The slums of Luminaris were a labyrinth of crumbling stone and flickering runes, where the city's neon glow barely reached. Zane Aldric moved silently through the narrow alleys, his B-rank Ice Spear strapped across his back, the Amulet of the Wild pulsing faintly against his chest. Skoll, his level 6 Adolescent Fenrir, padded beside him, his *Frost Aura* casting a faint chill that made stray rats scurry. The System's latest quest burned in Zane's vision: *[INVESTIGATE THE ANOMALY. LOCATE THE OBSERVER'S MARK IN LUMINARIS. REWARD: UNKNOWN.]* The map marker pointed to this grimy underbelly, a district of black-market stalls and rogue adventurers who lived outside the System's spotlight. After yesterday's arena victory over Rhea and Dren, Zane was a name on everyone's lips, but the System's warning—*UNKNOWN ENTITY OBSERVING*—had shifted his focus. Something, or someone, was watching him, and he needed answers.
Mira and Toren followed close, their level 6 gear gleaming faintly. Mira's alchemy satchel clinked with vials, her *Catalyst Surge* Talent ready to turn them deadly. Toren's rune shield was raised, his *Iron Bastion* Talent a reassuring bulwark. Zane's *Mythic Beast Tamer* class, upgraded in the Crimson Hollow, felt like a loaded gun—his *Wild Synergy* Talent boosting Skoll's abilities with allies nearby, his new *Frost Lance* skill begging to be tested. But the slums weren't a dungeon. Here, threats hid in shadows, not stat screens, and the System's secrecy was absolute—no one could see its interface but the user, a fact Zane's old gamer instincts appreciated. It was his edge, a hidden HUD in a world blind to its mechanics.
The System's panel flared in his mind, updating their stats:
---
**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 6
- **Skills**: Beast Command (Reaction speed and precision +35%), Tamer's Insight (Weakness detection +20%), Wild Call (Beast attack speed +12%, 30-second duration, 1-minute cooldown), Frost Lance (Projects ice spear, 15-meter range, 8-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact (Ice damage +15%, cold resistance +15%), Wild Synergy (Beast ability potency +10% with allies)
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 6)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +50%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +20%), Glacial Howl (Stuns enemies in a 10-meter radius, 11.5-second duration, 10-second cooldown)
- **Evolution Progress**: 12/50 kills, 9/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Ice Spear (B-rank, +20 attack, +10% ice damage), Amulet of the Wild (B-rank, +10% beast ability potency, +5% mana regeneration)
**Mira Veyne**
- **Class**: Alchemist (B-rank)
- **Level**: 6
- **Skills**: Potion Craft (Recipes: Acid Bomb, Flame Vial, Light Salve, Healing Salve, Frost Tincture), Explosive Toss (Accuracy +25%), Quick Brew (Crafting time -20%), Salve Burst (AOE healing, 10-meter radius, 20-second cooldown)
- **Talent**: Catalyst Surge (Potion potency +20%, crafting time -10%)
- **Equipment**: Alchemy Satchel (C-rank, +10 storage)
**Toren Kade**
- **Class**: Shield Warden (A-rank)
- **Level**: 6
- **Skills**: Shield Bash (Knockback distance +20%), Fortified Stance (Stability +30%), Rallying Stand (Ally defense +12%, 20-second duration, 1-minute cooldown), Iron Wall (Reflects 10% melee damage, 15-second duration, 1-minute cooldown)
- **Talent**: Iron Bastion (Defense +25%, damage reduction +15%)
- **Equipment**: Rune Shield (B-rank, +20 defense, +10% physical resistance)
---
Zane dismissed the panel, its data invisible to anyone else—a secret weapon in a world where no one could peek at his stats or quests. "Stay sharp," he whispered, his gamer's instincts on high alert. "The System's pointing us to a mark, but it didn't say what we're looking for."
Mira adjusted her satchel, her hazel eyes scanning the shadows. "This place gives me the creeps. Rogue adventurers, black-market dealers—half these guys would sell us for a single mana crystal."
Toren gripped his shield tighter. "If that 'observer' is here, they're not gonna like us poking around. You sure about this, Zane?"
Zane scratched Skoll's ears, the Fenrir's *Frost Aura* cooling his hand. "Sure as I can be. The System's hiding something, and I'm not waiting for it to bite us." Skoll yipped, his eyes glinting with feral agreement.
The alley opened into a makeshift market, stalls draped in tattered cloth, peddling everything from D-rank weapons to dubious potions. Rogues in patched cloaks haggled, their eyes darting to Skoll's glowing fur. Zane's *Tamer's Insight* pinged, highlighting a stall with a faint rune etched into its counter—the same rune he'd glimpsed on the cloaked figure in the *Iron Fang* tavern last night. The System confirmed: *[OBSERVER'S MARK DETECTED. INVESTIGATE WITH CAUTION.]*
"Over there," Zane said, nodding at the stall. The vendor, a wiry man with a C-rank Enchanter's badge, eyed them warily, his hands hidden under the counter.
Mira frowned. "Looks sketchy. Got a plan, wolf boy?"
"Play it cool," Zane said. "We're just browsing. Skoll, stay alert." He sent a *Beast Command* to the Fenrir, syncing their senses. Skoll's nose twitched, catching a scent—metal and something sour, like dark magic.
They approached the stall, Zane feigning interest in a stack of mana-infused daggers. "Nice gear," he said, keeping his tone casual. "You get much traffic down here?"
The vendor's eyes narrowed, but he smirked. "Enough. You're the Beast Tamer kid, yeah? Heard you made Rhea Solis cry in the arena."
Zane shrugged, his spear resting lightly on his shoulder. "Just a spar. You hear anything… weird lately? Strange runes, maybe?"
The vendor's smirk faded, his hand inching under the counter. Zane's *Tamer's Insight* flared, detecting a hidden trap rune. "Skoll, *Glacial Howl*!" he shouted.
Skoll's howl erupted, a chilling wave stunning the vendor and nearby rogues for 11.5 seconds. Toren reacted instantly, his *Iron Wall* skill reflecting a dagger thrown from the shadows. Mira tossed a *Frost Tincture*, its icy mist slowing two rogues who lunged from a side alley. Zane thrust his *Frost Lance*, a spear of ice shooting 15 meters to pin a rogue's cloak to the wall, the *Wild Synergy* Talent boosting its power with his allies nearby.
The vendor recovered, slamming his hand on the trap rune. A cage of dark energy erupted, aiming to trap them, but Toren's *Rallying Stand* boosted their defense, and Skoll's *Ice Bite* shattered the cage's base, freezing it brittle. Zane leaped, his Ice Spear slashing the vendor's arm—not lethal, but enough to make him drop a hidden blade. The rogues fled, and the vendor collapsed, groaning.
Zane grabbed the rune-etched counter piece, the System chiming: *[OBSERVER'S MARK ACQUIRED. ANALYZING… ANOMALY SOURCE: UNKNOWN ENTITY, NON-HUMAN. QUEST UPDATED: TRACK THE OBSERVER TO THE FORGOTTEN SPIRE. REWARD: 1,000 SYSTEM FAVOR, A-RANK ARTIFACT.]*
Mira panted, wiping frost from her hands. "Okay, that was intense. Non-human? What's that mean?"
Toren lowered his shield, his *Iron Bastion* still glowing. "Sounds like trouble. The Forgotten Spire's a dungeon, level 15 at least. We're not ready."
Zane tucked the mark into his pocket, its rune pulsing faintly. "We'll get ready. This observer's tied to the System, and I'm not letting it stalk us." Skoll growled, his *Frost Aura* flaring, as if sensing the threat.
The System pinged: *[COMBAT ENCOUNTER COMPLETED. LEVEL UP: ZANE, LEVEL 7. SKOLL, LEVEL 7. MIRA, LEVEL 7. TOREN, LEVEL 7. REWARD: 2 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
---
**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 7
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+40% reaction speed), Tamer's Insight (Weakness detection +25%), Wild Call (Attack speed +15%), Frost Lance (Range +18 meters), Beast Sense (New: Detects hidden enemies within 20 meters, 30-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact (Ice damage +15%, cold resistance +15%), Wild Synergy (Beast ability potency +10%)
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 7)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +55%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +22%), Glacial Howl (Stun duration +2 seconds)
- **Evolution Progress**: 14/50 kills, 11/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Ice Spear, Amulet of the Wild
**Mira Veyne**
- **Class**: Alchemist (B-rank)
- **Level**: 7
- **Skills**: Potion Craft (New recipe: Smoke Vial), Explosive Toss (+30% accuracy), Quick Brew (Crafting time -25%), Salve Burst (AOE healing +12%), Alchemical Flash (New: Blinds enemies, 5-meter radius, 15-second cooldown)
- **Talent**: Catalyst Surge (Potion potency +20%, crafting time -10%)
**Toren Kade**
- **Class**: Shield Warden (A-rank)
- **Level**: 7
- **Skills**: Shield Bash (Knockback distance +25%), Fortified Stance (Stability +35%), Rallying Stand (Ally defense +15%), Iron Wall (Damage reflection +12%), Guardian's Roar (New: Taunts enemies, 10-meter radius, 20-second cooldown)
- **Talent**: Iron Bastion (Defense +25%, damage reduction +15%)
---
Zane grinned, pocketing the two mana crystals: *[13/100 MANA CRYSTALS]*. His new *Beast Sense* skill was a game-changer, perfect for sniffing out ambushes. The Forgotten Spire dungeon was a leap, but the A-rank artifact reward was tempting. He needed to grind, push Skoll's evolution, and prepare for the Luminaris Trials. Rhea and Dren wouldn't let their arena loss slide, and Lia's warnings—about "big eyes" and now a non-human observer—hinted at a deeper game.
---
Back at the *Iron Fang* tavern, the trio sat in a corner, the rune mark on the table. Mira sipped her ale, frowning. "Non-human? Like, a monster? Or something weirder?"
Zane turned the mark over, its rune cold to the touch. "Could be anything. The System's not exactly chatty." Its interface was his alone—no one could see his panels or quests, a secret he guarded like a trump card. Even Mira and Toren only knew what he shared.
Toren leaned in, his shield propped against the wall. "The Spire's in the Monster Dominion, deep in the jungle. We'd need to train hard—level 10 at least. And watch for Rhea. She's been quiet since the arena, which means she's plotting."
Zane nodded, his mind on Lia. The S-rank Shadow Dancer had vanished again, her *Phantom Step* making her a ghost. Was she friend or foe? Her warnings felt like breadcrumbs, leading him somewhere dangerous. He scratched Skoll's ears, the Fenrir gnawing a bone, his *Glacial Howl* ready to stun entire rooms. Level 20 was close—Jörmungandr's summon loomed, a serpent to shake the world.
The tavern door creaked, and a hooded figure slipped in, their cloak brushing the floor. Zane's *Beast Sense* pinged, detecting a hidden presence. Skoll's head snapped up, growling low. The figure paused, their glove flashing with a familiar rune—the observer's mark. They met Zane's gaze, their face hidden, and raised a finger to their lips before melting into the crowd.
Mira blinked. "Did you see that?"
"Yeah," Zane said, his voice steady but his heart racing. "They're playing with us."
Toren gripped his shield. "What now?"
Zane stood, Skoll rising with him, ice crackling in the air. The System pinged: *[ANOMALY PRESENCE CONFIRMED. OBSERVER'S INTENT: UNKNOWN. PREPARE FOR CONTACT.]*
He smirked, spear in hand. "We hunt them back."
As they left the tavern, the slum's shadows seemed to shift, not with wind but with purpose. High above, a single star flickered out, replaced by a crimson eye that vanished as quickly as it appeared, unseen by all but the System's silent gaze.