The valley was finally quiet after the Steel-Claw Eagle died. Dust danced in the air where the giant bird had dissolved into golden sparkles. Stella settled beside Null, her new Cinderweave Plates gleaming that was dropped by the boss, making her gold scales look even brighter. The air still hummed with leftover magic, the canyon itself seeming to remember the violence.
Null's focus was already on the two remaining Silver-tier bosses: the Corrupted Tiger and Corrupted Lion. They were massive, their auras of raw power making the very air feel thick and heavy. The Eagle had tested their teamwork, but these two felt like pure, brute force.
"Okay, Stella," Null whispered, crouching low. "Tiger first. We wear it down. I'll keep its attention, you hit it hard and fast. Just like we practiced."
Stella let out a soft, understanding chirp, her wings giving a little flutter. It was crazy how in sync they were; Null could almost feel her thoughts, a steady stream of tactical awareness that matched his own.
The Corrupted Tiger's burning red eyes locked onto them. With a ground-shaking ROAR, it launched itself forward. It wasn't just a charge; it was a blur of black fur and corrupted energy. Null didn't dodge sideways this time. He ran forward, under its leap, feeling the wind of its passage rustle his clothes.
"Now, Stella!" he yelled. She know exactly what he meant. No words needed to be exchanged.
As the Tiger landed and spun, Stella was already there. She didn't just swing her tail; she executed a full, spinning maneuver in mid-air, her tail striking the Tiger's shoulder like a golden whip. The impact wasn't just loud; it was a deep, bone-jarring THUMP that echoed off the canyon walls. The Tiger snarled, stumbling slightly from the force.
Null didn't let up. He drew an iron sword. "[Lucky Strike]!" The blade became a silver streak, burying itself in the Tiger's flank. The beast roared in pain and swiped at him with claws that could shred stone. Null dove into a roll, the claws missing him by inches and gouging a deep furrow in the earth where he'd just been.
This started a brutal dance. The Tiger would lunge at Null, and he'd barely evade, using [Lucky Strike] not just to damage it, but to disrupt its attacks, forcing it to flinch or turn. Each time it was distracted, Stella would dive-bomb from above, her claws raking its back or her tail smashing into its legs. She was too fast for it to catch, a shimmering, angry hornet stinging a bear.
The spectators at the valley's edge were dead silent now, utterly captivated. This wasn't just a fight; it was a masterclass in aggro management and coordinated DPS. Professional players trained years to gain this type of coordination.
After what felt like an eternity of this relentless assault, the Tiger was bleeding dark energy, its movements sluggish. Seeing an opening, Null threw his last iron sword, hitting it square in the chest. As it recoiled, Stella saw her chance. She flew high, gathered herself, and plummeted down like a meteor, all her weight and momentum focused into one final, devastating tail-slam onto the Tiger's skull.
There was a sickening crack. The Tiger froze, let out a weak, guttural sound, and then dissolved into the now-familiar shower of golden particles.
Null stood panting, his muscles screaming. That had been close. He walked over and picked up the reward: a skill book called [Complete Understanding] - A Tier. He stored it without a second thought. He and Stella leveled up, their bond feeling stronger, tougher. This feeling really is addicting.
He immediately looked at the [Lion Hide Hat] in his inventory. It was red and sleek, but the text was greyed out: "Requires Level 25."
Null smirked. Requires Level 25? Not for me. He focused, and the familiar, silent command of his trait washed over him. [Null-Command].
The greyed-out text shimmered and vanished. The level requirement was gone, just another rule he'd decided didn't apply. He equipped the hat immediately, feeling a surge of defensive stats flow into him.
"One left," he said to Stella, who was already staring down the Corrupted Lion.
The Lion was smarter. It didn't charge blindly. It paced, watching them, its intelligent eyes calculating. It knew they had just killed its companion.
This fight was different. The Lion would feint, trying to draw Stella in, but she was too clever. It tried to pounce on Null, but he was ready, using his new hat's added defense to brace against the shockwave of its landing, giving Stella the perfect opening to rake her claws across its eyes. the Lion was for sure smarter than the other two bosses but after all the upgrades and the increase in teamwork they made light of the Lion.
It was a battle of attrition. Null used his last few back-up swords, each [Lucky Strike] chipping away at the Lion's health bar. Stella was a whirlwind of scales and fire, her attacks precise and brutal. Finally, with a coordinated final blow—a sword to its heart from Null and a fiery breath scorching its face from Stella—the Lion too fell, adding another level to them and leaving behind some gold.
As the last boss fell. Null walked out of the beginner area.
The path to Aethelburg felt like a victory march. The town was huge, full of life, but Null ignored it all, heading straight for the seven class masters in the center.
He walked up to the Swordsman Master. The man, a grizzled veteran covered in scars, looked him up and down, his eyes lingering on the Level 25 hat on a clearly lower-level player.
"You... you got here alone? And you're wearing that?" the master asked, suspicion in his voice.
"I want to be a Swordsman," Null stated firmly.
The master's gaze then fell on Stella. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "The class quest is to slay a Level 15 Bronze Guardian. It is a test of fundamental skill."
A system prompt appeared for Null:
Accept Quest: Swordsman Advancement? [Y/N]
He looked the master in the eye.
"I accept."
The Swordsman Master's eyes narrowed. "Very well," he said, his voice low. "The monster awaits in the forest."
The fight with the Bronze Guardian was a slaughter. It was designed to be a challenge for a Level 15 player with basic gear. Against a Level 13 player with Silver-tier gear, a dragon, and the ability to ignore game mechanics, it stood no chance. It was dead in under thirty seconds. It wasn't even a challenge. Compared to the bosses it was cakewalk.
Walking back to town at sunset, Null felt good. He was almost at the gates when he saw him. The Swordsman Master was standing in the middle of the path, blocking his way. His expression was no longer neutral; it was cold and challenging.
A new, ominous system alert flashed, its border blood-red.
HIDDEN QUEST ACTIVATED:
Objective: Kill the Swordsman Master.
Warning: This quest supercedes your class advancement. Failure means death.
Null froze. Kill the class master? He looked at Stella, who bared her teeth, sensing the sudden hostility.
The master drew his own blade, a shimmering longsword. "You should of expected this" he said looking at Stella.
Null's mind raced, then he grinned, a sharp, dangerous expression. "So... if I let you 'win' and complete my advancement, the system might force me to give you Stella as a 'reward'?"
The master actually laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You think I'm a fool who would believe you'd ever agree to that?"
"You're right, I wouldn't," Null said, his chuckle dying away. He finally understood. This game didn't just have rules; it had a will. And it saw him as a glitch that needed to be corrected. I mean it makes sense, someone like him shouldnt of existed in the first place.
The hidden quest hung in the air, a direct challenge from the game itself. Null tightened his grip on the Frostfang Sword. Stella let out a low, threatening growl, flames licking at the corners of her mouth.
He had bypassed level locks and inventory limits. Now, he would bypass this too. Survival, mastery, his very future—it all depended on breaking this one last rule.
"Alright," Null whispered, his voice steady. "Let's see how you handle a player who cheats."