After killing the beast, Ash moved once more toward the large mountain. His steps were steady, his mind focused.
The mountain loomed in the distance, its jagged silhouette cutting against the sky like an unspoken promise—an obstacle, a challenge, a necessity.
He had evaded beasts that could be avoided, fought those that had to be fought.
Each encounter had drained him, yet he pushed forward.
There was no other option.
But just as he was about to pick up his pace—
A figure stepped onto the path.
Ash's breath hitched for a fraction of a second before his gaze sharpened. The moment his eyes landed on the figure, his jaw clenched.
'Tch. Just my luck…'
The young man before him stood tall, his aura deliberately leaking, controlled yet oppressive.
Even at a distance, his mere presence felt suffocating.
His black hair swayed slightly in the wind, his red eyes glowed with unhidden amusement, and his athletic build exuded superiority.
Handsome—more than Ash.
Arrogant—far more than anyone should be.
Ethan Nightshade.
Ash's expression didn't change, but inside, his irritation flared.
'Of all the people… why him?'
Ethan crossed his arms, a smirk curling on his lips. He wasn't just standing there—he was blocking the way completely.
"Well, well… who would've thought?"
His voice carried that signature mockery, the kind laced with entitlement and absolute confidence.
"To think I'd run into the so-called temporary number one."
Ash said nothing, his fingers twitching ever so slightly.
Ethan clicked his tongue, shaking his head as if looking at something distasteful.
"But seeing you here… you're weak. Pathetically weak."
His eyes swept over Ash's frame, analyzing, dissecting, like he was nothing more than a failed experiment.
'His expression isn't the irritation of someone who just got caught off guard—it's the look of a man weighing his odds. That brief flicker in his eyes—measuring, adapting. He's not reacting to me; he's reacting to the situation itself.'
Ethan thought.
But he said something else aloud,
"Makes me wonder…" He dragged out the words, his smirk widening. "How did someone like you even manage to come out on top?"
Ash's gaze remained impassive, but inside, his irritation grew. He could already see where this was going.
'He isn't just looking down at me—he is performing. Every word, every taunt, aimed at an unseen audience beyond. The live broadcast. The people watching. Maybe his family. Maybe the world...' Ash thought
'After all he was the Antagonist of the story'
Ethan let out a soft laugh, as if the answer had suddenly dawned on him.
"Ahh… but then again, the test wasn't about fighting, was it?"
His voice was smooth, but the derision underneath was razor-sharp.
"It was about decision-making."
He tilted his head slightly, pretending to contemplate something, before giving an exaggerated nod.
"No wonder."
A deep silence settled between them.
The wind rustled the leaves, the distant sounds of the jungle whispering at the edges of their confrontation.
Ash exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable.
'Damn it..'
Ash finally spoke, his voice calm but edged with something cold.
Still, he refused to let Ethan get the reaction he wanted.
Calm.
Cold.
Collected.
Ash exhaled, slow and measured. His fingers curled slightly at his sides, but his voice was empty of emotion.
"Are you done?"
"Move. I have a place to be. I don't have any flags." Ash said after seeing the bunch of flags hooked in his pocket.
Ethan's smirk twitched. Just for a moment.
'What? That's it? No anger, no excuses? He's just brushing me off like—like I'm not even worth his time?'
Ethan's smirk faltered—just for a fraction of a second.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Something unreadable.
'Good. He wasn't expecting me to be this unbothered.' Ash thought
But the situation hadn't changed.
He was still blocking the way.
And that meant Ash had a choice to make.
Fight? Or outplay him?
'I can't win. Not like this. I've been fighting and walking for too long. And I need to reach the mountain before Ray.'
His legs ached. Each breath felt heavier. He could feel the fatigue creeping in, slowing his reflexes.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
'Should I create a skill?'
'No, nothing's gonna change even if I create a skill. He has a perfect foundation, means he must have reached 100 in all stats while he was Novice rank.'
'I can't win.'
"You know, right? This whole process is being live telecasted all over the continent," he asked with a serious face.
'Of course, you dumbass. That's exactly why I don't want to fight.'
"Oh, please humor me," said Ash, trying to feign ignorance.
"I just wanted everyone to see exactly where you stand," Ethan replied.
'..'
Ash narrowed his eyes.
'Think, Ash. He's smarter, stronger, and one rank above me. But that doesn't mean he's invincible.'
"Are you sure it will really send any message?" Ash asked, voice steady. "Because you're an Apprentice-rank, and I'm not."
Ethan raised a brow but said nothing.
"What exactly do you want to show?" Ash continued, stepping forward slightly. "That the powerful bully the weak? That people without backgrounds are worthless?"
Silence.
"Are you sure your family can handle the "repercussions"?"
Ethan's smirk returned, but this time, it lacked its usual arrogance.
Damn it. That's— No. Who cares? This was just supposed to—, Ignoring his words,
Ethan moved.
In a blur, he closed the distance, his fist lashing out faster than Ash could react.
His fist buried itself into his stomach. Pain shot through Ash's ribs—sharp, raw. His vision blurred for a split second.
Ash's body lurched backward, air knocked clean out of his lungs. He barely managed to keep his footing, the world spinning for a moment before he steadied himself.
'Shit—'
Ethan took another step forward, cracking his knuckles.
"You talk too much."
Ash barely had time to react before Ethan's next blow came—faster, harder.
***
[Ray Dawson]
The air was thick with the scent of blood and earth.
Ray Dawson exhaled slowly, his golden eyes reflecting the flickering light of the system screen floating in front of him.
> [Quest: Reach the Mountain]
> Objective: FIND ?????
> Reward: New Affinity Unlock
His fingers twitched.
His jaw clenched.
The system never gave him anything for free.
Every quest pushed him to his limit, demanding more from him than he thought he could give.
But that was fine.
That was how he can grow strong,
'I need to get stronger'
The painful memories clawed at him.
The screams.
The fire.
The sight of his town—his home—reduced to ashes.
The twisted, monstrous laughter of the demons as they butchered everyone.
His mother's voice.
His father's last words.
He gritted his teeth.
His breath came out sharper.
'Not again.'
If he wanted to save others, if he wanted to stop being weak, he had to keep moving forward.
And yet—
A monster stood in his way.
The mutated Lizard in front of him snarled, its scaled body rippling as it reared back, ready to attack. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, predatory and unyielding.
Ray moved first.
One step.
Then another.
His blade blurred, flashing under the dull light of the jungle canopy. The wyvern lunged—jaws wide, tail lashing—
Ray ducked.
His feet pivoted, body twisting with the kind of precision only forged through relentless training and desperation.
The Lizard's tail slammed into the ground where he had stood, sending dust and shattered earth into the air.
Ray didn't stop.
He was already moving,
His sword sliced through the beast's side.
Blood sprayed across his face, but he ignored it.
The Beast roared, whipping around, its claws flashing toward him,
He parried the attack, then countered with Fire mana Induced Blade,
The blade cleaved through the Lizard's throat without any Resistance.
One strike.
One kill.
The beast collapsed, twitching once before falling still.
Ray landed, his breath coming out in slow, measured exhales. His grip on his sword tightened.
'8 Hours has passed as the Test was started' he thought,
'Let's see if There is any progress in my Status'
'Status'
A Golden Screen Materialized before him, Different From every one's Blue Screen,
**
<Status>
Name- Ray Dawson
Race- Human
Age- 12
Class- Sword God (????)
Rank- Novice
Affinity- Fire
<Attributes>
Strength- 100
Agility- 100
Vitality- 100
Intelligence- 100
Stamina- 100
Mana- 100
Charm- 100
Stat Points-{0}
<Trait & Skills>
>Trait-
-Sword God (EX RANK)
-Limitless Growth (SSS)
>Skills-
- Sword Instinct (F Rank)
- Flame Edge (F Rank)
{QUESTS} {SHOP}
{A/N: SSS-Saint Rank, F-Novice Rank, Ex- Demi God Rank}
**
'I can break through anytime I want, but I should wait until the test is over ' He thought with a slight smile on his face,
A quiet chuckle escaped his lips.
Two years ago, he had been nothing more than a weak boy, struggling to lift a wooden sword properly.
His grip on his sword tightened as memories flashed before him—countless hours of training, sleepless nights pushing his limits, the bruises, the exhaustion, the failures.
And yet, he never stopped.
"I made it this far, Thanks to the system providing lots of stat points as I cleared most of the training quests"
He exhaled, steadying himself. This wasn't the end. It was just another step. If two years of relentless effort had brought him here, then who knew how far he could go?
A small, determined smile tugged at his lips
That's when he heard a voice,
Although it was far, his Skill <Sword Instinct> helps him increase his sensory perception,
Then he heard them again,
Voices.
Mocking.
Sharp.
Dripping with arrogance.
His eyes flickered toward the direction of the sound, his hearing sharp.
Instead, he stepped forward, pushing through the dense foliage, until—he saw,
Two figures.
One, standing tall and composed, his presence suffocating.
The other, battered, yet unyielding.
Ray's golden eyes narrowed.
Ethan Nightshade. A name he had heard before. The heir of a powerful Mythical Assassin family.
And the one standing against him—
'Who is he? Looks Like I have seen him somewhere, But I can't remember'
Ray stayed silent, his gaze sharp as he listened.
Ethan's words were like poison—slow, seeping into the air, meant to wound in ways that fists couldn't.
"To think I'd run into the so-called temporary number one"
'Ah... Right he is the one who ranked above me' Ray thought, as a smile appeared on his face,
'Ash Burn'
Ash stood firm, but Ray could see it.
The exhaustion in his stance. The slight tremble in his fingers—so minuscule, anyone else would've missed it.
He's tired.
He must be fighting nonstop.
But Ethan didn't care.
He was playing with him.
Toying with his prey.
Ray's lips pressed into a thin line.
'Let's See what happens'
***