09:12 pm
Later that night, darkness completely covered the academy and the surrounding forest. Most of the students were already asleep in their rooms.
The cold night wind moved through the trees as Xero walked deeper into the forest, his footsteps making almost no sound. A dark mask covered his bright blue eyes and white hair. His watch was also wrapped with a white clothing. He didn’t want to be traced after what he was going to do this night.
The stationed guards in area where no longer there. Xero wondered why but he was glad at least nobody who could interfere with what was about to happen.
His expression remained calm, but beneath that calmness was an excitement he could barely suppress. Ever since he had discovered what Naman had done to those Year One students, something inside him had been demanding an answer.
Xero finally stopped in the middle of a dark clearing and slowly looked around. The trees surrounding him were thick, their shadows stretching across the ground like dark fingers.
The moonlight barely reached the clearing, making it difficult for an ordinary person to see clearly. However, Xero’s senses had become far sharper than those of an ordinary human. He could feel the presence hiding nearby, watching him from the darkness.
"I know you’re here," Xero said calmly.
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then a figure slowly stepped out from behind one of the trees. His purple hair greased across his neck. His figure was impressive nice.
Naman.
He looked completely relaxed as he walked into the clearing, as though he had been expecting Xero to come looking for him.
A small smile rested on his face as he stared at the young student before him. However, Xero didn’t immediately react. Instead, he opened his system, and a transparent blue screen appeared before his eyes
"What the hell is this supposed to be?" Naman asked.
Xero slowly raised his head and stared at him.
"From today onward," he said calmly, his voice slightly deeper behind the mask, " I shall be called the Murderer."
There was a brief moment of silence before Naman’s expression changed. Then he burst into laughter.
"HAHAHA!"
His laughter echoed throughout the clearing as he held his stomach.
"The Murderer? Seriously?"
He looked Xero up and down as though examining the strangest person he had ever seen.
"That’s the name you came up with? Are you trying to scare me, kid?"
Xero remained completely silent. Naman slowly stopped laughing and shook his head.
"You’re a joke."
"Maybe," Xero replied calmly. "But even a joke can kill."
Naman’s smile faded slightly at those words.
Xero slowly took a step forward, the dark mask hiding his face and making his glowing eyes appear even more unnatural in the darkness.
"I have a question for you."
Naman stared at him. "What?"
"Why did you turn some of the Year One students into vampires?"
The atmosphere immediately changed. Naman’s smile slowly disappeared.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke. Then Naman shrugged.
"Why do you care?"
"They’re students."
"And?"
"They had nothing to do with you."
Naman laughed lightly, but there was no amusement in his eyes.
"Innocence is meaningless in this world. Besides, what I do is none of your business."
Xero’s eyes narrowed behind the mask.
"So you admit it."
"I don’t have to admit anything to you," Naman replied coldly. "And even if I did, what exactly are you going to do about it?"
Suddenly—
[DING!]
A familiar voice echoed inside Xero’s min a large blue screen appeared before his eyes.
[Emergency Murder Quest]
[Target: Naman]
[Level: 31]
[Ability: Mirror Manipulation]
[Objective: Kill Naman.]
[Reward: New Skill.
Xero stared at the screen for several seconds.
A new skill? That was generous of the system. His lips slowly curved upward behind the mask.
Naman frowned.
"What are you smiling about?"
Xero looked up at him.
"Nothing." He clenched his fist.
"I was just given a reason to kill you."
Naman’s eyes narrowed.
"What did you say?"
Xero suddenly disappeared.
BOOM!
The ground beneath his feet exploded as he shot forward with terrifying speed. Naman’s eyes widened because the speed Xero displayed was far beyond what he had expected from a student.
However, Naman was Level 31. He immediately reacted, raising his arm just in time to block Xero’s incoming punch.
BANG!
The collision sent a powerful shockwave through the clearing.
Naman was pushed several meters backward, his feet digging deeply into the ground as he tried to stabilize himself. His expression immediately changed. The strength behind that punch was enormous.
How?
Xero was already moving again. He appeared before Naman and threw another punch.
Naman blocked again.
BANG!
Xero attacked again.
BANG!
And again.
BANG!
Each attack became faster and heavier, forcing Naman backward. He could barely believe what was happening. He was Level 31. His physical abilities were supposed to be superior to every Year One student in the academy. Yet Xero’s speed was equal to his own.
No.
Xero’s speed was beginning to increase.
Naman immediately jumped backward and raised his hand. A strange mirror suddenly appeared in the air beside him. Then another appeared.
Within seconds, dozens of mirrors surrounded the entire clearing.
Xero stopped moving and stared at them.
Naman disappeared. His voice echoed through the darkness.
"Welcome to my world."
Xero turned toward one of the mirrors. Naman appeared inside it.
Then another Naman appeared in another mirror. Soon, the entire forest was filled with reflections of him.
"Mirror Ability. Not a nice one." Xero muttered.
Suddenly, one of the Namans rushed out of a mirror and attacked.
Xero immediately raised his arm.
BANG!
The attack struck him, but before Xero could counterattack, Naman’s body shattered into countless fragments of light.
A fake.
Another Naman appeared behind him.
BOOM!
A powerful kick slammed into Xero’s side, sending him flying through the forest. Before his body could crash into a tree, a massive mirror suddenly appeared behind him.
Xero crashed directly into it. His body disappeared.
Naman smiled.
But the moment he entered the mirror,
BOOM!
Xero burst out of another mirror directly behind him. Naman’s eyes widened in shock.
Xero’s fist flew toward his face.
Naman quickly created a mirror barrier.
CRACK!
The barrier shattered instantly.
Naman was forced backward, his face filled with disbelief.
"How did you figure that out?" Xero didn’t answer.
Instead, his eyes began to glow brightly. Blue flames ignited within them.
[Predator’s Eye Activated.]
With that fear sipped into his nerves and Xero slowly smiled.
Naman’s expression darkened.
"What?.."
Xero suddenly rushed toward him. Naman immediately created another mirror.
Xero entered through it.
Naman smiled. He believed he had trapped him.
But when Xero suddenly appeared behind him. Naman’s eyes widened.
How?!
Xero threw his fist.
BOOM!
Naman blocked, but the sheer strength behind the attack pushed him backward. Xero continued attacking without giving him even a second to breathe. Their fists collided repeatedly, creating shockwaves that tore through the trees surrounding them.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Naman finally understood something terrifying.
Xero’s brute strength was equal to his.
His speed was equal to his.
The difference of their levels didn’t seem to matter.
"What the hell are you?!" Naman shouted.
Xero remained silent.
Naman immediately summoned a massive mirror wall in front of him. Xero rushed forward.
"You’re only a brat!" Naman roared. "I’m Level 31!"
Xero threw his fist.
CRACK!
The enormous mirror shattered.
Fragments flew through the air as Xero walked through them, his dark mask still covering his face.
"That’s supposed to mean something?" Xero mocked lightly.
Naman stepped backward. For the first time, genuine fear appeared in his eyes.
Xero clenched his fist. Blue flames burned within his eyes.
"Because right now..." He slowly stepped toward Naman.
"I feel like murdering someone."
Naman stared at the masked figure standing before him. Something that called itself the Murderer.
And for the first time since meeting him, Naman finally realized something.
The Murderer wasn’t joking.