Day 221, Thryndol — Frostbound Cavern Outskirts
Ashura's footsteps echoed through the ice-riddled valley as he exited the cavern. The treasures and skills he had claimed were safely stored within his system, yet a weight heavier than any blade pressed on him. He could feel the air grow colder, heavier, charged with an energy that made the hair on his arms stand on end.
Before him, a blinding streak of black lightning tore through the sky, coalescing into a towering figure. The halo behind it mirrored his own, but larger, darker — immense, infinite.
"You linger too long, Ashura Bellet."
The voice was both everywhere and nowhere, deep as a chasm yet intimate in his bones.
Leios — the Nameless God — had appeared. The world seemed to pause as his presence pressed down like the weight of a collapsing universe.
"It's time," Leios continued, voice like shattered starlight. "You must complete your class-exclusive quest… now. Do not fail. The mind, the body, and the spirit — each will be tested beyond what you've faced."
Ashura narrowed his eyes, black lightning flickering along his arms in anticipation.
"Cut the speech. What's coming?"
Leios' aura darkened, storm clouds forming in miniature above his head, electric arcs crackling like tiny suns.
"Gods from other universes will attack this world. Not directly — they cannot descend with their true forms. They are aware of you, Ashura. They will die if they try, but they will send their soldiers in vessels of humans, fully knowing the body's abilities, its instincts, its history. They will act flawlessly. Millions, maybe billions of lives will depend on how you act."
Leios raised his hand, and a holographic battlefield appeared in the air, shimmering in violet and black lightning.
"Some of these vessels conceal themselves perfectly. You won't detect them until it's too late. Some are strong enough to obliterate armies on their own. These are not mere soldiers… they are fragments of gods. You will face thousands of deaths — inevitable deaths. You will be powerless. There will be no system support, no authorities, no elemental advantage. Only you, your sword, and your fury. Every choice will matter… and every mistake will be fatal."
Ashura's jaw tightened. The system had been a crutch before, but not here.
"Names, orders, numbers?" he asked flatly.
Leios' black halo rotated slightly, arcs of darkness spiraling outward.
"Listen carefully… these gods call themselves the Kurokami. Soldiers of their universes will come with titles:
• Kurokami Akuma — The Black Devourer, wields void flames that erase matter.
• Kurokami Yami — The Black Shadow, master of concealment and mind assassination.
• Kurokami Kage — The Black Phantom, capable of controlling thousands of vessels simultaneously.
• Kurokami Tsumi — The Black Sin, a warrior that can manipulate life and death in battlefields.
These are only the generals. Their armies are countless, some vessels so skilled they may take the lives of thousands before even being detected. And when one falls, another will immediately replace it. You must face them all — the mind, body, and spirit — or the world will be consumed by gods' vengeance."
The Quest: Mind, Body, Spirit
Leios raised a single finger, and a black sigil burned into the air before Ashura's eyes:
SYSTEM QUEST — CLASS: GODSLAYER
[Name: Mind, Body, and Spirit]
[Level: Abyssal]
[Support: 0% System]
[Authority: 0%]
[Elements: None]
[Restrictions: One Life Only — Death is Final]
"No shortcuts," Leios said. "No allies. You will be stripped of everything you've relied on. Every death is real. Every decision irreversible. Only your skill, your instinct, and your willpower will save you. Fail, and the world dies."
Ashura's eyes gleamed with fury, black and violet lightning dancing along his arms.
"Fine… let's see how many gods want to test me with human vessels. I've died enough for others… now it's their turn."
Leios' presence began to fade, but not before leaving a final warning:
"I will watch… Ashura. If you fail, I will personally strike you down, and the world will burn before you even draw your last breath."
The world returned to normal. The cavern and valley were silent again, but the weight of what was coming pressed into Ashura's chest. No system. No authority. No elemental advantage. Just him, his sword, and the knowledge that millions could die if he failed.
"Abyssal level… huh?" Ashura muttered, smirking, teeth gritted. "Perfect. I was getting bored anyway. Let's see if the mind, body, and spirit of Ashura Bellet are truly unbreakable."
He sheathed his sword. The northern wind whipped around him, carrying the scent of frost and distant thunder.
"Thousands of deaths. I don't care. One life… one chance. And when I survive, every single one of those Kurokami gods will regret the day they even thought about touching this world."
Ashura stepped forward. The horizon of Thryndol stretched endlessly before him, storm clouds roiling with unseen power, hiding the first of the human vessels.
The quest had begun.