When Kaien landed, the darkness he had expected did not greet him. Instead, a sharp, crystalline light reflected off jagged rocks jutting from the ceiling of what appeared to be a colossal cavern. Each stalactite was like the edge of a blade, hanging menacingly above. The cave's sheer height made him feel small, almost insignificant, and a sharp chill ran down his spine.
Kaien's will was steadfast, as he had trained for years under Master Kael Tharion. But his body betrayed him—his hands trembled slightly, and his heart pounded like a war drum. The cave was quiet, yet the oppressive aura was palpable, suffocating, and alive. He could feel the presence before it appeared, a sinister pressure pressing against the edges of his consciousness.
Then it moved.
A step that looks as if it teleport led it was so fast Kaien barely saw the displacement of air before it struck. The A-grade spirit emerged from the shadows, and even before it fully revealed itself, Kaien's body reacted, drawing his sword instinctively. Its form was humanoid yet demonic: dark, sinewy limbs, glowing red eyes, and energy pulsating off it like the beating heart of a storm.
Kaien's breath caught. He had never felt a presence like this outside the controlled confines of the guild training grounds. The aura radiating from the spirit made his fingers tighten instinctively around the hilt of his sword. The chill that had raced down his spine was now a full-body tremor of warning.
This… this is no ordinary enemy.
Kaien remembered his training. Master Kael Tharion had drilled him for moments like this: "A blade is only part of the body. Read, predict, and flow with your opponent. Do not let fear control you—let it sharpen you." He exhaled slowly, centering himself, and prepared to move.
The spirit lunged with blinding speed. Kaien barely saw it shift across the cavern floor before it struck with a punch. The impact was like a battering ram crashing into his torso. He felt his chest compress under immense force, and pain shot through his limbs. The ground beneath him cracked from the shockwave, and the cavern walls groaned as if under threat of collapse.
Kaien staggered back, testing the limits of his blade technique. He tried the Darknight Spin Strike, a skill meant to blend mobility and offense, hoping to counter the spirit's assault. But it was useless—the spirit phased slightly with a blur of motion, bypassing the strike completely, its aura mocking his attempts.
So fast… even the techniques I mastered feel sluggish.
Kaien gritted his teeth. He had trained for years, but this was a real test—the kind no tutor could simulate. Every movement was measured against the spirit's overwhelming presence. Another strike, and again, his counter failed. His body was reacting, but the gap between instinct and effectiveness was painfully clear.
Then came a punch. Unlike the first, this one struck at his side with such force that Kaien flew backward across the jagged cave floor. Pain shot up his ribs as the air was knocked from his lungs. For a moment, he was dizzy, lying on the cavern stones, staring at the vast ceiling and the impossible jagged formations. The spirit hovered above him, energy thrumming like a storm ready to collapse.
Kaien's eyes flicked to the guild appraisal device he had purchased before leaving the city. He fumbled with it mid-air, pressing the activation. A holographic display blinked to life, projecting the A-grade spirit's stats:
Name: Unknown A-Grade Spirit
Rank: A
Level: 32
Strength: 780
Speed: 890 (Sonic Step)
Mana: 1050
Spirit: 980
Special Traits: Regenerative Aura, Phasing Motion, Domain Manipulation
Kaien swallowed. He had read about spirits like this in guild textbooks but had never truly encountered one. Why me? he thought, astonished at the sheer numbers. His own rank was still E, his skills rudimentary by comparison. Yet the appraisal device glowed faintly as it recorded the encounter.
No turning back now.
Kaien rose, tightening his grip on the sword. Fear was present, but it no longer froze him. Instead, it sharpened his focus. He moved into a defensive stance, remembering everything Master Kael had drilled into him. Footwork, breathing, observation. Even if I cannot match its power, I can outthink it.
The spirit's movement became a blur again. Kaien barely saw it cross the cave in a fraction of a second, only noticing the displaced air and the shadow of its approach. He reacted with the Stealth Piercing Strike, his signature technique. He lunged, silent, precise, aiming to pierce the chest of the spirit.
This time, the strike connected… partially. A slice of energy shimmered along the spirit's arm, leaving a faint burn mark. It roared—a sound that rattled his bones and made the jagged ceiling tremble. Kaien was pushed back again, but he had made contact. He had left a mark.
Pain, yes. Fear, yes. But hope flickered.
Kaien continued, weaving between sonic strikes, feints, and lunges. He used everything he had learned—the Darknight Spin, Stealth Piercing, evasive rolls, and precise slashes aimed at joints. Still, the spirit's raw speed and regenerative aura rendered most attacks ineffective.
Then came a moment of opportunity. The spirit miscalculated a step after an overextended strike. Kaien saw the gap and acted instinctively. A swift thrust, followed by a spinning pivot, slicing across the spirit's torso. Sparks of corrupted energy flew, and the spirit staggered back for the first time. Kaien pressed forward, combining agility and instinct, until finally, with a decisive slash to its midsection, the A-grade spirit let out a scream that echoed like thunder in the cavern—and dissipated into nothingness.
The cavern changed immediately after its disappearance. Jagged rocks and ominous shadows melted into emptiness. Kaien realized he had been fighting within the spirit's domain. Its power had shaped the environment itself, amplifying its strength. The fact he had survived—and triumphed—left him breathless but exhilarated.
He sank to his knees, bruised and battered, every muscle screaming in pain. Yet he smiled, gripping the hilt of his sword with newfound determination. The appraisal device blinked, updating his stats from the encounter:
Name: Kaien Vlorian
Rank: E
Level: 12
Strength: 410 → 455
Speed: 470 → 520
Mana: 320 → 350
Spirit: 300 → 360
Techniques Learned: Stealth Piercing Strike (Mastered), Darknight Spin Strike (Refined)
Experience Gained: 780 XP
Loot Obtained: Spirit Core Fragment x1, Corrupted Blade Relic x1
Kaien rose slowly, his body aching, sweat mingling with the dirt of the cave floor. He had survived an encounter that many higher-ranked adventurers would have fled from. He wiped his brow, inhaled deeply, and allowed a grin to spread across his face.
"I am just getting started," he muttered under his breath, savoring the raw taste of victory. His fists tightened around the sword, the dragon carvings along the sheath gleaming faintly in the residual light. The first step outside the barrier had become his first real trial.
Kaien Vlorian—still an E-rank child—had taken his first leap into the unknown, proving to himself that courage, precision, and will could carry him far. And in his heart, a fire ignited, one that whispered endlessly of the countless challenges that lay ahead, waiting to test him—and be conquered.