Zylvern: “A herd of Thornback Boars came approaching and it tore through them like they were leaves in the wind. Not just killing them, but devouring them. Limbs, bones, all of it, straight into that horrifying stomach mouth. And it didn’t stop at one or two boars. It kept going like it was starving, ripping apart anything that dared move. It didn’t eat like a predator, it ate like it had to, like it was being driven by some endless hunger…”
Zylvern: “At first, I didn’t believe my eyes, so I got closer to get a better look. Big mistake. The thing noticed me, and before I could react, I was dead — the connection cut in a split second. I have no idea what killed me, and that’s coming from a second-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte! To go down without a single clue… It was terrifying.”
ButaYaarou: “At least, you didn’t die suffering from a tentacled monster. (?° ?? ?°)”
Squadzell: “I’m already regretting my plan to camp out there after the update for the challenge. Can someone make a map of its hunting ground? Please?!”
Storm Bringer: “I don’t buy it. Sounds like you’re faking your shameful death by hyping up the ‘unknown enemy’ for attention. ‘Flesh monstrosity with tentacles’? Come on, dude. This isn’t some kind of eldritch-theme game. [Delusional.jpg]”
MikeisHandsome1000x: “Zylvern, did you forget to turn off horror mode in your dream last night? ??”
Zylvern: “You think I’m making this up?! (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ I’d like to see the look on your faces when this thing shows up in front of you! Trust me, you’ve never heard a creature scream like it!”
CookieMons: “( ? _ ? ) For the love of God, STOP! I was planning to sleep tonight, y’know.”
Prominence: “You sound like what my friend SuperNovaX would say after hearing this. Getting spooked out over the smallest scary thing. Hahaha! I haven’t seen him for a while though.”
MariaC: “Eep! That sounds terrifying…”
SirLaughsALot: “Actually… I kinda believe him. I heard someone else spotted weird tracks around that area too. Huge, deep ones, like something really heavy. Maybe it’s not just a random monster.”
Zylvern: “Finally, someone who believes me! I’m telling you, this thing is real, and it’s not your average magical beast. When you encounter it, you’ll remember my story, and maybe then you’ll know it wasn’t just some exaggeration!”
Storm Bringer: “Alright, alright. But when you wake up tonight because a stray cat scratched your door, remember who called this story bogus first.”
Zylvern: “You’re all going to regret this, mark my words!”
***
Amidst all of this, Sean, known in-game as KuroUsagi, took it upon himself to investigate Zylvern’s tale by interviewing several other players who claimed similar sightings. He posted their testimonies on the forum, fueling both excitement and unease among the community.
Satellite: “Yeah, what Zylvern described is more or less accurate — maybe a bit exaggerated, but he’s not lying about the creature’s size. When I was leading our group while Lady Auralise was away, we stumbled upon half-eaten corpses, as though they were chomped in half. Definitely, something big and hungry is roaming out there.”
GladiusZone: “I don’t usually pay attention to these rumors, but that night I was grinding, and I heard something heavy moving through the forest. At first, I thought it was a Mossback Turtle. But then… there was this terrifying guttural growl. Like nothing I’ve ever heard. Then, I felt some disturbances as if it was fighting something equally terrifying. I’m not saying it was the same monster, but I turned on my heels and ran to the academy ASAP.”
BunnyFam: “I was farming near the edge of Thornwood Forest and thought I spotted something huge lurking in the trees. But each time it tried to get closer, this white silhouette would appear and chase it away. I’m just a life-skills player, so trust me, I’m not going to get involved with whatever that is.”
“…”
KuroUsagi: “Hello, everyone! Our favorite black bunny here, reporting from the field with the latest sightings! It seems like Zylvern’s story might have been a bit exaggerated, but the reports I’ve gathered suggest there’s definitely something big and hostile out there. Could this be the ‘unknown enemy’ hinted at in the dev diary? If anyone’s got more info or sightings, DM me — I’m putting together a list for everyone’s safety!”
The forum exploded with speculation and unease as players read through these accounts. Some courageous players discussed forming monster-hunting parties, while others shared plans to avoid Thornwood Forest altogether. The more skeptical players, like Storm Bringer, dismissed the panic, confidently boasting that if this monster ever approached the academy, he’d personally hunt it down.
Yet even the bravest players couldn’t deny the thrill — and dread — in the air. This mysterious creature, combined with rumors of an undead horde invasion, cast a looming shadow over the upcoming expansion.
***
After completing his delivery and checking in on Silken, the queen spider, Victor settled down for meditation, blissfully unaware of the chaos erupting on the forum. He took his place in the stone-walled basement, seated cross-legged in the circle of intermediate-grade mana crystals arranged around him. The crystals hummed softly, releasing thick waves of mana that saturated the air, flowing toward Victor as he drew it in.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Thanks to these mana crystals, it’s much easier to form the sigil than it was in the past. He noted the smoothness with which the mana coursed through him, supporting his effort to form the intricate sigil that marked the final stage of his breakthrough.
With careful precision, Victor guided the infused mana into his right hand. A steady, powerful energy surged through his body, making him shiver as it collected and took shape. Slowly, the second sigil began to emerge — its design intricate, delicate lines etched in soft, radiant purple. The sigil seemed to pulse with life, binding itself to him, becoming an indelible mark of his progress.
Then, with a sudden flash, the sigil solidified. Victor inhaled sharply, feeling an overwhelming rush of energy ignite within him, filling every cell with pure, refined power. He remembered this feeling when he formed his first sigil, and he couldn’t help but get addicted to it. Plus, he could feel his mastery over Cosmo elemental energy had been enhanced further.
“Alright! I’ve grown even stronger!” Victor clenched his fist as he examined the sigil — it also radiated high-quality Cosmo properties — a remarkable boon.
Without hesitation, Victor activated the Master Shadowlink Mark to assess his improved stats.
Victor Asteriscus
HP: 100%
MP: 868/868
Power Rank: Second-sigil Elemental Adept Magus | Ki Initial
Elemental Affinity: Cosmo (96%) | Anemo (82%) | Pyro (57%)
Mana Aptitude: Intermediate bright grade
Meditation Technique: Omni-Elemental Fusion Method (second sub-level, 0%)
Breathing Technique: No name (first level)
Status: Healthy
Strength: (35 → 36)
Agility: (35 → 37)
Vitality: (35 → 36)
Magical Power: (46 → 48)
Infused Mana (total): (717 → 868)
Spell Repertoire:
- Aleph: {Blink Step}, {Spatial Mirage}, {Slicing Wind}, {Zephyr Dash}, {Tempest Burst}, {Wind Guard}, {Flame Whip}, {Flame Dart}, {Flame Prison}, {Ember Shield}, {Heat Wave}, {Demonic Eye}, {Mind Programming}
- Bet: {Warpblade}, {Blink}, {Gap Hole}, {Ethereal State}, {Volcanic Spear}, {Tempest Gale}, {Blazing Burst}, {Curse of Nightmare}
Although his elemental affinity didn’t increase like when he formed his first sigil, Victor still felt that his affinity with the Cosmo element was better than before. If he were to form a third sigil, perhaps it would elevate by another percentage point. Even so, the increase in his overall stats was remarkable — it could easily be said that he was now almost 1.5 times stronger.
Unfortunately, it would be impossible to form the third sigil anytime soon. The reward for completing the current main mission promised to accelerate his progress, though he wasn’t certain how much it would help. In the meantime, perhaps his best course of action was to expand his arsenal of Bet-tier spells.
“Still,” he murmured, as he ascended to his office, “being individually strong only goes so far. To survive what’s coming, I’ll need to rely on the players… and others.”
***
The first place Victor headed was the Magic Botanical Garden. He hadn’t stepped foot inside this vast greenhouse in quite some time, and as he entered, the sight caught him off guard. The lush greenery sprawled out before him, filled with vibrant magical plants, each pulsing with life and energy. Leaves shimmered in faint hues of blue and green under the enchanted skylight, and flowers glowed in myriad, bright colors, casting an otherworldly glow that filled the space.
“Master, you are here!” chirped a small creature standing no taller than his knee with a hat that looked like a miniature mushroom cap as it hopped over with boundless enthusiasm. “What can I assist you with today?”
Victor smiled faintly. “Good to see you, Lumispora. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Lumispora bobbed its head vigorously. “Oh, yes! The plants have been thriving, Master! The Starlight Absorbing Tree has been producing mana crystals non-stop!” The little creature gestured proudly toward the towering, silver-barked tree at the center of the garden, with its branches heavy with shimmering mana crystals.
Victor cast a glance at the tree and nodded, although the excitement didn’t quite reach his eyes. Ever since he’d claimed the mana crystal mine and acquired mountains of mana crystals from the citadel, the ones produced by the Starlight Absorbing Tree were minuscule in comparison. They were little more than chump change now, which was why he hadn’t bothered collecting them. Nor had he sent Lumispora to make deliveries as he once did.
“Actually, the reason I’m here is to upgrade the Magic Botanical Garden.” The cost for a level two upgrade was 1,000 AP, while a jump to level three would require a hefty 10,000 AP — an amount that he didn’t have. Obviously, he’d settle on the level two upgrade.
Lumispora’s eyes widened, practically glowing with excitement. “An upgrade? To level two?! That’s… that’s monumental, Master! The plants will be able to grow faster, and we will even gain some new species in the garden!”
“That’s right.” With the upgrade, the variety and quality of magical seeds available for purchase would increase significantly, and the Starlight Absorbing Tree itself would grow larger, producing more mana crystals daily. This was essential when he was trying to broaden the array of alchemical ingredients that would be essential in the battles ahead.
Magic Botanical Garden Level 2
- Enhanced spatial expansion (2,000 square meters).
- Improved environmental control for temperature and humidity, allowing for a wider range of magical plant species.
- Minor growth acceleration, reducing plant maturation time by 10%.
Cost: 1,000 AP
Victor brought up the holographic screen and selected the level two upgrade for the Magic Botanical Garden.
[Magic Botanical Garden has leveled up to level 2.]
[Higher-grade magical seeds are now available for purchase.]
Soon, a soft hum resonated through the air, and the entire greenhouse began to glow with a gentle, emerald light. The walls seemed to stretch outward, and the space expanded around him as if the garden itself were breathing to accommodate the upgrade.
The air became fresher and perfectly balanced in temperature and humidity. Victor could feel the difference immediately; the atmosphere now catered to a broader spectrum of magical flora, each with unique requirements. He watched as several plants pulsed gently, sensing the improved environment and responding in kind.
But what was the most eye-catching was the growth of the Starlight Absorbing Tree as it now towered at an impressive thirty meters, radiating all the more. More importantly, its mana crystal production rate seemed to have quadrupled. With this significant boost, it seemed plausible that the tree could now yield intermediate-grade mana crystals.
Lumispora hopped in place, almost giddy. “Master, it’s incredible! We’ll be able to harvest rarer plants more frequently now!”
Satisfied, Victor turned his attention toward the catalog of new, rare magical seeds now available for purchase, but as he was about to do that—
Another holographic screen suddenly popped up with Lizbeth’s face framed in it, saying, “Master, Elara has come to the office to make a report as per your request.”
Victor blinked. “Hmm?”