After that scuffle in the forest and the crazy discovery that I could actually copy skills, I knew one thing: I needed loot. I need it fast to get stronger.
There was one place I remembered that had another hidden treasure chest. During a closed beta developer stream, they accidentally flashed a map segment showing a tiny question mark near the ruins of a collapsed watchtower, located a bit close to the Whispering Fields' location, a place that lived up to its name. Most players wrote it off as a texture glitch, but not me.
So, I headed east from the Colosseum of Petra to reach the Whispering Fields.
It was a three-day journey, and it wasn't that easy.
On the first day, I fought a Scrap Hawk that tried to steal my dagger while I was walking on the road in broad daylight. The next day, two Feral Wolves ambushed in the evening while I was roasting a bullfrog for dinner. And on the third day, three Crazed Bunnies pounced on me like assassins while I was taking a nap mid-daylight. Thank God those monsters were only level one, or I might've been dead meat.
Then I finally reached it.
The Whispering Fields.
The place was exactly like its name. It was filled with swaying violet grass that reached my knees, and giant stones with faint rune marks stood along the road. A low fog crept along the ground at my feet.
Then, the grass suddenly swayed faster, whispering all around me.
"She's watching."
"You'll always be a loser no matter what world you're in."
I shook it off. "That's not getting inside my head. I'm already used to it!"
I pushed forward for about ten minutes, cutting down a level-one Cube Monster that decided my back looked punchable.
Then, I arrived at the watchtower ruins.
"Finally..." I said, panting heavily, looking at the watchtower ruins. "I'm here..."
The watchtower ruins stood atop a moss-covered hill, jutting out like a broken tooth. Cracked stones and gnarled roots littered the slope, the ground slick with recent rain. Thick vines drooped across the path like lazy, natural tripwires, and each step sent a soft crunch through the quiet underbrush. The air smelled of damp earth, decaying stone, and a faint metallic tang, like old dried blood.
A faint glow pulsed at the top.
"Did someone get here first?" I muttered, heart palpitating. "No way…"
At the tower's base, an old metal ladder clung to the crumbling wall, its rungs slick with rust and rain. I cautiously climbed toward it, gripping the cold metal with a worried look on my face.
I cautiously climbed toward the old metal ladder that led to the top with a worried look on my face.
As I reached the top, the glow sharpened, bright and steady.
Someone was already there.
I sighed deeply. "Talk about bad luck..."
A woman stood at the edge of the broken tower, her silhouette framed by the glow behind her. She wore top-tier armor, a black metal-plated corset with sharp edges that looked both battle-worn and perfect. Her long white hair gleamed like silver thread.
Her crimson eyes locked on me, observing and judging in silence—then looked away.
"What was that look even about?" I thought. "She looks like a Russian though... System, inspect the player in front of me."
A system window popped above her head:
[Player 7]: [Vladimir Alberka] — (Level 15)
She held a crossbow, black and gold, covered in crimson engravings. The moment she slung it up, a window message flashed:
[Treasure Chest Item Obtained]: [Warmonger] — (UNIQUE WEAPON)
I clenched my fists. "That was supposed to be mine, damn it!"
She aimed the crossbow at the sky and fired. Thousands of lightning bolts erupted upward, exploding into patterns that scattered birds and shook the clouds.
"What class is she?" I said. "System, inspect that player's class."
Another system window blinked into view:
[Class]: [Naval Commander]
My jaw dropped. "I-Impossible... T-That's a unique class!" I thought.
***
In Etherveil, there are only twenty-four unique items and classes that can only be found in hidden chests with a 0.1% drop rate. Each weapon and class comes with its own set of rare abilities that set it apart from all others. These chests are scattered across secret locations, often guarded by powerful monsters or sealed deep within dangerous dungeons. Only the most determined players ever manage to uncover them. Each class is said to be so powerful that even a low-level player can feel like a high-level player once they wield its abilities.
***
She turned to me, calm and unbothered, then activated a class skill: Mount. Thunder cracked as a massive flying warship descended from the clouds with golden sails and glowing cannons.
She stepped onto a shining platform that lifted her toward the deck, glancing down at me with a faint smile. "That's what ya get for being late," she said. "Absolutely nothing."
"Let's see about that," I said, lifting my right hand, ready to copy the skill.
But a sharp red system message froze me in place:
[ERROR]: [Cannot be copied!]
I stared at it. "Of course," I thought. "Plot armor."
She giggled, her voice light but teasing. "Why'd you lift your hand like that?" Another giggle. "If you decide to be my lackey, I might let ya aboard next time!"
"Were you born to assume everything a man does?" I replied. "I was clearly stretching my hand because I strained it earlier!"
"Yeah, sure you were!" she called out, laughing. "Tell me your decision the next time we meet!"
The ship rose higher, the wind whipping around me as it disappeared into the clouds.
I stood there alone, staring at the empty chest she'd looted.
"What a fucking looter..." I muttered—then paused. "Wait... I am too..."
I sighed, shaking my head.
Then, just as I turned to leave, a golden notification blazed across the sky:
[A New Dungeon Has Spawned in the lower level of Arkanos City. Awaiting Brave Challengers!]
Cheers rose from the distance. Footsteps rushing off, desperate players and tryhard guilds already racing.
I tightened my grip on my dagger, watching the horizon.
"Tempting…" I said quietly. "But not yet."
I turned south, toward the woods.