The crystalline platform of the Frozen Citadel buzzed with consistent power. Ethan moved with ghost-like accuracy in his new Mythic gear putting his Sovereign Efficiency buff's remarkable agility to the test. He felt fundamentally different as if he had been tuned for optimal utility. The enormous weight of the new Core Aegis (Sovereign Mythic) seemed perfectly balanced, absorbing and redistributing his weight with ease. Vulcan wielding his new stable hammer and Anchor with his throbbing crystal core were ready.
Before moving further Ethan concentrated on the external data link, incorporating the large real-world rewards into his operational strategy. The financial security was encouraging but the immediate historical improvement in his essential talents was even more significant.
Ethan experienced a sudden and deep sharpening of his reality. The complicated harmonics of the Citadel's fundamental structure such as the exact mathematical positioning of the Arcane Ice columns and the precise energy flow lines were now not only visible but also understandable. His mind was rushing seamlessly digesting the geometry of stability. The M1 Mythic Camera (Sovereign EX) had examined the purity of the Citadel's order and the results had been used to improve the structure of Ethan's in-game mind.
"The operational efficiency is absolute Master Artisan," Ethan stated calmly, despite the internal mental rush. "We are secure and improved. My perceptive powers are now in sync with the Citadel's structure. We move forward with the knowledge gain."
Their first task was to consult with the Stag and the Prime Elementals. Ethan approached the Stag his new Shadow-Edge Silencer hanging motionless at his hip.
"Guardian" Ethan said his tone courteous. "We require knowledge. What is the true essence of the menace seeking your dissolution?"
The Stag turned its majestic head towards them. Its ideas flooded into Ethan's consciousness, colder and clearer than before packed with ancient lore and present danger.
"The threat is more than just a group of reckless top-tier adventurers, Witness. The Nullity Covenant is an organized doctrine an ancient enemy known to the Prime Elementals since the system's creation, the Stag projected. They seek neither conquering nor political power but nothingness. They are supporters of the Unmaking. They think that Aethelgard is a defective unstable system that can only be fully reset reduced to nothingness to yield a higher structureless world. They are philosophers of destruction employing terrible architectural reasoning".
The Stag described the immediate threat and its projection took on a frantic immediacy. "They target all sovereign entities and balance-keeping tools viewing us as stabilizers who prevent the system from collapsing. Their latest and most dangerous desire is to control the core Chaos Tide a massive wave of raw unpredictable energy that periodically sweeps through Aethelgard's underbelly. If they use the Chaos Tide they can cause a total and immediate elemental reset overwhelming the Citadel's stabilizers and tearing the entire fabric of the planet."
Vulcan who had been listening to the story synthesized the knowledge using technical terms. "An uncontrolled Chaos Tide would destabilize the Arcane Ice. The Citadel would fail and the ingredients would turn into unstable elemental dust. It is both a physical and magical threat."
Ethan swiftly transformed the threat into a manageable problem filtering the lore through his upgraded Logic Bubble. The problem was chaos and the answer had to be order.
"The greatest guilds the Kingslayers, the Dragonheart Syndicate are currently focused on conquering the elemental fortresses in the South seeking to acquire powerful elemental weapons believing brute force will save them" the Stag told Ethan. "Their route is both chaotic and traditional. Our path must be structural."
"We must seek stability" Ethan said his strategy building quickly. "We must interrupt their primary plan rather than battle their forces directly. What tool do they use to control the Chaos Tide?".
"The Covenant has acquired a fragment of the Chronos Stone" the Stag announced presenting an image of a fractured swirling sapphire. "A remnant of time and order. Surprisingly experts are not utilizing it to freeze time but rather to destabilize the chaotic energy flow to synchronize and compress raw energy into a stable high-density point that can be controlled. This stone needs to be rescued from their establish".
[NEW MAIN QUEST LINE BEGINS: THE CHRONOS FRAGMENT]
Locate the Chronos Stone Fragment utilized by The Nullity Covenant in the Sunken Forge of Aeons (level 85+ zone). Recover the Fragment before the Covenant finishes the synchronization procedure.
The Sunken Forge has a unique constraint in that it is constantly altering in both time and space. The Chronos Stone Fragment is safeguarded by time distortions that deplete any conventional energy or skill. You must have complete physical purity and temporal purity.
"The constraints of the quest are perfectly tailored to our new gear" Ethan remarked focusing his Sovereign EX Camera. "Vulcan, your Core Aegis' Absolute Balance and Anchor's Stability will be critical for physical resilience against temporal stripping. My new gear is intended for temporal purity and observation. The system has provided the most efficient solution path."
"The Prime Arcane Ice in my new hammer is the perfect counter to temporal changes" Vulcan said his voice trembling with excitement. "It has total stability in structure. The time is essential witness. We leave immediately via the Citadel's high-altitude portal nexus a route only available to individuals with Sovereign Trust."
Deep under the surface in a facility carved from cold obsidian a man only known as The Executor observed a shimmering projection. The entire facility vibrated in time with the Chronos Fragment's accelerating pulse.
"The Stag is back at the Citadel. The Primes are stabilizing" the Executor grumbled his voice a deep synthetic growl. "And the cost of this Witness has been enormous. He exposed the truth about the Citadel to billions of people but did not provide them with a map. He regulates the flow of information."
He halted the video at the iconic crystal-clear sight of the Citadel. "His ability to comprehend the true function of the magnetic maze as well as his constant quest for speed above physical might demonstrate a Pattern Recognition threat that we have not seen since the Ancestor Wars. He sees the underlying mathematics of the world."
The Executor smashed his gauntleted hand on the obsidian table. "The Chronos ritual should be hastened. This opportunity must not be missed. Target the Witness. His distinct viewpoint is not a problem it is a resource. He must be separated from his supporters the slime filth and the artisan and delivered to us. Ideally it should be intact. We need to understand how he perceives the patterns that keep this universe together in order to finally break them."
The Nullity Covenant had recognized the existential threat posed by Ethan's exceptional perceptive powers. Ethan's content success had made him their top target. The race against the Chaos Tide has started.
Before proceeding with Next journey Ethan emphasized the critical step of determining his real-world resources. The viral spread of the photo and video had been planned and now it was time for the financial analysis the ultimate validation of his content strategy.
He accessed his external financial report link a safe encrypted stream directly from his real-world account. The figures were astronomical showing the high demand and market control he had implemented during the previous two days.
[FINANCIAL REPORT: AETHEREAL VOW CONTENT RELEASE]
[Total Views (Combined Platforms): 68 million.
Ad Revenue Share (Initial Payout): $9,800,000 USD (The highest single-video payout in Aethelgard history, owing to high demand and peak CPM).
Sponsorship Value Adjustment: The global exposure enhanced the 'Witness' brand's base value by 400% resulting in large instant bonus terms.
As a result, the revenue influx was sufficient to cover his real-world operations budget for the next eighteen months relieving him fully of external expenses.
Professional satisfaction was enormous. He had exchanged game time for security and the outcome was certain.
However the system recognized the content's quality as well as the application of unique tools.
[BONUS AWARD: SSS-RANK VIDEO QUALITY]
RESOURCE AWARD: MYTHIC RESOURCE ACQUISITION CONTRACT: In recognition of the massive global impact of the SSS-Rank cinematic video the development company has awarded a one-time resource grant: three Mythic-grade chests (randomized) which will be transferred to Ethan's inventory upon login. These are required to power the next stage of content.]
[BONUS AWARD GRANTED FOR M1 ANALYSIS EFFECT]
LORE AWARD: Temporal Data Stream The M1 Camera's EX-Tier recording which captured the Prime Mist's unstable elemental physics resulted in a tremendous one-time lore influx: +10,000,000 EXP and a permanent 5% enhancement to the efficiency of all Perception and Logic Bubble skills.]
The sudden influx of EXP and the rapid stability of his core perceptive abilities was startling. He has leveled up many times, his existing abilities had just been rendered intrinsically better by the retroactive application of superior info.
[ETHAN LEVELED UPTO 80]
[CHAOS CORE GUARDIAN LEVELED UPTO 70]
[VULCAN LEVELED UPTO 85]
"The resource acquisition is secure Master Artisan" Ethan told Vulcan his mind already calculating the tactical value of the added prize. "We are now financially and operationally strong. We go to the next phase of our journey."