Chapter 30

Chapter 30
## Chapter 30: Wraith

The scrolling inventories displayed within the Golden Rule Shop were breathtaking.

There was no denying that every single entry was remarkably grand, enough to make one’s head spin with possibilities.

Despite securing the top position in the main quest leaderboards four consecutive times, there were still treasures listed that remained beyond my current reach.

Naturally, these were objects of such immense worth that any person would hunger for them.

The very first entry was enough to stop my heart.

A Mythic species egg, of all things.

Even Dramat, the celestial Guardian of the Stars, belonged to the Mythic classification.

Creatures of the Mythic tier were regarded as Elite Raid Bosses at the very least; their fundamental statistics simply shattered the laws of common sense.

However, the reason for my shock lay elsewhere.

‘White King’s Fang, Eldritch’s Cursed Grimoire, Dragon’s Heart.’

These were titles I had encountered in the past.

It was unavoidable that I recognized them.

‘…These are the primary components I utilized to forge Unique-grade gear.’

A sudden tension gripped my frame, and I reached up to rub the back of my neck.

Had it not been for the stabilizing effect of the Iron-Blooded Lord’s Heart, I likely would have been hurling insults at the air.

Unique. Items of divine caliber that could only exist as single entities. The core ingredients for those legendary crafts were now being peddled in the Golden Rule Shop.

While coincidence might explain a few overlapping materials, no matter how I analyzed the situation, this didn’t add up.

‘The White King isn’t the type to pull out two of its own teeth.’

The White King. Also known as the White Emperor or the Sovereign of the North.

That colossal snowy tiger was a semi-divine beast of Mythic proportions.

During my time playing as Wilhelm, I had spent an entire month in a grueling struggle just to obtain a single one of its fangs. It was so remarkably quick and skilled at lethal ambushes that I had nearly perished more times than I could count.

‘Even as Wilhelm, I eventually abandoned the idea of slaying it.’

Ultimately, we had reached a compromise for one fang before parting ways.

On the condition that I would never again cross into the northern territories, the White King surrendered a tooth.

Therefore, unless someone had managed to execute the White King, there was no logical way its fang should be sitting in this shop.

The only remaining theory?

‘…It happened after Wilhelm’s passing.’

That was only plausible if the destiny of the Unique items Wilhelm once gripped was linked to this Golden Rule Shop following his demise.

Wilhelm had been the master of eight Unique items.

As far as my knowledge of Pangeniar went, only fifteen Unique items existed in the entire world, and more than half of that total had been concentrated in Wilhelm’s hands.

In this world’s mechanics, however, when a player character dies, everything they own usually dissolves into nothingness.

Equipment included.

When Wilhelm drew his last breath, those eight masterpieces should have evaporated.

Yet, it seemed they hadn’t truly ceased to exist.

“Unbelievable, it’s like this place is running some kind of supernatural hock shop…”

It was preposterous.

A supposedly untainted goddess was apparently gathering gear from corpses, stripping them down, and putting the parts up for sale.

I suppose it beats letting them fade into the void.

Granted, the master of the Golden Rule Shop might not actually be the goddess herself. I was in the dark regarding what rules or logic dictated which items surfaced on the menu.

Still, a cold shiver ran down my spine that I couldn’t ignore.

It felt as though someone was dancing atop my tombstone, repossessing my hard-earned wealth.

‘Even the goddess’s blessing when I spoke the Prayer of Adoration felt questionable.’

Was it perhaps a flicker of guilt, a small attempt to provide restitution?

Thinking back, wasn’t it technically the goddess who ended Wilhelm’s life?

Granted, he would have been consumed by the Demon King otherwise, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe the goddess was a being of pure altruism.

‘This isn’t just about Wilhelm. It’s tied to the deaths of every significant figure.’

And Wilhelm wasn’t the only one.

For instance, the Earth God’s Chalice was a relic I had never personally laid eyes on.

But I was well aware of its previous owner.

‘The Earth God’s Chalice. The vessel once carried by the Earth Saint Alvhid.’

There had been whispers regarding his passing.

The Church of the Earth God had suddenly launched a desperate search for the cup.

I had found the rumors difficult to swallow, but seeing the Earth God’s Chalice listed here confirmed that Alvhid was truly gone.

This meant the Golden Rule Shop functioned as a morbid ledger for the deceased.

‘I can determine who has fallen by studying the inventory.’

Following that same logic, many others must have realized Wilhelm was dead.

They saw his gear appear in the Golden Rule Shop, verified his end, and began circulating the tales of the Eight Heroes and their exploits.

‘Since these haven’t been purchased yet, it seems almost no one has accumulated Golden Rule on a thousand-hour scale.’

These were the building blocks for Unique items.

If I possessed the currency, I would buy them without a second thought. If I had that kind of time banked, there would be no debate.

‘…Or perhaps the best bargains have already been snatched up.’

I scowled.

If they had been bought, who was responsible?

Clearly, it would be the heavy hitters dominating the top of the Hall of Fame.

The individuals who had been gatekeeping the highest ranks until now: Gracia, MintChocoDelicious, Black Night, Massacre, Dark Star, Bar Mousse, and their peers.

‘I can’t afford to sleep on the elite players.’

This was precisely why I needed to remain vigilant.

The Unique items that once belonged to Wilhelm were now back in circulation. I didn’t know the exact count, but whoever secured them would become a terrifying force.

Not everyone possessed the skill to forge items from raw materials, but the top-tier players might be even more formidable than my prior calculations suggested.

‘What’s the best move?’

I wrestled with the decision for a moment.

Should I hoard my time or invest it?

The indecision was short-lived.

‘As I push further into the main story, the availability of Fragments of the Broken Golden Rule will only increase.’

I was certain of that fact.

Even if only a tiny fraction of the player base could afford these prices, I wasn’t concerned about falling behind in the rankings.

No one grasped the mechanics or played this game with more precision than I did.

‘With 140 hours available, I can pick up five specific goods.’

Blessed Supreme Elixir (30h), Universal Core (50h), Cataclysm Talisman (60h), Moonlight Butterfly Talisman (40h), Golden Bough (100h).

The Blessed Supreme Elixir was capable of regrowing missing limbs.

The Universal Core allowed for equipment enhancement regardless of the specific materials or souls required.

The Cataclysm Talisman could rewrite every special property on a piece of gear.

The Moonlight Butterfly Talisman granted the eponymous ‘Moonlight Butterfly’ trait, and the Golden Bough served as a vital component for the holy blade Durandal.

Every single one was a legendary rarity.

《’Blessed Supreme Elixir’ has been acquired.》

《’Cataclysm Talisman’ has been acquired.》

《’Moonlight Butterfly Talisman’ has been acquired.》

I completed the purchase for three of them, allowing a thin smile of satisfaction to cross my face.

The Cataclysm and Moonlight Butterfly Talismans in particular were treasures on the same level as the Fairy Queen’s Tear.

‘Perfect.’

I gave a curt nod.

I had gained levels, a healing elixir, and two powerful talismans.

Now that the purpose of the Golden Rule Shop was clear, the only thing left was to press forward.

The top spot for the next main quest was already as good as mine.

The only question was…

‘…Exactly how badly am I going to outshine the competition?’

That was the only variable left.

—

Hudson’s pupils began to shake uncontrollably.

The severed lower half of Serengeti’s body was beginning to reconstitute itself, cell by cell.

“Th-that’s the Blessed Supreme Elixir…!”

A mere droplet was enough to make flesh bloom. Tendons reconnected, and bone structures solidified.

The Blessed Supreme Elixir was a mythical substance so rare that the Goddess Church produced fewer than ten vials annually. It was a holy relic that ordinary people weren’t even permitted to look upon.

‘Players can purchase it through the Golden Rule Shop, but…’

That required an investment of 30 Golden Rule hours.

Thirty hours of that specific currency.

For those outside the elite rankings, having that much was an impossibility.

A natural realization began to dawn on him.

‘The Star Awakener is a player…?’

Hudson didn’t actually know the Star Awakener’s true name.

He had never heard it spoken, nor seen the man introduce himself.

But he didn’t linger on that thought.

The title of Star Awakener was a testament to his power and status in itself.

Yet here, the Star Awakener had been chosen as the heir to the Knight King.

He had found Serengeti and, without a moment’s hesitation, provided a restorative that was impossible to obtain without the status of a world-class player.

So, was he one of them?

‘…What does that change?’

Whether he was a player or a native of this world, he was the person Hudson was bound to follow. That fact remained static.

He was the sole protector capable of rescuing Serengeti.

Without his intervention, Hudson would never have looked into her eyes again.

Therefore, his origin was irrelevant.

If anything, if he truly was a player, Hudson might be able to return this kindness in the physical world one day.

It might be impossible here, but it could happen there.

“Apply one drop every two hours. At that rate, it will take an entire month for her to fully recover.”

“Then I shall remain by her side for the duration of that month.”

“I’ll settle it with Marquis Wyzer. I’ll explain that the elixir is most effective when administered by someone who shares no physical rejection with her.”

“…I am in your debt, Star Awakener!”

It was a condition the Marquis Wyzer would find impossible to turn down.

Even if Serengeti’s affliction was cured, her prospects were grim without the use of her legs. This situation would force the Marquis to keep Hudson close.

He truly was a savior.

Hudson swore he would never forget this mercy, even in the afterlife.

“The name is Randolph.”

“Guh?!”

Hudson suddenly gasped as if air had been stolen from his lungs, falling into a fit of violent coughing.

“Cough! Hack!”

He couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

The name he had just heard was beyond belief.

Randolph!

The most whispered-about name among the player population in recent times.

Randolph was the leading candidate suspected of being the legendary ‘Phantom’.

And the most famous persona of Phantom was, naturally, the Knight King Wilhelm…

‘Ah!’

The truth struck him like a bolt of lightning, sending a wave of goosebumps across his skin.

‘This is madness!’

The ultimate, most enigmatic icon. Phantom was a myth to anyone who had ever set foot in Pangeniar.

The accomplishments of the characters suspected to be him were too numerous to count.

Sagas of heroism, grand romances, and triumphs over the impossible.

Just thinking of those tales made his pulse quicken.

It had to be a mistake.

‘There’s no way.’

Logically, it didn’t hold up.

How could the great Randolph, the legendary Phantom, be standing right in front of him?

An icon of myth and legend revealing his true self to a commoner like him?

Anyone on the street would think it was a joke.

“Serengeti whispered your name the moment she regained consciousness.”

“…”

“If the White Knight places her trust in you, then I can trust you as well.”

“…”

…It wasn’t a mistake.

“Aah…”

Unexpected tears began to roll down Hudson’s cheeks.

Was it because a famous name had been shared? No, it was deeper than that.

He couldn’t even put words to the feeling.

‘Phantom was the light that guided me.’

To Hudson, Phantom represented hope.

For a man who cherished his life within the game more than his actual reality, Phantom had breathed a sense of vitality into Pangeniar that made it more precious than the real world.

Initially, everyone viewed this place as a fabrication.

Pangeniar was merely a digital sandbox.

Everything they endured was just some cosmic prank by the gods.

But Phantom lived in this world. Genuinely. With a passion that exceeded reality itself.

In doing so, he demonstrated to everyone that this wasn’t a simulation—it was a tangible reality.

The radiant light that illuminated all of Pangeniar.

That was what Phantom meant to Hudson.

“Does knowing my name truly affect you this much?”

“It does.”

“…”

“It is so overwhelming that I feel ashamed for not seeing the truth until this moment.”

How had he missed the signs?

If this man was Phantom, every impossible event up to this point made perfect sense.

“I swear on my life, I will take this secret to the grave, My Lord.”

“…My Lord?”

This was becoming surreal.

“Yes, My Lord.”

Hudson’s intense, unwavering gaze looked as though it could pierce straight through me.

I exhaled a weary sigh.

“Just stick to how you were addressing me before.”

“B-but how could someone of my low standing…”

“Be quiet.”

“Understood. Star Awakener.”

I had to suppress the urge to physically correct him.

“Return in one month to break the curse. Until that time, act as the Duke’s representative to keep the Waiser Marquis from interfering with her.”

Serengeti was a transcendent.

Once her curse was dispelled and her health restored, she would be an invaluable asset.

“I understand. Do not worry. I will shield her even if it costs me my life.”

Hudson nodded with fervent intensity, but eventually, he sensed something in my words and looked up.

“…A month from now? Where are you headed?”

“To the northern stronghold.”

“The northern stronghold… You don’t mean the monster city of Kramdel? Isn’t that a death trap for humans?”

The Monster City, Kramdel.

A metropolis governed entirely by non-human entities.

Any human who dared to enter was hunted on sight.

It was an impregnable fortress protected by the White King’s favor, overflowing with wealth that humanity could never reach.

And he was going there?

“Exactly. To Kramdel.”

My response was flat.

Hudson’s complexion turned ghostly pale.

“It’s suicide. And the rumors say that teleportation there is physically impossible…”

Even the most powerful transcendents steered clear of Kramdel.

It was a hive of sentient monsters, Mythic beasts, and bizarre entities bleeding through dimensional tears.

To make matters worse, the gateway coordinates to the city were constantly in flux.

Only the specific guide monsters permitted entry knew the paths.

‘I’ll find the entrance using Mutation.’

I wasn’t concerned.

Mutation was one of my thirteen concealed traits.

That ability alone would be more than enough to track down the shifting portals.

‘I’m going to conquer the next main quest in a manner only I can achieve.’

A city that no human could set foot in.

I would travel there to finish the fifth main quest, ‘Seek the Enigma,’ in a unique fashion that only I understood.

The ultimate enigma.

—

Priest Andrew.

He was currently deep in prayer before the effigy of the goddess.

The reason was simple: he had seen the truth with his own eyes.

‘Goddess…’

The manifestation of the goddess that had appeared when the Prayer of Adoration was chanted.

It was staggering, but there was no doubt it was her.

The goddess had bestowed a kiss upon the heir of the Knight King.

In all his years as a man of the cloth, he had never witnessed such a miracle, leaving him with no choice but to pray.

A being who had never answered his own countless prayers had appeared for another.

Within the hierarchy of the Goddess Church, the number of people who had truly gazed upon her could be counted on one hand.

And even those instances were nothing more than unverified rumors.

However, his moment of devotion was cut short.

…Because the man had arrived.

The successor to the Knight King, the one favored by the goddess, who had granted him a form of redemption.

Yet, Andrew couldn’t find it in himself to be purely happy.

“So…”

The man had appeared without warning, and the request he made was absolutely scandalous.

Priest Andrew spoke with a look of pure bewilderment.

“…You are demanding that I provide you with an Indulgence?”