South Ridge Path. The night was stretched tight like a curtain, every breath frozen after that system prompt.
[World Announcement]: Hidden Event Triggered—"Prelude to the Storm."
Condition: Residual Blood player survives while top guild conflict reaches threshold.
Reward: Event Trigger—Xu Zhu.
—
Instantly, the world channel and forums exploded.
[What?! Residual Blood Maniac triggered a world event?!]
[Not a dungeon—an actual world event!]
[Prelude to the Storm… just from the name, it's server-wide chaos!]
[Is he really cheating? Why does every headline involve him?!]
The spectators nearly lost their minds. They understood: world events meant official storylines—shaping the very game's structure. And the ones who triggered them were usually world-class giants. But now, the trigger was the one-drop-of-blood, ever-dying Residual Blood Maniac.
…
Overlord Spear's guild master's face turned utterly dark.
"Damn it! He's become the event's core. Even if we kill him now, history will record him!"
The vice master spoke quietly: "Guild Master, maybe… we should wait. If we act rashly once the storm event starts, the system could sanction us."
Skyveil Alliance's chief swordsman sneered: "So he truly isn't ordinary." His gaze swept to Xu Zhu. "Residual Blood Maniac—either you sink, or… you step onto the wind's edge."
—
Xu Zhu stood, vision blurred, heartbeat heavy. The toll of Residual Edge left his sight flickering dark and light, but the system prompt kept pounding in his ears.
"Prelude to the Storm…"
He muttered, fingers clenched on his stick, knuckles white.
Suddenly, a new system panel appeared:
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Prelude to the Storm (Prologue)]
Objective: Survive the guild standoff and witness the first crack of the storm.
Reward: ???
He drew a deep breath, whispering: "Seems… I've been pushed to the eye of the storm."
…
The spectator crowd buzzed louder and louder:
"He's not a maniac—he's the storm's center!"
"Residual Blood Maniac is becoming the protagonist of a world event?!"
"With Overlord Spear and Skyveil here, who dares move first now?"
In an instant, Xu Zhu's name shifted—from "joke," from "cheat suspect"—to the spark of a storm.
…
Ling Xue looked at him, eyes unwavering: "Xu Zhu, whether you want it or not, you've been written into this world's rules. But remember—you are not alone."
Her words were firm, sharp—not dependence, but a vow to fight beside him.
Fatty Third gritted his teeth hard: "Big bro, I may be scared, but I'll never abandon you! Wherever you go, I go!"
Xu Zhu glanced at them—and for the first time felt something subtle stir inside. Residual Blood Maniac wasn't just the symbol of solitude.
…
Then the far horizon split open with a sudden scar of light, like lightning tearing the night. The wind howled, grass and trees churned—like the world itself shuddered at the rift.
At the same time, the system thundered:
[World Event: Prelude to the Storm · Phase One—"Rift Descends"]
[Server-wide Task: Survive/Explore/Compete within the Storm Rift]
[Note: Residual Blood Maniac is the event core. All related missions will unfold around his actions]
—
In an instant, the world went mad.
Residual Blood Maniac was no longer just a nickname.
He had become—the name of the world event itself.