The white walls of the Advancement Chamber dissolved into countless particles of light.
Aster stepped back into the bustling Adventurers Association.
Players were pouring out of nearby chambers, each wearing expressions ranging from excitement to disappointment.
"I became a Flame Mage!"
"I got Shield Knight!"
"What? I wanted Assassin!"
The entire hall buzzed with discussions about newly acquired classes.
Aster simply smiled to himself.
Unlike everyone else...
He couldn't exactly tell anyone that he possessed a hidden class granted by an ancient book.
He quietly exited the association.
The afternoon sun bathed Mistvale in golden light.
His fingers instinctively brushed the hilt of his wooden sword.
"Now..."
"Time to grind."
With Endless Growth, every battle would grant twice the experience.
Combined with his Challenge Bonus...
His leveling speed would surpass ordinary players.
"I should head back to Stonefang Ravine."
He had only taken a few steps.
Then—
The sky suddenly darkened.
Every player stopped walking.
The clouds above Mistvale shimmered with brilliant golden light.
A deep bell echoed throughout the entire world.
Dong...
Dong...
Dong...
The air itself trembled.
Moments later, a massive golden announcement stretched across the heavens.
WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT
Attention, Adventurers of Divine Nexus.
To improve server stability and prepare for the next phase of world development...
Emergency Maintenance will begin in 10 minutes.
Estimated maintenance duration:
4 Hours (Real Time)
Please log out safely before the countdown reaches zero.
Thank you for supporting Divine Nexus.
The entire village erupted.
"What?!"
"Four hours?"
"I just got my class!"
"No way! I was about to fight a monster!"
Aster let out a helpless laugh.
"...Seriously?"
He had just unlocked Endless Growth.
He was eager to see how quickly he could level.
Instead...
Maintenance.
He looked toward the northern gate leading to Stonefang Ravine.
"...Guess it can't be helped."
The countdown had already begun.
09:58
Aster sighed.
"Looks like today's grinding ends here."
He opened the system menu.
Log Out
A single press.
The world slowly faded.
Mistvale disappeared.
The sky dissolved into darkness.
A soft mechanical click echoed beside his ears.
The VR helmet unlocked.
Yevhen slowly opened his eyes.
The familiar white ceiling greeted him once again.
"...Back already."
He smiled wryly.
"A four-hour update..."
He carefully reached up and removed the headset.
Normally...
This would be the difficult part.
Simply sitting upright required enormous effort.
His weakened muscles rarely cooperated.
Usually...
He needed both arms to slowly push himself upward.
Even then...
His body trembled from the strain.
Today...
Without thinking...
He planted one hand against the mattress.
And sat up.
Smoothly.
Naturally.
"...?"
Yevhen froze.
His eyes widened.
"What..."
He blinked several times.
Did he...
Just sit up?
He looked down at his own arms.
No trembling.
No exhaustion.
His breathing remained steady.
"...No..."
He shook his head.
"It must be because I just woke up."
He lay back down.
Then tried again.
One hand.
A slight push.
His upper body rose effortlessly.
Again.
No struggle.
His heartbeat accelerated.
"...Again."
He repeated the motion.
Once.
Twice.
Five times.
Ten times.
Every attempt became easier than the last.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
He stared at his own hands in disbelief.
"This..."
"...this wasn't possible."
Only yesterday...
Even sitting upright exhausted him.
Now...
The movement felt almost natural.
His breathing technique from Iron Body Foundation surfaced instinctively.
He inhaled slowly.
Exhaled.
His body felt...
Lighter.
Not healed.
Not completely.
But undeniably...
Stronger.
His vision blurred.
Tears quietly welled in his eyes.
Not from pain.
But from hope.
For years...
Every hospital visit had ended with another limitation.
Another medicine.
Another warning.
Another reminder that his body could never recover completely.
Yet today...
For the first time...
Reality had proven otherwise.
A single tear rolled down his cheek.
Then another.
Soon...
He was crying openly.
Not because he was weak.
But because he finally believed...
He could become stronger.
Knock.
Knock.
The hospital room door slowly opened.
"Yevhen?"
Elena stepped inside carrying a paper bag filled with homemade food.
The smile on her face disappeared almost instantly.
She hurried toward the bed.
"Yevhen!"
She placed the bag aside.
"What's wrong?"
"Are you hurting?"
"Did something happen?"
She reached for the nurse call button.
Before she could press it—
Yevhen gently grabbed her wrist.
He looked up at her through tear-filled eyes.
Then...
He smiled.
A smile brighter than any she had seen in years.
"Sis..."
His voice trembled.
"I..."
He slowly lifted both arms.
Without effort.
Without shaking.
"I can move..."
"...better."
Elena stared silently.
She watched as her brother effortlessly adjusted his sitting position.
Something that normally took nearly a minute...
Now took only seconds.
Her eyes widened.
"...Yevhen..."
She knew.
She had helped him every single day.
She knew exactly how difficult that simple motion had always been.
Her lips quivered.
"...You..."
Before she could finish—
Tears streamed down her own face.
She wrapped her arms around him as gently as she could.
Neither sibling spoke.
Words were unnecessary.
For the first time in years...
The impossible had happened.
The miracle they had long stopped praying for...
Had quietly begun.