Axton's gaze hardened as he stared at the glowing blue window before him.

[Quest: Find the Mayor's Butler]

A chill swept through the room, and for a moment, the flickering lanterns on the walls seemed to dim.

"The butler…" Axton muttered under his breath.

He turned toward one of the soldiers standing nearby. "Where's the mayor's butler right now?"

The soldier stiffened. "Sir, he… he's missing."

Axton's eyes narrowed. "Missing?"

"Yes, Commander. When we discovered the mayor's body, the butler wasn't in his quarters. None of the servants have seen him since last night."

The pieces were starting to come together, but not in a way that gave him comfort.

The timing was too perfect.

The mayor dies silently, and the butler disappears on the same night.

Axton folded his arms, recalling the motionless body of Mayor Duncan.

The man looked as though he had fallen asleep mid-work, his pen still resting loosely in his hand.

There were no wounds, no signs of a fight.

Just lifeless calm.

"Seal this room," Axton ordered after a brief pause. "No one enters until I say so. And find out everything you can about the butler — where he's from, his duties, his known friends, anything."

"Yes, Commander!" the soldiers responded and quickly dispersed.

As the room emptied, Axton walked into the room where Mayor Duncan was laid and stared at the mayor's peaceful face.

"You knew something, didn't you?" he said quietly. "Something worth dying for."

The way Axton saw it, everything tied together.

The Realm of Shadows.

The butler.

The mayor's death.

None of this was random.

He exited the room and stepped into the corridor where he saw some soldiers.

Calling one of them, he gave them instructions to bring Hart and a few of his guild members in.

It didn't take long before this was done and Axton went to meet them where Hart and a few Dragon Claw guild members waited.

"What's going on in there?" Hart asked immediately. "The citizens outside are going crazy. They say the mayor's ghost might be haunting the city now."

Axton gave him a flat look. "Ignore the rumors. The mayor's death isn't normal, that's for sure. Someone or something caused it."

Hart exchanged glances with his guild members. "You think it's player-related?"

"Not sure yet," Axton replied. "But if it is, that player's hiding in Atlas right now. And they're good at staying invisible."

He started down the hall, motioning for Hart to follow. "Come with me. I could use your help."

Hart blinked. "Wait, really? You're asking for help?"

Axton smirked faintly. "Don't let it get to your head. I just need extra eyes in the city."

******

Outside the mayor's estate, the crowd had grown larger. Citizens whispered among themselves while players stood on rooftops and carriages trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

Guards were everywhere, holding the line and making sure nobody trespassed.

Axton stepped out, and instantly the crowd hushed.

"There he is."

"That's Commander Khan…"

"They say he's the one running Atlas now."

Their whispers carried admiration and fear in equal measure.

Axton ignored them all, his eyes fixed on the map interface that floated in front of him.

The quest marker blinked faintly — somewhere near the southern district of Atlas.

This was the butler's location… or what's left of it.

He motioned to Hart. "We're going south."

The two made their way through the bustling streets. Players watched from a distance, wondering what kind of mission Axton might be on.

Some even tried following, but the moment they entered the southern streets, soldiers stopped them.

Axton's authority in Atlas was absolute now.

The southern district was quieter — an older part of the city filled with warehouses, broken fountains, and narrow alleys. The kind of place where secrets liked to hide.

As they walked, Hart glanced around. "Creepy place. You sure this is where the butler's hiding?"

"The quest marker doesn't lie," Axton replied. "He's somewhere close."

They stopped in front of a small, abandoned building.

The walls were cracked, and the roof sagged under years of neglect.

Axton stepped closer and pushed open the door.

It creaked loudly.

Inside, the air smelled of dust and old wood. Cobwebs hung from the corners, and faint footprints were visible on the floor — fresh ones.

"He's been here," Axton muttered, crouching beside the prints. "Recently."

Before Hart could respond, a faint shimmer appeared in front of them.

*Ding*

[You have entered a hidden area – The Butler's Refuge]

The interior of the building shifted.

The dusty room dissolved into a small underground chamber filled with bookshelves, scrolls, and glowing crystal lamps.

Hart's jaw dropped. "A hidden room? What the hell—"

"Stay alert," Axton cut in. "There might be traps."

They descended a short staircase into the secret chamber.

In the center of the room was a wooden table covered with maps, strange black stones, and pages scribbled with unreadable text.

And beside the table — a figure sat slumped in a chair.

Hart tensed. "Is that—"

"The butler, I suppose," Axton said quietly.

The man's uniform was still elegant, not even bloodstained. His eyes were open, but lifeless, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Axton stepped closer, examining the scene. "No external wounds," he muttered. "Just like the mayor."

Hart swallowed hard. "Then… the same killer?"

"Maybe." Axton's gaze drifted toward a small object on the table.

It was a black crystal shaped like a teardrop. It pulsed faintly with dark energy.

The moment he touched it, another blue window appeared.

[You have acquired: Shadow Essence]

[Description: A remnant energy extracted from the Realm of Shadows. Handle with care.]

Axton frowned. 'The Realm of Shadows again.'

He pocketed the crystal and turned toward Hart. "We're not dealing with normal enemies. This city is sitting on something old… something dangerous."

Hart crossed his arms. "And you think that thing killed the mayor?"

"I think the mayor found it first," Axton said. "And it didn't like being found."

They searched the chamber a bit longer, finding nothing else useful except a torn page half-hidden under a book.

Axton picked it up and read the single line scribbled in haste:

"The door beneath the city must never be opened."

He stared at the sentence for a long moment.

Hart's voice broke the silence. "What do you think it means?"

"It means," Axton said grimly, "we've got a much bigger problem than an assassination."

******

By the time they left the building, the sky had turned orange with dusk.

The city was buzzing again, news of strange soldier movements spreading fast.

Players who tried to tail Axton found their screens flashing red.

[Warning: You are entering a restricted zone.]

Axton returned to the mayor's estate later that evening, setting the Shadow Essence on the desk in front of him.

The black crystal pulsed faintly, as though alive.

"This thing," he muttered, "came from the Realm of Shadows… and if the mayor was right, that place lies beneath Atlas."

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his head.

If the Realm of Shadows was real — and somehow connected to the deaths — then this was no ordinary quest. It was the start of something bigger.

Maybe even a war between realms.

*Ding*

[Quest Update]

[Quest: Unlock the path to the Realm of Shadows.]

[Hint: The entrance lies deep beneath the ruins of Atlas City]

Axton stood, determination flashing in his eyes. "Old Atlas, huh?"

He looked out the window, where the city's torches flickered against the night sky.

"Looks like my next stop is the underworld of this city," he said quietly. "And whatever's hiding there… I'll find it."

As the moon rose above Atlas City, the black crystal glowed faintly in the dark — as if responding to something deep below.

Something that was waiting.

And watching.

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