacked.

Iron Body: Extension skill. Your body is as tough as steel—facing a storm of blows, you will not yield! Passive: While in Defensive Stance without a shield equipped, your defense increases by an additional 40%, and abnormal status resistance by 40%. Active: Reduces damage taken by 70% for 10 seconds, and for the next 5 seconds, you continue to be immune to 35% of damage effects. Cooldown: 5 minutes. Cost: None. (Shares a 3-minute cooldown with Shield Wall.)

An extension skill meant he could acquire more such skills in the future, though how to unlock them remained a mystery. As the first player to become both Berserker and Shield Warrior with dual talents, he expected there would be a skill to fuse the two talents. The Shield Warrior Trainer, recognizing that Morning Wind sought the Shield specialization for greater survivability, gave him this powerful extension skill to maximize its potential.

Afterwards, Morning Wind learned all available Berserker and Shield Warrior skills. Outfitted with the Tusked Greatsword and a level 8 Black Iron two-handed sword, he was a new man—his strength had multiplied several times over.

Name: Duan Morning Wind
Level: 10
Race: Elf
Class: Blood Thunder Warrior
Dual Talents: Berserker, Shield (Hidden)
Bestowed Powers: Blood (Hidden), Thunder (Hidden)
Strength: 242
Constitution: 174
Intelligence: 30
Agility: 59
Spirit: 32
Main Hand Damage: 322–465
Off Hand Damage: 224–357
Health: 1528/1528
Defense: 825
Rage: 0 (Max 100; generated by using skills or taking damage, required for some skills)
Secondary Defense: 126
Physical Crit: 12.25% (Berserk Aura grants 7% crit)

In addition to his stat boosts, as a unique Blood Thunder Warrior, Morning Wind gained special powers—an extra Thunder Rune and Blood Rune!

"Morning Wind, are you there? We're in trouble!" Just as he completed his dual class change, Cheng Xue contacted him, apparently in danger.

"I'm here. What's going on?" Morning Wind replaced his two one-handed swords and was already heading for the city gates.

"South of Breezewind Plains, coordinates 3455, 1233, 723. A squad from the War God Guild was chased by patrols and lured them to my Blizzard area. Now the patrols are chasing us. My sister might not hold out much longer." Cheng Xue had heard Morning Wind and his friends had previously killed patrols, so she was hoping he could help.

War God Guild! Morning Wind recalled Cheng Xue mentioning them—the same guy who, after being rejected by Cheng Xue’s sister’s marriage proposal, tried to run her over in a fit of rage. It seemed War God Guild was courting disaster, daring to provoke him. "Hold on, I’m on my way!"