Achoo.
Zayne sneezed inside the novice realm, rubbing his nose with a puzzled frown.
Weird. It is not even cold in here. Whatever. Focus on leveling.
He shook his head and continued deeper into the forest.
After seven straight days of grinding, Zayne had reached an astonishing level 15. The number of Forbidden Spells available to him had also climbed to an equally astonishing fifteen.
To Zayne, there was no practical difference between a level 1 beast and a level 10 beast. Either way, a single bolt of lightning solved everything. He had simply steamrolled forward, and nothing in the novice realm had been able to stop him.
But the higher the level, the harder the climb.
Day one, he gained four levels.
Day two, three levels.
Day three, three levels.
Day four, two levels.
Day five, two levels.
Day six, one level.
Day seven, not even a single level.
And for the past three hours, he had not seen a single monster.
That had never happened before. And he was already at the deepest section of the novice realm, the territory where level 10 monsters roamed.
Don't tell me… they're actually hiding from me?
Zayne paused, suspicious.
If they are hiding, fine. But you have to be able to run faster than me for that to work.
His eyes lit up.
Forbidden Spell Infernal Overdrive
Forbidden Spell Swiftstep Waltz
Two Forbidden Spells activated back to back. Infernal Overdrive drastically boosted his strength, agility, and spirit. Swiftstep Waltz did one thing only: speed.
Forbidden Spell Swiftstep Waltz Forbidden Spellcaster sacrifices one of their own organs. The more vital the organ, the higher the bonus to agility. Maximum effect grants ten times the base agility for one hour.
It was obviously meant to be a desperate escape skill.
But in the hands of an immortal like Zayne, Swiftstep Waltz became nothing more than a basic movement buff. Without hesitation, he sacrificed his brain. After all, what organ ranked higher in importance?
At level 15, his base agility was already 225. Stacked with Infernal Overdrive and Swiftstep Waltz, his agility instantly skyrocketed to a horrifying 2561.
Even many high level assassins could not dream of reaching that level of speed.
A grin crept across Zayne's face. He lightly tapped the ground and vanished, reappearing nearly a kilometer away as though he had teleported.
At this point, with so many Forbidden Spells, his combat flexibility had undergone a fundamental shift.
Landing from his instant dash, Zayne finally spotted what the problem was.
He froze for a moment.
Up ahead, three Storm Roaches were flying through the air. Each one was carrying a Three Eyed Bull by its horns.
Zayne immediately understood.
Storm Roaches had incredible flight speed, but terrible eyesight. Three Eyed Bulls were slow but their third eye could see for miles, detecting prey from vast distances.
Together, they formed a makeshift surveillance network.
No wonder he had not seen any monsters for hours. The roaches were spotting him, the bulls were broadcasting his location, and all the other monsters were scattering in advance.
Zayne stared blankly for a moment and felt genuinely impressed.
Low level creatures were supposed to be dumb. Cooperation between species was almost unheard of. Yet under the pressure of imminent genocide, even dumb beasts could evolve teamwork. Nature truly was magical.
Well, they tried their best. As a kind person, I should reward them with a symphony. This will be the Third Movement of Thunder.
Forbidden Spell Worldbane Thunderfall
A thunderbolt the size of a small tower crashed down, instantly obliterating both the roaches and the bulls.
With surveillance gone, his grinding route quickly returned to normal. The massacre resumed.
Outside the novice realm, students were being ejected one after another.
After seven days and nights inside, most of them staggered out exhausted, clothes torn and filthy like wandering vagrants.
But their eyes were bright.
No matter how many lectures one heard, nothing could replace the firsthand experience of fighting monsters. Only after witnessing death and danger up close could someone truly feel the thrill of becoming a class user.
A group of teachers walked up with clipboards, checking names and recording each student's level.
Meanwhile, Nia stood at the front, staring intensely at every boy who stepped out of the portal.
She had already asked around. None of the principals or teachers had ever heard of anyone named Shadowcaster.
This only made Nia more confused.
Someone with that level of monstrous talent could not possibly be some nobody. Unless… unless he deliberately hid himself from everyone, refusing to let anyone discover how terrifying his potential really was.
With no leads, she resorted to the simplest method.
She would find him with her own eyes.
And she believed it with absolute conviction.
If Shadowcaster appeared, she would recognize him instantly.
But as more and more students exited, Nia never saw the silhouette she remembered. A restless anxiety stirred in her chest.
She glued her gaze to the portal, her expression full of expectation.
Shadowcaster… where are you…
Time ticked on.
Most students had already returned. Some were already picked up by their families.
But still, no Shadowcaster.
Her heartbeat grew tight. Her mind would not stop racing.
When I met him, his level was clearly higher than mine. He must have entered earlier than I did. With that strength, he should not be behind anyone…
Why is he still not here?
Just as her confusion reached its peak, a familiar outline appeared in the white portal.
Her eyes widened.
Yes. That was him. She was sure of it.
Shadowcaster.
She would never forget that figure standing before her when she had been staring death in the face.
But when the white glow faded, her excitement instantly froze over.
Zayne? Why is it you?
Her face darkened instantly.
The moment she recalled how Zayne abandoned her and bolted for his own life, disgust rushed through her heart.
If he had not fled like a coward, she would not have nearly died to the Dragonblood Troll.
To think that this worthless man had a similar build to Shadowcaster… just being reminded of the comparison felt insulting.
Zayne frowned back at her.
What is wrong with this woman now?
I came out because time is up. What's your problem?
Do not talk to me. Stay away. You make me sick.
Her eyes dripped with disdain.
You are insane.
Zayne had no interest in arguing. He moved to leave.
Seeing the tension, Norton hurried over, forcing a smile.
Zayne, you finally came out. What level are you now?
As one of Old Shipyard Port High's two SSS class students, Norton was full of expectation.
Zayne did not explain.
He simply revealed his level.
Zayne Forbidden Spellcaster Level 16
He had squeezed in one last level after destroying the surveillance monsters.
Sixteen? Not bad, not ba… wait.
Norton froze like lightning had struck him.
Sixteen?!