Aetherion Isle
Aster quietly stood near the staircase. The line of waiting players had grown longer. Some had been waiting for over an hour.
No one complained.
The opportunity to enter the second floor of Mistvale's Library was simply too valuable.
Just then...
The library doors slowly opened. A woman wearing the uniform of the Adventurers' Association entered. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties.
Her dark hair was neatly tied behind her back, and a silver badge rested upon the left side of her uniform.
Aster recognized her immediately. She worked as one of the receptionists inside the Adventurers' Association.
Her name was Lyra.
Walking beside her was an elegant woman dressed in flowing white robes embroidered with golden threads. Unlike ordinary NPCs she radiated an unmistakable aura of nobility.
A silver staff adorned with a crystal rested in her hand. The guards stationed before the staircase immediately bowed.
"Lady Seraphine."
The noble simply nodded.
---
Lady Seraphine Aurelia
Class: B-Rank Light Mage
---
The players waiting in line became excited.
"She's here!"
"Maybe she'll choose someone today!"
"I've been waiting all morning!"
Lyra smiled politely at everyone before following Lady Seraphine toward the staircase.
As she passed by...
Her eyes landed on the familiar black cloak.
She blinked.
"...Sir Aster?"
Aster looked toward her.
"You remember me?"
Lyra smiled warmly.
"Of course."
"A C-Rank Adventurer from F-Rank in one go is difficult to forget."
Lady Seraphine paused. Her calm gaze shifted toward Aster. The noble examined him quietly. She noticed only one thing.
The silver emblem upon his cloak.
Interesting...
Yet she said nothing. Instead, she looked toward Lyra.
"You know him?"
Lyra respectfully nodded.
"Yes, my Lady."
"He is a recently promoted C-Rank Adventurer."
Lady Seraphine's expression remained unchanged.
"C-Rank..."
Lyra then turned toward Aster.
"Sir Aster, were you waiting for permission to enter the second floor?"
He nodded.
"I was."
She smiled.
"You needn't wait."
Aster tilted his head slightly.
Lyra explained,
"The Adventurers' Association and the Library share certain privileges."
"Any titled adventurer possessing a Silver Emblem or any adventurer of C-Rank or above may freely access the second floor."
Aster looked briefly at the silver emblem attached to his cloak.
"So this grants access..."
"Among other privileges."
Lyra answered with a smile.
Aster calmly climbed the staircase.
Behind him...
The players waiting below stared with wide eyes.
"...Who is he?"
"I couldn't inspect him."
"Neither could I."
"I only saw a silver emblem."
"Could he be one of the hidden NPCs?"
Another shook his head.
"No."
"That receptionist called him 'Sir.'"
"He's definitely a player."
Whispers quickly spread throughout the first floor. The mysterious cloaked player had entered the second floor without waiting.
Yet...
No one knew who he was. His identity remained hidden beneath the evolvable cloak.
---
The atmosphere upstairs differed completely. There were far fewer books. Every shelf appeared meticulously maintained. Ancient tomes rested inside enchanted glass cabinets.
Maps decorated the walls. Historical paintings filled the corridors. Silence dominated the entire floor. Aster immediately headed toward the history section.
If he wished to find Skyrend Peak, understanding Mistvale's past seemed the logical first step. He selected a thick volume.
Chronicles of Mistvale
Hours seemed condensed into moments as he quietly read. The book described Mistvale as one of the oldest surviving settlements on the island.
It had endured countless monster tides and several wars before becoming a sanctuary for new adventurers.
Most importantly...
It mentioned the legendary Divine Swordsman who defended the village generations ago.
Unfortunately...
The records concerning his final battle had been deliberately removed. Only a single sentence remained.
"His final destination lies where blades once divided the heavens."
Aster memorized the passage. Then moved to another shelf. This one contained geographical records. He unfolded an enormous map.
His eyes widened slightly.
"So..."
"This world is larger than I thought."
The map revealed that the starting region consisted of a vast island known as the Crescent Isle.
Nine Novice Villages were established around its outer edge, forming the shape of a giant crescent embracing the sea.
Each village nurtured new adventurers before they ventured deeper into the island.
The villages were recorded as:
* Mistvale
* Stonehaven
* Ember Hollow
* Silverbrook
* Oakshade
* Windrest
* Frostmere
* Sunfield
* Moonwatch
At the very heart of Crescent Isle stood another landmass separated by deep waterways. A mysterious central island.
Its name was written in bold letters.
Aetherion Isle
Every river surrounding it eventually merged into the vast Azure Ring Sea, creating a natural barrier between the outer beginner villages and the island's center.
A note beneath the map read:
Only adventurers who have reached Level 20 may obtain permission to cross into Aetherion Isle.
Aster quietly traced the map with his finger.
"So that's the next destination..."
Level 20 was not merely another milestone.
It was the qualification to leave the cradle of beginners behind and step into the true world of Divine Nexus.
He gently closed the geography book.
His journey had only just begun.Aster carefully returned the books to their proper shelves.
Although he hadn't found the exact location of Skyrend Peak, his visit to the library had not been in vain.
He now knew the layout of the beginner continent. The nine Novice Villages. The existence of Aetherion Isle.
And the requirement to reach Level 20 before stepping into the next stage of Divine Nexus.
There was only one thing left to do.
"Level up."
Knowledge alone would not open the path ahead. Strength would. Without lingering any longer, Aster descended the library stairs.
As he stepped onto the first floor, the players who had been waiting immediately looked toward him.
"...He came out."
"Who is that guy?"
Again...
No one could inspect him.
The black cloak concealed everything except the silver emblem resting upon his chest. Aster ignored the curious gazes.
He quietly left the library and headed toward Mistvale's northern gate. The guards recognized the silver emblem and opened the gate without question.
Outside the village...
The familiar wilderness stretched before him. Instead of heading toward the hunting grounds he had previously explored, he opened the regional map.
A newly discovered area caught his attention.
---
Ironfang Highlands
Recommended Level: 16–20
A vast plateau covered in ancient grasslands and scattered stone ruins.
Powerful monsters roam the region.
Known Monsters:
* Ironfang Wolves — Lv.16
* Stonehide Boars — Lv.17
* Crimson Raptors — Lv.18
* Thunderhorn Bisons — Lv.19
* Highland Alpha Wolf — Lv.20 (Elite)
---
"This should be enough."
The Shadowfang Twin Blades rested comfortably at his waist. Then, he began running.
---
The following hours passed in relentless combat. Ironfang Wolves relied on overwhelming speed. Stonehide Boars possessed incredible defensive power. Crimson Raptors attacked from blind spots.
Every battle became another opportunity to polish his techniques. Aster no longer fought recklessly.
He analyzed.
Observed.
Optimized.
Whenever facing swift opponents...
He relied on agility.
Against armored monsters...
Venom Edge slowly consumed their vitality. His movements became increasingly refined. Even without using expensive skills unnecessarily, his combat efficiency steadily increased.
The effect of Endless Growth became even more apparent.
Every monster defeated granted nearly twice the experience of ordinary players.
The gap between him and the average adventurer widened with every passing hour.
---
A brilliant pillar of light descended.
Level Up!
Level 16
...
Another hour later—
Level Up!
Level 17
...
The hunting continued.
The corpses of monsters gradually surrounded the ruined plateau.
Finally...
One last Ironfang Wolf collapsed beneath Aster's blade. Golden light enveloped him once more.
---
Level Up!
Level 18
---
Aster exhaled slowly.
He had reached another milestone.
"Status."
The familiar blue window unfolded before him.
```
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CHARACTER STATUS
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Name : Aster
Race : Human
Level : 18
Title : Hidden Trailblazer
Class : (Primal Codex Bearer)
Adventurer Rank : C
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Health (HP) : 920 / 920
Mana (MP) : 460 / 460
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Attributes
Strength : 64
Agility : 71
Vitality : 68
Intelligence : 38
Spirit : 34
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Aster quietly closed the panel.
"Two more levels..."
"Then I'll be qualified to enter Aetherion Isle."
Just as he prepared to resume hunting, a loud chime echoed across the entire world.
Every player stopped.
Every monster froze for a brief moment.
A translucent golden screen unfolded across the sky.
---
World System Announcement
Attention, Adventurers.
A scheduled major world update will begin in 10 minutes.
Please proceed to the nearest safe zone.
All players will be automatically logged out once maintenance begins.
Estimated maintenance duration will be announced after logout.
Thank you for supporting Divine Nexus!
---
The announcement echoed three times across every village, city, hunting ground, and dungeon.
Players immediately erupted into discussion.
"Another update?"
"I just started grinding!"
"The developers are updating too fast!"
Aster looked toward the distant silhouette of Mistvale.
"...Looks like today's hunt ends here."
He turned around and calmly began walking back toward the village, wondering what new changes awaited the world after this unexpected update.