The box sat on the table, precisely where Anna had left it.
Kael hadn't noticed it earlier—too distracted by revelations, bloodlines, and the haunting pull of a world that wasn't supposed to be real.
Now, standing alone in the sitting room, he picked it up.
The wood was dark, heavy, etched with a crest he didn't recognize. Not Merrick. Not Ambret. Something older.
He opened the lid.
[You have acquired: Lucien's Turquoise Elixir]
[Rarity: C – Rare]
[Effect: Permanently increases all base attributes by +1]
[Note: Effect is capped by current level restrictions. Cannot be consumed more than once.]
Inside lay a small glass vial filled with deep green liquid, swirling like smoke caught underwater.
Kael stared at it.
A permanent stat increase.
In Divine Wake, even high-end elixirs gave temporary boosts or regeneration. But this—this was the kind of item that players would auction their guilds for.
He didn't hesitate.
The cork came off. He drank.
The taste was bitter, earthy—like mint mixed with chalk—but it slid down in one gulp.
[All attributes +1]
[New Stats — STR: 14 | VIT: 13 | INT: 14 | AGI: 12]
[HP: 732 → 762 (recovering)]
[Stamina: 431 → 451 (recovering)]
A strange sensation followed.
Not pain. Not pleasure. A rush of clarity—like his blood had been iced, like his brain had been dunked in cold water. For a moment, it felt like the world itself slowed down, his senses rising into sharp relief.
When it faded, he stood straighter. Breathed deeper.
The blade at his side felt lighter.
And for the first time, he wondered—why had Viscount Ambret given this to him?
No one gave power for free.
But the duel came first. Questions could wait.
Three hours later, Kael rode out through the great gates of Veyre's capital.
Guards bowed as he passed, but they didn't speak. The Merrick name was still respected—even if it had long since stopped inspiring fear.
The horse beneath him was a sturdy gray charger, taken from the family stables. The ride beyond the city limits was smooth, open roads giving way to long stretches of broken hills and yellowed grass.
This was outer territory. Still part of the duchy, but no longer patrolled.
Which meant monsters.
Which meant experience.
Which meant progress.
He had a target in mind.
An hour past the last village, the hills began to rise—and Kael saw smoke curling faintly from the mouth of a jagged cave set into the stone.
This was the place.
In the old game, it had been a farming spot for solo melee players: The Kennel of the Cerberic Knights.
Twisted creatures—beastmen in rusted armor, with the bodies of men and the heads of three hounds. Dangerous, but dumb. Strong, but predictable. And they dropped decent loot.
Kael dismounted, tied the reins to a gnarled tree, and approached on foot.
The wind carried the stink of blood and rot.
[Target Identified: Cerberic Knight]
[Scanning Enemy Profile...]
[Level: 15]
[HP: 1,519 / 1,556]
[Stamina: 989 / 1,009]
[Attributes: STR 13 | VIT 16 | INT 3 | AGI 6]
[Skills: Charge (E-Rank, Active) – Lv. 2]
[Additional data: Insufficient access]
[Threat Rating: F – Standard]
Three heads. Broad shoulders. Heavy boots crunching the gravel as it patrolled just outside the cave mouth.
Kael stayed low, drawing no weapon yet.
The creature sniffed.
Three heads turned in his direction.
Then it saw him—and bellowed.
The thing lunged.
It came fast—too fast for something so big. Its Charge skill amplified its sluggish agility, making its sudden dash feel like a battering ram.
Kael didn't move.
Not yet.
He waited.
Let it come closer. Let it commit.
Three sets of eyes locked on him. Three jaws opened wide.
The reek of old blood and wet fur hit like a wave.
Kael crouched. Shifted weight to his back leg. Gripped the hilt of his blade—not drawn yet.
The knight roared and—
Now.
Kael's foot slammed down. His body launched upward. His blade came free mid-air.
[Passive Trigger: Merrick Blade Form – Critical Angle Detected]
[Critical Hit!]
[Damage: 2,173]
The sword struck the beast in the back of the neck where the three spines joined.
A crack echoed through the clearing.
Three heads flew apart in a fountain of blood. The body fell in a heap.
[Enemy Defeated: Cerberic Knight – Lv. 15]
[EXP Gained: 641]
Kael landed, blade humming with residual energy. He turned slowly, expecting a drop.
Nothing.
No coin. No item. No gear. Just the body.
"Huh."
He crouched. Searched the corpse. Still nothing.
That wasn't normal.
In the game, even F-rank enemies dropped currency. Basic loot. Sometimes crafting mats.
Here? Just meat and bones.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
So the system was here.
But the drop tables weren't.
Or worse... they're hidden behind something else.
He sheathed the sword, pushed into the cave.
It got worse the deeper he went.
The air was thick with the metallic scent of dried blood and something else—animal musk and decay.
He tried to block his nose with his cloak, but it barely helped.
In the game, he could filter senses with the HUD.
Here? He had to live through it.
He moved carefully, hugging the walls.
Another knight waited inside—bigger than the last. Slightly hunched. Scraping a rusted axe along the wall.
[Target Identified: Cerberic Knight – Elite Variant]
[Level: 19]
[Scanning...]
[Insufficient Access – Partial Data Only]
Kael readied his stance.
This one would hit harder. And in a narrow cave, dodging would be near impossible.
The beast saw him.
It roared.
Charged.
Kael didn't wait.
He sprinted sideways, kicked off the rock wall, and used the brief moment of airtime to angle a downward slash across the beast's exposed flank.
The strike landed—but not deep enough.
The knight swung its axe, narrowly missing Kael's head as he ducked.
Dust exploded.
Rocks cracked.
Kael gritted his teeth, spun low, and drove his blade into the back of the creature's thigh. It staggered—opened its flank—and he struck again.
A clean hit to the ribs.
[Critical Hit!]
[Damage: 1,388]
The beast howled.
It dropped to one knee.
Kael raised the sword over his head.
And brought it down.
Hard.
[Enemy Defeated: Cerberic Knight – Elite Variant – Lv. 19]
[EXP Gained: 991]
The cave fell still.
Only his breath remained—ragged, sharp in the silence.
Still no loot.
Still no items.
Just another body.
Kael wiped his blade clean.
He didn't need loot, not now. He needed something else.
He needed to level.
To gain stat points.
To raise his passive skills.
To win the duel.
To break the game—before it broke him.