Chapter 6

Chapter 6
## Chapter 6: Main Quest 2

“……There was no physical response at all?”

“None, my Lady.”

Isabella sat upon a throne draped in the pelt of a lion, absorbing the report from her attendants while she contemplative rubbed her jaw.

She had commanded the women to perform the ritual foot-washing—selecting maidens of such exquisite grace that they could stir the blood of any man. In the desert metropolis of Paysalmer, this was considered the pinnacle of hospitality, yet it served a dual purpose as a snare designed to test the true nature of the Star Awakener.

It was a trap designed to be inescapable for any mortal.

These attendants had undergone rigorous training, mastering the art of detecting a quickened pulse or the microscopic twitch of a muscle. Regardless of who they touched, the truth of a person’s inner state was usually laid bare under their fingertips.

Yet, he had remained perfectly still.

The lack of reaction was baffling, but a thin smirk touched Isabella’s mouth.

‘A heart of stone that cannot be shaken. The legends weren’t exaggerating.’

Isabella had spent a long time gathering every scrap of folklore regarding the Star Awakener.

The core of those myths always came back to this unshakable stoicism. It was whispered that one who had surrendered their entire being to the heavens would never be swayed by the fleeting lures of the physical realm.

“Is there further detail?” she inquired.

The five women took turns offering their observations.

“He was the one who requested the washing initially. He is intimately familiar with the traditions of Paysalmer.”

“He walked through the palace gates without a moment of doubt.”

“The sight of the beast remains on the walls didn’t rattle him. On the contrary, he studied them with interest and spoke highly of our taxidermy and preservation methods.”

“His skin possessed the texture of fine silk, yet the musculature beneath was as springy as a stallion’s.”

“Most notably, he appeared to be deeply engaged in a communion with the stars.”

Isabella gave a slow nod as she weighed their testimonies.

Nothing about this individual followed the standard mold.

To start, his knowledge of local etiquette was deep enough that he sought out the foot-washing himself. Such familiarity implied he had walked the streets of Paysalmer in years past.

Furthermore, those of low birth or servitude were typically paralyzed by the sheer scale of the royal residence. His effortless navigation suggested a background far more distinguished than a common traveler.

‘High-born? Perhaps even a prince?’

His poised aura and the way he spoke carried weight. The fact that he could meet her gaze directly and counter her arguments without blinking pointed toward a noble or royal lineage.

While they were said to be children of the cosmos, Star Awakeners were still human by birth. And in the world of men, the circumstances of one’s birth always left a mark.

Even his appreciation for the trophies on the wall required a specialized education. That kind of knowledge wasn’t available to just anyone.

‘Silk-like skin and the power of a wild horse…… A paradox, yet perfectly fitting for a Star Awakener.’

Star Awakener. It was a title that carried a heavy, mystical weight.

The desert had never seen their like. Since no one truly understood their essence, the world was forced to accept whatever tales were told of them.

Once she had processed the information, Isabella spoke again.

“You mentioned he was speaking with the stars?”

“Yes, my Lady.”

“I must witness this myself.”

“But… if he is disturbed during such a sacred rite, he might lose his standing as a Star Awakener……”

Isabella let out a quiet, mocking laugh.

“Does the presence of one more soul make a conversation impossible?”

The attendants fell silent, unable to argue.

A single observer wouldn’t make the stars stop talking.

If he required peace, they could simply watch from the shadows.

A private dialogue?

Isabella couldn’t perceive the voices of the heavens regardless. They were already in a world of their own; her being there wouldn’t change the dynamic of his solitary communion.

Isabella stood up.

She began walking with purpose toward the guest’s quarters.

……Any later and I would have been in a tight spot.

The moment I opened my eyes, her gaze was fixed on me.

Isabella von Dersian.

I’m glad I made it back into the game as quickly as I did.

After dealing with things in the real world, I had re-entered Pangeniar. My mind was sharp and my logic cold as I assessed the situation.

‘Creatures from the real world and summoned players have surfaced here, taking on the roles of Pangeniar characters. That has to be why the previous expedition ended in disaster.’

There is a specific threshold in this game where the difficulty curve becomes a vertical wall.

Allies you’ve trusted for chapters will suddenly plunge a knife into your back, and loyal friends become bandits without warning.

Even accounting for every variable, the sabotage always happened in ways that defied logic.

The expedition had followed that same pattern.

……But what if those ‘random’ elements were actually other players?

Perhaps not every NPC, but if a large group of ‘trolls’ were pulling the strings?

If someone wasn’t playing to win—or saw me as a threat to their own progress—and was burning the world down just to stop me……

‘I’ll eliminate every single one of them.’

There was no room for cooperation or friendship anymore. We had already moved past the point of no return.

I had watched hundreds of my characters get wiped out because of this kind of meddling. Even my most powerful avatar, the one I had poured everything into, was hunted down and erased.

I suddenly remembered the words of a dying soldier when I first arrived.

—Damn it. If we hadn’t been fighting each other, we would have won……

There was a hidden layer to the story I had missed.

I had taken on the Demon King by myself, yet the history books labeled me as part of the ‘Eight Heroes.’

That meant there were people controlling the narrative, capable of inventing feats out of thin air. It was a coordinated effort.

A group.

There was a faction of players specifically hunting down any character they suspected was me. They were the ones planting fake stories throughout Pangeniar.

The Eight Heroes was a farce.

They had intentionally diluted the legend of my final character to hide his true power.

To counter this, I had to grow strong—and I had to do it fast.

I needed to ensure my survival in both the game and reality.

To achieve that, she was the key.

“……The holy ground is not a place for the uninitiated.”

“You are the one who will grant me entry.”

Isabella von Dersian.

She was a character I had designed and then cast aside.

Despite having no prior lore for it, she was now feared as the Snake Princess and held the position of second-in-command in Paysalmer.

Even that title wasn’t something I had given her.

‘Asuka Kirara……’

……I felt a pang of guilt. In the world of Pangeniar, nicknames were treated as formal aliases. The person and the body were real, even if a player was now inhabiting it.

Regardless.

“If we are discovered smuggling someone inside……”

“This is your final opportunity to escape this desert. Choose your words with that in mind.”

Isabella’s composure cracked for a second.

“How could you possibly know…… that I wanted to leave?”

“The stars provided the answer.”

“……”

She was speechless.

There was no part of Isabella’s original character data that included a desire to flee the desert.

It shouldn’t have been possible.

But Isabella was now a player character. A player’s nature is to explore the world and reach the conclusion.

Being trapped in the sands by a curse must be agonizing for them.

I knew that frustration well. It was why I had given up on her once before.

‘The fourth star I claimed.’

While grinding with previous characters, I had stumbled upon it: the ultimate star concealed within the desert sanctuary. In the entire player base, I was the only one who knew its coordinates.

That star was a game-changer. If I could get my hands on it, I needed to do it immediately.

“……The sanctuary claims the lives of those who aren’t invited.”

“That is a non-issue.”

I had already conquered that place once.

I had every trap and pitfall burned into my memory.

Furthermore, several of my hidden traits were specifically designed for holy ground exploration.

Isabella stared at me with intensity after hearing my confidence.

“Tonight at the break of dawn. When the moon starts to fade, be ready.”

With those words, she turned on her heel and vanished without another look.

The hour of dawn arrived.

“Gack!”

Deep in the palace’s subterranean levels, I moved like a shadow behind Isabella. Any guards we encountered were dealt with before they could even scream.

Her technique was flawless and chilling. She didn’t hesitate for a second.

Isabella possessed the specific skill set of an elite assassin. She was so swift that most of her victims likely didn’t realize they were dead until their eyes closed for the last time.

‘She’s like a ghost.’

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

If Isabella had decided I was an enemy at the start, I would have been deleted before I could blink. Most players who considered themselves ‘top-tier’ wouldn’t stand a chance against her.

There was no better ally to have at my side.

We pushed forward until a massive sacrificial altar loomed before us.

Stone Moai figures stood as silent sentinels around a central staircase that descended into the earth.

“This is the entrance to the sanctuary.”

Her look was expectant, waiting to see my next move.

Even she seemed wary. The desert sanctuary was notorious for its chaotic and lethal nature.

But there was no turning back now. We had committed too many sins to stop.

Why else would she have killed those guards?

‘She’s burning the bridges.’

She was ensuring that no witnesses survived to tell of her trespassing.

If I had suggested turning back now, she would have taken my head off to protect her secret.

“I’ll take the lead.”

I gave a casual shrug and began the descent down the altar’s stairs.

A flood of system alerts began to fill my vision.

《You have discovered the Hidden Desert Sanctuary.》

《Sub Quest: Explore the Sanctuary has triggered.》

《Potential rewards are based on your exploration percentage.》

《Warning: Your current level is below the recommended threshold. Recommended Level: 8.》

《Warning: The area is saturated with toxins and demonic energy. High magic resistance is required.》

《Hidden Trait ‘Giant’s Magic Resistance’ is active.》

《Hidden Trait ‘Mutation’ is active.》

A hidden sanctuary. This was a zone that a level 2 novice should never be able to set foot in.

Usually, you’d need royal clearance or the strength to slaughter the city’s finest warriors to get here.

We had cheated the system by using Isabella as my shield.

The loot from a sanctuary run was immense.

But I wasn’t here for the small stuff. I wasn’t interested in a mere sub-quest.

《Main Quest 2: ‘Acquire Class’ has commenced.》

《Secure a class within the sanctuary.》

《Quest completion is triggered upon class acquisition.》

《Rewards: Scaled based on the rarity of the class obtained.》

The second main objective.

‘Scaled by grade, perfect.’

The requirements brought a grin to my face.

In Pangeniar, the strong take everything. That is the only law.

However, this was different from the first quest.

Strength alone didn’t guarantee a top-tier class; you needed a massive amount of luck.

Not every high-level player ended up with a legendary job.

But I wasn’t worried.

‘I’m taking the top spot again.’

I had the knowledge, the luck, and the hidden traits to bridge the gap.

Specifically, one of my thirteen hidden traits: Mutation.

‘The hidden paths are opening to me.’

The trait surged to life, revealing the secrets of the sanctuary that were invisible to the naked eye.