The Oren update is just around the corner. We have reached the prologue of an update that could be called the final chapter of the Classic era, with only the Aden episode left to follow. This period marked the dawn of a new age alongside the Ivory Tower, introduced with the arrival of Blank Spellbooks that allowed any class to use magic. We kick off this week's 'Lin-Cle' by looking back at the bittersweet and humorous stories from the Scorching Phoenix event and the birth of the first Death Knight Mage.

■ The Oren Update is Just Around the Corner

Pre-registration for the new episode, Oren, began on the 27th. The update will feature the new Oren region—home to regular monsters like Iron Golems, Ice Men, and Saber Tigers, as well as the boss monster Ice Queen—and the massive magical sanctuary, the Ivory Tower, where the boss monster Demon resides. A new PVP server, Oren, will also open, allowing for player-versus-player combat.

There is also anticipation surrounding the introduction of 'Blank Spellbooks,' which can store magic. This is because they would allow other classes to acquire and use spells like 'Cancel' or 'Immune' stored within them. However, since the update schedule for Lineage Classic differs slightly from the existing Live server, it remains to be seen whether 'Blank Spellbooks' will be added immediately upon the update.

Another major topic of discussion regarding the Ivory Tower is the sale of Triple Arrow in shops. While Triple Arrow, a core skill for Elves, was available from shop NPCs in some versions, there is actually a multi-year gap between that feature and the release of the Oren episode. Furthermore, since the recent 'Karif's Gem Research' event provided an alternative, albeit low-probability, route to obtain Triple Arrow, it seems unlikely that it will be sold in shops immediately upon the Oren update.

■ The First Death Knight Mage Born from Extreme Difficulty

The streamer 'Ttol-ggi' reached level 52, becoming the first Mage class to transform into a Death Knight. Users have showered praise on this achievement, noting that the Mage class is widely considered to have the most grueling growth difficulty in Classic compared to any other class.

Mages face significant inconveniences, such as chronic MP shortages, the initial absence of a Staff of Mana, and a high reliance on skills that makes mana recovery difficult, forcing players to stand still and repeatedly perform what is known as 'M-time' (mana recovery time). In particular, the Staff of Mana—a key item for mana recovery—was only available as an Internet cafe event item or a level 45 quest reward, creating a high barrier to entry that led many to give up.

Nevertheless, the birth of this Death Knight Mage is seen as the result of overcoming the character's inherent limitations through persistent dedication and the organic support of a Clan. While the player received help from many clan members, achieving the first Death Knight Mage while struggling through undeniable, extreme difficulty serves as an inspiration and proof of possibility for other Mage users.

■ Gems Turning into Stun and Triple Arrow?! Karif's Gem Research

The 'Karif's Gem Research' event is currently underway, allowing players to use their existing gems to obtain higher-grade gems or Rare Skillbooks. Players can visit the gem researcher Karif, located at the 11 o'clock position in the Giran Village square, to trade in gems for a pouch, which can then be opened to receive a random item.

The event allows players to obtain pouches by providing four types of regular, Rare, or top-grade gems along with Adena. Opening these pouches can yield various consumables, high-value materials like Asitazio's Ash or Water Dragon and Fire Dragon scales, and even expensive skills like Triple Arrow and Shock Stun.

Since its debut, countless streamers have been crafting and opening these pouches, experiencing both joy and frustration. Regular users have also been seen crafting them on a smaller scale, either opening them personally or opening shops to sell the pouches to other players.

■ Choose the Real Phoenix Carefully! Scorching Phoenix Subjugation

The 'Scorching Phoenix' event, which rewards players with various consumables upon defeat, has been held. The Scorching Phoenix appears in Giran, Heine, and Welden villages; players only need to land a single hit to receive a 'Singed Pouch,' which can be opened to obtain 1-hour ATS items or hunting potions.

Although it is an event boss, it shares the same appearance as the real Phoenix. Some users took advantage of the fact that real Phoenixes also appear in Welden village near the volcano by luring them to the event location at the right time. This led to many sad but funny incidents where players were killed by the real Phoenix while attacking it in the village, which is supposed to be a safety zone.