The sky cracked open.
Not metaphorically—Kayn stood in awe as the clouds above the City of Winds tore like silk under a blade made of thunder. A colossal storm eye hovered in the sky, pulsing with unnatural rhythm. He wasn't alone. Hundreds of players watched the anomaly, frozen mid-step.
The System's voice buzzed into his mind:
"New Quest Unlocked: Dominate the City of Winds. Objective: Survive the Trial of Sovereignty. Rewards: ???"
And then it whispered something he hadn't heard before. A soft voice—Lyana's? A memory? A glitch?
"The wind remembers you, my love…"
[1. Arrival in the Wind-Spun Metropolis]
The gates of Zephyros, the City of Winds, were a marvel of both technology and spiritual artistry. Spiraling towers hovered slightly above the ground, anchored by ancient cultivator glyphs. Wind-elemental cultivators danced mid-air, training with translucent blades that shimmered under the sun's fractured light.
Kayn—Azarel reborn—walked through the crowd of both players and natives, his hood drawn low.
The streets buzzed with the hum of Spirit Cores and the click of interface menus. This world was a blend of virtual and real—everything tangible, every interaction binding. Even pain.
"System," he murmured mentally. "Details on the Trial of Sovereignty."
[Trial of Sovereignty: A dynamic challenge granted only to those marked by the Supreme Sword. Recommended: Level 50+. Current Level: 13. Failure Penalty: Permanent Soul Mark.]
"...Permanent what?"
The System didn't repeat itself.
[2. Factions and Watchers]
From the top of a floating observatory, a figure draped in violet robes watched Kayn's movements.
"He's finally arrived."
The voice belonged to Varion's emissary—Lukael, the Dream-Eater. Around him hovered a dozen holographic screens, each tracking the "Rebooted anomaly" through the city.
"Do we intervene?" asked a whisper from the shadows.
"No," Lukael said. "Let the city eat him alive first. Then we strike."
[3. The Blade Vendor's Warning]
Kayn entered a wind-bazaar, where relics floated mid-air, anchored by cultivation arrays. He reached toward a blade that pulsed silver-blue. As he touched it, an old vendor—blind and ethereal—grabbed his wrist.
"That sword drinks from the Skystream itself."
"I like sharp things," Kayn replied dryly.
"Then you'll love what the winds do to the foolish."
Kayn smirked but didn't purchase. Still, the vendor whispered as he walked away:
"You have her scent, Reborn One. The city remembers your wife."
He stopped mid-step.
"What did you say?"
But the vendor had vanished—dissolved like smoke.
[4. A Duel in the Wind Gardens]
Within the Sky Gardens, a trial zone opened. Kayn entered without hesitation. A blinding notification scrolled before him:
[Commencing Trial of Sovereignty: Defeat the Avatar of Zephyros.]
A figure descended from the clouds—white robes, a mask of feathers, wielding twin scimitars made from pressurized wind.
"Who dares defy the Sovereign of Storms?"
"Just someone looking for answers."
"Then prepare to be scattered."
The fight began with a cyclone so fierce it peeled the bark from nearby levitating trees. Kayn rolled to the side, activating his passive:
[Void Memory Blade Lv.1] — Recall the last attack taken and copy its form for one strike.
The System buzzed:
"Ability copied: Wind Scythe Arc."
He struck. Wind met wind—his blade shimmering with counterforce—and clipped the Avatar's shoulder. Bloodless, but effective.
The battle escalated into the air. At every turn, Kayn's instincts screamed—not from pain, but from fragmented memories. Of soaring skies. Of a woman who once fought by his side, her laughter echoing across the clouds.
[5. The Flash of the Past]
Mid-duel, the sky darkened unnaturally. A flash—vision or memory?—overwhelmed Kayn:
A castle made of cloudglass. Lyana, garbed in silver, standing atop it, shouting:
"You are not your wrath, Azarel! Remember who we are!"
Lightning tore through the vision. He gasped, barely dodging a spiraling slash from the Avatar.
Focus, Kayn. The past was important—but survival was priority.
He unleashed his trump card:
[System Fusion: Echo Slash + Wind Scythe Arc → Blade of Tempest Reversal]
In a blur of motion, he reversed the enemy's attack mid-strike, redirecting it with multiplied force. The Avatar staggered—then knelt.
"Sovereign… yields. You are… worthy."
The wind died. Silence fell.
[6. The Throne and the Curse]
The System chimed:
[Trial Complete. Title Unlocked: "Sovereign of the Tempest City"]
[Warning: Hidden Quest Activated – "Throne of the Forgotten Queen."]
A hidden panel emerged in the plaza. When Kayn touched it, a holographic figure formed—it was her. Lyana. Or rather, a memory imprint:
"If you find this… then I've already failed to stop the Fall."
She touched the air, her eyes sad.
"Azarel, if you're watching… don't trust the Systems. Not even yours."
The hologram ended with a whisper:
"Find me… before Varion does."
[7. Cliffhanger – The Tyrant Moves]
Meanwhile, in the depths of a void palace beyond realms, Varion stood before a map of worlds. One of them—Zephyros—glowed red.
"So… the boy claims a throne."
"Shall I destroy it, my lord?" Lukael asked.
Varion's eyes narrowed.
"No. Let him rise. The higher he climbs, the deeper he'll fall."
He smirked.
"And when he breaks… I'll take her from him all over again."
**
"He conquered the winds, but awakened a storm far greater."
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