The cave was dark, lit only by faint rays of light slipping through cracks in the rocks.
Arin stood firmly before a massive gate that emitted a faint blue glow, the air around it shimmering as if it were swallowing everything that approached. Suddenly, a system window appeared before his eyes:
[Gate: Intermediate Rank]
A confident smile curved his lips as he murmured:
— "This time… it's different. I've come already at the Intermediate Rank."
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, his eyes glinting with determination.
— "Let's go."
He stepped through the gate, and the light of the cave vanished, replaced by an entirely new world.
---
Next scene…
On the edge of a towering cliff stood a man in luxurious clothing. His features were sharp, and his eyes brimmed with pure malice. A wicked smile stretched across his face as he whispered:
— "I'll kill you, Arin… How dare you insult the Valen family?"
---
Back inside the gate…
Arin found himself in a vast forest where the trees rose like stone towers, and the rustle of leaves echoed through the air. Suddenly, a deep howl erupted from the shadows, and a massive wolf emerged, its eyes burning with aggression. The system window lit up again:
[Wild Wolf – Intermediate Rank]
Arin smiled with confidence.
— "Good… Come at me, wolf."
The beast lunged at incredible speed, its claws tearing through the air, but Arin ducked at the last second, narrowly avoiding the strike.
— "Is that all you've got?"
Before he could finish, glowing eyes appeared among the trees—an entire pack of wolves, each one bearing the same rank, surrounding him from all sides.
His expression tightened for a moment before a cold smile returned to his lips.
— "Looks like I'll have to use it… Strength Enhancement Skill!"
A blue light burst from his body, power surging through his veins. He drew his sword from his inventory and took a step forward. The wolves attacked like a hurricane, but his blade moved with deadly precision, cutting down one body after another.
Each strike left streaks of blood across the ground, and the howls of the wolves faded one by one.
---
Elsewhere… in the headmaster's office
The atmosphere was calm until the vice-principal entered briskly.
— "Only five days remain until the student examination."
The headmaster smiled faintly.
— "Prepare the testing grounds."
---
Back to Arin…
He now stood amid a massive pile of wolf corpses, his chest rising and falling from the intense battle. A system window appeared before him:
[Level Up: 17]
[Reward: Wolf Extermination]
[Heir's Energy Restored]
Power flowed through his body, and he smiled.
— "What a wonderful reward."
Catching his breath, he muttered:
— "Alright… time to cleanse this gate."
He moved deeper into the forest when the ground suddenly trembled beneath his feet. From between the trees emerged a massive, muscle-covered creature, its face like a feral mask, and its broad chest rising and falling with each breath.
[Forest Gorilla – Boss's Lieutenant – Level: Strong (Weak)]
Arin's eyes flickered in surprise.
— "A boss's lieutenant…!? Could it be that the boss has intelligence of its own?"
The gorilla roared and charged at incredible speed, its fists like boulders. Arin barely dodged, the air around him tearing from the force of the blow.
— "It's stronger than me… even at the weakest level of the Strong rank!"
Another attack, another narrow dodge, his mind racing:
— "The Slicing Skill… I can't use it again for another five hours… If I face the boss without it, I won't even be able to scratch him!"
Then an idea flashed in his mind, and a grin spread across his face.
— "Got it!"
His body vanished from in front of the gorilla, leaving it momentarily confused—before he appeared right behind it.
— "Slicing Skill!"
His sword shot forward like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the gorilla's body in seconds.
The massive corpse fell, and the system windows appeared:
[You have defeated Forest Gorilla]
[Level Up: 21]
[Heir's Energy Restored]
Arin smiled, but his expression grew tense.
— "But… I just used the Slicing Skill… How will I defeat the boss now?"
The ground shook violently, and heavy footsteps snapped tree trunks in their path. A towering figure, over three meters tall, emerged—its dark green skin stretched over powerful muscles, wielding a massive wooden club.
[Forest Goblin – Strong Rank]
Arin's eyes widened.
— "A full Strong-rank…!?"
The goblin vanished from its spot and reappeared before him in an instant, slamming its club into Arin's abdomen. He was sent flying, crashing into a rock wall.
Blood trickled down his forehead, and before he could recover, the goblin appeared again.
— "How…?!"
Then he remembered something and smiled despite the pain.
— "Open daily reward!"
A window popped up:
[The Heir has obtained skill: Ruler's Strike – Instantly kills any soft-skinned monster]
His eyes lit up.
— "And goblins… have soft skin."
He raised his hand, and a massive glowing blue hand appeared above him, slamming down onto the goblin in one blow. The creature collapsed, lifeless.
[You have defeated Forest Goblin]
[Level Up: 28]
[Heir's Energy Restored]
Arin opened his status window:
Name: Arin – The New Heir
Level: 28
Rank: Strong
HP: 3500
MP: 3500
— "I've evolved… I'm now Strong rank."
He turned toward the gate, which was beginning to dissolve, and dashed out before it closed.
Sitting in a corner of the cave, he caught his breath.
— "What a tiring day…"
---
The next morning
Arin sat in his classroom when the teacher walked in.
— "Please welcome the new student… Kaito Hayashi."
Gasps of surprise filled the room, and even Arin's eyes widened.
— "Hayashi…! The strongest family in the world… Famous for their unbeatable techniques."
He recalled the details:
— "Those who inherit the family's power gain legendary techniques… Spatial Manipulation, Sequential Dissection, Heavenly Healing… truly unbeatable."
Kaito took the seat beside him, offering his hand with a smile.
— "Nice to meet you, I'm Kaito."
Arin shook it.
— "Arin."
---
After classes ended, as Arin walked through the dorm hallway, he heard Kaito's voice behind him.
— "Wait."
Kaito approached.
— "Can I room with you? Your room has two beds, right?"
Arin smiled.
— "No problem."
In the room, they each sat on their beds.
Kaito said:
— "Do you know why I chose your room? Because you were the first person to look at me like I was just a normal guy… Everyone else sees me as a king just because I'm from the Hayashi family."
Arin replied calmly:
— "To me, everyone's the same."
Kaito chuckled.
— "You're a good man."
Soon after, they both drifted into a deep sleep.
End of Chapter 5