[Resonance Lens Task Completed
Special-Class Seal — Level 1 Achieved
New abilities and modifiers have been unlocked as a result of this advancement.
Passive Abilities Unlocked:
Subtle Charm
Night Vision
Resonance Echo:
Shadow Hide
Stat Modifiers Applied:
Strength: Slightly decreased
Agility: Slightly increased, enhancing the Arbiter's speed, reflexes, and ability to maneuver through their environment with more grace and precision.
Third Sequence can now be accesses.]
Zay read through the Resonance Lens before nodding to himself and looked around him before clicking on the 'Shadow hide' Resonance Echo to view the description.
Then without delay, the Resonance Lens faded as it was replaced with the description of the Echo.
Shadow Hide
The Arbiter can blend seamlessly with shadows in low light, rendering themselves completely invisible. This ability is tied to the shadows themselves and only works at night or in very dark environments. Each moment spent in the shadows drains the Arbiter's aura slowly, and any attack will break the effect, revealing them immediately. The longer the Arbiter stays hidden, the more aura is consumed. Attacking during this time will not only break the effect but also cause the user to be momentarily disoriented due to the sudden drain.
"I guess she wasn't lying when she said the first level was a bit... bad?" Zay whispered to himself as he scanned the description.
A quiet sigh escaped him as he felt the subtle drain in his strength. It wasn't much—barely noticeable to most—but it was more than he was comfortable with.
"That was one thing she never mentioned... damn it," he muttered, glancing up as rain continued to patter against the stone streets.
Without another word, his feet carried him toward the port. He didn't even bother reading the descriptions on the passives, all he wanted was to get back to his ship and begin the Third Sequence as soon as possible.
A violet aura surged around his legs as he began to run, moving faster than before thanks to the agility modifier. The boost wasn't massive—but he felt the difference instantly.
Within a minute, he arrived at the port. His boots skidded across the wet stone as he came to a sharp stop, eyes scanning the area. Oddly, there wasn't a single guard in sight.
'That's strange... there's always at least one guard stationed here. Watching for enemy ships, monitoring sea activity... Could it really have been the king?' Zay frowned, his brow knitting in confusion before relaxing with a sigh.
Zay couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen in Ovaris—something earlier than he had anticipated. The woman with a presence like a dragon, but not quite. The complete absence of guards. The march of several hundred soldiers carrying that massive, rectangular structure that resembled a stone pillar. All of it churned in his mind as he stood at the port, debating whether to begin the Sequence or return home to ensure they were safe.
"Damn it all…" he muttered, his voice instantly drowned out by the pouring rain. Lightning flashed in the distance, casting brief blue arcs across the churning sea. His ship rocked atop the unstable waters as thunder rolled, closer to the Empire than it had been since his arrival.
He sighed, exhaling a deep breath that turned to mist in the frigid air.
'They'll be fine. Mike, Lyra, and Lily are there. They can handle themselves… especially Mike. I just hope they think to move to Summitset,' Zay thought, trying to convince himself.
Violet aura flared around his body as he jumped, his hand catching the railing of the ship. With one swift motion, he hauled himself aboard. His feet landed on the deck with a solid thud, and he moved toward the steel door, beneath a darkened glass canopy that shielded the couches and chairs beneath from the raging storm.
Zay made his way to the steel door, one hand gripping the handle to steady himself as waves crashed against the side of the ship. He grunted softly, nearly losing his balance, then reached into his trouser pocket with his left hand and pulled out a key. He slid it into the lock and twisted. The door clicked open. He stepped inside and slammed it shut behind him, then raised the key again to lock it from the inside—ensuring no one could follow.
He moved through the hallway and turned into the bedroom on the right next to the control room. At the far end of the room, a narrow staircase led down into the hidden library. Zay descended the steps and approached the stone table in the center. Sitting on the floor beside it, he closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply. Inhale. Exhale. He forcibly emptied his mind of thoughts.
Thirty seconds passed in silence—save for the distant rumble of thunder and the relentless crash of waves outside.
[Arbiter, would you like to access the Third Sequence?]
[Yes / No]
Without hesitation, Zay reached out and clicked Yes.
[Good luck on the Third Sequence.]
The world twisted and convulsed like a coil of smoke before settling into clarity.
Zay opened his eyes.
At first glance, nothing seemed particularly out of place—at least not compared to the other Sequences. The First Sequence had plunged him into a world of snow and ice. The Second trapped him as a prisoner on the open seas. But this one... this was different.
He found himself inside a structure—small, boxed in, and almost eerily quiet. Four walls enclosed the space, each one made of a material that sparked instant recognition.
"Flamebrick..." Zay muttered, narrowing his eyes. "If this whole structure is built from it... then this Sequence must be designed for extreme heat."
The room was dimly lit—four lanterns embedded into each wall, glowing faintly with a low emerald hue. The green-tinted light bathed everything in an unnatural shade, casting ghostly shadows that crawled along the Flamebrick.
He looked down and took stock of his attire. He was seated in a wooden chair—old, scorched at the legs as though it had survived fire. Draped over his shoulders was a white cloak, soft yet heavy. Beneath it, a loose white tunic clung lightly to his chest, and snug black leggings covered his legs. The garments felt tailored to him, but unfamiliar. He looked at his waist and saw Evershade as well.
'Interesting... I wonder if these clothes have any sort of enchantments.'
"Arbiter: Resonance Lens – Enchantments."
With a shimmer, the Resonance Lens flickered into view, its interface glowing faintly as detailed data began to scroll across its surface—analyzing the clothing layer by layer.
[Cloak of Frost]
Forged by the enigmatic figure known as the Ice Prince, the Cloak of Frost was crafted for his companions dwelling within the blazing encampment of Eternal Flaming. Woven with ancient sigils, this cloak bears a chilling aura that nullifies most forms of heat.]
[Tunic of White Water]
Woven from the rare underwater silk found only in the secluded village of Water Vail on the southern continent, this tunic's origins remain a mystery. Its threads are laced with ancient, invisible sigils—undetectable to the naked eye. The Tunic of White Water grants the wearer a constant cooling effect and subtle, natural hydration, making it a treasured relic among wanderers of scorching lands.
[Blessed Leggings]
Crafted from the rare, heat-resistant silk harvested in the mystical Blossom Forest, these leggings are a testament to great craftsmanship. The silk, known for its resilience against intense heat, is imbued with enchantments that provide the wearer with protection in fiery environments. However, this enchantment is delicate; any tear or cut in the fabric disrupts the sigil, rendering its protective qualities void.
"Not bad at all for a certain type of environment, that's for sure," Zay muttered as he turned his body, scanning the rest of the house.
In the far-left corner sat a large bed, simple yet sturdy. Beside it stood a small table, crafted entirely from Flamebrick. The floor beneath him was made of the same material—a dark, volcanic stone found only deep within active volcanoes or other scalding-hot regions. Blacksmiths would melt down these stones into bricks, allowing for construction in even the harshest of climates. The process, however, was grueling—and far from cheap.
Zay's eyes moved across the spacious, open room. He noted the chair he was sitting in, the bed, the small table, and a larger Flamebrick table set in the middle of the room. His gaze finally settled on a tall, heavy door also forged from Flamebrick. Above it, a bright white light shone down, illuminating the doorway. Oddly enough, he hadn't noticed it until now.
He exhaled slowly as his gaze lingered on the door.
"Guess this is my best shot at getting answers… or at least figuring out where I am. Especially since the Sequence Task hasn't appeared yet," Zay muttered under his breath, careful to keep his voice low in case someone—or something—was listening.
He lifted one foot and stepped forward, then continued for eleven quiet paces until he reached the door. Raising his right hand, he grasped the doorknob and twisted it. A soft click followed, and he pulled the door open slowly.
A wave of heat greeted him.
Outside, the ground was scorched black, cracked and dry like sun-baked clay. His eyes landed on three older men sitting at a bench in the distance. They appeared to be sketching something—perhaps a map—with how their arms moved across the surface in focused rhythm. Still, Zay couldn't be certain.
[Welcome to the Third Sequence: Infernal Ruins]
'Infernal Ruins? So... is this place some sort of ruin? Or maybe those men are sketching a map for an expedition?'
With a name like Infernal, the only logical assumption was heat. Everything pointed to it—the enchantments on the clothes, the Flamebrick, the Sequence name... even the men outside were wearing nearly identical outfits.
He exhaled slowly.
A man approached him, his footsteps light but deliberate. He was dressed similarly, though with slight differences: a black cloak, a grey tunic, and white silk leggings.
"Get some sleep. It's already dark out. We leave at dawn," the man said, offering a brief, tired smile before walking back to the other three and repeating the same instructions.
'Dark out?'
Zay looked around again. The sky didn't seem dark at all—colors were vivid, the shadows well-defined. Then it clicked. His eyes widened slightly as he remembered the passives granted by the Seal of the Demoness
He stepped back into the house, closing the door with a soft click behind him.
"Arbiter: Resonance Lens."
A soft shimmer flickered in front of his eyes.
[Name]: Zay Yuso
[Resonance Name]:Forsaken by Dawn
[Current Location]:Infernal Ruins
[Age]: 21
[Time]: 10:46 p.m.
Cores:
Aura Core: 100% | Initiate
Monster Core: 100% | Primordial | Unable to access this Monster Core Rank with your current strength. Lowered to — Ravager
Seals and Contracts:
Seal of Midnight | Level 2
Seal of the Eternal Hunt | Level 2
Seal of the Radiant Sovereign | Level 2
Seal of the Demoness | Level 1
Contract: Goddess of Dreams and Eternal Slumbering | Level 2
—
Zay tapped on the Seal of the Demoness with his index finger.
Passive Abilities:
Subtle Charm
Night Vision
Resonance Echo:
Shadow Hide
—
He selected Night Vision to examine the details.
Night Vision
The Arbiter's senses sharpen in the dark, granting them the ability to see clearly in low-light or complete darkness. This passive ability is always active but can be manually turned off at will. It only works during the night or in dark environments.
"I see... not bad. Better than I gave it credit for," Zay muttered to himself as the Resonance Lens faded from view.
He moved to the corner of the room, eased himself onto the edge of the bed, then laid down fully. With his eyes closed, he tried to piece together what this Sequence might hold—but answers remained elusive.