Awakened Weapon, one of the many powerful gifts granted by the System to those who had evolved.
When a person underwent their first class evolution, they gained the chance to link a weapon directly to their class.
Once bonded, the weapon fused completely with its wielder, becoming unique and personal. It adapted to the user's fighting style and even gained special abilities based on their class and nature.
It was a rare sight to see one, let alone in action. I was still staring at the golden trident crackling with lightning in Arkas's hand when a voice broke through my thoughts.
"Ho... ho... ho... You haven't changed one bit, Arkas."
The voice wasn't loud. It sounded like a whisper brushing against my ear, soft but chilling.
My head snapped around, searching for the source.
Arkas responded.
"What kind of man would I be if I did?"
A soft chuckle followed.
"Then you'd be a progressive man."
I almost laughed at the reply, but caught myself.
Arkas snorted.
"I'm fine the way I am."
He paused, then raised his voice slightly.
"Now why don't you come out already and tell me why you're here?"
The voice answered, still unseen, its tone laced with cold playfulness.
"No need."
There was a faint chuckle.
"I have places to be."
Another pause.
"But don't worry... I'll see you soon."
The voice grew quieter, as if leaning into my ear.
"As for why I came..."
A beat.
"Well, I was just passing by... and heard that Arkas has a new student. Anyway, I am going."
Silence returned.
Arkas floated above, saying nothing.
After nearly a full minute, he finally exhaled and slowly descended.
I stood up, brushed off the dirt, and asked the question burning in my chest.
"Commander… who was that? Were they strong?"
He landed a few feet away, but didn't answer right away. His brows furrowed, lips tightening.
Then, without warning, his voice boomed across the ruins, shaking the ground beneath me.
"Old man, get the fuck out of here."
I flinched from the sheer force of it.
And then, that whisper returned, closer this time, almost playful.
"Kid… I'm much stronger than him. Let's go."
I heard a scream and a loud whooshing sound behind me. I turned around just in time to see the cloaked man's body shooting out of the lightning dome, leaving behind a sharp sonic boom as he flew across the sky.
A second later, my staff came spinning through the air and landed with a metallic ding right next to me, the tip sinking slightly into the ground.
I blinked. My mouth hung open in surprise.
A chill ran down my spine.
'Who the hell is that old man?'
Arkas rubbed his forehead with a tired, frustrated look on his face. He let out a long sigh, then casually waved his hand, and the golden trident vanished into thin air.
I couldn't help staring at him, curiosity burning inside me.
He finally looked at me and sighed again.
"Ahh... what a mess."
I shifted on my feet, fidgeting, until I couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Commander… who was that cloaked guy? And who was the other voice?"
He stayed quiet for a few seconds, rubbing his bald head like he was debating whether or not to tell me.
"Well… you could think of them as the Empire's assassin unit."
My eyes lit up at that.
"Wait, assassin unit? We have an assassin unit? Why have I never heard about it?!"
Arkas chuckled at my reaction.
"Because officially… it doesn't exist."
My mind spun with questions and ideas.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you look so excited? I don't think your style really suits an assassin."
I shrugged with a grin.
"Doesn't matter. They're still cool. I always wanted to meet at least one assassin in my life."
"Ohh, is that so?" Arkas said, half-smiling.
I nodded quickly.
"Well then," he said, "the cloaked man was one of the unit's members. And that whispering old man… that was Dante. Their leader."
He paused for a moment, then continued.
"As for his strength, yeah, he's stronger than me. You could even say he's one of the top five most powerful people in the world. But you'll almost never see him in public."
He gave me a pointed look.
"And if you ever come across a hunched old man with a long white beard and a walking stick, be careful. Say no to everything he asks. No matter how harmless it sounds."
I tilted my head, confused.
"Is that what Dante looks like?"
Arkas shook his head.
"No. That's just the disguise he uses when he's out recruiting kids. I've lost too many good students to that old man."
I let out a short chuckle, but Arkas didn't look amused. His face turned serious.
"Don't take that as a joke. I'm serious. I already lost my grandson to him."
I blinked.
"Your grandson?"
He nodded slowly.
"Yes. North's older brother. I had such high hopes for him. And then, one day, he just left, chose to follow that damned old man. Now I don't even know where he is. Could be anywhere in the world, carrying out some secret mission. Dante only answers to the Emperor."
My thoughts reeled.
'North's brother is an assassin…?'
I nodded quietly, still trying to process everything Arkas had just told me.
But one question wouldn't stop bouncing around in my head.
"Was he here to recruit me?"
Arkas gave a casual shrug.
"Honestly, I don't know."
He paused for a second, then changed the topic.
"Anyway, how's your progress? Did you manage to finish what you came here for?"
I glanced at my status screen and let out a small sigh, then shook my head.
"Not yet. I'm close, but there are still a few things I need to fine-tune before I push into the next stage."
Arkas nodded in understanding.
"All right then. You're still near the outskirts of the zone I sealed, so if you really want to push yourself, go deeper. But be careful, there are dangerous areas further in, and you'll run into high-level Abominations."
I gave him another nod.
Then, with a soft crackle, lightning flickered across his body and just like that, he vanished.
My eyes stayed fixed on the ground in silence. I rubbed my chest where that hit had landed, right before my plan could even play out.
"So I got beaten for nothing," I muttered under my breath.
That didn't sit right with me. I never minded a fight, win or lose, but getting tossed around like that without any real purpose? That stung more than the hit itself.
'Dante, huh…' I made a mental note. 'I'll remember you, old man.'
I pulled out my mask and slipped it back on, tightening the straps. Then I pulled out my staff from the ground and started walking back toward the base.
My thoughts wandered to the plan again, bits and pieces spinning in my mind.
Some things were working out… others, not so much.
I knew I needed to sit down and re-evaluate everything. If I kept moving without adjusting course, there was a real chance I'd screw something up before even reaching the finish line.
I let out a slow breath and broke into a light sprint, heading into the base. I needed a quiet place to sit, grab something to eat, and clear my head before making my next move.
After a bit of walking, I finally found a half-destroyed room. The roof was gone and rubble covered the floor, but at least three of the walls were still standing. It was enough. I leaned my staff against the wall and sat down with a sigh.
My mind drifted back to the moment Arkas pulled out his Awakened Weapon. That trident, crackling with golden lightning.
Real, overwhelming power. The kind I could only dream of having. I stared at my hands, wondering how long it would take before I reached even a fraction of that strength.
I reached into my storage ring and pulled out a sealed container.
The moment I opened it, steam rushed out, carrying the rich scent of freshly cooked meat and rice. The warmth hit my face, and my stomach growled in response.
Removing my mask, I started eating slowly, thinking about everything I'd been through, the fights, the close calls, and the feeling of leveling up again and again. My body had grown stronger, my control sharper.
But I had set a limit for myself.
Level 40.
That was the line I had drawn. Once I hit it, I'd stop and focus. Finish what I came for. There were things I needed to understand, parts of my power I hadn't fully figured out yet.
I wanted a strong foundation, and once I set that up, I planned to go completely crazy with leveling up and boosting my stats.