Virtual Divinity

Darkness faded.

Yevhen slowly removed the VR helmet from his head. The familiar white ceiling of the hospital greeted him. His body felt tired, but unlike before, it was no longer the exhausting fatigue of illness.

It was the fatigue of effort. A smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

"I'm getting stronger..."

Not only inside Divine Nexus.

But outside as well.

He gently stretched his arms before glancing toward the empty chair beside his bed.

Elena had not arrived yet.

The evening sunlight streamed through the hospital window, painting the room in warm shades of orange.

With nothing else to do, Yevhen reached for the television remote. The television immediately switched to the news.

As expected...

Every major channel was still covering only one subject.

Divine Nexus.

The news anchor wore an unusually serious expression.

"We have just received the official update notes directly from the mysterious developers of Divine Nexus."

"No representative appeared before the media."

"The announcement was transmitted anonymously to every major broadcasting company simultaneously."

The screen shifted. A dark background appeared. Golden letters slowly emerged.

---

Divine Nexus Version 2.0

A New Chapter Begins

---

The anchor began reading.

1. Guild System Unlocked

"Players meeting the required conditions may now establish official Guilds recognized by Divine Nexus."

"Guilds may recruit members, manage guild funds, unlock guild-exclusive quests, and compete for regional influence."

---

2. Player-Owned Shops

"Players may now purchase or rent commercial property inside major settlements."

"Crafted equipment, rare materials, potions, and other items may now be legally traded through personal shops."

"The in-game economy officially begins."

---

3. Regional Dungeons

"Each region now contains a permanent Regional Dungeon."

"Guilds and parties may challenge these dungeons repeatedly for rewards."

The screen displayed a towering underground fortress.

The anchor continued.

"Regional Dungeons feature five difficulty levels."

* Normal

* Elite

* Hard

* Hell

* Hero

"The first completion must always begin on Normal Difficulty."

"Clearing each difficulty unlocks the next."

"Higher difficulties provide significantly greater rewards."

---

4. Field Dungeons

"Every hunting map now contains at least one independent dungeon."

"Unlike Regional Dungeons, these may be challenged by ordinary parties without belonging to a guild."

---

5. Expanded Combat System

The anchor's tone became noticeably more serious.

"Combat regulations have been significantly revised."

The update appeared.

---

Duel System

Players may now challenge one another through official duels inside designated safe zones.

No death penalties apply.

---

Open Combat

Outside protected areas, combat remains unrestricted.

However...

Beginning at Level 15...

Death now carries consequences. The room became silent. The anchor slowly continued.

"If defeated after reaching Level 15..."

* Lose one character level.

* A portion of carried coins may be dropped.

* Equipped items now have a chance to drop depending on battle conditions.

"This marks the first permanent death penalty introduced into Divine Nexus."

---

6. Regional Rankings

"The Global Ranking has been discontinued."

"Instead..."

"The world has now been divided into nine beginner regions, corresponding to the nine Novice Villages."

Each region would maintain its own leaderboard.

The screen listed them.

* Mistvale Region

* Stonehaven Region

* Ember Hollow Region

* Silverbrook Region

* Oakshade Region

* Windrest Region

* Frostmere Region

* Sunfield Region

* Moonwatch Region

The anchor explained,

"This adjustment is intended to create healthier competition and encourage exploration."

"A world ranking will return after players leave the beginner continent."

---

7. Guild Territory

Although not immediately available...

Guilds would eventually compete for ownership of important cities, resource mines, trade routes, and Regional Dungeon entrances.

Economic influence would become as valuable as combat strength.

---

The announcement ended with one final message.

Strength alone is no longer enough.'

'From this day onward, cooperation, strategy, and leadership shall shape the future of Divine Nexus.'

The television returned to the news studio.

Immediately, experts began discussing the enormous impact of the update. One analyst adjusted his glasses before speaking.

"This changes everything."

"Yesterday, players competed only for levels."

"Starting today..."

"They will compete for territories."

"For guild prestige."

"For economic power."

Another commentator added,

"The death penalty will dramatically alter player behavior."

"From now on, every battle outside a safe zone carries real risk."

"Reckless players will quickly fall behind."

The final guest smiled knowingly.

"And perhaps the greatest beneficiaries..."

"...will be the players who mastered combat before everyone else."

Yevhen quietly listened.

Guilds.

Player shops.

Regional dungeons.

Death penalties.

The world of Divine Nexus had matured overnight. Outside the hospital window, the city continued as usual.

Yet Yevhen understood something most people did not. This was no ordinary game update.

It was another step toward transforming Divine Nexus into a second world. He gently looked at the VR helmet resting beside his bed.

Soon...

The race would become fiercer. The strongest players would gather under powerful guilds.

Major corporations and influential families would begin fighting for dominance.

And somewhere among them...

A lone cloaked adventurer carrying the Primal Codex would continue walking a path that belonged to no guild at all.

The hospital room gradually became quiet once more.

The television continued discussing the impact of Divine Nexus's latest update, but Yevhen had already fallen into deep thought.

"A guild..."

He softly murmured the word.

For most players, joining one of the newly established guilds would be the obvious choice.

There would be companions.

, resources, protection, experienced leaders.

Even salaries from corporations and influential families.

But...

For him...

It wasn't the right choice. Yevhen slowly looked toward the VR helmet resting beside his bed.

"My leveling speed is too abnormal."

With Endless Growth, his experience gain far exceeded ordinary players. The Primal Codex itself was another secret he could never reveal.

Then there was his mysterious cloak, capable of hiding his identity completely.

If he joined a guild now...

People would inevitably begin questioning him.

How did he level so quickly?

How could one person clear hidden dungeons alone?

The fewer people who knew, the safer he would be.

"I'll stay alone."

"At least for now."

His current path became clearer. Continue leveling. Complete hidden quests.

Search for the truth behind the Primal Codex.

Earn enough money inside Divine Nexus to lessen Elena's burden. Everything else could wait. Another thought crossed his mind.

"...The update."

His eyes narrowed. The developers had announced it without warning. Almost as if...

Someone had reached a certain milestone.

"I wonder..."

"Could these major updates be triggered by player progress?"

Perhaps...

When enough players reached Level 15, or maybe after someone achieved something significant...

The world itself advanced.

If that were true, Divine Nexus wasn't following a fixed schedule. It was evolving alongside its players. The possibility sent a chill through him.

Just how enormous was this world?

---

The official announcement soon appeared on every news channel.

Estimated Maintenance Duration:

24 Hours

The servers would remain closed for an entire day.

Yevhen sighed.

"So... I can't play today."

Surprisingly...

He wasn't disappointed.

In fact...

The forced break allowed him to slow down for the first time since entering Divine Nexus. He spent the day undergoing several hospital examinations.

Blood tests.

Muscle strength measurements.

Bone density scans.

Even the doctors appeared increasingly amazed. Every report showed gradual improvement. No one could explain why. The mystery only deepened.

---

Late that afternoon...

The hospital room door opened. Elena entered carrying another plastic bag filled with food.

Unlike her usual cheerful self, she looked exhausted. Dark circles had formed beneath her eyes. Loose strands of hair framed a face clearly worn down by endless responsibilities.

Yet...

The moment she saw Yevhen...

She smiled.

"I brought your favorite again."

She placed the food on the table.

"Eat while it's still warm."

Yevhen looked at her quietly.

"...Did you work overtime again?"

Elena laughed softly.

"Just a little."

Before he could ask another question—

Her phone rang. The smile on her face faded almost instantly. She glanced at the screen.

"...I'll be right back."

She stepped outside the room and gently closed the door. Yevhen wasn't trying to eavesdrop. But the room had become too quiet.

The muffled conversation beyond the door reached his ears.

"...Yes..."

"...I understand..."

"...Can you give us a little more time?"

"...I'm trying..."

Silence.

"...Thank you."

The call ended.

Yevhen lowered his head. He didn't need to hear the rest. He already knew.

Hospital bills.

Medicine.

Daily expenses.

Everything rested on Elena's shoulders. A quiet frustration settled within his heart. Not because he blamed anyone.

But because...

He still couldn't help her. His hand unconsciously clenched the blanket.

"Just wait..."

He whispered.

"I'll become stronger."

"I'll earn enough."

"So you won't have to carry everything alone anymore."

Outside the window, the sun slowly disappeared beneath the horizon.

One day passed.

Then another sunrise arrived. At exactly the same moment, Yevhen's phone vibrated.

A notification appeared.

Divine Nexus servers are now online.

The maintenance had ended. Yevhen picked up the familiar VR helmet. His heartbeat quickened.

The world had changed again.

New guilds.

New dungeons.

New dangers.

And new opportunities.

He gently placed the helmet over his head.

A smile appeared across his face.

"I'm back."

Darkness embraced him once more as he entered the world where his destiny awaited.