"WOOO! I GOT AN IRON SWORD! MY FIRST ONE EVER!"That was the shout that greeted Nox the moment he passed through the city gates. It was not a cheer celebrating his return, but the excited cry of a new player jumping up and down while proudly waving an ordinary iron sword in the air.Nox paused briefly at the gate, staring at the bustling city before him. This was not how he had imagined returning to civilization after everything that had happened.His clothes were torn in several places, clear remnants of his battle against nine PK players. His HP had only recovered halfway despite spending the night resting on Erebus's back. His inventory was a mess, with all the loot he had collected jumbled together because he had not had the time to sort it. Worst of all, his coin balance was almost nonexistent.He stepped into the city, walking along the main street filled with a commotion he had not experienced in a long time."Hey, anyone want to party for a beginner dungeon? We need one more h

"Hey, you! Want to join our party? We need one more player!"Nox turned and found three young players waving enthusiastically from in front of the beginner dungeon bulletin board."Me?" Nox pointed at himself, making sure they had not mistaken him for someone else."Yeah, you!" A muscular young man with a large shield strapped to his back stepped closer, flashing a wide grin. "My name's Ironwall. I'm the tank for this party. We're about to enter the Old Root Dungeon, but we're short one DPS."A girl in a white robe nodded behind him. "I'm Brightpetal, the healer. The one over there is Swiftfeather, our archer."Swiftfeather raised his bow slightly and offered an awkward smile. "Nice to meet you. What level are you?""Twenty-four," Nox answered briefly."Perfect!" Ironwall exclaimed excitedly. "This dungeon is recommended for levels twenty to twenty-five. So, what do you say? Want to join?"Nox actually wanted to refuse. The easiest excuse was already on the tip of his tongue. But some

"It's already morning."Raka opened his eyes, his own hoarse voice breaking the silence of the room. There were no system notifications floating before his face, no status window, and no shadow of Erebus waiting for his command. There was only the cramped room, its paint beginning to fade, and a pile of laundry in the corner that he had yet to clean up.He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes. His body still felt heavy despite having slept for a long time inside the capsule. The wall clock showed eleven in the morning."Late again," he muttered, lazily getting up and heading toward the small kitchen in the corner of the apartment.He poured water into a glass and drank it quickly before opening the refrigerator, which contained little more than some sliced bread and eggs. It was a simple breakfast, far removed from the luxury people might imagine for a top-ranked player in a massive game."If they knew Azrael ate dry bread every morning, they probably wouldn't be so impresse

"Sit down. We're talking now."Amara closed the door to her private office, her voice firm even though a hint of caution still lingered beneath it.A few minutes earlier, as they walked down the hallway, neatly dressed staff members had stared at Raka with puzzled expressions, wondering why their superior had brought a man in a worn black hoodie straight into her private office without a word of explanation. Amara ignored every curious glance, giving the receptionist a brief signal to make sure no one disturbed them.Raka sat in the chair she indicated, while Amara remained standing several steps away, keeping her distance. Her eyes never left him, watching his every move."Who are you?" Amara said. It sounded less like a question and more like a demand. "And how do you know the name Azrael?""I came because there's something I need to tell you," Raka replied calmly."That's not the answer," Amara cut in."I know. But I need you to trust me before I explain any further."Amara folded