《Parasites, Magic, And Revenge》


 1: Parasites Magic And Revenge

    Countless legends passed through the universe of Eternis. This story is about the two greatest legends: Raven was a child who grew up on the streets. He had no one, and he learned at an early age that he couldn¡¯t trust anyone. In this universe, he already understood at a very young age that power and money ruled. Raven¡¯s stomach growled, and he was determined to steal some bread, trusting his own skills. He pulled up his hood and slowly approached the stall, hands in his pockets. Suddenly, he grabbed the bread and ran off, but because his hood blocked his view, he bumped into someone. Eventually, the baker caught him and took him to court. This was his first appearance in court at such a young age. His country¡¯s laws were strict, and he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was just hungry, and did he really have to endure all of this? Was this the fate of his family, who had died for the sake of this country? He decided he wouldn¡¯t even trust his own country, and he was thrown into the dungeon.


    Months passed, and he made a promise to himself to never again fall into such a foolish situation. At the same time, he planned his escape; he had to take revenge on everyone, deliver his own justice, and make them all suffer. After seven months, he had a visitor. Miles would become his closest friend; he had come with his family. The Hunter family was a great noble family, and when such a young child ended up in prison, they were immediately informed. They were determined to adopt him. After completing the paperwork, Raven¡¯s last glance at the cursed cell came when he locked eyes with the guard. Or would it be his last?Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    On the road, as the two children walked alongside their mother and father, there was silence. Miles broke the silence and asked, ''What¡¯s your name?'' Raven didn¡¯t care to answer, but Miles nudged him. The nudge must have been too hard because Raven felt pain. Of course, a child trained by the noblest knights and well-fed couldn¡¯t be compared to a child who survived in a cell, nearly living on rat droppings! As he rubbed his sore and visible ribs, Raven finally said his name. Eventually, they arrived; the father showed him his room and said, ''From tomorrow onwards, you will join the training sessions with Miles. I have hope for you.'' That night, Miles kept talking, startling Raven awake from his sleep. Damn it, what could possibly be so important? The next day, when it came, the noble knights demonstrated a few stances and moves that were impossible to perform to make fun of the new kid. But, to everyone''s surprise, he executed all of them flawlessly and tore the practice dummy to pieces. Miles was proud, as if Raven were his own child, and they started hanging out together. Raven had finally found someone who cared about him without expecting anything in return, and he was happy to have someone to share everything with. They ate together, drank together, played together, fought together, and got beaten up together.

 2: Training field

    It was Monday; Raven and Miles had gotten out of bed and were changing their clothes. Raven hadn¡¯t gotten used to mercy, new clothes, or a warm bed. Miles said, ''Well, our training isn''t too tough, but I''ll warn them not to wear you out too much, okay? I still want you to participate in any case.'' After that, Raven nodded with tired eyes and a thin face. No matter how scrawny he was and despite coming from an ordinary family, when he went downstairs for breakfast wearing noble clothes, he looked absurdly attractive. The servants couldn¡¯t be sure if this was the same boy who had arrived the week before, and they began preparing the meal in surprise. When Raven and Miles sat at the table, the current head of the Hunter family, Edward Hunter, and his future wife, Eleanor Hunter, were also present. Although they watched with eyes full of affection, Raven could feel the pressure and might radiating from the gaze of Edward, even without looking at him. Something wasn¡¯t normal; this man wasn¡¯t human.


    They started eating anyway, and there wasn¡¯t a sound at the table. The servants standing by the table while they ate and this level of silence wasn¡¯t something Raven, who came from the slums, could easily get used to. After the meal was over, Miles ran upstairs and excitedly brought both his and Raven¡¯s training clothes. ''Hurry up and put these on, the trainers are waiting for us,'' he said. He quickly grabbed Raven by the arm and pulled him back upstairs, and finally, they got dressed. When they went down to the yard, Raven couldn¡¯t believe how small the training field was for a mansion of this size. There were simply a few dummies, wooden swords, and what looked like magic staffs, though Raven didn¡¯t yet know what they were for, and they were of low quality. Before Raven could even open his mouth, Miles entered a secret combination into the stone wall at the back. The ground shook, and a staircase appeared. ''I don¡¯t think you thought this was the real field. This place is just where the children of the servants are rarely allowed to come. And those staffs over there are low-level ones; even having access to them is something a servant¡¯s child would rarely see in their lifetime.''If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Disgusted once again by the system, Raven said nothing and began descending the stairs. Along the way, Miles turned a lever, and torches lit up the path; those on the right were orange, and those on the left were blue. As the place became illuminated, Raven¡¯s mouth fell open. There were swords three times his size, a giant empty aquarium, and magic staffs that were obviously of much higher quality than the previous ones. However, both the staffs and the giant swords seemed to be off-limits for use. His curiosity about weapons and combat was immediately suppressed when he realized this. Seeing the reason for his disappointment, Miles said, ''Don¡¯t worry, those are master-level staffs; even if they were available, you wouldn¡¯t be able to use them anyway. There¡¯s a separate section for weapons reserved for us. There are low- and mid-level ones.'' Raven didn¡¯t understand what he was talking about and hesitated to ask for a bit longer as they kept walking. But in the end, his curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, ''What are low and mid-level?'' Since Miles wasn¡¯t like other spoiled kids, instead of teasing him, he explained. ''Weapons and armor have specific levels. For example, in this mansion, the highest level of weapon we have is superior. Even if you¡¯re very wealthy, there are weapon levels you may never see. If you¡¯re lucky and rich, you might see a legendary weapon or armor. The levels go from basic, advanced, superior, to flawless and legendary. There¡¯s no point in naming the rest; even if you were a warrior, you wouldn¡¯t see them on yourself or your opponent.'' A new wave of curiosity hit Raven; what could the others be? As they kept walking, they finally arrived at the training ground and saw a few blacksmiths and masters talking among themselves.

 3: Blood bats dagger

    As they approached the trainers and blacksmiths who were talking amongst themselves, Raven noticed three trainers and one blacksmith. While their equipment didn¡¯t look too fancy, he could tell at a glance that they were strong. However, their power couldn¡¯t even compare to the energy that emanated from Lord Edward, not by a long shot. The conversation of the four people slowly halted as they noticed Raven and Miles approaching, and they greeted Miles with a bow: "Welcome, young master." Miles greeted them in return, and then, with a sudden seriousness, said, "This is my best friend, even my adopted brother. If I see you bullying him or putting him through anything beyond normal training, I¡¯ll report it to my father immediately." The four murmured and bowed their heads, saying, "Understood, young master."


    Meanwhile, the blacksmith had lit his cigarette and began forging. Raven, though not particularly interested in blacksmithing, suddenly started watching because it was clear this man was a master. Miles walked up beside Raven and put his arm around his shoulder. Since there was a height difference, Raven was a bit shorter¡ªafter all, he hadn¡¯t been well-nourished. While Raven stood at around 178 cm, Miles was 184 cm. Suddenly, Raven got excited and asked loudly, "What level is the weapon you''re making?" The blacksmith paused, glanced back, and then resumed hammering. Miles fell silent, and then the blacksmith''s voice echoed: "An Advanced-level weapon¡ªShadow Dagger of the Blood Bat." For some reason, Raven¡¯s heart started racing. This was above the basic level, and though he didn¡¯t know what a Blood Bat was, it sounded cool and intimidating.


    "How much does it cost?" Raven asked. The blacksmith smirked and responded without delay: "12,000 credits. Do you have that kind of money, kid?" Miles knew that Edric, the blacksmith, wasn¡¯t mocking them, despite his grin. Still, Miles couldn¡¯t bear to see his friend embarrassed and quickly said, "We¡¯ll take it." Raven was stunned by what Miles had said. He had never seen that much money in his life, let alone spent it. But Miles was determined. He pulled the cash from his pocket and placed it on the table. "Let me know when it''s ready, old man," he said. Edric laughed even more and replied, "I¡¯m not that old yet." As they walked away, Raven and Miles arrived at the weapon wall. There were many weapons, all either basic or advanced level. It was easy to tell the difference in appearance between the basic and advanced ones.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Raven couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the higher levels were like if there was already such a noticeable difference between the lowest two. The basic weapons were more colorless, with simple sword and dagger designs¡ªmost had leather hilts and iron blades. While some looked sturdier and more well-made, it was still clear that they were basic level. In contrast, the advanced-level weapons had their own color schemes, and their hilts were made from various unique metals. Breaking the silence, Raven asked, "Are we allowed to use the advanced ones?" Miles examined the weapons a bit longer before replying, "Even if you wanted to, you wouldn¡¯t be able to. They¡¯re probably much heavier due to the metals they¡¯re made of, and for beginners, it¡¯s either impossible to lift or too difficult to control. What matters more than the power of a weapon is how well you can control it." Raven, who had never used a weapon before, found this logic sound. Yet, still curious, he reached for an advanced-level dagger. It had a strange, sharp, snake-like point that was incredibly sharp.


    As soon as he lifted it off its stand, Raven realized how heavy it was for a dagger. It had to be at least 10 kilograms. It wasn¡¯t too heavy for him to lift, but if he tried to use it in combat, he wouldn¡¯t be able to wield it quickly, which is a dagger¡¯s primary strength. So, he placed it back and thought to himself: if he couldn¡¯t lift this, the Shadow Dagger of the Blood Bat that Edric was making would likely be the same weight. That meant he wouldn¡¯t be able to use it either. Therefore, he resolved to get stronger before the dagger was finished.

 4: A genius

    Raven, whose desire for strength and revenge never waned, found a new reason for wanting to get stronger: power itself. He chose a long, thin sword for himself. It was a simple design with almost no detail, but it was light. So light, in fact, that Raven could swing it with one hand without difficulty. Miles glanced at what Raven was holding and said:


    "Good choice. That¡¯s one of the lightest weapons here. For a basic-level weapon, it''s pretty sturdy, and on top of that, it''s light. It¡¯s made from an obsidian and carbon alloy, commonly used in basic and advanced-level weapons. In higher levels, materials like monster teeth, scales, diamonds, or stronger extraterrestrial minerals are used. In short, the weapon in your hand is one of the best basic-level weapons."


    Raven looked at his sword again without showing any emotion, wondering how long he would be using it. A month? A year? Maybe for life, if he never got stronger? His naturally pessimistic personality made him believe that thinking positively wouldn''t change the outcome. While Raven stared at his sword, Miles broke the silence again: "We can¡¯t spend all day here, even though it''s Monday. I brought you here so you could get used to the place. You also need to start school soon." Raven smirked. He had almost forgotten the word "school." It was that strange place where people his age made friends and learned new things. He had never attended school in his life. His mother, Amara Blake, and his father, Dorian Blake, had sacrificed their lives for their country, even at the cost of abandoning him. They had died as mere puppets in the Great War, or at least, that¡¯s what Raven had been told.


    The trainers led the boys to the dummies, and since Raven was new, he would start with a simple exercise. The instructor in charge of them today was Rufus, the strongest of the trainers. "Master Raven and Master Miles, with your permission, since Master Raven is new, I''d like to start with the basics," he said. Miles nodded, while Raven continued to stare at his sword.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Rufus began with simple stances: "Place your strong foot behind you so that when you take a hit, you won¡¯t fall. In sword fighting, if you fall to the ground, it''s all over." Having grown up on the streets, Raven already knew these fundamentals. He had learned how to throw punches, wrestle, and even kill if necessary. His techniques were deadly, but due to malnutrition and lack of training, despite being 17, his body had the strength of a 12- or 13-year-old.


    Rufus continued: "When you swing your sword, take a step forward and strike from the upper right to the lower left with all your strength. The stronger your swing, the more effective the technique will be." Miles stepped forward and, moving at a speed Raven couldn''t even follow, left countless cuts on the dummy. The straw inside fell to the ground as the cuts merged into one large slash. Miles turned to Raven and said, "I¡¯m sure you''ll be able to do this soon. I believe in you," giving him two pats on the back.


    Raven, realizing the gap in strength between him and the person he was closest to, understood that he couldn¡¯t even place at the bottom of the power rankings¡ªhe was outside the rankings entirely, and he hated it. Everything made him feel small and insignificant. Now, he had to think about his power level and ranking. For him, there was a hierarchy. He gripped his sword, holding it as if in a boxing stance, took a step forward, and swung with all his strength. Miles was disappointed because almost nothing happened. However, Rufus was astonished. While Miles hadn¡¯t noticed due to the gap in their power levels, Rufus understood. A few seconds later, a thin line appeared on the dummy. The cut was smooth and precise, as if the dummy had been sliced with scissors, and the straw inside hadn¡¯t even shifted.


    Miles was left speechless, but Rufus knew what had happened. Raven was so weak that if this were a game, his power level wouldn¡¯t even be 1. But his technique was so refined that the straw hadn¡¯t even realized it had been cut. Despite the lack of speed, this child was a genius. If he got stronger, he could either become humanity¡¯s savior or a universal threat...

 5: Missing part of time

    Finally, the next day had arrived, and the sun beamed onto Miles'' face. It was 7 a.m., which was quite early considering the class started at 9. But Raven was not in his bed. "Raven!" he shouted. Could he have run away? With the estate¡¯s security, that seemed impossible. Miles quickly jumped out of bed and got dressed in his school uniform. He rushed downstairs, barely letting the servants greet him. "Sir..." one began, but he fixed his collar and hurried on. Raven wasn¡¯t at the door either. Had his worst fear come true? He started running around the estate and finally stumbled upon a sight he didn¡¯t want to see.


    Raven¡¯s clothes, save for his undergarments, were torn, and his body was covered in bruises and cuts. Yet, despite his condition, he was still hacking away at the training dummies with a sword in hand. A mountain of destroyed dummies had piled up in a corner where the estate walls met, and the grass in that specific spot was noticeably worn down. As Miles stood in stunned disbelief, he managed to speak.


    "What¡¯s going on here?"


    Without responding, Raven continued swinging his sword. His muscle fibers were torn, and his bones had several fractures. What kind of training had led to this? Why did he need so much power? Miles approached and gave Raven a slap¡ªnot too hard, but enough to finally make Raven collapse. The sword flew out of Raven¡¯s hand, and Miles caught it in mid-air before tossing it aside. He slung Raven over his shoulder and began walking toward the estate¡¯s infirmary. Raven was mumbling incoherently. Miles assumed he was having a nightmare or talking in his sleep, but when he glanced over, he saw Raven¡¯s eyes wide open, whispering something through his battered face.


    "Almost there, we''re heading to the infirmary."


    Raven, using what little energy he had left, began weakly punching Miles on the back. Was he angry about being taken to the infirmary, or was he upset that his training had been interrupted? Either way, he wasn¡¯t getting his way. Miles kept walking until they reached the infirmary. He laid Raven down, and the estate¡¯s chief physician, Oswald, began treating him. The doctor paused several times as he examined Raven.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "This boy¡­" He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. "Did he train all night?"


    Miles had already figured that out, so he wasn¡¯t surprised. He hadn¡¯t seen Raven go to bed around 10 p.m., so he had easily deduced the answer.


    "Yes, doctor. I don¡¯t recall him going to sleep."


    The doctor continued, "The estate¡¯s curfew is at 10 p.m., and it¡¯s now 7 a.m. That means he should have sustained 9 hours of damage, but his body shows signs of at least 15 hours of injury."


    Considering the intensity of Raven¡¯s training, Miles thought this made sense. Six hours at that level of intensity wasn¡¯t even that much. Miles began to speak.


    "But he was training rea¡ª"


    The doctor interrupted, "I¡¯ve already taken that into account."


    Miles was confused and asked, "Then what does that mean? Where does the extra six hours come from?"


    The doctor continued examining Raven¡¯s body while explaining, "If he had used some kind of time magic to train, this would explain the reaction. However, I know for a fact this boy has no idea what magic even is, so we can rule that out."


    Miles was shocked once again. If time magic wasn¡¯t involved, where had the time gone? Something didn¡¯t add up. The doctor added:


    "We¡¯ll have to set this aside for now. I need to focus on treating the boy," he said, beginning the treatment. Miles left the room. His concern had shifted from Raven¡¯s injuries to the mysterious six-hour gap. How had Raven squeezed 15 hours of training into a 9-hour window?


    Miles waited outside the infirmary for three hours until the door finally opened. The doctor took a deep breath and began speaking:


    "Fortunately, there¡¯s no permanent damage, but it will take some time for his muscles to heal before he can walk again. He also has two fractured ribs and a sprained elbow joint. Normally, these kinds of injuries would require at least two weeks of rest, but he might be up in just a week."


    As the doctor was talking, Miles noticed something behind him. The door was slowly creaking open, and Raven quietly walked out. Miles couldn¡¯t help but laugh, even though the doctor was still speaking. The doctor, confused by what could be funny, turned around and jumped in shock. There stood Raven, with his usual gaunt eyes and sunken features, giving that terrifying, hollow look. Without a word, the doctor retreated into his office, leaving the two of them alone. After a brief silence, Miles broke it:


    "How..."

 6: Magic power

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    Raven paused, took a deep breath, and began walking to his room. Miles followed him, "Answer me, why and how did you do something like that?" Raven, as if he hadn¡¯t heard, went up to his room, and it was Raven who finally broke the silence: "We''re late for school, let''s go," he said. Miles decided not to speak any further, and they dressed together. Both of them looked quite handsome in their school uniforms. The black and yellow details of the uniform matched perfectly with Raven''s wavy black hair and the dark circles under his eyes. Similarly, the black and yellow details also matched Miles'' straight blonde hair, as if the uniform had been designed just for them.


    They went downstairs; Miles hugged his mother while Raven waited on the side. Then Miles joined him, and they headed toward school. Miles was curious but kept his silence; after all, harming the body this much wouldn¡¯t help develop it. Training for an hour a day for ten days is always more effective than training for ten hours in one day. The silence, made up only of their footsteps and the sound of the grass beneath them, was unexpectedly broken by Raven: "Aren''t you very rich? Why aren''t we going by carriage or something?" Miles knew he was right and, after a brief pause, replied: "Normally, they¡¯d be ready around 8:30, but since you were asleep at that time, they had to skip it. My father, as a sort of punishment for not watching over you, told me to walk, and I think he''s right." Raven spoke again: "Then why are we going through the forest?" Miles replied immediately: "Normally, we could¡¯ve taken the road, but walking through the city would look odd with our uniforms, and since I''m recognized, it would seem strange. Even if you don¡¯t care about that, this way is quicker." Raven liked shortcuts, so he didn¡¯t complain, but he still had questions on his mind: "Where''s my sword?" Miles smiled and pulled the sword upright from his bag: "I knew you¡¯d ask that." Raven was about to be surprised that he hadn¡¯t forgotten his sword, but the bigger question was how the sword fit in the bag: "How did you fit it in there?" Miles laughed out loud and answered: "It¡¯s a storage bag made with dimensional magic by the wizards of this mansion. Dimensional magic can even be used in battle, but every type of magic has its specific use. For example, fire magic can be used to kill someone or to light wood."


    Raven was clearly mesmerized. He had to learn magic; maybe if he learned magic, he could get revenge on the country, maybe even the world. His once terrifyingly expressionless face suddenly turned into that of a child asking for candy. Of course, with dark intentions once again: "Will you teach me how to use magic?" he asked eagerly. Without hesitation, Miles replied: "Of course, but every person, even creatures, has a natural affinity for certain types of magic. For example, the blood bat you¡¯ve heard of before has an affinity for blood magic, but because it lacks consciousness, it doesn¡¯t even know about magics it has no affinity for. As for me, I''m a bit of an exception; not to brag, but I have an affinity for all the magics I''ve learned so far. That¡¯s why my father is thinking of making me his heir. When new students arrive at school, an affinity test is done. We can learn yours today." Raven grew even more excited, but Miles'' brilliance in magic made him a bit jealous; Miles was completely blessed.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    As the two boys continued walking, they arrived at school. Despite recognizing Miles, the guards stopped Raven: "Who are you, kid?" Miles was furious and said, "He''s with me." The guards returned to their standing positions and, in unison, said: "We apologize, sir." As they entered the classroom, all eyes were on Raven. Everyone was suspicious of how trustworthy someone from the slums, or even prison, could be; some had already picked a new target to bully. Finally, they arrived at the classroom, and once again, all eyes were on Raven. One of the girls whispered, "Isn¡¯t he actually handsome?" only to be interrupted by a friend slapping her on the back, saying, "He''s a criminal." Finally, the teacher arrived and started speaking: "Silence. We have a new classmate, and we¡¯ve all been warned beforehand; the slightest bullying of Raven will be considered an insult to Emperor Edward." The murmurs in the class grew louder. The teacher continued: "I said silence. Since it''s your first day, you''ll be taking the affinity test. Miles, accompany him." Both of them stood up and left the classroom. They were both very excited; for the first time, they were sharing the same emotion.


    For the first time in his life, Raven felt a sense of closeness. Miles couldn¡¯t stay quiet: "I think you might have an affinity for fire. Based on your personality, if you''re lucky, maybe even wind or gravity." Raven responded without hesitation: "How is the rarity determined?" Miles replied: "There are 12 levels, but it¡¯s a bit complicated. To give an example, someone with an affinity for gravity might apply 10 units of power and reach level 3 or 4, whereas someone using water or fire might apply the same 10 units of power and at most reach level 1, or rarely level 2. A level 4 fire spell is possible, but it would take at least ten times the mana to produce an effect as powerful as gravity. Because what matters is the destructive power and function. To create a fireball big enough to bring down a building, you¡¯d need to use a fireball that large and spend a significant amount of mana. But with gravity, it''s different; you can handle it with a slight tremor." Raven understood well but still had one question: "If level 4 is for buildings, what¡¯s level 12?" Miles suddenly became serious: "Forget about it, it¡¯s impossible for either of us to reach that." Raven thought he had asked something wrong and wanted to change the subject: "What¡¯s your level?" Miles thought for a moment and answered: "My level can vary. I possess a magical power that happens in only one in a million. If I really pushed myself, I think I could reach level 5." Raven was angry at himself for not knowing so much about the world: "If you don¡¯t have magical power, at least how is strength measured?" he asked, and Miles replied: "That¡¯s impossible, but if such a thing existed, it would still be determined by destructive power and function." Finally, they had arrived at the door.

 7: Unaffiliated

    Just as Miles was about to knock on the door, his hand froze mid-air when a voice from inside called out, "Come in." The two looked at each other before entering. Behind the man sitting in the chair was a large bookshelf. A few other children were waiting inside, and it looked like each was being examined in turn. Raven''s heart was racing faster and faster, and he was eager to learn his affinity as soon as possible.


    One of the children held out his hand, and visibly, a blue orb formed in his palm. This was his magic power. The man sitting in the chair grasped the orb with his hand, absorbing it, and then fixed his gaze on the child: "Level 2 Earth," he said.


    The next child came forward and extended his hand, looking quite confident. Miles knew why. Being in a school full of wealthy students meant most of them had likely grown up in luxurious homes, and it was very common for someone so rich to already know their affinity. This is because the ability to detect affinity is a trait related to magic and mana control. It''s a type of magic that is highly sensitive to the mana in the air and the mana of people and can manipulate it. The reason the man knew they were at the door without them knocking was also because of his affinity. Wealthy families could easily hire someone with an affinity for mana control. This child had probably walked up confidently because he already knew his power.


    The boy extended his hand, and the man sitting in the chair did the same, extracting a blue orb and absorbing it: "Level 4 Lightning," he said. The boy grinned, turned around, and stepped aside again. Finally, it was Raven''s turn; his heart was racing like it never had, not even during the street fights he¡¯d been involved in as a kid. Everything depended on this moment; if he didn¡¯t have a high affinity, all his plans would fall apart.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    He approached and extended his hand. The man in the chair also reached out and began to extract the orb. The orb seemed to be stuck, and the children waiting in line could see it too. His body was rejecting the release of mana. The man in the chair spoke: "You have the body of a natural-born warrior. When I tried to extract your mana, your body sensed the mana was in danger and refused to let it go. I''ve only read about such cases in books." He adjusted his glasses: "For now, it¡¯s impossible to determine your affinity. Until I can find a solution, I¡¯ll have to record you as having no affinity."


    Raven''s face darkened in anger: "What magic will I use until then?" he shouted. The man remained calm: "Affinity tells you what type of magic you¡¯re best suited for. If you¡¯re in a rush to use magic, you can use any basic spells in the meantime." Raven felt defeated once again. He thought he was doomed to be mediocre in everything. Feeling disappointed, he walked to the corner of the room, and Miles followed, placing a hand on his back: "Don''t worry, my friend. The professor will find a way. We¡¯ll learn your affinity eventually," he said, patting Raven on the back.


    Raven sank back into silence. When everyone had finished their affinity tests, the professor told them to disperse and began sifting through books. The two boys headed back to class, but the bell had already rung, so they went outside and quietly sat on a bench. They watched in silence as other kids played basketball or practiced martial arts.


    A second-year student, accompanied by another, approached Raven and Miles. The taller one sat down beside Miles without asking, "How are you doing, kids?" he asked. Miles replied, "Do we know you?" The boy said, "We can, if you want, but you should show more respect to your upperclassman." Miles responded, "We''re not interested, buzz off." The other student standing next to the first one turned and kicked Miles in the face, sending him flying from the bench onto the grass. Wiping the blood from his nose, Miles calmly said, "We don''t want trouble, now leave." The other boy stood up and sneered, "You don''t realize the situation you''re in."

 8: Bully

    Raven still hadn''t moved from where he was sitting. Even though their main target was him, it would be easier to deal with the boy resisting first. The tall one started talking: "You said you wanted to meet, didn¡¯t you, Miles Hunter?" Miles was already aware that he was known. If he weren¡¯t, Raven wouldn¡¯t have been recognized either, but he remained silent.


    "My name is Soren, and this is my friend Garrick. Since we¡¯re second-year students, I assume you won¡¯t try to fight us. No matter how much of a genius you are, Miles Hunter, we know you can¡¯t defeat two second-years, considering the power difference between second and first-year students," he said, laughing. "Come on, don¡¯t be so serious, we just want to show you our affinities. Follow us without causing any trouble," he added, and Miles linked his arm with Raven¡¯s and began walking.


    Both of them knew that what was about to happen wasn¡¯t just going to be a simple demonstration of affinities. They entered a secluded area behind the school, a gap in the architecture that resembled an alley but was just an empty space created by the school¡¯s design. Raven and Miles walked ahead and stopped at the side. Garrick looked at Soren, who gave him a nod before he started speaking:


    "My affinity is fire. Of course, you have no reason to believe me, so I want to prove it." He covered his hand entirely in flames, which were clearly as hot as a campfire, maybe even hotter. Although fire affinity wasn¡¯t rare, he was a second-year, and he easily possessed the power of a third or fourth-level magic user. He moved his hand closer to Miles, about to press it on his shoulder, when Raven grabbed his wrist:If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Why him? Is it because you''re afraid of me?" Raven asked. Garrick was clearly angered by this. The flames in his hand flared up even more, now clearly showing the full strength of a fourth-level fire. He started pressing his hand down on Raven¡¯s shoulder, trying to force him to the ground. But Raven continued staring at him without any reaction. This drove Garrick mad, and he pressed down with all his remaining mana, willing to use it all up.


    Miles was in shock at what was happening. There was nothing he could do but watch as his friend suffered, knowing that if he intervened, they could kill Raven. Since they were rich kids, even the ruler''s son wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them from framing it as an accident in court.


    Garrick¡¯s flames started to die down, but Raven still didn¡¯t react. His clothes had clearly burned away, leaving a charred imprint. His skin was completely burned, and the flames had eaten into his flesh. But Raven remained motionless. This level of torture was nothing new to him; it reminded him of the torment he had endured in prison and on the streets, perhaps even worse.


    Finally, Garrick¡¯s mana ran out, and he collapsed to the ground, panting. When he lifted his hand, they were greeted with a disgusting sight. Raven¡¯s flesh had been seared, not even allowing his wounds to bleed. Garrick had pressed down so hard that he had burned through to the bone. The layers of Raven¡¯s flesh were clearly visible. Miles was in shock at how Raven could endure such pain without reacting.

 9: Evolved affinities

    "Your affinities are honestly boring," Raven paused, looking at his shoulder before continuing, "Even with level 12 fire, you¡¯re still nothing."


    Soren started laughing. "Are you that sure of yourself?" he said, still laughing. "My affinity is hellfire. Without using even ten percent of my mana, I can turn someone''s body to ashes," he added calmly.


    Miles was beyond shocked at this point. There were some evolved affinities, and the evolution of fire was hellfire. That alone would be equivalent to at least a level 5 or 6. Miles couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Soren was the strongest second-year student. He briefly considered that they might win, given Garrick had already fallen, but with this new information, it seemed impossible. Maybe Soren was bluffing. Should they try to escape or negotiate calmly? If they could beat him, they wouldn''t have to deal with bullies for a while. Raven wasn''t in any shape to fight; moving his left arm might make his injury beyond treatable. So in every case, it was going to be a one-on-one fight.


    Raven started talking: "How about trying out that hellfire you¡¯re so proud of?"


    Miles knew Raven had no idea what hellfire meant, but he should have at least understood the danger. Laughing nervously, Miles said, "My friend is a bit ignorant when it comes to magic, we apologize. Could you let us go?" As he said this, Raven grabbed the sword behind Miles with one hand and lunged at Soren.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Soren laughed. "I love this energy!" he shouted, covering his hands with hellfire. Unlike normal fire, it was more red and matte; it didn¡¯t even look like fire¡ªit was more like lava, but it rippled like flames in his hands. So, he wasn¡¯t bluffing; he really was using an evolved fire. Raven knew very well he had no chance of winning, but he had never been the type to run away.


    Soren shot a wave of fire from his hands so fast that Miles almost didn¡¯t see it. But Raven dodged it easily, sidestepping while running. His face didn¡¯t look scared; if anything, he seemed to be enjoying himself. With his dark eye bags, wounds, and hair almost covering his eyes, his laughing made him look nearly monstrous. He swung his sword, but Soren casually stepped back, dodging it.


    No matter how flawless Raven¡¯s technique was, it only mattered if the strike landed. If he didn¡¯t have the speed to hit, the technique meant nothing. With each missed swing, Raven''s attacks became more erratic, and he started looking like a bloodthirsty beast, mindlessly slashing. Soren wasn¡¯t taking him seriously at all¡ªhe even stopped using his magic. He completely abandoned technique and started fighting purely on instinct.


    As Raven continued slashing, he began to laugh maniacally. A normal person would have been terrified, but Soren wasn¡¯t just anyone. He underestimated Raven so much that he wasn¡¯t even watching the attacks anymore. Finally, Raven swept Soren¡¯s legs out from under him with a low kick, sending him crashing to the ground. Soren tried to throw a fireball from where he lay, but it was futile. Raven¡¯s instincts had peaked to the point that he could be compared to the wildest of beasts. Raven raised his sword, about to plunge it into Soren¡¯s head, when Professor Malcolm, the one responsible for the magic control and affinity tests, arrived and grabbed Raven¡¯s hands.

 10: Weaks limit

    As the two boys continued fighting, Miles ran off to call a teacher. Stopping them seemed impossible¡ªnot because he couldn¡¯t stop Raven, but because if he made contact with the hellfire, his death would be inevitable. Before he could even make it out from behind the school, he ran into Professor Malcolm, who had already sensed the magical surges and was on his way.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± asked the professor.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time, Professor, follow me quickly,¡± said Miles. They both ran and finally saw the scene before them. Soren¡¯s arrogance was so blatant that, no matter how powerful he was, underestimating Raven this much would only result in defeat. Finally, as they watched, Raven swept Soren¡¯s leg, sending him to the ground. Just as Raven was about to drive the sword through him, Professor Malcolm arrived and grabbed Raven¡¯s hand.


    What was truly significant, though, was that if the professor hadn¡¯t arrived, Soren¡¯s hand, covered in hellfire and poised to pierce Raven¡¯s organs, would have struck. Raven had been so consumed by his killing instinct that he hadn¡¯t even noticed. Seeing the professor arrive, Soren extinguished the fire in his hand and suddenly stood up. Despite his arrogance, someone who wielded level 6 magic was worlds apart from someone who couldn¡¯t use magic and had otherwise ordinary physical traits. Yet, surprisingly, Soren had a cut on his arm. This meant that when the battle ended, Raven had actually won.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    As Professor Malcolm carried Raven, Garrick sat on the sidelines, motionless and in shock, watching everything unfold. Soren, seeing this, decided to help carry him. "What a kid," he muttered to himself. Raven¡¯s shoulder was in critical condition. The professor immediately ordered that he be taken to the school¡¯s infirmary. His shoulder was bandaged, and when he woke up, Miles was sitting beside him. The moment Raven opened his eyes, Miles started talking:


    "Man, if it wasn¡¯t for you, both of us would¡¯ve died. You were so cool. Even though I¡¯m strong, I wasn¡¯t as brave as you. I wish my fighting spirit was like yours," Miles rambled on as Raven tried to stand up.


    Miles pushed him back down. "You stayed up all night and did some brutal training, and now your arm is unusable. No one¡¯s going to let you get up until you¡¯re healed," he said. Raven rolled his eyes.


    When school ended, the Hunter family¡¯s carriages arrived, and they were both taken to the estate. Raven was taken to the manor¡¯s infirmary and warned that he shouldn¡¯t try to move for at least a week. Of course, that only applied to Raven¡¯s inhuman resilience and healing ability.


    Late at night, Miles entered Raven¡¯s room and noticed he was awake.


    "Why are you staring at the ceiling?" he asked.


    After a brief delay, Raven responded, "Is it really possible for me to get stronger?"


    Miles smiled and said, "Even if you don¡¯t have an affinity for magic, I can teach you a few spells. And if you give up on magic, you can always learn martial arts. So, there¡¯s no need to worry."


    Raven remained silent, staring at the ceiling for a few more seconds before turning to his side and falling asleep. Miles returned to his room and fell asleep as well.

 11: A target

    he next day had already come, and Miles was getting ready for school. After dressing, he went down to check on Raven in the infirmary and opened the door. Raven was awake but still lying down. Miles sat in the chair next to him and started speaking.


    "How are you feeling?"


    Raven didn¡¯t respond, didn¡¯t even move. Miles spoke again.


    "I¡¯m going to school, is there anything you want from me?" he asked. After a moment, Raven turned his head and looked at him for a while.


    "I feel well enough. Will you let me go down to the private field?" he asked. Miles, almost mockingly, replied, "It¡¯s only been a day, and you want to train? I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t allow that."


    Raven had expected that answer, so he frowned and turned his head back toward the ceiling. In a quieter voice, he said, "Then bring me some training dummies and my sword."


    Afraid that Raven might do something worse to himself if he refused, Miles agreed, "Okay, fine." Raven smiled and closed his eyes.


    When he woke up again, Miles had already left and had placed the training dummies and his sword nearby. He also left a note:This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "There¡¯s a room through that door for more serious procedures. It¡¯s empty and more spacious. You can move everything there and continue."


    Raven chuckled and silently thanked him. After moving the equipment, he began his training.


    Miles had arrived at school in a carriage. He walked to his class and sat down in his chair. The fact that the seat next to him, which he had gotten used to being filled, was now empty deeply saddened him. "The school really needs to take more careful measures against bullying," he thought. The whole school had heard about the incident, and rumors had spread, especially Garrick¡¯s exaggerated version of the details. Even during class, everyone was watching Miles. Sometimes even the teachers approached him, but they stayed quiet, afraid they might say something that would upset his friend¡ªno, his brother¡ªlater.


    Despite the terrifying image Raven had left behind, the bullies had decided to stay away from them. At least for the time being, no one was going to mess with them.


    The lesson eventually began, and the teacher who entered was Professor Malcolm. He usually only taught in special drills or when there was important information to share, so everyone was surprised. After placing the files he was holding on the desk, he took a deep breath and began to speak.


    "Our topic is the student named Raven."


    Murmurs increased, and Miles found himself struggling to stay calm. It wasn¡¯t hate, but he was so shocked he didn¡¯t even know what emotion to feel.


    "Silence!" Professor Malcolm shouted, and suddenly everyone became attentive. "You are the first class I¡¯m addressing, and this information will be shared with all classes."


    After shuffling through his files, he continued.


    "It is allowed to use violence against the student Raven Blake, as long as it doesn¡¯t kill him."

 12: Lets get stronger

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    Miles was shocked by what he had heard. "How could something like this happen?" he wondered. Was this decision made by the school, or was it Professor Malcolm''s personal choice? His mind was flooded with questions, and he was filled with dread. Should he inform his father? After all, Miles belonged to one of the most powerful families in the world, and technically, Raven Blake was now Raven Hunter. So, something like this happening to a member of the Hunter family was unacceptable. However, if the school had made this decision, they could expel both Miles and Raven. This might even lead to an internal conflict, possibly even a war. Therefore, they had to resolve this issue themselves.


    Miles made eye contact with Professor Malcolm. As Malcolm was leaving the classroom, he said one last thing:


    "It is strictly forbidden to ask about the reason in my office or to any other school official."


    He slammed the door as he exited, and the rest of the class was left in silence. Voices began to rise almost immediately; some students were discussing why this decision had been made, while others, who had already wanted something like this to happen, were pleased. Miles still had so many questions. "Will this announcement be made to the second-year students as well?" he thought. Or was this privilege only for the first-years? If the first-years took advantage of this situation, the second-years might get involved too. At that moment, all he could do was hope the second-years stayed out of it.


    The loud chatter in the classroom was finally silenced by the sound of the bell. As Miles rode the carriage home, his thoughts raced: "Raven can''t defend himself. I need to protect him. I need to get stronger."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    When he arrived home, he jumped out of the carriage and ran straight to the infirmary without even changing his clothes. As expected, the door to the surgery room was slightly ajar, and he could hear shouts mixed with the sounds of sword strikes coming from inside. When he opened the door, the sight before him was more than he had expected. In just one day, Raven had visibly become faster, and now he was not only using his sword but also throwing punches. Each punch and kick landed with a deadly sound.


    Miles adjusted his collar before calling out to the half-naked Raven:


    "Hey, can you spare a moment?"


    Raven looked at him and said, "You could¡¯ve at least changed your clothes before coming."


    Miles glanced at his school uniform and replied:


    "You can''t comment on my uniform when you''re half-naked," and they both laughed.


    Raven then asked, "You looked upset. What''s wrong?"


    After a brief pause, Miles spoke:


    "It''s something serious, so we need to sit down and talk. Follow me."


    They both went to their rooms and began to talk. Miles explained the entire situation and said he didn¡¯t know the reason behind it. Raven listened with his usual expressionless face, though countless questions were also running through his mind. After a while, Raven took a deep breath and spoke:


    "What we need to do is actually simple: We just need to get stronger, right?"


    Miles, with a surprised look, started to say, "Yes, but..."


    Raven cut him off and said, "Then that¡¯s it. Let''s just get stronger. We''ll find out the reason with our strength."


    Miles was once again shocked by Raven''s determination and resolve, but Raven was right. After debating with himself for a moment, Miles agreed. He extended his hand, and Raven took it, and together, they decided to grow stronger.

 13: Magic simulation

    Miles had decided not to attend school until Raven had fully recovered. Since they had both resolved to grow stronger together, they suited up in their training gear the next day and prepared to head down to the training grounds. Miles activated the combination lock and lit the torches, and the two of them walked past an empty aquarium. Raven, curious, couldn¡¯t help but ask:


    "Why is this aquarium empty? It was empty the last time we came here too. Aren''t you going to fill it?"


    Miles chuckled. "It¡¯s not empty. When we¡¯re here, it¡¯s just asleep."


    Raven asked, puzzled, "Who¡¯s asleep?"


    Miles tapped the aquarium glass twice. "That, my friend, is the sweet pet of the Hunter family."


    The water in the massive aquarium began to ripple. Slowly, a large silhouette emerged from the dark waters. A giant turtle, as big as the aquarium itself, moved forward, coming into full view. It was so enormous that even when Raven craned his neck upward, he couldn¡¯t see the whole creature. Astonished, he asked:


    "Why would you keep something like this?"


    Miles, still gazing at the creature, replied, "I don¡¯t know. It was a hobby of my ancestors. My father kept it going. It¡¯s been living here for thousands of years."


    Raven nodded in understanding, and they continued walking. After passing the blacksmith, they finally reached the training grounds. Raven drew his usual sword, while Miles looked like he was preparing to practice magic, taking out a staff of advanced grade.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Let¡¯s try a magic simulation today. It¡¯s both fun and more functional than regular training," Miles suggested.


    Without hesitation, Raven asked, "What¡¯s a magic simulation?"


    Looking at his staff, Miles explained, "The mages of the Hunter family come here every month to infuse magic into the simulation. It creates an artificial battlefield."


    Raven, intrigued, asked, "How can a simulation be created from magic? Does that even make sense?"


    Miles smiled and responded, "Yeah, I thought the same at first, but lately I¡¯ve taken an interest. If you study it from the basics, it could be useful in the future."


    They walked into the simulation room together. The room consisted of a glass-enclosed control panel area and a striped, empty field in front of it. Raven noticed many buttons on the control panel that he didn¡¯t understand. Miles approached the panel and said:


    "Why don¡¯t you go first?"


    Raven asked, "What do I need to do?"


    Miles replied, "Just step inside. I¡¯ll adjust the difficulty. There are ten difficulty levels. Anything above level 5 is for master warriors. I¡¯ll increase the level gradually, and if you¡¯re about to get seriously hurt, I¡¯ll stop it."


    Raven smiled and entered the room, sword in hand. He tossed the sword aside, took off his shirt, and tied it around his waist. His body, once thin and wounded to the point where his ribs were visible, had healed, and he looked more muscular now. He was definitely growing stronger.


    Miles pressed a few buttons, and the first level began. The simulation generated an opponent resembling a regular human male in his twenties, with no combat skills. The simulation would continue unless the opponent received a lethal blow. Raven charged forward, and before the simulation could even react, he delivered a powerful punch to its face. The simulated opponent flew into the wall, creating a large crack where it hit. The blow had been lethal, and the simulation disappeared instantly.

 14: White wolf

    After easily defeating the first level, Miles immediately initiated the second. This time, Raven faced a simulation of someone around their age, with moderate martial arts skills. The simulation assumed a guard stance, anticipating an attack from Raven. Without hesitation, Raven charged forward and delivered a powerful punch to the simulation¡¯s guard, but this time, the simulation¡¯s skin was tougher. Raven quickly followed up with a kick to its abdomen, sending it to the ground. Taking advantage of the opening in its guard, he landed a deadly punch to its face, ending the second level.


    Raven and Miles exchanged glances, silently approving each other, and Miles launched the third level. This time, the simulation was physically superior and far more skilled in martial arts. Raven grew serious and charged in with his usual aggressive style. He aimed a kick, but the simulation grabbed his leg and hurled him into the wall. Raven used the momentum to his advantage, bouncing off the wall and rushing at the simulation with a guard up. The simulation took a defensive stance, but with Raven¡¯s forceful momentum, it was futile. They crashed into the opposite wall, both sustaining damage. However, the simulation appeared to absorbed the damage for Raven too . As soon as Raven got to his feet, he delivered a powerful punch to the simulation''s abdomen, knocking it down again. The blow wasn¡¯t fatal, but it would take time for the simulation to recover. Raven pounded the downed simulation repeatedly, exhausting its strength.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Finally, Miles activated the fourth level. This time, a white wolf unlike anything Raven had ever seen appeared. It was twice the size of a normal wolf, standing as tall as a human. From behind the glass, Raven¡¯s voice was muffled as he asked:


    "Isn¡¯t this a bit much?"


    He had no choice but to retrieve his sword. The wolf looked poised to attack first, but it was also waiting for Raven to make the initial move. Instinctively, the wolf leaped forward. Raven thought he had dodged its pounce in time, but the wolf''s agility didn¡¯t match its enormous size; it twisted in mid-air and snapped at Raven¡¯s arm. He quickly backstepped and narrowly avoided the bite, realizing how dangerous this creature really was. Standing before him was a 170-centimeter-tall giant wolf with razor-sharp teeth, its agility far surpassing that of any average fighter. Raven understood that winning this battle was beyond his current skills. He needed to develop a new technique.


    As he considered every possibility and outcome, each one led to a scenario where he would lose. "Magic¡­ I can¡¯t use magic because I never figured out my affinity during the test. I¡¯ve never practiced magic¡­ The affinity test, huh? The professor told me during the test that I had an instinctual warrior¡¯s body. If I can combine my techniques with my instincts, maybe I can create something new," he thought. But he had no idea how to go about it.


    As Raven wrestled with these thoughts, he tried to figure out how his instincts could merge with techniques he hadn¡¯t yet used. "If I can combine my martial arts with my intuition... maybe I can defeat this wolf," he mused. But how?

 15: A new skill

    Raven closed his eyes, trying to focus on his techniques. "My techniques¡­ everything I¡¯ve got¡­ my instincts¡­" he murmured. The wolf was about to attack at any moment. Since it was a simulation, there was no real risk of dying, but failing before reaching the fifth level would be a huge disappointment for Raven. His past, all the fights, and memories flashed before his eyes. His sword techniques and fighting instincts came to the forefront of his mind, and he believed he could succeed as he opened his eyes.


    But when he opened them, there was nothing in front of him. He couldn¡¯t remember what had happened or how he had managed it. Miles, on the other hand, had witnessed everything moment by moment and was in complete shock. Raven dropped his sword to the ground and told Miles to open the door. Panic-stricken, Miles opened it. "Why did you stop the simulation? I was working on a technique; I was about to succeed!" Raven demanded. Still in shock, Miles finally managed to speak: "I didn¡¯t stop it."


    Raven thought Miles was messing with him, so he headed to the control panel to restart the simulation. However, he noticed that there were red crosses over 6 out of the 10 enemies, while the first four levels had green checkmarks. Raven turned to Miles in confusion. "What happened out there?" he asked. Miles, still catching his breath, replied, "We can watch it back through the magical tracking cameras¡­" and led him to the observation room.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    In the camera room, Raven encountered a piece of technology for only the second time in his life. Miles pressed a few buttons, and the recording of the fourth level began playing from multiple angles. The wolf¡¯s attack, Raven¡¯s evasion, and their mutual assessment replayed on the screen. Up until that moment, Raven remembered everything, but afterward, he had blacked out and started operating purely on instinct. However, these instincts were far from ordinary; he was executing his techniques with flawless precision at a speed and accuracy Raven couldn¡¯t consciously achieve.


    Raven¡¯s body had unlocked its full physical potential, which was typically restricted by his brain. The perfection of his technique stemmed from his mind being disengaged. Without his brain imposing limits, his combat skills and instincts merged into a pure, unstoppable form. From that point on, it was total carnage. The wolf lunged forward, but Raven suddenly vanished from sight. Bouncing off the walls, floor, and ceiling with incredible speed, he became almost invisible. In the end, Raven ricocheted off the ceiling and drove his sword into the wolf¡¯s skull, ending the simulation.


    Both Raven and Miles were left stunned by what they had just witnessed. They stared at each other in silence for a moment before bursting into laughter. This newly discovered power would undoubtedly give them a massive advantage at school.

 16: How strong is Miles?

    Raven and Miles, after overcoming the excitement of Raven''s newfound power, moved to the control panel. For about fifteen minutes, Miles carefully explained to Raven which buttons to press in different situations. By listening attentively, Raven finally learned how to operate the system. Now it was time for Miles to enter the simulation.


    Miles stepped into the room, Raven closed the door, and started the first level. A simulation of a young man with no fighting skills appeared before him. Miles grasped his chosen advanced-level staff and swung it from right to left, creating a powerful wave of water. It looked as if it were floating in the air, but it was actually standing still. For the first time in his life, Raven witnessed a spell other than fire.


    As Miles raised his hand and waved it forward, the wave of water shot forward rapidly. It was so powerful that it sliced the simulation character in half at the waist and hurled him against the wall. As Raven watched this brutal attack, he realized once again how brilliant a magician Miles was.


    When they progressed to the second level, they faced a simulation that was moderately skilled in martial arts. This time, Miles decided to use earth magic. There were significant differences between the levels of earth magic. At the first level, earth wasn¡¯t created; only existing soil was used. In the second level, larger earth masses could be utilized, while the third level allowed for a small amount of soil creation. At the fourth level, the created earth could be as large as a person.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Miles created a small amount of earth at the tip of his staff and placed it on the ground. The soil began to take shape and transformed into a human figure. Although the figure lacked details, its silhouette was distinct. When the simulation entered its range, it punched the earth figure. However, the figure was as solid as dried stone. The earth golem that Miles created placed its hand on the simulation''s shoulder and tore its head off. The simulation flickered and vanished once again. Miles enjoyed this creation process; all he had to do was watch.


    When Raven started the third level, a stronger simulation appeared before them. This time, they faced an opponent that was both physically and technically advanced. Miles took out his staff and simply created a fireball. The fireball grew larger and larger, becoming enormous enough to test the limits of the room. It was so big that the simulation itself began to suffer from the heat of the magic. Just at that moment, Miles suddenly shrank the fireball.


    Raven was puzzled about why he had shrunk the fireball, but Miles commanded it to be sent forward. The fireball moved faster than the water blade, and a loud explosion echoed in the room. The blast was so intense that Raven''s eyes were dazzled. When he opened them again, the room was unharmed, but the simulation had already ended.


    Miles opened his arms wide to Raven behind the glass and slowly made a motion to close it. Finally, Raven understood what Miles was trying to convey.

 17: Miless affinity

    Raven noticed that the power of Miles''s fireball was easily at the 5th level. Miles could create this spell effortlessly. Raven thought, "If he had to use all his mana for an attack, this spell could reach level 6 or 7." When he started the White Wolf level, he felt smaller next to Miles, who was taller than Raven. Raven leaned back, thinking, "If he can easily pass level 4, I¡¯ll be able to see level 5," and began watching the fight.


    As the fight began, Miles held his staff forward, while the wolf sat still like a pet dog. Raven couldn¡¯t understand why it was acting this way. In his own fight, the wolf had made the first attack, but why was it behaving like this now? The wolf seemed more like a helpless puppy than a dog obedient to its master. As Miles¡¯s expression grew serious, the wolf seemed to sink even more to the ground. Raven realized it was a gravity spell. As Miles increased his magical power, the wolf sank deeper.


    From this point on, the scene was quite frightening. It was obvious that Miles was casting at least a 5th level gravity spell. When the spell reached its limit, the wolf¡¯s entire body was torn apart, separating from its skin, and Miles had passed the section. Although Raven did not approve of this method of transition, Miles was still smiling.


    When they clicked to start level 5, they noticed that the glass side of the room had expanded. The previous narrow room had grown to ten times its size. Curtains at the edge of the glass lowered, providing a wider view, and Raven gained a complete view of the enormous room. They both sensed the approaching danger. When level 5 began, a giant gorilla, at least the size of a village house, appeared. The gorilla''s body shape was very pronounced, making it physically superior even to a gorilla of its size.


    Miles wasted no time and created a pressurized wave of water, just like in the first section, and hurled it forward. The wave quickly injured the gorilla''s abdominal muscles, but the wounds healed in no time. Raven thought that if it were a real gorilla with healing powers, it could regenerate until it ran out of mana. However, this simulation used the magical source of the great wizards from the Hunter family. Even if Miles struggled his whole life, he wouldn¡¯t be able to consume even half of the monthly stored mana.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Miles realized that he needed to incapacitate the gorilla with a single powerful attack. Decapitating it was the best option. The gorilla, growing angrier from the injury, began jumping in place. Miles looked at Raven and decided to get serious. As the gorilla charged at Miles, raising its hands to crush him, Miles slipped between its legs and moved behind it. He tried to get as far away as possible, but with just a few steps, the massive gorilla was back on his tail.


    Raven was doubled over with laughter as he watched from behind the glass; for the first time in his life, he was laughing so much. When Miles noticed that Raven was laughing, he realized he really needed to use all his power. Suddenly, he stopped and hurled a massive fireball behind the gorilla. As the gorilla turned around to distract itself, Miles created a large mass of earth at the tip of his staff and dropped it to the ground. The earth soldier that emerged was much larger than the previous ones, almost the same size as the gorilla.


    Raven had stopped laughing and was now watching seriously. The earth giant and the gorilla were exchanging punches as they assessed each other. With every punch from the gorilla, the earth soldier''s head would fly off, but thanks to Miles''s mana, the soldier kept regenerating. As Raven wondered how Miles would win, Miles glanced at him and gestured, saying in a low voice, "Although I can use every spell, I never mentioned my true affinity, did I?" Miles smiled.


    Raven''s expression changed in surprise. The possibility that he could not only use every spell but also possess an affinity for one intrigued him further. Miles, holding his staff with one hand, extended both hands forward. The gorilla and the earth soldier were in combat, but Miles¡¯s mana was beginning to dwindle, slowing the soldier''s regeneration rate. At that moment, the gorilla started slamming the earth soldier from one side to the other, and Miles destroyed the soldier to avoid spending more mana.


    A few seconds later, the gorilla redirected its attention back to Miles and began charging at him. However, Miles was ready now and shouted, "EVERFROST!" The entire room began to freeze from the ground up. The gorilla started to ice over as well, but it couldn¡¯t move. The Everfrost spell was a powerful evolutionary ice spell that prevented anyone but the caster from breaking the ice. It granted the ability to turn objects into ice without touch and could affect very large areas. This spell was known as one of the strongest evolutionary affinities in magical communities, including dark cults, and the entire world was aware of this power

 18: Mana core

    With the use of Miles''s evolved ice magic, the gorilla began to freeze and was completely encased in ice. However, since the simulation had not ended, it wasn''t truly dead. Miles still had tricks left up his sleeve. Silently, so Raven behind the glass couldn¡¯t hear, he said, "Ice Coffin." This technique was a deadly spell that only Everfrost users could execute. The strength of ordinary ice was not sufficient to perform this technique. Additionally, a normal ice user would expend far more mana trying to encase such a large giant in ice than an Everfrost user would.


    The layer of ice surrounding the gorilla began to freeze the inside as well. All the gorilla''s parts crushed inward and turned completely to ice. When the simulation ended, the ice statue remained in place. Raven did not initiate chapter 6 because Miles had previously explained the power difference between chapters 5 and 6. Even with the Everfrost ability, chapter 6 would be nearly impossible.


    Miles signaled Raven to open the door. Raven opened it, and when Miles stepped out, they shook hands. Miles said, "Technically, we¡¯re both ready. From now on, you¡¯ll work on your physical abilities, and I¡¯ll work on my mana capacity. We need to do our best in this week." Raven nodded in agreement and pressed the buttons to shut down the system. Then they began walking home, the sound of their echoing footsteps being the only thing heard.


    As they walked, Miles started to talk: "How about naming your technique ''Ultra Instinct''? After all, you''re fighting using your instincts." Since Raven wasn¡¯t particularly interested in such things, he accepted his brother¡¯s suggestion. Miles had an idea. Knowing their development would be limited during the week, he suggested getting a professional training program. Raven was open to the idea as well, since a week was quite limited.


    When they returned to the mansion, they entered Trainer Rufus¡¯s room. Miles didn¡¯t explain why they needed strength because if it reached their father¡¯s ears, there was a high chance of civil war breaking out. He simply stated that they needed to become as strong as possible and requested the toughest program. Rufus hesitated, but seeing the desperation in Miles¡¯s eyes, he decided to provide the program. Since it was the first time in his life that Miles had asked for a special program, Rufus couldn''t refuse him. "Sit down," he said. The kids looked at each other and sat down. Rufus pulled back the cover hanging on the wall behind him. Behind the wall was a chalkboard. Rufus took a piece of chalk from his desk and drew a stick figure.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "This is you, Miles," he said, drawing a round mana core in the stomach area of the stick figure. "This is your mana core. It''s a spiritual piece, but it can be physically destroyed." He drew a larger circle and divided it with lines. "You can think of these lines as your mana core that you expend every time you use mana. So, think of mana like firewood that you burn. Your affinity determines the result of the spell. Since you have an affinity for every spell, it doesn¡¯t matter what your fire or match is."


    Rufus continued by drawing a pile of firewood on the board: "What generates mana is your mind. The stronger your mind, the more mana you can store. You can grow your mana core. Let¡¯s say you can bring five pieces of firewood every day for the first month, but because your body strengthens in the second month, you might be able to bring six or seven pieces every day. Your mind produces more mana every time you use mana."


    Miles grimaced, "But what does that have to do with rapid development?" Rufus grinned: "Your limit is five pieces. If you expend five pieces, you can use six pieces the next month. But if your limit is five and you expend ten pieces, you can use eight pieces next month."


    Miles found it even more ridiculous: "But how can I accumulate and expend ten pieces when my limit is five?"


    Rufus excitedly replied, "You can¡¯t do that unless you don¡¯t burn down your house made of firewood! You¡¯ll have to use your mana core as well. Your recovery will take at least three days, but by the seventh day, you could double or even triple your mana capacity," he said. Though Miles felt tense, he nodded, knowing he had no other choice.


    Rufus wiped the board and turned to Raven, beginning to speak: "And as for you, Raven..."

 19: Symbiotes

    Rufus turned to Raven and began to erase the board to draw something new. ''Your affinity is uncertain, right, Raven? So, even if you have a mana core, it has no functionality at this point. Even if we assume you have the strongest mana core in the world, I can''t provide any training or anything else related to your mana core because it lacks functionality. Therefore, we will focus on your physical development.''


    Rufus drew a figure of a human on the board and added a strange, blob-like shape with indentations and protrusions. ''What do you know about symbiotes?'' he asked. Miles excitedly replied, ''Is there anyone who doesn¡¯t know about symbiotes? The commonality among elite fighters and mages is that they possess symbiotes.'' Rufus nodded, but Raven was confused. How could something he had never even heard of be so important and popular?


    Noticing that Raven was uninformed about this, Rufus wanted to ask, ''So, what is a symbiote?'' He continued, ''It''s normal for you not to know this since you only started engaging with magic and combat in the later stages of your life.'' He wiped the strange-shaped blob off the board and drew over the human figure. ''Symbiotes are conscious beings that want to make contracts with humans. Each symbiote has different desires and needs. If you can''t meet their demands,'' he said, expanding the drawn sphere and coloring the human figure with black chalk, ''the symbiote will take over the user and turn them into a mindless creature.''This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Raven was intrigued by the idea of a contract, but since he didn¡¯t know the benefits, he wasn¡¯t overly enthusiastic yet. Once Rufus was sure Raven understood, he erased the captured figure and drew a normal human alongside a symbiote figure. ''The benefits of each symbiote differ as much as their desires. Some expand the mana pool, while others absorb mana to enhance physical strength. The type of symbiote we need to look for should be like that for you.''


    Raven was affected and mesmerized by what he heard. Learning that such powerful beings existed in the world excited him greatly. Rufus continued, ''However,'' he said, and Raven paid close attention again, ''once you unite with a symbiote, you can never separate from it. If you do, you will die.'' This idea didn¡¯t sit well with Raven. He wanted to try all the symbiotes until he found the strongest one. He needed to rely on luck to find the best one.


    It seemed as though Rufus sensed Raven¡¯s concerns and continued, ''Not all symbiotes are the same. Their appearances and colors vary, and their attributes are recorded in books. Some are stronger and rarer. Therefore, I will give you a few symbiote identification books. You should choose one symbiote from these books. Although rare ones are generally stronger, the symbiote that suits you best might not be the strongest.''


    Raven felt relieved upon hearing he could choose what he wanted. However, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how they would find these symbiotes and asked, ''How will we find what I want?'' Rufus replied, ''Thanks to the Hunter family''s connections and financial power, we can find it in less than a week.'' Raven, excited, asked, ''Can I have the books?''

 20: Originals

    Rufus started walking toward the door when Raven asked for the symbiote books and said, "Follow me." Miles and Raven stood up, and the three of them left the room. Miles and Raven looked at each other as Rufus led them somewhere. They were on the second floor of the mansion, where the high-ranking employees had their own rooms and offices. This included Doctor Oswald and Trainer Rufus. As the three of them climbed the stairs, they reached the third floor, which was the library room.


    When Raven looked up, he was mesmerized, as the library was so vast that he couldn¡¯t even see the end of it. The third and fourth floors were entirely dedicated to the library. The Hunter family''s strength wasn¡¯t just due to their genius mages and warriors, but also the knowledge and history they carried. Rufus turned around and pointed to four chairs near the entrance of the library. In front of the chairs was an unlit fireplace. "Sit, I¡¯ll be right back," he said, and the kids sat across from each other. Rufus continued up the stairs and began searching through the bookshelves. He picked out a book that contained symbiotes that were powerful but also not too difficult to find.


    The book had been written relatively recently, unlike the others, and its cover was more modern and less worn. Rufus returned to where the kids were and sat in the middle chair, handing the book to Raven. "The rarity of each symbiote should be marked with stars on every page. You can choose whichever you like from this book," he said. Raven smelled the book and started flipping through it. It wasn¡¯t very thick, but the pages were quite large. He could clearly see the shapes, colors, and descriptions of the symbiotes. He opened to the first page and saw a gray symbiote. It looked rather ordinary, and even though Raven wasn¡¯t intrigued, he felt like he had to read through all of them.


    Rarity: 1 Star


    Required Resource: Any type of meat


    As expected, it didn¡¯t interest Raven much. It was a common symbiote with simple needs, not rare or impressive. But something puzzled him. Why were they categorized by rarity instead of power? He turned to Rufus and asked, "Why are symbiotes classified by rarity and not by power?" Rufus responded, "There are ancient symbiotes that even the greatest rulers cannot find, and these are called Originals. These symbiotes were the first beings born since the creation of the Eternis Universe. They weren¡¯t born for anyone¡¯s reason and represent pure power. Books that contain Originals aren¡¯t for those seeking to find them, but for those who want to learn about them. That¡¯s because, unlike other symbiotes, there is only one of each Original across the entire universe, with no duplicates. In addition to these, there are Half-Originals, symbiotes that descend from the Originals. While not unique like the Originals, they are still few in number in the universe. The remaining symbiotes are descended from scattered Half-Originals. A symbiote¡¯s power, unlike spells, isn¡¯t purely physical, so the only way to measure their strength is by how close they are to an Original and how well they match their host. That¡¯s why, since strength can be subjective, they are classified by rarity, or by their level of originality."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Unlike the Originals and Half-Originals, as other creatures began to appear across different parts of the universe, they started making deals that were easier for living beings to accept in order to find hosts. As beings other than symbiotes began to rule the universe, these symbiotes even had to alter their forms and powers to adapt to humans."


    Raven understood well. As much as he viewed symbiotes as mutual exchanges of benefits, new-generation symbiotes had sacrificed so much just to be accepted by their hosts that they had become almost pitiful. Making a deal with a modern symbiote was no different than buying a slave or tying your life to a weak creature. After wrestling with these thoughts, Raven closed the book and turned to Rufus, saying, "I want an Original."


    Rufus paused for a moment and then burst into laughter. "What did you say?" he asked, still laughing. Raven stood up, more serious now. "I want an Original. If I can¡¯t have an Original, I don¡¯t intend to spend my life with these pathetic creatures that have no use for themselves."


    Rufus stopped laughing, and the room suddenly grew tense. "Listen, kid. Even with the Hunter family¡¯s connections, Originals are spread across the entire universe, and there¡¯s not a single species with access to the whole universe. Even if the entire world united to search for an Original for you, it would be impossible. So, if you want to grow stronger, you¡¯ll have to pick from this book."


    Raven still felt he wasn¡¯t being taken seriously and threw the book at Rufus. "I don¡¯t need these space freaks that rely on other beings to survive. I can become stronger on my own," he said, and stormed out of the room. Miles immediately got up and ran after him.

 21: Ores

    When Raven left the room, Miles followed him, and they started descending to the lower floor together. Raven was walking quite fast, while Miles was struggling to keep up. As they were going down the stairs, Miles asked, "I know he acted like he was belittling you, but in a way, he¡¯s right. After all, there¡¯s no other way to get stronger. I mean, unless you find a basic symbiote, you¡¯re going to be in great danger at school."


    Raven didn¡¯t say a word and kept walking. They finally reached their rooms. Raven sat on his bed, and Miles sat across from him. Raven rested his elbows on his knees and held his chin in his hands. "I have an idea."


    Miles, though he thought it would be ridiculous, wanted to listen. "What is it?"


    Raven continued, "There¡¯s no point in trying to improve my physical attributes in just a week. So, I need to work on my techniques." Miles knew that was obvious, so he frowned. Raven continued, "I¡¯m not talking about sword techniques. I¡¯m going to work directly on Ultra Instinct."


    Miles had thought about this too but still found it irrational, as there was no clear way to develop instinct. So he wanted to ask Raven, "How can you develop your instincts? Your combat instincts are already at the peak of a living being."


    Raven laughed and stood up. "I¡¯m not going to develop my instincts."


    Miles didn¡¯t understand but didn¡¯t speak either. "I¡¯m going to learn how to synchronize my instincts with my brain."


    Miles thought this was impossible. Beyond being impossible, what kind of effect could it have? Unable to hold back, Miles asked, "What good could that do?"


    Raven smirked slyly again and said, "What if I could consciously use my instincts¡¯ powers?"


    Miles was shocked; it was very logical and also practical. He couldn¡¯t hide his excitement and shouted, "You¡¯re a genius!"This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Raven sat back down on his bed and started thinking. "We should start today."


    Miles nodded in agreement. Silence fell, and both of them were calculating how much stronger they could get and what would happen on the day of school. Miles broke the silence, realizing it was the right time to ask the question that had been bothering him for days: "Raven, we need to talk about something."


    Raven raised an eyebrow and looked up, locking eyes with Miles. Seeing he had Raven¡¯s approval to ask, Miles continued, "The day you injured yourself from training, something was different, and I¡¯m sure of it."


    For Raven, the topic had already lost importance, so he lowered his head and stopped taking it seriously. Miles continued, "That day, you only trained for about nine hours, but the result was the same as if you¡¯d trained for fifteen hours."


    Raven answered in a low voice, trying to brush it off: "It¡¯s because of the intensity of the training."


    Miles raised his voice, "The doctor had calculated the intensity of the training." Raven stood up and walked toward the door. "You¡¯ll find out soon enough." He left without closing the door, and as he walked down the stairs, he said, "I¡¯m heading to the training ground."


    Miles jumped up and followed him. "You don¡¯t even know the code. Where do you plan to go alone?"


    After a brief silence, Raven said, "I can do it in the normal training area too."


    Miles responded, "We both know it doesn¡¯t have the same effect. Besides, even if your Ultra Instinct works with normal dummies, it would be impossible to reset them every time."


    Raven silently agreed but preferred not to speak. They reached the training ground door, and while Miles was entering the code, Raven asked, "Why are these walls coded? Wouldn¡¯t it be easy to break in anyway?"


    Miles smiled slightly and replied, "Most of this mansion is made from a material called aetherium. It can¡¯t be found on its own on Earth, but it¡¯s the strongest material found in alloys. What makes it the strongest is that, even when its alloys combine, they retain their properties and remain materials that can absorb magic. This makes aetherium one of the strongest materials in the solar system. The mages of the Hunter family assist in the creation of this material, and when the process is complete, the material can strengthen itself by absorbing mana from the air. In fact, the Hunter family¡¯s main source of income is supplying most of the world¡¯s aetherium."


    Raven, though he didn¡¯t seem impressed, was actually quite affected, and since he always sought something superior, he couldn¡¯t help but think about the materials in the universe if aetherium was the strongest in the solar system. They walked to the training ground and finally arrived.

 22: Raven vs Miles

    While they were heading to the training grounds, they passed by the blacksmith, who still seemed to be working on the same dagger. After passing the blacksmith, they arrived at the training grounds, and Raven drew his sword, while Miles pulled out his advanced-level staff. They both turned their backs to each other and began walking towards different corners to work on the dummies. As Miles walked, he stopped and said, ''We¡¯ve never fought, have we?'' Raven stopped walking as well and turned around with a slight smile on his face. ''No, but it¡¯s a good idea,'' he said. Miles laughed and replied, ''Why don¡¯t we go all out right now? We can see if you¡¯re strong enough to protect yourself at school.''


    Raven assumed his stance and gripped his sword tightly. Miles tossed his staff into the air and fixed his hair. After stretching his neck and arms, the staff fell into his hand. The moment he grabbed it, he pointed it forward and launched a fireball at an incredible speed, thinking it would be impossible for Raven to dodge. Raven leapt to the side, avoiding the blast. The fireball hit the aetherium wall, and after absorbing the magic, it disappeared into the wall.


    Without hesitation, Raven dashed forward as Miles began constructing stone walls with his staff. Raven broke the first one with a kick. This would have been impossible for the old Raven, but he was no longer as weak as before. Another wall appeared in front of him, which he sliced through with his sword. After the wall fell to the ground, it dissolved to prevent wasting Miles¡¯ mana. After breaking through two walls, Raven saw a dome ahead of him. Miles had created a dome of compressed rock and mud for defense, completely enclosing himself.


    Raven tried to kick it, but the dome was much denser and harder due to the extra mana poured into it. Raven yelled inside, ''Do you think this is fun?'' Miles replied, ''No whining!'' Annoyed, Raven jumped high, planning to smash the large earth dome with a powerful aerial kick. He had easily jumped about 7 meters, which showed how much his body had developed. Just before he could land his kick, the dome opened, and Miles was holding his staff up, forming a large water ball in the air.


    At that point, Raven had no chance to escape. Based on Miles¡¯ power, the speed of the water ball would send Raven crashing into the 30-meter ceiling and knock him out from the shock alone. Miles was sure he would win. He could see Raven¡¯s blurred figure behind the massive water ball. Just as he was about to launch it, the blurry image of Raven disappeared. Miles couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Dodging the water ball''s range while in the air required inhuman reflexes, speed, and agility beyond any normal person.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    With the water ball still in front of him, Miles began looking around. Seeing nothing, he decided to release the water ball, but then he felt a powerful kick to his face. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent sliding across the ground. Even for a warrior, it would have been a deadly kick, but Miles was a mage. He slid across the floor until he crashed into one of the dummies and coughed up blood. He tried to stand but was so dizzy that even while sitting, he felt like he was about to vomit. He started losing his grip on reality, mixing up what was real and what was not. Just before he passed out, he saw Raven approaching.


    Raven extended his hand, pulled Miles up, and slung him over his shoulder, walking towards the infirmary. As Miles regained some of his senses, a question so pressing came to his mind that it made him forget all his pain. After coughing, Miles spoke, ''How did you manage to disappear from my sight and then attack me from above?''


    Raven laughed and replied, ''I was still in the air. I just moved left and right so fast that the blurry image you saw behind the water ball scattered and eventually disappeared. Sometimes, you can¡¯t trust your eyes.''


    Miles started laughing too, and the two of them burst into laughter together. Raven stopped laughing and said, ''If you hadn¡¯t made such a stupid mistake, it would¡¯ve been impossible for me to beat you.''


    Miles also stopped laughing and replied, ''If I made such a dumb mistake, that means you¡¯re better than me in a real fight. The worth of a warrior isn¡¯t measured by how strong they are, but by how strong they are with what they have. And you, you¡¯re the best warrior out there. No, no, you¡¯re a beast on the battlefield.''


    Raven realized the seriousness of Miles¡¯ words and grew serious himself. They decided not to tell Doctor Oswald about the fight. Instead, they would say Miles had injured himself while practicing a magic simulation. Raven left Miles in the infirmary, quietly closed the door, and when he turned around, a massive man with white hair and a beard, standing nearly 2 meters tall, was there. Raven, barely reaching his chest, instantly recognized him¡ªit was Edward Hunter himself.

 23: Dark magic

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    When Raven stepped out of the room, he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes, because the last person he wanted to encounter was standing right in front of him: Edward Hunter. He was the strongest being Raven had ever seen. Neither the sensation of the gorilla¡¯s magic in the simulation nor the mana of anyone he had encountered at school came close to his. In fact, even if he combined the magical power of every person he had met so far, it might still fall short of Edward¡¯s. Although he didn¡¯t know much about magic, the feeling he got every time he encountered Edward Hunter told him more than he needed to know.


    Raven raised his head and locked eyes with Edward. Edward seemed to be aware of everything. He was extremely serious and angry. Breaking the silence with his deep and resonant voice, he spoke:


    "I know what you¡¯re doing, Raven."


    Having grown up on the streets, Raven was accustomed to all kinds of violence. Blood, brutality, people being assaulted in alleyways, even organs being pierced with rusty knives¡­ Raven had seen it all. However, due to his personality and nature, these things hadn¡¯t left a traumatic impact on him. In fact, they hadn¡¯t left any impact at all. Yet, the words his stepfather was uttering now felt like they could darken his entire life. For the first time in his life, he felt fear.


    What was the worst that could happen? He could be tortured to death. After all, he had been tortured on the streets too, so why was he afraid now? No, no. It wasn¡¯t death or pain he feared. What he feared was Edward Hunter himself. Even though his composure wasn¡¯t working, he had to think. Trembling, with a low voice, he said,


    "What happened?"


    Edward continued to look at him with the same seriousness. Footsteps echoed from the stairs, momentarily distracting Edward. The person coming down was Eleanor Hunter, the lady of the Hunter family. Brushing a strand of blonde hair from her face, she approached with a smile and spoke as she walked:


    "Darling, I know you¡¯re trying to bond with our son, but you shouldn¡¯t take your jokes this far. You might give the poor boy a heart attack."


    Edward Hunter looked at Raven again and started laughing. He patted Raven¡¯s back twice, then, still laughing, put an arm around his shoulder and began walking.


    "Sometimes your seriousness gets on my nerves, kid. You¡¯re one of us now; you should look happier. I was just joking."


    Raven took a deep breath, and they started walking toward the first-floor living room. The grand staircase split into two smaller flights of stairs leading down to a massive hall below. On the floor lay an absurdly large bear rug, and at the far end of the room stood a fireplace. There was no sunlight since there were no windows, but the dim light from candles and the fireplace lit the room quite well.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Edward Hunter sat in an armchair and gestured to the seat across from him. Raven sat immediately and began looking into Edward Hunter¡¯s eyes. Edward poured himself some wine, swirled the glass, sniffed it, and took a sip.


    "I¡¯m planning to send you and Miles on a special mission," he said.


    Hearing this, Raven became excited and forgot the tension he had felt earlier, focusing intently.


    "You have two days. You leave on Wednesday. Get ready," Edward said.


    Raven was thrilled, but since he had school on Monday, it didn¡¯t seem like a good idea. If either of them, especially Raven, got injured, it would be impossible for him to defend himself at school. Accepting this offer would be incredibly risky and foolish for the sake of gaining a bit of strength. Raven lowered his head and began to speak:


    "Unfortunately, I can¡¯t accept your offer. We have school a few days after that, and we can¡¯t risk getting injured. Besides, I¡¯m not even as strong as Miles."


    Edward took another sip of his wine and started laughing.


    "You¡¯re quite confident in yourself, kid, but this isn¡¯t a request; it¡¯s an order."


    Raven was once again reminded of who he was talking to, but he had to find a way to convince him they couldn¡¯t do it. He spoke again:


    "Why are you giving this mission to us instead of the Hunter family¡¯s mages, father? It may be out of line, but please excuse my curiosity."


    Edward Hunter chuckled softly and continued:


    "Yes, as you said, the Hunter family¡¯s mages could easily handle this mission. In fact, it¡¯s such an easy task that I¡¯m ordering you to do it. But that¡¯s not the only reason. This is a critical but simple mission. What interests me is how you¡¯ll deal with challenges and how you¡¯ll establish camaraderie with each other. Moreover, this isn¡¯t just a mission I¡¯m assigning to strengthen you; it¡¯s also closely tied to the future of the Hunter family."


    Raven realized he couldn¡¯t come up with any more excuses. If it was as easy as Edward said, all he needed to do was stay focused. There was always a risk of injury, but as long as it wasn¡¯t too severe, Dr. Oswald could heal him easily. Although he didn¡¯t want to stay in this tense atmosphere any longer, his curiosity got the better of him, and he spoke:


    "May I know the details of this critical mission? After all, it needs to be explained to us before we undertake it on Sunday."


    Edward, maintaining his seriousness, continued:


    "Son, since I know you don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll explain everything. There are various cults in this world, each with a different purpose. People who find these purposes reasonable join these dark cults in various ways and work together to achieve these goals."


    After Raven nodded, Edward went on:


    "These cults date back to the founding of the world, and each has a main heir. These heirs teach other cult members how to grow stronger according to their goals and reveal the cult¡¯s secret dark spells."


    Curious, Raven asked:


    "How are dark spells different from regular ones?"


    Edward Hunter continued:


    "Dark spells are those deemed wrong by all mages and banned by the Great Magic Council. People who use them can become internationally wanted, depending on the scale of the spell."


    Like the other statements, Raven couldn¡¯t simply dismiss this one in his mind, as dark spells intrigued him greatly. One day, he absolutely had to learn one.


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 24: The beggining of the training

    Raven, as usual, continued with his curious questions and kept talking to his stepfather. "What kind of goal could they have that¡¯s forbidden to the point of being cursed? It makes no sense."


    Edward Hunter stroked his beard and replied, "As I said, they all have different goals. Some are trying to awaken mythical demons, while others build altars to appease ancient gods."


    Raven responded, "What do Miles and I need to retrieve?"


    Edward Hunter frowned as he answered, "It wouldn¡¯t be wise to get involved with the cults dealing with ancient gods. Our focus is on those trying to summon demons. The Hunter family, along with our allied families, has been waging war against demonic cults for hundreds of thousands of years, and we have never failed. If we had, the world would have ended. For each demon¡¯s resurrection, they require chaos stones specific to that demon. Right now, we¡¯re dealing with the cult known as ''The Abyssal Swarm.'' They are attempting to resurrect Beelzebub and seize the universe with an army of nothingness. They are very close to achieving their goal. Five out of the six chaos stones have been gathered, and one needs to be stolen. Each stone is hidden in different regions, and we have the coordinates for three of them. At the very least, you two need to steal two of them; that should set them back at least half a millennium."


    Edward got up and left, and Raven was left alone with his thoughts. How powerful could the heirs of a demon capable of conquering the universe really be? How could the two of them handle this? Even if they stole one chaos stone, how would they manage a second? If the main heir arrived, escaping would be almost impossible. But there was no time for these thoughts now; he hadn¡¯t yet perfected his technique, and Miles wouldn¡¯t be fully healed until at least tomorrow. He decided not to visit Miles to avoid disturbing him, but he needed to perfect his technique by nightfall. Since Miles was asleep, he couldn¡¯t use the training grounds, so he had to find another way.


    After climbing the stairs, he headed toward the door. Walking through the front yard, he finally reached the gate, stepped outside, and took a deep breath. The guards asked, "Young master, where are you going?"


    Raven laughed and replied, "It doesn¡¯t matter; my father already knows."


    The guards resumed their stance, and Raven continued walking. He had a few ideas in mind. If he ventured far enough into the forest, he might find a bear as massive as the one whose pelt lay on the floor. It certainly wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary bear, that much was obvious. He estimated its height to be around 7 or 8 meters. What he needed to do was find such powerful creatures and train against them. He kept walking, and after about 30 minutes, he was truly lost, which was his goal. The animals he might encounter in the morning would be less dangerous, but if he continued without rest until midnight, it would become nearly impossible to train.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    With his sword on his back, he kept walking when he noticed the entrance to a large cave attached to a mountain. It was enormous and wide. The humidity in the air around it suggested that it went deep inside. With one hand on the sword strapped to his back, he cautiously began walking in. He already sensed the presence of a living being. He couldn¡¯t feel mana, but from the size and the rustling sounds, he knew he wasn¡¯t alone. It was clearly not a human, and it seemed to be quite powerful. He drew his sword, got into a guard stance, and continued moving forward. As he walked, a strange feeling crept over him, telling him he needed to move. Within a few seconds, his heartbeat quickened, urging him to act. Finally, unable to ignore the warnings any longer, he leapt to the upper left.


    A massive snake¡¯s head slammed into the spot where he had been, shattering the ground. The snake¡¯s fangs left deep impressions in the stone, and its venom melted the rock. Smoke rose from the melted spot. The snake¡¯s head alone was as large as Raven¡¯s entire body, and the rest of its form remained obscured in the darkness, too vast to see with his eyes. After firmly gripping his sword, Raven landed on the ground and charged toward the snake¡¯s belly. From where Raven was attacking to the snake¡¯s head, its body was at least 20 meters long. Raven had seen many snakes in his life and knew much about their agility. But he had to believe a snake of this size couldn¡¯t be nimble.


    He dashed forward, raising his sword, preparing to strike. However, while still in mid-air, he was hit in the stomach with a blow that blurred his vision, and he began to drift through the air. His consciousness was on the verge of fading, and his eyes had already begun to glaze over. As he floated, his life flashed before his eyes. He finally regained a bit of clarity and managed to grasp his sword once more. He crashed into a tree in the middle of the forest, having been flung from the cave. The tree shook violently, and the birds on it scattered. Blood poured from Raven¡¯s mouth, and he couldn¡¯t breathe. The blow to his stomach had broken his ribs, which were now stabbing into his diaphragm and lungs.


    He was coughing up blood, unable to see what had struck him due to its speed. Perhaps he never should have come here. Was this the end? It was too late even to give up because his body wasn¡¯t responding. His diaphragm was compressing his lungs, and his broken ribs were digging deeper. All the blood was pouring from his mouth. Even if he used Ultra Instinct, there was no guarantee he could win. And even if he did manage to win, if one of his ribs pierced his heart, there was no chance of survival. He had to keep his consciousness and end Ultra Instinct at the precise moment when the pain became unbearable. To do that, he would need to execute the perfected version of Ultra Instinct, something he had theorized but never mastered.

 25: Is this the end?

    The snake slithered out of the massive cave entrance. It was a gigantic snake with white scales, and its teeth were as tall as a human. Raven, using his sword, slashed open his chest and removed the bone fragments that continued to dig into his body, throwing them aside. To stop the bleeding, he tore off a part of his shirt, wrapped it from his legs, over his shoulder, and tied it across the wound. He stood up, took a deep breath, and pushed his displaced ribs back into place by applying pressure with his lungs. Gripping his sword once more, he closed his eyes. But this time, instead of focusing solely on his instincts, he aimed to keep his consciousness intact as well.


    He began to feel his body move, even though he hadn¡¯t consciously decided to do so. His body had taken a perfect guard stance¡ªno openings, not even a millimeter of vulnerability. He leapt towards the snake. He could finally see its tail now; the snake was at least 45 meters long. Its length was nearly the same as the cliff where the mountain stood. Seeing its tail, Raven understood that the thing that had struck him with such blinding speed was its tail. No matter how deadly a snake¡¯s mouth was, catching a human of Raven¡¯s size would be almost impossible. That¡¯s why it had used its tail, being far more agile with it. Raven realized that this snake was much smarter than ordinary ones.


    Raven had been subjected to many forms of torture in the dungeon, including being whipped. He knew why the snake¡¯s tail moved so fast. The only man-made object capable of reaching the speed of sound without magic was a whip. The cracking sound at its tip was the result of a sonic boom. Raven was born with blessed reflexes, and during those whip tortures, he could always see the tip of the whip. His reflexes were faster than the speed of sound. But that wasn¡¯t the case with the snake. At first, Raven thought it was because he couldn¡¯t see it in the darkness, but during the snake¡¯s initial attack, he had easily sensed its head coming. The only explanation for the tail''s unpredictability was that the snake was moving much faster than the speed of sound. Even at his best, defeating this snake seemed impossible.


    He began devising plans to improve his technique and escape while continuing to run toward the snake. His technique was indeed working; he could feel his instincts while keeping his mind clear. But he needed to make sure it worked in battle, too. He planned to tear into the snake¡¯s skin and at least inflict some damage to even the odds. He leapt into the air, passing behind the snake. It was still watching him, and as Raven raised his sword to strike what could be considered its nape, the snake dodged at a speed imperceptible to the eye and struck with its tail once more. But this time, Raven saw it coming and raised his guard. Even though his sword blocked the blow, he was hurled several meters back, slamming into a boulder inside the cave. His sword had cracked, and his left wrist was broken.


    He hadn¡¯t fully mastered the technique yet, but was this where it would all end? Could everything truly end here? Despite using his technique up to a certain point, the snake didn¡¯t even see him as a worthy opponent; it was breaking his bones and toying with him. His sword wouldn¡¯t last more than a few more blows either. Grabbing his wrist, he snapped it back into place, tearing off a strip of cloth from his pants to wrap around the break. Standing up once more, he reminded himself that he needed to erase all adrenaline from his system and focus entirely on his technique and instincts. He closed his eyes and slowed his heartbeat. He had to become like water.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He visualized all the techniques he knew, replaying the entire battle in his mind, just like in the Wolf War. He mapped out every scenario, but in each one, he lost. Even if reinforcements arrived, he envisioned them being brutally slaughtered. All he wanted now was to make it out of here in one piece. No, that wasn¡¯t it. He wanted to come out stronger. After remembering his goal and what he truly wanted, he opened his eyes. The snake was slithering toward him. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and his instincts had completed the image of his surroundings in his mind.


    He had fallen onto a nesting area with a few eggs. After opening his eyes, he started running toward the snake, which attempted to bite him. He jumped into the air and spun, passing behind it. The snake, using its usual technique, swung its tail again. Every time the tail lashed out, a sonic boom followed. With each strike, the very foundations of the mountain seemed to shake. But now, the situation had become even more serious. The snake, despite knowing this human couldn¡¯t defeat it, was now fighting at full strength. Why was it doing that? Everyone has something or someone to lose. Even the snake was here to protect its eggs. It feared losing its offspring. But this man, he fought without fear. No, he fought without any fear of death, and with no regrets for what he might leave behind.


    This was not a person. In the eyes of the snake, Raven was no longer human. No, the snake was no longer the monster. The real monster was Raven himself. With his eyes glowing red with determination and power, Raven focused entirely on evading the snake¡¯s tail strikes, which were slamming down with a force of at least 3000 kilometers per hour. If he took another hit, death was inevitable. Raven seemed to glide through the air like a leaf, avoiding all the damage, as though he had become one with the wind.


    Finally, the snake began spinning around Raven with all its might. Despite its massive size, the snake moved so fast it was almost disappearing from Raven¡¯s view. Trusting his instincts again, Raven jumped into the air, and from the spinning circle, the snake¡¯s head suddenly shot out, slamming into the ground with such force that the cave trembled, and a few piles of rocks began to fall from above. The snake urgently pulled its teeth from the ground and slithered toward its nest. Luckily, none of the eggs were damaged. The strange human lay face down under a rock next to the eggs.


    A few words escaped Raven¡¯s lips: "Next time, be more careful." After saying that, he passed out on the spot.


    Why had this human attacked the snake? And why had he protected its eggs from the tremor? He was the strongest human the snake had ever known¡ªterrifying in battle, yet the most merciful. No, the only merciful human it had ever met.

 26: Grand fear of the Grand Magic Council

    In a hidden part of the world, in a dark room, there was a round table in the middle. Surrounding it were 12 chairs, each with different symbols at the top of the backrest. In the center of the table was a large enough candlestick that held dozens of candles, illuminating the table and its surroundings easily. Ten of the twelve chairs were occupied, while two were empty. All ten people appeared mostly old, though some looked younger.


    A man with round glasses, seated at the head of the round table, raised his voice:


    "Yes, old man, why did you gather us here? This had better be important for your sake."


    Another elderly man on the other side of the table chuckled for a moment, then pulled a book from the inside pocket of his large coat and placed it on the table. Another elderly man spoke next, a bald, medium-height man with a calm demeanor:


    "Hey, Zarin, you know we¡¯re already two people short. If something this important had happened, Morgathar would¡¯ve known. Just like Lyr¡ª"


    At that moment, a cough from a woman at the table interrupted him.


    "Yes, Zarin, you can continue."


    A middle-aged man with long black hair spoke up:


    "The last time you made such an urgent call was when the prodigy of the Hunter family was born. Back then, there were 12 of us. If this were so important, as Eldric said, all 12 of us would be here again. We¡¯ve all left something important behind to come here, so it had better be at least as crucial as the Hunter family¡¯s prodigy."


    The man called Zarin, with white hair and a white beard, chuckled again and began to speak:


    "I¡¯ll get straight to the point. You¡¯re all acting like I¡¯ve skewered you."


    He opened the book and tossed it toward the man with long black hair. This man¡¯s name was Thalor.


    "Alright, Thalor, would you read aloud the topic and the cover of the book?"


    Thalor turned the book and looked at the cover. Everyone leaned forward in curiosity. Those who could read it made no connection, and they started murmuring among themselves. Thalor remained silent, still staring at the cover of the book. Zarin shouted loudly:


    "Well, can you tell me the title of the book now?"


    Thalor calmly placed the book down and spoke:You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "Originals."


    The others who hadn¡¯t seen the book began murmuring among themselves. What could the Originals have to do with this? Even if they were searching for an Original for the Grand Council of Magic, almost everyone at the table already had a symbiote. And finding even one Original was near impossible. A green-haired man with glasses slammed his hand on the table, his anger evident in his eyes. Zarin smiled slightly and spoke:


    "Yes, Vaelen, did you have something to ask?"


    The green-haired man shouted angrily:


    "Did you gather us here just to show us a stupid book? Many of us, including myself, weren¡¯t even on Earth when it arrived. Was this all for a simple book?"


    Zarin became serious, adjusting his beard before he spoke again:


    "We received a signal passing near our solar system."


    Although no one was sure where this was leading, some began to fear the possible conclusion. Zarin continued:


    "This signal, most likely, belongs to a symbiote."


    Those who had been thinking about it started piecing things together more easily, and one of the women at the table began trembling. Zarin went on:


    "We¡¯ve technically confirmed that a symbiote passed near our solar system. But that¡¯s not the problem. Millions of symbiotes pass through space every week without us even being aware of it."


    Despite everyone¡¯s courage and authority visibly shaken, the young man with round glasses stammered and shouted:


    "H-Hey old man, are you saying you gathered us here for a stupid symbiote?"


    He formed a massive fireball in his hand, clearly trying to mask his fear with false bravery. There was a part of the table that the candles didn¡¯t illuminate, and the man sitting in that dark area was only partially visible¡ªhis long beard and medium-length hair could be made out. His age was evident from his beard. From the darkness, his hand rose, and he lifted the young man into the air.


    "Orin, you should remain silent when the elders are speaking."


    Magical fields opened in the air, and chains emerged from the void. Orin¡¯s hands were bound together, and the fire in his hand extinguished. Orin¡¯s energy had completely drained; his color had faded. Even though he was aware of what had happened, he no longer had the strength or magic to move. He collapsed back into his chair, paralyzed. Zarin spoke:


    "Thank you, Wise Aurelius."


    Clearing his throat, Zarin continued:


    "The only problem with the symbiote we detected was that its magical power was so vast that even if a planet had suddenly entered the solar system, the combined magical energy of all the creatures and minerals on that planet couldn¡¯t have matched the terrifying energy of this symbiote."


    Everyone at the table was visibly trembling. Though they tried to calm themselves by discussing and asking questions, they all knew that once the connection between the book and the symbiote was made, nothing good would follow. Zarin continued:


    "Yes, as you¡¯ve all guessed, I believe this symbiote, which emits such immense magical energy, is one of the most powerful half-Originals, if not an Original itself. I¡¯ll take your questions now."


    Without delay, a blonde woman¡¯s voice rose:


    "Even if it¡¯s an Original, I don¡¯t believe it came here just to destroy the Earth. If that were the case, it wouldn¡¯t need to enter our orbit. It¡¯s clear that it wants to come to Earth. If we can negotiate with it, we can be sure it won¡¯t destroy the planet."


    Although everyone wanted to shout in response, no one could forget that a monster who had paralyzed the young genius Orin with little effort was sitting among them. They remembered why they should maintain their respect. Their greatest fear was that Wise Aurelius would decide to fight. Aurelius stroked his beard and spoke:


    "Let¡¯s hope what it desires isn¡¯t a living host to inhabit."

 27: Mastered ultra instinct

    Raven didn¡¯t know why he was protecting the snake¡¯s eggs. Although he was conscious, his ultra instinct had made him do it. When he closed his eyes under the rock, he was certain he would die. Even if, by some miracle, the snake left him alone, his organs would be crushed from lying under the rock for hours by the time he woke up. In other words, survival was impossible from here on out.


    In his unconsciousness, he saw a few nightmares¡ªnightmares in which he didn¡¯t need to grow stronger, where he lived a peaceful life, with children, a spouse, and the people he loved. Suddenly, he jerked out of his dream and returned to reality. He was still lying in the same place. He looked around, and there was no pressure on him. The rock was gone. For a moment, he thought it had all been a dream, but the pain from his broken ribs reminded him of reality. His spine had also been injured by the falling rock, but the rock was gone.


    Raven crawled toward the wall and leaned against it. When he looked at the spot where he had been lying, he saw that the eggs he had been protecting were also gone. The only possibility was that someone had saved him from the rock and stolen the eggs. However, he knew no one could steal the eggs from such a powerful snake. If someone were that strong, there would be no reason not to take Raven with them. In this case, the only one who could have taken the eggs was their mother. This left only one possibility¡ªthat the snake had moved the rock.


    He looked around and saw that most of the cave¡¯s entrance had been blocked by the rock. The snake had created a shelter to protect him and had saved his life. He still didn¡¯t know why his instincts had made him protect the eggs, but at least they had made him understand that the snake wouldn¡¯t kill him. And that¡¯s why he had acted as he did. He realized that if his instincts had led him to escape instead of protecting the eggs, he could have fled with less damage. Although he considered this a flaw in his instincts, it didn¡¯t matter compared to the skill he had gained. Now, with his mastered instincts, combined with his consciousness, strategy, and advanced techniques, he could fight with incredible physical power.


    From this point forward, the only thing left to do was focus on physical training until he could learn magic. His cracked obsidian alloy sword, at the basic level, had been completely destroyed under the rock. Despite this, he made a bag from his clothes, tied the mouth of the bag, and packed the sword pieces to give to a blacksmith later. Hoping he wouldn¡¯t run into anything dangerous, he limped past the barricade the snake had created. Night had already fallen, and when he looked up and sniffed the air, he found it to be freezing cold. Though the wind wasn¡¯t strong, it carried an incredibly cold breeze mixed with the scent of trees. Raven couldn¡¯t feel the cold due to the pain in his body, but his limbs kept going numb as he walked.


    As the price for mastering his ultra instinct, he was left with a slashed abdomen, broken ribs, a fractured left wrist, an almost broken spine, and the loss of his sword. Still, he was quite satisfied. Despite limping and walking in pain, he walked with his head held high and his steps sure. Raven would much prefer this over walking healthily but without honor. However, what he feared most was encountering a monster while crippled and without a sword. In his current condition, he couldn¡¯t even catch a rabbit.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    After walking for what felt like hours, he finally saw the mansion. But if the guards saw him, everything would be revealed. Since it was impossible to sneak into the mansion without using the main gate, there was no way he could enter unnoticed. That meant he would have to spend the night in a tavern in the city. Even though he was from the Hunter family, there was little chance anyone would recognize him by his face alone. The only problem was money, but he would find a way to solve that, too. After changing his route, he finally entered the city.


    Everyone was staring at him because of his injured state. First, he needed new clothes. Knowing these streets better than anyone, he knew exactly where to get them. Limping, he headed for an alley and turned the corner. Three men were leaning against the walls. Two were leaning on the same wall side by side, while the other was leaning against the opposite wall. They were talking about something, and judging by their appearance, they were drunk and looked quite defenseless. Next to them was a young man with a bruised eye, clearly beaten, and barely standing in his torn clothes.


    Raven walked toward the alley as the conversations grew closer. The trio raised their heads and looked at him, but the beaten man kept his head down, still staring at the ground. One of the men spoke up:


    "You¡¯ve got no business being here, kid. But since you¡¯ve come to us, we can¡¯t let you leave empty-handed."


    As Raven limped toward them, keeping his broken arm close to his abdomen, he used his other hand to support himself against the wall, drawing closer. One of the men pulled out a knife and started walking toward him.


    Raven muttered quietly, "I think knocking you out won¡¯t hurt as much as what I do after I knock you out."


    The man walking toward him with the knife didn¡¯t understand and asked, "Huh? What are you talking about?" He lunged at Raven with the knife. Raven sidestepped, dislocated the man¡¯s arm with his right hand, and kicked him in the back with his left leg, sending him flying to the ground. As the man writhed in pain, the other two pulled out their knives and charged toward him. Even if he wasn¡¯t in a narrow alley, Raven couldn¡¯t jump. If he did, the slash on his abdomen would tear open further, and it already hurt unbearably. But Raven was no ordinary street kid even before his training¡ªhe had always been a master fighter. His genius battle body was part of the reason, of course.


    The old Raven would have used a bunch of techniques to dodge all the attacks. But now, even if he didn¡¯t dodge, an ordinary knife couldn¡¯t easily cut through his skin. Grabbing the first man¡¯s arm, Raven hurled him against the wall with all his strength. The man screamed in pain, and the loud sound echoed as the man left an obvious imprint on the wall. The last remaining man, after seeing what had happened, pulled back his knife and started running. Normally, Raven wouldn¡¯t have let him go, and now he desperately needed money. He grabbed the knife that had fallen to the ground from the man he threw into the wall and threw it at the fleeing man¡¯s back, causing him to collapse as he ran.

 28: The loot

    Raven walked over to the first man he had taken down and kicked him in the head with all his strength, smashing his face and rendering him unconscious. He was now ready to gather his loot, and he was quite pleased. Then he remembered that someone had witnessed all of this. He lifted his head and looked in the direction of the young man who had been beaten earlier. The guy looked like he was about to wet himself from fear. Raven, limping again, walked over to the young man and started to speak:


    "I saved your life. You better keep quiet about this. If I hear anything about this anywhere, I''ll find you and make you wish you were dead."


    The young man suddenly nodded and started running. Raven knew it was now time to gather his loot. He decided to start with the man who had tried to run away since he was the closest and had a knife in his back. To prevent him from dying of blood loss, Raven carefully turned him over without removing the knife and started searching his pockets. The man had about 5 credits in his pocket¡ªnot even enough for a meal. Since he had just come out of a fight and his body had already begun to heal, Raven was extremely hungry.


    Limping, he walked over to the first man he had knocked down. This one had a bag on his belt. Raven first checked the man¡¯s pockets, which were empty. Inside the bag, he found a small packet of white powder. Raven, having grown up and lived on the streets of this city, immediately knew what it was. In fact, he knew the prices of all the drugs sold in this city. This particular drug was known as "Night Veil Powder." The name came from how it was said to cover the mind with a dark veil, putting the user into a sleep-like state. It was also rumored to cause hallucinations. Long-term use, and addiction, would eventually sever the user¡¯s connection with reality entirely, transforming the hallucinations into dreams. The user would begin to live only within their own mind. Those in this state wouldn¡¯t have the awareness to eat, so they would die from hunger, thirst, or external factors in a short time.


    Raven had never used drugs in his life, even though people he trusted, whom he could call brothers, had. Most of them were dead now. The ones who survived had betrayed him. Normally, selling this packet would provide enough money to last him for weeks, but he had always hated drug dealers and couldn''t bring himself to stoop so low. So, he opened the packet, dumped the powder into a burning barrel, and threw the empty packet in with it. Then, he continued searching the bag. Inside, he found a large knife with a black hilt and a black blade. Even though it was made of steel, it looked like it had been crafted by a skilled blacksmith. The patterns and serrations on it indicated it was a fine weapon. If he sold it, he could probably make at least 200 credits, but since he was currently weaponless and vulnerable, he decided to keep the knife and use it until he returned to the manor. He strapped the bag to his back and moved on to the last man.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    He started searching this man¡¯s pockets and, as soon as his hand went in, he felt something bulky. When he emptied the pocket, he found a large sum of money¡ªat least 500 credits. The only explanation for carrying this much money was that he had just received it. This meant that the other two men had probably bought drugs from this man and paid him what they could for now, intending to pay the rest later. After all, this particular drug was one of the most expensive in the city, and 500 credits wasn¡¯t enough. Feeling thoroughly satisfied, Raven stood up, strapped on his bag, and limped out of the alley.


    After looking around a bit, he realized he needed to spend the night in a hospital rather than an inn. His stomach needed stitches, and his arm needed rest. Since he knew the city like the back of his hand, he made his way to the hospital. When he finally stepped through the door, the nurses at the front desk immediately noticed how bad his condition was. They tried to help him, but they felt compelled to back off because of Raven¡¯s intense stare. He slowly made his way to the doctor¡¯s office and opened the door. The doctor was so engrossed in paperwork that he didn¡¯t even notice Raven come in. Raven unwrapped the fabric from around his stomach and lay down on the hospital bed. When the doctor stood up, it was only then that he realized someone had entered. When he lowered his head, he couldn¡¯t make sense of the scene before him.


    It must be some sort of joke the nurses were playing on him. They had to have brought in a corpse because, lying in front of him, was a person whose skin was pale, with bruises all over, and whose abdomen was nearly split open, exposing parts of their organs. The most terrifying part, however, was when the doctor looked up and saw this ¡°corpse¡± staring back at him with cold, lifeless eyes beneath a mess of dark hair.


    The doctor jumped back in shock, his heart racing, but before he could react further, Raven spoke in a calm, low voice.


    ¡°Are you going to do your job, doctor?¡±


    The doctor adjusted his glasses and cautiously approached Raven again, this time examining him more closely. After a long, deep breath, he muttered, ¡°How are you even alive?¡±


    Raven remained silent, lying still on the bed. The doctor, now focused, continued, "We¡¯ll need anesthesia. I need to stitch up that wound on your stomach and put a splint on your arm. I¡¯ll also prepare some medication for the bruises."


    As the doctor turned to leave, Raven grabbed him firmly by the wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time with anesthesia. You have one hour to finish the stitching.¡±


    The doctor, panicking slightly, replied, ¡°But there¡¯s no way I can stitch a wound that large in just an hour!¡±


    Raven tightened his grip on the doctor¡¯s wrist, making it clear he was not asking for a discussion. The doctor, feeling the pressure, quickly gave in. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll do what I can, but¡­ out of curiosity, I need to ask you a few questions.¡±


    Raven released the doctor¡¯s wrist, signaling that he wasn¡¯t interested in idle talk. The doctor, still feeling uneasy, gathered the necessary tools, glancing nervously at Raven. Normally, performing a surgery without anesthesia would be unthinkable, but it was obvious that anyone who could endure such severe pain and still be alive wouldn¡¯t care much about the pain of surgery.


    Finally, the doctor started both his questions and his work, stitching Raven''s wound as quickly as possible while trying to maintain precision.

 29: The Nightmares

    When the doctor started stitching, Raven remained unresponsive. Given that the doctor worked in this rough neighborhood, he was accustomed to healing wounds from street fights¡ªsome with gouged-out eyes, others missing limbs. In such cases, a simple cloth would be sufficient to stop the bleeding temporarily. However, this wound wasn¡¯t one that could be covered with mere cloth, and judging by its appearance, hours had passed since it was inflicted. As the doctor stitched, he spoke, "How are you still alive, young man?"


    Raven paused before replying, "You do what you have to do."


    The doctor understood the depth behind these simple words, realizing that this young man had lived a hard life. The look in his eyes and the fact that he had survived such an injury made it clear: Raven wasn¡¯t fearless because he wanted to die, but because he was determined to live and accomplish his purpose. To have such confidence in oneself required a lifetime of success in everything one attempted. Yet, this boy didn¡¯t even look like he was in his twenties. The doctor muttered softly, almost to himself, "This must be what they call a god complex."


    Raven smiled faintly, still staring at the ceiling, and then asked, "What do you know about the drug dealers in this city?"


    The doctor hesitated, his hand freezing mid-stitch, as if something had crossed his mind. After a pause, he continued, clearly reluctant to answer. Raven, still lying there, turned his head to the doctor and raised an eyebrow, making it clear that he expected an answer. Raven¡¯s presence exerted a pressure the doctor couldn¡¯t ignore. Wiping his brow with a cloth, the doctor finally spoke, "Why do you want to know?"


    Raven locked eyes with him, replying coldly, "I ask the questions here, old man. Just answer."


    The doctor''s hesitation was understandable. If someone he didn¡¯t know came in with such a massive wound and asked this kind of question, it could mean one of two things: either the organization was testing him, or a rival group was preparing for war. Either way, the doctor was in trouble. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t answer such a question, but right now, if he wanted to save his life from Raven, he knew he had no choice. He could figure out how to survive later. "There¡¯s a group called the Nightmare Organization. They control most of the drug and human trafficking in the city."


    Raven frowned, asking, "Human trafficking?"


    The doctor nodded nervously, continuing to stitch. What shocked Raven the most was the fact that there was such a massive organization in a city he¡¯d lived in his whole life, and he hadn¡¯t even heard its name. He¡¯d always assumed drug sales were made by individuals, and others just bought what they needed. Likewise, he¡¯d never heard anything about human trafficking. While he knew the names of many smaller gangs, he had never once come across anything related to this Nightmare Organization. No matter how he tried to connect the dots, it didn¡¯t make sense. He suddenly stopped thinking and turned to the doctor again. "Do you know anything else?"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The doctor, looking terrified, met Raven¡¯s gaze and answered, "The Nightmare Organization is everywhere in this city. When you walked in here, I even thought you might be one of them. But the thing is, the Nightmare isn¡¯t the scariest part. The real danger is that a kraken doesn¡¯t fight a sardine. They control countless smaller criminal gangs, and about two-thirds of the people in this city are involved in those gangs. Most of the people in those gangs don¡¯t even know the Nightmare exists."


    Raven suddenly grabbed the doctor¡¯s arm and twisted it, making him drop the needle. "How do you know all this? Are you some kind of high-ranking member?"


    The doctor, pushing back with his free hand, cried out, "No, no! I was just their old doctor. Please, let me go!"


    Raven had no real reason or proof to believe him, but the doctor was the only one he could trust for now. If the doctor had been one of them, he wouldn¡¯t have given up any information in the first place, Raven thought. The doctor regained his composure, picked up the needle, and focused back on the stitching. Raven¡¯s questions, however, weren¡¯t over. "Do you know who the leaders of this organization are?"


    The doctor began sweating again, his body trembling, as a chill ran down his spine. Finally, he managed to speak. "No one can see the boss except the highest-ranking members. I was just a simple doctor. They say only the top four members of the Nightmare have ever met him. The first one is said to be him."


    Raven pondered for a moment before continuing his interrogation. "How strong are their leaders?"


    The doctor laughed nervously, his hands shaking. "I-I haven¡¯t seen it for myself, but¡­ they say if he wanted, he could destroy the whole city easily."


    Raven stared at the ceiling, feeling genuinely uneasy. There was a chance that this boss might be as strong as Edward Hunter, or even stronger. The most powerful creature Raven had encountered so far was the serpent he fought that morning. If the boss had equal power to that serpent, even if Raven tried a thousand times, he couldn¡¯t beat him in his current state. Every time he thought back to that fight, he remembered how he couldn¡¯t even scratch the serpent, which had merely toyed with him. His pride was wounded.


    Raven¡¯s top priority was to grow stronger, and there was no better time than now to start. "What happens if I challenge this gang?"


    The doctor¡¯s heart raced as he stammered, "W-with your current state, it¡¯s impossible. Even if you were a god, one person can¡¯t fight a whole organization. Only an organization can fight an organization."


    Raven burst out laughing, leaving the doctor confused as he continued stitching. When the laughter finally stopped, Raven spoke again, "From this moment on, I¡¯m starting my own organization."

 30: The cursed one

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    The doctor was already expecting such a move from this crazy young man, so he wasn''t too surprised. However, since he was quite ignorant about these matters, he thought he would die instantly. For no reason at all, the doctor felt compelled to help and the words poured out of his mouth: "I want to help you establish your gang."


    Raven was quite taken aback and started looking into the doctor''s eyes. "Why would you want to do something like that?"


    After taking a deep breath, the doctor replied, "My eldest son has become addicted due to the drugs sold by these bastards. It is destroying our family both financially and emotionally. Even when I tried to get him to leave home, he threatened me. If this gang can really be stopped, I believe you can do it. Clearly, you¡¯ve never used any drugs in your life, and your body is that of someone who fights and trains regularly. You¡¯re a person who doesn¡¯t give up on your goals. I want to trust you as much as you trust yourself. If you allow me, I would like to support you on this journey."


    Raven, after nodding resolutely, stood up since the stitches were complete. The doctor panicked suddenly. "The stitches have just been finished; you shouldn''t be getting up!"


    Reluctantly, Raven lay back down. The doctor brought a pillow for his head and sat on the chair beside him. After a silence settled in the room, the doctor broke the silence: "What is your name, young man?"


    Raven turned to the doctor and replied, looking with his pale eyes, "Raven, Raven Blake."


    The doctor extended his hand and called out, "Oliver, Oliver Reed." They shook hands, symbolizing their temporary alliance. The doctor continued speaking, "Do you know how to establish your own gang, Raven?"


    Raven replied, "No, I have no idea."


    The doctor continued speaking, seemingly unfazed by the answer he received. "All new gang registrations underground are even made by the Nightmares. All organizations give a certain share of their earnings to the Nightmare Organization."


    Raven nodded and began to speak, "So, where do I need to establish my new gang?"


    The doctor replied, "Every month, a tournament is held underground. While existing gangs can participate to increase their reputation, new gangs can also create a new gang with their name by achieving a certain rank."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    After forming a few questions in his mind, Raven started to ask them. "Does one member from each gang compete in the tournament?"


    The doctor frowned and answered, "Normally, one member can compete; however, in case the main fighter cannot attend, a backup fighter can be included."


    Raven thought that he needed to grow stronger as usual. Because if there were so many things he didn''t know in these streets, it could never be guaranteed that he could defeat the person in front of him. Especially if he wanted to rise quickly, he had to be first. The doctor stood up and took off his apron. "It''s getting late, so I''m going home. You can leave whenever you want in the morning; don¡¯t worry about the money."


    Raven reached into his bag and handed the doctor 200 credits out of the 500 credits he had. The doctor smiled as he took the money and muttered, "This isn''t even half the cost, but thank you. You''ll pay me back generously once you win." He left the room and turned off the lights. From that moment on, Raven had a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders: he had to fight the gang, fulfill the duties of the Hunter family, and solve the school''s problems. The gang problem could wait for a while; right now, his sole focus was on waiting for Miles to grow stronger while he also needed to heal and train as much as he could. As he thought about the future, his eyes closed, and he fell asleep quickly.


    When he woke up very early in the morning, the doctor was already there, attending to his operating room. As soon as Raven opened his eyes and sat up, the doctor rushed over to him and began speaking excitedly, "Raven, I need to tell you something!"


    Though Raven didn''t understand why the doctor was so excited at this hour, he wasn''t entirely indifferent to it. The doctor continued, "Look at your chest, quickly!"


    When Raven looked, he couldn''t see anything abnormal aside from the stitches and the wound. Realizing he didn''t understand, the doctor continued, "The condition of your stitches right now is the same as what it should be in about a week. This means you''re healing nearly ten times faster than a normal person."


    Although Raven appeared unfazed, because he was healing, the doctor, Oliver, had examined Raven¡¯s body while he was deep asleep. He noticed that there were no physical changes, meaning Raven''s only physical superiority came from his body training. He hadn''t used any expensive medicine or magic to heal, nor had he meditated. Since this was an impossible situation in medical history, Oliver was absolutely sure, and the words spilled out of his mouth: "Everything... everything comes from your brain. Although your body is that of an ordinary human, your brain seems to carry the soul of a god. Your combat abilities, healing speed, and fearlessness all relate to your brain. If everything comes to an end, with your permission, I would like to conduct research on you."


    Raven sighed expressionlessly, turned his head away, and spoke quietly, "This isn''t a blessing."


    Even though the doctor could hear him easily, he didn¡¯t understand, so he wanted to hear it again and raised his eyebrows. Raven, however, repeated more loudly, "I am not blessed. The reason for all of this is that I was born cursed."

 31: Masked man

    The doctor still couldn¡¯t make sense of Raven''s words. Even if he never fought again in his life, with such healing power, Raven could live a much easier life than a normal person. While the doctor thought this was the ultimate blessing, the fact that Raven called it a curse confused him completely. The doctor suddenly started asking Raven the questions on his mind: "This could be one of the greatest blessings in both medical history and on the battlefield. How can you so easily call it a curse?"


    Raven sighed and turned his head away, clearly not wanting to answer. When the doctor realized that Raven didn¡¯t want to respond, he turned his back and continued with his work. Slowly, Raven sat up and began to walk toward the window. The doctor was still behind the curtain, busy with his laboratory. When Raven reached the window, he moved his hand to the window handle to open it, but a loud shattering sound suddenly filled the room. A throwing knife flew through the broken glass, aimed at him. Raven tilted his head to the left, dodging it with ease. The knife embedded itself in the wall behind him, making the entire room visible.


    Raven, stepping back to stay out of sight, yelled, "Doctor, duck!"


    The doctor, after looking behind him and hearing the sounds, ducked and placed his hands over his head. Realizing that more attacks were likely to follow, Raven knew he had to grab the knife from his bag. As he crawled along the floor, he wondered, "Who could be attacking this room in the hospital, and why?" He was almost at his bag. The early hour meant it wasn¡¯t very bright outside¡ªan ideal time for an assassination. Finally, Raven reached his bag, grabbed the steel knife he had stolen from the thugs the previous night, and slowly stood up. He cautiously poked his head out to look through the window, but no one was visible. He leaned further out, checking below, but the street was empty too. It was still too early, and there wasn¡¯t a single soul outside.


    Without turning his back to the window, Raven carefully began walking toward the door. Both he and the doctor knew that there were very few people Raven could beat in a one-on-one fight at this moment, especially if a skilled assassin had come for him. Even if Raven won, his stitches could tear open. As he approached the door, he slowly turned around, keeping one hand on the door handle while holding the knife in a defensive grip with his other hand. He began to turn the handle gently, but as the door creaked open, he took an instinctive step back. From the partially open door, a man dressed in all black kicked his way into the room. When the man¡¯s kick missed, he grabbed the window frame. His mask was now fully visible.


    Raven had never seen this mask before, but a few ideas were already forming in his mind. The mask had hollow black eye sockets, as if staring into an abyss, and a purple vein-like pattern surrounded the eye area. The mouth, much larger in proportion to the rest of the face, was decorated with jagged teeth motifs. After tightening his grip on his knife, Raven and the man began circling each other in the room. Dr. Oliver, watching from a distance, was witnessing the unfolding events. Both Raven and the masked man waited for the other to make a move. Deciding to break the silence, Raven spoke, "Who do you work for? Which one of us are you after, and what is your objective?"If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The man grinned beneath the mask, his voice low and raspy, and drew a knife from his belt, throwing it at Raven. Raven dodged it, but it hit a lamp in the doctor¡¯s lab, sending sparks flying. The masked man grinned again and spoke in the same deep voice, "I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve never heard the legends of this mask in the city, Raven Blake."


    Raven furrowed his brow and focused entirely on the man. The attacker continued, "It is said that everyone who sees this mask for the first time also sees it for the last time. Since I¡¯ll be the last thing you ever see, there¡¯s no harm in telling you who I am."


    As they circled each other, both searching for an opening, Raven found it strange¡ªnot because of the man¡¯s words, but because he gave no hint of weakness, even while talking. Raven had hoped he could make the man reveal an opening by engaging him in conversation, but it was clear now that this man was a master of combat. As Raven''s thoughts raced, the man went on, "I¡¯m part of the elite unit of the Nightmares, a name you might have at least heard of. Last night, 500 credits were missing from the organization''s drug revenue, and naturally, when we tracked down a man involved in a gang fight on the same night, we found a 17-year-old who¡¯s been in and out of prison countless times¡ªan adolescent named Raven Blake, currently under the protection of the Hunter family."


    Raven was visibly shocked. The Nightmares were such a powerful organization that they had uncovered his entire history in a single night. The speed at which they gathered information was absurd. There had to be a leak¡ªsomeone must have given them his name, and the only person who could have done that was the doctor himself. Raven, gritting his teeth, was furious. He had been betrayed many times in his life, but never had he been made to feel this foolish. It was clear now that he had allowed the doctor to take him into his hands. Lost in his thoughts and rage, Raven made an opening, and the masked man took his chance. Drawing a long katana from behind his back, he lunged at Raven.


    Even though Raven snapped back to his senses, it was too late. The man was clearly the fastest opponent he had faced since Soren. He could avoid the blow, but since he reacted too late, he would have to take minimal damage. As the man thrust his katana at Raven¡¯s face, Raven deflected it with his knife, but the blade left a cut across Raven''s face. The masked man¡¯s grin grew wider as he stepped back, positioning himself again. He raised his guard and spoke, "I didn¡¯t expect you to dodge that attack. Maybe if you weren¡¯t injured, you could have beaten me. But surely you¡¯ve noticed by now that with the difference in our strength, your fate is sealed here."

 32: Outstanding technique

    Even though Raven had always been confident in himself since birth, from this moment on, he knew the man in front of him was right. Because even though he wasn¡¯t injured, the man¡¯s armor and weapon were at least advanced level, while Raven had only a steel knife in his hand. Raven may not have valued his life all these years, but the battle he was about to fight wasn¡¯t for his life; it was for his honor. Raven took his stance as the masked man launched the first attack. Raven dodged to the left and swung his knife horizontally. The masked man stepped back and, gripping his sword with both hands, charged again. He kept slashing in many directions at incredible speed, but even though Raven stepped back each time, it was nearly impossible for him to dodge with a knife much smaller than the sword. While Raven''s superior reflexes and combat skills allowed him to dodge every attack, the size of the masked man¡¯s katana and Raven¡¯s limited range meant he had no opportunity to counterattack. No matter what he did, with the range he had, he couldn¡¯t find an opening and kept dodging the storm of attacks.


    The masked man seemed to be getting quite angry and began using his full speed. Both moved swiftly, with Raven dodging the attacks by circling around the room, while the man tried to corner him, jabbing at him with every step. After minutes of this back-and-forth, the masked man had clearly reached the limit of his speed and had been attacking steadily at the same pace for the last few minutes. Although Raven could easily match his speed, his condition was worsening due to his injury, and he was becoming increasingly exhausted. The sound of metal clashing echoed through the room so rapidly that if anyone were nearby, their ears would surely be ringing.


    Finally, when Raven was completely drained, instead of deflecting the masked man¡¯s katana with his knife, he held it in place. He planned to push the katana away again after catching his breath. The masked man, though furious after missing for minutes even at top speed, laughed when Raven did this and then started to speak: ¡°If I didn¡¯t know your age, I¡¯d think your experience was the reason for how well you fight, Raven Blake, but I forgot you''re just a child prodigy. If you were to live, maybe you could make it into the top ten in the Nightmares.¡±


    Raven, not understanding where he went wrong, decided to deflect the man¡¯s sword since he had bought himself enough time. A scream of "AAAAAAH" erupted from the masked man as he applied all his strength to Raven¡¯s knife, splitting the blade in two. Even though Raven didn¡¯t expect this, he was prepared for the worst, so after pulling back his arm, he threw the hilt of the knife with all his strength at the man and managed to get out of the corner. The masked man, unaffected, turned around slowly and spoke in his gruff voice: ¡°Raven Blake, you¡¯re such an amateur that you thought a weapon not even part of the basic class could withstand an advanced-level katana. Also, since you couldn¡¯t even get within my range with a knife, killing you barehanded won¡¯t be any different from slaughtering a kitten. I don¡¯t want to feel guilty while doing it, so do your best, okay?¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    After laughing for a moment, Raven turned his back and broke off a leg from the table, taking it in his hand. After assuming his stance, he spoke again, smiling: ¡°Actually, you¡¯ve already lost.¡± The masked man didn¡¯t understand what he meant, but he didn¡¯t care much; he was holding something that wasn¡¯t even a weapon, and with it, he couldn¡¯t even kill an ordinary person. Raven spoke again: ¡°I¡¯ve never seen myself as a genius, but if you humans see me that way, believing that this is all I¡¯m capable of is more childish than anything I¡¯ve ever done.¡±


    The masked man responded in his gruff voice: ¡°At least after I kill you, I won¡¯t feel any remorse.¡± When the masked man finished speaking, Raven dropped his guard and waited for the first attack. The masked man, surprised by Raven dropping his guard, attacked without hesitation. He slashed his sword diagonally, but Raven dodged with an extremely small movement. He continued his attacks from the right, left, above, and below, but the result didn¡¯t change. Raven dodged each strike with pinpoint precision without moving much. The masked man thought either Raven was lucky enough to dodge thanks to his remaining energy, or he was using an advanced technique to conserve energy while effortlessly evading.


    While waiting for the next attack, Raven began to speak: ¡°Wow, I¡¯m using this technique against a human for the first time.¡± From Raven''s previous words and his current confidence, the masked man easily understood that this wasn¡¯t the fear of someone lucky enough to escape at the last moment; this was the confidence of someone displaying their technique with skill and effort. As the man sped up his sword strikes, Raven quickened his dodges as well. He effortlessly evaded each attack, mocking him in the process: ¡°Come on, Nightmare guy, you have to be faster. You can¡¯t be slower than a kitten.¡± The masked man, enraged, began to scream, and although he increased his speed, he had lost control. It had been so long since he had affected Raven in any way that his brain had convinced him it was pointless to keep trying. Unwilling to accept this, he had lost himself.


    As he swung to the left, Raven dodged to the right and struck the man¡¯s chin with the leg of the table he was holding. Although it didn¡¯t seem to have much of an effect, Raven hadn¡¯t expected to achieve much with just one hit anyway. Now, after each dodge, he began striking the man¡¯s chin with the stick. He ducked and hit, sidestepped and hit. The man, so enraged, wasn¡¯t feeling anything, but Raven¡¯s stick was completely bent from the armor.


    The masked man swung down horizontally, and after Raven ducked, he tossed the stick into the air and caught the bent end. As he stood up, he swung the stick from below toward the man¡¯s chin with all his momentum. The sound was so loud that it would make anyone¡¯s hair stand on end, just imagining a human hitting another human with such force. The entire building almost shook, and a reverberating noise echoed through the streets. The masked man flew backward and fell to the ground. His mask had cracked, revealing part of his chin, where the flesh had been torn, and his teeth had ripped through his mouth. He was now in no condition to speak, even if he wanted to.

 33: Mans pride

    Since Raven had put all his strength into a single attack, he was utterly exhausted. He threw aside the shattered iron leg of the table and began to walk towards the man on the floor, panting. Blood was gushing from the man¡¯s mouth, and he looked almost unconscious from the blow. Raven had a few lingering questions, and as he approached the man, he muttered them to himself. ¡°I wonder why he never used magic. If he had used magic from the start, he could have easily taken me down with any spell.¡±


    As Raven got closer, he noticed that the man''s blood had started to dry up, and even the flesh under his mask had begun to rot. Raven immediately dropped to his knees and lifted the mask. What he saw was both disgusting and unbelievable¡ªhis face had decayed, but Raven was sure it hadn¡¯t been that way from the beginning. While it was possible that a spell was causing the body to decompose, Raven was certain that the blow alone wouldn¡¯t have killed him through the armor.


    As Raven pondered his thoughts, the man¡¯s flesh continued to decay, but Raven had more pressing matters to attend to. He needed to confront the doctor crouching nearby. Raven stood up and began walking when he suddenly felt someone grab his ankle. However, this was no ordinary grip; it was so tight that Raven felt like his leg was about to be torn off. Instinctively, he twisted his body and kicked the man¡¯s head, which made him release his ankle¡ªnot because the kick was effective, but because the corpse had opened its eyes and was staring at Raven.


    With its hair having fallen out recently and the armor still on its body aside from the helmet, the corpse looked like a samurai''s. Raven leaped back, taking a defensive stance with his fists. He expected the corpse to reach for its sword, but instead, it just stood up, acting purely on instinct. Its eyes were still fixed on Raven, although what made it terrifying was that its eyeballs had long since fallen from their sockets. Even though it couldn¡¯t see, its gaze seemed to convey some kind of message. But Raven didn¡¯t care in the slightest. As long as he had his fists up, all he had to do was kill it again.


    Raven grinned before charging forward, aiming a punch at the corpse¡¯s face. The corpse caught Raven¡¯s punch at head height and locked eyes with him. It gripped Raven¡¯s fist with all its strength and flung him toward the wall. Like in his previous fights, Raven used the momentum from the wall to spring back toward the corpse. Mid-air, he angled himself and brought his feet forward. As the corpse raised its arm to grab him, Raven dipped low and landed an uppercut to its chin. ¡°What is it with you and your chin, man?¡±


    Although the corpse was unresponsive, it was clearly affected, stumbling from the blow. The corpse swung its fist at Raven with incredible speed. Normally, Raven would have easily dodged using his ultra-instinct, but he wasn¡¯t using it right now. Activating the ultra-instinct required a period of focus. Blocking the punch with his arm could break it, leaving him without a weapon. That meant he had to meet it head-on with the hardest bone in his body¡ªhis skull. He clenched his fists and teeth, preparing for the impact.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    When the punch connected, the room reverberated with a powerful wave as Raven''s head snapped to the side, blood spraying from his nose and mouth. But he didn¡¯t move from his spot. He plugged one nostril with his thumb, letting blood gush from the other as he laughed. He pounded his chest with both fists. ¡°KEEP GOING, YOU SON OF A BITCH!¡±


    With one hand guarding himself, Raven delivered a full-force punch to the corpse''s face. The corpse staggered sideways but quickly turned to face him again. It raised its fist to strike Raven once more, and Raven didn¡¯t dodge this time either. This wasn¡¯t about honor as a warrior anymore, or even the desire to survive. This was about pride¡ªpure, masculine pride.


    Raven had grown up without considering concepts like masculinity or femininity because, in his eyes, anyone who fought to survive and grow stronger deserved respect. But this time, what he felt was undeniably the need to protect something¡ªthe pride of manhood. Even though he was fighting a corpse, it was still a man he was facing. Raven could run away and save his life, but he couldn¡¯t accept another man''s authority challenging his own anymore.


    When the corpse¡¯s punch landed, more blood sprayed from Raven¡¯s nose. ¡°SO YOU WANT TO PLAY LIKE THIS, YOU BAG OF BONES?¡± Raven swung his fist with all his might and struck the corpse again, causing it to stumble once more. Even though it was a corpse, Raven was hitting so hard that if an ordinary human took one of those punches, their bones would likely disintegrate.


    For minutes, the two of them took turns landing punches. Raven, half-naked, looked like a true warrior, his body no longer as scrawny as before, making him quite the striking figure if not for his battered face. When it was Raven¡¯s turn again, he lifted his fist with all his strength and slammed it into the corpse¡¯s face. Finally, after one last stagger, the corpse fell to the ground, dead for good this time.


    Having won both the fight and his masculine pride, Raven let out a battle cry. When it ended, he looked down at the corpse, which had fallen beside its katana. Raven planned to use the katana temporarily until he acquired the Dagger of the Blood Bat. He bent down to grab the sword, but a voice echoed from the room. ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t take that sword!¡±


    Raven turned around to see the doctor. He had completely forgotten about him after all the blows and pain to his head. Raven reached for the sword again and spoke. ¡°First, I¡¯m going to take this sword, and then I¡¯m going to chop you into as many pieces as I can and feed you to the ravens.¡±


    As Raven picked up the sword and began walking toward him, the doctor screamed, ¡°I didn¡¯t betray you!¡±


    Raven suddenly laughed, continuing to approach. ¡°Sure, sure. I¡¯ll reward you for your loyalty by letting the hungry ravens feast on you.¡±


    The doctor was clearly trembling, and he had nowhere left to run.

 34: Burying the corpse

    As Raven raised his sword to kill the doctor, the doctor suddenly shouted, ¡°Wait!¡± Raven halted, raising an eyebrow in response. The doctor had shut his eyes tightly in fear, but realizing he was still alive, he slowly opened them. Raven stood ready to strike, his expression suggesting he was waiting to hear the doctor¡¯s final words. The doctor, panicking, quickly began to speak.


    ¡°I truly didn¡¯t betray you! If I intended to kill you, I could have done so last night when you were completely defenseless.¡±


    Raven lowered his sword slightly and spoke, ¡°Then how did they get all this information?¡±


    Dusting himself off and standing up, the doctor replied, ¡°They have intelligence networks across the entire country. Threatening just a few staff members would be enough. If someone named ¡®Raven Blake¡¯ has appeared in a certain region¡¯s records, they can easily piece together your past like a puzzle.¡±


    Raven understood the logic, though his trust in the doctor was shaken. He stood there with a furrowed brow, waiting for more answers. Sensing Raven¡¯s gaze, the doctor continued, ¡°I recorded your presence when I left last night. They probably threatened the nurses first to get your name, then checked different regions to uncover your past.¡±


    Raven knew that much of his history could be traced through dungeon records, including his adoption by the Hunter family. As he mulled over this, the doctor spoke again, ¡°But I don¡¯t know why they would go to such lengths. No matter how important you are, they wouldn¡¯t act so hastily unless you¡¯ve recently harmed them.¡±


    Raven was quite sure of why they acted so suddenly. ¡°Before coming here last night, I stole some money from a group of drug dealers. The assassin who attacked earlier mentioned a shortage of money. So, they neither knew me well nor had a significant reason to strike.¡±


    The doctor nodded in agreement, returning to his disordered laboratory. Raven turned, picking up his scabbard from the ground, placing it on his back, and sheathing his sword. As the doctor turned around and saw him still holding the sword, he warned, ¡°I told you not to take that sword.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Raven looked at him, confused, and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The doctor walked over and explained, ¡°The Nightmare Clan¡¯s equipment is all enchanted with tracking spells. Even after death, the spell remains on the gear for years. You need to bury it somewhere in the forest until the spell weakens. That way, it¡¯ll take them longer to realize their men are dead.¡±


    Though disappointed, Raven knew he would have to let go of the weapon if that were true. Just as he approached the door, the doctor called out again, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to leave any traces, take the armor as well. That spell is on it too. Since it¡¯s assassin armor, it shouldn¡¯t be too heavy; I¡¯ll move the corpse to the hospital morgue myself.¡±


    Raven turned back, kneeling beside the skeleton, removing the pieces of armor one by one. He borrowed a sack from the doctor, loaded all the armor inside, and headed for the door. ¡°Be careful, Raven,¡± the doctor advised. Raven nodded and set off into the forest, knowing exactly where to bury the equipment. The cave entrance he had sealed with the serpent would serve as a perfect hiding place; the tracking spell¡¯s power would be entirely neutralized there. If they couldn¡¯t trace the remaining gear, there would be no solid evidence of the man¡¯s death. Low-ranking assassins usually weren¡¯t given much importance in any organization.


    Raven traveled a long distance once again, though this time with a clear destination, allowing him to move much faster. Squeezing through the rocks, he entered the cave and lit a piece of wood to use as a makeshift torch. After a few minutes of walking deeper inside, he took his sword and began digging. Had he a shovel or a pickaxe, he would have dug much faster, but using his only tool¡ªthe sword¡ªwas better than digging bare-handed. ¡°If I¡¯m doing this, I need to do it right,¡± he thought, resolving to keep at it the entire day. He dug for hours until he¡¯d created a deep enough hole, then finally covered it. Exhausted, he emerged from the cave, noting how late it had become, and headed directly toward the mansion.


    After walking for several minutes, he finally encountered the mansion guards. They immediately opened the gate and addressed him, ¡°You¡¯ve been missing for days, and in your current state, Edward Hunter wishes to see you, young sir. He¡¯s waiting in the first-floor hall. Everyone has been very worried about you.¡±


    Raven rolled his eyes as he entered. Though he was born with the battle skills of a god, he was still a teenager, and he resented these limitations. However, Edward Hunter was his father and also the man he feared most in his life. Steeling himself for a possible reprimand, he walked half-naked toward the hall where they¡¯d last spoken. When he glanced down the small stairs, he saw Miles and Edward sitting side by side, talking. The sight of Miles offered a slight sense of relief, though he was still tense.

 35: Eternal brothers

    When Raven entered the hall, both Miles and Edward had their eyes fixed on him, waiting for him to sit. Although Edward''s face was expressionless, he was giving Raven a terrifying look, while Miles sat next to his father with a fearful expression. From Miles'' gaze, Raven realized he was about to be questioned. He slowly walked forward and sat across from Edward Hunter. Silence filled the room, only interrupted by Miles'' audible gulp, as Edward Hunter kept his eyes on Raven. Taking a deep breath, Edward finally spoke. ''Before anything else, what was your reason, Raven?'' Oddly, Raven wasn¡¯t as afraid as he used to be¡ªmaybe because he had started to see himself as his father¡¯s equal, or perhaps he simply no longer thought there was anything to fear. Without breaking eye contact, he replied, ''To become stronger.''


    Edward studied him seriously for a moment, then turned away and leaned back. ''I''ve lost interest. I can''t be mad at someone who left to become stronger.'' Miles was stunned, glancing at his father in disbelief as Eleanor Hunter appeared at the top of the stairs. ''That wasn¡¯t our agreement, Edward!'' she said. Edward looked at his wife and spoke calmly. ''I suspected all along that he left to strengthen himself, so I knew I couldn''t blame him. I don¡¯t enjoy being forced to get angry.'' Eleanor scowled, her lips pursed, and she raised her voice. ''Even if he is our son, I don¡¯t want you to go so easy on him, Edward. If he runs off again in the future and something happens to him, it will be your fault.'' Edward laughed slightly and looked at Raven before turning back to his wife. ''I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t let anything happen to himself. Raven, do you swear nothing will happen to you?''


    Raven looked at Eleanor and then answered with his head held high, ''I swear not to cause trouble for myself or for you, Father and Lady Mother.'' Edward abruptly stood up, stretched, and left the room, saying, ''I knew I could trust him.'' Miles laughed, and Raven grinned. Once their parents left the room, they both stood, embraced, and shook hands. They sat across from each other again, and Miles began, ''Brother, where on earth were you for two days? And what happened to your clothes?'' Raven glanced down at himself and began recounting everything¡ªfrom his fight with the serpent and mastering his instincts, to visiting the doctor in town and learning how the Nightmare organization operates, to his battle with the masked man and the eventual decay of the man¡¯s body. Miles listened intently for several minutes, and once Raven had finished, he pondered it before speaking. ''I knew there was a gang in the city, but Father never told me about them in detail. I didn¡¯t know their names, but I was aware of how they operate, as well as some of their assassins and a few of their spells.''Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Raven nodded in agreement, and as he began to think, Miles continued, ''The reason that man''s body decayed was because of a dark spell. You said you didn¡¯t deliver a fatal blow, but he died because the people controlling him cut off his soul connection the moment they realized he would lose, and they controlled his corpse with their mana from afar. It¡¯s a temporary and weak control spell, so it¡¯s considered separate from necromancy, yet it¡¯s still useful in some situations since it allows a corpse to be made into a temporary weapon.''


    Raven nodded slightly to show he understood and took a deep breath. Then he spoke, ''So, you''re saying my opponent can use dark magic and that even his lowest-ranked assassins are on par with me?'' Miles answered, pulling a face as if trying to lift his brother''s spirits, ''Well, even if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m sure you can get through the tournament with ease. And besides, they aren¡¯t your enemies; they¡¯re our enemies. I¡¯ll be fighting in the tournament too.''


    Raven choked on his breath and started coughing. ''What are you talking about? If it gets out that Miles Hunter is personally participating in an underground tournament, and this reaches your father, your life will be over.'' Miles laughed. ''Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ve been working on some tech for a few months now. I created equipment that can cast a projection spell similar to the one in simulations. It doesn¡¯t provide protection, but visually, it can let me project any appearance on any part of my body.''


    Raven, having no knowledge of technology, just looked at Miles blankly, and Miles continued, understanding this. ''So, by expending a bit of my mana, I can copy another face or a mask without actually using a face that could be found in records. I¡¯ll just join with a cosmetic mask, and since it can¡¯t break or fall, it won¡¯t put us at risk.''


    Raven nodded in understanding, but still felt hesitant about Miles¡¯ involvement. ''I still think you shouldn¡¯t join. I¡¯ve already started gathering members for the gang.'' Miles sat up straight, staring seriously into Raven''s eyes. ''The people you trust are only with you because they can fulfill their own goals too. But we¡¯re brothers¡ªeternally brothers¡ªand I¡¯ll never leave my brother alone in such a serious situation.''


    For the first time in his life, Raven felt emotional. Growing up without family or friends, he had never had someone he could trust or someone whose presence made him truly happy. Raven took a deep breath and threw his hair back. ''Thank you, brother.'' Both of them stood up and circled the table, shaking hands. Miles held Raven¡¯s hand and looked him in the eyes. ''Since we¡¯re in this together, why don¡¯t you come and test my technology, brother?''

 36: Mimic-Veil

    After Raven and Miles linked arms, they began to walk down to the lower level together. Although Raven had seen some of the upper floors of the mansion, he hadn¡¯t descended below the ground floor since arriving. He didn¡¯t know what kind of place Miles was taking him to or what he would encounter when they got there. After descending the winding staircase, they finally arrived. What met Raven¡¯s gaze was a place that looked like a hospital, with white floors and walls. There were numerous tables with chemical apparatus Raven didn¡¯t understand. Apart from a few people, the room was otherwise empty. Although they wore white coats, beneath them were uniforms marking them as employees of the Hunter family. Raven surmised that this was where the Hunter family handled their chemistry work and thought they might be highly advanced people scientifically if they worked for the Hunters.


    As Raven continued to observe his surroundings, he noticed different doors around the room. Although some of the doors were glass, they didn¡¯t pass close enough for him to see what was behind them. While Raven was glancing curiously at the doors, Miles led him through a glass door with a white frame similar to the others. Immediately after they went through, they descended a small set of stairs. This time, what lay in front of Raven were numerous technological devices. He assumed this was likely where simulation parts and similar technological work were done. Meanwhile, Miles released Raven¡¯s arm and began walking toward one of the tables. Raven followed slowly. After Miles pressed a few floating blue buttons, the machine in front of him extended an object to him, shaped like a diamond in shades of black and blue. Since Raven didn¡¯t understand what was happening, he watched with his mouth agape as Miles, putting on a leather glove, held out the piece to Raven. ¡°Here it is¡ªthis is the ticket that will let me enter the tournament.¡±


    Raven was still watching, wide-eyed, switching his gaze between the floating transparent blue buttons and the black-and-blue crystal-like object in Miles¡¯ hand. Noticing that Raven hadn¡¯t grasped what was happening, Miles patted his back twice with his ungloved hand. ¡°Alright, brother, I guess I need to explain from the beginning. This blue screen is one of the Hunter family¡¯s technologies. Of course, it was later sold to other families and armies, but the production and patent belong to the Hunters. It provides simple access to any technology you connect to it, and since it¡¯s not a solid object, every lab generally has one.¡± After Raven glanced once more at the transparent blue screen, he turned to Miles and asked, ¡°I remember there wasn¡¯t one of these in the training simulation area; why was there just a flat panel?¡±


    Miles chuckled, pointing to his left with his ungloved hand. He was pointing at a massive, server-like structure. ¡°That giant machine over there powers this technology. Although it seems like a compact feature, it needs large spaces to operate. There¡¯s no room for something like this on the training field, and since there¡¯s not much to control there, we thought it would be unnecessary, even if space was available. Plus, it¡¯s simple enough for even you to understand.¡± Raven, after briefly looking at the machine, turned back to Miles with a neutral expression. ¡°Should I take that as an insult?¡± Miles laughed, placing the crystal-like device back on the table. ¡°Not quite, but since you understand so little about technology, I think I have the right to tease you.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Raven shook his head from side to side, then lifted his head to speak. ¡°Anyway, I remember you mentioning a mask, but I don¡¯t see one here.¡± After laughing, Miles brought his wrist closer to the crystal on the table. When he lifted his hand, the crystal had disappeared from the table. After questioning what was happening once again, Raven noticed that Miles had taken off the glove and was showing him his wrist¡ªthe crystal appeared to be attached to the front of his wrist. Raven asked in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Miles tapped the crystal with his other hand, and his face suddenly morphed into Raven¡¯s. Raven recoiled, stepping back and reflexively reaching for the sword on his back, only to remember he didn¡¯t have it. Miles, still wearing Raven¡¯s face, laughed, then reverted to his own face. Miles collapsed to his knees, wiping away tears of laughter at Raven¡¯s reaction.


    Realizing how foolish he¡¯d just looked, Raven blushed. ¡°Alright, go on with the explanation.¡± Wiping the last tear from his eye, Miles stood up, trying to regain his composure. ¡°As you can see, this device lets me change my face however I want.¡± He tapped his wrist again, and his face morphed into Edward Hunter¡¯s. However, since Miles¡¯ body was much smaller and shorter than his father¡¯s, he looked rather comical. This time, it was Raven who burst out laughing. Miles quickly reverted his face to normal, but Raven had found enough material for teasing. ¡°Alright, my friend, we¡¯re even now. Stop laughing already.¡± Raven, still chuckling, stood up and tried to keep a straight face. After a moment of silence, they both regained their composure and continued their conversation.


    Raven was the first to speak. ¡°Did you make such a technology yourself?¡± Miles looked at the crystal and nodded in affirmation, and Raven continued. ¡°To be serious, this might be the best thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Especially for an agent, it¡¯s an incredibly powerful tool. If you decide to sell this to other units, it could create massive upheaval in the world.¡± Miles replied after Raven, ¡°When I talked with my father and the scientists of the Hunter family, they said that selling it was out of the question¡ªnot even considered. It¡¯s certain this would have a big impact in wars, and it¡¯s the thing my father is proudest of me for.¡±


    After realizing the gravity of the invention, Raven continued, ¡°You keep calling such a major breakthrough a ¡®device.¡¯ Haven¡¯t you named it yet?¡± Miles removed the crystal from his wrist and placed it back into the machine¡¯s clamp, replying, ¡°Mimic-Veil.¡±

 37: Edward Hunter and symbiotes

    Raven had already realized that Miles was far better at naming things than he was. Even if he spent years trying, he wouldn¡¯t come up with a name as clever as Mimic-Veil. In fact, he¡¯d probably spend hours pondering and end up calling it something awful like "Changing Face." The truth was, Raven¡¯s general intelligence outside the battlefield was about on par with an average chimpanzee. There was no way he could invent anything close to this in his lifetime.


    After they both stared at the device for a while, Raven took a deep breath and spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re aware of what¡¯s going to happen tonight, right?¡±


    Miles nodded with a more serious expression. Raven continued, ¡°Instead of thinking about the tournament right now, we should get the layout of the cult¡¯s hideout for tonight and start planning.¡± Miles nodded again, lightly tapped Raven¡¯s back twice, and headed for the exit. Raven followed behind him.


    When they finally climbed back up to the upper floor, the temperature change was immediately noticeable. The lower floor, with its metal walls, had been quite cold, while the upper floor, with its numerous fireplaces and wooden walls, was warm and cozy. They began searching for Edward Hunter to retrieve the map they needed. Since Miles rarely found his father in his own room, he didn¡¯t even bother checking there. Instead, they wandered the house, hoping to run into him. However, in a mansion of this size, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    As Miles explained why finding his father was so difficult and why he was rarely in his room, Raven cut in.


    ¡°Finding your father is actually quite simple. Could it be your stupidity as a mage that stops you from sensing it? I¡¯m not sure, but the immense magical energy he radiates is glaringly obvious in the house.¡±


    Feeling like an idiot for not thinking of something so simple, Miles reluctantly agreed, and they began walking toward the source of the mana.


    When they reached the third floor, they saw a massive man with round glasses reading a book in front of a fireplace that hadn¡¯t been lit earlier. The library¡¯s entrance was just behind him. Despite the size of the armchair he sat in, Edward¡¯s towering figure made it look small. Quietly, Raven and Miles sat in the two chairs facing him¡ªone on his right and one on his left. Neither of them said a word, as interrupting him before he finished the page would have felt disrespectful. Although Edward had never once hit or scolded Miles, their silence wasn¡¯t born of fear. It was out of respect for a father¡¯s natural authority.


    When Edward finished his page, he marked his place with a bookmark, closed the book, removed his glasses, and placed them on top of the book before setting it on the table. Leaning back in his chair, he finally spoke.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.¡°So, boys, what do you want?¡±


    Miles began, ¡°Father, as you know, Raven and I are heading out on a mission tonight. If there isn¡¯t already a prepared route or plan for us, we¡¯d like to take the map and make our own.¡±


    Edward chuckled before responding, ¡°Of course, there was a plan, but I think a strategy devised by two teenagers sounds far more entertaining. Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡±


    Initially, Miles and Raven¡¯s faces fell, but they quickly realized this response was classic Edward Hunter. It wasn¡¯t a dismissal but rather his unique way of encouraging them. Raven spoke up, ¡°Sir, if there is a pre-determined strategy, we can work around it. If not, we¡¯ll create one ourselves.¡±


    Edward stroked his beard before answering. ¡°I know you two lack the experience to formulate a proper strategy, no matter how much it excites me to let you try. I can¡¯t take that risk. That¡¯s why the mission must be carried out passively. At least until you secure the two artifacts. If an alarm is raised, it will either result in a battle or force us to negotiate. You¡¯re neither strong enough for a fight nor experienced enough for negotiations. If you were, I¡¯d let you take a more aggressive approach.¡±


    Though Edward trusted them, Raven and Miles still failed to grasp the gravity of the situation. A war breaking out would leave them powerless to act. After a brief silence, Edward continued, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the map in your rooms. There are approximately 20 enemies in the hideout, and their positions are marked. Make a plan to remain passive based on their numbers and placements.¡±


    After nodding in agreement, the two left the room and headed to the second floor toward their rooms. As soon as they exited, Edward picked up the book he had left on the table and muttered something to himself. ¡°An Original, huh?¡±


    As Raven and Miles walked to their rooms, they started a casual conversation, initiated by Raven.


    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned before that every powerful person has a symbiote. Your father is the strongest person I¡¯ve ever seen. What¡¯s his symbiote?¡±


    Miles chuckled softly before answering, ¡°My father always thought symbiotes were pathetic creatures. He believed they didn¡¯t deserve to merge with beings like humans, who possess almost unlimited potential for growth. If you think about it long enough, it actually starts to make sense. Take magic training, for instance¡ªyou can break your limits with effort. But symbiotes? They can barely survive without humans. On any planet with life, you¡¯ll find countless symbiote markets. It¡¯s hard to argue against such logic, especially for someone like my father, who¡¯s practically inhuman.¡±


    As Raven mulled over the idea, he found it so logical that, for a moment, he wondered if he, too, should avoid using a symbiote. Then he asked another question.


    ¡°If your father found an Original, would he still refuse to merge?¡±


    Miles grew serious before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. But I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s declined offers from a few Semi-Originals on the battlefield.¡±


    Raven followed up, ¡°If he rejected Semi-Originals, then he¡¯d probably reject Originals too, wouldn¡¯t he?¡±


    Miles laughed. ¡°Dude, you have no idea how this works, do you? There are thousands of Semi-Originals, but only four known Originals. If a Semi-Original is a mountain, an Original is a solar system.¡±

 38: Operation plans

    Raven had more or less grasped the difference. If Originals were truly this powerful, finding just one of them would be enough to exact his entire revenge.


    ¡°So, can¡¯t even Edward Hunter reach an Original using all his connections?¡± he asked.


    Miles replied, ¡°Originals don¡¯t have most of the flaws that other symbiotes do. For instance, except for elite Semi-Originals and Originals themselves, almost no symbiote can permanently separate from its host once bonded because a magical connection forms. But this doesn¡¯t apply to special symbiotes. Even if everyone in the universe decided to hunt down an Original, it could merge with a chicken and escape forever. If the chicken died, it would just find another host immediately. Their eternal lives blessed with such abilities make them invincible. So, unless an Original willingly chooses, it cannot be bonded with any being. In fact, there are cults that worship all four known Originals.¡±


    Thanks to this conversation, Raven¡¯s understanding had deepened significantly. Originals weren¡¯t looking for partners or companions; it was clear they had no real purpose either. They were supreme beings who sought hosts only out of sheer boredom or for extraordinarily specific reasons. Their invulnerability and superiority were beyond anything Raven could define in the world¡ªor even in his own mind.


    With Raven falling silent and the conversation coming to an end, they arrived at the entrance to their room. Once inside, they sat down by the desks next to their beds, turning their chairs to face each other. While waiting for the map to arrive, they chatted about random things for a while. After 5-10 minutes, a steward brought the map. Setting it aside for a moment, they pushed their desks together, finally opening the map to reveal the layout of the hideout. It appeared to be a cave, sparsely divided yet expansive, with the two Chaos Stones placed in different sections. To avoid drawing attention, there was minimal lighting, which worked to their advantage for sneaking around.


    Miles and Raven silently studied the map for a while before Miles spoke first.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to stay stealthy, we shouldn¡¯t waste time doing anything that might draw attention. If we mess up, all 24 of them will go on high alert simultaneously. And if everyone panics, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll get those stones.¡±


    Raven nodded and added,


    ¡°It looks like even the nearest guards are only five meters apart. Despite their numbers, they¡¯ve had to spread out due to the large area. We don¡¯t need an incredible plan; we just need the physical capability. If we¡¯re fast and quiet enough, we can get this done quickly.¡±


    Miles nodded but began to rub his head, looking worried.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.¡°You might be fast and quiet enough to be an assassin, but I¡¯m not. I could use magic to muffle my movements and make myself at least three times faster, but judging by the size of the area, my mana wouldn¡¯t last long enough to get us out after we grab the stones. This means you might have to take the lead.¡±


    Raven agreed. No matter how much more training Miles had or how naturally talented he was, Raven¡¯s experience in real combat was greater. Miles, as skilled as he was, was still an untested teenager. Even the smallest mistake in a panic could ruin the entire operation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea,¡± Raven said, ¡°but it¡¯ll require you to use your mana again. Can you enhance my speed instead?¡±


    Miles understood but wasn¡¯t sure how effective it would be.


    ¡°Yes, but by the time you come back, the mana I used to boost you will wear off. You won¡¯t be able to move at the same speed while carrying the stones.¡±


    Raven studied the map for a bit longer before responding,


    ¡°I need to go to the smith, Edric, to get a basic dagger.¡±


    Miles frowned.


    ¡°Hey, hey, we¡¯re supposed to complete this mission without drawing attention. If you kill anyone, one of us could get caught¡ªme at the entrance or you inside. If either of us gets caught, the mission is over.¡±


    Raven felt disappointed because, unlike inside, the entrance was narrow, guarded by two cult members. They couldn¡¯t bypass them without either killing or incapacitating them. If they simply knocked them out, there was a chance they¡¯d wake up during the mission. Suddenly, Raven thought of what he believed to be a brilliant plan.


    ¡°If I knock them out and you freeze them with your ice magic, they won¡¯t thaw until we leave, right?¡±


    Miles nodded and listened as Raven elaborated.


    ¡°Once we freeze the first two, you cast a speed spell on me, and I¡¯ll grab the stones immediately.¡±


    Miles liked the plan but explained further by shaking his head.


    ¡°At first glance, it seems reasonable, but there¡¯s a big flaw. If I cast ice magic strong enough to freeze two people for minutes and also boost your speed twice as much, your enhancement will only last ten minutes. At best, I can make you 1.5 times faster. Even so, I won¡¯t have enough mana left to refreeze the guards. That leaves you with only 15-20 minutes.¡±


    Raven was deeply frustrated. Judging by the area¡¯s size, it would take at least 40 minutes to retrieve both Chaos Stones, even with the speed spell, and about 25-30 minutes if he moved non-stop. But he wouldn¡¯t be able to run straight through; there were points where he¡¯d have to stop. Even if they could gain just five more minutes, with Raven moving at his limit, he might barely make it at the last second. Yet after all this planning, they didn¡¯t want to back down.


    Frowning, Raven spoke,


    ¡°Dude, why do I have to think of everything? You should come up with some ideas too.¡±


    As soon as he finished his sentence, Miles shouted,


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    Raven raised an eyebrow, waiting to hear.


    ¡°Normal ice magic would require constant refreshing and burn through mana. But if I use Everfrost Magic just once, I can freeze them until you return and thaw them whenever I want. This way, we¡¯d save enough mana to buy around 10 extra minutes. Even though it¡¯ll still be a close call, it¡¯s our only option.¡±


    Without saying anything, Raven extended his hand, and they shook on it. Now, all they had to do was wait for nightfall.

 39: The danger in orbit

    The Grand Magic Council had decided not to inform the public about the potential Original entering orbit, fearing it would cause widespread panic. If they wanted to make it known, they could easily have it published in newspapers, alerting the entire world¡ªand even the universe. However, this would undoubtedly trigger a universal war. While it was common knowledge that Originals existed within the Eternis Universe, pinpointing their exact location was a once-in-a-million-years occurrence. Because of this, many races and sects were willing to start wars just to see them¡ªor even merely sense their essence.


    Though ordinary civilians remained unaware, members of significant sects and family elders had started catching wind of the situation. The source of the leak didn¡¯t matter; the real problem was the potential for those who found out to spread the news further. Edward Hunter was among the few nobles aware of the situation. The Council¡¯s greatest fear, however, was that if the Original entered Earth¡¯s atmosphere directly, even those without any affinity for magic would sense the energy it emitted. This would lead to rumors like, ¡°Did the Grand Magic Council keep it from us because they didn¡¯t know either?¡± Such doubts would shake public trust in the Council to its core.


    As Raven and Miles waited for the sun to set, they started talking again. This time, Miles initiated the conversation:


    ¡°Dude, one day, I¡¯ll become such a powerful mage that I¡¯ll be the strongest Council member.¡±


    Raven tilted his head inquisitively, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Council?¡±


    Miles placed a hand on Raven¡¯s shoulder and responded, ¡°You seriously don¡¯t know what the Grand Magic Council is?¡±


    Raven shook his head, indicating he didn¡¯t. Excited, Miles began explaining:


    ¡°The Grand Magic Council has 12 members. They¡¯re all masters of different elements and disciplines. Their youngest member is only 19! Just two years older than us!¡±


    Raven replied dismissively, ¡°So, these 12 people just get together because they can use magic and call themselves the Grand Magic Council?¡±


    Annoyed by Raven¡¯s ignorance, Miles retorted, ¡°No, idiot! Each of them is a master of their element. Imagine them being at least as strong as my father¡ªmaybe even stronger.¡±


    Raven struggled to comprehend the idea of 12 people as strong as or stronger than Edward Hunter. The thought of such incomprehensibly powerful beings walking the earth, completely unknown to him, was overwhelming. A few questions came to his mind:


    ¡°So, what do these 12 people do together? Maintain justice or something? If that¡¯s the case, why are families like the Hunters dealing with sects rising to power instead of them?¡±


    Miles shook his head and answered, ¡°Most of the rules and laws in the world were established by them. Thousands of years ago, when the Council was first formed, they took an oath not to interfere in factional wars. They can only fight individually if they choose to.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Finding the system ridiculous, Raven pressed further:


    ¡°If they¡¯re so noble, why don¡¯t they resolve sect conflicts individually and save people?¡±


    Miles, still trying to maintain his composure, responded patiently despite Raven¡¯s ignorance:


    ¡°These are busy people. They¡¯re constantly negotiating with other planets and appearing in different countries. Even the shortest war takes at least a day, and in that time, they could be attending countless meetings for the world¡¯s benefit.¡±


    Raven understood but now found Miles¡¯ ambitions foolish instead of the Council¡¯s:


    ¡°Then why would you want to be one of these busy people? Even with all that power, they don¡¯t have active roles.¡±


    Miles agreed to some extent but defended his perspective:


    ¡°You¡¯re not entirely wrong. When the Grand Magic Council was first formed, they fought many wars. It¡¯s just that nothing important has happened lately. Still, I could join and decide not to attend any meetings, just show up in battles as a Council member.¡±


    Raven finally grasped the Council¡¯s purpose. To him, they were nothing more than a group of elites who strengthened the world''s hollow rules that benefited only the wealthy. On the surface, they embodied everything Raven despised in people and groups. Despite being complete opposites, Miles was the only person Raven could connect with. After a brief silence, Raven broke the quiet:


    ¡°So, what kind of symbiote do you plan to use in the future?¡±


    Miles thought for a moment before replying:


    ¡°I have no idea. Maybe one that could increase my mana capacity or amplify my spells. Since I don¡¯t have your level of combat intelligence, a wise symbiote for battles wouldn¡¯t be bad either. Still, it¡¯d be fun if I had a Half-Original like the offers my dad gets. What about you?¡±


    Raven took a moment to think and said:


    ¡°A mana-feeding symbiote would be a hassle once I start using magic. So, a symbiote that requires me to kill beasts or people would be nice. As for abilities, I haven¡¯t thought much about it. As long as it¡¯s not pathetic in personality, it¡¯ll do.¡±


    Miles briefly frowned at the mention of ¡°killing people,¡± but he straightened his expression upon realizing that war might force him to kill someone regardless of who they were. From Raven¡¯s response, it was clear he wasn¡¯t looking for a symbiote to grow stronger but rather to find someone compatible with his personality¡ªsomeone who wouldn¡¯t leave him, shaped by his childhood trauma. While Miles was lost in thought, Raven interrupted the silence:


    ¡°What¡¯s your father¡¯s affinity?¡±


    Miles turned his gaze to Raven and replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that right now. Even if I told you, you wouldn¡¯t understand. I¡¯ll explain when you can use magic, okay?¡±


    Though Raven wondered what could be so hard to understand, he couldn¡¯t come to any conclusions. After that, the two continued discussing trivial topics until night fell.

 40: Operation commences

    It was late at night, and it was finally time to start the operation. Miles spoke, "Raven, wait in the room. I''ll be right back." Raven didn''t understand because, eventually, both of them would leave the room together. He thought it would be more logical for them to go wherever Miles was heading together, but he chose not to question it. After waiting for a while, Miles reentered the room, holding two diamond-shaped crystals.


    Although Raven had no idea what they were, Miles handed him one of the crystals and explained, "I know you don''t know what these are, so let me explain briefly. These are teleportation crystals. They''re prepared by the family''s mages, and when you break them in your hand, they teleport you to a predetermined location."


    Raven, who was always thinking of battle strategies, came up with an idea. "If I always carried these with me, couldn''t I use one to escape during a battle and teleport to another corner of the world?" Miles laughed and replied, "Yes, clever. But these crystals harden based on the surrounding mana, making them unbreakable regardless of physical strength. In a battlefield filled with mana, using them becomes impossible. Even for my father, breaking one would be out of the question."


    Having only been introduced to magic in the last few months, Raven was constantly surprised by these revelations. Thankfully, his sole focus at the moment was the operation itself. Following Miles'' instructions, they looked at each other and simultaneously crushed the crystals in their palms, reducing them to powder.


    When Raven looked around, nothing had changed. "So, what now¡ª" Suddenly, his surroundings began to shift, and his vision blurred. The ground seemed to slip out from under his feet, and his eyes felt like they were about to pop out of their sockets. It was like a fever dream. After a few seconds of this nausea-inducing experience, Raven collapsed to his knees, feeling as if he''d just emerged from a battle.


    Miles helped him up by his shoulder and seated him properly. Miles was laughing hysterically at Raven''s reaction, but Raven could barely hear him, still disoriented from the experience. He could hear Miles but couldn¡¯t distinguish reality after those few seconds. It was as if a seventh sense had overridden his six senses, rendering them useless.


    Shaking his head and slapping himself, Raven began to pull himself together. He clenched his fists and looked around. They were in what seemed like a forest, but it was an unusually vast area. Behind them was a treeline¡ªa proper forest. Standing next to him, Miles was still laughing. As Raven regained his senses, he began to understand what had happened and why Miles was laughing.


    "What¡¯s so funny, man?" Raven asked. Miles managed to suppress his laughter for a moment to answer. "I¡¯ve seen teleportation affect people differently, but yours was the most extreme. You looked so ridiculous that even you would¡¯ve laughed if you saw yourself."Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    As Miles resumed laughing, Raven stayed seated and examined their surroundings. Behind them was the forest, but ahead was the entrance to a cave. The area they were in was a square clearing. Two of its sides were enclosed by sheer cliffs; the third side had the cave entrance, and the fourth side was bordered by the forest where they had come from.


    At the cave entrance, barely visible in the distance, stood two guards¡ªmembers of the cult. Raven stood up, brushed himself off, and Miles finally stopped laughing. They both began to sneak toward the entrance, hiding behind the rocks scattered around the clearing.


    Eventually, they reached the closest rock they could use as cover, but the guards were still too far for Raven to approach and knock them out. Whispering, Raven asked, "How much mana would it take for you to create and hurl a small pebble?"


    Miles replied mockingly, "Would it exhaust you so much that you wouldn¡¯t even be able to enter after knocking them out?"


    Raven rolled his eyes, and Miles flicked a small pebble toward the opposite wall. Then they ducked quickly. Both guards, holding spears, turned to look in the direction of the sound. A moment later, they began walking toward the noise.


    Since the area was so open, Raven would have to run as fast as possible behind them as they walked to the spot where the pebble had landed. When the guards reached the area, they exchanged glances, thinking the pebble had been blown there by the wind. Just as they were about to turn around in unison, one of the guards was suddenly struck by a punch in the darkness, fast enough to be invisible. The punch wasn¡¯t strong enough to knock him out, so he simply fell to the ground, dazed.


    The other guard took a defensive stance and walked toward a small rise near where the pebble had landed. Taking a step forward, he peeked behind the rock, only to find it empty. He signaled to his companion that it was clear, but by then, the fallen guard had disappeared. Panicking, the remaining guard looked around as a shadow rose slowly behind him. Raven strangled the man with a vine in his hands.


    Although the guard was physically stronger than Raven, he refused to let go of his spear and began losing consciousness due to oxygen deprivation. After about 20 seconds of grappling, the guard passed out. Raven dragged both bodies back behind the rock where Miles was hiding. "I did all the work. I hope you can encase these two idiots in ice," Raven said.


    Miles froze the two with Everfrost magic and then commented, "I should also encase one idiot in a haste spell."


    Raven didn¡¯t react but was visibly irritated by the jab. After a moment, he spoke. "Leave them here and get to the entrance. Handle any emergency that arises, because we¡¯ll have no way to communicate."


    Miles nodded in agreement. They both moved to the entrance, where Miles pulled out his staff and pointed it at Raven. A visible blue aura enveloped Raven, whose breathing quickened as he began bouncing on his feet.


    "Alright, man. I¡¯ve cast a 1.5x speed spell on you for 40 minutes. I¡¯ve also saved enough mana to maintain Everfrost for the same duration. If we exceed 40 minutes, the entire plan is off, and we¡¯ll fail our mission."


    Raven nodded and vanished from sight, moving at a speed that made him impossible to see. He disappeared into the darkness of the cave.

 41: Man in shadows

    As soon as Raven entered the cave, his instincts kicked in, and his eyes began adjusting to the darkness. At first, the cave walls seemed to stare at him with a menacing silence. The damp air clung to his skin, and with each breath, he could smell the cold, earthy scent of the underground. As he moved quickly, he noticed that what initially appeared to be a narrow entrance was actually a massive cave. The echoes of his every step seemed to grow, as though shadows themselves amplified them.


    Panting heavily, the details around him grew sharper. Scattered stones littered the uneven floor, and water dripping from the ceiling occasionally broke the oppressive silence. Ahead, the wind¡¯s low howl snaked through the depths of the cave like a whisper in the darkness. Two separate paths loomed before him, each resembling a gaping mouth leading into the unknown. The cave was vast and wide, but a single mistake could bring all his plans crashing down. Raven leaned against the wall, moving like a shadow. The stones beneath his feet alternated between slippery and jagged; every step had to be deliberate.


    Thanks to the map, he knew exactly where the guards were stationed: two at the entrance and another two at the branching paths. The right passage led to a storage room and a resting area. The storage room had two guards, while six others rested in shifts in the resting area. The paths were narrow, but the uneven ground made running through them nearly impossible. In total, twelve potential adversaries could be waiting ahead. Raven¡¯s objective was clear¡ªhe would take the left path.


    Using the darkness to his advantage, he quickly slipped past the guards. The cold air of the cave sent a shiver down his spine. The darkness felt like a protective shroud, yet even the smallest error could expose him to the watchful eyes of the guards. The sound of his footsteps blended with the faint whistle of the wind inside the cavern. Water dripping from the ceiling whispered of the instability of the rocky layer above.


    One of the guards he passed paused suddenly, looking around before calling out to another:


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    The other grumbled, replying irritably, ¡°Stop shouting in this echoing cave! There¡¯s nothing here but damned dripping water and rats!¡±


    As the first guard turned back, Raven¡¯s heart raced slightly. He was keenly aware of the tension he left behind. A greater challenge awaited him: in the middle of the first large chamber, ten guards patrolled in a circular formation. These guards scanned their surroundings attentively, constantly altering their patrol patterns. The circle expanded outward toward the room¡¯s edges, then contracted again. This strategy ensured that every corner of the room remained visible, making it nearly impossible for Raven to slip through unnoticed.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As Raven approached the room, he noticed the immense stone pillars stretching from the floor to the ceiling. Each pillar merged seamlessly with the shadows of the cave, obscuring visibility further. The walls of the chamber, rugged and imposing, resonated with faint howls whenever the wind rushed through. The steady sound of boots on the stone floor echoed, alerting Raven to the movements of nearby guards.


    Raven struggled to control his breathing. A plan formed in his mind, but doubt crept in:


    ¡°What would the Hunter family have suggested for this place?¡±


    He mentally reviewed the map. When the guards grouped at the center to form a circle, he would use the darkness to cling to the right-hand wall and sneak past. However, the room¡¯s sheer size made every possibility more complex. He had no time to think further. Holding his breath, he edged closer to the wall and began to move.


    Raven darted along the room¡¯s edge. The faint ¡°tap¡± of his shoes on the stone floor echoed just enough to be noticeable. The room was so vast that the reflections from the pools of water in its center barely reached the walls. The cold dampness of the high ceiling pressed down on him like a heavy cloak.


    Suddenly, he noticed movement to his left. All the guards stopped at once, turning their gazes toward his direction. His heart pounded. He froze in place, relying entirely on the darkness to conceal him.


    Two guards began approaching Raven¡¯s position. He managed to disappear like a shadow within the darkness. When the guards reached the wall, all they found was a rat. The rat scurried away, and the guards cursed under their breath as they returned to their posts.


    Taking advantage of their distraction, Raven used the uneven surface of the wall to climb. His fingertips clung to the rock as his heart threatened to burst from his chest. Gripping one of the stalactites hanging from the ceiling, he scanned the room below. Just as the guards completed their circular patrol and prepared to regroup, Raven released himself from the stalactite and quickly headed toward the first stone chamber.


    Upon entering the first chamber, he pressed against the wall. Water dripping from the ceiling glistened on the surface of the pedestal at the center. A lone guard stood facing forward. Moving silently, Raven slipped past the guard and into the second chamber on the right. Once there, he avoided the guard¡¯s line of sight and quickly pressed against the opposite wall.


    The stone chambers were smaller than the others, but the pedestal at their center was illuminated by a faint light. The glowing stone stood out like a star in the dark room.


    Raven knew he had only three minutes to retrieve both stones. With time pressing down on him, he steadied his breathing. His movements were swift and silent, but the threat of danger loomed over him with every step. His heart thundered in his chest, and a single thought echoed in his mind:


    ¡°Now is not the time for mistakes.¡±

 42: End of the operation

    Raven leaned against the wall, watching the guard in front of him. The guard couldn¡¯t see him because the area he was in was too dark, but the spot where the stone was placed was brightly illuminated. It was impossible for Raven to take the stone without drawing attention. With only three minutes left, he knew that even if his plan was partially successful, the odds were slim. He took a deep breath and steadied his heartbeat. He silently jumped in place a few times and cracked his neck. Using his legs for support, he leaped forward with all his strength and grabbed the stone. The guard had seen something, but wasn¡¯t sure what. The light in front of him had vanished in the blink of an eye, and when his vision cleared, the stone was gone. He looked around and checked the other guard in the back room. Then, suspecting a draft, he crouched down to search for the stone without alerting anyone. As he bent over to search, Raven rose behind him, using the same vine he¡¯d used at the entrance to choke the guard. It was easy to do since the guard was in a crouching position. Even though Raven put all his strength into it, the guard¡¯s struggles echoed loudly in the cavern. The sound of his thrashing mixed with the scraping of his body against the ground could be heard clearly. The guard in the back room had heard everything. At first, he didn¡¯t react, thinking it was just an echo, but when the sounds continued and then suddenly stopped, his curiosity was piqued. At that moment, Raven had already placed the unconscious guard at the end of the corridor, where his body could be seen from around the corner. The other guard rushed over, and upon turning the corner, he saw the unconscious body. He immediately knelt to check for a pulse. "THERE IS A THI¡ª!" Before he could finish, Raven emerged from behind and began choking him as well. The guard tried to hold his breath to avoid crying out, but as Raven¡¯s grip tightened, he struggled to stay conscious. Just when the guard was about to pass out, the vine in Raven¡¯s hand snapped unexpectedly. Raven had prepared for this, but didn¡¯t anticipate what would happen next. The guard fell to the ground and grabbed his throat, gasping for air. As he struggled for breath, Raven took advantage of the moment and landed a kick to his face, knocking him out. After knocking out the guard in the second room to avoid drawing attention from the guard in the first room, Raven now had only 15 minutes left. That meant he had to move faster than he had at the entrance. After retrieving the first stone, Raven took a small pouch from his chest pocket, put both stones inside, tied it up, and returned it to its original place. With the pouch secured, he continued running. The mission was now complete. Even if the guards inside noticed the missing stones, it would take them at least 30 minutes to wake up. This gave Raven more than enough time to escape. The only real problem was how to deal with the outside guards covered in ice by Miles¡¯s freezing magic. This would take about 15 minutes for them to thaw. Raven considered that Miles, who hadn¡¯t even brought a sword, wouldn¡¯t be able to do much against the revived guards. With these thoughts in mind, Raven kept running. He reached the entrance to the central room, where he would need to match the guards¡¯ patrol pattern to avoid being detected for at least five more minutes. Raven, excited by the thought of making it in time, jumped in place. Finally, the guards in the central room started to appear. Raven stretched his legs and ran forward, reaching speeds he never thought possible. He couldn¡¯t believe the power of his own legs and the force propelling him. With Miles¡¯s magic enhancing his speed, Raven felt like he was flying through the air as the humid cavern air brushed against his face. Even though he was amazed by his own speed, he knew there was no time to waste. He had only five minutes left. He reached the new entrance corridor and passed by the same guard faster than before. As he continued running along the wall, his movements became even more precise, making him more silent. The only thing that hinted at his presence was the wind left behind in his wake. Amid the rustling of the rats, a murmured voice rang out. "Dude, stop yelling at me. I swear there¡¯s something other than rats here." The guard at the left gate said. The other guard didn¡¯t respond, only muttered under his breath and rolled his eyes. Meanwhile, Raven had only one minute left. When he reached the end of the massive room, he sprinted towards the exit. The blue aura surrounding him began to fade, and his pulse slowed as he lost speed. As he ran, he could feel the loss of his momentum. When he had 20 seconds left, he saw the moonlight outside. Finally, as he took his last step onto the grass, Miles, who had been leaning against the rocks, stood up. Raven¡¯s speed magic had completely worn off. As Raven approached Miles, out of breath, he took the pouch from his chest and showed it to him. Miles¡¯s joy was clear in his eyes, and without saying anything, they embraced each other. At that moment, their time had run out, and Miles¡¯s magic was depleted. The ice covering the guards behind the rocks began to melt, and as Miles hugged Raven, he suddenly collapsed, exhausted. His legs gave way, but Raven managed to catch him, holding him up. As Miles struggled to catch his breath, Raven whispered, "Thank you, my friend." Raven knew how much effort it had taken for Miles to keep the guards frozen for a full 40 minutes. It had been harder for Miles to maintain his magic than for Raven to accomplish his mission. Before the guards woke up, Raven quickly threw Miles over his back and headed into the forest.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

 43: Four Originals

    Raven carried Miles on his back, walking deep into the forest for minutes on end, his mind swirling with questions. No matter how flawless the plan seemed, once it was discovered the stones were missing, chaos or even war would be inevitable. Edward Hunter had explicitly mentioned that he didn¡¯t want war or any sort of commotion, but Raven knew that was impossible.


    As he wrestled with his thoughts, Miles began to stir, mumbling as he woke. In a sleepy voice, he called out to Raven, ¡°Did you cause any trouble inside?¡±


    Raven paused briefly, recalling the two guards he had knocked out, then replied, ¡°Yes, there was... something. But it¡¯s nothing you need to worry about.¡±


    Miles chuckled and, still slung over Raven¡¯s back, playfully punched him in the stomach.


    ¡°Ouch! What are you doing, man?¡± Raven growled.


    Miles just giggled more. ¡°Do you remember the day we first met? You were so short back then. You probably would¡¯ve lost a fight to a cockroach. And now? You¡¯re almost stronger than me.¡±


    Raven scowled. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not almost stronger¡ªI am stronger than you!¡±


    Miles smirked and patted Raven¡¯s back dismissively. ¡°Yeah, yeah, sure.¡±


    They continued walking deeper into the forest. The cool night air brushed past them, and the moon shone perfectly through the trees. For two friends constantly embroiled in battles or consumed by thoughts of war, this moment was unusually peaceful¡ªalmost therapeutic.


    ¡°Hey, Miles,¡± Raven broke the silence, his voice softer than usual. ¡°No matter what happens, let¡¯s always trust each other. I don¡¯t have anyone else but you. I don¡¯t know what I am to you, but you¡¯re my best friend.¡±


    Miles was taken aback. Raven, typically stoic and serious, had revealed a rare glimpse of vulnerability. After a brief silence as he processed the sentiment, Miles laughed, breaking the tension. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, buddy. I¡¯ll never leave you. To be honest, I used to think you were just a dumb, strong rock. Turns out, you¡¯re a dumb, strong rock with a soft inside.¡±


    Raven jabbed Miles in the stomach with his elbow, making him laugh even harder.


    After walking through the forest for a while longer, surrounded by the sounds of owls and crickets, Raven spoke again. ¡°You mentioned the four Originals. What else do you know about them?¡±


    ¡°The Originals, unlike other symbiotes, don¡¯t demand much,¡± Miles replied.


    Raven was quietly shocked but intrigued. It didn¡¯t make sense for the most powerful symbiotes to want so little.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°All their names are in Latin and way too long to remember. I¡¯ll just use their first names; they¡¯re what matter most,¡± Miles continued.


    Raven¡¯s curiosity grew. If the Originals didn¡¯t demand much, it made them even more free. They could remain powerful without taking much from their hosts, making them freer than any symbiote he had imagined¡ªalmost as if their sole purpose was to embody freedom.


    ¡°First, there¡¯s Mentis, the symbiote of knowledge and curiosity. It grows stronger by feeding on human curiosity and hunger for learning. It despises ignorance. Wherever it¡¯s been, that place can never remain uneducated. If you ever met it, it¡¯d probably kill you instantly.¡±


    Raven clenched his teeth but said nothing.


    ¡°The second Original is Desiderium. It feeds on human desires and passions. People with intense desires¡ªregardless of what they¡¯re for¡ªare easy prey for it.¡±


    ¡°So... its thing is killing horny people?¡± Raven quipped, making Miles burst into laughter.


    ¡°No, you idiot. I¡¯m talking about any kind of passion. Every person has something they¡¯d want at any cost,¡± Miles explained.


    Raven fell silent, his thoughts swirling. His intense thirst for vengeance and hatred made him an easy target for Desiderium. Thankfully, he figured, the symbiote had no reason to target him specifically, given the countless other passionate beings in the universe.


    ¡°The third Original is the symbiote of pure goodness, Seraphis. It represents peace and kindness and is one of the hardest symbiotes to bond with because every living being harbors some level of evil and hatred. According to legend, it¡¯s only ever bonded with two beings in history¡ªone of them was an angel inhabiting a mortal body.¡±


    As Miles talked, the sound of Raven¡¯s footsteps echoed through the forest, accompanied by the occasional crack of twigs and the distant howls of wolves.


    ¡°Spirits can inhabit bodies?¡± Raven asked.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not that hard. Any demon, angel, or spirit can take over a dead body unless they¡¯ve been sealed,¡± Miles replied.


    ¡°So, is the cult we raided trying to place their sealed master into a new body?¡± Raven asked.


    Miles smacked Raven on the head. ¡°What did you think, genius? That they¡¯d glue the stones together and build a house?¡±


    Raven stayed silent, uninterested in Seraphis. Acts of kindness weren¡¯t exactly his forte.


    ¡°So, what about the last Original?¡± Raven asked.


    ¡°The last one is a bit different,¡± Miles began. ¡°Unlike the others, who lived freely and occasionally bonded with hosts, this symbiote hasn¡¯t been heard of in hundreds of years.¡±


    Raven raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, it¡¯s dead?¡±


    Miles shook his head, and even though Raven couldn¡¯t see it, he could feel the movement. ¡°No. The last time it appeared, it struck terror across the entire universe. Imagine a symbiote so feared that no planet could live peacefully while its name was uttered.¡±


    Raven¡¯s interest piqued. A symbiote that incited universal fear? He already liked it.


    ¡°The last Original is Acrimonyx, the symbiote of pure hatred and evil. Its nickname is Acrimon. According to legend, after its host rejected hatred and sought peace, Acrimon separated from them. Whether it killed its host or not is unknown, but it hasn¡¯t been seen since. Over time, people stopped fearing it.¡±


    Raven was mesmerized by the tale. It felt like he¡¯d found the symbiotic embodiment of himself¡ªa being defined by endless hatred and rage.


    ¡°I see. Thanks for telling me, Miles,¡± Raven said, his voice steady.


    Miles patted Raven¡¯s back and replied with a playful tone, ¡°No problem, buddy. Talking made this boring walk way less dull.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Stop hitting me!¡± Raven growled.


    Miles just laughed louder as Raven carried him further into the forest, the sounds of laughter and crackling leaves blending into the night.

 44: Strange creature

    Raven had started to feel exhausted after walking for a long time. The pace of the mission, combined with carrying Miles on his back for such a long distance, had taken a toll on him. In the depths of the forest, he placed Miles by a tree and leaned against another tree himself. They didn¡¯t speak a word; both were tired and had said enough already.


    For a while, they silently watched the sky. Then, Raven broke the silence of nature and spoke: ¡°How much of your Mana has replenished?¡±


    Miles looked at his hands, and a fireball appeared in his palm. Watching the flames dance in his hand, he answered: ¡°I think about a quarter.¡±


    Raven turned his eyes back up to the swaying tree branches and leaves above. The moonlight filtered through the branches, managing to reach them both. The atmosphere around them was peaceful; a light breeze gently shook the leaves. Normally, it might have seemed like an insignificant detail, but Raven¡¯s instincts couldn¡¯t ignore it. Deep within his chest, an indescribable feeling began to swell: danger.


    Something was wrong. It was as if the forest itself had stopped breathing. The birds had stopped singing, and the wind had ceased. Only a bare silence remained, along with a disturbing energy within it. Raven¡¯s shoulders involuntarily tensed. He turned his gaze to Miles: ¡°Something¡¯s coming,¡± he said.


    Miles also looked around. It was clear that he was uneasy. ¡°I thought I was the only one who noticed,¡± he muttered.


    From the darkness, footsteps could be heard. The forest had become so silent that it seemed as though nothing else existed except for these footsteps. Each step shook the ground. As the sound grew closer, Raven and then Miles began to see the terrifying figure. It was about three meters tall. Its mouth stretched from ear to ear, and every tooth looked as sharp as a knife. The head of the black figure kept moving; it seemed to want to pull back, but its body and feet continued to step forward.


    As the figure fully entered their line of sight, the strange sounds it made became more pronounced. In a hoarse whisper, it repeatedly murmured the same words: ¡°Ru-run... No escape¡­¡±


    Raven and Miles instinctively jumped up and took a defensive stance. When Raven stood, the size difference reminded him of Edward Hunter. However, this creature was even larger than him. Miles turned to the Raven beside him and whispered: ¡°Run in a random direction. I¡¯ll tell you what happened when we meet up. I promise.¡±


    Though Raven was very disturbed by the situation, he knew they had no other choice. They both dashed in different directions and disappeared into the darkness. The figure first looked to its right, then to its left, and closed itself off. Then, it lifted its head and let out a scream so loud it could be heard from the other side of the forest. The roots of the trees trembled, and the birds fled in fear. Afterward, with a single leap, it vanished into the darkness, heading toward Raven¡¯s direction.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    As Miles ran through the forest, his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest. Neither he nor Raven was ready for such a fight. He knew the speed of the thing chasing them; that¡¯s why he had decided to run in different directions. If they were to die, at least they shouldn¡¯t die together. He hoped the creature would follow him. He could buy some time with his speed spell, but Raven didn¡¯t have such an advantage. If the creature was chasing Raven, he might already be dead.


    As Raven ran at full speed through the forest, he once again felt that unsettling sensation behind him. The creature was closing in so fast that it could have been the fastest thing he had ever seen in his life. At some point, Raven would have no choice but to fight. The worst part was, he had no weapon but his fists.


    With a massive thud, Raven realized that running was useless. The creature was now right on his tail. The sound of its breathing echoed through the stillness of the forest, and it repeated the same sentence: ¡°Ru-run... No escape¡­¡±


    It reached out one of its hands to grab Raven. However, thanks to his instincts, Raven managed to leap aside, evading the arm. ¡°Yeah, bastard! You must be surprised. No matter how fast you are, you can''t outrun my instincts!¡±


    As the creature continued chasing him, it began to laugh. It seemed to understand what he said. Raven also chuckled, but this time the creature¡¯s arm extended, whipping out like a lash, flying several meters forward, and then retracting in the shape of a sickle.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Raven muttered his last words as the creature¡¯s arm swept him up and hurled him into a tree.


    Raven, if he had been in his prime, could have avoided such an attack. But right now, he was utterly exhausted, and the creature¡¯s effective range was enormous. After crashing into the tree, Raven fell to the ground, and the creature began walking toward him. It extended its arm again, grabbed Raven by the throat, and pulled him toward itself.


    The creature wore an expression as if mocking him. Its enormous white eyes and a mouth nearly as big as its face. Raven tried to struggle, but as he pushed against its hand, it felt as if he were trying to push against a wall. He was struggling to breathe because his throat was being squeezed, and when he hit the tree, several of his internal organs had been damaged. Blood dripped from his mouth.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he gasped.


    Without saying a word, the creature opened its mouth. Its mouth was large enough to swallow Raven whole. Though Raven felt like this was the end, his instincts were telling him he would survive. As the creature brought its head nearly inside its mouth, it was struck by a fireball to the head.


    ¡°Sorry, buddy. If I had come sooner, you wouldn¡¯t have had to see this ugly creature¡¯s tonsil.¡±


    When the creature stopped chasing Miles for a while, Miles, knowing its speed, realized something was wrong and began running in the opposite direction. Even though he was late, he was happy to have found him, and seemed more relieved than Raven.

 45: Raven and Miles vs Symbiote

    The creature, shaken by the fireball, had released Raven. Sparks flickered on its head, dissipating into the night sky as Raven staggered to his feet and rushed toward Miles.


    "This creature... it¡¯s unlike anything we¡¯ve ever seen. Its speed, strength, and range are beyond anything I know. We need to get out of here immediately," Raven said, his voice urgent.


    Miles nodded but wore a helpless expression. "No chance, man. If my mana were fully restored, I could trap it with Everfrost magic and we¡¯d escape. But right now, I couldn¡¯t hold it for even half an hour."


    As their brief conversation ended, the creature turned toward them, stepping forward once more, muttering the same eerie words it had been repeating since the beginning¡ªbut this time, there was a slight change:


    "Es-escape... none..."


    Raven jumped in place a few times, rolling his wrists and cracking his knuckles. "I don¡¯t know why, but when I get pumped, all my energy seems to return. Let¡¯s end this slimy bastard, once and for all."


    Miles, though inspired by Raven¡¯s determination, knew the limits of the monster they faced. Even if Raven was in peak condition, they didn¡¯t stand a chance. He muttered, "I guess we¡¯ve got no choice but to try..."


    Gripping his staff tightly, Miles aimed it at the creature. Raven, meanwhile, bounced on his toes a final time before launching himself toward the monster in a blur of speed. The creature halted its steps, seemingly understanding their intent to fight.


    Raven, with his Mastered ultra instincts, prepared his fists. Without a weapon, he decided his body would have to be his weapon. As he closed the distance, building momentum, the creature¡¯s arm suddenly expanded, forming a massive shield.


    "Shit," Raven hissed as the creature swatted him aside with its shield, using his own momentum against him.


    "Even if you shoved that shield up your slimy ass, you couldn¡¯t take me down, you damned creature!" Raven roared, rebounding off a nearby tree and launching himself back at the monster. This time, the creature raised shields with both arms, blocking his assault.


    "You¡¯ve got to be more creative than that, you muscular pile of slime!" Raven taunted, bouncing between the trees, trying to chip away at the creature¡¯s defenses.


    Miles, seeing the monster¡¯s back turned, took the opportunity to focus all his mana into a single attack. "Slime-based structures like this absorb electricity too easily..." he muttered.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Then use a different spell, you idiot! Hurry up!" Raven shouted, annoyed by Miles¡¯s commentary.


    A massive orb of electricity formed in Miles¡¯s hands, growing larger by the second. Its brilliance lit up the forest as if it were daytime, dwarfing even the creature. "But..." Miles¡¯s voice strained, "NOT FOR THIS MUCH CURRENT!"


    As the colossal electric orb surged forward, Raven made one final leap away from the creature, retreating to safety. The creature turned toward the attack, but it was too late. The orb collided with the monster, its energy crackling violently.


    As the creature contended with the massive energy discharge, Raven, knowing his mana was depleted, ran to Miles¡¯s side. He found Miles already collapsed from exhaustion and hoisted him onto his shoulder. Together, they watched as the electric orb dissipated into the creature¡¯s body.


    The creature began to laugh¡ªa deep, guttural sound that sent chills down Raven¡¯s spine. "This... this is where we die," Raven muttered, eyes wide with dread. "Thanks for using an attack you knew wouldn¡¯t work, genius."


    Miles, lying limp, let out a weak laugh. "Ahahaha... just watch..."


    The creature resumed its slow march toward them, its laughter echoing through the forest. Raven started to lift Miles again, muttering, "I¡¯ll fight alone. You need to rest and escape when you can."


    Miles, barely conscious, raised his hand, palm open. "Boom," he whispered, clenching his fist.


    The sparks within the creature reignited, erupting in a deafening explosion. Raven shielded his eyes from the flash. When the light faded, the creature¡¯s slimy black remains were splattered across the forest, coating trees in sticky residue.


    Miles chuckled weakly. "Looks like you¡¯re carrying me again, buddy."


    Raven couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well. After a moment, he slung Miles over his shoulder and began walking down the same path.


    "Miles, I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this," Raven said, his instincts screaming at him. His heart pounded, and adrenaline coursed through his veins. But Miles had already passed out. Raven broke into a sprint, carrying his friend to safety. Once he felt they were far enough, he gently set Miles down beside a tree.


    "I¡¯d bet my life that thing isn¡¯t dead and is already hunting us. I¡¯ll prove it soon enough." Raven turned back and retraced his steps to the clearing.


    When he arrived, he took a closer look. At the spot where the creature had exploded, there was a body¡ªa human corpse. As he suspected, the scattered slime was beginning to coalesce, crawling back toward the body.


    He didn¡¯t know how to kill it for good, but he knew he had to fight. Taking his stance, he watched as the black slime reformed, encasing the body once more. To his horror, the man¡¯s head and arm briefly emerged from the slime, his face etched with pure terror.


    "RUN!" the man screamed before being swallowed again.


    The creature¡¯s mouth moved this time, its voice deeper and more deliberate.


    "Escape... none."


    Raven¡¯s mind raced. He didn¡¯t need Miles to explain what was happening. This was a symbiote¡ªa being that overtook its host when they failed to fulfill their pact. The raw power and immortality of the creature stunned him, especially since this wasn¡¯t even a half-original symbiote.


    Taking his stance again, Raven prepared for one final dance. The creature laughed, morphing its hands into massive blades. Even if he had no chance of winning, he could at least buy Miles enough time to escape.

 46: Primitive weapon

    After closing his eyes, Raven focused on his ultra instinct. Activating his instincts was no longer as difficult as it used to be. Due to the explosions and unsettling energy in the area, all the creatures nearby had fled. Both insects and birds were no longer present, leaving the forest in silence.


    Raven leaped from his spot and lunged at the creature, guarding himself as he swung a punch at the symbiote¡¯s head with his right hand. He felt his instincts warning him to pull back his punch. When he retracted his fist and stepped back, a slimy arm extended from the symbiote''s shoulder, attempting to grab where his fist would have been.


    Although the symbiote seemed affected, there wasn¡¯t much else Raven could do. He could try punching again, but as before, it would be blocked. And if he anticipated being blocked, he¡¯d retreat. The only difference was that while the symbiote wouldn¡¯t tire, Raven¡¯s energy would eventually run out.


    The symbiote swung its arm forward, extending it toward Raven¡¯s head. While considering where the fight might lead, Raven jumped to dodge the attack. No matter what he did, he was bound to lose. If the symbiote could tire, Raven could buy time to escape. But that wasn¡¯t possible.


    As Raven dodged the symbiote¡¯s extending arms, he realized they were striking so fast that the sound of them slicing through the air echoed around him. The only reason he could evade was not just his speed but also his ability to see the attacks coming.


    While thinking, a potential escape plan crossed his mind: "If I fight long enough, it¡¯ll eventually need sustenance and be forced to leave. Or, if it becomes exhausted, I might be able to kill it." Raven thought this was the most optimistic scenario, as he didn¡¯t know how long symbiotes could go without food. For the creature to visibly slow down, it would likely need to go several days without eating. Since symbiotes consume large amounts of food, what they eat can sustain them for days. Even if this one had eaten yesterday, Raven would need to exhaust it for at least a day.


    The symbiote finally stopped its arm attacks, and although Raven wasn¡¯t too tired, he took a moment to catch his breath, understanding this fight would be a long one. The symbiote, on the other hand, began approaching him.


    In close combat, Raven would be like a decorative puppy facing an elephant against the symbiote. Most likely, the symbiote could grab him and tear him in half with its two hands. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t let it get any closer. Jumping from his spot, he climbed onto a tree branch. The symbiote raised its head, and a limb extended from its back, launching itself at Raven once again.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "This is getting really boring now," Raven muttered as he jumped again, landing on the ground. Picking up a rock, he hurled it at the symbiote. The rock created a dent in the symbiote¡¯s slimy body before falling to the ground, and the dent quickly healed itself. The symbiote turned around and looked back at Raven.


    Its massive mouth and sharp teeth, along with its enormous white, pupil-less eyes, always appeared terrifying when staring at Raven in the darkness.


    When Raven threw the rock, an idea struck him. The only way to fight without getting close was to use a ranged weapon. However, he didn¡¯t even have a melee weapon, let alone a ranged one. But what he had just done gave him an idea. They were already walking on an endless supply of the first ranged weapon in history: rocks.


    Defeating the symbiote with just rocks was impossible, but trying something was better than waiting to die while dodging its attacks. No matter how much food it had stored, forcing its slimy structure to constantly regenerate might accelerate its need for sustenance. If he could tire it enough, his theory could prove correct.


    To test its effectiveness, Raven picked up a rock, drew his arm back, and hurled it at the symbiote with all his might. Although slower than the symbiote¡¯s arms, the rock was still quite fast. The creature extended a small shield from its back to block the rock. When the rock made contact with the shield, it spun like a drill, pressing forward. The symbiote allocated more biomass to the shield, and once the rock lost its energy, it fell to the ground.


    When the symbiote dissipated the shield, its body grew again as the biomass redistributed. While the symbiote couldn¡¯t see past the shield, Raven threw another rock, this time hitting its abdomen. Unable to harden the area in time, the rock sunk into its soft body.


    When the symbiote removed the rock, Raven could tell it was furious. Its previously mocking and perpetually grinning face now had narrowed eyes and a closed mouth. Raven chuckled and threw another rock, only to see it miss and hit a tree on the other side.


    The symbiote was no longer playing and had started hunting in earnest. Looking around, Raven couldn¡¯t see anything. Feeling uneasy, he leaped from his spot. The moment he jumped, a massive, pointed limb crashed into where he had been, piercing the ground.


    The symbiote had funneled all its biomass into its arm, weaving it into a massive spear. Seeing the symbiote suspended in the air, Raven took the opportunity to throw another rock at its chest. Just as the rock was about to hit, the spear merged back into its body, and the symbiote absorbed the incoming rock with its large, fortified form.


    From this, Raven learned something important: "The area with the least biomass is the most vulnerable."


    This meant Raven had to counterattack whenever the symbiote launched an attack. During its strikes, it became vulnerable¡ªespecially when executing large-scale attacks like this one.


    As long as he had energy and focus for his ultra instinct, Raven could dodge any attack. In fact, the snake he had evaded before was much faster than this symbiote. The only problem was finishing this fight before his energy or focus ran out.

 47: Ravens Fallen hope

    While Raven was making his plans, the symbiote disappeared from his sight once again. If he had no instincts and relied solely on his speed, this battle would have ended in the blink of an eye. Raven jumped up once more and climbed onto a tree branch. Extending the symbiote arm behind him into a massive web, it hurled it toward the spot where Raven had been standing before jumping. As the attack missed, Raven hurled another stone with all his strength. As before, the symbiote retracted its web-like arm back into its defensive form to block the stone.


    If even a single stone had hit while it was in attack mode, it could have dealt enough damage to slow it down, as the closer the shell was to the core¡ªthe host¡ªthe more vulnerable it would be. The hardness of the shell was also a major factor, but it didn¡¯t seem to be an incredibly large or powerful symbiote. Based on this idea, Raven concluded it couldn¡¯t even be a two-star symbiote.


    While Raven was considering how to defeat it before it could return to its defensive form, he noticed the tree he was standing on shaking. Looking down, only one thought crossed his mind: ¡°Shit.¡± The symbiote had loaded nearly all of its biomass into two arms and was trying to uproot the pine tree Raven was on. Such a feat was impossible for a human, as it would require at least 10 tons of lifting force.


    As the sounds of the tree¡¯s roots stretching filled the air, Raven cleared his mind and began to think rationally. Until now, the symbiote had never concentrated its biomass in one place like this. A single stone thrown at this moment could be lethal. Balancing himself on the swaying tree, he prepared to throw the stone. But something felt strange. Even though he could feel the symbiote pulling the tree, it wasn¡¯t managing to uproot it any further. Why was it still pulling?


    Pushing aside the minor details, Raven prepared to throw the stone. But the last thing he saw before throwing was a third arm emerging from the symbiote¡¯s body. The symbiote pulled Raven toward itself, and it was over. The symbiote had lured him into a trap, knowing exactly what he would try.


    It was completely impossible for a one-star symbiote to fully uproot a 10-ton tree. All it had to do was wait for Raven to focus all his attention on throwing the stone, leaving his already exhausted mind unable to concentrate on escaping. When the symbiote pinned Raven down, his escape was no longer possible. The hand that could almost uproot a tree certainly wouldn¡¯t fail to hold Raven.


    Previously, Miles had saved him, but now, it would take at least 10 minutes for Miles to wake up. It was all over. He hadn¡¯t even been able to stall the symbiote long enough. After consuming him, it could head straight for Miles¡¯s sleeping body and devour him as well.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    No matter what, Raven found some comfort in knowing that he had fought to the limits of his body and wouldn¡¯t die with regret. After running for over half an hour with the speed spell and carrying Miles through the forest for hours, his body was wrecked. On top of that, he had to fight the symbiote twice in a row. If he had been more cautious, he might have avoided the symbiote¡¯s third arm, but his body and instincts were too exhausted to notice anything. Raven consoled himself after losing to a one-star symbiote.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, at the Hunter Manor...


    ¡°They should have used the crystals I gave them to return by now, Eryndor,¡± Edward said nervously, sniffing the wine in his glass.


    ¡°If it troubles you this much, I can send one of our mages, Lord Edward,¡± said a tall, thin man with a long beard wearing a blue robe. This was Eryndor, the chief mage of the Hunter family. Chief mages were individuals who fought alongside the emperors of families in wars and trained the family¡¯s promising young mages.


    Edward finished the last sip of his wine, stood up, and took his oversized coat, clearly belonging to a noble, from the armrest of his chair. ¡°I will go myself.¡±


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, Miles had woken up.


    He was in a dark, cold, and unsettling place. There were owl sounds, but he had a vague idea of what was going on. Despite having no energy, he staggered to his feet and began walking, holding onto trees with every step. ¡°Please, be okay,¡± he muttered as he stumbled toward the source of mana he sensed.


    Even though he didn¡¯t have the energy to open his eyes properly, Miles was almost running, trying to save Raven¡¯s life. His brain kept shifting between shutting down and staying awake, causing him to frequently lose track of where the mana was coming from. He tripped many times and was practically sleepwalking.


    After minutes of walking, he finally reached the source of mana. Normally, he should have woken up half an hour later, meaning his brain didn¡¯t even have the energy to dream. He was witnessing the final moments of the battle. Raven, due to his exhaustion, had made a simple mistake and lost himself. He was now at death¡¯s door.


    Miles approached and, as Raven fully accepted his death, saw Miles, barely able to stand. Using his hands for support, Miles took his final steps and grabbed the symbiote¡¯s leg.


    ¡°YOU IDIOT! I LEFT YOU THERE SO YOU COULD ESCAPE! YOU RUINED MY ENTIRE PLAN!¡± Raven shouted.


    The symbiote, understanding human language and amused that its next meal had come to it, began laughing.


    ¡°Everyone has their own plan, buddy. If we¡¯re going to die, we¡¯ll die together,¡± Miles said in a shaky, exhausted voice. He began laughing as well.


    At that moment, the last shred of comfort Raven had¡ªhis ability to console himself¡ªvanished before his eyes. Now, both he and Miles were going to die.

 48: Ravens Vow of Vengeance and the Power of Edward Hunter

    The symbiote looked at Raven, who was held in his grasp, with a mocking expression. Normally, Raven would have gotten angry, but right now, the only person he could get angry at was Miles. Raven felt like he was about to cry from anger; his eyes were filled with blood, and he had bitten his lip, drawing blood. Being weak was his fault, no one else¡¯s.


    Miles, unable to stand, was still clinging to the symbiote¡¯s leg. Raven stopped biting his lip, which he was nearly about to tear off, and while tears of blood streamed from his eyes, he raised his arm and began to shout:


    "I swear I won¡¯t die! In fact, when I get out of here, I¡¯ll be so strong that not a single lowly creature like you will even be able to rival me!"


    The symbiote, understanding human language, got the message, but this time, unlike before, he didn¡¯t laugh. Although what Raven said seemed impossible, Raven¡¯s emotions were so heavy that, at some point, the symbiote felt he should show respect. Miles, half-conscious, was listening to Raven, but he was too drained to make sense of what he was hearing. When the sounds of the forest, Raven¡¯s voice, his breathing, and his heartbeat all mixed together, his eyes closed completely. The only thing he knew was that he wouldn¡¯t be able to open them again.


    After wiping the blood from his face, Raven stared at the symbiote for a few seconds. The symbiote, tightening his grip on Raven¡¯s throat a little more each second, felt an overwhelming aura approaching from the forest. It was such an overpowering and intense aura that Miles jolted awake, and Raven¡¯s heart started beating faster. Even the symbiote had to release Raven due to the force of the aura.


    The symbiote, nervously watching the steps shaking the forest, saw Raven, who had fallen to the ground, clutching his sore throat from the strain. As figures began to form from the shadows, a tall figure of about 2.5 meters, with the long coat fluttering, became visible. Miles, half-awake, started to smile at the familiarity of the aura:


    "A bad end for a symbiote who thinks of himself as an apex predator."


    The symbiote equipped his hand with a weapon and maintained his uneasy stance. Raven, after realizing whose aura this belonged to, saw the figure finally step out from the shadows. With a humanoid shape and a deadly aura, this person was Edward Hunter. Similarly, when Raven began to smile, the symbiote realized that this was someone Raven trusted.


    When Edward finally came face to face with the symbiote, there was still a 1-meter height difference between them. Although the symbiote appeared larger in size, standing in front of Edward made him feel like a cat scurrying under the foot of an elephant.


    Edward Hunter, having fought countless battles throughout his long life, had no intention of killing. His hands were in his pockets, and he was simply staring at the symbiote¡¯s face. What made him intimidating was not the aura¡¯s intent, but its size. The symbiote started to think a few things:


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere."No matter how large his aura is, from the looks of it, he has no idea what he¡¯s up against. If I attack first, I might have a chance."


    As the symbiote thought this, he released a killing intent, and with his right arm, he attacked Edward. However, before he even struck, he realized that Edward had already severed his arm. Although Miles was still dozing, Raven, with his ultra instincts, had already understood what was happening. The symbiote, when he first released his killing intent, found that Edward had already cut off his arm and returned his hand to his pocket. It was as if his arm had just spontaneously fallen off.


    The symbiote was clearly frustrated by this and, when he narrowed his eyes, it was obvious he was angry. After loading some of his biomass into his hands, he created knives with both hands and jumped back.


    ¡°Dad, watch out! He¡¯s way too fast!¡± Raven shouted, and Edward started walking with a smile.


    The symbiote jumped forward again, merging the knives in his hands, planning to split Edward in two with all his speed. Edward, however, was still walking, his hands in his pockets. When the symbiote collided with Edward, an utterly nonsensical scene occurred. The symbiote, leaping at Edward with massive knives in his hands, was split in two upon impact. One of his pieces stuck to a tree in the back and began to reform. Since it had merged so many times, this time the reformation was very slow, and his biomass had shrunk.


    Raven, once again, saw what was happening. Edward, this time without even taking his hands out of his pockets, kicked downward with incredible speed and split the symbiote in two. It was absurd for a human to be this fast or strong. He was practically playing with the symbiote.


    The symbiote realized he couldn¡¯t win. This man was not on his level; he had to be some kind of demon. He began running into the forest, and Edward sighed deeply:


    ¡°Foolish, useless creatures.¡±


    He bent down and took three small stones in his palm. After bouncing them in his hand, he stretched his wrist, and after preparing, he threw them. The moment he threw them, the symbiote, whose silhouette could be seen in the depths of the forest, was torn into pieces. The stones were no more than one or two grams each and were three hundred times lighter than the ones Raven had thrown.


    ¡°But how did the stones not break from friction? They were faster than the speed of sound!¡±


    Edward laughed:


    ¡°Magic, son, magic.¡±


    Raven now understood that Edward¡¯s inhuman strength came from strengthening his body with magic.


    ¡°So, you were that fast and strong because you covered your body with magic?¡±


    Edward turned around, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Raven:


    ¡°No? Is this the first time you¡¯ve seen physical strength, son?¡±


    Raven was in shock. Although Edward had said that, after experiencing such immense power, Raven really felt like he had seen physical strength for the first time in his life. It seemed that the symbiote, after being torn into so many pieces, couldn¡¯t merge anymore and had finally died.


    Edward approached the sleeping Miles and reached into his backpack. He pulled out the return crystals he had given earlier and threw them to Raven, taking one for himself.


    ¡°For a moment, I thought Miles had lost his stones. Stupid kid¡­¡±


    They both broke the stones at the same time and found themselves in front of the mansion.

 49: Why does people fight?

    Raven began to feel that familiar sensation again as Edward broke the stone. The ground beneath his feet seemed to slip away, and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. As he collapsed to the ground, he lost both his sense of hearing and sight. When everything returned, Edward Hunter was laughing as loud as he could, looking down at him. After a few minutes, Raven shook his head and started walking toward the interior.


    "Father¡¯s son¡­"


    Together, they walked to the infirmary to leave Miles behind. Edward placed Miles on the bed, and both of them pulled chairs next to it, silently waiting for him to wake up. About 20 minutes later, Miles opened his eyes.


    "Don¡¯t strain yourself, son," Edward said.


    Raven, on the other hand, was lost in thought, reflecting on everything that had happened and his own weakness.


    "The stones, they¡¯re in the bag, Dad. You should take them," Miles said in a tired voice.


    Edward nodded, took the stones from the bag, and left. He returned 10 minutes later.


    "Miles was like a hero," Raven said, glancing at Edward.


    Edward didn¡¯t respond, but his gaze stayed on his son. Miles coughed and then spoke.


    "If it weren¡¯t for you, we¡¯d both be dead by now. I just showed stupid courage. Raven sacrificed himself to save me."


    Raven felt foolish.


    "I knew I wouldn¡¯t die."


    "Of course you didn¡¯t," Edward cleared his throat. "Both of you did your best. In fact, if the possessed symbiote hadn¡¯t shown up, the operation would¡¯ve been a walk in the park for you."


    Neither of them said anything, as, despite the truth in his words, both had caused some issues during the operation.


    "I don¡¯t know what your plan was, but it worked, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got high-level resource control skills. When you grow up, I¡¯ll be sure to see you fighting by my side."


    There was a brief silence. Miles was thinking about what had just happened, while Raven was contemplating how he could avoid making such mistakes in the future. Edward, on the other hand, was lost in his own uncertain thoughts.


    "You two rest. I¡¯ve got things to do," Edward said as he stood up, brushed himself off, and left the infirmary. Raven and Miles were left alone.


    "My friend, I need to train too. You rest," Raven said as he stood and walked toward the door.


    "Hey, Raven," Miles called out. Raven turned around, and Miles, now sitting up, looked at him.


    "Thank you," he said.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Raven nodded and left the room. There were only a few days left before school started, and if Raven found himself in a situation where upperclassmen attacked him, he¡¯d have to face students stronger than even his symbiote.


    As he walked toward the exit, Eleanor Hunter crossed his path.


    "Raven, we never talk. You should talk to me for a bit."


    Although Raven wasn¡¯t fond of talking, she was his mother, and at least he could do was listen to her a little.


    "Yes, Mom, I¡¯m listening."


    They had never really spoken one-on-one before, and although it felt awkward because she was his mother, it was still a normal situation for Raven.


    "I heard you almost died on your mission. When I see Edward, I¡¯ll scold him..."


    "It¡¯s fine, Mom. Miles and I are okay with it. As long as we¡¯re alive..."


    Eleanor¡¯s face fell. She didn¡¯t understand why people fought. Even other women seemed to be obsessed with war. Why was gaining power so captivating? Only simple creatures resorted to violence to prove themselves. But humans could speak. They risked their lives to do this.


    "Raven, I won¡¯t stop you, but I don¡¯t understand why people like you fight. Why do you prefer to suffer to prove yourselves to others instead of living a painless and peaceful life?"


    Raven thought for a moment.


    "Suffering... it means different things to different people. But for people like us, we don¡¯t fight to prove ourselves to others. It¡¯s not even about violence. It¡¯s just the desire to fight for something. If I had never fought for anything in my life, I would¡¯ve suffered every second. Everyone suffers in different ways, and physical pain isn¡¯t a type of suffering for me. We fight to prove ourselves to ourselves, not to others."


    Although Eleanor still didn¡¯t care for fighting, she began to respect his perspective. At least now she understood that everyone had their own passion, and for them, it was fighting.


    "By the way, what¡¯s the code for the hidden training area?" he asked.


    Eleanor thought, I guess I¡¯ll never be able to stop them.


    "I never bothered to learn it... but if you want to go, the trainer, Rufus, should be in his office. You can ask him."


    Raven thanked her and made his way upstairs, entering Rufus¡¯s office. Rufus was writing something on a piece of paper when Raven walked in, and he quickly tucked the paper into the drawer of his desk.


    "Yes, Raven, what¡¯s up?"


    Raven sat down on a chair and spoke.


    "What¡¯s the code for the hidden training area?"


    "The code is courage. But if you¡¯re planning to train, how about we do it together?"


    Raven¡¯s eyes lit up. This would be far more efficient and fun than training alone.


    "Yes, absolutely! I was planning to develop a new technique. Maybe you can help."


    Rufus laughed and stood up.


    "I¡¯ve dedicated my life to combat techniques, kid."


    He walked out of the room, and they made their way to the hidden door. After passing the aquarium, they reached the blacksmith Edric¡¯s workshop.


    "Hey, Edric, I broke my sword, but instead of throwing the pieces away, I thought it¡¯d be smarter to bring them to you," Raven said.


    Edric, wiping sweat from his brow, took the sword pieces from Raven.


    "Thanks, kid. It¡¯s better than throwing it away. After I finish the Blood bat''s dagger, I can make you some throwing knives from this obsidian alloy."


    Raven nodded, and they continued walking with Rufus.


    "How quickly that brat has grown," Rufus muttered as they continued on.


    Finally, they reached the training area, and after passing through the entrance, they stepped into the large room.


    "So, what kind of technique are you planning to develop? Is it based on a weapon or a specific skill?" Rufus asked.


    Raven looked at the weapons on the wall.


    "I think my speed is lacking, so I¡¯m going to develop a technique to improve my explosive speed. It won¡¯t involve any specific weapon."


    Rufus nodded, then, pretending to think, put his hand on his chin. When Raven lowered his guard, Rufus quickly drew a throwing knife from his belt and threw it at Raven¡¯s face.


    Raven, maintaining a neutral expression, tilted his head slightly, dodging the knife with minimal movement.


    "You¡¯ve earned your training," Rufus said.


    "Since we started walking, you¡¯ve been suppressing your intention to attack. The only thing I didn¡¯t know was when you¡¯d strike."

 50: Flame katana

    "All speed techniques require physical speed, meaning if you¡¯re not fast enough, the techniques in your mind won¡¯t work."


    "But I can''t expand my physical limits as quickly as I want."


    Rufus picked up a sword from the wall and began examining it in his hand.


    "These are just boring limits set by boring people. You don¡¯t look like a boring person, Raven. I will increase your speed in five days."


    Upon hearing this, everything Raven thought about power changed. Everything was as he wanted; there was no reason for him not to grow stronger.


    "How do we start, master?"


    Rufus pointed the sword he was holding at Raven.


    "By testing your limits, of course. Choose any weapon you want, and we will fight. If you can touch me, you win; there¡¯s no time limit, and if you become unable to fight, you lose."


    Raven confidently walked to the wall of weapons. He chose an advanced-level katana. The hilt of the katana had red motifs, and the tip of the blade was also red.


    "Good choice. For the first time in your life, you¡¯re holding equipment made from monster parts. The katana you have is made from the claws of a flame weasel. It¡¯s one of Edric¡¯s favorite works at an advanced level."


    Raven admired the appearance and sharpness of the sword. "I wish it were mine," he thought, but there was already a weapon made for him.


    "Now that you¡¯ve taken that weapon, it¡¯s time for me to enlighten you a bit more about equipment. Some weapons have their own skills. They are divided into active or passive. The weapon you¡¯re holding has both active and passive skills."


    For a child who was on the streets just last year, it was difficult for Raven to digest so much information. Weapons seemed to be like individuals on their own, as far as he understood.


    "What is its skill?"


    "The passive skill is burning. When you place your hand on it, it has already taken some of the mana for itself."


    When Raven looked at the katana in his hand, he noticed that the dark red motifs were glowing with a lighter and more vibrant red. Since he had never used his mana until now, this felt completely different for him.


    "As long as it has mana, your strikes can apply burning to the opponent. Since the sword is advanced level, it can apply flame effects like an advanced level sword."


    So weapons could help you use magic without having an affinity. This brought a question to Raven¡¯s mind.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation."Do wands work on the same principle?"


    Rufus shook his head.


    "No. Wands facilitate the flow of magic. For high-level wizards, whether they have a wand or not doesn¡¯t make much difference. You can think of mana flow according to your mastery in magic as a pipe with holes; as you master magic, you close the holes and create a perfect flow. Using a wand closes most of the holes for you. The reason masters use wands is not due to their weakness but because of their preferences. A wide pipe carries water faster but cleans the surface less. Narrow pipes use less water and clean more due to pressure. Everyone''s way of flowing mana is also inherently different. The difference that makes people adept or inept in magic comes after affinities. High-level wands can artificially change the flow of magic."


    Although Raven thought wands would become useless at some point, when Rufus finished his sentence, wands began to feel like a cheat to him. A wand could provide the one-in-a-million magic flow ability of people by itself.


    "What is the active skill of the sword I¡¯m holding?"


    "Swords can understand your intent, my child. When you swing the sword normally, nothing happens, but when you want to use its active skill, it activates. Every sword has a different active skill, and the skill of the sword you have is flame cutting."


    "Can I try it?"


    "Of course."


    After taking his stance with the sword, Raven faced a metal training dummy. He swung the sword, and burns formed in the area he cut. Since it was a metal surface, it extinguished again after a few seconds. After stepping back a bit, he took his stance again and swung his sword in the same way. After creating a fiery path as if cutting through the air, it flew towards the dummy and ignited it with a small explosion. Raven felt as if he had cast a spell. When he performed this move, the sword drew more mana from him, and feeling the flow of his mana, he truly felt like he had cast magic for the first time.


    "Is the difference between basic and advanced level swords this big?"


    Rufus moved to the opposite side of where Raven was standing with the sword in his hand.


    "Yes, and the difference between advanced and superior levels is even greater. The difference between superior and perfect is even larger, and between perfect and legendary, it¡¯s even more. So the difference between each level grows larger. To give you a preview, I took a basic level sword in my hand. I can even get you a wooden sword if you want."


    Although Raven felt humiliated, Rufus was right. No matter how perfect a technique Raven developed, the only thing he could do in all battles was to run away with all his energy. He needed to develop a defensive technique or a superior offensive technique instead of just running away. After recalling how powerless he was against the Sembiyota, he decided to start fighting to grow stronger rather than proving himself to Rufus.


    "Anyway, let¡¯s get started."


    After activating his ultra instincts, Raven took his guard. Rufus made the first attack. He was so fast that even though Raven couldn¡¯t see it, he dodged with a side step using his instincts.


    "I thought the match would end here. Come on, let¡¯s step it up, Master Raven."


    Rufus was enveloped in a blue aura, and his movements were clearly speeding up. Raven knew very well where this familiar sight came from.


    Rufus IronShade: Affinity: Enhancement spells.