Adrian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the system interface. Beneath his calm exterior, he struggled to suppress his irritation, recalling the system's previous response when he had asked what would happen upon completing the various scenarios and stages.
He reached for a glass of cold water nearby, took a sip, and turned his attention back to the system screen.
[Given that the current sequence of scenarios is illogical—or otherwise ill-suited for the host to complete...]
[The host may reorder them by sacrificing 10,000 experience points (EXP). Would you like to proceed with this sacrifice?] [Yes] / [No]
He selected "Yes." Although losing 10,000 EXP—points that could have otherwise fueled his growth—might one day become a source of regret, the immediate situation took precedence.
The system interface vanished from his field of vision. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance, ignoring the puzzled look cast his way by Anastasia. A few moments passed before the interface reappeared.
[Scenario 4: "Destroy the Auction" and the final scenario, "Rescue Silvarnia," have been swapped.]
Adrian let out an internal sigh of relief as he studied the system screen, then promptly pulled up both his status menu and his quest log. He still felt a certain degree of tension. Although he was confident that the mission had indeed changed—and that the system wouldn't deceive him again—human nature left him feeling uneasy, driving a desire to see it with his own eyes.
[Name: Adrian
Surname: Xomias
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Race: Pure Human
Main Branch: Master of Classifications - Inactive -
Sub-Branch: None
Talent: SSS++
Profession: Player
Rank: Gold, Level 4 - Peak -
Experience Points: 1,450,000,000 / 71,570,968]
[Stage 5: Rescue the Character Silvarnia - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character Silvarnia from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Mission Conditions:
Scenario 1: Presence of the arc's heroine, Anastasia McGillforn - Met -
Scenario 2: Presence of a key character from the original world - Met -
Scenario 3: Participation in the auction as a registered attendee and the purchase of at least one item - Met -
Scenario 4: Rescue Silvarnia on the third day of the festival - Round 2.
Scenario 5: Destroy the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.] [Note: Deviating from any of the following scenarios is strictly prohibited; the host will be penalized for doing so.]
Adrian did not say a word; he simply rose from his seat. The first round had concluded, signaling that the scenario to rescue Silvarnia—as well as the scenario to destroy the auction—was about to begin.
The same applied to Anastasia, who was determined to acquire the "Bow of the Bow-Ruler" at any cost, for reasons unknown. This fueled Adrian's suspicions regarding her intense desire for the weapon, especially given that she already possessed one superior to it.
As they wandered through the corridors of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction house, both Adrian and Anastasia sensed that they were being watched by unknown individuals.
This led Adrian to wonder if they had discovered that he was the one who killed Seong-hun before the auction began—a possibility that seemed highly unlikely, considering his synchronization rate with the suit was virtually zero.
Both let out a perfectly natural-sounding sigh to avoid arousing suspicion, all the while continuing to stroll through the premises.
Speaking via telepathy while feigning admiration for the paintings and sculptures around him, Adrian asked:
"So, have you finished all the preparations, Anastasia? We must complete the mission on schedule; otherwise, the consequences could be dire." Anastasia's expression remained unchanged as she used her phone, her telepathic voice dripping with a sarcasm that left Adrian deeply annoyed:
"Are you kidding me, Mr. Adrian Kzumias? There wasn't even a basic anti-hacking shield—or are you just a cowardly little child? When we get back, go hug your mommy and sleep in her lap—goo-goo, ga-ga!"
Adrian didn't say a word; he simply continued toward the basement, shielded from the guards' sight by a spell Anastasia had cast.
After fifteen minutes of navigating the area, they reached a storage chamber used to hold slaves. The space was pitch-black, rendering them momentarily blind until their eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Did you disable the listening devices, the surveillance systems, and the alarms—or not?"
Adrian's voice betrayed his skepticism regarding the ease of the mission as he scanned the room for Silvarnia.
Anastasia, checking her phone, replied:
"Yes, I did. That said, it doesn't rule out the possibility of someone watching us manually; after all, they wouldn't rely entirely on technology—it's still a relatively new development, you know."
Adrian nodded in agreement, continuing his search for Silvarnia, when he was suddenly startled by the appearance of the system's quest interface, which displayed several sub-quests—along with a few entirely unexpected ones. [Stage 5: Rescue Silvania - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character Silvania from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Mission Requirements:
Scenario 4: Rescue Silvania on the third day of the festival - Round 2.
Scenario 5: Destroy the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Hidden Scenario 1: Kill the secondary antagonist, Seong-hoon - Completed -
Reward: 6,000 EXP.
Hidden Scenario 2: Ensure the archer heroine, Anastasia McGillforn, obtains the "Bow of the Archery Sovereign."
Hidden Scenario 3: Induce Yuta Caseral to fight the leader of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Hidden Scenario 4: Extract Silvania without her sustaining any harm.
Hidden Scenario 5: Kill the leader of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction, known as Octavian.
Note: Skipping any of the following scenarios is prohibited; failure to comply will result in a penalty for the Host.]
Adrian didn't say a word as he glared at the system interface, finally realizing why the mission had been proceeding so smoothly. As it turned out, he was tasked with completing five hidden scenarios—each one more difficult than the last.
Still, the prospect of earning experience points lifted his spirits; finishing this phase would bring him one step closer to breaking through to the next rank. Once done, he could return to his own world to track down the identity of the "Heaven-Shattering Venerable." Since this mission was entirely new—unrelated to any of the scenarios in the game *Absolute Zero*—he was free to complete it whenever he chose.
He continued his search for Silvania in silence, while Anastasia kept a watchful eye on their surroundings as Adrian went about his task.
An hour and a half of searching passed before he finally found Silvania. She appeared to be about fifteen years old, and the dark, icy gaze she fixed upon him made his body shudder involuntarily.
He spoke in a calm tone, glancing around for a few moments before turning his attention back to her:
"How are you, Lady Silvania? We've come to rescue you."
Silvania said nothing, merely listening to his words. Adrian found himself deeply puzzled—both by her age and the look in her eyes; in the original game, she had been a six-year-old child, and her expression had been entirely different.
Nevertheless, when she refused to leave her cage, he destroyed it and brought her out by force. He was taken aback as a system window appeared before his eyes, casting doubt on whether this was truly Silfarnia—a suspicion that only deepened within him.
[Stage 5: Rescue the character Silfarnia - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character Silfarnia from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Mission Conditions:
Scenario 1: Presence of the arc's heroine, Anastasia McGillforn - Achieved -
Scenario 2: Presence of a major character from the original world - Achieved -
Scenario 3: Participation in the auction as a registered attendee and the purchase of at least one item - Achieved -
Scenario 4: Rescue Silfarnia on the third day of the festival (Round 2) - Partially Achieved -
Scenario 5: Destroy the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.
Note: Skipping any of the following scenarios is strictly prohibited; failure to comply will result in a penalty for the host.]
He glanced toward Anastasia, who was struggling to suppress her laughter at the slap Silfarnia had just delivered while he was freeing her from the cage.
He then turned his gaze toward Silfarnia, his expression one of clear annoyance. He found her huddled in a corner, weeping, yet glaring at him with such intense rage and hatred that he was left completely bewildered.
A look of shock washed over his face as he recalled the events from the original *Absolute Zero* game. "It was Adrian Xomias who sold her in the first place, which makes her hatred for me perfectly logical. But why is she so much older? In the original game, she was only six years old; now, she's a full fifteen. Something strange is going on here. Some events are unfolding earlier than they did in the original game—but how?"
Adrian mused to himself, his gaze fixed on Sylvarnia.
He approached her, looking at her with a calm expression—a demeanor that only served to terrify her. Yet, the fear didn't last long; it quickly gave way to shock when Adrian bowed before her, offering an apology.
"Lady Sylvarnia, I apologize for everything you've endured because of me over these past years. I'm not asking for your forgiveness—or anything of the sort—but I do ask that you be lenient with us until we can return to our own world."
Sylvarnia remained silent, listening to his words—a reaction that drew a faint, subtle smile from Adrian. But then, Sylvarnia lashed out, kicking him squarely in the face and sending him stumbling several steps backward.
Both Anastasia and Adrian were left stunned by her physical strength; after all, she was supposed to be incredibly frail—incapable of budging him even an inch.
Sylvarnia rose to her feet, her expression calm yet laced with annoyance, and spoke:
"I know what I need to do. This isn't the first time I've escaped from the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction." Neither Adrian nor Anastasia said a word; they simply gazed at her for a few seconds before continuing into the warehouse in complete silence.
Meanwhile, Adrian spoke to himself, casting a glance toward Silvarnia—unnoticed by her:
"Just as I suspected—I am no longer in the game *Absolute Zero*. Everything has changed entirely, rendering my experience from the game's first full year and its inaugural season completely unreliable. It has become clear that my knowledge of the game's events is now utterly useless."
He stopped abruptly, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with a calm, steady look. Puzzled, both Silvarnia and Anastasia paused for a few moments before following his line of sight.
They discovered a group of 35 individuals led by the heads of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction house, with the auction leader, Octavian, at the forefront.
The sudden appearance left Anastasia, Adrian, and Silvarnia in a state of shock. To make matters worse, the leader of the Crimson Cat's Eye held the rank of "Sacred Sovereign"—a level of power that far surpassed Adrian's, even with his enhancements.
Ultimately, the power of a Sacred Sovereign is effectively infinite—a stark contrast to the finite strength of Adrian, Silvarnia, and Anastasia—creating an insurmountable gap between them.
They fled the scene as fast as they could, drawing mocking, contemptuous laughter from Octavian and the other masters of the Crimson Cat's Eye.
Without a single word exchanged among them, the subordinates surged forward in pursuit of Adrian and his companions. Meanwhile, both Adrian and Silvarnia were running as fast as they could, but Silvarnia suddenly stopped, fixing a sharp gaze upon Adrian.
She took several steps back, leaving him feeling frustrated—her continued hatred toward him would make completing the scenario and the stage exceptionally difficult.
He spoke in a sharp tone, fixing his gaze upon her: "Silvarnia, we are in a dire predicament. It's a matter of life and death, so set aside your distrust and all that other nonsense for later. Right now, we have to fight our way out of here."
Silvarnia remained silent for several seconds, staring at him while thinking to herself, her tone laced with skepticism:
"What is this wretch after? Didn't he hand me over to them eleven years ago? And yet, here he stands—looking to be the same age as me. Does time in this world flow faster than in my own?"
She gripped the spear she had been given with great force, her sharp gaze devoid of even a shred of trust.
"Fine. We're allies until we leave this pathetic world. After that, you'd better make sure I never see your filthy face again—Adrian Xomias."
Adrian said nothing in response, choosing not to complicate matters further. They continued on their way, speaking only when absolutely necessary.
Yet, they both found it strange that not a single operative from the 'Scorpion' organization was among the thirty-five individuals accompanying the masters of the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction house—a detail that only deepened Adrian's suspicions regarding Yuta.
But his thoughts were cut short by a sudden, surprise attack from a Scorpion operative; he parried the blow while stepping backward.
In a calm, steady voice—as he took in the Scorpion operatives closing in from all sides—he drew the Spear of Poseidon from his personal inventory.
[King of Games - Passive Ability] [Activated]
[King of Hackers - Passive Ability] [Activated]
[King of Hackers - Passive Ability] [Activated]
[User's ability efficiency and capacity to detect flaws in the narrative structure have increased by 200%.
Host's power level has been raised by three full ranks.]
Adrian blinked several times, looking around to find that the world had slowed down drastically from his perspective.
It was akin to playing a video game after activating a cheat code that made the experience a hundred times easier.
He let out a deep sigh, then—channeling purple flames into his "Hundred-Strike Spear Art"—he launched an assault against one of the Scorpion Organization's henchmen.
He crushed his opponent in a matter of seconds, leaving Silvarnia staring at him in complete shock.
Her astonishment, however, was short-lived; she lunged toward another henchman with her spear, weaving together wind and ice elemental spells.
Yet, she couldn't overcome him—the power gap was too vast, and her own physical condition was dire. Fighting an opponent at their peak while she was at her absolute worst was a fool's errand—tantamount to suicide.
Without a word, Adrian struck down her opponent. For a few seconds, Silvarnia felt a flash of irritation, which quickly gave way to confusion as she studied his cold, inscrutable expression. His gaze was like that of a player intent on killing anything in his path to gain experience points.
She stepped back without a word, sensing that he might strike her down instantly, without a moment's hesitation.
Adrian continued on in complete silence, gathering information about his surroundings.
Silvarnia followed behind, moving with great difficulty; having exerted her power while in an extremely weakened physical state, she could only walk at a snail's pace.
Adrian shot her an irritated look—she was slowing down his progress through the stage. To make matters worse, the stage was packed with hidden scenarios—tasks impossible for him to complete given his current level of strength.
Facing Octavian—who stood two full ranks above him—was a daunting challenge, even for someone at the second (late-stage) Emperor level.
He let out a deep sigh, scanning the area for any sign of Anastasia. He realized she must be searching for the "Ruler's Bow," intending to steal it.
As for Yuta, he had been out of sight since the previous night, raising the suspicion that he might betray them. Yet, if Yuta had truly wanted them dead, he could have easily done so long ago; the power gap was immense—Yuta was, in fact, so much stronger than Octavian that the difference was insurmountable.
This left Adrian unable to fathom Yuta's true intentions behind such strange and unpredictable behavior. It helped him complete certain scenarios and assisted Zao, the leader of the Qamra Muqfar clan, in killing the clan elder, Zao Bao, his deputy, Zao Ying, and the rest of the traitors.
This prompted another sigh from him. Glancing toward Silvarnia, he activated a "cheat code" for invisibility on her, allowing her to slip away and hide. After all, his synchronization rate with the "Game King Suit" was still quite low—only 1.34%.
Looking around, he said in a calm, steady tone:
"I've applied an invisibility charm. It's not powerful enough to render you completely unseen, but you won't be easily recognized."
Silvarnia opened her mouth to respond, but stopped; his expression was difficult for her to decipher. Yet, one thing became clear: the person standing before her was not the same Adrian who had sold her off eleven years ago, when she was just four years old.
Still, his gaze held no trace of malice—a realization that led her to place a small amount of trust in him.
She spoke, her tone laced with skepticism:
"Fine—have it your way. But mark my words: you'd better not be harboring any schemes against me."
Adrian didn't say a word. Irritated, Silvarnia simply followed him without another syllable.
About twenty minutes passed as they navigated the storage area, remaining undetected thanks to the invisibility cheat code. The code functioned even more effectively than before—a sign that his synchronization rate with the Game King Suit had increased. The system screen appeared before his eyes, bearing some extremely welcome news.
[Stage Five: Rescue the character Silvania - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character Silvania from the clutches of the Crimson Cat's Eye Auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the Crimson Cat's Eye Auction.
Hidden Scenarios:
Hidden Scenario 1: Kill the secondary antagonist, Seong-hoon - Completed -
Reward: 6,000 EXP.
Hidden Scenario 2: Ensure the archer heroine, Anastasia McGillforn, obtains the "Bow of the Archery Sovereign" - Completed -
Reward: 34,560 EXP.
Hidden Scenario 3: Induce Yuta Caseral to fight the leader of the Crimson Cat's Eye Auction.
Hidden Scenario 4: Extract Silvania without her sustaining any harm.
Hidden Scenario 5: Kill the leader of the Crimson Cat's Eye Auction, known as Octavian.
Note: Skipping any of the following scenarios is prohibited; failure to comply will result in a penalty for the host.]
Adrian stared at the system interface for several seconds before dismissing it and continuing on his way. The stage was far from over; the fourth and fifth main scenarios remained incomplete, alongside three unfulfilled hidden scenarios.
An hour later, a remarkably calm voice reached his ears:
"How are you, Mr. Adrian Xomias? Apologies for the delay; I've been occupied with a few important matters. Hahahaha! I trust you understand my situation."
Yuta's voice was eerily composed. Nevertheless, it was enough to leave both Silvarnia and Adrian in a state of shock; he had managed to see them despite their use of a concealment "cheat code."
Adrian deactivated the concealment effect, all the while fixing his gaze upon Yuta—driven by a desire to complete the current phase and uncover the truth about him, specifically whether he was the founder of the "Scorpion" organization, even though he himself was one of the organization's experiments.
In a calm tone, and ignoring the look of distrust Silvarnia cast toward Yuta, Adrian spoke:
"Mr. Yuta Caseral, there is something I would like to ask of you. Fight Octavian—and grant me the chance to kill him."
Yuta regarded him with a faint look of surprise as he listened, then replied with a tone that carried a hint of both astonishment and admiration:
"You want me to fight Octavian, yet you also wish to kill him yourself? Truly impressive. Very well—as you desire. Just remember to be quick; I might end up killing him without even realizing I've done so."
Adrian nodded in agreement, prompting a slight smile from Yuta. Yuta then turned his gaze toward Silvarnia for a few seconds before snapping his fingers—causing her to vanish from the spot.
Though Adrian remained outwardly composed, the system interface revealed the true nature of the situation, leaving him internally stunned. [Scenario 4: Rescue the supporting character Silfarnia – Completed –
Hidden Scenario 4: Get Silfarnia out unharmed – Completed –
Reward: 3,456 EXP.]
[The host did not follow the intended sequence of scenarios; therefore, the EXP gained from completing Hidden Scenario 4—getting Silfarnia out unharmed—will be deducted.]
He turned his gaze toward Yuta for a few seconds before speaking in a calm tone—contrary to the anger he felt over the system's irrational penalty. Still, this was better than sacrificing 6,000 experience points.
"Mr. Yuta Caseral, did you get Silvarnia to a safe place?"
Yuta looked at him for a few moments with an expression that was both confident and mischievous, then continued on his way as he replied:
"Yes, she's in a safe place—specifically, in your 'Demon Jewel' mansion. I've also stationed several monsters in her vicinity to protect her, just in case of any unexpected attack."
Adrian didn't say a word as he watched him, then continued toward Octavian's location. The plan was for Yuta to engage Octavian in combat, and for Adrian to deliver the final blow—thereby completing the remaining hidden scenarios and the fifth main scenario.
After a few minutes of moving through the area, they encountered Anastasia, who was locked in battle with the minions of the 'Scorpion' organization. They were led by Octavian—the head of the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction house—whose face was twisted with a mix of rage and fear as he glared at Yuta, who wore a faint, knowing smile.
"You killed my comrades, you despicable wretch! Yuta Caseral, how dare you betray the inhabitants of your own world to aid such pathetic scum from other realms?!"
Octavian's voice was thick with fury as he stared at Yuta and Adrian. Taking advantage of the distraction, Anastasia moved toward them.
As for Adrian, he finally understood the circumstances that had caused his long delay. Nevertheless, his confidence in him remained unshaken; after all, he was still suspected of being the founder of the Scorpion organization—the revered "Heaven-Shatterer."
Yuta moved toward Octavian with a faint smile. In truth, Octavian never stood a chance against Yuta Caseral; the disparity in their power levels—a Holy Ruler versus a Revered—was simply too vast. Moreover, Yuta was currently able to wield 40% of his full strength; it was akin to a common housefly challenging a majestic dragon.
Both Adrian and Yuta surged forward at incredible speed. Octavian was left stunned by Yuta's terrifying velocity, whereas Adrian—unlike Octavian—could easily track his movement.
Yuta landed several punches, leaving Octavian immobilized for a few seconds. He then thrust his hand into Octavian's abdomen, driving it clean through to the other side with a speed so blinding that Octavian could not even perceive it.
Adrian followed up by severing Octavian's head, employing the "Gluttony Sword Art"—empowered by violet flames and a weapon of the "Immortal" rank. This made the act of decapitation far easier than Adrian had anticipated.
Ultimately, a weapon classified as "Emperor-rank" in the *Prime Origin* realm—or "Immortal-rank" within the *Absolute Zero* realm—was more than capable of dispatching a fighter of Octavian's caliber with absolute ease. Adrian deactivated his "King of Games" suit, his gaze shifting toward the system screen that displayed the fruits of his labor—the result of months spent planning—even though the scenario involving the destruction of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction had yet to reach its conclusion.
Nevertheless, he remained confident that it would all come to an end once the truth he had been concealing was finally brought to light.
[Game Title: Absolute Zero - Part I -
Age Rating: 16+
Genre: Romance (Dating Sim) - Combat - Dark - Shonen.
Game Stages: Season One.
Stage 1: Joining the Hero Academy - Completed -
Stage 2: The Ceremony and Weapon Selection - Completed -
Stage 3: Midterm Examination in the Virtual World - Completed -
Stage 4: Saving the Academy from a Demon Attack - Completed -
Stage 5: Rescuing the Character "Silvania" - In Progress -
Mission Details: Rescue the supporting character, Silvania, from the clutches of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction and return her to her original world.
Mission Duration: Until the conclusion of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction.] Mission Conditions:
Scenario 1: Presence of the archer heroine, Anastasia Magilforn – Achieved –
Scenario 2: Presence of one of the main characters from the original world – Achieved –
Scenario 3: Participation in the auction as a registered attendee and the purchase of at least one item – Achieved –
Scenario 4: Rescuing Silfarnia on the third day of the festival – Round 2 – Achieved –
Scenario 5: Destruction of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction – Partially achieved –
Hidden Missions:
Hidden Scenario 1: Killing the secondary villain, Seong-hoon – Achieved –
Reward: 6,000 EXP.
Hidden Scenario 2: The archer heroine, Anastasia Magilforn, obtaining the "Bow of the Archery Sovereign" – Achieved –
Reward: 34,560 EXP.
Hidden Scenario 3: Causing the character Yuta Kaseral to fight the leader of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction – Achieved –
Reward: 23,453 EXP.
Hidden Scenario 4: Getting Silfarnia out unharmed – Achieved –
Reward: 0 EXP.
Hidden Scenario 5: Killing the leader of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction, known as Octavian – Achieved –
Reward: 50,000 EXP. [Note: Deviating from any of the following scenarios is prohibited; failure to comply will result in a penalty for the host.]
[Host's current experience points: 1,450,000,000 / 71,682,981]
[Synchronization rate with the 'Game King' suit has increased from 1.34% to 2.14%.]
He cast his gaze toward Yuta, only to find that he had vanished from his spot, leaving a note where he had once stood.
Adrian read the note, a faint smile appearing on his face as he remarked, "Mr. Yuta Caseral—we shall leave the task of uncovering the truth behind the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction to you, since you insist."