[Welcome Ascender, to the Archailect!]
The words flared to life in stark white against a shimmering golden wall, their radiance piercing Moyo's blurry vision. He blinked sluggishly, trying to bring the message into focus, his head pounding like a war drum.
Pain consumed him. His body screamed with a symphony of agony, every muscle, every nerve raw and aflame. His mouth tasted of iron—his own blood—and his thoughts swirled like scattered debris in a storm.
For a brief, fleeting moment, he clung to the hope that all of this was just a dream. Any second now, he would wake up to the sound of his mother banging on his door, her familiar exasperation dragging him out of bed. Or his father's booming laughter from downstairs, calling him lazy in that warm, teasing way of his.
Ole. Lazy.
His father's voice echoed in his mind, not as an insult but as an affectionate refrain—a word spoken so often it had become an endearment.
A hoarse chuckle escaped Moyo's cracked lips, and with it came fresh waves of agony. The sound ripped through his raw throat, the sharpness of it making his vision flare white. He convulsed, the pain threatening to blind him once again. But slowly, excruciatingly, it passed, leaving him gasping on the ground.
His chest shuddered with every breath, the act of inhaling itself a torment. Slowly, his bleary gaze returned to the glowing golden message before him.
[Welcome Ascender, to the Archailect.]
The name twisted like a thorn in his thoughts. The Archailect. It was the force that had torn his world apart, the unseen hand behind the crystal's cold proclamation that Earth had been "integrated." The memory of that moment burned brightly—how his life, his family, his very existence had been shattered in an instant.
As if responding to his thoughts, the message shimmered, shifting into new text.
[Welcome, Ascender, to the Integrated World of [Earth].]
[The Archailect System has successfully integrated your world into the Archailect Nexus. As a newly ascended being, your journey begins here, where you will encounter both great challenges and unique opportunities. You have been placed in a Tier 2 Dungeon, an unprecedented location for new Ascenders in integrated worlds. This anomaly is rare but presents unique advantages for rapid growth.]
System Overview:
World Tier: [Tier 1 (Mundane)]Dungeon Access: Unlocked (Tier 2 Dungeon)Current Ascension Rank: [Fledgling]
Initial Guidelines:
Ascender Core:
Your abilities are controlled by your Ascender Core. As an ascended being, you must complete the Ascension Ritual to unlock higher stages of power. While your potential is limited at this stage, you will grow stronger through the system's energy flow.Energy Regulation:
You have been provided with a Lesser Aether Shard, a basic energy resource to aid your development. Use it wisely to avoid prematurely draining your reserves.Dungeon Exploration:You have been placed in a Tier 2 Dungeon, an unusual starting point for new Ascenders.Challenges will be difficult but offer extraordinary potential for growth.Warning: Such anomalies may attract attention from higher authorities. Be cautious, as they often precede unforeseen events.Vitality Absorption Skill:
A new skill, Blood Absorption, has been granted as part of your integration. This ability allows you to absorb energy from defeated enemies, significantly boosting your strength.Note: This skill is unauthorized and governed by hidden rules. Its consequences may unfold over time.Error Message:
A system fluctuation has generated a hidden directive:"Find the Blade."
This message is not part of the official system guidelines but may hold significant importance. Pursuing it could reveal opportunities vital to your survival and ascension.
Immediate Action Required:
Survive the Dungeon Trials:
Prepare for mutated creatures and hostile entities. Master the Blood Absorption skill and strengthen your core.Ascension Ritual:
Complete the ritual to refine your core and unlock greater potential.Seek the Blade:
Follow the hidden message. The Blade's nature and purpose may reveal itself as you progress.
May the system guide you, Ascender.
Moyo stared at the screen, the golden words burning into his exhausted mind. His throat was too raw for words, and even if he could speak, he wasn't sure what he'd say.
A welcome message?
The thought almost made him laugh. The absurdity of it—mockery dressed in gold and white, welcoming him to the very system that had destroyed his world.
His fists clenched weakly as he read the final lines again. The system called him an "Ascender," but to Moyo, it felt more like a curse than a title.
He felt something materialize in his palm—cool, almost electric to the touch, like glass. It pulsed faintly, a dim blue glow barely illuminating his blistered fingers.
The Lesser Aether Shard.
Moyo stared at it for a moment, soaking in the silence. His body was a battlefield of agony, his mind torn between despair and disbelief. Everything that had happened—the pain, the system's cryptic messages, Ajax's brutal training—felt like a fever dream. But the shard in his hand was real, its energy humming faintly against his skin.
He let out a shaky breath, trying to piece together the fragmented thoughts swirling in his head. This was a game-like reality, or something similar. He was somehow trapped in a Tier 2 Dungeon, a designation that sounded ominous at best.
The system had given him Blood Absorption, a skill meant to compensate for the dungeon's dangers—or so it claimed. Yet it had also warned of "unforeseen consequences," which probably meant more trouble down the line. And then there was the command to seek the Blade. What blade? Where? Why?
It felt like someone's idea of a cruel joke.
The screen blinked out for a moment before reappearing, static and unhelpful. He had no core, and the system offered no guidance on how to get one. "How do I get a core?" he rasped aloud, his voice raw and strained.
No response.
The golden screen remained static, offering no answers.
Moyo tried to move, but his body rebelled, and a blinding surge of pain slammed into him, pinning him back to the ground. He gasped, tears springing to his eyes as he clung to the shard in his hand, its faint glow barely illuminating his palm. After what felt like an eternity, the pain ebbed enough for him to breathe again.
The screen shimmered, shifting its display.
Name: Moyosore
Path: None
Race: Human
Rank: Fledgling
Core:
Level: 1
Skills:
Blood Absorption (?)
Attributes:STR: 1DEX: 1END: 1VIT: 1
Moyo frowned. The system knew his name. Great. That wasn't unnerving at all.
His eyes scanned the rest of the screen. No path, no core, a single enigmatic skill, and stats so abysmally low it was no wonder he felt like he was made of paper. The 1s across the board mocked him, a reminder of just how weak he truly was.
Frustration burned in his chest as he clenched the shard tightly. A faint crackling sound reached his ears, and he felt a sudden surge of energy rush through him. It was faint—just a drop of relief in an ocean of torment—but he felt it all the same.
[You have absorbed Lesser Aether Shard. 10 points allocated.]
A new notification blinked into existence, showing a glowing icon beneath his rank.
Points: 10
"Here we go," Moyo whispered hoarsely.
Instinct guided him as he willed 2 points into his strength. The familiar rush of power coursed through his veins, a faint but noticeable improvement. His arms didn't feel as fragile anymore, and he allowed himself a small, shaky smile.
His eyes flicked back to the screen. Strength was a good start, but it wouldn't keep him alive. Carefully, he allocated 4 points into vitality.
The change was immediate. Warmth spread through his body, dulling the sharp edges of his pain. His breaths came easier, and the fog of exhaustion began to lift. He could think clearly for the first time since this nightmare began.
With 4 points remaining, he split them evenly between dexterity and endurance. The rush of power returned, his muscles and reflexes subtly sharpening, though the aches in his body reminded him he was far from invincible.
STATS
Name: Moyosore
Path: None
Race: Human
Rank: Fledgling
Core:
Level: 1
Skills:
Blood Absorption (?)
Attributes:STR: 3DEX: 3END: 3VIT: 5
Moyo sighed with relief, the screen now displaying something less pathetic. He struggled to his feet, his body still sore but manageable.
The oppressive darkness around him pressed in, the faint blue glow of the shard and the screen offering the only reprieve. He squinted into the void, unsure where to go.
[Notice: Due to the system error, you have been awarded one Aurum Coin! We hope this helps you along your journey. Our sincerest apologies!]
A golden coin materialized in his hand, glowing faintly.
Moyo barely had time to process this when another message appeared, and the coin vanished with an audible pop.
[Notice: Aurum coins are useless and ineffective in a Tier 1 world. The coin has been replaced with the correct currency courtesy of the Syndicate.]
[Ethereal credits: 100,000]
Moyo sighed deeply, the faint glow of his newfound wealth doing little to lift his spirits. "Of course," he muttered bitterly.
Resolving to keep moving, he placed a hand on the rough stone wall and began to inch forward, each step a reminder of how far he had to go.
Newly promoted Warden Sentinel Zaren of the Accordant Vanguards marched toward the communication chamber of his freshly established watch station. His boots echoed sharply against the pristine metallic floor, each step a reminder of his newfound position within the Archailect's grand hierarchy.
Like the other vanguards who had groveled for—or rather, earned—the position of Warden Sentinel, Zaren viewed it as the first rung on the ladder of power within their vast organization. For him, it was a chance to prove his worth after years of being overlooked.
Until the news came that knocked him off his feet.
Zaren considered himself a decent man, though he knew such decency had cost him dearly. In his homeworld, niceness was a death sentence—a lesson he had learned too late. The memory twisted in his mind, but he shook it off, irritation flickering across his sharp features.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, a figure of authority with cold gray eyes that scanned the room ahead. His brown skin gleamed under the sterile lighting, his tied-back black hair swaying slightly with his determined march.
As a fledgling in the Accordant Vanguards, Zaren was far from powerful in their order's grand scheme. But he was now the sole overseer of this newly absorbed system, tasked with watching over its worlds like a loyal hound.
When he stepped into the communications chamber, he straightened his posture.
"Voice authorization: Watch Warden Sentinel 1," he declared, his voice booming with authority.
The words rolled off his tongue with satisfaction. He was a Warden Sentinel—responsible for an entire system under the Archailect's dominion. Granted, this system was practically a backwater, with only one habitable world. Still, he allowed himself to imagine the future: worlds seeded with life, his name rising in rank. Perhaps one day he would ascend to High Arbiter, wielding true power.
The thought made him snort internally. Even Veil Marshal—the ultimate rank, reserved for the strongest and most revered of their kind—felt like a fantasy. Only one person in the Archailect's history had ever reached it.
A flickering screen snapped him from his musings. It came to life, revealing a tall, gray-skinned figure clad in the black-and-gold uniform of their order. Zaren bowed deeply.
"Greetings, High Arbiter Shokan," he said with formal precision.
Shokan nodded. "Zaren. I see you're settling in."
"Indeed, sir," Zaren replied. "However, I must report a discrepancy that may require intervention on the Tier 1 world within my sphere."
"You mean the only world with life in your sphere," Shokan said, amusement glinting in his eyes.
Zaren nodded, his face impassive. He was accustomed to such jabs, fully aware that his appointment had less to do with merit and more to do with being conveniently disposable. A dead-end system for a disposable Warden.
But this issue was different.
"A Tier 2 dungeon has manifested there," Zaren explained, his tone measured. "It's destabilizing the integration process. I fear—"
"Leave it," Shokan interrupted.
Zaren froze. "Pardon?"
"Ignore it. Avoid it. Do not interfere. Do I need to make myself clearer?" Shokan's tone sharpened.
Zaren hesitated, frustration creeping into his voice. "If I leave it unchecked, the inhabitants will die too early. They cannot ascend fast enough to—"
"That is not your concern," Shokan snapped.
Zaren clamped his jaw shut, biting back a retort.
Shokan sighed. "Listen, Zaren. This isn't about them. All I've heard—rumors, really—is that the Tier 2 dungeon was placed there for a reason. Something peculiar is happening in that system. You don't need to know the details. Just stay out of it."
Zaren's frown deepened. "With respect, sir, this anomaly—"
Shokan cut him off, his tone icy. "The order to leave it came directly from the Shrouded Archive itself."
Zaren's heart skipped a beat. The Shrouded Archive? The very heart of the Accordant Vanguards, shrouded in secrecy and ruled by the most powerful entities in existence?
Shokan nodded knowingly as realization dawned on Zaren's face.
"Precisely," Shokan said. "Now, do you understand the stakes?"
Zaren nodded reluctantly, though the revelation only left him with more questions.
Why this system? Why that insignificant ball of mud and water? Of all the countless systems under the Archailect's purview, what made this one so important that even the Archive was involved?
Shokan smirked slightly. "Oh, and before I forget—you're about to have a guest on that world."
The screen shifted, revealing another image. Zaren stiffened, his stomach sinking.
"No... not him," he whispered, dread creeping into his voice.
Shokan's laugh was loud and unrestrained. "Oh yes. Him. Odds are he's already there—somewhere in the dungeon. Archailect knows what he's doing, but my advice? Stay far, far away from him."
Zaren's shoulders slumped, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "This could destabilize the world," he muttered.
"What do you care?" Shokan replied dismissively.
Zaren clenched his fists but held his tongue. It was easy for someone like Shokan to dismiss such concerns, overseeing half a galaxy as he did. Zaren saluted stiffly, watching as the screen blinked out of existence.
Marching out of the chamber, he felt a chill run down his spine.
He had pitied the inhabitants of that planet before. Now, with him involved, Zaren was sure of it.
They were doomed.