The cave air was thick with decay. A damp chill hung heavy, whispering through the narrow stone corridors as Kaelen's footsteps echoed softly against the slick floor. The faint blue glow from scattered spirit flames illuminated the jagged walls, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed almost alive.
Luna's scales glimmered faintly beside him, her wings folded tight as she padded silently behind. Each step they took stirred the dust of the fallen, and with every echo, another undead stirred awake.
Kaelen's blade flashed through the air. A skeleton soldier lunged from the dark, its rusted sword cutting a crooked arc toward him. Kaelen sidestepped effortlessly and countered, his sword cleaving clean through the brittle bones.
"Level eighteen," he muttered under his breath, feeling the surge of power coursing through his body. His new class, Divine Dragon Swordsman, made even these higher-level monsters crumble with little effort. Luna, graceful yet deadly, dispatched the rest with her claws, leaving behind only glowing remnants of fading spirit energy.
Together, they had cleared most of the cave. Piles of shattered bones and dissipating blue mist were all that remained of the undead army. But just as Kaelen wiped the sweat from his forehead, a brilliant golden light swept across his vision.
[World Announcement]"The number of players who have left the Beginner Villages has reached the global threshold. The Level Ranking List is now available!"
Kaelen raised a brow, the corners of his mouth twitching. "So it finally opened, huh?"
Curious, he pulled open his system menu and tapped on the new tab. A shimmering golden leaderboard appeared before him, names scrolling down in clean, glowing script.
Global Level Rankings (First Release)
Rain – Lv. 19
Kaelen – Lv. 18
Shadow – Lv. 18
[Hidden ID] – Lv. 18
Blackthorne – Lv. 18
Azure Fang – Lv. 18
Food God – Lv. 18
[Hidden ID] – Lv. 18
Red Lotus – Lv. 17
[Hidden ID] – Lv. 17
Kaelen stared at the list for a moment, an amused smirk crossing his face. "Second place… not bad."
He recognized the top name instantly—Rain. He'd seen that name before during the first global class announcement. The second player to achieve a class advancement. "So he's still keeping the lead. Figures."
It didn't surprise Kaelen much; he hadn't been grinding levels as aggressively as others. His focus had been on completing quests, hunting rare monsters, and strengthening his bond with Luna. Still, the sight of Rain sitting above him sparked a small flame of competitiveness in his chest.
His eyes drifted down the list again, pausing at "Food God." The name was ridiculous enough to make him chuckle. "What kind of lunatic names themselves that?"
Closing the menu, Kaelen sheathed his sword and pressed forward, deeper into the cave.
The further he went, the heavier the air became. The faint blue glow of the undead shifted to a sinister violet hue. The walls pulsed faintly, veins of corruption running through the stone as if the cave itself was alive. A foul stench filled the air, mixed with the faint metallic tang of blood.
Luna's tail flicked uneasily, her eyes narrowing.
Kaelen nodded. "Yeah, I feel it too. We're close."
He stepped through a narrow archway and into a vast chamber. The space opened into a high-ceilinged hall, lined with bone pillars and ancient runes that pulsed faintly beneath a thick layer of dust. At the far end stood a throne made of fused bones and shadowed iron, and upon it sat a colossal figure cloaked in black armor. Crimson light flared from its hollow eyes as it stirred.
Undead King – Silver-tier Boss – Lv. 35
Kaelen's gaze sharpened. "Level thirty-five... this one's no joke."
The Undead King rose slowly, each motion groaning with power. A guttural roar filled the chamber, shaking loose dust from the ceiling. Runes across the ground ignited in blood-red light as skeletal knights clawed their way up from the floor, forming ranks on either side.
Luna let out a low growl, her scales flaring with heat.
Kaelen's eyes gleamed. "Ready?"
Luna roared, and the chamber erupted into chaos.
Kaelen dashed forward, sword blazing with divine light. He struck the first skeleton, shattering it to pieces in a single blow, then spun through the next two with fluid precision. His movements were sharp and clean, each strike guided by both instinct and experience.
Luna's flames swept across the field, turning undead soldiers into molten ash.
The Undead King raised its massive blade and swung. The air cracked with the impact, shockwaves tearing through the ground. Kaelen barely managed to evade, rolling aside as the ground where he'd stood exploded in shards of bone.
"Strong, but predictable," Kaelen muttered, charging again.
He slashed across the boss's chest, sparks and bone fragments scattering with each strike. But the damage was minimal—the creature's armor was thick, and its defense was monstrous.
It retaliated with a swing that could have split a house in two. Kaelen met it head-on, sword clashing against the massive blade. The force sent him sliding backward, his boots digging into the ground as he braced himself.
He gritted his teeth, muscles tensing. "You hit hard, I'll give you that."
Luna roared again, unleashing a jet of crimson flame. The Undead King raised its weapon to block, but the fire seared its armor, melting through its defenses. Kaelen took the opening and surged forward. His sword pulsed with divine energy as he invoked his skill—Dragon Slash.
The attack cleaved through the boss's guard and bit deep into its chest. The Undead King staggered, howling in rage.
But it wasn't finished.
Dark energy flared from its core, veins of red light spreading across its armor. The ground trembled violently as the boss swung its blade downward, sending a wave of corrupted force through the chamber.
Kaelen braced, the impact nearly knocking him off his feet. He felt the burn of the energy bite into his HP, but his body held firm. "Luna!"
She answered with another roar, surging through the air to slam into the Undead King's side. Her claws raked deep into the creature's chest, tearing through rotting flesh and bone. The boss howled, staggering to one knee.
Kaelen didn't hesitate. His sword ignited once more, brighter than before, as golden light poured from its edge.
"Judgement Strike!"
He brought the blade down in a single, decisive swing. The impact echoed like thunder, shaking the entire cavern. The Undead King froze for a moment, crimson light flickering weakly—then shattered into a thousand fragments of light that dissolved into the air.
Silence followed.
Kaelen stood amidst the fading mist, breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. Luna landed beside him, her wings folding gently as she let out a low rumble of satisfaction.
The tension in the air dissipated, replaced by an almost sacred calm.
Kaelen exhaled slowly, gazing at where the Undead King had stood moments before. The fight had drained him, but the thrill of victory was undeniable. He could feel the power flowing through him, stronger than ever before.
Then, faint golden text appeared before his eyes—confirmation of what he already felt.
He had reached Level 20.
At that exact moment, another world announcement resonated through the air.
[World Announcement]"Player Kaelen has reached Level 20, becoming the highest-leveled player in the world!"
Kaelen blinked once, then let out a quiet laugh. "Well… guess that evens the score."
Luna tilted her head, huffing softly as if in amusement.
Kaelen smiled faintly and rested a hand against her scaled neck. "Couldn't have done it without you."
POV: Rain
In another corner of the world, deep within a mist-covered forest, a man with silver hair and calm, steady eyes stood surrounded by the corpses of fallen monsters. His name was Rain, and the faint glimmer of disappointment flickered in his gaze as the golden system message appeared before him.
[World Announcement]"Player Kaelen has reached Level 20, becoming the highest-leveled player in the world."
Rain lowered his blade slowly, the final wisp of mana fading from its edge. He didn't move for a while—just stood there, staring up at the sky as the golden notification shimmered out of existence.
"…He finally caught up," he murmured.
A faint smile crept across his face—not one of frustration, but of genuine excitement.
For years, Rain had lived at the top. A former professional gamer, hailed as a prodigy in every title he touched, he had spent his entire life chasing perfection. Every challenge, every opponent, every tournament—he had conquered them all.
And with each victory, the same dull emptiness always followed.
He had joined Ascendant Online expecting more of the same. Another game to master, another world to dominate. But then came the name Kaelen.
The player who refused to follow the standard path. The one who kept climbing, alone.
Rain's grip tightened around his sword hilt as a quiet laugh escaped him. "Finally… someone who doesn't just chase the meta."
For the first time in a long while, his pulse quickened. Not from battle—but from anticipation.
"Don't let it stop there, Kaelen," he whispered, eyes gleaming with a competitive spark. "Push higher. Make me earn my crown."
He sheathed his sword, the forest wind brushing against his silver hair as he turned toward the next zone.
"Because from this point on," Rain said softly, a grin tugging at his lips, "you're my rival."
Back to Kaelen
The golden light of the announcement faded, leaving only the gentle glow of the cave behind. Kaelen took one last look at the empty chamber before glancing toward the tunnel ahead. The air beyond it pulsed faintly with violet mist, hinting at secrets yet to be uncovered.
He tightened his grip on his sword and gave Luna a small nod.
"Let's go, girl. We're not done yet."
Luna let out a low, determined rumble and stepped forward.
Together, they moved deeper into the darkness—toward whatever waited beyond the bones and shadows.