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Chapter 10: The Weight of Failure
The quiet hum of the hospital equipment was the only sound in the room as Kai stared blankly at the ceiling. Every blink of his eyes replayed the scene in the Crumbling Archives: the statues' glowing eyes, Arin's grin vanishing, Celia's scream, Darius' defiant last stand.
He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. The pain grounded him, but it wasn't enough to silence the voices in his head.
"You can't save everyone," he muttered, the words tasting bitter. But this wasn't about saving everyone. It was about saving anyone at all.
A faint chime from his neural interface broke the silence.
[SYSTEM ALERT: Weekly Dungeon Leaderboard Reset. Top Performers Rewarded.]
The reminder felt like a slap. The world kept moving forward, players chasing ranks and glory while he was stuck in this hospital bed, licking his wounds.
Kai forced himself to sit up, wincing as his sore body protested. A nurse entered the room, her face soft with concern.
"You shouldn't push yourself, Mr. Kai," she said, adjusting the monitor near his bed. "You've undergone significant neural strain. Another episode like this, and you could experience long-term damage."
"I don't have time to rest," Kai replied, his voice cold but steady.
The nurse frowned but said nothing further, stepping out of the room after leaving a small tablet on the side table. Kai glanced at it, noticing a message waiting for him.
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[PRIVATE MESSAGE: Raven]
> Heard about what happened. Don't let it eat you alive. You're better than this, Kai. We all know it. When you're ready to talk, hit me up.
Kai exhaled slowly. Raven was a friend from his earlier days in Elythia, back when he had first reached Bronze rank. They had parted ways after she joined a guild focused on the Demon King's rumors.
He typed a quick response.
[REPLY: Kai]
> Thanks. I'll be back soon.
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A Broken System
Kai returned to Elythia a day later. His avatar materialized in the city of Emberlight, a bustling hub for Iron and Bronze rank players. The sights and sounds of the virtual world were as vivid as ever, but to Kai, everything felt muted.
His first stop was the Adventurers' Guild. The building's towering spires and glowing banners seemed welcoming, but the cold stares from other players reminded him that failure wasn't easily forgiven in this world.
"Kai."
He turned to see Raven leaning against the counter, her sleek black armor gleaming under the room's light. Her expression was a mix of relief and concern.
"You look like hell," she said bluntly.
"Thanks for the warm welcome," Kai replied, managing a faint smirk.
Raven stepped closer, lowering her voice. "I heard the Archives glitched. That's not supposed to happen in F-Rank dungeons. Someone's tampering with the system."
Kai nodded. "The Demon King. It's not just a legend anymore."
Raven's jaw tightened. "Then we need to act fast. But first, you need to get your strength back. You're still in Iron rank, right?"
"Yeah," Kai said, his gaze hardening. "And I need points to get to Bronze."
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The Grind Begins
Raven escorted Kai to the city's training grounds, a sprawling arena where players could practice or participate in mock battles.
"You're not ready for another dungeon," she said. "Focus on ranking up first. You've got to hit 100 points to get to Bronze. Fight smarter, not harder."
Kai nodded, stepping into the queue for the free-for-all arena. It was a chaotic battleground where dozens of Iron rank players competed for kills. Each elimination was worth 2 points—hardly efficient, but it was the quickest way to rack up points without risking another dungeon.
The countdown began, and Kai's heart raced.
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The Free-for-All
The arena was a massive open field dotted with ruins and hiding spots. As soon as the match began, chaos erupted. Spells flew through the air, weapons clashed, and players shouted battle cries.
Kai kept to the outskirts at first, observing. He spotted a pair of players locked in a duel—a swordsman and a mage. The mage was on the defensive, their mana running low.
Kai acted swiftly, closing the distance with a burst of speed. He copied the mage's firebolt spell mid-cast, feeling the heat surge through his hands as he launched a fiery projectile at the swordsman's back. The attack connected, depleting the swordsman's health bar and earning Kai his first 2 points.
"Thanks for the assist," the mage said, panting.
Kai didn't reply. He knew alliances in the arena were temporary at best.
He continued to move, picking off weakened players and avoiding larger groups. Every kill added to his score, but the effort was draining. His copied abilities faded quickly, forcing him to adapt constantly.
As the match neared its end, only a handful of players remained. One of them was a hulking warrior armed with a massive axe.
"Let's see what you've got, kid," the warrior growled, charging at Kai.
Kai dodged the first swing, barely avoiding the axe's edge. He copied the warrior's heavy strike ability, feeling the weight of the imaginary weapon in his hands. As the warrior swung again, Kai countered with a copied blow, the clash sending shockwaves through the arena.
The fight was brutal, but Kai's agility gave him the edge. He managed to land the finishing blow, earning another 2 points as the warrior disintegrated.
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Aftermath
Kai left the arena with 20 points—far from his goal but a solid start. His body ached from the strain of copying multiple abilities, but he pushed the pain aside.
Raven was waiting for him outside the training grounds.
"Not bad," she said, handing him a small vial. "Energy tonic. You'll need it."
Kai accepted it gratefully.
"Thanks," he said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion.
Raven studied him for a moment. "You've got potential, Kai. Don't let the past drag you down. The Demon King's not going to wait for you to get your act together."
Kai nodded. "I know. I'll be ready."
As he walked away, the faint glow of the system's interface lingered in his vision, a constant reminder of the road ahead.
[CURRENT RANK: IRON]
[POINTS: 20/100]
He still had a long way to go, but Kai wasn't the same player he had been before. The stakes were higher now, and he wasn't just fighting for himself anymore.
The world needed him to rise—and this time, he wouldn't fail.
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End of Chapter 10.