Chapter 12: The Calm Before
The image of the dagger-pinned note burned behind my eyelids. It was a more effective attack than any monster had ever landed. For two days, I didn't leave my room. I didn't grind. I just sat, the silence of the house feeling like a judgment. My father, sensing a new depth to the crisis, left meals at my door without a word.
The hollowness was absolute. My purpose—protect Kaelen—was now the very thing pushing him away. Every level I gained, every stat point allocated, felt like another brick in the wall between us. What was the point of having the power to walk through dungeons if I couldn't cross the few feet of hallway to my brother's empty room?
On the third day, a different kind of notification pulled me from my stupor. It wasn't the system. It was a priority alert on the public news feed, broadcast on every channel and terminal in the city.
"CITY-WIDE ANNOUNCEMENT: GUILD SUMMIT DECLARES 'ASCENSION TRIALS' TO COMMENCE IN 30 DAYS."
I sat up, my heart giving a dull thud. The Ascension Trials. I'd read about them in theoretical texts. It was a system-wide event, rumored to occur when a world reached a certain threshold of average hunter level or faced an existential threat. It was a crucible, a forced evolution. The announcement video played, showing the stern faces of the Guild leaders.
"…The Trials will take place in the newly manifested Sanctum of the First Dawn," a grizzled S-rank hunter stated. "All registered hunters Level 20 and above are required to participate. The Trials will test combat, strategy, and survival. The rewards for success will be substantial—unique skills, legendary equipment, and a massive infusion of experience. Failure…" He paused, his gaze heavy. "Failure will result in a severe penalty to all attributes. This is not optional. This is our world's next step. Prepare."
The screen switched to a digital render of the Sanctum—a colossal, floating citadel of white stone and glowing blue energy, hovering over the ocean. It was beautiful and terrifying.
A new, chilling purpose injected itself into my veins. The Trials. Kaelen would be there. Every hunter of note would be there. It was a gathering of the entire city's strength in one place. If the mysterious force behind the mutations and targeted attacks wanted to make a move, this was their chance. The Ascension Trials weren't just a test; they were the perfect bait.
The hollow feeling was replaced by a cold, sharp focus. My personal drama was a luxury I could no longer afford. The stakes had just been elevated to a planetary level.
I stood up. The grief and self-pity were shoved into a locked box in my mind. I had 30 days. I needed to be ready. Not just to protect Kaelen, but to identify and neutralize whatever was pulling the strings.
That night, I returned to the grind. But the goal was different. I wasn't just chasing levels; I was stress-testing my capabilities. I chose the Molten Core, a B-rank dungeon accessible only through a dangerous, unstable rift in the Howling Caves. The heat was immense, the air toxic. The monsters here were Magma Fiends, Level 55-58, creatures of living rock and fire.
It was a brutal environment. My Shadow Stride was less effective on the superheated rock. I had to rely on pure speed and my Umbral Blades, which sizzled as they cut through the Fiends' fiery hides. I pushed my Shadow Bind to its limit, using it to snare multiple foes at once, the mana drain skyrocketing. A Magma Brute, Level 58, caught me with a backhand swipe that sent me flying, my health bar dropping by a quarter. I rolled, spitting blood, and came up fighting.
It was in the heart of the Core, after defeating a mini-boss—a Lava Lord, Level 60—that the surge of power came, stronger than any before.
[ Defeated Lava Lord (Lv. 60). Experience Gained. ]
[ Level Up! You are now Level 35. ]
[ +3 Free Stat Points. ]
[ Apocalypse's Greed Activated. +0.01 to Spirit. ]
I didn't allocate the points immediately. I was breathing in ragged gasps, my body aching, my mana pool hovering at a dangerous 200/1500. This was what I needed. This pressure. This was the level of challenge the Trials would bring.
I thought about the coming event. It wouldn't be a solo dungeon crawl. It would be a chaotic free-for-all with hundreds of hunters, each with their own agenda. Pure Agility was no longer enough. I needed durability. I needed to be able to take a hit and keep going, to outlast my opponents in a prolonged engagement.
With a decisive mental command, I allocated all three points to Stamina. A wave of solidity washed through me. My breathing eased. The ache in my ribs from the Brute's blow faded to a dull throb. My maximum HP and MP ticked upwards. It was the right choice.
—
Across the city, the announcement had a similar effect on Kaelen. I could see it in the mission logs. His squad's activities shifted. They stopped taking simple extermination quests. They began running complex, multi-stage tactical drills in simulation dungeons. They were training for coordination, for prolonged campaigns.
He was in the Crystal Spire, a dungeon that tested precision and mana control. His team was fighting Refraction Beasts, Level 42, monsters that could split light and create confusing afterimages. Kaelen's new Intellect stat was clearly at work. He wasn't just smashing through them; he was analyzing their patterns, calling out the real target to his team with sharp, precise commands.
When they cleared a difficult chamber, his status updated.
[ Level Up! You are now Level 24. ]
**[ +3 Free Stat Points. ]]
He stood amidst the shattering crystals, his team looking to him for direction. He looked at his hands, then at his squad. The Trials would be a team event. His personal strength was vital, but it was worthless if his team fell around him. He made his choice. He allocated two points to Stamina and one to Spirit, bolstering his and his team's survivability through better skill usage and endurance. He was building a leader, not just a warrior.
—
The following weeks became a blur of relentless preparation. I pushed into dungeons I had no business being in, using every trick I had to survive and conquer. I learned to use Shadow Bind creatively—tripping enemies, creating makeshift barriers, even using it to swing across chasms. My Umbral Blade Dance evolved; I could now momentarily dual-wield a blade and a small shield of solidified shadow.
The levels came, each one hard-won.
[ Level Up! You are now Level 36. ]
[ +3 Free Stat Points. ] -> Allocated to Stamina.
[ Level Up! You are now Level 37. ]
[ +3 Free Stat Points. ] -> Allocated to Stamina.
My Agility was still monstrous from Apocalypse's Greed, but now it was backed by a formidable pool of Health and Mana. I was no longer just a scalpel; I was becoming a fortress that could move at the speed of shadow.
The day before the Trials, I stood in my room, looking at my final status before the event.
[ Aiden Vance - Level 37 ]
[ HP: 100% | MP: 1620/1620 ]
[ Strength: 15.80 ]
[ Agility: 29.13 (+71.41 from Apocalypse's Greed) ]
[ Stamina: 23.89 ]
[ Intellect: 12.02 ]
[ Spirit: 14.70 ]
[ Free Points: 0 ]
My real Agility was over 100. My Stamina had nearly doubled since the fracture. I was stronger, tougher, and faster than I had ever been. I had a small arsenal of skills and a deep understanding of my limits.
But as I looked out the window at the colossal form of the Sanctum dominating the horizon, I felt no pride. Only a cold, grim determination. The Ascension Trials were here. Kaelen would be inside, stronger and more capable than ever, seeing me as his enemy. And waiting in the shadows was a puppeteer who saw this gathering of humanity's best not as a celebration, but as a harvest.
The calm was over. The storm was beginning. And I was the only one who knew we were all sailing right into its eye.