As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was an stretch of trees swaying in the breeze, the ground broken by patches of knee-high grass. The air was damp, carrying the faint scent of moss and iron.
"You're here. Quite late."
I spun at the sound of the voice.
A man stood behind me—a man who looked like he belonged in a boardroom, not a forest. Black suit. Black tie. Black glasses. The faintest smirk on his lips, as if this was all a joke only he understood.
I glanced at my outfit—just a plain t-shirt and trousers. Out of place? He had no idea.
"Why am I here? And who the hell are you?" My fingers twitched, and in a flash, my twin blades materialized into my hands. Five feet of polished steel, gleaming like predatory fangs. I leveled one at his throat, close enough that the glass of his shades reflected the edge.
Unbothered, he raised a hand. "Calm down, Cadet. This is merely your test site."
He extended a tablet. I kept my blades steady as I took it, scanning the information. A target profile.
The image made my lip curl.
A humanoid demon. Its back grotesquely swollen, skin stretched thin as parchment, veins bulging beneath. Its face was a twisted parody of humanity—sunken cheeks, glowing red eyes, thick ropes of drool spilling from its slack jaw. A living infection, waiting to burst.
"You're currently five hundred meters from its location," the man explained. "North. Outskirts of the abandoned city. You will be assessed based on how quickly you eliminate the target."
The holographic screen vanished. I gripped my blades tighter, their weight grounding me.
"Fine. Let's get this over with."
I sprinted north, grass whipping at my shins. At seven times a normal man's strength and speed, the world blurred into streaks of green and gray. Within moments, the dense woodland broke into cracked pavement and the skeletons of old buildings—the city outskirts.
And there it was.
The demon lumbered ahead, its body hunched, each step cracking the asphalt beneath clawed feet. Its swollen back pulsed rhythmically, like a grotesque heart ready to rupture. The stench hit me next—rotted meat mixed with sulfur.
Its head snapped toward me. Eyes locked.
It roared.
The sound shattered windows in the nearby ruins, glass raining down like shrapnel.
"Yeah, you're ugly up close too."
I lunged, blades flashing. My first strike was a blur—steel slashing across its chest.
[kinetic charge 30%]
Dark, viscous blood sprayed out, sizzling as it hit the ground. The beast reeled back, swinging a massive claw.
I ducked under it, pivoting on my heel, and drove my other blade upward through its side. The kinetic force surged as I willed it, doubling the impact—boom!—the demon was launched back into a crumbling wall, bricks exploding outward.
But it wasn't down.
With a guttural shriek, it clawed its way out, the bulge on its back swelling grotesquely. Then—crack!—a spike of hardened flesh burst from it, whistling toward me.
Too fast.
The spike ripped through my shoulder before I could fully dodge. Pain exploded white-hot. I staggered, blood spilling, but already I felt my regeneration knitting torn muscle, pushing the foreign shard out with a wet squelch.
The demon charged, capitalizing on my stumble.
"Not bad," I hissed through clenched teeth, raising my blades. "But not good enough."
I sidestepped at the last second, letting its momentum carry it forward, then slashed both katanas across its legs.
[kinetic charge 50%]
Tendons severed—the monster collapsed with a howl.
Its back swelled again, throbbing violently. I could hear the wet creak of its flesh straining. Too dangerous to let it burst.
I tightened my grip, channeling energy into the kinetic core of my blades. Both swords hummed, vibrating with contained force.
"Let's end this."
I launched upward, twisting in midair. The twin blades came down in a perfect cross slash, exploding with kinetic release the instant they bit into the demon's back.
BOOM!
The impact shook the street, dust and debris spiraling outward. For a moment, the world was nothing but smoke and the deafening echo of the blast.
When it cleared, the demon lay in two smoldering halves, its grotesque lump split open, ichor steaming on the ground.
I exhaled, lowering my blades. My shoulder still ached, though the wound was gone. Blood steamed faintly off my skin, the regeneration not quite done.
[Monster Defeated – Demon Order {I} – Level 10 contaminated human]
+2x Rewards (Unique Skill: Reward Enhancement)
+300 EXP
+ 300EXP
+1 Uncommon Aether Crystals
+1 Rare Aether Crystal
I noticed the sharp drop in reward compared to before. But it was understandable last time it was life and death situation.
From behind me, slow applause.
The man in the suit stood calmly at the edge of the ruins, clapping once, twice.
"Efficient. Brutal. Messy, but… acceptable."
His glasses glinted as he adjusted them. "Congratulations, Cadet. You've passed. now back to the judges"
he clicked on his tabelet, and i was back in the room with the so called judges.
"commander of aetherhold was telling truth, you really are stronger than your level. to think you completed the assingment tailored made for level 10 strength type in mere 10 minutes."
once again the voice sounded as if coming from everywhere.
"you have passes the minimum requirment, and will be assinged to zolia continent, but concedering your power, you will be promote to one rank above the fresh recruiter, keep in mind this promotion is based on your current power compare to your peer, if in any situation you failed to diliver the result expected of you you will be demoted, dismissed"
"I understand." And i left the room. Once outside i began looking for claire, i traced back to the station but couldn't find her there.
So effectively I was lost.
While i was thinking so the another teain stoped at the station and through it came a man
He there was some thing really glaring around him he looked like warrior whem i looked into his eyes but by his dressup he looked like diplomat??
Any i decided to take my chance and eventually asked him
"Excuse me can you tell me how can i go up to havenspire."
The man looked at me with wide eyes like how can someone ask such question? He analyses me up and down like really judging me, and then he asked.
What is your rank hunter?
My rank?