I Don't Need To Log Out

"Anything? Are you sure?" Arlon asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Haha, don't worry. I take my promises seriously," Zephyrion replied with a confident smirk. "Start whenever you're ready."

Arlon knew this wouldn't be easy, but he felt confident enough to believe the odds weren't entirely against him.

He stood ready, gripping his Wandblade tightly. He eyed Zephyrion, who stood on the other side of the room, unarmed and unarmored.

"Why aren't you using any equipment or armor?" Arlon asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

Zephyrion smirked, his sharp teeth glinting. "I don't need them. A tiger doesn't wear armor to hunt, does it?"

Arlon frowned. This fight was already stacked against him, but now it seemed Zephyrion was intent on proving just how superior he was.

"Fine," Arlon said, taking a deep breath. "Let's begin."

Without wasting a second, Arlon activated Dash, closing the distance between them in a blur. His Wandblade sliced through the air in a wide arc aimed at Zephyrion's side.

But Zephyrion was gone.

The sound of claws scraping the ground echoed behind Arlon. Zephyrion had moved faster than Arlon's eyes could follow, positioning himself behind his opponent in an instant.

Arlon barely managed to activate Blink, teleporting a short distance forward just as Zephyrion's claws swiped through the air where he had been standing.

"Good reflexes," Zephyrion commented, his voice carrying an amused edge. "But you'll need more than that."

Arlon gritted his teeth and turned, firing a Lightning Bolt directly at Zephyrion. The electric spell streaked toward its target, crackling with power.

In the two days he could train, Arlon learned how to connect magic and sword. Until now, all he did was use either magic or sword.

Even though he used them one after another sometimes, he had never used the real power of a magic swordsman.

So, he found a few tricks to use them together this time.

Zephyrion didn't flinch. With a quick motion, he swiped his claws through the air, releasing a shockwave that dissipated the lightning bolt before it could reach him.

Arlon's eyes widened. "What was that?"

"A simple trick," Zephyrion replied. "I call it Claw Rend."

Not giving Arlon a moment to recover, Zephyrion charged forward with Predator's Dash, a speed-enhancing ability that made Arlon's own Dash seem sluggish in comparison.

Arlon activated Stone Heart, hardening his body just as Zephyrion's claws came down in a flurry of blows. The impacts sent vibrations through Arlon's frame, and though he managed to endure, the sheer force drove him several steps back.

"That skill of yours… not bad," Zephyrion admitted. "But can it handle this?"

Zephyrion roared, his claws glowing with energy as he unleashed Wild Barrage, a rapid series of slashes that seemed to come from every direction at once.

Arlon activated Lightning Feet, enhancing his speed as he dodged and weaved through the onslaught. He wasn't fast enough to avoid every strike, and a few claw marks grazed his armor, but he managed to stay on his feet.

"Impressive," Zephyrion said, his grin widening. "Most wouldn't last this long."

Arlon didn't respond. He raised his Wandblade and cast Chain Lightning, sending arcs of electricity toward Zephyrion.

The lightning hit its mark, wrapping around Zephyrion's body and crackling loudly. For a moment, Arlon thought he had an opening.

But Zephyrion laughed. "A good hit. But spells of that quality won't pierce through my body even if I don't use any defense."

Zephyrion's muscles flexed, and the lightning dissipated with a burst of his raw power.

Arlon took a step back, his mind racing. He needed something unexpected. Something Zephyrion wouldn't anticipate.

As Zephyrion lunged again, Arlon tried to think of the things he could use. There was only one thing he hadn't used yet.

So, he activated Shadow Shift, the passive ability of his Wraithguard Set. His body blurred and phased into the shadows, making him intangible for a brief moment.

Zephyrion's claws passed harmlessly through Arlon's form.

Zephyrion raised an eyebrow, visibly surprised. "What's this?"

Arlon reappeared behind Zephyrion, swinging his Wandblade with precision. The blade connected, leaving a shallow cut across Zephyrion's arm.

It wasn't a deep wound, but it was the first strike Arlon had landed.

Zephyrion glanced at his arm, then back at Arlon. "Impressive," he said, his tone now tinged with genuine respect. "You're full of surprises."

Not letting the moment slip away, Arlon followed up with Fire Pillar, summoning a column of flames beneath Zephyrion's feet.

Arlon was much more efficient with Fire Pillar now, but he still needed at least one second to cast it.

Zephyrion leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the searing flames. He landed gracefully, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Very good," Zephyrion said. "But playtime is over."

Before Arlon could react, Zephyrion activated Beast Flurry, a combination of speed and strength that turned him into a blur of claws and power.

Arlon tried to counter with Blink, but Zephyrion predicted his movement, intercepting him mid-teleport with a swipe that sent Arlon crashing into the wall.

The impact knocked the wind out of Arlon, and he struggled to stand.

Zephyrion approached slowly, his claws retracting. "You've done well. Better than I expected, honestly."

Arlon managed to push himself to his feet, his body aching but his resolve unbroken.

"Thank you," Arlon said, gripping his Wandblade tightly. "But I'm not done yet."

Zephyrion chuckled. "You've already earned my respect. That's enough for today. I read the Zeno manual, so I know what happens if you die. We don't want it, do we?"

With that, Zephyrion extended a hand. "A good fight, Arlon. Let's save the rest for when you're ready. I can easily see you will be much stronger soon."

Arlon hesitated, then took Zephyrion's hand. The fight was over, but he had proven himself, even if only slightly.

And for now, that was enough since telling him about his Unfair Regressor title wouldn't hurt anyone.

---

After the fight, Zephyrion led Arlon to the next room. Given the sheer size of the floor, each room felt as spacious as a typical citizen's entire house.

Inside, Arlon was greeted by the sight of a thermal pool, steam rising gently from the surface.

"It seems like you know how to live," Arlon remarked, raising an eyebrow.

Zephyrion laughed, his deep voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space. "Haha! If you want to go far in this world, you need more than just training. Proper care is just as important."

The two cleaned themselves briefly before stepping into the pool. The warm water enveloped Arlon, easing the tension from his muscles.

It wasn't unlike Earth's hot springs, though the faint hum of mana in the air reminded him that this pool was artificial, powered entirely by magic.

"So," Zephyrion began, leaning back against the smooth stone edge of the pool. "Can you now tell me how you've managed to act like a Trionian, even though you're bound by the pause time every day?"

Arlon exhaled slowly, the heat of the water mixing with the weight of the question. "Yes, that was the promise." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "It is thanks to my title. Ah! Do you know about the titles?"

Zephyrion tilted his head slightly, his curiosity evident. "Titles? Like a commander's or a noble's title?"

"It's similar," Arlon replied. "We saviors can earn one title based on our class when we reach level 150, provided we complete the Samera Stone quest. There's a stone in Samera Marsh that, for some reason, grants quests to those who touch it."

Arlon hesitated. Explaining the intricacies of the game mechanics felt strange in this context, given the reality of Trion, but he pressed on.

Normally, when an NPC in Trion gave a task, it wasn't recorded as an official quest like in other games.

For example, if someone asked a player to collect five wolf pelts, that was it—no system notifications or progress markers.

It was as if the system wasn't integrated into Trionian society, emphasizing that these weren't NPCs but real people.

Players, however, had developed a workaround. They could manually track these requests using the system's notes feature, mimicking the feel of traditional game quests.

But this workaround wasn't automatic—it relied on the player's initiative.

The Samera Stone was an exception. When touched, it issued a quest directly through the system—a rare phenomenon in Trion.

After they learned this wasn't a game, many players theorized that the system provided the quest only because the stone itself couldn't speak.

Zephyrion's expression shifted as Arlon explained. "Ah, do you mean the stone that came from space?"

Arlon blinked, caught off guard by the statement, "Huh?" Stay tuned for updates on empire