The lid opened slightly. Both Rey and Victor leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity.
And when the lid finally revealed what was inside…
They were left completely speechless.
What lay within wasn't some sparkling treasure or mythical artifact—just three seemingly old books and two familiar-looking account cards.
To the average eye, it might've looked like junk. But Rey knew better. His gaze narrowed the moment he saw the account cards—identical to the one he had retrieved from Jacob's vault. That alone raised an eyebrow. What possible connection could the Martial Center have with a local gang leader?
And yet… the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The kidnapping and gang activities weren't isolated incidents. Something—someone—was pulling the strings from behind the scenes, and this vault seemed to be a key piece in the puzzle.
Rey first reached for the cards. If his hunch was right, they were loaded with Dracins. But before diving into numbers, he turned his attention to the books—carefully preserved, tightly wrapped in plastic, and bound with thin metallic wiring.
With precise movements, Rey cut the bindings and laid the books out before him.
He read the titles, and his eyes widened.
{Body Refining Method: Ironheart Cultivation}{Qi Cultivation Method: Ironclad Qi Forge}{Greatsword Technique: Titan Cleave}
A brief glance was all it took. These were high-grade foundational techniques—worth millions on the black market, even in secondhand condition. Some could go for 10 to 50 million depending on rarity and condition.
In the martial world, all techniques were divided into five stages, much like beast classifications. Each stage contained four sub-realms of mastery: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master. Mastery was the goal for most—but legends spoke of a mysterious fifth realm: Grandmaster, an achievement so rare it bordered on myth.
Rey's heartbeat quickened.
Just as he touched the books, the system activated.
───◈ System Notification ◈───
[System has detected an anomaly within the host's inventory.][Multiple foundational techniques of cultivation and combat have been acquired.]
───◈ Hidden Completion Requirement ◈───✦ Possession of at least one Body, Qi, and Battle Art technique of high-grade.
[Initiating system update related to technique acquisition.]
───◈ Mutation Process Initiated ◈───[Generating new Status Tab…][Analyzing technique classifications…][Unlocking Cultivation Progression Interface…]
───◈ Mutation Complete! ◈───[New Tabs Unlocked:
───◈ System Notification ◈───
[Unknown movement detected in host's soul.][Source Identified: Octageon Arts.][Checking requirement completion status…]
───◈ Hidden Completion Requirement ◈───✦ Required Foundations: 7/8 Acquired
• Body Refinement: Ironheart Cultivation• Qi Refinement: Ironclad Qi Forge• Mana Refinement: None• Psyche Refinement: Relic (Aiden)• Battle Art: Titan Cleave• Rune Codex: Relic (Zero)• Concealment Art: Skill (Shadow Meld)• Unknown Art: Devour of the Fate and Destiny
[Recommendation: Acquire the missing Mana Refinement Foundation to unlock the seal on the Octageon Arts.]
───◈◈◈◈◈───
Rey closed the panels one by one, his mind buzzing with the revelation.
The system had confirmed it—those three books weren't just rare, they were essential components of something far greater: the Octageon Arts. He'd unknowingly fulfilled nearly all the conditions to awaken it.
He tried to calm himself down, breathing deeply, and turned back to the account cards.
Sliding the first one into the system and typing in the credentials, he waited as the balance loaded.
======Bank Balance: 120,209,340 Dracins======
There was no outward reaction.
Rey merely closed the screen and took a step back, face blank.
Victor noticed the change. "Kid? What's wrong?"
Rey shook his head slowly. "N…Nothing. Just trying not to scream like a madman and alert the whole world."
His face was flushed red from the effort.
Victor chuckled. "Still got one more card. Let's check that before you start your happy dance."
Rey nodded and slid the second card in after transferring all the funds to his own account, splitting half of it into Jacob's.
He destroyed the used card, but something unexpected happened. His shadow suddenly emerged, the Oblivion Gloom forming briefly before swallowing the plastic remains whole.
It didn't affect him, so he ignored it.
He opened the second card.
======Bank Balance: 31,860,000 Dracins======
"Not bad," Victor commented casually. "Still a fortune."
Rey didn't even respond. After transferring the remaining amount and watching his Oblivion Gloom devour the second card as well, he slumped back in his chair.
"I have… over 15 billion Dragon Points now. I'm rich…"
He buried his face into a pillow and let out a long, muffled scream of joy.
Even after several minutes, the feeling didn't fade. He checked the account again. Still there.
The realization settled in—he was truly rich.
Victor eventually got annoyed at Rey's childlike joy, but Rey couldn't care less. From a middle-class struggler to a multi-billionaire overnight… it was the kind of leap that shattered reality.
Time passed slowly that day, as if extending Rey's joy.
At dinner, he barely spoke. Usually, he would help clean the dishes, but today, Jasmine noticed that he disappeared upstairs the moment he finished eating.
She assumed he had schoolwork or something urgent.
She didn't question it.
Back in his room, Rey started packing. A few extra clothes, some supplies… then something struck his mind.
He turned to a shelf and pulled out a medium-sized bag hidden behind old boxes. Aiden watched silently, not sure what Rey was preparing for.
Still, he didn't interrupt. It wasn't going to be a long journey.
Lights off. Window open.
With Phantom Stride, Rey silently dropped to the ground.
Aiden guided him mentally, pointing him toward the west.
One hour later, Rey stood before the city's outer wall.
And what awaited beyond… would change everything.
Rey scaled the towering city wall with ease, his form flickering through the night thanks to Phantom Stride, while Shadowmeld kept him cloaked in darkness.
As he reached the top, guards patrolled back and forth, unaware of the hidden intruder perched mere feet away. Without hesitation, Rey vaulted over the edge, landing silently on the other side.
The area outside the walls had been cleared of trees and cover, a natural barrier to spot beasts approaching from the wild. Not a single bush or stone to hide behind—just empty land stretching toward the dense forest ahead.
Rey dashed across the open stretch, covering half a kilometer before reaching the edge of the dark woodland. He took a cautious glance behind—no signs of pursuit. All clear.
He slipped into the forest shadows, heading toward the marked destination Aiden had set. The deeper he moved, the quieter it became. Most beasts at night retreated to their dens; only apex predators roamed freely under the moon's pale gaze. It was exactly why most martial artists avoided nighttime hunts.
But here Rey was, strolling through predator territory like it was a walk in the park.
Fortunately, his movement was smooth and efficient. Phantom Stride and body training allowed him to leap between branches with near-weightless steps.
Unfortunately, that was also his biggest mistake.
The repeated tapping of his boots on bark echoed unnaturally through the forest. It wasn't loud—but it was rhythmic. And in a place where predators hunted by sound, it was more than enough.
One such predator had already taken notice.
Still unaware of the threat, Rey leapt for another branch—
Slash!
A sharp pain tore across his back as claws raked through his skin. He yelped and tumbled forward, crashing to the ground.
"Argh! What the hell? Who—?!"
He spun mid-fall and caught sight of a four-armed, monkey-like beast, its eyes glowing with feral hunger. It crouched on the branch above, fingers twitching for another strike.
'Wait… I'm using Shadowmeld. How the hell did it see me?!'
"Relax," Victor's voice echoed in his head. "It didn't see you. It heard you. Beasts like these don't rely on sight. They track vibrations and sounds. Your rooftop parkour just gave you away."
"I could just escape…"
"Oh, come on," Aiden scoffed. "You're seriously going to run from a monkey?"
Rey sighed. "Guess I can't."
He unsheathed his sword—Ravager Claw—its edge gleaming faintly in the moonlight. The beast above froze, sensing a sudden shift in the air. Its instincts screamed danger, but before it could react—
Slash!
Rey appeared right before it, his sword cutting clean through one of the beast's arms like slicing fruit.
The monkey-beast screeched in agony, flailing wildly. With two remaining arms, it lashed out in fury, landing a vicious double punch—one to Rey's gut, the other to his jaw.
Rey staggered back, blood in his mouth, but he refused to fall.
"Your turn," he muttered coldly.
With Telekinesis, he yanked a massive stone from the underbrush and hurled it straight into the beast's face.
CRACK!
The rock slammed the monkey clean off the branch, sending it crashing to the forest floor. Leaves and dirt erupted in a chaotic mess.
Rey jumped down after it. The beast was groaning, dazed and pinned under the rock.
Without giving it a chance to recover, Rey drove his blade through its throat.
The beast spasmed once… then lay still.
≪You have eliminated 1 Four-Armed Monkey (Lv.7).You have gained 119 EXP (Bonus +70%). [2369/3000]≫
Rey exhaled. "So this is what it's like… hunting monsters for EXP. Just like a novel."
But his thoughts were short-lived.
Suddenly, the forest came alive with noise—howls, screeches, and the thunder of claws against earth.
Dozens of eyes glinted in the shadows. The smell of blood had done its work. He was no longer alone.
"Shit."
Rey immediately vanished with Shadowmeld, merging into the darkness of the trees to observe.
From every direction, more beasts emerged—furred, fanged, and feral. Some were smaller variants of the monkey, while others were stranger: sleek-limbed apes, horned boars, shadowy flying creatures with leathery wings, all drawn to the scent of blood.
The monkey tribe spotted their fallen kin—and snapped.
A frenzy erupted.
Fangs tore, claws slashed, and guttural cries filled the air. The battle for dominance began.
Rey moved like a phantom through the chaos. He summoned Silent Fang, his dagger, and struck with lethal precision.
He didn't confront. He eliminated.
Every time a beast collapsed from another's strike, Rey was there to finish it quietly and claim the kill.
His methods were ruthless—but effective.
"Not a bad strategy," Victor admitted, watching with cold approval.
"It's survival," Aiden added. "In this world, who cares how you win? Just win."
The infighting kept the beasts distracted. One by one, they fell. Most had no idea what hit them. The survivors grew uneasy—something was off.
But they blamed each other.
And by the time they realized what was happening… half of them were already dead.
Rey crouched behind a rock, glancing upward. The flying beasts were preparing to retreat, sensing the danger.
"Nope. You're not going anywhere."
From his Shadow Inventory, Rey pulled out his bow—ShadowBranch.
He drew an arrow, took aim—
Thwip!
One flying beast dropped from the sky, its skull pierced cleanly.
Another arrow. Another kill.
Rey kept firing, reducing the airborne threats before they could flee and warn others.
Tonight, he wasn't prey.
He was the predator in the shadows—and this forest… was his hunting ground.
Rey fired arrows one after another. Despite his almost nonexistent proficiency with a bow, he missed only one or two shots. It was as if he was born to wield it. Of course, the truth was simple—true mastery of a weapon only came through real combat.
Aiden watched silently, knowing this was the only way Rey could grow like a normal person. His natural talent was low, so actual battle experience was his best training.
The surrounding beasts quickly noticed the airborne monsters being shot down and instantly grasped the situation. Growling and roaring, they charged toward the location the arrows were coming from.
But Rey had no time to admire his own performance.
"Don't stop," Aiden instructed firmly. "Keep attacking. Kill them before they get close."
Rey did exactly that. If any beasts got near, they were torn apart by Victor's brutal blood manipulation—so casual, it was as if he wasn't even trying.
Minutes passed. The once lush forest was now littered with beast corpses—some pierced with arrows, others slain by daggers. Rey hurried to collect the reusable arrows, only a few of which were damaged beyond use.
Then it came.
He stopped and waited.
He could feel it.
The level-up was finally here.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⟪ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⟫
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━⟪ You have eliminated: ▶ 19 × Four-Armed Monkeys ▶ 26 × Sleaked Arm Apes ▶ 7 × Gale-Winged Birds (Lv. 5–11) ⟫⟪ You have gained: 5,824 EXP (+Bonus%) ▶ [8193/3000] ⟫⟪ Sufficient EXP accumulated. Would you like to level up? (Yes/No) ⟫⟪ You have leveled up! ×2 ▶ [1193/5000] ⟫⟪ You have gained 400 Unallocated Stat Points. ⟫⟪ Relic-designated stats integrated into status. ⟫⟪ Your control over the relics has increased: ➤ Manipulation: 0.0003% → 0.0005% ➤ Manifestation: 0.003% → 0.005% ➤ Authority: 0.0000000003% → 0.0000000005% ⟫━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Rey instantly felt the change. His body toughened, his health surged, and his physique clearly crossed into a new realm—finally reaching E- Rank.
But the joy was short-lived.
His mana began to spike uncontrollably.
Too fast.
Too much.
His internal organs ruptured from the overload. He fell to his knees, his entire body flashing crimson.
"Damn it!" Aiden cursed, immediately taking over.
He guided the excess mana flooding Rey's body toward the dormant elemental core deep inside—the root of his Elemental Variation of Darkness.
He forcefully absorbed the mana into that core. If not for his control, Rey might have exploded from within.
Once the internal storm settled, another problem surfaced—Rey's mana regeneration rate.
It was absurd.
So absurd that Aiden knew one thing for certain:If they didn't form his core soon, Rey would die.
To keep him alive, Aiden continued redirecting mana into the dark elemental core. This unexpected process was beginning to alter something deep within… a change that could either be Rey's greatest blessing—or a future curse.
"Kid, take one or two of those flying beasts with you," Aiden reminded him. "You forgot to bring food, didn't you?"
Rey blinked in surprise—he had forgotten. With a sheepish expression, he dragged some flying beast corpses into his inventory. He was about to collect the beast materials too, but Aiden warned him.
"Don't waste time. Some powerful beast auras are heading this way, and I'm already using half my focus just to control your mana."
Rey nodded quickly.
Just as he turned to leave, his shadow twitched—stretching unnaturally.
From it emerged a monstrous, inky figure—his Elemental Variation, Oblivion Gloom.
It rarely showed initiative.
But now… it slithered forward like a loyal dog, salivating at the fallen beasts. Its eerie hunger pulsed through the air.
With a sigh, Rey muttered, "Fine… go ahead."
He activated the sub-ability: Devour.
A wave of darkness spread out.
In mere seconds, all the beast corpses vanished, swallowed into the void.
Even the blood splatters were gone—like nothing had ever happened here.
Then, a new message arrived that left Rey stunned.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⟪ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⟫━━━━━━━━━━━━━━⟪ Your element Oblivion Gloom has devoured the remains. You have gained: ▶ +19 STR | +27 AGL | +16 VIT | +22 STA | +18 END | +20 INT ⟫⟪ Oblivion Gloom has stored all usable materials it deemed worthy inside your elemental storage. ⟫━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
"…What the hell?" Rey muttered in disbelief.
He never expected his element to repay him—with both stats and resources.
Inside his shadow, he could sense a separate space containing beast parts—claws, bones, skins—all neatly stored.
"Well, you're not that bad after all," Rey smirked, patting the elemental mass as it curled around him like a satisfied hound.
The creature slinked back into his shadow.
Rey activated Shadowmeld and began moving again, fading into the darkness of the forest.
Aiden, meanwhile, continued channeling mana into the elemental core—minute by minute, the burden increased.
The darkness thickened.
Finally, after running for several minutes through increasingly sparse trees, Rey saw it:
A massive mountain, piercing the sky. The peak vanished into the clouds above.
"There," Aiden pointed. "You must climb it."
Rey frowned. "It looks tall, but maybe it's just the perspective—"
But when he reached the base, his jaw dropped.
He couldn't even see the summit from here.
"You guys seriously want me to climb that?"
"Yes. Hurry. We don't have much time."
With no choice, Rey began climbing using Phantom Stride.
The steep terrain pushed his limits. Within an hour, he had reached two-thirds of the height. The last section, however, was brutal.
His hands trembled. His breath was ragged.
He stopped briefly to catch his breath—only to be pushed again.
"Keep going," Aiden urged. "No rest."
Tears formed in Rey's eyes, but he pressed on.
Step after step. Grip after grip.
By the time he reached the summit, his skill Phantom Stride had even evolved—now at C-Rank.
Finally, he stood atop the mountain, sweat pouring down, barely able to move.
But here—this place—this peak, was perfect.
Aiden confirmed it too. The area was stable and secluded—ideal for the dangerous task ahead.
With a grin, Rey opened his inventory and pulled out a medium-sized black box.
He slowly opened the lid.
Even Aiden—and the trio within—were stunned at what they saw.
Something… unexpected.
Something....
To be continued…