Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!-Chapter 321: The Shifting Ranks

Ethan was currently deep within the Shadow Realm, territory of the Carnage Faction.

He accepted the incoming video call from Lyla.

The light screen shimmered, and her image appeared. Lyla’s delicate face lit up the display, her bright eyes gleaming with joy. Beside her loomed her Dragon Hatchling, majestic even in the limited frame.

"Ethan!" she beamed, her smile radiant.

Earlier, when Ethan had accompanied her near Ashwick, he’d felt a sudden, ominous premonition—an instinctive warning he couldn’t ignore. Acting on it, he’d requested Matriarch Whitmore and the others to escort Lyla and Ambrose Silverwood—her clan leader, who had remained asleep the entire journey—safely back to Ashwick.

Thankfully, the Whitmores hadn’t delayed. They’d departed Ember City just hours after Ethan and made their way straight to Dragonvault Ridge.

Ethan himself had been waylaid for half a day and most of the night in Ember City. By the time he arrived at the Whitmore family’s Hidden Territory, they had only just gotten there too.

Now, seeing Lyla’s bright, unguarded smile, a warmth spread in Ethan’s chest. It had been too long since he’d seen her.

"Oh, you... Why are you grinning like an idiot?" Lyla squinted playfully. "Where even are you? It’s pitch black on your side."

Ethan reined in his smile and leaned closer to the screen. "I’m on the Carnage Faction side," he said. "Might be a while before I can come back."

"You need to hurry up and level!" Lyla huffed. "Look at you, you’re not number one anymore!"

"What?"

Ethan blinked. He quickly opened the in-game Leaderboard.

His own level was 46, with 92% experience.

Just below him:

Second place – Overlord, Level 46, 89%.

Third – Leafshade, Level 45, 73%.

Fourth – Slashblade, Level 45, 61%.

Skyblade and SeraphWarrior followed, both already at Level 45.

The entire top ten had broken past Level 45.

But it was the second-place name that made Ethan’s expression harden—Zachary Steele. That shadow again. Persistent as ever.

Only 3% separated them now.

Ethan had just reached Level 45 before leaving Ember City, and he hadn’t leveled seriously in over half a month. Despite that, he’d gained nearly two levels’ worth of progress. Mostly thanks to Morzan, who had been using Ethan’s avatar to roam Ethereal. A good 80% of that experience flowed directly back to Ethan’s main character.

"I’m still number one, though," Ethan muttered, slightly relieved.

Lyla gave him a dramatic pout. "Go check the official site!"

Ethan pulled up the Ethereal homepage. Two of the top pinned posts caught his eye:

[Dragonspire’s Newbie King ’Druid God’ Falls to ’Second Place’ in World Rankings.

Carnage Faction’s Serpent Isle Player ’Pig Butcher’ Claims World’s Number One Spot.]

"’Second Place’?" Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Why the quotes? Just say second."

And who the hell was Pig Butcher?

He clicked into the post. Screenshots showed the real-time Leaderboard update.

Pig Butcher: Level 48, 10% experience.

Two levels ahead of him.

That kind of gap wasn’t small—it was a mountain of experience points.

He skimmed further down. Turns out, a few days earlier, Ethereal had introduced a new Divine Ability called Growth—an ability that granted a 100% experience gain bonus.

And Pig Butcher had gotten it.

Ethan vaguely remembered that name. Pig Butcher had once been a rising star in the Carnage Faction. But after gaining Growth, he became a target. Constantly hunted, his level gains came with just as many losses. He was always stuck in a cycle—leveling fast, but dying faster.

And now he’d climbed all the way to the top?

Ethan closed the post, only to be hit with another surprise. The next one was authored by none other than Overlord—the player hot on his heels.

Overlord didn’t mince words. He directly called Ethan out in the post, declaring he wouldn’t even let him keep his so-called ’Second Place’.

If it had been anyone else, Ethan might’ve laughed it off. But not him.

Overlord wasn’t just ambitious—he was dangerous.

Ethan exhaled slowly, jaw tightening.

The video call was still active. Lyla hadn’t interrupted, knowing he was reading through everything.

She was now moving with her team—she’d already regrouped with Skyblade and the others.

When Ethan’s gaze finally returned to the call, Lyla grinned knowingly.

"Done reading? So, how’s it feel... Second Place? Hehe!"

Ethan rolled his eyes. "It’s just a number. No big deal."

"Uh-huh. Sure it is," she teased.

Then her expression turned slightly more serious. "Are you safe over there?"

He knew she was asking about real-world safety, not in-game.

"Don’t worry," she said. "Once Dad wakes up and everything’s settled, I’ll come find you."

At that moment, Lyla and her group entered a dungeon. She kept chatting with Ethan casually, even as she followed the others in.

Though her level was still relatively low, Ethan knew better—her damage output was no joke. Probably stronger than many Level 45s.

He recognized the entrance: the Blood Legion Fortress. A Level 35 dungeon.

But they’d entered on Expert difficulty.

’Skyblade’s getting cocky,’ Ethan thought, watching the feed. Logs in and immediately goes for Expert?

Then something in the video caught his eye—a familiar figure moving just ahead of Lyla.

"Leafshade?" Ethan blinked. "Celia actually recruited him?"

That meant Leafshade—not Skyblade—was leading this run.

Ethan had crossed paths with Leafshade in his previous life. Their interactions were purely transactional—client and employer.

Now, they were practically comrades.

"Yeah," Lyla said. "Leo said he’d let me tag along to leech some EXP. Two people dropped out last minute, so we filled in."

She pouted again. "Hmph, they saw my low level and didn’t want me in. Just wait ’til they see what I can do."

She waved her fist at the screen, revealing tiny fangs with an exaggerated snarl.

Ethan chuckled. They’re in for a surprise.

Once Lyla unleashed her real damage potential, every guild in the top ranks would be fighting to recruit her.

"All right," Ethan said, standing up. "You go do your dungeon. I’ve got to level too—or I really will fall behind."

He checked the Leaderboard again. Overlord’s EXP had already ticked up by another percent. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

In the guild chat, players were buzzing about the race for first place.

Ethan himself wasn’t particularly concerned. There were no tangible rewards for being number one—unless you were the first to break through Level 60.

At that point, the portal to Dragon City would open.

The first player to arrive would receive enormous rewards.

Still, as guild leader of Renegade Alliance, Ethan could feel the shift in atmosphere. Some players were becoming anxious. Others... disappointed.

He’d created legends since the server’s opening. He’d been their symbol. Now, that symbol was starting to fade.

Some players in the chat were his die-hard fans. They didn’t want a new king.

"Okay, Ethie... mua!"

Lyla—usually shy—suddenly blew him a kiss. Before he could even react, the call ended.

The last thing he saw was her mischievous, triumphant grin.

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