Yanto’s private office slled of old books and weapon oil.
"Sit," the veteran Player said, closing the door behind Rama. The morning sun cast long shadows through the window, highlighting the scars on Yanto’s weathered face.
It was the final day at the Hunter’s Forge, and Rama had been summoned alone while the others packed their belongings.
"You’ve grown significantly in four days," Yanto began, settling into his chair. "Level 27. New skills. Better fundantals. Your team combat awareness improved dramatically."
"Thanks to your training," Rama said.
"Don’t thank yet." Yanto’s expression turned serious. "I need to tell you sothing the System won’t. Sothing all new Players need to understand."
Rama leaned forward.
"The System is preparing us for war," Yanto said flatly. "I don’t know against what. I don’t know when. But every high-level Player I’ve t has noticed the pattern. The quests get harder. The enemies get stranger. Gates are appearing more frequently. And the Ascended are growing bolder."
"What are they planning?"
"That’s the problem—we don’t know. They operate in cells, separate groups with different goals. So think they’re gods now. Others believe the System chose them to rule over normal humans. A few are actively trying to expose us to governnts and guilds." Yanto’s eye narrowed. "You need to be ready for the day when hiding stops being an option."
"My wife—"
"Will discover the truth eventually. They always do." Yanto stood, moving to the window. "My advice? Tell her yourself before soone else does. Control the narrative. But that’s your choice to make."
He turned back to Rama. "You have potential. Real potential. But potential ans nothing if you’re dead. So rember this—the System gives power, but power attracts attention. Attention brings danger. And danger kills the unprepared."
Rama nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of the warning.
"One more thing." Yanto reached into his desk and pulled out a small tal token engraved with the Forge’s symbol. "This marks you as a graduate of this facility. If you ever need help, contact through the Player Network. The Forge looks after its own."
[QUEST COMPLETE: HUNTER’S FORGE TRAINING PROGRAM]
[REWARD: SKILL UPGRADE TOKEN]
[EFFECT: Upgrade any one skill by one full rank]
[REWARD: CONNECTION - YANTO SUKARNO (VETERAN PLAYER)]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL 27 → LEVEL 28]
Rama pocketed the token, feeling its weight both physical and symbolic. "Thank you. For everything."
"Don’t thank . Just survive." Yanto extended his hand. "And when the real fight cos, rember what you learned here—trust your team, think strategically, and never fight fair if you can help it."
They shook hands, and Rama left the office feeling both stronger and more aware of how much danger lay ahead.
The seven Players gathered in the main courtyard for their departure. A transport vehicle waited to take them back to Jakarta.
"Going to miss you guys," Fajar said, looking genuinely sad. "Four days and you already feel like family."
"We’re all in the Player Network," Sari reminded him. "This isn’t goodbye. Just see you later."
Dewi punched Rama’s shoulder lightly. "You did good, baby. Keep training with Budi. In a few months, you might actually be dangerous."
"High praise from you," Rama said with a grin.
The twins gave synchronized nods of approval. Budi just clapped him on the back, the gesture speaking volus.
They loaded into the vehicle, the mountain facility growing smaller as they descended back toward civilization. Rama watched it disappear and felt a pang of sothing like loss.
For four days, he’d been able to be himself completely. No hiding. No lying. Just training with people who understood.
Now he was heading back to his double life. Back to Sekar.
His phone buzzed with a ssage.
[SEKAR: What ti will you be ho? I’m making your favorite dinner! Can’t wait to see you! ❤️❤️❤️]
[RAMA: Should be there by 6 PM. Can’t wait to see you too.]
The ssage was true. He did miss her. But the guilt sat heavy in his stomach.
Yanto’s words echoed in his mind. Tell her yourself before soone else does.
Maybe. Soday. When he was strong enough that she couldn’t stop him even if she wanted to.
Not yet.
The transport dropped Rama off at his building at exactly 5:47 PM. He took the elevator up, his enhanced senses picking up Sekar’s presence before he even reached the door.
She was waiting in the hallway.
The mont the elevator doors opened, she was on him, arms wrapped tight, face buried in his chest.
"You’re ho," she said, her voice muffled. "You’re actually ho."
"I was only gone four days."
"Four days too long." She pulled back to look at him, and her expression imdiately shifted. Her eyes widened slightly. "You’re different."
Rama’s heart rate spiked. "Different how?"
"I don’t know. You feel..." She circled him slowly, her S-Rank perception analyzing every detail. "Stronger. More confident. The way you stand. The way you move. Even your aura feels denser."
"That’s what four days of intensive training does."
"Show your status."
It wasn’t a request.
Rama pulled out his phone and accessed his official Hunter registration. He’d updated it during the ride ho specifically for this mont.
[OFFICIAL HUNTER STATUS - JAKARTA BRANCH]
Na: Rama Kusuma
Rank: E
Level: 28
HP: 1,400
Class: Tank
STATS:
Strength: 35
Agility: 30
Vitality: 80
The numbers were impressive but carefully curated—high enough to justify the training, low enough not to trigger suspicion about the System.
Sekar studied the screen for a long mont. "Level 28. You gained seven levels in four days."
"The training was intense. Constant dungeon simulations. Team combat exercises. They pushed us hard."
"Seven levels," she repeated. "So Hunters don’t gain that in six months."
"I know. The instructor said I had a lot of room for rapid improvent since my fundantals were so weak before."
Sekar’s eyes searched his face. She didn’t believe him. Not completely. But she also didn’t have evidence to challenge him.
Finally, she smiled. "Well, whatever they did, it worked. Co on. Dinner’s ready, and then I want to hear about everything."
Dinner was rendang, soto ayam, and fresh sambal—all his actual favorites. Sekar had clearly spent hours preparing everything.
Rama told her about the training in careful detail. The weighted vests. The stance drills. The partner exercises. The simulated dungeon runs. All true. Just edited.
"And the other trainees?" Sekar asked. "What were they like?"
"Mixed ranks. Mostly D and C-rank Hunters serious about improvent. Good people. We learned a lot from working together."
"Any of them Players?"
Rama’s blood froze. "What?"
"Players. The rumor going around the high-rank Hunter community. People with so kind of cheat system that lets them grow faster than normal." Sekar’s tone was casual, but her eyes were sharp. "I’ve heard whispers about them for months now. The association is investigating quietly."
"I wouldn’t know anything about that," Rama said carefully.
"Of course not. You’d tell if you were one, right?" She smiled, but there was steel underneath. "Because that would be the kind of secret that could get soone hurt if the wrong people found out."
"I’d tell you," Rama lied, the words tasting like ash.
Sekar studied him for another long mont, then nodded. "Good. I’d hate to think you were keeping sothing that dangerous from . For your own safety, of course."
The threat was subtle but clear. If she discovered he was a Player, she’d lock him down "for his protection."
They finished dinner with lighter conversation, but the tension remained underneath.
Later that night, lying in bed with Sekar wrapped around him in her usual possessive embrace, Rama stared at the ceiling.
[Hidden Quest Progress: 12/30]
[Days Remaining: ~18]
[Levels Remaining: 22]
He was getting stronger. Learning faster. Growing more capable every day.
But the lies were piling up. The secrets multiplying. The gap between what Sekar knew and what was real widening into a chasm.
Yanto was right. Eventually, the truth would co out.
The question was whether it would be on Rama’s terms or soone else’s.
His phone buzzed silently—Player Network ssage.
[SARI: Good to have you back in the city. Rest up. Next week, there’s a Player gathering. Optional but recomnded. Details to follow.]
[DEWI: Also, word of warning—Ascended activity increasing in Southeast Asia. Stay alert.]
[BUDI: Welco ho. Training resus in three days if you’re interested.]
Rama dismissed the notifications and closed his eyes.
Tomorrow, he’d return to his routine. Maintain the lie. Play the perfect husband while growing stronger in secret.
The double life continued.
But now, ard with better skills and stronger allies, he felt more ready for whatever ca next.
Beside him, Sekar’s breathing deepened into sleep, her grip relaxing slightly but never fully releasing.
Rama allowed himself a mont of peace before the storm he knew was coming.
For tonight, he was ho. He was safe. He was with the person he loved.
Tomorrow’s problems could wait until tomorrow.
[QUEST AVAILABLE: SHADOWS GATHERING]
[OBJECTIVE: Attend Player eting next week]
[REWARD: ???]
[ACCEPT? YES/NO]
In his sleep, Rama’s hand twitched toward acceptance.
The System registered it.
The ga continued.
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