The Hidden Reward – A New Artifact
(Henry's POV)
As the last remnants of the Fallen Seraph vanished into golden dust, I exhaled, rolling my shoulders.
The battle was over.
But then—
The System Notification flickered again.
---
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
Hidden Reward Unlocked!
New Artifact Obtained: Celestial Warpstone
Effect: Enhances Celestial Blink by reducing cooldown and increasing teleportation range.
Additional Ability: Grants a brief moment of invincibility upon teleporting.
Rarity: Mythical
---
I raised an eyebrow as a small, radiant gemstone materialized in my palm.
It was warm to the touch, its surface swirling with golden and silver light.
I smirked. "Well, well… wasn't expecting this."
I activated Celestial Blink on the spot, and instantly—
The effect was different.
The speed was sharper, the transition smoother, and for a split second—I felt untouchable.
I landed on top of a nearby broken pillar, gripping the stone tightly.
"Now this? This is going to be fun."
I slid the Celestial Warpstone into my coat, letting it merge with my power.
The hunt for the Seraph was over.
But now?
I was faster. I was stronger.
And I was one step closer to becoming unstoppable. As the Celestial Warpstone fused into my power, I felt the energy settle within me, amplifying my speed.
Good.
I exhaled, stretching my shoulders. The Fallen Seraph was gone, but I wasn't done.
"System, show me my remaining quests."
A blue holographic screen appeared before me, listing out my next objectives.
---
[SYSTEM QUESTS – REMAINING OBJECTIVES]
1. The Missing Artifact – The Celestial Relic (Main Quest)
A powerful relic from the heavens has been stolen and is hidden somewhere in the human world. Recover it before it falls into the wrong hands.
Location: Unknown (Tracking Required)
Reward: +15 Strength, +10 Intelligence, Divine Weapon Upgrade
2. The Syndicate's Secret – Project Hades (Linked to Samuel's Path)
The Syndicate's true weapon is nearing completion. Uncover the next phase of Project Hades and eliminate its key operators.
Location: Scandinavia (Tracked Signal)
Reward: +20 Strength, +15 Agility, ??? (Special Skill Unlock)
3. Shadow Figures – The Hidden Order (Side Quest)
An unknown organization has been monitoring your movements. Find out who they are before they strike first.
Location: Oslo, Norway (Recent Activity Detected)
Reward: +12 Intelligence, +5 Endurance, Stealth Mastery
---
I studied the list, rolling my tongue against the inside of my cheek.
The Celestial Relic was important, but its location was still unknown.
Project Hades was growing, and Samuel was likely already on the move.
The Hidden Order had been tracking me, meaning they were already a threat.
I smirked. "Well, looks like I'll be busy for a while."
The question was—
Where do I strike first?
The city lights of Oslo flickered in the distance as I perched atop a church steeple, overlooking the quiet streets below.
The System Notification had confirmed it—someone was tracking me.
The Hidden Order.
A group that had been lurking in the shadows, watching me.
Waiting.
I smirked, rolling my shoulders. "If they want me, they can have me."
I wasn't going to wait for them to strike.
I was going to hunt them down first.
I leapt down, my movements completely silent. The cold night air barely touched me as I moved through the narrow alleys, my enhanced Celestial Blink allowing me to cover massive distances in an instant.
The moment I turned a corner—
I felt it.
Eyes. Watching.
Someone was here.
I smirked, casually pulling out a cigarette, pretending not to notice.
Then—
A flicker of movement.
In the reflection of a glass window, I saw them.
Four figures.
All cloaked in black tactical gear, moving with trained precision.
But they made one mistake—
They thought I didn't notice.
I lit my cigarette, exhaling slowly. "Come on, then. Let's play."
The moment I stepped into a deserted plaza, the shadows around me moved.
"NOW!"
A net of energy barriers erupted around me, sealing off the area in a glowing dome.
I chuckled. "Trapping me? Oh, you poor bastards."
Four cloaked figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding me in a diamond formation.
One stepped forward, a tall figure in a sleek mask, his voice smooth and confident.
"Henry Hans, the Divine Executioner. You've been making quite the mess."
I smirked, tilting my head. "And you guys have been doing a shit job at hiding."
Another agent, a woman with short silver hair, crossed her arms. "You're not taking this seriously, are you?"
I flicked my cigarette away. "Why would I? You locked yourself in here with me."
She tensed.
The leader took a step closer, his aura sharp. "We know what you are, Henry. We know what you're capable of."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And?"
He continued. "We're offering you a choice."
I scoffed. "Let me guess. Join you or die?"
The leader nodded. "Something like that."
I laughed. "You guys really don't get it, do you?"
Step Three – The Executioner Strikes
Before any of them could react—
I vanished.
With my Celestial Blink boosted, my speed was beyond human comprehension.
By the time they registered my movement, I was already behind the silver-haired woman.
"Too slow."
I slammed my elbow into her back, sending her crashing into the energy barrier. Sparks exploded as she coughed up blood, collapsing onto the ground.
The other agents panicked.
"He's too fast—!"
I teleported again, appearing behind another agent, wrapping my arm around his neck.
CRACK.
His body went limp.
The leader cursed, drawing a glowing dagger.
"TAKE HIM DOWN!"
The remaining two lunged.
I grinned, summoning my Divine Executioner's Blade in a flash of celestial light.
"Alright. My turn."
Step Four – The Bloodbath
I ducked under the first strike, twisting my sword and slicing through the nearest agent's leg.
SPLAT.
He screamed, collapsing as blood pooled beneath him.
The last remaining operative swung at my head, but I parried effortlessly, countering with a sharp kick to his ribs, sending him flying.
Only the leader was left standing.
His grip on his dagger tightened.
"You're a monster."
I smirked, stepping over the bodies. "No. I'm just better than you."
The leader hesitated. His confidence was gone.
"Wait—"
I didn't.
With one clean slash, I ended him.
His body fell motionless, blood staining the frozen pavement.
The energy dome flickered before shutting down completely.
I rolled my shoulders, exhaling.
"Well. That was easy."
Then, the System Notification appeared.
---
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
Quest Completed: "The Hidden Order"
Rewards Earned:
+12 Intelligence
+5 Endurance
Stealth Mastery Unlocked (Your movements are now completely undetectable when desired.)
---
I smirked. "Now that's a nice reward."
As I stepped away, I glanced at the bodies one last time.
Whatever this Hidden Order was—
They weren't hidden anymore.
Now, I was the one watching them.