End of Month — Day 78 in the secret realm — Morning
Nova stood before the leadership board, watching his name glow in the top twenty.
CURRENT STANDINGS — SECOND YEAR
Rank 10 — Julian Frost — Class S — 3rd Order, 1st Rank — 14,203 points
Rank 11 — Kaelen Stoneheart — Class A — 2nd Order, 9th Rank — 13,847 points
Rank 12 — Seraphina Cross — Class A — 2nd Order, 9th Rank — 13,512 points
Rank 13 — Nova Almond — Class A — 2nd Order, 9th Rank — 13,347 points
Rank 14 — Darius Vane — Class A — 2nd Order, 8th Rank — 12,984 points
Rank 15 — Marcus Webb — Class A — 2nd Order, 8th Rank — 12,647 points
Thirteenth overall. Class A, solidified. His cultivation held steady at 2nd Order, 9th Rank—the peak of the second order, just one step from the breakthrough that would change everything.
Third Order, he thought while sitting with his head resting on his arm. I will form my cores and mana capacity doubles.
He'd felt the barrier for weeks now—that wall between orders, waiting to be broken. But breakthroughs took time. Preparation. The right conditions.
Soon, he promised himself. When the moment is right.
GODLESS SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
QUEST COMPLETE: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Objective: Achieve Class A ranking within the main academy — COMPLETE
Difficulty: A-Rank
Time Limit: End of second year — COMPLETED IN 78 DAYS
REWARDS DELIVERED:
Voidfrost Cloak (Artifact-Grade) — Spatial storage garment that enhances cold resistance and conceals cultivation base up to 6th Order
5,000 Gold Coins — Added to inventory
Bloodline Enhancement Pill (High-Grade) — +8-12% bloodline activation
Fragment Detection Range Increase — 1,000 miles → Planetary (Full Earth range)
NOTE: Heaven-Grade Technique Fragment replaced with Voidfrost Cloak due to prior acquisition of complete technique.
Nova examined the cloak as it materialized in his inventory—dark fabric shot through with silver threads, light as air, warm as summer. He pulled it on, feeling it settle against his shoulders like a second skin.
Conceals cultivation, he noted. Useful.
The bloodline pill would push him past 60% activation. The detection range now covered all of Earth.
Right now, he had a mission to complete.
Class A Lounge — Late Morning
Priscilla found him reviewing mission listings on his crystal.
Two weeks ago, she'd returned from her own mission—a Class D herb gathering in the eastern forests. She'd completed it successfully, earning enough points to climb to Rank 87. Her cultivation held steady at 2nd Order, 1st Rank, the pills doing their work.
"You're staring at that board like it insulted your mother," she said, sliding onto the couch beside him.
"The board hasn't insulted anyone. Yet."
She laughed, leaning against him. "Find anything interesting?"
Nova showed her the crystal.
MISSION: D-17 — Thornwall Dungeon Investigation
Rank: D
Location: Thornwall Forest, 600 miles northeast
Objective: Enter dungeon, assess monster activity levels, collect samples if safe
Threat Level: Low — Reported monsters: Goblins (1st Order, 3-5 Rank), Giant Rats (1st Order, 1-3 Rank)
Team Size: Solo or duo
Base Reward: 150 merit points
Duration: 1-2 days
"Thornwall?" Priscilla frowned. "That's a beginner dungeon. Why would you take something so low-ranked?"
"I need a break from arena fights. Something simple. Quick." Nova met her eyes. "I'll be back tomorrow night."
She studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. But if you're not back by then, I'm coming after you."
"I'd expect nothing less."
She kissed him—soft, warm, lingering. When they broke apart, she was smiling.
"Be careful."
"Always."
Mission Hall — Noon
The mission coordinator was a different woman today—middle-aged, tired eyes, cultivation flickering at 4th Order, 4th Rank. She scanned Nova's crystal without interest.
"Thornwall Dungeon. Solo run." She glanced up. "You're Class A, 9th Rank. This is way below your level. Why?"
"Need the points."
"Fair enough." She stamped his crystal. "Teleportation formation 2. Drops you at Thornwall village. Dungeon entrance is two miles east of town. Standard rules apply—don't die, don't cause international incidents, don't bring back anything contagious."
Nova took the crystal. "Understood."
He walked toward the formation hall, the Voidfrost Cloak settling around his shoulders like shadows given form.
Behind him, the mission hall buzzed with its usual chaos—students arguing, coordinators shouting, the endless machinery of the academy grinding forward.
He didn't look back.
Teleportation Formation 2 — 12:23 PM
The formation flared to life.
Nova stood at its center, alone, watching the light crawl up his boots. Around him, the chamber hummed with power, ready to tear space and throw him half a continent away.
Simple mission, he thought. In and out. Back by tomorrow.
The light intensified.
WHOOSH.
Reality folded.
Thornwall Village — 1:47 PM Local Time
The village was exactly what its name suggested—a tiny settlement at the forest's edge, built to service hunters and adventurers passing through. A few dozen buildings, one inn, a general store that smelled of dried meat and old leather.
Nova stepped out of the waystation and breathed the thin air.
Still getting used to this, he thought. After weeks in the secret realm, Earth feels like drowning.
He walked toward the forest.
Thornwall Forest — 2:23 PM
The dungeon entrance was exactly where the mission brief described—a cave mouth half-hidden by overgrown vines, its darkness absolute. Faint mana traces leaked from within, the telltale sign of an active dungeon core.
Nova pushed through the vines and stepped inside.
The darkness swallowed him.