Around an hour passed since Leon and Emilia entered the inn.
They didn’t sleep, not really. In [Eternal Ascension], rest didn’t work the sa way as it did in the real world.
Their bodies simply slowed down, mana circulation stabilizing, fatigue steadily draining away as long as they stayed still and relaxed.
Leon sat on the bed, leaning back against the wall, while Emilia stood near the window.
Neither of them spoke much. Outside, the moon continued to change.
The color deepened, spreading slowly across the surface like spilled blood soaking into cloth.
The light coming through the window grew heavier, darker, carrying with it a strange pressure that pressed down on the entire city.
The streets below were quiet.
And eventually—
Ding!
[The "Blood Moon" has appeared.]
The mont the panel appeared, the moon finished its transformation.
It was no longer silver, no longer pale. It was completely crimson.
A massive wave of pressure swept through the entire region of the [Lower Domain], invisible yet impossible to ignore.
Leon felt it wash over him, settling into his bones, his mana reacting instinctively before calming again.
Outside, the silence shattered.
"GLORY TO THE BLOOD MOON!"
The cry erupted all at once, echoing through the streets like a single voice multiplied thousands of tis.
Leon moved closer to the window, looking down.
Everywhere he looked, [Moon Sect] mbers were kneeling.
Guards, priests, civilians, anyone affiliated with the sect had dropped to their knees, heads pressed against the ground, arms raised in reverence toward the crimson sky.
Their voices overlapped, forming an almost hypnotic chant that reverberated through the city.
anwhile, players reacted very differently.
Instead of kneeling, they stared at the floating panels in front of them, eyes wide, fingers twitching as they read.
Ding!
[The "Blood Moon" will last for 24 hours.]
[During this ti, special areas of "Moon City" will be available.]
[You may access these areas for unique opportunities.]
Leon exhaled slowly.
Not every event in [Eternal Ascension] was a competition. So, like this one, were limited-ti openings: designed to unlock content that was otherwise inaccessible.
During the [Blood Moon], the rest of [Moon City] opened up.
And most importantly, the [Blood Moon Cathedral].
That was where nearly every player wanted to go.
The rewards inside were infamous. Unique items, rare skills, massive experience gains. Anything outside of it paled in comparison.
Thankfully, this wasn’t a sudden or unpredictable event.
The [Blood Moon] appeared once every month like clockwork. Players who stayed long enough in the region could prepare for it.
But Leon wasn’t planning to stay in the [Lower Domain] for that long.
A month was more than enough ti for him to leave this place entirely.
Which ant he couldn’t afford to waste this opportunity.
"Looks like it started," Emilia said quietly.
Leon nodded. He checked his status panel one last ti. The [Tired] status was gone.
"Let’s go," he said. "No point waiting."
They left the inn monts later. The streets were completely different from before.
[Moon Sect Guards] filled the roads, all of them kneeling toward the sky, unmoving, their weapons placed respectfully at their sides.
Players, on the other hand, walked past them without stopping. No one interfered.
Everyone knew where they were going.
The massive silhouette of the [Blood Moon Cathedral] lood in the distance, its outline impossible to miss.
Even from far away, it dominated the skyline.
After a few minutes of walking, Leon and Emilia reached the sa checkpoint where they had been stopped earlier.
This ti, no one blocked their path.
The guards remained kneeling, heads bowed, completely ignoring them.
Leon smirked. "See? Told you we’d get through eventually."
Emilia nodded, though her gaze lingered on the guards. "I wonder if we’ll run into that [Blood Moon General] again."
"Hm." Leon didn’t answer.
They continued forward. A few more minutes passed, and the cathedral finally stood before them in full view.
Thousands of players had already gathered outside. Even Leon paused for a mont.
The structure was massive, far larger than anything else in the city.
The cathedral was built from dark, almost obsidian-like material, its surface reflecting the crimson light of the moon above.
At the very top, a glowing symbol shaped like a blood-red moon burned brightly, pulsing faintly like a living heart.
The entrance stood wide open. A dungeon entrance.
Yet, unlike the rest of the crowd, Leon didn’t head straight toward it.
Instead, he turned left.
"Leon?" Emilia asked, surprised.
Without explaining, he continued down a narrower street, moving away from the cathedral and deeper into the city.
Naturally, that drew attention.
"Typical human, gets lost even when the dungeon’s right there."
"He’s from a low-level world, what did you expect?"
"Wait, isn’t that elf from a high-level world?"
"Then why’s she following him?"
Leon ignored all of it. He already knew where he was going.
Clang! Clang!
The sharp sound of tal striking tal reached his ears. Sparks flew sowhere ahead.
’Found it.’
They soon arrived at a deserted street lined with crumbling buildings.
Most of the shops were abandoned, their doors broken, signs hanging crookedly.
One building, however, was very much active. The blacksmith’s shop.
But unlike before, sothing was different: chains.
Thick, heavy chains were wrapped around the blacksmith’s neck and legs, anchoring him to the ground.
Several [Moon Sect Guards] stood inside the shop, watching him closely.
"Co on, you dumb bastard!" one of them shouted. "The [Blood Moon] is here and you still haven’t finished the tenth crystal?!"
"It requires more ti. And better materials," the blacksmith replied calmly, his voice steady despite the situation. "But you people never listen."
He was a massive man, easily two ters tall, with a bald head and a thick dark beard.
Sweat ran down his face as he worked the forge, hamr striking with precise, powerful movents despite the chains weighing him down.
Leon stepped inside.
"HALT."
Once again, the guards blocked his path.
"This area is restricted," one of them sneered. "Leave before we make you."
Another guard laughed. "If you’re looking for excitent, go try the [Blood Moon Cathedral]. You’ll be a feast for whatever’s inside."
Leon didn’t react. He calmly looked at them.
There were five [Moon Sect Guards] in total. As expected.
"What do we do?" Emilia asked quietly. "Do we back away like before and wait for another chance?"
"No," Leon replied instantly. "I don’t need their favor anymore."
That was all Emilia needed to hear. She raised her scepter.
Strength Buff!
Leon moved.
Slash!
In a single motion, his sword cut cleanly through one of the guards’ necks.
The body collapsed before anyone could even process what happened.
"HOLY—!"
"He’s insane!"
"He wants to die?! Fine, then kill him!"
Ding!
[Your reputation with the "Moon Sect" has plumted to zero.]
[Moon Sect mbers will now treat you as a hostile entity.]
Leon didn’t even blink. He had already accepted that outco.
Appraisal!
---
[Moon Sect Guard]
[Level: 25]
[Exclusive Talent: Blood Moon Worshiper (C-Level)]
[Combat Power: 26,000]
[Details: Empowered by the arrival of the "Blood Moon", making them eager to complete their task.]
---
’Still weaker than ,’ Leon thought.
The remaining guards rushed him.
Slash! Slash!
They didn’t last. Their attacks were sloppy, fueled by rage rather than skill.
Leon cut them down one by one, his movents clean and efficient, his sword never hesitating.
Within seconds, the shop was silent. Bodies lay scattered across the floor.
The blacksmith exhaled slowly.
"They’ll never stop hunting you now," he said. "That was a bad call, kid."
Leon grinned. "I’ll manage."
What he cared about wasn’t the sect. It was sothing else entirely.
As he looked at the fallen guards, a thought crossed his mind.
If monsters triggered his talent... Then what about natives?
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