> Area: Murim — Foothills of the Black Lotus Forest
Estimated time before the moon mist falls: 42 minutes IRL
The mist clung to the roots like a crouching beast. Hakaijin advanced, his soft footsteps brushing the mossy ground, his hand resting on the hilt of his standard-issue saber. Nothing special. Nothing heroic. But his instincts were screaming.
He was only a few steps away from the entrance to the Forgotten Shrine of Lost Blades—a place the village's elder NPCs called the Tomb of Silent Regrets.
> Special Quest Obtained: "The Hunt for the Phantom Saber"
Difficulty: Unknown
Requirements: Survival + Mental Resonance
He frowned.
— "A class quest? No… that's something else."
He stepped through the broken arch of the shrine. The lanterns hanging from the branches lit one by one. A cold, spectral light. Absolute silence.
Then... a whisper.
> "Why do you seek a weapon that even the dead have rejected...?"
A translucent figure appeared in the center of the collapsed temple. A spectral samurai, blindfolded, wielding an invisible sword. He levitated slightly, each step clearing the ancient dust beneath his feet.
> [Spectral Boss] — Guardian of the Phantom Sword (Lvl. 8)
> Special Condition: Only attacks executed with conviction can inflict damage.
— "What? Attacks with conviction?"
He didn't have time to think.
The specter attacked. Extreme speed. Absolute sharpness.
Hakaijin parried at the last minute. The blades clashed silently. The shock didn't vibrate in his ears... but in his ribcage.
> -112 HP
> Skill triggered: Reflex Counter
Hakaijin pivoted and launched a counterattack. Empty. The specter had already dematerialized.
— "Tch…"
He stepped back, lowered himself into a low stance, channeled his Martial Concentration.
His thoughts settled. Not on victory. Not on glory.
But on what he wanted to destroy.
> Internal flash activated — Vow resonating with the sanctuary…
Memories flooded his eyes.
His mother, locked in a chair of honor.
A silent dojo.
A promise he had never made... but carried in silence.
— "…I want… to live for myself."
A pulse echoed in the air. The specter stopped. His blindfold tore, revealing a hollow… but respectful gaze.
> "You may strike. Now."
Hakaijin shouted. Not a cry of rage. But a cry of liberation.
His blade slashed through the air… and the silence.
The specter dissipated in a shower of ethereal shards.
> Boss eliminated. Reward: Fragment of the Phantom Saber (1/3) — Essence of Will — +340 EXP.
On the ground, a mist rose, forming a curved weapon hilt, black as night. Incomplete… but vibrant.
> Special item obtained: Spectral hilt of "Shinjitsu no Yoru" (The Truth of the Night)
Effect: Parry bonus + access to the complete sword after reunification.
Hakaijin knelt, catching his breath.
> — "This world... speaks to me."
> Notification!
A vibrant reddish portal opened not far from his position.
He stood up.
> — "…Is this an invitation to some thrilling fun? You can't refuse."
He rushed to the door and went through the portal.
✦ End of Chapter 8
Next: "Z3RO Determined to Face the Unknown"