In a deserted place, a guy with silver hair was seen placing his right leg on top of a beast. Its head was severed and its guts smeared the surroundings like a painting. Several high-level mutant beasts were seen in the same condition.
The silver-haired guy had an oni mask on (a traditional Japanese mask depicting a fierce, demonic-looking creature from folklore, typically featuring horns, large eyes, and a wide mouth with fangs). He was also wearing a silver armour that was designed as if lightning was running through every segment of it.
Ethan stared blankly at the distance. It was as if he was lost in the abyss. It had been 6 hours now and the sun was starting to rise. Ethan hadn't slept or relaxed. He just can't; his friends were out there in danger.
He can't let what happened in the tier 6 dungeon happen again. He had enough of having his friends killed. His Starless Sword in his hand brimmed with Mana.
"I promise today is your death day. I don't care at what cost," Ethan said through gnashed teeth.
Ethan had since been tracking the sacred beast long ago, but it just kept dodging him. Ethan knew too well it was trying to trap him.
But this time, Ethan was willing to enter the trap.
BOOOM. Tadadadadada!
Ethan began the chase. Scanning again and again, he was currently far deep into the ruins. It was now he discovered that this ruin was even larger than 20 football fields. It was about the size of a major city on Planet New Eden.
BOOOM!
A massive lion-like beast rushed out. It was about the size of an elephant. Its skin was red, and its face looked ferocious.
Ethan could see about 12 people chasing it down. The beast, seeing Ethan, turned towards him.
"Get out of my way!" Ethan shouted as he performed Second Dragon Subduing Palm—the initial stage, but not mastered.
BOOOM!
Ethan hit it, but the attack failed. "What?!" Ethan screamed. But it was too late; the beast slapped him away like throwing a chew toy.
Bang!
Ethan hit a rubble, but he immediately rushed out, blood filling his mouth. Stretching his sword as if stretching his hands,
Ethan performed Star Sword Technique Level 2, this time concentrating with full mind.
Bang!
The beast immediately destabilized. Shock filled its face. It used its speed and special technique to dodge, but it was of no use. It was as if space and time were dragging it back like a loop.
Piercing forward, Ethan drained every bit of his Mana.
BANG!
The lion beast was blown to pieces.
Splat. Splat. Splat.
Drops of blood and guts rained from the sky. Everyone was in a state of shock. Who is this masked guy? Judging by his Mana output, his Mana was that of a human. So why was he fighting like a beast?
Ethan's limit had been pushed. His Mana was already depleted. Quickly grabbing a mana potion, he gobbled two bottles down. Ethan had been getting Mana and Health potions from his daily quest.
[Failed to use Mana potion]
[You have exceeded your mana limit
"What? Why now?!" Ethan was surprised. The skill he performed must have surpassed his level, so his weak body couldn't handle it.
"Cough… cough…" Ethan spat blood, feeling the metallic taste in his mouth.
"God, what was I doing? I lost it here," Ethan thought.
Just now when he saw this lion-like beast, his memory flashed back to the time the mountain lion beast slaughtered his friends.
He couldn't concentrate when he saw the beast, leading him to an outburst.
Calming his nerves, he began to perform his breathing technique. He had to wait for 2 hours so he could recover his mana, or else if he got trapped by that humanoid beast, only death awaited him.
The awakened who were chasing the beast were shocked to the core. Who was this guy? How was he able to kill a sacred lion beast with ease? And not only that—the rate at which he killed it was powerful, almost like a middle-stage Ascended.
Before they could look for the masked demon, he was already gone, vanishing from the spot.
"I think an Ascended is on the arena. Watch out, guys. We might have a big target at our back," the female who seemed to be the group leader said. The others nodded. The question is, what is an Ascended doing here?
****************
Ethan received more damage than he thought. His health points remained only 45, and his Mana point was at -0. Ethan cursed. He regretted losing control.
But what came bad also came with some good. Ethan had perceived the border of Second Dragon Subduing Palm and Star Sword Technique Level 2.
What he came to realize is he had to reach Ascended before he could fully master it. Although he could perform a shallow move with each, he couldn't use Mana with it. Or else it was going to scatter his Mana flow.
Which he understood, since the techniques he was using were at the divine level, well above S-class techniques.
2 hours passed and a message popped up.
[You can now use Mana and Health potion]
[Warning: the next time you have a mana collapse, your meridians will burst and it will take 3 months before you can use Mana again]
"What? Three months?!" Ethan was surprised. What he doesn't know is that when your meridians for using Mana are destroyed, the user will be unable to use Mana again for the rest of his life.
After healing up and getting buffed, he heard another notification.
[Congratulations, you've gained 2000 exp]
[Rank: Awakened Level 10 — Exp 17800/20000]
[Reach Level 11 to unlock a mentor]
"What? A mentor? What is that?" Ethan asked himself. He became intrigued. "Does the system mean someone that will guide me?" he thought. Maybe it might even be the Immortal Emperor himself.
No, the Immortal Emperor is too powerful. If he is with him, he is afraid the Supremes will sense him and fear his existence, then wipe him off in time. What about the gods?
Relaxing, he calmed his nerve. There is only one way to find out. What he needs now is 2200 exp, then he would level up again.
Zing.
Turning his eyes, he sensed the sacred beast again. But it was very faint—even an Ascended would find it difficult to sense.
Boom. Ethan chased again.
After running in the direction, he came across a casino. This one was huge, like a premium casino.
The place was run down and there were ashes laying everywhere. Drawing his Star Sword, Ethan was pretty prepared this time.
Boom!
Smashing the doors, Ethan rushed in. Inside, everywhere was dark. Ethan smelled the same death aura he sensed at the estate building. Ethan knew for sure it was here.
The whole surroundings were tumbled upside down, and in the center was a huge clearing. Dozens of dried-up corpses were seen on the ground. Ethan immediately checked their faces and was relieved to discover they were not Freddy, Gloria, or Lynx.
Ethan immediately calmed down. Walking forward again, he saw a humanoid sacred beast—the one the system called [The Twisted Mockery of Man]—standing under a staircase, mopping at the ground. Its skin was white, different from the black one.
"I won't let you live it over. Die!" Ethan shouted as he stabbed using his Starless Sword. Star Sword Technique Level 1 made space around his sword contract a little.
BANG!