In the dorms of the Aurelian University, the air was thick with the frenzied whispers of four roommates.
Chloe was frantically packing a bag. "I heard that if people in the same area fall asleep at the same time, they end up in the same starter town. I have to get home and get my parents... they've never played a game in their lives; they won't survive a minute without help."
"Don't get ahead of yourself," another girl sighed. "We need to level up first so we can actually protect them later. We can barely handle our own 'synchronization' right now."
Lucia sat on her bed, her eyes glued to her phone. She was waiting. Waiting for the message. Waiting for Silas to crawl back, apologize for his "overbearing" behavior, and beg for her forgiveness.
But the screen remained dark.
"Is he serious?" Lucia's jaw tightened. "The world is literally turning upside down, and he's still holding onto that petty grudge? Does he really think he's that important?"
The thought of apologizing to him never crossed her mind. In her eyes, skipping her final exam to see Fabian's concert wasn't just a choice, it was a necessity. You can retake an exam. You can't retake the feeling of being in the same room as a star.
"I'm glad Chloe stayed with me," Lucia thought, her heart fluttering as she remembered the concert. "Fabian said 'I missed you all' directly to our section... I wonder when he'll enter the God-Abandoned Game? With his talent, he'll probably be a king in there."
To Lucia, the "Big Brother" in her life was Fabian, the star. Silas was just the provider she had outgrown.
"GUYS! LOOK!" Chloe suddenly shrieked, shoving her phone into the center of the room. "Marcus just hit Level 3! He's back in the real world!"
Lucia's eyes widened. "Level 3 already? That's incredible... he's a Big Shot now."
She immediately opened her class chat and tagged Marcus, the boy who had fallen asleep during their lecture.
Lucia:@Marcus, do you have any tips for us? We're about to go in ♥️
Marcus, currently basking in the adoration of the entire class, felt his ego swell to bursting. Lucia, the campus goddess, was asking him for help? This was the ultimate chance to finally win her over.
He immediately messaged her privately, dripping with bravado.
Marcus: "Don't worry, Lucia. As soon as someone in my town hits Level 5, the Teleportation Array will activate. Then I can jump over to your town and carry you. One secret: put ALL your points into Agility. If you aren't fast, the monsters will gut you."
Lucia: "Even if I'm a Mage class? Don't I need Intelligence?"
Marcus: "Trust me. In the early game, Agility is life. It speeds up your casting and keeps you out of reach. Just get in there and wait for me."
Lucia smiled at her phone. She viewed Marcus as a useful staircase, a tool to help her reach Fabian's level. She imagined Silas entering the game late, struggling at Level 1, while she was being carried by a "Big Shot" like Marcus.
"He'll regret ever being mean to me," she thought coldly.
She had no way of knowing that the "Level 5 Legend" Marcus was waiting for... was her brother.
Deep in the Dark Forest
Silas moved with the cold grace of a reaper.
Instant Shadow Slash!
Three more Level 4 Crawl-Beasts were reduced to red mist before they could even blink.
[You have reached Level 6!]
Silas checked the Shell Town rankings. He was the only Level 6 on the board. The next closest were still Level 3. He wasn't worried about the Teleportation Arrays yet; he needed a destination.
"Firefly Town," Silas whispered, his eyes filled with a lethal intent.
In his previous life, that was where Fabian, the "Great Idol", had been stationed. Fabian had used his fanatical fan base as meat-shields, hoarding resources and "tribute" while he sat safely in the Peace Zone. He was the one who had eventually manipulated Lucia into...
Silas cut the thought short. The past was a ghost, but ghosts could be exorcised.
"I'll hit Level 10, reach the main city, and then I'm coming for you, Fabian. I won't just kill you; I'll make you so afraid of the dark you'll never want to close your eyes again."
The Aurelian Republic: Federation Intelligence Bureau
Titan sat in a high-security briefing room, his face illuminated by the glow of holographic displays. Opposite him sat a dozen high-ranking officials, their expressions a mix of disbelief and horror.
"Repeat that, Officer," the Director commanded.
"Shell Town," Titan said firmly. "A player with the alias Shadow. He reached Level 5 solo. He wasn't just killing mobs; he was dismantling a Silver-tier Boss while we were still struggling with Level 1 trash."
The Director stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. "If these numbers are correct, this 'Shadow' is currently the highest-synchronized individual on the planet. He is a strategic asset of the highest order. Find him. I don't care what it takes, find the man behind that veil."