⊙---Daily Quests

R4 Awakener…

Kael's gaze snapped to Lira, searching her face for any hint of understanding. He was sinking, drowning in a sea of unfamiliar terms. 

Back in his previous life, he'd never been a gamer, never concerned himself with virtual worlds or their complexities. 

But here, in this place—this new reality—everything felt like a puzzle he couldn't solve. Ranks, awakeners, domains. It all buzzed around him like a foreign language he couldn't quite grasp.

He had overheard snatches of conversations, the boastful chatter of classmates who lived and breathed the game. Now, standing in the heart of this chaotic scene, Kael realized just how little he truly understood.

R4 Awakener—was that something to fear? Was it something he could one day become?

Lira's expression softened, a mixture of concern and understanding flickering across her features. She took a step closer, her voice low and cautious. "R4 is a major rank. You're not dealing with just any Awakener."

She paused, her eyes flickering back to the figure suspended in the air, the power around him swirling ominously.

"An R4 Awakener can manipulate domains, Kael," she continued, her words almost a whisper. "That's a power most will never touch. It's not just a skill—it's reality-bending. They shape the world around them. And they're almost always aligned with powerful factions or guilds."

Kael's frown deepened, unease crawling up his spine. Was this world really so different from his own, or had his ignorance made him too vulnerable?

"Most awakeners never surpass R3," Lira murmured, her voice urgent. "R4s are extremely rare. They're chosen by the Ascendants—gifted with power far beyond what most can handle. They're given abilities, Kael. Abilities that warp reality. Their domains aren't just attacks—they turn the entire environment into their battlefield. That's why they're so dangerous."

Her voice trailed off, her eyes flicking to the floating figure, her expression hardening. "If an R4 decides to go all out…"

Kael's chest tightened as the weight of her words settled in. The tension in the air had thickened. The world around them was no longer just a place to survive; it had become a deadly game, and he was already in over his head.

"Why would an Awakener favored by the Ascendants attack the Ascension Auction Exchange?" 

The silver-masked woman's voice rang out, tinged with disbelief. Her movements were slow, struggling against the crushing pressure of the domain. She could feel her power being siphoned, her strength halved by the atmosphere closing in around her.

The man in black, unmoved by her words, didn't even flinch. "We ask no questions when our lord gives a command," he replied, his tone devoid of emotion. "Our mission is simple: complete the lord's daily quest."

He tilted his head slightly, the dim light catching the sharp angles of his black mask as he turned his gaze toward her. 

A cold, dismissive laugh escaped him. "You R3s will never understand the Ascendants' true purpose. We're just NPCs, bound to serve. No questions. No disobedience."

Kael felt the sharp divide between the two sides—the difference in status was glaring, undeniable. The woman in silver clenched her fists, struggling against the domain's pressure, but it was clear she was outclassed.

Daily quests? 

Kael's mind raced. He vaguely remembered hearing about this from his classmates back in his previous world. 

Daily quests were a common part of the game, a requirement for players to complete in exchange for rewards and progression. 

But now, seeing the implications, everything felt more ominous. 

Why was an elite R4 Awakener, someone gifted with skills by the players, attacking the Auction Exchange? What was the connection? What did these "daily quests" have to do with this?

He cursed himself inwardly. He had spent too long in ignorance, wasting the opportunity to learn more about the game's systems and the world he now inhabited.

A part of him wished he had been more proactive—gathered more information when he could have when he was alive. At least then, maybe he would have had a clue what was happening around him.

As it stood now, he was standing in the middle of chaos with no real understanding of how to survive it.

The R4-ranked attacker spoke again, his voice distant, almost detached. "Don't take it personally," he said, the words hanging in the air like an icy wind. "This is just part of the mission. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. We're just doing our job. Failure isn't an option."

His voice had a chilling finality to it, like someone delivering an inevitable truth. There was no malice, no satisfaction in his tone—just an unwavering certainty. They were tools. Nothing more.

The weight of it settled heavily on Kael. His sister's life was now on the line. Once that domain was active, anyone inside would be fair game. That included Lira. 

He couldn't afford to lose her—not now, not when they had only just found each other again. He'd sworn to protect her, and now he was about to be tested in ways he hadn't imagined.

And then something caught Kael's attention.

While the others seemed to be struggling against the suffocating pressure of the domain, he felt… different. He felt no decrease in power. No weight pressing down on him.

Wait… I'm not affected?

A rush of realization hit him. His abilities, his energy—they were intact. The domain wasn't affecting him. The pulse of opportunity surged within him.

His heart began to pound. This was his moment. Without a second thought, he made a decision.

He was going after the R4 Awakener. His sister needed time. Time that Kael would buy, even if it meant fighting the odds.

He turned to Lira, his voice quiet, urgent. "Stay here. I'll handle this."

Then, without waiting for a response, Kael dropped into position, his body poised for action. His Shadowstep was the key—the perfect advantage in this chaos.

The R4 awakener was already preparing his defenses, but Kael wouldn't wait. He couldn't.

And just as he moved, a sharp system alert blared in his mind.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:]

Unlocking Hidden Quest!

Objective: Save the Silver-Masked Duo

Rewards: ????

Kael barely registered the alert, his focus on the R4 attacker ahead of him. As he moved, the system's voice rang in his ears, cold and clinical.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:]

Detecting Level 30 Enemy.

Class: Aetherwarden

Skills: Barrier and Energy Manipulation

Primary Abilities: Shields, Energy Transference, Area Denial

Engaging in Battle Mode.

Kael's pulse quickened. Aetherwarden.

The name sent a jolt through him. The Aetherwarden class was not just powerful—it was dangerous, built to control energy, to manipulate the very fabric of reality itself. This wasn't going to be a simple fight.

But Kael's resolve only hardened. This wasn't just a random battle. It was a test. His test.

And he would prove he was ready. Not just to the system, but to himself.