Favor.
Rael was curious about what seal this fragment would open and if he would get another passive and active ability. The first fragment had already granted him a permanent +10 boost to both Strength and Dexterity, along with an active ability—Ruinous Strike. It was also the only active skill he had, and while he had used it a lot, there was still much he didn't understand about its full potential.
Would this second fragment grant him something similar?
"Open Status."
— Status Window —
Name: Noctus
Class: World Ender
Level: 35
Affiliation: Eclipse (LVL-2) [Guild Leader]
Pet : -
[Stats]
HP: 480/480
MP: 360/360
Stamina: 250/250
[Attributes]
Strength: 42(+10)
Dexterity: 40(+10)
Endurance: 25
Constitution: 32
Intelligence: 24
Charisma: 5
Free Stat Points: 0
—————————————————————
Seals Unlocked:
1st Seal – Seal of Awakening (Unlocked)
Ability – Ruinous Strike: A basic attack infused with destructive force, dealing significantly increased damage.
Passive – Unshackled Potential: Strength and Dexterity exceed normal limits, increasing both by +10.
2nd Seal – Seal of Soulbinding (Unlocked)
Ability – Soulstep: The user can momentarily phase through the fabric of reality, teleporting a short distance. This ability allows the user to dodge attacks, close gaps with enemies, or quickly reposition in battle. The range of the teleport is influenced by the user's Dexterity, and it can be used multiple times, though it consumes a small portion of stamina and mana each time.
Passive – Demonic Resilience:
- Minor elemental resistance bonus.
- Minor increase to HP and MP.
- Minor regeneration of HP and MP over time.
—————————————————————
Rael stared at his status screen, his eyes lingering on the newly unlocked abilities. Both the active and passive seemed incredibly powerful—he could teleport short distances with Soulstep and regenerate HP and MP while resisting elemental damage. It was almost too good to be true.
But then doubt crept in. As the initial excitement began to wear off, he found himself frowning. His class, World Ender, had no guaranteed progression path. Unlike others, who gained new abilities simply by leveling up, Rael was forced to rely on his luck—on finding fragments of a broken artifact to unlock more powers. It wasn't as straightforward as increasing his level or receiving new skills automatically.
Others would go into dungeons, complete quests, and steadily grow stronger. They could count on their class to provide them with consistent boosts and item advantages, growing more reliable with every step. But for Rael? Each ability, each fragment, felt like a gamble. He didn't even know how many more pieces of Zenith were out there. And there was no guarantee that the next fragment he found would be as beneficial as the last.
Is it worth it? Rael wondered. Sure, the abilities he had were great, but relying on fragments meant he would always be at the mercy of luck. It was a gamble every time he ventured into a new dungeon or battle.
Still, there was one thing Rael knew for sure—he would have to take action. Sitting idly and hoping the fragments would come to him wasn't an option anymore. If he wanted to stay competitive, he'd have to actively seek out more pieces and hope they were just as useful as the first two.
* * *
Rael walked through the city gates of Vash'kar. The city had always had a certain energy about it, but today, it felt particularly lively. He made his way through the familiar streets toward the guild hall, the Eclipse banner fluttering proudly above the entrance.
As he stepped inside, a warm, welcoming atmosphere greeted him. The guild hall was more populated than usual, with about 10-15 people milling about, chatting or doing various tasks. Their eyes turned toward him as he entered, and a few voices called out in greeting.
"Hey, Noctus! Welcome back!" one of the members said, flashing a thumbs-up.
Rael nodded in acknowledgment, offering a smile as he moved deeper into the hall. His eyes soon found something interesting—a card game was going on between Elias and Lupus. Elias, looking uncharacteristically serious, shuffled a deck of cards in his hands, his brow furrowed in concentration. Lupus, on the other hand, sat with a focused expression, his hands steady as he played his cards with deliberate precision.
Rael couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. He wandered over, taking a seat to watch the exchange. The card game seemed like a mix of strategy and luck, but Elias was clearly frustrated, his focus tightening with each turn.
"I swear, Lupus, you've got god-tier luck," Elias muttered, throwing his hand of cards onto the table. "It's like you're reading my cards."
Lupus didn't respond, his focus unwavering as he placed another card down. Elias's frustration deepened as his attempts to win were met with Lupus's unshakable composure. He was losing, and badly.
"Come on!" Elias snapped, tossing his cards down in frustration. "How are you pulling this off?!"
Lupus didn't flinch, simply drawing his next card. His wolf, sitting beside him, watched the game with quiet intensity, its ears perked up at every movement.
Elias looked at his hand, then back at Lupus, muttering curses under his breath. His hand trembled slightly as he reluctantly picked up his cards again, giving the game one more try.
But it was no use. With a calm, almost predatory focus, Lupus laid down his final card, securing yet another victory.
Elias's shoulders slumped in defeat as his face twisted into a mix of disbelief and annoyance. "You've got to be kidding me..." he groaned, rubbing his temples. "Every single time…"
Before he could finish his sentence, however, he paused mid-breath. He slowly turned his head, his gaze locking onto something—or rather, someone—behind him. There, sitting calmly, was Lupus's wolf, its head cocked to one side and its tongue hanging out cutely. The wolf stared directly at Elias, completely innocent in its demeanor.
Elias's confusion shifted to realization, and he quickly whipped around to face Lupus. "You cheated!" he accused, pointing a finger at the wolf. "Your wolf can see my cards, can't it?"
Lupus, with an unwavering and serious expression, glanced briefly at Elias. He spoke in the calm, collective tone of someone who was part of a hive mind, the words flowing as if multiple voices spoke in unison. "We do not cheat. We make use of what is available to us."
Elias's eyes narrowed, but Lupus only returned to his game without any sign of guilt. Rael watched the exchange with amusement, recognizing the subtle power dynamics at play. Lupus may not have cheated, but his methods were... uniquely efficient.
Elias looked up at Rael, a dramatic sigh escaping his lips. "Ah, the mysterious guild leader, finally returns after five days of being MIA. Must've been hard, you know, playing all solo. I bet you didn't even miss us. You've probably done everything on your own by now, huh? All alone... just like in the good ol' days. You've probably leveled up and beaten all the dungeons, maybe even discovered some broken items that we'll never get our hands on." His tone dripped with sarcasm.
Rael, unfazed, casually bonked Elias on the head. "It's only been five days, Elias. Get over it."
"Five days, five years," Elias grumbled, rubbing his head. "Feels like forever, man."
Rael rolled his eyes. "Where's Gale and Leon?"
Elias, now slightly more serious, scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Leon's been busy securing mats and leveling up the Concottonist Mages. You know, the whole level-up-the-mages grind. Real exciting stuff, huh?"
Rael nodded, acknowledging the necessity of it all. "And Gale?"
A sigh escaped Elias's lips. "Gale? Oh, he's off dungeon raiding with a team. It's like World War II all over again. Non-stop battle, no time for anything else. You know how he is."
Rael nodded again, a quiet understanding settling over him. "Got it. Well, I'm logging out for today. I've spent enough time in-game these past few days."
With that, Rael stepped away from the table and logged out, his avatar disappearing in a flicker of light. As he blinked back into the real world, the first thing that hit him was the silence of the apartment.
Rael shuffled toward the fridge, hoping to grab something to eat, but when he opened it, his eyes widened in disbelief. The fridge was completely empty. Not a single bite of food in sight.
"Elias…!" Rael sighed in frustration, shutting the fridge door with a small thud. "At this rate, we're gonna starve."
Throwing on his hoodie, Rael decided to take matters into his own hands. If Elias couldn't be bothered to keep the fridge stocked, he'd have to get groceries—and some takeout, of course. He couldn't resist the lure of Chinese food.
At the grocery store, Rael was walking down the aisles when a raised voice caught his attention. He turned to see a girl arguing with the cashier. She seemed flustered, her hands fumbling with her bag as she spoke animatedly to the cashier. The problem? She apparently had forgotten her phone and couldn't pay.
Rael, noticing the commotion, stepped forward and casually placed his items on the counter. Before the cashier could ring him up, he tapped the screen. "I'll pay for hers too," he said, gesturing to the girl.
The girl turned to him, looking surprised. "You really don't have to—"
But Rael just waved it off, uninterested in her protest. "It's fine."
Without waiting for her to respond, Rael grabbed his bags and walked toward the exit. As he stepped outside, he heard light footsteps behind him. He turned slightly, only to see the girl trailing after him, still talking nonstop.
"I can't believe you did that, you really didn't have to! But, I mean, thanks anyway, I guess. I'll pay you back, don't worry about it—"
Rael didn't bother responding. He just kept walking, hoping she'd get the hint. But she didn't. She followed, her words blending into an endless stream of chatter as they moved through the busy streets.
"I can't believe I forgot my phone, seriously. I'm usually more organized than this, but—"
Rael let out a quiet sigh, feeling the weight of her words pressing on him, but still, he didn't stop. He reached the corner and glanced back, finding her a few steps behind him, still talking like she was his best friend.
Finally, he halted and turned to face her. He wasn't annoyed, but he was growing tired of the chase.
"Miss, what's your problem?" he asked, his voice calm but with an edge of curiosity.
She stopped in her tracks, her expression shifting between surprise and amusement. Rael noticed then—she was actually pretty, her features soft but strong. Her silver eyes stood out, sharp and focused, and her silvery-black hair framed her face in loose waves, almost like something out of a dream. He wondered if she dyed it that way—it seemed too perfect, too striking to be natural.
She blinked a couple of times, as if considering how to respond, before giving a soft chuckle. "I just want to settle the debt. I mean, it's only fair, right? You helped me out, and I'm not about to let that slide."
Rael shook his head slightly, not sure why he was even engaging in this conversation anymore. He didn't expect her to keep following him like this. "Look, I don't really need anything in return. I just helped out, that's all."
She smiled, clearly unconvinced. "I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. In fact…" Her eyes brightened as if she'd just had an idea. "How about we go to a café? My treat."
Rael raised an eyebrow. "A café? How exactly are you paying for this?" He couldn't help but feel the impending weight of another awkward situation. He was already bracing himself for the idea of paying again.
But she grinned confidently. "You know the one, right? That little café, just a few minutes from here. They make the best coffee."
Rael's gaze drifted toward the street ahead of him, where he could see the familiar sign of his regular café in the distance. That place? he thought, raising an eyebrow. It was the one place he always went to escape. He'd been coming here for months now, always in peace and quiet.
"Fine," Rael muttered, giving in with a sigh. "Lead the way."
They walked toward the café, just a five-minute walk from Rael's place. He figured if he didn't go along with it, she'd just keep following him all the way home. Honestly, he didn't want to deal with that, so he reluctantly agreed.
Once inside, she made a beeline for the counter and placed a ridiculously large order—enough food to feed a small army. Rael just shook his head slightly, already feeling the weight of his wallet. He couldn't help but sigh at the absurdity of it all.
He sat down at a table, pulling out his phone to scroll through the forums. The girl, now seated across from him, didn't stop staring at him for a second, her silver eyes following his every movement.
Rael couldn't help but feel a little uneasy under her gaze. How is she going to pay for all of this?
He glanced up, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was still distracted by her presence. There was something about her that just felt… familiar. At first, he couldn't place it, but then it hit him. That silver hair—how could he have missed it?
Her name was Sabrina. Her father was one of the wealthiest men in the country. She was the daughter of that billionaire, the one who owned half the buildings in Roid City. It clicked. He'd seen her in the news, online, probably in business articles and social media.
No wonder she seemed so familiar.
He sighed internally. He had no interest in getting caught up in a conversation with someone who clearly had a lot of time on her hands. "Well," he started, setting his phone down. "This was a nice distraction, but I should probably head back now."
Sabrina tilted her head, not fully satisfied with his dismissive tone. "You play Solmora, right? I mean, I saw you earlier with your phone. You were checking the forums. You must be pretty into it."
He hesitated for a second, not wanting to look like he was too invested. "Yeah, I, uh... play a little. You know, just for fun. Some casual stuff... I'm not really into the hardcore grinding or anything."
She raised an eyebrow, her smile slipping just a little. "Casual, huh? Guess that's one way to play, though. You probably don't even know what you're doing, do you?"
Rael blinked at her, but she didn't give him a chance to reply before continuing. "I mean, no offense, but you don't strike me as someone who would be taking the game seriously. Most people are obsessed with grinding or doing dungeons, but you seem... different."
Rael chuckled nervously. "Yeah, just messing around, really. Not a big deal."
She nodded with a knowing smile, but in her head, she couldn't help but laugh at how much of a noob he seemed. She had been around the game long enough to recognize that he was one of the players who just did the bare minimum, likely stumbling through the world without understanding much.
Rael didn't catch the look in her eyes as she watched him. He was far more focused on getting out of there before she dragged the conversation any longer.
"Anyway," he said, standing up abruptly, "I've got stuff to do. Thanks for the coffee."
Before he could even get up, she leaned forward, a proud, almost smug look on her face. "Hey, you know, this isn't enough to pay the debt. But I could add you on Solmora, carry you through the game. It'll be a good deal for you, trust me. Not everyone gets a chance like this."
Rael glanced at her as she proudly offered to add him on Solmora and "carry" him through the game.
He didn't even give it a second thought. With a quick shake of his head, he stood up, grabbed his bag, and tossed a few bills on the table before bolting out of the cafe. His pace quickened as he hurried down the street, the sound of her voice fading behind him. He wasn't about to stick around for whatever weirdness she had planned.