The three Shadow-Wolves didn't immediately attack. They circled Kaelen, their glowing red eyes locked onto the massive black slab resting on his shoulder.These weren't normal beasts. They were mutated by the Cursed Ravine.The alpha wolf snarled, its throat glowing with violent mana. It didn't leap to bite him. Instead, it opened its jaws and fired a compressed sphere of dark magic—a Tier-1 Shadow Bullet.A normal knight would raise a heavy shield and brace for a bone-shattering impact. A mage would cast a barrier.Kaelen did neither.He didn't even drop his stance. He simply swung the 800-pound Obsidian Slab with one hand, swatting the incoming magic spell like a mildly annoying fly.BANG!The Shadow Bullet hit the flat side of the black iron. It didn't explode. It didn't penetrate.The spell simply shattered into harmless black sparks. The dense, cursed metal completely absorbed the kinetic energy, neutralizing the mana instantly.Kaelen felt absolutely nothing. The slab didn't eve

It took Kaelen two hours to scale the vertical cliff of the Cursed Ravine.When his bloody, dirt-caked fingers finally breached the top edge, the sun was just beginning to set, casting long, blood-red shadows across the rocky wasteland.He hoisted himself up and dragged the 800-pound Obsidian Slab over the ledge. The sheer weight of the weapon cracked the solid bedrock beneath it.Kaelen stood tall, breathing in the fresh, unpolluted air. His clothes were nothing but toxic-burned rags, revealing a torso sculpted from dense, flawless muscle.Before he could even take a step toward civilization, he heard the crunch of heavy boots."I'm telling you, Captain, this is a waste of time," a whiny voice echoed from behind a cluster of boulders. "He fell into the Slag Pit. A Null like him is probably melted into toxic soup by now.""Lord Cedric ordered us to confirm the kill, so we confirm the kill," a second, deeper voice snapped. "He wants the rat's head as a trophy to put on his desk. Spread

The Grand Auction House was a cathedral of wealth and magic. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the velvet seats, filled with the Royal Capital's elite mages and arrogant nobles.Kaelen sat comfortably in the shadows of VIP Skybox 7, high above the main floor. The 800-pound Obsidian Slab rested casually against the silk-covered wall.Down below, sitting in the front row, was Cedric Vance.Cedric looked immaculate in his tailored blue robes, a smug smile plastered across his face. He was surrounded by flattering lackeys, completely unaware that his elite cleaning squad was currently rotting in the Cursed Ravine."Ladies and gentlemen!" the Auctioneer's magically amplified voice rang out. "We now present the highlight of the evening! A flawless, Tier-3 Elixir of Awakening!"A glowing, emerald-green vial was brought out on a silver pedestal.Cedric’s eyes locked onto it with absolute greed. This was what he needed to break through to the next magical realm and secure his position as the top

Lord Alistair Vance floated gracefully above the blood-soaked cobblestones.He didn't look at the forty-nine pulverized bodies of his elite executioners. To a Tier-4 Grandmage, human lives were just disposable numbers. His glowing silver eyes were fixed solely on Kaelen.The terrifying, freezing pressure of his mana core pressed down on the street like a physical weight. The surrounding brick walls groaned under the magical gravity."You ruined my nephew's ascension tonight," Alistair’s voice was calm, but dripping with absolute malice. "And you slaughtered my men. I don't know what cursed physical mutation you survived in that Ravine, Null. But flesh cannot fight a Grandmage."Alistair raised his hand. The air around him superheated instantly. A massive, swirling sphere of condensed blue fire formed above his palm—Tier-4 Magic: Azure Annihilation."Turn to ash," Alistair commanded coldly.Kaelen didn't raise the 800-pound Obsidian Slab to defend himself. He didn't even tense his musc

The news of Kaelen's absolute dominance at the Monthly Assembly spread through the Royal Capital like wildfire. The Null who crushed magic with a block of iron was the only thing the nobles were talking about.But Kaelen didn't care about the gossip. He cared about resources.Two hours after the assembly, Kaelen stood at the entrance of the largest Vance Mana Crystal Mine, located in the jagged mountains outside the city. The 800-pound Obsidian Slab was strapped to his back, casting a long, terrifying shadow.The Mine Overseer, a fat, balding mage named Garek, stood at the entrance, wiping sweat from his forehead. He had already heard what Kaelen did to Lord Alistair."W-Welcome, Lord Kaelen!" Garek bowed so low his stomach touched his knees. "The transfer papers are verified. This mine is completely yours. However...""However what?" Kaelen’s voice was flat and cold.Garek swallowed hard. "Well, my Lord... Lord Alistair played a trick on you. This is technically the largest mine, yes