As the teleportation stones lit up in a brilliant flash, one by one, the new freshmen vanished from the square—spirited away into the Secret Realm.
The once-crowded plaza was now eerily silent.
High above, the old principal—Master Donovan, a respected legend of Kyoto University—held a Sacred Stone engraved with ancient runes. It glowed faintly in his palm, radiating a mysterious warmth. This was the core control crystal of the Secret Realm.
Whoever defeated the final boss and claimed this stone... would control the entire Secret Realm.
Master Donovan raised the crystal, and suddenly a massive holographic projection appeared above the square, casting a soft light over the watchers below. The image shimmered to life, revealing live feeds from the Secret Realm.
The grand viewing screen was split into seven panels. One enormous main screen dominated half the space, while six smaller windows occupied the remaining half. Each window displayed different players and locations within the realm.
The audience—senior students, instructors, and most importantly, guild recruiters—watched eagerly. The control interface allowed Master Donovan to switch between players and highlight key battles at any moment.
The smaller screens would auto-rotate, cycling every few seconds unless a major event occurred, in which case the main screen would update to capture it in real-time. Everything was linked through the Sacred Stone—Master Donovan was effectively the Lord of the Realm.
A real-time leaderboard hovered alongside the projection, showing the point rankings of the contestants, updating dynamically as monsters were defeated.
All eyes were on the feed.
At the moment, the main screen showcased Alexis Lane and her team. With her reputation as an SS-Level Holy Shield Knight, she had drawn the attention of every major guild. Recruiters were practically drooling over her battle stats.
Meanwhile, Lucas—once briefly shown in a corner screen—had already vanished from view as the display switched to another group. It seemed the system didn't think his situation was "highlight-worthy"—yet.
---
Inside the Secret Realm…
The world was gray and cold.
Lucas opened his eyes. The sky overhead was heavy with clouds, casting a dull, steel-toned light over the landscape. This wasn't the cheerful blue sky of the outside world—it was almost apocalyptic.
He was surrounded by a sparse jungle of ash-colored trees and withered grass. No monsters in sight. Just silence.
Then came the system prompt:
> You have entered the Blue Secret Realm. Powerful monsters roam this land. Proceed with caution.
Lucas blinked. "Blue Secret Realm? Really?" He looked around at the drab, gray landscape. "Looks more like the Gray Secret Realm to me."
He pulled up his map. A blinking red dot marked his current position—outer southeast corner. Definitely the far edge.
"Well, nothing to do but start moving."
He sheathed his dagger and began his journey inward.
"The central zone must house the boss-level monster," he reasoned. "That's where the real points are."
Boss monsters were worth a hundred times more points than ordinary mobs. Killing just one Level 40 boss could earn the same amount as two hundred Level 20 trash mobs. Efficiency-wise, heading straight for the center was the smartest plan.
Of course, that plan wasn't without risks.
Most contestants were still only around Level 20. The boss could one-shot unprepared teams. Only through teamwork—or incredible solo strength—could anyone hope to take it down.
And Lucas? He intended to solo it.
He wasn't being cocky—he was just curious.
"I've never tested my full skill rotation against a Level 40 boss before. Wonder if it can survive my combo?"
A smirk played at his lips as he dashed between trees, heading deeper.
---
But then—
He wasn't alone anymore.
Voices. Footsteps.
Lucas froze mid-step, his assassin instincts kicking in. Ahead, five figures emerged from between the trees.
He recognized them instantly.
Leon Graves and his team.
"Lucas?" Leon narrowed his eyes. "Wow. Of all people."
The others behind him looked equally amused—especially the tall mage at his right, Zach Darnell, who wore an unmistakable smirk.
"Well, well," Zach said, cracking his knuckles. "Look who fate dropped into our laps."
Lucas sighed internally. Of all the people to run into…
These weren't allies.
They were rivals with a grudge.
Especially Zach, who had already shown his hostility during the orientation party. Lucas's bold declaration to claim first place had earned him more than a few enemies—and Zach was one of the loudest.
"I'm surprised," Lucas said, his tone calm. "Didn't expect to meet familiar faces so soon."
"Surprised?" Leon laughed. "I call it destiny."
He stepped forward and gave a nod to his team. The five of them immediately fanned out into a battle formation, weapons drawn.
"Lucas, allow me to explain what's about to happen," Leon said. "You're alone. We're not. You've got no escape."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "No need for the dramatic buildup. Just get on with it."
"Oh, you'll get your wish," Zach growled, sparks gathering around his staff.
Zach wasn't just a mage—he was an S-Rank elemental caster specializing in thunder. His Awakening Skill allowed him to charge his magic for devastating hybrid attacks.
Leon began shouting instructions like a seasoned raid leader.
> "Zach, activate your shield and prep detection—he's going to vanish!"
"Noah Chen, mark him. Don't let him slip away!"
"Claire Rivers, support from the back—stay out of reach!"
"Mason, charge in and engage him directly. Hold his aggro!"
They weren't underestimating Lucas.
Leon wanted him gone—without giving him any chance to strike back.
Lightning crackled as Leon activated his unique skill—Thunderblade Surge, causing his sword to hum and shimmer with arcs of blue electricity.
"Lucas!" he shouted, his eyes wide with fury. "You think you're hot stuff? Time to feel what real power looks like!"
---
Lucas didn't flinch.
Five enemies. Tight formation. Defensive buffs already up.
But they'd made one mistake.
They assumed he was cornered.
With a soft whisper, he activated Shadowstep—a movement skill that allowed him to reposition instantly within a short radius.
He vanished from their sight.
Zach immediately triggered his detection spell.
"There!" he yelled, spotting Lucas's outline flickering behind Leon.
Too late.
> SAP!
Lucas emerged from stealth and slammed the pommel of his dagger directly into the back of Leon's skull.
> [Critical Hit: 120% Physical Damage | Status Effect: Stun 5s]
Leon staggered forward, stunned, his body sparking with electric backlash.
"Leon's stunned!" shouted Zach.
Before anyone could react, Lucas was gone again, vanishing into Veil of Shadows, his body melting into the gray mist.
He had 5 seconds.
Enough time to reposition. Enough time to choose his next prey.
They had underestimated the assassin.
Now they were going to pay for it.
---
Back at the viewing plaza, the old principal raised an eyebrow. The monitor flashed.
> Alert: Notable Player Skill Execution Detected. Switching main screen to Player ID: Lucas.
The projection shifted instantly.
The audience gasped as they saw the lightning-stunned Leon wobbling under the effects of Lucas's opening strike.
In the stands, Jade Walker leaned forward, her interest suddenly piqued.
"So... you're not just talk," she murmured.
Beside her, Alexis Lane was already tracking his kill timing and movement speed.
"He's good," she muttered.
"He's more than good," Jade replied. "He might be the one."
---
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