The air tore open with a crimson flash.
Arthur and Rina warped into a desolate place—a forgotten temple hidden beneath Seoul's foundations. Moss-eaten stones jutted like broken teeth, surrounding an altar at the center etched with glowing runes. The very ground hummed with heat, as if the earth itself was holding its breath.
Rina's boots scraped the stone as she stumbled. Still cuffed, still fuming.
"What the hell is this place?" she snapped. "And why am I cuffed like your prisoner?!"
Arthur didn't look at her. He stepped forward, eyes fixed on the altar.
"This is where you stop being a problem."
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Planning to kill me now?"
He smirked. "You wish. Killing you would be easy. But no, you're useful. You're the only one who's seen my face."
"Oh, poor me. Witness to a war crime."
Arthur finally turned, his eyes blazing with a calm intensity that unnerved her.
"You know what I am. And that means you're coming with me."
"I'm not your pet," she growled. "I'm not anyone's damn follower."
"You'll change your mind."
He went to the altar and retrieved the items from his inventory with a flick of his hand.
> Item Retrieved: [Bracelet of the Fallen – F Rank]
Item Retrieved: [Fire Crystal – Condensed Core Grade – C Rank]
Item Retrieved: [Divine Bell of King Seongdeok – A Rank]
> Command: Activate Ritual Interface
Command: Fuse [Bracelet of the Fallen] + [Fire Crystal] + [Sacrifice: Divine Bell of King Seongdeok]
The runes lit up like wildfire.
The bell shattered into embers midair, its echo ringing like a divine scream. Flames wrapped around the bracelet, melting and reforging it until the metal pulsed with molten veins. The fire crystal cracked, its core absorbed into the new form.
Rina's jaw dropped. "Wait—don't tell me you're sacrificing the Divine Bell! Many people dies trying to get their hands on it!"
Arthur gave a soft laugh. "Power doesn't comes without a price."
> Item Evolution Complete: [Infernal Vein – S Rank]
Element Acquired: [Fire Element – Unlocked]
New Skills Gained:
– Flame Manipulation (Active)
– Flame Pillar (Active)
– Flame Brand of Saviour (Active)
– Phoenix Resilience (Passive)
– Mana Pulse: Fire Core (Passive)
The altar dimmed. Power lingered in the air, thick and heavy, like the aftermath of a thunderstorm.
Arthur stood slowly, flames dancing in his pupils. "Now," he said, turning to Rina, "time for your welcome gift."
> Command: Flame Brand of Saviour – Mark Target: Rina
The mark burned into her upper back—an intricate flame-shaped sigil that pulsed once, then settled like a tattoo of obedience.
She gasped, staggering. "W-What the hell did you just do?!"
"I gave you a mark. A bond. From now on, you're bound to me."
Rina snarled. "Like hell I am!"
> Command: Release Handcuff
The cuffs vanished in a shimmer of light. Rina lunged at him, but her body froze mid-swing—locked by a force she couldn't fight.
Arthur grinned. "Try all you want. The mark answers to me."
"Unmark me, you fucking bastard!"
"Temper, temper," he teased. "Didn't your mother teach you not to shout at elders?"
Rina hissed, chest pounding. "Why are you doing this?"
Arthur stepped closer, voice quiet. "Because from now on, you're not just a witness. You're a companion of Anonymous."
The name made her flinch.
"You really are him…" she whispered.
"I never said I wasn't."
"…Then who the hell are you really? What's your real name and identity?"
He paused. Then answered softly:
"Arthur Creed."
Silence.
Rina blinked. "…Who?"
Arthur laughed. It wasn't loud, but it was real.
"I created Eclipse: Reborn," he said, sitting on a broken pillar. "Every monster, every dungeon, every pixel of this world? It came from me. I spent my life alone, coding in the dark, waiting for someone to see me. Nobody ever did."
Rina didn't speak. Just listened.
"So when the world changed to match my game," he continued, "it felt like fate finally gave me a chance. And I'm not wasting it."
A strange look crossed her face. "Damn… that's actually kinda tragic."
"Tragic?" Arthur snorted. "It's poetic. I was a nobody back then. But now I'm the king in my game."
Her lips twitched. "Still a fucking bastard though."
He flashed a grin. "That's part of the brand."
She took a step back. "Well, don't get all sentimental. I might tell people who you really are."
"Oh, about that…"
> Hidden Rule Activated: Flame Brand Restriction — Verbal Disclosure Block
Rina tried to speak. "Arthur Cree—uhk—Anony—"
She coughed, gagged, tried again, and got a system notification in her vision:
> WARNING: You are restricted from disclosing owner's identity or affiliation to the owner.
She turned beet red. "YOU PUT A RESTRICTION ON ME?!"
Arthur leaned against the altar, absolutely smug. "I call it... privacy settings."
"I hate you."
"You've got excellent taste."
She groaned and slumped onto the altar's edge. "I swear I'm going to murder you the second I figure out how."
He looked over at her, half amused, half… intrigued.
"You're welcome to try. Until then? Welcome to Team Anonymous."