The Whispering Vault was gone.
Zane Kael stood in the plaza, staring at the spot where the vault door had been. Now, it was just a wall—smooth, blank, like it had never opened. But the Whisper Coin still pulsed in his inventory, and his HUD had changed.
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
Faction Visibility: Enabled
New Feature Unlocked: Coin Sync
Nearby Coinbearers: 1
Zane frowned. "Nearby?"
A golden ripple spread across the plaza. From the far end, a figure emerged—tall, armored, and glowing with coin energy. His cloak bore the insignia of a Chainwalker, a faction Zane had only just learned existed.
The figure stopped ten paces away.
"You're the Genesis bearer."
Zane didn't answer.
"I'm Riven Sol, Coinmaster of the Third Chain. And you're standing in my trial zone."
Zane's grip tightened on his Null Dagger. "Didn't see your name on it."
Riven smirked. "You're new. That coin in your hand? It's not just rare. It's dangerous. The system watches it. And so do we."
Zane's HUD blinked.
[DUEL REQUEST: RIVEN SOL]
Wager: Coin Fragment ×3
Accept / Decline
Zane hesitated. He had no real combat skills. Just Coin Pulse and Whisper Sight. But backing down would mark him as weak—and in Velaryn, weakness was hunted.
He clicked Accept.
The plaza shifted.
Spectators appeared—ghostly figures, other players, system echoes. A ring of light formed around Zane and Riven. The duel began.
Riven moved first—fast, precise, his blade glowing with Coin Sync energy. Zane dodged, barely, and activated CoinPulse. A wave of golden light surged forward, forcing Riven back.
[STATUS EFFECT: Disoriented – 3 seconds]
Zane pressed the advantage, slashing with his dagger. Riven blocked, countered, and unleashed a burst of energy that shattered the ground.
Zane flew backward, skidding across the plaza.
[HP: 42%]
He activated WhisperSight.
The world slowed.
Riven's movements became patterns - predictable, traceable. Zane saw the opening, dashed forward, and struck.
[CRITICAL HIT]
Coin Fragment ×3 acquired
Riven staggered, then laughed. "Not bad, Genesis. But this was just a test."
He vanished in a burst of light.
Zane's HUD updated.
[PLAYER STATUS: ZANE KAEL]
Level: 3
NewSkill: Coin Sync (Basic)
CoinBalance: 1.00 (Genesis), 1.00 (Whisper)
Inventory: Null Dagger, Coin Fragment ×6
SystemNote:Trial Zone Control: Nexis Plaza
The plaza returned to normal.
Spectators faded. The ring vanished. And Zane stood alone—stronger, smarter, and now… marked.
The system pulsed.
Next Trial: The Echo Gate
Location: Chainspire Tier 1
Status: Locked
Zane looked up at the skyline.
Chainspire was far above—floating platforms, blockchain temples, and the next step in his journey.
He smiled.
"Let's level up."