Eternal Art Online

Damn it, Lusk went down just like that?! He's the guild master of Crimson Lotus!

Shock flickered in Kiriya's eyes as he turned his head slowly. Yuna was looking at him too.

Their gazes met mid-battle, and in that split second, they both understood the truth — this fight was way out of their league.

The Skeleton King's attacks were devastating. One strike had instantly taken out Lusk. They couldn't even survive a single blow.

Not far away, Violet was surrounded by Undead Knights. She gave a helpless smile as she glanced over at Kiriya.

"Kiriya," she said with a resigned sigh, "I'm heading back to town."

The moment her words left her lips, her body dissolved into a soft white light and vanished. She went down with calm acceptance, even grace.

But Ziven was furious. He gripped his staff and unleashed spell after spell, hammering the Skeleton King with everything he had, rage bursting from every cast.

Kiriya shouted, "Ziven! Get out of here — now!"

"What?! No way! I'm not leaving you behind!" Ziven yelled back, shocked.

"Cut the crap!" Kiriya roared, voice firm like never before. "You wanna risk your damn Oblivion Set drop all over the ground? Just go! I'll cover you!"

Ziven's expression hardened as the gravity of the situation hit him. Without another word, he turned and darted backward, pulling himself out of combat just enough to activate his teleport scroll.

Kiriya didn't waste a second. Sword in both hands, he rushed into the swarm of Undead Knights, drawing their aggro like a beacon.

His movements were swift and precise, slipping through the chaos like a shadow, giving Ziven just enough time to escape. A flash of light later, Ziven was gone — safe.

Now it was just Kiriya.

He turned and faced the Skeleton King, their weapons clashing with brutal force. He knew deep down that everything now came down to these final few seconds.

Yuna clearly understood, too. She lifted her staff, casting a relentless volley of fireballs at the Lich King's chest.

But this boss… this accursed monster felt like it had endless HP. No matter how much they attacked, it just wouldn't fall.

Then it happened — a pack of Undead Knights swarmed Yuna. Her flame barrier flared once, twice, and then shattered under their assault.

In the next moment, Yuna too vanished into a pillar of white light, returning to the city.

Kiriya's heart clenched, but he forced himself to breathe. Calm. He had to stay calm now more than ever.

He darted across the battlefield, dodging deadly strikes from the Undead Knights as he launched every skill he had at the Skeleton King.

The massive undead king charged on horseback, sword raised high. The wind screamed as the blade came down toward him.

Kiriya knew he couldn't take a hit like that. He wasn't Lusk — not even close. If Lusk couldn't survive it, then Kiriya definitely wouldn't.

So he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and put everything he had into one final attack.

Armor Breaker.

Boom!

His blade pierced the Skeleton King's chest plate, and in that instant, the towering undead figure froze. Its body faltered — and then collapsed, crashing down toward Kiriya like a falling mountain.

Ding—!

System Notification: Congratulations! You've slain the Gold-Tier Boss: Skeleton King. EXP +400,000. Reputation +2,000.

A golden light burst across the battlefield, and Kiriya's level instantly jumped to 33.

But he had no time to celebrate.

Within moments, the Undead Knights had closed in on him, blades slashing with relentless fury. Even his fully restored HP from leveling up vanished in a blink.

Heart pounding, Kiriya scanned the ground — there! The Skeleton King had dropped two items: a thick, leather-bound book and a glowing longsword.

Without hesitation, he dove forward, snatching both and tossing them into his pack. Coins were scattered around, too — he grabbed a handful, but before he could even rise—

Pain shot through his entire body.

Light flared before his eyes. Everything went white.

Ding—!

System Notification: You have been slain by Undead Knights. Level -1.

Ding—!

System Notification: Task failed. You cannot complete quests while in a dead state.

"Damn it—I failed?!"

Kiriya cursed under his breath. Could there have been a time delay in the quest?

A wave of frustration surged in his chest. But when he opened his eyes again, he was startled to find himself back at level 32—

Surrounding him were familiar faces. Yuna, Lusk, and the rest of the team were all standing on the resurrection platform, waiting for him.

Lusk furrowed his brow, glancing at him.

"Judging from your face, you died too, huh?"

Ragnar shrugged.

"Yeah, no doubt. If you had returned normally, you'd be back at the main square. There's no way you'd respawn here otherwise."

Just then, from the direction of the plaza, Ziven came running toward them, his face filled with worry.

Before Kiriya could say anything, Yuna and Violet had already stepped to his side, standing close together. Yuna gave him a soft smile and asked in a low voice,

"So? How did it go?"

Kiriya gave a faint, wry smile—one that held both helplessness and pride. He raised an eyebrow and said,

"Take a look at my level."

Yuna blinked, then caught on. Her eyes lit up, and she burst into a delighted laugh.

"You killed the Skeleton King?!"

"Bingo." Kiriya gave her a faint smirk.

Though everyone had lost a level from the party wipe, Kiriya had originally been level 32, and he was still level 32. That could only mean one thing:

He had leveled up right before dying.

The moment this sunk in, Lusk and the others all broke into smiles. The Skeleton King was monstrously powerful, yet Kiriya had taken it down alone. That kind of feat was more than just impressive—it was legendary.

But as Kiriya casually brought up the loot distribution, Lusk raised a hand and waved it off.

"Don't get greedy now. Ziven already took the Oblivion Set, and honestly, you're the one who killed the boss. We didn't contribute much. Even if it had dropped a legendary item, none of us would dare lay claim to it."

He grinned and gave a lazy wave.

"Anyway, time for dinner. Catch you later, Kiriya!"

Ragnar and Ziven headed off together to get their loot appraised, while Violet mentioned she was logging off to grab something to eat.

Naturally, Kiriya was going to have his spoils evaluated. Yuna followed him without hesitation, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm coming too! I wanna see the amazing loot firsthand!"

When they arrived at the appraisal shop, Ziven had already strutted out, fully geared in his shining Oblivion Set and looking smug as ever.

Ragnar was like a kid showing off his friend's toy, pointing at Ziven and boasting to every passerby:

"That's my bro! Isn't he insane?!"

…

Kiriya opened his inventory and took out two items.

To his surprise, one of them—a skill book—didn't even need appraising.

[Blade Tempest]

Unleashes a flurry of strikes, dealing area damage to all nearby enemies.

Class Requirement: Apprentice Swordsman

Level Requirement: 30

As the glowing text appeared across the pages, Kiriya's eyes lit up.

A swordsman's AoE skill—this was exactly the kind of ability one dreamed of having for efficient grinding!

Standing beside him, Yuna read the skill description and let out a laugh.

"Kiriya, from now on, I'm sticking with you for leveling! You're not allowed to ditch me!"

Kiriya carefully slipped the book back into his inventory and replied with a light chuckle,

"The honor's all mine."

Then, he picked up the other item dropped by the Skeleton King—a sword.

[Luminous Edge] (Gold-tier Weapon)

Attack: 140–185

Strength: +15

Vitality: +10

Level Requirement: 30

(Unidentified)

...

Gold-tier... It's gold-tier!

Kiriya and Yuna stood frozen in place, utterly stunned. The two stared at the longsword before them, speechless for a long while.

A soft, rippling light shimmered along the blade's edge like waves across a calm lake. The delicate glow moved slowly, gracefully, accentuating the sword's elegant contours.

Its overall design was sleek and refined, with a certain graceful beauty that contrasted with its deadly purpose.

"...Gold-tier," Kiriya murmured under his breath, eyes wide in disbelief, the words barely escaping his lips.

It wasn't until much later that Yuna finally tugged lightly at his sleeve and asked in a low voice, "Kiriya... are we getting it appraised or not?"

Kiriya blinked, snapping out of his daze. He gave a firm nod. "Of course."

He carefully placed the newly obtained sword—Luminous Edge—onto the appraisal counter.

No sooner had the blade touched the surface than the appraiser's eyes flew wide open in shock. His casual demeanor vanished in an instant.

"Master! Master! We need you out here right now! This one... this one's for you!"

The appraiser scrambled into the back room, calling out in a panic as if he'd just uncovered some priceless treasure.

Moments later, an elderly man emerged slowly from the room beyond, dressed in ornate robes, his weathered face creased with years of experience.

Above his head hovered a glowing title: Royal Appraisal Master.

The old appraiser approached the counter and laid eyes on Luminous Edge. His expression turned solemn.

Reaching out with a trembling hand, he gently caressed the sword's hilt. His gaze held both reverence and awe, as if he were looking at a long-lost relic of legend.

"To think... that I'd live to see such a weapon with my own eyes..." His voice was hoarse, heavy with emotion.

Then, with unwavering resolve, he said, "The appraisal fee is 100 gold."

"What? A hundred?" Kiriya's face tightened in disbelief.

The master nodded solemnly. "Do you still wish to proceed?"

Kiriya's hand instinctively moved to his pouch. He checked his funds—fifty-six gold coins. Not nearly enough.

Before he could speak, Yuna, who had been quietly watching from his side, smiled softly. Without hesitation, she pulled out a pouch of coins and placed it on the table.

"I'll cover it for him," she said gently, her tone light but unwavering.

The old man accepted the payment with a nod, then extended his hands over the blade.

A soft hum filled the air as a wave of mystical energy poured from his palms, enveloping Luminous Edge in a radiant glow.

In the next moment, brilliant golden light erupted from the sword, illuminating the entire appraisal hall. Even the ceiling bathed in its warm radiance.

Kiriya held his breath and reached out, hands slightly trembling, as he reclaimed the sword.

His chest tightened with excitement and anticipation. Slowly, he opened the equipment panel and looked at the newly revealed stats.

[Luminous Edge] (Gold-tier)

Attack Power: 185 – 270

Strength: +24

Vitality: +20

Agility: +15

Bonus Effect: Increases all skill damage by 20%

Required Level: 35

Class Requirement: Swordsman