Online Game: I Have A 100% Drop Rate

“I thought I’d be facing you directly,” Leon said while staring at the shadowy figure displayed through the floating panel, his grip tightening slightly around his staff as he observed the [Awakener Lord] carefully. “But I guess not.”

The dark silhouette sitting behind the desk let out a quiet laugh before leaning lazily against his throne-like chair.

“I do not personally enter the [Advanced District],” the lord answered calmly, a faint grin visible beneath the darkness surrounding his face. “Matters like these are usually handled by my guardians instead.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed slightly. Even through the panel alone, the pressure coming from the [Awakener Lord] felt abnormal.

It was nothing like the aura of ordinary NPCs. In fact, Leon could immediately tell this being stood on an entirely different level than Mathilde.

An existence like this could probably erase him without effort if he truly wished to. Still, Leon forced himself to remain calm.

“An elf came before me,” Leon continued while crossing his arms. “What kind of special test did you give her?”

“No idea,” the [Awakener Lord] shrugged casually. “Special assessments are automatic anyway, and the players are directly transported toward their task’s location, though I decided to personally appear for yours.”

“…Why?” Leon asked immediately, his expression hardening. “Because I cleared that quest? Or because of my [Combat Power]?”

“Both,” the lord laughed openly this time. “You are interesting, human, and I enjoy interesting things far more than boring ones.”

His grin widened slightly afterward.

“And more importantly…”

The [Awakener Lord] suddenly said something else. Yet the moment the words left his mouth, the panel flickered violently before the sound abruptly vanished entirely, almost as though some invisible force had cut the sentence apart before Leon could hear it.

Leon frowned immediately.

“What did you just say?” he asked while staring at the screen. “I didn’t hear anything.”

The lord blinked once before slowly nodding to himself, almost as though he understood exactly what had happened.

“It seems he does not want you hearing that,” he muttered with visible excitement. “Interesting… incredibly interesting.”

Leon’s expression darkened. He instantly understood who the lord was referring to.

The same mysterious existence behind the [Divine Answer]. The so-called “Heavenly One.”

The fact that such a being interfered directly just to stop Leon from hearing a sentence made his instincts scream in warning.

Still, before Leon could ask another question, the [Awakener Lord] suddenly clapped his hands together.

Ding!

A panel appeared immediately before Leon.

[Special Advancement Test:]

[Go beyond the walls of the “Awakener Kingdom” and retrieve the “Magicless Core.”]

[You may keep the item afterward. The “Magicless Core” is guarded by a Level 90 Boss.]

[Good luck.]

Leon stared at the notification for several seconds before slowly lifting his gaze toward the lord again.

“…Are you serious? A level 75 player against a level 90 boss?” Leon asked with disbelief clear in his voice. “That’s not a test, that’s suicide.”

The [Awakener Lord] only grinned wider, “We both know you can do it.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed even further.

The lord leaned forward slightly afterward, resting his chin against one hand while observing Leon with obvious curiosity.

“Now show me, human,” he said slowly. “Show me how far a celestial can truly go, and how much determination can push someone beyond their limits.”

His grin became sharper.

“After all, determination has always been the greatest weapon of your kind.”

“What the hell do you mean by that?” Leon asked in confusion, “Determination hasn’t really done anything.”

“You’ll discover it soon enough if you remain alive.”

Fwoosh!

Before Leon could respond, a giant circle of light suddenly formed beneath his feet.

“What—”

The world around him twisted violently. In an instant, Leon disappeared from the room completely.

A bright flash swallowed his vision.

Then suddenly—

Ding!

[You have been exiled from the “Awakener Kingdom” until the “Magicless Core” is obtained.]

Leon opened his eyes immediately afterward and found himself standing somewhere entirely different.

“…Damn it.”

His expression turned ugly almost instantly. He had already guessed the [Awakener Lord] would make things difficult, but this was even worse than expected.

The place surrounding him felt dead. The massive wall of the [Awakener Kingdom] stood directly behind him, towering so high into the sky that Leon couldn’t even properly see the top.

The structure looked impossible to climb. And from what Emilia previously explained, being exiled outside the kingdom was basically suicide anyway.

High-level NPC guards constantly monitored the top and immediately killed any exile or monster attempting to enter the kingdom illegally.

This place truly was a prison. A gigantic wasteland reserved for discarded players.

Leon immediately understood something important afterward.

Most likely, ordinary players never received a special assessment like this.

A level 75 player being thrown outside the kingdom walls alone against level 85+ monsters was absurd.

Even level 90 players struggled to survive in the outer lands. After all, level differences alone meant almost nothing in [Eternal Ascension]. Combat power mattered far more.

A powerful level 85 monster could absolutely massacre a weaker level 90 player under the right circumstances. The [Forsaken City] had already proven that clearly.

Every monster there possessed abnormal combat power compared to their levels.

And judging from the aura lingering in this wasteland… The same thing likely applied here too, though probably not on the same level as the city.

Leon slowly turned away from the kingdom wall before finally observing the outside world properly.

Gray grass stretched endlessly across the land. The sky itself looked darkened and lifeless compared to the bright atmosphere inside the kingdom.

Even the air felt heavier. In the far distance, Leon spotted several massive mountains rising beyond the wasteland.

“That’s probably where the [Magicless Core] is,” he muttered quietly.

Still, despite the danger surrounding him, Leon wasn’t panicking.

Compared to most players, he possessed a massive advantage: the [World Map].

Technically, Leon could leave this higher domain whenever he wanted.

Yet he immediately dismissed the idea. He couldn’t abandon Emilia or Celeste here.

Not while the [Awakener Lord] and his guardians were clearly watching everything he did.

If he suddenly disappeared, Leon had no doubt they would target the others immediately.

’I’ll just complete this ridiculous test and leave afterward,’ Leon thought coldly while narrowing his eyes toward the distant mountains. ’The faster this ends, the faster I can focus on hatching the [Primordial Dragon of Chaos].’

That dragon mattered far more than this kingdom. Still, before moving, Leon decided to check on Emilia first.

He immediately opened his [Friends List] and sent her a message.

[Celestial: I’ve been “exiled” until I retrieve an item for my special assessment. What about you?]

Unlike usual, Emilia didn’t answer immediately. Leon waited nearly two minutes before finally hearing a notification sound.

Ding!

[Saintess: Sorry! I was fighting monsters! I got teleported into one of the district realms and my task is defeating the boss there… I’ll do my best! ٩(◕‿◕)۶]

Leon stared at the cheerful emoticon for a second before shaking his head slightly.

Even during dangerous situations, Emilia somehow stayed optimistic.

[Celestial: Good luck.]

At least now he knew she was still alive and progressing through her own test safely. That allowed Leon to focus entirely on his own situation.