All Chapters of Leveling Through Betrayal: Chapter 1
- Chapter 10
11 chapters
Chapter 1 — A Life That Never Chose Me
Brak!Alex’s body slammed hard onto the campus hallway floor, causing the books in his hands to scatter in every direction.“Oh, look who just bumped into me.”The deep voice instantly made Alex’s face turn deathly pale. He knew exactly who it belonged to—Ryan Carter, the man who had turned his life into hell ever since high school.Alex hurriedly got up while keeping his head lowered, avoiding eye contact. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.”However, his apology only triggered mocking laughter that echoed around them.“How pathetic.”“He doesn’t even dare to look.”“Coward.”Alex clenched his fists tightly at his sides. His chest was boiling, but he held himself back because he just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible.But suddenly—Buk!A hard kick landed squarely on his stomach.“Ugh—!”Alex’s breath was instantly knocked out of him, and his body collapsed back onto the floor. Laughter immediately erupted and reverberated throughout the campus hallway.Ryan looked down at
CHAPTER 2 — The World After Death
Alex’s breath gasped in ragged bursts. His entire body was wracked with excruciating pain, as though every inch of his bones had been crushed into pieces. For a few seconds, Alex could only lie helplessly on the ice-cold ground, staring blankly up at the dark expanse of the sky above him."I..."His mind was still in utter chaos. Hadn't he just jumped from the campus building's rooftop moments ago? Shouldn't his body have shattered upon hitting the hard asphalt?Then why... why was he still breathing? Why was he still alive?Alex forced his body to move, but a wave of agonizing pain instantly shot through his entire nervous system."Ghkk..." He gritted his teeth hard, suppressing a groan.His head felt as heavy as lead, and his vision blurred. With the remnants of his focus, he tried to process his surroundings. A thick fog seemed to envelop everything. Giant trees loomed high, appearing like the silhouettes of monsters watching him from the dark. Even the air in this place reeked hea
CHAPTER 3 — The Discarded Name
Alex still stood frozen on the spot. His gaze was locked intently onto the small glass bottle now in the grip of his hand. The clear, bluish liquid inside it seemed to shimmer, reflecting the dim light that pierced the silence of the forest fog.[Healing Potion (No Side Effects).]The mechanical text still hovered faintly, floating right in front of him. Alex’s fingers trembled slightly."No side effects...?" he muttered softly.It sounded too good to be true. His pessimistic thoughts began to spark. What if it was actually poison? What if this strange system was just playing with his sanity before killing him slowly?However, when Alex tried to shift his seating position, an excruciatingly sharp pain instantly radiated from all the joints in his body. His hands were covered in gaping, torn wounds, his bones felt crushed, and his breath was still coming in heavy gasps from the remnants of the deadly fight against the monster earlier.His gaze slowly shifted toward the carcass of the g
CHAPTER 4 — The First Step of the Egoist
Ding![Warning: Target's condition is critical.][Target's survival probability: 2.7%][Analysis complete. Recommended action for the most efficient course of Host's survival found.][Choose yourself.]Alex did not move. His gaze shifted from the system's holographic screen toward the man sprawled on the ground."Please..." The man's voice was almost entirely gone. "I have a daughter... she is still waiting for me to come home..."Alex squeezed the strap of the bag in his grip. That sentence briefly triggered a tightness in his chest. However, it was only for a fleeting moment.In the past, he too had lived for others. Helping them, trusting them, even sacrificing everything. And what did he get in return? Betrayal, humiliation, and death.Alex stared at the man expressionlessly. "You are looking for Aldric, aren't you?"The man's eyes widened weakly.Alex exhaled a long breath. "If you don't die..." He paused his sentence, "...then I will."The man tried to raise his hand, trembling.
CHAPTER 5 — The Red Eyes Inside the Shadows
Alex stood frozen. His body trembled out of control, but he forced his legs to keep supporting his weight. Cold sweat flowed from his temples, passing his tightly clenched jaw."Damn it, move," Alex cursed inwardly, trying to dispel the panic paralyzing his nerves.At the edge of the cave's darkness, the pair of red eyes moved. It wasn't one, but rather two pairs.Ding![Adult Shadow Dragon][Rank: Elite][Status: Extremely Critically Injured]"A dragon..." The whisper escaped through the gaps of Alex's lips.In his original world, this creature was merely a fairy tale. But now, that massive form was reality right in front of him.Slowly, the creature dragged its body out from the shadows. Its size was far larger than the black wolf that had almost claimed Alex's life the other day. The pitch-black scales coating its body appeared tattered. One of its wings was severely torn, drooping helplessly. Thick black blood kept dripping, wetting the cave floor.Amidst the gripping horror, ther
CHAPTER 6 — The First Contract
The shadow dragon lay weakly upon the cold cave floor. Its breath grew increasingly short, leaving disconnected puffs of thin vapor. Thick black blood still continued to flow, seeping from the massive, gaping wounds all over its massive body.Alex remained standing still in his place. His right hand gripped the hilt of the black sword tightly, while his eyes moved to observe the small dragon hatchling that was still continuously pushing its mother's body with its tiny head. The small creature let out a hoarse screech, as though refusing to accept the reality that its sole protector was on the brink of death.However, there was no change. Instead, the adult dragon's body grew increasingly rigid and barely moved anymore.Suddenly, the pair of large red eyes that had originally dimmed reopened slowly. The dragon turned its head slightly, locking its gaze directly onto Alex's own eyes.For a few seconds, the silence inside the cave felt incredibly oppressive. There was no sound, only the
CHAPTER 7 — The Prey That Turned Into a Hunter
Alex still stood frozen inside the cave. Wild growl after wild growl echoed from outside, drawing closer, growing more thunderous. His heart beat rapidly, as though it were about to leap out of his chest."Just a few minutes ago I managed to survive, obtained Nero, and bound my first contract. Now, it is as if the entire Forbidden Forest is moving to tear everything away from me."Ding![Primary scent source detected.][Shadow Dragon Blood.][Warning. Surrounding monsters are approaching.]Alex turned to the adult dragon's body lying still, grand and terrifying all at once."System," he called out, his voice tense. "Can this dragon's corpse be hidden?"Ding![Confirmation.][Target can be stored inside the Inventory.]Alex's eyes widened. "Even something that big?"[Confirmation.]Without wasting time, he extended his hand. Instantly, the giant dragon's body vanished into thin air.Ding![High-Value Asset Successfully Secured.][Egoist Action Detected.][EXP +20]Alex frowned. "Why do
CHAPTER 8 — Hunted by the Elite Monsters
Alex froze in his tracks. His body was still aching from the previous fight, but that pain was nothing compared to the fear currently freezing his chest.Six red eyes glowed from behind the darkness of the forest. Not only that. Low growls, heavy footsteps, and the sound of breaking branches echoed from all directions, as if the forest itself were alive and hungry.Ding.[Warning.][High-Level Threat Detected.][Warning.]Alex swallowed hard with great difficulty. "System..." his voice was parched. "Are they really targeting the dragon core?"Ding.[Confirmation.]"Why?"[Answer: The dragon core is the highest source of energy belonging to a dragon.][Monsters that succeed in absorbing a dragon core have a chance to evolve.][The chance of rank promotion increases.][The chance of bloodline mutation increases.][The chance of extending lifespan increases.]Alex's face instantly turned grim. "Damn it...""So it isn't Nero. It's not the dragon's blood. They are targeting me." Or more pr
CHAPTER 9 — Guardian of the Ruins
Alex froze where he stood. At the end of the pitch-black corridor, a pair of pure golden eyes pinned him in place from within absolute darkness.Alex’s fingers turned white as he gripped the hilt of his black sword, its blade still wet with the blood of monsters. His heart pounded wildly against a body that was beginning to rebel. A small voice of logic in the corner of his mind whispered the truth: if the creature before him decided to attack, the sword in his hand would be nothing more than useless scrap metal.Alex’s breathing came in ragged gasps, each one scraping through his throat, which felt as dry as a desert. Every inch of his body felt as heavy as lead. Beneath his torn robe, a burning heat pulsed constantly—fresh blood still dripped slowly from the gaping wound on his back. He was too exhausted to think about escape routes, and too weak to squeeze out any more strength to fight.For the first time since being thrown into this alien world, a cold sense of resignation crept
CHAPTER 10 — The River That Chooses
Alex remained frozen at the edge of the river.The water was crystal clear, allowing his eyes to see straight through to the glistening stones at the bottom. A soft blue light radiated from deep within the water, spreading a magical glow that enveloped the entire area in serene tranquility. For the first time since being thrown into this cruel and foreign world, Alex felt a real sense of peace.He noticed something strange — the wounds that hadn't healed and were still bleeding slowly began to improve after he entered the sacred area. The pain gradually faded, replaced by a soothing warmth.“What kind of place is this…?” Alex muttered softly, his voice nearly swallowed by the silence.Ding.The familiar cold sound of the System suddenly rang in his mind.[Emergency Mission Completed.] [Host has successfully survived the threat of an Elite Monster.] [Reward Obtained.] [+500 EXP] [New Skill: Pain Resistance Lv.1]Alex froze for a moment. “Pain Resistance?”A confirmation window