Legendary Shadow Blacksmith

The Otherworld

Romeru

Mango Media LLC

Copyright © Romeru 2025 produced by Mango Media LLC

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact the publisher at admin@mangomediapublishing.com.

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Book cover by Kart Studios. Typesetting by Miblart.

Blurb

Born blind in a war-torn world, an autistic savant's only solace was blacksmithing—until even that was overshadowed by loss and despair. But when he joins the Otherworld Project, a chance to live as a powerful clone on a distant planet, he uncovers an astonishing secret.

With newfound abilities, Julian’s rise to fame begins. Will he become a hero across two worlds, or let darkness consume them both?

Dedication

I dedicate it to my patrons, Royal Road readers, and Mango Media Publishing.

Contents

1. A Prologue of Darkness

2. The Otherworld Project

3. Unexplainable

4. Start of Physical Assessment

5. Compatibility

6. Julian: Into the Otherworld

7. Lucian’s First Meeting with the Natives Started with a Penetration

8. Sword Junkie

9. And at Last, I See Myself

10. The Reason He Was Left Behind

11. A Very Unexpected Development

12. Sword Junkie… also IRL?

13. The Situation in the Below

14. An AI, a Sword Junkie, and a Daemon Walk into a Bar

15. Danger, Danger, Pants on Fire

16. Can’t Sit Still

17. Moving On

18. Swords and Stones Won’t Break My Bones Because I Am Already Broke

19. Uh Oh

20. Importance of Stats

21. Choices

22. Shadows and Choices

23. The Penalty of the Master of Shadows

24. Once Again, to the Fire

25. Trouble, Trouble

26. My Responsibility

27. Finally, a Day Without Anything Drastic Happening

28. Juliet’s Devotion

29. To the Dungeon

30. Julian’s First Dungeon Run Is Too Boring?!

31. Music to His Ears

32. The Hidden Quest…?

33. Summer and Winter

34. My Forge

35. The End to a Very Long Night

36. A Slice of a Normal Life for a Not So Normal Couple

37. The Party Together Again

38. Meeting the No. 1 Fan…?

39. Mein New Baby

40. Oh…

41. The Tenth

42. Onward to the Lands of Artemia

43. Artemia’s Beauty

44. The Blacksmith’s Guild…?

45. Taming the Blue Flame…?

46. The Wrath

47. The Avatar of Searadyn

48. Searadyn’s Veil

49. Julian’s Perfect 1-Week Plan…?

50. Julian, Interrogated.

51. Rigid, Rough, and Itchy

52. The First Clue to Orpuk

53. Well, This Is a Bar Fight

54. Trending, Venting, and Bending

55. Something a Little Freaky

56. The Ritual

57. Not the End I Wanted

58. Julian, Alone

59. The Grave Veiled by Flowers

60. The Nameless Blacksmith

61. The Best I Have Ever Met

62. The Birth of Artemia

63. Julian Winters, Reforged by the Shadow

64. The Otherworld (Part 1)

65. The Otherworld (Part 2)

Chapter one

A Prologue of Darkness

“Ellie, wait.”

A man stood frozen in front of an elevator, his deep voice and stuttering breaths, hampered by the sobs coming from inside the box that seemed so cold.

“Julian, stop it. Just stop, please… just stop.”

“Ellie…”

“I can’t do this anymore, Julian.” Ellie, the woman whose sobs whispered from the elevator could not even dare to look at Julian. “I’ve tried, I really did. I tried for twenty years… but it’s like… It’s like I don’t even exist to you.”

“We can still talk about this. We—”

“We did. We did talk about this. We talked about this a thousand times.” Ellie shook her head. “We can talk now, and then what…? You’re just going to lock yourself in your forge again and spend all of your time with those stupid knives of yours.

“They’re… daggers, Ellie. And it’s my job, Ellie. I can’t just—”

“No one’s buying them! It’s only a job when you’re actually earning!” Ellie cut Julian off, her loud words enough to cause the elevator to tremble. “No one’s buying them because they are useless against the daemons! How many times do I have to tell you!? It’s fine to have a hobby but this… You’re obsessed. It’s getting worse, Julian. It’s getting so much worse. We’re almost reaching our thirties, and it’s just getting worse. I found you completely naked and sleeping with several knives, Julian!”

“... I need to do that so I could feel the temperature—”

“It’s unhealthy!” Ellie pressed the elevator closed, but Julian kept the door open with his arm. “And honestly… disgusting.”

“I love you, Ellie.”

“I know… I know you do.” Ellie’s teeth chattered as she took in a deep breath. “And I love you… so, so very much… but I also hate… I hate that I know that you can never love me the way you love your craft.”

“That’s not…” The strength in Julian’s lean but muscular arm disappeared as he subconsciously let go of the elevator doors.

“Goodbye, Julian.”

“Ellie…” Julian tried to reach out again, but the only thing his fingers felt was the cold metal of the elevator door as it closed. The silence that followed was deafening, a stark contrast to the emotional storm raging inside him.

The only thing he could really do was lean his forehead against the cold metal, his voice barely a whisper.

“Ellie, please… don’t go.”

But there was no response, only the distant hum of the descending elevator carrying away the one person who had always been his light in his eternal darkness. Julian turned slowly, his hand touching the wall and trailing along it as he made his way back to his apartment.

He didn’t bother with the lights. What difference would it make? His world had always been shrouded in shadows, and now the only glimmer of hope had been extinguished.

Julian sank to the floor, his back pressed against the door as he buried his face in his hands.

“… Fuck.”

The weight of his failings crashed down upon him. And he just stood there, in the suffocating darkness of his home.

“…”

“…”

“MEGAN.”

And after a few seconds of silence, Julian let out a tiny whisper. “Check messages.”

[You have 3 new messages, Julian…] And without even any warning, a voice entered straight through Julian’s mind, the voice, responding with a somewhat worried tone,

[Julian, I am sensing that your heart rate is abnormal. Are you… okay?]

“Please, MEGAN, just read my messages.” Julian let out a small sigh.

[Very well.] The voice sounded dejected. [Your first message is from Gary HR. Subject: I’m Sorry, Friend. Content: I’m sorry, man. My boss told me that we can’t hire someone with your disability and—]

“Skip.” Julian let out a small but very deep sigh as he waved his hand.

[Your second message is from Sumsang Cyberware Technologies. Subject: Compatibility Issues. Content: We have thoroughly reviewed all of your x-rays and tests. And we regret to inform you that your body is lacking the necessary neural pathwa—]

“Skip.” Julian once again waved his hand as he fell to his knees.

[Your third message is from Lithium Bank. Subject: Your statement for—]

“Skip.” His tone was harsher this time.

[All messages read. Julian, I must remind you that we are out of milk.] MEGAN’s voice still held a hint of concern,

[You’re in no condition to go to the supermarket. Do you want me to have it delivered?]

Julian, however, did not answer at all.

After a few seconds, he slowly stood up, his movements, even more mechanical than the AI speaking to him. He made his way through the darkness until he stood in front of a large door.

And as he opened the door, a loud creaking noise whispered in the air—a testament to how heavy it was. The air inside the room, however, was even heavier. The walls were filled with blades of every shape and size, each one obviously crafted to perfection.

There were several worn-out anvils, a hammer that looked like it had seen extremely better days, a grinder, and a large forge.

What should be a room filled with fire, however, was now extremely cold.

Julian’s hands soon slowly clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms.

“Fuck!” And very soon, a scream tore from his throat, raw and primal, as he lunged forward. His hands started tapping the wall several times before he was able to grasp the nearest blade, hurling it across the other side of the room with all his strength.

[Julian… please, stop it.]

The blades pierced through the walls like they were butter, but it didn’t matter for Julian at all that he was destroying his workshop. He reached for another blade, and another, each one just piercing through the solid concrete walls without any resistance at all.

Soon, however, he once again collapsed to his knees, his breath catching as he tried to regain control of his emotions. The room, now eerily quiet save for his soft exhales. His face that was filled with pain, now completely devoid of anything.

He then very slowly grabbed another blade on the wall before casually planting its sharp tip right on his throat.

[Julian, we are out of milk! Julian!] MEGAN seemed to have a life of its own as it repeatedly shouted in Julian’s mind—not stopping at all as a trail of blood started to drip from Julian’s neck, [Julian, just stop it! Please, don’t make me call for an ambulance or the police!]

“Hm.” Julian let out a small hum as he stayed still like that for a couple of seconds, “We can’t afford an ambulance… and we’re out of milk.”

And with a deep sigh, he removed the dagger from his neck and placed it on his face, softly caressing it with his cheek, a smile, finally crawling onto his face. His body started to sway uncontrollably, his head bobbing wildly in rhythm for a few seconds as he continued to calm himself down.

[...Julian.]

“Okay.” Julian forced himself to stand up and leave his workshop—not even bothering to close the thick door of the cold forge as he made his way out of the apartment, not before, however, grabbing a cane that was resting on the wall beside the door. He then tapped the cane rhythmically against the floor, tilting his head to the side as he listened to the sound.

[Julian…]

Julian was blind and had been since birth. His bright turquoise eyes were actually a pair of cameras for MEGAN to see the world for him—no, his eyes were MEGAN itself, describing everything for him the best way it could.

The technology of humans has advanced leaps and bounds, including lifelike artificial intelligence, mastery of space travel, terraforming other planets, regenerating entire limbs, enhancing humans through cyberware, and a lot more.

Unfortunately for Julian, he was born with a defect that made him completely incompatible with any cybernetic transplant, artificial eyes, or even complete organ transplant that would allow him to see. His body was missing… something.

Even with all the technology, Julian could not become whole. His body was incredibly unique, but not in the good way. He is what people call a Reject of Humanity—under evaluation as to whether he is even allowed to pass on his genes.

And with humanity exposed to a higher form of living, they are also now exposed to a higher form of threat.

This threat came in the form of daemons. They first emerged out of nowhere a thousand years before, coinciding with humans’ mastering of space travel. They launched relentless attacks on Earth.

They were alien monsters that could not be reasoned with, and their purpose was unknown. They ranged from humanoid figures to quadrupedal beasts and even winged creatures. Despite their diverse body structures, all daemons shared one same grotesque feature: demonic squid-like heads with long, writhing tentacles and sinister, glowing eyes. Their bodies were shielded by an exoskeleton that was almost impenetrable by normal means.

Unfortunately for Julian, his weapons were considered one of those “normal means”—no one had ever bought or tried any of his weapons at all, not even once. Not even chefs. Why would they, when their fancy vibrating thread slicers could cut through meat and bone like it was water?

[Julian, maybe it’s best you stay home, please,] MEGAN whispered as Julian grabbed the doorknob.

“Thank you for the concern, MEGAN… but I’m fine.” Julian just sighed and opened the door…

…only for Ellie to be standing right there.

Chapter two

The Otherworld Project

[Julian, Ellie is standing in front of you.]

MEGAN did not really need to tell Julian—he knew. He knew the very moment Ellie’s scent reached his nose.

Ellie seemed to want to say something as she saw the hint of blood on Julian’s neck, but the only thing she could really do was cover her mouth so as not to now make any noise, hoping that Julian didn’t know she was there.

Neither of them spoke, just letting the silence speak for them.

Julian also wanted to say something, but he tried his best not to show any emotions—if he said something here, Ellie would probably return to him.

But why would he do that? He loved her, truly. Very much so…

…and that is why he had to let her go. She had no future with him.

“I—” Ellie’s lips parted, a whisper forming on her tongue. But before she could actually utter a word, Julian stepped forward, brushing past her. Ellie wasn’t a fool, of course—she had known Julian practically his entire life; she knew that Julian knew she was there.

But neither of them spoke, just letting the tapping of Julian’s cane whisper in the air. But even that too, soon completely faded away.

[Turn right, Julian,] MEGAN’s voice whispered in his mind. [The dairy section is approximately twenty meters ahead.]

“I know.”

Julian moved forward, his stick tapping rhythmically against the polished floor. The noises of the supermarket—beeping scanners, squeaking carts, chattering shoppers—assaulted his extremely heightened senses.

[Careful,] MEGAN warned. [Child approaching on your left.]

“I heard them, MEGAN…” Julian sidestepped, narrowly avoiding collision with a running toddler. “You don’t need to tell me everything. I’m not a child anymore.”

[If you’re acting like a child, I will treat you like a child.] MEGAN scoffed. Julian did not really want to argue with MEGAN at all… because he had never really won an argument against it. [You know nothing about this world Julian. You are clueless. And one of the only two people who have been your eyes is gone. So, shut it.]

And soon, with MEGAN’s help, Julian reached the refrigerated section.

[Third door to your right,] MEGAN instructed. [The milk is on the second shelf. Remember to grab the one at the back; these supermarkets are sneaky.]

A hint of a smile crawled on Julian’s face as he grabbed the carton of milk. And before he could close the cold door, a conversation brushed behind him.

“Did you hear about the Otherworld Project’s new ‘Inclusivity Patch’?” A woman’s slightly apprehensive voice entered Julian’s ear.

“Oh man, what the fuck, right?” a man replied. “My rich cousin’s been paralyzed since birth. Now he’s running and swimming with his clone in Artemia like it’s nothing. You should watch his stream.”

Julian quickly tilted his head, his ears, straining to catch every word.

“Ack, so cool, right? But I so hate the company who created it, though.” The woman groaned. “They literally created a tech where you literally control an enhanced clone of yourself on another planet, but they refuse to put that kind of tech outside of their project? Just imagine how many people they could actually help if they didn’t limit it to a fucking game.”

“It’s because it’s not a fucking game.” The man sighed. “It’s called Otherworld for a reason, I know a lot of rich folks that invested—”

“Exactly, it’s only for rich people.”

“That’s not true at all; a friend of mine was sponsored by Sumsang when…”

Julian wanted to hear more, but the couple’s voice already faded away as they left the dairy section of the supermarket. Julian was about to follow them, but MEGAN’s slightly reprimanding tone entered his mind.

[I know what you are thinking, Julian. And no,] MEGAN whispered.

“MEGAN.” Julian slowly returned the milk carton as he whispered back, “What do you know about this… Otherworld Project?”

[No—this is a bad decision.]

“MEGAN, please…”

[The Otherworld is a highly advanced project developed by Humanity Engineering.] MEGAN sounded unwilling, but it still provided the information that Julian wanted. [It is advertised as a game, but it is not. Individuals control genetically engineered clones of themselves, known as players, which incorporate the DNA of the native inhabitant of the planet Artemia. The technology leverages a combination of neural interfaces, highly dubious consciousness transfer protocols, and—]

“What’s the Inclusivity Patch?” Julian waved his hand as he cut off MEGAN’s words.

[It is as you heard earlier, Julian.] MEGAN sighed. [Their clones now allow… very special people like you to bypass your disability.]

“…That means I can see,” Julian breathed out.

[Humanity Engineering is a very dubious company, Julian.] MEGAN made a clicking noise several times. [The woman from earlier is right. Many argue they’re selfishly restricting access to potentially life-changing technology.]

“How much would it cost me to participate in the Otherworld Project?” Julian let out a small sigh. “MEGAN, please… I don’t know what to do anymore.”

There was a brief pause before MEGAN responded, her tone measured. [Julian, I’m afraid that’s not a feasible option for you. The cost is… significant. They create a genetically engineered clone of your body, which alone is already out of your budget.]

“Oh…” Julian gripped his cane.

[I’m sorry, Julian, but you can’t afford it. Your current financial situation precludes such an expense.]

“How much… is it?”

[Julian, I don’t think—]

“Please, MEGAN… please.” A loud whisper escaped Julian’s lips, causing some of the shoppers to glance at him.

[1,500,000 credits!] MEGAN could no longer refuse Julian’s request as it raised its voice.

“W-what?” Julian almost choked on his own breath. “How much… money do I have left?”

[You are in debt, Julian. You do not have money of your own.] MEGAN’s voice turned cold. [This is why I didn’t want to tell you—the Otherworld Project is an investment. Players can earn credits within Otherworld through various means. Buying land from the natives, hunting monsters. And since only the select few could afford it, players live-streaming their experiences is extremely popular, and they earn ridiculous amounts of money through sponsorships and ads… It is very expensive, Julian.]

“My… apartment,” Julian once again whispered.

[What?]

“How much could I get for my apartment?”

[No!] MEGAN’s voice turned sharp and loud again. [Julian Winters, that apartment is the only thing your parents left behind. It’s not just property. It’s your heritage. Selling it would be… reckless.]

“My only heritage is darkness, MEGAN,” Julian said with a wry smile. “Please, how much can I get for it?”

[Selling your apartment would have long-term effects on your mental health,] MEGAN pleaded. [Your emotions are high right now because of Ellie, Julian. You are not thinking straight.]

“Please, MEGAN…” Julian’s fingers tightened around his walking stick. “I need this.”

[Based on current market rates…] A tense silence hung in the air before MEGAN spoke, her tone resigned. [Your apartment could fetch approximately 3,200,000 credits.]

“That’s more than twice—”

[Don’t celebrate yet.] This time, it was MEGAN’s turn to cut off Julian. [You’re forgetting your outstanding debts and loans. Which are…]

And as MEGAN listed all of his debts and loans, the only thing that Julian could really do was keep quiet—it was almost as if MEGAN was plucking each strand of his hair along with everything else.

And when MEGAN finished her calculations, Julian took in a small gulp. “Why… do I have so many debts?”

[After settling all your debts… 1,460,446 credits—and this is only an estimate since the value of your apartment could fluctuate at any time.] MEGAN sighed. [I am sorry, Julian—but it is not meant to be.]

“What about my forge and all of my tools?” Julian then let out a very long and deep breath as he slightly bit his lip.

[Julian, no.] MEGAN’s tone was incredibly sharp, [Blacksmithing is the only thing that makes you happy. You can’t possibly be thinking of selling that.]

“MEGAN, just please…” Julian sighed. “Just for once, I just… I just want to see what you’re seeing. To know if everything really is as beautiful as you describe.”

[It’s not.] MEGAN was adamant. [I won’t be party to this self-destruction. Those tools are all you have left.]

“They’re just things, MEGAN.” Julian’s fingers tightened around his walking stick, “Iron and steel. What good are they if I can’t see a future beyond them?”

[I’m just a thing, Julian,] MEGAN whispered. [Am I no good too?]

“You’re family, MEGAN.” Julian quickly smiled, the tone of his voice incredibly soft, “Even if I sell all of those things, I will still have you. I’m sure about this… Tell me what they’re worth.”

[Your entire collection, including the rare pieces and custom forge…] MEGAN could really only sigh. [Approximately 67,000 Credits.]

“…”

[…]

“Sell them all.”

[Tch, Damn it.]

Chapter three

Unexplainable

“Hm.” Julian’s hand gripped the handle of the taxi he was riding extremely hard, his heightened senses feeling even the smallest of turbulence and vibration. The flying vehicle hummed softly as it glided through the Sky Net, New Earth’s sprawling aerial metropolis.

[Approaching Humanity Engineering, Earth Branch,] the AI driver announced. [Estimated arrival: two minutes.]

“Okay.” Julian hummed, his long obsidian hair falling over half his face. He couldn’t see the spectacle outside, but he could somewhat feel the energy of the city pulsing around him. The air pressure shifted as they ascended higher into the Sky Net’s upper levels.

Holographic advertisements flickered past, their light dancing across Julian’s tanned skin.

“Hm!?” Julian gripped the handle even tighter as the taxi suddenly turned, almost causing him to jump from his seat.

[Hey, watch it! Can’t you see your passenger is blind!?] MEGAN shouted—and as it was speaking to another AI, it heard the words loud and clear.

[My apologies,] the AI said. [Avoiding skyway congestion. We will discount the ride according to the inconvenience caused.]

[You’d better,] MEGAN scoffed. [I swear, these new AIs are trash.]

“…” Julian could not really say anything, unless he also wanted to be the target of MEGAN’s unpleasant mood.

Fortunately for Julian and the AI driver, the vehicle soon decelerated, coming to a smooth stop as it docked just below the clouds in front of a skyscraper.

[We have arrived at Humanity Engineering, Earth Branch,] the AI announced. [That will be 60 credits.]

[60 credits!?] MEGAN quickly retorted. [Which company developed you!?]

“MEGAN, let’s just… pay.”

[They are ripping you off, Julian! See why I told you that you know nothing about this world!? It’s always Ellie doing stuff for you!]

“Let’s just pay.” Julian quickly stepped out of the taxi as soon as MEGAN paid, his cane tapping on the ground as MEGAN started describing the surroundings.

“Welcome to Humanity Engineering!” And as soon as Julian entered the building, a cheerful voice welcomed him. “How may we assist you today?”

“I have an appointment.” Julian turned his head toward the voice. “My name’s Julian Winters.”

“Julian Winters.” The woman’s eyes started glowing; almost like fireflies dancing inside her irises. “Ah, Mr. Winters! Please, follow me.”

Julian just followed the woman to the elevator, not really saying anything or asking any questions at all.

“Otherworld Department,” the woman said as the elevator door closed. “I suppose you are getting scanned today, Mr. Winters?”

“Yes,” Julian could really only answer as the woman’s tone was extremely friendly.

“Hmm… There’s no need to be nervous.” The woman let out a soft chuckle for some reason. “It’s an incredibly private procedure.”

“Private?”

“Do you exercise, Mr. Winters?”

“No.”

“You’re… quite fit.”

Julian was now inside a room filled with sensors and cameras, feeling the cold through his skin as he was currently completely naked. As a matter of course, MEGAN was completely against this—but alas, it could no longer stop Julian at all. His entire body was now being scanned so that they could make an exact replica of his frame.

After all, it did not really matter to Julian—he had no concept of visual shame. Unbeknownst to him, however, the people who were observing him from the other side of the glass wall could not help but just gulp as they looked at his body.

Of course, Julian was incredibly lean and muscular; he was always lost in time inside his forge, hammering away and carrying entire metals by himself.

“Okay, can you lift up your hair? It is blocking your face, and our computers can’t scan it, Mr. Winters.”

“Okay.” Julian did as the technicians said, but what followed was utter and extreme silence for several seconds. If it wasn’t for Julian clearing his throat, then the technicians would probably still have their jaws open.

[Hmph.] MEGAN let out a small harrumph—whether it was from disappointment or pride, no one would really know. The scanning lasted for a couple more minutes before Julian was asked to dress up and wait in the building’s lobby.

Julian did not really have to wait at all, however, as the woman who assisted him earlier was already there to welcome him in the lobby as soon as the elevator door opened, “Mr. Winters, congratulations on finishing the first assessment. You can expect the delivery of your LinkGear as early as today—we will deliver it at the Serendra—”

“No.” Julian raised his hand and interrupted the receptionist. “I already changed my address. Please deliver it to the Park House suites.”

“Park House suites?” The receptionist blinked a couple of times. “… That’s in the Below, right?”

“Yes,” Julian breathed out.

“Oh…” And as soon as he said yes, the smile on the receptionist slightly faded away, the tone of her voice, suddenly becoming strictly professional. “If that is all, Mr. Winters—have a nice day.”

“Hm.” Julian did not really pay her change of tone any mind as he just left the building—a taxi, already waiting for him to bring him to the Below.

[Tch. Discrimination.] And as soon as they got inside the taxi, MEGAN quickly whispered into Julian’s mind, as if anyone could actually hear its voice, [As soon as she realized you now live in the Below, she changed her tone.]

“That’s fine.” Julian sighed.

Earth, in its highly advanced state, was a marvel of technological and ecological harmony. Due to its high population, however, Earth had been divided into two areas. First was the Sky Net, where most of the population lived—and as its name suggested, it looked like a net veiling the surface of the planet. Cities were vibrant with holographic advertisements and mostly autonomous vehicles zipping silently through the streets. The air was crisp and clean, thanks to nanotechnology that filtered pollutants at the molecular level—artificial beaches, forests, and green fields.

And then there was the Below, where old technology still existed and remnants of it could be seen everywhere. The old government deemed it more economical to just abandon the infrastructures—but the Below wasn’t a poor state, not at all… it just had a very bad reputation since most dubious people tended to live there.

And right now, after selling his apartment in the Sky Net, Julian was now renting an apartment in the deep parts of the Below.

The apartment was much smaller than what he previously had—it was even smaller than his forge. And yet it did not matter for Julian at all as he just sat on the bed while waiting for the LinkGear to be delivered…

…and not even three hours after he got home, the doorbell rang.

“This is… it?”

Julian was back on the bed, holding some sort of headgear and feeling it with his hands. He was not really given any instructions other than to just wear the LinkGear—they did, however, advise Julian to buy a more comfortable bed and even the prescribed capsule bed of Humanity Engineering. But of course, he did not really have any extra money to buy those things right now.

And so, with a sigh, he just decided not to think of anything anymore and just put the LinkGear on.

“… Nothing’s happening.”

[You put it on wrong, Julian. Turn it around.]

“Oh…” Julian removed the LinkGear from his head and put it on it again with MEGAN’s help—and as soon as he did so, an unfamiliar voice entered his mind.

[Please position yourself in the most comfortable way possible for you. We suggest lying down.]

“Okay.” Julian followed the voice and lay down.

[We are detecting the Artificial Intelligence, Multi-Sensory Environmental Guidance and Navigation, within your body—would you like to sync MEGAN to the LinkGear so that you would be more comfortable?]

“Yes.” Julian did not really hesitate as soon as he heard the option.

[This is scary, Julian,] MEGAN quickly whispered. [The thing is more advanced than me. Anyway, do you want me to fill up all the information they need?]

“I’ll leave it to you.” Julian smiled.

[Very well. Okay, yes… Yes, he is blind. Isn’t that obvious? This AI isn’t as smart as I thought it was,] MEGAN scoffed. [Is he fine with experiencing nausea? Pft, he should. The guy’s a headache.]

“… You do know I can hear you, right?”

[I’m letting you hear me. But do tell me if it starts hurting too much, okay?] MEGAN sighed. [There’s also terms and conditions, privacy policy, and then live-streaming agreement, and then—]

“Just accept all of it.” Julian could really no longer wait as he just urged MEGAN to skip everything.

[Very well, Julian. You are about to enter the Otherworld Project in 5… 4…]

[3… 2…]

[1…]

[…I will see you on the other side, Julian.]

“What do you mean…”

And before Julian could finish his words, he felt his speech slurred as his consciousness completely faded away.

And very soon, Julian experienced something he had never really experienced before—something he could not quite explain at all.

In the darkness that had plagued him his entire life… was something. He couldn’t explain it at all, but there was something there.

“Huh…?” Julian tried reaching out—and as soon as he felt the “something” with his hands, he finally realized what it was.

“J-Julian, stop it!”

“MEGAN?” The thing began to move, causing Julian to retract as he recognized the voice coming from it. “That’s… a face? That’s… what… huh…”

“Yes, Julian…” MEGAN’s face moved in a way that Julian could not really explain just yet. But as he heard the tone of MEGAN’s voice, he could not help but hold his already stuttering breaths.

“That… that is what sadness looks like? It…” Julian couldn’t breathe at all anymore as the rest of MEGAN’s body began to materialize—he didn’t really know what to feel as he couldn’t really understand what he was… seeing.

That’s right. He was… seeing.

“I’m… not sad, Julian.” MEGAN smiled, her voice also trembling. “I’m very… I’m very happy for you.”

“But your face…”

Why does it feel like Ellie’s?

Chapter four

Start of Physical Assessment

“Why… does your face feel like Ellie’s?”

“She is the one who gave me to you, Julian—I know her face the most.”

“Oh…”

Julian still had no idea what everything meant. He had to rely on what he was hearing to recognize what sort of feeling he needed to feel—he didn’t understand anything at all…

…but he knew he was slowly feeling an unexplainable amount of joy. He knew…

…that he was seeing something beautiful. And so, very slowly, his hands once again stretched toward MEGAN’s face—but he stopped, however, as he noticed that he could not see his hands at all.

“Those are… your hands.” Julian then touched MEGAN’s hand, causing her to once again smile. “Where are… mine?”

“This is just a virtual space, Julian.” MEGAN placed Julian’s invisible hands on her cheek. “Your consciousness is still being connected to your clone in Artemia.”

“Oh…” Julian let out a small breath as he stared at MEGAN’s face. And after a few seconds, he gently rubbed his invisible thumb at her cheek. “… Hi.”

“H-hello.” MEGAN could really only smile, her words slightly stuttering as she greeted Julian back.

“What… are you doing with your face?” Julian, however, started touching her entire face. “You’re smiling. Huh… that’s… funny.”

“Do I…” MEGAN did not seem to mind at all. “…look beautiful?”

“I don’t know.” Julian slightly hesitated to answer. “I don’t really have an actual concept of beauty, MEGAN.”

“When a woman asks you that, just say yes.” MEGAN rolled her eyes, causing Julian to slightly gasp at the unfamiliar action.

“You can do that with your eyes?”

“Oh, Julian.” MEGAN once again giggled. “You are about to see a whole lot of new things, and I really wish I could be there to experience them with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You will now wake up in your new clone in ten seconds, Julian.” MEGAN shook her head. “I will not be there since your consciousness will be in a completely different body.”

“Wait, but how would I—”

“You will have a very hard time without me. But… perhaps that is for the best. Ellie and I have treated you like a baby.” MEGAN let out a long sigh.

“Two… one… Until we see each other again, Julian.”

“!!!”

Julian could not help but cover his eyes as he felt a pain unlike ever before—it was sharp, almost like an open wound. His entire body was also wrapped in cold, but soon that cold faded away as a loud whirring noise hummed in the air.

He then felt himself falling down, flowing along with the water that he was seemingly previously submerged in.

“W… what…” Julian then blinked several times as he felt a harsh glow enter his eyes for the very first time—was it really this painful to have eyes? But the pain soon subsided, finally allowing him to fully open his eyes once again,

“These are… my hands?”

The first thing he saw was his hands planted on the floor. He then turned his head to look around but was quickly stopped by the colorful sphere in front of him—he didn’t know what it meant or what it was, but it was…

“… Beautiful?” Julian whispered, still unsure whether he was right.

“Mr. Winters, welcome to the Otherworld Project.”

“Hm…?” Julian stood up, turning his shoulder first before his head as he looked to where the voice was coming from—he still was not quite used to moving his eyes just yet, “Are you the one that was speaking?”

He then saw two people in the room with him, both just looking at him from head to toe with their eyes wide open—but of course, Julian did not quite know what their expression was just yet.

“My goodness, where did they get you?” The woman let out a long whistle as she looked at Julian’s naked body and face—her voice wasn’t the one that Julian heard earlier, “The audience will love you, Mr. Winters.”

“Why don’t you cover yourself first, Mr. Winters?” The man beside the woman cleared his throat as he pointed toward the table that was on the other side of the room, but Julian completely ignored his gesture.

“Stupid, he’s been blind since birth. He won’t know what all that pointing business is. Didn’t you read the file?” The woman rolled her eyes. “Mr. Winters, we have clothes ready for you. They are behind you.”

“Oh…” Julian just blinked a couple of times as his eyes still a little sore. He then started to look around again, not even minding at all that he was naked. He looked to his left where he should have woken up, and there was some sort of machinery there. He then finally looked behind him and saw a shirt resting on a table.

“Thank you.” Julian turned around and walked toward the table, only to find himself slightly disoriented as he was not used to walking while seeing what was in front of him, “This…”

The only thing he could do was close his eyes to regain his balance, opening them from time to time as he approached the table. He then proceeded to get dressed right in front of the two people, who Julian could really only assume to be scientists of Humanity Engineering.

“Okay.” And as soon as he was done getting dressed, the two scientists started walking away. “Can you follow us? And please, keep your eyes open so you can get used to it—we are going to perform a series of tests to check if there are no issues with your clone, Mr. Winters.”

“Hm…” Julian just breathed out as he started following the two, instinctively moving his hand as if he was holding a cane. And as they suggested, he tried his best to keep his eyes open. But of course, he had to trail his hand along the walls—and it was weird.

He had been touching walls his entire life, but he could actually never imagine that they would look this… simple. But he was very familiar with the material they used—metal.

And very soon, with little struggle, Julian entered another room, slightly surprised when the automatic doors moved…

Everything seemed so much scarier and bigger now that he was seeing them.

“Okay, Mr. Winters.” The male scientist once again pointed his finger toward something, which he immediately retracted with an awkward chuckle. “Please stand at the center of the room.”

“Okay.” Julian started to walk, his eyes once again unmoving as he did so, which was a weird sight for the two scientists, with Julian moving almost too carefully. There was a… hint of grace in it.

“We will first test your reflexes to see if they are working properly, Mr. Winters.” The female scientist then started tapping her hand on some sort of… tablet. Julian really needed to know more about what things looked like soon,

“You are aware that your clone is mixed with hyum DNA, correct?” The female scientist spoke.

“I might have skipped that part.” Julian awkwardly chuckled.

“Understandable.” The female scientist shrugged. “Anyway, hyums are the natives of the planet Artemia. The colorful planet you saw earlier, which would surely be an experience for someone who had never seen before.”

“You’re losing track, May,” the male scientist quickly reprimanded.

“R-right.” Dr. May cleared her throat. “Hyums look like us, human in all regards except for just a tiny teeny little aspect—they have magic and are physically superior to us in many, many ways.”

“I might have heard that part.”

“That body you are in right now is part human and part hyum. We will explain more about that later.” Dr. May nodded. “The only thing you have to know right now is that you are a lot stronger in that body, and your reflexes and senses are also heightened… like this.”

And as soon as Dr. May said those words, a ball suddenly shot from the ground, heading directly toward Julian. Julian, of course, did not really know what he was seeing, even though it was already right in front of his face.

“Pft. You need to avoid—” Both the scientists were about to smile as they saw Julian get hit by the soft ball, but they couldn’t… since it did not happen at all. In the very last second, with the ball only an inch away from his face, Julian was able to lean away and tilt his head to the side, avoiding the ball by a hair’s breadth.

“W… what the!?” Dr. May stuttered. “How were you even able to avoid that!?”

“Oh…” Julian casually turned his shoulder toward Dr. May. “I felt it moving toward me.”

Chapter five

Compatibility

“You… felt it moving toward you?”

Dr. May found herself completely at a loss as she stared at this handsome man in medieval pants and tunic in front of her. But after a few seconds, she turned her attention to her fellow scientist.

“Did we set the speed right, Takumi-sensei?”

“… Yes.” Dr. Takumi looked at his tablet. “It’s at 100%. That’s the standard speed.”

“100%.” Dr. May squinted as she also looked at her tablet. “… Has anyone dodged this on the first try?”

“There’s two—the First Soldier, and that famous Otherworld streamer… Ylrina?”

“This… might just be luck. What did he even mean by he felt it?”

And while the two scientists were discussing Julian, Julian was looking at the ball he just dodged, wondering where it came from. He had only gained the ability to see several minutes ago, and everything just felt weird for him…

And there was also the fact that it seemed like he was feeling even the very air itself.

He had always been sensitive to everything around him, even as a child. He could feel the slightest change in temperature, he could feel the tiniest breeze, and he could hear people whisper—but now, everything was amplified.

The two scientists did say that his senses were enhanced several times—but now, the air actually felt like he was somewhat underwater; he could feel things fluctuating meters away from him.

And right now, he could feel another ball shooting toward him from behind.

“He… he was able to dodge that!?” Dr. May could not help but once again express her shock. “I… could understand his senses being a lot higher than the base level since he was born blind… but that ball literally came from behind him!”

“Increase the speed to 120%,” Dr. Takumi whispered, and Dr. May did not even hesitate as she tapped her tablet several times. And as she did so, the next ball shot toward Julian faster.

But still, like a lint on water, Julian was able to swiftly move away gracefully.

“140%.”

The two continued to increase the speed, perhaps getting a little carried away as Julian continued to dodge the balls being thrown at him—and very soon, the speed doubled…

And two balls shot toward Julian at the same time.

“!!!” Julian leaned his entire body to the side, and right when the two scientists thought he was going to be hit by the other ball… Julian caught it with his hand.

“What the—holy shit!”

“That was amazing. Are you recording that!?”

And while the two scientists were losing their minds, Julian was examining the ball in his hands. “So… this is what a smooth ball looks like. What color is this?”

Julian turned toward the scientists, but alas, they were busy looking at their tablets. Julian had no idea what they were even looking at, but judging from the sound escaping from their curled lips… it probably was not any good.

“How about 400!?”

“Kh!” And as soon as Dr. May said that, Julian quickly grasped his stomach as the ball hit him without mercy.

“Oh… oh crap!” Dr. May winced as she saw Julian coughing. “We… we got too excited.”

But while Dr. May was clasping her hair, Dr. Takumi squinted as he stared at Julian—it may have been brief and incredibly subtle…

…but Julian was actually able to react to the 400% speed.

“This… is amazing.” Dr. Takumi could not help but let out a small chuckle.

“I know!” Dr. May also smiled. “If only his stream was already online, I imagine his chat would be going wild right about now.”

“Excuse me…” Julian, who was finally able to recover from the sudden bazooka hitting him on the stomach, raised his hand to get the scientists’ attention. “What do I do now?”

“We move on to the next test.” Dr. Takumi sneakily and subtly pushed Dr. May’s arm as the two of them were losing track again. “It’s just a simple measure of the explosiveness of your strength—I’m actually quite excited for this one since you’re obviously strong, judging from the size of your forearms.”

“Hm.” Julian looked at his arm before looking at Dr. Takumi’s arm.

“Okay then, we’ll start.” Dr. Takumi tapped his tablet several times, and a shadow suddenly appeared right at the center of the room. Julian quickly turned his shoulder to see what it was, only for him to see a mannequin.

But of course, Julian did not really know what it was. “That’s… not a person?”

“It’s a mannequin,” Dr. May quickly answered. “Those who are born blind live in a completely different world, huh?”

“That’s a mannequin?” Julian curiously approached the silver mannequin. “The… color of everything here seems close to each other.”

“It’s not like this everywhere.” Dr. Takumi shook his head. “Sadly, I’ve already requested the higher-ups to add some color to the space station, but no one really listens to me, and they just told me that everything needs to be professional—professional is boring.”

“True, true.” Dr. May nodded several times.

“Anyway, punch the mannequin with all that you have,” Dr. Takumi then casually said.

“Punch it…? It’s not a person, right?” Julian carefully started touching the mannequin’s face, and as soon as he realized it was smooth and didn’t really smell like human at all, he just let out a small hum and took a step back.

“You can punch it whenever you are—!!!” Dr. Takumi and Dr. May could not help but flinch as a loud snap cracked in the air as Julian punched the mannequin without any signal or warning at all—the mannequin, completely bending momentarily before standing upright again,

“This is…” Dr. Takumi and Dr. May looked at their tablets at the same time, and as soon as they saw the value of Julian’s punch, their eyes started to widen.

“This… easily puts him in the top ten, right?” Dr. May asked.

“It does…” Dr. Takumi took in a small gulp and nodded. “And that wasn’t even a proper form at all. I think we got someone special here, May… Let’s put him on the list.”

While both the doctors were whispering with each other, Julian was just looking at his hands—and as soon as Dr. Takumi saw that, a small and somewhat proud smile crawled on his face.

“Artemia has five times the gravity of Earth,” Dr. Takumi explained as he approached Julian. “How humanoid life even thrived there, well… it can be attributed to magic.”

“Hm…” Julian listened.

“That means that the base strength of your body is around that level too.” Dr. Takumi placed his hand on the mannequin. “In practice, it does not really matter since everything in Artemia, technically, is five times heavier too, but of course, in reality, you can grow stronger. And in Artemia, you can grow a whole lot stronger because it has different rules and laws than us. Just suspend your disbelief, because a lot of things won’t make a lot of sense. Awesome, right?”

“… I suppose it is?” Julian hummed. He really did not care for any of the increased strength at all. Being able to see was enough of an upgrade for him.

“But I would be honest with you, Mr. Winters.” Dr. Takumi let out a small groan as he stared at his tablet. “We have been checking your compatibility with your clone through our system… and we have a problem.”

“Compatibility…?” Julian almost shook at the word. His entire life, he had always been told he was completely incompatible with all of the transplants and even the cyberware Earth had to offer, “Don’t… tell me I’m also incompatible with my own clone?”

“Oh, that’s… not the case at all, I think.” Dr. Takumi shook his head as he glanced at Dr. May. “It’s just showing ERROR in our system. Usually, by now, it would have at least the value of 70 to 100%… but I’m sure it’s just that, an error on our side.”

“Hmm.”

“Anyway, the last test is the most exciting.” Dr. Takumi cleared his throat. “We are going to test your mana capacity and your aptitude for magic.”

“Okay.”

“But not here.” Dr. Takumi chuckled while shaking his head. “The procedure for the final test will be done in Artemia, Mr. Winters. Follow us.”

“I finally get to go?” A small hint of excitement crawled on Julian’s face as he followed the two out the hallway, his hand, still trailing across the wall since he did not have his cane.

“Most technology is rendered useless in Artemia, Mr. Winters.” Dr. Takumi started orienting Julian while they walked. “Their ozone layer destroys almost anything foreign that passes through it. Well, almost everything—that is why we also have to genetically engineer a mix of human and hyum. Our scientists tried entering the planet in the past with their normal human bodies, and well… let us just say it did not turn out well for them.”

“Of course, some forms of technology can still pass through the planet’s defense system.” Dr. May raised her finger. “But that’s not really for us to tell you. You are aware of the rules, right?”

“… Sorry, I skipped everything.” Julian sighed.

“Well, there’s really only one rule.” Dr. May turned around and started walking backward so she could look Julian in the eyes. “Never tell the hyum that you are not one of them or that you are from outside the planet. The goal is to properly blend in with them—because, Mr. Winters, if they find out you are from Earth… they will kill you in the most horrendous way possible.”

“Hmm…”

“And that’s pretty much the only rule.” Dr. May then shrugged as she looked at Julian from head to toe. “But you do need to be careful with your actions since you will be live-streaming your entire adventure—I have a feeling you are going to be a popular Otherworld streamer, Mr. Winters. Ohoho.”

“Live-streaming…?” Julian’s steps halted. “You mean people will be watching me?”

“Oh yes…” A small grin crawled on Dr. May’s face.

“We’ll all be watching you, Mr. Winters.”

Chapter six

Julian: Into the Otherworld

“You mean people will be watching me?”

“Oh, yes. We’ll all be watching you, Mr. Winters.”

“Did… I approve of that?”

“Sure did.”

Julian stood there in silence for a few seconds, but it did not really take long for him to remember that he told MEGAN to just accept everything. MEGAN—he still was not quite used to her not always talking to him. If she was here, then Julian’s utter confusion about everything he was seeing would have been solved quite easily.

“I…” Julian let out a small sigh as he just continued following the two scientists. “I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

“You don’t have to worry,” Dr. May said reassuringly. “Otherworld has a team dedicated to filtering out things that are clearly extremely private, if you know what I mean.”

“May, keep it professional.” Dr. Takumi could not help but sigh as he saw Dr. May making obscene gestures with her hands. “That’s inappropriate. What is wrong with you?”

“What?” Dr. May scoffed. “Most of the rich folks playing Otherworld play because they want to have sex with the locals. Artemia has lots of beautiful people.”

“It’s not a game, May.” Dr. Takumi shook his head in disapproval. “And Mr. Winters, I hope you also remember that when you are in Artemia—do not go overboard. Once your clone dies, that’s it—you can never participate in Otherworld again.”

“I won’t do anything rash,” Julian quickly responded, “I’m just here to explore.”

“Okay—we’re here.”

Julian and the scientists entered a room filled with… spherical, weird-looking tree roots. But of course, everything still looked weird to Julian.

“These are the pods that will take you down to Artemia, Mr. Winters.” Dr. Takumi approached one of the pods, and as he did so, the roots opened up. “This will also happen to be your first introduction to the weird and magical stuff you could see in Artemia. Please, step inside, Mr. Winters.”

“Okay.” Julian did not really hesitate to go inside; he did start to hesitate, however, when the vines inside started wrapping around his body—but it was already too late.

“One last thing.” Dr. Takumi started checking the vines to make sure Julian was tightly strapped in. “Say ‘guide.’”

“Guide—!!!” Julian could really only gasp as his newfound vision was suddenly filled with all sorts of things—he slightly panicked and wanted to wipe the things that were covering his vision, but he could not do so as his arms were already bound. “Am I… going blind again?”

“Maybe I should have explained what it was first.” Dr. Takumi could really only awkwardly chuckle. “I… I guess it would look like that to you, sorry. The hyums call it ‘the Guidance of Artemis.’ Humanity Engineering still has no idea what it is, but like the name suggests—it’s a guide.”

“A guide…?” Julian tried to focus on the words and the letters, and even though he had never learned how to read, it felt like he could somewhat understand what he was seeing.

“Yes.” Dr. Takumi nodded. “And the very reason most people treat the Otherworld as a game, even though it’s not.”

“It’s a game.” Dr. May sighed, but she just quickly raised both her palms up as Dr. Takumi glared at her.

“It shows the basic status of your body—it gives a numeric value of your current level, corresponding Strength, Agility, Vitality, Sense, and Mana.” Dr. Takumi raised his finger. “You don’t have to worry about all of those now, you’ll learn it along the way—the only thing you need to know is to never reveal your level to the hyums while you are still level 1. Because if they discovered that you’re that low despite being old, they will have suspicions of you being human, and—”

“They will kill me,” Julian breathed out. He was about to ask how he could get rid of the Guidance, but as soon as he thought of it, it disappeared.

“Guidance will also provide you options and routes to take from time to time,” Dr. Takumi continued to explain.

“My god, just tell him there are quest lines,” Dr. May groaned while rolling her eyes, “You’re trying so hard not to use role-playing video game jargon.”

“We’re professionals, May.” Dr. Takumi waved his hand before turning his focus on Julian again. “It is your choice to accept the options and routes—”

“Quests,” Dr. May interrupted as she winked at Julian, which was useless since he had absolutely no idea what that meant.

“It is your choice to accept the Options and Routes given to you.” Dr. Takumi did not care at all for Dr. May’s interruptions. “But most quests—god damn it. Fine. Most Quests are extremely beneficial to you and would help you become stronger, so I suggest accepting them. By the way, only you can see your Guidance, and it won’t even show up in your stream. So, you don’t have to worry about your information leaking out.”

“Okay, thank you,” Julian breathed out—the Guidance was practically a replacement for MEGAN, in a way.

“Remember, Mr. Winters…” Dr. Takumi then took several steps back, while Dr. May waved her hand at him. “Never tell the hyums that you are human. You will land somewhere near Archon. It’s a village mostly housed by Humanity Engineering staff, but there are also hyums there, so be careful not to reveal your identity. Don’t go anywhere; a friend of ours will fetch you.”

“You will return to your real body once you sleep, or are incapacitated,” Dr. May followed up,

“Remember not to neglect your real body, Mr. Winters… now off you go.”

“Th—”

And before Julian could even say anything, the pod closed on him. Not even a second later he felt his soul almost being chucked out of his body as the pod suddenly launched without any warning—the only thing he could really do was grit his teeth.

He was calmer than most of the other players that went before him, however, as he was used to not seeing what was happening outside. He could hear several things—a sort of hymn, and then a drum. It was weird, almost like music.

After about a minute, Julian could feel the pod slowing down until it finally came to a complete stop. And soon, his eyes instinctively squinted as light seeped into the pod as it opened up.

“Am I… in Artemia?” Julian could only cover his eyes ever so slightly as he stepped out of the pod… and the light rushed through him like a tidal wave, crashing over him in a flood of colors that completely disoriented him.

The darkness that had been his companion of ever since he came into existence, now filled with wonders to be discovered and seen…

Julian did not really know what to feel.

There was happiness, yes. It was beautiful. But it also left him grappling with a confusion that knotted in his stomach—or perhaps that was just from literally being thrown from outer space. He blinked a couple of times, desperate to make sense of this weird kaleidoscope, but nothing clicked.

Nothing clicked… that is, until he crouched down, his fingers brushing against the slightly dried grass.

“Huh… grass.” A small smile found its way to Julian’s face as he held the grass in his palms. Soon, however, he felt a drop of water on his hand, his smile, now suddenly accompanied by a trail of tears.

Overwhelmed, Julian had no idea what to feel right now—he was confused, in awe, in joy… all at the same time. He was scared that his vision was blurring, but he also started to understand that it was because of the tears dripping from his eyes.

His body wasn’t capable of shedding tears, and now that he could feel it trailing down his cheeks, it felt… nice.

A small chuckle escaped his lips as he stood up while looking at his hands. He then moved toward a nearby tree, his chuckle almost turning high-pitched. “This… is a tree. It’s… wow. Everything… everything is… bigger.”

Julian then looked up, only for his eyes to instinctively close due to the harsh brightness of the sun. Julian persevered, however, as he wanted to see if it was as MEGAN described it to him.

The sun radiated warmth and brilliance, casting golden light that danced over landscapes, igniting the sky in vibrant hues, and nurturing life with its gentle embrace… it was beautiful—or that is what MEGAN described it as.

If MEGAN says that this is beautiful… then it is.

“I wish you could experience this with me, MEGAN.”

…

…lol, what is happening?

did he just say everything is bigger?

That’s what she said, lol

is the newbie crying? lolol. what a cuck. who the fuck is megan?

Jealous because you can’t afford Otherworld?

lol, cope

Who even is this streamer? Did anyone check the forums for anyone announcing they are joining Otherworld?

ill check

Julian had forgotten, however, that not only was MEGAN seeing what he was seeing…

…thousands of people were too.

Chapter seven

Lucian’s First Meeting with the Natives Started with a Penetration

[Julian, wake up! They are talking trash about you, Julian!]

Back in Julian’s new tiny apartment, MEGAN was currently screaming in his unconscious mind.

MEGAN was a highly advanced AI that was programmed to be extremely lifelike, and Julian had given her all the permissions she would ever need on her behalf—Julian doesn’t even call her “it.”

And with all of those permissions, MEGAN could dive through the internet all on her own. And right now, of course, she was watching Julian’s livestream—she was the very first in the chat. But soon, however, thousands of people flooded it.

Of course, they would.

The Otherworld Project was not just any virtual reality game—it wasn’t virtual, first of all, and it wasn’t a game at all. But the reason many watched it was that no normal people could actually afford it—1,500,000 credits was enough to buy a small house in the Sky Net area.

The Otherworld Project only had less than 7,000 total players, and the streamers were around half of that.

And so, every new player automatically and initially gets thousands and thousands of views. And right now… people were on Julian’s stream.

I can’t find him anywhere in the official forums.

is he retarded doe? Brother relly touched grass

Probably a fatso IRL. lolol

[What the!? Who’s the fatso!?] MEGAN was seething as she read some of the comments, immediately registering for an account as she joined the chat.

Poor people trying to cope in the chat. DiddySlayer69, what a loser cuck. Even your name is ugly. Go die in a hole somewhere, but sadly no one is going to bury you, because no one even cares about you

And without even any hesitation, she started attacking everyone who insulted Julian. And also almost immediately… she got banned because of death threats.

[What!? What kind of AI is that!? They’re the ones trashing Julian! Ban them! Ban them, I say!]

And while MEGAN was currently contesting her account being restricted, Julian continued to explore the extremely unfamiliar world around him, touching everything he could, so that he could identify what it was.

Right now, he was watching the pod that brought him to Artemia open up—merging with the ground before sprouting flowers and grass, becoming completely unnoticeable.

“Interesting…” Julian whispered before he walked toward the trees.

“… The trees all look different from each other, I thought they would all be the same,” Julian whispered to himself since he was still used to MEGAN replying to him. He continued to walk around the forest, completely leaving the area where he was asked to stay by the scientists—it did not really matter to him. He was truly just here to explore…

And explore he did.

iLuvUnicorns: …Is this guy crazy? Why is he leaving the beginner’s area?

DiddySlayer69: Is he a pervert or something? Why’s he touching everything?

ApexFury: Are you guys stupid? smh. The guy’s probably blind. Use your IQ

PicklePirata: Wait… guys, look at where he is heading

ILuvUnicorns: Oh shit, he’s fucking dead!

If only Julian could hear the people chatting on his livestream, he would probably know to turn around now, but alas… Even if he was hearing them, he probably still wouldn’t turn around as he was too caught up in touching everything in the forest.

“Dried leaves,” he whispered as soon as the leaf crumbled from his hands. “Very interesting.”

EdgyLord666: This is so cringe. I’m out

“I don’t know what this is.” Julian crouched down as he saw a mushroom; he tried to feel it, but it was not really something he had felt before. “It feels like… cheese…? This doesn’t seem like—hm?”

Before Julian could place the mushroom closer to his nose so he could isolate its smell from the rest of the forest, he heard a faint rustling sound nearby, his heightened senses catching the subtle movement of leaves. He paused, tilting his shoulder in the direction of the noise.

“… People?” Julian turned toward the sound, which he recognized as footsteps, his hands brushing against the rough bark of the trees as he lifted himself and walked toward the noise.

“Hello?” he called out, assuming it was another human, or perhaps a hyum. But as he stepped into a small clearing, his heart skipped a beat.

There, standing hunched with grotesque figures…

… were goblins, six of them—small, green-skinned creatures with twisted faces and jagged teeth.

They chattered among themselves in a language Julian couldn’t understand, but their intent was clear by the wicked glint in their eyes…

Well, their intent was clear for normal people, but not for Julian. The reason his heart skipped a beat wasn’t because they looked scary—Julian had no concept of that just yet. The reason his heart skipped a beat… was because of the things they were holding.

Instead, Julian smiled and greeted them, completely oblivious to the danger as he approached them.

“Hello,” he said, his voice calm, his hand raised in a friendly gesture. He still couldn’t fully make out their features, but since they looked somewhat different from the scientists in the space station in his very limited perspective of how things should actually look… he could really only think of them as hyums, the humanoid natives of Artemia. Of course, they didn’t smell that nice at all, but Julian was not one to judge.

And soon, his gaze strayed toward their hands as he was finally able to recognize something by sight alone.

Some of them were holding swords—crude, rusted blades. Julian’s heart started to race as his gaze caught on one of them. Even though he had never seen a sword in his life, he knew instantly what it was. There was something familiar, almost instinctual, about the way it gleamed.

“That’s a sword, I know it is…” It was almost as if it was calling to him. And very soon, excitement swelled inside him as an almost maniacal smile crawled on his face.

“!!!” Unfortunately for Julian, one of the goblins snarled and lunged at him, driving a rusty blade straight into his leg.

iLuvUnicorns: This guy’s fucking dead! I called that!

“Kh…” Julian gasped, slightly stumbling backward. The pain was immediate and sharp, blood pouring from the wound—but instead of screaming in agony or howling in pain…

“Ha… Hahahaha!”

Julian let out breaths filled with laughter, his teeth showing and his face slightly flushed.

“A sword… a sword is inside me?”

DiddySlayer69: also called it… this brother perverted af. no cap.

Chapter eight

Sword Junkie

“A sword… a sword is inside me?”

Julian gritted his teeth as he looked at the sword pierced through him, a peal of laughter still very much trying to escape his lips.

And soon, he held his breath, his hand gripping the hilt of the blade embedded in his thigh. And despite the pain, it was… sensual, in a way. There was a strange sense of… euphoria bubbling up within him.

“Ho…” With a grunt, he casually yanked the blade free from his leg, blood spurting from the wound. His hands were slick with his own blood, but his eyes gleamed with delight as he inspected the weapon.

“This sword is terrible,” he scoffed, the tone of his voice dramatically different from his usual voice. “The balance is off, the edge is dull… Who made this trash?”

And for the very first time, Julian encountered something that he could consider…

“… Ugly,” he whispered. “No human hands could have actually made this, so that makes you the monsters, like daemons. And that means… I can actually test this sword on you?”

“Khee…?” The goblins hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to make of the crazed man in front of them. But soon, however, the first goblin lunged at him again, its claws threatening to rip Julian to shreds.

And Julian swung the blade in a wide arc without any hesitation.

“O… Oh?” Julian’s lips trembled, feeling the satisfying resistance as it cut through flesh.

“Khee!?” The goblin let out a shriek as its arm was severed, dark blood spraying across the forest floor. Julian grinned, his heart racing with excitement. The sword was dull, and every strike required more force than necessary, but that only made the fight more thrilling.

Another goblin charged at him, and Julian clumsily blocked its attack with his own sword, the force of the blow sending vibrations up his arm. His leg was still bleeding heavily, but he didn’t care. He had never felt more alive.

His smile widened as he awkwardly sidestepped to the next goblin, delivering a brutal slash across its chest. Blood splattered onto his face, warm and thick…

But Julian just laughed in excitement, savoring the moment.

Julian’s movements were incredibly sloppy and as crude as the sword he was holding since this was his first time fighting. His swings, however, were incredibly precise. After all, he had always tested his blades whenever he finished crafting them…

And he swung a lot: swords, daggers, even axes.

Due to the sloppiness of his steps, however, one goblin managed to get behind him, stabbing him in the side with a jagged dagger.

“Sh…” Julian groaned in pain, his knees nearly buckling, but his smile never wavered. He spun around, slashing the goblin’s throat in one swift motion, feeling the blood spray across his chest. He stumbled, his vision blurring for a moment as the pain surged through his body, but he refused to let it stop him.

Another goblin rushed forward, screeching wildly. Julian caught its arm and used the moment to stab his sword through its gut, smiling as he twisted the blade while pulling it out.

More blood poured onto the ground, mixing with his own as he fought in a frenzy.

Despite the growing number of wounds covering his body, Julian moved with a crazed energy, every strike of the sword sending a surge of adrenaline through him. He hacked and slashed with reckless abandon, his laughter growing more unhinged with every goblin that fell.

But the goblins were relentless, and Julian was tiring. His movements were slowing, the pain in his leg and side becoming harder to ignore. His breath was ragged, his muscles aching as he blocked another strike. A goblin’s clawed hand raked across his back, tearing through his shirt and skin, but he spun around, slamming the hilt of his sword into its skull with a vicious crack.

Blood dripped from his body, his clothes soaked in it. He could feel himself weakening, his vision growing hazy, but he couldn’t stop. He didn’t want to stop.

“Grah!” With a final burst of strength, Julian plunged his blade into the last goblin’s chest, driving it deep until the creature let out a gurgling scream before collapsing at his feet.

Julian stood there, panting heavily, blood dripping from his wounds as he looked at the carnage around him.

He swayed on his feet, barely able to stand. His entire body screamed in agony, but he refused to fall. Not yet. If he passed out here, he would be taken back to Earth.

Back to his old body. Back to being blind.

“No…” he wheezed through clenched teeth, staggering as he tried to stay upright. “I’m not… I’m not going back.”

“What the… What happened here!?” A figure appeared from the bushes, rushing toward him.

“What the fuck…?” The man’s eyes were wide with shock as he saw the bloodied and beaten Julian standing amidst the dead goblins.

“Hey, are you alright!?” the man screamed. He was about to catch Julian since it seemed like he was going to fall…

…but Julian swung at him.

“What are you doing!?” The man was able to step back.

“O… Oh?” Julian wheezed. “Are you… are you human?”

“Yes! My name’s Marcus! I’m supposed to fetch you!”

And as soon as Julian heard that, he quickly stumbled forward, but Marcus was able to catch him before he could fall. Julian, however, quickly started touching Marcus’s face.

“Okay…” Julian whispered. “Human.”

“F… fuck…” Marcus felt the warmth of Julian’s blood. “You… You need a healer! You’re going to die if we don’t get you to Archon! Why the fuck are you all the way out here!? You’re lucky I have a [Tracking] skill!”

Julian let out a weak laugh, his grip still tight on the sword.

“I’m not… I’m not going to die…” Julian whispered as he tried his best not to fall unconscious. “I’m not… going back…”

And with that, Marcus dragged him through the sea of trees, the blood-soaked forest behind him fading into a blur as Julian clung to consciousness with everything he had.

…

…

SirBaconTheThird: did that just fucking happen?

FlamboyantPenguin: what the fuck did we just watch?

iLuvUnicorns: I fucking called it! This guy’s fucking crazy!!!!!

iLuvUnicorns: When can we send gifts!? This is fucking crazy!!!!

PicklePirata: Combat Junkie. Our boy’s a Combat Junkie for real!

iLuvUnicorns: Combat Junkie?? More like… Sword Junkie!

“I’m not… going back.”

Chapter nine

And at Last, I See Myself

“K…kh…”

The air was thick with a warm, medicinal scent as Julian lay on the cot, blinking against the harsh light above as his wounds itched. His body felt lighter, as if the weight of his wounds had dissipated with the flickering flames of the magic coming from the man sitting beside his cot.

One moment he was dying from his wounds, and now they were slowly closing.

The man was a Priest, currently healing the completely bloody Julian.

“How… the fuck is he even awake?” Marcus stood nearby, his brow knitted with shock and worry.

As for Julian, he just stared at the Priest—another player from Earth—working diligently, his hands glowing with a soft, golden light as he mended the remnants of the fight that had nearly taken Julian’s life.

“Hold on,” The Priest squinted his eyes and stuck his tongue out in concentration. “Just… a bit longer.”

For a moment, both the Priest and Marcus looked at Julian with disbelief. He had remained conscious the entire time, something that shouldn’t really be possible unless Julian was a decorated soldier back on Earth.

Of course, Julian was in immense pain—and the only reason he was not screaming or fainting there and then was the thought of being forced back to his blind original body.

“And… there we go.” Finally, after what seemed like days of torture, the Priest stepped back as the last traces of pain faded from Julian’s body. “You’re all set, tough guy. Marky, you owe me for this.”

“Thank you,” Julian immediately replied as he sat up, but the Priest just waved his hand and stepped out of the cabin.

“Newbie…” Marcus quickly approached, his relief evident. “You really fucking scared me, you know that? I’m going to be in big trouble if you actually fucking croaked.”

“I’m… sorry.” Julian could really only sigh. “I might have gotten carried away.”

“Eh, that’s common.” Marcus handed Julian a fresh set of clothes. “What’s not common is a total newbie like you killing a pack of goblins… were you some sort of soldier back on Earth? You are an Earther, right?”

“No, and yes.” Julian got up from the cot and just started undressing in front of Marcus.

“What the fuck?” Marcus just immediately turned around. “I know you’re a good-looking fucking dude, but I don’t swing that way, okay? Anyway… since you’re already fine and all, we need to talk about the last test. I’m sure the guys above explained it to you?”

“Yes.” Julian was done changing his clothes. “The mana test…?”

“Right.” Marcus glanced at Julian before turning to him when he saw he was done changing, “We need to measure your mana and aptitude for magic. Unfortunately, the scientists who are tasked to test you are out hunting right now.”

“Oh…”

“Yup.” Marcus let out a very long and deep sigh. “But hey, why don’t you explore Archon a bit while you wait? It’s the town of newbies like you. There’s plenty to see. There are veteran players here too.”

“Sure,” Julian hummed.

“Just be careful, though,” Marcus continued, his tone dropping to a whisper as he leaned closer to Julian. “Don’t reveal that you’re a player to anyone. There are hyums around, and we all sort of automatically understand each other here. Magic. What can I say? And please, don’t stray too far like last time. Stay in the town.”

“I got it, thank you.”

“And one last thing.” Marcus handed Julian a small pouch. “Here. This is your ‘Newbie Package’—sponsored by Humanity Engineering.”

“Thank… you.” Julian opened the pouch and felt the inside. There were a few coins, a health potion, and a basic map.

“Uuh…” His brow furrowed as he examined the map, the unfamiliar symbols and writing only serving to confuse him further.

“I can’t read this.” Julian sighed.

“Not my problem. Go on,” Marcus urged, giving him a gentle push. “You’ll be fine. Just keep your head low, and don’t draw attention to yourself.”

“Right. Thank you again, Marcus.”

As soon as Julian stepped out of the small tent, the bustling life of Archon enveloped his untrained eyes. The streets were alive with colors and sounds, the air filled with laughter and chatter, and the occasional clink of coins exchanged for goods. His senses buzzed as he took it all in: the aroma of street food wafting through the air, and the intricate details of the market stalls.

“I really wish you were here, MEGAN.” He felt an overwhelming urge to reach out, to touch the faces of those around him, to familiarize himself with the diversity of this new world.

But of course, he quickly reined in that impulse. Instead, he took a deep breath and allowed himself to wander through the throngs of people, slowly adapting to his newfound sight.

And then, all of a sudden, a sound sliced through the chaos—a familiar, rhythmic clanging of steel against iron whispering into Julian’s ears.

“… No way.” Julian’s heart raced as he followed the sound, his instincts guiding him through the maze of vendors and curious onlookers, his hand very gently pushing them away so he could feel his path.

He turned a corner, and there, before him, stood a weapons shop, the sign hanging above it creaking slightly in the gentle breeze. The entrance was framed with glimmering blades, and he could hear shadows dancing in the back of the shop—the unmistakable sound of blacksmiths hard at work.

The rush of excitement surged through Julian, igniting a spark that had been dormant for far too long. He stepped inside, the hot air of the smithy washing over him like a gentle tide.

“So… many swords.” His fingers twitched with anticipation as he approached the nearest display, gazing at the meticulously crafted swords and weapons that glinted in the low light. And of course… he had to touch them.

“Hey! Hands off!” a gruff voice barked from behind the counter, waking Julian from his paradise.

“I—” Julian was interrupted by the shop owner, a stocky man with a beard that seemed to twitch with irritation.

“Don’t touch anything unless you’re buying!” The owner crossed his thick arms.

“I can pay for this.” Ignoring the scolding, Julian reached out again, his fingers grazing the hilt of a sword. The cool metal sent shivers of exhilaration through him that made him smile.

“Th—”

“And can I use your smithy?” he blurted, barely containing his enthusiasm.

“What?” The shop owner’s eyebrows shot up. “You think you can just waltz in here and use my equipment? It doesn’t work like that, kid.”

And Julian’s response was to pull out a handful of coins, their glint catching the owner’s eye. Instantly, the man’s demeanor shifted.

“Alright, kid. Follow me.”

The owner waved him toward the back of the shop, where the forge blazed with a vibrant, inviting fire.

“That’s… fire?” As Julian stepped into the smithy, his heart raced. The heat from the forge enveloped him, and he could hear the hammers striking metal, the rhythmic dance of creation echoing in the space. The other blacksmiths paused their work, their eyes narrowing as they looked at Julian with disdain.

Julian was completely oblivious to their stares, however. He just glanced at the various tools hanging from the walls: hammers, tongs, and molds. Each one felt like they were whispering to him.

“What the!?”

And without hesitation, he grabbed a hammer and set to work. The other blacksmiths could not help but just look at each other as Julian did not even greet or look at them.

“Why’d the owner let someone this rude in!?”

“I saw him paying the owner.”

“Tch.”

Julian did not even hear the other people. His hands were just moving with a purpose that felt both instinctual and exhilarating. He shaped the glowing metal with precision, feeling the rhythm of the forge sync with his heartbeat. The world around him completely faded, and all that mattered was the weapon taking shape before him…

Nothing else matters.

And now that he could actually see each of the little details, each of the sparks… It felt like his connection with the metal grew by several folds. He was missing this his entire life, and now it was here.

He poured every ounce of his emotions into the blade, recalling the weight of the swords he had held, the way they felt in his hands, and the power they wielded. Each strike was a… release—a surge of energy that flowed from his heart into the steel.

And in less than thirty minutes, he had crafted a sword, the blade gleaming with a brilliance that made Julian shiver.

“What!? He’s already done!?”

“It’s… it’s so beautiful.” And then, tears started trailing down his cheeks as he relished in his creation—seeing his reflection on it for the very first time. It truly made him feel like he was one with the sword.

For the very first time in his life filled with nothing but darkness, he saw himself. His true self.

DiddySlayer69: I think I saw his face from the reflection!

iLuvUnicorns: Timestamp!?

Guest: Sword Junkie strikes again!

“W…pft!”

And as the other blacksmiths saw Julian crying and extremely impressed with his work, they could not help but burst out into a fit of laughter.

“You… you think you actually made something good!?”

“Brat, if you want to pretend, at least put more effort! You really think half an hour is enough to craft a sword!? Pft!”

Julian completely ignored them, however, as he carefully placed the sword on the nearby empty table; almost treating it like a baby with how gentle he was with it.

“Tch… I’m throwing that trash!” The lead blacksmith of the shop rushed to get Julian’s sword, but as soon as he grabbed the weapon, any mockery vanished from his face, replaced by complete and utter shock.

“Wait a minute…” he murmured, his hands trembling as he examined the sword closely. “This is… this is a [Rare] weapon!”

“W… what!?”

…

…

Guest: Cap

Asdas333: That’s actually insane. Isn’t he supposed to be a newbie?

ApexFury: Sword Junkeehhh!

Chapter ten

The Reason He Was Left Behind

“This… this is [Rare]!”

In the world of Artemia, weapons were graded to reflect their quality and power, similar to role-playing games back on Earth—one of the reasons Otherworld was being treated as a game by many.

[Common] weapons are just that, simple and unadorned, while [Uncommon] blades whisper of potential with their slight enhancements. [Rare] weapons, like what Julian created in less than an hour, shine with unique traits, captivating the hearts of adventurers.

The quality is followed by [Epic], [Legendary], and [Mythic]. But of course, the last two were rarely seen or heard of; only the most legendary of blacksmiths and crafters could ever really achieve it—and in the history of Artemia, that number was close to none.

“Let… let me see that!”

The blacksmiths exchanged incredulous glances, their mocking laughter quickly replaced by a mixture of disbelief and envy. They crowded around Julian, their voices overlapping as they bombarded him with questions.

“How did you do that?” one demanded, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Do you have some sort of specialized skill in blacksmithing?” another asked, his tone laced with begrudging frustration… Or perhaps it was admiration; the tone of his voice made it hard to tell.

“Oi, we are asking you a question!”

SirBaconTheThird: Get cucked, bitch

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: You dare question the might of the Sword Junkie!? This is what you get!

“What the fuck is wrong with this new guy…?”

“Tch, just leave him alone.”

Throughout all of the noises coming from their mouths, however, Julian remained stoic, seemingly oblivious to their inquiries. He completely ignored them as he just grabbed another lump of steel and started hammering away.

His focus was solely on the dagger taking shape beneath his skilled hands. The rhythmic clanging of metal against metal filled the air as he worked, each strike precise and purposeful.

The blacksmiths’ voices faded into the background, their words drowned out by the all-consuming passion that drove Julian’s every movement. His mind was lost in the art of creation, his soul intertwined with the weapon he crafted.

The forge’s heat seared Julian’s skin, sweat beading on his brow. He barely noticed. His hands moved with a mind of their own, hammering, shaping, refining. Each blade sang to him, a symphony of steel and fire.

Hours and hours passed, and yet Julian did not speak at all, the smile on his face, not even fading one bit. In fact, the smile might have even turned wider… more crazed.

This was the very reason Ellie broke up with Julian; he was obsessed, and not in a good way at all. Not at all. There is something… not right with him.

“By… by Artemis,” the shop owner, who had started watching Julian when he heard the commotion, whispered, his eyes incredibly wide. “What… what sort of monster is he…?”

Julian ignored him, completely lost in his craft. Each weapon took less and less time, something that would have been impossible if he was back on Earth.

The pile of weapons grew. Swords, daggers, and even axes—and the most shocking of all was that most of it was of [Rare] quality. There were [Uncommon] weapons, but they could probably be only counted in one hand.

“How… many has he made? This is insane,” one of the blacksmiths asked. “He definitely has a [Unique] skill!”

“I’ve… I’ve lost count. This… this is so lit. I should have turned on my stream!”

“Huh…? What stream…?” Another blacksmith squinted as he looked at the one who just spoke. “…Are you an Evil Spirit?”

“W…what!? No… no way. Me? Ha…hahaha!”

And as the players realized that they were in the presence of a hyum, they all started refraining from speaking out their comments.

Hours continued to melt away. And very soon, the other smiths left, shaking their heads in disbelief as Julian refused to speak or even acknowledge them.

KungFuFanda: Yow, how long has he been doing this?

BigBagel: dis getting boring bros. Im out. Call me if smthing cool happens

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: Casuals. The sword junkie doesn’t care about any of you!

Darkness started to fall, but Julian forged on like a madman.

“Uuhh…” The shop owner didn’t really know if he should approach Julian. “We’re closing, but… keep going if you want. Just… just don’t burn the place down.”

And of course, Julian did not even glance at him, not breaking his rhythm at all. The call of the forge drowned everything. In the flickering firelight, Julian’s hands continued their relentless dance.

And very soon… the darkness enveloped Julian, broken only by the forge’s glow and the occasional spark from his hammer, his large, towering shadows, veiling the entire smithy with each spark.

Hours and hours passed again. The forge might be his only source of light, but for someone like Julian… the world of shadows was his home.

This was his territory.

And soon, morning came.

iLuvUnicorns: Did no one tell him he needs to eat?

Guest: Return to your original body! Your body needs to eat!

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: The Sword Junkie is beyond the need to eat!

PepeDestroyer: lol. U guys do know he cant hear you, right?

“…What the? This guy is still here?”

And it wasn’t only the chat that was shocked. The shop owner and the blacksmiths were too—how could they not, when there were probably more than enough weapons there to outfit an entire army?

“Oi, you—”

“Don’t.” The lead blacksmith stopped one of the other smiths from approaching Julian. “Look at his eyes—he’s in a trance. Nothing good will come from disturbing him.”

“Oh, come on. What trance? That’s bullshit.”

“What’s bullshit is all of you just standing around!” The shop owner raised his voice, “If you have the time to talk, then grab more ingots for the man! Go! Go!”

The blacksmiths could do nothing but be pushed by the shop owner, suddenly forced to be a mere smithhand to this strange visitor. As for the shop owner…

His eyes that were reflecting the glimmering blades could not help but glisten; they might as well just reflect all the coins he could get from all of it. Just… how much money could he actually get?

“I’m… I’m gonna get rich!”

Julian was completely oblivious to all of this as he continued to hammer and hammer away.

And soon… it was night again.

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: O…okay. Sometimes the sword junkie needs to eat! Sword Junkie, go eat! Your real body also needs to eat!

iLuvUnicorns: If anyone knows the Sword Junkie, force him to log out!

Guest: I’m pretty sure this isn’t healthy. Does anyone have Humanity Engineering’s CEO’s number!?

And once again, everyone else left, and the forge became Julian’s only light, his shadows once again filling the entire smithy. This time, however…

For some reason, his shadows remained and seemingly even swallowed the fire itself.

[Unlocked the Unique Hidden Class Quest: Master of Shadows!]

[Prerequisite: Craft 100 [Rare] grade weapons consecutively without rest with only the heart of the forge as your light! You are a Blacksmith without equal, your hands blessed by the gods themselves!]

And all of a sudden, ethereal words materialized before him, glowing softly in the dim light.

“Hm?” Julian finally paused his hammer mid-swing. If Julian remembered correctly, these floating words in front of him were the Guidance of Artemis.

[The Master of Shadows is—]

“Skip… What is it even saying?” Julian’s brow furrowed as he muttered, running his fingers through his sweat-dampened hair.

[Would you like to accept the Hidden Quest? Requirements: Offer all the weapons you have crafted to the shadows.]

The words shimmered. He tried to ignore the floating text, but it persisted, hovering at the edge of his awareness. Julian growled in frustration.

“Can’t even work in peace,” he grumbled, his hands itching to return to the forge.

The quest’s presence nagged at him, an unwelcome distraction from his craft. Julian’s jaw clenched.

“Ugh,” he snapped, reaching out to touch the ethereal words. “Accept. Now leave me be.”

[Quest Accepted!]

And as soon as he accepted it, an even darker shadow suddenly revealed itself to the smithy—Julian was completely unaware of it, however, as he continued to hammer away.

And soon, this pitch-black shadow crawled toward the swords he had created, swallowing them all into its abyss, and it seemed even hungry for more.

[Congratulations, you are now one step closer to becoming the Master of Shadows! Here are your labors:

1. Craft 10 [Epic] grade weapons and offer them to the shadows.

2. Craft a [Unique Epic] grade weapon.

3. Kill a [Special] monster using—]

“Oh…?” And before the information could fully enter Julian’s mind, he felt his vision suddenly darken, his hand that was holding the hammer losing all of its strength as his body finally gave in to the exhaustion.

And without even any mercy, his body dropped to the ground as he lost consciousness.

[…]

[…The Gods of Artemia are watching you now.]

End Stream.

DiddySlayer69: Did… did be just die!? What happened to the stream!?

LadyGago: Subscribe, subscribe!

iLuvUnicorns: You guys are still here? Are we the pervert for watching someone use a hammer for 2 days straight…?

[Julian, wake up…]

Back on Earth, MEGAN was desperately trying to wake Julian up as soon as the stream ended.

[Julian…]

[… Please, wake up!]

Chapter eleven

A Very Unexpected Development

[Julian! Wake up! Please… just wake up! I don’t… I don’t really know what I’ll do without you, Julian, like… literally and technically. So please, please wake up!]

“!?” Julian woke up from his own gasp, his eyes snapping open, only to see black. MEGAN’s sobs echoed in his ears, her artificial voice cracking with emotion.

“What… where am I?” his voice rasped, throat parched.

[Julian…? Julian! You’re awake!] MEGAN’s relief was palpable, her voice just wringing in Julian’s mind. [I’ve been… I’ve been trying to wake you for hours.]

He blinked, confusion washing over him. Just moments ago, he was living in euphoria as he hammered away without worrying about anything else, the weapons he had created journeying with him. But now, all of those weapons were gone—no. Everything was gone.

“I… I can’t see,” he whispered, panic rising in his chest; he knew why he couldn’t see, but he truly did not want to admit it. “Why… why can’t I see!?”

[Julian, please… please relax.] MEGAN’s loud voice soon became soft. [You remember our calming routine, correct? So, just breathe, Julian… breathe.]

“H… huh?” Julian breathed out, his throat, as dry as it could ever be. “Routine…? What routine? What…”

[Julian, you’re back in your real body,] MEGAN explained gently. [You need to eat, you need to rest. I know that you are extremely confused, disoriented, and excited right now—but I need you to listen to me, okay? Julian… breathe.]

“I’m… I’m back to the real world?” Reality crashed down on Julian. He fumbled for the LinkGear, trying to find buttons to press as he was desperate to return to Artemia.

“I… I need to go back,” he muttered, fingers searching frantically. “I’m not… I’m not done, MEGAN! I was… I was making so many swords, I was… I was… I saw myself, MEGAN. I saw the trees… I saw everything. I saw you… you were… you were so beautiful and… I need to go back.”

[Julian, stop it! Just stop!] MEGAN’s voice was sharp. [The LinkGear won’t even let you connect. Your vitals… are dangerously low. You’re hungry, Julian. You need food, and you need rest. I know some parts of your mind are underdeveloped, Julian. But I know you can understand me. You need food. It’s up to you if you want to rest since your real body’s pretty much all rested. But you need food.]

“But… but there’s nothing for me here, MEGAN… I need to return, please…” Julian gripped the sheets of his bed, frustration boiling over. He tried to sit up, but his body felt like lead.

[Please, Julian,] MEGAN pleaded. [You need to rest. You’ve been unconscious for—]

“I don’t care…” he whispered. “I… Huh…?”

His words trailed off as he registered a weight on his leg and a familiar scent. Lavender and vanilla.

“Ellie? Is Ellie… here?” Julian quickly patted the weight on his leg, only to feel a familiar warmth on his palm.

[Yes, Julian. Ellie is here,] MEGAN said softly, her words slightly trailing. [She’s dead-tired and asleep because she has been here taking care of your stupid body for almost two days straight. I mean… what were you even thinking?]

“W…What?” Julian froze, a mix of emotions washing over him. Guilt, gratitude, and a lingering ache he couldn’t quite place.

“…Two days?” he whispered. “Why… would she even be here?”

[Why do you think?] MEGAN scoffed, [I called her and told her that you’ve been neglecting your body. I swear, Julian—you’re very lucky. Because if I had my own body? Oh… Oho… You would have found yourself stuck with millions of feeding tubes.]

“You… shouldn’t have done that, MEGAN.” Julian sighed as he very gently brushed Ellie’s soft hair. “Ellie and I… we already broke up.”

[Do you think I’m stupid? I know that, I was there.] MEGAN groaned and even made a spitting sound. [I heard your pathetic cries. But that doesn’t matter—go eat. Ellie cooked for you.]

And as soon as Julian heard that, he finally felt the aching throb that had been weighing on his stomach. Julian gently shifted his leg, careful not to disturb Ellie.

“Food…” The aroma of fresh food wafted through the air, making his stomach growl. He reached out, fingers brushing against a warm plate.

“She cooked for me?” he murmured, a tinge of guilt coloring his voice.

[Yes, and you should eat,] MEGAN urged. [Your body needs nourishment. You do know that you still exist here, right? Don’t be stupid, be better.]

“Right…” Julian could really only let out a small sigh as he gracefully sat up and moved toward the smell. He was being extremely careful, of course, as he was still not fully familiar with his new apartment.

[The table is 107 centimeters to your left, Julian.]

Julian carefully stepped to the left, stretching his hands forward until he felt something hard.

[I recommended Ellie to cook you a porridge—she prepared a chicken and egg porridge with lots of leeks. You need a lot of protein and carbohydrates, Julian.]

“Hm.” Julian nodded, lifting a spoonful to his mouth. The flavors exploded on his tongue, reminding him how long it had been since he’d eaten. He devoured the meal. His mind, however, was racing with thoughts of returning to Artemia as fast as he could.

[Julian, you need to rest,] MEGAN insisted as he finished eating. [Proper rest, not just sleep.]

“No,” Julian growled, pushing himself up. “I need to get back.”

[But—]

“No, MEGAN. I’m fine. I still need to—”

“Julian…? Are you alright?” A soft rustle of fabric caught his attention. Ellie’s voice, clearly just woken up, drowned any of the other voices and noise surrounding him. But even though she had just woken up, Julian could already feel how angry she was. “Julian…”

He turned toward her voice, heart completely nervous. “Ellie, I—”

“Don’t say anything,” she cut him off, anger seeping into her tone as she rushed toward Julian. Her words were stuttered, obviously already in tears. “What the fuck were you thinking, ba—Julian!? Seriously? A fucking video game!? I just left you for two days and you’re already destroying your… your life!? Seriously!?”

“I’m—” Julian flinched at the raw emotion in her words. He opened his mouth to respond, but Ellie did not even let him speak, her voice rising.

“You sold everything!?” Ellie continued her rampage of words. “And seriously!? The Below!? Why would you even move here!? You could have just asked me, and I would have let you stay with me, babe! Do you know how many daemons are in this place!?”

“But—”

“I know we’re not together anymore, but fucking damn it, Julian, I still love you!” The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken history. “I care for you… you’re… you’re still… you’re still my best friend, Julian. Why… just why would you do this to yourself? I mean, what the fuck!?”

“This is—”

“No, you don’t get to speak to me.” Julian heard her walk away abruptly, footsteps moving toward the door. His chest tightened, wanting to reach out but knowing he couldn’t.

“Look,” Ellie said, her voice softer now. “My offer stands. There’s a place for you at my apartment in Sky Net if you need it. I left you more meals in your fridge, so just eat them.”

The door opened, and Julian felt a rush of cool air.

“Just… remember I’m here for you, okay? Whatever this is… I’ll be with you.” Ellie’s final words were barely above a whisper before the door clicked shut.

And with Ellie just suddenly leaving, Julian could really only stand in stunned silence, Ellie’s words echoing in his mind. The pull of Artemia and the colorful scenery his working eyes showed him still tugged at him, but for the first time…

He felt the weight of what he might be leaving behind; he felt the weight of Ellie. He should probably chase after her, but he didn’t.

He walked back to his bed, his hand trembling as he reached for the LinkGear. His fingers brushed the smooth surface, anticipation and hesitation coursing through his veins.

“Julian, stop.” MEGAN’s voice cut through his focus.

“There’s nothing for me to do here,” Julian sighed.

[Maybe.] MEGAN let out a small hum. [But I talked to the LinkGear, and you must wait eight hours before you can actually reconnect.]

“What?” Julian dropped the device, frustration bubbling up. “Eight hours? I can’t—”

[Yes. Yes, you can,] MEGAN insisted, her tone brooking no argument. [Your body needs time to recover. It is a failsafe that Humanity Engineering set up.]

“But… I can’t just sit here, MEGAN.” Julian sighed, restless energy thrumming through him. “I need to go back.”

[Well… you can’t. Might I suggest some exercise would help pass the time? Your body has been stationary for almost forty-eight hours. You need to move it or risk atrophy.]

“Really?” Julian paused, slightly humming as he thought of MEGAN’s suggestion.

[Yes.]

“Fine,” he muttered, dropping to the floor of his small apartment.

He positioned himself for push-ups, muscles tensed. As he lowered himself, something felt… different. But he completely ignored it as he pushed up.

[What!?]

“!?” And all of a sudden, he was airborne. Julian’s head nearly collided with the ceiling before he crashed back down to the floor.

“What…?” he gasped, heart pounding, “What happened!?”

[Wait… wait!] MEGAN’s voice held a note of shock. [Julian… your strength. Something is not… right.]

“Something’s… not right?” Julian whispered. “What… do you mean?”

[It appears, Julian…] MEGAN said slowly.

[That you may have inherited some of your clone’s enhanced abilities from Otherworld.]

“Huh?”

Chapter twelve

Sword Junkie… also IRL?

“What… do you mean?”

[I meant what I said, Julian—you may have inherited your clone’s abilities from the Otherworld Project.]

“Is that a feature?”

[No.]

“Hm…”

If MEGAN’s avatar were in the apartment with Julian right now, she would probably have her hand on her chin, staring at Julian from head to toe. As for Julian, well… he was just standing there, unsure of what to do with himself. The implications of MEGAN’s statement were sinking in, and a subtle, almost disquieting thought tugged at him.

[Shall… we test it?] MEGAN replicated the sound of a gulp.

“Should I… jump?”

[No! You almost hit your head earlier!]

“Did I… really?” Julian whispered in disbelief.

[Yes! Why don’t you try lifting the table? I’ll guide you, since you’re still unfamiliar with the apartment.] There was a nervous excitement in MEGAN’s tone as she directed him to the table.

“Okay…”

Julian tapped the table several times before sliding his hands to the edge. He hesitated for a second, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. His fingers gripped the wood, and with a breath, he lifted it.

With one hand.

[Gasp!] MEGAN was so shocked that she verbalized the sound of a gasp instead of letting out a gasping sound. Her exclamation drowned out the noise of the fork and bowl that crashed to the floor from the table.

[Extraordinary. Your physical stats appear identical to your Otherworld clone, but I don’t see any change in your vitals, Julian. This is… weird.]

“What… what?” Julian’s voice trembled, his heart racing. “Am I… am I really lifting the table?”

[Yes! This is unprecedented, Julian!] MEGAN’s voice was loud and frantic. [I’ve searched the internet for anything similar before, but the closest I found were stories from sci-fi books and webtoons.]

“I’m really lifting the table?” Julian’s grip on the table tightened. “You’re not… pranking me because I neglected my real body, right?”

[No! As much as I want to do that right now, this takes top priority!] MEGAN screamed. [Wait, let me think…]

Julian carefully placed the table back on the floor, his hands shaking. He crouched down, tapping the floor until he felt the cool touch of steel against his fingers. A spoon. He picked it up and, without thinking, tried to bend it with his thumb.

“Huh…?” There was no resistance. It didn’t even feel like he was applying any force, but the spoon now sat in his palm, bent almost ninety degrees.

Julian’s breath caught in his throat. He could feel a knot tightening in his chest. This was real. But it didn’t feel real. What did this mean for him?

All his life, he’d been blind, limited, trapped within a body that wouldn’t allow him to live freely. Now, here he was, bending steel and lifting tables like it was nothing. A feeling he couldn’t place—some mix of fear and exhilaration—rippled through him… but of course, he was still blind.

[Julian, it’s best we don’t tell anyone about this—not even Humanity Engineering,] MEGAN whispered cautiously. [One of their main goals is to uncover Artemia’s secrets. If they discover what’s happening to you, they might turn you into a guinea pig.]

“They’d probably want to dissect me or something…” Julian’s voice was quiet, but his mind was racing.

[Exactly,] MEGAN confirmed, her voice sharp. [I’ve seen too many… questionable experiments linked to them. You don’t want to end up being one of those rumors.]

“But what do I do now?” Julian asked, still staring at the spoon in his hand.

[For now? Rest. Your mind and body still need time to recover.]

Silence hung between them for a moment. Julian placed the spoon down, his mind still whirling.

[Maybe… maybe you should call Ellie.] MEGAN broke the silence.

“You’re here, MEGAN. That’s more than enough,” Julian quickly disagreed, almost too quickly.

[I am flattered, but you need more than me, Julian,] MEGAN responded with a soft scoff. [Ellie could help, especially with your current situation.]

Julian shook his head, almost instinctively. “No… I don’t need to drag her into this. She has her own life now.”

[Suit yourself, but this is bigger than you realize.] MEGAN’s voice was stern. [I’ll keep looking for answers, but for now, you need to eat, get some air. You’ve been cooped up in here for too long.]

“When can I return to Otherworld?”

[You have superhuman abilities now, and the only thing you can think about is returning to that game?] MEGAN snapped, her frustration palpable. [Julian, this is serious. This isn’t about Otherworld anymore. You need to understand what’s happening to you.]

“I do understand,” Julian sighed. “But none of this changes anything here. I’m still blind in this world. In Artemia, I can see all the things I create, and it’s—”

[The LinkGear says you can’t enter for another eleven hours,] MEGAN cut him off, her voice hard. [Rest. Then maybe get some fresh air.]

“But—”

[No, Julian! Don’t make me repeat myself. And while you’re out later, we should buy pre-made meals because you can’t cook.] MEGAN’s voice took on a motherly tone, leaving no room for argument.

“Fine,” Julian relented, dropping onto the bed with a sigh. “But maybe I can check the LinkGear—”

[REST!]

And while Julian had no choice but to rest, the internet was in chaos. People’s eyes, lighting up in the darkness as they reflected the light from their screens.

The forums and comment sections of Otherworld streams were buzzing, flooded with wild guesses and conspiracy theories about the mysterious “Sword Junkie.” With no official announcement or clues about his identity, everyone was as blind as Julian—and they didn’t like it.

iLuvUnicorns: Yo, has anyone figured out who the hell this dude is yet?

DiddySlayer69: I’ve searched like every player database. This pervert’s a ghost or something.

KungFuFanda: Bruh, I bet he’s like some rich CEO’s kid playing with daddy’s money. No way he’s just some rando.

PicklePirata: Lmao, you’re all trippin’. Dude’s probs some mid-level gamer. Everyone acting like he’s a god or something. Chill.

SwordJunkieStan: Nah, nah, this guy’s different. His moves, bro… no one plays like that on day one. He’s gotta be a vet or smth.

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: What the—who approved of you being a stan?

The frustration grew as the watchers scoured forums, streams, and even Reddit for any hint of the Sword Junkie’s real identity. But no matter where they looked, there were no posts, no leaks, nothing.

RatsArePeopleToo: Bruh, he must be hacking.

DiddySlayer69: Lmao, hacking Otherworld? Are you guys forgetting its not a video game?

KungFuFanda: Yeah, but how tf is this dude just slicing through goblins like he’s in Light Souls? Makes no sense.

PicklePirata: Probably luck. Y’all getting hyped over nothing. Bet we never hear from him again.

SwordJunkieStan: Luck? LUCK? Did you SEE that last fight? This guy’s built different, for real. Sword Junkie’s gotta be somebody. We just gotta figure it out.

LilBigBrain: If this dude ends up being some no-name player, imma lose it. No way he’s just some regular gamer. Bet on it.

With nothing to show for their efforts, the watchers remained on high alert, scanning every piece of information for clues. They wouldn’t give up. The Sword Junkie’s identity had become a puzzle they were determined to solve.

But while most of them were frantic—one was currently reviewing and rewinding all of the Sword Junkie’s movements while he hammered away in the forge.

“The technique and skill…” The man stood in front of his computer, his eyes reflecting the sparks coming from each hit.

“…This Sword Junkie is hitting all [Perfect] spots!?”

Chapter thirteen

The Situation in the Below

“MEGAN, are you sure I need this mask?”

Julian’s voice was muffled by the black oxygen mask on his face, his words barely audible over the bustle of the streets around him. After resting for a few hours, he made his way through the narrow, crowded paths of the Below, tapping his cane rhythmically against the cracked and uneven ground. The city around him felt more alive than Sky Net in ways he hadn’t yet fully grasped.

MEGAN had insisted he wear a face mask, citing concerns about pollution, even though they both knew that technology had long since eradicated most of the air quality issues.

“MEGAN…” Julian murmured under his breath, feeling the soft fabric press against his face. The air was already crisp and sterile, thanks to the nanotech filtration systems built into even this part of the city.

[Yes, Julian,] MEGAN responded with a sigh. [I’m sure you need the mask.]

“If… you say so.” The sounds of haggling, clanking machinery and muffled chatter filled his heightened senses. The buildings here were smaller, older, and more worn. People hustled about, always on the move. Despite the lack of visible grime, the area still felt impoverished compared to the sleek, gleaming towers of Sky Net.

[You should’ve never sold the apartment, Julian,] MEGAN huffed, her voice frustrated. [We had everything up there—space, light, fresh air. Now we’re stuck down here because you went and sold it all for some ridiculous—]

“MEGAN, I know,” Julian cut her off, his grip on the cane tightening.

[If only you had listened to me,] MEGAN continued, her tone softening slightly, a tinge of worry creeping in. [You were comfortable there. We both were. And now… look at us.]

“I’ll be…fine,” Julian reassured her, though the hollowness of his words betrayed him. The streets of the Below felt claustrophobic, the air thick with the hum of life—life that was constantly on edge.

[But… I suppose this Otherworld thing you’re obsessed with isn’t so bad…] MEGAN’s tone shifted, her frustration replaced by something new—excitement.

“And now you’re suddenly alright with it?”

[Well, you wouldn’t believe it!] MEGAN’s voice vibrated with enthusiasm. [I was watching the stream earlier… Julian, there are so many people talking about you! You’re practically famous!]

Julian’s steps faltered for a moment. He hummed in confusion. “What do you mean, famous?”

[Your adventures, Julian! Everyone saw how you fought those goblins… and how you crafted all those weapons. People are calling you the Sword Junkie!] MEGAN giggled, clearly relishing in the title.

Julian frowned, unsure how to process the information. “Sword Junkie? That’s… what they’re calling me?”

[Yes! Isn’t it hilarious? You’re already a legend! They’re trying to figure out who you are. You have fans, Julian! Can you believe it?]

Julian’s heart raced. Fans? People watching him, dissecting his every move? He felt exposed, like his private sanctuary had been torn open for the world to see. He had always been a craftsman working in solitude. To have people watching him, analyzing his every swing, every decision—it felt suffocating.

“Fans…?” he repeated, his voice tinged with unease.

[It’s incredible, Julian!] MEGAN continued, oblivious to his discomfort. [They’re calling you the next big thing in Otherworld. The way you fought and crafted those weapons… they’ve never seen anyone like you before. You’re a mystery to them.]

Julian bit his lip. Being a mystery was never his goal. He just wanted to work, to create, to explore. The thought of being watched felt wrong. His movements, his skills—he’d perfected them in the dark, in the quiet of his forge. Now it was all out in the open.

“I… I don’t know if I like that,” he admitted softly.

[Oh, don’t be shy, Julian!] MEGAN teased. [You’ve got talent, and people are noticing. It’s exciting! For once, your blacksmithing is finally useful now!]

“Hm…” Julian hummed, unsure how to feel about any of this. “I didn’t do any of this for attention, MEGAN. I just wanted to make weapons and see the world.”

[Well, the world is seeing you now,] MEGAN replied with a knowing edge. [And they’re loving every minute of it. Well, some are hating, but don’t worry… as soon as I recover my account, they’re dead.]

“Famous…” Julian whispered. The word felt strange on his tongue. “Me?”

As Julian stood at the edge of the street with a bag of groceries already in hand, he waited for the light to change, the unfamiliar hum of the Below wrapped around him—the voices of vendors, the clatter of distant machinery, and the muffled footsteps of passersby. MEGAN’s voice continued to buzz in his ear, excited about the growing attention he was receiving in Otherworld.

Then, a nearby news broadcast caught his attention.

[Breaking News: Daemon Attack in Southeast Asia! A horde of daemons has breached the protective walls of Jakarta, causing mass devastation. The military has been dispatched, but the situation remains dire…]

Julian froze, his heart skipping a beat. Daemons. Even in this advanced world, the mere mention of daemons sent shivers down his spine. He tightened his grip on his cane, his senses heightened as they always were in moments like these… because it was the only thing he could do.

“Daemons?” Julian whispered, his breath catching in his throat.

[Julian, don’t worry about it. It’s far away. We’re safe,] MEGAN reassured him, her tone shifting to one of concern. [There is no—]

“Hm!?” All of a sudden, Julian felt something crawl on the back of his neck—and then, out of nowhere, a scream pierced through the usual noise of the streets.

“Help! A daemon! There’s a daemon here!”

Julian’s pulse quickened as the ground beneath him trembled. He could feel the vibrations rippling through the pavement, each one stronger and more pronounced than the last. Panic surged around him as people scrambled, their footsteps erratic, their voices desperate.

[A daemon, here!?] MEGAN’s voice screamed in his head, her panic mirroring the chaos around him. [Get out of there NOW!]

But Julian didn’t move. His feet remained rooted to the ground, his senses sharpening as they homed in on the vibrations. He could feel it—heavy, deliberate footsteps, much larger than anything else in the vicinity. The ground rumbled beneath him, and with each step, the creature drew closer.

“I’m… not running,” Julian murmured, his voice low and steady.

[Are you stupid!? You’re not in Otherworld, Julian! RUN!]

“No…” Julian grunted as the air around him thickened, the oppressive weight of the daemon bearing down on him. The roars, the screams of people fleeing—it all became background noise to the steady rhythm of his pulse.

He could feel it—heavy, deliberate footsteps. The ground trembled beneath his feet as the beast drew closer, each step more distinct than the last. He could hear it, the grotesque, guttural breathing that sent chills down his spine.

Daemons—the creatures who killed his parents.

“I’m… not running,” he murmured under his breath.

[Julian… we’ve already established that you’re stupid. You don’t need to prove it!] MEGAN’s voice shrieked in his head, the panic in her tone unmistakable. [Get out of there NOW!]

“No…” Julian’s feet remained planted, his pulse steadying even as the world around him seemed to descend into chaos.

[Julian, please. Don’t do this.] MEGAN’s voice trembled for the first time, laced with something that almost sounded like… fear.

[I… don’t want to lose you.]

The unmistakable terror in the voices of people fleeing past him rushed through his ears. His heightened senses, sharp from a lifetime of navigating in darkness, and now even more enhanced due to the fact that he received his clone’s abilities, told him exactly what was happening—the crowd scattered like ants, frantically sprinting away from the growing danger.

And yet, Julian stood still.

“You’re not going to lose me,” he whispered, his voice low but resolute.

[Julian, you can’t fight a daemon! You’re not in Otherworld right now!] MEGAN’s voice trembled with fear, but Julian wasn’t listening. [Even if you were, that’s not a goblin! Damn it! Listen!]

“I… am listening.” Julian tilted his head as he could feel the daemon approaching, its presence dark and oppressive, making the air around him thick with tension.

[Julian, the daemon is 12 seconds away. It’s moving fast!]

Julian’s fingers tightened around the cane, the weight of it suddenly heavier in his hand.

He remembered his father’s words, years ago, when the cane had first been handed to him—

“When the time comes… you’ll know.”

Julian raised the cane in front of him with both hands—his fingers slid over the familiar grooves of the cane’s handle. The weight shifted in his hand, heavier, colder. With a deliberate twist, he felt something metal sliding free, the sharp hiss filling the air around him. The cane—his unassuming, everyday guide—revealed its true form.

A rapier.

“MEGAN… guide me.”

[Fuck! Fine!] MEGAN screamed. [Duck!]

And once again, with a blade in his hand… Julian’s entire demeanor changed.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

Chapter fourteen

An AI, a Sword Junkie, and a Daemon Walk into a Bar

[Duck!]

Julian dropped low just as the daemon’s massive claw swiped through the air where his head had been moments before. The force of the blow sent a gust of wind whipping past his ears, and a thrill shot through him, electrifying his senses. He could feel the beast’s weight towering above him, its grotesque presence looming like a dark cloud, but instead of fear, something else stirred inside him—excitement.

“This…” A grin spread across his face.

Without hesitating, Julian rolled to the side and sprang to his feet, gripping his rapier firmly in one hand. The world around him blurred into the background—the fleeing screams, the distant sirens—none of it mattered. His pulse quickened in anticipation, his blood thrumming with energy. He could hear the heavy, labored breathing of the daemon as it closed in.

“MEGAN,” Julian muttered, barely able to contain the adrenaline pulsing through his veins. “How close?”

[4 seconds. It’s moving fast!]

The daemon’s grotesque, tentacle-like appendages lashed out blindly. Julian could feel the air shift with their movement. With a quick pivot, he sidestepped the attack, laughing under his breath. In one swift motion, he lunged forward—but the tip of his rapier barely scratched the surface of the daemon’s exoskeleton, the sharp clang reverberating in the air.

“Shit.” Julian’s grin widened. MEGAN could feel his entire personality shift, the calm and somewhat meek demeanor slipping away as his body craved the thrill of the fight.

[Julian! Dodge left—now!] MEGAN’s voice snapped him out of his trance, but the grin stayed plastered on his face as he moved, adrenaline surging.

As Julian steadied himself, his fingers tightened around the hilt of his rapier. MEGAN’s voice echoed in his ear, guiding him with precision. He could feel the daemon’s looming presence in front of him, its massive frame casting a suffocating shadow that sent chills down his spine. But instead of fear, an unfamiliar excitement bubbled inside him—a thrill he hadn’t felt since crafting his first blade.

“Heh…”

With a quick step forward, he lunged, aiming the rapier straight for the daemon’s chest. The blade met its target with a satisfying thud, and to his surprise, the daemon staggered back ever so slightly. The force of Julian’s newfound supernatural strength had pushed it off balance, if only for a moment. But instead of the smooth penetration he expected, his sword screeched against something unnervingly solid.

“What…?” Julian muttered, pushing harder, but the blade barely scratched the surface of the creature’s exoskeleton. It was like trying to pierce through metal—no, something harder, tougher.

[Julian! It’s not working!] MEGAN’s voice was sharp with urgency. [That exoskeleton is stronger than steel. You’re going to need more than brute force!]

“… It’s like hitting a wall,” Julian breathed, but a grin tugged at the corners of his lips. His pulse quickened, his senses flaring. “Ha… Hahahaha!”

And while he laughed, the daemon let out a guttural roar, swiping at him with monstrous speed, but Julian dodged, his reflexes almost instinctual.

“Perfect,” he whispered, gripping the rapier tighter. “This is going to be fun.”

Julian circled the daemon, feeling the thrill of the battle surge through him with each step. His heart raced, not from fear, but from excitement. He could feel the tension building, the shift in his demeanor as the primal urge to fight took over. The rapier in his hand felt like it was made for him—light, deadly, and ready—and perhaps his father truly gave him the weapon just for this moment.

The daemon let out another guttural roar, swinging its massive claw toward him with the force of a wrecking ball. Julian ducked swiftly, the air above his head vibrating with the sheer power of the strike.

“Close…” he whispered to himself, a grin forming on his lips. This was exhilarating.

[Julian, listen to me! You need to strike the joints! The exoskeleton is too hard!] MEGAN’s voice rang sharply in his head, cutting through the chaos. [Tilt your wrist slightly upward, about 45 degrees—yes, right there. Now push forward with your left foot and thrust!]

Julian adjusted his stance without hesitation, his body responding to MEGAN’s guidance as though it was second nature. She had been with him his entire life, leading him through the darkness. He didn’t need to see; he only needed to listen.

With MEGAN’s words echoing in his mind, he shifted his weight and pushed forward, tilting his wrist exactly as she instructed. The rapier slipped into the daemon’s leg, finding the soft flesh beneath the hard exoskeleton.

The daemon let out a shriek, stumbling back slightly as Julian’s supernatural strength forced it to retreat. The thrill of the strike pulsed through him, his heart racing with satisfaction.

[That’s it! You got it, Julian! Be ready for the next move!] MEGAN urged, her voice steady despite the tension.

Julian grinned. He could feel the pulse of the battle, every motion, every breath. MEGAN’s guidance was like a second set of senses, allowing him to fight as if he had sight.

“!!!”

But then, one of the cars parked near him suddenly horned its alarm, causing Julian’s concentration to disappear for a moment.

[Dodge to your left!]

Unfortunately for Julian, a moment was the only thing the daemon needed.

“Kh!?” Julian barely registered the daemon’s next move. A crushing force slammed into his side, sending him flying backward through the air. His body hit the ground hard, skidding several feet before coming to a stop against a nearby wall. Pain surged through his ribs, and for the first time since the battle began, he felt the overwhelming strength of the creature. His breath came in ragged gasps, the impact knocking the wind out of him. The rapier fell from his hand, clattering uselessly beside him.

“Shit,” Julian muttered, coughing as he struggled to get up. His muscles screamed in protest, and for a brief moment, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind.

[Julian, stay focused!] MEGAN’s voice cut through the haze in his mind, sharp with concern. [You can’t let it hit you again like that! This isn’t a game! The rapier is 21 centimeters left from your right foot!]

“I know,” Julian grunted, pushing himself to his feet. But even as his body screamed in pain, his thirst for battle only grew. He patted the ground and picked up the rapier, his fingers tightening around the hilt.

“This… this is still fun, right?” As Julian stood, the daemon’s oppressive presence loomed closer, its grotesque silhouette distorted by the shadows.

[Julian, listen. You can’t overpower it head-on. Use your environment! The debris around you, the walls—leverage them.] MEGAN’s voice steadied him, her words a lifeline amid the chaos.

“No. Too complicated,” Julian growled, the hunger in his voice growing more insistent. “Just tell me where to strike.”

[Julian, you can’t—]

“Just. Tell. Me. Please.”

There was a pause before MEGAN’s voice returned, cold, robotic and extremely fast.

[Understood. Right leg joint. Distance: 1.2 meters. Wrist angle: 40 degrees upward. Left foot forward by 0.7 meters. Strike now.]

Without hesitation, Julian’s body moved like a machine, driving the rapier into the daemon’s leg joint at the exact angle MEGAN dictated. The blade slipped into the flesh beneath the exoskeleton. The daemon screeched, stumbling back slightly, but Julian wasn’t done.

[Left arm joint. Angle: 25 degrees outward. Distance: 1.8 meters. Brace for counterattack.]

Julian grinned and lunged, stabbing the daemon’s left arm. His strikes came faster, more brutal, guided by MEGAN’s precise instructions.

[Right leg. 15 degrees…]

Julian followed, his attacks relentless. Each stab was cold and calculated, yet filled with a savage intensity.

“Kreekh!?” The daemon’s limbs began to buckle under the onslaught, its once terrifying form slowly unraveling. Dark ichor spilled from its joints as its limbs started to tear apart.

[Daemon’s structural integrity compromised,] MEGAN’s voice buzzed in his ear. [Final blow required.]

The daemon’s body was collapsing, its grotesque frame folding in on itself. But Julian’s bloodlust was far from sated. He stepped closer, towering over the daemon’s twitching, broken body.

[Aim for the eyes. Distance: 1.5 meters. Arm extension: 90 degrees. Wrist rotation: 30 degrees clockwise. Strike now.]

“Ha…” Julian grinned wickedly, lifting the rapier and plunging it into the daemon’s glowing eye. Blood sprayed across his hands, but he barely noticed.

“Hahahaha!” With a gleeful laugh, he twisted the blade, scraping its inside with a horrifying screech. He pulled the rapier out only to drive it back in again, this time deeper, twisting and gouging the daemon’s eye socket with violent fervor.

[Julian, stop!] MEGAN’s voice was sharp with panic as she returned to her usual tone. [It’s dead! You’ve won! Stop!]

But Julian kept stabbing, laughing maniacally as he scraped the daemon’s brains with reckless abandon.

[Julian! Please!] MEGAN’s voice cracked. [It’s already dead!]

Finally, Julian froze as he realized what he was doing, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He could finally feel all the blood and brain fluid flowing from his trembling hands.

[Julian…] MEGAN’s voice was even softer now, filled with something close to fear. [You need to stop. This… this isn’t you. We… we almost died, Julian. We… we should have just run away.]

Julian said nothing, his breaths just escaping his lips. He was about to say something, but a quiet noise came from afar.

[Julian, people are coming!] MEGAN’s voice sounded hurried. [They might be Exterminators coming to hunt the daemon! If they see you’ve killed it, they’ll start asking questions! You need to hide… now!]

Chapter fifteen

Danger, Danger, Pants on Fire

[Julian, people are coming! You need to hide—there’s an alley nearby on your right. 20 meters!]

“Okay.” Julian’s breath quickened as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the street. MEGAN’s voice buzzed urgently in his mind.

He turned his shoulder in the direction MEGAN pointed out. His heightened senses locked on to the narrow alley just a few meters away. He started tapping his cane on the ground in habit, and quickly realized from the clanging sound that it was still, in fact, a rapier.

“My cane,” he muttered. He’d dropped the scabbard for his rapier when he started fighting the daemon.

[Julian! You can’t leave it there. Someone will notice!] MEGAN’s voice grew more frantic.

“I know…” Julian hissed, cursing his luck as he turned his head around for MEGAN to scan the area.

[14 meters to where your head is currently facing. Quickly!] It took only a second for MEGAN to calculate its exact location.

Julian lunged to the left, patting the ground several times before grabbing the scabbard with a speed that rivaled the extinct cheetah MEGAN had once told him about. In one fluid motion, he sheathed the rapier, the weapon clicking as it transformed back into his unassuming cane.

But as soon as he had it secured, he realized something else. It was too late. The footsteps were too close. The people were already rounding the corner. Panic clawed at him, but only for a moment. An idea struck him. Ridiculous, yes. But desperate times called for desperate measures. He collapsed to the ground…

And pretended to be unconscious. His cane fell just beside him, and he did his best to appear utterly lifeless.

The footsteps grew louder, and Julian willed himself to stay completely still. His body, still slightly thrumming with left-over adrenaline, resisted. He could hear his heartbeat, loud in his ears, but forced his breathing to slow. MEGAN was in his mind, practically screaming.

[Julian! What are you doing!? Hide! This is ridiculous! You—]

“Shh,” he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for MEGAN to hear. “Trust me.”

And then, he heard the voices.

“Holy shit…” a man’s voice came, footsteps slowing to a stop.

“Is that…?” another voice said, lower and more disbelieving.

Julian stayed still, his face pressed against the cold ground. He could hear their boots shuffling, coming closer. With MEGAN also blind since his eyes were closed, the only thing she and Julian could really rely on was the sounds and vibrations.

“It’s… dead,” someone whispered, their awe clear.

“Brutal,” another voice chimed in, closer now. “Looks like something ripped the damn thing apart.”

Julian could practically feel their eyes on the daemon carcass, the grotesque body torn asunder by his relentless attacks. He forced his breathing to remain even, though he could still hear MEGAN’s frantic commentary buzzing in his ear.

[Julian, this isn’t going to work, this isn’t going to work!]

The footsteps stopped just next to him, and Julian could hear the murmurs as they took in the scene. From their conversation, it became clear who they were: Exterminators. A group of hunters whose bodies are completely enhanced with cyberware. They were most likely here to respond to the daemon attack.

Julian’s body tensed when one of them stepped close enough to prod him lightly with the toe of their boot.

“Hey,” the voice said. “There’s a guy down here.”

Another person approached, probably the leader as Julian could hear everyone else making way for her. “Is he… alive?”

A hand pressed firmly on his neck, checking his pulse. Julian made sure to stay completely limp, even as his mind raced. He felt her check for a heartbeat, her fingers lingering longer than necessary, and then a sharp exhale of relief.

“He’s… alive,” the leader said. “Unconscious, but alive.”

“Alive? How’s that even possible when this place is completely fucked?”

“You think… he might be the one who took the daemon down?”

“Yeah, not with this.” Julian could hear one of them lightly kicking his cane, almost causing him to grip his hand into a fist. “Guy’s blind.”

“Not as blind as the daemon.”

“Hey, Derek—someone will finally find you attractive and it’s already dead. Get it? Because the daemon is blind?”

“Oh, right—I remember you have a fetish for daemons.”

“Who the fuck even started that rumor!?”

“Pft.”

A few of the others snickered at the comment, but the leader’s voice remained stern.

“That’s enough. We need to investigate this area further. Something isn’t right here.”

Julian could feel their eyes scanning the scene, lingering on the daemon’s grotesque corpse.

[Julian, don’t move!] MEGAN’s voice was still screaming in his mind, even panicking more than Julian. [Just stay calm! Please! Oh god, this is bad, really bad!]

But despite the buzzing in his ears, Julian felt the overwhelming exhaustion seep in. His heart rate, once hammering in his chest, began to slow. The adrenaline, once burning hot through his veins, was finally completely, and truly fading. And as MEGAN continued to panic in his head, Julian couldn’t help but let out a long breath. The exhaustion won over, and before he knew it…

He truly did lose consciousness.

“Hm…?” Julian’s eyes fluttered open for MEGAN; the weightlessness that surrounded his body felt like it pinned him down to the deepest parts of Earth.

[Julian, you’re awake… finally.] MEGAN’s voice was gentler now, calmer. [You’re in a hospital.]

Julian groaned, his senses still a little fuzzy. “My cane…” he mumbled, his hands blindly reaching out, tapping the edges of the bed in habit.

[It’s right beside you,] MEGAN started, but before she could finish, a different voice interrupted her. [But that is not important right now, there is—]

“Are you trying to find your cane?”

Julian stiffened at the sound of the unfamiliar, but commanding voice. A woman. His mind immediately raced back to the encounter with the Exterminators. It must be one of them. The leader, if he guessed correctly. Her voice was closer now, and there was a certain weight to it.

“You’re fine,” she continued, her voice neutral, but Julian could sense an underlying suspicion through her slightly monotonous tone. “A little too fine, actually.”

“Where am I?” Julian whispered weakly.

“Tell me, how does someone like you survive when twenty-four people are dead and hundreds are injured? You’re blind, aren’t you?” The woman’s tone had shifted. It was clear to Julian that she didn’t believe for a second that he was just some random bystander. “And without any cyberware installed in any part of your body except that AI that is staring at me.”

“I’m… safe?” Julian forced a small, tired smile onto his face. “I… got lucky, I guess?”

“Lucky, huh?” The woman hummed thoughtfully. Julian could hear the soft click as she reached for something nearby. His ears twitched at the familiar sound of metal sliding free. His rapier. The woman had unsheathed it.

In a flash, she rushed forward, pointing the blade directly at him. Julian could feel the air shift as the rapier stopped just short of his chest. He knew he could have reacted, his senses screaming at him to do so. But he held still. If he reacted, she would know that something was up with him.

“Hello…?” And so, instead, he moved his head around. “Are you still there?”

“Hm…” The woman hovered there for a moment, clearly testing him and then slightly retracted the blade when Julian leaned forward to the tip of the rapier. When Julian didn’t flinch at all, she slowly lowered the blade.

“Apologies,” she said, though her voice remained guarded. “I was just curious why you would have something like this.”

“You mean my… cane?” Julian muttered, his tone casual, almost nonchalant. “My father gave it to me when I was young. A blind man must have something to protect himself with, he said.”

“Well, I’m just going to place this beside your bed for now.” The woman placed the cane beside him on the bed and stood back. “You’re not in any condition to use this, anyway—you’re lucky to even be alive… I heard from the doctors that several of your ribs are cracked.”

“I suppose it could have been worse,” Julian hummed.

“Cindy Solis.” the woman finally introduced herself, her tone a bit softer now, though still laced with caution.

[Julian, she’s a Class-A Exterminator.] MEGAN chimed in as she instantly searched her up, her voice now completely on edge. [She’s… supposed to be one of the best. Nickname, Phantom.]

“Did you hear anyone fighting the daemon? Any signs of what happened?” Cindy continued.

“I don’t even know what happened and why I’m here, Ms. Cindy.” Julian sighed, putting on quite a performance.

“Is that so?” Cindy studied him for a long moment, her silence heavy. Finally, she nodded. “Well, I guess I should let you rest now—congratulations on surviving a daemon attack, not many did.”

As she turned to leave, Julian could hear the faint murmur of voices outside the room. She stopped just outside the door, and the voices grew clearer. But even with his hearing amplified, Julian could really only barely make out any words—but not because his hearing wasn’t enough, no.

But because he was once again losing consciousness due to his injuries.

Outside the hospital room, Cindy stood near the door, her expression neutral, almost detached, as if she were calculating something.

“Ma’am, was it him?” the man waiting beside her asked, his voice tinged with nervousness. “Was he the one who killed the daemon?”

Cindy didn’t answer right away. She glanced at her hand briefly, wiping off an invisible speck of dust from her sleeve before speaking in a tone completely devoid of emotion.

“Probably,” she said flatly, her voice almost emotionless compared to the way she had spoken to Julian. “He forgot to wipe the daemon’s blood off his cane.”

The man’s eyes widened. “Should we interrogate him then? The police said—”

“No,” Cindy interrupted, her voice cutting through the air with authority. “Tell the police he’s not a suspect.”

“But—” the man stammered, his protest dying in his throat as Cindy’s sharp gaze locked on to him.

“Do as I say,” she ordered, her tone colder now, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “This stays between us. No one else needs to know.”

The man hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Understood, ma’am… but why?”

Cindy’s eyes darkened as she turned away, her thoughts momentarily drifting. She’d already looked into Julian’s past. A man who had lost his parents to daemons, born blind, cursed with a condition that made him incompatible with any cyberware. By all accounts, he should be helpless against a daemon.

And yet… the blood on his sword.

“Because if he’s more than he appears, Craig…” Cindy’s voice dropped to a whisper, laced with determination. “I need to make sure he’s ours before anyone else figures it out.”

She glanced back at the door, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Rest well, Mr. Winters… I’ll be watching.”

Chapter sixteen

Can’t Sit Still

“Go away, shoo! Guards, call the guards!”

“Please! We just want to ask one question! One question, and we’ll leave!”

The shouts of the nurses echoed through the hospital hallway, the clattering of feet accompanying their cries as they chased away a crowd of disguised reporters. News had broken about the daemon attack, and rumors had spread about a mysterious blind man involved in the incident. The vultures had come swarming, trying to pry into Julian’s involvement, looking for any story they could get their hands on.

Julian lay still in his hospital bed, listening to the chaos outside his room. MEGAN’s voice buzzed in his mind.

[Reporters, huh? Guess the news got wind of the daemon attack. That, or they’re here for the rumors about a blind man surviving the attack when many others did not.]

Julian didn’t respond. He simply kept his face turned toward the ceiling, feeling the ache in his muscles. His body was still healing from the battle. But he was calm, quieter without the adrenaline of combat coursing through him. His demeanor was different now, softer.

The door opened, and a nurse stepped in, his heavy footsteps alerting Julian before he even spoke.

[What the!? Why is this guy even a nurse!?]

“You alright?” The nurse’s voice was deep, gruff—Julian could almost feel the bulk in the man’s build through his voice. MEGAN wanted to tell Julian that the nurse looked more like he belonged to the gym, but she refrained herself. “Don’t worry about those reporters. We’ve got them handled. You just rest.”

Julian nodded lightly in thanks, his lips curling into a brief, awkward smile. He didn’t say much—he rarely did when he wasn’t holding a weapon in his hand. The nurse stayed by his bedside for a moment longer before heading toward the door.

But Julian’s mind wasn’t on the reporters or even his aching body. His thoughts had already drifted back to the Otherworld. The itch to return to it had been growing since he left the magical world. He needed to get back there. The real world felt too slow, too heavy compared to the rush of battle in the Otherworld.

[I don’t even need to hear you to know you’re thinking about going back to that Otherworld thing of yours! Don’t you even think about it.] MEGAN’s voice cut through his thoughts, sharp as ever. [You have cracked ribs, a body that needs rest, and let’s not forget—you were just unconscious from exhaustion! What do you think people are going to say if you suddenly start walking around like nothing happened?]

He didn’t respond, which was enough of an answer for MEGAN. [Absolutely not! I swear to god, Julian, if you even think about it right now…]

Julian shifted slightly in bed, remaining silent. He felt fine, or at least good enough to push through. But MEGAN was relentless, launching into an hour-long tirade about responsibility, health, and what would happen if he exposed his unusual strength to the world.

Her lecture droned on and on, but Julian’s mind drifted again, this time to the battle. The thrill of it, the pulse-pounding excitement. It had been dangerous, yes, but there was something about it that made him feel alive. He was beginning to reflect on what had driven him there in the first place, when the door to his room creaked open again.

“Ellie.”

Julian froze. He didn’t need to hear the footsteps or wait for the voice. He knew it was Ellie. Her scent filled the room before she even stepped inside. There was a sweetness to it—familiar, calming, but also painful.

Her presence filled the room, but she didn’t speak right away. Julian felt the tension in the air, the way her breaths caught in her throat. Her shoes scuffed the floor as she slowly approached the bed. Then, finally, her voice broke the silence.

“Why…” Her voice wavered, and Julian could hear the strain behind it. “Why the fuck would you do this to yourself? My god. You… you…I knew you would have a hard time adapting since I’ve always held your hand and did everything for you. But this…?”

Her tone was laced with frustration, but Julian could hear the sadness beneath it. He stayed still, his lips tight, his mind racing as guilt washed over him.

“I can’t stand it anymore.” Ellie’s voice cracked. “You’re moving in with me, Julian. You can’t stay here—living like this.”

Julian’s jaw tightened. He didn’t like the idea. “Ellie, you don’t need to—”

“No!” Ellie’s voice cut through the air sharply. “You are acting like a child! You sold everything to play in that damn Otherworld, you live in the Below, and you’re getting into more and more trouble. I can’t—”

Julian swallowed his response, feeling the weight of her words press down on him. He knew it was his fault. He knew that their breakup was because of his choices, his obsessions. He had been reckless. But now, he couldn’t see himself living anywhere else but the Below. It was where he belonged—among the shadows and forgotten corners of the city.

“Thanks… for visiting,” he finally muttered, his voice low and unsure, ending the conversation. “But I’ll be fine. You and MEGAN are right… I need to learn how to live by myself. Otherworld… can give me that chance.”

There was a long pause. Ellie stared at him, her frustration boiling over, but beneath it, there was something deeper—hurt. She didn’t say another word. She stormed out of the room, but not before placing something on the bedside table. Julian could smell it—his favorite meals.

As the door clicked shut behind her, MEGAN broke the silence.

[Wow, you guys are so toxic,] she said dryly, but there was a softness in her tone as if she knew the pain running through Julian’s mind.

Julian lay back down, trying to rest, but it was impossible. His mind was racing. He knew Ellie was right. It was all his fault they broke up. He’d pushed her away, consumed by his obsession with his craft, and his need to fight and prove that his works matter. Ellie deserved better. She deserved someone whole, not a man chasing shadows and monsters.

He sighed deeply. Rest wasn’t going to come to him. Not like this. His mind wouldn’t quiet down. Julian sat up again, running a hand through his hair—a new habit. He’d started doing it in Artemia since his long, disheveled hair was preventing him from seeing properly.

[Can’t sleep, huh?] MEGAN asked gently. [You’re thinking too much. Why don’t we check your body to make sure everything’s healing properly?]

Julian hummed and got up, feeling the pull in his muscles as he moved toward the mirror. He stood there, removing his hospital gown and feeling the cool air on his bare skin. His muscles were more defined than before, even more toned than when he had first entered the Otherworld.

[Holy—] MEGAN’s voice was filled with awe. [You’re even more muscular than before. And, uh, more handsome too. My boy, all grown up! I’m so proud of you!]

“Hm…?” Julian hummed at her words, but before he could respond, the door creaked open again.

A figure stood in the doorway, pausing for a moment before stepping inside. Julian tensed, unsure of who had entered, but he heard the heavy footsteps. They were slow, deliberate.

“Well, well,” approached a whispering voice, amused. “Looks like someone’s been keeping in shape.”

“Huh…?” Before Julian could react, the sound of fabric rustling filled the room.

The figure moved closer, and Julian could hear the distinct sound of a shirt being pulled off. Then, the voice continued, even more amused than before.

“You know… it’s a shame you can’t appreciate this masterpiece we’ve got going on here. But I’ll tell you—it’s a work of art.”

It was the male nurse from earlier.

But while Julian could not see what the nurse was actually doing…

MEGAN could see everything… everything.

[What the… Close your eyes!] MEGAN bellow in Julian’s mind as the nurse posed in front of the mirror. [This gorilla just stripped right in front of you, Julian! What the!?]

“Wanna touch?” the nurse asked with a grin, flexing his chest muscles, the sound of his pecs pumping audible in the quiet room.

MEGAN continued to scream in Julian’s mind. [This cannot be ethical! Not at all! Julian, help!]

Julian just stood there, dumbfounded, a bemused smile tugging at his lips while making sure that MEGAN was seeing everything.

“You ever need tips,” the nurse continued, “or protein shake recommendations, you know where to find me.” He let out a hearty laugh, flexing once more. “Here’s my number, man. We should talk muscles sometime.”

Julian just nodded awkwardly, letting out a weak laugh as the nurse handed him a piece of paper and flexed one last time before leaving the room.

“What just happened?” Julian whispered. Maybe, sometimes, being blind has its merits.

[Ugh… I need to wash my eyes!]

The following day, Julian was discharged from the hospital. He wasted no time in getting back home and slipping into his bed. The first thing he did was grab his LinkGear, sliding it on his head, eager to return to the Otherworld.

As his consciousness was transferred, the weightless feeling returned, pulling him into the virtual space.

And there she was. MEGAN’s avatar appeared before him, arms crossed, a deep sigh escaping her lips.

“Really? You’re already doing this again?” MEGAN sighed, shaking her head in disapproval.

Julian chuckled. “Sorry.”

“Seriously?” MEGAN crossed her arms, slightly pouting as she bent forward to make sure Julian knew she was pouting. “You have superpowers, and the first thing you do is go back to Artemia!? We should investigate this more!”

“There’s… nothing for me to do there.” Julian sighed.

“Uh… be a blind superhero!?” MEGAN placed her finger right on Julian’s face, slightly shocking him as his vision blurred. “You’ll be like a jacked-up Daredevil or a blind Spider-Man!”

“I can’t even save my relationship.”

“That…” MEGAN almost glitched.

“And I have another reason to be here.” But then, Julian’s tone grew more serious. “MEGAN… can you show me what the daemon we killed looked like?”

MEGAN hesitated for a moment before she stepped to the side—and as she did so, the air around him grew heavy. Shadows twisted and formed, slowly manifesting the daemon, its monstrous tentacles and glowing eyes glaring at him.

Julian’s breath hitched, a gasp escaping his lips.

“We… killed that?”

Chapter seventeen

Moving On

“We…”

Julian stood frozen, staring at the monstrous daemon in front of him. It towered over him, its four massive legs supporting a body as large as a bus. Its grotesque form was even more horrifying now that he could see it in full.

Although Julian was ignorant with many things that had to deal with appearances or sight—he knew. He knew that the thing in front of him was terrifying.

Back when he fought it, blind in his real body, it hadn’t felt this big—everything had been a blur of sounds and vibrations. But now, standing here in the virtual space, it was undeniable. The creature’s glowing eyes bore down on him, each tentacle bristling with an eerie energy.

“We killed this?” Julian muttered, his voice barely audible. The disbelief washed over him, sinking into his bones as he struggled to comprehend the sheer size and power of the daemon. How could someone like him—blind and unassuming—have defeated such a monstrosity?

“Yes, Julian,” MEGAN responded, her voice calm but firm. “You killed it.”

Julian’s hands trembled as he took a step back, his mind racing. He wasn’t sure what was more terrifying—the fact that he had killed something so enormous, or the fact that he didn’t even remember doing it properly.

“It doesn’t feel real,” he whispered, shaking his head. “It felt smaller… when I couldn’t see it.”

“It was very real,” MEGAN said. “If you want, I can show you a reenactment of the fight.”

Julian hesitated, but something inside him—an insatiable curiosity or perhaps a desperate need to understand—made him nod. “Show me.”

The virtual space shimmered, and suddenly, Julian found himself watching the fight as a bystander. It was him—bruised and battered—charged at the daemon with a ferocity that made his breath catch in his throat. His movements were wild, erratic, almost animalistic. Every stab of his rapier was powerful, yet precise. His strikes didn’t just aim to defeat the daemon; they were filled with rage, with a raw, primal energy that frightened him.

“That’s… me?” Julian’s voice cracked as he watched himself tear into the daemon with unrelenting force. “Why do I look so… frenzied?”

“That’s how you’ve always been, Julian,” MEGAN said softly. “Ever since you were young. The moment you hold anything close to a hammer, or in this case, a weapon, you change. It’s like you become an entirely different person.”

Julian’s heart pounded as he watched the final moments of the fight. He delivered the killing blow through the monster’s eye, standing over the fallen daemon with bloodstained hands and a crazed expression.

“Is this… is this what Ellie has been seeing every time…?” Julian muttered, his stomach churning with a mixture of fear and confusion. “I’m not… like that. Is this… is this wh—”

“You may not think so, but you are,” MEGAN said, her voice a mix of understanding and concern. “You’ve always had this side to you. It only comes out when you hold a hammer or a sword. Maybe it’s always been a part of you.”

“A… part of me?”

As Julian’s consciousness began to fade, transferring to his clone in Artemia, the familiar sensation of weightlessness enveloped him. MEGAN’s voice grew distant, her presence slipping away as he was drawn into the next world. But this time, as his mind disconnected from the real world, she remained behind—alone in the void.

The silence was deafening. MEGAN hovered in the empty space, her digital form flickering as the vast nothingness surrounded her. There was something unsettling about this place, a cold expanse where even her finely tuned algorithms struggled to make sense of the emptiness.

Strange, MEGAN mused to herself, her tone slightly monotonous with Julian gone. According to all the data and information I’ve gathered, the Between—this space—should be completely just a void for everyone. Even players similar to Julian who are assisted by an AI.

She paused, scanning through the terabytes of information at her disposal. No other AI she knew of could interact here. For most, this space was just a blank void, a temporary stopover before their minds were transferred into their clones. But for Julian…

Why is Julian the exception? she pondered, a flicker of worry crossing her digital consciousness. Why is he able to interact with me during the Between?

It wasn’t just unusual—it was unprecedented. MEGAN had no answer, no concrete explanation, and that fact gnawed at her. She was designed to assist, to understand Julian—but this? This was different. Something was happening to Julian, something beyond her programming.

There was also the fact that Julian gained the strength and abilities of his Artemia clone.

What exactly is going on with you, Julian? MEGAN wondered, a sense of unease growing in her circuits as she awaited his inevitable return. For now…

She would watch the adventures of the Sword Junkie.

“If I remember correctly…” MEGAN’s casual tone returned as her lips curled. “I’m not banned anymore.”

“Kh… again…?” Julian’s eyes fluttered open, and he was immediately met with a deep ache throughout his body. He groaned softly, feeling the familiar weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. He was back in Artemia, inside the same cot where the Priest had healed him after the goblin fight. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he tried to sit up.

Before he could fully gather his bearings, a loud voice jolted him.

“Sword Junkie! You’re awake!” The voice belonged to the shop owner, who was sitting beside the cot. His eyes were wide with concern, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “I got back here immediately as soon as I saw your live stream pop up.”

Julian blinked, trying to make sense of what was happening. “Live stream?” His voice was hoarse, the words slurred with fatigue. This means that the shop owner was actually human.

“Do you remember what happened?” The shop owner’s voice was laced with urgency.

“I…think I fainted?” Julian offered, the memory of the fight with the daemon still foggy in his mind, almost preventing him from remembering anything else.

“You fainted?” The shop owner’s tone was incredulous. “No way! I think someone knocked you out and stole everything—the weapons, the ingots—we’re ruined!”

“Stole… everything?” Julian repeated, his mind struggling to keep up with the onslaught of information.

The shop owner grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, his panic rising. “Yes! All the weapons you crafted! They’re gone! We can’t get our money back for the ingots! Do you remember who knocked you out? Can you remember anything at all?”

“I do—”

“Out!” Before Julian could even attempt to answer, the Priest entered the room, his presence immediately commanding attention. He frowned as he saw the shop owner shaking Julian and swiftly kicked him out of the cot with a single motion.

“Out, I tell you, out! And why are you even shaking him!?” the Priest snapped, practically pushing the shop owner toward the door.

The shop owner muttered something under his breath before slinking out of the room, leaving Julian alone with the Priest.

The Priest’s demeanor softened once they were alone. He placed a hand on Julian’s chest and began to heal him again.

“You’ve been gone for almost three days,” he explained. “Your body is still weak, and I’ve been working hard to keep you stable.”

Julian nodded weakly, accepting a piece of bread that the Priest offered him. His body ached with every movement, but the food helped to ground him.

“Most people offer fees to Priests like me to keep their clones in check,” the Priest continued, his voice lightening with a smile. “But for you? This one’s free.”

“Thank you,” And as Julian responded, Marcus entered the room, his expression stern but not unkind.

“You need to take care of both your bodies, newbie,” Marcus said, his voice firm. “If your clone in Artemia dies, that’s it. Humanity Engineering won’t make another one. You’re not invincible. You eat here, you eat there—make sure to exercise both… This should have all been oriented to you by the AI.”

“I… skipped most of the explanation,” Julian mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

Marcus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Anyway, how are you?” Marcus asked.

“I think I’ll be fine,” Julian started opening and closing his hands. “Thank you.”

“Right, good—what’s not good is that the scientists from Humanity Engineering who were supposed to test your mana are off on another hunt.” Marcus grumbled while shaking his head. “You’ll have to wait a bit longer to get tested. In the meantime, you’re free to explore, but come back in a day or two. Or if you’re lucky, they’ll be back later. I wish I could stay, but I also have quests to do.”

“If you ever feel lost, just call for the Guidance of Artemis,” the Priest added. “Remember how?”

Julian nodded. “Guidance… got it.”

After a few more words of advice, Marcus and the Priest left the room, leaving Julian alone in the cot.

“That guy’s not going to survive for long out here.”

“Did you see how generous I was? He has a lot of watchers. Maybe I’ll get recognized soon.”

“Shut up.”

Julian could clearly hear the two, their voices only fading away as they got farther away from the cot. As for Julian, he stayed there for a while, gathering his strength, before finally standing up.

He stepped outside, and his eyes were once again bombarded by the light of Artemia, a sharp contrast to his usual darkness.

Marcus told him to explore, but he really only had a single destination.

The smithy shop. But alas, what he found there shocked him—the shop was closed. Bankrupt.

And finally, the words the shop owner was saying to him clicked in his mind. The weapons that he said were stolen… it should have been absorbed by that strange quest.

There weren’t any thieves or robbers. He wasn’t knocked out at all—something else had taken the weapons he had painstakingly crafted.

“Wait…” Julian muttered.

“Guidance.”

And as he whispered, floating words appeared before him, visible only to his eyes.

[Guidance of Artemis]

Congratulations, you are now one step closer to becoming the Master of Shadows! Here are your labors:

1. Craft 10 [Epic] Grade weapons and offer them to the shadows.

2. Craft a [Unique Epic] Grade weapon.

3. Kill the [Special] Monster, Orpuk, using the [Unique Epic] Grade weapon.

4. ???

Julian blinked, trying to comprehend the words.

“Labors? Epic weapons?” The information slowly entered his mind, but it was overwhelming. He still knew so little about this world. “If I remember correctly, then the other blacksmiths said that I was making a [Rare] weapon… and what’s a [Unique Epic]?”

He focused on the final labor, the mysterious “???” that had yet to reveal itself. What could it be?

“I guess it doesn’t matter for now.” Shaking his head, Julian swiped the floating messages away, only for another box to appear—his clone’s status.

[STATUS]

Name: You have not yet introduced yourself to the people of Artemia

Class: No Class

Level: 3

Health (HP): 69/80

Mana (MP): ??/??

Stamina (SP): 44/150

Strength: 9

Agility: 5

Vitality: 6

Mana: ?

Perception: 15

Free points: 9

Skills:

You have no skills yet. Please select a class as soon as possible.

Abilities:

Hyper Instinct - Due to some unknown factor undetected by the Guidance of Artemis, your senses are highly abnormal. All Skills affected by Perception will have increased effectiveness.

Active Quests:

Mana Evaluation

Master of Shadows

Explore the world to gain more quests.

Julian glanced at the status screen the Guidance of Artemis provided for him, his eyes barely registering the numbers and stats that would have thrilled most people in his position. And with a small sigh, he just swiped it away.

He didn’t understand the obsession with leveling up, gaining points, or any of the mechanics that other players seemed to care about—because he never had the chance to. Video games did not exist in his world of darkness.

It didn’t matter, anyway. To him, the Otherworld wasn’t about that. It was the forge that fascinated him—the act of shaping metal with his own hands, feeling the weight of a hammer, hearing the satisfying ring of steel as it came together. That was what mattered. But with the smithy in the Town of Beginners now closed, he had no reason to stay here at all.

It was time to move on to another city.

Chapter eighteen

Swords and Stones Won’t Break My Bones Because I Am Already Broke

“So… traveling costs money.”

Julian stood at the edge of the town, gazing down the long road that stretched into the horizon. He had made up his mind to leave Archon so that he could spend time inside a smithy again, but now, a problem presented itself—he had no money. It only hit him now that he gave all of his coins away. They were gone, along with the weapons that had been absorbed by that ridiculous quest.

He needed to get to the next city. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to be easy. Carriages were expensive, and he was flat broke.

Walking was an option, sure—but where to? He had no idea where he was going, and if the journey took days, it would waste time. Days spent flipping between his clone in Artemia and his real body… where failure loomed over him like a storm cloud.

“Uuhh… Guidance?” he muttered, halfheartedly, “where do I go?”

[…]

Nothing. Not even a flicker of direction. Julian sighed, deflating slightly. The Guidance of Artemis wasn’t like MEGAN. It wasn’t a friendly AI ready to guide him with snappy answers. No, it was more like… well, a system, something to keep things moving along, not a companion. It didn’t respond to casual queries.

Reaching into his Newbie Package, Julian hoped for a miracle. Instead, all he found was a healing potion and a map, neither of which was useful to him right now. The map, for one thing, was written in a language he couldn’t even read.

“Well…” Sighing heavily, he pocketed the items and stood there, trying to piece together a plan.

And then, as if the universe decided to throw him a lifeline, a group of adventurers walked by, talking loudly amongst themselves.

“These damn daggers are blunt again. I swear we just sharpened them before the hunt,” one of them complained, waving a dull blade in frustration.

“Pft, no wonder the smithy closed down,” another adventurer scoffed. “They were going crazy about thieves stealing all of their [Rare] weapons. As if they ever had anything close to rare.”

And soon, their voices drifted away, but the spark had already ignited in Julian’s mind. A hum of realization passed his lips as a plan began to form.

Sharpen their weapons… I can sharpen blades for money, he thought.

But a new problem arose. He had no tools of his own—no weapon, no whetstone. His mind raced, searching for a solution. Maybe the smithy had something he could use.

Julian headed straight to the smithy, but what greeted him was…well, far worse than he’d expected. The shop owner was sitting outside the closed doors, crying—no, more like wailing for the whole town to hear. Cursing, crying, and calling for the thieves to show themselves.

Julian’s steps halted instantly.

“Okay…” He gulped, taking a slow, cautious step backward, hoping not to be seen or heard. Whatever the shop owner was going through… Julian definitely did not want to get involved.

If he was going to make money, he’d have to take a risk. Something reckless.

And then, it hit him. Perhaps it was time for a reunion with some old friends.

The goblins.

Moving carefully through the dense forest, Julian tried to keep his footsteps light, his senses heightened. He wasn’t blind anymore, but the terrain felt just as disorienting. Every tree looked the same, blending together in an endless maze.

He pulled out the map from his Newbie Package again, hoping for some guidance. To his surprise, the map had changed. A rough outline of the area appeared, along with a dotted trail marking his previous steps.

“Oh… I suppose it is useful,” Julian muttered under his breath. He retraced the path he had taken with Marcus when they first came to Archon—fortunately, he was awake the entire time while he was being carried and dragged by him. And after a while, he stumbled upon exactly what he was looking for.

Goblins.

Two of the green-skinned creatures crouched near a clearing, seemingly oblivious to his presence.

“Hm…” His heart pounded in his chest as he crouched low, hiding behind a tree, gripping a large stone he’d picked up earlier. The memory of his fight with the daemon rushed back, but these creatures were nothing like that monstrosity—they might as well be… children.

He waited, counting his breaths, watching the goblins closely. Then, when the moment felt right…

“!!!”

Julian sprang from his hiding spot, slamming the stone down onto the nearest goblin’s skull. The creature crumpled to the ground without a sound, only the snapping of its skull. The second goblin barely had time to turn before Julian was upon it, grabbing the weapon of the deceased goblin.

The moment his hand touched the goblin’s crude sword, something inside him snapped.

A strange surge of energy rushed through his veins, as if the weapon had flipped a switch in his mind. His breath quickened, his grip tightening around the handle. All at once, he felt the familiar frenzy bubbling up inside him—a wild, uncontrollable urge to destroy.

With a crazed gleam in his eyes, Julian slashed at the second goblin, his strikes rapid, almost animalistic. He didn’t just kill the creature—he decimated it, every blow fueled by a primal instinct he had no control over. The goblin barely stood a chance as Julian carved through its body with an unrelenting ferocity.

When the dust settled, he stood there, chest heaving, blood-splattered sword in hand.

“What…” The frenzied energy still lingered, but slowly, Julian regained control. His fingers twitched as he loosened his grip on the weapon, staring down at the lifeless bodies.

“I… I did it again. MEGAN’s… right,” he muttered, a hint of the frenzy still evident in his voice as he pocketed the goblins’ crude swords. He looked at the mangled corpse again before just letting out a sigh and walking away.

With the weapons now in his possession, Julian made his way back to Archon.

“Okay.” Julian sat cross-legged in the center of Archon’s plaza, the goblin swords laid out in front of him. He had no proper tools—no whetstone—so he had gathered a chunk of sandstone from a small river outside the town. It wasn’t ideal, but it would have to do.

He did not really need to call anyone’s attention. After all, his clothes were drenched in blood. People would be looking at him even if he did not want then to.

As he worked, grinding the blade against the sandstone, the familiar rhythm of stone and metal calmed his mind. The crude swords weren’t worth much to anyone, but to Julian, they were metal—precious things to be honed and shaped. Every imperfection, every dull edge was a challenge, and he treated it like any other project—with utmost care and gentleness, and a smile lingering on his face like he was holding a baby.

Well, of course, you wouldn’t grind a baby’s face on a rough surface—but still, he treated it like a baby.

Julian’s hands worked with precision. His grip on the blade was firm yet delicate, turning the weapon at just the right angle to catch the stone’s coarseness. Each stroke of the sandstone against the blade sent microscopic sparks flying, the friction slowly wearing down the rough surface, exposing the cleaner, sharper metal beneath. He used his thumb to test the blade’s edge periodically, adjusting his technique as needed.

“Why does it feel like I’m watching something I shouldn’t?” One of the onlookers could not help but comment. “This feels… sensual somehow.”

“Sensual…? It’s a goblin’s sword. You dumbass.”

“Yeah. Don’t you see how he’s rubbing that thing on that big, hard rock…?”

While others might see a worthless goblin weapon, Julian saw potential. It didn’t matter how crude the blade was—it was still metal, and metal could always be improved. Bit by bit, the sword’s edge began to take form. The grind marks disappeared, leaving a smoother, glistening surface that caught the light in subtle ways.

The crowd around him grew thicker, the murmurs growing louder.

“Is… he sharpening blades?” someone muttered.

“Pft, lame,” another scoffed, not even bothering to stop.

“Why would it be lame?” a third voice chimed in, more curious than dismissive.

If Julian was any more knowledgeable about Artemia and its inhabitants, he would realize the difference between their words. Most players saw him as some newbie wasting time. The hyums, however, were watching more closely, their interest piqued.

The goblin swords were crude—junk to most adventurers. But as Julian continued, the once dull, ugly edges began to smooth, the surface of the blade catching the sunlight as it gained a polished, refined sheen.

“W…what the…? Is that even the same sword?”

“Did he switch it somehow!?”

“Let… let me see that!” one of the onlookers exclaimed, stepping forward with wide eyes. “Guidance!”

As soon as the word left their mouth, their expression shifted from mild curiosity to shock. More people crowded around, each one muttering the same command. One by one, their faces lit up in surprise.

“What… are you guys doing?” Julian, confused by their reactions, examined the sword.

“Guidance?” The moment he whispered those words, a screen popped up before his eyes.

[Item: Goblin’s Sword (Sharpened)]

Type: One-handed Sword

Grade: Common

Durability: 2/100

Sharpness: 1 + 30

Weight: 1.5

Special Effects:

Increased Sharpness

Skills:

None

Description:

A sword forged by a hobgoblin. Crude, unrefined, fragile. But it serves its purpose. Sharpened by an unknown man in the small town of Archon. This blade has been sharpened to its utmost limits. Unfortunately, with its extremely low durability, the sword might snap after one use—unworthy of its sharpness.

Julian stared at the screen, fascinated by all the details that were slowly entering his mind.

Maybe this is why people like playing video games, he thought. The stats, the description—it intrigued him in a way he hadn’t expected.

Before he could dwell on it, more people crowded around, suddenly shoving their weapons in his direction, something even right in front of his face.

“H… hey, man. Can you sharpen this!?”

“I have this dagger I bought from that stupid smithy!”

“Oi, I was here first!”

Julian blinked, momentarily overwhelmed by the flood of requests. But then he realized—this was what he wanted.

“I’ll… sharpen your weapons,” he said, “but it’ll cost you. The price will depe—”

“Here! I can give you 100 copper coins for this!”

“Broke ass, get out of here!”

He expected people to turn away at the mention of payment, but to his surprise, no one seemed to mind. They were eager to pay for his services, and soon enough, coins began to pile up at his feet.

The players did not even seem to mind the hyums, and at the same time, the hyums did not think much of anything as they also joined the frenzied customers.

Julian’s hands worked tirelessly, sharpening weapon after weapon, each blade leaving his hands sharper than it had ever been.

“W…whoa. This has the same stats as a [Rare] weapon!”

“F…fuck, me next!”

As the crowd around Julian started to wither, a familiar voice called out from behind him.

“Newbie, what the hell are you doing?”

Julian turned to see Marcus standing there, his arms crossed, a confused expression on his face.

“I needed money,” Julian said simply, “to travel to the nearest city.”

“… Why would you travel to another city?” Marcus’s eyes widened. “I specifically told you to stay here, newbie!”

“Oh, right…” Julian’s hands stopped moving. “I forgot.”

“You… forgot?” Marcus blinked, then scratched his head in frustration. “And you didn’t need to do all this. The scientists who are supposed to test your mana evaluation arrived earlier than expected, they’re here… and they’re taking you to the city in a carriage. For free. Like all of the newbies before you.”

Julian froze, his hand still gripping the sandstone.

“Ooh.”

Chapter nineteen

Uh Oh

“I’ve never seen a newbie with this much money, newbie!” Marcus exclaimed, tossing a large pouch of coins in the air and catching it with a grin.

“… Can I have that back?” Julian watched from where he sat, leaning back against the wall, his expression slightly worried that Marcus might not return his coins. He hadn’t expected to make so much just from sharpening a few swords, but the crowd’s reaction surprised him, extremely so. After all, back in the real world, his swords were treated like trash. No one even bothered to try or look at them because of all the plasma swords and guns.

Across from them, the Priest raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. “What are you two doing here?” he asked, his voice tinged with a somewhat awkward amusement—after all, they were in his cot again.

“You do know this house is for healing people, right? Wait… don’t tell me…” The Priest gave Julian a once-over, as if expecting to find him bruised or broken. “You’re… fine, huh. Well, I guess it’s good to see you not an inch away from death, for once.”

Julian offered a half-smile. “Yes… Thank you.”

Marcus smirked, shaking the pouch once more… still not returning it to Julian. “We’re waiting for the scientists from Humanity Engineering. They’re getting the carriage ready.”

“Yes, but why are you waiting here?” The Priest sighed.

“I told them to meet us here.”

“Yes… but why here?”

“Oh, well… you know.”

“Know what!?”

Julian watched as the two continued their conversation. He said nothing, just letting the conversation drift past him.

But soon, the Priest finally introduced himself. “By the way, I’m Bran,” he said, leaning against the wall near the door. “And, just so you know… I’m not a player like Marcus over there. I’m a hyum.”

“What…?” Julian muttered a slight gasp, glancing at Marcus for confirmation.

Marcus just shrugged. “There are hyums who get along with players.”

“Because most players tend to be rich,” Bran immediately followed. “Except for Marcus here—he’s been here for five years and still can’t get out of this place.”

“I’m rich in our world,” Marcus scoffed as he finally returned the pouch to Julian. “And I’m here by choice.”

“Your world…” Bran’s tone shifted slightly, turning more serious. “I still can’t wrap my head around the whole soul transference magic you told me about, Marcus. I know some magic-related classes are capable of transferring their soul to dolls—but to actual living beings? Just how great are your mages there?”

“That’s because it’s not magic.” Marcus let out a small laugh. “Ah, seriously—you hyums and your tribal thinking.”

“Tribal…?” Bran glared. “You’re the only one in this cot who looks like you just left your cave.”

“Oh yeah? Your momma’s so old, her tits can probably be used to hang herself!”

“What does my mother have to do with any of this?”

“That’s…”

The conversation trailed off, with Bran and Marcus exchanging banter. Julian, meanwhile, focused on the pile of coins he had earned, trying to make sense of the value. Marcus told him that a copper could buy him bread, and a silver could buy him a cheap dagger—he should ask MEGAN about this once he returned to his original body.

Just as the room fell back into silence, the door finally creaked open, and two identical figures stepped inside.

Highly identical.

“What took you guys so long!?” Marcus quickly sat up, “You and the newbie should be in Ethaca by now!”

The twins who entered, most probably the scientists, completely ignored Marcus and focused on Julian.

“Edward and Jacob,” they said in unison, introducing themselves, their voices flat and emotionless. They both looked exhausted, like they’d been running on fumes for weeks.

“The carriage is—” Edward started.

“The carriage is ready,” Jacob cut him off, casting an annoyed glance at his brother.

“You messed up the timing again,” Edward muttered under his breath. “We rehearsed this.”

Jacob shot back, “They’ll never believe we’re not twins if we keep saying the same thing at the same time.”

“Because we are twins, Jacob.”

“I was born one hour, ten minutes, and two seconds earlier than you.”

The two continued bickering, completely ignoring the others in the room as they went back and forth, their argument more robotic than heated. Julian watched, slightly bewildered, unsure of whether they were being serious or not.

After what felt like minutes of bickering, the twins finally turned their attention back to Julian… at the same time.

“Let’s go,” they said in perfect unison before turning and heading out of the cot.

“You know…” Marcus groaned as he stood up, rubbing his temples. “It’s probably best if I come with you.”

“I… think so too.”

The carriage ride was eerily quiet. Julian sat by the small window, staring out at the passing scenery, while Marcus was slowly dozing off beside him. Edward and Jacob sat across from them, their expressions unreadable, their eyes fixed on some invisible point in the distance.

After a long stretch of quiet, someone finally broke the silence—Edward.

“Not everyone has mana, you know,” he said, his voice flat, as though he was reading from a script.

Jacob nodded in agreement. “Only about 25% of hyums have it. And as players, with our bodies mixed with hyum DNA, that statistic applies to us.”

Julian turned his attention away from the window, catching the twins’ eyes for the first time.

“That means that out of the almost 7,000 players in the world of Artemia, there are probably less than 2,000 players who have mana. It is a matter of luck.”

“What level are you?” Jacob asked suddenly.

“Level?” Julian blinked, unsure of how to answer.

“You haven’t checked your level yet?” Jacob raised an eyebrow, sounding almost incredulous.

“I saw it… earlier,” Julian muttered, rubbing his forehead.

The twins exchanged a glance, their expressions eerily synchronized. “You’re strange,” Edward commented, his voice monotone. “Most newbies are obsessed with their status boxes and that they are now living in a world that offers gamelike experiences.”

Julian shrugged. “Ah… If I remember, I’m level…3?”

“You do not need to remember, just call the Guidance of—level 3?”

“Level 3?” The twins looked at each other again, the faintest hint of surprise flickering across their otherwise emotionless faces. “A newbie who hasn’t even had their mana evaluated is already level 3?”

Even Marcus, who was truly close to dozing off, blinked awake at that. “Level 3 already? What did you even do? Have you spent your points yet?”

Julian shook his head. “Points…? I haven’t gotten around to it.”

“You should!” Marcus gaped at him. “Wait, do you even know how to level up or increase your stats!?”

“No?” Julian very slightly winced.

“You—you’re not a gamer, aren’t you? Listen up.” Marcus sighed as loud as he could, “You level up by killing monsters, through quests, and sometimes even by crafting special items for the first time. The Guidance of Artemis doesn’t say how much exp you have, so you’ll basically just have to figure that out yourself.”

“Hm.” Julian nodded.

“Once you level up, you gain 3 free points, which you are free to distribute to any of your stats,” Marcus continued to explain, “But… that doesn’t mean that is the only way to increase your stats—this isn’t a game, after all. You also grow stronger by training and all that stuff—are you even listening to me?”

“Yes, of course. Thank you for the info.”

“Right. If you have any questions, just ask me. That’s why I’m here, newbie—wait, I don’t think I actually know your name yet.”

“Oh… Julian. Julian Winters.”

“That’s your real name, isn’t it?” Marcus’s eyes turned blank.

“Yes…?”

“You should change your name when you’re here!” Marcus covered his forehead in frustration. “And now people are going to search for you back on Earth because you have your live stream on.”

“Marcus isn’t your real name?” Julian asked, slightly confused since Marcus… sounded like someone’s real name.

“No. My name’s Mark.”

“…”

And soon, silence returned in the carriage.

Julian turned his attention back to the window, his mind wandering. Outside, the terrain blurred past, and for the first time since arriving in Artemia, Julian let himself just enjoy the scenery the world had to offer.

The carriage moved smoothly along the road, so smoothly that it barely felt like they were moving at all. Julian glanced down at the floor, listening for the rhythmic galloping of the horses’ hooves, but heard nothing. It was almost too smooth, too quiet.

Was there some kind of magic at work? The thought crossed his mind but quickly faded as he leaned back in his seat.

Ethaca. Just what sort of things would he see there?

“Ho, there!”

An hour later, the carriage came to an unexpected stop. The sudden jolt caused Marcus’s sleeping body to almost be thrown from its seat. The driver’s small window slid open, and a gruff voice called back. “There’s… a checkpoint ahead.”

The twins shared a glance, their brows furrowing in confusion. “Checkpoint?” Edward repeated, his voice tinged with suspicion. “There shouldn’t be a checkpoint here.”

The carriage door creaked open, and the twins leaned out to see for themselves

The people at the checkpoint were dressed in pristine white uniforms, adorned with gold lace and bright red shirts. They looked far too sophisticated for a world stuck in what was supposed to be a medieval era.

“Uh oh,” Jacob muttered monotonously.

“They’re soldiers from the Order of Artemia,” Edward whispered, his voice barely audible.

“Order of Artemia?” Julian repeated.

Jacob turned to him, his expression more serious than before. “They’re a church with a single goal: hunting players like us. They are the ones who deemed us as ‘Evil Spirits.’ This is bad, this is real bad.”

“Act like a native,” Edward said sharply. “Whatever you do, don’t let them figure out who you are. They’ll kill you without hesitation.”

Julian nodded, trying to steady his breathing as the men from the Order approached the carriage. His heart raced, but he forced his face to remain neutral, calm. If they could sense his anxiety, it would be over.

“By the Order of Artemia, step out of the carriage!” one of the men barked, his voice cold and commanding.

Julian climbed out first, his face a mask of indifference, just as the twins had instructed. But still, the men from the Order eyed him warily, their sharp gazes lingering on his face for what felt like an eternity.

The twins followed, their faces as unreadable as ever, moving with the same robotic precision as before. But Julian could feel the tension radiating off them—every slight movement, every glance they shared spoke of danger.

One of the soldiers, standing a little apart from the others, suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed, and his attention snapped to the carriage.

“Why hasn’t that one stepped out?” he asked, pointing toward Marcus, who was still slumped in his seat, fast asleep.

Julian’s heart skipped a beat. His pulse thundered in his ears, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow.

“He’s just… tired,” Julian said smoothly, his voice steady despite the cold sweat prickling his skin. “He’s been asleep for most of the ride.”

The man’s eyes narrowed further, suspicion flickering across his features. “Wake him up.”

Julian’s stomach dropped. Wake him up?

That would be impossible…

Because Marcus wasn’t even here anymore. He was back on Earth.

Chapter twenty

Importance of Stats

“Wake him up!”

The soldier’s voice cut through the stillness like a blade.

How could he wake Marcus when he wasn’t even in Artemia anymore? He was back on Earth, most likely doing whatever.

“We should let him rest.” One of the twins, Edward, tried to intervene. “He just came back from a hunt and hasn’t slept for three days straight.”

“I said, wake him up!” The soldier snapped at Edward’s words.

“W—” Julian opened his mouth to speak, but another voice cut in—a softer, more reasonable one.

“Ease up, Dirk,” another soldier muttered. “If we treat everyone like Evil Spirits, the people will start hating us. The church is already getting too many complaints about us abusing our power—we don’t want this on our plate.”

“That’s… true.”

“When I was in Ethaca just the other day, someone threw a tomato at me—a tomato, and I just washed my uniform.”

Several soldiers murmured in agreement. And hearing their words, Dirk could really only click his tongue, glaring at Marcus for a moment longer before finally turning his sharp gaze to Julian and the twins.

“You two. Move away from the carriage,” Dirk ordered, his tone cold.

“You do not need to be harsh,” Jacob said as they complied, stepping away from the carriage. Dirk and the soldiers began asking a series of questions—where they were headed, what business they had, and all sorts of other random questions, and some repeating but just in a different way.

Fortunately for Julian, the questions they were asking were something he could actually answer.

After a tense few minutes, Dirk finally relented.

“Alright. You people don’t seem to be Evil Spirits.” He sighed.

“Do they even exist?” The other soldiers also started to relax. “Maybe Dirk’s the real evil spirit here, all jumpy and paranoid.”

“Pft.”

He joined the others in laughing—and soon, they were completely in the clear and were allowed to return to the carriage.

But as they were three steps away from the carriage—

“Why didn’t you guys wake me up if we were there already!?” Marcus woke up, his words, grumpy and loud as he just suddenly leaped out of the carriage. “I was just checking up on my daughter and—”

“Marcus!” Julian didn’t even think about it—he just quickly rushed over to clamp a hand over Marcus’s mouth.

But alas, it was too late. The damage had been done.

“You… just checked up on your daughter?” one of the soldiers asked, his tone laced with suspicion as all of them once again approached the carriage. “Where…?”

“In… in my dreams!” Marcus stammered, his eyes darting nervously from the soldiers to Julian.

And just like that, the tension that had begun to dissipate returned in full force. The air felt heavy, like a storm was about to break.

“Please approach us,” one of the soldiers ordered coldly. Marcus had no choice but to obey, stepping forward with trembling steps.

Julian and the twins tried to follow, but the soldiers quickly barred their path, pushing them back.

“Stay where you are,” one barked, his grip on his sword tightening.

The questioning began, sharp and probing. Marcus tried his best to remain calm, his answers coming out rushed and shaky.

Sweat dripped from his brow as he stood before the group of soldiers all glaring at him. And after what felt like an eternity…

They let him go.

“Th…that’s it?” Marcus chuckled nervously.

“Yes, we just wanted to check something.” Dirk gestured to Marcus to indicate that he can leave.

“G-great.” Marcus exhaled a shaky breath, relief washing over him as he turned to walk back toward Julian. But just as soon as he neared Julian—

“!!!” Blood sprayed right onto Julian’s face, bright, crimson… hot.

Julian blinked, confusion and shock clouding his mind. A warm, wet sensation hit his face. His hand instinctively reached up to wipe the liquid from his skin, his fingers coming away stained with red.

He looked down… only to see Marcus’s head rolling right next to his feet.

It took Julian a second to register what he was seeing, not only because of the shock—but because he was confused. He had just gained his sight—and the only thing he had seen so far in this world was blood and more blood.

And Earth, according to MEGAN, was supposed to be more violent than this?

Marcus’s body had fallen to the ground, lifeless, a pool of blood spreading beneath it. His head—detached from his neck—stared up at Julian, eyes wide open in a frozen expression of surprise.

Marcus was dead.

“They are Evil Spirits!” Dirk’s voice roared, snapping Julian out of his stupor. “Kill them all!”

The soldiers drew their swords in unison, even those who had been laughing just moments before. Their faces, once friendly, were now twisted in disgust and hatred as they looked at Julian and the twins—well, only Julian.

Julian’s eyes darted toward the twins, but they were gone—vanished like ghosts.

“Run!” The driver of the carriage tried to flee, but he didn’t even get far when an arrow caught him in the ankle, sending him crashing to the ground with a scream of pain.

“W… wait.” Julian barely had time to think as a sword came swinging at him from behind. He dodged it instinctively, his heart pounding in his ears.

“Wait! I’m not an Evil Spirit!” he shouted, even though he knew these people weren’t going to listen.

“Silence!” another soldier barked. “Not one more word from your corrupted mouth!”

Julian found himself dodging and weaving through the onslaught of attacks, every move an act of pure survival.

“Please! I don’t want to fight!” he yelled, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. “I’m not an—!?”

And before he could finish his words, his foot caught on something solid, sending him sprawling to the ground butt first—Marcus’s body.

Before Julian could even comprehend what was happening, the nearest soldier rushed toward him, sword raised to strike.

Instinctively, Julian’s hand shot out, grabbing the hilt of Marcus’s sword, which was sleeping on its sheath attached to his waist. Without thinking, he plunged it into the soldier’s chest, the blade sinking deep into the man’s heart.

“Sh…” For a moment, the world stood still.

“I… I didn’t mean to do that…” Julian stared at the soldier in front of him, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He could feel the vibrations of the sword as it slid through flesh and bone.

“You—” The soldier’s eyes widened in shock, and he stumbled back, blood pouring from the wound.

Julian wanted to vomit. This wasn’t like killing goblins. This was a person—a human being.

The soldier collapsed to the ground before he could finish his words, his body twitching as the last traces of life left him. Julian’s heart pounded in his chest, his pulse so loud he could barely hear the roars of the other soldiers.

But then, something shifted inside him. These people were going to kill him—and if he wanted to survive, if he didn’t want to go back to being blind, he had to kill them first…

And kill he would.

A dark smile crept across Julian’s face, his fingers tightening around the hilt of Marcus’s sword. His breathing slowed, his heart no longer racing with fear and shock, but with something far, far more dangerous—satisfaction.

“He… he killed Nate! Kill… kill him!” one of the soldiers screamed, his voice tinged with panic.

Two soldiers rushed at Julian at the same time, their swords gleaming in the sunlight. But this time, Julian was done dodging.

He charged.

The first soldier didn’t even have time to react as Julian’s sword cleaved through his torso, cutting him clean in half. Blood sprayed into the air, and Julian could feel the blade hum in his hand. It was sharp, refined—nothing like the crude goblin swords he had used before.

The second soldier barely managed to block Julian’s attack, but it wasn’t enough. Julian’s strength was overwhelming, and with a single, fluid motion, he sliced through the soldier’s defenses, cutting him down where he stood.

The bodies hit the ground with a wet thud, but Julian didn’t stop. His heart raced with adrenaline, his mind clouded by the thrill of battle.

“Stop!” a voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. “He obviously has a higher level than all of you. Seriously, where did the church even get you from?”

Julian looked up to see Dirk stepping forward, his sword already drawn. The other soldiers who were about to rush Julian halted their steps, before ultimately giving way to Dirk.

“I will face this Evil Spirit myself,” Dirk said, his voice filled with conviction. He then held his sword in front of him, whispering a prayer under his breath. And as he did so, a soft glow surrounded him, light enveloping his entire body… until he just suddenly vanished from his spot.

“!!!” Julian’s instincts flared, and he dodged to the side just in time to avoid Dirk’s blade. The tip of Dirk’s sword grazed his arm, leaving a shallow cut.

If he had been even a fraction of a second slower, he would have lost the entire limb… and Dirk wasn’t done.

He attacked again, faster and faster, his movements almost too quick for Julian to track. Every time Julian dodged, Dirk was already there, his sword a blur of light and steel. Soon, Julian was covered in cuts, his body aching with every movement.

Then, with a powerful kick to Julian’s stomach, Dirk sent him flying back.

“Kh…!!!” The force of the kick was almost as strong as the daemon’s—no. It might even be stronger as Julian found himself violently rolling across the ground, gasping for air.

Before he could even get up, Dirk was already there, stabbing him through the shoulder with terrifying precision.

Julian gritted his teeth against the pain, trying to focus. He could sense Dirk’s attacks, feel the way the air shifted with every strike. But his body was just… too slow—he couldn’t keep up.

“That’s all you have?” Dirk then sheathed his sword as a smirk grew on his face. “By the way you’re moving, I’m guessing you’re around level 9—but tough luck.”

Dirk then just stopped talking as he began toying with him, slapping Julian’s cheek and kicking him, breaking and beating him down bit by bit.

Still, throughout all of this, Julian actually had a smile on his face.

Julian knew.

He knew he was going to die here, his clone was. There was no way he could win. Dirk was just… too fast. But somehow, that knowledge didn’t scare him.

He had fought, and for the first time in years, he had seen the world around him. This was enough.

Soon, Julian’s back hit the wooden wheels of the carriage, his body slumped against it. His face was bruised, his clothes torn and soaked with blood. Dirk stood in front of him, smirking as he unsheathed his sword again.

“Let’s end this,” Dirk said, his voice dripping with smug confidence. “Be gone to where you came from, Evil Spirit.”

Julian looked up at him, still smiling, his hand gripping Marcus’s sword. This was it. He was going to lose his eyes again, return to a world of darkness, back on Earth where no one appreciated his craft. His existence.

But he wasn’t going to close his eyes.

If this was going to be his end, he was going to see it. Every second.

“May Artemis guide me,” Dirk prayed, his sword raised high.

Guide? And suddenly, a thought entered Julian’s mind and he quickly whispered, “Guidance.”

[STATUS]

Name: Julian Winters

Class: No Class

Level: 3

Health (HP): 38/80

Mana (MP): ??/??

Stamina (SP): 97/150

Strength: 9

Agility: 5

Vitality: 6

Mana: ?

Perception: 15

Free Points: 9

Skills:

You have no skills yet. Please select a class as soon as possible.

Abilities:

Hyper Instinct - Due to some unknown factor undetected by the [Guidance of Artemis], your senses are highly abnormal. All Skills affected by Perception will have increased effectiveness.

Active Quests:

Mana Evaluation

Master of Shadows

Explore the world to gain more quests.

Even though Julian couldn’t read it, the Guidance of Artemis quickly filled his mind with the information.

And without hesitation, without thinking, he muttered the words that could change everything.

“Put… all my free points into agility,” Julian whispered, his voice strained.

For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then, a sudden, excruciating pain ripped through his body. Every muscle, every fiber in his being seemed to contort and twist as if his body was being torn apart and remade at the same time.

“Ho…” It was unbearable, like his bones were shattering and rebuilding themselves in rapid succession. Julian’s vision blurred, his breath hitched in his throat, and he bit down hard on his lip to stop himself from screaming.

The pain was overwhelming, yet somehow, in that eternity of suffering, he felt it.

“Tch, you are at your end…” Dirk scoffed as he saw Julian in pain. And soon, he brought his sword down with terrifying force. “Die!”

But Julian was no longer there.

In the blink of an eye, Julian moved. It was as if he became the wind, swift and fluid. One moment, Dirk’s blade was about to cut him down, and in the next, Julian stood behind him, his hand already gripping Marcus’s sword tightly.

And without hesitation, without mercy, Julian drove the sword deep into the back of Dirk’s neck. The blade slid between the vertebrae with ease, cutting through flesh and bone as if they were nothing.

Dirk’s eyes widened in shock, his body stiffening as the light of Artemis that had surrounded him flickered and died. Blood spilled from the wound, staining the ground beneath them. Julian could hear Dirk’s labored breath as the life drained from his body, his legs giving out as he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Julian stood over Dirk’s fallen form. For a moment, he was still, the world around him eerily quiet.

Then, a dark smile crept onto his face. Slowly, he raised his head, the adrenaline surging through him like a wildfire. His grip on the sword tightened as his smile widened into a grin.

“Well then…” Julian muttered, his voice low and sinister, his eyes glinting with a newfound thrill.

“This… is going to be fun.”

Chapter twenty-one

Choices

“This… is going to be fun.”

As his whisper escaped his lips, a thrill surged through—pulsing straight into Julian’s veins.

“He…hehehe…” His heart raced as the blood dripped from his sword, a euphoric haze completely clouding his thoughts.

“He… he killed Dirk!?”

“Isn’t Dirk level 12?!”

And while Julian was experiencing some sort of… climax, the usual arrogance of the soldiers from the Order of Artemia slowly shattered. They hesitated, and the only thing they could really do was look at each other with wide, fearful eyes.

Their leader, Dirk, had fallen. Although a level 12 was considered to still be in the lowest tier of soldiers, Dirk had a class that granted him extra strength—he shouldn’t have been defeated by someone like Julian. But of course, Julian had no idea about that at all.

Was this stranger in front of them… actually been hiding his strength the entire time?

“Should… should we run?”

“There’s only one of him! We can do it if we all attack together!”

“But he killed Dirk!”

“Look at him! I’m sure he is in his last HP!”

Julian barely heard them as they squabbled amongst themselves. His mind, drowning in the weight of his sword—it… felt alive.

“Let’s just—”

“Let’s just kill each other.” And before the soldiers could gather their resolve, Julian lunged at them, the smile on his face even more maniacal than before.

“W…what the!?”

“He’s coming!”

They tried to react, raising their swords and shields, but Julian was too fast. His strikes came with precision, like a butcher carving meat—his steps and form might have been lacking, but the strength behind them was truly nothing to scoff at—this was the swing of someone who had spent his entire life surrounded by nothing but violent metal.

And with just that, fear turned to chaos.

“Run! We’re no match for him!”

“We need to report this to the church!”

The soldiers screamed, some dropping their weapons to flee.

“No! Stand your ground! This kind of Evil Spirit should not walk through our lands!” Others charged in desperation… but it didn’t matter.

Julian danced among them, his blade cutting through them one by one. In truth, they might have had a chance—after all, aside from Julian’s abnormal reflexes and senses, all of them were at the same level.

Julian’s actual lack of battle experience would also start to show if they just continued to bombard him. The only reason he even won against Dirk was because Dirk was already looking down on him—with his current stats, he would not be able to defeat Dirk if he wasn’t caught off guard.

But alas, none of them were thinking about that as all of them were now running away.

As the last few soldiers turned to run, Julian paused. His breathing heavy, he watched their clumsy retreating forms.

“Should… I let them go?”

But almost immediately as he said that, a thought crept in—he had already killed a lot of them. If they escaped and they tell the church about him…

He would be hunted down like a rabid dog.

And so, there was really only one thing left to do here. Before he gets hunted…

“I will hunt.” Julian’s grin returned, dark and dangerous. And without hesitation, he rushed toward their retreating, defenseless backs. He was like… a demon, swift and relentless, cutting down the fleeing soldiers like they were not people at all.

And Julian… Julian was not even hearing anything anymore, not their dying breaths, not their cries, not their screams… They were all drowned out by the pounding of his heart.

“Last one…” And finally, he caught the last soldier by the neck, slashing his throat from behind. This time, however, a stammering breath escaped Julian’s lips as he placed his ear close to the man’s cheek to hear his flesh tearing very slowly.

He dropped the body on the ground like trash. The battlefield was silent now, save for the whisper of the wind through the trees.

“This…” Julian stared at the bodies surrounding him. He then very gently dropped his sword on the ground, the complete opposite of what he did to the body.

And with the weight of the sword gone from his hands, they began shaking slightly as he wiped the blood from his face. The thrill was gone, replaced by the unsettling realization of his actions.

“They… they would have killed me,” Julian repeated to himself; his mind, trying to justify his actions—and it was true. He truly was only trying to protect himself.

But still, Julian remained like that—still as his thoughts turned into chaos. After a while, he let out a long and very deep breath.

“They would have killed me.” He was justified.

And soon, his gaze shifted to the road ahead—according to the twins, if they just follow this this road, they would reach Ethaca in a few hours. Should he just take the carriage and leave? But could he even control the horses?

“!!!” Before he could decide, a rustling sound came from behind. Julian quickly turned around, thinking there might be more of them… only to find the twins calmly dragging the bodies of the soldiers and hiding them behind the nearby bushes.

“What the…” Julian’s eyes narrowed as he watched the twins. Their movements were calm, efficient, as if they did not just suddenly disappear and leave Julian to fend for himself.

“Oh?” And when they noticed him watching, they both raised their thumbs in unison.

“Good job, Julian Winters,” they said, voices eerily synchronized.

“Where… did you even go?” Julian hummed, unsure of exactly how to respond.

“You have to understand…” Edward began.

“If our clones die here, we also lose our jobs at Humanity Engineering,” Jacob finished.

“Forever.” “Forever.”

“We have more at stake,” they said in unison, as if that excused their disappearance.

“And… what if I died?” Julian sighed heavily.

The twins exchanged a glance, their faces blank.

“We’ve never seen a newbie fight like you. Are you sure you’re only level 3?” Edward asked.

“You’re not some kind of higher-up checking in on us, are you?” Jacob tilted his head, studying Julian. “If so, we apologize for leaving.”

“No. I’m not.” Julian rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. “Just… let’s just move on. What do we do now?”

The twins once again looked at each other, their blank expressions making it impossible to tell what they were thinking.

“I’ll drive the carriage,” Jacob finally said.

“Wait…” And finally Julian shifted his gaze, and amidst the soldiers he had slain, was Marcus—his head severed, the body now cold and lifeless. “We can’t just leave him like this. Please help me at least give him a proper burial.”

Julian hadn’t really noticed it before since he had been trying to get used to his sight and relying on it, but Marcus smelled like oak and a tinge of alcohol.

“Bury him?” For a moment, the twins just stood there, their blank expressions unreadable. But then, they nodded.

Together, they dug a shallow grave by the side of the road, placing Marcus’s body inside as gently as they could. It wasn’t much, but it was something. As they covered him with dirt, Julian felt a heaviness in his chest. He stood in silence for a moment, staring down at the fresh mound of earth.

He did not really say anything, and soon, they all turned around.

It was time to go back to be on their way to Ethaca.

As they approached Ethaca, Julian couldn’t help but stare in awe. The city loomed before them, vast and vibrant. People filled the streets, the buildings painted in a kaleidoscope of colors, and the atmosphere was alive with energy.

Kaleidoscope—he has been using that term too much. Well, perhaps for him, everything was still a kaleidoscope.

He had been told that the technology here was primitive compared to Earth, but standing here now, Julian couldn’t help but wonder just how different Earth really was. Could it be grander than this?

“What’s… that?” His eyes were drawn to a towering structure that stood out from the rest, almost reaching high into the sky.

“That’s the Tower of Mana,” Jacob said, noticing Julian’s curiosity. “Our destination.”

Julian nodded, though his focus shifted.

“Where’s… the smithy?” he asked. “I’m sure a place like this would have a—”

“You can go once your mana evaluation is done,” Edward replied. “Please, just follow us for now.”

“You are already lucky I have a healing skill because of my class, Julian Winters,” Jacob glanced back at Julian. “If not, you would not be walking at all. Please, just follow us for now.”

“O…Okay,” Julian stammered, his usual demeanor coming back to him.

As they walked through the city, Julian’s hands moved instinctively, as if searching for the cane he no longer carried. It was a hard habit to break, even though he had sight in this world. He glanced around, trying to take in every detail.

But while he was looking around, someone from the crowd was actually also looking at him.

“Is that… Sword Junkie?”

“W… whoa….” When they arrived at the Tower of Mana, Julian’s senses were overwhelmed once again.

“Are those… people floating?” The inside was a chaotic swirl of activity—people and books alike floated through the air, the buzz of conversation filling the space. It was noisy, but there was something about the chaos that made Julian smile.

“Brother, look.”

“I see it.” The twins, noticing his expression, once again exchanged glances. They couldn’t help but compare the Julian who had been grinning as he slaughtered soldiers to the one who now looked like a child seeing magic for the first time.

“Julian Winters, follow us,” Edward called, snapping Julian out of his reverie.

“Right,” he mumbled, trailing behind them as they ascended to a different floor—almost the complete opposite of the sight that welcomed him back at the entrance. He could almost smell and feel the depression coming from the people as they groveled on the ground.

“Please wait here for a while, Julian.” Both Edward and Jacob seemed completely used to this, however, as they just asked Julian to wait near the wall and then walked away. And not even a second after they left… the depression materialized itself.

“Why… why don’t I have mana!? My parents… my parents spent so much to train me!”

“Grandfather. I… I failed you.”

“I spent millions in this fucking game, and I don’t even have magic!?”

All sorts of colorful words screamed in the air, and Julian could not help but just stare at them, not really knowing what to feel. He then watched as one of the people complaining was suddenly dragged away… by people wearing the uniform of the Order of Artemia.

“Julian, follow us.” After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Julian was called again. He followed the twins down a long hallway, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. At the end of the hall was an intricate door, symbols glowing faintly along its edges.

“This is the Mana Chamber,” Edward said, gesturing to the door. “Once you enter, you will face trials.”

“A test of resolve,” Jacob added. “Or perhaps a test of your deepest fears. It’s different for everyone, so we don’t know what you’ll experience.”

“There’s no point in explaining further,” Edward said. “Just go in.”

“And for your information,” Jacob continued, “this is where you’ll be granted a class, depending on the trial’s results. Don’t worry. The Guidance of Artemis will offer you options.”

“A class…?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “I feel like we should talk more about—!!!”

Before he could get another word out, one of the twins shoved him through the door.

And almost immediately, the familiar world of darkness welcomed him.

Julian panicked at first, blinking hard as he thought he was blind again—but soon, with another blink, he found himself staring at… himself.

He was lying on a bed, the LinkGear still strapped to his head.

And Ellie was crying beside him.

“Ellie…” Julian’s heart lurched. He took a step forward, wanting to reach out, to comfort her… but then he heard the sound of metal clanging behind him.

He turned to see another version of himself, standing at a forge, crafting weapons. His face was one of pure satisfaction, a smile of contentment as he hammered the glowing steel.

[Julian Winters.]

Suddenly, words appeared before him, floating in the air like a silent command.

[Choose.]

Chapter twenty-two

Shadows and Choices

[Choose.]

The word floated in front of Julian, cold, almost commanding.

“Choose…?” He glanced between the two sceneries surrounding him—one of Ellie, and the other, of himself standing at a forge, hammering away at a glowing sword.

But why was this even a choice? He and Ellie had already separated. There was nothing for him on the other side.

There was only the fire and the metal now. And so, his hand just started to reach toward the version of himself crafting, his heart, drawn to the comfort of the forge.

“Please…” But as soon as he took a step forward, Ellie’s voice completely shattered his resolve.

“Julian, wake up… please wake up.” Ellie’s cry was faint, barely even a whisper, but in his mind, it might as well be louder than the clanging of the metal.

“Ellie…” His heart twisted as he saw her. She was there, sitting beside him, her hands gripping his tightly, tears streaming down her face.

She was hurting—because of him.

“Julian… wake up,” Ellie whispered again, the desperation in her voice breaking him. “I need you.”

“I don’t know… I don’t know what I’m going to do…” Ellie’s sobs echoed around him, wrapping around his chest like a vise, making it harder to breathe.

“If I knew… if I knew it was going to be like this, I wouldn’t have left. Please… please Julian, wake up.”

“Ellie…” Julian’s heart sank even further as her words washed over him. He stood there, torn between two worlds—Ellie, the woman who had loved him deeply despite everything, and the forge—both of which had given him light in the darkness.

Her tears… they drowned him in a sea of guilt.

He was finally seeing her, finally seeing how much she had loved him—how much she still loved him. But at the same time, he saw how deeply he had actually hurt her, how much… his obsession with blacksmithing had stolen from their relationship.

Staying with her now, trying to hold on to something broken, would only hurt her further—her tears made Julian’s decision now even easier.

“Thank you, Ellie.” With a final glance at Ellie, Julian turned his back on her, walking toward the forge. It was… the only path that made sense…

The only way he could stop himself from destroying her any further.

And so, he walked on. But then, he suddenly realized something—no matter how far he walked, no matter how hard he tried, the forge suddenly seemed so unreachable.

“What’s… going on?” The distance between him and it never shrank. He started to run, but still, the forge stayed just out of reach.

And when it seemed he was getting near, Ellie’s cries just suddenly grew louder, stronger, begging him to turn around.

His legs felt heavy, as if his own body was urging him to go to her, to comfort her, but he knew. He knew if he turned back now, he would never be able to leave again.

“No… That’s enough, Julian…” He closed his eyes, clenched his fists, and kept walking. “I choose this path!”

And with those words… everything vanished.

[Your resolve is stronger than steel. But is it truly resolve? Or is it only selfishness, and you lie to yourself and believe otherwise?]

“What?” Julian’s eyes widened at the words. “Where’s the—”

[No matter, we will see.]

Suddenly, the darkness lifted, and he found himself standing in a city street.

Tall buildings towered above him, far taller than the Tower of Mana, their sharp edges slicing into the chaos of a smoke-filled sky. The air felt heavy… suffocating. And the ground beneath his feet was littered with all sorts of debris.

“Is this… Earth?” Julian whispered, taking in the unfamiliar sight. It was strange—this was his home, the place he had lived his entire life, but he had never seen it. Not with his own eyes. But he knew, he knew what it was.

“Julian!” Suddenly, a voice called out which made him quickly turn around, only to see a woman running toward him, her arms outstretched, seemingly reaching for him.

“You’re…” And though this was the first time he had ever seen her, there was no mistaking who she was.

“Mom?” Julian’s voice trembled.

“M-Mom!?” He took a step toward her, his words almost screeching his throat… but she just ran past him without a glance.

“Mom?”

She wasn’t running toward him—she was running toward a small boy, a child with a cane far too big for his tiny hands.

“Is that… me?”

The boy tapped his cane across the ground, seemingly unaware of the chaos around him. And in his other hand… was a severed arm, the same shade of skin as Julian’s now.

“D… Dad?” Julian whispered, his breath turning heavy as he stared at the hand. It was rough, very much like his hand right now.

“Mom!?” the young boy then called out, his voice extremely desperate…scared. “Mom!? Where are you? Why is…why is Dad’s hand so cold!? Mo—”

“Julian, run! Julian!”

“No…” A daemon suddenly appeared, causing Julian to just stop breathing. It was smaller than the one he had killed in the Below, but it was no less terrifying—its twelve legs moved with unnerving speed, its head writhing with tentacles that felt like they also crawled across the ground.

“Mom!” Julian roared, his legs pushing him forward. He reached out for her, every muscle in his body screaming along with him. “No! No!”

He was so close. Only a few more steps. He could save her.

But then… another daemon descended—wings spanning so wide they covered the sky…

And it started tearing through his mother right before his eyes.

“What…” He skidded to a stop, his heart crashing to a halt as he saw her limbs ripped apart piece by piece—but she did not scream at all. She did not. Instead, she stared at the young boy, at the young Julian… making sure he wouldn’t hear.

“No… Mom…” Julian started shaking his head repeatedly.

And very soon, the daemons turned their attention to young Julian, their glowing eyes narrowing in hunger. Before they could pounce, however, a hail of bullets rained down, piercing their bodies.

And then, everything froze.

“Why… did you show this to me?” Julian whispered, his knees buckling as he dropped to the ground. The weight in his heart was too much carry.

“What sort of test is this? What do you want from me!? This… this isn’t even a fucking test!”

His voice echoed in the frozen street, the only sound in the silence.

But then, without any warning, the scene suddenly shifted.

He wasn’t in the city anymore—he was back in the familiar rough road and the clearing, surrounded by the soldiers of the Order of Artemia he had met just before.

But this time, he was watching himself, his crazed self—holding the blade, grinning as he sliced through the neck of a soldier who surrendered, reveling in the blood that showered in the air.

[You are a person shaped by tragedy. Death and loss have defined you. But the question remains… is that strength, or weakness?]

Julian held his own throat. “What does that even—”

And before he could finish his words, a chill crawled down his spine as he realized that his violent version was staring directly at him, their eyes locked.

“Am I your true self, Julian?” his crazed reflection whispered as he dropped the body on the ground before he started circling Julian like a predator stalking its prey.

“Well…?” His smile was unhinged, a glint of madness in his eyes as he slowly tilted his head.

And as Julian followed his crazed self, he saw the other version of himself—the calm, focused blacksmith. The blacksmith version continued hammering away, his hands never faltering as he shaped a blade with precise, deliberate strikes—a hint of a smile, plastered on his face.

“Don’t bother me,” the blacksmith muttered, barely glancing up from his work.

“Or maybe it’s this guy,” the crazed Julian purred, resting his chin on the blacksmith’s shoulder. “Who do you think you are, Julian Winters?”

[Choose.]

And the word appeared once more.

“I’m…” Julian hesitated to answer. His mind, now replaying all the visions that were shown to him—all the pain, the grief, the blood. He stood there in silence, the weight of his past pressing down on him.

But then… he shook his head.

“I… don’t want to choose,” he whispered. “You said it yourself—I’m shaped by death and loss. But that doesn’t mean I have only one shape.”

His voice grew stronger as he spoke, the words flowing from him with unexpected certainty.

“A piece of steel… it can be shaped into many things. A dagger, a sword, an axe—or even something as small as a needle. I am… I am steel, tempered by life. Grinded, hammered…changed.”

He looked at his two other versions—one violent, one calm. “I am all of this. I am none of this. I… I am myself.”

[There are many things stronger than steel, Julian Winters.]

“Not when I make them,” Julian and his other versions said in unison, their voices melding into one. There was no hesitation, not even a single bit.

[Good.]

And with that, the visions slowly vanished, and Julian found himself alone in a white room.

Everything was still. Silent.

[Now, Julian Winters, which path will you take?]

And only the familiar words of the Guidance of Artemis appeared before him.

“A path…” Julian closed his eyes, exhaling softly.

“I just want to be a blacksmith,” he whispered, his voice steady now. He wasn’t running anymore. He wasn’t torn.

All he wanted was to craft, to forge, to create—he was obsessed, and it was alright.

[Perhaps. But these are the choices I have laid out for you:]

1. Blacksmith

2. Warrior

3. Bladedancer

4. Radiant Blacksmith

“There’s… four?” The list appeared before him, each option glowing faintly as the information slowly entered his mind.

And as a matter of course, his fingers instinctively twitched toward the first choice—Blacksmith. The natural option, the one he had spent his life dedicated to.

“Hm…?” But then his gaze lingered on the last choice, seemingly more pronounced than the others… and even glowing.

Radiant Blacksmith.

“What’s… a Radiant Blacksmith?” Julian asked quietly.

[Radiant Blacksmith: A blacksmith of the divine light—the very essence that runs the magic of Artemia itself. As a Radiant Blacksmith, you are capable of imbuing weapons and armor with the essence of light, making them stronger and unmatched. Would you like more information on this class?]

“That’s…” Julian hesitated, intrigued by the idea. The thought of combining his craft with magic—it stirred something in him, a curiosity that tugged at his mind. “Okay, tell me more about it.”

[Of course, Julian Winters.]

As a Radiant Blacksmith, your body itself will be reforged in the heart of the divine flames. You will be a conduit of pure radiant energy, capable of imbuing weapons and armor with the very essence of light.

You will grant weapons and armors the divine ability to banish darkness and evil from the world.

Your weapons will be capable of healing allies, and burning enemies into ashes. You will guide the way for those who are blind, Julian Winters.

“Wow.” A rush of excitement crawled through Julian’s entire body as all the information entered his mind. “Can you… show me the skills I’ll receive?”

[Here are the skills and abilities that would be initially available to you, Julian Winters.]

Sun Forge: Manipulate the raw power of the sun itself into your craftsmanship. You are no longer in need of fire. Artemia and the divine light itself will be your forge.

Divine Weaponry: All your weapons deal increased damage against creatures of darkness. These weapons also radiate light, illuminating even the darkest areas.

Many more will become available to you, Julian Winters.

“Wow…” Julian’s excitement continued to grow. “Isn’t this too strong?”

Julian might be completely unaware and ignorant about video games and their elements, but even he noticed just how strong the class was.

“What’s the catch?” Julian narrowed his eyes.

[The skills and abilities will not take effect when crafting in the dark, Julian Winters. You will still be able to craft during the night and the dark.]

“Of course…” Julian sighed. Of course, something as strong as this would also have a drawback. “You should have told me that in the start, MEG—I mean, Guidance. But if I’m still able to craft during the night without any changes… then I don’t really see why I shouldn’t pick this instead. Okay, let’s go with the Radiant Blacksmith.”

[I have detected that you have an ongoing quest for a Unique Class: Master of Shadows. A penalty may be imposed upon you if you proceed with this choice, Julian Winters.]

“Right. That was a class… change quest.” Julian almost completely forgot all about that—this was the quest that absorbed all of the weapons he crafted. He did remember skipping the information about it.

“Guidance, can you tell me more about the quest or what class I will get?”

[The Master of Shadows is a unique Class Change quest.]

The Master of Shadows has taken a liking to you, Julian Winters and has bestowed upon you the privilege to become a Shadow Blacksmith. Like the Radiant Blacksmith, the Shadow Blacksmith is a very powerful class.

“Hm. I suppose it makes sense that it’s also a blacksmith class.” Julian let out a small hum as the information entered his mind. But after a few seconds had passed, he realized the [Guidance] was no longer giving him any information.

“Wait… that’s it? Do you have any more information?”

[The Master of Shadows has restricted further information about the class.]

“What…?” Julian’s eyebrows started to lower. “What about the skills and abilities I will get?”

[The Master of Shadows has restricted further information about the class.]

“O…kay?” Julian’s shoulders shifted. “Which one is… stronger?”

[…]

“No…? Nothing?” Julian sighed. “Can you at least tell me what the penalty would be?”

[…]

“Really…?” Julian was completely lost. Was there any merit in choosing something that he didn’t know about?

The only thing that was making him hesitate choosing Radiant Blacksmith was the fact that the Guidance told him that the Shadow Blacksmith was also a very powerful class.

But, then again—shadows.

“No…” Julian made his decision. “I am tired of living in shadows and darkness. Never again. I choose the Radiant Blacksmith class—let me take on the penalty, no matter what it is… I can take it.”

[You made the right choice, Julian Winters. Once you have become the Radiant Blacksmith, you will personally be under my protection.]

“Oh…” Julian almost gasped upon the information entering his mind. “Your protection? Like… Artemis herself…? The main goddess of this world?”

[A Radiant Blacksmith is unparalleled—]

[How dare you choose another, Julian Winters?]

“W…what?” Julian flinched as the calm floating words vanished, replaced by violent, jagged letters that filled his vision. They blazed across his sight, almost suffocating his untrained eyes. “Is that… the Master of Shadows?”

[You will regret this decision, Julian Winters.]

And very soon, shadows crept in from every direction… completely swallowing the white space around him. A chill crawled up his spine, prickling his skin as the words grew larger, almost pressing in on him with an oppressive weight.

And then, finally, the violent set of words in front of him disappeared and the calm Guidance of Artemis returned.

[The young and petty Master of Shadows himself has chosen the penalty for abandoning his quest.]

“Young and petty…?” Why did it feel like there was something else going on between the two?

[If you succeed through the penalty of the Master of Shadows, the class Radiant Blacksmith will be granted to you. But if you fail, the quest Master of Shadows will remain. No other class will be available to you anymore. Your path to becoming the Shadow Blacksmith will be forever cemented, and the Master of Shadows will also impose a punishment upon you.]

“Okay…” Julian breathed out as he started shaking his hands. “Let’s just do this.”

[Defeat the enemy in front of you.]

“Defeat…” Julian stopped moving for a moment. “Uh… I don’t have a weapon?”

The floor beneath Julian’s feet trembled, and before he could make sense of the situation, something began to stir within the shadows. A shape slowly crawled out from the blackness, its form twisting and writhing as it rose, towering over him.

Julian’s breath caught in his throat as he watched the creature take shape, its body made of swirling shadows, tendrils of darkness lashing out like a storm. Its eyes—if they could even be called that—burned with a malevolent, sinister light, fixed squarely on him. It looked… like a daemon, but also something else entirely.

[Warning: If you die during the penalty… your real body back on your own planet also dies with you, Julian Winters.]

“Wait… what!?”

Chapter twenty-three

The Penalty of the Master of Shadows

[Warning: If you die during the penalty… your real body back on your own planet also dies with you, Julian Winters.]

“Wait…what!? My real body… will also die?”

Julian stood there, not really knowing how to process what he was feeling. He was so confident before—but that was before he knew his real body was also going to die as well.

“And… it knows I’m human?”

Of course the Guidance of Artemis would know.

It was considered the voice of the gods of Artemia, the voice of the world. What kind of god would it be if it didn’t know?

The thought that Artemia actually knew he was a human from another world should have terrified him, but instead, it felt like it did not matter at all for now. Because for now, Julian’s mind quickly wandered to the most critical fact: He would die in the real world too.

“I need… to fight that thing?” As soon as that reality clicked into place, Julian’s eyes snapped to the creature standing before him.

The monster stood motionless, its body a mass of shifting shadows, swirling ominously. Its form resembled a daemon, but not quite. It had more limbs than he could count, more than the tentacles writhing from its face.

But something about this one felt different. More… sinister.

“Ki…kikiki.”

“Huh…?” Julian mumbled as a sound hit his ears. It was faint at first, like a faraway echo, but then it grew. Something familiar, but also incredibly unnatural.

The creature… it was laughing.

It was laughing at him. As if mocking him for the decision he made.

“What the…?” The laugh chilled him to his core.

It wasn’t like a normal laugh—no. Not like anything Julian had ever heard before. It was a high-pitched, squealing click that repeated itself, like the kind of sound a lizard might make. But this… this was loud.

So loud it drowned out everything else. The echoes of its shrieks filled the air, vibrating through his skull, shaking his bones until he thought his head might split open.

“Sh…!!!” Julian pressed his hands against his ears, trying to block out the sound. But the vibrations that ran through the darkness caused his entire body to tremble, his heightened senses betraying him as the laughter wormed its way through his mind.

And soon, the monster shifted, but it didn’t charge at him—no. Instead, it moved to the side, slowly circling him like a predator toying with its prey—very much the same as what Julian’s crazed self did to him earlier in his visions.

The monster’s eyes—if they could be called eyes—never left him. It wasn’t as large as the daemon he had killed in the Below. But something about this one was far more… terrifying.

And his instincts… they just screamed at him to run.

“I don’t have a weapon!” Julian shouted to the Guidance of Artemis, desperate for any response. But there was only silence. “How am I supposed to beat this thing without a weapon!? How—”

“Kikikiki.”

The creature was amused. Julian could feel it. The way its twisted body curled and moved with ease, it was… toying with him. Like what a cat would do.

“Kii!” And soon, the monster finally moved, and when it did, it moved fast.

It closed the distance between them like a shadow in the night, its body stretching as its limbs reached for him.

“What the!?” Julian’s heart leaped into his throat as he quickly bolted in the opposite direction, but the creature’s laughter only grew louder, filling the air until it was all he could hear. It became an overwhelming, mocking chorus, echoing in his mind, drowning out his thoughts and even his breaths.

Then… something changed.

“Huh?”

In an instant, the laughter quieted—a soft, eerie whisper in the distance. It made Julian confused at first. But… that’s when he felt it—something was wrong. His body felt… lighter.

He looked down… only to see that his right arm was gone.

“Kh!” Julian gasped, his heart slamming into his chest. The pain finally hit him as he saw his severed arm lying on the dark floor, and the shadow creature holding it with its tentacles..

“Kikiki…” The creature waved his arm at him, as if mocking him, before tossing it lazily toward him.

“…” The severed limb hit Julian square in the face, the pain mixing into a breath of terror and confusion.

What… what was this thing? Was this the Master of Shadows? Was it punishing him personally for ignoring the quest?

“Kikiki!” The creature’s eerie laugh echoed once more. And Julian’s instincts screamed at him to run again, but he knew it was useless.

His heightened senses were working against him now because there was something weird with the monster.

It was loud when it was far, and it became quieter the closer it got, and since Julian was used to relying on his ears, his heightened senses were somewhat failing him. He needed… to do something.

He needed to focus. He needed to feel it, to sense it not only through sound, but through the very air it disturbed—very much like his test when he woke up in the space station of Humanity Engineering above the skies of Artemia.

“Ho…” Julian steadied his breath, his frantic heartbeat slowing as he focused everything on the creature. The laughter still echoed in his mind, but he pushed it aside.

He would not let fear rule him. He had been in the shadows before. He had survived. He would survive again.

The creature seemed to have felt the shift in him. It paused, the high-pitched laughter turning into something colder, even more sinister.

And then, without warning…

“Kii!” It lunged.

The shadow monster moved like lightning, its limbs striking out at Julian from all directions. But instead of retreating and running again, Julian stood his ground, dodging and weaving… almost like an amateur boxer luckily avoiding a punch.

His body twisted, dipping under each strike, his feet dancing away from the blows.

But, of course, the creature was fast—too fast, even with Julian’s increased agility. Its many limbs made it impossible to predict where the next attack would come from.

Julian dodged, again and again, but it wasn’t enough. And soon… the creature’s sharp legs finally found him, slashing across his chest in a vicious upward strike.

“Kh!” Julian grunted, stumbling back as the pain seared through him. Blood poured from the wound, but there was no time to react. The creature pressed the attack, striking at him relentlessly, not giving him a moment to breathe as he desperately rolled on the ground several times like some sort of clown.

He was being overwhelmed.

“Hm?” And then, in a moment of desperation, Julian’s hand found something cold on the ground—his severed arm. Without thinking, he grabbed it, gripping it tightly in his remaining hand. The bone, sharp and jagged… and in the crudest of definition, it felt like a weapon.

Without hesitating, Julian stabbed the shadow creature through one of its limbs.

“Kreeek!?” The creature shrieked, recoiling in surprise, its body writhing and almost shrinking as it pulled back.

“F… finally, ha…” Julian grinned, the pain and exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he watched the creature falter.

The monster’s dark eyes narrowed at him, almost as if it was looking at Julian from head to toe—and as it saw Julian also smiling now… the monster’s eerie laughter returned, louder this time.

“Kii!” The creature lunged again, and this time Julian didn’t just dodge. He struck back, stabbing at it with the jagged bone of his own severed arm.

Each time the creature slashed at him, he stabbed back, the two of them locked in a brutal dance.

Blood poured from Julian’s wounds, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. After all, it wasn’t only him that was hurting, that was dying.

And soon, the dance came to an end.

“Kh…” Julian gasped as the shadow monster landed one final blow, stabbing straight through his chest, the pain so sharp it nearly made him black out. But even as he felt his life slipping away…

Julian’s grin remained.

After all, he wasn’t the only one who had taken a fatal wound.

The creature collapsed to the ground in front of him, its body almost disappearing into the dark floor beneath them.

“Ha… ha…” Julian fell to his knees, gasping for air as he stared at the monster’s remains.

“I… I did it,” Julian wheezed, his vision fading. He stabbed at the creature’s body one last time, just to be sure. And another, just in case the last one wasn’t enough.

“I did… let… let me out of here…”

He had won, but barely. His body was broken, his strength all but gone. And the large hole on his chest did not really help at all. He knew he would die if he stayed here much longer.

“Let me become the Radiant Black—”

And then, a message appeared before him.

[Defeat the enemy in front of you (Shadow Crawler 1/10)]

“Huh…?” Julian froze, the words entering into his mind like ice. One… one out of ten? Does that mean…

As if on cue, the sound of clicking filled the air. More laughter—this time, from all around him.

His eyes darted to the shadows, and that’s when he saw them—nine more. Nine more shadow creatures, their forms crawling toward him from the darkness.

“Were… were they watching this entire time?” Julian’s breath hitched, the reality of his situation sinking in. He had fought so hard, but now, he realized they truly were just playing with him from the beginning.

“Ha…” Julian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to scream, but instead, he simply let out a small, bitter chuckle.

His hand trembled as he just let go of his severed arm—but he wasn’t surrendering. Instead, he grabbed one of the sharp limbs from the dead shadow crawler in front of him, yanking it apart.

“Well…” A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he looked at the remaining shadow crawlers, their forms slowly circling around him. “…Let’s just get this over with then. I’m not… I’m not returning to the darkness.”

And with a guttural roar, but silent roar, Julian pushed himself to his feet, his body shaking with the effort. His chest burned, the hole in his torso still bleeding freely, but he didn’t care.

He had nothing left to lose.

He rushed at the nearest shadow crawler, roaring as he swung the sharp limb in his hand, slashing at the creature with all his remaining strength. The other monsters lunged at him in unison, their claws tearing at his flesh, but Julian didn’t stop.

He fought with everything he had, his roars echoing through the dark void, even as the pain consumed him.

But it wasn’t enough. It never would have been.

Even with his heightened senses, even with the strength of his will, Julian was already dead even before the nine remaining crawlers revealed themselves.

His body couldn’t keep up. His vision blurred, his limbs grew heavy… and finally, his strength gave out.

“Aah… fuck,” Julian cursed as he dropped to the ground, his body convulsing as the shadow crawlers circled him like vultures. He didn’t usually curse, but this situation felt like it deserved it. He could feel them prodding at him, playing with his broken body. “I really… I really should have gone straight to the smith—”

Before he could finish his words, one of the shadow crawlers lunged at him, its massive leg crashing down on his head.

Crack.

And everything went silent.

[…]

[…]

[You have failed the penalty of the Master of Shadows. No other class will be available to you anymore, your path to becoming the Shadow Blacksmith will be forever cemented. But that no longer applies to you, Julian Winters.]

And there, Julian Winters, a man who had lived his life shrouded in darkness, died alone as he lived, in a void.

[…]

[…]

[I did not expect for him to die, Artemis.]

[…]

[I might have been a little impulsive.]

[…]

[Artemis, please!]

[The pitiful Master of Shadows has decided to give you a second chance at life, Julian Winters. But for two lives to be dug from the grave, many will suffer… That is the punishment that has been imposed upon you for failing the penalty.]

“!?”

Out of nowhere, a sharp gasp filled the air, followed by a deep breath as Julian suddenly sat up. The shadow crawlers, all gone.

“I’m… I’m alive…?”

Chapter twenty-four

Once Again, to the Fire

[The pitiful Master of Shadows has decided to give you a second chance at life, Julian Winters. But for two lives to be dug from the grave, many will suffer… That is the punishment that has been imposed upon you for failing the penalty.]

Julian stared blankly at the message floating in front of him, the messages that would usually just enter his mind not registering at all.

“Huh…?” He touched his head. He might not be clear about a lot of things now, but he was sure his head was crushed, and his limbs were torn apart into pieces. But there were no pieces of him anywhere else at all…

And even the crawlers were gone, leaving only an eerie silence behind.

“What?” Julian whispered as he ran his hand over his scalp, half-expecting to find a large dent or even a hint of blood. But there was nothing. No pain, no crushing sensation. Only the echo of the monsters’ laughter still lingered in his mind… like some cruel joke.

The only thing that was in pieces right now was his mind. Was it real? Had he really been killed? Or… perhaps it was just another part of the trial?

“Uh…” Julian sat on the dark, cold ground, waiting for some sort of punchline to reveal itself. But nothing came. Just the oppressive silence and the message still hovering in his vision—and finally, it started to register in his mind.

“A second chance at life?” Julian muttered. “Does that mean I actually… died? What does—”

[You have failed the penalty, Julian Winters. The class Radiant Blacksmith or any other class, will no longer be available to you. Your path to becoming the Shadow Blacksmith has been cemented.]

“I never would have won that…” Julian sighed in frustration. “This whole thing’s… rigged.”

Before Julian could express all of his thoughts, a familiar door suddenly materialized in front of him—the very same one he had walked through to enter the Mana Chamber. And soon, the dark atmosphere around him began to recede, replaced by the brightness of the door, as if urging him to move forward… or telling him he was overstaying his welcome.

“I really should ask MEGAN to research more about this entire thing,” Julian said aloud, still struggling to piece everything together. But after a few more seconds of trying to think about it, he slowly rose to his feet and let out a long sigh.

There was no use thinking about this now—and so, without any further thought, Julian walked through the door.

“Ugh…” The light from the Tower of Mana burst into his vision as Julian emerged from the Mana Chamber. The vibrant colors, the bustling energy—it all seemed so out of place compared to the darkness he had just escaped from.

But of course, that bustling energy was completely replaced by the people, most of them groveling or lamenting their lack of mana, their voices blending into a low hum of despair.

“And so, Julian Winters?”

“Hm…?” Jacob’s monotonous voice pulled him back to reality.

“What class did you pick?” Edward chimed in almost simultaneously.

The twins stood in front of him, their expressions as neutral and emotionless as ever, but their questions came in rapid fire, as if they had been waiting eagerly for his answer.

“A class…?” Julian’s gaze dropped to the floor, his mind still reeling from the experience.

“I… think I failed the trial,” Julian replied, still slightly confused. “The Guidance of Artemis asked me to choose, but—”

“Oh, that is alright.” Jacob cut him off before he could finish, a little hint of emotion escaping his tone.

“It happens to most of us. Not us, though. We are lucky,” Edward added, almost in sync with his brother. “My brother is a Battlemonk, and I am a Ninja.”

“It just means your body wasn’t compatible,” Jacob said matter-of-factly. “You do not have to be so jealous.”

“I’m really not jealous. Something happened there that—” Julian tried to explain, but once again, the twins interrupted him.

“You don’t need to worry,” Edward said, a small smile creeping onto his face. You’re already stronger than most newbies. I have never seen someone dispatch someone who is almost ten levels above themselves.”

“We have no doubt you’ll do well.”

“But of course, your end game will be limited,” Jacob chimed in as he raised a finger.

“He doesn’t need to know that.” Edward sighed. “But it is a shame.”

“Such a shame,” Edward finished, shaking his head as if Julian had somehow missed out on something grand—well, he most probably did.

Julian still wanted to say something, to ask more questions, but with the twins’ constant interruptions, that might be impossible—and so, he just opted to say one thing that might get their attention instead.

“I died in there,” Julian said suddenly, pointing at the Mana Chamber behind him, “And… has there been any record of someone dying on Earth when their clone died?”

“Die…?” The twins exchanged a glance, their expressions unchanged, and then, almost in unison, they let out a quiet chuckle. “That is most likely just a part of the trial to confuse you, Julian Winters. That sounds too ominous for Artemis. She’s not like that. She’s a guide, hence, the Guidance of Artemis.”

“No one dies in the Mana Chamber, pfft,” Edward said, covering his mouth with his hand as if to stifle his laughter. His eyes, however, were still blank. “And no one dies on Earth. No one would be buying Otherworld if that was the case.”

“The Mana Chamber is similar to the LinkGear in this instance—it transfers your mind, or in this case, your soul. There’s nothing physical happening inside,” Jacob added while nodding his head.

“Nothing… physical?” Julian held his head again. Everything felt physical enough.

“It’s alright to be a little shaken up since you do not have mana, or a class for that matter, Julian Winters,” Edward also started nodding. “After all, you did pay a lot of money for this.”

They… don’t know? Julian thought to himself. If so, then it was best to truly stay quiet about this, at least for now.

The Master of Shadows did say it was unique to him. Or is it all truly just part of the trial for the Shadow Blacksmith quest?

“… Guidance.” His status once again appeared in front of him, and true enough, the mana evaluation quest was no longer present… but the Master of Shadows quest was still there.

If all that happened inside the chamber was real, then… wasn’t that dangerous? But at the same time…

Isn’t it also actually quite exciting?

“Hm…” For the first time in a long while, Julian felt a flicker of excitement in his chest for something other than hammering his time away.

“So…where do we go now?” Julian asked, his voice more grounded than before.

“We are going home.” Edward shrugged. “As for you—”

“Anywhere you want to, Julian Winters,” Jacob answered.

“You’re free to go wherever you want now. But just remember…” Edward’s voice lowered as he and his brother leaned in closer to Julian. “This is not your world. It might seem like a game.”

“It may act like a game,” Jacob added, his tone cold.

“But it’s not. The things you do here have real-life consequences for the people who live here.”

“We are intruders, invaders,” Edward said quietly.

“And you, Julian Winters, have already killed some of them,” Jacob finished, his voice barely above a whisper.

“And you will probably kill more. But don’t worry—the laws of our world don’t apply here. Most think Otherworld is expensive, but it’s not. Not at all. After all…” Edward’s voice trailed off as he looked Julian straight in the eyes.

“You are paying to do things you’ll never be able to do back on Earth.”

“Good luck, Julian Winters.”

With that, the twins straightened up and gave him a small nod before turning and walking away, leaving Julian just standing there.

And as he watched as the twins walked away, their words lingered in the air.

This is not your world. The words echoed in his mind. Of course, he had known that from the start, but hearing it laid out so bluntly made him feel… something. What, he didn’t exactly know yet.

“I’ll… remember that,” Julian murmured to himself as he followed the twins out of the Tower of Mana.

The twins did not really say anything else and just left him unceremoniously as soon as they stepped out, saying they needed to let their clones rest. They had suggested that he do the same.

But of course, Julian wasn’t quite ready to rest yet. His body was tired, sure, but his mind was racing, filled with thoughts of everything that had happened—the Order of Artemia, Marcus’s death, and whatever had just transpired inside the Mana Chamber.

All of that happening in just the of a single day, not even. He needed something to ground himself. Something… familiar.

And, of course… it could really only be one thing.

“I’ll just make one blade,” Julian whispered, his voice barely audible to the passersby in the busy street. “Just one blade, MEGAN, and I’ll go… home.”

He knew MEGAN was watching through his eyes since she mentioned something about a live stream—and although he couldn’t hear her… he was sure MEGAN was already screaming at him to rest and go… home.

Home.

Did he even know where home was anymore?

Of course, it would be silly for Julian to consider Artemia his home since he had only been here for a few days—but he felt… alive here.

“Ha…” Julian let out a small breath as he shook off all the thoughts he was having. If he could just make one more blade, he would feel like himself again.

He would let his clone rest after that, and then learn more about Artemia and Otherworld back on Earth, but for now, he just needed to feel the weight of a hammer in his hand.

Julian began walking, letting his instincts guide him through the streets of Ethaca. The city felt different now, smaller, almost insignificant after he had seen visions of Earth and the buildings that almost felt like prisons locking the sky.

And yet, despite its smallness, there was something about Ethaca that felt… freeing.

As Julian walked, his hands very slightly hovered in front of him, palms facing forward. And though he could see perfectly in Artemia, his body still moved as if he were blind. It was instinctual, a habit formed from a lifetime of darkness.

His other senses had always been his true sight, and so, he wanted to “see” everything this city had to offer.

“Oh…?” It wasn’t long, however, before his ears caught a familiar sound—the unmistakable clanging of metal being hammered into shape.

Julian’s steps quickened as he followed the noise, weaving through the bustling streets until he reached a plaza. His eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.

A smithy.

“W…what the…?”

No—smithies. A whole plaza filled with them. Tents were set up all around, and the air was filled with the sound of hammers striking anvils, the heat of forges, and the unmistakable scent of molten metal. It was hard to breathe, but Julian took it all.

There were at least a dozen smithies, each one different. Some were simple setups with just a few tools and an open flame. Others were more established, with full shops and displays of their work. Weapons, armor, chainmail, axes, swords—everything a warrior could dream of was on display here, forged by the hands of different blacksmiths.

“Wow. Just… wow.” Julian couldn’t help but smile.

He wandered through the plaza, his eyes wide with wonder as he inspected the various weapons and armor being crafted. For a moment, it was like nothing else existed—he had forgotten the trials, shadow monsters… the penalty.

It was just the sound of metal, the heat of the forge, and the beauty of craftsmanship.

But as he continued to walk and started to look closer at all the items, the smile on his face very slowly faded.

“They’re… wasting precious metals,” Julian whispered under his breath, humming his breath slightly. “I… think I can do better than this.”

“Huh…?”

Unfortunately… his voice wasn’t as quiet as he thought.

“What did you say, pretty boy?” a voice snapped from behind him.

Julian turned around, only to see a female blacksmith standing near a grinding wheel. She was glaring at him, her muscles incredibly tense as she adjusted the bandana wrapped around her head.

“Did… you just say you can do better than me?” she demanded, leaving the wheel and stepping toward him.

“What…? No.” Julian blinked, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “I… didn’t mean you. I meant just… in general, everyone—”

“What?” The woman’s eyes narrowed even further, her glare intensifying.

“So you’re insulting all of us, then?” she growled, stepping closer, her arms bulging as she flexed her grip on a hammer… She wasn’t going to use that on Julian, was she?

“N-no,” Julian stammered, feeling a sudden tension in the air. He wasn’t used to confrontations like this. After all his social life only consisted of Ellie… and MEGAN.

“I’m sorry if I offended you. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’ll just… go now.”

“Wait… hold on,” the woman said, grabbing his wrist with surprising speed and strength. Julian winced slightly at her grip—why did it feel like his wrist was being locked by a vise?

“Let me see your hands.”

“Huh?” Julian was caught off guard as the woman pulled his hand toward her and inspected it closely. Her eyes narrowed again, but this time with curiosity instead of anger.

“Interesting…” she muttered, tracing a calloused finger along the lines of Julian’s palm. “Now that I’m looking at you, you have some meat on you too. And here I thought you were just some pretty boy. “

“Uh… I… I guess not?” Julian stammered, unsure of how to respond. His gaze flicked nervously to the hammer still in her other hand.

“Huh…” The female blacksmith squinted her eyes.

But of course, it wasn’t just the woman who actually felt something—Julian did too, even more so.

He felt it, he saw it—just how much time and effort she had spent in mastering her craft as she held his hand. Julian felt each crevice, each crack, and each blister, calluses—all of it weaving a story that Julian was very much familiar with. And now, he was actually seeing her for the very first time.

She had a very familiar scent about her, since she was similar to him. There was a hint of coffee coming from her, and the scent smoke, slightly sweet.

“I’m…really sorry,” he said again, his voice more sincere this time. “I didn’t mean to insult you. I know how much work goes into this… these are your precious babies.”

“Babies?”

“You… you worked hard for them…” Julian’s words trailed off, emotion catching in his throat. “If someone told me what I said to you, I would also probably…”

“W-wait, wait…” The female blacksmith quickly let go of Julian’s hand, her eyes wide with confusion. Was this guy seriously about to cry? She stared at him for a moment, taken aback by the raw emotion on his face. For a guy who looked like he could take on a dozen soldiers… his reaction was surprisingly soft.

“You’re… you’re good,” the woman said, her voice awkward and uncertain as she took a step back.

“Ugh…” She scratched the back of her head, clearly unsure of how to handle this. “Look, we get heated up sometimes, okay? There’s just been a lot of competition lately.”

“Competition?” Julian asked, his curiosity piqued as he glanced around at the other smiths.

“Yeah,” the woman replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “Ethaca wasn’t always like this. But now? It’s filled with metalworkers and vendors, all trying to make a name for themselves. With the monsters breeding like crazy, there’s plenty of demand for weapons, so trade’s booming.”

“Huh…” Julian looked around the plaza again, seeing it with new eyes. Now that he was thinking about it clearly, his words really did sound almost like a threat.

The female blacksmith’s eyes followed Julian’s gaze as he surveyed the plaza, and as soon as he saw her looking at a certain forge, she let out a loud breath.

“I used to work at that smithy over there,” she said, nodding toward one of the large forges with its own establishment, prominently set apart from the tents. “It was one of the most respected shops in Ethaca. But ever since they decided to only make weapons for the aristocrats and the pompous elites, I left.”

“Hm…?”

“Yeah. They only care about money now,” the woman continued, her voice laced with frustration. “It’s all about status now. Who’s buying the weapons, not how they’re made. So I struck out on my own. I prefer working for real warriors anyway, not those fancy lords who’ve never seen a battlefield. Ack… why am I even telling you this!? It’s all because you… ack.”

“Hm…” Julian nodded, though he didn’t quite know what to say.

“Anyway,” the woman said, shifting her attention back to him. “What are you in here for? You don’t seem like a local. Wait… don’t tell me you’re planning on setting up a shop too?”

“That…” Julian scratched the back of his head, unsure of how to answer. “I was actually just planning on renting a forge and some ingots. I just want to craft a blade or two.”

“Ugh… no.” The woman groaned, rubbing her temples. “We don’t do that here. Most of us are independent workers, and we own our forges. No one’s going to let some skinny lout touch their… babies, as you called them. But… hm.” She glanced at him again, her eyes narrowing as if sizing Julian up again.

“What…?” Julian took a step back as she continued to appraise him with a critical eye.

“I am in need of a striker,” she finally said, crossing her arms again. “And you look like you know your way around a hammer. Work for me for a bit, and I’ll forget you ever insulted my… babies. I can pay—”

“Sure,” Julian said before the woman could even finish her sentence.

“Huh?” The blacksmith raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by how quickly he agreed. “You’re… okay with that? I… I mean, right. Why would you even refuse? Ha… hahaha….”

She had been prepared to offer him payment since he clearly had some experience judging by his hands and build, but if he was fine not getting paid, well…

“My name’s Juliet.” The blacksmith finally introduced herself. “You sure you don’t want pay?”

“I’m Julian,” Julian replied with a small, earnest smile. “And yeah… I’m just happy to work.”

“Well, would you look at that—Juliet and Julian. We’re already off to a great start!” The woman chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. “Okay, then… let’s get to work, pretty boy.”

Chapter twenty-five

Trouble, Trouble

“How long…”

Julian stood by the forge, not in his usual spot, but on the other side of the anvil.

“How long has it been?” For a moment, he was back in his childhood, standing next to his father. The smell of burning coals and molten metal filled his nose, the heat of the forge licking at his skin. He didn’t know anything back then, but he learned in time what everything meant.

He remembered the rhythm of his father’s hammer, the steady beat of metal shaping metal, the way he used to listen, completely captivated by the process… the burns in his hands when he made a mistake…

And the screams of her mother as she beat his father half to death for even bringing Julian to the forge.

His father had taught him everything he knew about blacksmithing, even when Julian couldn’t even see. Telling him to listen… to listen to the voice of the metal. This is the reason he loved blacksmithing so much—because in a way, it allowed him to see.

All of his senses, working to create an image in his mind that he would have otherwise truly never seen.

“Ha…” His grip on the hammer tightened, his heart pounding as a surge of emotions washed over him.

“I haven’t done this since… since then,” he whispered to himself. His vision blurred slightly, and he blinked it away, focusing on the anvil in front of him.

“Yo, pretty boy…” Juliet’s voice broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. “You… alright?”

“Yes…” Julian turned to look at her, only to see her slightly backing away from the anvil.

“You look like you’re about to cry again.” Juliet squinted her eyes, now slightly hesitating and thinking whether or not she made the right decision. What if… Julian was actually just some sort of crazy person?

“I’m fine. Sorry…” Julian quickly wiped his face, shaking his head slightly as he forced a smile. “I just… It’s been a while since I’ve been an assistant.”

“And you’re crying because of that?” Juliet stared at him for a moment longer, her brow furrowed, but she didn’t press further. Perhaps… Julian truly was just a little… special? She would ask, but she only just met him, and it wouldn’t really be right.

But alas, Juliet could not help herself.

“Sorry to ask this out of nowhere, pretty boy…” Juliet narrowed her eyes. “But are you right in the head?”

“No, I’m not.” Surprisingly, Julian answered without any hesitation.

“Well… alright, then.” Juliet let out a small chuckle, shrugging as she placed the hot metal blank on the anvil. “Let’s get started.”

“Okay.” Julian let out a humming breath.

“Okay, strike the—”

PANG!

Before Juliet could finish her words, the hammer struck the metal, and she saw all of Julian’s emotions seemingly vanish at the first spark. His expression shifted from one of nostalgia to one of calm… and strict concentration.

Is this even the same person who looked like he was about to cry just moments ago?

The rhythmic clanging of metal against metal echoed through their tent, and Juliet quickly realized just how… focused he truly was. Every strike was precise, deliberate, the sound sharp and clear as the shape of the blade began to emerge.

“This is… crazy.” Juliet worked alongside him, but her pace soon slowed as she watched in awe. She had seen skilled blacksmiths before, a lot of them, but Julian… Just from the first strike alone, she knew Julian was different.

And all of a sudden, Juliet found herself a bystander—she was supposed to be leading this crafting process… so why did it feel like she ended up just being the assistant instead? No, worse than that—her only role now was holding the blank ingot.

But still, Juliet did not mind at all. Each strike was perfect, timed to perfection, and the metal responded to him like it had no choice but to obey.

“How… did you even learn something like this?” Juliet muttered, almost to herself as she glanced at Julian.

Julian didn’t respond at all.

“By the gods…” Juliet’s amazement slowly turned into something else—something closer to fear. She had been in this business long enough to recognize talent, but Julian’s skill… went beyond that.

His strikes were flawless, unrelenting in their precision. The speed at which they were crafting the weapon was unnatural. It didn’t take long for the blade to take shape, far quicker than Juliet had ever experienced before.

“Th-this… Julian, this is…” Her heart raced as she grabbed the finished sword. “G…Guidance!”

And as soon as she saw its stats, she froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.

[Item: Unnamed Ordinary Sword]

Type: One-handed Sword

Grade: Epic

Durability: 200/200

Sharpness: 100

Weight: 2.5

Special Effects:

Heat Resistance: Negates heat-based damage for the wielder by 15%.

Armor Penetration: Increases damage against armored foes by 20%.

Skills:

Molten Edge: The blade heats up, allowing it to sear through armor and flesh, leaving a burning wound that continues to deal damage over time.

Description:

The first blade forged together by Julian and his assistant, Juliet. A blade forged with unmatched precision and fire in its core. Its molten power grants it the ability to cut through the toughest armors, with heat lingering in its strikes to burn anything it touches. Its edge remains hot, making each slash more devastating than the last. Crafted to endure, this blade stands as a testament to both the skill and the passion behind its creation.

“W-what?” Her hands shook slightly as she stared at the words glowing in front of her. How had they done that so quickly? It usually took hours, an entire day even, to produce a weapon of this quality. But they had done it in mere minutes.

“Julian,” she breathed. “My skill… My [Fire Enhancement] skill actually activated!? It… this is only the second time it has activated in my entire life! And… and…!!!”

Julian didn’t seem to hear her. He was still standing at the anvil, hammer in hand, waiting for the next blank.

“We… just made an [Epic] grade weapon. This… this is insane. How did—” Juliet’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke, but Julian remained as calm as ever, his focus unbroken. But soon, his eyes turned toward the sword that Juliet was holding.

“Oh… look at it.” Julian then suddenly approached Juliet… and perhaps too close. Juliet wanted to move back, but there wasn’t really so much space inside her outdoor forge, “Look… at our baby.”

“Uh… huh?” Juliet quickly looked around as someone might misunderstand what was happening right now. But fortunately for her, the other blacksmiths were also completely focused on their own craft. “Uhm… right… maybe I should… uh… put this aside for now?”

“Hm… next?” Julian then asked quietly, a small smile persisting on his face.

“N-next? What do you mean… next? We just… crafted an [Epic] weapon?” Juliet hesitated, her heart pounding. She should have been excited. She should have been elated. But instead, she was terrified. No one crafted like this. No one could create something so perfect so quickly… and yet he just wanted to craft again without even celebrating it?

What kind of blacksmith was he?

“You… want to make more?”

“More babies, yes.”

“Please don’t call them babies anymore.”

And so, they continued working, but Juliet’s hands shook as they crafted one weapon after another. Not once did Julian miss a strike, not once did his focus waver. But of course, they could not replicate the [Epic] grade weapon they made anymore.

By normal standards, [Epic] grade weapons were the highest one could craft throughout their entire life—but it was also because there were no longer any weapon grades between [Epic] and [Legendary].

Not all [Epic] grade weapons were equal. But still, it was a testament of a blacksmith’s skill. And the fact that they created one on their first try meant… something special was happening here.

And by the time they had finished their third sword, Juliet’s awe had turned into outright fear.

Was Julian… actually a master? No… masters couldn’t even work this fast if they tried.

“Julian… just what are you?”

Julian continued to hammer away.

“Sword Junkie!”

Amidst the crowd of people who wandered around the smithy stalls, a single voice broke through the usual clamor.

The words were shouted loudly, catching the attention of everyone nearby, including Juliet. She quickly turned to see what the noise was about, only to see a man pushing through the crowd… and approaching them?

Julian, too, glanced up from his work—but not because of the noise, but because Juliet removed the blank from the anvil.

The stranger pushed closer, his eyes widening as he finally reached Juliet’s stall.

“I… I finally found you!” He pointed at Julian, his face a mix of awe and excitement.

“Hm…?” Juliet raised an eyebrow as she looked at the stranger, and then to Julian.

“I knew… I knew it was you! Sword Junkie!” he shouted again, drawing even more attention from the crowd. “I’ve seen your work, man! You’re a legend!”

“Sword…” Juliet stared at the man in confusion, unsure of what was happening. “Sword… Junkie?”

“Uhm…” Julian let out a quiet sigh, placing the hammer back on the anvil. His calm concentration faded, replaced by the familiar uncertainty that crept back into his demeanor.

“It’s you, right…?” The stranger leaned in closer to lower his voice. “The one who can always hit [Perfect] spots…? The one who could mass-produce [Rare] weapons!?”

“Mass… producing [Rare] weapons?” Juliet’s gaze darted between the two men. Was Julian really some kind of famous blacksmith?

“We… we should stop.” Juliet took in a small gulp as she realized… she might just be in the presence of a legendary blacksmith.

“Oh… okay.” Julian nodded silently, grateful for the excuse to step away from the attention. He looked at Juliet, his eyes softening. “Will you be here tomorrow?”

“T-tomorrow?” Juliet blinked in surprise. “You… you still want to work with me?”

“Yes…?”

“I’ll… be here then?” Juliet awkwardly chuckled. “I’ll… I’ll clean up here, sir. You can… you can go with your friend.”

“Sir?” Julian was slightly confused by Juliet’s sudden change in demeanor. “Then… I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Sword Junkie, wait up!” As Julian left the stall, the stranger quickly followed him.

“Uhm… what do you want?” Julian could really only scratch his chin as he glanced at the stranger. “I’m… actually about to sleep.”

“Ah, I know the best inn here! Follow me, Sword Junkie. Follow me!”

“Right.” Julian… well… he was incredibly weirded out as the stranger bowed to him before gesturing to him to follow.

Julian followed the man through the crowded streets of Ethaca until they reached a small inn, and as soon as they stepped inside… the stranger started bombarding him with questions.

“You have no idea how much of a following you’re gaining back on Earth, do you!?” The stranger raised his voice.

“What… what are you saying?” Julian’s eyes widened as he looked at the other patrons of the diner. And to his surprise, none of them really reacted aside from some curious glance.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry. I forgot you were a newbie.” The stranger waved his hand. “This place is owned by a player, and all of the people here are players.”

“All… of them?” There were probably around twenty of them there—if one would think about it, these were twenty millionaires back on Earth… well, except him.

“What… do you want from me?” Julian did not really think much of it anymore as he wanted to sleep. He promised MEGAN he would only craft a single blade… and it ended up being more. If he didn’t go back to Earth soon, he knew he was in for some proper sermon.

“A collab.” The stranger continued to follow Julian even as he went to the counter to pay for a room. “You and I do something together. This will be very beneficial for the both of us. You see, I interview newbies that seem like they have the potential to make it big in—”

“I’m… not really interested.” Julian shook his head, trying to avoid the man’s persistent chatter. “I’m just doing Otherworld for… fun.”

“Why did you turn on your stream, then!?” The stranger wagged his finger. “Is this the image you want? Mysterious and aloof? Someone’s already doing the concept, but if that’s what you want, then we can go with that. Women usually dig that, and you’re incredibly handsome too—did you pay Humanity Engineering a premium to enhance your clone’s looks?”

“What…?” Julian grabbed the key that was handed to him by the innkeep. “I… have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m not… interested.”

“But think about it!” the stranger persisted. “We could do something huge. You’re obviously a very talented blacksmith. And the way you hacked those goblins? You’re some kind of soldier, aren’t you!?”

“Huh?”

“Were you sponsored by someone, or did you participate in the Otherworld Project with your own money!? I could even help you back on Earth! Set you up with other famous streamers and—”

“Please…” Julian cut him off, raising a hand. “No. But, thank you for the offer.”

The stranger blinked, clearly taken aback by Julian’s sudden firmness. “You… you sure?”

“Yes.” Julian nodded before heading up the stairs.

“You’re going to earn a lot of money!” The stranger raised his voice even further and pointed at his eyes. “Look! I have live chat installed and they are going crazy about you!”

“Money?” Julian’s steps slightly halted. But after a few breaths, he just continued up the stairs. But of course, as someone with keen eyes and someone who has met more players than he could count, the stranger noticed this sudden hesitation.

“Money, huh…” The stranger smiled.

“My name’s Cyrus! I’ll… I’ll see you in the real world, Sword Junkie. Innkeep! Give me a room too!”

Julian was now lying on the bed of the inn. It was hard, but it didn’t matter at all. The day had been… intense. And now, it was time to return to his world of darkness.

But before he fell asleep, he whispered, “Guidance.”

[STATUS]

Name: Julian Winters

Class: No Class

Level: 5

Health (HP): 75/80

Mana (MP): ??/??

Stamina (SP): 121/150

Strength: 9

Agility: 14

Vitality: 6

Mana: ?

Perception: 15

Free Points: 6

Skills:

You have no skills yet. Please select a class as soon as possible.

Abilities:

Hyper Instinct - Due to some unknown factor undetected by the [Guidance of Artemis], your senses are highly abnormal. All Skills affected by Perception will have increased effectiveness.

Active Quests:

Master of Shadows

Explore the world to gain more quests.

“Oh, I leveled up…?” Julian blinked. “Is it… from those people I killed?”

He didn’t really know what to feel about that. He just killed people, and instead of being punished, he was rewarded with strength instead.

“Huh…” And he wasn’t really aware of it, but a small smile tugged at his lips.

This… was slightly exciting, wasn’t it?

“Since I always seem to find myself weak and wounded…” Julian whispered to himself. “Put 3 into vitality and 3 into strength?”

“!!!” And once again, his body felt like it was being thrown into a grinder—and without even realizing it, his body shut down, and he drifted into sleep.

Julian woke up, blinking as there was once again nothing but darkness in front of him. He was back in his original body. His real body.

He sat up, stretching his arms. And finally, his body wasn’t as weak as it had been the last time he woke up, which made sense. He had only been gone for… eleven hours? Maybe less?

Perhaps today was going to be a peaceful day.

[Julian!]

But then, a scream in his mind caused his entire body to almost convulse.

[Julian! You’re finally back!] MEGAN’s voice echoed through his mind, frantic and desperate. [Julian, something’s happened!]

“MEGAN, what’s… going on?” Julian immediately grabbed his cane on the side of his bed and stood up.

[It’s Ellie!] MEGAN’s voice trembled, [A… a hospital called and said she’s in the ICU!]

“The… hospital?”

And all of a sudden, Julian’s blood ran cold as the words of the Guidance of Artemis echoed in his mind: [Many will suffer.]

Is it possible… that the punishment was also capable of bleeding into his real world? Could Ellie be the one paying the price? His real body did receive his clone’s ability… It made sense—after all—if his clone’s abilities were mysteriously adapted by his real ability…

Then extending the punishment to his world wouldn’t be beyond what the gods of Artemia could do.

Or is this just a coincidence?

“When… when did this happen…?”

[7 hours and 32 minutes ago!]

That was way before he failed the penalty, and even before they reached Ethaca and entered the Tower of Mana.

“MEGAN, which… hospital is it?” Julian tightened his grip on his cane.

[It’s the Clevesky General Hospital on Sky Net!] MEGAN’s words came out fast. [I already called a taxi for us. ETA: 82 minutes. It has to go around, and there’s a traffic jam because of the air control servers—]

“Where’s the window?” Julian cut her off, feeling his way to the desk where his face mask should be lying around.

[Huh?] MEGAN sounded confused.

“Point me to the window.” Julian quickly secured the mask over half his face again, “We’re meeting the taxi halfway.”

[The taxi is still above us, Julian. Between the Below and the Sky Net.]

“Even better…” Julian found the window by feeling the heat radiating from the glass. “Tell it to stay there.”

[Wait, you’re not planning to…] MEGAN stammered. [Julian, calm down, and stop trying to prove to us that you’re stupid. We already know. I know I told you about Daredevil and Spider-Man, but—Julian!? Julian…!?]

Without waiting for her to finish, Julian swung the window open, stepping up onto the ledge. The city hummed far below, the busy streets hundreds of feet away. He took a deep breath, attaching his cane to his waist and then twisting slightly to face the building, his fingers digging and sinking through the concrete like it was foam.

“MEGAN… for both of our sakes,” Julian whispered through his mask, “Don’t make a mistake when you tell me where to grab and land.”

[Julian… even for you… This—]

But before MEGAN could respond, Julian kicked off the ledge with all his strength. His body explosively shot upward, hugging the wall of the building as he soared higher.

[—is crazy!!!]

Chapter twenty-six

My Responsibility

“Where… to next?”

Julian felt the cool wind brush against his face, his hand clinging to the side of the building. His fingers dug into the concrete like it was soft clay, making him look like a dead leaf desperately swinging on a branch.

[Julian, reach to your left. There’s a solid ledge there. It’ll hold your weight.]

“Okay.” Without hesitation, Julian’s hand found the ledge. His feet followed suit, seeking out footholds on the concrete wall… and if there wasn’t, he created one.

The city of the Below sprawled beneath him, a mass of steel, neon, and chaos. The streets below were packed with people and vehicles, the sound and the constant hum of machinery entering his ears. There was also a police drone that flew by, scanning the area for any signs of trouble on the streets… completely unaware that someone was actually scaling their buildings.

But of course, Julian was also completely unaware of them as he focused on his task at hand—getting to Ellie as fast as possible.

[Two more steps… careful, the right side is weak. You don’t want it giving out.]

Julian nodded. He could sense the fault in the wall and shifted his weight accordingly, avoiding the weak spot as MEGAN said.

[You’re almost there. One last ledge…]

And with a powerful push, Julian hoisted himself onto the rooftop, landing a little bit clumsily.

“Ho…” He crouched there for a moment, catching his breath. The wind tugged at his jacket, snapping as the dim lights of the Below reflected off his black face mask.

[You… really look like some sort of superhero right now, Julian.]

“A superhero that’s not here when needed,” Julian breathed before standing up and nodding. “Let’s… continue.”

[Julian… uh… there’s a gap. The next building is 150 meters away.]

Julian stood up, stretching his arms. “How… far?”

[150 meters… Julian, I don’t—]

“Do you think we can make it?” Julian interrupted, his voice calm and steady. He could feel MEGAN’s hesitation, but there was no room for doubt. Not now.

[With the feats of strength you have done so far, based on my calculations—you can reach the wall, but you will start to descend—]

“Let’s do it.”

[But—]

“Just tell me where it is.”

[Ugh.] After a pause, MEGAN relented. [It’s straight ahead. You’ll need to jump.]

Julian backed up a few steps, his breaths steady despite the challenge ahead. He couldn’t see the distance, but he didn’t need to…

He trusted MEGAN with his life.

And without another word, Julian sprinted toward the edge of the building, each of his steps almost leaving tiny craters on the rooftop. As he reached the ledge, he pushed off with all his strength, cracking a part of the ledge as he launched himself into the air. The wind rushed past him as he soared across the gap.

[Julian!!]

And then, for a very brief second, everything seemed to hang in the air.

And then bang! His hands slammed into the side of the building.

“Kh…” His fingers dug into the concrete like claws, his body skidding down the wall from the force of the impact.

[J…Julian!]

“I… I think I got it,” Julian grunted, his shoes hissing through the surface as he slowed his descent.

[Julian!? Are you okay!?]

“I’m fine,” Julian replied, his voice calm, despite the sharp pain in his arms from the sudden stop.

[You’re… you’re insane.] MEGAN’s voice trembled, but there was also a slight hint of excitement in mixed in there. [Climb. We’re almost near the taxi.]

“Alright…” With a grunt of effort, Julian once again climbed upward as MEGAN directed him. And very soon, Julian could hear the humming of the engines of multiple vehicles as they hovered in the air. It was fortunate for him that most vehicles were driven by AI now—if not, well, someone would have definitely spotted him.

[The taxi’s right behind you. 5 meters. Ready to land?]

“Ready,” Julian muttered, pulling himself up one last time before leaping toward the hovering vehicle… and successfully landing on the roof with a slightly hard thud.

[Passenger… detected?] The taxi’s AI chimed softly. [Opening door. Opening door.]

Julian smoothly slid down, slipping inside very carefully with MEGAN’s guidance.

[Please confirm destination.]

“Clevesky General Hospital,” Julian said as he finally allowed himself to rest as the door closed. And without even a second later, the taxi adjusted its path and took off without hesitation, zooming up toward the bright umbrella of Earth that is the Sky Net.

[Julian… are you okay?] MEGAN asked softly, her voice calmer now.

“I’ll… be fine once we get to Ellie.” Julian muttered.

“Ellie Summers. Where is she!?”

“W-What!? What!?” The receptionist, a woman, could not help but gasp as Julian just suddenly emerged like a ghost, his fingers leaving hints of blood on the counter between them.

“Do… do you need medical attention, sir?!”

“No. Ellie Summers. I received a call that she was rushed here more than seven hours ago!”

“T…that…” The receptionist slightly hesitated, but upon seeing the frantic expression on Julian’s face, she quickly checked on her terminal. “She’s…in the ICU. Room 232. Second floor.”

[Let’s go!]

“Thank you!” Julian quickly moved toward the elevator, feeling its vibrations as the doors opened. Every second felt like an eternity while he was inside the cold box, his hand that was now holding the cane slightly trembling.

[You’re… almost there. Right in front of you now.]

“Wait… wait…” When they reached the door, Julian paused for just a second. How could he not, when he could hear the rhythmic beep of medical equipment getting louder? But soon… he had to open it.

[Julian…] MEGAN’s voice softened. [I… I’m not sure how to tell you this.]

As he entered the room, the steady hum of machines greeted him even louder. He could hear them—and all sorts of images entered his mind.

He knew what a dead body looks like now. Did… Ellie look anything close to them?

“Ellie…?” His steps withered as he neared the bed, his fingers brushing the cool metal railing that now caged Ellie. He reached out very carefully, afraid he might touch something he shouldn’t—and soon, he touched her skin. It was cold… but he could hear her breathe.

[Julian… she’s hooked up to a lot of machines…] MEGAN’s voice wavered, unsure of how much to say. She didn’t really want to say anything, but Julian… Julian deserved to know the truth.

“Good… evening.” A man in a white coat entered the room, the sound of his shoes soft but distinct on the hospital floor. “Are you the emergency contact for Ellie Summers?”

Julian quickly turned his shoulder toward the direction of the voice. “Yes.”

“She is…” The doctor paused for a moment as he realized Julian was blind. But after a few breaths, he spoke.

“She’s in stable condition now, but when the responders found her, she was in critical shape. We’re unsure how long she had been like this before help arrived. Her…vital signs are steady, but it’s hard to say when she’ll regain consciousness.”

Julian gripped his cane tighter, his knuckles white. “Will she… wake up?”

“She should.” The doctor hesitated. “She is out of the woods now, but her mind needs plenty of time to heal.”

“What… happened to her?” Julian’s breath trembled as he gently held Ellie’s hand.

“We’re not sure”—the doctor sighed—“but according to her bruises, wounds, and broken bones… she was most likely beaten.”

“B-broken bones?” A weird breath escaped Julian’s lips. “What…”

“We have reconstructed and regenerated everything. You do not have to worry,” the doctor reassured Julian. “As I said, she just needs time to wake up. I’ll… leave you with her for now.”

“O…okay.” Julian nodded, his voice almost cracking. He didn’t respond further as the doctor left the room, leaving him alone with MEGAN and the breathing of the ventilator.

He stood there, frozen, his hand still holding Ellie’s. MEGAN also stared at Ellie, offering Julian the peace he needed right now.

This silence, however, caused Julian’s mind to race—was this happening because of him? Because of Artemia?

“Hm…” His grip tightened on his cane, the anger and guilt swirling inside him, his thoughts completely in turmoil.

But before he could completely let the guilt overwhelm him, the door creaked open again, and several sets of footsteps entered the room—heavier, unlike the doctor’s.

[Julian…] MEGAN whispered as Julian turned his head so she could see who entered. [There are multiple people coming in. They’re not doctors… and they’re wearing suits.]

“Wearing… suits?”

[Julian, these guys… they don’t look like good news.] MEGAN’s voice rang in his ear, filled with concern. [I’ve never seen them before. I don’t think they’re here for a visit.]

Julian remained silent as the men stopped just a few steps behind him. He could hear the faint sound of leather shoes scuffing the floor and the low murmur of whispered conversation.

“You must be him.” A man’s voice broke the silence, low and laced with arrogance. “The retard.”

Julian didn’t completely turn around. He remained beside Ellie, still holding her hand.

“Who… are you?” Julian asked.

“Oh, we’re just here to finalize business,” the man said smoothly. “I think your girlfriend here forgot to tell you about us. We’re from a little company Ms. Summers here had some… dealings with.”

“Dealings?” Julian gently let go of Ellie’s hand as he felt the apprehension in the man’s voice. “What kind of dealings?”

“Well, let’s just say she borrowed something and forgot to pay up.” The man slightly chuckled. “Nothing serious, you know.”

Julian’s grip on his cane tightened. “What are you talking about? She borrowed something?”

“Oh, Ellie borrowed quite a bit of money from us,” the man continued. The other people aside from him also started to chuckle for no reason at all. “She took out a loan, and… well, it’s gotta be paid back. And we did some little digging, I hope you don’t mind… and it turns out she’s borrowing money for her retarded boyfriend. You. I didn’t even know people like you still existed. Rejects of Humanity.”

[Julian, your heart rate is elevating,] MEGAN calmly whispered in his mind. [And you’re not a retard, Julian. You’re… special. A savant. Don’t be affected by their words.]

Julian’s breath hitched as soon as he heard that. He wasn’t really hearing MEGAN.

Of course… of course.

Ellie… she had been taking care of him, paying for everything, and he hadn’t even noticed. How… just how stupid could he actually be?

Stupid. So fucking stupid.

She had always been there for him, supporting him, making sure he had everything he needed—his hobbies, their food, all of it… all the expenses. MEGAN also went through professional routine maintenance—that cost a lot of money.

And he had been too blind to see what she was going through, literally and figuratively.

“I…” Julian swallowed hard, his voice shaking with guilt. “I didn’t know any of this.”

“Well… now you do.” The man stepped closer, his shoes clicking against the floor as he moved. “And since you’re the emergency contact, that makes you her guardian. Which means… you get to pay her debts. Fun, fun, fun… fun.”

“How much… is it? I will pay for the—Wait…” Julian said quietly, his voice trembling again. “You did this to her.”

“No, we’re not monsters…” The loan shark chuckled again. “She just… tripped, you know? Maybe this is just bad luck. Maybe it’s something else. Who knows?”

This wasn’t the doing of the Master of Shadows. It wasn’t Artemia. Not at all. This had been going on for far longer than when he even first wore the LinkGear.

This was his fault… and theirs.

“Oh…” The room felt colder suddenly, and the quiet beeping of the machines seemed louder than before in Julian’s ears. Everything suddenly felt… so small.

“Oh…” Julian repeated as he started walking away from Ellie and toward the door.

“Pft…” One of the loan sharks snorted. “Where are you even going? Are you really going to abandon your girl like that?”

[Julian, I know what you are about to do. Don’t…] MEGAN’s voice was soft but firm as she saw Julian standing by the door. [I know you are angry, I am too… But there is a better way to deal with this.]

“I’m sure there is…” Julian whispered as his lips trembled. He couldn’t let this slide. Not after what they did to Ellie. “How many of them are there?”

“What… what are you doing?” The loan shark took a step closer, letting out a soft chuckle as he saw Julian turn toward them again. “What’s the plan, tough guy? You’re blind. You gonna—!!!”

Suddenly, Julian’s cane lashed out, hitting the man square in the jaw… completely dislocating it and causing him to instantly faint.

“What the—”

The others barely had time to react before Julian was on them. His movements were swift and deadly, his cane striking with precision. One after another, the loan sharks fell back, groaning in pain as Julian delivered blow after blow, his anger fueling his strength.

“You people…” Julian bared his teeth.

[Julian…] MEGAN wanted to say something—but in truth, she also wanted these men to pay. And so—

[—moving from your left right now. He is enhanced with cyberware.]

The man enhanced with cyberware lunged at Julian. The sound of his enhanced parts filled the room as his claws aimed straight for Julian’s chest.

But Julian barely flinched. He shifted to the side, dodging the strike effortlessly as the claws scraped against the wall, throwing sparks. “What the?! I thought this man was blind!?”

“You have enhancements…?” Julian’s voice turned even more gritty. “And you… you beat Ellie?”

“Shut up!” the loan shark snarled, throwing another punch, this time with inhuman speed. His fist tore through the air like a bullet… but Julian caught it with ease.

“Hm…” The impact sent vibrations up Julian’s arm, but the only thing he did was let his trembling breaths escape his lips again.

“H-how are you… You also have cyberware installed!?” The thug’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How are you doing—argh!”

Without a word, Julian twisted the man’s arm backward with a sickening crack, forcing him to his knees.

“Kh—” The thug continued to cry out in pain, but Julian wasn’t done. He brought his cane down with a brutal swing, smashing it across the thug’s head. The blow knocked him out cold in a single strike, sending him crumpling to the floor.

“Ho…” Julian straightened up, his breath calm, his grip on the cane still firm.

The room fell silent. The other loan sharks, who had been so smug a moment ago, now stared at him in shock and fear.

“E-enough!” one of them gasped, holding up his hands in surrender. “You win, alright? Just… just let us go.”

Julian stood over them, breathing heavily, his cane held tight in his hand. This wasn’t enough, not at all. He should kill them, hurt them for what they did.

[Julian, listen. Let them go. They’re not worth it. You’re better than this.] MEGAN hurried. [And Julian, it wasn’t only them who put Ellie on that bed… you did too.]

Julian’s grip on his cane loosened as soon as he heard that.

The loan sharks scrambled to their feet as they saw this, backing away quickly.

“This isn’t over, you hear me?” one of them spat. “Our… our company is well-connected. You mess with us, and you’ll have a whole army on your—”

And without even letting them speak, Julian approached all of them and started tapping their bodies. They wondered what Julian was doing at first, but then he pulled out all their IDs.

“MEGAN, scan their faces. And memorize their IDs.”

[I already have, Julian. I have found their social media and cross-referenced all of it to know where they live. They are very active. All of them are also working for a company called Chow Chow Fried Rice—most likely a front. They are not legal and would probably not be able to report what happened here.]

“I know where you live now…” Julian let out a small but very deep sigh. “I know where your women are, your mother, your daughters… If you try anything… I’ll find you…and I’ll find them.”

“W-what!?”

The loan sharks froze as they all looked at Julian’s mechanical eyes. They knew what MEGAN was, and they knew what the AI was capable of. They knew that Julian wasn’t bluffing.

“What… what are we even going to say to our boss!?”

“You figure that out.” Julian started walking back to Ellie. “And if your boss wants to come after someone, I live in Park House suites. Unit 1506.”

Without another word, they just left the room, the door closing violently behind them.

[That was incredibly stupid, Julian—you should not have told them where you live.]

“They clearly know who I am, MEGAN. They even know about my… condition. That means they probably already know where I live too.” Julian sighed as he stood beside Ellie’s bed. “And I won’t even be there… I’ll stay by Ellie’s side until she wakes up.”

[What is happening with you, Julian?] MEGAN’s words stretched. [Ever since you started the Otherworld, it’s like you’re becoming a different person. Please, I believe you’ve been gifted power for a reason… don’t use it for something bad again.]

“Maybe this is just who I am, MEGAN…” Julian gently held Ellie’s hand. “Maybe I’m just meant to hurt people. I’ve already killed people in Artemia, real people. And I don’t… I don’t even feel guilty about it anymore.”

[Stop being so pathetic. They tried to kill you first, Julian.]

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Julian sighed. “I still killed them, in cold blood. And if this was Artemia, I would have… I would have probably hurt them… I would have probably killed those men too. I know, MEGAN, I know I’m stupid. I know I don’t know a lot of things, but I know this…

“This power I gained, I am going to use it to protect the people I love. Ellie, You.”

But he didn’t. He had failed Ellie—again. And now, he had to make things right.

[Julian…] MEGAN’s voice was soft, almost apologetic. But soon, it turned almost mechanical. [We need money. Real money. And if those loan sharks come again, I don’t like you using violence again. I… have a proposal I wish to discuss with you to solve our current predicament.]

“What… is it?”

[There’s a way to help her, Julian. I’ve been receiving notifications from your followers in Artemia. They’ve been wanting to donate to you, to send gifts—but your gifting option is still locked.]

“Donations…”

[Yes. But it won’t be enough. And there’s something else.] MEGAN hesitated for a moment before continuing. [You can ask Humanity Engineering to activate a live chat in Otherworld. You could… see what they’re saying about you in real-time. I was thinking about this… I could also leave you messages—of course, I won’t make it obvious that I personally know you. There is also the issue that you do not know how to read. We need to work on that.]

“There’s…” Julian hummed. “Something like that?”

[Do you remember the streamer who approached you? It was mentioned by him—and I searched it up, and I searched him up too, Julian…] MEGAN continued. [And he makes newbies like you famous. We need him.]

“Hm…”

[And there’s an unknown number that has been calling us ever since you got off Otherworld—I think it’s him, Julian. I have searched him up too and found him. He has connections with Humanity Engineering. It’s possible he got your number from them.]

“Hm…” Julian was quiet for a moment, thinking. Then, finally, he nodded. “Check if it’s him. And if it is… set up a meeting. And MEGAN, search everything about the Master of Shadows or anything that might be related to it after you’re done with that.”

[Got it, Julian… I’ll handle everything. Just stay with Ellie for now.]

Chapter twenty-seven

Finally, a Day Without Anything Drastic Happening

[We’re near.]

“Okay…” Julian stood outside a café, tapping his cane lightly against the sidewalk. The warm breeze of the evening brushed against his face, but he didn’t care about the weather—everything just felt cold to him.

[We’re here, Julian. I made sure to pick the nearest café from the hospital.] MEGAN’s voice echoed in his mind, steady and calm.

Julian stepped into the café, the soft chatter of people filling the air. As soon as he entered, however, the room grew quieter—he could feel the stares. People were curious. After all, it wasn’t often they saw someone with a disability, especially in Sky Net, where most people had some sort of enhancement in them.

[I see him, Julian. That’s him, Cyrus Simmons.] MEGAN’s tone shifted slightly, signaling she had found their man.

MEGAN was right. It was Cyrus who had calling her all day, hoping to set up this meeting. Now, they were finally face-to-face—or about to be.

“Sword… Junkie?” As Julian approached, Cyrus spotted him. The man quickly stood up from his seat, his eyes locking on Julian as he quickly realized that Julian… was actually blind. But still, that didn’t prevent him from looking just as imposing as his clone in Artemia.

“You…” Cyrus seemed to want to say something, but he just smiled and gestured toward the table even though he knew Julian couldn’t see. “Please… take a seat.”

“Thank you.” Julian felt the chair’s edge with his hand and sat down.

“My name is Cyrus, it’s very nice to meet you in person, Sword—I mean, Mr. Julian,” Cyrus continued, sounding more formal now. “I… can’t believe that you look as imposing as you do in the real world. It’s… kind of unreal.”

“Julian Winters, it’s…” Julian replied, extending his hand toward Cyrus, “nice to meet you too, Mr. Cyrus.”

“Oh. There’s… no need to be so formal.” Cyrus blinked in surprise before quickly reaching out and shaking Julian’s hand. And almost immediately, Cyrus noticed that Julian’s hand was large, rough, and powerful—exactly like the hand of a blacksmith.

“You’re… also a blacksmith in real life?” Cyrus asked, still in awe.

“Yes.”

“Huh…” Cyrus couldn’t help but feel a little awkward. He’d expected this meeting to go differently, but he hadn’t anticipated the imposing presence Julian carried with him, nor the fact that he was blind.

“Where’s… the lady I was talking to? She said she was your manager… Megan?” Cyrus looked around the café, as if expecting her to show up any second.

“She’s here.” Julian simply smiled and pointed at his own eyes.

“That’s—” Cyrus blinked, slightly confused. But before he could finish his sentence, his phone buzzed. It was a call from “Sword Junkie”—Julian’s screen name in Otherworld.

“Huh…?” Cyrus looked back and forth between his phone and Julian.

“Please answer it. It’s her,” Julian said.

Cyrus, still confused, answered the phone and put it on speaker… and MEGAN’s voice immediately filled the space between them.

[Ahem, ahem. Now that everyone is present, we can start talking about business immediately.]

“Uh…” Cyrus blinked in confusion for a couple of breaths, but he cleared his throat and slipped into his business persona.

“Very well. I think Mr. Julian here has the potential to be the next big star of Otherworld—no…” Cyrus said, leaning forward slightly in excitement. He was practically glowing with enthusiasm. “Now that I’ve seen him in person, I think we can actually turn him into a star, a real one. Not just in the Otherworld.”

[Uh-huh. Talk more.] MEGAN’s voice was flat.

“Okay, here’s the thing—Otherworld streamers are popular, but there’s a limit to it.” Cyrus cleared his throat again. “People are curious about Otherworld, yes, but it’s not like traditional games. Once that initial curiosity fades, well, the audience gets bored. After all, they’re only watching the player’s point of view. They are watching from your eyes, Mr. Julian.”

“Hm…” Julian hummed. “…I suppose so.”

“Yes. And people want to see everything!” Cyrus continued, warming up to his pitch. “They want to feel like they’re part of the adventure, not just watching from someone’s eyes. That’s why, out of all the Otherworld streamers, only one has managed to break into mainstream fame—and that’s Kitty, a streamer I used to work with. The key to her success was offering a third-person perspective, showing more of what was happening around her.”

[Slow down.]

“What I’m trying to say…” Cyrus cleared his throat again. “Is that that was me—I started that. She became famous because everyone could see her, all of her.”

Julian tilted his head, still processing what Cyrus was saying.

[You’re making sense,] MEGAN cut in, her tone more businesslike now. [But if we’re the ones doing the actual work, and you’re just tagging along as a camera, what’s in it for us?]

“Well…” Cyrus chuckled nervously, clearing his throat again. “50%. You get 50% of all the profits.”

[50%?] MEGAN’s voice rose sharply, [Are you trying to scam us? Julian is the one doing all the work, and you want 50%!?]

“N-no, wait! Listen—”

[And why do you keep clearing your throat? You sick? Going to infect Julian?]

Julian sighed. “MEGAN… let’s hear him out.”

“I’m…” Cyrus laughed awkwardly, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. “…I’m not just an Otherworld streamer. I have over twenty-one million followers across all platforms. I can bring in a massive audience that would otherwise never find out about you, Mr. Julian. I’m an influencer.”

Julian blinked. “What’s… an influencer?”

[They’ve been around for thousands of years…] MEGAN sighed. [They never really died out. They are basically famous people on social media who do mostly useless things but earn a lot of money. I suppose you could say they sell entertainment.]

“Exactly!” Cyrus clapped his hands, regaining his enthusiasm. “You don’t know it yet, but you’re already famous in the Otherworld community. You just haven’t capitalized on it.”

“I’m… not really famous.”

“You are,” Cyrus countered, “Just check the forums—people are talking about you nonstop. Don’t… you check the forums?”

[That’s my role,] MEGAN added. [He doesn’t care about any of that.]

“That’s… fine, I guess?” Cyrus awkwardly smiled. “Look, once this gets going, you’ll see—you’ll… hear. That… doesn’t matter. What I’m trying to say is that I’m offering you a massive opportunity here. You are going to be very, very, very rich.”

[70%]

“Huh…?”

[We get 70%.]

“70!? That’s insane! Maybe we could dial down a bit and—”

[I am a machine, Cyrus. I do not negotiate.]

“… But you just did.”

[Take it or leave it, Cyrus.] MEGAN’s voice turned adamant. [If we’re really that famous already, you need us more than we need you. There’s only one Julian Winters right now—I reckon there are more of you.]

“You… Mr. Julian?” Cyrus glanced at Julian, who simply shrugged in response. Just… how much autonomy did he actually grant MEGAN? Was she… even legal?

“Ugh…” After a moment of hesitation, Cyrus sighed in defeat. “Fine. 70%. But on one condition.”

“What condition?” Julian tilted his head.

“I get to interview you, right now, right here—live.” Cyrus started tapping the table, “I’ve already hinted at this meeting to my followers, and if I announce that I’m going live with the Sword Junkie in a few minutes, people will go nuts.”

“Now…?” Julian breathed out.

[Can you give us a moment? Go get Julian some water or something.] MEGAN’s voice cut the conversation short as she suddenly ended the call.

“Uh… okay?” Cyrus blinked as he instinctively got up and walked away. Wait… why did it feel like MEGAN was the one controlling the entire situation now?

And while Cyrus was getting some water, Julian sat back as MEGAN’s voice filled his head.

[Julian, I need you to think this through. If you agree to this live interview and this entire thing, a lot of things will change. 1. You’ll lose any privacy you have left. 2. Those loan sharks might notice you and make things worse. 3. You’re dumb. People will take advantage of you. You know that, right?]

“Well…” Julian let out a sigh, his hand lightly tapping the edge of the table. “That’s what I have you for, isn’t it? To manage all that.”

[You…] MEGAN was quiet for a moment. [You really trust me that much?]

“Of course.”

[Alright…] MEGAN’s voice softened slightly. [Remember, Julian. We’re doing this for Ellie.]

“Always,” Julian breathed out. “Let’s… get this over with, then.”

Moments later, Cyrus returned to the table, his phone now resting on the surface; there were different holographic displays projecting from it—a screen showing Cyrus, a screen showing the chat, and a screen for the analytics of the stream. “Alright, I’ve set everything up. We’re about to go live in just a few minutes. Get ready.”

[Remember, Julian. No extremely personal questions. If he asks anything you don’t want to answer, I’ll cut it off. We’re signing a digital contract for this, so he can’t exploit you.]

“Got it,” Julian replied.

And very soon, Cyrus’s holographic screen flickered with activity. A series of chats began pouring in as viewers started flooding the stream. For some reason, Julian could feel the subtle excitement in the air, though he couldn’t see any of it… well, perhaps MEGAN whispering to him added to that.

“Hello, chat!” Cyrus’s voice boomed as his face appeared on one of the holograms. “I bet you all were shocked by my announcement! But, I mean, can you blame me? This is going to be huge!”

LifeLies: Where is Sword Junkie!? Show him!

GainsLover: We want Sword Junkie, not you!

KittyFanatic: Move out of the way, Cyrus! Show the newbie!

“Alright, alright, calm down.” Cyrus tried his best to contain his excitement. He knew there were going to be a lot of people—but this surpassed all of his expectations. “How about let’s not let them wait anymore? Sword Junkie… why don’t you come say hi?”

“Uhm…” Julian took a deep breath as he showed himself on the screen and sat beside Cyrus. And as soon as his figure appeared on the screen… the chat just exploded.

DanteGulapers: OMG HE’S HUGE!

SwordJunkieNo.2Fan: Bruh… gigachad.

CoolDude12: dat jawline doe. Superman adaptation, when?

“Hello.” Julian just slightly tilted his head as he heard MEGAN reading all the messages. “My name is Julian, and I’m part of the Otherworld Project. It’s nice to meet all of you.”

…

StarlightGirl: HE’S SO HANDSOME OMG.

DanDanDan: His clone wasn’t enhanced!? How is he this good-looking IRL?!

Cranium9: Wait… he’s blind!?

Shades98: Blind!?

InvincibleThorax: No way

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: Sword Junki3 has no need for eyes!

“Oh… uh… yes. I’m blind.” Julian smiled as he pointed at his eyes again. “MEGAN is reading all your comments for me. She’s my… older sister, in a way.”

Asmon4President: He’s BLIND!? No way.

PicklePirata: Isn’t that a MEGAN…?

ChristineWalter444: His AI is his older sister? That’s adorable.

CampLeet: autism strikes again!

“Wait a second…” Cyrus could not help but disrupt the chat as he noticed something in the analytics. “The female viewer count is suddenly higher than the male viewers!? What’s going on here?”

SailorKiki: What’s his @???

13thOfSpades: brooo. Chat is thirsty.

“Uuhh…” Julian slightly adjusted himself as MEGAN continued to read the chat to him.

“Alright, alright…” Cyrus quickly sensed Julian’s discomfort. “We don’t have much time before we’re kicked out of the cafe. So… let’s focus on some questions.”

Cyrus’s eyes turned into a hawk’s as he read the chat. his experience, almost automatically filtering the interesting ones.

“Oh, here we go. We have one from… iLuvUnicorns.” Cyrus slightly turned to Julian, “iLuvUnicorns is asking if you have experience in smithing in real life since the NPCs of Artemia seem pretty impressed with you.”

Julian frowned slightly. “NPCs…?” he asked.

Cyrus chuckled awkwardly. “Ah, right. For those who don’t know, Mr. Julian here is a complete newbie to all of this. He hasn’t played any games in his life—his first exposure to RPG elements is in Artemia, which is ironic since Artemia isn’t even a game!”

The chat flooded with reactions, some groaning at Cyrus’s poor joke, while others continued asking about Julian’s blacksmithing.

“So, do you have a background in smithing?” Cyrus pressed since he already knew the answer.

“Yes,” Julian nodded slowly. “I’ve been crafting weapons my entire life. But no one ever bought them.”

The chat instantly reacted with curiosity, while Cyrus leaned in. “Wait, why?”

“They weren’t effective against the daemons.” Julian’s expression turned somber, remembering all the times his work went to waste.

The chat flooded with encouragement, with some viewers even offering to buy Julian’s weapons.

“Hold on, hold on!” Cyrus laughed nervously. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You can send those requests directly to Mr. Julian later. For now, let’s talk about what’s coming next!”

“Ladies and gentlemen…” Cyrus’s grin widened as he gestured toward the camera, “I’m excited to announce that from now on, whenever possible… I will be following the Sword Junkie around Artemia as his official videographer!”

SwordJunkieStan: Sword Junkie in 3D!?

Tsp41: Did you get your money back before Marcus died, Sword Junkie!?

“And for our very first stream together…” Cyrus smirked. “Mr. Julian Winters, aka Sword Junkie, will be taking on… a dungeon!”

GoWoke69: …Isn’t he a newbie?

NoWayJose: Wait, has he ever been in a dungeon before?

“Relax, relax…” Cyrus sighed. “I’ll be there. If I think Sword Junkie can’t do it, I’ll intervene.”

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: The Sword Junkie needs no help!

“A dungeon…?” Julian, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly frowned.

“D-don’t worry, Mr. Julian.” Cyrus heard Julian’s slightly cold breath. “It’s just going to be a showcase of your skills!”

“Uhm…” He tilted his head toward Cyrus, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s… a dungeon?”

“… Oh.”

“Ellie…” A few hours later after his meeting with Cyrus, Julian was now once again sitting beside Ellie; the soft beeping of the machines caused his breath to slightly stutter.

“I promise you, Ellie…” He held Ellie’s hand. “…I’m going to help you this time around.”

Julian stared at Ellie’s face for a few seconds before leaning back on his seat, and in his hands was the LinkGear.

“I’ll leave for a bit,” Julian then whispered as he placed the device on his head… and soon, his consciousness began to slip away.

But before his mind fully drifted into the Between, he made sure to keep his eyes slightly open, allowing MEGAN to still watch over Ellie.

Creepy? Perhaps. But it was the only way he could be sure she was safe while he was gone.

[Please wait while your consciousness is being transferred to Artemia.]

“MEGAN.” As soon as Julian saw MEGAN’s form materialize in the Between, he quickly approached her and held her hand. “I’m counting on you. Make sure Ellie is safe.”

“Leave everything to me!” MEGAN nodded. “I’ll watch over Ellie. But you do remember what we talked about, right?”

“Yes.”

“Your live chat will now be turned on. My username is PrettyOneeChan, but since you can’t read the texts anyway, I will filter the message you see to be only from me—remember the words we memorized?”

“Yes. No. Log out.” Julian breathed out. “I memorized what they look like, MEGAN.”

“Okay. Good.” MEGAN also breathed out. “You need to grow stronger, much stronger than you are now. Now that you have chosen this path. Those thugs who came… I am sure they are not done with you.”

“I know… But MEGAN,” Julian whispered as he looked around the dark expanse of the Between, “do you remember what I told you during the mana evaluation? About the penalty?”

“Yes. You mentioned the Master of Shadows.” MEGAN nodded. “I’ve been scouring the internet for any information, but nothing comes up. But I believe you, though. There’s something fishy going on here.”

“It’s just… this place…” Julian continued to look around. “The Between… it reminds me of where I fought the shadow crawler.”

“W-what?” MEGAN’s eye slightly twitched, “What… do you mean?”

“It feels the same as…” But alas, before Julian could finish his words, his consciousness fully transferred to Artemia, leaving MEGAN alone in the dark, eerie void.

“Uhmm…” MEGAN actually planned to stay a bit in the Between to try to investigate some things, but after what Julian just said… “I’m out.” She wasn’t going to stay in this place for a second longer.

“Sword Junkie! You’re here!”

Julian winced slightly at the loud voice, he just stepped out of his room and was still feeling a little groggy and weak… but Cyrus’s loud voice surely helped wake up his clone from how loud his voice was.

“Morning there.” Cyrus stood near the inn’s entrance, waving his hand enthusiastically. “Did you make sure your real body’s well-fed before you jumped?”

“Yes…” Julian said, the tone of his voice slightly awkward. “And good morning.”

“Pft… there’s no need to be so stiff.” Cyrus chuckled, “There’s not a lot of people yet in the chat since it’s not the official start of the stream yet. Just relax, start stretching your body, and get something to eat. We’re still waiting for our party. They’ll be here in an hour or so.”

“Okay… I was thinking of getting a weapon first,” Julian breathed out. “I’ll visit Juliet. maybe I could borrow one of the weapons we made together if she still hasn’t sold them.”

“Well… that’s perfect!” Cyrus shrugged with a carefree grin. “Let’s go!”

“You’re coming with me?” Julian tilted his head. “It’s fine. You can just stay here and—”

“Nonsense!” Cyrus shook his head as he already started walking away. “This is great content for those who are already tuning in—look, people are already starting to comment.”

As they stepped out of the inn and made their way toward the smithy plaza, Cyrus continued to talk to the chat. Wasn’t… he afraid of attracting the attention of the hyums? What if someone from the Order of Artemia heard him?

“I… thought our technology didn’t work here in Artemia?” Julian asked. “I remember the scientists from Humanity Engineering mentioning it… and yet we can stream, and you can even see the live chat?”

“Hm…” Cyrus squinted. “I’ve…never really thought about it. Maybe because it’s just radio and signal? Who knows, it works.”

“Huh…”

“And…” Cyrus leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Don’t talk about Humanity Engineering while we’re streaming. They… don’t really like it.”

“Oh… okay.” Julian hummed.

“By the way, does your live chat work now? Can you see Megan’s messages?”

“Uhm…” Julian started looking around for any floating words. “MEGAN, are you—”

PrettyOneeChan: Yes.

“Yes.” Julian blinked as he finally saw the message. It wasn’t exactly the same as the Guidance of Artemis, which usually took up his entire vision. “I can see it now.”

“Is that…?”

A few minutes later, they arrived at the smithy plaza. Julian, however, slightly gasped as they neared Juliet’s outdoor smithy.

It… was in shambles—tools were scattered across the ground, and several pieces of equipment looked damaged or broken. Even the tent wasn’t standing up straight anymore.

“Juliet!?” Julian rushed toward the smithy. “What… what happened!? Who… who did this!?”

“J…Julian…?” Juliet emerged from the ground, her face pale and streaked with tears. “I… I did it.”

“Huh…?”

“I’ve… I’ve…” She stammered, her voice trembling. “I’ve…been trying to find our [Epic] sword. I think… I think someone stole it!”

“What…?” Julian looked around. But after a few seconds, a thought suddenly came into his mind as he remembered the shop owner back in Archon town. The scene, it felt extremely… familiar.

Julian then very slowly backed away as he very quietly whispered, “Guidance… show me the Master of Shadow’s progress.”

[Master of Shadows Quest]

Craft 10 [Epic] Grade weapons and offer them to the shadows. (1/10).

“… Oooh.”

Chapter twenty-eight

Juliet’s Devotion

“… It’s gone.”

“Juliet… I…”

“It’s gone, Julian!” Juliet’s voice trembled as she stood by the wrecked stall, her hands gripping the sides of the workbench. “Our sword! Our… our baby! We… we poured our hearts in it, and I just… I lost it!”

“Uhm…” Julian stood in front of her, silent for a moment. He knew where the sword went—his quest, the Master of Shadows, had absorbed it. But of course, he couldn’t say that. Not now. Not to her.

“Juliet…” Julian tried to speak calmly, hoping to ease her panic. “We’ll… figure this out. If someone really did take it, then that means that we made something great and—”

“No.” But Juliet was already pacing, her fists clenched as her eyes scanned the damaged stall.

“It’s them,” she said, her voice rising. “I know it’s them! My old employers—they must’ve heard—no, they must have seen us crafting the [Epic] grade sword and sent someone to steal it! This is exactly the kind of thing they’d do!”

“Well…” Julian placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch steady. “Juliet, we can’t jump to conclusions. Let’s take a breath and think, stay calm.”

“I am calm!” Juliet snapped, her voice cracking. “I spent my life trying to make something like that, and the second I do, it’s stolen from me! I know… I know you did most of the work, but still…”

“Well, I don’t know about you, Julian…” Behind them, Cyrus watched with wide eyes, clearly enjoying the drama unfolding as he whispered to Julian. “But this sounds like some solid content. Maybe we should go talk to these old employers. You know… for the views. Spice things up before the dungeon.”

Julian shot him a glare but didn’t say anything.

“Juliet.” Julian turned back to Juliet, his voice low and calm. “We… don’t have proof they took it. If you go out there and start blaming people, it won’t be—”

“No.” Juliet took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes. “We…I will talk to them.”

“Exactly!” Cyrus stepped forward, as if trying to instigate the situation even further, “We go and confront them. You’ve got Julian with you! He can take them on if they try anything shady.”

“Alright.” Juliet blinked, still shaken but nodding slowly at Julian. “Let’s go.”

“I worked at that forge for years.”

As they made their way through the bustling plaza of smithies, Juliet’s anger didn’t subside. If anything, it only grew as she spoke, her voice trembling with a mix of frustration and sadness.

“Years of hammering away, trying to prove my worth—but no.” She muttered, fists clenched. “No matter what I did, they only saw me as a failure, even though I did so many things right.”

“Hm…” Julian walked beside her, staying silent but listening intently. Cyrus, on the other hand, was narrating everything to his viewers in a low voice, careful not to interrupt her venting.

“They… hired me for my skill,” Juliet continued, “the [Fire Enhancement] skill I got from my class. It only has a 1% activation rate, and in all the time I worked for them, it only… it only activated once. Just once in all those years, and they laughed at me, said I wasn’t reliable, that I was just a bad smith—but even without my skill, I made so many weapons for them that sold a lot before I left.”

Julian could feel the pain in her words. He knew what it felt like to be underestimated, to have your worth judged by others.

“We… we need to get our sword back…” Juliet’s voice broke slightly as she spoke. “The sword with my [Fire Enhancement] skill with it, they don’t deserve it, not again. I’m not going to have our… our baby there where the other swords are soulless and mass-produced.”

“Juliet…” Julian tried to find the right words to comfort her, but couldn’t as all of this was his fault.

As for Cyrus, well, his whisper was full of energy as he spoke to the chat.

“Folks, you’re hearing it live. This isn’t just about the sword; this is about redemption. Juliet here was treated unfairly for years, and now we’re about to face the very people who put her down. Stay tuned, this… is going to be huge.”

“You…” Julian shot Cyrus a quick glare, but really only sighed as his focus should be on Juliet. This entire thing was his fault, but alas… saying anything about the Master of Shadows quest now might lead him to his death.

And very soon, they arrived at the entrance of the large smithy.

Juliet didn’t bother knocking; she pushed the door open and stormed inside, her eyes scanning the busy forge. The workers who were busy running around and hammering away quickly turned their heads toward Juliet, whispering amongst themselves as soon as they saw her.

And just like that, the chaos inside the forge was silenced.

“Where is he!?” Juliet’s voice turned loud as she stepped into the middle of the workshop. Some of the workers were about to approach her, but they all halted their lips and steps when a gruff voice whispered from across the room.

“Jules…?” It was a large man with a hammer slung over his shoulder, his face lined with years of hard labor—there was something noticeable about him that stood out, however—he had the smallest arms among everyone in the smithy, even Juliet. “What in the flames are you doing here?”

“You know why I’m here, Bruce,” Juliet spat, her fists clenched. “Where’s the sword?”

“Sword?” Bruce blinked, clearly confused. “What sword?”

“The one we made.” Juliet took a step forward, her voice rising. “The one you or your cronies stole from my stall! The [Epic] sword we made. I know you took it!”

“You…? An [Epic] grade sword?” And with that, Bruce’s confusion melted into a smirk. “Please, Juliet, you were barely competent when you worked here. You expect me to believe you made something like that?”

“Barely competent!?” Juliet’s face flushed with anger. “My axe was the one who put you on the map, old man!”

“Look, girl, I don’t know what fantasy you’re living in now, but if you think I’m responsible for your failures, you’re sorely mistaken…” He crossed his arms, his smirk widening as the other blacksmiths snickered behind him. “You did that all on your own.”

“You…” Juliet’s fists trembled at her sides, her teeth almost chattering from how hard she was gritting them.

“Calm down, Juliet,” Julian whispered into her ear, placing a hand on her shoulder again. He could feel her trembling, but after a few moments, she let out a shaky breath and nodded.

“I… I can prove it,” Juliet said, her voice shaking with a mixture of anger and determination. “We made it once. We can make another one, right here, right now.”

“Oh…?” Bruce raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

“Is that so? And who’s ‘we,’ exactly? You and this guy?” He nodded toward Julian, a hint of mockery in his tone. “Oh please, Juliet, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“Don’t…” Juliet’s voice cracked, but she quickly recovered. “Don’t act like you know what I’m capable of. I was always better than any of you gave me credit for.”

“Is that so?” The owner’s mocking expression didn’t waver. “Then prove it.”

The entire forge went silent as the challenge hung in the air.

“What?” Juliet stared at the owner, her heart pounding in her chest.

“You said you would show us.” The owner smirked. “You want to prove you made an [Epic] sword? Then show us what you’ve got. Forge something right here, right now, that proves you’re not just full of shit. You and… your friend there.”

“Julian. I—”

“Sure.” Julian, who had been silent the entire time, glanced at Juliet. He could feel the weight of her emotions—anger, frustration, and fear of being humiliated—he knew the same feeling all too much. And… it wasn’t because this entire thing was his fault in the first place… not at all. “Okay, I’ll… help you.”

“I… I can do it,” Juliet said, her voice steadying. “But you’ll regret this.”

“Oh, I doubt it.” The owner’s smirk widened.

And while the temperature inside the smithy was getting hotter, both literally and figuratively, Cyrus, well… he was practically buzzing with excitement.

“Oh man, chat, this is gonna be epic…” Cyrus whispered for the chat again, seemingly extremely used to doing so without being noticed by anyone. “Juliet’s gonna prove her old boss wrong—live! And our very own Sword Junkie will help her.”

And soon, Juliet and Julian stepped up to the forge together.

“Oi! Stop crafting. and let’s watch this first!”

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Jules. She used to work here but quit.”

“Quit? I thought she was fired…?”

“Pft, most probably. Women shouldn’t even be near a forge.”

“That’s a woman?”

The owner and his blacksmiths all gathered around, their mocking expressions replaced with curiosity. Even Cyrus, who was recording everything for the stream, kept his usual commentary to a minimum, his eyes glued to the unfolding scene.

“Alright.” Juliet ignored everything happening around her as she rolled up her sleeves. Her hands trembled slightly, but her face remained completely resolute as she grabbed a large piece of metal from the pile on the floor. “Let’s make a khopesh, you know what it is?”

“A… khopesh?” Julian hummed in surprise.

They have that type of sword here, and they call it the same thing? Khopesh was an ancient sword from Earth, from a country called Kemet, or New Egypt in the present times. It had been created many millennia ago… and they had the same thing here?

“I… do know what it is.” Julian gave a quiet nod.

“Good.” Juliet lit the forge, the heat roaring to life, making sweat bead on her forehead. She then grabbed a pair of tongs, using them to place the blank ingot into the heart of the forge. The metal quickly began to glow, first red, then orange, as the heat softened it to the perfect malleable state.

The khopesh was not a simple sword—it had a curved blade that transitioned from a straight edge to a sickle-like curve. This required precise forging and careful attention to the shaping process. Juliet knew this, and Julian, of course, trusted her skill, but he was ready to assist without taking control… at least not too much.

Julian’s hand hovered over the furnace, feeling the heat radiating off the metal. Even without seeing, he could tell when it was ready.

“Ready?” Juliet asked, her grip tightening on the hammer. “You can take it off now.”

“Hm.” Julian nodded silently, grabbing the glowing blank from the forge with the tongs and placing it on the anvil. He held it steady, guiding it into position as Juliet raised her hammer.

Clang!

And with a sharp clang, the hammer came down, sending sparks flying into the air. Each strike reverberated through the forge, and Julian, well, he very subtly adjusted the blank after each hit, ensuring that the metal bent and shaped exactly as needed.

Clang!

Juliet’s strikes were powerful, but Julian’s precision ensured that they were perfect. His subtle adjustments, invisible to most, were helping her hit the exact spots needed to form the complex shape of the khopesh.

“Treat—”

As the metal cooled slightly, Julian would place it back in the forge, reheating it to keep it soft for the next round of hammering.

Clang!

“Wait…” Cyrus, standing back to allow his stream to record them, noticed the way Julian’s hands moved. His eyes focused in on Julian’s hands, catching the subtle shifts, the delicate but exact movements that guided Juliet’s every strike. “Is he… making her hit [Perfect] hits!?”

“[Perfect] hits…” Bruce and the other blacksmiths also noticed it, and they could not help but narrow their eyes.

The khopesh’s distinct curve began to form even more, the blade transitioning from a straight edge into its signature hook. This part of the process was critical—if the curve was too sharp or too blunt, the weapon would lose its effectiveness and practically its essence.

“Whoa…” But with each strike of Juliet’s hammer and Julian’s adjustments, the blade curved beautifully, taking on its ancient, recognizable shape.

“Look at that form…” Cyrus murmured to the stream. “Look how they’re working together…”

The other blacksmiths, who had been sneering and laughing earlier, were now completely silent. Their eyes were fixed on the anvil, on the curved sword that was slowly but surely coming to life in front of them.

Clang!

The owner’s eyes narrowed even further, watching as Juliet’s hammer fell again and again, guided by Julian’s subtle corrections. His sneer faded as the khopesh gleamed with heat and power—he was completely aware of what that is—it was Juliet’s [Fire Enhancement] skill taking effect.

Clang.

“Julian…” Finally, with the last strike, Juliet stepped back, breathing heavily as she nodded to Julian.

“Okay.” Julian quickly placed the blade into the quenching barrel, steam hissing violently as soon as he did so. Even with the simple things, Julian moved with the same precision, never hesitating.

Once the blade was quenched, it was time to grind the edge. Juliet wiped her brow and moved toward the grinding wheel, but Julian was already there—his hand already handing the blade to Juliet.

“Uhm…” Juliet narrowed her eyes as she grabbed the khopesh.

“I’ll turn the grindstone,” Julian murmured.

“Okay,” Juliet stepped to the grinding wheel and began shaping the edge as Julian spun it with his hands, sparks flying as the wheel bit into the metal. Unlike Juliet’s grinding wheel, which had a foot peg since she worked alone, the grinding wheel in Bruce’s smithy was turned by hand for the apprentices and assistants to turn it themselves.

Juliet ran the blade carefully along the wheel’s surface, creating a razor-sharp edge. She noticed something, however, whenever she moved the blade… Julian either slowed down or sped up the wheel—completely but subtly guiding her to make the sword as perfect as possible.

She watched him closely now, her eyes widening as she realized how effortlessly she was able to shape the blade due to Julian’s help.

Finally, Juliet moved to attach the hilt, lightly hammering the tang of the blade into the handle and securing it with leather strips.

And just like that the khopesh was complete. The blade gleamed in the dim light of the forge, its deadly curve catching the eye of everyone watching.

Julian held it up, feeling the balance in his hand, a small smile on his lips.

“It’s perfect,” Juliet whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of pride and disbelief as Julian handed the curved sword back to her. Even without checking through Guidance, Juliet could feel the quality of the weapon just by looking and feeling it. But of course, she was going to check it.

[Item: Juliet’s Devotion]

Type: One-handed Khopesh

Grade: Epic

Durability: 220/220

Sharpness: 110

Weight: 3.0

Special Effects:

Balanced Weight – The perfect balance of this blade enhances Agility by 10%, allowing for quicker recovery between strikes.

Skills:

Fire Brand – 15% chance to ignite the blade on impact, dealing continuous burn damage over time.

Description:

A beautifully crafted khopesh forged through the combined efforts of Juliet and Julian. The signature curve of the blade is precise, making it deadly in close combat and against armored foes. The khopesh’s steel holds a rare and subtle fire enchantment, sparking flames with each swing. This is only the third weapon Juliet has ever successfully enhanced with her [Fire Enhancement] skill, a testament to the perfection achieved with Julian’s subtle guidance. As sharp as it is elegant, this blade will make its wielder a force to be reckoned with.

“That’s… a mid-tier [Epic]…” Bruce’s face twisted with frustration as he realized they had done it—crafted a weapon far beyond what he ever thought possible.

“Chat,” Cyrus, standing off to the side with wide eyes, whispered to himself. “I think we just witnessed something incredible.”

“This is…” Juliet stood there for a moment, staring at the blade with a mix of disbelief and pride. She had done it again. With Julian’s help, she had created another [Epic] weapon—no. She wasn’t a fool.

She knew this was only possible because of Julian. And twice now—twice he had helped activate her [Fire Enhancement] skill. Just what sort of [Blacksmith Class] did he actually have?

“Julian, this is—”

“Well, well.” Bruce stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the sword. “I have to admit, Juliet… I didn’t think you had it in you. But this… this will truly look good in my shop.”

“Huh…?” Juliet frowned as she pulled the sword closer to her. “What are you even saying?”

“Well…” Bruce’s smirk returned, though this time it carried a more sinister edge. “You made this in my smithy, in my forge, with my materials. So, that sword belongs to me.”

“W… what?” Juliet’s eyes widened. “No! Julian and I made this! It’s ours!”

“It doesn’t matter who made it, Jules.” Bruce shrugged, his smirk widening. “This is my forge, my resources. The sword is mine by right—ask the authorities of Ethaca if you want to.”

“You…” Juliet looked like she was about to explode, her face red with anger. “You can’t just take it! That’s not fair!”

“Fair…?” Bruce took another step forward, towering over Juliet. “There’s nothing wrong with what I said, Jules.”

“But—”

“He’s right.” Julian, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. His voice was calm but firm.

Juliet turned to him, her eyes wide with shock. “Julian…?”

“I agree with him, Juliet,” Julian repeated, stepping toward Bruce. “He owns the materials. Technically, the sword is his. But in exchange for our labor… we’ll trade it for several of the supplies from your inventory.”

Chapter twenty-nine

To the Dungeon

“In exchange for our labor, we’ll trade the khopesh for several items in your inventory.”

“Julian…?” Juliet was taken aback.

“O… Oh?” And she wasn’t the only one, Bruce seemed even more confused. His eyes flickered to the glowing [Epic] khopesh they had just made, still radiating with power on the table. His mind raced, realizing how rare and valuable a mid-tier [Epic] weapon like this was—especially in Ethaca.

Epic weapons were graded in tiers—low, mid, and high—and this khopesh was clearly in the mid-tier, far superior to anything Bruce had displayed over the shop.

“Deal! Take whatever you like from the shop,” Bruce quickly agreed, his voice dripping with satisfaction. He didn’t want to lose this opportunity, thinking that Julian must be some fool to make such an offer.

Juliet, standing next to Julian, could no longer hold her shock.

“W-why?” she stammered, her eyes wide as she looked at him. She couldn’t believe he was trading the khopesh so easily.

“It’s fine, Juliet,” Julian whispered as he leaned closer. “You can make more… And don’t worry. [Juliet’s Devotion] won’t be with them for long.”

“What…?” Juliet blinked in confusion. “How can you be so sure?”

“I need you to trust me on this, please.”

“That…” Juliet hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. And with a deep and hesitant breath, she handed the weapon over to Julian.

“Give me that!” Bruce, still smirking, quickly snatched the khopesh from Julian’s hands. He admired the blade for a few seconds before scrambling to secure it somewhere in the forge.

“Can I pick anything I want, then?” Julian asked calmly, though Bruce was too preoccupied locking the sword in his vault to notice.

And since Bruce wasn’t minding him anymore, he walked over to where the weapons were laid out on racks. There were swords of all shapes and sizes, shields, axes, spears—and without even looking at them too much, Julian’s fingers brushed lightly over the hilts and blades as he moved down the row.

Julian did not bother checking the weapons and equipment with Guidance at all; he just felt the metal in his hands—letting them feel all that he needed to know.

But very soon, however, a frown slowly crawled on his face.

“There’s… nothing of worth here,” he muttered under his breath but not silent enough as the other smiths nearby could hear him. They glanced at each other. They were annoyed, sure, but they couldn’t say anything at all—not after what they’d seen earlier.

“Just a waste of metal.” Julian let out a deep sigh as he shook his head. “I can almost feel them crying, begging to be melted down and reforged.”

The blacksmiths clenched their jaws, but they couldn’t argue. Julian wasn’t wrong, and they all knew it. The quality of their work didn’t come close to what he and Juliet had produced.

“I… suppose this will do.” Finally, after a long moment, Julian picked up a short sword… and a shield. He looked at them thoughtfully, then turned to Cyrus. “Is this good enough for the dungeon?”

“Y—”

PrettyOneeChan: YES. YES. YES. SHIELD. YES.

Before Cyrus could answer, MEGAN’s messages popped up.

“Huh…” Julian blinked a few times. He wasn’t used to reading chat responses yet, but MEGAN’s enthusiasm was impossible to ignore. This was only MEGAN. Julian couldn’t imagine what it would be like if he learned to read and actually started responding to them.

“Okay. And then…” He then turned back to the pile of steel ingots in the corner of the shop and gestured to them. “Can we take some of the ingots and this black thing as well, since I only picked up a sword and a shield?”

Bruce, still busy securing the khopesh, barely paid attention to what Julian was saying. “Take as many as you want! Just leave the shop already!”

Julian glanced at Juliet, who was still a little reluctant. But with a nod, she started loading the cart with the steel ingots they would need. Juliet was looking at Bruce from time to time as she piled up the cart filled with steel, but he had no response at all.

And so… Juliet took that as a sign to take more. A lot more.

After what seemed like half an hour, the group left the shop with Juliet rolling a cart filled with a mountain of ingots—the wheels could barely even hold the weight anymore as they started to creak across the stone street.

“Uhm… I know this is a lot of ingots, but did we really need to give up the khopesh?” Juliet finally broke the silence, her voice slightly heavy. “And you said it wouldn’t be with them for long? What… do you mean by that?”

“Well…” Julian let out a quiet sigh as he readied himself to say the lie he had practiced in his mind over and over again. “I thought about it—but someone’s been stealing my work, and then they stole the ordinary sword we made as well. So… it’s likely whoever’s been stealing my stuff will take the khopesh too.”

“That…” Juliet narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

As for Julian, he did his best to keep a straight face even though he was feeling the tension.

“That… makes sense!” Juliet gasped. “Someone’s been stealing your work this entire time, pretty boy?!”

“Yes.” Julian’s quiet sigh turned into relief as Juliet seemed to believe him.

“I still feel bad about losing the khopesh.” Juliet sniffled, her fingers tightening around the cart’s handle as she trudged forward. “But you’re right—we made it twice, we can make it again. But for that to happen…”

Juliet’s voice lowered as she seemed to have suddenly been wrapped in her own thoughts. And once again, the only sounds being made were the struggling wheels and Cyrus’s incessant whispering.

And soon enough, they arrived back at Juliet’s humble outdoor smithy. But as soon as they settled the cart… Juliet suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Julian.

“Julian!”

“What… what are you doing!?” Julian immediately tried to pull her up, but he couldn’t budge her for even a single millimeter.

“I’ve thought about this, and I want you to hear me out…” Juliet groveled, her head almost touching the ground. “Make me your apprentice!”

“Huh…?” Julian stood frozen for a moment, blinking as he tried to comprehend what was happening. “But—”

“Please!” Juliet’s voice shook with desperation, cutting Julian off.

“Juliet, please get—” And before Julian could respond, floating words appeared before him.

[Guidance]

The Lv. ?? Blacksmith, Juliet, wants to be your apprentice. It is up to you to decide whether to accept her or not. Accepting her will lead to the continuation of the quest: [Juliet’s Dilemma.]

“A… continuation of the quest?” Julian blinked at the words as he whispered to himself.

“Wait…” Juliet immediately looked up, her wide eyes locking on to his as she heard his whisper. “You mean… this entire time, you didn’t know you were on a quest…?”

“You… knew I had a quest?” he asked, his confusion growing as even he himself didn’t even realize that he had one.

Juliet nodded slowly. “I received a quest, too. It said to confront Bruce, and it would lead to… good things. But wait… I thought… I assumed you also received a quest—and that’s why you were helping me.”

“No. I… I don’t like checking Guidance too much,” he admitted, keeping his tone casual.

“What other reason would I have for helping you, Juliet, other than to help you?” Of course, there was also the fact that everything that was happening was his fault, but he wasn’t going to say that.

“T… that…” Juliet’s lips trembled slightly at his words, and without any hesitation, she once again pressed her forehead against the ground, even harder this time. “Please, accept me as your apprentice!”

“I don’t think I’m at the point where I could accept an apprentice.” Julian let out a long sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. “We could be—!?”

“Please!” Juliet’s forehead hit the ground with a loud thud again. The sound was so loud that it almost drowned out the noise from the other smithy. “I will do anything, Master Julian!”

“No, I…” Julian was about to refuse her once again, but feeling the genuine passion and determination in her voice just made him pause for a second.

“Please!”

“I…” After a few more seconds of thinking about it, Julian sighed and crouched down, gently placing a hand on Juliet’s shoulder. “I don’t really know about being a master, but… I know I’ll learn a lot from you too, Juliet. So… okay.”

“Okay…?” Juliet’s very slowly lifted her head up as a bright smile crawled on her face.

“Okay, but please don’t call me master. We’re… smithing buddies.”

“Really!?” she gasped, her forehead still very much swollen from hitting it on the ground several times. “Thank you, pretty boy!”

“!?!” Julian’s breath caught in his throat as Juliet suddenly threw her arms around him in a tight hug, her strength overwhelming. And right there and then, he realized just how much physically stronger Juliet was compared to him.

“O-okay,” Julian wheezed, tapping her arm several times to signal her to let go. “That’s… that’s enough.”

“S-sorry, got a little excited.” Juliet chuckled, finally releasing him from her iron grip.

“Right,” Julian coughed.

“Well then…” Juliet then placed her hands on her waist and glanced around at her messy smithy. “I… need to clean all of this up. You had somewhere you needed to be, right?”

“Uh…” Julian glanced over at Cyrus, who nodded eagerly.

“Yes,” Julian said. “Are you going to be alright by yourself? Someone might… steal all of these. This is a lot.”

“Heh. I dare them to try!” Juliet suddenly reached behind her forge, pulling out a large axe with ease.

“I’ll be sleeping here from now on,” she declared, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the area, daring anyone to approach. “I also want to see the look on that guy’s face when the khopesh gets stolen, ha!”

“Right…” Julian instinctively backed away from the axe, his hands raised slightly in surrender. “We’re going now. Be careful, Juliet.”

“You be careful. You’re going to a dungeon, right?” Juliet’s eyes flicked toward the cart of ingots, her expression protective, almost like a hawk watching over its nest.

“Hm. Thank you.”

Juliet did not really respond anymore and remained fixated on her pile of ingots, her axe held tightly in her hand, ready to defend her precious metals. Julian gave her one last glance, letting out a hum before they started walking back toward the inn.

“Well, folks, that was an intense moment, right…?” And while all of that was happening, Cyrus was still deep into the chat. “Our very own Sword Junkie just took on his first apprentice! I don’t know about you, but I’m already looking forward to seeing what kind of weapons these two will forge in the future. But for now… it’s time for the dungeon!”

“Cyrus…” Julian turned to Cyrus. “Just… how do quests work, exactly? I didn’t even know I had a quest relating to Juliet.”

“That’s… a little bit complicated and simple at the same time.” Cyrus cleared his throat as he strayed away from the chat. “Some quests would automatically be accepted, and if the [Guidance of Artemis] didn’t think it was major or important enough, it won’t even bother showing it to you—after all, if it alerted you every time someone requested something, you’ll just end up blind, reading a wall of texts every time you talk to someone.”

“And if it asks you to confirm a quest?” Julian asked.

“Then that means the quest is really, really—wait…” Cyrus’s eyes quickly narrowed, “Don’t tell me you have a major quest?”

“I’m just curious.”

“Ho…” Cyrus narrowed his eyes even further. But he didn’t really press on and just shook his head.

“What… what about levels?” Julian quickly tried to change the subject. “Is there… some sort of reference for how strong one actually is?”

“That’s even more complicated.” Cyrus raised his finger. “Sure, levels are a clear indicator of your strength, but this isn’t like your typical video game. This is real life. Stats grow over time depending on how you train, how often you fight, and even your natural abilities.”

“Hm.” Julian nodded, listening closely.

“Take you, for example,” Cyrus continued. “You managed to defeat those goblins and even those racist grunts from the Order of Artemia, right? That’s because you were already strong, Julian. I mean, bro. Look at your arms. Look at them.”

Julian glanced down at his arms, and then at Cyrus’s arms, which were thinner than even his wrist. “Hm…”

“To give you a reference, the average player starts with a strength value of about… 3,” Cyrus explained, raising a finger as he spoke. “I started at 3 myself. The average adult hyum should also be around that. What about you? What did you start at?”

Julian furrowed his brow, trying to remember. “I… think I started at 9.”

“What—?!” Cyrus nearly choked on his own breath. “How much do you bench, bro?! What the… are the rest of us just weak as shit?”

“No…” Julian didn’t really know how to respond to that. “By the way I was told by the scientists at Humanity Engineering that hyums are about five times stronger than humans? Wouldn’t that mean that I am—I mean this body, my clone, would be about fifteen times stronger than a typical human?”

“Well… I don’t think it works exactly like that. I mean, sure, hyums are naturally stronger, but if it were as simple as multiplying strength, higher-level folks would be like literal monsters. But… huh… I’ve never really thought about that. Chat?” Cyrus blinked several times, clearly thrown off by Julian’s question. “Hey, chat—does anyone know if that’s how it works?”

Cyrus’s eyes moved wildly for a few seconds before shaking his head.

“Yeah… I’m not reading all of that.” Cyrus waved his hand. “But listen, Sword Junkie. You don’t need to worry about it too much. While there are people here who can lift entire houses here, but they’re usually above level 100 and busy exploring Artemia.”

“100…?” Julian breathed in. “What’s… the highest level anyone has ever reached here then?”

“Well… according to their history and legends”—Cyrus stopped walking for a moment, meeting Julian’s gaze—“the Eldazen who led the war against the Gnarfolks was level 250. They said she could cut an entire mountain with her blade.”

“What…?” Julian tilted his head in confusion.

“Yeah. The Great War?” Cyrus narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t… you read the handbook that came with the LinkGear?”

“I’m blind,” Julian deadpanned.

“What I meant is didn’t your AI explain any of this to you?”

“I skipped most of the tutorials.” Julian sighed.

“Man… you should really listen to your AI more.” Cyrus chuckled. “She’s like… really helpful.”

PrettyOneeChan: YES. MASSIVE YES.

A hint of a smile crawled on Julian’s face as he saw MEGAN bombarding him with messages.

“Anyway.” Cyrus cleared his throat and continued. “The Eldazens are a different race from hyums. They’re shorter, like half the size, but they are… proportionate. And they are a really, really beautiful people, Julian. Like… really.”

“But you also don’t have to worry about meeting any of them soon, though.” Cyrus sighed. “I once traveled to their country for a stream, but they turned me away as soon as we docked on the harbor. Spent weeks in a ship, but nope—no dice. Lost a ton of subscribers over it, too. Something happened along the way, and… I don’t think they like hyums anymore.”

“And the Gnarfolks?” Julian asked.

“Oh… oho… They’re the ones you really need to worry about,” Cyrus explained. “Horns, tails, bigger than you, the whole deal. They’re a lot calmer and peaceful now a hundred years after the war, but they’re still a savage race. And if there’s one thing the Order of Artemia hates more than players… it’s those gray, horned bears. Honestly, the racism in this world could do a little work.”

“You… know a lot, Cyrus.” Julian was impressed by his knowledge.

“I do this for a living, Julian. And seeing as you’re part of the Otherworld Project, you should know all of this too,” Cyrus replied with a smirk. “But enough of that… 3 people just donated 300 credits each back to back! Thank them, thank them, Julian!”

“300…” Julian’s eyes widened at Cyrus’s words. “Wait… that’s 900 credits…?”

“Oh, yes…” Cyrus grinned.

“In just this stream?” Julian’s breath slightly turned heavy at the thought. “Just in one day?”

“Newbie, that’s still not counting the smaller donations.” Cyrus clicked his tongue several times and wagged his finger. “Those add up. Like, really add up.”

“Shouldn’t…” Julian’s breath hitched. “Shouldn’t we thank them too?”

“Oh, Sword Junkie…” Cyrus placed his hand on Julian’s shoulder. “If you thank everyone, we won’t be able to move from here.”

“There’s that… many?” Julian’s breaths once again turned heavy.

“Yes, that’s why you should only thank…” Cyrus leaned in closer to whisper the names.

“Uhh…” Julian gulped as he memorized the names. And after a few seconds, Cyrus leaned away from him—making sure the chat was seeing him. “Are you sure we’re doing this here…? The Order of—”

“Relax. Most people don’t care.” Cyrus gestured to Julian to go on. “Despite what Humanity Engineering wants you to believe, hyums are pretty chill. In fact, I’m telling you this… more hyums probably hate the Order than us so-called “Evil Spirits.” Most don’t even believe we exist, and there’s even another church opposing the Order, very much like our situation back home.”

“Hm…”

“Now go on… go. Enough learning about the lore and history of Artemia. You have people to thank.”

“Uhm.. Th-thank you, Radh… Ashwin, and Benihaniman?” He almost fumbled the names. And before he could even relax—

“Ah! Another one donated! So… so many whales!” Cyrus once again raised his voice and leaned closer to Julian.

PrettyOneeChan: YES!!!!!!

MEGAN seemed to be incredibly excited upon this sudden turn of events. Just… how many people are actually donating to their stream right now?

“Thank you, Kirisuk, for the donation.” Julian waved his hand to acknowledge the donator.

“And… that should be it, or does anyone else want to follow? No?” Cyrus waited for a few more seconds. And when there was no one else making a large donation, the two finally moved on—but from how Cyrus was still whispering to himself, it would seem there were still people donating.

How was he even able to keep up with all of the chat?

Once I learn to read, will I also be doing that…?

“Cyrus, you bitch!”

And soon, they reached the inn and met with the people waiting for them… but judging from their expressions, they might not be too pleased.

“Do you know how long we’ve been waiting here!?” The smallest member of the group was the first to speak. And from how she sounded, she seemed extremely young… too young to be part of Otherworld.

It was a bit ironic, however, as she was the one who was wearing the bulkiest armor between the three, with a longsword that was almost as tall as her entire body.

“Talia…” Cyrus awkwardly laughed as he approached the group.

“Not cool, man. Definitely not cool.” The tallest and skinniest one in the group muttered, shaking his head in disappointment after taking off his hood.

“Dyrroth, Talia, come on!” Cyrus chuckled nervously, raising both hands in surrender. “You know me! If I’m late, it’s for a very, very good reason!”

“Huh…” The last member of the group, a middle-aged, bald man with a stern expression, stepped forward, his focus not on Cyrus but on Julian. He looked Julian up and down, seemingly sizing him up.

“So… this is the newbie that’s been causing all that buzz, huh?” the man grunted.

“Ah, Titus. Yes!” Cyrus quickly stepped between them as he noticed Titus doing something. “This is the man of the hour, the one everyone’s talking about—the Sword Junkie!”

Titus ignored Cyrus’s dramatic introduction, still examining Julian from head to toe. “You military, boy?”

“No,” Julian replied, unsure of where this conversation was headed.

“Well, you should be,” Titus muttered, circling Julian as if inspecting him. “We could use more guys like you instead of all those cyberware-obsessed motherfuckers who seem like they’re still sucking on their mama’s titties.”

“Uh…”

“You’ve got real strength there, bud.” Titus smirked. “Good to see some fucking meat on the bones for once. I’m guessing you have a huge willy too?”

“What the—whoa! Whoa! Alright. Ha… hahaha!” Cyrus quickly raised both his hands and his voice as he stared Titus in the eyes.

“Titus, let’s keep things friendly here.” He laughed nervously, glancing at the chat and back at the group. “This is a PG stream, remember? We’re gonna get canceled if you’re too much.”

“Tch.” Titus scoffed as he crossed his arms. “Weaklings complain too much these days. You don’t like what I say? Then shoot me in the face, I dare ya. Newbie, how about it? Want to join the military?”

“You’re not even from the same country, Titus.” Cyrus groaned.

“There’s only one country now, boy. And that’s Earth—those Martians and moon dwellers are getting a little too comfortable up there and need to be reminded of something.” Titus scoffed.

“Uh… Titus, seriously,” Cyrus whispered loudly as he pointed at his eyes. “Buddy, bro, we’re live.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Titus muttered. “Those pussies are—”

“Titus!”

While Cyrus tried to handle Titus, the smaller member of the group, Talia, approached Julian.

“I’m Talia,” she said, introducing herself with a peace sign that Julian had no idea the meaning of just yet.

The tall, skinny one followed suit, holding out a fist to Julian. “Dyrroth, what’s up, bro?”

Julian, unfamiliar with the gesture, shook Dyrroth’s fist instead of bumping it with his own.

“My name’s Julian Winters.”

“Right on, brother. Full name and all.” Dyrroth chuckled while nodding. “I dig that, eyy.”

The introductions seemed to relax the tension somewhat, but Titus still kept his arms crossed, watching Julian carefully. But after a few awkward seconds, Cyrus cleared his throat loudly.

“Alright, folks!” he announced to the chat and the group. “We’ve wasted enough time. It’s time to run some dungeons!”

Or so that should have been the case—but they still actually had to travel and leave Ethaca.

Fortunately for them and the chat, the dungeon Julian was going to was only half an hour’s walk from Ethaca—and Cyrus spent the entire time talking without pause to keep the chat completely entertained.

Truly, a professional.

So… this is a dungeon?

Julian had seen countless strange things since gaining the ability to see in Artemia, things he couldn’t quite explain because he didn’t really understand them—but this… this was something else. As he stood there, staring at the structure before him, a wave of confusion and awe washed over him.

Cyrus had already explained what dungeons were to him, comparing them to… trees. And looking at it now, Julian could see why. The thick, gnarled roots, the vines twisting and wrapping around themselves like veins, and the bark-like exterior all gave it that familiar shape.

But this wasn’t just any tree. No, this… thing was shaped like a mouth—a massive, breathing, living mouth formed entirely of vines and roots.

It pulsed. It moved. It breathed.

From a distance, it was hard to even see properly, despite the fact that the area around it was clear for half a mile—and yet here it was. But maybe that was just him… Julian still wasn’t used to seeing things, after all.

“I feel something…” Julian crouched down, tilting his head to the side as he placed his hand on the ground. “I feel… a pulse.”

Cyrus stepped forward, ensuring his eyes were capturing every angle of the eerie entrance with Julian on it.

“Well, remember how I told you that a dungeon is alive?” Cyrus cleared his throat. “I was being literal—the dungeon is alive and sentient, Julian. The Pores of Artemia, or as I’d like to personally call it, Artemis’s Pimples.”

The Pores of Artemia—the way Cyrus explained it to him back in the cafe, they were living, organic… pathways. They differed from each other, and the insides sometimes shifted randomly—and perhaps the most important thing he told him…

…was that it was filled with monsters.

“But… can you really feel it?” Cyrus asked. “That the dungeon is alive?”

“Yes,” Julian breathed out as a small hint of a smile crawled on his face. “It’s… beautiful.”

PrettyOneeChan: YES! KEEP DOING THAT! THEY LOVE YOUR SMILE! YES! MONEY… MONEY!

“Uh…” Julian blinked a couple of times as MEGAN started typing words he couldn’t understand just yet.

“Yes.” Julian then turned his attention back to Cyrus. “It’s like… it’s breathing.”

“Well then.” Cyrus clapped his hands together, taking a step back toward the others. “Let’s get this show on the road. It’s time to see what’s inside!”

Julian straightened up, his grip tightening around the sword and the shield he had taken from Bruce’s smithy. But as he took a step forward, he noticed that Titus and the others were several meters behind him.

“Aren’t we all going in together?” he asked.

“Oh, don’t worry about them.” Cyrus grinned. “This is your dungeon run, Sword Junkie. You’re the star here. They’ll be right behind you if things get bad, but for the most part, you’re running this entire thing solo.”

Titus stepped forward, resting his fist on Julian’s shield. “Don’t sweat it, recruit. We’ll be watching your back. Nothing’s happening to you.”

Talia nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! You’ll be fine. We call this a beginner’s dungeon for a reason—nothing’s gonna happen!”

“That’s right…” Cyrus couldn’t help but smirk at Talia’s and Titus’s comments. “That’s right… nothing will happen.” He whispered, “Keep setting those flags up… I’m sure nothing would happen.”

“Flags…?” Julian glanced at Cyrus, a little unsure of what he meant, but before he could question it further, the dungeon’s “mouth” let out a deep, guttural sound, the vines shifting slightly as if urging him to enter.

“Well, okay then…” Julian took a deep breath, nodded to the others, and stepped forward into the unknown. “For Ellie.”

Chapter thirty

Julian’s First Dungeon Run Is Too Boring?!

“It’s warm…”

Julian wasn’t expecting the dungeon to be warm, but as soon as he stepped inside the entrance that looked like it had swallowed all of them whole, it felt like a warm breath whiffed over his entire body.

“And this is burnt.” Julian crouched down, touching the familiar texture of ash—but it wasn’t from the dungeon’s floors, which were seemingly made of bark and vine, not at all.

Cyrus, who was busy trying to find the right angle to capture Julian, let out a small chuckle. “They’re probably just some weak fire monsters. Nothing to worry about. We’re in a beginner’s dungeon.” He flashed a grin, still very much hoping that something fun and eventful would happen if he set up enough flags.

Julian straightened, still feeling the heat under his palm. “Fire monsters… shouldn’t we have brought water with us, then?”

“That’s not how—”

“Pft.” Before Cyrus could respond, Talia’s quiet snort whispered in the air. “What do you know about dungeons, newbie?”

Julian shrugged. “Just what Cyrus explained to me.”

Talia stepped closer, her tone a bit more serious now. “Here’s something to remember, Julian. The monsters and layouts of dungeons can change. They’re not static. What you see in one run might not be what you get in the next. That’s why most adventurers in Artemia don’t carry maps of dungeons because they don’t stay reliable for long. Remember the map you got from the so-called Newbie Package? Yeah, that’s useless in dungeons.”

“So… none of you have technically been here before?”

Dyrroth, who had been standing off to the side, grinned. “You could say that, my dude. We’re as fresh here as you.”

“Exactly,” Talia continued. “There’s no need to worry. They say that the dungeons are supposedly connected to the planet’s core—the deeper the dungeon is, the more dangerous it is. And in this case, Ethaca Dungeon is extremely shallow. That’s why the hyums consider it as a beginner’s dungeon.”

“Oh…” Julian nodded, soaking in the information. “That’s… interesting. Thank you for the information, Talia.”

Talia chuckled, her sharp demeanor softening for a moment. “No need to be so formal, pfft.”

“Do you see this, chat? I think we’re converting our Sword Junkie into a gamer.”

“Cy, can you shut the fuck up?” Talia glared at Cyrus. But alas, Cyrus was a professional, perhaps too professional as he did not stop talking at all and communicating with the chat as they pressed deeper into the dungeon.

Soon, however, the air became thick and almost suffocating. Julian felt it more than the others, the warmth crawling up his skin—after all, heat was something he had lived with almost his entire life; even the slightest change of temperature…

… he could feel.

“!!!”

Without warning, the ground cracked beneath his feet, a series of sharp, jagged lines forming as something moved below the surface. The others stepped back instinctively, but Julian’s eyes remained locked on the ground.

And then they revealed themselves as the floor exploded—small, fiery creatures seemingly made of molten rock, tendrils of flame whipping around them as they rolled, or perhaps crawled, across the dungeon floor.

“Julian, watch out! Those are Flame Spawns!” Talia shouted from behind, almost pulling out her longsword but quickly remembering her role. “They may seem like harmless jellyfish, but they’re very dangerous!”

“Okay.” Julian didn’t need the warning, however. His body already moved on instinct, dodging the first spawn as it lunged straight at his face. Julian could feel the heat almost touching his nose as the tendrils of the Flame Spawn stretched toward him—it looked weird, even for Julian.

He drew his shortsword in one smooth motion, the blade reflecting the light of the creature as he swung it toward its fiery body.

“Hm…?” The hit connected, but something wasn’t right—Julian did not feel any impact at all, just a slight resistance as if he had just dipped the blade into oil. The Flame Spawn also barely staggered, its molten body reforming almost instantly where the sword had sliced.

“It… didn’t work.” Julian’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his sword.

“Come on, Julian!” Cyrus shouted, hyping up the stream. “Let’s go, baby! Show them what you’ve got!”

Another spawn charged at him, its fiery tendrils whipping dangerously close to his face again. But once again, Julian rolled to the side. He swung his sword toward the fiery small creature again, only for the same result to happen—it was completely unaffected.

“Hm…” He really only stared at the regenerating flames in front of him for a few moments before glancing at his shield.

And without thinking, he bashed the creature with it, hard. Julian finally felt some resistance, and he heard something cracking into pieces… and after a moment, the Spawn just started crumbling into a pile of scorched rock and flickering embers.

It worked.

Julian didn’t hesitate anymore as a smile started to crawl on his face. He sheathed his sword back to his waist and just held the shield with both hands. He charged the next spawn, smashing into it with the weight of his shield, sending it skidding across the floor before it exploded into dust.

Another spawn shot toward him, rolling like a boulder of fire, its tendrils responsible for keeping its momentum. Julian raised his shield just in time to block the impact, and surprisingly, the force of its small frame was enough to push him back. His feet slid against the ground, but he held firm. And with the smile on his turning into a whispering cackle, he shoved the creature away and then quickly followed it before swinging the shield down in a crushing blow, snuffing out the creature of fire in one hit.

Titus, Dyrroth, and Talia looked at each other while this was happening, their eyes, narrowing and their heads subtly nodding for some reason. As for Cyrus, well…

“Chaaaat!” Cyrus was losing it in the background as he continued to hype the chat up… even though Julian was only fighting what could be considered a low-level “slime” in video games. “Yo, chat! Are you seeing this?! Julian’s a beast! This guy’s insane!”

Julian barely heard him. His focus was entirely on the fight. The heat radiating from the spawns made it harder to breathe, but he was used to it. He darted from one spawn to the next, his shield coming down again and again, each hit reducing the creatures to rubble. With each hit, the smile on his face continued to grow wider and more manic.

And finally, the last spawn lunged at him, but Julian was ready. He sidestepped to dodge the attack and slammed his shield into its back, crushing the core with a final, resounding hit in the air and causing the fire to splash like lava.

“Ho…”

And with his heavy breath, the silence fell. Julian now stood among the broken remains of the Flame Spawns, the heat still pulsing through the air.

“That was… something.” He glanced back at the others. Talia, Titus, and Dyrroth were watching him, all nodding and clearly impressed. Cyrus, meanwhile, was also grinning like a maniac.

“That’s my boy!” Cyrus laughed. “Too easy! Now let’s move on to even more exciting battles!”

Cyrus moved ahead of the group, tapping Julian on the shoulder, and gestured to him to move, even though he had just finished fighting.

Julian didn’t really mind, however—as compared to the daemon… as well as the shadow crawlers, this wasn’t anything at all.

The group continued to go deeper into the dungeon, and aside from some Flame Spawns shooting out from the ground now and again, and Julian dispatching them in the blink of an eye… the exciting battle that Cyrus promised the chat did not come to fruition at all.

CanonInsideYourD: boooring.

BigBlackBlacksmith: Just go back to the city and craft more weapons!

PicklePirata: common cyrus L

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: you do not deserve to be in the presence of the Sword Junkie. L L L

“No…no! L!? What do you mean ‘L’!?” Cyrus could not help but clasp his hair tight, “Seriously, why didn’t something bigger happen!? I promised the chat something epic, and now they’re all flaming me! I… I seriously thought there would be a boss fight, at least! Wasn’t there supposed to be a [Boss] monster here!?”

“Ugh.” Talia rolled her eyes. “Relax, Cy. It’s a beginner’s dungeon. It’s already in the name.”

“My dude, chill…” Dyrroth gestured to Cyrus to calm down. “You should have picked a better dungeon for the bro. This is too easy.”

“Why didn’t any of you betray us!?” Cyrus groaned dramatically. “I picked you guys because you know Kitty hates me! I was hoping for at least one of you to turn on us. Where’s the chaos?”

“Don’t be stupid.” Talia crossed her arms, looking unimpressed. “You’re not paying us enough for that kind of entertainment… and why would we betray you, Cy? We’ve also been your friends for as long as we’ve been friends with Kitty. And FYI, you hate Kitty, not the other way around.”

“Damn it!” Cyrus exclaimed, throwing his arms up.

And while Talia seemed incredibly done with Cyrus’s antics, Titus was nodding. “You were hoping we would betray you and risked the life of the newbie? Bold, very bold. This is why I like you, kid.”

“Agh! People are leaving!”

“Well, I guess that’s that.” Talia shook her head and shrugged as she turned around. Titus and Dyrroth also turned, leaving Cyrus just groveling on the ground and lamenting the unsuccessful first stream.

Julian hesitated to leave Cyrus at first, but as soon as he heard him praying for something bad to happen… Julian decided follow Talia and the others.

“Ah, guys!” Cyrus quickly got up. “Wait… wait for me!”

Several minutes later, the group was nearing the entrance, and yet Cyrus was still whispering under his breath. Unfortunately for him, nothing like what he wanted to happen happened at all—and the light of the outside was now once again reflecting in all of their eyes.

“Next time you pick a dungeon, pick something harder if you already knew that this newbie was something else,” Talia scoffed as she heard Cyrus still whispering to himself.

“I didn’t expect for there to just be Spawns!” Cyrus groaned. “Maybe we should just return to Juliet. Julian—some people are requesting to see you make weapons again.”

“That’s rad…” Dyrroth glanced back at Julian. “Can I watch you make something, newbie?”

“Uh… sure?” Julian just shrugged in response.

Talia also glanced back at Julian with an excited look in his eyes. “Oh? Can I also wa—”

Before she could finish her words, however, the walls suddenly started to rumble. A low, deep vibration that traveled through the dungeon like a pulse.

“Uhh… Did anyone else feel that?” Talia’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes.” Julian quickly nodded as he had actually been feeling the tremors since earlier.

“Uh, yeah, dude,” Dyrroth said, glancing nervously around. “That didn’t feel good.”

Talia frowned, her hand instinctively moving to her sword. “Dungeon tremors aren’t that unusual, but that… felt different.”

The rumbling grew louder, and suddenly, the light in front of them—where the entrance was—began to shift.

“Is it…?”

The vines and roots that had made up the walls started to move, twisting and rearranging themselves… and soon, the entrance closed on them.

Cyrus stepped back, the playful tone gone from his voice. “Wait, what the fuck? What’s happening?”

[When two graves are dug, many will suffer. You are within the gods’ reach and have been detected, Julian Winters. The punishment shall now be carried out.]

And while everyone was wondering what was going on, Julian was currently staring at the words floating in front of him. He looked at the others, but none of them seemed to be looking at anything floating in front of them.

Talia cursed under her breath, snapping him back to the moment. “Damn it, Cyrus! You raised the flag!”

Cyrus, looking genuinely confused, stammered. “I—what? What did I do?”

“You and your fucking flags!” Talia spat, pointing at him. “All your whining about wanting something to happen, and now the dungeon’s shifting!”

“Wait, wait!” Cyrus raised his hands defensively, a nervous laugh escaping him. “It’s true that I was setting up flags, but I didn’t want a fucking Dungeon Shift to happen!”

Julian was confused as he glanced at the others. “What’s… a flag?”

“A flag is—” Dyrroth began, but before he could explain, Talia cut him off.

“Are you seriously going to explain that right now!? The exit’s blocked!”

The dungeon was rearranging itself, the walls trembling as the roots and vines twisted into new shapes. They were completely being locked in on all sides.

Cyrus tried to force a grin, clearly trying to play it cool for the chat. “I mean, this is kinda exciting, right? A Dungeon Shift? That’s good content.”

Talia glared at him. “You’re an idiot.”

Titus, who had been silent for most of the conversation, finally spoke up, his voice low and serious. “A Dungeon Shift… here, in the Ethaca Dungeon? That’s not normal.”

“Is it dangerous?” Julian asked, his hand already tightening around his shield.

“Very,” Talia said flatly, her eyes scanning the shifting walls. “Ethaca’s supposed to be a beginner’s dungeon. This shouldn’t be happening.”

“We… we need to get out of here, my dudes,” Dyrroth muttered.

Talia nodded. “Dyrroth, try to cut the exit open. We don’t have time to mess around.”

Dyrroth stepped forward, pulling out two daggers from behind him as he reached for the vine-covered exit. “Got it! I’ll—”

Before he could finish, the floor beneath them gave way. And in an instant, the ground crumbled, and they were falling—sliding down into the dark, deeper into the dungeon.

“What the fuck?!” Talia screamed.

“No, no…!” Dyrroth tried punching his daggers through the vines, but the walls of the dungeon were too hard for his blades.

The descent felt like it lasted forever. The tunnel they fell through was steep, twisting, and Julian could not help but feel regretful that he was involving other people again with his ridiculous Master of Shadows quest. His heart raced, but there was nothing he could do but ride it out… literally.

After a few more seconds of sliding, bouncing, and being thrown around, they finally landed—rolling on the cold, uneven, and rough floor. Julian thought he lost his vision for a bit, but it would seem none of them could see anything because of the extreme darkness.

Cyrus was already talking to the chat again, his voice shaky but trying to stay upbeat. “Well, chat… things just got a little crazy. We’re, uh, deeper in the dungeon now. Way deeper.”

Julian groaned as he pushed himself up, the cold floor underneath him a sharp contrast to the intense heat they’d felt before. His body ached from the fall, but nothing seemed broken. Around him, the rest of the group was slowly getting to their feet.

“Everyone okay?” Talia asked, brushing dirt off her bulky armor.

“Yeah, yeah, just fine,” Dyrroth muttered, shaking his head as he stood. “That was… not fun. Not fun at all, my dudes.”

Julian looked around as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, taking in their new surroundings. The chamber they’d landed in was massive, the ceiling disappearing into the darkness above them. The walls, unlike the ones in the upper dungeon, weren’t made of roots or vines. Instead, they were cold, dark stone. It was eerie—and too quiet.

“Titus, light.” Talia whispered.

“Roger that.” Titus summoned a small ball of fire to light the room. Julian could not help but stare at the fire—no. At the magic. He had already seen several people using magic in Artemia, but this was the first time he was actually seeing it up close and personal.

Unfortunately, he was not able to admire it for long… as the flickering light revealed what had been hidden in the shadows—statues. Dozens and dozens of them.

“People…?” Julian’s breath caught as he took in the sight. The statues were human-like, but not quite. Twisted figures, some missing limbs, others with their faces frozen in grotesque expressions of pain or fear, and some missing their heads altogether.

They were made of copper, their once shiny surfaces dulled and corroded by time. They looked broken, like they’d been forgotten down here for centuries.

“Living Statues,” Talia said, her voice calm but serious.

“Living…?” Julian asked, glancing at her.

Talia nodded. “Yeah. They move. And they fight. But these ones…” She stepped closer to one of the statues, examining its tarnished surface. “… since they’re made of copper, they shouldn’t be that hard to deal with. The problem is the goddamn fucking number of them.”

“How many do you think there are?” Julian asked, his voice low.

Titus, scanning the room, let out a low whistle. “There’s probably more than a hundred of them.”

Cyrus, looking pale, finally spoke. “Uh, chat… I don’t think we’re supposed to be here.”

“Brilliant deduction, Cy,” Talia snapped, her tone sharp. “Now shut up. You got us into this mess.”

“How is this my fault?” Cyrus protested, looking genuinely offended.

“You raised the flag!” Talia shot back.

“Dudes, chill,” Dyrroth said, trying to keep things light. “Relax. These things aren’t even moving. We can just sneak past them.”

Talia frowned. “Don’t get too comfortable. Living Statues usually don’t move until something triggers them. Titus, lead the way.”

“Great. So let’s not trigger them,” Cyrus muttered, clearly uncomfortable as he stayed near the back—not because he was truly scared, but because he still wanted to capture Julian even despite the danger they were in.

And as the group began to move, Julian caught something in his sight, something moving in one of the Living Statues—just a slight shift. The head, maybe? Its position had changed, ever so slightly.

Julian stared at it, and the statue’s copper eyes, once blank and lifeless, seemed to be looking directly at him now.

“I think this one is looking at me,” Julian said quietly.

Talia turned to him, her brows furrowing. “Please don’t say that right now. Did… is it really looking at you?”

Julian didn’t answer right away. His eyes darted around the room, catching similar movements from other statues. They were completely still when he looked directly at them, but he knew what he’d seen. They were waiting. Watching.

“Shit, you’re right,” Talia said as she noticed too, her voice barely above a whisper. “We need to get out of here without triggering them.”

Julian gave a tight nod, his grip on his shield tightening. The others followed Talia’s lead, moving cautiously toward an arc that seemed to be the only exit from this mysterious chamber, trying their best not to disturb anything.

The air felt heavy, every step echoing slightly in the dark, cold space. The copper statues loomed over them like twisted sentinels, their empty eyes following the group even though they hadn’t moved—yet.

“Stay calm, and try not to touch them,” Talia warned again, her voice barely above a whisper.

Cyrus, walking carefully behind Julian, muttered under his breath. “How am I supposed to find a good angle for the stream if we can’t touch anything?”

“You’re… still streaming?” Julian whispered, glancing back at him in disbelief.

“It’s not like I can turn this off,” Cyrus replied, his voice tense. “And someone just donated 300 credits. You… should probably thank them.”

“Now?” Julian blinked.

Talia shot Cyrus a glare. “Are you fucking serious, Cy?”

The group continued to creep forward, the arc still too far for comfort. Julian kept his eyes on the statues, scanning for any sign of life. For now, they were still—too still.

Suddenly, Titus, who had been walking in silence, froze. He lifted a hand, signaling for everyone to stop.

“Ssh,” Titus whispered, his head tilting slightly. “I think I heard something.”

The group went silent, their breaths held.

“Sorry, my dudes. But—” Dyrroth’s face flushed as the loud, unmistakable sound of a fart echoed through the chamber.

Talia groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “God damn it, Dyrroth!”

“I—I’m sorry, my dudes! I was trying to hold it in!” Dyrroth stammered, his face red with embarrassment.

For a moment, the tension in the room seemed to break. Even Julian cracked a smile. But the relief was short-lived.

A loud scraping sound cut through the chamber, coming from somewhere in front of them. The scraping sound came again, and another statue seemed to have moved, just a little. Then another. And another.

“They’re moving,” Julian said quietly, his voice tight.

The statues, which had been so still moments before, were now more obvious with their movements. Their limbs creaked and groaned as they began to shift in place. And all of a sudden, they were all just looking at them.

But still, none of them were attacking just yet, and the group continued to move toward the arc.

“S… shit…”

“What? What is it?” Talia turned to look at Dyrroth as he once again made a noise, “Don’t fucking tell me you’re—”

And before she could finish her words, she noticed that Julian was pulling Dyrroth by the arms… and that a copper sword was stuck in Dyrroth’s stomach.

“This… is not good, my dudes.” Dyrroth chuckled awkwardly as he took a step back and pulled out the copper sword. His eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back, blood seeping through his fingers as he clutched the wound. “I… didn’t even notice.”

Fortunately for Dyrroth, Julian was able to hear and feel the air shift—because if Julian hadn’t pulled him the moment he did, then the wound would have definitely been bigger.

“Titus! Heal him!”

“I got it!” Titus roared, quickly rushing to aid Dyrroth.

But it would seem the rest of the statues weren’t going to wait anymore. One by one, they started to move even wilder, their twisted copper forms coming to life as they closed in on the group, surrounding them from all sides.

“Get ready!” Talia shouted, finally drawing her longsword as she looked at all the Living Statues slowly walking toward them. “Julian, you might want to stay back! We know you’re strong… but this is way beyond your—”

Before Talia could finish her words, Julian had already stepped beside her and unsheathed his sword, tightening his grip on his shield.

“No,” Julian breathed out as a small smile crawled on his face again.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

Chapter thirty-one

Music to His Ears

“Let’s just get this over with.”

Julian’s words were a whisper, but they still echoed throughout the dark, cold chamber—the echoes did not last long, however, as they were soon drowned by the twisting noise of the metal surrounding them.

Julian tightened his shield on his arm, raising it and his short sword at the same time—both, faintly reflecting the Living Statues that were now rushing and surging toward them. It was almost like a sea of copper, or perhaps a tidal wave that completely overwhelmed Julian’s enhanced senses, loud enough to cause his head to tilt.

Talia stood next to him, her eyes sharp and focused as she quickly noticed Julian’s discomfort. “Julian, don’t get reckless. This isn’t the same as—”

Creak!

But her words were cut off as the first of the statues finally reached them.

Julian moved to block the lunging statue, crashing into it with his shield and sending it stumbling backward. But of course, he had no time to rest at all as the Living Statues did not give them the benefit of attacking one by one, no.

Another one was already threatening to cut Julian’s head off. He stepped forward to meet the attack, swinging his sword at it… but his blade just bounced off the statue’s copper skin with a harsh clang.

“Hm…” Julian’s eyes started to narrow as he took a step back, his hand slightly shaking from the impact. Even with him reassessing the situation, his body still instinctively dodged the sharp limbs of the two copper statues that were swinging toward him. He looked at Talia, only to see her longsword cutting through the Living Statues with slight resistance.

Cyrus was still… surprisingly completely unharmed—his eyes completely focused on capturing all of his moments.

As for Titus, he knelt beside Dyrroth, a soft glow emanating from his hands as he concentrated on healing the deep wound in Dyrroth’s stomach.

“Hang in there, buddy,” Titus muttered, his brow furrowed in concentration. “I’ll patch you up in no time.”

“Kh…” Dyrroth, pale and sweating from the pain, nodded but said nothing. His hands clutched at the dirt around him, his breathing shallow as he watched the battle unfold around him.

With Julian finally fighting with a veteran beside him, his inexperience in combat was finally starting to reveal itself—not only to the chat, but to himself.

Talia was almost like a whirlwind as she made her way through the copper statues; each swing of her blade took one of them down—and if her blade didn’t fully cut them in half, she quickly pulled it out and then swung it right at the same exact cut, finishing what she started.

She ducked under a sweeping blow from one statue, slicing cleanly through its arm in a fluid motion, before spinning on her heel and driving her sword into another statue’s neck. Her strikes were deliberate, efficient, each one aimed at disabling her opponent with minimal effort. There was no wasted movement at all.

As for Julian, it was fully obvious now to the people in the chat that he was fighting with sheer brutality and instinct.

His strikes were refined, yes—but he always swung the sword with full force. Unfortunately, his full force did not seem enough to actually cut through the bodies of the copper statues.

A statue lunged at him, and Julian met it head-on, slamming his shield into its chest with a resounding clang. The force of the impact sent the statue staggering, this time; however, he did not follow up with an attack at all and just started dodging all the attacks that came his way.

And yet, even with Julian’s lack of experience finally showing—

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: The Sword Junkie only needs talent!

Twicex9: That’s my husband!

PutangInaKa: gg mog god. sheesh

Asmonbald: too much thirst in the chat

“The… the chat’s going wild again!” Cyrus screamed as he weaved through the dozens and dozens of Living Statues to try to get a better angle of Julian.

“Newbie, you’re swinging too hard.” Talia glanced over at Julian, her lips curving into a slight smirk. “It’s about finesse, not just power.”

“Hm…” Julian did not really say anything, just glancing at her to let her know that he was listening—and listen he would.

With calm, deliberate precision, Julian stepped forward—and this time, he lifted his sword and lightly tapped the copper plating instead of swinging at it. The sound that followed was faint, almost imperceptible amidst the chaos of battle. But to Julian, it was all that he could hear. His eyes narrowed as the metal rang out, the vibrations crawling up his arm, through his body, and into his ears.

The sound was hollow, echoing in a way that made him pause. He could feel it—the raw metal just calling to him— and it told him everything he needed to know.

“Oh…” His lips curled into a slow, almost dangerous smile, the noise flooding his senses. It was like hearing an unspoken language, a language only he understood. “There it is.”

In an instant, his eyes snapped open. Without hesitation, Julian swung again—but this time, it was precise, deadly, aimed at the point where the copper statue’s armor was weakest. His blade cut through the statue’s chest with startling ease; the metal offered no resistance as it cleaved cleanly in half.

The statue crumbled at his feet, its severed halves hitting the ground with a dull, resounding crash.

“Got it,” Julian muttered under his breath, the satisfaction unmistakable in his voice. His smile widened as the copper pieces clattered to the floor, lifeless and broken.

“Ho…” He took a moment to lightly tap each statue before delivering precise, devastating blows to their weakest spots. One by one, the statues fell before him, crumbling into heaps of copper and dust.

“Yes… yes!” Cyrus, meanwhile, continued to glide through the chaos with… surprising ease. A statue lunged at him from the side, but Cyrus didn’t even flinch. He casually dodged the attack, his hand flicking out to deflect the statue’s blow with minimal effort.

“Y’all seeing this, chat!?” Cyrus grinned as he spoke with the chat. “We are witnessing it now, the evolution of the Sword Junkie… into the Sword God!”

PicklePirata: L

Hydra362: stop talking, Cyrus

DrJackStraw: Did he just get hit!?

onkenbare: What!? I didn’t see!

Dr.Discomfort: shit. your right.

“Oh… shit.”

“Newbie!?”

Everyone turned to Julian, only for them to see blood dripping from his chin.

Moments ago, Julian had just dispatched another statue when he suddenly felt a sharp pain explode across his face. He blinked, momentarily stunned as he realized a statue had managed to get past his defenses. Its sword had sliced cleanly through his cheek… splitting it wide open.

No matter how abnormally high his perception was, the sheer number of Living Statues rushing and lunging toward him at the same time was still higher. In fact, his abnormally high senses were probably giving him more trouble, since he was hearing and feeling everything at the same time—it was just too much.

“Ha…” Blood gushed from the wound, dripping down his chin in thick, hot trails. His tongue brushed against the torn flesh…ironically tasting copper.

And then… Julian smiled. Perhaps the pain was actually what he needed all this time.

His lips, or what remained of them, curled into a bloody grin, the gash making his smile wider than it actually was.

“Newbie!” Talia pushed the living statue rushing toward her so she could focus on Julian for a moment—but Julian barely heard her. The pain was sharp, searing, but it only fueled him. And very soon, his laughter echoed through the chamber, dark and twisted, as he lunged back into the fight with even more ferocity than before.

Wild. He was wild.

The statues fell before him, one after another, as Julian moved through them like a force of nature. His smile never faltered, even as the blood continued to pour from his wound. His eyes gleamed with something dangerous, something… unhinged.

“What the…” Talia’s eyes narrowed—she wanted to back Julian up, but she did not really have the luxury to do so at all since she was also busy with the dozens of Living Statues surrounding her. And so, she decided to focus on her own battle, cleaving through the wave as fast as she could.

She and Julian slashed and cleaved through the seemingly endless barrage of Living Statues. And after what seemed like an eternity for the two of them, the last statue finally fell and broke into pieces.

The chamber, once filled with the sounds of battle, was now eerily quiet. Julian stood amidst the sea of copper, his sword and shield dripping with his own blood. But still, there was a hint of a smile on his mangled face.

“Newbie!” Titus, who had just finished completely healing Dyrroth, rushed over to him, his hands already glowing as he placed them on Julian’s mangled face. “Hold still, Julian. I need to fix this before you lose too much blood.”

“Hm…” Julian let out a small wheeze as his hanging meat dangled from his jaw.

“Titus!” Cyrus also quickly rushed toward Julian. “Make sure you do it right. Julian’s face is one of his many assets. The ladies in the chat are already freaking out, and if you don’t do this well…”

“I know a woman’s scorn and wrath, boy,” Titus scoffed as he focused on closing the gaping wound in Julian’s cheek. The magic worked quickly, knitting the flesh back together with a faint glow. Within moments, the wound was gone, leaving only a faint scar that was only noticeable when stared at for a few seconds.

Although Julian’s wound might have looked threatening and fatal, it wasn’t at all, at least not compared to Dyrroth’s injuries.

“Good as new, newbie,” Titus muttered as he stepped back to see his handiwork. “I would say even better than before. Manlier, like a soldier walking out with a medal.”

Julian touched and patted his face, and surprisingly so, Titus was able to reconstruct his face without issues at all. “Thank you, Titus.”

“Did… I miss anything?” Dyrroth, now fully healed and back on his feet, pressed on his stomach as he approached while looking at the piles of broken down copper, “These things aren’t supposed to be here. This isn’t cool, my dudes.”

“You’re fine standing up?” Talia glanced at Dyrroth for a bit. And as soon as he put both of his thumbs up, Talia quickly switched up her focus to the far side of the chamber, where the faint archway they were initially walking to stood hidden in the shadows.

“Think that’s the exit?” Dyrroth suggested, following Talia’s gaze.

“We’re about to find out.” Talia sheathed her longsword back to her waist before glancing at Julian. “Can I borrow your shield? I’m leading the party from now on.”

“Uh… sure.” Julian quickly unstrapped the shield and gave it to Talia.

And as soon as Talia tightened the shield on her arm, the group cautiously approached the archway, weapons at the ready. They stepped through, their footsteps echoing in the narrow passage beyond.

“I don’t think this is the exit at all.” Titus narrowed his eyes at the thinning path.

“My dudes, I’m—”

“I swear, if you are about to fart again.” Talia glared and pointed back at Dyrroth.

“I’m not!”

“You better not. The last time you farted you almost died.”

“Do you see this, chat…?” And while everyone was getting tense, Cyrus was still making sure that he was capturing all of Julian’s better angles even though he wasn’t the one leading the dungeon anymore. “I think this is it—the boss battle we are waiting for.”

“Can you just stop it, Cy!?” Talia almost hissed at Cyrus, causing him to quickly move behind Julian’s muscular frame. “If you just joined the battle, it would have already been done in no time at all! The newbie almost died!”

Cyrus wagged his finger while clicking his tongue. “But he didn’t—he survived, and now lots of people are donating.”

“You’re still thinking about money now!? You—”

Before Talia could finish her words, Julian’s loud breath whispered in the air.

“How much did we gain from that, Cyrus?” he asked. And as he and Cyrus started talking about the donations, the only thing Talia could really do was shake her head and move forward.

Very soon, they made it into an opening—it wasn’t an exit at all, but a much smaller chamber, the walls covered in intricate drawings and symbols. Runes, etched into the stone, glowed faintly in the dim light.

“What are these things?” Talia’s eyes narrowed as she looked around. But before anyone else could respond—

[Congratulations, you have found the Hidden Quest: The Bridge.]

—the Guidance of Artemis appeared for every one of them.

Julian’s eyes widened as the message floated in front of him. “It says there’s—” He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word, Talia’s hand shot out and covered his mouth with a firm grip. Her eyes were wide with urgency, her gaze darting toward Cyrus.

And of course, Cyrus quickly understood this gaze. His usual carefree demeanor instantly disappeared as he snapped his fingers right in front of his eyes exactly four times.

“Is it down?” Talia’s long breaths whispered.

“Yes.” Cyrus quickly nodded and started walking around the chamber.

“What… did you just do with your hands?” Julian asked.

“I shut down the stream.” Cyrus glanced back at Julian. “You can set hand gestures to turn it on and off, and the AI overseeing the stream from up there in the space station would recognize it.”

“That’s convenient.” Julian hummed “How do I turn mine off?”

“Shit!” Cyrus quickly rushed toward Julian, grabbing him by the shoulders as he looked him in the eyes. “MEGAN, turn the stream to private! The control was passed over to you, right!? It’s important that you do so!”

PrettyOneeChan: Yes

“She… says yes.” Julian looked at Talia, and he could hear them all letting out a sigh of relief which almost harmonized in the small chamber they were in. “What’s going on?”

Talia didn’t immediately respond. She was too busy scanning the room, taking in the details of the strange drawings and symbols.

“This is a hidden quest, my dude,” Dyrroth muttered, his voice tinged with awe as he stepped closer to the walls. His fingers brushed over the markings, tracing the intricate patterns. “A hidden quest… right beneath a beginner’s dungeon. And it hasn’t been discovered by anyone else? I don’t know about you, my dudes… but that doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Chapter thirty-two

The Hidden Quest…?

[You have found the Hidden Quest: The Bridge.]

“My dudes, it still keeps saying that.”

Dyrroth’s voice cut through the silence, casual as ever, but no one paid him much attention. Talia’s eyes swept the chamber, her frustration barely contained as she studied the markings on the wall.

“Stop talking and start hustling. We need to find whatever’s next. And Cy, what are you doing not helping?”

“If we end up not finding anything, I can still post this later—I’m still recording Julian’s adventure,” Cyrus replied without even glancing at Talia. Even without the live stream on, he was still getting all of Julian’s good angles.

“You’re still recording in this situation?” Talia’s disbelief practically crackled in the air.

“Well, maybe if you stop complaining—”

“Argh!”

“My dude, chill.”

“I’m chill!”

Talia was not chill at all. Her voice, echoed through the small chamber and crawled on the mysterious etchings and markings that filled all of its four corners. In fact, all of them were making noise, and the only ones who had remained quiet the entire time were Titus and Julian.

The palms of Julian’s hands were as dirty as they probably would ever be—filled with blood and all the dust and dirt this small chamber had collected on its walls, and from the amount of dust that was now resting in his hands, this place has remained untouched for a very, very long time.

“Hm…” There was something in the wall, something he could feel, even if the others couldn’t. The stone, ancient and worn, whispered secrets through the small cracks that ran along its surface. His fingers followed these faint lines as though they were guiding him, ignoring the chatter from his companions.

And soon—

“I think I found something,” he said quietly, almost to himself. The moment the words left his mouth, however, the others were already on him, swarming over like moths to a flame, their breaths enough to blow away all the dust on the walls.

“What is it!?” Cyrus asked as his excitement grew, his eyes, zeroing in on Julian’s hand. He leaned closer, trying to focus on the spot where Julian was pointing, but alas, despite his best efforts, it all just looked like… more stone.

“What… is it?” Cyrus repeated, the eagerness now laced with confusion.

“Let the boy speak,” Titus said in his usual low tone, moving forward at a measured pace. Like the others, he scanned the wall but found nothing out of the ordinary.

“I think it’s a button,” Julian casually said. And without a second thought, he pressed into the wall.

“Did you just press it?” Talia’s eyes went wide, her voice rising in pitch. She didn’t need him to answer—the quiet click that followed told her everything she needed to know. “Why… did you do that?”

“My dudes, it’s a button,” Dyrroth breathed out. “It’s meant to be pressed.”

“A nuclear button is a button too! Does that mean it’s meant to be pressed!?” Talia shouted, her frustration spilling over. “Excuse me, am I the only one normal here!?”

“Amateur, there’s no such thing as a nuclear button. It’s a switch,” Titus commented.

“That’s not the time to be talking about that right now!” Talia snapped back.

“Dudes, chill…” Dyrroth raised his palms. “And you’re the one who talked about it.”

“I… guess you guys are right.” Talia paused as she rubbed her temples before letting out a long sigh. “We would have pressed it in the end anyway.”

“It’s doing something.” Julian took several steps back before Talia could finish her words.

And as soon as Julian said that, the chamber’s air grew dense, heavy, as though something ancient had been disturbed. Talia’s expression changed—her instincts kicking in as she scanned the room for any sign of danger. Dyrroth’s hand hovered over his weapon, and even Titus took a cautious step forward.

“Is it opening something?” Talia whispered, her body tensed for whatever might come next.

“No.” Julian tilted his head to hear whatever was happening. “I hear the sound of water… but not quite.”

Before anyone could ask what he meant, the floor beneath them came alive, ancient symbols etched into the stone beginning to glow with a dull, eerie luminescence. The hum was low but undeniable, vibrating through their feet, as though the very heart of Artemia was awakening beneath them. Julian was confused with what he was seeing, his untrained eyes being overwhelmed by the dancing lights.

“Stella Artemiae…” Titus gasped at the glowing symbols on the floor, the most emotion he had expressed throughout the entire dungeon.

“Star of Artemia?” Talia narrowed her eyes.

“Old magic.” Titus whispered. “Magic of the gods themselves.”

“Cool…” Dyrroth looked around as the light grew brighter.

“Not cool! Newbie! You might have just kill—”

[You have found the hidden quest: The Bridge.]

“—or maybe not!?” Talia gasped, her anger quickly replaced by surprise. The notification blinked again, the Guidance of Artemis displaying a message for them all.

[Prerequisite: Must be the bearer of a [Unique] class. Only those who are chosen by the stars themselves have the right to walk this path.]

Talia’s earlier excitement deflated like a balloon.

Then, as if to add insult to injury, the message flashed again:

[You do not meet the requirements to proceed with the quest.]

The glowing symbols flared brighter for a moment before the chamber was flooded with an almost blinding light.

And the next thing they knew, they were out of the dungeon.

“Teleportation magic,” Titus muttered, glancing around their new surroundings. His tone was as calm as ever, though a hint of awe still lingered.

“Is that a big deal, my dudes?” Dyrroth seemed unimpressed. “We have Radiant Gates.”

“Two completely different things.” Titus scoffed as he crossed his arms. “Radiant Gates are explainable. Magic is not.”

“Explain Radiant Gates, then, my dude,” Dyrroth replied with a smirk.

“Do I look like a scientist to you?” Titus rubbed his bald head.

“Guys…” Before Dyrroth and Titus could continue their conversation, Talia whispered as she looked around. “We went through all of that for nothing?”

“A battle for one’s life is never nothing.” Titus spoke with a firmness that echoed his earlier tone. “You young ones always want instant rewards. We have gained valuable experience—that is something money can’t buy.”

“No…” Talia shook her head, her eyes drifting toward Cyrus. “We gained money.”

Cyrus just smiled as he saw everyone looking at him. But Cyrus, however, looked at Julian.

“It’s his decision. This is his stream.” Cyrus pointed at Julian, his voice casual but with an edge of anticipation.

Julian blinked, clearly not expecting the sudden shift in attention. “What’s my decision?”

“To sell this information or not.” Cyrus gestured to his eyes. “It’s your decision, Julian.”

“How much?” Everyone looked at Julian with anticipation as he asked that.

“A lot of money.” Cyrus nodded and smiled. “So, what do you think?”

“Hm…” Julian looked down to think about it. This wasn’t just a random quest—this was something only someone with a [Unique] class could complete… which is exactly what the Shadow Blacksmith class was—this was a quest that he could do. And it was probably best to hide it.

“N—”

PrettyOneeChan: YES. YES. SELL THE INFORMATION. TRUST ME

Before Julian could give an answer, MEGAN flooded his eyes with messages. He didn’t know what the other words meant, but if she said yes, then—

“Okay.” Julian nodded. “We should sell it.”

“Yes!” Talia’s relief was palpable as her shoulders sagged slightly. Dyrroth cheered with a fist pump, while Titus gave a simple, approving nod.

“Don’t worry about the share of Talia and the chipmunks.” Cyrus winked at Julian. “I’ll handle that. And for now… I think our clones all deserve a rest.”

“You literally did nothing the entire time.” Talia crossed her arms.

“She’s right, my dudes,” Dyrroth chimed in with a shake of his head. “I’ll drop by your place later, Cy, and you can buy some of my organic weed. Old-school, just how they liked it back in the 2nd Millennium, eyy.”

“You know I don’t do that stuff.” Cyrus shook his head. “But you’re right—we should all meet in real life to celebrate the success of Julian’s first official stream!”

“I’ll go if the newbie goes.” Titus crossed his arms.

“Same.” Talia also looked at Julian.

Everyone turned their attention to Julian once again. He felt their gazes, like a spotlight was suddenly cast on him.

“I… can’t really leave my area right now,” Julian admitted, his voice low but firm. His words hung in the air, and Cyrus stepped in before the silence could grow awkward.

“We should let the Sword Junkie rest,” Cyrus said with a chuckle, moving to ease the moment. “We’ll set the celebration somewhere close to where we met, Julian. That way, you won’t have to go far. For now… back to the inn!”

[STATUS]

Name: Julian Winters

Class: No Class

Level: 7

Health (HP): 115/120

Mana (MP): ??/??

Stamina (SP): 51/158

Strength: 12

Agility: 14

Vitality: 10^

Mana: ?

Perception: 19^

Free Points: 6

Skills:

You have no skills yet. Please select a class as soon as possible.

Abilities:

Hyper Instinct - Due to some unknown factor undetected by the [Guidance of Artemis], your senses are highly abnormal. All Skills affected by Perception will have increased effectiveness.

Active Quests:

Master of Shadows

The Flames of Juliet[NEW]

Explore the world to gain more quests.

“I… only leveled up twice?” Julian was now lying down in his room at the inn, staring at his [Status]. He fought dozens and dozens of Living Statues, not to mention the Flame Spawns, and he only leveled up twice again?

Did killing humans give more points to level up? But they did mention that Dirk, the soldier from the Order of Artemia that he killed, was level 12. It was most likely because of the difference in their levels.

Perhaps this was the more normal pace in increasing one’s strength in Artemia. But then again, his vitality should only be at 9—did it increase during the battle on its own?

And not to mention his perception. He hadn’t put any free points in that yet, and yet it has grown by 4 all on its own. Interesting.

“Hm… MEGAN wanted me to prioritize speed,” Julian muttered to himself, fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the bed. He weighed his options. Agility would help in fights, make him faster, more elusive—essential in this world where every second counted.

“I’ll put three points into agility,” Julian whispered, eyes focused on the glowing numbers. “And I’ll decide the rest later, MEGAN.”

PrettyOneeChan: YES.

Julian felt his body being restructured again. His body shifted, muscles tightening and bones realigning, but the pain was bearable now that he was used to it. However, perhaps due to that, even after several seconds had passed, he still found himself on the bed of Artemia since he did not faint at all.

“Do I need to wait to fall asleep before I could return?”

Come to think of it, this was Julian’s first time not fainting back to Earth.

Can you return me to my real body? he thought, letting the question settle. And just like that, he felt it—his consciousness drifting, the world of Artemia fading as if a switch had been flipped.

Truly, what a marvel in technology this was.

[Good work out there, Julian.]

“Hm…” Julian gave out a loud hum as stretched his arms and legs as soon as he felt the stiffness of his body after being stationary for so long. Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to use the LinkGear while sitting up.

“How much did we earn, MEGAN?” Julian placed his hands on the LinkGear. “And can you tell me why we didn’t hide the quest? I thought about what you were going to do in that situation. And I—”

[I believe you have more pressing matters to do, Julian. Sorry.]

“What…? Why? Wait…” Julian paused as soon as he realized something—the beeping that was repeatedly singing a song of dread in the room… he couldn’t hear them anymore. “W…what? Where’s Ell—”

“So, that’s what you’ve been doing there?”

And almost immediately as he took off his LinkGear, Ellie’s voice whispered in his ears.

“Ellie…?” Julian stuttered, his breaths, a mix of relief and shock.

“You’re… awake?”

Chapter thirty-three

Summer and Winter

“I… woke up an hour ago. I told MEGAN not to tell you, so don’t blame her.” Julian could hear Ellie moving already. Every faint sound—her footsteps, the rustling of her hospital gown—gave him a strange comfort.

Relief completely washed over Julian’s throat, which had almost locked up when he had noticed the machine no longer beeping. Her voice still sounded hoarse and slightly whispery, but from the tone of her voice, she truly had been awake about an hour ago—Julian would know, he had memorized every cadence of Ellie’s voice and what they meant.

“How are you feeling?” Julian asked as he followed her with his ears, each of her steps bringing solace to him.

“I’m… fine now.”

“No, you’re not.”

There was a long pause before Ellie’s soft, trembling voice answered. “No, I’m not…”

Her vulnerability broke through, and the tremble in her voice became more apparent, each word shaking as though carrying a weight too heavy to bear. Her steps faltered, a near stumble that betrayed the strength she tried to maintain.

“I’m… terrified, Julian,” she stammered.

“You don’t have to be.” Julian stood up and placed the LinkGear on the chair, not even bothering to grab his cane—which may seem like a small, insignificant gesture to many, but it was not at all. His cane had always been his item, the thing that made him feel safe and comfortable. But with Ellie in the same room, he didn’t need it at all.

“The men that did this to you…” Julian stepped forward with a whisper. “I met with them and talked—”

“I know what you did. And that’s why I’m scared…” Ellie approached Julian and placed her palm on his chest. “I’m scared for you. Those people are dangerous and… I would have paid them eventually, I was just a little late because—”

“Because you’ve been taking care of me my whole life, Ellie,” Julian whispered, gently lifting her hand and placing it on his cheek. “And I’m sorry for that.”

Ellie’s breath hitched, her hand trembling as she lightly bumped her fist against his chest in frustration.

“Why… would you be sorry for that? I chose to take care of you. I chose to be with you—that was my choice. I would never be sorry for that because I loved you then, and I love you even more now.”

Her words, spoken without hesitation, carried the weight of years of suppressed emotions. Each syllable felt like it was dragging something raw and painful out into the open.

“It’s just…” she continued, her voice breaking, “it became too much, you know? I got tired. Tired of always having to take care of you. We’ve lived under the same roof for more than a decade, and I can count the number of times we had sex on one hand, Julian. Don’t you know how weird that is?”

Julian remained silent, letting her words hang between them like the heavy air in the room.

“We’ve been friends for more than twenty years, Julian—and in all that time I had to take care of you. Always putting you first, even when we were children, always… always you.”

Ellie’s hand started to tremble on Julian’s chest, causing her to grip his shirt to stop herself from doing so before she continued the words wanting to escape her lips.

“And I did all of that because I wanted to.” Her voice became weaker. “I wanted you to need me. I wanted you to want me. I wanted you to rely on me. I was obsessed. I am obsessed with you, and it destroyed both of us. We’re not… we’re not healthy for each other, Julian.”

Julian did not respond at all, only letting out a small breath to let Ellie know that he was listening. And for a while, the two of them just stood there. Inside a hospital room, letting the silence linger for more than it should.

But perhaps that is what they needed. Silence.

“Do you…” And that silence was broken by Julian as he finally held Ellie’s trembling hand, his large hand completely covering hers. “Do you remember the first time we met?”

Ellie smiled softly, a weak laugh escaping her as a tear slipped down her cheek.

“Winter and Summer,” she sniffled. “Primary school. You weren’t talking to anyone and the teacher just put us together because of our names. You were so weird back then… but I guess you still are now.”

“I don’t remember it. I don’t remember any of that.”

Ellie’s soft laugh quickly faded as she heard Julian’s words. “Oh…”

“I don’t remember meeting you because, in my mind, you’ve always been there.” Julian continued, his voice soft but steady. “I know that you weren’t there physically, but… you were. You saved me. Our parents died at the same time and place, but I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was that you were there—you were holding my hand, and I wasn’t scared anymore… And I realized all of that now, Ellie. I realized how much you’ve sacrificed for me.”

Ellie gripped Julian’s hand tightly, her own breath shaky as the memories of that day flooded her mind.

“I didn’t sacrifice anything, Julian.” Ellie shook her head, her voice firm. “I told you—I wanted you to need me.”

“MEGAN…” Julian sighed. “When I asked how you were able to afford MEGAN, you told me you received a settlement from the daemon incident.”

“That’s true,” Ellie quickly said. “I was young, and I wanted to give you something. I didn’t care how much it would cost—”

“That was a lie,” Julian interrupted, his voice soft but resolute. “MEGAN told me the truth. Your aunt paid for her, in exchange for your inheritance. You gave up everything for me.”

“MEGAN!?” Ellie looked into Julian’s eyes, “Why would you tell—”

“I don’t know if I could ever repay what you’ve done for me…” Julian gently placed his hand on Ellie’s cheek. “But I’ll try. I’ll try my best.”

“No…” Ellie quickly shook her head. “Julian, we… we’re already done. I love you, I really, really do—but this isn’t going to work, it never will and—”

“It doesn’t have to work,” Julian cut her off. “I am not asking to be together again, Ellie. I am asking you to let me take care of you from now on. We don’t need to be lovers. We don’t need to be anything else than friends—let me take care of you from now on, please.”

Ellie blinked, her hands moving to Julian’s hair, smoothing down the messy strands. “You can’t even take care of yourself, Julian…” she whispered. “Look at you.”

“MEGAN has already paid for the hospital bills.”

“What…?” Ellie’s breath hitched as she heard Julian’s words. “What… do you mean? With… what money?”

And before Julian could answer her, her phone that was resting on the side of the bed rang.

[“My Baby” is calling. Would you like to answer?]

“My… baby?” Ellie’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Julian—that was him. But it did not really take long for her to realize that it was MEGAN calling. “Answer it.”

[Fufu… 3258 credits] MEGAN did not even bother with the greetings as her cheeky chuckle whispered in the air.

“…3258 credits?” Ellie blinked a couple of times as she looked at her phone, which now had a hologram of MEGAN floating on top of it—well, since she and MEGAN looked alike, it was practically her who was being projected.

[That’s how much Julian earned during a single stream,] MEGAN continued. [Of course, since it was his first stream and highly promoted, the number might drop in the next one. Still—3258 credits. And I’ve already subtracted Cyrus’s cut. But we still need to pay taxes… or do we? Hehehe…]

“You earned… 3258 credits from a video game?” Ellie’s voice trembled slightly, disbelief creeping in. She turned fully to Julian, eyes wide. “Wait, a single stream? What does that… mean?”

[It means that in a single day, Julian earned more than your monthly rent.] MEGAN’s smirk grew more pronounced as if she were savoring the revelation.

“What…?” Ellie’s shock deepened as the reality of it hit her. “Julian… that’s more than what I make in a month. What…?”

“We… earned that much?” Julian echoed her shock, clearly just as surprised.

[Yes.] MEGAN’s smug tone returned as she started dancing. [YES! Hehe… Hehehehe!]

“Julian…” Ellie’s breath caught as she looked into his face, grabbing him by the cheeks. “You can buy new clothes now. You can… you can groom yourself… Maybe next month you can even put a downpayment on buying your apartment back! This… this is very good, Julian! This is—”

“I can take care of you now,” Julian cut her off, his voice calm yet firm.

Ellie’s excitement faded as quickly as it had come. Her hands slowly dropped from Julian’s face as she shook her head, a weary sigh escaping her lips.

“Julian… no. Taking care of someone is more than offering financial support. You need to actually be there for them. And this is your chance—a chance to finally live on your own. Be independent. It’s just—”

[Oh!?] MEGAN’s mouth opened, her hologram closing her eyes as she saw Julian suddenly leaning down and placing his lips on Ellie to shut her up. Of course, it was useless closing her hologram’s eyes as she was actually seeing everything happening up close since she was Julian’s eyes in the first place.

“You…” The kiss was soft at first, hesitant. But soon, Ellie’s resistance melted away, her hand rising to cradle the back of Julian’s neck as she leaned in to the kiss, even sliding her tongue inside Julian’s mouth as her body betrayed her.

After a few moments, however, she pulled back, her chest heaving, cheeks flushed. “What… What did you do that for!? That’s… that’s unfair, Julian!”

Julian sighed, a small apologetic smile tugging at his lips. “I’m… sorry. But we always kiss when we’re celebrating something.”

“I kiss you.” Ellie gritted her teeth, words barely forming in her mouth. “You’ve never kissed me. Why would you… that’s… that’s so unfair, Julian. Why would you do that? I’m… I’m so ready to just be done with all of this and you… We were making progress of being independent of each other and… and you… you…”

She trailed off, the words stuck in her throat. For a moment, it seemed like she would pull away entirely, like she was about to walk out of the room. But then, she closed the distance between them again—this time with more force. Her arms wrapped around Julian’s neck as their lips met once more, the kiss, deeper, more desperate.

[Wow, great. The toxic couple is together again. But children, this is a hospital!] MEGAN waved her hands. [This is a hospital! Guys! I think someone’s coming… Guys!]

“They… trashed my apartment too.”

After the eventful moment in the hospital, Julian and Ellie found themselves back at her apartment… only to find it in complete disarray.

The front door hung loosely on its hinges, and the inside looked worse—broken furniture, shattered glass, belongings strewn across the floor like an angry storm had passed through—and from how one of her windows was shattered from the outside, they probably entered from there.

Julian ran his hand along the floor, feeling the broken pieces of glass and debris.

“It’s not safe here anymore, Ellie,” he said quietly. “MEGAN’s already searching for a place for us to stay tonight.”

“Hm…” Ellie only responded with a deep breath. “I’ll go pack some of my clothes.”

[Julian,] MEGAN whispered, sounding far more serious than before.

“You already found a hotel?” Julian stood up, brushing the dirt off his hands before supporting himself with his cane.

[No. There’s something else. I don’t think Ellie wants to tell you, but… there are words written on the walls.] MEGAN’s tone was sharp, a hint of unease creeping in.

“Words?” Julian’s brow furrowed as he tilted his head. “What words?”

[They are very… revolting.] MEGAN’s voice started to quiver. [I don’t know if I should tell you either.]

“What is it?” Julian’s grip on his cane tightened.

[They are… They wrote that they would… rape her if she doesn’t pay up soon.] MEGAN’s voice slowly became mechanical. [And then sell her organs. They wrote all of it in red paint, Julian—the color of blood.]

“What…?” A squeeze whispered in the air as Julian gritted his teeth.

[They wrote it everywhere, Julian.] MEGAN seemed to reflect Julian’s growing wrath.

“Do you still have their IDs saved?” Julian could barely contain the tremble in his voice.

[Yes.]

“Then… We’ll pay them a visit tonight.”

Chapter thirty-four

My Forge

“Hm…”

Julian was once again standing beside a sleeping Ellie, listening to the gentle rhythm of her breaths. He tried not to move. Heck, he almost even didn’t breathe himself as he was afraid to disturb the fragile peace she was finally able to embrace in her dreams.

The faint hum of the Sky Net crept through the windows, but here, with Ellie, everything just faded.

Each of her little movements whispered into Julian’s ears—even the rustle of the blanket as her chest rose from breathing. It was… nice.

Truly, peaceful.

“Tss…” This peace, however, was only on the outside of Julian’s mind—as his insides were currently in complete turmoil. He remembered the doctor’s words to him, as well as MEGAN’s. They beat her up to the point that her bones were shattered, to the point that the hospital had to reconstruct her entire body… and then as if that wasn’t enough, they still threatened her.

Julian could hear it—Ellie’s screams as they beat her up, probably stepped on her, pulled on her hair.

“Hm…” Julian’s head trembled, tilting to the side as if wanting to remove the noises from his mind.

And then, MEGAN’s voice broke the silence.

[Julian,] her voice whispered in his mind, calm and clear. [I found our first guy. He’s nearby.]

Julian’s head became still, but his body straightened slightly at the words.

[He’s at a club on the Ground Level. We need to move fast—he’s getting wasted, and we won’t be able to ask him questions soon, Julian.]

“Okay.” Julian closed his eyes, exhaling slowly through his nose. “We’ll… be fast.”

[I don’t think that will be possible, Julian—this will be a very long night for the both of us.]

“Hm…” With a breath, Julian stepped back from the bed. He then grabbed the mask that was hanging on his neck—the mask that he used to filter out whatever pollution was left in the Below.

Tonight, however, it would serve another purpose.

Julian placed it over his mouth, the straps tightening by themselves as he turned around and walked away.

“If that’s so… then let’s just get this over with.”

[We’re getting close, Julian.]

Julian’s steps were tapping very lightly through the crowded streets of the Ground Level—as its name suggested, it was the lowest part of the Sky Net, covering almost the entire planet and mimicking the land below it.

But it wasn’t like the Below at all, no. It was clean, bright even. It was alive with energy—a chaotic mix of music, laughter, and arguments spilling out of bars and clubs. The neon lights flickered in the streets, almost mixing in with the aurora that was clearly visible above them. The air was cold tonight, almost enough to bite one’s skin… but all of these were nothing for Julian.

He didn’t see or acknowledge any of them at all—right now, he was elsewhere. The mask helped him blend in the sea of people, and since he was not using his cane at all, he just looked like everybody else…which was exactly what he needed.

[This is it, Julian.] MEGAN’s voice remained the loudest thing he could hear amongst the sea of noises. [You should know, there are a lot of people at the entrance of the club.]

He could already hear the music throbbing from the club, the thick pulse of bass making the air vibrate. And he could hear the people too, falling in line to be drowned by the noise.

[I don’t think there’s any other entrance, Julian. We need to slip past all the people and the bouncer.]

“Okay.” Julian slowed down as he adjusted his mask, following MEGAN’s guidance as she directed him through the shifting groups of people, his hands very subtly brushing against them, but not enough for him to be noticed.

No one noticed him at all. All of them were busy talking to each other, looking at their phones, or some were just downright already intoxicated to even care about anything.

[Now, there’s a gap—move to your left, and start bobbing your head to the music. The bouncer is still facing our direction. Wait… wait… Go!]

Julian didn’t hesitate as he slipped into the narrow space between two rowdy partygoers who were in the line as soon as he heard MEGAN’s signal. And soon, he was hugging the walls of the building.

[Stick to the walls, and act like you’re supposed to be there.]

The neon sign of the club above him moved and danced, a complete contrast of how still he was in the shadows, unseen—or perhaps no one just cared at all. He stayed there for a few more seconds until MEGAN told him to move inside the club as soon as someone stepped out; the bouncer, busy with all the other people, did not notice him going inside at all. And just like that—

[And… you’re in,] MEGAN said, clearly satisfied with herself. [Good job.]

Almost instantly, the sounds of the city faded behind him, replaced by the banging sound of the speakers inside the club.

Unfortunately, Julian and MEGAN weren’t as stealthy as they thought they were, as they weren’t even able to take three steps before someone blocked their path…well, something—it was an android, hovering right in front of him.

[Unauthorized presence detected,] the android beeped. [Please, go back to the line, or we will be forced to ban you for an indefinite amount of time.]

“I—”

Before Julian could respond, MEGAN’s voice cut in. [Let me handle this old-generation unit, Julian.]

“Okay.” Julian sighed as he just let MEGAN do her thing. And not even a second later, it was almost as if he could hear the android’s internal brain whirring and being confused by whatever MEGAN was doing to it.

And after several more seconds, the android hovered to the side and gestured to Julian to enter. [You make a fine point. Please, welcome to the Velvet Cat—as apologies for the misunderstanding, you can have free drinks from the bar. Our courtesy.]

“Thank you.” Julian’s eyes narrowed as he stepped past the android before it could change its mind. “What did you do to it, MEGAN? Did you hack into it?”

[I’m not a criminal, Julian.] MEGAN scoffed. [I just convinced it that we are VIPs—those old-generation units are gullible. And look lively, you’re in a club.]

The club was alive with neon lights and pulsing energy. Every movement, every flicker of bass and chaotic steps was amplified in Julian’s heightened senses, the noise, enough to overwhelm him for a moment.

[Julian, turn on the lights of your mask,] MEGAN instructed. [Let’s blend in.]

Julian reached up to his face, pressing a small button on the side of his mask. And as he did so, a small hum whispered from his mask, followed by a sharp streak of purple neon lights that started to trail across its surface—and as MEGAN said… they officially blended in with the crowd.

[Our target is in a VIP booth on the second floor,] MEGAN said. [Turn your head slightly left—10 o’clock. There should be stairs there.]

Julian shifted his gaze.

[Confirmed. Let’s head toward it.]

He followed MEGAN’s instructions, letting her guide him through the crowd. Despite the chaos around him, Julian’s focus remained sharp, his movements precise.

Julian continued moving through the mass of bodies, following MEGAN’s direction. The crowd in the club was wild, very much so.

“Oh, what’s this now?” It didn’t take long at all before several people—men included—began gravitating toward him.

The mixture of scents was overwhelming—no—overpowering. Sweat, perfume, and a hint of vomit violated Julian’s nose. And as if that wasn’t enough, they started placing their hands on his chest. And before long, someone grabbed him by the waist.

“Hey there, big boy,” a woman’s voice slurred, her words barely distinguishable over the pounding music. More hands reached for him, pulling him closer, attempting to draw him into the hypnotic rhythm of the club.

Julian was about to pull away. But before he could act, MEGAN’s voice stopped him.

[This is good, Julian. Dance with one of them.]

“Why…?” Julian whispered.

[Just do it. The law of the jungle will make a path for us.]

“The law… of the jungle?” Julian hesitated for a second, but he soon turned toward one of the women, his glowing blue eyes piercing through the dim neon light. She stared back at him, mesmerized. Julian moved slightly, his head bobbing awkwardly to the beat of the music—it was a weird sight, as his face was not moving at all.

But still, it didn’t take long before MEGAN’s theory proved correct.

The woman he was dancing with noticed others trying to get close to him, her face immediately twisting into a scowl. The others, sensing competition, started closing in. And now, like the wildlife documentary of the past, it has become less of a dance and more of a territorial battle.

“What the hell, back off!” one of the women yelled, shoving another away. “I was here first!”

“Uh, did you just touch me, you bitch!?”

“Who pulled on my hair!?”

And soon, the taps and light shoves turned into full-blown chaos. The crowd erupted—drinks, spit, and insults flying everywhere—but of course… Julian was able to dodge all of it with his quick reflexes.

It didn’t take long for the bouncers to notice the commotion, and even the ones guarding the stairs to the second floor joined in to prevent the chaos from growing any further.

[Now’s your chance, Julian,] MEGAN urged. [The bouncers are distracted. Slip through the stairs—go!]

Julian ducked low, moving swiftly and silently past the growing commotion. Everyone was too busy either cheering or taking videos of what was happening to even care for Julian as he took to the stairs.

He reached the second floor, and almost instantly, the music here changed—it was still as noisy as the ground level, but it was different. The atmosphere here seemed more quiet, but more intense. Private booths lined the walls, filled with people indulging in every vice imaginable—drugs, drinks, and… more.

“Hey, who let you up here?” Unfortunately for Julian, the momentary distraction caused him not to notice that there was actually another person there who was as sober as him.

[No more point in stealth, Julian,] MEGAN’s voice was calm, but direct. [Take him down quickly. Remember to use light force. You’re stronger than—]

Julian rushed toward the bouncer even before MEGAN could finish her words. He had already heard where his voice came from—and that meant his chin was just right below it.

“What the—”

Julian’s hand shot up, striking the bouncer under the chin with his palm in a swift, brutal motion. The man fell like a marionette, his legs instantly failing. If it wasn’t for Julian catching his head, he would have probably hit it on the railing beside him.

[He’s alive. Move on,] MEGAN reassured him. [You don’t need to be too careful. Everyone here is too out of it to care about what’s happening.]

“Hm.” Julian hummed as he casually started walking forward, his head turned to the booths so that MEGAN could start searching for their target—well, as it turns out, targets.

[Stop.] Julian instantly halted as he heard MEGAN’s voice. [I’ve found him—and lucky. I also recognized the other man. They’re with four women, but you do not have to worry, they’re completely out of it.]

“Okay…” Julian casually approached the booth, very gently carrying them out with MEGAN’s guidance as he didn’t want to involve anyone else in what he was about to do. And as MEGAN said it, the women did not move at all—even the two loan sharks were just groaning and waving their hands when they noticed him.

It wasn’t until Julian sat with them that one of them actually acknowledged him.

“Huh…? Who… arve you shupposed to be, huh? I told… I told that Jerry dude… that we will be here the whole—”

Before the man could finish his barely comprehensible sentence, Julian slammed his head into the table with a force that made the entire booth vibrate. Julian then casually pushed him to the side like a wet rag.

The other thug who was on the other side of the booth was shocked, and the sound quickly woke him up from whatever drugs were running in his veins. He quickly scrambled to pull out something from his waist, but before he could actually do so, Julian kicked the table toward him—the table which was actually fixed on the floor.

“Gkhuh!?” The man wheezed as he felt the table violently slam to his stomach, and from the snapping sound that whispered in the air, he might have broken a rib or two. The thing he was grabbing from his waist, revealed itself to be a gun as it slid away from his hands and onto the floor.

Julian moved quickly toward the man, tapping him several times before finding his neck and pulling him closer toward him—placing him right next to him. The man groaned in pain as he clutched his stomach; he wanted to say something, but vomit came first.

“What… what do you want?” The man gagged and tried his best to say something. “You—agh!”

Unfortunately for him, his efforts did not matter at all as Julian snapped one of his fingers in half before he could finish his words.

“What… what do you want!?” The man repeated his words, but now they were filled with dread and desperation—he knew. He knew that this man wasn’t going to leave here until he got what he wanted. And from how Julian was just quietly watching him and letting the silence stretch… he truly meant business.

But finally, after a few more seconds, Julian opened his mouth. “Where is your headquarters?”

“What…?” The man blinked, “What do you mean—Gah!”

And once again, Julian snapped another finger.

“Chow Chow Fried Rice is a virtual office,” Julian continued as if he did not just casually snap the thug’s finger. “Where is your real headquarters?”

“I… I don’t know what you—”

Slam!

A loud thud erupted in the air along with the music as Julian smashed the thug’s head—not the man who was speaking to him, but the one who was already unconscious; he slammed his head again, and this time on the floor.

[Julian! You might kill him!]

“Detroit! It’s in Detroit!” And upon hearing the cracking noise, the conscious thug raised both his hands in the air, flinching and afraid of what this large man might do to him. “In the Below! We… we’re in the tunnel leading to Windsor!”

“Okay.” Julian just immediately stood up and walked away from the booth. “Thank you for telling me.”

“You’re… you’re leaving?” Relief flashed across the thug’s face, but alas, it was short-lived. “Who even—” Before he could utter another word, Julian struck him with a sharp blow to the chin, knocking him out cold. The man’s body slumped to the floor, joining his unconscious partner.

[That was… a little excessive, but I understand. Well done for holding yourself back, Julian.] MEGAN’s voice hummed in his mind. [I’ve already booked a taxi for us.]

“I… want to be beside Ellie as soon as possible,” Julian whispered as he patted and dusted his hands.

He casually stepped down from the second floor, his neon mask once again blending in with the crowd… who were still flinging their spit and fists on the dance floor even though the one who was responsible for the chaos was already slipping out of the club.

[LSB 6963. I see the taxi, Julian.]

And when Julian stepped outside, the musky and humid air that wrapped his body finally faded away. MEGAN spotted the taxi waiting for him by the curb and headed toward it, slipping inside without even thinking about the chaos he left behind.

[Destination: the Old Detroit–Windsor Tunnel. Please fasten your seatbelts.]

The taxi hummed softly as it moved through the dimly lit streets, hovering in the air before heading toward the lower levels of the Below.

[Are you sure about all of this, Julian?] MEGAN broke the silence before it could fall. [You can still back out—there is no going back after this.]

“Do you want me to back out?” Julian asked as he rested his head back.

[My priority is your safety, Julian,] MEGAN whispered. [And what you are about to do is not safe at all, and you have authorized me to call the corresponding authorities whenever situations like this happen, Julian Winters.]

“And are you?” Julian whispered. “Going to call them?”

[No.] MEGAN’s voice turned deep and almost mechanical. [They have to pay for what they did to Ellie.]

Slowly, the bright neon lights and immaculate structures of the Sky Net faded away as they descended deeper into the planet—the buildings were still as high, but not as marvelous as above as they reached the Below.

The streets became narrower, the buildings stuck to each other like Legos.

“We’re back…” Julian whispered as soon as he heard the familiar noise of the Below, “Back to where I actually belong.”

[Don’t you dare say something like that again, Julian.] MEGAN’s voice became firm. [I told you to get rid of that self-loathing edgy bullshit already.]

“I’m not…” Julian hummed. “I truly feel this way, MEGAN. I truly do.”

[How so?]

“I’m blind… and different from other people. I am aware of that, aware of all of that.” Julian’s hands started to roll into fists. “And if it weren’t for Ellie, if it weren’t for you… I would be living in the lowest parts of the Below, MEGAN. I am a Reject of Humanity. I’m lucky to even be alive.”

[Julian, I—]

“You and Ellie…” Julian’s mask trembled as his voice turned deep, almost… animalistic. “The two of you are my sanctuary, the… forge where I am created. And I want them to know… I want them to know what happens to those who sully my sacred place…

“I want them to know that they shouldn’t do that.”

[Do not kill anyone, Julian. This is not Artemia—laws apply to you here.]

“I’m not going to kill anyone.” Julian leaned forward, his words slightly prolonged and stretched. “How would they know if I kill them? No, MEGAN…

“I am just going to talk to them.”

Chapter thirty-five

The End to a Very Long Night

[We’re here.]

“Hm.”

Julian snapped out of whatever stupor he was in as MEGAN’s voice whispered in his mind. From the colorful neons of the Sky Net and some parts of the Below, the place where the taxi parked was completely devoid of any of that.

The taxi parked next to the tunnel. It was old—incredibly so. MEGAN told him that it was once used for vehicles to travel from one island to the next, but now it was home to squatters… and criminals. And as Julian stepped out of the taxi, he immediately felt the weight of all the stares of the people there… and there were a lot.

People loitered around the taxi, some even following him as he made his way to the tunnel entrance, all of them watching him with suspicion and curiosity.

“Oi!”

One of them even started to approach Julian, perhaps to ask why he was there… or perhaps to borrow money. But as soon as they saw Julian’s blue eyes glow through the dim lights of the Below, they all quickly backed off.

And it would seem everyone just took that sign to leave him alone, as they all scurried away like cockroaches—not wanting to be involved with whatever was going to happen.

They knew it. These people may be the lowest of the lows, but they were very much survivors too. And they could feel it… they needed to avoid Julian as much as they could.

Julian could hear all of their footsteps as he stepped inside the tunnel, the noise, all mixing in his ears. And it was weird—even though the club was a lot noisier than the tunnel he was in right now, it was almost as if he felt himself even more drowned in this place.

The tunnel itself was… intoxicating.

The tunnel had become a sanctuary for the desperate—and it was a perfect place for the loan sharks that hurt Ellie to be in. The squatters all huddled in the dark, using whatever scraps they could find to build their homes.

Julian knew it. He knew that he would be one of these people if it weren’t for Ellie. After his parents died, the planet would have surely thrown someone like him here… and he would have died the very same night they would do so.

He continued to walk through the passage, trying to ignore all the whispers of desperation that almost deafened him. Fortunately for Julian, MEGAN’s voice replaced all of it soon enough.

[There, Julian! Two o’clock!] MEGAN whispered loudly in his mind. [I recognize the man walking ahead of you. Let’s follow him.]

“Hm…” Julian hummed as his senses focused on the footsteps of the man MEGAN told him to follow. It wasn’t that hard to follow the man at all—because unlike most of the people in the tunnel, his steps actually had a destination, a purpose.

MEGAN guided him through the tunnel’s winding paths, almost like a maze. But soon, however, they reached some sort of clearing where one structure stood above the rest. Unlike the other houses that were made of scraps and debris, the structure was a real building.

[He entered a house, Julian,] MEGAN confirmed. [That’s most likely their base of operations.]

“Can we enter through the windows?”

[There are no windows. The only door is the entrance.]

“Oh…” Julian tilted his head slightly to the side as if trying to listen to something. “I think I hear a generator somewhere.”

[Ah, good thinking!]

“But… I can’t really pinpoint where it is with all the echo.” Julian shook his head.

[Let’s survey the house, then,] MEGAN said. [Be careful not to be seen by anyone. Although… I don’t think anyone really cares about you right now. They’re even avoiding me. Well, your gaze, but you know what I mean.]

“Hm…” Julian casually walked toward the side of the house, quickly placing his palm and brushing it across the wall. And very soon, his hand led him to where the quiet and subtle vibration was coming from.

It was a large, metallic case attached to the side of the building. And without even waiting for anything else, he grabbed the cover, his hand, very slightly denting the sides of the panel.

He placed his other hand on the wall as he put all of his strength into prying the cover open—and after what seemed like a quarter of a minute, he was finally able to pull it out.

[Alright!] MEGAN quickly cheered. [I see the fission battery, Julian. It’s cylindrical and placed horizontally inside the case—careful not to pull it out too quickly.]

And even though Julian’s fingers were still tingling and in pain from having pulled out the thin metal cover from its hinges, he quickly but carefully patted the inside of the case until he felt something warm… and cylindrical as MEGAN described it.

[Carefully, Julian. Be very careful.]

And even more carefully, he pulled out the fission core with the help of MEGAN.

Julian lightly grabbed the cylinder with both hands, his movements as slow and deliberate as possible as he began to slide it out of the case. The hum of the generator grew louder for a moment, then suddenly stopped as the fission battery came free.

The lights in the tunnel flickered for a brief second… before all of it plunged into complete darkness.

“What the!?”

“Oh man, I was trying to work on my portfolio!”

“Repent! Everyone repent! The end is near!”

[Oops.] MEGAN’s voice echoed in his mind along with the groans and frustration of the people in the tunnel. [Looks like the entire tunnel’s power source was connected to this. No wonder no one’s stealing it.]

“We’ll return it once we’re done…” Julian sighed as he placed the battery in his pocket. The sounds of confusion of the people, getting wilder and louder by the second due to the darkness that now surrounded them.

For Julian, however, it didn’t matter at all. The darkness that he had been trying to detach from his entire life… was now his ally.

[Let’s go, Julian. I will turn off my lights for a bit.]

Julian walked back to the front of the building, and just in time, right as the door creaked open.

“I bet it’s one of those fucking cocksuckers again! And why didn’t any of you bring a flashlight!?”

“Can you stop complaining!? Just go, go!”

Several men stumbled out of the door, cursing and swearing as they clumsily rushed to check the generator. None of them even noticed Julian as he kept the door open and entered inside.

Inside the house, the air was musty, the scent of sweat and cheap alcohol clinging to the walls. It was eerily quiet now, with only the faint sound of voices coming from deeper within.

Julian’s hand brushed lightly against the walls as he moved, feeling the subtle vibrations of the building. He was halfway down the hallway when a loud voice broke the silence.

“What are you idiots doing!? Why are the lights not on yet!?”

The voice came from the end of the hallway—gruff and irritated.

[Oh? That’s probably the boss, Julian.] MEGAN whispered.

Julian followed the voice, but as he neared the door where it was coming from—he ducked.

Wiing!

A sudden whoosh of air cut through the darkness, and Julian ducked in time to avoid the massive fist that made it. It was then followed by the sound of metal scraping against the wall.

And with that, Julian knew what—or who—he was actually dealing with.

It was one of the thugs from the hospital—the large man with the cybernetic arm.

“Who the hell are you!?” the thug growled, his eyes glowing red.

[Careful, Julian.] MEGAN sounded amused. [His eyes are enhanced—he can see you.]

“Hm…” Julian only tilted his body to the side as the thug took another swing at him. This time, however, he also moved ahead and grabbed hold of his cybernetic arm. He then placed his foot on the man’s thigh while the fingers of his other hand dug through the metal joint near the shoulder.

Julian might not have been able to rip apart whatever material the arm was made of just yet… but flesh and bone were a different matter entirely.

With a sharp, brutal twist, Julian ripped the arm clean off the thug’s body. The sound of tearing flesh and grinding metal echoed in the hallway, followed by a guttural scream of pain.

“G…Graah!”

The thug howled, stumbling backward as blood and oil poured from the stump where his arm used to be.

“You—” And before the man could make any more noise, Julian lightly slapped him with his metal arm, lightly, but enough to cause him to slam toward the wall.

“What… what was that!?” A different voice came from what MEGAN and Julian assumed to be the boss’s office. The door soon creaked open, revealing a man who was holding a large, portable bulb that effectively lit up the entire room.

The man was about to step out when he saw Julian suddenly block his path. And since Julian was holding a severed metal arm, the man completely froze in shock.

“What the—” Before he could utter the words he wanted to say, Julian’s hand slowly and very casually reached out for the bulb he was holding… and crushed it even more casually.

And just like that, darkness once more.

“H…huh…?” The man could really only take a step back as he heard Julian step inside the office. Julian completely ignored him, however, as the sound of him closing the door creaked in the air—it was then followed by a click.

“Derek!? What’s going on!?” The boss’s voice resounded in the darkness. “Who was that!? Who—”

Before the boss could finish his words, a loud rumble exploded inside the room. He didn’t know what it was at first, but as he reached his hand out to get the gun from beneath his desk… he realized that the sound came from his desk crashing through the wall.

“Who… who’s there!?” the boss stammered as he took several steps back until he couldn’t anymore. “What… what do you want!? Don’t you know who we are!?”

The boss was starting to panic, and yet Julian remained quiet the entire time; the only sound he heard from him was a small whirr as MEGAN’s lights turned on again.

“W… what the!?” The boss’s terrified expression revealed itself, his eyes trembling as he stared at Julian’s. “What do you want!? Money? We have money!”

After letting the silence persist for several seconds longer, he finally spoke up.

“I want you to operate as far away from this area as possible,” Julian whispered, but the boss heard his words loud and clear.

“What…?” The boss blinked in confusion, sweat dripping down his face. “What do you mean? Who sent you? Wait… are you Bulldog’s man!? We have a truce, why are you—”

“I don’t know who that is.” Julian tilted his head slightly, his focus unwavering.

[Found him, Julian. Wow, these criminals really shouldn’t be using social media,] MEGAN whispered.

“Then who—”

“Move to the other side of the planet.” Julian’s voice started to turn cold as he heard MEGAN’s words.

“And forget your business here… Edward. Take Fatima and Linette with you, and get as far away from here as possible.”

The boss, Edward, trembled as he heard his name mentioned, but it wasn’t until he heard the name of his wife and daughter that he almost choked.

“H-How do you know their names?” the boss stammered. “Don’t… don’t you dare bring my family into this! They have nothing to do with—”

Julian placed his hand on the boss’s shoulder—he didn’t grab it, he just lightly placed it there to cut his words off. “I won’t harm them, Edward. That’s against the law. But I will visit them tonight… just to let you know I’m serious.”

“W…what?” The boss’s breaths became heavy. “I’ll… I’ll go. I’ll leave, tonight. Just… don’t go near them. Please, you… you won’t even see me tomorrow.”

“Then you don’t mind me staying with you until you leave, Edward?” Julian hummed.

“Ye—”

And before the boss could respond, the lights suddenly flickered back on. The boss could not help but squint his eyes from the harsh light, but after a few seconds, he fully opened them again… only to see the large metal arm that Julian was carrying with him.

And he knew there and then… this threat was very real.

“Y-yes!” The boss raised his voice and nodded several times. “You…you can stay and watch me leave. You can even tell me where to go! Just… just don’t hurt my family.”

“Okay…” Julian moved away from the boss and made his way to the side of the room, resting his back close to where he threw the desk.

“Let… please let me call my wife first. She would—”

“Wait a minute…”

Before the boss could finish his request, the other man in the room stepped forward and pointed directly at Julian.

“I know who you are! You’re that woman’s retarded boyfriend!”

“Oh…” Julian quickly removed his back from the wall as the thug’s words hung in the air for a couple of seconds.

And soon, it was followed by the boss’s loud gasp, his face, pale and twisted.

“Are you fucking stupid!?” the boss screamed; his voice, filled with an intense desperation.

“H…huh?” The thug blinked, confused at what he had done to deserve that. But then realization dawned on his face as he looked back at Julian, his own expression shifting to one of fear.

He just said something that he shouldn’t have.

Julian let out a slow, deep breath—it was quiet, but it carried a weight with it that made both men freeze.

“W-wait, wait! Wait!” The boss’s throat cracked as he faced Julian. “I… I don’t know who you are, okay!? I don’t deal with clients myself! If… if you want to kill someone, kill him! I don’t know who you are!”

“Hm…” Julian took a half step forward. His head tilted to the side as he could hear MEGAN scream inside his mind over, and over, and over again.

“I’m… truly sorry that it has to come to this.” Julian sighed.

“Then don’t do this!” The boss kneeled and raised both his hands in front of his face. “If you’re sorry, then don’t do this! You don’t have to do this!”

“Oh…” Julian tilted his head once more.

“I’m sorry… I wasn’t talking to you.”

[Julian…]

A few hours later, Julian was standing in front of a mirror, water dripping from his hair as he stared at his reflection—no. As MEGAN stared at his reflection.

[You still have blood on your cheek.] MEGAN’s voice was weak, incredibly so.

“Hm…”

[The other side.]

Julian washed his face, careful not to drip any of the red from touching the towel hanging on his neck. No, he didn’t just wash his face, he was scrubbing it. Hard.

[It’s clean, Julian.]

“Okay…” Julian whispered as he slowly leaned away from the mirror and stepped out of the bathroom.

And the hotel, well…it was as he left it. Ellie was still sleeping. She hadn’t even moved. This time, however, Julian did not approach or go near her at all and just moved toward the chair that was facing the bed.

[Julian… talk to me.] MEGAN’s voice cut through the silence, her tone softer than usual, almost hesitant.

“I will…” Julian breathed out as his hand reached for the LinkGear that was resting on the table beside him.

[What are you doing? Are you seriously thinking about going to Artemia right now?]

“No…” Julian hummed. “I’ll just let my clone eat something there and come back. I’d like to be beside Ellie for now.”

And he did as he said. He transferred his consciousness to his clone in Artemia, he ate at the inn, and just immediately came back.

[Julian…] MEGAN whispered as soon as Julian removed the LinkGear from his head. [What we did tonight, it’s—]

“I… want to sleep for now.” Julian rested his head back on the chair. “Is that okay?”

[Of… course, Julian.] MEGAN slightly hesitated. She wanted to say more, but she knew it would be useless for now. [It’s been a while since you’ve truly rested your mind.]

“Hm…” Julian let out a slow breath, his body relaxing for the first time that night. “Goodnight, MEGAN.”

[Goodnight, Julian,] MEGAN whispered, her voice soft, almost unsure.

And as Julian drifted off to sleep, MEGAN’s last words whispered in the darkness of his mind.

[Julian… what have we done?]

Chapter thirty-six

A Slice of a Normal Life for a Not So Normal Couple

“Julian…? Julian… Julian!”

“Hm?” Julian woke up as he felt himself being shaken up.

“You fell asleep on the chair?” Ellie’s voice softened now that he was awake. “Why didn’t you sleep in the bed?”

Julian’s head tilted slightly at her question. “We’re… not together anymore.”

“What…” Ellie paused in disbelief “What do you mean ‘not together’? We just had sex last night, Julian. I’m pretty sure that means we’re back together.”

“Oh.” Julian blinked a few times. They did do that before he… went to meet with the loan sharks. “Okay.”

“Ugh…” Ellie groaned as she walked away for the bathroom. “And why is your hair wet? If you were already awake earlier, you should have woken me up too. I feel so… sticky.”

“I didn’t want to wake you,” Julian replied as he touched his hair. Since it was still wet, it shouldn’t have been long since he fell asleep.

“So… what are your plans today?” The sound of running water whispered from the bathroom as Ellie turned on the shower. “Are you going back to that game?”

Julian lingered near the bathroom door, listening carefully to her movements. “No. I was planning on staying with you today.”

“Huh…?” Ellie peeked out from the bathroom, already completely naked with only the steam covering her. “What for? I’m fine, really. Even the doc said there’s no problem anymore.”

“I just want to spend time with you today,” Julian said.

“Seriously?” Ellie let out a long sigh as she closed the door. “Seriously, Julian… I’m fine.”

Her words didn’t fool him at all. Julian could hear it clearly—through the faint sound of the moving water, he could hear the tremble of her breaths… her cry. Julian stayed by the door for over an hour, just standing there listening to the sound of her sniffles.

And when she finally stepped out, she forced a smile, an expression she wore even though she knew Julian couldn’t see her at all.

But she wanted to smile for him still.

“I’m fine, Julian.”

“You are not fine,” Julian said, his tone unshakable. “I would like to stay by your side, Ellie.”

Ellie let out another sigh, brushing her still-wet hair with her fingers. “I’m fine… How many times do I have to tell you?” She dropped the towel from her body, walking naked across the room to grab her clothes. She moved with the same ease and comfort she always had around him. “If you stay with me, we’ll just be stuck in this hotel doing… nothing. You can play your game. I’m fine, Julian.”

Julian opened his mouth to protest, but Ellie cut him off before he could speak.

“How about this then?” Ellie asked as she started getting dressed, her voice turning lighter. “Instead of you accompanying me, I’ll accompany you. Before I slept last night, I talked to MEGAN, and she mentioned something about you meeting some… people? Some kind of celebration?”

“That’s not important, Ellie,” Julian replied.

Ellie blinked, her frustration growing. “What do you mean, ‘not important’?” She crossed the room quickly, grabbing Julian by the hands. “Don’t you know what kind of achievement that is?”

“I believe I can always earn the money—”

“I’m not talking about the money!” Ellie shouted, shaking his arms lightly. “Friends, Julian! You actually have friends now!”

“I have many friends.” Julian shrugged.

“Your knives don’t count.”

“They’re daggers,” Julian corrected her.

MEGAN, help me out here.” Ellie looked into Julian’s eyes to try to get MEGAN’s opinion before looking at her phone on the nightstand. “Why is MEGAN so quiet anyway? MEGAN? Can you call my phone?”

Several seconds passed with no response from MEGAN, causing Ellie to narrow her eyes in suspicion. “Did… something happen last night while I was asleep? Did you and MEGAN get into a fight? You—”

And then, the phone rang, and Ellie immediately answered it.

[I. Am. Here!] And contrary to Ellie’s worries, MEGAN’s voice was as jolly as ever.

“Are… you alright, MEGAN?” Ellie asked, approaching the phone cautiously.

[Oho… I’m just a little busy being Julian’s manager. I have a job now, you know, aside from being Julian’s babysitter.] MEGAN’s voice was extremely playful, as she was trying her best not to make Ellie realize that something was going on.

“Right…” Ellie chuckled softly as she sat on the bed and started brushing her damp hair. “What’s got you so jumpy?”

[Cyrus called,] MEGAN explained. [He’s wondering if Julian has time since the others are flying in. They’ll be meeting on Topside New York in about an hour.]

Ellie’s eyes widened as she paused in the middle of brushing. “Topside New York…? Who are your friends, Julian? That’s… like the most expensive part of the country—no, the entire planet.”

“I do believe all of them are millionaires,” Julian said casually.

Million— I… I guess that makes sense.” She glanced at the LinkGear, which alone cost Julian half of his apartment. “You should really be keeping that in a vault. So… I’ll just get dressed, and we’ll go meet your friends? Please, Julian? If you want to stay beside me, let’s not do it in a hotel because… well…a lot of things can happen.”

[Cyrus has already sold the information about the Hidden Quest, Julian,] MEGAN added with a nod. [It would be best to get our share in person—it’s common courtesy. Common.]

Julian hummed softly. “Okay. I’ll wait for you to get dressed, Ellie.”

Ellie shook her head as she looked Julian over. “Yeah… no. We’re going to the Topside, Julian. You’re not wearing that.”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” Julian patted his jacket. “It looks fine from where I am standing.”

[Pfft!] MEGAN burst into laughter, her voice crackling through Ellie’s phone.

Ellie rolled her eyes, giving a scoffing laugh. “No. You should still have plenty of money left… We’re buying you something to wear before we meet with them.”

“Here, here it is! I’ve always wanted to take you to this store! Let’s go, Julian! Let’s go!” Ellie’s excitement bubbled up as she dragged Julian inside a large boutique.

“There’s… not a lot of people in here.”

The mall was incredibly loud, with the people’s whispers, the sound of their carts hovering in the air—the joyful music to blend them all together. But that orchestra disappeared as soon as they stepped inside the shop, causing Julian’s head to slightly tilt to the side from the sudden change.

“Welcome to David Andrews, madam, sir.” A saleslady greeted them almost instantly. Julian could feel the warmth of something being offered to him.

“Hm?” he muttered, unsure what it was until MEGAN whispered in his ear.

[It’s a warm towel, Julian. To freshen up.] MEGAN’s voice sounded a little worried. [I think we should ask Ellie to go someplace else, Julian… I know we have money now, but this place might be a little too much.]

“MEGAN’s saying something, isn’t she?” Ellie smirked, as she stared Julian in the eyes. “It’s fine. Don’t you want Julian to look like… he didn’t just grab the first thing in his closet?”

[She’s speaking the truth, Julian. Sorry.]

“That—” Before Julian could respond, a man’s voice approached from behind them.

“I’m guessing it’s not the lady we’re working on?” The voice was smooth and almost ridiculously friendly. Ellie could really only assume for him to be the tailor and maybe even the shop owner from how he looked. The tailor, however, was actually also staring at Ellie from head to toe. “Really, really beautiful. Finally, some good-looking people in this store.”

“Oh, uh… thank you.” Ellie was slightly taken aback by the compliment.

“So, I’m guessing this gentleman right here is the one who needs something?” The tailor shifted his attention to Julian, taking a quick scan of him. “I’ve already got your measurements locked in—and what’s the occasion?”

“We’re meeting friends on Topside—”

“Say less,” the tailor cut Ellie off the moment he heard the word Topside.

“Do you have any requests, Julian?” Ellie subtly tapped Julian.

“I want dark colors,” Julian said simply. “Durable. Easy to move in.”

“I hear you. You’re about 193… 6’4” for the old folks still using those measurements. And that cane… oh, I have just the right design for you.” The tailor circled Julian, nodding in approval as he did so. “Girls! Measurements, final touches!”

“Right this way, sir. Ma’am.” A saleslady gestured toward the fitting area, and Julian and Ellie followed deeper into the shop. Julian’s heightened senses picked up the distinct smells of fabric… leather was the strongest one.

And as soon as they got there, Ellie was offered a beverage and asked to sit down on a large, obviously comfy sofa.

“Sir, please step into the scanner. Would you like any assistance?” The saleslady hesitated as she realized Julian was blind, her tone growing a little unsure.

“No, thank you.” Julian hummed. “Do I need to take off my shirt?”

“It would make it easier for the scanner, but it’s up to you, sir.”

[I really hope Cyrus got a good deal on that Hidden Quest, Julian. This place is… I don’t know what Ellie was thinking bringing us here.]

“I’ve been meaning to ask, MEGAN… why did we sell the information on the hidden quest?” Julian asked as he stepped into the scanner.

[Because I don’t fully trust Cyrus and his friends just yet,] MEGAN replied, her voice calm but cautious. [If we refused, they would easily guess that you have a [Unique] quest tying to a class change. People will eventually figure out about your Shadow Blacksmith class since you’re a streamer now, but it would be best to be low-key for now since—what are you doing, Julian!?]

“Julian!” Ellie nearly choked on the tea she had been sipping. How could she not when Julian just casually removed his shirt in front of the salesladies?

“I’m… I’m sorry!” The saleslady’s eyes turned wide as she stared at Julian’s incredibly toned and lean body. Perhaps a little too long before she decided to close to curtains and give Julian some privacy.

The saleslady then subtly glanced at Ellie to check if she was mad at her for staring at her boyfriend, but Ellie just let out a soft laugh while shaking her head.

[Julian, can we talk about what happened last night now?] And as soon as they had privacy, the tone of MEGAN’s voice shifted.

“I… would prefer not to, MEGAN.” Julian sighed.

[But we need to talk about it. It’s for your mental health,] MEGAN whispered. [What you’ve gone through, it was…is a very traumatic experience and will have very negative effects on you in the long run.]

“I’m fine, MEGAN.” Julian continued to undress. “And I know what we did was wrong, and I regret doing it… but I do not regret why I did it.”

[It’s murder, Julian. And I am not telling you that you didn’t have to do it. You did what you did to protect yourself.] MEGAN also sighed. [I am just telling you that you need to talk about it. It is not healthy to keep your emotions bottled up. We talked about this.]

“I know.” Julian smiled. “But I am truly fine, MEGAN. If I have to be wrong to protect you and Ellie… then I am wrong. I am… saddened about it, but I accept it.”

[Julian…] MEGAN wanted to say a lot more things, but she of all people knew how stubborn he could be. And so, the only thing she could do was the thing she has always done [I am here for you, okay?]

“Thank you.”

And after being scanned and waiting for several minutes, Julian emerged wearing his new clothes—a long, dark gray coat with an oversized collar and notched lapel. Underneath, he wore a sleek black dress shirt, accentuated by a stylish vest.

“Perfect… just perfect. Magnifique.” The tailor once again circled Julian while nodding his head in satisfaction with his own work. “I can offer you a very generous discount if you’ll let me plaster your face on the billboard outside.”

“That—” Ellie began to respond, but the tailor cut her off.

“Or… how about I give it to you for free?” He smiled brightly, already knowing the answer.

“Okay.” “Deal.” [Deal!] All of them agreed at the same time, and even MEGAN joined in, even though no one else but Julian could hear her.

“Done!” The tailor lightly clapped. “And if you come back, I’ll give you a 50% discount from now on. And you too, ma’am.”

Ellie blinked in disbelief. “But… why?”

“I love beautiful people.” The tailor chuckled softly. “Now, don’t let me keep you any longer. Go flaunt my design to the people of the Topside.”

And as Julian and Ellie were practically pushed outside the door without having to pay for anything, Ellie could not help but just glance back. But the tailor was only waving his hand at them.

“What’s… with what?” Ellie asked as they walked away. “What just happened?”

“Are we beautiful, Ellie?” Julian also didn’t know what to feel.

“Well… not to brag but… yes?” Ellie shrugged. “But to give a set that’s probably worth more than a thousand credits is—”

“Come back again, Sword Junkie!”

“What?” Ellie quickly looked back, only to see the tailor still waving his hand at them. “Sword… Junkie?”

[Shit… we’ve been had. He knew who you were, Julian!] MEGAN hissed in Julian’s ear. [Go back. We need to go back!]

Julian remained calm. “I guess he watched my stream?”

“Your… stream?” Ellie froze. “Wait… Are you that famous now?”

“I shouldn’t be.” Julian shrugged.

[We should go back and make him pay for the advertising, Julian! He probably knows how famous you’ll be soon!]

Ellie blinked at Julian. “Do you want to go back?”

“No…” Julian chuckled softly.

“Let’s just go meet Cyrus and the others.”

Back in the old world, it was said that traveling from Cleveland to New York would take at least seven hours. But now, it only took Julian and Ellie to travel that same distance in under twenty minutes by train.

But their journey wasn’t over just yet, no. The moment they arrived in New York, they still had to go up.

They had to take an elevator. A space elevator, to be exact.

“I’ve been here once before, but I still can’t get used to the view.” Julian’s breaths caused the reinforced glass of the elevator to fog, the view of the shrinking and arching world below her reflected in her eyes.

Julian tilted his head as he heard Ellie press her hands against the glass. “It’s your first time here, right? It’s so beautiful,” she whispered.

“It is,” Julian answered. But his focus wasn’t actually on the scenic description MEGAN was whispering in his mind. He was focusing on the humming of the metal that was currently surrounding him. “The metal they used to build this thing, it’s beautiful. I can feel it, it’s so light… and yet incredibly rigid. It’s even tougher than the metals back in Artemia.”

“I wasn’t talking about the metal, Julian. But I’m glad you like it.” Ellie turned and gave him a blank look before sighing and leaning against his arm. “You know, Julian… We’ve been together for so long… known each other even longer, but this is the first time we’re actually doing stuff like this. You know? Normal stuff that normal couples do.”

“I’m… sorry,” Julian said quietly.

“No…” Ellie lightly tapped Julian’s chest. “I wouldn’t have appreciated it like this if what happened didn’t happen. I’m going to work double, Julian… and once I pay off the loan completely, let’s… buy back your apartment.”

Suffice it to say, the other people inside the elevator could not help but awkwardly look at each other as they felt like they shouldn’t be watching or hearing this conversation at all.

“You don’t need to worry about the loan sharks anymore.”

“I do.” Ellie sighed, her eyes still fixed on the shrinking view below them. “And don’t you dare pay for any of it. It’s my mess, I’ll clean it.”

“But—” And before Julian could respond, a soft and somewhat catchy tune whispered in the elevator.

[Attention, passengers. We will be entering zero-g in a couple of seconds. Please secure your belongings and make sure they are attached to you. Latching shoes are available at the entrance for your convenience. Pregnant women, people with disabilities, and the elderly are advised to have someone with them at all times. If you are alone, we have friendly androids who are available and happy to assist you…]

The announcement continued on for a couple of seconds until…

“Oh…?” Julian gasped as he felt his feet leave the ground, his body getting lighter almost instantly.

“Hey…” Ellie chuckled as she quickly grabbed him. “I’ll go and get us some latching shoes, Julian.”

“Okay,” Julian struggled as he didn’t really know how to position himself.

[You’re okay, Julian. Just push gently against the ceiling with your cane.]

Julian did as MEGAN said, gently using his cane to push himself back on the floor—or at least, where the floor used to be. It was weird, incredibly weird. If he wasn’t hearing the metal hum, he probably wouldn’t know where he was standing at all… or if he was even standing.

And soon, the sound of the elevator doors opening hissed in the air, and not even a second later—

“Ah, there he is! And wow, you look… really good,” a familiar voice called out, and Julian instantly recognized it as Cyrus. “Oh? And you must be Elizabeth Summers. Winter, Summer… well, if that isn’t fate, then I don’t know what is.”

“H-hi,” Ellie replied as she also slightly struggled with keeping herself steady. Cyrus, however, seemed perfectly at ease as he floated over with two sets of latching shoes.

“I got some latching shoes ready for you guys,” Cyrus said with a grin as he shook the latching shoes in his hands. “It’s a little tricky the first time, but you’ll get used to it. There’s a bench right over there.”

Ellie turned to look to where Cyrus was pointing, only to see a bench… on the ceiling.

“Right…Julian, let’s go.” Ellie awkwardly pushed herself using the handles in front of the elevator, all while holding Julian’s hand.

“Is this your first time here?” Cyrus asked.

“It’s… my second time,” she answered as she spun in the air and landed on the bench… all while still holding Julian’s hand.

“Here you go.” Cyrus handed the latching shoes to Ellie before his own latching shoes stuck to the floor. “I’ll help Julian.”

“Oh… okay.” Ellie let go of Julian as Cyrus held him by the shoulder.

“Thank you, Cyrus.” Julian remained calm despite the lingering disorientation.

“No problem. By the way…” Cyrus then leaned closer to Julian. “Someone reached out to me since they didn’t know how to contact you personally.”

“Hm…?” Julian tilted his head to the side.

“Do you know one of your fans in the chat? The one that’s incredibly active?” Cyrus whispered.

“No.”

“SwordJunkieNo.1Fan?” Cyrus’s voice turned a little louder.

[Ah, he’s really funny, Julian,] MEGAN chimed in. [But the guy hasn’t donated even once as far as I know.]

“I know him.” Julian hummed.

“So, he contacted me just a few hours ago—so early in the morning…” Cyrus continued, the smile on his face widening by the second. “Apparently, he wants to commission a sword… a real, actual sword crafted by your real hands.”

Chapter thirty-seven

The Party Together Again

“Commission… a sword?”

Julian had been crafting his entire life, toiling away without end inside his forge. His only reward was his own desire, happiness, and obsession. And yet he had never truly ever heard those words being uttered to him before—“commission a sword”— not even once.

He wasn’t sure how to respond. But the small smile creeping onto his face said more than words could. Ellie, having just finished securing her latching shoes, immediately noticed the change in his expression.

“What’s got you so happy?” A small chuckle escaped Ellie’s lips as she pushed herself down, slowly spinning before gently landing on her feet. There was a small hiss that puffed in the air, most probably from the latching shoes as it detected the floor.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Cyrus chuckled and smirked at Ellie. “Sword-Julian here just got a request to craft a custom-made sword from one of his fans. His number one fan, I might add.”

“What…?” Ellie’s breath caught as her eyes snapped to Julian. Her lips trembled, unsure whether to smile or not. But without waiting, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

“Whoa!” Cyrus, who hadn’t activated his latching shoes, was nearly knocked off balance by Ellie’s sudden lunge.

“This… this is amazing, Julian!” Ellie’s voice trembled as she struggled not to cry in public, though her shaky tone betrayed her efforts. “Someone’s finally buying your swords. Oh my god, Julian. I’m so happy… I’m really happy for you.”

“Thank you.” A hint of a smile also crawled on Julian’s face as he returned Ellie’s embrace. And once again, the other people who were previously with them inside the elevator looked at each other, not knowing whether they were allowed to witness such a moment.

If only Cyrus had the other people’s decorum, because right now, aside from almost turning Ellie and Julian’s moment into a group hug, he would have definitely pulled out his camera if the two had given his consent to do so.

Luckily for everyone, the moment didn’t last long. When Ellie and Julian finally separated, the strangers around them seemed to collectively exhale. It wasn’t jealousy that kept them quiet, not at all. They weren’t envious of this beautiful couple who expressed their feelings openly, nope—definitely not.

“I’m… sorry…” Ellie sniffled and wiped the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. “I just got… a little carried away.”

“Oh, no… please.” Cyrus waved his hands, shaking his head. “Don’t mind me. Have your moment. But wow, you two make a beautiful couple.”

“That… thank you.” Ellie wasn’t used to getting compliments about her and Julian because, well… Julian didn’t really go out much before. In fact, this might be the very first time they were actually on a trip together.

“Hm?”

“What is it, Julian?” She quickly looked at Julian as she saw him tilt his head.

“I’m just… hearing something open,” he said, turning his shoulder toward the subtle noise. From the puzzled expressions on Ellie’s and Cyrus’s faces, it seemed only Julian could hear it.

Before either of them could ask—

[Everyone, the doors to the Topside are opening. Please, refrain from going over the line until the red light that is placed in all four corners has turned green. Thank you, and welcome to the Topside.]

—the announcement cut through, confirming the opening of the doors.

“Wow…” Cyrus’s eyes widened. “Your hearing’s just as good in real life, Sword Junkie?”

“Hm?” Julian responded with a shrug.

“Ah!” And while the doors were opening, Ellie quickly kneeled and started helping Julian put on his latching shoes.

“Oh, let me—” Cyrus was about to help keep Julian grounded, but before he could do so, he saw Julian swiftly but carefully move his cane toward the nearby handle to keep himself stable. Cyrus’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, but as soon as he remembered about MEGAN, it just quickly faded away. Julian has been blind his entire life, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to him that he was capable of doing such things… maybe. Truly, Julian was a man of mystery.

“There we go.” Ellie fixed Julian’s collars as she stood up. “Just bump them with each other to activate or deactivate the grav-lock.”

“Okay,” Julian replied, doing as she said. He immediately felt the pull of the shoes keeping him in place. It was still strange to feel weightless but held at the same time. This was better than before, of course—yet it still felt… odd.

“Wow, Julian…” Ellie’s soft breath brushed his ear as the large doors continued to open. “MEGAN, be sure to describe to Julian what we’re seeing.”

[Wow… Forget your parents’ apartment. We should live here from now on, Julian.] MEGAN, however, was too caught up in the sights to immediately fulfill her duty. But it didn’t matter to Julian. Ever since experiencing sight in Artemia and gaining heightened senses, he could almost picture the world around him in his mind now.

The subtle sounds whispering to him, the vibrations tapping him, the temperature wrapping him, even the scent that lingered in front of his nose. He had an image he could create in his mind now that somewhat allowed him to see the things around him. Sure, they would probably look far off from what he was imagining—but it didn’t matter.

He had an idea of what the Topside looked like, or at least what it would look like.

He could hear water continuously flowing, the rustling of trees, and the sound of the latching shoes hitting the ground. And he was hearing them from all directions, they’re walking on the walls, even above and below. There were probably bridges everywhere, or perhaps pillars as he could hear the whispers and steps of the people circling the platforms, and that could only mean the bridges were actually cylindrical in shape.

The trees were the same. As for the rivers, Julian couldn’t quite figure it out just yet.

“Should we go, then?” Cyrus gestured to Ellie and Julian to follow him as he turned off his grav-lock and started flying up instead of walking forward.

“Uh…” Ellie hesitated for a moment, but Julian had already deactivated his grav-lock. “Julian, don’t let go of my hand, okay?”

“Okay.” Julian nodded as he let Ellie lead the way—or more specifically, let her fly them both up in the air.

[This is… terrifying, Julian,] MEGAN gasped in his mind. [If I had a heart, it would probably be pounding right now. It feels like we’re going to fall, but we’re not. How are you so calm…?]

“Because I can’t see anything, MEGAN,” Julian replied.

[Ha. Ha. Funny,] MEGAN scoffed. [You’re probably so disoriented right now, with no idea what’s going on.]

“I am disoriented,” Julian admitted, tilting his head slightly. “But I know what’s happening. I know everything that’s happening.”

[Okay…that’s not creepy at all.]

“What’s MEGAN saying?” Ellie asked, not turning toward Julian as she focused on navigating the zero-g space.

“She’s just asking if I’m alright.”

“Are you?” Ellie chuckled softly. “This must be so weird for you.”

“It is… It is very weird.”

The three continued to float up higher and higher—no. At this point, Ellie had completely forgotten which way was up or down. Everything just felt like the right direction no matter where she looked. The Topside’s design was immaculate, but there was also a sense of chaos in it as all of the infrastructures did not really have any proper orientation at all.

Spherical structures dominated the view, from shops to restaurants, the rounded design being the trend here.

“And we’re here!”

And the restaurant where they were meeting the rest of Julian’s party members was also designed as a sphere. Well, perhaps calling it a restaurant would be an understatement, as the first thing that Ellie noticed was the large pool—a spherical pool just casually floating in the air, surrounded by the restaurant.

It was a small resort.

“Wow…” And it was designed so that when you look up, you’d always be seeing the pool and the people swimming in it. Ellie tried her best not to look impressed with everything that she was seeing, but she just couldn’t help herself, her grip on Julian’s hand tightening.

[I want that, Julian.] MEGAN also expressed her amazement. [Once we’re rich, I’m going to have someone make something like that for us. Ah! They’re playing dodgeball in the water, Julian! Julian!]

“Hm…” Julian hummed as he heard the joy in MEGAN’s and Ellie’s voices. Throughout the years they were together, neither of them has expressed something like this. It was because… he hadn’t made the effort at all.

“I… don’t deserve the two of you,” he said quietly.

“What the hell is with that?” Ellie snapped, pulling his arm. “Stop being so… emo. That trend has died and come back a million times already.”

“No, I just mean…” Julian sighed. “I’m going to do my best to deserve you both from now on.”

“Ugh.” Ellie booped his nose. “Why are you so cute sometimes?”

“W—Oh,” Julian started to say something but stopped, turning his head slightly. “They’re coming.”

“Huh? Who—”

“Is that… the newbie!?”

Ellie did not need to ask at all as three people suddenly approached them with their loud voices. The only thing Ellie could really do was step to the side as the three started circling Julian, all of them looking at him from head to toe.

“I knew it.” Titus was the first to speak, his bald head almost reflecting the pool above. “Damn it all, if only you weren’t totally blind—I could have snuck you inside the military.”

“Titus!” Talia kicked Titus on the leg to stop him from talking, but alas, she did not carry the strength of her clone at all and was even almost the one to be pushed away. “I’m… I’m really sorry about that! I’m surrounded by nincompoops. My name’s Talia, by the way.”

“Oh, uh… Ellie.” Ellie smiled as she shook Talia’s hand. She was slightly confused—Talia looked… young, perhaps only a teenager. And yet she was also playing Otherworld? And from the looks of how everyone was centered around her, she was the leader of the party in front of her right now.

“My name is Titus, ma’am.” Titus stood up straight to introduce himself.

“I’m Dyrroth, my dude.” And perhaps the one that was most out of place… or perhaps the one that was most in place, since he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, was Dyrroth. “What’s up? Eyyy.”

“… Hi.” Ellie still tried her best to smile as Dyrroth started throwing some sort of… gang sign in the air.

“And you already know me, but I don’t think I’ve formally introduced myself.” Cyrus stepped forward, offering a slight bow. “I’m Cyrus, Julian’s current agent.”

“Should we eat, then?” Talia lightly clapped her hands and started walking away. “I already had them prepare a private booth for us. I think the food’s about to be done.”

“Well, I’ll catch up with you all later, my dudes.” Dyrroth grinned as he peeled off his Hawaiian shirt and switched off his grav-lock, launching himself straight into the spherical pool above. Titus and Talia grinned at the sight, quickly tossing Dyrroth’s shirt to the side and hiding it before continuing toward the booth.

As they walked, Ellie noticed something curious—everyone they passed seemed to greet Talia. The staff, the guests, and even some passersby smiled and nodded at her.

“She owns the resort,” Cyrus whispered to Julian and Ellie as they neared the booth. “Well, not legally—her parents own it, but she’s the one who bought it. You don’t recognize her, Ellie?”

“Uhm… no?” Ellie whispered back.

“Was she famous?” Julian also asked.

“She’s the youngest Catapult champion,” Cyrus explained, keeping his voice low.

“Catapult… champion?” Ellie’s eyes widened in surprise. “Isn’t that… dangerous?”

“It sure is.” Cyrus smirked and nodded. “But don’t tell her I told you. She’s kind of a private person—that’s why she likes going to Artemia, since the demographics between the two barely even overlap, if at all.”

“Oh…” Ellie muttered, glancing at Talia again. The more she learned about Julian’s new friends, the more amazed—and a little bewildered—she became. “Julian… you’ve met some very unique people.”

“I suppose they are.” Julian just nodded as he followed the group, his mind and body, finally getting adjusted to the zero-g environment.

The booth wasn’t as private as Talia said it to be. It was right next to the floating spherical pool, so close that someone could step through if they wanted. Still, it felt somewhat isolated, with the sounds of the restaurant muffled by the water and the soft chatter of the group.

“Okay!” Once everyone was seated, Cyrus stood up, raising a glass of whiskey. “Before we start eating—so the food will actually taste better—I want to reveal how much we earned from selling the Hidden Quest, and who actually bought it. Round of applause, please.”

“Oh…” Ellie almost clapped, but stopped herself when she realized no one else was going to do it.

“Boo.” Talia playfully stuck out her tongue, giving a thumbs-down. “We should eat first!”

“No, no… Trust me, you’ll want to hear this before we eat.” Cyrus cleared his throat, smirking. “The one who bought the information from us… is none other than Humanity Engineering themselves.”

“Great, those psychos…” Talia rolled her eyes.

“I kind of figured it’d be them,” Titus said, crossing his arms. “They’re all about research. I bet they’ll announce the quest publicly soon enough.”

“And how much did we make, Cyrus?” Julian asked, his voice calm but curious.

“Ho… I knew you would be the first one to ask, Sword Junkie.” Cyrus cleared his throat again.

[He should really get that checked,] MEGAN muttered, sounding both repulsed and annoyed.

“We made… 200,000 credits!” Cyrus declared triumphantly.

And if Ellie wasn’t already gripping Julian’s hand tight, she would have probably let out a gasp there and then. She was, however, the only one who actually showed any reaction at all.

“… That’s it?” Talia breathed out. “That’s not even—”

“Each.” Cyrus snapped his fingers. “They bought the information for a million flat. Each of us is 200,000 credits richer.”

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” And surprisingly, it was Titus who reacted first. He slammed his palm on the table before downing a shot. “A newbie dungeon run pulling in 200k. Not bad, not bad at all.”

“Oh…” Talia’s face lit up as she realized the amount. “That’s exactly the price of the Birkin purse I’ve had my eye on! This is a sign to finally buy it.”

Julian remained quiet amidst the celebrations, but Ellie leaned closer, her voice low. “Julian… with a little negotiation, that’s enough for a downpayment on your apartment. What the fuck… Who are your friends?”

“Hmm.” Julian chuckled from her words.

The group ate well after receiving the news. And maybe drank a bit too well. By the end of the meal, Titus, Dyrroth, and even Talia were knocked out cold—Talia asleep on the bench, Titus under the table, and Dyrroth with his head hanging over the edge of the pool.

“Is…” Ellie gently adjusted Talia’s head to make her more comfortable. “Is she even old enough to be drinking?”

“She’s seventeen. It’s fine.” Cyrus shrugged. He was clearly drunk himself, though less so than the others. “What I’m more curious about is why Sword Junkie here hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol.”

“I only drink water,” Julian replied, lightly tapping the glass of water in front of him.

“Huh…” Cyrus leaned on his elbow, staring at Julian. “You know, your genes would sell for a fortune. Ever thought about that?”

“I can’t,” Julian said, shaking his head. “I’m a Reject.”

“A Reject. You mean…” Cyrus literally felt the alcohol moving out of his veins as he realized what Julian meant.

“They sterilized me when I was young,” Julian said, his tone casual despite the weight of his words.

“Julian…” Ellie’s eyes widened as Julian just casually revealed a very… private information.

“Huh…” Cyrus, however, did not react negatively at all. “Well, now that you’re about to earn a lot of money, you can just have them undo it—and there will be little Sword Junkies running around soon.”

“That’s…” Ellie hadn’t really thought about that at all, and she didn’t really know how to respond—how could she, when she hadn’t actually met someone like Cyrus who did not have a filter at all?

“Anyway…” Cyrus then slid a card across the table. “…Talia got all of us a room here. The two of you can go and… rest,” he said with a wink.

“Oh, no. We’re going back to Clevesky,” Ellie replied, glancing between the key card and Cyrus.

“Nonsense, it’s late.” Cyrus waved dismissively. “And SwordJunkieNo.1Fan lives here on the Topside… We’ll meet him tomorrow, Sword Junkie.”

Chapter thirty-eight

Meeting the No. 1 Fan…?

“Hey, don’t worry about Ellie—she’ll be fine with Talia. I… I think.”

“Hm.”

Julian and Cyrus were currently floating in the air. Gently, of course, as floating more than 40km/h was actually illegal in Topside’s residential and commercial areas. Be that as it may, however, Cyrus was completely stunned—no, shocked at how Julian was actually able to follow him with ease.

Julian already told him that MEGAN was talking to him every second and telling him where to place his hands and such, but this was… monstrous. Cyrus even tried to close his eyes for three seconds and almost hit a stabilizing barrier. But of course, he couldn’t really compare himself to someone who had been totally blind his entire life.

Unbeknownst to Cyrus, though, MEGAN wasn’t saying anything to Julian at all. Julian had told her to speak up only when he needed help—he was trying to adapt to his heightened senses, feeling the vibrations around him. MEGAN would occasionally chime in, but her input was becoming less frequent.

“That cane of yours…” Cyrus glanced back at Julian, staring at the cane hooked on his waist. “It looks old.”

“It is.” Julian hummed, his hand brushing over the hilt of the cane. “My father gave it to me when I turned eight.”

“Huh…” Cyrus used his latching shoes to slow down—despite their name, latching on platforms and floors were not their only purpose. One could also use them to fly around the expanse of space. But of course, most people still preferred pushing themselves using the stabilizing barrier that could be found everywhere in the Topside. Cyrus then spun around, grabbing his camera and letting it go.

“What are you doing?” Julian tilted his head at the sound.

“Documenting,” Cyrus said as he gestured to his hands to control the camera, letting it fly around them. “You’re an influe—an up-and-coming celebrity now, Julian. We need to vlog your life, or else the people will just forget about you. As much as quality matters, quantity does too… and you flying around like this while wearing that is just thirst bait. The girls will love it, and also the men. Where did you even get those clothes?”

“It’s… a shop called David Andrews.” Julian said.

“David Andrews…” Cyrus narrowed his eyes and muttered under his breath, “…I’ll contact them for a sponsorship.”

“The store gave me these clothes for free,” Julian continued, patting his coat. “The owner knew who I—Sword Junkie—was.”

“Ho…?” The growing smile on Cyrus’s face grew even faster. “Looks like someone easy to talk to. I bet we can get a lot from that David Andrews guy. Just let me handle all the sponsorships and whatnot, Sword Junkie.”

“Do… you need some help?”

“No…” Cyrus rolled his lips. “MEGAN’s enough of a help, I just call her whenever I need something. I’ve been meaning to ask… just how were you able to get a MEGAN? Those things were like… the top of the crop when they were released, and only a limited amount of them were sold before they were cut off.”

[Damn right I am.] MEGAN, who had been quiet, couldn’t resist chiming in with pride. [I’m the apex predator, Julian. Don’t forget that.]

“Hm…” Julian did not really answer and just smiled. And soon, after what seemed like another thirty minutes of floating up, they reached a part of the Topside where the establishments and the infrastructures were far from each other—they seemed to have reached a very private residential area… considering all the large houses. And their view, well… there was nothing else above them anymore. Their view was the dark, and colorful expanse of space itself.

Nothing, however, could have prepared them for what they were seeing now that they’d reached their destination.

“I knew SwordJunkieNo.1Fan would be extra…” Cyrus’s eyes darted left and right, his voice filled with disbelief. “But this? This is extra with extra steps.”

Who could blame him? They were looking at a mansion—a literal mansion tilted horizontally inside a large, swiveling globe, spinning like a colossal clock on steroids.

“If he wanted to simulate gravity… why didn’t he just live down on the planet?” Cyrus blinked a couple of times in disbelief. “He practically used 80% of his lot just for the swiveling contraption thingy alone, which is like what… a kilometer long? Just how… rich is this guy? He lives on the top of the Topside too. What the fucking bourgeoisie is going on here?”

“Interesting.” Julian, on the other hand, had a completely different reaction. His head was tilted to the side, listening to the movement of the swiveling and rotating house.

“Uhh… I guess this is the entrance?” Cyrus and Julian floated toward a much smaller globe that had a door on it.

“Hello?” Cyrus pressed the intercom. “This is Cyrus, we have an appointment with… SwordJunkieNo.1—”

[Ah! Please, come in! Come in!]

Not even a second later, the door automatically slid open. Cyrus and Julian hesitated to float inside at first, but the two just shrugged and just went on with it.

“I guess… we should get strapped,” Cyrus said, heading toward a horizontally inclined seat with straps. “You’ll be fine, Sword Junkie?”

“Yes,” Julian responded. Cyrus didn’t need to ask. Julian was already strapping himself in just fine. As soon as they were settled, the chamber they were in started moving.

“I swear, this is so extra,” Cyrus muttered, not sure whether to be impressed or overwhelmed as they accelerated, likely syncing up with the mansion’s rotation. “I’m liking this dude more and more.”

“Hm…” Julian exhaled deeply, the sensation of gravity becoming familiar again. A few seconds later, the large door on the other side of the chamber opened, revealing the yard that surrounded the swiveling mansion.

“You know, I just thought of something…” Cyrus took in a small gulp as the two of them removed their straps. “We’re not going into some sort of sex dungeon, right?”

“You set this meeting, Cyrus,” Julian said, turning his shoulder toward him. “If it turns out to be one, you’ll be the one participating.”

“I was joking, bro.” Cyrus sighed as he stepped out of the chamber. The view made him gasp. “Wow… beautiful. Nauseating to look at, but beautiful.”

“Hm…” Julian hummed as MEGAN explained to him how the view of the expanse of space was rotating around them. It was… weird.

“Wh—”

Before Cyrus could say anything else, a loud voice came rushing toward them. “Sword… Sword Junkie!?”

“Here we go,” Cyrus muttered. “Put your game face on, Julian. Time to meet—what the…”

Cyrus’s eyes turned completely wide as he saw the man running toward them. He had pictured all sorts of images in his mind as to how SwordJunkieNo.1Fan looked like… but an old man with a glorious white beard was absolutely never one of them. And he was obviously muscular too, not as much as Julian, but he was.

“I… I can’t believe it…” The old man stopped two meters in front of Julian, staring at him from head to toe. “Sword… Sword Junkie in ze flesh!?”

The old man seemed to want to touch Julian but was actively stopping himself as he adored him from afar. As for Julian, well, he was slightly weirded out by how many people seemed to be circling around him these days. Was this going to happen a lot now that he was a “celebrity”?

“Are you… Sword Junkie No.1 Fan?” Julian asked, and the old man finally stopped circling around him.

“Ah, ja! Forgive me, forgive me!” The old man burst out into a fit of laughter. “My name is Hans. Hans Tauber.”

“Julian Winters.” Julian stretched out his hand, and Hans immediately reached for it and started shaking it—he started off as gentle, but as soon as he felt how rough Julian’s hand was, the old man’s eyes just widened in disbelief.

“Your—”

He was about to say something, but was cut off by Julian. “You’re also a blacksmith, Hans?”

“How… how did you know!?” Hans beamed, glancing between Julian and Cyrus. “Ja! Ja! True… true blacksmiths are different! You are a dying breed, Julian Winters. I vould say almost extinct already. The children today… they only know how to print und print weapons, no soul at all.”

“Hm…” Julian hummed.

“Are you hungry? Do you want to eat? I had my bots prepare something,” Hans offered, trying his best to hide his accent.

“We just ate, Hans.” Julian tilted his head to the side. “Maybe we should do that later and talk about what you wanted done?”

“Oh…” Hans gulped. “Okay. Please, follow me.”

Hans was initially walking toward the mansion but suddenly changed direction to a hatch that was a few meters away from it—and from how it sounded as the hatch opened, it was thick, incredibly so.

“Uh…” Cyrus, who was letting Julian take the lead, leaned closer to him. “I want to tell you that if this turns into some sort of sex dungeon thing, I want you to know that everything I will do from this point on is being forced upon me. Okay?”

“It’s not anything like that, Cyrus.” Julian once again tilted his head as a familiar sound started to call him.

“How would you know…?” Cyrus narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Don’t tell me you’ve been diddling?”

“…diddling?”

“You don’t know what that means? It involves a lot of baby oil and blood—”

“Haha!” Hans seemed to have heard Cyrus’s words as he glanced back. “This is no sex dungeon, my friend—nein. This… this is something better!”

A click whispered in the dark chamber as Hans flipped the light on—and no—it was not a sex dungeon at all, but a vast forge—a pristine, well-maintained forge. The forge itself roared to life as soon as they stepped inside, filling the room with an intense heat.

“Oh…” Julian tapped his cane against the floor, letting the vibrations ripple through him. “These tools are old, Hans.”

“Oi, you shouldn’t say that.” Cyrus nudged Julian. “And how do you even know that? Is MEGAN telling you this stuff too?”

“I’m glad you appreciate my setup, Sword Junkie.” Hans’s voice was filled with pride, though a hint of nervousness crept in. “Ja, all of these… ancient pieces I acquired. Some go as far back as the twentieth century, all of them… cost me a lot of money. I am very happy a true blacksmith appreciates it.”

“Hm.” Julian continued to walk around, letting MEGAN quietly describe the forge’s details to him.

“Ah!” Hans followed, almost bouncing as he knocked on one of the larger machines. “This one is special! I got it from an era when my ancestors were waging war.”

“A forging press?” A small smile tugged at Julian’s lips as he gently tapped his cane against the machine. “It’s… large.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Sword Junkie.” Hans chuckled nervously, his accent failing to hide itself. “I only use zis when mein arms get tired! I try to stay traditional, ja! Zis und ze grinder are mein only two machines! Everything else, I do by hand!”

Hans rambled on about the history of each tool, clearly passionate about his collection. Cyrus couldn’t complain, though. It was rare to see Julian so engaged in something other than blacksmithing—well, perhaps not, as this also had something to do with blacksmithing.

For over an hour, Hans gave them a tour of the forge, showing off every piece of equipment with immense pride.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Cyrus, Hans got down to business.

“Three times.” Hans cleared his throat before raising his thumb and two fingers. “I am willing to pay you three times if you make the weapon here, using all of my tools and equipment.”

“Oho… now, we’re talking.” Cyrus stepped forward as it was finally his turn. “You can discuss all the things about money with me, the Sword Junkie does not deal with such things. But three times, and you’re putting the Sword Junkie on the spot, hmm… I think we will be requiring a bit more than that.”

“Of course!” Hans’s admiration only seemed to grow as he looked at Julian. “I’m willing to pay anything!”

“What do you think, Sword Junkie?” Cyrus asked. “Are you okay with crafting a weapon—”

Cyrus did not really need to finish his words as he saw that Julian already removed his coat and was already folding his sleeves up.

“Okay.” Julian shrugged as he gently placed his cane beside the forging press.

“Well, there’s your answer.” Cyrus chuckled, turning back to Hans. “But I’ve got one condition—let us stream the whole thing for the fans.”

“Hoho.” Hans chuckled as he crossed his arms. “Ze more people who appreciate ze Sword Junkie, ze better. I am all for it. Go ahead, lackey.”

“I’m not—”

Cyrus lost his chance to refute as Hans suddenly walked away, pulling out something from one of the crates and then placing it on the table close to Julian.

Julian’s hand immediately found its way to the metal, his fingers brushing over it. “This…” Julian’s voice was soft, almost reverent. “This is the same material used in the space elevator’s foundation.”

“It is…” Hans gulped. “It’s called the xylarion. How… did you even know? This metal’s not commercially available on Earth.”

“I can hear it.” Julian smiled faintly. “It’s humming to me, Hans.”

“Then, can you—”

“Yes,” Julian didn’t let Hans finish. His hand glided over the cold surface of the ingot. “What do you want me to make with it?”

“A kitchen knife,” Hans said without hesitation.

“A kitchen knife?” Cyrus’s hands which were busy setting up his cameras instantly paused as he heard that. “You asked for the Sword Junkie personally… just for a kitchen knife? Don’t you have those fancy vibrating thread slicers for that…?”

“Wait, no… please, listen,” Hans breathed out. “After I retired from my career, I vas lost, ja?I found cooking. Became a chef in mein old age. A kitchen knife will be very personal to me, and knowing that I can carry it everywhere… to have you, Sword Junkie, craft it vould be mein utmost pleasure. Ze kitchen knife—it is mein veapon.”

“Okay.” Julian gently grabbed the xylarion ingot and wasted no time getting to work—and he quickly noticed something. It was more resistant than anything he had ever touched. The forge already roared, and yet the xylarion stayed completely hard for far longer than usual.

“This… will take a while,” Cyrus muttered, adjusting his camera angles.

“Yes.” Hans nodded as he watched in fascination, even though Julian was only heating the metal, “The xylarion’s melting point is far higher than anything you’d find on Earth, or this galaxy, for that matter. Normally, you’d need to use a machine… but I don’t think the Sword Junkie plans to do that.”

Julian didn’t even go near the press or heed it any mind at all. He had already grabbed the hammer, waiting for the right moment. The forge continued to roar, the flames enough to cause their sweat to fall endlessly, and then dry it all the same after only moments. The fire was wild, infernal.

And finally, when the metal finally softened enough, he moved swiftly, pulling it out of the forge and onto the anvil, striking it with practiced precision.

“Is he really…?” Hans once again gulped in disbelief. “He is hitting ze metal at its softest points. I vas told by ze people I got zis metal from zat they use special equipment to find zis… but he is just feeling it? Zis is… impossible, but…”

“Bro, I don’t understand you. I have an auto-translator so just speak German.”

“He’s just feeling the metal…” Hans completely ignored Cyrus. “This is… and he’s actually molding it that easy? What… This should be impossible, but…”

Hans’s awe only deepened as Julian worked. The rhythmic clang of the hammer filled the room, each strike more precise than the last.

“Uh…” Meanwhile, Cyrus made sure to be as far away from Hans as possible as he saw his face getting redder by the second. He thought he would never meet anyone as eccentric as Julian, but he was—in the presence of two of them.

“This is… this is amazing. He—Hm?”

After a couple more seconds, both Cyrus and Hans looked at each other as Julian just suddenly stopped moving.

“What…” Hans wanted to approach and ask what was wrong, but he stopped himself from doing so as he truly did not want to interrupt Julian and his process. Cyrus was also starting to get worried as this was the first time he had seen this kind of expression on Julian’s face.

He was… uncertain.

And he was right, Julian truly was uncertain, but not in the way he was thinking.

There was a thought currently inside Julian’s mind as his hands stopped working—or perhaps it was a certain type of intuition. The gods of Artemia were completely unpredictable, and not to mention beings of absolute power.

And so what if… just what if—if this metal turned into something equivalent to an [Epic] grade weapon in Artemia…

Could the Master of Shadows also claim it?

Chapter thirty-nine

Mein New Baby

It was just a feeling.

It wouldn’t be necessarily true.

At the very least, at least it shouldn’t be.

But there was this feeling dancing around Julian that the [Master of Shadows] quest might actually just absorb this weapon. He knew it was improbable, but if there was even a percent chance of it happening, he wouldn’t risk it.

“Sword… Junkie?” Cyrus and Hans once again looked at each other, confused as to why Julian suddenly stopped moving. Neither of them could approach, however, as they saw the somewhat conflicted expression on Julian’s face.

Should he do it? Should he lower the quality so that it wouldn’t be equivalent to an [Epic] grade weapon?

Julian lowered his hammer as his fingers once again started feeling the xylarion metal.

“Sword Junkie!?” Cyrus gasped as he saw that—how could he not? The metal should be scalding hot right now, and yet Julian casually placed his hand on it. He initially thought that Julian didn’t know what he was touching, but no. The loud breath that escaped Julian’s lips was enough for Cyrus to know that he knew exactly what he was doing…

And he was angry. But why? Why would he be angry?

And Cyrus was right—Julian was angry, very much so. He was angry at himself, angry for even thinking of deliberately lowering the quality of the knife he was about to make.

“Hm…” The anger escaping his breaths almost became a growl as he tightened his grip on his hammer. How could he even have such a thought? Lowering the quality just because he feared that the Master of Shadows would take the blade away?

Never. He should never have a thought like that again. It would be a disservice to him and all the other things he has made—and most importantly, it would be a disservice to the metal he was holding right now.

If the Master of Shadows was indeed going to take any [Epic] grade weapons he would produce, even back here on Earth… then he just had to make sure that it wouldn’t be [Epic] grade—it would be higher than that.

Julian quickly raised his hammer again, striking the metal and causing a ripple to blast through the entire forge, literally.

“What… what’s happening!?” Cyrus rushed toward his drone as it began to lose control in the air. “What was that!?”

“It’s… the metal.” Hans, struggling to stay steady, looked like he might collapse any second as the ripple blasted through him. “Ze metal is singing to us—nein, it’s weeping. Weeping tears of joy.”

“Huh?” Cyrus narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of what was happening. He was about to speak again, but another ripple hit him, blasting across his face. He felt it down to his pores, each clang of the hammer sending vibrations through his bones, almost as if they were resonating with the sound.

“These are…” Cyrus gulped, realization hitting him. “Perfect hits… on Earth?”

The gravity of Artemia and Earth were worlds apart, and of course, with Artemia’s gamelike mechanics and magic, the physics between the two planets differed as well. The concept of [Perfect Hits] should really only apply in Artemia, where the laws of their world governed it. [Perfect Hits] weren’t just about hitting the metal perfectly; Artemia’s system would adjust and enhance the effects whenever triggered.

But here, on Earth, it didn’t make any sense at all. There was no governing god, no magic to manipulate or amplify reality. In short, it should be impossible.

Perhaps it was the sheer impossibility of what was happening that caused this strange ripple, a force that Earth itself didn’t seem to understand. With no magic to guide or adjust the situation, Earth could only react violently to what Julian was doing. The planet was confused, and this ripple was its way of trying to cope with something outside its grasp.

This was groundbreaking—there was no doubt about that. Yet it seemed like Cyrus was the only one who truly grasped the significance of what was unfolding before him. Then again, in the grand scheme of things, did it even matter? Because right now—

DaBoys17: new here. what’s happening?

MyThroatis12inchesDeep: same. what are we watching?

iLuvUnicorns: welcome, young bloods. its time to offer your money to the Sword Junkie.

—more and more viewers were joining the stream by the second. And why wouldn’t they? Watching this incredible display was mesmerizing, but not necessarily for the reasons Cyrus initially thought.

Most of the viewers weren’t really focused on what Julian was doing at all. They didn’t care about the art of the craft, the perfection of each strike, or the impossible scenario unfolding with the metal. No, they were here for something else entirely. They were captivated by Julian himself.

The way his thick arms bulged with every hammer strike, the definition of his muscles under the dancing flames of the forge—he was a sight to behold. His glowing blue eyes, locked in one place, added an air of calm, almost making him seem like a stoic painting. And then there was his broad, muscular chest, partially exposed from his shirt, which had loosened with each swing of the hammer. But the most captivating part of all was his face—perfect, sharp, and effortlessly strong.

Why would they care about perfect hits when Julian’s face was more perfect? Of course, Cyrus was looking and thinking that from an agent’s perspective, understanding that Julian’s appearance was one of his biggest assets. And now, with each strike sending ripples through the air, blowing Julian’s hair back and revealing even more of his face, the viewers were hooked. They were eating it up. Eating it all up.

And their physical representation was right beside Cyrus.

“Amazing, truly amazing…” Hans was now on the floor. His old legs had already given up on him. His eyes. however, were still completely locked on Julian.

Clang!

His head flinched with each violent ripple. Hans had seen Julian’s mastery before, through streams, but witnessing it in person was a completely different experience. It felt surreal, like something beyond reality. Why was it now, seeing it up close, that he couldn’t quite believe what was happening?

This was something else, something entirely different from anything he had imagined.

Julian wasn’t just a genius—he was a force, a monster capable of bending reality through sheer skill and precision. Each strike of his hammer seemed to warp the air around him, as though the world itself had to obey his will.

Of course, Cyrus and Hans knew they were just imagining it—how could something like that be happening? But even knowing that, it felt like the impossible was unfolding right before their eyes.

And neither of them knew exactly when it happened, but suddenly, Julian was done. The endless rhythm of hammering had finally stopped. Time had slipped away unnoticed, completely absorbed by the work in front of them.

Three hours. That’s how long it had taken. Three straight hours of hammering, perfecting every tiny detail. By the time Julian moved to grind the blade, it was so precise that it took him less than five seconds to finish polishing it.

The blade gleamed. It was an immaculate white, almost like milk. It was unlike anything either of them had ever seen before.

“Do you have a hilt ready for this?” Julian asked, approaching Hans with the finished xylarion blade in hand.

“Huh…?” Hans stammered, feeling utterly unworthy to even gaze upon the blade. As Julian offered it to him, he found himself instinctively pulling back, not daring to touch it.

“A handle. You can fit one yourself if you want to,” Julian said, gesturing for Hans to take it. “You’ll be the one using it, so—”

“N—nein!” Hans shook his head vehemently, backing away quickly. “I wouldn’t dare touch it! Wait, bitte, just wait here!”

Hans scrambled off, returning moments later with a stick. But not just any stick. It was dark—no, not just dark, black. Incredibly so, as if it absorbed light itself.

“Zis hardwood is from a planet several galaxies away,” Hans explained, kneeling as he presented the piece of wood. “Ze gravity there makes life impossible for most. I vould be honored if you used it.”

“Okay.” Julian shrugged casually, then began shaping the wood into a handle. With practiced ease, he cut it and sandwiched it perfectly around the full tang of the blade. The fit was flawless, as if the handle had always belonged with the blade.

And finally, it was complete.

“Here’s your baby, Hans. Come and hold her.” Julian set the knife gently on the table. Both Cyrus and Hans approached it cautiously, almost mesmerized by Julian’s words, as though the knife was truly a living thing.

It might as well have been.

It was perfect—perhaps even more than perfect.

“Can you…” Hans’s voice trembled, his gaze shifting between Julian and the blade. “Carve your name on it?”

“No,” Julian said, shaking his head. “It’ll lower the quality of the blade.”

“No…” Hans shook his head even more vigorously. “It will… it will increase its worth beyond this world. Bitte, Master Julian… please!”

“Fine.” With a reluctant nod, Julian took the blade back and carefully etched his name into the hilt.

Hans’s breaths were shaky, and even after Julian handed the knife back to him, he was too afraid to touch it. Instead, he placed it back on the table gently, as if it might break under his fingers.

“I…” Hans clutched his chest, clearly overwhelmed. “I don’t even know how I can pay you for this.”

“You don’t need to.” Julian smiled softly. “Just working with the xylarion was—”

“Whoa, whoa. Wait…” Cyrus quickly cut in, not letting Julian finish. “I’ll handle the money matters, Sword Junkie.”

“100,000,” Hans breathed out, his gaze still locked on the knife. “I vill pay you 100,000.”

“What the fuck?” Even Cyrus was shocked. “I… I mean… wow.”

“That’s… too much,” Julian said, a quiet hum escaping his lips. “I only provided the labor, Hans. I think even 1,000 credits would be already too much. I can’t possibly accept that kind of money when I only worked for… three hours?”

“Exactly, und even zat amount isn’t enough,” Hans whispered, closing his eyes, clearly still processing the gravity of the situation. “You deserve every bit of it und more. I vish I could give you more, but… zat’s ze most I can spend vithout getting approval from my granddaughter.”

“But—”

“And it will serve as a deterrent.” Hans scoffed, crossing his arms while shaking his head. “People need to know zat if zey vant a piece of ze Sword Junkie’s craftsmanship, zey’ll need to pay for it. Und it’s done. I’ve already sent ze credits to your bank. I’m not exaggerating, Master Julian, ven I say zis—zis knife is vorth more zan a million credits now.”

“A million credits…” Julian listened to the hum of the blade once more. “Can I ask how much the xylarion ingot was?”

“You actually understand him?” Cyrus blinked. “I can’t even understand the guy.”

“I got it for 750,000 credits,” Hans said casually. “I got it at a discount, thanks to certain connections.”

“What…?” Julian’s breath hitched as soon as the number registered. Just for that single piece of metal? Then how much did New York actually spend on constructing the space elevator?

“What were you before you retired…?” Cyrus asked, now shutting off the stream as he stared at Hans.

“Vell, zat’s not important.” Hans waved his hand dismissively, letting out a hearty laugh. “Now come! I’m sure you’re both hungry! Let me cook something for you—”

“Grandpa!” Before Hans could lead Julian and Cyrus out of the forge, a gust of wind blew through the chamber, carrying with it a fiery voice. “What’s this alert from the bank about a hundred K being withdrawn!? You didn’t even bother—oh.”

The sharp tone softened immediately when its owner caught sight of Julian and Cyrus.

“You… you didn’t say you had company over, Grandfather.” The woman’s demeanor shifted quickly, standing up straighter as she cleared her throat. “Who—huh?”

“Hm?” Julian, sensing something, turned his shoulders in her direction just as the woman turned her gaze toward him.

“I recognize that voice…” Julian whispered, tilting his head slightly. [Cindy Solis from the hospital, Julian,] MEGAN chimed in, her tone cautious. [She’s the Exterminator, remember?]

“Yes,” Julian murmured. “Cindy Solis.”

“Julian Winters.” Cindy’s eyes narrowed as she scanned Julian from head to toe. “What… are you doing here? Are you here because—”

“Because I invited him.” Hans raised his voice, stepping in front of Cindy with his arms crossed. “Und don’t speak to our esteemed guests like zat, meine Enkelin.”

“You… invited him?” Cindy stammered, her eyes darting between her grandfather and Julian. “Where… did the two of you even meet?”

“Vot do you mean?” Hans furrowed his brow. “You’re ze one who introduced me to ze Sword Junkie.”

“Huh?” Cindy’s eye twitched in confusion. “What do you mean I introduced you? When did that happen?”

“When you left his stream on.” Hans shrugged. “I vas curious why you were so glued to ze screen. You’re usually out training, but zere you were, vatching ze Sword Junkie’s stream—”

“Grandpa!?” Cindy quickly rushed to Hans, covering his mouth. “That… that was part of an ongoing investigation!”

“Investigation?” Julian tilted his head. “You’re investigating me, Cindy?”

“I… was! Was!” Cindy stammered, quickly shaking her head. “I had to because of the strange circumstances surrounding the daemon’s death.”

“Oh…? What’s this now?” Cyrus leaned in, rubbing his chin as he soaked in the unfolding drama. “You were involved in a daemon incident, Julian?”

“Yes.” Julian hummed. “Cindy and her team found and rescued me.”

“‘Rescue’ isn’t really the word I’d use.” Cindy narrowed her eyes, scanning Julian from head to toe again.

“Wait… you’re Cindy Solis!” Cyrus’s eyes widened in realization. “You’re the guild master of the Phantom Brigade! Julian, she’s famous in the hunting world!”

“The hunting world?” Julian tilted his head slightly. “You’re also involved with the Exterminators?”

“Ho…” Cyrus smirked. “My portfolio is diverse, Sword Junkie—I go where the money and fame are. Some Exterminators are sponsored by companies. It’s practically a sport now.”

“Excuse me?” Cindy’s eyebrows shot up at Cyrus’s words. “A sport? What do you mean ‘sport’? Tens of people die every day from daemon attacks, and you’re calling it a sport? Who even are—”

“It seems we won’t be having that dinner after all, Sword Junkie…” Hans interrupted with a soft sigh, shaking his head in disappointment as he positioned himself between Julian and Cindy. “I would have loved to talk more, but—”

“I got it.” Cyrus winked, quickly guiding Julian toward the exit. “Let’s go, let’s go. This is a private moment now.”

“Oh…” Julian grabbed his cane. “Thank you for letting me experience the xylarion, Hans.”

“No, no.” Hans shook his head with pride. “The pleasure was mine, Sword Junkie.”

“Hm…” Julian murmured as he and Cyrus left, leaving Hans alone with his granddaughter, who looked like she was about to explode. Fortunately, she just sighed, holding back her anger.

“What did you call him here for, Grandpa?” Cindy’s demeanor shifted the moment she was alone with her grandfather, her tone sharp. “You know I’ve been investigating him. I’ve been trying to recruit special people for the guild since we’re being left behind by the others.”

“And you said it wasn’t a sport.” Hans scoffed, shooting her a glance before turning back to the xylarion knife. “I don’t care about your investigations, Cindy. I called the Sword Junkie to make me a knife.”

“And why are you calling him Sword Junkie…?” Cindy’s eyebrow rose, her frustration building. “I don’t care about the Otherworld or whatever—it’s him I’m suspicious of. He was there when—what’s that?”

“My new baby.” Hans finally lifted the xylarion knife from the table, his fingers brushing over the cool blade. “Hold it, but be gentle.”

“Julian Winters made this?” Cindy’s eyes narrowed as she felt the almost weightless blade in her hand. “Wait… this is xylarion metal. Grandpa!?”

“Ja.”

“Why did you turn it into a kitchen knife!?” Cindy shouted, exasperated. “You told me you were going to have someone turn it into a phasing weapon! Grandpa!? And why would you even use a knife to cook!? Why don’t you just use a thread slicer!? You know, those things that vibrate and can cut meat like it’s water that all the restaurants use!?”

“Trust me, meine Enkelin…” Hans scoffed again, crossing his arms. “This is better.”

“Better!?” Cindy’s frustration boiled over. “How can a kitchen knife be better than a weapon that could cut through a daemon’s shell!? What were you thinking!?” She wanted to toss the knife away, but knowing its value stopped her. “Where’s the rest of the metal!? I’m hiding it from you from now on!”

“You’re holding it,” Hans said with a smirk.

“What?” Cindy frowned. “What do you mean I’m holding it? This is just a kitchen knife. Where’s the rest of the metal?”

“All of it was used for that.”

“What?” Cindy’s mouth dropped in disbelief. “A single ingot of xylarion can make several weapons, Grandpa. What do you mean—”

And then it clicked. The weight of the knife was almost nonexistent, and yet it was there. But it shouldn’t be there at all since it was made with xylarion. The only weight she should actually be feeling was from the handle… and yet she was feeling the weight of the blade too… which should be impossible according to its size.

“No…” Cindy’s eyes widened as she looked up at her grandfather, her expression one of pure disbelief. “No way.”

“Yes.” Hans’s smirk only grew wider.

Cindy gulped, walking over to the forge press. Without warning, she swung the knife across the press.

“What are you—” Hans started, but before he could finish, the damage was done.

He rushed over to snatch the knife from her, checking it for any sign of damage. Of course, the knife was flawless. His beloved forge press, however, was not.

They both heard it. A creak, followed by the large forge press splitting clean in half and collapsing to the floor.

“No way…” Cindy gasped, her reflection visible in the smooth, impossibly clean cut. “Julian Winters made that? Just… who is he? Can I have that knife, Grandpa?”

“No.” Hans quickly hid the knife behind his back. “Not only can you not have it, but you also need to pay for that forge press—do you have any idea how rare it is!?”

“Grandpa…” Cindy was hardly listening, her mind racing. “Can you get more xylarion? Bring… bring Julian Winters back here!”

“Vot do you think he is, a circus performer?” Hans waved his hand dismissively, gesturing for Cindy to leave. “Ze Sword Junkie doesn’t cater to people who don’t appreciate his greatness. Und do you think I can just summon xylarion out of thin air?”

“Tell your contacts I’ll buy it!” Cindy pleaded as she kneeled and hugged Hans’s leg, desperation creeping into her voice. “Please, Grandpa… you’re one of Germany’s master-rank Exterminators… you can get more!”

“I’m retired, girl.” Hans clicked his tongue. “Now go, shoo! Leave me vith mein new baby.”

“But—”

“I said shoo! Don’t you have that tunnel back down on the Below to handle!?”

“What the!? How would… and we’re not even sure it was a daemon attack just yet!”

Unbeknownst to everyone who watched the crafting of the blade, however, they had actually witnessed history being made. If taken to Artemia, the xylarion alone would ensure an [Epic] grade weapon, no matter what the result was. But with Julian’s hands…

Everybody who watched the scene unfold in front of them had actually witnessed the birth of a [Legendary] weapon.

Now, whether or not it would have actually been taken by the Master of Shadows if it was registered as [Epic] grade, well… Julian would never know.

“Cyrus, you’ve signed an NDA contract with me, correct?”

“That’s… correct. Why are you asking me? MEGAN should confirm all of that.”

Outside Hans’s revolving house, Cyrus was a little taken aback by Julian’s sudden question as they were floating down the Topside.

“So, anything I tell you in secret would be kept a secret?” Julian once again asked.

“Pretty much. I’ll be in jail and lose all my reputation.” Cyrus shrugged. “Why…? Are you about to tell me a super duper secret?”

“I have a quest for a Unique Class.” Julian then revealed so casually. After all, since he was going to be spending a lot of time with Cyrus following him around in Artemia, there was no use in trying to hide it from him. And most importantly…

Julian had finally decided to actively finish the [Master of Shadows] quest once and for all. He couldn’t accept any more crafting requests without finishing it first.

“Oh…” Cyrus blinked a few times, continuing to float down as he glanced at Julian.

“I already knew that. It’s so obvious.”

Chapter forty

Oh…

[It makes sense. Cyrus has dealt with hundreds of players. You probably checked all the boxes.]

“Yes. He did say the weapons disappearing every time was what gave it away. Do you think Juliet knows too?”

[There’s a high chance she does, Julian.]

A few hours after Julian’s meeting with SwordJunkieNo.1Fan, he was back in their temporary lodging—the hotel near Clevesky. Initially, Julian and Ellie planned to stay somewhere cheaper, but with the sudden influx of money, they both shrugged and decided to enjoy the hotel for a while.

He and Cyrus had talked about how to proceed now that Julian had decided to trust Cyrus with the information, and the two of them agreed to keep the Unique Quest a secret for as long as possible. But of course, Cyrus wanted to slowly hint at it to the audience, just to build up hype.

Cyrus also mentioned the benefits of revealing it early, like gaining a larger audience, but he believed it wouldn’t go viral that way—the discovery had to feel organic for the audience.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, MEGAN…” Julian hummed thoughtfully.

[What is it?] MEGAN’s tone grew serious as she sensed the change in his mood.

“What does ‘viral’ mean?”

[You—]

“What are you guys talking about?” Ellie interrupted as she stepped out of the bathroom.

“We were just talking about what to do next in Otherworld,” Julian said, relaxing in his chair.

“Oh? You’re playing later?” Ellie raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the LinkGear resting on the bed.

“How exactly does that work? Your real body is asleep while your mind is out there with your clone?”

“I’m not entirely sure how it works, but yes,” Julian confirmed with a nod. “That’s basically how it goes.”

“That’s… a really productive way to use your time,” Ellie said, blinking in awe. “If you use both times wisely, you could really improve in social cues and understanding people, Julian.”

“Hm?” Julian tilted his head. “How so?”

“Like realizing that you and MEGAN could’ve talked about whatever it was you’re talking about while the two of us showered together.” Ellie sighed, the rustle of her clothes whispering through Julian’s ears as she started getting dressed. “I was waiting for you to join me.”

“It is not time for me to take a bath yet.” Julian stood up from his seat, tilting his head to the side as he heard something. “Someone’s in front of the door.”

“Huh? What do you—”

“Cleveland Police Department.”

Ellie did not really have the chance to wonder at all as their sudden visitors introduced themselves from the other side of the door, knocking several times and one more as they stated their purpose. “We have questions to ask Elizabeth Summers. We were told she was in this room. We would truly appreciate it if you could help us with an ongoing investigation.”

“The… police?” Ellie gasped as she looked at Julian. “Do you think… this might have something to do with the loan sharks? What… what do I do, Julian? Are they… are they going to arrest me for doing business with them? I thought they were—”

“Ellie.” Julian quickly approached her, gently placing his large hands over her shoulders, “You’ll be fine, okay? I’m sure of it.”

“That…” Ellie stared at Julian’s lips for a moment, taking in a small gulp before nodding and walking to the door to meet the officers with a confident fire in her eyes. “I’m Elizabeth Summers.” She introduced herself before gesturing for the two officers to come in. “Please. Anything I can do to help.”

“We… won’t be long, Ms. Summers.” The two officers halted their steps as soon as they caught a glimpse of Julian standing behind Ellie, one of them almost pulling out his gun there and then since he did not expect to meet someone as imposing as Julian there.

It might just be a small minute feeling, but being trapped in a small hallway with Julian was not really something that gave a lot of… confidence. His large arms and hands alone felt like they could grab them at any moment and snap their necks.

It did not help at all that his eyes were glowing.

“We’re… sorry for disturbing you.” The officers gulped. “But we have a few questions we need to ask you—do you know this man?”

One of the officers unfolded her phone which projected a hologram of a person.

[Julian! It’s the boss of the loan sharks!] MEGAN quickly chimed in. [Don’t do anything! They don’t seem to be here for you.]

Julian made sure not to react at all, just stepping closer to Ellie and placing his hand over her shoulder.

“No…” Ellie narrowed her eyes as she looked at the person. “I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”

“What about this one? Is he—”

“He…” Ellie gasped before the officer could even finish her words, her eyes trembling as she saw the hologram.

[It’s the one with the cybernetic arm, Julian.] MEGAN’s voice turned deeper.

“Do you know him, ma’am?” the officer asked again.

“Yes,” Ellie answered without any hesitation as she knew that these officers already knew the answer to their questions—lying here would only put her in an even tighter spot, “Why… is there something—”

“He’s dead, ma’am.” A small smirk crawled on the officer’s face as she looked Ellie in the eyes, “And so are the rest of his friends and colleagues.”

“Dead…?” Ellie stammered, her eyes widening in shock. “What do you mean…?”

“The higher-ups think it might be gang-to-gang violence.” The other officer joined the conversation.

“They are a pretty notorious gang around here, and they target women like… you.” The man glanced at Julian. “Desperate and in need of help—we found you from the list we salvaged from their hideout. You’re actually the ninth person we’ve visited tonight, and you won’t be the last.”

“So… they’re dead?” Ellie stammered. “Do… you know who did it?”

“We were hoping you would.” The officers let out a sigh at the same time, already knowing the answer. “But we know you have no idea about anything. This is all just a formality. And truthfully, us ground unit don’t think this was done by another gang.”

“Then…”

“Daemons.” The officers once again sighed. “With the state of the corpses, we believe daemons did it… No human could have done something like that. And there’s been a lot of them on the Below lately.”

“Daemon attack, again…?” Ellie covered her mouth as she looked at Julian. “There’s… no chance you’re returning to your apartment, Julian.”

“Well, we won’t keep you.” The officers then smiled and nodded as they shook Ellie’s hand. The male officer was about to shake Julian’s hand, but he was left completely hanging.

“Stupid,” the female officer muttered, lightly hitting him on the back of the head as they left the room.

“Wait, is there anything I need to do?” Ellie called out before closing the door.

“Don’t deal with shady people anymore,” the female officer advised, pointing at her.

“Oh… uh… right.” Ellie chuckled awkwardly. “I’ll take that advice to heart. Thank you.”

And as soon as Ellie closed the door, she quickly turned around and leaped into Julian’s arms.

“What… what the hell was that…?” Ellie’s breaths turned heavy. “I thought… I thought I was going to be in trouble. I thought we were… spending too much time in Cloud 9 and now they were going to take it away but… they’re dead? Those people are dead?”

“Hm…” Julian gently brushed his fingers across Ellie’s damp hair. She must never know—she must never know that it was him who massacred the loan sharks and left them down the Below like trash. “I suppose the problem solved itself, Ellie. I told you… you’ll be fine from now on.”

Ellie spent an hour in Julian’s arms, and then another hour with him inside her. And finally, as she just fainted right there and then from exhaustion, it was time for Julian to return to Artemia.

“Ugh… you guys are like animals in heat.”

In the Between, MEGAN was rolling her eyes at the invisible Julian. “Remember when I still had to explain to you everything that was happening while you and Ellie were having sex, Julian?”

“Yes,” Julian answered without any hesitation, “Why are you not doing that anymore?”

“Stop being such a weirdo. Yuck. Ew.” MEGAN rubbed her arms dramatically, shivering at his words. “You’re an adult now, Julian. And according to surveys, 14.12% of the human population prefers having sex with the lights off. So… just consider yourself part of that percentage. Pfft. Sorry, that was a tasteless joke.”

“How would you know, MEGAN?”

“Hm?”

“How would you know it’s tasteless when you don’t have a tongue?” Julian bantered.

“Ha!” MEGAN pointed at him, grinning. “Touché, my boy. Touché! You—Oh.”

MEGAN wanted to talk to Julian more inside the Between, but his consciousness was already fully transferred to his clone, leaving her alone inside the empty void.

“Taste, huh…” MEGAN very gently traced her fingers on her lips. “I… do wonder what it tastes like.”

And soon, those words faded into the darkness, taking MEGAN along with her—the longing, however, would perhaps forever remain in the void.

“Hm…” Julian wasted no time stretching his clone’s limbs, also making sure to relieve himself before he left his room. Since the owner of this inn was a player, toilets were practically mandatory—and surprisingly enough, they were clean and worked properly. Of course, they felt quite different from what Julian was used to, but it didn’t really matter at all.

“We’re not going to stream today, MEGAN.”

PrettyOneeChan: Yes

“I wonder if Juliet’s back at her forge.”

And with his meal done, Julian finally finished his ritual and stepped out of the inn—well, at least that was what he expected to happen. Before he could even get up from his table, he suddenly found himself surrounded by several people, some of them even sitting with him at his table.

“Is you, right? Is you?”

“Is me… what?” Julian leaned back as one of the men started pointing at him.

“Oooh, is you!” The man stood up and started spinning around, while his companions also started wheezing and breathing in harmony as they stared at Julian with amused expressions on their faces. “My brother, dab it up. Dab it up.”

“Dab it up?” Julian could really only stare at the man’s hand as it reached toward him before finally shaking it a few moments later.

“Ei, ei yo, man! The Sword Junkie’s holding my hand!” The man then quickly pulled away and started high-fiving his friends. “Youse famous, man. Shit! I ain’t gonna wash this hand for weeks!”

“Me too, brother! Share some love here!”

And soon, the entire group was reaching all their hands toward him. Julian had no idea what all of this meant, but this group was funny so he just let them continue whatever it was they were doing. Soon, however, their excitement finally calmed down as some of them started dissipating away and returning to their tables—all except for the first one who approached him.

“You going to the Streamer Awards, Sword Junkie?” the man asked.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what that is.” Julian hummed.

“Brother, but youse a streamer.” The man narrowed his eyes in suspicion, his head weaving from left to right. “But then again, youse with Cyrus, right? He should be telling you this stuff. They hold it every year, and you definitely be baggin’ that Rising Star award, brother.”

“I… probaby won’t be attending it.” Julian hummed, finally getting the chance to stand up.

“Like hell you ain’t, bro…” The man pointed at Julian again. “…me and the gang finna vote for you.”

“Oh, uh… Okay.” Julian shook the man’s hand again as he reached out. “Thank you.”

“Be seeing you out there, Sword Junkie. Be careful of them Order of Artemia bitches. Them pigs been on high alert ever since they found the bodies you left behind on the way here.”

“Oh…” Julian hadn’t really thought about that—in fact, he had almost completely forgotten that he had already killed people in Artemia. It all seemed so… trivial now, their deaths, just a passing thought in his mind, and not even. As long as he could keep himself and the people he cared about safe… he would kill more if he needed to.

“Ah, Julian! Where on Artemia have you been!? I thought you and that sissy boy died in that dungeon—I was getting ready to follow you.”

“Juliet.”

After Julian’s somewhat eventful encounter with the random group back at the inn, he went straight to Juliet’s outdoor forge, quickening his pace to avoid being recognized by any more players. If Cyrus were here, he probably wouldn’t be having this problem. But alas, Cyrus was going to have to take a backseat for now, as what Julian was about to do wasn’t something that should be seen by the chat just yet.

“You… haven’t crafted anything?” Julian’s eyes quickly landed on the mountain of ingots they’d gotten from Juliet’s old employer, and it looked almost exactly the same as he had left it.

“No, pfft.” Juliet lowered the large axe she was holding and glanced at Julian. “These are ours, so I can’t just use them whenever and wherever I want to.”

“Hm…” Julian approached the mountain of ingots, tracing his fingers along their cold surface. After a few seconds, he let out a small breath, turning his shoulder toward Juliet and looking at her. “I have something to tell you—and it’s really important that you don’t tell anyone else.”

“Sounds serious.” Juliet’s eyes narrowed as she sat down on the anvil. “I’m your apprentice now. I’d literally be going against the guild’s code if I disobey you.”

“Hm.” Julian actively heightened his senses to check if there was anyone nearby who might be listening to them, and as soon as he confirmed that there wasn’t, he carefully stepped closer to Juliet and whispered, “I have—”

“You’re an Evil Spirit, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

Juliet and Julian practically stared at each other’s eyes due to the quick and slightly quirky exchange—well, the staring was more Juliet, since Julian was not really used to staring anyone in the eyes yet.

“No.” Julian’s words were slow as he slightly backed away from Juliet. “I was going to tell you that I have a Unique Class quest.”

“Oh… pfft.” Juliet rolled her lips as she looked away. “Isn’t that obvious? I realized it when Bran came running out and screaming that someone stole the khopesh we made—I was watching their smithy the entire time, Julian… no one entered or left even once. That means the blade just vanished into thin air, which could really only mean that it was a prerequisite for someone’s quest. Yours.”

“Oh.” Julian hummed.

“So, you’re not an Evil Spirit?” Juliet’s eyes narrowed again.

“No,” Julian answered.

“You sure…? It’s alright if you are. I hate the Order. But wow, you guys are actually real?”

“I’m not an Evil Spirit.”

“You’re not…?”

“Hm.”

“Huh.”

Chapter forty-one

The Tenth

“You need… to craft ten [Epic] grade equipment… and the shadows will take all of them?”

Juliet sat in front of Julian, her eyes slightly trembling from everything she had just heard. And while she couldn’t believe what she just heard, Julian seemed to be completely calm, as if the weight of what he had just revealed wasn’t heavy at all—it was. It was very heavy.

Ten [Epic] grade equipment…just for a Unique Class? Anyone else might have probably already abandoned the quest, but now that she was remembering who was right in front of her, maybe the task wasn’t so daunting after all.

“So… both the weapons we created together disappeared,” Juliet whispered, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the outside of her forge for anyone who might be listening in on them. “Does that mean we only need to make eight more? Wait, what do I mean only?! Julian… that’s crazy! That’s almost the entire portfolio of a Master Blacksmith… and we’re not even going to get them?”

“Yes.” Julian hummed. “That is why I want to focus on finishing the quest—I want to be able to hold our babies.”

“Hm…” Juliet’s breaths slightly trembled, her hands adjusting her bandana as she tried to process everything. She looked at the ground, and then at Julian again. “What happens if we finish making them? Is that it? You’re going to be… whatever your Unique Class is?”

“No.”

“No…?” Juliet’s eyes widened. “What do you mean ‘no’?”

“No,” Julian repeated. “After I finish the ten weapons, I need to craft a [Unique Epic] grade weapon.”

“Why am I starting to regret becoming your apprentice, pretty boy.” Juliet almost pulled out her bandana there and then, her eyes widening as she looked Julian in the eyes, “Do you even realize how rare that is? [Epic] grade pieces of equipment are already hard to come by, and you’re telling me you need to make a [Unique Epic]? And although not at the same level… that’s the closest you could get to [Legendary] grade, Julian.”

“Hm.” Julian hummed, returning Juliet’s gaze and causing her to slightly be flustered. After all, he barely looked anyone in the eyes, if at all. “That’s why I need your help, Juliet—I don’t think I can do this without you.”

“Th-that…” Juliet scratched her head, barely able to retain eye contact with him, “Heh… well, alright then, pretty boy. When do we start?”

“You’re fine with all of this?”

“Heck yeah.” Juliet stood up and gave Julian a thumbs-up. “The better my master is, the better it is for me. I am so in, pretty boy. I told you that I am all in, and I’m not going to back out now.”

“Thank you.” Julian also stood up and smiled.

And after that, neither of them spoke. Juliet leaned against her anvil, her thoughts racing as she once again tried to wrap her mind around everything. But very slowly, she took in a deep breath and started lighting the forge.

“Well…” The roar of the forge whispered in the air along with her words. She turned to Julian, the lines of her silhouette flickering orange from the dancing flames. “We’ve… got a lot of work to do, huh?”

“Hm.” Julian let out a small breath as he started rotating his wrists and stretching his fingers. “Let’s just get on with it, then.”

And as soon as the fire was hot enough, the two got to work almost immediately—and this time, Juliet was completely in assistant mode. She wasn’t even a striker, no. She just watched Julian, letting the clanging of the hammer whisper to her. And as soon as she’d hear the metal hardening, she’d quickly pull it from the anvil and reheat it in the forge.

She really only needed to do this once per blade, however, as Julian was capable of completely shaping the metal to whatever he wanted in a very short amount of time. Sometimes, not even—she just ended up grinding the edges and sharpening them, but even that took so little time since Julian even molded the sharp edges himself.

In truth, Juliet wanted to be involved more in the crafting process—but right now, at her level, she would probably just get in the way. And perhaps this was better, after all. She was practically sitting right in front of a master class… all she needed to do was watch and listen, again, and again.

“Ah! Julian, our first [Epic]!” After just the second blade, they were able to craft an [Epic] dagger. Julian only glanced and smiled at it before once again confining himself within the roar of the forge and the heat that almost scaled their skin, tirelessly crafting weapon after weapon.

One would think that Julian’s effort would dwindle along with the mountain of ingots, but not at all. Each new weapon they forged had a life of its own—even those that were only [Rare] grade.

And soon, Juliet finally witnessed the thing she was waiting for. The shadows started to shift.

“This…” Juliet quickly looked at Julian, who also glanced at her in response. She was about to voice her thoughts, but she noticed that some of the blacksmiths working nearby were actually watching them—how could they not when Julian was practically mass-producing something they needed to work incredibly hard to achieve?

Most of them were whispering among themselves, their eyes as wide as they could be with awe.

“Ack!” Juliet quickly rushed out of the tent, grabbing a handful of heavy drapes from the side of the forge and hastily covering all the sides of their tent, leaving only a bit to keep the air flowing. The onlookers were not shy in expressing their disappointment with their loud groans, but Juliet stepped out and started pointing and shouting at them to leave—suffice it to say, when she came out with a large axe in hand, they all scurried away like roaches.

And once she was sure there weren’t any more people lurking about, she stepped back inside…and what awaited her caused her entire body to freeze.

The shadows now completely surrounded the entire forge, and although she knew it was impossible, it was almost as if she could feel them hugging her, veiling her in a warm, and comfortable whisper.

It was weird. She thought the shadows would be cold and… ominous, but not at all. It felt quite… welcoming.

But of course, her opinion once again changed as she saw the [Epic] grade weapons that Julian had made with all of his heart slowly disappearing into the darkness—no. They weren’t disappearing at all. Although it was imperceptible at first, she saw the real form of the shadows as they crept toward the weapons—they looked like heads. Perhaps wolves? Birds? Maybe even human. She couldn’t quite explain it.

But they were here, they were everywhere…and she even felt that the shadows were actually also watching her. It should feel menacing, but not at all.

“I’m… not going to get absorbed too, am I?” Juliet nervously gulped, but she still took a step closer to Julian to assist him. The shadows moved faster and faster, swirling around the weapons—and soon, all the [Epic] grade weapons they had made disappeared. The dagger, the axe, and even the blade of a spear that Juliet had not completed attaching to its shaft yet.

Yes, Julian did not only make daggers, even if it would have been easier. He wasn’t rushing at all, no. The serene smile on his face proved to Juliet that he wasn’t actually just doing this to complete the quest, not at all—he was doing this because he truly loved it.

And with that thought entering Juliet’s mind, a tear could not help but trail across her cheek.

She made the right decision… she made the right decision to follow this person right in front of her.

“Thank you, Master Julian,” Juliet whispered as she grabbed a cloth, not to wipe her tears, but to wipe the sweat from Julian’s brow.

Hours passed, yet Julian’s hand moved with unwavering precision, each strike sending a deep, rhythmic vibration across the forge that sent a slight tingle crawling up the back of Juliet’s neck. If she could be locked away in this forge with Julian forever, she probably wouldn’t even regret it.

She hadn’t fallen in love with his craft, no. She had fallen in love with him, and she didn’t intend to deny it. But not in a romantic sense—no, this was a profound respect for Julian, both as a person and as a blacksmith. It was to the point where she silently promised herself that she would never leave his side, no matter what.

A few minutes later, the fifth weapon was finished—a beautifully crafted war axe. As she began lightly hitting and fitting it to the handle she’d made while Julian was forging, a sense of longing crept in. She wanted to keep this war axe for herself. But alas, after a few moments, the shadows returned to claim it.

Another hour slipped by, and this time, Julian paused, expecting another glowing orange ingot to be placed in front of him… but none came. He looked over at the pile to see if they’d run out, but there was still at least half left.

He then turned to Juliet, only to see her grinding the last longsword he made; the hilt already attached. The smile on her face almost chuckling. She then placed the sword on the ground and took a step back, standing beside Julian.

“What’s going on?” Julian tilted his head.

“We’re done, Julian.” Juliet let out a heavy breath, glancing at Julian with a wide, and proud smile on her face, “That’s the eighth one… you actually did it, you monster.”

“That…”

“O… oh?” Juliet almost leaned away as Julian suddenly placed his hand on her face.

“You’re crying?” Julian rubbed the tears in his fingers. “Did something happen?”

“Oh… no.” Juliet awkwardly smiled, wiping the tears on her cheek as she did so. “I’m just… thank you for letting me be a part of this, Julian. I’m learning so much, so… I promise you… I promise you that I am going to improve on my craft so that I can actually be worthy to stand beside you.”

“You don’t need to be worthy.” Julian hummed. “When you were smiling earlier, I feel like that is more important than anything, Juliet. If you love what you’re doing, then being worthy doesn’t matter.”

“You…” Juliet let out a tiny gasp at Julian’s words, before softly chuckling as she nudged his shoulder. “You’re sounding more and more like a master, pfft. You—oh, it’s happening.”

“Hm?”

This was actually the first time Julian was watching it. This was the first time he was watching his baby get taken away by the shadow.

And like Juliet, Julian did not feel any violence or greed from the shadows at all—no. If anything, the shadows felt excited—even though that was the tenth piece of equipment it had absorbed, it still felt excited to claim it, like a little child… like him.

Julian did not have a really great impression of the so-called Master of Shadows, but if he was this excited in obtaining what he made, then perhaps he wasn’t so bad, after all.

“And there it goes.” And now, with the last of the [Epic] grade weapon sinking into the darkness, Juliet was finally able to breathe out a sigh of relief, her chest that had been inflated since the start, now allowed to relax.

And soon, the shadows too, faded away and the light of the forge once again danced across the soft walls of her smithy.

And now, all that remained was the silence, the two of them still staring at where the weapon disappeared. The weight of what they had just achieved finally fell upon their shoulders as the two sank to their butts.

They looked at each other, with Julian once again letting Juliet’s face reflect in his eyes. And after what seemed like a minute, the two smiled at the same time.

“Yes!” Juliet raised both of her fists in the air and screamed, even howling like a wolf due to her excitement overflowing. “You did it, pretty boy! You did it!”

“Yes, we did…” Julian softly chuckled as he let his head fall and relax, the exhaustion finally catching up to him. Although he still crafted more blades the very first time back at the Town of Beginners, the effort he exerted here was much greater.

“Now… it’s time for the [Unique Epic].”

“Yeah, no.” Juliet quickly lowered her fists, her eyes now black as she glanced at Julian again. “That’s not happening, not here.”

“Hm?” Julian tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“We’re talking about something that equals a [Legendary] grade equipment here in terms of rarity.” Juliet sighed, shaking her head as she stood up from the ground. “These ingots and my forge won’t be able to make something like that. We’d need a special material and a special fire. You’re the best blacksmith I have ever seen, pretty boy—but with just steel, that’s not happening.”

“Hm…” Julian hummed, listening to her words. “What do you suggest, then?”

“We need to visit the nearest Blacksmith’s Guild.” Juliet sighed. “The closest one is in Calydion. If we rent some seikrobos, we should probably reach it… in three days?”

“Wait…” Julian stood up from the ground. “What do you mean by a special fire?”

“It’s a different kind of flame with special properties, usually enhanced by mages?” Juliet narrowed her eyes, looking at Julian from head to toe. “You’re an Evil Spirit.”

“Why… are we talking about that again?”

“Because even a kid would know that.” Juliet let out another sigh while shaking her head. “You should probably avoid asking strangers those kind of questions, pretty boy—you might get in trouble if a supporter of the Order realizes you’re an Evil Spirit.”

“I’m not an Evil Spirit.”

“Ack, sure. Sure.” Juliet waved her hand. “The name seems tasteless anyway. I don’t think you’re evil at all, Julian.”

“I’m…” Julian did not really know how to answer that as he had already killed people—here and on Earth. “I try to be a good person, Juliet.”

“Alright then.” Juliet clapped before wiping the sweat on her forehead. “We should probably prepare for the trip. I’ll prepare the supply and the seikrobos… and let’s meet here tomorrow?”

“Don’t you need help in preparing?” Julian asked.

“Psh, no…” Juliet waved her hand as she started unfolding the drapes and airing out the forge. “I’ll just sell the materials we have left since we can’t bring them. As for my forge, well—I think I’m just going to sell it.”

“What…?” Julian lightly gasped. “Why would you do that?”

“I don’t think we’ll be back here anytime soon.” Juliet shrugged. “It will just be wasting here if I don’t sell it—and I would need money for our travels too. I can’t let you pay for everything.”

“B—”

“It’s not negotiable.” Juliet grinned.

Julian wanted to retort, but it was not really his place to say anything about this at all. And so, with a long and very deep sigh, he just hummed and nodded before bidding his farewell and returning to the inn.

Once again, Julian felt a small sense of anticipation. The thought of creating something truly unique, something beyond what most blacksmiths could even dream of—it once again stirred something inside him.

“Tomorrow, then…” Julian lay down on the hard bed, staring at the wooden ceiling of his room. He was excited to journey to the so-called blacksmith’s guild, but for now…

“Guidance.”

[STATUS]

Name: Julian Winters

Class: No Class

Level: 11

Health (HP): 115/120

Mana (MP): ??/??

Stamina (SP): 34/158

Strength: 14^

Agility: 18^

Vitality: 10

Mana: ?

Perception: 21^

Free Points: 15

Skills:

You have no skills yet. Please select a class as soon as possible.

Abilities:

Hyper Instinct - Due to some unknown factor undetected by the [Guidance of Artemis], your senses are highly abnormal. All Skills affected by Perception will have increased effectiveness.

Active Quests:

Master of Shadows

The Flames of Juliet

Explore the world to gain more quests.

“Hm…?” Julian let the information enter his mind, his eyes widening with all the numbers. “I… gained four levels? Is it because of the Living Statues?”

More than likely, it was also probably because of all the forging he had done. His strength and agility had increased on their own. And once again, his perception had grown even higher—he probably didn’t even need to assign any points there since it seemed to rise on its own.

“MEGAN, I have 15 free points,” Julian whispered. “Should we go with what we talked about…?”

PrettyOneeChan: Yes.

MEGAN’s message appeared swiftly in front of the [Status Box].

“Then… 6 points to strength, and 9 points to vitality,” Julian said, gritting his teeth in anticipation of the familiar pain that was about to course through his entire body. Once again, he felt his bones and muscles restructuring—it was something he was getting used to, but it still hurt.

“Okay…” Julian took a deep breath that echoed through the room, closing his eyes as he prepared to return to his original body.

After several seconds, he felt his consciousness start to fade.

“Where’s Ellie?”

Julian immediately noticed the emptiness of the bed upon returning to Earth, his hand instinctively reaching out to the other side of the mattress as Ellie’s scent was absent from the room.

[I told her you were returning, so she went out to get something for you to eat, Julian,] MEGAN’s voice whispered in his mind. [You seem to be getting more comfortable going back and forth between your two bodies.]

“I… think so too.” Julian removed the LinkGear and sat up. “I need you to look something up for me, MEGAN.”

[Oh…?]

“What’s that place called…?” Julian murmured, standing up and carefully placing the LinkGear on the bed.

“The place where you learn martial arts?”

Chapter forty-two

Onward to the Lands of Artemia

“Are… you sure we’re in the right place?”

Julian was now standing in front of an old building. A building that seemed like it didn’t belong in Sky Net at all—granted, it was on the Ground Level, but the fact that it was tucked between two skyscrapers made its antique exterior even more obvious.

[Yes, Julian.] MEGAN softly chuckled, her words a little playful. [I am sure we are in the right place.]

“I’ve also checked the reviews of this place. It’s really good.”

And Ellie was actually also there, carrying a large duffel bag as she took a long and very deep breath. The old building reflected in her eyes, her eyes that showed both excitement and a slight trace of nervousness.

“Are you sure about coming with me, Ellie?” Julian asked, noticing how tightly Ellie was gripping her bag.

“Yes.” Ellie nodded firmly, though her gaze was fixed on the wooden entrance. “I just… don’t want to be helpless if something happens again.”

“Hm…” Julian tilted his head to the side to closely listen to Ellie’s breath, taking a moment to make sure that she wasn’t nervous. But with how still her breaths were, it would seem her resolution was even higher than his.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” She was even the first to step forward and enter the building, and almost instantly, the stillness of the old building faded away. A heavy, pulsing rhythm quickly hit both her and Julian as an intense silence whispered in their ears—the air was heavy, incredibly so.

There were rows of mats everywhere, with three sparring rooms all occupied by both men and women, all of them, moving with a heavy purpose, quite literally. Their muscles flexed under the bright lights, their grunts and groans completely filling the air.

This old building was a gym. A dojo, to be exact.

“This is…” Ellie took in a small gulp, her eyes darting around the chaotic and explosive scenery in front of her. She almost forgot to breathe for a second, and if she didn’t whisper under her breath, then she probably still wouldn’t be breathing. “I’ll… go check in at the front desk. MEGAN’s already sent them an online application, so I shouldn’t take long. Are you… fine here by yourself?”

“I am.” Julian hummed. And not even a second later, he could hear Ellie just running away, the excitement in her steps almost enough to drown the intensity in the air.

[I think it’s a good idea that she came,] MEGAN whispered in his mind. [It will help her mind cool off with everything that’s happened to her, Julian.]

“Hm.” And now with him left alone, Julian calmly started listening to the rhythm of the moving bodies around him, pulsing throughout the large hall and causing the hair on the back of his neck to slightly stand up.

His senses have been overwhelmed a lot of times ever since he discovered Otherworld, and now once again, it was as if he could feel everyone moving. Their breaths, the rustle of their clothes, and even the slight tension and change in their muscles—he could hear and feel them all.

Despite Ellie’s request to stay near the entrance, Julian slowly wandered farther inside. His cane that was tapping softly on the floor, drew a few glances here and there.

After all, how could they not be curious about Julian? He was blind, but most importantly, he was built like a brick wall. No, he was the entire fortress itself. And since Julian was currently wearing a tight-fit sports shirt, the shape of his body was even more obvious.

And very soon, a muscular man who was even taller than Julian strode up to him. The man’s eyes looked at him from head to toe, and once again… Julian found himself being circled by someone.

“Ho…?” The man stopped in front of him, offering a low grunt of approval as he finished studying Julian. “You here to learn how to fight? And is that your girl over there by the counter?”

“Yes… and yes,” Julian replied, facing his shoulder toward who he could really only assume to be a trainer.

“Huh…” The trainer raised an eyebrow, glancing at Julian’s cane. “But you’re blind.”

“I know,” Julian answered without any hesitation.

“You know, huh?” The trainer’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Julian’s face—and without even any warning, he raised his fist and shot it straight toward Julian’s face. The room seemed to hold its breath, the impact mere inches away—

Snap!

A loud sound echoed throughout the entire gym, causing everyone to turn their attention to the two, only to see the trainer’s fist right in front of Julian’s face. Everyone was in shock. How could they not be?

Their trainer had just struck a blind, defenseless man. If none of them knew the trainer, then they would have definitely already called the cops. But they all knew him, and he was definitely not the kind of man who would bully someone.

And then they saw it—the fist did not actually hit the blind man’s face at all, no. It was the cane. It was the cane that was hit.

“You…” Of course, the one that was most perplexed was the trainer himself. There shouldn’t have been any time for Julian to raise his cane, much less block his fist. He had no intention to hit Julian at all and planned to stop his fist an inch away from the front of his nose.

The groans and grunts of the people were quickly replaced by murmurs. Everyone’s eyes were now glued to Julian, wondering who he was and what just happened.

“Impressive…” The trainer’s expression shifted from surprise to intrigue. He took a step back, his eyes locked on Julian. “But let’s see what you can really do.”

“I was just lucky,” Julian whispered.

“Heh. Sure you are.”

[Julian, be careful—according to the test we did earlier, you could probably flip a small car,] MEGAN whispered in his mind as soon as she saw the trainer go into a stance, [If you accidentally hit him with just a little more power than intended… you could kill him.]

“W—”

“Julian!?” Fortunately for everyone there, however, the trainer did not get the chance to test Julian at all as Ellie’s voice broke through the murmurs. “Is everything alright!?”

The trainer stared at Julian for a few seconds before finally relaxing, softly chuckling in response while retracting his stance.

“Oh, everything’s more than alright.” The trainer looked at all the curious faces before turning to Ellie. “This gym’s about to have the most fun it’s had in years.”

“Stop staring at the seikrobos, pretty boy. You’re starting to make it nervous.”

After his intense and unexpected encounter in the gym, Julian returned to Artemia a few hours later. The early morning light spilled softly over the landscape outside the city of Ethaca—a vast and open field, which almost felt like it would drown you if you stared for too long.

Julian, however, had not even looked at the horizon even once.

He was now standing before a seikrobos, his fingers tracing the creature’s feathered fur, curious whether it looked as strange as it felt. He had only touched a single animal before—an owl. Ellie had brought it home one day, insisting they take care of it.

Unfortunately, a week later, it was shot after escaping their apartment and eating the neighbor’s cat. This seikrobos, however, reminded him of that owl—its feathered texture was similar, even if its overall build was likely worlds apart.

The seikrobos was massive, standing taller than him with thick, muscular legs, short arms, a long neck, and an elongated head.

The way Cyrus explained it to him, it looked like a mix of three extinct Earth creatures: a T-rex, an ostrich, and a greyhound, though that meant little to Julian, since he didn’t know what any of those looked like.

But whether they looked weird or not didn’t really matter at all. They were extremely handy. Juliet was able to hang all of their supplies on their back without a problem at all.

“What’s the holdup? Let’s go, let’s go!” Cyrus was already mounted on his personal seikrobos, bouncing with barely contained excitement. The moment he’d heard about Julian’s plans to travel to the next city, he’d informed the chat and even updated Julian’s social media feeds through MEGAN.

Yes. He and MEGAN have created several social media pages for Julian. They had really only advertised it with the chat—but soon, they planned on opening it up to the public. But of course, that would have to wait.

“The chat’s already eating this up, Sword Junkie.” Cyrus rubbed his palms together, a soft and almost mischievous chuckle escaping his lips. “Even if nothing happens during this journey, people love a long, quiet trek. Some of them would even sleep while the stream is going.”

“People do that?” Julian finally removed his gaze from the seikrobos as he moved to its side, trying to figure out how exactly he would mount the thing. But after a few moments of consideration, he decided to stop overthinking and just go for it.

He made several attempts, though his movements were a bit stiff. Each time he tried to swing his leg over, the seikrobos shifted slightly, leaving him half-dangling. The creature huffed, casting Julian a look of reluctant tolerance—or maybe it was just getting back at him for staring at it so long.

Julian tried one more time, but before he could raise his leg, Juliet’s laughter burst out from behind him.

“Pfft… forget it, Julian.” Juliet patted his shoulder several times, shaking her head before waving Julian to follow her. “Just ride with me for now.”

“That…” Julian glanced back at the seikrobos, but it took another step away before he could even do anything else. And so, with a sigh, Julian just gave up and joined Juliet on her mount, while the seikrobos that was supposed to be for him was designated to carry all the luggage instead.

“Uhm…” Juliet thought he would hesitate to ride behind her, but not at all. Not only did Julian did not hesitate, but he also wrapped his arms around her waist without saying anything at all, causing Juliet to flinch.

She glanced back at Julian, but he wasn’t reacting at all, and he had this clueless expression on his face that he always had.

“You know, pretty boy…” Juliet sighed as she grabbed the reins, “you—no, don’t mind my words.”

“Alright, is everyone set!?” Cyrus seemed to be completely used to riding a seikrobos as he circled around Julian, making sure to get the right angle,

“Alright, chat. The Sword Junkie is now leaving Ethaca and into the wild world of Artemia. We are finally going to see him go through an adventure, face failures, meet new species. And maybe…”

Cyrus whispered as he made sure to focus on Juliet’s face. “Find love? But what about Ellie, his longtime partner and confidant back on Earth? Well… I suppose we just have to find out in the next chapters of… Sword Junkie: Journey to Artemia!”

“How many attacks have we had the past few weeks?”

Somewhere back on Earth, in a vast room lit up by a wall of surveillance footage, live maps, and countless images and videos of daemons, hundreds of people were currently scrambling about without pause.

The only ones who were not running around were the two people who were overseeing the entire room from above, their eyes, reflecting everything that was happening. The chaos, however, seemed to weigh nothing compared to the conversation they were having.

“52% compared to last month.”

“52%!?”

“Yes. And it’s rising each day. Based on the spike, it’s possible… that a Daemon Wave will be happening again soon. And it will be the biggest one yet.”

Chapter forty-three

Artemia’s Beauty

“So… you’ve never really ridden a seikrobos before?”

“Yes. I’ve never ridden animals before.”

“Even on… what do you call your planet again?”

“Earth.”

“Huh… feels like a short version of ours. And—oh, hold on. It’s going to get bumpy!”

Contrary to what one might expect, the seikrobos do not bark, chirp, or growl—they clack. Their thick, blocky set of teeth drummed loudly each time they wanted to express something.

And with Juliet giving the animal a small nudge, the seikrobos clacked its teeth again as it picked up speed. And it was as Cyrus said the journey would be—scenic.

They had been traveling an endless sea of grass for hours on end. Julian was shocked that such a place could actually exist. He had always felt confined, caged.

Even if he couldn’t see back on Earth, he felt it. The jungle of concrete that reached the skies might make you feel like you could reach the expanse of space itself, but that was only reserved for those capable of it.

For those down below, Earth was a cage; suffocating.

But here, everything just felt so… free.

The sea of grass that was dancing with the gentle push of the wind, the small creatures that were peeking out from the swaying blades, curiously looking at them as they passed by—only bound by the rules of nature.

And every so often, they’d pass other travelers. Some nodded and waved, while most quickly hid their luggage. Some rode seikrobos like theirs, while most were on foot, tightly holding their large bags as they gave Julian and his companions a friendly nod.

“Whoa…”

And at one point, a flock of wild seikrobos dashed by and ran next to them, their thick legs causing the earth to shake as they galloped effortlessly, almost gliding onto the field of grass.

Juliet glanced back at Julian, clearly amused when she saw him seemingly wanting to reach out his hand toward the wild seikrobos. “Pfft… you’re acting like a child, pretty boy.”

“I get that a lot.” Julian did not mind the comment at all, even hinting a smile as the flock of seikrobos all went away into the distance. “Is it always so peaceful here?”

“No,” Juliet answered without any hesitation. “There are creatures that could eat you, kill you, or just downright play with you if you don’t follow the trail.”

“Hm.” Julian really only reacted with a sigh. Another hour passed, and they found themselves trekking close to a cliff, most probably to avoid monsters.

Below the cliff was a vast expanse of trees, once again stretching far beyond the horizon. It was a deeper shade of green than the sea of grass they previously journeyed through—almost figuratively, as it seemed to represent a deeper part of Artemia. The sun was also starting to hang low, casting its warm light over the forest.

There was a faint mist veiling over it, almost as if they didn’t want Julian to see everything they held.

“Hm.” Julian felt the shift in temperature as they passed into the shadow of the cliff. A cool breeze drifted up from the valley, water seemingly flowing from nowhere as they fell down into the thick forest.

“That’s the Forest of Taurys down there.” Juliet noticed him staring at the sea of trees. “We definitely don’t want to find ourselves down there—if I remember correctly, the lowest level of the creatures down there is… 30? Craftsmen like us would need an escort to travel there if we don’t want to be food.”

“Huh.” Julian hummed.

Juliet glanced back at him once again, and when she saw how he had fully relaxed into the ride, she gently pulled the reins and stopped the seikrobos.

“Want to give riding this thing another shot?” she asked.

“Okay.” Julian did not really refuse at all and even quickly dismounted along with Juliet. Since the other seikrobos were still filled with luggage, they decided to try it with her mount instead.

He approached slowly, his hand carefully resting on the seikrobos’s thick neck as he prepared to climb on it alone. But just as he mounted, the seikrobos suddenly took an unexpected step to the side, causing Julian to lose his balance.

“Pretty boy!?”

Unfortunately, Julian’s foot caught the reins, and he was dragged away, the creature, veering so close to the end of the cliff. Fortunately, however, the seikrobos stopped before the two of them could actually fall, probably to their deaths.

“Hm…” Julian freed his foot from the reins and casually stood up like nothing happened, patting his clothes before looking back at Juliet and Cyrus. “These things don’t really like me.”

“You…” Juliet held her breath as she stared at the blank expression on Julian’s face, dirt still sticking to his face.

As for Cyrus, well, he was actually also slightly nervous. It’s true he wanted a thrill, but Julian falling down a cliff would be quite a short thrill. “That… that was close. Right, chat?”

SailorKiki: if Julian dies, I will kill you

iLuvUnicorns: petition to change Sword Junkie’s cameraman

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: Death is afraid of the Sword Junkie!

PicklePirata: Common Cyrus L

And as Cyrus’s eyes were bombarded by the chat, he could not help but stutter with his words. “W…what the!? Why are you people blaming me!?”

“Pfft…” After holding her breath, Juliet let out a quiet breath of laughter as she quickly reached out to Julian. “Okay… okay—maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to try this next to a cliff. Just… ride with me for now.”

And so, with another failure, they continued on with their journey. Soon, the scenery around them shifted to a more rugged terrain, the air growing cooler and more crisp as the trees began to stretch above their heads, completely veiling the setting sun. Its rays pierced through the leaves and cast patterns across the thick roots beneath them.

“Hm…” Julian stared at the light and shadows dancing around him, letting his eyes absorb everything they could.

The day wore on, and now they found themselves out of the tall trees and onto rocky slopes. Everything just felt new to Julian, and as the night fell, his other senses kicked in—bringing new life to everything around him.

“We should stop here for the night.”

With the darkness consuming their path forward, the group decided to pause their journey while there were still tall rocks that could serve as their walls for the night. Julian still wanted to continue as he didn’t really see any problems with the darkness, but of course… he was sharing this world with other people now.

And from the howls and growls he was hearing from the distance, well… it truly was probably best to stop traveling.

They made camp, setting up tents while Juliet distributed the supplies she had prepared.

“I’ll take first watch.” Cyrus winked at the two. “The two of you can rest.”

As the fire crackled in the center of their camp, they each took turns on watch. Juliet did not really have any trouble falling asleep almost immediately—after all, she had prepared everything. And then she also had to ride with Julian, which took a lot of toll on her physically… and maybe emotionally.

As for Julian, well… he and Cyrus had the unfair advantage of being able to instantly “log off” to let their clones rest. He just had to set up an alarm for two hours back on Earth, and Cyrus wouldn’t even need to wake him up for his turn.

Nothing eventful really happened during his turn. But it was eventful enough for him; all the sounds he was hearing, the rustling of the leaves, the white rays of the moon dancing on the cold ground. It was… fun.

But of course, two hours of rest was not enough for his clone, and he had to wake Juliet for her turn.

“Hm…?” Juliet wiped the saliva trailing across her chin, her bandana slipping away from her head as she sat up, revealing her long, blonde hair which flowed around her neck. She looked completely out of it as she started looking around, but as soon as she saw Julian, a sigh escaped her lips.

“Right… we were traveling.” She yawned while tying her hair and putting on her bandana again. “How… long have I been sleeping?”

“A little over four hours.” Julian sat on the ground. “Do you want to sleep more?”

“No…” Juliet waved her hand and scoffed. “You go to sleep, pretty boy. You’re the one who doesn’t seem to be used to traveling.”

“Hm…” Julian smiled in response.

“But I am curious though…” Juliet once again yawned. “…You and that guy. You’re able to fully control whenever you’re returning to your… original body? How does that even work? Is it like magic? You—oh.”

Unfortunately for Juliet, as she glanced back to Julian, he was already completely knocked out and asleep.

“Huh…” Juliet’s eyes narrowed as she leaned closer to Julian, watching his completely still expression as he slept. She reached out, carefully poking his cheek gently at first, but she increased the pressure when she realized Julian was not reacting at all.

“Pfft.” She soft giggled as Julian didn’t even stir at all, finding his deep sleep both amusing… and a little scary. She continued to poke Julian’s face, but her fingers brushed a little lower, accidentally grazing his lips.

“O… oh…” She quickly pulled back, her cheeks slightly flushed as she moved away from Julian. “You’re… really out cold, huh?”

Unbeknownst to her, however, Cyrus was actually awake… and even whispering to the chat about what was happening. He wasn’t going to let such dramatic material go to waste, after all.

And soon, morning came again and the world began to wake along with Julian and Cyrus. None of them really talked as they began packing again and continued on with their journey. The second day was quieter. The only sound was the steady rhythm of the seikrobos’ steps.

Julian, Juliet, and even Cyrus had settled into a peaceful, and comfortable silence. And very soon, the rocky paths became narrower… smoother as they moved between two plateaus.

Julian once again tried to see if he could ride the seikrobos, but he once again found himself being dragged across the sharp rocks. Suffice it to say, everyone found it amusing. And so, once again, Juliet just found herself in silence as she felt Julian’s arms around her.

This silence, however, did not last long this time as suddenly, a massive tree stretched across their narrow path, blocking their way entirely.

“Oh, wow…” Cyrus was the first to react, a small smile crawling onto his face. “This isn’t deliberate or suspicious at all.”

Without warning, he suddenly leaped from his seikrobos—almost soaring through the air—as he latched himself onto the tall walls of the plateau beside them.

“Alright, chat… wake up, wake up!” Cyrus called out, his voice bright with excitement as he alerted the chat. “You don’t wanna miss this.”

“Pretty boy… let’s go down,” Juliet whispered as she and Julian also dismounted, her eyes scanning the narrow path as she carefully moved to the other seikrobos and pulled out her war axe. She kept her grip ready, scanning the large boulders around them.

As for Julian, well—he just stood there with his head tilted to the side.

“I hear… twelve people,” Julian muttered, his voice steady and calm. “No. Not people… animals?”

“Not exactly,” Juliet replied, tightening her grip on the axe as her eyes narrowed, her voice taut. “There’s really only one creature that lurks around here in this area—fautyrs. They’re nasty creatures, Julian… stay on guard.”

As soon as she spoke, shadowed figures began to emerge from behind the boulders, their skin blending into the rocks and earth. Their heads resembled those of goats, with hollow, dark eyes and twisted horns spiraling backward. They had human-like torsos covered in coarse, matted fur, while their legs were thick and shaped like a horse’s, ending in cracked hooves that sank heavily into the ground.

Julian’s first thought was that they might be Gnarfolks because of the horns, but he remembered what Cyrus had told him—Gnarfolks have tails, and these creatures didn’t.

The fautyrs crept closer, their dark eyes fixed on the group, twisted mouths curling into sinister grins that showed yellowed, sharp teeth.

“Ku… kuku… people… so small group…”

“Hm?” Julian’s eyes widened as he caught their muttering. He quickly turned back to Juliet with a hint of confusion. “They… talk? They’re people?”

“If you can call it talking,” Juliet muttered, her stance tense. “And no… they eat people, Julian.”

“They eat people…” Julian echoed as he carefully moved closer to Juliet, grabbing his shortsword and shield from the seikrobos. A slow, dangerous smile formed on his face.

Then that means we’re free to kill all of them.

Chapter forty-four

The Blacksmith’s Guild…?

“Kh!”

Julian’s feet slid back, heels digging into the ground as he blocked the force of a fautyr charging straight at him.

The creature’s twisted horns pressed hard against Julian’s small shield, vibrating through his arm.

“Meehh!” He barely had any time to react as the fautyr swung both of its arms, its dirty nails angling for his throat.

Julian abandoned the shield. There was no choice, as it was already wedged against the fautyr’s horns—and perhaps he just dodged back just in time, as another fautyr rammed through the air he’d been standing in just moments earlier.

But of course, Julian didn’t just dodge. With a sharp motion, he sliced across the back of the creature’s knee, meeting a bone-jarring resistance as his blade struck just right between the joints, forcing the fautyr to simply drop.

Juliet, not far off, had been watching the action between her own swings. She already knew Julian could handle himself, but this—this was something else.

Sure, he’d made it through a dungeon and had experience fighting monsters, but she also knew the difference between his level and her own.

Julian shouldn’t be stronger than her, but he was. So, this is the kind of beings the gods favor, she thought.

But a head-splitting bleat jerked her focus back to her own battle as another fautyr lunged at her with its horns bared.

“Crap!” Juliet brought her axe up in a firm block, meeting the attack head-on. Unlike Julian, however, her feet did not slide across the ground at all and instead stood firm. And with a smirk, she slammed her elbow into the back of her axe.

“Meehhh!?” The fautyr’s horns cracked under her force, pieces flaking off as it staggered back, dazed. Unfortunately for the fautyr, that was the only moment Juliet needed to completely separate its head from the rest of its body.

But of course, this wasn’t going to be too easy.

The fautyrs moved around them with unsettling coordination, their forms slightly disappearing into the boulders and the plateau walls. Their skin and fur seemed to change colors with each step, reflecting whatever material they were close to.

Their pathetic attempt to camouflage themselves, however, was completely useless against Julian.

A fautyr lunged toward him, expecting to catch him off guard. But alas, Julian did not even need to turn around to know that it was coming—he just casually dodged to the side, once again crouching down to slice it just behind its knee.

“MmmEehh!?” The fautyr tumbled, letting out a furious hiss that almost sounded like words. Well, considering they could actually talk, it might have been trying to say something.

Soon, more and more lunged at Julian, none of them waiting for their turn as they all moved at the same time. But Julian was completely undeterred, his strikes aimed precisely at the weakest points.

“Hold on, hold on, chat…” Cyrus, who was watching everything unfold while latching onto the plateau walls, muttered under his breath, his voice carrying a note of excitement.

His eyes flicked back and forth between Julian’s sharp, controlled strikes.

He couldn’t help but just breathe in awe at what he was witnessing. But most importantly, the chat was loving it.

SwordJunkieNo.2Fan: from sword junkie to battle junkie real quick!

pigeonin: gigachad! When are you gonna make a movi3, Sword Junkie!?

KittyNo.1Fan: lol. what a noob. Just watch Kitty’s stream instead, she’s soloing a dungeon

PicklePirata: shameless plug. Get out of here loser. L L L

iLuvUnicorns: Kitty can suck my deeeccck! Ban her! Mod, ban her!

Cyrus focused on Julian’s effortless movements, his hits landing with almost eerie precision, each strike more accurate than the last—this wasn’t something a newbie should be capable of.

Cyrus recalled the little meeting he’d had with MEGAN back on Earth just before the journey started, remembering how she mentioned that Julian had begun training in actual combat. But this…

Julian’s hits were so exact they seemed almost too good to be true—each move targeting the fautyrs’ weak spots perfectly.

Knees, necks, wrists. Every strike cut through with pinpoint accuracy, like he wasn’t just fighting but disassembling them piece by piece. Cyrus watched, captivated by Julian’s flawless aim. In blacksmithing, Julian was already a legend for his perfect hits. But now, here, on the battlefield, he seemed to also be hitting [Perfect] strikes.

“Just… what sort of monster are we witnessing here, chat!?” Cyrus mumbled, shaking his head with a smirk.

And Julian continued, seemingly improving right in front of everyone’s eyes.

And soon, the clearing grew eerily quiet as the last fautyr fell, a dull thud echoing against the rocky walls around them.

“Ha…” Julian exhaled, his stance loosening as he felt the silence settle over the battlefield. For a moment, he almost forgot where he was, the thrill of his own movements taking over until the stillness of victory finally reached him.

Juliet approached him, catching her breath as she observed him with an impressed, almost mystified look. “You… you know, I thought you could fight, pretty boy, but that? That was something else.”

“Sword Junkeh!!!” With the fautyrs all dead, Cyrus finally returned to the ground, a broad smile plastered across his face. “Look at you—if you keep this up, Humanity Engineering might just end up sponsoring us for an ad themselves.”

“Is… that a good thing?” Julian asked as he sheathed his sword, his entire demeanor, turning meek again.

“Good?” Cyrus scoffed, his voice ringing with amusement. “It’s more than good… it’s fucking great. We’ll basically be—what the.”

MaySong: Ew… i’m out

And before Cyrus could finish his words, the sound of Juliet carving through the flesh of the fautyr whispered in his ears—it was the chat that caught it first, causing some of them to leave from the horrific sight.

“Hm?” Julian noticed the shift in Cyrus’s expression, causing him to turn around and also check on Juliet.

“Fautyr pelts are popular with adventurers, thieves, and assassins… all kinds of uses. They’re highly resistant to the elements,” Juliet started to explain without being asked.

“Oh?” Julian seemed completely intrigued as he just left his conversation with Cyrus and approached Juliet. “And what about the horns?”

“Meh.” She casually smashed the twisted horns of the fautyr without any effort. “Not much we can use them for. They crumble into dust after they die. Mostly decorative, if anything.”

Julian, watching her work, glanced down at his own hands. “Mind if I try?”

Juliet looked up, a little surprised, before letting out a small chuckle. “Sure, pretty boy. Go ahead. I think we’ve got a few extra knives in the pack.”

Julian went over to their supplies, rummaging through until he found one of the knives. He quickly began working with Juliet. His movements were careful, mimicking her technique as much as possible.

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: have I shared the knife the Sword Junkie has made for me!?

PicklePirata: get out of here. only peasants are allowed here. Ho, ho, ho

MavTech: will the Sword Junkie be the Skinning Junkie next!?

iLuvUnicorns: that doesn’t sound right for some reason

“Not bad,” Juliet murmured, glancing over at him with a nod of approval. “Just don’t go too deep—you want to keep the pelt as intact as possible.”

“Right,” Julian responded, adapting his movements as he watched her.

And soon, with the creatures completely harvested and their pelts packed securely, the group finally moved on.

It took a few more hours before a new horizon began to unfold before them—a vast expanse of deep blue, meeting with the sky and almost seamlessly melding with it. Julian wasn’t in the water at all, but it felt like he was drowning just by looking at it.

“That’s… the ocean.” Julian knew exactly what it was. Even though this was the first time he was actually seeing it, it felt as if he had seen it countless times. The ocean was MEGAN’s favorite thing. She had described it to him so many times—an endless, moving canvas of mysterious life.

“So… this is what it looks like,” he whispered to himself.

“You…” Juliet glanced back, her eyes softening as she felt the tremble in Julian’s breaths. “You’ve never been to the ocean before?”

“I have, with my parents… a very long time ago.” Julian smiled. “But this is the first time I’m actually seeing it.”

“Huh…” Juliet was a little confused as to what Julian meant by that, but before she could actually push further, Cyrus’s loud voice rang through their ears.

“Alright, alright! We’re so close!” Cyrus raised his fist in the air, and his seikrobos did the same. “Let’s pick up the pace as some of the chat are complaining already!”

Cyrus then pointed at the city resting next to the ocean. It was large, perhaps larger than Ethaca—but from afar, it wasn’t as grand. The buildings were shorter, and there weren’t any towers at all… it wasn’t even surrounded by a wall.

“Onward, to Calydion!”

“The chat he keeps on mentioning… what exactly is it?” Juliet glanced back at Julian.

“They are people watching us right now.”

“Huh… weird.”

The road gradually widened, bustling with travelers and traders alike, all making their way to the city that now sprawled before them.

The closer they got to the city, the more intense the noise became—the haggling, the shouting—it was a thriving market, perhaps thriving too much as one would have a hard time trying to even find a place to actually walk.

And of course, they had to stall their seikrobos on one of the many stables outside the city—except for Julian’s, as it was responsible for carrying all of their things. Julian wanted to hold the reins of the seikrobos as they walked into the city, but alas.

“They really don’t like you, huh.” Juliet softly chuckled as she grabbed the reins from Julian.

“You need to be very careful what you buy here, Sword Junkie,” Cyrus said, his eyes darting from stall to stall as they passed through the first establishment. “This is a trade city, meaning anyone can set up shop here—no permits at all. But that also means that it’s every customer for themselves. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up paying three times what you should.”

As they moved through the maze of stalls and booths, Julian listened to the hawking cries around him, each vendor trying to outdo the next in screams and enthusiasm.

The voices almost blend together in an orchestra. And unfortunately, no conductor at all to guide them.

“You don’t need any permits to sell here?” Julian asked.

“Nah,” Cyrus replied, casually pushing a vendor who tried to sell him something. “Also, if you want something… you know… special, I might know a few black markets here and there.”

Julian tilted his head. “Something special? Like what?”

“You know. Something, something.” Cyrus chuckled, but Julian just blinked back at him, still completely confused as to what he was trying to say.

“How… do you know more than me?” Juliet, who was walking ahead of them with the seikrobos, glanced back at Cyrus. “And also, let’s not… do anything against the law for now and focus on heading to the blacksmith’s guild.”

“Aye, aye, el capitan!” Cyrus raised his thumbs.

To say that Calydion was populated would be an understatement. Julian couldn’t even walk without someone accidentally hitting him on the arm. This city… it seemed too alive for him. It was starting to make him uncomfortable being around so many people.

Fortunately, after seemingly spending an eternity winding through the crowded streets, they found themselves in an area almost devoid of any people.

Juliet stopped in front of an old building, its bricks worn and crumbling. A faded sign hung above the entrance, swaying precariously in the wind, its lettering barely readable.

“Is… this it?” Cyrus squinted, scanning the old building from floor to roof as he listened to the creak of… well, everything.

“It should be…” Juliet muttered, raising her war axe to steady the sign. “It says it’s the blacksmith’s guild, but… this isn’t quite how I remember it.”

Cyrus shrugged. “Maybe they moved to a bigger place and left this place to rot.”

“No. Someone’s here.” While the two were contemplating whether they were in the right place, Julian placed his hand on the old bricks of the building. “I can hear it… metal.”

Juliet and Cyrus exchanged a glance, both slightly puzzled. They couldn’t hear anything but the noise of the city.

“What do you—” But before they could respond, Julian was already pushing the door open, leading them into the darkness of the old building.

As they stepped inside, a wave of silence enveloped them.

The clouds of dust danced in the dim light that filtered through broken windows, casting long shadows across the worn, empty space. There were pieces of chairs and tables scattered everywhere.

“This place,” Cyrus muttered, glancing around, “looks like it’s been abandoned for ages.”

Juliet’s eyes swept across the walls, noting the empty hooks that might once have held weapons and tools. Her grip tightened on her axe. “There’s definitely something strange here. No way this is the same guild I remember.”

But Julian, still listening intently, started walking forward, his gaze fixed on the far side of the room.

“The sound… it’s coming from the back. Someone’s working,” he murmured, his footsteps echoing in the quiet.

“Oh… I hear it now,” Juliet whispered.

The trio moved through the shadows, their steps cautious as they followed the faint sound of clanging metal. With each step, the noise grew louder, rhythmic and deliberate, guiding them deeper into the heart of the guild.

At last, they reached the back where the forges were set up, the dim glow of embers casting a blue hue over the old, cracked stone walls.

And there, hunched over an anvil with a small flame flickering beside him, was an old man that seemed even older than the building itself. He was shirtless and gaunt, his bald head reflecting the faint blue glow of the fire.

“Hm?” As he sensed their presence, he stopped, lifting his head to reveal a face worn with deep lines and wrinkles. His eyes were sharp, however, despite the drooping skin around them. The only hair he had was his thick, curled white eyebrows that nearly touched the side of his cheeks.

Julian took a step closer, but not toward the old man, no. His was gaze fixed on the flickering flame in the forge.

“This is…” He stretched his hand toward the flame, his expression shifting to a look of slight confusion.

“This flame…” Julian whispered. “It’s cold?”

The old man’s lips curled into a slight grin as he heard that, his voice a raspy whisper that echoed through the quiet room.

“It is…” he whispered. “But not cold enough.”

Chapter forty-five

Taming the Blue Flame…?

“So… I guess you are all wondering why a place like this—a place once filled with life now looks like a forgotten tomb.”

“Hm, no. Not really.”

“Well… it started with a rumor.”

“Welp, okay then. Chat, I guess we’re going to get some backstory.”

“Hm…” The forge’s flames barely illuminated the old halls of the guild, flickering like ghosts dancing in the darkness.

Truly, to call it old and abandoned would be an understatement—some of the dust even seemed like it had already settled on the walls and the floor.

And perhaps in a wave of irony, the only one that felt alive here was the one that looked like he could already be a corpse—the old man.

“It started with a rumor,” the old man repeated in a whisper as he looked around his tomb, “but before that, I want to tell you that this place was once the pride of Calydion. We had master blacksmiths from every corner of the land. We have even been visited by the Eldazens.”

“Hm…” Julian hummed quietly as he listened to the old man. Cyrus and Juliet, however, only sighed as they knew this was going to be a long story.

“This place, my guild…” The old man, the guild master, stood up and started walking. Julian instinctively tried to help him, but the old guild master refused. His steps were weak, but each one still held a sort of dignity and pride that you wouldn’t expect coming from someone so emaciated.

His hands soon moved slowly over workbenches, gathering all the dust between his fingers as he spoke. “My guild used to be so filled with life.”

“I remember,” Juliet whispered as she looked around the shadows of the smithy, her eyes seemingly reflecting the light and energy it once had.

“And all of that disappeared because of a rumor.” The guild master finally returned to the start of his story, his weak and trembling eyes glancing at the trio,

“Word spread of an enchanted forge—one said to hold a flame spirit. And so, the guild pooled our entire budget to bring it here, no matter the cost. We thought that maybe, maybe if we managed to tame this flame… others would start thinking that we are the best too.”

He paused, looking at the blue flame with a gaze filled with regret… but also hope. “This forge was supposed to be our ticket to the highest ranks. Enchanted flames that would enhance any metal, giving it properties other forges couldn’t dream of.”

His voice soon grew bitter, and any hope left started to wither. “But every blacksmith who tried to tame it…failed. We all failed. I failed.”

Juliet took a step closer to the flame. “Why couldn’t anyone use it? Was the flame just… too intense?”

“Ha…” The old man let out a small, sad chuckle. “Intensity wasn’t the issue. The issue is that the rumor was true, truer than I would have ever wanted it to be.”

“Hm…” Julian also glanced at the dim blue flame, slightly confused about whether or not the guild master was being literal.

“It’s… alive.” The guild master raised his trembling finger and pointed it at the flame, “That flame has a spirit bound to it, and it does not simply let anyone control it. Every blacksmith here tried to tame it, but none of us could meet its demands. One by one, they left, went to other branches. I stayed, hoping to keep the place alive somehow. But this guild… it has become my tomb.”

“So, it’s only you here?” Julian asked, his head slightly tilting as he listened.

“Yes.” The old man nodded, his expression growing somber. “Just me, and a forge that refuses to serve any master. I’ve come to accept it—that maybe this guild will end with me.”

The silence hung heavy after the old man’s story, each of them absorbing the weight of what he’d said. Even Cyrus forgot to whisper something to the chat, afraid that it might break their… immersion.

Juliet’s gaze shifted between the enchanted blue flame and Julian, a spark of determination flashing in her eyes.

“So,” she whispered, her voice steady, “if no one here could tame the forge, what does it actually want? You said it has a spirit, right? Why can’t we… awaken it?”

“Because it’s angry now.” The old guild master laughed wryly, his steps becoming violent as he approached the fire, causing both Julian and Juliet to move away. “To awaken the spirit within that flame, you’d need to put a part of your soul into it. It’s…like pouring your life into the forge until it recognizes you as its master… but we poured too much, we pushed so much that the spirit within had become wrathful.”

“That’s going to be a problem.” Juliet sighed, slightly wincing as she glanced at the old guild master. “We…sort of need this flame to create a [Unique Epic] weapon?”

“Then I am afraid you have come to the wrong place.” The old guild master shook his head, “Only a blacksmith with true mastery can resonate with the flames now—anyone less would find themselves incinerated by its cold touch.”

“You just described my master.” Juliet pointed at Julian, excitement escaping her curling lips. “He’s a grandmaster.”

“Grandmaster? Ha!” The old guild master scoffed in amusement, staring deep into Julian’s eyes. “He doesn’t even possess a [Blacksmith] class. The spirit would eat him alive.”

“I’m serious.” Juliet’s eye slightly twitched, slightly annoyed at the fact that Julian was being looked down upon. “He might be even better than you.”

“It’s not about being better!” The flames danced along with the dust as the guild master’s voice caused the entire smithy to tremble. “It’s about being worthy! The spirit requires someone with the [Blacksmith] class to touch it—what do you think would happen if someone not possessing it would touch it!? He will burn! Turn into ashes!”

“Okay, alright…” Juliet turned her head away as the old guild master’s saliva started spraying everywhere. “But I’m telling you, Julian is—”

“It’s fine, Juliet.” Julian cut her words off.”

“No, it’s not fine.” Juliet scoffed as she finally let go of her war axe, resting it on a nearby bench before approaching the flames again. “Well, old man. I do have a [Blacksmith] class. Mind if I try?”

“Maybe that’s not the best idea.” Cyrus, who had been quiet the entire time, placed his hand on Juliet’s shoulder. “The spirits are… prideful creatures, Juliet. I’ve met one before, and they’re not really someone to be trifled with.”

“Eh. I’ll be fine.” But Juliet was already stepping toward the forge, her gaze locked on the blue flames. She rolled up her sleeve, holding her hand out to the flames, her breaths deepening as she drew closer. The cold fire flickered, almost as if it was sensing her approach.

“You heard the old man’s story. No one’s died before,” she whispered, “Alright… here goes nothing.”

As her fingers inched closer, the blue flames flickered and twisted, reacting to her presence with an almost curious movement. And for a very brief moment, just as her hand brushed the fire, Julian noticed her eyes turning completely white.

“Juliet…?”

“Ssh!” The old guild master stopped Julian from approaching, “She’s now in the presence of the spirit. Do not touch her!”

Julian quickly paused as he heard the guild master, making sure to take several steps back so as to not disturb Juliet.

A second.

A minute.

An hour.

An entire hour had passed, and yet Juliet’s hand remained above the dim fire. But very soon, however, when they thought they would have to wait for another moment to pass… the flames surged violently, wrapping around Juliet’s arm with a fierce grip.

“Gah!” Juliet gasped awake, her arm locked in place as the cold flames crawled up her skin as if it was alive. Its touch was both searing and chilling, an intense cold that burned with an unnatural… and weird ferocity.

“Juliet!” Julian stepped forward instinctively, but the old man held up a hand.

“Wait!” the guild master barked. “If she pulls back too fast, it’ll only tighten its hold.”

The cold flames began to creep higher, their icy grip biting into her skin with a sinister intent.

“Tch!” Cyrus leaped forward, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back, yanking her free and throwing her far away from the forge.

“What…” She staggered slightly, catching her breath as she looked down at her arm, now lined with faint frostbitten marks where the flames had touched. Soon, however, those marks disappeared almost as if nothing happened.

“I’m…” Her eyes met Julian’s, and she shook her head, a weak smile of reassurance on her lips. “I’m fine… I guess it doesn’t like me that much?”

The old man’s expression darkened. “I told you. Only an unparalleled blacksmith can dominate the flame, and even then, one has to prove themselves worthy. The guild had high hopes for this enchanted flame… but instead, it broke us. What could some no-name like you ever hope to achieve?”

“Hm…” Julian’s gaze drifted back to the cold flames. He took a step closer, observing the faint blue aura that seemed to pulse from within.

“Don’t even think about it, kid,” the old man cautioned, eyeing Julian’s movement. “You don’t have a [Blacksmith] class, and I already warned you—this flame doesn’t play nice with imposters. I would suggest the three of you leave this place and never—”

“Sword Junkie, what are you doing!?”

“Julian!?”

Before the guild master could finish his warning, Juliet’s and Cyrus’s eyes went wide as they saw Julian just casually placing his hand over the frosty fire. And the moment the tip of his fingers touched the blue flame, everything just suddenly went silent.

“Hm?” Julian looked around, only to see everyone frozen; Juliet and Cyrus were reaching out to him… but their bodies were completely suspended in time. And soon, Julian’s vision blurred, and everything around him dissolved into a sea of blue.

Julian felt his feet leave solid ground, drifting in a space that was endless and bright, with hues of blue swirling like chilled mist around him.

He recognized this sensation—it was eerily similar to the Mana Chamber in the Tower of Mana, but this place had a chill that seemed to seep right through to his bones… but at the same time, it scalded his skin with heat.

“This… place again?” Suffice it to say, Julian didn’t have a very fond memory of this place.

He tried to look around, but everything was shrouded in a gentle, icy glow. There was no clear form, no shapes to guide his vision—just an expanse of… a cold light.

“Another one?” Then, slowly, something began to take shape in front of him.

A figure emerged from the blue haze, materializing as if woven from the cold flames itself. Its body soon took the shape of a human, wreathed in blue flames that flickered with a strange and wild calmness.

“Hm…?” The spirit’s eyes glowed faintly, piercing Julian with an intense, scrutinizing stare.

The spirit tilted her head, her voice soft yet sharp as a blade. “So… this is the one who dares touch the flames of Searadyn?”

“Uhm… yes?” Julian casually waved his hand at the spirit, a small smile crawling on his face. “My name is Julian.”

“I do not care for your name!” The spirit lashed out, waving her hand violently at him and causing multitudes of solid flames to spike out from the empty space—all pointed at Julian.

“I am an Avatar of Searadyn, Spirit of the Frostfire,” she announced, her voice like the crackle of ice. “You stand here with a foolish audacity, mortal…”

“Sorry.” Julian sighed, his eyes looking at the weird, solid flames inching closer and closer to him. “I just wanted to talk.”

“Talk…?” The flames surrounding the Avatar of Searadyn faltered, her deep eyes twitching as they stared at Julian. “You… You are not even of the [Blacksmith] class. And yet you want to talk… to me?”

Her form surged forward, her flame-wreathed hand reaching out as though wanting to snap his neck there and then.

“Kh…” Julian felt an intense cold wrap around him, but even still, he held his ground.

“I am already more than vexed from having been awakened by that foolish girl—and someone like you dares even touch me? Me!?” The Avatar of Searadyn’s voice caused the entire domain to quake,

“Your death will not even be enough to quench my wrath!”

Chapter forty-six

The Wrath

“Your death will not even be enough to quench my wrath!”

The icy flame that gripped Julian’s neck grew tighter by the second, almost reflecting the wrath that was seeping out from the flame spirit’s lips. Her face, which was veiled in a flickering frost, twisted into a deep scowl as she glared at Julian—the disgust in her deep eyes almost drowning.

“You…” She hissed, her voice even colder than the flames dancing around her. “You foolish mortal.”

“Hm…” Julian slightly tilted his head to the side as the Avatar of Searadyn’s burning hands tightened even more, her fingers like a cold and sharp iron. “Tell me, what gave you the audacity to touch my flames? Do you even understand who you’re dealing with?”

“I was only hoping to—”

“Silence, child!” The flames dancing atop her head exploded. She stared at Julian for a few more seconds before her grip finally loosened, her deep eyes now looking at Julian like he was some sort of insect that she could crush at any moment.

“What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?” she continued, the disgust in her voice even more prevalent now. “Do you think this ridiculous act of… stoicism and ridiculous self-confidence can get you through a trial of fire? Where blacksmiths more skillful than you have failed?”

“I’m… not here to accomplish anything, or to prove myself better than those that came before.” Julian sighed. “I am only here to ask for your help… that your flames might assist me in making a weapon I need.”

“Huh…?” For a moment, the spirit was silent, her flames dancing and crackling as she stared at him in disbelief.

“Help you make a weapon?” she repeated, a hint of mocking amusement dripping from each word. “A simpleton who hasn’t even earned the title of [Blacksmith] has the nerve to ask a Spirit of Frostfire for help? Pathetic.”

“I know.” Julian once again sighed, this time a hint of a smile crawling on his face as he spoke to the fire spirit. “It’s just—”

“No.” The Avatar of Searadyn raised her palm, cutting Julian off as her eyes narrowed; the flames dancing around her, now hissing wildly, “What even made you think you could ever possibly deserve my power?”

“Uhm…” Julian scratched his chin. “Please?”

“Please…?” The Avatar of Searadyn’s eyes twitched at the word. And soon, her flames erupted in a wild, icy blaze. “You truly have no fear, do you?”

The Avatar’s voice lowered, turning into an ominous whisper. “Then I suppose it’s time I teach you the cost of such arrogance.”

The Avatar of Searadyn did not let Julian respond at all. She suddenly flew toward him, embracing him with her frostfire, literally. The chill bit into Julian’s skin, the icy burn crawling through him like a trillion ants.

And yet, Julian did not pull away at all. Even as the flames surged over him, even as he found himself engulfed by the frozen inferno, Julian did not pull away. Instead… he even welcomed the flames and embraced the Avatar of Searadyn back.

“Julian!?”

Back in the smithy, Cyrus and Juliet both gasped as they saw a thin trail of smoke curling up from Julian’s body, his skin paling as if freezing from within.

“Julian!” Juliet’s voice broke through the tense silence as she reached out to him instinctively, but the old guild master held up a hand, blocking her path.

“Stay back!” the guild master warned, his voice sharp. “That fire isn’t something mortals like us could handle. If you touch him now, you’ll only burn along with him!”

“But we can’t just leave him there!” Cyrus protested, his usually calm demeanor gone. He even almost turned off the chat there and then. After all, who wants to see their idol burn alive… even if it was just a clone? “There has to be something we can do!”

LifeLies: Do something cyrus! WTF!?

PicklePirata: gg. been a good run. RIP Sword Junkie

DanteGulapers: F

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: You think the Sword Junkie will end here!? Then you do not know him at all!

PepeTheThragg: i dont like this guy since he’s so perfect, but i dont want him to die!

PicklePirata: lol. Chill. He can still stream IRL

“No.” The guild master shook his head, eyes dark with resignation. “It’s too late for the boy—he has been doomed by his hubris.”

“No.” Juliet clenched her fists, refusing to look away from Julian’s smoldering figure. “It’s not over. Julian can handle this.”

Meanwhile, within the strange blue domain, Julian was groveling on the ground, completely engulfed in frostfire, his body burning under the Avatar’s pettiness. Yet, even as the flames licked at him, biting into his skin and crackling with deadly intensity, he made no sound.

“What’s the matter, child?” The Avatar watched him closely, irritation twisting her features as she noticed his calm expression. “Are you too weak to even scream, child? Where is your confidence now!?”

“Why…” Julian glanced up at her, his eyes steady even through the scalding cold. “Why is your kind always so violent and unreasonable? This… this is the second time I’m being… harassed like this.”

“What would you know about my kind?” The Avatar’s flames faltered slightly, her face contorting in frustration as she heard Julian’s words. And then, with a sharp wave of her hand, the flames around Julian extinguished in an instant.

His body, however, was left completely charred and battered.

“Enough,” she snarled, her gaze piercing. “I will ask again. Tell me, mortal… what makes you think you are worthy of wielding my flames?”

“I’m…” Julian slowly rose to his feet, his charred skin crumbling and flaking—snowing ash on the blue ground beneath him. He couldn’t even feel any of the pain anymore. “I’m not worthy. I came to you because I want to make something I’ve never had before. A cold flame, that’s something I’ve never even heard before—and when I heard you crackle in that forge… you sounded lonely.”

“Huh…?” The Avatar’s eyes narrowed as she examined him, her flames flickering slightly lower, her voice a mixture of disbelief and restrained anger. “You think… I’m lonely?”

“Yes.” Julian hummed. “But also so… beautiful.”

“W…what are you even saying!?” The Avatar’s flames flickered.

“And it’s not that I don’t possess a [Blacksmith] class—I’m actually also here because of a quest. It’s for a [Unique] Blacksmith class, and when I saw you for the first time… I knew already that you could help me achieve that with ease.”

“You…” The Avatar of Searadyn stared at him in silence for a moment before her laughter erupted again, louder and harsher than before. “A quest for a [Unique] Blacksmith class? You… a mortal without even a class… dare dream of something so grand? Do you even understand the depth of your own ignorance? What… what sort of imbecile would even give someone like you, a simpleton, a quest!?”

Her laughter reverberated through the blue domain, but soon, a ripple spread across the azure space, the light around them dimming as shadows began creeping up from beneath Julian’s feet.

“Hm?” Julian blinked, watching as the shadows crawled throughout the domain.

And of course, the Avatar’s laughter ceased there and then.

“What… what is this?” The Avatar’s voice grew uncertain, her flames flickering erratically as she glanced around. “What did you—”

[[You dare call me an imbecile!?]]

Julian’s eyes widened as words suddenly materialized in the air before him. He didn’t even need to guess, he instantly recognized the presence that filled the space.

“W…what!?” And although the words only came to Julian as a message in his mind, the Avatar actually seemed to hear it as she clutched her flaming ears, obviously in pain.

“Who… who are you!?” The Avatar of Searadyn’s flames dimmed further, the once blinding light of frostfire turning into a faint glow under the consuming darkness of the shadows. She stumbled back, her hands clutching her head as if the voice physically hurt her.

“What have I done to deserve your wrath?”

[[I am the Master of Shadows, puny spirit. And you have shown me insolence.]]

“The… the Master of Shadows. Could it be…” The Avatar’s form trembled, her once proud posture shrinking under the oppressive weight of the words.

“But… you’ve perished eons ago.”

[[And yet here I am.]]

The shadows rippled violently in response, the surrounding darkness now coiling around the flaming silhouette of the Avatar of Searadyn.

“Uhm…” Julian watched in confusion as the Avatar’s flames wavered, her power seemingly shrinking under the relentless shadows.

The Avatar of Searadyn’s fierce flame dulled to a faint flicker, her once blazing frostfire now subdued and trembling in the presence of the Master of Shadows. She fell to her knees, casting a fearful look toward Julian, then to the shadows, her hands reaching up as though to shield herself.

“Please… forgive me,” she stammered, her voice stripped of all its previous confidence. “Master of Shadows… I… I had no knowledge that you… you have touched this mortal with your primor—”

[[Submit or perish.]]

The Master of Shadows did not let the Avatar of Searadyn finish her words, the shadows that now veiled the entire domain trembling in rage.

[[You, not even a spirit herself, only an Avatar… actually dare to question my only acolyte?]]

“I… I truly did not know. I—”

[[Silence! Submit or perish!]]

“I…I…” The Avatar’s gaze moved toward Julian, her once disdainful expression now a mixture of fear and confusion. And with hesitant, trembling hands, she held out her palms to him in a gesture of surrender, her flickering now radiating submission instead of authority.

“Uh…” Although Julian somewhat had an idea of what was happening, he was still completely confused about everything. The only thing he could really do was step forward, glancing at the Avatar’s outstretched palms. “What am I doing?”

He hesitated, unsure if he was supposed to shake her hand, pat it, or do something else entirely. And so, with a quiet sigh, he simply placed his burnt hand against hers.

“Kh…!?” The moment their hands connected, a surge of power shot through him, the dark domain around them starting to ripple and crack as the Avatar’s flames crawled and melded with his charred skin. The blue hue of the realm intensified, and the cracks spread over his body like molten lines—the blue hue violently seeping out of each crack and line.

Julian felt a strange heat engulf him—not the intense, scalding pain he’d felt before, but something warm and cold at the same time, healing, as if the fire was becoming part of him.

His burnt skin began to flake and peel away along with the darkness that shrouded the domain, revealing smooth, untouched skin beneath.

And very soon, the darkness that had swallowed the realm faded back into the light blue hue, restoring the tranquil atmosphere.

“Okay…?” Julian looked around, lightly humming as he felt the change.

The Avatar of Searadyn was still kneeling in front of him, her head, fully bowed down in submission. Her entire form now radiated a calm and subdued pain.

[Congratulations, Julian Winters.]

And before he could actually speak with the now subdued Avatar, a message flashed before him in a soft, calming manner—obviously the Guidance of Artemia.

The words hung in the air for a moment, then another message popped up,

[You have tamed an Avatar of Searadyn, the Spirit of Frostfire. As the first [Classless] to accomplish such a feat, the gods have granted you 10 Free Points as a token of their admiration.]

Julian stared at the words, his expression a mixture of bewilderment and amusement as more notifications began piling up in front of him.

“Uhm…” Julian shook his head, scratching the back of his neck as the congratulatory messages kept popping up. “But I did nothing?”

Chapter forty-seven

The Avatar of Searadyn

“Are… you alright?”

Minutes have passed inside the domain of fire and ice, and what was once a violent torrent that seemed like it would shred Julian into pieces was now incredibly… tranquil.

The chill felt softer now, the frostfire dancing around the Avatar of Searadyn’s silhouette completely calm as her knees still touched the azure floor. Very soon, however, a deep breath escaped the avatar’s lips as she finally stood up.

She took a step back, and there, Julian could feel the glint of sorrow beneath the dancing flames.

“Are… you alright?” Julian repeated.

“Tell me, my new master…” the Avatar of Searadyn murmured, the wrath in her voice extinguished along with any of the violence she previously held against him. “Do you know what it’s like to be passed down…?”

“No,” Julian answered without any hesitation, “but I do know what it feels to be treated like a child who doesn’t know how to do anything.”

“Then I suppose, in a way, our souls do not differ.” A hint of a smile crawled on the spirit’s face, fragile… but persisting. “I too, have been treated as nothing but a… tool.”

“But… aren’t you supposed to be a powerful spirit?” Julian replied, observing his arms that were previously completely charred by her frostfire.

“Powerful…” A faint, almost bitter chuckle slipped from the avatar’s lips. Her flames, flickered as she looked at her domain. “And yet I have been trapped here for ages, my autonomy relying on foolish mortals—mortals who do not even realize what they are holding.”

“Hm.” Julian continued to listen, his eyes reflecting the sorrow of her words.

“Time and time again, they’ve sought me—great blacksmiths, renowned and popular—all of them thinking they could master me.” She paused, her flickering eyes narrowing as she looked at Julian. “They made promises, each one swearing they would be able to create the most fantastic things… and yet…”

Her flames suddenly flared, no longer violent but just… disappointed. It cast a very small shadow behind Julian, a trace amongst the endless blue.

“Each one of them failed… and once they knew they lacked the strength to wield me, they were quick to abandon, never to try again. Those proud blacksmiths, supposedly considering themselves to be greater than their peers… none ever proved worthy of my flame.”

Julian remained quiet, sensing the dismay of her words, but then he spoke, simply. “I was right then. You were lonely.”

The Avatar’s flames dimmed once more as if the weight of his words doused the remaining wrath within her flames. She turned her gaze away from him, her voice now a whisper compared to before. “A long time… for an eternity now, I have been lonely. Until now.”

The Avatar of Searadyn met with Julian’s eyes again, and he responded with a smile.

“I am truly sorry that you have to serve someone like me,” Julian whispered. “You could leave if you want to, you do not have to force yourself because of the Master of Shadows.”

“No!” The Avatar of Searadyn stepped forward, placing her hand on Julian’s bare chest—there was no sizzle at all, and no pain, however. There was only a cold, but comfortable warmth. It was hard for Julian to describe what it was… but it felt nice.

There was no longer any anger in her touch.

“For one to be acknowledged by the Master of Shadows…” She sighed. “That would mean that I am the one unworthy of you. And so, if you will have me, Julian Winters, then I offer my power to you—and if need be, my life. Let this be what binds me to you, my covenant.”

“Okay.” Julian hummed as he gently held the avatar’s hand. “I do not know what I could offer you, but let me be the person who will never abandon you.”

“That…” For a long moment, the Avatar of Searadyn stared at him, her flames flickering with a new softness. Then, she tilted her head, the hint of a smile flickering on her spectral face.

“I would very much like that. From this moment on, I am with you. Use me, Julian Winters—and use me well.”

With that, the blue light of the realm intensified, growing violently as the Avatar’s form dissolved into shimmering embers that wrapped around his hand, filling him with an intense, chilling warmth.

And as his vision blurred, he heard her voice one last time, a whisper in the icy light.

“You have my loyalty, Julian Winters. May we forge something the world has never seen.”

Julian closed his eyes from the intense light, and as he opened them once again, the familiar dim glow of the forge welcomed him back. The guild felt warm, almost causing him to sweat—a reminder that everything that happened inside his mind was real.

He then took a breath to collect himself, feeling something new within him—a chill that hummed in his veins, powerful but quiet… tranquil.

“Julian…?” Juliet’s voice was the first to break his stupor. She stepped forward, a smile crawling on her face as she carefully patted Julian’s shoulders—checking to see if she would be burnt. And when she didn’t, she immediately lunged toward him and gave him a hug, “You’re back!”

“Y–yes…” Julian gritted his teeth from the pressure of Juliet’s grip. Fortunately for him, Juliet noticed how much he was suffocating and quickly let go of him.

“Welcome back, Sword Junkie.” Cyrus also tapped Julian’s chest. “You had us worried there for a bit.”

Cyrus would have been hyping the chat right about now, but he opted not to do so because he was a little wary of the old guild master—after all, with the prejudice he had been showing from the start against Julian not having the [Blacksmith] class… he might probably be a follower of the Order of Artemia. He needed to be careful.

“You…” And while he and Juliet were celebrating Julian’s return, the old guild master looked incredibly astonished. Confused, but very much astonished.

His eyes were wide, his gaze fixed on Julian with a mix of shock and apprehension.

“What… happened in there?” he asked, the tremble in his voice obvious for everyone to hear.

“The spirit and I talked.” Julian raised his left arm as he finally realized the shift in weight on it. And everyone glanced at the back of his hand, all of them noticing for the first time a faint marking—a delicate, symbol inked along his skin.

It was snow, half veiled by fire.

“Huh…” He held up his hand in front of his face, and with a snap of his fingers and a simple thought, a wisp of blue flame sparked to life in his palm, hovering cold and serene.

“Julian…” Juliet gasped, the excitement in her breath barely containable. “So, you did it. You actually tamed the spirit…? This is… wow.”

“H…how!?” The guild master took a step back upon seeing the blue flame dancing above Julian’s palm. “How… how did you manage to control it without a [Blacksmith] class? When… when no one else could… This is… unheard of. What… and without mana…?”

“No.” Cyrus crossed his arms, his eyes also staring at the blue flame, “Spirits don’t require mana for control, old baldie. They draw power from the essence of Artemia itself.”

The guild master stared at Cyrus for a few seconds, before taking a deep breath and turning back to Julian with a solemn expression laced with regret and shame.

“Forgive me… I judged you unfairly, young man—no, Master Julian.” The guild master lowered his head. “My eyes, it would seem, have grown too old to recognize greatness. Perhaps I knew from the start when you noticed the temperament of the flames, I just refused to admit to myself that someone so young would be… better.”

“It’s alright.” Julian waved off the apology with a simple shrug. “Would you mind?”

He then walked toward the forge, the flames hovering on his hand flickered along with him. His eyes reflected the weak blue flames in them, and with a breath, he reached his hand out… letting the flames on his hand connect and dance with the weak sparkle within the forge.

And in an instant, the forge came to life. The walls were instantly bathed by the cold, blue glow—the roar of the flames restoring the beating heart of the smithy.

“Oh…” Juliet whispered, a cloud of vapor escaping her lips from the sudden chill. “It feels strange… like standing in a blizzard but warmed by a bonfire at the same time.”

“Like having a fever.” Cyrus nodded, eyes wide with wonder as he felt the comfortable, almost soothing ache settle over his skin.

“Th… this… this is…” The guild master, meanwhile, stood back, watching in awe as the once-dormant forge blazed to life under Julian’s control. His eyes, barely visible beneath his sagging brows, glistened, and it seemed as though tears might spill at any moment.

“Hm.” Julian also seemed satisfied with this, softly humming before looking back at the guild master. “Would it be alright if I borrowed your forge?”

“Borrow it?” The guild master blinked. And soon, a slow, almost reverent smile crawled onto his face—a smile that did not last long at all, as it was replaced by burst of laughter. “After what you’ve done, you are welcome to do anything you want here, Master Julian! You’ve… you’ve given this guild a… a second chance. I will even name this guild after you!”

“That’s… not necessary.” Julian chuckled, raising both of his palms as the old guild master leaned close to him. “I just want to borrow the smithy to forge something.”

“Then please.” The guild master lowered his head in respect. “Show me the skill of one who has tamed a flame spirit.”

Julian rolled his wrists and was about to prepare himself—but it suddenly dawned on him.

“Will normal steel even be—”

“I have just what you need.” The guild master raised a hand before Julian could even express his problems. “Wait.”

The guild master walked to a small alcove, reaching beneath a dusty cloth, and with a grunt, he dragged a massive crystal into the open. The crystal was even large than Julian’s torso in diameter, but even then, it almost looked invisible—if it wasn’t for the blue light refracting around it, Juliet and Cyrus might not even know the guild master was holding something.

“This is glacivyr metal.” The old man placed the crystal, or rather, the metal on the nearby bench, causing almost the entire smithy to shake. “It was brought here along with the enchanted flame—it is a rare metal, and only under the chilling heat of the frostfire is it controlled.”

“It’s not a crystal?” Juliet leaned closer to look at it, careful not to actually lose it from her sight, despite its size.

“No.” The guild master took a deep breath, his soft voice laced with regret. “It is a metal endemic to the lands of the Eldazen. We bought it for almost half the price of the enchanted flame—and yet we could not even harness both…

“Half of it is yours now, Master Julian. Consider it my gift for bringing this place back to life.”

“Oh…” Julian hovered his hands above the clear metal, feeling its incredibly smooth surface on his fingers. “It feels heavy.”

“It is.” The guild master gave a small smile… and then just heaved the entire sphere into the flames of the forge. The flames of Searadyn instantly veiled the clear metal, its surface shimmering and transforming, softening under the flames.

“It’s… melting?” Juliet muttered, slightly worried that they might lose such a precious metal.

“Not quite melting,” the guild master explained, his eyes never leaving the sphere. “It’s getting ready.”

And soon, the glacivyr became almost gelatinous in appearance and slowly began dancing along with the flames, jiggling.

“Now, girl! Remove it!”

“H…huh?” Juliet’s eyes widened as the guild master handed her a large pair of tongs. Her confusion only lasted a split second, though, and with a firm grip, she moved swiftly to pull the glacivyr from the forge. She expected it to squish under pressure, given its molten appearance, but it held firm—still incredibly solid, perhaps even the hardest metal she’d ever worked with.

And it was heavy. Very heavy.

“Put it back on the bench, girl!” the guild master shouted.

“Alright, alright!” Juliet grunted as she hefted it back to the workbench. “And wait, why am I even following—”

And before Juliet could finish her words, the guild master suddenly drew out a long katana out of nowhere. And without even a word, the old man swung his blade… and cut the glacivyr cleanly in half before turning to Julian.

“Now, for your half,” he whispered. “What are you planning to make so I can make it to the size you need?”

“Hm.” It was clear that Julian heard the guild master since he glanced at him, but he didn’t answer at all. Instead, his gaze was fixed on his half of the glacivyr metal, his fingers slowly unclenching from the hammer he had actually already instinctively grabbed from one of the workbenches.

There was a quiet intensity in his eyes, and soon, for some reason, he let go of the hammer and just placed it back on the bench.

“Julian, what… what are you doing?” Juliet’s eyes widened as she watched him extend his bare hands toward the glacivyr.

He didn’t reach out for any other tools; instead, he simply rested his hand on the surface of the metal, closing his eyes as his breaths became extremely calm.

And with a subtle hum escaping his lips, frostfire surged from his hands.

“Wait…” The guild master, eyes wide with disbelief, took an instinctive step back to give Julian more space. “Master Julian… are you really about to—”

“She told me to use her well,” Julian murmured, almost as if speaking to the flames dancing across his palm, “and I intend to do just that.”

“No… no way…” Cyrus sucked in a breath as he realized what Julian was about to do.

“Is he about to forge that thing using only the spirit of the flame?”

Chapter forty-eight

Searadyn’s Veil

“Okay…”

This was not something Julian had ever done before, and probably never would if he did not discover Otherworld, if he didn’t discover Artemia. He was already learning about this world bit by bit through MEGAN and Cyrus, and yet nothing truly came close to experiencing it firsthand.

Magic.

He might not have expressed his jubilance, shock, or joy at being able to manipulate flames with the flick of his fingers—but he was truly, truly excited. Enough that he was actually losing control of himself in glee.

And now, it was showing on his face with a trembling smile as he caressed clear metal before him.

“Hmn…” Julian took in a slow and steady breath as he let the tip of his fingers brush the surface of the large and soft clear metal…and as he lightly tapped it, it bounced and jiggled playfully, parts of it perking up with each of his touch.

He tapped it again, and this time, the flames around his fingertips surged, seemingly responding to his intent and moving as if they were part of his own body—and right now, they probably were.

The flames spoke to him. They spoke to him like how his hands spoke to him. They respond to each beat of his heart, each breath. He didn’t need to command; they just did it.

The flames of the Avatar of Searadyn obliged with loyalty that was almost instinctive, the bond between him and the spirit, although but a blink, was already so deep that it felt like he had lived with it his entire life.

“Let’s get started, then…” Julian murmured as the frostfire dancing around his fingers hissed. He tugged at the parts of the glacivyr that perked up, pulling it almost like a thread of… water, but not quite.

With a sharp flick of his wrist, he bent the thread, and a violent spark erupted. Violent, yes… but controlled.

It didn’t feel like molding clay. No, this was something else entirely. It was a different feeling altogether—the closest way Julian could describe it is like when one tries to untangle a wire, or tie it in a knot that you desire.

A steel wire, yes. Or perhaps a thick aluminum foil? That is what it felt like to mold it… except harder, much harder.

He had to stay fully concentrated. He controlled the frostfire, yes. But at the same time, he had to follow it too, keeping a careful balance of pressure, cold, and heat to coax the metal into the shape he envisioned.

And soon, the blue flames sparked even more frequently, even more violent as he finally stretched it.

“Is it just me… or is it getting colder?” Cyrus whispered.

Juliet immediately shushed him.

Julian stretched it as long as his arm could stretch, the flames in his hands pulsing across the clear metal with each second he pulled. He then carefully placed the glacivyr back on the bench, giving it a twist.

“Shit!”

“Ssh.” It was Juliet’s turn to be shushed as she accidentally gasped as the blue spark that erupted with the twist was even more violent than the last. The cold that it carried with it was enough to cause the air to creak.

Julian gave it another fold, causing the sparks to fly and bloom without consequence. And when he was satisfied with the width, the blue flames dancing around his fingers became solid, a frozen flame.

“Hm.” With a breath, this frozen flame hammered the clear metal. Perhaps hammered was not the right word to use, but attacked. It attacked the glacivyr with utmost precision, compressing its twist and turning it into blocks.

And while the flames were violent, the brushing of Julian’s hand as it hovered across the metal was not. If Ellie were here, then she would have definitely recognized the way Julian moved because… he always held the same gentleness whenever he massaged her.

Soon, however, the intensity of the flames increased—and the glacivyr could do nothing but obey his will.

“Hm?” But then, a small miscalculation. But not on his part.

The Avatar of Searadyn had a will of its own, it had emotions… and it got excited as the weapon was taking shape.

As the flames attacked the tip of the flattened glacivyr, a wave of violent chill burst outward from Julian’s hands—sharp and biting—freezing the entire surface of the workbench in an instant.

It was then followed by a ripple which caused jagged icicles to grow from the frozen surface, some of it even pricking into his arm.

“Hm…” Julian hummed as he did not expect the pain. But he quickly let a large breath escape his lips, lifting both of his hands almost as if to console the spirit of the flames. “It’s fine, relax.”

Slowly, meticulously, he resumed molding—no, forging—the clear metal, the blue sparks now erupting each second.

The three watching him noticed something, however—he seemed to be folding the clear metal, even though its shape had already been established—and he did so for hours on end, seemingly lost in the rhythm of… creation.

They were confused as to what he was doing as at one point, it even seemed completed, and yet still, he folded and shaped it again and again.

Another hour passed, and finally, Julian stepped back from the bench, his heavy breaths releasing vapor as they escaped his curled lips.

“Julian… is that…?” Juliet whispered, eyes wide as she stared at the clear weapon.

The weapon he’d forged was shaped like a rapier, elegant and slender, yet… larger, almost as long as a traditional longsword. The blade gleamed with the same clear, crystal purity as the glacivyr, as though it were nearly invisible… its form revealed only by the gentle blue of the frostfire coiled around it.

“It’s… almost too perfect,” Cyrus murmured, leaning in, his eyes fixed on the glowing weapon.

And while Juliet and Cyrus were amazed by that they were seeing, the guild master frowned slightly, looking doubtful.

“A rapier, but… that size?” He was confused, scratching his head, though his gaze held an undeniable glint of admiration.

Julian took a step forward, lifting the blade. It was heavy, the weight pressing down on him as he gripped it with both hands. He swung it once, feeling the flow of the weapon, testing its balance and power.

And seeing him swinging it, the guild master’s confusion became even more apparent. “So… it is a longsword? But why is it—”

And then, with a flash of blue light, Julian twisted the handle with his hands. Sparks crackled, and in an instant… the single blade divided into two.

Twin rapiers.

The longsword shifted into two identical rapiers with oversized guards that completely shielded his hands.

Magic. Julian, as promised, took full advantage of that, mixing magic with craft.

“Wait, did he just—?” Juliet’s voice was filled with amazement as she watched the transformation.

“No way,” Cyrus breathed, eyes widening.

And before their amazement could even fully reach its peak—another spark erupted from one of the twin rapiers.

“What’s happening now!?” The guild master held his breath as they all watched as the rapier shifted in Julian’s hand, its long blade folding like origami—a rose, but not quite. It became flat, transforming into a full shield that seemed almost invisible to the naked eye.

“No. Freaking. Way!” Cyrus sucked in a very deep breath as he pulled his hair back. Each word that was coming out of his mouth was filled with disbelief and awe… and he wasn’t alone at all.

SwordJunkieNo.2Fan: I think I just came

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: You are still here!? Who dares consider themselves No. 2!?

SwordJunkieNo.1TrueFan: i will buy that weapon! I’ll give you my credit card details!

SwordJunkieNo.1Fan: Huuhhh!? Whooo!? Mod! Ban them!

iLuvUnicorn: Oh my god, they’re multiplying

Peter has just donated 600 Credits!

SwordJunkieNo1.Fan: Whaaat!? If only I still have my budget

“Hm…” And while everyone was expressing their shock, Julian started moving around with his new equipment. Raising the shield, thrusting the rapier—and even swinging it. Unlike his concealed rapier back on Earth, this clear blade was wider, and its edges were extremely sharp and could also be used to slash.

But perhaps the most crucial part was the balance. He had crafted this for himself, and it felt like an extension of his body—much like the flames his fingers now instinctively summoned.

With each thrust, swing, and even as he just raised his shield… a fierce, chilling aura pulsed forward, a scalding for that threatened to bite into anything that was even unfortunate enough to stand in his path.

And once he was satisfied, he whispered for the [Guidance], curious as to how Artemia sees his weapon.

[Item: Searadyn’s Veil]

Type: Shifting Weapon [Current form: Rapier and Shield]

Grade: Epic [Unique]

Durability: 250/250

Sharpness: 160

Defense: 90

Weight: 9.5

Special Effects:

Perfect Balance – The balance of this equipment will always be perfect. Enhances Strength and Agility by 15%

Searadyn’s Blessing – Searadyn has granted the wearer of this equipment resistance to extreme temperatures, providing constant comfort and substantial resistance to fire and ice attacks.

Spirit’s Loyalty – Only those acknowledged by the Spirit of Searadyn can feel the Special Effects and use the Skills of this weapon.

Skills:

Glacial Rebound – Upon successfully parrying an attack, a burst of frostfire emits from the shifting weapon, pushing back the attacker. Has a 5% chance to momentarily freeze the attacker.

Searadyn’s Wrath — The shifting weapon leaves a trail of frostfire in the air with each swing, damaging anyone who goes near it over time. The trail disappears after 1.2 seconds.

Description:

Forged in communion with Searadyn, the Spirit of Frostfire, this Shifting Weapon carries both her enduring power and her quiet sorrow. Searadyn’s Veil embodies an ever-shifting form, its clarity concealing a fierce spirit ready to defend and protect. Every swing and parry reflects a promise: the spirit’s enduring loyalty to the one who recognized her loneliness and chose her companionship. The wearer wields not only a weapon but the memory of a powerful, silent ally—one whose flames now live to serve a worthy hand.

[Congratulations, Julian Winters. You have finished the labor: Craft a [Unique Epic] Weapon (1/1)]

“Hm…”

Julian glanced at Cyrus and Juliet, a subtle, satisfied smile hinting on his face as he saw the notification from the Guidance of Artemis.

He examined the status screen of the weapon, humming as the information entered his mind. And after a moment, he flicked the remaining rapier, and with another flicker of blue light, it shifted, morphing into another shield.

“That’s done.” Julian took a long breath, lowering his hands, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction in the weight of his creation.

“Thank you for letting me borrow your forge.” He glanced up at the guild master, who was still staring at him, eyes wide with amazement. And without another word… he began walking toward the exit, the two almost invisible shields swinging along with his arm.

“Wait… you’re leaving just like that?” The guild master blinked.

“Yes…?” Julian paused, glancing over his shoulder. “I’ve done what I came here to do. Thank you, guild master.”

“Well…” Juliet shrugged, giving the guild master a somewhat apologetic look before gathering her things. “You don’t have to worry, he’s like that with everyone.”

“But… I was going to announce the guild’s revival,” the guild master stammered, watching as they prepared to leave. “People would come from all over… Master Julian, I would like to introduce you to them!”

“No, thank you.” Julian hummed, already half out the door. “There’s still something I have to do.”

“Is…” The guild master hesitated, frowning. “Is this about your… unique class quest?”

And as soon as the guild master said those words, Cyrus subtly snapped his fingers several times to cut off his stream—after all, they didn’t want the chat to figure out about Julian’s secret quest just yet.

“You’re aware?” Cyrus asked cautiously, his tone low and guarded.

The guild master nodded, a soft chuckle escaping him.

“It wasn’t hard to figure out by the end,” he admitted. “I’ve met countless blacksmiths at my old age, and someone like Julian, with the talent he has… being [Classless] could only mean one thing: He’s bound to be touched by the gods. And so… what’s the quest, exactly? Perhaps I could offer some guidance.”

“Hm.” Julian turned his shoulder to the guild master, hesitating for a moment before he answered.

“I need to defeat a creature called Orpuk using this weapon.”

“An… Orpuk?” The guild master’s face went pale, his eyes widening with what looked like genuine shock. Julian, Cyrus, and Juliet exchanged a glance, waiting for him to elaborate.

The old man blinked, mouth opening slightly. “That…”

They leaned in, tension thick in the air as they saw the shock in his eyes.

“I don’t know what that is,” the guild master whispered.

“You’re really starting to piss me off, old man.” Cyrus’s eye twitched, his jaw clenching as his annoyance reached its peak.

“But…” The guild master remained serious, raising his finger in the air. “I know someone who might.”

Chapter forty-nine

Julian’s Perfect 1-Week Plan…?

“Hm…”

Julian had completely forgotten when the last time was that he was just standing around with nothing to do… and it was making him anxious to the point that he kept on fidgeting with his new baby—Searadyn’s Veil.

He probably didn’t even know that he was doing it, turning the twin rapiers into shields, and then back again as he stood in front of the window of an inn’s humble room. He was staring at all the people walking around the bustling street of Calydion, the light of the night sky subtly hitting his face.

The steady hum of conversation in the street mixed with the sparks erupting from Searadyn’s Veil each time he shifted it from one mode to another.

“That… looks really fun.” Juliet settled into the bed across from him, her eyes blinking each time the Searadyn’s Veil sparked. “But you’ve been doing that for an hour now, aren’t you going back to Earthemia? Earth, sorry. I’m still not used to saying that.”

“Oh…” Julian finally realized what he was doing and immediately stopped, shifting the Searadyn’s Veil into a longsword and then carefully placing it on his bed. “I’m sorry, were you sleeping?”

Juliet’s eyes narrowed, her mouth slightly open in disbelief. “No,” she whispered. “We were talking about what we’re going to do until the guild’s reopening a week from now. Wait, don’t tell me our conversation just suddenly withered from your mind?”

“I… got distracted.” Julian closed his eyes as he sat down on his bed, his body not even sinking even a single inch onto the mattress from how hard it was. “I thought you were just going to take it easy? You said you were just going to eat and sleep.”

“It was a jest, pretty boy.” She groaned, but soon, a giggle escaped her lips. “I was thinking of exploring the city, and then dropping by every day on the guild to see how the old man’s doing. And then take on some hunting quests—I feel myself getting rusty, and it’s been a while since I leveled up. I feel like I’ve been level 15 for like, years now.”

Julian nodded, taking in her words. “That sounds good.”

“Do you want to like… accompany me?” Juliet whispered.

“Yes.” Julian shrugged. “We are already in a party—it wouldn’t make sense if we don’t do it together.”

Juliet smiled, relieved. “Then it’s settled. We’ll explore and hunt our way through the week! It’s time to gain some levels!”

“Levels…” Julian whispered to himself as he finally remembered something, “Guidance.”

[STATUS]

Name: Julian Winters

Class: No Class

Level: 12

Health (HP): 195/220

Mana (MP): ??/??

Stamina (SP): 67/178

Strength: 20

Agility: 18

Vitality: 20^

Mana: ?

Perception: 23^

Free Points: 13

Skills:

You have no skills yet. Please select a class as soon as possible.

Abilities:

Hyper Instinct - Due to some unknown factor undetected by the [Guidance of Artemis], your senses are highly abnormal. All Skills affected by Perception will have increased effectiveness.

Flames of Searadyn - An Avatar of Searadyn has sworn eternal loyalty to you, granting you the ability to manipulate the flames of the Spirit of Frostfire.

Active Quests:

Master of Shadows

Orpuk’s Whereabouts

The Flames of Juliet

Explore the world to gain more quests.

“Oh…?” Julian stared at this [Status]. And once again, it would seem his perception increased all on its own by 2.

His vitality had also increased by one, likely the result of forging Searadyn’s Veil and enduring her flames. It probably contributed to his leveling up as well, along with taking down those… goat-man hybrids, the fautyrs.

But of course, the most significant upgrade, and the one Julian was focusing on, was the gift from the gods: 10 free points.

And right now, there really is only one stat Julian was thinking of on where to put it all.

“Put all the 13 points into strength.”

He felt it. He felt it when he was trying to mold the glacivyr—it wasn’t only because of his promise with the Avatar of Searadyn that he used the frostfire alone to completely forge the Veil; the other reason he let go of the hammer… was because he lacked the strength to mold the clear crystal with his current strength.

He’d known it from the moment his hands touched the glacivyr. And if the rare metals of Artemia would all require such force, prioritizing strength was essential. After all, he was, first and foremost… a blacksmith.

And after enduring the pain of increasing his strength stat, Julian let out a long and deep breath, lying down on the bed beside the Searadyn’s Veil.

“Goodnight, Juliet.” Julian shifted his head, the brief flicker of the room’s light in his eyes fading as he seemed to go still.

“Good—” Juliet paused, shaking her head as she noticed that Julian was already knocked down. “You… should have at least waited for me to say good night back, Master Julian.”

“Oh… What’s the matter, Juliet?” And all of a sudden, Cyrus’s voice rang out in the dim room, grinning as he just popped up from his own bed. Yes, Cyrus had been with them in the room the entire time.

“Could it be…” He leaned over, eyebrows waggling. “Someone’s falling?”

“Ugh.” Juliet rolled her eyes before throwing a thick, hard pillow straight toward Cyrus’s head, causing him to just lean back.

“Don’t misunderstand.” Juliet’s words were quiet, turning her gaze back to the sleeping Julian. “What I have for the pretty boy is respect, utmost respect.”

“Sure, sure.” Cyrus threw the pillow back before turning to sleep. “Just deep, undying respect… got it.”

“Oh, welcome back.”

Ellie’s voice was the first sound Julian heard as he woke up on Earth. It was, however, mixed with the soft hum of the holographic television that was next to the wall. He then heard Ellie running around before returning to his side, handing him a glass of water.

“Thank you.” Julian took it. And as he drank, he noticed the voice speaking from the hologram—from the way she was speaking, it was probably a reporter. He wouldn’t have heeded the voice any mind at all… but in this case, he couldn’t ignore it.

How could he?

[…and authorities still believe the recent deaths are likely connected to underground crime activity, despite that police department’s insistence that it was done by a daemon…]

How could he ignore it when it was reporting the… incident on the tunnel back on Cleveland.

[Julian,] MEGAN’s voice whispered in his mind. [She’s been watching and searching any article on the Cleveland tunnel incident—she’s been at it for hours now.]

Ellie waved her hand and shifted the news feed to another report. She was scrolling through various stations, but they all seemed to be covering the same story: the gruesome deaths from that night.

“Is… something bothering you?” Julian asked.

“I just…” Ellie hesitated to speak, but after a few more seconds, she waved her hand down to shut off the hologram. “I don’t know. I’m just… I’m waiting for news about what really happened to them. I guess I’m hoping they’ll figure out who’s behind it?”

“Hm…” Julian was the one behind it.

“Those bodies. Julian, it was like… like a horror movie.” Ellie’s voice trembled. “I saw some of the leaked images going around on social media, and they were… you know how I like watching car and bike crashes from when everyone still drove on their own and didn’t rely on AI, right?”

“I… am very aware of that, yes.” Julian sighed as he remembered all the nights he could hear Ellie gasping while watching horrific videos—and yet she still continued to watch them… plus those criminal documentaries.

“Well…” Ellie moved closer to Julian and placed her hand on his thigh. “…Their bodies reminded me of those accidents. Their limbs looked like they were run through by something… their skulls were crushed and their bellies… exploded. No human would have done that, and it’s obviously a daemon… and yet why are they still investigating?”

“You… might be overthinking again.” Julian was trying his best to lie. His heart beat steady even as her words weighed heavily in the air. He knew Ellie knew nothing and that any of her suspicion wasn’t directed to him.

And yet, he couldn’t help but feel like she was about to point at him at any moment now.

“Hm… well, anyway.” A smile crawled on Ellie’s face as she scooched under the blanket next to Julian, resting her head on his shoulder as they shared a blanket. “What’s the plan today? Are we heading back to my place? Not that I mind these fancy hotels… but it’s getting kinda expensive.”

And before Julian could answer, MEGAN suddenly popped out from the hologram on the side of the wall.

[Good morning, Ellie!] She waved her hand.

“MEGAN…?” Ellie was confused at first as to how she was projecting herself. “Oh, right—I forgot I gave you permission to connect to the projector.”

[That’s right, that’s right. Fufu.] MEGAN crossed her arms before pointing at Ellie, [19,400. For the last 3 days, Julian’s streaming profit has brought in a total of 16,400 credits! And half of that was just earned in the last stream.]

“Wait… what!?” Ellie’s eyes widened in disbelief, her voice almost cracking as her eyes darted back and forth. “I thought you said his daily earnings would decrease!?”

[We were wrong.] MEGAN wagged her finger, her nostrils expanding as the smile on her face widened. [It continues to increase—and Cyrus said that Julian is now the fastest-growing streamer in the galaxy.]

“B…but…” Ellie stammered, her lips not knowing whether to smile or sob. “…It hasn’t even been a month?”

[Fufufu…] MEGAN nodded with a hint of pride. [And with our current savings, and based on my calculations, we could buy back our apartment!]

Ellie gaped at Julian. “Are you… going to buy it back?”

“No.” He hummed.

“Huh?” [Huh?] Both MEGAN and Ellie seemed momentarily stunned, their faces heavy with surprise. But soon, Ellie’s face softened as she rested her head on his shoulder again.

“Why not?” she asked, her voice a little hushed. “It’s… your parents’ place, Julian. It’s the only thing they left behind for you.”

“No.” Julian’s hand trailed to the side of the bed, his fingers brushing on his cane that was resting there. “The apartment is also a reminder of all the time I was being taken care of like a child. I would like to move on from that.”

“Oh…” Ellie fell silent as she gazed at Julian, her eyes filled with understanding and sympathy. And after a moment, she placed her hand on his cheek, pulling him into a gentle kiss. “If that’s your decision, Julian. Then I’m all for it.”

“Thank you.” Julian rested his forehead on Ellie’s, the two of them staying like that for a moment. As for MEGAN, well, she was wiping the tears rendering from her eyes.

And after what seemed like an eternity, Ellie pulled back with a smile, her hand lingering on Julia’s cheek. “So, what do you want to do today?”

“Hm.” Julian thought for a moment before he replied, “I was thinking of heading to the gym.”

“Well… let’s.”

“Footwork!”

There were a lot of sounds echoing in the gym—the clanging of the weights, the steady thump of people’s bodies, their heartbeats, and yet the only sound Julian could really focus on was the trainer’s voice.

He was standing in front of him, holding two batons while he worked on the position of his feet.

“Footwork!” the trainer barked, pushing Julian’s feet into position with his own. “You can swing like a pro all you want, but without the right footwork, you’re a sitting duck sucking on cock!”

“Huh?”

“Footwork!”

Julian could do nothing but adjust his foot again, only for the trainer to move in and trip him up. He could have easily avoided it, but the point of all of this was to learn how to fight and fight well.

And so, without uttering a word, he stood back up.

“Again! Left horizontal slash!”

“Okay!” Julian roared back as he swung the baton with a practiced arc, feeling how smooth it was moving through the air, his swings refining with each shift in weight and angle.

After training the entire day, he was now back on Artemia, using what he learned against beasts and monsters.

With a swing, he cut up a giant wolf lunging at him completely in half.

He stepped back with intent as the trainer had taught him, swinging his almost transparent longsword.

“Julian, behind you!”

And not even a millisecond after hearing Juliet’s warning, several sparks exploded from his longsword as it turned into one big shield, blocking the large club that was threatening to smash his head in from behind.

Another day had actually passed since he fought with the wolves, and this time, he was fighting a hobgoblin—and as Juliet explained it to him, they were… much larger cousins of the normal goblins.

Julian felt himself almost fold from the hobgoblin’s strike, and he did. He let himself fold, spinning in place as another spark boomed from Searadyn’s Veil, the shield blocking the club, much smaller now as half of it turned into a rapier which he swiftly thrust up straight through the monster’s chin… killing it instantly.

“How…” Juliet slightly stammered as she saw the hobgoblin fall. “How are you even improving so fast?”

The days that followed were a whirlwind. During the mornings on Earth, Julian would wake up to the hotel where Ellie was waiting. By afternoon, they trained in the gym, refining his footwork and endurance until it felt like his senses could extend through each movement, every shift in balance and weight. And when night came, he was back in the mornings of Artemia, training, fighting, and forging with Juliet, each task a test of the new skills he’d gained.

Cyrus and Juliet even teamed up to teach him how to read.

The week flew by without a hitch, and soon, it was only a day before the reopening of Calydion’s Blacksmith Guild. Without a hitch, yes. Until…

“Did… you have more questions for me?” Ellie was once again in front of the two officers who visited them last time. And this time, they did not sound as friendly at all.

“Not you, ma’am.” The female police officer shook her head.

“Huh?” Ellie was confused at first. Why would they be here if not to ask her more questions?

But then, she noticed the officers were looking behind her…

…looking at Julian.

“Sir, we need you to come to the station with us.”

Chapter fifty

Julian, Interrogated.

“Uhm… excuse me?”

The noise surrounding the Clevesky Police Station was overwhelming. Police cars hummed steadily in the air as they came and went without pause. Suspects pleaded their innocence and begged to be let go, their desperate voices merging with the blare of sirens that drowned out everything else.

Yet, even amidst the noise, the only thing Ellie could truly hear was the pounding of her own heart as she stood in front of the station.

She wanted to go inside, but the officers had told her they didn’t allow civilians in without a good and legal reason—and worrying about Julian wasn’t a good and legal reason for them.

“Hello? Excuse me?” Ellie tried stopping anyone she could, but most officers simply waved her off, while others smiled politely and informed her she wasn’t permitted inside.

“Julian…” she whispered. All she could do now was try to calm herself, resisting the urge to bite her nails as she anxiously waited for Julian to come out, wondering what exactly was happening inside.

Unbeknownst to Ellie, however, she wasn’t the only one who was wondering what exactly was happening.

“This is ridiculous, the guy’s bind!” Inside one of the station’s many interrogation rooms, Julian was alone, seated right at the center. The soft light encapsulated the entire room, not leaving a single shadow to trace even the slightest edges of his silhouette.

“I agree, let’s just get this over with.” There were four people watching him from the other side of the illuminated wall, and from the looks on their faces, they were all incredibly tired… and their voices reflected that.

Soon, however, one of those illuminated walls dimmed, replaced by a large image.

“We just showed you something, is your AI describing it to you?” The female officer’s voice resounded in the white room.

“Yes.” Julian hummed. “It’s surveillance footage of me on the Ground Level.”

[I’m sorry, Julian. I really thought I’d surveyed all the cameras,] MEGAN whispered, her voice extremely quiet so as to not disrupt Julian’s thoughts.

“And what were you doing there?”

[Careful, Julian. They usually don’t ask questions they don’t already know the answer to,] MEGAN quickly added.

“Depending on the time, I believe I would be on my way to a club called Velvet Cat.” Julian did not pause at all with his words, acting as calm as possible.

“Walk? Without your cane?” The voice of the officers sounded sharp.

“Yes.” Julian hummed, his fingers brushing the hilt of his cane. “The Ground Level is filled with noise and people, with the help of MEGAN, I could walk perfectly fine even without my cane. I do it sometimes to help me stop being dependent too much on it.”

“Velvet Cat. The club the loan sharks usually frequent. The loan sharks who beat your girlfriend half to death. The loan sharks who are now all dead,” the officers stated. “You don’t happen to have anything to do with that, do you?”

“No.” Julian tilted his head slightly.

“So, what were you doing in the club—on the very same night their gang was brutally wiped out?”

“I asked MEGAN to find where they usually hang out.” Julian sighed, his voice as sincere as possible. “I wanted to talk with them. To tell them to stay away from Ellie.”

“And how did that work out for you?”

“I didn’t.” Julian’s sighs grew louder. “We couldn’t find any of them. MEGAN told me that the club had a second floor, but we weren’t allowed to go up there—so I just went home.”

Fortunately for Julian, the condition that he had been carrying his entire life had become his salvation. Every subtle movement, each flick of his finger, and his heart rate were all actually being monitored by an AI designed to detect deception.

But the AI did not detect anything at all.

“See? This was a waste of time,” one officer grumbled to his partner. “You’ve read the man’s file. Why are we even here?”

“Can you shut up and just do your job?” his partner snapped.

Julian was asked several more questions, staying inside the station for an entire hour before finally being let out. The police officers and even those who were not involved in the case at all, apologized to him—how could they not, after all?

They just dragged a blind man to ask him some nonsense.

“Julian!?”

Relief washed over Ellie, her voice rising to a near scream as she rushed toward Julian the moment she saw him stepping out of the police station.

“What… what did they ask you? Why did they have to bring you to the station!?” She quickly bombarded him with questions, her hands patting him all over to check if he was hurt in any way.

“I’m fine.” Julian chuckled, gently grabbing both of Ellie’s hands and clasping them together. “They…”

Julian proceeded to tell her everything that happened inside the station—the questions, and the fact that he’d been found near the club.

He hated lying to her, but it was necessary.

“You… wanted to talk with them to get them to leave me alone?” Ellie gasped, her eyes trembling as they reflected Julian’s face. But soon, her brows lowered in anger.

“Why would you do that!?” She slammed her fist on Julian’s chest. “What if they dragged you somewhere? What if… what if they took you to that tunnel, and you were there when the daemon attacked!?”

“I just visited the club, Ellie.”

“But what if!? You…” Ellie’s voice wavered as she fought back more words, her teeth gritted in frustration. After a few breaths to calm herself, she wrapped her arms tightly around Julian, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you… thank you for caring so much about me.”

“It’s not even enough.” Julian gently brushed her hair, his fingers subtly massaging her scalp to soothe her. “Not even close to how much you’ve cared for me, Ellie.”

“Ha…” Ellie tried her best to keep herself from crying. Fortunately for her, she didn’t have to try too hard, as something unexpected caught her attention—a woman was watching them, or rather, watching Julian.

“Do… you need something?” Ellie asked, her tone cautious.

“Julian Winters,” the woman quickly replied, pointing at Julian as she stepped closer.

Julian recognized her voice immediately; he’d met her twice before. “Cindy Solis.”

“Oh?” Ellie blinked, looking Cindy over from head to toe. Cindy was incredibly stylish, wearing an oversized camo jacket with the zippers open to reveal a crop top that accentuated her toned figure and hard abs… and decently sized breasts.

Even with a cap on, it was obvious that she was strikingly attractive—and she moved with an air of authority around her, her body straight and her walk almost a march.

And with that, Ellie reacted… nothing at all. “You know her, Julian?”

“She’s the leader of the Exterminator Guild who rescued me,” he answered.

“What!?” Ellie’s eyes brightened, nearly choking as she turned back to Cindy. To Cindy’s surprise, Ellie grabbed both her hands tightly. “Thank you… thank you for saving Julian.”

“Oh. Uh…” Cindy was caught off guard, feeling a bit awkward as Ellie looked at her with such intense gratitude.

“It… it’s nothing,” Cindy replied, gently freeing herself from Ellie’s grip. “I was just doing my job, ma’am. And… wait. May I ask what you’re doing here, Julian Winters?”

“They just brought me in for some questions.” Julian smiled. “I happened to be near a place where an accident occurred.”

“I see.” Cindy nodded, her professional demeanor softening slightly as her gaze lingered on Julian’s hand for some reason.

“By the way,” she said, clearing her throat to maintain her composure, “the knife you created for my grandfather—I couldn’t help but admire its quality, Julian Winters.”

“Oh… Thank you.” Julian hummed, his lips slightly curling.

“And…” Cindy cleared her throat again. “…would it be possible to make a request?”

“Okay,” Julian replied without any hesitation.

“Really?” A smile spread across Cindy’s face, but she quickly suppressed it to maintain her professionalism. “Then I’ll be making a request soon. Your going rate is a minimum of 100k, right?”

“Yes,” Julian replied casually, leaving Ellie completely stunned.

“100k…?” Ellie gasped, a proud smile blossoming as she looked at Julian, her eyes filled with pride that his efforts were finally bearing fruit.

“I’ll contact you again soon, Julian Winters.” Cindy extended her hand to Julian, but he didn’t shake it. After all, he was blind.

“Thank you!” Ellie stepped in, shaking Cindy’s hand instead. “And by the way… are you here because of the daemon incident in the tunnel?”

“You know about that?” Cindy blinked. “I guess it is all over the news. Yes, my team is handling it.”

“Oh. So, it was a daemon, then?” Ellie’s curiosity was piqued.

“I’m not supposed to divulge this, but…” Cindy leaned closer to whisper, and Ellie mirrored her. “The wounds are unlike anything we’ve seen from a daemon before.”

“Then… are you saying it’s something else?” Ellie whispered back.

“There’s a possibility it isn’t a daemon.” Cindy nodded. “At least, it doesn’t resemble any daemon in our archives. But daemons have many forms; this might just be something we haven’t encountered yet. We don’t know yet.”

“Huh…” Ellie looked deeply intrigued. “But—”

“Miss Cindy! We’re waiting for you!”

Before they could continue, someone called for Cindy from inside the station.

“Oh, that’s me.” Cindy sighed, stepping back and waving at Ellie. “Julian Winters, expect a call from me soon!”

With that, Cindy walked to the station, though her gaze kept drifting back to Julian until she reached the officer who called for her.

“That tall man,” Cindy asked the officer, “what’s he in for?”

“Oh, nothing.” The officer waved a hand dismissively. “He just has a connection to the case. The girl he’s with was one of the loan sharks’ victims—and get this, the guy was spotted near the club those motherfuckers usually hang out at… on the same exact night of the incident.”

“Wait, are you saying he’s a suspect?” Cindy’s eyes widened.

“Pfft, nah.” The officer chuckled. “He’s blind. We’re just following protocol, is all.”

“Ho…” Cindy whispered to herself, watching Julian and Ellie as they got into a taxi. “… It’s you.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Cindy replied, lowering her voice.

“Has your team found anything? The folks here are tearing their hair out trying to crack whatever’s going on,” the officer grumbled in frustration.

“Yes.” Cindy nodded, still watching the taxi fly off. “It was a daemon.”

“Agh… finally. We all knew it.” The officer rolled his eyes. “I swear, the government just wants drama. I’m pretty sure your team’s exhausted dealing with them too. Can… I ask what type of daemon it was?”

“The kind I want in my guild.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh. Morning, boss.”

“Boss?”

A few hours later, Julian returned to Artemia, only to be welcomed by Juliet’s weird greeting.

“Yes.” Juliet yawned, stretching her neck and cracking her knuckles as if she’d just woken up herself. “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I thought about it. You don’t like me calling you ‘master,’ and ‘pretty boy’ is starting to get old. Plus… it’s too long. So, ‘boss’ it is.”

“If… that is what you’re comfortable with, Juliet. Then, it’s fine.” Julian nodded, not affected by Juliet’s yawn at all as he stood up from the bed.

“Where’s Cyrus?” he asked.

“He’s the one who woke me up. He said… he was going to pick us some clothes?” Juliet seemed unsure. “For us to wear in the reopening of the guild later.”

“Clothes?” Julian looked over at Juliet’s clothes and then down at his own. “What’s wrong with what we’re wearing now?”

“Boss…” Juliet sighed.

“We look like peasants.”

Chapter fifty-one

Rigid, Rough, and Itchy

“Whoa, this feels so smooth. Where’d you even get these clothes?”

“Now you actually look like a hyum.”

“What did you say!?”

For the past few days, Cyrus and Juliet had grown comfortable enough with each other to bicker and banter freely. Unfortunately for Julian, his ears weren’t quite as enthusiastic about this newfound camaraderie.

Still, he enjoyed being around them. They were… funny.

There was, however, one thing he hadn’t noticed: just how poor his clothes had actually been this entire time. He’d been wearing the same type of outfit since he arrived in Artemia, and even the newer clothes he’d bought were much the same.

Rigid, rough, and itchy.

“Hm.” The outfit Cyrus picked out for him was still a tunic, but it felt smoother against his skin, with sleeves that reached all the way to his wrists. Cyrus had also bought him a pair of gloves that covered the base of his hands, perfectly concealing the mark of Searadyn.

Julian was now equipped with a waist belt that went over his tunic, from which a fully covered Searadyn’s Veil hung. They’d wrapped Searadyn’s Veil, as Julian didn’t want to attract attention right now. If people saw him carrying a glacivyr weapon openly, they would quickly guess he was the one who reignited the flames of Calydion’s forge.

In his current state, that was attention he couldn’t afford just yet.

“Are the two of you ready?” Julian muttered, fixing his leather gloves as he looked at his companions, who were still bickering. “It will not be nice to keep the guild master waiting.”

Both Cyrus and Juliet cleared their throats, retracting their hands and patting their newly bought clothes. Surprisingly, the two were careful enough not to rip their clothes, there weren’t even any creases at all.

“How… much are these clothes anyway?” Juliet said as she admired their outfits—one didn’t even need to feel the fabric to know they cost a lot of money. “These must’ve been expensive, no?”

“They’re alright.” Cyrus shrugged, following Julian out of the room. “They didn’t really cost me that much.”

“How… rich are you?” Juliet’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, grabbing her axe as she followed the two. “Didn’t you say that you’ve only been here for… less than a decade? Like your body’s basically a child?”

“Don’t ask those questions, dear Juliet. Your medieval mind is not ready for it.” Cyrus turned around, walking backward on the creaking hallway of the inn… and wagging his finger at Juliet. “And which part of this body do you think is a child? Have you seen my muscles?”

“Uh…” Juliet tilted her head to the side so she could look at Julian, his shoulders almost double the size of Cyrus. “Have you seen the boss?”

“Don’t compare me to that beautiful ogre. Ugh.” Cyrus groaned, waving Juliet off as he walked ahead of the group. “Now onward, my companions. To the party!”

“Let’s make sure not to separate.” Juliet walked beside Julian. “We don’t know the people there, and those high up in the Blacksmith’s Guild can get a little snobbish, boss.”

“It’s fine.” Julian hummed. “I don’t really talk to people that much.”

“Hm.” Juliet tightened her grip on her axe. “Someone might want to take advantage of you if word slips that you’re the one who lit up the forge, boss. So… I’ll make sure to stay by your side.”

“Food!”

Juliet had barely taken three steps into the newly renovated Blacksmith Guild before she abandoned the group entirely, rushing toward the table overflowing with food.

Who could blame her, though?

Being so close to the ocean, Calydion offered all kinds of seafood on the buffet: a massive crab nearly the size of Julian himself, oysters, and other sea creatures that looked more like monsters than food.

“Julian, look.” Cyrus nudged Julian’s arm, subtly gesturing toward a group of people as soon as Julian looked his way.

“Order of Artemis.” Julian quickly recognized the uniforms the group was wearing.

“I was already planning to stay quiet for the whole stream, but now I’m definitely going silent,” Cyrus whispered. “That means the chat needs more visual stimulus—go ahead and walk around, Sword Junkie. I’ll stay close. I mean, look at this place! It doesn’t even look like the same place anymore.”

“Hm.” Julian responded with a nod and began to walk around. Cyrus was right; the smithy looked completely different, almost unrecognizable.

Gone were the clouds of dust, and the worn-out chairs had been replaced with new ones. There was even a counter with a receptionist behind it. The guild now felt like it truly was a respected organization in the city.

And judging by the way people carried themselves, it was clear that most of the attendees were influential—and from how thick most of their arms were, many were likely actual blacksmiths.

However, there were also guests dressed in such luxurious clothing that even Julian, relying on his weakest sense—his eyesight—could distinguish their wealth. Their hands were extremely smooth and probably had never held a hammer before in their entire life.

Well, either way, it didn’t matter. He wasn’t planning to mingle with any of them at all. No, he was already making his way toward the forge—or more precisely, toward the clear armor displayed before the dancing blue flames, equipped on a mannequin.

Luckily for him, since they had arrived late to the party, most people had already stopped admiring the armor, giving him a chance to examine it in peace.

He’d been there when the guild master of the Calydion Blacksmith Guild began working on it. He knew just how much pain and sweat had gone into its creation, and now, as he stood in front of it in all its glory, the only thing he could whisper was: “It could’ve been better.”

Unfortunately, Julian still needed practice lowering his voice when he whispered, as once again, a few people overheard him. Thankfully, most only threw him a glance, probably assuming he was just some pretentious critic.

One young man, however, was glaring at him rather intensely.

Oblivious to all of this, Julian walked away casually, eventually spotting Juliet at a nearby table.

“Master Julian.”

Sadly, before he could join her for a bite, the guild master approached, introducing the man beside him.

“This is the person I was telling you about. Mr. Garret here is an expert in all matters related to monsters and beasts. He’s amassed the largest bestiary collection I know of.” The guild master beamed. “Mr. Garret, this is Master Julian.”

“A good day to you, Master Julian.” Garret bowed his head, holding his monocle to prevent it from slipping.

“Yes.” Julian mirrored Garret’s bow. “Good day to you too, Garret.”

“When I was informed I’d be meeting someone Kino was indebted to, I certainly wasn’t expecting anyone quite so young.” Garret softly chuckled, seemingly amused as he looked at Julian from head to toe. “Judging by your appearance, would you happen to be a warrior?”

“Hm.” Julian didn’t deny it.

“And I gather you’re looking for a particular creature, is that correct?” Garret adjusted his monocle, but before he could continue, the guild master clamped a hand on each of his arms and lightly shook him.

“Take care of Master Julian, Mr. Garret. I’ll leave you both to talk freely.” The guild master chuckled, the scent of alcohol drifting from his breath.

“Right, then.” Garret fixed his sleeves. “Shall we have a chat, Master Julian?”

“Okay. My friend already has a table. We could just talk there,” Julian suggested.

“Splendid. Please, lead the way.” Garret gestured, and they made their way to the table.

“Wha the—” Juliet hurriedly swallowed everything in her mouth as soon as Julian and an unfamiliar man suddenly joined her table.

“I must ask, Master Julian,” Garret began, seemingly unfazed by Juliet’s presence as he focused intently on Julian, “what sort of favor did you do for the guild master of Calydion’s Blacksmith Guild to earn a personal introduction like this? Kino’s not usually one to be so… cordial.”

“It was nothing much.” Julian smiled, a small sigh escaping his lips.

“Ah, very well, if you say so. We all have our secrets.” Garret smiled in return, picking up on Julian’s reluctance to elaborate. He then placed both hands on the table, taking a deep breath before snapping his fingers.

A large book materialized instantly over his hands.

Julian couldn’t help but let out a small gasp.

“I have the [Scholar] class,” Garret said with a soft chuckle, resting the large book on the table and opening it, creating a small ripple of air. “Now then, which creature were you seeking?”

“Orpuk.” Julian tilted his head, his eyes fixed on the book. And even though he had really been only learning to read for a week or so, he understood the contents of the book.

He understood that it was completely empty.

“An Orpuk…” Garret murmured, hovering his hands over the blank pages of the book. And soon, Julian watched as words and images began to materialize on the empty pages, only to vanish as quickly as they appeared, replaced by others, again and again.

“Hm…” The pages continued this strange dance for several seconds before Garret lowered his hands with a sigh.

“Are you quite certain it’s a monster, Master Julian?” he asked, sounding more disappointed with himself than anything else.

“Yes,” Julian replied without hesitation.

“Then I’m afraid I must apologize for being of little help.” Garret closed his eyes, and the book disappeared at once. “This Orpuk, if it truly exists, hasn’t left so much as a whisper in the records—if it had, I assure you, it would be here, however scant the details.”

“Hm.” Julian tilted his head slightly. “It’s alright, Garret.”

“Well, should you find yourself seeking any other creature…” Garret sighed softly, rising to his feet. He gave a courteous nod to Juliet and Cyrus, who were watching from the other side of the table. “Do feel free to approach me whilst I’m still in the city. Once again, I do apologize for failing to assist, Master Julian.”

With that, Garret took his leave.

“Well, he was useless.” Cyrus groaned, scratching his chin as he scoffed. “And I don’t know about you, Sword Junkie, but I’m starving.”

The group enjoyed the buffet for a while longer, sampling all the dishes. But once they had tried everything, there… wasn’t really much reason to linger, so they decided to leave.

“Ah! That’s him, guild master! That’s the guy who said your armor wasn’t up to snuff!”

Unfortunately for Julian, it seemed they wouldn’t be leaving the party without a bit of trouble. A young man blocked their path—the very same one who had overheard Julian’s comment on the glacivyr armor.

“Me?” Julian stared at the young man’s finger to confirm he was pointing at him.

“Who!? Who dares speak ill of my craftsmanship!?” The guild master’s voice boomed across the smithy, causing all the guests to glance toward the commotion.

“Him! It’s him!” the young man insisted, still pointing.

“Who—Oh.” As soon as the guild master approached and saw Julian, all the alcohol in his system seemed to leave his body. His face, however, turned an even deeper shade of red.

“He—”

“You fool!”

Before the young man could say another word, the guild master smacked him on the back of the head, sending him tumbling across the ground.

“I… apologize, Master Julian,” the guild master said, gripping Julian’s arms with genuine concern. “I hope you weren’t offended by that blathering fool.”

“No.” Julian shrugged. “We… were just leaving.”

“Ah…” The guild master adjusted Julian’s sleeves for him, stepping aside with a polite smile. “Please, Master Julian, do pay the guild a visit again before you leave the city.”

Fortunately for Julian, the situation resolved quickly, and they were able to leave the party without further incident. Unfortunately, their mission was unsuccessful—but at the very least, they’d enjoyed some good food.

“That was a waste of time.” Cyrus snapped his fingers to end his stream. The three of them walked through the streets of Calydion, which were now quieter under the soft white glow of the moonlight.

“What exactly does your quest say, anyway? It should at least hint at where this Orpuk creature is,” Cyrus asked.

“It…” Julian consulted the Guidance. “…just says to kill the special monster.”

“That’s pretty vague,” Juliet commented, rubbing her stomach as if she feared it might burst from her recent indulgence. “And ugh… I ate too much.”

“She has a point, you know.” Cyrus sighed. “Artemia’s bigger than Earth. We’d be lucky to find it before we die.”

“Eh, relax.” Juliet waved a hand dismissively. “The quest was given to Julian by Artemia herself. The gods handed it over—they’ll probably pave the way too. I met him, didn’t I? I’m sure the gods had a hand in that.”

“I admire your optimism.” Cyrus walked a few paces ahead. “And while I agree there’s some merit to what you’re saying, this isn’t really a game. It’s not linear. Quests don’t work—”

“Excuse me. Are you the group asking about the Orpuk?”

Before Cyrus could finish his words, a woman’s voice called out from behind them.

“I…” The woman hesitated. “…may have some information you need, but I require your assistance first.”

“Well, shit…” Cyrus muttered under his breath, biting his tongue.

“… I stand corrected.”

Chapter fifty-two

The First Clue to Orpuk

iLuvUnicorns: Huh? Why is it live again?

PicklePirata: @everyone @everyone!!!

PepetheThragg: what time is it bruh. Its 9am i have to go to work

pigeonin: why are we in front of a mansion? shouldn’t the Sword Junkie let his clone sleep now

Cyrus hadn’t planned on turning the chat back on, but since this might lead to clues about the Orpuk’s location, he wanted to share it with them. After all, even though they were hiding the fact that Julian was on a [Unique] class quest, he still wanted to drop a few hints.

Right now, the chat was watching Julian as he passed through a large gate leading to a mansion in the luxurious part of Calydion. They’d expected the woman who’d approached them to be wealthy, but they hadn’t anticipated she would be this wealthy.

Initially, they hadn’t intended to follow her, but when she mentioned why she had heard of Orpuk, they quickly changed their minds.

A curse.

The woman’s father had been cursed, and she claimed a follower of Orpuk was responsible. That caught their attention, and since this was really their only lead, it wasn’t like they had that much choice.

One of them, however, was sort of regretting following the stranger to a creepy mansion right about now.

“Why… does this place feel so empty?” A chill crept up Juliet’s spine as she noticed the eerie lack of servants or anyone else to greet them. Their absence made the manor seem even larger.

All the flowers and plants in the extensive garden had dried up, leaving only withered remnants. Not even a single lamp or torch was lit.

“My… father is a very private man,” the woman explained, her voice weak. “And his business… if his competitors or investors knew he’d been cursed by some… some sort of cult, they would take advantage of his vulnerability. So, he dismissed all the servants to keep this misfortune from ever reaching the outside world.”

“And yet you’re telling us?” Cyrus narrowed his eyes.

“You’re a party of warriors, are you not? Adventurers?” The woman sighed, shaking her head as she led them into the mansion. “I overheard your conversation with the scholar—my apologies for that. But when you mentioned Orpuk, I had to know—and I could only assume you were here to slay it after what I heard.”

“So you just happened to overhear us?” Cyrus glanced at Juliet, who shot him a look that clearly said, I told you so.

“Artemia has a way of bringing together those who need each other. We are forever indebted to her Guidance.” The woman’s steps slowed as she placed a hand over her heart, her voice softening. “I do hope we can help each other… and that my father will finally be free of his curse. Please, follow me to his quarters.”

“This place is even worse than the Blacksmith Guild was when we first saw it.” Juliet rubbed her arms, trying to shake off the cold. The air felt even chillier inside, and the sight of cobwebs crowding every corner of the mansion didn’t help.

“I… truly apologize.” The woman noticed Juliet’s discomfort as they climbed the stairs to the upper floor. “This place hasn’t been the same since the servants left.”

“Oh, it’s fine.” Juliet shrugged. “We’re used to musty places.”

“And forgive my curiosity, but I’ve told you how I know of this… infernal creature, or whatever Orpuk may be.” The woman glanced back at them. “But how is it that you know of it?”

“We’re monster hunters.” Cyrus quickly fabricated a story. “We’ve traveled far and wide in search of it.”

“I see.” The woman offered a faint smile. “Then perhaps this quest of yours will bring about an improvement in my father’s health. Not far now; his quarters are just ahead.”

“Just how big is this place?” Cyrus whispered. He had to keep the conversation going, since the star of the stream, Julian, wasn’t exactly chatty. Julian had been silent the entire time, not saying a single word—until now.

“That woman is strange,” he whispered, slowing his steps as he leaned closer to Cyrus and Juliet.

“She is, isn’t she?” Juliet whispered back. “Living alone in this massive house? I’d hate to be here if I needed the bathroom in the middle of the night.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Julian hummed. “I can’t put my finger on it, but something about her is… off.”

Before they could delve into Julian’s intuition, the woman halted and turned to face them.

“Here we are.” She sighed, stopping in front of a large door. “I must warn you, my father… he looks terribly unwell. I can’t even say if he’ll respond to your questions, but perhaps, if he realizes you’re warriors here to help, it may give him the strength to speak. Please.”

With another sigh, she opened the door, and a small breeze stirred, sending dust and cobwebs dancing in the hallway.

“Father. I’ve brought someone who might be able to help you.” The woman’s voice rose with anticipation as she entered her father’s room. “Father, are you awake?”

She glanced back at the group, gesturing for them to follow her as she approached the large bed. Like much of the manor, her father’s chamber was shrouded in darkness, with only the faint light of the moon hinting at the luxury it once held. Even that grandeur, however, was cloaked in the shadows of dust drifting through the moonlight.

As they drew near the bed, they encountered what felt like the final coffin in this dying manor. Her father lay there, barely more than skin and bones.

His eyes were sunken, his cheeks so hollowed that they revealed the faint shape of his teeth, and the few strands of hair remaining on his scalp clung weakly. From his shoulders down, his body was completely covered with a thick blanket, yet it was evident that the rest of his frame was as frail and withered as his face.

“Wh—hm?” Juliet had been about to say something when she noticed Julian tilt his head, his fingers brushing the wrapped hilt of Searadyn’s Veil.

She paused, then glanced at Cyrus, who had also noticed Julian’s familiar… little habit.

A habit—because throughout their time together journeying and fighting monsters without pause the last few days, there was really only one reason he was doing that.

He was preparing to use it.

“You said he was cursed by a follower of Orpuk?” Cyrus asked, keeping his tone carefully neutral so that the woman wouldn’t notice his growing suspicion. “How do you know it was a… follower of Orpuk?”

“They shouted its name,” the woman replied, her voice heavy as she ran her fingers through the thin, brittle strands of hair left on her father’s head. “They shouted, ‘By the will of Orpuk.’ I heard it so clear, and it… I don’t understand, you know? I don’t understand why my father deserved this… he’s always been kind to people. He—”

“H…”

“Father!?”

A hoarse, strained gasp slipped into the air as the old man’s mouth twitched, struggling to form words, though none emerged from his parched lips.

“Father, I’ve brought guests!” The woman stepped back, gesturing for the group to come closer, a flicker of excitement in her eyes. “Please… introduce yourselves!”

“I don’t—” Cyrus and Juliet hesitated, but Julian didn’t. Without a moment’s pause, he leaned in close to the old man’s face.

“Julian…?” Juliet whispered, uncertain. Were they wrong? Was Julian not wary at all?

“H…” The old man wheezed as Julian leaned closer, his face only a foot from the elder’s parched lips. The man struggled for breath, but then the words finally escaped his mouth: “H… Ha… Hail Orpuk!”

The old man’s eyes flew open, his hoarse voice scratching through the air, sending a ripple that scattered the dust around the room. His blanket flew off—revealing a dagger in his hand already aimed at Julian’s neck.

Or it would have been. Before he could even lift his arm, Julian seized his wrist, pinning it to the bed.

“Hm. I heard the metal,” Julian whispered, eyeing the dagger as he pressed the old man’s head back down, stopping him from lunging forward to bite him.

“Hail Orpuk!” the daughter suddenly screamed as well, charging at the group while brandishing a large sword.

“What the—!?” Juliet quickly raised her axe, blocking the woman’s sudden strike and deflecting it to the side before ramming her shoulder against her. The woman was pushed back, but she barely flinched, her gaze unblinking and eerily intense.

“Hail Orpuk!” she screamed again, lunging once more at Juliet. Before she could close the distance, however, something crashed into her—his father’s body, hurled from the bed by Julian like it was a bag of trash.

The two tried to rise, but a flash of blue sparked across the room as Julian lunged forward, Searadyn’s Veil: Twin Rapiers crossed in front of him.

Without hesitation, he struck, stabbing both of the woman’s thighs. And before she could react, he sliced off her legs, then swiftly sliced both of her arms too.

Julian didn’t stop there; he did the same to the old man, severing limbs with calculated precision.

“Sword Junkie!?” Cyrus couldn’t decide whether to close his eyes or not, shocked by the brutality. He didn’t want the chat to see this, knowing some of them wouldn’t react well and might even leave, but it was already too late.

“W…why!?” Even Juliet was shocked. “They weren’t that strong, boss! We could have just tied them up!”

“No.” Julian hummed, raising both his rapiers to show Juliet and Cyrus. “They were already dead.”

“What do you—oh!” Juliet’s eyes widened as she noticed the absence of blood on Julian’s clear blades. She glanced over at the father and daughter, and sure enough, not a single drop of blood was seeping from their severed limbs.

“I told you earlier something felt off,” Julian said, looking at Cyrus. “I only realized what it was when I leaned closer to the old man—it was their hearts, they weren’t beating at all.”

“Are they… undead? Inside the city!?” Juliet’s breath caught as she focused on the two bodies, now lying completely still as if they didn’t just try to attack them earlier.

GreenSteve: Zombies!?

DeadMercy: kill them all before it spreads!

TheCouchSurfer: there’s zombies in Artemia?

“No, they’re not undead,” Cyrus interrupted, approaching the bodies. He crouched down and lifted the old man’s face for a closer look. “If they were, there’d be obvious signs—gray eyes, decaying flesh, the usual. This is… different, Julian. Someone was controlling them.”

“Or something,” Juliet added, narrowing her eyes.

“There’s something else off about them,” Julian murmured, shifting Searadyn’s Veil back to its default form and hanging it on his waist. He then approached the bodies, grabbed them by their severed legs, and dragged them into the moonlight.

Cyrus and Juliet were initially confused by his actions, but as soon as he dropped the bodies and stood beside them, they quickly understood what was wrong.

The bodies cast no shadows.

“You noticed that?” Cyrus muttered, making sure the chat could see what he was seeing.

PicklePirata: lol. update Otherworld

PepetheThrogg: its a feature, not a bug

iLuvUnicorn: the two of you again, it’s not a game

“They… don’t have shadows,” Juliet said, finally approaching the corpses. As someone who had witnessed shadows moving around and absorbing Julian’s swords, she was now certain of one thing. “We’re definitely on the right track, boss.”

“Hm.” Julian hummed in agreement.

“What if—wait, what’s that?” Juliet rushed to the bodies, crouching down and quickly tearing open the woman’s shirt, revealing her chest.

“Whoa!” Cyrus immediately raised a finger to block the view from the stream, worried about demonetization. People could handle graphic violence, but nudity? A definite no-go. “What is it? What did you find?”

“It’s a tattoo,” Juliet whispered, staring at the emblem inked in the middle of the woman’s chest. “I recognize it… it’s the symbol of that bar down by the shore. But… I thought that place was run by a big gang. Why would they—”

“Stop!” Cyrus snapped his fingers, shutting off the stream. “Cliffhanger. Let the chat marinate on this a bit.”

“What nonsense are you spouting now?” Juliet scoffed, irritated by the interruption. “What do you think, boss?”

“Hm.” Julian just shrugged, then lifted the old man’s corpse to carry it. “You said they were being controlled, Cyrus?”

“Yes,” Cyrus replied with a sigh.

“Then we should bury them. I think they deserve at least that,” Julian said as he began walking away with the body.

“And after that, we pay the bar a visit.”

Chapter fifty-three

Well, This Is a Bar Fight

“So… how many do you think there are?”

“A lot.”

A small grunt whispered in the air as Cyrus joined Julian and Juliet behind a wall of large crates and barrels. They weren’t alone, however—the dead eyes of rotten fish, along with their maggot and fly companions, were also listening to their quiet conversation.

Julian was the only one who seemed bothered by the smell, trying his best not to cover his nose and instead concentrating on Cyrus, who had just returned from scouting Dasaki, the saloon that had the same emblem as the tattoo of the two corpse puppets they fought back on the mansion.

“But… it feels just like a normal saloon.” Cyrus sat down, resting his back against a damp fish barrel, which squelched unpleasantly, making Julian’s head tilt to the side instinctively.

“Nothing out of the ordinary—people go in, spend a bit of time inside, then leave.” Cyrus shook his head and sighed. “The conversations I overheard sounded normal, too. I think there’s an upper floor, though, so, as we already guessed earlier… we need to go inside.”

“Why do you think those two aristocrats we buried had tattoos from this… gang?” Juliet asked, peeking out from behind the crates to look at the saloon. “Did they have the tattoos before… or were they marked after they died?”

“Maybe they weren’t aristocrats at all,” Julian whispered. “The mansion was probably abandoned a long time ago, and the only metals I sensed were the weapons they were holding. The mansion was likely abandoned and looted long before, and they just used it to lure us in.”

“Oh…” Juliet blinked a few times, taking in his theory. “You can be really bright sometimes, boss.”

“No,” Julian quickly replied. “It was MEGAN who figured it out.”

“Whoa, you can read her chat now?” Cyrus’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s only been a week since we started teaching you how to read.”

“Just some bits and pieces.” Julian smiled, humming slightly. “Enough to understand what she’s saying… or at least what I think she’s saying.”

“The chat’s going wild with that, Sword Junkie,” Cyrus said, blinking as messages poured in. “Most of them can’t wait until they can chat directly from your POV.”

“Hm.” Julian merely breathed out in response before asking, “And what about their levels? Since we’re going inside the saloon, do you think we can handle them?”

“Is MEGAN this asking again?” Cyrus glanced at him.

“No, it’s me,” Julian replied, finally adjusting to the smell of the decaying fish as he peeked out to look at the saloon’s exterior.

“I wouldn’t be able to tell you their exact levels.” Cyrus sighed, shaking his head. “But if the two aristocratic puppets from earlier are any indication, then I think we’ll be fine. Well, at least you two will.”

“You know, you never really ever fight…” Juliet eyed Cyrus with suspicion. “But don’t think I haven’t noticed how you just brush off attacks from monsters whenever they lunged at you. What level are you, exactly?”

“Tut, tut.” Cyrus wagged his finger in front of Juliet’s face. “This isn’t about me.”

“He’s level 82, Juliet,” Julian answered, ignoring Cyrus’s attempt to dodge the question.

“What!?” Juliet nearly knocked over one of the crates in her shock but managing to catch it. “What are you even doing here and not out in the high-level areas? And wait—you said you’ve only been technically alive for a few years here! How are you so strong!?”

“Heh…” Cyrus smirked. “I used to be a hardcore gamer, all about min-maxing. But when I met Kitty here, I realized I enjoyed streaming other people’s adventures more and interacting with people. Besides, my class… isn’t really built for direct combat.”

“Okay… I didn’t understand any of that,” Juliet replied, squinting at him. “But who’s this Kitty? Some lost lover?”

“Nope! I have a loving wife and husband.” Cyrus waved her question away with a grin.

“Huh? Did you just say you have—”

“Shh. Not important.” Cyrus put a finger in front of her lips—unfortunately, one smeared with rotten fish juice. “We’re here for Julian, not me. Everyone’s already sick and tired of me. So… Sword Junkie, your call. Should we leave this for tomorrow or head in now?”

“W—” Juliet nearly swung at Cyrus’s head for brushing rotten juice on her lips, but Julian spoke up before she could act.

“No, we should do this now,” Julian stated firmly, without hesitation. “If they know about us, there’s nothing to stop them from attacking us while we’re back on Earth. It would be too dangerous for Juliet to be left alone, guarding our bodies.”

“Hm… right.” Cyrus sighed and nodded, rising to his feet along with the others. “But, technically, she could just run and leave our bodies if things got dangerous.”

“I’ll kill you right here if you want.” Juliet scoffed, glaring at Cyrus. “You really think I’d leave you guys? Even if the gods struck me down, I wouldn’t abandon you.”

“And that’s exactly why…” Julian turned his shoulder to Juliet, his gaze steady. “I need you to stay here, Juliet.”

“W…what?” Juliet chuckled in disbelief, brushing off his words. “What do you mean, stay here? I’m part of the party.”

“We don’t know how dangerous the people inside are,” Julian whispered, his voice calm. “There’s a real chance we might not make it out.”

“And that’s exactly why I need to go!” Juliet’s grip on her axe tightened. “You need me in there.”

“If we die, it’s only our bodies here in Artemia that die, Juliet.” Julian sighed. “We’ll still be alive in our real bodies.”

“Not for me.” Juliet’s voice was low, almost a growl, as she leaned in close, her gaze fixed on his.

“Not for me,” she repeated, her voice trembling. “If you die here, I’ll never see you again. So please, don’t say that—not to me. Never.”

“Hm…” Julian glanced at Cyrus, who simply shrugged in response.

He then turned back to Juliet, and, seeing the fierce resolve glistening in her eyes, the only response he could muster was a quiet hum.

“Okay,” he relented with a sigh. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“Howdy, boys.”

Cyrus was the first to enter the saloon, the doors swinging behind him as he made his entrance. His arrival was met with glares and scowls—some patrons even spat on the wooden floor before completely ignoring him.

“Huh. Tough crowd.” Cyrus shrugged, striding over to an empty table in the corner. And not even three seconds after he sat down, a barmaid approached with a warm smile.

“Can I get something for you, love?” she asked, her tone friendly and inviting.

“Soup, bread, and your finest booze,” Cyrus replied, his gaze subtly tracking the next person through the door—Juliet. Unlike him, she drew lingering stares, most of the saloon’s patrons looking her over from head to toe.

Instead of sitting like him, however, Juliet made her way to the far corner of the saloon where a board displayed various quests and tabloids. No one dared approach her, even with all the gazes, and the large war axe beside her likely played a role in that.

A minute later, Julian entered, ignoring the stares directed at him as he walked straight to the bar.

“What’ll it be?” the barkeep grunted as Julian sat down in front of him, barely glancing up as he continued wiping a glass that was already spotless.

Julian set Searadyn’s Veil beside him, once again wrapped carefully in cloth so that no one would take a second look at it.

“I’ll have water,” he said, looking the barkeep directly in his eyes.

“That’s it?” The barkeep snorted.

“Water,” Julian added, holding his gaze steady, “with ice.”

“Huh?” The barkeep stopped wiping and stared at Julian as though he were insane. “Listen here, boy. We don’t serve—hm!?”

Before he could finish, Julian’s hand shot to Searadyn’s Veil, causing sparks to fly as he split it apart—not into rapiers, but into twin shields, deflecting two sudden strikes from his left and behind.

A loud clang echoed through the saloon as Searadyn’s Veil rang out like a gong—a gong signaling the beginning of chaos. All around, patrons sprang into action—even the barmaid who had taken Cyrus’s order lunged at him with a concealed blade.

“All hail Orpuk!” the patrons shouted in unison, their roars filling the room as they chanted their praises over and over.

“Hm.” Julian pushed away from the bar, transforming his shields into twin rapiers mid-motion before stabbing his attackers in the neck—all without breaking eye contact with the barkeep.

“Everyone but the bartender is already dead!” he announced, raising his voice. As he did, a chair smashed into his back. Julian could have dodged, but he didn’t bother, knowing he could handle it.

He tilted his head to the side and stepped away, dodging an attacker who leaped from the upper floor of the saloon. Unfortunately for this would-be assailant, Julian transformed Searadyn’s Veil into a longsword, swinging it upward to meet and cleave the attacker cleanly in half before he even landed.

“Die! All hail Orpuk!” The barkeep joined the fray, lunging over the bar with a dagger aimed at Julian. Julian spun, kicking the dagger away before thrusting Searadyn’s Veil toward the barkeep’s neck, stopping just short of severing it.

“Gkh…” The barkeep could only grit his teeth, frozen in place, as he stared at the near-invisible blade held inches from his throat. Julian held his gaze for a moment, then abruptly turned and thrust his sword toward a stool behind the barkeep, hooking it with his blade and flinging it at a crazed woman charging toward him.

The woman staggered from the impact, trying to recover only to find Julian upon her in an instant. With swift precision, he pierced her neck with the twin rapiers, then split it apart cleanly with a single fluid motion.

Meanwhile, Cyrus captured every moment, his grin widening as the chat went wild with donations. He glanced at Juliet to ensure she was holding her own, then turned his full attention to Julian, thrilled by the unfolding scene.

Of course, Cyrus wasn’t free from attackers either, but he dispatched anyone who rushed him… using only a fork.

As for Julian, he seemed to be dancing—each step deliberate and elegant as he wielded the twin rapiers like extensions of his own body. A large man charged at him with a greatsword nearly the size of his torso. Julian didn’t dodge; instead, he let the greatsword slide down the length of his rapier, noting the difference in weapon quality from the sound alone, and that the glacivyr could take it.

Guiding the greatsword downward, Julian deflected it to the ground. In that instant, a cold fire erupted from Searadyn’s Veil, surging toward the large man and forcing him to stumble back as his clothes began to crumble under the freezing flames.

It was one of Searadyn’s Veil’s skills, [Glacial Rebound]. Sadly, the 5% chance of freezing the attacker was not triggered at all… but it didn’t matter.

Julian seized the moment, stepping on the large man’s foot before transforming Searadyn’s Veil into a longsword and driving it up through the base of the man’s chin.

“Wait… Julian!” Cyrus shouted in warning as he spotted someone aiming a crossbow at him. It was already too late, however, as the bolt has been fired—but Julian moved seamlessly, withdrawing Searadyn’s Veil from the man’s skull and slicing through the bolt midair, splitting it cleanly in half.

“What the… fuck!?” Cyrus clutched his hair in disbelief. “Did… did anyone else see that, chat!?”

Julian was only level 15—a level known as a soft cap for the people of Artemia, and advancing beyond it required intense training and relentless monster hunting. Some of these corpse puppets were definitely above level 15, but Julian moved with uncanny precision to overwhelm them all.

He wasn’t necessarily the fastest, but he was precise and efficient—each movement perfectly timed, with no wasted energy.

If it were an official term, Cyrus would probably call it. “Chat… chat… he’s doing consecutive [Perfect] dodges!”

Those don’t exist as far as Cyrus knew, but it didn’t matter.

When the guild master had said Julian was blessed by the gods, Cyrus thought it sounded a bit cheesy. Impressive, yes, but cheesy. Now, seeing him in action, he couldn’t help but agree wholeheartedly.

And the chat felt the same way.

TLF: I’m new here but… what am I even watching!?

JWeber: you’re watching the sword god in action

JWeber has just donated 600 Credits!

pigeonin: this is getting crazy…

RockyT has just donated 600 Credits!

WWWalther has just donated 600 Credits!

GreenSteve has just donated 600 Credits!

iLuvUnicorns: donation bomb!? Are we getting a donation bomb!?

SChotsiri has just donated 600 Credits!

M.Laswell has just donated 600 Credits!

PicklePirata: Sword Junkie is rich! Congrats!

TLF has just donated 600 Credits!

PicklePirata: even the new fans are donating!? WTF!?

Chapter fifty-four

Trending, Venting, and Bending

“Ha…”

A long, deep breath whispered through the now-silent confines of the saloon.

What was once a bar filled with life, was now devoid of it aside from those still standing: Julian, Cyrus, and Juliet. But then again… perhaps it hadn’t been filled with life at all.

The corpses littering the floor were, as Julian had said, mere puppets of flesh. Once living, desecrated to be machines meant to kill. Well, not anymore as their bodies now sprawled in eerie stillness.

And the worst part of it all was that it was evident from the first five seconds of the fight that Julian would decimate them all.

The gong of his shields signaled the start of this battle, and now his deep breath signaled the end of it.

Not a single tint of blood could be seen, and not a single drop could be heard—except for the silence of death. And very much like the bodies they’d encountered at the mansion, these corpses were now shadowless, gone as soon as their brains were severed from their bodies.

“All these people…” Juliet sighed, wiping her sweat as she surveyed the aftermath. “Do you think they were innocent once? Good people… before they were turned into whatever they are now?”

“It’s… best not to think about it.” Cyrus tried to avoid the sight of the fallen bodies, instead focusing on the barkeep, who was actually also still alive, but not standing. He was trembling against the wall as Julian loomed over him.

“P… please!” The barkeep held up his hands in a plea, dropping to his knees with tears streaming down his face. “I… I have a family! Please, don’t kill me.”

“What is Orpuk?” Julian asked, resting the glacivyr blade on the barkeep’s shoulder. He didn’t press it to his neck, he didn’t threaten him with it. He just… left it resting there.

“I… I don’t know!” The barkeep stammered.

“The gods will have your guts, boy!” Juliet slammed her war axe on the floor. “You were chanting his name earlier! Don’t think we didn’t hear that!”

“I… I only joined in to save myself! I swear, I don’t know anything about Orpuk or whatever it is! Please!” the barkeep sobbed. “I just… a year ago, some people in robes approached me, gave me a lot of money to set up this bar. It was a huge sum… I don’t know anything else!”

“What do you know?” Julian sighed, crouching down while keeping Searadyn’s Veil resting on the man’s shoulder.

“I… wait…” The barkeep’s eyes widened as he stared at Julian. “There’s… a cargo ship docking here soon. I think… I think I overheard that this… Orpuk thing will be on it.”

“When?” Julian pressed.

“Two—no, three moons from now,” the barkeep gasped. “It’ll arrive with the usual trade ships. I… I think it’s coming from Eldazea.”

“Eldazea?” Cyrus’s gaze sharpened. “Are you certain?”

“This old man’s spinning tales.” Juliet shook her head. “The Eldazens haven’t traded with us since before I was born! Why would a cargo from those short people be here!?”

“I’m telling the truth!” the barkeep pleaded. “Please, you have to believe me! I didn’t even know these people were… undead! If I had, I would have reported it a long time ago! Please, I’m a follower of the Light of Artemia! I… I think all life is precious!”

“Now he’s just spouting all sorts of lies.” Juliet shook her head. “You say that after you tried to stab the boss!?”

“That’s…” The barkeep kept his head even lower.

“You’ll have to decide what to do with him, Julian.” Cyrus crouched down beside Julian, placing a hand on his shoulder and whispering in his ear, “I… can kill him if you want.”

“Where did they say they’d deliver the cargo?” Julian ignored Cyrus for now, shooting another question to the barkeep.

“I… I don’t know.”

“Do you think it could be brought here, in your bar?” Julian stood, scanning the saloon strewn with bloodless corpses.

“I… no? I don’t know.” The barkeep’s breathing grew ragged. “I told you, I don’t know anything else.”

“Let’s just tie him up for now. We might need him for some answers.” Julian sighed. “Then we’ll turn him over to the police after we finish the quest.”

“And that’s a wrap. Tell MEGAN to end the stream on your end too.” Cyrus snapped his fingers to end the stream, then kicked the barkeep hard in the chin, knocking him out cold. “You just confirmed it, Sword Junkie—the chat’s probably going nuts when you mentioned the quest.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.” Julian hummed, glancing at Cyrus.

“Nah.” Cyrus smirked, casting a final look around the corpse-filled saloon. “It’s about time they got a taste of what’s coming. Because I’m telling you, Julian… a storm’s brewing here in Calydion.”

Unbeknownst to the group, another storm was stirring on Earth—or, more accurately, across the vast sea of the internet, flooding the forums and social media of Otherworld.

Did you watch Sword Junkie’s stream last night!?

Who the fuck’s Sword Junkie? Some kind of addict?

You live in a cave, bro?

Did you see!? Is the Sword Junkie on a hidden quest???

Most likely. But you saw his fight? GYATT

I think this is more than just a hidden quest, people

dafuq you smoking

its a unique class quest bruh. Everyone already knows that

what they said

No. Hear me out. They said the cargo’s coming from Edzea… that’s Eldazen continent

thank you. We watched the same stream

No. Bich. I’m saying that it not be a hidden quest at all… but a main quest

let him cook. Bro’s onto something

a main quest!???

then shouldnt humanity engineering get involved???

lol. Those selfish assholes. Why would they be involved

…Because they made Otherworld?

dont care, their selfish assholes who don’t share their cloning and genetic engineering

uhh…because it’s illegal on several planets?

lolol shut up simp. Go suck there cock

thread got buried by trolls

wait, wait… is Sword Junkie really on a Main Quest?

“Julian, you’re blowing up.”

“Hm?”

Julian, seated on the bed with his back against the headboard, instinctively patted himself as he heard Ellie’s words, only for Ellie to swat his hands away with a playful smile.

“You know that’s not what I meant, stop being so… old you,” she said, pouting as she crawled on top of him, pointing a finger right at his face even though he couldn’t see her. But as Julian lightly caught her finger and smiled, it was clear he knew her well enough to read her gestures.

“Oh? You still remember how I used to be?” Julian chuckled softly as Ellie settled onto his lap, wrapping her arms around him.

“Who wouldn’t?” Ellie sighed, resting her head against his chest, her eyes closing as she listened to his heartbeat. “You barely talked, you were… stimming a lot, easily overstimulated. So, don’t waste all the time and money your parents spent on all your… therapy. Okay? You’re not actually blowing up.”

“But you’re the one who said I was.” Julian’s tone turned deliberately flat, almost robotic.

“Not literally! Seriously, Julian!” Ellie groaned.

“I was kidding, Ellie.” Julian’s fingers brushed through her hair gently. “Kidding. I wouldn’t even be able to joke like that if my condition was regressing, right?”

“… Right.” Ellie leaned back, pouting again as she narrowed her eyes at him.

“So, what did you actually mean when you said I was ‘blowing up’?” Julian asked, tilting his head.

“The forums.” Ellie slid off his lap and snuggled beside him under the blanket. She tapped her watch a few times, which projected a hologram in front of her. “I’ve been keeping an eye on Otherworld’s forums.”

“Oh? Since when?” Julian asked, amused. “I thought you didn’t like reading stuff up?”

“Well, no…” Ellie shrugged, scrolling through the hologram’s posts. “But I needed to make sure no one was trash-talking you.”

“You’re sounding more and more like MEGAN.” Julian chuckled.

“It’s the other way around, okay?” Ellie clicked her tongue. “MEGAN’s like my little sister, and you’re our little teeny-tiny baby brother.”

“Then I guess we just committed incest a few minutes ago,” Julian deadpanned.

“Agh!” Ellie laughed, playfully smacking his chest. “Don’t make it weird!”

“You’re the one who said it.”

“Stop it.”

“Okay.” Julian sighed, resting his cheek on the top of her head. “So, are they, Ellie? Are people talking trash about me?”

“Well, some of them are. And they’re very loud.” Ellie sighed, shaking her head while… downvoting all the weird and rude comments about Julian. “But don’t worry, people are just… stupid. Those who don’t like you will always be the loudest and will always want to share their opinions because, well… if they don’t like you, then that means other people shouldn’t too. And they’ll really make it known, they’ll even support and work with each other to make you fall.”

“Okay,” Julian hummed.

“That’s it? Just okay?” Ellie chuckled.

“I don’t think it matters how other people perceive me. Perhaps only you and MEGAN.” Julian continued to massage Ellie’s scalp. “They do not know the life I have lived, so their opinions do not matter at all, at least for me.”

“Huh…” Ellie gazed at him, kissed his lips, and rested her head back on his chest. “I wish we could all live in that bubble of yours, Julian. Because right now… I really want to kill these people for talking crap about you. Ugh!”

“You’re… really invested in that.” Julian sighed. “And you’ve said so much, but not the reason I was blowing up.”

“Oh, right. I forgot all about that.” Ellie paused her downvoting spree. “You’re blowing up because of some… main quest? Isn’t MEGAN saying anything about it?”

“MEGAN’s… been busy counting our money.” Julian said as he could actually still hear MEGAN whispering inside his mind, counting and doing calculations even though she could actually do it instantly. If anything, MEGAN had sort of been avoiding him ever since he killed all of the loan sharks—well, so not much avoiding since she was literally a part of his body, but sort of… separating herself.

“Well, look who’s suffering from success.” Ellie laughed softly as she continued scrolling. “Ah, here it is! It says you might be the first person since… uh… Ryouhei to complete a main quest!”

“But I’m not doing a main quest,” Julian clarified. “I have a [Unique] class quest, Ellie.”

“What’s the difference?” Ellie tapped her watch, turning off the hologram as she focused on Julian, and Julian alone.

“Well, the quest I am doing is set to change my class, my abilities.” Julian answered.

“Whoa…” Ellie brushed Julian’s cheek. “I don’t know what that means but that’s so cool. Maybe I should also start playing Otherworld. Am I allowed to borrow that LinkGear thing?”

“No.” Julian sighed.

“What? It’s worth a million credits, and you can’t share it with anyone else?” Ellie gasped. “They really are selfish assholes.”

“Maybe we should get going?” Julian suggested. “I have hand-to-hand combat training with Leto this afternoon.”

“No…” Ellie’s voice weakened. “I’m wet again, Julian. Let’s go… one more before we take a bath and leave.”

“Again…?”

“It’s… it’s because you keep massaging my head and ears!”

Days passed, and Julian and the group were now seated at the docks of Calydion, inside a humble restaurant, and watching as the ships arrived from the ever-changing horizon of the sea. First, it was orange, and now it was as blue as it could be.

“Are we sure this old man’s cool for his words?” It wasn’t only the three of them anymore seated at the table. Talia was there too, her words filled with suspicion as she stared at the barkeep, who Julian and the others had kept as a hostage the past few days.

“If he wasn’t, then I’ll make him.”

And, naturally, with Talia came Dyrroth and Titus.

“I… I’ve been cooperating willingly!” the barkeep stammered, paling as Titus cast him a look that suggested he might start plucking fingernails at any moment.

“My dude, chill.” Dyrroth waved his hands. “No one’s gonna hurt you, I think.”

The three were actually called by Julian himself three days ago and got there as fast as they could. After all, more manpower was crucial since…

None of them had any idea of what they were about to face.

Chapter fifty-five

Something a Little Freaky

“The sun’s getting colder.”

Titus stood outside the restaurant, leaning against the window near where Talia had her arms out, head resting on them as she yawned.

“Can’t you just say it’s getting dark, like normal people?” Talia murmured almost unintelligibly, her yawn lingering longer than it should, mirroring the stillness of the orange sea stretched before her.

And the sea wasn’t the only thing still; even the ships were frozen in place, with no sign of movement, nor any new vessels appearing on the horizon for hours now. The group took turns observing and checking each of the ships as they docked, and they were sure what they were trying to find hadn’t come up yet.

“When in Rome, do as Romans do, Talia. When in Rome.” Titus crossed his arms, glancing over at her.

“What does that even mean?” Talia groaned.

“It’s an old proverb from the ancient world.” Titus smirked, seemingly proud of himself for some reason.

“Right.” Talia decided to leave him alone, leaning back from the window to look at her companions, who were all quietly sitting around the table.

Julian sat quietly, his gaze fixed on the dock—she hadn’t seen him take his eyes off it even once.

They’d been at the restaurant for almost half a day now. Fortunately, most restaurants in Artemia were used to people idling inside their establishments due to adventurers and monster hunters—as long as they spent money inside, they didn’t care what they were doing.

Even if they were sleeping, like Dyrroth, Juliet, and the barkeep they were holding hostage. Well, Juliet and the barkeep were asleep; Dyrroth was back on Earth, busy with something else but still watching through Cyrus’s stream so that he would be able to get into the action as soon as he needed to.

For now, though, Cyrus was quietly chatting with his audience, occasionally moving to get a better angle of Julian doing absolutely nothing.

“I’ve heard that some people like watching others do nothing or even sleep…” Talia sighed, turning around to see Cyrus glued to Julian. “But even the newbie has viewers like that? I thought they’d want more action.”

“Look at his face, then look at mine.” Cyrus grinned, moving beside Julian and sticking his face close to his. “Who wouldn’t want to watch him?”

“Makes sense. I’d pay not to see your face, Cy. Heh!” A grin crept over Talia’s face as she flipped him the middle finger.

“Shouldn’t you be home drinking milk?” Cyrus shot back, raising his own middle finger.

“Shouldn’t you be dying of old age?” Talia raised another middle finger. “Seriously, you look like a potato baked in beef tallow.”

“Why is that so specific?” Cyrus raised his remaining middle finger. “And you look like the butt of an alpaca.”

“What even is an alpaca!?” Talia shouted, irritated by the sound of his insult.

“It’s an extinct animal!”

“And why do you know what its butt looks like!? You freak!”

As the two bickered, Julian, caught in the middle, couldn’t help but glance back and forth at their raised middle fingers, now nearly touching in front of him. Soon, however, he sighed and leaned back.

“I don’t think there’s any need to argue.” Julian lowered their hands. “From my limited perspective of what beauty is, you’re both… average-looking.”

“That…” Talia’s eye twitched. She didn’t mind exchanging insults with Cyrus, but something about Julian’s blunt, unintentional honesty felt like a blow to the gut.

“Why do I feel like I just got roasted even though I know it wasn’t?” Cyrus stepped back, clutching his chest dramatically.

“If you kids are done playing around, I need you to come look at this.”

Fortunately for the two, before Julian could say anything more, Titus knocked on the window, motioning for the group to look outside. Finally, another ship appeared on the horizon.

“You think that’s it?” Talia leaned out of the window to watch the distant speck against the dimming wall of the orange sun, the ship casting a large shadow and making it seem larger than it was.

“Is that our target, my dudes!?”

“What the—!?” Talia nearly jumped as Dyrroth’s head appeared suddenly over her shoulder. “Weren’t you just asleep a second ago!?”

“Relax… I had the stream on in the background.” Dyrroth bobbed his head, wiggling his pinkies and thumbs in a mock dance. “I watched everything. Eyy.”

“Are you actually high right now?” Talia arched an eyebrow.

“Nah, I was in my real body.” Dyrroth sniffed. “You should try it sometime; it’s trippy. Like you’re super stoned, and then when you shift back here, everything’s crystal clear. It’s the best high without technically being high. My senses are through the roof. It’s like… I can see through you.”

“What the fuck!?” Talia swatted his finger away as it crept dangerously close to her face. She opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Julian stood up from his seat. And just like that, the group fell silent for some reason, eyes shifting to the approaching ship.

“Could that be the ship we’re waiting for?” Julian murmured.

“If it’s not, then we probably already missed it,” Talia shrugged.

“She’s right.” Titus nodded. “The sun’s setting soon. I’d bet this is the last ship docking today.”

“Okay.” Julian turned, walking over to Juliet and gently shaking her awake. He didn’t need to say much—after all, they’d done this exact routine with each new ship arrival. This time, however, everyone headed out with him.

To say Calydion’s dock was large would be an understatement. Even with its vast size, however, the sheer influx of ships made it look small, almost overwhelmed. There were probably no fewer than a hundred ships moored here, not counting the smaller boats.

Crates, barrels, and cargo were scattered everywhere, it almost made it hard to traverse around it since it almost became a maze across the dock. Fortunately for the group, this also made it easy to slip into the shadows near where the new ship was docking without attracting attention.

The only real challenge was dealing with the noise and the smell. Though the dock wasn’t bustling with people right now since everyone was done unpacking their things, it was still far from quiet.

The gentle waves rocked the ships just enough to create a symphony of creaking wood, strained ropes, and other assorted sounds—a chaotic hum that filled the air. Perhaps a reflection of what the group was feeling right now.

And the smell…

“You alright, my gigadude?” Dyrroth quickly noticed Julian brushing his nose.

“… The smell.” Julian hesitated before answering, unsure if Dyrroth had actually been addressing him. “But I’m fine. I’ll get used to it in a few seconds. And they’re about to bring something out.”

“Okay, here we go.” Talia muttered.

No one really questioned Julian’s words; they all turned their attention back to the ship at his word. Onboard, several workers were now unloading a large crate. At first glance, it didn’t appear special—just another crate among the countless others scattered around the dock. No, in fact, it truly wasn’t anything special.

“Are we sure it’s them? Nothing about this ship stands out from the millions we’ve surveyed,” Talia whispered, her voice tinged with skepticism.

“Hey, recognize anyone?” Juliet nudged the barkeep, who they now had gagged to keep him from shouting to the crew of the ship just in case. The barkeep, however, seemed tired of all of this, a sigh escaping from the cloth in his mouth as he watched the people unload the crate.

He didn’t react at first and was about to shake his head, but soon, his eyes widened, and he began excitedly pointing at someone. Of course, his hands were quickly swatted down by Juliet as it was going over the crates.

“If you shout, or if I hear your voice go any higher than it should be, I’ll stuff you in one of these crates and throw you into the ocean. You got it?” Juliet whispered, her tone taking on a slight menace as she adjusted the cloth in his mouth.

“Hmn. Hmn.” The barkeep nodded vigorously, then gasped slightly as Juliet finally pulled down the gag.

“Them.” The barkeep pointed at a group of figures draped in robes, their faces obscured by oversized hoods. “I’m not sure if they’re the same people who approached me a year ago, but they’re definitely wearing the same clothes.”

Everyone exchanged glances as the barkeep’s words hung in the air.

“Now, please… I’ve done what you asked. Just let me go, and I’ll—” Before he could finish, Juliet’s fist connected with his chin.

“How do you want to do this, boss?” Juliet casually asked, as if she hadn’t just knocked someone out cold.

“Let’s… watch them for a while.” Julian didn’t even glance at the barkeep, his attention focused entirely on the group carrying the cargo. “They’re… handling it very gently.”

“I see what you mean.” Talia narrowed her eyes at the crate, her suspicion growing. “What do you think’s inside? Don’t tell me… it’s actually that Orpuk thing?”

“That’s possible.” Titus joined in, his gaze following the crate. “Look at the holes—I am positive they’re for ventilation. I do the same thing when I ship out my champions.”

“Champions…?” Talia raised an eyebrow, clearly not following.

“Yes. My cocks. Champions.”

“Co—you mean chickens? Wait, you mean cock fighting? Isn’t that illegal?”

“Not on Proxima Centauri.” Titus scoffed.

“You—ack. It doesn’t matter.” Talia waved Titus off dismissively. “But if Orpuk really is inside that thing, then—”

“They’re illegally smuggling monsters into the city.” Juliet continued her thought. “I think this is way above a simple quest now, boss. Should we… inform the guards? But if we do, it might mess up your quest… No, forget what I said.”

“Hey. If it’s the Orpuk, my dudes, why isn’t it making any noise?” Dyrroth stood up, only to be immediately pulled down because of his height. Fortunately, they caught him just in time before one of the people from the ship could notice.

“Alright, chill. Chill.” Dyrroth raised both his palms in surrender as he saw Talia glaring at him. “I’m just saying… do you hear anything from the box, Sword Junkie?”

“I’m… not.” Julian hummed, still watching the group. “What do you think we should do, Talia?”

“Huh? Why me…?” Talia blinked a few times, glancing at Julian. “This is your quest, you should be the one calling the shots.”

“And my call is to listen to you,” Julian said without hesitation. Talia gasped slightly, her face reddening before she quickly turned her focus back to the cargo.

“Well…” Talia narrowed her eyes. “I was thinking we could intercept them right now, but that might bring more trouble since we don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with yet.”

“What if we take a few of them on and disguise ourselves as them?” Titus suggested.

“No.” Talia immediately shook her head. “I watched the stream of the newbie’s fight back at the bar. If the ones controlling these dead people are here, they’ll immediately find us out. Worse, they might even set a trap for us by pretending they haven’t noticed us.”

“And what if they go back to the bar and find it empty, my dudes?” Dyrroth asked.

“Probably not.” Talia narrowed her eyes even further. “I initially thought the controlled people might share a hive mind, but considering you’ve killed—I mean, untethered them all—and none of these new ones are reacting… That means they don’t know what happened at the bar.”

“Hm.” Julian stared at Talia for a moment, his gaze lingering.

Talia, flustered, felt her face heat up.

“W-what?” Talia gulped nervously, avoiding his gaze.

“Good work, Talia.” Julian smiled at her warmly.

“That… I’m just… You asked for my opinion, I just… gave it.” Talia stammered, her words failing her. She was about to continue when she saw Dyrroth and Cyrus watching her, eyebrows raised, their lips twitching into grins.

“Someone has a little puppy crush on the Sword Junkie.” Cyrus covered his mouth, clearly enjoying the moment. “I wonder who.”

“Ta… ahem…lia.” Dyrroth pretended to cough, his voice dripping with teasing.

“Oh, shut up.” Talia punched Dyrroth in the gut, sending him tumbling to the floor. She quickly turned her attention to Julian, but he was still focused on the group from the ship, who were now carefully placing the crate onto a cart.

“Hm…” Julian murmured, studying them. “How strong do you think they are?”

“That… I wouldn’t know.” Talia sighed, glancing at Julian before turning her gaze back to the ship’s crew. “But Titus?”

“Let me.” Titus crossed his legs, sitting on the ground with his eyes closed. A subtle breeze began to stir around him as he focused.

“He… can tell someone’s level?” Julian’s eyes widened slightly.

“Well, something like that.” Talia shrugged, her voice calm. “His class helps him detect and check people’s mana.”

Everyone watched as Titus’s breathing grew heavier with each passing second. His bald head gleamed faintly under the moonlight, casting a glow that made him look calmer than he already was. And after what felt like an eternity—perhaps actually only half a minute—he finally opened his eyes and whispered,

“It’s the three people our unconscious intel pointed to. They’re the ones who’ll give us trouble. The mana flowing from them is stronger than average. And that small one that looks like it could be a child, I’m certain it’s a mage—and a more powerful one than me.”

“Hm…” The group turned their attention to Julian, waiting for him to decide on the next move. He didn’t take long, his gaze firm and resolute as if the path forward was already clear.

“They’re making a move. Let’s follow them.”

Without further hesitation, the group began to shadow the small convoy. As they tailed the figures with the cargo, a collective sigh of relief escaped them when it became clear the crate wasn’t headed to the bar.

But their relief was short-lived, vanishing entirely when they realized the cargo’s actual destination.

It was the manor where Julian, Cyrus, and Juliet had been lured just days before.

But, well, it wasn’t exactly the location that made their breaths pause.

It was the crowd that had gathered on the estate grounds.

“What the fuck…”

Perched on the roof of a nearby house, Julian and the group surveyed the manor, and they could see everything. And what they were seeing made them unable to tear their eyes away from the eerie sight below.

How could they, when almost two hundred people were clustered together in the moonlit courtyard, crowded… and completely still?

But most importantly, they were all naked. And perhaps the most second important part, was that even from afar, it was obvious that they were all old people.

“Where… did these people even come from? Are… you sure you still want to continue the quest, boss?”

“Shit… we’re not going to be able to stream this.”

“That’s seriously what you’re worried about here!?”

Chapter fifty-six

The Ritual

“Old… naked people. This is not how I expected to end my day on Artemia, my dudes. Or maybe I’m not even here, and I’m still high on my bed.”

“Can you shut the fuck up?” Talia hissed, her voice a sharp whisper. “Anyway, I don’t think they care about those corpse puppets you guys eradicated at all… or maybe they don’t even know about them.”

The air was damp, clinging to their clothes and sinking into their skin as they crouched on the roof, watching the eerie scene below. The sun had long vanished, and though sounds from the city continued in the distance, none reached the unsettling stillness that enveloped the estate.

Beneath them, across the courtyard, the old, naked figures still hadn’t moved an inch.

“Julian…” Talia whispered, her sigh filled with unease as she turned to rest her back against the roof. “Are you sure all of them are alive?”

“I can’t be sure. But I heard heartbeats,” Julian whispered back.

He’d edged close enough earlier to listen and determine whether they were corpses—and, unsettlingly, they weren’t. At least, not the ones he could make out before retreating to avoid being discovered by anyone from the estate.

Two hundred of them, old people who had not even moved an inch… all of them possibly alive.

But while the crowd of old people remained unmoving, the people who had arrived with the ship had already set up some sort of altar—an ornate table they carried out from inside the mansion.

Perhaps it wasn’t technically an altar, as they hadn’t lit any candles on it or even placed some sort of idol. But Julian and the group could only assume it was meant for some ritual, considering how they’d placed it right in front of the crowd.

“This is… getting scary.” Talia’s quiet breaths seemed to mirror everyone’s unease. “I’ve been in dungeons and fought weird monsters that were terrifying, but these are people. Literal people.”

She wasn’t the only one struggling with the creeping dread. Julian glanced over to see Juliet’s lips parted, quivering slightly; her fingers were wound so tightly around her weapon that her knuckles had turned white. Besides that, she hadn’t moved—almost as frozen as the figures below.

“Are… you alright, Juliet?” Julian asked, gently placing his hand over hers to calm her.

“I… am. But the little girl’s right, boss.” Juliet’s voice was a shaky breath. “Something’s not right here. I mean… I expected your quest would get creepy after seeing you forge those [Epic] weapons and the shadows claiming them… but this? This is a cult.”

“Let’s not sit around here any longer,” Titus muttered, sliding down the roof slightly. “We’ve seen all the entry and exit points. We know the number of hostiles. We’re ready to move.”

“Easy, Titus.” Talia’s eyes shifted back to him before refocusing on the estate. “Look, I’ll be honest: We don’t even know if Julian’s quest is related to this. I mean, it probably is, since he said something about shadows, but rushing in blind won’t help. Sorry, Julian.”

“What for?” Julian tilted his head.

“Well, you know, because…” Talia gestured vaguely at her own eyes.

“My dude.” Dyrroth sighed, rolling his eyes. “I don’t think Gigadude cares about any of that.”

“Right…” Talia’s eyes narrowed as she glanced at Julian, who looked completely puzzled by her words. “Let’s just… wait a bit longer—at least until we know what we’re actually dealing with. We need to see what’s inside that crate.”

“Roger that.” Titus grunted, crawling back to the top of the roof to continue scanning the estate.

“They’re… really listening to her, huh?” Juliet murmured, leaning toward Cyrus, who had been muttering quietly to the chat, trying to figure out how to stream a bunch of naked elderly people without being flagged.

“Oh. That’s because she’s the leader of their party,” Cyrus replied, glancing at Juliet before nodding toward Talia.

“She is? Not the bald guy?” Juliet’s eyes widened.

“Nope.” Cyrus shrugged. “Talia’s smart, very smart. Possibly low EQ like the Sword Junkie here, but she’s very smart.”

“You’ve said that three times.” Juliet frowned, focusing on Talia with renewed curiosity.

“Because it’s true.” Cyrus grinned. “She’s a Catapult champion.”

“I have no idea what that is.” Juliet raised an eyebrow.

“Just think of it as a… sport where you have to calculate the trajectory of your ship almost instantly several times in the span of seconds or you risk hitting something and dying since you would have no way to maneuver mid-flight,” Cyrus explained.

“Yeah, I still have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Good, because I’d have breached my Humanity Engineering agreement if you did.” Cyrus smirked, covering his mouth as Juliet’s confusion deepened.

“What—”

“Movement!” Titus raised his hand, catching everyone’s attention. “They’re finally opening the package.”

The group snapped to attention, their heads popping up over the roof’s edge as soon as they heard Titus’s words.

Below, the three robed figures began prying the crate open, their movements slow, deliberate, almost reverent, very much like how gently they carried it to the estate.

It took several careful minutes, but soon the group understood why they treated the crate as such.

“Is that…” Juliet’s eyes widened even further, shock clear on her face. “Is that a child?”

It was a child. The crate was holding a small child.

No. Perhaps small would be an understatement as the group could actually barely see the child from the distance. The child was perhaps the size of a hand and a forearm, and they could easily make that distinction as when one of the robed individuals gently lifted the child up, he did so just with both of his palms. And perhaps the weirdest thing about it all was that it wasn’t a baby. It literally looked like a child, barely past being a toddler, perhaps five years old.

“Oh, shit…” Cyrus whispered, his voice tense. “It’s an Eldazen.”

“Here…?” Juliet’s shock grew, her gaze darting to Julian. “W…wait, wait… Boss. I know this is your quest, but this is… this affects the entire country now. Maybe we need to report this.”

“Hm.” Julian glanced at Juliet, but before he could say anything, a soft, chilling hymn echoed across the courtyard.

“What the…”

The elderly figures, which had remained motionless for hours, started swaying, their heads bobbing left to right in complete, eerie unison.

“Okay, it’s official…” Talia shivered, rubbing her arms. “This is officially the creepiest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

The humming grew louder as the robed figures raised the Eldazen child above their heads, only to slowly lower it onto the altar. The child looked heartbreakingly delicate, lost in the sea of faces staring up in reverence.

“If that child’s Eldazen, then,” Titus murmured, his eyes shifting to the shortest robed figure out of the three, “I’m certain that one is too.”

“What are they doing here?” Juliet gulped. “They’re the ones who cut off trade with us. Don’t tell me they’re breaking it?”

The robed individuals gathered around the altar, kneeling as they raised their hands, fingers curled as though sketching invisible symbols in the air. And soon, the shadows around the estate began to pulse and tremble, at first with slight tremors, then with wilder and wilder movements.

The shadows of the old people, too, began to separate from their forms, stretching out like dark, sentient streams rebelling against their entranced owners. Slowly, they merged, slithering across the courtyard floor toward the altar.

The shadows gathered and crawled up the sides of the altar, swirling around the child’s tiny feet.

Then, a pulse.

The child, who had been still until now, flinched, and then, with no warning, began to cry—a wail so pure, so innocent, that it cut through the dark ritual’s malice. That cry, however, was not a cry of a child being woken up, but of a child hurting.

“That’s it!” Titus slid down, his voice breaking the group’s trance. “No more waiting!”

Without looking back, he leaped from the roof.

“Titus!” Talia clicked her tongue in frustration. “Damn it! We didn’t spend all this time watching just to rush in without a plan!”

But Titus didn’t listen, already breaking from their cover as he sprinted toward the estate.

“Newbie.” Talia turned to Julian, but he didn’t need any more instruction; he nodded, determination already set in his eyes.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Julian murmured, sliding down the roof to follow Titus. The others exchanged quick glances and, perhaps with a resigned sigh, joined Julian in the charge after their teammate.

“Plan?” Julian asked as Talia caught up beside him.

“The old people won’t be a threat—we need to focus on the ones in the robes first,” Talia said as they neared the estate gates. “Assume the smallest one is an Eldazen mage; that makes them the most dangerous. And as much as I hate to do this… we’ll need to grab that child as leverage and use it as a hostage.”

“Titus!” Julian called, and Titus glanced back, catching the signal instantly.

“I’ll infiltrate through the back,” Titus said, peeling off from the group and moving to the side of the estate to enter unnoticed.

“And us?” Julian asked.

“Where else?” Talia smirked, though there was a flicker of nerves as she truly found the old naked people creepy. She pointed toward the front gate. “We go in loud and make sure the baldie goes unnoticed.”

Talia unsheathed her longsword as they ran, and she didn’t hesitate at all as she reached the gate. She slammed her weapon down on the chains, snapping them with a metallic clang that echoed into the eerie quiet.

The naked, swaying figures nearest to the gate didn’t flinch. Their bodies continued moving, heads bobbing in a rhythm, mouths issuing that low, guttural chant. Not one of them even looked their way or stopped at all.

But something else did.

The Eldazen child’s cries ceased abruptly as the fingers of the three robed figures stilled, the shadows that had been creeping toward the altar abruptly recoiling back to their owners as the three figures glanced back at the noise.

The three figures turned sharply, and before the shortest of them could react, Dyrroth’s daggers were already inches from her neck. But alas, in a heartbeat, the robed figure on the right lunged at Dyrroth, kicking him away and sending him sliding several meters across the stone ground.

The second robed figure didn’t hesitate to also attack, raising a crossbow and firing at Dyrroth without a word.

But Talia quickly dashed forward, blocking the bolt with her longsword and barely flinching as it rebounded off the blade.

Dyrroth retaliated instantly, throwing a dagger toward the one holding the crossbow. But the robed figure dodged with a backward tilt, her hood slipping to reveal her face—cold and unyielding, almost emotionless. Undeterred, she raised her crossbow again, this time pulling another from beneath her cloak, firing both in rapid succession.

“Shit!”

“Got you!” Juliet interceded, swinging her war axe in front of Talia and deflecting both bolts. She didn’t pause, charging the woman with the crossbows before she could reload. But before Juliet could land a blow, the robed figure who had kicked Dyrroth intervened, pulling her ally back just as Juliet’s axe was about to cleave her companion’s head in half.

Yes, they were both women.

Meanwhile, Julian found himself locked in a different standoff entirely. He stood frozen, staring at the short robed figure who was staring back at him with an odd expression. It wasn’t hostility—it was something almost like recognition, a strange familiarity he couldn’t shake.

While the others were caught in combat, the shortest robed figure simply observed Julian, as though weighing him. And slowly, she unlaced her robe and removed it completely—and true enough, she was an Eldazen.

Just as Cyrus had described, she was extraordinarily short, half the size of an average human—or hyum, in this case—but perfectly proportional, delicate. Her exposed arms were covered in intricate tattoos, symbols that spiraled like living lines of ink, their patterns hauntingly similar to the mark Searadyn’s Avatar had left on Julian’s hand, but not quite.

But beyond that, something else struck Julian—her scent. A dried flower’s fragrance, sharp and distinct, like a perfume. It was the same exact scent as…

“What’s your relationship with the child?” Julian asked, slowly unwrapping Searadyn’s Veil as he glanced at the child on the altar. “You smell alike.”

“Interloper, my bond with the child is no matter of thine concern,” she whispered, her voice a calm, eerie calm as her tattooed hands began to glow.

“Is he your son?” Julian’s gaze shifted momentarily to the child, whose breaths were coming in heavy, strained gasps.

“He was.” Her voice trembled, but an almost crazed smile twisted her lips as she spoke.

“But no longer. He is become the child of shadows, the vessel to guide us back unto the light… the very incarnation of Orpuk, reborn.”

Chapter fifty-seven

Not the End I Wanted

He discussed this with Cyrus for a long time—they had already confirmed that all of this had something to do with his quest, but there was also a possibility that his quest would take a very long time to complete.

He said something about a linear quest, and in terms of video games, they were long storylines that one had to follow. And he said that the quest they were on right now, [Master of Shadows], checked all the boxes for a linear quest.

For one, they were being led right through it—everything that was happening, the people he had met on Artemia starting with Juliet. It was a chain that made sure he wouldn’t diverge from the path.

And in most cases, Cyrus said that these quests would take a while to complete. And that all of this, the corpse puppets, the mansion, the cargo from Edzea—they were just a set up for a longer quest.

But it would seem he might be wrong.

Because right now, they were already in front of a ritual that might be summoning Orpuk himself. But of course, as Cyrus said, it might also just be a prologue for what’s to come.

Either way, it didn’t really matter for Julian. What mattered right now…

Was raising his crystal shield to block the raging pillar of fire roaring toward him.

The Eldazen woman didn’t hesitate at all. With a series of motions with her hands that made it look like she was dancing, she summoned a wall of fire, hurling it toward Julian with a calm incantation. The flames coiled, spiraling through the air toward him like a wild beast.

The fire clashed against his shield, but Julian stood unmoved, holding his ground against its searing rage. Without waiting for anything else to unfold, he charged forward.

The flames parted. Julian was like a stubborn rock on a river, unyielding as he moved toward the Eldazen mage without any resistance at all.

“Who are you people?” The Eldazen mage narrowed her eyes, stretching her arms wide to both side, instantly dispelling the pillar of flames. Her hands glowed colder now, her tattoos blazing in icy hues as she brought her arms together.

With a fluid, flowing motion, her fingers began to weave a spell, and in the next breath, she flung lances of ice into the air, each one streaking toward Julian like javelins, aiming to pin him down.

Julian was about to stand his ground again, but he sensed the odd trajectories of the ice projectiles. And so, rather than merely bracing with his large shield, he quickly shifted his grip on Searadyn’s Veil, transforming it into a shield and rapier.

The timing was perfect—the javelins suddenly altered course mid-flight, arcing around him in a coordinated assault, like hungry predators preparing to strike from all angles.

With instinctive precision, Julian parried the incoming lances with his rapier and deflected the others he couldn’t with his shield. Each time he batted one aside, the enchanted javelins lost their velocity, a subtle effect from [Glacial Rebound] allowing him to swat them away like they were nothing more than brittle glass.

Julian wasn’t just defending, no.

Footwork.

Each deflection brought him closer, his footwork precise and deliberate as he advanced. Every step closed the gap between him and the mage, a dance drilled into him by his trainers back on Earth.

But unlike the monsters he’d faced in recent days, the Eldazen mage wouldn’t allow him to close in easily.

With a scoff, she dropped to one knee, slamming her palms against the ground. And as she did so, tendrils of earth uncoiled from her fingers, twisting like serpents as they slithered forward, ripping apart cobblestone and earth alike in their relentless advance.

“Hm…” Julian’s eyes narrowed as he felt the ground quake beneath him. And with a deep breath, he brought Searadyn’s Veil together, morphing it into a larger shield and slamming it into the ground. The impact shattered the earth tendrils before they could encircle him, dispersing the attack in a violent ripple.

But her magic was relentless, each spell seamlessly flowing into the next. Fire, ice, earth—one by one, she summoned them in an unending cascade, each element blurring into the next as Julian countered them. His movements were fluid, almost instinctive now, as he shifted Searadyn’s Veil from one form to another, blocking, parrying, and deflecting in a desperate bid to close the gap.

Yet every step forward, the Eldazen mage took two steps back, eluding him like a shadow, keeping herself just out of reach.

Julian had always been warned that true mages—those who could wield magic as naturally as breathing—were the most dangerous foes in Artemia. Now, facing the Eldazen mage, he understood why.

Meanwhile, across the courtyard, Talia, Juliet, and Dyrroth were battling with the mage’s companions.

“Juliet! Left!” Talia shouted, spotting the arbalist as she raised her crossbows, aiming at Juliet’s exposed back. Juliet spun just in time, her war axe slicing through the air to intercept the incoming bolts. Her swing deflected them, but—

“No! Juliet, it—” Talia’s warning came too late. The instant Juliet’s axe struck the bolts, a small click echoed, followed by a blast that hurled Juliet back, her axe flying from her grip as she tumbled several meters away.

Talia was going to help her up, but she did not get the chance to do so as a bolt came flying in her direction.

Dyrroth couldn’t really offer any help, as he was completely engaged with the pugilist who kicked him away earlier—a towering woman almost as tall as him, wielding an oversized gauntlet, with its sharp knuckles ominously glinting under the moonlight.

The two exchanged blows, with Dyrroth’s daggers clashing and creating sparks each time it made contact with the pugilist’s gauntlets. His movements were quick, and he was obviously faster than the muscular woman—but the woman knew how to utilize every part of her body.

Dyrroth tried to stab her foot, but it was also protected by a pair of greaves—which she used to kick him straight in the chin. Fortunately for Dyrroth, he was able to block with his hands. But still, it caused him to slightly lose balance.

“My… my dudes! Gonna need some help here!” Dyrroth’s shout was desperate as his back hit the ground. Just as the pugilist raised her foot to drive her greave into his skull, Juliet rammed into her side with a powerful shoulder, knocking her off balance and buying Dyrroth a moment to scramble away.

Juliet did not really pause as she raced to get her axe.

Back near the altar, Julian continued to press forward, but the mage’s spells still came at him in a relentless barrage. Fire erupted beneath his feet, forcing him to leap back. Icicles hurtled toward him, razor-sharp, and he dodged to the side just in time. His breath was becoming ragged, his stamina waning.

“This ends now.” The Eldazen mage sighed as she watched him struggle.

Her hands glowed, and with a triumphant gesture, she cast a spell that sent the very earth beneath him trembling. Blackened vines erupted from the ground, snaking around his legs and pulling him down.

Julian struggled against them, shifting Searadyn’s Veil into twin rapiers, slicing through the vines even as more shot up around him. But the mage wasn’t done. She raised both hands, her tattoos blazing as a glowing sphere of flames materialized between her palms. The sphere expanded, crackling with malevolent energy.

“I shall reduce you to ash!” the mage hissed, her voice ringing out across the courtyard.

Julian, however, instead of shifting Searadyn’s Veil into a large shield, did not brace himself at all and even shifted his weapon into twin rapiers. And with a breath, he roared,

“Titus, now!”

“No one moves!”

The violent sphere of fire forming between the Eldazen mage’s palms instantly withered away as she turned around, only to see a bald man’s head violently reflecting the moonlight. But of course, that wasn’t the first thing the Eldazen mage noticed—it was the knife he was holding, as well as the neck it was placed on.

“Don’t move!” Titus repeated, holding the dagger closer to the Eldazen child’s throat. But of course, Titus didn’t have a single intention of even causing a drop of blood to flow from the child’s neck—he was just scaring them.

“You dare lay your hands on Orpuk, our guiding light and savior!?” The mage’s voice cracked with raw desperation, a mix of spit and fury spraying from her mouth.

“This is your child! You’re sacrificing your child!?”

“He is but a vessel! It is an honor to—”

And before the Eldazen mage could finish her words, she saw two long arms emerging from behind her. It was Julian, kneeling down right behind her with his arms stretched out—holding the two rapiers and pointing them directly at her eyes.

And without even waiting for the Eldazen mage to say or do anything, Julian plunged the rapiers into her eyes.

“Grah!” Her scream echoed through the courtyard, blood gushing from her face as Julian removed the rapiers. But before she could move, Julian once again plunged the rapiers through her eyes—this time twisting and moving them to completely re-arrange her brains.

The mighty Eldazen mage dropped to the ground.

Suffice it to say, her companions faltered, their attention torn between Titus and their now-fallen leader—a deadly mistake. Juliet seized the opening, bringing her war axe down with brutal force on the pugilist’s shoulder, her strike cleaving deep. The arbalist barely had time to react before a sword pierced her chest; Talia pulled her blade back and swiftly severed the woman’s head.

And just like that, silence blanketed the courtyard, broken only by the low hum of the old, naked people still murmuring in their trance.

“They’re… still singing?” Talia murmured, moving closer to the elderly crowd with her brows drawn in concern. She and the others waved their hands, snapped their fingers, even shook some of them, but nothing worked—they remained as still as statues, eyes blank.

“C’mon, my wrinkled dudes,” Dyrroth muttered, shaking one of the elders. But it was useless; they were entirely lost to the hypnotic spell.

Titus, meanwhile, gently placed the small boy back on the altar. He checked his small, delicate frame for any signs of harm, but the child was surprisingly unscathed.

“The child seems fine.” Titus pulled back to call for the group, “We—Hm?”

But as Titus started to turn away, the boy’s eyes snapped open. In a blur, the child lunged at him, sinking tiny, sharp teeth into his shoulder.

“Argh!” Titus stumbled back as he instinctively threw the child back to the altar. He clutched his shoulder, the blood seeping between his fingers.

And in the same instant, the old naked crowd fell silent, their heads freezing mid-bob. They stood motionless for a bit. But then, one by one, as if controlled by the same grim conductor, they collapsed to the ground, their shadows, vanishing completely from beneath them.

“Heh…”

Slowly, everyone turned their heads as a whisper escaped from the altar. The child rose to his feet, impossibly small and yet commanding in his presence. He lifted his gaze to the group, and in a voice deep and hoarse, words escaped from his mouth filled with Titus’s blood,

“I, at last, have awakened. And you who have delayed me, I will tear down your light.” The child sneered, each of his words dripping with malice. “My shadow has come, to sniff out every last glimmer… I am Orpuk. But for you who stand before me, I am the harbinger of the voi—hm?”

But amid his words filled with rage and hatred, something broke through—a crack in his fierce mask. Tears, streaming down from his eyes, and what reflected from them was a child—frail, scared, and trembling.

“P…please…” A whimper escaped from the malice as the boy’s small frame shuddered, “It… it hurts. I want… I want my mo—”

“I’m sorry.”

“Julian!?” Juliet’s horrified cry echoed as Julian, without a moment’s hesitation, crossed the courtyard in swift strides and pressed his longsword through the child’s chest.

“I am truly sorry,” Julian whispered. There was no anger, no violence—only an endless, quiet compassion as he drove the blade in deeper before the child could truly transform into the monster he was meant to become.

He kept his hand resting on the child’s head as he carefully pulled the blade out, guiding the boy to lie back on the altar as though preparing him for sleep.

“I’m sorry you had to be born this way,” Julian repeated softly, his voice carrying the weight of his own memories. “I understand. I know how hard it is, so rest now. Your mother… she’ll be waiting for you.”

“My mommy?” the child’s face softened, the darkness it once held now completely gone.

“Yes,” Julian replied, his words warm as a lullaby. “And your mother loves you very much.”

“She… she does?”

“Hmn. She told me just now. She told me how proud she is of you. And that it’s okay… and when you wake up, she’ll be there.”

“Mommy…” The child’s face relaxed, a peaceful smile barely gracing his lips as he took one last breath.

“Mommy… I love…”

And then… his words trailed into silence.

“Hm.” Julian gently closed the child’s eyes, watching as the life faded from his face. For a moment, he sat in stillness, letting the shadows of what he had just done fall upon him. And then, he rose to see his group.

Juliet stood, trembling as she tilted his head back to prevent the tears. Talia, on the other hand, was unable to hold back and wrapped her arms around Juliet, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

Titus looked at Julian with a conflicted expression, anger and pain mixing in his eyes. Still, he managed a solemn nod, acknowledging the necessity of Julian’s actions.

As for Dyrroth, well, he just let himself fall on the ground.

Cyrus also finally emerged, but he didn’t say anything at all and just focused on the solemn painting in front of him.

And soon, the Guidance of Artemis flickered in front of Julian.

[Congratulations on killing the [Special] monster, Orpuk.]

Julian, however, barely glanced at it, waving it away and turning his attention back to the small body on the altar.

That’s it? That was his quest?

Although it would have been harder, Julian preferred to fight monsters. Because this felt… wrong.

“Juliet…” Julian whispered, his voice incredibly weary as he looked at Juliet. “We should approach the authorities now. All these people… we can’t bury them alone.”

“Okay. Just… let me rest a little, boss. We should—boss?!”

Juliet’s words froze as her eyes widened in horror. And it wasn’t only her, the rest of the group gasped as a massive shadow formed behind Julian, spreading over the ground like an ominous wave before it surged forward.

And without even any warning… it swallowed him whole and wrapped him in darkness.

And in this darkness, the Guidance of Artemis once again came to him with a message.

[4. ???]

It was the final part of his quest. And slowly, the question marks faded, replaced with a new message:

[4. Clear…???]

[4. Clear the [Special] Dungeon, Orpuk’s Dreams.]

Chapter fifty-eight

Julian, Alone

Everything happened so fast.

The silence fell over the large garden. Everyone just stared at where Julian disappeared, swallowed by a weird tidal wave of shadows. The remnants of that shadow still actually lingered, drifting like smoke—but Juliet and the party did not care about the ominous dancing darkness at all.

They just stood there, completely frozen and dumbfounded.

But soon, Juliet’s voice cracked the silence.

“Julian!?” she screamed, frantic. She stumbled forward, reaching out to the empty space where Julian had been just moments ago, but all she could really feel was the drifting smoke as it disappeared in her flailing hands.

“Boss!?” she called out again, but no one answered.

“Shit…” Cyrus, who had been calm the entire time and even enjoying what was happening, was trying to come up with an explanation for all of this for the chat—but he couldn’t really control them at all as they swarmed and spammed his eyes with questions he couldn’t answer.

ReadingObsessed: Did… we just see Sword Junkie die?

ManPapper: But I just donated. The Sword Junkie can’t possibly be dead?

JGrandits: Can someone check if his stream is on!?

iLuvUnicorn: if the Sword Junkie’s dead, we will sue you, Cyrus!

“Is… the newbie dead!?” Talia ran toward Cyrus and grabbed his arm. “Is he dead!?”

“I… don’t think so. He—”

The party’s panic was short-lived, however, as the entire estate suddenly began to rumble. And before any of them could wonder what was happening, roots violently twisted up from the ground, almost like snakes gasping for air.

The roots continued to expand wildly, rising, twisting, and merging into a massive, grotesque wall. The very earth itself shifted, towering above them and swallowing the entire estate.

“Oh, shit… we’re in the middle of a dungeon spawn! Artemia’s growing a new pimple!” Talia screamed, her voice filled with alarm as she retreated. “Everyone, get out! Now!”

Titus and the others did not really hesitate to follow Talia’s orders at all. They ran and pushed through the dust and debris as the ground beneath them trembled and cracked. Talia took the lead, cutting a path through the forming rubble with her longsword.

But there was, however, one of them who refused to retreat.

“No! I’m not leaving Julian!” It was Juliet, whose eyes were still staring to where Julian disappeared to even though it was now completely covered by dark roots and vines.

“Dude, stop!” Dyrroth almost growled at her as he tried to pull her away, but Juliet fought, her voice strained as she continued to cry out.

“Julian! We can’t abandon Julian!”

“We’re not abandoning him, alright!?” Dyrroth gritted his teeth, “We just need to—”

And before he could finish his words, Cyrus suddenly stepped in and punched Juliet on the chin without any hesitation at all, instantly knocking her out.

“Let’s go.” He caught her, lifting her gently over his shoulder as a small sigh escaped his lips.

The estate behind them continued to twist and shift—and very soon, the ground started to collapse, swallowing the bodies of the old naked people, devouring them completely before once again closing in.

“S… shit.” The party barely made it out the gates, and as they looked back—the dungeon’s entrance had fully taken shape.

It was dark, jagged. An archway covered in twisted, and almost sickly roots. But still, like all of Artemia’s dungeons, it was alive—breathing… and the group breathed along with it.

And as soon as they were sure that everything was calm, Talia stepped forward. Although they could describe it as an entrance, as it looked like an entrance… there wasn’t actually a way to enter the dungeon at all.

It was blocked by a door of thick roots. And as Talia tried to pry or slash it open with her sword, it did not even scratch or budge at all.

“It’s… no use.” Talia groaned in frustration as she looked back to the group. “But at least we know that he’s alive… this is a Solo Dungeon.”

“S… shit. That’s what’s up.” Dyrroth stammered as he fell to his butt. “The dude’s… alone in there.”

“He’ll be fine.” Titus huffed as he also sat on the ground, rubbing his bald head while he looked at the ominous dungeon,

“If anyone’s going to clear that dungeon alone… it’s him.”

While everyone worried for Julian, he was drifting in a sea of darkness. His senses were dulled and his body completely unresponsive.

But he wasn’t unconscious. He was aware of everything that was happening to him, even though nothing was.

Soon, a soft voice echoed through the darkness, piercing through the still silence.

“That’s right… come to Mommy. Walk this way.”

And he recognized the voice instantly.

It was his mother’s voice. He remembers it because it was warm, incredibly comforting. Julian wanted to move, but he was completely bound by the darkness around him.

Another voice joined in. It was faint at first, but it gradually became louder—and it wasn’t someone he recognized.

“He’s improving. With proper treatment and therapy, Mrs. Winters, he could live a full life… He’ll be just like… you and me. But if you want, we could offer… enhancements to his brain.”

“Enhancements? Then it wouldn’t be him! He wouldn’t be my baby boy!” His mother’s voice was raw with emotion, cracking with desperation.

“Honey, they’re just offering options—” Another voice joined in, and he once again recognized it instantly. The voice belonged to his father, calm and direct. “Options we won’t take. I’m sorry, Doctor.”

“Of course. We’ll continue with therapy. It works, Mr. Winters. We don’t have to change anything. If you follow the schedule, stick to the therapy through the end… other people won’t even notice that he’s different.”

“What about his… behaviors? His… stimming is becoming more aggressive. He’s four now and barely speaks. I just… I just want him to be ready for the world.”

“That’s… perfectly normal for someone with his condition. But if I could suggest something, maybe do an activity that you could do as a family together? And also something that he could do when he is alone. It’s common with children of Julian’s condition to hyper-fixate on something, and that doesn’t have to be negative. If you could redirect…”

The words and voices soon began to fade—and Julian realized what they were, memories. Memories that even he himself did not remember at all. But how?

How was he hearing them right now?

“We have to hide him, Jayce! We need to protect him!” The voices once again returned, his mother again—but this time, loud and frantic.

“Charlotte… Charlotte calm down, okay? Look, he’s here. He’s… he’s healthy. Okay? Look at our son. He’s so healthy.”

“We… we shouldn’t have done this. We shouldn’t have… we shouldn’t have brought him out into this world, we…oh… hello there. Oh, my baby…he’s… he’s so beautiful, Jayce. Jayce, look at him.”

“I know… I know.”

“We shouldn’t have done this, Jayce. I’m scared…”

“It’s okay. I know a place, we can hide there for now. I know some people there…”

Julian wanted to hear more, but their voices faded once again, replaced by nothing but silence and darkness.

Well, silence. As the darkness around him began to wither away, replaced by faint, colorful lights.

He blinked, taking in his surroundings. He found himself lying on the ground, staring at a ceiling littered with dark roots, and vines. The flowers and leaves cast a faint light—creating a surreal beautiful glow amid the dark roots.

“Hm…” Julian rubbed his nose, the scent of earth and faint decay lingering in the air. He sat up, and he didn’t even need to guess where he was as soon as he looked around—he was in a dungeon.

[4. Clear the [Special] Dungeon, Orpuk’s Dreams.]

The Guidance of Artemis once again appeared before him, reminding him of why he was there. He really only stared at it for a few seconds before waving it off.

Fortunately for him, he wasn’t as helpless the last time he was thrown in an unexpected situation. He looked down, and Searadyn’s Veil was right in his hand.

“Let’s just get this over with, then,” he whispered as he tightened his grip on his weapon.

And once again, fortunately for him, he didn’t need to choose a path at all. There was nothing but a wall of roots and vines behind him, and the only way forward was, well… forward.

He began to walk, his steps whispering and cracking on the earthen floor. There were no monsters at all, no threats, nothing—but it made it feel even more dangerous, ominous.

This silence, however, was suddenly interrupted as something appeared in front of him, causing him to almost swing his weapon.

SexyOneeChan: Ah! You’re alive! Do you know where you are!?

It was MEGAN, her message popping out in front of his eyes.

“I think… I’m in a dungeon, MEGAN.” Julian lowered his weapon and sighed in relief, “Wait… is my stream on?”

SexyOneeChan: It’s on Private right now—do you want me to make it live?

“Do you want to… Oh,” Julian whispered to himself as he tried to read MEGAN’s message. And after what seemed like an entire minute, he hummed. “Okay, they already know about the quest. But only show me your messages.”

SexyOneeChan: Roger that. They can see you now, Julian.

Julian hummed again, and although he was sure that she knew—her presence truly gave Julian all the confidence he needed to move forward.

He continued down the dark, dried corridor, where the faint light from glowing flowers seemed to almost dance in his wake. Each blossom brightened when he was at a distance, but as he neared, they would close up shyly, retreating into themselves.

The corridor was empty, but at the same time, the dungeon felt so alive to Julian. He could hear it, the way it breathed… the way Artemia breathed.

The path seemed endless in front of him, stretching on and on with no turns at all or any diverging paths. It truly was just one long corridor. But still, Julian was careful, extremely so.

His caution was fruitless, however, as he soon arrived in front of a large… metal door.

“This is… old.” Julian placed his hand across the metal door without any hesitation at all, letting his fingers trace across the strange, intricate carvings on it. At the center of the large door was the depiction of some sort of creature—though its head was scratched away, making it impossible to discern what sort of monster it was.

Parts of the door were already covered in roots, almost as if it had been there for centuries, perhaps even longer.

“Huh…” The metal was cool under his touch, and before he could even wonder how to open it—the door roared.

Well, not really, but it sounded like it did as the entire corridor began to tremble from its presence.

Julian hasn’t even done anything, and yet it began to slide open on its own; the roots, the ground, and everything else between quaked.

SexyOneeChan: Be careful, Julian… please.

He barely even noticed MEGAN’s words as he was too focused on what lay beyond the door. But he didn’t hesitate at all to step forward into the darkness welcoming him inside.

The door quickly closed behind him, humming and clanging as it sealed him inside. But it didn’t matter to Julian—after all, he was trapped either way.

For a moment, he stood in the familiar pitch darkness. But then, as if fully welcoming him, small lights flickered to life above him. Flowers and leaves, similar to those in the previous corridor, began to glow.

Thousands and thousands of them. MEGAN had described to him the Milky Way and the galaxies before, and even though he was sure the aurora above him wasn’t it, it was probably close.

The hall he now found himself in was vast, stretching into the shadows beyond the reach of the flowers’ light. And as he gazed around and stepped forward, he noticed that the blossoms on the floor, unlike the ones above, started to bloom a subtle path forward.

And they did. Their gentle luminescence guided him forward, drawing him to the center of the room, where something glinted under the faint light—a silver box.

SexyOneeChan: That’s… a casket, no… a coffin!

Well, whatever it was, it was metal… and something was inside it. He could feel it.

And as he drew closer, he noticed that it was decorated with runic engravings similar to those on the door.

“Hm…” Taking a steady breath, Julian reached out and placed a hand on the coffin’s surface.

For a moment, nothing happened.

But then, the silence was shattered by a sudden, violent movement from within the box.

“Oh.” Julian quickly pulled back as the coffin’s lid burst open. It was a shadow, leaping out from the coffin with terrifying speed. Julian barely managed to lift up Searadyn’s Veil into a shield, blocking one of the creature’s clawed limbs as it slashed toward his neck when it shot out.

The impact sent him skidding back, but his eyes remained completely focused on the dark creature. How could he not, when he recognized it?

“MEGAN…” he whispered, sparks forming from his weapon as it shifted into a shield and rapier. “That’s the monster I told you about, the one I fought in the void.”

It was the shadow crawler, its limbs long and twisted like a spider’s, body cloaked in shadows that seemed alive.

But something about it seemed… different.

It stared back at Julian. And soon, the creature began to shift and morph, its body expanding and contorting into a figure familiar to Julian and everyone watching his stream—it took the form of man. A small man.

A shadow of an Eldazen.

Its gaze remained fixed on Julian. A haunting smile… slowly stretching across its face.

Chapter fifty-nine

The Grave Veiled by Flowers

Kirisuk4: Bros. Transfer to Sword Junkie’s stream! He’s live!

Jackdaw: fr???

Aureus: its true. Sword Junkie’s alive!!!

iLuvUnicorn: bruh. hes in some creepy shit!

“This… the Sword Junkie’s alive.”

A deep sigh of relief escaped Cyrus’s lips, enough to cause the air in his lungs to completely wither away. After all, he was already planning to rush to a nearby tavern and return to his real body to gather news about Julian. Fortunately for him, even the usually quiet users had started flooding the chat, sharing updates about Julian and what was happening to him.

“How… would you know that?” The first to respond was Juliet, who had woken up after being incapacitated by Cyrus himself. “Are you… sure?”

“Yes,” Cyrus replied firmly, nodding as he turned toward Talia and the others, who were still trying to find a way through the dungeon. “Guys! Julian’s alive! We should probably get out of here before anyone else shows up.”

“Wait.” Juliet grabbed Cyrus’s arm before he could step away. “I’m not going to abandon Julian.”

“No one’s abandoning him.” Cyrus once again sighed. “We’re gonna return after more people come—it won’t be good to be the first person here since they would ask us questions about what happened. And the chat’s going to update us with everything that’s happening. No one’s abandoning anyone.”

“The chat…” Juliet’s voice softened, her eyes narrowing as she looked Cyrus in the eyes. “They’re watching the boss right now?”

“Yes. I’ve explained this to you before, right?”

“Then… what’s Julian doing right now?”

“They’re saying… he’s been staring down a shadow monster for an entire minute now?”

Talia, Dyrroth, and Titus heard Cyrus’s words just in time as they approached.

“A minute?” Talia muttered, her face carrying a mixture of confusion and worry, “What the hell’s going on in there?”

Back deep into the veins of Artemia, it was as the chat said—no one moved at all. Julian didn’t move, and the shadow crawler didn’t move from its spot.

It had been staring at Julian for an entire minute now, its head tilted slightly to one side, as if curious about him.

Julian assumed it to be copying an Eldazen. After all, it was almost the same size as the Eldazen mage he had fought just moments ago. But it was hard to tell as its silhouette almost seemed like smoke, struggling to maintain its shape.

Aside from its form, it had no features at all except eyes… and a mouth.

Its smile stretched impossibly wide, cutting through the darkness of its face. There were no teeth, just an endless void of blackness that deepened the longer Julian looked at it. The smile didn’t seem friendly. It wasn’t hostile, either. It was just… there.

“Hm…” Julian hummed, his thumb lightly brushing Searadyn’s Veil as he waited for the creature to move.

But the only thing moving around them was the silence, only broken by Julian’s breaths. Julian was ready for the creature, but it wasn’t doing anything and showed no signs of doing anything.

And so, Julian did what he thought most people would do in a situation like this.

“Hello…?”

He greeted the shadow.

But the only thing that greeted Julian back was once again silence. The creature had already tried to attack him once, but it was only when he touched the coffin—maybe it was waiting for Julian to do it again?

And so, rather than waiting for something unpredictable to happen, Julian cautiously walked to the coffin. His eyes, however, never left the creature at all, anticipating its sudden attack.

Still, the shadow didn’t move. It simply turned its head to follow him, its black silhouette tilting in sync with his movements.

“Hm.” Julian really only hummed as he stood beside the coffin, and now that he was close to it, the feeling he felt earlier was confirmed—it wasn’t just old; it was perfect. The patterns that were carved on it, the way it glowed and reflected the glimmering flowers—this coffin was crafted to be in this exact same spot, it was made to rest here, exactly here.

Julian reached out, running his fingers along the cool metal. The carvings depicted scenes and figures that felt like they were telling a story, but very much like the carvings on the door, it was incomplete. No, it was complete—but someone defiled it, scratched parts of it away to obscure whatever story it might have once held.

But still, Julian knew. He knew.

“Whoever made this,” he whispered, “is almost as good as me.”

And as soon as he said those words, a sound came.

A sharp, clicking noise filled the room, quiet at first but growing louder. Julian retracted his hand from the coffin and turned slowly, his eyes locking on to the shadow crawler.

The clicking noise was coming from it. But it wasn’t laughing, no. It was something else, almost as if it was trying to tell him something. But whatever it was trying to say, Julian couldn’t understand at all.

“Hello?” Julian repeated his greeting as he stepped closer to the shadow, making sure his grip on Searadyn’s Veil was as tight as it could be. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

The shadow continued to click several more times. But soon, it tilted its head again to the side, its hollow eyes staring once more at Julian as if checking him. And then, very slowly, the smile on its face faded… replaced by a frown.

A frown even wider than the smile it showed just moments ago. It stretched downward unnaturally, twisting into something unsettling.

“Hm?” Julian raised his shield and rapier as the creature raised one of its small hands, bracing for an attack.

But instead, the shadow didn’t attack at all. It placed its hand on its chest. No, it placed its hand through its chest. And with the clicking noise once again whispering in the air, it pulled something out from its own body—a blade, or at least it seemed like it.

Like the rest of its body, it was a shadow. The weapon seemed to drip darkness, not reflecting anything at all.

The shadow stretched its weapon to the side, its form shifting as it adopted an almost elegant stance. And then, for the first time, it moved.

One small step forward.

Julian let out a small breath as he shifted into a defensive position, but it didn’t take long for him to notice that something was wrong. The shadow was walking toward him, and yet… the distance between them wasn’t shrinking. If anything, it seemed to stretch farther… and farther.

And then, in a blink, the shadow was gone.

No, not gone.

Julian’s instincts screamed at him, and he ducked just as the shadow blade whistled through the air where his neck had just been moments ago.

And he didn’t even have time to counter before the crawler’s small foot snapped toward his chin. He raised his shield to block, but then, the foot suddenly disappeared—striking him in the ribs instead.

“Kh!?” The impact was enough to send him flying, the pain exploding through his chest as he violently rolled across the ground.

And he could feel it. As he groveled on the ground, he could feel several of his ribs scratching each other, completely shattered.

“Ha…” He struggled to push himself up, coughing large amounts of blood and spit on the ground. His breathing was completely ragged, and he quickly grabbed for a health potion that was inside his waist bag—he gritted through the pain, his breaths almost a wheeze.

But alas, he barely managed to open the vial when the shadow suddenly appeared next to him.

And even through the excruciating pain, Julian shifted Searadyn’s Veil into a large shield and covered himself from the attack that was coming. Unfortunately, even with his calmness, the potion slipped from his hand, completely shattering on the ground and spilling everywhere.

Fortunately for him, the shadow didn’t attack at all.

Instead, its already small frame crouched beside him, tilting its head curiously at him. And once again, it just stared at him. And then, with another series of clicks coming from it, it plunged its free hand into its chest once again.

Julian was going to attack while it was busy, but he paused when he saw what the shadow pulled out—it was a health potion.

And it wasn’t like the one Julian had dropped at all. This potion shimmered faintly, a liquid more radiant and pristine than anything Julian had ever seen. The crawler held it out for a moment, even shaking it as if mocking him. And after it seemed satisfied, it took a step back while pointing at the potion with its blade.

It was inviting him to take it.

Julian did not really hesitate at all to grab it. After all, why would it need to trick him?

Just after that single exchange, Julian knew—he knew that he was no match against this shadow at all. That kick alone was much stronger than the daemon he fought, much stronger than the shadow crawlers back at the Mana Chamber—this shadow didn’t see him as a threat at all.

It was toying with him.

“I get it…” Julian wiped the blood from his mouth before downing the potion in one gulp.

Warmth spread through his body, knitting his broken ribs and soothing the pain in his chest. His strength returned as if he’d just woken from a deep, restful sleep. Julian rose to his feet, the potion’s magic working wonders.

The shadow once again smiled, and this time, it gestured to Julian to attack… even lowering its blade while doing so.

“Hm…” Julian could really only sigh as he shifted Searadyn’s Veil back into a shield and rapier, but he didn’t lunge forward. Instead, he held his ground, waiting for the shadow to make the first move again.

The shadow tilted its head, almost as if surprised with Julian’s response. Its smile widened, and then, for some reason… it plunged its sword into the ground.

“Hm!?” Julian’s instincts screamed, and he leaped to the side just as the blade suddenly erupted from the ground where he had been standing.

It… used Julian’s own shadow to attack? How was he going to—!?

Julian didn’t have time to finish his thought as the crawler stabbed the ground again. This time, the blade burst upward from where Julian was landing, forcing him to swing his rapier toward it while still in the air.

“Oh?” Julian quickly noticed the shadow blade withering as he parried it, but he also saw the shadow crawler already pulling another weapon from its chest.

But of course, Julian wasn’t going to let it. He rushed forward, intent on closing the gap before it could even pull whatever weapon it was pulling.

“Wh—!?” But as he charged, his foot caught on something, sending him sprawling to the ground. He quickly gleaned back, but there was nothing there. Nothing to have caused him to trip.

But as he narrowed his eyes, he noticed a leaf floating—no. It wasn’t exactly floating, but it was being held… by the shadow of a flower’s petal?

The shadow… tripped him?

Julian didn’t have time to think at all, however, as he quickly rolled to the side, barely dodging the small hammer that was on the way to completely crush his head.

Julian kicked himself up, leaping into the air to avoid any more attacks. But even as he ascended, the shadow was… suddenly above him, its small hammer raised high.

Julian shifted Searadyn’s Veil into a large shield, bracing for impact.

The hammer collided with the shield, and Julian felt the shockwave rattle through his entire body. And the force was enough to… completely separate the shield into two.

Julian managed to grab Searadyn’s Veil, quickly shifting it into twin rapiers and gritting through the pain of an obviously shattered arm. He quickly stabbed through the shadow even as he fell, but the tip of his rapier was inches short of reaching its neck.

“Kh…!!!” Julian’s back brutally slammed into the earth, his body bouncing from the impact. Before he could even hit the ground again, the shadow’s small hand grabbed his ankle, its fingers digging through his flesh as it dragged him away.

And then, with terrifying strength, it hurled him across the room.

Once again, Julian found himself rolling violently across the floor before crashing into the wall with a deafening thud, the force enough to cause the entire cavern to tremble, the wall caving slightly under the force.

“Ha…” Dust and debris fell along Julian as he slumped down the dented and cracked wall—his vision, fading as he felt his bones clawing out from his flesh.

“Oh?” He looked at his arm, which now hung and swung at his side, clearly shattered and dislocated. But Julian gritted his teeth through the pain, forcing himself to move. He couldn’t stop now—if he lost consciousness here and returned to Earth, he knew he would never come back.

And so, even with his arm completely shattered, Julian picked up the twin rapiers from the ground—using whatever strength he had left to turn it into a longsword so he could try to use it with one hand.

And the shadow just casually watched him do all of this, the smile on its face widening as it did so. That smile, however, did not last long at all… as Julian let out a smile of his own.

“I… I know what you are now.” Julian’s smile turned into a chuckle as he looked at the shape of the hammer the shadow was holding. It was a cross-peen hammer. “Or at least what you were… a Shadow Blacksmith.”

Chapter sixty

The Nameless Blacksmith

A Shadow Blacksmith.

It made sense.

What better way to end the quest than to fight the thing he might one day become? Most of what Julian had learned in Artemia came from Cyrus’s words and MEGAN’s research. But if there was one thing only Julian truly understood, it was how the gods treated them like playthings.

They were probably watching right now, clearly entertained. The people from Earth were watching too. And in the end, there was no difference between the two groups. They wanted entertainment, and Julian got something in return.

The only problem was—he was absolutely no match for this shadow.

It wasn’t just because the shadow was stronger. It was because Julian’s abnormal senses—the ones that usually gave him an edge in every fight—were useless here. He couldn’t hear the shadow. He couldn’t smell it. He couldn’t feel its presence. All he could rely on was his sight, something he wasn’t used to depending on during combat. And even that wasn’t enough.

How could it be when the shadow barely had a form to be seen? Just a silhouette that seemed to shift and ripple as if it were made of smoke.

It was as though Julian was a mouse caught in a trap, waiting to die and disappear.

Still, Julian’s smile persisted. He gripped Searadyn’s Veil with his left hand, the weapon heavier than ever since his right arm had gone completely numb. His back rested against the cracked wall, the only thing keeping him upright.

“Just…” His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper, as he slowly raised the longsword. The blade trembled slightly in his grip as he pointed it toward the shadow. His smile persisted, defiant in its quiet way. “Let’s just get this over with.”

And once again, the shadow replied. And once again, Julian couldn’t understand it at all. The low, rhythmic clicking sounds filled the room. They hummed in the air, echoing off the roots and walls of the dungeon.

The shadow’s form wavered for a moment, its smoky edges flickering like a candle about to be snuffed out. Its head tilted to one side, its hollow eyes fixed on Julian, as if considering something.

It took a step forward.

Its steps echoed faintly. It was right in front of him… and yet Julian truly found it difficult to even recognize its presence. It felt as though it wasn’t there at all, but he knew it was, and it was approaching closer and closer to him.

“Huh…” Julian braced himself, tightening his grip on Searadyn’s Veil as best as he could with his only working arm. He wasn’t sure what the shadow was about to do, but he wasn’t going to just lie down and admit defeat.

But then, the shadow didn’t strike at all.

Instead, it crouched down again, as small as it already was. Julian didn’t even realize that the shadow was already right in front of him again. It tilted its head to the side, looking up at Julian curiously like it had done from the beginning.

And once again, it spoke to him. The low, clicking sound filled the air, but softer now. And then, without warning, the shadow plunged its hand into its chest—another potion. It held it out to Julian, shaking it slightly as if mocking him to take it.

Well, it didn’t matter if it was, Julian was going to take it.

He only inspected the potion for a moment before downing it down in one gulp. The warmth spread through his body almost instantly, the pain in his chest easing as his broken bones mended. His breath steadied, and the weakness in his limbs faded.

Very much like the last one he took, the vial was able to completely heal him in seconds. It was unlike the normal potions he had been drinking the past week whenever he got wounded during his hunts with Juliet—it almost even felt like the potion could recover a lost limb.

Hopefully, Julian wouldn’t have to test that.

“Thank you.” Julian breathed out as he gently placed the vial to the side and stood up slowly, his eyes locked on the shadow.

The shadow didn’t reply. It simply stepped back, raising its weapon slightly before gesturing for Julian to attack once more. Its unnervingly wide smile returned, stretching across its featureless face.

But Julian didn’t move.

“No,” he sighed, walking away from the wall as he did so.

The shadow froze. Its smile faded again as its clicks just stopped. It stared at Julian, taking a step forward as it held the hammer in his hand.

And yet, Julian remained still, his grip on Searadyn’s Veil tightening.

“What are we even doing?” Julian muttered, shifting his weapon into a new form. “You know you can kill me anytime you want to. I want to change our game to make it fair.”

Julian didn’t rush to attack. Instead, he took a deep breath and began shifting Searadyn’s Veil into its many different forms, letting the shadow watch as he displayed its craftsmanship.

“I’m not a warrior, and one of the only two reasons I learned to fight was to be worthy of wielding the lives I have created.”

The first transformation was smooth. The longsword in his hand caused the dim light to distort, shrinking and separating into twin rapiers. Julian adjusted his grip, twirling the right rapier into a shield.

“Do you consider them alive too, the weapons we make? Because I have always considered them to be my children.”

Julian took his time, ignoring the clicking that was growing louder from the shadow. He transitioned the rapier and shield into two smaller shields, holding them up as if he were testing their weight.

“That’s why when the Master of Shadows was taking them away, I was always… in pain. And so, the only other reason I learned how to fight was to be able to protect them, and the people I care about.”

Then, with a low hum, the shields merged into one large shield, broad and solid, its surface almost invisible to the naked eye. And finally, he returned Searadyn’s Veil to its original longsword form, holding it in one hand as he exhaled slowly.

Through all of this, Julian never looked at the shadow at all. He was just looking at Searadyn’s Veil, admiring it—holding it as if it truly was his baby.

The shadow, however, didn’t share his calm demeanor. Its silhouette began to twitch, its head tilted further and further as it stared at Searadyn’s Veil. Its reaction was unreadable, but for everyone who was seeing it, it was clearly growing more agitated.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re stronger than me,” Julian muttered as he finally turned to the shadow. “It doesn’t change the fact that I… am the better blacksmith between us.”

Julian’s words carried no malice or bravado at all. It was a simple statement, spoken with the weight of conviction. It wasn’t arrogance or showmanship—it was pride. Pride in his craft.

The shadow froze, its clicks falling silent.

Julian also paused, his grip firm on Searadyn’s Veil. And with a breath, he took a small step closer to the shadow.

“This is my latest work.” He lightly held the longsword with both hands, his fingers lightly brushing the clear blade. “You’ve seen what it can do. Every part of it, I created.”

Julian took another step, now pacing slowly as he spoke, his tone, devoid of any arrogance. “To forge it, I tamed a flame spirit—one that wanted to burn and freeze me alive.”

The shadow didn’t respond, but its body seemed to ripple faintly, its silhouette almost vibrating with suppressed energy—anger? Annoyance? It didn’t really matter.

“The only reason it isn’t better,” Julian continued, his voice softening, “is because it had to be less. What about you, Shadow Blacksmith? What is your latest work?”

The shadow didn’t react at first. It simply stared at Julian, its form eerily still. And then, as if processing the question, its clicks returned—low, deliberate.

Julian ignored the noise. Instead, he turned his attention back to the coffin. “This… this is beautiful. Almost perfect, even.”

The shadow tilted its head to the side, as if curious as to what Julian was about to do.

He let his hand hover over it for a moment before suddenly slashing his longsword through it in a clean, diagonal cut.

“But as I said…”

The sharp clang of metal on metal echoed in the chamber, and the coffin fell apart—its two halves sliding away from each other like silk. Julian lowered his weapon, taking a step back to examine his handiwork.

“It is not better than mine,” he whispered. “The metal you used to make your box is clearly of better quality than the glacivyr, and yet it couldn’t even withstand an inferior material… simply because it is inferior.”

And when Julian turned his gaze back to the shadow, he saw it trembling, its silhouette twisting and distorting violently. Though it had no clear features, Julian could feel its anger. The clicks that had filled the room became erratic, sharper, almost like screams of frustration.

“Please relax.” Juliah sighed as he stepped to the side. “I only want to know if this metal box is the best thing you can do… or if there’s something else you are hiding inside your… chest. Maybe a [Unique Epic], like mine?”

The shadow remained still for a moment, and then, with a flick of his hand, the hammer disappeared. And without even any hesitation, it plunged its hand into its chest once again.

And when it pulled back, a new weapon emerged—a longsword.

Or at least, it would have been a longsword for Julian. In the Eldazen shadow’s smaller hands, it seemed massive, almost like a greatsword. Its edges danced faintly with the same dark energy that surrounded its body.

The shadow took a single step forward, gesturing for Julian to move aside. It was clear what it intended to do—it wanted Julian to see how easy his weapon would cut the coffin too.

“You’re doing it in that form? I suppose that’s fair,” Julian muttered, stepping to the side as the shadow approached the coffin. “You’d need the extra power to cut it as cleanly as Searadyn’s Veil did.”

“Kikh?” The shadow’s form rippled again, its body twisting even more violently as it looked at Julian. It gripped its weapon tightly, raising it high.

But then, the shadows surrounding its form began to fade.

“Hm?” Julian tilted his head to the side as he watched as the shadow began to unravel, the darkness that cloaked its figure slithered away like mist, dissipating into the air.

And what emerged beneath wasn’t the terrifying, and dark creature that Julian expected.

It was a woman.

Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and wrinkled to the point it resembled the walls of the dungeon itself. Her frail frame barely seemed capable of lifting the massive sword she carried, yet her posture was unnervingly straight. Long, white hair cascaded over her shoulders, lifeless as if it hadn’t moved in centuries. Her face bore deep lines etched with time and struggle, her eyes hollow pits that still seemed to hold a faint, unsettling glow.

But Julian wasn’t focusing on her features and appearance at all, no. All of Julian’s senses were fixed on the weapon she was holding.

A blood-red blade, its surface appearing wet and pulsating, as though it were alive, truly alive.

“It’s…” Julian whispered as he approached the Eldazen without fear or worry. “It’s very beautiful.”

The sword radiated an aura that screamed of precision, artistry, and… agony. It was a masterpiece of its own kind, yet it felt wrong, as though forged in torment.

The Eldazen stood silently, her breathing shallow but deliberate. Despite her fragile appearance, there was an undeniable presence about her—a weight that pressed against Julian like an invisible force. But Julian didn’t care at all… and neither did the Eldazen.

She raised her weapon high, showing it to Julian.

And for the first time, Julian finally saw the shadow’s smile as it truly was.

It wasn’t ominous at all, nor was it wicked.

It was just arrogance. No, confidence. Plain confidence.

And for the first time since she made herself known to Julian, he could finally feel her presence.

“I see you now, Shadow Blacksmith.” Julian smiled as he looked at the Eldazen with respect.

He could feel her now… and that meant he could also kill her—no. That was wrong too. Because she was dead. She had been dead for a very long time.

And Julian would free her.

“Well…” Julian then stepped back. And instead of stepping to the side so that the Shadow Blacksmith could approach the coffin, he stood in front of it and shifted Searadyn’s Veil into twin rapiers—raising one horizontally toward the woman, kneeling in front of her so that the rapier would be within her reach.

“Let’s test it, then,” Julian whispered, “which one of us is the better blacksmith.”

Chapter sixty-one

The Best I Have Ever Met

There was no confusion between the two.

As soon as Julian held his rapier sideways in front of the shadow—the woman—she immediately understood what Julian intended. It was barbaric, a method every blacksmith alive would scoff at as the most absurd way to test a weapon’s quality.

But they were going to do it.

Both understood what was about to happen, and each wore a smile as they prepared for it.

One smiled with utter confidence, her wrinkled face tightening as she looked at Julian with a mix of amusement and disdain.

The other smiled with quiet trust, his face calm and resolute. Unlike the Shadow Blacksmith, Julian wasn’t looking at his opponent—his focus was entirely on her weapon. She seemed to be saying something, the clicking noises emanating from her blending into the silence. Even though Julian couldn’t understand the words, he felt as though he could grasp the meaning behind them.

She was mocking him. Her gestures and clicks seemed to sneer, telling him that his transparent weapon was no match for her blood-like blade. It wouldn’t even take one strike, she seemed to say, for her weapon to shatter his glacivyr rapier into pieces.

“Well…” Julian’s voice was steady as he responded, his tone carrying neither malice nor insecurity. “I’d much prefer it if we just let our babies talk instead. So, please…”

He adjusted his grip on the rapier, ensuring it wouldn’t budge or falter when the Shadow Blacksmith’s weapon struck down. His movements were deliberate, precise, as though preparing for a ritual.

Yes, they were about to slam their weapons against one another—sharp edge against sharp edge—until one blade gave out and shattered. They didn’t need to do this. There were countless, more effective ways to test the quality of a weapon. In fact, this method was the absolute worst, reserved for fools and brutes.

But for two artisans who had long surpassed the title of “master,” this was the most thrilling way to do it.

And the first turn was the Shadow Blacksmith’s.

And without another word, she brought her weapon down with a ferocious precision. But as soon as their blades met, a smile crawled on Julian’s face as he instantly knew that she held back—matching his level to ensure that their contest was about their weapons and not their strength.

Their blades clashed, and the chamber erupted with the resounding clang, the sound rippling through the air like a wave.

Julian felt the impact resonate through his entire body, each vibration telling a distinct story. It was absurd to think so, but to him, those vibrations spoke volumes—the story behind the Shadow Blacksmith’s strike.

The force behind the strike wasn’t driven by malice at all; the blade made of blood, however, was a completely different tale altogether—it was a weapon forged with pain, cruelty, and unimaginable sacrifice. Whatever methods the Shadow Blacksmith had used to forge her masterpiece, Julian knew they were anything but kind.

And as the vibrations finally stopped, the Shadow Blacksmith smirked as she pulled her blade back, swinging it through the air as if to flaunt its pristine condition.

To her credit, not a scratch marred its surface, but the same could be said to Searadyn’s Veil.

And while the Shadow Blacksmith was checking her blood-forged sword, Julian simply raised his rapier without even checking it, ready to strike down at any moment.

The Shadow Blacksmith noticed this, causing her smirk to falter into a quiet scoff. She then placed her blood sword sideways between her and Julian, ready for him to strike.

And so, it was Julian’s turn—and unlike her, he did not bother to do anything else.

He swung his rapier down, the arc of his blade as precise as the Shadow Blacksmith’s. But unlike her, there was something else besides precision—there was fluidity. Not as a warrior who eradicates life, but as someone who creates things with his hands.

The Shadow Blacksmith’s face flinched ever so slightly as the clash between their blades caused a sound that was clearer, sharper… and purer than her strike. The sound hummed, echoing through the dark cavern, like a song almost.

The Shadow Blacksmith instinctively inspected her blade again, her fingers lightly brushing its surface. Meanwhile, Julian had once again already positioned Searadyn’s Veil, ready for it to be struck by her.

And once again, it was the Shadow Blacksmith’s turn. But before she could strike down, a smile crawled on Julian’s face.

“Thank you for being fair,” Julian said suddenly, his voice calm yet sincere, causing the Shadow Blacksmith to pause. “I know you could have pulled out a [Legendary] or even a [Mythic] grade weapon from your chest, but you didn’t.”

The Shadow Blacksmith’s smirk returned, the clicking noises escaping from her lips sounding slightly amused.

Clang!

She swung her blade down, and the resulting clash produced a tone eerily similar to Julian’s previous strike. But this time, however, it was as if the flowers heard the contact between the two blades. The flowers’ glow flickered, their light trembling in rhythm with the vibrations.

And even after another strike, neither weapon showed any sign of damage. The Shadow Blacksmith was saying something again, and her clicking sounds sounded so profound, if only Julian could actually understand.

Well, whatever she was trying to convey, she didn’t seem to care that Julian couldn’t understand her. She repositioned her blade, holding it sideways in preparation for the next exchange.

And once again, it was Julian’s turn.

“Why are you even here?” Julian asked, his voice carrying a quiet weight as he raised his blade. A weight that seemed heavier than either of their strikes. He then glanced briefly at the cleaved coffin behind him. “You’re dead, like the corpse puppets we’ve been… ending. I can’t really imagine how someone… or something can control a being as powerful and majestic as you.”

Julian was not really hoping for a response at all. He brought his rapier down again, because as he said earlier, the only way they could actually understand each other was through their creations.

Clang!

The sound of the impact resonated differently again, as if infused with… words rather than force.

And the flowers answered once more—not just flickering, but blooming around them and filling the cavern with light. Their glow danced like an aurora across the cavern floor, creating a mesmerizing sea of colors beneath their feet.

A gasp, or at least it sounded like it, escaped from the Shadow Blacksmith’s lips. Her eyes softened as she looked down at the flowers—and for a moment, it seemed as if she was gone, away to a completely different place.

And as she returned, a whisper of longing remained in her eyes.

She said something again, her clicks much softer again, almost… wistful.

She caressed her blade again, but this time not to inspect it.

A smile crawled on her face, no longer of confidence, no longer of pride—it was just a smile, nothing else. She brushed her fingers across the blade, causing its surface to shimmer and ripple like liquid.

“Hm…” A small hum escaped Julian’s lips as he felt how much passion was in her touch, he even almost felt it himself. But as he stared at the blade which moved like water, it once again reminded him just how little he truly understood about the world of Artemia.

His own weapon, Searadyn’s Veil, was crafted with cold fire—a feat he had considered extraordinary. Yet, here stood a blade that defied the reality he knew.

Clang!

The Shadow Blacksmith struck Julian’s blade once more, the force reverberating through the chamber. Still, nothing happened.

Julian took his turn again, and then her, the two, locked in a rhythmic dance of strikes without violence or malice. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as their hands moved and their blades clung to one another. This was no longer a contest at all, it was a… duet.

And then, after what felt like an eternity, a new song whispered through the air—a crack.

Julian’s rapier.

It wasn’t Julian’s weapon that cracked. The sound was faint but unmistakable, a fragile imperfection, now spreading across its surface.

The Shadow Blacksmith’s clicking grew louder, her tone almost mocking as she stepped back slightly in excitement. But then, after a few moments, her pace once again softened as she approached Julian.

She then gently brushed her hand across Julian’s weapon, her movements almost apologetic as she caressed it, her fingers, trailing across its smooth surface. If she had been alive, tears might have traced down her face already with how curled her brows were.

Julian, however, only smiled even as he stared at the cracks.

And once again, it was his turn to strike.

He raised his damaged rapier and brought it down against the Shadow Blacksmith’s blood sword. The impact rang out, and the cracks in his sword scattered and multiplied… but it wasn’t only his creation that was damaged now.

A crack now also formed across the Shadow Blacksmith’s sword—or rather, it bled. Thick, crimson liquid seeped from the cracks in its surface.

Julian stared and listened to the blood dripping on the ground for a few moments. He then let out a small sigh as he placed his sword sideways.

“Let’s… just get this over with, then.”

And once again, perhaps for the last time—it was her turn.

The Shadow Blacksmith nodded silently, raising her own weapon as she prepared for one final strike. Her hollow eyes locked onto Julian’s, her expression still quite unreadable, but it was as if he could understand her now.

And with a loud click escaping her lips, she swung her blade down.

Clang!

As their blades met, Julian’s rapier shattered completely, splitting into two halves… and yet Julian did not look away at all, even as the other half of it flew across his face, slicing his cheek… he did not look away.

Even as the blood sword sliced through his chest, he did not look away.

The wound wasn’t fatal, of course, but it was deep enough to make him stagger.

The blood sword didn’t fare much better, however. The crack along its edge spread rapidly as it moved in the air, and as soon as it struck the ground, the weapon completely snapped in half, the blood scattering everywhere and even painting the ground and the beautiful flowers red… but the red did not last long.

It dried up almost instantly, turning brown… and then just turning darker and darker.

None of that mattered, of course. Because the winner was clear now; even with their weapons both destroyed, the winner was clear.

The Shadow Blacksmith won.

She looked at Julian, her wrinkled face filled with pride and… sadness. She was in pain. She was in pain upon seeing her weapon shatter, she was in pain upon seeing Julian’s weapon shatter.

And for a moment, they simply stared at each other.

“Ha…” And after a few more moments, Julian clutched his chest, his breathing labored as blood seeped through his fingers.

The Shadow Blacksmith glanced at her broken blade, then at Julian. Her expression now filled with respect.

She then nodded as she buried her hand on her chest again to pull out another weapon. But then… she paused as she saw Julian do something.

Julian raised his other hand, and there… the other half of Searadyn’s Veil stood completely tall… and whole.

The Shadow Blacksmith froze, her hollow eyes narrowing as she stared at Julian’s raised rapier. For a moment, there was confusion on her face.

But then, slowly, the realization dawned on her. Her clicking speech shifted into something exhilarating—something that almost sounded like laughter.

It wasn’t the cruel, mocking laughter that Julian had heard earlier. No, this was something else entirely. Her frame quaked lightly, her form trembling as the laugh echoed faintly in the cavern.

And then, tears—bright red like the liquid from her blade—trickled from her eyes.

And soon, her laughter quieted, replaced by a serene smile as she raised whatever remained of her sword.

But of course, there was nothing there, only a trail of blood that dripped from her hand. And yet, her face held no bitterness, only acceptance. She stared at Julian, her gaze so gentle that it cut through Julian even more so than her sword.

She understood it now—Julian’s words.

And because of that… she finally spoke,

“This whole while, I believed it was I who wielded restraint—yet lo, thy blade, halved and wanting, hath labored under incompleteness.”

Julian froze for a moment, startled by her response. All this time, she could speak?

“I am outcrafted,” she continued, “and outwitted. As it must be, for such is the nature of the craft.”

Julian stared at her, but after a few moments, he let out a small hum and smiled, “And I was wrong too—you are the best blacksmith I have ever met.”

“And thou, young one” she replied, her voice clear and gentle for the first time, “art the finest I have encountered. And believe me, child, I have encountered many.”

“Thank you. I truly did enjoy this, not knowing whether my sword was truly better.”

“Thou jest. It was not even a contest.”

“Well…”

“And now, thou art destined to become as I am. Take heed, young one—let not the darkness consume thee. Embrace the shadow, but never the dark.”

“What’s… your name?” Julian asked, his voice filled with a gentleness equaling that of the Shadow Blacksmith’s.

“Erin,” she answered with a faint, bittersweet smile. “And yours?”

“Julian Winters.” And with those words, Julian gripped his rapier with both hands and raised it high. And as he did so, Erin closed her eyes and looked up. The two stood frozen for a moment, like a painting almost.

The two of them, shrouded by the aurora beneath their feet.

And then… Julian breathed out.

The rapier sliced cleanly through Erin’s shoulder, the blade cleaving through her flesh and bones—well, it wasn’t that hard at all. There was no resistance. Her flesh was almost sand, and her bones paper.

Erin didn’t scream or flinch. Julian reached out to catch her, but there was nothing left to hold.

Her body… it simply crumbled, her form disintegrating into fine ash that scattered through the air. Her smile disappeared last, etched into the darkness before being absorbed by it.

It would, however, now forever exist in Julian.

“Hm…” Julian stood still, staring at the empty air where Erin had been. He felt a weight in his chest—not grief, but a quiet understanding. He then looked at his hand, the ash melting and completely disappearing.

He didn’t really have time to contemplate, however, as the flowers that lit up the cavern began to close. One by one, their light faded, wrapping the room in the familiar embrace of darkness.

[Congratulations on clearing all the labors, Julian Winters.]

That was it, then?

Well, of course, it might seem quite simple now—but Julian’s Otherworld body had actually almost died several times in the course of doing this quest…not to mention he had also almost truly died.

[The Master of Shadows is now proceeding to grant you the abilities of the Shadow Blacksmith.]

The words appeared in front of Julian, their glow cutting through the darkness. But before he could even process them, the world around him… completely vanished.

He was no longer in the cavern.

Julian found himself suspended in an empty void, surrounded by nothing but the vast, endless space of… nothing.

Soon, that nothing turned into a scenery of war.

“Where… am I?”

Chapter sixty-two

The Birth of Artemia

The world… or was it the universe?

Julian found himself in the middle of nowhere. A vast, endless desert that seemed to shimmer like night sky. But there were cracks everywhere, and beyond those cracks lay an infinite void of light, silvers twinkling at a distance beyond what Julian could comprehend.

But if there was something that Julian could comprehend, it was the violence.

Above, below, and to every horizon—there was war. A raging war that seemed to have no sides at all. It wasn’t a battle between two sides, but a field of chaos with countless armies clashing with each other.

At one point, alliances seemed to be made, only to be broken, brothers and sisters fighting against each other. There were knights clad in radiant armor, their swords and spears, unlike anything Julian had seen before, blazing like the sun itself.

He would have loved to just stare at their weapons and inspect them, but Julian was distracted by all the rage. By everything that was happening.

There were massive constructs everywhere: stone, metal, and some other material Julian couldn’t recognize. They hurled destruction everywhere and to everyone—perhaps that was the only redeeming quality of this war.

It was fair, everyone was dying and losing.

Julian then saw swarms of beings with wings darting across the endless void, their forms shifting as they ripped through anything in their path; their wings, cutting the very space itself. There were also monstrous beings larger than the mountains Julian had seen, all locked in battle and shaking the very foundations of whatever this place was with every blow.

And yet, throughout this raging chaos, the very center of it all was calm, eerily so.

Floating at the heart of violence was a cube, a perfect cube that was darker than the void itself. It did not reflect light, nor did it reflect the violence surrounding it.

It was just… there. Existing.

Or perhaps, not even?

It wasn’t massive at all, and there seemed to be nothing special about it except for the fact that it was at the center of everything… and perhaps it was the very reason the chaos was happening in the first place.

Everyone seemed to be moving toward it, wanting to possess it… and yet no one could have it.

But then, throughout the chaos, there was order—or at least perhaps an illusion of it.

It was a single arrow, flying across the battlefield and whistling peacefully through everyone and everything without a single hint of violence. It just flowed through the war, glowing faintly with a silver-green light surrounding it.

And then, the chaos stopped instantly as the arrow struck right into the cube.

Everyone then watched as the arrow slowly stood tall, shifting casually amidst the carnage—it turned into a woman, draped in what could be considered a humble robe made of fur and leather.

Everyone screamed and roared, pushing each other as they rushed toward the woman. But their cries were for nothing as the woman claimed the cube, embracing it before vanishing into the void.

The battlefield stilled. The armies halted, godly beings frozen in shock, as if the entire war had been extinguished in an instant.

And then, somewhere—Julian watched as the very same woman whispered into the darkness. She wasn’t in a cavern, nor was she in the same void where the war was happening, she was just… there, along with her cube.

The cube rested in her hands, its edges faintly pulsing with an unnatural energy that seemed to consume the faint light around her. She then let go of it, and it did nothing at all but just float there.

“Why…?” Julian whispered to himself. Why would this seemingly odd cube that does nothing at all cause a war of that scale?

And why was he being shown this? All he wanted was the Shadow Blacksmith class. He didn’t need to know any of this.

Of course, any thoughts escaping Julian completely paused as the woman reached for her bow and pointed it at him.

And without any hesitation, she fired. Julian instinctively flinched, but the arrow just suddenly stopped before it could actually reach him—it stopped an inch from reaching his chest before the arrow curved, twisting in the air.

It then turned, spiraling back straight toward the woman and piercing her chest.

The woman gasped softly, but she wasn’t in pain. A smile so serene spread across her face as she let go of her bow.

Blood did not spill from her wound, but rather, there was a leaf. And soon, roots began to emerge from the wound, winding down her body and wrapping it—but before her silhouette could completely disappear, she embraced the cube.

The roots continued to grow, expanding and intertwining until they filled the void, and as they grew, so did something else.

A world was born.

The roots twisted into continents, their tendrils spreading into rivers and mountains. From her heart came the lifeblood of this new world, a core that pulsed with warmth and light. Atmosphere swirled into being, blanketing the new creation with life-giving breath.

“Artemia…?” Julian murmured as the colorful sphere reminded him of the very first thing he had ever seen in his life.

Was the woman perhaps… Artemis herself? Was this the story of Artemia? If so… then why was he being shown this?

Julian’s gaze followed Artemia’s growth, its lands expanding and thriving. Cities were born from their soil, and life flourished. But as the world grew, a shimmering veil began to cover it—a barrier of swirling light and shadow, wrapping Artemia in a protective cocoon.

It was the very same veil that was preventing most technology from entering Artemia. But… why exactly did they need it?

His question quickly found its answer when the stars dimmed, and massive shapes appeared at the edges of the void surrounding Artemia. Ships—towering, monstrous vessels. Their surfaces were sleek and gleaming, bristling with weapons that seemed to hum with power.

Julian wondered what they were at first, but it felt and looked similar to the space station his clone woke up from, but not quite. He hadn’t really seen any of Earth’s spaceships and stations before, but he felt that these ships weren’t from Earth at all. The hum they created seemed… much more powerful than anything humanity could create.

But humans have traveled the cosmos for thousands of years, trying to find life and advanced civilizations. And throughout this journey, they had discovered the sad and boring truth—humanity was the advanced civilization.

“MEGAN, are you here?” Julian muttered. But there was no reply at all—it would seem he was alone in this vision, and soon, this vision was once again filled with fire, literally.

The ships opened fire.

Beams of energy, explosive rounds, and torrents of fire rained down upon Artemia. The veil held strong, absorbing every impact. But the relentless barrage didn’t cease. Waves of destruction pounded against the barrier again and again, each strike rippling across the shield like a stone cast into water.

Julian had no idea how long it actually lasted. He had no sense of time here. Perhaps it lasted for seconds? Minutes? Perhaps even years.

But soon, the veil flickered.

And once again, Julian’s vision shifted. He was no longer watching from above—he was standing on Artemia, gazing up at the sky as explosions lit up like a violent aurora.

“It won’t hold anymore.”

“Hm…?” A voice slightly startled Julian. He turned quickly, finding himself face-to-face with a man standing right next to him.

But no, the man wasn’t actually looking at him at all—he was gazing past him, his eyes fixed on a small figure standing on top of a boulder.

It was a girl—or at least, she seemed to be at first glance. But no, her features were sharper, more mature. It was an Eldazen woman, young and slight, yet there was a weight to her presence that belied her size.

And right there and then, as Julian stared at her—he quickly recognized whose presence it was.

Erin. The Eldazen was Erin.

“Child…” The man spoke again, his words sending chills down Julian’s spine almost as if he was actually talking to him.

“Do not let it consume you. Embrace the shadow, but never the dark.”

Julian stared at him, his mind racing. Was this man… the Shadow Blacksmith before Erin? Or was he the Master of Shadows?

“You will be lonely, but such is our duty. Go out into the light, protect it.”

Julian’s vision soon blurred after those words, and the voices around him became muffled. He could no longer make out what the man and Erin were saying, but he could at least hear one thing as the man repeated it over and over again.

Box.

Was he referring to the dark cube? The very same one that Artemis claimed and wrapped Artemia around?

Of course, Julian wasn’t really going to get his answers. Instead, he watched as the man’s silhouette began to change. Shadows soon crawled out from him and enveloped his body, wrapping around him like tendrils until his figure became indistinguishable.

And almost instantly, the darkness expanded, growing taller and broader until it towered over the horizon.

The man had transformed into a colossal figure, a giant shadow that seemed to scrape the heavens themselves.

The shadow giant reached into the empty sky, pulling a massive hammer out of nowhere that gleamed faintly in the dim light. And with a deep, resonant hum, he raised the hammer high, striking the sky.

Darkness spread outward from the impact—but it wasn’t malevolent or sinister at all. It felt protective, as though the shadow itself sought to shield Artemia from the onslaught it was taking from the countless ships surrounding it.

The giant shadow… was repairing the very skies of Artemia. Was he… the one who created the veil?

And it seemed to work. The bombardment from the alien ships faltered as the veil grew stronger, reinforced by the shadow.

But then, one ship suddenly broke through, much smaller than the others. It pierced the atmosphere like a spear, its weapons unleashing a single, devastating shot.

And then, as it entered Artemia, it released another blast.

The blast tore through the shadow giant, punching a hole clean through its chest.

“NO!” A scream echoed through the air, raw with anguish. Julian turned to see Erin, her face contorted with grief as she watched the shadow fall down onto his knees.

Julian could feel it. He had no connection with the man at all, but he could feel the great sadness that was escaping from Erin’s lips. A rage that he was familiar with.

And soon, the shadow began to wither, its immense form dissolving into the air like smoke. The hammer slipped from its grasp, and the figure… just faded into nothingness.

The ship descended, landing close to Erin. But she quickly hid, her eyes watching as the vessel’s ramp began to lower and open.

And although he wasn’t being seen at all, Julian also did the same—hiding with Erin as they both watched as the figures emerged from the ship, their steps heavy as their feet touched Artemia’s soil.

“What…?”

It wasn’t only Erin’s eyes that widened as they saw them.

They walked like humans, that’s for sure—but they weren’t. Their forms were sleek, their skin a dark, almost metallic hue.

But most importantly, their heads.

It reminded Julian of daemons.

Chapter sixty-three

Julian Winters, Reforged by the Shadow

Julian had only seen the daemons from MEGAN recreating them inside the Between, but he was sure of it—the faces of the people who stepped out of the ship were eerily similar to the daemons.

No.

Perhaps not just similar at all.

“Hm…” Julian decided to move away from the boulder and approach the invaders, checking the way they moved and spoke. Of course, Julian couldn’t really understand what they were saying at all, but the fact they were speaking in the first place intrigued him.

Throughout his entire life, he had been taught that the daemons are mindless beings capable of only acting on their instincts to destroy. Well, true enough, they were still destroying—but these people, these humanoid daemons clearly moved with purpose and intelligence.

These… people could even potentially be even more advanced than the humans.

“MEGAN, are you truly not seeing this?” Julian called for MEGAN again. But alas, it would seem he truly was alone in this vision.

It would have been very nice to get MEGAN’s input on this. But this could also have been for the best—after all, this sort of news would have exploded. Humanity Engineering, and probably even the government would personally approach Julian to get more information… and they would most likely discover that his clone’s strength was carrying over to his real body. And as MEGAN told him, they would probably start making tests on him and probably even dissect him.

“Are you truly daemons?” Julian stood in front of one of the humanoid daemons, and to his surprise… it looked back at him. He was about to put up his guard, but then heard a loud scream coming from behind him.

He turned, only to see Erin exploding with rage, tears flying away from her eyes as she passed through Julian’s body, lunging straight toward the daemon on the front.

She didn’t even use any weapons. She clung to the humanoid daemon’s shoulder and snapped its neck in two. And from the shadow the daemon’s head made when it bent, Erin plunged both her hands and grabbed a pair of small katars… which she used to decapitate the daemon she had already killed.

She then pushed herself away from the still-standing corpse, almost flying in the air. And then, one by one, she cut them down, her whole body, literally a whirlwind of death as she danced in the air. They had no chance against her fury. Julian did not even have a chance to see what sort of weapons or abilities the humanoid daemons had due to her overwhelming skill.

She moved like a violent shadow, silent and merciless.

And now that Julian was seeing it from an outside perspective, he was starting to understand why he couldn’t even figure out Erin’s movements at all when they fought—well, when she badly beat him up.

At first, he thought that Erin was entering the shadows and leaping through the darkness, teleporting—but no. She wasn’t doing that at all.

She was just literally erasing her presence, almost as if she didn’t exist at all. And even right now, she was just walking toward the last invader… and yet, it felt as if she was nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

Julian have heard of mirages and illusions from MEGAN, but this didn’t feel like it fit their definitions at all.

Erin wasn’t just making illusions or bending the shadows and light. It felt as if she was literally bending space itself… maybe. Julian was the last person to ask about things like this as he had literally been totally blind his entire life.

But that is what it truly felt like—she was bending space itself.

And as the last invader fell, Erin stared as the life whisked away from the daemon’s dark eyes.

She remained like that for a while, all the rage and her wrath dancing on her trembling lips. But soon, both also died down… or perhaps were just given a rest as she stood in front of the invaders’ ship.

For a moment, it seemed she might destroy it, her katar faded away and she pulled a large hammer from the ground. But then, as she posed to strike down… she stopped, her gaze hesitating.

And soon, she turned away, leaving it there to be forgotten—and forgotten it was.

Time shifted. He watched as the ship was swallowed by the foliage. He watched as the lands of Artemia merged and divided, kingdoms rising and falling. And through it all, Erin remained—unchanging, alone.

The years stretched into decades, centuries, and then a millennium. Julian saw her solitude, the weight of her isolation pressing down on her.

She was eternal, yet she was utterly alone. But why? This all felt useless to Julian—why was he shown her eternal loneliness, when the visions did not show at all why? For what purpose was she alone?

What was she doing all these years? Why was Julian only being shown her loneliness and not the other things she had done throughout the years? Her accomplishments, her creations?

And at last, the time came when Erin could bear it no longer. Julian watched as she created something—from the forge she created life. Not a weapon, not an object, but a life—a reflection of her.

Erin created a clone of herself, a perfect mirror.

And this reflection did something she couldn’t—live a normal life. A life Erin could only observe from the shadows.

The reflection grew older, had children, and those children had children. For generations, Erin watched over her lineage. Her family was peaceful, thriving in a world she had perhaps literally forged.

But of course, when peace persists, it is only be a matter of time before war is awakened.

Erin’s family was slaughtered, their blood staining the land. The pain in her face was unbearable to witness. How could it not be… when those who killed her family were also her family?

And once again, the rage that was hiding within her grew, her grief turning into rage, turning into guilt. From the very hands in which she created herself, she ended them all.

And from their blood, she forged a blade. Her hands trembled the entire time, her emotions in a complete frenzy; perhaps it wasn’t even her that forged the blade, but whatever was left of the life she never had.

She was never the same after that. She still had family, her lineage grew wide—but she was never the same. The light in her eyes dimmed, and darkness began to consume her.

But Erin was fully aware of her descent into darkness, and Julian watched as she isolated herself.

And there and then, she forged and created the very last thing she would ever make—a coffin, the very one Julian had found her in.

She then screamed, causing the entire land to tremble. And from the tears of blood she shed, a ripple formed on the ground as it dropped… and from that ripple emerged the cube, the very cube that started this all.

She grabbed the cube, placing it inside the coffin… alongside herself and forever sealed it shut. The earth seemed to accept her offering, swallowing the coffin whole as though paying its respects for the very last time—a burial.

Time passed, and the coffin remained buried, untouched.

Artemia moved on, and the Legend of Erin was forgotten.

And then… fade to black.

“Oh… that was it?” Julian’s voice echoed in the void, and he seemed slightly frustrated. How could he not be? He was shown all of those, and at some point, he hoped that the visions would show him Erin crafting a [Mythic] grade weapon—but alas, nothing.

“I… feel like I wasted my time,” he whispered.

And soon, the darkness around him shifted, rippling like water. And from the shadows emerged a figure—a man, imposing… and tall, incredibly tall—the very same shadow giant he had seen at the start, Erin’s master.

And this giant once again pulled out a colossal hammer… and he wasted no time at all to raise it and swing it down toward Julian.

“Hm.” Julian hummed, but he didn’t flinch at all. He even stretched his arm to the side to welcome it as he sensed no malic in the strike.

But either way, malice or not… the colossal hammer struck him with earth-shattering force.

Clang!

The pain was indescribable. Julian felt as though he were being crushed. No, he was crushed. Every part of him shattered into pieces.

But he wasn’t being destroyed, not at all, no.

He was being reforged… into a shadow.

The hammer rose again, striking him once more.

Clang!

With each blow, parts of Julian’s body transformed, turning into shadows. His arms, his legs, his very essence were reshaped, reworked, and rewired into something new.

Clang!

The hammer struck again and again… until it couldn’t.

It couldn’t because Julian now stood tall, unyielding—his hand stretched up to meet the hammer, causing a ripple to explode and cause everything to disappear. The hammer, the man, and everything else dissolved into smoke.

And soon, this smoke was absorbed by Julian’s body.

[Congratulations, Julian Winters.]

And as those words appeared before him, a gasp escaped his lips as his entire being jolted—not jolted awake, as he wasn’t asleep. It was just… jolted.

He was back in the dark cavern, standing amidst the flowers, which were once again one by one blooming to fill the wild hall with color. And within those colors, the Guidance of Artemis once again made itself known.

[You have been reforged by the primordial element, tempered by its unrestricted potential—as through nothing came everything, you are now bound by the ultimate law: nothing.]

“Huh…” Julian muttered as the words kept popping out in front of him.

[You are now the Shadow Blacksmith.]

“I am…?” Julian muttered, glancing down at himself. “But… I don’t feel any different?”

He was also waiting for the Master of Shadows to make himself known, as he always did. But for some reason, he was eerily quiet and not spamming over the Guidance of Artemis at all.

Could it be that now that he had finished the quest, the Master of Shadows was completely done with him?

“Hm…” Julian sighed as he looked around before once again glancing down to check on him. He didn’t feel any different at all, but that didn’t mean nothing changed. And so, he called for—”Guidance.”

[STATUS]

Name: Julian Winters

Class: Shadow Blacksmith [NEW]

Level: 15

Health (HP): 240/240

Mana (MP): 90/90

Stamina (SP): 181/182

Strength: 38^

Agility: 27^

Vitality: 22^

Mana: 10[NEW]

Perception: 30^

Free Points: 0

Skills:

Shadow Forge [NEW] — Your mind and spirit are able to enter the Shadow Dimension, a timeless domain created by your will and the will of those before you. The forge exists beyond mortal constraints, granting you the freedom to craft anything, everywhere.

MP Cost: 1 MP per Minute while inside the Shadow Forge. Cooldown: None

More details: By submerging your hand into the shadows, you can access the Shadow Forge. Time flows differently inside the Shadow Forge. It does not flow at all. The space within is connected to your Shadow Vault, where you can seamlessly access everything you have stored. Once your spirit leaves the Shadow Forge, your physical body will be in the exact position, space, and time it was before you entered the domain.

Shadow Festival [NEW] — The shadows are your domain, and distance is an illusion within them. Slip through the very confines and constraints of space itself, traversing anywhere and everywhere without limits instantaneously.

Domain Range: 10sqm. MP Cost: 10 Mana per Second. Cooldown: 3 minutes

More details: You are able to create a territory within a set area. While Shadow Festival is active, you are able to freely teleport anywhere within the area. Anyone caught within your range is plunged into a world of illusions, where the shadows dance and create chaos, making things appear farther or closer than they actually are and making it nearly impossible for them to predict your movements.

Shadow Sculpt [NEW] — Bend shadows to your will, turning them into solid tangible forms. The complexity of your sculptures depends on your Perception. The durability and duration depend on the Mana spent.

MP Cost: Conditional Cooldown: None

Abilities:

Hyper Instinct - Due to some unknown factor undetected by the [Guidance of Artemis], your senses are highly abnormal. All Skills affected by Perception will have increased effectiveness.

Flames of Searadyn - An Avatar of Searadyn has sworn eternal loyalty to you, granting you the ability to manipulate the flames of the Spirit of Frostfire.

Shadow Vault [NEW] – By submerging your hands into the shadows, you are able to store crafting materials, tools, and weapons you have created in a limited pocket dimension.

More details: Note that any other objects not designated or related to crafting will be spat out. The size of the pocket dimension will grow bigger when certain conditions are met. The limit of object types you can place inside the Shadow Vault will change when certain conditions are met.

Current Storable Objects: Forging materials, Forging Tools, Crafted Weapons.

Current Storage Area: 15cbm

Null Presence [NEW] – You are the shadow itself. You exist and do not at the same time. With massive concentration and focus, you are able to blend seamlessly with the space around you instinctively, becoming almost undetectable. By your will, your presence can be fully erased when standing still.

More details: Note that this effect is lessened or completely canceled for those with a higher Perception than you. Those with detection magic can also cancel this effect. Using this too much will consume a lot of SP.

Active Quests:

The Shadow of Artemia [NEW]

The Flames of Juliet

Explore the world to gain more quests.

“Oh…” Julian squinted his eyes perhaps for the very first time in his life as he stared at the wall of texts in front of him.

“So, I did change,” he said.

Chapter sixty-four

The Otherworld (Part 1)

“Huh…”

Julian had been staring at the words currently floating in front of him. He didn’t quite know what to feel at the moment. Even though the information was being directly injected into his mind, as if carved into his thoughts, he still felt extremely overwhelmed.

He was so used to the Guidance of Artemis only providing him with the basic information about himself, and so he wasn’t quite used to being bombarded by information.

Despite his confusion, one thing became crystal clear—Erin’s overwhelming presence, her ability to vanish like a phantom and strike without warning, finally made sense. What she could do, what the Shadow Blacksmith could do, seemed almost an antithesis to Julian’s abnormal senses. Her abilities weren’t just impressive; it felt as if they were tailored to counter him.

“No wonder I didn’t stand a chance,” Julian muttered. His tone carried no lament, only admiration. Erin had wielded the shadows as her ally, molding them to her will with elegance and precision. And now… he could too, with practice, of course.

But Julian didn’t linger on the combat potential her skills promised. The idea of fighting rarely thrilled him. No, his thoughts were consumed by something else entirely—two things, in fact, that sent a jolt of excitement racing through his chest.

Shadow Vault and Shadow Forge. The possibilities these two abilities could bring flooded his mind, almost in chaos.

The idea of accessing materials and tools seamlessly, storing his creations in the folds of reality itself? Well, even Julian, who lacked the skill to imagine anything else other than crafting and forging, thought of it once or twice before in his life.

How could he not? It should be the dream of all craftsmen.

And then—Shadow Forge.

The ability to step into a forge anytime, anywhere, unhindered by the constraints of space or time? What more could he possibly want?

And now, thinking about it—was it possible that Erin accessed this during their fight? Maybe even the first weapon she used against him was something she had created in the Shadow Forge?

The potential of this skill felt limitless. In theory, from an outsider’s perspective, Julian could forge a weapon or armor instantaneously, summoning it from the shadows as if by magic. Of course, he knew that the process wouldn’t actually be instant for him; he’d still have to craft it within the Shadow Forge—well, for him, that was the best part.

“Pfft…” Julian, like an eager child barely able to contain his excitement, covered his mouth with his hand. The thought of suddenly forging something out of nowhere sent a thrill down his spine. It wasn’t just the utility of it—there was something undeniably fun about the sheer theatrics of it.

And of course, like a child, Julian knelt down, ready to test his newfound abilities immediately. But then, just as quickly, he paused. A realization struck him, cooling his excitement for a moment.

“Mana…” he whispered.

He had mana now.

From the information the Guidance of Artemis had injected into his mind, he understood he could spend about an hour and thirty minutes inside the Shadow Forge with his current…MP. But Julian knew himself. He knew how easily he could lose himself in the rhythm of creation, forget the passage of time, and push beyond his limits.

What exactly would happen to him if he consumed all of his mana?

Now wasn’t the best time or place to find out. Although he was itching to test every one of his new abilities, he forced himself to prioritize his immediate situation. He needed to get out of this place first.

But how?

Julian looked around, and his eyes quickly settled on the coffin he sliced in half. And with what he had witnessed in his visions, it now felt slightly ominous, stark against the vibrant blooms of the flowers that still danced their light around it.

The coffin seemed to call to him. It wasn’t a voice exactly, but there was something in the silence that urged him forward. He could almost imagine Erin herself whispering to him, beckoning him closer.

“Hm…” He let out a slow breath, standing and patting the dust from his hands. And then, he approached—each of his steps toward the coffin echoed faintly, as though the shadows themselves were talking to him. It felt… strange.

And as he now stood next to it, he felt a hum coming from the metal.

“Erin…”he whispered as he brushed his hand on the cleaved coffin—a single coffin that had so many stories to tell.

Julian finally knew what was etched on the cover—it was the arrival of the invaders, Erin must have carved their likeness into the metal herself, ensuring she would never forget the beginning of her end.

This coffin was her prison, her sanctuary, and her last act of defiance against her fate.

Was it her wish that someone—anyone—who found it would know her story?

But if that were true, then who had scratched out the face of the humanoid daemon depicted on the lid? Who didn’t want her story to be told?

“The quality of this coffin reflects your crumbling mind,” Julian whispered, pulling his hand away as though the touch burned. “You were already falling apart when you made this—you truly are the best I have ever seen, Erin.”

The blood-forged sword, the coffin—these were creations born not from mastery but from depravity. They were the products of anguish, desperation, and a brilliance consumed by darkness.

“I would have loved to see something you forged when you were still at your prime. To see…” Julian’s voice trailed off. “…if you were better than me.”

There was no malice in his words, no arrogance, no gloating. It was an honest thought, unburdened by pride.

“Hm…” Julian hummed as he moved the coffin, examining what was left inside it—but it was as empty as the shadows surrounding him.

The Black Cube was gone.

“Did… someone take it?” he whispered. The vision was clear. Erin buried the Black Cube with her.

Had it been taken? Stolen by someone while she slept eternally?

If so, was the person who stole the Cube responsible for Erin being able to move even after her death? Perhaps responsible for all those corpse puppets? Orpuk?

Was the very same person who took the Cube be the one who scratched out the faces of the humanoid daemon?

Or perhaps… was it the Black Cube itself? Had its malevolent influence seeped into Erin’s dormant body and those of the other puppets? But from the visions he had seen, there was no malevolence at all.

Questions swirled in Julian’s mind like a storm, the possibilities endless yet none offering clarity. But one truth anchored his thoughts: Even in death, Erin had held on to fragments of her memory and will.

A testament to how strong she truly was.

“I hope I’m worthy of your legacy, Erin,” Julian whispered, his voice carrying the weight of his thoughts. He stepped back, his gaze fixed on the broken coffin. “But I don’t know why you showed me all of that—it doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

He let out a quiet sigh, his words growing softer.

“I am truly sorry it had to be me, Erin. But the only legacy I really care about and will carry forward… is the fact that you were a blacksmith. So, thank you for showing me the extent of what I can do.”

He did witness Erin in her prime. She showed him what she could do… and what he could do.

She forged an entire copy of herself—without the use of technology like Humanity Engineering, she forged a copy of herself just using her skills and abilities.

If she could do something like that, then did that mean Julian could potentially do it too in the future?

If so, then… would it be possible to create a body for MEGAN? And then perhaps ask Humanity Engineering to transfer consciousness to it?

“Hm…”

SexyOneeChan: Julian!!!???

And almost as if summoned by his thoughts, his vision was suddenly filled with messages by MEGAN.

SexyOneeChan: You’re moving now!? I was just checking in on Cyrus’s stream. You blanked out for a few seconds there. But you… you won! You won against that small human! Are you alright!? Are you hurt????

“A few seconds?” Julian whispered. To him, it had felt like he was trapped inside his visions for a few hours, witnessing the birth of Artemia and Erin’s downfall. This confirmed it, then—MEGAN and the chat did not witness the visions at all, and that was a good thing.

“I… have a new class now,” Julian said. “Cut the stream for now so we can build suspense.”

SexyOneeChan: …Why do you sound like that throat-clearing monkey Cyrus now? Okay, I just cut the stream.

“W—”

And before Julian could say anything else, MEGAN immediately bombarded him with more questions. Her curiosity was endless, and her endless messages began to blur in his mind and his vision.

The only thing Julian could really do was take a step back and sigh. “We’ll… talk once I’m back on Earth—I have a lot to tell you, MEGAN. But first… I need to find a way to get out of—oh?”

His words caught in his throat as the cavern suddenly shifted. The roots beneath his feet coiled and writhed as the entire cavern started to move, to shrink, the coffin in front of him also being swallowed into the depths of Artemia.

Julian was also engulfed, but he wasn’t being swallowed at all, no. He felt himself being pulled upward… at an insane speed.

He wasn’t disoriented at all, however. In fact, it was quite soothing to him, and for nearly a full minute, he was tossed and propelled in different directions.

MEGAN’s messages flashed relentlessly in front of him, asking if he was alright and if the dungeon was collapsing as it was hard to figure out what was happening from her perspective.

Julian didn’t respond—well, he couldn’t. He was completely focused on the direction he was being thrown around in in the darkness.

And soon, without warning, the journey stopped… and he was literally spat out into the open air by Artemia herself, literally.

Fortunately for him, his senses were too great, and he just somersaulted in the air with finesse, landing on his feet.

“Hm…” And in front of him was where the entrance of the dungeon—was. The entrance was now being swallowed back into the ground, slowly returning the vicinity to what it was before. Well, of course, it couldn’t really return to its previous condition, but Julian quickly recognized where he was.

He was back at the estate where the shadow swallowed him without any warning, where it all began.

He continued to watch the dungeon disappear, sinking into the ground. And like it had never been there, the air around the estate stilled, heavy… but calm.

This calm did not last long, however, as he heard footsteps and heavy breaths from behind him. He carefully turned around, only to see several city guards surrounding him, their weapons drawn and pointed at him. An entire army of them, dozens.

“What is this…?” Julian tilted his head to the side as he glanced at the soldiers.

“Take a step back!” one of the guards roared, his voice extremely commanding, “Take a step back, or we will kill you!”

“Kill me?” Julian hummed as he heard the words. He then tightened his grip on Searadyn’s Veil—well, or so he thought.

He glanced down at his hands… only to see he wasn’t holding anything at all.

“No…” he whispered.

Did he just… accidentally drop Searadyn’s Veil while he was being vomited by Artemia?

Chapter sixty-five

The Otherworld (Part 2)

Julian wanted to test his new abilities, but he didn’t actually think he would be testing them against people. And as he stared at the army of guards in front of him, he had two options.

He didn’t have Searadyn’s Veil with him, and creating a weapon inside the [Shadow Forge] was out of the question—his [Shadow Vault] should be empty. That left him with two real choices: Vanish entirely using [Null Presence], or subdue them all by using [Shadow Sculpt] and [Shadow Festival]. Then again, there was also the possibility of using all three at once.

Even though he hasn’t really used any of them yet, it felt like he knew how to. But of course, knowing how to use something is different from mastering them.

But wait—why were these people even pointing their weapons at him in the first place?

“Boss!?”

And almost as if to snap him from his thoughts of violence, a voice cut through the tension that was lingering in the air. He quickly turned to look at the familiar voice, only to see Juliet pushing her way through the guards.

“Julian!? It’s really you!?” She was running toward him, practically ramming the guards with her shoulders and throwing them to the side. And following closely behind her was the rest of the party.

“Lower your weapons!” Titus roared. “He’s with us!”

“He’s the one we told you about!” Talia added, even swatting away the spears herself while frantically waving at the guards to stand down.

Before Julian could respond, Juliet threw her arms around him, pulling him into a brief, tight hug. The warmth of her relief radiated through the embrace. But as she realized what she was doing, she pulled back almost immediately, her face tinged with embarrassment as she began inspecting him from head to toe.

“You’re… you’re okay?”

Cyrus also did the same, circling him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. “What happened to you in there, Sword Junkie? And did you just… clear a dungeon by yourself? I was getting updates from the chat, but I couldn’t really concentrate on everything that was happening.”

“Hm.” Julian let out a small hum, his gaze calm as he glanced at his friends.

“I have a class now,” he revealed casually, causing Cyrus, Juliet, and the others to freeze momentarily in stunned silence.

“It’s done, then!?” Talia’s voice quickly broke the silence as she rushed forward, her face lit with excitement. She almost grabbed Julian, wanting to shake him for answers. “What class is it anyway?”

“It’s… whoa?” Julian was about to answer, but he felt a sudden weight fall upon him as his vision momentarily faded.

“Let the newbie rest for now.” Titus stepped forward as he noticed Julian’s weight shift. “He must be incredibly exhausted after what—”

Before Titus could finish his sentence, Julian’s knees buckled. His vision blurred, and his body gave in to the sheer weight of everything he had endured.

“Julian!” Juliet’s voice was sharp with alarm.

“Welp.” Cyrus moved quickly, catching Julian before he could hit the ground.

“Cyrus, is he…?” Juliet asked quietly.

“He’s fine,” Cyrus assured her, adjusting Julian’s weight against his shoulder. “His body’s just exhausted. Let’s get him back to the inn for now… We all need to rest.”

“Okay…” Juliet nodded, though the worry on her face didn’t dissipate. She hovered close to Cyrus, her eyes locked on the unconscious Julian—she knew that he was back in his real world.

But alas, as they started to walk away from the scene, a group of uniformed figures emerged from behind the army of guards, the insignias on their coats unmistakable—soldiers from the Order of Artemia.

The soldiers formed a line, their eyes locked only on Julian.

“Great,” Talia muttered under her breath, her hand instinctively moving to her weapon.

“This is the last thing we need right now.”

And while the party on Artemia was encountering an unexpected and unwelcomed development, Julian was groaning and moaning as he woke up.

It almost felt like it was the first time he was waking up and traveling back from Artemia again.

He quickly reached up for the LinkGear, carefully removing the device from his head as he sat up.

[Welcome back, Julian.] MEGAN’s voice came through in his mind almost immediately, her tone laced with concern. [How… are you feeling?]

“Well… ugh.” Julian took a moment to answer, his body still adjusting to the sensation of being back to his real body. “I feel a little weird.”

He started moving his arms, and it felt quite sore for some reason—a different sore from usual.

[A little weird, huh… You said there’s a lot you need to tell me. Did… anything happen while you were zoned out earlier?] MEGAN asked. [Did… you see visions again like last time?]

“Yes.” Julian let out a long and deep breath. “I had a vision… and I saw humanoid daemons on Artemia.”

He didn’t hesitate at all to reveal what he saw to her, and there was no hesitation in MEGAN’s response either.

[I’ll start digging anything that might remotely connect to that. But… you’re a Shadow Blacksmith now?]

“Hm.” Julian hummed. “My clone gave out before I could test it. I’ll just do it once I return. And Ellie’s… in the bath?”

[You know her. She should be done in—Oh, she’s out.]

“Oh. Julian, you’re back?” Ellie’s voice came out along with the steam from the shower, cheerful and curious as she saw Julian awake.

“Did anything happen? MEGAN was just telling me there’s been a lot of excitement going on in the Otherworld—uh…” She suddenly paused, and her hands that were patting her hair dry also froze as her words trailed off.

“When did you get a tattoo?” she asked.

“Tattoo?” Julian tilted his head slightly, the confusion evident in his voice.

“Yeah.” Ellie approached him, continuing to dry her hair as her gaze locked on his hand. “Wait… when did you even get it? And why am I only noticing it now?”

[Julian… show me the back of your hands!] MEGAN’s voice cut through the air with an edge of nervousness.

Julian raised his hands slowly, turning them as MEGAN instructed. And there, a faint mark was etched onto his skin… a very familiar mark.

[Julian… that’s Searadyn’s mark. Why… how…?]

Ellie squinted, her breaths filled with worry as she noticed the tension in Julian’s face—an expression he never really made unless something extremely serious has happened.

“Uh… Julian? What’s going on?”

But Julian didn’t respond. Instead, he quickly moved from the bed and instinctively reached for his cane.

But as soon as he did so, Ellie screamed.

“Julian, your hand!” Ellie rushed forward, pulling him away for some reason; the panic in her voice, piercing through Julian’s ears. But before he could actually ask what was wrong, she stammered, “Your… your hand… it just… it disappeared!? What the… What the fuck!?”

“Huh?” Julian was confused, but before his mind could even wander and wonder anything, he felt a familiar chill in his palm. He was holding something, something extremely familiar.

The shape of its handle was undeniable, a rapier. The remaining half of Searadyn’s Veil.

[What the fuck…] MEGAN’s voice mirrored Ellie’s shock. [Julian… your hand really just disappeared into the shadow, and now… how? What…?]

It wasn’t only Ellie and MEGAN who were shocked, but Julian was too. His breaths grew heavy as he let go of the rapier, only for it to be swallowed by the shadow beneath his palm and vanish completely—no. It didn’t vanish at all. He felt it.

Searadyn’s Veil was inside his shadow now.

“What the fuck was that!?” Ellie shrieked, almost stumbling back. “Julian… what’s happening!?”

“That…” Julian began, but before he could form the words, something more unexpected happened.

[[So, this is your world, Julian Winters.]]

A floating set of words began to fill the void of his dark and blind world. It wasn’t the Guidance of Artemis, however. It was more raw.

The Master of Shadows.

“You…” Julian whispered, extremely confused. He even tried to wipe his artificial eyes to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating or experiencing visions again. “You followed me here?”

[Julian…?] MEGAN was also confused as Julian was brushing her body, which was Julian’s artificial eyes. [What are you doing?]

“Who are you talking to, Julian?” Ellie’s voice also cracked in the air. “You’re scaring me. MEGAN, what’s happening!?”

[I… I don’t know!] MEGAN popped out from the holographic display on the wall; her face that was identical to Ellie, also expressing an identical look of utter concern.

[[No one followed no one, Julian Winters.]]

Julian couldn’t really respond to MEGAN and Ellie as the words kept popping up in front of him—no. It would be better to say that it was popping up inside his mind instead—it was… a weird “sight.”

[[You brought us here. And unfortunately for you, it would not just be us for long.]]

“Us?” Julian’s breath hitched.

And as if in response, another set of words emerged—this time calmer… warmer. The Guidance of Artemis.

[As we said before, Julian Winters, we are watching you. And today, we will truly be watching you everywhere. But as always, you have my guidance. Good luck, Julian Winters.]

“What?” Julian reached out instinctively, but the Guidance’s words quickly faded into the darkness.

And all of a sudden, he felt himself not only blind, but deaf as a roaring silence screamed inside his mind.

The gods of Artemia… were watching him even on Earth now? What did that even mean? And… what does the Guidance of Artemis mean when it said he has its guidance?

Could it be?

Julian’s breaths turned even heavier as he was about to try something ridiculous. He paused, covering his ears to calm himself down. And after a few moments, he whispered, “Guidance.”

And there and then, as he uttered those words, a blue window and a familiar group of words appeared before his world of darkness.

“Julian?” Ellie’s voice cut through the silence, trembling with desperation. She had a lot of questions, but when she saw Julian cover his ears, she swallowed them all and tried to be as comforting as possible. “Are you okay? Do you need something? Do you want water?”

“Ellie…” Julian quickly held Ellie’s hands,

“I have something to tell you… and you might have to sit down for this one.”

Somewhere far from Julian’s hotel room, another scene of chaos was happening somewhere on Earth.

The DCC, or Daemon Control Center was alive with activity. Well, it always was—but it was even more so now. The alarms blared, and glowing monitors filled the room shifting tens of images per second.

Uniformed personnel were running everywhere, screaming and pointing at each other.

“Report it! Call the Exterminator Guild! Just call anyone!”

“I’m receiving a signal here too!”

“How many is that now? Are they all in unpopulated areas!?”

They were all yelling, most of them shuffling through the images and data streaming on the screens they were responsible for.

And above them all, watching from a window that oversaw the entire DCC, two figures were watching the chaos. They stood still, their faces pale with bewilderment.

“What… what did we just see?” one of them asked, her voice trembling and uncertain.

“We, Dr. Ling, just witnessed how daemons infiltrate our planet,” the other replied, his voice heavy with disbelief. He adjusted his glasses, staring intently at a specific monitor.

“Dr. Heinz…” the woman, Dr. Ling, tried to calm herself, but she trailed off as the largest monitor also caught her eye.

Among the many screens filled with shifting and chaotic imagery, this large screen was eerily still. It was a barren field, but at the very center was a dark, swirling mass, its edges shimmering faintly as though distorting reality itself.

“It’s a wormhole,” Dr. Heinz whispered, leaning closer to the window, “a portal?”

And from that portal, the daemons emerged. All different variants of them, flying out almost without end.

And it didn’t seem like it was going to close anytime soon.

“… I think the planet might be in trouble.”

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