Chapter 827
Anton reviewed the information provided by his Diablo System regarding the recent update while waiting for his father and sister to arrive. A few minutes later, a knock sounded at his office door. Anders entered shortly after.
“Raymond told you have urgent news to share,” Anders said.
“I do,” Anton replied, “but it would be best to wait for Anna. I’d rather not repeat myself. This concerns my bloodline magic.”
Roughly twenty minutes later, Anna rushed into the office, breathing heavily from exertion.
“Did sothing serious happen?” she asked.
“Nothing of that sort,” Anton said calmly. “However, there has been a significant developnt in my bloodline magic—one that could greatly increase your strength. If we are to take advantage of it, we need to begin as soon as possible. That’s why I had Raymond summon you.”
Anna frowned slightly. “It couldn’t wait?”
“I don’t believe it should,” Anton answered.
Without further delay, he began explaining the changes brought by the Diablo System. It took nearly an hour to cover every detail of the Multiplayer feature. By the ti he finished, both Anders and Anna were visibly energized.
For the first ti, Anton revealed the true source of his rapid growth in power—his ability to enter a hidden world where he could fight monsters and continuously strengthen his specialized classes. The revelation confird what they had long suspected: Anton had been guarding a profound secret. Now, a portion of that secret was being entrusted to them.
The implications were staggering.
They would be able to accompany him into that hidden world, gaining access to a separate class system that would enhance their abilities in reality. Even more astonishing was the fact that they could enter this world regardless of their physical location—even across continents—as long as they were within the sa party.
Anton further explained that any equipnt they obtained and used within that world would reflect in reality, effectively amplifying their strength.
“As an example,” Anton said, “if Father were to wear the Enigma runeword armor in that world, its effects would stack with what he wears here. It would be as though he possessed two sets of Enigma.”
Anders’ eyes sharpened. “So if I equipped a different armor with unique properties, those would also manifest here?”
Anton nodded. “Yes.”
He then added a note of caution. “When we enter that world, we will disappear from this one. We must ensure we are in a place where our absence won’t raise suspicion. We’ll need to treat this as if we’re conducting a dungeon expedition.”
Anton then asked if they were willing to receive the mark that would grant them access to his bloodline magic.
Both Anders and Anna agreed without hesitation.
Following the system’s instructions, Anton grasped each of their wrists. A prompt appeared before him, asking whether he wished to share the Diablo System. Upon confirming, both Anders and Anna saw identical prompts in their vision. They accepted.
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Monts later, the Diablo II insignia appeared on their wrists.
Before proceeding further, Anton summoned Raymond and inford the butler that the three of them would be engaged in magical research for several hours. Under no circumstances were they to be disturbed.
Once Raymond departed, Anton turned back to his father and sister.
“When I create the party,” he explained, “you will receive an invitation. After accepting, you’ll be prompted to create new characters. Choose classes different from your current ones—this will grant you access to a broader range of abilities.”
“I’ll be selecting the Sorceress,” Anton added. “It’s the class I’m most comfortable with, though it makes little difference in my case since I already have access to all of the character classes.”
The three of them discussed their options in detail. After careful consideration, Anders chose the Druid class, while Anna selected the Paladin. Their choices complented their existing abilities—Anders was already a Paladin, and Anna a Sorceress—allowing for greater versatility.
Anton then briefed them on the dangers.
“The monsters in that world are formidable. If you die there, you won’t die here—but you will be barred from returning for twenty-four hours. More importantly, any injuries you sustain will carry over.”
Anton warned them of the difficulty because, apparently, the Multiplayer option would always be in the eight-player difficulty.
Both Anders and Anna grew serious.
“If you lose a limb there,” Anton continued, “it will remain lost when you return. Death is the only thing that does not transfer.”
Despite the gravity of the warning, Anna remained composed. “As a Paladin, I’ll have access to healing abilities.”
Anton also inford them that, combined with the potions available in that world, they should be able to manage most injuries.”
“And if anything severe occurs,” Anders added, “we can handle it here in the real world.”
Both Anton and Anders could heal any injuries.
Anton gave a small nod, then continued.
“One more thing—this world is not real. The people within it are constructs ford from mana. Treat them with respect, but do not forget what they are.”
He also clarified that once inside, they would only have access to the abilities of their chosen class within that world.
After ensuring they understood everything, Anton set an alarm to signal their return after several hours. Then, he created a party within the Multiplayer system.
He selected the Sorceress and entered the world of Sanctuary.
A mont later, he sent invitations to Anders and Anna. After a brief wait while they completed their character creation, the three of them materialized within the Rogue Encampnt.
Their first steps into the hidden world had begun.
Anton allowed his father and sister several minutes to familiarize themselves with the Rogue Encampnt. Once they had taken in their surroundings, the three of them stepped beyond its safety.
Their first encounter—a lone zombie—proved more troubleso than expected. It took a coordinated effort to bring the creature down.
Anton found a quiet sense of amusent in the contrast. Anders and Anna relied on their lee weapons, striking the undead at close range, while he stood at a distance, casting Firebolt with practiced ease. Despite the inefficiency of their initial approach, there was little cause for concern. As with the single-player setting, they would be able to reset their attributes and skills once a week. Early decisions carried no lasting consequences.
They continued clearing the surrounding fields, thodically eliminating every zombie and Fallen they encountered. By the ti the area had been secured, all three had reached level three.
Anton then signaled an end to their session.
“We should return,” he said. “We told Raymond we would only be occupied for a few hours.”
Neither Anders nor Anna attempted to hide their reluctance. The steady progression—the tangible increase in strength with each level—had already begun to exert its pull.
Even so, responsibility took precedence. They still had preparations to complete before resuming their journey to ndi.
“It’s unfortunate that Cormanur is with us in Rendindura,” Anders remarked. “If he weren’t, we could enter this world every night before resting.”
Anton understood the sentint, but he did not agree. Neither did Anna. Despite the limitation, Cormanur’s presence remained invaluable. The old wizard’s guidance had been instruntal, providing them with the knowledge required to function as true practitioners of magic—sothing no hidden world could replace.
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