Zenith Online: Rebirth of the Strongest Player

Baffled by the question before him, Kieran stared at the vibrating chest in shock.

A Rare Enigma Chest…

This was something Kieran had never heard of before. The name alone left a huge impression on him because, like the Mystical Treasure Chest of Duality, it was something unprecedented.

Sadly, he couldn't glean any information from the notification.

To receive in-depth information on the Rare Enigma Chest, Kieran would have to agree to the prompt before him.

Naturally, as it was an item produced by the actions of a True Relic, Kieran was inclined to agree. Even if he was skeptical of the Archaic Verity Compendium's motives for helping him, Kieran couldn't overlook one thing.

Despite feeling like a supreme item and possessing an unusually arrogant attitude of an ancient scholar, the Ego didn't tamper with his Soul Permanence at all. Realization of this fact persuaded Kieran's following answer.

"Form the Rare Enigma Chest," Kieran directed.

A second later, it was as if everything about the Treasure Chests were deconstructed and tossed into some otherworldly crucible that churned with a strange noise.

As Kieran gazed at this phenomenon, he watched as a Treasure Chest engraved with the characters found in the Supreme Ciphers beyond Kieran's understanding formed.

Pure black in color once formed, the Rare Enigma Chest phased in an out of existence as if it was a presence that couldn't be sanctioned by the world.

If Kieran were to look outside in the sky above the entire Nothern Continent of Nelorias, he'd perceived a ubiquitous hand forming across the entire boundary.

However, faster than one could blink, the hand was restrained by another presence of unfathomable proportion. All of this naturally came as a result of the Archaic Verity Compendium warping the reality of the chests.

Though the scale was minute, it was a power that alerted presences beyond the firmament, perhaps those very Endless that Hekaina and a few others speculated about.

Upon gleaning the Rare Enigma Chest's completion, Kieran stood in front of it.

Not long after, the chest revealed information in a structure that didn't quite abide by the standards set by the system.

「 Item Name: Rare Enigma Chest (Unknown)

Item Usage: Aatrox, holder of the Nameless True Relic, must open it to find out.

Description: An item created by an enigma. Only one in possession of an enigma-inducing item can open it. When opened, it will assess what the wielder requires to weather their looming fate. The number of items bestowed is incapable of being foreseen. 」

"...Ain't no way," Kieran rubbed his eyes and looked again to ensure he hadn't read it wrong.

There was no ranking or level attributed to the item.

Furthermore, when it came to the item usage, all that remained was a whimsical message.

Normally, the mystery of such an item would deter most players or people in general from opening it.

Yet… Kieran was drawn to the item after touching it once.

As he moved his hands onto the chest, two Supreme Ciphers appeared.

From what Kieran understood, it was not part of the nine that floated around in his mind. In other words, this Supreme Cipher was the doing of the Archaic Verity Compendium.

However, considering that it precipitated the entire situation, it wasn't too far-fetched to believe that it left additional energy to help Kieran open the item. Otherwise, its intervention would have been for naught.

As the top of the chest was lifted, obscure energy carrying a strange mystique assaulted Kieran's body. When it came in contact with his, Kieran's eyes went white and his head was thrown back to the sky as if something was judging what he required.

Time seemed to come to a standstill but the top of the chest continued to rise until it flung back, revealing an inside that couldn't be perceived with normal eyes.

A few seconds later, Kieran's eyes returned to their original state and he looked down into the chest's interior.

All of a sudden, Kieran was met with a notification he didn't expect.

〈System: …A source of archaic inspiration has been detected.〉

〈System: Your «Knowledge» is increasing.〉

〈System: Your understanding of reality's veil has deepened. Due to your newfound understanding, your «Knowledge» has risen immensely.〉

'Reality's veil…' Kieran muttered in his mind, suddenly pulling his hand back.

As he did so, an unusual item was withdrawn from the chest. Despite having drawn from the chest, it remained, which led Kieran to believe that it had more to give.

'Perhaps it's related to the number of Rare Treasure Chests that I merged to obtain this item?' Kieran speculated, placing his hand inside once more.

When he pulled back, another usual item was withdrawn yet the chest remained.

So Kieran repeated his actions.

Though, this time, the chest disappeared after Kieran retracted his hand. So, it appeared his speculation that the number of draws matched the number of chests merged was incorrect.

Still, three draws from this bizarre chest sufficed to awe him.

As Kieran looked at what was drawn from the chest, he found that they existed as identical cubes with strange structures inside them. While unfamiliar with the concept, Kieran seemed to be innately drawn to the cubes, leading him to hold out his hand.

The first cube disappeared, turning into a strange cloak without a true tangible form. Kieran found it difficult to describe so he left it be, floating weightlessly in the air.

〈System: You have obtained the Inferior True Relic: «Eternal Calignosity Cloak».〉

As Kieran touched the second cube, it was replaced by an unusual mask. Upon closer inspection, Kieran felt this mask resembled a human in some instances and a demon in others.

Though, if he had to name the type of demon, that's where the difficulty arose. For the time being, Kieran decided not to interact with it, especially given its name.

〈System: You have obtained the Lost Item «Fallen Monarch's Mask.»〉

'These items…' Kieran muttered, looking at the last one in sight.

Despite his apprehension and slew of questions, Kieran had to touch the last cube to identify what existed inside. And, unlike the rest, which could be considered strange equipment, he was left with a key.

Predominantly silver in color, the key possessed accents of black, white, and purple that blended as one to create an illusory effect.

〈System: You have obtained the key to the «Nihility Boundary's Doorway».〉

As Kieran read the last notification, he stared into space absentmindedly.

According to Scar, Argexes' body was sealed within the Nihility Boundary, so chancing upon this key meant he possessed the means to enter that place.

But, considering the chest revealed it would only give things required to weather his fate… why would it lead him to a presence that everyone regarded as a ruinous being of destruction?

'I thought the Hecate said that I am a Harbinger without a cemented alignment. Why are all of these items related to dark, demonic, destructive, or nihilistic matters? Wouldn't that mean it's safe to assume that I'm destined to become nothing more than a cause of destruction?' Kieran questioned.

Though angry, Kieran was sure he had yet to reach a point where he wanted to see everything in ruin. And quite frankly, he didn't see how reaching that point would benefit, excite, or console him.

All that awaited after untold destruction was desolation.

Of course, his current self couldn't look beyond the surface meaning of the items and delve deeper. His thought process was limited by what he knew and what he could fathom.

Similar to the Rare Enigma Chest, the details of the items were also vague and did not conform to the structure by which Zenith Online evaluated everything.

「 Item Name: Eternal Calignosity Cloak

Inferior True Relic

Description: An item imbued with the ability to hide from powers that be thanks to its creation taking place in the eye of the caliginous void. For one to call upon this Relic's true power, they must wield the capacity to become one with it. Unique in its creation, it personifies the perpetuity of obscurity.

Unable to be dropped, traded, or destroyed. Soulbound to Aatrox. 」

「 Item Name: Fallen Monarch's Mask (Unknown)

Lost Item

Description: An item belonging to the Fallen Monarch, holder of the Ruinous Ability. To form a link with this item, one must be prepared to go against infallible enemies. Once accepted, one will rarely stumble across a friend.

Unable to be dropped, traded, or destroyed. Soulbound to Aatrox. 」

「 Item Name: Nihility Boundary's Key (Unknown)

Lost Item

Description: A key said to have been cast into the same expanse of nothingness it created, yet it has appeared within your grasp. Understand its truth to employ its ability to seek out its lock.

Unable to be dropped, traded, or destroyed. Soulbound to Aatrox. 」

As the textboxes on the items disappeared, Kieran was left aghast.

Until now, Kieran had only heard of a Lost Presence, which he learned from the notification that appeared not too long after he acquired the Archaic Verity Compendium.

Lost Items, on the other hand, were a complete mystery to Kieran.

However, judging from their description, Kieran gathered they belonged to people or presences that no longer existed or couldn't be reached by known means.

Otherwise, they would not be considered lost.

With the matter of the Rare Enigma Chest out of the way, Kieran moved on to the Mystical Chest of Duality.

When he opened it, a black and white light shot up to the sky. The white half seemed graced by an ethereal halo whereas the other side seemed tormented by an ominous claw.

A thread appeared and waved between the two shades, which similarly resulted in the chest's interior changing color.

〈System: …You are undergoing a «Karmic Judgment».〉

〈System: An anomaly has been wiped clean yet an unusual presence peers through.〉

〈System: …Your «Karmic Orientation» has been determined.〉

〈System: You have been deemed a Neutral Chaotic Aberration.〉

At the end of the Karmic Judgment, Kieran was left with a strange situation. The thread remained in the middle and the two absolute shades grew into a gradient.

A serendipitous omen.