The cold night wind swept through Starfall City.
Kael moved across rooftops like a shadow.
The violet-eyed servant had disappeared into the crowd moments ago, yet the faint connection between the Origin Core and the mysterious resonance continued pulling him forward.
Stronger.
Closer.
⸻
Behind him—
Two figures followed silently.
Selene Frostheart.
Mira Starborn.
⸻
Neither had asked for permission.
Neither intended to leave.
⸻
"You always run away from parties?" Mira asked while leaping between rooftops.
Kael didn't slow down.
"Only when Void spies are involved."
Mira blinked.
Then her smile disappeared.
⸻
"You found one?"
⸻
Kael nodded.
⸻
Selene's cold voice finally entered the conversation.
"Direction?"
⸻
"East District."
⸻
The three accelerated.
⸻
Far ahead—
The disguised Void operative moved through narrow alleyways.
His calm expression had vanished.
Sweat covered his forehead.
⸻
"How?"
he muttered.
"How did he detect me?"
⸻
The mission should have been simple.
Observe.
Report.
Wait.
⸻
Instead—
The Origin Bearer had somehow sensed him.
⸻
Then something happened.
⸻
The Void operative suddenly froze.
⸻
Because another presence appeared before him.
⸻
A masked man.
⸻
Standing in the center of the alley.
⸻
The operative's eyes widened.
⸻
"You—"
⸻
Before he could finish—
A golden flash appeared.
⸻
BOOM!
⸻
The operative exploded backward into a wall.
Blood sprayed.
⸻
The masked man lowered his hand calmly.
⸻
Golden energy.
⸻
Origin energy.
⸻
The Void operative trembled.
⸻
"Another…"
⸻
"Origin…"
⸻
The masked man said nothing.
⸻
Then—
His gaze shifted upward.
⸻
Toward Kael.
⸻
The Origin Core exploded with activity.
⸻
[ SYSTEM WARNING ]
[ Ancient Origin Signature Confirmed ]
[ Second Legacy Candidate Located ]
[ Distance: 117 Meters ]
[ Recommendation: Immediate Contact ]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
Kael stopped instantly.
⸻
The resonance became overwhelming.
⸻
It felt exactly like the Hall of Echoes.
Exactly like the First Legacy.
⸻
Origin.
⸻
Pure Origin.
⸻
Mira nearly collided with him.
⸻
"What happened?"
⸻
Kael pointed downward.
⸻
The alley below.
⸻
The masked man slowly looked up.
⸻
For a brief moment—
Their eyes met.
⸻
BOOM!
⸻
The Origin Core pulsed violently.
⸻
The masked man's body released golden light.
⸻
And so did Kael's.
⸻
The entire district illuminated.
⸻
People throughout the city turned toward the phenomenon.
⸻
Selene's eyes narrowed.
⸻
"Origin."
⸻
The masked man's calm demeanor finally changed.
⸻
Shock.
⸻
Disbelief.
⸻
Recognition.
⸻
Then he spoke his first words.
⸻
"…Another one."
⸻
The next moment—
The Void operative moved.
⸻
Darkness erupted from his body.
⸻
"No!"
⸻
His eyes became completely violet.
⸻
"Lord Void must know!"
⸻
The operative turned and fled.
⸻
But before anyone could react—
A golden spear materialized from thin air.
⸻
WHOOSH!
⸻
The spear crossed hundreds of meters instantly.
⸻
And pierced the operative's chest.
⸻
BOOOOM!
⸻
The alley exploded.
⸻
The Void operative died instantly.
⸻
Silence followed.
⸻
Kael stared.
⸻
The attack had been effortless.
⸻
The masked man slowly lowered his hand.
⸻
As if killing the operative required no effort whatsoever.
⸻
Then—
The masked man looked directly at Kael.
⸻
And smiled.
⸻
"Interesting."
⸻
For some reason—
The smile made Kael more cautious than the Hollow Hunters had.
⸻
This man was dangerous.
⸻
Extremely dangerous.
⸻
Then the masked man tossed something into the air.
⸻
A crystal.
⸻
Golden.
Ancient.
Radiating Origin energy.
⸻
The moment it appeared—
The Origin Core nearly exploded.
⸻
[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ]
[ Origin Legacy Fragment Detected ]
[ Legacy Compatibility: 97% ]
[ Hidden Inheritance Item Located ]
[ Recommendation: Acquire Immediately ]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
The masked man caught the crystal again.
⸻
"You can feel it."
⸻
It wasn't a question.
⸻
Kael nodded.
⸻
"What is it?"
⸻
The masked man laughed softly.
⸻
"A key."
⸻
His gaze shifted toward the distant center of Starfall City.
Toward the direction of the Ancient Star Vault.
⸻
"A key to a prison."
⸻
Kael's eyes sharpened.
⸻
"You know about the Star Vault."
⸻
The masked man became silent.
⸻
Then—
For the first time—
His expression grew serious.
⸻
"I know what's inside."
⸻
The air suddenly became heavier.
⸻
Even Selene and Mira felt it.
⸻
The masked man looked toward the stars.
⸻
And quietly said:
⸻
"If that prison opens…"
⸻
"…millions will die."
⸻
Silence.
⸻
Then—
The system appeared again.
⸻
[ EMERGENCY QUEST UPDATED ]
[ The Second Legacy ]
Objective Updated:
• Obtain the Legacy Fragment
• Learn the truth about the Ancient Star Vault
• Identify the Masked Origin Bearer
Reward:
[ Second Legacy Inheritance ]
Failure:
[ Unknown Consequences ]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
The masked man looked at Kael one last time.
⸻
Then—
Without warning—
Vanished.
⸻
Not with speed.
Not with a movement technique.
⸻
He simply disappeared.
⸻
As if space itself had swallowed him.
⸻
Only one thing remained behind.
⸻
A single golden symbol floating in the air.
⸻
An invitation.
⸻
To somewhere far more dangerous than the Northern Convergence.
⸻
And for the first time since awakening Origin—
Kael realized something.
⸻
He wasn't the only Origin Bearer alive.
⸻
Host: Kael Veyron
Realm:
Origin Awakening Stage 2
Abilities:
• Origin Sense
• Origin Flash
• Origin Pulse
• Origin Perception
• Origin Resonance
• Origin Step
• Origin Severance
Equipment:
• Ring of the First Pulse
• Azure Star Token
Active Quest:
[ The Second Legacy ]
Major Discovery:
[ Another Origin Bearer Exists ]