The Exiled Prince With the Divine Attribute System

First kill

Alex listened, but he felt these were fabricated tales. After all, powerful warriors could live far longer than ordinary humans. He had heard of a few in the palace who were over two hundred years old.

He then thought of the elders he had met during his talent test.

“Those elders seemed more powerful than the general I met upon arriving here. Could it be that even stronger warriors remain within the palace, or that the army’s most powerful are stationed elsewhere?”

He turned back to John. “So how did they fight back against these monsters back then?”

John looked at him as if remembering something himself.

“Actually, that’s where the first president of the human council comes in. Among everyone, he was the first to discover the path of the warrior. He shared that knowledge with the kings, and the powerful kingdoms supported him. As for the monsters, they weren’t as strong then as they are now.”

Alex considered the idea of spiritual energy, but when practicing martial arts to break through warrior ranks, he hadn’t sensed any such energy.

He shook his head and was about to ask more about battle tactics when an order cut through.

“Everyone, get ready to enter the battlefield. This time, you’ll be entering the main combat area, where even 5th or 6th-rank monsters might attack. Work together and avoid attracting powerful monsters.”

Lieutenant Andrew then looked toward where Alex and John stood.

“Don’t get yourself killed out there. Rescue as many as you can.”

Alex nodded, committing the instruction to memory, and checked his weapons as if they were lifelines.

“Let’s go.”

Alex marched with the others toward the battlefield, but this time he didn’t stop near the base. Instead, he followed Lieutenant Andrew deeper into the conflict.

A heavy silence settled over the unit as they advanced.

“Let’s hope everything goes well.”

Alex knew every point he collected from a corpse symbolized a death. He wasn’t blind to the fact that his strength increased rapidly through loss, but he could do nothing about the soldiers dying around him.

He had never imagined such a brutal war existed.

“I should focus on survival. Even with the attribute system, I’m not invincible. I need to observe carefully before collecting anything.”

While analyzing his strategy, Alex kept pace with the group, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Soon, they reached their deployment point.

Last time, he had been placed where he could witness the tragedy of war. Now, with increased strength, he was being sent into the main battle area, where the horror would be even more vivid.

When Alex arrived where he had previously collected dead soldiers, the sight shook him to his core.

The battlefield before him was a meat grinder.

In his view, tens of thousands of soldiers fought against a horde of monsters three times their number. The monsters employed tactics, sending wave after wave in coordinated assaults.

Lieutenant Andrew addressed the group.

“All 3rd-rank warriors will search for injured soldiers on the periphery. Those 4th-rank and above will attempt rescues in the center and assist in killing monsters where the risk is greater. I trust you’re all experienced enough to understand the situation.”

He then turned specifically toward Alex and the other 3rd-rank warriors.

“Every soldier you rescue helps our base preserve someone who might one day reach the 6th rank or higher. Do your best, but keep yourselves safe as well.”

Alex looked around, feeling the weight of those words. Over the past month, he had learned that warriors weren’t easily produced. The council invested enormous resources into every rank, which was why they had created rescue squads to save those fighting on the front lines.

As everyone dispersed in different directions, Alex watched the other 3rd-rank warriors. They, too, avoided the most intense fighting, some moving toward areas where soldiers were struggling to hold their ground.

While others searched for the injured, Alex scanned for clusters of attribute bubbles, all while steering clear of higher-rank monsters. Approaching them would be suicide.

Suddenly, his eyes caught a soldier battling a 3rd-rank monster. The soldier appeared to be only a 2nd-rank warrior, yet around him lay the corpses of five monsters.

“This guy is a battle maniac, but his energy is draining. He won’t last much longer.”

Alex began moving toward him, collecting attributes from nearby corpses as he went.

[Picked 10 points of strength.]

[Picked 10 points of speed.]

[Picked 20 points of strength.]

[Picked 15 points of speed.]

[Picked 50 points of strength.]

[Picked 10 points of speed.]

[Picked fragment of sword martial art.]

[Picked fragment of sword martial art.]

“Battle is the only place where my strength increases rapidly. But how do I obtain the talents meant for geniuses or beyond?”

Alex glanced at his panel. His strength was rising, but talent remained elusive.

“There must be more to this system.”

Suddenly, he caught himself.

“Why am I complaining about something beyond my control? I survived over 21 years in this world without a system. Now I’m relying too much on these attributes. I have talent now—I should be grateful this system is helping me grow stronger.”

As he moved forward, he collected more skills.

[Picked fragment of spear martial art.]

[Picked fragments of spear martial art.]

[Picked 50 points of strength.]

[Picked 40 points of speed.]

[Picked 50 points of strength.]

[Picked 10 points of speed.]

When Alex reached the soldier, he wasn’t focused on the fight itself but on the corpses nearby. He noticed another soldier, injured and hiding, and suddenly understood why this 2nd-rank warrior was holding the line.

Without hesitation, Alex drew his sword and launched a sneak attack on the monster.

Ryan, the soldier fighting for his life, was desperately trying to survive the assault of a 3rd-rank monster.

“Damn it, if no one comes soon, I’ll die here along with the sergeant.”

Just as he struggled under the pressure, he felt someone attack the monster from behind.

“Finally, help!”

A moment later, he was shocked to see the 3rd-rank monster beheaded before it could react.

Alex stood before the monster’s corpse, surprised by the attributes he collected.

[Picked 1125 points of strength.]

[Picked 175 points of speed.]

[Picked 2 fragments of water talent.]

By killing the monster directly, he had gained nearly a third of its attributes.

“So these attributes aren’t only collected from dead bodies. Killing monsters directly grants me about a third of their strength.”

Alex wasn’t sure if this applied to every kill, but he filed the thought away for later.

“First, rescue the soldiers. I’ll verify my theory afterward.”

He moved toward the injured soldier lying beside the monster corpses, collecting attribute bubbles along the way.

[Picked 20 points of strength.]

[Picked 10 points of speed.]

[Picked 30 points of strength.]

[Picked 10 points of speed.]

Ignoring the notifications, Alex focused on the wounded figure. It was a woman, and her uniform identified her as a sergeant.

“How did she get so injured? This is still the periphery of the battle.”

Hearing Alex, Ryan, who was approaching, answered.

“The sergeant had obtained some intel and was rushing back, but before she could report, more than four monsters ambushed her.”

Ryan pointed to the corpses nearby.

“Two were 4th-rank, the other two 3rd-rank. She still managed to kill them all.”

Alex realized there was more to the story. If her strength was above the 4th rank, she was valuable. He hoisted her onto his back and turned to Ryan.

“You should come with me. Your energy is depleted. Staying here, even a 2nd-rank monster could kill you.”

As Alex moved toward the base, carrying the sergeant, he heard her murmur something subconsciously.

“High-bloodline Demon…”