The sky above Sanctum had changed.
Where once it had shimmered with faint stars and distant magic storms, now a line had appeared. Thin, jagged, almost invisible to the naked eye—yet unmistakably alien.
The Veil Scar had begun to spread.
Kael stood atop the Sanctum's highest tower, the hourglass in his hand humming wildly. The fifth node had flared into existence after the Crimson Hollow, but it was unlike any leyline he had ever seen. It didn't pulse with magic.
It bled.
Behind him, the others gathered.
"This one's different," Elena said, arms crossed. "I can feel it in the air."
"It's not just a leyline," Kael murmured. "It's a tether point. A core. If the abyss takes it, they won't need to break through rifts anymore. The Game World will fully overwrite ours."
Greg spat over the edge. "And let me guess—we're on the clock?"
Kael nodded. "Seventy-two hours. That's how long we have before the tether stabilizes and starts reconstructing this world into the Game's architecture."
Seraphina stepped forward. "Then we go now."
Kael didn't answer immediately.
He turned the hourglass.
The sands twisted, swirling in reverse.
A faint echo rang in his mind—memories of failed timelines. Visions of allies betrayed, enemies that should've been friends, and losses he couldn't bear to relive.
But one truth remained constant.
They only won when they changed the rules.
"We're not strong enough yet," Kael said. "We need more players. Not NPCs. Not monsters. Humans. Ones who were touched by the Game."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "You mean the Awakened?"
Kael nodded. "There were thousands worldwide who were marked during the first invasions. Most went underground. But I know where some are."
Greg cracked his knuckles. "So we're recruiting now?"
Kael's gaze darkened. "We're building an army."
---
Six Hours Later — Abandoned Metro Hub, Tokyo Sublevels
Kael's boots echoed on rusted rails.
Flickering lights danced above his head, but the air was thick with distortion. This was a pocket zone—a collapsed dungeon fragment from the Game World's earliest merging attempts.
And within it: a survivor.
Her name was Mira Kurogane, former ranking PvP legend, known in the Game World as Ravencall.
She had disappeared three years ago. Rumors said she was dead. Others said she'd gone rogue.
But Kael knew the truth.
She chose solitude.
And she hadn't forgotten how to fight.
A figure dropped from the ceiling behind him, blades drawn.
"Don't move."
Kael didn't flinch. "Still using the dual spectral daggers. Nice."
Mira paused. "You know me."
Kael turned. "Kael Vaelorian."
She blinked. "You were erased."
Kael smiled faintly. "Time disagreed."
She lowered her weapons slightly. "Why are you here?"
"Because the Veil Scar is opening. And we can't win this with heroes. We need killers."
She stared at him for a long moment.
Then she sheathed her blades. "I'm in."
---
Back at Sanctum – Strategy Chamber
With Mira now part of the group, Kael outlined the Veil Scar's architecture on the central map using strands of pure mana.
"It's layered," he said. "Each region is protected by a Game World Faction. That means we're not just fighting abyssal horrors. We're fighting System Lords. Players like us—but twisted by power, corrupted over time."
Seraphina frowned. "What kind of power?"
Kael tapped the largest node. "Classes beyond Tier-S. Classified as Mythic Constructs. They aren't bound by cooldowns. They don't use energy. They rewrite rules on entry."
Greg snorted. "Sounds fair."
Mira smirked. "We've beaten worse."
"No," Kael said. "We haven't. Not yet."
He pointed at the map.
"There are five Lord Anchors tethered to the Veil Scar's expansion. We take them out, we destabilize the Scar."
He paused, then turned to each of them.
"But the moment we attack… the world will know. Governments. Survivors. Even hidden players."
Elena tilted her head. "You mean…?"
Kael nodded. "This becomes a war. No more secrets."
Silence.
Then Greg grinned. "About time."
---
Far South – First Lord Anchor: Dominion of Echoes
As Kael and his team approached the first anchor, the terrain twisted into something unnatural.
A floating fortress. Platforms of jagged stone and obsidian, suspended by fractured laws of physics. Time stuttered with every step.
And then... a voice.
"Welcome, Intruders."
Kael's eyes narrowed. He remembered the voice.
LORD VAREK, ECHO OF OMNIPATH
Former player. One of the first to ascend beyond mortal classes. Now fused with the dungeon core itself.
"This world is no longer yours."
Kael raised his hourglass, its sands swirling violently.
"Then I'll take it back piece by piece."
---
Character Sheet Update:
Name: Mira Kurogane
Alias: Ravencall
Specialization: Shadow Reaver / PvP Assassin
Powers:
Phase Walk: Shift between dimensions briefly.
Echo Blades: Leave delayed damage after slashing.
Kill Marker: Tag enemies for fatal criticals if they fall below 25% HP.
Personality:
Tactical. Pragmatic. Fiercely independent.
Holds guilt over a massacre she couldn't stop.
Seeks redemption in blood and blade.
---
World Faction Intel Unlocked:
System Lords (Tier: Mythic Construct)
Former top-ranked players merged with the system code.
No longer human. Half AI, half soul.
Each rules a part of the Veil Scar and spreads Game World influence.
Known Lords:
Lord Varek – Echo of Omnipath
Mistress Nyx – Weaver of Endless Loops
Karn the Rift-Tyrant
Genesis Prime
??? – Unknown Entity
---