Chapter 35: The Weight of a Name
The journey to the capital was supposed to be a simple one—just a long trek through the well-traveled roads of the empire. But for Reiji, nothing ever stayed simple.
As they approached the city gates, towering structures of white stone loomed ahead, with banners of the imperial crest fluttering in the wind. The streets were bustling with players and NPCs alike, merchants shouting their wares while armored guards patrolled the roads.
Reiji pulled his hood lower over his face. "Alright, let's just get to the library without attracting attention."
Aeris snorted. "You're a walking anomaly in this world. How do you expect to go unnoticed?"
Lyra smirked. "Besides, you did trigger a world event. Who knows how many people got the notification?"
Reiji sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Just… let's be careful."
They entered the capital without issue, blending into the crowd. The city was massive, with towering spires and winding streets filled with players and NPCs. But even as they walked, Reiji could feel eyes lingering on him—whispers spreading.
Then, a system announcement rang through the air.
[Global Announcement: Player '???' has acquired an Unknown Relic. Event progression has begun.]
Reiji froze.
The players around them stopped what they were doing. Some immediately pulled up their system menus, others whispered among themselves.
"'???' huh?" Aeris mused. "They're hiding your name, but that won't last long."
Lyra scanned the crowd. "We need to move. Fast."
Reiji gritted his teeth. He had been careful to avoid unnecessary attention, but the game had just thrown him into the spotlight again. And worse—everyone now knew a world event had started.
As they hurried through the city streets, a group of armored players stepped into their path, their guild insignias gleaming on their chests.
"Hey, you," one of them called out. "We need to talk."
Reiji sighed. "Here we go again."
End of Chapter