On Saturday, August 22nd—specifically at 8:45 AM—at the Demon Gem Mansion, Adrian sat on the balcony of his room, gathering his thoughts.
The fifth scenario was about to begin; only a few hours remained, yet it felt like an eternity. Meanwhile, his adversaries were resting, bolstered by the support of their own allies—the Scorpion organization.
He wasn't sure whether to feel happy or troubled. He had already met all the requirements for the fifth scenario with complete ease; however, two interconnected conditions still remained to fully complete the mission: destroying the Crimson Cat's Eye Auction and rescuing Silvarnia during the second round.
He let out a deep sigh, gazing at the system interface for several moments before closing it. [Game Title: Absolute Zero - Part I]
Age Rating: 16+
Genre: Romance (Dating Sim) - Combat - Dark - Shonen
Game Stages: Season One
Stage 1: Joining the Heroes' Academy - Completed -
Stage 2: The Celebration and Weapon Selection - Completed -
Stage 3: Midterm Examination in the Virtual World - Completed -
Stage 4: Saving the Academy from a Demon Attack - Completed -
Stage 5: Rescuing the Character 'Silvarnia' - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character, Silvarnia, from the clutches of the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction.
Mission Requirements:
Presence of the arc's heroine, Anastasia McGillforn - Met -
Presence of one of the main characters from the original world - Met -
Participation in the auction as a registered attendee and the purchase of at least one item - Met -
Destruction of the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction.
Rescue Silvarnia on the third day of the festival—during the second round.
Note: Deviating from any of the following scenarios is strictly prohibited; failure to comply will result in a penalty for the host.]
However, his expression shifted to one of bewilderment. Several elements were missing—most notably, any mention of a penalty or a reward; there was simply no field indicating either.
He could not fathom the reason for this... Why would the System go to such lengths—exerting effort for no apparent gain—when it knows full well that Silvarnia is a pivotal figure in the events to come? It's all extremely strange.
"Could the 'Game King's Suit' and the 'Demon Gem of the Fantasy World' be the rewards the System is after? Or did it want me here for some other reason? Considering I'm essentially a minor character whose role should have ended at the very start of the game, it seems the System is preparing me for something."
Adrian's tone was laced with deep skepticism—a reaction to something he hadn't noticed in his previous life, where events had simply unfolded in a linear sequence. Back then, his trust in the System had been limited to the simple exchange of completing scenarios for power boosts and level-ups.
He rose from his seat, his steps steady yet somewhat heavy, weighed down by the intense contemplation of what the next twelve hours might hold.
Leaving his room, he headed downstairs to find Anastasia sitting there—as if she had been waiting for him for some time—which caught him completely off guard.
His surprise, however, was short-lived, cut off by the shocking words that fell from Anastasia's lips.
"Of the delegation from the Desolate Moon Clan—the ones who sought to purchase the Phoenix Gem—only one survivor remains: a fifteen-year-old girl named Zhao Ming. As for their quarters, they were found completely destroyed an hour and a half after the auction concluded."
Anastasia's voice remained calm as she looked toward Adrian.
He walked toward her, his mind racing with the possibility that it was Yuta who had killed them. After all, he had acquired the Phoenix Gem they so desperately coveted—a fact that made a confrontation, with them potentially trying to kill him to seize it, a very real possibility.
"How did you even know that Zhao Ming was still alive? And why, of all people, did she survive?"
Adrian's tone was laced with questions, prompting a look from her that seemed to say: *Do I look like a newspaper or a news broadcast to you?*
She let out a sigh, turned her face away, and replied with a hint of annoyance:
"I know Zhao Ming is alive because I found her at Yuta Caseral's residence some time after the incident came to light.
As for why she specifically survived—rumor has it that the leader of the Desolate Moon Clan, Zhao Fei Xiao, was one of the earliest backers of Yuta's technology company.
Furthermore, there's talk that she was spotted entering the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction—specifically room number 6, where Yuta was staying. People speculate that Yuta bought the Phoenix Gem to cure her of the 'Frost Curse'—or something along those lines."
"My take on it? I suspect she feared the delegation she'd sent would betray her and leave her to die. So, she sought help from Yuta Caseral—relying on a past debt and their solid rapport—to eliminate the others while sparing Zhao Ming. Word has it that Yuta intends to bring her into the Versalkin Academy." Adrian listened in silence, finding nothing to praise or even express surprise at regarding her powers of deduction. Anastasia was, after all, a highly intelligent individual; despite her eccentric and unpredictable behavior, she remained one of the most skilled strategists in the protagonist's party—a fact well-known to those familiar with the "Anastasia McGillforn" story arc in the game *Absolute Zero*.
In a calm, somewhat indifferent tone, he remarked:
"That's beside the point. My only concern is rescuing Silvarnia from the clutches of the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction masters today, and getting us back home as soon as possible."
Anastasia offered no reply—a reaction he had fully expected. She had her own agenda—centered on the "Arch-Ruler's Bow"—which made her desire to leave the *Prime Origin* world little more than a pipe dream.
Without another word, he turned and left.
As he navigated the bustling streets of Yusaki—a city teeming with merchants and prominent figures from various neighboring towns and kingdoms—his gaze fell upon Seong-hoon, one of the secondary antagonists in Scenario 5.
He followed him immediately without saying a word, utilizing the "Game King" suit—which remained invisible to others—ensuring his appearance aroused no suspicion.
Time passed as he continued his pursuit.
Seong-hoon entered a warehouse in the city of Yusaki—a site that had hosted the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction for centuries, but had recently undergone a transformation following a partnership with private tech firms (the "Yuta" group) to create an even more sophisticated auction house.
Adrien offered a faint smile as he watched Seong-hoon enter, then followed him inside.
"Good. This is the perfect opportunity to eliminate the obstacle that is Seong-hoon. If I recall correctly, he's just an ordinary human—hardly a formidable threat. His status stems entirely from his terrifying diplomatic skills; otherwise, he would have perished long ago."
"Ultimately, Seong-hoon is an arrogant man despite his extreme frailty. In the original game, had it not been for the items available at the auction, he would have been wiped out with ease."
Stepping into the warehouse, he spoke in a calm, measured tone:
[Game King — Passive Ability: Activated]
[Hacker King — Passive Ability: Activated]
[User's ability efficiency and sensitivity to narrative structural anomalies have increased by 200%.
Power level raised by three full ranks.]
Adrien's eyes widened in astonishment; in a matter of minutes, his rank had surged from "Gold" to "Emperor." Moreover, his entire perception of the world around him had shifted completely. He began to see him just as he had back when they played the game "Absolute Zero."
Drawing his spear, he kept his eyes fixed on Seong-hoon—all while remaining concealed by a "cheat code" that rendered him invisible.
He crept up behind his target with steady, silent steps, but was suddenly caught off guard by a surprise attack from one of the Scorpion Organization's henchmen, forcing him to stumble backward.
"Hahahaha! Did you really think I wouldn't notice someone trying to kill me? Speak up—who are you? Maybe I'll go a little easy on you."
Seong-hoon's tone was dripping with blatant mockery.
When no one answered, Seong-hoon's expression turned serious. He scanned his surroundings, searching for Adrian—who remained hidden, baffled as to how he had been discovered despite wearing the "Game King" suit and having the invisibility cheat code active.
Glaring at the Scorpion Organization members behind him, Seong-hoon snapped:
"Grab that bastard! I don't care if it's a man, a woman, or a child—bring him to me, dead or alive. Is that clear?"
The henchmen exchanged glances for a few tense seconds—a hesitation that only fueled Seong-hoon's growing rage—before finally moving to carry out his orders. Elsewhere inside the warehouse, Adrian sat, trying to compose himself. The "Game King" suit's ability hadn't performed as effectively as he had anticipated; although it boosted his power by two ranks and doubled the efficiency of his unused abilities, it would have cost him his life had he not dodged the attack just in time.
He let out a deep sigh, clearing his mind of any untimely, excessive thoughts. He decided to check his status and investigate why the ability hadn't functioned as expected—after all, identifying the root of a problem is half the battle toward solving it.
"Status."
Adrian's tone remained calm as he scanned his surroundings, wary of any surprise attacks; he wasn't, after all, completely invisible. [Name: Adrian
Surname: Kozumias
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Race: Pure Human
Main Branch: Master of Classifications - Inactive -
Sub-Branch: None
Talent: SSS++
Profession: Player
Rank: [Gold Level 4 - Peak -] ↑↑↑ [Emperor Level 2 - Late Stage -]
Experience Points: 1,450,000,000 / 71,574,968
Stats:
Strength: [630,061] + 12,540
Speed: [759,114] + 12,540
Endurance: [759,114] + 12,540
Durability: [588,198] + 12,540
Mana: [968,629] + 12,540
Aura: [900,338] + 12,540
Intelligence: [S] ↑↑↑ [SS]
Charisma: [S] ↑↑↑ [S+]
Luck: [S] ↑↑↑ [SS]
Skills / Abilities:
Passive Ability: Deep Understanding
Purple Flame Ability
Passive Ability: King of Games [Active]
Passive Ability: King of Hackers [Active]
King of Games Suit [Active] - Synchronization Rate: 0.01%
100-Strike Spear Art, Mastery: 100% [Peak]
Beginner Sword Mastery, Mastery: 100% [Peak]
Spear Mastery (Beginner) – Proficiency: 100% [Peak]
Sharah's Sword Art – Proficiency: 100% [Peak]
Equipment:
Game King Suit – Synchronization Rate: 0.01%
Poseidon's Spear (Immortal-rank)
23x Reinforced Steel Spears
Moon Ruler's Spear (Platinum-rank)
Adrian's expression shifted to shock as he stared at the Game King Suit's synchronization rate: 0.01%. It was so infinitesimally low that, technically, there was no synchronization at all.
Yet, the way its core functions operated made him realize that these were merely residual effects of wearing the suit—not the true, full-fledged abilities of the "Game King" or the "Hacker King."
He decided to rely on his own, now-enhanced abilities, using the Game King Suit primarily for leveling up—aiming to eventually raise the synchronization rate to a level where he could actually wield its true powers.
He surged forward at high speed, activating his "Deep Understanding" ability. The world around him slowed to a crawl, further enhancing the suit's unique feature: perceiving reality as if it were a game.
Dashing toward one of the Scorpion Organization's henchmen, he muttered to himself while channeling mana into his spear:
<100-Strike Spear Art: Form 4 – 80 Strikes>
Eighty spear thrusts erupted toward the henchman, shattering his body in just half a second.
Adrian continued on his way in complete silence, having donned the mask he'd taken from the fallen henchman. He was taken aback to see the system interface appear right before his eyes, prompting him to hide in a spot concealed from the view of the remaining followers of the Scorpion Organization.
[Stage 5: Rescuing the Character Silvarnia - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character Silvarnia from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Hidden Scenario 1: Eliminate the minor antagonist, Seong-hoon.
Scenario Info: A hidden quest has been unlocked. You must track Seong-hoon to a storage warehouse on the third day of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and eliminate him before the auction begins.
Mission Conditions:
1) Ensure he is present within a goods storage warehouse — Achieved —
2) Prevent him from leaving the storage warehouse during the first 46 minutes of the hidden scenario.
3) Eliminate the minor antagonist, Seong-hoon, before the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction commences.
4) Ensure the minor antagonist, Seong-hoon, does not discover the player's identity.
5) The mission will automatically fail if any other antagonist appears inside the warehouse or if the player's identity is revealed.]
Adrian gritted his teeth as he stared at the system interface. He hadn't expected a hidden quest to emerge. Quickly, he donned a mask and activated a concealment sigil—after all, there was nothing stopping him from bolstering his defenses to ensure his identity remained hidden. He moved through the warehouse, eliminating the Scorpion Organization henchmen who were guarding Seong-hoon. By isolating his target, he made the eventual kill much easier—especially since Seong-hoon posed no serious physical threat, despite his immense influence within the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction house, the city of Yusaki, and beyond.
Adrian, however, had no intention of remaining in the "Prime Origin" world once this phase of the game concluded. He would return in the fourth season, though the circumstances would be quite different then—he would arrive as a visitor from another world.
After more than 30 minutes of relentless searching—aided by his "Deep Insight" ability and the "Game King" suit—Adrian realized something was amiss.
He decided to head toward Seong-hoon's location, finding the man in a state of extreme agitation, scrambling to flee the warehouse. It was an odd sight, given that Seong-hoon was actually capable of flight—he could have reached the auction house in the blink of an eye.
Yet, paralyzed by fear, he had forgotten his own capabilities, reverting to the state of a frail, ordinary human. In truth, Seong-hoon's status as one of Yusaki's top merchants stemmed not from physical prowess, but from his terrifyingly effective diplomatic skills.
Without a word—as the "Game King" suit lacked a voice-modulation feature—Adrian delivered a sharp kick to Seong-hoon's midsection, sending him flying several meters.
"Who the hell are you? What could you possibly want from me that makes you so hell-bent on killing me?" Seong-hun's voice was laced with fear as he stared at Adrian. Having deactivated his invisibility, Adrian walked toward him in silence, a purple flame burning in his right hand.
Seong-hun's expression darkened completely; he retreated, clutching his abdomen—shattered by Adrian's previous blow.
"Hmm, the 'Infinite Health' token works remarkably well—even if it doesn't actually heal the injuries."
Adrian's tone was filled with genuine admiration as he looked at Seong-hun, who remained alive despite his fatal wounds.
He reached out toward Seong-hun's face, thinking to himself in a calm, resolute tone:
"This scenario must be brought to an end before anyone else arrives. The System only includes a condition if there's a 98% probability of it occurring."
Gripping Seong-hun's mouth with immense force, Adrian unleashed the purple flames, which consumed the man's body with such terrifying speed that he was reduced to a pile of dust in a fraction of a second.
Adrian's expression remained unmoved—save for the smile of a player who had just defeated an enemy. Yet, that very smile—paired with his gaze fixed upon the ashes—gave his face an unsettling, almost shocking appearance.
He let out a deep sigh, deactivating the 'Game King' suit and all associated passive abilities.
With a firm, determined look, he left the warehouse—resolved to complete every remaining scenario and uncover the truth behind the world in which he now found himself. The system interface reappeared before his eyes, bearing news that left him unsure whether he had actually achieved something significant or not.
[Stage 5: Rescue the character Silvarnia – In Progress –
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character Silvarnia from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Hidden Scenario 1: Eliminate the minor antagonist, Seong-hoon – Completed –
Scenario Details: A hidden mission has been triggered, requiring you to track Seong-hoon to a storage warehouse on the third day of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and eliminate him before the auction begins.
Mission Conditions:
1) Ensure he is present within a goods storage warehouse – Met –
2) Prevent him from leaving the storage warehouse during the first 46 minutes of the hidden scenario – Met –
3) Eliminate the minor antagonist, Seong-hoon, before the start of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction – Met –
4) Ensure the minor antagonist, Seong-hoon, does not discover the player's identity – Met –
5) The host automatically fails if any other antagonist appears inside the warehouse or if the player's identity is revealed – Met –]
"Well, where's the reward for completing this hidden mission? Isn't there usually a reward for finishing tasks like this?"
Adrian's tone was laced with annoyance as he stared at the system interface. Once again, Adrian was met with complete silence—a fact that left him deeply frustrated. In a fit of annoyance, he threw a punch at the system interface, only for his hand to pass straight through it, which served only to irritate him further.
He took a deep breath and asked, his tone bordering on anger:
"Am I actually required to complete the scenarios and seasons of the game *Absolute Zero*?"
The system interface flickered to life, displaying information that made him instantly regret having asked—leaving him with the distinct, unsettling feeling that he was, in fact, conversing with someone.
[No game directly grants rewards to a player; the host is asked to accept this fact. As for the reward for completing scenarios, it comes in the form of experience points—you have been awarded 6,000 experience points.
Regarding whether the host is obligated to complete the scenarios and seasons of the 'Absolute Zero' game: yes, the host is required to undertake side quests; failure to do so will result in several harsh penalties.]
Adrian let out a sigh of relief as he wandered through the districts of Yusaki City, finally understanding the nature of his rewards and the reason his experience points had surged with such alarming speed.
He summoned his status window to verify whether the system was playing any tricks on him. After all, the system frequently assigned him hidden or side quests at the most unexpected moments, yet it never disclosed the actual benefits he stood to gain from clearing these stages and scenarios. [Name: Adrian
Surname: Kozumias
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Race: Pure Human
Main Branch: Master of Classifications - Inactive -
Sub-Branch: None
Talent: SSS++
Profession: Player
Rank: Gold Level 4 - Peak -
Experience Points: 1,450,000,000 / 71,580,968
Stats:
Strength: 617,521
Speed: 746,574
Endurance: 74,565
Durability: 575,658
Mana: 956,089
Aura: 887,798
Intelligence: S
Charisma: S
Luck: S
Skills / Abilities:
Passive Ability: Deep Understanding
Purple Flame Ability
Passive Ability: King of Games [Active]
Passive Ability: King of Hackers [Active]
100-Strike Spear Art, Mastery: 100% [Peak]
Beginner Sword Mastery, Mastery: 100% [Peak]
Beginner Spear Mastery, Mastery: 100% [Peak]
Gluttony Sword Art, Mastery: 100% [Peak]
Equipment:
King of Games Suit, Synchronization Rate: 1.34%
Poseidon's Spear (Immortal Rank)
23 × Reinforced Steel Spears
Moon Ruler's Spear (Platinum Rank)]
Shadow Adrian stared at his status window for half an hour, noting that the synchronization rate for his "Game King" suit had climbed from 0.01% to 1.34% in a remarkably short time.
He realized that using the suit increased the synchronization rate—but it came with a significant drawback: it caused him to perceive other people as mere non-player characters (NPCs). Most concerning of all was the fact that he had no way to deactivate or disable it once it was active.
Yet, this only strengthened his resolve to master it. After all, the prospect of losing his grip on reality—or losing control of the suit entirely—was simply an outcome he would never allow to happen.
He returned home to prepare for the mission: rescuing Silfarnia from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction house.
Hours later, at the Crimson Cat's Eye auction, Adrian and Anastasia moved through the venue—specifically, the section where slaves were being displayed.
Anastasia spoke via telepathy, her tone calm:
"When do we begin the operation to rescue Silfarnia? And do you have a plan to defeat..."
A faint smile crossed Adrian's face as he listened to her, but then he suddenly turned and began to walk away, leaving her bewildered by his actions. "It's a very simple plan: you secure the Bow of the Arch-Ruler, I'll rescue Silfarnia, and Yuta will dismantle this entire auction. We've gathered enough evidence to convict the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction house for slave trading and its ties to the Scorpion Organization—it shouldn't be too difficult. But keep in mind, there's something strange about the followers of the Scorpion Organization.
They previously let Seong-hun die at my hands; it's possible they're planning something, though it remains unclear what. After all, keeping that scoundrel alive would have been highly advantageous, given his diplomatic skills."
Anastasia didn't say a word as she listened to Adrian. She, too, was skeptical about the Scorpion Organization's true intentions. They had had plenty of opportunities—both in their original world, the 'Absolute Zero' realm, and here—to kill them or launch a surprise attack, yet they never did.
Adrian headed toward the VIP guest room he shared with Anastasia to rest while they waited for the first round of the auction to begin—only twelve minutes remained.
"Adrian, there's still something that bothers me. Regarding what you said earlier—could Yuta actually be the 'Heaven-Shattering Venerable'—or, to put it another way, the founder of the Scorpion Organization? The description of his appearance matches Yuta Caseral's almost perfectly: long white hair, a presence that compels even rulers to kneel, a peculiar scent, and a burn mark on his neck." Adrian looked at her with an expression that was a mix of surprise and bewilderment—specifically regarding how she had managed to see Yuta's neck. His eyes narrowed, casting a suspicious glance at her moral character, which caused her to shriek, her face flushing bright red.
"You despicable scoundrel! Do you take me for a whore, or what? I'll kill you, you pathetic piece of trash!"
Anastasia's voice was laced with intense fury as she grabbed Adrian by the throat.
He pulled her away, his voice strained as he spoke:
"I am truly sorry—I was wrong. My apologies, Anastasia; it won't happen again."
A few seconds passed before both of them let out a sigh, followed by a faint, shared laugh as they glanced toward the door of their room.
Through telepathy, Anastasia asked—her tone filled with a mix of curiosity and genuine admiration:
"Who was watching us? Do you know them? And, on another note, your ability to sense your surroundings is terrifying—it's so sharp that I would have actually believed you if I'd heard a thud behind the door."
Adrian didn't answer her question; he was just as surprised as she was that he had managed to sense they were being watched. It dawned on him that some lingering effects of the 'King of Games' suit still remained—though only to a very faint degree.
"I took precautions. After all, I killed one of the key figures at the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction—Seong-hoon. It's only logical that they would keep an eye on the occupants of the private rooms, hoping to find a lead that might reveal the killer's identity."
Anastasia sighed skeptically, casting a sidelong glance at him for a few seconds before turning her gaze toward the auction stage, where the eighth item was being presented. Realizing that little time remained before the end of the first round, she felt a growing sense of apprehension and tension.
After all, they were being watched—not only by the masters of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and the "Scorpion" organization backing it, but also by Yuta, whose true allegiance—ally or enemy—remained in doubt.
These circumstances placed them at a distinct disadvantage. Compounding this was the dilemma Adrian now faced; he stared intently at the system interface, searching for anything that might help him resolve the situation.
[Game Title: Absolute Zero - Part I -
Age Rating: 16+
Genre: Romance (Dating Sim) - Combat - Dark - Shonen
Game Stages: Season One
Stage 1: Joining the Hero Academy - Completed -
Stage 2: The Ceremony and Weapon Selection - Completed -
Stage 3: Midterm Examination in the Virtual World - Completed -
Stage 4: Saving the Academy from a Demon Attack - Completed -
Stage 5: Rescuing the Character "Silvania" - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character, Silvania, from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.] Mission Requirements:
Presence of the arc's heroine, Anastasia McGillforn — Achieved —
Presence of a major character from the original world — Achieved —
Participation in the auction as a registered attendee and the purchase of at least one item — Achieved —
Destruction of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Rescue Silvarnia on the third day of the festival — Round Two.
Note: Skipping any of the following scenarios is prohibited; failure to comply will result in a penalty for the Host.]
"How am I supposed to pull off the 'destruction of the Crimson Cat's Eye auction' scenario? And this last one—rescuing Silvarnia—is completely nonsensical."
Adrian muttered to himself, his tone laced with frustration. The fact that the penalty for failure remained undisclosed made the situation all the more precarious; after all, the unknown is often far more dangerous than even the most brutal or hellish reality.
Suddenly, a system window appeared before his eyes, bearing welcome news that allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief—though, deep down, he remained both bewildered and unsettled.
[Given that the scenarios are arranged in an illogical order, the Host may alter their sequence by sacrificing 10,000 experience points—a one-time option. Would the Host like to sacrifice 10,000 points? Yes or No.]