The reality of the Undefeated King's Apprentice was a double-edged sword, a burden of power that the system's physical laws struggled to contain.
As Arthur emerged from the crystalline silence of the Howling Caves and stepped back into the biting Lubana winds, a notification—cold, mechanical, and absolute—flickered across his vision in a pulsing amber hue.
[Warning: Your current level (1) is insufficient to manifest the 'Weight of the Legend'.]
[The following skills have been disabled: '10,000 Army Swordsmanship' through '100,000 Army Swordsmanship'.]
[Requirement to Unlock: Reach Level 100 or achieve 1,000 Strength/Agility.]
Arthur stared at the greyed-out icons in his skill window, his expression unreadable. To any other player, this would have been a devastating blow—to hold the keys to a god-tier legacy but be unable to turn the lock.
Arthur didn't panic. He understood the fundamental architecture of Satisfy. Morpheus was a balancer; it would not allow a Level 1 infant to cleave a mountain in half, even if that infant possessed the logic of Madra.
The physical vessel was too frail; to execute a single strike of the 10,000 Army Swordsmanship now would result in his avatar's limbs shattering into pixels from the sheer recoil of the "Intent."
"Ciel," Arthur whispered, his breath hitching in the freezing air as he began the treacherous trek down toward the capital of the Eternal Kingdom. "The system has shackled the output, but it cannot shackle the Logic. Analyze the 'Plunderer' title's interaction with my current state."
He was a prince of two nations, a secret heir to the Saharan throne, and now a crippled apprentice to a legend. The path to the Eternal Kingdom's capital, Reinhardt, was long, and he was currently a "glass cannon" without the cannon.
To reach his "uncle," King Wiesbaden, and claim the royal resources he needed to fund his own agrotech Empire in reality and his Dragon-slaying ambitions, he would have to survive the high-level zones between Lubana and Eternal using nothing but his raw intellect and the passive combat logic he had stolen.
The "Chaos" had shifted. It was no longer about overwhelming power; it was about the Efficiency of a Predator.
Arthur looked toward the horizon, where the distant spires of the capital gleamed like a promise. He would grind his way to Level 100, not by hunting rabbits, but by executing the most dangerous "Level 1" speed-run in the history of the game.
"The skills are disabled," Arthur muttered, a dark, predatory glint returning to his eyes. "But the player is not. Let's see how the world reacts to a commoner who moves like a God."
The Patrain marketplace was a chaotic symphony of desperation and greed, a place where the air smelled of sun-baked stone, cheap spices, and the sweat of players struggling to make ends meet.
Arthur moved through the crowd like a drop of oil in water—present, but never truly mixing. His Level 1 rags were inconspicuous, but his posture, reinforced by the Undefeated King's Dignity, made NPCs instinctively give him a wide berth.
Then, he saw him.
Near a stall selling low-grade rabbit hide stood a young man with a face that looked like it had been sculpted by perpetual debt. His eyes were bloodshot, his clothes were even more tattered than Arthur's, and he was currently engaged in a heated, one-sided argument with a merchant over a handful of copper coins.
Shin Youngwoo. The future "Overgeared God Grid."
In the real world, they were neighbors separated by a single wall. Here, in the sprawling world of Satisfy, they were two "beginners" at the polar opposite ends of the destiny spectrum.
Youngwoo was currently the embodiment of the "loser" the system loved to pity, while Arthur was the "Plunderer" who had already broken the system's laws.
Arthur adjusted the Madra's ego hidden beneath his worn-out shirt and walked directly toward the stall.
"I'm telling you, this hide is worth at least 15 copper!" Youngwoo yelled, his voice cracking with frustration. "I spent four hours killing this in the sun! Do you know how much a repair of greatsword costs?!"
The merchant sneered, "It's damaged, boy. Take the 10 copper or move along. You're blocking the path for real customers."
Youngwoo's face turned a brilliant shade of crimson, his fists clenching at his sides. He looked like he was about to either cry or swing his greatsword. Just as he was about to erupt, a calm, steady hand landed on the merchant's counter.
"I'll take the hide for 20 copper," Arthur said, his voice cutting through the noise like a cold blade.
Youngwoo froze. He turned his head slowly, his eyes widening as he recognized the silver-haired man from the barracks—and more importantly, the man who had moved in next door with a Diamond Class capsule.
"You..." Youngwoo stammered, his jealousy flaring up instantly. "You're that guy. The one from Unit 707."
Arthur didn't look at him yet. He dropped twenty copper coins onto the counter, picked up the rabbit hide, and then finally turned his gaze toward Youngwoo.
"Shin Youngwoo-ssi," Arthur said, his tone neutral. "You seem to be struggling. I thought a dedicated player like you would be further ahead by now."
Youngwoo flinched as if he'd been slapped. "Struggling? I'm... I'm in the middle of a high-level hidden strategy! You wouldn't understand. Just because you have a fancy capsule doesn't mean you know how the world works."
Arthur hummed, tossing the rabbit hide into his inventory. "Is that so? A strategy that involves arguing over five copper? If that's your 'Legendary' path, perhaps you should reconsider."
Then Arthur continued, "Patrain is a fortress of magic and steel, here opportunity is everywhere, but it eats the weak. If you keep moving at this pace, you'll never pay off those real-world debts, let alone make a name for yourself here."
Youngwoo's jaw dropped. The mention of his debts—the very thing he was trying to hide from everyone—hit him like a physical blow. "How do you... how do you know about that?"
"I'm your neighbor, Youngwoo-ssi. Walls are thin, and desperation has a specific sound," Arthur lied smoothly, his eyes narrowing.
"Listen carefully. There is a Great Magician in that tower who sometimes gives people high reward quests. If he ever approaches you, remember not to waste that opportunity."
Arthur began to walk away, leaving a stunned and suspicious Youngwoo standing in the middle of the crowded market.
[Warning: You have interfered with the 'Protagonist's' psychological state and fueled his greed.]
[Shin Youngwoo is feeling: Inferiority, Suspicion, and Greed.]
[Chaos Points (CP) Earned: 3,000]
"Hey! Wait!" Youngwoo shouted, running after him. "Who do you think you are, giving me advice? I don't need help from a silver-spoon brat like you! I'll find a way to succeed on my own! I'll become the greatest player in this game and make you look like a fool!"
Arthur didn't stop. He didn't even look back. He simply waved a hand dismissively. "I look forward to it, Youngwoo-ssi. But for now... try not to die to a level 10 rabbit. It would be embarrassing for the neighborhood's reputation."
As Arthur disappeared into the crowd, Youngwoo stood fuming, his face red and his heart pounding with a mixture of hatred and a strange, gnawing curiosity.
'That bastard...' Youngwoo thought, clutching his 20 copper coins. 'He thinks he's so much better than me. Just wait. I'll show him. I'll show everyone.'
The encounter was brief, but the seed of rivalry was planted. Arthur had effectively positioned himself as the "Wall" Youngwoo needed to climb, ensuring that every step the future Greed took would be overshadowed by the mystery of the man in Unit 707.