A Stealth Mission

Lucas emerged from Blackfang Caverns, his breath steady but his body thrumming with residual adrenaline.

The night sky stretched above him, a deep shade of blue, sprinkled with stars. He had been inside for over an hour, and the battlefield of slain hobgoblins behind him was proof of his efforts.

A quick glance at his interface confirmed his progress:

[Mission Complete: Cave Purge]

[Reward Claimed: 30 Nexus Coins]

[Additional Loot: Hobgoblin Fangs x12, Crude Goblin Blades x3, Damaged Leather Armor x2]

Not bad. But Lucas wasn't satisfied with just one mission. If he wanted to keep up with the power curve, he needed to keep grinding.

With that in mind, he began his journey back to Zeroport.

The road was quiet save for the distant howl of wolves and the occasional chirp of night insects. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, Lucas kept his hand on the hilt of his curved sword, ever wary of monsters lurking in the darkness.

A few low-level beasts strayed onto his path — wandering goblins, hungry wolves — but he dispatched them effortlessly, taking their drops for extra coins.

Each battle was swift, precise, and over before his enemies could even react.

By the time Zeroport's lantern-lit streets came into view, his inventory was stacked with loot.

Lucas entered the Quest Shop, the familiar scent of parchment, ink, and old wood greeting him. The shopkeeper, an elderly NPC with a long gray beard and piercing eyes, looked up as he approached.

"Back so soon?" the old man mused. "I take it the hobgoblins didn't give you too much trouble?"

Lucas smirked and placed the quest parchment on the counter. "Not enough, actually."

The shopkeeper chuckled as a soft ding echoed, signaling the completion of the mission. A small pouch materialized in Lucas' inventory — his 30 Nexus Coins.

But he wasn't done yet.

He shifted, retrieving the Hobgoblin Fangs, Goblin Blades, and Leather Armor from his inventory. "I want to sell these, too."

The old man stroked his beard, examining the materials. "Hmm… not the finest quality, but they still have value. I'll take them off your hands for 20 Nexus Coins."

Lucas nodded. "Deal."

A moment later, his coin count jumped to 50. Not a bad haul.

With his reward claimed and inventory cleared, Lucas turned his attention to the quest board. He didn't want another brute-force mission.

He had spent the last hour hacking away at goblins, and while it was satisfying, he wanted something that tested a different skill set.

That's when he saw it.

[Mission: Silent Shadows]

[Difficulty: Medium]

[Objective: Infiltrate the Crimson Fang hideout and retrieve a stolen artifact.]

[Reward: 45 Nexus Coins]

[Bonus: Additional rewards for remaining undetected.]

Lucas narrowed his eyes. A stealth mission.

He tapped the quest, reading over the details. The Crimson Fang was a notorious bandit faction that operated in Zeroport's underbelly.

They weren't particularly strong, but they were organized, making direct combat a risky approach.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Lucas' lips.

'This should be interesting.'

He pressed his hand to the parchment, and a soft chime confirmed his acceptance.

A new marker appeared on his map, pinpointing the hideout's location — an old warehouse near the docks.

Lucas stepped out of the Quest Shop, feeling the weight of his newest assignment.

The night sky over Zeroport had darkened further, clouds obscuring the stars, leaving only the soft glow of lanterns to illuminate the town's cobblestone streets.

Unlike Nexus Haven, which had a more structured, beginner-friendly layout, Zeroport had an edge to it.

People whispered in dark alleys, cloaked figures moved between shadowy streets, and crime wasn't just background noise — it was part of life here.

A stealth mission.

Lucas exhaled, rubbing his neck.

This wasn't his usual playstyle. He was used to fast, brutal fights, but slipping in and out unnoticed? That was different. But still, if he wanted to improve, he needed to challenge himself.

He opened his inventory, double-checking his gear.

His curved sword was sharp, but not exactly suited for assassination. He'd have to rely on his footwork and speed more than anything.

And he had one advantage: Monarch Boost.

If things went south, he could activate it and turn into a one-man wrecking crew.

With his plan forming, he adjusted his gloves, tugged his hood lower, and set off toward the warehouse district.

The streets of Zeroport changed as Lucas moved deeper into town.

The bustling markets and rowdy taverns gave way to silent alleyways lined with rotting wooden buildings.

Trash littered the ground, and the occasional beggar huddled in corners, watching passersby with wary eyes.

Lucas kept his movements sharp, weaving through the side streets until the marker on his map blinked, signaling he was close.

He slowed his steps, ducking behind a stack of old crates and peering out.

There it was.

An abandoned warehouse loomed ahead, its once-grand entrance now reduced to a barely hanging wooden door. The Crimson Fang hideout.

Two bandits stood guard outside, both lightly armored, carrying curved daggers. They looked relaxed, talking in low, hushed voices — probably assuming no one would be stupid enough to try and rob them.

Lucas crouched lower, formulating his approach.

A full-frontal attack would be too risky. Even if he could overpower these two, the fight would alert the others inside.

'Think, Lucas.'

His eyes scanned the warehouse exterior until he spotted a broken window on the second floor. A perfect entry point.

But how to get there?

His gaze shifted to the left, where a series of wooden beams jutted out from an adjacent building. If he could climb them, he could jump across and reach the window.

Lucas took a slow breath and moved.

Silent as a shadow, Lucas scaled the beams, using small footholds to push himself up. His Agility stat gave him an advantage, allowing him to move with precision.

Within seconds, he reached the top and crouched, staring at the gap between the buildings.

It was wide. A normal player would hesitate.

But Lucas wasn't a normal player.

He sprinted forward, pushing off at the last second —

— and soared through the air.

For a moment, gravity threatened to pull him down, but he landed lightly on the edge of the warehouse rooftop, gripping the broken window frame.

No alarm. No detection.

Smirking, he pulled himself inside.

The interior of the warehouse was dimly lit, crates stacked high along the walls.

The air smelled of stale wood and sweat, and the faint flicker of torchlight outlined the forms of several bandits below.

Lucas crouched along a wooden beam, his heart pounding.

There were five of them in total — three drinking at a makeshift table, one sharpening a blade, and another holding a small, ornate chest.

That must be it — the stolen artifact.

Lucas narrowed his eyes, focusing on the bandit leader. Unlike the others, he had reinforced armor and a battle-scarred axe resting by his side. Taking him head-on would be suicide.

Lucas inched forward, watching for patterns. The bandits weren't alert — they were too comfortable in their territory. He had the advantage.

His first target was the one sharpening the blade.

Lucas dropped down silently behind him, grabbing his head in a vice grip and twisting sharply —

[Sneak Attack Successful!]

The bandit crumpled.

No one noticed.

Lucas dragged the body into the shadows before moving to the next one.

The bandit sitting closest to him had his back turned, laughing at something. Lucas took advantage, unsheathing his curved sword and driving it into the man's ribs.

[Silent Kill Bonus Applied!]

Two down.

The remaining three were still engaged in conversation. Lucas grinned. He was getting the hang of this.

Then —

CRACK!

His foot brushed against a loose wooden plank.

The leader's head snapped up.

'Shit.'

"Who's there?!" the leader barked, reaching for his axe.

Lucas reacted instantly. He launched forward, activating Monarch Boost as his body surged with raw power.

He closed the distance in less than a second.

The bandits barely had time to react before Lucas was on them.

His sword flashed — one clean strike, two heads rolling.

The leader roared, swinging his massive axe down in an arc. Lucas twisted his body, barely dodging as the weapon crashed into the floor, sending splinters flying.

"You're dead!" the bandit spat, charging again.

Lucas didn't hesitate. He sidestepped, shifting his weight, and drove his sword into the bandit's exposed side.

A pained grunt —

Then silence.

The leader collapsed, the artifact chest falling from his hands.

Lucas straightened, rolling his shoulders.

With the artifact secured, Lucas made his way out of the warehouse the same way he entered.

He moved swiftly, slipping into the night without a trace.

By the time the remaining Crimson Fang members found the scene, Lucas was already back in Zeroport, claiming his reward.