The Beginner City had never been this alive.
From every corner of the district, people flooded toward the grand arena that stood proudly at the very heart of the city—a colossal structure built not only for battle, but for prestige, pride, and power. Today was no ordinary day. The long-awaited tournament had finally arrived, drawing the attention of clans, guilds, nobles, and opportunists alike.
At the center of it all, atop the Trial of Champions Arena, stood Tristan.
He tightened his grip slightly as the wind brushed against his armor. Beside him were the captains from Divisions Two through Five of Clan Origin, each one silent, focused, and ready. The atmosphere was thick—heavy with anticipation and unspoken tension.
Their opponent this time… was no ordinary group.
Clan Aegis.
More specifically, their vice captain.
Much had changed recently.
After the signing of a formal agreement, a massive restructuring had taken place across multiple factions. Clan Aegis, Clan Obsidian, and the Adventurer's Guild had all undergone significant shifts in leadership and power.
Victor, once a dominant figure, had been demoted to vice leader. Meanwhile, the position of Guild Leader had been handed to someone from the powerful Arden family—a lineage that had suddenly begun asserting its influence everywhere.
It wasn't just the guild.
Clan Aegis and Clan Obsidian had both replaced their vice captains… and unsurprisingly, both new figures came from the Arden family as well.
Above the arena, seated upon a grand platform constructed exclusively for them, the Arden family observed everything.
Mercury and Zeldric sat calmly, their expressions unreadable. Between them sat a man whose mere presence seemed to warp the air around him.
Levy Arden.
The eldest son of Loid Rosenveil.
His posture was relaxed, but the aura he emitted was suffocatingly powerful. He was now the newly appointed leader of the Adventurer's Guild—a position that carried immense authority.
To his right sat Lawrence Arden, the third child of Loid Rosenveil. Unlike Levy, Lawrence's presence was quieter, but there was something unsettling about him—like a shadow that moved without being noticed.
He was widely regarded as Levy's right hand.
Which meant that despite Victor still holding the title of vice leader, in reality… he held little to no power compared to Lawrence.
Back in the arena, Tristan's gaze shifted.
Standing opposite him was Gwen Arden.
The vice captain of Clan Aegis.
She was Zeldric's younger sister—a woman of striking beauty, her long hair swaying gently as she stood with absolute composure. Her robes shimmered faintly, layered with high-tier armor pieces that radiated magical energy.
A mage.
But not just any mage.
Tristan narrowed his eyes.
"This woman… her aura… it's strong."
He exhaled slowly.
"But no matter what… I have to win this fight."
"The name of Clan Origin is on the line."
—
Inside one of the preparation tents, Rey stood before a floating display screen, his expression serious.
"It seems that the head of the Arden family is using all his strength to defeat Clan Origin," he muttered.
Alex, standing nearby, crossed his arms.
"You're right," he replied calmly. "I can feel it too. They're hiding something… something big. We need to be careful."
Melvin, who had been silent until now, clenched her fists slightly.
"She's a mage…" she murmured under her breath. "Can I even defeat someone like that…?"
Rey didn't respond immediately.
Instead, his eyes glowed faintly.
Invisible Sight activated.
His vision shifted—layers of information unfolding before him as he scanned each individual one by one.
Suddenly, his expression stiffened.
Two figures.
Among all of them… two stood out.
At that exact moment, a mechanical voice echoed within his mind.
[Warning: Host has detected two individuals possessing Legendary-tier artifacts. Caution is advised.]
Rey frowned.
"Who are you referring to?" he asked internally. "Is one of them Levy?"
[Affirmative.]
Rey's eyes sharpened.
"And the other?"
There was a brief pause.
[The second individual is seated beside Levy. Identity obscured. Face concealed.]
Rey's gaze snapped toward the platform.
His eyes locked onto a figure cloaked in shadow, their face completely hidden.
The moment he focused—
His breath caught.
"Level… 123…?"
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"Guinevere Arden…"
A chill ran down his spine.
"Could she be… the second child of Loid?"
[Verification: Guinevere Arden. Role classification: Assassin/Mage. Estimated combat potential exceeds that of Eris and Wilson.]
Rey's mind raced.
"Stronger than both of them…?"
He clenched his jaw slightly.
"From what I can see… she might even be stronger than Levy."
He hesitated.
"…Unless he's hiding his true power."
The system responded almost immediately.
[Invisible Sight current version limitations detected.]
[While the function allows the host to view an individual's true strength, it cannot penetrate concealment effects from Legendary-tier artifacts.]
Rey's expression darkened.
"So if they're using such artifacts… I won't be able to see their real power."
[Correct.]
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then Rey exhaled slowly.
"…I need to be more careful."
His eyes narrowed.
"And after this… I have to upgrade the system."
"Version 3.0…"
His voice hardened.
"…I need access to full capabilities."
—
Back in the arena—
A thunderous BOOM echoed across the colosseum.
The sound of a massive drum reverberated through the air, signaling the imminent start of the match.
The crowd erupted instantly.
Cheers, shouts, and roars filled the entire structure, echoing far beyond the arena walls.
The referee stepped forward, raising his hand.
"Participants, prepare yourselves!"
Tristan lowered his stance slightly.
Gwen remained calm, her eyes fixed on him.
The air between them grew heavy.
"Three…"
The world seemed to slow.
"Two…"
Energy gathered.
"One."
BOOM!
The drum was struck again.
The match had begun.
—
The moment the second strike echoed—
Tristan moved.
Without hesitation, he reached behind his back and drew out his weapons.
Twin blades.
Their edges gleamed sharply under the arena lights.
A weapon he had obtained during his recent dungeon expedition.
Twinfang Sword
Tier: Rare
Requirement : Level 50
Role : Warrior
The blades pulsed faintly, responding to his grip.
A subtle surge of power flowed through his body as the weapon's effects activated.
Base Stats:
Attack Damage: +85
Attack Speed: +20%
Critical Chance: +10%
Tristan dashed forward.
Fast.
Faster than before.
His movements were sharper, more precise.
Each step carried intent.
Each breath, controlled.
"Let's see… how strong you really are."
Gwen raised her hand calmly.
A magic circle formed instantly beneath her feet.
Elegant.
Complex.
Powerful.
"You're fast," she said, her voice composed. "But speed alone won't be enough."
Tristan smirked slightly.
"We'll see about that."
He closed the distance in an instant.
Slash.
The first strike landed.
The blades cut through the air with precision—
And connected.
A faint ripple of energy followed.
Passive Activated – Rending Echo
A subtle mark appeared.
First stack.
Gwen's eyes flickered slightly.
"…Interesting."
She stepped back, raising a barrier just in time to block the second strike.
Clang!
The impact sent a shockwave outward.
Tristan didn't stop.
He pressed forward relentlessly.
Second strike.
Second stack.
The air around his blades began to distort slightly.
His attacks were getting heavier.
More dangerous.
Gwen narrowed her eyes.
"So it stacks…"
She waved her hand.
A barrage of magic projectiles formed instantly behind her.
"Let's see how long you can keep that up."
They fired.
Dozens of them.
Tristan's eyes sharpened.
He twisted his body mid-motion, deflecting some, dodging others.
But a few grazed him.
His expression tightened.
Still—
He didn't stop.
Third strike.
Third stack.
The moment it landed—
The energy around his blades surged violently.
Full Stack Achieved
Tristan's eyes flashed.
"Now."
He stepped in.
One decisive attack.
A single, powerful slash.
The blades glowed intensely as the effect peaked.
True Damage Increased: 50%
The strike descended.
Gwen's barrier shattered instantly.
Her eyes widened slightly—
And she leaped back just in time.
The attack cut through the ground, leaving a deep mark across the arena floor.
Silence fell for a split second.
Then—
The energy faded.
Stacks Reset. Cooldown Initiated: 15 seconds
Tristan exhaled sharply.
"Missed…"
Gwen landed gracefully, her expression now slightly more serious.
"…That was dangerous."
The temperature in the arena shifted.
Tristan tightened his grip on his swords.
The crowd roared louder than ever.
Above them—
Levy watched silently.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Beside him—
Guinevere remained still.
After that,
Tristan surged forward at full speed, his body cutting through the air like a blade as he charged straight toward the enemy's front line.
The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly from the force of his movement.
At the same time, the Captain of Division 2 vanished.
Dyrus activated his skill.
"Shadow Step."
His body dissolved into darkness, merging seamlessly into Tristan's shadow as if he had never been there to begin with.
From the rear, the Captain of Division 5 raised his staff, lightning crackling violently around it.
"Lightning Cast—release!"
A bolt of condensed lightning shot forward, tearing through the air as it aimed directly for Gwen, who stood calmly at the backline.
But before the attack could reach her—
BOOM!
It was stopped.
Completely blocked.
Standing firmly at the front was a massive figure wielding an enormous shield.
Bojack.
The lightning dissipated against the shield as if it had struck an immovable wall.
The large warrior let out a booming laugh.
"Hahaha! Your attacks are useless as long as I stand here!"
Tristan's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed him.
This guy… he's strong.
His gaze shifted to the shield.
That shield… it has an extremely high resistance to magic damage.
Tristan exhaled slowly.
Then—
He made a subtle hand signal.
A code.
The moment his teammates saw it, they understood.
The Captain of Division 5 adjusted his stance, preparing another spell—but this time, with a different purpose.
Meanwhile, the Captains of Divisions 3 and 4—both assassins—exchanged brief glances.
They understood the plan immediately.
Physical attacks.
Without hesitation, Tristan moved again.
He dashed past the frontline and struck one of the enemy members directly.
His blade cut cleanly.
The opponent failed to react in time.
A deep, fatal wound tore across the man's arm.
Blood spilled instantly.
But before Tristan could follow up—
A support from Clan Aegis stepped in.
"Hold still—I'll heal you!"
A soft glow formed around the wounded man as healing magic began to activate.
However—
Something unexpected happened.
The moment the healing energy made contact—
The wound darkened.
Spread.
The veins around it turned black as the poison rapidly expanded across his arm.
"What—?!"
The support's eyes widened in shock.
From within the shadows, Dyrus reappeared briefly—his presence almost invisible.
The attack had not been Tristan's alone.
It had been enhanced.
Poison.
A specialized toxin developed by Elysa together with Luna.
A deadly effect.
If the target was healed within five seconds after being poisoned, the toxin would spread faster—and its potency would increase by ten percent.
A scream of agony echoed through the battlefield.
The poisoned man dropped to one knee, clutching his arm as the pain intensified.
"I—I tried to heal him!" the support stammered, panic in his voice.
"Stop healing him."
Gwen's voice cut through the chaos.
Calm. Firm.
Her eyes glowed faintly as she analyzed the situation.
She stepped forward slightly, observing the spreading poison with precision.
Then—
She smiled.
"Don't worry," she said. "The effect will fade after five seconds. Once it's gone, you can heal him safely."
The support exhaled in relief.
"Understood!"
Gwen then shifted her gaze toward Tristan.
"You have clever and capable subordinates," she admitted.
Her expression hardened slightly.
"But it won't be enough."
Her voice dropped.
"I will defeat all of you."
Suddenly—
A powerful aura erupted from her body.
The air itself seemed to distort as heat and energy surged outward.
"Supernova."
Flames and lightning merged into a single devastating force, forming a radiant sphere of destruction in her hand.
The temperature in the arena skyrocketed instantly.
From the tent, Rey's eyes widened.
"That attack… the captains can't withstand it," he muttered.
His voice grew tense.
"Tristan… what are you going to do?"
Beside him, Melvin clenched her fists.
"That kind of power…" she whispered.
"If I could unleash what I used back then… even this wouldn't compare."
She shook her head slightly.
"But no matter how many times I try… I can't reach that level again. My current attacks are far weaker than what I used on the sixth floor…"
Back in the arena—
BANG!
A heavy impact echoed.
The Captains of Divisions 3 and 4 were suddenly thrown backward.
A figure stood before them.
Bovack.
The twin brother of Bojack.
Both shared the same role—and their levels were terrifyingly high.
Level 88.
Level 89.
The Captain of Division 3 coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth. His arm hung unnaturally—broken from the impact.
The Captain of Division 5 rushed toward him.
"Hold on—I'll heal you!"
But before he could act—
A sudden presence appeared behind him.
The same man Tristan had wounded earlier.
The assassin.
He had already recovered.
And worse—
He had slipped past Tristan without being detected.
Tristan's eyes widened slightly.
Damn it…
He's already healed.
We don't have a support…
I need to adjust the strategy—fast.
"Dyrus!" Tristan shouted. "Stop him!"
In an instant—
Dyrus activated another skill.
"Accelerate."
His speed increased tenfold.
He appeared between the assassin and the Captain of Division 5, blocking the incoming strike just in time.
Steel clashed.
But—
Before Dyrus could react further—
Bovack had already moved.
Slash!
Richard—the Captain of Division 5—was struck.
A deep wound tore across his body.
Blood poured out instantly.
"Richard!" Dyrus shouted.
At the same time—
Tristan found himself overwhelmed.
Gwen's Supernova had already been unleashed.
The blazing sphere of destruction descended toward him.
Tristan gritted his teeth.
"Berserker!"
His aura flared violently as he activated his skill.
At the same time, he raised his shield.
But—
The moment the Supernova struck—
CRACK!
The shield shattered instantly.
It was only an Elite-tier item.
It couldn't withstand such power.
Tristan roared as he raised both arms, trying to resist the attack with sheer force.
For a moment—
He held it.
But only for a moment.
The overwhelming energy consumed him.
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion engulfed the arena.
The shockwave spread outward, shaking the entire colosseum.
Inside the Clan Origin tent—
Eris covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
"Tristan…"
Alex slammed his fist onto the table.
"Damn it! I miscalculated!"
Silence filled the tent.
Despair crept in.
Everyone believed the same thing.
Tristan… was gone.
But then—
Rey spoke.
"Calm down."
His voice was steady.
"Tristan is fine."
All eyes turned toward him.
Meanwhile—
On the battlefield—
Dyrus stood firm.
After blocking the assassin's attack, he countered immediately.
With a powerful kick, he sent the enemy backward.
Then—
He unleashed his skill.
"Phantom Wave."
A surge of shadow energy burst forward, forming a powerful wave that tore through the battlefield.
At close range—
Its effect changed.
The damage intensified.
True damage.
The attack struck the assassin directly.
He froze.
Then—
Collapsed.
His body was thrown out of the arena.
Knocked out.
The crowd erupted.
Clan Aegis had lost one member.
Four remaining.
Clan Origin still had five.
But—
Dyrus' relief lasted only a second.
He turned—
And his expression changed.
"Ruven…!"
Ruven (Captain Division 3) was barely standing.
Blood soaked his body as Bovack loomed over him, ready to finish the fight.
Dyrus' gaze hardened.
One by one, his teammates were falling.
The situation—
Was collapsing.
"…Enough."
His voice dropped.
Cold.
Serious.
Slowly—
He reached into his inventory.
And pulled something out.
An item.
One he had never shown before.
Not even the higher-ups of Clan Origin had seen him use it.
The moment it appeared—
The atmosphere changed.
A suffocating aura spread across the entire arena.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Overwhelming.
Even the crowd fell silent.
On the platform—
Levy stood up.
His eyes locked onto Dyrus.
"…That can't be."
Beside him, Guinevere rose as well, her gaze sharp.
Levy's voice turned low.
"Is that… an Ancient Artifact?"
Inside the Clan Origin tent—
Everyone felt it.
That overwhelming presence.
Rey's expression darkened.
He focused his mind.
Then spoke.
"System…"
"System… what is that item Dyrus just summoned? Is it a high-tier artifact?"
Rey's voice was low, but there was tension beneath it.
The answer came almost immediately.
[Confirmed. The item in question is classified as an Ancient Artifact. Within this world, fewer than 20 such artifacts are known to exist.]
Rey's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Less than twenty…?"
A rare expression of surprise crossed his face.
"Then what exactly separates an Ancient Artifact from a normal artifact?"
The system paused for a brief moment, as if processing the question.
[Difference analysis: Minimal at surface level.]
[Items and artifacts are fundamentally the same classification. However, artifacts possess the ability to evolve, whereas standard items do not.]
Rey nodded slowly.
"That makes sense…"
His thoughts drifted for a moment.
Absolute Veil… Basilisk Sword… Spear of Dragon Slayer…
Those were all artifacts he had encountered before—each one capable of evolving beyond its current state.
"So then…" Rey continued, his gaze sharpening, "what makes an Ancient Artifact different?"
The system's response came with a subtle shift in tone.
[Ancient Artifacts are artifacts that have existed since ancient times.]
[They were once wielded by legendary warriors hundreds of years ago. Some even predate the arrival of players into this world.]
Rey's breathing slowed.
[Due to their age and history, Ancient Artifacts possess significantly greater potential compared to standard artifacts.]
Silence followed.
Then—
Rey exhaled softly.
"I didn't expect… Dyrus to possess something this terrifying."
His eyes flickered faintly.
"Invisible Sight."
Activated once more.
The world shifted.
Data began to overlay his vision as he focused directly on the weapon now held in Dyrus' hand.
A massive, ominous scythe.
Dark energy pulsed from its blade, as though it carried the weight of countless lives taken in the past.
Then—
The information appeared.
Piercing Scythe
Tier: Legendary (Level 3) → Can Evolve to Mythical
Requirement: Level 180
Role: Assassin
Stats:
+150 Adaptive Attack
+25 Movement Speed
+25% Critical Damage
+15% Mana Regeneration
Unique Skill — Armor Rupture
Every 3 separate Basic Attacks on an enemy will:
Reduce 45% of the target's Base Defense
The following attack ignores all armor
Stack: Up to 3 times
Cooldown: 15 seconds
Unique Passive — Lifebane Execution
Each time the user deals damage to an enemy:
If the enemy's HP falls below 5%, they will be executed instantly
Each kill grants 1 stack of Lifebane:
Each stack increases the execution threshold by +3% HP
Maximum: 5 stacks (up to 20% HP)
Overload Effect (Max Stack)
When 5 Lifebane stacks are reached:
All stacks reset to 0
Skill enters cooldown for 30 seconds
During this period:
All damage converts to True Damage +55% (ignores defense)
Each instance of damage restores 8% (HP+Mana)
Rey's pupils trembled slightly as he finished reading.
"…This artifact…"
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"It's monstrous."
For a brief moment, even he was shaken.
"So this… is the power of an Ancient Artifact?"
His grip tightened unconsciously.
"If this evolves into Mythical tier…"
He paused.
"I can't even imagine how powerful it will become."
Then his expression hardened.
"…But Dyrus…"
His gaze shifted back toward the battlefield.
"You need to be careful."
"This is still a tournament."
"You're not allowed to kill your opponent."
—
At the royal seating platform—
King Carlos leaned forward slightly, his usually composed expression showing a rare hint of shock.
"…An Ancient Artifact."
His voice was barely audible.
Beside him, Raven's reaction was far more intense.
The moment he saw the scythe—
His eyes widened.
Crack!
The glass in his hand shattered instantly under the pressure of his grip.
Fragments fell to the ground.
Nolan, who stood beside him, flinched slightly.
"Lord Raven… are you alright?"
Raven remained silent for a moment.
Then slowly—
He relaxed his hand.
"I'm fine," he replied calmly.
But his eyes remained fixed on Dyrus.
"…Do you know what kind of artifact that is?"
Nolan hesitated.
"I'm afraid I don't have much knowledge about Ancient Artifacts," he admitted. "But I have heard that they possess the potential to shake the world itself."
Raven gave a faint nod.
"You're not wrong."
His voice turned colder.
"But that's not the real problem."
Nolan frowned slightly.
"…What do you mean?"
Raven's gaze darkened.
"The real issue… is that the artifact in that boy's hand carries a bloody history."
Nolan's expression froze.
"A… bloody history?"
Raven exhaled slowly.
"Have you ever heard of the Regalith noble family?"
The name alone was enough.
Nolan's eyes widened in shock.
"The Regalith family…?"
That name was not unfamiliar.
In the annals of history, the Regalith family had once stood among the three most powerful noble houses.
Their influence had been immense.
Their power… unmatched.
And yet—
They had fallen.
Completely.
Wiped out in a single, devastating tragedy.
"Yes…" Nolan said quietly. "I've read about them. They were destroyed… but no one truly knows what happened."
Raven's gaze remained fixed on the battlefield.
"That incident…"
He spoke slowly.
"…was connected to that very artifact."
Nolan's breath caught.
His eyes shifted back toward Dyrus.
The scythe.
The dark aura.
The overwhelming presence.
"…You mean…"
Raven did not answer immediately.
Instead, he leaned slightly forward, his eyes narrowing as he observed Dyrus more closely.
"…That weapon," he murmured, "was once wielded during that tragedy."
A heavy silence fell between them.
Nolan swallowed.
"Then… does that mean…"
Raven's voice dropped to a near whisper.
"…Is that boy…"
His gaze sharpened.
"…a survivor of the Regalith family?"