Hyun‑soo wiped his blade on the grass, then flicked the mud off with a grin, "Our coordination is good! Don't you agree?"
Ji‑ho placed the staff back into his inventory, voice calm and even. "It somehow works, I guess."
Hyun‑soo tilted his head, grin stretching wider, "See? That's practically a compliment coming from you."
Ji‑ho gave him a flat look, "Don't grin like a creep. You creeps me out."
Hyun‑soo barked a laugh, tail flicking with amusement, "Harsh! That's just my victory face. You should try it sometime."
Ji‑ho's reply was clipped, "Not interested."
Hyun‑soo leaned closer, grin refusing to fade, "One day, I'll get you to admit you enjoyed it."
Ji‑ho shook his head, "Don't waste your time."
They continued their playful bickering, trading jabs and retorts without pause, until the looming silhouette of the South Gate finally came into view against the glow of the town's lanterns.
Right after they stepped inside the town's wall, the air shimmered with sudden light. The ranking list was announced at once — system pop‑ups flared into existence across the plaza, hovering in front of every player like translucent panes of glass. Conversations died mid‑sentence, footsteps slowed, and even idle chatter fell silent. Every player's attention was caught in an instant as the leaderboard unfurled its judgment across the town.
—————
[ SYSTEM NOTICE: FIRST GLOBAL RANKING INITIALIZED ]
[ DATA SOURCE: CHARACTER POINTS (CP) ]
[ RANKING SCOPE: TOP 100 DOMESTIC / TOP 100 GLOBAL ]
—————
The system pop-up unfurled in front of them. For most players, it was a list of famous pro-gamers and streamers they already knew from other games. But as the list scrolled past the Top 100, then the Top 50, an unfamiliar name began to climb that shouldn't have been there.
"Ji-ho... look at number one," Hyun-Soo muttered.
—————
[ SOUTH KOREA — DOMESTIC RANKING ]
1. Shade (Class: Spellweaver | Guild: None) — 32,100CP
2. Kang-Minnie (Class: Warrior | Guild: None) — 25,200CP
3. Hecate (Class: Guardian | Guild: None) — 22,800CP
4. Jin-Woo (Class: Thief | Guild: None) — 22,500CP
4. I-Luv-Mimikyu (Class: Sorcerer | Guild: None) — 21,500CP
5. Hannah (Class: Sorcerer | Guild: None) — 21,400CP
6. Hyun-Shot (Class: Musketeer | Guild: None) — 18,300CP
—————
The silence in the plaza didn't just break; it shattered into a thousand whispers that converged into a single, suffocating realization.
In Phantasy Realm Online, your username hovered above your head like a crown or a target. Players can obviously hide their names; however, since it's early in the game, this feature was currently unavailable.
Every player in the Silestal Town square simultaneously jerked their head toward him as he passed through the crowd. Their eyes tracked the boy in the black-and-white butler's vest with the name [ Shade ] hovering above his head.
Ji-ho felt the shift immediately. It was a heavy, physical pressure. For a man who loved silence and books, this sudden attention was like a blow to the chest. He felt a rare spark of discomfort crawl up his neck.
"Ji-ho, your name," Hyun-soo whispered, "It's not white anymore. It's gold."
Ji-ho looked up. Above his head, the name [ Shade ] pulsed with a soft, royal glow.
The whispers turned into a physical weight.
"That's him ..."
"Number one is a Spellweaver?!"
"Who is Shade? How is there 32,000 points in the first hour?"
"Is he a developer? Look at the gap between him and Kang-Minnie! It's nearly 10,000 points!"
Ji-ho felt a familiar, cold prickle of irritation. It started at the base of his neck and spread like a slow-acting poison.
'I hate this,' His fingers tightened around his staff. 'I should have stayed in the Southern Greens,' he thought.
"Ji-ho, you okay?" Hyun-soo whispered, sensing the sudden, sharp drop in the temperature around his friend.
Ji-ho didn't answer immediately. He merely adjusted the cuffs of his white shirt, his movements mechanical and stiff.
'Thirty-two thousand points, and all it bought me was a headache,' he thought coldly.
Suddenly, every player in the plaza flinched as a high-pitched chime rang directly in their ears. A second system pop-up, larger and bordered in shimmering gold, forced itself into everyone's field of vision.
—————
[ GLOBAL RANKING — TOP 10 ]
1. Zeus (Class: Paladin | Guild: None | Country: USA) — 58,900CP
2. Kaiser (Class: Warrior | Guild: None | Country: Germany) — 52,400CP
3. Ling (Class: Sorcerer | Guild: None | Country: China) — 49,100CP
4. King-Arthur (Class: Guardian | Guild: None | Country: UK) — 45,300CP
5. Saito-Kidd (Class: Thief | Guild: None | Country: Japan) — 41,800CP
6. Silva (Class: Archer | Guild: None | Country: Brazil) — 38,200CP
7. Dur-Pukar (Class: Archer | Guild: None | Country: India) — 34,500CP
8. Dmitri (Class: Warrior | Guild: None | Country: Russia) — 33,100CP
9. Shade (Class: Spellweaver | Guild: None | Country: South Korea) — 32,100CP
10. Valentina (Class: Priest | Guild: None | Country: Italy) — 30,200CP
—————
The square remained frozen as thousands of players stared at the glowing window in front of their faces. Then, as one, their eyes shifted towards the player who caught everyone's attention.
"Ninth in the world ..." someone whispered, the sound carrying in the stunned silence.
Every murmur felt like a needle poking at Ji-ho's skin. He didn't wait. He didn't even check if Hyun-soo was ready. His patience had finally snapped.
With a cold flick of his hand, he swiped the ranking window away. He reached out and gripped Hyun-soo's arm with a firm, iron grip.
"We're leaving. I'm done being an exhibit," he said sharply.
"Wai—," Hyun-soo struggled.
Ji-ho didn't stop until the noise of the plaza was a dull hum behind them. He dragged a bewildered Hyun-soo through a narrow alleyway, his grip never loosening until they stood before a heavy oak door marked with a faded crest.
—————
[ System Notification ]
Location: Iron Oak Tavern — Guild District
This wasn't just a pub; it was the center of the world for those who lived by the blade and the spell. If the plaza was the lungs of Silestal Town, the Iron Oak was its beating heart.
● The Social Hub: This was the premier gathering place for all adventurers. The room was divided into zones: wide circular tables where new parties were being formed, and quiet, shadowed corners where veteran guilds negotiated secret alliances.
● Recruitment Center: A massive, enchanted "Bounty Board" occupied the back wall, covered in glowing parchment. Players crowded around it, shouting their classes and levels to find the perfect teammate.
● Guild Exchange: Near the heavy iron-bound counter, a specialized merchant is found. Here, recognized adventurers could sell their rare monster loots and dungeon artifacts for rates far higher than standard shops, provided the seller had the reputation to match.
—————
Ji-ho finally released Hyun-soo's arm. He ignored the sudden silence that rippled through the room as the veteran players noticed the golden name above his head. He moved toward a secluded corner booth, desperate for a quiet place to think. But as he sat down, the expected silence never came.
Instead, a chilling, absolute stillness swept through the tavern.
It wasn't just the players. The NPCs — the barkeeps, the waitresses, and even the grizzled veterans leaning against the walls — all froze in unison. Every single pair of eyes inside the tavern was fixed on him.
Ji-ho stared at the table, his fingers tapping a rhythmic, impatient pattern against the wood. He could feel the weight of their collective observation pressing against him like a physical force.
From across the crowded tavern, a figure moved with a gentle, swaying grace that seemed to calm the air around her. Her appearance was the definition of docile. She had soft, platinum-blonde hair tied in a loose, low ponytail and eyes the color of spring moss. Her elf ears were long and slender, poking out timidly from her hair. She wore the tavern's uniform, a simple forest-green vest over a white linen blouse but she carried it with a shy, natural elegance.
"It's quite uncomfortable, isn't it?" she asked with a soft, playful grin as she reached the booth.
She looked up at the golden name pulsing above Ji-ho's head, then down at his formal black-and-white butler's vest. A small, suppressed giggle escaped her lips.
Hyun-soo leaned in and whispered, "Who is she?"
"The heart of the adventurers doesn't usually beat this fast for a newcomer," she teased, her voice light and friendly. "But then again, most newcomers don't walk in here dressed like they're ready to serve tea to his master."
Ji-ho raised his head. His icy eyes met her soft, moss-green ones. "Who are you?"
There was no response from her. Instead, she leaned in slightly, her expression shifting into a humored pout as she gestured to the glowing gold name above Ji-ho's head.
"You know, that gold light really clashes with the black-and-white vest," she joked as she pointed on his golden name.
Ji-ho's jaw tightened. He didn't find the joke amusing, but her approachable, easy-going energy made the suffocating pressure of the room feel a little lighter.
"It's a costume," Ji-ho replied flatly. "The stats were optimal."
Ji-ho gave her a freezing sharp look. She didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned in even closer, her moss-green eyes sparkling with amusement.
"My, you really are a cold one, aren't you?" she teased with a soft giggle.
"If you glare any harder, the ale in this tavern might actually freeze solid."
She straightened up slightly, smoothing her forest-green vest with a small, graceful bow. Her long, slender ears twitched as she gave him a warm, approachable smile.
"Since you're likely to be the talk of the town for the next couple of years, I should probably introduce myself," she said. "I'm Lyra, the head waitress here. I handle the orders, the rumors, and occasionally, the grumpy adventurers like you who hide in my corner booths."
She winked at Hyun-soo, then turned back to Ji-ho, her head tilting curiously.
"You know, for someone so famous, you look like you're having a terrible time. Is the golden name too heavy, or is the vest just a bit too tight?"
Ji-ho exhaled a slow, controlled breath. He looked up at her, his expression still flat but no longer as sharp. "The vest is fine but I don't appreciate all these stares."
Lyra laughed softly, "Well, since I've already teased you enough for today, what can I get for the most famous butler in the world?"
Ji-ho's gaze remained fixed on Lyra as he thought of a question to ask. While thinking, he noticed something peculiar. The NPC could clearly see the golden name pulsing above his head, yet when he looked at her, there was no floating text. No name, no level.
He leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed her. The fluid way she leaned, the subtle twitch of her ears, and the way her teasing felt so human, it was unsettling. It didn't match the robotic loops of a typical AI.
"Are you an NPC? Or a player using a high-tier skin?" Ji-ho abruptly asked.
Lyra blinked. Her head tilted to the side, a look of genuine confusion crossing her face.
"An N-P-C?" she repeated the letters slowly. "A player? What sort of strange tavern slang is that? Is it some new dialect from the capital?"
She let out a puzzled, airy giggle.
Ji-ho's eyes narrowed. He watched her closely, looking for a stutter in her animation or a repeat in her dialogue. There was nothing.
'She has no idea,' he thought, his eyes tracking the subtle pulse of a vein in her neck.
Normally, if you ask an AI if they are a program, the sub-routine triggers a standard response. They acknowledge their nature as a digital construct. But Lyra didn't. There was no "safety" protocol or "out-of-character" disclaimer.
The system hadn't just built a better chatbot; it had created a civilization that believed it was real. They were trapped in a loop of life, entirely unaware that their world was made of light and numbers.
The realism was immaculate. It was more than just high-fidelity graphics or advanced dialogue trees. To Lyra, Ji-ho was a famous, grumpy traveler in a strange suit, not a player in a VR capsule.
'If they don't know they are code, then to them, every word I say is real. Treating them like clinical data might actually be a tactical error. If I want the best information, I have to play by their rules.'
He decided then to shift his approach. If the system was this immersive, he would stop looking for the seams in the world. He would treat them as living, breathing variables.
'Maybe treating them as real humans would be the best approach,' Ji-ho concluded.
"Never mind," Ji-ho said, his voice softening just a fraction enough to sound like a tired traveler. "Forget I asked. The journey has been long, and these burdening stares makes it even worse."
Lyra's expression immediately shifted from confusion to a gentle, sympathetic smile. Her long ears relaxed, and she cast a quick, sharp glance at the other players in the tavern, who quickly looked away.
"Well, that I can understand! Most people look a bit delirious after seeing their name in gold," she teased, leaning in with a friendly wink. "And you're right. This place can be a bit ... much when everyone treats you like a museum exhibit."
She straightened up, her moss-green eyes sparkling with a new kind of warmth.
"Since you're so exhausted, how about —," Lyra started, her soft voice cut off by a violent, metallic crash.
The heavy oak front doors of the tavern were kicked open with such force they slammed against the interior stone walls. The sudden noise silenced every conversation in the room.
A squad of knights in gleaming, full-plate armor marched inside. Their boots thundered against the wooden floorboards. With practiced discipline, they immediately barricaded the pathway toward the exit and formed two rigid lines on each side of the entrance, creating a corridor of steel.
Hyun-soo's bear ears pinned back against his head. He leaned toward Ji-ho, his voice a frantic, low whisper.
"Ji-ho ... What's with the sudden drama?" Hyun-soo hissed, his eyes darting between the armed knights and Ji-ho's calm face. "I have no idea what you were just doing with the waitress, but forget that. What's the fuss at the door?"
Ji-ho didn't move. He didn't even look toward the door. He simply watched as Lyra's approachable, playful expression vanished, replaced by a stiff, wary mask of professional neutrality.
"They are the knights of Baron Rael Graciano, the current ruler of this town," Lyra whispered, her voice losing its melodic cheer. "He was newly appointed, yet I don't know why he's doing this to the guild."
The heavy atmosphere in the tavern grew even more suffocating. The low hum of the adventurers' chatter ceased instantly as a certain person stepped through the corridor of steel.
"The one who just entered," Lyra said, her eyes narrowing as she stepped back from the table. "That is the Baron himself."
Baron Rael Graciano stepped into the center of the room, his presence immediately sucking the air out of the tavern. He has a sharp, refined face with high cheekbones and amber eyes that hold a look of casual arrogance. He carries the quiet, settled confidence of a man who has never been told "no," his gaze constantly calculating the value of everything he sees.
Instead of heavy robes, he wears a dangerously casual outfit: a loose cream silk shirt unbuttoned at the collar, a fitted charcoal leather vest, and dusty riding boots. The only signs of his high status are a gold signet ring symbolizing his family and an elegant, blue-hilted rapier resting at his hip.
Lyra's moss-green eyes were wide with a wariness.
"Be careful, Shade," Lyra whispered, her voice barely a breath. "That man is no ordinary noble born into silk."
She kept her gaze lowered, but her slender ears remained sharply tuned to the Baron's heavy presence.
"Before he was a Baron, Rael was a hunter, a common mercenary who lived in the mud. He fought in the brutal war between the State of Afruvite and the Holy Kingdom of Fascia. They say his blade carved through more than just monsters."
Hyun-soo's ears twitched at the mention of the war.
"He gained so many achievements on the battlefield that the king of the state himself granted him a title and was given this town as his reward," Lyra continued.
The golden name above Ji-ho's head was momentarily forgotten as a knight's thunderous yell shattered the tension.
"May I have all your attention, please!" the knight shouted, his voice echoing off the stone pillars. "Baron Rael Graciano himself wishes to converse with all of you here present!"
The former hunter stepped forward. His casual posture masked a predatory stillness. He didn't look like a noble giving a speech; he looked like a general briefing his troops.
"Greetings, immortal adventurers!" The Baron shouted, an odd, sharp smile cutting across his face. "To whoever brings me the head of the Silestal Guild Master, I'll ensure you both fame and power."
The tavern went cold. This wasn't a request; it was a declaration of war against the very heart of the adventurer world. Suddenly, a system chime rang in unison for every player in the room.
A crimson-bordered window flared into existence before Ji-ho and Hyun-soo.
[ A quest 'Slay the Silestal Guild Master' was created ]
—————
[ Slay the Silestal Guild Master (A) ]
Difficulty: A
Quest Type: Assassination
Baron Rael Graciano was once a high-ranked hunter before he became part of the Afruvite nobility. For whatever reason, he seems to be having an ill relationship with the Guild Master of Silestal Town. He has requested the Master's head to be brought to him.
— Declining this quest will greatly decrease your affinity with the Barony
— You have 48 real-time hours to decide
Quest Clear Condition: Slain the Silestal Guild Master and bring his head to Baron Rael
Quest Failure Condition:
● Affinity with the Barony will greatly decrease
● There is a 50% chance for you to be imprisoned in the Baron's underground prison
Quest Clear Reward: Unknown
—————
[ Would you like to accept the quest? ]