[Welcome to the Golden Star Festival]
[Enjoy yourself, the event will last until midnight, meaning four hours.]
The festival’s lively energy filled the air, but Alex wasn’t here for the festivities.
He had one goal: find Alice and Aurelia and stay close to them.
The Golden Star Festival might not be a combat event, but danger lurked in unexpected places.
Also, he didn’t have any money so he hoped Alice would buy him the [Fate Gift Boxes] when the [Wandering Merchant] would appear.
And no, you can’t try and steal from him, because as said before, he is extremely strong.
Strong enough to wipe out this entire city except for the chairman of the academy as they were at equal levels.
And talking about the academy and its chairman, the teachers and Dominic himself would obviously be participating.
That’s why Alex needed to be careful.
He couldn’t pinpoint exactly when they started to take away players/students for their ritual.
But now that they had lost two of the precious items they needed for the summoning, they would surely try and enhance the strength of the [Hatred Demon] another way while waiting: sacrifices.
As Alex stepped into the city’s bustling grand plaza, the faint chime of a bell signaled the start of the festival.
Food stalls lined the streets, selling star-shaped pastries and glittering drinks.
Performers danced, and games of chance drew excited crowds.
Despite the cheerful atmosphere, Alex’s sharp eyes scanned every corner for threats.
He frowned, patting his empty pockets.
He didn’t have any money to buy the [Fate Gift Boxes] from the [Wandering Merchant], who was bound to appear during the festival.
He’d have to rely on Alice for that, but he also knew better than to even think about stealing from the merchant.
The man was a walking disaster, capable of wiping out cities.
Only the academy’s chairman could match his strength.
Alex opened his [World Map], searching for his allies.
Two golden dots blinked on the northern side of the festival, labeled [StarPillow] and [Aurelia].
“Gotcha,” he muttered, closing the map.
As Alex made his way through the crowd, whispers followed him.
“Yo, isn’t that him?”
“FateBreaker!”
“Haha, yeah, he helped us win during the [Monster Tide Trial] in Overlord City!”
Alex’s pace quickened as he cursed under his breath.
He’d forgotten to wear his [Mask of Concealment], but the attention from others and the fact they said his ID reminded him.
If the academy’s chairman noticed him, it could spell disaster.
Quickly, he slipped the mask on, feeling the magic suppress his presence.
“Reckless,” he muttered.
The sound of cheering caught Alex’s attention as he approached the northern side of the festival.
A large crowd had gathered around an arena marked with a glowing sign: [Friendly 1v1s].
It was one of the three main events of the [Golden Star Festival], a very popular event where players could test their skills without the fear of death or having to wait 30 minutes.
If they died they wouldn’t be kicked out of the game.
He pushed through the crowd of onlookers, catching sight of the two fighters in the ring: Alice and Aurelia.
Alice stood poised, her bow drawn and shimmering arrows ready.
Her [Ice Arrows] sparkled in the festival lights, while her [Star Arrows] radiated a soft golden glow.
She moved with precision, her [Fox Ears] cosmetic twitching as she focused on her opponent.
Aurelia, on the other hand, wielded her [Shadow Control Daggers] with effortless grace.
The blades floated around her, guided by her will.
Her movements were fluid, each step calculated.
The passive skill [Perfect Control] allowed her to manipulate the daggers with pinpoint accuracy.
The crowd roared as the fight began.
Alice was the first to strike, loosing a volley of [Ice Arrows].
They flew with blinding speed, each arrow leaving a frosty trail in its wake.
Aurelia darted to the side, her daggers spinning in a defensive arc, shattering the icy projectiles before they could reach her.
Even though she had been with Alex way less than Alice, the items he gave her, as well as the levels she gained, allowed him to catch up.
“Not bad,” Aurelia said, her voice calm.
She flicked her wrist, sending her two daggers flying toward Alice.
Alice leaped back, firing a [Star Arrow] mid-air.
The golden projectile curved, aimed directly at Aurelia’s chest.
But Aurelia vanished in a blur of darkness, reappearing behind Alice with a quick [Shadow Blink].
Before Aurelia could land a strike, Alice spun around, releasing another arrow.
The force of the shot sent Aurelia skidding back, but she barely seemed fazed.
“Let’s step it up,” Aurelia said, raising her hand.
Note that Alice was at a complete disadvantage in such a fight, as archers were obviously better off if there was a ton of distance.
But in that case, the arena had a limit, one that Aurelia could instantly shorten with her skills.
The air grew heavy as her [Eternal Night Veil] activated, which was one of the [Shadow Control Daggers] unique skills.
[Eternal Night Veil; Create a 200-meter radius of impenetrable darkness for 30 seconds. Within the veil, all shadow-based attacks deal 50% more damage.]
Darkness engulfed the arena, reducing visibility to almost nothing. Explore new worlds at empire
Within the veil, Aurelia’s daggers moved like vipers, striking from every direction.
Alice gritted her teeth, her eyes scanning for any sign of movement.
She fired blindly, her arrows lighting up the darkness in brief flashes.
The crowd held their breath as the two clashed, the sound of metal meeting magic echoing through the arena.
Aurelia’s daggers closed in, forcing Alice to retreat.
She dodged and rolled, firing arrow after arrow.
Yet Aurelia’s control was too precise, the daggers weaved around every attack, pressing closer.
“Got you,” Aurelia whispered, her daggers forming a deadly cross in mid-air, ready to strike Alice from both sides, “Shadow Strike!”
But Alice wasn’t done yet.
She leaped high, firing a barrage of [Star Arrows] downward.
The golden rain disrupted Aurelia’s control, forcing her to deflect the attacks.
As the darkness began to fade, the two combatants faced each other again, their breathing heavy.
Alice narrowed her eyes, her hand twitching toward her quiver.
She hadn’t used her [Blood Arrows] in this fight, but she was tempted.
They were her trump card, devastating but costly as she needed to use blood from monsters to create them.
She spotted Aurelia moving through the last remnants of the [Eternal Night Veil], her silhouette barely visible.
And that was all the opening Alice needed.
In one swift motion, she nocked a [Blood Arrow] and fired.
The crimson projectile sliced through the air, striking Aurelia square in the forehead.
The impact was instantaneous.
Aurelia’s body disintegrated in a flash of blue light, signaling the end of the match.
[StarPillow wins!]
The crowd erupted into cheers as Alice lowered her bow, her breathing steady.
Aurelia’s form reappeared at the arena’s entrance, fully intact but visibly impressed.
“That was close,” Aurelia admitted with a faint smile, “Previously you were able to immediately kill me.”
Alice stepped out of the ring as the barrier surrounding the arena disappeared.
The two exchanged a nod of mutual respect before the crowd swarmed them with applause and admiration.
Once they broke free from the crowd, Alice and Aurelia spotted Alex waiting nearby.
His arms crossed, he was grinning.
“Ale-” Alice began to shout, but Aurelia quickly cut her off.
“FateBreaker!”
Alice winced, scratching her head in embarrassment, “My bad.”
“It’s fine,” Alex chuckled. “Let’s enjoy the festival.”
Despite his lighthearted words, Alex couldn’t shake the feeling of an ominous gaze lingering on him, as if someone was watching his every move.