Virtual Divinity

The road back to Mistvale wound quietly through the Ashenwood Highlands.

The sun had begun its slow descent, casting long shadows between the silver-gray trees.

Aster walked at an unhurried pace.

His inventory was nearly full.

His objective for the day had already been completed.

Level 15.

The evolution of the Primal Codex.

It was time to return to Mistvale, sell his materials, and log out.

Then—

He stopped.

His footsteps ceased without warning.

The forest was silent.

Not the ordinary silence of a hunting ground after monsters had been cleared.

This silence felt...Artificial, no birds, no insects.

Even the wind seemed to have disappeared.

Aster slowly lifted his head.

"...Too quiet."

His hand instinctively rested upon the hilt of his weapon.

He didn't move.

Seconds passed. Then minutes.

The eerie silence continued.

An unknown amount of time later—

Leaves rustled.

One figure stepped from behind a tree.

Then another.

And another.

Until...

Twenty players emerged from the surrounding forest.

They spread out with practiced precision, gradually encircling Aster from every direction.

Not one of them spoke.

Each occupied a different position.

Frontline tanks.

Rear mages.

Archers perched on elevated rocks.

Swordsmen covering the flanks.

Support players remained near the center.

The formation alone revealed disciplined training.

Aster calmly counted them.

"...Twenty."

His eyes swept across every face.

Every piece of equipment.

Every stance.

Every weapon.

A quick inspection revealed their approximate levels. Most ranged between Level 10 and Level 11.

Then...

His gaze settled upon the man standing at the center.

Silver armor. Confident posture. A longsword hanging casually at his waist. Above all...

The unmistakable aura of someone accustomed to leading others.

Valerius.

The current number one player on the global leaderboard. The strongest publicly known player in Divine Nexus.

Level 12.

Aster remained expressionless.

Without making any sudden movement...

He quietly opened his inventory.

His beginner sword dissolved into particles of light.

In its place...

The Shadowfang Twin Blades appeared in his hands.

Two short, curved blades.

Light. Fast.

Made for assassination.

The surrounding players exchanged amused glances.

"He changed weapons."

"So he's an assassin?"

Valerius simply watched.

Meanwhile...

Aster ignored every word.

His attention never lingered on a single individual.

Instead...

His eyes continuously moved.

Two tanks for frontline anchors , five swordsmen for close-range pressure, four archers for long-range suppression, six mages for crowd control, area denial and burst damage. Three support classes for healing buffs and sustain.

"...Balanced."

He silently evaluated the battlefield.

If combat began, the mages would attempt to immobilize him while the archers would prevent escape. The tanks would restrict his movement and the supports would prolong the engagement.

Everything revolved around allowing Valerius to deliver the finishing blow. Well coordinated.

Valerius stepped forward.

"So..."

"You're the mysterious cloaked player."

Aster offered no reply.

Valerius smiled faintly.

"I'll admit..."

"You've caused quite a stir."

"My subordinates have been searching for you all day."

Still... Silence.

Valerius's smile slowly disappeared.

"You've been attacking innocent players."

"You've spread fear through the beginner regions."

"I suppose someone has to stop you."

No response.

He continued speaking.

"Today..."

"I'll defeat you."

"The entire world will know that justice prevailed."

Several of his followers chuckled.

Another added loudly,

"You're finished."

"Twenty against one."

"Drop your equipment before we send you back to Mistvale."

More laughter followed. Insults. Mockery. Provocations. Valerius deliberately allowed it.

He wanted Aster angry. To be careless and emotional. But, instead, Aster remained perfectly still.

His calm gaze continued drifting across the formation.

Not listening. Not reacting. Simply observing.

Valerius frowned.

"...Ignore me, then."

Aster's eyes finally stopped moving. Not on Valerius. But on someone standing several meters behind him. A player concealed beneath a dark hood.

Twin daggers rested at his waist. His stance was relaxed. Weight balanced on the balls of his feet.

This is an assassin.

Judging by his equipment...

One of the strongest members present. Exactly the type of opponent Aster wanted.

Without changing his expression...

He silently activated the evolved ability within the Primal Codex. Golden runes flickered invisibly beneath his pupils.

---

Echo of Genesis

Target Selected

Analyzing...

Weapon Category...

Twin Blades.

Compatibility...

Confirmed.

Searching...

Compatible Skills Detected...

Beginning Origin Analysis...

---

The hooded assassin, completely unaware, remained focused on the coming battle. Aster quietly waited. If fortune favored him, the evolved Codex might reveal something far more valuable than before.

And if the twenty players believed his silence came from fear, they were about to discover just how dangerous a patient hunter could be.

The forest remained motionless. Neither side made the first move.

Aster quietly stood with the Shadowfang Twin Blades lowered at his sides.

Outwardly, he appeared completely calm. Inside his head, the Primal Codex continued its work.

---

Echo of Genesis

Origin Analysis in Progress...

Rare Skill Detected...

Compatibility Confirmed...

Calculating...

Synchronizing...

---

Aster frowned almost imperceptibly.

"...It's taking longer."

Previously, copying a skill had taken only a few moments.

This time...

The analysis continued.

The Codex was tracing something much deeper.

A rare skill.

He remained patient.

There was no point interrupting the process.

Across from him, Valerius noticed the subtle change in Aster's expression.

He misunderstood it immediately.

"So..."

"You've finally realized there's no way out."

His voice carried effortlessly through the silent forest.

"You've been pretending to stay calm."

"But now you're panicking."

Still, Aster did not answer. His eyes remained unfocused, waiting for the Codex. Valerius laughed.

"I understand."

"Twenty against one."

"Anyone would be afraid."

He slowly drew his sword.

"Take off that cloak."

"Kneel."

"And maybe..."

"I'll only send you back to Mistvale."

Several of the elite players laughed.

"You're finished."

"Even if you were lucky before..."

"You can't defeat all of us."

Aster remained silent. His complete lack of reaction slowly irritated Valerius.

"...Enough."

His patience finally wore thin. He raised his sword.

"Move."

The elite formation immediately advanced. The tanks led. Mages began gathering mana. Archers pulled their bowstrings. Swordsmen spread outward. The assassin disappeared into the shadows. The entire formation advanced with frightening discipline.

Then—

Aster slowly raised his head.

Moonlight pierced through the branches above.

Its pale silver light illuminated only half of his concealed face.

The corner of his lips...

Lifted.

A smile.

Cold.

Quiet.

Unnaturally calm.

It wasn't the smile of someone cornered. Nor the smile of someone desperate.

It resembled...

A predator welcoming prey into its territory.

For one brief moment...

Everyone stopped. Even Valerius.

No one understood why.

But every instinct screamed the same warning.

Danger.

The smile beneath the black hood seemed almost inhuman. As though a demon had opened the gates of hell, only to welcome them inside.

The forest fell deathly silent.

Inside Aster's mind—

The Primal Codex finally completed its analysis.

Golden pages burst open. Ancient runes engraved themselves across the parchment.

---

Rare Skill Successfully Copied

Phantom Eclipse

Rank: Rare

Class Category: Assassin

Temporary Duration: 45 Minutes

--

Skill Description

Become one with the darkness.

Upon activation, the user enters Perfect Concealment, rendering themselves invisible to sight and greatly suppressing their presence for up to 15 seconds.

The effect immediately ends upon launching an attack.

The first strike performed while leaving concealment gains:

* Greatly increased movement speed.

* Increased critical damage.

* Reduced enemy perception during the initial attack.

While concealed, ordinary detection skills cannot reveal the user.

Only specialized perception abilities or direct area-of-effect attacks can expose the user before the duration ends.

Cooldown: 3 Minutes.

Mana Consumption: 80

---

Aster slowly read the description.

His smile deepened.

"...A perfect assassination skill."

The evolved Primal Codex had rewarded him well. Not merely an uncommon technique.

A true Rare Skill.

One worthy of changing an entire battlefield. He slowly lifted his twin blades.Moonlight reflected across their edges.

The elite players could not hear the system notification.

They could only see the mysterious cloaked player...

Standing alone.

Smiling.

As though the battle had already been decided.

And for the first time since they had surrounded him...

Several of Valerius' elite members instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.

Not because they were preparing to attack.

But because...

They had begun to fear the man standing before them.