The Remnant of the Holy Order didn't move as I approached. It stood motionless before the sealed door, most likely watching me with those burning eyes behind its visor.

  I stopped at the edge of the chamber, maintaining range. There were roughly thirty meters between us, giving me enough room to kite, engage, and retreat if needed.

  "Piercing Shot."

  I nocked and released in the same motion. My most trusted skill, the one I had access to since level 1. I used it to grasp what I was going up against.

  -392!

  The Elite staggered, clearly not expecting such a fast first strike.

  It raised its sword and shield and started turning fully towards me.

  “Mark of the Eagle.”

  I had 30 seconds of increased basic attack damage the moment the golden marker appeared above the armor’s helmet.

  And against an elite like this, every point of extra bite helped.

  The Remnant was faster than I expected. It has no right to be this nimble, wearing all that heavy armor.

  One moment it was standing still, the next it was charging across the chamber, shield raised, sword pulled back for a devastating strike.

  But I was already moving.

  Quick Step carried me out of the way, putting a stone pillar between us. The Remnant's charge carried it past my previous position, its sword cleaving through empty air.

  I fired before it could turn.

  -234!

  The arrow struck its back, sparking off the pristine plate mail. It had decent physical defense, but my Mark mostly offset it.

  The Elite spun with mechanical precision, its visor tracking my new position. It raised its sword, and I saw light gathering along the blade.

  Withering Light.

  I heard the name of the skill from all around me.

  The beam of golden energy lanced across the chamber.

  I dove right, the attack scorching the stone where I'd been standing a heartbeat before.

  Ranged attacks. I have to be careful. This wouldn't be as simple as kiting in circles.

  I came up firing. Two basic attacks, to hits.

  -241!

  -237!

  The Remnant charged again, but I'd been expecting it. I backpedaled, maintaining distance, loosing arrows with every step.

  My movement speed, even while firing, was higher than the Remnant’s. Barely, but enough.

  -229!

  -244!

  -238!

  The Remnant stopped its charge and planted its feet. Its shield came up, covering most of its body, and I saw a golden aura shimmer into existence around it.

  Bulwark of Faith.

  My next arrow bounced off harmlessly, deflected by the barrier.

  "Defensive stance," I muttered. "Alright. Let's see how long you can hold it."

  I circled the chamber, keeping my distance, watching for any gap in its defense. The shield covered its front, but the barrier seemed to extend all around it. Flanking wouldn't help.

  As the barrier was pulsing, I noticed something. It was brightening and dimming in a steady rhythm. And during the dim phases, tiny gaps appeared in the golden light.

  I nocked an arrow and waited for it to dim once again, and then I fired.

  -186!

  Lower damage, probably because the defensive skill was still active, but the shot connected. The Remnant flinched, its concentration broken for just a moment.

  The barrier dropped.

  "Burning Arrow!"

  The fire-imbued shot slammed into its chest before it could raise its defenses again.

  -323!

  -34!

  -34!

  The flames spread across its armor, the damage-over-time effect stacking steadily. The Remnant staggered back, and I pressed the advantage.

  Basic attack. Basic attack. Piercing Shot.

  -251!

  -247!

  -389!

  The elite's health dropped fast. It reacted faster than I'd expected, raising its sword for another Withering Light.

  I was already moving, anticipating the attack. The beam passed behind me as I Quick Stepped forward and to the left, closing to medium range before immediately retreating.

  The Remnant tried to track me, but I was faster. I kept hitting it, paying close attention to my cooldowns.

  I was enjoying it.

  Maintaining pressure, never staying in one place long enough for it to land a clean hit.

  It felt like I was getting more and more used to my virtual body with every shot.

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  This was the rhythm I knew. The dance I'd perfected over years of Valhalla. Maximum aggression, zero exposure. Hit and move. Never stop, never hesitate, never give the enemy a chance to set the terms.

  The Remnant changed tactics. It slammed its sword into the ground, and a wave of golden energy rippled outward across the floor.

  Consecrated Ground.

  The stone beneath my feet began to glow. I Leap Attacked backward just as pillars of light erupted from the consecrated area, each one dealing what would have been significant damage if I'd stayed still.

  "Area denial," I noted. "Trying to limit my movement."

  The glowing patches persisted, cutting off portions of the chamber. My kiting space was shrinking.

  But I'd dealt with worse.

  I adjusted my pattern, incorporating the safe zones into my movement.

  The Remnant charged again, trying to pin me against a consecrated area.

  I Quick Stepped over a burning section, timing the i-frame perfectly.

  "Piercing Shot!"

  -378!

  The Remnant roared.

  It sounded like two metal gears grinding against each other.

  Then its form began to blur. Golden light surrounded it, and two other Remnants began materializing next to it.

  Illusions? I had a quick flashback to my fight against Cyrus.

  But now I had the tools to deal with such skills.

  “Mark of the Eagle!”

  All three charged simultaneously, converging on my position from different angles. But I knew which one was real.

  The golden marker floated above the center copy, revealing the true Remnant. The other two were fakes; dangerous-looking, but ultimately harmless.

  I ignored the illusions entirely, focusing my fire on the marked target.

  "Fan of Arrows!"

  The eight-arrow spread caught the real Remnant mid-charge. The illusions passed through me harmlessly, dissipating into motes of light, while the actual elite staggered under the barrage.

  -92!

  -102!

  -95!

  -89!

  -97!

  -101!

  -103!

  -85!

  The knockback effect triggered, interrupting its charge and sending it stumbling backward. I followed up immediately.

  "Arrow of Ash & Flames!"

  I held the charge for two seconds, pouring power into the shot until the Emberwood Longbow thrummed with barely contained energy.

  Then I released.

  The arrow screamed across the chamber, wreathed in fire and trailing cinders. It struck the Remnant right in the visor, and the explosion was magnificent.

  -1,126!

  It had less than sixty percent health remaining.

  The consecrated ground was fading now, my movement options returning. I resumed my kiting pattern, circling the chamber while maintaining constant pressure.

  I maximized my basic attack output while Mark of the Eagle was active.

  -264!

  -258!

  -271!

  The Mark was amplifying my damage beautifully. Each arrow hit harder than it should, the ten percent bonus compounding with my already considerable attack power.

  The Remnant recovered and raised its shield again, Bulwark of Faith shimmering back into existence, but I knew what the trick was. I waited for the dim phase, fired through the gap, and forced it to drop the barrier early.

  It tried Holy Smite. I dodged left.

  It tried Consecrated Ground. I hopped over the burning patches.

  It tried Mirror of Valor again, but Mark of the Eagle revealed the truth.

  Every tool it had, I countered. Every attack it launched, I evaded.

  The fight had become a demonstration of my skill.

  The elite's movements were becoming faster the more injured it was. It charged recklessly, trying to close the distance through sheer aggression.

  I punished every overextension with precise shots.

  -267!

  -273!

  -259!

  "Burning Arrow!"

  -358!

  -34!

  -34!

  The Remnant slammed its sword into the ground again, but this time the effect was different. Instead of consecrated patches, the entire floor began to glow. A massive buildup of holy energy, preparing to erupt across the entire chamber.

  Scorched Earth.

  No safe zones. Nowhere to run.

  Except up.

  I swapped to the Threadweaver, and Silk Shot slinged me into the air. Up there, I switched back to the Emberwood Longbow, Arrow of Ash & Flames just coming off cooldown.

  I charged while Silk Shot's velocity kept rising, and released just as I reached the apex.

  I hit it right in its visor once again, my aim impeccable.

  -1,186!

  I loosed another Burning Arrow while falling, capitalizing on its weakened fire resistance.

  -396!

  -51!

  -51!

  Scorched Earth ended just as I landed.

  Once down, I fired again and again.

  -276!

  -281!

  -269!

  Scorched Earth faded completely, the floor returning to normal.

  The Remnant tried blocking and dodging, advancing and retreating, but to no avail.

  I was going to win.

  "Piercing Shot!"

  -392!

  The Remnant tried one last Mirror of Valor. Three copies, three charges, one real threat. Mark of the Eagle made the choice trivial.

  "Fan of Arrows!"

  The real one staggered. The fakes vanished.

  Twenty-five percent.

  Basic attacks. Leap Attack to dodge. Web Trap to zone. Burning Arrow when the cooldown refreshed.

  It was at twenty percent now.

  The paladin raised its sword for a final Holy Smite. The beam was wider this time, harder to dodge.

  I didn't dodge. I Quick Stepped forward, directly toward the Remnant, passing under the beam as it fired over my head.

  I was already charging mid-motion.

  Point-blank range.

  "Arrow of Ash & Flames."

  I fired the fully charged shot directly into its visor.

  -1,226!

  The Remnant's head snapped back, flames exploding through the gaps in its helmet. It stumbled, swayed, and tried to raise its sword for one final strike.

  I was already nocking my last arrow.

  "Piercing Shot."

  -396!

  The arrow punched through its breastplate and out the other side.

  The Remnant of the Holy Order stood frozen for a long moment, that burning light behind its visor flickering like a candle in the wind.

  Then, slowly, it collapsed; first to its knees, then forward onto its face.

  The armor clattered against the stone floor.

  The light went out.

  Silence filled the chamber.

  I lowered my bow, breathing hard.

  The attribute rework, reaching level 20, and getting a skill I could call my ace.

  I was getting accustomed to the world.

  I felt like the raid against the Woe, the fight against the Broodmother, even the tournament at Oakenlight were ages ago.

  My body started to feel… mine once again. It wasn’t just a virtual avatar I was trying to control anymore.

  This was Bow God Zephyr.

  I'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

  The Elite had dropped a singular skill rune that I quickly put into my inventory. However, before I could check what it was, I turned.

  The sealed door behind the fallen Remnant began to grind open, ancient mechanisms activating now that the guardian had been defeated.

  Beyond it, I could see another corridor stretching into darkness.

  I checked my resources.

  I didn’t use a single potion.

  I wasn’t even hit once.

  I stepped over the Remnant's remains and walked through the door.

  I was ready for whatever came next.

  And for the first time since starting the game, I was certain.

  I was certain that whatever was waiting for me at the end of this corridor was not ready for me.