A soft golden chime echoed across the sky above Elorin's Rest.
Even in the early morning light, the air in the village buzzed with sudden tension as everyone stopped what they were doing and players glanced up in unison.
Above the village square, a system message shimmered into existence, grand and radiant.
[Village-Wide Announcement – Valoria]
The dungeon "The Crimson Hollow – Noble's Gauntlet" has been cleared for the first time.First-Clear Bonus Granted.
Party Members: [Rai], [Alex], [Eron]
Records Updated. Glory to the Brave.
Gasps and murmurs erupted across the town. The areas of various guilds, usually a hub of trade and recruitment, burst into loud chattering and excitement.
"Wait… Noble's Gauntlet?"
"That's the level 12 dungeon people keep getting wiped in."
"Who the hell are these guys?"
"They're not in any of the top guilds... I have never heard heard about any of them!"
More experienced players narrowed their eyes. Scarlet Dominion, Azure Claw, Ebon Howl—all guilds that had attempted and failed to clear the dungeon—suddenly felt the weight of embarrassment. Some of their scouts were already racing through the crowd trying to identify the trio behind the announcement.
In the second-story room of an inn on the outskirts of the square, Rai was already leaning back in a chair, his expression unreadable.
"So, we're famous now," Alex said with a wide grin, stretching his arms.
Eron was pacing in the room, visibly shaken. "This isn't normal. Do you realize what we've done? Guilds with professional and experienced players couldn't even get past the easy level yet and we three… we actually did it."
Rai smiled faintly, his gaze lingering on the golden residue still fading from the sky. "It was bound to happen."
Alex let out a laugh. "You sound like you expected it."
"I didn't expect the announcement," Rai admitted. "But I knew we'd win."
Eron turned, arms crossed. "You knew every boss mechanic, Rai. Every trap. Every cooldown window. You don't just expect that and predict that."
Rai's smile faded slightly. "No, you don't."
He didn't explain further. How could he? That this wasn't his first life in this world? That he'd already lived through the failures, the wars, the betrayals, seen the very end of the Eidolon Realm?
Instead, he pulled up his inventory and summoned the sigil and glanced at some specific parts of the lore.
[Blessed Sigil of Verdance]
a beautiful human mage with violet hair
Rai read the description again, especially the final lines.
Destiny has been diverted.
He still remembered the vision. The moonlit glade. A woman's silhouette. The silent judgment. The overwhelming sense of not belonging—like the divine forces had recognized that the wrong person had taken what wasn't his.
And yet… the system hadn't taken it away.
The Blessed Sigil of Verdance pulsed faintly, almost as if accepting its new bearer.
Rai closed the interface and exhaled.
Somewhere far away, not meant to be accessed by ordinary players yet, nestled inside a marble tower lit by a thousand everburning candles...
A purple-haired mage sat in silence.
Her name was Lyra Moonveil, and her beauty was the subject of tavern songs and noble envy alike. Dressed in pristine ivory and starlight blue robes, she held a delicate silver staff topped with a pale gemstone—Veilstone.
A strange emotion tugged at her chest.
The system message had echoed even here. She'd watched the golden letters scroll across the sky.
"The Crimson Hollow – Noble's Gauntlet has been cleared…"
She didn't know why, but the moment the name [Rai] appeared, her breath caught.
Then it happened.
A subtle ache. A pull—deep in her core, beyond logic or magic. As if something important had been taken from her. No—stolen.
She clutched her staff tightly, knuckles whitening.
"I… don't understand."
It wasn't envy. It wasn't even anger. It was more like a severed connection—like something that should have come to her had shifted direction and gone to someone else.
It made no sense. She had no reason to feel this way. And yet the ache persisted.
Veilstone shimmered faintly in her hand, as if reacting.
A whisper. A moment of stillness. She closed her eyes.
'Who is Rai...?'
Her thoughts lingered on that name. A name she didn't recognize, but one that now wouldn't leave her mind.
Somewhere inside, she knew this wasn't the last time she'd hear it.
Back in Elorin's Rest after returning back from the dungeon, Rai finally turned away from the window. He looked at Alex and Eron, now both seated and nursing drinks handed out by the staff in a cafe type shop in the village.
"I'm forming a guild," Rai said.
Alex choked on his cider. "Already?"
Eron blinked. "That's... fast."
Rai shrugged. "The world doesn't wait. And now that we've done what others couldn't, eyes are on us. Better to act while we still have the element of surprise."
Eron leaned forward. "You want us to be part of the founding?"
"Of course," Rai said. "You two were here when it mattered. And I'll need people I trust."
Alex grinned stupidly. "Well, count me in."
Eron hesitated a little longer, then sighed. "If we're going to be legendary, might as well start early. But you need to tell me about that blacksmith quest"
Rai smirked. "Good."
Alex then asked, "So, What have you thought about the name of the guild?"
Rai leaned back, arms crossed, a playful gleam in his eyes. "So… any suggestions for the guild name?"
aLEX was the first to respond. "You're the mastermind. Don't tell me you haven't already thought of ten."
Rai smirked. "Oh, I've got ideas."
Eron groaned. "This is going to be bad, isn't it?"
Rai raised a finger. "Listen and behold. First suggestion, Bros United."
Alex snorted his drink through his nose. "What are we, a wrestling team?"
Eron facepalmed. "Absolutely not."
"Okay, okay," Rai said, grinning. "How about… Guildy as Charged?"
Alex doubled over laughing. "No way. You're trolling."
Eron raised both hands. "I'm out."
"Wait, wait—Moonlight Slappers!"
"Rai." Eron's tone was deadpan. "I will leave."
"Alright, alright. I'll stop… maybe."
He tapped his chin in mock thought.
Alex leaned toward Eron. "We need to keep him away from naming privileges."
Even Rai was laughing by this point.
But slowly, the laughter faded. A quiet settled over them, as the fire crackled gently. Rai leaned back, eyes half-lidded, then closed them entirely.
He went still.
The chatter of the inn dimmed into the background. In that moment, memories he rarely allowed to surface came flooding back.
The first time he logged into the game in his past life—already late, already behind. Watching others soar ahead while he fumbled in the dark. The betrayals, the regrets. How long it took him to find his footing. To matter. And even when he did... it was too late.
Always too late.
Until now.
Now, he was back. And he wasn't late. He had knowledge, power, and the chance to lead something new.
Something better.
His voice, when it returned, was softer—calmer.
"I want the name to mean something," Rai said, eyes still closed. "Not just to us, but to anyone who joins."
Alex blinked, sensing the shift in tone. "Go on."
"I want it to stand for those who were nobodies. The ones no one believed in. The ones who started with nothing—no skills, no titles, no support."
He opened his eyes, and they weren't laughing anymore.
"I want a name that means starting from zero… and rising to become something greater."
The silence lingered for a moment, respectful.
And then Rai spoke.
Oblivion's Ascent
Eron raised a brow. "Oblivion's Ascent…?"
Alex tilted his head. "That's... actually kind of badass."
Eron nodded slowly, surprised. "It's good. Mysterious. Feels like... it means something."
"It does," Rai said quietly, opening his eyes. "It's not about being the strongest. It's about where we came from—and where we're headed."
Eron gave a slow nod. "I like it."
Rai looked between the two of them. For once, no one laughed. No one joked.
The name had landed.
And so, under the amber light of the hearth, with fire dancing and fate unraveling just a little more, they sealed it.
Oblivion's Ascent was born.
A guild with no past.
But a future no one could predict.