She murmured something incoherent before slipping back into sleep.
Lucas quietly stepped out, closing the door behind him.
The moment he did, a slow exhale escaped his lips. It had been a long day, but at least he had moments like this — moments that reminded him why he pushed so hard.
Now, it was time to log in.
He made his way to his room, shutting the door behind him before settling onto his bed. The VR headset sat waiting for him on his desk.
He reached for it, feeling the familiar weight in his hands. It was becoming second nature now — this transition from reality to Ethereal Nexus Online.
Placing the headset over his head, he lay back, and as the world around him faded into white, his pulse quickened in anticipation.
It was time to return.
Lucas felt the familiar rush of transition as his senses synced with the game.
The world of Ethereal Nexus Online materialized around him in vivid detail — stone roads beneath his boots, the cool night air brushing against his skin, and the bustling activity of Zeroport Town all around him.
The sky overhead was a deep navy, speckled with stars, while the town's lanterns flickered in golden hues, illuminating the cobbled streets.
NPC merchants called out their wares, offering potions, weapons, and other goods. Players walked by in small groups, some discussing strategies, others showing off their newly acquired gear.
Zeroport was livelier than Nexus Haven, brimming with more experienced players, and it carried an air of competitiveness.
Lucas stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders.
'No Kael tonight. Guess I'm soloing this one.'
He didn't mind. Grinding alone gave him time to test his limits, and he had only one goal in mind — getting stronger.
Without wasting time, he navigated through the winding streets and arrived at the Quest Shop, a building with a wooden sign hanging overhead.
Stepping inside, he was greeted by the familiar sight of parchment-covered boards displaying various missions. He quickly scanned them, looking for something challenging but rewarding.
His gaze locked onto one.
[Mission: Cave Purge]
[Difficulty: Medium]
[Objective: Slay 20 Hobgoblins in the Blackfang Caverns]
[Reward: 30 Nexus Coins]
[Additional Loot: Hobgoblin Fangs (crafting material)]
Lucas smirked. A good grind mission.
The payout was much better than what he had seen back in Nexus Haven, proving that the difficulty curve in Zeroport was higher.
He pressed his hand against the quest tab, and with a soft ding, the mission was accepted. A new marker appeared on his map, showing the Blackfang Caverns a good distance outside of town.
Time to work.
Leaving Zeroport, Lucas jogged toward the mission area, his curved sword resting at his hip. The path was anything but easy.
As soon as he stepped into the outskirts, hostile creatures lurked in the wild.
Low-level wolves, mutated rats, and even aggressive plants swayed threateningly as he passed. The real challenge came when he encountered a pack of Fangjackals — Level 7 beasts with sharp teeth and blood-red eyes.
One lunged at him, snarling.
Lucas sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the snap of its jaws. With a sharp motion, he unsheathed his curved sword and slashed across its side, sending a burst of red pixels scattering into the air.
The other two jackals circled him, their bodies tense before they both charged in unison.
Lucas lowered his stance and braced himself. The moment the first one leaped —
SLASH!
His sword cut through its throat, and its body dispersed into fragments before hitting the ground.
The last one attempted to sink its fangs into his arm, but Lucas swiftly raised his weapon — blocking the bite before countering with a finishing stab to the chest.
[You have slain a Fangjackal!]
[+70 EXP]
Lucas exhaled, flicking the blood-like residue off his sword before sheathing it.
'Not bad, but I need to conserve stamina.'
After dealing with a few more stray monsters along the way, he finally spotted the entrance to Blackfang Caverns — a massive cave system carved into the side of a jagged hill.
A few old bones littered the ground near the entrance, a grim reminder that this place had claimed many before him.
Taking a steady breath, Lucas stepped inside.
The cavern's air was thick and damp, and the deeper he went, the colder it became. Torches lined the walls, their flickering light casting shifting shadows across the uneven stone floor.
Further in, gravel crunched beneath his boots, and distant grunting noises echoed from deeper within.
Then he saw them.
Hobgoblins.
They were bigger and bulkier than normal goblins, standing around five feet tall with grayish-green skin and yellow eyes that gleamed in the dark.
They wore tattered leather armor and carried crude iron weapons, some wielding axes while others clutched jagged blades.
Lucas crouched low, gripping his sword. There were three in the first chamber.
Without hesitation, he rushed forward.
One of the Hobgoblins barely had time to react before Lucas' curved sword cleaved through its shoulder.
The creature let out a sharp grunt before collapsing into pixels. The remaining two snarled in alarm, raising their weapons.
The first swung down with a crude axe.
Lucas dodged to the left, feeling the wind pressure as the blade barely missed his shoulder. In the same motion, he twisted and slashed through its exposed ribcage, causing it to stagger.
The second Hobgoblin came at him aggressively, thrusting a rusted spear toward his chest. Lucas reacted instantly, sidestepping before bringing his sword downward in an arc, severing the creature's arm at the elbow.
It screeched in agony before Lucas finished it off with a quick stab.
[You have slain a Hobgoblin!]
[+120 EXP]
The deeper he went, the more ruthless the fights became.
He encountered Hobgoblin patrols, sometimes in groups of three to five, forcing him to rely on speed and precision.
Unlike the weaker enemies he had fought before, these creatures coordinated their attacks, forcing him to stay sharp.
At one point, he found himself cornered against a cave wall, three of them rushing at him at once.
Lucas took a deep breath.
His vision sharpened.
His blood pumped faster.
The moment they attacked, Lucas activated his skill.
[Monarch Boost Activated]
A sudden surge of raw power coursed through his body, his muscles tensing as his stats skyrocketed. The world slowed, and for the time that followed, he was unstoppable.
WHOOSH!
His body became a blur as he sliced through the first Hobgoblin's throat, pivoted, and immediately drove his blade into the second's heart.
Before the third could react, Lucas slammed his boot into its chest, sending it flying into the cave wall with a sickening crack.
Three kills in two seconds.
[You have slain a Hobgoblin!]
[You have slain a Hobgoblin!]
[You have slain a Hobgoblin!]
His Monarch Boost faded as quickly as it had come, leaving him slightly breathless. He exhaled sharply, gripping his knees for a moment before standing straight.
The cave was silent once more, filled only with the occasional sound of dripping water.
Lucas checked his quest tracker.
[Hobgoblins Slain: 20/20]
A satisfied grin formed on his lips.
Mission complete.