The transition back into Aether-Sync felt different this time. The gel in the Sync-Pod felt less like a chemical bath and more like a warm, familiar embrace. As the synchronization reached its peak, Jin felt the "Link" rune on his arm hum in harmony with Seraphina's presence. They weren't just two players logging into a server; they were two souls tethered by a primordial script, slipping through the backdoors of a higher dimension.
[Synchronization: 98% (Ascended State)] [Location: Outer Perimeter, Cloud-Palace Sect]
The world materialized around them. Instead of the lush greenery of the Jade-Leaf Forest, they were standing on a bridge made of solid moonlight. Below them, a sea of endless white clouds swirled, hiding the world they had left behind. Above, the Cloud-Palace Sect floated like a sprawling, jade-and-gold lotus blossom, its towering pagodas piercing the violet sky.
"This was my home," Seraphina whispered. Her avatar looked different now—her silver hair was bound by a high-ranking disciple's ribbon she shouldn't have been wearing, and her armor had been replaced by flowing, ethereal robes. "And this is where they tried to erase me."
Jin looked at the massive gate ahead. It was guarded by two Jade-Guardian Statues, Level 30 elites that could pulverize a Level 9 player with a single stomp. More importantly, the gate was sealed by a Great Runic Barrier.
"We can't walk through the front," Seraphina said, her hand tightening on the hilt of a training sword Jin had etched for her. "The barrier is keyed to the spiritual signatures of the sect members. If an outsider touches it, the alarm will alert the Elders."
Jin walked up to the shimmering veil of energy. To anyone else, it was a solid wall of light. To his Runic Eyes, it was a vibrating curtain of [Exclusion] and [Identity] scripts.
"I'm not going to break it," Jin said, his fingers reaching out to hover inches from the barrier. "I'm going to make us a part of it."
He pulled a vial of the [Spring Essence] he had saved from the Grotto. He didn't drink it; he used it as "ink." With a focused intensity, he began to draw a complex formation in the air between himself and Seraphina.
[Runic Alchemy: Logic Mimicry] [Essence Consumed: 500 MP]
He etched a [Reflection] rune and combined it with a [Harmony] script. As the runes settled into their robes, their digital signatures began to fluctuate. To the game's security system, they were no longer "Interlopers." They were now "Ghosts"—shadows of the sect's own energy.
"Walk through," Jin commanded.
Seraphina hesitated, then stepped forward. She passed through the barrier like a needle through silk. Not a single spark flew. Not a single alarm sounded. Jin followed closely behind, his heart hammering against his ribs.
As they entered the inner courtyard, the scale of the sect became apparent. Disciples in white robes flew through the air on spirit-swords, and the scent of high-grade incense filled the air. The "Game" elements here were even more pronounced; Jin could see the "Spirit Density" of the air was so high that his own HP and MP were regenerating at triple the normal speed.
"The Sky-Rune is kept in the Star-Observatory Tower," Seraphina signaled through their mental link. "But Jin... look."
She pointed to the central plaza. A massive holographic display was projected for all the disciples to see. It showed the faces of Jin and Seraphina with a crimson [Wanted] tag.
"Reward for the capture of the Traitress Seraphina and the Unregistered Alchemist: 1,000,000 Credits and a High-Grade Spirit Vessel."
"They've put a price on our heads in the real world and the game," Jin muttered. "The Architect is fast."
They moved through the shadows of the jade pillars, heading toward the tower. But as they neared the entrance, Seraphina suddenly stumbled. She clutched her chest, her eyes glowing with a violent, flickering silver light.
"It's... it's the second rune," she gasped. "It's reacting to the tower."
Jin grabbed her, pulling her behind a decorative screen. His Runic Eyes flared, and he gasped. Inside Seraphina's soul, a dormant rune was fighting to break free. It was the [Moon-Crest] rune, a legendary symbol of the Cloud-Palace founders.
"The bloodline in you... it's not just a fighting talent," Jin realized, his hands glowing as he tried to stabilize her energy. "You are the key to this entire sect. They didn't betray you because you were weak, Seraphina. They betrayed you because they couldn't control the power you were born with."
Suddenly, the doors to the Star-Observatory Tower burst open. A man stepped out, draped in robes of deep crimson. He held a staff topped with a rotating mechanical eye.
"I wondered how long it would take for the 'Ghosts' to arrive," the man said, his voice cold and echoing. This was Elder Thorne, Seraphina's uncle and a high-ranking executive in the real-world corporation. "You've brought the boy to me, Seraphina. How thoughtful."
He raised his staff, and the ground around Jin and Seraphina turned into a Runic Binding Circle.
"Don't worry, Alchemist," the Elder sneered, looking at Jin. "We don't want to kill you. We want to 'Refine' you. A mind that can see the Source Code is far too valuable to be left in the slums."
Jin looked at the Elder, then at the trembling Seraphina. The thrum in his blood changed. It wasn't a vibration anymore; it was a roar of pure, unadulterated defiance.
"You want to refine me?" Jin said, his voice dropping to a level that made the jade pillars vibrate. He reached into his inventory and pulled out his Weighted Runic Dagger, but this time, he didn't hold it like a tool. He held it like a key. "Then let's see if your 'Security System' can handle a System Crash."