Lleyn's eyes darted from one wraith to another, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum. The ethereal beings floated closer, their hollow eyes filled with malevolence. His skill, Lightning Infusion, had only a few seconds left on its timer. The electric energy coursing through his veins would soon dissipate, leaving him vulnerable. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he gripped his sword tightly, its blade still crackling with the remnants of his skill.

"As if last time wasn't bad enough," Lleyn thought, his eyes narrowing. "I had to get greedy again, didn't I?" He clenched his fists, feeling the last remnants of the electric energy tingling in his fingertips. "Is this how it ends this time? In a dark forest, surrounded by wraiths? A pitiful end for someone who thought he could change his destiny."

Just as he braced himself for the inevitable, the sky roared, and a bolt of thunder struck down from the heavens. It landed squarely in the middle of the wraith formation, incinerating some and scattering the rest. Lleyn's eyes widened in disbelief, his heart skipping a beat.

As if fate itself intervened, the sky above roared with thunder, and a bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens. It was a blinding display of power that momentarily lit up the dark forest. The wraiths were caught off guard, some incinerated instantly, while others were thrown into disarray.

[‘Odin's Judgement’ has increased to Level 2]

[Skill ‘Chain Lightning Lv1’ obtained]

[Title ‘Recognized by the Gods Lv1’ obtained]

Lleyn's fingers trembled as he scrolled through the notifications. The descriptions of his new skill and title were like a lifeline in this dire situation. Chain Lightning offered a glimmer of hope, and the title Recognized by the Gods brought both excitement and unease.

Chain Lightning Lv1:

Effect: Targets up to 5 enemies within a 10-meter radius, dealing electrical damage and jumping to the next closest enemy.

Cooldown: 5 minutes

Mana Usage: 50

Recognized by the Gods Lv1:

Effect: Allows the owner to reset the cooldown of any of their skills once.

Cooldown: 12 hours.

His eyes widened as he read the effects. "This... this could change everything," he thought, a glimmer of hope igniting within him. "But is it the gods who are aiding me, or is it the system itself? Can the system even grant divine intervention?"

As he pondered, the wraiths began to regroup, their forms becoming more solid as they recovered from the thunderstrike. Lleyn shook his head, dismissing his thoughts for the moment. "Doesn't matter who's helping me. What matters is making the most of this new chance."

Lleyn's eyes widened as the remaining wraiths began to rush toward him. It was as if they sensed his momentary lapse in concentration, his brief wonderment at the new skill and title he had just received. Shaking off his thoughts, he focused his mind and activated his newly acquired Chain Lightning skill. A surge of mana flowed through him, converging at his fingertips before erupting into a bolt of electricity. The bolt shot forward, striking the first wraith and jumping to the next, then the next, in a dazzling display of electrical energy. Each wraith it touched let out a piercing shriek, its form disintegrating into mist.

However, two wraiths survived, their forms flickering and paralyzed by the coursing electricity, but still intact. They seemed to sense their companions' demise, their hollow eyes glowing an even more menacing red. Lleyn didn't hesitate. He activated his new title's effect, "Recognized by the Gods," feeling a rush of divine energy flow through him. The cooldown for his Lightning Infusion skill instantly reset.

With renewed vigor, Lleyn activated Lightning Infusion. His sword crackled to life, enveloped in a sheath of electric energy. He dashed forward, his movements a blur. The first wraith barely had time to react before Lleyn's sword sliced through it, the electric energy amplifying the cutting power of the blade. It let out a final shriek before dissipating into nothingness. Without pausing, Lleyn spun around, redirecting his momentum to face the second wraith. It tried to float back, to escape, but it was still too slow from the effect of Chain Lightning. Lleyn's sword struck true, and the second wraith followed the first into oblivion.

As he stood there, catching his breath, another system message appeared:

[You have reached Level 5]

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Lleyn felt a sense of accomplishment but also a sense of foreboding. "

Before he could ponder further, a laugh echoed through the forest. It was a playful laugh, but it sent shivers down Lleyn's spine. From the shadows emerged a figure he recognized—Auralis, the ethereal guide.

"So, you're the one who's been causing all this commotion, huh?" Auralis said, his tone playful but his eyes serious. "You've even got the gods watching the tutorial zones. That's a first for Phase 1, you know."

Lleyn raised an eyebrow. "The gods? You mean the system isn't the only one watching?"

Auralis chuckled. "Oh, the system is always watching. But this time, you've caught the attention of beings even the system can't control. I can feel Odin's power emanating from you."

Lleyn felt a chill at those words. "Odin's power? Are you saying the gods are real? Not like NPCs created by the system?"

Auralis shrugged. "Hmmm... It might be too early for me to answer this question. But real, imagined, what does it matter? Power is power. But be wary, young Awakened. While you may enjoy the boons they bestow upon you, never, ever consider becoming an apostle to one of them. The gods are fickle beings, and their favor can be as much a curse as it is a blessing."

Lleyn nodded, not offering any explanation for his agreement. Auralis looked at him curiously. "You're a mystery, an anomaly even. But if you were the result of intervention from our enemies, the system would have thrown you out by now. So, I'll respect your secrets."

With that, Auralis began to fade away, his form becoming translucent. "Oh, and you might want to hurry back to your camp," he said, his voice tinged with mischief. "Because of the extra work you've given me, I've decided not to assign the penalty to individuals. Under my authority, your group —Group A-241— will bear the brunt of it."

And with a final, echoing laugh, Auralis disappeared, leaving Lleyn alone in the dark forest. His words weighed heavily on Lleyn's mind as he sheathed his sword and began the trek back to camp. "Looks like I've got more than just wraiths to worry about. If I remember correctly, the penalty was…"

----------------------------------------

Lleyn made his way back to the camp, the moonlight filtering through the dense canopy of the forest. A sense of unease weighed on him, amplified by Auralis's cryptic words. He couldn't help but wonder about the gods and what it meant for his journey. "What kind of attention have I drawn?" he thought, his steps slowing as he approached the camp.

As he neared the campfire, the soft glow illuminated the faces of his fellow group members. Elena, the group's spirited leader, was the first to spot him. With a relieved smile, she rushed over to greet him, followed closely by the others.

"Lleyn, you're back!" Elena exclaimed, her eyes reflecting genuine concern. "Are you okay?"

Lleyn nodded, the worry on his friends' faces warming his heart. "I'm fine, just a bit shaken up. The forest was far more dangerous than I expected."

“Ah! Lleyn, you won’t believe this. I’ve reac-..” Elena was about to finish her sentence, her eyes shining with excitement, but she was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Auralis.

Auralis materialized with his usual flair, his playful demeanor intact. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the moment you've all been waiting for!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands with mock enthusiasm.

Elena's eyes widened as she was about to share her achievement. She exchanged a glance with Lleyn, who gestured for her to go ahead.

"What's going on?" Elena asked, turning her attention back to Auralis.

Auralis grinned. "Well, the mission timer has hit zero, my dear adventurers! Congratulations on completing the mission!"

Auralis nodded, acknowledging their achievements while seemingly going through the events of the day in his mind somehow. "You’ve been impressive, indeed. But let's get to the main event, shall we?"

With a wave of his hand, Auralis conjured a holographic leaderboard in the air, showcasing their ranks:

#1 Lleyn: Lv 5 154 kills - 630 points

#2 Elena: Lv3 24 kills - 48 points

#3 Dorian: Lv3 21 kills - 42 points

#4 Selene: Lv2 19 kills - 38 points

#5 Lyria: Lv2 16 kills - 32 points

#6 Aric: Lv2 11 kills - 22 points

#7 Tara: Lv2 10 kills - 20 points

#8 Finn: Lv2 10 kills - 20 points

#9 Mara: Lv2 10 kills - 20 points

#10 Jace: Lv2 10 kills - 20 points

Lleyn was pleasantly surprised when Elena and Dorian were revealed as having reached level 3. As Auralis shared the news, their faces lit up with pride. Elena's smile was infectious, a beacon of warmth amid the uncertainty of their journey. Dorian, always the practical one, gave a confident thumbs-up, acknowledging their progress.

Auralis chuckled again. "Nearly the same as last time, isn't it? But alas, it's a game of numbers, and the mission required at least 10 marks per person for them to pass."

As the four members who had failed to reach the required marks fell to their knees or walked back in fear of the impending penalty, Auralis maintained his cheerful demeanor and clapped his hands once more. "But fret not, my dear Awakened! In an act of kindness, I've decided that you will all endure the penalty together, as friends."

As the four members who had failed to reach the required marks fell to their knees or walked back in fear of the impending penalty, Auralis maintained his cheerful demeanor. "You see, I wouldn't want to single anyone out. We're all in this together, aren't we? Now, shall we discuss the penalty, or would you prefer to be surprised?"