In Vitality – Northern Ravines
The cliffs sloped down into a forgotten valley, shrouded in mist. Moss-covered ruins jutted from the rock like bones from old wounds. StarViper crouched beside The Architect at the ridge's edge, scanning below.
"There," she pointed. "Cave entrance. That's where the quest marker pings."
The Obsidian Veil glowed. The scanner confirmed it—faint traces of corrupted mana, high-tier anomaly readings.
Quest: "Purge the Shadow Below" – Difficulty: ???
"Dire Wraith," he muttered. "Not supposed to spawn until Level 15 zones."
"That's... not reassuring."
"It shouldn't be here."
StarViper hesitated. "You sure you want to poke whatever the hell that is?"
He rose slowly, blade in hand. "Yes."
---
Deep in a Syndicate satellite node, a cloaked player named BlackRook monitored a floating camera orb—one of several he'd placed across high-value quest zones.
The Architect's marker pinged unexpectedly.
He blinked.
"…You're not supposed to be there," he whispered.
And then he hit Stream.
---
Inside the Cave – Moments Later
The tunnel walls pulsed with bioluminescent growth, casting ghostly shadows. StarViper held her breath as they descended.
The air grew colder. Stiller.
The Architect's Veil whispered warnings:
"Spectral anomaly detected. Magical density: 274%. Movement: Unstable."
Then they heard it.
A scraping sound. Not metal. Not bone.
A whisper trying to speak.
From the darkness emerged something malformed—a wraith nine feet tall, cloak dragging like fog. Its face was a hollowed cavity of blue flame.
Dire Wraith (Corrupted Variant) – Level: ??
Status: Unknown. Weakness: None Registered.
StarViper stepped back. "I've fought a Wraith before. This… this isn't that."
The Architect stepped forward. The mask's glow intensified.
"Split its focus. Draw it wide."
"Are you kidding?"
"Trust me."
---
The Wraith screamed—a hollow, echoing shriek that warped the air.
It surged forward, blades of black energy forming at its sides.
StarViper vanished in a puff of shadow. The Architect met the Wraith head-on.
The first strike slammed into his sword, the shockwave cracking the stone beneath him. Health dropped: -12%
He twisted under the next blow and slashed into the Wraith's flank. The blade passed through partially, flickering on impact.
Spectral resistance. 50% physical mitigation.
He moved faster—cutting low, then high, then rolling back just as a blade of light hissed over his shoulder.
Above them, the hidden orb streamed every movement.
---
NeuraStream – Now 20,000 Viewers
The feed surged in popularity as players flooded the channel:
"Is that a Dire Wraith?! At Level 1?!"
"That's not a glitch. That's a challenge spawn!"
"Look at that dodge timing. He's reading it like a dev."
Back in the stream theatre, a robed man—silent, alone—watched with narrowed eyes.
Same stance. Same grip. Same rhythm between breath and strike.
But the face was hidden. The name was masked.
Still…
He whispered:
"Could it be... after all this time?"
---
Back in the Cave
The Architect ducked under a vertical slash, feinted right, and drove his sword into the Wraith's core. It screeched and exploded in a burst of corrupted light.
A pool of shadow remained—something twisting at its center.
Quest Complete: Purge the Shadow Below.
Loot: Phantom Rune Shard (???), 2,500 XP, +50 Rep
He approached the shard.
StarViper hesitated. "That thing feels... wrong."
He picked it up.
The Veil pulsed violently.
For a split second—only he could see it—lines of code scattered across the air.
ROOT FILE – OBSIDIAN CORE – FRAGMENT 3 OF 12 FOUND
He held his breath. Then closed the window.
Said nothing.
---
Elsewhere – Crimson Phantom's Tower
The fight replayed again.
Still. Silent. Focused.
Then:
"He found a fragment."
They turned from the screen. Crimson eyes flared beneath the helmet.
"He's not just another anomaly. He's one of the old ones."
---
Cave Exit – Just After
StarViper squinted up at the canyon's edge. "We're trending again. Forty thousand now."
The Architect stayed silent.
"People are calling you the 'Phantom Breaker.' Apparently Syndicate's not happy."
He finally spoke. "Let them come."
She turned to him slowly. "You're not a player."
He didn't answer.
---
End of Chapter Three