Online Game: I Started with Max Charisma and Caught the Goddess's Eye

As Luca entered his trial mission, it was only then that Nova at the Daskhollow Base began responding to the violent energy fluctuations.

She immediately summoned all personnel at the base.

“Some of you should have already sensed the intense energy wave, right?

This kind of surge definitely means something major is about to happen.

So you all need to be fully prepared.”

Nova’s tone was serious as she addressed the group.

Although she was aware that Luca’s trial could begin at any moment,

she couldn’t say with certainty that the energy surge was caused by his awakening.

“To gather as much intel as possible, I’ll be dividing you into four separate squads.

You’ll take turns going out each day to collect information.”

As she spoke, Nova pulled out a chart—

she had already divided everyone into four teams.

No one objected.

This was their duty, and they all understood it.

Still, something felt slightly off.

Logically speaking, Nova should also be prioritizing intel gathering.

But from her wording, it sounded like she was planning to assign that task to others—

while handling something else herself.

One of the squad captains suddenly stood up.

“Ma’am, you’re not coming with us?

You’re the strongest among us.

Without you, our efficiency in gathering intel will drop significantly.”

Nova nodded.

“I won’t be joining your missions this time.

I’ve received a more critical assignment.

Just yesterday, high command issued new directives:

I am to ensure the complete safety of Daskhollow Base’s technical archives—

and transmit all essential data back to HQ as soon as possible.”

Her explanation was met with understanding.

Everyone knew that the research data at Daskhollow Base was incredibly valuable.

HQ had been closely monitoring progress here for some time.

Since no one raised any further questions, Nova gave a firm command.

“You all know your assignments now.

Stop standing around and get moving—

follow the team chart and begin your operations immediately!”

And with that, the Daskhollow base guards dispersed to begin gathering intel from the surrounding regions.

Their primary search area was, of course, around Oakville Town.

After all, some of the guards were powerful enough to sense that the energy fluctuations had clearly radiated outward from that direction.

Once the guards had departed, Nova’s expression shifted—her face suddenly turned grave.

She had lied just now.

Headquarters hadn’t asked her to transmit any research data.

What her superiors had actually ordered her to do…

was to eliminate Luca by any means necessary.

Though she had received a similar directive once before, that previous order had left room for interpretation.

If she could convince Luca to join Zenith Technology Company,

—or at the very least, maintain a friendly relationship with them—

then the mission would be considered a success.

But this time, the order from headquarters was explicit:

Luca must be removed.

That clarity placed tremendous pressure on Nova.

Through their cooperation, she had come to understand just how powerful Luca truly was.

And beyond that, she respected him—deeply.

Now caught in a painful dilemma, Nova found herself trapped in an emotional tug-of-war.

“So this is how it ends… backed into an impossible corner,”

she muttered to herself after a long silence.

She didn’t want to carry out the order, but she had no choice.

She was a field agent of Zenith Technology Company.

Following headquarters’ directives wasn’t optional—it was her duty.

After spending a moment adjusting her emotions, Nova finally regained her composure.

“Eliminating Luca may be my assigned mission…

but his strength is on another level.

Finding a real opportunity to kill him—it’s almost impossible.”

She came up with a rational excuse.

“Headquarters won’t pressure me immediately.

If they lose confidence in my ability to complete the task,

they’ll just send someone else to replace me.

When that happens… this burden won’t be mine to bear anymore.”

A smile slowly returned to her lips.

That was who Nova was.

She didn’t waste energy on internal conflict.

She was always able to quickly assess a complex situation and determine her most pragmatic path forward.

Meanwhile, Luca stood at the edge of The Enchanted Lack,

his eyes locked intensely on the reflection in the water.

His mirrored self stared back at him with eyes full of hatred—pure, unfiltered hostility.

The standoff between them had already lasted for some time.

After silently contemplating the situation,

Luca finally made a decision—

he would take the initiative.

After all, a trial mission was still a mission.

And no mission could be completed through contemplation alone—

action was always required to move forward.

“You glare at me with such hatred,”

Luca murmured as he stared into the lake,

“and yet you haven’t attacked me. Why is that?

Are you limited by some kind of constraint?

Or is all that hatred… just an act?”

Almost the very moment he spoke those words,

the reflection in the lake opened its mouth and replied.

“Stop lying to yourself!

You know exactly why I hate you!”

As the voice echoed across the water,

Luca suddenly felt as if his entire being were being torn apart.

At the same time, a massive surge of chaotic energy came crashing down upon him.

Fighting through the searing pain,

Luca slammed Starseeker into the ground with all his strength.

A powerful shield burst forth from the weapon,

surrounding him in a protective barrier that, for now, held off the chaos closing in.

As the agony in his body slightly receded,

he heard the mocking voice of his reflection once more.

“You really only have a handful of tricks, don’t you?

In battle, you rely on the power of Starseeker,

the magic runes you received, and your dreamwalker skills.

But none of those things are truly yours, are they?

They were all given to you—by others.”

And the reflection wasn’t wrong.

Those powers had been given to Luca—

as rewards from quests and allies.

“Can’t you solve problems using strength that belongs solely to you?!

Are you really going to keep depending on others forever?!”

The voice snapped coldly, a brutal accusation.

Luca’s eyes narrowed. Then suddenly, he looked up.

“So that’s why you hate me?”

“You want me to stop helping others…

You want me to walk this path alone, don’t you?”

His voice was calm, but resolute—

he was no longer questioning out of confusion, but out of clarity.

The reflection had spoken in riddles,

but its meaning was clear now:

It resented the fact that Luca continued to care for and rely on others.

But Luca stood firm.

“Working with others doesn’t mean I’m weak.

It doesn’t mean I’m dependent.”

“I have a family. I have friends.

Of course I care about them.”

Luca’s voice remained calm, but there was conviction in every word.

And in that moment,

he finally began to understand what this reflection truly was.

The reflection in the lake was the most extreme and radical part of Luca’s soul—

a fragment that wanted him to focus entirely on himself, to abandon concern for anyone else.

And in Luca’s mind, if his theory was correct,

then what he had just said would provoke a powerful reaction.

Sure enough, just as Luca anticipated,

the reflection snapped back in anger the moment he finished speaking.

“Family and friends only hold me back!

Those so-called allies barely offer any real help—

more often than not, I have to be the one helping them!”

The reflection’s outburst only confirmed Luca’s suspicion.

This wasn’t someone else hating him—

this was Luca hating himself.

In fact, there had been moments—rare ones—when even he had thought the same way.

But those thoughts were fleeting.

He had always been able to push them aside.

Now, The Enchanted Lack had taken those castaway thoughts,

those radical emotions he had refused to accept—

and manifested them into reality.

If he allowed himself to be swayed by this part of himself,

if he accepted the twisted logic of his reflection,

he would be corrupted by The Enchanted Lack—

and the trial would end in failure.

But now that everything made sense, a faint smile appeared on Luca’s face.

“I’ve got a question for you,” he said, his tone calm and even.

“Do you consider me to be one of those ‘others’ you say I should abandon?

Or maybe think of it the other way around—

if you were me, would you consider yourself to be one of those ‘others’?”

His question caught the reflection off guard.

It clearly hadn’t considered that angle.

“You say that other people only drag me down—

that I should cut them off and move forward alone.

But you are a part of me.

So wouldn’t that make you the dead weight right now?

Shouldn’t I cut you off too?

Wouldn’t that actually be exactly what you want?

So why do you hate me for it?”

Luca’s words left the reflection visibly shaken.

Its expression twisted with inner turmoil,

as if it couldn’t reconcile the logic it had just been forced to confront.

Watching the hesitation unfold, Luca sighed.

“I guess hoping to make peace with my most extreme emotions was a bit too much to ask.

You’ve already been persuaded—but you’re still unwilling to let go of your beliefs.

Which means there’s only one option left.”

“I’ll have to destroy you… by force.”

Even before he finished speaking,

the reflection snapped back to attention—

its body tensing, readying for battle.

But the reflection’s preparations were utterly meaningless.

Because during their conversation, Luca had already silently activated the Dreamweaving Mist.

Now, both he and his reflection were completely shrouded in thick, illusory fog.

Within the Dreamweaving Mist,

Luca could easily destroy an enemy whose resolve had already begun to crumble.

As Starseeker slashed through the mist, the reflection grew fainter and fainter—

its form beginning to blur and fade, as though it no longer belonged to the real world.

“I’m going to shatter you… and take you back,”

Luca said quietly.

“You may be the most extreme part of me—but I won’t abandon you.

I’ll reintegrate you into my spirit and soul.

Only then can I return to my full, complete self.”

Luca had fully seen through the trap hidden within the trial.

True success didn’t come from rejecting one’s darkest emotions—

it came from accepting them, understanding them, and integrating them.

Only by making peace with his own extremity could he prevent his soul from fracturing.

And only with a whole, unified soul could he hope to complete the trial’s remaining two objectives.

If his soul were torn apart here,

the chances of succeeding in what lay ahead would become dangerously slim.

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