I Ascend to the Divine Throne through Arcane Means

```

Having determined his direction, Lis began to plan the specifics of his scheme to harvest the players’ wealth on paper.

He wasn’t sure if he could issue tasks to the players directly, but he assumed it should be possible, or he could simply have others publish the tasks for him.

Players appearing in the Gaia World were restricted in some of their actions by the game system (fog~), but their bodies were no different from those of real humans.

So, like anyone else, players needed to eat, rest, and even when they logged off, their bodies wouldn’t vanish like in some games, but rather remained, unconscious like someone in a vegetative state, utterly defenseless.

It was as if the character you controlled truly existed within the Gaia World, and if you didn’t log in for a long time, your character could potentially die from starvation.

But there wasn’t too much to worry about, as after death, apart from experience penalties and other losses, there would be no other changes; players just needed to resurrect themselves.

Therefore, the first issue that players faced when entering the game was simply survival.

Player characters, being newborns in the game, had blank attribute panels, with all their traits similar to those of an average person apart from their Talents.

All player characters were Civilian Level 1, dreaming of taking up an Extraordinary profession? Unless you were one of the Lucky few, you’d better start working and earning money.

This was why the Mercenary Guild was the most popular place for players in the early stages of the game, and it was also one of the recommended paths by the game officials.

First was the opportunity to earn money, and second was the chance to learn Extraordinary Abilities.

Let’s be honest, even though the players didn’t have much, their Talents were exceptional, and they had no problems grasping Extraordinary Abilities or leveling up as Professionals.

Should he try to replace the influence of the Mercenary Guild among new players born in the Bright City area?

Even replacing just a part of it would be immensely helpful in controlling the players’ actions!

Gold Coins, tasks? His Guild, which was in the midst of establishment, lacked nothing more than laborers of all kinds.

After all, the players were prime ’crops’, hardworking and willing, articulate and skilled in various areas—this was a deal he couldn’t lose on.

Moreover, he was well aware of the players’ early difficulties, and by offering services like accommodation, clothing, and food in addition to employment, it was possible that he could make back even more than he spent!

The more Lis thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, recalling the real-world struggles of new players when a game launched, with many resorting to begging on the streets of Feis, claiming it to be some sort of performance art, sadly to be caught by patrolling Guards.

He made a mental note of this to have Mora arrange it later.

As for the more creative methods of harvesting the crop, Lis wasn’t planning to use them just yet.

Alas, the ’crop’ wasn’t yet ripe for the reaping, feeling lackluster; it was better to let them grow plump and tender.

A certain matter came to mind that Lis felt had to be prioritized.

That was to cultivate some Magic Rune workers among the players.

Lis had previously noticed that players engraved Magic Patterns differently from natives, mastering the process quickly without needing to understand the underlying principles, caring only about the ’how’—not the ’why’—and doing so more efficiently.

The most important aspect was that, provided Lis set strict confidentiality requirements and punitive measures, there was almost no chance of players leaking secrets, which was of paramount importance to him.

However, to train players to handle "Self-Charging" Magic Rune combinations was still a long way off; Lis had plenty of time to do this gradually, as the initial production capacity wasn’t high and Bernie could handle it all for now.

Soon, the parchment in front of Lis was filled to the brim with writing.

That was about it, Lis nodded, storing the parchment in his storage ring.

With a month left until the game’s launch, Lis settled down.

The appearance of the players meant that the subsequent major events and the main storylines’ development wouldn’t change too drastically, as Lis still held a considerable advantage as a Prophet!

-----------------

The next morning, Lis did not head to the First Magic Workshop to study with his teacher; instead, he made his way to the Library.

He wasn’t sure what kept Mr. Stephens busy these days, as he told him to study on his own and didn’t need to come to him anymore.

However, Lis also felt that Fran had already imparted to him much of the basic knowledge; what was more important now was his own comprehension, practice, and ultimate mastery.

Angela lay lazily atop Risa’s head, having apparently eaten too much the previous day, settling for a meager half-table of food this morning.

Lis watched Risa, who was slowly flipping through a Magic Book in the gentle morning sunlight, her creamy, alabaster hair seemingly emitting a mysterious glow in the light.

Risa had grown quite accustomed to her young master by now and was used to having such a book companion.

Together, the two sat quietly by the window and read for the better part of the day, both content to sit and be still.

Lis put down the "Harmony and Resonance of the Four Fundamentals—by Fran Stephens" he held in his hands and asked Risa:

"You’ve been reading for a while now, Risa, aren’t you tired?"

"Yes, a little,"

Risa replied, her interactions having become more relaxed over many encounters.

```

"Speaking of which, Risa, have you always stayed in the library? You’re already a Silver Level Mage, why haven’t I seen you practice spells in the courtyard?"

All professionals find it hard to improve by simply burying their heads in books. Only through combining acquired knowledge with practical exercises can one achieve breakthroughs, as the two complement each other.

However, Lis hadn’t ever noticed Risa practicing spells in his memories, which was quite absurd.

"Mr. Lis, I did practice when I was studying at the Magic Academy, but since returning, I haven’t really practiced in the library," Risa replied.

"It hasn’t had much of an effect, though; I can practice some simple spells inside the library."

Risa tilted her head, pondering for a moment, before speaking softly.

Lis was somewhat speechless. To reach such a high level of Silver strength without practice, her talent must indeed be remarkable.

However, Lis could guess the probable reason Risa kept it a secret, so he didn’t inquire further. He had come today with a different purpose in mind.

"How about a sparring session in the courtyard? It would be a good chance to get some exercise."

Lis suggested, ready to verify some of his own speculations through combat.

"Umm... all right."

Risa hesitated, instinctively not wanting to leave the library, but that encouraging look in Lis’s eyes made her unconsciously agree.

...

Standing in the courtyard, Lis looked at Risa, who was cloaked in a black cape that wrapped her from head to toe, finding it somewhat helpless.

The style was growing more similar to the one he had suspected, wasn’t it?

Seeing Risa retrieve a gold combat wand inlaid with a high-grade Water Element Magic Gem from her storage ring, Lis didn’t pay it much mind; all this was within his expectations.

"Here I come!"

Lis called out, waving the Jade Wand, conjuring a solid, emerald Wind Blade in midair, shooting straight toward Risa.

But halfway there, it was blocked by the Elemental Shield that Risa had cast.

However, Lis had reached his goal.

Lis looked at the system panel that refreshed in front of his eyes, showing the challenge information of Risa.

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[Based on your level, you’ve obtained the following information.]

Name: Risa Kane

Race: Human

Level: 88

Life Value: 9024/9024

Mana Value: ???

Main Profession: Elemental Mage

Secondary Profession: None

Talent: Elemental Torrent Dominator (Legendary Talent)

Attributes:

Strength 267

Agility 268

Intelligence?

Charm?

Mysterious?

Endurance 267

Luck?

Danger Level: Dangerous! (Yellow)

Evaluation: A powerhouse! Far surpasses peers!

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