The eerie sensation of being watched thickened the air around them. Art and Asura exchanged wary glances, their breaths quickening as the oppressive feeling pressed down on them. It wasn’t long before their worst fears were confirmed. From the shadows, five ash-like humanoid figures emerged, their forms identical to the entity they had barely managed to defeat moments ago.The duo sat frozen on the ground, unable to rise, not because of exhaustion alone but because the sheer magnitude of the threat was paralyzing. The figures moved with unnerving synchronicity, their glowing blue runes pulsing rhythmically like malevolent heartbeats.Four of the creatures stopped at an equidistant perimeter, forming an ominous circle around their prey. But the fifth, larger and more menacing, stepped forward, breaking the symmetry. Its towering frame cast a long shadow over the duo, and its glowing blue eyes locked onto them with an intensity that felt almost sentient.Art and Asura didn’t move. They

Within a certain place, A vast, hollowed-out cavern was concealed behind a cascading waterfall deep within the mountains. The roar of the water outside echoed faintly through the chamber, mixing with the low hum of tension that filled the space. The air was damp, and the stone walls were rough and unrefined, scarred with cracks that seemed to form a web around the room. Seven figures stood at different points in the chamber, each occupying their own corner of the expansive space. The dim, flickering light from a series of braziers scattered throughout the room cast long shadows, distorting their forms on the uneven walls. One stood near the entrance, leaning casually against the stone, his arms crossed and his face hidden by the shadow of his hood. Another lingered by a jagged outcrop at the far side, their fingers idly tracing a scar etched into the rock, as if lost in thought. A third crouched low on a raised ledge, their sharp eyes scanning the others like a predator assessing p

Art walked through an open pathway, hands in his pockets. He was looking better after finally getting some sleep.Neither Viron nor Sil was in the room. He hadn’t seen them for over two weeks, only occasionally sensing their presence when they returned. The same went for Daste, his third roommate.For some reason, he hadn’t heard anything from his guide during this time. This wasn’t like other instances—it felt different. He couldn’t sense her at all. He believed it had something to do with the body she had told him to hold back in the room back then.Several people were walking and talking around him. From the crowd, he suddenly heard his name.“Art!!!”He turned toward the voice to see Caitlyn running toward him. That’s right, he hadn’t seen her during all this time either. She had a worried yet surprised expression written all over her face.She stopped just in front of him, immediately noticing the changes in his appearance over the past month. He had grown slightly taller and loo

After leaving the courtyard, Art returned to his original plan. There were a few people he needed to pay a visit to.He had worked hard up to this point—gaining strength, overcoming the Academy's barriers, and learning runic teleportation, especially since he lacked the attribute required for it.But there was still one last problem, his presence at the Academy. If he didn’t make contact with others within a week, they would surely come looking for him. This had happened several times over the past month during his period of solitude. The staff would visit his room, ask a few questions, and check on his well-being. While it was nice on their part, it had become a nuisance.And then there was the issue of the Relis.If he left the Academy’s premises while still carrying the Relis, it would give away his location if he stayed too close. If he went too far, the Academy would notice the signal loss. To resolve this, he needed two specific attributes to copy using his new skill. But the re

“Seems like you were around,” Art said, turning to face the figure that had just arrived.A boy about his age stood at the edge of the ruined room, a scowl on his face. His narrowed eyes flicked from the smoldering hole in the wall to the unconscious bodies of his group members scattered around. The annoyance in his gaze deepened as he surveyed the destruction.Rensley, the person Art had been searching for, focused his attention on him. “Are you the one responsible for this?” “I’m afraid I am,” Art replied nonchalantly. “I tried talking, but they weren’t in the mood to listen. So, what’s it going to be? A civilized conversation, or are you more comfortable with this method of communication?” His golden eyes gleamed as his aura began to rise.Rensley frowned, glancing again at his defeated teammates. “Are they all knocked out?”Art shrugged. “Why don’t you come see for yourself?”Rensley stood silent for a moment, then began walking toward him. When he was about five meters away, two