Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree

Robert didn't think for long and quickly said, "Lord Duke, Robert is willing to serve you!"

He didn't even ask what benefits he could receive after signing the contract, but he trusted Duke wouldn't treat him unfairly.

Duke nodded, saying, "Alright, just cut your finger and trace the pattern of this rune with your blood…"

Robert drew his longsword, slashed his finger, and then used it to sign this master-servant contract.

A moment later, the master-servant contract ignited with blue flames and dissipated into nothingness.

Duke watched the entire process closely; he wanted to know whether the master-servant contract would work on a player, so he paid attention to every detail.

He found out that the master-servant contract was effective on Robert, and with just a thought, he could manipulate Robert's life and death.

He could even impose punishment on Robert's soul, making him feel pain from the depths of his soul.

However, it was unknown if this method would work because players were in a very special state; their bodies were indeed living beings, but their souls were just projections from another plane.

Duke could sense Robert's soul within this body, and it seemed he could also inflict punishment.

After signing the master-servant contract with Robert, Duke transmitted a message through spiritual power, "Robert, perhaps it's time to let you know the truth about this world."

Robert had not yet mastered the ability to transmit messages through spiritual power, so he could only ask, "The truth about the world? What do you mean?"

Duke didn't speak; he simply sat by the table in the courtyard and skillfully took out a stove and teapot from the space ring to start brewing tea.

While doing this, he informed Robert through spiritual power, "I don't know much either, and there are still many secrets in this world to be uncovered. But first, I need to correct a point for you…"

Duke poured boiling water into the teapot, watching the tea leaves expand and float in the clear water. His voice was calm yet like thunder exploding in Robert's mind:

"This is not a virtual game world, Robert. This is a real world, an expansive realm known as the Oracle Plane. And you so-called players are actually travelers projecting your soul consciousness from another world into this place."

The fragrance of tea rose in spirals, and Robert's pupils contracted sharply as his whole body froze in place.

The experiences over the past year in the game, the feel of dying and resurrecting, the real sensation of extraordinary power… Countless details linked together at this moment, sending chills down his spine.

But at first, he still couldn't believe it, even thinking this was just a small plot set for Duke, this NPC, by the game.

"That's impossible…" Robert's voice was dry, "If it's a real world, how can we die and resurrect? How can there be a level system? Plus, those obviously game-designed character information and item information, etc."

Duke pushed a freshly brewed cup of tea in front of Robert, the golden tea shimmering with a faint light.

"Resurrecting from death is because your essence isn't completely physically present. Your consciousness is projected into this world's vessel through some kind of rule power I cannot understand. When the vessel is destroyed, your consciousness returns to your own world and then projects into a new vessel—this is what you call resurrection."

Duke's explanation might not be entirely accurate, but it roughly matched what he observed.

Back when he first arrived at the Oracle Plane, he carefully observed the players' resurrection process. Although he didn't understand the principle, the process was probably as he speculated.

Duke took a gentle sip of tea, continuing to communicate mentally: "As for the level system, character information, etc., those are just ways your world artificially understands this world's rules. It's probably the plane's will granting you special abilities."

"In fact, the moment you came here, you were already extraordinaries. Just being able to see character information and item information gives you a significant advantage."

Duke wasn't sure if players could use this ability to check information outside the Oracle Plane, but the ability itself was quite powerful.

However, from Robert's previous behavior, it seemed there were limits to this information-checking ability; things far beyond his own power would yield incomplete information or even just gibberish.

Robert's hand trembled slightly as he lifted the teacup, the warm touch of the porcelain so real, the tea fragrance seeping into his heart.

At this moment, he became acutely aware of this world's reality more than ever before.

Robert had always been a very rational and calm individual, but at this moment, Duke's words were like a sudden realization, awakening him from a metaphorical dream and leading him to think of many things.

Previously, he wondered how this game could achieve such realism, encountering many aspects unexplained by technology.

Being part of the upper echelon of a corporation, he had access to advanced technology beyond ordinary people, yet none could reach the level of Oracle.

What Duke said made everything clear to him in an instant.

In fact, over the past year, the reason Robert invested so much effort, manpower, and financial resources in this game was to unearth the secrets hidden in it.

But he merely thought the game's technology was extraordinary, never considering the possibility of it being a real world.

Even if the thought ever crossed his mind, his rationality quickly dismissed it, merely considering it an occasional absurd idea.

"So… what are we exactly? Who brought us here?" Robert's voice carried a trace of barely perceptible bewilderment.

In his heart, there was even a faint hint of fear, a fear and confusion of the unknown.

For the first time, Robert felt himself seemingly so insignificant, as if a goldfish in a bowl, living in a world created by beings of a higher dimension.

All money and power lost their meaning in the face of this. If everything were merely created by others, what would even vast wealth mean but to be an ant?

Duke's gaze grew profound: "That is the greatest mystery. I don't know who created the passage connecting the two worlds, nor do I know what the purpose is. I am also still exploring the secrets of this world."

"Lord Duke, then do you mean that all these people in this world are real? Including you…" Robert thought of something and asked.

Duke nodded, "Of course. Haven't you noticed that the natives here cannot be resurrected because they are real living people."