The crowd stood in a terrified huddle, their eyes wide with fear as they watched Lyerin dispatch the trolls with brutal efficiency.


    Their bodies trembled, and every instinct they had screamed at them to run, to escape the merciless violence before them.


    They had just witnessed Lyerin, the one they thought was their protector, savagely beat down hulking forest trolls without hesitation, and now he turned his gaze to them.


    The panic in their eyes was palpable, as if they feared they would be next.


    As Lyerin stood before them, his face twisted in mild disappointment. "Boring," he muttered under his breath, his tone t.


    The thrill of battle had faded too quickly, and the reaction from his so-called tribe members wasn''t nearly as satisfying as he had hoped.


    They cowered before him, weak and terrified, just like everyone he had encountered in his past life.


    Where''s the challenge? he thought.


    Where''s the fire, the resistance?


    Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Lyerin noticed a faint movement.


    One of the trolls, barely clinging to life, had mustered the strength to rise again.


    With a guttural roar, Graaaaahh!! it lunged at Lyerin, its massive hand reaching for him in a desperate attempt to crush the one who had decimated its kin.


    Lyerin didn''t flinch.


    His hand, in a mere instant, transformed into something monstrousrge, beast-like ws erupted from his fingers, dark fur sprouting up his arm.


    Swash!


    His eyes gleamed with dark amusement as he swiftly shed through the troll''s palm with a wet, sickening washak!


    The beast''s hand split open, rains of blood immediately sprayed in every direction, including to the people behind him.


    The troll howled in agony, clutching its mangled limb, but Lyerin wasn''t done.


    He looked down at the writhing creature, tilting his head in mock curiosity.


    "Hmmm?" he mused, as if the troll''s pathetic attempt to attack him was nothing more than an annoyance.


    Without hesitation, he delivered a bone-crushing kick to the troll''s head, sending it flying back with a sickening crack.


    Craaackkk!!


    The troll''s body went limp, the life draining from its monstrous eyes.


    It copsed to the ground in a lifeless heap with a sound of thud and kabam! and the clearing went deathly silent once more.


    | Ding!


    | The host has reached the Tenth Stage of Mana Cycle. |


    Lyerin''s lips curled into a satisfied grin.


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    "Sweet. I''ll level up as I can to make sure the Orcs here won''t do a damn thing…"


    His progress was going exactly as nned. His goal, from the start, had been to level himself up, to ascend beyond the limitations of those around him.


    If he couldn''t leave the tribe''s territory for now and hunt monsters all by himself, he would simply bring the monsters to him, harvest their mana, and grow stronger with each kill.


    He wiped the blood from his hands, feeling the surge of power coursing through his veins.


    With the Tenth Stage under his belt, his abilities were evolving at an unprecedented rate, and the more he fought, the stronger he became.


    He had no need for these weaklings cowering before him—at least, not in their current state. But as his power grew, so did his ambitions.


    "If I reach the peak," Lyerin thought with cold calction, "even if these girls, the people, and the Mana beasts all die, I''ll still survive. I''ll rebuild my tribe. I always have options."


    Lyerin''s eyes swept over the crowd, gauging their reactions.


    Most of them were still frozen in fear, but some of the girls—Corora, Sophia, and a few others—were beginning toe to their senses.


    They knew better than to challenge him openly, but the flicker of rebellion in their eyes wasn''t lost on him.


    Deciding it was time to push forward, Lyerin turned to his Mana beasts, his voice carrying a cold authority. "Capture every creature you can find in the surrounding forest. As long as they''re not orcs, I don''t care what they are. Bring them to me."


    The Mana beasts, obedient and fierce, immediately sprang into action, disappearing into the dense forest with rming speed.


    The ground trembled as they moved, and soon, the sounds of distant roars and struggles filled the air as they hunted down the wild creatures lurking in the woods.


    As Lyerin waited, he could feel his power steadily increasing.


    Each new capture added to his strength, and his mana levels were skyrocketing faster than anyone around him couldprehend.


    The others watched in stunned silence, unable to fathom the sheer force of what was happening.


    To them, it seemed as if Lyerin was effortlessly defeating monsters for fun, taking out one beast after another without a sweat and with little regard for the danger.


    This image of him seemed to bore into their minds.


    What they didn''t know was that every kill, every drop of mana he absorbed, was pushing him closer to the next breakthrough.


    Suddenly, as if in answer to his growing strength, another notification shed across his vision.


    | Ding!


    | The host has reached the initial stage of the third Cycle as a Mana user. |


    Lyerin''s eyes widened in surprise, his breath catching slightly.


    The Third Cycle? Already? He didn''t realized, he was too focus in killing.


    Before he could fully process the aplishment, another notification followed:


    | Ding!


    | The host has gained the ability to level up four things at once with a 24 hour cycle. |


    Lyerin''s grin widened, his heart racing with excitement.


    Four things… That meant he could now enhance multiple aspects of himself—or others—at the same time.


    The possibilities were limitless for him.


    He could level up his physical abilities, his mana reserves, his tribe''s power, and much more.


    Infinite leveling, he mused, staring at his hands as if seeing them in a new light. I can level up endlessly… Holy moly.


    His gaze shifted back to the crowd, the wheels in his mind turning.


    They were weak now—pathetic, even—but with his newfound abilities, he could mold them into something far more useful. I can strengthen them… make them loyal. Fiercely loyal.


    His eyes gleamed with cold calction as he regarded the terrified faces before him. It''s time to level up their loyalty towards me.


    Lyerin took a step forward, his presence looming over the group like a dark shadow.


    The fear in their eyes was still there, but now, there was also a glimmer of hope—a dangerous hope that perhaps he could make them stronger, protect them from the horrors of this world.


    "I''m going to make all of you stronger," Lyerin said, his voice dripping with authority.


    "You will follow my lead, and in return, I''ll give you power. But if you fail me…" His gaze darkened, the threat clear in his eyes. "Well, you''ve already seen what happens to those who stand in my way."


    The crowd remained silent, but the fear in their eyes was slowly reced by something else—something primal.


    A desire to survive.


    To gain strength.


    To avoid the fate of the trolls now lying lifeless on the ground.


    Lyerin smiled, satisfied with the shift in their expressions.


    Good, he thought.


    Fear can be a powerful motivator, but loyalty born from strength… that''s what I need.


    As the Mana beasts returned, dragging new captures behind them, Lyerin turned back to his prey.


    His eyes gleamed with dark ambition. It''s time to order them new ones.