Drake stared at the figure—himself, but not. The one called Sky. Same face, but sharper. Colder. His eyes glowed like galaxies.“We talk later,” Sky said firmly. “But first… we deal with those warriors.”Before Drake could ask what that meant, the dark space around him twisted. The realm shattered like glass, and suddenly—BOOM!Drake’s body jolted in the real world. His wounds closed in a flash of light. The warriors who were walking away turned in shock.“Impossible—he was dead!”The glow in Drake’s eyes pulsed brighter—then suddenly shifted.His posture changed.His expression turned cold and focused.Sky had taken over.Inside the soul realm, Drake stood frozen, watching from a mirror-like surface. “Sky… what are you doing?”Sky’s voice echoed calmly, “Relax. You’re too injured to fight. Let me handle this.”Back in the real world, the fifteen warriors circled, confused but cautious.“This energy… it’s different,” one muttered.Sky—inside Drake’s body—smirked. “Let’s make this qui

Everyone stared as the blindfolded man stepped onto the platform.He tapped his cane lightly, and the ground trembled slightly beneath him—not from weight, but from presence.“I am Instructor Cole,” he said calmly. “Your first combat teacher.”A student raised a hand, half laughing. “But… you're blind.”Murmurs broke out.Cole chuckled. “I see more than you ever will.”Then he turned his head slightly toward the group. “I am currently at God of War Level 5.”The students gasped.Even Syrian raised an eyebrow.But then…⟨Ding!⟩ [System Analysis: False Information Detected] [Actual Power Level: Unknown – Estimated Lord Master Tier or Higher]Drake’s eyes widened. “Sky… is that even possible?”“Barely,” Sky replied. “If that’s true… he could destroy cities with a flick of his finger.”Drake felt a chill crawl up his spine.Instructor Cole smiled. “Since you all doubt… let’s test reality.”He raised his cane, and the air around him thickened with invisible pressure.“Each of you wil

The academy bells rang just past dawn.Every student received the same message:⟨Notice⟩ – “Survival Test Initiated – Report to Central Plaza Immediately” ⟨Location: X-Rank Portal | Survival Duration: 3 Days | Squad Limit: 3⟩ ⟨Objective: Collect 10 Blood Crystals from Planetary-Class Beasts⟩Drake’s heart skipped.X-Rank? That wasn’t training. That was a death sentence.He arrived at the glowing teleport gate with hundreds of other students, all buzzing with tension. Holograms of massive alien beasts floated above them—some with wings, others with more teeth than logic allowed.A voice boomed overhead.“You will be sent into the world of Ixion-7, where monsters are at minimum planetary level. Form groups of three. Anyone alone will not survive.”Instant panic.Students immediately began clumping into groups, sticking to known warriors or high-rankers. Nobody looked at Drake. Or if they did, it was with pity or mockery.He stood there, alone.Until—“I’ll team up with him.”Heads t

The sun rose over the shattered jungle ridge, its golden light falling on scorched earth, broken trees, and the lifeless remains of the Sky-Scraping Vine.Inside the Academy’s infirmary, Drake stirred.He opened his eyes slowly, blinking at the ceiling.System Notification:⟨Recovery: 85%⟩ [Bloodline Stabilizing…] [Remaining XP: 4,200,000] [Shadow Black Market: Available]Drake sat up, groaning slightly. Syrian leaned against the wall nearby, arms crossed.“Took you long enough,” he said.Riva stood by the window, bandaged but alert. “You nearly died saving us.”Drake managed a faint smile. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”Syrian stepped closer. “You said not to talk about what we saw. I’m keeping my word. But others saw the aftermath.”Drake’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”Riva threw a device onto the bed. It flickered—a recording of the battle, showing Drake’s transformation and the destruction of the King-tier beast.“Someone leaked it to the Uruk-hai family,” Riva said. “I

The air was thick with dust and the faint scent of burned parchment. Drake, Syrian, and Riva stood amidst the scattered remnants of torn scrolls and shattered shelves, their breaths heavy but steady. The echo of clashing qi still reverberated through the grand chamber.Drake wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at his companions. “We can’t let this keep happening. If the Uruk-hai are following us here, they’re more dangerous than we thought.”Syrian narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists. “They wanted to humiliate us, but they underestimated our strength—and our resolve.”Riva’s eyes glinted with determination. “We need a plan. Something that will turn the tables.”Before Drake could respond, a soft chime from his system interrupted the moment.⟨New Skill Unlocked: Inferno Shadow Strike⟩ Description: Combine fire and shadow qi to deliver a swift, unpredictable attack that can bypass most defenses. XP Reward: 250,000Drake felt a surge of energy flood through him as the system