The entire Beginner City had fallen into chaos.
Moments earlier, a colossal Thunder Dragon had appeared in the sky above the royal palace, its massive form coiling through the dark clouds like a divine beast descended from the heavens. Crackling lightning illuminated the city again and again, each flash revealing terrified faces staring upward.
Citizens rushed out from their homes, while adventurers gathered in the streets, whispering anxiously among themselves. No one had ever witnessed such terrifying power before.
Then it happened.
A deafening explosion erupted from the direction of the palace.
The shockwave rolled across the city like a violent storm, rattling windows, shaking rooftops, and sending flocks of birds scattering into the sky. Even those far from the palace felt the overwhelming pressure carried by that single clash.
It was the collision of two terrifying forces.
In a quiet residence belonging to the Arden family, the Grand Elder suddenly trembled.
His hand shook slightly as he gripped the armrest of his chair. His aged eyes widened as he sensed the violent collision of power far away.
"…Nolan."
His voice trembled.
"If it weren't for that technique… I wouldn't have become this weak."
His fingers tightened as memories surged within his mind.
Ten years ago.
That same terrifying power had once been unleashed upon him.
Back then, Nolan had used the very same attack during a confrontation that shook the entire Arden family. The lightning dragon had descended without mercy, and although the Grand Elder had survived, the damage it inflicted was devastating.
His internal organs had been shattered.
Even after a decade, the injury had never truly healed.
But now…
Something felt strange.
The Grand Elder slowly narrowed his eyes.
"There's another power… confronting Nolan."
It was different.
Unfamiliar.
Yet powerful enough to clash against Nolan head-on.
Whoever it was… that person was no ordinary fighter.
—
Deep within the underground chambers of the Arden family residence, silence filled the air.
A massive crimson stone stood at the center of the chamber, radiating a faint red glow that painted the walls in a haunting light.
Seated atop that stone was a man.
Loid Rosenveil.
His eyes were closed as he quietly meditated, his breathing steady and calm. The crimson light reflected faintly across his sharp features.
Suddenly, his eyes opened.
A chilling glint flashed through them.
"Nolan…"
His voice was calm, but there was a murderous intent hidden beneath it.
"In just a little while… I will cut off your head."
"You'd better be prepared."
A faint smile slowly formed across his lips.
Name: Loid Rosenveil
Level: 147
Race: Human
Role: Warrior / Mage
Title: Crimson Fang of Rosenveil
Stats:
HP – 19,350 (×85%)
STR – 1457 (×95%)
AGI – 957 (×75%)
SPD – 1035 (×70%)
INT – 1162 (×110%)
END – 985 (×55%)
MP – 1280 (×45% Mana Capacity, ×18% Mana Regeneration)
Note: All percentage bonuses originate from armor and equipped items.
Loid slowly raised his hand.
A small crimson crystal appeared within his palm.
The gem pulsed faintly with immense energy.
"With this Power Stone… even Nolan's strength will fall before me."
His voice lowered as a darker thought crossed his mind.
"And once Nolan is gone… Christope will finally belong to me."
The sinister smile returned.
After a moment, Loid closed his hand and stored the crystal away.
He then shut his eyes again, returning to his meditation.
Training his body.
Preparing for the inevitable battle that would soon arrive.
Meanwhile, within the royal arena, the clash between Rey and Nolan had reached its climax.
The battlefield had already been reduced to ruins.
Cracks covered the ground, shattered stone scattered everywhere, and the air itself hummed with lingering mana.
Rey stood at the center of the arena, his spear glowing brilliantly.
The Spear of Dragon Slayer radiated overwhelming power as Rey poured every remaining ounce of strength into it.
Across from him, Nolan stood with his silver spear raised high.
Above them both, the massive Thunder Dragon roared.
Lightning surged wildly as Nolan released his ultimate attack.
"Thunder Dragon Judgement!"
The enormous lightning dragon descended from the sky like divine punishment itself.
But Rey did not retreat.
Instead, he thrust his spear forward with everything he had.
The two powers collided.
For a moment, the world seemed to freeze.
Then—
BOOM!
The explosion shook the entire palace grounds.
The Dragon Slayer spear pierced straight through the lightning dragon's body, causing its massive form to begin dissolving into flickering lightning fragments.
However, the attack had not ended yet.
The remains of the Thunder Dragon crashed down into the arena.
Seeing the incoming destruction, Alex immediately shouted.
"Luna! Emily! Put up a barrier!"
Both girls reacted instantly.
A large magical shield expanded outward, forming a protective wall around the spectators and the royal platform.
"Melvin! Activate your domain just in case!"
Melvin nodded without hesitation.
"Understood."
A faint magical field spread across the area as he reinforced the defenses.
The lightning dragon struck the arena.
A blinding burst of energy erupted outward.
Electric currents surged across the ground like wild serpents.
Anyone caught within the impact zone would have been instantly incapacitated.
The attack unleashed its effect.
Stun: 2 seconds
Damage: 75%
Magic Defense Reduction: 18% for 5 seconds
Rey was struck directly by the descending lightning.
His body froze as electricity coursed through him.
However—
His Absolute Veil activated immediately.
The Armor reduced crowd control effects by 40%, shortening the stun duration dramatically.
Instead of two seconds…
Rey was only immobilized for 1.2 seconds.
To Nolan, however, it looked like Rey had been completely paralyzed.
Seeing the opportunity, Nolan gripped his silver spear tightly.
"This is the end, Ace."
He lunged forward with terrifying speed, aiming straight for Rey's chest.
But Nolan had miscalculated.
The stun had already begun to fade.
Just as the spear tip approached his heart—
Rey moved.
He twisted his body at the last possible moment, narrowly dodging the fatal strike.
Nolan's eyes widened.
"What—?!"
Before he could react, Rey stepped forward and drove a powerful punch directly into Nolan's chest.
CRACK!
The impact echoed loudly through the arena.
Nolan coughed violently as blood burst from his mouth.
The force of the blow sent him flying backward.
His body crashed across the arena floor before sliding out of the battlefield entirely.
Silence fell.
The spectators stared in shock.
Nolan struggled to stand.
His breathing was heavy, and blood stained the corner of his lips.
"…Ace."
He laughed weakly.
"I never imagined… you could truly wound me."
"And even counter my strongest attack."
Nolan slowly shook his head.
"But that alone… is not enough to defeat the Head of the Arden family."
Before he could continue, his body finally gave out.
Nolan collapsed.
The battle was over.
Rey had won.
But the victory came at a cost.
His shoulder bone had partially cracked, and his legs trembled with pain from the lingering lightning damage of Thunder Dragon Judgement.
His vision began to blur.
Rey tried to stay standing…
But his body refused.
The exhaustion was too great.
His knees buckled.
A moment later, Rey collapsed unconscious.
After the battle ended, King Carlos immediately rose from his seat.
"Guards!"
His voice echoed through the arena.
"Take both fighters to the medical chamber immediately!"
Royal medics rushed forward without delay.
Rey and Nolan were quickly carried away for treatment.
Several hours later…
Rey slowly opened his eyes.
The bright ceiling above him came into focus.
His body felt heavy, but the pain had lessened considerably.
In front of him stood Luna and Emily, both concentrating as they cast healing magic over his injuries.
Soft golden light surrounded his body.
When Luna noticed Rey moving, her eyes widened in relief.
"Rey…!"
She quickly turned toward the door.
"Elysa! Melvin! He's awake!"
A moment later, Elysa and Melvin rushed into the room.
Emily, however, moved faster.
Before Rey could even sit up—
She suddenly hugged him tightly.
"Rey!"
Her voice trembled.
"Don't ever make a reckless decision like that again!"
Rey blinked in confusion as he stared at the worried faces around him.
For a brief moment…
He simply smiled weakly.
Tears slowly streamed down Elysa's cheeks as she stepped closer to Rey's bed.
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.
"Emily is right, Rey… I was really worried about you too."
Rey looked at the two girls standing beside him. Both of them had clearly been anxious while he was unconscious. Luna stood quietly behind them, her hands still glowing faintly with healing magic.
Rey simply smiled.
But inside his heart, his thoughts were far from calm.
That battle with Nolan…
It made me realize something.
My strength is still far too weak.
Even though he had won the fight, Rey knew the truth better than anyone. If even a single moment had gone differently, the outcome of the battle could have been completely reversed.
Nolan had been terrifyingly powerful.
And Rey knew there were still many opponents in this world stronger than Nolan.
Before he could continue thinking, the door to the medical room suddenly opened.
Alex walked inside.
His expression immediately relaxed when he saw Rey awake.
"Rey," Alex said with relief, walking closer. "Are you alright?"
Rey nodded slowly.
"I'm fine," he replied.
Then he asked the question that had been lingering in his mind.
"What about Nolan? How is his condition?"
Alex folded his arms slightly before answering.
"He's stable now. But he's still unconscious."
Alex paused for a moment before continuing.
"King Carlos has assigned the royal medics to give him the best treatment possible."
Rey fell silent after hearing that.
Even though Nolan had been his enemy in the arena, Rey didn't feel any satisfaction seeing him in that state.
After a moment, Rey spoke again.
"Tomorrow is an important day."
His voice became more serious.
"We need to return to the clan as soon as possible."
Alex nodded.
"Don't worry about that."
"All the preparations have already been completed. The members back at the clan handled everything while we were here."
Rey looked slightly relieved, but Alex continued speaking.
"However… we still need to return immediately."
Rey frowned slightly.
"Why?"
"There's a small problem in Division One."
Rey's expression changed instantly.
"What do you mean?"
Alex's tone turned serious.
"One of the Division One members was severely injured."
Rey sat up slightly.
"How bad?"
Alex sighed quietly.
"The injury is critical."
"Even the healers inside the clan can't fully treat it."
He then glanced toward Luna and Emily.
"We'll need Luna and Emily's help."
Rey immediately understood the situation.
Luna and Emily possessed some of the strongest healing abilities within the entire clan.
If even the clan's healers couldn't treat the injury, then it must be extremely serious.
Rey slowly nodded.
"In that case… prepare everything."
"I'll be ready shortly."
Alex nodded once before leaving the room to make the necessary arrangements.
—
Not long afterward, Rey and the members of Clan Origin departed from the royal palace.
Before they left, King Carlos personally met them at the palace entrance.
Beside him stood Princess Elizabeth.
Both of them expressed their gratitude for Rey's performance in the arena.
King Carlos even provided them with several valuable rewards and offered his support for the important event scheduled for the following day.
After finishing their farewells, Rey and his group finally began their journey back to Clan Origin.
—
Several hours later…
They arrived at the clan headquarters.
As soon as they entered, Rey immediately gave instructions.
"Luna, Emily," he said calmly. "Go check on the injured Division One member."
Both girls nodded without hesitation and quickly headed toward the medical wing.
Rey then turned toward Alex.
"Alex, come to my room."
"There's something I want to discuss."
Alex nodded.
"Understood."
The two of them soon entered Rey's private room.
After the door closed, Rey sat down across from Alex and immediately asked the question that had been on his mind.
"Alex."
"For tomorrow's event… have you prepared everything?"
Alex leaned back slightly and gave a confident smile.
"You don't need to worry."
"I've already handled all the preparations."
However, his expression soon turned more serious.
"Still… there are a few things we need to discuss."
Alex reached into his coat and pulled out a sheet of paper before placing it on the table.
"This," he said, tapping the paper, "is the match schedule for tomorrow."
Rey leaned forward slightly.
"Tomorrow's event will be a 4 vs 4 battle."
Alex continued explaining.
"I've already selected the best members for our team."
"It will be similar to the event on the first day…"
"But this time, we won't be fighting monsters."
Alex looked directly at Rey.
"We'll be fighting other clans."
Rey nodded slowly.
"I see."
After thinking for a moment, Rey suddenly asked another question.
"Alex… what level are you now?"
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
Rey smiled slightly.
"Because tomorrow… you might end up fighting Victor."
Alex chuckled.
"Don't worry."
"I've been training seriously for this."
Rey didn't respond immediately.
Instead, his eyes glowed faintly.
He activated Invisible Sight.
A transparent screen instantly appeared before him.
—
Name: Alex
Level: 81
Race: Human
Role: Warrior
Title: Second Leader of Clan Origin
Stats:
HP – 10,320 (×80%)
STR – 532 (×75%)
AGI – 410 (×65%)
SPD – 434 (×70%)
INT – 721 (×80%)
END – 523 (×50%)
MP – 406 (×10% Mana Regeneration)
Note: All percentage bonuses come from armor and equipped items.
—
Rey's eyes widened slightly.
"Level 81?"
He looked at Alex in surprise.
"You leveled up really fast."
Alex laughed proudly.
"Of course."
"I entered a dungeon recently and focused on hunting strong monsters on the eighth floor."
Rey nodded slowly.
Then Alex suddenly asked a question.
"So… what about you, Rey?"
"What level are you actually now?"
Rey paused.
He turned his gaze toward another transparent screen floating in front of him.
The moment he saw it…
His eyes widened in shock.
—
Name: Rey
Level: 77
Race: Human
Role: Free
Title: Chosen One (All stats ×30)
Stats:
HP – 7,850 ×30
STR – 350 ×30 (×120%)
AGI – 250 ×30 (×85%)
SPD – 260 ×30 (×75%)
INT – 170 ×30 (×89%)
END – 160 ×30 (×95%)
MP – 110 ×30 (×10%)
Note: Additional percentage bonuses originate from Rey's armor — Absolute Veil.
—
Rey blinked several times in disbelief.
Then he quietly muttered in his mind.
"System… is this really my level?"
The system responded instantly.
"Yes, Host."
"After successfully withstanding Nolan's attack, the Host received a significant amount of experience."
"After subtracting the previous five-level penalty, the Host's current level is 77."
Rey couldn't hide the smile forming on his face.
He felt genuinely happy.
Meanwhile, Alex was staring at him with a confused expression.
Rey's reaction looked extremely strange.
Finally, Rey spoke.
"I'm slightly below you, Alex."
"My level is 77."
Alex froze.
"…What?"
He stared at Rey in disbelief.
"You're only level 77?"
His voice rose slightly.
"You just fought Nolan head-on!"
"I thought your level had already surpassed 100!"
Rey burst out laughing.
Seeing this, Alex simply shook his head helplessly.
"You're unbelievable."
He sighed.
"You're only level 77… yet you're already this strong."
Rey shrugged slightly.
"Well… according to the system Adventurer…"
"I should already be Rank S now."
However, Alex's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Rey… didn't you hear the news?"
Rey blinked.
"What news?"
Alex crossed his arms.
"After the Christope Kingdom was officially recognized as a high-tier nation… and after everything that happened recently…"
"The entire world decided to adopt a single unified system."
Rey frowned slightly.
"A unified system?"
Alex nodded.
"It was created by the Continental Alliance."
"And one of the biggest changes…"
He paused for emphasis.
"…was the Adventurer Ranking System."
Rey leaned forward slightly.
"So… what rank am I now?"
Alex answered calmly.
"You're currently Rank B."
Rey's eyes widened.
"Rank B?"
"Why?"
Alex explained patiently.
"The ranking system changed."
"Now, Level 66 to Level 99 adventurers are classified as Rank B."
He then looked directly at Rey.
"So yes."
"You are officially a Rank B adventurer now."
Note:
In this world, strength is generally measured through four major stages:
Early Stage: Level 1–65 (Rank D–C)
Middle Stage: Level 66–135 (Rank B–A)
Advanced Stage: Level 136–199 (Rank S–SS)
Superior Stage: Level 200+ (Rank SSS)
Alex leaned back slightly in his chair before continuing his explanation.
"Even Willson, who already reached Level 89, is still classified as Rank B," he said calmly. "This system has now been officially enforced across the entire continent."
Rey listened quietly.
Alex then added another piece of information.
"To strengthen every nation, the Continental Alliance has also begun sending official invitations to powerful clans and influential families."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Clan Origin received one of those invitations as well."
Rey raised an eyebrow.
"An invitation?"
Alex nodded slowly.
"Yes. They want us to join the alliance program."
However, Alex's expression turned slightly troubled.
"But I'm still uncertain whether we should accept it or not."
Rey fell silent for a moment.
Something about the situation didn't sit well with him.
A faint sense of unease crept into his thoughts.
Finally, Rey spoke.
"Alex… I think it would be better if we don't accept that invitation."
Alex looked at him.
"Why?"
Rey exhaled quietly.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"It feels like they're trying to create a situation where I'll fall into their trap."
The room became quiet.
Alex stared at Rey for several seconds.
Then he slowly nodded.
"If you've already made that decision… I won't argue with it."
Rey gave a small nod of appreciation.
The conversation seemed to end there.
But then Rey suddenly remembered something.
He reached into his inventory and pulled out a small object.
A faint crimson glow reflected across the room.
Alex's eyes widened slightly.
"What's that?"
Rey held the object in his palm.
It was a small crystal sphere filled with swirling light.
"This," Rey said, "is a Memory Stone."
Alex leaned forward with curiosity.
"A Memory Stone?"
Rey nodded.
"It's an artifact that allows someone to store memories inside it."
He paused before adding another explanation.
"In this world, there are two rare artifacts known as Power Stones and Memory Stones."
Alex blinked in surprise.
"Power Stones?"
"What are those used for?"
Rey explained calmly.
"A Power Stone allows someone to store their strength or power inside it… so it can be used later during a critical moment."
Alex slowly nodded as he processed the information.
Then he pointed toward the crystal in Rey's hand.
"So… whose memory is stored inside that stone?"
Rey shrugged slightly.
"I don't know."
"I haven't checked it yet."
Alex crossed his arms.
"Then let's see what's inside."
Rey nodded.
He gently channeled a small amount of mana into the crystal.
The moment his mana entered the stone—
The crystal began to glow.
A beam of light spread across the room.
Soon, a faint projection appeared in the air.
It formed the silhouette of a mysterious figure.
The shadowy figure slowly began to speak.
"Divine Saint…"
Its voice echoed softly.
"We hope that you are safe wherever you are now."
Rey and Alex immediately focused their attention on the projection.
The voice continued.
"As the Divine Arcanist, I have done everything in my power to send you to—"
Suddenly—
The voice abruptly cut off.
The projection flickered violently, as if something was interfering with the message.
Rey frowned.
"What's happening?"
A moment later, the voice returned, but parts of it were distorted.
"You must go to… the palace…"
"There is a relic inside…"
"Return it to him… so that he can regain his power as soon as possible…"
Then—
The projection suddenly disappeared.
The room fell into complete silence.
Rey could feel cold sweat forming on his forehead.
Beside him, Alex had also collapsed back into his chair, clearly stunned.
After several seconds, Alex finally spoke.
"Divine… Arcanist?"
"And Divine Saint?"
He looked at Rey with confusion.
"Who are they?"
Rey slowly picked up the Memory Stone and stored it back inside his inventory.
Then he let out a quiet sigh.
"I don't know either."
He leaned back slightly.
"But… during my fight with Draconar, he mentioned the name Divine Arcanist."
Alex frowned.
"Draconar?"
Rey nodded.
"Yes."
Then he began explaining everything.
He told Alex about the battle inside the Dungeon Tournament, when he had gone to rescue Tristan's group.
He described the terrifying encounter with Draconar and the strange things the creature had said during their fight.
Alex listened silently.
When Rey finished explaining, the room fell quiet again.
Alex slowly stood up and began pacing back and forth across the room.
His mind was clearly racing.
He tried to connect all the pieces of information Rey had just revealed.
After several minutes, Alex finally stopped.
He turned toward Rey with a serious expression.
"This information… must not leak to anyone else."
Rey nodded immediately.
"Don't worry."
"Only the two of us know about it."
He paused before adding another thought.
"Although… I think Draconar knows something."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Rey thought back to the moment during the battle.
"When Draconar saw my Spear of Dragon Slayer… and my dagger…"
Rey narrowed his eyes slightly.
"It looked like he recognized both weapons."
Alex frowned deeply.
That detail made the situation even more complicated.
His curiosity grew stronger.
At the same time, confusion filled his thoughts.
Originally, Alex had already formed several theories about the situation.
But after hearing Rey's story…
Those theories began to collapse.
One possibility slowly formed in his mind.
Could Melvin actually have a connection with the person known as the Divine Arcanist…?
The thought alone made Alex uneasy.
After thinking for a while, Alex finally spoke.
"For now… we should keep this secret."
Rey nodded.
Alex continued.
"Once we gather more information, we can connect everything together."
Rey smiled faintly.
"You're right."
He stretched his arms slightly.
"Besides… tomorrow is an important day."
"We need to rest properly."
Alex nodded.
"I agree."
A moment later, Alex turned and walked toward the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
After Alex left the room, silence returned.
Rey lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
His mind replayed the message from the Memory Stone again and again.
Divine Saint…
Divine Arcanist…
The relic inside the palace…
None of it made sense yet.
Just as Rey began drifting into his thoughts—
A familiar mechanical sound suddenly echoed inside his mind.
Ding.
Ding.
Rey immediately sat up.
A glowing system notification appeared before his eyes.
Congratulations, Host.
You have obtained a Legendary Rank Reward for the second time after discovering a secret related to a powerful individual.
Rey blinked in surprise.
"A reward?"
He stared at the notification in disbelief.
"I got a reward just from hearing that message?"
Then he frowned slightly.
"But… the information wasn't even complete."
The system responded instantly.
"That is correct."
"Because the information is incomplete, the Host has only received a Legendary Rank Reward."
The system paused briefly before continuing.
"If the Host had obtained the entire information, the reward would have been upgraded to a Mythic Rank Reward."
Rey froze.
"Mythic…?"
He immediately covered his face with his hand.
"Agh… what a waste."
"If I had the full information, the reward would've been much better."
He sighed heavily.
Still, Rey quickly calmed himself.
"Well… a Legendary reward is still pretty good."
He raised his head again.
"Alright then, System."
"Show me the reward."
A glowing screen immediately appeared in front of him.
Rey looked at the contents displayed on the screen.
Then his eyes widened.
"This…"
A huge smile slowly spread across his face.
"This is amazing."
Rey clenched his fist with excitement.
"With this…"
"I'll become even stronger."