Golden Upgrade!

**Later into the night - Forkrun Street**

*Step* *Step* *Step*

Footsteps echoed through the quiet street as Kairos Zen ventured deeper into Forkrun. He reflected aloud, "If I recall correctly, this is where Adrian Nightshade made his first kill." His mind filled with contemplation as he considered his next course of action.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

…

In a dimly lit alley nearby, unsettling sounds permeated the air. The ominous scene was punctuated by the gnashing of teeth, the splattering of blood, and a euphoric sigh.

"Must taste nice, huh, you freak?" a voice pierced the gloom from the alley entrance.

Startled, the vampire turned towards the voice, his bright red eyes meeting Kairos's gaze. Blood stained his sharp fangs as he taunted, "Hmm? Who the fuck are you? More prey? Hehe~ ...Slurrp."

"Three…"

The vampire's confusion was evident as he asked, "Hmm? Three what?"

*Step* *Step*

"Two…"

Mocking laughter filled the air as the vampire taunted, "A countdown? For what? Your death? Hehe~"

*Step* *Step*

"ONE!"

With a powerful stomp, Kairos's presence intensified, and the vampire's mocking expression quickly transformed into sheer terror. He knew, deep down, what the countdown signified—it was the countdown to his demise.

*BUZZ* *CRACKLE*

In an instant, the vampire fell silent and froze in place. Cyan-colored lightning crackled menacingly from his chest, surrounding his heart both in front and behind.

*CRACKLE* *CRACKLE*

The lightning expanded, shifting from cyan to yellow, then to green, the mesmerizing colors repeating in a pulsating rhythm. Eventually, it transformed into a vibrant purple, mirroring the essence of Kairos's own power.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

Crackling with energy, Kairos closed in on the vampire, his right hand adorned with a claw-shaped manifestation of purple lightning, ready to strike.

"I can't believe I missed such a golden opportunity like this last time. Sigh... You certainly gave me quite a run after I escaped from here," lamented Kairos.

*Stab* *Squelch*

With precision, Kairos plunged his purple lightning-infused hand into the vampire's chest, piercing his heart. As the vampire's own purple lightning began to fade, instead of retreating to its origin, it flowed through his heart and into Kairos's fingers, making its way towards Kairos's own heart.

"AHHHHHH... GRRRRR... I CURSE YOU, HUMAN... AGHHHHHH!" The vampire screamed in agony.

*Sizzle* *Crackle*

"Is that so? Then let me bestow upon you a true curse. May your wretched soul be condemned to eternal torment, where agony becomes your sole companion and darkness consumes every fiber of your being."

*HUMMM*

After uttering those words, a brief hum resonated in the air, causing the vampire's pupils to contract in disbelief. "Impossible... That's not poss-" the vampire began to say, only to be interrupted by his impending demise.

*RUMBLE* *CRACKLE*

As more lightning surged into Kairos, the noise grew louder and more thunderous. The lightning slowly shifted from its original purple hue, transitioning into a vibrant red. When half of the vampire's lightning had been absorbed, Kairos's own lightning transformed into a resplendent golden color, the most potent variant.

The vampire withered like a husk, reduced to dust by the relentless power coursing through Kairos.

'Wow! I've actually attained the Golden variant! Although, to be fair, he was a vampire who had just fed, so his vitality was exceptionally high, allowing me to absorb more than usual. I had only anticipated acquiring the Red variant, but obtaining the Golden variant feels surreal' Kairos exclaimed inwardly, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what had transpired.

Gazing down at the lifeless body of the young woman, Kairos sighed and crackled with energy.

"May your soul dance among the stars, finding respite and delight in the tapestry of your next existence," Kairos whispered, carefully enveloping her in his newfound Golden Variant Lightning. He incinerated her body, ensuring nothing remained.

This was a solemn ritual reserved for innocents who had met a wrongful demise or those to whom Kairos held a deep connection.

*Sigh*

*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*

* PATTER* *PATTER*

As Kairos sighed once again, his gaze shifted skyward. A thundercloud materialized out of nowhere, unleashing a sudden downpour.

"Well... I've accomplished my first goal of killing the vampire and absorbing his power. My next plan is to head to the Monster Beast Forest and awaken to level 1. If I'm fortunate, I might even reach level 2, considering my power level has risen to around 30-35 after absorbing the lightning," Kairos contemplated aloud.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

With determination in his stride, he set off towards the Monster Beast Forest. Unbeknownst to him, a dark, feminine silhouette with bright red eyes silently observed and listened to every word spoken by Kairos.

"Interesting... A Golden Variant Lightning User, huh? I must report this."

…

**Moon Crust City Entrance**

As Kairos arrived at the entrance, his eyes fell upon a massive holographic board.

[10 CREDITS PER PERSON, 8 FOR THE ELDERLY, AND 6 FOR CHILDREN]

A smaller holographic display nearby served as the payment system, strictly guarded and monitored.

[SELECT YOUR OPTION AND PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR QUANTUM WATCH SCANNED FOR PAYMENT

ADULT = 10 CZ[1]

ELDERLY = 8 CZ

CHILD = 6 CZ

PLEASE SELECT YOUR OPTIONS

Adult x 0 - ELDER x 0 - CHILD x 0

TOTAL SELECTED AMOUNT = 0 CZ

READY TO PAY - RESET]

*Step* *Step*

*Buzz* *Buzz*

A destitute couple approached the holographic display and selected the adult option twice.

*Whirrr* *Errrrrrr*

As their quantum watches were scanned, a red prompt appeared.

[PAYMENT FAILURE! ACCESS DENIED!]

*Step* *Step* *Thud*

Several guards began closing in on the couple, prompting one of them to cry out, "Please! We're just two credits short!"

"If you can't pay, then kindly leave the premises or return once you can afford it. You have 10 seconds to comply, or you will be forcefully removed," one of the guards responded sternly.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

"Excuse me, I'm actually in a bit of a hurry. If it's just two credits, I'll pay for it so we can move along," a young and handsome man, approximately 20 years old, stepped forward and addressed the guards.

The guard initially frowned, but after hearing the situation, he became surprised and confused. "Um... If this gentleman wishes to cover the remaining amount, then I don't see a problem with that."

The couple, taken aback by this unexpected act of kindness, were unable to express their gratitude before the two credits were already transferred to their account. "This... Sir... If there's anything you need, please let us know. We are Jugen Crom and Julia Crom. May I be so bold as to ask for the name of our benefactor?" the man from the couple gratefully introduced themselves.

"No worries. As I mentioned, I'm in a hurry, and it's just two credits. My name is Kairos Zen. May fate bring us together again. Farewell," Kairos replied as he swiftly moved past them. After selecting his option and completing the payment, he entered the city.

'Moon Crust City, huh. The closest city to the Monster Beast Forest and the ideal place to gather supplies... It's been a while since I was last here. I wonder if I should head there first and register.' Kairos contemplated while making his way towards a two-story building adorned with a symbol—a shield with two swords intersecting diagonally at the corners, their blades facing downward. The shield was white, the sword handles and guards were black, and the blades were bloody red. The shield resembled a square with a concave top and an inverted triangle beneath it. A prominent sign in the middle displayed the name of the establishment.

[Adventurer Guild]

*CREEEEEEEEK*

As Kairos pushed open the aged[2] doors and stepped inside, he noticed the vibrant atmosphere, triggering memories of his past adventures when he was part of a team.

After a brief survey of the surroundings, he approached the receptionist to register as an individual adventurer for the time being.

"Hello! Welcome to the Adventurer Guild. Are you here to turn in a mission, request a mission, commission a mission, apply to become an adventurer, or join an adventurer guild?" the polite receptionist asked Kairos with a warm smile.

"I'd like to apply as an adventurer and request the Monster Beast Forest as the location for my registration mission," Kairos replied with a serious expression.

The receptionist, taken aback by the choice of location, responded, "Um... Sure, just a moment, please."

*Buzz* *Buzz*

As the receptionist worked on her holographic screen, she paused and asked Kairos to fill out some necessary details, such as his birthplace, name, age, gender, element, and adventurer name.

[Adventurer Registration Application Form

Name: Kairos Zen

Adventurer Name: Asura

Gender: Male

Age: 20

Birthplace: Burn Forest City[3]

Element: Lightning]

She handed Kairos a white orb. "Please infuse your energy into this orb so we can verify your information."

*Buzz* *Click*

*Bzzzz* *Zip*

Once Kairos finished filling out the form and the orb finished processing, the data was recorded in the database, and a badge was printed out from a nearby 3D printer.

The receptionist inspected the badge after it cooled down, ensuring its accuracy, before handing it to Kairos. "Here you go, sir. This will be your temporary identification badge, ranking at the lowest level of Iron until you complete the assigned mission. Just so you know, the ranks progress from lowest to highest as follows: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Dark Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Adamantite, Orichalcum, and Celestial[4]."

Kairos received the badge and examined it for a moment. Made of iron, it displayed his adventurer's name, Moon Crust City as the place of issuance, and the symbol of the Adventurer Guild—a vertical lightning bolt in the middle of the shield, stretching from the top to the pointed bottom.

Moments later, the receptionist received a message. After confirming everything, she wore a serious expression when she looked at Kairos. "I have received your mission. Please take a look and accept it when you're ready." A holographic display materialized before Kairos.

[IRON-GOLD RANK: BEAST CORE ACQUISITION

DETAILS: MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS TO ACQUIRE 10 IRON BEAST CORES FROM THE MONSTER BEAST FOREST. ADDITIONAL BEAST CORES AND THEIR RARITY WILL DICTATE YOUR ADVENTURER RANK

TIME FRAME: 1 MONTH

PATRON: N/A

REQUESTED BY: ADVENTURER GUILD

RECEIVER: ASURA[5]

STATUS: PLEASE CHOOSE: ACCEPT OR DECLINE]

The mission reminded him of the task assigned by Jessica, but he shook off the thought and focused on the present.

[STATUS: ACCEPTED]

Kairos accepted the mission, and the hologram disappeared. Soon after, a notification popped up on his quantum watch, displaying the same information as the holographic display[6]. After a brief conversation with the receptionist, he exited the building and headed towards the southern exit, where the trail led to the Monster Beast Forest.