《I Can Only Cultivate In A Game》 Chapter 1: Unrequited Love The bell rang, echoing through the corridors of Grand Arc High School. The chatter of students filled the air as Class 3B sat in hushed tension. Their thoughts were fixated on the next day¡ªthe Awakening Test. It was the day every student had anticipated since entering high school, the moment they would discover if they had a magical class or if they were destined to live as ordinary humans. Except for one corner of the room, where a group of four boys sat, giggling like toddlers at a sleepover. "Guys, what if I awaken as a Summoner and my first summon is a beautiful girl? Wouldn''t that just be the greatest?" whispered Jake, a skinny boy with wild, unkempt hair. "Yeah, right," scoffed Victor, the self-proclaimed leader of the group. He leaned back in his chair with his trademark grin plastered across his face. "Knowing your luck, you''d summon a mosquito with a vendetta against humans." The boys erupted into loud laughter, unintentionally drawing the attention of everyone in the surroundings. "Victor Revenant!" The teacher''s voice boomed from the front of the room, silencing their laughter in an instant. Miss Adler, a stern-looking woman in her late thirties, glared at them through her glasses. "Do you have something you''d like to share with the rest of the class?" Victor stood up with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Actually, Miss Adler, I was just discussing the probability of Jake summoning an insect for his magical partner. I thought it might add to the class''s understanding of summoning theory." The class snickered, and even Miss Adler''s lips twitched before she quickly regained her composure. "Sit down, Victor. And if I hear another word from you or your... ''crew,'' it''ll be detention for all of you." Victor saluted dramatically. "Yes, ma''am. Silence mode activated." The tension in the room eased slightly but Victor noticed several students casting nervous glances toward the clock. Tomorrow was everything to them. The Awakening Test would determine their futures: their magical class, their worth, and, for some, whether they could even dream of attending the prestigious Awakened Academy. However, Victor didn''t seem to care, or perhaps he was hiding his nervousness behind silly jokes. "Guys," he whispered as soon as Miss Adler turned her back. "What if none of us awaken? We could start a club for the unawakened. ''The Loser''s Legion.'' What do you think?" Max, a chubby boy with a quick wit and a slower metabolism snorted. "Only if we can wear matching jackets. Cool ones, with flames on the back." "Deal," Victor''s grin widened. "I call dibs on being president." --- The day dragged on, filled with anxious chatter, quickened heartbeats, and whispered hopes. For most students, the Awakening Test drew closer like one on death row with a guillotine. For Victor and his friends, it was just another excuse to joke around. By the time the final bell rang, the tension in Class Three had reached its peak. Students bolted from their seats, either eager to escape their nerves or desperate to cram in last-minute research about magical classes. Victor stretched as he stood. "Another day, another escape from Miss Adler''s wrath. We''re on a roll, boys." As his friends laughed and packed their bags, Victor strolled toward his locker. His walk was leisurely, unbothered by the heavy atmosphere hanging over the school. However, when he opened his locker, his carefree expression froze. A neatly folded note fell out, landing at his feet. He bent down to pick it up as his curiosity piqued. Unfolding it, he read the message scrawled in neat handwriting: "Victor, I''ve liked you for a long time. You''re funny, kind, and honestly way more handsome than you realize. I know tomorrow is important, but I''d really like to meet you behind Block C after school today. Please come." For a moment, Victor blinked at the note as the corners of his mouth twitched. Then he burst into laughter. "Block C? Oh, come on. You''ve gotta try harder than that if you''re pranking me." He crumpled the note, tossing it in the trash can beside his locker. "Nice try, but I''m not falling for it." This wasn''t the first time Victor was getting a love letter. Unfortunately, he took them all as a joke every time, unable to accept that he was in any way attractive. As he turned, a vision of beauty caught his eye. Amara Blake, the school''s undisputed queen of hearts, was walking down the hallway. The sound of her heels clicking against the floor was like drum beats of love playing in his ears. Amara was the dream girl of every boy in Grand Arc High. Her long chestnut hair cascaded down her back in perfect waves, framing her flawless face. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with confidence, and her lips painted a soft pink, curved into a smile that could melt glaciers. She carried herself like royalty, and her bouncy chest was accentuated by the fitted blouse of her uniform. The sway of her hips was mesmerizing, and the air seemed to shimmer in her wake. Victor''s heart skipped a beat as she passed. Her scent lingered in the air and he caught onto every whiff of it¡ª a blend of vanilla and jasmine. "Today''s the day I say hi," Victor muttered to himself. "I mean, what''s the worst that could¡ª" Before he could finish, a towering figure stepped into view. Derek Slate, the school''s infamous bad boy and self-proclaimed king of the underworld, swaggered over to Amara and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Hey, babe," Derek voiced in a low growl. Amara giggled, tilting her head up as Derek leaned in and kissed her. Victor''s stomach sank. Derek smirked at Victor as if he''d just won a silent contest. Then, with Amara giggling at his side, the couple strolled down the hallway, leaving Victor standing there like a statue. He turned back to his locker after a few moments and his eyes fell on the crumpled love note in the trash. With a humorless laugh, he fished it out and smoothed it flat. "So, I can''t have my crush," he voiced to himself. "Fine. No one gets me either. Let us all suffer unrequited love together." With a dramatic flourish, he tore the note into tiny pieces and scattered them into the trash. Shouldering his bag, he walked toward the school gates with a look of bitterness. Tomorrow, the Awakening Test would change everything. But for now, Victor Revenant was just a joker with a broken heart. ... ... Victor Revenant strolled through the streets of Arctis City with hands stuffed deep into his pockets. Tall buildings and skyscrapers sauntered around him like large Lego blocks. His face shone a bit of seriousness for once as his mind drifted to history momentarily. Three decades ago, everything had changed. The day the portal appeared in the Pacific Ocean, humanity''s sense of normalcy shattered. It had split the sky with an explosion of light and energy, flooding the atmosphere with mana¡ªa mystical force that rewrote the rules of existence. At first, it seemed like a gift. Crops thrived, diseases withered, and some humans began to evolve into awakened individuals, wielding powers straight out of myths. But the portal hadn''t come alone. The beasts arrived first¡ªmonstrous creatures that rampaged across the globe, leaving destruction in their wake. Then came the humanoid invaders. Three distinct species stepped through the portal, declaring Earth their new home after the destruction of their own world. They didn''t ask for permission. They carved out territories, transforming parts of the planet into grotesque versions of their lost lands. The Drakenar claimed the volcanic regions. Their reptilian forms happened to thrive more in molten terrains. The Sylrith took the forests, enchanting the land with their magic and weaving illusions that lured countless humans to their doom. The Umbryx turned vast swaths of Earth into shadowy wastelands, where nightmares roamed freely. Each species was more dangerous than the last and their power dwarfed anything humanity could muster at the time. Victor walked past one of the many barriers that surrounded Arctis City. The shimmering dome of translucent energy towered over the skyline, separating the human territories from the wild lands beyond. The barriers were humanity''s lifeline, powered by massive mana cores and guarded with every ounce of technology and magic available. Beyond the barrier, the rocky peaks of Drakenar territory loomed in the distance. Even with the barriers, the threat of breaches hung over everyone. Stories of beasts or invaders slipping through were whispered like ghost tales, fueling an undercurrent of fear. For Victor, the sight of the barrier was just another reminder of how fragile everything truly was. He passed a holographic news display hovering above a street corner. The anchor, a suave-looking man in a sharp green suit, spoke calmly as headlines scrolled beneath him. "Today, the Mana Defense Forces successfully repelled a Sylrith incursion near New Avalon City. Casualties were minimal on our side, but experts warn that these attacks are growing more frequent and coordinated. Citizens are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity near the barriers." Victor scoffed quietly to himself. The government loved to pretend things were under control, but everyone knew the truth. Humanity was holding on by a thread, and the awakened were the only reason that thread hadn''t snapped yet. Chapter 2: Day Of Reckoning The awakened¡ªpeople blessed, or cursed, with the ability to channel mana into extraordinary powers¡ªwere humanity''s last line of defence. They fought on the frontlines, battling beasts and humanoids alike, protecting what little remained of human civilization. They were heroes to some, gods to others, and the envy of everyone who hadn''t awakened. Victor turned down a quieter street. In the distance, super tall skyscrapers glittered with neon signs showing how far humanity had come even in the face of extinction. Mana hadn''t just brought chaos¡ªit had revolutionized technology. Mana-powered trains zipped across cities, holographic displays floated in midair, and advanced medical chambers could heal wounds that once meant certain death. Yet for all the advancements, life for ordinary people like Victor remained painfully mundane. The divide between the awakened and the non-awakened had created a society where power was everything. Without it, you were nobody. The Awakening Test was paramount. Sixteen-year-olds across the city would gather to discover their fate. A magical class could change everything: wealth, respect, a chance to rise above the suffocating mediocrity of ordinary life. But failure? Failure meant being stuck as just another cog in the wheel, scraping by in a world that demanded more than most could give. Victor tried not to think about it. He''d joked his way through school, teased his friends, and shrugged off the growing pressure, but deep down the fear lingered. He knew how badly he wanted to awaken, how desperately he wanted something¡ªanything¡ªthat would make him stand out. He reached his apartment building, a weathered complex tucked into one of the older districts of the city. The paint was faded and the walls were patched with rust, but it was home. Inside, the stairwell smelled faintly of cleaning chemicals and old wood, and his footsteps echoed as he climbed to the third floor. "Victor, is that you?" his mom called from the kitchen as he opened the door. "Yeah," he replied before dropping his bag by the couch. His mom appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on a towel. She was a petite woman with tired eyes and a warm smile. Her short black hair was tied back in a loose bun. "How was school?" she asked. "Same as always," he said while flopping onto the couch. "Everyone''s losing their minds about tomorrow." She hesitated for a moment as her smile faltered. "You''ll do fine, sweetheart. You will always be special, no matter what happens." Victor forced a grin. "Don''t worry, Mom. If I awaken as a Mage, I''ll conjure up some money and buy us a mansion." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I''ll hold you to that." As the evening wore on, Victor retreated to his room, slipping on his VR headset to dive into his favorite game. The sound of the console and the vibrant world of the game wrapped around him like a comforting blanket. For a few hours, he wasn''t Victor Revenant, the class clown. He was a warrior, a strategist, a hero. ... ... (( The Next Day )) The gymnasium buzzed with nervous energy... the kind that made palms sweat and knees shake. The entire Class Three was seated in neat rows with pale faces and stiff necks. Above them, the fluorescent lights flickered, casting long shadows on the smooth wooden floor. At the front of the room stood the Awakening Orb, an object of both wonder and dread. Its smooth, crystalline surface emitted a low glow as if it could sense the anxiety radiating from the students. Victor Revenant sat slouched in his chair with legs stretched out and arms crossed. His usual grin was plastered on his face. However, even he couldn''t entirely ignore the pressure in the air. Jake sat to his left, nervously tapping his foot against the floor. Max, to his right, was chewing the sleeve of his shirt, and Danny was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, staring unblinkingly at the orb. "You know," Victor whispered, breaking the silence in their little circle, "if this thing picks me, I''m going to demand a refund. I''m way too good at being a loser to start being a hero now." Jake snorted, but Max shot him a glare. "Can you, for once, shut up? This isn''t the time." "It''s exactly the time," Victor shot back as his grin widened. "We''re all going to fail anyway. Might as well enjoy the ride." "Victor Revenant!" Miss Adler''s sharp voice cut through the air like a knife. Victor froze, then sighed theatrically. "Not yet? Fine. Guess I''ll let someone else go first." --- The first name was called: "Ivy Carter." Ivy was a petite girl with freckles and curly red hair. She hesitated for a moment after getting to her feet, then walked to the front of the room with small, shaky steps. She placed her hand on the orb and closed her eyes. While waiting for the result, her lips moved silently as if she were praying. The seconds stretched on, and the room held its collective breath. Then¡ªnothing. The orb remained dull and lifeless. Ivy pulled her hand back as her face crumpled. She turned and walked back to her seat with her head hanging low. Victor leaned toward Jake. "I mean, maybe it''s for the best. Can you imagine Ivy trying to fight a magical beast? She''d apologize to it before it killed her." Jake stifled a laugh, earning a glare from Max. Another name was called: "Derek Wolfe." Derek, a tall, muscular boy with jet-black hair, strutted to the orb like he was already a hero. He slammed his hand down on it with a cocky grin on his face. But as the seconds ticked by, the grin slowly faded. When the orb didn''t react, Derek''s face turned a shade of crimson to match his embarrassment. As he returned to his seat, Victor leaned toward Max. "At least now he''s finally learned what it feels like to lose. Character development." The list went on. Name after name, failure after failure. Each unsuccessful attempt seemed to suck a little more air out of the room. "Clara Daniels." A tall girl with black hair and beautiful blue eyes walked to the orb with her chin held high. Her confidence faltered when the orb stayed quiet. Another failure. "Benji Lopez." A boy with glasses and a nervous smile. Failure. "Mariah Green." A blond girl with an easy smile that turned upside down the moment the orb didn''t light up. Disappointment hung heavy in the air. It was said that only one in a hundred thousand would awaken, but the reality of those odds felt even grimmer now. --- Then came a break in the monotony. "Danny Henshaw." Victor slapped Danny on the back. "Go get ''em, tiger. If you fail, at least you''ll have the coolest group of losers to fall back on." "Shut up," Danny muttered while standing. His usual sarcasm was nowhere to be found as he approached the orb. He placed his hand on its surface as his brow furrowed in concentration. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the orb flared to life, glowing bright gold. A wave of energy rippled through the room, and the air around Danny shimmered. Spectral flames erupted around him, forming the faint outline of a massive Warhammer. ~ "Woahh" ~ Gasps echoed across the gymnasium. "B-Berserker!" Danny stammered while stepping back in disbelief. Victor shot to his feet, clapping loudly. "That''s my boy! Smash things! Break doors! Become a professional house destroyer!" "I can''t believe it... someone from the group of losers pulled off an Awakening?" "How did this happen?" "But I failed... How does this loser get to be so lucky?!" Danny returned to his seat in excitement, ignoring the voices from the crowd. "I can see it," he whispered. "There''s this... this interface. It''s right there in front of me. It says my class and stats. It''s insane." Max and Jake crowded around him, peppering him with questions, but Victor just grinned. "Guess that means you''re buying us lunch next week, huh?" --- The ceremony continued. Another name was called: "Amara Blake." Victor felt his stomach twist as she stood with a commanding presence. Her chestnut hair danced from side to side and her uniform clung to her curvaceous frame, drawing the envious eyes of every boy in the room. Even now, with the pressure that hung in the air, Amara walked with the grace of someone who knew she was untouchable. She placed her hand on the orb, and within seconds, it erupted in brilliant green light. Ethereal vines sprouted from the floor, twisting and curling before vanishing into the air. "Summoner," someone whispered, and the crowd broke into murmurs. Victor leaned back, feigning indifference. "Figures. Of course, she''s special. She probably summoned her own beauty routine years ago." Max elbowed him, but Victor waved him off. Then, it was finally Derek Slate''s turn. The infamous bad boy sauntered to the orb with his arm slung lazily over his shoulder. He didn''t even hesitate as he placed his hand down, and the orb responded almost instantly, flaring red as flames burst into the air around him. Victor groaned. "Oh, come on. Could this get any more cliche?? Next thing you know, they''ll announce they''re engaged." --- Finally, Victor''s name was called. He stood, swallowing the lump in his throat as he approached the orb. His usual bravado wavered for just a moment as he placed his hand on the smooth surface of the orb. Chapter 3: Ascendant Realms The seconds ticked by. Nothing. He waited for longer... perhaps the orb was just taking longer to respond. Or was he just too magnificent that the orb was having difficulty registering his power... After many seconds had passed by, he realized he was just being delusional. Victor pulled his hand back, staring at the orb in disbelief. It didn''t glow, didn''t spark, didn''t even flicker. "Well," he said loudly as he turned back to the crowd, "Looks like I''m the chosen one! Chosen to stay a loser, that is." A few students chuckled, but the ache in Victor''s chest didn''t ease. As he returned to his seat, Jake patted his shoulder. "Hey, man¡ª" "It''s fine," Victor forced a grin. "I''ve still got my good looks, right? And my humor. Can''t put those in a system interface." The Awakening ceremony continued and after everything was over, only around five students awakened out of over a hundred. It was a higher turn-up than last year''s three, but still, the air remained heavy. The five were called to a separate room where they had a meeting with the government evaluators. ... ... Victor trudged up the steps to his apartment with heavy footsteps as his head hung low. His arms swung loosely at his sides as the empty feeling in his chest grew heavier with every step. He had joked his way through the failure earlier, laughing it off with his friends, but now that he was alone, the reality of it hit him in full force. No class. No awakening. Just Victor Revenant, the same kid he had been yesterday, and the day before that. Except now, there was no hope of being anything more. The familiar creak of the apartment door greeted him as he pushed it open. Before he could step inside, an explosion of sound and color startled him. "Congratulations!" Confetti burst from a party popper, showering him in bright paper bits. His parents'' faces lit up with wide smiles as they stood in the small living room. His mother had an apron tied around her waist as she held a tray of cupcakes decorated with what looked like shaky attempts at class symbols¡ªtiny swords, flames, and vines iced in mismatched colors. His tall and broad-shouldered father, who was still in his dusty mining clothes, with traces of dirt from the mana stone mines on his face, also grinned from ear to ear despite his exhaustion. In his hands, he held a wrapped gift. Victor froze in the doorway as his stomach twisted. "Welcome home, champ!" his father voiced while stepping forward to clap him on the shoulder. "Your mom told me today was the big day, so I thought we''d celebrate! Got you something special." Victor looked between them as his chest further tightened. He dropped his gaze to the floor, shuffling awkwardly. "I didn''t awaken," he said flatly. The silence was immediate as if the air had been sucked out of the room. His mother''s face fell. Her hopeful smile was replaced by a flicker of sadness. She couldn''t fathom how her baby boy felt at this moment. His father stood still with the gift in his hands as his grin faded into something more subdued. "Oh, sweetheart," his mother said softly, setting the tray of cupcakes on the counter and stepping toward him. "It''s okay," Victor said quickly, forcing a laugh that sounded hollow even to his own ears. "It''s not like I was expecting much, right? One in a hundred thousand and all that. No big deal." "Victor¡ª" his father began, but Victor cut him off, waving a hand dismissively. "Really, it''s fine. I''m fine. I''m just gonna... head to my room for a bit." Before either of them could say anything else, he brushed past them, retreating to his small bedroom and shutting the door behind him. --- The room was quiet except for the faint sounds of the mana-powered streetlights outside his window. Victor sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the scuffed floorboards. His mind churned with thoughts he didn''t want to have. Of course, Amara had awakened. Of course, Derek had too. Even Danny, one of his best friends, had managed to break the odds. But Victor? Victor was still Victor. He lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Time passed in a blur. The muffled voices of his parents seeped through the walls at one point, but he ignored them. Eventually, the apartment grew silent. When he finally emerged from his room, the sky outside was dark. The moon had cast a pale light over the city, drowning it in a more sombre mood. The apartment was empty. A note sat on the kitchen counter, written in his mother''s neat handwriting. "Victor, we had to attend an old friend''s party. We''ll be back tonight. There''s food in the kitchen if you''re hungry. Love, Mom and Dad." Victor sighed, crumpling the note and tossing it into the trash. "Sure, yeah. Go have fun while your kid wallows in mediocrity," he muttered to himself. He opened the fridge, pulled out a leftover sandwich, and leaned against the counter as he ate in silence. His eyes wandered across the room, landing on the small package his father had left on the coffee table. The wrapping paper was crumpled and the bow was slightly lopsided, but it was clear how much effort had gone into it. Curiosity got the better of him. Victor set the sandwich down and walked over, picking up the package. He unwrapped it slowly, revealing a smooth box with bold letters across the front: ''Ascendant Realms: Cultivation Chronicles.'' Victor''s eyebrows rose. The game had been making waves recently. It was a VRMMORPG set in a fully immersive cultivation world. It was supposed to be one of the most advanced games ever made, with mechanics so detailed that players could practically live the life of a cultivator. It was also ridiculously expensive¡ªfar out of reach for most people, especially his family. Victor stared at the box as his chest tightened again. His dad must have bought it thinking it would be a celebration gift. A reward for awakening. "Well, that didn''t work out," he muttered, dropping onto the couch and turning the box over in his hands. The more he thought about it, though, the more the idea of playing appealed to him. If he couldn''t be a real awakened, maybe he could at least pretend in the game that he was something. It was better than sitting around feeling sorry for himself. Victor grabbed his VR headset from his room and set it up. He powered on the game, watching as the interface flickered to life. "Ascendant Realms, huh?" he said aloud as he put on the headset. "Let''s see if you''re worth all the hype." The world around him dissolved into light, and a moment later, he found himself standing in a vast, glowing field. The game''s logo appeared in the sky, shimmering with vibrant colors. For the first time that day, Victor felt a flicker of excitement. "Alright," his grin returned. "Let''s see what this game''s got." He stepped forward as the world of Ascendant Realms unfolded before him. For now, reality could wait... Chapter 4: Objective: Reach Qi Gathering Level 1 The moment Victor''s consciousness got pulled into the game, a vibrant, glowing field stretched out infinitely before him. He stood suspended in the shimmering void. A soft yet commanding voice echoed in his ears: "Welcome to Ascendant Realms. Prepare to configure your character." Victor''s surroundings shifted, and he found himself standing in front of a massive ethereal mirror. His reflection stared back at him, only now it was no longer his real-life self. The mirror displayed a translucent, malleable version of him, ready to be shaped. The interface appeared in front of him, floating mid-air. It was glowing with a faint golden hue and displayed several options. <[ Name Configuration: ]> Victor smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, gotta pick something cool and Eastern. Can''t just be ''Victor Revenant.'' That doesn''t scream ''cultivation legend.''" He stared at the input box for a moment before typing: Fang Chen. "Yeah, that sounds badass. Fang Chen¡ªfuture Immortal God of... something or other. We''ll figure that out later." A gong echoed as the name was confirmed, and the next option appeared. <[ Constitution Configuration: ]> "Okay," Victor muttered, scrolling through the options. "What''s a constitution again? Oh, right. Cultivation nerd stuff. Probably has to do with how awesome I''m going to be." The interface provided several choices, each with a brief description: - Fire Spirit Constitution: High affinity for fire qi, explosive attacks, and destructive techniques. - Heavenly Wood Constitution: High regeneration and strong defence. Suitable for healing and supportive roles. - Void Shadow Constitution: Stealth-based, enhancing speed and evasion while amplifying dark qi. Victor read through a few more before one caught his eye: - Primordial Chaos Constitution: A rare and mysterious constitution that provides equal affinity to all types of qi. Potential is limitless, but growth is slow without effort. "Oh, come on," Victor said with a laugh. "That''s not even fair. Who''s going to pick anything else after reading ''limitless potential''? Primordial Chaos it is!" The mirror shimmered as his translucent reflection shifted slightly and faint ripples of light flowed across his body. <[ Bloodline Configuration: ]> Victor raised an eyebrow as the next menu appeared. "Wait, I get a bloodline too? Fancy." Several options hovered in front of him: - Phoenix Bloodline: Grants fiery rebirth abilities and enhances fire-based techniques. - Azure Dragon Bloodline: Boosts strength, durability, and lightning qi affinity. - Celestial Serpent Bloodline: Focused on poison and illusion-based skills. His eyes landed on the last option: - Void Emperor Bloodline: A legendary bloodline that enhances control over space and time. Rare and highly versatile. "Void Emperor? Heck yeah," Victor said, selecting it without hesitation. "If I''m gonna do this, I''m doing it in style." The mirror shimmered again, this time with faint streaks of black and silver snaking across his translucent reflection, forming intricate patterns that vanished after a moment. <[ Final Configuration: ]> - Name: Fang Chen - Constitution: Primordial Chaos - Bloodline: Void Emperor A confirmation screen appeared, and Victor hit the glowing ''Confirm'' button. "Configuration complete. Welcome, Fang Chen." The ground beneath him dissolved, and he felt the sensation of falling, though it wasn''t unpleasant. The void around him gave way to a vibrant, living world. --- Victor landed softly in a lush valley surrounded by towering mountains shrouded in mist. The sky above was a brilliant shade of blue, dotted with fluffy clouds that drifted lazily. The air was rich and invigorating, filled with the faint scent of blooming flowers and fresh grass. A gentle breeze rustled the trees whose leaves glowed faintly as if infused with qi. "Whoa," Victor muttered, turning in a slow circle to take it all in. "This... this is insane. It''s like stepping into a movie or something." The ground beneath him was soft and springy, covered in a carpet of jade-green grass. In the distance, a cascading waterfall sparkled in the sunlight, feeding into a crystal-clear lake. The entire scene felt surreal, almost too perfect to be real. Just as he was starting to admire his surroundings, a translucent interface appeared before him. It hovered in mid-air, emitting a faint golden color. --- <[ Fang Chen''s Cultivation System ]> - Constitution: Primordial Chaos - Bloodline: Void Emperor - Current Cultivation Realm: Mortal Realm - Current Cultivation Level: Qi Gathering Stage (0%) - Qi Reserves: Minimal - Cultivation Technique: [None] - Status: Mediocre - Physique Grade: Lower Bronze - Potential: B-Rank - Affinity: Balanced but undeveloped - Luck: Below Average --- Victor squinted at the display, tapping at the floating numbers. "Alright, so I''m a Mortal Realm noob with barely any qi. Guess I''ve got nowhere to go but up." The interface flickered, and a message appeared: <[ First Objective: Reach Qi Gathering Level 1. ]> Below the message was a detailed explanation: - To gather qi, meditate in areas rich with spiritual energy. - Qi absorption rate depends on constitution and surroundings. - Be cautious of external threats while cultivating. Victor rubbed his hands together. "Okay, time to do some meditating. How hard can it be?" He glanced around, searching for a spot that looked "spiritual." His eyes landed on a flat rock near the lake, shaded by an ancient-looking tree with glowing blue leaves. It seemed like as good a place as any. Sitting cross-legged on the rock, Victor opened the system''s guide for meditation. The instructions were surprisingly straightforward: close your eyes, focus on your breathing, and visualize the qi around you flowing into your body. He closed his eyes and gave it a shot. At first, he felt ridiculous, sitting there like some kind of wannabe monk. But after a few moments, something changed. The air around him seemed to buzz faintly, and a gentle warmth spread through his chest. He could almost see the threads of energy, tiny motes of light drifting toward him and sinking into his skin. The system interface pinged softly: <[ - Qi Gathering Progress: 5% ]> Victor grinned. "Alright, this might actually be fun." But as he continued to cultivate, a rustling sound from the nearby trees made him pause. He opened one eye, glancing toward the noise. The leaves trembled, and a low growl echoed from the shadows. "Uh-oh," he muttered. "Guess I''m not alone after all." From the underbrush, a creature emerged¡ªa wolf-like beast with glowing red eyes and spiky crystalline fur that shimmered ominously. Its lips curled back in a snarl, revealing rows of pointy teeth. Victor''s heart raced as the system chimed again. <[ Warning!: Spiritual Beast Detected! ]> <[ Rank: Low ]> <[ Danger Level: Moderate ]> Victor scrambled to his feet with a disturbed look. "Moderate danger, huh? Yeah, sure. Let me just grab my nonexistent sword and¡ªoh, wait." The wolf crouched, preparing to pounce. Victor clenched his fists as his mind flipped through options. "Okay, Fang Chen," he muttered, "time to prove you''re not a complete idiot." "No, no, I''m running for my life," Victor yelled while turning around to flee. The Spiritual Beast immediately lunged forward, jumping right over his head and landing before him. Chapter 5: A Thousand Deaths "No, no, I''m running for my life," Victor yelled while turning around to flee. Victor''s legs pumped furiously as he bolted while the snarling beast closed the distance behind him. The wolf-like creature with crystalline fur and glowing red eyes wasn''t giving him an inch of breathing room. Its growls reverberated through the valley causing the air to vibrate. "This game is insane!" Victor yelled, glancing over his shoulder. "Low-rank beast, my ass! Why does it look like it eats people for breakfast?" The beast''s powerful muscles propelled it forward with alarming speed. Victor weaved between trees, desperate to put anything between himself and the glowing-eyed predator. For a moment, he thought he''d gained some distance, but the sound of snapping branches and heavy footfalls told him otherwise. In a flash, the wolf leapt into the air, sailing clean over Victor''s head. Time seemed to slow as it landed gracefully in front of him, barring his path with its snarling maw. Victor skidded to a halt as his heartbeat thundered in his chest. He barely registered what he was doing when his arm shot out reflexively, smacking the beast square on the side of its face. The slap echoed through the forest, and both Victor and the beast froze. Victor stared at his hand in disbelief. "Did I... did I just bitch slap a wolf?" The beast blinked, then let out a low and menacing growl, clearly more irritated than hurt. "Okay, bad idea. Very bad idea. Note to self: slapping things doesn''t work unless you''re actually strong!" Victor grimaced as he slowly stepped back. Victor recalled that he couldn''t split mountains with a casual flick of his wrist like so called Cultivation legends. The wolf lunged at him, baring its fangs. Victor dropped to the ground in a clumsy roll, narrowly avoiding the attack. Scrambling to his feet, he took off again. He quickly noticed something strange. His legs moved faster than they should have. His strides were longer and more powerful. He felt light, almost as if the wind itself was pushing him forward. "Whoa," Victor muttered in surprise, momentarily distracted from the fact that he was still being chased. "Am I this fast in real life? No way!" The wolf roared behind him, snapping Victor out of his thoughts. He ducked low, zigzagging between trees, desperate to lose the creature. After what felt like an eternity, he spotted a thick bush near the base of a rocky hill. Without thinking, he dove into it, curling into himself as tightly as possible. The beast skidded to a halt a few feet away, sniffing the air. Victor held his breath as his chest lightened while he fought the urge to panic. The wolf growled softly as its glowing eyes scanned the area. After a few moments, it huffed and stalked off, disappearing into the distance. Victor exhaled slowly, relaxing his muscles as relief washed over him. "Okay," he whispered while crawling out of the bush. "Lesson learned: wolves don''t like being slapped, and I''m not as stealthy as I think I am." Although he couldn''t completely understand his speed, he felt it might have something to do with his bloodline. He looked around, trying to figure out his next move. The valley seemed deceptively peaceful as the sound of the river flowing softly in the distance could be faintly heard. Spotting a tall tree with sturdy branches, he decided to climb it for a better vantage point¡ªand maybe some safety. Victor reached the highest branch he could, overlooking the forest that stretched out below him like a sea of green. The view was stunning, but he didn''t have time to admire it. He needed to cultivate and reach Qi Gathering Level 1 as soon as possible. Settling himself against the trunk, he closed his eyes and began focusing on the flow of qi around him. The air vibrated faintly, and he felt the threads of energy drifting toward him, sinking into his body. For a moment, it was serene. Then the world turned dark. Victor opened his eyes in confusion, only to find himself staring into the massive, gaping maw of a serpentine beast. Its scales glistened like polished emeralds, and its slit-pupil eyes burned with malice. "Wait¡ª" Victor voiced but the beast struck, swallowing him whole. <[ You Have Died ]> --- Victor respawned at the edge of the valley, letting out heavy breaths. "What the hell?" he yelled, clutching his chest. "I didn''t even have time to scream properly!" Determined not to let his first death shake him, Victor marched back into the valley, vowing to find a safer spot. He found another tree near a rocky outcrop and resumed his cultivation. This time, a pack of small, rodent-like beasts with razor-sharp teeth swarmed him within minutes, gnawing at his ankles and dragging him down. Another respawn. Then came the massive eagle that plucked him off the ground during meditation, dropping him from the sky like a broken toy. Respawn. Next, a swarm of venomous insects descended on him, piercing him with their stingers before he could even react. Respawn. Each time he tried to cultivate, the beasts in the surroundings seemed to sense the disturbance in the qi which led them to come after him. Victor''s frustration grew with every death, but he couldn''t deny he was learning something important. "These damn beasts can feel when the qi flow changes," he muttered after his latest respawn. "Every time I try to absorb qi, it''s like ringing a dinner bell for them." He needed a proper hiding spot¡ªsomewhere small enough that beasts couldn''t reach him but rich in qi so he could continue cultivating. Victor wandered the valley cautiously, avoiding open spaces and staying low to the ground. Hours passed before he finally stumbled across a narrow cave entrance tucked between two boulders. "Perfect," he stated while squeezing through the opening. The cave was small and damp, but it was enclosed enough to make him feel safe. Victor settled onto the cold stone floor and resumed his cultivation. The familiar warmth of qi spread through him as he focused, ignoring the faint scurrying sounds of tiny cave creatures around him. This time, there were no interruptions. The system interface chimed softly after what felt like hours. --- <[ Cultivation Progress: 100% ]> <[ Qi Gathering Level 1 Achieved ]> --- Victor grinned as the interface updated, showing his level increase. His body felt different¡ªstronger, more alive. The air seemed lighter, and his movements felt more natural. The system rewarded him with a notification: <[ Rewards for Reaching Qi Gathering Level 1: Attribute Points +3, Void Emperor Bloodline Enhanced, New Cultivation Technique Unlocked - Shifting Winds Art ]> ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª " Fang Chen''s Cultivation System " - Name: Fang Chen - Constitution: Primordial Chaos - Bloodline: Void Emperor - Current Cultivation Realm: Mortal Realm - Current Cultivation Level: Qi Gathering Stage (Level 1 - 0%) - Qi Reserves: Low - Cultivation Technique: Shifting Winds Art (Beginner) - Status: Improving - Physique Grade: Lower Bronze - Potential: B-Rank - Affinity: Balanced, slightly leaning toward Wind Qi - Luck: Below Average Attribute Points: +3 (Unassigned) ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Victor''s excitement grew as he accessed the details of his new technique. <[ "Shifting Winds Art: A beginner-level technique designed to enhance speed and agility by manipulating the surrounding qi. Perfect for both evasion and offence at higher mastery." ]> "Finally," Victor muttered, rubbing his hands together. "Something useful. Let''s see how fast I can learn this." He leaned back against the cave wall, as his confidence slowly returned. Sure, he''d died more times than he cared to count, but progress was progress. "Alright, game," his grin widened. "Let''s see what else you''ve got." Chapter 6: Qi Refining Realm Victor sat cross-legged in the small cave as the faint glow of his cultivation interface illuminated his face. His qi reserves had grown noticeably stronger since his first breakthrough, and with the addition of the Shifting Winds Art, he felt a newfound sense of capability. The system had been meticulous in guiding him, providing detailed instructions for mastering the technique. He reviewed the steps again, muttering aloud to himself. "Step one: feel the qi flow around you. Step two: connect with the qi and guide it into your body. Step three: imagine it as wind moving through your veins. Easy enough." He paused while cracking a grin. "I mean, for a genius like me, anyway." He closed his eyes and focused. The cave''s faint echoes seemed to fade as he tuned into the world around him. He could feel the air, the faint whisper of movement in the qi. He visualized threads of invisible wind swirling into his core. The system chimed softly: --- Shifting Winds Art Proficiency: 10% --- Victor smirked. "See? Piece of cake." He stood, ready to test what he had learned so far. The art wasn''t just about absorbing qi but using it to enhance speed and agility. Following the system''s instructions, he channeled qi into his legs, imagining it as gusts of wind propelling him forward. "Alright, here goes nothing." He took off, dashing across the cave floor. To his amazement, his movements felt light and effortless, almost like he was gliding. "Whoa!" he exclaimed while stumbling slightly as he came to a stop. "I''m fast. Like, really fast!" The system chimed again: --- Shifting Winds Art Proficiency: 20% --- Encouraged, Victor repeated the exercise, refining his control with each attempt. The more he practised, the more natural it felt. Soon, he wasn''t just running; he was leaping, darting, and spinning in mid-air with the faint trace of wind following his every movement. --- Days turned into nights as Victor balanced his training. He alternated between cultivating to increase his qi reserves and practising the Shifting Winds Art. The system guided him meticulously, providing constant feedback on his progress. By the time he reached Qi Gathering Stage 2, he had already mastered a basic ability from the technique: Wind Dash, which allowed him to move at incredible speeds for short bursts. At Qi Gathering Stage 3, another ability unlocked: Gale Strike. By concentrating wind qi into his palm, Victor could unleash a powerful gust that destabilized anything in its path. He tested it on a nearby pile of rocks and grinned as they scattered with a resounding crash. "Not bad," he muttered. "Now I can fight back. Kind of." --- Victor''s progress astonished even himself. In what felt like no time at all, he reached Qi Gathering Stage 4. His qi reserves surged, and the system chimed with a celebratory tone as a new notification appeared. --- <[ Congratulations! You have Surpassed Qi Gathering Stage 4 ]> <[ Realm Ascension Unlocked: Qi Refining Realm ]> Rewards: Attribute Points: +5 New Ability: [Wind Barrier] New Objective: Explore the Hidden Valley. --- Victor stared at the interface. "Wait, I ascended to the next cultivation realm already?!" He brought up his updated status panel, eager to see the changes. --- <[ Fang Chen''s Cultivation System ]> Name: Fang Chen Constitution: Primordial Chaos Bloodline: Void Emperor Current Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining Realm Current Cultivation Level: Stage 1 (0%) Qi Reserves: Moderate Cultivation Technique: Shifting Winds Art (Intermediate Proficiency) Abilities Unlocked: - Wind Dash - Gale Strike - Wind Barrier Status: Promising Physique Grade: Lower Bronze Potential: B-Rank Luck: Below Average Attribute Points: +5 (Unassigned) --- Victor couldn''t help but laugh. "Alright, ''promising'' is a hell of a lot better than ''mediocre.'' I''ll take it!" He tapped on the description for Wind Barrier, the newly unlocked ability: --- <[ Wind Barrier ]> <[ Type: Defensive Technique ]> <[ Description: Condense wind qi into a protective barrier that reduces damage from physical and qi-based attacks. Strength increases with cultivation level ]> --- Victor clenched his fists in excitement. "Finally, some defence! Now I won''t have to die every five minutes." His attention shifted to the new objective: Explore the Hidden Valley. "Hidden Valley, huh?" Victor mused, glancing toward the cave entrance. "Guess I''ve been cooped up long enough. Time to stretch my legs." --- The valley seemed almost unrecognizable as Victor stepped out of the cave. His heightened qi awareness allowed him to sense the flow of energy around him, and the world felt more alive than ever. The system map provided vague directions toward the Hidden Valley, a place said to hold rare treasures and opportunities for cultivation. However, the journey was said to be dangerous. "Of course it''s dangerous," Victor muttered while jogging down a narrow path. "What kind of cultivation story would this be if it wasn''t?" He activated Wind Dash to cover the ground quickly, causing the world around him to blur as he sped forward. Every step felt exhilarating as the wind qi propelled him effortlessly. The path soon opened into a dense forest, the air thick with spiritual energy. Victor slowed his pace and put his senses on high alert. He could feel the presence of beasts lurking nearby. Their qi signatures were faint but unmistakable. "Alright," he voiced while clenching his fists. "Bring it on. I''m not the same noob you killed a dozen times." The Hidden Valley was a narrow opening between two massive rock formations. Mist rolled lazily across the ground, and the air was thick with spiritual energy. The valley ahead seemed untouched by time. It was a paradise of beautiful greenery and crystalline formations. The scenery was breathtaking. Ancient trees with roots as thick as his torso towered above him. Patches of vibrant herbs and flowers sprouted across the valley floor, exuding sweet aromas from their petals. Pools of clear water dotted the landscape while some glowed with dazzling light. Victor''s system interface chimed, prompting him to check the description of some nearby items. --- <[ Golden Vein Grass: A rare herb that enhances qi flow when consumed or used in concoctions ]> <[ Crystal Spirit Shard: A condensed fragment of qi, useful for cultivation or enhancing artifacts ]> --- Victor grinned while crouching to pick up a few of the glowing shards scattered around. "Looks like I hit the jackpot. Maybe this place isn''t as dangerous as I thought." But his optimism was short-lived. A low growl echoed through the valley, sending a chill down his spine. Victor turned immediately, locking eyes with a familiar figure. Emerging from the underbrush was a spiritual beast¡ªa wolf-like creature with crystalline fur and glowing red eyes, much like the one that had terrorized him earlier. Victor''s heart raced, but this time, he didn''t feel the overwhelming panic he had before. He clenched his fists as a confident grin spread across his face. "Alright, buddy," he voiced while stepping forward. "Round two. Let''s see how you like me now." Chapter 7: Junior, You Dare?! The wolf snarled and lunged at him with its claws outstretched. Victor activated Wind Dash, causing the world around him to slow down momentarily. He dodged the attack with ease, appearing a few feet to the side. "Too slow!" Victor taunted while channeling qi into his palm. The Gale Strike technique surged through him as he thrust his hand forward. A burst of condensed wind shot out, slamming into the beast and sending it flying backwards. The wolf crystaline fur shimmered as it growled in pain and prepared to pounce again after shaking off the impact. It proceeded to absorb some of the surrounding qi to bolster its strength. Afterwards, It let out a low howl, that reverberated through the valley. Victor narrowed his eyes. "Oh, so you''ve got tricks too? Alright, let''s make this interesting." The beast lunged again, this time faster with its claws outstretched. Victor activated Wind Dash once more and dodged to the side. He retaliated with a sweeping kick infused with qi, striking the beast''s flank. The wolf yelped but quickly recovered with unrelenting ferocity. Victor gritted his teeth. "You''re tougher than I thought." The beast eyes glowed wild with rage as it charged once more. Victor focused all his qi into his palms activating the Gale Strike technique again but this time, he pushed it further. Instead of a single burst, he channeled a continuous flow of wind qi, forming a vortex around his hands. The wolf leapt into the air with its jaws wide open as it prepared to bite his head off. Victor thrust his hands forward, releasing the full power of the Gale Strike. A powerful gust erupted from his palms, spiraling toward the beast with unprecedented force. The vortex shaped wind struck the wolf mid-air, slamming it backward and pinning it against a nearby boulder. The pressure of the vortex intensified, and in the next moment, the beast''s head was crushed against the rock. Its crystalline fur shattered like glass as blood splattered across the rock while the creature went limp. "Not so tough now, huh?" he muttered. The system interface chimed, and a notification appeared: --- <[ First Beast Killed! ]> Rewards: Attribute Points: +2 Item Drop: Low-Grade Spirit Crystal Instruction: Consume beast meat to enhance physique grade. --- Victor blinked. "Consume the meat? Wait, what kind of game is this?" He glanced down at the beast''s corpse, frowning. "Alright, fine. Let''s see what happens." He gathered some nearby branches and dry leaves, using a spark of qi to ignite a small fire. It took some effort to skin and carve the beast, but soon enough, chunks of its meat were roasting over the flames. The smell was surprisingly pleasant, rich and savory. Victor bit into the roasted meat cautiously, half-expecting it to taste terrible. To his surprise, it was delicious, with a flavor that reminded him of grilled steak. "Not bad," he commented while taking another bite. "Too bad I''m not actually eating this in real life. My parents would be so jealous." As he ate, he felt a faint warmth spreading through his body, and the system chimed again: [ +5 Physique Grade Points ] [ +5 Physique Grade Points ] [ +5 Physique Grade Points ] Victor watched the notifications come in steadily for a few minutes until a final one appeared. --- <[ Physique Grade Enhanced! ]> <[ Current Physique Grade: Middle Bronze ]> --- Victor wiped his mouth with a satisfied grin on his face. "Middle Bronze, huh? Guess that''s one step closer to not being a punching bag." He proceeded to extinguish the fire and continued exploring the valley. The treasures seemed endless¡ªmore glowing herbs, qi-infused stones, and glowing crystals. He gathered as much as he could carry while the interface cataloged the items automatically. He was really enjoying the exploration and just when he was starting to feel like he wouldn''t run into any more situations, a sudden disturbance caught his attention. The ground trembled beneath his feet as faint booms echoed from further ahead, accompanied by flashes of light that illuminated the misty valley. Victor crept forward in curiosity despite warning the warning bells ringing in his head. He reached the edge of a clearing and peered through the foliage. Two figures were locked in an intense battle in the center of the clearing. Their robes billowed dramatically despite the lack of wind. One was an older man with a long, flowing white beard and a stern expression with lightning dancing in his hands. The other was a younger man whose face twisted in defiance. He was wielding a glowing sword that exuded a powerful pressure. Their attacks shook the valley as they clashed repeatedly. The older man unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts that split the ground, while the younger man countered with sweeping arcs of sword qi that carved through the air like blades. Victor crouched behind a tree with widened eyes. "What the hell is this? A kung fu movie?" The older man''s voice boomed with a disdainful tone. "Junior, you dare challenge me? I will make you regret being so glib-tongued with me!" The younger man scoffed while dodging another lightning strike. "Old fool, your time is over! It''s time for the new generation to take the stage!" Victor clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh. "Are they serious? Who talks like that? ''Junior, you dare...?'' ''Glib-tongued''? What, did he swallow a thesaurus before this fight?" Despite his amusement, he kept low, not wanting to draw attention to himself. The battle was mesmerizing with the two opponents hurling attacks at each other. The older man summoned a massive storm cloud causing bolts of lightning to rain down in a devastating assault. The younger man retaliated with a whirlwind of sword qi, deflecting the lightning and sending shockwaves rippling through the vicinity. Victor felt the ground shake beneath him as the clash reached its peak. He ducked lower in fear since everything seemed extremely realistic. As much as he wanted to keep watching, he knew better than to get involved. If these guys were powerful enough to split the ground and shake the sky this wasn''t something he intended to get involved with in any way. "Okay, Fang Chen," he muttered to himself before inching backward. "Time to play it smart. Let the big boys duke it out while you... uh... collect more shiny stuff." But as he began to retreat, a stray bolt of lightning struck the tree he was hiding behind, splitting it in half. Victor yelped while diving to the side as the charred remains crashed to the ground. Both robed figures turned sharply in his direction as their gazes narrowed. Victor froze. "Oh crap. I think they saw me." "Who dares spy on this sacred battle?!" the older man roared with a voice that shook the air. Victor scrambled to his feet, plastering on his best innocent smile. "Uh... nobody? Just a humble cultivator passing through! Don''t mind me!" The younger man sneered. "Another worm. You should know better than to meddle in matters beyond your station." The sky turned darker at this moment as both figures unleashed their cultivation energy, causing a powerful pressure to descend upon the surroundings. Chapter 8: Youre Going To Be Late For School Victor raised his hands defensively. "Hey, no meddling here! I''m just¡ªuh¡ªstudying your incredible techniques! You''re both really... uh... impressive!" The older man snorted and was about to attack Victor when another explosion rocked the clearing, causing their battle to resume. Victor didn''t wait for a second chance. He activated Wind Dash and bolted back into the forest with his heart pounding. As he ran, he couldn''t help but grin. "Alright, note to self: avoid angry cultivators. But man, that was awesome." Victor''s legs were a blur as he dashed through the dense forest. Behind him, the battle between the two cultivators had reached a fever pitch. Each strike sent tremors rippling through the ground, and Victor could feel the raw energy of their conflict prickling his skin like needles. "Why am I always in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Victor muttered while dodging low-hanging branches. Suddenly, an explosion more massive than earlier rocked the surroundings, resulting in Victor skidding to a halt as he instinctively turned back. He peeked through the foliage and saw the older cultivator, Elder Huang, clutching his chest. Blood seeped through his robes, staining the white garment a deep crimson. The younger cultivator, Ji Yun, had taken advantage of Victor''s brief distraction to launch a devastating sneak attack. A blade of sword qi had pierced Elder Huang''s defences, and the old man staggered with a pale face. "You... treacherous brat!" Elder Huang spat with rage. Ji Yun sneered as his glowing sword dripped with qi. "The path to ascension belongs to the bold, old man. You''re nothing more than an obstacle!" Victor''s eyes widened as Elder Huang staggered backwards. It was clear the injury was severe, and the old man knew it. Summoning the last of his strength, he made a series of rapid hand seals. The air around him darkened as a sinister energy enveloped his body. Ji Yun''s smirk faltered. "A forbidden technique? You''ll pay for this, you coward!" "Next time you won''t be so lucky!" With a deafening roar, Elder Huang vanished in a flash of dark light, leaving behind only the faint scent of burnt qi. "Get back here!" Ji Yun''s voice echoed through the valley as he bellowed. He shot into the air, chasing after the fading trail of dark energy, but it quickly dissipated. Elder Huang was gone. Ji Yun hovered midair as his face twisted into one of fury. "He escaped because of that meddling fool!" His gaze snapped toward the direction Victor had fled. "I''ll make him pay for this!" Oblivious to the cultivator''s intent, Victor slowed to a jog as his chest heaved. He wiped the sweat from his brow and leaned against a tree. "Okay, I think I''m safe. No crazy old guys throwing lightning bolts, no overpowered juniors swinging glowing swords. Just me and the forest." The familiar chime of the system interface broke the silence, and Victor''s tired eyes brightened. --- <[ Objective Complete: Explore the Hidden Valley ]> Rewards: Attribute Points: +3 <[ Enlightenment Gained: Partial Understanding of High-Level Combat Techniques ]> <[ Bloodline Update: Awakening Progress at 25% ]> --- Victor blinked at the notifications. "Enlightenment? Bloodline awakening? Man, I didn''t even fight, and I''m still getting free upgrades. This is the best game ever!" He tapped on the notification about enlightenment, and a brief description appeared: --- <[ Enlightenment: Observing high-level cultivators in combat has granted you insights into advanced techniques. Your comprehension of qi manipulation and battle tactics has increased significantly ]> --- "Well, I guess watching two lunatics try to kill each other has its perks," Victor stated with a grin. He swiped to the next notification and his heart skipped a beat as he read about his bloodline. --- <[ Bloodline Awakening: The Void Emperor Bloodline is nearing activation. Awakening this bloodline will significantly enhance your qi reserves, affinity, physical capabilities and grant space and time-related abilities. Continue cultivating to trigger full activation. ]> --- Victor pumped his fist in excitement. "Void Emperor Bloodline, here I come! I''ll be unstoppable!" His celebration was cut short by a sudden shift in the air. The forest grew unnaturally still, and an oppressive pressure descended, pressing down on him like a physical weight. Victor''s grin vanished, replaced by a look of pure dread. "Uh-oh," he muttered while glancing upward. The trees swayed violently as a figure descended from the sky with billowing robes. Ji Yun''s eyes burned with anger as his sword glowed ominously at his side. Victor''s jaw dropped. "Oh, come on! How did you even find me?" Ji Yun pointed his sword at Victor as his voice boomed like thunder. "You dare meddle in the affairs of cultivators? Because of you, Elder Huang escaped! I''ll make sure you regret it." Victor took a cautious step back, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, whoa, hold on! Let''s be real here. I didn''t ''meddle.'' I was just... existing! How is it my fault you couldn''t finish the job?" Ji Yun''s expression darkened. "Your existence disrupted my attack, giving that old fool the chance to escape. You''ll pay with your life!" Victor''s legs moved on instinct as he turned and bolted without another word. Ji Yun''s laugh echoed behind him, and a wave of qi lashed out, slicing through the trees. Trees that were over a hundred feet in height, toppled like they were merely twigs. Victor barely dodged, tumbling to the ground and scrambling back to his feet. "Okay, I get it!" Victor yelled over his shoulder. "You''re angry! But blaming me? That''s just lazy! Maybe you should blame your own aim, huh?" Ji Yun roared as his anger increased. His sword glowed brighter as he closed the distance between them. Victor pushed his body to its limits, activating Wind Dash repeatedly, but Ji Yun''s speed was overwhelming. "This isn''t fair!" Victor shouted while weaving between trees. "You''re a cultivator, and I''m... I''m just a guy with cool wind powers! Pick on someone your own size!" Ji Yun''s attacks grew more ferocious, sending shockwaves through the forest. Victor dodged and ducked but was always getting swept away by the residual energy. "Why does every cultivator in this world have anger issues?" Victor muttered before leaping over a fallen log. "Seriously, do they hand out trauma as part of the initiation process?" Ji Yun''s voice boomed behind him. "Enough games! Accept your fate, worm!" Victor''s heart sank as he felt Ji Yun''s energy closing in. He risked a glance over his shoulder and spotted the cultivator merely five feet away. His sword was raised for a killing blow. Just as Victor braced himself for the inevitable, a familiar voice pierced the air. "Victor! Victor!" The sound made him stumble as his head snapped up in confusion. "Mom?" In the next instant, the world around him dissolved. The trees faded into mist and the oppressive pressure lifted. Ji Yun''s furious expression blurred into nothingness as everything vanished. Victor blinked as the bright glow of the system vanished, replaced by the light of his bedroom. He gasped while instinctively clutching at his chest. The helmet on his head had been yanked off, and he found himself staring into the exasperated face of his mother. "You''re going to be late for school!" she scolded with the helmet in one hand. Chapter 9: Upcoming Screening Ji Yun''s sword slashed downwards, sending a powerful arc of energy that cleaved the earth in two but his eyes narrowed upon noticing that his blow had only struck thin air. "Another one of those transmigrators... I shall end you next time hmph!" Ji Yun stated with an irritated tone before turning around and flying away. ... Victor groaned while flopping back onto his bed. "Mom! I was in the middle of a life-or-death chase with a homicidal cultivator! Do you know how hard it is to outrun someone who can fly?" His mother crossed her arms with an unimpressed look. "Life-or-death or not, you still have responsibilities. Now get dressed and get downstairs." Victor sighed dramatically but didn''t argue. As his mom left the room, he stared at the ceiling, replaying the events of the game in his mind. His heart was still racing, and the sensation of Ji Yun''s pressure hadn''t entirely left him. "Man," Victor muttered before sitting up. "If I had died right before logging out, I would''ve been so mad." As he got ready for school, he couldn''t help but smile. Despite the close calls, the Hidden Valley had been an incredible experience. And with his bloodline so close to awakening, he knew the real adventure was just beginning. "Alright, Ji Yun," he said under his breath, "you might''ve scared me this time, but next time? I''m coming for you... ahem. You better not be there when I get back." Victor squinted at the clock on his nightstand as he turned towards it. His eyes widened as the blinking numbers glared back at him: 8:47 AM. He blinked again, hoping he was imagining things. "Wait, wait, wait," he muttered while sitting up abruptly. "It''s nearly 9 AM?! I spent days in Ascendant Realms! How late am I after experiencing five freaking days in a mystical valley?" He threw off his blanket and stumbled toward the door, half-dressed and half-panicked. His mother''s voice called out from the kitchen. "Victor! Breakfast is ready. And hurry up! You''re going to be late!" Victor jogged into the kitchen, still rubbing his eyes. His mom placed a steaming plate of toast and eggs on the table. "Mom, how long have I been in my room?" he questioned in the process of grabbing a slice of toast as he passed. His mom gave him a look. "All night. Since your father and I got back from the party, you''ve been holed up in there. I figured you were sulking after yesterday''s... results." Victor froze mid-bite, processing her words. "All night? Like, just the one night?" She raised an eyebrow. "What else would I mean? It''s not like you''ve been in there for days." Victor''s jaw dropped. "No way..." he whispered to himself. In Ascendant Realms, he''d spent over five days exploring the Hidden Valley, fighting beasts or in this case a single beast and fleeing from the rest... and nearly dying to a crazed cultivator. Yet in real life, it had only been about thirteen hours. "Is something wrong?" his mom peered at him suspiciously. Victor shook his head quickly. "Nope! Just... thinking about how time flies when you''re, uh, not doing anything important." He forced a laugh, grabbing his bag from the counter. His mom frowned slightly but didn''t press further. As Victor slung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door, she called after him, "You seem... lighter today. Happier. Are you sure you''re okay?" Victor took a paused and glanced back with a grin. "Me? I''m great. Maybe failing at awakening just made me realize I have nowhere to go but up!" She smiled faintly. "That''s... surprisingly mature. Have a good day, sweetheart." Victor gave her a two-finger salute before darting out the door. --- The streets were crowded as Victor made his way to the mana-powered train station. "So time in Ascendant Realms moves way faster than real life," he muttered. "That''s wild. I could spend more than a week leveling up and only lose a day out here. This game just keeps getting better." As he neared the station, he heard the low whistle of the train pulling away. "No, no, no!" Victor shouted while breaking into a sprint. He reached the platform just in time to see the glowing green train zip out of sight, leaving him in a swirl of wind and disappointment. Victor groaned, doubling over with his hands on his knees. "Great. Just great. Now I''ve got to run to school like some peasant." He adjusted his bag and started jogging toward the main road. To his surprise, his legs felt unusually light, and his strides longer than usual. "Huh," he muttered while glancing down at his feet. "I guess all that sprinting in the game got me in shape. Or maybe it''s the adrenaline of not wanting to get detention again." As he continued running, he felt a strange sensation coursing through him¡ªa faint warmth that spread from his chest to his limbs. It reminded him of how his game avatar felt when channeling qi. Victor frowned but shook his head. "Nah, that''s impossible. The game''s just really immersive. No way I''m actually¡ª" Before he could finish his thought, his legs surged forward with an uncontrollable burst of speed. The buildings and streets blurred around him as he zipped past startled pedestrians and honking cars. Victor''s eyes widened in panic. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! How do I stop this thing?!" He careened around a corner, narrowly avoiding a fruit cart. His feet barely touched the ground as he hurtled down the road with the wind whipping through his hair. "Hey watch it," a passerby he brushed past yelled. "Sorry..." the wind carried Victor''s voice away as he kept dashing forward at a speed that he should be unable to muster. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he stumbled to a stop in front of his school. He collapsed onto a nearby bench, gasping for air. Victor checked his watch. It had only been twelve minutes since he left home¡ªa trip that should''ve taken more than forty minutes at his regular speed. He stared at his hands. "Okay... either I''m dreaming, or something really weird is going on." Victor barely had time to process what had happened before the school bell rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. He rushed inside, heading straight for his homeroom. As he slid into his seat, Danny, Max, and Jake were already waiting for him. Danny, the only one of their group to awaken, leaned back in his chair with a smug grin. His newfound confidence was practically radiating off him. "Late again, Vic?" Danny teased. "Let me guess, you were too busy dreaming about being awakened." Victor smirked while leaning back. "Nah, I just figured I''d make a dramatic entrance. Gotta keep you guys entertained." The ever skeptisceptice Jake adjusted his glasses and frowned. "You''re unusually chipper for someone who didn''t awaken yesterday. What gives?" Victor shrugged. "What can I say? I''ve decided to embrace the loser life. Turns out it''s not so bad." Max snorted. "Yeah, right. Knowing you, you probably just found a new distraction. What is it this time? Another one of your VR games?" Victor hesitated but quickly deflected. "You know me too well, Maxie. I''m just a chill guy who likes to keep busy." Before they could press further, Danny cleared his throat dramatically. "Enough about Victor''s tragic existence. Let''s talk about me¡ªthe only awakened genius in this group." Victor rolled his eyes. "Here we go." Danny leaned forward as his grin widened. "So peep this, after we awakened yesterday, the evaluators had a private meeting with us. Turns out, we''re automatically registered for the Awakened Academy but there will still be a screening next month." Max raised an eyebrow. "Awakened Academy? Isn''t that the place where they train you guys to fight beasts and become heroes and stuff?" Danny nodded as his chest puffed out. "Yup. It''s the real deal. They teach you how to use your abilities, train you for missions, and prepare you for the frontlines. We''ll learn more about the Sylrith, Umbryx and Drakenar... information hidden to the public and how to fight against them." Jake frowned. "Sounds intense." Danny shrugged. "But don''t worry about me. My Berserker class is practically the strongest physical class... Since I awakened I''ve been lifting some pretty heavy things." Victor smirked. "Careful, Danny. That ego''s getting so big, it could contend with Mr Tanny''s fat ass..." The group let out a burst of laughter but Max pouted since he was quite obese as well. "But peep this... the screening isn''t just for the already Awakened. According to what I heard, some people awaken days later after touching the orb so the screening also gives them a chance to get into the academy," Danny informed them. Victor leaned forward with a look of intrigue; "Does that actually happen? Some people really awaken later?" Chapter 10: Victor, Right? "On very rare cases, yes... late awakeners... and on those cases, they tend to awaken an overpowered class," Danny whispered. "Oh? So late awakeners might have more potential?" Victor inquired. "That is usually the case from what I''ve heard," Danny nodded. "Interesting... and this Screening thing is happening a month from now?" "Yes, Vic I said this earlier... your brain gotta stop lagging. It''s probably because you fap too much," Danny replied. "I can''t help it when your sister''s Insta pics are so hot," Victor made an up-down gesture like his fingers were wrapped around something. The boys laughed in response while Danny raised his middle finger. "Either way, that''s when the screening and registration process starts. Until then, we''re supposed to focus on understanding our system interfaces and practising basic skills," He added. Max whistled. "A month to figure out how not to blow yourself up? Good luck with that." ... The atmosphere in school today was noticeably subdued as Victor slouched in his chair, watching his classmates shuffle about like zombies. The Awakening Test had been the highlight of their lives, the event that could have catapulted them into fame and power. Instead, for most of them, it had been a crushing disappointment. The ones who hadn''t awakened¡ªand they were the vast majority¡ªcarried an invisible weight... Their shoulders were slumped and their eyes looked downcast. Even the teachers seemed to sense the melancholy and tried their best to lift spirits. "Remember, not awakening doesn''t mean you''re useless," Mr. Conrad, their homeroom teacher, said with forced cheer. "Many great contributors to society were non-awakened!" Victor raised his hand with a mock-serious look on his face. "Like who, sir? That one guy who invented toaster socks?" The class chuckled weakly, but Mr. Conrad just sighed. "Thank you for your input, Victor." Victor leaned back in his seat, smirking. If nothing else, he could still get a few laughs. --- By the time lunch rolled around, the mood in the cafeteria was anything but dull¡ªfor some, anyway. The few students who had awakened were practically celebrities now, swarmed by curious classmates eager to catch a glimpse of their new abilities. Danny sat at the centre of one such group, flanked by a gaggle of students who hadn''t paid him any attention before. Among them were several pretty girls who giggled at his every word. Victor, Jake, and Max watched from the corner of the cafeteria with their trays untouched. "Look at him," Jake muttered while stabbing at his mashed potatoes. "He''s loving it. The fame, the attention. He''s not even trying to be humble." "To be fair," Max said, "if I had Berserker powers, I''d probably show off too. It''s not every day you wake up with super strength." Victor snorted. "I bet Danny already forgot our names. He''s probably introducing himself as ''Danny, Level One Berserker Extraordinaire.''" As if on cue, Danny stood up and flexed his arms. He rolled the sleeves of his uniform to his biceps. "Alright, check this out!" he voiced loudly. He placed his hands under the edge of the cafeteria table, and with a grunt, he lifted it off the ground¡ªplates, trays, and all. The crowd around him gasped and cheered as he held it aloft effortlessly. "Just a little taste of Berserker strength!" Danny grinned. Victor groaned before slumping in his chair. "Show-off. It''s a table, not a car." Jake smirked. "You''re just jealous." Victor shot him a look. "Of course I''m jealous! Look at him! He''s got powers, girls swooning over him, and the admiration of our entire class. Meanwhile, I''m over here wondering if they''re serving actual meat or recycled cardboard." Across the cafeteria, others who had awakened were putting on smaller, less disruptive displays. One student conjured a small flame in their palm, another levitated a spoon with a flick of their finger, and Victor''s crush, Amara Blake, summoned a tiny glowing fly fox that hovered above her hand. Victor''s gaze lingered on her. She looked radiant and her confident smile lit up the room as her admirers fawned over her. "I almost forgot that Amara awakened too," Victor''s voice was tinged with a bit of bitterness. "Yeah," Max followed his gaze. "Summoner class. Figures, right? She''s practically perfect." Victor sighed. "Perfectly out of my league, that''s for sure." The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch, and the cafeteria began to clear out. Victor trudged to his next class, trying to shake the feeling of being left behind. --- The rest of the day dragged on. The classes were dull and uneventful. Victor barely paid attention as his mind wandered back to Ascendant Realms and the strange experience he''d had that morning. The burst of speed, the feeling of qi flowing through his body¡ªit had all been so surreal. But as the hours passed, the memory faded, replaced by the monotony of school life. When the final bell rang, Victor packed up his things and prepared to leave. As he walked toward the exit, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a text from his mom: ''We''re out of milk. Stop by the store on your way home and pick some up. Thanks, sweetie!'' Victor groaned. "Milk. Of course. Because why wouldn''t I be the family errand boy?" He waved goodbye to Jake, Max, and Danny, who was still basking in his newfound popularity. "Later, guys. I''ve got a hot date with the dairy aisle." --- The convenience store was small but well-stocked. Its shelves were packed with everything from canned goods to fresh produce. Victor grabbed a basket and wandered the aisles, muttering to himself as he checked off his mom''s list. "Milk, bread, eggs... Why does it always feel like I''m grocery shopping for a family of twelve?" As he reached for a carton of milk, a voice interrupted him. "Excuse me, can you help me with something?" Victor turned to see a figure standing behind him with her back facing his direction. She was gesturing toward the top shelf. Her height prevented her from reaching a box of cereal perched precariously high. "Sure thing," Victor stepped forward and stood right behind her. He reached up, easily grabbed the box and handed it to the person. "Here you go. Pro tip: next time, bring a ladder." The person laughed softly, and Victor felt a flicker of familiarity in their voice. The moment she turned around his heart nearly stopped. It was Amara. Victor froze as words died in his throat. Her long, chestnut hair framed her face perfectly, and her eyes sparkled with the same confidence she exuded at school. She looked at him with a slightly amused expression. "Victor, right?" she said while tilting her head. Chapter 11: Were There Any Casualties? "Yeah..." Victor was quite surprised that she knew him. He didn''t realize just how popular he was in school... for all the wrong reasons of course. "Thanks for the help," Amara stated. Victor blinked as his brain scrambled to form a coherent response. "Y-yeah, no problem! Just, uh, doing my civic duty. Saving the world one cereal box at a time." Amara smiled, and Victor felt like his legs might give out. ''Did... did she just talk to me?'' he beamed internally while staring at her. ''And smile? At me?'' He shook his head, snapping himself out of it. ''Okay, Victor, play it cool. You''re a legend in Ascendant Realms. You''ve fought wolves, escaped cultivators, and eaten roasted beast meat. You can handle a conversation with a girl.'' Victor adjusted his bag of groceries and walked beside Amara as his heart thumped like a drum in his chest. He had no idea how the universe had aligned to give him this chance, but he wasn''t about to waste it. She had asked for help grabbing something else off another shelf, and one thing led to another¡ªthey were now heading toward the register together, chatting like old friends. "So," Amara glanced at him with an amused smile, "do you moonlight as a grocery assistant, or are you just a good Samaritan?" Victor smirked. "Oh, this is just the day job. At night, I''m a vigilante. You know, stopping crime, rescuing damsels in distress, and occasionally rescuing cereal boxes from high shelves." Her face beamed up as she laughed heartily. This made Victor feel like he''d just unlocked a secret achievement. "Well, cereal box rescues aside," she said, "You''re pretty funny. I heard that about you." Victor tried to play it cool, but his chest swelled with pride. "Funny is what I do best. I mean, if I had a superpower, it''d probably be making people laugh. Not exactly great for fighting off humanoid invaders, but hey, it''s something." Amara tilted her head thoughtfully. "You''d be surprised. A good laugh can save lives sometimes." Victor was caught off guard by the depth of her comment. "Wow, that''s... surprisingly profound. You sure you''re not secretly a philosopher?" She grinned. "Maybe I am. Or maybe I just have a soft spot for bad jokes." Victor chuckled, deciding to take that as a win. They reached the register, and Amara set her items on the counter. As the cashier rang them up, Victor couldn''t help sneaking glances at her, still in disbelief that he was having an actual conversation with his longtime crush. "Well, thanks for the help once again," Amara said as she paid for her items. "Guess I''ll see you around?" Victor nodded, trying not to look too eager. "Yeah, definitely. Anytime you need a cereal hero, just call." She laughed again, giving him a small wave before heading out of the store. --- The mana-powered train zipped toward his neighbourhood at incredible speed. The interior felt like being in a time machine. Streaks of white enveloped the train due to how quickly it was moving. Victor sat by the window, clutching the grocery bag and replaying the encounter in his head. "I talked to her," he whispered to himself with a goofy grin plastered on his face. "And she laughed. Twice! I''m practically a legend." By the time the train reached his stop, Victor was practically skipping. He hurried home and opened the door to find his mom in the kitchen. "Got everything on the list," he announced while placing the bag on the counter. His mom glanced up from chopping vegetables and raised an eyebrow. "You''re unusually cheerful today. Did something good happen at school?" Victor hesitated. Telling his mom he''d just had a full-on conversation with his crush felt... weird. "Uh, yeah. You know, just a normal day. Nothing special." His mom smirked but didn''t push further. "Well, thanks for picking this up. Dinner will be ready soon." Victor nodded and headed toward the living room. The holo-television was on, displaying a live news broadcast. He flopped onto the couch with a look of curiosity and turned up the volume. --- On the screen stood a tall woman clad in dark green battle gear that seemed to glow faintly with mana. Her long, dark hair flowed down her back, and her piercing green eyes scanned the crowd of reporters around her. She was flanked by a group of equally intimidating individuals, each bearing the distinct aura of high-level awakened. "Legendary Mage Cecilia Thorne," the reporter''s voice brimmed with excitement as she called out. "Level 87 and one of the strongest awakened in the city, is here with her team after a successful mission outside the barrier. Let''s see if we can get a statement." The reporter pushed through the crowd, thrusting her microphone toward Cecilia. "Ms. Thorne, can you confirm the success of today''s operation to reclaim a portion of the territory from the Sylrith?" Cecilia''s expression remained unreadable as she adjusted her gauntlets. "We''ve secured several new zones. The barriers will be extended soon to encompass the reclaimed areas." The reporters buzzed with more questions as their voices overlapped. "What about the aquatic zone near the East Gate? Can you comment on the mission there? Reports suggest it was a significant struggle." Cecilia''s lips tightened, and for the first time, a flicker of frustration crossed her face. "No comment," she said sharply before turning on her heel and walking away. The reporters weren''t deterred. They trailed after her, bombarding her and her team with more questions. "Were there any casualties during the mission?" "Is the government planning further operations in that area?" "Can you confirm the presence of Umbryx forces in the reclaimed zones?" Cecilia ignored them. Her team swiftly formed a protective circle as they moved toward a waiting vehicle. The camera panned back to the anchor, who speculated on the situation, but Victor wasn''t listening anymore. He shook his head while leaning back against the couch. "Even the strongest awakened look like they want to quit half the time. Guess being a living legend isn''t all it''s cracked up to be." Victor turned off the TV and headed to his room. The events of the day had filled him with energy, and he knew there was only one way to burn it off. It was time to log back into Ascendant Realms. He sat at his desk, donned the VR headset and booted up the game. As the glow enveloped him, Victor couldn''t help but grin. The world of Ascendant Realms awaited. Chapter 12: New Objective Victor opened his eyes to the vibrant, glowing expanse of the Hidden Valley. The flow of spiritual energy permeated the air, making his skin tingle. The momentary disorientation of logging back into Ascendant Realms faded as he stretched his arms and looked around. "Alright, Fang Chen," he said to himself while cracking his knuckles. "Time to get back to business. No angry cultivators, no nosy juniors¡ªjust me, some beasts, and my path to greatness." He glanced at the spot where Ji Yun had been, half-expecting to see the furious cultivator swoop down from the sky. But the valley was peaceful now except for the chirping sound of unseen creatures. "Gone, huh?" Victor muttered. "Good. I''d rather not get zapped into oblivion today." He wandered deeper into the valley, scanning for a suitable spot to settle down. After some exploration, he found a secluded area nestled between two cliffs. It was shaded by an ancient tree with glowing leaves and bordered by a crystal-clear stream. "Perfect," Victor said before dropping his bag of supplies. "Now let''s get to work." --- Victor settled into a meditative pose, closing his eyes and focusing on the flow of qi around him. The Shifting Winds Art had already proven its worth, and he was eager to push it further. The system guided him as he channelled qi into his body, visualizing it as swirling currents of air. The energy moved slowly, responding to his commands. After hours of practice, a new sensation enveloped him. The qi in his hands condensed, forming a blade-like shape that shimmered faintly. The system chimed: --- <[ New Skill Unlocked: Wind Blade ]> Description: A condensed blade of air capable of slicing through objects and enemies. Its strength scales with qi reserves and proficiency. --- Victor grinned while holding up the translucent blade. It pulsed faintly and the edges shimmered with deadly sharpness. "Finally, something cool! Let''s see what you can do." He stood and swung the Wind Blade experimentally. The blade sliced cleanly through a nearby boulder, splitting it in half. "Not bad," Victor voiced with a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "Looks like Fang Chen''s got some real cutting-edge technology now." --- Satisfied with his progress, Victor sat down to cultivate his level further. The familiar warmth of qi filled him as he focused on his breathing, drawing energy from the valley''s rich spiritual environment. The system interface displayed his cultivation level: --- Current Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 1 (12%) --- Victor watched as the percentage crept upward which was the result of hours of focused cultivation. "Alright," he muttered. "Let''s see how far I can push this before¡ª" A sudden rumble shook the ground, cutting him off. Victor''s eyes snapped open, and he turned toward the source of the disturbance. Emerging from the dense bush up ahead was a massive serpentine spiritual beast. Its scaled body gleamed like polished emeralds, and its yellow eyes glowed with predatory intent. It was the size of three school buses combined. "Great," Victor groaned before scrambling to his feet. "Another overgrown snake. What is it with this valley and reptiles?" The beast hissed, coiling its body as it prepared to strike. Victor activated Wind Dash, darting out of the way just as the serpent lunged. It slammed into the ground where he had been standing, sending up a cloud of dust. "Missed me!" Victor taunted while summoning his Wind Blade. The shimmering weapon vibrated in his hand as he charged the beast. The serpent lashed out with its tail, but Victor ducked under the attack and countered with a swift slash. The blade cut through the beast''s scales, leaving a shallow gash that oozed dark ichor. The serpent roared in pain as its movements turned more erratic. It coiled tightly, then launched itself at Victor with its fangs bared. He swerved towards the left and struck again, aiming for its neck. The blade sliced deeper this time, and the beast thrashed violently. "Alright, time to end this," Victor muttered before raising the Wind Blade for a final attack. He channeled all his qi into the weapon causing the wind around him to tremble as it condensed further. With a powerful slash, he brought the blade down on the serpent''s neck. The strike connected with a sickening crunch, and the beast''s head separated from its body, landing heavily on the ground. A jet of black blood burst forth, bathing the surroundings with a contrasting colour. Victor stepped back, breathing heavily as the serpent''s body twitched briefly before going limp. The system chimed: --- Beast Defeated: Emerald Serpent Rewards: Attribute Points: +4 Low-Grade Spirit Crystal Instruction: Consume beast meat to enhance physique grade. --- Victor sighed while wiping sweat from his brow. "Why does every meal have to fight me first?" --- After carving up the serpent and roasting its meat over a small fire, Victor sat back and took a bite. The flavour was surprisingly rich, with a hint of spice that made his taste buds tingle. The system chimed again as he ate: --- Physique Grade Enhanced! Current Physique Grade: Upper Bronze --- Victor patted his stomach. "Upper Bronze, huh? At this rate, I''ll be made of solid gold by the end of the week." --- Once he finished his meal, Victor pulled up his system interface to check his stats. He noticed the accumulated Attribute Points and tapped on the section curiously. A new display appeared: --- Sub Stats: Strength: 5 Agility: 7 Endurance: 6 Qi Control: 6 Perception: 5 Available Attribute Points: +9 --- Victor''s eyes lit up. "Oh, now this is what I''m talking about!" He distributed the points evenly across his sub-stats, watching as the numbers increased. --- Updated Sub Stats: Strength: 7 Agility: 9 Endurance: 8 Qi Control: 8 Perception: 6 --- "Perfect," Victor proceeded to close the interface. "Stronger, faster, and a little less likely to die horribly. What''s not to love?" The system chimed with a new notification: --- <[ New Objective: Find a Nearby Settlement ]> Description: Venture beyond the Hidden Valley and locate a village or town to interact with NPCs, gather information, and further your cultivation journey. --- Victor leaned back against the tree, thinking. He''d been so focused on cultivating and surviving in the valley that he hadn''t even considered the possibility of other people. Apart from the brief encounter with the two fighting cultivators, he''d been completely alone. "It''s about time I see some civilization," he voiced before standing to his feet. "This valley''s nice, but I could use a change of scenery¡ªand maybe a less homicidal neighbour or two." He packed his supplies, adjusted his gear, and set off toward the edge of the valley. The promise of new adventures¡ªand new challenges¡ªlay ahead. Chapter 13: Lingyun Town Victor adjusted his gear and began his descent down the valley, leaving the place where he had first spawned upon entering Ascendant Realms. The Hidden Valley had been a chaotic but fruitful starting point. It had challenged him, but now it was time for a new chapter. The path was curvy, winding through steep slopes and dense clusters of trees. The occasional bird-like spiritual beast flitted past, chirping melodiously, but none seemed interested in attacking him. For once, Victor was grateful for the peace. "This would''ve been a great place for a montage," Victor muttered as he navigated the rocky terrain. After about thirty minutes of careful descent, he reached the bottom of the valley. The landscape transitioned into a sparse forest region with the trees thinning out as patches of sunlight broke through the canopy. A faint path wound through the forest, trodden by countless footsteps. As Victor followed the path, he heard the rhythmic sound of chopping. He curiously and cautiously approached the source. It happened to be a burly woodcutter hacking at a fallen tree. The man had short, dark hair and a weathered face that spoke of years of labour. His muscular frame was clad in a simple brown tunic, and his axe gleamed in the sunlight. "Excuse me!" Victor called out before stepping into view. The woodcutter paused mid-swing and turned to face him. His dull grey eyes regarded Victor with mild curiosity. "Need something, traveller?" the man asked while resting the axe on his shoulder. "Yeah," Victor responded while scratching the back of his head. "I''m trying to find the closest settlement. Any idea where I should go?" The woodcutter nodded. "Not far from here. Follow this path until you reach a fork. Take the left trail, and you''ll find yourself in Lingyun Town. Shouldn''t take you more than an hour." "Lingyun Town?" Victor tilted his head slightly. "Sounds like a place where people win lotteries." The woodcutter chuckled. "More like a place where you lose money if you''re not careful. Watch yourself, young one." Victor grinned. "Thanks for the tip... uh..." "Xu Sheng," the woodcutter replied. "And you?" "Fang Chen," Victor said before giving a slight bow. "Thanks for the directions, Xu Sheng." Xu Sheng nodded but didn''t say more. He turned back to his work as Victor continued on his way. --- The forest thinned as Victor followed the path, revealing open fields and the distant walls of Lingyun Town. The wooden gates were adorned with strange martial carvings, and guards in light armour stood to watch with their hands resting on their weapons. Victor passed through the gates and entered the bustling heart of Lingyun Town. The streets were filled with vendors shouting about their wares, children laughing as they played, and a few cultivators walking with an air of authority. The aroma of sizzling skewers and fragrant teas wafted through the air, mingling with the metallic tang of a blacksmith''s forge. At the town''s centre stood an impressive statue of a cultivator, posed mid-strike with a sword raised high. The figure exuded a commanding presence. There was no doubt that this town was deep-rooted in cultivation. "Not bad," Victor muttered while taking it all in. "Definitely beats being wolf chow back in the valley." The system chimed softly: --- <[ Objective Complete: Find a Nearby Settlement ]> Rewards: - Attribute Points: +3 - Low-Grade Spirit Stone - +15% Bloodline Awakening Boost --- Victor smiled. "Keep those rewards coming, system. Fang Chen''s got bills to pay." As he wandered through the town, he couldn''t help but notice how out of place he looked. The ragged white attire he spawned with was vastly lacking in quality to the fine robes and elegant outfits worn by the townsfolk. "Alright," Victor muttered while tugging at his frayed sleeve. "First order of business: stop looking like a vagabond." He found a stall run by an elderly woman named Zhou Mei, who sold an array of robes in vibrant colours. Her sharp eyes and confident demeanor screamed "shrewd merchant." "Welcome, young man," Zhou Mei voiced with a polite but distant tone. "Looking to refine your appearance?" Victor scanned the selection and his eyes soon landed on a dark green robe with golden embroidery. "How much for this one?" he proceeded to grab it. "That would be twenty-five jade crescents," Zhou Mei replied with a faint smile. Victor blinked. "Uh... is that a lot?" The woman raised an eyebrow. "For someone like you? Probably." Victor shrugged. "Well, let''s see..." He reached into his inventory, only to freeze. He didn''t have any currency. "Oh, no..." he muttered while glancing awkwardly at the old woman, who was now eyeing him suspiciously. "Don''t tell me," she voiced with an icy tone. "You don''t have any money." Victor gave her an awkward smile. "I, uh... I was hoping for an installment plan?" Zhou Mei''s smile disappeared instantly. She snatched the robe from his hands with surprising speed. "This isn''t a charity! Get out of here before you scare off my paying customers!" Victor held up his hands defensively. "Alright, alright, I''m going!" As he walked away, her sharp voice followed him. "Raggedy beggars wandering into town... disgraceful!" Victor sighed. "Okay, first priority: get some cash. Second priority: get a robe. Third priority: never shop there again... ahem, until after I get that green robe, of course. It''s so fine." --- Victor wandered the streets, wracking his brain for ways to earn money. That''s when he remembered his inventory. "Wait a minute," he stopped in his tracks. "I''ve got loot from the Hidden Valley. Maybe I can sell some of it!" Excited by the idea, Victor searched for a suitable merchant. He spotted a sign reading "Lingyun Trade Pavilion" and made his way inside. The pavilion was a loud place filled with merchants and customers haggling over prices. Shelves displayed rare herbs, shimmering crystals, and intricate artifacts. Victor approached the counter, where a middle-aged man with a short beard and sharp eyes stood. His nameplate read Liu Shen, and he gave Victor a welcoming nod. "Welcome to the Lingyun Trade Pavilion," Liu Shen said. "What can I do for you?" Victor pulled a glowing crystal from his inventory and placed it on the counter. "I''d like to sell this." Liu Shen''s eyes widened slightly as he examined the crystal. "A Low-Grade Spirit Crystal. This is good quality. I can offer you ten jade crescents for it." Victor grinned. "And what if I wanted to sell three?" Liu Shen grew even more interested, "Thirty jade crescents." "Deal," Victor stated. As Liu Shen handed over the coins, he asked, "Where did you acquire this?" Victor shrugged casually. "The Hidden Valley." The room fell silent. Liu Shen''s expression shifted from casual interest to shock. "The Hidden Valley?" Liu Shen repeated with a low voice. "You mean the one teeming with spiritual beasts? The place no sane person would dare to enter?" Victor blinked. "Uh... yeah. Why?" Liu Shen stared at him for a long moment, then gave a slow, respectful nod. "You must be quite the cultivator to survive there. Few can say they''ve come out of that place alive." Victor laughed nervously while waving a hand. "Oh, it''s nothing. Just got lucky, I guess," he said while leaving out the part where he died like a thousand times. But Liu Shen''s gaze didn''t waver. "Fang Chen, was it? I''ll remember your name. If you ever need anything, the Lingyun Trade Pavilion is at your service." Victor gave a quick nod, eager to leave before the conversation got any weirder. "Thanks, Liu Shen. I''ll keep that in mind." As he stepped out of the pavilion, Victor couldn''t help but grin. "A powerful cultivator, huh? Maybe I should''ve asked for a discount." Victor opened the pouch, letting the coins clink softly. They were small and hexagonal, with a faint green hue that glimmered a little. "Alright," he proceeded to pocket the pouch excitedly. "Time to go shopping." Chapter 14: Tasting Alcohol Victor stood in front of the old woman''s stall, holding his newly purchased dark green robe with golden embroidery. The exchange had been as unpleasant as he''d expected. Zhou Mei, the cantankerous merchant, had made a point of grumbling about Victor''s earlier lack of funds, reminding him that she didn''t deal with "riffraff" and only tolerated him because he finally had some money. "Come back when you''re rich enough to buy something worth my time," she had sneered before snatching the jade crescents from his hand. Victor forced a smile. "Thanks for the amazing customer service, Zhou Mei. I''ll be sure to recommend your stall to all the other riffraff." As he walked away, he shook his head. "I don''t know what''s worse¡ªher attitude or her prices. Note to self: find literally anyone else to buy from next time." --- Victor wandered through Lingyun Town, taking in the sights and sounds. The town was more expansive than he''d initially thought, with narrow alleys that branched into bustling squares and hidden courtyards. He passed a street performer juggling glowing orbs of qi, a blacksmith hammering away at a red-hot sword, and a merchant selling mysterious talismans that promised to ward off evil spirits. "This place is pretty incredible," Victor muttered while grinning as he took it all in. "Way better than the valley." As he rounded a corner, the aroma of roasted meat and spiced wine caught his attention. He followed his nose to a quaint inn with a wooden sign that read "Lingyun''s Rest". The lively chatter and clinking of cups from inside drew him in. Victor pushed open the door and stepped into the cozy interior. The inn was lively and full of chatters. Its wooden beams were adorned with red lanterns that cast a warm glow across the surroundings. Tables were filled with patrons laughing and eating, and the scent of freshly cooked meals filled the air. "Since I''m too young to drink in real life," Victor said to himself, "I''ll drink as much as I want in the game." Behind the counter stood a cheerful-looking young man around Victor''s age. He had short, messy black hair and an easy smile that lit up the room. Spotting Victor, he waved him over. "Welcome to Lingyun''s Rest! What can I get you?" the young man asked. Victor approached the counter and scanned the menu displayed on a wooden board. The names of the wines¡ªCloudmist Brew, Dragon''s Nectar, and Phoenix Flame Wine¡ªmeant nothing to him. "Uh, I''ll take the cheapest one," he said with a grin. "Don''t want to blow my nonexistent fortune all at once." The young man laughed while grabbing a bottle from the shelf. "Good choice. Clear Spring Wine. Light and refreshing, and it won''t break the bank." As he poured Victor a cup, he leaned on the counter and said, "I''m Chen Wen. And you?" "Fang Chen," Victor replied before taking the cup. "Thanks for the drink, Chen Wen. So, do you run this place?" "Nah, it''s my dad''s inn," Chen Wen said. "I just help out when I''m not... well, helping out." Victor chuckled. "Fair enough. So, what''s the deal with this town? Seems pretty lively." Chen Wen''s eyes lit up. "Lingyun Town has a long history. That statue in the center? It''s of Master Lingyun, one of the most powerful cultivators of his time. He helped establish this place back when it was still a major city." "A major city?" Victor raised an eyebrow. "What happened?" Chen Wen''s smile faltered slightly. "War, natural disasters... the usual. Lingyun fell from its former glory, but it''s still home to some powerful families. The Bai, Zhao, Yan, and Qin families. They''re the bigshots around here¡ªnobody dares mess with them." "Sounds like a power struggle waiting to happen," Victor said while taking a sip of his wine. A notification popped up on his interface: --- <[ Effect: +1 Stamina Recovery ]> <[ Effect: +1 Vitality ]> --- Victor grinned. "Hey, this wine''s doing wonders for my stats. Nobody can stop me from drinking here." Chen Wen laughed. "Glad you''re enjoying it. Anyway, I should get back to work. Let me know if you need anything else." As Chen Wen walked off to attend to another table, Victor leaned back and savoured his drink. The wine was smooth, with a hint of sweetness that lingered on his tongue. He glanced around the room, taking in the warm atmosphere. "This game just keeps getting better," Victor muttered before lifting his cup for another sip. The door to the inn burst open, and the lively chatter immediately died down. Victor looked up to see a group of five young men stride in. Their matching cultivation robes marked them as members of a powerful faction. The leader, a tall and arrogant-looking youth with handsome features, scanned the room with a sneer. "Looks like trouble," Victor set his cup down and watched. The group made their way to the center of the room as their presence commanded attention. Chen Wen approached them with his usual cheerful smile. "Welcome to Lingyun''s Rest," Chen Wen said. "What can I get for you?" The leader, who Victor later learned was named Qin Fei, didn''t answer. Instead, he raised his hand and delivered a sharp slap to Chen Wen''s face, sending him crashing to the floor. The room gasped in unison, and Victor''s hand tightened around his cup as Chen Wen''s face immediately turned red and swollen. Qin Fei''s lips curled into a cruel smile. "I hear you''ve been spreading rumors about you and Bai Ting Ting." Chen Wen struggled to his feet while clutching his blood-red cheek red. "Rumors? What rumors?" Qin Fei''s smile vanished and was replaced by a scowl. He gestured to his followers, who grabbed Chen Wen and dragged him to their leader. "Don''t play dumb. You think a toad like you can eat swan''s meat? Bai Ting Ting is out of your league!" Chen Wen winced but met Qin Fei''s gaze. "Ting Ting and I love each other. I never forced her into anything." Qin Fei''s anger flared. "Love? Don''t make me laugh! You''re a nobody, and you don''t even have the ability to cultivate. What could she possibly see in you?" Chen Wen''s voice trembled but remained defiant. "She doesn''t care about that." Qin Fei''s scowl deepened. "Then I''ll make her care. After I break every bone in your legs, let''s see if you can crawl back to her." The room fell deathly silent as Qin Fei raised his hand gathering qi from the surroundings as he prepared to unleash a devastating strike. Chen Wen shut his eyes reflexively as Qin Fei''s hand came crashing down. However, the pain he should have felt from the collision didn''t come even after a few moments had gone by. Chen Wen slowly opened one eye, and to his amazement, a figure was standing in between Qin Fei and himself. "Hey," Victor''s voice cut through the tension as he tightened his hand around Qin Fei''s wrist. "I think that''s enough." Fortunately, he had grabbed Qin Fei''s wrist and stopped the attack before it could connect with Chen Wen. All eyes turned to him, including Qin Fei''s. The leader''s gaze darkened as he sized Victor up. "And who do you think you are?" Qin Fei questioned with a disdainful tone. "How dare you lay your hand on this young master?!" Chapter 15: Humiliation The entire inn fell into an eerie silence at this moment. The arrogant cultivator''s eyes darkened with contempt as he glared at Victor. "How dare you lay your hand on this young master?!" Qin Fei snapped. Victor blinked in mock confusion before bursting into laughter. "Hold on, did you just refer to yourself as ''this young master''? Wow, I didn''t realize we were in a play. Should I be bowing now?" A ripple of suppressed laughter went through the crowd, but they quickly fell silent, realizing the danger Victor was putting himself in. Qin Fei''s four lackeys immediately surrounded Victor with looks of hostility. One of them who was a lanky cultivator with slicked-back hair, pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Do you have any idea who Young Master Qin is? Even breathing the same air as him is an offense beyond measure!" Victor''s grin widened. "Breathing the same air, huh? Should I stop breathing entirely, or just take smaller sips?" He waved his hand in the air while dramatically sniffing. "Wow, the air around him does smell a little more arrogant than usual." The four cultivators bristled with anger. Another of the lackeys who was a short, stocky youth named Zhao Feng, clenched his fists. "You''re playing with fire, idiot! Do you have the strength to bear the consequences of your words?" Victor stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... consequences. You mean like having to listen to your whiny voices for the next ten minutes? I think I can handle it." Their faces twisted in rage. Qin Fei stood back with an amused smirk, clearly enjoying his followers'' anger. Chen Wen, still rubbing his bruised cheek, hurried to Victor''s side and grabbed his arm. "Fang Chen, please," he whispered urgently. "It''s not worth it. Just let it go." Victor patted Chen Wen''s shoulder. "Relax, Wen. I got this." He then turned to Qin Fei and grinned. "Now, why don''t you and your circus act here fuck off?" A collective gasp rippled through the inn. Patrons began scurrying away, some leaving their meals unfinished as they sought the safety of distance. The look on Qin Fei''s face darkened into something dangerous. "So you''re seeking death," Qin Fei said coldly. He gestured to his lackeys. "Teach this pig a lesson. I won''t sully my hands dealing with trash." The four cultivators¡ªZhao Feng, Yan Hao, Liu Ming, and Bai Qiang¡ªcracked their knuckles and grinned menacingly. Victor rolled his shoulders. "Alright, let''s see what you got." Without warning, Yan Hao lunged forward as his palm glowed with qi. "Crushing Wave Palm!" Victor stepped towards the side with ease while spinning gracefully and landing a quick jab to Yan Hao''s gut, sending him flying backwards. Ming came next, slashing through the air with a blade of qi. Victor ducked to evade the strike and kicked Liu Ming''s knees causing him to buckle. As Liu Ming fell, Victor swept his palm forward, landing a crisp slap on his face. "Take that, bitch!" Zhao Feng and Bai Qiang attacked in unison, showcasing their synergy. They were all at the fourth stage of the Qi Refining Realm, and despite Victor''s confidence, he knew he was still at a disadvantage at his current second-stage level. Victor activated his Wind Dash technique, weaving through their attacks like a leaf in a storm. "Is this all you got?" he taunted while slicing through their martial techniques with his Wind Blade. Bai Qiang tried to retaliate with a fierce kick, but Victor parried with his forearm and countered with a burst of wind energy, sending Bai Qiang crashing into a nearby table. One by one, Victor knocked them down. The inn patrons watched in stunned silence. The so-called geniuses were being humiliated. Qin Fei''s eyes burned with fury as he stepped forward. "Pathetic. If you want something done right..." He lifted his palm, and an intense surge of qi erupted from his body. Victor''s smirk faltered slightly. "Uh-oh." Qin Fei struck with a high-grade martial technique¡ªFiery Dragon Claw. His hands turned crimson as blazing qi claws shot toward Victor. Reacting quickly, Victor activated Wind Barrier, forming a protective shield around himself. The impact sent him skidding across the floor as his health bar dropped dangerously. -20HP -20HP -20HP -25HP "Damn, that actually hurts!" Victor winced in pain. His Wind Barrier barely held up as Qin Fei relentlessly assaulted him. He dodged and countered with everything he had, but Qin Fei''s skill and power were quite difficult to tackle. He soon realised that this was because Qin Fen was a cultivation level higher. Just as Victor was about to buckle, something inside him clicked. The Enlightenment he had gained from watching the cultivators in the Hidden Valley surged to the forefront of his mind. Movements that had once seemed complex now felt natural and somehow, he could see the flaws in Qin Fei''s attacks. With newfound clarity, Victor shifted his stance, perfectly timing his next maneuver. Qin Fei used Fiery Dragon Claw again, perching his fingers forward in a bid to strike. Victor dodged Qin Fei''s attack by a hair''s breadth and unleashed a Gale strike that connected with Qin Fei''s exposed shoulder. The force sent the young master flying backwards as a pop sound rang out. His confident smirk finally vanished as he noticed his shoulder had been dislocated which prevented him from reactivating Fiery Dragon Claw. Victor didn''t give him a second to breathe. He pressed the advantage, landing blow after blow, until Qin Fei collapsed onto one knee, breathing heavily. "You... you''ll regret this!" Qin Fei spat while glaring up at him. "This isn''t over!" Victor grinned. "Yeah, yeah be cliche? like every random bad guy. Now run along." Zhao Feng and the others scrambled to their feet, dragging Qin Fei with them as they fled the inn like startled chickens. Victor couldn''t resist throwing one last insult their way. "Tell your fashion designer to rethink the matching robes!" The inn erupted into cheers and applause. Chen Wen held his bruised face and approached Victor while shaking his head in disbelief. "Fang Chen... you''re insane. You just made enemies with the Qin family. Do you have any idea what you''ve done?" Victor shrugged. "What''s the worst that could happen?" Chen Wen sighed, but a grateful smile crossed his face. "Thanks, anyway. But still... you should be careful." Victor waved him off. "Nah, I''ll be fine. Now, how about another drink?" Chen Wen chuckled. "Actually, to thank you, I think you should visit the statue at the center of Lingyun Town later." Victor raised an eyebrow. "The statue? What about it?" Chen Wen''s eyes twinkled mysteriously. "Just go. You might find something interesting." Victor scratched his head, intrigued. "Alright, sounds like a plan. But first, I need to find a place to crash for the night." Chen Wen grinned. "You can stay here. Consider it my thanks for saving my ass." Victor beamed. "Now you''re talking. More drinks, please!" As the night continued, Victor basked in his small victory, completely unaware of the storm that was brewing because of his actions. ... ... Hours later, Victor sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of the inn room with eyes closed and hands resting on his knees. He could feel the steady flow of qi moving through his meridians as he slowed his breathing. Cultivation was a slow, arduous process¡ªone that required patience, focus, and a whole lot of sitting still. After hours of cultivating through the night, his efforts finally bore fruit. --- System Notification: Congratulations! You have advanced to Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 3! - Qi Reserves Increased. - Minor Enhancement to Physical Strength and Reaction Speed. --- Victor let out a deep breath while stretching his arms. "Finally, Stage 3! But man... cultivating in town is way slower than back in the valley." He had noticed that the spiritual energy in Lingyun Town was much thinner compared to the dense atmosphere of the Hidden Valley. It was no wonder cultivators preferred to train in secluded mountains and caves rather than populated areas. Still, progress was progress. As the first rays of sunlight peeked through the wooden window, Victor stood up and stretched. "Alright, time to see what that statue is all about." --- The town square was already quite bustling by the time Victor arrived at the towering statue of Lingyun. The late sword cultivation master was immortalized in a striking pose¡ª His left hand was stretched forward in a commanding stance, while his right hand wielded a magnificent sword pointing downward in an elegant arc. The statue''s robes flowed as if caught in an eternal breeze, and his expression was one of absolute focus. Victor circled the statue while rubbing his chin. "So... Chen Wen sent me here, but what exactly am I supposed to be looking for?" He walked around it once. Twice. A third time. Nothing. No hidden inscriptions, no secret compartments, and no glowing treasure chests waiting to be discovered. Victor scratched his head while exhaling in frustration. "Maybe Chen Wen just wanted me to take in the sights?" Feeling silly, he leaned back against the pedestal and stared up at the massive figure. Then, an idea struck him. With a smirk, Victor straightened his posture and mimicked the statue''s stance¡ªspreading his left arm forward and curling his right hand into a fist, imagining a sword in his grip. "Behold!" Victor declared in a dramatic tone. "I am Lingyun the Mighty!" The moment the words left his lips, the statue''s eyes emitted a brilliant flash of silver light. Victor stumbled back in surprise as his system interface lit up with an unexpected notification. --- System Notification: Congratulations! You have unlocked the legacy of Lingyun''s Martial Sword Techniques! ----- Chapter 16: Shadow Crescent Strike --- System Notification: Congratulations! You have unlocked the legacy of Lingyun''s Martial Sword Techniques! Lingyun''s sword techniques are considered to be extremely powerful and require a sword to proceed. --- Victor''s jaw dropped. "No. Freaking. Way." He tried to process what had just happened. "So, all I had to do was mock the statue? Jackpot!" But his joy was short-lived when he spotted the next part of the message. --- Requirement: A sword is needed to begin the legacy training. --- Victor groaned. "Of course, there''s always a catch." --- Determined to keep the momentum going, Victor strolled through town in search of a weapon shop. Eventually, he stumbled upon "Iron Fang Armory," a humble but well-stocked establishment run by a burly, soot-covered blacksmith named Master Wei. "I need a sword," Victor announced confidently while stepping inside. "But, uh... nothing too fancy." Master Wei looked him up and down as he raised an eyebrow. "Cheap, then." Victor winced. "Let''s call it... budget-friendly." With a grunt, Master Wei led him to a rack of swords, ranging from elegantly crafted blades to crude, functional weapons. Victor''s eyes landed on a sleek steel sword with an unadorned hilt. "How much for this one?" "Two hundred jade crescents." Victor''s face fell. "Right. What''s your cheapest option?" Master Wei rummaged through the back and produced a plain, slightly chipped iron sword. "Fifty jade crescents. It''s nothing special, but it''ll cut." Victor checked his pouch and sighed. "Guess I need to make another pit stop." --- Victor returned to the Lingyun Trade Pavilion, where Liu Shen greeted him with a knowing smirk. "Ah, back so soon, Fang Chen?" Liu Shen asked. "Let me guess¡ªyou''re out of money again." Victor chuckled. "You know me too well. Need to sell some more stuff." He laid out a few low-grade spirit herbs and a handful of beast materials from the Hidden Valley. Liu Shen examined them before handing over the jade crescents. --- Transaction Complete: Items Sold: Low-grade spirit herbs, beast materials Currency Gained: +60 Jade Crescents --- Victor grinned while tossing the pouch in his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you." --- With his new sword in hand, Victor returned to the statue, standing confidently in front of it. "Alright, round two," he gripped the hilt and assumed Lingyun''s stance once more. The statue''s eyes glowed again, and this time a powerful gust of ancient energy swirled around him. Before Victor could react, the world around him shifted. He found himself standing in an ethereal realm of endless clouds and sword formations hovering in the air. In front of him stood a translucent figure that bore a striking resemblance to the statue. The spirit''s piercing gaze locked onto Victor, and his voice echoed like thunder. "You who seek the path of the sword, welcome to the legacy of Lingyun." Victor gawked. "Uh... Thanks? I didn''t think I''d actually end up here." The spirit raised a shimmering blade. "The path of the sword is not for the weak. Master the first technique¡ªShadow Crescent Strike¡ªand prove your worth." Victor read the new system notification with a grin: --- New Sword Technique Unlocked: Shadow Crescent Strike (Incomplete) Training Required: Master Lingyun''s first sword technique to continue. --- "Shadow Crescent Strike?" Victor muttered. "Now that sounds badass." "Let us see if you are worthy," Lingyun''s spirit stated. Without another word, Lingyun raised his blade and began a slow, deliberate sequence of movements. Each of the movements flowed seamlessly into the next like a well-rehearsed dance. Victor watched in awe as Lingyun''s blade sliced through the air smoothly, leaving a faint crescent-shaped shadow lingering behind each strike. The technique was elegant yet filled with immense power, and Victor could tell that the execution required absolute precision. Lingyun''s voice resonated through the empty realm. "Observe. The Shadow Crescent Strike consists of four essential steps. Master them, and you shall wield power beyond your current understanding." Victor nodded. "Four steps, huh? Should be easy enough." The spirit ignored his remark and continued demonstrating the technique. Step One: The Shift ¨C A swift but calculated foot movement that allowed the cultivator to change positions fluidly, creating an illusion of displacement. Step Two: The Draw ¨C A sword draw that focused all qi into the blade at the moment of unsheathing. Step Three: The Flow ¨C A smooth transition that allowed qi to circulate through the body and weapon, merging them into a single force. Step Four: The Strike ¨C The finishing blow, executed with fluidity and power, leaving behind a crescent of shadowy energy that can slice through anything in its path. Victor exhaled while stepping forward. "Alright, let''s do this." --- He positioned himself and attempted the first step, shifting his feet into the same stance as Lingyun''s spirit. It felt awkward and unbalanced, but he pushed forward and moved into the second step, drawing his sword with as much finesse as he could muster. His movement lacked fluidity, and before he even got to the third step, the sword wobbled in his grip, and he stumbled forward, nearly falling on his face. The system chimed: --- Technique Failed. Reattempt the sequence. --- Victor grumbled while adjusting his grip. "Alright, that was just a warm-up." He tried again. And again. And again. With each attempt, he managed to get slightly further in the sequence, but something always felt off. His movements weren''t smooth enough, his qi control wasn''t precise, and his strikes lacked the finesse and power the spirit demonstrated. The process of failing repeatedly was starting to wear him down. "I swear, this feels harder than real-life gym class," Victor panted as he wiped sweat from his brow. He sat down on the ground in frustration with his sword resting across his lap. Time seemed meaningless in this strange realm, but the growing fatigue in his body told him that he had been at this for hours, if not longer. The spirit of Lingyun continued demonstrating the technique over and over without a hint of frustration. Watching him, Victor felt both annoyed and humbled. "You know..." Victor talked to the spirit even though he knew it wouldn''t respond, "...this would be a whole lot easier if you just handed me a cheat sheet." The spirit, of course, said nothing and continued its perfect repetition of the Shadow Crescent Strike. Victor groaned and leaned back, staring up at the endless sky of swirling clouds. "Maybe I''m overthinking this. There''s gotta be something I''m missing..." His gaze wandered back to the spirit, watching the flawless movements yet again. This time, however, he paid closer attention to the smallest of details¡ªthe way Lingyun shifted his weight, how his breathing synchronized with each movement, and the slight flex of his wrist when executing the final strike. Victor''s eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "Wait a minute... That subtle shift in breathing... That''s what I''ve been missing!" Bolting upright, Victor gripped his sword with renewed determination. "Alright, Master Lingyun, let''s try this one more time." He positioned himself again, focusing intently on his breathing this time. With a deep inhale, he stepped into the Shift, flowing smoothly into the Draw, channeling his qi into the blade as he unsheathed it. Moving into the Flow, he felt the energy circulate better than before as his grip turned firm but relaxed. Then came the final step¡ªthe Strike. With a sharp exhale, he swung his sword and this time, instead of a clumsy slash, a crescent-shaped shadow burst from the edge of the blade, cutting through the air like a phantom. The system chimed excitedly: --- Technique Success! Shadow Crescent Strike unlocked. Mastery: Beginner (5%) --- Victor whooped and punched the air in triumph. "Yes! Finally!" The spirit of Lingyun nodded approvingly. It''s expression remained stoic but carried an air of satisfaction. Then, without hesitation, it raised its sword once more. Victor''s eyes widened. "Wait, you''re telling me there''s more?" The system chimed again: --- Next Technique Ready for Learning: Phantom Mirage Step. --- Chapter 17: That Was Not Normal Victor groaned as he sat up in bed, blinking groggily at the dim light filtering through his bedroom curtains. He had spent what felt like days inside the secluded realm training under Master Lingyun''s relentless sword drills. Though in-game exhaustion wasn''t supposed to carry over into reality, his mind still reeled from the constant repetition of the Shadow Crescent Strike and his frustratingly slow progress with the Phantom Mirage Step. Yet, oddly enough, as he stretched his arms and rolled out of bed, he felt... incredible. There was no hint of the fatigue he''d expected from pulling an all-nighter in the game. His limbs felt light, his breathing smooth, and his entire body thrummed with a strange energy he couldn''t quite explain. "I haven''t slept a wink, but I feel like I could run a marathon," Victor muttered while staring at himself in the mirror. "Weird. But I''ll take it." Downstairs, the smell of breakfast greeted him as he padded into the kitchen, where his father was sipping a cup of coffee and reading a digital news tablet. His mother was at the stove, flipping eggs onto a plate. "Morning, champ," his dad said without looking up. "Heading to school again, huh?" "Morning," Victor replied before grabbing a piece of toast. "Yeah, gotta maintain my zero academic progress." His father chuckled, but his expression grew serious as he set down the tablet. "Listen, I''m heading out on another mana crystal mining trip today." Victor paused mid-bite. "Already? You just got back." His father nodded while rubbing the back of his neck. "This one''s special. They''re sending us to one of the newly reclaimed zones¡ªterritory that used to belong to those... things." Victor blinked. "Wait, you''re talking about the land they just expanded the barrier to?" He remembered seeing it on the news recently¡ªan area once crawling with the Drakenar, those reptilian humanoids who had claimed swaths of Earth as their new home. "Yeah," his dad confirmed. "They say it''s cleared now, but... well, you never know. Still, the pay is good, and we gotta make ends meet." Victor tried to brush aside the small twinge of worry in his chest. Mana crystal mining was dangerous, but his dad had been doing it for years now. "Just... be careful, alright, Dad? Don''t get eaten by any leftover lizard dudes." His father laughed before ruffling Victor''s hair. "I''ll be fine. Now, don''t you go slacking off at school while I''m gone." Victor smirked. "Define slacking off." His mom shot him a look, and he quickly grabbed his bag. "Alright, I''m out!" --- This time, Victor actually made it to the mana-powered train on time. The vehicle zipped across the city, traveling along glowing tracks powered by refined mana crystals. In mere minutes, he was at school, stepping onto the grounds to see the usual morning bustle of students milling about, gossiping, and showing off their newfound abilities. Danny was once again the center of attention. This broad-shouldered friend of his was surrounded by a gaggle of giggling girls, flexing his arm casually while claiming his Berserker class had already advanced to level two. Victor and his other two friends, Max and Jake, watched from the sidelines with mixed expressions. Max nudged Victor. "Look at him. Four days ago, he was one of us. Now he''s got groupies." Jake snorted. "I can''t decide if I''m jealous or disgusted." Victor smirked. "Both. Definitely both." Danny spotted them and waved them over. "Guys! You should''ve seen me at the gym earlier. My strength stat''s already up by six points, and I could literally lift a car." Victor raised an eyebrow. "Sounds exhausting." "Not for me, it isn''t!" Danny laughed while flashing a confident grin. "Level two, baby! And it''s just the beginning." Victor chuckled but secretly felt a pang of jealousy. Even though he hadn''t awakened, something inside him was changing. He could feel it every time he moved, every time he breathed¡ªhis body felt... more. --- Later that day, during Physical Education (PE), the class was lined up on the school''s track for a running contest. The teacher, Coach Barkley, stood at the starting line with his whistle hanging from his mouth as he barked out instructions. "Alright, listen up!" Barkley shouted. "We''ll do the usual sprint today, but I think we all know who''s gonna come out on top." He nodded toward Derek, Danny and the other awakened students, who stood confidently apart from the rest of the class. Danny cracked his knuckles. "This won''t even be fair." Victor rolled his eyes but took his position at the starting line. He knew he was no match for the awakened students, but something in him stirred with anticipation. Barkley blew the whistle. The moment Victor''s feet hit the track, it happened again¡ªthat feeling. It felt like Qi was surging through his body and as a result, his movements were lighter and faster. His feet barely touched the ground, and the wind whipped past his ears in a blur. The world around him expanded like rubber getting stretched... Before he knew it, he had shot past everyone, leaving Danny and the other awakened trailing behind in shock. By the time he crossed the finish line, the entire field was silent. Victor stood there, blinking in surprise as he tried to process what had just happened. "Uh... did I just... win?" Coach Barkley''s mouth hung open. Danny jogged up to him, panting heavily with widened eyes. "Dude... what the hell was that?" Victor scratched his head nervously. "Uhh... healthy breakfast?" The crowd of students erupted into murmurs, whispering about how the "unawakened guy" had outrun an awakened. Victor could feel the eyes boring into him, but he forced a casual smile and shrugged. -"Did Victor fake it the whole time?" -"Is he an awakened just pretending to be normal?" Voices could be heard in the background. Coach Barkley narrowed his eyes. "Revenant... that was not normal." Victor let out an awkward laugh. "Just... a fluke, coach." Danny clapped him on the back, still in shock. "Man, I swear if you secretly awakened and didn''t tell us, I''m gonna be pissed." Victor swallowed. He was only suspicious initially but now he was sure... Something weird was going on. His in-game cultivation... was it really affecting his real body? If so, how much more could he push it? He gave Danny a sheepish grin. "Guess I just have hidden talents." Danny shook his head with a grin. "You''re one weird dude, Vic." Victor chuckled, trying to downplay the growing excitement inside him. ''I need to confirm the theory after school...'' Chapter 18: You Didnt Awaken, Right? Throughout the day, Victor couldn''t stop thinking about what had happened during PE. The way his feet had moved, how his body felt weightless, and the insane speed he had displayed¡ªit was all too surreal. He found himself staring at his hands between classes, flexing his fingers, feeling the energy thrumming beneath his skin. What the hell is happening to me? Every other physical activity they engaged in during the day only added to his confusion. Whether it was climbing, lifting, or even reaction-based drills, Victor breezed through them as if his body had unlocked a cheat code. It didn''t make sense. He was no awakener, and as far as he knew, the abilities from the game shouldn''t manifest in reality. "Dude," Danny nudged Victor in the ribs during lunch. "Are you seriously gonna ignore what happened today?" Victor looked up from his barely touched tray of food, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "Huh? What?" Danny rolled his eyes. "PE? You smoked us all like it was nothing." Max who had a tendency to overanalyze things, leaned forward. "It''s weird, man. Really weird. You didn''t awaken, right? No system interface, no magic abilities, nothing?" Victor scratched the back of his head. "Nope. Still just your average, devastatingly handsome guy." Jake laughed. "Yeah, right. There''s no way that was normal. If you did awaken, you''d see it, right? The system''s interface is only visible to the awakened." Victor sighed while rubbing his temples. "I don''t see any glowing blue text floating in front of me, if that''s what you''re asking." Danny leaned in, lowering his voice. "Then how the hell are you running like that? Every awakener has a system that tracks their progress, their level, abilities, stats, and all that jazz. If you don''t have one... then what gives?" Victor wished he had an answer, but he didn''t. The only thing that made sense to him was the game, Ascendant Realms. Ever since he started cultivating there, his body in real life had felt... different. Stronger. More energized. But that wasn''t possible, was it? "Maybe I''m just built different," Victor tried to lighten the mood by joking. Max wasn''t convinced. "Jokes aside, man. You should get checked or something. What if it''s dangerous?" Victor shrugged. "I dunno, man. I feel fine. Better than fine, actually." Brows furrowed as he studied him carefully. "If you start glowing or floating or something, call me first, alright?" Victor grinned. "Sure thing." --- After classes ended, Victor was gathering his things when he accidentally bumped into someone in the crowded hallway. Looking up, his heart skipped a beat¡ªit was Amara Blake. The school''s queen bee, the dream girl of every guy, and the untouchable beauty that Victor had secretly crushed on for years. Her long auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her face perfectly. And of course, there was the eye-catching factor that always left boys fumbling their words¡ªher broad, bouncy chest. "Whoa, easy there," Amara laughed lightly as she regained her balance. Victor rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh, sorry about that. I guess I was lost in thought." Amara smiled. "Thinking about how you crushed everyone during PE today?" Victor blinked. "You noticed that?" She giggled. "Kinda hard not to. Everyone was surprised." Victor felt his cheeks heat up. "Yeah, I guess I just... got lucky." "Maybe you''re more special than you think," Amara said with a playful smirk. Victor nearly melted on the spot, but before he could respond, a familiar figure approached. It was Derek, Amara''s towering, muscular boyfriend¡ªthe school''s resident bad boy and captain of the combat sports team. He wrapped an arm around Amara''s waist possessively and pulled her close. "Hey, babe. What''s up?" Amara''s demeanor shifted slightly as she turned to him. "Hey, Derek, Just chatting with Victor here." Derek shot Victor the usual look of disdain and irritation. "Yeah? Well, we gotta go. Later, Revenant." Victor forced a smile. "Later." As they walked off, Amara glanced back briefly and gave him a little wave, making Victor''s heart flutter. But that quickly faded as Derek tightened his grip on her waist and walked away confidently. Victor sighed. "Still out of my league." --- Bidding farewell to his friends, Victor decided he needed some answers about what was happening to him. He made his way out of the school and headed toward an abandoned factory about ten minutes away. It was an old industrial building, long since condemned and left to rot, but it was the perfect place to test his theories without any prying eyes. Slipping inside through a broken chain-link fence, Victor navigated the corridors with ease as the scent of rust and mold drifted into his nostrils. He found an open space filled with scattered debris and worn-down machinery. "Alright," Victor muttered while rolling his shoulders. "Let''s see if I''m going crazy or if this is real." He took a deep breath, trying to replicate the feeling he experienced during PE. He focused, recalling the sensations of his cultivation training in the game. Suddenly, that familiar energy pulsed through him again. He felt lighter, faster, more alive. Taking a running start, Victor sprinted across the factory floor¡ªand just like before, his speed was insane. He darted across the space in seconds with his surroundings blurring around him. The air made a whipping sound as he darted back and forth repeatedly before crashing into a large piece of equipment. Bang! "Ouch," Victor winced lightly while getting back up. He panted and stared at his hands in disbelief. "Holy crap... it''s real." He decided to try something else. Holding his hands together in front of him, he mimicked the motions he used to channel qi in Ascendant Realms. To his absolute shock, a faint, almost invisible swirl of energy formed between his palms. It wasn''t much¡ªjust a flicker¡ªbut it was there. Victor let out a nervous laugh. "This... this shouldn''t be happening." He glanced around, making sure he was alone, and tried a basic technique from the game¡ªthe Gale Strike. He channeled qi into his palm and thrust it forward. A small gust of wind blasted outward, kicking up dust and debris. Victor staggered back with widened eyes. "No way... this is insane!" He couldn''t believe it¡ªhis cultivation in the game was affecting him in real life. Victor sat down on a rusted metal beam as a myriad of thoughts ran through his mind. If this was real, what else could he do? Could he actually become stronger? Could he... become an awakener in his own way? A grin slowly spread across his face. "Alright. Time to see just how far this rabbit hole goes." Chapter 19: Logging Back In Victor glanced at his hands again; "This is insane." He had no system like the awakened did, no flashy interface floating in front of him, yet somehow, he was tapping into something beyond normal. He wasn''t sure how it worked, but one thing was crystal clear¡ªhe needed to get stronger. Victor smirked while rolling his shoulders. "I''ve got one goal now¡ªtrain, get stronger, and show up at that screening like a total badass." His mind wandered to the upcoming awakened academy screening. It would be holding in a month and the evaluators will do final assessments for any late awakeners. If he could pass himself off as one, his entire life could change. No more barely scraping by, no more being seen as an average loser. He could secure a future for himself¡ªand his family. "All I gotta do is keep grinding in the game," he muttered. "Easy enough." With that, he made his way out of the factory. --- By the time Victor got home, it was already late in the evening, and the house was quiet. His mom was reading on the couch, but his dad had already left for his mana crystal mining trip. Victor waved at her on his way upstairs. "Gonna play some games, Mom." She gave him a tired smile. "Don''t stay up all night again, alright?" Victor grinned mischievously. "No promises." --- He rushed to his room, flopping onto his bed and grabbing his VR headset. The excitement buzzed through him as he powered it on. This wasn''t just a game anymore¡ªAscendant Realms was his key to everything he wanted. And luckily, it was Friday, which meant he could stay in the game all weekend. "No school, no distractions," he whispered before strapping the device onto his head. "Just me and my cultivation." --- [Logging into Ascendant Realms...] A familiar rush of energy enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, he was back in the game world. The serene realm within Lingyun''s statue welcomed him once more. Towering sword formations floated in the sky, and an eternal mist surrounded the landscape. Victor stretched his in-game body and smirked. "Man, I''ve missed this place." The translucent figure of Lingyun stood before him, expressionless as always. The sword master radiated an ancient, unshakable aura, and his mythical voice echoed in the space. "You have returned," Lingyun''s voice carried the weight of countless lifetimes. "Are you prepared to continue your training?" Victor grinned while unsheathing his sword. "More than ready, Sensei." Lingyun nodded, and without another word, he launched into the next stage of training. Victor was tasked with refining his Phantom Mirage Step, an advanced footwork technique that allowed him to create afterimages to confuse his opponents. Victor followed the spirit''s movements, focusing on his breathing and balance. He had spent hours trying to execute this technique properly and although he was making progress, it was still tricky. The key was to shift his weight perfectly between steps while maintaining the illusion of speed. Lingyun spoke once more, "Phantom Mirage Step is not merely a movement technique¡ªit is an art of deception. With proper execution, you will create afterimages that confuse your enemies, allowing you to strike from unexpected angles." Without another word, Lingyun moved. His feet glided across the ground with impossible fluidity, and suddenly, there were five versions of him standing in a perfect line. Victor blinked. "Wait, what?" Lingyun''s voice echoed from all five figures. "This is the pinnacle of Phantom Mirage Step. It is not enough to move quickly; one must move with precision and intent." Victor chuckled nervously. "Yeah, okay. That looks... slightly above my skill level." Lingyun ignored his quip and resumed his demonstration. "There are three key components to mastering this technique." --- Step One: The Root ¨C Stability in footwork, grounding oneself while maintaining flexibility. Step Two: The Drift ¨C Mastering fluid transitions that allow smooth movement between steps. Step Three: The Blur ¨C Channeling qi to distort the enemy''s perception of your movements, creating afterimages. --- Victor whistled low. "Got it. Step, drift, blur. Sounds simple enough." Lingyun gestured for him to begin. Victor took a deep breath and mirrored Lingyun''s stance. He tried shifting his weight lightly on his feet, focusing on his balance. As he attempted to move quickly, his steps felt clunky and unnatural. He grunted, stumbling forward. "Yeah, not as easy as it looks." He decided to repeat the process over and over and over again until his body began to move at bit more naturally. He watched Lingyun''s spirit once again and then decided to give it another try. He stepped forward¡ªRoot. Shifted his weight¡ªDrift. And then, focusing his qi to distort his presence, he executed the final step¡ªBlur. A faint shimmer surrounded his figure, and to his shock, he saw the faintest hint of an afterimage flickering behind him. --- System Notification: <[ Phantom Mirage Unlocked: 2% Proficiency ]> --- Victor grinned. "Finally! At this rate, I''ll be running circles around people in no time." Lingyun, however, wasn''t impressed. "You are still too slow. Again." Victor groaned but obliged, diving back into practice. ------ System Notification: Phantom Mirage Mastery: Beginner (5%) ------ The longer he practiced, the more his Phantom Mirage mastery increased. Victor panted heavily as his entire in-game body got covered in a thin sheen of sweat. He had spent what felt like days refining his Phantom Mirage Step, slowly improving his mastery bit by bit. His movements were no longer as clumsy, and he was starting to leave behind more convincing afterimages. He checked his system interface and was pleased to see his progress: --- Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Realm (Stage 3 ¨C 45%) Martial Techniques: Shadow Crescent Strike ¨C Mastery: 15% Phantom Mirage Step ¨C Mastery: 25% --- Victor smirked. "Not bad. I think I''m getting the hang of this." Just as he was about to resume, the system chimed in with a new notification. --- <[ New Objective: Explore Lingyun Town and test your techniques in real combat situations. ]> --- Victor exhaled and stretched his arms. "Guess it''s time for a change of scenery." -- -- Meanwhile, in Lingyun Town, the atmosphere had grown tense. The Qin Family, one of the four most influential cultivation families in town, was on high alert. Word had spread about the humiliation their young master, Qin Fei, had suffered at the hands of an unknown outsider¡ªFang Chen. The elders of the Qin family, dressed in crimson robes embroidered with gold, had been searching every inch of the town, questioning merchants, innkeepers, and travelers. They were relentless in their pursuit, and it wasn''t long before they arrived at Lingyun''s Rest, the inn run by Chen Wen''s father, Chen Guang. The inn''s peaceful atmosphere was shattered when the doors burst open, and a group of Qin disciples strode in, led by none other than Qin Fei''s uncle, Elder Qin Han. He was a middle-aged man with hawk-like features and an overwhelming aura of authority. "Where is the boy who humiliated my nephew?" Qin Han''s voice boomed across the room as his cold eyes scanned the frightened patrons. Chapter 20: First Mission Chen Guang stepped forward cautiously, bowing slightly. "Esteemed elder, we¡ª we don''t know where he is." Qin Han''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "Lies." He motioned to his disciples. "Turn the place upside down." The inn was thrown into chaos as Qin disciples ransacked the tables, overturned furniture, and searched every room. Chen Wen, who had been helping behind the counter, was dragged forward and forced to kneel before Qin Han. "You must know something," Qin Han sneered. "You were seen with him. Where is he?" Chen Wen gulped with an expression of fear but he stayed silent. Seeing this, Qin Fei stepped forward with a cruel grin. "Looks like I''ll have to remind you what happens when you get involved with people above your station." He raised his hand to strike Chen Wen when a soft voice interrupted. "Please, don''t hurt him." All heads turned to see Bai Ting Ting, the beautiful and graceful daughter of the Bai family, standing at the entrance. Bai Ting Ting was incredibly stunning with long silky black hair that flowed like a cascading waterfall down her back, reaching past her waist. She had a heart-shaped face with flawless, porcelain skin that seemed untouched by time. Her almond-shaped eyes were a mesmerizing shade of deep sapphire blue, filled softness and depth, framed by long, dark lashes. Her lips looked soft, rosy and irresistible like it was painted by the finest artists. She was clad in an elegant white and lavender cultivation robe, embroidered with intricate golden lotus patterns that glowed with spiritual energy. She walked in with a composed demeanor, though her eyes held a flicker of worry. Qin Fei''s expression twisted with smug satisfaction. "Ting Ting, here to save your little pet?" She lowered her gaze. "Chen Wen did nothing wrong. I... I will stay away from him if you leave him alone." Chen Wen''s heart shattered in an instant. "Ting Ting, no! You don''t have to¡ª" "Silence!" Qin Han snapped as his eyes gleamed with triumph. "A wise decision, young lady." Ting Ting bit her lip, forcing herself to remain composed as she turned and walked away. Chen Wen''s face was filled with despair as he looked at her while she left. Qin Fei leaned down to whisper in Chen Wen''s ear. "She''s mine, and you? You''re nothing. Stay in your place." With their point made, the Qin family left the inn, but not before leaving Chen Guang and Chen Wen shaken and humiliated. --- Meanwhile, Victor was unaware of this as he strolled through the streets of Lingyun Town. His new system objective loomed in the back of his mind. --- System Notification: Objective: Test your techniques in real combat situations. (0/1) Real Combat Encounter Completed. --- He cracked his knuckles. "Alright, system, time to put these moves to use." His first stop? The Lingyun Trade Pavilion. Victor had already made some good sales at the pavilion before, and if there was anywhere in town to find work that needed a cultivator, this was it. As he walked in, he spotted Liu Shen, the sharp-eyed trader who had handled his transactions before. The elderly merchant had a keen gaze and a mind like a steel trap when it came to business. Victor approached the counter, grinning. "Liu Shen, my favourite businessman. Got anything for someone looking to, uh... get their hands dirty?" Liu Shen looked up, sizing Victor up with a curious smirk. "Fang Chen, my favourite customer... Are you looking to make more money, or do you actually have the strength to back up such a request?" Victor chuckled. "A little of both. Something combat-related would be great." Liu Shen stroked his beard. "As it happens, there was a customer earlier today with a rather unfortunate problem." Victor leaned in with a look of intrigued. "Go on." "A woman named Madam Zhou came in complaining that her farm has been overrun by spirit beasts¡ªlow-level ones, but troublesome nonetheless. They''ve been feasting on her crops, which, by the way, are not just ordinary crops but special herbs cultivated for medicinal and alchemical use." Victor raised an eyebrow. "And why hasn''t anyone dealt with this yet?" Liu Shen sighed. "Because the cultivators in town demand a ridiculous fee for their services. Madam Zhou is not a rich woman, and no one wants to help without heavy compensation." Victor smirked. "So if I take care of this for free, I''ll look like a hero?" Liu Shen chuckled. "You''ll look like a fool to most. But... perhaps a fool with potential." Victor thought for a moment. He didn''t care about money right now¡ªhe just needed to test his new abilities and fulfill his system objective. "Alright, I''ll do it," Victor said. "Consider those pests eradicated." Liu Shen looked amused. "I admire your enthusiasm. Madam Zhou''s farm is located at the edge of town, near the river. If you truly wish to help, you''ll find her there." Just as Liu Shen finished speaking, Victor''s system lit up with a notification. --- System Notification: <[ You have accepted your first mission! ]> Mission: Clear out the spirit beasts from Madam Zhou''s farm. Difficulty: Low Reward: ??? --- Victor grinned. "Hell yeah. First mission." Liu Shen shook his head while watching Victor walk away with excitement. "What a brave young cultivator... oh well, I am sure he will be fine. He did come from the Hidden Valley, after all." --- ~ Madam Zhou''s Farm ~ Victor arrived at the farm within fifteen minutes. The fields stretched far, filled with rows of plants that emitted spiritual energy¡ªno wonder the spirit beasts were drawn to them. Standing at the entrance was a frazzled-looking woman with her gray-streaked hair tied back in a messy bun. Her expression was weary, but the moment she saw Victor approaching, hope flickered in her eyes. "Are you here to help?" she asked hesitantly. Victor gave a confident nod. "Fang Chen, at your service. Liu Shen sent me." Madam Zhou exhaled in relief. "Oh, thank heavens! Those wretched creatures have eaten nearly half my crop already! I tried hiring help, but the cultivators all demanded more than I could afford." Victor smirked. "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it." Just as he said that, a rustling sound came from the fields. Victor turned, his eyes narrowing. A moment later, three low-level spirit beasts emerged from the tall herbs¡ªWolffang Boars. These creatures were bulky with muscular bodies covered in bristling gray fur. They also had sharp tusks protruding from their jaws. Their eyes glowed faintly with spiritual energy, indicating that they weren''t just normal animals. Victor grinned. "Perfect. Time for a real test drive." He drew his sword while exhaling slowly. The first boar charged with incredible speed, kicking up dirt in its wake. Victor''s instincts kicked in immediately. Phantom Mirage Step. His feet blurred as his movement turned unpredictable. He sidestepped just as the boar lunged, leaving behind an afterimage that the beast plowed through. Madam Zhou gasped. "W-what was that?" Chapter 21: The Chase Victor didn''t answer. Instead, he pivoted on his heel and struck with his sword. Shadow Crescent Strike! A crescent-shaped arc of shadowy energy erupted from his blade, slicing clean through the first boar''s side. It howled in pain as its body got sent flying while one of its tusks was cleanly cut in two. A large gash appeared on its body as it collapsed and blood gushed out. The two remaining boars hesitated but quickly regained their aggression. They attacked together with their tusks clearly aimed at Victor as they rushed him from opposite sides. Victor grinned. "Alright, let''s see if I can handle two at once." He waited until the last second before activating Shifting Winds Arts and using his wind dash. His speed surged as his body moved like a leaf caught in the wind. He ducked under one boar''s swipe and leapt over the second with his body spinning twice in mid-air before landing behind them. "Too slow," Victor taunted. One of the boars turned on him as its eyes glowed red with rage. It lunged again, aiming its tusks for Victor''s chest. Victor flipped his sword and made a strong martial stance with his feet separated... Qi danced around his blade as he thrust forward. The tip of his blade pierced cleanly through the boar''s skull, causing it to come to a complete halt as blood spurted out like a fountain. The final boar hesitated, realizing it was outmatched. It let out a panicked grunt and bolted for the forest. "Oh no, you don''t," Victor muttered. He slashed his sword through the air¡ª"Shadow Crescent Strike." The crescent dark arc raced through the air and struck the boar from behind, cutting deep into its rear. It collapsed instantly, causing the farm to fall silent. Victor exhaled and took a proper stance as the system notification appeared while he sheathed his sword. --- System Notification: Mission Completed! You have successfully eradicated the spirit beasts. Reward: +10 Stat Points | +5% Mastery in Phantom Mirage Step | +5% Mastery In Shadow Crescent Strike --- Victor smirked. "Damn, I''m good." Madam Zhou''s expression shifted from awe to gratitude as she approached. "I... I don''t know how to thank you! That was incredible!" Victor dusted off his robes and smiled."No need for thanks, Madam Zhou. But if you ever need a cultivator again, you know where to find me." Another notification appeared in Victor''s line of sight, signaling that his real objective had been completed. --- System Notification: Objective Completed: Test Lingyun''s Martial Sword Techniques in real combat situations! Additional Rewards Earned: +2 Stat Points to all stats +5% Mastery in Shadow Crescent Strike Bloodline Unlocking Progress +7% --- He quickly pulled up his status window, scrolling to the section that displayed his hidden Void Emperor Bloodline. Bloodline Unlocking Progress: 32% Victor''s eyes widened. "Wait, this is actually moving up?" Up until now, the Void Emperor Bloodline had been nothing more than an unreadable placeholder in his stats. But now, it was growing¡ªunlocking bit by bit the more he fought and trained. He clenched his fists, feeling motivated; "Alright, let''s keep this going." Madam Zhou was still thanking him profusely, but Victor waved her off, telling her it was no big deal before making his way back toward town. He felt on top of the world. His first mission was a success. And what better way to celebrate than a drink at Chen Wen''s father''s inn? --- Victor strode through the lively streets of Lingyun Town. The feeling of victory made his steps lighter. The inn wasn''t far from here, and he was already imagining himself drinking in victory while rubbing his new accomplishment in Chen Wen''s face. However, just as he was passing through the bustling market district, he noticed something strange. People were whispering. Pointing. At him. Victor''s brows furrowed. "Huh?" He slowed his pace, glancing around. Shopkeepers exchanged wary glances. Passersby muttered under their breath before quickly turning away. Then, a young boy tugged at his mother''s sleeve. "Mom, isn''t that the boy the Qin family is looking for?" Victor''s stomach dropped. The Qin family? His gaze darted across the street, catching the sight of a group of cultivators dressed in crimson robes¡ªthe unmistakable insignia of the Qin family was embroidered on their sleeves. One of them locked eyes with him. "That''s him!" the disciple shouted while pointing directly at Victor. Victor felt every hair on his body stand on end. Oh, shit. Before he could even react, more crimson-robed figures emerged from the crowd, rushing toward him. --- System Notification: Warning: High-level cultivators detected! Enemies Identified: Qin Family Disciples (Qi Refining Realm Stage 5-7) Elder Qin Han (Nascent Soul Realm ¨C Mid Stage) --- Victor didn''t need a second warning. "Welp¡ª that escalated quickly," he muttered with a nervous chuckle before spinning on his heel and running for his life. The marketplace erupted into chaos as the Qin family disciples gave chase, knocking over carts and scattering civilians in their pursuit. Victor gritted his teeth as his Phantom Mirage Step activated on instinct, creating faint afterimages that made it harder for the pursuers to track him. "GET HIM!" one of them roared. Victor weaved through the crowd, jumping over crates, ducking through alleyways, and using every ounce of speed he had. The Qin family disciples rapidly closed the gap with their qi enhanced speed. "Catch him alive!" Qin Han''s voice thundered. "I want to break every bone in his body myself!" Victor glanced back and cursed under his breath. "These guys are fast!" Activating his Phantom Mirage Step again, Victor left behind an afterimage, momentarily confusing his pursuers before darting down a narrow alleyway. "Where''d he go?!" "He''s using some sort of movement technique¡ªdon''t let him escape!" Victor kept running as his heart pounded in his chest. "This is bad. Real bad." He made a sharp turn into another alley, but the overwhelming pressure of Qin Han''s cultivation level pressed down on him like a mountain. "I need a plan," Victor muttered while scanning his surroundings desperately. He spotted a rooftop and, with a deep breath, channeled his qi to leap onto it with surprising ease. As he landed on the roof, he took a moment to catch his breath. "Alright, Fang Chen, think... how do you get out of this one?" Chapter 22: Well... Thats New Victor wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Alright, Fang Chen, think... how do you get out of this one?" The answer didn''t come fast enough. One of the Qin disciples¡ªa lanky guy with an annoyingly smug expression¡ªspotted him and leapt onto the rooftop with qi swirling around him. "There h..." Before the disciple could alert the others, Victor''s instincts kicked in. Qi gathered around him as he spun and extended his palm. "Gale Strike!" A sharp blast of wind erupted from his hand, hurling the disciple backward like a ragdoll. The poor guy let out an undignified yelp before crashing through a nearby rooftop, disappearing in a shower of tiles and dust. Victor blinked. "Damn, didn''t know I had it in me." But the brief victory was short-lived. "He''s on the roof!" someone bellowed from below. "Oh, come on!" Victor groaned. Without wasting another second, he took off running, leaping from rooftop to rooftop like an adrenaline-fueled parkour master. He didn''t know why but since he began cultivating in game his body had really changed. He felt a lot more agile and could perform moves a normal person could only dream of. He felt like he was some sort of kung fu master... only that this wasn''t kung fu... this was a cultivation world. Victor''s footsteps echoed against the tiled surfaces, mingling with the furious shouts of the Qin disciples scrambling after him. Unfortunately, Victor wasn''t just being chased by angry grunts anymore. From above, Elder Qin Han descended like some vengeful deity. Victor glanced up with an horrified look."Oh, great. Grandpa Wrath has joined the party." Elder Qin Han''s cultivation aura bore down on him like an invisible mountain, making it harder to breathe with every passing second. Victor was having difficulty moving when a thought creeped into his mind. ''I could log out. Yeah, that''s it¡ªjust log out!'' He immediately tried accessing the logout interface, but... nothing happened. The log out option wasn''t working. "What the hell?!" Victor panicked, frantically trying again. Still nothing. His heart raced even faster, not from exertion this time but from pure, unfiltered terror. ''But last time I... wait... the last time I was in a situation like this, I didn''t log out myself.'' He thought back to when that other lunatic cultivator had been chasing him. ''I was yanked out because¡ª'' Then it hit him. His mom. She''d pulled the plug in real life. That''s what had saved him. Victor skidded to a halt on another rooftop with widened eyes. "Oh, shit. It wasn''t me logging out. It was Mom pulling the plug!" The realization hit him like a ton of spirit stones. A player couldn''t log out in a dire situation. They''d have to face it head on or wait for it to blow over. And then the second, even worse realization followed: It''s the weekend. "No school today," he whispered with a hollow voice. "Which means Mom has zero reason to pull me out of the game." He laughed hysterically... this was the kind of laugh that came from a man who knew he was about to die. "Guess I''m screwed!" Victor resumed fleeing even though the situation was hopeless. Elder Qin Han descended like a hawk as his aura came crashing down like a tidal wave. "You thought you could escape the Qin family?" His voice was like steel scraping against stone as he shot Victor a disdainful gaze. Victor forced a grin despite the suffocating pressure. "Escape? Nah. This was just... a strategic cardio session." Qin Han''s eyes narrowed; "Your jokes won''t save you now." His hand glowed with lethal qi as he extended his palm, forming a dark crimson sphere of destructive energy swirling with faint streaks of black. The air around it distorted, and the rooftops around Victor began to crack "This technique will cripple you," Qin Han sneered. "I lowered my strength so you won''t die... I want to hear your screams of agony!" Victor''s eyes widened. Crap. This isn''t just some regular attack. Summoning every ounce of focus, Victor gripped his sword tightly. Qi surged through his body, hotter and more volatile than ever before. If l''m going down, I''m taking you with me! "SHADOW CRESCENT STRIKE!" Victor poured every bit of his strength into the technique as he roared. His sword glowed with blinding energy which was more intense than anything he had produced before. <[ Momentary Heightened Shadow Crescent Mastery ]> <[ Martial Sword Technique Potency Increased by 60% ]> The blade couldn''t handle the overwhelming force¡ªit cracked and then shattered completely¡ªbut not before releasing a devastating crescent-shaped wave of dark shadowy energy. The two attacks collided mid-air BOOOOOOOM! A thunderous explosion rocked the entire surroundings, creating a shockwave that shattered nearby windows and sent debris flying in every direction. When the dust settled, Victor was on one knee, panting heavily with his shattered sword hilt still gripped in his trembling hand. The rooftop was a wreck and he had fallen through, but-he was still alive. Across from him, Elder Qin Han''s face twisted in disbelief as he hovered in mid air. "How...?" the elder muttered with a tone of shock. "You''re only at the Qi Refining Realm Stage 3... You shouldn''t be able to deflect that even though I lowered my attack strength." The Qin disciples below stared up in awe and confusion, whispering among themselves. Victor spat out some blood and grinned through it. "Yeah? Well, I''m special like that." Elder Qin Han''s shock quickly twisted into rage. "I''Il kill you myself!" Elder Qin Han lunged at him. Unfortunately, Victor didn''t have any ounce of strength left at this point and had used up all his Qi in that one attack so there was nothing he could do to stop the approaching figure. Victor clenched his teeth, bracing for the end. This was it. No miraculous logout. No mom to pull the plug. Just¡ª Suddenly, out of nowhere, a burst of petals exploded into the air. Victor''s eyes shot open. "Wait, what¡ª?" A feminine figure in flowing robes materialized amidst the swirling petals. She moved like the wind itself¡ªgraceful, effortless, and unbelievably fast. Before Elder Qin Han could get to him, she grabbed Victor by the arm, and in an instant, their bodies disintegrated into a flurry of delicate pink petals. Victor''s last coherent thought before everything blurred into a haze of color was: "Well... that''s new." Chapter 23: Bai Xue Victor gasped for air as the world finally stabilized around him. The swirling petals that had disintegrated his body moments ago slowly faded into the wind, leaving him standing on a grassy hill under a sky painted with streaks of orange and purple from the setting sun. The chaos of Lingyun Town was nowhere in sight. He turned to the mysterious figure who had saved him. She stood a few feet away and her face happened to be mostly obscured by a white veil that fluttered gently with the breeze. A conical hat sat atop her head, casting a shadow over her piercing silver eyes. Even with most of her face hidden, Victor could tell she was incredibly stunning¡ªand exuded an aura of quiet strength. Victor blinked, still struggling to catch his breath. "Okay... either I just died and this is heaven, or you''re the prettiest hallucination I''ve ever had." The woman didn''t respond to his joke. She simply turned and shot him a deep glare. "You''re reckless. That kind of foolishness will get you killed." Victor groaned while sitting up; "Yeah, well, reckless is kind of my thing." He rubbed the back of his neck, still catching his breath. "Okay... first off, thanks for the whole¡ªuh¡ªpetal teleportation thing. That was new." The woman didn''t respond right away. She simply gave him another brief stare before speaking. "You can''t go back to Lingyun Town," she stated. "You''ve made powerful enemies. The Qin family will never stop hunting you." Victor blinked, then chuckled dryly. "Yeah, I kinda picked up on that while running for my life. Thanks for the heads-up, though." She ignored his sarcasm. Victor sighed while glancing around at the unfamiliar landscape. "Okay, if I can''t go back... where exactly am I supposed to go? It''s not like I''ve got a map or GPS, lady." She turned slightly, shifting her gaze toward the horizon. "There''s a city to the northeast, under the rule of the Azure Ember Empire. You''ll be safe there... at least for a while." Victor raised an eyebrow. "Northeast? Alright, cool. How do I get there? Just follow the sunset or¡ª?" She faced him again. "You''ll need to journey through the Misguided Misty Paths, cross the Dark Canyon, traverse the Devil Forest, and climb the Qilin Frost Mountains before you reach the city." Victor''s grin slowly faded. "I''m sorry... the what now?" She repeated, completely unfazed, "The Misguided Misty Paths, the Dark Canyon, the Devil Forest, and the Qilin Frost Mountains." Victor stared at her with his mouth slightly open. "No, no, I heard you the first time. I just thought if you repeated it, it would sound less like a death wish." Her expression was hidden as she remained silent but she was probably unimpressed. Victor got to his feet. "Let me get this straight¡ªI''ve got to stroll through a haunted mist maze, leap over a canyon that probably screams at you, camp in a forest named after literal devils, and then hike up some frosty mountain named after a mythical beast. Did I miss anything? Maybe a lava pit or a dragon-infested swamp?" She tilted her head slightly. "No lava pits." Victor threw his hands in the air. "Oh, thank goodness for small mercies." After letting the sarcasm simmer in the air, he sighed. "Okay, but seriously, how safe is this route?" She answered without hesitation, "At your current cultivation level, you''ll likely die a gruesome death before you make it past the first location." Victor blinked slowly while staring at her. "...That''s reassuring. Thanks." She turned to leave with an indifferent demeanour. Victor''s mind raced. Wait, she''s just gonna leave? "Hey, wait!" His voice echoed in the open space as he called out. She paused but didn''t turn around. Victor swallowed. "What''s your name? And... why did you help me?" There was a brief silence before she finally turned her head slightly. "My name is Bai Xue. I''m Bai Ting Ting''s sister." Victor''s eyes widened slightly. She continued, "Bai Ting Ting says... thanks for sticking up for Chen Wen." With that, she leapt into the air and dissolved into a cascade of petals that drifted away with the breeze, leaving Victor standing there, utterly speechless. He stared at the spot where she vanished, processing everything. "So... that just happened." Victor plopped down on the grass with a look of fatigue. He let out a long sigh while staring at the distant horizon. "Okay, let''s recap." He held up a finger. "One: Can''t go back to Lingyun Town because the Qin family wants to murder me." Another finger. "Two: My only option is to trek through a death gauntlet to reach some city I''ve never heard of." Another finger. "Three: If I try, I''ll probably die horribly." He groaned before covering his face with his hands. "This game is getting way too realistic." Then he remembered something else¡ªsomething that made his stomach twist with frustration. "Lingyun''s spirit." He hadn''t finished his training. There were still powerful martial techniques he could''ve learned, skills that might''ve helped him survive all the nonsense ahead. Victor flopped onto his back, staring up at the darkening sky. "Do I risk going back for more training and probably get murdered, or do I risk venturing into the great outdoors and definitely get murdered?" He closed his eyes before letting out a dramatic sigh. "Man, I miss the days when the worst thing I had to deal with was failing my math test." After a few moments of silent contemplation, Victor sat up. His expression shifted from exhaustion to determination. "Well, screw it." He dusted himself off and stood. "If I''m going to die, I''d rather do it trying to be awesome than hiding like a coward." His gaze hardened as he looked toward the distant mountains, spotting the faint outlines of treacherous terrain awaiting him. "Misguided Misty Paths, huh?" he muttered before cracking his knuckles. "Let''s see how misguided they really are." And with that, Victor set off, walking straight toward what could only be described as a suicidal adventure¡ªbecause at this point, what did he have to lose? ''Perhaps I can return to this town when I''m stronger... then we''ll see who becomes the hunter and the Hunted...'' <[ New Quest Issued ]> <[ New Objective Unlocked ]> <[ Hidden Quest Successfully Completed ]> "Wait what...?" Chapter 24: Foundation Establishment Realm Victor had barely taken his first step toward the Misguided Misty Paths when his system interface lit up with multiple notifications in rapid succession. --- [New Quest Issued!] <[ Quest: Return to Lingyun Town after One Year. ]> - The town remembers. Your actions have already set events into motion. Return in a year and face the consequences¡ªor reap the rewards. [New Objective Unlocked!] <[ Objective: Survive the Misguided Misty Paths. ]> >> Danger Level: High << <[ Recommended Cultivation Level: Foundation Establishment Realm ¨C Early Stage ]> (Current Level: Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 4) <[ Warning: Entering before reaching the recommended level may result in instant death. ]> [Hidden Quest Successfully Completed!] <[ Hidden Quest: Confrontation with a Powerful Family & Successful Escape. ]> -You have survived a deadly encounter with one of the four great families of Lingyun Town. Few live to tell such a tale. Rewards Earned: +10 Stat Points +10% Mastery in Phantom Mirage Step +5% Mastery in Shadow Crescent Strike Bloodline Unlocking Progress +5% +50 Currency Gained --- Victor stared at the notifications in disbelief. "Hold up. Hidden quest? That was a hidden quest?!" He exhaled sharply. Man, if I knew that getting my ass nearly handed to me by Qin Han was an achievement, I would''ve acted even cooler while doing it. He quickly dismissed the pop-ups and pulled up his status interface to check his stats. --- [Status Panel] Name: Fang Chen Bloodline: Void Emperor (Unlocking Progress: 37%) Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 4 (10%) Martial Sword Techniques: Shadow Crescent Strike (Mastery: 40%) Phantom Mirage Step (Mastery: 45%) Cultivation Arts: Shifting Winds Arts (Mastery: 49%) Attribute Points Available: 17 --- Victor rubbed his chin. "Alright, let''s put these points where they count." He pulled up his sub-stats window, a more detailed breakdown of his physical and qi attributes. --- [Sub-Stats] Strength: 21 Agility: 26 Speed: 25 Endurance: 29 Perception: 30 Qi Control: 14 Constitution: 12 --- He focused on Agility (+3), Speed (+3), Strength (+3), Constitution (+2) and Qi Reserves (+4), feeling his body subtly adjust the moment he allocated the points. His limbs felt lighter, his breathing steadier, and there was a noticeable warmth in his core¡ªhis qi reserves had increased slightly. Victor clenched his fist and grinned. "Alright. That''s more like it." With his stats upgraded and his rewards claimed, he turned his attention back to the path ahead. ... ... About fifteen minutes later, the Misguided Misty Paths stretched before him. It was a winding trail that disappeared into thick, shifting fog. The mist moved unnaturally, curling and swirling like it had a mind of its own. Occasional whispers echoed from within¡ªfaint voices calling out, some familiar, some distorted. The entire place radiated an eerie, foreboding aura. Victor shuddered. "Yup. Definitely screams ''instant regret.''" Then he glanced back at his system''s recommendation. <[ Recommended Cultivation Level: Foundation Establishment Realm ¨C Early Stage ]> Current Level: Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 4 "...Yeah, nope. Not even gonna pretend I can handle this right now." He dropped down into a cross-legged position just before the entrance, shutting his eyes. "Looks like I''m gonna have to grind for a bit first." Taking a deep breath, he activated his cultivation method. Immediately, qi from the surrounding area began to flow toward him, gathering like a swirling vortex. His spiritual core pulsed, absorbing the energy and refining it within his meridians. Victor focused on stabilizing his qi flow, ensuring he didn''t rush the process. He knew that cultivation wasn''t just about accumulating energy¡ªit was about breaking past limits and refining the body and spirit. As he cultivated, the world around him dimmed and his senses sharpened. --- [System Notification] Cultivation Progress: Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 4 (10% ¡ú 30%) --- Victor smirked, but he didn''t get distracted. He remained fully immersed in the process, allowing his body to steadily draw in more qi. Time passed. An hour. Two hours. --- [System Notification] Cultivation Progress: Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 4 (30% ¡ú 70%) --- Victor could feel the energy accumulating within his body, pushing against his current limits. He gritted his teeth. Almost there... just a bit more. The air around him began to subtly shift as his qi reserves swelled, approaching the final threshold for a breakthrough. Suddenly¡ª --- [System Notification] Cultivation Breakthrough Imminent! Prepare for Advancement to Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 5! --- Victor''s entire body tensed as a surge of pure spiritual energy flooded his meridians. His qi network expanded, allowing for greater circulation. A faint glow surrounded his figure as his body adjusted to the next level. --- [System Notification] Breakthrough Complete! You have advanced to Qi Refining Realm ¨C Stage 5! --- Victor opened his eyes and his vision felt sharper than before. His muscles felt stronger while his qi flow felt smoother. But he wasn''t done yet. He closed his eyes again, diving deeper into cultivation. If he wanted to survive the Misguided Misty Paths, he had to push beyond all the stages of the Qi Refining Realm and step into Foundation Establishment. For the next few days, Victor remained in meditation. He absorbed every bit of qi he could from the environment, refining his core, strengthening his body, and fortifying his spirit. --- [Days Later...] Victor''s aura suddenly flared, sending a shockwave through the air. The ground around him cracked, and the wind picked up violently as his body began to change. --- [System Notification] Major Breakthrough Imminent! Prepare for Ascension to Foundation Establishment Realm! --- Victor gritted his teeth as his qi channels widened, allowing an entirely new level of energy to course through him. Then¡ªBOOM! A pillar of golden energy erupted from his body, shaking the land itself. --- [System Notification] Breakthrough Complete! You have ascended to Foundation Establishment Realm ¨C Early Stage! --- The moment Victor''s Foundation Establishment breakthrough was complete, his body trembled violently as an overwhelming surge of qi coursed through his veins. His meridians expanded and his very soul felt as though it had stepped into a higher state of existence. He barely had time to process it before¡ª His vision darkened. The world around him dissolved in an instant. The cool mountain breeze, the swaying trees, the quiet sound of nature¡ªall gone. Instead, an eerie silence wrapped around him like a suffocating blanket. Victor''s senses screamed in confusion. He felt weightless as if he had been tossed into an abyss. But then¡ª Wait... this place... The moment the darkness lifted, Victor recognized where he was. A familiar, mythical realm stretched out before him. The floating stone platforms. The endless horizon of swirling mist. The engraved patterns on the ground pulsed with ancient energy. His eyes widened in realization. "Holy shit... I''m back." Chapter 25: Back In Lingyuns Martial Realm Victor''s eyes widened in realization. "Holy shit... I''m back." This was the Lingyun Spirit Realm¡ªthe same mystical space he had entered back when he started training in Lingyun''s Martial Sword Techniques. But how? Victor instinctively looked down at himself. His body was fully intact¡ªhe wasn''t some ghostly projection or a fading mirage. His qi still pulsed strong within him, but there was a difference now. A weight settled in his chest. A pressure. Unlike before, when he had been merely a visitor, this time... it felt like he had been summoned here for a reason. And then, as if answering his thoughts¡ª The Spirit of Lingyun appeared. Victor froze as the robed figure materialized before him. The translucent warrior floated slightly above the ground with his long, white robes billowing as if moved by an invisible wind. His hollow and ancient eyes radiated a profound wisdom that seemed to pierce through time itself. Victor instinctively stepped back. "Uh, hey there, big guy... long time no see?" The spirit didn''t answer. Victor rubbed his temples before letting out a sigh. "Of course. Still on mute, huh?" Lingyun''s spirit raised his sword¡ªa massive, curved blade brimming with pure sword intent¡ªand without hesitation, he began demonstrating a new martial technique. Victor blinked in confusion. "Wait, wait, wait¡ªwhat is going on?" No response. The spirit continued moving in perfect smooth motions like a carefully choreographed dance. Victor''s face scrunched a bit. This wasn''t like last time when he had actively initiated his training. He had literally just broken through to Foundation Establishment, and somehow, this realm pulled him back in. He quickly opened his system interface, hoping to find some answers. And sure enough¡ª --- [System Notification: Special Event Triggered!] <[ Lingyun''s Martial Sword Techniques Progression Unlocked! ]> - Due to your breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Realm, you have unknowingly synchronized with the lingering will of Lingyun''s Spirit. [ You are now eligible to enter Lingyun Martial Realm at will ] [ Previous Learnt Technique: Shadow Crescent Strike (Mastered: 45%) ] [ Next Technique: ??? ] --- Victor''s eyes darted to the ??? section. A few seconds later, the blank name glitched and then transformed into golden text. --- [New Martial Sword Technique Unlocked!] [ Lingyun''s Third Technique: Phantom Moon Slash ] --- Victor felt a chill run down his spine. He had no idea how or why this happened, but the fact remained¡ªhis sudden breakthrough had directly connected him back to this realm. But what did that mean? Could he keep entering this realm from any location until he finished learning all of Lingyun''s Martial Sword Techniques? The thought both excited and terrified him. Victor shook his head. "Alright. No point freaking out now. If this place wants me to learn, I might as well get something out of it." He focused his gaze on the spirit, studying the intricate movements carefully. The Phantom Moon Slash was unlike the Shadow Crescent Strike. The other technique had been about concealing movement, creating an unpredictable crescent-shaped shadowy slash. This one, however, relied on deceptive speed and illusion. Lingyun''s sword left afterimages as it sliced through the air. The technique''s essence seemed to confuse the enemy, making it impossible to tell where the real attack would land. Victor watched intently, breaking down the movements into four distinct steps. Step One: Adjust breathing and footwork to shift unpredictably. Step Two: Infuse the blade with qi, building up momentum. Step Three: Swing at an unnatural angle to create a delayed illusion strike. Step Four: The real slash lands the moment the opponent reacts to the illusion. Victor whistled. "Damn. That''s sneaky. I like it, but my sword is all broken... meh if the realm isn''t pushing me out, it means I can still train with it..." His hands itched to try it. And so¡ªhe did. Taking a deep breath, he mimicked the spirit''s stance and began moving through the steps. The first few tries? Absolute garbage. He fumbled the stance, overcompensated the swing, and his qi flow was all over the place. Victor groaned while rolling his shoulders. "Alright, let''s try that again, but maybe without looking like an idiot." He adjusted his footing and tried again. And again. And again. With each repetition, his movements became sharper and cleaner. The concept of phantom speed started to make sense, and the illusion effect gradually began to take shape. After what felt like hours, Victor finally pulled off a proper Phantom Moon Slash. WHOOSH! The afterimage of his attack lingered in the air, and then¡ªa delayed strike exploded forward. He grinned. "Alright, now we''re getting somewhere." ... ... The Qin Family Elders'' Courtyard was filled with the crackling of incense and the occasional sound of shifting robes. A heavy tension loomed over the assembly of high-ranking Qin family elders, each seated in a semi-circle around a grand stone table. Lanterns illuminated their aged but fierce expressions as they discussed. At the head of the table sat Elder Qin Han with a dark look on his face. "How did he escape?" His voice carried an edge of barely contained fury. An older man with streaks of white in his hair, Qin Mo, coughed lightly. "Elder Qin Han, perhaps we should first assess what transpired before jumping to conclusions." A younger elder with sharp eyes and a narrow face, Qin Xian, leaned forward. "Witnesses saw it. That boy¡ªFang Chen or whatever name he goes by¡ªdeflected your attack." The gathering grew dead silent. The very idea was preposterous. Elder Qin Han was a formidable cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm, far above what a mere Qi Refining Stage brat should have been able to handle. And yet, Victor had managed to parry his attack¡ªnot perfectly, but enough to cancel it out. "An anomaly," one elder muttered. "Luck," another scoffed. But then Qin Mo cleared his throat. "The technique he used..." He hesitated while looking around. "Doesn''t it seem...familiar?" A few elders stiffened. "What do you mean?" Elder Qin Han''s gaze sharpened. Qin Mo''s eyes flickered. "That sword strike. The energy it carried. The movement. It bore resemblance to one of the lost techniques of Lingyun." The entire room fell into a hushed murmur. Chapter 26: The Misguided Misty Paths Qin Mo''s eyes flickered. "That sword strike. The energy it carried. The movement. It bore resemblance to one of the lost techniques of Lingyun." The entire room fell into a hushed murmur. "Impossible." "That''s absurd." "The Lingyun techniques were lost to time!" Elder Qin Xian scoffed. "The statue of Lingyun has never reacted to anyone¡ªnot even the most talented of our family''s sword cultivators. If someone could truly access it, wouldn''t we have unlocked it generations ago?" "Exactly," another elder added. "The statue remains dormant, sealed. It hasn''t responded to anyone in over two hundred years. Are you telling me some nobody from nowhere suddenly managed to unlock the realm of Lingyun?" Qin Mo''s expression remained firm. "And yet, the resemblance is undeniable." Elder Qin Han''s fingers tapped rhythmically against the stone table. "Find him." His voice was final, brooking no argument. The elders exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. "Send scouts." "If he truly unlocked something related to Lingyun, we must obtain it." Elder Qin Han''s expression darkened. "No matter what¡ªhe must not be allowed to leave this region alive." --- Meanwhile... Qin Fei strutted through Lingyun Town clad in fine silk robes as he soaked in the admiration of bystanders. He basked in the attention, knowing full well that word had already spread¡ªBai Ting Ting would soon be his bride. A group of sycophantic followers trailed after him, nodding enthusiastically at his every word. "Did you hear?" one said dramatically. "Young Master Qin Fei is about to unite the Qin and Bai families! An unmatched power couple!" "A perfect match! They''ll rule Lingyun Town together." Qin Fei smirked. This was what he deserved. Meanwhile, standing by a quiet alley, Chen Wen clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. His heart ached. Bai Ting Ting¡ªhis Ting Ting¡ªwas going to be married off. Forced into it. He wanted to run to her, to tell her that they could escape together, that they could run far away, but he knew it was impossible. The Bai family had once been powerful, but after years of decline, they had no choice but to seek protection. The Qin family''s offer was irresistible. Bai Ting Ting had no say in the matter. Chen Wen''s father, who had been standing beside him, sighed heavily. "Son... you have to let this go." "How can I?" Chen Wen''s voice cracked. His father placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Do you know what this means? If the Bai family merges with the Qin family, their power will be unmatched." His expression was grave. "If they weren''t arrogant before, now... they''ll be untouchable." Chen Wen swallowed hard as his fist trembled. He knew his father was right. Still... it hurt. The only silver lining was that no one knew who had saved Victor that night. The Qin family was desperately searching, but Bai Xue''s involvement remained a secret. That, at least, was something. --- Meanwhile, Outside Lingyun Town... Victor stepped into the Misguided Misty Paths with his gaze flickering across the ominous fog-covered landscape. The moment he entered, a system notification flashed before his eyes. --- [ You Have Entered The Misguided Misty Paths ] <[ Objective: Survive the Misguided Misty Paths ]> [ Warning: Visibility is heavily obscured ] [ Danger Level: High ] [ Threats: Illusionary Spirits, Qi Devouring Beasts, Spatial Distortions ] [ Estimated Survival Rate at Current Cultivation Level: 35% ] --- Victor exhaled. "Welp, I''m already regretting this." Despite his complaints, he wasn''t as worried as before. After all¡ªhe now had access to Lingyun''s Spirit Realm whenever he wanted. That meant he could train, learn, and improve his martial techniques without relying on external teachers. He clenched his fists. He was no longer helpless. But that didn''t mean this place wasn''t dangerous as hell. The fog moved unnaturally, shifting and curling around him as if it were alive. The path ahead seemed to stretch endlessly, yet the moment he turned around, he found that the path behind him had disappeared. His eyes narrowed. "So that''s how it is, huh?" The Misguided Misty Paths weren''t normal. They shifted, distorted, and twisted. If he lost focus¡ªeven for a second¡ªhe might never find his way out. A flicker of movement caught his eye. Something whispered. Victor''s breath hitched. From the depths of the mist, shadows began to form. Their hollowed-out eyes stared at him. Their distorted, shifting forms slithered closer. --- [System Alert!] You are being targeted by Illusionary Spirits! Resisting illusions requires high spiritual strength. Avoid losing yourself in hallucinations. --- Victor gritted his teeth and drew his broken sword. "Great," he muttered. "Ghosts. Exactly what I needed." The shadows lunged. Victor charged forward. The battle for survival had begun. Victor wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead as he trudged deeper into the Misguided Misty Paths. Shadows flickered just at the edge of his vision and darted away the moment he turned to face them. "Yeah, this place screams ''bad idea,''" he muttered while gripping his broken sword tightly. The lack of a proper weapon was already proving to be a problem. Every time he swung, the fragmented edge of his sword cut through the air without the sharpness he had grown accustomed to. It was like trying to carve through stone with a wooden spoon. Still, he pressed forward. His surroundings remained unchanging¡ªa sea of mist, broken only by scattered trees with twisted, skeletal branches. Occasionally, he heard something move in the distance, but every time he tried to pinpoint the sound, it vanished, like a mirage. Then, suddenly¡ª A shadow darted across his path. Victor instantly shifted into a ready stance. The fog parted slightly, revealing a humanoid figure cloaked in darkness. Its face was a void¡ªhollow, empty, except for two piercing white eyes that shone like dim stars. A System Notification flickered in his vision. --- [System Alert! You have encountered an Illusionary Spirit ] [ Warning: Physical attacks will not work ] [ Caution: This spirit preys upon the mind ] --- Victor cursed under his breath. ''So, what? I gotta outthink a ghost?'' He sucked in a deep breath and lunged forward before slashing with his broken sword. The fragmented blade sliced straight through¡ªbut there was no impact. No resistance. Just air. Victor''s eyes narrowed. The world around him flickered¡ªfor a second, he was still in the fog-covered path. But in the blink of an eye¡ª Everything changed. He was no longer in the Misguided Misty Paths. The sky was blue. The air smelled fresh, sweet and familiar. He turned and¡ª Home. He was standing in front of his family''s house Chapter 27: Qi Devouring Beast Victor was standing in front of his family''s house. His mother was at the doorstep, smiling warmly at him. His father sat on the porch, waving. Danny, Max, and Jake were standing outside, laughing. Victor felt his chest tighten. His mother''s voice drifted toward him. "Come inside, dear. We''ve been waiting for you." His feet moved on their own. He reached the door. His hand rose to knock. Something in the back of his mind screamed, This isn''t real. But his heart felt like it was. As he reached for the doorknob¡ª A whisper in his ear. "Wake up." His eyes widened. The illusion shattered. <[ Your Spiritual Energy Has Successfully Resisted The Illusion ]> The comforting warmth of home dissolved into a cold, harsh reality. He was still in the Misguided Misty Paths, and the Illusionary Spirit was inches from his face with its hollow eyes boring into him. Victor roared and swung his sword wildly. This time, a surge of qi erupted from his body, shattering the spirit''s form like glass. It let out a piercing wail, then disintegrated into nothingness. Victor collapsed to his knees while panting. "Okay. That sucked. Not doing that again." He forced himself up. The Misty Paths weren''t just hiding threats¡ªthey were actively trying to break him. He moved forward, keeping his guard up as he walked past a tree with scar like mark on its trunk. Victor walked. And walked. And walked. His gut told him he had covered a ridiculous distance. But then¡ª He saw something familiar. A crooked tree with a scar-like mark on its trunk. His brow furrowed. Then he saw another landmark¡ªa fallen boulder with deep cracks. His stomach dropped. He had already passed these places. He had been here before. His face darkened. "No, no, no¡ªI walked in a straight line. I KNOW I did." But the mist swirled around him mockingly, like it was laughing. Something was twisting his sense of direction. Victor gritted his teeth. "Alright, time to cheat." He took a deep breath and activated Shadow Crescent Strike. A wave of condensed shadowy energy erupted from his broken blade, slicing forward like a crescent moon. For the first time¡ª The mist parted. For a brief moment, he could see his surroundings clearly. His eyes widened. The ground wasn''t normal. It was covered in circular stone platforms, subtly spinning beneath him. They rotated in perfect synchronization, sending him back to the same point over and over. Victor stared at them, dumbfounded. "This is a giant treadmill?!" Now that he saw through the trick, he jumped. The moment his feet left the ground, the spinning platforms lost their control over his direction. He dashed forward, leaping between stable points. He escaped the loop. Victor grinned. "Nice try, Misty Paths. But I''m smarter than I look... sometimes..." Days passed. Victor had lost track of time again. The mist was thinning now¡ªhe could feel himself approaching the exit. But his instincts told him to stop. Something was wrong. The air felt heavy. The qi around him... was vanishing. Victor''s body stiffened as a massive shadow slithered out of the fog. A massive ten feet reptilian beast emerged¡ªa Qi Devouring Beast. A System Alert flashed. --- [ WARNING! You have encountered a Qi Devouring Beast! ] [ Threat Level: High ] [ Warning: This beast drains all qi within its vicinity! Avoid using qi-based attacks ] --- Victor''s stomach dropped. His mind screamed one crucial fact¡ª He couldn''t use qi against this thing. Cultivators knew that Qi Devouring Beasts were nightmares incarnate but Victor was just coming to find that out. They didn''t just suppress cultivation¡ªthey fed on it. Using martial techniques or qi-based attacks would only make it stronger. Victor tightened his grip on his broken sword. "Welp," he muttered. "I''m so screwed." Victor ran. His feet pounded against the uneven ground of the Misguided Misty Paths, kicking up loose dirt and mist as he desperately fled. The Qi Devouring Beast enormous body scaled through the fog with unnatural speed as it chased after him. Victor risked a glance back¡ªand immediately regretted it. The beast was gaining on him. He could hear the deep growls and wet sound of its maw snapping shut just inches behind him. He gritted his teeth. I need more speed¡ª In a panic, he activated Wind Dash. Qi burst through his meridians, boosting his movement as a sudden gust of air propelled him forward. For a moment, he thought he might have a chance. Then¡ª A horrible sensation washed over him. His Qi reserves plummeted. Like an invisible vacuum, the beast sucked the very essence of his energy away, draining him at a terrifying pace. His vision blurred and his limbs turned heavy as his sprint slowed to a stumbling jog. And the worst part? The Qi Devouring Beast only grew faster and stronger as it feasted on his energy. Victor''s heart plummeted. "Oh, come on! That''s just unfair!" He tried to stop using qi, but by then, it was too late. The beast was right behind him. Before he could react, a massive claw slammed into his back, sending him spiralling across the air. The wind left his lungs as he hit the ground hard and rolled violently across the uneven terrain. His ribs felt like they had caved in. He barely had time to process it before the beast was on him. Victor forced himself up while gripping his broken sword and slashing wildly. He managed two strikes before his Qi completely ran dry. "Shit!" The beast''s maw opened wide, and before he could even try to react¡ª It ripped him to shreds. <[ You Have Died ]> --- [ Respawn... ] Victor gasped as his eyes snapped open. He was back. Not far from where he had died. The thick mist of the Misguided Misty paths rolled around him and the low growls of the beast echoed in the distance. Victor clutched his head. "...Oh, you''ve gotta be kidding me." It had been quite some time since he last died in Ascendant Realms. He had forgotten the feeling. He glanced around. He still had his broken sword, his stats hadn''t changed, and¡ªthankfully¡ªhe only lost a few percentage of progress in his cultivation. But that wasn''t the problem. The problem was that no matter what he did, the Qi Devouring Beast was going to kill him if he encountered it again. He internally decided that he was going to avoid it. Victor sighed heavily. "Alright, let''s try this again." Chapter 28: I Will Seize That Game! Victor tried everything. He took a detour to avoid the beast. It still found him. He tried fighting it again. Same result. Death! He even tried climbing a tree. The Qi Devouring beast just knocked the damn tree down. No matter what he did¡ªhe always encountered the beast. And every time, it killed him. Again. And again. And again. Until eventually¡ª Victor gave up. He sat down in the fog, staring blankly at the shifting mist. He had lost count of how many times he had died. Six? Seven? Ten? Twenty? He honestly didn''t care anymore. Then, to his own surprise¡ªhe started laughing. Like a man on the brink of insanity. "This... is ridiculous." He shook his head. "This is just crazy... I hate this game!" The mist swirled around him as if mocking him. He let out a sigh. Then, an idea hit him. A crazy, stupid, ridiculous idea. ''What if I tried that?'' His eyes narrowed in thought. And yet¡ª It just might work. --- Two hours later, Victor stood before the Qi Devouring Beast once more. This time, he was calm. This time, he was prepared. The beast let out a low growl as its monstrous yellow eyes locked onto him. Victor smirked. "Alright, ugly. Round twelve. Let''s dance." The beast lunged. Victor turned and ran. But this time, it was different. Instead of fleeing at full speed, he maintained a steady pace, just fast enough to stay barely out of reach. And more importantly¡ªhe released just enough Qi for the beast to track him, but not drain him completely. The beast roared in frustration, pushing itself harder, but never quite catching him. Victor started picking up small rocks, branches, anything he could find¡ªand threw them at the beast. "Hey, big guy! You suck!" He chucked a stone. "Come on, try harder!" He threw another one. "Are you even trying?!" The beast snarled as its eyes burned with rage. It was getting angry. Perfect. Victor kept the pattern going, leading it through the mist. Minutes passed. Then¡ªhis speed slowed. On purpose. He let himself appear tired and vulnerable. The beast took the bait. It lunged forward, going for the kill. And in that moment¡ª Victor activated Phantom Mirage Step. His body flickered, splitting into multiple afterimages that scattered in different directions. The beast phased straight through them. And then¡ª It fell. A massive hole covered by large leaves, opened beneath it. The beast let out a deafening roar as it plunged into the pit, crashing to the bottom with a thunderous impact. Victor stood at the edge, panting heavily. The beast snarled and thrashed, trying to leap out¡ª But Victor was already rolling a giant boulder toward the opening. With one final push, he sent it tumbling down. The rock crashed into the hole, sealing the beast inside. A long silence followed. Victor wiped the sweat from his brow. Then, slowly¡ªa grin stretched across his face. "...It actually worked." He started laughing. "IT ACTUALLY WORKED!" Victor had spent the last two hours digging that pit and thanks to his cultivation level, he was able to make it deep enough to prevent the beast from easily escaping. The final phase of the plan was to seal it in with a boulder or it would eventually escape. Fortunately the plan worked. He could finally leave the Misguided Misty Paths. ... Minutes later, Victor stumbled forward as his feet dragged over the final stretch of rocky ground before him. His body felt a little sore, but¡ª He was out. The moment he stepped past the threshold of the Misguided Misty Paths, the eerie, fog-ridden landscape vanished behind him, swallowed by the unnatural mist. What lay ahead was breathtaking. An endless expanse of clear, open land stretched before him, bathed in the soft glow of an early morning sky. The rolling green fields were dotted with vibrant wildflowers, and a distant river shimmered beneath the sun. Mountains stretched far beyond the horizon with their snow-capped peaks piercing the clouds. A cool breeze rushed past him, carrying the fresh scent of earth and water. The difference between this peaceful world and the hellscape he had just escaped was so sharp that Victor nearly dropped to his knees in sheer relief. Then¡ª Ding! --- <[ System Notification: You have successfully crossed the Misguided Misty Paths! ]> Rewards Earned: . +5000 wisps of Qi . +10 Stat Points . Unique Trait: Fog Resistance (Grants mild immunity to illusions) . Mystic Treasure Chest (Low-Tier) --- Victor blinked. "Wait... a treasure chest? Hell yeah!" Another notification followed. --- [Progress Tracker] Three Routes to the Next Region: ? Misguided Misty Paths - Crossed ? Dark Canyon - Not Crossed ? Devil Forest - Not Crossed --- Victor frowned at the remaining two challenges ahead. "Oh yeah, that sounds inviting. Super cozy." But he had no time to think about it now. Because suddenly¡ªvoices filled his ears. "Dude turned to a statue..." "It stinks in here." Only, these voices weren''t from the game. [ Logging Out Of Ascendant Realms... ] Victor''s eyes snapped open. He was back in his room¡ªhis VR helmet was still strapped tightly to his head. But something was off. For one, he wasn''t alone. "...Holy hell, he''s ALIVE." "That boy has been in there for TWO days." Victor blinked in confusion while sitting up abruptly to find two very familiar faces looming over him¡ªJake and chubby Max. The moment he made eye contact with them, they jumped back dramatically like they had just seen a corpse reanimate. "Bro, we thought you DIED," Jake exclaimed while throwing his arms in the air. Max crossed his arms and nodded sagely. "Yeah, we were already planning your funeral." Victor rubbed his eyes groggily. "The hell are you two doing in my room?" Jake pointed at the door. "Your mom let us in. We told her you''ve been missing in action since Friday." Victor raised an eyebrow. "And?" Max dramatically threw himself onto Victor''s bed. "And, it''s literally SUNDAY, my dude!" Victor blinked. "...Huh?" Jake nodded aggressively. "Yeah. Sunday. As in, the day after Saturday. As in, you''ve been gaming for over 48 hours straight." Victor''s stomach growled loudly. The three of them paused. Then Victor sighed. "Welp. That explains why I feel like I''m dying." He bolted out of bed, racing for the kitchen. His friends exchanged looks before following after him. By the time Victor started inhaling food, his mother was already on his case. "You are going to make yourself sick, Victor!" she scolded with folded arms as she watched him scarf down a sandwich like it was the first meal he''d seen in a year. "I''m fine, Mom," Victor tried to say, but it came out muffled with bread and meat still in his mouth. His mother wasn''t having it. "No, you are NOT fine," she snapped. "You''ve been locked in your room since Friday! I thought you were studying, but no! You were playing that damn game your father got you!" Victor swallowed his food, then gave his best charming smile. "To be fair, I WAS learning things. Cultivation techniques. Very educational." His mother narrowed her eyes. "Victor Revenant, if you do NOT start playing in moderation, I WILL seize that game and lock it away." Chapter 29: Youre About To Regret This Victor''s soul left his body. "WHAT?! Mom, no! This is a cruel and unusual punishment!" Max and Jake, who were both stuffing their faces with snacks, just watched the show unfold. His mother gave him a stern look. "Then moderate yourself. Or else." Victor sighed dramatically before slumping back in his seat. "Fine, fine. I''ll be good." His mom gave him one last warning glance, then left the room. Jake snickered. "Damn, bro. You almost got grounded in real life." Victor groaned while rubbing his face. "You don''t understand. If she takes that game away, my cultivation dreams are OVER." Max who was still chewing, suddenly sat up. "Hold up. Speaking of dreams, did you forget what day it is?" Victor frowned. "Uhhh... Sunday?" Jake smacked him upside the head. "No, dumbass! It''s Daniel''s party!" Victor''s brain stalled. "...Oh." Jake facepalmed. Max sighed. "Bro, this is why you need to leave your room at least once a day." Victor raised a finger. "Technically, I left my room. In-game." Jake threw a potato chip at him. "DOESN''T COUNT." Victor sighed while pushing his plate away. "Wait, so where''s the party?" Max looked down at his phone. "Some fancy secluded location. I think it''s one of those cool hideout spots only the popular kids know about." Victor frowned. "Since when was Daniel the ''popular kid''?" Jake shrugged. "Since he awakened. That dude went from loser to legend overnight." Victor leaned back while rubbing his chin. "Damn. It''s like a bad anime cliche?." Max nodded. "Yeah. And somehow, we''re the side characters." Victor sighed. "Welp. I guess it''s time to make an appearance." He stood up, stretching. But in the back of his mind¡ªall he could think about was getting back into the game. --- Victor, Max, and Jake walked side by side with the city lights flickering behind them as they made their way to the party''s secluded location. The streets were dimly lit since it was evening with only the occasional hover-bike zipping past, leaving behind trails of luminescent blue. Victor stretched his arms and yawned. "So, tell me again, why are we going to this thing?" Jake rolled his eyes. "Because, Victor, it''s the party. And because Danny''s already there waiting for us." Max nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and also because we have literally no social life. This is our one chance to pretend we do." Victor snorted. "Speak for yourself. I have a thriving social life... in Ascendant Realms." Jake gave him a blank stare. "That. Doesn''t. Count." Victor smirked. "Tell that to my cultivation level." As they rounded the corner, the distant thrum of heavy bass vibrated through the air. The closer they got, the more wild and chaotic the scene became. The party spot was tucked between abandoned industrial buildings, far from any surveillance drones or nosy adults. The perfect place for teenagers to break every rule imaginable. And break them, they did. The entire area was lit up with neon strips, casting a blue-purple glow over the dancing students. Music blasted from hovering speakers, sending tremors through the air. Girls strutted around in short skirts, crop tops, or tight dresses with their hair done up in ways no one had ever seen at school. Guys wore jackets over ripped jeans, or sometimes no shirts at all, flexing whatever muscle they had. Victor and the boys stopped at the entrance, taking it all in. "...Bro," Jake whispered. "...Bro," Max echoed. Victor whistled. "So this is what people actually look like when they''re not drowning in school uniforms." Jake elbowed him. "Look at the girls, man. Why do they look ten times hotter outside of school?" Max, who was already sweating, gulped. "I swear I saw Laura Benson walking around earlier, and dude... she glowed." Victor smirked. "Yeah? And you plan on talking to her?" Max immediately panicked. "What?! No! I''ll die!" Victor laughed. "Classic Max." They were still in disbelief about the state of the environment when a loud cheer erupted from one side of the party. "DANNY! DANNY! DANNY!" Victor turned to see their best friend Danny at the center of the crowd. And of course, the big guy was showing off. Danny stood shirtless with his muscular frame on full display and veins popping from his biceps as he lifted a long metal pole. But that wasn''t the crazy part. Two girls were hanging onto both ends of the pole, giggling and shrieking as Danny curled the entire thing up and down like it was nothing. Victor''s jaw dropped. "What. The. Hell." Jake slapped his forehead. "This guy went full Berserker Mode in two weeks." Max sighed dramatically. "We''ve lost him to the dark side. The cool side." Danny spotted them mid-rep and immediately grinned. "HEY! Get over here, losers!" Victor and the boys pushed through the crowd to reach him. The moment they did, Danny dropped the pole, causing both girls to shriek as they clung to it for dear life. "Oops," Danny chuckled. "Forgot you guys were still on that." Victor rolled his eyes. "Nice one, Hercules." Danny slapped Victor''s back so hard that Victor nearly went flying. "Dude! Where the hell have you been?" Danny laughed. "Max and Jake were saying you disappeared off the face of the planet." Victor smirked. "Not off the planet. Just... you know. Another world." Danny snorted. "Lemme guess. That cultivation game?" Victor grinned. "Bingo." Max leaned over. "I''m telling you, something''s weird about that game." Before they could continue, a new voice cut through the music. "Alright, who''s ready to party?" A loud cheer erupted as Daniel¡ªthe host¡ªarrived. Daniel strutted onto a makeshift elevated platform, throwing his arms in the air like a celebrity. Victor groaned. "Oh great. This guy." Daniel was the kind of guy who always had something to prove. And now that he was an Awakened, he had a lot more confidence than he should. He clapped his hands together. "Glad to see everyone''s enjoying the party! Keep drinking, keep dancing, and most importantly¡ª" he pointed dramatically¡ª "don''t get caught." The crowd laughed. Danny leaned over. "Man, this guy''s acting like he''s running for president." Victor smirked. "More like king of the douchebags." Daniel''s eyes scanned the crowd¡ªand then locked onto Victor. His smirk widened. "Well, well. Look who decided to show up." Victor raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Me?" Daniel stepped forward. "Yeah, you. Victor Revenant." Victor''s face went blank. "Uh. Do I know you?" A few people laughed. Daniel''s eye twitched. "You don''t remember?" he voiced with a slightly mocking tone. "You used to run your mouth about me all the time." Victor scratched his head. "Did I?" Danny leaned over and whispered, "You probably did." Victor sighed. "Figures." Daniel smirked. "Well, guess what? I''m an Assassin Class Awakened now. And you? You''re still a nobody." Victor''s lips curled. "Damn, bro. That sounded really personal." The crowd oohed. Daniel''s smile twitched. "How about this? Let''s see how much of a joke you are. I challenge you." Victor tilted his head. "To what? A battle of wits? ''Cause I already won." The crowd laughed again. Daniel scowled. He clapped his hands, and a screen projected in mid-air, showing a list of physical challenges. "Since you''re not an Awakened," Daniel said smugly, "let''s see if you can even keep up in one of these." The screen flickered through different options¡ª ¡ñ Push-Up Challenge ¡ñ Grip Strength Test ¡ñ Speed Dash ¡ñ Reflex Test Daniel grinned. "Take your pick." Victor smirked. "Alright. But let me warn you... You''re about to regret this." Chapter 30: Reflex King The moment Victor picked Reflex Test, Daniel laughed¡ªhard. "Are you serious?" Daniel shook his head as his cocky smirk widened. "You''re challenging me, an Assassin Class Awakened, in reflexes? My guy, this is literally what I do." The crowd murmured in disbelief. Assassins were built for agility, speed, and stealth¡ªall things that directly translated to reflex-based prowess. Victor simply grinned while cracking his knuckles. "Hey, I just thought I''d give you a fair fight. You seem like you need one." A few people in the crowd chuckled, while others gasped. Daniel''s smirk twitched slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Alright then, let''s do this. Don''t cry when you lose." The tech operators set up the Reflex Test Challenge, activating a floating holographic platform. A metallic drone-like device hovered above them, loaded with small, glowing projectiles that looked like knobs. One of the operators, who was also a student named Miles, spoke through the speaker. "Alright, listen up. This test measures reaction speed, dodging ability, and adaptability. Projectiles will be launched at increasing speeds. The goal is simple: Don''t get hit or catch the projectiles if you can. Last man standing wins." The crowd cheered, hyping up Daniel. Jake leaned over to Danny. "Dude, is Victor actually serious?" Danny crossed his arms and stared at Victor curiously. "He''s either the dumbest person I know... or he knows something we don''t." Max sighed dramatically. "Either way, it''s gonna be a disaster." --- The first projectiles shot forward, moving at moderate speed¡ªnothing crazy. Victor and Daniel both dodged easily, stepping aside with effortless movements. The crowd clapped, but no one was too impressed yet. Daniel yawned. "Wow, this is sooo hard," he mocked. Victor smirked. "Don''t hurt yourself now. We''re just getting started." The second set of projectiles sped up, shooting in quick bursts. They moved at thirty feet per second. Daniel sidestepped gracefully and even snatched one out of the air with a flick of his wrist. Victor, on the other hand, moved instinctively, ducking and zig-zagging through them like he had eyes in the back of his head. He wasn''t even thinking¡ªhis body just reacted. The crowd murmured in surprise. "Yo, did Victor just dodge that like it was nothing?" "Was that luck... or is he actually good?" Danny narrowed his eyes as he watched closely. Something was off. Victor was moving too smoothly¡ªalmost like a trained fighter. Daniel scoffed. "Lucky break. Let''s go to the next round." Now, the projectiles blurred¡ªthey were fast. The holographic scoreboard displayed the speed of the projectiles to be around sixty feet per second. Daniel activated Shadow Flicker, a movement technique that let him phase-step between dodges. His body moved in an elegant, ghostly blur, avoiding each projectile with barely an effort. The crowd cheered loudly. "That''s an Assassin for you!" "Haha, Victor''s done now!" Meanwhile, Victor simply locked in. The moment he focused, everything slowed down. It was almost instinctual. Wait... what the hell? Even though the projectiles were moving at insane speed, he could see them coming, like he was watching a replay in slow motion. His body moved on its own. He dodged left. Leaned right. Jumped back. Not a single projectile touched him. And when the last two shot forward at blinding speed¡ª Victor caught them. With his bare hands. The entire party went dead silent. Then¡ª "WOOOOOAHHHH!!" The crowd erupted in cheers. "HE JUST CAUGHT THEM!" "DID YOU SEE THAT?! HOLY SHIT!" "How the hell did a non-awakened do that?!" Daniel, who had been watching smugly, felt his stomach drop. That... wasn''t possible. Victor casually tossed the projectiles away before blowing on his fingers dramatically. "Whew. That was fun. Your turn, Danny-boy 2." The pressure was on. Daniel clenched his fists. ''Alright, alright. He got lucky. I just have to¡ª'' The final round began. The projectiles came at a speed of two hundred feet per second. Daniel dodged the first two. They whizzed past him and rammed into the wall on the other end, burrowing deep into it. Some of the students turned to look at the holes with widened eyes. "That''s fast..." But then¡ª The third one came and it was too fast for Daniel... His shoulder got clipped, causing him to lose balance slightly. Before he could get his bearings, a fourth slammed into his chest. Before he could even process what was happening, the final fifth shot struck him right in the gut, knocking him back. "Watch how it''s done..." Victor stated before jumping onto the platform. As the first wave of projectiles shot toward him¡ª A sudden gust of wind burst around his feet. His entire body flickered, and in the blink of an eye, he left afterimages across the platform. The crowd gasped. "WHAT THE HELL¡ª?!" In reality, Victor had used Wind Dash. With incredible speed, he danced through the storm of projectiles like a leaf caught in a storm. His form became a blur, dodging at angles no normal person could react to. To everyone else, it looked impossible. To Victor¡ªit felt natural. ''Damn. I didn''t even think about using Wind Dash... my body just moved on its own.'' As the final two projectiles hurtled toward him, he did a front flip and twisted in mid-air before snatching them both out of the air effortlessly. Silence. Then¡ª BOOM! The crowd erupted. "HOLY SHIT, DID YOU SEE THAT?!" "DID HE JUST VANISH?!" "THAT WASN''T NORMAL, MAN!" Even Danny, Max, and Jake were speechless. Danny stared at Victor like he had grown a second head. "Okay. Yeah. You''re a late Awakener." The holographic scoreboard flashed. --- Winner: Victor Revenant! --- The crowd went wild. Danny burst out laughing. "VICTOR, YOU MADMAN!" Jake and Max screamed like fangirls. Daniel, on the other hand, just stood there. Stunned. His face burned as whispers spread through the crowd. "Damn, Daniel lost to Victor?" "How the hell did that happen?" "That was an Assassin-level test. How is Victor that fast?" Victor grinned from ear to ear as he stepped up. "Hey, good effort, man. Maybe next time, huh?" "Y-You¡ª" Daniel gawked at him. He wanted to say something¡ªwanted to come up with an excuse. But he had nothing. Victor walked away, soaking in the moment. Just as he was enjoying the attention, a familiar voice spoke up. "You really don''t stop surprising people, do you?" Victor turned¡ªand there she was. Amara Blake. His goddess. Chapter 31: Hanging With Amara She stood there, looking as breathtaking as ever with her long silky chestnut hair falling effortlessly over her shoulders. Tonight, she wore a black dress that hugged her curves a little too perfectly. Her broad chest bounced slightly as she shifted on her heels with a slight smirk on her face. Victor swallowed. ''Oh... I''m so dead.'' "Uh. Hey, Amara," he voiced softly, trying to keep his cool. She tilted her head. "Your reflexes were insane just now. Since when were you that fast?" Victor chuckled. "Oh, you know. Been doing some, uh, secret training." Amara raised an eyebrow. "Secret, huh?" She smirked before leaning in slightly. "Well, whatever it is, it worked. You were cool." Victor''s brain blue-screened. ''Did she just call me... cool?'' Before he could say something dumb, she spoke again. "Derek didn''t come to the party. So... mind keeping me company?" Victor''s soul ascended. "YES. I mean¡ªyeah, sure, totally, no problem." Amara giggled, and just like that, Victor followed her towards a secluded spot. ... ... Victor leaned back against the rooftop railing, sipping on a drink as he watched the party unfold below. The lights flickered, the music pulsed, and the air smelled like expensive cologne and rebellion. But none of that mattered. Because Amara Blake was standing right beside him. ''Holy crap. This is real life.'' She turned to him while tilting her head slightly. "You know, I never really pegged you as the type to come to these kinds of parties." Victor smirked. "Oh? And what type did you peg me as?" She let out a soft chuckle. "I don''t know... more of a ''stay home and play video games'' type." Victor placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "Wow. That''s offensive. I''ll have you know I''m a man of many interests. Gaming is just one of them." Amara raised an eyebrow with a look of amusement. "Oh yeah? Like what?" Victor thought for a second. "Uh... making people laugh. Eating. Sleeping. Giving people life-changing wisdom when they least expect it. And let''s not forget¡ªdodging responsibilities like a pro." Amara laughed while shaking her head. "You really are something else, Victor." He grinned. "Glad you think so. Would''ve sucked if you found me boring." She took a sip of her drink and then looked out at the party. "I think boring is the last word I''d use to describe you." Victor felt a surge of victory. ''Alright, alright. I''m in.'' They stood in comfortable silence for a moment as the night breeze kissed their skin. Then Amara sighed. Victor glanced at her. "Alright, I know that sigh. That''s the ''I''m about to get deep but I don''t know if I should'' sigh." She smirked. "Oh? You can read me now?" Victor grinned. "I''ve got skills. Comes with being the Victor Revenant." She let out a small laugh before falling quiet again. Then, she spoke. "Derek and I got into an argument the other day." Victor blinked. "Oh?" She exhaled before swirling the drink in her cup. "He says I overthink things too much. That I worry about things that don''t really matter." Victor frowned. "That... sounds like a pretty broad statement. What exactly were you overthinking?" She hesitated for a moment before answering. "People''s expectations of me. The way they see me. The way I have to be. It''s like... no matter what, I''m always ''Amara Blake, the hot girl, the dream girl.'' But what if I don''t always want to be that?" Victor listened carefully. She continued in a much quieter voice. "It''s not that I don''t like attention... I just hate that sometimes it feels like people aren''t actually seeing me. Like they just see... the surface." Victor stayed silent for a moment before responding. "I get it." She looked at him in surprise. "You do?" Victor nodded before leaning forward on the railing. "Everyone wants to be seen for who they really are, not just the version of them that other people like best." Amara''s eyes softened. Victor continued. "People love to put each other in boxes. You? You got put in the ''perfect, untouchable, dream girl'' box. Me? I got put in the ''class clown, never serious'' box. But people are always more than one thing." She stared at him in a new light. Victor met her gaze. "You don''t want to just be ''Amara Blake, the girl guys drool over.'' You want someone to see Amara, the person. And I think that''s fair." Amara blinked. Then¡ªshe smiled. "Wow," she said. "You actually... get it." Victor smirked. "Hey, I told you¡ªI give life-changing wisdom when people least expect it." She chuckled while shaking her head. "You really surprised me, you know that?" Victor raised an eyebrow. "Why? Did you think I was just some shallow jokester?" She shrugged playfully. "I mean... kind of." Victor gasped before placing a hand over his heart. "How dare you. My depth is unfathomable. My wisdom? Infinite." Amara laughed. "Alright, alright, I get it. You''re more than just a jokester." Victor grinned. "Damn right." She sighed again, but this time, it sounded lighter. "I guess I''m not sure everyone ever really sees me sometimes. But... you''re different." Victor leaned back. "I think everyone has more than just one side to them. It''s just... not everyone is willing to look deeper." She tilted her head slightly, studying him. "Yeah. I think you might be right." For a moment, they just looked at each other. Then Amara smiled and bumped her shoulder against his playfully. "I like talking to you, Victor." Victor gave her a lopsided grin. "Well, lucky for you, I''m very available for deep conversations and premium-grade banter at a low price of just $0.099." She chuckled. "Good to know." ¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö (( The Next Morning )) Victor woke up feeling like a king. His mind was still blissfully foggy from the events of last night¡ªthe party, the challenge, the cheers, and most importantly... Amara Blake. For the first time in his life, she chose to hang out with him. Victor stretched as a lazy grin spread across his face¡ª Then his eyes snapped open. His VR helmet was still in his hands. "...Wait." He sat up abruptly, looking at his surroundings. His room was exactly as he left it¡ªexcept for the pile of clothes he had carelessly tossed aside before collapsing onto his bed. ''Did I... not log into Ascendant Realms last night?'' Chapter 32: What Did You Awaken As? ''Did I... not log into Ascendant Realms last night?'' The realisation hit him hard. For two whole days, he had practically lived inside the game. But last night, after getting home from the party... He passed out. "...Makes sense," he muttered while rubbing his temples. "I technically haven''t slept in two days." He groaned and then stretched his limbs before flopping back onto his bed. "Dammit. That means I wasted an entire night." But just as he was about to lament about his lost cultivation time, his phone buzzed. Victor grabbed it and squinted at the bright screen. A message notification popped up. Amara Blake: "You were cool last night. Had fun." A second message followed. Amara Blake: "See you in school. ????" Victor''s brain completely shut down as he stared at his phone. The prettiest girl in school. Amara Blake. Said he was cool. She even sent an emoji. Victor''s entire existence did a victory lap inside his head. "YESSSS!" he fist-pumped the air. He suddenly remembered¡ªhe got her number last night. The heavens were smiling upon him. Just as he was basking in his victory, his mother''s voice rang from the kitchen. "Victor! Hurry up, you''re going to be late for school!" Victor grumbled before rolling out of bed. He grabbed a fresh pair of his school uniform and hurriedly got dressed while still replaying last night''s events in his head. He was one step closer to Amara. --- Victor walked into the kitchen, where his mother was already sipping coffee. She barely glanced up before sliding a plate of toast and eggs toward him. "Eat fast." Victor took a seat and bit into the toast, still in a fantastic mood. That was¡ªuntil his mother spoke again. "Your father won''t be coming back today." Victor paused mid-chew. "Huh?" His mother sighed. "They extended his work period because they discovered more areas to mine in the newly reclaimed lands." Victor swallowed. "Oh. That''s good, right?" His mother shrugged. "It means more money, so I guess." Victor didn''t overthink it. This wasn''t the first time his father''s mining trips got extended. It usually happened whenever the Mana Defense Forces pushed back enemy territory. "Guess he''ll be back in, like, two or three days?" Victor asked. "Hopefully." Victor nodded. "Alright, then." His mom gave him a sharp look. "And don''t think I forgot about you playing that game too much." Victor froze. "Mom, I already said I''ll play in moderation." She narrowed her eyes. "You better. Because if I catch you pulling another 48-hour session, I''m locking that thing away." Victor winced. "Noted. Message received. No need for threats of violence." She snorted before kissing him on his forehead. "Good. Now finish up and get to school." --- Victor left home in high spirits, with his hands casually tucked into his pockets as he walked toward the Mana train station. His mind, however, was elsewhere. Last night was amazing, but now reality was setting in. He hadn''t cultivated. He had wasted time. And worse¡ª He might fall behind. He needed to get stronger before the Awakening Academy screening which was less than two weeks away. And there was only one way to do that. Victor glanced at his phone, checking the time. "Maybe I can squeeze in a quick play session during lunch..." Little did he know¡ªhis real problem was waiting at school. --- Victor stepped into the school gates, expecting another mundane Monday. Instead¡ª The moment he walked in, heads turned. Whispers erupted. "Yo, that''s him!" "Victor Revenant, right? He''s the guy who beat Daniel at the party!" "No way, that was insane¡ªdid you see how fast he moved?" "I swear, he looked like an Awakener!" Victor stopped mid-step. "...Oh. Shit." Then he saw it¡ª A video of his Reflex Test battle against Daniel was playing on several students'' phones. It had gone viral. Victor''s eye twitched. "...Mother of god." Before he could react, people started approaching. "Victor! What class did you awaken as?" "Hey, man, are you a Warrior or an Assassin? You looked so fast in that video!" "Are you a late Awakener?! That was some next-level movement!" Victor felt sweat roll down his temple. He hadn''t planned for this. He wasn''t actually Awakened. He was using Qi cultivation. ...Which didn''t exist in this world. Jake suddenly appeared beside him, grinning ear to ear. "Bro, you''re famous. You''re literally a school celebrity right now just like Danny." Max nodded. "Dude, they think you''re one of them." Danny clapped a hand on Victor''s shoulder. "So, are you gonna tell them?" Victor hesitated. "Tell them what?" Danny smirked. "What you awakened as." Victor froze. A very serious problem had just landed on his plate. He had to come up with an answer. Fast... What would he tell people he awakened as? A warrior? A summoner? A berserker? A mage? An Assassin? A healer? A necromancer? ''Fuck, why did I never think of this before?'' Chapter 33: Later Nerds! The school bell suddenly rang, cutting through the morning air, and signalling that classes were about to start. Victor exhaled in relief. Saved by the bell... literally. The murmurs and questions about his "awakening" would have to wait. Students scattered off to their respective classes, leaving Victor and his friends standing near the lockers. Danny grinned before slapping Victor on the back. "Lucky break, man. But trust me, that question isn''t going anywhere." Victor groaned. "This is why I don''t like attention. You win one stupid reflex test, and suddenly you''re a celebrity." Danny laughed. "Bro, you humiliated an Assassin. That video is everywhere. Of course, people are curious." Victor sighed as they walked into class. ''Great. Can''t wait to make up some bullshit about my ''awakening.'' --- Miss Adler, their strict but oddly fun teacher, was already writing on the board when Victor and the boys slid into their seats. "Alright, settle down, everyone," she called out while turning to face them. "Before we begin today''s lesson, a quick reminder..." She held up a stack of papers. "The class trip is happening next week. If you intend to go, your parents need to sign this consent form." A wave of excitement passed through the class. "Yes!" someone whispered. "I heard we''re going somewhere cool," another student murmured. Miss Adler continued, "If your parents don''t sign it, you''re not coming. No exceptions." She then walked around the classroom, passing the forms down each row. Victor took his copy and glanced at it. "Official Awakened Academy School Trip - Consent Form" Destination: Confidential Victor raised an eyebrow. "Why does it say ''confidential''? Are we being taken to some kind of top-secret facility?" Danny leaned over. "I heard we''re going somewhere outside the city." Max shivered. "If I see even one Drakenar, I''m out." Jake smirked. "Bro, what if it''s a training session and we actually get to fight something?" Victor scoffed. "Yeah, great. Let''s throw a bunch of high schoolers into the wild and see who survives." Miss Adler shot them a warning glance. "Revenant, James, Parker, and Vaughn¡ªdo I need to separate you four?" Victor grinned. "Miss Adler, if you do that, who will provide this class with quality entertainment?" The class chuckled, but Miss Adler wasn''t amused. "Zip it, Victor, or you can entertain detention instead." Victor held up his hands. "Shutting up, ma''am. Absolute silence. You won''t hear a peep from me." She rolled her eyes. "Good. Now, let''s begin." ... ... As soon as the lunch bell rang, students flooded out of their classrooms like a stampede. Victor stretched. "Alright, let''s get some food. I''m starving." As he walked toward the cafeteria, something caught his eye. A small crowd had gathered in the open field outside, murmuring excitedly. Victor nudged Max. "What''s going on over there?" Max shrugged. "Dunno. Let''s check it out." They made their way through the gathered students until Victor''s eyes landed on Amara Blake. She stood in the middle of the group with her hand outstretched as a soft glow emanated from her fingertips. Victor''s breath hitched. A creature materialized before her¡ªa small, white fox with luminous blue eyes and two fluffy tails. It was adorable. The little fox stretched and then blinked at Amara before floating up into the air with its tails swaying elegantly. The crowd oohed and ahhed. "Damn, Summoners are so cool." "Look how cute that thing is!" "I wish I had a Summoning Class." Victor smirked while stepping forward. "Alright, I admit it. That thing is stupidly adorable." Amara turned and smiled the moment she laid her eyes on him. "Victor. Didn''t expect you to show up." He shrugged. "What can I say? I was lured in by the fluff." She chuckled. "His name is Echo. He''s my first summon." Victor eyed the little fox, which was now floating upside down while staring at him curiously. "Echo, huh? What does he do? Besides being ridiculously cute?" Amara smirked. "He''s a support summon. He enhances reaction speed and perception." Victor blinked. "Wait. Hold on. You mean, if I had that thing following me around, I''d be able to dodge even faster?" She grinned. "Maybe." Victor gasped dramatically. "Alright, Amara. We need to trade. What do you want? My soul? My dignity? My limited-edition gamer chair?" She laughed. "Sorry, Victor. Echo is mine." Victor sighed. "Damn. A man can dream." Before she could respond, a shadow appeared behind them. Victor already knew who it was. Derek Slate. Amara''s boyfriend. He placed a firm hand on Amara''s waist, pulling her slightly toward him. His gaze locked onto Victor... a gaze filled with silent warning. Victor met his stare head-on before offering a casual grin. "Derek. What''s up, buddy?" Derek said nothing and just kept staring. Amara shifted uncomfortably. "Derek, stop." He didn''t let go of her but finally muttered, "We''re leaving." Victor watched as Derek led Amara away. The fox vanished as she dismissed it. Victor sighed. Well, that was awkward. Max appeared beside him. "Dude. Derek looks like he wants to kill you." Victor smirked. "Yeah? He''s gonna have to wait in line." Jake shook his head. "You''re playing a dangerous game, my guy." Victor exhaled. "Eh. What''s life without a little risk?" --- The rest of the school day passed without much drama. Victor dodged questions about his "awakening" as much as possible, cracking jokes to steer the conversation elsewhere. As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Victor didn''t waste a second. The moment class ended, he bolted. "Later, nerds!" he called to his friends while sprinting out of the classroom before anyone could stop him. Danny shouted after him. "YOU CAN''T AVOID THIS FOREVER, VICTOR!" Victor cackled. Maybe not. But he sure as hell was going to try. Chapter 34: New Art Victor strolled into the house and tossed his bag onto the couch. "Yo, Mom! I''m home!" His mother''s voice echoed from the kitchen. "Victor, you better not have caused any trouble today!" He grinned. "Me? Trouble? Never." She appeared in the doorway before giving him a look. Victor held up his hands in mock innocence. "Okay, okay, maybe a little trouble. But no detentions, no fights, and I haven''t been expelled yet, so I''d say that''s a win!" She sighed but smiled. "You are impossible." Victor snatched an apple from the counter and took a bite. "By the way, you need to sign my class trip consent form since Dad''s not back yet." His mother wiped her hands on a towel. "Fine, put it on the dining table. I''ll handle it later." "Cool. You''re the best." She smirked. "I know." Victor was already halfway to his room before her response came in. He was obviously excited. It was time. Time to log back into Ascendant Realms and continue his journey. As he reached for the door handle, his mother''s voice rang out. "Victor! Don''t you think you should eat something first?!" Victor grinned and shut his door behind him. "LATER, MOM!" Her frustrated sigh phased through the walls but he ignored it. ... ... As soon as Victor logged in, he was back in the game, sitting cross-legged in the vast open plains that stretched before Dark Canyon. An eerie energy spread through the surroundings, giving him chills. The canyon itself was a massive gaping mouth of earth protrusions and spiky black rocks that stretched endlessly into the darkness below. It looked like a death trap waiting to swallow him whole. Victor exhaled. "Yup. This place is gonna be my graveyard." Before he could begin strategizing, a notification flashed before his eyes. --- [ System Notification ] - Congratulations! You have successfully killed a Qi Devouring Beast! - Rewards: ¡ú +10,000 wisps of Qi ¡ú +1 Low-Tier Spirit Stone ¡ú +5 Attribute Points --- Victor blinked. "Oh shit. I actually killed it?" Then it hit him. The boulder trap. The last time he saw the Qi Devouring Beast, he had tricked it into a deep pit and sealed it with a massive rock. He had assumed it was trapped forever¡ªbut apparently, it had finally perished. Victor grinned. "RIP, you ugly bastard. Hope you enjoyed that hole." He pulled up his stats, watching as his Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation percentage ticked upward. The 10,000 wisps of Qi made a noticeable impact, pushing him several percent higher. "Nice. That''s some solid progress," he muttered. But his favorite part of any grind session? Opening treasure chests. --- Loot Time Victor pulled up his inventory and clicked on the Low-Tier Treasure Chest he received for scaling the Misguided Misty Paths. The chest materialized before him, adorned with strange ancient carvings and glowing inscriptions. [ System Notification ] ¡ú You have opened a Low-Tier Treasure Chest! ¡ú Rewards: 1,500 Wisps of Qi 1 Mid-Tier Spirit Stone Dragon Breathing Art (Mid-Tier Flames Art) 5 More Attribute Points Victor''s eyes lit up. "A new art?!" He quickly inspected it. --- [ Dragon Breathing Art ] Rank: Mid-Tier Type: Flame Art Description: A breathing technique that allows the user to spit out draconic flames from their orifices. --- Victor grinned. "Oh, hell yes. This looks good." He couldn''t wait to learn this new art so he could test it out but it would have to wait. "Alright, I gotta increase my cultivation level before I venture into this death trap." With a deep breath, Victor sat cross-legged on the grass. The moment he began drawing qi from the surroundings, the system displayed his progress. --- [ Current Cultivation Level: Foundation Establishment Realm (23%) ] --- Victor focused, absorbing the surrounding Qi into his core. Wisps of golden energy swirled around him, rushing into his body like rivers merging into an ocean. His percentage climbed¡ª 23%... 27%... 31%... But then¡ª Something felt off. No matter how much Qi he absorbed, his progress was slow as hell. It took three times the amount of Qi just to gain a single percent. Victor frowned. "Wait a second..." He opened his status window and skimmed through his cultivation details. And that''s when he saw it. --- [ Cultivation Progression: The higher the realm, the harder the breakthrough. Foundation Establishment is no longer an entry-level realm. Expect slower cultivation speed moving forward. ] --- Victor groaned loudly. "Ah, crap. Of course, it gets harder now!" He should''ve known. The stronger you get, the harder the grind becomes. Just like any good game. Victor flopped backward onto the grass and stared at the sky. "Man, this is gonna take forever." But then he sat up and cracked his knuckles. "Guess that just means I need to find a way to speed things up." He grinned. Challenge accepted. ... ... Two days went by in the blink of an eye. Victor was currently seated cross-legged with his eyes closed in deep concentration, as wisps of golden Qi swirled around him. His Establishment Realm had progressed forward, but... --- [ Current Cultivation Level: Foundation Establishment Realm (45%) ] --- He let out a frustrated sigh. "This is taking forever." Despite absorbing Qi constantly, the process had slowed significantly compared to when he was in the Qi Refining Realm. He cracked his neck and stretched before standing up. "Alright, that''s enough for now. I''ve got other things to do." Victor glanced at the ominous canyon that stretched out in the distance. He mentally calculated his time left in-game. He had two days before he needed to log out for school again. That should be enough time to cross the canyon... right? Unlike the Misguided Misty Paths, where illusions were the main danger, the Dark Canyon was rumored to have... - Hostile spiritual beasts - Treacherous terrain - Unpredictable Qi disturbances - Sinkholes - Toxic areas and a lot more mysterious dangers. Victor took a deep breath. "Alright, let''s do this." He tightened his grip on his cheap-ass broken sword and realised that he definitely needed a new weapon. But for now, he''d have to make do. As Victor approached the Dark Canyon''s entrance, a system notification flashed before his eyes. --- [ System Notification ] Warning: You are about to enter the Dark Canyon. Recommended Cultivation Level: Mid Foundation Establishment Realm or Higher Danger Factors: ??? Proceed with caution. --- Victor snorted. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. This place is gonna suck." But he wasn''t turning back now. As he stepped forward, the temperature dropped significantly. The air felt so strange that it made his skin tingle. Dark cliffs stretched endlessly on either side, forming a massive natural corridor that led deeper into the abyss. A faint mist clung to the rocky floor, curling around his ankles as he walked. As he continued onward, another set of notifications appeared. --- [ New Environment Detected ] <[ System Update: Due to the chaotic Qi flow, cultivation in this area is significantly reduced ]> <[ Lighting conditions will worsen the further you travel ]> ''Oh great... like things couldn''t get any worse.'' Chapter 35: The Perfect Replica Victor steeled himself as he ventured deeper into the Dark Canyon. Every step carried him further into an environment that seemed designed to kill him in the most painful ways possible. The elevated spiky cliffs above him blocked out most of the light, casting deep shadows that stretched like claws across the uneven ground. The deeper he walked, the higher the sense of danger. But Victor couldn''t back down. It was either this or he went back to Lingyun Town. The canyon floor was uneven, littered with cracks and sinkholes that could easily snap a leg if he wasn''t careful. But that wasn''t the worst part. As he moved forward, a putrid scent suddenly filled the air. Victor gagged. "Ugh, what the hell is that?" A system notification flashed. --- [ System Warning: Toxic Air Detected ] Extended exposure will cause stamina depletion and gradual paralysis. Use a resistance method or leave the area immediately. --- Victor froze. "Oh, that''s just lovely." The fog-like toxin slithered through the air, barely visible. The entire area was laced with it. His breathing quickened. "I need to get out of this spot fast," he muttered while activating Wind Dash to quickly maneuver past the contaminated zone. He sprinted forward but his body felt slightly heavier the longer he stayed. Just as his legs started numbing, the air cleared, and he stumbled out of the toxic zone while panting. Victor collapsed against a rock before wiping sweat from his forehead. "Okay... this place might be worse than the Misty Paths..." And that was just the beginning. Victor pushed forward, but the terrain only got worse. Ahead of him was an expanse of rough stone grounds, riddled with countless circular holes that disappeared into darkness. They varied in size¡ªsome as small as a fist, others big enough to swallow an entire house. Victor crouched and tossed a small rock into one of the holes. No sound. Nothing. It was bottomless. His stomach dropped. "Yeah... let''s not fall in there." As he stepped carefully, a low vibration pulsed through the ground. Victor''s eyes darted around. Then¡ªthe holes began to shift. Some closed, while others opened up randomly, reshuffling the landscape. Victor stared with a horrified look. "Oh, come on. A shifting death maze?!" There was only one way through¡ªhe had to time his movements perfectly. Victor took a deep breath and then moved. He dashed across the unstable ground, using Shifting Mirage Steps to create afterimages, making it harder for the terrain to predict his movement since it was like the surroundings were alive. He barely made it across before a massive hole swallowed the area behind him. Victor collapsed onto solid ground while laughing breathlessly. "The Dark Canyon? More like the Death Canyon." As Victor pressed onward, the sound of flowing water reached his ears. "A river?" He followed the sound, stepping through the rocky passage until he emerged into a clearing. Before him stretched a vast, still lake. Its waters were dark yet strangely reflective. Victor walked up to the edge and crouched to examine the water. Despite the murky depths, his reflection was crystal clear¡ªas if he were staring into a perfect mirror. "...Weird." Then¡ªit moved. Victor froze. His reflection raised a hand, but he hadn''t moved. His breath hitched. Then it smiled. Victor shot up with his heart pounding. "Okay. Nope. Absolutely not." The reflection stood on its own and stared back at him. Then it stepped forward as if it was about to climb out of the water. The canyon fell into absolute silence. Victor gritted his teeth. "...Alright. I''m not waiting around to see what happens next!" Victor backed away from the water and then went around it before resuming his journey. Meanwhile, behind him, the surface of the lake vibrated as small ripples spread outward in an unnatural rhythm. The reflection he had seen before¡ªthe one that had smiled when he hadn''t¡ªbegan to distort. Then, it stepped out. Like a phantom phasing through glass, the figure emerged from the water, taking solid form. Victor didn''t notice it at first. It wasn''t until the hairs on his neck stood on end that he froze in place. Slowly, he turned around. And there it was. A perfect replica of him. Same height. Same face. Same outfit. But its eyes... they were hollow¡ªemotionless, like a predator wearing his skin. Victor''s eyes widened. "What the fuck?!" Fwwhiii~ The clone charged at him. Victor barely had time to react before a fist shot toward his face. He dodged, but just barely, causing the wind from the attack to brush past his cheek. "I knew there was something about that water!" The fight began instantly. Victor unsheathed his sword, slashing horizontally, but the clone mirrored his move exactly, blocking the strike with perfect timing. They exchanged blows¡ª parrying each other''s strikes flawlessly. Every movement countered each other. Victor kicked¡ªhis replica kicked back. Victor used Phantom Mirage Step¡ªhis replica vanished into afterimages as well. Victor spun mid-air and launched a Shadow Crescent Strike¡ªbut the replica met it with an identical Shadow Crescent Strike, canceling it out. The moment Victor landed, a punch slammed into his gut. "Argh¡ª!" He staggered backward as blood sprayed from his mouth. His replica didn''t hesitate. He landed another strike¡ªthis time a palm strike to the chest¡ªsent Victor flying backward as his body crashed against the canyon floor. His limbs ached as he slowly raised his head with a disgruntled expression. "Shit... it''s copying everything I do..." The replica tilted its head. Its expression was still empty as if it were waiting for him to try again. Victor panted while gripping his sword tightly. "This thing knows my every move... it''s like fighting a mirror. How do I beat something that can predict everything I do?" Then¡ªan idea struck. ''That''s it... perhaps that might work...'' Chapter 36: Dragon Breath Victor turned and ran. His replica followed immediately, matching his speed perfectly. But Victor wasn''t just running blindly. As he fled, he pulled up his system menu mid-run, quickly opening his inventory. His eyes locked onto one thing. [ Dragon Breathing Art ¨C 0% Mastery ] He hadn''t learnt it. He had only just acquired it from his last treasure chest. Which meant... The replica had never seen it. ''If I''m right, it shouldn''t be able to replicate something that was never there at the time of its creation...'' Victor gritted his teeth. "Alright, let''s see if I can learn this on the go!" The replica charged at him mid-run, aiming for his back. Victor rolled across the ground, evading the lunge before trying to execute Dragon Breathing Art. It failed. "Shit!" The replica closed in. Victor kept running and dodging, all while forcing his body to adjust to the breathing technique. He inhaled deeply and followed the fragmented instructions in his mind, trying to draw from his inner core like the scroll had explained. He didn''t have time to stop and train. Didn''t have time to figure things out. He had to learn this technique on the go, or he was going to die. Victor suddenly felt a surge of energy ignite inside his chest. "Oh shit... I think I got something!" --- [ System Notification ] Dragon Breathing Art ¨C 1% Mastery Unlocked. ----- A burning sensation filled his throat, coiling like a slumbering beast awakening. ''Oh... Oh, this is gonna be good.'' --- The moment the replica leapt at him again¡ª Victor stopped running. He turned, inhaled deeply¡ª Then, with a powerful exhale, A stream of scorching flames erupted from his mouth. The replica''s eyes widened¡ªthe first time it had shown any reaction. The replica jerked back with its arms flying up in defence as the fire engulfed its body instantly. A loud whoosh filled the air, warping the space around them as the inferno raged. Victor''s eyes widened in amazement. ''Holy shit. I just breathed FIRE.'' But the fight wasn''t over. As the flames died down, Victor''s stomach twisted. The replica was still standing. Its body was singed, but not destroyed. It snapped its head up as its eyes gleamed with silent fury. Then, it charged again. Victor reacted instantly by leaping into the air using Phantom Mirage Step, evading the replica''s strike from below. His body flickered, creating afterimages as he twisted mid-air. With another deep inhale, he angled downward¡ª And blasted another wave of fire toward the clone. The flames coiled like a serpent and descended in a spiraling inferno. The replica dodged left¡ªthen right¡ªbut Victor was faster. With a sudden burst of Shifting Mirage Steps, he adjusted his position mid-air, predicting the clone''s next move. "You can''t copy what you can''t see coming!" Another fire blast shot downward, engulfing the replica once more. It let out an unnatural screech as cracks began spreading across its body. Victor landed just as the flames dissipated, letting out heavy breaths. This fire breathing technique was expending his qi very quickly. ''Not yet. One more.'' The replica staggered as its body crumbled at the edges, but it was still alive. Victor clenched his fists, took one final breath, and let the energy build within him. The Dragon Breathing Art roared to life, coiling like fire in his lungs. Then¡ªhe unleashed it. His largest burst of flames yet erupted like a pillar of fire so intense that the air crackled around it. The replica''s body broke apart mid-scream, slowly disintegrating into nothingness, as the fire consumed every last piece of it. A long silence followed. Then¡ª --- [ System Notification ] You have defeated your Reflection. Rewards Earned: ¡ú +7,500 wisps of Qi ¡ú +1 Mid-Tier Spirit Stone ¡ú +3 Attribute Points ¡ú New Title: The One Who Faces Himself (Increases resistance to mind-altering techniques.) --- Victor panted while dropping to one knee. A slow, triumphant grin spread across his face. "Holy shit. I actually won." He checked his status. His Foundation Establishment progress had increased slightly, and his mastery of Dragon Breathing Art had gone from 1% to 7%. "Not bad... not bad at all." He proceeded to sit on the ground in fatigue. He needed a moment to catch his breath. ... ... Victor spent the next day avoiding death. He encountered giant serpentine creatures that lunged from rocky ledges, swarms of venomous flying insects, and even territorial spirit beasts that prowled through the canyon, looking for their next meal. By this point, his clothes were torn, his stamina was drained, and his entire body ached. But¡ª He could see the exit. Just ahead, beyond a narrowing passage, light shone through the canyon walls. The end of the Dark Canyon. Victor let out a deep breath. "Almost there." --- Victor logged out of Ascendant Realms and blinked at the glow of his bedroom ceiling which replaced the canyon he had been navigating just moments ago. The first thing he noticed? The time. [ 3:07 AM ] Victor groaned while rubbing his face. "Oh, come on... I played for that long?" He had planned to log out earlier, but the thrill of progress had kept him hooked. Now, he only had about three hours of sleep before he had to get up for school. He sighed before tossing his VR helmet onto his desk and flopping onto his bed. "Alright. Three hours. If I fall asleep right now, I should be fine." Within minutes, his eyes shut, and he drifted off into much-needed sleep. ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö (( Deep Beyond the City¡ªThe Molten Wastes )) Far past the barrier''s recent extension, where human civilization was still reclaiming land from the invaders, a desolate landscape stretched for miles¡ª it was scorched, barren, and hostile. The air here was filled with heat rising in shimmering waves from the molten-cracked ground. Patches of burning rock glowed an eerie orange-red, radiating a dry, suffocating warmth. Tall blackened cliffs surrounded the area like the mouth of a beast, enclosing a massive mining site nestled at the base of the terrain. This place had once belonged to a Drakenar tribe¡ªa race that thrived in volcanic, fire-rich environments. Now, with the Mana Defense Forces having pushed them out, humans had moved in to mine the precious resources buried deep within the earth. And at the heart of it all, a makeshift mining camp had been set up. Rows of tents lined the ground, darkened by soot. Lanterns cast flickering blue light, illuminating the camp with an almost ghostly glow. Mining equipment and mana-powered drills were scattered around. The workers¡ªrough men hardened by labor¡ªwere all asleep, resting after another exhausting day of mining. All except one. A lone figure moved stealthily between the tents as the orange glow of a torch flickered in his hand. His boots crunched against the hardened, magma-scorched earth as he approached the entrance to the mine. He stopped. He listened. He Watched. Something felt... off. He lifted his torch, shining it deeper into the mineshaft. The darkness within was impenetrable and the air seemed unnaturally still. The mine had been quiet ever since they began working here, but tonight... It felt different. The man exhaled slowly while tightening his grip on the torch. Then¡ª A sudden rustle from behind made him jump. Chapter 37: Can You Demonstrate? A sudden rustle from behind made him jump. His heart pounded as he whirled around, only to find¡ª Mr. Revenant. The broad-shouldered and strong older miner stood there with a calm but amused expression as he crossed his arms. "You''re gonna wake the whole camp sneaking around like that," Mr. Revenant''s voice carried a soft authority. The younger miner sighed while lowering his torch. "Damn it, man. You scared the hell out of me." Mr. Revenant chuckled before stepping forward. "Shouldn''t you be asleep? We''ve got another long shift ahead of us." The younger man shook his head and turned back toward the mine entrance. "I thought I heard something." Mr. Revenant followed his gaze into the black abyss of the mine. "Like what?" "I don''t know..." the miner hesitated. "Just... something shifting. Like rocks moving, but not from a collapse." Mr. Revenant frowned, then patted the younger man''s shoulder reassuringly. "Relax. If anything dangerous was still lurking around, the Mana Defense Corps wouldn''t have extended the barrier this far." The younger miner let out a slow breath. "Yeah... yeah, you''re right." Still, he cast one last look at the mine''s entrance before turning away. "Just spooked myself, I guess." Mr. Revenant nodded. "Happens to the best of us." The younger miner stretched. "Honestly, I just hope we finish soon. I wanna get back home to my little girl." Mr. Revenant smiled while patting him on the back. "I know how you feel." He looked up at the night sky with barely visible stars due to the lingering smog from the volcanic land. "I miss my boy too." As the two men walked back toward the camp, their footsteps faded and silence returned to the mine. But deep within the darkness... Something moved. A low vibration echoed through the cavern walls. ... ... Victor strode through the school halls, keeping his head high despite being nervous. Today was the day he had to commit to his bullshit Awakener identity. After much deliberation, he had made his final decision. If anyone asked what he had awakened as¡ª He''d say Warrior. Sure, it was a lie, but it wasn''t like he could just tell people he was using Qi cultivation from a VRMMO. That would either get him sent to a psych evaluation or locked up in some secret facility for "further study." And besides¡ªhis abilities were pretty close to what a Warrior could do. He had enhanced physical prowess, he could fight at high speed, and his martial techniques would fit into the Warrior class archetype. ''I mean, technically, I''m kind of like a Warrior... just not the awakened kind.'' So, the plan was simple: If anyone asked, he was a Warrior. If anyone doubted, he''d flex just enough to sell the act. If anyone dug too deep... he''d run. Easy. As expected, the moment Victor entered the classroom, all eyes were on him. Whispers spread like wildfire. "Did you hear? Victor''s a Warrior!" "No way. I thought only Mary had awakened as one?" "First Danny, now Victor? We actually have two awakened in class 3C?" Victor suppressed a smirk as he slid into his seat beside Danny, Max, and Jake. Jake leaned in immediately. "Dude, did you seriously awaken as a Warrior?" Victor shrugged. "I mean yeaahh..." Jake stared at him suspiciously. "Something doesn''t add up, what are you hiding?" Max, still chewing on a snack, frowned. "When you think about it, Assassin Class Awakened are supposed to be faster than Warrior class..." Danny grinned. "I dunno. I think if you add more points to speed instead of other attributes, you could be faster than an assassin. But seriously, Victor, you can''t ignore your other attributes, or you''ll be a weak warrior." Victor leaned back. "Well... you''re not wrong. I probably should evenly distribute them more." Max shook his head. "Eugh awakened talks... I have no idea what you two mcan with all of these points and attributes..." Before Victor could respond, the classroom door swung open, and Miss Adler stepped in, calling for silence. But that wasn''t what caught everyone''s attention. Behind her, a man in a black suit entered. His green eyes scanned the classroom and he had a commanding presence that only government officials had. Miss Adler cleared her throat. "Everyone, settle down. Today, we have a special guest from the Awakened Evaluation Bureau. He''s here to check in on our Awakeners before next week''s screening." The man nodded firmly. "My name is Agent Wallace. I will be assessing the Awakened individuals in this class." His gaze swept the room, landing first on Danny... Then, his eyes locked onto Victor. Victor froze. Agent Wallace raised an eyebrow. "You. Victor Revenant. You''re the latest Awakener, correct?" Victor swallowed and nodded. "Uh... yeah." Wallace''s expression remained unreadable. "Warrior Class?" Victor forced a confident grin. "That''s me." ''How the hell is that already public information? I literally only mentioned it this morning?'' Victor''s mind was racing. There was a long silence. Then Wallace pulled out a tablet before tapping a few buttons. "Very well. You will be required to attend the screening next week." Victor felt a sense of relief. ''Phew. That was easy.'' But then¡ªWallace continued. "Since you are a new Awakener, I will need to ask you a few questions. Step forward." Victor''s soul left his body. ''Shit!'' Victor stepped up and did his best to look natural. Wallace scanned him, then asked the first question. "When did you first manifest your abilities?" Victor paused for half a second before responding. "Uh... after the Awakening Ceremony. It just... took a while to kick in." Wallace nodded slowly. "And what skills have you developed so far?" Victor''s brain raced. "Shit. Think, Victor, think!" "...Enhanced reflexes and speed," he answered. "And, uh... some basic martial techniques." Wallace studied him closely. "Have you undergone any specialized training?" Victor grinned. "Not officially, but, y''know, I train myself." Wallace''s eyebrow twitched slightly¡ªa small sign that he wasn''t entirely convinced. Then, the final question came. "Can you demonstrate?" Victor''s heart stopped for the umpteenth time. The classroom went dead silent. He had no choice now. Victor took a deep breath. "Alright. Can I borrow something?" Miss Adler raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" Victor shrugged. "Anything shaped like a weapon." Chapter 38: City Wide Lockdown Victor shrugged. "Anything shaped like a weapon." The students chuckled, but Miss Adler sighed and grabbed a sturdy wooden ruler from her desk before tossing it to him. Victor caught it smoothly and exhaled. ''Alright, here goes nothing.'' He gripped the ruler like a sword, and as soon as he focused¡ªQi surged into the object, enveloping it in a soft glow. The class watched in stunned silence. Danny whispered, "Dude, is he seriously¡ª" Then, Victor moved. Taking a step forward and posing like a martial artist, he swung the ruler in an arc¡ª "Shadow Crescent Strike!" The moment he slashed, a weakened, shadowy crescent of energy burst forward from the ruler, slicing through the air. The ruler instantly shattered in his hands. The crescent energy traveled forward and struck the classroom wall. A loud BOOM echoed through the room as a deep gash appeared in the wall and cracks began spreading outward from the impact. The entire classroom shook. Victor winced. "Uh... oops?" Wallace stared at the damage and took a couple of notes on his tab. Miss Adler looked like she was about to have a stroke. Danny, Jake, and Max had their jaws on the floor. The students who had doubted Victor? They were now 100% convinced. Wallace slowly put his tablet away. "...Impressive." He turned toward the class. "All of you who have awakened, make sure you attend next week''s screening. The tests will determine if you qualify for further training." As soon as the evaluator left, Danny grabbed Victor''s shoulders. "Dude. What the hell was that?!" Victor smirked. "What? You didn''t think I''d just not have any skills, right?" Max still looked shocked. "You... you actually looked like a Warrior." As the school day continued, Victor couldn''t help but think¡ª Maybe this whole Warrior thing... might actually work. For now, at least. ... ... The mining site in the Molten Wastes was buzzing with energy. For days, the workers had been tirelessly extracting and enclosing mana crystals from the deep veins within the mines. The ground was rich with resources, and with the barrier extension in place, security had been tighter than ever. And now¡ªthey were almost done. Today would be the final day. The last mine, a massive cavern stretching deep underground, was on the verge of being completely sealed off. The workers were ecstatic. "We''re Almost Done!" "Can you believe it?" one miner laughed while wiping sweat from his forehead. "After this, we''re finally heading home." "Yeah," another chuckled before stretching his arms. "Back to real food, real beds. No more breathing in molten dust all day." Mr. Revenant stood nearby, supervising the final operations. He watched as a group of men secured the last crates of mana crystals, preparing them for transport. "Good work, everyone," he called out. "Let''s finish strong." There were cheers all around. Near the deepest part of the mine, a lone worker was breaking down the last bit of crystalline formation near the end of the shaft. His breathing was heavy as his pickaxe chipped away at the few remaining deposits. "Almost there..." he muttered to himself. But as he drove his pickaxe one last time into the ground¡ª CRACK. The earth beneath him trembled. And before he could react¡ª The ground gave way. A loud rumbling filled the mine as the worker plummeted through a collapsing section of the cave floor. "Ahhh!" --- "HEY! ARE YOU OKAY?!" Shouts erupted as nearby workers rushed over, peering down into the newly formed hole. Dust and debris clouded the air, making it hard to see anything below. Mr. Revenant pushed past the crowd with a tone of urgency. "Hey! Can you hear me?!" A moment passed before a shaky voice called back up. "Y-Yeah! I''m alright! That was one hell of a drop!" A few men sighed in relief. "Man, don''t scare us like that!" The fallen worker coughed and waved his torchlight around to get a better look at where he had landed. The cavern beneath the mine was vast¡ªtoo vast. "...Whoa." His eyes slowly adjusted to the dim glow of strange red crystals embedded in the walls as he turned. The air down here felt... different. It was too still. Too quiet. Then¡ª Something shifted in the shadows. The worker frowned while slowly turning his torchlight toward the darkness beyond the cavern. That''s when he saw them. Dozens of glowing red eyes staring back at him. His breath caught in his throat. The eyes didn''t blink. They moved. Something was down here. And then¡ªthey pounced. A loud, bloodcurdling scream tore through the mine. "AAAARRRGGHH!" --- (( Back in New Avalon City )) Victor was sitting in class, half-asleep, while Miss Adler droned on about something he wasn''t paying attention to. He was exhausted. Even though he got three hours of sleep, he still felt drained from his late-night grind in Ascendant Realms. Danny nudged him. "Dude, you look dead." Victor yawned. "Feel dead." Jake smirked. "You do this to yourself, man." Victor sighed. "Yeah, yeah¡ª" And then¡ª A loud alarm blared across the school. BWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH. The entire school shook as the emergency sirens echoed through New Avalon City. Students looked up in confusion and some covered their ears as the deafening wail continued. Miss Adler''s eyes widened. "Everyone, stay calm!" Victor jolted awake. "What the hell...?" Danny frowned while glancing toward the windows. "That''s the citywide emergency alarm." Jake swallowed. "Something serious must''ve happened." Then¡ª A message appeared on the holo-screen at the front of the class. --- [ ALERT ¨C MANA DEFENSE WARNING ] All students are to remain in their classrooms until further notice. An emergency situation has been detected near the city''s barrier expansion zone. Protection protocols are being initiated. City wide lockdown has been activated. --- The room fell into uneasy silence. Max shifted uncomfortably. "Wait... isn''t that where your dad is working?" Victor''s stomach twisted. His father. He was at the mining site near the expanded barrier. And something had just gone horribly wrong. Victor jumped to his feet. "What the hell is happening out there...?" Chapter 39: I Need To Get Out Of Here Author''s Note: Please read the Author''s Note below ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ The blaring city-wide alarms echoed across New Avalon, sending a wave of panic through the populace. The high-pitched wails reverberated off the skyscrapers, reminding everyone that something had gone terribly wrong. The city''s automated protection protocols kicked in immediately. Every building structure across New Avalon began wrapping itself in a metallic, mana-infused outer layer, forming an impenetrable barrier around them. The transformation was almost instantaneous. Glass windows were covered by reinforced plating, doors sealed shut, and the entire skyline darkened as protective layers engulfed the tallest structures. The once lively streets were now lined with hermetically sealed enclosures. The message was clear: No one was getting in. No one was getting out. The city''s defenses would only unlock once the emergency was over. --- At the high school, chaos erupted among the students. Calls were coming in and many of them picked up to speak to their families and ensure they were somewhere safe. -"Dad don''t worry, the Mana Defense officers will take care of it..." -"Yes mom I''m fine... the school is sealing up as well." Victor stood frozen as the walls of the school glowed with a faint blue hue before being encased in a mana-reinforced metal plating. His pocket was vibrating but at the moment, his attention was elsewhere. The classroom doors sealed themselves, windows turned opaque, and the entire school was locked down. "We''re stuck in here?!" someone shouted. Miss Adler turned from her holo-screen with a grave expression. "Everyone, remain calm!" she ordered. "Until further notice, we are to stay inside. No one leaves." Danny gritted his teeth. "This is bad." Max was already pulling up his phone. "Bro, I''m checking the news. What the hell is going on out there?" Jake looked toward Victor. "You okay, man?" Victor''s heart was thumping rapidly. His father was out there. The holo-screen at the front of the class emitted a bright light and a breaking news broadcast began. A fleet of news drones was flying above New Avalon, transmitting live footage to the public. The students gathered around with their eyes locked on the screen. The feed showed teams of Mana Defense Corps officers assembling throughout the city, setting up defensive perimeters. The entire corps was mobilizing at full strength. Mages stood ready as their hands glowed with elemental energy. Berserkers stretched their enhanced muscles, ready to rip into whatever came their way. Warriors stood in tight formations with modern-crafted swords in their grasp. Assassins blended into the shadows, waiting for their moment. Summoners were calling forth beasts of all kinds, forming a line of magical creatures prepared to charge into battle. The citizens watching the broadcast gasped as they recognized some of the famous Mana Defense Officers among them. These were the strongest protectors of the city¡ªsome of whom had legends built around them. But as the pressure built up, a horrifying sight appeared on-screen. From the streets up ahead, figures emerged. They had massive bodies and walked with unbridled confidence as their very presence radiated heat. Their skin was like molten rock, blackened and cracked, pulsing with lava-like veins running through them. Their eyes glowed red, inhuman and fiery, burning like the embers of a dying star. They were a bunch of Drakenars. And they were here for war. The moment the Drakenar stepped forward, the Mana Defense Corps launched into action. A Berserker roared and his body bulked up as he charged while arching his arm backward. His fists collided with one of the reptilian creatures causing a loud *Thoom* to ring out. A Warrior unsheathed his blade and engagee a Drakenar head-on causing sparks to fly as metal clashed against pitch black-like flesh. A Mage lifted her staff, sending a wave of water magic crashing down, but the Drakenar absorbed the attack as steam rose from its molten body. It laughed in response before pouncing at her. "Shit..." Victor muttered. These things were strong. The battle raged on, illuminating the sky with flashes of magic and fire. For a moment, the students watched in awe. Then¡ª A new alert came in. The news feed updated, displaying a map of the city. A large red X marked a location near the newly extended barrier. The announcer''s voice trembled as she spoke. "Breaking news¡ªreports have confirmed that a mining worker accidentally fell through a collapsed section of a cavern at the Molten Wastes Mining Site." The students paid rapt attention as the news continued. "It appears that beneath the mine, a hidden network of Drakenar tunnels was discovered¡ªan area the Mana Defense Corps had never cleared. This Drakenar tribe had been living there this entire time¡ªunnoticed, waiting." The students gasped. "You''re kidding." "They were under us this whole time?" Danny clenched his fists. "No wonder they got into the city. They gained access after the barrier was extended." Victor barely heard them. His entire body had gone numb. ''Dad is down there...'' "I need to get out of here." The words slipped from his mouth before he could stop himself. Jake turned. "Wait, what?" Victor stood up abruptly causing his chair scrape against the floor. Danny grabbed his arm. "Dude, where do you think you''re going? The school is sealed off." Victor''s chest tightened. "But my dad is out there." Danny''s eyes widened slightly. "...Shit." Max swallowed hard. "Victor, man... what can you even do? The city''s in lockdown. You can''t just walk out." Myriad of thoughts ran through his mind. He knew he was trapped here, but that didn''t change the fact that his father was in danger. And if there was even the slightest chance he could help¡ª He would take it. No matter what it cost. His pocket buzzed again and it was a call from his mom. "Yes mom? Are you okay...? Chill, I''m fine I''m in school..." -"That''s a relief. Has the safety protocols around there kicked in?" "Yes the school is sealed... how about over there?" -"I''m safe. I was indoors when the emergency sirens started." "Mom... but dad... he''s..." -"Don''t think about that right now honey. Your dad will be alright. I know your father well enough, he will come out of this unharmed." Victor contemplated telling his mother about his plans to head out but decided to keep quiet after she told him that she was just glad that he was safe. She kept telling him everything would blow over soon but he could tell that she was only trying to stay strong. Fortunately, Victor decided to hold off for now and see how things would pan out. Chapter 40: Im Not Letting My Father Die At this point, the streets of New Avalon City had transformed into a battlefield. Flames erupted across the district, scorching pavement, melting steel, and shattering glass as the Drakenar forces clashed against the Mana Defense Corps. Though only one tribe of the Drakenar species had surfaced, their power was undeniable. These weren''t mindless beasts¡ªthey were warriors. They moved strategically as their molten-rock bodies exuded waves of heat so intense that the very air warped around them. Their lava-red eyes burned with fury, and each step they took melted the ground beneath them. The Mana Defense Corps were struggling. A massive man with arms like steel beams, Lieutenant Garett Cross stood at the forefront. His Berserker System interface glowed red as he activated his ability. --- [ SYSTEM BOOST: BLOOD FRENZY ] Strength: +50% Pain Resistance: +80% Durability: +40% Speed: +25% --- With a hoarse roar, Garett leapt forward and grabbed the nearest Drakenar by the horned skull before slamming it into the pavement so hard that the ground shattered. Another Drakenar leapt toward him but Garett caught its molten fist in mid air. His hands burned from the contact as he headbutted it with full force, sending the beast skidding across the battlefield. --- In another area, Elysia Vael floated above the battlefield with her magic staff extended. Mana gathered around her as she prepared to unleash a powerful attack. Her Mage System interface glowed as lines of arcane text flickered rapidly across them. --- [ SYSTEM SPELL: FROST APOCALYPSE ] Temperature Drop: -200¡ãC Effect: Freezes enemies upon contact Range: 30m Radius --- With a single command, a blizzard erupted from her staff, rushing forward like a tidal wave of ice. Several Drakenar roared as their molten bodies struggled against the freezing magic. Some of them solidified into hardened obsidian statues before shattering. But more kept coming. --- Perched on a rooftop, Corporal Jin Halloway activated his stealth skill causing his body to fade into the shadows as his Assassin System interface flickered. --- [ SYSTEM SKILL: SILENT REAPER ] Effect: Grants invisibility for 10 seconds Bonus Damage: +100% for first strike --- Jin moved like a ghost with a nearly two feet long curvy dagger in his grasp. He materialized behind a Drakenar and cleanly sliced through its throat before vanishing again. Blood sprayed across the pavement and let out a sizzling noise as it hit the burning ground. But the Drakenar weren''t defenseless. They fought back with brutality and elemental mastery as they activated their powers. An heavily built Drakenar warrior¡ªeasily seven feet tall, slammed its fist into the ground. The pavement cracked apart as a river of molten lava surged forward, incinerating two Mana Defense officers instantly. Another Drakenar threw balls of scorching magma at some Mana Defense officers. "Ughh!" "Arrghh!" Screams rang out as some of these balls burned a hole straight through their bodies. A Mage conjured a large barrier at the last second to protect her colleagues. The breaking news broadcast continued to stream across the school''s holo-screens and students'' devices. The drones above the battlefield relayed footage to every citizen watching in horror. But what came next made the city hold its breath. The camera drones shifted focus, zooming in on a location near the Molten Wastes Mining Site. The video feed showed something far worse than the battle raging in the city. The area around the mine''s entrance was completely infested with Drakenar warriors. The ground cracked open with molten lava bubbling beneath the surface as waves of reptilian warriors emerged. There weren''t just a few. There were hundreds. The mining camp, which had once been filled with workers loading up mana crystals, was now a slaughterhouse. The holo-screen zoomed in on a small group of miners trying to flee. Their faces twisted with terror as they ran for their lives. Then¡ª An incredibly muscular Drakenar warrior, raised its clawed hand. In an instant, pillars of magma erupted from the ground, blocking the miners'' escape. They turned to run the other way¡ª And another Drakenar stepped forward, wielding a massive dark blade. It moved faster than the drones could follow. A flash of red. Twhiii Next came a wet, sickening sound. And then¡ªblood. The holo-screen captured the scene in gruesome detail as two miners were sliced clean through. Their bodies fell apart mid-step before their blood rained down onto the burning ground. Screams rang out, but the Drakenar did not stop. A female miner fell to her knees, trembling intensely with her eyes widened in shock. One of the Drakenar warriors¡ªlarger than the others, seemingly their leader¡ªstomped toward her causing the ground to melt under its feet. It grinned, displaying a set of pointy teeth glowing with molten heat. It raised its hand¡ªand from the lava around it, a trident of pure magma formed, exuding devastating heat. The Drakenar proceeded to hurl the magma trident straight into the air with a powerful force. It tore straight through one of the drones capturing the footage. The holo-screen shook violently as the drone''s camera malfunctioned and sparks flew from the impact. Then¡ª The feed cut out. The last thing the city saw was the glowing eyes of the Drakenar, standing in the sea of blood they had created. A message flashed across the screens. --- [ TRANSMISSION LOST ] ¡ª Signal disrupted by hostile interference. --- The moment the screen went black, the classroom fell into absolute silence. Victor couldn''t move. His body felt frozen as his chest tightened. He could hear his heart thundering in his ears. "I have to go now." This time his decision was absolute. Jake turned, "Wait... you can''t do that." Danny grabbed his arm. "Dude, we just talked about this... the school is sealed off." Victor''s eyes narrowed. "My dad is out there." Max swallowed hard. "The city''s in lockdown. What are you gonna do? Punch your way through the seal?" "If that''s what it takes... yes," Victor yanked his arm from Danny''s grasp and turned toward the classroom door before marching forward. Miss Adler''s voice rang out. "Victor, stop! You can''t go outside¡ªit''s suicide!" Other students turned to him in concern and shock. "Are you crazy?" "You saw the battle! There''s no way you''ll survive!" Victor turned to face them with a look of determination. "I''m not letting my father die! I''m not choosing to cower in fear..." Chapter 41: Creating An Opening Victor rushed up the stairwell with his heartbeat thundering in his ears. He reached one of the highest points in the school¡ªan area near the rooftop but still under the protective barrier. He clenched his fists till his knuckles turned white. The metallic seal covering the building stretched far above him. It was a solid unbreakable layer of mana-infused alloy that had locked them inside. Victor took a deep breath before planting his feet firmly. And then¡ª He punched. His fist slammed into the metallic surface, sending a sharp vibration up his arm. Nothing. Not even a dent. Victor gritted his teeth. He pulled back and punched again. And again. And again. Each impact sent shockwaves up his arm, but the metal remained unaffected. "Come on, come on, break!" he growled before throwing another punch. The students below watched in shock as he relentlessly assaulted the barrier. Miss Adler''s voice echoed up from the ground floor. "Victor! Stop this at once!" Victor ignored her. Another punch. Nothing. Another. Still nothing. Sweat dripped down his face. He didn''t care. His father was out there so he couldn''t remain stuck in here. He kept punching. Until¡ª "Victor, if you don''t stop this right now, I will have you expelled!" Victor''s fist stilled mid-air. Slowly, he turned his head and stared down at her. Miss Adler stood with several other teachers, displaying expressions of fear and anger. But Victor''s expression was unreadable. No jokes. No humor. For the first time ever, Victor looked dead serious. The intensity in his gaze was enough to make the teachers flinch. One of them, who had been marching forward, suddenly stopped and backed away slightly. They had never seen this side of him before. Victor exhaled slowly. Then, he turned back around¡ªand kept punching. After another few minutes of pointless hits, Victor knew this wasn''t working. His fists had turned red and slightly bloody but the seal hadn''t budged. ''Alright. I need something sharper.'' Without hesitation, he ran back down the hall and sprinted toward the cafeteria. Students watched in confusion as he pushed past them, heading straight for the kitchen area. "Borrowing this!" Victor grabbed a steel knife from the counter and ran off before anyone could stop him. Back at the top floor, he gripped the knife tightly and channeled Qi into his arm. "Shadow Crescent Strike!" He swung with full force, sending a crescent-shaped wave of shadowy energy crashing against the metallic seal. For a moment, Victor thought it hadn''t worked. But then¡ª A small dent appeared. His eyes lit up. "It''s working!" He swung again. Another dent. But it wasn''t enough. The metal was too strong. Victor panted and tightened his grip on the knife. ''Damn it. I need more power.'' Then¡ªsomeone stepped beside him. "I''ll help," a familiar voice said. Victor''s head snapped to the side. Amara. She had appeared out of nowhere, standing confidently with her chestnut hair flowing behind her. Victor was stunned. "You''re on my side?" She smirked. "I know what it''s like to want to protect someone you love." She lifted her hand, and in an instant, her flying fox, Echo, materialized beside her. The little creature''s fur shimmered as its body glowed with a mystical light. Echo lifted its head¡ª And then, from its tiny body, a radiant wave swept outward. The moment it touched Victor, he felt his strength double. System notifications appeared in Amara''s line of sight. --- [ SYSTEM BOOST: FOX''S EMBRACE ] Power Output: +100% Speed: +30% Energy Reserves: Boosted Temporarily --- Victor''s entire body felt lighter and his Qi surged to new levels. He could feel it. He had one more shot at this. "Alright," he muttered while raising the knife again. With a deep breath, he gathered every ounce of Qi he could muster¡ª And unleashed his strongest Shadow Crescent Strike yet. The blade glowed intensely as cracks formed along its surface¡ª And then¡ª It shattered. But the crescent of dark energy erupted forward, slicing through the metallic seal. A sharp screech filled the air causing everyone below to cover their ears as an exposed gap appeared¡ª But it still wasn''t big enough. Victor collapsed to one knee, panting. "Damn it... I need¡ª" A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Victor turned, and Danny was standing there. His best friend met his gaze and nodded. "I got this." Danny took a deep breath¡ª Then he proceeded to rip off his uniform jacket, revealing his slightly muscular, Berserker-built physique. His system interface flickered to life, glowing a deep crimson. --- [ SYSTEM BOOST: TITAN''S FURY ] Strength: +200% Durability: +50% Impact Force: Maximized --- Danny took a step back and planted his feet firmly on the floor. His muscles bulged and his veins glowed red as raw Berserker energy coursed through his body. Then¡ªhe leapt into the air. The floor slightly cracked beneath him as he propelled himself toward the weakened metallic seal and arched his right arm backwards before swinging it up with full force. "HRRRAAAHHH!" His fist collided with the opening¡ª BOOOOOOOM! The force of his strike sent shockwaves through the room as the barrier groaned under the sheer impact. A huge section caved inward, exposing an opening just big enough for Victor to slip through. Danny landed heavily and reverted to his normal appearance. "There," he panted while grinning at Victor. "That should do it." Victor stared at the opening above with an expression of determination. He turned back to Danny and Amara¡ªand nodded in appreciation. Without wasting another second, he climbed up¡ª Victor gripped the edges of the metallic opening and used his upper body strength to pull himself up and out of the school. The moment his feet touched the outer surface of the barrier, the cold wind of the silent city brushed against his skin. Finally, he was outside. But before he could even process the moment, a pair of hands grabbed his ankle. Victor whipped around, only to see Danny and Amara trying to climb out after him. "Victor, you are not doing this alone!" Danny growled as he prepared to jump through the gap. Chapter 42: A Mana Defense Officer! Amara stood just behind him with her fox summon floating nearby. "You need backup," she said firmly. "We''re coming with you." Victor''s eyes narrowed. Danny and Amara were strong, but he wasn''t about to let them risk their lives for him. "This is not that type of party..." With both hands, he grabbed the metallic edges of the torn opening¡ª And forced them shut. Danny and Amara shouted in protest. Their hands grasped the edges as they tried to push back out. But Victor was too strong. Using his raw strength, he pressed the metal back together, forcing the torn parts to bend inward, sealing off the only exit. "Stay put!" Victor shouted. "Victor, you bastard!" Danny roared while pounding on the inside of the barrier. "Don''t do this alone!" "Victor!" Amara''s frustrated voice rang out frantically. Victor took a deep breath and forced himself to ignore them. His fingers ached from bending the metal, but he didn''t stop until he was sure¡ª They couldn''t follow him. For a moment, the yelling continued. Then¡ªsilence. Victor''s heart twisted painfully, but he refused to look back. They would be safe inside. He couldn''t risk their lives for his own selfish mission. Taking a deep breath, he turned away¡ª And leapt off the top of the barrier. As he fell, he angled his body and activated Wind Dash mid-air¡ª A powerful burst of air exploded beneath him, softening his descent as he landed on the empty streets below. The moment he hit the ground, the silence swallowed him whole. Victor''s breath slowed as he stood still and surveyed his surroundings. The city was dead. Not a single car moved. No voices, no distant chatter¡ªjust eerie silence. Only the faint echoes of battle rumbled in the distance... the sound of explosions and steel clashing.... Victor swallowed hard; "First city wide emergency since that time... but I''m not a kid anymore..." Victor pulled out his phone, swiftly navigating through his GPS. He tapped the last known location of the Molten Wastes Mining Site. A red marker flashed on the map, indicating his destination. --- Estimated Distance: 22.4 Miles Estimated Time on Foot: 4 hours --- ''Wind Dash should cut the time by a whole lot,'' Victor''s eyes narrowed as he made an analysis. "No time to waste." He gripped his phone tightly, then bolted forward. With Wind Dash activated, his feet barely touched the ground. His speed tripled as he shot down the abandoned streets like a bullet. The city''s empty roads, desolate alleys, and signs blurred past him as he pushed forward, focusing only on the red marker ahead. The battle was raging on the outskirts, and he could hear the roars of Berserkers, the incantations of Mages, and the metallic clash of Warriors engaged in combat. But he didn''t stop. His father was waiting for him. And he was going to get him back. No matter what. ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö Meanwhile, the Molten Wastes Mining Site had become hell on earth. Smoke filled the air, the ground had split open, and molten rivers carved through what was once a thriving mining operation. Bodies of miners¡ªsome charred beyond recognition, others torn apart¡ªlittered the ground. The scent of burnt flesh wafted across the surroundings. Screams echoed from the depths of the cavern, but no one was left to save them. Until¡ª A blazing figure dropped from the sky, landing with a thunderous impact. A single Mana Defense Officer had made it to the battlefield. Commander Felix Ardent¡ªWarrior Division. His mana-infused armour reflected the sunlight as his long silver hair whipped behind him while he unsheathed his broad-bladed greatsword. His Warrior System Interface materialized as lines of holographic text scrolled rapidly across his vision. --- [ SYSTEM BOOST: BLAZING RESOLVE ] Strength: +150% Speed: +100% Defense: +120% Endurance: Unlimited for 5 Minutes --- "Let''s see if you bastards can bleed," Felix growled while gripping his sword tightly. The Drakenar warriors turned toward him instantly, almost like they recognized his presence. Then, they charged. Felix met them head-on. His blade sang through the air, slicing through the first Drakenar''s midsection, sending molten blood spraying as the warrior roared in agony. A second lunged with its claws raised¡ª Felix twisted to evade and brought his greatsword around, severing the arm at the elbow before slamming the pommel into the Drakenar''s jaw, shattering it instantly. BOOM! The sheer force of his blows sent shockwaves through the battlefield. But there were too many of them. For every Drakenar he felled, three more took its place. Felix''s breath soon turned heavy. Soon his body was covered in bruises and burns as the battle wore on. His armour was dented, and his sword dripped with molten blood. He needed reinforcements. But the Mana Defense Corps were already spread too thin. The city was under siege, and the officers were fighting on multiple fronts. Felix gritted his teeth before slashing down another Drakenar, sending its magma-infused head rolling across the ground. He glanced toward the collapsed section of the mine, where he knew the remaining miners were trapped. "Damn it... I need backup!" But no one was coming. --- Deep beneath the wreckage, a group of miners huddled together in a concealed chamber¡ªa hidden section of the mine that only someone intimately familiar with the tunnels would have known about. And among them was Mr. Revenant. Victor''s father. He had guided a handful of survivors into this place, moving through the chaos undetected. The walls were thick and reinforced by natural rock formations that had gone untouched by the mining drills. It was the perfect hiding spot. But not all of their colleagues had made it. The screams of dying men and women still rang through the cavern. A younger miner clutched his head with a terrified expression while trembling. "They''re... they''re all dying out there." Another shut his eyes tightly as if trying to block out the horror. Mr. Revenant whispered, "Stay quiet. If we draw attention, we die too." Then¡ª One of the men peeking from the cracks in the rock gasped. "A Mana Defense Officer!" Chapter 43: RUN! Mr. Revenant rushed to the opening and looked out. Through the thick dust and glowing lava, he saw the Warrior fighting alone. His movements were inhuman and his sword was an extension of his will¡ªbut he was outnumbered. And there was no way in hell one man could take on an entire Drakenar war party alone. He turned back to the group. "We stay hidden. He can''t help us¡ªnot yet. We wait for more officers." The others nodded in silent agreement. But then¡ªa problem arose. Mr. Revenant''s eyes widened as he saw someone running. It was the same miner who had been holding a torch that night. The man who had spoken about his little girl. He had panicked. And he was fleeing in the open. The Drakenar noticed. One of them¡ªa brute of a warrior with dark spikes lining its arms¡ªturned toward the man. It let out a roar, exuding heat waves that distorted the air around it as it charged. "Shit¡ª" Mr. Revenant moved. The others tried to grab him, but he shoved them off. He couldn''t let that man die. Bursting from the hiding spot, he ran after the panicked miner, sprinting past the burning rubble. The man turned and stumbled as his eyes widened with terror. "Come with me! I have a hiding spot!" Mr. Revenant urged while grabbing him by the arm. But it was too late. The Drakenar brute had locked onto them. Molten claws reached for them causing the heat alone to burn the air around it. Mr. Revenant''s mind worked fast. If they both ran for the hiding spot, the Drakenar would follow. They''d expose everyone. So he made a decision. A terrible but necessary one. "Run to the enclosure¡ªNOW!" he yelled. Then¡ª He grabbed a nearby mining tool and swung it with full force into the Drakenar''s face. The tool shattered on impact. It caused no damage but it got the Drakenar''s attention. Its molten eyes flickered with newfound rage as it turned toward Mr Revenant. The other miner hesitated. "No¡ª" "GO!" Mr. Revenant roared. The man ran. The Drakenar pounced¡ªnot at him, but at Mr. Revenant. He had become the new target. And he ran. Not toward the hiding spot¡ªbut away from it. Leading the monster away from the survivors. Mr. Revenant didn''t look back. Didn''t hesitate. His heart pounded and his breath hitched. He could feel the intense heat behind him as the Drakenar closed in fast. But he had bought them time. He had given them a chance. And now¡ªhe had to survive. ... On the other hand, the lone Mana Defense Officer, Commander Felix Ardent, was holding his ground against the overwhelming numbers of the Drakenar. His greatsword cleaved through molten flesh, sending chunks of dark-scaled bodies flying as he fought. His system interface flickered in front of his vision, keeping his abilities running at full power. Felix had just finished splitting a Drakenar in two when something caught his eye. In the distance¡ªa man was running. And behind him¡ª A Drakenar brute was closing in fast. Felix''s breath hitched. ''Damn it¡ªanother civilian!'' Without hesitation, he sprinted toward them, causing his armour to clank loudly as he charged. The Drakenar chasing Mr Revenant was about to make contact when Felix appeared behind it and stabbed his sword into the creature from behind. The Drakenar spat out sizzling blood as Felix lifted it into the air with his sword and then flung it away. Mr Revenant came to a halt with a look of appreciation on his face upon noticing that his pursuer had been taken care of. "Are you o..." Felix was just about to call out when a massive blur appeared in front of him. The air warped as a wave of molten heat brushed their faces¡ª In the same instant, a fist slammed into his chest. BOOOOOOOM! Felix''s entire body got lifted off the ground and sent flying backward at insane speed. He smashed through three boulders with his body bouncing across the molten ground before colliding into a rough rock wall. CRACK! A cloud of dust and debris exploded from the impact site, obscuring his form completely. Mr Revenant''s eyes widened in horror. "Oh, shit¡ª" Before he could move, a massive clawed hand gripped his throat. He was lifted off the ground causing his legs to dangle as he choked. This Drakenar was different from the others. It stood a full head taller than any Drakenar Mr. Revenant had seen before. Its magma veins pulsed like rivers of fire beneath its scorched-black skin. Its armour, if it could be called that, was made from solidified lava with glowing cracks running along the surface. And its eyes... They were not just burning red¡ªthey were intelligent. Mr. Revenant struggled with the creature''s massive wrist, but it was like trying to move a mountain. All of a sudden, it spoke. "Kovulchuni aoerico ma woxtasi..." The language sounded guttural and primal, like rocks grinding against each other. Then, it changed. It turned smoothened and refined. And suddenly¡ª English. "You humans," the Drakenar leader''s deep voice vibrated through Mr. Revenant''s skull. Mr. Revenant froze. How the hell did they learn to speak English?! The Drakenar leader studied him with intense curiosity as its grip tightened slightly. "You were offered the opportunity to coexist and yet you chose to start a war... you puny unintelligent beings... now you will bear the consequences of your actions... after we have wiped most of your population, the rest will become Drakenar slaves," it stated confidently. Mr. Revenant gritted his teeth, "Go to hell." The Drakenar grinned. It raised one hand, preparing to crush his skull. But before it could¡ª A streak of silver flashed through the air. "Let him go!" With a mighty swing, Felix slashed downward, forcing the Drakenar leader to release Mr Revenant and block the attack. CLANG! The shockwave from the impact shattered the ground beneath them. Felix''s voice was raw with fury. "RUN!" he shouted at Mr. Revenant. "But¡ª" "RUN! NOW!" Mr. Revenant staggered back, knowing there was no time to argue. He turned¡ªand bolted. But the moment he did¡ª More Drakenar spotted him. And they chased. ¡ö¡ö¡ö Meanwhile, in the City Victor moved like a shadow since his speed was tripled by the effects of Wind Dash. The silent streets blurred past him, but his mind was focused only on one thing¡ª Reaching his father. His GPS flashed in his hand, updating in real-time as he navigated through the deserted roads. The sounds of battle in the distance were growing louder, but he had managed to avoid detection so far. But then¡ª Up ahead, a group of Drakenar warriors were patrolling the streets. Victor cursed under his breath and immediately veered off into an alleyway to avoid them. He turned the corner¡ª And ran straight into two Drakenar. "Shit!" The creature''s molten eyes narrowed as they spotted him instantly. One of them let out a low growl while stepping forward. Victor''s muscles tensed as he raised his fists. There was nowhere to run. He had only one choice. Fight. Chapter 44: Interference The two Drakenar warriors were each up to seven feet tall so Victor was like a dwarf before them. Their molten veins budged like rivers of fire beneath their rocky skin as they drew closer. The air around them simmered with heat and the very ground beneath their feet cracked with each movement. Victor gritted his teeth. "Okay, Victor... you''ve fought plenty of enemies before. Sure, they were in a game, but that''s basically the same thing, right?" Right? He exhaled sharply before lowering his stance. ''I better get rid of them quickly so I can get back to finding dad...'' Victor took a deep breath, feeling the Dragon Breathing Art activate within him. A fire-like energy surged through his chest, heating his lungs as he prepared his first attack. The Drakenar glowing red eyes narrowed as they sensed the build-up of power. Then¡ª Victor exhaled with full force. A massive stream of flames erupted from his mouth, engulfing the first Drakenar in an explosion of fire. The roaring inferno lit up the darkened streets with heat so intense that the nearby streetlamps flickered and short-circuited. Victor smirked. "Hah! Take that, you overgrown lizard!" He couldn''t believe he had just aced his first real life battle with relative ease. But when the flames died down, his smirk vanished. The Drakenar was still standing. Completely unfazed. Not even a scratch. Victor blinked. The Drakenar blinked back. A moment of awkward silence passed between them. Then¡ª The Drakenar grinned. "Okay," Victor muttered. "That''s not good." He just realised that the Drakenar were probably fire resistant. The Drakenar warrior tilted its head, almost as if it was mocking him. Victor cleared his throat. "Uh... any chance we can... talk this out?" The Drakenar charged forward in response, causing Victor to swerve to the side. It''s claws tore through thin air as Victor evaded then began fleeing. The two Drakenar began chasing after him. Victor whirled around mid-run, gathering Qi through his hands as he formed a Wind Blade. A blade of condensed wind materialized and he swung it forward at the first Drakenar''s chest. The sharp edge of wind sliced through the air, leaving a visible trail as it connected with the creature''s molten hide. A thin gash appeared. Victor''s eyes widened. ''It worked!'' But¡ªthe wound was shallow. The Drakenar barely reacted. It only looked down at its lightly scratched chest before snarling in amusement. Victor gritted his teeth and swung again but it was the same result. The Drakenar slashed at him with its claws but he ducked and then swerved towards its left before slashing at the creature once more. He moved again and slashed at its back and it''s right arm swiftly. The Drakenar''s body was covered in minor cuts, but none of them were deep enough to cause serious damage. "Damn it... this isn''t enough!" If he had a real sword, he could enhance his strikes with Qi properly and use Lingyun Sword Techniques. But barehanded, his techniques were weaker. "I need a weapon..." Victor was so focused on attacking the first Drakenar, that he almost didn''t sense the second one behind him. A massive clawed hand reached for his back. Victor''s felt a tingling sharpness on his skin and turned swiftly. He instantly thrust his palm forward while activating Gale Strike. A burst of concentrated wind blasted from his palm and slammed into the second Drakenar''s chest, sending it flying backward. The creature''s body swept across the pavement and crashed into a light pole, but like before¡ª It barely took damage. Their bodies were incredibly sturdy and would certainly require much more force to cut through well enough. "I''m wasting too much Qi. I can''t keep this up!" Before he could react, the first Drakenar shot forward with a burst of speed much faster than before. BOOM! A solid punch connected with Victor''s ribs, sending him flying. He crashed through the glass window of a small shop, tumbling over tables and chairs before slamming into a metal shelf. Pain exploded through his body. "Urgh¡ª!" The streets fell silent for a moment as dust settling around the wreckage. For a moment, everything spun. Victor''s vision blurred as he breathed heavily. He could feel a slight burn on his side burned and his arms felt numb but at least he was alive. He felt that this would have most likely been way worse if he couldn''t use Qi. ''They landed a hit... and it nearly took me out.'' Through the shattered storefront, he saw the Drakenar approaching, casting long shadows under the street lamps. They were about to pounce¡ª When suddenly¡ª A mana-charged explosion detonated above them. BOOOOOOM! A figure descended from one of the tall buildings in dark blue robes that fluttered gracefully upon her landing. From atop the building, she had witnessed a part of the battle unfold. Her emerald eyes flickered with intelligence and curiosity when she observed Victor''s fight. At first, she thought he was a Mana Defense Officer. But then she saw the school uniform. Her eyebrow twitched. "A... school kid?" This prompted her to spring into action. Her grip tightened on her staff as her system interface appeared before her. --- [ SYSTEM SPELL: GLACIAL BURST ] Effect: Encases target in ice upon impact Range: 30 meters --- She raised her staff causing a glowing blue insignia to appear above it. With a wave of her hand, she whispered¡ª "Glacial Burst." The Drakenar warriors barely had time to react before a massive wave of freezing energy washed over them. Their molten bodies hissed violently as their movements slowed. Their lava-coursing veins hardened as a thin layer of frost crept up their limbs. In seconds¡ªboth Drakenar were frozen solid. The woman stepped forward, walking pass the frozen Drakenar with her deep-blue robes shimmering. Her piercing emerald eyes locked onto the area where Victor crashed into. But the moment she walked into the store, she froze. Victor... Was gone. "Where the Hell Did He Go?!" She glanced at the rubble, expecting to see a badly injured schoolboy. Instead¡ª Nothing. Her eyes narrowed. She turned quickly, scanning the darkened streets. The only thing she spotted was a blur disappearing down the street. "How the hell did he vanish that fast?!" Chapter 45: I Finally Found A Weapon "How the hell did he vanish that fast?!" Could he be... An Assassin-type Awakener?! It already didn''t make sense that a kid could stand their ground against adults Drakenar regardless of whether they were awakened or not. Seeing him speeding off made things even more puzzling because she recalled spotting a burst of flames earlier... "Assassins can''t use flames... Mages can''t move that fast..." Her brows furrowed as she turned her gaze toward the direction of the Molten Wastes. "Just what kind of kid was that?" ... Victor on the other hand ignored the pain shooting through his body and used Wind Dash to get further and further away. Victor''s legs burned as he darted through the empty streets with a racing mind. The Mage had been strong. Stronger than anything he could deal with right now. If she caught him, she''d force him to return to the safe zones. And he couldn''t let that happen. His father was still out there. Victor gritted his teeth as he pushed forward. The GPS on his phone blinked furiously as he got closer and closer to the mine. ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö The Molten Wastes Mining Site was a graveyard of ruin and death. The air reeked of burning flesh, the ground was scorched black from the relentless waves of lava surging from the earth. Screams had long since faded, replaced only by the distant echoes of battle and destruction. Mr. Revenant ran as fast as his legs could carry him, slinging through fallen debris and any obstacles along the way. His lungs burned from the heat and exertion but he couldn''t stop. Behind him, the ground trembled... It was the footsteps of the pursuing Drakenar sending cracks through the earth. He dared not look back. "Keep moving... keep moving!" But the booming sounds of combat up ahead told him that he wasn''t free yet. Because Felix Ardent, the lone Mana Defense Officer who had come to their aid, was still locked in combat with the Drakenar leader. And it wasn''t looking good. Felix''s chest heaved up and down intensely due to exertion. His greatsword felt heavier with each passing second. The Drakenar leader molten lava-infused exterior glowed brighter as cracks of pure heat energy coursed through its veins while it relentlessly attacked Felix. Felix had been strong at the start. But after facing wave after wave of Drakenar warriors, he was spent. His armor¡ªonce reinforced with mana-infused plating¡ªwas now cracked and barely holding together. The Drakenar leader smirked. "Your kind... so weak," it rumbled while stepping forward after a brief pause. "You cannot stop us. You only delay the inevitable." Felix gritted his teeth while gripping his sword tightly. "I''m not... done yet!" Summoning every last ounce of his strength, he pushed forward, swinging his greatsword with a desperate, ferocious slash. The blade connected¡ª But the Drakenar leader caught it with one hand. Felix''s eyes widened in horror. Then¡ª The Drakenar''s free hand ignited with molten energy like an erupting volcano. It slammed its palm against Felix''s chest. BOOOOOM! A wave of lava-infused energy spread through Felix''s armor. The entire plating shattered in an instant, breaking into hundreds of pieces and leaving only his battered body exposed beneath. Blood trickled down his mouth as his arms trembled while he slid backward and fell to his knees. His strength faded. The Drakenar leader grinned. "Goodbye, human." With terrifying speed¡ª It drove its fist straight through Felix''s chest. Felix let out a sharp gasp as his body jerked violently while the lava-coated hand burst out of his back, covered in blood and burning flesh. The Mana Defense Officer trembled as he stared at the Drakenar in shock. The Drakenar leader leaned closer, watching the life drain from Felix''s eyes. "See?" it whispered darkly. "Weak." Then¡ªwith a look of brutality, it ripped its hand upward, splitting Felix''s body in two. Blood sprayed across the battlefield. Felix''s remains collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Their defender had fallen and Mr. Revenant had seen it all. From behind a large rock formation, Mr. Revenant crouched while letting out heavy breaths as his entire body shook. He had peeked just in time to see Felix''s brutal execution. His fingers dug into the dirt as his mind screamed at him to stay silent. But his heart¡ª His heart pounded so loudly, he feared it would give him away. He turned back and pressed himself against the stone as his entire body trembled in terror. "Will I get to see them again... at least one last time?" The image of two smiling figures appeared in his mind as he leaned against the rock. Felix had been the only hope. Now, he was dead. The Drakenar were unstoppable. He closed his eyes, forcing his breathing to slow. Maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªhe could still stay hidden. Maybe they wouldn''t¡ª "Where were we?" His heart stopped. A deep voice rumbled right next to him. Slowly¡ªdreadfully¡ªhe turned his head. And saw the Drakenar leader standing right in front of him. "Ah," the Drakenar sneered. "That''s right." It lifted one massive clawed hand with lava dripping from its fingertips. "You were about to die." Then¡ªit swung downward. The attack was fast¡ªtoo fast. Mr. Revenant barely had time to process it. He could only squeeze his eyes shut¡ª All of a sudden¡ª A loud clang rang out. It sounded like metal grinding against raw strength. The blow that should have ended his life didn''t come. Mr. Revenant''s eyes shot open in confusion. And there it was... Standing between him and certain death was a young figure with his knees bent from the impact and a blade raised to block the Drakenar''s massive hand. The ground cracked beneath him and dust spread in all directions. The Drakenar leader''s eyes narrowed. And then, Mr. Revenant saw his face when he turned slightly to the side. His heart nearly stopped again. "Victor?!" Standing before him was none other than his son. Victor''s arms shook from the sheer force of the block with sweat dripping down his face. But despite the odds, despite the mountain of power towering above him, Victor''s eyes blazed with defiance. He looked at his father¡ª And smiled. "You really know how to pick a terrible hiding spot, Dad." Mr. Revenant couldn''t even breathe. "Howww?" He couldn''t fathom what he was witnessing right now. How was his son here? How did he block the arm of the titan before them? The Drakenar leader, however, grinned. "Interesting." Victor pushed back and took a proper stance as his sword radiated with Qi. "I finally found a weapon... are you willing to be my test dummy?" Qi began to gather around Victor in waves, causing a strange pressure to descend upon the surroundings. Chapter 46: When Did My Son Become This Strong? (( Minutes Earlier )) Victor''s surroundings had long transformed from a technological city into a molten wasteland. Victor had never seen so much blood in his life. The moment he reached the Molten Wastes Mining Site, his stomach churned as a wave of nausea hit him like a crashing tide. Bodies. Scattered everywhere. The ground was soaked in red with flesh ripped apart and limbs strewn across the blackened rocks. The stench of burnt corpses and scorched earth filled the air, nearly making him gag. His heart pounded violently in his chest. "Holy shit... I wasn''t ready for this." He forced himself to breathe, trying not to vomit right then and there. Seeing this in a game was one thing... but in reality... it completely hit differently. The moment he turned the corner¡ª His blood ran cold. There, in the middle of the battle-torn wasteland, lay a warrior''s broken body. It was Felix. His torso was split in two with his lifeless eyes staring into nothingness. "A mana Defense officer... he must have come here to help..." Victor stood frozen. Everything else faded. It was just him and the corpse of a man who had died fighting. And then¡ªhis eyes fell upon something. Lying just a few inches from Felix''s severed hand... A greatsword still charged faintly with warrior''s mana. Victor didn''t hesitate. He reached down and wrapped his fingers around the massive hilt before lifting it up. His breathing steadied. His grip tightened. Then¡ªhe dashed forward. --- (( Back to the Present )) Mr. Revenant''s heart nearly stopped. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing. His son¡ªhis boy¡ªwas standing between him and a monstrous Drakenar warrior. Victor held Felix''s greatsword in his hands, locked in a direct clash against the Drakenar leader''s molten claws. The sheer impact had sent a wave of dust across the battlefield, kicking up sand and debris. Victor''s arms trembled slightly, but¡ª He was holding his ground. "VICTOR?!" Mr. Revenant shouted in horror. Victor gritted his teeth as his arms strained against the force of the Drakenar''s strength. "You really know how to pick a terrible hiding spot, Dad." "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Mr Revenant yelled from behind. "Saving you!" Victor snapped back before pushing against the Drakenar''s claw and jumping backward. The Drakenar leader, however, grinned. "Interesting." "I finally found a weapon... are you willing to be my test dummy?" Qi began to gather around Victor in waves, causing a strange pressure to descend upon the surroundings. "YOU NEED TO RUN!" his father yelled before stepping forward. "This isn''t a fight you can¡ª" Victor grabbed his father''s arm and¡ªwithout any effort at all¡ªyanked him back. "You run," Victor countered. "I got this!" Mr. Revenant stumbled slightly as his eyes widened in disbelief. His son¡ªhis scrawny, game-obsessed son¡ªhad just manhandled him like it was nothing. What the hell was happening? The Drakenar leader tilted his head and watched them bicker. Victor kept his stance with his blade raised and his muscles tensed. His father, meanwhile, was losing his mind. "Victor, listen to me!" Mr. Revenant insisted. "These things aren''t some game characters you can respawn from! They''re real! They''ll kill you!" Victor rolled his eyes. "Oh wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the heads up, Dad." "Damn it, Victor! This isn''t the time for your jokes!" "Exactly, so get out of here!" "YOU get out of here!" The Drakenar leader''s eyes flickered between them with his molten claws twitching slightly. Left. Right. Left. Right. He watched them go back and forth, clearly losing interest. Then¡ªhe grinned. "Aaah..." his deep voice rumbled as he cackled. "I see what this is." Both Victor and his father froze as the Drakenar''s molten eyes gleamed. "A father-son reunion?" the creature mocked. "How... sweet." The Drakenar lifted his massive clawed hand with lava dripping from his fingers as his eyes burned with malicious amusement. "Why don''t you both die together?" Then¡ªhe charged forward. "MOVE!" Victor shoved his father back and swung his greatsword forward. Steel met molten claws, and the battle truly began. The two figures blurred, moving rapidly as their clashes sent deafening sounds across the vicinity. Mr. Revenant could barely follow the fight. All he saw were flashes of steel, blazing orange streaks, and waves of pressure blasting through the battlefield. Victor matched the Drakenar leader blow for blow causing their attacks to send air waves across the area. They dashed across the battlefield at insane speed as the clashes of their weapons formed bright sparks in the air. Victor ducked under a swiping claw and countered with a Wind slash, sending a white arc of energy slicing through the air. The Drakenar twisted, dodging at the last second. Then¡ªhe countered. A massive molten fist surged toward Victor''s chest¡ª Victor vanished in a blur and reappeared above him before slashing downward¡ª The Drakenar blocked it causing arm and steel to grind against each other. Mr. Revenant watched in stunned silence. His son. His sixteen-year-old son. Was fighting toe-to-toe with a Drakenar warrior. "How? When?!" Victor had never been strong. He had always been a goofy, carefree kid. A kid who played video games all day and struggled to even carry groceries without complaining. Now¡ª Now, he was trading blows with a monster. His movements were astonishing, his attacks were fast and his reflexes were on another level. This wasn''t... normal. It wasn''t possible. "When did my son... become this strong?" ---- Victor staggered slightly as he locked eyes with the Drakenar leader. His arms were starting to hurt from the force of their clashes. It was obvious¡ªhe was getting pushed back. Every strike sent tremors up his arms and his muscles ached under the sheer force of his opponent''s blows. The Drakenar was simply too strong. Their power difference was vast, and Victor was feeling it with every passing second. His father just couldn''t tell because their attacks were too fast for him to follow and Victor hadn''t taken a blow yet. The Drakenar leader grinned as his molten eyes flickered like lava, fully aware of the human boy''s struggle. "You''re slowing down," he taunted while raising a hand. "You can''t keep up with me for long." Victor clenched his teeth. "Oh, yeah? We''ll see about that." He planted his feet firmly into the scorched earth, taking a deep breath before activating Phantom Moon Slash. In an instant, the air around them shimmered, and suddenly, there were multiple Victors¡ªcircling the Drakenar leader from all angles. Their greatswords gleamed, leaving streaks of afterimages in the air, making it impossible to tell where the real strike would come from. The Drakenar leader''s gaze flickered between the countless Victors in confusion. Chapter 47: Its The Sword! His instincts told him to act fast. "Tricks won''t save you!" He roared before slashing through one of the images with his claws. But his hand met nothing¡ªthe figure dissipated like smoke. The real attack came from behind. Victor''s greatsword whistled through the air and carved into the Drakenar leader''s back in a brutal arc. A deep gash tore open, sending the molten-skinned warrior flying several feet before he crashed against the rock formations surrounding the battlefield. Victor landed gracefully and grinned as he wiped sweat from his brow. "Ha! I knew having a weapon would up my game!" He lifted the sword and dramatically kissed it. Then he tasted blood. His own face contorted in horror. "Ack¡ª" He coughed and spat, nearly retching on the spot. "Okay, bad idea. Never doing that again." Mr. Revenant was still recovering from the shock of watching his son toy with a Drakenar warrior and was about to yell at him when Victor rushed over. "Dad, go find a proper hiding spot! I can handle this." Mr. Revenant immediately shook his head. "What if you need help?!" His father''s voice wavered with desperation. "I can''t just leave you out here¡ª" The words barely left his mouth before a shadow loomed over them. The Drakenar leader''s eyes burnt with rage as he emerged from the dust with his molten blood dripping onto the ground and making a sizzling sound. He snarled. "You little pest...!" His arm lashed out in a blur¡ªstraight for Mr. Revenant. Victor reacted instantly. His blade sang through the air, intercepting the attack. The qi-infused edge sliced through the leader''s side, hacking deep into him. The Drakenar growled while stumbling back. He snarled in rage and swiped at Victor, but the boy was already on the move. Victor used Phantom Mirage Steps, vanishing and reappearing rapidly¡ªdodging attacks while luring the Drakenar away from his father. "You think I''ll let you run away again?!" The leader howled before conjuring a volcanic trident. He hurled it forward¡ªstraight at Victor. Victor twisted mid-air, dodging the attack as the searing heat grazed his side. He winced but didn''t stop moving. Then, he saw his opportunity. A chance to end this. He stopped running. Planting his feet firmly into the ground, his qi surged. The atmosphere itself seemed to tremble. A great pressure spread across the battlefield, causing the surrounding air to distort. The Drakenar leader hesitated. Something was wrong. For the first time, he felt a strange, foreign energy swirling around Victor. It wasn''t mana. It was something else. Something older. Something powerful. And, for the first time¡ªhe felt fear. "W-what is this?!" his gaze flickered as the invisible force surged stronger. Victor lifted his greatsword as Qi swam across his entire body. He took a familiar stance. The stance he had learned from Lingyun''s spirit. The Drakenar leader gritted his teeth and conjured another volcanic trident. This one was even stronger than before. Its''s heat warped the air around it as he flung it forward with force. But it was too late. Victor swung. "Shadow Crescent Strike!" A massive crescent-shaped wave of shadowy qi erupted from his sword¡ªripping through the air like a tidal wave of destruction. The attack collided with the trident mid-air¡ª And shattered straight through it. The Drakenar leader had just enough time to widen his eyes before the shadow crescent energy slammed into his chest. A four-foot-long diagonal gash ripped across his torso, causing molten blood to spray into the air as his body was sent hurtling backwards and crashing into the rocks. For the first time since the battle began¡ª The Drakenar leader looked stunned. He clutched at his chest wound as molten blood poured through his fingers. ''What... was this?'' This wasn''t mana. This wasn''t anything he recognized. This was something else entirely. And it terrified him. Victor didn''t wait for a second before swinging at the creature again. The Drakenar leader pulled itself up and jumped out of the way to evade Victor''s strike. Victor''s grip tightened on the greatsword as he took a deep breath. This bastard was finally scared. The Drakenar leader, who had been so arrogant before now began dodging his attacks. His glowing red eyes darted around, avoiding every swing of Victor''s qi-imbued blade. Victor grinned. "What''s the matter? I thought you wanted to crush me just now?" The Drakenar leader growled but didn''t respond. He could tell¡ªthis human boy was weaker than the Warrior he killed earlier. Much weaker. And yet... Why were his attacks so damn dangerous? Every time that strange energy surged through his blade, it became deadly. A single direct hit would damage him severely. This wasn''t mana. And that terrified him. "Kokiri silnalu bork!!" The Drakenar leader snarled something in its native language, barking orders. Suddenly¡ª The others attacked. Victor''s eyes widened as more Drakenar leaped toward him with their claws raised. "Ah, hell." SLASH! Victor decapitated the first one before it could even react. A second lunged at him from the side¡ª He twisted mid-air and sliced straight through its torso, severing its upper body from its legs. Another came from behind. Victor spun on his heel and thrust his sword backward, impaling the Drakenar through the chest. Blood gushed as he ripped the blade free, turning just in time to cleave another''s head in half. They kept coming. Five more... Then ten... Then even more... Victor pushed forward, hacking, slicing, stabbing. His blade became a blur of destruction. He wasn''t just fighting anymore¡ªhe was slaughtering. Then¡ªhe slipped. One of the Drakenar managed to land a crushing blow to his side. The force sent him flying with his sword slipping from his grasp. Victor hit the ground hard and skidded across the blood-soaked battlefield. "Shit¡ª!" He barely had time to react before another Drakenar was on him. It jumped towards him¡ª Victor raised a hand and conjured up a Wind Gale! A powerful burst of wind exploded from his palm, launching the Drakenar off its feet and through the air. His eyes darted toward where his sword landed. The moment he dashed toward it, another Drakenar appeared in front of him. Victor raised his hand and formed a Wind Blade, slicing at the creature. The attack barely left a scratch. "What the¡ª? Oh fuck I forgot..." The Drakenar smirked before swinging its massive claw at Victor. Victor rolled to the side and successfully evaded the strike before sprinting toward his sword again. The leader noticed. The molten-skinned warrior squinted as he watched the exchange. Then he saw it. The pattern. When Victor didn''t have the sword¡ªhis attacks were weak. When he did have the sword¡ªhis attacks were lethal. His glowing red eyes narrowed. He finally understood. The sword. It wasn''t that the human boy was strong¡ªit was the weapon that was amplifying this strange power. Victor snatched up his sword again and spun just in time to cleave another Drakenar in half. The Drakenar leader growled. "Enough of this!" He raised his hand and magma began to swirl around his fingers as he formed a massive, searing-hot ball of destruction. Victor''s eyes widened. That looks bad. By the time the leader hurled the deadly projectile forward, Victor was already moving. Wind Dash! He exploded to the left causing his body to become a blur as the ground behind him erupted into flames. BOOOOOM! Before Victor could breathe, he felt a presence beside him. The Drakenar leader was already there. ''How the hell did he get so fast?!'' The Drakenar war party leader was already swinging at him from the moment he dashed toward the side. Claws met steel and the collision sent Victor''s sword flying from his hands again. "Not this shit again!" Victor groaned and moved to retrieve it¡ª But this time, the Drakenar leader was faster. It''s clawed hand grabbed Victor by the throat... and before he could react¡ª The Drakenar leaped. They soared over thirty feet into the air. Victor barely had time to panic before¡ª SLAM! He was driven straight into the ground causing the earth to crack beneath him. Chapter 48: The Legendary Mage A cloud of dust and rubble exploded outward upon the collision. Victor gasped as pain spread through his entire body and he coughed blood. The Drakenar leader pressed its hand against his chest, pinning him down. "You were amusing, human..." The molten warrior''s grin stretched wide, revealing razor-sharp teeth. "But the game ends now." Its hand wrapped around his ankle and before Victor could even react¡ª BAM! The world spun violently as he was lifted and slammed down. Again. BAM! And again. CRACK! His ribs croaked. His skull pounded. His entire body cried out in agony. Victor could barely register it¡ªhis own blood spilling from his mouth, splattering across the broken ground. But even as he was battered and tossed like a ragdoll, he still fought. He struggled. He kicked. He tried anything to break free. But it was useless. Without his sword, he couldn''t execute an attack powerful enough to free himself from this monster. The Drakenar leader''s lips curled into a wicked grin. Then¡ª SNAP! White-hot pain shot through Victor''s body. A scream tore from his throat as his left arm snapped at the elbow. ''No. No no no no¡ª'' He couldn''t fight anymore. His arm was done for. His vision spun and his hearing rang. He barely registered it when he was lifted again¡ª "You put up a fight, human," the Drakenar leader sneered. BAM! A crushing punch sent Victor flying with his body spinning in mid-air before he crashed into the dirt with a sickening thud. Victor barely clung to consciousness as his head spun, throbbed and rang from the sheer brutality of the beating he had just endured. His left arm twisted unnaturally and his ribs ached from being slammed into every solid surface in sight. Blood dribbled from his lips as he gasped. His breathing had turned hoarse, and with every slight movement, he felt a searing pain shoot through his body. ''I''m dead.'' The Drakenar leader savored the moment with a grin as he dragged Victor''s father along like a ragdoll. "You caused me so much trouble, human," the molten-skinned warrior tone was laced with sadistic amusement. "So now, you will watch as I take everything from you." Victor tried to speak, but all that left his throat was a gurgle of blood and desperation. "Plss..." he choked out, barely able to form words. "Spare him... this is between you and me..." The Drakenar laughed before wrapping its massive clawed hand around one of Mr Revenant''s limbs. With a single jerk¡ª SHRIP! A gush of crimson exploded forth. Victor''s father''s right arm was torn off. "AAARRGHHHHHHH!!!" The blood-curdling scream that erupted from Mr. Revenant''s throat shattered something deep inside Victor''s soul. His father collapsed to his knees with his entire body trembling as his face contorted in agony. Victor''s vision swam. His breathing hitched as his heart pounded violently in his chest. He tried to force his broken body to move¡ªto do something, anything. But he was too weak. He couldn''t move. He couldn''t fight. He couldn''t stop this. The Drakenar leader ignored his pleas and ripped off the left arm next. Blood spilled like a fountain. Victor''s father''s eyes turned glazed and unfocused. His lips quivered as he struggled to breathe through the pain. Victor''s heartbeat roared in his ears. He couldn''t let this happen. ''MOVE, DAMN IT!'' His fingers twitched. His body convulsed. He tried everything¡ªbut he was completely helpless. The Drakenar leader turned to Victor again while tilting his head as he lifted his foot over his father''s right leg. With a stomp, he completely squashed Victor''s father''s right leg, causing him to scream out helplessly. A smirk spread across his molten face. "I wonder how long he''ll last." He proceeded to grab Victor''s father''s last leg, preparing to rip it off when... THOOM! A pressure suddenly descended. An intense, suffocating, all-consuming force, swallowed the battlefield in an instant. The wind froze as the very mana in the surroundings twisted violently, then locked into place. The Drakenar leader''s body stiffened as his glowing red eyes widened in alarm. Then a voice that sounded low, commanding and absolute, rang out. "Zone Freeze." A blinding green light erupted from the sky and the Drakenar leader could not move. His entire body was frozen mid-action with his claws mere inches away from ripping off Victor''s father''s last limb. BOOOOM!!! The very earth trembled beneath the presence that had just descended. From the swirling storm of mana, three figures emerged. The one in the center was the first to touch down¡ªa woman clad in dark green battle gear. Her long, jet-black hair swayed as she landed while her glowing emerald eyes narrowed at the battlefield. The mana-infused wings strapped to her back dissolved into the air as she stepped forward. To her left and right, two more figures stood. Their armor gleamed under the blood-red sky, reflecting the burning eyes of the Drakenar horde. Each of them bore the golden insignia of the Mana Defense Corps. And two out of the three newly arrived figures were familiar faces. Victor''s blurred vision managed to focus just enough to recognize them. To the right was the female Mage from before¡ªthe one who had saved him in the city. She wore flowing blue robes and her glowing mana staff hovered by her side. To the left was a broad-shouldered man with a healer''s insignia. And at the center, the legend herself¡ª Cecilia Thorne. The most powerful Mage in the city. A war hero. A walking calamity. Her emerald eyes gleamed with ruthless focus as the air around her rippled with power. Then she turned to the paralyzed Drakenar leader. "You''ve spilled enough human blood today." Without looking at him, she grabbed Victor''s father from the frozen Drakenar leader. The monstrous reptilian warrior twitched violently with his molten skin cracking as he struggled against the Zone Freeze. But Cecilia didn''t care. She handed Mr. Revenant over to the healer. "Do your job," she commanded. The healer nodded once. His hands flared with golden light, and in an instant¡ª Mr. Revenant''s torn arms and legs began to regenerate. Chapter 49: The Battle Comes To An End Bone snapped back into place. Muscles wove themselves anew. Skin closed smoothly over the fresh limbs. Victor''s father gasped in shock as his breathing turned steady. The pain was gone. His body was whole again. The healer then turned to Victor. A surge of soothing warmth flooded Victor''s veins as his shattered arm mended, bruises faded, and his strength returned. Victor gasped while raising his hands in disbelief and staring at them. His body felt lighter. Stronger. But before he could even speak, The air shifted. A crackling heat rose dangerously, boiling the very ground beneath them. Victor turned his head¡ª The Drakenar leader was breaking free. His red eyes glowed like molten suns and his muscles twitched violently. The heat around him surged to catastrophic levels, warping the very air into a mirage of fire. The ground blackened. The air trembled. Then, a deep growl rumbled from his throat. "I WILL BURN YOU ALL!!" A violent explosion of flames erupted from his body. The Zone Freeze cracked. Mana shields flickered across the battlefield as the shockwave sent rubble flying. Victor shielded his eyes just as Cecilia raised a hand. She was still calm. Unshaken. She turned slightly¡ª "Time to clean up this place," she spoke with a voice as thin as ice. The female Mage on the right lifted her staff. Her system interface flashed before her, displaying rows of powerful spells. The healer retreated, reinforcing the mana barriers around them. And Cecilia¡ª Cecilia barely moved. She simply lifted her hand. And the air itself... split apart. Her system interface appeared in front of her, scrolling through a library of destruction. Spells ranging from catastrophic elemental annihilation to forbidden incantations hovered before her. Her eyes flicked through them all. Then, she smirked. "Found it." She tapped one spell. And the world... went silent. Victor felt it before he saw it. A pulse of mana unlike anything before. A weight heavier than the ocean. The very ground beneath them cracked. The air shuddered. And then¡ª BOOOOOOOOM!!!! The sky ignited. A storm of mana-infused lightning and fire descended upon the battlefield. Hundreds of Drakenar charging toward them¡ª Were erased. Burned to nothing but ash. The screams barely lasted a second. Victor stumbled back in awe. ''This... this is the power of a Legendary Mage?!'' The Drakenar leader stood frozen as its eyes widened with fury and disbelief. Then, for the first time... he took a step back. Victor grinned through the lingering pain. "Yeah, you better start running, ugly." Cecilia took one step forward. The Drakenar leader stiffened. She raised her palm, gathering mana. The Drakenar leader staggered backward, trembling. It had never felt this level of fear before. It could sense it. The massive gap in power between itself and the human standing before it. It had fought hundreds of battles, slaughtered thousands, and even faced elite warriors of humanity before. But this woman... this legendary Mage... She was on an entirely different level. It turned. And fled. Desperation took over its senses. The molten ground beneath its feet sizzled as it dashed forward, pushing its burning legs to the limit. It didn''t even care about the shame. All it wanted was to escape. But Cecilia wouldn''t allow it. She extended a hand causing her system interface to flash before her. A powerful spell manifested instantly. A searing golden spear of light formed above her palm, glowing like a miniature sun. And then¡ª She flicked her wrist. The spear tore through the air like a divine judgment, traveling faster than the eye could follow. The Drakenar leader barely had time to react before it pierced straight through its chest and burrowed out the other side. A massive gaping hole appeared in its body as the spear kept tearing through the air till it slammed into a darkened mountain up ahead. The mountain was immediately punctured. Meanwhile, the Drakenar leader''s vision darkened. And the last thing it saw¡ª Was the human boy... the one who had dared to wound it. The one responsible for this fate. Its blood boiled with rage one final time as it collapsed. Motionless. The battle was over. The blue-robed Mage swept through the battlefield, finishing off the last of the straying Drakenar. Meanwhile, Mr. Revenant dashed toward Victor while panting heavily. "Victor!" His voice was filled with raw emotion. Victor turned and gave a wide grin despite his exhaustion. Before he could react, his father pulled him into a tight embrace. Victor froze for a moment. His father was never this emotional. "You... you idiot," his father muttered. His voice was hoarse. "What the hell were you thinking coming here?!" Victor chuckled weakly. "Saving your ass, old man. You''re welcome." His father pulled back, gripping Victor''s shoulders. His hands trembled. For the first time, Victor saw something in his father''s eyes. Not just relief. But immense pride. "You saved me." Victor smirked. "Well, yeah. I kinda¡ª" Before he could finish, his father pulled him into another hug. Victor felt his chest tighten. This... was the first time his father had ever held him like this. For a brief moment, he let himself enjoy it. Cecilia walked toward them with crossed arms. "Too bad no one survived except you," she commented to Mr. Revenant. He shook his head. "There are survivors," he said firmly. Victor''s father turned and gestured toward a concealed area. A hidden crevice near the mines shuffled with movement. Then¡ª Twenty survivors emerged. They looked exhausted, injured, and terrified. But they were alive. Among them, Damien, the man he saved last, stepped forward. Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at Mr. Revenant. "You... you saved us," Damien whispered. Victor''s father''s usual stern face softened. "I just did what I had to do." Damien stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "You didn''t have to. But you did. Thank you." Some of the other workers joined in, patting Mr. Revenant''s back and offering words of gratitude. For the first time in a long while, he let himself smile. Victor who was watching this from the other end, felt eyes on him and turned. Cecilia Thorne was staring right at him. Chapter 50: Unexpected Loss Her piercing emerald eyes studied him with keen curiosity. "And you..." she mused while tilting her head. Victor gulped. She was even more intimidating up close. "You''re not supposed to be here, are you?" Victor fumbled for words. How was he supposed to explain this? "Uh... well, you see¡ª" Before he could come up with a convincing lie¡ª Cecilia''s comms earpiece crackled. A transmission came through. She narrowed her eyes and turned away while touching her earpiece as she began speaking into it. Victor let out a quiet sigh of relief. Saved by the call. Or so he thought. Because none of them noticed it. Behind them, the fallen body of the Drakenar leader... twitched. Its vision was blackened. Its organs were failing. But it still had a little life left. And its last thoughts were of revenge. ''That stupid brat... he is to blame for this.'' If it was going to die, it would make sure to scar him forever. It raised a trembling arm. A magma spear materialized in its palm, pulsating with intense heat. It locked onto its target. Not Victor. Not Cecilia. But his father.... With its last bit of strength, it flung the spear at its target. A searing streak of molten energy shot forward, cutting through the air like a lightning bolt. Victor''s eyes snapped to the side. His breath hitched as time seemed to slow down at this moment. The spear was headed straight for his father''s back. The others were distracted. The Legendary Mage was still on comms. The blue-robed Mage was securing the battlefield. No one noticed. No one... except him. "DAD!" Victor moved. He pushed himself forward with Wind Dash causing his body to blur. He reached out to grab the spear¡ª But he wasn''t fast enough. The burning projectile, slipped through his fingers before he could close them on time and... PUCHI~ The spear pierced through his father''s back, burning his heart instantly. Victor skidded to a halt with a look of disbelief on his face. His vision shook. His father froze. For a moment, he didn''t react. Then¡ª He gasped. He staggered. His hands clutched at the burning hole in his chest. Then he turned to Victor and smiled before collapsing. Victor screamed. "DAAADD!!!" Cecilia felt it before she even turned her head. She had heard that kind of scream before. A scream that meant someone had lost something irreplaceable. She whipped around, scanning the battlefield. And then¡ª Her emerald eyes locked onto the sight. Victor was on his knees, cradling his father in his arms. His face was buried in his father''s chest, and his shoulders trembled violently. Tears streamed freely down his face, dripping onto his father''s burnt shirt. His father''s arms hung limply by his sides as his lifeless eyes stared at the sky motionless. Cecilia''s face contorted. Her gaze snapped to the Drakenar leader who was barely standing. It wobbled in place with molten blood pouring from its wounds. A creature on the brink of death. It had no right to still be breathing. Cecilia''s fingers curled into a fist. She activated a silent incantation. Mana flared violently around her, distorting the air. And then¡ª She snapped her fingers. The air shuddered. A force invisible to the naked eye crushed down on the Drakenar leader''s skull causing its head to instantly implode. Its twisted, steaming corpse collapsed onto the ground. This time, it was truly dead. But it didn''t matter. Because so was Mr. Revenant. "HEAL HIM!" Victor''s voice cracked as he yelled at the healer. The healer knelt beside him, placing glowing hands on Mr. Revenant''s body. A gentle and warm light enveloped the lifeless man. Victor held his breath as he watched while his heart pounded intensely in his chest. Any second now... Any moment now... His father would wake up, right? ...Right? The healer''s face darkened. The glow around his hands flickered. Then¡ª It vanished. He swallowed hard and shook his head. "...Healing spells don''t work on the dead." Victor froze. He stared at the healer, unblinking. As if the words hadn''t registered. "No... no, you''re lying. Do it again." The healer winced. "Victor¡ª" "DO IT AGAIN!" The healer sighed before pressing his hands against Mr. Revenant''s chest. He complied with Victor''s wishes and tried again. The light flared up once more. Victor''s finger trembled as he waited... ...But nothing happened. The healer''s shoulders sagged. He shook his head again. "...He''s gone." Victor''s breath hitched. "No." He grabbed his father''s face and shook him. "Dad... come on. Wake up." Nothing. His father''s face remained still. Victor''s voice cracked. "Dad... please..." His father didn''t move. His hands gripped his father''s shirt, bunching the fabric. He shook his head violently, refusing to believe it. "Please, wake up..." No response. A choked sob tore out of Victor''s throat. He pressed his forehead against his father''s chest as his vision blurred completely. Tears kept pouring out of his eyes uncontrollably. A hand pressed onto his shoulder. Then another. The surviving miners that surrounded him had sympathetic looks on their faces. Some of them had tears in their eyes while others wore solemn expressions. Even the toughest among them looked broken. Because they knew. Mr. Revenant saved them. And now he was gone. Victor''s fingers dug into the blood-stained fabric of his father''s clothes. His heart felt like it was being ripped in half. This wasn''t supposed to happen. He had come here to save his dad. But he still lost him. Cecilia stood a few feet away, unmoving. She watched the scene unfold with a straight expression. She had seen many, many deaths. Comrades. Students. Friends. Lovers. At some point, she had grown numb to it. It was a reality of battle. People died. She had accepted that. But this? Something about watching a child cry over their parent''s corpse... It hit differently. Somewhere deep inside, something ached. She exhaled quietly, closing her eyes for a moment. Then¡ª She turned toward her comms officer. "We''re done here. Wrap it up." The cleanup would begin soon. And as it did¡ª A city far away watched the aftermath. ... ... New Avalon City''s emergency protocols were finally deactivated. The city''s sealing barriers dissolved, one after another. People poured back into the streets in confusion, fear, and panic. They gathered around screens, phones, and holographic displays. The news drones circled over the battlefield, sending back live footage. Numerous Drakenar corpses mixed with human corpses. And then¡ª The entire city saw him. A schoolboy in uniform. Clutching a corpse. The reporters zoomed in. People gasped. Mothers covered their mouths. Students at Victor''s school stared at their phones with widened eyes. They had all been worried about him. He never answered their messages. And now... Now they knew why. ############# Author''s Note: End of Volume One! For everyone that has gotten this far, I thank you all. Things are just getting started. Volume Two begins in the next chapter and I hope you guys are ready because it''s going to be a roller coaster. Chapter 51: Graduation ~ One Month Later ~ New Avalon City had returned to life. The scars of the Drakenar invasion were still etched into the streets, but the city had recovered. The barriers had been reinforced, the government had reassured the populace, and life continued forward as if nothing had happened. There were still small protests¡ªgroups demanding more transparency, better defense, and accountability for the breach. But overall, the fear had dulled. It was human nature. Time moved forward. And people forgot. --- In a vast hall within Grand Arc High, buzzing laughter and cheers filled the surroundings with the flashing of cameras. Rows of students in graduation gowns lined the stage, waiting for their names to be called. Parents, siblings, and relatives filled the audience with some wiping proud tears and others clutching bouquets of flowers. Hover drones hovered above, recording the event and broadcasting it live to some channels. For the Awakened students, the excitement was doubled. They weren''t just graduates. They were the future soldiers, defenders, and elite of society. Their entire lives had changed the moment they awakened. And this ceremony? It was a mere formality before they moved on to something greater. Danny stood among them with his arms folded across his chest. His graduation cap sat slightly tilted as he stared up ahead with an unreadable expression. "Hey, are you even paying attention?" Max nudged him. Danny blinked. "Huh?" "The speech." Jake gestured towards the stage. "It''s almost over." At the podium, Clara Frost, one of the top students in Class 3 was delivering the final lines of her speech. "¡ªwe have faced challenges, laughter, and unforgettable memories," Clara smiled brightly. "In the end, we all made it here. And as we step forward, let''s never forget the bonds we forged and the dreams that await us." The crowd erupted into applause. Teachers clapped. Parents cheered. The principal took the stage, preparing to call the names of the graduates. But Danny wasn''t clapping. His eyes drifted to the empty seat at the far end of the row. A seat that should have been occupied. "Is Victor Coming?" As the ceremony continued, Amara brushed past a few students, moving towards Danny. She had her long hair tied in a loose braid and her graduation gown fitted perfectly, but there was a slight furrow in her brows. When she reached Danny, she didn''t waste time with pleasantries. "Did you hear from Victor?" she asked. Danny let out a long sigh. He shook his head. "No." Amara''s lips pressed into a thin line. "I messaged him earlier this morning," Danny continued while adjusting his graduation cap. "Still nothing." Amara exhaled sharply. "It''s been a month." "Yeah," Max muttered, "and we haven''t seen him once." "Not even once," Jake added. "Dude vanished." "His mom won''t even let us see him," Danny crossed his arms. "Every time we went to check, she''d just say he wasn''t home." Amara''s hands clenched at her sides. That didn''t sit well with her. "Do you think she was lying?" Danny hesitated. Then he sighed. "I don''t know." But deep down? He had a feeling. Victor was home. He was just refusing to let anyone see him. --- As names were called one by one, cheers filled the venue. The graduates smiled and posed for pictures as they accepted their certificates. Parents hugged their children. The future seemed bright for everyone. Except... For one person who wasn''t there. "Victor Revenant." The entire surroundings fell silent the moment this name was called. Eyes darted across the crowd. Some students craned their necks, and others murmured quietly to one another. But no one stepped forward. The principal hesitated while glancing up from the list before coughing lightly into his fist. Then, as if nothing had happened, he resumed calling the next name. Among the students, Danny''s fists clenched at his sides. Max and Jake exchanged uneasy looks. Amara''s brows furrowed. Even though they already knew Victor wasn''t coming... it still hit differently when his name was called and there was no response. The moment the graduation ceremony ended, the group huddled together. "We''re going to his place," Danny said firmly while adjusting his graduation gown. "Damn right we are," Jake muttered. "No matter what," Max added, "we''ll make sure we see him today." Amara nodded immediately. Derek who stood beside her, folded his arms. "Why?" Amara shot him a look. "Why?" she repeated, as if the question itself was absurd. "Because he''s our friend. And we haven''t seen him in over a month." Derek sighed and shook his head. "Whatever. Do what you want." But when Amara turned to leave, he gritted his teeth and followed. As they walked through the bustling crowds, the recent graduates were already being approached by recruiters. "Join the Mana Research Institute and help advance the future of magic-infused technology!" "Our private organization provides elite combat training, better than the Mana Defense Academy itself!" Danny was among those targeted. A sharp-dressed man in a crisp white suit stepped in front of him, holding out a business card with an insignia resembling a coiled dragon. "Mr. Daniel King," the man said smoothly. "We''ve taken notice of your potential. We''d like to offer you a contract¡ª" "No thanks." Danny walked past him without a second thought. The man''s eyebrow twitched. "Wait, at least consider¡ª" Danny didn''t even spare him a glance. "I said no." He caught up with his friends, not interested in anything other than reaching Victor''s place. --- Twenty minutes later, the group of five arrived in front of Victor''s apartment complex... a modest, slightly worn-out building. They were about to head for the stairway when something caught Max''s eye. "There he is." Everyone turned. Victor was in the distance, walking toward the building with his head down. But something was off. He wasn''t wearing his usual hoodie or casual clothes. Instead, he was dressed in a worker''s uniform¡ªthe kind store employees wore. The way he walked... he looked drained. Danny''s brows furrowed. "What the hell is he wearing?" Victor reached the stairs of the apartment complex and began climbing up, still looking at the ground. "Victor!" Amara called out. Victor didn''t stop. Didn''t even look in their direction. As if he hadn''t heard them at all. The group exchanged quick glances before rushing after him. Victor reached his apartment door and pulled out his keys. Just as he pushed it open and tried closing it behind him... A hand shot through the small gap. THUNK! "Ouch." Jake winced. Victor''s head snapped up in surprise as he finally noticed them. Danny, Max, Jake, Amara, and even Derek stood in front of his door, panting slightly from running up the stairs. "What the hell, man?" Danny demanded. "You gonna pretend we don''t exist now?" Victor''s expression darkened. For the first time, they saw something in his eyes that wasn''t humor or sarcasm. Something heavy. Something that screamed ''leave me alone.'' "...What are you guys doing here?" he finally voiced with a hoarse tone. Amara stepped forward. "We came to see you." Victor''s fingers tightened on the door handle. "Well, you saw me." He tried to close the door again. This time, Danny caught it. "No, dude. We''re not leaving." ########## Author''s Note: VOLUME TWO BEGINS Chapter 52: Were Here For You Max nodded. "We''re worried about you." Amara stepped even closer. "We miss you, Victor." Victor''s grip on the door tightened even more. A flicker of something crossed his face. Guilt? Pain? Anger? Then, finally... He sighed. And let the door swing open. "Fine. Come in." --- For a brief moment, silence lingered as the group stepped inside. The air was stale, almost as if the place hadn''t been properly aired in a while. Victor didn''t bother offering them seats. Danny, Max, Jake, Amara, and even Derek stood awkwardly in the living room. They all knew why they had come. And no one knew how to start. It was Jake who broke the silence. "...Man, we''re really sorry about your dad." Danny nodded. "We all tried reaching out to you. We texted, we called, we even came here a few times. But..." "We never got to see you," Max finished. Amara spoke up next. "We were really worried about you, Victor." Victor let out a sight and parted the messy hair blocking his face. He didn''t know how to respond to all of this. It wasn''t like words could change anything. They kept talking, mentioning how the school felt different without him. Even Miss Adler, who always called him out for being a distraction, missed his antics. "She was like, ''I never thought I''d say this, but class is too quiet without Victor making dumb jokes.''" Max chuckled. Jake smirked. Danny grinned, trying to get a laugh out of Victor. But Victor... Didn''t even snicker. The silence that followed was awkward. Max scratched the back of his head. "...Damn. You really are down bad, huh?" Victor didn''t answer. Danny''s eyes drifted to the work uniform Victor was wearing. It looked cheap. Worn out. Not something you''d expect from someone with Awakened abilities. And then it hit him. "...Wait." Danny frowned. "Why the hell did you miss the Awakened screening?" Victor simply shrugged. "I had work." Silence ~ Everyone stared at him like he just said the dumbest thing ever. Max''s mouth fell open. Jake furrowed his brows. Derek looked confused. Amara blinked. "You... what?" Victor crossed his arms. "I work at a convenience store now." Everyone: "What the Fuck?!" Danny''s eye twitched. "Bro. You''re an Awakened. And you''re wasting your time as a store clerk?" Max shook his head. "Nah, nah, stop playing, man." Jake threw up his hands. "That''s like a supermodel flipping burgers at a fast food joint. What are you doing?" Amara stepped forward. "Victor, you have potential. A lot of it. You should be preparing for the Academy, not... whatever this is." Victor scoffed. "I''m a fake." That shut everyone up. Max frowned. "The hell does that mean?" Victor leaned against the wall with tired eyes and a distant gaze. "I''m a fake. A fraud. I''m not a real Awakened." Max let out a frustrated laugh. "That''s bullshit. We saw what you did at the party. We saw what you did before graduation. You''re strong, Victor. That''s a fact." Victor only shook his head. "What''s the point of all that if I couldn''t even save my dad?" Silence~ "Victor look, it wasn''t your fau..." "Besides," he cut Amara off before she could complete her sentence, "the bills won''t pay themselves." Everyone went quiet. Because suddenly, they understood. It wasn''t just about grief. It was money. Losing his father didn''t just leave a hole in his heart. It left a financial hole in his home. Danny tried again. "Victor. The Academy is all-expense paid by the government. You don''t have to worry about money¡ª" Victor let out a humorless laugh. "You think I don''t know that?" Everyone went quiet again. Victor''s eyes darkened. "Are they gonna pay my mom''s bills too?" The room fell into a deep silence. Jake opened his mouth and then closed it, unable to find the right words. Max rubbed his temples. Danny frowned. Because they knew he was right. The government supported Awakened students, yes. But until you became a fully-fledged Mana Defense officer, you didn''t actually earn money. And Victor... Victor needed money now. Victor shook his head and pushed himself off the wall. "I don''t have the luxury to run off to some elite academy and act like I don''t have responsibilities." Jake ran a hand down his face. "Damn, man..." Max looked at the floor with a frustrated expression. Danny clenched his fists. Derek, for the first time, actually looked sympathetic. Amara... Amara just looked at Victor. Like she was seeing him differently for the first time. Not just the jokester. Not just the clown. But someone who was actually struggling. Someone who lost everything and had to carry the weight alone. She didn''t know what to say. No one spoke for a long time. Victor sighed. "So, if you guys came here to tell me to drop my job and go back to school, you''re wasting your time." Danny responded with a frustrated tone. "We just want what''s best for you, dude." Victor looked at him. "And what if what''s best for me isn''t what you think it is?" Danny didn''t have an answer to that. "Look. I get it. You guys care." He exhaled slowly. "But I have to do what I have to do." Without another word, he walked over to the sofa and slumped into it while resting his elbow on the armrest and rubbing his temple. Then he muttered in a flat tone: "You guys can let yourselves out." A heavy silence filled the room. Everyone looked at one another, unsure of what to do. Just when it looked like they were going to respect Victor''s wish and leave... Amara stepped forward. She didn''t just step forward¡ªshe knelt before him. Right in front of him... Her hands reached out and gently took his. Victor stiffened. "...Amara?" Her fingers curled around his palm, and she held on tightly. "You''re not alone in this." Her voice was soft, affectionate and earnest. Victor''s throat tightened as he stared at her. Amara''s deep and warm eyes shone with an emotion Victor didn''t quite know how to process. "You don''t have to bear all of this alone, Victor. We''re all here for you." Victor''s fingers twitched. He didn''t even know how to respond to this. Derek clenched his fists at the sight. His jaw tightened and his lips pressed into a thin line. But he said nothing. Not because he didn''t want to. But because he couldn''t. Because even he knew that what Victor had gone through was too much for anyone to endure alone. From behind, Danny, Max, and Jake steppedFrom behind, Danny, Max, and Jake stepped closer. They each placed a hand on Victor''s shoulders. Danny''s grip was solid. Max''s hand was reassuring. Jake''s hold was silent but strong. And then, in unison, they all said: "We''ll do everything in our power to find a way to support you." Chapter 53: That Doesnt Make Any Sense "We''ll do everything in our power to find a way to support you." Victor''s body tensed as his lips parted slightly. A lump formed in his throat. He could feel it. Their sincerity. Their resolve. Their belief in him. But he just... Couldn''t accept it. He pulled himself away from their grasp, standing up abruptly. Then, with a voice laced in quiet exhaustion, he muttered: "...I don''t see how that''s possible." And without another word, he walked to his room and shut the door behind him. --- The moment Victor was alone, he leaned against the door. His breathing was shaky. His eyes burned. He swallowed the pain down, but it refused to settle. Slowly, his gaze drifted toward the VR helmet resting by his bedside. The same VRMMORPG helmet he hadn''t touched in over a month. It was covered in dust. Neglected. Forgotten. His fingers hovered over it before finally reaching out to grab it. His hands trembled as he slowly picked it up. A quiet shuddering breath escaped him. This was... This was the last gift his father gave him. His chest ached. A single tear slipped down his face. His mind, as if acting on its own, dragged him back to the past. Back to that day. The world had felt gray. Colorless. Lifeless. Victor had never felt so numb in his entire existence. But nothing¡ªnothing¡ªcould have prepared him for what happened when he brought his father''s corpse back home. His mother... She had collapsed the moment she saw him. Her scream tore through the walls... She sounded so broken that it shattered him. She didn''t just cry. She wailed. She sobbed and clutched at his father''s lifeless body as if she could force life back into him. "Wake up! Wake up, damn you! Wake up, you idiot!" Victor stood there, frozen with his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his skin. His mother''s sobs echoed in his ears. Her pain was... unbearable. Victor thought he could handle the loss. But watching her go through it? Watching his mother break into a thousand pieces, screaming, sobbing and unable to accept reality? That... That broke him in ways he never thought possible. Because no matter how much he wanted to take her pain away... He couldn''t. He was powerless. He had never felt so weak. --- Back in the present, Victor sat on the edge of his bed while gripping the VR helmet tightly. His teeth clenched. His knuckles turned white. His breath was uneven. He closed his eyes... And whispered to himself: "...What the hell am I even doing?" But no answer came. The only reason he could use cultivation powers in reality was because his father had given him this game. His father. The man who worked hard every single day. The man who always made sure there was food on the table. The man who believed in him, who thought he deserved something special, who gifted him the one thing that had changed his life. And yet... He couldn''t even save him. Victor let out a shaky breath as his chest tightened. What was the point of this power if he couldn''t protect the one person who mattered the most? His father should still be here. If only he had been stronger. If only he had been faster. If only¡ª A soft knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. For a brief moment, he considered not answering. But then, a voice followed. "Victor, honey, can we talk?" It was his mother. --- Earlier, while Victor was still locked away in his thoughts, his mother had returned home and met Amara and the others as they were leaving. She had been taken aback seeing them all gathered. She hadn''t seen Victor''s friends in a while. "Oh¡ªDanny, Max, everyone... what are you all doing here?" she had questioned with a slightly surprised expression. Amara and the others shared glances before Danny spoke up. "We came to check on Victor, Mrs. Revenant. We haven''t heard from him in a long time." Max added, "He won''t answer our texts..." Victor''s mother sighed. She knew Victor had shut himself off, but she didn''t realise it had been this bad. She had been working a lot and thought that, at the very least, they might have seen him on days when she wasn''t home. "He''s... been keeping to himself," she admitted. "Thank you for checking on him." There was a brief silence before Amara hesitated and then said: "Mrs. Revenant, Victor is an awakened." Victor''s mother paused. "What?" "He has abilities," Jake chimed in. "We don''t know how, but he does. He should be capitalizing on that. The Awakening Academy could help him¡ª" "Wait¡ªwait." His mother raised a hand with a bewildered expression. "Victor has abilities? He never told me that." They blinked. "You didn''t know?" Amara questioned with a tone of confoundment. She shook her head. The Molten Wastes incident. The Drakenar invasion. Victor had been there. Victor had fought. But she had never known. Her lips parted, as though trying to make sense of something that simply refused to settle in her mind. She thanked them again before heading inside. --- Now, as she stood outside Victor''s room, she felt a strange mix of emotions. Pride. Worry. Sadness. She wanted answers. After a brief pause, Victor finally muttered, "Come in." She opened the door and stepped inside. Victor was still sitting on his bed, looking lost. She sat down beside him. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, softly, she asked, "Why didn''t you tell me?" Victor blinked. "Tell you what?" "That you have abilities. That you were at the Molten Wastes when your father¡ª" Victor''s stomach twisted. He didn''t reply. His mother exhaled. "I just... I don''t understand," she continued. "When did this start? How?" Victor scoffed bitterly. "Because of a game." His mother blinked. "A game?" He let out a small, humorless laugh before lifting the VR helmet. "This game. Ascendant Realms." She watched him carefully. "It''s how I can use abilities in reality." Her brows furrowed in confusion. "That doesn''t make any sense, Victor." Chapter 54: Is This The Boy You Spoke Of? "Tell me about it," Victor muttered. "I don''t get it either." There was a brief pause. Then he whispered in a low tone: "But none of that mattered in the end, did it?" His mother frowned. "What do you mean?" Victor swallowed hard. "I have all this power," his hands tightened around the helmet as he voiced quietly. "And yet, I couldn''t even save Dad." His mother''s breath got caught in her throat. Victor let out a shaky sigh while staring down at the floor. "What''s the point of having power," he murmured, "if you''re too weak to protect the ones that matter?" His mother reached out and gently placed a hand on his cheek. "Victor..." His throat tightened. "I''m a fraud, Mom. I couldn''t save him." Tears welled up in his mother''s eyes. And then, without another word, she pulled him into her arms. Victor broke down once again as he clutched onto her desperately. His shoulders shook violently as tears streamed down his face. His mother held him tightly as tears slipped down her own cheeks as well. "My sweet boy..." she whispered. "You''re not a fraud." Victor buried his face into her shoulder with his chest heaving as he sobbed. "I miss him..." "I know," she whispered while stroking his hair. "I miss him too." For a while, they just cried. Holding onto each other and sharing the pain. After a long silence, his mother finally spoke again. "Victor," she said softly. He didn''t move. She gently pulled away and cupped his face. "You need to go to the Awakening Academy." Victor stiffened. He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "I know you think you need to stay," she said firmly. "That you need to take care of me." Victor looked away. "But you can''t keep putting your life on hold because of me." "You have power, Victor. You have a gift. And I know... I know it hurts to think about moving forward after what happened, but¡ª" Victor shook his head. "I can''t just leave you." She smiled sadly. "Victor, I''ve taken care of myself for years. I''ll be fine." "But the bills¡ª" "I can manage," she assured him. "And if you make it through the academy, one day, you''ll be able to do even more." Victor''s chest ached. "You''re my son," she whispered. "And I want you to live, Victor. To truly live." Victor exhaled sharply while blinking back tears. He looked down at his VR helmet, then back at his mother. Finally... He whispered: "I''ll think about it." His mother smiled softly. "That''s all I ask." ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö Days passed, and New Avalon City moved forward. For the Awakened teens, the world had opened up in new ways. The Awakened Academy''s resumption date drew ever closer, and excitement buzzed through the city. The academy itself wasn''t within the city¡ªit was located far away in a protected, classified zone. The journey there would be a spectacle in itself. And though every awakened individual was guaranteed entry into the academy, the screening tests still held immense importance. Screening wasn''t about acceptance¡ªit was about rank, privilege, and opportunity. The higher one''s score and potential, the better the benefits: ¡ñ Superior accommodations ¡ñ Higher monthly allowances ¡ñ Special training resources ¡ñ Access to elite combat instructors Because of this, every Awakened worked hard to perform their absolute best. And Victor? Victor had reapplied due to his mother''s affirmations. While Victor waited for his screening, his friends didn''t forget about him. Amara had sent letters to the Awakened Academy, pushing for assistance for Victor''s mother once Victor was enrolled. Danny, Max, and Jake? They were spreading word everywhere, trying to raise funds to help his family. Even though Victor wasn''t his usual self, even though he didn''t show the same enthusiasm, he appreciated their efforts. He just... didn''t know how to be himself anymore. --- The bell jingled as Victor stood behind the counter of the small convenience store. The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly. A customer¡ªa man with a tired look¡ªdumped a few energy drinks and protein bars onto the counter. Victor scanned the items lazily. "Rough day?" he inquired out of habit more than genuine curiosity. The man sighed. "Brother, you have no idea." Victor smirked. "Try me. I work here." The man let out a dry chuckle, then grabbed his bag of items and walked off. Victor exhaled while tapping his fingers on the register. There were worse jobs, but this... this was not what he wanted to be doing. Not long ago, he had fought for his life. He had held a sword. He had faced death. And now? He was bagging groceries. The contrast was almost comical. Victor glanced at the clock. His shift would end soon. And then... another day of waiting. When Victor returned home that evening, his mother wasn''t alone. A man and a little girl sat in the living room, chatting quietly with her. Victor paused for a moment, then recognized him. Damien. One of the miners from the Molten Wastes. The man Victor''s father had saved. And the little girl sitting beside him? His daughter. Victor stepped inside slowly. Damien noticed him and immediately stood. "Victor," he greeted with a warm but somber tone. Victor nodded slightly. "Hey." Damien looked at him with an expression of gratitude and guilt. "I wanted to come by," Damien said, "to pay my respects to your father." Victor''s chest tightened. His mother smiled softly. "That means a lot, Damien. Really." Damien looked down for a moment, then reached into his pocket. He pulled out an envelope and placed it on the table. Victor frowned. "What''s this?" Damien pushed it toward him. "My entire month''s earnings," he said simply. Victor''s mother''s eyes widened. "Damien¡ª!" "Please," he insisted. "Your husband saved my life. My daughter still has a father because of him. This is the least I can do." Victor''s mother shook her head firmly and slid the envelope back. "No, Damien," she said softly. "We appreciate the thought, truly. But we can''t take this from you." Damien looked conflicted. Victor, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "If you really want to honor him," he said, "then live well. Keep being a good father. That''s what he died for." Damien''s eyes softened. He nodded slowly and pulled the envelope back. Before leaving, Damien placed a hand on Victor''s shoulder. "If you ever need work in the mines," he said, "I''ll make sure you get paid handsomely." Victor chuckled dryly. "Not exactly my dream job, but I''ll keep that in mind." They shared a small laugh before Damien left with his daughter. And for the first time in a while... Victor felt something lighter in his chest. ... ... Far from New Avalon City, in the highest floor of a towering building, two figures sat around a long table. The walls were lined with holographic displays showing different surveillance feeds, some static-filled and distorted from battle damage. A single projection played before them, flickering as if the data was barely intact. It showed a battle¡ªone that took place a month ago during the Molten Wastes Incident. The video was heavily corrupted, static-filled, and missing large chunks of footage. But the pieces that were visible were enough to make any experienced fighter pause. It showed a boy¡ªno older than a high school student¡ªwielding a greatsword and standing his ground against a Drakenar war party leader. Cecilia Thorne stood with arms crossed as she watched in silence. Beside her, an older man in a high-ranking military uniform sighed. When the footage ended, the man turned to Cecilia. "Is this the boy you spoke of?" he asked. Chapter 55: Youre Three Months Pregnant Cecilia''s green eyes flickered as she nodded. "Yes." The room fell silent again as they both processed what they had just seen. The man leaned forward with a serious expression. "This is... unusual. A student, a newly awakened at best, managing to hold his own against a war party leader of the Drakenar? Even for an exceptionally gifted recruit, that level of combat ability is unheard of." Cecilia exhaled slowly with her arms still crossed. "Exactly. That''s what bothers me. It doesn''t make sense." The holographic display glitched again, replaying a part of the footage where Victor unleashed a Shadow Crescent Strike, the attack cutting clean through the molten trident hurled by the Drakenar leader. The man brows furrowed as he watched the scene. "This boy... his abilities. They don''t look like any recorded warrior based techniques." Cecilia hesitated before responding. "Because they''re not." That was the problem. From what she partially witnessed upon her arrival, Victor didn''t seem to be using mana at all. The man''s voice dropped slightly as he stared at Ceecilia. "If this footage gets out, the higher-ups will start asking questions." Cecilia nodded. "Exactly but it won''t just be the higher ups. And I don''t want that to happen." She turned to him. "Delete any copies of this footage. No public records. No reports. I don''t want him becoming a target." The man sighed while rubbing his temples. "You''re making this difficult, Cecilia. If the higher-ups find out¡ª" "They won''t," she cut in. "Not if you wipe the records clean." The man stared at her for a moment before exhaling in surrender. "Fine." He tapped a few buttons on the control panel, and the footage vanished from the display. A thought suddenly struck the man, and he turned back to Cecilia. "Speaking of which... What score did this boy get in the screening?" Cecilia''s lips tightened slightly before she responded. "That''s the problem. He wasn''t there." The man blinked. "Wait... you mean to tell me this kid didn''t even attend the screening?" Cecilia shook her head. "No. And I''ve been trying to find him ever since." She sighed while tapping her fingers lightly against her arm. "New Avalon is a big city. He could be anywhere." The man furrowed his brows, deep in thought. Then, a small idea sparked in his mind. "Maybe we''ve been looking in the wrong places." He turned to one of the nearby consoles, tapping into a database search. Cecilia watched as his screen flickered, processing a list of students from the city''s education records. "Let''s try schools. If he''s that young, he must have been attending one." After a few seconds, a name popped up. [ Grand Arc High School ¨C Student Records: Victor Revenant ] The man smirked slightly and turned to Cecilia. "Well, looks like you have a starting point now." Cecilia narrowed her eyes while staring at the file. A high school student... a potential powerhouse... but someone who had never even taken the first step into an Awakened''s path. She turned away from the screen. "It would be a waste if someone like him never joined the Awakened Academy." The man nodded. "So what now? You planning on paying a visit?" Cecilia didn''t answer immediately. Instead, she simply smirked. "Let''s just say... I''ll be keeping an eye on him." --- (( Days Later )) The day of second Awakened Academy screening was finally here. For the past few weeks, Victor had been mentally preparing himself, although in reality, he was still struggling. He sat on the edge of his bed with his fingers absentmindedly tracing the dust-covered surface of his VR helmet. Ascendant Realms. The game that changed his life. The game that made him stronger. And yet... He hadn''t logged in since his father''s death. His mind drifted to the Awakened Academy and how, if he got in, he''d have to find a way to sneak in his VR gear to continue his cultivation. But could he even do that? The academy had strict regulations, especially for new recruits. No outside technology, no unauthorized devices. Victor sighed while rubbing his temple. Maybe he should just quit. Maybe it was time to move on from the fantasy world and focus on reality. But deep down a part of him still wasn''t okay with being mediocre. The grief might have broken something in him but he hadn''t completely lost the will to be exceptional. He still wanted to cultivate. He still wanted to grow stronger. And most importantly¡ª He still had unfinished business in Ascendant Realms. Yet, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t bring himself to put the helmet on. A sudden noise snapped Victor out of his thoughts. His head jerked toward the door the instant his ears picked up a retching sound from the living room. "Mum?" Victor rushed out of his room just in time to see his mother bending over the couch while dry heaving into her hands. His brows furrowed. "Mum! Are you okay?!" Mrs. Revenant wiped her mouth while waving her hand dismissively. "I-I''m fine, Victor... just something I ate¡ª" Her sentence cut off as another violent wave of nausea hit her, forcing her to lurch forward and vomit into a nearby trash bin. Victor''s heart pounded with concern. She''s definitely not fine. "That''s it," he voiced before grabbing his coat. "We''re going to the hospital." "Victor, no¡ª" "Mum, yes." She tried to protest, but Victor had already lifted her up, half-carrying her toward the door. --- They arrived at the nearest medical facility in a couple of minutes. It was a clean and sterile-looking building with glowing blue panels along its exterior, indicating that mana-powered technology was heavily integrated. The receptionist who was a young woman with glasses and a holographic clipboard, quickly checked them in. "What seems to be the issue?" she asked. "She''s been throwing up violently," Victor said. "It started this morning, but she says she''s fine. I don''t believe her." The receptionist nodded before pressing a button on her interface. "Take her to Room 3-B. The doctor will be with you shortly." Victor helped his mother into the examination room, where a middle-aged doctor with gray streaks in his beard stepped in moments later. "Mrs. Revenant, correct?" he asked while glancing at the chart. "Yes," she said weakly. The doctor took a few scans, then ordered a full test to be certain. After about thirty minutes, the doctor returned with an expression Victor couldn''t read. Victor felt his stomach tighten as he glanced at the man with a worried expression. "Doctor...?" The man adjusted his glasses while looking between Victor and his mother. Then he let out a small sigh and set the clipboard down. "Mrs. Revenant... you''re not sick." Victor furrowed his brows. "What?" The doctor gave them a small smile. "In fact, I have good news..." They stared at each other in confusion then back at the doctor. "You''re three months pregnant." Chapter 56: The Screening Silence~ For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Victor''s mother sat there, blinking in stunned disbelief. Victor felt like his ears were playing tricks on him. Pregnant? His mother? "What?" Mrs. Revenant finally whispered. The doctor nodded. "Congratulations." Victor''s mind spun. Three months. That meant¡ª That meant... His father left behind one final gift. A new life. His sibling. His mother touched her stomach as tears welled in her eyes. "H-He always wanted another child..." she whispered. Victor''s chest tightened. This was... good news. This was amazing news. But at the same time¡ª ''How can I leave her now?'' He had just barely convinced himself to apply for the second Awakened Academy screening. He had finally been considering moving forward. But now... Now his mother was going to be alone, carrying a child. Would she be okay without him? Could he really just leave? Victor gritted his teeth while fighting against the mixture of emotions bubbling inside him. His mother turned to him and noticed his troubled expression. "Victor... don''t let this stop you." Victor''s eyes snapped up to hers. "Mum, I¡ª" "I know what you''re thinking." She gave a small, tearful smile. "You''re worried about me." Victor remained silent. "But I can take care of myself. And now, I have another reason to be strong." Her voice trembled as she touched her stomach."We both have to move forward." Victor exhaled sharply. He wanted to believe that. He really did. But something inside him still screamed that leaving now would be selfish. Victor helped his mother stand, steadying her as they left the medical facility. As they walked home, his mother gently nudged his shoulder. "You should still go, Victor." Victor let out a dry chuckle. "Mum... I don''t know if I can." She gave him a knowing look. "If your father were here... what do you think he''d say?" Victor stopped walking and recalled the proud look on his father''s face when he held his own against the Drakenar leader. He already knew the answer. His father would have pushed him forward. His father would have told him to become something great. His father would have¡ª "Shit," Victor muttered. "I hate to admit it but you''re right." His mother laughed softly. "Then go make us proud, son." ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö The Awakened Screening Facility was absolutely packed. Up to a hundred late awakeners and those who had missed the first screening for various reasons stood inside, waiting for their turn. It was a massive indoor stadium-like structure, divided into multiple sections, each designed for specific class-based tests. There were digital holographic banners suspended high above, displaying: > "AWAKENED ACADEMY SCREENING ¨C LATE PARTICIPANTS" The participants were a eexcited, nervous, and overconfident young awakeners, each eager to prove themselves to the government officials present. Rows of seating areas lined the sides where government evaluators sat, watching over the event. The hundreds of participants were separated into seven main classes based on their awakenings: Warriors ¨C Melee combat specialists. Berserkers ¨C Strength-based brawlers. Mages ¨C Spellcasters with various elemental abilities. Assassins ¨C Speed-based fighters specializing in stealth and reflexes. Summoners ¨C Those capable of summoning creatures for battle. Healers ¨C Support awakeners who could regenerate health and remove ailments. Necromancers ¨C The rarest, capable of summoning undead creatures. Each class would undergo specialized tests tailored to their unique skill set. However, some tests¡ªlike the aptitude test¡ªwere universal, since all awakeners possessed a system interface only visible to them. The system provided: ? Level progression ? Class-based abilities ? Tasks & missions ? Skill upgrades & unlocks And today''s screening would determine the ranking of each individual based on a point system, awarding better benefits to the strongest. The head official was a man dressed in all white with green hair named Gareth Vale. He stood at the center while raising a system-activated clipboard that automatically called out names, projecting the names onto a holographic screen. > "Lance Erwin!" A tall muscular teen stepped forward. > "Class?" > "Berserker!" > "Proceed to Section C!" Lance ran off to where the Berserkers were being assembled. > "Alicia Fenwick!" > "Mage!" > "Proceed to Section D!" One by one, names were called and youngsters stepped forward, declaring their classes before getting sent to their respective testing areas. The name calling went on for several minutes¡ª Until¡ª > "Victor Revenant!" The room fell silent. Nobody stepped forward. The officials glanced at each other. Gareth sighed and called the name again: > "Victor Revenant?!" Still no response. After a brief awkward pause, Gareth shook his head. > "Moving on." They continued down the list. After all the names had been called, the first tests officially began. --- Meanwhile ¨C Outside the massive facility, Victor sprinted towards the entrance completely out of breath. "Damn it... I''m late." He was still processing everything¡ªhis mother''s pregnancy, the pressure of leaving her, and his mixed emotions about this entire screening. As soon as he reached the facility entrance, two security guards in dark navy uniforms stepped in front of him. "Halt. State your business." Victor stopped in his tracks while panting. "I''m here for the screening. " "Screening is already in progress." "I... I know. But I... I''m on the list... My name''s Victor Revenant." One of the guards checked a holographic tablet. After a brief scan, the guard narrowed his eyes. "Your name was called nearly fifteen minutes ago. You failed to respond." Victor gritted his teeth. "I had... a family emergency." The second guard who happened to be taller and stockier, crossed his arms. "Look, kid, I don''t know what your excuse is, but the rules are the rules." Victor glanced past them at the open testing areas inside. The first batch of awakeners were already going through their tests. If he didn''t get in now, he wouldn''t be able to compete for ranking. He clenched his fists. "I can''t miss this." "Then you should have been on time." Victor exhaled sharply while trying to keep his composure. Should he force his way in? He wondered... But that wouldn''t help his case. He had to think fast. Then¨C¨C All of a sudden, a voice interrupted. "Did you say your name was Victor Revenant?" The two guards turned sharply to check out the newly arrived figure and their eyes immediately widened in disbelief. ############# Author''s Note: You guys should check out this link if you want to view the video edit I uploaded of Victor /ZMB1Ve2y6/ It also contains art works for "I Can Only Cultivate In A Game". Enjoy ???? Chapter 57: Second Test Just as Victor was trying to convince the guards to let him in, a voice interrupted from behind. > "Did you say your name was Victor Revenant?" Victor paused for a second before turning toward the speaker. Standing there was a government official, someone clearly of high rank, dressed in a dark navy uniform with golden insignias on the shoulders. The guards immediately straightened up and saluted, showing their respect. "Sir Krishna!" "Yes, sir. My name is Victor Revenant," Victor answered cautiously. The official nodded, then turned to the guards. > "Let him in." The guards hesitated for a brief moment, then stepped aside, allowing Victor to pass. Victor was confused¡ª ''Why did this guy help me?'' But there was no time to question it. "Thank you," Victor said before rushing inside. --- By the time Victor finally made it to the Warrior section, the first test had already ended. The Warrior section consisted of 29 awakeners. All of them were standing in what looked like a large training hall with combat dummies, weight-testing devices, and massive screens showing live results of the strength test. Victor arrived just as the scoreboard updated. The names and scores appeared on the large screen for everyone to see. --- Strength Test ¨C Warrior Class Results 1?? Aria Wolfe ¨C 80 points 2?? Kai Mercer ¨C 72 points 3?? Reed Harrington ¨C 65 points 4?? Nathan Park ¨C 60 points ... ... ???? 29th place ¨C Victor Revenant ¨C 0 points --- The first place scorer, Aria Wolfe, immediately burst into laughter. She was a tall, athletic girl with blue eyes and shoulder-length black hair tied into a loose ponytail. She had an air of arrogance and was enjoying the spotlight. "Hah! Look at all you weaklings! You should just quit now and save yourselves the embarrassment!" "I can''t believe I scored almost ten points higher than second place! Bow before your queen!" She dramatically flipped her ponytail while smirking at everyone. The second-place scorer, Kai Mercer, ignored her completely. He was a calm black-haired guy, with a relaxed expression and a handsome face that probably made girls swoon. He leaned casually against the wall, unbothered by Aria''s antics. "...I don''t have time for this nonsense." Meanwhile, the third-place scorer, Reed Harrington, was not so calm. He was a muscular redhead with a fierce glare and a fiery temper to match his hair. "Shut the hell up, bitch! I only lost because the weights weren''t balanced properly!" "Pffft! Excuses! Excuses!" Aria snickered. The rest of the Warrior group were also annoyed, but not many dared to speak up. Then¡ª "Hah! I wonder who this Victor Revenant dude is!" Aria suddenly laughed again while pointing at the last name on the board. "Imagine scoring zero in a strength test! Absolute trash!" Several students joined in the laughter, while some just shook their heads. Victor felt a slight sting of embarrassment but was internally relieved that nobody knew it was him. But then¡ª "Victor Revenant! Nice of you to join us!" A booming voice from the hosting government official echoed across the hall as he stared directly at Victor. The entire group turned toward Victor. "Huh? That''s the dude that scored zero?!" "AHAHAHA! THIS is Victor Revenant?! Oh, this just made my day!" Aria practically doubled over in laughter. Victor groaned internally. ''Why the hell did they have to call me out like that?!'' Normally, Victor would have had a sharp, witty clapback, but right now, he kept his mouth shut. "Alright, enough talking!" the official shouted. "Next test begins now!" The crowd quieted down as the next test was introduced. --- The next challenge was meant to test their best warrior-based skill with a sword. Each participant was given a sword, and they were all assigned a combat dummy as their target. The goal was simple¡ª ? Activate your best Warrior-class skill. ? Strike the target. ? Your score is based on power, precision, and execution. "Most of you will probably activate the same basic sword skill," the official explained. "But potency will differ based on your level and skill grade." Victor felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple. ''Crap... I don''t actually have a system-based skill.'' Most new awakeners had only one or two unlocked attack skills. Since they were all Warriors, they probably had some version of a "Basic Sword Strike" or something similar. But Victor? His powers came from cultivation. And if he used one of his techniques, people might notice something was off. Still... ''Screw it. I''ll worry about that later.'' Victor gripped the sword tightly. The test was about to begin. --- "Begin!" "Steel Fang Slash!" Kai Mercer''s blade got coated in a silver glow as he slashed his dummy with speed, leaving a deep clean cut. His score updated instantly. > 68 points. "Storm Fang Strike!" Reed Harrington swung his sword violently, unleashing a fiery arc of energy that crashed into his dummy, sending it flying backward. > 72 points. "Titan Fang Impact!" Aria laughed proudly as her blade turned golden, and she unleashed a massive, ground trembling strike that completely shattered her dummy. > 83 points. "BOOM! Another victory for me!" One by one, the students activated their warrior skills, leaving various cuts, gashes, or destruction on their targets. Then¡ª It was Victor''s turn. The entire room stared at him. "Let''s see what ''Mr. Zero Points'' can do!" Aria sneered. Victor exhaled slowly. This was it. ''Alright. If I''m gonna do this... I might as well go big.'' Victor raised his sword and focused his qi¡ª He couldn''t remember when last he tried to use qi but surprisingly, it flowed even more easier than before. A dark crescent-shaped energy started to form along the edge of his blade. The entire room went dead silent as an intense, invisible force began to stir around Victor. Aria''s smirk vanished. Kai narrowed his eyes. Reed''s fists clenched unconsciously. Victor took his stance and whispered: "Shadow Crescent Strike." With a powerful slash, the dark energy crescent exploded forward, tearing through the dummy with such fierceness that it split into four clean halves before combusting into nothingness. A wave of dust spread across the floor. The scoreboard flickered. Then¡ª > 99 points. The highest score so far. The room fell into stunned silence as Victor lowered his blade and exhaled. Chapter 58: The Strange Assassin The training hall remained dead silent for a few long seconds after Victor''s Shadow Crescent Strike shredded his target. "What the hell was that?" "No way! He got 99 points?" "How?! That skill¡ªwhat was that even called?" Whispers spread across the 29 warriors as their eyes darted back and forth between Victor and the screen displaying his score. Aria Wolfe''s confident smirk had long since vanished. Her arms were crossed and her jaw was on the floor. She glared at Victor like he had just personally insulted her entire bloodline. "Tch! That was just a fluke!" she snapped while tossing her hair dramatically. The exam official overseeing their section stepped forward and adjusted his glasses before speaking. "All scores are 100% accurate. There are no flukes here." Aria''s face twitched, but she quickly regained her bravado. "Hah! Fine! Whatever! You might''ve pulled off one lucky strike, but I''ll destroy you in the next test!" Meanwhile, Victor was internally relieved. ''Thank God no one is questioning why my skill isn''t in the Warrior system database... I really need to be more careful.'' The next test was about endurance. Each Warrior had to face a mechanized steel gauntlet, which would throw increasingly stronger punches at them. The objective? ? Block, counter, or withstand as many blows as possible before failing. Each successful counter gave more points. Many of the Warriors activated reinforcement abilities to strengthen their bodies. Some warriors used counter-techniques. Others used their sheer brute force to endure. Kai Mercer breezed through the test with his Steel Fang Counter, elegantly blocking and redirecting punches. Reed Harrington on the other hand, took a stance as the mechanized steel gauntlet threw its first punch. He activated his Iron Wall Stance, a Warrior-class defensive technique that let him brace for impact without flinching. "C''mon, is that all you got?!" he taunted as his feet ground into the floor. Each punch slammed into him like a battering ram, but Reed planted himself like an immovable wall. In the final round, when the strongest punch came, Reed countered with a perfectly timed strike of his own, using a technique called Force Rebound, deflecting the attack just enough to lessen the impact on his body. His score: 82 points. "Damn, that thing punches harder than my grandpa," Reed grumbled while rolling his shoulders. Aria snorted with her arms crossed. "I don''t know what''s worse, the fact that you compared that machine to your grandpa or that you actually got hit that much." "Shut up, Aria." Aria, of course, completely dominated. She used the same wall stance but hers was more powerful than Reed''s. The machine even shattered after hitting her a couple of times. "Hahaha! Who''s number one again?!" But Victor... Victor could only secretly use wind barrier to tank the hits. Unfortunately, Wind Barrier couldn''t tank it fully... at the final hit, it got pierced through and Victor got sent flying. His score was still top ten, but this time, he ranked fourth just behind Kai, Aria and Reed. "Tch! See? I knew it! I''m back on top where I belong!" Aria laughed triumphantly. Reed snorted while crossing his arms. "Damn, I hate agreeing with her, but I''ll take third over fourth any day." Victor, on the other hand, wasn''t bothered. ''I should try to stay under the radar to avoid too much suspicions before anyone figures out anything...'' For the next two tests, Victor placed, third and seventh simultaneously. This way he was seen as one with potential but wasn''t hogging all the spotlight. Other Warrior awakeners were highlighted and he got to avoid suspicion like he wanted... or so he thought. After all the Warrior tests, the youngsters were led to another large section of the facility where other classes also gathered. A massive screen appeared overhead, displaying the next test: [High-Speed Course] The students murmured in excitement as the ground began shifting. "A simulated wilderness? Oh, this is gonna be fun," Reed grinned. "Speed tests across all classes?" Aria folded her arms. "Assassins obviously have the advantage." "Not necessarily," Kai said. "Summoners and Mages have movement spells. Even Warriors have their own movement skills." A few Assassin awakened smirked nearby after overhearing them. "Yeah, yeah, but let''s be real¡ªan Assassin''s gonna win this one." Victor was standing off to the side with his arms crossed as he waited for his batch to be called for the Speed-Based Test. The testing area ahead had transformed into a large artificial landscape¡ªdense trees, hanging vines, rope bridges, and stone platforms suspended over chasms. It was a speed trial designed to push the contestants to their limits. A group of Assassins were already in the center, stretching and discussing strategies. Warriors and Berserkers stood nearby, looking annoyed that they had to participate in a test that clearly favored the more agile classes. However, Victor was in deep thought. ''I shouldn''t try to win... it would only raise more questions about my abilities. Warriors are obviously meant to be slower than assassins.'' He needed to play it safe and blend in. But then again... ''It wouldn''t hurt to see how good I fare against real speedsters...'' Victor didn''t want to give a mediocre performance. Before he could dwell on it further, a casual, teasing voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Hello, handsome." Victor turned his head just in time to see a girl strolling toward him. She had dark purple hair, streaked with faint violet and tied up in a messy ponytail. Strands fell around her cat-like golden eyes, which sparkled with mischief. She was short and lean but extremely cute and dressed in a cropped jacket with a silver emblem of a winking fox on the back. A lollipop stick dangled from her pretty lips with her sharp canines lightly biting down on it. She exuded an energy that was both playful and unpredictable like she found everything around her amusing. Victor raised an eyebrow as she walked right up to him, standing way too close for a normal introduction. "Do I know you?" he asked. She tilted her head. "Not yet. But I figured I''d come introduce myself before you take the whole world by storm." Victor sighed. "I think you''ve got the wrong guy." She smirked and plucked the lollipop from her mouth before twirling it between her fingers. "Selene Ark. Assassin class." She tapped the candy against his chest lightly. "And you?" "Victor Revenant." "Mmm." She studied him for a second before popping the lollipop back into her mouth. "You don''t look like a Warrior." Victor gave a lazy shrug. "And you don''t look like you take anything seriously." She grinned. "See? We''re already getting along." Kai and Reed, who had been watching the exchange, finally stepped in. "You know this girl, Victor?" Kai asked. "Nope. First time meeting her." "And yet you''re already flirting," Reed teased. Victor shot him a look. "I''m not." Selene laughed softly. "Not yet, anyway." Aria who had been silent on the sidelines the entire time, glared at Selene. "She looks weak." Selene didn''t even glance at her. "Oh? That''s cute. Let''s see how long that lasts." Before Aria could snap back, the screen above updated, displaying the names for the next batch. Selene plucked the lollipop from her mouth again and turned to Victor. "Wish me luck?" Victor stared at her in confusion. "Uhm, good luck?" She leaned in suddenly and kissed his cheek. Victor froze. "H-huh?" Reed burst into laughter while Aria looked absolutely confounded. Selene stepped back before flashing a lazy grin. "Try not to miss me too much." Before Victor could even process what just happened, she turned and strolled toward the testing area. Victor exhaled slowly. "Okay. What the hell just happened?" Reed clapped him on the back. "Bro, I have no idea, but I think you just got claimed." Kai chuckled. "She''s definitely interesting." Meanwhile, Aria had a look of displeasure on her face. "I hate her." Victor couldn''t help but let out a sigh. Today was certainly an interesting day. The test official blew the whistle, and the participants took off. Selene didn''t just run¡ªshe vanished. Victor watched as Selene activated an assassin skill known as Phantom Flicker. She blinked from point to point, bouncing off trees, flipping in mid-air and phasing through obstacles like they didn''t exist. Even among the Assassins, she was untouchable. "Holy shit." Reed muttered. "There''s no way she should have that skill yet," one of the officials voiced in disbelief. Chapter 59: Is He Really A Warrior? Aria crossed her arms and frowned. "Tch. Showoff." The final stretch was a tight corridor of swinging blades and retracting platforms. Most participants hesitated while trying to time their jumps. Selene grinned, leapt forward, and phased through the last obstacles. "She just¡ª?! What kind of Assassin skill is that?!" "Phantom Flicker... only level 15 - 20 Assassins can unlock that skill and not all of them successfully do so..." "She can''t be level 15, right? That would be impossible!" The voices of disbelief in the background only grew louder especially for those who were still below level 5. The scoreboard displayed the placings for this particular batch and Selene took first place. [Selene Ark - First Place] She jogged back toward them, licking her lollipop again like she hadn''t just pulled off something insane. She winked at Aria. "Looks can be deceiving." Victor exhaled while shaking his head. "Yeah... I think I like her." Reed clapped his hands. "Same." Aria gritted her teeth. "Ugh. She''s so annoying." Selene just laughed in response while turning toward Victor; "Missed me?" Victor was speechless; ''Just who is this girl?'' ... (( Twenty Minutes Later )) Victor stepped forward after seeing his name appear on the holographic screen. The competition had been fierce so far, with Assassins dominating most of the batches due to their superior movement techniques. Kai, Aria, and Reed had all performed well, but none of them had managed to claim first place in their races. Now, it was Victor''s turn. His batch consisted of: Two Assassins ¨C both confident, their bodies lean and built for agility. Three Berserkers ¨C tall figures with immense strength but moderate speed. One Summoner ¨C a calm-looking boy with a mysterious glow around his hands. Two Mages ¨C a boy and a girl, already murmuring to themselves, preparing their speed-boosting spells. One Warrior ¨C a tall, athletic-looking girl with short dark hair, holding her sword at her side. And a Healer. Normally, Healers were expected to place dead last. Their class wasn''t built for speed or combat mobility. Instead, they specialized in restoration, buffs, and support. Every batch so far had seen the Healer coming in last place without fail. But no one faulted them. Their scores weren''t affected by this since the officials only made them participate to determine their physical state. > "Racers, take your positions!" The announcer''s voice echoed through the course as the checkpoints loaded on the digital displays. The terrain had been transformed into a dense jungle, riddled with obstacles: Traps that shot out projectiles Rope bridges swinging over sharp spikes Tight corridors forcing them to dodge at high speeds Climbing sections requiring raw strength and agility It wasn''t just a sprint. It was survival. > "On your mark... get set... GO!" The moment the race began, the Assassins vanished from sight. "Flicker Dash! Flicker Dash!" They blinked ahead, dashing across vines, slipping through obstacles like liquid shadows. This speed technique couldn''t be compared to the one Selene used but nonetheless, they were still pretty fast. The Berserkers, on the other hand, barreled through everything, smashing through obstacles rather than avoiding them. The Mages cast their spells. "Wind Surge!" "Accelerate!" They propelled themselves forward, riding on bursts of magical wind. The Summoner smirked and called forth his beast¡ªa massive, glowing bull with streaks of lightning running through its legs. "Velox, let''s ride!" He hopped on its back and immediately soared past most competitors. Victor, who had activated Wind Dash, kept up with the pace, swiftly maneuvering past the early traps. His speed was insane for a Warrior, and it didn''t go unnoticed. "Holy crap, how is that Warrior moving like that?!" "Is he really a Warrior?" But the biggest surprise? The Healer. A lean, dark-skinned boy with short, buzzed hair and green eyes was keeping pace with everyone. "Who the hell is that?!" The crowd murmured as he dodged traps, leapt across platforms with ease, and his hand emitted a golden glow causing his speed to be undeterred. Apparently he kept healing himself mid-run whenever his muscles started to tire. "That''s Rylan Crowe," one of the officials noted. "He was an athlete before Awakening... but damn, even for a Healer, this is insane!" Rylan wasn''t just running fast¡ªhe was calculating. Whenever he felt fatigue creeping in, a golden glow would radiate around his legs, healing muscle strain instantly. Victor smirked as he ran beside him. "I thought Healers weren''t supposed to be fast?" A grin spread across Rylan''s face as he glanced at him. "I thought Warriors weren''t supposed to be fast?" Victor chuckled. "Touche." As they approached the midway checkpoint, the jungle terrain shifted into a series of swinging bridges and zip lines. The Assassins took to the ropes with ease, flipping through the air as they jumped from one line to the other. The Mages used magic to float across gaps. And as for the Berserkers? They just jumped. Victor easily kept up as the wind danced around him while he soared across the rope bridges. Then a scream suddenly rang out. One of the Assassins had miscalculated a jump. A hidden trap activated a spike wall, forcing him to jump and twist mid-air, but he missed his landing. He was falling straight into a bed of sharp spikes down below. Victor didn''t think. He kicked off the bridge and twisted his body in mid-air before grabbing the Assassin''s wrist. "Hold on!" With a burst of Wind, Victor flung the Assassin back onto the platform but his own figure was headed for a rock protruding from the ground. Victor somersaulted in mid air and stamped his leg onto the rock before activating Wind Dash again. A burst of wind gathered swept across the surroundings as he propelled himself upwards with force. The upper section of the rock immediately crumbled as his figure ascended and landed back on the ropes high above. The crowd gasped. "Did he just¡ª?" "He saved his opponent mid-race?!" The Assassin stared at Victor in shock. He hadn''t expected anyone to risk their own position to help. Victor just gave him a faint smile. "Try not to die, yeah?" Then he kicked off the platform and kept running. --- Chapter 60: Final Test The final obstacle was a massive vertical climb. Rope ladders, steep cliffs, and retracting ledges made it the most grueling section. Victor, the Summoner, and the two Assassins were neck and neck. The Summoner''s bull couldn''t climb, so he had to rely on himself. The Mages used flight spells to boost upward. Rylan scaled the walls effortlessly, healing himself whenever his arms grew tired. Victor kept using Wind Dash and Phantom Mirage Steps to bounce from ledge to ledge. Then... he saw the scoreboard. He was in first place. ''Shit.'' He couldn''t afford to win this. He was already drawing too much attention. So... he made a decision. As he leapt toward the final ledge, he let himself slip. "Ah, shit¡ª!" He crashed into the lower ledge, allowing the Assassins and the Summoner to overtake him. Finally, he pulled himself up and landed in third place. The crowd cheered wildly. "That Warrior would have won if he didn''t slip!" Aria, who had been watching, narrowed her eyes. ''I swear he did that on purpose.'' --- Final Rankings (Batch 9) 1. Isaac Vance (Assassin) ¨C Rank 1 2. Hart Hammer (Summoner) ¨C Rank 2 3. Victor Revenant (Warrior) ¨C Rank 3 4. Rylan Crowe (Healer) ¨C Rank 4 5. Elias "Eli" Mercer (Assassin) ¨C Rank 5 6. Leon Raines (Mage) ¨C Rank 6 7. Seraphine Vale (Mage) ¨C Rank 7 8. Jaxon Kane (Berserker) ¨C Rank 8 9. Royce Delacroix (Berserker) ¨C Rank 9 10. Naomi Brooks (Warrior) ¨C Rank 10 --- After the Race Victor stepped off the course, panting slightly. Rylan walked up beside him, offering a handshake. "That was crazy, man. You''re good." Victor smirked and shook his hand. "You''re not bad for a Healer." Aria, Reed and Selene walked over as well. Reed: "Dude. You saved an Assassin mid-race? Who even does that?!" Victor: "Hey, figured I''d be nice. Plus, it looked cool." Kai: "I have a feeling you''re holding back. That slip at the end? Didn''t look natural." Victor: "You guys give me too much credit." Selene: "You were so cool" Aria rolled her eyes. "You''re such a pain." Victor just grinned. Despite doing his best to make things seem natural, people were still suspicious. --- In the upper viewing deck of the screening facility, Sir Krishna, a middle-aged official dressed in government attire, stood with his arms crossed. His observant gaze followed the test participants below, but his focus remained on one in particular¡ªVictor Revenant. He subtly tapped the side of his earpiece and made a call. A crisp female voice answered almost immediately from the other end. "Update?" Sir Krishna glanced at Victor, who had just consciously slowed his pace before crossing the finish line in third place. His brow furrowed slightly before responding. "Victor Revenant has been performing well in the tests." There was a slight pause before the woman on the other end spoke again. "Any anomalies?" Sir Krishna hesitated before letting out a low sigh. "He''s holding back." The woman ''hmmed'' in thought, as if expecting that answer. "Good. Keep me updated." Sir Krishna nodded to himself, even though she couldn''t see him. "Understood." With that, the call ended. He exhaled deeply before shifting his focus back onto the competition below. --- On the viewing screens, a different batch of competitors was currently mid-race, dashing through the rough obstacle-laden wilderness course. Most participants were using their respective class abilities to navigate the treacherous terrain¡ªmages conjured wind bursts, assassins dashed between trees like shadows, warriors cut down obstacles in their path, and berserkers plowed through with sheer brute force. Then... there was one particular contestant who stood out for all the wrong reasons. A Necromancer. A tall, lanky youth dressed in dark robes lounged atop a makeshift bone throne¡ªa chair crafted from skeletal remains, held aloft by four reanimated undead minions. While the others fought through the course, dodging falling boulders, sharp spikes, and other hazards, he simply kicked back with a bag of chips, unfazed by the chaos around him. He lazily threw another chip into his mouth while glancing at the panicked competitors running past him. "Y''all are working too hard," he muttered. One of his undead carriers suddenly stepped into a trap causing a pressure plate to activate. A flurry of poisoned darts shot forward. Without looking up, the Necromancer simply pointed a single finger at the unlucky minion. "You''re excused." The undead collapsed into dust just as the darts flew past, missing him completely. One of the other contestants, a warrior struggling to climb a rock formation, glanced over and nearly lost his grip at the sight of the Necromancer floating across the landscape like a king being carried on a palanquin. "What the actual fu¡ª" Before he could finish, a gust of wind from a mage''s spell sent him tumbling back down. Meanwhile, the Necromancer just popped another chip into his mouth. "Tsk. Commoners." As he lazily coasted ahead, the spectators watching from the viewing deck erupted into laughter at the sheer absurdity of his approach. Even the officials monitoring the race exchanged bewildered glances. One of them leaned toward his colleague and whispered, "Are we even sure this is allowed?" His colleague sighed and rubbed his temple. "Technically... he''s using his class abilities effectively. So... yeah. I guess it counts?" Meanwhile, Sir Krishna watched the scene unfold with a blank expression. He let out another sigh. "We''ve got some... interesting candidates this year." ... ... After the speed test results were displayed, an announcement echoed across the screening hall as the team formation phase officially began. This was the last test for today and it tested their abilities to do well in a group. Each participant was required to form a party consisting of at least one of each class to ensure a balanced team. For the Warriors, Berserkers, Assassins, Mages, Summoners, Healers, and Necromancers, this was their chance to strategize and form alliances. However, a problem quickly became apparent. There were only two Necromancers available in the entire venue, which meant not every team could be complete. And just like that, a chaotic scramble broke out. "Oi! I''ll give you fifty thousand credits if you join my team!" Chapter 61: Excuse Me? Various awakened rushed toward the two Necromancers, offering bribes, promising alliances, and even straight-up begging. "No! Come with me! I have better connections!" "My dad''s a high-ranking officer! I can get you sponsorships!" One of the Necromancers¡ªthe same mysterious youth who had lounged on his undead throne during the speed test¡ªstood at the center of attention, completely unbothered by the madness unfolding around him. He tossed a chip into his mouth, ignoring the frantic warriors and mages trying to get his attention. Meanwhile, the second Necromancer, a short girl with a gothic-style outfit and pale silver hair, was casually flexing her skeletal fingers, as if already bored of the situation. "Hm. Maybe I should just pick a team at random?" she mused while watching the desperate crowds around her with amusement. At the heart of the ongoing frenzy to find a team was Evelyn Lancaster, the daughter of one of the richest and most powerful men in the city. She had long platinum-blonde hair and an air of superiority that reminded Victor of rich, spoiled celebrities. Victor raised an eyebrow. "Great. Another arrogant noble." As a Mage, she was one of the most sought-after awakeners, not just for her abilities, but because joining her team meant direct ties to the Lancaster family. Several young awakeners flocked to her, trying to curry favor. "Lady Evelyn, please consider me for your team!" "I''ll do anything to join your party!" Evelyn who was clad in an elegant blue jacket and skirt, simply sighed while crossing her arms as she scanned the eager faces surrounding her. She tapped a finger against her crystal-studded staff, clearly bored by the overwhelming attention. She had already secured a summoner, a healer, and one of the strongest berserkers in the venue. She glanced toward Victor, Reed, Kai, and Aria''s direction, who were still trying to figure out their own team. Then turned toward a separate direction and casually strolled up to the lazy Necromancer. She leaned in close, and whispered something none of the other competitors could hear. The Necromancer raised an eyebrow before suddenly grinning. "Well... that''s an offer I can''t refuse." The moment he accepted, the entire venue erupted. "WHAT?! EVELYN GOT HIM?!" "DAMN IT! I SHOULD HAVE OFFERED MORE!" The well-connected awakeners who had been vying for the Necromancer looked ready to explode. Evelyn on the other hand, simply laughed. However, her team was still missing a Warrior so many awakeners still flocked around her, trying to get her to add them to the team. "Tch. I swear, I can''t go anywhere without people throwing themselves at me," she muttered. Next to her, the lazy Necromancer yawned before chuckling. "You should be used to it by now," Lucian said smoothly. Being one of the only two Necromancers in the venue, Lucian wasn''t desperate in the slightest since everyone was literally begging to have him on their team. "What do you think, Lucian?" Evelyn questioned while glancing at the overwhelming crowd around them. Lucian who was still munching on a bag of chips, simply smirked. "They all seem... desperate." "Of course, they are. The teams that don''t get a Necromancer will automatically be weaker than the ones that do." Lucian shrugged before popping another chip into his mouth. "Not my problem." Evelyn sighed dramatically. "Ugh, I suppose I should pick my Warrior already." Her gaze flickered across the crowd, carefully evaluating the strongest Warrior candidate. Meanwhile, on the other side of the venue, Victor, Reed, Kai, and Aria stood together, still undecided on what to do. "So, uh... I guess we have to split up," Reed muttered. "Obviously," Aria scoffed. "Four Warriors can''t be in one team?" Kai merely nodded with a composed expression. "The real question is... who do we team up with?" "Don''t forget about me, handsome~" A feminine voice interrupted them. The group turned to see Selene sauntering toward them with a playful grin. She had excused herself earlier to use the bathroom so everyone thought she already found a team. They didn''t expect her to be back here. Her deep violet eyes locked onto Victor, sparkling with amusement. "You''re back?" Victor seemed to have noticed the number of awakeners trailing behind her and asking to team up. Selene grinned while stepping closer and ignoring them. "Want a lollipop?" Before he could refuse, she shoved one into his mouth. Victor choked slightly while glaring at her. "The hell was that for?!" Selene giggled, clearly enjoying his reaction. Aria crossed her arms and scowled "She''s annoying." Selene ignored her and leaned closer to Victor. "So, which team are you joining?" she inquired with a look of curiosity. Kai raised an eyebrow. "You''re not just asking out of curiosity, are you?" Selene smirked. "He''s catching on~" Before Victor could say anything, the announcer''s voice rang out again. "Final call for teams! All remaining awakeners must form a party now!" Everyone began to rush up with picking their team since they had very little time left. Standing confidently, Evelyn flicked through the rankings of the warriors who had done well in the previous tests. Her eyes landed on Aria first. She studied her for a moment, before shaking her head. "Nuh uh... too pretty." She hated competing for attention, and someone as fiery and sharp-tongued as Aria would be a headache. Moving on, she glanced at Reed¡ªonly to see him flexing in front of a mirror while loudly telling some nearby warriors that he would "one day be a legend." "...Not that one." Next, she considered Kai. Tall, cool, too damn handsome. She pursed her lips. "Ugh, too perfect. No way." And then¡ªher gaze landed on Victor. "...Perfect." Without hesitation, she pointed at him. "I want that one." Victor, who had been in the middle of finalizing his own team, froze when he realized Evelyn was pointing at him. The entire venue fell silent. People looked back and forth between Victor and Evelyn, waiting for his response. But Victor? He simply shook his head. "Nah, I''ll pass." A loud gasp erupted across the venue. "HE TURNED DOWN EVELYN?!" Evelyn herself stood there with a stunned look. "Excuse me?" Chapter 62: A Team Of Four Victor sighed and crossed his arms. "Look, I already have a team forming. It''d be unfair to leave them hanging just because someone with a rich background suddenly wants me." The whispers grew louder. "He actually said no!" "Is this guy insane?" Evelyn''s expression darkened. No one¡ªno one¡ªturned her down. She clenched her fist while responding with a tone of irritation. "Do you know who I am?" Victor responded with a tired expression. "Yeah. Evelyn Lancaster. Everyone here has been kissing the ground you walk on since this screening started." Evelyn''s eye twitched. "And yet, you''re still refusing?" Victor shrugged. "I made my choice." For a second¡ªjust a second¡ªEvelyn looked genuinely offended. Then, her expression shifted into a smirk. "Fine. If you don''t want to be on my team, I forbid anyone else from joining yours." Victor stared at her. "...Are you serious?" "Oh, dead serious." Evelyn snapped her fingers before turning to the remaining candidates. "Anyone who joins Victor''s team will be my enemy. And I don''t forget my enemies." Instantly, every remaining Mage, Summoner, and Berserker backed away from Victor. Even the Berserker who had initially planned to join them immediately left. Victor groaned. "Wow, really? You guys are that scared of her?" No one dared to answer. Selene, who had been standing beside him licking her lollipop, chuckled. "Damn, you''re really good at making enemies." Victor sighed. Rylan, the Healer, stepped up beside him and crossed his arms. "Whatever. I''m not going anywhere. She can glare all she wants." Victor gave him a grateful nod. At this point, the team only had three members¡ªVictor, Selene, and Rylan. And the timer was running out. Only one minute remained. The announcer''s voice echoed through the arena. "Final thirty seconds!" Victor exhaled. "Well, this sucks." Selene grinned. "Hey, if we lose, at least we lose with style." "Yeah, yeah." The final seconds ticked away¡ª When suddenly¡ª the second Necromancer¡ªthe gothic silver-haired girl¡ªspoke up. She had been watching everything with a bored expression, lazily tapping her fingers against her skeletal staff. Then she pointed directly at Victor. "I pick them." The entire venue froze again. Victor turned his head sharply. The second Necromancer had just made her choice. Gasps filled the air. Evelyn whirled around. "WHAT?!" The Necromancer girl smirked. "What? You didn''t claim me. I can pick whoever I want." Victor, still processing what just happened, pointed at himself. "Wait... me? Again?" She rolled her eyes. "Yes, you. You interest me." The countdown hit zero. The team formations were now locked. --- Final Team Roster: Victor Revenant (Warrior) Selene Blackwood (Assassin) Rylan Crowe (Healer) Megan Toshaka (Necromancer) --- Evelyn''s hands clenched into fists. Her face turned red, and she stomped toward the Necromancer girl. "Do you have ANY idea what you''ve just done?" The Necromancer tilted her head with an amused expression. "Yeah. I picked the most interesting team." Evelyn gritted her teeth. She hated this. She hated not getting what she wanted. But the rules were the rules. She couldn''t change the selections now. Evelyn took a deep breath before forcing herself to smile. "Fine. Have it your way. Just don''t come crying to me and pleading when I pass judgement upon you." The Necromancer girl simply smirked. "We''ll see." The announcer stepped forward while clearing his throat. "Now that teams are finalized, we move onto the team test." Victor still couldn''t believe what just happened. Somehow, despite everything, his team had a Necromancer. Sure, they were still lacking a Mage and a Berserker, but at this point he wasn''t thinking about that. The arena rumbled beneath their feet, and the entire venue began to shift. The testing facility warped, transforming into a massive, rundown castle, floating atop the head of a colossal stone statue buried in a ruined landscape. Thunder roared in the distance, and a storm of unstable lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating the eerie surroundings. The wind was erratic¡ªone moment calm and the next, a hurricane-level gust threatened to send anything unprepared flying. Spatial distortions flickered randomly across the area, warping sections of the terrain¡ªone wrong step, and someone could find themselves teleported to an entirely different location. As if that wasn''t enough¡ª A massive black wave swam across the environment, targeting mana signatures specifically. It swarmed toward any awakened individual, making sustained mana use dangerous. The castle itself happened to be very high above. A massive fortress sitting atop the head of a gigantic statue. The statue was a godly figure, carved in a pose of judgment. It''s enormous arms were crossed over its chest while its legs were buried deep into the broken terrain below. To reach the castle, teams first had to climb the statue''s massive body¡ªan ascent riddled with obstacles, unstable pathways, and mechanical guardians. And at the very top¡ªlay a magical sword that radiated with an overwhelming aura. It glowed with a pulsating blue energy and happened to be the relic that was causing all the environmental chaos. The objective was simple: Reach the top floor of the castle. Pull out the sword. End the trial. However¡ª The climb alone was a difficult challenge and this was where teamwork came in. The statue itself was crawling with humanoid battle bots¡ªeach armed with attack lasers, retractable arm blades, and explosive countermeasures. Teams could gain points by defeating these enemies, but the ultimate reward went to whoever retrieved the magical sword first. The announcer smirked. "Try not to die." And with that¡ª The test began. Victor exhaled as his team was teleported into the starting area, just below the statue''s colossal legs. Selene licked her lollipop. "Okay, that thing is... way bigger than I thought." Rylan sighed. "Yeah. How the hell are we supposed to climb that?" The Necromancer girl¡ªMegan Toshaka¡ªsimply smirked. Victor took a deep breath and focused. They weren''t the only ones in the game. Around eight other teams had spawned at different points near the base of the statue, each preparing their own strategies to begin the ascent. Victor''s team had one huge disadvantage. They only had four members. Meanwhile, Evelyn''s stacked team had seven and was already scaling the lower portions of the statue, using teamwork to ascend quickly. Victor glanced at Selene. "You''re the fastest. Can you scout ahead?" She grinned. "Aye aye, captain." And then¡ª She vanished. --- Selene arrived at the statue''s thigh first. She leapt off a protruding stone surface, flipping midair and landing lightly on the massive ledge of the statue''s waist. All of a sudden, a loud mechanical whirring sound rang out. A pair of glowing red eyes flickered open from within the cracks of the statue''s surface. The battle bots had been activated and they weren''t just simple humanoid robots with spears. Each bot emerged from hidden compartments within the statue''s surface with their metallic limbs clicking into place. One bot''s arm morphed into a plasma blade. Another raised its wrist, revealing a high-velocity laser cannon. A third bot''s chest cavity opened up, exposing a miniature energy core that pulsed with a build-up of unstable power¡ªready to self-destruct if needed. Selene clicked her tongue. "Oh, you guys are fancy." The laser cannon bot fired first. A searing red beam cut through the air, aimed directly at her chest. Selene instantly leapt forward and twisted her body in mid air, narrowly avoiding the blast. She landed on the shoulder of another bot and immediately plunged her dagger into its neck joint. CRACK! Chapter 63: Chaotic Environment The bot twitched violently before collapsing. However, before she could celebrate¡ª Another bot pounced at her from behind, extending its arm blade. Selene ducked, barely avoiding decapitation, and then vaulted backward, before using the momentum to kick the bot off the ledge. It fell into the abyss below, sparking as it plummeted. Selene grinned. "Alright. I''m having fun." But then¡ª A red light flashed beneath her feet. She looked down. The self-destruct bot had locked onto her position. "Oh. Well, that''s a problem." --- Back at the lower portion of the statue, Victor and his team began their climb. Victor crouched down and adjusted the grip on his sword before glancing at Rylan. "Hop on." The dark-skinned healer blinked. "What? Why?" "Because you''re slower than a sloth on sedatives, and we need to move fast." Rylan scowled. "Wow. Rude." Still, he reluctantly climbed onto Victor''s back. The moment he did¡ª WHOOSH! Victor gathered qi into his legs and burst upwards, using his Shifting Wind Arts to propel himself with concentrated bursts of air. Each push sent him soaring upwards, covering large distances in mere seconds. [ Necromancer Class - Level 6 ] Skill Activated: [ Bone Servants Lv.2 ] Effect: Summons up to five skeletal undead that obey simple commands. Meanwhile, Megan was using her undead minions to assist her. Her pale fingers twitched and she commanded her undead minions to throw her upward. "What the hell?!" Other awakeners were in shock as she was literally tossed into the air. She landed on a high platform effortlessly. This process was repeated and very soon she was high up. But Victor and Rylan? They were speedrunning. Rylan gripped Victor''s shoulders tightly as Victor flung himself from ledge to ledge with terrifying ease. "How the hell do you have this much stamina?!" Victor answered indifferently. "Perks of being a warrior, I guess..." Megan''s undead minions scurried up the rocky surfaces, finding footholds and ledges for her to step onto and then throwing her upwards again. Unlike Lucian, she couldn''t summon an entire army, so she had to use her undead wisely. While Victor''s team was climbing efficiently, the other teams weren''t as lucky. Some had to brute force their way up. Others were fighting to survive. Evelyn''s team climbed strategically, with Lucian commanding dozens of undead to carry teammates upwards like a living conveyor belt. Other teams saw this and tried to latch onto his undead. Evelyn narrowed her eyes at them. "Pathetic." She raised her staff as her system interface materialized before her. [ Mage Class - Level 7 ] Skill Activated: [ Arcane Pulse Lv.2 ] Effect: Releases a concussive wave of mana energy, blasting enemies backward. With a flick of her wrist, an explosion of magic detonated outward, slamming into an unfortunate Warrior-class awakener who had been trying to get close. "NOOOOOO!" The Warrior was sent flying off the statue, screaming¡ªbut just before hitting the ground¡ª He vanished. The government''s teleportation safeguards had kicked in. Still¡ª He was out of the test. Evelyn smirked. "Oops. Guess you weren''t fast enough." Her team continued their dominating ascent. Further down, chaos erupted as multiple teams clawed at each other, desperate to reach the top first. A Berserker grabbed another by the ankle and yanked him down. A Mage launched ice spikes at competitors. An Assassin tried to sneak ahead but got caught in a magical tripwire, sending them tumbling. This wasn''t just a test anymore. It was a battlefield. Meanwhile, Kai''s team was locked in combat with the mechanical guardians. ------- [ Warrior Class - Level 7 ] Skill Activated: [ Swift Blade Lv.2 ] <[ Effect: Enhances sword speed by 50% for 10 seconds ]> ------- Kai darted between two bots as his sword moved in a blinding flurry, slicing apart their circuits gracefully. A Berserker in his team punched through a bot''s chest, while their Mage created multiple magic bolts and sent them flying toward other bots. But more kept coming. Kai gritted his teeth. "We need to push forward!" His teammates rallied, cutting down more bots as they ascended. Back at Victor''s position¡ª Everything had been going smoothly until¡ª A hidden turret unfolded from the statue''s cracks. Before Victor could react¡ª A pulse blast fired directly at him and Rylan. Victor twisted his body, trying to shield Rylan¡ª BOOM! The impact sent them flying. They were falling. Victor panicked while Rylan screamed. Megan tried to reach out but was too far away. All of a sudden a hand shot out from above. Selene materialized out of nowhere, locking onto Victor''s wrist before they could plummet beyond reach. She instantly swung him and Rylan back onto the final ledge. Victor coughed. "Holy shit. That was close." Rylan collapsed while panting. "I think I saw my life flash before my eyes." Selene grinned and proceed to open a new lollipop before shoving it in her mouth. "You''re welcome, handsome." Victor exhaled in relief. They had finally reached the top of the statue. Now, the real test began. --- The moment Victor''s team stepped into the unstable castle, the air itself twisted unpredictably. The high structure, perched upon the massive statue, felt as though it defied logic and physics. The walls warped in and out, twisting occasionally as cracks in space momentarily revealed glimpses of other locations in the castle. From above, lightning streaked violently, slamming into parts of the castle with earth-shattering force, leaving behind charred remains of the environment. The black swarm roamed the halls, searching for awakened to drain dry of their Mana. "Alright, let''s move fast," Victor gripped his sword. "Stay sharp¡ª" Selene twirled her lollipop in her mouth while smirking. "I kinda like the aesthetic. Feels like a haunted horror movie." Rylan muttered, "Except, y''know, we can actually die." Megan Toshaka, snapped her fingers, summoning two more undead to scout ahead. The skeletal creatures hunched low, moving eerily as they advanced. "These halls are crawling with magic creatures. Watch your steps." As they moved forward, humanoid bots emerged from the walls with their arms morphing into blades and laser turrets activating from their shoulders. Victor activated Wind dash and dodged a sudden laser while flipping backward in mid air. He charged towards one on the far right and swung his sword with force. The bot was immediately cleaved in two from its shoulder down to its side. Selene vanished in a flicker and reappeared behind a bot before slitting its mechanical throat with a hidden dagger. Meanwhile, Aria''s team was ascending rapidly, utilizing brute strength and magic-based support to overpower obstacles. Her team was amongst the top three fastest. Even Victor and the others were trailing behind. But just as they seemed unstoppable, an unstable warp point flickered open ahead of them¡ªand suddenly half their team vanished into random locations within the castle. Aria cursed loudly, "WHAT THE HELL?! Where did they go?!" Chapter 64: Get That Damn Sword! Victor''s team had their own problems. A pack of shadow hounds materialized from the darkness with their glowing red eyes locking onto the intruders. "More incoming!" Megan shouted while commanding her undead to engage the creatures. Victor gaze narrowed as his heart beat increased rapidly. His mind traveled back to the past... same red eyes... He lunged forward ans swung his blade with anguish at the first four legged creature in his path, severing two of its legs instantly. The shadow hound limbs bled profusely as it tilted over but before it could even hit the ground, Victor spun around and slammed his leg into the head of the creature, sending it flying. He activated Gale Strike, creating a spinning force of wind that sent two beasts flying. But one hound leapt toward Rylan with its mouth wide open. Selene intervened instantly by using Shadow Flicker to close the distance before slashing across its back. The creature let out a distorted screech but just as it collapsed, another lunged from the side. Victor barely had time to react. He gritted his teeth while gathering qi into around him before unleashing Shadow Crescent Strike. A crescent shaped shadowy energy surged from his blade and separated the beast upper body from its waist. Rylan stared with widened eyed "Okay, that was badass." "Let''s keep moving, there''s no time," Victor stated. They kept moving while cutting down creatures and bots and dodging deadly hazards¡ªcollapsing floors, gravity-shifting rooms, and bursts of unstable winds. Since the castle was pretty run down, it has a massive hole at the center of the floors. One could see the very bottom from up so if they weren''t careful they could fall straight down to the lowest levels and have to restart. As they neared the upper levels, teams began running into each other as the cramped spaces forced direct battles. Victor''s team encountered a rival squad blocking their way. A Berserker smirked while cracking his knuckles, "You''re not getting past us." Victor eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on his sword. "Yeah? Try and stop us." In an instant, the two teams clashed. Selene danced between opponents moving unpredictably while striking with swift, dagger slashes. Soon, bloody lines were all over the opposing assassin on the other team. Selene was faster than the other team''s assassin who happened to be a short dude with chubby cheeks but regardless of the injuries, their healer would always intervene. At the moment, Victor was facing both the warrior of their team who he recognised from their tests earlier and the berserker. Megan was facing both the Summoners and mage of the opposing team while Selene was dealing with the Assassin. Megan''s five undead fought aggressively, engaging both classes head on. "Someone needs to take care of their healer!" Selene yelled after her assassin opponent got healed for the umpteenth time. "I''ll do it!" Rylan yelled while charging at their healer who happened to be a beautiful girl clad in short tight green dress and a brown pair of boots. She recognised Rylan from earlier and knew that he wasn''t the run of the mil healer. She didn''t even try to fight. Instead she made the most adorable face ever with her two index fingers connected and her eyes blinking cutely. "You wouldn''t hit a lady, rig..." She didn''t get to complete her sentence as a fist rammed straight into the side of her face, causing her cheeks to ripple from the force of the collision. Her eyes spun as she crashed into the ground. "Sorry, these hands are E rated," Rylan stated while standing over her passed out figure. "Sara!!!" The mage turned toward Rylan and tried to attack him with a spell but one of Megan undead jumped onto her back, forcing her to the ground. Another one joined and soon she was overwhelmed. Victor parried an attack from the opposing warrior and used Wind Dash to evade a heavy downward strike before countering with a spinning slash. The berserker had a bunch of cuts all over his body before he knew it, causing him to plop to his knees weakly. Being the only healer left, Rylan provided constant healing for his team and soon the entire squad was taken down. - After a brutal skirmish, Victor''s team finally broke through, rushing toward the highest floor of the castle. The highest floor of the castle was a magnificent, yet eerie sight. Unlike the dilapidated floors below, this chamber carried a strange and ancient aura. The stonework was covered in glowing runes that glowed with unstable energy. The walls cracked with veins of surging electricity, and the wind howled unnaturally through the shattered stained glass windows. The very air carried a charge, making the hairs on everyone''s arms stand on end. At the center of the room, an elevated stone platform stood like an altar, and upon it, a five-foot-long sword was embedded into the floor. The blade flickered ominously as dark lightning crackled around its hilt. The closer one got, the more oppressive the atmosphere became¡ªit was clear now that all the chaotic phenomena plaguing the castle had been emanating from this one artifact. But just as they arrived, another group emerged from the opposite entrance. Evelyn Lancaster''s team. Both teams locked gazes before their eyes shifted toward the sword. Everyone knew the rules. Whoever pulled the sword free first would claim the most points and end the test. For a moment, there was silence. Then¡ª "Get that damn sword!" Evelyn Lancaster screamed while pointing toward it as if her words alone would command the heavens. The instant she barked out her order, her team sprang into action. One of her teammates, the Healer, sprinted for the sword while the others turned their attention to Victor''s team. Victor clenched his fist as he realized the impossible disadvantage they were facing. Evelyn had a full seven-man team, including Lucian Crowe, the stronger of the two Necromancers. Meanwhile, Victor''s group only had four members¡ªhimself, Selene, Megan, and Rylan. "Push them back!" Victor shouted while raising his sword and moving to intercept the attackers. Lucian cracked his neck lazily and rolled his wrist while conjuring an undead knight made entirely of bone to protect him. "Don''t worry, Evelyn," he drawled with an indifferent yawn. "I''ll keep their little Necromancer busy." Chapter 65: PULL IT OUT! Megan gritted her teeth as she found herself face to face with Lucian. Though she was talented, she could tell that his mana reserves dwarfed hers. She had no choice but to focus entirely on countering his undead horde, meaning she wouldn''t be able to assist the others in battle. Meanwhile, Victor was already engaged in a three-on-one against a Mage(Evelyn), a Berserker, and another Warrior. Their warrior happened to be the one placed sixth in the last warrior test so he wasn''t weak. [ Crimson Slice Activated ] His sword emited a crimson glow as he hacked at Victor who evaded the strike, causing the blade to cleave through a small statue. As dust and debris flew into the air, Victor swept forward and landed a palm strike on the chest of the warrior, sending him flying. A roar came from his side as the berserker fist swept towards his head with force, Victor leapt upwards and flipped over the berserker. While he was in mid air, he swung his sword downward but before he could successfully land a hit, a swirling wind spell rammed into his body, sending him crashing onto the floor. Selene had her hands full as well, facing off against two of Evelyn''s teammates in a vicious close-quarters struggle. Evelyn remained at a distance, casting spells since Mages were not good at close quarters combat. She would wait for Victor to dodge an attack from her warrior and Berserker before launching a surprise strike from his blind spot, hitting him with well-placed wind and electric spells. Victor gritted his teeth as pain surged through his body. In just a few minutes, he had taken several hits already. Though he managed to land a few of his own attacks, he was simply outnumbered. Every opening he created was quickly covered by Evelyn''s magic, and without a proper tank on their team, they had no one to absorb damage. "Rylan, stay on us!" Victor yelled through gritted teeth while slashing at the Berserker in front of him before barely dodging a firebolt from the Mage. Rylan was working overtime. His hands glowed with healing magic as he constantly patched up the team''s injuries. Even so, he was struggling. "We need a damn miracle!" he panted while pushing himself to keep up. Meanwhile, at the center of the room, Evelyn''s Healer had reached the sword. Her hands grasped the hilt, and she began to pull with all her strength¡ªbut nothing happened. She gritted her teeth and pulled harder. The sword refused to budge. Evelyn face twisted in frustration as she glanced over her shoulder. "What are you doing, you idiot?!" she screamed. "PULL IT OUT!" "I¡ªI''m trying!" the Healer''s arms shook trembled as she pulled with all of her strength. "You''re useless!" Evelyn snapped and then turned her gaze toward the Berserker fighting Victor. "GO HELP HER!" The Berserker sneered as he landed a solid punch against Victor''s ribs, sending him skidding backward before breaking away toward the sword. Victor grunted in pain but quickly readjusted himself. He was bleeding from a gash on his forehead, and his breathing was labored. He knew that if Evelyn''s team got the sword, all of this would have been for nothing. He had to stop them. But how? As he tried to think of a plan, a new voice suddenly rang out. "Finally caught up!" A figure dashed into the room, causing everyone''s attention to shift. A lone awakener had managed to make it to the top floor¡ªsomeone from another team. Before they could react, Evelyn''s eyes blazed with annoyance. She didn''t want some nobody interfering. "Out of my way!" she snapped while casting a powerful spell. A condensed blue bolt of energy shot forward, slamming into the new arrival with such force that it sent them flying backward. Their body crashed through one of the massive stained-glass windows at the edge of the chamber, disappearing into the howling winds outside. "ARHHH!!" Their screams slowed faded into obscurity. Evelyn dusted off her hands. "Pathetic." With a flick of her wrist, she began drawing mana-infused sigils in the air. The runes formed intricate geometric patterns before solidifying into shimmering golden barriers that sealed both openings that allowed access to the castle''s top floor. "There," she muttered with satisfaction. "No more interruptions." Her voice was calm, but her arrogance was evident. She was making sure that no one from the lower floors would interfere again. If her team was going to win, they had to lock down this fight and eliminate any potential distractions. However, in that brief moment of distraction, she had made a critical mistake¡ªshe had taken her focus off the battle. Victor who had been locked in a struggle with the last remaining warrior of her team, saw his opportunity. He gathered a surge of qi into his arms as he prepared to use a cultivation technique. His opponent, a tall, muscular warrior with a shaved head and a scar running diagonally across his nose, was fully prepared to keep trading blows. His stance was firm as his blade kept clashing with that of Victor''s continously, warrior to warrior... or so he thought. Victor exhaled sharply. ''I need to end this now.'' In an instant, he launched Gale Strike. A powerful burst of wind erupted from his blade, striking the warrior square in the chest before he had a chance to react. His eyes widened in shock as he was blasted off his feet. His body flipped backward multiple times and slammed into the ground several feet away. He let out a strangled gasp before losing consciousness. Victor had never intended to use this kind of attack in front of others awakeners, but in this chaos, he knew that no one was watching closely enough to notice. And even if they did, who would believe that a warrior had just unleashed what looked like a spell attack? There was no time to hesitate. Victor''s eyes darted toward the center of the room, where the Berserker was already gripping the sword''s hilt. His massive arms bulged as he prepared to pull it out. The Healer beside him was casting a rejuvenation spell. Her fingers glowed with a soft blue light as she prepared to give him extra stamina. Not happening. Victor''s form blurred as he activated Wind Dash and streaked across the room with explosive speed. Chapter 66: How Did They Lose? The Berserker barely had time to react before Victor''s blade slashed through both of his legs in two quick, decisive strikes. A cry of pain erupted from the massive dude''s throat as his knees buckled, sending him crashing to the floor. Victor immediately turned toward the Healer, who gasped in horror. Before she could cast any kind of defensive spell, he pivoted on his heel and delivered a palm strike to her stomach, simultaneously channeling a burst of wind-infused qi into his attack. The force of the impact sent her rocketing backward at incredible speed. Her eyes widened in terror as she sailed through the air. CRASH! Her body shot straight through the same shattered window that the previous awakener had been thrown out of. Victor''s gaze immediately locked onto the sword. ''This is my chance.'' He stepped forward and wrapped his hands around the hilt, feeling an overwhelming surge of energy vibrate through his entire body. The chaotic winds howling through the room intensified as the electric currents sparked more violently than ever. ''It''s heavy.'' Even though he was gripping it tightly, the sword didn''t budge right away. But Victor clenched his jaw and focused, using all the strength in his arms to try again and then it slowly started pulling out... When all of a sudden¡ª BOOM! A blast of force slammed into his side, sending him flying backward. Victor barely registered what happened before he found himself hurtling through the window, just like the others before him. "VICTOR!!" Selene, Megan, and Rylan all screamed in unison. Evelyn flicked her hair back and scoffed. "Hmph! If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Her previous calmness returned as she strutted toward the sword and reached for the hilt. Sparks crackled around her fingertips as she braced herself and began pulling. "This is it. This is how I win." However, Selene had had enough. Her usual playful demeanor vanished in an instant. She exhaled sharply and activated her strongest Assassin skill. Her entire form blurred as her body moved with an almost unnatural speed while she weaved through the battlefield like a shadow. Her dagger danced in her hands, slicing through both the Assassin and the Summoner who had been standing in her way. The Assassin she faced barely had time to register what had happened before his body went limp. His body was punctured with holes and he was losing a lot of blood. However, the Assassin''s body suddenly vanished. The government couldn''t let any of the precious awakeners die. And the Summoner, thinking he had a chance to counter, summoned his massive beast to strike Selene from behind. The moment the beast lunged at her¡ª She turned into smoke. A second later, she reappeared behind the Summoner, catching him completely off guard. She slammed her forehead against his, delivering a brutal headbutt. The Summoner''s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious. Selene didn''t stop. Before Evelyn could fully pull the sword out, a dagger flew across the room and embedded itself deep into her shoulder. "Ack!" Evelyn gasped while staggering back as blood oozed from the fresh wound. Her eyes darted toward the attacker¡ª Selene. Selene''s playful demeanor was gone, replaced with an intense glare as she dashed toward Evelyn. "I''LL KILL YOU!" she snarled. But before she could reach Evelyn, three of Lucian''s undead minions intercepted her. Skeletal warriors with rusted armor and hollow, glowing eyes grabbed onto Selene''s arms and legs, pinning her down. Selene gritted her teeth and struggled, trying to activate another assassin skill¡ªbut her mana was completely drained. Evelyn clutched her wounded shoulder while panting. Her face contorted in pure rage as she glared down at Selene. "You bitch! You wounded me!" she seethed. Then she kicked Selene in the face. Selene growled while trying to move, but the undead minions held her firmly in place. Evelyn stomped on her again. And again. And again. Meanwhile¡ª Outside the castle, just a few feet below the shattered window, a figure clung to the wall. His sword was lodged into the side of the castle''s wall, preventing his body from plummeting. This was Victor. He dangled in place for a few seconds while breathing hard before gritting his teeth and pulling himself back up. Moments later, he reached the edge of the shattered window. As Evelyn continued stomping on Selene, she didn''t notice the presence behind her. Victor stood at the base of the sword with his hands already gripping the hilt. A pulse of energy radiated through the entire room. Evelyn froze. She turned around slowly¡ª but it was too late. Victor pulled with force. SHHHHRRRRKKKK! The moment the sword came free, a violent shockwave of power erupted outward, shaking the entire castle. Evelyn''s body was lifted into the air and sent flying across the room before crashing into a pile of debris. Victor stood in place, panting heavily with the magical sword gripped firmly in his hands. And just like that¡ª The test was over. ... ... Minutes Later, the castle crumbled into golden dust, vanishing as if it had never existed. The chaotic winds died down, and the unstable lightning faded, leaving the awakeners standing on a now-flat, neutral battlefield. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, the eruption of noise followed. Gasps, murmurs, and outright shouts of disbelief rang through the air as the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. Victor Revenant had pulled the sword. Victor Revenant''s team had won the test. Victor Revenant had done the impossible. "There''s no way!" someone from the crowd blurted out. "How the hell did a nobody like him pull it out?! He doesn''t even have a complete team!" "Wasn''t he the guy who was dead last at the beginning?!" a warrior awakener pointed at the screen, where Victor''s initial zero score was still displayed in the earlier rankings. Others were shocked in admiration. "That was insane..." another one of the warriors muttered. "I don''t care what anyone says¡ªhe''s strong." "He actually went up against Evelyn and her team and won? They were practically the only complete team with a Necromancer... how did they lose?" an assassin murmured to their teammate. Chapter 67: Im Telling Father All around the field, awakeners were whispering, debating, and analyzing. The test had been more than just an evaluation¡ªit had also formed alliances and enemies. The ones who had fought against Victor¡ªespecially Evelyn''s team¡ªwere fuming. The elites, especially those who had looked down on the lower-ranked awakeners, were now re-evaluating their stance. Victor himself just stood there, gripping the massive magical sword he had pulled free. Even though it was still vibrating with mana, for some reason, it hadn''t disappeared with the castle. It was clearly a highly ranked artifact. He inspected the blade. It was massive¡ªfive feet in length, covered in ancient inscriptions that faintly glowed. Even without his cultivation, Victor could tell this was a special sword. "That thing still has mana in it," Selene eyed it with interest. "You might want to be careful." Victor simply nodded while gripping the sword tighter. Too bad he''d have to return it after this. --- A loud chime rang out, and a massive holographic screen appeared in the hall. It displayed the points each team had accumulated from defeating humanoid bots and magical beasts. Victor''s team had started at a disadvantage with fewer members, but because they cleared multiple hurdles, defeated a significant number of bots as well as beasts, and pulled the sword at the end, their points skyrocketed. The crowd watched as the numbers updated in real time, revealing Victor''s team at the very top. [ Team #10 (Victor, Rylan, Megan & Selene) - 1600 Points ] "That''s a lot of points..." Rylan muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Meanwhile the second highest team generated just 680 points. When it was shared amongst the teammates, it wasn''t so much. Selene grinned. "Not bad, Handsome. Not bad at all." Megan simply shrugged with her arms crossed. "I expected nothing less." Then¡ªthe final individual scores appeared. By the side, it displayed the rank an individual would find themselves based on their total number of accumulated points. Final Individual Rankings: F Rank (0 - 100 Points) E Rank (101 - 300 Points) D Rank (301 - 500 Points) C Rank (501 - 700 Points) B Rank (701 - 900 Points) A Rank (901 - 1000 Points) S Rank (1001+ Points) (considered impossible) One by one, names flashed on the board, along with their respective scores. The majority of awakeners¡ªalmost 50%¡ªwere in C rank. These were decent results, but nothing too remarkable. About 30% of them had lower rankings in D or E rank. These were the ones who either got many low points in previous tests or were eliminated early in the others. Nevertheless, every awakener would still get an admission even if they had zero points but no one wanted to be this low regardless. Then, the top scorers started appearing. The A-rankers were announced first. Selene - 992 (A Rank) Megan Toshaka - 955 (A Rank) Lucian Graves - 952 (A Rank) Kai Zhang - 907 (A Rank) Aria Kong - 905 (A Rank) Evelyn Lancaster - 901 (A Rank) ---- Lucian''s placement shocked everyone. Despite losing to Victor''s team in the end, his performance in earlier tests was so incredible that he still placed among the best. Selene grinned at her dominant score while licking her lollipop smugly as she read the rankings. Kai nodded in approval with a calm and collected look. Megan crossed her arms, completely unbothered. She knew she was good. However, Evelyn was absolutely seething. 901?! She had been aiming for S rank! But somehow, she lost that due to Victor... If only they had won the team test. Her gaze snapped to the bunch of names in the B ranked category. Victor Revenant - 862 (B Rank) A murmur rippled through the crowd. "B rank?! I expected higher." "If he didn''t miss the first test, he''d probably be in A rank right now..." Meanwhile, Victor just shrugged. He wasn''t too concerned about being B rank. He had no intention of standing out too much anyway. He had been holding back on purpose. The real issue would have been if he scored too high and drew too much attention. Evelyn, however, wasn''t too happy with this moment. A poor bastard had snatched her shot of becoming S rank. She stormed up to Victor with a look of anguish on her face while pointing at him. "You..." she seethed. "You¡ª!" Before she could start yelling, a loud authoritative voice interrupted. The official overseeing the screening stepped forward. "Congratulations to all of you," he stated. "The screening has now come to an end." A wave of relief washed over many awakeners. It had been an exhausting series of tests. "Your results have been recorded," the official continued. "And now, your rankings will determine your treatment at the Awakened Academy." He turned toward the top-ranked awakeners. "To the A-rankers, expect the best accommodations, best resources, and exclusive privileges when the Academy begins." Then, he turned to Victor and the other B-rankers. "B rankers¡ªyou will have strong support, but your privileges will be slightly lower than A rank. However, you are still considered top-tier among this year''s applicants." The lower-ranked awakeners frowned slightly, knowing that they wouldn''t be receiving as many benefits. But the most important thing was¡ªthey had all officially gotten in. They were all going to the Awakened Academy. As everyone began leaving the screening grounds, eyes were on Victor. Some in admiration, some in jealousy, some in absolute hatred. Evelyn specifically... Selene on the other hand, didn''t care about the drama. She simply threw an arm around Victor''s shoulder and grinned. "Not bad, Handsome," she teased. "Wanna grab dinner later? I''ll pay for it..." Victor sighed. "Not this again..." Rylan who was standing beside them, simply chuckled. "Well, you sure made an impression." Megan adjusted her gothic choker and smirked. "We all did." Lucian, from across the field, glanced at them before snacking on another bag of chips. He gave Victor an unreadable look before walking away. And Evelyn? She glared at Victor from a distance with her fists clenched in rage. This wasn''t over. Not by a long shot. "I''m telling Father!" Victor didn''t pay her any attention. Instead he walked towards one of the officials with the sword in his grasp. "Uhm, so about the sword..." Chapter 68: The Dream Victor dragged the massive five-foot-long sword behind him as he approached one of the officials overseeing the screening. He cleared his throat before lifting the sword slightly. "Uhm... so about the sword... can I keep it?" The official raised a brow and stared at him as if he had just spoken absolute nonsense. Several other government officials turned toward them, eyeing the sword curiously. It was still glowing with mana, giving off a faint, ancient presence. The official sighed and collected the sword from Victor''s grasp. "Awakeners won''t be granted weapons until they officially resume at the academy." Victor frowned slightly. "Oh come on... not even an exception for the winner¡ª" Victor''s shamelessness seemed to be slowly returning. Another official with graying hair, adjusted his glasses and studied the ancient inscriptions on the blade. "This sword..." he murmured. "Is priceless." Victor blinked. "Huh?" The official exhaled slowly, before turning to Victor with a look of deep reverence. "Do you even know what you pulled out of that castle?" Victor shrugged. "A sword?" The older official shook his head. "Not just any sword. This belonged to the strongest Warrior in human history¡ªGeneral Darius Stormrend." A wave of hushed whispers spread among the government officials nearby. Victor squinted. "Never heard of him." The older man gave him a look that could have turned someone to stone. "He saved millions of human lives singlehandedly during the Great Invasion over two decades ago." Victor finally recognized the name. Darius Stormrend. The legendary warrior who was said to have led an entire army of one. Apparently, he was one of the first generation of awakeners nearly forty years ago. His exploits were absurd, almost inhuman. The records stated that when a city had fallen, and all hope was lost, he charged into enemy lines alone, cutting through thousands without stopping. People worshiped him. Victor looked down at the sword that was now being handled carefully by the officials. "Wait¡ªif he was that strong... how did he die?" The official''s face darkened slightly. "That remains unknown. His body was never recovered. But this sword... is proof that he truly existed." Victor whistled. "So... can I still keep it?" The official smirked. "If you want it, you will have to contend for it in the Academy." Victor groaned. "Figures." --- Victor arrived home later that night, exhausted beyond belief. The moment he stepped inside, his mother greeted him with open arms. "Welcome home, Victor." Victor hugged her lightly before slumping onto the couch. "How was it?" she questioned while sitting beside him. Victor let out a deep sigh before responding. "It went well. I got B-rank." His mother smiled. "I''m proud of you." Victor forced a smile, but deep down, there was still one thing bothering at him. His mother''s pregnancy. Three weeks. That''s how long he had before he had to leave for the Academy. And yet, he still didn''t know how to prepare for his absence. She would be alone. Victor leaned forward while rubbing his temples. "Mom..." he started with a tone of uncertainty. "Are you sure you''ll be okay?" She smiled before placing a hand over his. "Victor. I''ve been taking care of myself long before you were born." Victor rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but... it''s different now. You''re pregnant. I should be here to help." She shook her head. "We''ll figure something out. But I don''t want you to hold yourself back because of me. Your father would have wanted you to go." Victor''s expression darkened slightly at the mention of his father. His mother''s grip tightened around his hand. "Victor." He looked up, meeting her gentle yet firm gaze. "I know you feel guilty. I know you blame yourself. But you are not responsible for what happened. And you shouldn''t let your future be decided by the past." Victor felt something lodge in his throat. He nodded without saying a word. His mother smiled again. "Go get some rest. You''ve earned it." Victor didn''t argue. He was physically and mentally drained. --- That night, Victor slept deeply for the first time in weeks. But his mind... wasn''t empty. Instead, he found himself standing in a vast mythical realm. This familair environment had floating stone platforms and an endless horizon of swirling mist. The engraved patterns on the ground pulsed with ancient energy. It suddenly clicked when he realized that this place looked exactly like Lingyun''s realm. "A dream?" That was Victor''s first thought. After all, he hadn''t logged into Ascendant Realms. He had left his VR headset untouched since the day his father died. And yet, here he was... standing in the familiar ancient martial world of Lingyun. Victor tried to move, but his body wouldn''t respond. He tried to speak, but no words left his mouth. He was completely paralyzed. All he could do... was watch. Before him, Lingyun stood. The Martial Grandmaster was the one who had taught him the Lingyun Sword Arts that had helped him in past battles. He was demonstrating a new technique. Victor''s eyes widened as he watched. It wasn''t just a single attack. It was a fluid combination of movements and strikes tied together. A combination of speed fluidity and power into a deadly sequence. The way Lingyun moved... was flawless. Each step, turn, and slash flowed like water. Victor wanted to replicate every detail, but his body refused to cooperate. He was merely an observer. And yet... deep down... Something felt different. This didn''t feel like it was just a dream. This was something else. As Lingyun finished the demonstration, he turned toward Victor. His gaze was incredibly piercing like a bunch of needles prickling Victor''s skin. "WAKE UP!" Victor suddenly gasped awake. His body was covered in sweat and his heart was racing. The moment he sat up, he felt something strange. His body... It felt lighter... Not just in a well-rested way, but as if something inside him had fundamentally changed overnight. His limbs felt sharper and more coordinated. Every inch of his body buzzed with a strange sense of fluidity, as though he had been secretly training for months without realizing it. And he could vividly recall the movements from the dream. Chapter 69: Awakened Influencer? Every single motion Lingyun had performed in the dream was still vividly imprinted in his mind, down to the last minute shift in weight and balance. Victor his bare feet pressed against the floorboards as he slowly rose from his bed. He hesitated for a moment before raising his right arm and attempting the first movement. His body flowed. Not in the usual, awkward way that happens when you try to mimic something you just saw. No. It was smooth. His footwork, his stance, his breathing¡ªeverything aligned perfectly. His body was moving exactly like Lingyun had in the dream. Before he could process what was happening, his left leg shifted back, his right arm flicked forward, and suddenly¡ª A glass cup from his desk wobbled and fell off his desk. Victor''s hand shot out. And without even activating Wind Dash, his fingers snatched the glass midair before it could hit the floor. His eyes widened. "What the hell...?" Victor stood frozen while gripping the glass. His breath was heavy, not from exertion, but from sheer shock. He hadn''t even thought about catching it. His body had just reacted. On instinct. Like it had already been trained to do so. A realization dawned on him. This wasn''t normal. It wasn''t just memory retention. It was as if his entire body had absorbed the knowledge from his dream and incorporated it into his muscle memory. "No way... I was actually in Lingyun Realm without logging in...?" Victor''s heart pounded against his ribs. If there was a sword in his hand right now, he was certain he could perform every single movement from the dream with flawless execution. But how was this possible? Before he could ponder further, there was a sudden knock on the door. This broke Victor''s trance. He turned his head toward the window and saw sunlight streaming in. ''Daytime?'' His eyes widened further in realization. He had been asleep for twelve hours straight. --- Victor opened the door to see Amara, Danny, Max, and Jake standing outside. Danny grinned. "Sleeping beauty finally wakes up, huh?" Max held up a plastic bag. "We brought food. Figured you were probably too lazy to cook anything." Victor sighed. "Wow, thanks for the assumption, Max." Jake smirked. "Was it wrong?" Victor just rolled his eyes and stepped aside to let them in. The four of them made themselves comfortable and dumped the food on the table as they chatted. Amara leaned forward. "So... tell us about the screening." Victor scratched his head. "It went well, I guess." Danny grinned. "Well? That''s it? Dude, we saw your name pop up in the rankings, but you didn''t answer any of our texts! What''s your rank?" Victor exhaled. "B-Rank." Amara''s eyes lit up. "Hey, me too!" Danny, on the other hand, just groaned dramatically and slumped back. "C-Rank." Max and Jake patted his shoulder sympathetically while suppressing their laughter. Danny waved them off. "Laugh all you want, but it doesn''t matter. We can all apply for a rank change after a year at the academy anyway." Victor nodded. "You just have to pass the rank change test, right?" Danny grinned. "Exactly. So it''s not the end of the world. Besides, you guys will all probably fail and join me in C-rank anyway." "Oi." Amara elbowed him, making him yelp. Victor chuckled slightly. It felt... nice. It had been a long time since he felt normal. After they ate and chatted a little more, Danny suddenly leaned forward with a serious look. "Alright, listen up. I actually have an idea that could help with funds." Victor raised a brow. "Funds?" Danny nodded. "Yeah. You need money, right? For your mom? Well, this might be the best way to make some." Victor folded his arms. "I''m listening." Danny smirked. "Awakeners are, like, the most important people in the city. And because of that, we''re always in the public eye. People love watching us do crazy shit with our abilities." Max nodded. "Some Awakeners have even become influencers, live-streamers, or even TV personalities." Jake grinned. "Yeah. Some of them are practically celebrities." Victor narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying I should start... an Awakener YTube channel?" Danny snorted. "Not exactly. But think about it¡ªbrands would pay good money to sponsor popular Awakeners. You just have to do something that stands out and gets people talking. Once that happens, you can start getting sponsorship deals, donations, hell, maybe even some investors." Victor tapped his fingers on the table. "Easier said than done." Danny nodded. "Obviously. Tons of other Awakeners are already doing it. But the key is to do something that makes you go viral." Victor exhaled deeply. He wasn''t against the idea, but at the same time... he wasn''t exactly a show-off. Or at least, he hadn''t been before. But now... Now he had Qi Cultivation. Now he had abilities no one else did. Now he had a secret. And secrets had a way of drawing attention¡ªwhether he wanted it or not. Victor rubbed his chin. "Alright... I''ll think about it." Danny grinned. "That''s all I needed to hear." "With the baby coming and all, I really need to be able to afford a house help," Victor let out a sigh. "Baby coming? Oouu Victor you slick bastard... you knocked someone up?" "Who is the unfortunate girl?" Max and Jake both voiced out simultaneously. "Erm no... my mom is pregnant," Victor answered before leaning back against the chair. Max let out a loud "Wait, WHAT?" before dramatically choking on his own spit. Jake blinked rapidly while looking between Victor and Danny. "Did I hear that right?" Danny just sat there with a stunned look. He wasn''t even blinking. Amara, on the other hand, had covered her mouth with both hands in shock. Victor exhaled deeply. "Yeah... my mom''s pregnant." Silence. Dead silence. Then¡ª "DUDE, WHY DIDN''T YOU TELL US SOONER?!" Danny practically yelled before smacking Victor''s arm. Max clutched his head. "Bro... holy shit, man..." Jake whistled lowly. "That''s... that''s a lot." Victor shrugged. "I only just found out yesterday..." Chapter 70: Damsel Not In Distress Amara grabbed Victor''s hands. "Victor, this is... this is huge. I can''t believe you are dealing with this alone." Victor gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Yeah, well... it''s not like I had a choice." Danny sat up with a serious look. "Damn, man. We were already worried about you, but now we''re REALLY worried about you." Max nodded. "Yeah, and you''re still planning to leave for the Awakened Academy in three weeks?" Victor sighed while rubbing the back of his neck. "I don''t really have a choice there either." Jake leaned forward. "Then we gotta make sure everything''s set up before you go." Now more than ever, they wanted to do everything in their power to help Victor out. The moment Victor''s mother stepped out of the kitchen, Amara sprang up like a soldier and practically rushed to her side. "Mrs. Revenant, let me help!" Amara said cheerfully while reaching for the tray of cups Victor''s mom was carrying. Mrs. Revenant looked at her, then at Victor with an expression of realization. She shook her head with a small smile. "So... you told them." Victor rubbed his head sheepishly. "They kinda forced it out of me." Amara began chatting away with Victor''s mom, taking over most of the kitchen work and offering to help with whatever she could. Danny smirked. "Wow. Amara is like, REALLY going all in." Max nodded sagely. "She''s the mom friend, confirmed." Victor watched silently as Amara and his mom voices echoed softly through the small apartment. For a moment, he just... took it in. He had been so absorbed in grief, so focused on keeping everything together, that he forgot what a normal day could feel like. Meanwhile, the boys huddled together, discussing their plan. Max leaned back. "Alright, so we gotta figure out the best way to go about this popularity thing so you can get some money before you leave." Jake tapped his chin. "Streaming is out of the question. The academy doesn''t allow personal devices so you won''t be able to keep it up." Danny snapped his fingers. "Yeah, so it has to be something short-term. Something that''ll give Victor exposure fast." Max grinned. "Then it''s obvious. We gotta get a camera." Victor raised a brow. "What for?" Danny smirked. "To shoot some badass Awakener stunts, obviously. If you can pull off something insane and get it trending, sponsors will start noticing you. You don''t even need to become a full-time influencer. Just make ONE viral clip and get the bag." Victor sighed. "Easier said than done." Max slapped his back. "Don''t worry, bro. We got this." And with that, they left the apartment together and headed towards the nearest tech store to pick up a camera. --- The group spent hours shooting clips of Victor performing stunts, jumping over rooftops using Wind Dash, slicing through wooden targets with wind blade and even pulling off a risky leap from a street lamp to a moving bus before landing safely. Jake laughed and held the camera steadily while Danny yelled in excitement behind him. Max shook his head. "Dude... this guy is actually cracked." Victor grinned for the first time in a long time. He had been grieving his father for two months straight. And yet, for the first time since then, he felt like he was actually having fun again. By the time the sun began to set, the boys wrapped up and decided to head home. Victor took the camera with him, planning to edit the footage later. --- When Victor returned home, he heard laughter coming from the living room. His mom and Amara were still talking. Victor leaned against the doorframe, watching as Amara giggled at something his mother had said. For the first time in a long time, he let himself admire her beauty. Her long chestnut-colored hair, the way it cascaded over her shoulders effortlessly. What was better than a girl who was beautiful on the outside? One who was beautiful on the inside too. Victor''s mother noticed his gaze and smirked. "Amara, dear, you should visit more often. It''s rare to see Victor standing there all dumbstruck." Victor snapped out of it immediately. "MOM." Amara blushed slightly, but laughed. "I''ll definitely visit again!" Realizing how late it was, Amara finally stood up. "I should get going." Victor nodded and grabbed his jacket. "I''ll walk you to the train station." --- The sky had dimmed greatly but the streets were still faintly illuminated by strings of lamppost buzzing softly overhead. As Victor and Amara walked, they talked about random things¡ªthe screening, the upcoming academy, and even silly childhood memories. But then¡ª the sound of whistles drew them out of their conversation. "Yo, sweetheart, where ya headed?" Victor and Amara stopped walking. Up ahead, a group of rugged-looking guys leaned against a wall, smirking. Their eyes locked onto Amara with unpleasant interest. "Damn, girl, you''re looking fine tonight." One of them chuckled. "How ''bout you come over here and talk to us, huh?" Amara''s expression darkened immediately. Victor stepped slightly in front of her with a frown. However, Amara wasn''t the type to shrink away. She crossed her arms and gave them a cold glare as she moved to Victor''s front. "Not interested." One of the guys clicked his tongue. "Aww, come on now, don''t be like that¡ª" Victor tilted his head before cutting in smoothly. "Hey, guys, do me a favor and shut the hell up." Silence~ The men froze, as if actually stunned that someone had spoken back to them so casually. All of a sudden, they began laughing. One of them grinned while stepping forward. "Oh? And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Victor''s eyes narrowed as he stepped in front of Amara once again. Amara placed a hand on his arm. "Victor, let''s just go¡ª" "Too late, sweetheart!" one of the thugs sneered while cracking his knuckles. "He ain''t leaving until we make him eat dust!" Victor felt his temper rise as the guy charged straight at him with his fist raised. He was about to counter¨C¨C¡ªwhen Amara yanked him back and moved first. CRACK! Her fist connected with the thug''s jaw so hard that a loud thudding sound echoed through the street. ############ Author''s Note: Monthly/Weekly Goals => 300 Power stones weekly = Mass Release 200 Golden Tickets = Mass Release Top 10 in the 31-90 days bestseller ranking = Mass Release 5000 privilege unlocks = Mass Release Gifting (Dragon/Castle/Gatchapon) = Mass Release Chapter 71: Returning To Ascendant Realms CRACK! Her fist connected with the thug''s jaw so hard that a loud thudding sound echoed through the street. The guy didn''t just stumble back¡ªhe was LAUNCHED. His body slammed into the ground with a force that shook the pavement, leaving him groaning in pain. The remaining thugs froze in complete horror. Their faces immediately got drained of color as one of them pointed at Amara. "W-Wait, she''s an Awakener?!" Another cursed under his breath while stepping backward. "Shit! Run!" Without another word, they all bolted like scared rats, leaving their friend writhing on the ground. Victor who had been ready to throw down, simply stood there. Then¡ª He whistled. "Damn, Amara. That was hot." Amara brushed her knuckles off while smirking slightly. "Well, you were taking too long, so I figured I''d handle it myself." Victor crossed his arms. "You do know I could''ve handled that, right?" Amara rolled her eyes. "Of course, I do. But I''m not some helpless weakling either." And she was right... Summoners were one of the physically weakest classes besides healers but they were stronger than regular humans. Victor chuckled while shaking his head. "Fair point." Both of them laughed together before resuming their journey forward. They continued walking towards the mana-powered train station while chatting casually. Victor and Amara reminisced about their first days of high school, and even the time Danny accidentally set off a school-wide alarm because he thought he saw a ghost in the restroom. They laughed so much that Victor forgot about everything else for a moment. By the time they reached the station, a comfortable silence settled between them. Amara''s chestnut colored hair swayed slightly in the breeze as she turned to face him. "Well, I guess this is where we part ways." Victor nodded. "Yeah." She leaned in quickly and pecked his cheek. Victor''s briefly inhaled her scent and got momentarily dazzled again. Amara smirked playfully while stepping onto the train platform. "Goodnight, Victor." The train doors slid open, and before Victor could respond, she was gone. Victor stood there like an idiot while touching his cheek. "...Uhm goodnight?" --- Victor returned home, still mildly dazed. His mother noticed his expression and raised an eyebrow. "You look like you just got smacked with enlightenment." Victor cleared his throat quickly. "Nope. Totally fine. Nothing happened." Mrs. Revenant chuckled, clearly not believing him. "Right, right. Come eat dinner." Victor sat down and ate quietly with his mother while conversing. After dinner, Victor headed straight to his room. He booted up his laptop, plugged in the camera, and began going through the footage they took earlier. The stunts looked solid¡ªhim using Wind Dash to leap over cars, dodging obstacles, and even the mid-air spin move he pulled off. It had the perfect balance of flashiness and skill. Victor edited the clips, added some music, and then titled the video: [ "Awakened Warrior''s First Public Showdown! How Strong Are New Awakeners?" ] After a moment of hesitation, he clicked UPLOAD. "Let''s hope this actually goes viral." Then, his gaze fell onto his desk where his VR helmet sat alongside the Ascendant Realms game. Victor''s hand trembled slightly as he reached out. He had avoided it for so long. But he couldn''t afford to stay stagnant anymore. Victor took a deep breath, brushed off the dust, and placed the helmet over his head. [ Logging in to Ascendant Realms... ] The moment Victor''s vision adjusted, the world of Ascendant Realms unfolded before him. He found himself sitting cross-legged on the rocky terrain with his avatar perfectly still, just as he had left it. The air felt crisp, and the faint rustling of the wind brushed against his robes. Ahead of him, scattered trees stood like silent watchers over the terrain with their leaves swaying gently under the golden glow of a late afternoon sun. A winding river gleamed in the distance, reflecting the light in soft ripples. Behind him was the Dark Canyon. The last time he was here, he had barely survived its treacherous perils, fought against a malicious doppelga?nger, and emerged victorious. Now, he was back. "Glad to see nothing has changed..." Victor muttered after scanning his surroundings. Ding! System notifications popped up instantly in his field of vision. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [ SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONS ] ? Congratulations! You have successfully crossed the Dark Canyon. Reward: 10,000 Wisps of Qi Reward: Physique Grade +1 (Environmental Adaptation Bonus) Reward: Improved Environmental Stamina (Harsh Terrain Bonus) Reward: Low-Tier Treasure Chest (Claimable) Reward: Bloodline Unlocking Progress +12% ? Welcome back to Ascendant Realms, Player Victor Revenant. Time elapsed since last log-in: 1 year, 3 months (Game Time) Your body has been stationary in an extreme environment for an extended period. As a result, certain passive adaptations have been gained. ? Active Quests: [ Misguided Misty Paths ] ¡ú Complete [ Dark Canyon ] ¡ú Complete [ The Devil Forest ] ¡ú Incomplete. [ Unclaimed Rewards ] ¡ú ??? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Victor blinked. "A whole year...?" In reality, it had only been two months. But in Ascendant Realms, his body had remained motionless for over a year. And apparently¡ª That had benefits. Victor quickly checked the details of the newly acquired boons. --- ???? Physique Grade +1 (Golden Bronze) ¡ú Your body''s durability and endurance have increased due to long exposure to extreme environments. ¡ú Benefits: Increased resistance to harsh weather conditions. Increased stamina recovery rate. Small increase in physical strength. ???? Improved Environmental Stamina ¡ú Spending long durations in the same terrain grants natural adaptation bonuses. ¡ú Current Adaptation: Rocky and Canyon Environments Movement in rocky regions is smoother. You experience less fatigue in unstable terrain. --- Victor rubbed his chin. "Huh. This isn''t bad at all." Though he hadn''t done anything for a year, the game still rewarded him. Talk about a cheat. He opened his stats panel to distribute the newly earned points. --- ???? Cultivation Points Available: 30 --- Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire [ STAT INCREASE ] Strength: 24 (+3) Agility: 30 (+4) Speed: 30 (+5) Endurance: 34 (+5) Perception: 33 (+3) Qi Control: 21 (+7) Constitution: 15 (+3) --- After he was done allocating poiints, he closed the panel. Victor exhaled slowly and prepared to cultivate. He intended to increase his overall cultivation level before he resumed his journey. Sitting cross-legged once more, Victor slowed his breathing, letting the natural Qi in the surroundings flow into him. The moment he focused inward, he immediately noticed something strange¡ª It was flowing into him faster than before. Much faster. His eyes snapped open. "What the¡ª?" Chapter 72: Lost? The last time Victor cultivated, it had taken hours just to raise his percentage by even 1%. But now? Even though he had only just begun, he already felt his progress bar nudging forward. --- Ding! ? Foundation Establishment Progress Increased (45% ¡ú 47%) --- Victor was speechless. This is way faster than before. But why? Could it be...? His eyes widened slightly. The environmental adaptation! Since his body had adjusted to the terrain, it must have also improved his ability to absorb Qi from this environment. This meant¡ª He could cultivate faster here than anywhere else! A grin spread across Victor''s lips. "I might actually reach 70% before I even move forward." Closing his eyes again, he resumed cultivating with renewed excitement. The Qi from the surroundings rushed into him at a steady pace. Inside his meridians, it flowed like a steady river, strengthening his foundation little by little. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire With each breath, Victor could feel his body changing. His muscles felt stronger. His mind felt clearer. His Qi flowed smoother. He continued for another hour, completely immersed in cultivation. He had forgotten how good this was. --- Ding! ? Foundation Establishment Progress Increased (47% ¡ú 49%) --- (( Hours Later )) Victor remained sat cross-legged, feeling the rush of qi coursing through his body. Cultivating for hours had never felt this productive. His Foundation Establishment Realm percentage was rising faster than ever, and in just a couple of hours, he had reached 90%. "At this rate, I might actually break through before nightfall," he thought out loud with a tone of excitement knowing that it would reflect in his real life body too. However, as he approached 95%, the progress slowed to a crawl. Each percent took longer than the last, and soon, the once-fluid sensation of absorbing qi became sluggish. He felt the natural resistance of breaking into the peak of Foundation Establishment Realm. "Tch... should have known it wouldn''t be that easy," Victor muttered. Despite this, he pressed on. He originally intended to reach 50% before resuming his journey so technically he already passed bis goal. Before he knew it, a night had passed in Ascendant Realms, and the first light of dawn touched the rocky expanse before him. His cultivation stood at 99%, but it no longer mattered. He had spent long enough in meditation. It was time to move. Victor stretched his limbs and rolled his shoulders as he stood up. He glanced at his tattered, dust-covered cultivation robes and the still-broken sword in his grasp. "I really need to get better gear at some point," he sighed. Still, something about how he could sit for days without feeling bored puzzled him. He wasn''t exactly the patient type in reality, yet here, he could sit motionless for hours, days even, and still feel satisfied. Was it because this was a game? Was it because his body in reality wasn''t physically feeling it? Either way, he set those thoughts aside and began his journey forward. Victor moved across the rocky terrain, taking in the spiky cliffs and distant mountain paths in the surroundings. He had been walking for some time when a sudden system notification popped up. ¡ª¡ª¡ª > [Warning: Body needs sustenance.] Qi alone cannot sustain you indefinitely. Find food and water. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Victor frowned. "Right... food." His stomach growled loudly causing him to wince. The sensation was disturbingly real. The grumbling didn''t stop, and before long, he could feel an emptiness in his belly, as if his real body were hungry too. "Okay, this is weird," he muttered. "Feels like I haven''t eaten in over a day... oh wait, I haven''t." He scanned the area for wildlife but found nothing. No rabbits, no deer, not even the creepy spirit-infested animals he had fought before. The barren landscape stretched for miles, offering only dry shrub and visible boulders. With no other choice, Victor turned his gaze toward the river in the distance. "Water should at least help a little." As he approached the riverbank, he saw rippling movements beneath the surface. His eyes narrowed. Long, dark figures moved beneath the water, circling slowly. > [ Analysis: Unidentified aquatic creatures detected ] Victor sighed. "Of course, the first creatures I find are in the water." At first, he considered just drinking the water and leaving, but his stomach protested violently. "Alright then," he drew his broken sword. "Guess it''s sushi night... or day..." Victor stepped cautiously into the shallows, watching as the creatures stirred. The moment his foot splashed, they reacted. Two large, fish-like creatures shot out of the water with sword like faces and razor-sharp teeth gleaming in the morning sun. "Whoa, the fish here are aggressive!" Victor slashed at the first one, but his broken sword barely scratched its scales. The second fish jumped into the air and slapped his face with it''s tail fin, sending him staggering back onto the riverbank. "It just bitch slapped me... this little..." Victor suddenly recalled his first encounter with the wolf and thought; ''What goes around comes around huh?'' However, his eyes suddenly widened as he realised that the slap really packed an abnormal force. "They''ve got qi?! Who the hell gave fish qi cultivation?!" The creatures circled back into the water, preparing to lunge again. Victor gathered qi into his sword and activated Wind Blade. He slashed out just as one of the fish leaped at him. This time, the attack connected, severing the fish in half. The other one dived at his legs, but Victor used Phantom Mirage Steps to shift to the side, avoiding it entirely. The fish jumped upwards again and this time he used Gale Strike to send the second fish crashing into a nearby rock. It flopped violently before going still. Victor let out a breath. "Damn, I just fought fish like it was a boss battle." He dragged the fish out of the water, skinned them with his broken blade, and started a fire using the friction of his sword against the dry twigs he gathered. He figured that everything would burn to a crisp if he used the dragon breathing art to ignite flames. As the smell of roasting fish filled the air, Victor''s stomach grumbled even louder. "Finally." When the fish was cooked, he took a bite¡ªand immediately regretted it. It was the chewiest, most rubbery, overly tough thing he had ever eaten. He couldn''t believe that the wolf he ate back then tasted better than this. But he had no choice. With a grimace, he forced himself to eat, gulping down water to help it go down. > [New Buff Acquired: Well-Fed (+10% Qi Recovery Rate for 2 hours)] [New Buff Acquired: Hydrated (+5% Physical Endurance for 3 hours)] Victor sighed. "At least there''s some benefit to eating this crap." With his hunger satiated, Victor resumed his journey, climbing over boulders and navigating the rough terrain. Another hour passed, but the supposed Devil Forest was nowhere to be seen. Victor frowned. "I should have reached it by now..." The thought that he might be lost crept into his mind, but there was no one around to ask for directions. Miles of rocky terrain stretched ahead, with only occasional trees and distant mountain paths. "Great," he muttered. "Guess I just keep going." All of a sudden, a scream pierced the silence. "HELP!" Chapter 73: A Name I Will Remember Author''s Note: Read the Author''s note below ???? ############ Victor walked steadily along a snaking mountain path, carefully placing each step. The narrow trail barely had enough space for four people to walk side by side but it was still nevertheless still cramped and a single misstep could send him tumbling down into a mist-covered abyss below. He slowed his pace and glanced downward. "...Damn," he muttered. The depth was unnerving. From this height, he couldn''t even see where the mountain slope ended. A thick layer of mist covered the depths below, making it impossible to tell whether there was solid ground¡ªor just an endless fall to certain death. It was uncertain if he was still on the right path to the Devil Forest but he continued onward regardless. He wasn''t afraid of heights, but even someone with nerves of steel would find this place unnerving. "Alright... One step at a time. No sudden movements," he told himself. A strong gust of wind suddenly rushed past, causing his robes to flap wildly. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire Victor instinctively pressed his body against the rough wall of the cliffside as loose pebbles fell off the edge, disappearing into the mist below. For a brief second, he wondered if he had made a mistake coming this way. "This path is insane," he gritted his teeth. He adjusted his balance and exhaled. Step by step, he carefully moved forward. The howling winds echoed in his ears, making the entire landscape feel eerily desolate. Aside from the occasional boulder and scraggly dead trees, the mountain seemed completely abandoned. All of a sudden¡ªa scream pierced the silence. "HELP!" Victor immediately snapped his head forward in response. The voice had come from somewhere ahead, deeper into the winding mountain trail. A second later, he heard it again, but more desperate this time. "Looks like someone''s in trouble," he muttered. Victor took a deep breath, gathered qi into his legs, and used Wind Dash¡ªbut only in short bursts. His boots skidded against the loose gravel, sending more pebbles tumbling over the edge, but he ignored them and pressed forward. Victor rounded the corner of the winding mountain path and immediately stopped in his tracks. Up ahead, a cart-like carriage was tilting dangerously over the edge of the treacherous cliffside road. One of its large wooden wheels had already slipped off the path, leaving it hanging halfway in the air. A four-legged sturdy spiritual beast with thick green fur and curved horns¡ªwas attached to the front of the cart, straining to pull it back onto the road. Its clawed feet scraped against the gravel, kicking up dust as it let out deep grunts. Two armored men in reddish bronze armor were at either side of the cart, struggling to push it back onto the path. They had swords strapped to their waists, and their muscles were visibly tensed as they fought against the cart''s immense weight. The situation was dire¡ªthe cart was slipping inch by inch, and if it went over the edge, both the beast and whatever was inside the cart would be lost to the depths below. Then, Victor heard it again. A feminine scream came from inside the carriage. "HELP!" "Hold on¡ªyoung miss... we will get it back on track..." one of the men grunted as he pulled with all his might. A system notification appeared before Victor. --- [New Task: Aid in the Rescue] Objective: Help stabilize the carriage before it falls. Reward: +5% Bloodline UnlockingProgress, +5,000 Qi Wisps, Small Favor from the Li Clan. --- Victor didn''t hesitate. He sprinted forward and grabbed onto the back of the cart, digging his heels into the dirt as he pulled with everything he had. "Push harder!" he yelled to the armored men. The three of them pulled and pushed together, causing the cart to inch backward due to their combined strength. The spiritual beast let out a loud cry and pulled as well causing its massive hooves to scrape against the ground. With one final pull, the wheel lifted back onto the road, and the beast managed to pull the carriage forward, stabilizing it. Victor exhaled and wiped the sweat off his forehead. A ding echoed in his mind. --- [Task Completed!] Reward: +5% Bloodline UnlockingProgress, +5,000 Qi Wisps, Favor from the Li Clan. --- The two armored guards turned to Victor with expressions of relief and gratitude. "Young master, that was incredible! You saved our lady''s carriage," one of them voiced while bowing slightly. The second guard bowed as well before climbing back into the carriage, while the first jumped onto the top of it and crossed his legs, keeping a watchful eye on the road ahead. The carriage rolled forward a few feet before coming to a halt. The armored guard inside the carriage stepped out again and turned to Victor. "Young lady Li Yang would like to offer her gratitude," he said formally. "Please, step inside." Victor blinked. ''Li Yang? Oh the Li name from the notification...'' Victor nodded and stepped into the carriage. The moment he stepped inside, Victor froze. Sitting elegantly within the lavishly decorated carriage was a woman of artistic beauty. She wore crimson silk robes embroidered with golden phoenix patterns that was draped gracefully over her delicate frame. Her jet-black hair cascaded down her back, adorned with golden hairpins and jade ornaments. Her skin was flawless, as if sculpted from the finest jade, and her almond-shaped eyes were as beautiful as the seven seas. Despite her youthful appearance, there was a natural air of nobility about her¡ªas if the world itself had to adjust to her presence. This was Lady Li Yang. Victor swallowed hard. ''Okay, she''s definitely someone important.'' Her crimson lips curled into a smile as she studied him briefly. "You''re the young cultivator who aided us just now?" she asked in a voice that was both gentle yet commanding. Victor bowed slightly out of courtesy. "Yes, my name is Fang Chen," he said. "It was no trouble." She nodded. "Fang Chen... a name I will remember." She leaned forward slightly, analyzing him with her piercing gaze. "You don''t seem to belong to any sect, nor do you wear the robes of a major clan. A rogue cultivator?" she mused. Chapter 74: Pond Of Dragon Tears? "You don''t seem to belong to any sect, nor do you wear the robes of a major clan. A rogue cultivator?" she mused. Victor only smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying it. Lady Li Yang tapped her slender fingers against the wooden armrest beside her. "Young master Fang, is there anything you desire as a reward for your assistance?" she questioned. Victor paused. ''Oh the favour from the Li Clan reward... hmm...'' He had no idea what to ask for. Wealth? He had no need for it right now. Techniques? She might not even have anything that suited his path of cultivation. "Nothing comes to mind right now..." He suddenly paused upon recalling something; "Actually... I just need directions," he admitted. "I''ve been traveling and... I need to find the Devil Forest." Lady Li Yang''s brows raised slightly in amusement. "What a coincidence," she said. "I have business in the Devil Forest as well." Victor was surprised. "Really?" She nodded. "If you wish, you may travel with us. I have no issue offering protection." Victor wasn''t sure how to respond to that. Traveling with a noble lady meant dealing with her guards, following her pace, and possibly getting tangled in whatever ''business'' she had in the Devil Forest. But at the same time... it was an opportunity. The Devil Forest was dangerous, and if she had people protecting her, then it might make his own journey easier since they most likely knew the place better than him. After a moment, he nodded. "Then I will humbly accept." Lady Li Yang smiled. "Good. Then rest while you can. The journey is still long." Victor sat back, allowing himself to relax for the first time in a while. He had a feeling that traveling with her wouldn''t be simple. But it couldn''t hurt, right? ... ... The carriage continued its journey for hours, rolling smoothly along mountain paths and rough terrain. The sound of wheels crunching over gravel blended with the distant cries of spiritual birds circling the high cliffs. The the scent of pine from the patches of trees growing along the precarious ledges occasionally wafted through the air. Inside the carriage, Victor sat comfortably, yet this felt like a dream. It had been so long since he''d played Ascendant Realms, yet now, after his return, he was suddenly traveling with a noble lady from a prestigious sect¡ªsomething that felt like a turning point in his journey. Lady Li Yang occasionally glanced at him with curiosity as they journeyed. After some time, she finally, she broke the silence. "You''re... a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator already?" she questioned with a tone of confusion. "If I may ask, how old are you?" Victor blinked awkwardly. "Sixteen," he responded. Lady Li Yang''s eyes widened slightly as a rare moment of surprise broke her composed demeanor. "...Sixteen?" she echoed while looking him over with renewed interest. Victor nodded, unsure why she seemed so shocked. After a moment of contemplation, she sighed and shook her head. "You must be a once-in-a-hundred-thousand-year genius," she crossed her arms as she leaned back into the cushioned seat. "Only a heavenly prodigy could reach the Foundation Establishment Realm at such a young age." Victor chuckled awkwardly. "Well, I don''t know about that..." Lady Li Yang, however, didn''t seem to be joking. "The only exception to this kind of rapid cultivation is if one is a transmigrator," she added while watching him carefully. Victor raised an eyebrow. "Transmigrator?" Lady Li Yang''s gaze sharpened. "You truly don''t know?" she asked. "I suppose not many common cultivators would have encountered one." Victor shrugged. "Enlighten me." She studied him for a moment, then continued. "Transmigrators are... different. They look like us, speak our language, wear our clothes, and even cultivate like us, yet they are not from this world." Victor''s breathing slowed. Lady Li Yang voice lowered slightly as she continued as if revealing a forbidden secret. "They come from another realm entirely¡ªa place no one knows, and yet, their talent in cultivation is... unparalleled." Victor''s mind buzzed. ''Another realm... could she be talking about... players?'' But before he could say anything, Lady Li Yang went on. "They bend the rules of cultivation in ways that defy logic," she stated. "Even death does not claim them. Their physical bodies return whenever they are slain." Victor''s stomach tightened. ''Holy shit... she''s definitely talking about players.'' Lady Li Yang sighed. "I once met one," her crimson eyes turned distant. "He was... marvelous. Incomprehensible, yet magnificent." Victor hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should reveal his own status. ''Maybe I should just say it... If she met one before, she probably won''t react badly.'' Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire But before he could speak, Lady Li Yang''s tone turned dark. "However, not all cultivators see them as wonders." Victor froze. "There are those who hunt them," she lowered her voice even further. "To some... a transmigrator is a treasure trove of endless power." Victor gulped. "Refining a transmigrator''s soul is said to be equivalent to cultivating for hundreds of thousands of years¡ªeven millions." Victor''s blood ran cold. ''...Maybe I should just keep my status hidden. Who knows what will happen if I run into such cultivators? What if it ends up affecting my physical body?'' Lady Li Yang sighed, unaware of the turmoil going on in Victor''s head. "I suspect that most high-level sects and powerful cultivators are aware of transmigrators," she mused. "But only a few have ever met one, and even fewer understand their nature." Victor nodded slowly. ''Hmm at least this confirms that there are other players. I almost started wondering if I was the only person playing this game... when I meet one, I gotta ask if they can also use cultivation techniques in reality...'' A strange sense of relief washed over him. Since other players have been confirmed to be in this world, that meant he wasn''t alone. And if he ever reached the city Bai Xue recommended beyond the Devil Forest, then maybe... just maybe, he''d find them. Lady Li Yang glanced at him again. "You seem deep in thought," she noted. Victor shook himself out of it. "It''s just... interesting. I''ve never heard of such beings before." She nodded, seemingly satisfied with his response. "Indeed," she said. "They are rare, but unforgettable." There was a brief silence before Victor decided to change the subject. "So," he said, "what about you? Why are you traveling to the Devil Forest?" Lady Li Yang''s expression softened. "I am searching for an elixir ingredient," she admitted. Victor raised an eyebrow. "An ingredient?" She nodded. "My mother is... afflicted with a rare condition," she voiced with a sorrowful tone. "She has been paralyzed for many years now." Victor''s curiosity piqued. "What kind of condition?" "A curse-born illness that slowly crippled her... unfortunately its growing and soon it will cripple her heart and stop it from beating, forever..." Lady Li Yang explained. "The only cure is an elixir... one that requires a component found only in the Pond of Dragon Tears, deep within the Devil Forest." Victor frowned. "Pond of Dragon Tears?" Chapter 75: The Devil Forest Victor frowned. "Pond of Dragon Tears?" Lady Li Yang nodded. "It is said to be a sacred pool, filled with the tears of an ancient dragon who once wept for a lost love," she explained. "Its waters contain immense restorative properties, capable of reversing even the most grievous ailments." Victor was intrigued. "That sounds... insanely valuable," he admitted. Lady Li Yang smiled faintly. "It is. Which is why... I must reach it before others do... It is said to appear only once every two thousand years." Victor folded his arms. "I take it this journey isn''t as simple as picking up water and leaving?" Lady Li Yang laughed softly while shaking her head. "Of course not," she said. "The pond is fiercely protected. And no one knows what lurks there." Victor grinned slightly. ''Figures. Nothing in this world is ever simple... Still... this journey just became a lot more interesting.'' ... ... (( Two Hours Later )) They finally arrived in the Devil Forest. Victor stepped out of the carriage briefly and inhaled deeply. The air was filled with an eerie presence, and even though the sun should have been high in the sky, almost no light made it past the twisted canopy of withered, leafless trees that shot into the skies above them. The forest was alive¡ªbut not in the way a forest should be. The trees were warped and their barks cracked with deep scars that thumped faintly as though breathing. Their branches twisted in unnatural angles, resembling clawing hands reaching out for the unwelcome trespassers. The ground beneath them was a blend of ashen soil, twisted roots, and patches of bioluminescent moss that cast an ominous glow over the landscape. But the strangest part...? The fog... A thick grayish mist curled around their feet, rising and falling like a living entity that slithered through the gaps in the trees. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire Every now and then, whispers¡ªtoo faint to make out but unsettling enough¡ªechoed through the mist, making it sound as if something unseen lurked just beyond their vision. A flood of notifications immediately appeared in Victor''s line of sight the moment he stepped inside: --- [You have entered the Devil Forest.] [Warning! The Devil Forest is a cursed region filled with unknown perils.] [Your Perception stat has increased temporarily by ¡Á2 due to heightened danger.] [You have received a minor debuff: Phantom Whispers. They may or may not be real.] [You have received an environmental boon: Fog Adaptation ¨C You can see slightly better in heavy mist conditions.] --- Victor narrowed his eyes. "Well... that''s new." Lady Li Yang who had been silent since their entrance, finally spoke. "This place feels heavier than I anticipated. The legends say the Devil Forest is a realm trapped between the world of the living and the dead." Victor raised a brow. "So... is this the part where spirits and demons start crawling out?" One of the guards let out a tense chuckle. "Hopefully not." Lady Li Yang retrieved a small jade compass from a storage unit. It happened to be an artifact of sorts that was supposed to point them in the right direction. The needle trembled before settling on a direction, pointing them deeper into the forest. "The good news," she said, "is that this confirms we''re still on the right track. The Pond of Dragon Tears is near... but we need to keep moving before others arrive." "Then let''s not waste time," Victor proceeded to get back into the carriage while one of the guards pulled out a lantern and attached it to the side of their carriage to help illuminate their path. Their spiritual beast clawed hooves sunk slightly into the unstable ground as the group advanced deeper into the gloom. For three hours, they traversed the eerie landscape, carefully dodging strange pulsating roots that occasionally coiled up like snakes, as if preparing to strike. Victor swore he saw shadows move within the trees, but every time he turned, there was nothing there. Lady Li Yang seemed pleased with their progress. "At this pace, we''ll reach the coordinates before anyone can." That was until they reached the river. Or, rather¡ªwhat should have been a river. In front of them stretched a puddle-like expanse of blackened water. It was hard to tell if it was deep or shallow. The water was too still. Too dark. Too unnatural. It swallowed the light from their lanterns, making it look bottomless. And worst of all, it extended as far as the eye could see, submerging every single tree, rock, and pathway ahead. A system notification popped up in Victor''s vision: --- [Submerged Death Swamp Discovered] [Warning: Falling into this water will result in instant death.] [No player, cultivator, or beast has returned from the depths of the Submerged Death Swamp.] --- Victor swallowed. "Yeah... we are definitely not walking through that." One of the guards beside Lady Li Yang stepped forward and picked up a long wooden branch from the ground. Without hesitation, he tossed it into the water. The moment the stick touched the surface, it sank immediately, disappearing in an instant as if it had never been there. The guard whistled. "Anything that falls in isn''t coming back up." Victor frowned while staring at the only visible path forward¡ª The exposed branches of monstrous-looking trees stuck out of the water like the broken fingers of a drowned corpse. Lady Li Yang sighed. "There is no other way forward. We''ll have to cross using those branches." The second guard nodded before looking at Victor. "One of us should stay behind and guard the beast and carriage. There''s no way it can cross this." The first guard volunteered. "I''ll stay." Lady Li Yang glanced at the remaining one. "You''ll carry me." The armored cultivator immediately lowered himself, and Lady Li Yang climbed onto his back. In the next instant, the guard launched himself forward, landing perfectly on the first branch. Victor didn''t hesitate. He secured his broken sword on his back and leapt forward before landing on a gnarled bark. One step. Then another. The branches creaked ominously under their weight, but they held. Victor quickly adjusted to the rhythm, following behind the armored cultivator carrying Lady Li Yang. However, the moment he landed on the third branch, something changed. A sudden splash echoed through the air causing Victor to twist his neck to the side in other to take a peek. For a split second, he saw something humanoid but unnatural lurking just beneath the surface¡ª A head with glowing green eyes had emerged from the surface of the thick blackened river. "There''s something in there..." Victor eyes widened as he voiced in trepidation. Chapter 76: They Predicted My Movements! There''s something in there..." Victor''s eyes widened as he voiced in trepidation. Lady Li and the guard turned slightly to look behind them but it was already gone. It had submerged itself back in the darkened puddle just as swiftly as it came. "I swear there was a head just now," Victor voiced frantically, trying to convince them that he wasn''t seeing things. The guard gritted his teeth. "Let''s move faster." Lady Li Yang nodded in agreement. "The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it becomes." They continued their way forward, carefully jumping from one branch to another but the eerie silence only made their surroundings feel more hostile. Victor had a bad feeling they were being watched but nevertheless, they continued onward. ... ... Victor, Lady Li Yang, and the guard had been jumping from branch to branch for the better part of thirty minutes, making steady progress across the Devil Forest''s submerged path. The dense fog that enveloped the area began to thin out as they ventured further. All they could hear were the sounds of their boots landing on the gnarled branches and the distant splashes from the blackened water below. Each branch they landed on seemed just slightly different from the last¡ªlarger, sturdier, and more strangely contorted. As they reached a point where the trees spread further apart, Victor felt the atmosphere shift. The branches ahead seemed more spread out, and as he looked ahead, he realized the next tree was over forty feet away¡ªa considerable gap compared to the previous jumps of ten to fifteen feet. Victor naturally felt a twinge of hesitation. The jump would have to be well calculated since branches were thin because one slip-up would result in falling in. However, the guard in front who still had Lady Li on his back, prepared himself for the jump. Lady Li Yang whispered; "You can do this," she said with calm conviction. The guard nodded and Victor could feel Qi gathering around him as the guard''s aura became more intense. He stepped back from the edge of the branch and, with a mighty push, he launched himself into the air, using a burst of qi to propel himself forward. His legs stretched forward as his body shot through the air with incredible force with Lady Li on his back. Victor''s eyes tracked the guard''s trajectory as he flew across the fifty-foot gap. The guard landed with a thud on the next branch causing his boots to slide slightly across it before he found his balance. His face was taut with concentration, but there was a flicker of triumph in his eyes. Lady Li Yang let out a sigh of relief. Victor exhaled a breath he didn''t realize he''d been holding. The guard turned back toward Victor; "Your turn," he said before turning back around so he could jump forward and give Victor enough space to land. But before they could continue, a faint splash echoed from below, and before they could process the sound, something shot out of the water at lightning speed. A bandaged hand, as withered as old leather and wrapped in thick strips of cloth, shot up and grabbed the guard''s ankle. The guard''s eyes widened and Lady Li let out a startled gasp. The hand pulled at the guard''s ankle, jerking him off balance. Lady Li fell off his back but managed to grab at a piece of branch to prevent herself from plunging into the water. "NO!" the guard shouted as he tried to fight the grip which was now pulling him downwards. With gritted teeth, the guard unsheathed his sword mid-aid and slashed wildly at the hand gripping his ankle. The decayed flesh tore apart, but the hand refused to let go. The man landed awkwardly on another crooked tree branch with one leg slipping off completely. Lady Li was struggling overhead, holding onto a branch with both her hands. The hand kept pulling the guard''s lower half towards the inky abyss. With a growl, he swung his sword down once more, severing the rotting fingers. Shhhk! The severed limb vanished into the water, but the moment the guard freed himself, another bandaged limb shot out¡ªthis time, grabbing onto Lady Li''s dangling leg. "Ahhh!" Her scream echoed through the mist. The bony fingers tightened around her ankle, dragging her downward. "No!" she gasped as her grip began to slip. The guard turned and sliced through the bandaged arm just in time, freeing her. But before he could even catch his breath¡ª Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire More hands erupted from beneath. Dozens. They coiled around his legs, waist, and arms, gripping onto him like leeches. The guard thrashed violently while swinging his sword in all directions, severing limb after limb¡ªbut for every one he cut down, two more took its place. "Run!" he bellowed. "Take Lady Li and..." Before he could complete his statement, he got yanked into the blackened water. A loud splash, followed by an unnatural silence ensued. Lady Li stood paralyzed while staring at the spot where he had just been. "No... no..." she whispered. But there was no time to mourn. The water rippled violently. The surface twisted as if something was crawling out¡ªand then they emerged. Dozens of humanoid figures with glowing green eyes flickering like phantasmal embers and their entire bodies wrapped in decayed bandages. A burst of wind swept across the surroundings as Victor launched himself forward, closing the forty-foot gap in a single leap. Landing directly in front of Lady Li, he wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her into his grasp princess-style. Then¡ª he fled. With every ounce of qi, he channeled his Wind Shifting Arts, enhancing his movements as he launched from one branch to another. "Hold on!" Victor shouted while in mid-air. He landed on another tree branch many feet away and jumped once more, clearing the next gap with ease. The wind ruffled through his hair while his eyes locked onto the next branch as he continued to jump forward. His hands gripped Lady Li''s soft body tightly as he cleared massive distances. Behind him, the hands from the depths followed them, shooting out from the blackened river, faster than ever. With every jump Victor made, more of the creatures emerged from the water, crawling out with unnatural speed. Victor''s eyes darted to the trees ahead. He needed to move faster. It was clear that thess creatures had faster movement underneath the blackened water and he had underestimated their speed. As Victor descended toward another gnarled branch, multiple hands shot up from beneath the water ahead of him, already waiting at the exact spot he was about to land. His pupils shrank. ''They predicted my movements...!'' --- Chapter 77: Who Are You Exactly? ''They predicting my movements...!'' He had no way to shift directions mid-air. He was too close to avoid them completely, and trying to generate another burst of wind qi mid-descent wouldn''t propel them far enough to reach the next submerged tree. The hands reached out to grab him as he descended when¡ª Shnk! A sharp whistle cut through the air. In an instant, dark blue darts wreathed in toxic green qi pierced through the bandaged hands, detonating on impact. BOOM! A powerful explosion of toxic mist burst forth, engulfing the creatures in dense poisonous fumes. The force alone blew the reaching hands apart, sending severed limbs and ash-like energy scattering into the air. Victor''s boots landed on the branch with a barely stable balance as he adjusted his grip on Lady Li Yang. He immediately turned his head toward where the attack had come from. A shadowed figure stood atop a gnarled tree branch about thirty feet away with his robes billowing from the residual force of his attack. The man held a strange conical flask-shaped hat in one hand with qi-infused mist swirling around it like it was alive. His other hand was still positioned mid-throw with his fingers loose from where he''d just flicked the deadly qi-poisoned darts. Now that Victor could see him properly, the man looked completely unbothered by the chaos around him. He was tall and lean with long and unkempt dark brown hair tied loosely behind his back. His face was sharp and well-defined, but what stood out the most was his piercing wolf-like gaze¡ªan intelligent amber color that gleamed slightly in the dim Devil Forest light. His dark blue robes were embroidered with faint golden threads, and a few bamboo tubes and flasks dangled from his waist, likely containing more poisons, elixirs, or explosives. Victor narrowed his eyes. "Who¡ª" Before he could finish his sentence, the newcomer moved. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed his conical flask hat into the air, and in a flash of motion, his fingers blurred, tracing complex qi patterns mid-air. The hat glowed with faint golden inscriptions and then whirled through the air like a flying blade, slicing through the mist like a spinning razor. Shhhk! The hat cleaved through the remaining bandaged creatures, ripping them apart one by one before spinning around and flying toward the man''s direction. The creatures let out horrid shrieks as their bodies dissolved into wisps of dark qi. With a simple gesture, the man caught the hat and flipped it back onto his head as if nothing had happened. Silence~ Even the Devil Forest itself seemed to pause at the sheer efficiency of his attack. Victor blinked curiously. Lady Li Yang was still clutched in his arms but her shaky breath had turned steady. She too was staring at the newcomer in shock. The man adjusted his flask hat, then looked over at them with a lazy smirk. "Those things move faster than you think under the water. Lucky I was around, huh?" Victor exhaled sharply. "Uh yeah thanks... And you are?" The man tilted his head slightly with his amber eyes gleaming with amusement. "Just a traveler who prefers not to die in places like this." ¡ö¡ö¡ö Elsewhere in the Devil Forest... A different part of the Devil Forest was surrounded by monstrous abominations with twisted forms. The land itself shifted with every step as though it were a living entity. Four figures moved swiftly through the gloom with bare visible silhouettes due to the strange mist. At the forefront was a young man who exuded an aura of dominance and strength. His long black hair was tied loosely with some strands framing his chiseled jawline. His silver eyes gleamed like twin moons, scanning the surroundings with calmness like everything was beneath him. A massive greatsword was strapped to his back, wrapped in cloth but emanating an undeniable presence. "Shen Mu," one of the women purred while flipping her kusarigama over her shoulder. The chain rattled softly as she walked. "How much longer do we have to deal with these disgusting creatures?" She was a stunning beauty with crimson robes that hugged her figure tightly. A high side-slit ran up her right leg, exposing smooth, toned thighs as she moved. Her red eyes held a dangerous glint, and her full lips were pursed as though she was frustrated. "To think the esteemed Luo Mei would complain," another woman teased while effortlessly slicing through a grotesque demonic looking creature with dual short swords. She was slimmer and clad in dark blue robes that flowed around as she moved. She had fox-like features which gave her a cunning and flirtatious air. "Hmph," the third woman, wielding a staff-blade, spun it smoothly before impaling a monstrous beast through its gaping mouth. Unlike the others, she was calm and collected with long silver hair tied in an intricate braid. Her pale violet robes were adorned with silver embroidery, giving her an almost mythical presence. "If you two spent less time flirting with Shen Mu, we''d have reached the location already." Shen Mu deep voice sent shivers through the three women as he let out a light chuckle. "We''ll be there soon," he assured while reaching for his sword and swinging forward in its wrapped form. The shockwave alone annihilated three nearby creatures. The women watched in admiration as he effortlessly moved forward. His sword play seemed unparalleled. As they advanced, the woman with the kusarigama, Luo Mei, wrapped her arms around Shen Mu''s broad shoulders and pressed her soft massive mounds onto his arm. "So tell me, handsome," she whispered. "The Pond of Dragon Tears can only be scooped up by three cultivators before it disappears. How do you plan to get any if others beat us there first?" The playful glint in Shen Mu''s eyes vanished, replaced by something cold and unforgiving. "...I''ll take it from someone else," he voiced with a tone devoid of emotion. The other three exchanged glances with a knowing smirk appearing on their faces. ¡ö¡ö¡ö Meanwhile Victor, Lady Li, and the mysterious cultivator were walking along the forest floor. Victor had never been so glad to be on solid ground before in his life. The man who had just saved them earlier, was now part of their group. His laid-back posture and easy-going demeanor differed a lot from the side had displayed moments before when dealing with the strange creatures from the blackened river. "So," Lady Li glanced at him, "who are you exactly?" Chapter 78: Truly The Devil Forest The man adjusted his wide-brimmed hat, which was decorated with small talismans fluttering slightly with his movements. "Ah, where are my manners?" he said with an exaggerated bow. "Name''s Qin Lan. Wandering cultivator, poison master, and connoisseur of fine wines." Victor raised a brow. "And you''re in the Devil Forest for...?" "The same reason you two are, obviously," Qin Lan grinned while tossing a small poison dart between his fingers. "The Pond of Dragon Tears. But unlike you the usual minded folks who seek it, I don''t have some noble cause." Lady Li''s expression darkened slightly, but she said nothing. Qin Lan continued, "I just want to get some of its water and sell it. Nothing personal, nothing grand." Victor couldn''t help but chuckle. The man was too carefree, especially for someone wandering such a dangerous place alone. As they continued through the mist-laden path, growls began to echo from the darkness. Victor tightened his grip on his broken sword, while Qin Lan simply sighed. "More inhumane creatures?" Qin Lan muttered while pulling out a few poison darts. "Do these things ever take a break?" This time four legged demon-like creatures with dark bodies lunged at them. Their distorted sinewy bodies looked a bit humanoid but their figures twisting unnaturally, making it seem like they were crawling charred skinned humans. Their hollow eyes gleamed with hunger. Victor dashed forward while swinging his broken blade to deflect one''s clawed strike, then followed up with a Wind Gale Strike, sending two of them flying. Qin Lan, on the other hand, simply flicked his poison darts casually. Each dart struck a creature, and within seconds, their bodies began melting into a puddle of black sludge. "Poison is such a beautiful thing," Qin Lan mused before blowing on his fingertips like he had just finished an art piece. Victor had to admit, the guy was pretty impressive. However, while Victor was locked in combat, Qin Lan suddenly whistled. "Hey, kid!" he called out. Victor turned, just in time to see a sword flying through the air toward him. Without thinking, he caught it, feeling the weight of a proper weapon in his hands for the first time in a long time. Victor''s grip tightened around its hilt as his qi instinctively flowing into the blade. A smirk appeared on his face; "Perfect..." He slashed forward¡ª sending a clean arc of wind smashing through three creatures in a single motion. Victor''s eyes widened slightly. "This..." he muttered. "Where did you get this?" Qin Lan smirked while adjusting his hat. "Oh, that?" he said nonchalantly. "Took it off some cultivator who tried to kill me earlier. Didn''t really have any use for it, so I figured I''d give it to you." Victor just stared at him. This guy... Was he serious? Lady Li looked between them, choosing to say nothing. By the time the last of the creatures fell, the moon was already rising in the sky. "We should find somewhere to rest," Lady Li suggested with a slightly fatigued look from the long journey. Victor nodded while checking his qi reserves. His stamina was running low too. Qin Lan stretched lazily before throwing an arm over Victor''s shoulder like they were old friends. "I know a great place," he grinned. "Doesn''t smell like demon guts, and it''s got a nice little view of the stars." Victor didn''t know why but Qin Lan reminded him of Selene the Assassin girl. "I get the feeling you never take anything seriously." "Oh, trust me, kid. When it counts¡ª" his expression darkened slightly as the briefest glimmer of danger flashed in his eyes. "I take everything very seriously." ... ... The Devil Forest was a realm of perpetual unease. It was impossible to find a place that was completely safe, but after much searching, Victor, Lady Li Yang, and Qin Lan managed to locate a secluded clearing where the trees weren''t so thick, and the oppressive fog was somewhat thinner. The three of them knew that sleeping without caution could be a death sentence in a place like this, so they agreed to take turns keeping watch. Qin Lan took the first shift, lounging against a crooked tree while twirling one of his poison darts between his fingers. He kept an easy-going demeanor, but his eyes were sharp as he scanned the dark abyss of the forest for threats. Lady Li Yang took the second shift, meditating softly while keeping her ears open for any disturbances. The artifact compass in her hands trembled faintly, reassuring her that they were still heading in the right direction. And soon, it was finally Victor''s turn. Victor perched himself on a large boulder with his new sword resting beside him. The eerie silence of the Devil Forest had become somewhat familiar by now, but it still felt unnerving. For about an hour, nothing happened. Then, all of a sudden, he heard something... "WAAAAHHH!" A frail cry echoed through the trees. And not just an ordinary cry... It was a baby''s cry. Victor''s body reacted before his mind could catch up as he jolted to his feet. A baby? Here? It made no sense, and yet, the sound was so convincing that he found himself moving forward. But before he could take a single step, a delicate hand gripped his wrist firmly. Victor turned to see Lady Li Yang wearing a grim expression. She shook her head. "Don''t," she whispered. Victor frowned. "Why¡ª?" "That''s not a baby." Lady Li Yang''s gaze darkened. "That''s a Mimic Demon. It lures lost souls by mimicking the cries of an infant. The moment you step into its domain, your soul will be devoured before you even realize what''s happening." Victor''s blood ran cold while the crying continued, growing louder and more desperate¡ªas if sensing that its prey was resisting. Victor gritted his teeth as the image of his pregnant mother appeared in his mind. Eventually, after a few long minutes, the cries faded into the distance. Victor exhaled sharply while slowly unfurling his fist which he didn''t notice was tightly clenched this whole time. "...Truly the Devil Forest," he muttered under his breath. Chapter 79: This Is It? As daylight seeped through the twisted canopy of the Devil Forest, the group resumed their journey. The artifact compass in Lady Li Yang''s hand continued to thrum, guiding them deeper into the unknown. They walked for hours, avoiding twisted roots that seemed to slither, hollow-eyed creatures that watched from the fog, and patches of cursed land that emitted strange whispers. Then, just when they thought they were alone, they stumbled upon a group of cultivators. Victor''s grip on his sword tightened instinctively. These cultivators were haggard-looking with torn and dirty robes as though they had been wandering through the forest for weeks. There were four of them, clad in matching dark green sect robes. Their leader was a tall man with narrow eyes and a scar across his nose. He stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting. "Fellow cultivators," he called out. "We are from the Jade Serpent Sect. We''ve been searching for the Pond of Dragon Tears but... as you can imagine, the Devil Forest is not kind to outsiders." Victor studied their expressions carefully with a look of caution. Lady Li Yang stepped forward while her eyes flicked toward Qin Lan, who had his arms crossed but his usual smile was missing. One of the Jade Serpent cultivators eyes widened as he suddenly spotted the compass in Lady Li Yang''s hands. "You... you have an artifact compass?" Lady Li''s grip tightened slightly on the compass. "And so what?" Unlike Qin Lan who had appeared to them at a time of need, these cultivators were different so they had to be cautious. The leader of the group smiled. "I don''t mean to be blunt, but... you could use some extra hands, don''t you think?" Qin Lan scoffed. "Oh, yeah?" he said lazily whike flipping a poison dart between his fingers. "And what exactly makes you useful?" "We have been here for days, but we have knowledge of the forest that might be useful to you and in exchange we could all get to the pond together... a win win, don''t you think?" The leader responded. Lady Li Yang hesitated while looking between Victor and Qin Lan. Victor could tell what she was thinking. They had no reason to trust these people. But at the same time, the Devil Forest was unpredictable, and having more allies could be beneficial. After a long pause, Lady Li Yang finally nodded. "Fine," she said. "You may accompany us." Qin Lan''s expression darkened slightly, but he didn''t argue. As Victor''s and the group moved through Devil forest together he observed the four cultivators closely. Despite their haggard appearance, there was something about them that demanded caution. The leader dark green robes were decorated with serpent motifs with embroidery nearly torn from wear and battle. He exuded a sense of calculating intelligence, the type of man who gauged every move before making it. "My name is Zhao Feng," he introduced himself to Lady Li. ''A true schemer,'' Victor thought. Zhao Feng seemed like someone who always had contingency plans in motion. Behind him stood three others, each with distinct appearances: Xu Jian, a broad-shouldered brute with a shaven head and a thick scar on his forearm. His sleeveless robes revealed well-defined muscles, and his weapon of choice was an iron staff strapped across his back. His posture was that of someone who could crush bones with a single strike. On the side was Xiao Mei, a short-haired woman with blue eyes and a sly expression. Her robes were tight-fitting, allowing for better agility, and she carried a bow strapped to her back. And finally, the fourth was Yan Rui, a mysterious beauty with long yellow hair and a dangerously seductive air. Although her robes were torn in multiple areas, it didn''t make her look like any less of a beauty. In fact, it increased her attractiveness, since various areas of her smooth skin was exposed. As Zhao Feng introduced his team, Lady Li also introduced herself as a daughter of the Li clan and introduced Fang Chen(Victor and Qin Lan as well. After the introduction, Yan Rui''s eyes lingered on Victor, studying him with thinly veiled curiosity. "Well, well," she mused. "It''s rare to see a young cultivator traveling with a Lady of the Li Sect. What exactly is your story, Fang Chen?" Victor didn''t like her tone, nor did he like the hungry look in her eyes¡ªas if she was gauging his worth. Before he could respond, Xiao Mei let out a chuckle. "Why are you interested, Yan Rui?" she teased. "Don''t tell me you want to toy with another man''s heart?" Yan Rui smirked but quickly displayed a look of innocence. "I would never do that to one of our saviours." "I''m sure you wouldn''t," Xiao Mei shook her head. Victor kept his expression neutral, but inwardly, he made a note¡ªthis group could not be trusted. For the next two days, the group traveled together. At first, things seemed uneventful since the Jade Cultivators were always pointing out areas to avoid saying they had been there before. They helped the group avoid a lot of hurdles and difficult terrains, taking detours around dangerous environments but Victor couldn''t shake off the feeling of unease. Despite his carefree mannerisms, Qin Lan watched the Jade Serpent cultivators closely. Lady Li, on the other hand, tried to remain neutral, though it was obvious she was being cautious as well. However, as they progressed, they began noticing something strange. The artifact compass, which had been a steady guide, was starting to flicker erratically. Then, after one final pulse¡ª It stopped completely. Lady Li held her breath. "We''re here." Victor looked around. They were in a completely unremarkable part of the Devil Forest. The trees were the same twisted, lifeless husks, the ground was covered in a thick layer of fog, and there was nothing that resembled a pond. One of the Jade Serpent cultivators scowled. "This is it?" Lady Li furrowed her brows. "The Pond of Dragon Tears only appears once every two thousand years. The artifact compass led us here¡ªwhich means..." She trailed off. Victor exhaled. "Which means the pond will appear here soon." Chapter 80: Falling In Victor muttered. "Which means the pond will appear here soon." A heavy silence fell over the group. Qin Lan finally let out a low chuckle while shaking his head. "Heh... and now the real fun begins." --- The days in the Devil Forest were long, filled with trepidation as Victor, Lady Li Yang, and their group waited near the artifact''s final location. Lady Li Yang''s pacing eyes occasionally flickered toward the artefact compass, which had remained inactive ever since they arrived. "The pond hasn''t manifested yet..." she muttered with arms folded beneath her flowing red robes. Victor''s hand rested on the hilt of the sword he had received from the poison cultivator as he sat nearby. His eyes kept drifting toward the foggy surroundings. His Qi-enhanced senses suddenly sensed something off. From the mist, silhouettes emerged. A lone figure dressed in deep blue robes with silver embroidery and a sword hanging loosely at his side was at the forefront. They had arrived together but they didn''t seem to be together. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, tall, with sharp cheekbones and a deep gaze. His expression was neutral, yet there was a hint of tension beneath his calm demeanor. Behind him, a small group of other cultivators followed, clad in robes that had no clear sect markings. The moment he stepped into their camp''s perimeter, he halted and spoke. "I assume you all are waiting for the same thing we came here to find," he voiced with a composed tone. "The Pond of Dragon Tears." Lady Li Yang''s expression remained wary. "Who are you?" The man exhaled slowly before placing a hand on the hilt of his sword. "My name is Liu Feng, and I am here... to make sure that my cousin does not get his hands on the pond''s water." Victor''s brow furrowed. "Your cousin?" Liu Feng nodded. "I don''t know how many of you are familiar with him," he continued. "But my cousin Shen Mu is a vile man. If he gains the pond''s water, he will use it for something far worse than healing. He''s traveling with three women¡ªall deadly cultivators. I do not know their goal, but whatever it is, it cannot be good." Lady Li Yang exchanged a glance with Victor. None of the Jade Serpent Sect cultivators bore the name Shen Mu''s, so it wasn''t familiar to them. The others also introduced themselves as well and soon they were over eleven waiting for the appearance of the pond and definitely many more still looking for the precise location. A day and a half passed, and more groups arrived. Pressure in the area grew, with various cultivators watching each other with suspicion. Everyone knew that the moment the pond revealed itself, it would become a battle of skill, power, and survival. Then, when the second day reached its peak, the forest trembled. A low vibration swept through the air, and suddenly¡ª The artifact compass shattered. Lady Li Yang gasped while stepping back as a powerful surge of energy erupted from the ground beneath them. The air grew dense, infused with an overwhelming spiritual energy. The twisted trees of the Devil Forest bent backward, as though bowing to the ancient force that was awakening. The earth rumbled causing cracks to form along the moss-covered stone path that led deeper into the mysterious space. A deep blue radiance surged upward, illuminating the hidden pond before them. The Pond of Dragon Tears had finally revealed itself. And with it¡ªa new arrival. A loud clap of laughter echoed through the clearing. Victor turned sharply to see a man standing on a nearby rock formation. His long black hair flowed freely, exuding an arrogant and untouchable presence. Beside him stood three striking women¡ªeach with a deadly aura, all wearing unique robes and wielding weapons suited for combat. Shen Mu smirked as he glanced at the massive blue pond that now sat in the middle of the clearing. "How poetic," he mused with his arms spread wide. "After two thousand years, the pond reappears... and I get to claim it." Liu Feng stepped forward with a cold look. "Shen Mu." Shen Mu''s smirk widened as his gaze shifted toward his cousin. "Ah, dear Liu Feng. I had a feeling you''d be here." Liu Feng clenched his fists. "I will not allow you to take the pond''s water." Shen Mu chuckled while shaking his head. "You act as though this was ever yours to allow or deny." His gaze flickered toward Lady Li Yang and Victor. "And these must be your new friends." Victor could already feel the hostility building. Shen Mu tilted his head and sighed. "Let''s get something straight before this turns into unnecessary bloodshed." He raised a single finger. "After three people scoop from its waters, the pond will vanish again for another two thousand years." The moment the words left his mouth, the entire atmosphere changed. Allies instantly became enemies. Silence shattered. Chaos erupted. Cultivators turned on one another, blades clashing as the desperation to whittle down the numbers took over. Victor dodged a wild strike from a rogue cultivator and retaliated with a swift wind-infused slash, sending his opponent crashing against a nearby tree. A cultivator suddenly lunged at Shen Mu''s cousin, slashing his sword toward his throat¡ªonly for the attack to be parried effortlessly. Lady Li Yang instantly grabbed Victor''s wrist. "We have to move! NOW!" In mere moments, the entire area transformed into a battlefield. People were cutting each other down, trying to reduce the number of competitors before any of them could reach the pond''s surface. The ground itself wasn''t safe either. Traps hidden beneath the mossy floor activated, releasing spiritual spears, impaling the unsuspecting. Victor barely dodged one as it shot up mere inches from his leg, embedding itself into the chest of an unlucky cultivator and destroying his heart instantly. A bright flash suddenly illuminated the area as a cultivator was hit with a technique that sent him flying into the pond. He laughed upon crashing into it with a splash and dipped his fingers deeper into the waters to scoop up a bit. The moment he raised his hands, he noticed a trail of frost spreading up his fingertips as his entire body began to freeze. He hurriedly tried to get out in sheer terror as his limbs turned rigid while frost rapidly spread across his body. But it was too late... before he knew it, he couldn''t move. His body froze completely and shattered into thousands of frozen fragments. A chilling realization dawned on everyone. Falling into the pond was certain death. Yet that didn''t stop cultivators from pushing forward, desperate to claim the treasure. Victor was already dealing with three attackers at once when something unexpected happened. A sharp impact slammed into his back, sending him staggering forward. One of the Jade Serpent Sect cultivators¡ªthe same ones who had pretended to be allies¡ªhad just kicked him with full force. Victor''s vision blurred as he stumbled forward¡ªtoward the pond. Chapter 81: Hes A Transmigrator! Minutes earlier when everything when descended into chaos, Victor, Lady Li Yang, and Qin Lan found themselves besieged after Shen Mo announcement about the limit of three scoops. Before they could even rush forward, the Jade Serpent Sect suddenly turned on them. "Apologies," sneered Zhao Feng from the Jade Serpent Sect while unsheathing his blade. "But the sect must come first." Yan Rui spun her chain weapon threateningly as her sharp eyes zeroed in on Lady Li Yang. "I''m afraid we can''t let you get any closer," she voiced with a smirk. The third Jade Serpent cultivator, Xu Jian twirled his iron staff and stepped between Victor and the pond, completely blocking his path forward. "You helped us get here," he admitted while grinning wickedly. "Now, we''ll be taking it from here." Victor clenched his fists. "Traitors," Lady Li spat with a tone of fury. Before anyone could move, Qin Lan suddenly flung his poison-laced darts at Zhao Feng, forcing him to dodge backward. "You Jade Serpent bastards sure like biting the hand that feeds you," Qin Lan snorted with his gourd clinking as he stepped forward. "I''d rather drink a thousand bowls of my own poison than let you take that pond." Zhao Feng clicked his tongue. "Then die." With a flash, he lunged at Qin Lan while swing his blade with Qi-infused power. Qin Lan jumped and twisted his body mid-air, evading the deadly strikes with an almost drunken grace. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he sent out another burst of poisoned needles, forcing Zhao Feng to retreat yet again. "You missed," Jiang Tao taunted¡ª Until he felt his body slow down as his movements turned sluggish. Qin Lan grinned while twirling another dart between his fingers. "I never miss." Meanwhile... As dozens of cultivators rushed toward the pond, Shen Mu merely sighed and swung his sheathed greatsword. A wave of raw Qi pressure blasted outward. Six cultivators were sent flying. Some coughed up blood mid-air before even hitting the ground. "Fools. Until I have had a scoop myself, none of you are allowed to come close," Qin Lan stated with a tone of superiority. Xiang Fei staff blade carved through attackers with flawless as she moved like a shadow. Ren Yifei''s twin swords cut through two enemies before they could even react. Luo Mei''s kusarigama danced, wrapping itself around a cultivator''s neck before yanking him into the air and snapping his head off. "You heard what Shen Mu said... no one is allowed to get close to the pond," she voiced with a seductive tone while licking a bit of the blood that splattered all over her face. Within seconds, Shen Mu''s team had already taken down over a dozen cultivators. Meanwhile, Victor''s new sword clashed violently against Xu Jian iron staff. Each of his strikes carried enough force to shatter rock, yet Victor parried each one with growing momentum. He ducked low, letting his Wind Arts guide his movement, before slashing upward in a crescent motion. Xu Jian barely dodged in time¡ªbut Victor had predicted it. He immediately spun, shifting his Qi, and unleashed a Gale Strike with his free hand The burst of wind energy slammed into Xu Jian, sending him crashing through the air. He barely managed to land on his feet, but Victor had already closed the distance. His sword was at Xu Jian''s throat. "Give up?" he asked. The two others didn''t even let Victor savour the victory before attacking him from both sides. Victor parried a strike from the left and ducked to evade the one from the right but before he could even return to a full standing position, a kick ram into him from behind. This kick was from Xu Jian. Victor''s vision blurred as he stumbled forward¡ªtoward the pond. There was no footing left. There was no way to stop. The moment seemed endless as Victor felt his body fall toward the deadly waters. "Fang Chen!" Lady Li Yang screamed while lunging forward... But it was too late. Victor''s body crashed into the Pond of Dragon Tears causing gasps to fill the air. Everyone expected Victor to die instantly. But when they looked down at the pond, expecting to see him frozen solid, their eyes widened in shock. Victor remained perfectly fine. Not only was he still alive, but the waters of the Pond of Dragon Tears didn''t harm him at all. Instead of killing him, the pond''s energy seemed to be flowing towards him. The crystal-clear water around him glowed, sending spiraling ripples outward, reacting to his presence in a way that no one had ever seen before. Shen Mu''s smirk finally faded. "What... the hell?" Even the Jade Serpent Sect cultivators who had betrayed Victor looked on in horror. Lady Li Yang''s hands trembled. "This is impossible... No one should be able to survive that..." A voice from the crowd cut through the chaos. "He''s a transmigrator!" The words echoed like a thunderclap. A hush fell over the battlefield as dozens of cultivators turned their eyes toward the pond. "Damn it! That makes sense!" someone else shouted in rage and disbelief. A storm of realization swept through the cultivators. Transmigrators¡ªbeings who defied the natural order, walking outside the rules of the world, blessed with powers that no normal cultivator could ever attain. And now, one of them had fallen into the most coveted sacred pond¡ªbut wasn''t perishing... instead them seemed to be basking in its power. A barrage of notifications burst into Victor''s sight, glowing bright within the mystical waters. > [System Alert: You have fallen into the Pond of Dragon Tears.] [WARNING: The pond is attempting to merge with your being.] [Option Available: Absorb the properties of the Pond of Dragon Tears?] [Warning: The aftermath of this process is unknown.] Victor''s heartbeat pounded in his chest. Unknown aftermath? A rational person might have hesitated. But did he really have a choice? He gritted his teeth and willed the YES option. The moment he did¡ª A violent force erupted from the depths of the pond, and Victor was suddenly pulled downward. Chapter 82: The Dragons Legacy A violent force erupted from the depths of the pond, and Victor was suddenly pulled downward. Above the waters, a blinding light exploded outward¡ª A translucent energy field suddenly surged around the pond, cutting it off from the outside world. Shen Mu, who had been standing closest, immediately swung his massive sword at the barrier. CLANG! The entire clearing shook from the impact, but the barrier held firm. Not even a crack appeared. Luo Mei whipped her kusarigama forward, attempting to latch onto Victor through the barrier. The moment the chain touched the energy field¡ª It disintegrated. She staggered backward in horror. "What kind of sorcery is this?" Shen Mu''s eyes darkened but he could do nothing. Underwater, Victor''s body was dragged downward at an unnatural speed, as if the pond itself had chosen him. His lungs nearly collapsed as he held his breath while the pond pressed down on him like a mountain, pushing him to the very bottom. At the very bottom, he saw something¡ª A massive glowing orb, the size of a human head, radiating an ancient golden light. His fingers brushed against it¡ª And his mind exploded with visions. A thunderous roar filled his consciousness, shaking the fabric of his being. Victor''s soul was flung into an endless void, where he saw a massive dragon, larger than anything he had ever imagined. It''s body was like a serpent of the heavens, its eyes gleamed with boundless wisdom and destruction as it towered over mountains. Through the visions, Victor relived its life¡ª A being that had once stood against gods. A dragon that had cultivated for millennia, forming the Pond of Dragon Tears due to its lost lover and leaving a legacy behind before vanishing into time. He felt its battles, its wisdom, its techniques¡ª¨C And then... its knowledge became his. The flood of memories was overwhelming. By the time he snapped back to reality, he understood one thing. He had inherited the Dragon''s Legacy. --- System Alerts Appear > [System Alert: The absorption process is complete.] [You have unlocked new abilities tied to the Dragon''s Essence.] [You now possess innate healing properties.] [Your bloodline unlocking progress has increased by 50%.] [Current Progress: 90%.] [WARNING: Bloodline Awakening Approaching.] Victor''s eyes widened in surprise. He was now only 10% away from fully unlocking his bloodline. Either ways, he couldn''t stay down any longer. He swam upwards swiftly and burst through the water''s surface, gasping for air. But the moment his head emerged¡ª His eyes locked onto a terrifying scene. Shen Mu stood at the edge of the pond with his massive sword pressed against Lady Li Yang''s throat. Her expression was grim, but she refused to show fear. "If you value their lives, you will hand over some of that pond''s water," Shen Mu said coldly. To Victor''s left, Qin Lan was on his knees with multiple cultivators holding their blades at his neck. The entire battlefield was now at a standstill, every cultivator staring at him. "That pond belongs to all of us," one of them growled. "You can''t have it all to yourself, transmigrator!" Some of them had looks that could kill. Victor stood at the edge of Pond of Dragon Tears with his clothes soaked. This was quite the situation. The barrier still flickered faintly around the pond''s perimeter, making it impossible for them to storm in and tear him apart immediately. The situation was clear¡ªthey wouldn''t let him leave without making a deal. "Hand over some of the water," Shen Mu stated once again. "I''ll return your people to you unharmed." Victor narrowed his eyes as his mind spun rapidly. The surrounding cultivators shifted anxiously, clearly ready to pounce at the first sign of a refusal. "Fine," Victor finally said. A murmur spread through the crowd. He bent down and scooped up a handful of liquid from the pond''s surface. The liquid seemed to carry a trace of the miraculous glow from before but they were unaware that it currently possessed nothing. Victor slowly exited the barrier''s shimmering edge with the handful of sacred water. The moment he stepped out, all eyes locked onto him. Victor felt the pressure in the air causing his body to send warning signals to his brain. Shen Mu nodded in approval and gestured for his subordinates to release Lady Li and Qin Lan. The moment Lady Li staggered forward, Victor reached out, grabbing her wrist gently and pulling her toward him. Qin Lan followed suit, but his breathing was heavy and his face pale. The blades that had been pressing against his throat had left faint red marks, but nothing fatal. Shen Mu extended his free hand and opened his palm, waiting for the sacred water. Victor handed it over. The instant Shen Mu received it, he examined the glowing liquid in his palm. He could feel the faint energy within it¡ªbut something was off. His eyes narrowed. He tried to channel his qi into it, expecting it to react. Nothing. The glow was superficial. The actual power was gone. A dangerous silence spread through the area. Shen Mu''s expression darkened. "...You absorbed it," he voiced in realization. Victor grinned. "Took you long enough." A wave of outrage surged through the gathered cultivators. "He tricked us!" one of them shouted. "He is the pond now!" another screamed. The air instantly became suffocating with killing intent. Victor immediately pulled Lady Li Yang along with him while activating Wind Dash. "Let''s go!!" He yelled to Qin Lan. Qin Lan also channeled a movement art and they began to flee. Unfortunately, Victor didn''t manage to get very far. Shen Mu fingers twitched in annoyance as he suddenly vanished and reappeared before Victor. "Gurrgg!" Victor let out a choking sound as Shen Mu grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. The rough grip of Shen Mo''s hand on his throat and the strength behind it, made it clear that he wouldn''t be able to break free so easily. A hushed silence fell across the surroundings as the remaining cultivators shot him looks of greed, desperation, and murderous intent. Victor felt his stomach drop. ''This isn''t good.'' It was one thing for them to fight over the pond of Dragon Tears. But now that the pond itself had been absorbed into his being... That meant he had become the prize. A walking treasure. And every single person here wanted a piece of him. Shen Mo''s grip tightened slightly as he displayed an unreadable expression as if trying to figure out what to do next with Victor. Victor couldn''t tell what was going on in his mind, but at least he was alive¡ª But not for long... A sudden flash appeared at Victor''s peripheral vision causing his eyes to widened. A sword came streaking through the air¡ª aimed straight for his heart. The cousin of Shen Mo, who had been waiting, watching¡ªlunged in for the kill. His blade vibrated with killing intent, aiming to pierce Victor''s chest in one clean motion. Victor tried to react, but¡ª Shen Mo moved faster. In that same instant, he swung his massive wrapped sword¡ª blocking the strike with terrifying force. BOOM! The impact sent a powerful shockwave through the battlefield, sending dust and debris flying. Liu Feng staggered backward with widened eyes. "What do you think you''re doing, Shen Mo?!" he roared. "He''s the pond! I can''t let him live!" Shen Mo remained still while gripping Victor but his expression darkened. "You would stop at nothing to prevent me from getting a fraction of the pond''s water won''t you?" "What the fuck dude? Did you just try to kill me?" Victor thought Liu Feng was the righteous one after all his claims of being here to stop Shen Mo for all the right reasons. "And what do you plan to do, cousin?" Liu Feng''s voice was dangerously low as he ignored Victor and turned to Shen Mo. "Drink him like a bottle of wine?" Shen Mo gaze narrowed. "If that''s what it takes." Victor could barely breathe under the sheer pressure radiating between the two cousins. Shen Mo released Victor abruptly, letting him drop to his feet, but kept his gaze fixed on Liu Feng. Luo Mei stepped forward while spinning her kusarigama like a ceiling fan. "Why exactly are you trying to stop Shen Mo from getting the pond''s power?" she asked. Liu Feng snarled but said nothing. Shen Mo exhaled slowly. "Liu Feng wasn''t trying to stop me from getting the pond''s power for my own desires," he revealed with a calm voice. "He was trying to stop me from healing someone." The crowd grew silent. Victor blinked. "Wait... what?" Shen Mo turned toward Victor. "Let me tell you something, Fang Chen. My clan... is in turmoil." Chapter 83: The Magical Spit Shen Mo turned toward Victor. "Let me tell you something, Fang Chen. My clan... is in turmoil." "There was a conspiracy in our family," Shen Mo continued. "A power struggle where one faction tried to seize control. They killed countless people, including my father." Apparently this power struggled had occurred when the major powerhouses of the family were absent. They had gone for a renowned once in a hundred years cultivation convention. The faction then made use of this opportunity to try and stage a coup. Unfortunately, they weren''t fully successful but they managed to go back into hiding when the powerhouses returned. "But one man survived," Shen Mo voiced in anger as his fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. "One man who witnessed everything and everyone responsible." Liu Feng flinched. Shen Mo noticed and scoffed. "But they made sure to cripple his cultivation... made sure to break his body. Now, he''s in a coma. If he doesn''t recover, justice will never be served." Victor slowly understood. The pond of Dragon Tears was never for Shen Mo''s own strength. It was for that man. The last witness. Shen Mo needed the pond to heal him. And Liu Feng... Was trying to stop that from happening. Liu Feng growled. "You fool," he spat. "You''re playing into the hands of old men who should''ve died ages ago. You should be looking ahead, not behind!" Shen Mo stepped forward. "The only ones who should be dead... are the ones who tried to kill me that night." Liu Feng tried to move¡ª But Shen Mo was faster. His massive wrapped sword swung down¡ª And with one clean motion, Liu Feng''s arm was severed. Blood splattered onto the rocky ground as Liu Feng screamed in agony. The remaining cultivators stood frozen in shock. "Be thankful Lord Shen didn''t unwrap the Nighttale Fang or you''d be split in two," Luo Mei voiced from the side while Liu Feng writhed in pain on the ground. Shen Mo exhaled deeply, then turned to Victor. "...Thank you," Victor muttered, knowing that he wouldn''t have been able to evade Liu Feng''s attack if Shen Mo hadn''t helped. Shen Mo blinked. "For what?" Victor gestured at Liu Feng''s severed arm which happened to be twitching on the ground. "For protecting me I guess." "I didn''t do it for you," Shen Mo responded. "Cold... Wait, wait," Victor raised a hand. "So, let me get this straight... You''re saying you need the healing properties of the pond to fix this dude in a coma, yeah?" Shen Mo nodded. Victor rubbed his chin. "But, uh... that means you need me, right?" Shen Mo gave him a look. "I suppose." Victor sighed dramatically; "I really don''t know how I can be of any assistance..." He turned to Lady Li Yang, who was still catching her breath after everything that had just happened. "Are you alright?" he asked while offering her a hand. Lady Li nodded, but as she moved, a small gash on her upper arm became visible. A shallow cut, likely from one of the stray sword clashes earlier. Victor winced. "You''re bleeding." "It''s nothing serious," Lady Li waved it off. "I''ll tend to it later." Victor reached for her arm, about to offer some help¡ª When suddenly¡ª "Achoo!" Victor sneezed violently. In real life, the dusty air in his room had irritated his nose, causing him to sneeze in-game too. This was most likely due to the fact that he left the game unattended to for months. A tiny bit of his saliva flicked onto Lady Li''s arm. There was a moment of akward silence. "Oh sorry my bad..." Victor was just about to clean it off when a faint golden shimmer appeared where his saliva had landed. Lady Li gasped as her wound got sealed instantly. Victor''s eyes also widened. Lady Li touched her arm with a look of shock. "What just¡ª" Shen Mo who had been watching from the side, narrowed his eyes. "Did you just... heal her?" Victor gulped. "Uhm..." He pointed at his own mouth. "I think... it was my spit." The entire group stared at him in silence. Luo Mei snorted. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Victor rubbed his throat nervously. Was this really happening? He had just sneezed on someone... and healed them? He hurriedly wiped his mouth, as if that would make any difference. Lady Li turned her arm from side to side in disbelief. "No pain... no scar... It''s as if the cut was never there." Victor swallowed hard. Could it be that his body now carried the same properties as the Pond of Dragon Tears. Victor''s brain spun in circles. Did that mean his saliva... his blood...? He winced. "Oh, this is gonna be awkward." Luo Mei crossed her arms. "Well, there''s only one way to confirm this." She turned to Shen Mo. "Cut yourself." Shen Mo frowned. "Excuse me?" "You heard me," Luo Mei smirked. "We need to test it properly." Victor held up his hands. "Hey, let''s not go around cutting people just because of¡ª" Shen Mo sighed before pulling out a little blade and making a small cut on his palm. Victor winced. "You guys are way too casual about self-harm." Shen Mo held out his hand. "Do it again." Victor groaned. This was about to be the most embarrassing moment of his life. He leaned in¡ª And spat on Shen Mo''s hand. The moment his spit touched the wound¡ª A golden glow shimmered¡ª And within seconds, the wound closed completely. The entire group gawked at Victor. Luo Mei burst out laughing. Shen Mo stared at his palm with a horrified and disgusted look. Lady Li covered her mouth in shock. Victor cleared his throat. "Okay. So, uh... I guess my spit is magical now?" Shen Mo looked up slowly. "I don''t know if I should be amazed... or disgusted." Luo Mei giggled. "Oh, this is priceless. You better never get sick, Fang Chen, or you''ll be sneezing cures everywhere." Victor groaned. Shen Mo rubbed his temples. "...I hate this." Lady Li smiled faintly. "It may be strange, but this ability is a gift." Shen Mo glared at Victor. "Alright, spit-boy. You just became the most valuable person in this forest." Victor sighed. "Oh, this is gonna be annoying." Victor pulled out a small container from his satchel. And then¡ª He spat into it. Everyone stared. "...What are you doing?" Shen Mo asked slowly. Victor wiped his mouth and held out the container proudly. "You said you need the pond''s healing properties, right? Well, there you go!" Shen Mo hesitantly reached out his hand but made a pause. Victor shook the container lightly. "Hey, you want it or not?" Shen Mo pinched the bridge of his nose while exhaling sharply. "...Fine." Victor grinned and handed him the spit-filled container. Shen Mo took it like it was the most humiliating thing he had ever done in his life. His three female companions were already giggling. "Whew, well, that settles that," he voiced with a satisfied tone. "Now... what''s next?" "...We need to leave before more cultivators show up," Lady Li Yang stated. "You''re way too valuable to stick around..." Chapter 84: Congratulations You Have Advanced...! Victor exhaled deeply while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His throat felt like sandpaper, his jaw ached, and he was pretty sure he had never spat this much in his life. Despite only doing it in game, he felt like he was actually dehydrated in real life. Before him, a line of cultivators stood with small jade containers, eagerly awaiting their turn. One by one, he filled them with his saliva, and with every drop, their expressions shone with disbelief and reverence. "...I can''t believe this is happening," Victor muttered to himself as he spat into yet another container. Shen Mo''s group had already taken a significant amount, and even Qin Lan had managed to secure a small vial, despite initially looking disgusted. The other cultivators who had survived the chaos had quickly realized that if they couldn''t obtain the Pond of Dragon Tears, Victor was the next best thing. And now, he was their source. After what felt like an eternity of spitting, Victor finally lifted a hand and shook his head. "That''s it! I''m done," he declared with a hoarse voice. "Any more, and I''ll dry up like a damn raisin." Some of the cultivators grumbled, but no one dared to push their luck. After all, what he had just given them was worth more than a mountain of gold. Lady Li Yang stepped forward with a gentle yet serious expression. "...We need to leave before more cultivators show up," she said. "You''re way too valuable to stick around..." Victor couldn''t argue with that. If word spread that he had essentially absorbed the pond, every greedy cultivator, rogue sect, and wandering lunatic would come after him. It was time to leave. ... ... After moving quickly through the forest under Shen Mo''s protection, they finally reached the area where Lady Li''s remaining guard had been stationed with the spiritual beast and carriage. The guard, upon seeing his young mistress return, ran up to her with tears brimming in his eyes. "My lady!" he gasped while scanning her up and down. "Are you alright?" "I''m fine," she reassured him gently. However, his joy quickly turned to sorrow when his eyes darted behind her. His expression darkened upon realizing that his brother¡ªthe other guard¡ªwas nowhere to be seen. "...Where is my brother?" Lady Li''s gaze softened, and she stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He was brave," she said. "He protected me until the very end." The guard''s head lowered as he clenched his fists and grieved silently. Victor stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say. After a moment, Qin Lan stepped forward. "Your brother was an honorable man. His sacrifice will not be forgotten." The guard nodded before composing himself. He took a deep breath and turned to Lady Li. "My lady... I will serve you in his stead." Lady Li smiled faintly, though sadness lingered in her gaze. "Thank you." Lady Li then turned to Victor with a look of sincerity. "You have done more for me than I can ever repay," she pulled out a storage pouch. "But I hope these will aid you in your journey." Victor took the pouch, and as he peered inside, his eyes widened. Inside were multiple treasures: A high-grade sword made from tempered celestial steel with qi swimming around its blade. Rare medicinal pills to aid in recovery and cultivation. A storage ring to keep his growing inventory organized. A bundle of healing based scrolls. A set of talismans, each infused with defensive, offensive, or escape-based enchantments. A technique scroll titled ''Drifting Cloud Steps'', an advanced movement technique for evading attacks and traversing difficult terrain. Victor blinked. "You''re giving me all this?" Lady Li nodded firmly. "You have proven yourself more than worthy," she said. "And I have a feeling you will need these in the days to come." Victor grinned while securing the pouch. "Well, I won''t say no to free stuff." Lady Li chuckled. "I thought you wouldn''t." "Some of these are healing technique manuals from my sect¡ªthe Li Clan. We specialize in the medicinal arts, and with your newfound ability, I believe you will use these better than anyone else." "I guess I could try learning healing techniques..." Victor muttered. Lady Li smiled. "You have the power of the pond within you. If anyone is capable of learning them, it is you." He held the scrolls close, realizing just how valuable this reward was. After wrapping up their goodbyes, Lady Li Yang directed Victor on how to exit the Devil Forest. To the best of her knowledge, she gave him routes to transverse that would help avoid the most danger. "We will be heading in a different direction," Lady Li said. "But should our paths cross again, I hope we will meet as allies." Victor nodded. "Same here." With that, they parted ways. Victor watched as Lady Li and her guard climbed into the spiritual beast-drawn carriage and disappeared into the mist of the Devil Forest while Qin Lan bid them farewell and went on his way as well. Victor let out a deep breath and turned toward his own path. Just as he did, his system notifications flooded his vision. --- [System Notification!] Congratulations! You have completed a Hidden Quest! Quest Title: Guiding the Heir of the Li Clan Rewards: +5% Bloodline Awakening Progress (Total: 95%) Drifting Cloud Steps (Movement Technique) 12,000 wisps of qi --- [System Notification!] Congratulations! You have completed a Hidden Quest! Quest Title: Inheriting the Ancient White Dragon''s Legacy Rewards: Unique Healing Ability Strengthened ??? (Sealed) 15,000 wisps of qi --- Victor felt a storm of qi gather in the surroundings and then flood his body, swirling through his meridians like a raging current. His foundation trembled, his dantian expanding as the accumulated wisps of qi surged into it. The sensation was both exhilarating and overwhelming. Then¡ª BOOM! A golden shockwave erupted from his body, sending dust flying in every direction. Lady Li and Qin Lan who had already traveled a distance away, had troubled expressions as they felt a familiar aura soar. "This... he''s breaking through?!" Lady Li exclaimed. "That kid never ceases to amaze me," Qin Lan shook his head in the distance in amusement. Victor clenched his fists as his foundation settled into something far sturdier than before. --- [Congratulations! You Have Advanced to the Core Formation Realm!] New Cultivation Level: Core Formation Realm (Early Stage) Qi Reserves Expanded Physical and Spiritual Strength Increased --- Chapter 85: Wind Glide Victor exhaled sharply while feeling the newfound power coursing through him. The moment he had broken through to the Core Formation Realm, his entire being had changed. Everything felt sharper. Faster. Stronger. He glanced at the sword gifted to him by Lady Li Yang and finally took the time to inspect it properly. The weapon had a midnight-black blade that gave off a very mythical feel. Unlike ordinary swords, this one had intricate azure etchings running along its length. It was razor-thin, yet Victor could tell it was absurdly durable. The grip fit perfectly into his palm, wrapped in fine dark leather that ensured a firm yet comfortable hold. The name of the sword was engraved near the guard: [ Phantom''s Dusk ] Victor smirked. "I like it." But now... it was time use it to test his current power. He took a deep stance while gripping the Phantom''s Dusk with both hands. Then¡ª WHOOSH! In the blink of an eye, Victor dashed forward, unleashing a flurry of strikes. His blade sliced through the vegetation in the surrounding like paper, leaving a trail of wind pressure in its wake. He felt much lighter and faster. Each movement was effortless as his new cultivation level pushed his body beyond its previous limits. Victor was sure that if Shen Mo tried to catch him in his present state, it would be much more difficult. Victor took a deep breath and activated Shadow Crescent Strike. [Shadow Crescent Strike ¨C Intermediate Mastery: 82%] A dark arc of energy formed around him, pulsating with ominous force. With a sharp swing, Victor released it at a massive tree nearby. The crescent ripped through the air, moving faster than ever before¡ª ¡ªbut then something unexpected happened. Just before hitting the tree, the crescent flickered¡ª ¡ªit phased halfway through the bark before materializing again and slicing through it from the inside out. The tree stood still... Then¡ª CRACK! A loud, clean split echoed through the forest as the tree suddenly collapsed in half. Victor stared with a stunned look. "...What the hell?" His attack... phased through solid matter? That wasn''t how Shadow Crescent Strike normally worked. Victor frowned while gripping his sword tighter. Was this a new development? Or had he unknowingly awakened another ability? He decided to test it further later. Right now, he had a journey to complete. Victor traversed the Devil Forest much easier than before, speeding through like a bullet train. His new strength made movement much smoother than before. The air gradually shifted and the ominous mist thinned as he neared the forest''s exit. After what felt like hours, he finally stepped onto solid, stable ground¡ªand in the distance¡ª ¡ª¡ªWas a city. But not just any city. One of the great cities under the rule of the Azure Ember Empire. Victor stood on a high ridge, gazing down at the vast metropolis below. Even from afar, he could see: Enormous city walls that stretched for miles, built from dark blue stone, infused with protective inscriptions. Countless spires, pagodas, temples with roofs gleaming under the sunlight. Streets in the distance that seemed to be bustling with thousands of cultivators, merchants, and city guards. Beyond the city, he could spot rolling green plains and even tall mountain ranges in the distance. Victor grinned; "Finally..." This was it. The world beyond the dangerous regions. His destination for a long time. --- Ding! <[ System Notifications: Congratulations! You have successfully crossed the Devil Forest! ]> You have been awarded: +8,000 wisps of qi +5% Mastery to Shadow Crescent Strike +3% Mastery to Wind Shifting Arts --- Ding! <[ Congratulations! You have crossed all three major routes! ]> ¡ñThe Misguided Misty Paths ¡ñThe Dark Canyon ¡ñThe Devil Forest You have been awarded: +10,000 wisps of qi +10% Mastery to Wind Shifting Arts New Ability Unlocked: Wind Shifting Art ¨C Wind Glide --- Victor raised a brow. "Wind Glide?" He quickly opened his cultivation status and found the new ability. --- [Wind Shifting Arts ¨C Wind Glide] Description: By condensing qi into the legs, the user can temporarily become weightless, allowing them to jump once or perform agile maneuvers in mid-air. --- Victor chuckled. "Now that''s gonna be fun but it''s time to go." Victor felt a little satisfied with his progress. He had been inside Ascendant Realms for nearly two weeks (in-game time). In the real world, he estimated about three days had passed. As much as he wanted to head straight into the city, he knew it was time to log out. He took one last look at the grand city ahead. "Next time, I''ll explore you properly." With that, Victor opened the menu and selected Log Out. --- [Logging Out of Ascendant Realms...] [See You Again Soon, Fang Chen.] --- As Victor pulled off his VR helmet, the world around him shifted from the mystical landscapes of Ascendant Realms to the familiar yet somewhat stifling confines of his bedroom. His real body felt lighter, stronger, and more agile. He flexed his fingers, feeling the subtle flow of energy coursing through his muscles. His vision had improved dramatically; the once dull edges of his room were now sharply defined. Then it hit him¡ªhe had been in the game for almost three days. "Shit... Mom!" Victor muttered while throwing the helmet onto his bed as he rushed out of his room. He hurried towards the kitchen, following the scent of freshly cooked food. There, standing at the stove, was his mother, stirring a pot of stew with one hand while holding onto her lower back with the other. Even from a distance, Victor noticed how her belly had slightly swollen¡ªa small but unmistakable sign of her pregnancy. She spotted him as soon as he stepped into the kitchen. A warm smile spread across her face, but it was immediately followed by a playful scowl. "I was starting to think you''d never come out of that game," she voiced while shaking her head. "I know you mentioned that your powers come from there, but I was beginning to worry you''d get stuck in there forever." Victor scratched the back of his head, feeling guilty. "Sorry, Mom. I got carried away..." She let out a small sigh and waved it off. "It''s fine. I figured as much. Just don''t forget you still have to take care of yourself and eat properly." Her words hit him hard but not because of having to eat. He didn''t even feel hungry and barely felt famished even when he stayed for over a day without eating. However, he felt like he was already neglecting his pregnant mother, despite the fact that he hadn''t left for the academy yet. He made a mental note to limit his time in Ascendant Realms, making sure to check in on his mother regularly. "I will," Victor promised while stepping closer to help. "What are we making?" His mother chuckled. "We? Since when do you cook?" "Hey, I can help!" He grabbed a knife from the counter and started chopping vegetables, albeit a little clumsily. "Just don''t burn the house down," his mom teased. They worked together in the kitchen for the next twenty minutes with Victor assisting wherever he could. Though he was still learning, the moment felt oddly peaceful. It had been a long time since they had done something so normal together. --- As they sat at the table, enjoying the meal, Victor found himself subconsciously analyzing everything. He could smell each individual ingredient in the food. He could hear the faint creaks of the wooden floor, the slow ticking of the kitchen clock, and even the way the stew bubbled ever so slightly in the pot. He clenched his fists. His increase in strength, agility, and senses from the game had transferred over into reality. Even his body felt more balanced, as if his movements were more refined and controlled. ''It''s crazy,'' he thought while bringing a spoonful of stew to his lips. ''My cultivation in the game really does reflect in reality.'' Too bad he didn''t have a sword to test out his martial arts. "By the way," his mom suddenly voiced, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Your phone kept buzzing all day." Victor raised an eyebrow. "It did?" She nodded. "Your friends, probably. I heard it vibrating from your room while I was cleaning." Victor quickly finished his meal and excused himself before making his way back to his room. --- Victor unlocked his phone and was immediately bombarded with notifications. Danny: Dude, where are you? Max: Bro, are you dead? Jake: Victor, don''t tell me you''ve been grinding in that VR game for days again. Amara: Hey, we''re all hanging out online, hop in when you can. Victor smirked at their messages and quickly responded: Victor: Relax, I was just busy. I''ll hop on now. After setting up his gaming rig, he logged into their group chat. The moment his avatar appeared on-screen, the voice chat exploded with noise. "VICTOR!" "Dude, where the hell have you been?" "Don''t tell me you were stuck in Ascendant Realms this whole time." Victor laughed while rubbing his temple. "Alright, alright, calm down. I wasn''t stuck¡ªI was just... occupied." "Occupied doing what?" Danny asked suspiciously. Victor debated for a moment whether to tell them about his insane progress in the game. Then again, how would they even believe him? He decided to keep it vague. "Let''s just say I was leveling up..." Chapter 86: Viral? "Let''s just say I was leveling up..." Amara scoffed. "More like no-lifing." "Same thing," Victor shrugged. The group spent the next half hour chatting about random things¡ªschool, life, the latest Awakened Academy news. Then, a new notification popped up on his phone. Selene: Yo, you free? Let''s go out together sometime. Victor stared at the message. She had asked him the same thing before, but he had never responded. Now that he was finally back in the real world, should he actually agree? His friends noticed his silence. "Victor?" Jake called out. "You good?" Victor snapped back. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Just got a message." "Oooooh," Max smirked. "Is it from a girl?" Victor rolled his eyes. "Maybe." Danny laughed. "Bro, don''t tell me you''re finally going on a date." "Shut up," Victor muttered while staring at Selene''s text. Was he actually about to agree to go out with her? ... ... Victor woke up the next morning with an odd sense of anticipation. He sat up, stretched, and then reached for his phone. He had just recalled the video he posted days ago. Maybe I went viral overnight... He tapped open the video-sharing platform and checked the view count. His excitement was quickly doused when he saw the numbers: 17,124 views 140 comments Victor groaned. "Seriously? That''s it?" He had hyped himself up, hoping that the video would have blown up since he hadn''t checked for over three days. Instead, it was barely breaking traction. He scrolled through the comments, and while they were mostly positive, there wasn''t enough engagement for brands to notice him. -"Yo, this dude is insane! That wind slice was cool!" -"Man, I wish I had awakened... life is unfair." -"Bro needs to do something crazier if he wants to get noticed!" -"Yeah bro needs to stick his d*ck in a portal and suck it." -"You are so down bad user1029929!" "Not bad, but I''ve seen better awakeners on the net." Victor sighed before tossing his phone onto the bed. "Not good enough." He knew he needed to step it up. --- About an hour later, Danny, Max, and Jake showed up at his place. "Alright, you saw the numbers, right?" Danny asked. Victor nodded. "Yeah, pathetic." "Then we gotta do something crazier today," Max grinned. Jake rubbed his chin. "What''s the plan?" "We do more crazy shit," Victor said while cracking his knuckles. "This time, we make sure people actually notice." The four of them set out, carrying their camera equipment, and started filming Victor performing wild stunts with his abilities. Victor cleanly sliced through a thick block of wood with his wind blade but acted like he made use of his palm to avoid suspicions. Then, he scaled walls, vaulted over railings, and even jumped off a rooftop, using his Wind Shifting Arts to slow his descent at the last second. At one point, they accidentally trespassed onto a restricted area, and a security guard chased them down. Victor laughed while grabbing Jake and running at full speed, blurring past obstacles. Meanwhile, Danny hoisted Max onto his back¡ªa hilarious sight considering Max was much bigger¡ª and fled after Victor. As they fled, Jake screamed, "Victor, put me down!" Victor cackled. "You wanna get caught?!" Max who was being carried by Danny, panted, "I feel... so... disrespected..." Danny laughed. "Shut up, bro, I''m out of breath cos of your fat ass!" They barely escaped and stopped at an alleyway where they all collapsed, wheezing from laughter. --- After spending hours recording, the sun was starting to set. "That should be enough footage for today," Victor voiced with a slightly satisfied look. They went over the clips, reviewing the shots. "Dude, that rooftop jump was sick," Max pointed out. "The security guard chase is gonna go viral for sure," Jake grinned. Victor smirked. "If this doesn''t blow up, I don''t know what will." After a few more discussions about what to do next, they decided to call it a day. --- That night, Victor locked himself in his room, drinking energy drinks while painstakingly editing the videos. He added dramatic effects to the wind blade slice. He spliced in slow-motion shots of his parkour stunts. He edited the security chase footage to make it even funnier. By the time he was done, it was already past 3 AM. His eyes were heavy, but the moment he uploaded the videos, he felt satisfaction. "This better work..." he muttered before passing out on his desk. --- When morning arrived, Victor was woken up by loud knocking. BAM! BAM! BAM! "Victor! Open up, you lazy bastard!" Danny''s voice rang out. Victor groaned while dragging himself up and opening the door. Only Danny and Max stood there. "Where''s Jake?" Victor asked. Max snorted. "Dude''s at his University interview today." Victor raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, right. What was it called again?" "Velcrest Academy of Advanced Studies," Danny said. "Some elite college that only accepts students trying to be researchers or something." Victor chuckled. "And we''re gonna pull up and taunt him, aren''t we?" Danny smirked. "Obviously." Max flexed. "It''s our moral obligation as his friends." "Alright, but first..." Victor grabbed his phone and checked the videos. His heart pounded. Did they finally go viral? Victor checked the statistics of the latest video and shook his head. "The last video didn''t go viral," Victor sighed. It had more views than the previous but it wasn''t even half a hundred thousand views. Danny smirked while adjusting the camera. "Then we just gotta do something crazier." With only two weeks left before the Awakened Academy''s resumption, Victor, Danny, and Max were back at it¡ªfilming new content without Jake. This time, they focused on flashier moves¡ªVictor performed precise aerial stunts using Wind Shifting Arts and even deflected thrown objects mid-air with Gale Strike. Max and Danny acted as the hype-men, ensuring the shots looked dramatic and engaging. ... ... Meanwhile, at Velcrest Academy of Advanced Studies, Jake sat upright in a modern, glass-walled office, being grilled by interviewers. "So, Mr. Blake," an older professor voiced while adjusting his glasses. "Why do you want to attend Velcrest?" Jake nodded confidently while preparing his answer. "I believe Velcrest is the perfect place for me to refine my academic skills," he said. "I may not be an Awakener, but I know that with my intellect and hard work, I can contribute meaningfully to this institution and its research projects." The interviewers jotted down noted while nodding in approval. Jake grinned internally. ''I''m killing this interview!'' A few minutes later, the interview ended, and Jake walked out feeling victorious. That was until¡ª BAM! He bumped into a large-bellied man with a long, bushy beard, wearing a Velcrest professor''s robe. "You, boy!" the man pointing his thick index finger at Jake. "Follow me immediately, or you can kiss your admission goodbye!" Jake''s eyes widened. "W-what?! But I just¡ª" "NOW!" the man barked. Jake followed the strange professor down the hallway with a panicky expression. The large-bellied man led Jake into a crowded area where students moved around, chatting and relaxing. "You want to get into Velcrest?" the man voiced while stroking his long beard. Jake gulped. "Uh... yes, sir?" "Then you must prove yourself!" the man declared. "Start by doing ten frog jumps across this open space!" Jake winced. ''Oh, come on... in front of all these people?'' Seeing no way out, he cursed under his breath and began hopping like a damn frog causing students to stare and laugh. "Good, good!" the bearded man nodded approvingly. "Now, go to that tree, hug it tightly, and apologize for all the deforestation mankind has committed!" Jake''s jaw dropped. "You can''t be serious¡ª" "DO IT!" Despite feeling humiliated beyond belief, Jake wrapped his arms around the tree. "I''m sorry, tree... for humanity''s crimes... against nature..." Students burst into laughter. The bearded man grinned. "Excellent! Now, one last task¡ªstand in the middle of the crowd and do the chicken dance while clucking loudly!" Sweat began forming on Jake''s forehead. "This... this is too much..." He glanced around, seeing dozens of Velcrest students moving about. If I do this... I''ll never live it down... But just as he prepared to sacrifice his dignity, a camera flash blinded him. Click! Jake turned sharply to see Max holding a camera while grinning from ear to ear. Behind Max, Victor covered his mouth, struggling and failing to hold back laughter. And standing next to Jake¡ª The bearded professor yanked off his fake beard, revealing¡ª Danny. Jake''s face darkened. "You... sons of bitches..." (( Thirty Minutes Earlier )) After a full day of filming, the boys decided it was time for a much-needed break. "Let''s go mess with Jake," Max grinned. Danny cracked his knuckles. "Been waiting for this all day." Victor let out a wry chuckle. "I don''t know guys... maybe we shouldn''t..." "Come on man, where''s your spirit... you''d usually be the first one to come up with things like this," Danny edged him on from the side. "Yeah man. Come on, we need the old Victor back even if it''s just for today," Max elbowed Victor softly with a mischievous look. "Aww damn you two, I feel bad for him already..." Victor shook his head with a look of pity. Chapter 87: Underground Fight Club Max and Danny exploded with laughter. Victor shook his head while grinning. "I had no hand in this, bro. I swear." Jake raised his middle finger at them. "Dead to me," he muttered. After recovering from the prank, the boys walked around Velcrest''s enormous campus, taking in the sights. Velcrest was stunning¡ªmodern glass buildings mixed with ancient architecture, making it a perfect blend of tradition and technology. There were fountains, massive lecture halls, and even a large open park where students socialise. Hyperloop transit pods zipped between buildings. Floating holographic libraries provided instant knowledge access. Quantum-lab research centers conducted AI-driven experiments, even integrating it into the ground itself. Digital avatars of historic figures walked around, offering lectures. "Man, this place is crazy," Danny voiced while watching students practice drone-racing. Jake crossed his arms. "Yeah, too bad I''ll have to share it with you dumbasses now..." "Ah, you love us," Max teased. As they walked, they bumped into a student handing out flyers. "Yo, what''s this?" Victor questioned while taking one. The flyer had bold, flashy letters: > UNDERRGROUND FIGHT CLUB ¨C TONIGHT AT 8PM! Winner Takes 200,000 Credits! No Rules. No Mercy. Only Strength Matters! Victor raised an eyebrow. "A fight club?" Danny''s eyes sparkled. "Bruh, 200,000 credits?? That''s like... a year''s rent!" Max whistled. "That''s a fat prize pool, man. You should enter." Victor shrugged. "Might as well. I need the cash." Jake narrowed his eyes. "Bro, I don''t think this applies to awakeners... pretty sure anyone that enters would be a regular human." Victor smirked. "Well... they don''t have to know." ... ... As the clock neared 8 PM, Victor and his friends navigated the dim streets near Velcrest University. The location of the underground fight club was deliberately obscured¡ªhidden from authorities but well-known among the right circles. The crowd of students moving in a particular direction was their best clue. Young men and women in university jackets walked with excitement and nervous energy, whispering about bets, past champions, and tonight''s rumored competitors. "Are we really doing this?" Jake muttered. Danny smirked. "You aren''t, but Victor is." Victor cracked his knuckles. "It''s just a fight, not war." "You say that now," Max gestured at a nearby glowing sign, flickering with faint red light above an abandoned industrial warehouse. The entrance was a tunnel, leading underground. As they descended the cracked metal stairs, the roar of the crowd grew louder. Harsh industrial lights illuminated a massive underground bunker, transformed into an illegal fight club. They had barely entered when¡ª BOOM! A body flew across the air, smashed through a reinforced caged wall, and landed right at their feet. The guy''s face was bloodied beyond recognition. Steam rose from his shattered cybernetic leg attachment with sparks flickering from broken circuits. A commentator''s voice boomed over the speakers¡ª > "AND ANOTHER VICTORY FOR TITAN-X! WHO CAN STOP THIS MONSTER?!" The crowd exploded in cheers... some groaned in disappointment as bets were instantly settled. Victor''s group looked toward the ring¡ªa caged arena lined with steel and reinforced wiring. Inside stood the victor¡ªa brutish guy with his arms and legs enhanced by heavy-duty exoskeletal armor. His hydraulic-powered joints hissed as he moved. Max gawked. "What the hell?! Is that even legal?" Jake scoffed. "It''s an underground fight club. What part of that screams legal to you?" Danny folded his arms. "Bro, this is basically Velcrest''s research students testing weapons on each other." Victor raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what?" Jake nodded. "Yeah. This place was made for students in Velcrest''s engineering & cybernetics division. They build their own combat tech and use the fight club as a proving ground. No rules, no limits. If your gear is the best, you win." Victor observed the arena. Several fighters had mech-enhanced limbs, shockwave gauntlets, nanotech shields, and even AI-guided drones assisting them mid-fight. These weren''t normal brawlers. They were engineers, physicists, and programmers who had turned their intelligence into destruction. "Nothing''s more dangerous than a violent nerd," Max muttered. Victor watched another fight begin¡ªa guy with jet-powered boots versus a girl in a magnetic exo-frame that bent steel bars with her hands. "Damn..." Victor whispered. Danny sighed. "You still sure about this, man?" Victor smirked. "More than ever." --- Victor walked toward the registration booth¡ªa hastily set-up desk with a bored-looking girl, chewing a glowing green piece of gum and her fingers flying across a holo-screen. She barely glanced up. "Name?" "VCR." She paused before finally looking up. "You don''t have any combat gear?" "Nope." She scoffed. "No armor? No augments? No drones?" Victor shook his head. She typed something and sighed. "Look, kid. If you get your skull bashed in, we don''t cover medical expenses. Hope you got good insurance." A few guys in line snickered. Victor simply smirked. "Noted." She clicked "REGISTER" and nodded toward the waiting area. "Try not to die too fast." As Victor walked away, a group of competitors whispered. > "He''s fighting without tech?" "Dude''s suicidal." "Titan-X is gonna flatten him." Victor ignored them. ---- As Victor waited, more fights took place. One competitor stood out the most¡ªa guy with large circular glasses, a thin frame, and wildly unkempt hair. Everyone whispered his name¡ª > "That''s Nova Cain." "Dude''s a genius. Built his own AI-enhanced combat suit." "I heard his tech is years ahead of the market." Victor watched closely. Nova Cain stepped into the arena, wearing a flexible bodysuit. Unlike the heavy metal exoskeletons others used, his looked lightweight, almost like second skin. His opponent charged in, wielding electromagnetic gauntlets¡ª > "LET''S SEE HOW SMART YOU REALLY ARE, NERD!" Nova Cain tapped his wrist console¡ªand instantly, his suit shifted colors, blending into the environment like a chameleon. His opponent swung¡ªonly to hit thin air. Before he could react, Nova Cain reappeared behind him and jammed a pulsing energy dagger into the guy''s spine. > BZZZZT! The opponent convulsed and collapsed as his gauntlets instantly lost power. Nova pushed his glasses up with a bored look. > "Too easy." The crowd erupted in cheers, while Victor narrowed his eyes. Jake whispered. "Bro... you better hope you don''t face him." Victor simply grinned. "I kinda hope I do." Victor leaned back against the wall, waiting for his match to be announced. Danny crossed his arms. "You sure you wanna do this, man?" Victor cracked his knuckles. "Positive." Jake sighed. "Fine. Just don''t die, okay?" Victor smirked. "No promises." A voice boomed over the speakers¡ª > "NEXT FIGHT: TITAN-X VERSUS VCR!" Chapter 88: VCR VS Titan-X The crowd exploded in laughter. > "That''s the guy fighting with no gear?!" "He''s DEAD." "Bro, they should ban suicides in this club." Max, Danny, and Jake looked at Victor. Max scratched his head. "Bruh... I think you should start running." Danny laughed. "It was nice knowing you, man." Victor simply grinned while stepping forward toward the ring. The fight was about to begin. The caged arena vibrated as Titan-X stomped into the ring as his massive exoskeletal arms and legs hissed with compressed air. The moment Victor stepped in, a loud chorus of jeers and laughs erupted from the spectators. > "This guy''s dead meat!" "Does he think he''s in a bare-knuckle boxing match or something?" "Titan-X is gonna turn him into paste!" Victor cracked his knuckles. He had no intention of revealing his abilities so they wouldn''t figure out that he was an awakened¡ªat least, not yet. Even though normal humans shouldn''t be able to fight on his level, he had to at least try blending in. The announcer raised his hands. Titan-X lunged charged forward with a thunderous stomp causing the ground to quake beneath him. His mechanized servos whirred, enhancing his brutal punching speed as he swung a massive metal fist toward Victor''s face. But¡ª Victor stepped towards the left smoothly. Titan-X''s punch hit nothing but air, sending a gust of force rippling through the cage walls. The moment his attack missed, Victor countered with a clean jab to his ribs, causing the metallic plating to rattle on impact. Titan-X growled and swung again but faster this time. Victor arched back, dodging with inches to spare like he had seen the attack coming. ''Damn... I''m so much faster than before.'' Victor believed this was due to his recent breakthrough in the game. Titan-X growled. "What the hell¡ª" Victor suddenly darted behind him, appearing at his blind spot before Titan-X could react. Titan-X''s frustration grew as his enhanced vision struggled to track Victor''s movements. Victor was about to attack him from behind when Titan X spun around and swung his massive fist in an arc. Victor jumped backwards, evading the attack. "Hold still!" he roared while activating the rocket thrusters in his right arm. Titan-X''s fist launched forward leaving a blazing-fast trail in its wake as the rocket thruster screamed behind it. Victor was caught off guard by the sudden acceleration but instinctively caught the incoming punch. His fingers dug into the thick steel plating of the exo-fist as he held it inches from his face but the force, caused him to slide back. A collective gasp erupted from the crowd. > "HE CAUGHT IT?!" "WHAT KIND OF STRENGTH IS THAT?!" Titan-X grinned. > That''s exactly what I wanted, dumbass. He had planned this¡ªbecause the moment Victor stopped his fist, Titan-X activated the boosters on his legs and shot himself forward from behind, ready to crush Victor''s back with his left exo-fist. But¡ª Victor saw it coming at the last second. He smirked and let go of the exo fist. Titan-X''s right fist¡ªstill being propelled forward by the thrusters¡ªsmashed straight into his own face before he could even react. BOOM! The metal caved in on impact causing blood to spray from his nose as he stumbled back with a dazed look. Titan-X snarled through the pain and leapt upwards with force, ascending over fifteen feet into the air before grabbing the ceiling of the cage. He let out roar as he activated all thrusters at once, rocketing downward with his left exo-fist primed to crush Victor. Fwwiisshh~ Victor stepped towards the side at the last moment, evading the fist. It was like time had slowed down at this moment as Titan X''s descending and exposed unguarded body came into perfect view. Before Titan-X knew what was happening, Victor slammed a sweeping kick into his exposed stomach¡ªthe one part of his body without exo-armor. A loud thudding rabg out as Titan-X coughed out a mouthful blood whole his entire body was sent flying from the force of the kick. Victor moved instantly, shooting forward with speed while Titan X body was still spinning across the air. He grabbed his face in mid-air, and¡ª¡ªSLAMMED HIM INTO THE ARENA FLOOR. The impact cratered the ground causing a cloud of dust and metal shards to sweep across the arena. Titan-X did not move. > "TITAN-X IS DOWN!!" The entire crowd fell silent. Then all of a sudden¡ª > "HOLY SHIT!!" > "HOW THE HELL DID HE WIN?!" > "WHAT KIND OF TECH DID HE USE?!" Victor stood wiped dust off his sleeves as he began to exit the arena, unscathed. He could hear the whispers already. > "He has to be using some kind of experimental body enhancement¡ª" "Is he secretly a Velcrest prototype fighter?!" "No normal human is that fast or that strong!" Victor simply ignored them while the underground workers moved to remove Titan X body from the arena. Danny, Max and Jake were all cheering. "Man I knew you would win!" Max yelled. "Dude you just told him to rest in piece a minute ago!" Danny protested. "You two are shameless as fuck," Jake shook his head while the four friends laughed hysterically. The battles went on to continue from there with other participants taking up the stage when it was their turn. However, Victor didn''t stop at just one victory. He fought again and again, dismantling opponents with ease. A brawler with high-frequency shock gauntlets? Victor parried his attacks, dodged every move, and KO''d him in three hits. A girl with magnetized boots and electrical discharges? Victor weaved through the magnetic field, closed the distance, and knocked her out cold. A guy with a reinforced nano-blade? Victor disarmed him in seconds and sent him spiraling out of the ring. Each win raised more suspicion. No one could understand his movements¡ªhis timing was too perfect, his dodging too quick and his attacks too powerful. Whispers spread¡ª > "This guy... he''s not normal." "Could he be an illegal augment?" "There''s no way he''s all natural." Victor smirked to himself. If only they knew. After winning his semi-final match, the finals were set. The last competitor stepped forward, adjusting his round glasses as the light from the screen reflected across them. > "Well, well... VCR." > "Looks like you made it after all." It was Nova Cain. The crowd fell silent. > "OH SHIT. THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD." Nova studied Victor closely, then pushed his glasses up with a smirk. > "I was getting bored fighting amateurs all night." > "Let''s see if you''re as impressive as they say." Final Match: VCR vs. Nova Cain The announcer''s voice boomed. > "AND NOW, FOR THE FINAL MATCH¡ª" "VCR VERSUS NOVA CAIN!" Chapter 89 89: 200,000 Credits The arena buzzed with excitement and anticipation upon the announcement of the last two finalists. The underground fight club had never seen an unknown fighter dominate as Victor had. He was a dark horse. Nova Cain stepped forward with his custom-built combat suit looking all sparkling under the arena lights. Unlike the brutish Titan-X, Nova was refined and intelligent. His mechanized suit wasn''t just about brute force¡ªit was an engineering masterpiece. > "This is it, folks! The final showdown! Will the unknown VCR claim victory, or will the legendary Nova Cain put him in his place?!" The crowd erupted in anticipation. Victor stepped into the arena with a look of seriousness. He had already defeated brutal exo-suit fighters, but he could tell that Nova Cain''s suit was on a different level. --- The Battle Begins > "BEGIN!" Nova Cain vanished. Victor''s eyes widened as a blur shot toward him. Nova''s suit-enhanced speed was unreal. A fist came flying toward Victor''s ribs before the spectators could even react. He barely dodged, but a shockwave pulsed from Nova''s suit, throwing Victor off balance. Nova''s Voice Rang Out Through His Suit''s Speakers: > "Fascinating. You move too well for someone without enhancements. But let''s see... how long can you last?" Victor barely had time to recover before Nova''s boot shot out, blasting a force of energy from his heels and increasing the speed of the kick. > WHAM! Victor blocked, but the force sent him sliding backward causing his feet skid across the metal floor. The crowd gasped¡ªthis was the first time they were seeing him get pushed back since the match began. Nova continued his assault, showcasing the many features of his combat suit: Micro-thrusters on his back and feet gave him unmatched agility, allowing him to attack from impossible angles. Electromagnetic repulsors in his palms generated shockwaves, preventing close-quarters combat. Predictive AI-assisted targeting helped him calculate Victor''s dodges and react in milliseconds. Plasma-coated knuckles sent electrical surges into anything they struck. Victor gritted his teeth. ''This guy... he fights on the same level as an awakened.'' Every second, Nova''s suit adapted to Victor''s movements becoming sharper, faster, and more efficient. Victor dodged left¡ªNova predicted it. Victor tried to counter¡ªNova blocked instantly. He was getting pushed back. > "Impressive. But I wonder..." Nova mused. "Just how strong are you?" Suddenly, his right arm detached and hovered in the air like a guided missile. > BOOM! It shot forward with insane speed but Victor swerved to evade it. The moment he did, the arm switched directions and flew after him. Victor evaded again but as soon as he did, Nova''s left hand caught him by the wrist. He didn''t notice when Nova arrived at his blind spot. A pulse of energy shot through Victor''s arm, sending a paralyzing shockwave through his nerves. Victor gritted his teeth. He couldn''t move. ''Damn it...'' Victor breathed deeply. He had held back long enough and the fight was starting to look too difficult to win without making use of his abilities. With a silent exhale, he channeled qi into his legs. The moment Nova launched another attack, Victor''s body blurred and he instantly vanished from that spot. > WHOOSH! The crowd gasped. Victor vanished¡ªand then reappeared behind Nova. "Wind Gale..." a burst of concentrated wind had gathered around Victor''s palm. Nova''s suit alerted him of the danger but he wasn''t quick enough. Victor''s palm struck Nova''s spine, sending him hurtling across the arena. Nova crashed against the cage walls, causing his suit to flicker from the impact. > "What... the hell was that?" "There''s no tech that moves like that!" Nova suit sparked as he slowly stood with a look of realization. > "You''re no normal fighter." Victor grinned. "Took you long enough to figure it out." Nova rushed forward, activating every thruster, going for a final all-out attack. Victor used Wind Dash and became effortlessly quick, evadinv Nova''s strikes. Then¡ª > BAM! Victor''s elbow slammed into Nova''s chest, denting his armor plating. > CRACK! A final spinning kick sent Nova crashing to the ground. > "AND THE WINNER IS¡ªVCR!" The arena erupted. Victor stepped out of the ring and walked toward the prize table, where a woman transfered the cash of 200,000 credits to his account. Just as he was about to check if the transfer was successful¡ª A voice from the crowd yelled out. > "HE''S AN AWAKENED!" The entire room fell silent. Then¡ª Chaos erupted. > "Wait... he has no tech enhancements?!" "No normal human can move like that!" "He''s a damn AWAKENED!" "Now it makes sense! What the hell is zn awakener doing here?!" The organizers panicked, realizing they had just been scammed. > "Get the money back!" "Stop him!" Suddenly¡ª Victor, Danny, Max, and Jake were surrounded. Victor''s muscles tensed as he saw the guards activating shock batons and combat drones hovering above. ''So much for a fair game...'' One of the guards charged at Victor while swinging a baton. Victor side-stepped, grabbed the guard''s wrist, and flung him into another goon. CRASH! Max and Jake took off running, while Danny grabbed a metal chair and smashed it over someone''s head. More guards piled in. Victor activated Wind Dash causing wind to gather around him as he body swerved from side to side. The first wave of attackers missed completely. The second wave? He dropped them instantly. One punch sent a man flying into a betting table. A spinning kick crushed a combat drone mid-air. A sidestep and counter took out two security guards at once. Danny on the other hand, grabbed two guards and lifted them with one hand each before ramming them onto the ground. The entire arena was in a frenzy. -"This is what I paid for!" -"Wooo! Real entertainment right here!" Danny yelled from across the room. "BRO, CAN WE NOT GET ARRESTED TODAY?!" Victor sighed. "Time to leave." He grabbed Max and Jake, shoved them toward an exit and then sprinted full speed, smashing through the caged doors. They burst into the night and began sprinting full force down the backstreets of Velcrest University. Behind them guards were scrambling after them. Victor grinned. "Well... that was fun." ... ... Chapter 90 90: Blueflame City The streets of New Avalon City were quieter at this hour. Glowing signs flickered and distant sirens echoed faintly, but for the most part, the city was at rest. Victor walked home after his friends had separated for the night with his hands tucked into his pockets, deep in thought. The underground fight club had been brutal, but rewarding. He checked his digital credit balance again. > [Current Balance: 202,000 Credits] A slight smile appeared on his face. He had done it. --- As soon as he stepped into his apartment, Victor was greeted by the soft glow of the kitchen light. His mother was still awake, sitting at the table with a cup of warm tea. Her gaze softened when she saw him. "You''re back late." "Had some things to take care of." She didn''t press him for details. She never did. She trusted him¡ªeven if she worried. Victor moved over to the kitchen counter, pulled out his holowatch, and with a few taps, he transferred the credits to his mother''s account. > [Transfer Complete: 200,000 Credits ¡ú Recipient: Revenant, Claire] A soft chime confirmed the successful deposit. His mother''s eyes widened as she received the notification on her own device. > "Victor... this is¡ªthis is a lot." "It should last at least five months," Victor said. "I''m leaving in two weeks, and I don''t want you struggling while I''m gone." His mother''s lips parted, but no words came at first. A bunch of emotions crossed her face¡ªpride, worry, gratitude. She stood up and pulled him into a firm embrace. "You''re a good son." Victor hesitated for a moment before returning the hug. "Just promise me you won''t push yourself too hard," she added. "I''ll be fine," Victor stated. His mother stepped back with a knowing look in her eyes. "You haven''t been sleeping well, have you?" Victor exhaled sharply before letting out a slight chuckle. She always knew. "I''ve been busy." "Busy trying to make sure we survive," she said with a sigh. "I know, Victor. But don''t forget to live too." After dinner, Victor retreated to his room. The digital screen on his desk flickered on as he checked the progress of his channel. > [Channel Subscribers: 1,082] [Latest Video Views: 70,426] [Total Comments: 612] Victor leaned back in his chair before letting out a small huff of amusement. "Not bad." The first video had flopped, but the second? That was progress. People were engaging more, commenting on his stunts, and some even speculated whether he was a warrior or an Assassin class. Victor grinned while shaking his head. Another debate again. "Let''s hope the third video does even better." He edited for a few hours, cutting clips, adjusting transitions, adding effects to make the stunts pop more. By the time he was done, it was already 2 AM. With a final tap, he uploaded the new video, hoping it would gain traction faster than the last one. > [Uploading Video...] [Upload Complete.] Victor cracked his knuckles and stretched his tense muscles. Now, it was time. He turned toward the VR helmet resting on his desk. The last time he was in Ascendant Realms, he had just reached the outskirts of a city under the rule of the Azure Ember Empire. He was about to step into higher civilization for the first time in the game. "Let''s see what the city has to offer." Victor slid the VR helmet on, took a deep breath, and powered the game. > [Logging into Ascendant Realms...] [Synchronization Complete.] [Welcome Back, Fang Chen.] The real world faded. Victor opened his eyes to the sight of rolling plains and a winding dirt road leading straight to the towering city gates in the distance. His heart pounded with excitement. "So this is it..." The city walls stretched high into the sky, made of stone reinforced with intricate spiritual inscriptions. Guards patrolled the area, while traders and travelers moved in and out of the massive entrance gates. Above the city, floating lanterns drifted through the sky, illuminating the architecture of massive pagodas and busy market districts. The city was alive. > [System Notification: You have arrived at Blueflame City ¨C One of the Strongholds of the Azure Ember Empire.] [Congratulations on crossing all three major routes to civilization. Hidden Achievement Unlocked!] Victor took his first steps toward Blueflame City with a look of enthusiasm. The sheer magnitude of the place made him feel like an ant before a giant. The massive gates leading inside were flanked by towering stone statues of armored cultivators. Their eyes sparkled as though they watching every soul that passed beneath them. Guards in azure and gold robes stood in perfect formation with their weapons glowing faintly with spiritual energy. The sheer density of qi in the air here was leagues ahead of anything he had encountered in the wilderness. "So this is what true civilization looks like in Ascendant Realms..." As Victor approached, his system chimed once more. --- [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] [Welcome to Blueflame City, a Stronghold of the Azure Ember Empire.] [You have crossed the three major trials to civilization.] The Misguided Misty Paths ? The Dark Canyon ? The Devil Forest ? [Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Path of Perseverance] [Rewards: 11, 500 Wisps of Qi, Mastery Increase for Wind Shifting Arts, Shadow Crescent Strike.] Victor qi surged, reinforcing his body as he moved toward the grand entrance of the city. A long line of travelers, merchants, and cultivators were waiting to enter. Victor fell in line, observing the different clothing styles, weapons, and spiritual beasts people brought along. Some rode creatures resembling scaled wolves, while others led massive oxen with burning hooves. Near the front, a commotion was brewing. A tall bearded man in dark robes was arguing with a city official. > "I demand entry! My clan holds a merchant license!" "You''re missing the required insignia. You may not pass without proper verification." >"Are you sure you can bear the consequences of preventing me?!" "Step aside!" >"You will pay for this!" Victor sighed. "Bureaucracy exists even in a cultivation world." When he reached the front, a stern-faced guard eyed him. > "Name and purpose of visit?" Chapter 91 91: Another Player...? Victor thought quickly. "Fang Chen. Wandering cultivator looking to explore the city." The guard studied him for a moment, then nodded. > "Entry fee is five silver taels or an equivalent trade." The currency used in Blueflame City was different from Lingyun town but fortunately Lady Li had handed him a bit of currency amongst the rewards she gave to him. Victor pulled out one of the silver ingots Lady Li had given him The guard inspected it before motioning him forward. > "Welcome to Blueflame City." Victor proceeded forward after giving the guard a little nod. The moment he entered, a wave of new smells, sounds, and energy hit him all at once. Street vendors called out, offering spirit fruits, elixirs, and talismans. Cultivators sparred in designated practice areas, showcasing sword techniques and qi-infused attacks. Floating lanterns drifted overhead, illuminating the busy pathways with a warm glow. Victor walked at a steady pace, soaking it all in. "This place is massive...never seen so many cultivators in one place before." As he moved deeper, a large notice board caught his attention. Cultivators gathered around it, reading various announcements. Victor leaned in, scanning the board. "Ranked Arena Duels: Win Gold and Prestige!" "Seeking Skilled Alchemists ¨C Lu Family Apothecary" "Wanted: Bandit Leader Crimson Fang ¨C Reward: 3,000 Silver Taels" The last one caught his attention. 3,000 silver taels? That was a huge amount. --- After spending a moment studying the large bulletin in the heart of Blueflame City''s eastern square, Victor blinked as a fresh system notification materialized in front of him. ----- [New Objective Unlocked: Explore Blueflame City ¨C 0% Complete] Description: Get to know the city. Learn its layout, uncover useful landmarks, and familiarize yourself with local opportunities. Completing this objective will yield valuable insights and potential rewards. ---- Victor sighed. "Guess I better start walking." And so, he began to explore Blueflame City in earnest. As expected, the city was massive¡ªsprawling with multi-leveled districts, glowing lanterns infused with low-grade qi, and transport carriages zipping past drawn by spiritual beasts. Towering sect headquarters stood at different corners of the city, each having mystical statues, cascading waterfalls, and soaring banners that fluttered with elegance and arrogance. Victor passed by the Vermillion Claw Sect, where several young disciples were undergoing synchronized combat formations. Their movements was sharper than blades. A passing elder paused and threw him a nod before gesturing slightly toward the open sect gates. "Looking for a place to belong, cultivator?" the elder called out. Victor smiled politely but shook his head. "Appreciate it, but I''m just passing through." Further down, he entered the Marketplace of Thousand Treasures¡ªa stretch of road that pulsed with colorful lights, hawkers selling qi-infused delicacies, soul-bound artifacts, and even enchanted garments that promised increased charisma. He spotted a merchant attempting to peddle a "Legendary Beast Core," but the moment Victor glanced at it, his system warning materialized [Fake Item Detected] in red letters. He moved on quickly. The best part of Blueflame City, Victor found, was its inclusiveness. Rogue cultivators were welcomed here¡ªthose who hadn''t joined a sect but still contributed to society through their strength. At various intersections, Victor saw large rotating bulletin boards where tasks were posted in glowing script. [Task Available: Escort a herbalist to the outer mines ¨C Reward: 150 Bronze Taels] [Task Available: Cleanse a corrupted spirit well ¨C Reward: 220 Bronze Taels + minor artifact] [Task Available: Hunt 2 Firetail Foxes ¨C Reward: Negotiable] Victor made a mental note to try one of the easier ones later. Not too far from one such board, Victor overheard a group of cultivators whispering about something more dangerous: the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds. According to them, it was a perilous area far west of the city filled with exotic spirit beasts¡ªthat possessed rare elemental attributes. "I heard a Flame-Scaled Roc was spotted there just last week," one of them whispered, eyes wide. "I heard nobles pay thousands just to feast on one," the other added. "Increases vitality for a whole century!" Victor''s ears perked up, but before he could linger too long, someone shoved a small scroll into his hands. "Invitation, honored cultivator," said a well-dressed man in royal colors while bowing lightly. "Please consider joining us to honor the City Lord''s daughter''s 200th birthday ten moons from now. All are invited... though only a few will win the reward." Victor frowned and unrolled the scroll. On it was a golden illustration of the City Lord''s palace, lit with hovering lamps and lined with dragon statues. Special Announcement: In honor of Lady Xuan Qing''s 200th birthday, cultivators are invited to present a living specimen of the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent at the celebration. The bearer of the serpent shall be granted: [One Wish From the City Lord''s Vault]. Victor blinked. One wish? He turned to ask the servant more about it, but the man had already vanished into the crowd like a ghost. "Well... that''s something." As twilight blanketed Blueflame City, Victor decided it was time to find a place to rest. He wandered through a quieter district lined with inns and elegant homes nestled between cherry blossom trees glowing faintly with blue qi. Eventually, he stepped into a modest-looking inn with a wooden sign etched in delicate characters: The Clouded Ember Inn. The moment he entered, a soft warmth greeted him, along with the comforting scent of roasted meat and fresh tea. The reception was carved out of jade, and a few patrons were already seated at tables, quietly drinking and chatting. But then¡ªhis eyes stopped. In the far left corner of the room sat a figure cloaked in travel-stained robes, face mostly obscured beneath a hood. But floating just above their head was something Victor hadn''t seen since he first logged into Ascendant Realms: [FrostWarden] A blue glowing name flickering like a bulb. Victor''s breath hitched slightly. ''Finally... Another player.'' The figure didn''t seem to notice him yet. They calmly kept sipping tea and flipping through what appeared to be a system screen only they could see. But at this moment, Victor knew¡ªhe wasn''t alone anymore. The world of Ascendant Realms had just gotten a little more interesting. Chapter 92 92: Ding! You Have Made Your First Friend! Victor''s eyes lit up the moment he spotted the glowing name above the player''s head ¡ª FrostWarden. Without wasting a second, he walked briskly across the inn, weaving through the noise of clinking cups and the sound of conversation until he stood before the only other player he had ever seen in the game. "Hey! You''re a player!" Victor voiced in excitement. FrostWarden looked up from his cup and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah... I figured you were too when you locked eyes with me like you''d just found your long-lost brother." Victor chuckled awkwardly, realizing how overly eager he sounded. "Sorry, I just¡ªthis is the first time I''ve met another player inside the game. Like ever." FrostWarden tilted his head slightly in surprise. "Seriously? Not one until now?" Victor shook his head. "None. I started the game months ago, and it''s been just me and the NPCs." "Well, that explains it," FrostWarden voiced before motioning for him to take the seat across. "You must have spawned far away from civilization. This game is massive. Blueflame City alone has hundreds, maybe thousands of players, and that''s just this region." Victor sat with widened eyes. "Thousands? You''ve met many of them?" "Sure. Not just here. I''ve seen players outside the city walls, in rogue sects, even a couple running black market shops disguised as NPCs. This place is alive, man." Victor leaned forward. "But it''s crazy how real everything feels. Like... you''ve noticed, right? The weight of the sword, the pushback from techniques... even the responses from NPCs." FrostWarden nodded. "Yeah, yeah, totally. It''s the most immersive game I''ve ever played. Sometimes I have to remind myself it''s all lines of code." He took another sip. "But at the end of the day, it''s still a game." That sentence made Victor pause. He tapped his fingers on the table before asking, "If it''s just a game... then why can we use cultivation techniques in real life?" FrostWarden froze mid-drink and slowly lowered his cup. "What?" Victor''s gaze was firm. "I''m serious. I can use my Shadow Crescent Strike in the real world. Wind Dash too. Everything I learn here... I can do it out there." FrostWarden stared at him for a long moment. Then he burst into laughter. "Okay. You had me going for a second there. That''s a good one. Almost got me." "I''m not joking." "You''re telling me that you¡ªoutside of the game¡ªcan use these moves? As in, swing your hand and a crescent-shaped arc slices a tree?" "Yes." FrostWarden laughed again, louder this time, attracting a few glances. "That''s the dumbest thing I''ve ever heard. You''re trying to troll me, right? This some kind of prank recording?" Victor leaned back in frustration. "I''m telling you the truth. I''ve tried asking other players online, but the few I found thought I was trolling too. You''re the first person I''ve met in-game, and you''re saying the same thing." FrostWarden rubbed his chin. "Dude, if that were true, Ascendant Realms would be the most dangerous product on the market. Every military in the world would be making their soldiers play. Every high schooler would be slicing walls." Victor didn''t respond. He sat still, slowly sinking into the reality that was now dawning on him like cold mist. Was it just him? Could no other player use the techniques from the game in real life? "I guess I really am the only one," he muttered to himself. FrostWarden frowned. "Wait, you''re not actually serious, are you?" "I wish I wasn''t." "Then prove it. Show me. Right here." "I can''t. We''re in-game remember? It only works in real life. My body there reflects the strength I gain here." FrostWarden narrowed his eyes. "And I suppose you''re some kind of chosen one?" "I don''t know what I am. I just know it''s real." The two sat in silence for a moment. FrostWarden looked skeptical but not dismissive anymore. "Well, if it''s true... you better keep that under wraps," he finally said. "You think people won''t try to kidnap you? Sell you off to black-market or the government?" Victor nodded. "At first I thought it wasn''t just me but now that I know that I may be some sort of anomaly, I''ll make sure that no one else can know. I''ve mostly kept it a secret since I first discovered it." FrostWarden sighed. "Man. Alright. I won''t tell anyone. But you''re playing with fire." "I''ve been doing that for a while now," Victor replied with a tired smile. They sat quietly in the tavern for a while longer. The light flickered from the spirit lanterns above, and the servers moved gracefully between tables, serving tea and rice wine while Victor sat deep in thought before FrostWarden broke the silence. "You got a party yet?" he questioned. "Not really." "You might want to consider one. Blueflame City has its dangers. And if you''re looking for rare techniques or old legacies, you''re going to run into sects, dark guilds, and worse. Especially with the birthday event coming up." Victor nodded. "I''ve already seen the flyers." "It''s not just about celebration. That event''s going to attract the nastiest kind of cultivators. And I don''t mean random NPCs." Victor''s expression darkened a bit. "Thanks for the warning." "Stay alive, Fang Chen," FrostWarden voiced while rising from his seat. "And if you''re ever serious about forming a team... look for me." After agreeing to link up sometime, Victor and FrostWarden brought up their system interfaces and sent each other friend requests. With a subtle chime, the requests were accepted on both ends. Just then, another chime echoed in Victor''s mind. [Ding!] You have made your first friend in Ascendant Realms! Reward: +1 to Perception, +1 to Constitution, and 300 Spirit Marks. Victor paused. "Well, that''s... random." FrostWarden chuckled. "Nice. The system''s being generous. You should check what Spirit Marks are used for. You''ll thank me later." "I''ll look into it." With a nod, they parted ways. FrostWarden headed off to a meeting point where his team was waiting, while Victor walked up to the front desk of the inn, run by a rather grumpy-looking elder cultivator NPC who barely looked up from his scrolls. "I''ll take a room for the night," Victor stated. Chapter 93: Frost Bloom Palm The old man slid a key across the counter without a word, and Victor took it before climbing the narrow wooden stairs up to the second floor. His room was modest¡ªjust a bed, a bamboo table, a cultivation mat, and a spirit lantern hanging from the ceiling that cast a cool glow across the room. He closed the door behind him and sat on the mat, crossed legged. Now that he finally had a moment of peace, there was only one thing on his mind. The White Dragon''s Legacy. Victor inhaled deeply, then opened his system interface. [Legacy Absorbed: White Dragon of the Northern Heavens] Status: Locked ¨C Initial Techniques Unavailable Begin unlocking? [YES] / [NO] Victor didn''t hesitate. [YES] The world blurred. In an instant, his surroundings faded. His physical body sat motionless on the mat, but his consciousness was pulled inward¡ªinto a sea of swirling frost and drifting flakes, a dreamscape sculpted from ancient memory. He floated in the air, surrounded by massive glaciers and pale blue mountains that stretched endlessly. The air was filled with spiritual qi, but colder than anything he had ever felt. Ice coated the very sky, crackling with power. And then, through the mists, it appeared. A colossal white dragon with scales like sculpted pearl. It''s ancient eyes were impossibly deep as it glided through the sky with majesty unmatched. Its wings spread like clouds, sweeping snow across the endless frostfields below. With each breath, it released puffs of crystalized mist that turned everything they touched into shimmering ice. Victor couldn''t move, couldn''t speak. His consciousness was like a feather drifting behind the dragon''s memories. Scenes unfolded before him. Battles against shadowy beasts as large as mountains. Meditations beneath frozen waterfalls. The forging of frost into blades, shields, and chains that danced like living spirits. The dragon''s mastery of cold was not merely destructive¡ªit was elegant, fluid, refined. More time passed. Victor didn''t know how long he was watching¡ªhours? Days? The legacy held more knowledge than he could possibly absorb in a single sitting. But as he drifted through these fragments, his mind began to anchor to one¡ªone specific memory. The dragon landed on a lake that glittered like a mirror. As it folded its wings, its claws carved a sigil in the ice. Then, with a slow breath, it channeled qi into its palm¡ªor claw?¡ªand a technique bloomed into existence. ---- <[ Frost Bloom Palm ¨C Tier 1 Technique ]> Channel the power of northern frost into your palm. Strike a target to release internal cold, temporarily freezing their limbs or slowing internal flow of qi. Effectiveness depends on cultivation rank and qi control. Requirements: Core Formation Realm. Qi Control 14+. Status: Learnable. ------- Victor''s eyes widened. This... was something else. He mentally selected [Learn], and a rush of knowledge flooded him. He could feel the temperature around his real-world body shift ever so slightly, as if the room responded to his thoughts. When his consciousness returned to the real world, he gasped. The lantern above flickered, reacting to his qi. Thin frost had formed in patches around his cultivation mat. Even his breath came out in a slight mist. Victor looked down at his hands and slowly brought one up, channeling the new knowledge and qi into his palm. A soft frost-blue glow wrapped around it, and the skin tingled. Not cold¡ªnot exactly¡ªbut it felt dense and sharp, as though the air itself could cut. He reached for a cup of water on the table and brushed the rim of it with his palm. Instantly, ice crept along the glass, freezing the liquid solid. "Holy..." Victor exhaled before letting the technique fade. This wasn''t just a weapon. It was control. Control over a powerful elemental force that could affect both physical bodies and the internal flow of qi¡ªperhaps even rendering some cultivators unable to fight if struck correctly. And this was just the first technique. There had been so many more in the dragon''s memories¡ªice spears that rained from the sky, glacial shields that repelled even blade qi, and domain-level skills that froze the very ground in an area. And these were just centered on frost. There still happened to be others that were even healing related. He sat quietly on the mat with a look of ingrigue. "Just what kind of monster were you...?" Victor whispered. He brought up his system again and checked his stats, confirming that Frost Bloom Palm had been added under his techniques. He had so much to learn. So much to unlock. But at least now he had direction. Victor stepped out of the inn, shielding his eyes slightly as the bright morning sun cut across his vision. His body felt strangely refreshed, but as his gaze adjusted to the busy streets of Blueflame City, he froze. A small blinking icon hovered on the left side of his interface. [Six Moons Left Till The City Lord Daughter''s Party] "It''s been four... days?" he murmured in disbelief. He had been so deeply immersed in absorbing the first technique from the White Dragon''s Legacy that he had completely lost track of time. The trance-like state had dragged him into visions of vast frozen landscapes, ancient dragon battles, and long-lost cultivation insights. He had only managed to fully grasp the first technique¡ªFrostbloom palm¡ªUpon activation, the user''s palm channels a stream of icy Qi that targets the flow of spiritual energy within a cultivator''s body. When a strike connects, it sends a chilling pulse directly into the opponent''s meridians, momentarily slowing the circulation of their Qi. This temporary disruption weakens their ability to use techniques, reduces reaction time, and may even cause momentary stiffness or paralysis depending on the opponent''s cultivation realm. Victor shook his head and stretched out his limbs, feeling the unfamiliar cold linger in his veins. He opened his interface again, and the blinking icon expanded into a message thread. Several notifications from FrostWarden. > "Hey, you still in the city?" "I''ve got a group heading to the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds." "Drop by the East Gate plaza. We''re heading out soon." "Hope you''re not ignoring me, man." "Alright... maybe next time." Victor sighed as a feeling of guilt washed over him. The last message was dated two days ago. "...Did I just air my first friend in Ascendant Realms?" Chapter 94 94: New Quest Unlocked Victor considered trying to send a message back, but FrostWarden''s name was greyed out on the friends list. "Offline or busy..." he muttered. Now that he had finally emerged from what would be a four days seclusion, it was time to focus. The City Lord''s daughter''s birthday celebration was only six days away. That left him with very little time to hunt down and capture a mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent. He recalled the pamphlet from the royal servant¡ªjust bringing such a beast alive to the party would grant a reward more valuable than most cultivators would earn in a decade. Whatever the prize was, he was certain it wasn''t something as simple as Taels. Victor made his way across the winding city roads, stopping only when he found a proper street vendor selling scrolls, books, maps, and tools. "I need a complete map of the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds," Victor stated and then placed a taels on the counter. The old vendor nodded slowly and rolled out a long parchment scroll across the display before pointing. "Take note, young man. There are five sectors. If you value your life, pay attention." Victor leaned closer as the vendor began to explain. "The outermost edge is the Outskirts. Mostly low-level beasts. Feral, but manageable. You''ll find Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment and early Core Formation Realm cultivators there." Victor nodded. "Next is the Yellow Zone. Here, the spirit beasts are smarter. Coordinated attacks. They roam in packs. They''re also harder to kill. You''ll start seeing mid Core Formation cultivators and higher here." Victor''s eyes narrowed. He had just stepped into Core Formation Realm himself. That would be challenging. The vendor tapped further into the map. "Now, this... is where most fools die. The Red Zone. If you''re not prepared to face death, don''t go sniffing around there because only cultivators at the Nascent Soul Realm and above can survive in that sector." Victor could already guess what came next. "Beyond that... the Black Zone. Even Void Tribulation cultivators get humbled there. And further still, where no sane man should step... the No Man Zone." Victor blinked. "You mean... even Heavenly Saint Realm cultivators avoid that place?" The old vendor nodded gravely. "It is a graveyard of the arrogant." Victor already knew of the Cultivation Ranks since it was one of the first things he saw from the first time he logged into Ascendant Realms. 1. Qi Gathering Realm 2. Qi Refining Realm 3. Foundation Establishment Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) 4. Core Formation Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) A golden core is formed in the dantian, refining and condensing qi to an even higher purity. 5. Nascent Soul Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) The Nascent Soul is born within the golden core, acting as an independent consciousness. Spiritual awareness expands¡ªcan sense qi over vast distances. Allows limited soul projection outside the body. 6. Soul Transformation Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) Allows partial possession of artifacts with the cultivator''s soul. Can release domain-type abilities that alter the battlefield. 7. Void Tribulation Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) The cultivator prepares for ascension by refining their soul and qi. Heavenly Tribulations (lightning, fire, or celestial energy) occur to test the cultivator. Qi solidifies into immortal essence, but they are still bound to the Mortal Plane. 8. Immortal Ascension Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) A cultivator at this level begins to shed mortality, acquiring a semi-immortal physique. Capable of surviving in higher planes, though not yet fully ascended. Can attempt Partial Ascension, where part of their soul visits the Heavenly Realms. 9. Heavenly Saint Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) A near-immortal existence within the Mortal Plane. Capable of controlling elemental laws to an advanced degree. Vastly increased lifespan, nearing tens of thousands of years. Gains the ability to create spiritual artifacts infused with divine essence. 10. Divine Monarch Realm (Early, Mid, Late, Peak) The final stage before truly transcending the Mortal Plane. Can wield laws of nature, bending space and time within limited areas. Capable of creating their own minor realms or pocket dimensions. Their mere presence affects reality, and mortals perceive them as gods. At Peak Stage, they face their final tribulation¡ªif they succeed, they ascend to the Celestial Realms, leaving the Mortal Plane behind forever. --- Victor''s gaze scanned over the regions. "Do you know where the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent might be?" The vendor''s eyes narrowed. "Aye. You''re not the first to ask. Rumor has it one was sighted last month... just along the edge of the Red Zone. Close to a ridge called ''Serpent''s Hollow''. It only shows itself during nights with a waxing moon." Victor frowned. "That''s tonight." The vendor handed over the map. "Then you''d best not waste time." Victor left the stall and began reviewing the map as he walked. The Bloodshade Hunting Grounds were at least five hours away on foot, but he could cut that time in half if he used Wind techniques and his movement arts strategically. He moved quickly through the city, bypassing sect recruiters and curious shopkeepers. Some stalls even had beast cages outside with spirit beasts on display¡ªcaged lightning wolves, frost talons, and flame serpents. He made mental notes of the prices. If he could bag the right prey, he could earn a lot more than just whatever reward the birthday celebration offered. But that serpent was his priority now. He crossed paths with two rogue cultivators arguing over a posted mission about gathering spiritual herbs near the Red Zone''s edge. Another fight broke out over a stolen beast core, and a patrol of enforcers from the Azure Ember Sect had to intervene. Blueflame City might''ve been beautiful, but it was anything but tame. Finally, as dusk began to creep in and the lanterns lit the streets with a gentle glow, Victor stood before the path leading to the wilderness beyond the city¡ªhis first true solo hunt in these lands. He looked back once, almost hoping FrostWarden had replied by now to the message he left. But there was nothing. "...Guess it''s just me." Victor stepped into the darkness beyond with his map in hand and a look of determination. A few system notifications appeared in his vision: [New Quest: "Hunt the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent"] [Objective: Track and subdue a live specimen] [Time Limit: 6 Days] [Quest Difficulty: B-Rank] [Reward: ???] Chapter 95 95: Bloodshade Hunting Grounds [Location Unlocked: Bloodshade Hunting Grounds] [Warning: Yellow Zone proximity ] [ Danger level: Mild ] Victor stood at the stone-marked threshold where the forest canopy shifted from lush green into a dull crimson hue. This was the beginning of the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds. The air itself felt different¡ªthicker, charged with faint traces of hostile qi that made the hairs on his arms stand. The outskirts, while considered relatively safe, still brimmed with pressure. Twisted trees with barks etched in strange runes rose like skeletal arms from the blood-colored soil. Glowing insect-like creatures buzzed around lazily, emitting faint traces of spiritual light. He had no interest in the common spirit beasts that skulked about here¡ªsmall tusked lizards, wind-tailed foxes, even the occasional spike-ridged panther. These were nothing but distractions. Victor''s goal lay deep within: the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent. And to find it, he needed to cross the yellow zone and reach the edge of the red. As he moved through the outskirts, he kept to the shadows. He avoided patrols of robed cultivators¡ªsome working solo, others in groups¡ªhunting beasts to sell or refine. The hunting grounds had no lack of activity. Occasionally, a group would cheer as they downed a mid-tier beast, or a lone cultivator would whisper incantations before finishing off a wounded creature with a glowing sword. A system notification blinked briefly in the corner of Victor''s vision: > [You have entered: Bloodshade Hunting Grounds ¨C Yellow Zone] <[ Warning: Increased spiritual pressure detected. Energy expenditure increased by 20% ]> The yellow zone welcomed him with a change in qi density. The trees here were more spaced out, replaced with colossal stone formations that resembled petrified vertebrae. The earth was harder underfoot, and soft tremors ran through it like distant growls from slumbering giants. Victor pressed on. The pressure on his shoulders now has increased. Not enough to slow him completely, but it was certainly noticeable. He could still channel his qi, but it required more concentration and burned slightly faster than usual. Every movement became more deliberate. On the horizon, spiky towers of crystal jutted out from the ground at odd angles. The terrain in the yellow zone was warped from centuries of battle and qi refinement. He passed ancient statues cracked and toppled with inscriptions on them that were half-erased by time. Some of the carvings depicted celestial beasts he didn''t recognize. Others bore images of great cultivators locked in combat with monstrous entities. Victor found himself in awe, even while navigating carefully. Finally, after what felt like hours of controlled movement, he stood at the foot of a sloping hill veiled in thick, reddish mist. > [You have entered: Red Zone - Proceed with caution. Spiritual pressure increased by 45%.] The moment his foot crossed into the red zone, it was as though gravity had been cranked up several notches. His knees buckled slightly under the invisible weight pressing down on his body. His qi circulation stuttered and sputtered before resuming at a far more sluggish pace. "Damn..." Victor exhaled sharply while clenching his jaw as he adjusted. His breathing slowed. Every step here would cost him energy and time. "They weren''t kidding when they said its more suited to Nascent Soul Realm cultivators..." Still, he pushed forward. The ridge he searched for¡ªSerpent''s Hollow¡ªwas not too deep into the red zone. He had studied its location from the map he purchased, and now he recognized it by the tall stone arch formed from two twisted, obsidian-colored trees fused at their trunks. The ridge lay beyond that arch¡ªan elevated, crescent-shaped ledge that ran along the side of a massive ravine. Mist poured from the bottom of the ravine like a bottomless spiritual leak, and a strange chill radiated from it. The Serpent''s Hollow was a place where serpent-type spirit beasts gathered to hibernate, molt, and battle for dominance. If the myths were true, the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent had been spotted here before¡ªonce every few decades. The beast''s rare appearance always caused a stir, but only a handful of accounts ever survived those encounters. Victor knelt at the edge of the ridge, peering down into the trench that split the landscape. He could already spot the long, writhing forms of serpents slithering between rock formations. Some were crimson-scaled with glistening tails. Others had translucent skin, revealing glowing qi veins beneath. A particularly massive one lay coiled around a skeletal dragon''s ribcage, seemingly asleep. These weren''t ordinary serpents. They were exotic spirit beasts, each radiating their own elemental aura¡ªflames, poison, frost, or lightning. And each one was dangerous. Victor''s eyes sharpened. If the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent was truly here, he''d have to be patient. From what he knew, the beast was a creature of the night, and its presence was often heralded by a drop in temperature and an unnatural silence from the surrounding wildlife. For now, he hunkered down behind one of the craggy boulders dotting the ridge, slowing his breathing and conserving his energy. The red zone''s oppressive pressure would drain him fast if he wasn''t careful. Time passed slowly. The occasional shriek of serpentine combat echoed across the hollow, followed by deep growls and sudden eruptions of qi. Victor avoided them all, watching from a distance. Occasionally, another cultivator''s silhouette would appear briefly on the far side of the ridge before disappearing again. But Victor''s focus remained locked on the ravine. He knew the hunt was only just beginning. > [New objective: Observe the Serpent''s Hollow for signs of the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent. Survive in the Red Zone for 24 hours] <[ Reward: 200 Taels. +Minor Frost Resistance. +Affinity boost: Ice Element ]> Victor let out a sigh. "Twenty four house is a lot of time... but let''s see. Hours passed and the night air in the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds grew colder. Victor''s breath came in shallow wisps, visible in the moonlight as he crouched silently near the edge of the Serpent''s Hollow, hidden beneath a set of rocks with qi-dampening properties he discovered during his exploration. The hollow itself was incredibly steep with its craggy gorge veiled in mist. Faint hissing echoed through the ravine, and slithering shadows danced against the ridges as dozens of serpentine spirit beasts patrolled below. Chapter 96 96: The Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent These serpentine beasts came in varying sizes and terrifying forms, some with horned crowns, others with plated golden scales, and a few with crystalline eyes that glinted like polished gems. But Victor wasn''t here for them. His eyes suddenly locked onto the highest cliff in the hollow where he noticed a strange movement. From his position, he could see the faintest shimmer of silver and violet trailing through the air like ink swirling in water. The moment he saw it, his breath paused. "Isn''t that... the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent?" Victor seemed to recognise it from the descriptions. Its scales were a cascading gradient of midnight indigo and moonlit silver. Each one glittered faintly with a mystical glow. Twin horns spiraled back from its head, and its long body curved with unnatural smoothness as it ascended slowly onto a protruding ledge high above the other serpents. Victor narrowed his eyes. The serpent coiled on the ledge, gazing upward into the open sky with its silver eyes glowing faintly. Then, as if in response to the moon''s presence, it began a slow, rhythmic motion¡ªits body moving in a ritualistic sway. Pale lights floated upward from its scales, dissolving into the moonlight. It was performing some kind of moon-absorbing technique. ''That''s my chance,'' Victor thought. He couldn''t fight it directly down in the hollow. If he alerted the others, he''d be overwhelmed and torn apart in seconds. The only way to capture this serpent was to lure it away from the horde. Victor quickly retrieved several talismans he had purchased earlier in the city¡ªQi Talismans specifically for emitting mystical tunes that lured only serpentine like creature to its sound. It had a short range so Victor didn''t have to care about the others in the ridge getting attracted by it since the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon was the closest to the top. Not the strongest in his arsenal, but definitely useful. He activated them one by one, carefully sticking them across the ridge path that spiraled away from the hollow and led up toward a more open plateau not too far away. Once the setup was done, he activated a faint burst of his Qi to trigger the trail. The glow from the talismans slowly filled the air with a sweet hum. The serpent below flicked its tongue while halting its ritual. Its head slowly turned in Victor''s direction. The silver glow in its eyes flickered, and its lithe body began to rise. Victor tensed. Come on... come on... The Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent slithered higher, away from the ledge, drawn toward the cascading trail of Qi tunes that sounded like a strange tone. Victor had already shifted further up the plateau, hiding himself behind a tall crooked tree with frost marks across its trunk. As the serpent rose fully out of the hollow and began following the trail across the spiraling path, Victor launched into action. He charged forward as his palm glowed with faint crystalline mist. "Frost Bloom Palm!" His strike landed squarely against the serpent''s shimmering hide. The chill surged through its body, and Victor immediately noticed a ripple in its movement. The beast''s once-fluid motion stuttered. Its eyes narrowed in pain. The frosty bloom had already begun slowing the flow of Qi within its body. "Now!" Victor muttered while activating Gale Strike and ramming a burst of concentrated wind onto the head of the beast. His aim was to hit it enough time while it was partially incapacitated so as to make it pass out and then wrap it up with a chain he got from the market earlier. Just as it seem like he was succeeding, a crashing sound echoed through the plateau. "That''s it! The Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent!" Voices followed by footsteps. Dozens of cultivators burst into the clearing, all charging with their own talismans, chains, and techniques flaring. "No¡ªdamn it!" Victor gritted his teeth. A commotion erupted and Victor had to face them, ignoring the serpent. The creature''s whose eyes had partially dimmed regained a bit of clarity after being left alone for a couple of seconds. Spooked by the abrupt commotion, it screeched with a high-pitched hiss. Despite the slowed Qi flow, its body surged with primal instinct. It whipped its massive tail around, sending two cultivators flying off the ridge, then launched itself skyward. Victor turned around and tried to hold it down with the chains he had partially wrapped around it but several attacks struck the area at once¡ªflames, nets, ice spears¡ªcausing the chain to snap. Victor fell over while the serpent jumped back into the ridge. "Who the hell ruined it?!" one of the cultivators shouted. "You scared it off!" "That beast was mine!" "No, I saw it first!" The plateau dissolved into chaos. Victor exhaled slowly before slipping away from the squabble. This wasn''t what he had in mind... He had spent hours getting here. The lure had worked. The timing had been perfect. But the serpent had slipped through his fingers thanks to the interference of others. Victor clenched his fists. Next time, he wouldn''t let anyone get in the way. One of the dozens of cultivators that were arguing stepped towards him. "Guess you couldn''t hold it down after all. Thanks for softening it up though," he sneered. Victor''s nostrils flared and he headed further away from the commotion. And soon fights began. Different techniques were activated as the cultivators came at each other. This was especially what Victor was trying to avoid getting pulled into. There was no way they wouldn''t see each other as competition. A broad-shouldered cultivator with a thick scar running across his brow, followed him with an arrogant swagger. He was at the Nascent Soul Realm¡ªa full cultivation rank above Victor¡ªand his presence radiated confidence and cruelty. "You looked real proud trying to tame that beast earlier," he drawled. "But now that it''s gone, maybe you and I should dance a little. It''s getting too crowded here anyway." Victor narrowed his gaze while slowly turning around. "So that''s your plan... Thin the herd, is it?" The man cracked his knuckles. "Better odds if I don''t have you getting in my way next time it shows up." Victor was still seething from losing the serpent. He didn''t have the patience for this. "Wrong day," Victor muttered coldly. In an instant, he pulled out Phantom''s Dusk gifted to him by Lady Li. The obsidian glittered as its edge ghosted between material and immaterial, like a wraith barely held in place. Victor''s eyes glinted. "You shouldn''t have gotten in my way." Qi flooded his arm as he dashed forward and unleashed his strongest sword technique¡ªShadow Crescent Strike. Chapter 97 97: The City Lords Daughter Victor''s eyes glinted. "You shouldn''t have gotten in my way." Qi flooded his arm as he dashed forward and unleashed his strongest sword technique¡ªShadow Crescent Strike. The sword arced through the air, releasing a crescent-shaped wave of blackened energy that glistened like dusk itself. It emitted a strange ethereal resonance that warped the air around it. The Nascent Soul cultivator laughed while spinning his own curved blade before activating a technique¡ªJade Vortex Shell¡ª A spinning disc of green energy encased his upper body like a spiral shield. The cultivator''s smug grin didn''t waver¡ªuntil the shadow crescent passed through his Jade Vortex Shell as if the technique wasn''t even there. "What¡ª?" He tried to dodge at the last moment but it was too late. The shadowy arc cleaved across him with a slicing buzz. His entire left arm and a portion of his shoulder were torn clean off. Blood gushed in a wild stream, soaking his robes instantly. "AHHHHHH!" He stumbled backward while clutching his stump in disbelief and agony. Victor took a slow step forward with sword still in hand. Scared that Victor would finish the job, he turned and scrambled away, desperate to escape with his life and preserve what little cultivation he had left. "Anyone else?" Victor spoke with a voice cold enough to freeze bone. The ridge went quiet... Some of the other cultivators in the distance stared at him in confusion with the same thing going through their minds. What the hell was that technique? Victor slowly lowered his sword and exhaled. The others kept their distance now while Victor moved deeper into the shadows as notifications blinked in his vision: > [You have encountered a Mythical Beast: Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent] [First Encounter Bonus: +1500 wisps of Qi] [Your Frost Bloom Palm has successfully affected a Grade 3-tier spirit beast for the first time.] [Mastery of Frost Bloom Palm increased.] Victor allowed himself a small sense of triumph. At least it wasn''t a total waste. ... ... City Lord''s Palace ¨C Blueflame City The warm glow of morning light poured in through the massive stained glass windows of the throne hall, casting prismatic hues across the polished black floors. Servants and guards moved about the grand chamber, some arranging floral decorations of blue-glow lilies while others hung banners etched with silver embroidery. The atmosphere was incredibly lively... After all, the 200th birthday of Lady Xuan Qing, daughter of the City Lord, was only a day away. The double doors of the throne room suddenly burst open with a dramatic clang. "Faaaatherrrrr!" came the singsong voice. Xuan Qing sauntered into the throne room like a summer breeze¡ªlight on her feet, filled with energy, and utterly oblivious to the decorum of nobility. Her silken crimson robes shimmered with gold thread and curved so-perfectly to her wonderful form. The high slits on either side of the robes revealed smooth, pale legs that contrasted her gleaming red slippers. Her waist-length raven-black hair was loosely tied with a pale blue ribbon, and her captivating violet eyes sparkled with excitement. Despite being two centuries old, she looked no older than a spirited eighteen-year-old¡ªan immortal bloom of beauty preserved by cultivation, but with the enthusiasm of a girl still dancing through her youth. The guards and servants instinctively straightened before bowing in unison. She paid them no mind and skipped toward the man seated upon the elevated throne at the far end of the hall¡ªCity Lord Xuan Wenzhou. A man of formidable aura, dressed in deep azure robes trimmed with fire-gold patterns. His square jaw was lined with silver at the edge of his short beard, and his eyes¡ªpiercing as a hawk''s¡ªsoftened only for his daughter. Xuan Qing bounded up the few steps and leaned lazily against the arm of his throne. "Father, father, faaaatherrr!" He chuckled lightly while shaking his head. "Yes, little moon?" Xuan Qing huffed. "What if no one brings the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent tomorrow?" The City Lord arched an eyebrow. "Then I will be very disappointed in the cultivators of Blueflame City." "But I will be devastated!" she whined before flopping melodramatically against his side. "You know it''s my favorite! It''s sooo majestic and spooky and graceful and it glows in the dark, father¡ªit glows! I want to tame it myself!" He smiled gently while brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "Someone will bring it." She perked up instantly. "You promise?" "No," he replied smoothly. "But I have faith." Xuan Qing pouted again, this time more intensely. "Fine! But what if no one does? Will you finally let me march into the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds and get it myself?" The throne room went still. Even the rustle of banners seemed to pause. City Lord Xia Wenzhou''s warm expression vanished like morning dew under sunlight. "No," he said firmly. Her playful demeanor faltered. "But why not?! I''m strong enough, father! I''m already in the Peak Nascent Soul Realm, and we could bring guards, even elders from the sect! You''ve been coddling me for two hundred years! I''ve never stepped beyond the outskirts!" "Exactly," he voiced while standing, casting a long shadow over her. "Because the yellow zones, red zones, the black zones, and what lies beyond them are not for you. There are beasts there that could end your life in the blink of an eye." "I''m not afraid of beasts," she voiced with a tone of defiance. "It''s not just the beasts!" he snapped. His voice dropped. "The Bloodshade Hunting Grounds draw in things darker than spirit beasts... Rogue cultivators. Killers. Scavengers who''d trade a noble''s life for a fistful of taels. You are not going there. And that''s final." Xuan Qing clenched her fists and spun on her heels. "Ugh, you''re so mean! I wish I''d been born a commoner¡ªthey get to have fun!" She stormed off in a whirlwind of silk and indignation, muttering about how she''d just steal a serpent if no one delivered one. The large doors slammed behind her. The City Lord let out a slow breath and sat back on his throne. A moment passed before one of the advisors stepped forward¡ªMinister Liang, a sharp-eyed elder with a folded fan in his grasp. "Lord Wenzhou," he said quietly. "Should someone actually manage to bring the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent alive... you remember what it means?" The City Lord did not speak for a moment. His gaze lingered on the sealed windows, where the early rays of sun were slowly overtaken by the silver shade of approaching dusk. "...I remember," he finally said. His fingers clenched the armrest of his throne. "Whoever brings it... will be the one tied to... the danger that follows." ... ... Chapter 98: The Serpents Hollow [ Bloodshade Hunting Grounds - Red Zone ] Victor''s back pressed against cold stone as the silence of the ridge weighed down on him like a boulder. Four moons had passed, and now, only two remained until the grand 200th birthday of the City Lord''s daughter. His body ached and his legs felt stiff from staying here for so long. Although he had logged out of the game several times to check on his mom, do chores around the house and eat, he would always respawn here whenever he returned. The energy in his dantian was down to barely 11%. Every breath he took seemed to come with a weight. The oppressive pressure of the red zone clung to his skin, threading itself into his bones, making each moment a battle in itself. But he had waited too long to give up now. Even as other cultivators left¡ªthose who couldn''t take the pressure, those who lost hope after days of failed sightings¡ªVictor remained crouched low in the craggy shadows near the upper edge of the ridge. Every movement he made was calculated, minimal. Every bit of qi he had left needed to count. He couldn''t afford to waste even a single breath. He had told himself that this night would be the last. And so when the moon rose again, its pale silver glow trickled over the rough walls of the ridge like water pouring over a glass rim. Victor''s eyes snapped open. His senses had grown sharper after all this time in the red zone¡ªeven without his full qi capacity, he could detect even the smallest fluctuations in energy. Something moved... A quiet rustling sound echoed out from deep within one of the burrows carved into the ridge''s belly. Dust tumbled from the rocks. Slithering sounds. Slow. Fluid. Controlled. Then it appeared. The mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent. Majestic was an understatement. The serpent''s scales were a cascading gradient of midnight indigo and moonlit silver. Each one glittered faintly with a mystical glow. Twin horns spiraled back from its head and along its spine were silver glowing patterns shaped like crescent moons. Its most notable feature¡ªtwo crescent-shaped eyes that burned with pale silver fire, locked onto the moon like it was in a trance. The moment it emerged, all other serpentine beasts slithered away, retreating back into the ridge''s deeper hollows. It had finally reappeared... The creature was performing that same ritual Victor had seen days ago¡ªits long sinuous body coiling gently atop a flat elevated platform, absorbing the moonlight. Victor tightened the grip on his palm while biting down on his lower lip. He didn''t have time. Or energy. But he had one chance. He reached into his robe and pulled out one of the moonlight reflecting orbs he had bought just in case¡ª He knew the qi talismans wouldn''t work this time since the beast wasn''t like the regular unintelligent ones he had come into contact with. This item was specifically used to absorb moonlight essence. He was sure it would lure the beast when the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent noticed it wasn''t getting enough to absorb for itself. Victor tossed the orb into the open air, letting it roll down the slope. The orb soon began drawing the moon''s essence towards itself. The beast noticed. It slowly lifted its long, narrow head and slithered upwards, drawn by the orb''s glow. The exact opportunity Victor had been waiting for. He shot forward. His movements were swift, but not too aggressive¡ªevery step measured to avoid triggering the surrounding serpents who still lurked within the ridge. The mythical serpent rose higher. Victor dashed in, swerving past boulders and coiled tails, and as he reached the orb, the serpent reared its head above him. "SIIIIIHH~" It let out a disgruntled hiss. He waited for it to dip lower¡ªjust enough. Then he leapt upward. "Frost Bloom Palm!" A white mist exploded from Victor''s palm as he slammed it into the side of the serpent''s neck. Instantly, the silver glow in its eyes dimmed slightly, and its movements slowed. The frost qi worked to suppress the beast''s energy flow. Victor wasted no time¡ªhe pulled out more chains and began wrapping them around its slithering body. But then¡ª "HEY! That beast''s ours!" Three cultivators shot out from behind a rock face¡ªclearly they had been waiting for someone to do the hard work first. Victor thought all the cultivators were gone by now but unfortunately he was wrong. Each of them bore matching cloaks, likely from the same faction. One of them held up a binding talisman, charging straight for the weakened serpent. Victor cursed under his breath. "No, no¡ª!" He unsheathed Phantom''s Dusk. In an instant, he dashed to intercept, slashing toward the nearest cultivator with a flurry of quick, sharp cuts. Phantom''s Dusk let out ~thwooshes~ as it sliced through the air. It''s edge grazed the enemy''s arm and drawing blood. The others retaliated immediately. One launched a storm of qi darts, while the other tried to grapple Victor from behind. It became a chaotic battle right in the narrow space of the ridge''s upper ledge. Every clash and burst of qi shook the rocks loose. Victor activated Frost Bloom Palm against, ready to use it on one of the assailants when a shriek tore through the air. The serpent suddenly whipped its body violently. Its massive tail swung like a whip, slamming into all four of them. Victor was the only one quick enough to regain footing¡ªbut barely. Before he could recover, the beast lunged... Not at the attackers but at him. It wrapped around his torso with blinding speed, coiling tight as if instinctively trying to trap the one who had used that frost palm against it. "No no no¡ª!" Victor grunted while trying to pry its scales off his body¡ªbut it was too late. In the next moment, the serpent launched itself downward¡ªdiving into the depths of the ridge and dragging Victor with it. He crashed through layers of coiling serpents, slamming against stone outcrops as his vision spun. Hundreds of serpents hissed and slithered around him, coiled up in the darkness like a writhing sea of black ropes. Victor knew his qi reserves were incredibly low at this moment but he had to get out of the encirclement. Qi gathered around him causing the pressure in his surroundings to intensify as he let out a burst of wind from his being. The slithering bodies coiled around him pushed back a bit, giving him enough space to slip out and fall further to the bottom. Victor immediately began to flee but it looked like there was nowhere to flee to. Chapter 99: Trapped Minutes into running around, Victor''s breaths had turned into gasps. His robes were in tatters, torn open by the relentless barrage of qi-infused attacks from the serpentine beasts swarming the ridge. Qi bursts, elemental lashes, and pressure waves had carved through the terrain, and Victor had barely survived with a sliver of his reserves left. [ Warning: Qi Reserves Is At 3% ] ''Just 3%? I''m doomed!'' Every movement was a drag. Victor''s limbs felt like lead, his breathing was staggered, and even his vision blurred at the edges. It took everything he had just to keep moving¡ªdodging, weaving, ducking, rolling, leaping. He had no time to think about the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent anymore. He just wanted to live. Especially after the notification he had gotten earlier. [ Player Cultivation Will Reduce To Peak Foundation Establishment Realm After Death But Will Remain Trapped In The Serpent''s Hollow Upon Respawning ] The ridge had become a death trap. Thousands upon thousands of serpentine spirit beasts gnashed their fangs and launched themselves toward him. Their bodies glowed with hues of green, violet, and obsidian and each of them possessed qi techniques of their own¡ªflames, frost, lightning, venom. And Victor, despite how much he had grown, was still far too weak to face all of them. One of them with armored scales like an ancient mountain, lashed out with its tail. Victor didn''t even have time to react. The tail smashed against his chest like a hammer, sending him hurtling through the thick fog toward the very bottom of the ridge. His body tore through sharp rocks and curved stones before slamming into something harder than the rest¡ªa strange wall of sorts embedded into the mountain''s base. The impact cracked it open. Victor crashed inside what seemed like a narrow hollow. He coughed blood and rolled onto his side. [ -750HP ] Roars erupted behind him. The beasts had seen where he landed and were closing in. Through blurry vision and trembling hands, he pushed at the chunk of rough stone beside him. His fingers which were drenched in blood, slipped off once... then twice... until finally, with a desperate groan, he shoved it forward. The boulder crashed into place, sealing the hole. Boom! Something slammed into the outside. The ground shook. Boom! Another hit. Victor collapsed against the stone with blood pouring from his lip. His back hit the rough wall as his chest heaved. His Qi reserves was now at 1%. Any moment now, and he''d collapse. His hand dropped to the side. Warm blood pooled beneath his fingers. With a weak grunt, he summoned the only healing method he had. He brought his palm to his lips, spat into it, and wiped the saliva across his open wounds. Light blue energy shimmered faintly and began to seal the deeper gashes. The relief was minor, but enough. He still had to deal with his dwindling qi reserves. He clenched his jaw and looked around. The hollow was barely large enough to stand. The walls were covered in ancient patterns, weathered and dusty. He didn''t have time to care. Not now. Outside, the beasts continued to ram the wall, trying to claw their way in. However, even if they didn''t get in, it wouldn''t matter because once his qi reserves were empty, he wouldn''t even be able to move. He closed his eyes. There was only one choice left. They said cultivating in the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds was impossible. The pressure here suppressed qi flow, made drawing spiritual particles nearly unfeasible. But if he didn''t try... He would die here. Victor sat cross-legged in the darkness. His body trembled violently. His mind focused inward. "Come on," he whispered hoarsely. "Come on..." He initiated the first stage of breathing. The way the system had first taught him. In... and out. In... and out. His dantian was barely responding. The spiritual particles here were sluggish, slow, distorted by the thick oppressive force of the red zone. He pushed harder. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. Then suddenly, he visualized the flow of the White Dragon''s qi. He didn''t know why... but he did. The cold, slow, disciplined current of frost... pooled in his mind... And then he imagined wind. His wind arts. Always fast, free, elusive. He merged them. Frost and wind. Slow and fast. Stillness and flow. Boom¡ª A soft thrum resonated through his body. His core flickered... like a lantern in the dark. A single wisp of qi entered his body. Then another. Victor''s breath caught in his throat. It was working. His body stopped trembling as violently. His mind grew clearer. The Bloodshade Hunting Grounds were harsh, yes¡ªbut they were also a natural wonder. This place, where beasts reached incredible heights, where legends came to life, was also rich in qi¡ªjust incompatible with most. Victor wasn''t like most. His unique body¡ªenhanced through the legacy of the White Dragon, his cultivation in Ascendant Realms, his mysterious ability to merge real and virtual growth¡ªwas different. He felt it now. Victor focused harder. He had never cultivated in a more hostile environment. But the more hostile it became, the more pressure mounted, the more his body adapted. Frost layered the ground beneath him. A thin sheen of cold crept up the stone walls. The air around him grew still¡ªthen sharp. He guided the spiritual particles inward. Another wisp. Then another. Then three at once. He smiled through his blood coated teeth. 1% became 2%. 2% became 4%. His qi reserves was starting to recover. 5%. 7%. 9%. Still slow... but enough. Enough to survive. Enough to prepare. ... ... Hours had passed and Victor remained cross-legged within the serpent''s hollow, breathing in slow, steady rhythms. His qi circulated smoothly through his meridians now¡ªcalm and revitalized. He''d spent the last stretch of hours cultivating nonstop, letting his body recover under the soothing rhythm of Frost combination with his wind. The sound of muffled thuds and hisses from outside the wall had faded long ago. The serpentine beasts had seemingly grown tired of battering the wall. But even with that threat receded, the problem remained¡ªhe was still trapped. Thousands upon thousands of beasts likely still prowled the outside, just waiting for him to emerge. Victor gently shifted the boulder he''d used to seal the gap, just enough to allow a sliver of space to peek through. A thin shaft of daylight pierced into the hollow, and he leaned forward to peer out. A wave of serpents slithered across the rocky basin. There were hundreds still¡ªperhaps even thousands¡ªtwisting and coiling over one another like a tide of scales and fang. Some were as thick as small carriages while others were so long that they curved multiple times across the ridge. Qi infused from their cores gleamed with unsettling colors¡ªgreens, violets and black. This place was a den of monsters. "I hate snakes..." Victor slowly slid the boulder back into place and leaned against the opposite wall before sighing. Even if he was back to full strength, it wouldn''t matter. If he tried to climb the thousand-foot height of the ridge, he''d be noticed instantly. Worse, he''d be dead before he could get halfway. Escape was seemingly impossible. So he remained still. Waited. Observed. And that''s when he noticed it¡ªpatterns. At certain periods throughout the day, the serpentine horde outside became less aggressive. They slowed, grew quiet, and many slithered up the walls of the ridge, no doubt in search of prey elsewhere. During these intervals, the basin wasn''t exactly empty, but it thinned considerably. It wasn''t exactly enough for someone to slip through but¡ªif they were very lucky, it wasn''t impossible. Victor stored this information away. It could be his only chance. The day was slowly coming to and end and soon night arrived. He repeated the process. Cultivating. Watching. Waiting. His qi reserves were completely full¡ª100%. But so was the hopelessness creeping into his chest. --- Tomorrow was the City Lord''s daughter''s 200th birthday celebration. The whole reason he''d come to this forsaken place in the first place. But it didn''t matter now... there was no way he''d make it out in time. And even if he did, he didn''t have the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent. With that conclusion, he slumped backward and exhaled. His back tapped the wall of the hollow. It gave off an oddly hollow sound. He eyes narrowed. That didn''t sound right. He tapped it again. ~Thock~ Not entirely solid. Not like stone. Victor turned around and narrowed his eyes. "Don''t tell me..." Chapter 100: Xuan Qing鈥檚 Party Victor raised his hand and gently pushed his palm against the stone. Then he applied a bit of strength. Crack. The surface gave in. Crumbles of dust fell, followed by the dull sound of air slicing in. His eyes widened. With a grunt, he drove his palm harder¡ªand the wall caved in entirely. Behind it... was a passage. An old one. Narrow. Dusted with centuries of sediment and cobwebs. A faint breeze brushed his face, carrying with it the scent of open air. Victor stared with a look of shock. "There''s been a damn tunnel here this whole time?" It was almost ridiculous. He''d been on the brink of death for days, and salvation had been right behind him. An ancient, forgotten exit. He moved forward and stepped into the dark corridor and spat a small burning flame onto his palm to illuminate the way. The walls were carved in rough strokes, barely more than a crawlspace in some places, but the slope was upward. And it was leading away from the ridge. He smiled. "Talk about divine luck..." But then¡ªhe paused. His foot halted mid-step. He was leaving. He could escape this place in just a few hours. But... His gaze flicked back to the gap in the stone wall he''d spent days staring through. And beyond it¡ªhe remembered the hole in the far distance where the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent had emerged from. That serpent. The whole reason he came here. He had observed the exact hole it always used. Knew the pattern it emerged under. And now, he had full qi reserves. He was healthy again. Strong. The rational part of him said leave. Get out. Forget about the reward. But another voice in his head whispered... You''re already here. You know the serpent''s routine. You''ve recovered your strength. This could be your last chance. He stood still in the middle of the passage. The red zone was still immensely dangerous. But his Frost Bloom Palm had proven useful. If he could get to it again and¡ªstrike it at the right moment¡ªmaybe he could capture it this time without interference. No cultivator would still be here this late. Not after failing for days. And the city lord''s daughter party had already started for sure. If he succeeded now, he could still make it. Victor turned around slowly, facing the sealed gap once more. His eyes narrowed. "Alright..." he muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Let''s try this one last time." ... ... The sun soared high over Blueflame City, casting its golden glow across the vast palace nestled at the city''s center. From the high towers to the meticulously carved statues, everything gleamed with a brilliance reserved only for the wealthiest and most powerful. On this day, however, the grandeur was taken to even higher heights. Massive glowing banners floated in the sky, each adorned with characters in gold: Celebration of the 200th Birthday of the City Lord''s Daughter ¨C Xuan Qing. Flying boats hovered around the skies above the palace, dropping off important cultivators from across distant empires and noble clans. Several sect elders had already arrived with their disciples, while high-ranking princes, princesses, merchants, and dignitaries descended with luxurious entourages. Outside the main event hall, security was tight. Only cultivators at the Nascent Soul Realm and above were permitted entry. Those below that level were considered too weak to mingle with such high-class cultivators and were restricted to the outer plaza, where minor festivities occurred. Inside the throne hall of the palace, everything glittered. Gleaming jade flooring, floating lanterns that never went out, and an altar with the names of the Xuan lineage carved in the finest spirit stone. Guards stood like statues, perfectly still in their silver-engraved armor. The sound of laughter suddenly rang through the hallway as the grand doors parted¡ªXuan Qing, the star of the day, glided in like a comet. Despite it being her 200th birthday, she didn''t look a day over eighteen. Her flawless fair skin, long jet-black hair tied with intricate phoenix clasps, and crimson imperial robe slit high up her thighs commanded attention. Even her shoes sparkled with tiny fragments of spirit crystals. But no matter how divine her appearance, the mischievous glint in her eyes betrayed her childish nature. "Faaatheerrr!" she chimed while prancing into the throne room where City Lord Xuan Wenzhou stood with several advisors finalizing protocols for the evening. "Is everything ready? Are they bringing me my Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent? You promised!" Xuan Wenzhou who was clad iin a long golden robe with patterns of azure flames dancing across it, chuckled lightly. "Qing''er, everything is in place. Cultivators from across the land are here. Someone will surely bring it." Xuan Qing pouted dramatically. "But what if they don''t? You promised! You said¡ªif no one brings it, I get to go hunt it myself!" Wenzhou''s expression changed immediately. "Absolutely not." "Why not!?" she protested while stomping her foot. "I''m strong enough now! I can handle a few spirit snakes! I''ll take the guards!" "No means no," his voice boomed as he said sternly. "The Bloodshade Hunting Grounds are filled with not just beasts but rogue cultivators. It''s not safe for you." Xuan Qing folded her arms with a huff and spun on her heels. "I hate you, Father!" she barked before storming off with her flowing robes trailing behind her. City Lord Wenzhou immediately turned toward the guest and apologised and yelled for the celebration to continue. He gestured toward one of the guards to go after his daughter and bring her back. --- Later that Day... The palace courtyard had transformed into a vibrant sea of celebration. Performers danced with glowing fire fans, mystical beasts tamed for entertainment pranced through the air, and mythical music echoed from floating spirit instruments. The scent of rare fruits, wine, and roasted spirit beast meat filled the air. At the center of it all, seated on a raised golden lotus platform, was Xuan Qing herself¡ªlooking more spoiled and impatient by the second. An elderly man with long eyebrows and a bell-like voice, stood beside her announcing the gifts being presented. "This next gift is a sculpture carved from one thousand-year-old mystic jade, brought from the Frozen Lotus Peaks!" "Trash," Xuan Qing declared without hesitation. Chapter 101: Rogue Cultivator? "Get lost!" The cultivator who had presented it¡ªa Nascent Soul elder¡ªstood awkwardly in place until the guards physically escorted him out of the palace. "This next one is a Phoenix Veil Silk Robe, worn by the former Princess of the Burning Vine Kingdom!" "Hmph. Too last-century." More and more gifts were rejected. Some laughed in amusement; others watched in horror. A few tried to bribe their way into her favor¡ªlike the merchant heir who arrived with five crates of rare treasures. She didn''t even blink. "I want the Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent," her voice echoed over the hall. A young cultivator from a sect bowed nervously. "Princess, I present to you this Cloud-Fanged Serpent. I hope¡ª" "Get out," she interrupted. "It''s not what I asked for." Guards tossed him out without another word. Murmurs started to spread among the crowd. "She''s really throwing tantrums today." "Who would''ve thought the serpent would be this hard to catch..." "Someone needs to slap some sense into her..." Just then, a few rogue cultivators came forward and knelt respectfully. "Your Highness... we almost had it. But some rogue cultivator interfered." "Rogue cultivator?" she asked sharply. "Yes. He ambushed us before we could subdue the serpent." Her brows furrowed. She didn''t know who this rogue cultivator was¡ªbut she already didn''t like him. She stood abruptly while glaring at everyone. "I''m leaving. You''re all useless. Even Father didn''t bring me the serpent." The City Lord approached her. "Qing''er, be patient. The celebration isn''t over." "I don''t care¡ª" she turned around and began to walk away. But then¡ª "WAIT!" A loud voice called from the entrance gate. Everyone turned. A silver-armored guard sprinted through the crowd while panting. "My Lord! My Lady! Someone has arrived... claiming they have brought the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent!" The entire throne room erupted with gasps and stunned silence. Xuan Qing''s eyes sparkled. "W-What!?" Her mouth was agape with excitement as she dashed toward the front. "WHERE!? SHOW HIM IN NOW!" ... ... (( Hours Earlier )) Victor''s boots crunched against the rocky floor as he rolled the boulder away from the hidden cavern. A gust of stale air brushed his face, carrying the lingering scent of damp earth, moss, and something distinctly serpentine. His breath slowed as he slinked forward like a shadow into the open ridge. The sounds of movement echoed faintly¡ªsome of the serpentine beasts still slithered about but fortunately not as many as it would usually be. He had picked the right moment to step out. He crouched while holding his breath. A thick-bodied spirit snake slid just ten feet away with its forked tongue flicking through the air, sensing... but not detecting. Victor had slipped in between a tight spot and pressed his back against the stone until it passed. Minutes ticked by as he crawled and maneuvered while ascending and climbing higher. Finally he reached the massive hole he''d observed days before¡ªthe lair of the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent. The entrance was wide enough to fit a carriage. Damp. Moist. The walls of the tunnel were lined with a mucus-like substance and layered bits of shed skin, twinkling faintly like broken jade. The interior descended sharply, spiraling down. Victor steadied himself and began his descent. Deeper in, the air grew colder. He paused as he spotted the creature up ahead. Coiled around itself, the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent rested. Its silver scales shimmered faintly, and patches of its body gave off a subtle glow. Two majestic horns curved backwards from its head, and a crescent-shaped marking adorned its forehead. Its eyes¡ªshut for now¡ªwere unlike any Victor had ever seen. Even in sleep, the beast emanated pressure. This wasn''t just some wild serpent. Victor took a step forward. Crunch. A rock beneath his foot cracked. In an instant, the serpent''s eyes snapped open¡ªdeep pools of pure silver, with pupils shaped like slivers of crescent moons. They locked onto Victor with primal fury. "Shit." Victor instantly activated Wind Dash, turning into a blur. As the beast lunged, he jumped into the air and sent a Wind Gale strike crashing into its face. <[ Wind Gale Has Been Activated ]> The blow slammed its head into the wall of the cavern, sending tremors through the tunnel. He charged forward, ready to follow up with Frost Bloom Palm¡ª CRACK~ A slab of stone dislodged from the ceiling and plummeted down. Victor cursed and leapt back, narrowly avoiding it. The serpent hissed and emitted a burst of qi causing the air to vibrate as its eyes glowed brightly.. Suddenly, Victor''s world began to spin. His eyes glazed as spiritual waves crashed into his mind. <[ Player Has Fallen Into A Spiritual Attack ]> The serpent wasn''t attacking with fangs or claws now¡ªthis was an assault on his very soul. His father''s voice echoed in his mind with a sorrowful and hollow tone. "You failed me... You let me die..." Victor legs buckled dropped to his knees. "N-No... I... I¡ª I''m sorry... I didn''t... mean t..." BOOM! The beast slammed its horn into his chest, piercing through him, lifting him off the ground and flinging him across the lair. His body bounced and rolled until he hit the stone wall near the entrance. Pain lanced through him. Blood trailed from his mouth and a hole in his chest. [-500HP] [-200HP] [-350HP] The serpent slithered toward him, ready to finish the job¡ªuntil it spotted the sunlight from the outside near the exit where Victor''s body had rolled to. It paused. Its body retracted slightly. It didn''t like the light. Victor spat blood and pushed himself up. "You used my late father against me..." he whispered with a tone of fury. His fists clenched, and his eyes burned. "I''m going to make you pay." He darted forward, pushing through the pain. The serpent reared back, preparing another spiritual pulse¡ªbut Victor gathered all the qi he could muster. Dragon Breathing Art ¨C Ember Bloom. He exhaled a gust of burning breath directly into its face. The serpent shrieked as the flames consumed its face and licked its eyes and mouth. It writhed in agony while trashing wildly and crashing into the walls. Victor didn''t stop. He gripped its tail, activated Wind Dash, and began spinning. With inhuman strength, he swung the massive serpent, slamming it from one side of the lair to the other, again and again, until cracks littered the chamber. Dust and rocks rained down as the creature screamed in pain. Chapter 102: Honored Guest He dragged its twitching body to the sunlight near the entrance. The moment the light touched its flesh, its thrashing slowed and the glow from its scales dulled. Victor quickly retrieved the enchanted chains he had brought, reinforced with qi to suppress beasts. He wrapped the creature tightly while avoiding its horned head and bit at his arm for a drop of blood to seal the binding talisman. He heard the hissing from outside. Dozens of serpents were closing in. They had heard the shrieks and were coming fast. "Not now." Victor strapped the chains across the creature and tapped into his wind arts. He dashed down toward the lower ridge, while twisting in the air and dodging the incoming serpents. He grunted as claws and tails struck near-misses against his robes. He reached the familiar caved in area¡ªhis hiding place from before. Using every ounce of his strength, he dragged the unconscious beast in, slammed the rocky boulder behind him, and dropped to the ground while gasping. --- (( Present )) A majestic gong echoed as the announcer''s voice rang across the palace: "Announcing the arrival of... the Cultivator who brought the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent!" Gasps filled the celebration courtyard. The city lord, Xuan Wenzhou, stood quickly from his throne. And Xuan Qing, who had been on the verge of storming out, turned around. Fang Chen was the name that rang through the palace grounds like a gong blessed by the heavens. "The cultivator who brought the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent... is Fang Chen!" All eyes turned to the figure at the grand entrance. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind brushing over a still lake, each murmuring with shock and curiosity. Victor stepped into the massive hall with his green robes slightly dirtied from the journey but still noble in presentation. Behind him, bound with reinforced spiritual chains and gently slithering along with restrained dignity, was the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent. It drew collective gasps from the hall. The serpent was as breathtaking as the legends had described¡ªsilver scales tinged with lavender glittered under the illumination of the surrounding and its eyes gleamed like moonlit pools. The celebrant, Xuan Qing, froze in place. Her lips parted as her gaze locked onto the creature. "That''s... it! That''s the one!" she shrieked joyously with a high pitch due to excitement. She didn''t walk¡ªshe practically skipped down from the high platform up ahead. Her long silken robes trailed behind her, and her glossy dark hair flowed like a waterfall. Victor was surprised to see the supposed 200 year old celebrant. ''Hmm? If this was how 200 year old women looked in reality, Danny would try smashing every granny in sight...'' Victor said internally. Several cultivators who had been rejected earlier watched bitterly as she dashed toward Victor. "That''s him!" one of them shouted. "Yes! That''s the rogue cultivator that ruined our hunt!" "He must''ve stolen the serpent! It was ours to catch!" More complaints poured out from those bitter and embarrassed. Victor stood calmly with his hands behind his back. He didn''t flinch as the voices rose around him. Xuan Qing, however, whipped her head around toward the complaining cultivators. "SHUT UP!" she shouted, and everyone did. "None of you brought it. He did!" With that, she grabbed Victor by the wrist and yanked him toward the creature. "You''re the best!" she beamed while hugging him suddenly. Victor blinked. "Uhh..." The guards twitched, uncertain if they should intervene, but Xuan Qing waved them away with a glare. She then turned toward the serpent with immense excitement. But then, her brows furrowed. "What''s this?" she muttered. She pointed at the faint scorch marks around the serpent''s eyes and horns. "Why is it injured?!" she demanded while turning to Victor with her lips puckered in a displeased pout. Xuan Wenzhou quickly stood from his throne. "Qing''er, someone has at least brought you what you asked. Let us not be¡ª" "No! No no no! It''s injured! It''s not perfect!" she protested like a spoiled child denied a toy. Victor sighed and approached the beast. "It got a little rowdy," he said. Then, under the silent gaze of the hall, he nonchalantly spat into his palm and rubbed the burn marks and wounds. In seconds, the injuries vanished. Scales regrew and the beast hissed softly in comfort. The entire hall gasped. The spiritual masters in attendance leaned forward. The City Lord narrowed his eyes. ''He is certainly the one...'' he voiced internally. Xuan Qing''s eyes lit up even more, and without hesitation, she leapt up again and hugged Victor¡ªthis time planting a kiss on his cheek. Victor stood stunned. "...Uhh, thanks?" She beamed. "Now I love you even more!" The other cultivators fumed. One, unable to take it anymore, took a step forward. "This is unfair! He should be punished for interfering!" "Oh, shut up already!" Xuan Qing snapped, then waved at the guards. "Give him a thousand lashes!" The guards immediately moved forward. Victor held out his hand. "Wait. That seems a bit too much... you really don''t have to." Surprisingly, the spoiled heiress tilted her head. "Why not?" "Because it''s your birthday. Don''t ruin your mood over idiots." She stared at him. Then huffed. "Fiiiine. Guards! Just throw him out instead." The guards obeyed, and the cultivator was dragged out kicking and screaming. The celebration continued, and Victor was escorted to a special golden-seated section near the high table. An area marked for honored guests. Servants rushed to and fro, presenting him with exotic wines, golden fruits, spirit beast meat platters, and all sorts of delicacies. Victor sat there, trying to blend in despite the obvious attention. A server handed him a tall crystal cup filled with a twinkling blue wine. "This is Azure Ember Nectar, honored guest." Victor took a sip. A cool sensation swept down his throat and exploded through his meridians. [Notification: Azure Ember Nectar consumed.] [Effect: +3% Qi Recovery Speed for 12 hours.] [Effect: +1.5% Increase in Vitality.] [Effect: Qi Reserves Expanded Slightly.] Victor smiled. "Now this is the kind of wine I like." More notifications appeared in his line of sight: [Congratulations! You have successfully captured the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent.] [Quest Completed: The City Lord''s Request (Hidden Event)] Chapter 103: You Have Reached 100% Unlocking Threshold [Reputation Increased: Blueflame City +100] [You have earned 5 Attribute Points.] [You have earned 20 Reputation Points.] [You have gained 2 Technique Mastery Points.] [You have earned Title: "Beastbinder of Blueflame"] Another notification appeared shortly after: [Achievement Unlocked: Serpent''s Hollow Survivor ¨C Survived in the Red Zone for multiple days.] [+3 Constitution | +2 Endurance | +2 Strength | +1 Agility] Victor leaned back with a content sigh. And then he felt a weight drop on his left arm. Xuan Qing was there, sipping from his wine like it was hers. "I like you... you''re cute," she said with a smile that could melt glaciers. "Stay here forever, okay?" Victor blinked. "Lady Xuan, I¡ª" "No ''Lady''! Call me Qing''er!" she grinned while leaning closer. "And I''ll call you... Chenchen!" Victor stared into the distance with a look of unwillingness. --- The festivities continued in full bloom, and Victor found himself caught in the whirlwind of attention that came with his earlier grand entrance. Since presenting the mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent, he had become the center of attraction. Xuan Qing was practically glued to his side. She had latched onto his arm and her energy as chaotic as ever. "Come on, come on! Let''s go see the performers again!" she whined while tugging him toward the eastern garden, where a group of cultivators from a dance sect were performing a graceful number using spiritual flames and blossoms. Victor cleared his throat and offered a polite smile to a nearby official who bowed toward him. "Uh, maybe we should let the guests enjoy a bit without¡ª" "You''re not the boss of me!" she pouted, crossing her arms before glancing at the official. "What are you looking at?" Victor gently poked her forehead. "Be nice. You''re a princess, not a bandit leader." Her cheeks puffed up in protest, but she didn''t say anything further. She just looped her arm tighter around his and dragged him off again. ''How is she two hundred? I swear she''s like a little girl...'' Victor thought internally as she took him from section to section of the party as if he were her personal pet, introducing him to people, sometimes without even letting him speak. Victor couldn''t tell if she was showing him off or trying to monopolize his attention. Meanwhile, many distinguished guests made attempts to speak with him. An elder from the Blazing Ash Sect handed him a token, subtly indicating their interest in him. A merchant noblewoman from the Verdant Sky Pavilion tried to toast him with spirit wine laced with minor tracking incense¡ªVictor noticed the system notification and immediately politely declined. Through it all, City Lord Xuan Wenzhou and Minister Liang stood from the high platform, stealing glances at Victor whenever he passed through a cluster of nobles or expertly handled one of Xuan Qing''s public tantrums. "How is he doing that?" Even the city lord couldn''t recall when last his daughter listened to him without throwing tantrums and yet she regarded this cultivator she was only meeting for the first time. When the party finally began to slow, Xuan Qing bounced in front of Victor with a glittering smile. "I''m going to go play with my new little beastie!" she said excitedly. "I want to name him Squishy." Victor raised a brow. "That thing has two horns and can swallow two people in one gulp... You''re naming it Squishy?" "I can name it whatever I want!" she huffed and then turned away. "You''re not the boss of me!" He watched her dash off like a gust of petal-scented wind and sighed. "Thank the heavens." Just then, the City Lord motioned for him. Victor approached with a bow. "City Lord Xuan." The man gave a small smile and nodded. "Fang Chen, isn''t it? I must thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. You''ve made my daughter''s birthday more than memorable. I wish all her tantrums were resolved so easily." Victor chuckled awkwardly. "Glad I could help... even if it was a near-death experience." City Lord Xuan gestured toward a palace attendant. "Come. As promised, your reward awaits." Victor was led deep into the palace and down a winding flight of stairs, reinforced with ancient runes and protective wards. They passed through a set of massive doors, and before him stretched a vast underground vault illuminated by floating spirit lanterns. Rows upon rows of shelves, pedestals, and weapon racks filled the area. It was an ocean of treasure. Ding! [You have entered a High-Level Treasure Vault ¨C All objects touched will display descriptions.] Victor walked slowly with hands behind his back and eyes widened in astonishment. On one pedestal sat a gleaming jade mirror: [Heaven''s Reflection Mirror ¨C Tier 4 Artifact] Capable of exposing all disguises and illusions within a hundred-meter radius. On a shelf beside it were small golden talismans: [Ninefold Fire Barrier ¨C Tier 3 Talisman] Once activated, creates nine rotating flame barriers that can block full powered attacks up to Nascent Soul Realm. Weapons, artifacts, treasures and all sorts of gear had different tiers. And all tiers had different grades varying from low to mid to high grade. Victor had only ever come across Tier 1 treasures before even though some of them were high grade Tier 1. The sword he got from Lady Li was the only Tier 2 weapon he had but it was a high grade Tier 2 weapon. And here he was seeing treasures that went up to Tier 5. Victor passed weapons¡ªswords with curved hilts and crescent edges, war fans that generated lightning, and even a whip that looked to be woven from sky silk. As incredible as they all were, he wasn''t looking for another weapon. A few minutes later, something caught his eye on a stand in the center of the room. A seemingly ordinary metallic disk with a single white engraving in the middle. He reached out and touched it. ------ [Spectral Anchor Disk ¨C Tier 5 Artifact] Allows user to bind spatial coordinates with a surge of Qi. Once bound, the user can teleport to the disk''s location at will. The disk can also fly, turn invisible, and follow simple commands. Cooldown: 24 hours. ------- Victor''s eyes widened. "Now that''s useful..." He immediately fed the disk a thread of his Qi, and it glowed softly before turning invisible and hovering next to him. He slipped it into the storage ring Lady Li had gifted him. Ding! [Congratulations! You have received your reward for presenting the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent!] [+5% Bloodline Unlocking Progress] [You have reached 100% unlocking threshold for Void Emperor Bloodline!] [Warning: Your bloodline is awakening.] [Please find a safe place to enter secluded transformation. This process will take several days.] Victor blinked. "Wait, now?!" Chapter 104: Void Emperor Bloodline Awakening Panic immediately set in. Victor needed to get out of here and find somewhere isolated. He turned to thank the attendant for allowing him into the vault and made haste back toward the surface where the main palace hall was located. The palace was quieter now since the party ended not too long ago. Victor reached the main hall and was just about to call out for the guide who brought him here¡ªwhen the shadows shifted. Clang. Palace guards, fully armored closed in around him from every direction. Spears were leveled. Blades unsheathed. Victor''s brows drew low. "What is the meaning of this?" No one answered. One of the guards stepped forward. "Fang Chen. You are to remain here. The City Lord has further need of you." Victor''s heart began to pound. ''Need of me...? At this crucial moment? What does that even mean?'' The atmosphere turned cold in an instant. Before Victor knew it, more guards arrived and soon he was surounded by no fewer than twenty palace guards. Their expressions were calm but the pressure in the atmosphere wasn''t. Their hands were resting on the hilts of swords which emitted faint wisps of qi. The atmosphere had turned sharp¡ªlike the moment just before a storm breaks. "Is this how you guys treat guests?" Victor gaze shifted between the encroaching guards as he barked. But they said nothing. Just then, a sudden, searing burn lit up within his chest like wildfire. His knees buckled from the sensation causing him to hold one of the pillars in the hall for support. ''What is this sensation? It''s realer than usual... almost like I''m feeling it in reality as well...'' He tried to suppress a cry but failed... "Urgh!" his voice rang out through the air in a strangled grunt. A series of notifications popped up: <[ Warning: Void Emperor Bloodline unlocking process has begun ]> <[ Note: Vital transformation process will affect your mind and body ]> <[ Seclusion highly advised ]> His skin began to pale unnaturally, turning a little white. His breathing grew rushed. Victor clenched his teeth. "I need to leave¡ªnow!" he snapped while pushing off the pillar and attempting to force his way through the ring of guards. Their leader who was an older man in gold-trimmed armor with a Nascent Soul Realm presence, stepped forward. "We can''t let you leave without the City Lord''s orders." "I don''t have time for this!" Without another word, Victor moved. His body dashed forward with an explosive burst of Wind Step as he evaded a spear aimed at his thigh. He elbowed one guard across the temple and ducked low to sweep the legs of another as qi danced around his palm. He wasn''t trying to kill¡ªjust disarm and clear a path. He leapt off the shoulder of a stunned guard to gain height¡ªbut a second group rushed in from the courtyard. If he kept descending, he was going to land in their midst... Victor gathered qi at his soles. "Wind Glide." His body shot up again mid-air like he had just kicked himself off an invisible platform. He bypassed the second formation entirely, jumping right over them. But just as he reached the long corridor near the entrance of the palace¡ªa scorching pain lashed through his abdomen. "Ahh¡ª!" He dropped hard to the floor with his knees crashing into the stone tiles. Thuumm~ Notifications blared across his vision: <[ Warning: Void Emperor Bloodline Unlocking ¨C Phase One Initiated ]> <[ Warning: Qi Stabilization Failure Imminent ]> <[ Body undergoing transformation. Seclusion highly recommended ]> The pain was unbearable. It felt like gravity had tripled¡ªno, increased by a hundred fold. He gritted his teeth and tried to push himself up, but his limbs wouldn''t move fast enough. Around him, the guards saw their chance and moved in, surrounding him once more. The leader raised a binding seal in his hand. "Immobilize him!" Several others followed suit, forming hand seals mid-air. Bright golden chains of qi spiraled toward Victor. He looked up slowly with sweat trailing down his now almost fully white face as his eyes glinted with a silver glow. Why were they trying to capture him? It made no sense to him but this was bad timing... he needed to leave. "Log Out..." Victor tried to use the log out option. <[ Unable To Log Out ]> "What the hell?! Not this again..." Victor kept trying but the same notification kept appearing. <[ Unable To Log Out ]> <[ Unable To Log Out ]> At this point the guards had nearly bound him completely. The chains wrapped around his limbs¡ªbut then a deep spatial pulse suddenly erupted from within him. BOOM! The binding shattered violently into dust as a wave of oppressive pressure spilled outward, cracking the tiles around him and forcing some of the Foundation Establishment guards to fall backward. "What... was that?" one of them gasped whime staring at the fragments of their shattered seal. Another guard backed away with a look of trepidation. "That''s not normal qi..." Victor exhaled raggedly with his hands planted against the floor. His transformation was accelerating now, his hair starting to turn white strand by strand. He could feel the memory and power of some ancient bloodline clawing its way into the present¡ªhis bloodline. "Stop¡ªstop!" a voice yelled from the side. The guards froze just as City Lord Xuan Wenzhou entered with long strides, flanked by Minister Liang and two more elite cultivators. "What is the going on? I only asked you to delay his departure..." the City Lord barked. "Milord," the captain bowed, "he seems to be undergoing some sort of... transformation. He refused to be restrained." Victor lifted his gaze. "I need a place... to enter seclusion. If I don''t¡ªthis will go wrong, very wrong." The City Lord''s eyes narrowed. "You''re awakening a bloodline?" Victor didn''t answer. "Take him to the Azure Moon Seclusion Chambers, immediately!" the City Lord commanded. Minister Liang stepped closer with a hint of concern on his face. "My Lord, what of the other matter¡ª" "It can wait," Xuan Wenzhou cut him off sharply. "No one lays a hand on him until this process is complete." "Yes, my Lord." Victor could barely make out their words anymore. His ears rang, and his vision blurred at the edges. His body felt like it was vibrating on a frequency different from the world around him. The guards hesitated for a moment longer, then obeyed. Victor was hoisted gently by two guards and escorted through a series of winding palace corridors until they arrived at a secluded sanctum carved directly into the mountainside behind the palace¡ªprotected by five different formation layers and a powerful sealing gate. Inside, the chamber was lined with ancient runes, and a glowing pool of qi-rich mist settled along the ground like fog. It was quiet¡ªeerily so¡ªbut safe. Safe enough. As the guards closed the door behind him, Victor staggered to the center of the room and collapsed into a cross-legged position. His breath was shaky, but the moment his palms met his knees, he felt it¡ªlike slipping into a different existence. He wasn''t in the seclusion room anymore. Not really. <[ Void Emperor Bloodline Awakening: 4%...]> <[ Time remaining: 2 days, 7 hours, 33 minutes ]> A vision spread through his mind¡ªa vast black cosmos with silver stars collapsing inward, forming an outline of a man with eyes like endless voids. Chapter 105: Awakening Complete Victor floated in a half-lotus position within the depths of the Azure Moon Seclusion Chambers with his body utterly still but his expression blank. A notification floated into his sight: > [Bloodline Unlocking Process Initiated... Status: 4%] His skin prickled as a numbing sensation spread through his limbs as a warmth began to rise from the depths of his core, spreading like wildfire across his entire body. Then the pain from earlier returned. It was unlike any physical injury¡ªno gash or stab or bone fracture could compare. It was as if his very existence was being rewritten. His blood boiled, not metaphorically, but literally¡ªas the dormant essence within his veins awakened. Another notification chimed. <[ Void Emperor Bloodline ¡ª Awakening at 10% ]> <[ Qi nodes strengthening... ]> <[ Spatial core beginning to form... ]> Victor clenched his fists. His fingernails dug into his palms as small arcs of silver light cracked across his skin, tracing lines that didn''t exist before. His hair fluttered even though there was no wind. His heartbeat slowed. <[ 20%... ]> <[ Vitality enhanced... ]> <[ Bone density increasing... ]> <[ 35%... ]> <[ Qi circulation modified... ]> <[ Spiritual sense expanding... ]> A whoosh of pressure exploded outward from his chest, bending the space around him slightly. Objects in the room vibrated. Suddenly, his mind was no longer his own. A vast black cosmos unraveled before him. Endless galaxies collapsed into themselves, folding into a singularity of nothingness. Stars were consumed, planets shattered into drifting fragments of light. In the midst of it all stood a figure¡ªtall and faceless¡ªcloaked in an endless black mantle that looked like it was stitched from the very void itself. His eyes glowed like twin abyssal wells. The man spoke only one word. "Awaken..." The cosmos imploded. <[ 50%... ]> Memory synchronization initiated... Partial access granted to: "Emperor''s Grasp." Victor''s eyes snapped open, though only in the vision. Before him, memories¡ªvisions not of his own past but of the figure''s¡ªrushed into his mind. Battles across the stars. Time fractured and stitched again. Space bent to will, and armies turned to dust at a single gesture. The figure was none other than the originator of the Void Emperor Bloodline¡ªthe ancient, eternal entity known simply as the Void Emperor. The visions showed Victor what the bloodline could do at full power¡ªnot simply wield time and space as elements, but treat them as extensions of the self. To slow moments into eternity. To teleport through the folds of space with a thought. To trap enemies in temporal loops or erase them from a single spatial anchor point. Victor''s body convulsed. A spiraling ring of silver qi burst from his back, branding itself into the air His once black-streaked hair grew longer, cascading down to his back, and turned entirely white¡ªlike moonlight woven into threads. The texture of his skin grew pale, smoother, almost translucent. But beneath it, veins of silver occasionally flickered with energy that didn''t belong to the world. Spiritual energy danced chaotically within the Azure Moon Seclusion Chambers. The circular formation beneath him trembled. The runes etched into the walls glowed with fluctuating brilliance, occasionally flickering like they might short-circuit. The spatial force emanating from his body was intense enough to warp the floor beneath him in waves. [ 65%...] <[ Temporal perception calibration underway... ]> Victor saw the faceless Void Emperor decimating armies, warping time to paralyze foes mid-step, dragging entire realms into spatial loops, unmaking techniques with a mere gesture. <[ 75%... ]> <[ Bone marrow restructuring. Qi conductivity enhanced... ]> <[ 85%... ]> <[ Spatial sensitivity unlocked. External energy now traceable. ]> Even his sense of direction felt different. He could feel the room. The walls. The very pressure of the palace stones that encased the chamber. He knew where the smallest crack in the array formation was without even opening his eyes. <[ 95%... ]> Warning: Spatial Qi unstable. Calibration commencing. The chamber shook. The guards outside reportedly felt it¡ªa strange emission that bent sound and made their ears pop. Even their talismans quivered slightly. And then, at long last... <[ 100%... Void Emperor Bloodline Awakening Complete ]> <[ Congratulations. You have inherited the essence of the Void Emperor ]> Notifications lined his vision. [+20 attribute points] Passive Perks unlocked: [+Void Resistance (Passive)] [+Spatial Sense (Passive)] [+Temporal Drift - Lv. 1 (Active)] [+Spatial Mantle - Lv. 1 (Active)] [Qi Efficiency Increased] [ Lightfoot Void: Weight reduction of 60% ] [ Spatial Perception: Passive awareness of nearby space fluctuations ] Active Techniques Unlocked: [Void Cloak], [Void Rift], [Chrono Echo] Victor''s eyes opened. They weren''t the same eyes anymore. They were silver¡ªlike moonlit mirrors reflecting a depthless sky. He looked at his hand. A faint trace of white-blue energy shimmered along his palm. He felt no pain anymore. Only power. His bones, muscles, and meridians felt... refined, perfected. Everything was lighter. Sharper. Clearer. The term light as a feather had never held more meaning. His feet barely made contact with the stone floor as he stood, and yet he didn''t feel ungrounded. He reached for the water jug he had accidentally knocked over during the process. As he wrapped his qi around it¡ª Shloop. It vanished. Victor blinked. The jug hadn''t teleported. It was still there. But somehow, it had become cloaked in a layer of spatial qi. Invisible. Untraceable. His brows raised in curiosity. "A hidden phase state?" he muttered. [ Spatial Cloak Triggered: Objects or individuals enveloped in Spatial Qi will temporarily become invisible to natural vision ] Victor nearly burst into laughter. He hadn''t even meant to activate anything yet! He willed it back, and it reappeared with a gentle shimmer. A final notification appeared. > [You have successfully awakened the Void Emperor Bloodline.] Time Elapsed: 2 Days, 17 Hours Realm Impact: Medium ¡ª 1.3% global cultivation ripple registered in Blueflame City Unique Title Gained ¡ª [Heir of the Void] A sudden thud echoed outside the seclusion chamber, followed by hurried footsteps. They had most likely sensed the massive spiritual fluctuations and spatial anomalies. Victor eyes narrowed. He still had no idea why they tried to ambush him earlier. "Guess its time to ask them what that was all about..." He soon spotted another notification at the corner of his sight. [ Void Emperor Bloodline Integration And Refinement: 3% ] [ Your body will continue to develop passively over time ] Just 3%? He couldn''t help but chuckle. "Of course it wouldn''t be that easy..." He already understood from this that he could only use 3% of the Void Emperor Bloodline''s Power. But even 3% gave him more power than he''d ever possessed before. He''d have to raise the integration and refinement level to be able to use more and unlock more of his bloodline related techniques in the future. Just as Victor stood and adjusted the folds of his robe, the entrance to the chamber hissed open. Three palace guards entered. The lead one gave a respectful bow. "Honored Guest Fang Chen... the City Lord has summoned you." Victor arched an eyebrow slightly. "I figured he would." The guards remained still, waiting for him to follow. But as Victor took one step forward, a sudden realization struck him. A blinking icon at the edge of his vision, drew his attention. [Player has remained logged in for 91 hours 46 minutes 12 seconds.] He frowned. Ninety-one hours? He had been logged in for nearly four full days in game time. His mom. His body. His responsibilities. He couldn''t afford to spend that long in the game without checking in on reality. Although during the time he was trapped in the serpent hollow, he had checked up on her a few times, but since he escaped there and attended the City Lord daughter''s party he hadn''t been able to. Especially during the phase of his bloodline unlocking. He exhaled slowly while glancing toward the guards. "I''m sorry," Victor held up a hand, "I need to log out¡ªnow." The guards blinked in confusion. "The City Lord gave us direct orders¡ª" Before the sentence was complete, Victor''s finger moved to the logout prompt floating in front of his eyes. [Logging out...] The guards gasped as his body glittered with light, then vanished before their eyes like a bubble popping into nothingness. The lead guard stiffened. "He vanished. Like a ghost." "We''re in big trouble," one of the others muttered. --- Reality hit Victor like a breath of fresh wind. He opened his eyes slowly as the sound of the VR helmet powering down, faded from his ears. His body felt a little sore from being in the same position for too long, but his mind was sharper than ever. Slowly, he sat up and pulled the helmet off his head. His fingers brushed past strands of his hair, and for a moment, his brows furrowed. It felt... different. He blinked and shuffled across the room before stepping in front of his mirror. The sight that greeted him made him freeze. Chapter 106: The Accident "Holy..." Victor noticed his hair... It was no longer fully black. A large portion of it¡ªroughly half¡ªhad turned white. Not a dull grey, not a faded silver, but a bright, ethereal white. "What the..." he muttered while turning his head slowly from side to side. His reflection stared back at him with the same confusion. It wasn''t just the color. It was longer too. At least a couple of inches. Had he somehow grown it during the bloodline awakening? In the real world? Victor leaned closer. His eyes were still the same but something in them felt deeper. Like he was staring through a different lens now. His phone buzzed. He reached for it, half-dazed, and noticed a couple of missed messages. One from Amara, checking in on him. One from Jake, ranting about the entrance exam prank at Velcrest. And a group message from Max saying they had a few new ideas for tomorrow''s videos. Victor rubbed his eyes and then chuckled. "Back to the real world, huh?" He had spent days playing without really tending to real world matters except for routine checkups. The just realised that he spent around thirteen days in game but in reality it had only been about three days. His stomach growled. "Okay... real world responsibilities first. Food. Water. Mom." He tossed his hoodie over the strange new hair and walked toward the door. But just before he stepped out, he turned to look at the mirror one last time. Half black, half white. Victor groaned with a slightly disgruntled look before stepping out of his room. The world felt lighter beneath his feet, as though gravity had slightly loosened its grip. From the moment, he noticed the change in his hair color, he already knew that he could use the Void Emperor Bloodline in real life as well... even if it was a fraction. He could hear the low sound of their refrigerator from across the house and smell the faint spice of garlic frying in the kitchen. His mother was already up and moving around. Her hands expertly flipped onions in the pan while humming an old tune. Victor stretched out his hand towards the broom that was more than twelve feet away. A soft whisper of qi enveloped the broom as it swept across the floor seemingly of its own accord. He guided it lazily with a finger, smirking to himself at how effortlessly it responded. Next, he waved a hand and sent dust into a bin without lifting a foot. His mom peeked from the kitchen doorway and raised a brow. "You know, I don''t mind you helping around here, but must you do it like a ghost sweeping through the house?" Victor grinned. "Efficiency, mom. Time is money." She rolled her eyes, though her smile gave her away. "Right, right. But next thing I know, you''ll be floating through walls. He chuckled and joined her in the kitchen. "I thought you were going to keep playing until you turned into a statue," she joked while flipping over a fried dumpling. Victor chuckled before taking a seat. "Figured I should breathe actual air before I forget what it tastes like." But before the conversation could continue, her eyed narrowed in suspicion as she gave him a scrutinizing look. "What happened to your hair?" Victor blinked. "My...hair?" Then he remembered¡ªhis reflection in the mirror. Black hair now streaked with white and brushing his shoulders. Before he could answer, a loud series of knocks sounded at the door. Victor turned to look at her. "You expecting someone?" She shook her head while Victor moved to open the door. A second later, Max, Jake, and Danny stormed into the house like a pack of unannounced hyenas. Max immediately pointed at Victor''s head. "Yo! When did you go all anime protagonist on us?" Jake laughed before clapping Victor on the back. "Bro looks like he''s one brooding moment away from leveling a city." "I was just asking him the same thing," Victor''s mom said from behind while chuckling as she waved them in. "You boys want breakfast? You''re just in time." The boys didn''t need to be told twice. Soon they were all huddled around the table, cracking jokes over scrambled eggs and rice, gulping down soy milk and throwing crumpled napkins at each other. Max grinned as he shoved another dumpling into his mouth. "So, Vic... planning to woo Amara with that new look?" Danny whistled. "The brooding look always works, I''m just saying." Victor rolled his eyes. "Can you guys go five minutes without messing around?" Jake leaned back with a smirk. "Absolutely not." After breakfast, the four of them headed out together. Jake had the camcorder slung over his shoulder as always while Victor kept scrolling through his phone as they walked. He sighed. "Fifty thousand views. That''s all." "Still not bad," Max voiced with a tone of encouragement. "You''ll get there." Danny suddenly displayed a mischievous grinned. "You know what will get views? Underground fight club footage!" Victor nearly choked on air. "What?!" "Yeah!" Max nodded. "We got solid shots. I mean, the angle I got when you kicked Titan X across the cage was just chef''s kiss." Jake frowned immediately. "No. Absolutely not. Do you want to get Victor arrested?" Victor raised a brow. "You recorded the fight?!" Danny held up his hands. "Technically, Max did." Victor just shook his head. "We''re not posting it. End of story." As they continued walking and arguing about what kind of videos they should try filming next, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a loud alarm sound and the whirring of an engine. Victor''s eyes darted up just in time to see a hover minibus streaking down the nearby road. It''s hazard lights flashed red as it swerved erratically. Clearly out of control. Victor''s gaze dropped to the sidewalk up ahead where a group of kids were playing, laughing and chasing a ball into the street. "Move!" someone yelled. But the kids didn''t notice in time. Victor''s body moved before his brain could finish the thought. Wind circulated around him as he activated Wind Dash and vanished in a blur. In the span of a heartbeat, he materialized between the kids and the incoming hoverbus. With his enhanced strength, he slammed his palm into the side of the bus, redirecting it off course before it could crush the children. The bus swerved violently, smashing through a low fence and crashing into the side of a residential building causing bricks to fly like confetti. The children screamed and scattered in fear. Victor''s eyes immediately tracked the vehicle as it kept shooting forward with speed¡ªstill not stopping. Chapter 107: Appearing On The News Without hesitation, Victor dashed forward again with wind trailing behind his steps. His body blurred as he shot across the sidewalk with a speed of more than one hundred feet per second. This was the fastest he had ever moved... The bus tore through a line of shrubs, headed toward a crowded enclosure beyond the building. Victor leapt onto a nearby car, vaulted off its roof, and landed on top of the moving vehicle. The metal made a low creaking sound as it floated lower briefly before continuing to trail forward uncontrollably. Inside, the driver was slumped over the wheel¡ªclearly unconscious. Victor drew back his fist, coated it in qi, and slammed it into the dashboard through the windshield. The console sparked. His other hand grabbed the steering bar and jerked it hard, using the vehicle''s momentum to redirect it toward a narrow alley. He flipped forward and spun in mid air before landing ahead of the bus. Qi enveloped him as he thrust his palm forward while the bus rammed into him, causing him to slide backwards. His feet dug into the ground as the bus kept pushing him forward nonstop, closing in on a wall in the distance. Victor groaned and activated his wind arts, emitting a burst of wind from his palm which was placed directly on the bus. It began to slow down and finally came to a stop right before they could collide with the wall. Victor heels kissed the wall gently as he let out steady breaths of relief. The crowd that had gathered stared in stunned silence before erupting in cheers and shocked gasps. Victor moved to the side; "Guess I''ll call that cardio." ... Soon the sound of emergency sirens filled the street as hover vehicles descended around the scene. The authorities had finally arrived. Victor stood near the still-smoking wreckage of the hover minibus with his clothes slightly scuffed and his black and white hair rustled by the soft wind. He was helping a woman out of the minibus, her arm draped over his shoulder as medics rushed to take her in. "You alright, ma''am?" he asked. She nodded weakly. "Thank you... thank you so much." As she was ushered toward one of the medic pods, Victor turned to see a crowd of bystanders holding up their smart lenses, phones, and visual drones. His face was everywhere¡ªbeing recorded from every angle. The authorities moved in, cordoning off the area while paramedics worked swiftly to treat the few who had sustained minor injuries. The driver had apparently gotten a heart attack while driving and originally the bus would go into auto drive mode but his face had smashed into the controls and accidentally deactivated that. This caused the hover minibus to lose control. One of the officers gave Victor a firm nod, the kind of silent salute reserved for unsung heroes. Victor returned it quietly before walking away, reuniting with Danny, Max, and Jake who had been watching from the sidelines. They didn''t say anything at first. Max just clapped a hand on Victor''s shoulder with a wide grin. "Dude. You just saved a bus full of people." "That was insane," Danny added. "Like, full-blown hero mode... I would have done something too but I can''t move that fast bro..." Jake looked both amazed and amused. "You better hope that footage doesn''t break the internet." "Footage?" Victor questioned with a look of confusion. "Yess... I recorded everything..." Jake stated. "Damn... show me!" Victor immediately turned excited. "Let''s go somewhere else first... this place is starting to get rowdy..." They decided to leave before the questions from reporters started flying and found a quiet, secluded spot near a grassy bluff behind an old shopping district. The sun was beginning to dip low, casting a golden hue across the sky. They lounged on old benches and patches of stone, chatting and enjoying the stillness. A nearby outdoor screen flickered to life with the evening news. "--latest on the Mana Defense Corps expansion toward Sector 7," the anchorwoman announced. "All divisions are set to be deployed by the 5th of next month." The screen cut to a few clips of armored Awakened officers marching in formation before returning to the studio. "And in other news, the countdown to Awakened Academy''s resumption continues. With less than two weeks left, students and instructors alike are preparing for what many are calling the most important semester yet." Victor leaned back and stretched, but his attention was quickly grabbed again. "And now, to a surprising moment of bravery caught on camera just earlier today. A young Awakened teen saved an entire hover minibus and a group of children after the vehicle malfunctioned on Westbrook Street. Witnesses say he intercepted the vehicle and redirected it before any lives were lost." The boys immediately leaned forward. The footage rolled: Victor''s figure appeared onscreen, with his clothes flapping in the wind as he hurled himself between the hover minibus and the children. A collective gasp rose from a few pedestrians nearby watching the same broadcast. "That''s you!" Danny shouted. Jake laughed. "Looks like I wasn''t the only one recording... But I have better shots and the whole footage from the start!" He pulled out his phone and showed Victor the raw footage from their perspective. It was clean, steady, and dramatic as hell. You could see Victor pushing the vehicle, saving the kids, then chasing the bus into the building. Max grinned. "Dude, this is definitely going viral. Like, viral viral." "Don''t jinx it," Victor chuckled. They wasted no time. Victor uploaded the video to his channel under the title: "Young Awakened Saves Hover Bus and Kids from Disaster!" "Now," Jake said, "we wait." Meanwhile... Far across the city, nestled within the boundaries of Eastwood Heights, a massive luxury estate stood proudly among metallic oaks and private mana fountains. Deep underground, within a high-tech training chamber laced with mana veins, Evelyn Lancaster was unleashing hell. She dashed between moving drones, hurling spell after spell. Arcane circles burst beneath her feet as she muttered incantations under her breath. "Ignis Flare!" A wave of fire surged forward, consuming a combat drone. "Frost Spiral!" Chapter 108: Finally Going Viral Crystals laced the floor as Evelyn''s magic twisted into form. System notifications blinked in front of her eyes: [ LEVEL UP! Magic Affinity increased: Pyro +1 / Cryo +1 ] Sweat clung to her brow. One of the house butlers approached quietly, holding a towel and a drink. Evelyn took the towel, barely acknowledging the man. As she wiped her face, another screen activated at the corner of the chamber. "--young Awakened teenager saves children and passengers in a hover minibus accident--" Victor''s face filled the screen. Evelyn eyes instantly darkened. She crushed the towel in her fist. "Him again..." she hissed. The training bots stopped. The room fell still as mana swirled dangerously around her. The butler took a cautious step back. Evelyn''s voice was ice-cold. "He just keeps showing up..." Her expression twisted. "We''ll see how long your luck lasts, Victor." Evelyn Lancaster proceeded to storm out of the underground training room with her brows furrowed and her lips twisted into a pout. Her fists were clenched by her side as she made her way into the massive marble-lined living room of the Lancaster estate, where guards stood like statues along the walls and butlers hovered silently like shadows. Luxury glittered across every surface, and the scent of rare incense perfumed the air. Seated at the long dining table made from blackwood, with golden trim and plates that could buy an entire neighborhood, was none other than Mr. Donovan Lancaster¡ªone of the most powerful and influential business moguls in the city. A man in his late thirties with plantinum blonde hair combed back and his presence like a storm wrapped in velvet. His piercing gray eyes looked up from the crystal glass of aged mana-whiskey in his hand as Evelyn approached. Clad in his signature three-piece threaded suit that glowed faintly with defense runes, his broad shoulders and muscular build were still visible under the luxurious attire. His aura demanded respect and silence, yet he always had a soft spot for his daughter. "What''s wrong, little flame?" he voiced with a smooth but thunderous tone like silk draped over steel. Without hesitation, Evelyn walked up to him, sat on his lap like a child again, and leaned her head on his chest with a huff. "It''s that stupid Awakened boy! He was on the news!" she voiced while stomping her foot lightly. "He''s the one who ruined my chance at becoming S-ranked during the screening." Mr. Lancaster narrowed his eyes slightly while stroking her blonde hair. "Victor, was it?" She nodded aggressively. "Now he''s all over the place like some hero. Everyone''s talking about him." Donovan Lancaster paused, then calmly asked, "Do you want me to take care of him?" Evelyn pout slowly faded into a smile as she looked up. "Not yet. But keep tabs... I''ll think of something..." "Consider it done," Mr. Lancaster replied with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. --- Meanwhile, across the city on a different, wilder spectrum of chaos, a shriek of joy echoed through the night sky as a mana-powered train whizzed down the rail line above Blue District. Three figures leapt off the top of it, free-falling like maniacs. "Selene, you''re insane!" one of the girls screamed as they plummeted toward a high-rise rooftop. "We''re gonna die one of these days because of you!" the other yelled while trying to stabilize her descent. Selene just laughed with reckless delight as her dark purple hair, streaked with faint violet fluttered behind her with lollipop still in her mouth as she twirled mid-air. "Oh, come on! That was fun!" she cackled as she elegantly rolled onto the rooftop, landing perfectly while the other two stumbled. "Fun? We could''ve been pancakes on the street!" "Would''ve been worth it!" Selene teased while pulling the lollipop from her lips. Her wild eyes caught something glowing on a large billboard screen in the distance. Victor''s face on the news... Her jaw dropped. "No. Freaking. Way." She instantly fished her phone from her coat and tapped on her messages. "I have to message him. Again." "Girl, he''s not gonna respond," one assassin friend groaned. "He''s ghosted you since the first time," the other added. Selene just giggled and kept typing. "Maybe, but he''s famous now. Maybe he needs a crazy stalker girlfriend to balance the fame." They both facepalmed. --- Back in Victor''s room, the air was still and quiet. The moonlight poured through the blinds, and his VR helmet resting on his desk was the only sound in the room. Victor lay on his bed with his arms crossed behind his head, just chilling... He had planned to log back into Ascendant Realms, especially now that the bloodline had fully awakened, but as he stared at the ceiling, his phone suddenly began to buzz like it was possessed. He frowned and reached for it... but the moment his laid eyes on the screen, his jaw dropped. "Huh?" Notification after notification. Comments. Subscriptions. Likes. Shares. He quickly opened his channel and his eyes widened. The video they had uploaded¡ªthe raw footage of him saving the kids and stopping the hover bus¡ªhad gone viral. It had over 3.7 million views, and the comment section was a war zone of admiration, disbelief, and theories. "Who is this guy?!" "We got ourselves a new teenage hero!" "He caught that bus like it was a balloon!" "Marry me." "Is that even legal strength?!" Victor rubbed the back of his neck and gave a low whistle. "Guess that awakened influencing plan might actually work out now..." He saw his subscribers had shot past 100k and were still climbing. "Wow!" Victor voiced out loudly in shock. From downstairs, he heard his mom''s voice faintly. "Victor, everything okay up there?" He shouted back, "Yeah, just... the internet is exploding." His phone buzzed again. This time, a message. From Selene. "Saw you on the news, handsome. You looked hot. Wanna hang out? Or fight... in my bedroom? Or maybe both." Victor stared at the message. "...She''s crazy." He couldn''t stop the small smile that appeared on his face. He swiped away from her message and decided to go into his comment section. A slow rush of excitement crept into him as he scanned through them and even replied some. Chapter 109: Imposter Victor leaned back in his chair with a soft grin on his face as he scrolled through the endless flood of comments. "You''re amazing!" "Dude, that save was INSANE!" "Real-life hero vibes." Victor chuckled and even replied to a few: Thanks! Appreciate the love. Glad the kids are safe. Just doing what I can. He''d intended to log back into Ascendant Realms immediately after, but as he stretched and glanced out the window, sunlight poured through the curtains. "Damn. Morning already?" He sighed before closing the laptop and stepping away to get his day started. After all, it wasn''t every day your video hit the front page of nearly every platform. But still, chores didn''t do themselves. He moved around the house, washing up, sweeping the backyard, even helping his mom organize a few things in the attic. With qi enhancements, it took him less than half the usual time. Once everything was done, he grabbed a quick snack¡ªa couple of toast slices and some chilled juice. He returned to his room, munched and settled on his bed again, deciding today would be all about Ascendant Realms. He still hadn''t found out what the City Lord truly wanted, and with his Void Emperor Bloodline fully unlocked, he was eager to test it out. But just before he could place the helmet on his head, curiosity struck. "Let me check the video one last time." He picked up his phone and navigated to his channel. His eyes widened. 11.3 million views. And counting. "Holy¡ª" he muttered while grinning. Notifications swarmed in with new subscribers, likes, and even messages from people asking for interviews. A new prompt blinked at the top: [Your channel is now eligible for monetization. Set up your account now.] "Finally! Let''s get that sweet money." Victor clicked on the settings, ready to fill in his details. But just as he was halfway through the form, a new notification popped up. [Account banned for copyright infringement.] He froze. "Wait. What?" He refreshed the page. It booted him off. The screen flashed again. [This channel has been removed due to multiple copyright violations. If you believe this is a mistake, click here to appeal.] Victor slammed his hand on the desk. "What the fuck?!" He opened a new tab and typed furiously, trying to understand what had happened. It didn''t take long. On the trending page, he found it. Another channel. Victor Awakened Official With his face. His videos. His name. The fake had even posted a new video with his face smiling, saying, "Hey everyone, just letting you know THIS is my only official channel. All others are impersonators. Thanks for the support!" Victor''s mouth fell open. It was him. Or rather, it looked exactly like him. "How the hell did they do this? Deepfake? AI clone? What?!" He couldn''t deny that this looked 100% authentic... Worse, this imposter had reported him for copyright. And the platform believed it. Victor filed an immediate appeal, adding all the proof he could gather¡ªtimestamps, messages, even back-end data. A few minutes later, a reply arrived. [Appeal Rejected: Evidence insufficient. Channel removal is final.] Victor stood up in disbelief and began pacing the room. He created a backup account, went to the fake channel, and commented: This is a fake channel. The real Victor is me. The comment vanished within seconds. "They''re blocking my comments too?!" Frustration bubbled over. He opened the group chat. Victor: Guys. We have a problem. It only took seconds. Danny: What''s wrong? Max: Yeah, you good? Jake: What happened? Victor: My account got banned. Some faker made a channel using my face and videos. Said I was the imposter. They got mine taken down. Danny: WHAT? Max: That''s bull! Jake: We''re coming. Don''t do anything till we get there. Victor sighed and sat back. His viral moment was turning into a nightmare. Victor paced the length of his room with his phone in hand, while his group chat exploded with messages. He barely had time to read everything before a loud series of knocks echoed from the front door. He opened it to find Danny, Jake, and Max standing there, all with tense expressions. "Let us in," Danny said grimly. The moment they stepped into the living room, Victor began explaining everything. His stolen identity, the deleted channel, the fake account with millions of views and even a new video telling people that all other channels were impersonators. Max was furious. "He''s monetizing your face! And people are giving him money! This is theft!" Jake had already started checking his laptop. "It''s worse than that. He''s verified now. And it says he submitted identification that was verified by the platform." Victor rubbed his forehead. "How the hell did he even get something like that approved? He looks exactly like me. I don''t get it." Danny cracked his knuckles. "Let''s not waste time. You said there''s a Ytube office in the city?" "Yeah. Jake found the address." "Then let''s move." They left quickly and hopped on a public hover-tram to the central business sector. The boys arrived outside a ten storey tall structure emblazoned with a holographic sign that read: Ytube Satellite Division ¨C Blueflame City. The building reflected the luminous lights of the bustling plaza it was nestled in. Giant screens on the sides played a looping reel of the latest viral videos, dances, stunts, awakening showcases, and news bulletins. A crowd of people¡ªsome influencers in flashy clothing, some managers with desperate expressions¡ªbuzzed around the entrance. Inside, the atmosphere was even more chaotic. Rows of seating were filled with anxious visitors clutching number tags. Holographic displays floated above terminals, where facial recognition kiosks processed entries and assigned wait numbers. Assistants in green uniforms zipped around the circular lobby, guiding people and answering complaints. On one side of the vast room was a glass panel wall displaying a real-time data feed of viral videos across multiple cities. Victor and the boys grabbed their numbered tags¡ª The current number being served was #203. They groaned collectively. "This is gonna take forever," Jake muttered while looking for a seat. Chapter 110: Got Him! They found a spot in the corner beneath a glowing digital poster of a trending video. The hours crawled by as they sat, scrolled, and occasionally brainstormed more ideas. Victor''s stolen video, now reuploaded on the fake channel, had soared past 10 million views. The imposter had uploaded a fresh video, tearfully pleading with viewers to donate to a QFundMe, claiming his family was suffering from a rare illness. Thousands of donations were pouring in. Jake seethed. "He''s milking your fame for sympathy money!" They tried filing more reports on their devices, but the system only auto-responded. Danny kept muttering curses, and Max''s groaned each time the view count ticked higher. "We should have brought snacks," Max muttered after the third hour. Three hours soon turned into six. The seats were hard, the wait torturous. The digital board displaying the queue tag numbers was taking ages to move. Finally, a robotic voice called out that the office would be closing for the day. "You have to be kidding," Jake groaned. "After all that?" A worker stepped out. "Sorry, everyone. We''ll resume service first thing tomorrow morning. Please return then." Danny eyes twitched in annoyance as he stood up. "Nah. I''m not doing this." Victor tried to grab his arm. "Danny, wait." But it was too late. Danny activated one of his Berserker abilities. His body bulked up and his muscle mass tripled as his voice deepened with a slight rumble. "You guys are just gonna send us home after wasting half our day?" People screamed. A few workers got out of the way in fear while the manager at the side turned pale. "You''re... You''re an Awakened?" Danny leaned forward and grabbed the manager''s collar before lifting him up with a single hand. "Yeah. Now, fix his problem." Everything changed in an instant. "Right this way, please!" the manager stammered. "Would you all like something to drink? Water? Tea? Juice?" They were ushered into a private office, where a higher-ranked supervisor met them. Victor laid out the situation. His real channel. The imposter. The takedown. The fake account. The monetization. The Qfund Me scam. The supervisor sighed. "Yes, I see the channel. I''ve checked the reports. We''ve reviewed both claims thoroughly. I''m sorry, but the data on our end shows that this other individual has submitted matching biometric IDs and other verifying documentation." Danny exploded. "THE REAL ONE IS RIGHT HERE!" He pointed to Victor. "You''re looking at him!" The supervisor raised his hands. "Believe me, I understand. But my clearance only goes so far. You''ll need to take this to the Ytube Main Headquarters. I''ll draft a letter of escalation so you can present it there." Jake frowned. "Where is this headquarters located?" "Giltwave City." Victor froze. That was a different zone altogether. One that existed outside the mana-barrier boundaries of their city. "You do realize that unless you''re an MDC officer, academy student, or some big shot, we can''t even leave the city?" Max voice tinged with disbelief as he questioned. The supervisor shook his head. "I''m aware. But that''s protocol. I truly am sorry." "You know what would help?" Jake said sarcastically. "If you guys didn''t let people clone entire identities." The supervisor stood up and handed them a physical letter and a secure digital version. "Take this. If you do manage to get to Giltwave City, this will speed up the process. But until then, there''s not much more I can do. Unless, of course, the person impersonating you suddenly decides to delete the channel themselves." Danny gave a humorless laugh. "Yeah, and maybe pigs will fly tomorrow." Victor took the letter and held it tightly. - The sky was beginning to take on a golden hue as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Victor and the boys exited the Ytube branch, thoroughly frustrated. "This is ridiculous," Danny growled. "We came all the way here just to be told to go to another city?" "How is that guy still getting away with it?" Max muttered while kicking a small stone on the sidewalk. Victor rubbed his temples in frustration. "We don''t have the clearance to leave the city. Even if we did, we don''t have time to go chasing shadows. Academy resumes soon." Just then, a voice called out behind them. "Hey. You guys dealing with an impersonation issue?" They turned to see a lanky figure walking toward them. He had a mop of tousled green-dyed hair, square glasses with augmented lenses and a satchel full of gear slung over his shoulder. He looked young, maybe their age, wearing a black utility coat with digital circuit designs running along the sleeves. "I couldn''t help but overhear back at the Ytube office. .. you got an impersonator problem, right?" he asked casually. Victor narrowed his eyes. "You got a solution in that magic bag of yours?" The stranger grinned. "Only if you want to find out where this fraud is hiding." Victor raised an eyebrow with a skeptical look. "You expect me to believe that you can track him?" "Yes," the stranger said plainly. "I can." That made them pause. "Alright, talk," Jake said. They quickly found a nearby open-air cafe? with secluded booths and sat around a low table. The stranger wasted no time. He opened his bag and pulled out a few metallic devices and powered them. "Your phone?" He requested. Victor handed him his phone reluctantly, and the guy connected it to one of the devices. "What''s your name?" Jake questioned watching him work. "Just call me Techie," he replied without looking up. "Now, answer a few questions. Last known login on your account? Any private emails between you and Ytube? And show me the channel page of the imposter." Victor answered while Jake provided extra details. Max and Danny watched with wide eyes as screens flickered and scrolled rapidly. Code lines danced across the interface. Techie muttered to himself and tapped keys with extreme speed. He decrypted server paths, bypassed region locks, and even sent spoof signals to trace mirror servers. Victor leaned toward Max. "I don''t understand any of this." "Me neither," Max whispered. "I think I get half of what he''s doing," Jake added. "And it''s terrifying." After what felt like an hour, Techie suddenly leaned back and cracked his knuckles. "Got him." Chapter 111: Catching The Impersonator "Wait, what?" Victor blinked. "Yeah. His signal bounced a lot, but he''s in a building just three blocks from here. Third floor. Probably using stolen data, but the device signature matches the one used to upload the video yesterday." Victor stood up abruptly. "Then let''s go." Meanwhile, inside a dimly lit room cluttered with noodle cups, empty energy drink cans, and at least six different monitors displaying analytics, comments, and donation updates, the impersonator laughed to himself. "Fifty-five thousand credits already... idiots will believe anything." He slurped some noodles and leaned back in his chair, stretching¡ªuntil all the monitors flashed red. His eyes widened upon understanding the feedback he was getting. "No. No no no no no!" He bolted upright and quickly yanked wires, pulling down external SSDs, and stuffing them into a backpack alongside some strange looking device. He grabbed a burner phone and his wallet. Just as he flung the door open to flee, he heard footsteps on the stairs. He peeked around the corner and his face drained of color. Coming up the stairs with fire in his eyes was none other than the face of the person he had impersonated. "No... it can''t be..." the impersonator breathed. Victor locked eyes with him and noticed he was stepping out of the same floor techie mentioned. "Hey!" The impersonator spun around, leapt across the hallway, and without hesitation jumped out the window of the third floor. The impersonator hit the trash pile hard, sending banana peels and broken cans scattering. He groaned while trying to get to his feet, but the sound of approaching footsteps made him panic. He looked up the street, spotted a hover taxi slowing at the corner, and made a run for it. "TAXI! MOVE! DRIVE! NOW!" he yelled while throwing the door open and diving inside. However, Victor wasn''t far behind. He had leapt out from the third-floor window too, but unlike the impersonator, he used his Wind Arts to cushion and propel himself forward. The gust beneath his feet granted him more control and speed. Just as the hover taxi began to rise into the air, the vehicle jerked violently. The driver blinked in confusion. "It''s not moving. What the hell?" From behind, Victor''s fingers gripped the rear bumper. His eyes were cold and his expression unamused. "What... What is this guy?!" the impersonator panicked. With a snarl, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small, handheld zapper¡ªa tool used for self-defense. Cranking it to max, he shoved his arm out the window and jammed it into Victor''s shoulder. A searing jolt of electricity tore through Victor''s muscles, forcing his grip to loosen for a second. Gritting his teeth in pain, he fell back. "GO! GO! GO!" the impersonator screamed. The driver slammed the accelerator again, and the vehicle lurched forward¡ªonly to immediately halt with a violent screech. "What is it again?!" The impersonator turned around to spot a figure that was more than seven feet tall with bulging muscles and glowing red veins standing behind the vehicle. He had grabbed the back of the vehicle and was holding it down like a parent stopping a child from rolling away in a stroller. It was none other than Danny. Danny lifted the hover taxi sideways and tilted it until the impersonator tumbled out like trash from an overturned bin. He hit the ground with a yelp. Before he could run, Jake and Max pounced upon him and pinned him down. "We got him!" Victor got up slowly while shaking off the stinging sensation in his arm. "You okay?" Danny offered him a hand. "Yeah," Victor grunted. "Just pissed." The group looked around and noticed that a small crowd had started to gather. Some people took pictures while others murmured. Not wanting more attention, Jake signaled toward an alleyway nearby. "This way..." Minutes later, they were in a secluded back lot with the impersonator seated on the ground with his back against a wall, bruised and visibly terrified. His cheek was swollen from where Max had landed a punch, and his nose dripped blood. Danny knew he couldn''t be the one to do the heavy hitting or he''d bash the poor bastard''s skull in. "Okay, genius," Victor stepped towards him. "Start talking." The impersonator sniffled dramatically, still trying to play the victim. "L-Look, I''m sorry, okay?! I just wanted to test out my tech! I made this facial holographic projector... it was just for testing! I didn''t think it''d blow up like this!" Victor blinked. "You impersonated me. Built an entire channel off my identity. Collected donations. You hijacked everything I worked for." "I didn''t expect people to believe I was you that easily," the guy whimpered. "Then when the money started coming in, I couldn''t stop. It was too easy. I even put together authentic fake IDs to match the name... I''m sorry, man. Really." Danny cracked his knuckles. "How about we see if this zapper works on you next?" "N-no! Please! I''ll die!" The impersonator pleaded. "You don''t get to squirm your way out just by crying. You will delete that channel. You will refund those donations. And then you''re going to walk into a police station and turn yourself in," Victor stated with a cold tone. The impersonator looked horrified. "Or," Victor added, "I send this entire clip of what you just confessed to every news outlet, every investor, and every viewer who donated to your fake ass." Jake stepped forward with a phone in his hand. "Already recorded it. Live backed-up to the cloud." "But... but I was gonna delete it!" the impersonator said quickly. "I swear, I didn''t mean for it to go this far. Please, man, please don''t send me to jail. I''ll do everything! I''ll delete the channel, refund everything¡ª" "And what? Walk away?" Victor snapped. "Like you didn''t just commit multiple cybercrimes and fraud? Like you didn''t just try to take food off the plate of my widowed pregnant mother?" The impersonator fell to his knees. "I''ll be your slave! I''ll be your tech guy! Anything! Just... please don''t send me away. I can help you grow. I''m really good at this stuff. I can help make your channel go viral all the time!" Chapter 112: Back At The Palace Victor exchanged glances with Jake, Max, and Danny. "You do realize," Max voice while scratching his head, "that sounds like an anime villain''s redemption arc?" Jake crossed his arms. "Or a future betrayal waiting to happen." "I say we tie him up and snuff the life out of him," Danny muttered. "Man that''s too dark..." Jake muttered. Victor sighed and crouched down in front of the sniveling genius. "If you''re not lying... maybe you can be of some use... but you''re coming with us. First, we clean up the channel. Refund everything. Then, you''re helping me build it back up the right way. But one wrong move... and you''re done." The impersonator nodded furiously. "Yes! Yes! Absolutely! Thank you!" "Name?" Victor asked. "Uh... Ferris. Ferris Lang." "Ferris, you''re on thin ice." ... ... The impersonator, Ferris Lang, kept his word. With swollen cheeks and a bruised jaw from his earlier encounter with Victor and the boys, he sat before his camera, going live on what had now become one of the most-watched channels in the city. However, Victor let him do the live video not with his real face. "To everyone watching... I''m not who you think I am," he began with a low tone. "I''m a fraud. The real person behind the channel was never me. I impersonated someone else using technology I created. The real hero, the real awakened who saved those kids and that hoverbus, is Victor. Not me." The comments section exploded. Ferris explained how he had built a tech device capable of creating 100% realistic digital clones of real individuals. He had chosen Victor simply because of the buzz around him and saw it as a way to gain traction. After his full confession, he took things further¡ªhe refunded all donations, shut down his QFundMe, and deleted the channel. In Ferris apartment, Victor was watching everything unfold on his fresh new channel. He''d started again from scratch, but Ferris helped re-upload the previous videos, complete with their original titles and metadata. Ferris even optimized the search tags and performed some back-end tweaks to make the channel more visible, which meant Victor''s rise back to the top would be much faster. Victor confiscated the tech device Ferris had used for the impersonation¡ª It was a palm-sized processor wired to a projection lens and biometric layer scanner. It had a small brightly lit interface screen and internal cache with Victor''s entire likeness loaded. Victor stared at Ferris as he slid the device into his pocket. "I''m sparing you today," Victor said coolly. "But if I ever catch wind of you pulling something like this again... your days of freedom are over." Ferris gulped and nodded furiously. As they were packing up to leave his hideout, the boys noticed several other gadgets and mini-machines lined across the shelves and tables¡ªrepulsion boots, cloaking modules, even what looked like a one-time use portable drone jammer. Max whistled. "You could make a fortune with this stuff." Jake added, "Ever thought about getting a legit job, or going to a tech uni?" Ferris shrugged while scratching the back of his head. "I... never thought anyone would take me seriously." Danny clapped him hard on the back. "Well, you''ve got talent. Don''t waste it being an online menace." Victor turned as he reached the door. "I''ll be in touch. When I run into tech problems... you''ll be the first I contact." They all exited the building, and downstairs waiting near a post was the young hacker who had made this entire takedown possible¡ªTechie. He leaned against a wall while twirling a compact disk between his fingers and grinning under his metallic glasses. "Appreciate the help, man," Jake said. "You saved our necks," Max added. Victor stepped forward. "So... how much do I owe you?" Techie flicked the disk into the air, caught it, and stuffed it into his coat. "Already paid for." Before they could ask further, he gave a casual two-finger salute, turned, and vanished into the alleys. "What?" Victor didn''t even get to ask him who paid for it before he vanished. Later that night, Victor lay sprawled on his bed with his eyes closed as his mind replayed the rollercoaster of a day. From confronting an impersonator to fixing his public image, it was exhausting. His new channel was gaining rapid traction again¡ªsubscribers flowing in, views ticking up like a slot machine on a win streak. He was finally getting the recognition he deserved, and this time, everything was fully locked down. His biometrics, ID verification, and even a DNA-authenticator plug-in had been added. No one was going to impersonate him again. Victor glanced at the screen. Over 1,400,000 views already. Comments poured in. Some had seen his face earlier but hadn''t believed the imposter story. Others now praised his humility and strength for keeping calm through it all. He smiled. But this wasn''t the only world he had. His eyes drifted toward the gaming helmet in the corner. Ascendant Realms. He hadn''t logged in for over two days now. He had left with things at a very critical point inside the game and it was time to finally return. He stood up, walked over to the helmet, and slipped it on. "It''s time to return," he whispered. ... ... Victor vision stabilized as he found himself exactly where he had logged off¡ªwithin the Azure Moon Seclusion Chambers. The chamber remained as eerily quiet and peaceful as before, but Victor could feel it; the difference between his body in the real world and his body in the game. His long white hair draped down to his back, catching the subtle flickers of moonlight pouring through the frosted ceiling. Every breath he took felt lighter and every step brimmed with dormant strength. The Void Emperor Bloodline came with a sensation of power that he hadn''t fully grasped yet. His footsteps echoed softly as he stepped out of the chamber and walked along the marbled pathways of the palace. The sheer scale of the place made it easy to get lost, and though maids and guard passed by occasionally, none stopped him. Most likely, they assumed he was some honored guest given his robes and striking appearance. Victor tried to locate the main palace hall but had little luck. The Azure Moon Palace sprawled endlessly, and without a guide, it was almost a maze. As he wandered, a pair of sharp eyes from a distant corridor widened in recognition. The figure¡ªa young palace aide¡ªhurriedly turned and sprinted towards the palace hall. It wasn''t long before a contingent of palace guards arrived and surrounded Victor. He raised a brow as they fanned out around him. "We need you to come with us to the main hall," one of them voiced with his hand on the hilt of his blade. "You folks lost your manners again?" Chapter 113 113: World Quest Unlocked Victor sighed. "That''s where I was heading. And you might want to lower the hostility." There was an awkward silence before the guards eased their stances. Victor followed them through winding paths until the grand golden doors of the main hall stood before him. The guards stepped aside as he entered. Inside, City Lord Xuan Wenzhou sat atop a large throne, flanked by ministers and advisors. The moment he saw Victor, his face broke into a rare smile. "Fang Chen! I never thought you would return," the City Lord exclaimed. "It has been over eight moons since your disappearance." Victor didn''t waste time. "Why did you try to keep me here last time?" The City Lord nodded toward his advisor. The elderly man stepped forward and unrolled an ancient scroll before handing it to Victor. Victor studied it. The drawing was aged and the ink look faded. It showed a robed figure dragging a serpentine beast into what looked like a celebration. The architecture in the background matched the palace. Victor frowned. "Okay? You tried to prevent me from leaving because of a bad painting?" Xuan Wenzhou shook his head solemnly. "Not a painting. A prophecy." As he spoke, a system notification flashed across Victor''s vision: [Incoming Quest...] The City Lord began to narrate with a burdened tone. "Ten thousand years ago, one of my ancestors saved a group of cultivators¡ªwanderers who practiced a rare Dao of foresight and karma. In return, they revealed a prophecy." Victor listened intently as the hall grew quiet. "The doom of Blueflame City, they said, would come in one of three ways. The first: an unavoidable destruction one hundred thousand years from then. Certain doom. The second: my daughter, or rather one of my descendants, entering the Bloodshade Hunting Grounds and dying, triggering events that would bring ruin. And the third¡ªthe most curious one." He gestured to the scroll. "A rogue cultivator would one day bring a Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent to one of my descendants'' birthdays. Should that happen, the city would have only one year left. However..." Another advisor stepped forward before adding, "They claimed that this very rogue cultivator, the one who brings the beast, would also be the city''s salvation¡ªif he accepts the burden." Victor stared at the painting again. It was crude, but the figure did vaguely resemble him. A slender frame, long hair, dragging a bound serpent. He could see why they thought it might be him. "Still not convinced it''s me," Victor said. "That could be anyone with good hair and a snake." Xuan Wenzhou chuckled tiredly. "We didn''t act solely on this. When we saw you heal the serpent, the pattern of events... it aligned too closely." Victor glanced at the notification again. It hadn''t displayed the quest yet which meant there was more. "One year until potential destruction?" He folded the scroll and stared at the city Lord. "Fine. Suppose I believe this. What now?" The City Lord met his eyes. "Now, you decide whether you will help us or not. If you do, we will give you access to resources, support, and information related to the doom. But if you choose not to..." Victor arched a brow. "You''ll kill me?" Wenzhou shook his head. "No. The prophecy said your survival was critical... but do you really wish to ignore and watch doom befall a city that ushered you in and showed you hospitality?" Victor rubbed his temples. "Hospitality by keeping me hostage." "I do apologise for that but it is a dire situation," the City Lord stated. Xuan Wenzhou rose slowly from his throne with his hands clasped behind his back as he turned his gaze out of the vast arched window. "You deserve to know everything now," he voiced in a tone far heavier than before. Victor listened intently. "To the west of Blueflame City," the City Lord began, "past the great fire blossom valley, lies an ancient grove. It is shrouded in mist and untouched by man or beast for hundreds of thousands of years. We call it the Hollow Verdant, but its true name has long been erased from records." Victor arched a brow, listening intently. "Deep within the grove lies a sealed gate. Not one that leads to another city or realm, but to a pocket dimension. A prison of sorts." He turned to face Victor. "It houses the remnants of a nightmare. Crazed immortal cultivators, corrupted by forbidden arts. They were once among the most revered in the continent, powerful enough to rewrite the very laws of cultivation. But their ambition drove them mad. They began sacrificing cities, devouring spiritual veins, and raising abominations." Victor swallowed. "And someone stopped them?" "Yes," the City Lord said. "The great cultivators of that era united. Among them stood the Void Emperor himself. They couldn''t kill the corrupted ones. So instead, they sealed them and their monstrous creations in that pocket dimension." Victor''s gaze drifted to the scroll in his hands. "And you''re saying... that gate is about to open?" "In a year''s time, yes." The City Lord sighed. "The seal has been weakening for millennia. Your appearance confirms what the ancient watchers had feared¡ªthe final unraveling has begun." Victor had a slightly puzzled expression. "But surely, with the resources and strength of Blueflame City, you could stop them, right?" That was when the City Lord laughed. "You misunderstand. The most powerful cultivator in our city is Lord Bai Jin of the Four Flames Sect. He recently stepped into the Immortal Ascension Realm." Victor''s breath caught. That was four levels above where he currently was. "The ones behind that gate? They''re far beyond even the Immortal Ascension Realm. They''re monsters who defied the heavens. It would take a Heavenly Saint Realm cultivator to match them¡ªa level we haven''t reached in five centuries." Victor''s brow furrowed. "But other empires? Other cities? They wouldn''t just sit idle if the world was in danger, would they?" "Of course not," the City Lord said. "But politics and pride cloud judgement. They will only act once they see the destruction with their own eyes. And by then... Blueflame City will already be ashes." Victor stared at the floor while piecing it together. "So what stops you from sending cultivators to the grove to strengthen the seal?" Wenzhou proceeded to explain. "The grove rejects all the presence of all but the Void Emperor''s essence. We have tried sending our most devout cultivators, but they are pushed back violently and some even lost their minds." "You recently just awakened the Void Emperor''s bloodline which had been lost for a very long time..." the City Lord added. "Then that means I''m the only one who can enter the grove..." A low chime echoed in Victor''s mind at this moment. [New World Quest Unlocked] [ Title: "Doom''s Edge: The Grove of Sealed Fate" ] [ Duration: 1 Year ] ''Hmm another one year quest...'' Victor voiced internally. [ Objective: Visit The Hollow Verdant, uncover the nature of the failing seal, repair and strengthen seal. ] [ Sub-Objectives: Survive the Ancient Grove''s Trials ] [ Warning: Failing this quest will result in the destruction of Blueflame City ] Victor let the notification fade from his vision. His fingers closed slowly around the scroll. "You want me to save your city by repairing the seal..." Chapter 114 114: Quest Accepted City Lord Wenzhou bowed his head slightly. "That is what fate has laid before you." Victor let out a slow breath. "Then I suppose I better start preparing." [ Quest Accepted ] The moment the quest had been accepted, a system timer appeared in the corner of his vision, counting down in seconds. One year. Three hundred and sixty-five days to prevent the fall of Blueflame City and stop the seal from breaking. It felt like a ticking bomb attached to his soul. But Victor wasn''t one to feel pressured. "A year''s too long," he muttered under his breath. "If I can just learn how to reinforce the seal, I can wrap this up before that timer even gets halfway." He had barely said this when City Lord Xuan Wenzhou, who stood a few steps ahead let out a faint chuckle. "You''re ambitious. But don''t underestimate the ancient grove, Fang Chen. The power that lingers there isn''t something your current strength can withstand." Victor arched brow in confusion. Didn''t he just say only a cultivator with the Void Emperor Bloodline could enter the grove? The city lord proceeded to further explain; "The Void Emperor Bloodline... though awakened, yours is still in its early stages. It will grow with you, but right now, the grove would reject you just as it would anyone else." Victor sighed while rubbing the back of his head. "Then what now?" "You will be given resources," the City Lord replied. "Access to our cultivation halls, treasures, and a tutor from the largest sect in Blueflame City¡ªViolet Spring Sect. Elder Mo, one of their guiding elders, will personally offer guidance and assist you when needed." That caught Victor''s attention. "You''re serious?" "We''re not about to sit idle while the end creeps closer," Wenzhou answered, before waving his hand. "You''ll be treated as a special guest of the city and of the sect. But remember, Fang Chen... the salvation of this city lies with you." The moment Victor stepped out of the main palace, a new set of thoughts flooded his mind. He pulled open his quest log and his gaze landed on another timer. [Return to Lingyun Town] Time Remaining: 9 Months, 2 Days, 13 Hours Victor scoffed. "Figures. Why do I keep getting these long-term death sentence quests?" He hadn''t taken more than ten steps from the palace when something huge slithered by his side. He turned¡ªand there she was. Xuan Qing, grinning like the sun itself, with the Mythical Shadow-Eyed Moon Serpent crawling right behind her. The serpent''s scales glimmered under rays of the moonlight and unlike its usual wildness, it''s eyes currently looked calm. "Fang Chen!" she squealed. Before he could brace himself, she flung herself into his arms and wrapped her hands around his neck before planting a quick peck on his cheek. "You''re back! Where did you go?! I thought you ran away!" Victor brain froze when the scent of her perfume wafted into his nostrils. "Uh..." It was mesmerising... not to mention that her skin was smooth to the point that it didn''t even make sense. ''The women in Ascendant realms are leagues above real life women...'' She didn''t give him a chance to speak. "You won''t believe it¡ªI tamed the serpent! It actually likes me now! Look!" She gestured to the beast like a child showing off a pet. Victor blinked. "Yeah... I see it." "Where are you going?" she pouted. "I''ve got a lot on my plate right now. Stuff to do. World-saving business." Her lips pursed. "You always have something. Hmph. You better come visit again." Victor chuckled while turning away. "Not sure I''ll be able to avoid that." With a few scrolls of cultivation techniques tucked under his arm, Victor made his way to the Violet Spring Sect. It didn''t take long before he arrived at its massive gates. Tall stone archways were laced with golden carvings. Inscribed symbols throbbed faintly with qi, and uniformed disciples moved about in disciplined ranks. Victor stepped forward and was immediately stopped by a pair of stern-looking disciples in purple-lined robes. "Outsiders are not permitted beyond this point," one said sharply. Victor pulled out the jade token bearing the seal of City Lord Wenzhou and held it up. "I''m here to see Elder Mo." Their expressions shifted. The second disciple took the token, examined it, and quickly returned it with both hands. "My apologies, honored guest. Please follow me." Inside, the Violet Spring Sect was practically a small city of its own. Incredibly tall pagodas were structured across training grounds. Gardens infused with spiritual energy were being tended to by disciples meditating while floating in midair. The robes varied by rank¡ªgrey with purple linings for outer court disciples, full violet for inner court, and golden-lined purple for core disciples. Victor spotted players as well. Their floating name tags had given them away but he wasn''t familiar with any of them. A few nodded politely in passing, while others simply walked by, too engrossed in whatever task or mission they were handling. Eventually, the disciple leading him guided him to a serene courtyard ringed by plum trees in full bloom. The faint scent of floral fragrance wafted through the air. In the center stood a meditation platform and a small pond with its waters unnaturally still. "He will be with you shortly," the disciple bowed before disappearing through a side passage. Victor waited. And waited. And waited some more. By the time a rustle of robes sounded behind him, Victor was nearly bored out of his mind. The air shifted. He sat up straight as a tall, lean man with silver streaks in his black hair stepped into view. His violet robe shimmered with formations sewn into the fabric itself, and an ornamental jade sword rested at his hip. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Victor with a gaze sharp as a blade. "Young Fang Chen," the man finally spoke. "You are the one the city lord mentioned." Victor stood and offered a nod. "Elder Mo, I presume." The elder studied him for a few moments longer before stepping into the courtyard fully. "Let us see," Elder Mo voiced before sitting down cross-legged on the platform. "Whether the one fated to carry the Void Emperor''s legacy is worth the title." Chapter 115 115: Bloodline Resonance Technique Victor eyes narrowed. "You want to test me?" The elder smiled faintly. "I want to know if you''re worth my time." [ New Objective: Impress Elder Mo ] It wasn''t exactly vague but Victor really wondered why he had to impress this elder when they were the ones who needed him. "And what if I''m not worth your time? What if I don''t wish to partake in your test?" Victor inquired. "Then you''ll have to find yourself another elder to train you. If the fate of this city lies upon the shoulders of an incompetent cultivator, I''d rather not waste my time indulging them," Elder Mo stated while stroking his beard. ''Quite the character... someone who can defy the city lord if he wishes to...'' Victor voiced internally. He decided not to stress it. Now was as good a time as any to test his new bloodline abilities. With a slow breath, he activated Chrono Echo. <[ Bloodline Channeling Is In Progress ]> A translucent afterimage of himself separated from his body and stood beside him, mirroring his movements a second later like a delayed phantom. "Not bad," Fang Chen muttered. Next, he activated Void Cloak and wrapped his qi around a bunch of leaves falling from the tree up ahead. In the next moment, they vanished. The leaves had turned completely invisible. And next he unsheathed Phantom''s Dusk. In the next moment, he activated Shadow Crescent Strike, launching a curving blade of dark energy into the air. It sliced through the air as its edge crackled with silent lethality while Victor''s face displayed a look of focus. He stretched his fingers forward and wrapped his Qi around it, activating Void Cloak on the technique itself. The crescent vanished mid-air. A second later, the energy reappeared dozens of meters to the left and slashed straight through a thick tree trunk, cleaving it clean in half. Fang Chen lowered the sword slowly while breathing out profusely. Behind him, Elder Mo stepped forward while stroking his beard with a thoughtful look. "Not only did you cloak your attack with Void energy, you shifted it to another position entirely," Elder Mo remarked. "Spatial redirection and cloaking combined... very impressive." Fang Chen offered a nod. "Just testing things out." [ Objective Complete: Impress Elder Mo ] [ Reward: 20,000 Wisps of Qi, +5 strength, +3 Perception ] "You''ll start training tomorrow morning," Elder Mo said. "Be prepared. I don''t tolerate sloth." That night, Victor was assigned his own courtyard. Though he wasn''t a disciple of the sect, the City Lord had pulled strings to ensure he was treated like a core disciple. His room was spacious, with flowing silk curtains and crystal lanterns that adjusted their brightness according to the hour. There was even a small private cultivation chamber behind the residence. He sat cross-legged in the chamber and activated his bloodline once more. Elder Mo had instructed him to attempt increasing the integration of his Void Emperor bloodline before training began in the morning. It wasn''t a request... it was a challenge. His skin glowed faintly like a reminiscent of moonlight, and arrow-shaped marks spread across his arms, back, and chest. The familiar weightless sensation coursed through his limbs. Victor focused, trying to deepen his bond with the Void Emperor Bloodline. The integration sat at 3%. For the next several hours, he pushed himself, trying to increase the percentage. Sweat beaded across his brow, and the spiritual energy in the air slowly thinned as he pulled every trace into his body. Yet after all his effort, it barely made any difference. [ Void Emperor Bloodline Integration: 3.1% ] He collapsed backwards while panting. "This is going to be arduous..." --- Morning came too soon. Victor arrived at the designated training platform, surrounded by smoothened dark pillars and floating stone platforms. Elder Mo stood at the center with his arms behind his back. "You look like you got run over by a spirit beast," the old man remarked. "Integration only moved 0.1%," Fang Chen muttered. "Expected," Elder Mo replied. "Integration isn''t something that can be brute-forced. But I will teach you a technique that will help speed up your bloodline integration. It''s not tailored for your Void Emperor Bloodline specifically, but it works for all bloodlines." Fang Chen''s eyes narrowed. "What is it called?" Elder Mo stepped forward and drew a circle in the air with his finger. Faint runes hovered in the trail. "This technique is called the Bloodline Resonance Technique. It''s ancient and obscure, but very effective. However, it''s divided into four stages. Each stage is a challenge on its own." Victor tilted his head. "What''s the catch?" Elder Mo smiled. "The catch is simple. If your bloodline isn''t strong enough to handle the first stage, your body might implode from the resonance backlash." Victor blinked. "Ah. Lovely." "But you''ll be fine," Elder Mo added with a grin. "You''re the Void Emperor''s successor, after all. Aren''t you supposed to be more durable than the rest of us mere mortals?" Victor gave a dry laugh. "You have too much faith in me." "You''ll practice the first stage here. You must learn to listen to your bloodline. Feel its pulse. Its echo. Sync with it and the spatial field around you. Once you do, the first stage of resonance will begin." Notifications appeared in his line of sight: [ Initiating: Bloodline Resonance Technique ¨C Stage One ] [ Warning: Failure may result in backlash. Proceed with caution. ] The first layer required Fang Chen to sit in the center of a vast circle carved into the platform that was covered in complex ancient runes. Victor sat down once again and crossed his legs. Elder Mo placed three stones around him. "These are void attunement crystals. They resonate with spatial frequencies. Use them to begin syncing your rhythm." Victor took a deep breath, then another, and then let his mind descend. Into the blood. Into the echoing void. Breath. Heartbeat. Thoughts. In. Out. Thump. Clear. Victor followed the same process repeatedly until he once more found his consciousness surrounded by pitch black... Only a faint outline could be made out within this darkness. Chapter 116 116: Third Stage The moment Victor''s consciousness dipped into the void, it was as if he had entered an endless night. No stars. No light. Nothing. Only the familiar rhythmic echo of his heartbeat reminded him that he was still tethered to reality. Then... a faint outline appeared in the distance. It was like smoke at first¡ªunreal, formless¡ªbut slowly, it condensed into something humanoid, although it never fully took shape. And from Victor''s being, a single, thin strand of spiritual thread extended. It moved on its own, following an unknown law, connecting directly to the faint silhouette before him. [DING! First Stage of Bloodline Resonance Technique Successfully Completed.] Victor''s eyes flew open. He expected daylight, maybe mid-morning. But instead, the deep orange hue of twilight had faded into indigo, stars dotting the sky above. He rubbed his eyes and looked ahead. Elder Mo was floating a few feet above the ground in a lotus position with his robe fluttering slightly as though caught in a breeze that only answered to him. Elder Mo''s eyes opened at this moment. "You''re already back?" he questioned while tilting his head slightly. "Hmph. That was... considerably fast. For someone just beginning bloodline integration, I had expected you to remain in that state for at least four full days." Victor exhaled slowly. "Felt like minutes." "Time is relative during internal cultivation," Elder Mo said as he gracefully floated down and landed soundlessly. "Still, the fact that you returned before sunset fell too deeply is a testament your potential. Most cultivators would still be struggling to find the thread." At that moment, a servant girl approached¡ªrobed in blue and white sect attire. She held a tray. Resting on it were several bottles and dishes¡ªelixirs, energy supplements, and fruits imbued with spiritual energy. Victor thanked her with a nod and began consuming the elixirs without delay. The moment they slid down his throat, he felt bursts of heat and clarity pulse through his meridians. Elder Mo clasped his hands behind his back. "Eat well. You''ll need the energy. The second stage is where many cultivators stumble. The connection is formed in the first. But in the second... the bloodline begins to test you." Victor raised an eyebrow. "Test me?" "Not in words or visions," Elder Mo said. "But in resistance. Your very being will be challenged. You must push deeper¡ªforce your soul to call out your bloodline''s resonance again, but this time hold it, stabilize it. Don''t just connect. Harmonize." After finishing his meal, Victor followed Elder Mo''s instructions. He reentered meditation. Again, the black void greeted him, but this time he didn''t hesitate. He focused on the thread, found the silhouette, and this time, his spiritual thread began to wrap around it. There was resistance¡ªa push and pull, like trying to bind flames with thread. But Victor persisted, keeping his breathing steady and his will unwavering. It hurt. His head throbbed. His limbs trembled. Even in the spiritual plane, he felt his body struggling to hold on. The pressure was mounting, and a sharp, suffocating pain lanced through his chest. But finally, the struggle ceased. The thread solidified, and the silhouette dimmed into Victor''s core. [DING! Second Stage of Bloodline Resonance Technique Successfully Completed.] Victor slumped forward, barely catching himself on one elbow. His robes were soaked in sweat, and his breathing was ragged. This time, two full days had passed. Elder Mo stepped forward with a slight smirk. "Now that... was more like it." Victor wiped his brow. "So what''s next?" Elder Mo''s face grew serious. "The third stage is... different. It''s less about synchronization and more about manifestation. You must call forth a projection of your bloodline¡ªformless as it is¡ªand manifest it into this realm. Even if only briefly. That essence will determine how easily the final stage comes to you. And... it will awaken something within you." Victor frowned. "Manifest it? How do I do that if I''ve never seen its true form?" "You don''t need to. You let it show you." Victor understood this would be unlike anything he had done before. As he sat once more, feeling the soft breeze and the vibration of spiritual energy in the air, he let his bloodline stir. His skin once again glowed faintly with mythical light. White arrows of energy etched into his arms like celestial ink. The stars in the sky seemed to pulse in harmony. As he closed his eyes to begin the third stage, the air around him rippled¡ªand Elder Mo watched silently. "Let us see what form your bloodline takes, Fang Chen..." Victor inhaled slowly... In... Out... Thump... Clear... The darkness of his mindscape returned, stretching endlessly around him. But this time, the faint outline in the blackness throbbed more steadily, as though responding to him now. Then... a ripple. Something stirred in the void. Without warning, light erupted from the outline. Threads of space tore open within the darkness, forming fragmented images of constellations spiraling, folding into themselves. Stars were being consumed and reborn in bursts of brilliant white and silver. It was like witnessing the birthing of galaxies from an impossible distance. The form that emerged from this cosmic chaos wasn''t a creature. It was a being with long flowing hair, a coat of celestial silver flames surrounding his body. The being''s stature was 100% similar to the same silhouette Victor had seen when his bloodline was awakening. Only that this time, he was much clearer. His hands were outstretched, and in one palm was a flickering sphere of compressed space. In the other, a time dial spun endlessly. His face still could not be seen¡ªonly those eyes. Those bottomless voids. Victor''s connection to this presence felt stronger now. The blood in his veins vibrated, recognizing its source. The third stage required more than just willpower¡ªit needed identity. "Who are you?" the voice asked¡ªnot Elder Mo''s. It was the presence before him. The presence of the Void emperor. Victor hesitated. He had asked himself that question many times. Was he Victor Revenant, the awkward, funny, broken gamer from a endangered city? Or was he Fang Chen, the rogue cultivator with an awakened bloodline within a fantasy game that allowed him to use its power in reality? "I''m... both." He stood upright in the void. "I am who I choose to be. And I choose to defy fate despite not being an awakened." Chapter 117 117: Brewing Trouble The quiet murmur of the sect''s courtyard buzzed with the usual sound of rustling robes, passing disciples, and distant clashing of swords. But within the shaded confines of the Inner Court''s meditation pavilion, a whisper was brewing¡ªone that was about to take root and stir trouble. Lian Yu, a young serving girl dressed in the sect''s sky-blue attendant robes, stood near one of the open corridors where a cluster of inner court disciples were lounging in relaxed conversation. Her eyes darted about, ensuring Elder Mo wasn''t within earshot, nor any of the senior stewards, before she leaned closer with a slightly smug expression curling her lips. "You won''t believe what I''ve been seeing for the past few days," she began in a hushed but deliberate tone¡ªloud enough to draw attention but soft enough to feel like a secret. A few of the disciples glanced at her, more out of curiosity than genuine interest. Then a broad-shouldered young man named Xu Tao¡ªwell known for his ambition and his frustrations about being overlooked for core disciple selection¡ªturned toward her. "Well, go on then," his voice tinged with mock amusement. "What sacred truth have you uncovered now, Lian Yu?" She leaned in with a dramatic whisper. "I saw Elder Mo himself giving personal instruction to a cultivator that isn''t even a disciple of the sect." This revelation earned raised brows and suddenly more attentive gazes. "What?" "You heard me," she voiced while straightening with arms crossed. "And not just that. This outsider¡ªhe''s got his own private courtyard, he''s treated like a core disciple, and Elder Mo told me personally to deliver spirit elixirs to him... which, might I add, were meant for elite training only." There was a moment of stunned silence. "Impossible," muttered another disciple. "Elder Mo hasn''t taken a personal student in over a decade." "He even turned down Yun Fei last year!" Xu Tao hissed. "She''s been training endlessly just to make core rank." "I''m telling you what I saw," Lian Yu shrugged. "Long white hair, handsome, strange robes, clearly not from our sect. He''s got some connection to the City Lord, I think. I heard rumors." Now the disciples were fully attentive. A few exchanged glances with sour expressions growing across their faces. In a sect where progression meant prestige and cultivation resources, favoritism¡ªespecially for an outsider¡ªwas the ultimate offense. "If what you say is true..." one girl muttered, "...then all the effort we''ve poured into gaining Elder Mo''s favor is meaningless." Xu Tao''s jaw clenched. "No one gets to jump the queue. I don''t care whose token he has." "I thought you should all know," Lian Yu said sweetly before brushing her long dark hair behind one ear. And with that, she bowed gently and slipped away. Behind her, angry murmurs had begun. "We can''t allow such injustice take root..." "We must report this to the other elders..." ... ... Meanwhile... "I''m... both." He stood upright in the void. "I am who I choose to be. And I choose to defy fate despite not being an awakened." The moment those words left his lips, the space around him fractured like glass being struck by sound. Each shard reflected him differently¡ªyoung, old, broken, victorious. But all of them fused again into one form: his current self. From his chest, a symbol emerged. An ancient emblem shaped like overlapping rings of light and shadow¡ªthe seal of the Void Emperor. It glowed on his skin, etching itself like a brand on his spirit. A moment later, he opened his eyes. The sky had long turned to night. Victor''s pure white hair swayed slightly in the breeze as a light mist floated around him. His cultivation robes were soaked in sweat, but his face bore the calmness of a sea untouched by storm. Elder Mo slowly descended. "You''ve completed the third stage. That... was faster than expected." Victor blinked. "How long?" "Three days," Elder Mo replied. Victor''s stomach tightened. He hadn''t logged out in six whole days. That meant nearly two full days in the real world. He was supposed to check on his mother... and everything else. "I need to go." ... ... Minutes later, Victor slowly opened his eyes to the familiar ceiling of his bedroom after taking his VR helmet off. He exhaled deeply and took a moment to adjust, blinking away the blurry remnants of the game world. The sensation of being Fang Chen¡ªVoid Emperor bloodline and all¡ªstill clung to his body like a second skin. He stretched and got out of bed before moving toward the mirror. His white-and-black hair still stuck out like a sore thumb. "Still weird," he muttered with a half-smile. He exited his room and found his mom already preparing breakfast. The aroma of eggs and sizzling butter greeted him warmly. "Morning, Vic," his mom said upon noticing him walk in. Her eyes flicked up to his hair, and she tilted her head with an amused look. "Still not used to this anime look of yours." Victor laughed. "Yeah, it''s growing on me though. Literally." He helped around the house, doing the laundry, fixing a leaky tap in the bathroom, and using little bursts of qi here and there to speed up cleaning. Afterwards, he noticed his mom staring at the portrait of his father after serving their breakfast. He reached out towards her from behind and hugged her. She patted his hand softly while making sniffling sounds. "I promise to do my best to fill the void Father left," he whispered. "Oh my dear boy... that isn''t something a sixteen year old should be trying to do..." she slowly turned around and pulled his head into her bosom. "I don''t want you to grow up too fast... you''re still a kid and I want you to act like a kid. Promise me you won''t try to take on more than you can handle," she held his hands with a loving gaze. ''A little too late for that now...'' He said internally but smiled at his mother. "I promise." After they ate, he returned to his room and flopped on the bed before pulling up his phone to check his channel. His videos had already gained a couple million views. Not as crazy as the raw footage of the bus save, but still impressive. Monetization was now fully in place. His dashboard reflected earnings growing steadily across all his content. He smiled. Victor went into his folder and uploaded another prepared clip, one he had recorded over a week ago but hadn''t gotten around to posting. The clip was well-edited and contained some cool moments from jumping around the city. After scheduling the post, he noticed a blinking mail icon. With an expression of curiosity, he tapped it and found a surprise waiting for him. Chapter 118 118: Brand Deals With an expression of curiosity, he tapped it and found a surprise waiting for him. Three different emails. All brand deals. "No way," Victor eyes lit up. The first email was from a company that made smart wristbands for gamers and fitness enthusiasts. They wanted Victor to make a video of himself using their gear, demonstrating how it tracked real-life data and synced with gaming profiles. The second was from a nutritional company selling a mana-infused energy drink that worked well for both normal humans and awakened. Again, they wanted product placement and a short feature video. Both were generous offers, and Victor didn''t hesitate to click "Accept" on each one. He was excited because he was going to receive the products for free and afterwards he could get started on the ads. It was a new experience, but the idea of earning from it made things even more thrilling. Then he opened the third email¡ªand nearly dropped his phone. A high-end fashion brand, well-known throughout the city, wanted him to come to their studio in person. The email included a formal invite and mentioned compensation of three million credits for a modeling campaign. All they needed was for him to show up, take some photos in their outfits, and potentially record a short video segment. "Three million?" he repeated out loud, stunned. He immediately thought of his mom and the baby coming soon. With that amount, he could hire a live-in housekeeper, upgrade their apartment, or even start putting aside money for future medical bills. A small smile victorious smile appeared on his face. This was everything he needed. He typed a swift reply accepting the offer, added his contact details, and made sure to pin the appointment date. He opened the group chat. Victor: GUYS. You won''t believe this. BRAND DEALS. Jake: Yo?! Already?! Max: Money moves?? Danny: Someone get this man a crown. Victor proceeded to explain the three offers, attaching the links and breakdowns of the endorsements. Victor: I''m diving back into the game now. Still gotta finish learning the Bloodline Resonance Technique. Jake: Don''t forget us little people when you''re famous. Victor: Never. He chuckled and tossed his phone to the side. A wave of satisfaction washed over him. Everything was lining up better than he could have imagined. He was securing his future both in reality and inside Ascendant Realms. Laying back and pulling on his VR gear again, Victor let the connection establish. The interface filled his view, and the familiar prompt appeared. [Welcome back, Fang Chen.] With a flash, his surroundings shifted. He was back in the Violet Springs Sect. Chambers. He took in a breath and opened his system menu. [Objective: Complete the final stage of Bloodline Resonance Technique] "Let''s do this," Victor muttered and went to find Elder Mo. ... ... Elder Mo stood beside a glowing runic circle etched into the middle of the courtyard with arms folded behind his back as he regarded Fang Chen with a solemn gaze. The early rays of morning bathed the entire sect in a golden hue, yet the gravity of Elder Mo''s words settled like lead. "The fourth and final stage of the Bloodline Resonance Technique," Elder Mo voiced with a deep tone, "must begin at nightfall. It is not merely tradition but necessity. The natural alignment of qi under moonlight allows your bloodline to properly respond. Any earlier, and you would fail before you even start." Victor nodded while committing the details to memory. Nightfall was still many hours away, which left him with nothing to do in the meantime. Elder Mo waved him off with a flick of his sleeve. "Rest. Walk. Explore the sect if you must. Return at sundown, and we shall begin." Victor decided to take Elder Mo''s suggestion to heart. The sect grounds were expansive, even more so than he expected. Majestic pavilions towered around elegant courtyards, filled with disciples in colored robes depending on their rank. As Victor strolled past training fields and meditation halls, a name tag hovered into view. It was another player. "Yo," the player greeted while walking casually with a sword strapped to his back. He had a confident gait and his avatar was dressed like an inner court disciple with his full violet robes. His name read [CrimsonPickle]. Victor blinked at the name. "CrimsonPickle?" "Don''t judge. Random generator. Anyway... You''re probably the new guy I''ve been hearing about. You got the whole core disciple deal without climbing through the ranks." Victor tilted his head. "Huh? I''m just here for the meantime though... I''m guessing word travels fast." "In sects like this? Gossip is cultivation fuel. Listen, just be careful. NPCs in this game are next-level. Like, hold-a-grudge-for-fifty-years level. Getting core disciple perks without passing the Entry Trials or competition? That''s like tossing a beehive at your face." Victor chuckled. "I''ll keep that in mind." "If anyone tries to rough you up, just holler. I run with a small crew of players, and we watch out for each other." They chatted briefly before CrimsonPickle excused himself for a mission he had scheduled. Victor thanked him and continued his tour. He passed elegant libraries, a glowing lotus pond, and even an arena where a sparring session between two core disciples shook the very ground. Everything felt alive, charged with qi and ancient purpose. Hours passed like moments. Unfortunately, the sect was a maze. With the sun beginning to dip behind the mountains, Victor realized he had wandered far from the core disciple area. He turned to retrace his steps when he found himself at the edge of a large courtyard filled with violet-robed disciples. The Inner Court. "You lost, stranger?" someone called out. Victor turned to see two inner court disciples stepping toward him with cocky postures. One radiated cultivation levels around late Core Formation while the other seemed to be a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. The one on the left was a tall man with hawkish eyes and a narrow chin. He stepped in front of Victor and sneered. "Never seen you around here before." Victor kept his tone neutral. "Just passing through. Looking for the path back to the core disciple sector." "Core disciple sector?" The second one who was a stockier guy with a staff strapped to his back, laughed. "Don''t joke with us. Core disciples earn their place. You don''t look like one." Victor sighed. "I''m not interested in causing any trouble. Just point me in the right direction." Chapter 119: Passive Integration The taller one eyes narrowed. "Those robes... wait¡ª" He squinted at Victor more closely. "You''re that guy. The one the sect''s been treating like a Core Disciple despite not being one." Victor blinked. "Not sure how that''s your business, but yeah. Got assigned by Elder Mo." The second disciple stepped forward with his arms folded across his chest. "Assigned or not, you''re not part of this sect. Yet you walk into our territory like you belong here?" He scoffed. "Someone needs to put you in your place." Victor raised an eyebrow. "Really? We''re doing this over directions?" "No, we''re doing this because you''re standing on ground meant for people who earned their rank," the taller one said. "Not someone who got it handed to him." Victor sighed and rolled his shoulders. "If you''ve got a problem with me, take it up with Elder Mo." That was the final trigger. The taller one stepped forward while unleashing his cultivation realm. The Nascent Soul pressure was immediate¡ªlike a storm trying to fall over Victor''s shoulders. It was a test of dominance. Raw spiritual might surged at him. But the moment the pressure tried to reach Victor¡ªit vanished. It didn''t fade. It vanished. A void shimmered around him, unseen to all, nullifying every trace of spiritual pressure like an invisible bubble. It was like his very presence cut through the atmosphere and twisted reality, making him untouchable. The Nascent Soul disciple flinched. "What...?" Victor stepped forward slowly with a frown. "Oh would you look at that... perks of having the Void Emperor Bloodline I guess." A sudden blast erupted as both their auras clashed. The air split with the recoil as windows rattled and nearby trees bent from the force while the entire space shivered under the weight of their qi. Neither one was pushed back, but the disciple''s confidence faltered instantly. He stared in disbelief. "That''s not possible... You''re a core formation realm cultivator..." Before anything else could escalate, a new pressure descended¡ªthis one was refined, vast, and completely suffocating. A swirl of mist settled between them as Elder Mo appeared out of nowhere with his robes billowing. "That''s enough," Elder Mo said coolly. Both disciples immediately bowed. "Fang Chen," Elder Mo said while glancing at Victor, "what are you doing here?" "Got lost," Victor replied with a shrug. "Sect''s big as hell." Elder Mo gave the other two a sharp look before turning. "Come. You''ve had enough excitement for one evening." Victor nodded and followed behind the elder. As they walked away, the Nascent Soul disciple remained rooted in place and slowly lifted his right hand. His palm trembled slightly, even as he clenched his fingers into a fist. He stared at it in silence. That power... that resistance... That was no ordinary bloodline. ... ... Nightfall settled once again over the vast sect grounds, painting the sky above Blueflame City in hues of indigo and silver. At the highest point of the sect''s peak, where the cold wind howled softly like an ancient whisper, Victor stood silently beside Elder Mo. The full moon hung directly overhead, bathing the entire summit in its glow. The soft silver radiance lit up the vast courtyard carved into the mountain, and under this celestial gaze, Victor took a deep breath and prepared himself. The final stage of the Bloodline Resonance Technique was about to begin. Elder Mo stood just a few steps away from him, already floating in midair with legs crossed and hands moving in slow, intricate motions. Strange symbols appeared beneath their feet¡ªan ancient formation was drawn in lines of glowing blue light. The symbols trembled as if responding to the moonlight, flickering in harmony with the flow of qi in the air. "Tonight," Elder Mo stated. "you will complete what most cultivators wouldn''t dare attempt in their entire lifetimes. This fourth stage is not simply a connection to your bloodline. It is a full harmonization. Your blood, your spirit, and your will must resonate as one." Victor exhaled softly. He sat down in the middle of the formation and rested his palms on his knees as he closed his eyes. Instantly, his skin began to glow faintly once more, turning whitish like the other times. Lines began to form and light up across his body¡ªarrow-like markings, ancient and foreign, tracing along his arms, his back, his collarbones, and even his face. The temperature around them dropped several degrees as the ritual began. Elder Mo''s voice changed¡ªit became echoey, like it came from every direction at once. He began to chant words in an old tongue Victor didn''t recognize. With each syllable, the formation beneath them glowed brighter. Victor''s consciousness dived deeper into the void of his bloodline. Unlike the previous stages that had required calm breaths and stillness, this time it felt like he was being pulled violently through space. His body remained still, but his mind was hurled through darkness, storms of chaotic energy surging past him as the invisible thread from before reappeared and wrapped itself around him. But this time, it wasn''t one thread. It was hundreds. Thousands. All of them stemming from the outline in the void he had seen before¡ªa figure whos3 features mostly remained unseen, but whose presence was vast. It wasn''t just the Void Emperor this time. It felt as if he was connecting to the roots of all the power in his lineage. Time twisted. Space bent. Pain gripped him from the inside. Victor''s face contorted slightly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead despite the cold. Each second felt like a lifetime. Every passing moment dragged him further into the echoing memory of the bloodline. He saw glimpses¡ªvisions of places he didn''t recognize. When Victor opened his eyes, it was still night. The full moon still hung above, but the position of the stars had shifted slightly. A notification appeared before his eyes: <[ You have successfully completed the Fourth Stage of the Bloodline Resonance Technique ]> <[ You Have Successfully Acquired The Bloodline Resonance Technique ]> <[ New Passive Effect: Bloodline Integration Progression (Active at All Times) ]> <[ Without activating this technique, your bloodline will passively integrate itself regardless of activity ]> <[ Additional Effect: While actively cultivating your bloodline using this technique, integration rate is increased by 3¡Á ]> Chapter 120 120: More Progress [ Current Integration: 3.1% ¡ú 3.12% ] Victor exhaled deeply. That was the longest single night of his life. The sensation of the technique finishing was overwhelming. It wasn''t a rush of power like a cultivation breakthrough¡ªit was subtler. Deeper. Like a part of him had unlocked that had always been missing. He could feel the integration happening even now. It was slow¡ªbut it was constant. Elder Mo descended slowly from the air, his robe fluttering lightly as he landed. His aged eyes studied Victor with quiet admiration. "Well done," the elder said, arms behind his back. "You''ve done what many geniuses fail to do. With this technique, your bloodline will no longer stagnate." Victor turned his gaze to the moonlight. "It didn''t feel like a single night. It felt like...weeks." "That is the illusion of harmonization," Elder Mo replied. "When the spirit fights to sync with the very foundation of who you are, time itself bends within the spiritual plane." Victor slowly stood and stretched his limbs. He was sore, but energized. It was an odd combination¡ªlike being pushed to the brink of exhaustion and immediately handed a cup of revitalizing elixir. "Take time to increase your integration," Elder Mo said. "Soon your true training begins. What we''ve done here is lay the foundation." Victor nodded. "Understood." --- Hours later, Victor sat cross-legged inside the private cultivation booth in his courtyard with his back straight and hands resting on his knees. His skin was glowing and arrows appeared all over. Unlike the last time, when he''d grinded for nearly twelve hours and only gained a miserable 0.1% in bloodline integration, today was different. The effects of the Bloodline Resonance Technique Elder Mo taught him was in full play. > Ding! [Bloodline Integration +0.2%] [Total Bloodline Integration: 3.3%] Time Elapsed: 2 hours Victor cracked one eye open and grinned. "Finally..." He leaned back slightly, letting the energy swirl deeper into his meridians. The Void Emperor Bloodline was notoriously difficult to integrate but Victor was pushing it further, step by brutal step. By the end of the day, drenched in sweat and slightly dizzy from the mental strain, the system chimed again. > Ding! [ Bloodline Integration +1.6%] [ Total Bloodline Integration: 4.7% ] [ Void Energy Circulation Improved ] [ Physique Reaction: Increased internal energy stability ] Victor exhaled long and deep. "Man... I feel like someone shoved lightning down my throat and called it a smoothie," he muttered while rolling his neck until it cracked. Still, progress was progress. That much integration in one day was monumental compared to his previous sessions. "Definitely not there yet, though. The Ancient Grove probably needs, what... 10%? 15%?" He''d have to ask how high his integration needed to be before he could head there. But for now, there was something else nagging him. Ever since Victor had broken through to the Core Formation Realm, he hadn''t done much actual cultivation. He''d been too focused on other things, bloodline integration included. Now that he was in a private booth that boosted his cultivation speed by two times, it would be stupid not to take advantage of it. And the funniest part? He wasn''t even an official Disciple of this sect. The Violet Spring Sect had rules¡ªstrict ones. Inner Court disciples worked their butts off for years for the perks Victor was getting. Meanwhile, here he was, enjoying luxury-grade treatment because of the City Lord''s arrangement with Elder Mo. He wasn''t even supposed to have access to this booth. No wonder the Inner Court guys glared at him like he''d stolen their girlfriends and kicked their puppies. "Sorry not sorry," Victor muttered as he settled in for another session. He shifted focus from bloodline resonance to his cultivation. Qi from the surrounding mist flooded into his body and compressed into his core, circulating through his spiritual pathways with increasing speed. Each rotation smoothed his dantian and expanded his inner reserves. > Ding! [Cultivation Progress: Core Formation Realm ¨C Early Stage 5% ¡ú 15%] [Internal Core Stability: Balanced] [Suggestion: Rest before next breakthrough to prevent spiritual backlash.] Victor sighed. "Not bad. That''s a full 10% in one day. Gotta love luxury cultivation hacks." "Still not crazily strong but I''m getting there." With that, he stepped out of the booth. He walked toward Elder Mo''s courtyard with a skip in his step, ignoring the dagger-like glares. He figured it was time to find out how much integration he needed to access to the Ancient Grove. But the courtyard was empty. No Elder Mo sitting by the fishpond. The place was unusually quiet. He asked a few nearby disciples if they''d seen the old man, but most just shrugged or pretended they didn''t hear him. Victor sighed. "Great. Did I just get ghosted by an NPC?" Still, instinct told him he wasn''t quite ready yet. If he walked into the Ancient Grove now, he''d definitely be rejected. So, he went back to the booth and resumed grinding. Another day passed in-game. More resonance. More progress. > Ding! [Bloodline Integration: 5.3%] Victor stared at the number. "Halfway to ten percent. A day must have passed in the real world already... gotta go..." With that, he logged out. --- His body jerked slightly as the headset disengaged. Back in the real world, in his slightly cluttered room¡ªstill smelling faintly of mana-charged energy drinks and 3-in-1 shampoo¡ªVictor rubbed his eyes and stood. "One day out here just like I thought," he muttered while checking his wristband. While yawning, he checked his phone and noticed a message that said [Your Package Has Arrived] He walked over and opened the door of their small apartment. There, stacked neatly outside the door like someone had delivered packages from a mythical Santa, were several gear bags used to store packages. Two of them had digitalised logos that Victor recognised. His eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. One box had the minimalist design and white-blue logo of PulseSync Tech¡ªthe company that made smart wristbands for gamers and fitness enthusiasts. The wristband itself was inside a transparent display case, along with a note: > "Looking forward to seeing how Warrior Victor uses PulseSync to bridge gaming and fitness." The second package was from Manavolt Labs, a nutritional company that had recently blown up online for its mana-infused energy drinks. Their signature cans came in bold blue colors, and they''d even included a handwritten message: > "Enjoy the first batch of our limited-edition Stormcore+ flavor. Works for the Awakened and the non awakened." Chapter 121 121: Successfully Uploaded Victor stood still for a moment as the evening wind brushed past his face. He remembered the emails. A part of him had thought they were spam¡ªor at best, exaggerated PR stunts looking to exploit another viral clip. But here it was. Real. Tangible. He knelt down and picked up the boxes. The PulseSync band was heavier than he expected, with a layered digital interface that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. Victor shut the door with his foot since his arms full of gear from PulseSync Tech and Manavolt Labs. He walked over to the table, cleared a few textbooks and wrappers off its surface, and gently dropped everything down with a muffled thud. He let out a long breath, then rubbed his palms together. "Alright," he muttered. "Time to see what one million credits worth of commercial chaos looks like." He slid into the chair at his small desk and pulled up his bank app. The numbers staring back at him made him blink twice. Account Balance: 2,002,320 Credits > +1,000,000 ¡ª PulseSync Tech: Payment Received +1,000,000 ¡ª Manavolt Labs: Payment Received Victor leaned back with his arms crossed behind his head. "...Huh." Even with all that had happened recently with his dad''s loss ¡ªseeing that number gave him a small spark of something he hadn''t felt in a while. Not happiness, exactly. More like... momentum. "Guess I''m officially a brand now." His terminal pinged, and a message popped up from the boys. He already sent pictures of the received packages to them. Jake: "Those wristbands are sick. Danny says his cousin uses one¡ªno bugs, good data sync." Danny: "Manavolt''s drinks are all hype but actually slap. You won''t grow a third arm or anything." Max: "You better shoot a cool vid or I''m unsubbing." Victor chuckled. "Right. Feedback approved." He unpacked the PulseSync wristband first. It was blavk with a shifting neon stripe that adjusted depending on heart rate and body fluctuations. He clipped it on, synced it with his phone, and watched as his vitals began to display in real-time: heart rate, reflex speed, even posture. "Okay, okay, not bad." Then came the Stormcore+ drinks. Cans lined in silver and blue, with a spiky logo art and the tagline "Ignite your inner flow." Victor cracked one open, sniffed it, then took a small sip. He raised his eyebrows. "...Okay, that''s kinda good." Setting everything up took an hour, including trying to balance his camera with a stack of textbooks for a makeshift tripod. The moment he hit record, he stiffened. "Yo guys, it''s Victor¡ªuh, you might know me as uhm the dude who saved those kids downtown... and today we''re gonna... no, wait¡ª" He stopped and restarted. "Hey. This is a product showcase... or is it a review?" Another restart. "Okay okay. This time for real..." Five takes later, his soul was gently leaving his body. Victor groaned before dropping his forehead to the desk. "I can fight cultivators and giant serpents in-game, but I can''t record a basic video without looking like I''m reading a eulogy." He tapped on his phone and opened a voice channel. "Guys. Help." Fifteen minutes later, the trio showed up. Max strolled in first, wearing a hoodie that said ''Lag is a Lie'', with a camera strapped to his shoulder. Danny followed, chewing gum and spinning one of the energy drink cans like it was a grenade. Jake brought snacks. Victor looked up from his setup and gave them a sheepish grin. "Welcome to the chaos." Max dropped his bag with dramatic flair. "Alright, people. Step aside. The director has arrived." "You''re not a director... I''ve been the one taking videos..." Jake said. "Let me dream," Max shot back and began examining the PulseSync box like a marketing agent. Danny threw Victor a grin. "I see you struggling. Thought you were Mr. Fang Chen the Void Emperor in game." Victor rolled his eyes. "That''s not... and there''s no camera in the game, bro." Max clapped his hands. "Here''s what we''re doing. Three segments. First: casual intro, like a vlog. Second: product breakdown, show what it does. Third: humor skit to sell the vibe." Victor blinked. "...You rehearsed that?" Max grinned. "In my head, while walking here." And just like that, they got to work. Jake handled the camera, positioning it for clean shots and transitions. Danny narrated a mock commercial in the background with an exaggerated deep voice while Max read off actual features like a proper announcer. Victor stood in front of the cam, now visibly more relaxed while tossing the wristband up and catching it mid-air. "This right here?" he held up the PulseSync, "Tracks your heart rate, body fluctuations, reaction time... and probably your emotions when you rage-quit in ranked matches." The boys cracked up behind the camera. The Manavolt drink was next. Max arranged the cans into a triangle, Jake filmed a fake slow-motion pour, and Danny tackled Victor in a fake "power up" scene after he drank it. After about two hours, they had four different takes, tons of bloopers, and even a small segment where Victor talked seriously about the mental exhaustion that came with balancing real life, gaming, and expectations. He didn''t overdo it¡ªjust a short clip, a few lines. But the boys got quiet during that part. When they finally wrapped up, Jake edited the footage quickly with transitions, effects, and a killer soundtrack. They posted both videos on Victor''s YT channel and his secondary "IRL Highlights" account. As the upload bars hit 100%, the boys all leaned back with satisfied sighs. "Alright, gentlemen," Victor called out while holding up his hand. Danny smacked it in a high-five. Jake followed with a fist bump. Max completed the chain with their secret handshake¡ªa dumb, overcomplicated routine they''d made in middle school but still remembered. Victor chuckled. "I owe you guys." Max smirked. "Damn right you do. I''m billing you in ramen." "Actually," Victor voiced while reaching for his jacket, "how about I pay you back with something better?" Danny raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" Victor grinned. "Tonight? We go out. Fun house. My treat." Jake''s eyes widened. "You serious?" Victor nodded. "Two million credits serious." The reaction was immediate. "LET''S GOOOOO!" --- Chapter 122 122: Bumping Into A Familiar Figure An hour later, the four of them were at NeoRush Arena, one of the most popular fun centers in the district. The place was packed with neon-lit obstacle courses, zero-gravity dodgeball domes, VR mech battles, and a mana-enhanced laser maze that glowed like a nightclub rave. Victor let the boys run ahead while he stood back for a moment, taking it all in. The lights. The laughter. The sound of his best friends yelling about scores and near-wins. He smiled before heading forward to join them. ... Flashing lights danced across the walls, pumping music echoed off the glass floors, and laughter erupted from every corner as people darted between obstacle courses, dance pads, mech simulators, and mana-fueled bumper pods. The scent of ozone, popcorn, and energy drinks thickened the air like a sugar storm. Victor stood beside the boys, sipping his Stormcore+ drink through a straw. "This place has too much going on. I feel like I''m inside a rave, a gym, and an arcade all at once." Danny was already halfway through an obstacle course and yelling back, "That''s because it is all three, old man!" Jake and Max just laughed as Victor flipped him off with zero effort. They had done parkour races, virtual sword duels, mana-boosted basketball, and even a round of zero-g dodgeball¡ªwhere Danny accidentally sent a poor twelve-year-old flying into the net. Victor''s muscles were relaxed. His mind? Clearer than it had been in months. Until¡ª "Ghosting me already, Victor?" The voice came from behind sounded smooth and playful with just a hint of threat. Victor recognised that voice. No. It couldn''t be. He turned slowly, and there she was¡ªSelene. Petite, pretty and dangerous. Wearing a hoodie two sizes too big and sucking on a red lollipop, her violet eyes shone like twin energy cores. She leaned on one leg, crossed her arms and head tilted with a smirk that looked too innocent to be real. Victor groaned internally. "Selene... hey." "''Hey,'' he says. Like he didn''t disappear after the awakening screening," she said while stepping closer. "No messages. No call. Not even a meme." Jake leaned in to whisper, "Yo... is this the Selene?" Victor nodded slowly. "Yup." Danny''s eyes widened. "The assassin chick?" Max whistled. "So this is Amara''s competition." Selene''s eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?" Victor flinched. "They didn''t mean¡ª" Too late. Selene pulled her lollipop out with a pop as her smile vanished in an instant. "Amara? What the hell is a Amara?" She tilted her head as her expression darkened in a way that would terrify normal humans. "Competition? No, no, no... she''s playing checkers while I''m five moves into interdimensional chess." Jake elbowed Max. "Damn, she''s unhinged. I like her." Victor sighed while rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Selene, these are my idiot friends¡ªMax, Jake, and Danny." Danny waved. "Yo. Nice to meet the person Victor''s totally afraid of." "I''m not afraid of¡ª" Selene hooked her arm around Victor''s. "Good. Then let''s go play." Victor blinked. "Play what?" She dragged him toward the physical game zone without answering. Danny followed with a look of curiosity while Jake and Max trailed behind, whispering bets. Victor groaned. "Why are you like this?" Selene looked up at him and smiled sweetly. "You owe me attention. I''m collecting." They reached a three-player challenge arena¡ªa VR-assisted, mana-enhanced, motion-detection game where teams competed in a mixture of dodge, obstacle sprinting, and target striking. "Let''s team up," Selene voiced while grabbing a vest. Victor sighed, but nodded. "Fine." Danny stepped forward. "I''m in. Let''s do this." Just as they suited up, a group of three guys passed by. One of them who was around 6''2" tall and obviously compensating for something, scoffed. "Cute couple cosplay," he eyed their team. "Y''all ready to lose?" Victor ignored him. Selene didn''t. She stepped forward with the lollipop back in her mouth and her eyes half-lidded. "Sorry, were you talking? All I heard was background noise." The guy raised an eyebrow. "You got a death wish, pipsqueak?" Selene smiled sweetly. "Actually, I have a win streak. But I can end yours if you''d like." Victor stepped in. "Let''s not start¡ª" Too late. The guy laughed. "Tell you what. You beat us in this game? We''ll bow. But when we win, your girl goes home with us." The guy grinded his waist forward and backward with a disgusting look on his face. Danny cracked his knuckles. "We''re in." Victor gave him a look. "Bro." Danny grinned. "C''mon. Just like old times. But legally." And so, the match began. Three rounds. Mixed challenges. Full audience. Even the staff took notice. The opposing team clearly worked out¡ªgood reflexes, decent form. But they weren''t awakened. Victor didn''t plan on using game techniques, obviously. But being a long time gamer and the fact that his body was no longer normal would definitely give him a serious edge. He didn''t think this was a fair competition. The three-versus-three arena was a huge cylindrical zone lined with reflective walls and glowing panels. It looked like a fusion between a tactical obstacle course and a gamer''s fever dream¡ªevery section was lit in shifting colors as traps popped up randomly, and digital targets appeared at odd angles. A screen above flickered to life, showcasing the game rules. > ManaStrike Rush Three rounds. Three challenges. Round 1: Reflex Blitz ¨C Hit as many targets as you can. Round 2: Obstacle Gauntlet ¨C Clear the maze with traps. Round 3: Capture Node ¨C Control the center platform for 30 seconds. Victor stared at the layout and muttered, "Oh hell. This isn''t a game, it''s cardio wrapped in war." Selene popped her lollipop. "Sounds like fun." Danny cracked his neck. "Let''s wreck ''em." Their opponents looked confident. A trio of athletic-looking guys with cocky grins and matching red vests. The tall one, who had mouthed off earlier, flexed for the camera as if this were a tournament. Round 1: Reflex Blitz The buzzer sounded. Dozens of circular targets began appearing on the mirrored walls, blinking between red, blue, and gold. The goal? Hit as many gold targets in two minutes without hitting the wrong ones. Victor shot forward and danced across the space with his fingers tapping sensors, knees sliding across polished tiles, flipping midair to slam gold targets with just a brush of his fingertips. As for Selene? She glided. Her movements were serpentine, tight, and impossibly smooth. Each strike was surgical and incredible. She used the reflection from the mirrored walls to time her strikes without even looking directly. Danny went full chaos mode¡ªhe was a wall of muscle, bouncing around like a wrecking ball and shoulder-checking wrong-colored targets out of the way so the others could hit gold unhindered. On the other side, the red-vested team was flailing. Their form was good, sure¡ªbut not good enough. Round 1 Results: Team Void ¨C 108 points. Red Team ¨C 89 points. "Let''s go!" Jake shouted from the bleachers. Selene twirled her lollipop between her fingers, not even winded. Round 2: Obstacle Gauntlet Spiked walls. Moving floors. Laser hurdles. Vertical climbs. They had to cross a chaotic course in under 90 seconds, tagging checkpoints while dodging constantly shifting traps. Victor was first off the block. He sprinted and flipped over a series of moving platforms. A spinning blunt blade came down¡ªhe slid under it in a heartbeat. From his point of view, it was just too slow. Chapter 123 123: No More Ghosting Selene was right behind him, vaulting between swinging bars like a gymnast on crack. At one point she ran sideways across a wall while giggling. Danny on the other hand didn''t even dodge. He tanked. One trap hit him in the chest¡ªa padded mana rod¡ªand he just grunted, grabbed it, and snapped it off the wall. "Is that allowed?!" the announcer shouted. Apparently, it was. Because the crowd lost it. The red team wasn''t bad... but their lead guy got stuck trying to tightrope across a shifting beam and fell flat. Twice. Victor hit the last pad with a backflip. Selene flipped upside down midair and tagged it with her foot. Danny body-slammed the entire final wall. Round 2 Results: Team Void ¨C WIN Now the final round. Round 3: Capture Node The center of the arena lit up with a glowing platform about 6 feet in diameter. The goal was to hold the node against the enemy team for 30 seconds total. But if you got pushed off, time reset. The buzzer blared. Chaos erupted. Victor dashed in first, narrowly avoiding a push from one of the red-vest guys. He spun, grabbed the guy''s shoulder, and flipped him using a low center-of-gravity maneuver he''d copied from a martial artist in-game. "Gamer throw for the win!" Selene launched herself in with a flying kick that sent another guy sprawling into the foam pit. "Off my node, punk." Danny stepped onto the platform like a king claiming a throne. One dude tried to shoulder-tackle him. He didn''t move. Danny picked him up with one hand and dropped him off the platform like a sack of laundry. Time ticked¡ª10 seconds... 14... 19¡ª The tall red-vest guy screamed, "All at once!" All three enemies charged. Victor was caught in a push but twisted into a roll, grabbing Selene''s hand to keep his balance. She gritted her teeth and spun him back in. Then one of them sucker-punched Danny. His head tilted slightly but he slowly turned back around and grinned. Victor jumped in front with his arms out. Selene growled, yanked a panel off the side of the platform, and swung it like a shield, knocking one guy flat. The buzzer blared. > Round 3 Complete: Team Void ¨C Victory Final Score: 3 ¨C 0 The platform exploded in a puff of confetti and light as the crowd went wild. Victor jumped up while pumping his fist into the air. "We did it." Selene popped a fresh lollipop in her mouth and winked. "Told you. You just needed me." Danny was flexing for the cheering kids. "You see that? Two at once." Then the sore losers came creeping back while muttering accusations about cheating and using reflex enhancers. "You''re not even real athletes," one muttered. Danny stepped forward calmly. Then grabbed two of them¡ªone in each hand¡ªand lifted them off the ground like twin grocery bags. "I''m a Berserker, fool!" The third guy turned pale. "W-we didn''t know you were awakened!" Victor just rubbed his temples. "Why do people always say that after the fact?" They ran off, yelling about awakeners and legal complaints. Selene shrugged. "Eh. Losers." Max ran up. "That was better than pay-per-view." Jake snapped photos. "Gonna make a victory edit. Title: ''When your friend group is cracked.''" Victor just chuckled. Hanging out here¡ªwith them, with her¡ªit had been more fun than he expected. As they walked toward the exit, Selene called out. "Victor," she said. He glanced at her. "Yeah?" She popped her lollipop back in and smirked. "Awakened Academy resumes in one week." He blinked. "Oh yeah that''s true..." "Mhm." She leaned in slightly and voiced with a lower tone. "Which means... you won''t be able to ghost me anymore." Victor opened his mouth, but no words came out. Selene winked. "See you there, handsome." With that, she turned and walked off, swaying slightly as if on beat with the music playing in the distance. Jake clapped Victor on the back. "Bro. You''re in trouble." Max nodded solemnly. "Two girls, one academy." "Why are you guys acting like Amara doesn''t have a whole ass boyfriend?" Victor rolled his eyes at them. "Tsk tsk I have a feeling you''re not gonna be a virgin for much longer," Danny chipped in with a teasing look while the boys laughed in the background. ... ... Victor''s next few days blurred together in a steady rhythm of discipline. Night to morning, he logged into Ascendant Realms like clockwork. His breathing fell into sync with the Bloodline Resonance Technique and his thoughts sharpened with each circulating cycle of Void energy. The Void Emperor Bloodline continued to increase in integration. > Ding! [Bloodline Integration +2.0%] [Total Integration: 21.6%] Time Elapsed: 7 hours He broke his meditations only to exit the game briefly, handle the little routines that tethered him to the real world. By the time two real-world days had passed over a week had flown by in-game. Victor''s stats had jumped dramatically: --- < [ Victor''s Cultivation System ] > ? Constitution: Primordial Chaos ? Bloodline: Void Emperor (27% Integration) ? Current Cultivation Realm: Mortal Realm ? Current Cultivation Level: Core Formation Realm (48%) ? Qi Reserves: Full ? Cultivation Technique: ( Lingyun Sword Martial Arts and more...) ? Status: Slightly Above Mediocre ? Physique Grade: Peak Bronze ? Potential: B-Rank ? Affinity: Balanced ? Luck: Below Average Perks: Private Cultivation Booth (2x speed), Hidden Techniques Access Notes: Mid-Core Formation threshold approaching. ---- Victor exhaled deeply as he pulled off the headset one last time after logging out. Today was different. Today... he wouldn''t be playing. Because today was Fashion Studio Day. The high-end brand that had reached out to him was none other than Vantablade Studios¡ªa luxury, futuristic fashion house known for combining mana-threaded fabrics with elegant cyberpunk styles. Their clothes weren''t just trendy¡ªthey were high-performance, elite-level gear worn by models, influencers, awakened icons, and tech moguls alike. And for some wild reason, they wanted him to wear their newest line. Victor yawned, rubbed his neck, and dragged himself to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face, feeling the lingering afterglow of cultivation still buzzing beneath his skin. His muscles felt denser and tighter. The game''s effects were starting to bleed into the real world again. After his bath, he pulled on a simple black shirt and jeans, then turned to the mirror to check his reflection. And paused. More strands of white had appeared in his hair. Chapter 124 124: The Unexpected Interference More strands of white had appeared in his hair. They weren''t streaks¡ªthey were woven in, soft silver sliding through his natural black like the whisper of frost. It looked unintentional and deliberate at the same time. Not bad... but not normal. He leaned in. "It''s either edgy anime protagonist or stressed-out corporate intern," he muttered. "Let''s hope they like edgy." There wasn''t time to dye it. Not without messing with the natural luster that stylists probably wanted untouched. He sighed, fixed his collar, and grabbed his passcard. Before leaving, he peeked into the kitchen again. "Hey, Mom. Heading out now. Shoot''s today." She looked up from her book and smiled warmly. "You''ll do fine. Just be yourself." Victor chuckled as he closed the door behind him. "That''s what I''m afraid of." --- He took the mana-powered train as the skyline of Neo-Sector Delta blurred past the windows while glowing signs and floating ads reflected off the glass. The train arrived at Cyan Square, and Victor stepped off, following the map on his wristband until he stood before the tall, crystalline structure of Vantablade Studios. It looked like a tower made of obsidian and light. Inside, everything smelled faintly of cinnamon. He was greeted by a receptionist dressed in a flowing azure outfit that sparkled like water. She smiled while scanning the card that was sent to him. "Mr. Victor? Welcome. The team is waiting for you upstairs." The elevator ride was smooth and dead silent. The only sound was the beat of his own heart. As the doors slid open on the top floor, Victor stepped out and found himself staring into a professional, high-energy setup. Holographic panels floated with clothing designs. Stylists bustled around racks of glowing garments. Drones flew overhead, adjusting lights and camera angles. One of the lead coordinators¡ªa tall woman in a crimson blazer with silver eyes¡ªapproached. "You''re taller than I expected," she said while studying him. "Hair''s natural?" Victor hesitated, then nodded. "Recently... developed." She smirked. "Keep it. The contrast works." Soon enough, he was ushered into wardrobe. The clothes were... next-level. A high-collared matte black coat with glowing white lines. A half-cybernetic formal set with a shifting chestplate that adjusted with body movement. One outfit felt like a cape-wrapped tactician, the other like a street-level awakened prince. As he tried each on, they took photos from multiple angles, checking lighting and how well the fabrics moved. "Just walk forward, turn, and stand with confidence," one of the crew said. Victor had never worn clothes like this before. He was currently dressed in one of Vantablade Studios'' latest outfits¡ªblack asymmetrical tunic layered over a silver-threaded longcoat with mana-reactive lining¡ªhe looked like someone who just stepped off the cover of a high-end awakened fashion magazine. His naturally black hair which streaked heavily with glacial white, flowed down his neck like smoke. At 5''11", with a sharper jawline and an aura of calm intensity, Victor barely recognized himself in the mirror. And neither did the lead stylist. Alyss Raen, the main coordinator in charge of today''s shoot, circled him slowly like a hawk eyeing prey. "Mm. You''ve got the presence," she voiced while chewing on the edge of her stylus. "Stoic, edgy, mysterious. Kind of like a young sovereign prince from a fallen dynasty. The hair streaks? Perfect. Makeup team, enhance the silver around his eyes." Victor raised a brow. "Prince, huh? You sure it''s not ''that tired barista who''s seen too much''?" Alyss chuckled. "Trust me, that face photographs well. Quiet strength sells." He was gently guided to the center of the platform. The lights shifted. Holo-cameras aligned and flickered green. Alyss clapped her hands. "Let''s begin. Poses: regal, reserved, but intense. You''re someone important." Victor smiled lightly and nodded while slipping into the role. He stood still as frames clicked, shifting only his posture slightly between each shot¡ªchin higher, shoulders squared, gaze sharpened. The soft sounds of the camera drones and the focus from the team made the environment almost tranquil. Until¡ª SLAM. The door flew open hard enough to rattle the frame, and the mood shattered like glass. "Are you kidding me?!" All heads turned. In stomped a woman dressed in an emerald-green jacket laced with flame-gold trim, matching high-rise boots, and a saber hanging at her side like a badge of honor. Her golden-brown skin glistened with faint embers of mana and her wild red curls were pulled back into a high ponytail that bounced with every furious step. Everyone in the room froze. Because this was Captain Zara Feng¡ªan Awakened Mana Defense Officer, a Tier-3 ranked enforcer in Neo Sector Delta, and a city-wide celebrity. She had over two million followers across all platforms, starred in recruitment campaigns, and had appeared in four public barrier enlargement operations broadcast live. She even happened to be one of the awarded MDC in the most recent fight against the unknown Drakenar tribe that nearly took over the city. And right now, she looked murderous. "I''ve been waiting outside for twenty-two minutes, and you''re all in here taking photos of a freaking NPC-looking nobody?!" Victor paused. Well. That escalated. Color drained from Alyss''s face as she froze. "Captain Feng! I¡ªI believe there''s been a scheduling mix-up¡ª" "No, no, don''t play that card. I was booked for 3PM today. You said exclusive slot. I didn''t walk in here with security clearance and a flaming sword for you to ignore me." Victor instinctively took a step back as stylists scattered. Cameras shut down. One poor intern tripped over a light cable. Zara''s aura was hot. Literally. The air wavered around her like she was wrapped in a living heatwave. She spotted Victor still standing on the shoot platform. "And who is that supposed to be?" Alyss hesitated. "This is Victor. He''s an up-and-coming sponsored influencer with¡ª" "With what?" Zara snapped. "A hundred followers and a lollipop endorsement? You think this is the future of fashion?" Victor''s brow twitched. He''d been called many things before, but "lollipop endorsement" was a first. Still, he said nothing. But the tension didn''t fade. In fact, it thickened like stormclouds as the staff scrambled to accommodate Zara. Chapter 125: Rude Awakened Victor was politely but firmly guided off the stage, replaced by Zara and her own team of three assistants. The cameras reset. The lights shifted again. Victor found himself standing awkwardly near a rack of outfits as stylists once fawning over him now rushed to steam Zara''s cape. He had to admit... It was... infuriating. And a little humiliating. Victor folded his arms. He could''ve walked out. But something in him refused. Alyss came over sheepishly. "Maybe... we could do a joint shoot? Let you two share a few frames?" She didn''t want Victor to feel ignored. Zara scoffed. "Him? With me?" But she didn''t outright say no. So Victor was placed beside her in the next batch of photos. Zara stood front and center in every frame, tossing her hair back dramatically, always a step ahead of him. In most shots, she physically shoved Victor aside with her arm, just enough that the lens couldn''t frame him properly. A few assistants tried to correct her posture. She ignored them. By the end of it, most of the shots had Victor''s head or shoulder half-cut from the frame like he was an accidental photo-bomber. He grinded his teeth. "Professional," he reminded himself. "Be professional." Then something happened... One of Zara''s outfits¡ªa custom-made fireweave cape laced with glowing ember-gems¡ªslid from its rack behind them, caught on a mana vent, and tore clean in half down the middle. The room went dead silent. Everyone turned. Zara''s head snapped toward Victor, who had just passed by that rack seconds earlier. Her eyes narrowed. "You." Victor raised a hand. "That wasn''t me." Zara didn''t blink. "Of course it was. You''ve been lurking around like a cockroach since I walked in." One of her assistants whispered, "Captain, it was the wind from the mana vent¡ª" Zara raised her hand. The assistant shut up. Victor opened his mouth again, calmly. "Look, I don''t know what chip you''ve got on your shoulder, but I didn''t touch your cape." Zara''s smile was razor-thin. "You''ve got a mouth, huh? Let''s see if you still have one in five seconds." She held out her hand. From across the room, her saber¡ªa curved weapon engraved with runes of flame¡ªflew from the assistant''s grip and into hers with high pitched ~twhooshh~ Victor froze. Zara unsheathed it in a single, elegant pull as fire engulfed the blade. "Let me make myself clear," she voiced with a cold and deadly tone, "I''m going to cut off every single one of your limbs. Then I''m going to make sure no healer ever dares to bring them back." Gasps filled the room as staff dove for cover. Victor''s eyes narrowed. This wasn''t just temper anymore. This was an awakened threat¡ªand her mana flared like wildfire. Victor didn''t flinch. But all the pent-up frustration within him threatened to spill out at this moment. Zara Feng''s blade glowed brightly with searing red mana as she levelled it at Victor. "You''re done," she hissed. Victor slowly raised his gaze to meet hers. Not scared. Just... disappointed. "I always wanted to be like you," he said quietly. Zara blinked. Victor''s voice didn''t rise in anger¡ªit cut deeper in its calmness. "Ever since I was ten, I watched broadcasts of Mana Defense Officers. People who stood tall while monsters fell. Who helped the helpless. Protected civilians during beast tides. I used to think the uniform meant something." His fingers tightened at his sides. "I''m going to be one. After I graduate from Awakened Academy, that''s the goal. Always has been." Zara''s grip on her sword shifted slightly, thrown off by the tone. "But you?" Victor continued with a low tone. "You walk in here, swing your title like a weapon, and treat people like trash because we don''t have authority attached to our names." He stepped forward once. "You''re not powerful. You''re just drunk on privilege." Gasps echoed in the room. Zara''s eyes flared. "Watch your mouth¡ª" "Why?" Victor interrupted fearlessly. "Because you''re a Level 57 Awakened Mana Defense Officer?" That drew everyone''s attention¡ªincluding hers. Victor exhaled softly as his hair began swaying while qi flowed gently from his body. "No. I can''t beat you. You''re a fully actualised warrior with years of experience. I''m just a sixteen-year-old." A ripple of pure qi coiled around him¡ªbarely visible but heavily pulling at the very atmosphere like gravity warping light. "But this sixteen-year-old," he stated, "Is no coward." BOOM. The air around him exploded outward. The lights flickered violently. The racks of clothing clattered and tipped over. Floor tiles cracked. Windows trembled. Zara instinctively took a step back¡ªactually staggered¡ªas Victor''s qi presence surged like a windstorm trying to break free from a steel cage. He didn''t move. He didn''t strike. He just stood there with qi whirling around him like a brewing tempest. Her eyes narrowed because this didn''t seem normal. "You want to play awakened?" She instantly charged forward. Zara''s blade came down in a vicious arc as her figure blurred like flame. But Victor''s hands moved with a subtle twist, and¡ª A translucent wind barrier materialized into existence just in time. BOOM! Her sword clashed against it with a thunderous impact. The explosion of pressure from their clash sent a shockwave ripping through the studio. Glass shattered. Walls cracked. The ceiling above them groaned dangerously. Suddenly, a sickening crack rang out as a giant block of the ceiling began falling straight toward one of Zara''s assistants who stood paralyzed in fear. Victor didn''t hesitate. He vanished. One instant, he was standing behind the wind barrier... the next, a gust of wind burst through the air, and he reappeared beneath the falling debris. With a grunt, he pushed the assistant out of the way and threw her toward safety. But that gave Zara an opening. She shot forward with immense speed and slammed her knee into Victor''s face. CRACK. Victor''s body launched backwards as his head snapped to the back with blood shooting out of his nose. He flew across the room with her still clinging to him like a missile made of fury. They crashed through the wall with glass and steel exploding outward as they plummeted from the top floor. Chapter 126: Sinister Set Up (( Twenty Minutes Before the Clash )) Deep within one of Vantablade Studios'' back corridors, behind a row of storage closets and clothing racks, a lone studio technician stood by a service terminal, speaking quietly into a black comm-device embedded into his wrist. He checked over his shoulder before replying to the voice on the other end. "Yeah," he said under his breath. "Everything''s going exactly as you wanted." The voice on the other side was cold, composed, and modulated¡ªno trace of identity. "Is he reacting yet?" The man smirked faintly. "Not openly, but it''s working. He''s already been brushed aside. Lost his spotlight. Can''t even get a proper frame without Zara Feng knocking him out of view. The kid''s pride''s taking a hit." A brief pause. "Good," the voice replied with a subtle hint of malice. "Let him feel worthless. Let the world remind him that no one cares how ''special'' he thinks he is." The technician adjusted his collar. "You want me to keep going?" "No." Another pause. "Take it up a notch. Get Zara involved. Personally. She has a temper. It won''t take much. Just... give her a reason... and she''ll get him hospitalised for sure." The worker''s lips curved into a professional smile. "Consider it done." He ended the call and pocketed the device, walking calmly back into the studio floor like nothing had happened¡ª --- (( Present )) Wind roared in Victor''s ears. His back was arched with Zara''s full weight on top of him as gravity dragged them both toward the concrete below. ''I''m gonna die,'' he realized while trying to get away from the forcefulness of her knee on his chest but it was like her body was stuck on his. She was too strong¡ª''If I land this way, my skull will crack open.'' An image of his mother appeared in his mind. ''I can''t die yet!'' His eyes flared with focus. "Wind Gale!" A concentrated burst of wind blasted from his palm, slamming into Zara''s side and knocking her clean off his chest. She spun away mid-air, caught off guard for the first time. Victor twisted in midair with his limbs flailing for a moment before he activated one of his latest wind techniques. "Wind Glide!" Wind gathered around him in droves as his body paused in mid air like he had landed on an invisible surface¡ªjust enough to break his fall speed. Then he angled himself to straighten up and jumped forward in mid air. With a near-silent whoosh, he landed feet-first against the side of the Vantablade tower with his knees bent as his boots slid down the wall in a controlled drop. A second later, he leapt off the wall and flipped once before landing hard on the sidewalk with a grunt of pain but no broken bones. Behind him, Zara hit the ground with a shockwave sending dust and debris flying out in a ripple. Victor turned while wiping blood from his face. She stood with her sword in hand, and pointed it directly at him. "You''re finished," she said coldly. Victor raised an eyebrow without flinching. "I thought that was before we fell through a building." Her sword flared with heat again, and Victor braced himself¡ªgathering qi around him. All of a sudden... A soft beep-beep rang out. The comms earpiece in her left ear crackled to life. Zara paused and touched it. "Yes?" Her expression immediately shifted. Her face had gone from cold to alarmed. Her eyes snapped to Victor, then back to nothing, then widened. "...Understood," she suddenly stiffened up. Without another word, without a threat, without even glancing at him again¡ª She launched herself off into the city skies, vanishing with a burst of mana. Victor stood there in confusion with wind stirring faintly around him. Alyss and the rest of the shaken crew ran to the edge of the shattered floor above and peered down. "Are you okay?" She yelled in concern. Victor slowly looked up at the now-smoking hole in the tower and muttered: "...I''m still charging for that shoot." ... ... The aftermath was messy. The once-luxurious studio on one of the highest floors of Vantablade Studios now looked like a combat zone. Cracked glass panels hung dangerously from the ceiling. Light fixtures blinked erratically. The platform Victor had stood on just an hour ago now resembled a small crater. Victor stood near a collapsed display rack with his sleeves rolled up. He was helping one of the shaken stylists clean up fallen equipment. His nose was throbbing mercilessly with a dull, rhythmic pain that hurt with every breath. He''d tried to ignore it. He really had. But when a medic from the studio staff saw the swollen bruises and the crooked angle of his nose, she insisted. "Sit. Don''t move. You might be brave, but you''re not invincible." Victor gave a weak smirk as she prodded gently around the injury. "Define brave. Because right now, I feel pretty dumb." "It''s broken," she muttered and began prepping a soaked gauze. "Hold still. This is going to sting like a thousand angry bees." It did. He clenched his jaw hard, trying not to wince too obviously. Sweat beaded on his forehead as she realigned the bone with surgical skill. "Still dumb?" she asked with a smile. He grunted. "Less brave. More humbled." A short distance away, Alyss Raen, still looked thoroughly mortified as she tried directing a few remaining staff to salvage the shoot files. Her gaze kept drifting back toward Victor. When he was done with the medic, he walked over to her with his nose bandaged. "You know," he said flatly, "you could''ve just told me I was going to be shooting with a psycho today." Alyss exhaled with a regretful look. "Victor¡ª" "You really thought pairing me with Zara Feng was a good idea?" "She wasn''t supposed to arrive then," Alyss said defensively. "There was a miscommunication in the scheduling¡ª" "Sure. A miscommunication that nearly took my face off." Before Alyss could respond, a soft voice interrupted them. It was Mina, one of Zara''s assistants¡ªthe same woman Victor had pushed out of harm''s way. She stepped forward with a look of appreciation. "Thank you... for earlier. If you hadn''t moved, I¡ªI don''t know what would''ve happened." Chapter 127 127: Dont Fail Me Now, White Dragon Victor offered a tired smile. "Just glad I was fast enough." She bowed politely and stepped away, leaving the two of them alone again. Alyss crossed her arms. "For what it''s worth... I''m sorry." Victor stared at her. "You should sue her." Alyss laughed bitterly. "Sue Zara Feng? That''s rich." "I''m serious." She looked at him like he''d grown another head. "Victor, even if we filed a complaint, even if we had footage¡ªwhich we do¡ªit would never stick. She''s a Mana Defense Officer. Level 57. You know what that means?" "Yeah. It means she nearly threw me through the Earth''s crust." "It means," Alyss voiced with a low tone. "that she''s protected. Untouchable. There are maybe thirty Awakeners in the whole city at that level. The government bends over backwards to keep them happy." Victor was silent. "They''re the reason we still have walls," Alyss continued. "The reason we''re not overrun by Drakenar, Sylrith, or Umbryx. The last time a mana beast tide broke through the barrier, it took six awakened just to push them back. Zara held a frontline with only two others. They can''t risk losing her... and she knows it." Victor slowly nodded. He hated it. But she wasn''t wrong. Mana Defense Officers weren''t just heroes anymore¡ªthey were necessary evils. The thin line between survival and extinction. Victor left the studio sometime later with the place still half in ruins and tension hanging in the air like smoke. His phone buzzed briefly with a message from Vantablade Studios confirming his payment and¡ªsurprisingly¡ªa package of their latest collection was packed into black carrying bags, both male and female variants. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was PR damage control. Either way, he wasn''t going to refuse it. --- When he stepped into the apartment, his mom was at the dining table, sorting through some groceries and humming softly to herself. She looked up and her eyes immediately widened. "Victor." she noticed the bandages and small bruises on his jawline. "What happened?" He held up a hand casually. "It''s nothing. Just... slipped and smacked my face on some camera gear." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You''re a terrible liar." He shrugged and walked past before dropping the bags onto the couch. "Yeah, but at least I''m consistent." "You need to be more careful... if something..." "I''m fine mom. It''s the first time you''re ever seeing me come home looking this way... It will also be the last. Don''t worry about me," Victor stopped her in her tracks. She didn''t press him further. But her frown lingered. Victor reached into one of the bags and pulled out several beautiful female outfits, glowing faintly in delicate hues. "For you," he said before placing them in front of her. "Courtesy of Vantablade." She touched the fabric and stared at him. "Victor, these are... these are expensive." "I know." He smiled. "I got paid." He walked to his room as she stood there with a stunned look. --- Once in the quiet of his room, Victor collapsed on his bed with a groan. His phone buzzed. > Transaction Received: +3,000,000 credits from Vantablade Studios Current Account Balance: 5,020,320 Credits He sat up with a look of excitement. He had never in his life had more than two thousand credits at once. Ever. Now? He could pay rent for the next five years. Cover his mom''s medical expenses. Even buy a personal mana backup core for the apartment¡ªsomething most people only dreamed of. He could make the apartment completely conducive for his incoming sibling. He stared at the numbers on the display, unblinking. "This... this is real." His mind drifted. Three days left. Then Awakened Academy would resume. Everything would change again. He stood slowly and walked toward his mirror. His reflection greeted him¡ªhair streaked with white, eyes a little too tired for someone his age, a line of bandages running across his nose and cheekbone. Victor stared at himself for a long time. "I still don''t get it," he murmured. "Why did she stop? Zara... She was going to kill me or at least leave me seriously injured." He raised a hand and brushed his fingers across the bandages. Then paused. A thought bloomed in his mind. "...I wonder if that''ll work in real life..." He hesitated. Then, he slowly pulled the bandages off. The skin underneath was red and torn. His nose was obviously still healing. He stared at it. Then spat into his palm. "Don''t fail me now, White Dragon." He rubbed the spit across the injuries. At first, nothing happened. Then¡ª A faint warmth enveloped his face, accompanied by a tingling sensation. Right before his eyes, the torn skin began to close. The bruises faded. The redness vanished like paint being wiped off glass. His eyes widened. "...No way." He touched his face. It was still tender¡ªbut the wounds were completely healed. Victor leaned closer to the mirror. "Woah it actually works... I''m like a Warrior, a mage and a healer all at once..." He didn''t want to think much about this but wasn''t this too much power for just one person? ''If I was this strong months ago... could I have prevented that...?'' Victor let out a sigh and slumped onto the couch in his room with his nose still tender under the healing skin. A warm glow from the ceiling light softened the tired shadows under his eyes. He opened a group call with his boys¡ªDanny, Max, and Jake¡ªand in seconds, the screen lit up with their faces. Victor didn''t even get a word in before Jake blurted out, "Bro, you''re kidding me. She actually tried to cut you up?!" Apparently, Victor had already mentioned what happened today on the group chat. Danny''s eyes were bulging. "She threatened to chop your limbs off? In a public building?! That psycho witch!" Victor smirked before sipping from his Stormcore+ drink. "Yup. Studio floor nearly collapsed. Broke my nose. Got tossed out through a wall and nearly had my skull bashed in." "Okay but why is no one arresting her?" Jake questioned with a look of anguish. "That''s, like, several crimes. On camera!" Chapter 128 128: I Heard About Selene Victor leaned back. "Because she''s Level 57. And she''s Zara Feng." Max scowled. "Freaking figures. People like that think they''re gods." Danny shook his head with a genuinely pissed look. "One day, bro. One day I''ll get strong enough to look her in the eye and say, ''Suck my d*ck bitch!'' Just watch." Victor chuckled. "Please record it when that day comes." They all laughed... The conversation slowly drifted toward lighter things. They talked about how the city lights were always too bright, about a few Drakenar tribesmen attacked the western border last week but failed to get in, about how Max accidentally spilled soup on his lap mid-date and the girl still ghosted him despite his "perfect recovery monologue." As the laughter faded into quiet chuckles, Victor''s smile dimmed into something softer. "Hey," he said while rubbing the back of his neck, "I''ve been thinking." The boys quieted. "I want to send you guys something. Credits. Like... something around a hundred thousand each. I hit over 3 mil." Jake raised a brow. "Dude." "I mean it," Victor said. "You guys have been my bros since middle school. You helped me with the vids, the outfits, the Zara trauma therapy... I just wanna show I''m grateful." Max smiled, but shook his head. "We''re not doing this for payback, bro." Jake added, "Friends don''t charge friends for being friends. You think you can buy off loyalty?" Danny crossed his arms. "We''ll beat you up if you try." Victor laughed. "Okay, okay. Threat received." Max leaned in toward his camera. "You wanna thank us? Make it out of that academy alive. Come back stronger. That''s enough." Then his expression brightened. "Oh! Speaking of futures... I got accepted." "Accepted?" Jake blinked. "Where?" "University of East Verdance," Max said proudly. "Art major. Performing arts. If the world doesn''t end, I''m going to be an actor. And maybe¡ª" he paused dramatically, "¡ªjust maybe, I''ll perform on the ocean one day." Danny choked. "On the what now?" Max grinned. "You know. Those big blue things with water and waves? I saw one in a book once. I wanna stand on one and yell my monologue into the horizon like a true romantic." Victor laughed so hard he nearly fell off the couch. None of the boys had ever seen how the ocean or even a large body of water except on screens. The city was too far from any body of water and since no one was allowed to leave without a permit, only powerful figures like mana Defense Officers had been seen sights that normal humans no longer had the privilege of coming into contact with. Jake was howling. "You sound like an old man who discovered Atlantis." "You guys laugh," Max voiced while sticking his tongue out, "but one day, you''ll see my name on a theater poster floating across the sea." Danny raised his drink. "To Max. First human actor on a boat since the apocalypse." They all raised invisible cups while shouting cheers and half-insults. By the time they finally ended the call, the sky was already turning pale blue outside. ---- Victor crashed for a few hours and barely got proper rest before his mom woke him up. They went out together that morning and Victor carried most of the bags while occasionally fussing over her pace. "You''re not carrying a boulder, Mom," he said. "I''m carrying a person," she retorted. "And I can still out-shop you." Victor snorted. "Facts." They visited two grocery stores and stopped at a pharmacy before heading home with arms full of supplies. When they arrived, someone was already waiting at the door. Amara. She stood there casually, in a simple white jacket over a gray turtleneck and jeans with her long chestnut hair tied in a low ponytail. Her eyes lit up when she saw them. "Hey," she greeted. "Thought I''d drop by and help." "Perfect timing," Victor said. "We bought half the city." Amara insisted on carrying the heavier bags and somehow managed to organize the entire pantry like she had done it a hundred times. Victor watched her curiously until she walked up and handed him a small envelope. "What''s this?" "A one-year free medical checkup card," she said. "That clinic near the city''s center¡ªSilverheart Wellness Center. My uncle owns it. Your mom can go there any time. No payments." Victor blinked. "You''re... serious?" Amara smiled. "Of course." He stared at the card, then at her with a warm expression. "Thanks." --- The next morning, they visited Silverheart. Amara came along and, to Victor''s surprise, was treated like royalty. Staff bowed slightly when greeting her and addressed her with subtle honorifics. No one at school ever mentioned her family was loaded. They skipped every line. His mom was taken in immediately. Victor paced in the hallway nervously while Amara sat reading. After a while, the doctor came out and gave them the report. Everything was fine. The baby was healthy and according to the scans, it was a girl. There were prescriptions for vitamins, energy stabilizers, and some pills for better sleep. Victor nodded along with a look of relief but deep down... he was still worried. He wouldn''t be here for it. By the time he got back, his baby sister would already be born. --- That evening, back at the apartment, Victor''s mom was asleep in her room after her first dose of medication. Victor and Amara were sitting side by side on the living room floor with a projector playing an old horror film on the wall. Victor glanced at her. "Thanks... for today. Really." Amara didn''t look away from the screen, but a smile appeared on her face. "Don''t thank me yet. Thank me when the baby is here by being a great big brother to her." Victor laughed softly. "Yeah. That''s going to be chaos." Amara reached for the popcorn bowl and nudged it toward him. "Then let''s enjoy the peace while we have it." The movie played on the wall in soft flickers, filling the surrounding with an eerie soundtrack. "I heard about Selene." Chapter 129 129: The Unexpected Kiss A twisted creature dragged itself across the screen. It''s disjointed limbs were accompanied by the classic horror sound cue of shrieking strings. But Amara didn''t seem to be paying much attention at this moment. "I heard about Selene," she suddenly voiced out. Alarm bells suddenly rang in Victor''s head. "Oh¡ªuh, yeah, I mean, it''s not like that or anything. She''s just... a friend. We''re not together or¡ª" Amara turned to him with a smile. "Victor, relax. You don''t have to explain anything to me." Halfway through another flustered explanation, he shut his mouth. ''Which one of those idiots told her?'' She looked back at the screen. "Besides... I have a boyfriend, remember?" The words landed like a slap coated in honey. Gentle, but painful. Victor tried to force a chuckle. "Right. Of course." Amara smiled faintly. "You deserve to be happy, Victor, especially after all the grief you''ve endured. If the girl''s nice and likes you... maybe give her a chance." Victor leaned back with a distant gaze. ''Does this mean she knows I have a crush on her? Oh well. I guess I can stop trying to pursue her now... not like I''ve done any of that in months anyway...'' He didn''t say anything else. He just turned his attention to the screen, pretending to be invested in the monster currently crawling through a child''s bedroom. The last thing he wanted to think about right now was romance. The movie continued with the eerie music building up again. Though Amara was typically the cool and composed type, she jolted at a few well-timed in fear due to some of the horrific scenes. Once, without thinking, she grabbed onto Victor''s hand with a startled gasp. He turned to her while grinning. "You literally knocked a guy out with a single punch last month. And now you''re scared of fiction?" Her cheeks turned red as she laughed. "Shut up. That thing had four heads." She reached to pinch him in retaliation, but Victor caught her wrist midair. "Too slow." "Showoff." Then... in their tug-of-war, Victor gave her hand a playful pull. She stumbled forward. Right onto him. Victor froze as Amara landed fully on top of him with her large bouncy chest pressed against his. Her soft hair brushed his cheek and her face was inches away¡ªclose enough for him to count the individual brown lashes that framed her striking eyes. Neither of them moved. Then, all of a sudden, Amara leaned down and¡ªwithout a word¡ªkissed him. Victor''s eyes widened as her lips pressed against his. Her lips were so soft that it felt like they were melting into his. It wasn''t a deep kiss, but it was full of confused emotion, intensity, and something else that made Victor''s heart pound. This was his first kiss. And it was with her. But just as quickly as it had happened, Amara pulled away with widened eyes. She sat up fast, nearly stumbling. "I shouldn''t have done that," she mumbled. "I... I have a boyfriend." "Amara, wait¡ª" But she was already at the door, grabbing her things with reddened face and a clearly racing heart. "I''ll talk to you later. Sorry, Victor." And just like that, she was gone. Victor remained on the couch, staring at the empty doorway. "...What just happened?" --- The next morning came too fast. Victor moved through the apartment like a man on autopilot. Supplies were delivered one by one with packages lining the entryway. With his Academy departure imminent, Victor had thrown himself into prepping everything his mom would need during the months he''d be away. Using part of his credits, he''d spent over 300,000 credits revamping the apartment¡ªupgrading the stabilizer, installing medical-assist furniture, voice-activated emergency beacons, and an automated nursery system. Additionally, he transferred 1,500,000 credits to his mom''s personal account without fanfare. Just peace of mind. By mid-afternoon, a soft knock came at the door. Victor opened it to find a young woman dressed in a modest uniform and holding a compact suitcase. "Mr. Victor? I''m Calla. I''m here for the housekeeping position." Victor nodded and ushered her in. He gave her a full rundown of the apartment, pointing out where everything was stored and explaining how often his mother needed rest, food, and prenatal care. He emphasized kindness. Patience. Routine. Calla nodded attentively. "Understood. I''ve taken care of pregnant women before. You don''t need to worry." Victor smiled slightly. "Thank you." By evening, the apartment had settled. Calla had already proven efficient, prepping meals and organizing the nursery supplies. Victor stood in his room now, alone again. A dull dronning sound drew his attention. He headed towards the door and opened a new package that had arrived earlier and lifted out a metallic case stamped with the Awakened Academy seal. Inside: a stylish, combat-ready uniform laced with flexible mana-fiber panels, and a small silver identification chip. > This chip grants access to the transit hub for all incoming Academy initiates. Transport departs 0800. Mandatory. Victor stared at it in silence. So this is it. The Academy wasn''t even located within the city. Everyone knew that. It was somewhere beyond the walls, deep in an unknown zone hidden behind high-security mana barriers. Victor placed the chip on his desk, then looked around his room. He still hadn''t packed. He got to work, folding clothes neatly and stacking them into a black duffel bag. Chargers, hygiene kits, spare shoes, and a few books went in next. But then, his eyes fell on one object he hadn''t touched all day. His VR helmet¡ªthe gateway to Ascendant Realms. The most important piece of his growth. Victor picked it up and sat on the bed while holding it in both hands like a relic. Private devices weren''t allowed at the Academy. No phones, no comm-bands, no off-grid tech. But this? This wasn''t luxury. It was necessity. Without Ascendant Realms, he wouldn''t be able to cultivate. Without cultivation, he wouldn''t survive. "I''ll find a way to smuggle you in," he whispered to the helmet. He placed it carefully in a foam-padded compartment and zipped it closed. Then, after a pause, he grabbed his camera and added it too. Later that night, Victor sat on the edge of his bed with his eyes locked on the duffel like it was the doorway to a new life. "Awakened Academy... here I come..." Chapter 130: T-minus 38 Minutes (( Emberreach City ¨C Northern Containment Zone )) Iron structures, blast furnaces, and thick copper pipelines dotted the industrial-looking surroundings. This city seemed to thrive on its weapon manufacturing sectors and mana-forging workshops. Tall smokestacks reached into the sky, and every building was fortified with shielding tech, including a reddish-orange mana barrier that glowed like firelight at night. In a traditional hall surrounded by black wood and cascading purple flowers, a young boy knelt with one hand pressed firmly to the ground. He was about thirteen, but there was no fragility in his appearance. His golden eyes burned with clarity and discipline, and his nack hair was neatly tied back into a small topknot. He wore a ceremonial red robe embroidered with flame motifs. Before him stood a tall woman, draped in priestess garments of orange and gold. Her eyes were cold but proud and her long blue hair was tied into a high ponytail that swept behind her like a banner. "Kaien," she said. "Do not be distracted by the glitz of the Academy. You are not going there to make friends. You are going there to forge strength." Kaien looked up with a determined expression; "I won''t forget. Father died protecting this zone. I''ll make sure I finish what he started." She stopped pacing and turned. "Good. Let the Academy temper you, not tame you." Kaien nodded once. "I understand, Mother. I will not disgrace our name." As he rose, firelight reflected in his eyes. --- (( Viridia Core ¨C Sector 3 of the Green City Network )) Within this city, buildings were covered in vines and bioluminescent moss due to this part of the earth being semi terraformed. The barrier surrounding this city was veiled in mist that properly obscured the city. Inside a glass chamber filled with filtered green light, a girl stood silently before a massive portrait of a man clad in modern battle armor¡ªmana-plated, scratched with battle scars, and holding a massive sword that seemed to be glowing. She had no eyebrows. No lashes. No hair of any kind. Her skin was light green, smooth and polished like marble, and her physique was lithe but her posture depicted strength. Her cloak-like robe fluttered slightly from the environmental systems above. An aged butler with a hunched back stood behind her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You were born for this, young miss," he whispered. Elis tilted her head just slightly before responding with a cold tone. "I''ll make sure I retrieve my father''s sword," she said. "I will continue his legacy!" --- (( Dawnveil Medical Tower, Skybright City )) Floating platforms, arc bridges, and skyscrapers that were hundreds of feet tall and lined with luminous data lines made the city feel like it touched the sky. A bluish-white dome surrounded the city like a guardian angel and within a medical room in one of such towers, one could properly view the majestic city. White light filtered through the windows, and the soft beeping of heart monitors echoed faintly in the silence. A young man with shoulder-length blonde hair, clean features, and soft emerald eyes sat on the edge of a bed. A woman lay comatose on it, hooked to advanced mana infusion systems and stabilized by life-preserving tech. He gently held her frail hand. A smile touched his lips. "Mom," he said softly, "I leave for the Academy today." He looked down while brushing a strand of her graying hair from her forehead. "I''m going to make you proud. I swear it." He leaned down and kissed her hand gently. ----- (( Oblivion Sprawl ¨C Southshadow District, Blackridge Megacity )) Darkness dotted the surroundings. Oblivion Sprawl was like a forgotten scar of civilization¡ªlocated on the fringe of Blackridge Megacity and surrounded by a dull gray mana barrier that flickered like a dying flame. The city was half-ruin, half-underground labyrinth. Luminous signs buzzed weakly, and smoke choked the alleyways where the lowest of society dwelled. Within the cracked ruins of what was once a shopping complex now turned underworld den, a scream echoed. A young girl no older than sixteen pressed a screaming man against a concrete wall. Her hand was wrapped tight around his throat, lifting him a full foot off the ground. She wore a hooded black cloak and her face was partially covered in shadow. Her exposed lips were stained with what looked like blood¡ªor maybe dark lipstick. "Please... I told you everything I know..." the man begged. "Mmhm," she replied with a bored tone. "And yet... I''m still unsatisfied." Just then, another figure¡ªa man in a dark military coat with silver buttons¡ªstepped into the corridor behind her. "Veyla," he called. "You haven''t forgotten the Academy summons, have you?" She turned her head slightly while letting out a lazy yawn. "I hate mornings," she said. Then, without warning¡ª Pop. Her fingers crushed the man''s throat and severed his head clean from his neck. Blood sprayed across the walls in a grotesque arc. She let the body fall with a dull thud and turned while stretching her arms like someone waking from a nap. "Why am I even going?" she muttered. "I could already be on missions by now. I don''t want to play school girl with a bunch of weaklings." "You''re not ready," the man said sternly. Veyla licked a bit of blood from her knuckle and sighed. "So they keep telling me." ... ... (( New Avalon City ¨C Eastern Transit Terminal )) Back in the glowing brilliance of New Avalon City, the sky was still a faint pink from dawn. Mana trains glided through transparent skyways above, and mana-powered drones zipped between tall mirrored skyscrapers. At the farthest edge of the city, where the barrier fields glittered faintly, a massive silver dome pulsed with white-blue light. The Awakener Transit Station... Victor stepped out of the private shuttle he''d booked, dressed in his newly issued Academy uniform¡ªa white ensemble composed of a high-collared jacket with silver lining and flexible mana-fiber panels woven into the seams. The jacket hugged his frame comfortably, featuring the emblem of the Awakened Academy stitched in pale blue over the left breast. Reinforced combat trousers accompanied the top, durable yet breathable, and his boots were lightweight and adaptive to a range of terrain. A small silver identification chip was slotted into a discreet panel on his collar, its mana signature synced to the station''s access grid. Without it, he wouldn''t have been able to enter the Awakened Transit Hub. > Victor, Age 16 Awakening Level: Unknown (B Rank) Status: Approved Transit Departure: T-minus 38 minutes Chapter 131: Transit Mode Victor''s heart beat a little faster as he passed the entry point after the scanning. He clutched his duffel tighter, knowing the VR helmet hidden in the inner lining might trigger flags but surprisingly it didn''t. Perhaps this wasn''t the location where they''d be searched for unallowed items. > Victor, Age 16 Mana Awakening Level: Unknown (Special Case) Status: Approved Transit Departure: T-minus 38 minutes Up ahead was a large circular platform, where dozens of young Awakened initiates were already gathering. Victor found a quiet bench and sat while observing the crowd. He saw kids who looked barely seventeen standing beside teenagers who looked like they bench-pressed cars. It was a strange mixture of potential. Everyone here had something. Power. Connections. Talent. Ambition. Victor didn''t know what he had exactly¡ªbut he had resolve. The waiting area was filled with chatter and the constant buzzing of scanning drones. Soft blue lighting stretched across the silver floors, and black walls were lined with glowing panels displaying countdowns and digital briefings. Victor eyes were wide as he took it all in. This wasn''t some regular school orientation¡ªit felt more like a classified government operation. At the front of the waiting lounge stood an Awakened Instructor, clad in reinforced black armor accented with dark purple lines. He had a badge with the Awakened academy insignia, and the scar running across his left eye gave him the kind of presence that silenced an entire room without a word. "Alright, listen up," he voiced out. "This is Batch 17. First-time initiates, headed for your first year at the Academy." His eyes scanned them all. "Some of your peers are already there. The latter batches are for awakeners who were late to register. That means no room for slacking. You''ll catch up or be left behind." Victor shifted slightly. ''Late to register?'' Well, technically he had gone through the second screening so he understood that this meant those from the first screening were already there. His gaze flicked to his right¡ªand instantly recognized someone in the distant. A tall and proud looking raven-haired girl clad in the same white academy outfit. Her arms were folded and her expression remained as fiery as he remembered from the screening. She looked like she''d already mentally conquered the Academy. This was none other than Aria Wolfe. Next to her was Kai, the cool and strikingly handsome warrior with his black-haired tied loosely behind his head and a sword sheathed across his back. His calm eyes met Victor''s briefly, and Kai gave the smallest nod of recognition. Victor returned it. And then¡ª "Yo! If it isn''t Mr. Silent-but-deadly!" This loud voice came from a familiar muscular spiky redhead with a fierce glare. He had the same mischievous grin that Victor remembered. The moment Victor turned, Reed threw an arm around his shoulder with zero hesitation. "You looked like a secret boss back then at the screening, you gotta show me a few tricks some time." Victor laughed. "I thought you said I looked like a background character." Reed shrugged. "Can''t a man be wrong sometimes?" "Batch 17," the instructor voice snapped them back to attention. "You''re the last group. We''re heading out in five minutes." The walls slid open, revealing a long hallway that led to a black loading dock. Dozens of silver transportation capsules hovered off the ground¡ªeach shaped like a bullet, with glowing runes across the hull and a transparent canopy. They looked like something between a high-speed magtrain and a spacecraft. Victor''s heart thumped. This was it. The instructor continued speaking as they were led to their assigned capsules. "You''ll be traveling in sealed high-speed transit units. These are equipped with dimensional portal tech and reinforced mana shields. The trip will only take ten minutes, even though you''re crossing thousands of miles beyond the safety of the barrier." They climbed into their capsules in groups of five. Victor ended up in the same pod as Aria, Kai, and Reed, with a quiet girl he didn''t recognize, completing the group. The interior was pretty luxurious with large and soft seating spaces filled with blue holographic lights. As the pod sealed and began its journey, Reed leaned back with a dramatic sigh. "Man, these seats are nicer than anything I''ve ever sat in. I feel like I''m about to be launched into a VIP club, not an academy." "Try not to snore halfway through the ride," Aria muttered with her arms crossed. Reed grinned. "Ooh, you missed me. Admit it." Victor chuckled and turned to Kai, who was seated beside him with his legs stretched comfortably. "So, any expectations for what''s coming next?" Kai shrugged and responded with a calm tone. "Danger. Rivalry. Growth. Same as everywhere else¡ªjust on a bigger scale." Aria fixed her gaze ahead. "We''re not at a public screening anymore. This is the real deal. Don''t lag behind." Victor smiled faintly. "Don''t worry. I plan keep up." There was a brief pause. Then Kai smirked. "Looking forward to it." As the capsule sealed shut, Victor''s eyes were glued to the front panel, where the instructor''s voice continued over the intercom. "You''ll pass through multiple zones. Some are territories reclaimed by human forces. Others... are still dominated by enemy races. If you''ve never seen the world outside the barrier¡ªcongrats. You''re about to." The capsule began to make a low ~twhooshing~ sound as mana energy spread through the walls. Then¡ªwoosh. The vehicle shot forward, blurring through a tunnel of blue light. --- They emerged from a portal seconds later. Victor''s jaw nearly dropped as he looked through the transparent walls. The world outside the barrier was nothing like the city. Forests twisted in unnatural shapes, full of violet trees and crawling vines that seem corrupted. Floating rocks hovered above dark marshlands. Wild elemental storms surged in the distance. Tall silhouettes of beasts roamed vast plains. The sky was fractured, like an unfinished painting¡ªpatches of orange, storm-gray, and deep emerald seemed to be fighting for dominance. Some regions below looked terraformed¡ªswallowed in icy fields or scorched black. Victor saw a massive fungal jungle in the distance, where trees grew sideways out of floating islands. The instructor''s voice echoed again. "Look around you. This is what the world really looks like... this is why we fight!" Chapter 132 132: Orientation Victor briefly caught a glimpse of a Drakenar outpost¡ªmassive and molten, surrounded by reptilian sentries breathing smoke. His face tightened as a current of rage bubbled up from within but he quickly calmed himself down. ''In due time...'' The cabin filled with gasps and stunned silence. "No way people live out here," Lena whispered. "They don''t," Kai replied softly. "Not for long." The instructor''s voice echoed again. "Look around you. This is what the world really looks like. The cities are small islands of safety in a sea of chaos. This is why the Academy exists. This is why we fight." Then, they crossed into the next portal. For a heartbeat, it felt like falling. Then a bright light appeared. They broke through the other side, and the found themselves within a cramped tunnel with metallic walls. However, this tunnelway seemed to be completely filled with water and yet it didn''t slow the speed of the capsule one bit. They moved through this tunnelway for about a minute before arriving in an open space filled with water and all sorts of underwater plant life as well as rocks. At this point the capsule started to slow down as it approached a massive transparent dome beneath the ocean surface. Victor''s eyes widened. It was as though they had arrived before what looked like an underwater city carved into a giant oceanic basin. Glowing buildings lined curved walkways. Bioluminescent coral surrounded the dome''s edges. A single tower rose in the center like a gleaming pinnacle, topped with a rotating beacon of blueish white light. They were beneath the ocean¡ªbut it didn''t feel claustrophobic. It felt like entering a myth. "Welcome to the Awakened Academy," the instructor said. "Your new life begins now." The capsule docked smoothly, and the canopy lifted. Victor stepped off the transit pod with his eyes widening as the full majesty of the Awakened Academy spread out before him. Despite being located beneath the ocean, there wasn''t a drop of water within the massive protective dome that enclosed the Academy grounds. The air was crisp, breathable, and cool¡ªas if the place maintained a perfect climate. Above them, the top of the dome was crafted to reflect an artificial sky. It had brilliant shades of blue and white, complete with drifting clouds and a glowing sun that mimicked daylight perfectly. It was so realistic that for a moment Victor forgot he was hundreds of meters below the ocean surface. The architecture inside the dome was breathtaking¡ªa perfect fusion of futuristic design and natural integration. Crystal and metallic alloy like structures soared into the air, curved bridges spanned between buildings, and translucent platforms floated in midair. Senior students moved across them effortlessly. Some were walking and a few were flying using mana. Streams of elemental energy flowed through the sky like rivers of light, and spells activated with casual ease as students practiced or demonstrated their power. The very air buzzed with the density of mana. Magic was thick here... almost tangible. Victor and the others were guided by a team of instructors toward the heart of the Academy¡ªa very tall structure at the very center of the dome. It was the tallest building in sight and it spiraled upward like a glowing lance, with rings that rotated slowly around its core. At the top floor, Inside the tower was a vast auditorium, easily large enough to fit the thousands of newcomers arriving this year. Victor followed the crowd inside and found a seat near the back as the space filled with whispers and excitement. Screens appeared along the walls, displaying calming visuals while soft music played in the background. Then a hush fell over the crowd. A tall woman floated onto the central stage with her cloak trailing behind her like a banner of stars. She had noble features with long dark auburn hair tied in a flowing braid, and violet robes lined with arcane symbols. Her mana presence was overwhelming¡ªradiating raw magical authority. "Welcome," her voice was amplified without distortion. Gasps followed. Several students whispered her name. "That''s her! That''s Vice Chancellor Lysandra Ravaryn-Duskbane. The Arcane Witch of Solspire." "She''s a level 70 mage! I read about her mission in the Eastern Umbryx Zone." Victor stared with an impressed. He probably didn''t know her because she wasn''t based in New Avalon City but there was no doubt that she had performed exploits. Vice Chancellor Ravaryn gave a small smile. "You are the largest group of students the Awakened Academy has ever welcomed. Over seven thousand new Awakened stand here today. A 75% increase from last year. That should tell you one thing clearly... the world is changing. And fast." Her gaze swept across them all. "This Academy exists for one purpose: to prepare you. You are not ordinary. You are humanity''s first and last line of defense. Here, you will train, learn, grow, fight, and survive." She began to pace slowly across the stage. "The rules are simple. One: You will respect your instructors and fellow students. Two: Personal devices of any kind¡ªphones, comm-links, game decks¡ªare not allowed. This is not just about security. This is about focus. Commitment. Real power doesn''t come from distraction." Victor shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Three: You are expected to attend your required lectures and complete all assigned training. There are general sessions where all Awakener classes attend together, and there are class-specific lectures. You will receive your individual schedules after registration." She raised her hand, and several images appeared on the massive screen behind her. "You will have access to the following: multi-tiered training centers, extensive libraries, simulated and live combat zones, level-up areas with regulated beast exposure, cross-class sparring halls, meditation chambers, and the Assembly Spire for special missions and public rankings." She paused. "The Awakened Academy encourages competition... as it is one of the fastest ways to grow. You will earn rank. Status. Rewards. Power. But only if you strive." There was a moment of silence before she nodded. "Welcome again. Your journey starts now. Dismissed. Proceed to registration." Chapter 133 133: Registration Complete The hall erupted into movement as students jumped to their feet and began to pour out of the auditorium. Victor moved with the flow of the crowd, briefly scanning the sea of heads around him. ''Danny? Amara?'' he thought. He had hoped to spot them, but the crowd was too thick. There had to be thousands trying to get through the same corridors. ''I''ll find them later. First... registration.'' The registration centers were located on the lower floors of the tower. There were multiple check-in points, each manned by Academy staff and overseen by security drones hovering above. Within minutes, lines had formed that stretched down the corridors. Victor got in one of the faster-moving lines and waited. And waited. And waited. Nearly an hour passed before he was within five people of the front. Just then, a sharp buzz rang out. The student at the front had stepped through the scanner¡ªand the device blared red. "Unauthorized device detected," the scanner announced. A nearby instructor, dressed in black and gold, approached the student and reached into his bag. Moments later, he pulled out a phone. Without a word, he crushed the device with one hand and the phone burst into fragments. "Let this be a warning," the instructor said coldly. "We do not repeat instructions here. Learn the rules. Or pay for breaking them." Victor''s heart pounded as he looked down at his bag. The VR helmet... Ascendant Realms... He swallowed hard as a bead of sweat trickled down his neck. ''I really hope this works...'' Around him, more students passed through the security zone under the watchful eyes of several black-clad instructors and floating mana-detection drones. The same instructor who had earlier smashed a student''s phone now stood just ahead with a heavy and unyielding presence. Victor slowly drew in a breath. Then, as subtly as he could, he began gathering qi. It spread silently beneath his skin as the Void Emperor Bloodline activated. He instantly cloaked the VR helmet and gaming device in his bag with a layer of spiritual energy. With his bloodline activated, arrow-like marks glowed faintly under his skin¡ªwhite patterns in spiky angular formations ran across his back, chest, shoulders, and arms. Most of them remained obscured by his Academy uniform, but a faint few traced the side of his neck and down toward his left hand. His skin had turned white and was almost glowing. The instructor eyed him briefly. "You seem pale, son," the man paused his stern vigil just long enough to look Victor up and down. "Don''t be nervous. Just focus and you''ll do great." Victor offered a sheepish nod while feigning a nervous smile. "Yes, sir. First day jitters." The scanner passed over his bag. No sound. No flash of red. Nothing. The spatial cloak infused with his qi had worked. His gaming set was really invisible to any detection. Victor breathed out inwardly, keeping his expression neutral as he stepped past the scanner. His legs felt shaky, but relief flooded his chest. "Move along," the instructor said. Victor proceeded to the next stage of registration. In the adjoining chamber, several assistants in Academy uniforms ushered him to a side station. He was handed over to a medical team who began collecting a full series of biometric data: blood samples, urine, hair follicles, retina scans, mana frequency tests, and more. "Full Name?" one assistant asked. "Victor Revenant Josiah." It was entered into the database alongside a bright holographic outline of his body and DNA chart. When it asked for his class, Victor selected Warrior from the drop-down options. So far, so good. Then came the real test. "Place your palm here," said another instructor while gesturing to a hexagonal interface pulsing with runes and light. "It''ll sync to your awakener system and display your level." Victor hesitated for a heartbeat, then pressed his hand against the device. The interface glowed. And then... nothing. The screen stayed blank. The instructor frowned. "Huh. That''s strange." He reset the scanner and asked Victor to try again. Still nothing. Three more times. Same result. Victor''s heart nearly stopped. ''It knows. I''m not Awakened... not truly.'' The instructor scratched his head. "It could be a registration delay... or a system sync issue. Happens sometimes with border-case awakeners. Tell you what, we''ll enter a placeholder level for now. You can come back and update it once it''s active." Victor nodded quickly while trying not to seem too eager and inputted level 8. "Thanks. Yeah, I''ll definitely check back in." The instructor moved on and handed Victor a black card with a glowing chip embedded in the center. "This is your Academy Key Card," he explained. "It''s everything you''ll need to survive here. It stores your student ID, your permissions, and your credits." Victor turned the card over in his hand. "The Academy doesn''t use surface currency. No matter how rich you are out there, it means nothing here. You won''t be able to spend your money from the surface here. Everything¡ªfrom food to weapons, armor, gear, even luxuries¡ªis purchased through this system. Each rank receives a monthly credit allowance." A small display next to the instructor lit up: S Rank: 1,000,000 credits/month A Rank: 300,000 credits/month B Rank: 100,000 credits/month C Rank: 50,000 credits/month D Rank: 30,000 credits/month E Rank: 10,000 credits/month F Rank: 2,000 credits/month "Since you''re B Rank, you''ll receive a hundred thousand credits monthly. Spend wisely. The amount increases or decreases depending on your performance. Fail to meet standards, and your rank drops." Victor raised an eyebrow. ''100,000... a hundred thousand credits.'' Although he had recently earned millions of credits back in his city, he had barely been earning 3,000 just a month earlier so this was insane. "Students with A and S Rank get their own personal rooms," the instructor continued. "B Rank students share with one other person. Below that, you might be sharing with two, four, or even six others." Victor nodded in understanding. "Your key card also holds a digital holographic map of the Academy... tap the surface twice and it appears," the instructor added before tapping Victor''s card twice. The holographic map appeared in great detail and then he directed Victor to his assigned accommodation building. "Section Five. Seventh floor." Chapter 134: Settling In Victor made his way through the Academy''s inner city. The further he walked, the more apparent the ranking system became. The F Rank dorms were bleak like narrow, boxy buildings stacked tightly together with minimal ornamentation. D and C Rank areas showed some improvement: better architecture, greenery, tech panels. But the B Rank area was another level. Victor stood in front of a tallbhexagonal building coated in glittering mana glass. The entrance was guarded by crystal drones, and each floor had its own floating platform balconies. He stepped through the access scanner and let his key card grant him entry. Within were fluorescent lights and obsidian floors. Elevators lined the central atrium, and several students passed by in tailored Academy uniforms, chatting or walking with calm confidence. He took the lift to the seventh floor and found his room¡ªUnit 5-7B. He swiped his card. The door hissed open. Inside, the room was spacious. At least four times the size of his room back on the surface. Two beds separated by a central divider, glass desks equipped with computers, closets, and even a small living area with a couch and entertainment screen. Victor stepped in and paused. Someone else was already there. A boy leaned against the window with his arms crossed. He had an athletic build, mocha skin, and dreadlocks tied into a loose bun. He wore the same white Academy uniform with his sleeves rolled to the elbow. His eyes flicked to Victor. "So you''re my roommate." Victor blinked. "Looks like it." The boy looked him over with a neutral expression, then nodded once. "Name''s Kairo. Warrior class. Rank B." Victor stepped forward and offered a hand. "Victor Revenant. Warrior class. Also B Rank." Kairo accepted the shake. "Let''s not make this difficult, yeah? I like quiet. I train hard. Don''t bring drama into this room." Victor gave a short laugh. "Trust me, I''m here to survive, not stir trouble." Kairo grinned faintly. "Good. You snore?" "Nope. You?" "Only if I''m exhausted." Victor dropped his bag onto the bed and glanced around. The whole place still felt surreal. He had a roommate. He had a room. He had money to an extent. And he had finally made it to the Academy. Hours later, Victor was laying with his back on his bed and arms behind his head. His eyes were fixed on the smooth white ceiling of his shared Academy dorm. Kairo, his new roommate, was on the other side of the divider wall in the shared living space, calmly scrolling through a glowing book-like interface with several graphs and sparring diagrams. Yet Victor''s mind was elsewhere. Two problems heavily disturbed his mind. One: how was he supposed to continue playing Ascendant Realms in secret while having a roommate? Two: what would he do about the interface failure from earlier¡ªwhen the Academy system couldn''t detect or verify his level? He didn''t have a system like the other Awakened. His power came from the game. The very game he smuggled into this academy. Victor bit his lip and stared at his bag. His only real option was to play late at night, when Kairo was asleep. It wouldn''t be easy¡ªif Kairo was a light sleeper, he could get caught. But there was no other way. He needed to grow stronger both in the game and out here. The Void Emperor Bloodline was potent, but only through Ascendant Realms could he cultivate and unlock more of its potential. He sighed, then glanced at the clock. Just after 3:00 PM. --- Elsewhere in the Academy¡ª Rank C Dorms, Room 3-C "Say that again, little spark plug! I dare you!" Danny stood with his fists clenched as he towered over a thin boy wearing a mage class uniform. The boy had an arrogant look and a smirk that refused to fade. "I said," the mage repeated while flicking his wrist so a small flame burst in his palm, "if you had half a brain, you wouldn''t be dumb enough to think muscle solves every problem." Danny cracked his knuckles. "And if you had half a spine, you wouldn''t need flashy sparks to talk tough." Their third roommate, an Assassin class student, reclined on the top bunk across the room with a literal tub of popcorn in hand while watching in amusement. "This is the best welcome I could''ve hoped for," he muttered between bites. Danny took a step forward, but a knock on the wall from the hall startled them all. An instructor''s voice barked through the hallway intercom. "Keep it down in there, Room 3-C. First warning. Next time, we deduct credits." Danny glared at the mage. "This isn''t over." The mage grinned. "Wouldn''t dream of it." --- Rank B Dorms, Room 22-B Amara stood quietly while unpacking her belongings onto a built-in glass shelf in her room. Her uniform jacket was neatly hung, and she was sorting her books and essential devices with her usual methodical flair. Across the room, her roommate lay sprawled on her bed while blowing bubbles with gum that popped every twenty seconds. Amara had tried to initiate a handshake when she first walked in, but the girl hadn''t even looked up. "Hi, I''m Amara." POP. That was the response she got. Now, Amara just sighed and focused on settling in. "So much for friendly roommates," she murmured. --- Rank A Dorms, Room 1-A3 Selene was twirling around her new room with her arms spread like a dancer as she stared at the beautiful decor. Smooth crystal floors, reinforced walls with mana-glyphs that pulsed gently, a queen-sized bed with self-heating linen, and even a personal mana-bath. "This is everything," she sang while falling back onto her bed dramatically. She lay there for a moment, then turned toward the ceiling. "But how do I find Victor now? This place is so huge!" With a huff, she reached into her side pouch, pulled out a blue-and-pink lollipop, unwrapped it with one hand, and stuck it into her mouth. She sucked on it thoughtfully with her legs kicking lazily. "I''ll find you, my mysterious handsome boy. You can''t hide forever." --- Author''s Note: Guys please we need reviews. Chapter 135: Playing Ascendant Realms Within Academy Grounds Later that Night ¨C Victor''s Room Victor had spent the last few hours walking around the Academy, trying to memorize key locations: combat halls, canteens, training rooms, and simulation centers. He hadn''t spotted Danny, Amara, or Selene anywhere in the sea of uniforms. At least he knew where Reed stayed¡ªtwo doors down¡ªand that Kai had secured one of the A-rank rooms not far from Aria. But the others? No clue. "I''ll find them tomorrow," Victor whispered while closing the door quietly behind him. "For now... time to settle in." He walked into the dorm. Kairo was still up, sitting cross-legged on the couch in the shared living space, deeply engrossed in reading battle reports on a floating mana screen. Victor greeted him casually and moved into the bedroom portion of the dorm. He waited. And waited. Finally, at exactly midnight, he heard Kairo shuffle to his feet and move toward his own bed. A few more minutes passed. The lights dimmed to near black. Breathing slowed from the other side of the room. Victor sat up quietly. He reached into his bag and pulled out the one thing he hadn''t dared show during the day: His VR helmet and the Ascendant Realms game. Carefully wrapping the power wire in a cloth to muffle any sound, he connected everything. A faint blue glow spread from the visor for a moment as it synced to the game. Victor laid back on his bed, placed the helmet over his head, and took a long, calming breath. "Back to grinding..." [ Logging Into Ascendant Realms ] Victor opened his eyes and found himself once again in the serene, mystic world of Ascendant Realms. He sat cross-legged inside his private abode within the Violet Spring Sect, surrounded by ornamental jade statues, glowing cultivation crystals embedded in the walls, and thin, curling strands of spiritual incense smoke. As a beneficiary of the Core Disciple Perks, his dwelling had a constant abundance of qi, making it one of the most ideal cultivation spaces in the outer region of the sect. He stretched, stood, and cracked his knuckles. "No time to waste." Victor made his way through the winding paths of the Violet Spring Sect, passing ponds filled with silver koi and platforms where other disciples meditated or practiced techniques. The morning sunlight in Ascendant Realms was golden and warm, rising over the tall mountain peaks that hugged the sect''s landscape like guardians. He quickly located Elder Mo, who was seated in front of a lotus pond with his eyes closed as he sipped on spiritual tea. The elderly man opened one eye as Victor approached. "Ah, you''re back, boy. How goes the progress?" Victor bowed respectfully. "My Void Emperor Bloodline integration has reached 35%, Elder Mo. But... things are slowing down. It''s not moving at the same pace as before." Elder Mo chuckled, setting his cup down. "That''s expected. The higher your integration, the more resistance your body puts up. If not for the Bloodline Resonance Technique I passed to you, you would likely see zero progress for weeks, even months." Victor blinked. "Seriously? That long?" "Mm." Elder Mo nodded. "That technique is rare for a reason. But even so, your pace will continue to drop if you don''t complement it." Victor tilted his head. "Complement it how?" "With battle." Elder Mo stood slowly with hands behind his back. "Bloodlines are power etched into the body and soul. But that power awakens faster when forced into action. If you want faster integration, you must fight. Not just train. Not just meditate. You must use your bloodline in real combat." "Makes sense," Victor muttered. He had noticed how triggering certain abilities had felt easier the more he used them. "You''ve stayed too long in this abode," Elder Mo continued. "Go to the Outer Mission Hall. Take a proper sect mission. Test yourself. Grow. Let your bloodline breathe through your blade." A soft chime echoed in Victor''s ears, and a blue notification blinked across his field of vision: [New Objective: Accept a Sect Mission - Rewards: EXP, Sect Contribution Points, Mission Loot] Victor bowed again. "Thank you, Elder Mo. I''ll return stronger." Elder Mo gave a simple nod and resumed sipping his tea. --- The Outer Mission Hall was a broad rectangular building with carvings etched into every beam and pillar. Inside, disciples moved to and fro, looking over glowing boards with mission listings. Each mission displayed with rewards and difficulty ratings. Victor stepped in, instantly feeling dozens of eyes swivel toward him. Whispers began. "Hey, isn''t that the guy that got Core perks without being a Core Disciple?" "I heard he came out of nowhere and got Elder Mo''s attention." "Tch. Must''ve bribed someone." Victor ignored them. He approached the counter where a cultivation attendant sat behind a jade desk, monitoring the mission postings. She was a young woman with tied-back red hair and blue robes signifying an Inner Administrative Disciple. She didn''t even look up as Victor arrived. "Name and Rank?" she asked dully. "Fang Chen." She finally looked up, and her eyes narrowed. "You''re not listed in the mission-eligible disciple records. Are you Outer Sect or Inner?" "Neither," Victor said. Her expression hardened. "Then I''m afraid you can''t take any missions. The hall only provides tasks to registered sect disciples." Victor calmly reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a small jade piece inscribed with flowing silver characters¡ªElder Mo''s personal token. The moment she saw it, her eyes widened and she shot to her feet. "Apologies, I didn''t realize...!" She bowed deeply. "You may take any available mission on this floor." More disciples turned to look and some now whispered even more aggressively. Victor nodded and stepped past the counter to browse the glowing mission boards. His eyes scanned dozens of listings before settling on one. Mission Title: Purge the Weeping Hollow Mission Type: Extermination Location: Murktree Forest, Weeping Hollow Region Objective: Exterminate the rogue Spirit Leeches nesting beneath the corrupted tree roots. Threat Level: C-Rank Rewards: 150 Contribution Points, 200 Silver Taels, One Random Item Chest Victor pressed his palm to the listing. [Mission Accepted!] The listing vanished from the board, replaced by a cooldown timer. [ Objective Complete: Accept A Sect Mission ] [ Rewards: 30,000 wisps of Qi, +3 to all sub stats ] As Victor turned to leave, he noticed a few more heads turning. Some with confusion. Others with envy. --- The moment he stepped out, two inner court disciples approached the same attendant. One had dark silver hair tied in a topknot and a mocking smirk. The other was broader, bald, and wore a crimson waist sash. "That guy," the silver-haired one said while pointing. "What mission did he just take?" Chapter 136 136: Third Party The attendant bowed her head. "I''m sorry, honored seniors. Once a mission is claimed, it cannot be disclosed unless it is failed or reassigned." The bald one eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. "You sure you want to test us?" She hesitated. The silver-haired disciple whispered something into her ear. Her face paled slightly. She looked around. Then reluctantly pulled up the internal mission log and whispered back. Their eyes lit up. "Weeping Hollow, huh?" the bald one chuckled. "Heh. That place might just eat him alive." "Not unless we get there first," the silver-haired disciple muttered with a smile. They turned and walked away with their laughter echoing behind them. ... ... Victor, moved swiftly through the quiet paths that led out of the Violet Spring Sect with his blade secured by his side. The journey to the Murktree Forest had begun the moment he accepted the sect mission from the hall, and though he sensed the growing intensity of the world outside the sect, he remained unaware of the quiet footsteps trailing behind him at a distance. His Void Emperor Bloodline kept his senses slightly sharper than most, but even then, whoever was following him was skilled enough to stay out of range. It took him nearly thirty minutes to reach the borders of the Murktree Forest. The forest was dense and veiled in shadows even though the sun was still high in the sky. Long, twisting branches hung low like arms trying to pull intruders inward, and the wind carried an unnatural chill. Birds did not chirp here. No beast calls. No sound of life. Only silence. It was way different from the bloodshade hunting grounds. Fang Chen stepped cautiously between the moss-coated roots, scanning for landmarks. If this is Murktree, then the Weeping Hollow shouldn''t be too far ahead... As he descended deeper into the forest, the air began to grow heavier. It wasn''t long before he came upon a strange clearing where the trees thinned out, and the grass below was blackened and twisted. At the center stood a corrupted tree¡ª It''s roots curled outward like dead serpents and dark veins of spiritual rot spread across its bark. A sharp nauseating feeling hit Victor''s throat. He had found the Weeping Hollow. He stepped closer with his eyes narrowed. The rogue spirit leeches are under those roots. As if in response to his thought, a cluster of vines jerked to life. They moved like tendrils, slithering across the soil toward his legs. One of them launched suddenly, aiming for his foot. Victor leapt backward and drew his sword in one smooth motion. A clean arc sliced through the vine, severing it instantly. An intense high pitch scream followed¡ª As the vine fell twitching to the ground, a wave of dark qi spread outward from the tree roots. Fog surged from beneath, flooding the hollow in seconds. The world turned black. <[ Status Effect: Fog of Corruption ¨C Vision -75% ]> <[ Warning: Rogue Spirit Leech Swarm Detected ]> Fang Chen blinked. He could barely see a meter in front of him now. He moved slowly with an expression of caution while turning from side to side with his sword outstretched. A slimy grip suddenly wrapped around both his ankles. He slashed downward instinctively but it didn''t help. He was yanked violently into the air by whatever had gripped him and now he was upside down. [Alert: You are being restrained by Corrupted Vines] Then he spotted it¡ª A massive mouth formed entirely of spirit leeches, spiraling in grotesque formation like a throbbing whirlpool of flesh and teeth. He was hurled down toward it. "Nuh uh not today..." <[ Void Emperor Bloodline Activated ]> Arrow-like runes blazed beneath his skin as spatial qi twisted the air around him. Victor made quick hands with his two of his fingers intertwined and pointed at a direction. <[ Bloodline Technique Activated: Shadow Blink ¨C Void Emperor Exclusive ]> In the next instant, Victor vanished mid-fall and reappeared behind the monster with his feet sliding across the ground. The corrupted grove trembled as spatial pressure blanketed the hollow. Without delay, Victor unsheathed his sword again. <[ Technique Activated: Phantom Moon Slash ¨C 45% Mastery ]> This move was especially devastating against dark spirits. His blade glowed with white light, leaving ghostly afterimages with each swing as he darted from side to side, confusing the spirit leeches. His real attack was cloaked in layered qi, redirected to strike from unexpected angles. Slash! Slash! Gashes opened along the side of the rogue leech mass. Corrupted blood spewed from its wounds. The vines in the surroundings retaliated. Dozens of them struck toward Victor from all directions. But he didn''t falter. His sword spun like a cyclone as each moved guided the blade like flowing water, severing one vine after another. His footwork danced around roots and stones. One vine emerged from his blind spot, seeking his throat. It was like time had slowed at this moment as Victor lifted his hand and activated a skill only accessible through his Void Emperor Bloodline. <[ Bloodline Technique Activated: Spatial Lock ¨C Void Emperor Exclusive ]> The vine froze mid-lunge, trapped by an invisible force. The same invisible force wrapped itself around the vine and Victor pulled his left hand forward, causing the entire vine to rip from its root. "You want to play? Fine!" He swung the detached vine like a whip with his qi, slapping the rogue leeches repeatedly. Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah! Wet slaps echoed across the battlefield and with every hit, blood flooded the surroundings. Victor pounced forward for the final strike. But just as he raised his blade¡ª BOOM! Two blinding flashes struck from above. A swirling spear of wind came from the left while a wave of blazing flame flame that engulfed the leech core, came from the right. The rogue spirit leeches screeched in agony. Victor shielded his face from the impact as he slid backwards. The corrupted core began to crack and then shattered entirely. Ash and cursed remnants faded into the air. The dark fog lifted. Victor stood in stunned silence as notifications appeared in front of him. <[ Mission Failed: Purge The Weeping Hollow ]> [ Weeping Hollow Purged By Third Party ] Chapter 137 137: KingCampers Interference Footsteps approached from the edge of the hollow. Victor turned as two figures emerged from the trees. One with silver hair tied in a topknot. The other was bald with crimson eyes. They wore the robes of Inner Court disciples. The silver-haired one smirked. "A bit slow, aren''t you?" The bald one cracked his knuckles. "Good thing we arrived when we did. That beast would''ve eaten you alive." Victor narrowed his eyes; ''So this was planned...'' He figured he didn''t notice because he was deeply engrossed in his battle against the rogue leeches. But he said nothing. "Tsk," the silver-haired one clicked his tongue. "You looked like you had it under control... but you know how these things go. Can''t leave a mission unfulfilled." Victor didn''t answer. He quietly sheathed his sword. They stole the kill. They forced a mission failure. And they did it with a smile. But it was alright because he could just take on another mission. The aim was to use his bloodline more in combat and he did, so he wasn''t completely dissatisfied. "Excuse me," Victor voiced with a calm tone before turning away to walk off. The rogue spirit leech mission had been snatched right from under him and although he wanted to walk away without confrontation, the two inner court disciples who had interfered weren''t done with him. The silver-haired disciple stepped into his path as his lips curled into a mockery of a smile. "Leaving already? Didn''t even say thank you." Victor remained silent and sidestepped, only for the silver-haired man to block him again, arms folded as though bored. Behind him, the bald disciple cracked his knuckles with a gaze of unspoken threat. "Normally," the silver-haired one said smoothly, "fighting between disciples without a formal challenge is forbidden." The bald one snorted. "But you''re not a real disciple, are you? You''re a nobody, granted a token. That rule doesn''t protect people like you." Before Fang Chen could reply, a notification appeared in his line of sight. [Alert: Bloodlust Detected ¨C Enemy Intention Confirmed] ''So they were planning to fight from the start.'' The moment stretched taut. Then all of a sudden, they moved... Fwosshh~ Their figures charged toward him with malicious intent from both sides. Victor braced himself to dodge¡ª However... Clang! The silver-haired disciple''s strike was intercepted by a newcomer with a blade gleaming with petals of light. Victor jumped back as a grinning figure landed between him and the two attackers. A name tag hovered clearly above his head: [ KingCamper ¨C Realm: Nascent Soul ] It was a player. He was tall with bloodred tousled hair, relaxed shoulders, and robes marked with vibrant greens and golds. Swirls of glowing pink petals floated about him, trailing behind like echoes. "Yo!" he said brightly. "Hope I''m not crashing anything important. Just saw some noble inner court folks ganging up on someone a level lower and couldn''t resist joining." Victor blinked. "You''re a player?" KingCamper gave him a theatrical wink. "Guilty. I was camping near the elevated grove for a mission. Heard a ruckus¡ªthought it might be a beast rampage, but turns out it was just egos flaring." "And hey," he added with a grin, "us players gotta stick together when the NPCs get uppity." The bald disciple growled. "NPC? You dare¡ª" The silver-haired one spat. "You''ll regret butting in." The bald one rushed KingCamper as his fists blazed with red qi. [Technique Activated: Flaming Devourer Punch] But KingCamper had already moved. [Technique Activated: Thousand Petal Barrage ¨C Tier III] He spun his sword once, and dozens of razor-sharp spiritual petals burst from his blade, forming a swirling curtain. The bald man''s punch smashed into the petals, but they cut deep into his arms, disrupting the momentum and forcing him back. "That''s one," KingCamper chuckled. "You''ve got about nine more mistakes in you." The bald disciple bellowed and charged again. This time with wider swings as flames coated both arms. [Technique Activated: Lotus Shield Guard] KingCamper brought his sword down in a sweeping arc, and a lotus-shaped shield bloomed in front of him. The punch crashed into the shield and shattered it, but the force was absorbed, allowing KingCamper to evade the follow-up and slash the man''s side. [Technique Activated: Lotus Fang Riposte ¨C Tier II] Petals erupted from the wound, forcing the bald disciple to stumble back while clutching his ribs. "Oof," KingCamper said cheerfully. "That looked like it hurt." --- Meanwhile, Victor faced the silver-haired disciple. The disciple sneered and raised his right hand with lightning dancing around his fingertips. [Technique Activated: Tempest Fang ] A surge of condensed lightning formed into twin fangs over his fists. With a thunderous roar, he dashed forward with lightning trailing in his wake. Victor reacted instantly and made hands signs while pointing towards the left. [ Bloodline Technique Activated: Shadow Blink ] He vanished from the spot in a shimmer of distorted space, reappearing to the side just as the silver-haired disciple slammed a bolt-laced punch where his head had been. Boom! The earth cracked and smoked under the impact. The disciple turned with impressive speed. [Technique Activated: Thunder Latch Chain] Snaking bolts of lightning extended from his palm, locking toward Fang Chen with homing force. Victor spun to avoid the first two, but the third bolt nearly grazed his arm. He ducked and rolled, then countered. [Technique Activated: Crescent Shadow Strike! ] He launched a crescent-shaped arc of dark energy forcing the disciple to block with a small wall of lightning. Sparks flew as part of the attack sliced through but the disciple managed to evade just in time. The disciple dashed forward again, and they met at the center. Steel clashed against crackling qi. Victor and the disciple exchanged a flurry of blows¡ªone sword slash, one electrified fist. Another strike, then a block. Another flash, then a dodge. [Bloodline Technique Activated: Spatial Lock ] Victor warped the space around the disciple''s legs briefly, causing his next step to falter. He used the opening. [ Technique Activated: Phantom Moon Slash ] His blade split into multiple afterimages, descending with layered might. The disciple roared and retaliated. [ Technique Activated: Storm Breaker Palm ] A massive palm-shaped construct of blue lightning collided with the slashes. BOOM! The forest ground shook as trees in the surroundings trembled. The collision of power formed a vortex of raw energy that forced both fighters backward. Victor slid back a dozen feet while the disciple flew back even farther, crashed through a twisted root and landed with a gasp. He tried to stand but was too slow. Victor figure blurred as he activated Wind Dash. A clean horizontal strike came crashing down at the disciple. Blood arced through the air as Victor severed one of the disciple''s arm and then spun around to kick him in the face. Bam! The disciple got sent flying with blood shooting out of his nostrils and mouth. "Huh always wanted to bully someone with that move since that time..." Victor let a feeling of satisfaction envelope him as the disciple''s figure crashed into a nearby tree. Chapter 138: Fang Chen! Meanwhile by the side... KingCamper evaded another flame-infused punch, then slammed the pommel of his blade into the bald disciple''s jaw. [Critical Hit ¨C 498 DMG Dealt] "And... you''re done," he said cheerfully. The bald disciple collapsed to one knee with blood trickling from his mouth. "Ouuu shiny," KingCamper trailed his index finger across the bald head of the disciple with a playful tone. Fang Chen walked over while raising an eyebrow. "You alright?" KingCamper tossed him a thumbs-up. "Peachy. You did great, man. First time I''ve seen someone easily defeat a cultivator one rank above them." "Uh luck I guess," Victor muttered while rubbing the back of his neck. "Don''t worry," KingCamper grinned. "They''ll think twice before messing with players again." The rogue spirit leeches were gone, and the corrupted mist of the Weeping Hollow had finally begun to thin. Victor sheathed his blade and turned to KingCamper who was currently wiping his sword clean with a silky piece of fabric. "Appreciate the assist," Victor stated. The tension from the earlier confrontation hadn''t entirely left him. KingCamper tucked his cloth away and shrugged. "Hey, you looked like you were about to get jumped by two of the world''s finest narcissists. I wasn''t about to let a fellow player get shanked by NPC egos in pretty robes." Victor gave a short laugh. "Those ''NPCs'' were Inner Court disciples. They stole my sect mission kill. Then they tried to ambush me. I only came here to increase my bloodline integration. Now my mission''s marked as failed." KingCamper winced dramatically. "Oof. That''s brutal. I swear, half of these guys have main-character syndrome. It''s always ''I''m better than you because I''ve got fancy clothes and a talking sword.''" Victor arched a brow. "Your sword talks?" "Only when I''m drunk," KingCamper shot back with a wink. They both chuckled. KingCamper sheathed his weapon and gestured toward the deeper part of the Hollow. "Actually, I was about to run a mission myself. Might be a little higher-level than yours, though not exactly complicated." "Let me guess. More corrupted beasts?" "Worse¡ªsmugglers. Real scum of the system. Apparently, they''re trafficking a bunch of things... one of which are illegal blood essence to rogue cultivators. The stones simulate cultivation progress without actual breakthroughs¡ªtotal cheat item for desperate wannabes." Victor nodded. "Sounds dangerous." "Which is why I could use a reliable second sword," KingCamper added. "This isn''t like your mission. I won''t lose progress if someone joins in. So, what do you say? We clean up some trash and grab some loot?" Victor thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sure. I''m in." [Friend Request from Player: KingCamper] Fang Chen accepted. [KingCamper has been added to your Friend List] KingCamper brought up a glowing map interface. A dotted line flickered through the forest. "There''s a black willow grove about half a mile south of here. My quest data says they''ll pass through it within the next hour. We set up, wait, confirm their presence, then strike." "What level are they?" "Their leader is probably late Core Formation, maybe touching early Nascent Soul. The rest are all over the place¡ªstrong, but not coordinated. It''s their stealth tactics that make them dangerous." The two made their way through the Hollow, the corrupted roots twisting beneath their boots. Mist curled through the low-hanging branches, clinging to the earth like cobwebs. Blackened flora littered the trail whoch were most likely remnants of past battles or corrupted qi storms. They reached the willow tree and climbed into the branches. The canopy was thick, making this the perfect place to overlook the pathway below without being seen. As they waited, KingCamper leaned back against the trunk. "So, how long you been playing Ascendant Realms?" "Not long," Victor admitted. "A couple of months in the real world." "Damn, and you''re already working with spatial qi and soloing elite-class mobs? You must''ve hit some kind of cheat-code RNG." Victor smiled faintly. "Let''s just say... I''ve got some unique circumstances." --- Meanwhile, back at the Violet Spring Sect... Two figures stumbled through the gates of the Violet Spring Sect, bloodied and worn. Gasps rose from the disciples nearby. "Is that... Inner Disciple Huo Lian?!" "And Zhan Kui!" Huo Lian''s left arm was gone. A blood-soaked wrap was tied around the stump. His silver hair which was once tied immaculately, now hung wild across his blood-smeared face. Zhan Kui, the massive bald disciple, looked no better¡ª His robes were torn and his face was bruised and battered. Within seconds, a crowd gathered. "What happened to them?" "Who could''ve done this?!" "Did they fight a Spirit King or something?!" Elder Chun of the disciplinary hall arrived in a blur, radiating with powerful spritual presence. His gaze swept over them. "Inner Disciples, report." Huo Lian voice was low and trembling with rage. "It was two transmigrators." Gasps followed. Zhan Kui growled. "One of them used some sort of flower blade art. Annoying as hell, but strong." "And the other?" Chun asked. Huo Lian turned his one good eye toward him. "He had arrow-like runes along his skin... and space trembled around him when he fought. He wasn''t even in the Nascent Soul Realm and yet he still... beat me." A collective hush fell over the crowd. Elder Chun frowned. "What were you doing out there? Were you sent by the sect?" "We followed someone on a mission," Zhan Kui admitted reluctantly. "Thought he was just an upstart. Wanted to teach him a lesson." Elder Chun''s face darkened. "And instead, he taught you one." "He cut off my arm," Huo Lian''s body shook as he hissed. "Elder you won''t allow some Outsiders to bully the sect Inner court disciples will you? This will give us a bad name if they are not dealt with." A collection of mutters spread through the surroundings. . If someone outside the Inner Court could defeat two well-established disciples, what did that say about their strength¡ªor their future? "Give me names..." Elder Chun demanded. "I don''t know about the other one but the one we followed is a guest here who deserves none of the good treatment he has received from the sect... Fang Chen!" Chapter 139: The Smugglers The Violet Spring Sect was in turmoil. Word spread fast¡ªfaster than wildfire. Two inner court disciples had returned in disgrace, battered and broken. One was missing an arm. And the culprit? Not a rogue cultivator. Not a magical beast. A transmigrator... A so-called guest of Elder Mo. A flurry of urgent messages were passed between the elders of the sect, and a summons was issued. Elder Mo, respected but often isolated in his dealings, was called into a closed-door meeting within the sect''s Grand Pavilion. He stepped into the tall, circular chamber where the remaining elders and the assistant sect master awaited while seated in a half-circle. The assistant sect master, a slim man with a commanding presence and a jade staff, did not bother with pleasantries. "Elder Mo," he began sharply, "it has come to our attention that the one granted access to core disciple privileges under your authority is responsible for maiming Inner Disciple Huo Lian and injuring Zhan Kui." Murmurs of disapproval rippled through the hall. Elder Mo''s gaze was steady. "They attacked him first, didn''t they?" "It matters not," the assistant sect master replied. "He is not of our sect but they are. Your endorsement does not make him untouchable." "Perhaps not," Mo said coolly, "but if your Inner Court disciples behave like petty thugs, perhaps you should worry more about their conduct than my guest''s response." That earned a few sharp glances, but none challenged him outright. Still, a storm was brewing. One that couldn''t be waved away with logic or reason. Honor had been wounded. And now, the sect would have to decide whether to protect its pride or accept the truth. --- Far from the politics of the sect, deep within the shadows of the Weeping Hollow, Victor crouched beside KingCamper high atop a twisted tree. The mist below had begun to shift. "Movement," KingCamper whispered. He pressed his palm against the bark and activated a swirling light of pink and violet. [Technique Activated: Petal Cloak Veil ¨C Tier I] A floral shimmer washed over both of them, masking their qi signatures and blending them into the tree''s natural aura. Below, a cloaked figure emerged from the distant bush with his eyes darting left and right. The man moved quickly and cautiously. "That''s our guy," KingCamper murmured. They followed from above, leaping silently between branches. The man moved through a thicket toward a crooked, blackened tree. Unlike the others, this one was wide¡ªa little too wide. The man placed his hands against the trunk and muttered something. Glowing runes formed beneath his palms. The tree responded with a deep groan and split open vertically like a mouth. Without hesitation, the man stepped inside. The bark closed behind him. KingCamper blinked. "Well. That''s... not ominous at all." He landed beside the tree and pressed his hand against it. Nothing happened. "Come on," he muttered before trying again. He mimicked the same hand pattern, fed qi into the bark, and even muttered random incantations. "Anything?" Victor asked. "Nothing," KingCamper grunted. "Feels like I''m slapping a dead tree." Victor eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. He could feel something in the air. Not just qi... something deeper. Something familiar. Spatial fluctuations. His Void Emperor Bloodline stirred. The arrow-shaped marks across his arm tingled faintly. He closed his eyes, spread his senses, and touched the bark. His qi flowed gently¡ªnot forced¡ªinto the grain of the tree. For a moment nothing happened. Then all of a sudden, the world bent slightly. [ Bloodline Technique Activated: Dimensional Thread Pull ] A narrow ripple passed through the surface. The runes lit up slowly, pulsing in a rhythm that resonated with his bloodline. The bark peeled open. "...Holy crap," KingCamper muttered. "You are a cheat code." Victor shrugged. "Let''s go." They stepped through the opening. Instantly, they were elsewhere. The space inside the tree was massive¡ªimpossibly so. The hollow they entered expanded into a large underground cavern filled with glowing fungi, carved walkways, and strange stone buildings. Torches lined the paths, and the air buzzed with strange fluctuations. Victor eyes widened. "This shouldn''t even be possible." "Pocket dimension," KingCamper muttered. "Expensive, rare... definitely not something that random smugglers should be in possession of." Dozens of figures moved within. Rogue cultivators with masks, some in plain robes, others dressed like mercenaries. They carried containers, crates, and sealed boxes with glowing contents. Victor pointed to a row of sealed jars. Inside were seeds, each glowing faintly with different colors¡ªred, blue, green, violet. "What are those?" KingCamper''s expression darkened. "Unbelievable..." Judging by the look on his face, Victor was sure that this was pretty serious. "Those... are transmigrator seeds." Victor turned to him. "Transmigrator seeds?" KingCamper nodded grimly. "Refined souls of players. You know the NPCs call us transmigrators. Those seeds contain the essence of players who have been forcibly drained of all their cultivation by bad cultivators." Victor''s chest tightened. "Wait I think I heard about something like this a while back... where refining the soul of Transmigrators... players like us... grants millennia worth of cultivations boost..." "Exactly. Players whose souls have been harvested usually lose all of their cultivation and have to start all over or sometimes their accounts get deleted completely and they find themselves unable to log in again. The side effects vary." "That''s... terrible..." Victor muttered. ''I still have to be super careful to never fall into such a situation because it is uncertain if my real life body will be affected if my soul gets harvested,'' Victor made another mental note to be cautious. "Some say the seeds can be even be refined to unlock forbidden paths in cultivation... either ways, we players are valuable to bad cultivators. The city Lord doesn''t let such happen in Blueflame City so this is one of the places where players are protected but these damn smugglers... they must have been secretly doing this the whole time," KingCamper could imagine the number of players that were inconvenienced due to this. However, this wasn''t something as simple as losing a gaming account for Victor. This was more serious than that. Victor looked back at the jars. "We need to stop them." Chapter 140: All In A Days Work Victor stood frozen with his eyes fixed on the translucent jars of flickering lights¡ªthe transmigrator seeds. Each one throbbed as though the trapped essence inside was struggling to escape. They reminded him of fireflies, except there was nothing whimsical about this. "We need to stop them," he voiced with a low tone. KingCamper tightened his grip on his sword. "Then let''s do it loud." KingCamper immediately deactivated the petal cloak veil, causing their mixed spiritual pressure to spread like a shockwave that cut through the smuggler''s hideout. [Technique Activated: Petal Storm Burst ¨C Tier II] KingCamper flung his arm out wide, summoning a swirling torrent of razor-edged petals. The air turned fragrant and deadly as the petals sliced through crates and startled smugglers. Fang Chen activated one of his bloodline Techniques. [Bloodline Technique Activated: Shadow Blink ¨C Tier I] His form vanished into a blur of distorted space, only to reappear behind a trio of smugglers. [Technique Activated: Phantom Moon Slash ] He moved in a crescent arc with his blade turning into afterimages as he cut cleanly through two of them before they could turn around. The third tried to retreat, but KingCamper''s petals found him first. "Intruders! Kill them!" someone shouted. The smugglers recovered fast. Qi surged in all directions as cultivation techniques were activated, lighting up the cavern in a colorful but chaotic mess. [Technique Activated: Stone Fist Cannon ¨C Core Formation] [Technique Activated: Flame Serpent Coil ¨C Core Formation] [Technique Activated: Ice Chain Lock ¨C Core Formation] Explosions rocked the chamber. Streams of elemental energy converged on Victor and KingCamper. [Technique Activated: Petal Vortex Shield ¨C Tier II] A whirling shield of flower petals wrapped around KingCamper, absorbing much of the initial assault. Victor zig-zagged between the blasts, leaving a whitish streak lingering behind each dodge. He moved like a glowing shadow, striking surgically at weak points in their formation. [ Technique Activated: Crescent Shadow Strike ] Another wave of enemies fell to his curved strike, and blood sprayed across the glowing cavern floor. "We can''t let them regroup!" KingCamper yelled. "Then let''s scatter them," Victor replied. He sensed KingCamper''s next volley of petals as they prepared to launch. Twisting his fingers, he reached out with his Void Emperor Bloodline. [ Bloodline Technique Activated: Spatial Cloak ] The petals turned invisible and bent unnaturally mid-flight, coalescing at the center of the enemy group. [ Technique Enhanced: Explosive Bloom ¨C Tier III ] BOOM! A blinding light erupted, engulfing half the smuggler force. Crates shattered. Cultivators screamed. The shockwave lifted several off their feet and hurled them against the walls. Victor dove into the confusion. His blade tore through the torso of another cultivator. He ducked an incoming punch, rolled forward, and thrust his sword beneath the chin of another opponent. His blade ripped straight through the head of the cultivator, instantly killing them. KingCamper spun with his blade in a dancer''s arc with petals erupting in timed detonations. [ Technique Activated: Thousand Petal Cleave ] Ten more enemies fell. Twenty-five rogue cultivators had entered the battle. Only two remained standing¡ª They dropped their weapons and dropped to their knees. Except for the sound of labored breaths coming from those still alive but injured, silence spread across the surroundings. Victor wiped blood from his cheek with his sword still outstretched. "Anyone else want to try their luck?" No answer. KingCamper gave a nod and pulled out a golden scroll from his bag. [ Item Used: Talisman of the City Lord''s Signal ] The talisman glowed, then disintegrated into sparkles of light. Moments later, portals of blue opened across the chamber. Guards in black-and-silver armor stepped through with hard expressions. The insignia of the City Lord guards burned bright on their chests. However, Victor didn''t recognise this bunch. He figured they were probably not ordinary guards. They were most likely a force created for situations such as this. They moved with discipline and purpose. "Secure the contraband. Apprehend all hostiles," the lead officer barked. In moments, the smugglers were shackled, stripped of their weapons, and subdued. One guard examined a broken crate. "Soul essence containers..." Another found the seed jars and let out a horrified gasp. "These are... transmigrator seeds. This is forbidden in this city!" KingCamper approached the lead officer. "Their leader wasn''t here. Someone high-level runs this ring. This place was built to conceal their trade long-term." The officer nodded with a grim expression. "We''ll begin a full investigation." As the guards worked, a new notification popped up in KingCamper''s interface. ------ <[ New Quest: Chains of the Smuggler King ]> Objective: Locate and defeat the leader of the transmigrator smuggling ring. Team Requirement: 5¨C10 players. Quest may be completed in city outskirts or regional domains. ------- He let out a whistle. "Well, looks like I''m not done yet." He turned to Victor. "You in? I could use your sword." Victor hesitated. He thought of Elder Mo, the one year quest he still had to complete and his incomplete bloodline integration. "I can''t. Not yet. I have business here." KingCamper nodded understandingly. "Can''t blame you. But next time I pass through the city, I''m dragging you along." "I''ll hold you to it." They clasped hands tightly. "Take care of yourself, cheat code," KingCamper said with a grin. "You too, flower boy." Victor proceeded to walk through one of the portals left open by the guards and arrived at the city square. The sky was just beginning to lighten. A blush of pale gold kissed the edges of the buildings. Birds called in the distance and people were starting their day. He glanced at the sky. Another night gone. Another piece of the puzzle revealed. [ Quest Complete: Rogue Smuggler Extermination ] Rewards Granted: ? +15 Attribute Points ? 3% Increase in Bloodline Integration ? 35,000 Wisp of Qi gained ? +10% Shadow Crescent Strike Mastery [Contribution Bonus for Team Assist] Victor smiled upon seeing the notificatione and headed back to the Violet Spring Sect. His return was quiet and unceremonious. The air was still the same¡ªrich with spiritual essence. Birds chirped from the tall jade trees, and the ever-present mountain mist wrapped the landscape in a surreal calm. But despite the peaceful atmosphere, something felt... off. He walked toward his abode so he could log out and respawn here the next time he entered the game. But when he pushed open the door to his quiet little dwelling, he was met with something unexpected. A scroll lay on the table, sealed with the violet wax crest of the Disciplinary Hall. Chapter 141: Morning Routine Victor frowned as he stepped closer and picked it up before u scrolling it. ''To the Guest of Elder Mo, You are hereby summoned to the Violet Spring Sect''s Disciplinary Hall three days from today at the Hour of the Fire Serpent. A verdict regarding your actions against Inner Court disciples Huo Lian and Zhan Kui will be issued. Presence is mandatory.'' Victor stared at the letter for several seconds, then let out a long breath. "That''s quite something..." The door creaked again, and he turned. Elder Mo stood at the entrance in his long silver-trimmed robe with his hands behind his back. "So you''ve seen it." Victor nodded slowly. "I didn''t go looking for trouble. They came after me. Twice. The mission was mine, and they tried to steal it. Then they attacked me. I had no choice." "I know," Elder Mo replied while walking into the room with calm steps. "But you must understand, Fang Chen... their status within the sect is higher due to the fact that you''re a guest. Not many are happy about your presence in this sect and the perks you have been receiving. They are unaware of your importance... to them you have made the sect lose face." Victor folded his arms with a slight look of irritation. "So what¡ªthey can try to kill me, and I''m supposed to just lie down?" "No," Elder Mo placed a hand on his shoulder. "You defended yourself. As you should have. And you performed admirably. But this isn''t a matter of right or wrong. It''s about consequence." "So what happens now?" Victor questioned. "They''ll deliberate. Ask questions. Try to find fault in your story. I''ve already spoken to the elders on your behalf, but you should prepare yourself. Whether it ends in warning, restriction, or trial, you must be ready." Victor nodded with a slightly tired look. Would these NPCs just let him enjoy the game without causing problems? Was this going to spiral into something worse? "Don''t worry," Elder Mo added softly. "Gor now, rest. You''ve done more than enough." Victor gave a slow nod. "Thank you, Elder." Mo gave a rare smile before turning to leave. As the door shut behind him, Victor looked around his quiet room again. ~"Hey man, it''s time to wake up."~ A voice from the outside world drifted into his ears. There was no time left. He had to log out. He walked over to the bed, sat cross-legged on the mat, and accessed his menu. A blue interface materialised into existence. [Log Out?] [Yes] The familiar swirl of energy enveloped him, and the game world began to dissolve around him. --- In the real world, his eyes opened beneath the thick blanket. His body had been stiff from staying still for hours, and his limbs were sore. But before he could move, he felt a hand shaking his shoulder gently. "Hey man, it''s time to wake up." Victor barely had time to react. He instantly triggered the Void Emperor Bloodline''s and gently cloaked the gaming helmet and device beneath his blanket and folded them into a faint spatial distortion. He kicked off the blanket just as his roommate, Kairo, stepped back. Victor sat up and gave a lazy yawn while rubbing his eyes. "Morning already?" Kairo grinned. "Yup. Morning routine starts in a bit." Victor blinked. ''Right. Awakened Academy.'' His eyes adjusted to the bright white lights of their shared dorm room. "I thought you were asleep early," Kairo added before walking toward his closet. "Guess I was wrong." Victor laughed awkwardly. "You know me. Restless nights." He quietly dismissed the spatial cloak once Kairo wasn''t looking and folded the VR helmet into a compartment at the bottom of his wardrobe. "You in camp 11 too?" "Yeah. Give me a minute. I need to splash some water on my face." Kairo nodded and left the room while humming some pop tune Victor didn''t recognize. Minutes later, the chime rang through the dormitory corridors like a melody of dread. 5:00 a.m. The artificial sky above the underwater dome had already begun to brighten with hues of digital gold and soft blue. Morning at the Awakened Academy wasn''t a suggestion¡ªit was an obligation. At this point, Kairo was already lacing his boots with speed. "Hope you stretched," Kairo said. "Monday''s weight run." "What now?" "You''ll see," Kairo chuckled darkly before slinging a small pack over his shoulder and heading out the door. Victor followed while adjusting his academy-issued uniform. Today, instead of the pristine white uniform worn during orientation, he wore the dark-blue training suit with silver seams. It hugged the body well and was flexible enough for movement. The Awakened Academy didn''t play around. All first-year students were grouped into camps¡ªCamp 1 to Camp 20. Each camp had roughly 350 to 400 students and its own designated training sector, built to simulate realistic battlefield terrain and challenges. Victor had been assigned to Camp 11. After scanning his ID chip and passing through one of the mobile gates, he found himself in the Camp 11 training grounds. It was massive. More of a valley than a training field. The ground was uneven and filled with rough rocks, trenches, simulated sinkholes, and sloped inclines. In the distance, digital skyboards displayed metrics, objectives, and energy readings. This entire area had been partially terraformed using mana tech to give future Mana Defense Officers a taste of what real combat zones looked like. The students were gathered in lines¡ªrows of various classes. Warriors. Berserkers. Mages. Assassins. Healers. Summoners. Necromancers. The diversity of awakeners was staggering. And at the center of it all stood a 6''7 tall broad-shouldered man with arms like tree trunks and a chest that looked like it had been carved from stone. He wore a sleeveless crimson and black combat suit that left his muscled arms exposed. His voice boomed like a warhorn, and his hair was a tight military buzzcut. His name tag read: Instructor Vex Rhane. His eyes scanned the crowd with stern look as his voice boomed like thunder. "Strap on your weight sets." Assistants moved between the rows, handing each student a series of weighted bands to fasten around their legs, arms, and torsos. Victor struggled slightly with the belt¡ªit wasn''t just heavy, it clung to him like a second skin and immediately started sapping energy from his limbs. The instructor paced slowly before the gathered students. "Welcome to the start of your life as real Awakened. Every day from Monday through Friday, you''ll begin at 0500 hours. Not because we enjoy tormenting you¡ª" "¡ªLies," someone muttered from the crowd with a low tone. "¡ªbut because this world does not wait for the unprepared. You''ll either adapt... or die." A low murmur rippled through the crowd. A petite with green tinted hair and a healer''s insignia on her training suit¡ªraised her hand which was slightly trembling from the weights bound to it. "Instructor, I mean no disrespect... but this level of intensity favors physical classes. We healers specialize in support and regeneration. Shouldn''t our physical routines be adjusted to our roles?" The instructor didn''t even blink. He stepped forward slowly and stared her down. "When an Umbryx shadowfiend pierces through your front line and tears through your team, your regenerative spell won''t mean a damn thing if you''re too slow to dodge the blow..." Chapter 142: Morning Routine 2 "When an Umbryx shadowfiend pierces through your front line and tears through your team, your regenerative spell won''t mean a damn thing if you''re too slow to dodge the blow. Being weak is not an excuse. It''s a death sentence." Silence~ Victor couldn''t help but respect that. Harsh¡ªbut fair. The battlefield would never ask for your specialization. The instructor took his place again at the front. "Two laps. Around the entire course. No walking. No breaks. If you stop, you start again." There were quiet groans from all classes now. "GO!" The sound of hundreds of mana-infused boots slamming against simulated terrain echoed through the zone. Victor burst forward with the other students with tight breath and the resistance from the weighted gear already pulling at his muscles. All around him, awakened students of varying classes struggled to keep pace, each facing the same grueling challenge. The terrain was intentionally designed to break them. The course looped through a valley designed with uneven slopes and spiky outcrops. The ground changed constantly. From dense mud pits to unstable stone paths, from shallow rivers laced with magnetic pullstones that made each step stickier, to uphill slopes of fine shifting gravel that gave no footing. Patches of mana-static air pulled at their stamina like parasites, and high-pressured wind tunnels forced students to lean into their run or risk being blown off course. Berserkers tore through the track like rhinos, laughing at the strain. Warriors treated it like a tactical march. Assassins moved with fluidity as they seemed to have a better balance despite the uneven footing. But the Healers, Summoners, Mages, and Necromancers struggled. Unable to rely on their spells or familiars, their movements were sluggish and their steps inconsistent. A few already collapsed, panting and clinging to the ground. Some were dragged out of the track by automated drones that responded to signs of medical distress. Victor''s first lap pushed him to his limit especially since he decided not to use any qi. But he held firm. His body had grown far more capable in recent months from his game-based cultivation but he realised he had never actually done real training. He passed the halfway mark with sweat plastered to his forehead and his gaze locked ahead. As he began his second lap, something caught his attention near the far-left side of the training valley, close to the incline slope bordered by rough obsidian spikes. A slender and pale face male mage with a face streaked with dirt¡ªwas down on one knee, gasping. The weights on his arms and legs made it nearly impossible for him to move. To make matters worse, three Berserkers stood over him, laughing and jeering. "Come on, little spellboy! I thought mages were supposed to be smart!" "Maybe cast a stamina spell¡ªoh wait, you CAN''T!" "You sure you''re not lost? This place is for real awakeners!" Victor was about to step in when a figure suddenly inserted himself into the scene like a bolt of divine lightning. "Back off." The Berserkers blinked and turned. The voice belonged to a tall, lean figure with dark, sun-kissed melanin skin and a buzz cut. Even with the weighted gear, he stood as if gravity hadn''t touched him. His eyes gleamed with unwavering confidence. Rylan. Victor''s heart lifted slightly at the familiar sight. Rylan had been on his team during the New Avalon City second screening¡ªa healer who had outpaced most of the warriors. He was always more physically gifted than most gave him credit for. One of the Berserkers stepped forward while chuckling. "What''s a healer gonna do? Lay hands on us with kindness?" "He already did," came Victor''s voice. Rylan turned and broke into a grin. "Well, if it isn''t my favorite shadowy sword-swinger." Victor walked up and stopped beside him. "Looks like you''re still allergic to minding your business." "You still allergic to letting me handle it alone?" The two shared a quick knuckle tap. "What''s good, Victor?" Rylan chuckled. "Everything, except some douchebags. Did I mention, the douchebags?" The Berserkers regrouped. The tallest among them looked between the two and scowled. "You two think you''re heroes now?" One of them who seemed to have also originated from New Avalon city narrowed his eyes at Victor. "Hey... I know you. You''re that guy... Victor Revenant or something. New Avalon City finals. First place with just four people." The leader sneered. "Who cares? He''s just another B-rank like us. Four against two. You think some track record scares me?" He stepped forward and placed a hand on Victor''s left shoulder before slowly increasing the pressure. His arm flexed slightly as he pushed down. "You''re on the wrong side, Revenant. B-ranks should know their place is above the trash." Victor didn''t flinch. Instead, he raised his own hand and laid it gently on the Berserker''s massive shoulder. A ripple of invisible energy spread through his palm and a strange pressure descended upon the Berserker. The teenager''s face twisted in confusion¡ªthen pain. His knees buckled. He crashed down to the ground like someone had dropped a boulder onto his shoulder. Victor looked down with calm indifference. "Isn''t it a little cliche? to be a big bully in this day and age?" The other three hesitated with a shocked look. "What did he do?" Victor removed his hand, and the kneeling Berserker gasped and stumbled backward while clutching his shoulder. Rylan turned to the mage and offered a hand. "Can you keep going?" The boy nodded shakily. "Yeah... th-thank you. Both of you." ''How did he do that? He was so strong... he must have used magic. I can''t show weakness... No! I must teach him a lesson...'' The Berserker felt ashamed at what had just happen and instantly tried to activate his magic. The moment he did, a sharp whine tore through the air. BZZZZT! Red lights flashed from tall sensor pillars planted around the training grounds, and a series of automated drones swept above the crowd with their lenses locked directly onto him. "Use of active magic during morning routine is prohibited," a robotic voice declared. The Berserker''s face twisted in panic as he quickly canceled the technique. But it was too late. Instructor Vex Rhane arrived a split second later with his boots kicking up dust as he stormed into the confrontation. "You!" he bellowed while pointing straight at the embarrassed Berserker. "What part of ''no powers'' did you not understand? Want to try that move on me instead, tough guy?" Chapter 143: First Day Lectures "Want to try that move on me instead, tough guy?" The Berserker''s bravado instantly vanished. "Keep running!" Vex barked. "Or I''ll make you restart from the beginning with triple weights! That goes for all of you!" No one dared argue. The group scattered and returned to the course. Victor and Rylan lingered near the mage, encouraging him with small comments and slowing their pace so he wouldn''t fall behind. Rylan gave him a pat on the back. "You''re doing better than most. This course is brutal for magic types." Victor nodded. "Second lap''s the hardest. But you''ve already made it halfway. Just keep pushing." With their help, the boy finally crossed the first lap''s marker and began his second. Eventually, the course ended. The mage managed to finish his second lap¡ªfar behind the others, but finished nonetheless. The instructor''s voice rang out again; "This is just the beginning. Tomorrow is rock climbing. If you thought today was rough, you''ll be crying by the time we hit Friday. Remember this pain¡ªembrace it. One day, it''ll be the reason you survive." As the Awakened students began to leave while groaning, the mage turned to Victor and Ryan. "Thanks... I really mean it." "No problem. We''ve all been there," Rylan said before turning to Victor. "I gotta prep for my next class. I''ll catch you later." They exchanged room numbers, then parted ways. Victor took off the weights and almost stumbled from the sudden lightness in his limbs. He stretched while relishing the freedom in his movements, before heading back to the dorms. His room was empty when he returned. Kairo was probably still out training. Victor showered quickly, scrubbing away the sweat and dust, then slipped into a the normal version of the white-trimmed Awakened Academy uniform. The time was almost 7 a.m. His first lecture of the day was General Studies, a required course for all first-years. The largest lecture hall in the Academy spanned the size of a stadium. Tiered seating lined the massive circular room, and students poured in from every entrance, chattering, yawning, or already seated and reviewing notes. Victor sat midway up and scanned the crowd. Over 7,000 first-year students packed the space. At precisely 7:00 a.m., the lights dimmed, and the front screen lit up. A tall woman in her mid-forties walked onto the stage. She wore smooth robes fused with armored lining, and her black locs were tied into a large bun with golden pins. Her presence alone made the hall go silent. She tapped the screen of the tab in her grasp and her name flashed behind her. ~ Instructor Kaelani Vos ~ "Welcome to General Studies," she voiced out with a calm tone. "The subject in which you will learn the truths your governments never told you." A quiet rustle went through the students. "History, geopolitics, awakened theory, world collapse analysis, beastology, species studies, dimensional knowledge¡ªall are pieces of what we call General Studies. Today, we start with history." The lights dimmed more as a massive 3D holographic projection appeared above the center of the hall. It showed Earth. Then the sky over the Pacific tearing open in a great rift of violet-blue flame. "Thirty-nine years ago," Kaelani said, "our world ended." The rift expanded, and monstrous shadows fell from it like meteors. Some had wings. Some moved like hurricanes. Others struck the sea and created tsunamis that swallowed whole islands. "It began with the Awakening Storm that brought mana into our world. The sky opened over the Pacific, and through it came the three species you now know: the Drakenar, Sylrith, and Umbryx. But they weren''t the only ones." Another projection formed. Slender, glowing and beautiful humanoid silhouettes appeared. "There was a fourth species," she voiced with a slightly heavy tone. Whispers filled the room. "But the others did not want them here. So the Drakenar, Sylrith, and Umbryx colluded to collapse the portal before their rivals could pass through. They feared them." The projection shifted again to show the humanoid species hunting down these glowing beings. "Only a few of the fourth race made it through. They were hunted. Slaughtered. Their very existence erased." Kaelani turned to face the audience. "That was when we understood the truth: we cannot coexist with these invaders. They may look intelligent, speak as we do, even form diplomatic fronts¡ªbut make no mistake. They are apex predators. And humanity, at the time, was prey." The next projection showed cities burning. Beasts rampaging. Soldiers dying by the tens of thousands. "Over 300 million humans died in the first year alone. Our strongest weapons did nothing. Governments collapsed. Nations fractured." She paused. "Until Awakeners appeared." Another projection now. Humans surrounded by glowing sigils. People standing alone against armies of beasts and holding them back. "The Awakened were the only thing that changed the course. We became the line between annihilation and survival. And you¡ª" She looked out over the seven thousand students. "¡ªare the next generation to hold that line." The hall was silent. No one dared speak. "What you''ll learn here, you cannot speak of out there. Not to your families. Not to strangers. The truth must be preserved, and carefully revealed. You will uncover more as time passes. But for now¡ªknow this: the war is far from over." The screen darkened. The lecture ended. Victor leaned back slowly in his seat. He''d heard fragments of the truth growing up, but never this. Never all of it. As students slowly filed out of the hall, Victor checked his schedule and noticed that his next two lectures were warrior class-specific. The second was theory-heavy, focusing on battle formations and mana enhancement techniques. Victor learned that battle formations helped a lot especially since the awakeners were always outnumbered in battles. Just on the first day, he was already learning a lot. However, the third lecture of the day was practical. Victor stretched his arms as he stepped onto the gravel-covered training field behind Lecture Hall 9. The third and final class of the day was about to begin. Unlike the prior theory-based lecture, this one was practical¡ªand that meant sweat. The instructor who was a tall broad-shouldered man with a stern face and short copper hair, stood at the front of the field, dressed in a trimmed black and red combat uniform. His twin swords were sheathed across his back. Instructor Garran Thorne, renowned for his sharp tongue and sharper strikes, faced the assembled first-year warriors. Victor stood near Kai, Aria, Reed, and Kairo as Garran surveyed the group. "Draw your weapons," Garran said bluntly. There was a flurry of movement as blades were unsheathed. "Today''s focus is not about flair or brute force," Garran began while pacing. "It''s about control. About form. About not dying like an idiot." Chapter 144: The Disciplinary Hall "It''s about control. About form. About not dying like an idiot." He stopped abruptly and turned. "Watch." With a single smooth motion, he drew one of his swords and delivered three swings in succession. They weren''t flashy. They didn''t shake the earth. But each swing was fast, precise, and left no opening to exploit. "You see that? No wasted motion. No wide arcs. Most of you swing your weapons like you''re swatting flies with boulders. Wide swings are easier to dodge, easier to punish." He waved for them to begin mimicking. Victor took his stance, adjusted the weight in his legs and thought of Lingyun while trying to apply what he''d just seen. As expected, Garran immediately began moving through the ranks, correcting stances, shouting observations, and barking orders. "Too wide. Again." "Your shoulder''s dropping too much." "You think you''re in a stage play? This is a battlefield." However, when he reached Victor, he paused. Victor had just executed a smooth diagonal slash that ended with a low sweep and backward pivot, maintaining balance and guard. "Hm," Garran nodded slightly. "Yours looked wide too at first glance," he added with a loud voice enough for others to hear. "But that''s because you''re too fast. Which is fine. But the rest of you? You''re not him. You slow down, you expose yourselves. You swing wide, you die." A few students looked toward Victor with surprise. He ignored them. "Here''s another issue," Garran continued. "The moment most of you reduce your swing width, you lose power. You''re not used to generating force from precision. You rely on raw muscle and angle. That''s a mistake." He walked to the front again and raised a hand. A metal training dummy rose from the ground. "I''ll teach you a technique. It''s called Recoil Compensation Strike. Focused on short-range bursts of strength and blade alignment. You use your own muscle recoil to redirect force into the next strike, keeping compact form and constant guard." He demonstrated slowly: a short vertical slash followed by a backward press and another horizontal swing. Then repeated it faster. Then again, faster. The dummy rocked with each impact, but Garran never lost his center. "You''ll need this. Especially when your skills are cooling down." Students began practicing. Some caught on quickly. Others stumbled, confused by the need to balance strength with restraint. Victor got the feel of it quickly due to muscle memory from his time in Ascendant Realms kicking in. He could feel how the flow of motion benefited from the precision. Instructor Garran glanced at him once more. "Good. Keep at it. We continue next session." After the lecture ended, Victor left the field tired but satisfied. He returned to his room, stretched, and took a light nap to recharge. Nightfall came quickly within the Academy. The artificial sky dimmed into hues of violet and deep blue as the glowing ceiling of the dome mimicked constellations. Victor sat in bed, waiting. Kairo hadn''t returned. Victor had no idea where his roommate wandered off to at night, but he didn''t question it. He was only worried because he''d prefer to only enter Ascendant Realms when Kairo was fast asleep. He proceeded to pull the blinds and pull out his gaming gaming gear. The helmet made a low buzz as it booted up, linked directly to Ascendant Realms. Victor covered himself with a blanket and put the helmet on his head. [Logging in... Welcome to Ascendant Realms] He felt his body phase, felt his soul stretch and transfer. When he opened his eyes again, he was back. The familiar scent of pine and incense greeted him. His personal quarters in the Violet Spring Sect had not changed. The core disciple-tier room glowed with ambient qi, the shelves were lined with manuals and materials and his sword was resting against the rack. Victor rose to his feet. The moment he stepped toward the door, a soft breeze swept under it. A single piece of parchment slipped into the room. He bent down and picked it up. Disciplinary Hall Notice: Fang Chen, you are hereby summoned to the Violet Spring Sect Disciplinary Hall for review. Failure to attend within the next two hours will result in automatic judgment. Report promptly. Victor realised that he had spent around fifteen hours outside the game which meant three days had passed in Ascendant Realms. The time had come. He placed the letter down, fastened his sword to his waist and exited the room. ... ... Soon Victor arrived at the Disciplinary Hall. As he passed through its arched gate, the hall echoed with the low murmurs of disciples and elders alike. The high-vaulted ceiling carried every whisper to every corner, and the pressure in the air was suffocating. Victor stepped forward under the scrutiny of a dozen robed figures¡ªelders of the Violet Spring Sect. Seated in two arcs around the hall, they looked down upon him with expressions ranging from curious to downright disdainful. Around the perimeter stood more than thirty inner court disciples with their arms crossed. Among them were two particularly bandaged figures¡ªZhan Kui, the silver-haired one now missing an arm, and Huo Lian, the bald brute who still bore bruises and broken ribs. Victor stood calmly in the center with his arms behind his back. The proceedings began quickly. "Fang Chen," one of the Disciplinary Committee Elders called with a judgmental tone. "Your actions in the Murktree Forest have drawn serious accusations. You are a guest in our sect, not a disciple, yet you assaulted two inner court disciples, leaving one maimed. What do you have to say for yourself?" Victor took a breath, then raised his eyes. "I was on a sect-sanctioned mission. One that was sabotaged by those very disciples you now defend. They followed me, ruined the quest, and then ambushed me despite my attempt to leave without conflict." "Lies!" Zhan Kui roared while clenching his one remaining hand into a fist. "You speak as though you belong here!" Huo Lian added with a tone of bitterness. The surrounding disciples muttered in agreement while several threw glares at Victor. Another elder with a crooked nose and narrow eyes spoke up. "Why should someone not of our sect take on our missions in the first place? What right do you have to enjoy the privileges of a core disciple without shedding a single drop of sweat for the sect?" The murmurs grew louder. "Our inner court disciples work day and night to rise in ranks, and then this outsider waltzes in and receives the highest treatment!" "And then he dares to strike down his betters!" Victor lifted his chin. "I defended myself. And if they weren''t so eager to throw their weight around, they wouldn''t be in that condition." "Enough!" a voice boomed. It was elder Mo. The aged cultivator stepped forward from the circle of elders and his presence immediately demanded silence. Elder Mo was obviously not an ordinary elder in this sect. "This matter has already been explained to the sect master," Elder Mo said. "Fang Chen''s inclusion and special status were granted at the request of the City Lord himself." The hall fell quiet. Victor watched as the expressions around him changed. Mention of the City Lord was enough to snuff out most protests¡ªfor now. But the silence didn''t last long. Another elder with a ring of white hair around his bald crown, stepped forward. "We respect the City Lord," the man stated, "but even he must respect the customs of this sect. And allowing a non-disciple to cause such harm to our own cannot be left unanswered." He turned toward Victor. "We will offer you an opportunity. The name of your accomplice¡ªthe cultivator who aided you in fighting our disciples." Victor''s eyes narrowed. "Give us that name," the elder continued, "and we will consider this matter closed. You will walk free." The hall rippled with tension. Victor remained silent. "Well?" another elder pressed. "Surely a cultivator willing to battle by your side has no fear of being known. Unless, of course, you''re protecting him because you know what we''d do." Victor knew exactly what they''d do. KingCamper was a player. A loud-mouthed, petal-wielding, jolly-hearted player. And if they tied him to Victor, the entire sect would place a target on his back. Any time he returned to the city, he''d be hunted. Harassed. Maybe worse. There was a pause, before the same elder added, "But understand this¡ªsomeone must pay for what happened. If this matter goes unpunished, our sect will be seen as weak. We will lose face among the others. That is something we cannot allow." Victor clenched his fists. So that was it. They didn''t care about right or wrong¡ªthey just needed a scapegoat to maintain their image. They were willing to let him be if he just gave them a name so they could put all the blame on KingCamper. "No," Victor finally said. "I won''t give his name." The elders exchanged glances. "You refuse to cooperate," the sharp-nosed elder said with disdain. "Then you will be punished. Severely." Chapter 145: The Three Trials Victor''s eyes were cold. "Then I''ll leave. I don''t need your punishments or your so-called hospitality. I''ll leave your sect. And your city." There was a stunned pause and then a few gasps. But then Elder Mo raised a hand once more. "Wait. I have a proposal." All eyes turned. Elder Mo looked across the room. "If the issue is the sect''s face, then let us resolve it internally. Victor can become an official disciple of the Violet Spring Sect." A wave of murmurs broke out. Zhan Kui snarled. "He doesn''t deserve that title!" Elder Mo raised his voice. "He will, if he passes the same trials every core disciple must undergo." The murmurs hushed again. "If he succeeds," Mo continued, "he will have earned the perks he already enjoys, and this conflict becomes an internal matter¡ªdisciples squabbling among themselves. It will not damage the reputation of our sect." The elders were silent. It was a clever move. Becoming a disciple meant that his previous actions would be seen in a different light. It would give him legitimacy. And more importantly, it spared KingCamper. The sharp-nosed elder sneered but couldn''t argue the logic. "So be it. If the boy wishes to prove himself, let him take the trial." Victor had no intentions of joining a sect but he couldn''t deny that the perks were nice. He decided he''d give it a try for now and could just leave later if he wasn''t feeling it. He gave a small nod. "I''ll take your trial." Zhan Kui looked like he was ready to explode. "Elders this is unfair..." "Silence... the elders have made their decision..." The meeting was adjourned shortly after. Victor stepped out into the fading sunlight of the game world with his thoughts whirling. He had three things to do now: train, prepare, and pass. Because if they wanted a real disciple... They were about to get one. ... ... The sun hovered low in the sky above the Violet Spring Sect, casting long golden rays across the tiled rooftops and sweeping gardens. Victor knelt on the stone platform behind one of the sect''s secluded courtyards, opposite Elder Mo, whose hands were folded calmly in his robe sleeves. "So," Elder Mo began, "you truly intend to walk the path of the core disciples?" Victor nodded. "They left me no choice." "No," Mo corrected gently, "You chose not to give your friend up. That was the real test. What lies ahead, however, is not politics. It is fire." He waved his hand, and a glowing jade token floated out of his sleeve, hovering in front of Victor. Ancient inscriptions flickered across its surface. "These are the three trials that every aspirant must undertake to become a core disciple of the Violet Spring Sect," Mo said. "Few attempt it. Fewer succeed." Victor''s gaze sharpened. "The First Trial," Mo began, "is the Trial of Endurance. You will be placed within the Verdant Spirit Furnace, a spirit-tempered chamber meant to test your body''s resistance to pain, fatigue, and spiritual overload. You must endure the spirit flames for a full rotation of incense¡ªwithout activating any defensive techniques. Only passive endurance will see you through." Victor exhaled. That alone sounded brutal. "The Second Trial," Mo continued, "is the Trial of Insight. You will be placed in front of the Mirror of Reflection, a spiritual artifact that invades your mind with illusions drawn from your fears, regrets, and suppressed memories. You must walk through them without losing your sense of self. If your mental defense fails... you may never wake again." Victor tensed. He already knew he carried far too many unspoken wounds. "And the Third," Mo said, his voice quieter now, "is the Trial of Combat. A battle against a guardian spirit forged from the will of past sect masters. It scales to your realm, but its techniques are drawn from the highest levels of martial knowledge. Even those at the Peak of Nascent Soul have fallen to it." Victor frowned. "But I''m not even Nascent Soul. I''m at the middle stages of Core Formation." Mo nodded grimly. "Yes. Most who take the trial are already at the peak of Nascent Soul or even mid Soul Transformation Realm. You are severely underpowered." "So they set me up to fail." "Indeed," Mo said bluntly. "But that does not mean you cannot surprise them." Victor stared at the sky. "How much time do I have?" "Two weeks," Elder Mo said. "No more." Two weeks. Not enough to reach the Nascent Soul Realm. Probably not even the late stages of Core Formation. "I will teach you something next week," Mo said after a moment. "A technique to help with your body''s resistance and a way to falsify your aura and mimic that of a Peak Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. It won''t increase your power, but it will fool the Trial Guardian into treating you like one of them." Victor raised an eyebrow. "That sounds risky. Why exactly would I need to fool a guardian that pretty much increases or decreases in difficulty based on the Cultivation realm of the one it''s battling?" "It may give you an edge¡ªif used wisely." He rose. "Until then, focus on cultivating. Gain as much strength as you can. Every advancement could save your life." Victor nodded once. Elder Mo left silently with his robes sweeping the floor as he vanished into the mist. Victor sat down cross-legged in the center of his courtyard. Around him, spirit stones gleamed and he began drawing in the qi-rich air, cycling it through his dantian, refining, compressing and storing. The world slowed. Time became an abstract flow. His pulse aligned with the spiritual rhythm of the sect as he let out steady breaths. [ Cultivation Progress: Core Formation Realm (52%) ] Muscles tensed, spirit strained, and sweat dripped along his brow as the rich qi coiled around his body. Internal pressure mounted with each compressed cycle. [ Cultivation Progress: Core Formation Realm (55%) ] The hours passed. He felt hungry probably because he didn''t eat for like a day but he ignored it. [ Cultivation Progress: Core Formation Realm (58%) ] [ Cultivation Progress: Core Formation Realm (60%) ] Finally, he exhaled slowly and opened his eyes. The sky above had gone from night to morning. He had already spent a day in the game. He reached for the logout interface. It was almost time to return to the real world. He couldn''t afford to be late to morning routine. Just as he prepared to disconnect, a sharp chime echoed through his ears, accompanied by a red notification across his vision. [ ALERT: A Bounty Has Been Placed On You ] Chapter 146: Rock Climbing Day [ ALERT: A Bounty Has Been Placed On You ] Victor''s pupils constricted. "They really went through the trouble of placing a Bounty on me?" He didn''t even know how to feel since this was a first. He immediately thought of the two inner court disciples. ''Did they do this because they were unsatisfied with the verdict of the elders?'' He wondered internally. However the next couple of notifications put him in further confusion. [ Source: Unnamed Faction ] [ Reward: 150,000 Spirit Stones ¨C Alive / 100,000 Spirit Stones ¨C Severely Injured / 20,000 Spirit Stones ¨C Dead ] "So it''s not them? Or did they put someone else up to the task?" Either ways, Victor knew this wasn''t something he could ignore even though it was bad timing. He stared at the numbers. Those rewards would tempt all manner of rogue cultivators, mercenaries and even other players. But Victor didn''t flinch. Instead, his expression hardened. "So this is how it is." He clenched his fist. "Let them come." <[ New Objective Issued: Uncover Information On The Cultivators That Placed The Bounty ]> Victor smiled faintly. Even if this objective wasn''t issued, he already had intentions of doing this. But, it would have to wait. [ Logging Out Of Ascendant Realms ] The familiar sensation of disconnection washed over Victor as his consciousness returned to the real world. Victor opened his eyes slowly. He was still lying beneath his blanket in the dim dorm room of the Awakened Academy. The artificial night sky remained soft and quiet through the window slats. A quick glance at the glowing display on the wall confirmed the time: 3:04 AM. Kairo''s bed was still empty. Victor frowned slightly. That was odd. Kairo had been gone since before nightfall. He usually returned by now, even if it was late. Still, Victor wasn''t Kairo''s keeper. He shrugged it off for the time being and quietly moved to stash his VR helmet and gaming device back inside the false panel of his drawer. With the device hidden, Victor sat on the edge of his bed and pulled his duffel bag closer. He unzipped the side pocket and fished out his black smartphone, along with his compact digital camera. The phone powered on immediately. The moment he connected to the Academy''s high-speed network¡ªthe same one he''d rigged his game to piggyback on¡ªnotifications started flooding in. Dozens of them. His eyes widened. [Comment: "Bro, where you at?! We need new vids!"] [Comment: "That mid-air flip to shield the kids? Insane."] [Comment: "I hope he didn''t get suspended or something... Last vid was 6 days ago."] Victor scrolled through his channel analytics, surprised by what he saw. His last video was still climbing in popularity, now nearing 8.9 million views. With all the previous uploads factored in, his overall channel revenue had passed 1.4 million credits. He blinked. "Damn." It wasn''t just surprising¡ªit was life-changing. And it was all routed to his surface-world account. His mother had access to that account now. Every time the funds he gave her ran low, she could draw from it. It gave him peace of mind. Still, there was a disturbing sensation. His subscribers wanted more. Six days of silence felt like an eternity in the digital world. He could already see the dip in the daily engagement. While most commenters were supportive, some were beginning to drift, assuming he''d either gone underground or had to disappear because of Academy rules. Which... wasn''t entirely untrue. He leaned back against the wall with his phone still in hand. "There''s gotta be a way to keep the channel alive while I''m stuck here." His eyes fell on the camera. And then it hit him. Something no other Awakened content creator had done before came to mind. He reached for a snack from his drawer¡ªsome biscuits and a packet of mana-supplemented jerky¡ªand settled into the chair by the window. The glow of the phone screen lit up his face in the dark as he opened the comment threads again. He already had the idea forming. He just needed to plan the format. He''d record logs. Not of the Academy''s secrets¡ªthat''d get him kicked or worse. But personal vlogs. Reactions. Day-in-the-life breakdowns from inside the academy... vaguely disguised. He could post them as animated reenactments. Edit and stylize the footage. Keep the content consistent without giving anything away. It was brilliant. Eventually, he yawned. He placed his phone and camera back in their hiding spot, stood up, and stretched. The last thing he wanted was to doze off mid-drill tomorrow morning. He fell onto his bed and drifted off. --- The sharp buzzing of the wall-mounted alarm jolted him awake. 4:45 AM. Victor grunted, sat up, and rubbed his face. A splash of water in the dorm sink revived him. He dried off quickly and put on the dark combat uniform from the previous day. The fabric had reformed and auto-cleaned itself slightly from the residual mana charge built into its weave. By the time he stepped out into the corridor, the artificial sky had started to brighten. Shades of glowing blue simulated the approach of dawn. Around him, students emerged from their dorms in staggered groups, all heading to their assigned camps. Victor took a deep breath. Camp 11. Day Two. Today was rock climbing. He remembered Instructor Vex Rhane''s words the day before: "You''ll cry by Friday." As Victor arrived at the edge of the Camp 11 training zone, the sight that met him confirmed it. A series of incredibly tall cliffs had risen from the earth, each carved with rough stone formations, slippery mana-infused surfaces, and shifting handholds. Rope lines were placed only halfway up. The rest had to be scaled using physical strength, reflex, and sheer willpower. Nearly 400 first-year awakened students stood before a monstrous cliff wall unlike anything Victor had ever seen. The structure loomed skyward but height wasn''t the most intimidating part. No, it was the fact that the rock face was alive. Chunks of mana-reactive stone jutted from the surface in chaotic patterns. Blue veins of throbbing light ran across it like lightning frozen in time. Some handholds flickered and disappeared at intervals, while others shifted every few minutes, altering the climbing route entirely. Embedded across the cliff were mana glyphs¡ªrunes designed to discharge kinetic bursts or bursts of water, wind, or low-intensity fire if triggered incorrectly. At the base, a wide slab glowed with golden script: "Endure the Climb, Ascend with Strength." Victor joined the others as they lined up. Everyone was wearing their weight gear again, this time calibrated to their performance from yesterday. His felt heavier than before. A sharp whistle split the air as Instructor Vex Rhane strode onto a high platform overlooking the crowd with arms crossed over his barrel chest. "Rock climbing," his voice boomed loudly, "but not the kind your mommy taught you at the jungle gym. This wall is alive. It adapts. It punishes the hesitant. If you stop moving for more than ten seconds, you fall." Chapter 147: Day Two Cleared A few nervous glances passed through the crowd. "If you try to use your class abilities, the glyphs will recognize it and fire back. This climb is about raw capability¡ªyour body, your will. Nothing else." He held up a timer. "Top climbers get credit. Top ten times will be posted publicly but that won''t be until the next ten weeks. If you fall, you start over." He gave a devilish grin. "Climb." Students instantly charged forward. The first batch leapt for handholds and some succeeded while others missed completely. Victor paced himself and approached with calculation. He eyed the sequence of glowing glyphs and disappearing stones then leapt. His fingers gripped a solid outcrop. Instantly, a glyph near his left foot sparked and a gust of wind blew sideways, trying to knock him off. Victor gritted his teeth and swung to the next hold. Around him, students screamed and cursed as the wall rejected their efforts. One girl got flung halfway down by a water jet. Another boy triggered a kinetic glyph and got launched several feet off the wall before being caught by the safety spell near the bottom. Victor pressed on. He felt his muscles ache from the added weight. Sweat slicked his brow as he climbed higher. Handholds began shifting beneath his fingers, forcing him to readjust mid-motion. The entire wall began to pulse slowly like it had a heartbeat. Ten meters up. Twenty... A platform emerged¡ªbut the moment he touched it, it vanished. It was like a reflex test. Fortunately, he hadn''t rested all his weight on it yet so he swiftly grabbed another stone fragment and hauled himself up just as the glyph beside it let out a warm throb. It didn''t trigger. He grinned. "So they''re reactive, not random." He moved faster now and began tracing the patterns. Blue glyphs pulsed in rhythm, but red ones were chaotic¡ªunpredictable. He avoided those entirely. Thirty meters. The climb was brutal. His arms had began trembling at this point. Victor grunted as he launched himself to a narrow ledge, barely holding on. From the corner of his eye, he saw Rylan already halfway up another route, moving swiftly. Behind him was the mage from yesterday, grimacing but still climbing. Victor smiled faintly. Then his hand slipped. He caught himself with his other hand, but a kinetic glyph had activated beneath his elbow. The pressure slammed into him from beneath. He used the force. Letting it fling him upward, he rotated mid-air and grabbed a glowing handhold with both hands while absorbing the impact in his shoulders. Fifty meters. He was close. Victor paused briefly on a protruding platform as his heart heart hammered. The weight gear was crushing him now. His forearms screamed. Every breath was a chore. Then the stone beneath him cracked. "Of course," he muttered. The platform vanished and he began dropping. Victor swiftly spun in mid air and landed on a ledge two meters below. He kicked off from it and lunged upwards. Soon, he crossed the sixty meters mark. He could see the top. He didn''t stop. The final stretch had no glyphs¡ªjust sheer, rough wall and ropes. A test of endurance alone. He pulled, pulled, pulled¡ªuntil his hand grasped the final ledge. He grunted, swung his leg up and threw himself over the edge. He collapsed on the summit while panting and grinning. Others were still climbing. A few had already made it up¡ª Victor sat there, looking down at the brutal climb below and felt a surge of satisfaction. He made it without using any Qi to strengthen himself. "Day two, cleared..." Victor had no doubt that in the coming months, he''d see results from such training. ... ... After the brutal morning rock climb that left his muscles aching and clothes soaked in sweat, Victor barely had time to catch his breath before he had to rush toward his next lecture. The Academy''s schedule was relentless, and every class was timed to the minute. His first lecture of the day was titled "Foundation of Martial Postures and Formations", held in Hall B-3, a stone-walled dome chamber lined with mana-inscribed diagrams and ancient weapon displays. The instructor was a weathered old warrior named Master Enshar. His face was marked with claw scars and his voice like gravel. He didn''t speak much¡ªjust moved. When he did speak, it was often something like, "No form, no flow. No flow, no life." Master Enshar demonstrated the fundamental stances used by renowned warrior clans, from low sweeping anchor stances to fluid transitional footwork. Victor followed with focused gaze. Though the lecture was theoretically basic, the physical strain was significant, especially since they were forced to hold each position under the weight gear. His second lecture, "Weapon Specialization Theory", was more academic. The instructor, Instructor Veleth, was a slim, hawk-eyed woman with a venomous tongue. She broke down the differences in energy expenditure, recovery time, and muscle fatigue depending on weapon types, and explained the difference between slashing techniques versus piercing styles for mana channeling warriors. Victor took notes quickly, catching on to her complex explanations with his intuition. Her final assignment was to design a theoretical sword style that best aligned with each student''s known affinities and fighting rhythms. Victor already had ideas brewing, especially after everything he''d learned from Ascendant Realms. Then came the final lecture of the day. "Practical Application: Warrior''s Reflex". This was held on a floating platform arena¡ªhovering high in the air thanks to stabilized mana-cores. They were required to fight dummies that randomly activated movement spells or directional blasts, reacting to threat zones in under half a second. Victor did his best to perform well. He shifted into low defensive postures and moved like a shadow. Every time the dummies activated, he displayed a sharp footwork, cutting the angle before they could reposition. He even managed a clean ten-hit combo that disabled one of the dummies entirely. Unbeknownst to anyone, his cloaked camera was carefully hidden behind one of the outer pillars and layered with a thin veil of qi¡ª --- Chapter 148: I Am A Normal Human Later that night, Victor sat cross-legged at his desk in the corner of their dorm room with his head bent over his phone. He edited snippets from the morning''s brutal rock climbing routine and his lectures, especially the floating platform exercise. The edits weren''t raw footage, of course. He digitally masked everyone''s faces, added animated overlays, and converted the whole thing into a stylized 3D reenactment that gave the illusion of a fictional battlefield training. Just as he was piecing together his intro transition, the door clicked open. Kairo stepped in. Victor''s eyes widened. He swiftly cloaked his phone and camera with a soft layer of qi and moved a notebook over the device just as Kairo stepped in. Kairo looked exhausted but composed. He glanced at Victor, then narrowed his eyes. "Whatchu you up to?" Victor stretched lazily. "Just organizing my lecture notes. You disappeared yesterday." Kairo grabbed a towel and wiped his face. "B-ranked students get access to personal training lounges. I took advantage of the extra time." "No wonder I didn''t see you at all." "Still," Kairo approached Victor''s corner. "You look a little too relaxed." He felt like Victor wasn''t even trying hard and wonder how he intended to be excellent in the Academy this way. Victor chuckled. "It''s the only time I get peace. Morning routines beat the rest of the energy out of me." Kairo hovered nearby for a second longer than necessary but said nothing more. He tossed his gear in the corner and collapsed onto his bed. Victor exhaled in relief. The camera and phone remained cloaked beneath the notebook. --- (( Two Days Later )) In a flash two days had gone by. Each morning, Camp 11''s routines continued as usual just like the others. Wednesday challenge was swimming which many found difficult especially if their cities didn''t have a body of water. Victor was amongst the many who didn''t know how to swim so he had to be taught from scratch but he performed terribly. Thursday''s challenge was a complicated obstacle course that tested agility, upper body strength, and balance. Victor performed admirably. His lectures became more refined. Theory merged with practice. Combat partners rotated frequently. Victor had even done a few duels but nothing serious. The instructors on the other hand were starting to take notice of students who were doing remarkable. Each night, Victor logged into Ascendant Realms and spent long hours cycling qi through his meridians and pushing toward a breakthrough. Despite his low realm in comparison to the trials awaiting him, he felt every hour of training mattered. His cultivation level had now reached Core Formation Realm (81%). He was getting closer. And now, it was Friday. Exactly one week had passed since the first-years arrived at the Academy. Victor stood at the dorm room window that morning while staring out at the training fields and lecture towers. One week down. Countless more to go. ... The sky above the Awakened Academy''s dome glowed in the soft lavender hue of early morning. Victor arrived at Camp 11''s assembly point with a stretch and a yawn, surprised to find that the atmosphere was unusually relaxed. There were no weights today. No instructors screaming. No floating obstacle gauntlets or cliffside death traps waiting to test their endurance. Just quiet chatter, groggy eyes, and relieved expressions. Victor exchanged a glance with Rylan. "Is this a trap?" He whispered. "If it is," Rylan replied, "I''m okay with it." Victor cracked a grin. It seemed like they were only required to jump today and it was pretty fun as well as laxed. Not long after, the students were guided toward the main educational building, but this time, not to the usual combat halls or strategic theory rooms. Instead, they were led into one of the most pristine and aesthetically pleasing lecture theaters Victor had seen since arriving at the Academy. High-arched crystal windows that reflected gentle golden light and smooth floors that displayed ones reflection. Tiered seating arranged in a soft spiral, all directed at a single stage decorated with calligraphy. All first-year students, from warriors to summoners, mages, necromancers, assassins, healers, and even berserkers, were present. Victor found a seat near the front. Reed spotted him first. "Well, well," he grinned while flopping into the seat next to Victor. "If it isn''t Mr Hero. How''s Camp 11 treating you? Still training with pebbles?" Victor smirked. "Still louder than a mana explosion, I see." Aria slid into her seat a row ahead while flipping her hair. "If Camp 11 was supposed to prepare you for greatness, you might want to ask for a refund." "You been practicing that line in the mirror?" Victor replied. "I don''t need practice," she said smoothly, "I was born above you." Kai walked past and took his seat beside Aria. Calm and composed as always. His only acknowledgment was a small nod in Victor''s direction. Reed leaned closer and whispered, "Kai speaks once every hundred years. Treasure that nod, man." Victor chuckled under his breath just as the new instructor arrived¡ª He didn''t march or stride like the others. He strolled. He looked young¡ªearly thirties, maybe. Lean but not frail. Long brown hair tied into a neat ponytail, soft features, thin glasses and a loosely worn robe instead of the standard instructors uniform. A warm smile lit up his face. He looked like a librarian who''d gotten lost on the way to a poetry recital. He stood on the stage with his hands folded. "Good morning, students," he said gently with a calm and warm tone. "My name is Instructor Harel. You may call me Harel if you prefer. Today marks your first lecture in a subject simply titled Insight Studies. It is the only class you will take once a week that also mixes all Awakened types together." A hand went up. "Why is this class so... different?" An assassin girl inquired. Harel nodded. "A good question. All your other instructors are harsh, aren''t they? Intense. Disciplined. That is because they are all Mana Defense Officers. Veterans of the frontlines. Fighters who have seen cities fall, comrades die, and beasts devour the land." Murmurs followed. Some students exchanged knowing glances. "They have been sent here to train the next generation," Harel continued. "Every three years, they rotate back to the battlefield. Then new ones arrive to take their place. This rotation ensures you are always learning from the very best¡ªfrom those who are surviving in the very world you will one day step into." Another student raised a hand. "But then... why are you different?" That question hung in the air. Harel chuckled softly. "Because I am not a Mana Defense Officer. And I am not an Awakened." Silence~ Everyone stared in awe and confusion. "I am a normal human." Chapter 149: The Iron Vein Flow Technique The murmurs turned into whispers, and the whispers turned into loud disbelief. "How?!" "Wait... then how can you teach us?" Harel raised both hands and waited. The room calmed again. "Because I am a scholar. I''ve studied mana theory, awakened history, magical creature psychology, and interdimensional cosmology for over two decades. I have walked behind the lines, recorded ancient spells from beyond, deciphered lost inscriptions. And most importantly, I''ve spent the last ten years learning how to teach people like you in ways you understand." He smiled again. "My strength is not in the battlefield. It''s in the classroom." The effect was... immediate. Even the most skeptical students leaned forward. Harel began the lecture with a breakdown of how mana affinities interacted with natural law. He spoke of how each class¡ªfrom summoners to necromancers¡ªpossessed latent behavioral links with their mana. Berserkers generated mana more explosively, while mages funneled it methodically. He made analogies to physics, music, and even dance. When someone asked if spirits had consciousness, he spent ten minutes drawing diagrams of spirit constructs across three mana dimensions. And when Victor asked if anyone had ever successfully reversed a corrupted mana beast''s evolution, Harel''s eyes lit up and he launched into a case study from a decade ago involving an underground expedition in the Arctic Voidlands. The class had been going for nearly two hours at this point and everyone was enjoying it. The students were still riding the high of his earlier explanations when he suddenly paused mid-sentence and adjusted his glasses with a thoughtful gleam in his eye. "I think it''s time we take a short detour," he smiled mysteriously. A collective murmur passed through the lecture hall as they followed Instructor Harel out. "Detour?" "Where''s he taking us?" Victor exchanged glances with Reed, who shrugged. Aria tilted her head curiously. Even Kai raised an eyebrow. Moments later, Instructor Harel led the entire group outside the lecture building. They followed him through a series of elevated glass walkways that eventually opened into a vast, reinforced training field lined with glittering protective barriers. On the other side was one of the magical beast grounds. The air here felt different and primal. Low growls, distant screeches, and thunderous footsteps echoed through the misty enclosure. Some of the students looked tensed. Some instinctively reached for weapons or protective charms. "Stay close," Harel said warmly. "And do not attempt to use mana. The defenses here are strong, but agitation is... unwise." A massive figure moved through the shadows. Something large. Heavy. Breathing. Then it stepped into view. A beast, easily fifteen feet tall, covered in deep silver fur. Its eyes were the color of embers, and its four arms moved with terrifying speed. Its tail dragged behind it like a whip made of muscle. Gasps rippled across the group. Even Victor felt his heart skip a beat. Then Instructor Harel did something unexpected. He whistled. Not loudly. Just a soft, rising trill. The massive beast halted mid-step as its ears twitched. And then it bounded over. Some students screamed. Others staggered back. Even Aria looked ready to activate her defensive glyphs. Victor''s instincts screamed run. But the beast didn''t attack. It stopped before Instructor Harel... and nuzzled against him. The great beast¡ªcapable of smashing through walls with a single blow¡ªwas gently rubbing its massive head against Harel''s chest like an overgrown puppy. "His name is Tero," Harel said softly while stroking the beast''s fur. "And he''s been here longer than I have." The students were silent. Harel smiled and turned toward the group. "Magical beasts are not always the monsters people paint them to be. Evolution has taken many paths. Not all magical beasts are beyond reason. This one, for instance, understands me. Trusts me. And yes¡ªhe could kill you with a single squeeze." Gasps again. "But," Harel added, "he won''t. Not unless you give him a reason." One brave student raised a shaky hand. "C-Can we... touch him?" "Of course," Harel replied. Students approached slowly. A few petted Tero hesitantly. The beast huffed with a look of content. Victor stepped forward with an unsure look. As he raised a hand, the beast lowered its massive head. Its fur was warm and surprisingly soft. Victor smiled. Aria gave it a pat as well but was quick to toss her hair and whisper, "Not impressed. My family has a Sylrith-hound." "Yeah, but does it wag its tail when you whistle?" Reed shot back. Even Kai gave Tero a light pat. After the short interlude, Harel led them back to the lecture hall where he resumed the final portion of the lesson. They were quiet now¡ªrespectful. Because he hadn''t just taught them theory. He had given them a new perspective. ''I wonder if maybe some humanoid species are like that... what if, they''re not all monsters too?'' Victor said internally with a thoughtful gaze but in the next instant, the image of a hole in his father''s chest appeared in his mind. He squeezed his fist with a sore look; ''No! They''re all evil and they must die!'' --- After the session ended, Victor slung his satchel over his shoulder and made for the corridor. "Yo," Reed called. "Me, Aria, and a couple others are hitting the third-tier training zone. You coming?" Aria added, "Unless you''re too sore from being second-tier." Victor gave a small grin. "Tempting, but I''ve got something else to take care of." Reed mock-gasped. "What''s more important than us?" "Homework," Victor said casually. He left before they could ask more. --- Back in his dorm, Victor dropped his satchel and locked the door. Kairo wasn''t back yet. Perfect. He pulled his blanket over himself and laid down beneath it, then brought out his gaming helmet. Plugging it into the wall, he connected the core wires and activated the device. A few taps later, his consciousness slipped away from the real world. --- He appeared in the familiar confines of his private abode within the Violet Spring Sect. No time to waste. Victor rose to his feet. He stretched briefly and then exited into the courtyard, where Elder Mo waited. He was seated cross-legged beside a gently glowing formation. "You''re late," the elder said with a wry smirk. "I had important things to take care of." "Excuses." Victor sat. "Today, we resume your training. The Iron Vein Flow technique focuses on building internal resistance to physical trauma. Once mastered to a certain level, it will allow your body to endure far more punishment¡ªan essential for your coming trial." Victor crossed his legs, closed his eyes and cleared his mind. Qi began to build up around him. Chapter 150: Day Of The Trial The spiritual mist of the Violet Spring Sect drifted across the tiled rooftops like a calm veil as Victor stood in the center of the private courtyard, bathed in the glow of early morning qi. "Again," Elder Mo''s voice rang calmly from the side. Victor exhaled and clenched his fists. His bare upper torso glistened with sweat as he focused, channeling the qi in his dantian to specific flow points across his limbs and torso. He visualized the internal circulation map that Elder Mo had carved into his mind earlier¡ªthe route of the Iron Vein Flow technique. The moment the final loop connected, something changed. A dull bronze shimmer spread across his skin. [ Technique Activated: Iron Vein Flow ] [ Physical Resistance Increased: 20% ] [ Duration Remaining: 00:30 seconds ] Victor''s breathing turned steady as he held the stance. His body felt sturdier, denser¡ªas if the very fiber of his being had been forged by hammer and flame. He took three steps forward, dropped into a low stance, and mimicked a charging maneuver. The moment he ended the cycle, the shimmer faded, and his legs nearly buckled. "Not bad," Elder Mo nodded. "Your control is improving. You no longer bleed qi at the start of the loop." Fang Chen panted. "Thirty seconds... isn''t enough." "It rarely is," Elder Mo replied. "But with mastery, you can extend the effect. That shimmer you saw? Eventually, your body won''t just look copper. It will be copper in essence. Hardened. Durable. Unyielding." Fang Chen looked down at his arms. [ Physique Grade Improved: Peak Bronze ¡ú Lower Silver ] The notification caused a thrill to rush through his chest. "It changed," he said aloud. Elder Mo raised a brow. "Physique breakthrough?" Fang Chen nodded. "Lower Silver." "Good. Then we begin the second part of today''s training." Elder Mo stood and walked toward the center formation. He waved his hand, and a sigil of black-and-white spirals appeared in the air. "The second technique I mentioned," Elder Mo said, "is one only those who dance between truth and illusion can use. I call it the Veil of Eminence." Victor narrowed his eyes. "It doesn''t boost your strength," Mo continued. "It does not enhance your defense. It fools perception. When used correctly, it causes your aura to mimic that of a much stronger cultivator¡ªone at the Peak Nascent Soul Realm." Victor recalled Elder Mo mentioning that he was going to teach this to him but he still couldn''t see the point. "But be warned," Mo said. "Holding it too long will cause internal backlash. Qi deviation, meridian dissonance, spiritual rot... take your pick." Victor stepped forward. "Let''s begin." --- The training went long into the day. He split his time between activating Iron Vein Flow until his core ached and practicing the first stages of Veil of Eminence. Each activation of the aura cloak only lasted for five seconds before his qi burned out or spiraled into chaos. [ Technique Mastery Increased: Iron Vein Flow - 20% ] [ Technique Mastery Increased: Veil of Eminence - 7% ] With every cycle, Victor improved. Sometimes only a heartbeat. Sometimes a full breath. The sky in the game world dimmed as night approached, but he didn''t log out. He would be placed in the Verdant Spirit Furnace during the first trial of the core disciple path. Thirty minutes of intense spirit flames that would rise in power every five minutes. Without higher mastery of Iron Vein Flow and increase in his physique grade, he wasn''t sure he would last. He fell into a rhythm. Cultivate. Rest. Channel qi. Activate Iron Vein Flow. Hold. Deactivate. Repeat. Try Veil of Eminence. Crash. Regather. Retry. Each failure taught him more than success ever could. Each cycle pushed the limits of his body, stretched his meridians to their limit, and deepened his understanding of how far he could go. By the next midday, he could hold Iron Vein Flow for a full thirty seconds while executing slow maneuvers. And his activation of Veil of Eminence had started producing brief moments where even Elder Mo commented that his presence ''almost'' fooled him. He was far from ready¡ªbut he was undeniably improving. Elder Mo observed him in silence before finally speaking. "You''re pushing yourself well beyond what''s expected of someone at Core Formation. But this is the only way you''ll survive the Verdant Spirit Furnace." Fang Chen didn''t respond immediately. He took a deep breath, stabilized his qi, and nodded. "Then I''ll keep pushing." [ Cultivation Progress: Core Formation Realm (88%) ] [ Technique Mastery: Iron Vein Flow - 35% ] [ Technique Mastery: Veil of Eminence - 29% ] Elder Mo threw a robe toward him. "Rest. We resume at nightfall. You''ll be rotating both techniques under duress starting then." Fang Chen collapsed back onto the mat with sore muscles... ... ... Six days passed in the game world like smoke carried by wind. Victor had spent every moment inside Ascendant Realms training with unrelenting focus. He knew it was the weekend so he wasn''t bothered. He rotated through hours of qi refinement, technique repetition, and endurance cycles until his body refused to respond and his vision dimmed. And even then, he pushed further. By the dawn of the seventh day, his cultivation bar stood at 99%. [ Cultivation Progress: Core Formation Realm (99%) ] [ Technique Mastery: Iron Vein Flow - 55% ] His ability to maintain the Iron Vein Flow had vastly improved. He could now keep the technique activated for a solid four minutes, and it provided a significant 43% reduction to all physical damage. That was the good news. The bad news was... he was still stuck at Peak Core Formation Realm, when most people attempting the core disciple trials had already entered or neared the Soul Transformation Realm. The day of the trial had finally arrived. The large silhouette of the Verdant Spirit Furnace rose from the center of the inner sect''s ceremonial grounds. Crafted from green jade and woven with ancient inscriptions, it had once been used to temper powerful magical items. Now, it served another purpose¡ªto determine if a cultivator''s body and spirit could withstand the intensity of spiritual heat and emerge refined. Victor approached the arena with silent footsteps. All around, spectating disciples were whispering. Some chuckled. "Still in Core Formation? Is he crazy?" "The Furnace will reduce him to ash." Chapter 151: The Verdant Spirit Furnace "Still in Core Formation? Is he crazy?" "The Furnace will reduce him to ash." "He''s the one who beat up Zhan Kui and Huo Lian, right? Serves him right." The two injured inner court disciples stood nearby. Zhan Kui had one arm still wrapped in reinforced silk while Huo Lian wore a twisted smile. "Can''t wait to see you scream," Zhan Kui said under his breath as Victor passed. Victor didn''t even look at him. He approached the arena quietly but the moment he reached the inner perimeter of the trial field, something pushed back against him. Hard. It was like walking into a wall of pure pressure¡ªone that wasn''t visible, but felt as real as iron. His chest compressed, his knees buckled slightly, and for a moment, he couldn''t even breathe. An invisible barrier was woven into the formation around the Verdant Spirit Furnace. "It''s the spiritual gate," an elder murmured. "Only those at the Nascent Soul Realm or higher can approach the furnace." Gasps erupted among the crowd. "He can''t even get close?" "¡ªwhat a joke." "That''s the guy the City Lord endorsed?" Zhan Kui laughed openly from the crowd. "I guess the Furnace will be lonely today." Victor stood still and immediately understood why Elder Mo taught him that technique. Elder Mo stood calmly in the distance with his arms behind his back, offering no signal¡ªHe just watched. Victor closed his eyes and muttered beneath his breath. "Veil of Eminence..." A spiritual energy spread outward from within his dantian. [ Technique Activated: Veil of Eminence ] [ Projected Aura Level: Late-Stage Nascent Soul Realm ] The pressure lifted instantly. A new aura burst from his body¡ªpowerful, commanding, radiant with oppressive weight. It wasn''t truly his, but it felt no different to the formation. The barrier opened like a door welcoming royalty. Silence fell upon the surrounding as Victor stepped forward. One step. Then another. The elders watched with a stunned look while the disciples gawked as he passed by without resistance. "No way..." "He just walked through?" "But his cultivation...?" "Is he hiding his real level?" They had all expected him to fail without even getting to give the first trial a try but Victor had shocked them today. Victor ignored the noise as the ceremonial gate of the Verdant Spirit Furnace opened slowly with a deep grrrnnk. Elder Mo stood by the officiating panel with the other sect elders. Though he didn''t speak, he offered Victor the faintest of nods¡ªa silent gesture that meant, he is doing well. Another elder raised his hand. "Fang Chen. You stand at the edge of trial by fire. Your body shall be tested. Your endurance, your fortitude, your will¡ªall tempered by the Verdant Spirit Furnace." The crowd fell into silence. Victor stepped forward and stood before the monumental furnace. The glowing chamber within wasn''t fire in the normal sense, but dense spiritual flame¡ªa fusion of pure elemental intent and condensed qi, burning brighter than any normal blaze. Victor climbed inside. The door closed behind him with a loud clang, locking into place. He sat cross-legged at the center of the chamber and slowly released a breath. Outside, the officiating elder began the trial. <[ Phase One Initiated. Spirit Flame Intensity: Level One ]> At first, the heat was tolerable. The flames licked at the edges of his skin like hot wind and soon his robe began to singe. Sweat pooled at the nape of his neck. He focused while pulling in slow breaths to calm his spirit. His qi flowed smoothly. No panic. No resistance. Five minutes passed. <[ Phase Two Initiated. Spirit Flame Intensity: Level Two ]> The temperature skyrocketed. His skin tingled. His flesh screamed. He focused harder, drawing on his spiritual energy to create a thin internal barrier. It held. But the strain began to mount. Outside, some of the disciples began murmuring again. "He''s still in there." "Yeah, but it''s only Level Two. Let''s see him make it to Six." Elder Mo watched intently. <[ Phase Three Initiated. Spirit Flame Intensity: Level Three ]> By this point, Victor''s robes were half-burned away. His body was slick with sweat and every breath he took was heavy. The pain... it wasn''t sharp, but deep. Penetrating. As if the fire wanted to melt his spirit from the inside out. He clenched his fists. "Hold... not yet..." He had a plan. ''Don''t activate Iron Vein Flow. Not yet. Save it. Save it until the last four minutes.'' The pain intensified. His skin blistered. His body trembled. And then his mind spiraled. A sudden surge of pressure, as if the flames weren''t just trying to burn him but consume his identity. He heard whispers. His mother''s voice. Amara. Danny. Selene. Elder Mo. The sect. The city. "You''re not strong enough." "You should give up." "Just let go..." Victor gritted his teeth. "No... I can''t stop here." His vision blurred. His spirit flickered. And that''s when the fear hit. ''I don''t think I''ll survive for that long...'' He was fifteen minutes in but every second felt like a minute right now. And there were fifteen more to go. At this point, time had become a twisted nightmare. Every breath he took scorched his lungs. Every bead of sweat that formed instantly evaporated. The spiritual fire had long stripped away his outer robe, and the tips of his fingers were numb. Despite all the cultivation techniques he had practiced, nothing could have prepared him for the pure, unfiltered torment of the furnace. At seventeen minutes in, Victor''s endurance began to crack. His body writhed involuntarily. The sensation of being boiled alive from the inside was no longer just an exaggeration¡ªit was his reality. His skin bubbled and hissed. Blisters formed and burst. His teeth gnashed as he fought to remain in the lotus position. But still... he held on. By twenty minutes, the flame level increased again. <[ Phase Four Initiated. Intensity: Level Four ]> And this time, Victor couldn''t take it. The agony was absolute. His skin began to melt. Chunks of flesh sizzled from his arms. His hair burned away. His eyes bulged as his pupils trembled in their sockets while his vision dimmed to the point of blindness. "Arrrgghhhh!!!" Victor screamed out in pain. Chapter 152: First Trial Complete Victor scream tore through the chamber and echoed beyond the furnace walls. Outside, the elders and disciples looked up. They heard the sound¡ªand they knew. "He''s reached his limit." "He''ll die in there." Zhan Kui smirked. "I''ll give him a minute before he breaks." Inside the furnace, Victor slammed against the interior wall as the force of his panic overrode his discipline. The pain had swallowed logic. There was only raw, primal instinct screaming at him to escape. In the real world, Victor''s body was convulsing under his blanket. Qi surged uncontrolled through his veins. His skin flushed red¡ªthen orange¡ªthen burst into flame. The VR headset vibrated erratically. His voice cried out, muffled under the blanket. But he was alone in the room. A soft, mechanical voice echoed from the room''s hidden wall panel. "Warning: Fire detected." A compartment slid open from the ceiling, releasing mana-infused suppressant mist. The air filled with shimmering vapor that instantly doused the forming flame. Victor''s real body was instantly drenched in strange liquid and stopped burning. Inside Ascendant Realms, Victor gasped. A strange chill ran across his spine. The agony dulled for a moment. The flames hadn''t lessened¡ªbut something... felt different. As if his body had been submerged in contrast¡ªheat and cold simultaneously raged against one another. He blinked in confusion. The pain was still there. But he could breathe again. Outside the furnace, an elder frowned. "His screams have stopped." Another elder nodded. "He might''ve passed out." One of them activated a spiritual inspection crystal. It floated toward the furnace and hovered beside the sealed hatch. The elder''s eyes widened. "He''s awake. Sitting upright." "What?!" "That''s impossible." "No one at Core Formation could last this long at Flame Level Four." They couldn''t believe their eyes. It was even more confusing because just a second ago, he was screaming in agony. Before they knew it, time passed it reached the 25 minutes mark. <[ Phase Five Initiated. Spirit Flame Intensity: Level Five ]> Victor shuddered. His teeth clenched. Blood ran from his nostrils and ears. He couldn''t take another breath. The heat tore through his lungs like razor glass. The cold was still seeping in but the heat was much more intense now. Fortunately, he was able to bear it for a minute and now he knew it was time. His body had done everything it could. "Now...!" he growled through his teeth. He activated his trump card. [ Technique Activated: Iron Vein Flow ] [ Duration: 04:00 minutes ] [ Physical Damage Mitigated: 43% ] A radiant bronze thickness spread over his skin, rippling with qi. His body hardened. The flames licked against him, but they no longer shredded his flesh. He could still feel the fire¡ªbut it was no longer as intense. He straightened his back, sat tall and closed his eyes. He began to breathe deeply. Outside, the disciples gasped again. The inspection crystal flared. "He''s stabilizing?" "He activated a body reinforcement technique." "But... how?" "The boy''s bones should''ve turned to dust." Elder Mo offered a small smile from the back of the crowd. Five more minutes passed. The fire reached its peak. And yet... Victor didn''t move. <[ Trial Complete. Verdant Spirit Furnace Phase: Passed ]> [ ...Preparing Rewards... ] A sudden clang echoed across the field as the massive hatch slid open. Smoke billowed outward. The scent of burnt cloth and scorched skin spread into the air. But within the smoke... Victor stood. He was half-naked and his skin was covered in cracked lines of copper qi as his chest heaved heavily¡ªbut he was still very much alive. The entire field was dead silent. Even Zhan Kui''s smug grin had vanished. The elders looked at one another. And nodded. --- A few minutes later, Victor was escorted to the next trial stage after changing into a spare outfit. He was brought to a hall carved from obsidian and jade. At its center stood an ancient, weathered mirror¡ªone with no reflection. [ The Mirror of Reflection ] Elder Mo stepped forward. "This is the second trial," he voiced in a low tone. "The Trial of Insight." Victor''s eyes fixed on the mirror. "You will be placed in front of this artifact," Elder Mo continued, "and subjected to illusions formed from your subconscious¡ªfears, regrets, suppressed memories." "Your only goal is to pass through them and reach the other side... without losing your sense of self." "If you fail¡ªyour mind may shatter. And you may never wake again." Victor''s heart pounded because he had faced his fair share of illusions in Ascendant Realms. He could only hope he would be strong enough to endure. "I''m ready." He stepped forward. The floor beneath his feet shone with sigils and the mirror... began to glow. Its surface rippled like water, yet held no reflection. It simply absorbed his presence, pulling him in, challenging his very sense of identity. The moment his foot crossed the carved circle of runes surrounding it, the world shattered. The chamber disappeared. In the next second, he was standing in the ruins of a collapsed mining facility. Burnt metal. Crushed and blackened earth. Blood. "No..." Victor whispered with a look of horror. He already knew what this was. Screams echoed. Familiar voices. His father''s voice. Victor ran through the smoke with his feet skidding across blackened rock. The scene twisted around him. He turned a corner, and there¡ª A massive spear of molten fiery rock hurled through the air in slow motion. His father stood defenseless with his arms around two workers, laughing and smiling. Victor screamed. "DAD!" His body moved as fast as the wind as he leapt forward. Qi exploded from his core as he reached out with the spear just meters away¡ª each second stretched into a lifetime. He was inches from it. So close. But his hand passed through it like mist. And the magma spear plunged into his father''s chest from behind. Blood sprayed across Victor''s face. The scene paused. Then rewound. And played again. And again. And again. Each time, Victor tried something different. He Screamed. He charged earlier. He used throwing techniques. He slammed his own body into the spear. Each time, he failed. Each time, the spear pierced his father. Each time, his father died. Chapter 153: Battle Against The Guardian Victor''s fists shook. "I KNOW THIS ISN''T REAL!" he roared into the air. But the illusion didn''t care. It twisted again. Now, he stood outside his home. Smoke billowed in the distance. Sirens blared loudly and the scent of blood wafted across the air. He kicked open the door and sprinted inside. His mother lay on the couch with her belly swollen with his unborn sister. She wasn''t breathing. "No..." He rushed to her side. A Drakenar claw had torn through her chest. A low, whispering voice hissed around him. "You were too slow again." Victor gritted his teeth. "This isn''t real. This isn''t real." The voice continued. "Too weak to stop your father''s death. Too late to protect your mother. And your sister... never born. Never even had a name." "No..." "You''re a failure, Victor." He clutched his head and fell to his knees. "You couldn''t even keep your friends safe." New visions appeared. Danny, Max, Jake¡ª were all screaming and running from an explosion. Their bodies twisted in the flames. One by one, they turned to ash. "Stop it!" Victor shouted. Reed, Kai, Aria, Amara¡ªdead. Even Selene was impaled through the heart by a shadowed Umbryx. Victor crawled through the carnage. "I... I couldn''t protect them. I couldn''t... I can''t..." The Mirror throbbed like a pounding heart. "You are nothing. You have always been nothing. A lucky fool with a stolen bloodline and delusions of power." "No!" He slammed his fists into the ground. "This is not who I am!" The mirror laughed. "You will break. You are already breaking." Victor stood with blood dripping from his hands as his body trembled. "You''re right..." he whispered. The mirror stilled. "I''m not strong enough yet. I wasn''t fast enough that day. My father died because I was powerless. I still see it almost every night when I close my eyes. That moment... it''ll never leave me." Tears rolled down his face. "I carry that with me. All of it." The images flared and began to twist around him again. His mom, lifeless. His friends, gone. Victor looked through the illusions. "But I am still here." He took a step forward. "Every scar. Every regret. Every loss¡ªI wear them like armor." Another step. The illusions flickered. "I will protect what remains. And I will become strong enough to never feel that helpless again." A final step. The mirror cracked. "You cannot destroy me," Victor stated. "Because I''ve already been broken. And I built myself back up." [ Insight Trial: Passed ] The world shattered. Victor collapsed to his knees as the room returned to normal. He was drenched in sweat and trembling. Elder Mo appeared beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You walked through the storm," the elder voiced quietly. "And you did not lose yourself." Victor looked up with red eyes. "It hurt more than the Furnace." Mo smiled faintly. "It always does. But you got through it... You are strong. Always remember that." The entire Violet Spring Sect buzzed with disbelief at this moment. Fang Chen had done the impossible. He passed the Trial of Insight. Whispers echoed through the crowd of disciples and elders as they made their way toward the final trial grounds. "He survived the Verdant Spirit Furnace..." "And walked through the Mirror of Reflection..." "There''s no way he passes this one." The final location was unlike the others. An open courtyard shaped like a giant yin-yang symbol, bordered by glowing runic columns. It held no walls, no weapons, no cover. This was a place of pure combat. The sect elders gathered around the elevated viewing platforms with looks of curiosity. Even Elder Mo stood quietly as his gaze narrowed. "The final trial," one elder announced, "is that of Combat. The trial of blades and fists. Of endurance and adaptation." Victor stepped into the circle. His body was still sore from the previous trials and his qi was partially depleted. "The opponent is a guardian spirit¡ªforged from the collective wills of former sect masters. It will match your current cultivation realm... but it will draw upon centuries of martial insight." Gasps rippled through the crowd. "Even peak Nascent Soul cultivators have fallen before this test," another elder muttered. "And he''s still only... Peak Core Formation?" "No chance." Victor stared ahead as the air trembled. A figure appeared. Tall. Cloaked in mist. No face. No voice. Just presence. The Guardian Spirit took form. It stepped forward slowly while drawing a gleaming blade made of pure intent. [ Trial Initiated: Trial of Combat ] [ Opponent: Sect Guardian Spirit - Scaling to Current Realm: Peak Core Formation ] Victor breathed in. Then the guardian moved and it was like it had just teleported. It was fast... Too fast. The first strike nearly took his arm off. Victor twisted just in time, narrowly evading the arc of the blade. He countered with a Phantom Moon Slash, but the spirit spun and deflected it easily. He backed up and tried to recalibrate. Another flurry of attacks came his way¡ªspinning kicks, fist strikes, flashes of energy that made the ground quake. Victor retaliated with Shadow Blink, reappearing behind the spirit and launching a combination of three sword strikes. The guardian didn''t even turn around. It raised its blade swung its arm towards the back in a flash. All three strikes were parried. And then the guardian suddenly flipped in the air and kicked Victor in the chest, sending him flying backwards. Blood dripped from his mouth. The spirit didn''t even pause. It stepped forward with its blade flickering. Knowing he couldn''t evade the attack in time, Victor activated Iron Vein Flow. [ Technique Activated: Iron Vein Flow - 43% Damage Mitigation ] He took another strike, but this time, the blade merely sliced his skin... it didn''t reach the bone. He countered with a quick slash at guardian''s chest. It landed. Barely. A shallow gash appeared that energy began to seep out of. "Not enough..." Victor muttered while staggering back. The spirit raised its blade and came at him again. Chapter 154: Final Trial Completed Victor''s left leg buckled as he blocked two strikes and evaded a third. However, the fourth rammed into his ribs. Crack. He coughed out blood as he got launched across the air once more. He was failing. He knew it. It didn''t matter that the guardian was scaled to his realm. The techniques it used were too advanced, too polished. Like fighting someone who had seen every variation of combat a thousand times over. Victor rolled away from a killing strike and looked at his trembling hand. "I need more power..." Then he remembered. The elixir. He reached into his ring and pulled out one of the silver vials given to him by Lady Li Yang months ago as a reward. He had saved it. This was the moment. He instantly drank it and the effect was immediate. [ Consumed: Refined Soul-Spirit Elixir ] Qi burst from his core, flooding his meridians with a violent surge. The earth cracked beneath him and the skies dimmed. The guardian spirit paused. The elders jolted to their feet. "He''s..." "He''s breaking through?!" Victor roared as his eyes emitted a silver glow and spiritual energy burst from him like a dam. [ Cultivation Breakthrough Initiated: Nascent Soul Realm ] [ Core Formation (99%) ¡ú Nascent Soul (Early Stage) ] <[ All Techniques Have Undergone A Threefold Increase ]> His spirit core shattered. In its place, a condensed soul seed began to bloom. A surge of Void Qi exploded from his body, forming a storm of dark, flowing energy. In the real world, Victor''s body trembled. In his dorm room, Kairo had just walked in just and paused when he noticed the flickering lights. A surge of energy burst out from Victor''s bed. Kairo blinked. "He''s getting stronger... just by sleeping?" Back in Ascendant Realms, Victor screamed as his cultivation broke through the final threshold. His aura grew sharper, deeper and more rooted in power. The guardian spirit moved again, sensing the change. Victor met its blade with his own this time and wasn''t pushed back. He struck once and the spirit staggered. He dashed forward and swung his sword multiple times, clashing against the guardian spirit. Soon the sound of clashing steel reverberated across the ancient trial grounds. Victor was no longer just reacting to the guardian spirit''s blows. He was meeting them. Countering. Striking with clarity and conviction. His blade spun through the air, sheathed in Void Qi and slammed into the spirit from another angle. The guardian slid a couple of feet backwards but something had change. Its stance wasn''t as fluid¡ª For the first time since the battle began, the spirit was having trouble keeping up. ''I should probably put an end to this quickly before it raises its cultivation level to meet mine...'' Victor vanished and reappeared behind the spirit using Shadow Blink... he immediately followed this up with a rising arc of his blade. [ Technique: Phantom Moon Slash ] His blade tore through the guardian''s ethereal shoulder, dispersing the upper arm in a mist of spiritual particles. The guardian turned and unleashed a powerful counter. But Victor met it head-on with Wind Barrier. [ Wind Arts Activated (300% Increase In Power) ] The sword failed to move any further due to the concentrated wind wall and began to trembled. Vicror stepped forward, threw his sword into the air and slammed his palm into its chest. [ Wind Gale Activated ] A concentrated burst of wind exploded forth from his palm point-blank, the instant it rammed into the guardian''s chest. The guardian''s form rippled and destabilized as it got sent flying over twenty feet across the air. [ Shadow Blink Activated ] Victor pointed forward and reappeared up ahead at the exact position of his blade in mid air. He grabbed his dark blade and with one final horizontal swing, Victor brought down the blade in a wide arc of darkness upon the guardian whose ethereal form was still flying across the air. The guardian fell to the ground and shattered. [ Trial of Combat Passed ] The courtyard instantly went silent. A gentle wind rustled through the carved stones. Then, the notifications came. [ Rewards Granted: Trial of Flame Passed ] + New Passive Skill: Ember Tempered Flesh - Physical Defense Increased by 15% + Item: Spirit-Flame Forged Undershirt (Auto-adapting to cultivator''s qi) [ Rewards Granted: Trial of Insight Passed ] + New Passive Skill: Mind Bastion - Mental Resistance Increased by 20% + Item: Mirror Fragment of Self - Usable once to dispel illusion-based techniques [ Rewards Granted: Trial of Combat Passed ] + Technique Scroll: Flowing Form Blade Dance (Mid-grade Sword Technique) + Stat Boost: Strength +10, Speed +10, Perception +10 [ Advancement Complete: Fang Chen is now a Core Disciple of the Violet Spring Sect ] Victor exhaled as he landed smoothly and slowly lowered his blade. His body was drenched in sweat and his muscles ached but he felt as energized as ever. The elders remained quiet for a moment. Then, one of them finally stepped forward. "You... passed all three trials," he voiced with both disbelief and awe. "And broke through in the midst of battle. Truly phenomenal..." Elder Mo who had his arms behind his back, nodded silently. One by one, the disciples¡ªmany of whom had mocked him just days before¡ªbegan to approach. "Congratulations..." one said. "I didn''t think you''d survive the furnace... but you really did it." Another inner court disciple, previously smirking behind Zhan Kui, gave a reluctant bow. Victor returned the gesture with a nod. He didn''t need their approval. But it was still satisfying. Some of the younger disciples whispered about how they''d underestimated him. Others looked away, too ashamed to meet his gaze. But they all saw it now¡ªhe wasn''t just some outsider receiving favoritism. He was a cultivator who had earned his place. --- Back in the Real World... A faint mist lingered in the room. The faint smell of char and metallic steam clung to the air like a whisper of past danger. Kairo nose twitched. "Smoke?" The mist made the room feel unusually damp. He had stepped into the room a while ago and sensed the energy radiating from Victor''s side of the room but now he was glancing around even more suspiciously after noticing the confusing state of the room. Victor''s body was still under the sheet which had tiny holes due to the flames from earlier. Kairo moved toward it while narrowing his eyes. "Why''s it so... muggy in here?" he muttered. He reached down and grabbed the corner of the blanket... he slowly started to lift it¡ª Chapter 155 155: The Reunion He reached down and grabbed the corner of the blanket... And then, he slowly started to lift it¡ª Ring! His wristband buzzed at this moment. Kairo cursed under his breath, pulled back, and tapped it. "Halo? Yo." The voice of one of his warrior buddies echoed through. "Bro, are you still coming to the arena today? We got a five-on-five set and they''re talking trash already." Kairo grinned. "Yeah yeah, I''m coming. Had to check something weird in the dorm but I''ll be there in ten." He cast one last look at the glowing bed. Victor''s silhouette remained unmoving under the blanket. Kairo shrugged. "Must be some experimental technique or something," he muttered. And left. --- Back in Ascendant Realms... Victor had finally returned to his quarters within the Violet Spring Sect. His private residence now had new adornments¡ªmarkings indicating core disciple status, a small flowing spirit spring for cultivation, and new defensive formations. He lay on the mat while staring at the sky through the open roof, letting the notifications sink in. He had done it. Against all odds. From mocked outsider to bonafide Core Disciple. He replayed the battles in his mind with his fingers twitching as if reliving each clash. And yet... He couldn''t rest yet. This was only the beginning. <[ Bounty Increased ]> ... ... The morning sunlight trickled through the reinforced dorm window, casting a soft glow over the metallic surfaces and illuminating the slight haze that still lingered in the air. Victor groaned as he rolled over in bed with his eyes fluttering open. It was Sunday. After the trials¡ªthe Furnace, the Mirror, and the Spirit Guardian¡ªhe had logged out of Ascendant Realms the night before, mentally and physically drained. But even now, he could feel the residual weight of everything he''d endured still pressing down on him. His stomach rumbled loudly. "Okay, okay, I get it," Victor muttered while rubbing his belly. "We need food. Desperately." As he sat up and stretched, a voice called out from the other side of the room. "Yo! You''ve been here since Friday, man," Kairo voiced while peeking out from his seating position up ahead, "Is sleeping all you do?" Victor cracked a grin. "It''s called advanced mental recovery. You wouldn''t understand." Kairo snorted. "You keep calling it that, but it looks more like you''ve fused with your mattress." Victor stood and shook the stiffness from his limbs while rolling his neck. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. Hey, have you gotten your custom weapon yet?" Kairo paused mid-rep. "Of course I have. I''m a Warrior. Everyone''s required to get one. Didn''t you?" Victor blinked. "Huh. No. I haven''t even visited the weapons unit yet." Kairo gave him a half-lidded look. "You do realize your weapon is basically an extension of your body, right?" Victor held up a hand. "I know, I know. I''ve just been... busy not dying." "Well, get to it. You don''t want to be the only sword user running around with a standard-issue relic." Victor nodded while already making mental plans. "I''m looking for something... specific. But that''s for later. Right now, if I don''t eat something, I''m going to faint and become a cautionary tale." After saying this, Victor proceeded to head out of the dorm. --- Minutes later, he arrived before the cafeteria. The cafeteria was enormous¡ªtechnologically enhanced steel and mana crystal chandeliers hovered above the black marble floors. Holographic menus floated in the air near entry points, and attendants¡ªboth humanoid and AI¡ªmoved swiftly across the room. Victor stared up at the grand sign above the entrance: FeedHub-11 Multiple floors stretched upward like a luxurious food tower. He tapped his card to the entrance terminal, and a hologram message appeared in his field of view. [ Rank Access Verified: B-Rank ] [ Access Granted: Floors 1, 2, and 3 ] Each floor had its own flair. Floor One was standard¡ªwide open buffet-style with energized nutrient meals. Floor Two had elegant booths, ambient music, and server bots that offered meal pairings with nutritional suggestions. While Floor Three had Soft jazz, hovering platters, and food that looked more like it belonged in a five-star chef''s dream. Victor immediately took the elevator to Floor Three. The moment the doors opened, aromas hit him with full force¡ªroasted magic beast steaks, herb-infused noodles, and sweetbread drenched in rich honey. He picked a corner seat by the large window, intending to eat in peace, but a familiar bellow echoed across the room before he could get to the seat. "VIC!" Victor turned. A figure of muscle and excitement tackled him into a massive bear hug. "Danny!" Victor laughed. Danny''s Berserker arms were like iron bars as he lifted Victor from the ground. "You''re alive! I thought you got assigned to some dungeon camp or something!" Victor grinned and returned the hug. But a loud crack rang out. Danny''s back. "Ghhah¡ªVIC¡ªLET GO!" Victor blinked and dropped him. "Oops. Sorry. I guess... I got stronger?" Danny wheezed while holding his ribs. "You think?" Another voice cut through. "Well, well. Look who decided to finally show up." Victor turned and spotted the same person that had left him hanging after an unexpected and brief exchange of saliva... It was none other than Amara. She stood a few feet away, dressed casually in a fitted Academy top and dark cargo pants. She looked good. Really good. Her chestnut hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, and her brilliant eyes locked onto his for a brief second too long. "Amara." "Victor." Awkward silence. Victor realised that they really hadn''t spoken since the kiss... Derek followed right behind her. His eyes narrowed as he nodded sharply at Victor. The guy still had that menacing aura¡ªtattoos on his neck, jawline sharp enough to cut glass, and an ever-present scowl. Victor nodded back, keeping it civil. They all proceeded to sit at Victor''s table. The food arrived moments later, floating trays settling into place elegantly. Roasted beef from a magical beast, mana infused rice with shimmering glaze, fruit infused with elemental water¡ªVictor hadn''t realized how hungry he truly was until now. "Man, I''ve missed you, bro," Danny said through a mouthful of food. "These last few days have been nuts." "No kidding," Victor said. "Feels like it''s been a month already." Amara sipped from her drink while avoiding Victor''s eyes. "So..." Danny glanced between the two. "You two... talked about anything yet?" Chapter 156 156: The Blade That Waits "So..." Danny glanced between the two. "You two... talked about anything yet?" Both of them stiffened. Victor cleared his throat. "We''ve... been busy." Amara didn''t respond. She just stared down at her plate. Derek watched the exchange with a raised eyebrow wondering what that was all about. Victor quickly changed the topic. "So how''s training been?" Danny grinned. "I''ve been pounding rocks and climbing walls every day. You should see the calluses on my fingers. They could deflect a spell." Victor chuckled. "And you?" he asked Amara. She finally looked up. "I''m managing. It''s intense, but... I like the challenge." Victor nodded. "Same." Despite the tension, it felt good to be around them. Familiar faces. Grounding energy. The cafeteria was pretty noisy around them with other students laughing, talking and swapping stories. For a moment, it didn''t feel like war. Or trials. Or secrets. Just a bunch of kids... trying to survive. ... ... Later on, Victor left the cafeteria with a full stomach and a slightly less tangled set of emotions. He had spent enough time socializing for the day. Now it was time to get something he should''ve handled since he first arrived at the Academy¡ªhis custom weapon. Warrior-class awakened like him didn''t just walk around empty-handed. Weapons were as essential as breathing. For Victor, there was only one blade he had in mind. The memory was still vivid¡ªthe eerie silence of the final floor of the crazy castle during the Academy screening, his hand wrapping around the hilt of an ancient blade resting in an exalted platform... and the pull that felt more spiritual than physical. He remembered how the moment he drew it, a burst of power surged through him, even if only for a few moments. One of the officials had mentioned he couldn''t claim it then and there but that it would be reserved within the Academy. That sword was what Victor had come for. He walked into the Weapon Allocation Unit. It was a structure with crystalline floors and floating armory racks, housing blades, hammers, staffs, and more¡ªall organized by class and sub-rank. A woman behind a curved desk lifted her head as Victor approached. Her badge identified her as Aide Vesska. "Name?" she questioned while skimming through a digital pad. "Victor Revenant Josiah," he stated then quickly added, "I''m looking for a specific sword. During the final floor of the screening castle, I pulled it out of a platform and an official told me I''d have to claim it from the Academy if I wanted it to officially be mine. It''s a five-foot-long sword that somewhat discharges electric. Reddish hilt..." Vesska paused as her brows raised slightly. "Ah... I see. That sword." "You know it?" "Of course," she nodded. "That blade was once wielded by General Myrion Steelvein, a legendary Warrior-class awakened who fought during the First Surge." Victor''s eyes narrowed. "Uhm no... It belonged to General Darius Stormrend. The greatest warrior awakened who singlehanded saved millions of lives during the first surge." Vesska gave him a faint smile and stated; "You pass. Now you''re eligible." "That was a test?" Victor questioned with a slightly dumbfounded expression. Veska nodded softly. "It''s a rare weapon. Not just anyone can claim it especially if they know little to nothing about it''s history." "Then, can I have it?" Victor voiced with an ecstatic tone. Vesska tapped her screen. "Not quite yet." "But you just said I was eligible..." "Weapons like that are termed legacies. Most of the major classes have one or two in their archives. They carry the remnant mana of their original wielder, and sometimes even faint memories or combat instincts. However..." She leaned forward. "Academy protocol requires anyone who wishes to wield a legacy weapon to compete for it. You passed the first stage to become eligible, now you have to pass the second." Victor sighed. "Let me guess. Competition?" Vesska nodded. "A month from now. You''ll have to prove you''re compatible and worthy of bearing its legacy." "Fine. I''ll register." "There''s a booth on the eastern wing for weapon legacy trials. Registration''s ongoing. And be warned¡ªothers are already gunning for that blade." Victor thanked her and made his way toward the eastern wing of the Weapon Allocation Unit. It was a long hallway filled with applicants being led to a massive registration booth where students stood in queues by class¡ªWarrior, Mage, Summoner, Necromancer, Assassin, Healer. He joined the Warrior line while scanning the competition. That''s when he noticed a particular figure... A girl with pale green skin stood a few spots ahead. She had no eyebrows, no eyelashes, and not a single strand of hair on her smooth, oddly ethereal head. Her gaze was deep and unreadable, with glowing amber eyes that seemed to pierce through dimensions. She didn''t speak, didn''t shift, didn''t blink. But raw and condensed mana¡ªclung to her like a second skin and swirled gently around her with every breath she took. Victor''s eyes narrowed. Despite being unable to sense mana, he could feel her power. It wasn''t just strong. It was immense. The kind of strength that turned crowds silent. Even the energy signature around her made his internal qi resonate faintly. The others noticed too. Whispers flowed through the line. "Is that her?" "Yeah. That''s Elyra Vorn." "The S-ranked first year. I heard she crippled a teacher during sparring assessment." "They say she''s not fully human. The rumors say her parents made some kind of pact with the Devil. That''s why her mana is so wild." Victor swallowed upon hearing the whispers. ''Please be a Mage,'' he thought. As if fate wanted to mess with him, Elyra stepped forward and placed her palm on the Warrior sigil. [ Registration Confirmed: Elyra Vorn ¨C Warrior Class ¨C S Rank ] Several students behind her quietly stepped out of line. "I''m not doing this," one muttered. "Why even try? She''ll wipe the floor with us." Victor stayed. As Elyra glanced back at those remaining, their eyes met briefly. She didn''t sneer. Didn''t smile or display any shift in expression. She just looked at him. Victor met her gaze with calmly unlike the others around him. After a while, she looked away and walked out of the vicinity. Soon, Victor''s turn came. He proceeded to place his hand on the Warrior sigil. [ Registration Confirmed: Victor Revenant Josiah ¨C Warrior Class ¨C B Rank ] Chapter 157: Becoming Bait [ Registration Confirmed: Victor Revenant Josiah ¨C Warrior Class ¨C B Rank ] The system logged him in. When he stepped away, some of the remaining warriors gave him questioning looks. "You sure about this?" one guy asked. "She''s S rank. Like... freakishly S rank." Victor shrugged. "Doesn''t matter. That sword chose me once already." --- After registering, he returned to Aide Vesska. She gave him a nod of approval. "Bold move. I respect it." "I''ll need a temporary blade," Victor said. Vesska guided him into a secondary room filled with a more standard selection of high-grade weapons. After some testing and qi-sync calibrations, he selected a black blade with moderate elemental responsiveness and high stability. He was also granted access to support equipment. "All ranked students are entitled to two auxiliary gadgets for field use," Vesska explained. "You may choose from defense drones, cloak enhancers, mana stabilizers, or signal flares." Victor selected a Reactive Qi Barrier Unit, which could absorb a portion of incoming damage once per day, and a Mana Pulse Scanner, useful for detecting hidden enemies or magical traps. He didn''t have any mana after all. He signed off on his equipment, nodded to Vesska, and left. One month to the competition. He was going to be ready. ... ... Night had fallen over the dorms of Awakened Academy. The lights in the sky dome dimmed to a calming starlit illusion, casting a gentle glow over the Academy''s artificial horizon. Most students were in their rooms, either asleep or burning midnight mana in their respective training sectors. Victor lay under his blanket with his helmet secured and his game device beside him. With one breath, he activated his connection and slipped back into the virtual cultivation world of Ascendant Realms. The moment he materialized, he found himself back in his private abode in the Violet Spring Sect. His mind wasn''t on comfort or cultivation tonight. It was time to deal with the bounty. The notification had appeared weeks ago¡ª [ A Bounty Has Been Placed On You ] It hadn''t come with names or affiliations, only a flashing alert and a warning. Victor stepped out into the brisk night air, wearing the violet-trimmed robes that marked him as a core disciple. As he moved down the main walkway through the sect, a few disciples nodded respectfully, while others quickly looked away, intimidated by the presence of the one who had passed all three trials despite being an outsider. He nodded back but didn''t slow his pace. Reaching the sect gates, he stepped out into the lively sprawl of Blueflame City¡ªone of the most prosperous cultivation cities on the continent. It was bustling with cultivators, traders, spiritual beast merchants, and wandering alchemists. Victor''s eyes scanned every corner. From what he had gathered earlier, bounties of his nature weren''t allowed to be officially placed in the city''s records unless he was a registered criminal. But there was nothing to stop rogue groups or shadowy cultivators from spreading such things in secret. He had no intention of sitting back and waiting. He wanted to know who had put a price on his head. He roamed from one end of the city to the other¡ªopen roads, crowded market lanes, and even quieter alleys. He made sure he was visible, though not overtly. He stopped at various stores, looked over qi artifacts, and even exchanged pleasantries with passing cultivators. A pair of players waved to him as he crossed one street. "Fang Chen!" one called. "Nice work at the trials, man!" Victor nodded and waved back. Word had traveled. He continued to move, observe and feel. After over an hour, he finally felt it. Eyes... Not one pair but three. Their intent was subtle but distinct. It clung to his back like a wet shadow. He didn''t stop. Instead, he let them think he hadn''t noticed. He made his way toward the Murktree Forest, a dense area of twisted trees and fogged terrain just within Blueflame city. The trees had gnarled limbs and roots that coiled like sleeping serpents. He walked deeper into the foliage. Then vanished from the followers point of view. --- The three cultivators reached the forest''s edge minutes later. "He was just here," one who had his hair tied into rough spikes, growled. "I saw him turn at this path." "Then where is he now?" said the tallest of the three who was a broad man with a hooked nose. They fanned out and stepped carefully among the shadows and roots. Branches rustled above them. Then something dropped. Victor landed in their midst like a hawk. Before the closest could react, Victor''s palm struck his wrist, disarming the blade, and then followed with a sweeping kick that sent him crashing into a tree trunk. The second spun while drawing a curved talon blade, but Victor swerved past it, used Shadow Blink to reappear behind him, and slammed the hilt of his sword down on the man''s head. The cultivator crumpled like paper. The third growled and tried to dash away, but Victor extended his hand. [ Bloodline Technique: Void Pull ] A ripple of spatial energy yanked the fleeing man back like a ragdoll and slammed him into the ground. Victor proceeded to raise his hand again, causing the man''s body to rise and then swept him into a tree. Bam! Victor stood over them with a calm look while unleashing his Nascent Soul pressure. He knelt beside the third one who was still conscious and groaning. "Hey hey, tell me, who sent you after me?" Victor questioned. "I don''t know... we just stumbled upon your poster coincidentally..." the third one mumbled amidst heavy breaths. A quick search through the man''s robe revealed a rolled-up parchment. Victor unsealed it and voila... it was a bounty poster with his face rendered in eerie charcoal strokes and a string of numbers beneath it. The same shocking amount that the notification had showed him back then. Victor''s brows drew together. "So I was right," he murmured. "Someone really wants me gone." He proceeded to headbutt the thug, knocking him out cold. Afterwards, he reached for some binding cloth from his ring and securely wrapped the third man from head to toe, gagging him and immobilizing his limbs. He hoisted him over his shoulder with ease. "I''m going to find out who." Chapter 158: Following The Trail Leaving the Murktree Forest, Victor moved swiftly through the lower edges of Blueflame City, avoiding the main roads and using small alleyways. Eventually, he reached a checkpoint at the city gates. He walked casually beside a cart piled with wooden crates and sacks of herbs. The old merchant nodded groggily, not recognizing him. Victor slid the unconscious body into the back of the cart under a tarp while making sure the guards were distracted. Moments later, the gates opened. Victor walked calmly beside the cart, pretending to be just another traveler escorting goods. Once outside the city''s barrier walls, he peeled off from the merchant path, retrieved the bound cultivator, and disappeared into the surrounding hills. The moonlight above was pale and cold but now wasn''t the time to be bothered about that. There was a place he needed to reach. And an answer to uncover. ... ... The journey from Blueflame City had taken Victor several hours on foot with his captive slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The man stirred occasionally, groaning and murmuring under his breath, but each time he regained consciousness, Victor simply knocked him out again with a sharp tap to the temple. Now, Victor stood at the edge of a town unlike any he''d ever seen. This wasn''t Lingyun with its cultivated elegance or the structured serenity of Blueflame. This place felt... wrong. The air was heavy. Grit clung to his boots. The buildings leaned at odd angles as if the foundations had been built on a lie. Fires flickered in barrels near alleyways where gaunt beggars huddled, and children in tattered robes darted between broken carts and drunk cultivators. There was a black market here. An entire world where law had long been buried beneath layers of desperation and decay. Victor adjusted the mask he''d picked up earlier¡ªa dark, bone-colored piece with faint runes etched across the cheeks. It hid most of his face, leaving only his eyes visible. He proceeded to step into the heart of this ghost town. The information he''d gotten from the system alert that notified him about the bounty wasn''t just about the target. It also included a note on the bounty''s reward claim location. And it was here, in this forsaken pit. A signless building squatted near the end of a crooked road. No windows. One door. And two scarred men standing in front with their arms folded. They each had long blades sheathed across their backs. Victor walked straight toward them. One of them eyed him. "What do you want?" "I''m here to cash in a bounty," Victor replied with a voice roughened by the mask. They just stepped aside without asking for proof. Inside was a den of shadows. The room was filled with rogue cultivators, masked figures, and the sharp scent of blood and iron. The walls were black stone, and crimson lanterns swayed slightly from breeze vents overhead. At one table, a man with a zig-zagged scar across his chest was polishing a blade soaked in dried blood. Victor spotted a counter at the far end of the room where people were lining up. He joined the queue and waited behind a woman who carried a sack that dripped something thick and red. She dumped the contents onto the counter. A severed head. Victor didn''t blink. He needed to maintain an emotionless looking eyes in such a location to avoid any suspicions. The clerk behind the counter¡ªa thin man with glasses and green fingernails¡ªinspected it, then nodded. "Three thousand Spirit Stones. Next." Victor stepped forward and let his bound prisoner slump down beside him. "I''m here to cash in the bounty on Fang Chen," he stated. The man raised an eyebrow and stared at the covered body. "You caught Fang Chen?" Victor nodded. "Where''s the confirmation item?" Victor pulled the forged bounty poster from earlier and slapped it down. "Here." The man inspected the unconscious body, frowned, then leaned forward a bit. "Doesn''t look like him." Victor shrugged. "He fought me hard. Burned half his features off with a defensive flame technique. He''s healing, but slowly." The man''s expression remained flat. "You from around here?" "No," Victor said simply. "Never seen you before." "I operate outside the circuits. Independent contracts only. Fast, clean, quiet." The man clicked his tongue and sat back. "Hmm. And what''s your assassin tag, then?" Victor paused for a split second. "...Void Veil." The clerk blinked once, then smirked. "Dramatic. Still never heard of you before. " Victor leaned closer. "Who placed the bounty?" This question made the man pause. He folded his arms. "That''s not typically disclosed unless there''s a transfer clause written in the contract. This one doesn''t have it." Victor said nothing. The man narrowed his eyes. "You''re asking an awful lot of questions, Void Veil." "Nothing wrong with wanting to know the names of the ones I''m working for. Perhaps, I could let you have a couple thousand spirit stones from the gains I''ll make after cashing in Fang Chen." The clerk stared at him long and hard. Then he proceeded to lean forward and lowered his voice. "You didn''t hear it from me. But the ones who want Fang Chen... are... Jade Serpent Sect." Victor''s eyes narrowed beneath the mask. Of course it was them... The Jade Serpent Sect¡ªthe very same sect whose disciples had been present when he absorbed the Pond of Dragon Tears. The same ones who betrayed him and Lady Li even after they helped them. The same cowards he''d denied giving his magical Spit to amongst other cultivators. They couldn''t do anything to him back then due to Shen Mo''s presence. It made sense that they''d try to get him by any means necessary. They hadn''t forgotten. Victor was now a walking relic in their eyes. And they wanted him for themselves. His voice dropped. "Oh the Jade Serpent Sect... did they add the reason for the bounty?" "No," the clerk answered. ''At least they were smart enough to hide that or everyone would just want me for themselves. The bounty would be disregarded...'' "Wait," the man suddenly voiced out. "What did you say your name was again?" Chapter 159: Making An Escape "Wait," the clerk voice suddenly cut through the bounty den. His eyes narrowed behind his jade spectacles. "What did you say your name was again?" Victor froze and tried to play it cool. "What do you mean?... I already told you..." The air thickened around him. The lanterns flickered faintly in the silence that followed. The clerk straightened and waved a hand over a carved jade slip on the counter. It glowed for a moment before dimming again. "There''s no Void Veil listed in our registry," the clerk said. "No assassin by that name has taken the Fang Chen bounty." Victor''s fingers twitched. He tried to play it off. "Look, it doesn''t matter. Just take the body. I''m not here to talk." He shoved the unconscious cultivator onto the floor with a heavy thud and turned to leave. But he didn''t make it two steps before weapons were drawn. Steel rang out and qi began to crackle like sparks behind him. From every corner of the room, masked and robed figures rose from their seats¡ªcultivators with bloodstained robes, assassins sharpening poisoned blades, shadow-walkers with no visible aura but death in their eyes. The clerk stood with a twisted glee in his eyes. "You''ve made a mistake, boy." Just then, the unconscious prisoner stirred. His eyes blinked open as his bloodied lips parted. He looked around with a dazed expression and then suddenly screamed, "THAT''S HIM! THAT''S THE REAL FANG CHEN!" Victor''s heart sank. Everyone froze. Then, as if on cue, ten different killing intents flared at once. The den erupted. Someone hurled a chain of spirit-imbued needles. Another let loose a thunder talisman that cracked the stone walls. A twin-sword user in black lunged straight for Victor. Victor''s hand snapped out. [ Wind Arts Technique: Wind Gale Activated ] A roar of compressed wind exploded outward from his palm. The twin-sword cultivator was sent crashing through the wall with a thunderous boom causing splinters and dust to sweep across the surroundings. Victor didn''t wait a second longer. He burst through the hole in the wall and took off into the night. Blades and bolts of elemental qi chased after him. Fire, wind, darkness¡ªall streaking like comets. He ducked under a roof beam, rolled through a narrow alley, and then leapt onto a rooftop. His body blurred as he dodged a poison-laced throwing star by inches. Blood trickled down his cheek where a shard had grazed him. He was fast. But they were many. Three landed behind him. One hurled a flaming spear. Victor deflected with his blade and returned a counterstrike, slashing across the shoulder of the nearest attacker. Another came in low with a dagger. Victor kicked him in the chest, sending the man flying into a chimney. A wind slash followed by an earth spike caught him by surprise, forcing him to twist mid-air. One grazed his thigh¡ªhe felt the burn of pain and warm blood start to leak. He kept running. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, Victor tore across the slum town like a phantom, but blood now dripped in his wake. He landed on a slanted tile roof and spun around before flinging out a pair of wind daggers that he had materialized from his own qi. Two pursuers screamed as the blades pierced into their legs, causing them to tumble off the roof into the market street below. A Core Formation assassin reached him with a shriek and attacked from above with a blade charged in fire qi. Victor stepped aside and slashed upward with his own sword, meeting the strike and redirecting it. The blow sent sparks into the night. The assassin hit the ground hard. But Victor wasn''t done. He spun to deflect another attack from behind, then launched himself with another wind burst further ahead. He dashed with blood streaking out of his leg and his robes torn at the edges. He spat onto his right palm and rubbed it on his injuries. A small glow immediately coated his torn flesh in different areas and he felt instant relief as the wounds closed up. Behind him, a chorus of footsteps and battle cries gave chase. The alleyways and streets blurred. It was chaos. Victor ducked into a crumbling stone passageway, only to find it blocked by a massive iron gate. A cloud of wind gathered around his palm as he thrust it forward, breaking the hinges loose and causing the iron gate to get sent flying. He stumbled straight through and kept charging forward. The assassins weren''t far. He could hear their breathing, their curses, their thirst. His only hope was to make it outside the town, toward the rocky cliffs near the eastern edge where few ventured. "I''m not dying here," he muttered. "Seems like a shitty place to respawn." He leaped forward again and vanished into the rising mist. --- Elsewhere, beyond the destruction and screams echoing from the den, a tall man covered in dark tattoos walked calmly through the ruined town path. He had two corpses slung over his shoulders¡ªboth heads cleanly removed. His outfit was bloodied but his footsteps were light. He approached the assassin den''s shattered entryway, where glowing embers still clung to broken wood and qi energy still flickered in the air. He stepped over the debris and spotted the clerk sprawled across the floor, groaning. "Hmm..." the tattooed man muttered before letting the corpses drop with a wet thud. He walked over and nudged the clerk with his foot. "What the hell happened?" The clerk coughed. "It was... someone who had a bounty. Someone big..." "Who?" "Fang Chen." The tattooed man''s brows lifted. "...That Fang Chen?" The clerk nodded as bloody spit pooled on the floor. The man straightened slowly while cracking his knuckles. "Well then." He looked toward the open wall in the direction of the fleeing target. "I suppose it''s going to be one of those nights." ... ... Minutes later, Victor crouched low beneath the thick shade of a broken fence line, the faint throb of pain racing along his ribs, arms, and legs. His clothes were torn and soaked in blood and dirt. Chapter 160: Unmatched Might Victor''s breathing was rough but fortunately, he had made it this far¡ªnearly to the outer edge of the forsaken slum-town¡ªbut now he was bleeding and battered. His limb ached with exhaustion. He had underestimated them. Gravely. Eight dead. That was how many he''d taken down so far. He hadn''t let them live. These were seasoned assassins, after all. Their techniques were ruthless, honed through hundreds of silent killings. Many of them were even lower in cultivation than him, but their battle instincts were lethal. Killing them without taking any damage was pretty much impossible. He gritted his teeth and spat blood to the side. "I''ve been too overconfident." Still, he had gotten what he came for¡ªconfirmation that the Jade Serpent Sect had placed the bounty. That alone had been worth the ambush. Worth the risk. After placing saliva on all his open injuries, he slowly staggered to his feet. One thing he couldn''t do anything about was internal injuries. He couldn''t put saliva on his ribs and expect them to heal from within. It didn''t work that way. So, he was still injured. He pushed through a crooked alley of spiky stone, when it happened. A sudden force crushed down on his shoulders like a mountain. His knees buckled. He staggered. Pressure... Not just qi. Not just killing intent. It was overwhelming, suffocating. As if the entire sky had turned into a blade hovering above his neck. A figure stood just ahead, walking through the mist with a corpse in each hand. Tattoos coiled and moved across his chest and arms¡ªliving, writhing, reacting to his breath like sentient ink. Victor''s gaze sharpened. ''He''s strong.'' No... this wasn''t just a high-level cultivator. This man was on an entirely different Realm. Peak Soul Transformation Realm. <[ Warning Peak Soul Transformation Realm Assassin Approaching ]> The tattoos, the aura, the oppressive spiritual domain that leaked from him like an ocean current¡ªit all confirmed it. The assassin dropped the bodies casually and offered Victor a relaxed smile. "You''re quick for a Nascent Soul brat. And clever, I''ll give you that. Eight kills. Not bad. Surprisingly you are two realms higher than the information we were given. Did you hide your cultivation realm or were they merely mistaken? Hmm... it matters not." Victor tightened his grip on his blade. The man raised his hands slightly in a mock gesture of peace. "Don''t bother. My name''s Tarkos, and I''ve been hired to bring you in." Victor narrowed his eyes. "So you''re with them." "Jade Serpent Sect pays well," Tarkos said casually. "And you, my friend, are worth more than your weight in celestial gold." "I''m not going anywhere with you." Tarkos chuckled. "No need to be hostile. The bounty says to bring you in alive. Which means I won''t kill you. Or rather, I can''t." Victor raised his blade. "Then why are you bothering?" Tarkos''s smile widened. "Because you''re a transmigrator." Victor eyes narrowed. "And as everyone knows," Tarkos continued, "transmigrators can''t truly die here, can they? Your soul''s anchored elsewhere. You''ll always come back. Which means, I can kill you but at the same time, can''t." Victor body stiffened. Something about where this was going chilled him. "But," Tarkos added with a dark smirk, "every time you die, you lose a bit of cultivation." Victor''s heart skipped a beat. ''Is an NPC supposed to know that?'' Tarkos leaned closer. "Am I wrong?" Victor didn''t respond. "Didn''t think so. So, you have two choices. Come quietly... or I kill you over and over again. Strip away every realm you''ve worked for. Until you''re back at Qi Gathering. Or worse." Victor''s fists clenched. "That bounty says alive. You take me dead, you break the contract." Tarkos''s eyes gleamed. "But you won''t stay dead, will you?" Victor''s grip tightened, and his voice turned razor-sharp. "You talk too much." Tarkos grinned. "I was hoping you''d say no..." He vanished. Victor''s eyes danced around as the hair on his body rose. He ducked and rolled upon feeling the gust of wind as Tarkos appeared behind him with his arm outstretched like a claw aiming to snatch his face. "Because then... how will I else will I get to have so much fun with a cultivator..." Victor reacted quick enough to slash upward with his blade. Clang! It sounded like steel on steel as his blade collided with the assassin''s arm. Tarkos''s arm which was completely bare remained unscatched as the tattoos on it moved and hardened. The blade didn''t even leave a scratch. At the same instant, Tarkos''s hand closed around Victor''s face. Boom! He slammed Victor into a rock formation beside them, shattering the structure into flying shards. The shock rippled across the area. Victor''s mind reeled. Before he could react, a blow slammed into his gut, sending him skidding across the ground like a ragdoll. He had just barely gotten up when, another kick followed¡ªdirectly to his chest¡ªlaunching him into the side of a crumbling brick wall. Pain blossomed. His ribs cracked. ''Too strong...'' Tarkos advanced with unmatched speed like a predator. "You''re durable. That''s good. Means I don''t have to hold back much." Victor coughed blood as he rose to his knees. [ Bloodline Technique Activated: Shadow Blink ] He vanished into mist and reappeared behind Tarkos with his sword already swinging at him. Slash! The blade screamed through the air, aiming straight for Tarkos''s back. But the tattoos moved again¡ªthis time across his spine. The blade collided. Clang! Again a sharp sound rang out like steel. Tarkos turned without effort and sent a single punch at Victor''s abdomen. Boom! Blood flew from Victor''s lips as he was sent spiraling through the air. He landed hard while coughing violently as his body slid across the ground, drawing long lines on it. Tarkos rolled his shoulders. "Come on, Fang Chen. I expected better. The Jade Serpent Sect made you sound incredible." Victor fingers twitched as he laid sprawled out on the ground. ''I can''t win this... not like this...'' Victor didn''t realise how much of a power gap was between Nascent Soul Realm and Soul Transformation Realm despite the fact that they were only one realm apart. Chapter 161: Logging Out Victor felt the brutal impact before it even landed. Tarkos moved like a phantom across the field and appeared right before him with his palm thrusting forward like a blade. Victor gritted his teeth and did the only thing left he could do. [ Logout ] In a flash, his avatar dissolved into particles of glittering light. Tarkos''s hand met thin air. The tattooed assassin blinked once, then smiled faintly. He straightened his posture as his tattoos lazily shifted across his skin like dark rivers. "You''ll be back," Tarkos said aloud to no one in particular. "All I have to do is wait." Without hurry, he turned and walked toward a toppled section of a wall, selecting a shaded spot. He sat cross-legged and settled himself comfortably on the rubble as if preparing for a picnic. The slums around him remained eerily silent as the metallic scent of spilled blood swear across the terrain. --- Hours Later ¡ª Real World "Move it, you snails! If you''re not gasping for breath, you''re not doing it right!" Instructor Vex Rhane''s booming voice echoed across the rough training terrain, snapping many out of their daze. Victor ran with heavy weights strapped around his legs, ankles, waist, and even his back. His body moved rhythmically with the others of Camp 11 as his boots pounded against the rocky ground. Except... Victor wasn''t struggling as much as before. In fact, he barely felt the burden that had once left him gasping for air. His strides were longer and his breathing was steady. His muscles seemed to have strengthened further from breaking into the Nascent Soul Realm which allowed him to carry across the obstacles with ease. It was surreal. Victor barely paid attention to his new physical prowess though¡ªhis mind was elsewhere. Specifically, on Tarkos. ''Soul Transformation Realm...'' he thought grimly while vaulting over a two feet tall barrier. ''It''s not even close to Nascent Soul in terms of power. It''s a completely different world.'' Victor had grown used to punching above his weight. He''d beaten Core Formation cultivators while still at Foundation Establishment. Nascent Souls when he was still Core Formation. He had gotten cocky without realizing it. A shiver ran through him, though sweat poured down his back from exertion. ''Once I log back in,'' Victor decided while gritting his teeth, ''I''ll just go straight after the Jade Serpent Sect.'' He wasn''t going to sit around and wait for them to keep sending people after him. He would take the fight to them. A faint smirk formed on his face even as he dodged under a low-hanging branch. "Damn, Revenant, you''re moving like you''ve got rocket boosters!" one of the nearby warrior classmates muttered in disbelief as Victor overtook him easily. Victor barely heard him. After finishing the two laps, the students were finally dismissed. He removed the weights and flexed his arms. The world suddenly felt feather-light. Victor shrugged it off mentally and made his way back toward his dorm briefly before heading to his lecture blocks. --- First was General Studies, where they continued learning about the humanoid species and advanced battle theories about mana zones and territory control. Then two warrior-based classes followed¡ª"Weaponized Kinetics" and "Advanced Battle Flow." Both focused on improving not just techniques but fluidity during battle¡ªa crucial weakness Victor noticed from his earlier clash with Tarkos. In "Weaponized Kinetics," they discussed dispersing force in sword swings to maximize damage while minimizing self-strain. In "Advanced Battle Flow," they worked on how to maintain fluid footwork while chaining attacks together seamlessly¡ªsomething Victor keenly noted he needed more practice with. Every minute, he absorbed information like a sponge. He was dead serious now. When the lectures ended, Victor bumped into Danny, Amara, and, of course, Derek who was sticking close to Amara like glue. "Brooooooo!" Danny shouted while practically barreling toward him and locking him into a rough side hug. "Where the hell have you been hiding?!" Victor laughed and clapped him on the back. "Busy saving the world." Danny laughed even harder while Derek just grunted in disapproval. Amara had her usual soft smile plastered across her face, "You seriously disappeared for the rest of the day. We thought you joined a secret society or something." Victor gave a sheepish shrug. "Something like that." Danny quickly dragged him along, talking animatedly, and before he knew it, they were all headed to one of the personal training lounges. --- Personal Training Lounge ¡ªHub-7 The lounge was massive. Different rooms designed like obstacle courses, arenas, virtual battlefields¡ªit had everything. It was like stepping into a virtual gaming world. There were even rooms where Awakened students could fight against specially designed bots that mimicked various humanoid enemies. Victor''s eyes widened slightly in appreciation. No wonder they said Academy resources were absurd... this is insane. Danny and Derek immediately ran toward a challenge room where large projectile launchers fired elemental orbs at different speeds while the participants dodged. Victor stayed back a bit and watched. This was his first time coming here after all. There were leaderboards mounted above each arena showing the highest scores in real-time. Suddenly, a commotion stirred from the far side. Gasps, murmurs and even cheers rang out. Victor and the others turned to look. At the far end, standing casually after completely obliterating a gauntlet filled with speed and strength challenges, was a girl. She had short red hair, piercing dark eyes and a slightly heavy Berserker build but super attractive nevertheless. Her name lit up at the top of the leaderboard. "VEYLA" ¡ª Score: 9999 (New High Score) She cracked her knuckles and looked almost bored despite the impressive feat. Whispers spread fast. "That''s her..." "The S-Ranked Berserker..." "VEYLA. First-year terror!" Victor watched her carefully. This was the second S rank first year he was coming into contact with. He didn''t feel fear or intimidation. Instead, he felt a bit of excitement. Just like the other S ranker... this one also had a very intense presence. There was no doubt that they stood out from the rest of the bunch. After setting the new record on the Gaunt Climb, Veyla casually wandered over to another section of the training lounge. Chapter 162: The Grip Challenge After setting the new record on the Gaunt Climb, Veyla casually wandered over to another section of the training lounge. Her boots clicked with authority against the tiled floors. Her presence, like a coiled beast, drew attention everywhere she went. Victor, Danny, Amara, and Derek, along with a growing crowd of curious students, followed her movements with interest. "Guess she''s not done flexing today," Danny muttered while still massaging his sore shoulder from the Crimson Gauntlet earlier. Amara giggled softly, and Victor smirked. The challenge Veyla approached was a peculiar one¡ªa test not of agility or technique, but pure grip force. The area was simple: a shimmering boundary surrounded by a transparent holographic screen. Inside floated small, dark balls that looked somewhat wooden but radiated dense mana resistance. Above the entrance, the rules hovered: > Grip Crush Challenge: Crush each incoming ball using only hand strength. Each successful crush advances you to the next level. Each level, the ball density increases exponentially. She proceeded to start crushing balls one after the other, causing them to turn to dust with each grip. She proceeded so quickly that it made the challenge seem so easy. She was effortlessly crushing them and soon another loud chime rang out. Highest Score: VEYLA - Level 10 She had beaten the high score of yet another challenge. Victor whistled low. "Alright. That''s pretty cool." Danny''s eyes lit up immediately. "Yo, that''s definitely my thing. Berserkers are born for stuff like this." Veyla leaned casually against the wall while chewing a stick of gum with her arms crossed under her chest. Her gold-flecked eyes gleamed as she watched the scoreboard, clearly relishing the admiration¡ªand the intimidation she caused. Danny cracked his knuckles. "Alright, time to dethrone the queen." Without hesitation, he charged forward and stepped into the shimmering zone. --- The moment he entered, a single black sphere floated toward him. Danny grabbed it and clamped his fingers down with explosive force. CRUNCH! It shattered like brittle glass. Cheers echoed from their section of the audience. Another ball appeared¡ªslightly tougher and denser. Danny crushed it too as veins bulged on his arms. Level 1, cleared. Then Level 2. Level 3. Level 4. By the time he reached Level 5, his breathing had turned heavier. The balls were now so dense they emitted small ripples of mana when squeezed. Danny roared while activating one of his Berserker skills. Red mana swirled around him as his muscles bulged further. He gripped the ball with both hands while grunting under the pressure. CRACK¡ª!! The ball split apart¡ªbut Danny staggered slightly after it shattered. [ Level 5 Cleared ] Level 6 began. Another ball floated toward him, and he reached for it while roaring. Clamp~ Nothing. It didn''t even dent under his strength. Danny cursed while trying again, but his arms were trembling from the exertion. A long beep sounded. [ Failure ¡ª Final Score: Level 5 ] Danny stumbled out of the zone with sweat dripping down his forehead. "Damn that was brutal..." Veyla threw a bubble gum in her mouth without even looking properly at him and scoffed. "Weak." A few onlookers chuckled nervously. Danny muttered under his breath, "Whatever, you psycho." --- One after another, other students tried. Most didn''t even pass Level 4. One particularly confident girl from Camp 3 managed to reach Level 6 before collapsing with bloodied and trembling palms. Even Derek decided to give it a shot. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders before stepping into the zone. He actually did quite well, smashing through Level 6 after gritting his teeth and using his full awakened strength¡ªbut ultimately, at Level 7, the ball refused to budge no matter how he strained. When Derek finally dropped to one knee and was ejected from the zone, he cursed loudly. "Shit! So close!" Veyla gave him a slow, mocking clap. --- Amara turned to Victor with sparkling eyes. "What about you? Gonna give it a shot?" Victor shrugged lazily. "Meh. I doubt I can hit her high score. But maybe I''ll stretch my fingers a little." Danny clapped him on the back. "C''mon bro, show us something!" Victor chuckled and headed into the zone. As he crossed the shimmering barrier, a few spectators whispered. One or two seemed to have recognized him from his prior performances. "Isn''t that the guy who was first at the final test at the New Avalon City second screening?" "Yeah... the one with the weird sword skills." Veyla didn''t seem impressed. She barely acknowledged him while still leaning casually and chewing gum. --- Victor began. The first ball floated toward him. Victor casually reached out, squeezed¡ª Pop. The ball shattered without resistance. Another floated toward him. Again, his fingers closed with a soft crunch, reducing it to fragments. Level 1 was cleared in under twenty seconds. Level 2. Same thing. Level 3. Slight resistance¡ªbut he crushed it easily. By Level 4 and 5, Victor noticed that the balls began vibrating with reinforcement which he believed was due to mana. Their density had at least quadrupled compared to the start. But his hand strength due to cultivation enhancement, and Iron Vein Flow training, was up to the task. He crushed them too. --- By the time he stepped into Level 6, murmurs rose among the gathered crowd. Even Veyla turned her head slightly. He had piqued her interest. Victor''s face remained relaxed, almost bored, as he gripped the tougher spheres. His hands flexed slightly harder now as his muscles bulged under his combat uniform, and after a few seconds of effort¡ª CRACK. Another ball exploded into shards. Level 7. Now, Victor''s brows furrowed a little. The balls were at least ten times denser than those at the start. He had to brace himself properly while channeling every ounce of physical control into his hands, wrists, and forearms. Crack. Crack. Crack. He shattered three more. His breathing picked up slightly, but he moved on. Level 8. The balls now floated in slowly and pulsated with a faint glow. This was an indication of just how ridiculous their durability had become. Victor grabbed one. The pressure bit into his bones immediately. It took him a full ten seconds of continuous pressure before it finally shattered. A bit of sweat trickled down his jaw. ''Hmm is this my limit without using qi?'' Chapter 163 163: Retrying The Challenge A bit of sweat trickled down Victor''s jaw. ''Hmm is this my limit without using qi?'' But he wasn''t done. He proceeded to smash another... Then another... By the time he smashed the fourth ball of Level 8, the onlookers were already roaring in excitement. "Holy crap!" "He might actually beat her!" "Nah impossible, I just found out he''s B ranked." Even Veyla narrowed her golden eyes slightly. Victor entered Level 9. And here... he met his match. The balls at this stage felt like trying to crush a slab of star-forged steel. He tightened his grip and gritted his teeth. For thirty seconds he squeezed but it didn''t crack. A loud beep echoed. [ Failure ¡ª Final Score: Level 8 Completed, Level 9 Attempted ] Victor stumbled out of the zone while rolling his shoulders and laughing softly. --- "Damn, man, you almost made it!" Danny said before slapping him on the back. "Better than me too," Derek muttered with a scowl with a half-impressed look. Amara beamed at him. "That was amazing!" Victor shook his arms out while grinning. "Guess I need to train my finger muscles more." --- From her corner, Veyla watched silently but she didn''t say a word. Night blanketed the Academy grounds in an endless velvet hush, broken only by the sounds of distant mana lamps and the quiet shuffle of last-minute stragglers moving between dorms. Most students had long since cleared out from the personal training centers after exhausting themselves through grueling routines. Victor, Danny, Amara, and Derek had all spent hours here and eventually even Derek and Amara had wandered off somewhere. Likely into some cozy corner to suck each other''s faces off, Victor thought dryly. Danny eventually stretched and yawned like a giant bear. "Bro, I''m dead. Food, shower, sleep. Not necessarily in that order." Victor chuckled. "Enjoy eating soap and shampoo." Danny snorted and lumbered away toward the dorm buildings. Victor, on the other hand, turned back just as he got to a point. ''One last thing.'' There was still a little itch at the back of his mind. He couldn''t get over the fact he had been so close earlier when trying the grip challenge. And now... he was curious. What if he really tried? Like, no holding back? A mischievous grin appeared at the corner of his lips. --- Victor snuck back into the personal training area. It was near empty now except for a few students lazing around or half-dozing against the walls. Perfect. The Grip Crush Challenge arena glowed faintly... lonely without any challengers. Victor cracked his knuckles and then very quietly, he let his qi out. It wasn''t overwhelming, but it was dense. Focused. Every fiber of muscle and bone saturated with his cultivation energy. A faint tremor shook the surrounding floor tiles as his body subtly shifted into a high-resonance state. A couple of students nearby glanced up in confusion and frowned. One even adjusted his glasses and muttered, "Earthquake?" Victor whistled innocently and stepped through the shimmering barrier. He didn''t even register his name this time ¡ª didn''t want to leave a trace. He tapped [Guest Mode] and smirked. --- The challenge began. Level 1. Ball floats toward him. Victor squeezed. Pop. It exploded instantly into splinters. Level 2. Same. Level 3. Same. He crushed the balls so fast that they barely finished materializing. He breezed through Level 4, Level 5, and Level 6 as if he were popping grapes at a family picnic. "Maybe they should call this challenge ''Squeeze Baby Tomatoes'' instead," he muttered to himself while chuckling as another ball disintegrated. By the time he hit Level 7 and 8, the balls started putting up a tiny bit of resistance¡ªbut Victor simply increased the pressure in his fingertips, snapping them like candy wrappers. At Level 9, the same balls that were a challenge for him earlier now folded like paper in his grip. By Level 10¡ªthe supposed peak of Veyla''s monstrous strength¡ªVictor didn''t even slow down. He squeezed one, two, three balls in quick succession. Each one shattered with a thunderous bang. Some students still lingering in the background started to notice. They looked toward the Grip Challenge space with raised eyebrows. "Whoa, someone''s doing Level 10? Who is that?" "I can''t see clearly, it''s guest mode." Meanwhile, Victor grinned devilishly. Let''s go further. --- Level 11 unlocked. New balls floated toward him. Their surfaces glittered like reinforced mana glass. Every pulse of mana inside them screamed ''danger'' and ''stubbornness.'' Victor grabbed the first. It fought him. It vibrated like a miniature earthquake against his palm. Victor just smiled wider. "Is that all, sweetheart?" He focused and tightened his hand slowly but steadily. With a harsh CRACK, the ball exploded into sparks. Cheers and mutters rose from the sidelines. Level 12. More balls. Denser. Stronger. Victor''s forearms bulged under the stress but his body radiated a steady mist of qi around him like a second skin. Still, one by one, he crushed every ball that dared float near him. He was unstoppable. --- By Level 14, Victor was sweating slightly¡ªbut still moving. The balls were ridiculous now. Probably denser than the bones of some of the spiritual beasts he fought back in Ascendant Realms. Each grip took him several seconds of pure force and concentration. But he did it. Ball after ball. CRACK. CRACK. He crushed the final ball of Level 14 and breathed heavily, letting the adrenaline simmer. He knew Level 15 would probably require him to push far deeper into his cultivation, maybe even use his bloodline strength beyond his current limit. Not worth it. Not today. Better to leave a little mystery. After casually shaking his arms, Victor exited the zone. Above the training field, the new high score flashed in big golden letters: > Unknown ¡ª Level 14 Complete The spectators who had been lazily watching earlier were now scrambling to their feet while whispering loudly. "Unknown?" "Wait, who was it?!" "Where did he go?!" Victor had already slipped away with wind dash before anyone could see his face. He couldn''t help but chuckle under his breath. Chapter 164 164: Another Clash -"Man, Veyla''s gonna be so pissed when she sees someone beat her score." The surrounding spectators seemed to have gotten a handle on her personality. --- Dorm Room ¡ª Later That Night Victor returned to the dorm with a wide grin plastered across his face. He couldn''t deny that beating the highscore of an S rank student felt exciting. Kairo was already passed out, snoring faintly from his bed. Victor raided the mini-fridge and grabbed a packet of snacks and a bottle of hyper-glucose water. Afterward, he slid under his bedsheets, pulled the VR helmet onto his head and dove into Ascendant Realms once more. --- The moment Victor materialized back into Ascendant Realms, he instinctively flexed his fingers around the hilt of his sword. His grip felt more stable than usual. The environment around him was painfully familiar. Low buildings that sagged like drunks against each other. Dirty, cracked streets littered with garbage and beggars. The dark stench of decay hung in the air. The slum town. Right where he had logged out earlier. Victor quickly scanned the area. He could already see the distant outline of the exit road, a rough path leading toward safer territories. He was quite distant from the assassin''s den so all he had to do was just leave the town before anyone noticed him. "You have finally returned. I have been waiting for five days." Victor froze mid-step. ''Ah, crap... that voice...'' He slowly turned his head to the side. In the shade of a half-collapsed structure, sat Tarkos¡ªthe black-tattooed assassin. The man rose smoothly to his feet while dusting off his ragged cloak. His body language was relaxed, almost casual, but Victor didn''t miss the subtle tension in his legs¡ªthe poised readiness of a predator who had patiently waited for his prey. Tarkos''s voice was low and almost amused. "I knew you''d come back. Are you finally ready to surrender?" Victor''s mouth twitched. ''You creepy tattooed bastard. You seriously waited five days in-game just for me? Get a life, bro.'' Victor''s hand tightened around his sword. His instincts told him to flee, but his pride¡ªand his stubbornness¡ªhad other ideas. He drew his weapon in a flash. "Not today, discount boogeyman," Victor muttered under his breath. Tarkos smiled faintly. And then he moved. Battle erupted... Tarkos lunged forward like a shadow unchained with his hands aimed at Victor''s throat with brutal efficiency. Victor spun sideways, narrowly dodging the first swipe, and brought his sword around in a sweeping arc to counter-attack. But just like before¡ª The black tattoos on Tarkos''s body slithered and shifted, hardening where Victor''s blade aimed to land. CLANG! The impact reverberated through Victor''s arms like he had just slammed into solid iron. Sparks flew from the collision while Tarkos didn''t even flinch. "Predictable," Tarkos stepped forward with his knee aimed straight for Victor''s ribs. Victor barely blocked with the flat side of his blade, but the force launched him backward. ''Okay. Plan A: regular attacks? Complete garbage.'' Victor backflipped to create space¡ªone, two, three leaps back¡ªuntil he was dozens of feet away. He skidded to a stop while breathing hard as his eyes narrowed. ''Guess I gotta bring out the big guns early.'' Victor steadied his stance with a look of focus. [ Shadow Crescent Strike: Activated ] His sword darkened while emitting a eerie violet mist as shadow energy gathered at the blade''s edge. Tarkos raised an eyebrow. Victor swung. A massive crescent wave of black shadow shot forward, ripping through the air with intensity. Tarkos barely had time to react. The sharp shadowy crescent slammed into his side. BOOM! Dust exploded outward as Tarkos was thrown back several meters before slamming against a broken wall. Victor''s eyes widened slightly. On Tarkos''s right side, where the shadow cresent strike had landed, there was a small¡ªbut very real¡ªdent. Blood trickled down in a thin, dark line. Tarkos straightened while wiping the blood with his thumb and inspecting it with mild interest. "Well," he said in a tone that almost sounded approving. "Looks like you''re not completely hopeless after all." Victor smirked while raising his sword again. "Oh buddy, that was just the foreplay." Tarkos''s smile widened. "You''ll regret that." Tarkos exploded forward with immense speed. This time he didn''t bother with casual strikes. His movements blurred as the tattoos across his arms shifted like living armor while he weaved through Victor''s defense. Victor swung another Shadow Crescent Strike¡ª ¡ªbut Tarkos anticipated it. He jumped into the air and twisted to dodge completely before crashing toward him like a falling meteor. Victor tried to block. It didn''t matter. BAM! Tarkos''s elbow smashed into Victor''s shoulder, sending him spinning. Victor hit the ground hard and rolled across broken cobblestones. He pushed himself up while wincing. Tarkos was already upon him again with his fists turning into a blur as he unleashed multiple strikes that Victor desperately parried, sidestepped, and ducked under. ''Jesus Christ, did he get faster than before?!'' Every time Victor managed to deflect a blow, another came from a blind angle. It was like trying to fight a hurricane made of blades. Within minutes, bruises bloomed across Victor''s body. He managed a few counterattacks and landed glancing blows¡ªbut nothing significant. It was starting to feel like last time. A slow, inevitable slaughter. Victor evaded another vicious punch that obliterated a tree and rolled aside. His mind raced. He could maybe keep evading for a few more minutes¡ªbut winning? Impossible. Not like this. If he died here, even if it was just in-game, it would affect his cultivation level. Victor gritted his teeth. He had just entered Nascent Soul Realm. He didn''t want to go back to Core Formation. --- At the next moment of opening, as Tarkos lunged with a palm ready to crush Victor''s chest¡ª [ LOGOUT ] Victor''s body shimmered and vanished mid-strike. Tarkos''s palm slammed into empty air. The assassin froze for a moment as his tattoos twitched slightly. Then he laughed with a slow and amused tone. "You can run, little Fang Chen," he murmured. "But you''ll be back. They always come back." Tarkos turned and walked back into the shadows. --- Chapter 165: It Worked Real World ¡ª Victor''s Dorm Room Victor''s body jerked awake under his bedsheets. Sweat drenched him. He stared at the ceiling in the dimly lit room while gasping quietly. The Academy''s faint mechanical whirring from the vents overhead seemed almost peaceful in contrast to the brutal world he had just escaped from. Victor wiped his forehead before letting out a groan. "This is a problem." He flopped backward onto the bed dramatically. "What kind of persistent creep waits five damn days for someone to log back in?" he muttered. "Bro needs therapy. And maybe a hobby." He rubbed his sore muscles instinctively, even though technically he hadn''t taken real damage. "I''m gonna need a damn army at this rate." Victor lay there thinking about what his next move would be for over an hour. He couldn''t really come up with anything so he decided he''d log in back since quite a bit of time would have already passed in game. The moment Victor tucked himself back under the bedsheets that night while clutching his VR helmet like a forbidden secret, he knew it was going to be a long night. Still, he logged into Ascendant Realms with the same optimism he carried into every stupid decision: ''Maybe this time, I''ll get lucky.'' --- He spawned back into the grim outskirts of the slum town. Before he could even take three steps¡ª "You''ve returned." Victor stiffened. That damn voice. Slowly, like someone forced to turn toward a horror movie jumpscare, he turned. Tarkos stood there under the same crumbling structure shadow with his arms crossed and a lazy grin on his face. "You gotta be kidding me," Victor muttered. The assassin flexed his fingers as his tattoos shifted like living worms beneath his skin. Victor drew his sword and without even greeting the man, bolted in the opposite direction. Tarkos blurred after him while attacking. After narrowly avoiding another blow that would have turned his avatar into a meat smoothie, Victor threw himself backward¡ª [ LOGOUT ] --- Real World ¡ª 1:12 AM Victor lay under his blanket and stared up at the ceiling. He exhaled slowly. "Okay. Maybe... he''s asleep now." It had already been thirty minutes since he last logged out so Victor decided to try again. [ Logging Into Ascendant Realms ] Spawn. Step. "You''re back again." Tarkos was sitting cross-legged this time, as if he''d never even moved. His smile was even wider. Victor''s eyes twitched. "Bro, get a hobby," Victor muttered while sprinting away. Another clash... Another ass-whooping... [ LOGOUT ] --- Real World ¡ª 1:45 AM Victor tossed his VR helmet aside and stared at the wall. "I am being cyber-bullied by a middle-aged tattoo enthusiast... does cyber bullying even exist in a cultivation world? He buried his face into his pillow and screamed silently. --- Over the next few hours, Victor repeated this genius strategy: Log back in. Get spotted. Try sneaking. Fail. Fight desperately. Log out before death. At one point around 3:30 AM, Victor even tried the world''s worst ninja impression¡ªcrawling across rooftops slowly, hoping Tarkos wouldn''t notice. Didn''t work. "You''re adorable," Tarkos had said, before launching him into a water barrel. Victor had logged out soaking wet and furious. --- By 4:50 AM, Victor was a broken man. His eyelids twitched. His soul itched. His brain felt like mashed potatoes. He flopped onto his bed like a corpse and whispered to the empty room, "This assassin has better commitment than my ex... oh wait, I don''t have an ex..." The academy''s announcement buzzed through the speaker system, cheerful and cruel: > "Good morning, students! Morning Routine begins in ten minutes!" Victor let out a dead, rattling groan. Time to be a responsible student. --- Victor stumbled into the gathering zone, looking like a zombie who had lost the will to live. Weights were strapped to his body again, and the instructors barked out orders. Today was Obstacle Course Day. Great. Nothing like vaulting over spinning mana blades and crawling through trenches half-dead. Still, Victor pushed through it mechanically. He ducked, jumped, rolled, climbed, and sprinted ¡ª all while his brain screamed "sleep" at every step. And yet strangely, he wasn''t entirely terrible. His cultivation-enhanced body was far sturdier than before. Without qi enhancement, he was still faster and stronger than most. He cleared the course ¡ª though several times he almost faceplanted into the mud because he micro-dosed naps mid-run. --- Later ¡ª Lectures Victor slumped into his chair during General Studies, barely keeping his eyes open as Instructor Lysandra Ravaryn-Duskbane lectured on the formation of defensive mana barriers across the continents. His notes looked like the ramblings of a madman: > "Mana... donuts... must protect barrier seals... sleepy sleepy." He somehow survived two more warrior-focused lectures after that. He remembered flashes: Swinging training swords in tight formations. Dodging practice mana blasts. Almost stabbing a dummy instructor who looked suspiciously like Tarkos. At this point, Victor was basically surviving on spite alone. --- Evening ¡ª Dorm Room When lectures finally ended, Victor all but dragged his body back to his room. He collapsed onto his bed face-first, still fully clothed. Moments later, a loud knock rattled his door. "Mmmrghf," Victor grunted into his pillow. The door swung open. Danny walked in, still dressed in his training uniform and radiating way too much excitement for Victor''s current mood. "Bro!" Danny said while grinning wide. "You will NOT believe what happened today!" Victor lifted his head halfway. "Someone finally replaced soap in the showers?" Danny laughed. "No, no ¡ª dude, someone beat Veyla''s high score on the Grip Challenge." Victor''s brain stirred slightly. He sat up with a groggy look. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah! It was nuts! No one knows who it was. The system just recorded it as ''Unknown''. Veyla went BONKERS, bro. I mean, she started smashing things. She tried to beat the score back. Got to Level 13 before the balls made her fingers bleed." Danny reenacted Veyla flailing her arms around in frustration, which would have been hilarious if Victor wasn''t three brain cells away from collapsing. Victor chuckled weakly. Danny plopped down on Victor''s chair. "Bro, seriously, how is life treating you? You look like you fought a pack of magic wolves." Victor blinked slowly. "Stuff. Been handling... stuff." Danny tilted his head suspiciously. "What kinda stuff?" Victor mumbled half asleep without thinking, "Game stuff." There was a beat of silence. Then Danny exploded. "YOU BROUGHT THE GAME HERE??" Victor grimaced. ''Oops.'' He waved his hands frantically. "Keep your voice down! You trying to get me expelled?!" Danny leaned closer while grinning like a madman. "Dude... you''re insane. I love it." Victor sighed before dragging a hand over his face. "Yeah, well. Turns out, it''s not so fun when a tattooed boogeyman waits five days to stomp your soul every time you log in." Danny blinked. Victor groaned. "Long story." Danny just laughed even harder. "Tell me about it." Minutes later, Victor was seated cross-legged on his bed while staring blankly at Danny, who was still buzzing with excitement. "So you''re telling me," Danny voiced while waving a bag of chips around, "this tattoo guy just camps your spawn point, waiting to whoop your ass every time you log in?" Victor nodded grimly. Danny burst out laughing. Victor threw a pillow at him. "I''m serious, bro!" Danny caught the pillow midair and grinned. "Easy fix. Just show up naked." Victor blinked. "...what?" Danny shrugged before cramming more chips into his mouth. "I mean, if you show up naked, maybe he''ll be too grossed out to fight you. Psychological warfare, y''know?" Victor stared at him for a full five seconds. Then¡ª His eyes widened. "Oh my god." Danny blinked with a confused look. Victor''s sleepy look vanished as he shot to his feet. "You''re a genius!" Danny grinned proudly. "Yeah, I know. Wait... huh?" Victor wasn''t listening anymore. He was already scrambling to grab his VR helmet and gaming device. Thankfully, Kairo wasn''t around ¡ª maybe still doing personal training ¡ª so Victor had the room to himself. He settled back under the covers and placed the helmet over his head. --- [ Logging Into Ascendant Realms ] Victor materialized once again at the outskirts of the shady town. And of course¡ªlike some unholy boogeyman¡ªTarkos was there. The assassin stretched lazily and cracked his knuckles. "You have once more returned." Victor didn''t waste time with banter. He instantly whipped up a gust of wind using Wind Gale Art, which sent a howling blast toward Tarkos. The force wasn''t enough to injure the assassin ¡ªbut that wasn''t the point. Tarkos shielded his face casually against the blast. When the wind died down, Tarkos''s cloak fluttered to the ground in tatters, leaving him standing there in only thin undergarments ¡ª most of which had been ripped open as well. His heavily tattooed skin was exposed to the elements now. Victor''s sharp eyes gleamed. ''Now I can see every tattoo... and where they aren''t.'' Tarkos noticed Victor''s long stare and smirked. "Interested in seeing a naked man, Fang Chen? I didn''t realize you swung that way." Victor''s sword gleamed in response. "Sorry to disappoint," he said casually. "I just like winning." Tarkos laughed¡ªand lunged forward. Their swords and fists met with thunderous impact. Victor who was now fully analyzing Tarkos''s body, didn''t aim randomly anymore. Whenever he swung his blade, he targeted bare spots ¡ª small gaps on Tarkos''s torso, hips, or shoulders where no tattoos decorated the flesh. Every time Victor struck at a bare spot¡ª The tattoos writhed unnaturally, rushing to cover it like a shield. But that was exactly what Victor wanted. As soon as the tattoos shifted, another Wind Blade conjured by his free hand shot toward a new exposed side. Tarkos staggered slightly when Victor''s Wind Blade cut across his ribs. Blood spurted. The assassin grimaced, but recovered instantly and spun to deliver a brutal roundhouse kick that smashed Victor backward. Victor flew across the cracked stone floor and bounced once before sliding to a stop twenty feet away. He groaned but grinned nonetheless as he clutched his sword tighter. It worked. Tarkos licked the blood from his lips and grinned darkly. "You''re finally starting to get interesting." Victor wiped his mouth and pointed the blade at him. "You''re gonna find me downright irresistible when I''m done." Chapter 166 166: You Lose Victor combined rapid swordplay with agile footwork, using his Phantom Mirage Step intermittently to leave afterimages when dodging Tarkos''s blows. Each time Tarkos tried to predict him, Victor would switch tactics. But the assassin was starting to adapt too. At one point, Tarkos feinted, baiting Victor into a lunge¡ªthen smashed a brutal headbutt into Victor''s forehead. Stars exploded across his vision as Victor reeled backward. ''Son of a¡ª!'' Blood trickled down his brow. His hands shook slightly as he gasped. If this dragged on much longer, he''d lose. Victor inhaled sharply¡ª ¡ªand unleashed a massive torrent of flame. [ Dragon Breathing Art: Flame Dragon Torrent ] A spiraling vortex of flames burst from his mouth and coiled into the shape of a roaring dragon. It swept across the field like a living inferno and slammed into Tarkos. The assassin threw up his arms forcing his tattoos to cover his front torso in a bid to shield himself, but even he couldn''t fully block it. Flames licked across his body and seared his exposed flesh. Victor didn''t stop there. The moment the flames engulfed Tarkos, he activated another technique: [ Phantom Mirage Step ] His body blurred¡ªone Victor became three, then six, then twelve. Each afterimage raced around Tarkos as sword flashed from every angle. The assassin grunted, trying to orient himself while swinging blindly. Burned and disoriented, Tarkos couldn''t see the real Victor¡ª Not until the true strike came. From a blind spot Tarkos hadn''t yet covered, Victor slashed. The blade slipped through defenses and bit into the assassin''s lower back, slicing a deep gash. Blood erupted like a geyser. Tarkos roared and spun as his tattoos tried to move defensively too late. Victor backflipped away nimbly, landing on his feet with a grunt. Smoke rose from the battlefield as the scent of burnt cloth and blood swept across the air. Victor''s chest heaved. Across from him, Tarkos was crouched with one hand pressed to the bleeding wound. And for the first time... The assassin wasn''t smiling. Victor twirled his sword lightly and gave a cheeky smirk. "Round two''s looking a little rough for you, buddy." Tarkos''s eyes narrowed dangerously. Then¡ª He chuckled. "You really are evolving." Victor shrugged. "What can I say? Pressure builds diamonds." Tarkos slowly straightened. "I guess I''ll have to stop playing around too... I''ll end it properly now." Victor''s instincts screamed danger at this moment. Before Victor could react, Tarkos extended his arms outward with hisbpalms facing up. The tattoos across his body writhed and flowed like rivers of ink. Suddenly, from the center of his chest, a thin black blade grew outward¡ª ¡ªlike a living weapon forged from pure malice. Victor''s eyes widened. "What the hell is that?!" Tarkos wrapped his fingers around the blade as his aura darkened. "Inkblade Severance," Tarkos intoned. The moment he swung the weapon once¡ª WHOOSH!! A hundred lashes of black slashes swept forward like a storm with each one being sharp enough to slice through steel. Victor''s pupils shrank. He raised his sword and activated his Void Emperor Bloodline in an instant. [ Void Emperor Bloodline Activated ] His body was instantly flooded with arrows as spatial Qi spread across his muscles, arms, and blade. Victor''s right arm blurred into near-invisibility as he swung madly to deflect. CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG! Each lash was like a steel whip. Each parry rattled his bones. He managed to parry around eighty of them, but the rest¡ª TSSHHHH!!! Victor vanished using Shadow Blink to dodge before the remaining attacks shredded him. --- He reappeared dozens of feet away, panting with his body soaked in sweat. But¡ª Before he could recover, Tarkos was there. It was as if he knew exactly where Victor would appear. Tarkos came at him with his Inkblade whistling through the air, ready to cleave him in two. Victor cursed under his breath. ''I can''t outrun this guy forever.'' He deflected one strike. Then another. And another... But even with his boosted speed and Void Qi, he couldn''t keep up for long. Tarkos''s attacks boxed him in like a predator cornering prey. Then the inevitable happened... A swing slipped through. The Inkblade slashed across Victor''s side, sending him crashing into a nearby boulder, shattering it with a sickening crunch. Dust exploded into the air, veiling Victor''s form. Tarkos approached with a casual posture despite his bleeding back. He could see Victor sprawled out, lying in the cratered ground with blood leaking from his side. He lowered his blade slightly. "Predictable," Tarkos said. "Transmigrators are all the same. You burn bright... then die." He raised his arm, ready to stab the blade into Victor''s chest when... SCHLUKKK!! Tarkos''s body suddenly jerked violently. His eyes widened as pain bloomed through his gut. He slowly looked down in confusion. An invisible blade had pierced through his abdomen¡ª ¡ªshot clean out of his belly and dripped crimson liquid. From the dust cloud, Victor stood upright with a steady stance and hand extended outward as if directing something. His sword was embedded in Tarkos''s body. He smirked darkly. "Predictable," Victor echoed back mockingly. --- Flashback (Few seconds earlier) As the Inkblade slashes descended, Victor had no time to parry them all. So at the final moment where only a few slashes were left, he activated Iron Vein Flow. [ Iron Vein Flow Technique: Activated ] His body hardened, turning a coppery hue as resilience surged into his bones. Damage that should have torn him apart was reduced by over 40%. It still hurt like hell But he endured. While Tarkos dropped his guard, assuming he had won¡ª Victor had secretly infused his sword with Void Emperor Spatial Qi, cloaking it entirely in space-distorting energy and rendering it invisible. He directed the floating weapon like a silent snake through the dust and positioned it behind Tarkos. And when the time was right¡ª He drove it forward without a second thought. --- Tarkos staggered while coughing blood as the sword turned visible. He whirled around to attack, but Victor pressed the advantage immediately. Rushing forward explosively and retrieved his sword from Tarkos''s body. Without hesitation, he unleashed a savage combination: [ Phantom Moon Slash ] Multiple afterimages of Victor''s sword rained down. Tarkos blocked a few strikes sloppily, but several others dug into his arms and legs. With his mind and body already in so much pain, he couldn''t move his tattoos like how he used to. Blood splattered the broken ground. Tarkos roared before activating a defensive technique that caused a fresh tattoo to shield part of his body¡ªbut Victor had already moved. He spun low and carved a deep gash across Tarkos''s thigh. Another swipe lacerated his shoulder. Finally, Victor delivered a spinning kick into the assassin''s ribs, sending him flying backward with a grunt. Dust swirled across the surroundings as Tarkos rammed into the ground and slid across it. Victor dashed forward with speed and appeared above Tarkos who was still sliding across the ground. Tarkos gasped as Victor''s blade pierced straight through his right arm and drove it into the rocky ground causing his sliding body to instantly come to a pause. He grunted but didn''t scream. On his left side, a sharp Wind Blade conjured by Victor hovered and then stabbed clean through his other hand, pinning it down as well. Blood pooled around him as the tattoos on his body shifted wildly but were unable to reach damaged areas. Victor stood over him with another Wind Blade condensed at his fingertips¡ª ¡ªthe edge gleamed cold and sharp as it floated just a few inches from Tarkos''s exposed throat. Victor''s expression was grim. "You lose," Victor said coldly. The wind around them howled, carrying the finality of death in its chill. Tarkos simply smiled despite his predicament. "Going to kill me now?" he rasped. Victor tightened his grip on his sword. "Damn right." He pressed the Wind Blade closer¡ª A bead of blood formed where the blade lightly nicked Tarkos''s throat. "You''re wasting a valuable opportunity, Fang Chen." Victor narrowed his eyes. "Don''t try to stall..." "No," Tarkos voiced with a defeated but calm tone. "I''m offering you survival." Victor didn''t lower his blade. "You have ten seconds to make sense or I slice open your throat." Blood dribbled from the corner of Tarkos mouth as he coughed. "You really think you can take on the Jade Serpent Sect alone?" Victor''s brow twitched. "That''s suicide," Tarkos continued. "They aren''t just a random sect. They''re old. Vicious. They have ties across multiple cities... and killers far worse than me." Victor didn''t respond but his face contorted slightly in thought. Tarkos smiled wider, sensing the hesitation. "You kill me... fine. You''ll die next when you go after them. You keep me alive... and I''ll help you destroy them." Victor was drowned in his thoughts for a bit. He didn''t trust Tarkos. Why should he? He was a seasoned assassin... a murderer. "And how do I know you won''t just stab me the second I let you loose? I think I''ll rather just take my chances with the Jade Serpent Sect..." Victor raised the wind blade, prepared to land a final strike when Tarkos spoke again... "There''s a way to bind me!" Victor raised an eyebrow as he paused. "And that is?" "A Blood Contract Pact..." Chapter 167 167: Blood Contract "A Blood Contract Pact..." Tarkos voiced out. "An ancient binding oath. Do that and you won''t have to worry about me stabbing you in the back." Victor''s Wind Blade hovered closer. "How does it work?" Tarkos nodded faintly. "I''ll guide you. But once we form it... neither of us can break it without consequences. If I betray you ¡ª if I even think about harming you ¡ª the contract will tear my soul apart." Victor frowned. It sounded risky. But at the same time, it sounded perfect. He slowly pulled the Wind Blade back half an inch but kept it ready. "Teach me." Under Tarkos''s instruction, Victor knelt on one knee beside him. Using his free hand, Victor etched a small ancient symbol into the dirt between them ¡ª a crude circular seal with three slashes down the center and a crescent around it. Tarkos who was still bleeding from both hands, pressed his forehead lightly to the ground beside the seal and spoke: > "Two blades. One oath. Bound by life and death. Let the pact bear witness." Victor repeated after him steadily despite the adrenaline racing through his veins. A faint glow rose from the etched circle. Then Tarkos said: "Now, the terms." Victor leaned forward. "I, Fang Chen, swear the following: Tarkos shall aid me in destroying the Jade Serpent Sect. He shall not harm me, betray me, or act against my interests in any form." He paused briefly. "And if he does... his soul will suffer collapse." The contract circle throbbed. Victor turned to Tarkos. "Your turn." The assassin proceeded to recite the terms of agreement. Victor then pulled out a knife and made a shallow cut across his palm. Blood welled up. He extended it over the circle. Tarkos struggled to lift his pinned hand slightly and let his blood drip as well. The moment the two blood droplets met¡ª WHOOMM!! A rush of spiritual energy exploded upward. The circle turned blood-red and hovered briefly before sinking into their bodies. A system notification popped up before Victor: > [ Blood Contract Pact Formed Successfully! ] <[ Terms: Mutual binding enforced. Breach will result in immediate soul destruction ]> Victor felt a strange tingle settle deep into his chest. Tarkos winced. Then laughed weakly. "Well, kid. Congratulations. You now own me." Victor slowly stood and with a flick of his wrist¡ª He dismissed the Wind Blade. The blade pinning Tarkos''s right arm dissolved into mist. Victor stepped forward and yanked his sword free from Tarkos''s left arm. The assassin groaned but didn''t lash out. He simply collapsed fully onto the ground, exhausted and wounded. Victor wiped his blade clean with a rag and tucked it back into his belt. "Don''t make me regret this," he said coldly. Tarkos chuckled weakly again. "I think you''ll find me... very motivated." Victor walked a few steps away and inhaled deeply. His body ached everywhere from the battle, but somehow... ...he had turned a deadly enemy into a potential ally. Was it foolish? Maybe. But at this point, fighting alone against entire sects wasn''t an option anymore. Sometimes, you had to play dirty. Behind him, Tarkos forced himself upright with blood dripping steadily from his hands. He watched Victor silently... For the first time in years... Tarkos felt a flicker of something unfamiliar. Not loyalty. Not gratitude. Something closer to respect. Victor wiped the back of his hand across his bleeding mouth, panting from the brutal battle. Tarkos was half-kneeling nearby, battered and bloodied. Both of them looked like they had been run over by a stampede. Victor grimaced at the deep gash along his ribs. He inhaled and gathered his qi slightly into his throat before spitting into his palm. The saliva had a faint glowing luster. Without hesitation, Victor rubbed his palm across his bleeding wounds. The torn flesh, deep bruises, and split skin healed almost instantly, knitting together with a faint warm glow. Tarkos who was still nursing his injured arm, blinked in open disbelief. His mouth twitched. "You..." Tarkos rasped. "What did you just do?" Victor stood upright while flexing his newly healed muscles. He rolled his shoulders casually like it was no big deal. "Spit healing," Victor said nonchalantly. Tarkos looked at him like he had grown a second head. Victor shrugged. "My body''s got... restorative properties. For now, saliva''s the only way I can use it." He moved over to Tarkos without waiting for permission. Tarkos instinctively tensed, but he didn''t resist. Victor spat again into his palm, rubbed it over Tarkos''s mangled right hand, then over his left arm where deep gashes from their earlier struggle were still oozing blood. The moment his spit touched Tarkos''s skin¡ª The wounds closed up. Fast. Almost unnaturally fast. The bleeding stopped, and torn muscles visibly knitted back together in seconds. Tarkos stared in awe at his own mending flesh. "This is..." he muttered with a low tone. "This is why they want you so badly." Victor just wiped his hands on his pants and grunted. "Yeah. I figured." Tarkos flexed his once-shattered hand, still in disbelief at how there wasn''t even a scar left behind. Maybe following this brat wouldn''t be such a waste after all. In fact¡ª This kid was more valuable than an entire sect''s treasury. For the first time, genuine curiosity sparked behind Tarkos''s usually cold, dead eyes. ''Maybe this blood contract won''t be so bad... he might be beneficial to me...'' Tarkos fell in line behind Victor without complaint as they began the journey back toward Blueflame City. --- ~ Real World ¡ª Later That Night ~ Victor''s eyes fluttered open under the blanket. The VR helmet on his head clicked softly as it powered down. He sat up slowly while stretching out his back with a satisfying series of pops. The clock on the wall read 7:03 PM. Outside the window, the academy grounds were bathed in the soft twilight glow of evening. Victor turned to find Danny slumped sideways in one of the chairs, lightly snoring with a bag of unopened chips clutched in one hand. Kairo''s bed was still empty. Victor chuckled quietly. ''Dude must''ve been here waiting for me and knocked out.'' Victor nudged Danny''s foot with his own. "Yo. Wake up, man." Danny startled awake while blinking blearily. "You alive?" he mumbled. "Unfortunately," Victor replied with a mock sigh. Danny yawned, then groaned as he stretched. "Let''s go grab dinner. I''m starving." "Same," Victor responded. --- They walked side by side across the wide paved paths, passing under glowing mana lamps. Everywhere, students wandered, laughing, chatting, or rushing toward one cafeteria hub or another. Victor and Danny took a slower pace, moving past one of the academy''s many beautiful garden spaces¡ª ¡ªwhere, to their amusement, they spotted multiple couples engaged in some heavy face-sucking. Victor snorted. Danny gagged dramatically. "Bruh. Public indecency!" Victor laughed. "They''re making the most out of the apocalypse vibes." Danny shook his head in mock disgust. "If I had a girlfriend, I''d at least wait until the trees weren''t watching." Victor just chuckled, but his laughter faded when Danny gave him a sidelong glance. "Speaking of..." Danny said slyly. "What''s up between you and Amara?" Victor stiffened. "...Nothing," he said a little too quickly. Danny raised an eyebrow. "Dude. I ain''t blind. Something''s weird." Victor sighed heavily. "She kissed me," he finally admitted. Danny''s jaw dropped. "WHEN?!" "Two weeks ago. Before we got shipped here." Danny stopped dead in the middle of the path while flailing his arms dramatically. "Two freaking weeks ago and you didn''t tell us?! Broooo!" Victor scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I didn''t know what to make of it. She said she has a boyfriend and shouldn''t have done that... figured it was just... confusion." Danny slapped his own forehead. "You''re such a dumbass, Vic." Victor snorted. "Thanks, always good to have friends like you to boost my self-esteem." "No, listen!" Danny jabbed a finger at him. "Girls don''t just kiss dudes they don''t like. She likes you, man. And lemme tell you, Derek? Bro, he ain''t it. He''s just the typical bad boys young girls like until they realise they don''t want a bad boy." Victor shrugged. "I don''t know if it''s a good idea." Danny threw his arms up. "Strike while the iron is hot, dummy!" Victor laughed despite himself. "You know, for someone who says mostly bullshit... you''re kinda a genius sometimes." Danny puffed out his chest proudly. "Damn straight." They resumed walking toward FeedHub-11 as the stars started to twinkle high above the academy''s domed sky. However, Victor''s mind was elsewhere. --- (( Later that Night )) Back in his room, Victor lay sprawled across his bed. The moonlight spilled faintly through the window blinds. Kairo hadn''t returned yet¡ªprobably training or doing whatever brooding loners did at night. Victor stared at the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head. "Amara..." The kiss replayed itself in his mind, as vivid as if it had just happened. The softness of her lips. The slight tremble in her hands. He hadn''t thought about it much at the time¡ª ¡ªbecause the pressure of the academy, the trials, Ascendant Realms and surviving had consumed all his attention. But now... Now he had time to think. Did he still have a chance? Would it be selfish to even try? Victor closed his eyes. He needed to rest. He hadn''t slept in days. He needed to recover properly before he started making mistakes with emotions. Chapter 168: New Servant Another two days passed in a blink, and the numerous activity at the Awakened Academy never slowed. It was Friday again. The final lectures of the week had just wrapped up, and the halls were buzzing with talk of weekend plans, new gossip, and an anticipated sparring match between two upper-rank summoners scheduled for Saturday. However, Victor had his mind set on something else entirely. He had asked Amara to meet him privately in one of the secluded gardens on Saturday. Just the two of them. He wasn''t even sure how he mustered the courage to ask her. Maybe Danny''s relentless hype talk had finally gotten to him. Either way, he was done hesitating. If she truly felt something for him, then this was his chance. For now, he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on what he could control. Training. Refinement. Cultivation. After wrapping up his final warrior class lecture for the day, Victor took the long path back to his dorms. Kairo, as usual, was nowhere to be found. Probably out slicing trees with that brooding expression he always wore. This was perfect for Victor. Victor locked the door, pulled the blinds shut, and opened his bag to retrieve his hidden phone. Time to check his content. The screen lit up with dozens of notifications. New Comments. New Followers. New Donations. Victor scrolled through the analytics. His recent uploads ¡ª clips from various morning routines, training exercises, and that awkwardly hilarious reaction video of Reed slipping during an obstacle course ¡ª were blowing up. Millions of views. Tens of thousands of comments. But most surprisingly? It was the comments from the general public. People who had no clue what life inside the Awakened Academy looked like. For years, its location had been a mystery. Only rumors and conspiracy theories floated around. But now? There was footage. Clear shots of first-year students battling, instructors shouting, mysterious facilities, and the sheer intensity of life inside the dome. Some commenters questioned whether Victor was even allowed to post this. Others begged for more content. One person wrote: "Bro, are we even sure this is on Earth?" Another commented: "This is some SCP-level training grounds. What the hell are they preparing for?" And another replied to the comment: "Don''t be dumb... have you forgotten that we literally have magical aliens outside the domed cities?" Victor chuckled and replied to a few, keeping his tone casual and funny. He skimmed through a few more comments and raised an eyebrow at one that read, "Dude''s got the charisma of a cult leader. When''s the merch drop?" "Maybe I should actually do that," he muttered before tossing the phone aside with a grin. "But can''t until I get back..." Once satisfied, he stretched, rolled his neck, and reached for his helmet. It was time. The device clicked into place as Victor slid beneath his blanket and logged into Ascendant Realms. --- [Welcome back, Fang Chen...] The familiar air of the Violet Spring Sect rushed around him as his avatar solidified. The spiritual energy in the atmosphere immediately responded to his presence, causing a light ripple in the qi around him. He was still within the elegant chamber provided to Core Disciples. The smooth jade floors, the tranquil incense, the decorative spiritual scrolls lining the walls. It had all become comfortingly familiar. Victor opened his interface and checked his status. [Bloodline Integration: 46%] It had slowed, just as Elder Mo said it would, but he was getting closer. Only four more percentage points to reach 50%. Elder Mo had told him to report once he hit that mark. Something about teaching him a new technique. Victor settled into his meditation pose, letting the gentle current of qi wash over him. He channeled the Bloodline Resonance Technique, allowing the qi to circulate deeply through his meridians, brushing against the core of his bloodline. He felt things were getting a little dull and called out; "Tarkos!" Moments later, he heard footsteps. "Would the great and mighty Fang Chen like another grape?" Victor cracked one eye open and saw Tarkos, the Soul Transformation Realm assassin who had once tried to murder him, now dutifully kneeling beside him with a bowl of fresh spirit grapes. Victor smirked. "You forgot the honorific. It''s Lord Fang Chen, Slayer of Shirtless Tattooed Men." Tarkos rolled his eyes and offered a grape. Victor accepted it and popped it into his mouth. "Isn''t this nice?" Victor voiced while reclining a little more. "They say all Core Disciples are entitled to one serving girl... but I don''t need any. Not when I have you." Tarkos sighed heavily. "You know, the blood contract prevents me from killing you, but it doesn''t say anything about passive-aggressive fruit service." Victor laughed. "Well, they won''t let strangers in here so the only way you can really be in close proximity and help me out with the Jade Serpent Sect is to pretend to be my servant. Shut up and feed me another one." Tarkos raised the bowl again while muttering something about divine punishments. Victor grinned. And as another grape popped between his teeth, Victor allowed himself to relax for a brief moment. Between deadly trials, assassination attempts, bounties, and broken bones, this? This wasn''t so bad. Not bad at all. - Victor remained steadfast in his goal. With each passing hour in Ascendant Realms, he sat cross-legged on the mat within his luxurious Core Disciple chamber, bathing in the dense qi of the Violet Spring Sect. The Bloodline Resonance Technique surged through his veins with a rhythm so familiar now that it felt almost natural. He didn''t allow his focus to waver. His goal was simple: raise his bloodline integration and strengthen his cultivation. Tarkos who was kneeling loyally beside him with a bowl of glistening spirit grapes, had long stopped grumbling about his new role as Fang Chen''s personal servant. Instead, he had adopted a resigned expression, occasionally tossing a grape into Victor''s mouth without waiting to be asked. "We''re going after the Jade Serpent Sect... later," Victor mumbled between chews with his eyes still closed in concentration. "Of course," Tarkos muttered before plucking another grape. "Conquer the world. But only after snack time." Chapter 169: Meeting Amara For two days in the game, Victor immersed himself in his cultivation. With Elder Mo''s guidance etched into his mind and the sect''s resources at his disposal, his progress was steady. [Bloodline Integration: 48.7%] When he finally opened his eyes, the room shimmered faintly with residual qi. He stretched, rubbed his neck and cracked his knuckles. "Alright," he shifting his gaze toward Tarkos, who was now lying on his back and juggling spirit grapes with expert precision. "Let''s talk about the Jade Serpent Sect. Spill everything you know." Tarkos stopped juggling and sat up with a sigh. "Finally. You sure you''re ready for this?" "If I can survive you throwing me through boulders, I think I''ll manage." Tarkos chuckled. "Fair point. Okay then. The Jade Serpent Sect is... complicated. They''re based in a completely different city. Far east of Blueflame. We''re talking weeks of travel through dangerous terrain, rogue cultivator regions, and unaligned lands. They have at least four branches, but the main compound is deep in the Serpent Mountains." Victor frowned. "So they''re that big?" "Bigger. Their reach goes beyond that city. They''re involved in trade, politics, underground smuggling, and spiritual artifact trafficking. Taking down the whole sect? Practically suicide unless you start a Sect War. And unless the Violet Spring Sect openly backs you, you''re on your own." Victor exhaled and tossed a grape into his mouth. "Then what the hell is the point of this blood contract if we can''t even get to them?" Tarkos raised a hand calmly. "I didn''t say we couldn''t get to them. I said we can''t take down the entire sect. But the ones who put the bounty on you? That''s different. I did some digging. The bounty wasn''t from the sect as a whole, but a faction within it. A group of inner circle cultivators who were there the day you absorbed the magical spit¡ªer, Dragon Pond of Tears." Victor''s expression grew serious. "Hmm that makes sense." "Exactly. You''re practically a walking relic. You think they''ll just let someone like you roam free? That healing saliva of yours is like holy elixir to the right buyer." Victor sighed. "So what''s the plan then?" Tarkos grinned. "First, we identify who specifically in that faction is leading the charge. Then we isolate. Pick them off one by one. Quietly. If we play our cards right, we won''t alert the whole sect. We make it look like accidents. Rogue beast attacks. Failed missions. You know... classic misfortune." Victor smirked. "You really are a professional psycho, aren''t you?" "Takes one to appreciate one," Tarkos bowed mockingly. Victor spent one more day cultivating and refining his focus, pushing his integration closer to his short-term goal. [Bloodline Integration: 48.9%] Finally, he decided to take a break. [ Logging Out... ] He slowly returned to the real world. The clock showed it was just past noon on Saturday. His muscles felt sore so he stretched and yawned upon getting out of his bed. His stomach grumbled. He needed something quick. He raided the fridge for a protein bar and a cold mana drink. After chewing quickly, he headed toward the shower to freshen up. Today wasn''t for battle. It wasn''t for strategy. It wasn''t for cultivation. It was for Amara. He changed into something casual but sharp ¡ª white-collared shirt from his Vantablade shoot paired with clean slacks. His hair which now had more white strands than black was brushed back stylishly as a faint cologne clinged to his collar. He checked his appearance once in the mirror. "Not bad," he muttered. As he exited the dorm, the artificial sunlight of the Academy''s dome bathed the landscape in a serene golden hue. Birds chirped softly in programmed harmony, and the air smelled of fresh dew and blooming spirit flora. Victor made his way to the garden area ¡ª one of the few places in the Academy that was deliberately untouched by technology. The place was filled with calming green foliage, winding pathways, and softly glowing stones that exuded mana. The trees around here bloomed with petals that shimmered faintly like moonlight. He arrived a few minutes early. His heart pounded with the anticipation of what this meeting could mean. For weeks, he''d been dancing on the line between friendship and something more. Amara had kissed him before camp, then acted like it never happened. She was always kind. Always present. But there was distance too. An unspoken hesitation. Victor sat on one of the carved stone benches and leaned back. "Alright, Amara... let''s see where this goes." Minutes later, Victor could be seen pacing slightly near the edge of the garden clearing while adjusting the cuff of his shirt and then running a hand through his hair for the fifth time. When Amara finally arrived, she did so quietly with hands tucked behind her back and a small smile on her lips. She looked effortlessly beautiful in her simple outfit, a soft lilac top and fitted dark trousers. Her chestnut-colored hair flowed down her shoulders, and when she smiled, it felt like time slowed. "Hey," she said. "Hey," Victor echoed while grinning. "Thought you might''ve stood me up." Amara snorted lightly. "Please. You would''ve hunted me down with a sword just to make me feel guilty." "Not untrue," Victor replied with a wink. They began walking along the winding path that snaked through the garden. The natural setting was a rare escape from the intense training routines and lectures of the academy. They chatted about everything and nothing. Amara spoke about how intense her Summoner classes had been lately and how one of her summoned creatures kept trying to bite the instructor. Victor chuckled. "To be fair, I''d also bite anyone trying to boss me around." She laughed with a crackled and free tone. Then her tone dipped. "My roommate is the worst. She''s so pompous and... distant. Doesn''t even speak. I tried to be nice and introduce myself and she just blew a gum bubble and turned away." Victor raised a brow. "So like one of those rogue characters in a novel. Full edgy package." "Exactly! I feel like she might actually be training to be a villain or something." Chapter 170: The Brawl They both laughed again and paused near a small pond where koi fish swam lazily. Victor looked down at the water. "It''s good to see you laugh again." "You always manage to make me laugh, even when I don''t want to." He looked over at her with a fond smile appearing on his face. "That''s kinda my thing." But then, he suddenly spurted out the next statement without thinking. "So... how are things with Derek?" Amara''s smile faltered. Victor inwardly groaned. ''Smooth. Real smooth. Ask about the competition, why don''t you?'' An awkward silence bloomed between them. Birds chirped in the distance, and the koi continued swimming, but suddenly, the air between them felt heavier. Amara brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "They''re fine, I guess." "Can we talk about something else?" Victor nodded but before they could move on, Victor exhaled slowly. His heart thudded in his chest as he voiced out once more... "Amara, I have to say something." She looked at him curiously. "About that kiss." Her expression froze. "I''ve liked you for the longest time. Probably since middle school. I never really said anything because I figured someone like you wouldn''t see someone like me that way. But then you kissed me. So now I have to ask... do you feel the same?" Amara looked away. "No." Victor''s heart sank. "Yes," she added quickly. "I mean... I do. It''s complicated." A visibly stunned look appeared on Victor''s face. "How?" Amara stepped back slightly. "I have a boyfriend. Derek. And then you... you just wiggled your way into the picture with your stupid jokes and your stupid smile and... You made me laugh. Made me feel seen in a way that nobody ever has. And I started craving you. But it''s wrong. This is wrong. That kiss was a mistake. It can''t happen again." Victor swallowed. "But if you really liked Derek, would you have kissed me in the first place?" Amara clenched her fists. "That doesn''t matter. I''m committed to him." Victor stepped closer. "Then why are you still here with me?" She turned to walk away. "Because I needed to tell you it''s over before it becomes something more." Victor reached forward and grabbed her hand before pulling her gently back. "Amara, wait." The moment she turned, he kissed her. It was soft at first. Hesitant. But the moment their lips met, all logic, all conflict, and all hesitation vanished. She kissed him back... Passionately. The world around them melted. The flowers in the surroundings seemed to glow. The air grew warmer. Time stood still. Then a voice shattered it all. "Amara?" They both froze and hero separated. The voice was laced with disbelief and confusion. Both Victor and Amara slowly turned. Standing at the garden entrance was none other than Derek. Amara''s hand shot up to her lips as her eyes darted between Victor and her boyfriend. "Derek, I..." But he had already turned and was storming away. Victor barely had time to digest what just happened when Amara turned toward Derek, who was storming off. "Wait! Derek! It wasn''t like that! He kissed me!" Victor blinked. "Amara--" But it was too late. Derek stopped, spun around and drew the dark-hilted sword strapped to his side. It emitted a faint blue glow as mana-glyphs appeared on the blade. Victor''s eyes widened. "Derek, you don''t wanna do that--" But Derek didn''t listen... He charged forward swinging; "How dare you make a move on my girl!" Victor stepped towards the left to evade the first slash causing wind to brush past the side of his face from the force. "Derek, calm down. I don''t want to hurt you." Derek growled. "You think I care? You kissed my girlfriend!" He swung again causing Victor to ducked... The blade grazed a hanging vine and sliced it clean off. "I didn''t plan for that to happen! It--" "I cut your ass enough slack," Derek eyes blazed as he roared. "Even though I don''t like you. Because you lost your father. Because I pitied your ass. But that ends today! Fight me, coward!" He activated a Warrior-based skill. A golden glow erupted from his blade as a system interface appeared before him. [Skill Activated: Blade Rend - Level 2] Victor leapt upwards and front flipped over the attack, causing the swing to carve a deep groove into the earth and sever a thick tree behind him with a terrible crack. "Derek, this isn''t the way. We could talk like two civilised people." Another attack followed. Victor tightened his fist. Things were getting serious and he couldn''t keep dodging forever. Not here. Not in front of so many people. A crowd had gathered. -"Who are are those guys?" -"Are they fighting because of a girl?" -"First years are so pathetic!" -"The other dude keeps running like a loser..." "You really wanna do this?" Victor yelled out. Derek rushed at him without answering. Victor moved his neck slightly to evade another swing and then raised his palm with unexpected speed before thrusting forward. A concentrated burst of wind slammed into Derek''s chest the moment Victor''s palm collided, sending him flying across the air. He tumbled and rolled but managed to land in a crouch while growling. "You gonna hide behind tricks now, Victor? Or do you wanna fight like a real man?" Derek slammed his sword into the ground. [Skill Activated: Arc Slash - Level 3] Victor also stepped forward while drawing power from his Void Emperor Bloodline. Arrow-shaped markings appeared faintly across his arms and neck. He was finally prepared to take this seriously. Both of them dashed toward each other. But before they socially clash again... BOOM. A massive blast of golden light erupted between them. Both were pushed back by an enormous summoned beast made of crystalline feathers and radiant eyes. It floated in the air with a majestic screech before planting itself between them. [Summon: Aeloria, Guardian of Order - Grade II ] Two walls of shining light slammed down on either side of the battlefield, pushing both boys apart. Amara stood in the center with glowing eyes. "Stop this! Both of you!" she yelled. Chapter 171: Aftermath Amara stood in the center with glowing eyes. "Stop this! Both of you!" she yelled. Her Summoner glyph shimmered above her raised palm. Victor stumbled back, breathing steadily. Derek glared but didn''t move. Amara turned toward Victor. "I told you this was a mistake. Stay away from me." Victor opened his mouth but no words came. She didn''t wait a second more. She turned and walked away with Derek as the summoned beast faded into light while they exited. Victor stood alone. The crowd parted. Murmurs echoed. A few instructors were rushing in from the distance. Victor lowered his gaze and turned away, ignoring the stares, the whispers, the judgement. He walked back to his dorm like a ghost. Back in his room, he closed the door and leaned against it. Everything he''d hoped for had exploded in front of him. And now the entire Academy would be talking about it. He stared at the ceiling. "Good job, idiot," he muttered. A knock came ten minutes later. "Victor?" Danny''s voice. Victor didn''t respond. "I heard what happened, man. You good?" Victor sighed. "Door''s open." Danny stepped in, looked around, and then flopped on the edge of the bed. "You know... when I said shoot your shot, I didn''t mean start World War III." Victor cracked a small smile despite the situation. Danny held up his hands. "Alright, alright. But seriously, what happened?" Victor shrugged. "She kissed me first. I kissed her back today. Derek showed up. Fight broke out." Danny winced. "Oof. So... she dumped you both or...?" Victor shook his head. "She told me to stay away from her." Danny was quiet for a moment. "Damn." Victor exhaled slowly while tracing the cracks in the ceiling with his eyes. "I knew I should have stayed away from romance in the Academy..." Danny patted his shoulder. "It''ll blow over. Probably. Maybe." Victor chuckled, then sighed again. "I''ll be in the game tonight. Gotta kill something." Danny grinned. "Yeah, that''s the spirit. Go murder a few smugglers or throw Tarkos into a ditch." Victor grinned faintly. "I''ll think about it." ... ... The days that followed were far from kind to Victor. What started as a burst of emotions in the garden with Amara spiraled into something far worse. The whispers traveled fast, like wildfire through dry fields. In less than twenty-four hours, the Academy''s rumor mills had painted him in the darkest light imaginable. "Isn''t that the guy that forcefully kissed a girl?" "I heard he tried to force himself on her." "A pervert like that shouldn''t be here." It didn''t matter that the situation was far more complex. That the truth had layers. That he never meant for any of it to happen. The truth was irrelevant when the lie was more convenient. Victor walked through the halls alone now. People stepped out of his way, not with awe, but revulsion. Despite it all, not everyone had abandoned him. Reed who was loudmouthed as ever, had thrown an empty bottle at a group of gossiping students in defense of Victor. Kai remained aloof as always, but whenever anyone tried to drag Victor''s name in his presence, his silence became a wall of defense. Aria was indifferent to social opinions and still tried to tell Victor she was stronger whenever their paths crossed. Rylan offered him subtle nods and quiet encouragements during morning routines. But the damage was done. He wasn''t allowed near Amara anymore. A formal complaint had been filed. The Academy issued a restriction: Victor was to maintain at least a 20-meter distance from her at all times. There was no way to clear his name since he couldn''t meet the one person who knew very well that he wasn''t a creep to set the record straight. Victor sat in the corner of his room one evening with his head resting against the wall. "Haha... I just had to do it," he muttered. "Shouldn''t have listened to Danny." --- Wednesday Morning - Swimming Routine Wednesday had always been dedicated to aquatic combat training and stamina exercises. The massive lake-like training area for Camp 11 had artificial currents, various depths, and even sections enhanced with illusions to simulate open-water fear scenarios. Victor, having grown up in the lower wards of New Avalon City, never had the luxury of learning to swim. That kind of thing was for the privileged few with pools in their penthouses and water-themed birthday parties. However, he had picked up a little since coming to the Academy. With Vex Rhane''s guidance, he had improved marginally. Today, the instructor had introduced a new underwater combat stroke that was meant to mimic the movement of serpent-type magical beasts in water. Victor had retreated to one of the less populated ends of the massive lake to practice it. There, he flailed and paddled while gasping between attempts but making progress, inch by inch. He surfaced, took a breath, and wiped water from his eyes. In the distance, he could see the rest of Camp 11 scattered across the lake. Some were swimming laps. Others were training their elemental magic beneath the surface. Victor sighed and dove again, this time attempting to sweep his legs in a fluid kick. He was halfway through the motion when he felt something... A grip. Two grips. Hands had grabbed his ankles and suddenly jerked him downward with unnatural force. Underwater, he caught sight of two unfamiliar faces. One was a boy with thin, rat-like features and dark ink swirling from a Mage crest on his palm. The other was bulkier with glowing red eyes ¡ª a Berserker. Victor''s instincts kicked in. He pulled his right leg back and punched forward. His fist connected with the Berserker''s jaw, and the student spiraled backward into the murky water. But the Mage was ready. He conjured a shimmering chain of mana instantly. The chains clamped around Victor''s wrists and ankles in an instant, and before he could react, they were tethered to two large rocks at the bottom. Victor thrashed wildly. His breath was running short and he wasn''t exactly a swimming pro so this was quite the difficult scenario. Chapter 172 172: Underlying Grudge The Berserker who was sent blasting backwards earlier, retrieved a nearby boulder the size of two grown men''s torso and swam over. Victor''s eyes widened as he tried to raise his arms but was unable to, due to them being bound. The boulder dropped and slammed onto his chest, sending him crashing toward the very bottom. His lungs screamed. He struggled and pulled against the bindings while trashing violently underneath the weight of the boulder. The chains groaned slightly but held firm. He could hear the blood pumping in his ears as his vision started to blur. The icy waters of the Academy training lake pressed in on all sides as the world above reduced to a blur of distorted light and silence while he was anchored to the very bottom. Victor''s limbs were restrained by glowing chains wrapped around his wrists and ankles, tethered to stones on the riverbed. Air was leaving his lungs in desperate bubbles, and the weight on his chest made movement almost impossible. He kept thrashing and kicking to no avail. He was going to drown. ''No¡ªnot like this.'' Victor gritted his teeth and began to activate his Void Emperor Bloodline. His veins emitted a low violet light as arrow-like marks glowed faintly across his skin which had turn whiter. Spatial energy rippled through his body, warping the water around him. He tried to activate his Shadow Blink technique¡ªbut it refused to activate. He realized the truth in that moment: the resistance of water and the sheer density around him made it impossible to puncture an invisible rift large enough for his body to get through. He couldn''t use shadow blink on himself underwater. His mind raced. ''Think, think...'' His eyes suddenly widened in realisation.... The chains. They were smaller. Lighter. Separate from his body. He wrapped the glowing chains in his qi, compressing his will around them and focusing. A faint ripple distorted around them, a warping of energy that surged outward. In the next instant, the chains vanished, teleporting above the water and out of range. Victor was free. He pressed against the boulder while grunting from the strain. His muscles trembled as he shoved the boulder with all his might. The boulder tilted and slowly shifted. With one last push, he wriggled free and kicked upward with every bit of strength he had. His head broke through the surface. The moment air hit his lungs, he gasped, coughed and retched while his limbs flailed until he grabbed hold of the edge of the training platform. He hauled himself up. Students turned to look. Some ignored him. Others looked confused. Victor staggered to his feet and looked around. The attackers were long gone. He spotted Instructor Vex Rhane not far off, barking orders to a group of first-years. "Instructor!" Victor called out with a breathless voice. Rhane turned. "You good, Revenant? You look like a drowned squirrel." Victor pointed to the lake. "Two students tried to drown me. Chained me up and dropped a boulder on me. I nearly died." Rhane frowned while approaching. "You know how ridiculous that sounds? Under my watch?" "I''m not lying. They were a Berserker and a Mage. Probably first-years. I punched one, but they got me down quick." Rhane crossed his arms, clearly unconvinced. "No one here reported anything. And there are no disturbances in the detection array. You sure you didn''t pass out from overexertion and dream it?" Victor stared at him. He obviously didn''t believe him and it was pointless to keep trying. He clenched his fists and walked off. --- (( A Day Ago - Different Location )) In a secluded location behind FeedHub-6, Derek stood with two other first-years. They wore cocky grins and slouched postures, sporting Academy uniforms in disarray. One had a metal jaw implant. The other had a tattoo that flickered with low-grade runes. "You just gonna keep letting that guy walk around like nothing happened?" the metal-jaw student scoffed. "He kissed your girl, and what did you do? Shoved him once, and then let the Academy handle it?" "Yeah," the other snorted. "If that were my girl, I''d have turned his jaw into glass powder." Derek clenched his fists. "I already fought him once. Amara said to stay away from it." "And look where that got you. Everyone thinks you''re a pushover. You''re letting him breathe too easy." Derek''s gritted his teeth. He hated how right it sounded. "We''ll handle it for you," the metal-jaw one offered. "We''ll pass the word around. Victor''s about to have the worst week of his life." Derek nodded once. "Good. Make sure he gets the message." --- Back to the Present Victor sat alone again. The lecture hall buzzed with whispers and activity, but he was an island amidst it all. The tables around him remained empty. Eyes flicked in his direction and quickly turned away. He wasn''t a pariah because of the rumors anymore. Now he was a target. He could only hope to put all this behind him very quickly or he''d have to deal with it in his own way. He jotted down notes from the current lecture on Hybrid Affinity Reactions, but the words blurred. All he could think of was the bottom of the lake. And the laughter of the two who left him there. He took a deep breath. He had faced a couple of near death scenarios before but this was a first of its kind. Completely unexpected unlike the others he confidently walked into. He''d have to watch his back. Victor exited the class early with his eyes lowered and shoulders tense. As he walked the corridors, whispers followed him like shadows. It was slowly becoming unbearable. But there was no running from this¡ªonly forward. ... ... In the days that followed, Victor found himself subjected to an unrelenting campaign of harassment. The same two students who had tried to drown him were back again, but they weren''t alone. A few others had joined their antics. A small group of first-year students were always lurking around corners, bumping him in corridors, sneaking things into his training gear, and setting up traps to humiliate him publicly. Chapter 173: Constant Harassment At one point, the group even tripped Victor in the lecture halls. They mixed irritants into his food tray at FeedHub-11. They left strange glyphs above his room''s entrance that set off minor explosions whenever he walked through the door. And somehow, nobody else seemed to notice. Or worse, they noticed and chose to ignore it. Victor wasn''t dumb. He noticed patterns¡ªrecognizable faces always around when things went wrong. So he started putting names to faces. He followed them discreetly. Took note of their shared hangout spots. It didn''t take long before he and Danny pieced things together. There was a gang operating within the Academy. First-years. Aggressive. Coordinated. Bold. And at the center of it all? Derek Slate. Victor remembered how Derek had led a pack of troublemakers back in high school, intimidating younger students and manipulating teachers with charm and raw aggression. It hadn''t changed. It was one thing to have enemies, but a gang within the Academy? That was a whole different kind of threat. So Victor approached Derek. It was outside the training plaza, where several students were practicing sword forms. Victor walked up to Derek casually, without a hint of malice in his tone. "Hey, can we talk?" Derek paused mid-swing while turning slowly. His eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" "I know where the attacks have been coming from," Victor voiced calmly. "And I know you''re part of it." Derek laughed. "You must have gotten hit in the head harder than I thought." Victor ignored it. "This has gone on far enough. I''m not looking for a fight. I wanted to say... I''m sorry. About what happened with Amara. I shouldn''t have kissed her. It was wrong. I won''t go near her again." Derek''s smirk returned. "Oh, don''t worry," he said smoothly. "You won''t." And then he turned and walked away. --- The next day, Victor was attempting a solo training exercise with weighted pendulums that swung from every angle. He was moving smoothly, almost elegantly, dodging and twisting when suddenly someone altered the trajectory of one of the weights with a spell. It slammed into Victor''s ribs at full force. Pain exploded through his side. He coughed and staggered while dropping to his knees. The pendulums kept swinging. He barely rolled out of the way in time to avoid a second hit. When he limped out of the training field, clutching his ribs, he caught sight of the same gang members smirking from the sidelines. Enough was enough. Victor visited the administrative tower that evening and asked to see a higher-ranked instructor or coordinator. He was referred to an Awakened Officer named Instructor Velmoor. Victor explained everything. "I''ve been getting attacked repeatedly. My dorm is being tampered with. I was nearly drowned last week and today I got a cracked rib. These students have organized. They''re working together, and I''m telling you, someone is going to get seriously hurt." Velmoor leaned back in his seat with an unreadable expression. "You want the Academy to step in?" Victor blinked. "Yes. That''s what I just said." "And what would you do if you were out there on the battlefield, Revenant? If your team turned against you or your supplies got sabotaged? Would you run to someone and ask them to save you?" Victor''s brows drew together. "That''s not the same. This is training. This is supposed to be a place where we prepare. There are rules." Velmoor smiled faintly. "Rules are a guideline, not a safety net. The world is cruel. Your enemies won''t follow rules. Even your allies might not. You want to survive, Revenant? Handle your business." Victor stared at him with a stunned look. "So you''re not going to help?" "Consider it a lesson," Velmoor said simply. Victor rose to his feet while clenching his fist. Lesson learned. He stepped outside, feeling the wind get chillier than usual. The Academy wasn''t a school. It was a crucible. And he was done playing the part of a quiet student trying to survive unnoticed. He walked back to his dorm with the painful jolted at his ribs constantly reminding him not to let things be anymore. Danny was inside, sprawled on the bed, flipping through a virtual magazine. Victor didn''t say anything. He sat. Closed his eyes. And smiled. They wanted to break him. He was about to show them what a broken Victor Revenant looked like. Because from this moment on¡ª He wasn''t holding back anymore. "Are you okay dude?" Danny inquired after noticing his expression. "Yeah all good..." Victor responded dismissively. "I don''t like that look on your face... you had that same look when you caused a school lock down back in middle school,"Danny sat up with a slightly worried expression. "Yeah? Well, no worries... I won''t be doing anything that crazy... yet..." ... ... The fourth week at the Awakened Academy had rolled in like a storm, and with it came yet another intense training session. Today, the first-year Warriors had gathered at the base of an artificially created mountain, one of several training installations spread across the underwater landscape of the academy. This mountain, like many others used for drills, was imbued with advanced gravitational runes and core-embedded pressure regulators. A hundred steep stone steps wound upward along its slope, and today''s lesson was simple in premise but brutal in execution: climb the stairs one step at a time, swinging your sword twice for every step taken. Every ten steps increased the gravity pressing down on their bodies, making it harder to breathe, harder to stand, harder to think. Only those who reached the top were considered to have passed the drill. But so far, not a single first year had done so. Kai had made it to the 50th step before collapsing to his knees, drenched in sweat. Aria''s pride didn''t let her stop at 50 which also seemed to be her limit. She furiously pushed pass him and managed 52 steps, forcing herself forward with raw willpower. "In your face, Kai!" "You only went two steps further..." Kai reminded her. "Still higher than you... no one is beating this..." Chapter 174 174: The Accident "Still higher than you... no one is beating this..." Aria pointed at Kai who was two steps behind her. "I will!" Reed yelled from the bottom of the steps. Minutes later... "I... *huff huff*... give up..." Reed tapped out at 45 while muttering a stream of curses as he stumbled back down. However, Kairo stunned everyone. In his turn with his assigned batch, he climbed silently until he reached the 65th step, then finally dropped to a crouch, panting. The onlookers gasped. The instructors raised their brows. Apparently, Kairo often trained here during personal routines, but no one knew he''d pushed himself that far before. He left the stairs without saying a word. When it was Victor''s turn, there was a sense of tension in the air. Whispers rose from the other students, some still bitter about the rumors surrounding him, others curious about how far he could go considering that he was seen as pretty strong amongst the warriors. Victor ignored them. His focus was on the climb. Clad in his regulation uniform and sweatband wrapped tightly around his head, he clutched his sword and began the ascent. One step. Two swings. Another step. Two swings. He repeated the pattern, maintaining rhythm and breathing evenly. The pressure was faint at first, barely noticeable. But by the 20th step, a dull weight pressed on his shoulders. At the 30th step, Victor''s body was glistening with sweat. He took the 31st step. Swing. Swing. 32nd. Swing. Swing. He was just reaching the 35th step when a foot slammed into his chest. One of the warriors ahead of him had turned and kicked him without warning. The blow caught Victor completely off guard. He tumbled down the stairs in a painful roll as his sword flew from his grip and clattered to the foot of the mountain. Gasps echoed from below. Victor coughed as his ribs throbbed. He looked up toward the instructor on duty and shouted, "Did you see that? He kicked me off!" The instructor narrowed his eyes. "I saw no such thing. This is warrior training. Handle your setbacks." Victor''s gritted his teeth in annoyance and proceeded to pick up his sword, brushed the dirt from his uniform, and began his ascent again. One step. Two swings. Ten steps. The weight increased. Twenty steps. Sweat dripped. Thirty steps. Grit teeth. By the time he hit step 33, he could see two other students subtly moving toward him from either side. ''They think I won''t see it coming again?'' This time, Victor was ready. As the two warriors reached for him, intending to trip or grab him, Victor''s skin suddenly turned extra whitish as he activated his Void Emperor Bloodline. A burst of invisible spatial energy spread out from him like ripples in water. His hand shot out and gripped both of their legs. With the gravity nullified by his active bloodline, Victor spun¡ªtwisting in place¡ªand hurled both students up and over. They soared in the air, past step 60. Cheers rose briefly¡ªuntil the two bodies hit the stairway and the pressure of that elevation crushed down on them like a mountain. Both students screamed as they slammed face-first into the stone steps with blood spurting from their noses and mouths. The onlookers below gasped. "They made it to 60!" "Wait... something''s wrong. Look at their faces!" The instructor moved upon noticing the pool of blood that had formed. He vanish in a blur and appeared beside the two injured students. He crouched and touched their foreheads, before standing with a frown. "They''re unconscious. Get them to recovery." Meanwhile, Victor continued his ascent, ignoring the injured students till he reached the 40th step. He wasn''t finished. Step after step, he climbed, the gravity pushing harder with every ten. By the time he reached the 60th step, he was shaking. Every swing of his blade now felt like it weighed 200 pounds more. The bones in his wrists groaned. He clenched his teeth. 61. 62. 63. Finally, his legs buckled at 64. Victor dropped to one knee while breathing hard. "I see..." he muttered. "Now I get why Kairo comes here..." Down below, whispers spread like wildfire. "He threw them! Did you see that?" "He''s way stronger than I thought." "Isn''t that the guy that kissed a girl without permission?" "Who cares? Did you see what he did?!" Victor eventually descended while wondering how far he''d go if he left his Void Emperor Bloodline activated. He retrieved his sword and returned to the gathering area, ignoring the stares. "You handled yourself well," one of the instructors muttered as he passed. Victor didn''t reply. He simply nodded and walked on. As he reached the shade of a nearby tree, he pulled a water bottle from his satchel and poured it over his head. He wasn''t letting bygones be bygones anymore. He would show no mercy to anyone that came for him. ... ... (( The Next Day )) The sharp morning chill hung in the air like fog as Victor moved with the others through the early routine drills. Camp 11''s training grounds were filled with activity and lots of movement. He was barely shaking off the stiffness in his joints when Instructor Vex Rhane''s voice boomed across the field. "Listen up, first years!" Every pair of eyes turned toward the scarred, muscular figure of their instructor with his arms crossed. "Tomorrow marks exactly one month since you all arrived at the Academy," Vex Rhane continued. "As such, your rankings will be released in two days." A wave of confusion passed over the students. Even Victor furrowed his brows. "Rankings?" Instructor Vex Rhane narrowed his eyes. "Everything you''ve done over the past month¡ªevery routine, practical, punch, every dodge, every failed attempt, every success, every moment of hesitation¡ªhas been recorded. Based on your total performance, a ranking list will be published for all first-year students. This ranking will be updated every month. Rankings determine access. Access to better weapons, better resources, exclusive lectures, better food and combat opportunities." Murmurs ran through the crowd. Some students looked excited. Others looked anxious. Chapter 175: The Confrontation Murmurs ran through the crowd upon Instructor Vex Rhane''s announcement. Some students looked excited. Others looked anxious. "And let me make one thing clear," the instructor growled. "Even an S-rank student can be demoted if they perform worse than a lower-ranked Awakener. I don''t care about your class¡ªyour actions speak louder than your rank." Victor''s heart sank. "Crap..." He''d intentionally stayed under the radar since arriving at the Academy. Between his time spent in Ascendant Realms, and the mess with Amara and Derek, he''d tried to avoid drawing too much attention to himself. Even during routines, he didn''t do too much to avoid anyone suspecting that he had numerous abilities that was beyond the strength of a warrior. "I''ve been holding back..." he muttered under his breath. He just realised that if a C Ranked was higher than him on the monthly rankings, it would mean that he''d get demoted. Kai who was walking beside him, gave him a sideways glance. "You good?" Victor forced a smile. "Never better." But inside, he was spiraling. ''Time to stop holding back...'' ¡ª Later that afternoon, Victor was alone, making his way through one of the open corridors that connected the training sectors. A quiet breeze swept through the pillars, fluttering his uniform. The place was relatively empty since most students were still finishing their personal sessions or in lectures. "Hey," a voice snapped behind him. Victor turned slowly to find four students walking toward him. Each of them was broad-shouldered, muscular, and carried a certain cocky swagger. Leading them was the tall, red-eyed bruiser from the mountain training yesterday¡ªBront Kesgar. Behind him were three others: Elric a slim and speedy assassin known for using twin daggers. He was very arrogant and always grinning. Farn was a burly Mage who mostly used earth based spells but his arms were as thick as logs. It was the first time Victor was seeing a muscular mage. Zerel on the other end was quiet but dangerous. He was also a Berserker who had placed third in a recent sparring match. Victor''s eyes narrowed. "Guess I should''ve known you''d come." "You humiliated us on the mountain," Bront growled while cracking his knuckles. "You sent us flying like clowns. Now everyone''s talking." Victor folded his arms. "So, what? You want an apology?" "No," Elric said with a grin. "We want payback." Zerel and Farn flanked Victor from the sides. The moment Victor took a single step back, they struck. Farn sent a hardened earth wall sweeping towards Victor. Victor leapt over it and spun across the air as the wall swept below him. The moment he landed, Elric appeared in his blind spot and slashed his dagger at him. Victor stepped towards the left and retaliated with a sweeping kick that rammed into Elric''s face and sent him flying. Zerel was next¡ª he came at Victor with surprising speed and strength, with a punch aimed for Victor''s face. Victor raised both arms and blocked his blow which sent him sliding backwards by a couple of feet but before anyone could blink... Fwwhoosshh~ He sped forward and elbowed Zerel in the ribs, causing the Berserker to fall to his knees in pain. A counter from Bront struck Victor across the back, sending him tumbling forward. "Guess I''ll have to stop holding back now..." Victor muttered while wiping a bit of blood from his lip. He activated his Void Emperor Bloodline, causing air to warp from the sheer pressure. All four of his opponents hesitated for a brief second¡ªjust enough. Victor vanished from sight and reappeared behind Elric, slamming his palm into the back of the boy''s head, knocking him out cold. Zerel activated a Berserker skill that caused his skin to turn red and his body size to nearly double. He attempted to punch Victor in the chest but Victor evaded, causing the fist to slam into a tree a burrow a hole straight through. Victor swerved around him while he was stuck and and delivered a rising knee to the chin, sending him flying into a pillar. Farn roared and charged, but Victor unleashed Wind Gale Palm while slamming his palm into his chest, sending the larger student flying backward and crashing into a bench. Now it was just Bront. "You think you''re tough?" Bront barked while drawing out his sword which erupted in flames. "I''m a B-rank warrior!" Victor''s voice was low and calm. "Then act like one." Bront roared and lunged with his sword raised his. Victor met him head-on. As the sword swept towards his body, he whirled around him and kicked Bront on his butt. Bront staggered forward with a look of humiliation. "What''s wrong? Didn''t you say you were going to make me pay?" Bront groaned in annoyance and charged forward once more while swinging. Victor ducked slightly, causing the blade to sweep above his head and emit a crescent shaped flame that surged toward another tree. Before Bront could retract his arm, Victor struck with a precise palm strike to his chest¡ª *CRACK!* Bront''s eyes widened as the blow hit like a hammer. His body flew over ten feet across the air with his sword separating from his grasp. Upon landing, his body still slid for a few feet more before coming to a stop. Victor walked toward him and stood over his sprawled out body. "I don''t go looking for fights," Victor said. "But I sure as hell finish them." Unbeknownst to him, a student from afar had watched the entire scene and hurried off in another direction¡ªlikely to spread word of what had just happened. Just as Victor was about to leave, a shadow shifted to his left. A flicker of movement. His instincts screamed danger but it was too late. A brutal wave of force surged toward him from a new attacker who had concealed their presence. Their gauntlet was ablaze with mana as their attack traveled forward, aiming a vicious strike at Victor''s side. He turned just in time to brace, but before the attack could land¡ª CRACK! A leg whipped through the air and collided with the attacker''s face mid-dash. Chapter 176: Reappearance Of An Old Friend CRACK! A leg whipped through the air and collided with the attacker''s face mid-dash. The sound echoed across the courtyard. The attacker was launched clean off their feet, flying several meters and crashing against a tree trunk before going limp. Victor blinked. Standing where the attacker had once been was a girl dressed in the standard Academy combat skirt and jacket. A lollipop danced between her lips as her dark purple hair, tied up in a messy ponytail glinted in the light. "Hey handsome," she said with a playful wink. "You''re a pretty difficult guy to track down." Victor''s eyes widened. "Selene?" She popped the lollipop from her mouth and smirked. "Took you long enough." Victor let out a dry chuckle and walked over. "I haven''t seen you since the entrance exam. Was starting to even wonder if you were in the Academy." She tilted her head. "Well, you vanished. Thought you''d died or something. But then I heard about some guy getting labeled a pervert, and I said to myself... now that sounds like Victor." Victor groaned. "Really?" She grinned before dragging him by the wrist. "Come on. Let''s find somewhere private to talk." They walked across the edge of the courtyard and into the trees surrounding one of the Academy''s lesser-used walking trails. Birds chirped in the high branches, and the air smelled faintly of pine. "So..." Selene said as she leaned against a tree while folding her arms. "Why were those guys after you? And don''t say it''s your charming personality." Victor scratched the back of his head. "It''s a bit of a mess. Remember Amara?" Selene arched an eyebrow. "Summoner princess? Yeah your friend mentioned her." He sighed. "We were close. I thought we had something. Back before we came here, she kissed me. Then... after we arrived, I kissed her back. It didn''t go well." Selene removed the lollipop from her mouth and stared at him. "Oh shit. You''re the first-year pervert everyone''s been whispering about?" Victor groaned and nodded. "Pretty much. She reported it. I got a warning. Now people avoid me like I''m a walking disease." Selene clicked her tongue. "Tsk tsk. No wonder you''ve been ghosting me. You blew me off for her?" He laughed awkwardly. "Yeah. I guess I was stupid." She walked up to him and playfully caressed his cheek. "You know I would''ve never done that to you, right? I mean, if I kiss someone, I don''t go filing a complaint after." Victor smiled wryly. "You''re not exactly the average girl." "Damn right." She turned away with her hands behind her back. "Still... you don''t deserve what they''re putting you through." Victor nodded. "I''ve learned that the hard way." The two continued walking through the Academy grounds, passing other students along the way. Victor couldn''t help but notice the stares. People whispered, gasped, and some outright avoided the path. One student even muttered, "Careful, he might try something." Selene heard it too. She spun and glared at them. "You little shits better keep walking." They hurried away. Victor chuckled. "Still as fiery as ever." "You bet." She leaned in close and whispered, "You think I came to this Academy just to sit around? Nah, babe. I''m here to stir things up. Don''t be afraid to cause some waves." Victor looked at her sideways. "Why do I feel like hanging around you again might be dangerous for my blood pressure?" Selene winked. "Because it is." Later, they visited one of the snack stalls near the East Wing. Selene bought a mango-flavored frozen pop and offered Victor a bite, which he awkwardly declined. "So what now?" she asked. Victor shrugged. "Focus on training. Keep a low profile. Wait for the storm to pass." She gave him a deadpan look. "That''s not the Victor I remember. You''re the guy who mocks his enemies while beating them into the dirt. Or at least that''s what your friend Danny said you used to be." He looked up at the sky. "That guy took a few hits lately." Selene stepped forward and flicked his forehead. "Then maybe it''s time he got back up." Victor stared at her for a long moment. Then, a smirk crept back onto his lips. "Maybe you''re right." They walked together under the orange dusk sky as the world around them momentarily quietened. ... ... (( Hours Later )) Under the artificial moonlight in the academy, Victor laid underneath sheets with a soft blue glow emanating from beneath his helmet. Midnight had arrived, but in Ascendant Realms, it was still day time. Victor glanced at his Bloodline Integration after cultivating all day. [Void Emperor Bloodline Integration: 49.9%] His expression twisted slightly. It had barely moved over the last few days, even with consistent meditation and use of Bloodline Resonance Technique. Even with all his growth, he was still sitting at Early Nascent Soul Realm, only 6% into the stage. The cultivation climb after Core Formation was nothing short of a mountain. With a sigh, Victor pulled up his quest log. The glowing screens spread before him like ethereal banners of purpose. <[Quest: Return To Lingyun Town]> <[Duration: 1 Year]> <[Elapsed Time: 8 Months]> <[Time Remaining: 4 Months]> He leaned back while letting a breath escape his lips. Four months left. Time was bleeding away. Then he scrolled to another quest¡ªthe one bestowed to him by the Lord of Blueflame City. <[Quest: Doom''s Edge: The Grove of Sealed Fate]> <[Duration: 1 Year] [Time Remaining: 7 Months]> <[Objective: Visit The Hollow Verdant, uncover the nature of the failing seal, repair and strengthen seal]> <[Sub-Objective: Survive the Ancient Grove''s Trials]> Victor rubbed the back of his neck. The Hollow Verdant¡ªan ancient spiritual sealing site rumored to be the gate to a dimension of dark immortals. This was a place he couldn''t step into until his bloodline integration reached a certain progress. Elder Mo had been clear: "wait until 50% and then reach out to me." "Still need that last damn 0.1%," he muttered. Tarkos stood nearby with his arms folded. "You look constipated. What''s the deal now?" Victor rolled his eyes. "We''re going hunting." Tarkos raised a brow. "About time." "The ones who placed the bounty on me. We''re going after them. One by one. I need to use my bloodline more, and what''s better than a little assassination therapy?" "I like where this is going," Tarkos smirked. They began packing supplies. Maps, spiritual pills, cloaks to shield their identities. Victor handed Tarkos a set of spirit-stabilizing talismans, while Tarkos offered him a vial of poison that apparently worked wonders on cultivators who relied on internal defense techniques. Their destination: a city far east of Blueflame, buried in mist and mountainous shadows. "Yinfrost City," Tarkos announced. "Capital of shadow trade, poison arts, and a haven for assassin guilds and serpent cults. It''s practically Jade Serpent territory." The journey would span weeks. No teleportation arrays covered this stretch of land. They would cross rogue cultivator zones, ungoverned wastelands, and spiritual beast territories. "Alright then... let''s go..." Victor stated. ... ... Their first day of travel took them through the Obsidian Trail, a rough spiky ravine filled with thorny growths and misty crevices. Halfway through, a flock of razorwing falcons descended from above, drawn by Victor''s qi signature. Tarkos instantly vanished into shadow, slitting one falcon''s throat mid-air with his bare fingers. Victor drew his sword and activated Wind Arts before sending arcs of compressed air into the sky. Feathers and blood rained down. Within minutes, they were surrounded by twitching carcasses. Victor looked at Tarkos. "We make a good team." Tarkos grinned. "You try not to get killed, and I do the heavy lifting." On the second day, they entered Reddust Flatlands. A crimson plain where the dust stuck to skin and made it harder to breathe. Here, rogue cultivators ruled. Late in the afternoon, three masked individuals in flowing crimson robes stepped into their path. "Leave your valuables, or leave your lives," one of them declared. Victor didn''t hesitate. With a twist of his fingers, a gale burst forth and tore two of them off their feet. The third attempted to lunge at Tarkos, only to be paralyzed mid-leap as Tarkos unleashed his cultivation realm. "P-p-p...eak... Soul Transformation..." "Rookies," Tarkos voiced with a cold tone before ripping the cultivator''s head off his body. By nightfall, the rogues were dead, and the Reddust Flatlands were behind them. Victor sat by a fire, taking in warmth due to the low temperature of the surroundings. His sword was coated in dry blood, and his qi reserves were running a little low. But he felt it¡ªtiny sparks of change. [Bloodline Integration: 49.92%] "Almost there," he murmured. Tarkos tossed him a flask. "Drink up. You''ll need it." But Victor knew he had to log out soon. He glanced up at the night sky. "Two days in-game. Time to check in with the real world." Just as he prepared to log out, a notification flickered before his eyes. [Player Is In A State Of Travel... Avatar Will Not Dematerialize] Victor blinked. "Wait... it won''t despawn?" Chapter 177: Nightmare Fuel Then Victor remembered: when he had returned to Ascendant Realms after months away, his avatar had still been active. That meant... ...based on certain conditions... a player avatar could remain in game even after logging out. He turnef toward Tarkos. "Hey. I need to leave for a bit. If I do it now, my body stays here." Tarkos nodded slowly. "You sure?" "Yeah. Just keep heading for the city. Take my body with you and keep it safe. I''ll be back." Victor proceeded to tap log out and his vision darkened. In the real world, back in his dorm, Victor''s helmet powered down. His eyes fluttered open as he slowly pried it off his head. He stretched, cracked his neck, and glanced at the time. Just past 4:40 A.M. "Alright," he muttered. "Back to reality..." ... ... Thursday mornings at Camp 11 brought with it one of the most demanding trials in the academy: the Obstacle Course. Victor stood among the assembled first-years with his eyes narrowed in focus. The chill of dawn clung to the grass, but his body felt warm with anticipation. It had been a month since they all entered the Academy, and now with the rankings due tomorrow, he knew it was time to stop holding back. "Go!" The moment Instructor Vex Rhane barked the command, a surge of power exploded across the field as hundreds of students took off. Victor''s eyes flicked once, then his entire form became a blur. He gathered wind around his body while activating Wind Dash. Air surged beneath his feet and hurled him forward with explosive momentum. Other students jolted as he blurred past them with his form gliding like a leaf caught in a cyclone. The course had changed again. Tall rock columns, twisting root bridges, unstable terrain that shifted like quicksand, even a forested region laced with swinging tree stumps, nets, rotating logs, and launching traps. It was chaos by design, tailored to test every instinct, reflex, and ability the first-years possessed. Berserkers roared their way through the stone towers, using brute strength to shatter barricades. Mages conjured spectral platforms to skip through the more treacherous terrain. Warriors leapt with calculated movements while slashing away traps with their blades. Victor soared over gaps that should have required a rope climb. His foot tapped a falling plank, springing him toward a slanted cliff that others had to climb. He leapt it in three bounds. A tree stump that was as large as a boulder swung at him from the side. Victor clenched his fist and threw it forward with force. Boom! The tree stump shattered on impact causing wood fragments to fly like confetti. He raced through a narrow jungle path with sharpened vines whipping out like snakes. He ducked, spun, and used his wind arts to burst across, evading every strike. Behind him, assassins tried to close the gap, using vanish-based skills and smoke teleportation arts. They were the fastest class in Camp 11. But Victor was a storm today. None of them could match his momentum. By the time he reached the finish line, the other students were barely halfway. He slowed to a jog while breathing steady. Gasps rang from the monitoring instructors. "He''s done? Already?" "That was impossible speed. Is that an S-ranked skill?" Vex Rhane narrowed his eyes. "No... that was raw control. He''s just that fast." Minutes passed before the next group began to arrive. Rylan looked stunned. "Bro... were you always this fast?!" Victor scratched the back of his head. "I''ve just been... pacing myself. Since tomorrow''s the big day, I figured I should try to dodge the bottom ranks." Others who had all done well in their own right¡ªwere left staring. Even some of the instructors were whispering. After the exercise concluded, the students made their way to the massive central auditorium for General Studies. This was one of the few lectures where every first-year attended together regardless of their magic class. Victor headed to his usual spot, but paused when he noticed Selene already sitting there. She twirled a lollipop between her fingers. "Took you long enough, Speedy." Victor blinked. "Where''d you come from?" "Secret assassin things," she winked before scooting over to give him room. Kai, Aria, Reed, Danny, and Rylan followed soon after, creating a small cluster. It was rare for students to form such a compact group unless they shared the same camp, but the instructors didn''t complain. The lecture began moments later. Instructor Kaelani Vos floated into view atop a platform orb. Holograms materialized around her and a murmur swept through the hall. A series of images projected above them. Slender, eerie humanoids with elongated limbs, antlered heads, and glowing, pupil-less eyes. Skin like polished bark. Clothing made of leaves, flowers, and woven moonlight. "Today''s lesson is on the Sylrith," she began. "Back in the early days of the mana surge, after the veil between worlds fell, the Sylrith claimed the forests of our world. Their magic enchanted the land itself, creating zones of illusion so powerful that thousands of humans vanished without a trace." She waved a hand and an image showed a lush green forest shimmering and changing form like a dream. "They do not age like us. They do not think like us. Their lives are woven into the flora and fauna. To enter their domain is to enter their dream... and dreams are not bound by logic. They remain the most difficult of the three species to deal with despite being relatively physically weak." Another image was displayed: A soldier lost in the woods, walking in circles as vines subtly constricted around his limbs without him noticing. Victor leaned back. "That''s nightmare fuel." Selene chuckled beside him. "They say even thoughts can betray you if you linger too long in Sylrith forests. Think of fire... and it burns you. Think of fear... and they feed on it." "Sounds like I''ll just think about taxes then," Victor muttered. "No one survives that." Danny burst into a stifled laugh while trying not to get called out. Instructor Vos continued. "In the war that followed the Sylrith invasion, only three major strongholds in the East remained standing. The Sylrith turned entire cities into overgrown graveyards." Chapter 178: The Journey Images showed battlegrounds buried in vines and fog, skeletal remains within flowers. "They are beautiful," Aria murmured while staring at the projections. "Beautiful and terrifying." Victor nodded. "Pretty much like every girl I''ve had a crush on." Selene gave him a sidelong glance and smirked. "Am I included in that list?" Victor grinned. "You''re a separate category." Instructor Kaelani Vos voice boomed. "Some interaction with awakened humans have proven that you can only break out of their illusions by finding the center..." He pointed to a floating screen. "Your first field mission¡ªnext month¡ªwill take select students to the borders of an enchanted region once ruled by a Sylrith clan but have long been regained by Mana Defense Officers. It is now a training zone." The class settled into stunned silence. Victor leaned toward Selene. "So, basically, don''t flirt with the flower elves unless you wanna end up buried in a rose bush." "Unless you like that sort of thing," Selene whispered. Victor squinted at her. "...Weirdly specific." The lecture concluded after another thirty minutes, and the students were dismissed. As the crowd dispersed, Victor walked out alongside the group with the buzz of Sylrith lore still hanging in the air. ... ... The sun was beginning to set over the gleaming towers and domes of the Awakened Academy, casting long amber shadows across the manicured walkways and training zones. After a long day of lectures, Victor opted to skip the usual cafeteria bustle and instead made his way toward one of the Academy''s private training centers. The room was already dimmed and configured to solo combat mode. The training bots were stored in pods along the wall, each one capable of mimicking human, beast, or elemental movements depending on the selected challenge. Victor swiped a finger across the control panel, selecting a medium-difficulty bot programmed for close-quarters combat. As the bot activated, its metallic limbs unfolded with smooth whirring noises. Victor exhaled slowly and gripped the training sword he had chosen. Though it wasn''t the legendary one he desired, it was perfectly weighted, ideal for blending his wind-based qi techniques with typical Warrior maneuvers. He began with Wind Gale. His feet slid across the polished floor, and he twirled once before releasing a tight spiral of compressed wind from the swing of his blade. It struck the bot squarely in the chest, pushing it back twelve feet. Victor followed up with Wind Blade, swinging his sword horizontally and unleashing a sharp crescent-shaped gust. It spun as it sliced through the air, embedding itself into the bot''s torso and sending sparks flying. "Good," Victor muttered while sheathing the sword briefly as the bot reset. He adjusted his stance and performed Wind Dash, vanishing for a split second and appearing on the bot''s right side with enough momentum to strike cleanly. He paired it with Wind Glide¡ªjumping forward, and then again in midair, using qi-infused energy to burst from the soles of his feet. This time, the bot reacted. Its arm shot out, attempting to grab Victor mid-glide. He twisted in the air and brought his sword down in an overhead slash. Sparks rained. After nearly four hour of constant drills, Victor felt sweat trickle down his back. His body was warm but not exhausted. The purpose of this session wasn''t to tire himself out¡ªit was to master the art of camouflage. These were techniques derived from his cultivation within Ascendant Realms, but to the Academy, they needed to look like nothing more than high-level Warrior abilities. He wiped his face, changed into fresh clothes, and made his way back to Dorm 11. To his surprise, the lights were off and the room was empty. Kairo hadn''t returned yet. Victor wasted no time. He tossed his towel into the bin, grabbed a snack bar from the counter, and scarfed it down. Then he lowered the blinds, checked that the room''s privacy settings were active, and slipped under his bed covers. He placed the VR helmet over his head and relaxed his breathing. Moments later, the familiar flicker of blue and silver particles filled his vision, and Victor was pulled back into the immersive world of Ascendant Realms. Only this time, he wasn''t standing. Victor blinked as the environment fully rendered. Wind whipped past his ears and the rocky scent of high-altitude terrain filled his nose. His body was jostling slightly¡ªhe was moving... ...Fast. He tilted his head up and saw braided black hair and the dark swirling tattoos of Tarkos. The assassin was carrying him across the vast mountain ridges of the Eastern Wilds. Victor almost burst out laughing. "You couldn''t just wait for my return?" Tarkos didn''t even glance back. "You said to keep moving. I''m keeping us moving." Victor groaned while trying not to bounce too much on the assassin''s shoulder. Below them, the terrain was a twisted mess of jutting stone pillars and craggy slopes. The region had no roads and no villages¡ªthis was part of the unaligned lands, a place notorious for rogue cultivators and spirit beasts. Victor asked, "How far till the next stop?" Tarkos responded dryly, "About half a day from here. Assuming no one tries to kill us." "Comforting." Victor shifted until Tarkos finally lowered him onto solid ground during a brief stop by a narrow stream. He rolled his shoulders and checked his status panel. [ Bloodline Integration: 49.9% ] [ Cultivation: Nascent Soul Realm - Early Stage (6%) ] Almost there. Just a fraction more. He opened his Quest Panel. [ Quest: Return to Lingyun Town Within a Year ] [ Time Remaining: 4 Months ] [ Quest: Doom''s Edge: The Grove of Sealed Fate ] [ Objective: Visit the Hollow Verdant, uncover the failing seal, repair and strengthen the seal ] [ Sub-Objective: Survive the Ancient Grove''s Trials ] [ Time Remaining: 7 Months ] "Still a lot to do," Victor muttered. He looked to Tarkos. "Once we reach Yinfrost city, we find out which Jade Serpent faction placed the bounty." Tarkos nodded before unwrapping a rice bun and handing one to Victor. Victor accepted it and chewed thoughtfully. "It''ll take weeks to get to that city, right?" "Yes," Tarkos said. "At least two weeks left. Maybe more depending on how often you leave and return." Chapter 179 179: Rankings Released Victor groaned again but sat up properly before they resumed their journey. The terrain they crossed was treacherous¡ª Storms brewed in distant skies, and occasionally, they''d spot grotesque beasts roaming below in valleys littered with the remnants of old battlefield ruins. By the afternoon of that first in-game day, Tarkos slowed near a ravine and motioned for silence. Down below, a cluster of rogue cultivators wearing mismatched robes stood in a half-circle, clearly in the middle of a deal. Victor''s eyes narrowed as he spotted one of them pulling out vials that shimmered with what looked like compressed soul energy. "Smugglers," Tarkos muttered. "Same kind I used to roll with." Victor gestured to circle them. "Let''s rough them up?" "Too many for a frontal assault. Not if we want to reach Yinfrost City before next week." Tarkos tilted his head. "Unless... you have an idea." Victor grinned and slid down the slope behind a nearby boulder. A few moments later, glowing shards of wind-imbued qi sliced through the air from behind, kicking up a storm of debris. The smugglers panicked before scattering in all directions¡ªright into Tarkos''s waiting fists. A few minutes later, the pair stood over a heap of unconscious men. [ Objective: Disrupt Rogue Cultivator Trade - Completed ] [ +40,000 Wisps of Qi ] [ +5 Attribute Points ] [ Loot Acquired: Shadow-Sealed Satchel, 3x Qi-Rich Vials ] Victor pocketed the vials and leaned against a boulder. "That was fun." Day two came with rain¡ªsharp, icy droplets slicing down from the misty skies. The terrain had shifted into slippery paths and bone-strewn tunnels. At one point, they were ambushed by spirit wolves that had soul-piercing fear techniques inbued into their howls. Tarkos who was unshakeable took the lead, while Victor moved like a shadow behind him. One wolf got too close. [ Technique: Phantom Moon Slash Activated ] Victor''s blade glittered in the mist, mirroring illusion of strikes layering into one real blow that bisected the beast cleanly. A ripple of spatial qi followed, sucking the blood trail into an unseen void. They camped that night in a sunken cave where fireflies the size of human fists glowed in the dark. "This feels... eerie," Victor muttered while staring at the fireflies circling their fire. "Everything on the path to Yinfrost is eerie," Tarkos replied while chewing on dried beast jerky. "The land itself is tainted with remnants of the Jade Serpent''s influence." Day three arrived with silence. The terrain was flatter, though not gentler. Qi storms surged in the distance, giant tornadoes made of compressed elemental energy. Tarkos advised they stop at a trader''s outpost nestled in a ridge hollow. The trader who was an old woman with wrinkled tattoos and sharpened teeth, sold them special moss that grew in the frostshade zones¡ª Finally, by the end of the third day, they stood atop a cliff. Tarkos pointed. "Yinfrost. Another one week journey at most, if the storms don''t shift." Victor exhaled. "I''ll take that. But first..." He opened his system interface and chose to log out. As the light in his eyes flickered, Tarkos sighed. "Hurry back, kid. The real horror starts in the city." [ Avatar In Travel State: Persisting Within World ] ... ... The morning air buzzed with excitement as Victor made his way to Camp 11. Today was the day. A day that came with the long-awaited release of the first-year monthly rankings. Around him, students were chattering. Some were full of confidence while others trying hard to hide their nerves. Victor had his hands buried in his pockets with a calm face, but inside his stomach was twisting. Instructor Vex Rhane had already hinted the day before that their accumulated performances¡ªfrom obstacle courses to stair drills and personal training¡ªwould be evaluated. With every drill and lesson tracked, it was all culminating now. After the morning routine¡ªwhich for once Victor took at a more relaxed pace¡ªhe followed the stream of students toward the main path that led to the lecture halls. A towering digital screen was centered above them, and the ranking list for the top 100 students blazed into view. Gasps. Whispers. Cheers. And then, predictable silence. Number one: Veyla ¨C S-Ranked Berserker. Number two: Elyra Vorn ¨C S-Ranked Warrior. Three through six were more of the same. One male S-Ranked Mage, two S-Ranked Assassins, and one S-Ranked Necromancer. Victor sighed. S-Ranked students were practically a different breed. Most didn''t even attend regular lectures or participate in daily routines. Their elite status allowed them to study independently with top-tier tutors or train directly in their personal building. So it was no surprise they dominated the top spots. Just like a lot others, Victor couldn''t find his name with the top hundreds. Which meant, he''d have to visit the public boards to find it where everyone would be able to see their names and ranks even if it was at the bottom of the list. Many other students were here as well and Victor had to squeeze into the crowd to get a proper view. Victor squinted as his eyes darted down the list. 201... 300... 350... but no Victor. "Damn it..." he mumbled and made his way around the nearby plaza where the rest of the rankings were displayed in tiers of fifty. Finally, in the 351-400 block, he found it: 371 ¨C Victor Revenant (B-Rank) He let out a long, relieved exhale. "Below me, all C ranks... Whew," Victor muttered, half to himself. Around him, the reactions varied wildly. Some students were celebrating, shouting and laughing as their names popped up higher than expected. Others, not so lucky. A tall B-Ranked warrior named Harwin stood slack-jawed as he found his name listed below two C-Ranked students somewhere around 600. "No... no no no. This is a glitch, right? RIGHT?!" he shouted. "Promotion and demotion cycles hit hard," someone muttered. Victor winced. He''d been holding back in some sessions¡ªespecially during the first three weeks. That decision could''ve tanked him if not for his recent efforts. Later that morning, Victor headed toward his first lecture of the day: Map and Geology. It was held in a wide, dome-roofed auditorium built into the edge of a cliffside overlooking one of the Academy''s many training biomes. Chapter 180 180: Another Weekend Their instructor, an older Awakened with a faded crimson cloak and short grey beard, introduced himself as Instructor Nolrik. "Today we begin our long-term series on terrains beyond the borders," he said, flicking his hand and causing a 3D map of the known world to appear in front of them. He pointed toward a shaded, crater-filled forest. "The Purple Circle. A seemingly docile forest until you realize the trees breathe mana and entrap minds. Or this..." he gestured to a scarred desert ridge. "The Glass Reaches. Sand that can slice through steel if stepped on the wrong way." Victor sat near the back, taking notes and occasionally drawing parallels between the real world geography and the regions he had visited in Ascendant Realms. It helped keep him focused. That, and the need to not slip lower in the rankings. By the time lectures ended that evening, the halls had grown quiet and the orange hue of sunset spilled across the courtyard tiles. Victor''s wristwatch buzzed. He tapped it. Selene: Dinner? You, me, and some questionable food court experiments? He grinned. Victor: Sure. Haven''t had my daily dose of crazy today. She sent a smirking emoji back. They met just outside FeedHub-11, the tier-three cafeteria that didn''t allow access for below B-ranked students. Selene, as usual, was wearing her signature smirk and had a purple lollipop twirling between her fingers. Before they could step in, Danny¡ªoverly enthusiastic and already halfway through a roasted turkey leg¡ªran up and slung an arm around Victor. "There you are, my battle-scarred brother! Thought you died on the ranking board. But look at you! Barely scraped through!" Victor rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the confidence boost." "Anytime," Danny beamed. As they entered the cafeteria, they spotted Aria grabbing a tray. When she saw them, she narrowed her eyes. "Don''t even start," she said while kabbing a finger at Victor. "I''m 231. Just TWO SPOTS away. And don''t think I didn''t see your name at 371." "Which means you''re still 140 spots higher. Congratulations," Victor grinned. Aria sighed as her tray clattered onto the table. "I trained my ass off all month. Just hundred and thirty one more points and I would''ve been on that damn board." "You''ll get there next month," Selene stated while plopping into her seat and pulling Victor down beside her. She wasn''t bothered about the ranking at all because despite being unserious most times, she was still ranked 89. "Besides, now you can channel your rage productively. Maybe hurl fireballs at the Berserker twins." Danny laughed. "Please do. They nearly took my head off during sparring yesterday." The atmosphere turned light as they began eating despite the stress of rankings. Victor chewed slowly as the chaos of the month replaying in his mind¡ªthe trials, the kiss, the fights, the bounty in Ascendant Realms, and now, finally, a sense of belonging¡ªfragile though it might be. "You know what?" he said aloud. "Next month, I''m aiming for top 100." Selene leaned in with her brow raised. "Ambitious. I like it." Danny chuckled. "Well, I''m just aiming to not get demoted. Being D ranked would suck." Aria grunted. "Just don''t die first." Victor grinned and stabbed a piece of mystery meat with his fork. ... ... Victor had been looking forward to this night for the entire week. Friday had finally come to a close, and tomorrow being Saturday meant he could finally stay logged into Ascendant Realms for up to twenty-four hours straight. That was more than five days of uninterrupted in-game time. He had already calculated that it would probably be enough time to finally finish the long and dangerous journey with Tarkos to Yinfrost City. The road had been brutal so far, and the worst was surely still ahead. But Victor was prepared. After he parted ways with Selene and Danny, having enjoyed dinner with them and Aria, Victor felt a little lighter for the first time in days. Selene had kissed his cheek before leaving, and though it was just a playful gesture, it still left a faint, residual heat buzzing along his skin. He walked down the dim path back to his dorm with a small smirk playing on his lips. However, halfway through the path, he slowed. A weird sensation brushed his senses. His neck tingled, and he felt a heavy awareness settle on his back¡ªas if eyes were boring into him. The pathway was dimly lit by only a few hovering bulbs, casting odd shadows between the tall hedges and trees. It felt spookier than usual. His smirk faded. He looked around casually at first, then with more caution. "Alright... I know I''m a handsome guy and all, but spying is weird, you know?" he said with a lopsided grin and a voice loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. No response. "C''mon, at least say hi. I don''t bite... unless you''re into that..." Still nothing. Victor exhaled slowly, then gave a casual shrug and continued walking. But behind him, from the shadow of one of the thicker trees, a figure slowly emerged. It was Amara. She stepped out of the shadows like a ghost haunting her regrets. Her hands were clenched at her sides, and her lips trembled. Guilt flooded her features, and her green eyes were glossy in the faint light. "I couldn''t face him... how will I be able to apologise if I don''t have enough courage to face him after everything that''s happened..." she whispered. She had watched everything. The dinner. The laughter. Selene''s kiss which made her feel a sting that she couldn''t quite describe. She knew it hadn''t been Victor''s fault. She was the one who had kissed him first. She was the one who denied it out of panic. She had filed the complaint because Derek told her to... not thinking it would spiral into campus-wide harassment. And now, Victor was hated by so many. Alone. Tears welled in her eyes, but she turned away before they fell. She wasn''t ready. Not yet. Chapter 181 181: Closing In On YinFrost Meanwhile, back at his dorm, Victor arrived and noticed that Kairo wasn''t in yet. Perfect. He shut the door, jumped into his bed, and slid under the sheets. Pulling the helmet over his head, he took a deep breath. "Let''s get some real work done tonight." He logged into Ascendant Realms. The familiar buzz filled his ears, and his consciousness snapped into the virtual realm. Only... this time, something was wrong. Victor''s eyes snapped open¡ªhe wasn''t standing. His limbs were bound tightly, and his back rested against a stone pillar. The ground beneath him was hard, cracked, and damp. "What the hell?" he muttered. Next to him, another figure stirred. "Oh, welcome back," Tarkos grumbled. He was tied up as well and his voice was laced with frustration. Victor twisted while trying to flex his fingers. "What happened? Why are we tied up?" Victor asked. Tarkos sighed. "While you were away, we crossed into territory patrolled by rogue cultivators. Bandits, to be exact. A powerful group. I was leading the way when we were ambushed. I would''ve killed them all, but... they slapped Qi-Locking Talismans on me." Victor looked down and saw a bunch of them¡ªetched with crimson symbols, pulsing faintly on Tarkos''s chest, shoulders and belly. "Oh... that explains it." "These guys know their stuff. They''re after something. They haven''t come back since they tied us up, but they''re not amateurs," Tarkos voiced with a tone of wariness. Victor grit his teeth. "We need to find a way out of this." Victor struggled against the ropes. "These bastards... do they even know who they just kidnapped?" Tarkos chuckled dryly. "I doubt it. One of them called you a ''rich merchant''s young heir'' while going through your pouch." Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind the nearest rock outcrop. "He''s awake, boys!" Four rough-looking cultivators strolled into view. Their robes were mismatched and worn¡ªnone bore sect insignias. Bandits. Worse yet, they moved with the precision of experienced rogue cultivators. The tallest one, who wore a bone necklace and had a twin blade strapped to his back, stepped forward. "You gave us a bit of worry earlier, snow-hair. Thought we might have to kill you. But then... your friend here said you''d regain consciousness," he gestured toward Tarkos, "and figured you both might be worth more alive." Victor met his gaze calmly. "If you think someone will pay a ransom, you''ve got the wrong people." The bandit leader sneered. "Oh, we''re not expecting ransom. We''re going to sell you." Victor''s brow furrowed. "Sell?" "To a contact in Yinfrost City," the man replied. "A buyer that specializes in rare goods. And you¡ª" he pointed at Victor¡ª "are something rare." Victor''s mind raced. If they were heading to Yinfrost anyway... maybe he could turn this to his advantage. "So you guys have any transportation?" Victor questioned. "Yes... those two legs of yours hahaha!" One of the bandits responded and all four began to laugh. Victor shook his head and realised it wasn''t worth it. "Hmm?" Victor suddenly noticed that while Tarkos was bound tightly with glowing restraints, he himself had no talisman on him. He tried to use qi and realised that it flowed towards him easily. Apparently, the captors hadn''t thought him worth worrying about. A deadweight being carried on Tarkos''s shoulder probably didn''t need restraining. Their mistake. Victor smirked. "Well, you fools should''ve done your homework." The suddenly retort caused one of the bandits to glare at him with anguish. "Hey who do you think you''re talking to?" Victor took a deep breath as spread qi through his veins. With a sharp burst of energy, the ropes disintegrated as wind surged around him. He rolled his shoulders and stretched. "He''s up!" The bandit yelled. Victor''s figure blurred as he activated his Void Emperor Bloodline. The arrow-like tattoos illuminated on his neck and arms. With a single step, he vanished from their sight. [Technique: Shadow Blink] He reappeared behind the two bandits with his sword already drawn. [Technique: Phantom Moon Slash] The sword trailed multiple glowing afterimages that struck with such precision the bandits didn''t have time to scream. Both collapsed, unconscious. Victor turned to Tarkos while the other two bandits began stepping back in fear. "Try not to get captured next time, assassin boy." Tarkos rolled his eyes as Victor ripped off the talisman and cut his bindings. "Not a word. It''s time for payback." Moments later, the whole den was in chaos. Rogue cultivators burst into the underground room with glowing talismans and blades raised. "Get them! Use the sealing marks!" Dozens of qi locking talismans were flung like daggers. If the talismans came close to them, they would lose their ability to use qi. Victor raised his hand, and Void qi swirled around him like a tornado. The talismans froze midair like they had been held up by invisible hands. [Void Emperor Bloodline Ability: Spatial Cloak] The talismans vanished, causing the bandits to look around in confusion. With a flick of his fingers, the invsible talismans reversed and slammed into their throwers. Screams rang out as their qi was locked. Tarkos pounced from the side and delivered a vicious roundhouse kick to one of the stunned cultivators, causing him to crash into the rocky wall. "Don''t mind me," he voiced while cracking his neck. "I''m just here for payback." Within minutes, the entire hideout was neutralized. [System Notification] [ Hidden Objective Completed: Escape the Kidnappers ] <[ New Objective: Ransack the Den ]> "Oh interesting... Tarkos, wanna turn this place upside down?" Tarkos only smirked in response. Minutes later, Victor and Tarkos moved through the dusty stone corridors, opening crates and chests filled with spirit herbs, tainted scrolls, and bags of spirit coins. One scroll bore a familiar serpent emblem. Victor narrowed his eyes. "The Jade Serpent Sect. These guys were linked." "Looks like your enemies have deep roots," Tarkos muttered. [Objective Completed: Ransack the Den] [ Rewards: +15 Attribute Points | 40,000 Wisps of Qi | Rare-Grade Spirit Herb x3 ] "Not bad," Victor voiced before stuffing the herbs into his pouch. "Let''s keep moving." They exited the den and resumed their journey eastward. For two days, the path was calm but exhausting. They hiked through muddy trails riddled with sharp roots and poisonous flora. A wild spirit beast, half-boar half-lizard, tried to ambush them but fell quickly to Victor''s Shadow Crescent Strike. By the third day, the land ahead changed drastically. Massive spiky cliffs loomed to their left, and the ground beneath them cracked in thin, dangerous lines. Tarkos slowed. "This is the Bleeding Hollow Expanse. Two days of cursed terrain and spiritual interference. The mist here messes with perception and qi sensing." Victor looked out over the floating rock pathway ahead. Mist rolled across it like silk, obscuring what lay beyond. "Great. My favorite kind of terrain." As they ventured forward, the path beneath their feet shifted. Victor used his Wind Arts to stabilize each step, while Tarkos stuck to the shadows. Halfway through, a horrific screech split the air. A massive winged serpent with glistening black and red scales rose from the mist. [ Void-Tethered Wyrm (Mutated) Approaching ] "Keep your footing!" Tarkos yelled. Victor activated [Technique: Shadow Crescent Strike] The dark crescent shot toward the beast''s eyes. The beast recoiled and let out another scream. Its tail whipped toward them. Victor leapt, using [Technique: Wind Arts ] And then activated Wind glide in mid air to further soar above and place another strike in between the winged serpent''s eyes. It made a loud shrieking noise in pain and swung it''s tail at Victor who was still in mid air. Victor inclined himself backward causing the tail to sweep above his head but before it could pass by completely, he grabbed it. Fwwhoooopp~ The tail swung him forcefully across the air and then he proceeded to use it to catapult himself further up. Tarkos hurled two explosive talismans at the beast that erupted on impact. Victor landed on the back of the beast and used [Phantom Moon Slash] once again. This time, the blade made contact with the creature''s neck, drawing black blood. With a shuddering roar, the beast shook Victor off forcefully and vanished into the mist. Victor fell from a height of over hundred feet. Just as he was less than twenty feet from hitting the ground, he activated wind glide and jumped in mid air. He landed on the ground without causing much impact. "Please tell me we''re close." Tarkos grinned. "You''ll see soon enough." By dawn the next day, they emerged from the fog. Tarkos stood near the edge of a craggy cliff with his arms crossed as he stared eastward into the horizon. "Yinfrost City lies just beyond the next few valleys," he said without turning. "If we make good pace, we should be there in another three days." Victor approached and squinted in the same direction. A blanket of frost shimmered faintly in the air, just barely visible past the misty hills. Even from here, the cold reached out like a whisper. "And when we get there?" Tarkos turned to face him now, a hint of warning in his expression. "Yinfrost caters more to women than men. The city is steeped in Yin qi. Unless a man is practicing the Jade Serpent cultivation style, he''ll freeze into a statue within minutes." Chapter 182: Wanna Hang? Tarkos turned to face him now, a hint of warning in his expression. "Yinfrost caters more to women than men. The city is steeped in Yin qi. Unless a man is practicing the Jade Serpent cultivation style, he''ll freeze into a statue within minutes." Victor''s brow lifted. "Sounds like my kind of place. Maybe they just want us to chill out, literally." Tarkos didn''t laugh, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "We''ll need Yin Jaded Robes. I have a few contacts who can get us a pair, but you should prepare. If I reach the city before you return. I''ll make arrangements." Victor gave Tarkos a wave. "Alright, deal. Keep my seat warm. Or...cold, I guess." He brought up his logout interface, and the world faded. --- The warmth of the dorm struck him first. Afternoon sunlight trickled through the half-open blinds. He stretched beneath his blanket and blinked the real world into focus. Kairo was seated across the room, focused on a stack of books lined up before him. Always serious... Victor rubbed his eyes and groaned, "Back to the mundane." His watch buzzed repeatedly. Tapping it, a holographic screen flickered to life. Selene: Hey! Wanna hang? Selene: Or are you still playing the role of Sleeping Beauty? Selene: You better not be ghosting me. I know where you sleep. Victor chuckled and replied, "Just woke up. Gimme an hour?" Selene: Fine. You get a 60-minute pass. Clock is ticking. Victor set the watch aside and shuffled to the mini-fridge for a quick brunch: a mana-infused snack bar and half a carton of juice. He quietly pulled his phone from beneath his mattress and connected it to the Academy''s secure internal network. A few swipes later, he was greeted with a surge of notifications. Subscribers: 971,204 His jaw slackened. "What the¡ª?" Just days ago he was hovering near 600k. Now? The numbers had skyrocketed. His video content¡ªstealth recordings of Academy training routines, dorm antics, and lectures¡ªhad gone viral. Forums were ablaze with theories, edits, and admiration. Some clips were funny, like Reed getting his sword stuck in the mud. Others were serious training montages showing Aria performing high-speed techniques or Selene effortlessly vaulting over obstacles. Victor tapped on the comments beneath his latest video: "Anyone else crushing hard on Amara? Those green eyes, bro..." "Reed''s a comedic legend. We need a blooper compilation." "Yo Victor go live!! We need to see this stuff in real-time!" He smirked. Live streaming wouldn''t be easy. Every time he recorded footage, he had to shroud the camera in his qi, especially in lecture halls or combat zones to cloak it. He also made it float sometimes so he couldn''t imagine how much more stressful a live stream would be. He replied to one comment: "Might go live during the legacy competition. Stay tuned." Before he knew it, the hour had passed. Selene: "Time''s up, Sleeping Beauty. I''m outside your dorm. Let''s go cause trouble." Victor chuckled and quickly got dressed in a loose-fitting combat shirt and academy-standard boots. He tucked his phone away and stepped out. Selene leaned against the wall, wearing a short red jacket over her uniform and a pair of enchanted earrings that glinted under the hallway lights. She popped a lollipop from her mouth and grinned. "Let''s go. I found something new." "Should I be scared?" "Absolutely." She led him across the campus, past dorms and sparring yards, down a lesser-known stairwell that twisted underground. They passed warning signs that were either old or mostly faded. Victor glanced around. "Is this, like...restricted?" "If it was truly restricted, the signs would glow," Selene winked. "Trust me. It''s mostly forgotten." The air grew cooler as they descended, and a quiet vibration reverberated from the stone walls. At the end of the stairwell was a large chamber with a cracked arena floor. "Old training chamber," she said while twirling her lollipop. "Used by third-years years ago. But it still works. Sorta." Victor raised a brow. "What do you mean sorta?" Selene pulled a small glowing crystal from her pocket and chucked it into the center of the room. It clinked, pulsed, and then shattered. The air warped. Suddenly, dozens of training bots materialized, some humanoid, others resembling magical beasts. "Combat playground," she said proudly. "And it''s just the two of us. Wanna spar or team up?" Victor drew his standard-issue blade and twirled it. "Let''s see what you''ve got, red menace." ... ... Victor trudged into his dorm room well past 9pm with his legs dragging like sandbags. Every bone in his body ached from the madness that was a full day spent with Selene. The girl was pure chaos wrapped in sugar and sarcasm. First, she''d made him climb what she dubbed "Mount Suck-It-Up," a rocky formation in a secluded part of the Academy that was strictly off-limits. Then she started a shouting match with a group of high-ranking healer girls just because one of them made a snide remark about Victor being the "pervert from Camp 11." The shouting match quickly escalated when Selene socked one of them straight in the nose. Blood, insults, and laughter followed. Victor had barely kept up. He still had bruises on his arms from slipping down rough stone paths and his throat felt hoarse from all the defending he had to do. Now all he wanted to do was flop on his bed, log into Ascendant Realms, and finally complete his travel with Tarkos. He was just about to pull his bedsheet over his head when Kairo stirred in the sitting area. The guy, who had been seated cross-legged in front of a mound of books for hours, finally shut one of the massive tomes and stood up. "Finally done," Kairo muttered while stretching his back with a crack. Victor peeked from under the sheet. "Done with what?" Kairo looked at him with a mix of smugness and exhaustion. "The assignment." Victor blinked. "What assignment?" Kairo raised an eyebrow. "The one from General Studies. You know, the one Instructor Kaelani Vos assigned two weeks ago? Locate the Uncharted Wilds on the present-day world map. It''s 20 marks. Due on Monday." Victor bolted upright like someone had lit a fire under his sheets. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Did you get it?" "After visiting three different libraries, sifting through outdated maps, cross-referencing geological records, and practically living with my face buried in pages, yeah. I got it." Victor clapped his hands together in a pleading gesture. "Bro, you''re my lifesaver. Pass it over. Let me copy real quick." Kairo''s face remained as unreadable as ever. "No." Victor blinked. "No?" "You heard me. I didn''t break my back doing this just so someone who spent the day sucking face with a chaotic demon in a skirt gets a free ride." Victor chuckled while scratching the back of his neck. "Okay, fair, but come on. You can''t let me fail." Kairo crossed his arms. "Have you even stepped foot in a single library since we arrived at the Academy?" Victor went quiet. "Exactly. Strength isn''t everything, Victor. Knowledge is power. You want to survive out there? Start acting like it." With that, he packed the towering stack of books into his arms and walked out the door. Victor followed a few seconds later, only to find the hallway empty. Kairo had vanished. Victor let out a long, theatrical sigh. "This is the universe punishing me for being hot, isn''t it?" Still, there was no use whining. If he didn''t get that assignment done, he''d get a zero. And from what he''d heard, Instructor Kaelani Vos took her 20-mark assignments very seriously. So, with reluctant determination, he got dressed, grabbed his student card, and headed toward the nearest library. He wasn''t sure what he expected when he stepped into the Academy''s Archive Spire, but it sure as hell wasn''t this. The place was massive. As tall as a cathedral and layered in ascending rings that spiraled upward like a coil of knowledge. Books floated in neat, glowing rows, arranged by subject, date, and restricted access. Barricades divided the space based on rank. F-Ranked students could only access the bottom floor. B-Ranked students like Victor could go as high as the third ring. He placed his palm on the identification scanner, and the barricade shimmered before parting to let him through. A floating orb greeted him and requested the category of his research. Victor told it: modern geography, post-Terraform Event era, classified realms. The orb blinked twice and zipped upward before returning with a map the size of a small table and a series of dusty books. Victor sighed. This was going to be a long night. He started by flipping through books with titles like "Post-Portal Continental Shifts," "Lost Territories and Forbidden Biomes," and "Chronicles of the Eastern Rifts." The deeper he read, the more disturbed he became. The world outside the domed cities wasn''t just dangerous¡ªit was an alien hellscape. Certain forests grew roots that could trap vehicles and crush them. Lakes turned into mirages the moment you reached them, vanishing into smoke and revealing mana-devouring sinkholes beneath. Mountains that changed shape based on celestial phases. And then there were places where time didn''t flow properly¡ªwalk in during sunset and come out to find a year had passed. Chapter 183: The Uncharted Wilds Mountains that changed shape based on celestial phases. And then there were places where time didn''t flow properly¡ªwalk in during sunset and come out to find a year had passed. Victor devoured every book he could within the allowed tier. But the Uncharted Wilds remained elusive. All references he found were vague. "The mist lands beyond comprehension," one book said. Another claimed it was located in a region near the southeastern trench of what used to be coastal India, but the coordinates made no sense. By the time the artificial lights dimmed to signal dawn, Victor had developed a mild twitch in his left eye. His hands were ink-stained, and he reeked of paper glue and mental exhaustion. But he wasn''t going to stop. If Kairo could find it, so could he. He stood, stretched his back until it popped, and glanced out the giant crystal window overlooking the Academy''s east wing. The sun wasn''t up yet, but the sky was starting to lighten. "Alright," he muttered while rubbing his eyes. "Round two." He headed for the next closest library. Maybe the answer wasn''t in conventional geography, but in obscure expedition logs or decrypted relic records. Either way, he was going to find it. ... ... Victor''s eyes ached from further hours of relentless research, but he refused to stop. The new library around him was vast¡ª Rows upon rows of floating tomes, encased in glowing glyphs and suspended in radiant light. He had moved from one hall to another, gathering dusty maps, ancient atlases, and weathered expedition logs, all in the hopes of finding what others had missed. Victor was already giving up. It was Sunday, and the submission date for the General Studies assignment was Monday. He had spent almost two full days moving from library to library, flipping through maps, ancient geography logs, old textbooks, and obscure records on pre-mana world layouts. He had learned so much, and yet he hadn''t found what he was looking for¡ªthe location of the Uncharted Wilds. His head ached. His eyes stung. And as he dragged himself out of yet another quiet, floating archive section of one of the lesser-known libraries, he wondered if the whole assignment was a trick question. "Maybe this is just one of those things no one''s meant to find," he muttered under his breath as he trudged through the dimly lit pathway that led back toward the dorms. He was just about to round a corner when he slowed. A group of girls were lounging on the grass outside one of the open-air courtyards, speaking with loud voices. "¡ªI''m telling you, leaving him alone in a room with me would be too dangerous. Not for me but for him. He''s too hot," one of them giggled. Victor was about to walk past, when the word dangerous hit him like a thrown dagger. His eyes widened. Dangerous. Suddenly, like puzzle pieces locking together, flashes of everything he''d read began to tumble into place. All the fragments that mentioned the Uncharted Wilds always emphasized the word "dangerous". But that word was used everywhere when referring to regions outside the dome cities. Why did the Uncharted Wilds seem to emphasize it repeatedly? He paused in place while myriad of thoughts ran through his mind. A memory of one of the more recent maps he had glanced at earlier that evening flashed into view in his head¡ªred zones marked A to G. He hadn''t looked too deeply at them. Just noticed the red color and skimmed over the designations. He had assumed they were some kind of quarantine areas. "Wait..." Victor turned sharply on his heel and bolted. Back to the library. He reached the archive area, input his ID, and raced toward the floating map records. The map he remembered was still in his cache. He accessed it and stared. There it was. Zones A through G. Red. Unlabeled. Marked only as hazardous. Victor quickly went and brought back a map that was older than the one in his grasp by about ten years. He laid it side-by-side with the newer one. He scanned both. On the much older map, only four zones were marked in red, and they weren''t referred to as A to G¡ª They were referred to as "The Beyond". Oddly, some of the current Zones E, F, and G were once named cities from days before the mana descent. Something had changed. He darted toward the historical archive index and pulled a massive compendium of Awakened Defense History. Flipping through its yellow-edged pages, he read about early reclamation efforts, the rise and fall of clean-up teams, and then¡ªthere it was. "When scouts were first sent into these areas now known as ''Beyond Zones,'' they failed to report back. All communication ceased. Some of the best Assassin-class Awakened disappeared without a trace. Repeated attempts to breach these areas ended with mass casualties." He swiftly located another map made five years after the previous one and that had ''The Beyond'' marked as Zones A to G. "Zone A to G..." They weren''t just random red regions stamped on a map. The more Victor examined the timestamped editions, the clearer it became: they were spreading. The oldest edition he checked only had four marked areas called ''The Beyond''. But in the version created a decade later, there were seven. And here it had changed from ''The Beyond'' to Zones A to G. Adding three more areas. On a map created five years after that, they had become eleven. Zone A to K. Each zone coincided with reports of failed recon missions. Entire squads of awakened vanishing, not a single communication received after contact. Some of the logs didn''t even describe what happened¡ªjust a line that read: "Lost. No retrieval." And still, no names. No cities. No landmarks. Only danger zones. Victor recalled something Instructor Kaelani Vos once said during a lecture: "We fear what we cannot name. The Uncharted Wilds have no name... for a reason." The pieces clicked in his mind like a sudden jolt of thunder. He remembered the whispers. The terms. "Beyond" was what the earliest records had called it. Then it became Zone A through K. This wasn''t just a random designation. It was the silent evolution of fear. Of ignorance. A silent admittance by cartographers and awakened officers alike that something out there was unknowable... and possibly unbeatable. He stood up from the archive table and rushed back to a nearby map¡ªone that was labeled "World Survey: Year 21 After the Rift." It was stamped with bold red circles in eleven places. No name. No details. Just crimson. Victor skimmed through a corresponding book on recorded recon attempts. Page after page. One mentioned a team of assassins who were "sent to scout Sector F" and "never reported back." Another described the deployment of a high-level berserker unit that "was annihilated within minutes of crossing into Sector B." Survivors? None. But there were timestamps. Missions attempted. Follow-ups planned... and canceled. Victor flipped to the glossary in the back of the volume and found a sentence scrawled in italic gold ink: "The Uncharted Wilds¡ªzones beyond comprehension. Unnamed, untouched, Unreclaimed, unexplained." His hand trembled as he wrote that down. Finally. Proof. Not guesswork. Not theory. He whispered to himself, "I found it. I found the Uncharted Wilds." Victor closed the book and leaned back against the chair while exhaling deeply. The library''s magical lights flickered overhead as if congratulating him. His eyes wandered across the massive archive once more. He had never stepped foot into these libraries since arriving at the Academy, but now he understood. This place didn''t just hold information¡ªit held answers. Answers most never even thought to ask. There was a world of knowledge here waiting to be discovered. He jotted everything down, organizing his notes clearly and concisely. He needed to impress Instructor Kaelani Vos. This wasn''t about being flashy¡ªit was about showing the work. The depth. The trail that led him here. By the time Victor left the library, it was already 2A.M midnight. He hadn''t slept in days and was extremely exhausted. The moment he got back to his dorm, he collapsed onto his bed and passed out... ... ... (( Hours Later )) Victor shot out of bed like a man chased by demons. "Crap! Crap! Crap!" The blaring red digits on his desk clock read 5:14 AM. He was late. He yanked on his training uniform, still halfway tucked from yesterday, and bolted out of the dorm. Kairo wasn''t even in sight¡ªprobably already at his camp like every other punctual student. Victor sprinted across the mist-drenched paths with his eyes burning from the lack of sleep. By the time he skidded to a halt at Camp 11''s designated obstacle track, Instructor Vex Rhane stood with arms folded and an expression that could slice boulders in half. The camp was already mid-routine. Students were scaling walls, leaping platforms, and crawling under mana-wired netting. Victor saluted awkwardly. "Revenant," Rhane''s voice was as sharp as his jawline, "You are fifteen minutes late." Victor nodded while panting. "Since you like extra attention, you get extra work. Four laps. Weighted. No abilities." Chapter 184: Yinfrost City Rhane tossed him a pair of iron weights which landed with a bone-jarring thud. "Yes sir..." Victor muttered while strapping them on. As he began his laps, sweat poured within the first few steps. The weights were no joke since they were four times his usual amount. His calves and each breath felt like fire. Somewhere along the second lap, Rylan jogged beside him, light on his feet as always despite the weight. "Late today, Victor?" "Assignment," Victor puffed. "General Studies. Didn''t sleep in two days." Rylan blinked. "Oh, that? I finished it a week ago. You should''ve asked me. I''d have let you copy." Victor stumbled mid-step. "You¡ªwhat?! Damn you, Kairo!" Rylan laughed and patted his shoulder. "Should''ve asked." After morning routine, completely drenched in sweat and dragging his legs, Victor made it to the lecture halls. The first class of the day? General Studies. Fantastic. He dropped into his usual seat among familiar faces. Danny, Selene, Aria, Reed, Kai, and Rylan were all present. "You stink more than usual," Aria said without a hint of shame. "Morning to you too, princess," Victor mumbled, still catching his breath. He leaned closer to the group. "Did you guys finish the assignment?" "Of course," Selene said with a pop of her lollipop. "Easiest thing ever," Reed chimed. "Ate up a weekend but worth it," Kai added. Victor wanted to cry. "I didn''t have to break my back over maps and ancient tomes," he muttered. "Could''ve just asked you guys." "There''s virtue in suffering," Rylan offered while patting him again. "I''ll throw that virtue into the Void," Victor replied. Instructor Kaelani Vos entered in her usual gliding grace. The hall fell silent. "Assignments, please." Digital folders opened in the air, flashing student names. Victor submitted his with a shaky sigh. Minutes later, a large red line glided across the air. "Unfortunately," Kaelani said, "more than half of you failed." Victor blinked. Then grinned. He leaned toward Danny. "Guess all those days without sleep weren''t for nothing. Take that suckers!" Danny groaned. Victor made a show of smirking. Until he realized every eye was now boring into him. "What? I didn''t say anything that loud." Kaelani raised a hand, and the room darkened. A glowing map unfolded, filling the front of the hall. The latest world map. "These," she gestured to zones marked in red, "are the Uncharted Wilds. Mr. Revenant''s deductions were the most detailed and accurate." Victor sat straighter. "Oouu nothing like being referenced..." Kaelani went on to explain the formation of Zones A to K, their unknown dangers, and why even top-tier awakened avoided them. "Perhaps," her gaze lingered on the map, "one day, the next generation will conquer these zones. But not yet." After General Studies, Victor joined the other Warriors at the training cliffs. Their task: climb the hundred-step gravitational staircase and swing their swords twice after each step. Gravity intensified every ten steps. They had been on this for over a week already so Victor had already gotten the hang of it. VWhen it was his turn, he moved with swiftly without pausing for even a second. Step. Swing. Step. Swing. 30 steps. 40. 50. Gasps rose around him. Aria gritted her teeth at 80 and stopped. Kai managed 70. Reed gave in at 62. Kairo was the first to reach 100. Claps rang out after he completed it. Victor was sweating profusely at the 90th step but still pushed forward while clenching his jaw. After a few more minutes, he reached the hundredth step. He swung twice. Silence followed. Then applause. Victor didn''t smile. He only nodded and stepped down. He was the second to complete the drill. As he walked away, a pair of eyes followed him from the crowd. One of the first year warriors¡ª with a scar cutting through his left brow watched Victor like a predator. However, Victor didn''t notice. ... ... Victor sat through his final lecture for the day, a practical course on sword momentum redirection that had left most of the warrior students panting and drenched in sweat. As usual, he handled it well enough to get a few nods from the instructor, but he didn''t feel particularly exceptional today. The events of the morning still lingered in his mind, from General Studies. When he finally made it back to his dorm, the first thing he noticed was Kairo''s absence. Again. He had likely gone off for personal training again¡ªsomething he did almost obsessively. "He really trains every day without fail," Victor muttered while rubbing his neck. Sometimes Victor couldn''t help but feel like he wasn''t doing enough. While others pushed themselves in training lounges or took on duels in the open courts, he spent most of his nights diving into Ascendant Realms. But then again... that was his own form of training. Since, it was the source of his power. Still, the thought lingered. He figured he could balance both. "I''ll start visiting the Academy library at least twice a week," he muttered to himself. Not just for assignments, but to really understand the world he was fighting for. Victor took this as his cue to finally dive back into Ascendant Realms. It had been days in the real world, which meant a possible couple of weeks or more had passed in-game. Tarkos should''ve made it to Yinfrost City by now. Victor had already steeled himself for surprises¡ªbut what he didn''t expect was to spawn in total darkness. "Huh?" he grunted. He tried to move, but his limbs barely had space to stretch. His knees were bent awkwardly. The walls pressed in from all sides. It felt like he''d been stuffed into a container... a very tight one. "Tarkos!?" Victor shouted. No response. He began hammering his fists on the cramped walls, then tried using his legs. The space echoed dully. The air was stuffy, and the heat from his body seemed to have built up in the enclosed area. "Alright, screw this," Victor grumbled. He began channeling his qi, preparing to blast his way out, when suddenly a section of the ceiling popped open and light poured in. "Took you long enough," a dry voice muttered. Victor fell out of the compartment and landed with a thud on a soft mattress laid on the floor. The first thing he saw was a tall man with pale skin, long black hair tied back into a low tail, and cold green eyes. He wore a tight, slate-colored robe lined with jade seams and carried himself with a disciplined bearing. "Who the hell are you?" Victor asked while catching his breath. "An associate of Tarkos. He asked me to keep your body safe until you returned." Victor looked around. The room they were in was dimly lit by hanging lanterns that radiated a soft blue flame. Scrolls lined the walls, and the window slats were sealed with a jade-like material. There was a constant, muffled ~whoooshh~ outside, almost like wind whistling through frost. "Welcome to Yinfrost City," the man said. Victor began dusting himself off after standing. That was when he realized something was different. He looked down at himself and noticed he was dressed in a dark green robe with pale blue patterns running across the sleeves and hem. "What the¡ª?" "Those are Jaded Robes," the man explained. "Any male who enters Yinfrost City without them will begin to freeze within minutes unless they practice the Jade Serpent Sect''s cultivation method." Victor blinked. "So... this place really is as wild as Tarkos said." "Wilder," the man said. "You''re welcome." Victor opened his mouth to ask more questions, but the man simply gestured for him to follow and led him to a larger chamber. This one had multiple maps spread out on a wide stone table and looked like a war room. "Tarkos told me you''d be back soon. But he also said not to leave this place until he returns. You draw too much attention." "Gee, thanks," Victor muttered. Left with no choice, he wandered a little around the chamber, ate a bit of bread and dried meat, and waited. Hours passed. The sky dimmed outside the sealed windows as the frost-like mist in the surroundings grew thicker by the moment. At last, the heavy main door swung open. Tarkos stepped inside while brushing snowflakes off his cloak. "You''re finally back," Victor said. Tarkos looked him over and grinned. "Still alive, I see. Good." The man who had been tending to Victor instantly straightened and lowered his head in a respectful bow. "Young Master Tarkos," he greeted solemnly. Tarkos waved a hand casually. "At ease, Yuren. I trust you didn''t let anything happen to him while I was gone?" "Of course not. He woke up just a few hours ago. I briefed him as you instructed." Victor stared at the two of them with a lifted brow. "Young Master?" he repeated aloud. "Tarkos, since when do people bow to you and call you titles like that?" Tarkos gave a slight smirk. "You never asked." "Eh whatever... Where the hell have you been?" Chapter 185: Assassination Begins "Working. And gathering intel." Tarkos took off his outer coat and placed it on a hook. He stretched a bit, then cracked his neck. "I''ve mapped out all the sub-factions within the Jade Serpent Sect operating here." Victor''s interest immediately perked up. "Spill." Tarkos walked to the table and unfurled a long scroll. It showed the rough layout of Yinfrost City¡ªand in red ink, several marks. "First off, there are four factions within the Jade Serpent Sect that operate out of this city. Not all of them are directly aligned with each other. Some compete for favor. It was one of these factions that placed the bounty." He pointed at a mark near the southeast quarter of the map. "The Emerald Coil Pavilion. They''re the ones who lost a few men during the Dragon Tears incident. Apparently, some of their elite disciples were present. They''re the ones who put a bounty on you." Victor frowned. "So what now?" "We don''t start a war," Tarkos said. "We pick at the edges. Their outer members. Their safe houses. We make them bleed slowly. Once their elders are exposed, we strike." Victor nodded slowly. "A methodical take-down, huh?" Tarkos looked at him with a grin. "You''re finally starting to think like an assassin." Victor chuckled. "Well, I did get kidnapped last time. Not a mistake I plan to repeat." "Good," Tarkos said. "We move at dawn. Rest while you can." Victor turned and headed toward the small chamber he had been assigned, but not before one last glance at the mist-shrouded window. ... ... Victor spent the entire night cultivating, seated cross-legged within the quiet confines of the chamber Tarkos had secured for them. The ambient spiritual energy was far less potent than that within sect grounds, but still rich enough to help him progress slowly. As dawn approached within Ascendant Realms, Victor opened his eyes to a fresh system notification: [ Nascent Soul Realm: 9% Progress ] His eyes gleamed with quiet satisfaction. Even though the progress felt slow, every increment pushed him toward greater strength. He stood, stretched, and walked out of the room. Tarkos was already waiting by the entrance of the building with his arms folded and a mask in hand. "It''s time." Victor nodded and followed Tarkos out into Yinfrost City¡ªhis first true glimpse of the cityscape since arriving days ago. A cold gust brushed against his cheeks as they stepped through a frost-rimmed archway, and what Victor saw made his steps falter. Yinfrost City was a wonder of frost and symmetry. Built along a descending valley, the city shimmered under a pale blue mist. Elegant crystalline structures stretched skyward like frozen cones, adorned with icy vines. And right through the heart of the city ran a massive frozen stream, so wide it could host battleships side by side. Yet, despite being frozen, strange aquatic creatures glided beneath the surface¡ªslithering eels with silver eyes, glowing finned serpents, and schools of translucent fish that swam like flickers of light. The stream branched in two at a certain junction, where a shrine-like structure floated above the confluence. Small bridges laced with hanging frost lanterns arched over the stream, connecting one half of the city to the other. Every few moments, one could hear faint singing from some distant tower¡ªhaunting melodies laced with spiritual resonance. Victor whispered, "Now this is a city worth remembering." "Try not to gawk too long," Tarkos said without looking back. "This place is beautiful, but the people here are vile." Their destination was the Emerald Coil Pavilion¡ªa minor sect branch affiliated with the Jade Serpent Sect. Their path led them through winding alleys of frost-slick grounds and into an eerie passage coiled like a serpent between two cliffs. The air here grew colder but fortunately the Jaded Robes kept them from turning into frozen statues. They stopped near a bend. "This is where their outer disciples pass daily. Sometimes for errands, sometimes for patrol. We''re going to start thinning them. Slowly. Quietly." Victor and Tarkos pulled on their masks. Not long after, three robed figures slumbered down the icy path, laughing among themselves. One of them who happened to be a tall skinny male, spoke with crude bravado about his recent abuse of a merchant woman who had failed to pay "tribute" for protection. "She pleaded and pleaded but I still peed in her mouth hahaha!" Tarkos suddenly moved like a phantom. With no warning, his arm pierced straight through the chest of the laughing disciple. The laughter stopped as blood misted into the cold air from the hole in his chest. The other two froze. Victor had already moved as well and swiftly activated... [ Shadow Crescent Strike ] His blade unleashed a crescent of shadowed energy, slashing through the left arm of one of the remaining disciples. The disciple screamed in pain and staggered back while clutching his bleeding stump. He instantly turned around and tried to flee but Victor shot forward using... [ Wind Dash Activated ] He appeared in front of him in a blur. Before the disciple could activate a cultivation technique, Victor thrust his blade through his chest, impaling him clean. He turned back just in time to see Tarkos already wiping his blade and sitting cross-legged on two corpses. He had already killed the third disciple. "You really do take your time," Tarkos muttered. "My grandma kills faster and she''s a cripple." Victor rolled his eyes. "Remind me to never meet her." They piled the bodies together and dragged them to a small crevice beneath the cliffside where the ice was thick. The scent would be masked for at least a week. For two more days, the process repeated. They lurked along the winding snake path, killing in bursts of silence. Victor mostly used [Phantom Moon Slash] and [Wind Gale] in tandem, slicing down multiple targets. Each encounter helped refine his reflexes and blend his sword skills with his bloodline techniques. One time, a group of four disciples walked into their trap. Tarkos handled two with his bare hands while Victor trapped the others between conjured wind walls, then skewered them in rapid succession. Although it was brutal, each disciple they killed proved to be exactly as vile as the last¡ªone had kept spirit beasts in cages for torture training; another had human fingernails in his pouch. By the third night, the entire Emerald Coil Pavilion was beginning to stir. "They''ll notice soon," Tarkos said as they returned to the safehouse. "Rumors are spreading. Their junior disciples are vanishing. No one knows who''s doing it yet." Victor sat back with a tired sigh. "We''ll go for the higher ranked ones next, right?" "Soon. But first, we wait for them to panic. Let them investigate. Let them waste energy. That''s when we strike harder." Victor checked the time in his system UI. He''d spent nearly four days in-game. "Looks like it''s your turn to take over," he said. Tarkos smirked and waved a hand. "Go rest, oh mighty cultivator. Try not to dream about me." Victor scoffed. "Never going to happen." With that, he summoned his logout interface. A message appeared: [ Avatar State: Stable - Safe Zone Confirmed - Dematerialization Initiated ] Victor gave Tarkos one last glance before the world of Ascendant Realms dissolved around him. ... ... Victor returned to the real world with a slow blink. The digital helmet detached from his scalp and his eyes adjusted to the soft, pale lighting of the dorm room. It was around 4 a.m.¡ªa dead hour where even the moon held its breath. He exhaled wearily and flopped back into bed, telling himself a thirty-minute nap wouldn''t hurt. But his exhaustion had other plans. When Victor next opened his eyes, golden daylight peeked through the dorm window. A quick glance at the time sent him launching out of bed. "Shit, it''s nearly five!" he groaned while hastily pulling on his uniform. Kairo who was already combing his damp hair and zipping his boots, raised a brow. "You finally awake?" Victor shoved a foot into his combat pants while glaring. "You couldn''t wake me?" Kairo smirked. "And miss giving you the opportunity to work four times as hard this morning? You''re lucky you woke up just in time..." "Tch. As expected from an asshole that wouldn''t even let me copy his assigment." Kairo chuckled while standing up and grabbing his datapad. "Relax. It paid off, didn''t it? You did the damn assignment. You found the Uncharted Wilds and even got bonus marks." Victor rolled his eyes before slinging his strap over his shoulder. "Still, I could''ve copied from someone like a normal human. All that suffering... I blame you." "You''re welcome," Kairo replied dryly. They left together and parted ways at the junction where Camp 9 and Camp 11 split. Victor''s lectures that day flew by in a haze of mana application theory and elemental resistance training. His last class involved practical sessions, sparring with element-charged blades and responding to spell pressure using warrior techniques. The instructors were increasingly pushing them harder, as if bracing the students for something. After lectures, Danny and Selene caught up with him near the recreational quadrants. Selene twirled a lollipop. "Hey, you ghosting us again today, handsome?" Victor flashed a tired smile. "I''ve got stuff to work on." "Ascendant Realms again?" Danny asked with a teasing grin. Chapter 186: Lets Go Hunt A Jade Serpent Elder "Ascendant Realms again?" Danny asked with a teasing grin. Victor simply winked, then turned and made his way back to the dorm. "What is Ascendant Realms?" Selene turned to Danny. Danny just realised she was here and immediately started feeling hot. "Uhm oh... it''s just a catchphrase Victor and I have been using since middle school, don''t pay it any mind." "Hmm what does it mean?" ... ... Later that evening, nestled under his blanket, he logged back into Ascendant Realms. The moment he rematerialized, he found himself within the quiet confines of the base in Yinfrost City. As the world solidified around him, the icy mist clung softly against his jaded robe. Low spiritual qi phased faintly through the walls. Before he could move further, a stiff voice greeted him. "You''re back." Victor turned. Yuren stood at the side with his arms behind his back. He still had that same look of mild disdain he always wore when addressing someone who wasn''t Tarkos. Victor blinked. "Right... good to see you too." Yuren didn''t smile. "My young master has been injured. Because of you." Victor''s brow furrowed. "Where is he?" Yuren gestured stiffly. "Follow me." Victor was led through a narrow corridor to a side chamber within their current hideout. There, Tarkos stood shirtless with bruises tracing his ribs and shoulders. Across from him was a bloodied man in ripped jade-green robes bound to a pillar. The man''s hands were tied behind him and his knees were bent in pain with one eye swollen shut. "Tarkos¡ªwhat the hell happened?" Victor questioned. Tarkos looked up with his usual nonchalance and one brow raised as if they were just having tea. "You were gone long enough for half of the Emerald Coil Pavilion to start pissing themselves." Victor blinked. "What?" Tarkos shrugged before wincing slightly from his injury. "The Pavilion realized their disciples were disappearing. They adapted. Groups of five minimum. One elder per group. No exceptions. Harder to pick them off one-by-one." Victor let out a slow breath. "And let me guess¡ªyou went after one anyway?" "I don''t like being bored," Tarkos replied casually. "I took care of a group, but the elder gave me trouble. Brought him back instead of killing him. Thought he might be useful." Victor glanced at the elder. The man, even in his broken state, still held a look of hatred in his eyes. "I''m not telling you anything," the elder spat with blood trailing down his chin. Victor was about to say something when the elder turned and, with the last of his strength, spat at Tarkos''s feet. Tarkos chuckled darkly. "That''s disgusting. But I love it. Defiance gives me more excitement to toy with you." Victor sighed. "You''re not right in the head, man." He stepped forward raised his palm and spat onto it. Then he walked up to Tarkos and, without asking, rubbed it across his injuries. In moments, the wounds sealed and healed completely. The elder''s good eye widened. Yuren''s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. The man bound to the pillar gasped. "You... you''re Fang Chen." Victor looked down at him with a mild smirk. "Took you long enough." The elder breathed heavily. "They said you had some treasure... some ability... but this..." Tarkos grin widened as he leaned in. "Tell us what you know about the bounty. Names. Faces. The whole chain of command." The elder trembled but said nothing. Tarkos cracked his knuckles and turned to Yuren. "Bring the tools." Yuren bowed. "Yes, young master." Victor crossed his arms, watching the exchange. The room felt colder, not because of the frost that permeated Yinfrost City, but because of what was about to come. He didn''t like torture. But he also knew they needed answers. "Let''s make this quick," he murmured. Tarkos nodded. "We''re close now. Once we find the ones responsible, we move to end them." Outside, the icy mist of Yinfrost City swirled gently around the narrow alleys. The frozen stream that divided the city glowed under the night sky, reflecting the crimson hue of lanterns. Victor sat quietly outside with his elbows on knees, as he waited for Tarkos to finish his work in the back room. Even though the elder''s screams were sealed by some sort of muffling technique, Victor didn''t need to hear them to know what was happening inside. The ominous flicker of runes along the room''s walls and the occasional vibration through the floor told him everything. Yuren stood nearby with arms crossed. His usually cold face waw more relaxed than before. He glanced at Victor for a long time and then finally said, "Thank you... for healing my young master''s wounds." Victor looked up while casually wiping a smudge of dirt off his knuckles. "Oh that? I just used my spit." Yuren blinked. "Your... spit?" "Yeah," Victor stood up and stretched a bit, then grinned. "I absorbed a pond once. The Pond of Dragon Tears." Yuren staggered back like he''d just been punched in the chest. "You... absorbed the legendary Pond of Dragon Tears? The one that heals all ailments?" Victor nodded. "That''s what caused the bounty. Jade Serpent Sect wanted it for themselves. I kinda, sorta... beat them to it." Yuren stood frozen with his jaw practically grazing the floor. He stared at Victor as though seeing him for the first time. It all made sense now. The strange reverence his young master held. The reason Tarkos had refused to break free of the blood contract. A flicker of memory flashed across Yuren''s mind. --- [FLASHBACK] Yuren approached Tarkos in a silent grove, days before Victor''s return. "Young master," he said. "Why haven''t you broken the blood contract when you know how to do so without incurring consequences..." Tarkos looked off into the misty horizon with one leg perched on a rock. "Because I don''t want to." Yuren frowned. "You''re stronger than him. You have no obligation to follow a lowly Nascent Soul Realm brat." "He''s not just any brat," Tarkos said without turning. "He''s... special." Yuren looked even more confused. "How?" Tarkos didn''t answer. He simply chuckled to himself and walked away before disappearing into the haze. --- [END FLASHBACK] Back in the present, Victor tilted his head. "By the way, why do you call Tarkos ''young master''? I thought you were just some assistant." Yuren''s face snapped back into its usual stern mask. "You really don''t know his background, do you?" Victor raised an eyebrow. "Clearly not." Yuren hesitated, then shook his head. "If he has chosen to keep it from you, it is not my place to reveal it." Victor stared at him for a moment but didn''t press further. Moments later, Tarkos finally emerged from the sealed room while wiping blood off his hands with a rag. His robes were stained, and in his left hand, he held a bloody eyeball like a grim trophy. "Well," he said with a satisfied sigh, "I have everything we need now." Victor looked unimpressed. "Took you long enough." Tarkos smirked. "You can torture him next time if you''re so eager." He left and returned minutes later with a bundle of scrolls, each carefully sealed and stamped with the mark of the Jade Serpent Sect. He unfurled them one by one, revealing faces drawn with exceptional detail. "These," Tarkos began, pointing to four of the faces, "should be familiar to you." Victor''s eyes narrowed. Zhao Feng. Xu Jian. Xiao Mei. Yan Rui. The same senior disciples who had been present that day. "Her," Victor murmured with a growl. "Xiao Mei. She was the one who pushed me into the pond... She thought I''d die." Tarkos nodded. "According to the elder, these four were directly involved in what happened. But they weren''t acting alone. There are four elders and two high-ranking members who orchestrated the bounty." Victor clenched his fists. "Then we hunt them all." Tarkos tossed one of the scrolls to the ground, revealing a face Victor hadn''t seen before. "We start with Elder Lei Feng. According to the information, he has a monthly habit. He visits a Jasmine House about three blocks from the Emerald Coil Pavilion. For ''relaxation.''" Victor scoffed. "A brothel." "Essentially," Tarkos replied. "He should be heading there tomorrow night. I''ve already scouted the area. There''s a side alley with minimal visibility." Victor picked up his sword and strapped it to his back. "Let''s go hunt a Jade Serpent Elder." Yuren bowed slightly. "Shall I prepare your gear, young master?" Tarkos nodded. "Yes." ... ... The Jasmine House was known throughout Yinfrost City as one of the most prestigious and luxurious establishments¡ªespecially for powerful men of influence. From the outside, it resembled a divine temple, with towering ice-sculpted cones and glistening glass walls that reflected the shimmer of the city''s eternal mist. Inside, warm golden lights danced across the interiors like a second sunrise, bathing the incredible structure in an almost dreamlike glow. Victor and Tarkos, both wearing luxurious looking outfits over their jaded robes, strolled through the lavish entrance with their hands clasped behind their backs like nobility. Chapter 187: First Target Victor and Tarkos, both wearing luxurious looking outfits over their jaded robes, strolled through the lavish entrance with their hands clasped behind their backs like nobility. They were guests, after all. The attendants didn''t bat an eye. They were acustomed to secrecy and discretion. The duo were ushered toward the spa quarters, but Victor subtly whispered, "That''s him, by the indoor waterfall." Tarkos gave a slight nod. Near the cascading waterfall, Elder Min Zhen reclined within a heated crystal pool surrounded by scented steam and delicate falling petals. Three of the house''s finest maidens attended to him¡ª Each of them was the visual embodiment of temptation. Their bodies were wrapped in translucent silk veils that clung to their damp skin. One who had ivory-blonde hair knelt beside him and massaged his shoulders with petal-oil. Another with rich caramel skin straddled the elder''s lap while whispering promises into his ears. The third ran her fingers across his chest. It was a truly alluring sight. Min Zhen groped and fondled the women greedily while laughing in delight, unaware of the two shadows slowly emerging from beneath the rippling water. Victor''s and Tarkos''s heads surfaced slowly behind the waterfall. They had sneaked around when no one was looking. Victor made sure the talismans he had prepared were within reach. Like a serpent, Tarkos surged forward and wrapped his arm around the elder''s throat. The maiden on Min Zhen''s lap screamed and leapt back, only to fall into the pool with a splash. Min Zhen''s laughter choked into a violent gurgle as he struggled against Tarkos''s grip. The elder thrust his hand upward, intending to release a wave of qi¡ªbut Victor was already right behind him. Pah! He slapped a qi-locking talisman onto the elder''s spine. "Wha¡ª?!" Min Zhen immediately felt his qi flow weaken. Victor slapped on three more onto his back in quick succession trapping the elder''s qi in his dantian. Tarkos growled as he increased the pressure around the elder''s neck. Bones snapped while the elder let out a howl of agony. In the next instant, he yanked the elder''s head clean off. Blood sprayed across the pool in crimson arcs, staining the waters like wine. Screams erupted. The women fled in a frenzy while shrieking as they slipped across the marble tiles with horrified expressions. Victor turned and said urgently, "We need to go. Now." But Tarkos wasn''t behind him. He had vanished. Upon squinting his eyes, he spotted a blur moving through the corridors of the Jasmine House. One by one, every maiden within the vicinity was silenced. It took only moments for heads to litter the surroundings. When he returned to his initial position, blood was still dripping from his knuckles. Victor looked at him in disbelief. "You killed all of them?" Tarkos wiped his hand on a discarded towel. "Yes. Anyone who sees our faces cannot live." "They were innocent!" "They were liabilities. Loose threads unravel cloth." Victor clenched his jaw but now wasn''t the time to argue. They had to leave at this instant. They disappeared through a secret route that Tarkos had prepared beforehand. By the time the Emerald Coil Pavilion dispatched their inner guards to the Jasmine House, the attackers were already long gone. The entire area went into lockdown. The corpses¡ªmaids and the elder alike¡ªwere discovered in the spa wing. Panic spread, and cultivators in the city moved around with fear and whispers. --- Elsewhere, within the Emerald Coil Pavilion, three elders sat in a shadowed room behind a frosted jade screen. The cold glow of candlelight flickered across their aged faces. "Elder Min Zhen is dead," one with thin white eyebrows and layered green robes, spoke with a low tone. "The Jasmine House confirmed it," the more burly elder with a scar running from his chin to his ear, added. "Decapitated. Talismans all over his body. Someone powerful did this." The third elder who happened to be a woman with stern eyes, hissed, "We must report this to the main sect." The first elder banged his palm on the table. "No. We report this now, we''ll be deemed weak. Incompetent. The other leaders might vote for us to be removed from here and we''ll lose the Pavilion privileges." "Then what do you propose?" the woman snapped. "We clean this up. Quietly. We find out who''s behind this and we eliminate them." "We need a lead..." "Then let the hunt begin. We''ll activate the Silver Wraiths. No one escapes the Pavilion''s shadows." The elders all nodded. But somewhere, far beyond their awareness, Victor and Tarkos were already planning their next move. "One down," Victor murmured while rubbing the blood from his fingers. Tarkos smirked. "Twelve to go." "Don''t kill any other innocents," Victor stated. "Innocents? Nobody is innocent Fang Chen. Stop being so naive." "The Jasmine House maidens did nothing wrong." "They were in the right place at the wrong time. Blame it on their fate." "I blame it on you. You could have let them live." "And risk everyone''s discovering our identities? I''m not sure you have what it takes to do this..." Tarkos voiced before walking away. "I know they''re NPCs but I''m only gonna kill those involved," Victor mumbled. ... ... Now that they had information on every single person they were after, Victor and Tarkos sharpened their plans like blades ready to strike. Zhao Feng was next¡ª Victor recalled the schemer that led the group of Jade Serpent disciples that day. The face that smiled smugly as he watched him fall into the pond. The voice that barked commands when they attempted to get him for themselves. If it wasn''t for Shen Mo, things would have gone a whole lot differently that day. They knew Zhao Feng wouldn''t be easy. Due to the increased disappearances, Jade Serpent Sect members had grown cautious. Senior disciples like Zhao Feng were no longer walking around alone. He was often surrounded by lower disciples¡ªalways in groups of at least ten. Most of these were Foundation Establishment to Core Formation Realm. Alone, they were nothing. But in a swarm, they could be a real problem. Victor and Tarkos stalked them from a distance for nearly a full day. Zhao Feng''s group followed a predictable route. They moved from vendor to vendor in Yinfrost City, extorting excessive tributes under the guise of "tax collection." It was routine¡ªharass traders, intimidate the weak, ensure fear bloomed wherever they passed. But fate gave them an opening. Zhao Feng broke away from his group to relieve himself. He moved into a nearby restroom near the edge of a quiet alley, muttering something about how pathetic it was that even a city like this didn''t have private courtyards for elite disciples. Victor followed with his face mostly obscured beneath his mask. He calmed his heartbeat as he closed in from behind. The moment Zhao Feng turned his back, Victor pounced. He plunged his blade forward¡ªfast and deadly. The sword dug into flesh, but Zhao Feng activated a defensive technique at the last second. His body twisted and emitted a green aura as he transformed into half-man half-serpentine creature with scales forming across his back. The blade was meant to pierce through his heart but instead only drove into muscle. "Damn it! Why can''t this fucker just die in one strike!" He let out a vicious hiss and spun around as his eyes narrowed in shock and fury. "You?" Zhao Feng hissed upon recognizing the voice even beneath the mask. "You little worm... You''re alive and here?" His throat vibrated, and he reared his head back before spewing a high-pressure stream of greenish venom toward Victor. "Prepare to lose your face, scum!" There was no room to evade this attack due to the clustered space but just as the venom was about to reach Victor, Tarkos appeared between them. Tarkos turned to face Victor, letting his back take the full blast. A sizzling sound filled the surroundings like boiling oil poured onto hot iron. The venom dripped off Tarkos''s tattoo-covered back, hissing, bubbling¡ªbut not burning. The tattoos had absorbed the venom''s potency. Zhao Feng''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible¡ªwhat are you?" "The last face you''ll see before your demise..." In the next instant, Tarkos was behind Zhao Feng. There was no slash, no roar¡ªjust a soft squelch. Tarkos stood with his arm elbow-deep in Zhao Feng''s serpentine chest. His fingers gripped a heart still pumping its last beat before he squashed it with force. Zhao Feng gasped while his legs buckled. His eyes darted in disbelief as his life drained away. Victor stepped forward slowly as Zhao Feng''s body dropped to its knees and then slumped lifeless to the floor. Tarkos tossed the heart aside like a spoiled fruit. Victor crouched beside the corpse. "That was for the pond, you bastard." The air in the restroom thickened with silence. The scent of blood and venom danced together, clashing like acid on steel. "What now?" Victor asked as he began cleaning his blade. "We drag the body somewhere quiet. Make it look like a disappearance again," Tarkos voiced while reaching into a small pouch and pulling out a few talismans. Chapter 188 188: Seduction? "We drag the body somewhere quiet. Make it look like a disappearance again," Tarkos voiced while reaching into a small pouch and pulling out a few talismans. "People saw him enter here," Victor said. "If we just vanish him, suspicion will rise." "We''ll vanish everyone who saw him enter then," Tarkos said casually before walking toward the exit. Victor frowned. "You''re kidding, right?" Tarkos smiled without turning around. "Do I look like I joke?" Victor followed, albeit reluctantly. They had to cover their tracks, but there had to be limits. Then again... this was war. The disciples outside never got the chance to blink. Tarkos moved with immense speed, slicing their necks open before screams could escape. Victor finished off the rest with bursts of speed and deadly strikes, cutting down three with one swing. They piled the bodies in an alley and ignited them using a spirit flame scroll Tarkos kept tucked in his robes. It wasn''t flashy. It was clinical. Victor stared at the embers. Another name crossed off the scrolls Tarkos had shown him. One step closer to peace. Tarkos handed him a small cloth. "Wipe your face. You''ve got some venom on your cheek." Victor did so in silence. "Who''s next?" Tarkos pulled the scroll back out and let his finger hover over the next name. "Xu Jian." Victor nodded slowly. He remembered Xu Jian vividly¡ªa broad-shouldered brute who wielded a thick, rune-engraved staff and had a scar running from his elbow to his wrist. Xu Jian didn''t talk much, but he had been the one Victor was fighting with when he got kicked into the pond. "According to the elder you tortured," Victor voiced while resting against a wooden beam, "he barely leaves the Emerald Coil Pavilion. We could be stuck waiting weeks if we want to catch him outside." "Then we go in," Tarkos said calmly. "Smooth and silent. Infiltrate. Eliminate. Escape." Victor grimaced. "Sounds easy when you say it like that." By the following day, their plan was in motion. They ambushed two disciples at the edge of a local marketplace¡ªone Core Formation and one late Foundation Establishment. They cleaned their robes, and wore them like a second skin. Blending in with a caravan of disciples returning from an outer mission, Victor and Tarkos moved past the guards posted at the Emerald Coil Pavilion''s entrance. No one batted an eye. They headed toward the Pavilion inner sanctum. Victor finally saw the infamous Emerald Coil Pavilion from the inside. It was a serpentine architectural marvel. Columns carved in the shape of spiraling jade serpents rose from gleaming emerald floors. Lanterns swayed gently with mystical flames of pale green, casting shifting shadows along the walls. Curtains made of multicoloured scales veiled private rooms, and coiling waterways crisscrossed beneath glass walkways, filled with gliding serpentine fish that shimmered with qi. The entire place was structured with eerie elegance and power. Finding Xu Jian wasn''t easy. His personal quarters were empty, and several servants claimed he had gone to the Pavilion''s library to study a new ancient scroll. Victor and Tarkos exchanged a glance. A public space meant complications, but they had come too far to back down. They made their way into the Pavilion''s library, a silent grand hall that smelled of incense and old knowledge. Scrolls floated in glowing green shelves. Disciples sat at different corners with noses buried in ancient text. Victor adjusted his scarf which masked half his face and sat across from Xu Jian, who was deeply engrossed in a thick scroll. They couldn''t strike with so many eyes around. So they waited. After two hours passed. Tarkos stood and exited casually to avoid suspicion. Victor remained. Almost an hour later, Xu Jian rolled up his scroll and stood. To Victor''s surprise, instead of leaving, he walked directly toward him. Victor held his breath. "I noticed you''ve been staring at me since you got here," Xu Jian said as he took the seat next to him. His voice was deep, laced with amusement and something else Victor couldn''t place. "But your face isn''t familiar." Victor felt sweat bead along his neck. Was he compromised? Xu Jian leaned closer and placed a hand gently on Victor''s lap. He began tracing subtle circles with his fingers across Victor''s skin. "You must be one of the new disciples smitten by me. What do you say we head back to my quarters... alone." Victor blinked. Of all things he had expected, seduction wasn''t one of them. Xu Jian''s lips curled slightly, confident and hungry. ''I never knew NPCs could swing this way...'' Victor leaned back slightly. "Erm... perhaps you observed wrong?" Xu Jian leaned in closer. "No, yu''ve been watching me... like a lover." He chuckled. "I Victor forced a smile behind his mask. "Okay you got me... I just admire strength." "Hm," Xu Jian eyes glinted as he smirked. "You''ve got interesting eyes for someone hiding half his face. Come on¡ªmy quarters are quieter." Victor''s mind raced. He couldn''t say no, couldn''t act too defensive, or the whole infiltration would collapse. He decided no to question it... Perhaps this was a way to get the work done. He nodded once. "Lead the way." Victor followed Xu Jian down the dimly lit corridors of the Emerald Coil Pavilion, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. Of all the things he had expected during this infiltration, Xu Jian''s predatory flirtation was nowhere on the list. The heavy door creaked open, revealing a surprisingly lavish chamber. Jade-sculpted lanterns bathed the room in a soft green hue. Satin drapes swayed gently from the ceiling, and a delicate incense burned in the corner. The moment the door closed, Xu Jian turned toward Victor with a look of mischief. "You''re tense," he purred while walking closer. "I''ll do things to you you''ve never experienced before." He suddenly grabbed the upper portion of his robe and tore it open, revealing a chiseled chest rippling with muscle. His long and curvy scar caught the greenish light as he took a step forward. "Take off the scarf," he demanded. Victor tilted his head while feigning hesitation. "I don''t think that''s a good idea." Xu Jian frowned. "I insist." "I''m not..." "Enough talk pretty boy..." Xu Jian reached out suddenly and swiftly yanked the scarf away. The moment the fabric dropped, his expression shifted from sultry to stunned. "Fang Chen?!" he gasped. "It was you this whole time? When did you change your hair color?" Victor didn''t wait even another second before unsheathing his blade. <[ Shadow Crescent Strike Has Been Activated ]> His sword flashed in a horizontal arc, discharging a crescent of shadow-infused qi which sliced through the room powerfully. Xu Jian''s reflexes were fast, but not fast enough. The strike hit him dead center, blasting him into the wall. Cracks spiderwebbed through the stone as blood dripped from his side. "You... bastard!" He coughed while raising his trembling hand. His staff which was leaning against the far wall, quivered before flying into his grasp. The moment he touched it, the staff transformed into a massive serpent whose head blasted straight through the roof of his quarters. Its scales emitted a faint green glow as its body easily stretched across the room. Before Victor could react, the serpent''s head swept downwards with its massive mouth wide agape. Gobble~ It swallowed Victor whole in one horrifying snap. Xu Jian staggered to his feet while clutching his bleeding side. He turned to flee the premises while yelling for help down the corridor. He didn''t get far before a flash of ink streaked past him. Tarkos had emerged like a phantom with his tattoos flowing down his arm and extending into a curved blade. With a single swing, Xu Jian''s head rolled off his shoulders. Silence~ The massive serpent burst through the quarters and charged at Tarkos but before it could get to him... A grotesque flesh ripping sound echoed through the surroundings. The belly of the enormous serpent bulged and then split apart. A drenched and blood-soaked Victor exploded out of it with his blade dripping with the creature innards. "Ugh... it''s in my mouth," Victor groaned while retching. "We have to go now!" Tarkos barked. Victor swallowed hard and followed after Tarkos. Together, they fled through a side corridor. Behind them, shouts and panicked yells rose through the Pavilion. Disciples were already converging on the scene. The death of two senior disciples and an elder in quick succession had pushed the sect into a frenzy. Now, with the Pavilion walls echoing with alarm bells, it was clear: the entire sect was on high alert. Victor and Tarkos burst out from the side exit, using a rarely-traveled servant tunnel to emerge into the outer courtyards. They didn''t stop. Over fifteen cultivators gave chase with some already forming talismans and seals while others soared on flight artifacts or leapt between buildings. "We can''t lead them back to the hideout," Victor muttered. "Then we keep running." Tarkos threw a smoke talisman behind them, and a cloud of violet mist erupted, obscuring their path. The two ducked into the frozen stream tunnel beneath the pavilion, letting the water carry them downstream toward a forgotten exit. Chapter 189 189: Are We Safe? A trail of blood followed Victor and Tarkos as they fled through the frost-veiled alleys of Yinfrost City. Shouts rang out behind them as dozens of Jade Serpent Sect cultivators gave chase. The streets cracked beneath the weight of clashing qi as the mist curled away in ribbons of ice and energy. Victor spun and twisted his blade sharply before parrying a sword strike from a Core Formation Realm cultivator. [ Wind Gale Has Been Activated ] With a gust of Wind Gale, he sent the attacker careening into a frozen wall. The impact shattered the surface like glass. Tarkos up ahead made his tattoos peel from his skin and lash out like vipers. They wrapped around the legs of a charging disciple, yanking them off their feet before a spear of ink pierced their chest. "No time to linger!" Victor shouted. More were approaching from rooftops, and the street ahead was rapidly filling with enemies. "We''re getting boxed in," Tarkos muttered. Victor knew what had to be done. "Split up. I''ll draw them out. You disappear into the shadows." Tarkos gave a curt nod and vanished in a blur. Victor who was now alone, dashed down a side street, letting his qi flare for just a moment to announce his presence. The cultivators took the bait. Victor led them out of the city, dodging techniques and blade strikes. He jumped between trees, using Wind Glide to leap high and avoid ranged attacks. By the time he reached a cluster of boulders at the city outskirts, only seven cultivators were still on his tail. He ducked behind a large rock while letting out visible icy breaths. He swiftly went to the menu panel and found he log out option. [Log Out] His avatar turned translucent before vanishing entirely. ... ... Victor''s eyes snapped open in the real world and he immediately glanced at the time. 4:45 AM. "Perfect timing," he muttered with a groggy but focused look. He rose from bed and quickly got ready for Tuesday''s morning routine. Camp 11 was already filled with students by the time he arrived. Instructor Vex Rhane didn''t hesitate to put them to work. Today''s drill involved rope traversal across rough metallic structures set up over simulated crevices. Berserkers blazed through, gripping thick cords with their brute strength, while Mages floated themselves across using minor levitation spells. Warriors like Victor had to rely on speed and balance. Victor performed well despite his fatigue. Rylan chuckled as he passed him midway. "Didn''t sleep again?" Victor gave a breathless grin. "I was busy dealing with my... training." After the routine, they headed to lectures. The first was Tactical Theory, which focused on battlefield positioning against hybrid magical beast groups. Victor took notes while Selene doodled comical sketches of the instructor. She never listened in class yet she seemed to do great all the time. The second lecture, Applied Weapon Dynamics, involved demonstrations from actual awakened soldiers sparring with captured Class-7 beasts in containment barriers. Victor couldn''t help but watch with interest while mentally comparing it to his fights in Ascendant Realms. The third lecture, Combat Ethics, was a breeze. The lecturer, a short-tempered former squad leader, mostly ranted about students who abused their abilities off-duty. Victor dozed slightly but managed to nod at the right times. Then came the fourth lecture¡ªheld in the vast Dome Arena, where all class types assembled. The instructor stood in the center of the field with her usual calm expression. She raised her voice slightly. "Today''s scenario will test teamwork, strategy, and urgency. You are to rescue civilians from a magical beast-infested danger zone. These civilians are your fellow classmates. Fail to reach them in time, and they will be considered casualties." Danny''s eyes lit up. "Let''s goooo! I''m about to carry the whole rescue team." Victor crossed his arms. "You sure? With those stubby legs?" Selene giggled with her lollipop dancing between her fingers. Aria rolled her eyes. "I''ll rescue more civilians than all of you combined." Group assignments were randomized through the academy''s digital systems. [Team Selection Complete: Victor Revenant -> Rescuee Team] Victor stared at the notification with dead eyes. "Seriously?" He voiced his complaint but the Instructor simply smiled. "Sometimes, you don''t get to be the hero. Learn what it means to be the one in need." Danny laughed so hard he nearly fell over. "Good luck, buddy! Don''t get eaten!" "Yeah, yeah," Victor grumbled. He and the other designated victims were fitted with suppression vests. These disabled their ability to manipulate mana and glowed faintly with blue runes. The vest came with a small digital chip that would teleport them out if danger came too close. Victor was teleported to Sector 3A of the simulated forest. Branches swayed with mana-infused winds, and strange birdcalls echoed overhead. Around him were three other rescuees, all first-years as confused as him. They found shelter in a shallow cave and waited. Roars in the distance signaled the arrival of magical beasts. "This sucks..." Victor muttered while slumping back against the stone wall. "This really, really sucks." One of the others who was a nervous boy named Jiro, nodded. "What if no one finds us?" Victor smirked. "Then we get teleported and return to campus in shame. Business as usual." And so, they waited, listening to the distant chaos of roars, footsteps, and energy clashes as their classmates raced against time to find them. ... ... A sense of danger soon filled the air as magical beasts circled in the distance. Their snarls and guttural roars shook the earth beneath the cratered rocky terrain. Victor sat cross-legged on a flat stone with his arms folded as he stared up at the ever-darkening sky. The simulated environment of this part of the training grounds mimicked a twilight jungle. It''s ambience was unsettling. Around him, other students wearing the same muted grey vests marked "VICTIM" waited in quiet anticipation. In theory, they were safe. If a beast got within five to ten feet, the teleportation device within the vest would activate and yank them out of harm''s way. In theory. Beside him, a girl sat on a smaller stone, fiddling with the corner of her vest. "I hate violence," she said out of the blue with a soft and delicate voice. Victor glanced at her. She had caramel-toned skin and short curled hair, with large glasses that clung awkwardly to her nose. "Then why are you here?" "Hm?" "The Academy. This place. You get punched in the face on a daily basis here. What''d you expect, cupcakes and spa days?" She smiled sheepishly. "My parents made me apply because I awakened even though I didn''t want to. Still... I like learning about magic, not fighting." Victor shook his head with a chuckle. "You''re something else, Zara." "You remembered my name?" "You said it when we got dropped off. I''m not rude." Their idle conversation came to a halt as the distant roars were punctuated by bursts of light. Explosions of fire, wind, and magic sparked through the jungle-like terrain. Victor turned toward the noise with his eyes narrowed. "Sounds like they''re getting close." Minutes crawled by. Victor found himself growing more anxious. Their location was deep within the exercise zone, and nobody had reached them yet. Then, the trees ahead rustled as a massive figure lumbered forward. It was a monstrous beast covered in dark-red scales and hooked tusks protruding from its jaws. Level 10, maybe 11 magical beast. Not the worst, but still terrifying. Zara gripped Victor''s sleeve. "Will it hurt? Before the vest takes us?" Victor glanced at the beast. It growled and began advancing toward them. "Not if it works right," he said. Suddenly, a bolt of radiant energy slammed into the beast''s face from the side causing it to stagger backward. A student in dark blue mage robes stood on a nearby hill as his hands glowed with arcane symbols. He conjured more spells in quick succession¡ªice shards, lightning tendrils, fire lances. The beast writhed before collapsing after the third barrage. "Woo!" Zara cheered. Victor clapped slowly. "Nice aim." Before they could rise, another beast burst forth from up ahead. It was more agile and faster with glowing eyes. The mage cast a spell which erected a barrier to absorb the charge. The beast struck and snarled but was met with the next round of spellfire. Within moments, it too was down. He approached the nearest group of three victims and motioned to them. "Follow. I can only safely handle three at a time." He escorted them away and returned ten minutes later with two other teammates¡ª A warrior and a berserker. They took ten more VICTIMs together with them. Now only Victor and Zara remained. "So close to rescue," Victor muttered. "Feels like a sitcom." "What if they don''t come back in time?" Zara asked. Victor shrugged. "Then we become statistics." As if summoned by irony, a colossal shape emerged from the mists. Taller than the others by a solid ten feet and covered in obsidian-like hide, its claws gouged through the dirt with every stride. A level 14 magical beast. Victor stood. "Now that''s a boss fight." Zara whimpered. "Are we safe?" Chapter 190: Dysfunctional Vest Victor looked at her vest. The light on the chest still blinked green. "Should be." The beast lunged. Victor didn''t move but his heart slightly pounded. However, the green blink of the teleport beacon reassured him. With a burst of light, Zara suddenly vanished. Victor waited for the the same to happen to him... But surprisingly, nothing happened. The beast snarled as it arrived before Victor. Victor looked down at his vest. The light flickered and then died. "Uh oh," he muttered. "HELLO? SYSTEM MALFUNCTION?! ANYONE?!" His voice echoed but there was no response. In the next moment, the team from earlier appeared in the distance but they were way too far from Victor''s current position and it looked like they weren''t going to get to him in time. The creature roared and charged with its claws raised to strike. As the beast''s claws came crashing down with tremendous force, Victor''s instincts kicked in. He threw himself into a backward flip just as the massive talons slammed into the cracked ground where he''d been crouching seconds earlier. The impact sent tremors through the terrain, and a thick plume of dust burst upward, veiling the chaotic scene in a gritty fog. Victor landed in a crouch and then launched himself into tens of feet into the air while drawing in a sharp breath. He coiled his right arm back to the limit while his muscles bulged as qi flowed through his veins and gathered at his fist. With a focused roar, he punched downward causing his knuckles to crash into the beast''s skull. A resounding BOOM echoed across the forest clearing. The magical beast''s head rammed into the dirt with a thunderous crack, carving a crater beneath it. The trio from earlier... one warrior, one berserker and a Mage, stood frozen some thirty feet away with their jaws hitting the ground. They had witnessed what was clearly a victim... dismantle a level 14 magical beast with raw strength. It defied logic. Victor didn''t pause for even a second. He immediately activated his Frost Bloom Palm and slammed his misty palm onto the beast''s nape. A chilling hiss rang out as the beast''s limbs locked while icy veins of frost slithered under its thick skin, rendering it momentarily paralyzed. Then came the moment that silenced any remaining doubt. Victor turned toward the Warrior in the distance and outstretched his left palm. He summoned his Void Emperor Qi, weaving it into invisible threads. The threads snaked forward, wrapped around the Warrior''s sword hilt, and yanked the weapon out of the stunned student''s hand. The blade flew into Victor''s waiting grasp. He spun around with a fierce roar while channeling qi into the sword. "Shadow Crescent Strike!" A wave of dark, crescent-shaped energy erupted from his swing and cleaved through the beast''s throat. The enormous magical beast''s head toppled from its body causing a geyser of blood to spray through the air. Utter silence~ For nearly a minute, no one spoke or moved. Victor stood there, panting slightly with part of the beast blood on his face. It was at this moment that he realized what he had just done. Slowly, he turned to look at the trio, who stared at him with wide eyes. "How... how did you just do that?" The Berserker questioned with a look of confusion. "The vest is supposed to suppress mana. You shouldn''t have been able to use any abilities." Victor blinked, then played it cool. "Yeah, well, it''s also supposed to teleport me out when a beast gets too close, right?" he said while holding out the vest. "Guess it''s not exactly reliable." The Mage furrowed his brows. "That''s true... but still¡ª" "Hey, I''m not complaining," Victor added with a smirk. "I''m alive. Be thankful I didn''t wait around to test the next glitch." That seemed to silence them. They began escorting Victor back while still muttering amongst themselves. When they returned to the instructor, the incident was reported immediately. The beast''s body was still visible in the distance. The lecture supervisor examined Victor''s vest with a look of scrutiny. According to his instruments, the mana locking fuction was still active during the entire confrontation. Which meant one thing¡ªVictor had used abilities even though his mana was supposed to be locked. That didn''t make any sense. The supervisor didn''t speak on it right away. Instead, he declared the exercise terminated for the day, citing technical errors with the safety systems. All students were to be awarded full marks for participation. Later, as students were filing out, he approached Victor and leaned close. "Someone tampered with your vest," he said quietly. "They probably wanted you to get seriously injured or worse. The teleportation didn''t work but mana suppression was intact. And yet you still used abilities. That doesn''t add up." Victor only offered a nonchalant shrug. "Guess I''m just full of surprises." The instructor squinted at him, then whispered, "Be careful. I''ll look into this." Victor nodded before leaving and rejoined Danny, Selene, Aria, Kai, and Rylan at the FeedHub-11 cafeteria. Word had already spread. "Dude!" Danny shouted across the food line. "You killed a level 14 beast while wearing a suppression vest?" Victor sighed and plopped into a seat. "Don''t remind me." Selene popped a lollipop into her mouth and smirked. "I don''t know whether to be impressed or worried. Are you trying to take my title of chaos gremlin?" "Wait," Aria squinted at him. "How did you use your abilities again?" "Faulty vest, apparently," Victor said before spearing a piece of chicken with his fork. "Oh really?" Aria''s tone was skeptical. Rylan added, "Man, whatever you''re doing, you''re going to get on the leaderboard real quick." Victor just nodded before stuffing his mouth. Internally, his mind was racing. The situation was getting worse. Someone at the academy had actually tried to kill him. It was more than just rumors and petty bullying now. He left the group early and blamed it on exhaustion before returning to his dorm. As expected, Kairo was still not back. Victor glanced around, locked the door, and slipped under his sheets. He placed the VR helmet on his head and logged into Ascendant Realms. [ Booting Ascendant Realms... ] [ Synchronizing Avatar... ] Victor''s body materialized in the familiar stone chamber within their hideout. Yuren stood near the doorway with his back straightened and his hands clasped behind him as if standing guard. "You''re back," Yuren said flatly. "The young master is awaiting you." Victor nodded and stretched his arms. "Yeah... I''m ready. Time to finish what we started." Upon Victor''s return to Ascendant Realms, it had already been nearly another six days. It was time for him to get briefed on everything that happened in his absence. "You''re finally back," Tarkos voiced with his arms crossed upon spotting Victor. "A lot has happened." Victor approached with a look of intrigue. "Yeah, six days here. What did I miss?" Tarkos began pacing slowly while speaking in a low tone. "After you left, I waited three days before moving. The city was on fire with rumors. Elders and disciples alike were in chaos after the death of Zhao Feng and Xu Jian. Security tripled." Victor folded his arms. "Tripled?" Tarkos nodded grimly. "The Emerald Coil Pavilion erected a barrier around the sect. Now, only disciples with an enchanted pentagon token can pass through. And they personalized each token¡ªso no, you can''t steal one and walk in. It''s completely useless if you''re not the assigned bearer." Victor exhaled heavily. "So we can''t infiltrate." "Not unless we find another way. Which," Tarkos added with a faint smirk, "we will. But for now, we stick to outdoor targets." Victor raised a brow. "Any progress while I was gone?" Tarkos turned toward the back wall where a small map with blood-inked Xs marked previous operations. "Two more are gone. That makes eight left. But here''s the problem: the remaining ones aren''t leaving the Pavilion anymore. They know they''re being hunted. They''re spooked." Victor rubbed his chin. "Then we force them out... or get someone inside." --- Elsewhere, within the inner sanctum of the Emerald Coil Pavilion, seven figures sat in a jade-glass room veined with frost and glowing sigils. Incense, tension, and desperation spread through the room. The two remaining elders presided over the group of senior disciples. Xiao Mei, one of the disciples with raven-black hair tied in a high serpent-braided bun, leaned against her chair with a look of coldness. "We''ve lost four senior disciples," she voiced with a disturbed tone. "Zhao Feng. Xu Jian. Li Chen. Huo An. All four are dead." One of the other senior disciples replied nervously, "But they were always moving in droves. How can one group take down so many so cleanly?" "You''re missing the pattern," Xiao Mei snapped. "They weren''t random. They were targeted. All four of them were part of the committee." An eerie silence followed her words. The elder at the head of the table with long white hair trailing past his shoulders, murmured, "You think this is about Fang Chen." Chapter 191: Youre Late The elder at the head of the table with long white hair trailing past his shoulders, murmured, "You think this is about Fang Chen." Xiao Mei nodded. "It has to be. Think about it. We were the ones who placed the bounty on him after he absorbed the Dragon Tear Pond. And now everyone present when the decision was made is slowly disappearing." "But he was only Foundation Establishment Realm," another senior disciple scoffed. "So maybe he isn''t the one doing the killing," Xiao Mei said. "But I have a hunch that it is very much connected to him in one way or another. Either another faction wants him for themselves, or he has powerful allies. Either way, he''s the common denominator." The room fell silent again. "Then we set a trap," the elder finally spoke. "We use him to lure out whoever is behind this." ... ... Back at their hidden base, Victor and Tarkos stood before the chained and bloodied elder. The man had lost one eye, and scars lined his arms, chest, and face. His robes were torn, stained, and crusted with old blood. His breathing was shallow, but at the very least, he was still alive. "You''re going to help us infiltrate the Emerald Coil Pavilion," Tarkos said coldly. The elder let out a gurgling sound from his damaged throat that sounded like laughter. "Like this? They think I''m dead. I show up and their first thought will be necromantic manipulation or illusion." Victor stepped forward while raising his palm. "Which is why I''m here to patch you up." He spat into his palm. The glowing saliva shimmered with a golden hue. "What the hell are you doing?" the elder spat. Victor didn''t reply. Instead, he proceeded to rub the glowing spit over the elder''s bruised ribs, shattered shoulder and cuts. Slowly, the wounds began to close. Bone cracks reset. Burnt tissue reformed. Even the eye regenerated as the elder''s body began to heal with miraculous speed. Yuren, who stood silently in the corner stared in awe. "Truly remarkable..." Victor glanced back and smirked. "Well, that''s a better look than the one you used to give me..." Yuren stared at Tarkos in disbelief. "Young Master... I think I understand you now." Tarkos folded his arms in response. "Don''t get carried away." Victor straightened up and stared at the recovering elder. "Get up. You''re going to walk through that barrier. You''re going to play your part and get us inside." The elder''s restored flesh trembled. He realized now that this was no ordinary opponent. Victor''s eyes narrowed. "We''re not here to bargain. We''re here to finish what you started." The elder who had been completely healed from Victor''s spit looked at his palms and arms with an expression teetering between awe and revulsion. "You... used spit to do this?" Victor shrugged casually. "Dragon pond of tears... otherwise known as my saliva now but you already knew this." Tarkos stood beside the elder with his arms folded. "Don''t mistake this kindness for mercy." The elder turned slowly and looked at Tarkos and suddenly felt a cold pulse spread through his dantian. He collapsed to one knee while clutching his abdomen. "What... what did you do to me?" Tarkos crouched and lifted the elder''s chin with two fingers. "Soul-devouring worm. If you follow instructions, you live. If you try to betray us, it devours your dantian and leaves you as little more than a crippled shell." The elder''s lips quivered as sweat lined his forehead. "I don''t even have a token. According to you, they''ve changed everything. Access to the Pavilion requires unique tokens bound to one''s signature." Victor leaned forward. "Which is why you''re going in. You''re an elder. They''ll unlock the barrier for you, especially after thinking you''ve been dead for two weeks. All we need is for you to get two tokens made¡ªone for each of us." "If I try to link the tokens to foreign energy, it could raise suspicion." Tarkos smirked. "Then make sure you''re subtle. Or the worm will do what it was born for." --- Later that day, Victor and Tarkos followed the elder at a distance, staying concealed along frozen alleyways and atop mist-covered rooftops. Yinfrost City was quieter than usual. Word of the recent attacks had spread, and sect members were on edge. The elder approached the serpentine barrier that now surrounded the Emerald Coil Pavilion. Immediately, alarm glyphs lit up in the air as loud danger sounds rang out. Cultivators swarmed the front gate. "Identify yourself!" one barked with a spear in hand. The elder raised his hands and revealed his identity. Gasps. "Elder Huang?! We thought you were..." Soon, the barrier was briefly opened and he was welcomed in with cautious celebration. Inside, several disciples whispered among themselves. Elder Huang was brought before Elder Shun, one of the Pavilion''s senior most authorities. "You vanished nearly two weeks ago," Shun said. "What happened?" Elder Huang spun a tale of a misfired transportation array during a secret mission. Of wandering spiritual fog. Of memory lapses and ambushes by rogue beasts. He never mentioned Victor. Never said a word about Tarkos. Elder Shun nodded slowly, then exhaled. "We''re glad you returned. Honestly, we were afraid you''d become another casualty. There have been... incidents." "Incidents?" Huang echoed with feigned ignorance. Elder Shun leaned closer. "Senior Disciples Zhao Feng and Xu Jian are dead. Two elders have vanished. Multiple disciples missing. We believe someone is targeting us." Huang''s eyes widened. "Who would dare?" Shun frowned. "That''s the thing. We think it''s someone tied to the one we''ve been targeting since the Dragon Tears pond indecent... Fang Chen." Just as Huang processed this, Shun added, "But don''t worry. We''re setting a trap." He leaned in and whispered the plan causing Elder Huang''s eyes to slightly widen. --- Back outside, Victor and Tarkos had eyes on one of the other senior disciples¡ªthe smug, arrogant one with a hooked nose and golden robes. He had wandered out of the Pavilion on his own, flanked only by two juniors. Victor cracked his knuckles. "Talk about luck. One of our targets, walking right into our lap." "Feels too convenient," Tarkos muttered. "Still..." They stalked him through a long, winding alley that spilled into a frozen courtyard behind a trading post. The area was quiet, almost too quiet. Victor pulled his scarf up over his nose, using it to mask his face. Tarkos summoned a sliver of tattoo ink into his palm, already sharpening into a dagger. Just as they prepared to strike, something unexpected occured. A spectral image appeared before them, glowing in a dull jade hue. "It''s a trap," the spiritual medium of Elder Huang stated with a tone of urgency. Apparently, he had used astral projection to send a message to them since he was also a Soul Transformation Realm cultivator. Victor and Tarkos both froze. "Around you, hidden in the wind, twenty-eight disciples. Further back, six more. High-level cultivators. They''ve masked their energy and placed concealed formation markers across this area. If you strike, they''ll descend." Victor cursed. "Damn. If they tried to set a trap, that means they know everyone we''re after." Tarkos hissed. "We need to fall back." They retreated quickly, vanishing into the alley shadows, all while the unaware senior disciple they had almost attacked walked casually on, baiting a hook they never bit. --- In a small cavern hidden beneath a collapsed chapel on the edge of Yinfrost, Victor and Tarkos regrouped with elder Huang''s astral projection. "You were right on time," Victor said. "I had to earn your trust," Huang replied. "That trap would''ve killed you. I''m not willing to have a soul devouring worm stuck in me forever." Tarkos raised a brow. "Ready to earn more?" The elder nodded. "Then make sure you get us those tokens," Victor stated. The elder gave a tight nod and his projection vanished afterwards. ... ... The high-ranking disciple continued his rounds through the mist-veiled streets of Yinfrost City. Unbeknownst to him, Victor and Tarkos remained silent specters in the shadows, watching his every movement from rooftops and alleys, ignoring the perfect opportunity to strike. They knew better than to bite into bait clearly laced with poison. After nearly three hours of circling, the disciple huffed in annoyance and returned to the Emerald Coil Pavilion. Upon his arrival, the others were quick to gather around. "You were out there for almost three hours," one grumbled. "What happened?" "Nothing. They didn''t show," he replied with an irritated tone. "Not a damn ghost in sight." "That doesn''t make any sense," Elder Mu brows furrowed. "They''ve been opportunistic until now. Why not take this chance?" Xiao Mei narrowed her eyes. "Unless they knew it was a trap." The room grew tense. Someone asked the obvious: "But how?" ... ... Meanwhile, back at the hidden abode nestled near the icy ridges of Yinfrost, Victor and Tarkos waited. It wasn''t until deep into the night that the faint knock signaled Elder Huang''s return. The door opened slowly, revealing him with tired eyes and bloodstains still on the hem of his robe. "You''re late," Tarkos said flatly. Chapter 192: Who Is Competing? "You''re late," Tarkos said flatly. "I had to be careful," Elder Huang responded while handing over two tokens. "These are keyed to your energy signature. They will grant you access through the Pavilion''s barrier. But remember, they''re tied to your current disguises. Change your aura, and they won''t work." Victor inspected the glittering pentagonal tokens with glowing jade inscriptions. "Good. It''s time to resume the purge," Victor said. Before leaving, Victor dyed his hair to a dusky yellow hue and wore thick padding beneath his Jade Serpent robes. Tarkos did the same, turning his hair a sickly green and bulking up with layers that altered his gait and body frame. They couldn''t risk being recognisable after their last encounter with Xu Jian within the Emerald Coil Pavilion. When they arrived at the Pavilion with Elder Huang leading, the barrier allowed them through. None of the guards questioned them. What followed next was two days of silent, precise killings. First kill: They lured Senior Disciple Han Wei under the guise of an emergency training evaluation. Elder Huang sent a false summons that made Han Wei report to one of the Pavilion''s outer practice yards. When he arrived, he found only Tarkos, seated calmly beneath the moonlight. Before he could react, Victor appeared from the shadows and sliced his head off. He was dead before he even knew it. They buried his body beneath the training arena, erasing all trace. Second kill: The next target, Elder Lin, had a habit of bathing in the Pavilion''s spiritual springs at midnight. Victor and Tarkos watched from the steaming rocks until the elder was waist-deep in the pool. Tarkos whispered, "I''ll boil him." A single ink-thread burst from his tattoo and merged with the spring, turning it scalding hot. As Elder Lin screamed and tried to leap out, Victor dropped large rocks from above onto the elder, momentarily trapping him in there. This had been carefully planned because not even an elder of that strength could survive more than thirty seconds underneath that water temperature which was imbued with spiritual poison. Third kill: Disciple Wu Nian was known for his arrogance and late-night meditations near the serpent statues in the east wing. Victor approached with his disguise and pretended to be a junior seeking guidance. As Wu opened his mouth to brag, Victor placed a hand on his chest, planting qi locking talismans in him. Tarkos appeared from behind and ripped his head off his body. Fourth kill: The most difficult so far. Elder Yun was a suspicious man, rarely alone and always cloaked in barriers. They waited until he took a solitary walk to the artifact chamber¡ªhis one weakness. He believed the chamber''s spiritual suppression would prevent anyone from approaching. However, Victor and Tarkos ambushed him just as he exited. A swift tag-team: Victor disabled his movement for a second with frost bloom palm, and Tarkos bisected him with a rising ink blade. The elder was split into two halves. After cleaning up and feeding false information to a few guards, they returned to the hideout. Now, only four remained. Two elders. Two senior disciples; Xiao Mei and Yan Rui. Inside the Pavilion, another meeting was taking place. Elder Mu sat with clenched fists. "Another four. What in the name of the Serpent Sovereign is going on?" "This is impossible," barked Elder Zhao. "Are we cursed?" "Or we''ve let rats in," Xiao Mei said quietly. "Think. It''s not random anymore. Those being killed are the same ones who joined us in placing the bounty on Fang Chen. And now we certainly have traitors in our midst." The room went cold. "It''s true," muttered one of the elders. "Zhao Feng, Xu Jian, Han Wei, and Wu Nian. They were all part of the plan to place a bounty on Zhao Feng because the pond was too valuable." "Are you saying Fang Chen is doing this?" Elder Mu asked. "He was Foundation Establishment when we last saw him," he added. "You expect me to believe he''s become strong enough to kill Nascent Soul experts and sneak into this Pavilion?" "Maybe he has help," Xiao Mei said. "Or maybe he was never what we assumed. Either way, someone is killing those tied to that bounty. We''re the last ones left. If we don''t act, we''re dead." "Then what do you suggest?" Xiao Mei turned to stare at them with a look of seriousness; "We have to deal with the ones inside our house first..." ... ... Outside, in the hideout, Victor stood before Tarkos and Elder Huang, who had been summoned again. Tarkos looked at Victor. "Four left. Let''s end it." Victor had to log out now because it had already been three days in Ascendant Realms. Before doing so, he turned to Tarkos. "Stay hidden for now," Victor said. "The ones left... they won''t move alone anymore. Two elders and two senior disciples? They will be more cautious than ever before. Just wait for my return." Tarkos gave a quiet nod. "I''ll be a shadow in their midst. You can go. You look like a walking corpse." Victor chuckled dryly. "I do need a lot of rest. After we finish this, I promise I''m taking the longest nap in recorded history." With that, he logged out. --- Real world: 4:49 A.M. Victor sat up on his bed with heavy eyes. The lines between reality and game had blurred long ago, but fatigue was one thing that always reminded him where he truly was. He hadn''t gotten proper sleep in over a week. But that didn''t stop him from sliding out of bed, getting dressed, and stepping out of the dorm alongside Kairo. They walked silently under the fake early morning sky as crisp air brushed against their uniforms. At the junction, they split and headed towards their respective camps. It was Wednesday, meaning swimming-based morning routines. Victor had been a poor swimmer once, but today he swam with smooth, powerful strokes. He was already getting the hang of it. Occasionally, he''d practice underwater swerves and burst-speed dashes. Subtly, he used his qi to sharpen his instincts and propel himself faster without drawing attention. After morning routine, they changed and prepared for lectures. Victor''s mind remained ever active even though his body screamed for rest. He focused, knowing he had to be done with the Jade Serpent affair before he could truly relax. Perhaps tomorrow. Or this weekend. As lectures wrapped up, a loud chime echoed across the academy grounds. "Reminder to all first years: the Legacy Weapons Competition begins next week. Prepare accordingly." Victor''s eyes widened. "Damn. I forgot about that." He had registered for it nearly a month ago, back when he had just learned about the legacy weapons each class could compete for. For the Warrior class, it was the Bladesoul Saber, a legendary sword once wielded by a hero of the first mana wars. The most powerful Warrior in the history of awakened. At dinner later that evening, Victor joined Selene, Danny, Aria, Kai, Reed, and Rylan. The table buzzed with chatter about the competition. "So... who''s competing for the assassin class weapons?" Danny asked. Selene just smirked and popped her lollipop out. "Not me. I brought daggers from home. My style''s unique. No need to grab some hand-me-down from a dead guy." "Legacy weapons aren''t just hand-me-downs," Reed stated. "They have remnants of the original wielder''s mana. Skills. Resonance. You could be stronger just by wielding one." "Aren''t you competing, Reed?" Aria questioned while raising a perfectly arched brow. "Yes," he said proudly. "I am." Everyone immediately burst into various forms of mockery. "Haha, you?" Kai snorted. "You''ll probably get disarmed during the warm-up." "What if the legacy weapon rejects you on sight?" Rylan added with a laugh. "Guys!" Reed yelled. "Come on! I''ve been training." "And I''ve been training to grow wings," Aria said dryly. Victor was mostly quiet and smiling at their banter. "So who else is competing?" Danny asked. Victor took a bite of his roasted chicken before replying. "I am." Silence fell at the table. Aria was the first to respond. "You''re serious?" "Yup. Registered a month ago. I want the Bladesoul Saber. I still can''t forget the feeling it gave when I pulled it out of the altar during our screening." "You do remember Elyra Vorn is competing too, right?" Rylan asked. Victor nodded. "I know." Kai gave him a long look. "That''s the S-ranked Warrior, dude." "I know," Victor repeated. Danny clapped him on the back. "Then you better give us a damn good show." Victor smiled faintly. "Oh, I plan to." The competition was going to be fierce. The legacy weapons weren''t given. They were earned. Each weapon responded to its own set of trials and parameters. If you passed, the weapon chose you. If you failed... you were out. However, combat was still unavoidable so there was no telling if he''d have to face the others competing or not. Either ways, Victor wasn''t backing down. His determination remained steadfast. He intended to claim that blade and make it his. Chapter 193: Youre Not From Our Sect Victor stepped into his dorm to find an unusual sight¡ªKairo was home, and he wasn''t alone. A bunch of guys were sprawled around the room, talking, laughing, and munching on snacks. The air smelled of salted chips and energy drinks. "Hey, Victor!" Kairo waved him over casually. "Come meet the crew." Victor offered a nod and exchanged handshakes and short greetings with the others. One of them, a tall guy with dreadlocks and a permanent smirk, pointed at Victor and said with a laugh, "Oh, so this is the guy who sleeps all the damn time, huh?" Victor raised a brow. "What the hell? I don''t sleep that much." The room erupted with laughter. Victor grinned, but inside he was groaning. He had been hoping for peace and quiet so he could log in but now his dorm was a jungle of bodies and banter. His eyes occasionally flicked toward his bed and the hidden compartment underneath it where he kept the helmet, his phone, and the camera. One of Kairo''s annoyingly clueless friends named Bryson had already picked up Victor''s backpack twice. "Hey, man, what''s in here? Looks fancy," Bryson asked while reaching again. Victor darted across the room and snatched the bag back. "Private stuff. Don''t go poking around, alright?" Bryson shrugged before holding his hands up. "Alright, alright. Damn." Victor managed to keep the situation under control, but the tension in his shoulders didn''t let up. The group stayed for hours. It wasn''t until after 9 p.m. that they finally filtered out with loud goodbyes and lingering jokes. Victor flopped on his bed while exhaling deeply. "Finally," he muttered. He checked the time. If he logged in now, he''d get around two full days inside Ascendant Realms before needing to log out again. Not much, but maybe enough. Without wasting another second, Victor retrieved his helmet, settled under his covers, and activated the neural sync. [ Logging Into Ascendant Realms... ] --- Victor materialized within the stone-walled interior of their hideout in Ascendant Realms. He immediately noticed Yuren standing nearby wifh a visibly tensed look. "Young master, Fang Chen" Yuren began urgently with a tone of worry. "We have a problem." Victor frowned. "What kind of problem?" Yuren stepped forward. "Young master, Tarkos has been taken." Victor''s eyes widened. "What?! I told him to stay put until I got back." "Yes, but... he thought he could finish the job in your absence. He said you had already done too much and that this part was on him. He infiltrated the Emerald Coil Pavilion again. They''ve been investigating internally, and now they''ve detained a dozen disciples they suspect are connected to the killings. Young master was among them." Victor clenched his fists. "Fuck. Don''t they know he''s not even one of them?" Yuren looked grave. "That''s exactly the problem. If they look too closely¡ªif they examine his cultivation technique or verify his identity¡ªthey''ll realize he doesn''t belong. And once they do..." Victor exhaled slowly. "They''ll kill him." Yuren nodded and then, unexpectedly, dropped to one knee. "Please, I beg you. Save my young master. He''s too important." Victor stared at him for a moment. Seeing the always-cold, rigid Yuren break formality like this sent a chill down his spine. "Alright," Victor said finally. "I''ll get him out. But I''ll need details on where exactly he is being held." Yuren stood. "Of course. Come this way." --- Yuren brought out an old map of the Emerald Coil Pavilion''s underground structures to show Victor. The place Tarkos was being held was beneath one of the sect''s elder former quarters, repurposed as a secret detainment area. Guards were rotated every four hours, and at least two Nascent Soul cultivators stood watch at all times. It was a trap-laced hellhole. Victor studied every detail. "We need a way to get in undetected," he said. "Can we still use the tokens?" "Yes, but it won''t be enough. The detention area has a secondary barrier keyed only to sect elders." Victor''s eyes narrowed. "We''ll need Elder Huang." "I''ll bring him," Yuren assured. "No, don''t worry about it. You''ve played your part... I''ll take care of the rest," Victor stated before heading off. ... ... Victor moved swiftly through the frigid air of Yinfrost City with his jade-colored robes catching the pale moonlight. He clutched the pentagon token tightly in his hand. It thrummed faintly with energy, reacting to his qi signature as he neared the edge of the Emerald Coil Pavilion. The invisible barrier glimmered momentarily as he passed through, granting him access without alarm. He was officially back inside enemy territory. Inside the Pavilion, things were tense. Disciples walked about in small, tight-knit groups. There was an underlying anxiety in the air, the sort bred from fear of unseen predators. Victor blended in easily with his yellow dyed hair tucked under a cowl and his facial features partially obscured by a cloth wrap. He quickly made his way to one of the lesser halls, where Elder Huang resided. "You''re back?" Elder Huang whispered with a surprised look. "This is dangerous." Victor stepped into the room before closing the door behind him. "Tarkos. He''s been taken." Elder Huang''s expression turned grim. "I heard. He''s being held in the disciple detention cavern¡ªa place where qi is dampened to prevent internal revolts. Even I can''t do anything about it. If I so much as request to see who''s inside, they''ll know something''s off. They''re already watching me closely." Victor clenched his fists. "Then it''s on me. Give me everything you know." Despite his unease, Elder Huang retrieved a scroll and unrolled it across the table. "The entrance is here, concealed in this cavern mouth beneath the southern cliff of the Pavilion. It''s guarded constantly by a rotating shift of four disciples. No elder is stationed there unless someone''s being interrogated. The qi within is suppressed by inscribed seals embedded into the walls and floors. Unless you''re prepared, you won''t be able to draw on your power." Victor nodded whime absorbing every word. It was almost the same as Yuren told him but with extra details. He committed the route and guard schedule to memory. "One last thing," Elder Huang voiced while placing a hand on the scroll. "Don''t get caught. If they capture you, I won''t be able to protect either of you." By midnight, the Emerald Coil Pavilion had fallen into a still, icy hush. Victor waited atop a rooftop across from the southern cliff. His breath puffed softly in the cold, mingling with the wind. Below him, two guards stood idly outside the cavern entrance with fire torches flickering against the rock walls. Like a wraith, Victor descended. Windless and silent. One guard didn''t even see the blade before it sliced across his neck. The second opened his mouth to shout, but a burst of wind from Victor''s palm knocked him into the cavern wall with a sickening crack. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. Victor didn''t hesitate. He sprinted into the cavern mouth, activating his Void Emperor Bloodline as he passed the threshold. A thin veil of void qi encased his body, shielding him from the suppressive qi-inscription runes woven into the stone. Within the place, rows of disciples sat in gloom, manacled and slumped against cold walls. Victor''s voice echoed in a sharp whisper. "Tarkos! Tarkos, where are you?!" No response. He moved quickly while scanning faces in the dim surrounding. He knelt beside one. "Have you seen someone tall, black tattoos... lots and lots of black tattoos and a sharp tongue?" The disciple blinked, then nodded wearily. "An elder took him out hours ago... for questioning." Victor cursed under his breath before bolting back out of the cavern. Elsewhere within a deep fortified chamber lined with jade and grey etchings, Tarkos sat bound to a cold metal chair. A circular formation of suppressive talismans surrounded him. Before him stood Elder Ruanzhi¡ªthe Pavilion''s most formidable Void Tribulation cultivator. "You''re not from our sect," Ruanzhi said simply while folding his arms. Tarkos met his eyes with defiance. "You think I fear you?" Ruanzhi let his spiritual pressure swell while stepping forward. The room seemed to shrink. Tarkos'' limbs trembled involuntarily from the extra force that just descended upon the room. "Where were you four nights ago when Elder Tian vanished? What task were you performing when Zhao Feng died? Where did you obtain your token?" Tarkos remained silent at first, but his lips eventually parted. "My token was... made by your dead grandma." Ruanzhi''s eyes narrowed. "Foolish words will not help you now. Do you admit it, you''re the one behind all this?" Tarkos pursed his lips. Ruanzhi straightened and turned toward the exit. "You will be publicly executed at dawn. We''ll make an example of you." Suddenly the doors burst open and standing in the threshold was none other than Elder Huang. "Hold on," Huang said calmly. Ruanzhi stopped. "This is a secure area. What are you doing here?" "I came to verify something," Huang stated while shifting his gaze towards Tarkos. "Whatever it is, it can wait. I''ve identified the traitor. He will be executed." Chapter 194: A List Of Three Huang nodded slowly. "Then allow me to confirm his energy signature against our inner records. It''s protocol. We must ensure we don''t wrongfully execute someone with fabricated evidence." Ruanzhi paused. "You think I don''t know my own disciples?" "I think that the Pavilion would prefer caution over recklessness." A tense silence followed, then Ruanzhi stepped aside. Tarkos met Huang''s eyes. For a second, no words were exchanged. But the message was clear. Before the strongest elder could blink, Elder Huang suddenly sprang into action and grabbed hold of him from behind. He locked his arms and pulled him backward with great force. Just at that very moment, Victor came bursting into the chamber with a sharp glint in his eyes and several qi-locking talismans in hand. He immediately slapped two of them on the elder''s back in quick succession. But before he could slap the third one, Elder Ruanzhi let out a sudden surge of resistance. Despite the talismans beginning to suppress his qi flow, the elder twisted violently and wriggled free from Elder Huang''s grip with a serpent-like movement. His hand flashed forward and landed a brutal palm strike right on Victor''s chest. Victor was flung backward like a broken kite and crashed straight through the thick stone wall with a thunderous crack while coughing blood mid-air as he landed. The qi-locking talismans were not enough to completely suppress Elder Ruanzhi. He growled and reached back to rip them off his body but was struggling to do so. However, Tarkos had already recovered from the pressure that had bound him earlier. Without hesitation, he dashed forward in a flash and grabbed Elder Ruanzhi from behind, preventing the elder from taking off the talismans. "Now it''s my turn," Tarkos snarled, and with great force, he rammed the elder face-first into the ground, forming cracks beneath them. However, despite being suppressed, Elder Ruanzhi''s cultivation strength was still overwhelming due to the fact that he was a Void Tribulation Elder. With a flash of light, his body glowed and twisted like a slithering serpent. He suddenly reversed their positions, slipping out of Tarkos''s hold smoothly. "Too slow," he whispered, and then unleashed a vicious technique. Ten strikes landed on Tarkos in the blink of an eye laced with the power of Void-Serpent Style martial arts. Tarkos''s body flew into the ceiling from the force, smashing into it and crashing back to the ground with a loud thud with blood dripping from his mouth. In the next instant, Victor came bolting through the collapsing entrance of the chamber while coughing through a veil of dust and debris as fragments of stone rained down from the shattered wall. His ribs ached from Elder Ruanzhi''s palm strike as he let out heavy breaths. Still, he pushed himself forward. Inside the now-exposed interrogation hall, Elder Huang''s arm was still outstretched from his last attack as a spiral of residual energy crackled around his fingers. Tarkos was already staggering to his feet despite being bloody and bruised. His tattoo-covered body was still smoking slightly from the ten-palm strikes he''d just endured. And yet, his eyes glowed with murderous fury. "You bastards think you can take me down?!" Elder Ruanzhi roared as blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. His fingers dug into the qi-locking talismans stuck to his robes, desperately trying to rip them off. But before he could, Tarkos moved again. In a blur, he wrapped both arms around Elder Ruanzhi''s waist and hoisted him into the air before slamming him back into the marble floor with a bone-rattling crash. The chamber shook from the impact as dust plumed into the air. But even suppressed, the Void Tribulation Realm elder was too powerful. His body twisted unnaturally as he invoked a forbidden movement technique, his form slithering like a serpent from Tarkos''s grasp. In the blink of an eye, he struck back¡ªa storm of palm blows crashing into Tarkos''s chest. Victor surged back while swinging his blade infused with Shadow Crescent Strike. <[ Shadow Crescent Strike Activated ]> The strike connected with Elder Ruanzhi''s shoulder, but the blade only grazed flesh. The elder retaliated immediately with a spinning palm that knocked Victor sideways into one of the stone support pillars. A crack echoed as Victor hit the floor hard. "ENOUGH!" Elder Huang''s voice thundered. Golden light enveloped him as a complex seal formation bloomed around his body. He had been preparing this attack for the last couple of minutes which was why he hadn''t been very involved in the fight. In an instant, he invoked one of his strongest techniques¡ªa radiant lotus of pure spiritual qi. Elder Ruanzhi''s eyes widened, but he was too late. The lotus unfolded and blasted toward him. Energy carved into his chest, ripping his robes and drawing a cry of pain from his lips. He was driven to one knee and began gasping for air. "Why, Huang?!" he snarled. "You conniving rat!" "Because you bastards were always the real poison in this sect... and I have chosen to be on Fang Chen''s side," Elder Huang spat. The elder instantly tried to flee... He staggering toward the exit with bloodied steps. Victor body trembled as he forced himself up. Tarkos descended from above with a yell, and both of them struck together¡ª Victor hit the elder with a Frost Bloom Palm to the ribs causing his movement and little qi flow to be hindered while a piercing ink spike that burst from Tarkos tattoos. The dual strike hit home, sending Elder Ruanzhi toppling forward. But he wasn''t done yet. Even while falling, the elder twisted and launched his arm back with his palm glowing. The shockwave from his dying blow sent Victor flying into a stone wall and Tarkos skidding backward in a spray of dust and blood. Victor groaned as his body turned even more bruised. He was losing a lot of HP. He couldn''t imagine how much more terrifying it would have been if they were fighting the elder at his full strength. Tarkos clutched his stomach in pain. However at the last minute, Elder Huang appeared above the fallen Elder Ruanzhi and drove a blade of pure qi into his back. The light in Elder Ruanzhi''s eyes dimmed. It was done. Victor could barely register the sensation of victory before distant footsteps and panicked voices rang out. "We''re out of time," Elder Huang said quickly. "Go. Now." He staggered backward, then, without warning, stabbed himself in the abdomen. Blood splattered across the chamber floor. "What the hell?!" Victor exclaimed. "I need to fake things and It has to look real," Elder Huang clutched his stomach in agony. "I''ll tell them Elder Ruanzhi fought to the end. That we were attacked. Now go!" Tarkos didn''t need to be told twice. He grabbed Victor by the arm and dragged him toward the tunnel exit. As they ran, Elder Huang collapsed dramatically beside the elder''s corpse as blood pooled at his knees. Moments later, more than a dozen disciples burst into the room. "Elder Huang! What happened?!" The old man coughed with blood stained lips. "We were attacked... powerful intruders... Elder Ruanzhi gave his life... to protect me." Cries of outrage filled the room. Several disciples dropped to their knees beside Ruanzhi''s mangled body, while others raced out in every direction. "Seal the grounds! We must catch the culprits!" But Victor and Tarkos were already gone. Outside the pavilion, deep in the hidden alleyways of Yinfrost City, the two of them collapsed behind a vendor''s shed. "That... was way too close," Victor panted. Tarkos didn''t respond at first. He sat silently, with his clothes soaked in blood. Then he looked up and grinned. "That old man just bought us the time we need." Victor nodded. "Now we have three left. Two senior disciples and one eldef. And then this damn list is done." Alarms rang out in the distance, causing them to move this discussion back to their hideout. Just as Victor had stated, they truly had only three left on the list. Yan Rui, Xiao Mei and the remaining female elder. ... ... In the coming days, Victor and Tarkos made investigations and properly plotted their next plan on how to take down the three left on the list. However, they discovered that Xiao Mei had vanished after the last incident. Now matter how much they tried to look for her, she was nowhere to be found. Whether she had gone into hiding or was preparing some countermeasures, no one knew. For now, she was off the board. So the attention shifted to the last two. The female elder¡ªZhen Luyin, a woman known for her cruel methods and terrifying ice techniques¡ª And Yan Rui who was still in seclusion, attempting her breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Realm. With the strongest elder already dead and the sect in disarray, disciples were fleeing the pavilion in droves. Many no longer wanted any part in the growing chaos. Only the most loyal¡ªor the most ambitious¡ªremained behind. This shift in numbers made infiltration easier. Chapter 195: Clearing The List Elder Huang, currently lying low and nursing fabricated injuries, was still unsuspected. That made him the perfect person to assist with taking down Elder Zhen Luyin. Tarkos stood with Victor outside a collapsed section of the eastern hall as they finalised their plans on taking down the last two. "I go with Huang," he said simply. Victor nodded. "Leave Yan Rui to me." They concluded that Elder Huang and Tarkos would team up to take down the female elder while Victor would take care of Yan Rui. --- Elder Huang approached the ice garden near the northern wing, where Zhen Luyin often meditated. He wore a loose robe and walked with a limp to maintain his facade. She was sitting amidst frozen lotus blooms with her body cocooned in a veil of frost. "You''re not supposed to be walking yet," she muttered without opening her eyes. "I''ve recovered faster than expected," he replied. "But there''s something urgent. Come with me." She opened her eyes with a slight look of suspicion. But before she could act, Tarkos dropped from the frozen roof above with his tattoos spreading out midair like demonic wings. He slashed downwards at the female elder who reacted by quickly slapping her palms together to activate a Frost technique. A palm of ice rose from the ground to meet Tarkos and it got smashed to pieces the moment Tarkos collided with it. However, it gave her the opportunity to evade his attack. "This is where you meet your end," Tarkos stated. Zhen eyes widened in realisation as she immediately understood what was going on. "Traitor," she hissed while summoning a glaive of glacial qi. The battle commenced instantly. Elder Huang supported Tarkos from the side with ranged attacks, while Tarkos clashed blade to glaive in the center of the garden. Spikes of frost jutted from the ground. Sword and glaive created shockwaves of freezing wind. Tarkos face remained impassive even though she was strong. They were practically in the same cultivation realm after and he also had help. Huang fired a burst of golden qi that collided with her side, sending her staggering despite while Tarkos charged forward to press the attack. ... ... Meanwhile, Victor made his way to the secluded chamber buried beneath the cliff on the western side of the pavilion. The air grew denser with each step. He could feel the oppressive surge of cultivation energy coming from within the sealed chamber. Victor reached the stone wall that separated him from the chamber. A pattern of glowing jade serpent runes spread across the surface. "She''s in the middle of breaking through..." He peered into the chamber through a tiny spatial slit he forced open. Yan Rui sat in a meditative position as her body glowed with unstable qi. A massive lotus had manifested beneath her, formed purely of qi and spiritual intent. Petals rose, fell, and rotated with a rhythm that echoed across the mountain range. This was no ordinary seclusion¡ªYan Rui was at a critical point. Victor''s body stiffened as he tested the air currents around her. The closer he stepped, the more it felt like his own energy was being pushed back. "She''s already this far in..." He reached out with his hand and was immediately met with resistance, as though the very fabric of space around Yan Rui had been sealed tight. Victor clenched his fist. "If she completes this breakthrough, I''ll never have a chance to kill her." He gritted his teeth, pulled back, and drew his sword. No matter how much he tried to slash, stab, or redirect qi to disrupt the process, nothing worked. Everything he threw at her was deflected by the cocoon of condensed energy. It was like trying to slice through time itself. Then, a ripple echoed from within his blood. Victor''s eyes flared white and violet as his Void Emperor Bloodline activated. Space itself bent around him. He raised his sword and poured pure Void Qi into it. The weapon darkened further until it seemed to vanish entirely from sight, like a sliver of erased reality. He stepped back, inhaled deeply, and shifted his fingers into a precise gesture. "Can''t get to her directly... then I''ll bend the world around her." He twisted his palm slowly, bending space like it were silk. Tiny distortions appeared in the air¡ªrifts, cracks, and overlapping layers of dimensional energy. Victor''s blade vanished from beside him... and reappeared inside the cavern. It hovered just behind Yan Rui... between two swirling strands of qi, bypassing the chaotic aura completely. Victor narrowed his eyes as sweat dripped from his brow. Controlling spatial slivers for this long wasn''t easy, and his bloodline was already straining. "Now," he muttered before sweeping his palm forward. The sword obeyed. Without a single sound, without warning¡ª It plunged straight through Yan Rui''s chest with a sickening wet sound. Yan Rui spasmed violently as blood spilled from her lips before her body tilted forward. Victor reached out and summoned the sword back, catching it by the hilt. "It''s done," he whispered. He turned around and began walking away. Ten feet... Twelve... Then he felt something and suddenly came to a pause. The world behind him began to tremble. A violent storm of qi erupted from the chamber. Victor spun around in disbelief. Yan Rui''s body was floating into the air with her arms outstretched. Lightning clouds surged into the cavern through cracks in the cliff. Her eyes snapped open emitting a silver glow. "No..." She let out an unholy shriek as her cultivation surged. She had broken through. Yan Rui had survived his assassination attempt and ascended to the Soul Transformation Realm. "Uh oh..." Victor gulped saliva and gripped his sword tighter. ... ... The icy winds howled as Elder Zhen stood atop a fractured terrace with her robe fluttering like ribbons of vengeance. Her eyes narrowed upon the two men before her¡ªTarkos and the injured Elder Huang. "Still standing, Elder Huang?" she said, voice cold as the domain she commanded. "You should''ve stayed in bed." "I don''t need to stand to break your bones," Huang replied through gritted teeth while leaning on a spirit-forged staff. Tarkos stepped forward. "You''re outmatched. Even the ice has limits." She raised her hand. "Then let''s test yours." A burst of frost exploded outward from her palm, freezing the air so quickly that the moisture crystallized into spears. They came down like a meteor shower, shattering into the ground around Tarkos, forcing him to move. His feet slid across the icy platform, but he pivoted expertly, avoiding the worst of the attack. "Don''t blink, old man," Zhen hissed. She clapped her hands, activating a frost defence technique and her body became encased in glacial armor that was as thick as steel but transparent enough to reflect her surroundings like a mirror of war. With a single step, the ground beneath her turned to glassy frost, spreading in a wide arc. Trees nearby withered, stone cracked, and frost crawled up buildings, turning wood to brittle ice. Tarkos charged with his tattoos writhing across his body. He summoned an earth-based technique¡ªStone Reaver Form¡ªand his limbs became reinforced with layered rock-like skin. He sent forth a powerful punch that collided with Elder Zhen''s shield, ringing like a war drum. It cracked the ice but didn''t break it. She retaliated with a twirl, sending shards of ice spiraling toward his eyes. He deflected with his forearm which was covered in tattoos. "You''ll need more than that," he grunted. Zhen didn''t wait. She hurled her arms to the sky and summoned Glacial Halo, forming floating sigils that blinked into life above her like frozen stars. One by one, they discharged beams of condensed frost energy, aimed to pierce pressure points. Tarkos ducked, twisted, and rolled as his tattoos absorbed the brunt of a few strikes while Elder Huang conjured a temporary barrier, redirecting one blast that nearly tore through Tarkos'' back. "Left flank!" Huang called while blood dripped from his lips. Tarkos leapt to the side and launched one of his ink blades forward... Twwhoosshh~ It split the ground in two while surging through the air with incredibly force and then hit Zhen square in the chest. Her body was lifted off the ground causing her to smash through two stone columns. Ice sprayed as her armor shattered from the piercing strike. But she rose with a furious look. "You break my armor, I''ll break your spine." "Frost veil spear!" She summoned a weapon forged of compacted ice and spiritual energy. With one thrust, she launched it like a divine missile. ... ... Meanwhile back at Victor''s location... The air around Victor rippled violently as he stood before Yan Rui. Lightning cracked faintly in the distance, summoned by the strange atmospheric pressure surrounding her sudden breakthrough to Soul Transformation Realm. Her long silk robes fluttered unnaturally, untouched by wind. Her beauty was deadly and her smile was even more venomous than any serpent. Victor didn''t waste time. The moment he realized she had broken through, he acted. He dashed forward with wind spiraling beneath his feet as he activated Wind Dash. The ground cracked with every step as he neared while enveloping his blade with Void qi. With a swift swing, he released Shadow Crescent Strike, a wave of pure destruction aimed directly at her chest. Yan Rui''s body burst forth with qi. A serpentine sigil lit up before her, absorbing the attack entirely. "Cute," she purred. Chapter 196: Fang Chen Vs Yan Rui "Cute," Yan Rui purred. Victor gritted his teeth and conjured wind gales, sending sharp, invisible strikes from multiple angles. She tilted her head and extended a finger. Pink, misty energy flowed around her and took the form of illusionary but sturdy blooming flowers. They caught the wind blades like steel catching feathers. She retaliated with a flick of her wrist. Vines of seductive, dark-red energy burst forth from the floor like snakes, lashing at Victor''s limbs. He summoned a burst of frost from his palm¡ªFrost Bloom Palm¡ªfreezing the tendrils mid-air and shattering them with a spin kick. He didn''t get a second to breathe. Yan Rui appeared behind him, almost like she had just teleported and slashed with her long-nailed fingers covered in glowing runes. Victor activated Phantom Mirage Step, disappearing and reappearing five feet away in a blur. His breathing was already heavier. Yan Rui''s cultivation Dao was absurdly tricky¡ªa blend of illusion, temptation, and seduction. Her attacks didn''t just wound the body; they invaded the mind. Victor roared and activated his Void Emperor Bloodline again, shrouding his body in a layer of spatial qi. He clenched his sword, reinforced it with Void Thread Manipulation, and launched another devastating frontal assault. This time he combined Frost Bloom Palm, Wind Blade, and Shadow Crescent Strike in one barrage. It hit. Her arm took the blow causing a deep gash split across her skin as blood trailed into the air. Yan Rui didn''t even scream or groan in pain. Instead she moaned. "Ahh... you''re deliciously vicious," she whispered while licking her lips. "Aww, it''s you Fang Chen... I finally recognise your face..." Victor flinched. She stepped closer, and before he could react, a lotus shaped seal circled his body¡ª The formation instantly pinned him down with invisible chains that emitted a pink mist. His limbs felt numb and he felt a rising heat from a certain part of his body. ''Am I getting turned on? How is that even possible within the game?'' She sauntered up to him slowly with her bare feet gliding over the floor. Her hand pressed onto his chest and slid up to his face. "You''ve grown even more handsome. Such a shame... But I''ve changed my mind about giving you the fate you so rightfully deserve." She pressed her lips softly onto his. Victor tried to turn his face, but his body wasn''t responding. Even though this was a game... the feeling of her lips on his was no joke. "If you agree to be my sex slave, I won''t kill you. I''ve never had a transmigrator before. I wonder how it feels to own one..." Victor''s mind raced as he tried to grasp at any technique he could still channel. But the seal was etched onto his soul. He couldn''t access his qi. "Come on... you know you want it..." she whispered while grazing her fingers up his thighs to feel the budge that had formed under his robes. "Am I really getting sexually assaulted by an NPC, right now? Doesn''t feel as good as I imagined..." Victor voiced with a disgruntled tone. It was also quite unfortunate that there was no one to help him since Tarkos and Elder Huang were currently dealing with the female elder. "Come on," she whispered. "Just say yes..." Then suddenly¡ª A burst of light slammed into Yan Rui from the side, sending her flying across the air and slamming into the far wall. The attack shattered the seductive lotus seal. Victor gasped while falling to his knees, coughing. The moment he turned to stare at his saviour, he was shocked to see who it was. "Xiao... Mei?" he blinked in disbelief. There she stood, wrapped in a long green robe with serpent-like patterns. "Sorry, Yan Rui. It''s over," her voice rang out clearly. Yan Rui rose slowly while wiping blood from her mouth. "You? Traitor." Xiao Mei stepped beside Victor and helped him up. "I''m not dying with the rest of you fools. I''ve seen enough. The Emerald Coil is crumbling." "You think you can take me?" "Not alone," Xiao Mei said. "But there''s two of us now." Victor was still surprised about the sudden change in situation but nevertheless, he didn''t mind taking advantage of the opportunity. "What was that quote again? The enemy of my friend is my fre... oh whatever, let''s just take her down," Victor clenched his fist and a burst of qi surged from his body. He stood tall with despite his battered look. Yan Rui screamed and the chamber shook. The battle resumed. Yan Rui''s new power let her twist the air into blades as her spirit energy formed seductive illusions that shifted the room constantly. But now with Xiao Mei''s interference, she was distracted. Even though Xiao Mei wasn''t as powerful, she was still peak Nascent Soul Realm so she could give Yan Rui a run for her money. Victor zipped around with Wind Glide and Wind Dash, slicing through her distractions. Xiao Mei used snake-binding techniques to keep Yan Rui''s movement suppressed. The two of them worked in sync¡ª Victor brought the aggression while Xiao Mei offered control. Yan Rui tried to form a soul-binding curse but Victor hurled his frost covered sword at her, causing it to pierce into her arm and freeze it mid-cast. Xiao Mei conjured an energy net and hurled it onto her legs. Victor called his sword back and slashed again, leaving a deep cut across her waist. Yan Rui shrieked and exploded with energy, knocking both of them backward. But the damage was done. She was bleeding and panting. Her lightning storm had waned. Victor and Xiao Mei circled her. "You''re finished, Yan Rui," Victor voiced while raising his sword. "I should have killed you back then," she hissed. "You tried," he replied. "Now it''s my turn." He rushed forward while Yan Rui gathered energy for a final blast, but Xiao Mei''s used a technique to tangle her limbs at the last moment, giving Victor the opportunity to stab his sword through her heart. Yan Rui''s eyes widened as a violent stream of qi surged into her from the blade, causing her heart to explode. Victor wasn''t taking any chances this time. Her body instantly slumped and the storm faded. Victor exhaled heavily. "Finally," he muttered. ... ... Meanwhile... The surrounding area where the battle between Elder Zhen and Tarkos had been completely neutralized. Destruction riddled every corner and craters had formed in multiple areas. Elder Zhen seemed to have the upperhand even though they were both injured as she repeatedly hurled at Frostveil spear forward. Even without contact, it had turned a radius of more than seven hundred feet into ice and Tarkos found himself covered by frost despite evading on multiple occasions. Tarkos knew keeping this up would be bad so he wanted to end it as fast as he could but things didn''t seem to be going in his favour. Elder Zhen held up the Frostveil Spear once more and launched it like a divine missile. Tarkos decided he had finally had enough and caught it mid-flight, but the contact sent him skidding back a dozen feet with his boots scraping ice as frost spread from the spear to his body. His tattoos glowing wildly as they spread and he forced them to latch onto the spear. In nearly an instant, the spear was covered in black ink and Tarkos proceeded to spin around before hurling it back at her. Twwhiii~ The spear shot forward with insane speed but she caught it. However, the tattoos writhed from the spear and partly wrapped around her fingers, glueing her in place. Elder Huang also raised his trembling hands. A string of talismans flew forth, attaching themselves to Zhen''s shoulder and hip. She tried to shake them off¡ªbut Huang clapped his palms and activated Spirit Chain Bind. Purple cords shot from the talismans and coiled around her. Tarkos seized the moment and sped forward with his fingers outstretched. PUCHIII~ His stabbed through her icy armor and partly pierced her chest. Zhen spat blood and retaliated with an icy uppercut that sent shards across his jaw. His attack hadn''t been powerful enough to kill her in one fell swoop but she was badly injured now. He sent a punch infused with the weight of a mountain, crashing into her midsection which sent her crashing through the courtyard wall, toppling the ice-coated structure with her. She tried to rise again while dragging herself with fractured limbs, but Tarkos was already there. He raised his foot and stepped onto her arm, pinning her to the ground. "It is over," he said. "Not... yet..." she whispered while trying to activate one more technique. "Stubborn woman," Tarkos stated before stomping her head to the ground and bashing her skull in. Blood splattered across the ground as her body twitched repeatedly. Elder Huang stared at her bloodied body which was slowly being drained of life. "Looks like we did it..." "Hnm," Tarkos nodded. "One left." Chapter 197: Return To Violet Spring The air in Yinfrost City was still filled with uncertainty, but for Victor and Tarkos, the storm had finally passed. Hours after Yan Rui had been killed with the help of Xiao Mei, the entire operation that had brought the Emerald Coil Pavilion to its knees was near completion. The final elder who posed a threat had been eliminated by Elder Huang and Tarkos working together. There had been a flashy battle but they passed it off as some kind of training. And now... a new order cementing itself within the walls of the Jade Serpent Sect''s stronghold. Earlier, when the last elder was on her final breath, she had spoken her dying words through a bashed in face... "He... he absorbed the legendary Pond of Dragon Tears... and you''re making him use just his spit like a buffoon... You have no idea what that boy is truly capable of..." Those words haunted Elder Huang as he stood in the central hall of the Emerald Coil Pavilion. Around him, disciples bowed. None of them knew the truth of what had transpired over the past month. They only knew that he was now the Overseer Elder of the Pavilion. The one last remaining elder had pledged loyalty to him publicly, but privately, the blood contract he signed with Victor and Tarkos made him a loyal subordinate. Xiao Mei, the last surviving senior disciple, stood before Victor with her head bowed. Her once cold demeanor was replaced with genuine humility. "You spared me when you had every right not to. I''m indebted to you, Fang Chen. Whatever you need, the Emerald Coil Pavilion will provide. Technically... this entire faction is now yours." On the other hand, Tarkos retrieved the soul-devouring worm from Elder Huang''s body after the final blood contract was signed. The blood pact sealed Huang''s fate, binding him to obey any future command given by Victor or Tarkos. "Don''t take it personally," Tarkos said casually. "We just like to be thorough." Victor, having completed the mission that had begun with the bounty on his head, finally received the notifications he''d long awaited: <[ Quest Completed: ''Retribution - The Ones Who Hunted You'' ]> <[ Bonus Objective Completed: Spare one of the senior disciples ]> <[ Bonus Objective Completed: Infiltrate the Emerald Coil Pavilion without detection ]> <[ Hidden Objective Completed: Collapse the chain of command within the Emerald Coil Pavilion ]> [ +100,000 Wisps Of Qi ] [ +30% Realm Advancement Token ] [ +3 Rare-Grade Storage Rings ] [ +1 Mystic Artifact: Dragon Vein Resonator (Bound) ] [ +100 Attribute Points ] Victor''s eyes widened as more rewards popped up. Elder Huang later approached and handed something over to Victor. Apparently, after hearing Elder Zhen''s last words he did some digging in her chamber and found this. Victor received it and a bunch of new notifications popped up. [ You have obtained: ''Sealed Scroll of Draconic Waters'' ] [Item Grade: Unknown] [Status: Inaccessible - Requirements Not Met] [Description: A scroll containing knowledge related to the Pond of Dragon Tears. Requires 5 White Dragon Techniques Mastery or higher to access.] "Hmm, somthing related with the pond?," Victor muttered before keeping the sealed scroll. "I figured you would need it more than me," Elder Huang stated. "Thanks... I guess I''ll look into it later." [Bloodline Integration: 52%] [Nascent Soul Realm Progress: 15%] "We did it," Victor voiced while stretching his arms. "Now let''s get the hell out of here." Tarkos looked at him, slightly confused. "You do realize this is going to be another weeks-long journey, right? We''re basically halfway across the continent." Victor grinned. "Don''t worry, I''ve got something better." From his storage ring, he pulled out the Spectral Anchor Disk. A gift from the Blueflame City Lord long ago. It had been sitting idle for months in his storage. Victor activated it with a pulse of his qi. The golden disk floated midair and emitted a low vibrating sound as a vortex of spatial energy bloomed out of it. "Ready?" Victor questioned while offering a hand. Tarkos raised a brow. "You better not teleport me into a lake." "Trust me. I already planted the anchor in my room back at the Violet Spring Sect." With a flash of light and a ripple of wind, both of them vanished. In less than a heartbeat, they reappeared in Victor''s abode within the Violet Spring Sect. The familiar scent of incense and quiet calm of the sect greeted them. Tarkos looked around while blinking. "Okay... I''m impressed." Victor clapped his shoulder. "Get used to it." The moment, Victor stepped out into his courtyard within the Violet Spring Sect, greeted by the serenity of early morning mist curling around stone paths and blossoming skywillow trees. The moment his foot touched the ground, he noticed a cluster of letters placed carefully on the stone pedestal just beside his chamber door. Each scroll was stamped with the insignia of Blueflame City¡ªthe wax seal of the City Lord himself. Victor picked the top one. It was dated over a month ago. "The City Lord summons Fang Chen. Your presence is required on the third moon of the previous cycle." Victor frowned and opened the next. Another summon. Then another. Clearly, his absence hadn''t gone unnoticed. He had barely begun to register the weight of it when the wind shifted, and a familiar qi signature filled the courtyard. Elder Mo appeared. The old man arrived without sound like a ghost with his hands folded into the sleeves of his robe, and a subtle arch in his brow. "You have returned," Elder Mo voiced out. Victor bowed slightly. "I''ve been training. Deep meditation and bloodline integration in some... secluded areas." "Secluded? You missed four summonings from the City Lord," Mo replied with a sharp gaze. Victor nodded. "My bloodline integration is now over 50%." That caught Mo''s attention. The elder''s sharp expression softened, though just a bit. "Then it is time. In seven days, we shall visit the City Lord and initiate the next step. Be ready." "Yes, Elder." With that, Mo turned and departed as silently as he had come. Victor exhaled deeply. It was time to log out. He passed quick instructions to Tarkos, telling him to get busy training or helping Elder Huang manage the Emerald Coil Pavilion. Victor proceeded to sit on his soft mattress and logged out of the game. [ Logging Out Of Ascendant Realms... ] ... ... Back in the real world, Victor woke with groggy eyes and aching limbs. He glanced at the time. 4:53 AM. Another morning routine. Kairo was already tying his boots. Victor shot him a half-joking glare. "You and your friends better not drop by the dorm unannounced again." Kairo only smirked. "You looked like a vampire in that blanket." They split off as they always did, heading to their respective camps. --- Elsewhere, within a hidden sector of the Academy''s mountains, a figure stood atop a cliff with her eyes fixated on the horizon. It was Elyra Vorn, the Academy''s S-ranked Warrior¡ªthe golden blade of her generation. A dozen personal instructors encircled her in a safe radius. One of them nodded. "Execute the move when ready, Vorn." She lifted her blade with smoothly causing mana to gather around her like a moth to the flames. She took a single step forward and her mana exploded, causing a strange suffocation in the surroundings. And then she slashed... [System Notification ¨C Elyra Vorn] Skill Activated: ?Heaven-Sunder Slash? Type: Offensive | Grade: A <[ Description: Condenses a large amount of Mana into a single cleave, releasing a devastating energy wave that fractures terrain and knocks back enemies in its path. ]> [ Mana Cost: 280 MP ] [ Cooldown: 10 Hours ] Upon swinging her blade, a crescent-shaped arc tore through the air, leaving behind a brief golden trail that fractured and dissolved like glass. The mountain before her split with a deafening crack. An entire section of the cliffside crumbled as if cleaved by the gods. But in the same instant, the blade in her grip shattered. Shards scattered across the snow-dusted plateau. Elyra lowered her hand with a blank expression. "This is why I need my father''s sword," she muttered. One instructor finally spoke. "You''re already stronger than most third-years... there is no one in the first year who can match you." She didn''t blink. "It isn''t enough. I must not shame my father''s legacy." She reached down and picked up a splinter of her broken blade. Then, without pause, resumed training. --- Meanwhile, Victor was in the training grounds of Camp 11, swinging through sword drills with the rest of the warrior class. Unbeknownst to him, someone was watching him from afar¡ª It seemed to be the same instructor from back then who commandered the drills. The man squinted. "That boy," he whispered. He recalled the incident from the Saviours and Victims drill¡ªthe vest that failed to teleport Victor. "Only instructors or higher-ups have access to the vests. Students can''t even access the storage system. So who? And why? What''s so special about him that someone of authority would go to such lengths?" He clenched a small notebook and wrote something in a private log. Victor completed a spin-slash and paused to wipe sweat from his brow. The instructor continued to observe with his lips pressed into a thin line. --- Chapter 198 198: Revisiting The City Lord. Later that evening, Victor sat around the dinner table with his usual crew: Danny, Selene, Aria, Reed, Kai, and Rylan. Selene was, as usual, toying with a lollipop. "So," she asked while grinning, "how''s the great mystery man preparing for the legacy weapons competition next week?" "You mean this guy?" Danny pointed at Victor. "He sleeps more than an old man in a rocking chair." Victor chuckled while resting his head in one hand. "I need sleep." Reed scoffed. "You registered, didn''t you? That legacy sword competition is no joke. You know who else is registered, right?" "Elyra Vorn," Kai muttered. Victor simply sighed. "Yeah. I know." Aria arched a brow. "I see you''re still going through with it?" "Let''s just say... I need that sword." Selene leaned forward. "Then you better get some rest, white hair. No more late-night naps." Victor smiled faintly. ... ... Victor awoke just after 4am, having slept through the entire night without logging into Ascendant Realms for the first time in a long while. His body felt relieved as the fatigue from his consistent overuse of both real-world qi and virtual-world strain finally began to ease. He yawned, stretched, and sat up on his bed with his hair messy and eyes half-lidded. "Man... maybe sleep really is underrated," he muttered. Still, he knew he couldn''t keep that up. Tonight, he had to log in due to everything left unresolved in the game and the upcoming Legacy Weapons Competition was fast approaching. He had to get more practice with his blade in both worlds. Morning routine came and went like a breeze. Friday''s exercises were less grueling than usual¡ªjust a series of synchronized core-strength drills and brief resistance runs with weighted vests. By now, Victor had gotten used to the rhythm of the campus. Afterwards, they moved on to Insight Studies with Instructor Harel¡ªthe only non-Awakened human instructor in the entire Academy. Harel compensated for his lack of abilities with a ridiculous depth of knowledge and charisma. Class today was particularly engaging. They strolled through one of the magically-sealed observation fields, an enclosed terrain where magical beasts were kept in captivity. "This one here," Harel voiced while pointing to a hunchbacked, hairy creature with three glowing eyes and bark-like skin, "is a Blightrender. It might look slow and awkward, but it can tear through steel like wet paper. Its ability? Hex Spores. Inhales your mana and poisons your bloodstream. Avoid it unless you''re a healer or you like hallucinations." The students chuckled nervously. Danny nudged Victor and whispered, "I bet if you fed that thing Selene''s lollipops, it would turn into a unicorn." Victor snorted while covering his mouth. "More like a hallucinating unicorn with depression." Aria rolled her eyes at them. As they strolled through the field, Harel continued introducing other beasts¡ªthe shimmer-scaled Wyren Frostbeast, the tail-flicking Shadow Howler, and the deceptively cute Mistbound Totette. Each had unique magical characteristics, and Harel explained their evolutionary paths, combat capabilities, and areas of threat. Meanwhile... In a chamber hidden beneath the Academy''s infrastructure, a man clad in black stood within a rune-carved circle. His aura was faint, almost indistinct¡ªas if he were purposely suppressing it. A projection rune glowed in the center of the chamber, and from it, a translucent silhouette of a feminine figure emerged. Her voice was cold, smooth, commanding. "Report." "Yes, miss," the man bowed. "I tested him during the VICTIM-SAVIOUR drill. The vest''s mana bindings were active. Still, he used abilities. Your guess was accurate... he isn''t using mana." "So it is true," the voice murmured. "... interesting." "What shall I do next?" "Keep observing. Watch out for the others and test him in other ways." "Understood." The image flickered and faded. Meanwhile Victor''s lectures flew by. Magical Theory... Artifact Engineering... Combat Drill Design... Everything felt light in comparison to what he''d been through in Ascendant Realms. By the end of the day, as everyone packed up and Danny leaned over. "You ready for the Legacy Weapon showdown next week?" Victor rubbed his eyes. "I think I need a little more sleep. What about you?" "You know I''m not competing... the only weapons I need are these..." Danny voiced while raising both his arms to flex his biceps. "Really? Are they impenetrable?" Victor questioned while unsheathing his sword. "Yo yo dude what are you doing?" Danny questioned while backing off. "Testing your weapons against mine," Victor proceeded to chase Danny halfway across the place while Danny kept yelling. Selene just shook her head from the side with a smile on her face; "Boys..." ... ... That night, Victor returned to his dorm, fortunate to find it empty. ''Kairo must still be out training.'' He locked the door, slipped under the covers, and put on his neural visor. [ Logging into Ascendant Realms... ] The world of Ascendant Realms swirled into clarity. Victor stood once more in his abode within the Violet Spring Sect. It was calm, serene, and slightly misty. Tarkos sat at the corner in cultivation posture, unmoving. Upon sensing Victor''s arrival, he stood and nodded. "You''re back." Victor nodded back. "Let''s go find Elder Mo. We have a meeting to attend." Together, they headed to Elder Mo courtyard. ... ... The journey to Blueflame City Palace didn''t take long, and the moment they stepped into the massive halls lined with crimson banners and molten stone accents, guards immediately surrounded them. They instantly drew their blades. "Who dares bring an assassin here?!" They seemed to have recognised Tarkos. Tarkos stood calm and expressionless while Victor raised both hands. "Relax. He''s with me." Elder Mo sighed. "He''s here under my authority. Lower your weapons." There was hesitation, but eventually the guards stepped back. The moment stretched, tense and heavy. Victor leaned over and whispered, "Why do I feel like you make enemies just by breathing?" Tarkos smirked slightly. "Probably because I do." The great doors of the inner chamber opened slowly as the flames along the sconces intensified. It was time to face the City Lord. Victor barely had time to react when a sudden figure launched into his chest. "Fang Chen!" a delighted voice cried, followed by the soft thud of a smaller frame burying itself in his embrace. Victor instinctively caught the figure as his eyes widened in recognition. It was none other than Xuan Qing¡ªthe bratty, beautiful, and youthful daughter of City Lord Xuan Wenzhou. Her raven-black hair cascaded down to her hips. A set of lavender eyes gleamed with childlike mischief as she grinned up at him. She looked like a girl of seventeen, but Victor remembered she had celebrated her 200th birthday the last time he saw her. "You!" she pouted while jabbing a dainty finger into his chest. "You never came to visit me! Do you know how boring it''s been?" Victor offered a sheepish smile. "I''ve been busy... you know... training, nearly dying, unraveling sect-wide conspiracies... the usual." She huffed. "Excuses! You didn''t even ask about Xiao Yue." Victor blinked. "You named the snake?" Xuan Qing beamed. "The Mystical Moon Eye Serpent! Show some respect. She just awakened her third eye. She''s growing so fast!" Victor couldn''t help but chuckle. "That''s... impressive. Really." Before he could say more, a powerful voice echoed across the grand marble hall. "Qing''er, let them through. They''re here for important matters." City Lord Xuan Wenzhou entered with a calm, measured stride. His robes flowed like ink smoke with golden embroidery etched onto them, marking him as the powerful ruler of Blueflame City. He made his way to the grand throne and sat, exuding the authority of a man who had stood unchallenged for over a century. Xuan Qing released Victor with a pout. "Hmph. You''re lucky Father interrupted us. But you better come find me after this. I''m not done with you yet!" With a swish of her sleeves and the faint jingling of the jewelry on her wrists, she turned and left, trailed by an entourage of masked servants. The atmosphere shifted. The guards who had pointed their weapons at Tarkos earlier now stood aside, recognizing the gravity of the guests before them. Xuan Wenzhou''s gaze landed squarely on Victor. "It has been a while, Fang Chen. I trust you''ve been well?" Victor straightened his posture. Tarkos, beside him, stood stiff as a statue while Elder Mo stepped forward with a respectful nod. "City Lord Xuan, thank you for receiving us. Fang Chen has made significant progress." Victor added, "A lot has happened... I''d rather not bore you with the details, but I''ve passed the halfway point of bloodline integration." The city lord''s eyebrows raised. "So it is true. The Void Emperor''s bloodline runs strongly within you." Elder Mo interjected. "We came to see if the next step can now begin." Xuan Wenzhou nodded thoughtfully. "It can. But you must understand what lies ahead." He stood and descended the steps of his throne platform while folding his hands behind his back as he paced slowly. "If you recall from our last encounter... I mentioned that within the Ancient Grove lies a place known as the Hollow Verdant. A region sealed off by immense layers of ancient power. Its purpose is to hold back something that should never be allowed to roam our world again. The seal... is deteriorating. And only a Void Emperor-blooded cultivator can even hope to approach it." Chapter 199 199: Ancient Grove Trials The City Lord turned to Victor. "You, despite only being halfway integrated, are our best shot." Victor met his gaze with a calm look. He still remembered especially with the quest always visible in his quest window. "So what do we do now?" Xuan Wenzhou explained, "Enter the Hollow Verdant. Locate the Sealed Gate. Examine the runic formations and binding arrays placed upon it. Then bring back the knowledge. We can work on a solution from there." Elder Mo added, "Your ability to endure the Grove''s rejection will determine how long you can stay." Victor exhaled. "Then we won''t know until we try, will we?" The City Lord''s eyes lit with a flicker of approval. "Well said. In that case, we will reinforce your body with every layer of protection at our disposal. Talismans, cultivation-enhancing medicine, and formation-runed attire... all will be prepared within a day." Tarkos finally spoke. "He will not go alone." Xuan Wenzhou studied Tarkos with scrutiny. "You are that famed assassin Headless Bone... the one that walks in shadows." "That would be me," Tarkos responded as his lips curled in a cocky half-smile. The City Lord chuckled faintly. "Well, I will not question the Void Emperor descendant choice of company... I will trust you to watch his back... not stab it." Tarkos gave a dramatic bow. "I''ve retired from that line of work." Victor smirked. "Mostly." Xuan Wenzhou nodded before signaling to his guards. "Escort them to the Flame Lotus Hall. Their accommodations will be arranged." As they were led away, Victor couldn''t help but glance back toward the hallway where Xuan Qing had vanished. ... ... Victor stood silently as attendants and stewards of the Blueflame City Lord busied themselves around him, attaching several layers of protective talismans to his robes, his arms, his back, even under his collar. Some glowed faint gold, others shimmered with strange patterns, and a few bore arcane sigils that emitted rhythmic light. Sacred chants and the rustle of scrolls rang out as Elder Mo stood by giving final instructions. "These talismans will ward off residual soul rot and suppress any ambient curse energy," said one of the palace magisters, holding a glowing black gem. "This one is keyed specifically to your bloodline signature. It''ll amplify your Void Qi if the environment becomes too hostile." Victor nodded while absorbing the significance of every tool granted to him. The City Lord was indeed generous¡ªhe was sending him off into danger with everything short of a divine relic. ... The next morning, they arrived at the edge of the Ancient Grove. It looked desolate. Eerily so. The sky was obscured by an unnatural dimness, like a thick veil had been draped over the sun. Even with no canopy overhead, the forest was caught in a state of eternal dusk. The trees were twisted and grey, like petrified bones. The wind did not whistle. It whispered. It carried the groans of long-dead warriors. "This place is cursed," Tarkos muttered while stepping forward instinctively. The moment his foot passed an invisible line, his entire body convulsed violently. A crushing pressure caved into his chest and belly as if invisible fingers were trying to turn his lungs inside out. Before anyone could react, Tarkos was flung backward like a ragdoll, landing several meters behind with a sickening crack. Victor rushed to help, but Tarkos was already coughing blood and trying to get up. "I don''t know how you intend to survive in there..." Tarkos groaned. Elder Mo pointed at the threshold. "The Ancient Grove starts from there. You just crossed the line into it and the Ancient Grove isn''t a place you can brute-force." He proceeded to turn to Victor and placed a hand on his shoulder. "That''s why he is the inheritor of the Void Emperor Bloodline... and you''re not." Victor smirked at Tarkos before stepping forward. As soon as his boot crossed the invisible line, the world around him seemed to hold its breath. [ Notification: You have entered the Ancient Grove ] A subtle pressure coiled around his abdomen, like fingers gripping him from the inside, but it was nothing he couldn''t bear. It was like a foreign body trying to reject him, but only half-heartedly. It knew he belonged here¡ªmostly. Elder Mo shouted final instructions from behind. "Find the Hollow Verdant. It should appear to you, eventually. Don''t trust your eyes. And remember¡ªthis land has memory. Tread carefully." Victor nodded before pressing forward. Everything was wrong here. He moved past twisted flora that oozed black ichor instead of sap. Some trees had limbs¡ªnot branches¡ªreal limbs, humanlike arms entangled in bark. Once he saw what looked like an armoured corpse half-merged into a tree trunk with its mouth agape in a frozen scream. The ground was a carpet of ash and dirt which occasionally crunched beneath his boots as if it were bone dust. The air held a faint burnt smell, mixed with the coppery tang of old blood. Glimmers of ancient battles echoed faintly with ghostly mirages playing out between the trees¡ªarmies of cultivators clashing with beings made of warped Qi and screaming flame. [ Notification: Ancient Grove Trial Initiated ] [ Trial I: Soul Test - You must pass through the Field of Fallen Echoes. Tread carefully. ] Victor paused. Up ahead, a glade of glowing moss stretched forward with no visible end. Wisps hovered above each patch of moss¡ªechoes of fallen cultivators. Their translucent forms flickered as they stared with empty eyes. As Victor stepped in, the whispers began. "He died alone..." "You are just like us..." "Your blood will feed the seal..." Victor kept walking. He focused his Qi and activated internal techniques to strengthen his will. The voices grew louder... "She left you, remember? Your mother¡ªshe never even looked back." His step faltered as images appeared in his mind. It was like every voice was accompanied with the memory of its owner; from blissful to horrific and Victor was reliving it. He gritted his teeth as he continously shoved one foot in front of the other. "You''re no emperor... just a child playing with a dead man''s legacy." He roared and unleashed a burst of Void Qi with his eyes glowing. The phantoms shrieked and backed away, clearing his path. When he emerged from the Field of Fallen Echoes, his breath was heavy and his back was soaked in sweat. [ Trial I Complete: Soul Test Passed ] After completing the trial, Victor moved silently through the twisted expanse of the Ancient Grove. Despite the dozens of talismans strapped to his chest and layered beneath his robes, the void-infused mist still clawed at his insides. He couldn''t imagine how much worse it would have been if the City Lord didn''t go through the trouble of equipping him with all of these... Bone fragments and rusted blades jutted from the earth like the aftermath of a battlefield¡ª It was the last battlefield where cultivators stood against the corrupt immortals after all. Suddenly, a system notification shimmered across his vision. [Ancient Grove Trial II: Path of the Relic] [ Objective: Locate the "Forgotten Thorn Bell" buried within the Red Gardens ] [ Time Limit: 4 Hours ] [ Note: The Red Gardens shifts locations. Track its sorrowful echoes ] Victor frowned. "A scavenger hunt in a cursed land... lovely." He paused while straining his ears. At first, he heard nothing but the rustling of skeletal leaves. Then, a distant, almost melodic wail echoed faintly through the trees. It was like a sob caught in wind. Victor followed the sound, weaving between broken columns and shattered sigils etched into the earth. The Red Garden was a basin sunk beneath twisted blood red roots, constantly weeping mist like tears. Victor figured that a lot of blood must have been shed here which was why it bore the name Red Gardens. He knelt and brushed aside moss and brittle debris. Minutes turned into hours. Just before the final toll of the system''s internal timer, his fingers grazed cold metal. He pulled out a small, corroded bell, shaped like a thorn emitting a dormant energy. <[ Trial II Complete ]> [ Reward: 1x Void-Woven Charm, 12,500 Wisps Of Qi ] Victor tied the charm to his belt as the next notification replaced the first. Then came the final trial. [Ancient Grove Trial III: The Flame of Remembrance] <[ Objective: Relight the Cenotaph Flame at the hill of fallen heroes. Use only memory and silence ]> Victor climbed a steep rise littered with weatherworn statues of cultivators, each shattered and leaning. At the hill''s peak was a massive brazier, dark and cold. He knelt and placed his palm against it. A vision bloomed in his mind: hundreds of thousands of cultivators screaming, dying, standing their ground. A single warrior¡ªa woman in robes kissed by moonlight¡ªstood at the front, screaming "Hold the seal!" Victor proceeded to stand, clench his fists, and channeled Dragon Breathing Arts into the brazier mixed with his Void Qi. A pale silver flame roared to life. [Trial III Complete] [ Reward: Coordinates to Hollow Verdant, + 25,000 Wisps Of Qi, Ancient Grove Affinity +5%] Victor dropped to one knee with a look of exhaustion. Chapter 200: Im Finishing This Tomorrow [Trial III Complete] [Reward: Coordinates to Hollow Verdant, 1x Unknown Class Scroll, +50,000 Wisp Of Qi, Ancient Grove Affinity +5%] [ Nascent Soul Realm Progress 14% ¡ª> 15% ] Victor dropped to one knee with a look of exhaustion. His qi was depleting rapidly. He pulled out the coordinate scroll and stored it into his spatial ring. Now it was time to move. ... ... As he sprinted toward the Hollow Verdant, following the faint lines of ancient glyphs along the ground, he noticed scattered loot¡ªcultivation pills long buried, an old dagger forged of violet jade, and a talisman of wind resistance. He scooped them up quickly. But as the final mile neared, his breath grew shallow. Sweat poured down his back. His vision swam. He was really struggling to hold on due to his bloodline not being fully integrated. "I can''t keep this up much longer..." He knew he had to quicken his pace and get out of here as quickly as he could. All of a sudden, he spotted shadows with flickering limbs and glowing red eyes in ghe distance. These phantom silhouettes that were neither dead nor alive, watched him from behind shattered trees. He gritted his teeth and pushed forward, determined to reach the Hollow Verdant before his strength gave out. [Warning: Bloodline Synchronization Below Optimal Threshold. Depletion Accelerating. Seek Shelter or Exit Soon.] Victor ignored the alert and kept running while the red-eyed phantoms flanked him silently, as if waiting for him to fall. Victor dashed across the ruined pathway, ducking under a collapsed archway as shadows flickered between trees and mists. The silhouettes were everywhere now with crimson eyes glaring from the semi-invisible bodies that slithered and vanished like smoke. He drew his blade and coated it in Void qi as they blocked his path up ahead. He prepared to slice one of them clean in half. The moment, the edge of his sword met one of the dark phantoms, the silhouette didn''t split. Instead, it merged with his blade. "What the¡ª?!" Victor jerked back, trying to shake his sword free, but the dark energy crawled along the blade and into his hands like smoke turning solid. A burning weight took root in his muscles. [ Warning: Ancient Grove Phantom Curse Engaged ] [ Movement speed and physical output reduced by 50% ] [ To dispel curse, exit Ancient Grove ] "Great," Victor hissed as his body turned much slower and heavier than before. He dodged the other silhouettes, trying to avoid further contact. But they were relentless, slipping through trees, rising out of the ground, or materializing out of the mist. Three more managed to brush against him. [ Phantom Curse Amplified x4 ] [ Total mobility reduced by 80% ] Victor collapsed to one knee as his breath turned shallow. He could barely move now. "No... not now." He gritted his teeth and activated his Void Emperor Bloodline. His veins glowed faintly with violet light as white tattoos appeared all over his skin and his qi surged. His body felt a little lighter after its activation but he was far from being close to his initial full speed. Slowly and painfully, he trudged forward. After minutes of struggling and movement, he finally spotted something... A massive structure carved into the heart of a shadow-drenched hill was visible in the distance. It towered upward like a monument to dread. Huge chains, thicker than trees, wrapped around it in clusters. Mist erupted from the seal like breath from a beast trying to escape. Hundreds of talismans glowed in layers over the surface. It was the Gate. Victor stumbled closer while the pressure of the ancient grove intensified like it wanted to crush him. His vision blurred slightly but he was finally close so he kept pushing on. All of a sudden, something cracked the ground ahead. A burst of earth and light, and a creature phased up from the ground. Its body was like a stitched corpse fused with void smoke. An Undying Horror Guardian. It didn''t speak... It roared... And charged. Victor barely had time to roll sideways before the creature''s arm which was shaped like a bone blade, slashed where he had been. The shockwave alone hurled Victor twenty feet into the air, slamming him through a broken altar. He hit the stones hard while coughing out blood as his sword clattered away. "No!" He summoned the sword back with Void qi threads, catching it just in time to block another downward strike. But he was still too slow and heavy. His Void qi fizzled under pressure. The creature launched a heavy knee into his gut sending him sliding across the grounds once more. He retaliated with Wind Gale Burst, but it barely pushed the creature back. The phantom curse still weighed him down and made his attacks weaker than normal. "Damn it! Come on!" He activated Shadow Crescent Strike with his remaining qi, swinging with all his might. The crescent hit the creature dead-on, blowing part of its chest off. But it regenerated. "Oh, come on!" A shadow spike erupted from the ground under him and skewered his thigh. Victor screamed. The creature lunged one last time and stabbed through his chest before he could raise his sword quick enough to block it. [ You Have Died ] --- Victor awoke at the threshold of the Ancient Grove, gasping. He looked down. No wound. No blood. His qi was full. But his cultivation, though... [ Cultivation Level: Nascent Soul Realm - 4% ] "F*ck." Tarkos leaned against a boulder with his arms crossed. "You died, didn''t you?" Victor scowled. "You could tell?" "You''re not exactly subtle when you''re upset." Victor pouted and began making his way back towards the Ancient Groves; "I''m going back in..." Elder Mo appeared a moment later. "You should not go back tonight." Victor turned to him. "I can still¡ª" "No," Elder Mo interrupted. "At night, the Grove''s dangers double. Even someone at my level cannot traverse it when the moon rises. You must rest and return tomorrow." Victor clenched his fists. "I was so close. I saw the gate. The talismans. I nearly made it." "Then you know what to expect now," Elder Mo stated while gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Tomorrow, you enter stronger." Victor exhaled with a shaky breath while Tarkos handed him a flask of warm tea. "Welcome back to the land of the living," he said. Victor took the flask and sipped as his eyes looked back toward the darkened tree line of the Ancient Grove. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "I''m finishing this tomorrow." ... ... The night dragged on with eerie echoes slithering through the twisted trees beyond the threshold of the Ancient Grove. Screeches echoed like broken flutes, distant yet present, and unnatural whispers seemed to crawl across the surface of Victor''s skin. Tarkos remained seated on a boulder nearby with his arms crossed. His usually smug demeanor was subdued by the oppressive atmosphere. However, Elder Mo remained serene despite the tension in the air. His old eyes scanned the ancient trees bathed in pale moonlight, and he finally broke the silence. "You hear that one?" he asked softly. Victor tilted his head. A deep croaky moan trembled through the grove, rising like thunder from some hollow abyss. "That comes from beyond the gate," Elder Mo said. "From the realm of the Dark Immortals." Victor raised a brow. "Didn''t know echoes traveled dimensions." "They don''t. Unless something on the other side wants to be heard." The fire crackled between them as Elder Mo spoke of the first cultivators to face the Dark Immortals¡ªmen and women who wielded heavenly flames and collapsed mountains with their fists. "But even they couldn''t kill the corrupted immortals," he said. "Only seal them." Victor poked at the fire with a stick. "Kinda rude that they didn''t leave better directions for fixing the damn gate." Elder Mo chuckled while shaking his head. "They likely never thought anyone would need to." Victor later moved to a meditative pose beside a glowing spirit flame Elder Mo had conjured to suppress the Grove''s passive repulsion effect. He cultivated long into the night, pushing his Nascent Soul Realm from 4% back to 7%. When dawn broke, the grove moaned again, louder now, as if it were aware of Victor''s return. Victor dusted himself off and turned toward Elder Mo and Tarkos. "I''m ready." "Remember," Elder Mo said, "this is no place for hesitation. You are only tolerated in there. You are not welcomed." Victor gave a half-smile. "Story of my life." With that, he stepped through the line where life gave way to shadow. The world didn''t recoil from his presence, but neither did it welcome him. The Grove''s heavy pressure immediately returned, curling around his limbs like serpents of lead. But this time, Victor knew his path. He sprinted through the twisted ruins, past shrines to forgotten gods and carcasses long turned to dust. He sidestepped a fallen altar, darted around a mist-drenched cavern, and leapt over fissures that hissed with blood-red steam. Avoiding the phantom silhouettes was easy now. He kept his Void Qi compressed around his body and moved with speed, evading them. None managed to successfully touch him. When he reached the spot where the creature had killed him the day before, Victor stood fully energized and utterly focused. Chapter 201: Trapped The soil still bore the mark of his corpse... a long streak across the rocks and a gash in the broken pillars behind it. A low growl trembled through the ground. Victor activated his Void Emperor Bloodline causing glowing marks to appear all over his body. As the creature phased from the ground again with its stithed together skin and horns that seemed to be made of solid shadow¡ªVictor didn''t hesitate. He reached into the distance with his Void Qi, wrapped it around a tree the size of a tower and yanked. The tree exploded from its roots and flew toward the beast like a missile. The creature bellowed but raised a claw and shattered the trunk midair. Victor dashed forward, jumping from boulder to boulder, then flicked his hand. Wind Dash activated, launching him into a spiraling motion as he slashed with Shadow Crescent Strike. The blade met flesh, opening a thick gash across the monster''s shoulder. But it fought back. With its tail, it whipped Victor into a nearby archway. Pain shot through his body but he rolled upright and summoned his sword once more. The creature tried to phase again and vanish into the ground but Victor anticipated it. With his bloodline, he tracked the creature''s spatial fluctuation and slammed Frost Bloom Palm into the floor just as the monster emerged. [ Frost Bloom Palm Activated ] Frost surged up the beast''s body, slowing its movements. Victor summoned all the Void Qi he could muster and jumped high with his sword arched back. He came down with a roar and buried his blade into the monster''s spine. The creature let out one last tremor-filled screech before turning into dark mist and dissolving into the soil. [ You Have Killed The Undying Horror ] [ +20,000 Wisps Of Qi ] Ahead of him, the gate could be spotted. Thousands of massive chains wound like serpents around the enormous stone arch. Talisman seals hovered in midair, flickering between ancient languages. The pressure here was suffocating. His bloodline integration was only 52%, and every step toward the gate felt like dragging mountains behind him yet he moved forward slowly. All he had to do was touch the seals so that analysis could begin and that was what he proceeded to do. Each time Victor touched a seal, visions struck him like thunderclaps. Flashes of the war¡ªgiants battling in crimson skies, black-scaled immortals wielding chaos blades, and explosions that turned landscapes into oceans of ash. [ Seal Analysis In Progress... Transmitting to Scroll... ] System messages appeared over and over. He kept going despite the increased pressure, making sure he touched every single chain, talisman and seal used. For thirty straight minutes, Victor inspected each seal until the scroll the City Lord gave him was glowing bright blue. Then he turned around and limped away. It was time to leave. Victor picked up his pace as the very roots of the trees curled and twisted in his path. Phantoms hissed in the distance. A distant bong echoed, and the light bent sideways. But since he knew his way back, he avoided everything that he needed to and kept pushing forward non stop. Victor exhaled in relief as the final stretch of the ancient grove appeared ahead. He could already see the hazy boundary that separated this cursed battlefield from the rest of the world, where sunlight existed, and breathing didn''t feel like inhaling liquid metal. He was mere steps away... When... In a blink, everything changed. There was no transition. No flicker. No warning. The world just transformed... And instantly, Victor found himself somewhere else entirely. He turned around. Everything was gone. The ancient grove''s mist, the talismans, the threshold? Nothing. In their place was a cracked stone path winding through an eerie black forest under a violet sky. The trees bent unnaturally toward him as if whispering secrets only they could hear. There was no wind, yet the leaves rustled. While this place looked similar to the Ancient Groves... it still looked somewhat different. A low buzzing sound rang out beneath the silence like an ancient war drum barely remembered. "Where... am I?" Victor muttered. Suddenly, his interface flickered to life. [ Warning: You have entered an Albridge Reflection of the Ancient Grove. ] [ Status: Trapped within a constructed spatial domain. Escape is impossible unless the caster of the Albridge Reflection is defeated or chooses to release you. ] [ Objective Added: Discover the creator of the Reflection and eliminate or persuade them to dissolve the realm. ] Victor''s hands clenched into fists. "A trap?" ... ... Over an hour earlier... High above the mist of the real ancient grove, suspended within a fold of warped space that normal cultivators would never notice, a figure stood atop a platform shaped like a blooming black lotus. Their body was veiled in layered robes stitched with glowing runes and a face hidden beneath a porcelain mask cracked at the chin. In their hand was a sphere of ink-like light swirling slowly like a captured black hole. "So he returned... the new vessel of the Void Emperor," the figure murmured. Their voice was sharp but oddly melodic, like silk drawn over broken glass. The orb in their palm projected Victor''s every movement. Victor scaling the grove. Victor enduring its pressure. Victor touching the talismans. "He gets closer to the seals," the figure whispered, "Closer to undoing centuries of progress. If he truly stabilizes the Hollow Verdant, the ancient masters will never return." The figure turned and pressed the orb into the center of the lotus platform. Black glyphs bloomed into the air. They chanted. A forbidden and ancient cultivation technique was activated. "Albridge Reversal Protocol: Manifest the Grove''s Echo. Trap the inheritor. Bind the Emperor''s spawn within his own affinity." The technique flared. A ripple stretched out from the center of the lotus, carving a pathway through space and time itself, embedding itself in the route Victor would unknowingly take. The trap was set. --- Back to the present... Victor growled and spun in a circle, inspecting his new prison. The grove around him looked like a fragmented dream of the real one. Trees with silver bark bled golden sap. The ground pulsed like a heartbeat. A distant mountain hovered in the sky with its base obscured by cloud but its tip shaped like a screaming skull. [ New Status Effect: Spatial Disorientation. ] [ Movement Speed Reduced. Certain Skills Disabled. ] Victor immediately tried to teleport short distances using Shadow Void but nothing happened. He tried to summon a map of the terrain... failed. "Tch. So it''s like that, huh?" Victor muttered. Still, he wasn''t going to sit around and wait to die. He began to walk and scan the surroundings. He marked every movement in the trees, every flicker in the strange sky. At one point, he noticed reflections of himself stepping between trees, always a few seconds late to mirror his own movements. Another time, he swore he saw Tarkos walking beside him, silent and expressionless¡ªuntil he turned, and Tarkos was gone. Hours passed. Maybe more. Time flowed strangely here. He stumbled across remnants of architecture¡ªmassive obelisks, some cracked, some hovering, all etched with runes far older than anything he''d seen in the real grove. At the base of one, he found a glyph scrawled in ancient script. [ Minor Void Beacon Discovered. Would you like to imprint your energy signature? ] Victor pressed his palm to it. A warm surge filled his core. [ Quest Progress: You are being watched. ] [ Hidden Objective Unlocked: Find the Watcher. ] Victor gritted his teeth. "So someone really is playing dungeon master." He continued onward, now more alert. At one point, he heard singing. The sound of a woman''s voice... It was beautiful yet familiar. He turned and followed the sound to a pond that rippled backward in time¡ªits waves receding instead of advancing. The woman singing at its edge wore a translucent veil As Victor stepped closer, she turned. It was Yan Rui. But she was dead. "What the..." She smiled. And then she exploded into crows. Victor shielded his eyes. "I am going to kill whoever made this place," he said under his breath with a look of anguish. And then came the laughter. Soft... Feminine... And echoing from every corner of the realm. Victor stopped walking. "That voice again..." He didn''t know who the Watcher was but he had a feeling they were somewhat tied to the ancient groves. ... ... Victor continued to wander through the strange, twisted version of the ancient grove with his boots crunching softly on decaying leaves and moss-covered earth. Despite having similarities to the ancient grove, it felt even wronger than the original. Mist hung in the air like a choking shroud, and time felt loose, as if minutes stretched into hours. At this point, it had already been a full day since he''d realized he was trapped. However, every direction he explored only led him deeper into endless paths of shadowed woodlands. Notifications had long since faded, leaving only silence in his mind. No hidden quests. No guidance. Only the message burned into his vision: "Find The Watcher... To escape, find and confront the one who forged this realm or convince them to undo it." Chapter 202: Old Hag Victor wandered through the strange, twisted version of the ancient grove with his boots crunching softly on decaying leaves and moss-covered earth. The world around him looked like the ancient grove, but everything felt wrong. The trees seemed older, darker, more distorted, like twisted memories of what they once were. The ones in the original ancient groves were made out of arms but this one was made of decaying corpses. Mist hung in the air like a choking shroud, and time felt loose, as if minutes stretched into hours. It had already been a full day since he''d realized he was trapped. Every direction he explored only led him deeper into endless paths of shadowed woodlands. Notifications had long since faded, leaving only silence in his mind. No hidden quests. No guidance. Only the message burned into his vision: "You have entered an altered realm of the ancient grove. To escape, find and confront the one who forged this realm or convince them to undo it." Victor rubbed his temples with a look of exhaustion crawling behind his eyes. "Who the hell even are you?" he muttered to no one while spinning slowly to scan the fog. He hadn''t eaten. He hadn''t slept. Not that he needed either here, but the mental toll was mounting. Because he didn''t want to log out until he dealt with this issue. He had walked in a full circle more than once. Structures repeated. Trees reappeared. Once, he passed a fallen boulder with his old footprints next to it three times. The realm wasn''t just looping¡ªit was playing with him. --- Meanwhile, outside the true ancient grove, Elder Mo stood at the boundary line with his brows furrowed and lips pressed into a tight line. Tarkos hovered nearby with his arms crossed and a visible look of frustration. "We saw him. He was nearly out," Tarkos growled. "Then that damned grove twisted itself and swallowed him whole." Elder Mo crouched down and ran his fingers over the boundary stone. His expression was grim. "I felt it. The aura twisted. Something ancient was invoked... something forbidden. This isn''t just a backlash from the grove''s resistance." Tarkos frowned. "Then what could it be?" "I don''t know. But whatever is responsible... wants Fang Chen to stay inside. Permanently." Tarkos cracked his knuckles. "Then we break him out." "It''s not that simple," Elder Mo replied. "This is a soul-anchored trap, layered into the grove''s spatial folds. Trying to force our way in could collapse the space entirely. We''d lose him for good. Not to mention, we can''t entirely be sure that he is in there." "Then what can we do? Wait for him to figure it out?" Elder Mo nodded slowly. "Yes. But we can still help. We''ll scan the boundary and set up a locator array. Maybe we can pinpoint the exact dimensional offset and communicate with him. Or find out more about what is responsible for this." --- Back in the false grove, Victor dragged his sword through the muck, frowning deeply. "Still no signs of danger," he muttered. For a place supposedly corrupted, it was eerily docile. He had tried to bait monsters, explored ruins, and even climbed a dead tree to scout from above. None of the eerie looking creatures were interested in him. It was almost like they didn''t see him. No enemies... Just endless walking and subtle whispers of despair in the wind. Then it hit him. "Why is nothing trying to kill me?" he muttered. "No matter how much I bait them, none of the creatures here have even tried to attack me back..." "Maybe this realm was designed this way to prevent death because only death can eject me..." It suddenly clicked in Victor''s head. Even traps that were supposed to cause damage didn''t... Victor believed all he needed to do now was find a way to die but the thought put some fear in him. Even though it was just a game, everything was too realistic here so he felt the pain everytime he died. To make matters worse, he had never tried to intentionally die... He growled. "Fine. I''ll force it." His first attempt was simple. He found a rocky slope and hurled himself off it. Crack. "Ouch!" He landed with a thud but his body had become too sturdy so a fall from that height barely dealt him any damage. "Fuck, I''m not doing that again..." But after a while of sitting around, Victor got off his feet. "I can''t remain trapped in here..." Next, he provoked a nearby blackened beast¡ªa wolf with smoky fur and six glowing eyes. It snarled once, then trotted away like Victor was beneath it. "Oh come on," Victor groaned. He tried setting fire to his robes and standing inside the flames. The fire licked at his skin, but the heat quickly fizzled out, as if something in the realm refused to let it burn properly. He climbed the tallest twisted tree and flung himself from the top. The impact shook him to his core. He got up five minutes later with a sore shoulder and aching back. Still alive. "Committing suicide is difficult..." --- At the grove''s boundary, Elder Mo poured over a floating array disk filled with runes. "His presence is still traceable... just faint," Elder Mo said. "Perhaps I can locate him with this." Tarkos grunted. "He''s stubborn. He won''t back down until he figures it out." "Let''s hope he doesn''t figure it out the wrong way," Elder Mo muttered. --- Victor stood in front of a large dark wall with bloodshot eyes and tattered clothing. "No monsters. No fire. No fall. No trap. Nothing can kill me here. Not even the realm wants me dead." He paused. "Which means there''s only one way left." He drew his sword. The same one he''d fought with through countless battles. His companion... His symbol of strength. "I really hope this works." With a deep breath, Victor pointed the blade at his chest. "See you soon, guys." He shoved the blade through his heart. [ You Have Died ] --- [ Respawning... ] A flicker of light surrounded Victor''s body as he returned to consciousness. [ You Died ] [ Respawning... ] [ Cultivation has dropped to 1% - Nascent Soul Realm ] Victor groaned in frustration upon seeing the notification flickering across his vision like a slap to the face. He had respawned back in this abridged version of the ancient groves. His energy was restored, his body was whole but he failed to escape. Now he wondered why everything here wasn''t trying to kill him. What was the whole point of that? "System," he barked while rubbing his temples. "Status." [ Status: Avatar Trapped. Exit Restricted. You must destroy or disable the creator of the abridged grove to leave. ] Victor cursed under his breath. All this time he had thought suicide might reset his position, boot him out of this space. But no¡ªit was all for nothing. He was still stuck, like a rat in a glass cage. Before he could vent further, laughter rang across the expanse. It was shrill, sharp, feminine. "Did you really think that would work, transmigrator? I knew you would do something stupid like that, thank you for the entertainment." the voice called out mockingly. "I am not letting you leave until the seals weaken and my master is free." Victor''s eyes narrowed. "Huh? Who the hell are you? What master?" The voice answered. "My master is one of the Corrupt Immortals who was sealed beyond the gate for over two thousand years." Victor blinked. "Two thousand? Damn... that means you''re an old hag." The voice instantly paused... "WHAT?! I am not an old hag! I am young and beautiful!" Victor grinned wickedly. "Sure, sure. That must explain why you''re hiding. Let me guess... skin peeling, teeth rotting? I bet you look like an ancient mummy soaked in vinegar." "You insolent brat!" "No, really. Is that why you won''t show yourself?" Victor continued while putting a hand to his ear mockingly. "Too much sag in the wrong places?" The voice was practically seething. "I AM YOUNG! TWO THOUSAND YEARS IS NOT A LOT!!" Victor laughed. "Oh, then you''re barely a fossil. My mistake." Suddenly, a figure materialized in the distance. It was a petite and beautiful lady with dark auburn hair, pale skin, and glowing amber eyes. She was clad in elaborate red robes that marked with strange symbols. "See? I''m pret¡ª" She didn''t even get to finish before Victor appeared in front of her. A sudden gust of air blew her hair wildly as his hand gripped her neck. BOOM! He slammed her into the ground, cracking the rocky earth beneath them. "Tell me how to exit this place or I snap your neck," Victor growled with his eyes emitting a silver glow. The girl writhed beneath him with a surprised and horrified look. "If you kill me, you''ll never leave this place!" Victor''s eyes narrowed. "Let''s put that to the test." With a flick of his wrist, he hurled her high into the air. Mid-flight, he formed a palm strike infused with wind qi and sent it crashing into her chest. A boom followed as blood spewed from her mouth. Before she hit the ground, Victor reappeared above her with a burst of void energy and drove his fist into her face. She plummeted downward, slammed into the stone floor and carved a small crater into the ground. Dust and stones swept across the terrain. Victor landed with both feet on her chest, pinning her down. "Last. Chance." Chapter 203: Where Am I? The girl coughed violently with blood leaking from her mouth and eyes. Her lips suddenly moved rapidly as she chanted. Victor''s eyes widened. "No, wait¡ª!" He reached down to cover her mouth, but it was too late. A swirl of dark red energy exploded around her and poof!¡ªshe vanished in a blink. "Shit!" Victor shouted while spinning around to scan the landscape. "I should have broken her teeth," he muttered. Minutes later, the eerie voice returned... "You''re going to regret that, little boy." "Old hag," Victor corrected smugly. "For someone with over two thousand years'' worth of cultivation, you''re as strong as a blind squirrel." "Shut up! I told you, I''m not over two thousand¡ªmy master is! I''m his loyal follower!" Victor crossed his arms. "Right. Loyal ancient fangirl." The voice quieted for a moment, then resumed with less irritation. "My master led the charge against the cultivators when the immortals were betrayed and banished. He was a legend. The gate you inspected was forged by his enemies. That seal is his prison¡ªa vile injustice." Victor rolled his eyes. "Boo hoo. Sounds like he lost. Deal with it." "You have no idea what was taken from us! We were the pinnacle of cultivation, unshackled by petty morals. My master brought enlightenment to the world before the hypocrites caged him!" Victor yawned. "Your master sounds like a megalomaniac. You, on the other hand, sound like a groupie with Stockholm syndrome." "I will see him freed! And you will remain here as long as it takes!" Victor began pacing in deep thought. Clearly, this girl was just a pawn. The real enemy was the corrupt immortal she served. He didn''t know how powerful her master was, but if this was all to keep him from delivering seal information to the City Lord, then something big was brewing. His gaze hardened. "Alright. If I have to tear down this entire realm to get out of here, so be it." Victor stood still with his arms folded as he voiced out; "Tell me more about your time with your master..." The female voice returned with a distance but cold tone. "I suppose it no longer matters now. You will die here eventually, and I may as well tell the story of my master''s greatness before the seals finally break." Victor raised a brow but didn''t speak. He figured if she was willing to talk, he may as well learn something. Maybe it would give him the edge he needed. --- Flashback - Two Thousand Years Ago The sky had burned crimson in the twilight over the Land of Echoing Graves. The battlefield stretched on for miles, littered with the bodies of Immortal cultivators and beasts beyond comprehension. A rift in the heavens spat endless waves of energy, tearing at reality. The Corrupt Immortals were being pushed back. They had once ruled vast stretches of the realms with their power unchecked. And among them, he had stood: Master Vaeril the Severed Mind, a being said to have devoured his own soul and stitched it back together using fragments of ancient laws. None could match him in sheer spiritual force. But when the seals were placed, it had taken the combined sacrifice of hundreds of the Void Temple''s elite and the will of the last Void Emperor to trap him behind the gate. She had been there too. Name: Serika Varnis. Once a proud Divine Dao Mistress of the Moonshadow Clan, Serika had turned against the celestial orders, drawn to Master Vaeril''s visions of boundless cultivation unshackled by morality or restraint. As Vaeril was sealed, she had screamed, clawed at the fabric of space, and in her desperate attempt to stop it, sacrificed her own cultivation to weave a hidden escape clause within the binding matrix. A clause that, over the centuries, would begin to weaken the seal. But the cost had been severe. She had lost her Divine Sea, and what remained of her was a shell¡ªa powerful soul attached to a brittle vessel. Her cultivation slowly slipped until she was barely hanging onto the Nascent Soul Realm. The spiritual backlash from interfering with the void-borne seals had cursed her. Her body rejected qi now. She could no longer cultivate but she could still occasionally use powerful/forbidden techniques. She created the Abridged Ancient Grove as a trap¡ªa fractured shadow-space layered into the folds of the real grove. Whenever someone triggered the array hidden at the exit point, they''d be sent into her domain. And from within it, she used ancient means to feed on the lingering power of their bloodlines to further erode the seals. --- Back in the present, Victor let the silence linger after the story ended. "So," he voiced with a mocking tone. "You''re weak, your master is sealed, and you trapped me here to... what? Use me like a battery?" "You underestimate the power of aligned destinies. Your Void Emperor bloodline is a catalyst. I needed it to accelerate the unraveling." Victor snorted. "You really are pathetic. Two thousand years and this is the best you could come up with?" Serika''s voice hissed. "Mock me all you want. You cannot escape and you cannot get to me. I am no longer inside the Abridged Grove." Victor grinned. "Good. Then I guess you won''t mind if I do... this." He held out his hand, and a pale glow erupted from his palm as he activated his Spectral Anchor Disk. Moments from earlier flashed in his mind. That split second when he had her pinned to the ground¡ªthe moment he slammed her into the crater. Unseen to her, he had tagged the Anchor Disk onto her robes. It clung there, cloaked by his void qi, his own bloodline''s cloaking ability. The disk locked onto her qi signature. [ Spectral Anchor Disk activated. Target lock confirmed. Executing dimensional tether jump. ] There was a flash. The wind whooshed around Victor as space twisted. --- Outside the Abridged Grove Serika stood on a precipice, hunched over and visibly drained. Her skin, though still youthful in appearance, cracked faintly with pale lines that pulsed with old curse marks. She held a translucent orb filled with swirling mist¡ªa portion of Victor''s bloodline energy, harvested from his time in the Abridged Grove. "With this, the unraveling will finally reach its peak," she muttered. Then she stiffened. There was a shift in space. A sudden chill... And behind her, Victor appeared. He didn''t hesitate. "Surprise, old hag." He drove his knee into her back with enough force to cause the ground beneath them to crack. Serika screamed while trying to teleport, but Victor had prepared. He slapped a Void Tether Seal on her neck. "You''re not going anywhere this time." She gasped while trembling. "How?! How did you escape?!" Victor leaned in with a look of amusement. "You made two mistakes. First, you underestimated me. Second, you let me touch you." Without wasting another second, he lunged at the woman. She barely had time to scream before his fist rammed into her gut, sending her sprawling backward. Her body skidded across the mossy ground, crashing into a tree and snapping it in half. Victor stepped forward slowly with cold eyes. "This time, you''re not getting away that easy." The woman coughed blood as she tried to scramble up. Her expression was no longer arrogant but frantic. "Y-You... You¡ª" He delivered a precise palm strike to her ribs, careful not to kill her. She let out a choked cry and dropped to the ground. With a few quick hand seals, Victor summoned chains and bound her limbs. "You''re going to answer a lot of questions," he said before hoisting her up. "Starting with how long you''ve been weakening the seals." But just as he began looking around for a way back to Blueflame, her eyes widened. A crazed smile curled her lips. "If I can''t escape... I''ll just break myself out!" Her body began to emit a dark light as a series of runes etched across her skin erupted with violent energy. Victor realized what she was doing just half a second too late. "A forbidden technique!" BOOM! The explosion of smoke and chaotic spiritual energy sent Victor flying backward. When the dust settled, she was gone. He groaned and pushed himself up from the forest floor with his hair ruffled and face smeared with dirt. "Damn it. She escaped again," he muttered while clenching his fists. "But this won''t be the last time we meet." When he looked around, it struck him. The ancient grove was nowhere to be found neither was the path to it. The sky above was a strange maroon, the clouds moved slow and unnatural. The forest trees were tall, like towers, with twisted black vines drooping down like snakes. Victor had no idea where he was. "Well... this is new," he muttered. "And that stupid anchor disk is on cooldown for another five days. Even if it wasn''t... its not in my chamber at the Violet Spring Sect so I can''t return to Blueflame city through it." He checked his system notifications, hoping for some clue or landmark, but nothing helpful came up. Still, he knew he couldn''t stay put. He started trekking in what he hoped was a direction leading toward civilization. Chapter 204: The Windlands Meanwhile back on the outskirts of Blueflame, Elder Mo and Tarkos were still in the process of investigation. It had already been over two days since the incident and they hadn''t stopped trying to find clues. Elder Mo spoke slowly. "That kind of spatial distortion doesn''t happen on its own. Someone manipulated the grove. Most likely someone who didn''t want him leaving with that seal information." Tarkos punched his palm. "Then we find them." They had been trying to trace spiritual energy signatures and searching nearby terrain. But finally, one of their leads yielded fruit. Inside a nearby outpost tavern at the edge of the northern ridgeline, they found a stablehand who worked at the route leading to the grove. The stablehand looked nervous when Elder Mo questioned about any suspicious sightings. "Y-Yeah... I seen someone passing the route that leads to that cursed grove more than once. Weren''t sure who they was, but they wore dark robes and always kept their face hidden. Moved weird too... like wind had trouble touching ''em." "How often?" Elder Mo asked. "Every few weeks. Last time was just a few days ago." Elder Mo and Tarkos exchanged looks. "We''re not dealing with a normal cultivator," Elder Mo said. "Let''s move. We need to warn the City Lord. And find Victor." Tarkos nodded with a hardened expression. "He better still be in one piece... well, he is a transmigrator after all." --- Meanwhile, Victor emerged from the crooked forest and onto a cliffside overlooking a strange, glimmering valley. At the far end, he could barely make out the flicker of a boundary line ¨C Victor trudged forward with his boots stirring up the fine dust of an unfamiliar path. His face was smeared with grime, a streak of dried blood matted along the side of his jaw, but he didn''t care. He had been walking for what felt like forever, through rough mountain passes and forests cloaked in eternal twilight. The sun was elusive in this part of the world, and the sky rarely shifted from that dull grey haze, like the heavens themselves were lost in thought. "Six days," Victor muttered while dragging his sword behind him in exhaustion. "I''ve been in this damn game for six days straight." He couldn''t believe it. Over a whole day had passed in the real world. If he spent another two more days in-game without getting back to Blueflame, he absolutely had to log out. Unfortunately, there was still no sign of Blueflame City, no hint of a road or landmark that looked even remotely familiar. The system map was no help either. The terrain he was passing through didn''t show up clearly, marked only as [Obscured Zone - Mapping Incomplete]. At one point, Victor climbed a craggy ridge hoping to spot something in the distance. Instead, he found himself staring down at a grotesque scene. A titanic, lizard-like spirit beast with a mane of tendrils was tearing into a smaller beast. Its fangs ripped through flesh with terrifying ease. The smaller creature let out a bone-chilling shriek before dissolving into blue vapor. [Warning: Apex Predatory Spirit Beast Detected] Victor flinched as the system notification pulsed in red. This meant that the spiritual beast was at least two realms above him. "Hell no," he whispered while taking several careful steps back. He turned and bolted in the opposite direction, veering down into a dense thicket. Twigs snapped, branches clawed at him, but he didn''t care. Anything was better than becoming a mid-afternoon snack. Another full day crawled by. Victor''s face grew gaunt. He battled through more terrain that felt like it belonged to a haunted realm. Floating stones, whispering winds, and spirit beasts with too many eyes. He killed what he could. Fled from what he couldn''t. His robe was torn. But he refused to give up. "I swear if I ever make it back, I''m filing a formal complaint about this trash game design," he grunted. Then all of a sudden, he spotted something in the distance... Nestled between two hills, cradled by dark pine forests, was a settlement. A small village surrounded by stone walls, lanterns swaying lazily in the wind. The wooden sign at the entrance was barely legible, eroded by years of weather. But the name was still there: ~ Windlands ~ Victor raised a brow. He hadn''t seen a soul for three days. His instincts told him that something was off. Still, he pushed forward cautiously. The village seemed... too quiet. The wind moved, but there were no sounds of life. No merchants shouting. No children running. No scent of cooked food in the air. Just the soft creaking of the lanterns and the dull echo of his boots on ground. "Hello?" he called out. No answer. Victor walked deeper into the Windlands. Houses stood perfectly still. He peeked into one and saw a dining table with meals still set. Chairs pulled out. A fire long since burned out. It looked as though people had been there¡ªbut were pulled away suddenly. "What the hell happened here?" [System Notification: Hidden Area Discovered - Windlands Settlement] [Note: This area has been marked as a Distorted Echo Zone. Be cautious.] "Distorted echo?" Victor narrowed his eyes. "What is this, some kind of spiritual memory?" Then he saw movement. Just a flicker at the edge of his vision. A figure darting between the buildings. Victor immediately raised his guard and pulled his sword out. "Who''s there? Show yourself!" He advanced slowly and turned at a corner. He saw a hunched man in torn robes sitting at a well. The man was muttering to himself with his fingernails caked in dirt. "Hey! You okay? What happened here?" The man looked up with a milky and unfocused eyes. Then, without warning, he lunged at Victor. "The veil! They tore the veil! It''s not safe anymore! They''re still listening!" Victor sidestepped and slammed the man to the ground. "What veil? Who tore it? What''s going on here?" The man convulsed and began frothing at the mouth. Before Victor could restrain him further, the man''s body dissolved into shimmering particles. [Echo Memory Terminated.] Victor stood up with a contorted expression. "The hell is going on here?" Somewhere in the distance, a bell rang. Victor turned. The Windlands was waking up. Figures emerged from the shadows. Some walked. Others floated. The settlement which was once lifeless, now pulsed with haunting energy. "Of course... it just got worse." A spectral figure materialized from the center of the settlement. A female spirit, cloaked in what looked like noble garments from a bygone era, hovered a few feet above the stone plaza. "You... outsider," she whispered. "You''ve disturbed the sigil. The final echo... has been breached." Victor straightened. "Wait¡ªwhat are you?" "A remnant... bound for over a thousand years... along with my people. We are shadows of a life torn from time. You triggered the Unraveling." A system notification appeared: [D ranked QUEST TRIGGERED: The Silence of Windlands] ? [Objective: Discover what anchors the spirits of Windlands to this plane.] ? [Progress: 0%] Victor muttered, "Just great." Over the next several hours, Victor investigated every structure, every shard of qi residue, guided by soft voices and occasional memories the spirits let slip. He began piecing together fragments of the past¡ª This settlement had once been prosperous, until a calamity involving a cursed artifact tore through the land. The artifact, designed to protect, had backfired when its creator died in agony during its activation. His soul, and those of everyone around him, had been locked in place ever since. The settlement became a ghost town and could not even be located by travelers. Their ghosts were tethered to this plane to relive the same day over and over and over again. It was truly torturous. Vicfor believed his bloodline might be the only reason why he managed to stumble upon this place in the first place but he decided he would find the anchor no matter what. Victor eyes narrowed as he paused. The wind picked up slightly, carrying with it a whisper. Not metaphorical. A literal whisper. "You don''t belong here, traveler..." Victor turned around sharply, scanning the barren stretch behind him. No one. Then a soft shimmer flickered at the edge of a nearby boulder. A man stood translucent form glided toward him. He was dressed in tattered garments. "Did you say something?" Victor asked, cautiously. The spirit tilted his head. "You''re the first with a beating heart to set foot here in over a thousand years." Victor raised an eyebrow. "So I''m kind of a big deal, huh?" He chuckled softly. "Perhaps. Or perhaps you''ve come to share our fate." "Not planning on staying," Victor said. "I''m looking for the thing binding this place. Something that''s keeping you all... stuck." His expression turned solemn. "Then speak to the one in the garden. He has waited the longest." Before he could ask more, the man vanished into drifting motes. Victor exhaled as a strange chill brushed through his skin. "Well. Off to the ghost garden, I guess." ¡ª [The Withered Garden] Stone arches stood like crooked teeth, covered in dead vines and frostbitten flora. At the center, hunched over a patch of cracked soil, was an elderly man with glowing white eyes. He wore robes that dragged through the dust like ribbons, and a strange curved hoe rested beside him. Victor approached with caution. "You the local gardener?" Chapter 205: Legacy Weapons Competition Victor approached with caution. "You the local gardener?" The old man didn''t look up. "I planted every flower here before the flames came. And I watched each one die." Victor frowned. "So you''ve been here the whole time?" He paused briefly... "Since the city was burned to the ground. Since we were all betrayed. Since the anchor was born from the hatred of the fallen." Victor stepped closer. "Then help me destroy it." The spirit''s eyes glowed brighter, reflecting centuries of pain. "And what would you do if it showed you every agony we endured? Would you still strike it down?" "Without hesitation," Victor said. "I''m not your savior. But I don''t like seeing people shackled¡ªliving or dead." The ghost''s smile was small but real. He stood slowly and pointed to the center of the garden where a monument stood¡ª "That is where it began," the gardener stated. Victor looked at the statue. For a second, he swore he heard a sob come from it. Something swirled in the air¡ªresentment, grief, desperation. He stepped forward and placed his palm on the stone. [System Notification] [ ¡ªAnchor Resonance Detected. ] ¡ªEmotional Echo Stabilizing... A flash blinded him, and suddenly he wasn''t in the garden anymore. He stood amidst a burning city. Screams filled the air. The smell of ash and charred flesh assaulted his nose. Children ran. However, no matter how much everyone fled... they couldn''t escape their demise. Victor stood panting before the statue. He had seen flashes of the anchor and where it might be located. Victor wiped his face. "Time to end this." It turned out that the anchor was buried beneath the old well in the center of the village. Covered in thorned roots and ancient chains. Victor sighed while unsheathing his sword. "Of course it''s under a damn well." After slicing through the roots and blasting the stone apart with a condensed burst of Wind Qi, he found it: a core shard with a swirling vortex of trapped light. Notifications popped up again. ? [ANCHOR FOUND: Would you like to attempt Spirit Severance? Warning: Requires substantial spiritual resistance.] Victor frowned. He wasn''t sure he had "substantial spiritual resistance," but... "Do it." Pain flooded his mind like acid. Visions, screams, decades of ghostly rage and grief slammed into him, nearly knocking him unconscious. He roared and poured every ounce of Void Qi he had into the shard. It turned out the anchor was buried beneath the old well in the center of the village. Covered in thorned roots and ancient chains. Victor sighed while unsheathing his sword. "Of course it''s under a damn well." After slicing through the roots and blasting the stone apart with a condensed burst of Void Qi, he found it: a core shard with a swirling vortex of trapped light. The system popped up again. ? [ANCHOR FOUND: Would you like to attempt Spirit Severance? Warning: Requires substantial spiritual resistance.] Victor frowned. He wasn''t sure he had "substantial spiritual resistance," but... "Do it." Pain flooded his mind like acid. Visions, screams, decades of ghostly rage and grief slammed into him, nearly knocking him unconscious. He roared but poured every ounce of Qi he had into the shard. It cracked. Then shattered. The moment it did, a blinding light erupted across the Windlands. One by one, ghostly figures appeared¡ªmen, women, children, warriors, merchants¡ªall weeping, smiling, reaching upward. The noble woman reappeared before Victor, kneeling in gratitude. "You''ve freed us," she whispered, "after over a millennia... May the wind always guide you." [QUEST COMPLETE: The Silence of Windlands] ? [ Rewards Obtained:] ? Spiritforged Band (Accessory ¨C boosts resistance to spiritual-based attacks) ? 3,500 EXP ? Soulroot Elixir x2 ? Spirit Map Fragment (Locked objective: unlockable in three in-game months) ? +100,000 Wisps Of Qi ? +15% Dragon Breathing Arts Mastery As the last of the spirits vanished into the air like dew under sunlight, one lingered briefly beside Victor. "Go East..." it said, before fading into the wind. Victor stared after it. "East, huh?" He looked up at the sun and took a breath. "That better be the direction of Blueflame City." Meanwhile, back near the outer boundaries of the ancient groves... Tarkos stood in silence with his arms folded across his chest as Elder Mo crouched beside a peculiar set of flattened grass patterns. "This is the third time we''ve gotten a report from that same establishment owner," Mo muttered. "And the descriptions match the same figure." Tarkos growled. "But we''ve yet to actually see this person. They come and go like a damned whisper." "We don''t need to catch them today," Elder Mo said calmly. "We just need to prepare. Tonight, we''ll wait. Quietly. No distractions." "Fine," Tarkos agreed, then paused. "You really think this person is responsible for Fang Chen''s disappearance?" "I don''t think," Elder Mo replied. "I know." The two cultivators turned toward the route that led to the ancient groves. For the first time since Victor vanished, there was a shared sense between them¡ªclarity, direction, and a plan. Back in the wilderness... Victor had already started heading east. He didn''t know if this was the right direction but he didn''t have much of a choice, the world of Ascendant Realms was super large. (( Another Day Later )) Victor let out a long breath as he leaned back against the mossy stone he had claimed as a temporary seat. He had found a location within a cave since he could no longer remain in game. He had already been here for too long. His system window flickered once more with the confirmation he had expected. > [Logging out...] [State: In Transit ¨C Avatar will remain active in current coordinates.] [You have exited Ascendant Realms] His surroundings faded into white light before his senses gently snapped back to reality. The game''s fatigue was gone, but his body in the real world was still tired as hell. "Ugh... I need sleep and maybe ten burgers," Victor muttered. He stretched his limbs and lazily rolled off the bed. His academy wristband pinged almost immediately. It was lit with notification after notification. "Oh, come on¡ª" > Danny: "BRO?? Did you die or get kidnapped?? You vanished since Friday." Selene: "We''re reporting you missing. Should we call the feds?" Danny: "I''m serious. Selene''s packing a taser." Selene: "I was joking... Unless." Victor blinked twice, then chuckled and quickly tapped a reply. > Victor: "I''m alive, calm down. Dinner?" Not two minutes passed before his screen lit up again. > Danny: "YES. If you ghost us again, I''m shaving your eyebrows." Selene: "Pick the feedhub or we''re dragging you to vegan ramen." Victor groaned. "The threats never stop with these two." --- The trio met up at Feedhub07, a trendy student-favorite eatery filled with half-fried food and fully terrible music. Danny arrived first in a hoodie with a glowing skull on it, practically radiating "I play rogue mains." Selene showed up in a crisp black jacket and a look that said if anyone breathes wrong, I''ll incinerate you with my eyes. Victor walked in last, slightly disheveled, wearing casuals and yawning. Danny gasped dramatically. "Look who crawled out of the nether realm! It''s Victor the Vanished!" Selene folded her arms. "You better have a good excuse. We thought you got abducted by cultists." Victor scratched his head. "I was... busy. Life stuff." "LIFE stuff?" Danny raised a brow. "You sounded like a war veteran in that text." Selene leaned forward. "Be honest. You pulled an all-weekend personal training, didn''t you?" Victor just smiled and said, "No comment." Danny pointed at him. "GUILTY!" A waitress arrived with menus, and Victor didn''t even look. "I''ll have five burgers, two fries, and a large milkshake." Selene stared at him. "You planning to summon a demon with your cholesterol?" Victor nodded solemnly. "I already did. His name is Regret." After dinner and a lot of laughter¡ªincluding Danny choking on a chicken wing because Victor made a joke about a spell called "Wind-Style: FARTulence Release"¡ªVictor finally returned to his dorm. He leaned against the door with a tired smile. "Okay. Now I need serious sleep." Inside, Kairo was still up, reading something on his desk holo-screen. "You''re back," Kairo said with a glance. "Didn''t realise you already left your bed." Victor tossed his shoes off and flopped onto his bed. "I did. But I need to sleep. The Legacy Weapons Competition starts tomorrow." Kairo gave him a side glance and shook his head. "Good luck. Don''t die of excess sleep." Victor raised a hand lazily. "Appreciate the emotional support." ... ... Victor stood before his mirror early Monday morning, fully dressed in the Academy''s formal combat uniform. The uniform consisted of an obsidian black bodysuit with dark steel lining across the joints and torso, engraved with subtle sigils of protection. His Academy crest glittered faintly on his chest. Strapped across his back was his sword. The blade itself was dark silver with a black edge and nearly four feet long. It looked like a regular warrior issued blade but nevertheless still extremely sharp. Victor tied his wristband securely and stared at his reflection. "Let''s win this." Chapter 206: Another Unexpected Incident The Academy was a carnival of chaos. Students poured into the large coliseum with marble towers rising like titans over the rest of the campus. The massive open roof revealed the floating scoreboard above, while dozens of holographic screens hovered in the air, broadcasting past highlights and upcoming matches. Vendors yelled out snacks, fan clubs waved posters, and second and third years leaned on balconies looking down with smirks. Victor was ushered into the south wing of the arena marked with the First-Year Combatant Class symbol and led to a private waiting room with refreshments and equipment racks. He sat calmly with his eyes closed, mentally preparing. --- Elsewhere in the arena, Amara sat uncomfortably beside Derek Slate in a balcony. Derek had his arm wrapped lazily around her, and although she tried shifting away multiple times, he kept pulling her closer. "Derek... can we move seats?" she asked for the third time while glancing around at the group of loud, smirking bad boys seated beside them. "Nah, babe," Derek replied. "We''ve got the best view here." One of his goons leaned over and whispered something. "It''s done," the guy said. Derek grinned. "Are you sure?" "Yep." Amara turned toward them with narrowed eyes. "What''s done?" Derek waved her off. "Nothing, just a bet. Chill." She didn''t look convinced. ... The sun had risen high, bathing the vast Academy Arena in golden light. Cheers echoed through the sky as students from all levels filled the seating arrangements surrounding the massive coliseum-like battlefield. Floating high in the center of the arena were multiple weapons, glimmering and hovering in mid-air¡ª Each gave off a distinct magical aura. These were no ordinary blades or staffs; they were Legacy Weapons, sacred remnants left behind by some of the greatest warriors, assassins, mages, and defenders of past eras. Each weapon represented a class which emitted the residual soul-force of its previous master. Among them, a massive silver longsword crackled with lightning, a jade spear glowed with fiery energy, a crimson dagger twisted faintly in midair as if eager to kill again, and more¡ªeach calling to a specific kind of soul. High above the weapon display stood Vice Chancellor Ravaryn in white robes and a presence so sharp it seemed to cut through sound itself. She raised her hand, and silence followed. "The Legacy Weapons," she began, "are echoes of history¡ªreminders of greatness that shaped this Academy, and the world beyond. Only those with exceptional potential may wield a legacy. Today, your souls will be measured against theirs." The crowd erupted into cheers. "Participants, when your name is called, step forward. Place your hand upon your class''s legacy weapon. You will be judged." ~ Waiting Room ~ Victor sat calmly in his waiting room with his legs crossed and fingers drumming against his knee with a bored expression. His sword lay across his lap as he listened to the muffled cheers beyond the walls. Then he heard it. "Victor Revenant," called a voice through the arena''s PA system. He stood and approached the door. Click. He turned the handle. Click. Again. It didn''t budge. "...what?" Victor twisted harder before slamming his palm into the control panel. "Open, dammit!" Nothing... All of a sudden, a low hissing sound began. Victor sniffed and immediately recoiled. "What the¡ª?" A strange greenish mist poured in from the overhead vents. At first, it was thin and almost odorless. But within seconds, his throat began to constrict. Cough! He staggered back with his eyes widening. "What the hell is this...?!" His body lurched as his knees buckled slightly. Blood began to drip from his nose, then his ears. His vision blurred. Victor banged his fist against the reinforced door. "HEY!! ANYONE OUT THERE?!" No response. Whatever gas this was, it wasn''t natural. His body was crashing. He drew in a breath and tried to circulate qi within, in a bid to resist the effects. But it wasn''t enough. His hands trembled as blood flowed from the corners of his eyes. --- Back in the Arena, the Warrior class participants had begun lining up. One by one, each student stepped toward the suspended Legacy Sword that belonged to the famed most powerful warrior, the Blade of a Thousand Victories. They placed their hands on the hilt. A floating screen above them shimmered and displayed their compatibility. [ Reysha Marell ¨C 47% ¨C Incompatible. ] [ Kor Valen ¨C 54% ¨C Compatible. ] [ Juno Kai ¨C 63% ¨C Compatible. ] The crowd murmured with every result. Then it was time for the S-Rank Warrior¡ªthe green-skinned girl who had become a quiet star in the Academy. She stepped forward calmly and coldly. She laid her hand on the weapon. [ Elyra Vorn ¨C 93% ¨C Extremely Compatible. ] "Whoa!!" someone shouted from the stands. Even the instructors exchanged glances. The previous high had been 64%. Elyra had crushed that record. The crowd cheered wildly. Then the instructor called again. "Victor Revenant!" Nothing. "Victor Revenant, report to the Warrior class section immediately!" Still nothing. Seconds ticked. "If you do not appear in two minutes," Instructor Elric warned, "you will be automatically disqualified." In the upper seating section, Derek Slate sat with a smug smile plastered across his face. He reclined into his seat while casually tossing a grape into his mouth. "Guess he''s not as special after all," he muttered under his breath. Amara sat beside him with her arms folded tightly, looking unusually uneasy. She glanced to the far left where Selene and Danny were visible across the arena, staring around in confusion. "Where is he?" Selene muttered. Danny squinted. "He wouldn''t just skip this. No way." --- ~ Inside the Waiting Room ~ Victor was on his knees. His breathing had become shallow. The mist had flooded the entire room. Every attempt to disperse it with qi had failed. It wasn''t just poison¡ªit was a targeted suppressor. Designed to shut him down from the inside. Blood continued to leak from his facial orifices. His vision wavered. Then he grit his teeth. "No," he growled. "Not like this..." He staggered forward, raised his hand, reached for his sword and slammed it against the door. Again. And again. It trembled but he couldn''t summon enough strength due to the current ruckus going on within his internal organs. But Victor didn''t stop. He knew the countdown was nearly over. His chance was slipping away. --- ~ Back in the Arena ~ "One minute remaining," Instructor Elric voiced with a frown. "Victor Revenant will be disqualified if he fails to¡ª" Suddenly, a section of the arena wall exploded with a thunderous boom. BOOM! Shrapnel flew everywhere. Screams erupted. Dust clouded the area near the participant''s section. From within the smoke... a figure staggered out. The figure''s face was stained with blood, and flames clung onto his form as he stepped forward. The crowd instantly went silent... (( Minutes Earlier )) Victor could barely breathe. His lungs convulsed, his eyes bled, and a burning sensation crawled under his skin like acid flooding his veins. The strange gas continued to pour in through the reinforced vents as he slammed against the metallic door of the waiting room. Clang! Clang! Clang! No use. He felt faint. Dizzy. His body trembled, barely able to withstand the onslaught. He knew something was wrong the moment the handle didn''t budge. Now, with the toxic mist choking him and his body failing, he understood¡ªhe had been sabotaged. "Who... could have done... this..." Victor hissed under his breath while collapsing to one knee with blood dripping from his nostrils. "I won''t spare whoever is responsible..." His vision blurred, but he clenched his teeth. No matter how weak he felt, his qi was still intact¡ª And that meant there was still a chance. He forced himself into a lotus position, ignoring the trembling of his limbs, and summoned his will. Breathe in... Breathe out... Focus... The golden threads of power nestled deep in his dantian began to stir. "Activate: Dragon Breathing Art..." A low rumble shook the walls as embers crawled over his skin like tribal runes awakening from slumber. Fire poured out of different orifices in his body, spreading in violent pulses. His eyes flared open and then¡ª BOOOOOM!!! A violent explosion ruptured the door as fire erupted like a miniature sun, ripping through metal and stone alike. --- (( Present Time )) The instructor tried again. "Victor Revenant, this is your final call! One minute left or you will be disqualified!" Across the arena, in a more secluded corner, Derek chuckled darkly. One of his crew leaned in while mirking. "It''s working." Amara sat uncomfortably beside him with her hands clenched. "Where is Victor?" "Probably chickened out," Derek said with a smug grin. Amara frowned. Something felt off. Her gut was telling her that whatever was wrong had to do with Derek. All of a sudden¡ª BOOM! A thunderous explosion shook the eastern section of the arena. The ground trembled as screams erupted from students. "FIRE! FIRE!" shouted several onlookers. "What the hell is going on?" "How did that even happen?" Instructors instantly sprung into action while activating their systems skills. One of the mage instructors raised her staff and cast a massive cryo-seal: [ Blizzard Suppression Spell ] A dome of frigid wind swept through the air, blanketing the flames in layers of frost. The raging inferno began to die out, snuffed under the sudden barrage of sub-zero magic. But then¡ª A figure appeared through the fire seemingly untouched by the flames. Walking forward with steps that made the flames part as if in the presence of a divine presence. "Th-there''s someone walking through the fire!" Chapter 207: Compatibility Rate "Th-there''s someone walking through the fire!" The flames clung to him like obedient pets. He strode through them with his outfit slightly scorched but intact. His hair fluttered. Lines of blood trailed from his eyes and ears, yet his expression was as calm and cold as steel. One of the instructors whispered in disbelief. "Is that...?" The system screens zoomed in. [Identity Confirmed: Victor Revenant] Gasps, cheers and shock rang out. The flames died entirely, as if bowing in respect. Victor walked across the arena with slow steps. "Impossible..." murmured an older student. "That fire came from inside the waiting room... and he just... walked out of it?" Elyra who had been praised for her high compatibility score moments ago, looked stunned. Even she had no words for what she was witnessing. Victor stopped at the center of the Warrior section. "Sorry. I''m here now." The instructor was too stunned to speak for a moment. Derek, seated in his row, clenched his fists tightly. "How did he...?" Danny laughed from the stands. "That''s my boy!!" Rylan fist-pumped. "I knew it! I told you he was gonna make it!" Amara, sitting near Derek, had her lips slightly parted. Her expression unreadable. The arena was still recovering from the shock of the inferno that had erupted moments ago. Whispers and gasps floated in the air like sparks from the fire, all centered around one name: Victor Revenant. The flames had vanished, leaving nothing but charred stone near the passageway to the competitor rooms. Victor stood amidst the cooling embers with a sharp expression despite the faint streaks of dried blood trailing from his eyes and ears. Instructors rushed over, casting defensive spells while others prepared for healing. An instructor in a forest-green robe who was a healer, reached out and touched Victor''s ches. A soft golden glow spread from her hand to his body. "Are you alright, Victor Revenant?" she questioned with a tone of concern. "I''m fine," he muttered. His voice was hoarse due to the chemical mist. Another instructor in crimson armor, stepped forward with his brows furrowed. "Tell us what happened. Why were you late, and what caused the fire?" Victor exhaled slowly and raised his eyes to meet theirs. "My room was locked. I tried to open it multiple times but it wouldn''t budge. Then gas started pouring out of the vents. It messed me up... I couldn''t even stand properly. I had to set the place on fire to weaken the lock. I used a lighter I had in my possession." The Vice Principal walked forward with an intimidating aura. Her long braid swung behind her like a whip as she narrowed her eyes at Victor. "Gas in the waiting room? Locked doors? That should be impossible. All doors are regulated through the Academy''s internal security protocols." Victor shrugged while wincing slightly. "Well, it happened." Her frown deepened. "We will launch an immediate investigation. Whoever orchestrated this will be punished to the full extent of our laws." She turned to the healer. "Is he in any shape to continue?" The healer nodded. "Give me a second." She placed both hands on Victor''s back, casting another tiered spell. A soothing wave of warm energy surged through him, realigning his nerves, restoring his energy circulation, and erasing the residual effects of the gas. [ System Notification: Target Has Been Healed ] [ Status: Optimal Condition ] Victor straightened his back and cracked his knuckles. "Good as new." The Vice Principal gave a brief nod. "You may proceed." Victor stepped forward with a frown. He would focus on the competition for now but he swore internally that he would get whoever was responsible when all of this was over. The instructor in charge of the Warrior division stepped forward and raised a sound-amplifying spell. "Students, apologies for the disruption. The issue has been addressed and the competition will now resume." Whispers erupted among the students. Spectators seated across the various sections were murmuring with amazement. "Did you see how he walked through fire?" "He wasn''t even burned..." "Is he immune to flames or something?!" Victor walked toward the Warrior''s section podium where the Legacy Weapon floated¡ª A few competitors had already touched it, and only one had broken the 90% mark: Elyra Vorn. As Victor stepped up, the whispers grew louder. Selene and Danny stood up from their section, waving frantically. "Victor! You good?!" Victor gave a lazy half-salute without turning. Meanwhile, across the arena, Derek clenched his fist. "Tch... what really happened in there? It wasn''t supposed to be like this..." he muttered. Amara beside him turned slightly. "What did you say?" Derek immediately smiled. "Nothing. Just surprised." Amara''s gaze lingered a second longer. Back at the Warrior podium, Victor stretched out his hand. [ Legacy Weapon Compatibility Test Initiated ] His palm touched the weapon, and the ancient runes on its surface began to glow, cycling rapidly through hues of red, then blue, then settling on a blinding gold. The floating screen above the arena crackled to life: [ Compatibility: 93% ] A beat of silence followed. Then the arena exploded in noise. "He matched Elyra Vorn?!" "No way!" "Two 93s?! Who is this guy?!" Elyra who was standing off to the side in her crisp academy combat uniform with her emerald-etched greatsword strapped to her back, arched an eyebrow. She met Victor''s gaze for a brief second and then turned away. Victor responded with the faintest smirk. The instructor raised his hands once again. "Phase One: Concluded! All who passed with over 50% compatibility may proceed to the next stage. We begin preparations immediately." ... ... Minutes later, the crowd was cheering loudly as the giant projections above the arena dimmed and then lit up again. A video began to play, accompanied by the bold lettering: General Darius Stormrend - The Blade Within. The footage displayed an armored man with windswept white hair and a battle-worn face, standing atop a cliff beside a squad of elite awakeners. He turned toward the camera with a faint smirk and the legendary legacy sword resting in his hand like a feather. "Ignore the size of the blade... In the hands of a good warrior, anything can be a sword," he voiced with calm confidence. Chapter 208: Second Phase Begins Darius Stormrend flicked the sword forward casually while it was still sheathed. The very air screamed as the sword shot from his hand like a bolt of lightning. In the far distance, a mountain peak shattered in half after getting cleaved cleanly as if split by divine judgment. Gasps rippled through the audience. Even instructors and third-year students visibly reacted. Among them, Elyra Vorn stood silent but her stoic face betrayed a rare flicker of emotion. Her icy blue eyes fluttered with something deeper than admiration and reverence... perhaps even a vow. ''Father... I''ll make sure I retrieve it. I owe it to you and mother...'' Her gaze sharpened with conviction as the video faded out. In the spectating area, Danny leaned forward and muttered, "I wonder how a dude that powerful even ended up dying." Aria folded her arms and replied, "His death was never confirmed. But when an awakened vanishes during active duty... it usually means they''re not coming back." Rylan raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn''t want to be on the bad side of the one who took him down." The atmosphere tightened as instructors from each class stepped forward to explain the next phase of the legacy weapon competition. Each class''s second phase had its own unique requirement. For Mages, it was a puzzle of arcane arrays¡ªcontestants had to channel mana precisely through complex glyphs under time pressure. Summoners had to subdue a wild lesser spirit beast with no outside help. Healers were challenged to keep a simulated injured soldier alive through strategic spell use while random interruptions occurred. Each task reflected the nature and principles of their respective class. But on the Warrior side, things were simpler... and far more brutal. The instructor stepped forward and raised a hand. A loud click echoed through the arena as the field in front of them began to shift and reform¡ªterraformed by mana-powered mechanisms underneath the stadium. Pillars rose, trenches carved out, stone bridges extended, and strange constructs clicked into place. It now looked like a war-torn canyon. "The next phase," the instructor began with a voice amplified by system projection, "is based on the final words left by General Stormrend before he vanished. ''In the hands of a good warrior, anything can be a sword.'' With that in mind, every one of you will receive the same item: a wooden cane." Attendants distributed identical, light-brown wooden canes to the remaining contestants. Victor stared at his curiously. "This cane is your sword. You must traverse from the entrance point of the canyon to the golden flag at the far end. Along the way, you''ll face obstacles. Some are physical. Some are hostile. You are not allowed to use any other weapon, any bare-hand techniques, or any outside assistance. If you lose your cane or allow it to break, you will be immediately disqualified. Only the most disciplined and creative warriors will make it to the end." A dramatic silence followed before a massive holographic countdown appeared in the sky above. 3... Victor glanced around, spotting Reed among the competitors a few paces to his left. Reed looked calm while tapping the cane lightly against his shoulder like it was already a blade. 2... Elyra Vorn stood poised at the front with her feet set evenly and one hand wrapped gently around the base of the cane. 1... BEGIN. With a thunderous roar of cheers, the competitors launched forward into the canyon. Victor leapt down the first slope easily, using his cane to vault off a rocky ledge. Immediately, large spinning constructs activated, swinging mana-blades horizontally across narrow bridges. Victor bent low, sliding under one while jabbing his cane into a groove on the bridge wall to anchor himself before the wind from the second blade could knock him off. Up ahead, one of the competitors attempted to disarm a humanoid golem sentry. The moment he raised his palm to use a bare-hand technique, the screen above flashed red: DISQUALIFIED. Victor grunted. "No margin for error. Got it." He continued with controlled aggression. The first few obstacles weren''t too complicated, though he noticed they were designed to wear participants down. Long climbs, balance beams over pits, and quick-response reaction tests against falling boulders. Which meant that, control will be more difficult. One could end up pouring too much mana into their cane and shattering it by mistake. In one section, several cane-wielding contestants were forced into a narrow corridor, where a barrage of wind-blades cut through at intervals. Victor watched one competitor try to run through and have their cane shattered instantly. He paused, calculated the rhythm of the blasts, and then used his cane like a baton¡ªtwirling it mid-air to generate rotational energy before thrusting it into a socket just beneath the emitter. The disruption redirected the blast just long enough for him to pass. Reed, elsewhere in the canyon, flipped through a set of narrow poles with dancer-like precision, occasionally parrying mana-formed creatures with rapid, staff-like swings. He was clearly experienced with staff-based techniques. Back on Victor''s end, he encountered a zone filled with clay beasts that attacked in coordinated movements. He focused his qi through the cane and with a flick, he struck one beast''s temple, knocking it backward into the others. The crowd watching from the arena seats couldn''t take their eyes off the match. As the second phase continued, the list of disqualified names grew. One after the other, students were either knocked out by the obstacles, lost their canes, or triggered red-flag conditions. The terrain remained harsh and ever-shifting. Victor gripped his cane tightly as he continued forward, feeling its lightweight wooden form vibrate slightly in his hand. He wrapped a thin, almost imperceptible layer of qi around it... not too dense, not too light. Reinforcement. But not overkill. He knew well enough that if he activated any of his powerful techniques, the cane would splinter like brittle bark. This phase wasn''t about raw strength. It was about control, balance, and restraint. "If I sneeze too hard, this stick might shatter," Victor muttered dryly as a magical beast with a wolf''s snarl and a serpent''s tail lunged at him. Chapter 209: I Dont Need Your Help "If I sneeze too hard, this stick might shatter," Victor muttered dryly as a magical beast with a wolf''s snarl and a serpent''s tail lunged at him. He spun low and flicked his cane upwards, striking the creature across the jaw just enough to send it staggering but not enough to damage the cane. A minor vibration crawled up the shaft of the stick, but it held. Victor exhaled sharply and moved onward, striking the beast again multiple times before it fell off the ledge. Elsewhere, Elyra Vorn wasn''t having as much luck. Her every movement seemed to ripple the very air with mana. The green-skinned S-Ranked Warrior was practically a mana magnet. Despite her attempts to suppress it, strands of greenish-blue mana curled around her limbs with every breath she took. Each time she swung her cane, it attracted enough force to smash through a wall, let alone a weak magic beast. Her stick already had a few cracks and she couldn''t afford to emit too much strength or that would be the end of it. Her progress across the terrain was slow. Not for lack of ability¡ªbut because she was forcing herself to suppress so much of her natural strength. Every swing was measured. Every block was cautious. Meanwhile, Reed was further off, fumbling through vines and avoiding creatures with a mix of creativity and sheer panic. He had whacked a bird-like beast with his cane earlier only to have the cane bounce back and smack him in the face. "You ever been hit by your own weapon? I call that ''Reed''s Rebound Art''," he muttered while dodging another creature. Yet somehow, through all the slapstick antics, Reed was making steady progress. A handful of contestants weren''t so lucky. One snapped their cane while trying to spear a beast. Another cracked theirs simply by swinging too hard. Some didn''t even make it halfway through the terrain. With each failure, their names vanished from the floating list above the arena. Only around seventy warriors remained now. In the spectator stands, a voices of curiosity rippled through the audience. "Wait... isn''t that Elyra Vorn?" a student pointed from the stands. "Yeah, what''s going on with her?" said another. "She''s moving like she''s struggling." "Must be holding back. Too strong for her own good," an upper-year student muttered. Meanwhile, a group of warriors nearby had also taken notice of Elyra''s challenge. One of them who was a muscular 17 year old with a rough scar down his temple, whispered to the others. "Hey... that''s Elyra Vorn... the S-ranked Warrior." "So?" another asked. "She''s struggling. I bet she has too much power. If she makes it past this phase, she''ll dominate the later rounds. You know she will. If we''re gonna win, she can''t be allowed to continue." "You suggesting we team up on her?" another asked. "Exactly. There isn''t a rule against warriors attacking one another. All we have to do is force her to break her cane. Make her lose control. She''s already fighting herself." One by one, they nodded in agreement. Elyra who was still holding back turned a corner in the terrain and suddenly found herself surrounded. Three of the warriors rushed her at once. She blocked one blow with the cane but staggered under a second strike to the gut. She gasped and leapt back while swinging weakly to push another back. Spectators gasped. "Why''s she not fighting back?" "She could have knocked that guy''s head clean off!" Elyra gritted her teeth. She was managing her strength with intense difficulty and now these guys wanted to make it even more difficult for her. A cane slammed into her face, making her stumble. Then another struck her shoulder. She swung her cane, barely tapping the attacker, who smirked and charged again. She was using way too little power to avoid losing control. Her knuckles were white from gripping the cane so tightly. Her mind screamed for release¡ªshe wanted to let loose. But she couldn''t. In the next instant, another attacker jumped high and raised his cane to slam down at her head¡ª Suddenly, a new cane intercepted it from above with a sharp clack! Everyone froze. "You folks are truly shameless," came a calm and cold voice. The attacker looked up and saw him. The white and dark haired kid that had stormed out of flames unharmed today... Victor Revenant. He stood next to Elyra with a straight expression as lines of dried blood still trailed from his ears and cheeks. However, his posture remained unshaken. One hand held his cane out above Elyra''s head. Elyra eyes widened slightly in confusion. For the first time in the entire competition, there was something almost vulnerable in her eyes. The audience stirred... People started to cheer and a few whispered. "That''s the guy who walked out of fire like a god today." "I don''t need your help," Elyra snapped while turning towards Victor. Before Victor could even blink, a cane came swinging toward her again. It struck her squarely in the back causing her to gasp in pain and stumble into Victor''s arms. "Could''ve fooled me," he muttered with a crooked grin while catching her with ease. His left arm wrapped securely around her waist while his right hand lifted the cane to block the next set of attacks. Seven strikes came at them from all directions. Victor''s right hand moved like a blur. Clack-clack-clack-clack! He parried each incoming strike with precise timing, intercepting them with his cane at just the right angles. Then, in the same breathe, he lashed out, sending two incredibly quick strikes each to the faces of the attacking students. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! The audience gasped and then erupted into laughter as each blow landed with a comedic thwack, swelling the cheeks of the eight who dared to gang up on Elyra. One even spun and landed flat on his back, dazed. Victor who was still holding Elyra like a dancer mid-waltz, looked down at her and said with amusement, "This has got to be the strangest group dance I''ve ever done." Before any of the attackers could recover, Victor spun his cane through the air and smacked each of theirs with force while sending out bursts of qi. Snap! One by one, their canes shattered into useless splinters. The system screens around the arena lit up: [ Competitors disqualified! Weapon destroyed! ] All eight attackers were instantly ejected from the phase. Chapter 210: Phase Three [ Competitors disqualified! Weapon destroyed! ] After the disqualification of the eight, Victor finally released Elyra, who quickly stepped back and brushed herself off with burning cheeks. She glared at him. "I had it under control." Victor grinned and began to turn away. "You''re welcome." She scowled. "Wait. Why did you do that?" He stopped and tilted his head slightly while still facing away. "Why wouldn''t I?" "You could''ve let me get disqualified," she said while narrowing her eyes. "I''m an S-rank. That would''ve made things easier for you." Victor turned halfway and smiled. "Maybe. But I''d rather fight fairly than win by cheap tricks. Besides, I''m not afraid of a challenge." His words were simple, but they struck something deep in Elyra. He walked away without waiting for a reply, leaving her staring after him. The intensity in her gaze slowly shifted to something more complex. A quiet storm of feelings stirred within her... confusion, admiration and something else she couldn''t name. Victor advanced quickly through the course, navigating obstacles and taking down magical beasts with efficient strikes that never pushed the cane past its limit. His control over power was honed by experience and tempered by battles in Ascendant Realms. Finally, he arrived at the endpoint where a familiar voice greeted him. "About time," Reed said with a wide grin. "I was beginning to think you tripped over your own ego." Victor chuckled. "Funny, I thought you would''ve broken your cane already with how clumsy you are." Reed laughed and clapped Victor on the shoulder. "Glad you made it, man." Moments later, Elyra arrived. She stood silently near them with her arms folded and mana clinging to her greenish skin. Reed leaned closer to Victor. "She''s making the air thick. How are you even standing next to her like it''s nothing?" Victor blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?" "It''s like... standing next to a live generator." Victor tilted slightly unable to comprehend what Reed meant due to being a qi user. More competitors trickled in over the next several minutes. Every arrival brought cheers or murmurs from the crowd. Out of the initial 120 Warrior-class students, only around eighty five remained now. As the final horn sounded, the instructors announced the end of the second phase. "Congratulations to those who remain," the announcer''s voice echoed across the arena. "You have proven your control, endurance, and adaptability. But the real test has only just begun. Prepare yourselves. Phase Three will commence shortly." Victor adjusted his stance with a focused as he prepared for the details of the next phase. Instructor Elric stood before the remaining warrior-class competitors with his arms folded behind his back. The wind rustled through the arena, stirring cloaks and hair, but Elric remained unmoved like a sculpture carved out of war itself. Behind him, the ground of the arena began to terraform. Rocks shot out of different positions across the ground as a trail wound upward into a steep incline. Soon a Valley was created... It had a rough and scorching terrain veiled with molten steam. At its highest point, barely visible through the shifting smoke, a rope stretched across, connecting it to another cliff roughly seventy feet away. Beneath that rope... burned a raging flaming river, glowing with hellish heat. The warriors stood in silence with their attention locked onto the instructor as he began to speak. > "Being a warrior is not merely about how deep your blade can pierce," he voiced with a resonant tone, "or how many skulls you can crush with brute strength." He took a slow step forward. > "A true warrior possesses more than raw power. They possess restraint, poise, and the ability to stay upright... even when the world itself tries to tilt them into chaos." He snapped his fingers, and assistants walked out with trays. On each tray rested odd footwear. They were long bamboo stilts, roughly two feet tall, shaped into narrow, pointed cylinders that narrowed to barely wider than a finger at the base. A single step in these looked like a gamble against gravity. Murmurs spread across the group. Victor eyed them with raised brows. "You want us to walk in those?" Instructor Elric nodded as the footwear was handed to each competitor. > "These will test your balance and mental steadiness. You will need both if you wish to cross the burning void and reach the legacy altar''s next gate." "Void?" Reed muttered under his breath. "Can we not call it a void? That sounds... very final." Victor chuckled. As each student strapped on the bizarre footwear, they quickly realized it wasn''t a joke. The moment Victor rose to full height, the world titled violently. His knees buckled slightly as he fought to stay upright. "I feel like a drunk giraffe," he grunted. A boy nearby faceplanted before even taking a step. Victor flailed once, caught his balance, then looked over at Reed who was standing perfectly still. "Okay... why the hell are you not struggling like the rest of us?" Victor narrowed his eyes. Reed puffed his chest proudly. "Ballet." Victor blinked. "...What?" "I did ballet classes as a kid. Five years." Reed gave a gentle pirouette on the spot. "Center of gravity, posture control, toe strength. All in the thighs, baby." Victor gawked. "I did not need to know that." "But now you do." Reed grinned. "And your life is richer for it." Victor muttered, "My life is traumatized." --- A booming voice echoed over the valley. > [PHASE THREE INITIATED] > ¡ª Objective: Reach the summit. Cross the rope. ¡ª Danger: Falling results in immediate disqualification. ¡ª Support Item: None. ¡ª Combat Class: Swords permitted. ¡ª Warning: Airborne magical beasts approaching from ranks 3 to 7. ¡ª Failing to cross in the next 1 Hour: automatic failure. Victor adjusted his footing. "No pressure." "Yup," Reed nodded while beginning his ascent. "Just balance, height, fire, and flying monsters. An average Tuesday." ... Moving uphill on two-foot bamboo stilts was something Victor believed only nightmares and circus clowns should endure. As he moved forward, he struggled with every step. He had nearly fallen a bunch of times but always made use of small wind bursts to stabilize himself. "This is way tougher than I expected..." ####### Author''s Note: Guys I need your support in the "WSA Book Of The Year''s" Page. We''re Currently Ranked 104th. We need to go higher. Your support will be highly appreciated.