[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-started-with-a-10-000x-multiplier-in-a-game-worl":3,"chapter-started-with-a-10-000x-multiplier-in-a-game-worl-started-with-a-10-000x-multiplier-in-a-game-worl-chapter-96":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Started with a 10,000x Multiplier in a Game World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1136249,1466,"Chapter 96: A Forbidden Upgrade","started-with-a-10-000x-multiplier-in-a-game-worl-chapter-96",96,"\u003Cp>Dante didn’t leave Ironhold immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had mounted the Griffon on the highest tower of the Lord’s Keep. He fully intended to fly straight to the Sky Demon Forest and bait the three allied armies into a massive confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as the Griffon banked over the sprawling commercial district of the city, the hyper-optimized combat logic of Dante forced him to reconsider his immediate loadout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was Level 58.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He possessed the SSS-grade [Chrono-Shift] talent, the primordial [Voidsever], and a massive 9,130 health pool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was an absolute monster in 1v1 engagements or localized boss fights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But fighting three coordinated guild armies of thousands of players simultaneously was entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wouldn’t fight fair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would use suppression arrays, massive synchronized magical bombardments, and endless waves of disposable frontline tanks to grind him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with zero cooldowns, his Zenith-tier skills had animation times. If he was caught in a massive stun-lock rotation, he could still die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to maximize his raw unmitigated damage output before engaging them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to socket the [Celestial Strike Pearl].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take us down,\" Dante ordered the Griffon and pulled back on the heavy leather reins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive armored beast shrieked in compliance. It banked sharply and dove toward a wide open plaza near the eastern edge of the commercial district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Griffon landed heavily on the cobblestones. Its powerful talons cracked the stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante slid off the saddle. \"Wait here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He navigated the busy streets and headed directly for the loud rhythmic clanging of heavy hammers hitting anvils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was looking for Blacksmith Tang. Tang was the premier armorer in Ironhold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found the forge easily. It was a massive open-air pavilion radiating intense heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The walls were lined with thousands of glowing weapons and heavy iron shields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing behind a massive glowing hot anvil was Blacksmith Tang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The NPC was a towering and heavily muscled man with a thick black beard. He wore a heavy leather apron that was completely impervious to the localized heat of the forge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante walked up to the counter. He ignored the line of low-level players waiting to repair their rusty swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need an enhancement socketed,\" Dante said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He placed the heavy dark purple plating of the [Carapace of the Void-Devourer] and the pitch-black [Mantle of the Void-Dragon] onto the wooden counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang didn’t look up from the sword he was hammering. \"There is a queue, Outworlder. Take a number and wait your turn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante didn’t argue. He just reached into his inventory and pulled out the blindingly bright white [Celestial Strike Pearl].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He set it gently on the counter next to the armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the Divine-tier enhancement gem touched the wood, the ambient heat of the entire forge vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intense celestial light completely overpowered the glow of the magma-fueled furnaces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang stopped hammering. The heavy iron hammer froze mid-air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The NPC slowly lowered his weapon and looked at the pearl. His artificial eyes widened in absolute unfiltered shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A Celestial Strike Pearl,\" Tang whispered. His voice lost its gruff scripted edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A fragment of pure and unadulterated localized divine authority. Where did you acquire this, Outworlder?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The City Lord gave it to me,\" Dante said. \"Can you socket it or not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eyes of Tang dragged themselves away from the glowing pearl and finally looked directly at Dante.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gaze of the blacksmith immediately locked onto the small intricate insignia etched into the shoulder of the underlying gold armor of Dante.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The [Zenith Epaulet].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The posture of Tang instantly shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gruff and dismissive attitude of a standard NPC merchant completely evaporated. It was replaced by the rigid and respectful stance of a seasoned veteran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The mark of the Abyss,\" Tang said softly and bowed his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I apologize for my rudeness, Champion. I did not recognize your cosmic weight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante sighed. \"It is fine. Just put the pearl in the cloak. I have a war to get to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course,\" Tang nodded eagerly. He picked up the heavy starry fabric of the [Mantle of the Void-Dragon] and carefully inspected the weave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is a Divine Emperor-tier cloak. The structural integrity is flawless. I can integrate the pearl seamlessly without risking a localized digital fracture.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang didn’t charge him a fee. He didn’t ask for gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply placed the cloak onto the massive anvil, picked up the glowing white pearl, and began chanting a localized high-frequency incantation that vibrated the air in the forge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante watched as Tang carefully pressed the pearl into the heavy silver clasp of the cloak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white light flared violently, then completely sank into the metal. It integrated its localized code into the baseline stats of the item.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is done,\" Tang said and handed the cloak back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante equipped it immediately. The system interface flashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Item Enhancement Complete.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Passive Applied: +30% Flat Critical Hit Chance.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks,\" Dante said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could turn away, Tang leaned over the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eyes of the NPC darted around the crowded plaza to ensure no one else was listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Champion,\" Tang whispered. His voice dropped to a serious register. \"I saw the server announcements. You are marching against the Void in the Sky Demon Forest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am,\" Dante confirmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang reached under his heavy leather apron and pulled out a small and incredibly dark piece of refined metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t glow. It looked like a localized void in reality that actively devoured the light around it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The system restricts what I can sell to the standard Outworlders,\" Tang explained and slid the dark metal across the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But you are not standard. You are the Vanguard. This is a fragment of [Holy-Forbidden Star-Iron]. It is a material from the First War.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The system algorithms explicitly ban me from integrating this into gear. It breaks the scaling math.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante stared at the dark metal. \"Why are you giving it to me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because if the Demon King mobilizes that army, Ironhold will fall,\" Tang said grimly. \"And I am too old to fight another war. Let me upgrade your gauntlets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante didn’t hesitate. He placed his heavy dark purple gauntlets on the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang took the [Holy-Forbidden Star-Iron] and struck it with his hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark metal didn’t shatter. It instantly melted into a localized pitch-black liquid that flowed rapidly over the gauntlets of Dante.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It completely coated them in a secondary layer of indestructible armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[System Override: Unauthorized Material Detected.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Item Upgraded: Void-Devourer Gauntlets (Awakened)]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Base Physical Attack Power increased by +2,000.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante flexed his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gauntlets felt incredibly heavy, but the localized kinetic force he could generate with them was astronomical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An extra 2,000 flat attack power completely bypassed his weapon stats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will not forget this, Tang,\" Dante said seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just kill the Demon King,\" Tang replied. He returned to his anvil and resumed his standard gruff NPC hammering animation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante didn’t waste any more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still needed to appraise the massive pile of Dark Demon materials he had harvested from Gluttony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t want to carry un-appraised high-tier loot into a massive guild war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he died to a localized wipe mechanic, the system would drop unequipped items from his inventory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He practically sprinted down the street and headed straight for Master Sun’s Antiquities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He burst through the heavy wooden doors of the appraisal shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun was sitting behind his mahogany counter and polishing his glowing blue monocle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavy-set NPC looked up. His artificial eyes widened in absolute horror as he recognized Dante.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No,\" Master Sun said immediately and held up both hands. \"No. Absolutely not. Get out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need an appraisal,\" Dante said and walked right up to the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am closed!\" Master Sun insisted. He frantically tried to hide the small brightly colored spinning wheel behind a stack of books. \"The promotional mechanic is under localized maintenance!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not here to spin the wheel,\" Dante promised and leaned against the counter. \"I am paying cash. Real localized gold. But I want a discount.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun narrowed his eyes. \"What kind of discount?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sixty percent off,\" Dante demanded smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sixty percent?!\" Master Sun roared. His professional demeanor shattered. \"Do you have any idea how much localized mana I burn decrypting high-tier assets? Sixty percent is highway robbery!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante didn’t argue. He just tapped his dark purple gauntlet against the mahogany counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newly integrated [Holy-Forbidden Star-Iron] clinked loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It radiated an intense localized cosmic pressure that made the glass display cases in the shop vibrate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun froze. The NPC stared at the gauntlets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where did you get that metal?\" Master Sun whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The anger instantly drained from his face and was replaced by the same reverent shock Tang had displayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have friends in high places,\" Dante said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun slowly looked up at the face of Dante, then looked at the [Zenith Epaulet] on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The appraiser didn’t sigh or complain. He slowly adjusted his silk cuffs and placed his monocle back over his right eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The system restricts us from directly assisting the Vanguard,\" Master Sun said quietly. His voice carried a heavy ancient weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the system is flawed. The Void is a far greater threat than a economic imbalance. If you are marching south to face the Demon King, I will not hinder you with petty gold fees.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun reached under the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t pull out an appraisal lens. He pulled out a small intricate glass vial filled with a swirling golden liquid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I cannot fight,\" Master Sun explained and slid the vial across the counter. \"I am a scholar. But I have hoarded materials from the First War just as fiercely as the blacksmiths.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante picked up the vial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Item Appraised: Tears of the Sun-God]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Tier: Holy-Forbidden]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Type: Consumable (Armor Enhancement)]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Description: A highly restricted and unlisted material. When applied to armor, it permanently increases the defensive mitigation of the item by 40% and grants a passive localized aura that burns nearby ’Corrupted’ entities.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Apply it to your Cuirass,\" Master Sun instructed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante didn’t ask questions. He popped the cork and poured the golden liquid directly over his chest piece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The [Sun-Forged Cuirass] hissed violently, and the gold plating absorbed the liquid instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The armor didn’t change shape, but it began to glow with a blinding localized intensity that actually hurt to look at.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Item Upgraded: Sun-Forged Cuirass (Awakened)]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Physical\u002FMagical Mitigation increased by 40%.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante was completely stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had walked into the commercial district looking to socket a pearl and appraise some materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, the two premier merchants of Ironhold had just completely shattered the scaling limits of the game to secretly upgrade his gear with forbidden unlisted lore items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you guys doing this?\" Dante asked and looked at the appraiser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because we remember the First War,\" Master Sun said softly and his artificial eyes dimmed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We remember what happens when the Void breaks through the localized seals. The system thinks it can manage the threat by throwing fresh recruits at it. We know better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Demon King in the south is not a standard boss. It is an executioner.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun leaned heavily on the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are the only anomaly capable of surviving the encounter,\" the appraiser said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now give me your un-appraised loot. I will process it instantly and free of charge. You have an army to slaughter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante didn’t hesitate. He dumped the massive pile of Dark Demon materials harvested from Gluttony onto the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun processed the entire pile in seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He confirmed the materials were high-tier crafting reagents that Dante couldn’t utilize without a master-level crafting class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante vacuumed them back into his infinite inventory to be ready to sell them to Seraphina later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was completely optimized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Zenith-tier skills had zero cooldowns. His attack power was massively inflated by the forbidden star-iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His defense was functionally impenetrable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a 30% flat critical hit chance, and his [Max Luck] stat guaranteed his passives would trigger flawlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante turned and walked out of the appraisal shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t run back to the Griffon immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his system interface and pulled up the global map. He zoomed in on the Demon Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The region was completely swarming with thousands of aggressive red player markers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three allied armies had finally stopped marching and were aggressively setting up a massive highly coordinated perimeter deep within the trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were waiting for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dante closed the interface. A cold absolute calm settled over his avatar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked back to the open plaza, mounted the armored Griffon, and grabbed the heavy leather reins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let us go,\" Dante ordered the beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Griffon launched into the sky. It carried the ultimate anomaly directly into the teeth of the largest player-driven war the Zenith Protocol had ever seen.\u003C\u002Fp>",2134,"2026-06-03T12:02:19.066Z","2026-06-03T12:02:25.060Z",1,"novelbin.me","3b6ebe2700eec5fae3c82a552a83a53715b57c928260cc729d56f8131698c5d9","started-with-a-10-000x-multiplier-in-a-game-worl-chapter-97","started-with-a-10-000x-multiplier-in-a-game-worl-chapter-95",109,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarted-with-a-10-000x-multiplier-in-a-game-worl-cover.jpg"]