Silas wasn't guessing. Based on Lily's description, he knew exactly what haunted these marshes: the Aurelian Wraith-Cutter.
This wasn't a standard biological boss; it was a rare, spectral anomaly that could manifest in any starter region. At Level 5, its HP and Attack would be manageable, but its skill set was notoriously complex. More importantly, Silas knew it held a "Unique Relic", an item so rare that even thousands of years into the future, it would remain the only one of its kind.
"To find a Wraith-Cutter this early... my luck is finally turning," Silas mused. "At Level 5, its lethal radius is small. If this were a high-level variant, the entire marsh would be a graveyard within seconds."
After liquidating his remaining stock, Silas checked his "Wallet."
[Tradeable Lifespan: 2,174 Days]
Nearly six years of life. To an average person, it was a fortune. To Silas, it was a pittance. To "Extract" a full Level 10 build, stats, gear, and a unique Hidden Class, back into Riverspire would require decades, not years. The Ghost Ship was his chance to bridge that gap.
As they left Shell Town, Lily watched Silas with wide, shocked eyes. "Expert... you're really going to solo a Gold Boss? They have massive AoE attacks. One clip from a skill and an Assassin's HP bar will vanish."
Silas didn't answer immediately. He stopped, his head tilting slightly. "You're slow," he said flatly. "We're being followed."
Lily gasped. "What? What do we do?"
"Keep walking. Don't look back," Silas commanded. "I'll be right back."
He vanished.
Thirty meters back, five players were hugging the treeline, their eyes fixed on Lily's retreating form. They didn't even see the shimmer in the air until it was too late.
Instant Shadow Slash!
A streak of obsidian light tore through the forest.
-817!
-821!
-798!
Three men collapsed instantly. The fourth tried to turn, but the fifth slash of the Platinum-tier skill opened his throat. The leader, frozen in terror, turned to bolt, only for a Poison Dart to bury itself in the base of his skull.
-948! (Weak Point Critical)
"Trash," Silas muttered, looting their bodies. They only had ten days of lifespan between them. He considered it a minor XP bonus and flickered back to Lily's side.
"Let's move faster."
Without waiting for a response, Silas reached out, grabbed Lily by the waist, and hoisted her onto his shoulder like a tactical crate.
"Eek! Wait! This is... this is kidnapping!" Lily squeaked, her face flushing.
But her complaints died in her throat as Silas accelerated. With 72 Agility, he was a blur. 100 meters in four seconds. He was moving at 90 kilometers per hour through broken terrain, a feat that would be physically impossible for a human in Riverspire.
"Once I hit Level 10 and Extract these stats," Silas thought, "I won't just be an expert. I'll be a god among mortals."
Ten minutes later, they reached the precipice of a jagged cliff. Below them lay a swamp choked with grey, necrotic mist.
In the center of the muck sat a derelict, wooden ship. It pulsed with a faint, rhythmic golden light. Even from the cliffside, the golden-bordered HP bar was visible, the mark of a Gold-tier Boss.
"Wait here," Silas said, setting Lily down. "Watch for ambushes. I'm going in."
As his boots hit the swamp water, a system warning flared in his vision:
[Warning: You have entered a 'Malice Zone' (Effect of the Wraith-Cutter).]
[Lifespan Decay Rate: 100x!]
In this zone, fifteen minutes of real-time would cost a full day of life. To most, this was a terrifying ticking clock. To Silas, it was a reminder of the "Great Desolation" that was coming to Riverspire in a month's time, when the whole world would become a Malice Zone.
Silas entered Shadow Cloak. In the Isu-simulation, stealth didn't just hide the body; it dampened physical interaction. He left no ripples in the water, no footprints in the mud.
He approached the vessel. It was five meters long, a skeletal figure clutching an oar at the stern. At the bow hung a bell, burning with a cold, golden soul-fire.
[Golden Ghost Ship (Level 5)]
Rank: Gold (Special)Existence Timer: 45:25
Silas drew his dagger. The hunt for the first artifact had begun.