HIDDEN EPIC QUEST

"The cave of beginnings?" Kaelen asked with a confused look on his face, but General Cao remained calm as he replied while he walked towards the altar at the center of the wide cavern.

"Why this cavern was given this name is because this was where the founder of the Pace Setter Academy started learning magic"

"Wait, what!?" Kaelen muttered in shock and disbelief as he involuntarily took a few steps back.

"Shocked right? I also had that same reaction when I discovered the history of this place" General Cao quickly said with a soft chuckle.

"Why did you bring me to such a prestigious place Venerable?" Kaelen quickly asked with a curious look on his face. General Cao suddenly stopped after he heard the question Kaelen gave him.

"That is because you will meditate in this same place for three days" General Cao suddenly said in a deep and calm voice as he turned to look at Kaelen.

"Huh?" But when Kaelen heard what he said, he immediately became blank as he muttered. But General Cao didn't seem to have the time to spare as he quickly turned back towards the altar and said while he pointed at the same altar.

"Now then, I want you to climb that altar"

"If I may ask Venerable, why are you giving me such a special place to train?" But Kaelen didn't immediately went towards altar, instead he continued to stand in his spot as he asked that question.

When General Cao heard this question, he suddenly brought out a small smile on his face as he answered.

"That is because my instincts told me to do so"

"Your instincts?" Kaelen quickly asked back with a more perplexed look on his face.

"Believe it or not, but I always follow my instincts in whatever I want to do. That is what even made me to reach this stage anyway" General Cao said as he shrugged his shoulders. But when Kaelen heard him, he remained silent as he thought.

'It seems like I have to no choice but to also follow his instincts'

After that, Kaelen finally began to walk until he stepped on the altar and carefully sat down.

"Well then, I will come you up in three days time. And remember, make the most of this divine opportunity, it doesn't come twice" General Cao said calmly as he watched Kaelen trying to adjust himself on the altar before he suddenly vanished from that place.

"Heww, am finally comfortable" After a few minutes went by, Kaelen finally spoke up with a relaxed look now on his face.

After that, Kaelen looked around the cavern before he muttered in a really low voice.

"Now that am alone, I can finally check out my stats"

"Online: Blades of Eternity"

The moment Kaelen uttered that sentence, a screen suddenly appeared right in front of Kaelen, but he was already used to it by now. After the screen popped up, contents began to appear on the screen.

Name: Kaelen

Level: 5

Health: 300/300

Mana: 150/150

Strength: 50

Agility: 25

Intelligence: 20

Endurance: 15

Skills: Basic Swordsmanship, Minor Healing, Mana Shield, Air Slash.

[You have 5 free attributes points unused]

"Damn, what a power up!! And I even have a new move?" Kaelen exclaimed with a shocked look on his face while he skimmed through the contents on the screen right in front of his face.

'Huh? What is this?' But he didn't dwell on this for too long as his eyes quickly caught a bracketed sentence at the bottom of the screen.

[Hidden Quest Alert! Begin the mission?(Yes/No)]

"A hidden quest?" Kaelen muttered with a curious look on his face as he tapped on the "Yes" word in the inner bracket. In the next moment, a series of notification began to pop up on the screen in front of his face.

[Hidden Epic Quest Activated!]

[Description– Uncover the mysteries behind the way of the sword]

[Duration– 30 days]

[Rewards– Unknown]

[Punishment for Failure– Downgrade by a level]

"What!?" Kaelen muttered in disbelief after he went through the contents of the Quest twice.

"How in the world am I suppose to complete a quest that I still don't know any way around it throughout my life in one month!!?" He later exclaimed with a frustrated look on his face.

'Ok, calm down Kaelen. You can do this' But after a few minutes of unnecessarily ranting, Kaelen began to console himself internally while he took in deep breaths. After a while, he finally muttered.

"Ok, let's see how this altar works"

After that, Kaelen quickly closed his eyes after taking in a final deep breath as he began to meditate.

As he sank deeper into his meditation, the runes on the altar began to glow more intensely, their light growing brighter and more vibrant. The symbols seemed to come alive, shifting and changing, their patterns swirling around Kaelen in a mesmerizing dance.

The hum of energy grew louder, resonating through his entire being.Kaelen felt a warm, tingling sensation spreading from the base of his spine, moving upward through his body. It was as if the altar's energy was merging with his own, amplifying his inner strength and clarity.

He could feel the Blade of Eternity at his side responding to the energy, its presence a comforting and grounding force.The cavern itself seemed to react to the activation of the altar. The faint, phosphorescent moss on the walls glowed more brightly, illuminating the space with a soft, ethereal light.

'Huh? What am I witnessing?'

The air grew charged, filled with a palpable sense of anticipation and potential.Images and sensations began to flood Kaelen's mind—fragments of ancient battles, glimpses of forgotten rituals, and the echo of voices long silenced.

He felt a deep connection to the warriors and sages who had come before him, their spirits reaching out across time to share their wisdom and strength.The energy swirling around him intensified, forming a protective cocoon of light. Kaelen's breathing slowed, becoming more rhythmic and synchronized with the pulsing of the runes. He felt a profound sense of unity with the cavern, the altar, and the very essence of the Blade of Eternity.

As the meditation deepened, the symbols and runes on the altar began to project beams of light that intertwined and formed intricate patterns in the air above him. These patterns slowly converged, creating a luminous, three-dimensional mandala that hovered just above his head.

Kaelen felt his consciousness expand, reaching beyond the confines of his physical body. He tapped into a wellspring of knowledge and power, understanding intuitively how to harness the energy of the altar and channel it through himself.

The connection between him and the Blade of Eternity grew stronger, the sword's ancient magic merging seamlessly with his own burgeoning abilities.After what felt like both an eternity and an instant, the energy began to recede, the glowing runes dimming to their original faint shimmer.

The beams of light above him slowly dissolved, the mandala fading into the air. Kaelen opened his eyes, feeling invigorated and enlightened.

Right at that moment, Kaelen slowly began to open his eyes as he felt a wave of a profound energy wash over him. Not only that, but he could notice his senses has heightened as he could hear faint bird sounds from a very considerable distance away.

"How are you feeling now?" But he didn't dwell on that sensation for long as he suddenly heard a familiar voice below him which prompted him to quickly open his eyes.

Who he saw was actually General Cao who was looking at him with a satisfied look on his face.

"Huh? What are you doing here Venerable?" Perplexed, Kaelen quickly asked as he hurriedly stood on his feets.

"What do you mean by what am I doing here? Your three days here has been completed" General Cao replied with the same smile on his face. But when Kaelen heard him, he immediately feel blank as he muttered.

"What?"