Ava''s eyes brimmed with fresh tears, her emotions raw and vulnerable as she held Ss''s intense gaze. Her voice trembled, barely audible. "But... I can''t... fail. I have to..."


    Ss''s face darkened, a chilling undertone seeping into his voice as he leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with a predatory intensity. "Are you absolutely certain, Ava? You''re telling me that you *must* clear this realm, secure that job, save your mother? That you''re truly ready to risk everything?"


    Her lips quivered, but her gaze didn''t waver. Her answer, soft but resolute, seemed to cut through the tension hanging between them. "Yes... I am."


    "Then say the word," Ss murmured, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper. "Say the word, and I''ll help you."


    Ava''s eyes searched his face, confusion flickering in their depths. She nced at him with a puzzled frown, her gaze shifting as if expecting to see some visible sign—a skill slot activated or an aura of power around him. But there was nothing. No active skill, no visible energy. Her confusion deepened.


    "How do you intend to help us when you have no active skill slot?" Ava''s voice was tinged with bewilderment, her brows furrowing.


    Ss only smirked, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "I guess you''ll just have to trust me."


    Hesitating, Ava cast a quick nce toward the others, who were watching the interaction with wary interest. With a resigned breath, she turned back to Ss, her voice thick with reluctant trust. "All right... please, help us, Ss."


    He nodded once, rising smoothly to his feet. "Just keep this a secret between us girls," he added with a sly grin, dropping his bag to the ground. His gaze shifted toward the approaching mutant, its monstrous figure hulking in the distance.


    Kepromec was drawing near, its tail coiled like a deadly whip. The creature''s eyes narrowed, calcting, as it zeroed in on Ss. Without a flicker of hesitation, he activated his skill.


    [Soul Control Activated]


    With a single thought, Ss seized control over the mutant''s body. Kepromec''s snarl froze mid-growl as an unseen force lifted it off the ground, flinging it backward like a rag doll. The creature hurtled across the wide, empty street, crashing into a jagged boulder with bone-shattering force. Ity there, stunned and twitching, its limbs scrabbling weakly at the dirt as it tried to rise.


    Ss closed in with grim determination, his shadow falling over the struggling mutant. He raised his fist, muscles taut with restrained power, and with one powerful swing—


    **BAM!**


    His punch connected with a sickening crunch, crushing Kepromec''s tiny skull. Dark purple blood sttered in every direction as its head exploded like an overripe fruit, staining the ground beneath it. The creature''s body twitched once, then fell limp, its life extinguished.


    [Congrattions, you have in Kepromec]


    A notification shed across Ss''s vision, but he dismissed it with a casual swipe. Three more Kepromecs, having witnessed the swift demise of theirrade, let out furious roars as they charged at him, their limbs pounding against the ground with a relentless rhythm.


    Ss scoffed, casting a disdainful nce at the oing mutants. "One thing I hate about low-graded mutants—they always travel in packs." His fists tightened, knuckles whitening as he readied his stance, eyes fixed on the mutants barreling toward him, their grotesque faces twisted in rage.


    As the creatures reached him, their spiked tailsshed out in unison, aiming to shred him to pieces. But Ss moved with calcted precision, sidestepping each tail strike effortlessly. His body twisted, and his fist shot forward in a rapid counterattack.


    **BAM!**


    His knuckles collided with the skull of one Kepromec, shattering it on impact. Purple blood sprayed into the air, the creature''s lifeless body crumpling to the ground. Ss withdrew his arm just in time, narrowly avoiding another swipe from a sharp tail as he leaped backward.


    [Soul Control Activated]


    Ss activated his soul control swiftly , raising his right hand and lifting the remaining Kepromecs several feet into the air. Their limbs iled helplessly as they dangled, suspended by his control, before he flung them backward with a brutal force. They crashed against the rocks, one falling limp immediately, while the other groaned and attempted to rise, clearly dazed.


    Ss stalked toward the struggling mutant, a dark glint in his eyes. He crouched down, reaching for its head, and long, ck ws extended from his fingertips as he dug them into its skull.


    [Host is now consuming the soul of a mutant]


    [Soul Points: 200/200]


    [Soul Reserve: 100/100]


    [Host has gained 3 attribute points]


    Ss released his grip, watching as the mutant''s body crumpled to the ground, hollowed and lifeless. For a moment, he stood over it, his expression unreadable, before he turned back to the others. They stared at him, wide-eyed, shock and awe mingling on their faces.


    "You all can stay here and recover," Ss''s voice echoed across the clearing, firm and steady. "I''ll handle the rest."


    The group exchanged nces, each of them too stunned to speak. They couldn''t fathom how a boy without an apparent ability had dispatched creatures that had nearly overwhelmed them. Ss''s calm demeanor only added to their disbelief.


    When no one responded, Ss turned on his heel, disappearing into the shadows.


    """"


    **SCREEECH!**


    A shrill, ear-piercing screech shattered the silence as a Grade 1 serpent mutant lunged toward Ss, its elongated body slithering with deadly speed. Its jaws gaped wide, revealing a set of gleaming, venomous fangs poised to strike.


    Ss leaped upward in a graceful arc, dodging the creature''s snapping jaws by a mere fraction. As he soared above it, he summoned his Grade 5 scythe, gripping the weapon tightly with both hands. With a swift, precise motion, he brought it down.


    **SLASH!**


    The scythe''s de cleaved through the serpent''s body effortlessly, slicing it in half. Dark purple blood spurted from the wound, drenching the ground as the severed halves of the creature writhed before falling still.


    [Host is unable to absorb the soul of the Grade 1 serpentine mutant]


    [Reason: Soul points are full]


    A notification shed across Ss''s vision as hended, dismissing it with a sigh. He surveyed the battlefield around him, strewn with bloodied mutant corpses.


    "That should be thest one," he muttered, his gaze drifting across the scarred, blood-soaked ground. On his path to the god''s chamber, he''d encountered countless Grade 1 serpentine mutants and a swarm of Kepromecs, each one falling to his attacks with little resistance.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Ss knelt by the closest mutant carcass, methodically harvesting its valuable parts. From the serpent, he extracted its fangs and thick, resilient skin, while from the Kepromecs, he collected the barbed tips of their tails and their deadly fangs. Once he''d secured each piece, he rose and resumed his journey toward the god''s chamber.


    ---


    **Back at the Academy...**


    A group of students walked down a shadowy path, returning from the Crater''s shop, irritation etched across their faces. They''d nned to sell the mutant body parts they got from the test that was cancelled for tokens, hoping to upgrade their gear for the Ranking Arena, but the shop had been inexplicably deserted, the door left unlocked and no trace of the Crater himself.


    "Of all days for him to go missing, it had to be today!" one student grumbled, his expression sour as they walked along the empty path.


    They opted to take a different route back to the academy, a secluded shortcut where they could smoke in peace before returning. The street, dim and deserted, seemed perfect for a brief escape.


    As they ignited their cigars, one of them noticed a shadowed figure lying slumped against a trash can nearby.


    "Wait… do you see that?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.


    They edged closer, squinting as they tried to make out the figure''s features. As they drew near, horror dawned on each of their faces—the figure lying motionless on the ground looked disturbingly familiar.


    "Is it just me, or does that look like... the Crater?" one of them stammered, wide-eyed and frozen as they stared at the lifeless, petrified husk sprawled on the ground.


    """


    Gifts and Golden Tickets will be very much appreciated! Thanks for reading!