A small, warm light blinked in my inventory. I opened the user interface, selected the Easter Egg, and used the Easter Egg Hatcher.
I chuckled. "I hope I don't get a chicken," I said, closing my eyes. "Please don't be a chicken."
The air shifted.
The moment I opened my eyes, a woman was hanging behind my back, sleeping comfortably as if she weighed nothing. Her skin glowed a warm, radiant bronze, like captured sunlight, and her thick jet-black hair fell over her shoulders, streaked with vibrant crimson waves. Soft, drifting clouds wrapped around her, defying gravity, and the faint scent of fresh spring flowers lingered in the air.
A system window appeared in front of me:
[EASTER EGG HATCHED]:
[FAMILIAR NAME]: [SEKHMET] — (LEVEL 0)
[RARITY]: [DIVINE]
[STATUS]: [ASLEEP]
[SKILL/S]: [???]
"Now that's a jackpot right here," I said, raising a fist. "Real jackpot!"
Then, the Archer in Gold appeared.
She moved with the calm assurance of someone who knew she was better than everyone else. Her long red cape fluttered behind her like a banner caught in the wind. Her eyes flicked to me, then to Sekhmet, who floated lazily behind my back, and a faint, almost amused smile tugged at her lips.
Then she spoke.
"I was too late… But it doesn't matter. I challenge you to a duel. Stake your familiar."
"Duel, huh?" I said, clenching my right hand. "And if I win?"
"You get a key which I received from a quest," she replied. "It leads to a boss that drops a divine class item."
"Let's do it!" I said. "Make sure you don't go home crying, Goldie."
A window blinked into existence in front of me:
[DUEL REQUEST RECEIVED]:
[Player]: [Kassandra Strauss] — (Level 40)
[Wager]: [Familiar] — [CandyLand Key]
[Conditions]: [First health points to hit 50% loses]
[Accept?]: [Y/N]
"What a pretty name," I thought, staring at her. "It suits Goldie's pretty face. Though she's such an asshole."
She was ten levels above me. It could've been only been five levels above, but I forgot to consume that greater potion of experience. Her gear screamed divine-tier as well. And that aura was pure pressure.
But my hand clicked 'Yes' anyway.
In a flash of golden particles, the world changed.
Now, I was standing in the center of an immense and ancient arena. Thousands of players filled the stands, spectral images of real people watching from different corners of Arkanos. And magical screens hovered mid-air, showing our health, class, and level.
A floating NPC referee dressed in ornate robes floated above.
"NOW ENTERING... THE CHALLENGERS!" it said, voice booming and echoing across the arena.
A spotlight hit me first.
[Player 111]: [Lu Ryo] — (Level 30)
[Class]: [Hidden]
"Why's it hidden?" I thought, scratching my head. "Huh… I thought I had no class…"
Then the spotlight swept to the other side.
[Player 117]: [Kassandra Strauss] — (Level 40)
[Class]: [Royal Archer]
"Royal Archer…" I muttered. "Did she upgrade her class? She consumed two potions of exaltation?!"
***
In Etherveil, you can upgrade your class if you find a potion of exaltation. The potion can only be found in some secret chests scattered around any haven, or a one percent drop from a dungeon or mini-boss.
[Potion of Exaltation Class Upgrade Choices]:
[Warrior]:
(1 Potion consumed) -> [Knight] - [Berserker] - [Crusader]
(2 Potions consumed) -> [Vanguard] - [Gladiator] - [Juggernaut]
[Mage]:
(1 Potion consumed) -> [Summoner] - [Runecaster] - [Arcane Squire]
( 2 Potions consumed) -> [Necromancer] - [Archmage] - [Battlemage]
[Archer]:
(1 Potion consumed) -> [Ranger] - [Marksman] - [Scout]
(2 Potions consumed) -> [Royal Archer] - [Sniper] - [Pathfinder]
[Healer]:
(1 Potion consumed) -> [Acolyte] - [Sage] - [Guardian]
(2 Potions consumed) -> [Paladin] - [Shaman] - [Sentinel]
[Assassin]:
(1 Potion consumed) -> [Prowler] - [Jumper] - [Piercer]
(2 Potions consumed) -> [Wraith] - [Talon] - [Blademaster Assassin]
And if you're lucky enough to find an item called the "Potion of Supreme Exaltation," which can only be obtained during a special event in the Kingdom of Babel known as The Games of Babel. You will transcend to greater heights, unlocking power beyond exaltation.
[Supreme Potion of Exaltation Class Upgrade Choices]:
[Assassin]:
[Shadow Assassin] - [Chrono Assassin] - [Legion Assassin] - [Trickster] - [Soul Cleaver]
[Warrior]:
[Colossus] - [Elemental Warrior] - [Jouster] - [Overlord] - [OmniKnight]
[Mage]:
[Revenant] - [Arachnomancer] - [Mystic] - [Lich] - [Invoker]
[Archer]:
[Primal Archer] - [Windranger] - [Machinist] - [Bladebow Duelist] - [Arcane Trailblazer]
[Healer]:
[Enchanter] - [Terran] - [Bulwark] - [Light Caster] - [Ruler]
***
My heart pounded as the crowd roared.
"Let the battle begin!" The NPC announced, then vanished.
Then I instantly realized I had a problem. I stood on the dusty floor while she floated high above like a hawk circling its prey.
"You're probably wondering why I'm above you," she said, staring down at me with a glint of arrogance in her crimson eyes. "Allow me to show you how."
She grinned, raising her hand.
"This is the treasure I obtained from the sixth dungeon."
"Behold—The Bow of Noah."
An ornate, divine construct of gold and pearl materialized beneath her feet. Shaped like an ark with a bowstring stretched from one end to the other, it lifted her higher into the sky. Golden orbs gathered around it, each humming with deadly energy.
My eyes widened as I stared at her. "What the hell is that..." I muttered.
I squinted my eyes. "It must be a skill…"
In an instant, dozens of golden orbs rocketed toward me in a brilliant storm.
Just as I reached out to copy it, a system window appeared:
[ERROR]: [Unique Weapon skill cannot be copied!]
My heart skipped. "What?! A unique weapon?!" I said.
My eyes widened at the projectiles that raced toward me.
"Shit—!" I shouted as I activated my spirit dagger's ability just in time.
My body flickered out of phase. The golden projectiles passed through me like mist.
"Phew," I exhaled, sweat running cold down my neck. "That was close."
Up above, she frowned. "What just happened? Did I miss…? Or," she narrowed her eyes and scoffed, "it doesn't matter. It was probably a skill. I know I never miss."
The Archer in Gold raised her bow again and unleashed another volley.
The crowd roared in anticipation.
I didn't wait to test fate twice. I ran, zigzagging through the arena, dodging as golden bolts scorched the ground around me.
"Think, think, think…" I told myself, darting along the arena, dodging death as each orb detonated where I'd just been. "How do I get close?!"
And then it hit me. I didn't have to get near her. Something had to.
In a single motion, I threw my weapon like a dart, aiming dead-on as she was about to release another shot. And just before it left my hand, I activated its ability: Intangibility, making it vanish midair.
"What?!" she said with a confused look on her face.
"Where did his weapon—?"
She didn't have time to finish as she turned just in time for the dagger to reappear right in front of her, burying itself in her chest, interrupting her shot, and throwing her off balance. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she fell from the sky, landing hard on the colosseum floor.
The Archer in Gold's health points plummeted to fifty percent.
A beat of silence.
The NPC reappeared, hovering above the arena.
Its voice boomed, echoing across every corner of the arena.
"Victory! Lu Ryo wins!"
The crowd erupted instantly.
Cheers, laughter, and shouts of disbelief filled the air. Players jumped, hugged, and some even fell to their knees, overwhelmed by the moment. The sound rolled like thunder, bouncing off the marble walls, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
I just stood there, panting, wondering what the hell had just happened. And before I could catch my breath, we were both teleported back to the Leviathan Hermit's corpse. Sekhmet floated beside me, lazily licking the air.
The Archer in Gold stood up slowly, brushing dust from her cloak. She didn't look defeated. Only irritated.
"You just used a cheap trick," she said, not meeting my eyes. "Don't think you've actually won."
She turned sharply, riding her bow, and vanished into the clouds.
A system window popped in front of me:
[DUEL REWARD]:
[Item]: [CandyLand Key]
[Level Requirement]: [80]
[Difficulty]: [SS+]
Sekhmet's form suddenly flickered and faded.
"Yo?!" I said as she disappeared behind me.
When I summoned her back again... she transformed back into an egg.
A system window appeared into visibility:
[Find the material needed to awaken your familiar!]
I sighed. "All that hard work for nothing, huh?"