The battlefield was filled with clashing steel, burning spells, and the roar of warriors.
For Noah Chen and his team, this wasn't just a fight anymore—it was a matter of pride.
They had endured being pushed around, outnumbered, and having their monsters stolen.
Worse yet, the enemy team had acted like they'd already won, chasing them down even after Noah's team had tried to disengage. It wasn't just battle—it was bullying.
Now, though?
Now they were furious—and with Lucas's arrival, the tide had completely turned.
---
"The enemy general must fall first!" Noah shouted, locking eyes with the enemy's lead sword fighter, who was still caught up trading blows with Zach Darnell.
With a furious growl, Noah summoned all the mana he had left.
> Fireball!
A glowing orb of flame burst from his staff, followed by a stream of burning fire.
> Flame Jet!
The sword fighter staggered back, the priest behind him desperately trying to heal the damage.
But it wasn't enough.
Zach's battle axe came swinging in again, landing solid blows.
Even though the enemy's healer was working overtime, the two attackers were too relentless. The sword fighter's health plummeted, inching dangerously close to zero.
"Hold on!" the shield warrior barked, seeing his comrade about to fall.
He rushed forward, intending to shield slam Zach and push him back—but Lucas was already waiting.
He appeared behind the man in a flicker of black mist.
One clean stab.
The dagger plunged into the shield warrior's side, bypassing armor and defenses.
> Direct HP drop to zero.
With a scream, the warrior dissolved into a flash of white light.
Gone.
---
"Damn it... he's down too?!"
The enemy team's formation crumbled.
From five... to three.
From confident attackers… to desperate survivors.
Panic set in.
Lucas didn't press the attack. He simply watched—silent and cold—as Noah's team closed in to finish what had been started.
"Thanks, Boss Lucas!" Noah shouted.
Before Lucas could respond, the mage sprinted toward him and threw his arms around his rescuer. It was a slightly awkward but deeply sincere hug.
"Only people who've been on the brink know what this kind of rescue feels like!" Noah exclaimed. "You're a savior—like a flaming angel descending from the sky!"
Lucas chuckled. "More like a devil with a dagger."
Zach ran over too, swinging his axe lazily across his shoulders and grinning.
"Man, that was satisfying! I thought we were dead for sure."
One by one, the team's remaining members jogged over, offering thanks and bows of gratitude.
---
Lucas waved it off. "Don't mention it."
He glanced around at the bodies that had turned to light and disappeared. "How'd you get into that mess anyway?"
Noah scratched the back of his head. "We were just minding our business, farming mobs when that team swooped in, stole our kills, and then had the nerve to chase us down when we retreated!"
Zach added, "They had three S-Rank talents. Thought they'd bully us out of existence."
Lucas nodded slowly. "They picked the wrong team."
But as he looked around at the terrain, his smile faded.
The environment was getting more crowded.
As more teams headed toward the center of the Secret Realm, the chances of these chaotic battles were only increasing.
What happened to Noah's team? It wasn't isolated. It was becoming the norm.
---
Everywhere in the Secret Realm, fights were breaking out.
It was no longer about hunting monsters or calmly earning points.
Now it was war.
Even the team that attacked Noah wasn't weak—they had three S-Level talents and were clearly a top-tier group.
Their original plan had been smart: take out the backline supports (mage and priest), then crush the frontline with a numbers advantage.
But Lucas's unexpected arrival had reversed everything.
In the end, they were the ones buried in light.
---
"I'll be on my way," Lucas said, brushing his dagger clean.
"You guys watch yourselves."
Noah nodded. "We will. You too, Boss!"
Zach gave him a thumbs up as Lucas faded into the shadows.
---
Lucas returned to his journey alone, weaving his way closer to the heart of the Secret Realm.
He encountered several teams along the way—some friendly, some not.
But now he had a rhythm.
> If he could avoid them: he did.
If he couldn't: he struck first and struck fast.
His efficiency was unmatched.
While five-person teams required coordination, strategy, and time to bring down monsters, Lucas was a one-man army.
Every monster that crossed his path fell in a single strike.
His points soared.
Before long, he was ranked among the top twenty.
Then—top fifteen.
Top ten.
If it hadn't been for his slow start—due to Leon's ambush and wandering through remote spawn zones—he'd likely already be first.
His assassin's toolkit made him perfect for Secret Realm combat.
And as he neared the center, the monsters only got stronger—and more valuable.
While most players struggled with Level 30 monsters that required teamwork and planning, Lucas simply executed them on sight.
---
In the outer and middle rings of the Realm, contestants were panicking.
They watched their rankings drop as a single name rose higher and higher.
> Lucas – Rank 7
Lucas – Rank 6
Lucas – Rank 5
"Who is this guy?!" one team leader shouted.
"Damn it, is he farming a secret boss nest?!"
"He must've found some broken monster spawn point!"
"Don't let him pass you—chase those numbers!"
But no matter how hard they tried...
Lucas just kept climbing.
His speed, power, and decision-making were beyond anything they could replicate.
---
"Another one," Lucas muttered, stabbing through a Level 31 beast. It fell with a dull thud.
> +31 points.
The experience and score boost was solid. But what caught his attention was what lay ahead.
The forest thinned... and then opened.
Before him stood a strange, ancient structure—crumbling stonework and eerie silence.
It didn't look like a place meant for life.
He checked his map. This wasn't quite the center yet—but very close.
"I thought this place only had beasts and monsters..." Lucas whispered. "So why is there a building?"
He approached slowly.
Could the final boss be a humanoid? Intelligent?
Just as he considered the possibility—
> Swish! Swish! Swish!
Arrows shot from the shadows, whistling through the air toward him.
He twisted, dodging on instinct, and zeroed in on the source.
Skeleton Archers.
Cold blue flames burned in their empty sockets. Rotted bows creaked as they drew another volley.
And behind them—
Skeleton Warriors emerged, dragging rusted swords as they charged with unnatural speed.
Lucas cracked his neck, smiling slightly.
"Well... finally, something new."
He dropped into stealth and prepared to strike.
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