《My Guardian System: The Trader》


 Chapter 1 - One Autumn Morning

    *PROLOGUE*


    Huff, hah! Huff, hah! Huff, hah!


    In a space separate from the world of humans, a young boy named Jem Hansen was breathing heavily while kneeling in the middle of hundreds of grotesque creatures of different sizes.


    He was inside a spacious room with dark green illuminationing from the crystals embedded on the ceiling and walls.


    The atmosphere was hot, yet his quivering and perspiring body felt so cold that even steam came out from his mouth every time he exhaled.


    His trembling right hand was tightly gripping the broken saber. Sweat and blood blended and dripped on its broken tip.


    His haggard looks at the moment were the evidence of how bitter of a situation he had recently.


    Bruises and cuts were all over his body. Tears were running down from his sullen eyes, to his bloody face, and directly on the tainted ground.


    He lost his left arm, and blood was dripping from its cut. He was gritting his teeth while regretting.


    Ting!


    His hand lost strength and subconsciously released the broken sword that fell to the ground.


    "No way..." He mumbled listlessly. "No way..." he repeated in a much grieving tone. His voice indicates the loss of will to survive. "Equality?" He muttered with his nk face, tiredly gazing in front of him. "Where is the equality?" He was talking to himself as it was the only thing he can do right at this moment.


    "There''s no equality for the weak," he continued. Then his face began to twist into a bitter expression.


    He cried. "Waaaahhh..." It was not a loud cry. But it was a painful cry, physically and mentally. It was the kind of pain of being betrayed by someone he trusted.


    His teary eyes were peering around him. But no matter how he nced, the ce was unfamiliar to him. And also, there was nothing or no one that could help him in his current situation.


    "Why, why did you leave me alone in this ce?" He began saying.


    "Why did you choose to abandon me in this ce? Why!?!" Tears and snot were pouring on his face as he began saying. "You didn''t choose to save me because..."


    "Because I''m weak... I''m weak. Even in the academy..." His voice wasn''t so loud.


    "I know... I know that everybody was mocking me behind my back!" He shouted. "That''s why... that''s why I don''t want to join in this..." He returned to a whisper. "Why even bother asking me toe?"


    "But now I know... I know your reason..."


    "It was to use me... as a decoy in this kind of situation..."


    He was talking to no one as he was currently alone. But in his mind, there were some figures. They were the subject of his insults. A momentter, he bit his lip that caused it to bleed. Well, a slight wound at his current situation was no different. Then he spoke in an ascending volume. "Cowards... Cowards! COWARDS! You are the most disgusting piece of shit! All of you are assholes!" Out of a sudden, he raised his voice as he was cursing with all his might to the people in his mind.


    "....."


    He paused for a moment and inhaled the snot that was about to escape from his nose. Then he opened his mouth again. "All those words. Hic! All those lies. I''ll give them back if there''s a next life!"


    Soberly, He gritted his teeth; then he was groveling on the ground.


    "What world defender shit?" Steam burst out from his mouth. "Why do I even have to defend the fucking hell?" The smell of blood was so strong, and his forehead was kissing the ground as he spoke. "And where are the fucking rescue team?" He continued. "In the end, all those were just empty words! A lie! A lie! All is a fucking LIE!"


    He calmed once again. "I am just a sacrificialmb to all of you..." His mind was a mess, cursing everyone and regretting everything.


    Seeing the hundreds of vicious-looking creatures that were simultaneously stomping their feet while racing towards him, his face turned grim, and his heart sank.


    But even without these creatures, he would soon die in his current situation. His blurry vision a while ago was now full of darkness.


    Will he die at this very moment? A question shed in his mind. He was unwilling to die. He was afraid of it.


    Suddenly, he noticed an unusual warmth on his chest. It wasing from the pendant on his ne.


    Jem remembered his grandfather''s words; whenever he found himself in a predicament, he had to sp it and let it feed an ounce of his Ex-energy. Jem had no idea what his grandfather meant, but at this moment, he could only trust his words.


    He sobbed. "Help me, Grandpa..." he whispered as he embraced in hand the pendant that his grandpa gave him.


    "(Hic!) I don''t want to die..." he muttered sobberly.


    Jem summoned thest bit of his Ex-energy.


    After doing it, he lost consciousness.


    [Ding!]


    [Guardian System booting up!]


    [GSID: Soul Collector And Death Instigator aka The Trader]


    ...


    Year, 250 CE,


    "My grandson, don''t forget that hardships are what makes a man a true man. Never forget my teachings as they woulde to help you one day," said an elderly to his grandson.


    "Yes, grandfather," nodded a young man.


    One autumn morning.


    A 15 years old Jem Hansen, an orphan, lived with his adopted grandfather in a shabby wooden house.


    He had short ck hair and subtle bangs, and he stood up at an average height. Not so small and not so tall. He hadzy-looking eyes and ordinary looks.


    For all his life, they were living peacefully outside the city and near the mountain.


    Monday morning, he was pulled out from his dreand by the hard-knocking sounds against the old wooden door of his room.


    Tok! Tok! Tok!


    "Jem, Jem, Wake up! Are you still sleeping? Wake up, you dimwits! We''ll bete, idiot!" Angry shouts by someone outside the door.


    Jem Hansen deliberately opened his unwanted eyes. He was weed by the beam of sun rays that passed through the crevices on the window.


    TOK! TOK! TOK! When he heard the hard-knocking sounds bing louder and louder, he hastily got up. He worried that the door could not take it and broke down because of the intense knocking on it.


    Even though still tired and sleepy, he pulled himself after a long yawn.


    It was the start of another day, a brand new day for someone like him who would be attending the military academy. That''s why he understood the irrational behavior of that person behind the closed door.


    After opening the window and allowing the brightness of morning into his room, he took a peek outside and, "WHAT THE¡ª!" Jem Hansen uttered when he noticed that the sunrise was unfavorably high.


    He quickly tidied up himself and opened the door.


    "Sorry, Desty, I was hunting some little boarst night, so I ended up oversle¡ª" He tried to reason out after opening the door but stopped when the door suddenly fell upon opening it. "Gueee!" Jem Hansen freaked out.


    The door broke down.


    Jem Hansen was soberly looking at his door.


    He was about to open his mouth again but stopped after seeing the twitching brows of a girl. "No more talk, let''s go!" After saying it, she reached out on his shirt cor and dragged him out of the house. She did not even take a nce at his broken door. "Eh, w-w-wait! D-Desty?!" He was calling her, but she hadn''t listened to his pitiful yelp. ''Shut up!'' Desty shouted but in mind only.


    "Geez, I can''t believe you. How many times did I remind you yesterday to wake up early today, huh?!" Annoyed, Desty barked at him. "S-Sorry." It was the only Jem Hansen could say as he was clearly at fault.


    "Humph!" She pursed her lips. "Good thing for you. I did not st your whole room!"


    "I, I thought so, hah," he said in defeat and sighed.


    It was fortunate that the two of them were able to ride the second lotive train.


    Jem Hansen was sighing heavily. He was not able to eat breakfast and was not even able to wash his face. Regrettably, the money in his wallet was just enough for him to buy train tickets. But he regretted more that he failed to say goodbye to his grandfather, whom he believed was gathering herbs on the mountain at the back of their house at the moment.


    But they already talkedst night about him going to the military academy. So his grandfather would probably not mind that he left in haste without having to say his goodbye.


    Jem Hansen was ming himself for failing to wake up as early as he wanted to be.


    He nced at the girl beside him. ''She''s mad,'' Jem Hansen thought after noticing her expression that was difficult to carve in the stone. She was silent after riding the train.


    His grandfather had told him once that sometimes a girl had this kind of behavior. So, as a man, he had to widen his patience.


    Jem Hansen suspected that this was the same as what his grandfather told him before. He scratched his head and decided not to bother her for now.


    Also, he must be mindful not to make her angrier than she already was.


    Desty was his childhood friend. But she was just on vacation in that ce, visiting her grandparents, who were Jem Hansen''s neighbors.


    Speaking of neighbors, it is a kilometer away from their house.


    Desty''s parents were living in the city, and only at the end of the school semester did he have a chance to see her every year.


    But starting today, he would be seeing her more often. Because, starting today, he will be studying in the same academy as her.


    Every Ex-Human could enroll in this academy for free. They would also get an allowance from the association that manages all of them.


    Desty is a pretty girl with long brown hair, wless white skin, and big round eyes, and she stood a little taller than him. And she had a healthy figure.


    Inside the cabin, there were some other young people like them. Everyone was lively conversing with the people beside them. They were talking excitedly about the iing Evaluation for the Ex-Humans.


    Ex-Humans were humans enveloped by light at the time they were born. This light was known as Ex-energy.


    Right now, Jem Hansen was sitting beside Desty. In front of them was another person, a girl. The girl had shoulder-length pink shaggy hair and round blue eyes. Based on her appearance, he could probably tell that they were of the same age. And if not, there would not be much of a gap.


    Jem Hansen admits that this person was also a beauty like Desty.


    They both have spotless skin. When Jem looked around, he noticed that even the males inside had better-looking skin than him.


    But he wasn''t a bit envious. He had to work under the burning rays of the sun. It wasn''t like he had a choice in this matter. After all, he needed to eat.


    To be able to eat two or three meals a day, they had to farm. He was enjoying his life, even in that shabby-looking wooden house. He''s not the pampered type or a city person who cares much about appearances.


    Even the clothes he''s wearing right now are made of poor quality and out of trend. It was a birthday present to him from his grandfather when they went to the town a few years back then.


    It was oversized to him at that time, but it fits him now. It seemed like he only grew slightly.


    After bing a teenager, he realized that he needed more. He wanted something, something unlike before when he was a child.


    He was even more eager now to change himself after he saw Desty this year. With her appearance that could steal a man''s heart at first nce, he developed a self-conscious disability. He wanted at least to be a better person than he was right now.


    Desty told him before that Ex-Human bes more and more handsome and beautiful the stronger they be. She said it was one of the advantages brought by Ex-energy.


    Certainly, Jem Hansen could already guess that these people around them were also Ex-Humans.


    However, for some unknown reason, he could feel the atmosphere around him was unusual. It was tense and was making it difficult to breathe.


    Jem Hansen was stiffly sitting while avoiding making a single noise. He was even avoiding making a gulping sound and avoiding making eye contact with any of them.


    He was wondering why the atmosphere inside was so rigid and awkward.


    The girl in front of them suspiciously darted her eyes to Desty and Jem Hansen. On the other hand, Desty was silent while crossing her arms across the chest and with a brow that slightly bends upward.


    "Oh yeah, Desty, is this boy here your¡ª"


    "Shut up, Wendy!"


    Before the girl named Wendy could say something, she was stopped by the sudden objection of Desty. The girl named Wendy showed a smug face, then she chuckled amusingly.


    "Hm, sounds suspicious," said Wendy with scornful eyes.


    Jem Hansen noticed Desty''s irritation on Desty''s face. "He was just my childhood friend. Nothing more and nothing less," Desty tly stated.


    Jem Hansen felt even more awkward that their topic was him.


    However, the girl in front giggled at Desty''s reply.


    "Hm, okay, though, I didn''t mean to say that he''s the guy that you like. (Chuckle)." Wendyughed while looking at Jem Hansen with a face of pity. Desty red at her. "I could not even think that someone like the daughter of the great Ny family was fawning over someone..." Wendy eyed Jem Hansen like evaluating him. She continued saying, "that somewhat..." she giggled and ended her words with, "ordinary?"


    Jem Hansen secretly sighed. He could not even disagree with her words. Saying that he was ordinary was already an overstatement for him.


    Regardless, Jem Hansen envied Desty a little for knowing more people than him.


    In his 15 years of life, he knows no one the same age as him besides Desty. He was yet to attend school, but he learned how to read and write from his grandfather.


    Nheless, Jem Hansen wished that they would stop talking about someone who was in the present with them because it was too awkward for him. And also, he was not a socialist type of person. It was hard for him to converse with someone he did not know for long.


    "Hey, my name is Wendy... what is yours?" Wendy extended her slender white arm towards him.

 Chapter 2 - Seaside City

    Jem Hansen was a little flustered as he was staring at her wless hand. He blinked his eyes twice. He was hesitating to grab that beautiful hand. It was white; even without sniffing, it smelled good. It was the hand of a girl that mostly from high society, A well-sheltered person. On the other hand, he noticed some ckened dirt in between his nails.


    ''Will it be alright?'' A thought of worry passed in his mind. Also, he couldn''t wash his hand this morning because Desty pulled him as soon as he left his room. He also remembered scratching the most censored part of his body after a pest bit on it in the middle of the night.


    "Uhm, hello, my name is Jem! Jem Hansen!" he replied nervously and failed to control the volume of his voice. ''Shit! It''s embarrassing!'' He yelled under his breath. He didn''t like his self-conscious attitude. But no matter what he did, he couldn''t get rid of it.


    He sneaked a nce at the two with him, good that none of them was mindful of it. Secretly, he sighed in relief.


    Jem Hansen replied but didn''t choose to hold her hand. It was for her safety. He didn''t want to dirty that spotless hand of hers. However, Wendy did not retreat her hand. Instead, she patiently waited for him to take it. "Hey¡­" she called out and slightly shook her hand in front of him, indicating that she demanded a handshake.


    "....."


    Jem Hansen hardened his jaw. It was for her good that he refused to do it. But it looked like he had to resolve himself, huh. Well then, she only has herself to me from hereon.


    He unhurriedly moved his hand towards her. Unexpectedly, without waiting for him, she took the initiative and grabbed his hand. He was taken aback and was about to retreat his hand, out of reflex, but it was toote. She already grabbed his hand. ''S-smooth¡­'' his thought upon touching hers. He couldn''t even feel any calluses on it.


    "My name is Wendy of Lynn family," she repeated her name.


    "And I''m Jem Hansen¡­"


    "I mean, I''m Wendy of the L-y-n-n fa-mi-ly," the girl repeated while emphasizing the words Lynn family.


    "Yes, yes, and I''m Jem Hansen¡­" he frowned and wondered why they kept repeating their names. ''Is this how the other people introduce themselves?'' He did not expect it. Then he noticed Wendy of the Lynn family fell silent.


    "....."


    ''Eh, now what...'' He noticed that the girl was still holding his hand. His mouth opened to form a voicelessugh.


    "....."


    ''What with this awkward situation?'' Jem Hansen thought with the bead of sweats taking shape at the back of his head.


    For some reason, the girl was looking at him with an expression that couldn''t believe him. He also was wondering why she was wearing such an expression on her face. Then they heard a chuckle from Desty. It wasn''t just a simple chuckle because the next second, she broke into a heartyugh. They also noticed tears forming on both sides of her eyes.


    "??"


    Question marks were floating over Jem and Wendy''s heads. It looks like her dramatic period has gone already. It was his thoughts about Desty.


    Wendy looked at Desty with questioning eyes. "What is this supposed to mean, Desty?!" She asked while emitting a dark aura over her.


    But seriously, it could be his imagination only, right? Right?


    "How does it feel to be not known by someone, Wendy of the Lynn family?" Desty asked smugly and teasingly. Wendy''s brows were twitching. A secondter, "Humph!" She snorted at her.


    Just hearing their exchange, Jem Hansen realized that maybe Wendy was from an outstanding family. No wonder she kept on repeating her name.


    Wendy returned her gaze to Jem Hansen and saw him looking at his hand, which she was still holding. She noticed Jem had a troubled expression. And he was using his other hand to scratch the back of his head.


    Wendy smirked and giggled.


    Not even flustered, Wendy magically produced greenish light particles on her hand and enveloped both their hands. Jem Hansen was surprised. It felt so warm and soothing. It was familiar to him. He knew this feeling. It was the same feeling whenever he tried to summon the same energy.


    "Ex-Exnergy¡­?" He whispered while having a surprised face. Well, what''s the point of getting surprised now. It was clear that she was also an Ex-Humans like him and Desty. So, it was right to expect that she as well could summon Ex-energy.


    Wendy finally released his hand a second after the light particles dissipated. But Jem Hansen noticed something astonishing. The dirt in his nails had disappeared?! Never did he imagine that Ex-energy could be employed this way. No wonder she wasn''t concerned even though his hand was dirty.


    He, on the other hand, could only glow his hand and couldn''t release it out. Even Desty could do the same as Wendy. Hmm, maybe it was different from person to person. He thought to ease himself. More important was that he had a body powerful than normal humans. It was one of the characteristics of being an Ex-Human.


    Wendy showed smugness at his surprise.


    While waiting for the train to stop, he learned a few things about the two with him. He was right, Wendy came from a prominent family the same as Desty. She had known Desty for quite a long time.


    After a couple of hours of travel, the group finally arrived in one of the Cities of Blue Nara Region, the Seaside City.


    The sea harbors the city''s southern area towards the west, and steep mountains encircling the north of the city and west.


    The east of the city was a wide-ranged prairie with forest and rivers in some other regions.


    Jem Hansen once again was astonished. Unlike in the rural areas, the city was lively with people. Wendy said her farewell. She said she had somewhere to go before going to the academy.


    Before Wendy left, she warned them not to use their ability openly. "Jeez! No need for that. I''m well aware of it," Desty replied while raising a brow at her. Jen Hansen knitted his brows. He wondered what they meant.


    "Well, Desty, it wasn''t meant for you." Wendy winked an eye towards him before she left with a smirk. He thought she looked so cute as she did it, but. Also, suspicious.


    "Don''t mind her," he heard Desty say, then she continued. "Let''s go to a store first; I need to buy something," said Desty. He nced at her before he answered. "O-okay," he nodded and followed her. But soon he realized that he could not enter the store. It had high security that needed a person''s identification card to enter. Unfortunately, he had nothing of that sort.


    "....."


    He had to wait outside. Well, in the rural areas, there''s no need for identification cards to enter the farm. He could only scratch the side of his face as he turned his head around him and was amazed by the number of people passing by and heading everywhere. "What a lively ce; aplete contrast to my birthce¡­" Jem Hansen muttered.


    In Seaside City, normal humans and Ex-humans were living in harmony. There were no prejudices against each other. Or so he thought it was the case. While waiting outside the store for Desty, Jem Hansen heard a crying noise. It wasing from the corner, which he believed led to an alleyway.


    At first, he tried to ignore it, but the crying continued, and it became louder every next second. His foot took a step forward, then it was followed by another. Until he found himself standing in a dark alley, and ahead of him, he saw some kids. Three kids were standing in a circle, and in the middle of the group was another kid.


    He was right, that corner led to an alleyway, and now he was inside it. Although the ce was dark, the kid in the middle radiated a glowing from his body and lit up the ce.


    ''''An Ex-Human kid?'' Jem Hansen was surprised when he saw him.


    "Hey, what are you guys doing?!" With widened eyes, he yelled to the three kids who were surrounding the lone kid. In their hands was a wooden stick as big as a kid''s arm. ''They used it to beat the Ex-Human kid?!'' He concluded upon seeing some bruises on the other kid.


    The three kids simultaneously nced at him.


    "?!"


    But unbeknown to Jem Hansen''s expectation, the three kids produced a wide grin when they saw him. "Now, you are finished! Ha-ha, an adult sees you in that state! Bahahaha!" Eximed the kid who was wearing a yellow shirt. Then he guffawed. The kid in a sleeveless shirt also opened his mouth.


    "Big bro! Punish this monster! Look, he illegally used his beastly power!" Said the kid while grinning broadly.


    "What?!" Jem Hansen was stunned upon hearing them. "M-Mons-ter? And beast?"


    "¡­.."

 Chapter 3 - A Beauty In The Washroom

    The next time he noticed, Jem Hansen found himself behind the iron bars. He was taken in custody by the human Law enforcer. He was detained for an hour and a half inside the jail. His case was an illegal use of beastly ability and breaching the Law of Equality. In truth, he was just chasing away the three children who were bullying the Ex-Human kid.


    The three children were angry that he did not side with them. Although he managed to chase out the three children without causing any harm to both sides and rescued the kid that was being bullied, the three children came back with a group of men on their back.


    "You motherf*#ker! How dare you, bullying these little kids!" Said the skin-head uncle in the middle.


    "What?! I didn''t do anything like that!" Jem Hansen said in haste and exined what happened. However, the battle had still urred. The three adults did not listen to his words. They strongly believed the children''s usation of him. Or maybe they just wanted to believe what they wanted to believe.


    It happened right after he got out of the alleyway. To defend himself and the kid, he had to fight back. Since he had natural-born superhuman strength for being an Ex-Human, he was able to defeat the three adults who came after him. However, he received a beating in the process. His clothes were torn, and bruises were on some parts of his body.


    He could not even run away as they were blocking his way. And behind him was a dead-end alley.


    He wondered why after they noticed his glowing fist, they started calling him a monster or any of that sort.


    Although he had superhuman strength, it was not to the degree that he could one punch his enemy. He was only a little stronger and faster than the average human.


    Also, he was not good at fighting with people. He used to fight wild animals in the mountains, but those were unintelligent creatures. In addition, besides making a glimmer on his fist, he could not find any other uses of his Ex-Energy. Defeating three armed enemies who were using metal pipe, knife, and a two-by-two wooden stick was already admirable.


    Still, he felt so disappointed that he was the one who was taken by the Law Enforcer. It was because of those children''s testimonies. Against the testimonies of three children, his testimony became self-defending and made-up. Whereas the testimonies of the three children give more weight than his. He was defeated and caught by the Law enforcer of the city. Such a first day of going into the academy. It was truly unexpected.


    Unfortunately, those who had witnessed the start of the fight did not want to involve themselves. So, no one came to testify for him beside the Ex-Human kid with him.


    Thew enforcer did not even bother going deeper in their investigation. They probably thought it was bothersome.


    Then again, he suspected that the main reason they were unfair from their judgment was that he was an Ex-Human. After noticing their gazes towards him and the Ex-Human kid, he felt it that way. He felt that something was not right with their gazes. Being a person with a self-conscious disability, helped him to develop the ability to be a perceiving person.


    After an hour and a half, he was released. Thanks to Desty who came to help him. Though he had no idea how she did it.


    "Jeez, I can''t believe you!" she started saying her disappointment as soon as she saw him. "Then, what happened?" She asked with her hands on her hips.


    "I was just trying to help an Ex-Human kid from the bullies¡­" he said and exined to her what truly happened.


    "I see," She said. "But next time, if something like that will happen again, just turn a blind eye to it. If you feel guilty for doing it, then cover your eyes and ears so that you will not feel guilty for not helping them," and that''s her advice which causes a little confusion for him.


    "Why¡­?" He asked. "For equality''s purpose¡­" she said while crossing her arms. "Equality?" Her reply had further confused him. She started walking away which Jem Hansen followed closely. While walking, she opened her mouth once again. "Yeah, we Ex-Human had only one goal, to destroy the Invaders, the alien race¡­" she paused and nced above. "That''s why we can''t associate with normal humans. Most of them are afraid of our power. They are looking at us like we are monsters in their eyes. To prevent the issue from proliferating further and causing some conflict, the parliament implemented the Law of Equality. Ex-Humans were banned from using their power against the normal humans," she said then started moving a little faster. "Regardless, we are sote!" She added in a shout, then further increased the speed of her walk.


    "....."


    He followed her without further question. But in his mind, he had many questions about this so-called Law of Equality. And he felt that this Law of Equality was not equal at all based on how thosew enforcers implemented it. But he knew that there were different kinds of people. On the positive side, it was truly a goodw, but it depends on the person who carried out thew.


    Desty had to call her Aunt who had a strong connection in the Law Enforcer to help her release him.


    Right.


    Jem Hansen remembered something. He asked her about the kid he rescued. She told him she had no idea. He fell silent and hoped the kid was fine.


    "..."


    The two of them were able to get their evaluation in the military academy. But his result shocked him and Desty. In fact, not only him, but it stunned the whole academy. It was aughable result. First time in history that there was an Ex-Human who had lower than below-average Exo points. Desty''s evaluation result was 7 Exo points while his only at 1 Exo point. These Exo points were their growth potential.


    "Seriously? 1 Exo points? What kind of dog-shit potential is that? Ha-ha!" Said a male student as they passed by on a table where the disappointed Jem Hansen was currently sitting in the corner of the cafeteria. The news about his Exo points was already known to all in the academy.


    "Regardless, of that person, I heard that there are two students who got 9 Exo points," said the other students.


    Jem Hansen was thankful for these two mysterious students who got 9 Exo points. If not because of them, he would be the center of all talks everywhere in the academy. It would be bad if that was the case.


    "Really?!"


    "Yes, yes!"


    The two students who were seated not far from him continued their conversations.


    It was only the first week since Jem Hansen admitted to the Ex Soul Academy. It was a military academy for humans with superhuman strength and ability. The purpose of the academy was to train the Ex-Humans on how to develop their magical prowess efficiently. After all, they were the future protectors of the world and the humanities.


    Jem Hansen was currently gazing outside, through the ss window at which he was sitting beside it. Many students were passing by. But inside the cafeteria, there were only a few students who were currently having their lunch. Jem Hansen pulled up his body. He could not waste more time. He needed to head to the training room. Even though he had pitiful growth potential, it did not lower his determination to learn and grow.


    His reason foring did not change a bit even after his evaluation result. In fact, it only made him more determined to move forward. Even if it is one if it were not zero, he could only move forward. His grandfather used to tell him that hardship is what makes a man a real man.


    His only disappointment aftering to the academy was that there were only a few chances that he met Desty. In fact, in this one week, he only saw her about twice, and he was not able to talk with her. It was only to be expected as he was in the lowest ss, while Desty was in the highest ss. Their ssrooms were located at the opposite end of each other.


    Upon arriving in front of the door of the training room, Jem Hansen noticed that the door was not locked. ''Maybe some ssmates are training inside. Then forgot to close it,'' Jem Hansen said in mind.


    But, when he came inside, he could not spot a person. It was empty. There were only those training materials freely lying on the floor.


    Jem Hansen walked towards the dressing room. But before his hand reached the doorknob, he suddenly felt dizzy. "Damn, it looks like my excessive training took a bad effect on me¡­" he said and used his other hand to tap his head. Woosh, woosh, he tried getting rid of the dizziness by slightly shaking it.


    Unexpectedly, his vision cleared a little, but not fully. He then decided to go to the washroom first. Maybe washing his face could fully get rid of it.


    Jem walked towards the washroom. He directly opened the door and went inside. But unbeknown to him, aftering inside the washroom, Jem Hansen found himself in an awkward situation.


    In front of him was a beautiful girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Jem Hansen could not help but gasp in admiration at her beautiful body and pretty face. In his whole life, he had never had a chance to witness such a great creation. He was even doubting his eyes if he was seeing a painting or a real person. Could it be that his dizziness was much worse than he thought? In fact, he could not recognize her. Also, he never saw her in their ss. The beauty upon noticing Jem Hansen had widened her eyes. It was only natural since the girl was in a half-naked state, and she was in the act of putting on her underwear.


    Jem Hansen knew at this very moment, heaven and earth were waving at him.


    The next time he noticed, the girl''s face turned red. Before he could even open his mouth to say something, at the corner of his eyes a shadow came flying like a shadow of a falcon. It came towards his face. Jem Hansen was not even able to block it. The kick came so fast that he doubted if it was a hallucination. The kick connected to his mouth and it was followed by a loud impact that trembled the whole training room.

 Chapter 4 - Second Evaluation Exam

    "Kyaaah!"


    A wail from someone reached his ears. It was when his figure came flying when some of the girl students arrived at the corridor towards the washroom. But they stopped on their feet when they saw a flying shadow of a humaning out from it-- along with the broken door.


    Together with a loud crashing noise, his body hit on the opposite wall and caused some cracks on it. A mouthful of blood sprayed out from his mouth at the impact and trembled the whole room. Such a kick could instantly kill a normal human.


    Even an Ex-Human like Jem Hansen had fainted for a couple of seconds before his consciousness came back.


    Without him knowing, around him, some dumbfounded female students were looking at him with wide eyes open and agape.


    "Who is¡­" one of the female students muttered in shock.


    "Wait, he''s that student, right?" Pointed the other female student at Jem Hansen who had his back stuck on the wall.


    "You mean the student who has the lowest Exo points?"


    "Yes, I meant him!" The two female students started talking about him and wondered what was happening.


    But Jem Hansen had no regard for them. His body was aching all over and his vision just came back. Though it was still a little blurry.


    Cough! Cough!


    He noticed that something came out of his mouth after he coughed. But soon his eyes grew bigger when he saw what it was. ''T-t-tooth?!'' Jem Hansen worriedly muttered in mind with trembling eyes. He knew that he was at the age in which teeth would no longer regrow. That''s why it is a bothersome circumstance for him.


    "Regardless, why was he in the female washroom?" He heard one of the female students ask it.


    He nced at them and thought, ''Wait, what are they saying--'' as he was saying it in his mind, he paused when he saw a female logo at the wall beside the door where he came from. Looks like his dizziness caused him to mistake the ce!


    "Wait, isn''t Miss Sylva''s niece is currently using the washroom?" Another female student said.


    ''Perhaps this person tried to peep.'' They thought but did not voice out. However, disgust was apparent on their faces. Even Jem himself noticed it. He was about to say something to clear his name. But one of the girls already said something ahead of him.


    "It is her right?"


    "Yes, it''s her."


    "The person who got one of the highest¡ª"


    While saying it, they suddenly stopped when a figure came out of the washroom while having a nonchnt expression on her face. She was wearing the academy uniform. A gray and green top and a ck skirt below.


    He tried to open his mouth to exin but stopped after she threw a look of disgust towards him. Jem Hansen, who was still on the floor, sumbed in silence. That look of her, it was the kind of look that no matter what he would be going to say would never change anything.


    Regardless, he could not let himself be killed. Jem Hansen readied himself for the worst. He would surely die next time if he received another of that monstrous kick.


    Fortunately, the girl left without saying anything.


    Jem Hansen sighed in relief. He thought he was a goner. His face turned below. He looked down as there is nothing he can me her for, especially that it was his fault.


    After that incident, Jem Hansen found himself as the center of mockery from the other students.


    Although none of the students were directly telling him, he knew they were talking at his back. They were calling him a pervert or something of that sort.


    There was also a toothless nickname attached to him after that incident. Jem Hansen had to use a mask on his face to cover his mouth and hide his toothless teeth.


    It was infuriating that other people would make a big out of it. Looking at his current situation, he started to think that living on the farm was betterpared to the city. For some reason, he started to miss the farm.


    But he could not go back as a failure. His grandpa would certainlyugh and maybe be disappointed in him. He could not betray his trust.


    Jem Hansen told his grandpa that he woulde back as a better man and not a failure. That''s why¡­ he can''t go home yet. He had to persevere. He just needed to graduate from this academy and be a certified bachelor.


    However, because of that incident, he became isted from his ssmates.


    Maybe it would be better if it were another girl who was in the washroom at that time. When Jem Hansen learned the identity of the girl, he knew that his academy''s life would not be as smooth as he dreamed it to be. He already had a bad start for being the student with the lowest growth potential.


    Yet now, because of that incident, the low reputation he already had, has gotten even worse.


    Unbelievably, that girl was one of the two mysterious people who got 9 Exo points.


    He shook his head and sighed.


    "Okay, that is all for today," said the sexy teacher after folding the one-inch-thick book in her hands. Then she left while saying, "Good luck in your training." Her figure disappeared in the door while waving her hand.


    Once again, after their ss, Jem Hansen went to the cafeteria. While the others were talking lively with ssmates and friends, he, on the other hand, was alone.


    Jem Hansen did not linger long in the cafeteria as his allowance was just enough for him to eat rice and egg.


    His allowance was reduced by half because of that incident in the alleyway. It was when he first arrived in the city. Since he had a bad history of breaching a Law of Equality, the association deducted his allowance. Even if he wanted to disagree, he could do nothing about it. After all, it was their choice, especially when his evaluation result came out. He could only tightly close his mouth.


    The association said that he was not worth spending their money on. It was already fortunate of him that they left him with half of the total allowance.


    Once again, after eating his lunch, he went to the training room. This time he was very cautious. He could not let himself fall to such a blunder once again.


    The training room was a spacious ce. The width was 200 meters and so was the length. But it was divided into 4 small facilities. Each had its training functions. Jem Hansen went directly to the dressing room and took off his uniform, then changed to his training attire.


    It was a sleeveless blue shirt. Then topped with a padded vest. It had an impact resistance to minimize the damage dealt with him.


    Every ss had its training room, and this room was exclusive only for their ss. It was also the reason that he was surprised to see an unfamiliar student inside their training room. Jem shook his head to get rid of the thought. He did not want to remember that incident.


    He then went to the training room where he can fight with training dummies. He took a training sword that was on the table in the corner of the room.


    Jem Hansen then stepped in the center to where a round disc can be seen, the disc below his feet glowed briefly. Then the next second, a humanoid doll with no distinct features materialized in front of him.


    Aftering to the academy, the only ability he learned with his Ex-Energy was the beginner-tier Fortification ability. It hardened any weapon he wished to fortify.


    When the battle started, the timer on the wall also started running.


    After a difficult encounter, he was sessful in defeating the training dummy. The timer will automatically stop when the trainer defeats the dummy or is defeated by the dummy.


    A sigh of disappointment escaped his mouth when he nced at the timer. "Almost 20 minutes¡­ a bad result." Most of his ssmates could defeat the dummy in less than 10 minutes. On top of it, they were the lowest ss. He left the training room with a heavy feeling. Jem Hansen needed to find a way to improve himself.


    After few days,


    Jem Hansen could be seen sitting in the cafeteria once again. As usual, he was alone.


    Well, it had been almost a month now since he was admitted to the academy. So, he was kind of used to being alone already. If anything, he wanted to see and chat with Desty. However, there was almost no chance for them to see each other.


    Everything that he was looking forward to ining to this academy, none of those were happening as he was expecting.


    He was always alone. However, there was an exception.


    "Yo! Mr. Lonely!!!"


    A yful high-pitched voice reverberated in the cafeteria. He did not need to nce to know who it was. It was that girl, Wendy. All this time, it was only her who asionally came to disturb his solitude.


    "Wendy, why do you keeping to disturb me? They are going to think that we are close, you know," Jem Hansen told her in a less enthusiastic tone after she found herself afortable seat in front of him.


    Wendy tilted her head before a smug appeared on her face. "What are you saying? Do I look like someone who cared about that stuff? Fufu," She told him while resting her arms on the table. Then she leaned forward.


    Jem Hansen let out a sigh. It was for her good that he said it. And also, he would rather not talk with everyone. Especially now that he was toothless. He felt ufortable.


    "Regardless, are you ready for tomorrow''s second evaluation?" She asked him in a voice that could be considered as whispered.


    He repositioned himself. "So, it''s tomorrow huh¡­"


    Every month the academy would have to evaluate them to figure their growth. And tomorrow will be the second evaluation. However, it was a duel-type evaluation. They needed to fight the other students.


    The next day, all of the freshmen students were gathered in an open auditorium. In the middle of a spacious auditorium was a wide-open space arena.


    Jem Hansen was sitting in the corner, waiting for his turn.

 Chapter 5 - Field Trip

    There were only 15-20 students in each ss. So there weren''t honestly many students even though there were a total of 5 sections for the freshmen.


    "May Forecast! And Manny Bulk!"


    "You two will be the first pair to duel!"


    "Yes! Sir!"


    "Aye! Sir!"


    The instructor called out the names.


    A pair of students came in the middle of the auditorium; they were the first to be evaluated.


    "There are only a few rules. Perform well and don''t kill, also don''t die!" After saying it, Instructor Stone D Gustav had pped his hands.


    "Okay then, you are good to go."


    "Ah, wait, wait," he called out once again. "The suit that you are wearing has a lot of resistance but don''t be too dependent on it. Remember, learn when to give up," said the male instructor withzy behavior.


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Aye, sir!"


    "Okay, if you are ready, then start!"


    The two students who were facing each other in the middle took their stance.


    The student with the name of Manny Bulk was a male student. After the signal to start the fight, he directly ran towards his female opponent.


    The male student Manny Bulk summoned his Ex-Energy in both hands. Now his hands were glowing in a greenish brilliance, forming like shells on his fists.


    Seeing the approaching enemy, the female student May Forecast had rapidly stomped the ground. She must be nning to distance herself from him.


    It was toote, though. Took by surprise, Manny Bulk, who was moving like a high-speed train, had seeded in cutting their distance; he sent one-twobinations of punches.


    Most of the students who were currently watching had their mouths formed like a letter ''o''. But to their surprise, none of the punches were able to hit the female students.


    May had excellently dodged the attack in a hairsbreadth. Next, she summoned her Ex-Energy on her arms to repel her opponent''s punches. But May Forecast could not confront her opponent in a brawl. She knew how dangerous those punches were. It even sent pressures that almost outbnced her several times.


    In the end, none of the two were able to defeat their opponent. The instructor shouted a time''s up. May Forecast was able to survive by running around and dodging her opponent''s onught. She was even able tond a hit by using her kiting strategy.


    Their duel ended in a draw.


    Although their duel was good, most of the students were booing them. Then after that pair, it followed by another, until most of the students finished their evaluation. Among those who already performed, there were some notable individuals. And most of them were from the section of students with the highest growth potential. It was from ss A.


    It was the ss where Desty and Wendy were part. All of them won their duel against their opponents. There only defeats were against their ssmates.


    Jem Hansen wanted to congratte Desty for the win, but she was around her ssmates at the moment.


    He noticed Wendy was waving her hands towards him. Since she was the only person he could actively talk with, Jem Hansen replied in respect with a nod and smile. Though, there was a mask on his mouth.


    He wondered why. It seemed like Desty was purposely ignoring him. But he wanted to believe that he was wrong. He could be wrong, even though he was a person with high perception. There was no guarantee that he would be right always. After all, even if he said it was his perception, in truth, it was only his intuition.


    As expected, none of the students from ss F were able to win.


    "Next, Jem Hansen! And Jack D Zaro!"


    Finally, his time hade. Before standing, he sent another nce to Desty. Unexpectedly, she nced at him. Jem felt so happy then waved his hand towards her. Although he looked like an idiot as he did so. But, who cares. However, he got no reply. Desty quickly darted her eyes away from him. Jem Hansen blinked his eyes in wonder before he took back his hand unwillingly.


    He also noticed Desty''s ssmates. They were staring coldly at him.


    "???"


    Question marks were floating over his head. Jem Hansen decided to step forward. He also noticed that none of the students in the audience podium had their attention in the arena. They perhaps thought that the next fight was not worth watching.


    "Heh!" Jem Hansen scoffed. ''Let me show you, people, how a real fight is supposed to be, hehehe,'' he thought and smirked. Thenughed inwardly like a typical viin.


    But a secondter,


    "I give up!!!"


    Even though the signal to start the fight was yet to announce, they already heard a loud deration of giving up. All the students in the stadium broke to guffaw after a brief second of being dumbfounded.


    HA-HA-HA!!!


    The person who dered giving up was no other than Jem Hansen himself. Well, there was nothing he could do about it after seeing who his opponent was. He was certain. Whoever in the lower ss would end up deciding like him when the opponent was that person.


    Jack D Zaro was the infamous delinquent from ss B! There were even rumors about him beating an academic teacher just because he wasn''t in the mood. Look at those unfriendly eyes of him. He was sure that even a ghost would think twice if to haunt him.


    "¡­.."


    Jem Hansen just wanted to live the next day. He had many ambitions in life that he wanted to fulfill.


    Unexpectedly, the instructor denied him. The instructor said that he needed to survive for at least one minute in their duel before he was eligible to give up.


    ''Damn it, isn''t that the exact contradiction of knowing when to give up words of his?'' He thought in dismay.


    Unbeknown to Jem Hansen, his deration only gathered more hate from his opponent. After the signal to start the fight, he ran away from his opponent. He just needed to survive for a minute then dered once again. If he could maintain the distance between them, he had a great chance to survive. In this kind of fight, it wasn''t about how you perform. It was about how you survived.


    Noticing his opponent''s n, Jack D Zaro twisted in anger. A cross-shaped pulse popped out from his t forehead, and blood-colored veins were popping out from his full of anger eyes.


    A burst of greenish Ex-Energy sent shivers to every student in the auditorium. Jem Hansen found himself rolling on the ground. A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth. An invisible force hit him.


    Before he could get up and regain his ground, it was toote. Jack D Zaro was already grinning widely in front of him. Jem grimaced.


    A momentter, he suffered a harsh beating.


    Before he lost consciousness, at the corner of his eyes, he saw Desty. She opened and closed her mouth.


    She must be worried about him.


    Though he felt pain all over him, he was happy.


    Out of all the students who evaluated that day, only he suffered injuries. He was hospitalized for half a month and was already behind from training. He also received the result of his second evaluation. In one month, his Ascendance points only grew 3 points. Whereas most of his ssmates in ss F have average Ascendance points of 7 to 9. The average Ascendance points in ss D were 15, in ss C were 20, in ss B were 30, and in ss A were 40 points;


    These Ascendance points were their total growth in a month. Once Ascendance points reached the threshold of 100 points, Ex-Human would undergo an evolution. They would gain a breakthrough. And it increased their power.


    Regardless, since he had 1 Exo points only, his growth potential was low and slow.


    Half a month in the hospital caused him to be behind in training. The other students already learned many things. He, on the other hand, only knew how to fortify.


    Jem Hansen felt more secluded. It seemed like he wasn''t part of the academy. He could only feel envy for the other students who magnificently manipted their Ex-Energy.


    That day he went early to his room. His room was only for a single person. Since there were only a few students in freshman, it was easy for the academy to amodate all the students with a room each.


    After taking off his clothes, he threw them on the bed. Then he changed into a sleeveless one. He then sat on a single-size sofa and rested his tired back. He also took off the mask on his face and threw it away. After that beating in the duel, another two of his teeth broke. Now there were three gaps in his teeth.


    Jem Hansen sighed. He was so behind from the others.


    He closed his eyes as they felt heavy. It didn''t take long for his consciousness to travel into his dreand.


    Two months after his admission to the academy, all the freshmen traveled for a field trip. Their destination was the frontline.


    (Next chapter his Guardian System will activate!)

 Chapter 6 - Desolate Area And The Giant Grinning Shadow

    Five big ck cargo trucks were traveling towards the frontline. It was in the eastern part of the Blue Nara Region.


    The frontline.


    If one looked at it from above, they would see that it resembles a sun with eight rays. It is a gigantic fortress that has protected the humanities for many decades now.


    Many high-ranking soldiers were assigned here as it was the nearest to the border in which friction against the alien race was frequent.


    They could easily send reinforcements if their armies on the border needed some assistance.


    After an arduous trip, the students, together with some instructors and teachers, had finally made it to the frontline.


    It took them a week-long to arrive. Most of the students had ashen faces when they climbed down the cargo trucks. They vomit and vomit while on the trip. If only they had known that it was this hard to travel inside the closed cargo truck, they would not have chosen to ride it.


    Even Jem Hansen himself had an ashen face as the others. He wasn''t the type of person who gets dizzy even though he wasn''t used to traveling in cars.


    But this time, Jem Hansen was not looking better than the others. Looking at the puking people around him made him want to puke as well.


    The only regret he had was that he was not in the same truck as Desty on this trip.


    "Everyone,e here!" A female teacher called out. She was together with the other teachers and instructor. Some people in military uniform were with them too. They were standing near what seemed like an entrance.


    To make it more vivid. It was a gate.


    The students moved sluggishly to where the teachers and instructors were. Out of all the students, only a few looked better. One of them was the two students that he never saw in the second evaluation exam.


    On top of it, he knew the other one. It was the girl in the washroom, who took his first tooth. Before they departed, the other students were looking at them like they were the king and queen. But now, everyone was too exhausted to care.


    Even Jem felt his head was about to break.


    "Hey, toothless, move faster!" An annoyed yell came from his back.


    For some reason, hearing it irritates him, especially now that his head was aching from a long ride. He wanted to give a smack on this fool. But since he was too weak to do it, Jem could only knit his brows. Out of reflex, Jem Hansen nced behind him. But what greeted him was an angry face of a young man, who he knew.


    It was a student from ss C. His name is Brad, short for Bradley. He was the one who poprized the nickname Toothless on him. Jem frowned.


    After he looked behind, Brad yanked the cor of his shirt. "Slowpoke!" Then, he pushed him aside. Jem Hansen staggered and fell on his butt.


    He could not prepare himself for that sudden assault as he was yet to regain his strength and he was slightly groggy. Though even if he had his peak, it was still uncertain that he could dodge it. After all, Brad was from ss C while he was in ss F. Not to talk about the gap in their stats.


    After his fall, the mask on his mouth flew away and revealed the wide gap in between his teeth.


    Brad and his friends in ss Cughed at Jem Hansen while calling him toothless or ugly.


    He forced his body and crawled towards the masked. But before his hand could reach it, "Oi, where are you going?" Brad''s friend stepped on it and spat.


    The other students just nced at them. But soon, they continued walking. They were too tired to mind others'' business.


    However, Brad''s friend did not expect that Jem Hansen would pull his feet. Taken by surprise, the person had his bnce wavered and fell to the ground.


    Jem Hansen did not waste the opportunity. He leaped and mounted him. Then rain punches on the person''s face.


    He already had enough of these people. Even if he lost another tooth, it would not change his situation anymore.


    So, for now, he wanted to take this person''s tooth as well, to have a fill of his misery. Unexpectedly, he felt an inexplicable satisfaction as he did so. ''Hehe, this is great!'' Jem thought inwardly with wide-eyes open. Just then, Brad and the others woke up from a daze.


    Although Jem Hansen wasn''t as strong as them, it didn''t mean his punch could not injure. After all, they were still in the same rank. All of them were yet to advance. So even if Jem was weakerpared to the rest, his punch could still inflict damage on them.


    Brad and the others tried to pull him off. But Jem Hansen struggled to free.


    "Hey! What are you guys doing!?" One of the instructors seemed to notice them. He shouted at them and approached.


    In the end, he woke up inside a cell. He was confined and needed to cool off. Before the instructor coulde close, he felt a strong impact behind him that took away his consciousness. Which he suspected came from Brad.


    Before he lost his consciousness, he also saw Desty not far from them. She was shaking her head while massaging her temple around her ssmates.


    Jem Hansen massaged the back of his neck. The joyfulness and satisfaction he felt while beating that bastard from Brad''s circle only left him with bitterness aftereffect.


    It must be what they called as--- conscience.


    Jem felt guilty for what he did. He did it out of anger. He knew it wasn''t only his fault but. But maybe the reason he felt so guilty was not because of what he did. Probably, it was because Desty saw him in unsightly behavior.


    Jem, who was sitting on the bed, looked up. A white ceiling and a single lump in the middle that illuminates the room with white brilliance is what he saw.


    But even though he was staring at the ceiling, his mind was beyond it.


    "This is not good¡­"


    "It was already two months and beyond, but still nothing changed¡­"


    "Every day is only getting worse¡­"


    "Coming to the academy might be wrong in the first ce¡­"


    Jem Hansen started to lose confidence and the will to continue.


    "Even if I practiced three times harder than the rest, I still won''t be able to catch up with them¡­"


    "Maybe they were right. That I am a defective one."


    "It isn''t normal, that in fact, I am the only one with the weakest light."


    "Right."


    "I have decided."


    While Jem Hansen was in deep thoughts, the door of the cell suddenly pulled open.


    "Learn to forgive and control your emotions. Be a fine soldier and protect the world against the alien race. Or be part of thew enforcer and help to maintain thew of equality," said the counselor.


    After leaving the cell, they brought him to a room for counseling. Sitting in front of him was unexpectedly the girl in the washroom. She was silently listening to the counseling. On his left, their adviser was giving some advice.


    Although Miss Sylva was a good teacher, she was the same as the norm. She was one of those people who spoke about equality and how to be a responsible person.


    "Sorry, Teacher, I think--- I can''t go on. I will quit the Academy¡­"


    "..."


    Teacher Sylva fell silent. His reply was unexpected, "Why? Have you thought of it over and over?"


    "I understand your circumstances. However, do you know that quitting the academy around this time is a big loss?"


    "Teacher, I don''t think the loss or gain is necessary for me at this point. I mean, it''s already two months, and beyond but still, my improvement was so subtle. I have been thinking about it for so long now. And just recently that it made me realize that quitting the Academy is for the better. This whole time I was clinging to a little hope. That maybe if I persevere, there''s a chance for me to be a better person in the future."


    "But¡­ I could not see it happening. My days in the Academy only worsened," Jem said with a shadow cast over his face.


    "Erm!" Miss Sylva cleared her throat before starting her reply. "Hansen¡­ stopped looking at the negative side. Your academy life is yet to reach the middle part. The difficult times are just in the beginning. Stop looking in the future and stay in the present. It will certainly help you to make a reasonable decision. Enjoy your academy life while you are at it."


    Jem Hansen fell silent and sighed inwardly. It looks like Miss Sylva misunderstood him. ''Teacher, I have no future nor present in the Academy. I can only return to my past. To the farm, to where I live peacefully. With no one bothering me. Then, live my life till I grow old and die.''


    ''I don''t care about the world, or do I care about the millions of people in it? I don''t have that desire to be a hero. My only desire is to be a better person for the few people I care for.''


    ''But this Academy can''t give it. It only makes my life worse.''


    ''That''s why¡­ I want to quit¡­'' Jem Hansen confessed it, but in his mind only and did not voice out.


    "Forget it, Aunt. I think he already has decided."


    The girl in front of him, who was silent the whole time, had suddenly interjected.


    "Also, the armies and Law Enforcers do not need weak-willed people," she added in a slightly cold tone after cing back the ss of tea on a small te.


    "Eh? F-Fate, don''t say that. Uhm, Hansen, don''t mind her. For now, rest in your chamber and try to rethink about it over and over."


    ''That''s wrong, she''s wrong. Knowing my limitations doesn''t mean I''m a weak-willed person. I''m just honest to myself. It''s better than persuading myself for the impossible,'' he thought before leaving the room.


    Jem Hansen followed his adviser''s order and went to his room.


    After he left, "Uhm, Fate, honey, don''t you think that''s a little rude saying like that to him? Haha..." Teacher Sylva inquired andughed listlessly to her niece, Fate Margaret.


    But Fate pouted as she looked away from her Aunt.


    "Humph!"


    Teacher Sylva sighed at her reaction. She was aware of why she said it. Fate Margaret dislikes a person with low self-esteem. "Please understand him. He has the lowest Exo points among all the freshmen. It must be the reason he''s so modest."


    "..."


    She remained quiet.


    She didn''t care about that person. She was just annoyed at his negativity. And also, it was a little payback for seeing her in a half-naked state.


    She was borrowing ss F''s washroom at that time. And it was her aunt who rmended her to use it. Never she imagined that someone of the opposite sex would enter the girl''s washroom. Is he an idiot? Thanks to her having more self-control if not, she would beat him to death.


    Every morning, the students performed some work out in the training field. They did all sorts of exercise. However, everyone noticed that Jem Hansen had not joined them since the first day. There were different kinds of gossip regarding it. One of the popr ones was that he fell into an illness.


    Because he was a person with bad luck and a terrible reputation in the Academy, he was quite infamous.


    "Hey! Desty, do you know that the talk about Jem''s absence is quite popr these days?" Wendy, who was stretching her arms beside Desty, informed.


    "Huh?!" Annoyed, Desty raised her voice. "Why do you keep on minding someone else''s business?" She added with a frown. "I mean¡­ Aren''t you worried about him?" Wendy asked with a smug face.


    "Stop poking your nose in someone''s business and focus on yourself. Regardless, I heard we are going to step into the deste area next week. I also heard that fighting an actual beast can help us break through faster," Desty informed her.


    Although she just wanted to change the topic, what she said was also true.


    After their training, everyone formed a party to explore the deste area.


    The night before everyone explores the deste area, Jem Hansen received an unexpected visitor.


    It was Desty.


    Jem was d to see her. At least before he left the Academy, he could say his farewell in advance.


    Desty did not expect what she heard. She asked him if it was because of her ignoring him.


    Even though Jem already knew about it, it still surprised him. She exined that she just wanted him to be an independent person. It was her real reason for ignoring him. But in truth, there was another reason that she could not tell him.


    She tried to stop him from his n of leaving the academy and told him to join their party. She also said she was sorry for ignoring him this whole time.


    But Hansen''s reply was unexpected to her.


    "Sorry, Desty, actually I didn''t decide to quit the academy because of it. I decided to quit because I saw no improvement in myself. Maybe the Academy was not for me. Regardless, even if I quit, I hope for your sess."


    "Listen, Hansen! There''s a chance to improve in the deste area," she informed him with confident eyes.


    "Deste area?" He asked.


    She then told him what she knew. "But I''m weak. And might drag the whole party down because of me," he responded in a sad, yet honest voice.


    "Don''t worry! I am here! If something happens, I will protect you!"


    She kept on telling him that night that she would protect him. It made him so happy. Although skeptical, he agreed.


    However, that shit happened.


    Hansen was left alone in a deste area. And now in a life and death situation.


    Meanwhile, he was standing in a dark space. And in front of him was a giant grinning shadow.


    The grinning shadow told him that he was his Guardian System. With the codename of The Trader.


    Confused, Jem Hansen found himself at a loss of words.


    "..."

 Chapter 7 - Guardian System

    Whenever the red shadow opened its mouth, a voice resounded at the back of Jem Hansen''s head. It seemed like someone was whispering from behind him.


    It sent shivers on him.


    "G-guardian system?"


    Subconsciously, Jem Hansen repeated the shadow''s words.


    [Yes, do you require power?]


    "What is that?"


    "What is a guardian system?"


    "Wait, is this my hallucinations?"


    "Am I dead?"


    "Could it be¡­ This entity in front of me is the sovereign of the soul? The entity that governs all the departed soul that my grandpa used to tell me when I was a child?"


    <Do you require power?>


    <Do you require strength?>


    <Do you require boundless possibilities?>...


    Without giving regards on his confusions, the words repeated in his head.


    "P-power?" He suddenly noticed the word.


    <Yes, power>


    After hearing it, Jem Hansen felt an urge to shout that he needed it. He wanted to obtain power. He wanted to be stronger, even if it was a little.


    <But before that, you needed to form a contract with me.>


    "A-a contract?"


    <Yes, a contract to finalize the instation of the guardian system in the selected host!>


    Jem Hansen had no idea what happened to him. He had no idea about his current situation. But he noticed a sinister smile appeared in the giant red shadow.


    After that, the shadow that called as a guardian system or the trader started exining to him his current situation. Or how the contract works and how the system works.


    In the present, Jem Hansen was in the middle of hundreds of beasts swarming around him.


    Sticky saliva was gushing out from their mouths, and their eyes were all red. The ground shook as they raced forward to gnaw the human in front of them.


    However, the lying body of an unconscious human suddenly opened his eyes. The next second, an invisible force burst out from his body and pulverized the surrounding monsters around him.


    Those white monsters with thick fur and two long fangs on their mouths were Rank B mutated beasts. But all of them died in the blink of an eye without letting them grief.


    Not even those two Level 3 Recruit Ex-Human soldiers with them that time could handle those monsters. It was also the reason why Jem Hansen was in a dire situation recently.


    Their n was to hunt low-tier mutated beasts around the river. It was near the entrance of the Deste Region.


    But one of the party members, Desty''s ssmate, disobeyed the soldier''s warning. He crossed the river, and something happened after that led him to this situation.


    A scenario happened in which one of them must be the sacrifice to help the others escape; In the end, they chose him as the unfortunate sacrifice. No, he couldn''t even choose. They decided it out of consent.


    Jem Hansen could not remember how many minutes, hours, or days had it been. He lost count of the time after that. To escape from those beasts, he wandered around the Deste Region to try to find a suitable ce to hide.


    However, it was futile; there was no safe ce in the Deste Region.


    He could not remember how many times he spat the word revenge while running away from the beasts.


    He reached a point in which hunger and thirst umted inside him. He had to eat and drink all that he thought was edible.


    In the Deste Region, you couldn''t say if it was day or night. Around it was just a foggy ce. Dangers were lurking everywhere.


    Although Jem Hansen was able to survive a little longer, in the end, he found himself surrounded by those monsters.


    Meanwhile, he was standing alone in the same ce where he lost his consciousness, but a new determination was apparent on his face.


    He nced around and saw that it was empty. There was only him in this cave with green illuminationing from the mysterious crystals around it.


    Jem Hansen was standing alone, but the other side of him was ck, and the other side was himself.


    For the contract to be effective and install the system on him, the guardian system asks him for something valuable to him that he could trade-off.


    Hansen, who had nothing valuable at that moment, decided to trade half of his soul.


    <Now, host, it''s up to you from here on. If you have something to ask and say, whisper it in your mind.>


    Said the guardian system before the ck half of Jem Hansen disappeared, revealing his real half after it.


    ording to the system, anything that was valuable to the system had a corresponding value.


    He could trade-off to exchange them as T-points. Then, he could use the points to buy abilities. Though, it depends on the tier, the value of the skill he wished to obtain.


    The system also said that he could upgrade his Exo points. But each value of it increases every time he promotes it.


    At first, he was skeptical. But after seeing the unfathomable urrence, the vanishing of hundreds of Rank-B beasts, in front of him, he could only hug the new reality.


    "Status System," he whispered the word that the system told him a while ago. After saying it, a bluish holographic screen floated in front of him.


    [STATUS SCREEN]


    Host: Jem Hansen


    Race: Human


    Level: 0


    Exo Points: 1/10


    Ex-Energy: 50


    Ascendance Points: 5/100


    Trade Points: 0


    Skill/s: Fortification


    "!?"


    Jem Hansen was surprised to see it. The voice told him that it was his status. After a couple of seconds of inspection, he could only sigh at his stats.


    To level up, he needed to fill his Ascendance Points. But it wasn''t easy to fill it as he had 1 Exo Point only. So his priority was to promote his Exo Points.


    Before that, he needed valuables to exchange with T-points because he needed it if he wanted to promote his Exo points to quicken his ascendance.


    He nced around him. However, his eyesnded on the small amount of water beneath him. His figure reflected on it. He grimaced upon noticing his bloodied figure.


    He also noticed his cut arm. At the moment, he only had one arm. The system clotted his wounds and helped him regain his stamina. But it did not regrow his cut arm.


    He sighed.


    The system helped him get rid of those beasts, but he was still in danger.


    At the corner of his eyes, he noticed the broken saber lying beside the amount of water.


    He picked it.


    [You obtained a broken saber.]


    A notification appeared in front of him, which caused him to blink his eyes.


    He also noticed a floating [Tradable] text inside a rectangr box. "This weapon is useless now, but it''s better than nothing," he whispered. He disregarded the text and nced around him.


    His eyesnded on the crystals. "Those crystals might be tradable also."


    He walked beside the nearest wall and struck the stone using the broken saber to dislodge the crystal.


    However, after a high-piercing noise, his hand trembled at the hardness of the stone.


    "Tsk, the saber is too light for it," Jem Hansen whimpered.


    "I needed something hard and heavy."


    "Hmm¡­" He thought and scanned in his mind for solutions.


    "Wait, a hatchet is what I need!"


    Jem asked the system about the value of hatchet.


    <Even the hatchet has many tiers, but the cheapest is the wooden hatchet that costs 3 points only. Next is the stone hatchet that costs 5 points.>


    "Then how much is the value of this broken saber?"


    <5 points.>


    "Hehe," Jem showed a toothy grin, though hecked some tooth in front. "Now, let''s start the trade!"


    <But Host must first pick a valuable stone and wood.>


    "....."

 Chapter 8 - The Search For The Way Out

    Ting! Ting! Ting!


    Using the newly traded stone hatchet, Jem Hansen repeatedly strikes the stone and rock to dislodge the shining crystals.


    The system told him that he could only trade with things he knew and saw and existed in the world. The same goes for the skills.


    After several smashes, one of the crystals finally fell and rolled several times on the ground, producing low noises.


    Jem stared at it. The crystal briefly spun before it settled beneath him. Some sweats tickled his chin before they dropped to the ground. He used his arm to wipe it. Then, he released his grip on the hatchet handle and let it fall below him.


    Thud!


    He bent down and took the crystal which was on his feet. It was a little smaller than a golf ball. After picking it, the same notification appeared in the air in front of him.


    [You obtained Shiny Emerald Crystal!]


    "Hmm, looks like whenever I pick something, the notification will appear¡­" Upon muttering it, he noticed another thing. "Eh! It''s warm?" He uttered in surprise. ''Looks like, this thing is the reason why it''s hot here...'' He thought.


    The text [Tradable] could be seen beside the same as the broken saber a while ago.


    When he looked closely at it, he noticed a small icon beside it. However, since he only had one arm, he could not tap it naturally. He could use his finger, nevertheless.


    He turned his hand upside-down and clicked the small icon. After tapping it with his index finger, arger rectangr box floated in front of him. In it were the details regarding the crystal.


    [Shiny Emerald Crystal -- A rare crystal that could only be found in an area 200 feet under the surface. It emits warmth and light.]


    He did not continue reading it as it was long. There were more important things he had to do first.


    Regardless, he was dumbfounded to know that he was currently 200 feet underground. He traveled that far?! Unbelievable!


    Well, since he was so frightened at that time, and his mind was only about escaping, he didn''t notice the distance he traveled.


    Jem shook his head slightly to get rid of the thought. He then asked the system about the points he could get if he traded it.


    "Uh, system, how much will it be if traded?"


    <Although it is a rare crystal, it had the lowest grade among its category. So 10 points.> Replied the system.


    "10 only¡­" he mumbled in doubt. But anyway, he could not argue with the system. Jem checked the price of the first promotion for his Exo Points.


    He had no idea if it was a fair price, but he felt happy and excited after checking the promotion price. "I see¡­"


    "Okay, I want to trade!"


    Just after saying it, the crystal disappeared in his hand. But on his status screen, the amount (10) was in the trade points section.


    He then tapped the Exo Points section and promoted the quantity on it.


    [Spend 10 Trade Points?]


    [Confirm] [Cancel]


    He tapped the [Confirm] choices.


    [Exo Points: 1 >>> 2]


    Finally! His growth potential, the Exo Points, was sessfully promoted. From now on, every time he gains Ascendance points, it will always be 2x more than before.


    But before he could feel happy, he should observe first whether it truly reflects on his growthter.


    Yeah, the best way to test out its credibility is to checkter. But before that, more crystals were waiting to be dislodged!


    Jem picked up the lying hatchet once again. He had to continue gathering these crystals before the other monsters noticed him. He had no clue about the ce. Or what kind of monsters were lurking in it. That''s why he couldn''t waste more time here. He had to find a way that may lead to the surface.


    But for now,


    Sparks flew everywhere and debris of stones and rocks rained down on the ground when he forcefully struck the hatchet against the wall. Ting! Ting! Ting! Smashing noises had once again reverberated in the area. The noise echoed as they traveled further and further into the distance. As though it sunk in a deep ocean.


    After a few minutes, he finally finished gathering the Shiny Emerald Crystals. Though, he dislodged only those reachable to him. Those located at the higher wall and those on the ceiling, none of those were reachable to him. So he skipped them.


    However, the noiseing from the smashes awakened a sleeping predator. Somewhere in the dark, an entity with slick ck scales crawled, following the noise.


    "1, 2, 3¡­" Jem, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, started counting the crystals. He gathered them in front of him. And the hatchet was lying beside him.


    "...7."


    He thought for a moment before he decided to trade five of them. When he nced around him, he noticed that the two passages were all dark. He stored the other one inside his torn-up jacket. Then used the other one as his light source.


    He traded five of the Shiny Emerald Crystals. Now, he umted 50 Trade Points. But when he tried to promote his Exo Points, a notification saying his Trade Points wasn''t enough appeared in front of him. It said that he needed 100 Trade Points to improve his growth potential for the second time.


    Jem Hansen almost spat an insult towards the system when he noticed the rise in the quantity he needed.


    He sighed despondently.


    He decided to reserve the points first.


    Before that, he needed to do something about the hatchet and the Shiny Emerald Crystal. He could not hold them together. He nced around him and saw nothing that could help him. His eyesnded on his torn clothes.


    "Looks like there''s no other way," he whispered.


    He bit the sleeve and tore it.


    BRRRRRRRTTT!!!


    He used the torn part of the sleeve to tie the crystal. After confirming that it was well-tied, firm, and not easy to loosen, he finally proceeded on his search for the way out.


    From the torn sleeve and crystal, he made it into a ne. Then he started advancing while gripping the hatchet in hand. On the other hand, he needed to find food as soon as possible.


    Although he was lonely and scared, he had to steel himself if he wanted to survive in this ce.

 Chapter 9 - A Round Monster

    When Desty''s party returned to the frontline, with them was a piece of bad news that caused a disturbance to all of the teachers and instructors of Ex Soul Academy.


    In the report, their group had suffered an unforeseen attack from Rank-B Mutated Beasts, and one of their party members was not so lucky to be a victim.


    Just reading their report startled the teachers and instructors. After all, it was a party consisting of ss A students. And most of them were from the leading families of the federation.


    It also mentioned that not even the recruit soldiers could deal with those beasts. In regards to the students, most of them could only deal with Rank F and D Beasts at most. But, after finding out that the unlucky person was someone from ss F, the panic had slightly diminished. Not totally, but it lessens remarkably. It would leave an unpleasant record of the academy''s performance if ever the victim was from ss A.


    After learning that it was her student, Miss Sylva did not waste time and reached out to the frontline officials to help her find her missing student.


    It was only yesterday that the two of them talked about counseling. Although that student was the weakest in the Academy, he was a student that often helped her in some subtle matters like handling the student''s report cards in order. And other suggestive works. Even without it, Miss Sylva was the kind of teacher who gave importance to all her students.


    The officials heeded her request and formed a search party. Their squad consisted of elite soldiers. All of them were level 4-5 soldiers. With their level, they have a great chance of surviving against a Rank-B Mutated Beast.


    However, after a day of roaming the Deste Region, in the surrounding area, near the river, they saw nothing, except for some marks of dry blood.


    However, those blood led to thebyrinth of no return, the Uno Labyrinth. It was the most feared area inside the Deste Region. No one who entered the Uno Labyrinth had managed to return. It was also the reason why it was also called the Labyrinth Of No Return. There were rumors that it was their of dangerous beasts, a dwelling for more ferocious and nefarious ones.


    After the higher officials received such a report from their search party, they didn''t immediately inform the findings to Teacher Sylva. Instead, they sent another search party the next day.


    The other students continued with their training as usual, as though nothing happened. Upon receiving the report from Desty''s group, the teachers and Instructors association did not disclose the unfortunate event to the students because there was a high possibility that it might scare them. But much tighter securities and rules were implemented to prevent the same thing from happening.


    They also prohibited Desty''s party from telling their friends about it. Not even Miss Sylva could disagree with this decision from the majority. It was true that it was unnecessary to cause panic among the students, but this left a bitter taste at the tip of Miss Sylva''s nose.


    The academy higher-ups warned her that the student''s training must not be hindered. Miss Sylva could only bit her lips in frustration.


    The most affected of all of this was Desty herself. She failed her promise and even dragged her friend to his demise. She got scared and escaped together with everyone.


    That time, her mind was so nk. She could not think of a good solution. She couldn''t even remember how she agreed to their decision. There was nothing she could do, as even a Level 3 soldier died from those beasts.


    Although the other soldier was able to lead them back to the frontline, he sustained injuries that required hospitalization right away.


    However, because Jem Hansen was an infamous student, many students started to notice his absence. They also noticed Desty''s absence. She used to be the most eager person in terms of training.


    But after that time that they came back from hunting low-level beasts, she seemed to have changed. She looked dispirited every time she appeared, and most of the time, she was absent.


    The first to notice it was Wendy. She even visited her several times in her chamber. But Desty would asionally avoid her.


    Wendy started to suspect that something happened on their hunts. There was also gossip that the toothless Jem Hansen hadst seen with the group of people from ss A. As a member of the Student Council, Wendy wanted to know about these mysterious happenings.


    When the teachers and instructors association noticed the student''s suspicion, they summoned Desty and advised her to act naturally. Desty could only force herself a nod.


    To give her more time, the teachers and instructors decided to disclose to other students that Desty was not feeling well. And it was the reason for her absences. They also stated that Jem Hansen decided to leave the academy.


    Because of this, they seeded in impeding the student''s suspicion. The days went by, and most of the students started to forget about it. Everyone tried their best to hunt low-level beasts in the Deste Region. But the teachers and instructors prohibited them from disobeying their guide. They could not let another incident happen, especially to the students of the higher ssroom.


    It was already two weeks after Jem Hansen lost in the Deste Region.


    Meanwhile, his footsteps echoed in the dark passage. Only the illuminationing from his ne gave the ce a slight brightness.


    As he continued his advance, he noticed that the atmosphere had started to be rigid. But thanks to the two shiny crystals with him, it decreases the coldness he felt.


    Some distance droplets of water excite him. His throat had started to get dry from traveling for quite so long. He estimated he was walking for almost an hour and a half now.


    Besides being thirsty, there was also another thing that worried him.


    GROWWWWLLL!!!


    His stomach was now demanding him to eat. Not only that, his muscles had started to feel numb. It was the result of walking nonstop in this cold ce.


    Fortunately, after another 15 minutes of walking, at the corner of his eyes, he noticed a familiar object.


    "M-mushroom!" He subconsciously muttered the name. Looking at it, he noticed it was the same mushroom he ate beforeing to this ce. So, Jem Hansen already knew that it was edible.


    He put away the hatchet and reached on it, however. After releasing his grip on the hatchet, he heard a slight grating noise from his side.


    He saw a furry round creature. It had a big mouth and razor-sharp saw-like teeth. It had dark brownish stripes from its face to its back.


    It didn''t waste time and jumped towards him with a gaping mouth. Sticky saliva scattered away from it.


    Jem Hansen paled as he stared at it. He disregarded his hunger and rolled while taking at him the hatchet.


    The monsternded in his previous position. Jem did not waste time and stood on his feet. He grimaced upon noticing a web-like crack on the ground where he was standing a while ago.


    Jem did not wait and brandished the hatchet to the monster. But the enemy was able to evade by stepping back. The inertia of his attack almost caused him to lose his bnce.


    He staggered a little and regretted his action. Thanks to his pounding chest, he couldn''t think clearly. Tsk! Jem bit his lips in frustration.


    Seeing the defenseless human, the beast size of a normal pig, threw itself to him. However, as it was in the air, Jem noticed the beast produce a pair of limbs.


    And on its three fingers, long pointed ws extended to three inches!

 Chapter 10 - More Reason To Kill Them

    "WTH?!" Jem let out a startled utterance at the sudden appearance of ws.


    The ws drew scratch marks in the air towards him. A cold sensation meandered on Jem''s back. He instinctively pulled the hatchet to block it. A scraping noise resonated in his ears when the wnded on the stone hatchet''s head. Sparks scattered around at the impact. He also noticed a crack on it.


    "Dammit! S-so strong¡­" Jem'' gritted his teeth while bracing himself. His hand trembled slightly at the powering from the beast''s attack.


    "TSK!" Jem clicked his tongue and made a step back to support his body. "G-get... Away!!!" He used all his umted strength and cried out. Then pushed back the monster all of a sudden.


    The monster made a ck flip before it crashed on the nearest wall. It sessfully bnced its body, and its two back limbs perfectlynded on the wall without crashing on it.


    Before it fell to the ground, the monster kicked the wall and once again shot itself at him.


    Jem wanted to run and hide, but he noticed the monster was already heading towards him. "Not even giving me a chance to run away?!" He whimpered and grimaced. Jem knew that it wasn''t good fighting this monster in his current situation because there was a high chance that he would die. If possible, he would rather not fight it. He wanted to proceed without encountering any of these sorts. But it looks like it was impossible to ask it, huh.


    Seeing the fast-approaching beast, he knew he had no time to dawdle around.


    He increased the strength of his grip on the hatchet handle. "To survive in this ce, first, I needed to survive against this one! No. I must kill it!" As he was muttering it, a glint was noticeable in his eyes. Jem knew that he could not run away all the time. His only choice was to face it.


    He already experienced running away from those beasts a while ago, however. It only invited more trouble to himself. More and more beasts noticed him. Thus, more and more came chasing after him. Hiding is not an option either. He would only starve to death if he kept on doing that.


    "Therefore, I must fight to survive!"


    A sky-high determination was on his face as his foot took a huge step forward and summoned on his hand his gleaming energy. It then crawled towards the hatchet. The hatchet gleamed brightly. Then the crack on it had suddenly reformed. It was the effect of his only skill, the Fortification ability.


    In truth, it did not merely reform the hatchet; it also fortified, increased durability, and strengthened it. The hatchet gleamed like a new one. No, it was more of an upgrade version than a new one.


    Without wasting more seconds, he swung it upward, which luckily connected to the beast''s jaw.


    GWEK!


    It let out a pained utterance before its body flipped backward and collided on the wall in a loud and impactful crash. Dust arises after that, though it was barely noticeable because of the dark. Still, the slight radianceing from the crystal illuminates it.


    After crashing on the wall, the beast fell on the cold, rocky ground. It twitched, hinted that it was alive but hurt. However, Jem did not allow it to recover. He followed up with another attack by smashing the hatchet on it again and again. An ear-piercing wail of agony, together with the heavy smashing and sttering of blood, reverberated the ce.


    Although the beast already stopped making noise, he didn''t stop even after the beast''s figure could not be described anymore. After three minutes and a higher of smashing it, Jem finally stopped and took a deep breath. He kneeled in front of what came as scattered meats and blood. The blood tainted his pants. Then he put away the hatchet as he stared below him. Tears were apparent in his eyes.


    Though he wasn''tmenting that he killed it, or did he feel guilty? Never!


    It was tears of joy. He was happy by the fact that he survived. He had no idea what kind of beast it was or what rank it was, but he didn''t care about it. The most important was that he was alive. Yeah, it was the most important.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, Jem Hansen''s attention was taken by surprise. Together with a sound was the appearance of a rectangr box in the air, in front of him. When he looked at it, he saw some text.


    [You killed a D-rank Beast Little Brown Swine!]


    "This system is kind of weird, mysterious, and magical," he muttered. After saying it, he noticed another notification in a muchrger box.


    [Obtainable Parts: Swine Fur, Swine Meat, Swine Bone, Swine w!]


    Although quite surprised, Jem Hansen already figured out what it means. He believed that they were the parts that had value to his guardian system, The Trader.


    He wiped the tears in his eyes and looked at the fierce beast that has now turned to mincemeat. If he wanted to loot those parts, he needed to dismantle them. He nced around, trying to find anything useful to skim the remains of the beast.


    He saw some sharp-looking rocks and stones. But he had doubts about them. Although they were sharp, it wasn''t enough to slice the flesh and skin of the beast.


    On the corner of his eyes, he noticed something gleamed. "ws?" Jem thought inwardly when he saw it. The ws were sharp enough to resemble a small knife.


    Using the hatchet, he broke the fingers of the beast.


    [You obtained a Swine w!]


    Another notification came afterward when he picked it.


    The same notifications appeared when he took the rest. There were also the choices of trading it.


    Since he obtained six ws, he decided to trade five of them.


    However, he learned that each w was only equivalent to 2 Trade Points.


    Jem was so happy after knowing that killing the beast grants him more materials to trade. Now he has more reason to kill them. Meanwhile, he had a total of 60 Trade Points, and more parts were waiting to be lotted.


    Next, he took a piece of stone and tore a piece of cloth from his clothes. He tied the remaining w on it. He made sure that it was firm and not easy to budge.


    Excitement was written on Jem Hansen''s face as he started skimming the beast''s corpse.

 Chapter 11 - Virtual Market

    It took him an hour and a half to dismantle all the tradable parts of the Little Brown Swine beast. Jem Hansen traded the Swine Bone. In return, he got a total of 10 points from it. Now, he has 70 total Trade Points.


    However, Jem was a little skeptical whether to trade the meat because it had a use to him. In the meantime, he decided not to swap it to points. His reason was that he wanted to eat the meat. He was about to trade the Swine Fur but stopped when something came to his mind.


    As the ce started to feel chilly, he thought of wanting to trade his points with a mantle. It was thanks to the emerald crystal on his neck and the one in his pocket that he was able to survive the chilliness of the surrounding.


    "Trader, is it possible to trade my points to a mantle or coat?" Jem wasn''t sure what to call this entity who took half of his soul. He thought of calling it System at first, but he settled on calling it Trader. His reason was that it traded with him.


    <Yes, host, it''s possible, however.>


    Jem felt relieved upon hearing him, but the Trader''sst word caused his brows to knit. "However?" He repeated the Trader''sst word.


    <However, the host must first find the required materials.>


    "R-Required materials? Hm, what do you mean?" He asked.


    <The system cannot just create something from nothing. For example, since the host wanted a mantle, the host needed to gather the materials needed to create a mantle which are pieces of cloth and thread.>


    <However, to acquire the cloth, you must first acquire the needed recipe for it like the beast skin.>


    <Oh, right, please always be aware Host that only the materials that had value with the system are eptable.>


    "¡­.."


    He fell silent once again and started pondering.


    He did not expect that there was such a requirement. ording to the Trader, if he wanted a mantle, the materials in making it were needed to acquire first. Since a mantle needed a cloth, then he needed to acquire a cloth first. But the problem was, to acquire the cloth, he must first acquire skin or leather as it was the mean recipe to make a cloth. On top of it, it must be from a higher-rank beast.


    Then next was the thread. To create a thread, silk was the main ingredient. Maybe some fiber was also eptable. But then again, the system must approve of the quality. So in this case, it depends on the system.


    Hah!


    A sigh escaped from his mouth. No wonder the system urged him to pick a piece of wood and stone before trading with him the hatchet a while ago. Fortunately, he found a stone and wood with a little value to the system.


    He nced around and saw some spider web on the ceiling. "How about those spider web?"


    <Yes. Spider web is more than eptable, but it depends on the quality. Exclusively, the spider web of the Rank-D and the higher-rank spider is rmendable.>


    Looking at the spider on the ceiling, Jem thought that it must be from a low-rank spider. Also, it was too high. The ceiling was about 25 meters away from the ground. He couldn''t check if it was tradable.


    "How about this furry skin?" He asked while lifting the dismantled furry skin of the Little Brown Swine.


    <Yes, Host. That is eptable. As long as the material has tradable value, it is eptable.>


    "I see. That''s good."


    Jem opened his mouth once again.


    "Since it is eptable, do I have to trade it now orter?" He wasn''t sure in this regard.


    <It''s up to the Host to decide, but. If the Host traded the material, the Host could get Trade Points. Once the required materials arepleted, the mantle will be unlocked in the System''s Trading Shop. But the mantle will be priced ording to the System''s price, which is with interest. Please be aware that the System''s price is always doubled.>


    <However, if the Host waited until he gathered all the needed materials without trading them, the Host would acquire the item he needed without interest.>


    "Hm, System''s Trading Shop?"


    <Yes, Host. It is a virtual market that you can find in the System Interface.>


    "I see."


    After mentioning the virtual market, now he has a gist about this so-called System Trading Shop.


    Jem decided to check the price of Swine Fur. "10 Trade points. Hm, I see," he muttered after reading the details.


    Once the mantle would be unlocked in the virtual market, the price of it would get doubled. Since the Swine Fur cost 10 points. It would be 20 once in the market. With the addition of silk or thread, then the price would be higher than that.


    Hah! Jem sighed and pondered what to do.


    GROWL!


    Jem decided not to think about it in the meantime.


    "I needed to eat first," he mumbled. Then, he put away the Swine Fur and nced around him. He saw some dry woods on the ground. He also noticed some roots and vines jutting out from the ceiling and walls. Maybe, there''s a huge tree above, Jem thought upon seeing those roots and vines. Since he could finally see those things, Jem felt excited. He had a strong feeling that he was on the right path towards the surface.


    Jem Hansen gathered all the dry roots and vines. Then created a fire through stone-scraping and the dry vines.


    Fortunately, he seeded in making a fire after an hour and a half of scraping the stones and rocks. Though, a difficult work. Especially that he only had a hand.


    Although he was sad and lonely, he felt a little happy after the fire lit up. It seemed like a glimmer of hope. Jem shook his head slightly. He mustn''t think of unnecessary things that could weaken his determination. He must survive this ce no matter what.


    He threw the dry roots and woods on the fire to ze it up. Jem hanged the Swine Fur near the bonfire to dry it.


    After a few minutes, he started grilling the meat on the smoldering fire. He also took the mushroom and grilled it together.


    It didn''t take long when the delicious aroma of cooked meat invaded his nostrils. He subconsciously gulped his saliva. Jem did not waste more time and started gnawing the newly cooked grilled meat and mushroom.


    After eating, he checked his Status Screen and was surprised.


    "Seven out of one hundred ascendance points?!?"


    "It really increased two times than before!"


    Jem eximed in excitement.

 Chapter 12 - Beast Core

    [STATUS SCREEN]


    Host: Jem Hansen


    Race: Human


    Level: 0


    Exo Points: 2/10


    Ex-Energy: 60/70


    Ascendance Points: 7/100


    Trade Point/s: 70


    Skill/s: Fortification


    Jem could not hold the tears of joy after seeing the credibility of the system.


    "Wait, my Ex-Energy is now 70 in total?!" Jem eximed. "Right. In our lecture with Miss Sylvia, she once told us that Ex-Energy fluctuates from the Ascendance points. Whenever the Ascendance Points grew, the Ex-Energy also grew."


    "Wait, does it mean¡­ While I started from 1 Exo point, the others started ahead of me?!" Jem realized the sad truth.


    Most Ex-Human had a good amount of light the moment they were born, but on contrary, he could only glimmer a little.


    Probably, the reason for it was he had 10 Ex-Energy only, while the others have much. Also, he was advancing slowly, while the others progressed at a remarkable speed. Therefore, the gap between them only became broader.


    He also noticed that his Ex-Energy expense was 10 points only. Probably, his Fortification ability cost 10 Ex-Energy points. He was lucky that his attacknded on the enemy''s jaw. If not, he might empty his Ex-energy. And worst, he could have died in that battle.


    While sitting on a small boulder in front of the bonfire, Jem lifted his hand in front of him then summoned his energy. The energy of green brilliance seeped out of his hand. It was brighter than before.


    Nheless, he learned that Exo Points fluctuates his Ascendance Points, whereas. Ascendance Points fluctuate his Ex-Energy.


    (Exo Points>> Ascendance Points>> Ex-Energy)


    And the more Ex-Energy he has, the stronger he bes. But, it was still no good if he only knew how to fortify. If he wanted to prove its might, he needed to learn better abilities.


    However, there was a problem regarding it. Miss Sylva once told them that stronger ability required more Ex-Energy. So, probably, even if he learned some good ability, he could not manifest it at his current level.


    Sigh.


    While ying with his Ex-energy, his eyes suddenly felt heavy.


    After checking his Status Screen, he found himself a spot to rest, near the bonfire. The warmth from it was very soothing.


    He could not tell if it was day or night outside, but he felt sleepy after eating.


    Jem was lying on the ground while using the dry furry skin of Little Brown Swine as mat. He made sure that his ear was facing the ground so that any subtle noise never escaped his perception.


    Being a self-conscious person also developed another passive ability. It was an ability that, whenever he heard subtle noises, alerted him.


    Before his consciousness traveled to the dreand, a tear fell from his eyes.


    If he didn''t join the Academy, nothing like this would happen to him. It was a few months only after he left the farm. Yet, many things had happened. He wondered what his grandfather would say when he knew it.


    He also wanted to know what the others thought about his disappearance. Did they rejoice? Or sad? How about Desty? What did she feel? Did they send a search party? He hopes they did. The ce was scary. Any moment could be the ending of his life. No matter how many resolutions he had, it was useless in the face of danger. In the face of true despair, everyone would tend to make irrational decisions. Even his motivation had started to wane down.


    He remembered his grandfather''s words. He told him that people are weak creatures. When the emotion is high, the rational thoughts be low. He wasn''t generalizing, but the majority was like that. That''s why-- he never forgets to tell him to have a cool head every time.


    Jem opened his eyes one more time. Before he closed them back, he noticed something was gleaming on the ground-- to where the remains of the butchered beast.


    Right, he remembered it was there. It was the semi-round solid object that he found in the beast''s chest.


    Wait, isn''t one of the recruit soldiers once told them that the beast of Rank-D and higher have an object known as B-Beast Core? Right. It''s called Beast Core. The heart of the beast! He also told them that it could be expensive depending on the beast that owned it. But perhaps, he also meant depending on the rank of the beast.


    Jem left it on the ground as it wasn''t on the list of Obtainable Parts. He once again pushed his body and picked it. It was swimming in a pool of blood. Jem wiped it on his clothes.


    "Trader, why does this thing have no value?" He was just curious. The soldiers that guided them told them that the beast''s core was a valuable item.


    <Yes, Host. Beast core had no specific use to unlock the basic needs of the Host in his journey.>


    "Basic needs?"


    <Like for example, clothes, weapons, armors, foods, and etcetera¡­>


    "I see," Jem replied understandably. ''Bone can be used to make tools; fur can be useful in making a soft mattress together with skin, and ws also have many uses. On the contrary, the beast core had no actual use. It is probably the reason that it didn''t belong to the obtainable parts that have value with the system.''


    <Also, the beast core has to be identified first before it became a useful material.>


    "Ha? What do you mean has to be identified, Trader?"


    <Yes, Host. Beast core is only a shell. Or you can also say that it is an Unidentified Object.>


    <Once it is identified, the actual value of it will reveal.>


    "Hm, the actual value. So this one can be a chance of good material?"


    <Yes, Host. But please do remember that the beast core of the low-tier beast has the least probability of getting valuable materials.>


    "So, what kind of materials can we possibly receive in this beast core?" Jem asked, sounded excited.


    <The least valuable item that can obtain is a piece of stone ore.>


    <However, the most valuable item that you can obtain is-- Aspect Gears and Shapeshifting Ability, and even additional Ascendance Points.>


    "Woah! A-Ascendance points? T-Trader, is that for real?" It surprised him.


    <Yes, Host.>


    He did not expect that beast core was so valuable. He could even obtain Ascendance Points!


    ording to Trader, the beast core was the most valuable part. However, how to identify it? The trader told him he needed a material known as Water of Identification.


    Jem asked the Trader regarding it. But the Trader had no more information except for the name.


    He fell asleep after their talk. He had no indication how many hours he was sleeping, but he awakened after a slight scraping noise.


    When he opened his eyes, what greeted him was a pair of long pointed fangs.


    Jem Hansen widened his eyes. Instinctively, he kicked it. The kicknded on the lower part of the gaping mouth.


    The beast let out a pained howl.


    GWAAR!


    He picked the hatchet that was beside him. Then, he sprung on his feet. His heartbeat was fast and noisy.


    "What?!" Jem froze upon seeing in full the beast in front of him.

 Chapter 13 - Fear And Resolution

    <Be careful, Host. This monster called Furious ck Snake. It can intimidate his prey.>


    Jem heard a warning. But he had no time to absorb it because the beast in front of him with the estimated length of 16ft hastily came charging towards him. Reflexively, Jem threw his body on his right to avoid it.


    Though Jem Hansen sessfully evaded the beast''s attack, he did not notice when the tip of its scaly tail whipped on him. He felt a rib-crushing impact on his side. Jem was thrown like a ragdoll and rolled several times on the ground.


    "Ngh¡­" he groaned in pain and groveled. The ground was chilly, yet all he could feel was intense pain on his side. The blood that sttered from his mouth tainted the ground. His vision turned quaky and blurry. He wanted to shout and scream, but even that was a difficult task for him. All he can do at the moment is to groan and bear the pain.


    But Jem had no time to wait for the pain to subside. The beast was once again rushing towards him! It would be a sure death on him if he continued lying on the ground. He needed to evade, dodge, and avoid getting hit again. When he tried to look at it, he noticed the beast''s fierce eyes gleamed, and it was hissing while rushing towards him. Jem''s whole body shuddered in fright. He felt an inexplicable fear towards it. The sensation of getting frightened crept at the bottom of his very soul.


    "Damn it¡­" Jem bit his lip as he forced himself to get up. "C-could it be the intimidation that the system mentioned?" Jem asked himself in suspicion.


    He was so scared of those beasts that chased him the whole time after their blunder, but the fear he was feeling at the moment was so different. He could not even stare at it directly. He scowled just by looking at it. He wanted to run and hide, but his feet turned numb.


    Looking at the gaping mouth and the long pointed pair of fangs, Jem felt his soul wanted to run away, ahead from his body. That mouth could certainly swallow him whole. Jem gave up on standing. He was as good as dead before he seeded in it. Right after he rolled, the beast''s massive gaping mouth passed an inch away from his head. He managed to survive somehow. But, if he did not choose to roll, it was over for him.


    Since his mind was in chaos, Jem failed to control the force of the roll. Thus, he skidded a little. At the corner of his eyes, he noticed the hatchet beside him. It got away from his grip a while ago when the monster hit him.


    Right after reaching out, the monster was already in the act of biting him. Jem felt a cold sensation trailed on his spine. The beast in front of him was like the incarnation of death itself. Once again, he bit his lip. He noticed after doing it a while ago, the fear he felt had lessened a little.


    After biting his lip once more, his hypothesis was proven right. However, he had no time to evade or dodge the attack. Instinctively, Jem swung the hatchet to the iing mouth of the predator.


    *Thonk!*


    Luckily, the stone head of the hatchet hit the monster''s fang.


    But Jem felt his attack did not have much force on it. Therefore, it did not cause severe damage to it. Still, that hit gave him a little time, but it was futile. The monster was able to punch him in the stomach, using its tail. Fortunately, Jem was able to use his Fortification ability in time. For that reason, the force was not as powerful as the tail-whipped a while ago.


    Jem was once again found himself thrown away. His backnded on the and bounced a few times, then slid. "Ugh!" Jem groaned in pain. ''It''s painful!'' He thought with tears in his eyes. ''Why? Why did he have to suffer like this?'' He wanted to rest. Should he let himself get killed, then be done with it? But he wanted to survive too. Even though Jem Hansen knew it was difficult in his current situation, he would never let himself get killed without giving his all. He would certainly give this monster a lot of pain before he seeded in feasting on him.


    Jem endured the pain and managed to lift his body in a sitting position. Yet, he grimaced. The enemy''s fang was already a few inches away from his face. But Jem already resolved himself that he would not give this enemy an easy meal.


    His eyes hastily rolled around. He noticed something underneath it. He did not waste more time and pulled it out of sudden with all his strength. It was the furry skin he looted from the Little Brown Swine.


    The result of his action caused the monster to stagger. He did not think more and took the w knife on his side. He then stabbed it. Jem felt the sensation of having the tip of the knife cut the monster''s skin.


    However, he noticed it was a shallow cut. The monster screamed an ear-piercing noise. Though, Jem wondered if it was a scream of pain or it was angry. Probably, both.


    He felt his whole body turn stiff after the scream. Although his body was still aching, he must not show weakness in front of it. Jem stabbed his leg to lessen the effect of intimidation. While alerting himself, Jem''s mind pondered briefly. If he chose to run now, there was a little percent that he could escape alive. But, the monster will surelye chasing after him. Is he confident of his speed? A little, even with his leg injury, however. The terrain was a big problem. He had no idea what kind of ce was beyond here.


    Jem put back the knife then hastily picked the furry skin. He dove to his side to avoid getting eaten by it. Using his arm, he pushed his body to get up immediately. The monster looked at him. But what greeted it was the furry skin. He threw on the monster''s head. It was big enough to block its vision.


    He rolled towards the monster and took the hatchet in the process. Then bashed the monster''s head using it. A dull impact had transmitted on his hand. He noticed the monster''s head swayed from left to right.


    Jem grinned.

 Chapter 14 - A Tenacious Meal

    A chance! His mind told him. Jem did not waste the opportunity and followed up with another smashing attack. It was his one-time chance, so Jem made sure that his attack would hit it. There was also an option of running away.


    Frankly, it was the right time if he wanted to do it. And he could hunt low-ranking beastster on.


    However, there was no guarantee that he would be safe after running away from here, and there was no guarantee that he could find another low-ranking beast in this area.


    What if, instead of a low-ranking beast, he encountered a much stronger one.


    BONK! BONK! BONK!


    Three consecutive smashes straight to the monster''s swaying head. He noticed blood scattering away. But the impact rid in his hand wasn''t enough to kill the beast. His mind was telling him that he needed more strength to kill it!


    ''More!'' Jem Hansen screamed in mind. Then he drew more strength and made a heavy smash.


    Also, Jem felt excited after seeing the beast in a vulnerable state. He was curious about the possible loot he could get afterward.


    Looking at the fierce-looking beast in front of him, Jem believed that it was a higher ranking beast than that Little Brown Swine a while ago.


    Jem continued his attack.


    "Faster!" This time he voiced out his thoughts. If he wanted to be stronger, he had to fight. He had to kill this monster even at the expense of his life. s, he only had one path left, to kill or be the food of it.


    No matter how thorny that path is, he has to tread on it. In front of him was a thorny stepping stone that he needed to ovee. A subtle misstep can be the ending of his life.


    Jem was tired of running away from danger; this time, he wanted to face it. And destroy the cause of it.


    Although he only had a hand, it didn''t deter him from moving forward.


    "Eh?!"


    Jem uttered subconsciously when his attack finally hit empty air.


    The enemy wobbled backward that caused his attack to be short in distance. Jem was frenziedly barraging the beast and failed to notice the sudden change in range.


    He staggered forward caused by the force of his attack. He wasn''t even a fighter in the first ce. And going to the Military Academy of Ex-Human didn''t make him a snappy soldier right away.


    Honestly, they were yet to be trained in hand-to-hand or weapon-basedbat as the academy was still in the process of teaching them some basics and also building up their body foundation in preparation for future training. Most of their sses were all about lectures regarding Ex-energy. Outside, in the field, they were only doing some light exercises.


    Well, since it had only been two months since the start of the ss, it was probably the reason.


    The teachers and instructors already mentioned future training regardingbat and ex-energy maniption and utilization. But it looks like Jem could never be able to attend it.


    Jem''s body slid on the ground. Even his face scraped on it, causing some bruises and cuts.


    It was painful.


    On the other hand, the hatchet released from his grip and knocked to the nearby wall. The collision was slightly stronger that caused the stone-head to shatter.


    Jem forced his head to look at the hatchet. It was broken into countless pieces, big and small. His ability to fortify could not fix it. He could only restore the crack but not the broken one.


    The reason he chose the hatchet instead of the pickaxe was, it could be a more reliable weapon than the pickaxe.


    Jem noticed the bloodied snake twitching, seemingly alive. But, it seemed weak and tired like him. Yet the beast''s tail unhurriedly crawled towards him.


    His chest was heaving as he gasped for air. Lifting his arm was already a difficult task for Jem. His side was still aching, and his three limbs were numb.


    Damn! He could not muster any more strength. He was exhausted beyond belief.


    A human body was very fragile, no matter if he or she was an Ex-Human or not. All is the same. Though, being an Ex-human had an advantage.


    Especially those with high breakthrough Ex-humans. But Jem was yet to advance. He was only barely tougher than normal humans.


    The snake was yet to get up, and its tail was already working towards him. It gradually crawled on him and constricted him. Jem let himself get dragged like a puppet who had broken strings.


    Jem''s heart sunk in despair. But before the snake could entangle his arm along with his torso, Jem freed it and took the DIY knife.


    The snake finally lifted its head while increasing the strength of the grip.


    He felt his bones were getting crushed. It was painful and hard to breathe. Jem nced above and saw the gaping mouth. He wanted to chuckle.


    Unexpectedly, the snake lost its fangs. How ironic that both of them lost something on the mouth. A toothless prey and fangless predator.


    Aside from its fangs, he also noticed the eye of the snake was almost popping out. It was bloodied and looked gruesome.


    Jem wanted to mock it. But he had no strength to do so.


    After constricting him, the snake pushed him into its wide mouth.


    He wanted to vomit. The smell was much worse than the canal at the back of the Academy. Also, it was so dark, like he was back in that space of darkness.


    However, before the snake could swallow him, he stabbed it using the w knife. He wasn''t sure if it was the throat or stomach, but he was confident that his attack seeded in hitting it.


    He could recognize the snake was in pain through the slight hissing sound it produced and the wriggling of it.


    Jem continued stabbing until the snake had no choice but to spit him out. After the snake spat him, he was sent flying away and rolled several times on the ground.


    Cough! Cough! Cough!


    He coughed several times. "Heh¡­" Jem snorted as he looked at the dancing snake. More blood was gushing out from the wound where he stabbed it.


    Honestly, he didn''t move a while ago as he was resting and was trying to regain his strength.


    Fortunately, he seeded before he became a good meal. No, he''s a tenacious meal.


    Jem grinned. "Now, who will be the meal and the eater?" Jem muttered while looking at the meaty body of the snake.


    He slowly crawled towards it.

 Chapter 15 - New Ability

    Who will be the meal and the eater? These words repeated in his mind as he crawled towards the snake to finish it.


    Shing!


    Jem pierced the ground with a w knife to help him pull his body forward. It was a difficult task for him but he managed somehow.


    When he noticed the snake trying to escape, Jem took back the knife and pierced the snake''s tail. Although it was a little scaly, the w knife was very sharp and durable.


    The snake hissed in pain. Then, it tried to free itself but failed as it was too weak to do it. Jem did not release his grip on the knife.


    The Snake''s only option was to drag him along. Still, the snake only managed to move a few seconds before it stopped moving on the ground, seemingly lost too much blood, and was defeated by exhaustion.


    Finally, Jem got time to rest before he ended it for good using the knife. Honestly, he didn''t look better. His body was so ragged. Gashes and bruises were all over his body. He was so lucky to win against it.


    Familiar notifications appeared in his vision right after killing it.


    [You killed a C-rank Beast Furious ck Snake!]


    [Obtainable Parts: ck Scales, Furious ck Snake Skin, Snake Beast Fang, Snake Beast Meat!]


    But aside from these notifications, there was a new one that excited him.


    [Congrattions, Intimidation ability is now avable in the Trading Shop!]


    Jem went directly to the Trading Shop option. There he saw the newly unlocked Ability panel.


    When he tapped on it, the system brought him to the list of skills, but at the moment, there was only one in it, the Intimidation ability.


    "100 Trade Points?" Jem voiced out as he read the price. If he remembered correctly, he only had 70. But he checked on it just to be sure.


    Right as he remembered, he had 70 Trade Points only.


    But Jem did not mind it as he had in front of him the valuable materials he could trade. A grin was on his mouth as he began butchering the carcass of the dead Furious ck Snake.


    "This is it, thew of the jungle. Though in reality, I am inside what seemed like a cave. So maybe it is more fit to say thew of the cave."


    "Kill or be killed and eat or be eaten."


    Jem voiced out his thoughts to lessen the boredom and lightened up his head that was about to overload and lose his sanity.


    It was already apudable that he was still sane even after all that he had suffered.


    But Jem, himself, believed that only a little more and he would certainly lose it.


    While he was thinking of such things, his hand didn''t stop working.


    He found out that shaving off the scales was quite a difficult task. But little by little, he showed development.


    He noticed that the Furious ck Snake wasn''t like a typical snake. Only around the half of its body towards the tail that the scales were on.


    Jem wondered why it was like that. Perhaps it was still a young snake. If that was the case, then it also exined why its scales weren''t so hard. Since the Rank-D beast and above wasn''t your ordinary beast, it wasn''t weird of him to think that it was still young.


    Also, it was pierced easily by the w from a lower rank beast. Maybe the scales had yet to mature, to be as hard as steel. Though soon, Jem Hansen took back his words. Not because the snake scales were truly tough. But because he noticed a scaleless part of the snake, to where he impaled it.


    Looking at its dpidated skin, it looked like it suffered an attack. Jem thought so after noticing that only on that part that scales had been shaved. Also, just by looking at it, he could assert that it forcibly was peeled off.


    "It must be the work of a much stronger beast," his heart sank as he thought of the possibility.


    Not only that, Jem noticed it wasn''t an ordinary peeled-off. It seemed like something bit on it. Perhaps this snake managed to escape before it became a good meal by a stronger predator.


    No wonder it looked so weak when Jem fought it. Even his slow attack was able to hit it.


    Regardless, he could not loiter longer in this ce knowing that such a dangerous creature lurking around. There was a high probability that whatever kind of powerful beast that attacked this snake was prowling nearby.


    At this thought, he hurriedly butchered the snake without thinking any more unnecessary matters.


    [You obtained a ck Scale!]


    Each time he picked up a snake scale, this same notification appeared. But he had no time to count them. He traded it right away after picking it up.


    Jem did not even bother checking the price. His intuition was demanding him to hurry. After selling off all the scales, next, he skimmed it for the skin.


    Though, he was a little surprised when he came to the upper part of the snake. Specifically, the back part of it from head to the middle; in this part, the skin was stic like a rubber.


    But it only surprised him for a brief moment before he continued his task.


    [You obtained Furious ck Snake Skin!]


    It didn''t take him long to skim it. But never expect professional work from him. He was only a tad bit above a newbie in this regard. Well, since he used to hunt animals in the mountain, at the back of their house. So, he had a little experience with butchering.


    Still, a little experience can''t make him good at this. He knows it.


    Like the scales, he also traded it all without minding the price.


    Last was the flesh.


    Working with just a hand wasn''t convenient; it took him longer than he expected, even though he wasn''t meticulous in skimming it. There were even some leftovers. It was a waste of materials, but he had to think of his safety first.


    Using the furry skin of Little Brown Swine and the rubber-like skin of Furious ck Snake, he made a DIY knapsack out of it.


    He stored in it the Beast Cores of both the Little Brown Swine and the Furious ck Snake.


    He also stored the leftover grilled meat of the Little Brown Swine.


    Then he strapped it behind him.


    Now he was ready to continue searching for the exit. But before he could step forward, he noticed something on the ground.


    After picking it up, he found out that it was the fang of the snake. He also saw the other one near the boulder.


    Jem traded it while walking along the path where he was initially going on.


    He also did not forget to learn the Intimidation ability while on it.

 Chapter 16 - Morf Interface

    Jem summoned his status system while moving along the path.


    [STATUS SCREEN]


    Host: Jem Hansen


    Race: Human


    Level: 0


    Exo Points: 2/10


    Ex-Energy: 60/90


    Ascendance Points: 9/100


    Trade Point/s: 230


    Skill/s: Fortification


    Sleeping restored his Exo Energy. But since he used his Fortification ability in that fight just now, it is less than 10 points again. Thus, it is down to 60/90.


    Jem was surprised to see his total Exo energy raised to 90. It was 70 just recently.


    Maybe there was a growth in his Ascendance Points. He hastily threw his gaze to it.


    His guess was spot-on!


    The Ascendance Point raised to 2 points, bringing the total to 9/100. With this, he surmised that every additional 1 point of Ascendance points increased his total Exo energy to 10 points.


    When Jem''s eyesnded on his total Trade Points umted, a smile took a form on his mouth.


    "230 points?!" A surprised utterance from Jem.


    Aside from the fang, he had no clue about the price of the other materials he just traded because he was in a hurry and failed to see it.


    Each fang cost 10 points, and he traded all, which gave him a total of 20 points.


    Since he had 70 Trade Points beforehand, then his total gain from that Furious ck Snake was 160 Trade Points in total.


    Truly surprising, Jem thought.


    He remembered the newly added option in the Trader''s Shop, the Ability market. Jem directly browsed it.


    [Learn the Intimidation Ability for 100 Trade Points?]


    A prompt came after tapping the disyed ability, asking him to confirm.


    Jem confirmed by tapping the <Yes> option.


    Out of a sudden, Jem''s expression turned nk, and his body glowed. But it only happened for three seconds before he returned to normal.


    His mind and body were undergoing modification in that brief moment.


    It was a process of learning the ability without the need for training.


    Jem was quite surprised. A knowledge that did not exist in his mind a while ago suddenly exists.


    It seemed like he knew it all along but forgot only. It was a weird feeling, unlike when he first learned the Fortification ability. When he was trying toprehend the Fortification ability, it took him a year before he grasped the knowledge of utilizing it.


    But this Intimidation ability, he understood it right away.


    Jem believed it was one of the benefits brought by this guardian system.


    Such a convenient system! He shouted in mind.


    With this, he doesn''t need to waste a year learning a single ability.


    Hehe, Jem chuckled inwardly, feeling excited about the system.


    Since he had 130 Trade Points left, he could still use it to upgrade his Exo points. However, before his finger tapped the confirm option for upgrading his Exo points, another notification suddenly popped up.


    [Congrattions, the Morf Interface is now avable!]


    [Congrattions, new items are now avable in the Trading Shop!]


    "Eh?!" It surprised him. "Morf Interface¡­?" Jem read out loud the unusual words.


    Jem postponed his initial n of upgrading his Exo points. Then he browsed around his Status System and Trader''s Shop to find the Morf Interface. But to no avail. He could not find it.


    Jem stopped walking and thought for a second.


    "Hm, where is it¡­?"


    But soon, he thought that maybe it was the same as the Status System and Trader''s Shop, having a different screen tab.


    "Morf Interface," Jem called out the word.


    Trrooiinn!


    It was weird, the same when the Trader spoke to him. He heard it clearly, but not through ears. A magical sound rang at the back of his mind.


    Regardless, along with the magical sound, a shiny green-blue screen floated in mid-air, in front of his face.


    In it were a holographic full-body humanoid figure and some words of description. But, Jem slightly widened his eyes. He noticed the humanoid figure has only an arm like him. And also, some teeth were gone, also the same as him.


    Perhaps it was him that it represented.


    The title says, [Host''s Body Configuration]


    Yeah, no doubt, it was his current body structure!


    Weirdly though, he knew the system didn''t mean it, but. He felt mocked by it.


    Hah! He sighed as he rubbed the side of his face.


    Then, Jem remembered the other notification along with the Morf Interface. Right, new items were avable in the shop.


    Jem excitedly browsed into it.


    There he found a [Prosthesis Parts] option in the list.


    Jem squinted at the name.


    After he tapped on it, another list of options came after.


    [+]Head (1 Avable Item)


    [+]Torso (0 Avable Item)


    [+]Limbs (2 Avable Items)


    First, he chose the Head option.


    [-]Head:


    ?Furious Fangs = 100 Trade Points.


    "Wha--!"


    Jem gawked.


    Along with the item is the equivalent value in Trade Points.


    Nheless, the item was what surprised him.


    "Furious Fangs?" He uttered suspiciously.


    It was unusual.


    "What is this for?" Jem asked himself.


    <Congrattion, Host!>


    While he was asking himself in wonder, he suddenly heard the Trader congratte him.


    Jem seemed to realize something after hearing it. Right, he could ask the Trader about it. Jem did not bother replying to the Trader. He went and asked directly about these Furious Fangs.


    "Trader, what is this item about?"


    <It is exactly as what is there, Host>


    "What do you mean?"


    <Host also unlocked the Morf Interface, right?>


    "Yes!" Jem nodded in agreement.


    <These Prosthesis Parts are connected to that, Host. You can get them at an affordable price and equip them in the Body Configuration under the Morf Interface.>


    Jem did not pay much attention to the affordable price. He was more concerned with the exnation regarding the Prosthesis Parts.


    "E-equip?"


    <Yes, Host.>


    "....."


    It surprised him a lot. His chest started to get noisy. And he felt something like electrifying energy crawling his entire body. If his understanding of Trader''s exnation was spot-on, it could be a way to rece his missing parts!


    Jem was excited. But he had to calm himself first. There were two parts avable in the limbs option.


    He had to determine which better to get first.

 Chapter 17 - New Arm!

    "Tough Arm and Smooth Arm? Wha¡ª!" Under the limbs category, Jem read in surprise the two items in there. He was astonished. The names of the items were unprecedentedly normal. Though, his mind was taken over by excitement. He was very optimistic that it could rece his lost arm.


    Honestly, missing an arm is very tough for him, like a bird who had lost its counterpart wing.


    Jem read further and noticed their prices. The Tough Arm cost 150 Trade Points, and the Smooth Arm was 130 Trade Points.


    "Quite expensive!" Jem blurted.


    Somehow, he could still afford to buy the Smooth Arm. But choosing among the two was already out of the question. He only had a choice, the Smooth Arm!


    "Hm, anyway, I never remembered dismantling arms. I understand the fangs, but the arms? On top of that, there are two of them. Why arms and not legs?" Many questions baffled him.


    While Jem was asking himself, the voice of the Trader had resounded once again.


    <About that, Host.>


    <The bones are from the Little Swine and the flesh and skin are from the Furious ck Snake.>


    "Hm, what does it mean?"


    <Together, they were assembled into arms.>


    "What, the guardian system was even capable of doing it?" Honestly, this was hard to believe. Jem could not help but gawk at the Trader''s words.


    <Yes, Host.>


    <In regards to yourst question, the system is always taking priority on what you have lost.>


    "Hm, I see. The Guardian System prioritized my arm. Anyhow, will I be able to regrow my arm if I trade my points to it?" Although he already understood what the Trader said, he only wanted to make sure, out of excitement.


    <It certainly will.>


    Jem''s chest was loudly beating. Promoting his Exo points was an important thing, but. Having to be able to use two arms once again was more important in his current situation.


    Looking at the two arms, they have an unusual design. Although Trader said they were altered as per the Morf( Modification of Reformed Fragment) name suggested, the color and luster of Furious ck Snake''s skin were still there. They looked slightly better, though.


    He didn''t ponder longer as his finger already confirmed his choice.


    After confirming on trading his points to the Smooth Arm, the wound on his cut glowed. Then magical lights were gathering on it.


    The process of generating the arm was worth watching, like thousands of fireflies were gathering around him and lit up the surroundings.


    Jem was staring at it in awe, unblinking eyes. He was watching as the lights gradually animated the form of an arm.


    The next moment, the countless particles of light disappeared all at once, allowing darkness to rule the ce.


    However, at this moment, Jem''s attention was on his new arm. His chest was unsettled. To find out if it was legit or not, he tried clenching the hand.


    As per his intention, the hand folded without a problem, following his motive.


    It seems as though it was his original arm.


    Tears ran down his face as he clenched both of his hands with all his might.


    "Yeeee¡­ Yes!" Jem pumped both his fists in the air. It was the emotion of great relief swelled from within, bursting out open.


    He was already very bothered that he lost some of his teeth. And more on, when he lost an arm.


    "Finally, finally, thanks, System. Thanks, Trader¡­" said Jem as he wiped the tears on his eyes.


    He had no idea whether the Guardian System was the Trader itself.


    Regardless, when Jem was about to try waving his new arm, he was distracted by the sudden notification.


    Ding!


    [Congrattions, New Ability Acquired: Stretching Arm]


    A sudden notification surprised him. It said ''acquired'' and not avable in the ability shop like the Intimidation Ability.


    After the notification, a series of information ran through his mind, like when he learned the Intimidation Ability.


    He learned it on the spot. He figured out that the skill was only avable to his new arm, the left arm.


    He summoned Ex-energy on his new arm and reached the stone that was on the ground about ten steps away from him.


    His hand extended like rubber and sessfully grabbed the stone without difficulty.


    "Co-cool¡­" Jem muttered as he was staring at his new arm like staring at a new toy.


    But Jem surmised the reason for it was the rubber-like skin and flesh of the Furious ck Snake.


    The only oddity with his new arm was, it was jet ck. He also had an idea about the Tough Arm. Perhaps it would also give him a skill that enables him to harden his arm.


    After gaining a new arm, Jem''s confidence grew slightly. But still, he had to be extra careful as the ce was too dangerous. He controlled his emotions and was advancing step by step with all his attention focused on any unusual soundsing around him.


    Whenever he found an ideal area to rest, he would take a detour. Then he reviews his Guardian System.


    He needed to mind the information in it.


    After using the Stretching Arm Ability, 20 points of his Ex-energy were consumed.


    Since he had 60 points in total a while ago, he was left with 40 points after testing the Stretching Arm Ability. But, his asional rest regenerated his Ex-energy, little by little.


    Meanwhile, his Ex-energy was left with 55 points.


    Jem stood up once again. He needed to continue the search for the way out. He could not linger long in this ce.


    Miss Slyva once discussed it in their ss. The outside of the city''s barrier was littered with poisonous miasma. Normal humans could not even step outside as they would die in just a matter of seconds after inhaling it.


    On the other hand, an Ex-Human could survive about a month in a ce littered with miasma before they began to feel unwell.


    So Jem Hansen had to be mindful of it. The outside of the barrier was known as the Deste Region. In this era, there was only a portion of habitablendpared to the wastnd.


    Grr!


    While Jem was trudging the muddy path, he went to a sudden stop and readied himself while his ears focused on the noise that his ears caught just now. It wasing ahead of him.

 Chapter 18 - [Smite]

    Fortunately, Jem happened to see a stone boulder nearby. He crouched and hid on it. Then, he peeks ahead.


    He could not charge in right away as he had no decent weapon to fight it. With him was just the DIY w knife. He believed that on certain asions it might not be useful enough, but still better than nothing.


    Jem was gradually learning on this survival journey. He must be mindful of what he could and couldn''t do. Always stay focused and stay cool-headed. Also, he needed to practice alertness. He believed that one wrong move was a straight path to the afterlife. So, he had to be careful.


    The stone boulder was huge enough to cover his whole body. He was thankful for it, regardless. Thanks to it, it blocks the shining emerald crystal in his possession. Especially that he could not get rid of it as he needed it as a source of light.


    The stepping noises and the growling sounds wereing closer and closer.


    It didn''t take long when the beast finally revealed its figure.


    <A ranked-C Adult Brown Swine>


    The trader''s voice rang at the back of his mind, giving him input about the beast.


    Seeing that it was bigger than the previous swine, Jem agreed with the trader''s words.


    This brown swine wasn''t only huger; it also looked more ferocious. It had more furs on its body and even on its face. The furs are darker in color than the little swine. It also had two protruding tusks from its mouth that were pointing above. Its eyes looked fiercer, and the ws on its limbs were longer and looked sharper.


    Before Jem Hansen could think of a n, <Watch out, host!> he heard a warning from the trader.


    Boom!


    The sudden impact shattered the boulder, sending Jem sprawling on the mud.


    He could not believe it. He just blinked once and the enemy had already broken the boulder where he was hiding?!


    Unbelievable!


    Jem groaned in pain and coughed up as he tried to get up. Blood and mud dripped from his head down to his face.


    The trader''s warning came sote.


    Jem peered ahead and saw the boulder turned to smithereens. A chill creeped out from the bottom of his heart as his eyes widened in bewilderment.


    Regardless, there was no time to daze. He saw the Adult Brown Swine''s ws gleaming in bright color.


    "What kind of ability is that?" He asked in a mutter.


    <Be careful, host. That ability is known as Smite.>


    <It is an ability that boosted one''s power.>


    He got a reply from the trader. ''This trader was truly a reliable partner,'' Jem Hansen thought. Nheless, that [Smite] ability sounds dangerous!


    Not only that, but since it boosted its w''s power, it also boosted the speed of its leap. No wonder it shattered the boulder in a blink of an eye. Jem believed so.


    Though, he had no time to ponder as the Adult Brown Swine was already preparing for another attack. Jem readied his knife.


    The gleaming of the enemy''s ws was very striking, especially that the surrounding was quite dim.


    Before Jem knew it, the Adult Brown Swine was already in the act of brandishing his ws.


    ''Truly fast!'' He shouted in mind, shocked by the enemy''s speed.


    Jem hurriedly blocked it using his knife. Along with a high-pitched tone of scraping was the flying of sparks.


    At that moment of impact, his hand and arm turned numb by the overwhelming power that transmitted from Adult Brown Swine''s attack. Aside from that, he had to use his [Fortification] ability as he feared his knife would break.


    Multiple attacks followed after blocking it.


    To escape, Jem allows his body to be pushed away by the force of the beast''s attack to increase their distance.


    Because of the mud, he slid a few meters away from the enemy.


    After using his [Fortification] ability, he spent 10 Ex-energy, leaving him with only 45 points.


    Facing the enemy, Jem stood straight with a grin on his face. He held in his hand the DIY knapsack. He was trying to provoke it.


    The beast made a momentary stopped from chasing him.


    When Jem Hansen noticed a twitch on the Adult Brown Swine''s face, Jem grinned further. It was supposed to be a toothy grin, but who cares. He had holes in his teeth. He was toothless, for God''s sake!


    Right at this moment, he activated his [Intimidation] ability.

 Chapter 19 - Phantom Fatigue

    Along with a sound impulse was a ripple in the space with him at the center. It expanded to about 5 meters and happened in the blink of an eye.


    It was the very image of Intimidation ability.


    After it invaded the Adult Brown Swine''s senses, the swine trembled in fear.


    The reason why Jem provoked it using the skin of the same monster was, it increased the effectiveness of the Intimidation ability once the target had an unstable temperament. Though he wasn''t sure if it would provoke the beast, luckily, it did.


    In this state, it was easier to invade the target''s mind and usurp.


    The target would feel a strange feeling of fright towards the caster. Jem himself experienced it by himself, so he knew how it felt.


    It imposes heavy pressure on the target in which the target would feel as though the gravity''s intensity had multiplied. And just by looking at the caster, the victims felt as though they were peering into the abyss.


    Taking advantage of the situation, he quickly rushed towards it. The trembling Adult Swine stepped back after seeing himing. But no, it was too afraid to move and the heavy pressure was pressing it down.


    A long horizontal wound, from its head towards its tail, registered on the Adult Brown Swine''s body.


    He didn''t go for a stab as he feared the length of the w knife would not be enough to cause a deep wound.


    After causing pain on it, the swine snapped from his Intimidation ability. He already expected it to happen. However, the long wound he dealt on it was enough to weaken the beast.


    The swine was wailing in agony while staggering until it fell on the mud. Then, it was intensely thrashing its body like a fish caught in the.


    Its wailing voice echoed towards the distance, going weaker and weaker as the voice traveled farther and farther.


    Blood and mud blended into a more gruesome scene. The dark furs of the beast now look dirtier. But even with its injury, it still managed to get up and move away from him.


    Noticing the beast trying to run away, ''Like hell, I''ll let you escape!'' Jem shouted in mind as he summoned Ex-energy on his left arm and stabbed the escaping wounded beast using his Stretching Arm ability.


    The stab hit its hind leg, causing the beast to fall once again.


    Jem did not waste the chance and took advantage of its weakening state.


    [You Killed a C-rank Beast Adult Brown Swine!]


    [Obtainable Parts: Swine Fur, Swine Meat, Swine Bone, Swine w, Swine Tusk!]


    [Congrattions, Smite ability is now avable in Trading Shop!]


    Such notifications came one after another.


    Jem made a deep and long sigh after killing it. For some reason, he suddenly felt so tired.


    He took a quick inspection in his Status System.


    The Stretching Arm ability costs 20 Ex-energy points while the Intimidation ability costs 30.


    After using both the Intimidation and Stretching Arm ability, he had 5 Ex-energy points left. No wonder he felt so spent. He was attacked by a body ailment that was known as Phantom Fatigue.


    It was the condition of the body that most Ex-humans experienced after exhausting their Ex-energy.


    Well, he learned it from the Academy.


    Even though he was exhausted, he pulled the dead swine to a safer area. Then he began dismantling the valuable parts.


    Manually dismantling the beast of its valuable parts was always a lot of work. He wished there was a shortcut to it.


    It would be fine doing it if he was in a safe ce, but here in this dungeon, he felt anxious doing it every time.


    Jem was continuously taking off the parts; he directly traded them after dismantling.


    [You received 10 Trade Points for trading 500 grams of Furry Swine Skin!]


    "....."

 Chapter 20 - Bountiful Haul

    [You received 17 Trade Points for trading 706 grams of Furry Swine Skin!]


    [You received 11 Trade Points for trading 577 grams of Swine Meat!]


    [You received 12 Trade Points for trading 623 grams of Swine Meat!]


    [You received 19 Trade Points for trading 989 grams of Swine Meat!]


    [You received 20 Trade Points for trading Swine Bone!]


    [You received 20 Trade Points for trading Swine Tusk!]


    [You received 20 Trade Points for trading Swine Tusk!]


    [You received 5 Trade Points for trading Swine w!]


    [You received 5 Trade Points for trading Swine w!]


    ...


    In the end, Jem was able to gain 450 points after trading all the valuable parts. He also did not forget to keep the Beast Core.


    "Phew!" A huge sigh left his mouth after dismantling the beast for all the valuable parts.


    Thanks to his new left hand, the disassembling was pretty much done faster.


    Jem did not waste his time; he went directly to browse his Trading Shop to obtain the [Smite] ability. "150 Trade Points¡­" Jem muttered to himself. "Expensive!" he eximed.


    "Probably because it increases the power of the item, it should be the reason for its cost," he mumbled.


    Thankfully, he got a bountiful haul. His current bnce is 450. He would probably get a total of 500 Trade Points if he traded all the meat. But he had to keep some. Regardless, spending 150 for the [Smite] ability could still leave him with 300 points.


    [Learn the Smite Ability for 150 Trade Points?]


    Jem confirmed by tapping the <Yes> option.


    [Smite Ability sessfully learned!]


    The same thing happened to the Intimidation Ability and Stretching Arm Ability; the information regarding the Smite Ability also suddenly registered in his mind.


    No matter how many times, it still puzzled him how the information suddenly appeared as though he only forgot it


    Nheless, he still has 300 points.


    [Spend 100 Trade Points to promote your Exo Points?]


    Jem confirmed.


    [Exo Points: 2 >>> 3]


    He also promoted his Exo Points for 100 Trade Points. Now Jem was left with 200 points.


    He checked his Status System once again.


    [STATUS SCREEN]


    Host: Jem Hansen


    Race: Human


    Level: 0


    Exo Points:3/10


    Ex-Energy: 5/110


    Ascendance Points: 11/100


    Trade Point/s: 200


    Skill/s: Fortification; Intimidation; Stretching Arm; Smite


    Jem was unaware that his mouth curved into a smile. Finally, his Exo Points had raised to 3. At this rate, every time he ascended in the future, he would get an additional 3 Ascendance Points. Just that, the next upgrade needs 1,000 Trade Points!!? Holy cow!


    Jem sighed. There''s nothing he can do either way.


    Though it was a difficult challenge to survive in this dungeon, Jem was motivated to continue. Especially whenever he sees he''s improving, little by little.


    Only 200 points were left on his Trade Points after he promoted his Exo Points.


    "200 Trade Points?"


    "Should I buy the Furious Fangs in the Prosthesis Parts?"


    Jem asked himself and pondered. He tried to bnce the cons and pros of buying it. Besides for eating purposes, it seems to have less importance.


    ''Also, weren''t fangs ufortable to have? There is a tendency to hurt my mouth because of it.''


    <No, Host. You don''t have to worry about that. All the things avable in the prosthesis parts are modified so that they won''t difort the host.>


    His trusted partner had once again replied to his self conversing.


    "I see, but. Aren''t I going to look like a monster because of it?"


    <If that what worries the Host, then I confidently say there''s no need to worry about it, Host.>


    Jem squinted his eyes, "What do you mean?"


    <Much better if the Host figure it yourself.>


    "....."

 Chapter 21 - New Categories

    [Congrattions, New Ability Acquired: Poison Resistance!]


    Ooohhh!


    Jem did what the trader suggested to him. He bought the Furious Fangs in the Trader Shop but what appeared next surprised him.


    He got a poison resistance!


    Jem read further the details and learned that it was a passive, a kind of ability that is always in effect. It was already a huge benefit to him to fill the gap in his teeth. Yet, he received a good addition, a poison resistance ability!


    With this, he would not need to worry about getting poisoned. Plus, he didn''t need to spend his Ex-energy to activate it.


    What a convenient skill!


    Aside from that, the trader was right. Jem has no difort even after equipping the fangs.


    Since the fangs weren''t as small as his tooth, theck of three teeth was enough for the fangs to fill the gap. Also, they turned to ordinary teeth, but if Jem summoned Ex-energy to his fangs, just then, it would grow longer and sharper. A good weapon for biting.


    Hehe.


    He could not hold back the chuckle because of excitement.


    After spending 100 Trade Points to the fangs, his total Trade Points left was 100.


    But to his surprise, there was another surprise; after trading all the valuable materials, he aplished a hidden quest and unlocked helpful categories.


    [Congrattions, you traded a total of 10 ws!]


    [w-series equipment is now avable in the Trading Shop - Weapon category!]


    [Congrattions, you traded a total of 10,000 grams of meat!]


    [Food is now avable in the Trading Shop - Food Supply category!]


    Woah! His eyes and mouth widened in disbelief.


    Jem first browsed his weapon category. There, he saw the new items!


    "Sharp w Knife!"


    "And also, Sharp w Dagger?!"


    "The knives cost 15 points each while the daggers cost 20 points each."


    "There are five knives and twelve daggers avable to purchase with Trade Points!"


    While gazing at the items, he noticed the des were the ws he traded. And the handles were made from bones!


    Surprisingly, they looked as good as those made by a smith or expert crafter.


    Jem proceeded to check the next category, the Food Supply category!


    There were only those fresh meats in it. They cost 50 Trade Points per kilo. So expensive! He wanted to shout. But because he could not do it in this ce, he could only swallow back the bitterness of life.


    Well, isn''t this convenient? He didn''t need to run to the market or any shops to get meat. And as long as he would never run out of Trade Points, food would never be a problem to him again, though it didn''t change the fact that he still needed to hunt to feed himself. After all, he needed points to purchase those meats. He could also gather some valuable objects. But in this ce? It is so hard to find profitable items around him.


    There might be some precious materials somewhere in this dungeon, but Jem could not risk his life searching for some of them.


    So, for now, his source of ie was by hunting beasts.


    It was still reasonable to keep meat jerky with him. However, it didn''t mean that the Food Supply wasn''t helpful. Honestly, it was an exceedingly beneficial category to the Trader''s Shop additon.


    It put him at ease. As long as he would not run out of Trade Points, he didn''t need to worry about running out of food supply.


    In the end, he bought two knives and a dagger.


    The knives cost him 30 points in total, and the dagger was 20. So, in total, he spent 50 points. He was left with 50 for reservations in case he runs out of food.


    After resting enough, Jem walked near the wall and drew an X mark on it. Then, he distanced himself. He stood about ten meters away, facing it.


    Next, he fastened the knives and dagger on his hips and waist. He calmed his breathing after preparing all that he needed to do. His eyes were gazing at the X mark. In his mind, the X mark seemed like the eye of the beast.


    After a bead of sweat fell on the ground, his hand hastily took one of the knives, then threw it to the X mark.


    Fwoosh!


    An air-piercing sound followed right after!


    He needed to practice! He needed to survive in this hellish ce.

 Chapter 22 - The Missing Student

    Jem Hansen continued throwing the knives. He was trying to hit the center where the two diagonal lines intersected.


    Fwoosh! Fwoosh!


    The knives failed to hit the bullseye, but he didn''t lose his courage and remained positive. Jem was fully aware that it wasn''t easy to improve his uracy. If he wanted to develop this aspect, throwing them a mere ten or hundred times would never do the trick. He needed to exceed his limits until his body got used to it.


    His problem wasn''t only by uracy, but also by the way he threw it. However, bit by bit, Jem started to show improvement. The knives were getting closer and closer to the bullseye.


    After Jem''s throwing training, he also trained with his new weapon, the dagger. The dagger was a little bigger and longer than the knives. It was a convenient weapon for melee fights, much better than a knife. Though, every weapon had advantages and disadvantages.


    Jem repeatedly brandished the weapon, hitting no one but empty air.


    His sweat started to pour down, but Jem didn''t care about it. The most important thing for him was to improve himself.


    He wasn''t aware of how long he was in training. But Jem only stopped when he heard a loud howling from a distance.


    OOOOOORRRRRRGGGHH!!!


    The howl sent shivers down his spine. It seemed as though it came from behind him. It could be his imagination only, right?


    But Jem could not linger longer. He needed to proceed searching his way out. After a meal and a rest, he continued.


    Until now, he was still depending on the lighting from the emerald crystal on his neck. However, Jem noticed the glow in it started to diminish little by little.


    ''This wasn''t good,'' Jem thought worriedly. If he lost his source of light, it would be much more difficult for him to advance. He didn''t wish to live his whole life in this strange cave. And more on that, he didn''t wish to die in this ce.


    He needed to find the way out as soon as possible. A few minutes after he left the area where he practiced, he encountered some D-rank monsters.


    But due to his new abilities, it became much easier for him to defeat them. Though, he still needed to be careful. It was easy for one to make a blunder of themselves when they were too engrossed in their newly found power.


    Because of these new abilities, Jem depleted his Ex-energy a lot faster. He had to take a rest every time he finished looting his prey. Then he would never forget to spare some time for his training.


    The other students of Ex Soul Academy were alsomitted to their training. They also stepped into the Deste Region to hunt low-tier beasts.


    The teachers and instructors gave a strict rule that was difficult for the students to vite. They could not let another ident happen.


    Meanwhile, Miss Sylva was walking in the hallway. She was heading towards the army''s headquarters. This time again, she would ask if there was any oue for the search for her missing student.


    No matter how she closed her eyes, it could not put her at ease knowing that one of her students was still out there, missing in that dangerous ce.


    Creak!


    An about 50 years old man in a military uniform with a line of stars on his shoulders gazed at the door when it suddenly made a noise.


    "Sir," saluted another man in a military uniform upon entering. Though, unlike the older man, there was no star on his uniform.


    The man in front of the desk beckoned the other person for his reason.


    "Chief, Miss Sylva of Ex Soul Academy is here again to see you," he reported.


    The older man, the 3-star chief of the army, frowned upon hearing it before he told him to let her in.

 Chapter 23 - Hellrank Wormhole

    Aftering inside the chief''s office, Miss Sylva directly stated her reason foring without beating around the bush. "Chief Dix Marcel, how''s the search for my missing student going?"


    As expected, it was about that. The chief said without voicing out.


    Miss Sylva felt a slight pain in her gut when she noticed a frown on the chief''s expression. It could only mean one thing.


    With knitted brows, Miss Sylva remained unperturbed. The chief beckoned her to sit down first before he summoned a deep sigh and began his reply. He spoke when she took her seat. "Sorry, Miss Sylva, as you may already guess, aside from the bloodstain that leads to that dangerous sanctuary of ferocious beasts, my men could not find more traces aside from that."


    Miss Sylva felt something bitter at the tip of her tongue after hearing it. "So, still no results, huh," she muttered dejectedly.


    Chief Dix Marcel sped his hands and ced them on the desk in front of him. He knew that it wasn''t easy to have her students missing in the Deste Region. He also felt the same way as her.


    Noticing Miss Sylva''s silence, the chief frowned and opened his mouth again.


    "I don''t want to sound insensitive, but isn''t it better to organize our thoughts and ept the highly possible worst-case scenario?"


    After hearing it, "Are you saying you want to stop the search?!" Miss Sylva snapped and raised her voice along with a hard tap of both her palms on the desk which caused a loud bang that startled the chief. Dammit, he almost bit his tongue at her sudden outburst.


    If the other party was from an ordinary family, he already kicked her out of this room. But since she was from an influential family all over the federation, he could not do it.


    The Sylva family was well-known in the federation.


    Many of their family seniors were in higher positions in the federation army and the other major departments such as the research institute, the main exploration team, in politics, and etcetera. There was also a rumor that their family''s monthly ie was around 8 digits federation money.


    On the contrary, the Marcel family was only known in a specific region of the federation, and with a monthly ie of only 6 digits federation money.


    Such a gap was likeparing a boulder and a mountain. Money and strength were the two factors that determined the family''s social status in the federation. Perhaps it was also true in other countries.


    Regardless, he needed to make her understood without lowering his self-esteem and remained relevant and reasonable to avoid making her more furious. Just a slight mistake could squash him to dust. That''s why he felt so bitter facing this kind of figure that could endanger his reputation.


    After a sigh, he opened his mouth again. "I also lost a newly recruited man, and the other one has yet to get out of the hospital. I at least wanted to retrieve my soldier''s body for his family to mourn. However, even you-- can probably guess already that it was hopeless. With those beasts, it was lucky enough if we could find a finger-size of his remains," said Chief Dix Marcel in a sorrowful voice and dejected expression.


    Then he continued saying, "Also, there''s nothing we can do about it now. I can''t risk my men entering the Uno Labyrinth--" Chief Dix Marcel paused for a moment with noticeable movements on his throat.


    Miss Sylva remained silent as she noticed the troubled expression of the 3-star chief. She guessed that he had slight information that he was troubled to disclose.


    "Why are you so afraid of thisbyrinth? Isn''t it a normal dungeon only?" No matter what, she needed to force him to spit it out.


    The chief sank back on his chair. He did not expect that he was so easy to read. The tone and the way the other party questioned him indicates that she already noticed that he was hiding something.


    ''Dammit!'' He groaned inwardly. ''Well, it wasn''t truly a highly-confidential information,'' he thought.


    "I have a bit of information from the research team who was studying the wormholes--"


    "What of it?"


    Miss Sylva narrowed her eyes, looking forward to more words from the 3-star chief.


    "The Uno Labyrinth is not an ordinary dungeon¡­"


    "Yeah, I heard that it wasn''t ordinary. But what makes it different from the rest? Also, what is the connection of it to the researchers who studied the wormholes?" Miss Sylva bombarded him with questions.


    "Erm," Chief Dix Marcel cleared his throat. This wasn''t good. He was being pressed by a teacher for information unrted to her job. Though this teacher wasn''t an ordinary one.


    Also, it was the more reason that he felt so worried about disclosing the information to her since she wasn''t an ordinary person.


    But it was toote now. He understood that expression on her face. She wouldn''t stop bothering him if he didn''t tell her the truth regarding the Uno Labyrinth.


    *Hah!*


    He sighed in defeat before telling her the truth regarding thisbyrinth.


    "The Uno Labyrinth or also known as thebyrinth of no return. ording to the information, it used to be a Hell-rank wormhole."


    Hell-rank wormhole¡­


    Hell-rank wormhole¡­


    Hell-rank wormhole¡­


    Thest two words reverberated in her ears.

 Chapter 24 - Thirst

    "Besides, we are running out of hands. More wormholes are appearing in some cities."


    Said Chief Dix Marcel, seemingly having a headache.


    "If only Makina is here, that person could probably do something about it." The chief massages his temple.


    "Makina? The legendary level 10 Ex-human?" Miss Sylva asked.


    "Yeah," replied the chief as he looked towards the distance.


    Miss Sylva went back dispiritedly. If the chief was telling the truth, then all the hope to find Hansen was now gone. There is no way the military would sacrifice their men for a student like Jem Hansen, who had the worst Growth Potential.


    When she arrived at her room, she let her back fall on the sofa while staring at the ceiling with a distant look.


    She knew that it was hopeless now. In truth, she was well aware that there was an almost nonexistent chance that Jem Hansen would still be alive at this moment. But even so, she wanted to believe he was still out there waiting for someone to rescue him.


    Miss Sylva bit her lips in frustration for being so useless. She could not even help her student.


    She tried to think of something that could help him.


    Out of a sudden, she took a tablet and scanned through it. She was examining Hansen''s record. Miss Sylva felt warm at the corner of her eyes when she read that Jem Hansen was an orphan. No wonder those people in the academy could turn a blind eye to this incident. She thought so. But soon, after reading further on Jem Hansen''s information tab, Miss Sylva''s eyes widened.


    "The academy could not hide it any longer. After all, Jem has a family," she whispered. "Regardless if he was dead or alive, the academy could not say no if I threatened them with this."


    She could not put off her feelings as a teacher and as a person. Miss Sylva believed that a teacher was the second parent to their students. So as a parent, she needed to do the right thing.


    On the other hand, through counseling, Desty was gradually recovering from the incident. What she did was abandoning a friend. She did a miserable deed to a close friend. Desty still could not fully forgive herself. Every time she remembered that time, her hands shook, and her body started to tremble in fear. But she had to move on. Desty knew that there was nothing she could do now. She could not turn back the time. It was an ident. She wanted to me her ssmate. However, it was useless.


    "She was in a state of trauma. Who could me her? She was watching at a close quarter when the beasts were feasting on a person''s body," said the military medical personnel who was nursing Desty to Miss Sylva, who was standing beside her. She came to check her status. She learned that it was Desty who brought Hansen to their party.


    The medical person continued saying, "Desty was so scared at that time."


    Currently, Miss Sylva and the military medical personnel were looking at Desty from afar. Desty was sitting on a bench around the training ground, watching the other students in training while wearing a downcast face.


    "Thanks to the asional counseling from a veteran psychiatrist she slowly recovered. But still, she was ming herself. If only she had known that this would happen, she would never have invited her friend at that time."


    "Desty felt so guilty of what happened to her friend," added the nurse.


    "I see, please continue supporting her," said Miss Sylva before she left.


    It has already been half a month since the incident. Even Miss Sylva gave up on finding him. She tried to threaten the Academy, but it was useless. They promised her that they would do something about it, but in truth, they have done nothing.


    Around this time, Jem was in a state of losing his mind. Not because of hunger and brain damage, but because of thirst.


    He was now walking aimlessly with bloodshot eyes. Even the D-rank beasts would scuttle away at the sight of him.

 Chapter 25 - Survival Instinct

    Normal humans couldst 3-5 days without water. On the other hand, Ex-humans couldst half a month. However, half a month without water can cause damage to their senses. In the following days, if nothing would get done to quench the thirst, the situation would only get worst.


    After loitering inside thebyrinth for half a month and without water, Jem Hansen found himself in a state of losing his sanity.


    His throat was dry, and his mind was murky. Even the call of his partner, the trader, was useless now.


    He was like a monster himself, at the very moment. He was treading the foggy, chilly region of thebyrinth through instinct alone, following the noise of water droplets that asionally tickled his ears.


    However, no matter how far he walked, it seemed as though he never reached his destination.


    Although he was in a state of losing his mind, he was moving along the path with his instinct screaming for survival. Once he perceived a danger ahead of him, he would turn around and take another route.


    Jem''s figure at the moment wasparable to a walking zombie the way he was walking and the ghastly feature that bloodied all over.


    The blood that dried on his body surface was both his and from the beasts he killed.


    With his bloodshot eyes peeking under his bangs, he looked so scary that even the low-level beast would run away when they saw him. If some people saw his current figure, surely, they would be pissing their pants in fright.


    Jem arrived at an area where bushes grew tall, nearly at the level of his shoulders. If only he had a clear mind at the moment, Jem would certainly ask whether he was outside already.


    It was bright, like a cloudy day. On top of that, it was spacious. But because of the fog, it''s hard to say its wideness.


    It is even hard to perceive the ceiling. Who knows how high it was.


    Water~ water~ water~


    He repeatedly muttered the word in a hoarse voice.


    Suddenly, something leaped out from the bushes and was going for Jem.


    It must be attempting to tackle him, who intruded the creature''s territory. This type of creature was known as the Territorial Beast. This type of beast wasparable to a jealous girlfriend.


    They were so possessive of their territory that they would attack on the spot whenever a foreign creature stepped in.


    Rawr!


    Growl the beast with small features, but had yellowish furious predator''s eyes. It had jet ck fluffy furs that stood like an angry cat all over its petite figure. Jem, who was moving through instinct, waved his hand to p aside the nuisance.


    With the brief groaning noise, the creature with the size of as big as a cat vanished in the bushes after Jem hit it and sent it back.


    But Jem stopped on his feet. Although he was yet to regain his consciousness, his survival instinct was screaming for danger.


    He could perceive a high-speed creature moving in a circle around him. It was the Territorial Beast just now. It moves swiftly in the bushes.


    Jem slightly raised his hands to both sides, seemingly ready for the worst.


    Although he was yet to regain his bearings, Jem''s intuition was screaming for survival.


    The beast used its agility to confuse the intruder. After a few rotations from the intruder, it was finally ready to attack once again.


    It was so quick that it seemed like it was a shadow only.


    However, even with his current state Jem was able to catch it. In this state, while most of his senses did not function well, his perception was so high. And so his reaction time.

 Chapter 26 - To Quench The Thirst

    When the beast leaped to attack him, Jem reacted based on reflexes to catch it.


    *Snap!*


    He seeded in grabbing it. But, it allows the beast to bite him. Jem''s face twisted into a frown.


    Gwar! The angry beast growled when Jem waved his arm to get rid of it. *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* Though, nothing happened. The beast''s fangs prated deeply into his flesh.


    He would have been crying already if he was in his right mind. Fortunately, being out of his senses also gave a little advantage in this regard. Even if he was in pain, he could not feel it.


    However, this type of beast was poisonous!


    Although the beast was poisonous, it didn''t affect him. He had poison resistance, after all.


    As Jem''s attempt to get rid of it was a total failure, he changed his y. Jem Hansen''s mind has yet to recover. However, his body remembered what to do through experience.


    Light particles gathered around his left arm. The next second, he smashed it on the ground like a stretchable rubber.


    Bang!


    Gwerk!


    If not because of the bushes, it might be a heavy impact. But still, the beast let out a cry with tears forming at the corner of its eyes. However, the beast was still there, clinging onto his arm. It was aggressively biting him.


    Annoyed, Jem continued smashing it on the ground but it failed to get rid of the persistent beast.


    Blood was dripping from Jem''s arm to where the beast was biting him.


    Noticing his action did nothing to it, next, he summoned Ex-Energy to his fangs. Jem''s fangs grew longer. About an inch long. Following his instinct, he bit it. He bit back the beast. The beast groaned and cried and finally released its bite.


    However, something happened. The subconscious Jem felt something when his pair of Furious Fang prated the beast''s flesh.


    After his fangs prated the flesh of the beast, the blood of it wetted his tongue. His eyes widened. Although it wasn''t the water he was seeking right at this moment, a great sensation of relief shed in his very soul after the blood dripped into his mouth. As though it calmed the great storm he was suffering.


    The taste of blood was so awful. But, who cares? All that he cared about at the moment was his thirst. Anything that could quench his thirst was a blessing.


    Jem sucked the blood like a hungry mosquito. The beast tried to struggle but to no avail. If before he was trying to get rid of it, this time, Jem was tightly gripping it, preventing the beast from escaping.


    The beast could only growl. Now, their situation has reversed.


    He continued sucking the blood as though it was freshwater.


    Sluuuurrpp~!


    The vibrant in Jem Hansen''s eyes gradually returned to normal. On the contrary, the beast had be weaker and weaker until it stopped struggling. And now, it was barely breathing.


    After a big burp, he threw the weakening beast to the ground.


    Jem seemed to have a headache. While making low groans, he was clutching his head between his hands with his bloodshot eyes trembling.


    But, it was also noticeable that the spirit in his eyes had gradually returned.


    For some reason, Jem fell on his knees as though his legs lost power. Then he stopped making noises and briefly red around him while wearing a confused expression.


    Ha?


    A puzzled utterance came out from Jem a few secondster.


    Wait, what happened? Where am I? What ce is this?


    Jem asked after realizing that he could not recognize the ce.

 Chapter 27 - Bossrank!

    <Wee back, host!>


    Good, his partner was still active.


    "Trader, what happened?" Jem directly asked.


    <Many things happened, but for now, look in front of you!>


    "!?"


    Before Jem Hansen could realize what happened, standing in front of him was a towering creature that suddenly appeared from out of nowhere.


    He was looking at it with both surprised and confused expressions.


    It had a round body, and ck furs were all over; he deliberately peeked at the creature''s face, but he could not see it as there was only a shade of ck on it. There was only darkness covering its face.


    He could not tell what kind of expression the creature was making, but he had a bad feeling about it. He could not help but be intimidated by the pressure it was exuding. As though it was crushing him.


    What kind of monster is this? Jem thought but he had no time to get his answer as the creature standing a few steps away from him already flung its massive furry arm at him.


    Jem felt a chill running down his spine as he watched the iing attack. His body moved by reflexes to avoid it. Also, he instinctively used his fortification ability on his chest, to where he thought the attack would hit him.


    A bone-chilling sensation creeped out on Jem as he watched in slow-mo the sharp-looking jet ck ws pass a few centimeters away from his chest.


    Luckily, he was able to step back and avoided the attack.


    But,


    Wha¡ª!? A surprised utterance came out from Jem Hansen''s mouth.


    Although he seeded in evading it, suddenly, he found his body hurling away.


    Whoosh!


    Thud!


    "Damn it! Ugh!"


    It happened so fast that he failed to notice what happened in a split second. Jem vomited a mouthful of blood when his body mmed on the ground. It would be less painful if it happened in the bushes. Unfortunately, he found himself crashing on an empty field.


    Jem groaned as he tried to pull his body. ''H-how did it happen?'' He asked in mind while clutching his chest. He was sure he evaded that attack.


    It seemed an invisible force hit him. But he had no time to be in a daze. The ground was trembling. When he looked in the enemy''s direction, he saw the enemy stomping its feet in fury.


    He felt all the hairs on his body stood upright as he was watching it.


    The stomping only happened in a brief moment, but Jem was startled by it. This monster was on another level! He could feel it. He could feel the intense aura from it.


    The monster unhurriedly picked something on the ground. Jem was staring at it in full alert. The monster lifted it. That something in the monster''s hands¡­ It looks familiar to him. Wait, it seemed like a baby version of the monster. Could it be its offspring? He asked in mind. But, it seemed to be dead. He wondered what happened to it.


    A secondter, Jem shook the thought out of his head when he noticed the baby suddenly twitched.


    It''s alive!


    But it seemed so weak.


    "Eh?!" Along with the exmation point was a question mark. He had no memory of what happened a while ago. So he had no idea why the beast shot an angry look at him. Its eyes shone in yellow.


    It could only mean one thing.


    At this very moment, Jem knew his life was in great danger.


    This enemy. It wasn''t like the other beast he encountered.


    Even his body shuddered on its own. As though it reacted from the intense aura that the monster in front of him was exuding.


    Even if he used his intimidation ability, he spected that it would not be enough to intimidate this beast.


    <Be careful, host. This one is a lot stronger. It''s a Boss-rank beast.>


    To prove his thought, he heard the Trader''s warning.


    "B-Boss-rank? What kind of rank is that?!"


    It was the first time that he heard of such a rank.

 Chapter 28 - Gale

    <Well, it isn''t an official rank, host. But this one¡ª Be careful from this one. It''s much better if you avoid confronting it now.>


    He mped his mouth.


    Hearing the trader''s repeated warning only made him more nervous towards the beast. He could certainly feel it. The suffocating pressure that the beast was releasing towards him.


    The trader was right. Jem knew that he had no chance of winning against it. The better thing to do was to escape from this ce. There''s no point in fighting an opponent you cannot win. He must save his life.


    However, where would he go?! It even mystified him to find himself in this unfamiliar ce. Thest thing he remembered, he was trudging the cold dark path in search of the exit. But suddenly, he found himself here!? It was too weird.


    He made a quick scan around him; he noticed he was sitting with his butt in a circr area where grass did not grow.


    If he made an estimation, the deserted area was about 40-50 in diameter. There were four big pirs about 8-10 meters tall in four directions.


    On each top of the pirs, there were head statues of a feral-looking beast.


    Jem had a strong feeling that it meant something.


    In some segments of the pirs, algae stuck on them. It made the carving marks on it more vivid as they didn''t stick on them as though they were avoiding the carves. They were profound lines that Jem was not familiar with what kind of design they were representing. However, they looked ancient. Also, vines were sticking up to the middle part of the pirs.


    Nheless, why on this part only that grass isn''t growing? It was already suspicious. Perhaps, this area was the beast''s territory! Jem surmised in a brief moment.


    However, his eyes shook.


    While he was clutching his chest, he noticed a tingling and throbbing sensation on it. Also, his hand that was clutching his chest seemed wet from something.


    When he nced at it, "B-blood?!" He froze on the spot upon seeing his hand was bloody. But where did he get it?


    Jem''s face turned white. On the chest, he saw three wounds on his chest. Just then, he felt more pain.


    "Ugh!" He groaned. More pain suddenly attacked him after knowing he had wounds.


    Looking at the pattern of the wounds, it seemed like the cause of them was an attack using ws.


    Wait, he remembered he dodge the beast attack a while ago, so howe he got wounded? Jem wondered.


    <I think it''s the gale.>


    "G-gale?" While frowning, he repeated the trader''s words.


    <Yes, host. It is an invisible force. It seemed like the enemy''s attack can generate it.>


    *Gulp!*


    He could not help but swallow back what was blocking his throat after hearing the trader''s exnation.


    It was lucky that the wounds weren''t so deep. He remembered he instinctively used his fortification ability. Thanks to it. He avoided getting his chest skewered by the beast.


    "!!"


    Soon his heart wavered.


    At the corner of his eyes, "Wha--! Where did it go?!" The beast suddenly disappeared from his position.


    <Above!>


    Just as the trader says, the beast was in the air. About 10 meters above the ground, and was rapidlying closer towards him. Of course, with the addition of gleaming eyes and oozing with a dark bluish aura that also looked like purple.


    Jem did not waste more time. He attempted to roll away. "!!" But, he noticed a problem. He could not summon strength on his legs. His legs felt numb!


    "Holy sh*t! I''m so dead!" Jem muttered in panic.


    <Don''t worry, it is a temporary numbness only.>


    Although it was relieving to hear, it didn''t change his situation.


    If he didn''t find a way, he would definitely be a squashed melon the next moment.


    ''Right.''


    Fortunately, in his crisis, something came up in his mind.


    He summoned his Ex-energy on his left arm then used his ability. His arm stretched to the nearest pir and grabbed the vines on it.


    However, "Wah!" A yelp came out from Jem Hansen''s mouth.


    *Bang!* A loud crashing noise trembled the ground nketed the area with rising dust.

 Chapter 29 - The Answer

    "That was close," Jem muttered under his breath. His heart was beating loudly. He was lucky that his shrinking left arm was able to drag him away before the beast could crush him.


    In the area where the beastnded, dust was hovering, but it wasn''t to the point that obstructed his vision. Jem grimaced when he saw the oue of the beast''s attack.


    The area he was sitting on his butt a moment ago could not be described anymore. The beast''s attack carved arge hole in it.


    Jem could not help but ask himself. If it was him, what would his oue be? He could not help but shudder at the thought. If even the ground turned to ruins, he believed not even his bones would remain if the beast''s attack hit him.


    He made a quick scan of his body. The wounds on his chest were throbbing in pain. But it was bearable somehow. The only problem was the bleeding. He needed to find a way to stop it because if he left it alone, he worried it would turn into a big problemter on.


    The beast did not give Jem a chance to rest. After noticing that its attack failed to hit him, it charged again.


    He evaded by rolling away. Just as the trader says, the numbing on his feet was just temporary. The strength on his feet returned right when he noticed the approaching beast.


    Thankfully, he was able to evade again. Because of his sudden evasion, the beast collided on the pir, which caused a dull impact.


    Surprisingly though, he did not expect that the pir was sturdy enough to not break after the beast collided on it. Because of it, the beast got dizzy in that brief moment. When Jem saw it, he did not waste the chance. He stood up and hastily distanced himself in a staggering run.


    In just a matter of seconds, he seeded in increasing their distance by 15-20 steps.


    However, before he could run away, he once again noticed the ground was trembling. Along with it, he heard hard stomping noises that wereing closer and closer.


    Then he heard another warning from his trusted partner. <Watch out, host!>


    "Wha¡ª already!?" Just as he feared, the beast was already chasing after him.


    While running, he took a nce behind him. It seemed like cold water was being poured onto him when he learned the beast was actually behind him!


    With glinted eyes, the beast was raising its ws in the air. There was no need to guess what it was nning to do as it was in as day. The beast is going to rip him apart.


    He returned his gaze in front while screaming.


    "No way, no way, no way~!"


    While screaming that, *Woosh~* Jem''s ears stood erect, and his instinct was screaming for danger. He heard something-- like the gushing sound of sharp objects piercing through the air. And based on the sound, it wasing from behind him!


    Thank goodness he was able to grab the nearby boulder by stretching his arm once again. He narrowly escaped the beast''s attack.


    However, "Ugh!" He groaned when his body bumped on the boulder. "Tsk, that gale again," Jemmented. Another wound registered on his body. This time it was on his shoulder. It was a cut, about 3 inches long.


    Because of it, he lost the tempo and resulted in him bumping on the boulder. He groaned. His body was in pain all over. Jem hardened his jaw to endure all of it.


    A little part of the boulder broke to pieces. Though, it wasn''t significant.


    Bearing all the pain, Jem tried his best to stand. He wondered if it was the end of his life. The world seemed to be mocking him. After giving him hope to survive and letting him struggle, now, he was facing death.


    ''Will everything end here?'' He thought when he noticed the beast was approaching him again.


    Looking at his figure, he looked so spent. That even the slight caress of the wind could endanger him.


    His eyes seemed like they wanted to close already. His mouth was gaping in exhaustion. Closing it was asking for a difficult task. His knees were quivering. It seemed as though, any moment from now, they would lose strength.


    His clothes were all but tattered, exposing most of his bare skin.


    Small and big cuts were all over his body. They were aching and bleeding. Summed up with scrapes and bruises, he looked so unsightly.


    Jem was heaving deeply while a bead of tear was forming at the corner of his eyes. He closed then opened them with questions in his mind.


    Why did he have to suffer all of these? He was just a simple person without a redeeming factor. Why did the world have to be this bitter to him? Jem could not help but ask hysterically.


    Looking at the approaching enemy, he started to lose his will. The gap in their strength was just too vast. In addition to that, he started losing the feeling on his limbs.


    ''Is... is this the end of my journey?'' He asked somberly.


    As though giving him an answer, before the beast could reach him, at the corner of his eyes, he noticed something.


    While biting his lips until it bled, he shut his eyes while trembling.


    While he was at it, Jem could feel the enemy wasing closer and closer every moment.


    However, although he looked like he was giving up, in truth, there was a strange aura around him. He was trying to calm himself and control his breathing.


    The next time he opened his eyes, there was a strange glint in them.


    ''No, I must see to it until thest second of my life!''


    He screamed then unfastened two of his w knives that were on his hips the whole time.


    Swoosh~ Swoosh~


    Two knives were flying towards the beast.

 Chapter 30 - A Cowardly Act

    With just a swing of its massive arm, the two knives bear no result. The beast effortlessly knocked them off.


    After knocking off the knives, the beast noticed the human had disappeared.


    The area was now empty! If the beast could only talk, it would be asking where that trespasser went in a furious overbearing howl.


    For a second, the beast was staring in a daze, but soon it noticed something moving, like a shadow, at the corner of its gleaming fierce eyes. Its head, with a shape that was identical to the bear, turned to where the moving shadow was.


    A second after identifying what it was, its mouth opened like a grin, revealing the yellowish saw-like teeth and dark pinkish gum. As though saying, "there you are," the beast galloped to chase the escaping human. It was supposed to be standing as a human did, but now it was running in all four of its limbs. It looks like it was aggressively wanted to kill him.


    A while ago, Jem used the knives to distract the beast for a second. After throwing them towards the beast, he immediately ran while forcing his tired body in the direction where he saw something that could save him in his current situation.


    Yet, once again, before reaching his goal, the ground vibrated along with hard stomping noises.


    There''s no need to confirm what it was as it is unmistakably that beast.


    "Bullsh*t!"


    Jem muttered in a cold hoarse voice mixed with anger and fear. It seemed as though the hair on his nape stood up every moment that he felt the beast closing in.


    Without stopping his run, "Bullsh*t!!!" He muttered again in a louder voice.


    "I will kill, I will kill, I will kill you all!!!"


    The umted stress and depression took over him. He swore at the top of his lungs. If Desty did not invite him, he would never be in his situation right now. If not because of those assholes in their party, he would never be in this hell! He wanted to rip them apart and feed them to the beasts.


    He was reminded once again of the reason that he was here.


    Before the strange gushing sound could reach him, he dove. Then there was a weird feeling that something passed by a hair''s breadth away from his nape.


    "Gah!"


    He groaned when his body skidded on the ground. He could not measure how far he skidded and count how many times his body rolled.


    Regardless, he had no time to get up. When he opened his eyes, he saw the furious-looking beast in the act of raising one of its massive arms, full of sharp ws.


    ''Wha¡ª fast!'' In a moment, his mind went nk in shock.


    Jem shuddered when he noticed that the beast was already in a point-nk range.


    "STOP!" He shouted. It wasn''t a pleading shout but a shout of warning and demanding.


    As though heeding his warning, the beast suddenly paused. It wasn''t because of his shout that the beast stopped. The beast stopped when it noticed what he was carrying in his arms.


    The threatening pressure and aura that was surrounding the beast disappeared right off the bat.


    Finally, he was able to have a full view of the beast figure. Its body was like that of a bear, but its face was more like a cat. Yet it had ears that looked like bunny ears.


    He wanted to ask the trader what kind of beast it was but now is not the right time.


    RAWWWR! It howled in a threatening cry.


    It must have been so angry when it noticed what he was carrying.


    Meanwhile, Jem was embracing in his arms the exhausted baby beast. It wasn''t a warm embrace full of love. But a threatening embrace while pointing a knife at it.


    Right. Jem was using the baby beast as a hostage.


    He knew it was a cowardly act. He also disliked it. But who cares. He wanted to live.


    In front of him was an entity that was the very definition of death.


    With gritted teeth, he slowly got up on his feet.

 Chapter 31 - Realization

    RAAAWWWWRRR!!!


    A roar echoed after Jem left the bushy ins, taking along with him the baby beast.


    He had no idea what happened when he lost consciousness. The trader said many things had happened, which he agreed to.


    Huf¡ªhah! Huf¡ªhah!


    While sweating profusely, Jem was gasping for breath after distancing himself a safe distance away from the scary big beast. Meanwhile, he was leaning his shoulder on a big trunk of a tree. He had no idea what kind of tree it was. He was too tired to care about it.


    His breathing was deep, and his heartbeat was quick. He was too exhausted and could barely remain on his feet.


    It didn''t take long before he flopped on the ground.


    It took him several minutes before regaining his strength again. Fortunately, no monsters or beasts came to attack him around the time while he was vulnerable.


    After calming down, Jem made a quick inspection of himself.


    There was only a little piece of cloth that was barely covering his shoulder. He tore it and threw it away as it was only a hindrance now.


    Regrettably, the DIY knapsack was gone, along with all the items inside it. The DIY ne with the shiny emerald crystal also disappeared. Perhaps it was when he received the wounds from the beast.


    "Gah!"


    After remembering the wounds, they started aching once again. Jem groaned and grimaced when the sudden pain attacked him. In his mind, he had to think of something to cure them. Unfortunately, aside from the w series knives and daggers, he had nothing else with him. He remembered he had the extra shiny emerald crystal in his pant''s pocket. When he tapped it, sure enough, it was still there.


    However, none of them could cure his wounds.


    He nced around him and noticed he was in a ce that seemed like a-- "forest?!"


    ''Am I already out of that cave?'' He thought with a hint of relief.


    Just then, he heard the voice of his partner. <Indeed. You are currently inside a forest, host. The host ran without realizing which direction he was taking. The host''s mind was all about running away from that beast as soon as possible. And so the host arrived in the forest without the host noticing it.>


    Jem could not disagree with the trader. He was so scared at that time that his soul wanted to leap ahead of his body.


    "I see."


    Jem muttered his reply.


    <Actually host, I have two pieces of news for you.>


    "Eh? Ngh!" Jem gawked but soon groaned when the prickling pain attacked him out of a sudden. Especially when his sweat wet his wounds, it adds more stinging pain into it.


    "T-then, tell me¡­" he muttered with a twitching face.


    <Which one do you prefer to hear first, the bad news or the good news?>


    He frowned.


    He wasn''t anticipating that there would be bad news among them. He would much appreciate it if there were only good news, if possible.


    Jem went silent for a second before a sigh expired from his mouth.


    Hah~


    "T-then, b-bad news..."


    He replied unwillingly. Well, maybe hearing the good newster was a good reliever.


    He secretly wished the bad news wasn''t so grave. As though readying himself, he breathed deeply.


    <This ce is not an ordinary dungeon, host.>


    "W-wait! I''m still inside the dungeon?! Ugh!" Jem asked in haste but soon groaned. But his most concern was the trader''s words.


    <Yes, host. Aside from that, this dungeon seemed to be a high-grade one.>


    "....."


    Jem remained silent as he was enduring the pain. Also, he lost the desire to listen further. However, the trader continued telling him, forcing him to absorb the trader''s words.


    <A normal dungeon should only have stone, rocks, mud, dirt, soil, or anything earth-rted as the walls and ceiling. However, our current location, and the location before here, confirm my suspicions. Also, a normal-grade dungeon should not be as vast as this ce¡­>


    The trader continued exining and he started to listen attentively. But deep inside, he was grieving.


    Inwardly, ''This is actually super bad news," Jem muttered dejectedly when a realization came to him.


    His face started to twitch in a bitter expression.

 Chapter 32 - Labyrinth

    <Host, can you specify how the entrance looked like when you entered this ce?>


    The trader suddenly asked him.


    "Okay."


    Jem revealed a frown as he tried to remember what happened at that time.


    After a few seconds of remembering, his mouth finally twitched as he slowly opened it.


    Hah~


    A sigh departed from his mouth.


    "Sorry, my focus was all about escaping and hiding at that time. So, I can''t remember about it. But, I did notice one thing."


    His voice was like a mutter as he was speaking.


    "It was when I entered arge hole, which I believed at that time was the entrance of a cave."


    "When I entered, I happened to notice a slight distortion in the space, exactly at the entrance. But I''m so scared to mind it at that time. Countless beasts were chasing after me at that moment. Their stomping noises gave off an unpleasant feeling that they were just a few steps behind me. In my mind, if I make a brief stop, I''m afraid they will reach me and be their hapless meal."


    <I see. But, a distortion?>


    "Mhm!" He nodded.


    <Hm, this sounds terrible than I expected.>


    There was a noticeable change in the trader''s voice as it said it.


    "Is there a problem with it?"


    <There''s a high chance that the host had entered an activebyrinth.>


    "A-abyrinth?!"


    <It is a more dangerous ce, more dangerous than any high-grade dungeon.>


    Jem felt something bitter at the tip of his tongue upon hearing it.


    "More dangerous? No way," he muttered in a downcast face. "That entrance is not a cave entrance? But an entrance to abyrinth? A more dangerous ce?" Jem wanted to shout to reject such a im. But it was unreasonable, so he shook the thought.


    <Since there is a distortion, that is likely the case.>


    The trader exined to Jem all that it knows. He realized how bad of a situation he currently has.


    If it was as the trader said, then his n to leave here is nigh impossible.


    "Bad news indeed."


    Jem muttered with a shadow cast over his face. His knowledge about high-grade dungeons was just to the extent of understanding how dangerous it was. If it was about thebyrinth, he only knew as far as the trader''s exnation to him.


    That''s why Jem wasn''t entirely convinced. But he was so worried. Worried to the point that it made him want to go crazy, though he disregarded such thoughts and went to calm his moring mind and emotions. These two parts of him were contradicting each other.


    Being alone in this ce made his mind go crazy. Perhaps he was already since he was talking to himself. Is the trader even real? Or his mind just tricking him.


    Isn''t this one of the symptoms of a person with a mental problem? That they heard a strange voice talking to them.


    There was a possibility that the trader was only his hallucination.


    Perhaps he was already crazy. Then again, how to exin the appearance of the knives and daggers. The unusual increase in his Ascendance Points, and there are many other things.


    He wondered if those things were also his hallucinations. But soon, his eyes were shut open.


    If those things were only his hallucinations, then how about the wounds and the ck arm?


    Right.


    There''s no way all of these were just his hallucinations. No doubt that the trader was real. Though he could not exin what it was. It suddenly appeared before him when he was dying.


    <So, host, are you willing to listen for the good news?>


    While Jem was in deep self-counseling, he suddenly heard the trader''s inquiry.


    Right. There was still that, his reliever.

 Chapter 33 - The Good News

    Of course, Jem would listen to it. It was his reliever, after all. He just hoped that the good news was enough topensate for the bad news, though he doubted it. Jem was attentively waiting for the trader''s words.


    <Isn''t the forest one of the main hunting grounds for food?>


    Asked the trader in which Jem nodded in agreement.


    <The good news is since the host is in the forest, there is a high chance that the host can find more valuable items around. There are many herbs and nts that the host can gather to heal his wounds and injuries. The host can also get sap in the trees and nts. But if the host preferred drinking blood over tree sap, then it''s up to the host.>


    Right.


    He could find lots of resources here. However, as expected, the good news wasn''t enough to satiate the bad news!


    "Is that only?" Jem inquired, somewhat discouraged.


    <Well, isn''t that a good thing?>


    It is. However, it wasn''t enough! He wanted to scream. He wanted more! Like for example a hidden key to open a secret door to exit this ce.


    "In this case, dying is the easiest way to escape in these hardships, huh," while muttering it, he suddenly recalled his grandfather''s words.


    ''My grandchild, don''t forget that hardships are what makes a man a true man. Never forget my teachings as they will help you one day.''


    Jem bit his lip while tears started to rain down from his eyes.


    He missed his grandfather.


    Many times he wants to give up, but he perseveres whenever he recalls his grandfather''s teachings. They were the most precious things to him, more precious than any expensive jewelry, stone, crystal, clothes, foods, etcetera.


    They were like powerful amulets that prevented him from dying. Once again, after recalling his grandfather''s words, he forced his worn-out body to get up and continue in this bleak journey.


    Ugh!


    Jem groaned when the pain attacked him once again.


    ''Just a little more.'' He thought.


    He could only rest if he dies, but it wasn''t now, not today. Jem found his resolve.


    When he scanned his body again, he noticed he was bloody all over.


    But soon, he paused for a moment, perhaps remembering something.


    Perplexed, "Wait, trader!" Jem called out.


    After seeing the blood, suddenly, he recalled something from the trader''s words just now.


    <Yes, host?>


    "What do you mean-- if I preferred blood over sap?" He asked in a shaky voice.


    <Ah, that? Well, because the host regained back his consciousness from drinking the beast''s blood.>


    "Eh!?"


    "What? Really?!" This news astonished him more than any other.


    <Yes, host.> After saying it, the trader started recounting all that happened when Jem was not himself.


    "Ou, so that happened," he muttered with a hint of bewilderment. He never thought that he would continue wandering around and continue ughtering the beasts while he was unconscious. More on that, he even drank blood. This was a very unexpected event in his life.


    No wonder there was an awful smell at the tip of his tongue. So it was the blood. It looks like his thirst was much worse than he thought.


    Though, his most concern was the fact that his body continued traveling around when he wasn''t even conscious. How did it happen?


    "Trader, what do you think is the reason that my body moved on its own?"


    <Hm, perhaps it was your strong desire to survive, host.>


    Right. It was a vague answer. But the trader had a point. While he was about to ponder the other possible reason, the trader suddenly urged him.


    <Look ahead of you, host!>


    Reflexively, he followed as the trader said without a slight hesitation. When he nced ahead of him, he gawked on the spot. There, he saw a beast attacking another beast.


    Wait, the beast looks familiar to him. Wasn''t that the baby beast he hostage?


    "What was happening?"


    <After the host drank the beast''s blood and before he regained his consciousness, a system notification appeared, alerting the host of a new passive ability.>


    "Ou!"

 Chapter 34 - Vampiric Beast

    <The new ability is called [Blood Oath]>


    Jem narrowed his eyes upon hearing it. "Blood oath?" He repeated in a whisper. "Is it a blood agreement? Or something like that?"


    <Yes, host, something like that. But perhaps it''s more like kinship.>


    "So something like a family, huh," he muttered.


    "I see. However, what could be the reason that I acquired the skill? Just the name alone, it sounded unusual?"


    "Wait!"


    "Could it be¡­ the fangs?" Jem, who couldn''t wait for the trader''s reply, said his deduction.


    Well, he wasn''t sure. But when thinking about it, of all the things, only his fangs have a direct connection to the issue.


    <Yes, host, that''s the reason. It would be better if the host checks the skill.>


    For him, though, it was simpler to ask the trader directly while maintaining his vignce.


    Before he could say anything,


    the trader said in continuation.


    His eyes narrowed slightly after hearing it. ''Vampiric Beast?'' This rings a bell to him. "I see. It makes sense."


    Though vampires are just folklore, it wasn''t the case with the vampiric beast.


    Before stepping here in the Deste Region, they received a quick briefing from the two recruit soldiers with them that time.


    The two recruit soldiers gave them rundown details regarding these types of beasts. They also advised them to be extra careful when they face one.


    But since their original n was only to hunt low-rank beasts near the entrance, the two soldiers did not give much detailed information about the vampiric beasts.


    Who would have thought that their casual hunting ended in a tragedy? Because of those stupid teammates.


    He shook his head to get rid of the thought that was about to mislead his thinking. It wasn''t the right time to bementing about it. He knows it.


    Moreover, Jem was doubtful that those two soldiers had much to say about the Vampiric Beast, though it was understandable as they were only newly recruited soldiers, after all.


    ording to them, the Vampiric Beast has abilities that are slightly simr to the vampires in folklore.


    Sure enough, using the fangs of the Furious ck Snake beast, which the trader assumed was a subspecies of the vampiric beast, he obtained this weird ability, Blood Oath, after sipping the beast''s blood.


    "Nheless, why was it fighting the other beast?" While frowning, he asked about the questionable manner of the beast.


    <In regards to its action, it seemed like the beast is trying to protect the host while the host was unconscious.>


    "What? Really?" Jem questioned the trader with an astounded expression.


    <Look around you, host.> Without answering his questions, the trader urged him to look around.


    When Jem did as the trader told him, "Eh!?" He gawked on the spot.


    Some dead beasts were lying around him!


    Moreover, aside from them, there were also normal animals.


    He did a quick count and was able to calcte the exact number. There were about seven dead beasts and two ordinary dead animals lying around him, but he noticed that most of them were only low-rank swine.


    Perhaps swine aremon dwellers in this ce as he already encountered several of them. Jem thought upon realizing that most of the beasts he faced in this ce were swine.


    ''Maybe it wasn''t abyrinth?'' He thought hopefully, even though deep inside, he knew that the chance was low.


    Regardless, although those beasts were low-rank swine only, there were several of them. That also speaks of how strong the one who did it to them was.


    Gyarr~


    A sudden pained howl stole Jem''s attention back to the front.


    "Un!?"


    He could not help but reflexively utter a shocked expression when he noticed the baby beast was now pinning down its opponent.


    Inexplicably, the baby beast sent a nce at him, as if asking for permission, before adding more power on its limb and pinching the enemy beast, killing it entirely.


    Jem subconsciously swallowed back his saliva. He never imagined that this baby beast was so strong.


    "Unbelievable¡­" he muttered.


    Did he truly hurt it? Now, this is questionable. Maybe he has a chance to defeat it if he was in his peak condition and by using tactics. But based on the trader''s words, he was unconscious at that time and was moving only through instinct. So Jem was having difficulty picturing how he defeated such a powerful creature.


    The trader has only told him a vague reply that he bit it. And it was the reason why the baby beast became so weak.


    Gwarf!


    While he was pondering, the baby beast, out of a sudden, produced a strange sound.


    "!!"


    Jem''s body turned stiff when he noticed it was moving towards him.


    It wasn''t good if it suddenly attacked him. Although the trader said about the Blood Oath skill, it didn''t stop him from feeling wary towards it, especially that he was in bad condition right now. He could even barely remain on his feet. If a fight broke, he would surely die this time.


    Even his senses could not be trusted at the moment. His mind isn''t clear because of the throbbing pain all over his body.


    He was feeling a little groggy after losing too much blood from all the wounds he had. It would not be a surprise if he suddenly copsed and died in where he was standing.


    Fortunately, Ex-Humans had formidable bodies. If not, he believed he would have already died long ago.


    Aside from that, he wondered how this beast regained its strength. It was barely alive just a moment ago.


    <It''s because of the Blood Oath skill. Also, don''t get anxious at it, host. It has no intention of attacking the host.> Even if the trader said it, regardless, there''s nothing he can do in his current situation. So getting anxious or not is out of the question.


    Fortunately, just as the trader said, the baby beast did not attack him. Instead, it rubbed its face on his leg.


    Just then, he signed in relief, but his legs trembled every time the beast rubbed its face to it.


    After confirming that the beast had no hostility towards him, he proceeded to his initial n, to search for medicine to cure his wounds.


    He was worrying that the wounds would result in infection. Perhaps, if he wasn''t an Ex-Human, for sure, his wounds would already be infected now. It was another perk of being Ex-Human, to have a body with high resistance against ailments.


    Even when he was searching for something to cure his wounds, he never lowered his guard. He was secretly observing the baby beast that was walking beside him like a tamed animal.


    Whenever the baby beast sniffed a hostile creature, it would rush to attack it at an unbelievable speed.


    He could only watch it while gawking.


    ''What a convenient bodyguard!'' He thought.


    But, he could not put off the wariness he had towards it.


    Jem, along with the baby beast, continued their search for cures.

 Chapter 35 - The Forest

    Using a piece of a wooden stick that he found somewhere, he used it as his cane while he was wandering around in search of cures.


    Jem noticed that even though it was a forest, it looked so different from the forest in his mind.


    Although there were tall trees and bushes everywhere, it was still different from the forest he used to know.


    The forest he knew was lush green. He could often hear the humming of birds and insects. The ground was either brown or green. The leaves were swinging and brushing. It was the very definition of life.


    On the contrary, the forest where he was currently standing looked so ''dull''.


    Everything around him was overcast with depressing color. All around him was the color of gray. Even the ground was the same.


    Contrary to the forest in his mind, there were no humming insects and birds in this forest. There were only eerie howlsing from a distance. The leaves weren''t swinging or brushing, as though time had stopped in this ce.


    It was Jem''s impression when he looked around him.


    Fortunately, even though the ce looked ambiguous, he noticed the nts and trees looked fine after checking one of them.


    He was walking cautiously. It would be bad if high-ranking beasts suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Although he had a dependable bodyguard, it was only one. Facing multiple strong opponents would be difficult even for the baby beast.


    If that is going to happen, he could only escape away as fast as he could.


    After a couple of minutes of searching, he finally found a familiar nt under one of the tall trees.


    "It''s Fangs Aloera!" Jem muttered in an excited voice, though his face twisted in pain a secondter.


    On second look, it had a different color. But Jem knew that it was the same Fangs Aloera that he knew.


    The original color of Fangs Aloera was dark green with bright pigment circle rashes all over its leaves.


    Its leaves were long, narrow, and thick. Thorns that resembled fangs were lining up on each edge of the leaves. It was also the reason it was called Fangs Aloera.


    Regardless, the Fangs Aloera in front of him had grayish leaves. But, he was optimistic that it was the Fangs Aloera he knew.


    Jem carefully plucked one of its leaves. He must avoid another injury, no matter how superficial they are. Also, those fangs will cause smarting pain, which is troublesome in his current condition.


    As expected, after plucking one of its leaves, a gel-like fluid dripped from the cut. It was the same gel-like fluid of the Fangs Aloera he knew. Even the aroma was the same.


    But still, he was skeptical. Though, he had no choice.


    Without wasting it, he let the juices dripped on his wounds.


    Gah!


    Jem groaned because of the prickly pain when the fluid touched his wound. He had to bear it for a couple of seconds.


    He also found other healing herbs and nts after searching for quite a while.


    Jem thought, ''Much better if there''s water to wash them first to avoid any unforeseenplications.'' But since he had none, he decided to do it without washing.


    However, Jem paused for a moment, seemingly remembering something.


    He remembered the ability used by Wendy when they first met. It was when they rode the lotive train heading to the city.


    She used an unusual skill that cleaned his hand when they did a handshake.


    Since Wendy used it casually, he surmised that the skill only needs a little Ex-energy to activate.


    The question is, what must be the skill name? And theposition?


    ording to Miss Sylva, in one of their lectures, to cast a spell, one must understand itsposition.


    She said, "There are four majorponents needed to follow to learn the skill. First, is the Training, second is Experience, third is Composition, andstly, Execution."


    "These fourponents were rted to each other. Through extensive [Practice] or training, the body and mind would start to familiarize the activity, bit by bit gaining knowledge from it. And by gaining knowledge, this is what you called as [Experience]."


    "Once your experience was high enough, your mind and body would subconsciously develop the [Composition]. Then once you''ve got theposition, the [Execution] will be next."


    "Compositions refer to theponents that are needed to develop the skill you want to learn. It can also involve objects or any materials."


    "It was the understanding of the ability you want to learn."


    An example of it was Jem''s Fortification ability.


    To learn the Fortification ability, he trained and trained until one day he was able to understand theposition of it. His mind subconsciously developed theponents: Stone, Metal, Toughness, Boosting, Reinforcement, Muscle, and Muscle Fiber. These are the examples of theponents that Jem learned when he formted theposition of Fortification ability.


    "In short, [Composition] is the reference for your skill."


    He understood that if he reinforced his muscle or muscle fibers with toughness, he would toughen any parts of his body like a stone or metal. Thus, after understanding theposition, he got the word "Fortification." The end product or the name was also the [Execution].


    In this case, to execute the skill, they needed to speak of the name of the skill as it was the trigger for activation.


    There''s no need to voice out the name of the skill, even mentioning it in mind was already enough.


    With the help of Ex-energy, the supposedly impossible things had be possible.


    Ex-energy acted as the fuel to make the skill possible. It was a very mysterious kind of energy. Even with the intensive research, the researchers had yet to understand this energy. It was also the reason they called it Ex-energy because they were yet to understand it.


    It could make the impossible possible. And it opposes thew of nature or thew of science.


    Aside from the name Ex-energy, they also called it Mana, or magical energy.


    To summarize all of that, to learn the skill, they just needed a great understanding of it.


    Although it looks simple, it wasn''t actually. Some minorponents are needed to consider. That''s why most of them took a year or two to learn, though it also depends on their talent.


    Aside from healing nts and herbs, he also found some valuable materials as he was searching. He was able to trade some of them and was able to unlock some useful materials for his survival.

 Chapter 36 - New Encounters

    Jem spent his days in hiding.


    Since he was inside the forest, he was having difficulty finding a good hiding spot. In this kind of ce, danger lies everywhere. And they might being from all sides. So Jem decided to build a temporary camp.


    Although he called it a camp, it''s more like a small horse stable surrounded by a defensive fence. Thanks to his condition, he could not build it properly. Though, it was better than nothing.


    He didn''t do anyborious jobs these past days to avoid straining his body while he was recovering, except in building his camp.


    He alsoid some traps in the surroundings. In case some hostile entities would wander nearby.


    While he was waiting for his wounds and injury to recover, he never forgot to collect materials that had an equivalent value to the system.


    After trading the proper amount necessary, he unlocked more categories in his Trading Shop. One of them was the Medicine category.


    In this world, night and day were difficult to differentiate. So he sleeps when he feels sleepy and eats when he gets hungry.


    After several days of hiding, hisplexion had finally returned to normal. And his strength was at most 80 percent recovered.


    The wounds that usually took a month or two to heal only took several days for him to clot them entirely. But he didn''t go searching immediately.


    To clear any misunderstanding, his days while recovering weren''t easy. He suffered as much as he was fighting the beasts. Jem was sick for days and suffered a great cold.


    He couldn''t even eat properly because of it. Regardless, he forced himself to stuff his stomach even for a little.


    Fortunately, he survived those ordeals.


    More days went by.


    Jem stood outside of the stable, observing his body condition. He noticed that it seemed his body was lighter than usual. Perhaps it''s because of weight loss.


    Right, his body has lost some weight. With all that happened to him, it was understandable to lose weight.


    However, although he lost weight, he noticed his body developed some muscles. He looked thin, yet he was muscr in a different sense.


    Moreover, it seemed it wasn''t only the case that he felt so light. There was a weird feeling that every muscle fiber in his body was ripping with strength.


    He nced around him and noticed his reliable protector leaped out from the bushes.


    Through its mouth, it was dragging a dead animal. These past days, it was this beast who hunted for food. Thanks to it, he didn''t need to waste his Trade Points.


    Since it was bringing him different kinds of animals and beasts, he unlocked many kinds of items in his Trading Shop after trading their leftovers. He also gained a good amount of trading points.


    Looking at the beast, he noticed that it grew bigger. It began to look like that powerful beast back to the bushy in. Though, it was still walking on its four legs, unlike its wellspring.


    "Good job, Solos!"


    Jem decided to give it a name as it would be weird to call it beast or baby beast all the time.


    The word Solos was more pointed to him. He was suffering alone in this ce. He wanted to turn it into his strength by remembering this event of his life and made it his inspiration to survive.


    Of course, he never forgot his grandfather. He was one of the reasons why he was still persevering up until now.


    Using his knife, he butchered the lying deer with greyish furs. Then he grilled the meats on the ever-burning fire of the bonfire. He traded the bones and other parts.


    While he was waiting for the meat to cook, his fingers were busy fiddling with his System Interface.


    On his Status Screen, there was a new addition to his Race.


    "What? Did I be a vampire subspecies myself after acquiring the Blood Oath skill?"


    Jem mumbled.


    <That may be the case, host.>


    He heard the trader''s reply.


    Then, he sighed.


    Hah~!


    "I see."


    Jem was already used to getting surprised, so he epted it like it was natural, without further question anymore.


    In his Exo Points, there were still 3 out of 10. His lips curled upward when he noticed his Ex-Energy was now 290 over 290.


    No wonder he felt so powerful at the moment. It must be the reason. Jem thought to himself.


    His Ascendance Points is now 29 over 100; he was behind 71 points to ascend to level 1.


    His eyes narrowed a bit when he noticed he had 770 Trade Points. Just a little more, then he could promote his Exo Points again. If that is going to happen, his breakthrough would be faster.


    In his skill category, there were two new passive skills, the Poison Resistance and Blood Oath.


    These two skills were both rted to the fangs. Maybe an item from a higher ranking beast grants more benefits? Though it was only his spection.


    After stuffing his stomach, he experimented a little on Solos. He wondered if this beast had a chance to attack him one day.


    He tried to make it angry by throwing something on it and physically hurting it, though not excessively.


    However, Solos only scowled like a bullied coward without showing a sign of fighting back. It cried in pain like a puppy every time he hit it with the stick.


    "What a p*ssy," Jem muttered.


    <That''s useless, host. The familiar had only one goal, to serve their master.>


    Well, he was just cautious. He already suffered a betrayal from a friend. So Jem could not put his trust in anyone this time, not anymore.


    He sighed then threw the stick away.


    Jem stood up and dered. "Let''s go, Solos."


    Gyar!


    It made a cute-sounding reply before it followed at him skeptically. It was looking at him warily, but it never had an ounce of anger within its teary red eyes.


    He needed to investigate this forest.


    Getting out of here must be impossible at his current level. Jem believed it. The trader didn''t mention that there''s no way out in this ce. So he was hopeful that there was.


    While he was investigating the forest, he encountered not only beasts but also monsters.


    Meanwhile, he was observing a group of creatures passing below him.


    Their bodies were simr to humans. However, their height was onlyparable to a human kid.


    If not because of the trader''s warning, he already jumped off of the tree and tried to converse with them. Seeing another human did excite him a little.


    On a second look, he noticed they have grayish blue skin and wicked faces. Their figures alone could intimidate any human.


    He also noticed different types of weapons in their hands.


    One more thing, they exuded a murderous aura. Just by it, he could identify that they were hostile creatures.


    (A/N: Please vote with Golden Tickets for fast chapters and more release. 500 golden tickets for one chapter per day. 1000 golden tickets for 2 chapters a day.)

 Chapter 37 - Astonishing News

    While he was cautiously investigating the forest, Solos made a low growl, seemingly sniffing another creature.


    Jem brushed Solos'' head to calm it. He looked to where it was growling and noticed some shadow ahead of them.


    Looking at the shadows, they looked like human shadows.


    An inexplicable sentiment rose within him. If they were humans, there was a chance that they were the rescue team. Or if not, perhaps, they might be able to tell him the way out.


    But Jem still decided to be cautious.


    Before they could see him, he leaped and stretched his arm to reach out one of the branches. Then, hended on top of it.


    Solos also followed him. It leaped to the tree trunk first before itnded on the branch near him.


    After that, they were observing them from above while hiding by the cover of leaves. He learned that they weren''t humans. Instead, they were some hideous-looking creatures.


    <They are Hignd Gobs.>


    <They are more violent than ordinary gob. So be careful, host.>


    The trader warned him.


    "No problem."


    Of course, he would never act mindlessly this time. He wanted to observe what they could do. He was a hunter, after all. Right, just the same when he went hunting wild animals in the mountain back to the farm.


    But this time is different.


    After a few seconds of observing, he mumbled, "attack."


    After saying it, three Little Mad Swine leaped out of the bushes and attacked the Hignd Gobs.


    Those Little Mad Swine were his familiars. While he was exploring the forest a while ago, he did not miss testing his new skill.


    After reading the details of his new ability, he learned that whenever he sucked his target''s blood, they woulde under his Blood Oath, like what happened to Solos. Though, after sucking their blood, a fraction of his Ex-energy will be automatically spent as a correspondent of the blood.


    Although it was supposed to be a passive skill, Jem still had to spend his Ex-energy. Aside from that, the amount of Ex-energy he had to pay depended on the rank of his target.


    So he had to be careful in using it.


    Five of the Hignd Gobs immediately attacked the three Little Mad Swines. Although those wines were low ranking only, they weren''t ordinary swine.


    Still, if they were not under his Blood Oath, those swine would be running away already.


    Unexpectedly, the Little Mad Swine were able to block their attacks with their long tusks.


    Looking at the flying sparks, those must be freaking hard tusks. Jem, who was watching the unfolding fight, thought so.


    Although the swine did their best, they were at a disadvantage in number. There were only three swine. On the contrary, there were five Hignd Gobs.


    But not only that, Jem noticed something unusual about the two gobs, who didn''t charge at the swine.


    They remained at a distance.


    However, he noticed that energies were swirling at the tip of the stick in their hands.


    "Ex-energies?!" Jem muttered in shock.


    <Yes, host.>


    <Those weapons in their hands are enchanted.>


    "Enchanted weapon?" It was the first time he heard it.


    <Look, host!>


    As the trader said it, Jem noticed the swirling greenish energy formed into a sphere. Its size wasparable to a human kid''s head. Then, it shot into one of the swine and made a hole in its body.


    The poor swine let onest cry before ity down on the ground. It killed one of the swine in one hit?!


    Jem was astonished. Regardless, there was an awful feeling when the swine died. But it''s bearable somehow.


    <Enchanted weapon enhances the power of an attack. Though it also depends on what kind of enchantments a weapon has.>


    It made him very interested in their weapons.


    The other swine got very angry after one of them was shot dead. They aggressively shook their heads and sessfully sent two melee gobs tumbling away.


    One of the swine ran towards one of the range gobs to tackle it using its tucks. However, it was shot dead by the other range gobs. Another spherical energy hit it.


    On the other hand, one of the melee gobs blocked thest swine.


    The two tumbling gobs hastily went back on their feet.


    He also noticed the two range gobs forged another swirling energy at the tip of their weapons.


    However, before they could fire it, Jem jumped off and directly decapitated one of them. A head flew away that stunned the other one, who noticed it instantly.


    Looking at the expression on its face, it seemed shocked by his sudden appearance. Though it only shocked it for a second. It immediately regained its bearings and hastily pointed its weapon towards him.


    But it wasn''t able to fire the swirling energy. There was already a knife embedded on its forehead before thest range gob noticed it. Jem rushed over and finished it with a stab at the chest using his dagger.


    Without looking back, he dodged away as he felt a murderous aura from behind him.


    Just as he expected, right after he dodged, a sheen of the de pass-through at where he was a moment ago.


    But that attacker soon found its eyes pierced by a knife. Jem threw it after he dodged.


    Gar---!!


    It cried so loud but stopped a secondter when his dagger pierced its mouth.


    He followed right away with another attack. A long vertical wound appeared on its torso.


    Bluish blood burst out like falls.


    Thest remaining Hignd Gob was about to run away, but its back was pierced by thest swine instead.


    Jem''s expression while killing the gobs was tranquil. Though deep inside, he hesitated for a bit.


    But Jem also knew that if he wanted to survive in this ce, he must stone himself. Also, these creatures exuded a murderous aura and were hostile.


    But even with all that said, he could not hide his trembling hands. He just killed creatures that resemble humans. This thought would surely hunt him every time.


    <Good work, host.>


    Jem sighed deeply.


    "Yes, thanks."


    He collected all his weapons and looted the corpses.


    No matter what, if it was a sin or not, he must bear it. He did it for the sake of getting stronger and surviving this ce.


    Jem checked thest gob that the swine pierced with its tusks.


    Fortunately, it was alive.


    Perhaps he could gather information from it. He also wanted to find out if he could converse with it.


    In the frontline,


    Wendy decided to visit Desty''s room.


    It was still puzzling her that Jem suddenly left.


    Aftering in front of Desty''s room, she heard someone was talking from inside.


    It was Desty''s voice.


    It seemed as though she was talking with someone through a telephone.


    "Yes, aunt. He is dead. Jem is dead."


    After hearing it, she heard Desty''s sobbing.


    Wendy widened her eyes.


    What!? Hansen is... dead?


    Half a year had passed since Jem Hansen enrolled in the Academy.


    By this time, everything had already gone back to normal, especially in the Ex Soul Academy.


    Most of them already forgot about the student named Jem Hansen.


    At this time, in the frontline, there was astonishing news that stunned all the army officials, especially the 3-star Chief Dix Marcel.


    "What do you mean the Uno Labyrinth has disappeared?!"


    "Y-yes, chief. T-Thatbyrinth has gone! It could not be detected in the radar anymore," stammered his subordinate.


    "What¡ª-"


    The chief gawked.


    (A/N: Update your app. Then vote this novel with Golden Tickets for fast chapters and more release. 500 golden tickets for one chapter per day. 1000 golden tickets for 2 chapters a day.)

 Chapter 38 - The Disappearance Of Uno Labyrinth

    "This is astonishing," the chief mumbled.


    Although such phenomena weren''t rare, the most doubting part was the rank of thebyrinth.


    There was a reason why it''s called thebyrinth of no return. Unlike ordinary dungeons, thebyrinth had no predetermined exit.


    When a person entered it, he/she could not pass back at where they entered, but. It didn''t mean that there''s no way out.


    Although there''s no exit, one could still get out of it.


    Right, there was once a legendary figure who managed to get out of such abyrinth.


    Based on that person''s report, to escape thebyrinth, one must beat it.


    Everyone gawked at that statement. How to beat abyrinth? Their question. Just then, the legendary person exined to them.


    ording to the legendary figure''s statement, thebyrinth was lorded by powerful entities. After defeating a strong creature inside, he suddenly found himself in a different ce which he assumed was the outside of thebyrinth or the real world.


    Though, at first, he thought he arrived at a different ce again. It surprised him when he found out that he was truly outside.


    The legendary person advised and strongly warned them that it''s better to prohibit anyone from entering abyrinth as there was only doom awaiting everyone who nned to venture inside.


    Although he gave a strong warning, it only fueled everyone''s curiosity, especially that the person himself got a noticeable powerup and collected rare materials after beating thebyrinth.


    In the federation, only the selected people knew about it.


    In the military, only the starred personnel were allowed to know it. That said, the 3-star chief himself knew about it.


    They''d even sent some of their men to escort some researchers to the Uno Labyrinth when it came out. However, none of those people had yet toe back and it was almost a year or two since thest time they sent their men to investigate it.


    They''d lost contact with them once those people stepped inside of the entrance. Until now, no single indication of their return.


    They already abandoned the idea of studying it further because of the rate of danger.


    In this case, does someone beat it? Maybe one of those people who they sent was able to beat it. But, it was already a year since they went inside. Also, thatbyrinth was ranked hell for a reason.


    Or is it a new phenomenon? It could be, but.


    The chief creased his brows as he was pondering the reason for the cause of the disappearance of the Uno Labyrinth.


    "Did the researcher''s organization send their men to investigate it?" 3-star Chief Dix Marcel asked his subordinate, who gave the report.


    "No chief. They''re asking for our cooperation about it. Here is the letter of request from them," said his subordinate while handing a rolled piece of paper that was tied with a ribbon.


    "I see," the chief nodded and took the letter.


    After reading the content of the letter, he sighed before opening his mouth once again. "Send some of our men¡­.." he ordered.


    "Yes, sir!"


    <> <> <>


    After defeating the Hignd Gobs, Jem continued his search and investigation. He killed all the hostile creatures he encountered and gained all the points that he needed for his advancement.


    His journey inside thebyrinth was dark and bloody. Many times his life was in danger. He encountered many obstacles that sent him back to square one. But Jem got up and continued. Every time he fell, he got up a lot stronger. Thebyrinth was littered with many kinds of strong creatures that were unfamiliar to him. Thanks to the trader''s guidance, he was able to get some information about them.


    He also encountered many traps.


    Utilizing his skill to their utmost utility, he was able to ovee all the traps and defeated his enemies.


    He became stronger as he gained a lot of experience. He also arrived in different kinds of ces and found himself in a different kind of situation, and he fought different kinds of creatures.


    If by chance he encountered a strong enemy that was impossible for him to defeat alone, he would use his Blood Oath ability to gather more allies and defeat the said enemy through numbers.


    His life inside thebyrinth was all about searching and fighting against the hostile creatures he encountered.


    Whenever he had some free time, he would be practicing hisbat ability.


    Jem continued struggling inside thebyrinth without awareness of the time.


    Several months had passed.


    In the southeastern part of Hillside City of Blue Narra Region, in which the frontline was located, the news about the sudden disappearance of the Uno Labyrinth caused an uproar among all the known people in the military and researchers organization.


    Several people in military outfits along with some people garbed like astronauts stepped inside the Deste Region. The outfit was to safeguard them from the miasma that was proliferating all around the Deste Region.


    A few kilometers away from the eastern border, they arrived at the foot of a mountain surrounded by trees.


    However, all of them wore shocked expressions when they arrived at their destination.


    "Professor Grace, i-it really disappeared," said one of the people in white suit in a stuttering voice and wide eyes.


    The person he called Professor Grace was a woman in her 30''s. Like some of them, she also wore the same outfit as them, but unlike them, there were 3 stars on the chest area of her overall suit. It also spoke of her status.


    Professor Grace faced the wall of the mountain with a frown.


    This spot was where the entrance was supposedly located. However, just as her subordinate said, there were no more entrances. There was only the hard soil and rocks on that wall.


    "Bring out the detector device," she ordered in a calm voice, befitting of her status.


    "Yes. Right away!" After nodding, her subordinate called out to one of their members. "Oi, Sean, bring the detector here!"


    "Okay!"


    A few secondster, a small rectangr device was handed by the person named Sean to the person who called him.


    "Professor Grace, I have the device," he told her.


    "Okay, start," she nodded and urged him.


    After pressing the button on the rectangr device in his hand, numbers started appearing on the small monitor in it.


    "50%, 45%, 40¡ª the value continued decreasing."


    Reported the person while reading the status in the detector device.


    "Ah, it went down to 1%!"


    With squinted eyes, while remaining calm, "I see. It''s no use then. Thebyrinth was already gone," she spoke in confirmation that thebyrinth had truly disappeared.


    But the reason for its disappearance was yet to be uncovered. This matter intrigues them.


    Without them noticing, not far from them, hiding on one of the trees around, a figure was looking at them with peering eyes.


    The next moment the figure disappeared into thin airs.

 Chapter 39 - A Wormwhole

    A weekter after the disappearance of the Uno Labyrinth, in the Frontline, inside the 3-star chief office, 3-star Chief Dix Marcel was busily working in front of his desk when the door suddenly pushed open.


    He paused his work and looked at the person who came inside.


    "Sir, here is the partial report from the team we sent to assist the researchers." His subordinate came inside and handed him an envelope.


    With squinted eyes, the chief nodded and took the envelope. Then he took and read the document inside.


    Stated in the report was the summary of their activities.


    It stated that the group decided to make a temporary encampment near the vanished entrance to study further the reason for its disappearance, or any unusual phenomena.


    Aside from that, there was also the report about their search around the area for any unusual changes and the expected increase in the number of hostile creatures around.


    Stated in the report that aside from the disappearance of thebyrinth, nothing unusual could be found by his men.


    Although they encountered some high-ranking beasts while in the search, the volume of hostile creatures in the area was still the same as it was initially. It also meant that there was no sudden increase in their number.


    After reading it, there was a noticeable frown on the chief''s face.


    "What the hell was happening out there?" He mumbled. His voice indicates great surprise and puzzlement.


    He even sent many elites just in case. Because, once abyrinth disappeared, there would be a sudden increase in the volume of monsters or beasts in the area where thebyrinth was sitting previously. It was a natural phenomenon whenever a dungeon orbyrinth disappeared. As though the monsters in the dungeon would be freed once the dungeon disappeared.


    It also happened when the legendary figure beat the first everbyrinth. It even causes a great disaster to the nearby town because of the sudden rise of the monster''s number. And every time a dungeon was cleared, there would be monsters and beasts left behind at where the vanished dungeon was initially. Like a farewell gift.


    "Yet, this time, no increase in their numbers?" The chief muttered doubtfully. "Well, it''s good too, but. Any unusual happenings were frightening."


    Hah~!


    The chief let out a sigh after putting back the letter inside the envelope. After putting it down on his desk, he looked at his subordinate, who was tight-lipped waiting for his next order, in front of him.


    "Tell them to continue monitoring the area. We can''t be at ease until the leading person in the researcher''s team deres it''s clear."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Chief Dix Marcel massaged his temple and sighed once again after his subordinate left the room. This unusual phenomenon always made him anxious.


    Creak!


    "!?"


    The chief was quite startled when the door was suddenly opened once again.


    "Sir!"


    A young man wearing the army uniform saluted after entering. Looking at his figure, it was apparent that he was a recruit. A newbie.


    Seeing the new face in his department, "State your business?" He said in an annoyed tone.


    The newbie stiffened upon hearing his superior''s cold voice and unfriendly countenance.


    "Uh-eh, w-we detected a signal about the appearance of a dungeon in the eastern part of the Seaside City near the train station, c-chief!" The newbie reported stutteringly.


    With twitching brows, "I see." The chief said dismissively. Then he returned his focus on the pile of documents on his desk.


    "....."


    The newbie just stood out there like a statue. For some reason, after giving his report, the chief did not spare him another nce. Three minutes had already passed since then.


    A momentter, the chief finally noticed his presence. He slowly looked at the young face, standing right in front of his desk.


    "What... are you doing?" The chief asked in a cold voice,ck of gentleness.


    The newbie blinked his eyes several times as he could not understand what was happening.


    "??"


    "Eh? Is that all? A-Aren''t we going to send some of our men, c-chief?" He managed to summon his courage and was able to ask an obvious question. His heart was unusually loud at this very moment.


    He saw the chief massage his temple and made a very deep sigh that for some reason sent shivers down his spine.


    "Goddammit, get out if you''re done with your report!" The chief yelled.


    At those words, the newbie felt like his whole body shrunk. Like he was facing a titan at this very moment.


    "B-but..." he was about to say something again but the chief already said something.


    "Listen. The federation is not part of our jurisdiction. Our main assignment is to monitor the Deste Region in front of us and stop the alien race in the Eastern Region from invading our country, the federation. We can''t do anything inside the country. We can only send our assistance once the local lords or the parliament officials request it from us. Without it, we can''t interfere with anything happening inside the country. And your assignment in the Radar Station is to monitor any unusual happening inside or outside our jurisdiction. Then report to me when you detect something. In case a requestes to us, we can send our men right away without wasting more time!"


    Chief Dix Marcel exined to the ignorant newbie the main task of the military. The newbie was stunned with an embarrassed face.


    "S-sorry chief!"


    "Now, if you finally understood. Then go back to your work right away!" He bellowed.


    "Ye-yes, sir!" The newbie bolted out of the office.


    Chief Dix Marcel shook his head and heaved a deep sigh once again before falling back to his seat.


    "Dammit those superiors in the Radar Station, they''re not teaching their newbies pretty well," he mumbled annoyingly.


    <> <> <>


    In the eastern part of the Seaside City of Ste Federation, near the train station, a wormhole suddenly appeared in mid-air. And it was gradually descending.


    The citizens who happened to be around were all in a panic at the sight of it.


    After all, it turned into a dungeon after descending on the ground. Then, different kinds of monsters from inside will rush outside and attack the citizens in the site.


    That''s why everyone in the area was shouting for help while some were freezing on their quivering feet.


    "Run! Fast!"


    "Find shelter and hide!"


    "Help! Call for help!"


    Random shouts immediately envelop the area upon seeing the floating wormhole that was slowly descending to the ground. Their time limit is once it touches the ground.


    Everyone was in a panic as they rushed everywhere, escaping away from the ce. In just a few minutes, the bursting ce of the train station a while ago was now deserted.


    Somewhere in the area, some people were groaning in pain while wriggling on the ground. They were the unintended victims of stampedes.


    A little girl was crying while shouting, "Mama! Papa!"


    On the opposite street, an old man was crawling for his life.


    However, right at this moment, the wormhole already touched the ground.


    Then, an eerie howl that could tremble a person''s flesh could be heard,ing from the entrance.


    Then a dark green scaly foot with razor-sharp ws stepped out from the void.


    Those who were left behind widened their eyes as their intuition was screaming for danger.


    GRRRR!!!

 Chapter 40 - Academy Students

    A grotesque face with red eyes followed after. Sticky saliva was gushing out from its mouth.


    After stepping outside, the monster with a sizeparable to the human child looked around, searching for its first prey.


    "N-no way, G-Green Gob!" A frightened cripple man muttered in a frightened voice upon seeing it.


    The Green Gob grinned broadly when its line of sight caught the man. Then, it scuttered towards him. Following behind it were several monsters of the same species.


    Like an overflowing dam, they rushed out from the void, the entrance of the dungeon; they were racing to attack the stumbled person.


    The others went in separate directions, they wereing to attack the crawling old man and the crying child.


    GARR!


    GRRR!


    "NOOO! HELP!" The cripple man shouted for help, but his vision instantly turned dim. "Ugwah!" The tip of the stone knife pierced his chest.


    After killing the cripple man, the monsters feast on his body like hungry predators. His blood smeared their ws and faces after gnawing his flesh.


    GWAR!


    The crawling old man and the crying child already turned pale upon seeing the fast-approaching monsters towards them.


    About five Green Gobs were rushing to kill them. And be their nice meal. One of the Gobs sinisterly licked his lips upon seeing the child.


    While the others were busy feasting on the man''s body, two of the Gobs went to attack the crawling old man and three went to attack the three years old child.


    The Gob in front leaped to shorten the distance faster.


    The other Gob who came after the old man raised its weapon to stab him.


    "No, child run!"


    Although he was in the same situation, he urged the child to escape. But it was useless, the three years old child was ignorant, nheless. Forget about running, she couldn''t even move because of fear.


    The Gobs are already celebrating inside. However, an explosion happens on the leading Gob. A zing sphere was sent away and hit the leading gob on the face.


    The Gob was knocked back and stumbled on the ground. Its head was anything but a charred barbecue and was smoking with eyes already white.


    [zing Sphere!]


    A young feminine voice resounded.


    Another zing sphere flew away and hit the other Gob, who came after the old man.


    "!!"


    The other Gobs, who came after the child, stopped advancing upon realizing what happened to theirrades on the other side. But, right at this moment, a figure was rushing rapidly and passed through them in the blink of an eye, like a shadow.


    A secondter, three heads were severed and flew away. They bounced on the ground and rolled a few times.


    The three headless bodies fell simultaneously right when she sheathed back her weapon.


    It was a young girl of about 15-16 years old. She had long, blue ponytailed hair.


    "Hurry, Meir! Let''s get them out of here!" The other person shouted. She had cherry-colored hair and a pretty gentle face. She was the one who fired the zing spheres. Like the blue-haired young girl, she also looked around 15-16 years old. They must be students as they wore the same uniforms.


    However, before they could move out, about 10 Gobs already closed the distance and cut their escape route.


    "Dammit, they''re fast! Wait, Hope!"


    It was toote to escape because they were surrounded already.


    The blue-haired young girl, named Meir, hurriedly picked up the child and retreated to the other girl she called Hope, who was helping the crawling old man to stand.


    "What now?" Hope asked worriedly.


    Meanwhile, they were on the road and their backs were facing a dead end. Around them, they were surrounded by 10 grotesque monsters that were looking at them with malicious intent.


    "Y-you two, are you from the Clearing Association?" the old man suddenly asked with a brightened face.


    "CA? No! We are mere academy students," Hope replied honestly.


    "What!?" The old man gawked. The brightened face immediately disappeared. "P-please take the child and get out of here!" He urged them to escape.


    But the two girls had seemingly no intention of leaving. Or perhaps, it was impossible for them to leave now.


    Meir and Hope gnashed their teeth as their line of sight was swimming left and right. They never thought that these monsters were so quick to react.


    Ambushing them was fine, but once they noticed their enemy, they were quick to surround them, like they were moving through instinct.


    Although Gobs were known as low-ranking monsters, their numbers supplemented theirck of strength.


    "Hey, Meir, w-what are we going to do now?" Hope asked in a flustered voice.


    "Why are you asking me now? You''re the one who mindlessly rushed over here," she retorted. She wanted to stab her withmon sense.


    They were only able to defeat those five as they were unaware of their presence. But the situation right now was different.


    "Regardless, you support me. Let''s try forcing our way before the second wavees out," Meir said.


    Right, based on her knowledge, every few moments, a new wave of monsters wille out of the dungeon. That''s why someone must go inside to clear it before it happens. If not, the ce will be overcrowded with monsters.


    Regardless, the two of them had mo intention of clearing the dungeon. They just wanted to rescue them.


    Nheless, one of the Gobs leaped to attack Meir, who was in front of it.


    She intercepted it with her sword that was on her waist.


    Then she kicked it on the stomach. *Bam!* The Gob was sent rolling away.


    The other simultaneously brandished their weapons at her. But the other one was hit by a zing sphere.


    It was enough to cause an injury and knock back the monster. However, it wasn''t enough to kill it. Hope could not concentrate and ended up shooting it without waiting for it toplete. She almost had her arm severed by the other Gob. Fortunately, she was able to evade it.


    Meir immediately ran to help her and thrust her weapon, hitting the Gob in the chest. Then she sent a kick.


    "Thanks!" While she was thankful, she also fired another zing sphere to the other side. It was another weak zing sphere. But enough to injure her target.


    "Say it after we escape here!" Meir shouted and stabbed the other Gob.


    The two girls were working in sync.


    "Ugh!" Mier groaned.


    "!!"


    "Are you okay?" Hope asked worriedly.


    "Just a scratch!" After saying that, she swung her katana sword upward. "HAH!"


    After a struggle, they seeded in cutting half of the monster''s total number. And two of them were badly injured.


    Meir and Hope were gasping for breaths. And bruises and cuts were apparent on their bodies. Though, they could still fight. But, right at this time, they noticed the void, the entrance of the dungeon, shone brightly.


    "This is bad, Meir! A second wave ising!"


    The two girls grimaced.


    Then at the corner of their eyes, they noticed a figure casually walking towards the void.


    "Eh?"


    Looking at his figure, he seemed to be a young boy of around the same age as them.


    "Hey! Get away from there!" Meir shouted at him.


    However, that boy just nced at them with a nonchnt face. They noticed his eyes devoid of emotion.

 Chapter 41 - The Swarming Gobs

    After a nce, he returned his gaze in front of him then proceeded towards the void.


    "What?!" Meir eximed when that person ignored her warning. "What is he doing?" She asked herself in a mutter.


    Mier was confused at his carefree reaction. She wondered if that person didn''t notice what was happening around him at this moment, though she doubted it. In this regard, in this current situation, only the deaf and blind could not realize the danger in the site.


    She wanted to warn him again, but she could not as one of the gobs already came to attack again. She had no space to spare on that nonchnt person, who was seemingly walking towards his demise.


    Meir blocked the gob''s attack with her sword.


    "Hey! Don''t go there! That thing out there is dangerous!"


    "Hey, kid, run away!"


    "What, he''s not hearing us?! He proceeded!?"


    Instead of her, she heard Hope giving a warning too to that same person. Even the aged man with them also shouted, urging him to run away.


    Meir didn''t even need to nce at him to understand his response to their warning.


    That person has undoubtedly disregarded their warning.


    "N-no way. He entered!" This exmationing from the aged man took Meir by surprise. She took another nce at that boy. Sure enough, that person leaped to the void. ''What!''


    She had no idea if he was deaf or just an idiot. Throwing his body inside the dungeon alone was asking trouble to himself.


    There''s no way one can survive alone in that dangerous ce. Meir believed so.


    In fact.


    Not even those dungeon experts in the Clearing Association would be willing to enter such a ce by themselves.


    No matter how low-level a dungeon was, it was still dangerous for a person to wander inside. After all, it was a ce littered with monsters.


    To clear the dungeon, they needed to form a party of several people to guard each other''s backs.


    Each person had their expertise in terms of fighting. Some are good in recovery ability, some in closebat, while some in range.


    So forming a team in clearing a dungeon is a must.


    Yet,


    How did that person just nonchntly enter it?


    ''Ah, muu~!''


    Meir decided to shake the thoughts out of her head as it was already toote. She didn''t want to see another victim, but that person already went inside the void on his own ord.


    Inside the void, upon entering, the boy found himself standing in front of 20 Green Gobs.


    "Oh," the boy utter in a low voice with a hint of surprise, though there''s no change in his expression. He never thought that there are already monsters waiting in the entrance.


    "!?"


    The gobs were seemingly surprised also at his sudden appearance. Question marks and exmation points were floating above their heads. They stared at him with blinking eyes.


    Just then, GWAR! One of the gobs growled. Then the others came to attack the intruder in front of them.


    Weirdly though in front of a dangerous situation, the boy has carefreely tied his medium-length ck hair at the back of his head, revealing his sharp eyes and quite a handsome face.


    He swayed to his side and easily dodged the first strike from one of the gobs.


    "?!"


    The gob closed and opened its eyes in wonder at that moment.


    Without the gob knowing, a kick wasing at an unimaginable speed. The gob''s eyeballs were as though they were going to pop out in that instance when the kick hit the side of its face.


    It was sent flying away and bumped onto the other gobs on its path like being hit by a bowling ball.


    The other gobs stared dumbfounded. But soon, they came back to their senses when they noticed an unusual auraing from that human.


    Their faces contorted into angry faces.


    GWAR!


    GAR! GAR!


    They raised their weapons in the air and began racing towards him full of malice. This insolent fool will only have death awaiting him!


    Full of rage, they were kicking the cold hard ground to butcher him as soon as possible as their revenge for their fallen brethren.


    In that instance, he lifted the hem of his brown leather jacket, revealing the rows of fastened weapons belting around his waist.


    He took two knives, holding one in each hand. The furious Gobs were like ants as they swarmed on him.


    Those who were in the lead readied their weapons to strike or stab him. But, right at that moment, a nauseating pressure burst out from his body, turning the furious gobs in front of him into something akin to frightened mice.


    The Gobs in front of him trembled in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, they were cowering. Beads of sweat were apparent on their faces. It was the result of [Intimidation] ability.


    The affected gobs felt an unimaginable fear towards him and thought their lives were in danger. However, not all of the gobs were affected by it. Those who were at the back were not affected and also those on his sides.


    Though, it was enough to avoid getting trapped in the middle of furious enemies.


    He dashed forward towards the quivering gobs in front of him.


    While running away from those who came behind him, he also began killing those in front of him, using the knives in his hands.


    The poor victims could only cry out from the pain of having their flesh getting sliced by his knives.


    Blood was then gushing out from their wounds. Although it canceled the effect of his [Intimidation] ability, they were not in shape to fight again. They were dying from those wounds they got.


    He continued doing so until he annihted all those under his intimidation. He did all of it in a quick motion as though he merely passed by.


    Then he threw those knives to the chasing gobs from behind him. Hitting one of them in the eye and the other one urately pierced one of the gobs in the forehead. And it died on the spot.


    ARGH!


    The other gob tried to pull out the knife. Though, it became the unlucky victim of the rushingrades instead.


    One gob was able to get near him. With fierce red eyes, it raised its weapon to strike him.


    He caught the wrist and then twisted to the back. The gob groaned as its face contorted in a pained expression.


    Without letting go of the gob, he kicked the other gob who came on his side.


    Bam!


    The gob he kicked mmed to the ground. Blood burst out from the crevices on its face.


    Then, he pulled the gob he was clutching and spun it around like a monster propeller.


    The battle continued until he finished all of them. It took him about two minutes to dispatch all of them.


    <Goodjob, host.>


    A voice resounded at the back of his mind.

 Chapter 42 - Predicament

    Several minutes had passed after the mysterious boy entered the dungeon.


    Outside the dungeon, the battle was still ongoing. Only three gobs left, but the situation wasn''t good.


    "Watch out!" With a grim expression, Meir yelled on top of her lungs.


    At the corner of her eyes, she saw Hope stumbled on the ground and fell on her butt. It happened when she tried to evade one of the attacking gobs.


    Meir screamed out when she noticed one of the gobs was raising its weapon to strike Hope.


    She wanted to rush over to Hope''s side, but her current situation won''t let her do it.


    She was currently holding her weapon horizontally, trying to push back the weapons of the two gobs in front of her.


    The two Green Gobs were trying to overwhelm her. They were pushing their weapons against her katana.


    It was a grave situation for both of them.


    Her strength was exhausted, and her hands were quivering the same with her feet.


    In addition to their trouble, she noticed the effect of the reinforcement skill she applied on her body started to disappear. The glowing energy she was exuding had started to fade away. It was her ability that allowed her to increase her physical strength.


    This reinforcement ability allowed her to be stronger and faster.


    However, it was disappearing.


    ''This is bad. I''ve used up my ex-energy!'' Meir thought worriedly.


    She was only able to block the monster''s attacks because of the reinforcement ability she was applying to her body. Without it, there''s no way she can fight them like this.


    In that brief moment, she pondered what she needed to do to escape their predicament and to avoid the tragic fate awaiting them.


    Presently, Hope was in a bad situation. On the other hand, Meir used up her ex-energy.


    ''How futile, there''s nothing we can do now,'' Meir thought with a hint of resignation. She knew that it was the end of all of them. It looks like their heroism will bring them to their demise instead. She should have prevented Hope from charging here a while ago. They would never have to face a tragic fate in this ce.


    Meir bit her lips in frustration. Then she briefly nced behind her and noticed the child was still crying.


    She sighed.


    But then she could not sleep at night because of the guilt if they did note here to save them. And also, it was their duty as ex-humans.


    Ex-human huh. The humanity''s savior. What a joke. She could not even save these two. Mier was self-mocking herself. Maybe they were idiots for thinking they could have a chance to save them in their current level of strength.


    If only she was a little stronger. If only she trained harder. She regretted that there was nothing that she could do in their current situation.


    At that moment, something came into her mind.


    ''Right, what happened to that person who entered the dungeon?''


    She didn''t even know whether he was an ex-human like them or just a normal human only. Regardless, whether he was a human or ex-human, entering that ce is a sure way towards his deathbed. Maybe he chose to die in that ce.


    She wondered if he was still alive at this moment? Probably already dead.


    She could not understand why there are people who can easily throw their lives away. She hated their kinds. It was the same hate she felt for those people who can tolerate taking other people''s lives.


    Right, all of them are the same.


    Meir secretly bore hatred towards that boy a while ago. How did he casually throw away his life? They, on the other hand, were struggling to survive at this moment.


    He should have helped them escape in this ce if it was his reason in the first ce. In that regard, he would have died meaningfully


    She wondered how many minutes has it been since that person entered the dungeon.


    Tsk!


    She reprimanded herself for thinking unnecessary things at this moment.


    When she noticed the gob swinging its weapon to kill her friend, Meir strengthened her grip on her sword and pushed the two gobs in front of her with all her might.


    HAAAH!


    She used the ounce of ex-energy that was left inside her body. She could not let her friend died without doing anything.


    Using all her strength left in the body, she pushed away the two gobs in front of her.


    Fortunately, she managed to push them. The two gobs stepped back. It gave her a chance to rescue Hope.


    When the gob in front of Hope noticed the approaching Mier, it was alreadyte. The tip of her katana pierced the side of its torso.


    GWAR!


    The gob cried out.


    Everyone was looking with wide eyes while holding their breaths at that moment.


    However, at that moment too, Meir felt something cold caress her back. Then it was followed by excruciating pain.


    Meir!


    Hope called out with a pale face. Blood blurted out from Meir''s mouth in that instance.


    One of the Green Gobs managed to chase her and struck her at the back.


    A long diagonal wound registered on her back. Blood sprayed out from her wounds immediately after receiving it.


    "H-Hope¡­" she called out in a weak voice, but her vision was already dimming. Herst memory was the teary eyes of Hope as she was looking at her with a shocked expression.


    Meir! Meir! Meir!


    Hope called out again and again as she quickly moved towards her, but Meir could no longer hear her calls.


    GWAR!


    Yet, the gob once again raised its weapon to finish her for good.


    Maybe fueled by anger, Hope summoned thest bit of her ex-energy and fired a zing Sphere at the gob''s face.


    Luckily, it hit and burned it on the spot.


    However, Hope already exhausted her energy. She felt dizzy. Trying to fight back the dizziness, she crawled towards Meir. But there was still one gob left. Hope shielded the lying Meir using her own body.


    The aged man and the child were freezing in fear at that moment.


    Hope closed her eyes as she waited for her death along with Meir.


    But, right at this moment, they heard an unusual sound like tearing the air.


    Hope''s close eyes trembled at that. In her mind, it must be the weapon of the gobing closer to cut her.


    Weirdly enough, after a few seconds, there was no pain or any sensation rted to it.


    She opened her eyes. She noticed there was a knife embedded in the gob''s head. It fell to the ground a secondter.


    Ha?!


    She gawked.


    Then, a figure was walking towards them.

 Chapter 43 - The Place He Came From

    "W-who are y--"


    Hope muttered, but then she widened her eyes.


    "It''s you¡­"


    Hope was staring at him with wide eyes.


    That person continued walking without any sign of reaction. She noticed his calm and expressionless face. She was certain he was that boy who jumped into the void a while ago.


    But then she wondered how, how was he here? Didn''t he go inside the dungeon? So why is he here?


    Her mind was full of questions. Hope could not believe that he was still alive after going inside that ce.


    Aside from her, the aged man was looking at the same person with wide eyes open and agape.


    That boy who went alone inside the dungeon came back without a scratch!?


    They were staring at him with disbelief as he was moving at a steady pace like he was casually walking in the street.


    His eyes, which were devoid of emotions, nced across them.


    They stiffened at that instance.


    There was an inexplicable chill when he did it. But they could not understand what it was.


    Nheless, Hope was dumbfounded when she happened to look far behind him.


    The void or the dungeon entrance was no longer there!?


    "H-how did it happen?"


    The boy noticed her disbelief but he ignored it.


    Although Hope wanted to question him regarding the disappearance of the dungeon, there was a more serious matter than that.


    "Please help us! My friend... My friend is injured. Please call for help. I am begging you."


    Hope summoned her courage and asked for help, albeit in an exhausted voice and teary eyes.


    The boy stopped moving.


    Then, he turned his gaze from her to below him, ignoring her pleas.


    Beneath him, a few centimeters away from his feet, there was a lying gob with a knife sticking on its head.


    Without sparing another nce to Hope and the others, he slowly reached out on the knife while stepping on the gob''s back, applying pressure and pressing it to the ground. Blood spurted out from the wound when he pulled the knife.


    It was a cruel way of treating a dead creature, but. Who cares? None of them cares to be honest. They are monsters who feed on humans after all.


    However, seeing the one who did it was a person, who was hardly considered an adult, there was an indescribable feeling deep inside. But since they were in an inappropriate situation, none of them questioned his action, nheless.


    After pulling out the knife, he gets rid of the blood that was sticking on it via a suddensh in the air. The blood scattered away in that instance.


    In a practiced motion, he hid the knife under his jacket. He hangs it back on his waist where the other weapons are belting around.


    He sent another nce at the people in front of him. All of them were looking at him while wearing different kinds of expressions on their faces.


    He was sure that he used to wear the same expressions before.


    That''s why there was a strange nostalgia when he looked at them.


    Could it be because those were the same expressions he lost in that ce?


    No, actually.


    He chose to abandon them. The ce where he came from doesn''t need those things.


    Without saying a single word, he turned his back towards them.


    "Eh?"


    He heard an utterance of disbelief from behind him. He ignored it and continued walking away.


    In truth, he just arrived in this ce. But then, after arriving in this ce, the trader told him about the appearance of a strange aura not far from them.


    Sure enough, after telling it to him, he saw many people running away in panic.


    After getting out of that hell, he had to travel several days to arrive at this ce, longing for a peaceful day for once. Yet, there was amotion when he arrived here.


    He wanted to go home so badly. He wanted to see his grandfather.


    Many things happened to him that he could not believe even until this day. He wanted to share his story with his grandfather.


    A story about his unbelievable journey inside that hell and all that he experienced.


    The grief of being alone, the fright from the chasing monsters, the pain of enduring those wounds and injuries, the fear of death that woulde to him anytime, the thirst, the hunger, and etcetera, all of those, he overcame all of those.


    He wanted to ask if he was a great person now. After all, he ovees those hardships.


    He couldn''t recount how many times he almost died. Several times on those asions, he survives after remembering his grandfather''s teachings.


    That''s why he wanted to see him sooner and give his gratitude for all his teachings.


    However, since the train won''t run any time soon because of themotion, he had to take a detour and investigate the cause.


    Sure enough, as the trader said, there was an unusual void on the street, near the station.


    Then he saw some familiar creatures around. They wereing out from that void.


    Even though he was looking at the monsters as they were feeding on a person''s body, there was no change in his expression.


    As though what happened in front of him was a natural phenomenon.


    For him, those hungry creatures were merely stuffing their stomachs, satiating their hunger.


    In his eyes, humans weren''t different from animals, beasts, and monsters.


    What others saw was a gruesome scene, but in his eyes, it was a hungry creature feeding on another creature.


    It''s a normal urrence to that ce.


    Regardless, the trader told him about the void, that it was a dungeon entrance.


    The trader also added some details regarding it.


    Since the train station would probably not resume their work if the dungeon was still there, he decided to take action.


    He had nothing against those creatures; it just so happened that they were a hindrance to him.


    And maybe he could find rare materials too inside that dungeon.


    The trader said that it was a low-rank dungeon. And normally, a low-rank dungeon only has a few floors, unlike the high-levelbyrinth.


    He cleared it in a matter of minutes.


    But before he could leave the area, someone from behind him called out to him, "Wait! Please, help my friend! Call out for help¡­"


    He did not bother looking back and continued walking away. However, the girl, Hope, keeps calling at him.


    Just then, <Host, isn''t it a good chance to figure out the efficiency of that new medicine?>


    Upon hearing it, he finally stopped on his feet.


    Then he looked behind him.

 Chapter 44 - The Mysterious Boy

    The trader has a point. He acquired a rare herb in that dungeon just now, which unlocked a new type of medicine in the Trader''s Shop.


    "I see." After saying it, he returned to where the girl and the others were.


    Several secondster, Meir''s eyelids twitch. Then Hope noticed them deliberately opened.


    When Meir opened her eyes, her vision was still blurry. But she could still recognize that face who was staring intently at her at the moment.


    "H-Hope¡­?"


    She called out her name in a weak feeble voice.


    Hope''s eyes slowly widened, and her mouth formed into a big smile. "Meir! Yes, it''s me, Hope! You recognized me?" Hope raised her voice when she heard her name.


    Meir slightly nodded her head in response. She wondered what Hope was talking about. Of course, she recognized that easy-going face of hers.


    "Thank goodness." As she said it, Hope brushed away the tears at the corner of her eyes.


    Then, suddenly, "Meir! Meir! Meir!" She called out her name repeatedly.


    "Ugh, wait, Hope, I can''t breathe." She revolted in a weak voice. Because of the happiness of seeing her friend''s consciousness back again, she hugged her tightly, out of a sudden.


    "Ah, sorry, sorry!" She immediately loosened her embrace.


    "Anyway, what happened?"


    She wondered what happened and why she was in that state, why she felt exhausted beyond belief, as though she ran nonstop the whole day.


    At that instance, there was a sudden influx of memories in her mind.


    Those were the memories of what happened before she lost consciousness and the reason she fainted.


    Beside her, Hope was looking at her with blinking eyes. Although she looked as tired as her, she was donning such a cheerful face. Maybe because she was happy to see her in a good state.


    In Mier''s mind, Hope was just that kind of person.


    Meir subconsciously touched her head as she was still a little dizzy. She shook her head slightly to get rid of the dizziness and blinked her eyes several times to clear her blurry vision.


    After several blinks, her vision came back to normal finally.


    Just then, "Eh?" She noticed a person standing beside her on the opposite side.


    That person was not looking at her at the moment. He was looking around. However, the case is, he looked familiar to her.


    After a little effort of trying to remember him, ''Right, it''s him! He was the boy who leaped into the void.'' She remembered somehow.


    ''He''s alive?'' It surprised her.


    Before Meir could say something, Hope stood up and faced him.


    "Uh, erm, I''m Leanne Hope, and this is my friend Desiree Meir. Uhm, what is your name?" Hope said timidly.


    "Eh?" Meir gawked at the sudden introduction.


    Leanne Hope''s introduction seemingly took the boy''s attention. He shifted his gaze to Hope, then to her, Meir. Then back to Hope again.


    "Jem Hansen."


    For some reason, his voice resonates in Hope''s mind. Meir blinked her eyes in wonder. She failed to hear it as her hearing was also unstable at the moment.


    Since his voice wasn''t loud enough, only Hope heard it.


    "It''s my name."


    There was a smile on her face when she heard it.


    After saying it, his attention was back to the lying objects around. They were the monster cores. He was sure about it.


    However, something was bugging him. Why did the bodies disappear, leaving only the monster cores?


    A while ago, the bodies turned into something like ck smoke.


    It was the first time he saw something like that.


    <It must be because they lost their source of existence, host.>


    ''Source of existence? What is that?''


    <The dungeon.>


    While Jem was talking with the trader, Meir called Hope and asked why he was there. Isn''t he the guy who went inside the dungeon?


    Hope then exined to her what happened after she lost consciousness.


    "What! He cleared the dungeon, and he''s the one who healed me?!" She asked in disbelief.


    She looked at her friend''s face and noticed she was serious.


    Besides that, "She''s telling the truth." The aged man interjected. They finally noticed their existence. Beside him was the sobbing kid. Right, they came here to rescue these two.


    When she realized something, she hastily tried to reach her back. She could not feel any pain, however. Her face suddenly became red.


    Noticing her weird behavior, "Don''t worry, it''s already healed. The wound is gone without leaving a scar--" Leanne Hope tried to ease her, but. "Eh?" She noticed that it seemed Meir''s worry was not in the wound.


    She also noticed Meir Desiree''s beet-red face.


    Just then, she realized where her friend''s worries wereing from.


    Right, she must be worried about her exposed back. Her dress was cut, revealing her back''s bare skin.


    She must be so embarrassed that a boy of probably the same age saw her bare skin. Since they needed to apply the medicine to her entire wound, they needed to tear a big portion of her dress. Thus, revealing more skin.


    However, the person in question was already gone in that ce.


    He already confirmed the effectiveness of the new medicine. So there was no longer a reason to stay in this ce for long.


    When Hope and Meir looked at where he, Jem Hansen, was standing supposedly, they could not find him anymore.


    As though his whole figure popped up like a bubble.


    "Eh? Where''d he go?" Hope asked in puzzlement.


    Hope sighed regretfully as she wasn''t able to say their thanks for helping them.


    Regardless, he was so mysterious. Leanne Hope thought so.


    "Jem Hansen¡­" she whispered his name.


    "Did you say something?" Meir asked her.


    Hope shook her head slightly, "N-No."


    "I see."


    After Jem Hansen left, a few minutester, some people who were wearing attires that could only beprehended as battle-ready attires arrived at the site.


    There were 10 of them, and each of them was holding different kinds of weapons.


    Since Hope and Desiree were yet to recover, the two of them, along with the aged man and the kid, rested for a bit, waiting for help toe.


    "My name is Gino and they are my teammates. We are members of the Red Falcon Guild. A legal guild under the Clearing Association."


    They introduced themselves as members of the guild licensed by the Clearing Association.


    They asked them about the dungeon.


    Hope and the others were quite surprised upon hearing Gino''s introduction.


    The Red Falcon Guild was famous in the East District of the Ste Federation.


    They already achieved many feats. Their guild even once received a Medal of Honor when they helped to subjugate the Monster Tide in the neighboring city.


    Beside her, Meir had gleaming eyes. She was a fan of them. Especially to the only woman in their team.


    Meir felt her stamina had suddenly refueled upon seeing her.


    Without a second dy, she approached her. "Uhm, you''re Miss Valerie, right?" She asked the beauty who was wearing a white suit topped with a ck shoulder pad and ck chainmail armor, covering her upper torso. On her back was a modified bow, known as Zero Degree! The popr bow that already killed thousands of enemies.


    "Ahaha¡­ yes, yes."Valerieughed wryly as she nodded.


    After that, the cheerful girl with a pale face, in front of her, bombarded her with questions. Valerie had to repeatedly nod her head.


    Regardless, upon hearing Gino''s question, "The dungeon, is it? It''s gone," Hope replied.


    "Eh? Gone? What do you mean gone?"


    "Yes, Je¡ª"


    Hope was about to tell him about Jem Hansen but decided against it at thest second.


    "Ah, I mean a mysterious boy came and cleared it."


    "What?"

 Chapter 45 - The Red Falcon And Black Wing

    There''s a hint of disbelief in Gino''s exmation. Though it only happened in an instance. To put it bluntly, he chose to believe that the boy was along with his team when he cleared the dungeon.


    "In that case, do you know which guild they belong to?" He decided to ask again.


    There were few guilds under the Clearing Association that were active in this district. Each of them was capable of beating a dungeon, though it also depends on its rank.


    But, Gino and his party were dumbfounded at Hope''s reply. "Party? No." She shook her head. "He''s alone."


    She also told them that he was a young boy of the same age as her. Thus, it further mystified the Red Falcon members.


    "....."


    "For real?!!"


    She was slightly taken aback by their reaction and timidly nodded her head.


    Gino wondered if she was fooling them, however. He could not find any hint of lies from her.


    Looking at the girl in front of her, it was clear that she was around 15-16 years old.


    Is it possible for a boy of such age to clear a dungeon by himself?


    The answer is simple.


    There''s no way!


    "Say, do you know him? I mean that boy."


    "....."


    Looking at her hesitant face, "Rest assured. We''re not going to harm him. I merely wanted to know his name."


    "I see."


    Well, since Jem himself told his name right away when she asked it, there must be no problem if she disclosed his name, right? Moreover, they were the famous Red Falcon Guild.


    "Uhm, I don''t particrly know him. He came in the middle of battle when we tried to rescue the two behind us. Uhm, by the way, please, he''s our benefactor. I hope nothing bad wille to him..."


    Gino was surprised to hear her story and wanted to hear more about it. But most important for him now was the boy''s name.


    "Sure, I promise," he said to ease her.


    "His name is¡­.. Jem-----"


    "Hoy! Red Falcon!" Before Hope could finish telling Jem''s full name, someone interjected out of a sudden.


    ''Jem?'' Gino thought before he looked behind him.


    "ck Wing...?" He muttered upon seeing the people who wereing towards them.


    All of them uniformly wore ck body armor. And on the chest area of their armors was the ck wing logo.


    The person on their lead was no other than one of their leaders, "Drake!" He has spiky hair and fierce-looking sharp eyes. And a pesky smile was on his face.


    On his back was his favorite greatsword, the ck Hurricane. The sword itself was ck.


    Rumors said the sword was forged from the scale of the ck Dragon.


    They were walking at a steady pace towards their direction. A momentter, they arrived in front of them.


    "What''s up, Drake?" Gino greeted them with a question.


    His voice wasn''t friendly nor antagonistic.


    "Is it you guys who cleared the dungeon?"


    Without beating around the bush, Drake asked him in the same level of mannerism as Gino if it was their group who cleared the dungeon which appeared in the area.


    Gino raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you''re aiming with that dungeon as well?"


    "Talk that to someone who came before us, CEH!" Drake rebutted with a scoff. Then clicked his tongue at the end of his words.


    "Heh~ aren''t you guys only having your eyes on a higher grade dungeon? Well, for us, we aren''t picky apparently." Gino said in a little teasing tone.


    For him, it was unnatural for the ck Wing to target a lower-grade dungeon. Hence, he wanted to try to scoop some information from them.


    The two men, who were of the same build, look at each other''s eyes.


    However, Drake was the first one who threw away his gaze from Gino. "It''s none of your business," Drake did not engage in a conversation with Gino and unusually retreated while ncing around him. "Well, since you guys are here, there''s no need to guess who cleared it," he said then sighed.


    Drake concluded that it was Gino''s party who cleared the dungeon. Then, he turned around and faced his men, "It''s regretful that we''re a secondte," he said to his men with an exasperated look.


    "Haha, feel free to believe that." Gino''s chuckles took back Drake and his men''s attention.


    Drake frowned as he looked back at him. "What do you mean?"


    "Well, you see. We have just arrived as well."


    "What? Then who?" Drake squinted his eyes.


    "I would have known already if you didn''t show up at the wrong time," Gino replied in an exasperated tone. "Though, we can ask her---" when Gino looked back at Hope, "??" he could not find her anymore.


    "Uhm, their guardian arrived and took the two girls away while you two were conversing," Valerie reported while having a nonchnt face.


    "....."


    Gino wanted to shout, WHAT! But he chose to stay silent with crestfallen. "Well, it can''t be helped."


    Aside from the name ''Jem'', he could not get any more information regarding the clearing of the dungeon and that boy who managed to clear it.


    Honestly, he was still hesitant to believe that a single young boy cleared it on his own. That is just very out of sense.


    He might believe more if that girl told him that she and her friend cooperated with the boy to clear it.


    After seeing the girl''s uniforms, he believed that they were from the Academy of Ex-Humans.


    Although it was still unthinkable that three academy-level ex-humans could clear a dungeon, it was more convincingpared to a single boy clearing it on his own.


    Completely disregarding Gino, Drake approached Valerie.


    "Oh my goddess, Valerie. Your voice is so sweet. Your very presence is the epitome of my love. Bless me with your unyielding brilliance and ward off this feeling of unease within my soul. Give me the happiness I am seeking for my entire life."


    With heart-shaped eyes, Drake sang praises of love, out of a sudden, however.


    "Sorry, I refuse."


    GAH!


    As though Drake was hit by 1 million volts of lightning, he fell to the ground with white eyes and drooling.


    A female in the ck Wing group shook her head as she massaged it.


    "Take the captain and let''s move out," she ordered their members.


    "Yes, Miss Q."


    Before following the retreating figures of the other members, she nced at Valerie.


    Miss Q was a woman with long ck hair tied at the back and wearing a pair of eyesses. On the other hand, Valerie was a silver-haired beauty with long straight hair.


    Both of them had good assets, but, in terms of beauty, no doubt that Valerie was a little above her.


    Inwardly, ''CEH!'' She secretly clicked her tongue. But on the outside, she bowed slightly before leaving the site, following her retreating group and leaving the dumbfounded members of the Red Falcon group.


    "Ahaha, that guy have never learn, huh," Gino muttered jokingly. After saying it, he also asked to return to their headquarters, the Red Falcon Guild Hall.


    After everyone left, some people from the different sectors of the local department arrived at the site.


    "Bleeurgh! A dead body!" One person vomited upon seeing the remains of a person.


    Well, it wasn''t actually umon in this world. It was amon scene whenever a dungeon appeared. Still, those who are not use of seeing it would probably ended up fainting or vomiting.

 Chapter 46 - Overlord Of The Labyrinth

    Jem was quite surprised by what the trader told him.


    Inside thebyrinth, the monster''s body would never disappear when he killed them. That''s why it surprised him when the gobs turned into smoke and disappeared.


    That''s when the trader told him about their source of existence.


    So, ording to the trader, once the dungeon disappears, the monsters from it also disappear in a few moments.


    After leaving the site where the dungeon appeared, he arrived in the market area. While walking along the street of the market, Jem suddenly stopped on his feet when something came into his mind.


    <What''s the problem, host?>


    The trader''s voice resounded at the back of his mind.


    ''No, I just thought about it. When I defeated the Giant Gob in that dungeon just now, the dungeon disappeared. But when we defeated the 3-eyed guardian in thebyrinth, thebyrinth became my dimensional abode instead."


    Exactly as Jem said. After defeating a very strong opponent inside thebyrinth, thebyrinth did not disappear. Instead, it became his dimensional domain.


    <Maybe because the one who defeated it is the mother and child.>


    The trader replied to him.


    "Hm."


    <Since the one who ended it is also a dweller of thatbyrinth, thebyrinth did not disappear.>


    The trader exined.


    ''However, didn''t you say that a dungeon orbyrinth needs a being with an abundance of magical energy to sustain it? To maintain its existence.''


    <Exactly as the host said.>


    ''So, the one who was sustaining thebyrinth, could it be the three-eyed guardian?''


    <Exactly as the host said.>


    ''And the one who supplied the dungeon is the Giant Gob?''


    <Yes, host.>


    ''So that is the reason the dungeon disappeared after the dungeon guardian was killed by me.''


    <Yes.>


    Jem squinted his eyes. Both the dungeon and thebyrinth lost their guardians. However, contrary to the dungeon, thebyrinth remained.


    Here where his doubt lies.


    In this case, there must be someone else who was supplying thebyrinth for it to remain in existence.


    ''Who is currently supplying thebyrinth?''


    Jem asked curiously.


    It can''t be him as he has so little magical energy. Although he leveled up to three, his Ex-energy still can''tpare to the real guardian of thebyrinth. Nor is it the mother or child? No, none of them had the energyparable to the guardian.


    <I see. I understand the host''s worry. In this case, since the one who gives thest punch to the previous lord of thebyrinth is the mother and child, it is right to assume that both of them are the newbyrinth guardian.>


    ''What?''


    <Once the guardian is killed by the same dungeon dwellers, the one who ended it will be promoted as the new guardian.>


    <However,>


    ''?!''


    <Since the mother and child are host''s minions, under the effect of [Blood Oath], the host can be considered akin to an overlord of thebyrinth.>


    ''Overlord of thebyrinth?''


    <Yes, host. It also exins why the host can summon thebyrinth entrance whenever the host likes it. That said, since the host is the overlord of thebyrinth and his minions are the guardians, the task of sustaining its existencees to all of you.>


    ''Hmm¡­ I see. So that is the reason, huh. In that case, if I''ve only let my minions kill the Giant Gob a while ago, will my minions be the new guardian of that dungeon?''


    "....."


    ''Then I''ll be dried up with magical energy for that reason.''


    <Rest assured, host. Even though the host is spending his ex-energy to sustain the existence of thebyrinth, the ex-energy the host chipping in isn''t as much as could harm the host.>


    ''You mean?''


    <Thebyrinth depends on the energy that its guardian can provide.>


    "So that''s why its size sank to an unimaginable degree," Jem mumbled.


    <Exactly.>


    Just then, a sigh of relief escaped his mouth.


    <Regardless, host.>


    ''Hm?''


    <What are you going to do now?>


    "I need cash. But the market was deserted."


    Jem continued walking.


    <Yeah. Probably the news about the appearance of the dungeon reached this ce. Everyone escapes away in a panic from this ce.>


    "Yeah."


    "Since the market has ceased to function as well, I need to find a ce to stay for the meantime while waiting for both the market and train station to resume their activities."


    His original goal was to earn money by assisting the vendors or merchants with minor jobs. But the market was inessible at the moment.


    "Just that, renting a room is out of a question, huh. I don''t even have a cent in me at the moment."


    Aside from the market, he had no other idea where he could earn money. His talent lies in farming after all. So, he had no idea how he could earn money in the city. Also, after what happened to him, his view towards humans turned 180 degrees. He had zero affection towards them. The only exception was his grandfather. For him, humans and beasts were just the same creatures that only differ in figures. Both of them are monsters.


    While he was mulling, <Why don''t you sell the monster cores, host? I think the host can find some shops somewhere.> He heard the trader''s suggestion.


    "....."


    "Hm¡­.. You''re right. I can sell those cores which I obtain after killing the gobs in the dungeon."


    "I guess I have to do it then."


    After saying it, he decided to look for a shop where he could sell the cores. However, he noticed that most of the buildings around had their doors and windows closed.


    Well, since the ce where he currently was, just near the site where the dungeon appeared. So, it was natural that the people here were already in hiding.


    Just then,


    GORRFFF!


    A fancy carriage stopped in front of him.


    "Hey!"


    A person climbed down from it as she called out to him.


    "Ah, it''s you! I know it!" Said the person as she stopped in front of him.


    Jem nced at her with his usual poker face. Right, he remembered this girl.

 Chapter 47 - Date

    While Jem was walking on the roadside in search of an open shop to sell his loots, a fancy carriage suddenly stopped right beside him.


    GORRFFF!


    Then, "Hey!" Someone jumped out from it while calling him.


    He stopped and looked towards the voice.


    "Oh, it''s you! I know it!" Said the person as she walked and stopped right in front of him.


    Jem remembered her.


    It was the girl who introduced herself a while ago. But he couldn''t remember her name. He wasn''t paying attention when she introduced herself and her friend. He was more focused on the strange happening, the disappearance of the monster''s bodies.


    While wearing a poker face, "What''s the matter? Do you need something?" He asked in a cold and uninterested tone.


    "Ah, eh, no. Sorry, I''m just¡ª-"


    She stammered upon hearing his indifferent way of talking. But before she could finish her words, Jem already turned around and continued walking away.


    "?!"


    Hope gawked for a second before she realized what happened. He left without a second thought.


    "Geez!"


    She hastily followed after him like someone who was ditched by her lover.


    "Hey, wait!" She called out again.


    However, Jem did not even spare a nce at her. He continued walking without minding the girl who was trying to catch up with him.


    "Jem Hansen!"


    Upon hearing it, he stopped on his feet and wondered, ''How did she know my name?'' Jem thought.


    <Isn''t it because you told her, host?>


    ''Really?''


    <Yeah. That time when she introduced herself and her friend.>


    "I see, though I can''t remember. My mind was fully upied at that time."


    <That''s must be the reason the host replied without thinking.>


    "..."


    <Will it does not cause any trouble to host?>


    ''Which one?''


    <For letting others know the host''s identity.>


    ''I don''t think it will. I''m not a fugitive, so there''s no reason to hide it.''


    In fact, he was the victim of someone''s blunder.


    <I see. Then that''s that.>


    ''Yeah.''


    Hope arrived in front of him, blocking his way, avoiding him from running away.


    "Do you need something?" Again, he asked the same question in a calm voice and nonchnt face.


    However, the person in front of him was gasping for breaths.


    Hah, hah, hah~


    "W...why are you running away?" She asked.


    "..."


    "I...I just wanted to say my thanks for helping us and for healing my friend."


    She stared at him as she spoke. Her face was pale and she was breathing deeply. Even Jem could tell that she was exhausted. Regardless, it wasn''t his concern.


    "You don''t need to thank me. I did it not because I want to save¡ª" before he could finish his words, the girl in front of him cut in.


    "Forbat experience, right? I know it because I''m an ex-human too."


    Hope knew that an ex-human could gainbat experience in killing mobs. Fighting for real where their life was at stake could trigger their Danger Sense.


    In the Department of Experts, who studied Ex-human, they presented the first theory regarding the growth of Ex-humans in terms of battle experience and advancement. The theory they presented was known as the Danger Sense Awakening theory.


    The Danger Sense Awakening theory was just one of the theories on how ex-humans could possibly gain [Ascendance Points] in fighting.


    In the Danger Sense Awakening theory, when the danger sense of an ex-human is triggered, it would excite the cirction of ex-energy in the body and boost their adaptation ability, causing one''s instinct to reach a new pinnacle in that instance. Thus, their body and soul would undergo a quick pace of learning and adapt at that moment.


    The House of Schrs also presented their theory, the Satisfaction Sense in Killing theory.


    ording to this theory, the cause of gaining [Ascendance Points] was the satisfaction in killing.


    In the Satisfaction Sense in Killing theory, ex-humans gained [Ascendance Points] a lot faster when they killed their opponent.


    Hope was yet to understand further about this theory, but. The name of the theory alone was enough to understand what this theory was about.


    Although it was a debatable topic, both theories had inmon. Both theories prove that real fighting allows one to gain more experience than those in training. So fighting and killing monsters was a sure way for fast advancement.


    However, the pace of their advancement all depends on their growth talent, or also known as [Exo]. If the Exo points of that ex-human were low, then his or her advancement would be slow alsopared to others with high growth potential.


    Regardless, in both theories, their advancement woulde faster in real fighting than mere training. That''s why she knew what Jem Hansen wanted to say.


    "But still¡­" she continued.


    "It can''t change the fact that you saved us, especially my friend."


    "..."


    He did not say anything. Jem thought this girl was troublesome.


    Hope stared at him and noticed his mouth slowly open.


    "Date."


    That''s the word that came out of his mouth.


    "....."


    Hope blinked her eyes twice, seemingly yet to absorb the word he spoke.


    Then, a momentter, her pale face turned into a rosy red. Her eyes widened and her mouth produced stammering sounds.


    "Wha-wha-whaa¡­ d-d-date?!"


    But that''s fast and they didn''t know each other for one day. Regardless, they''re not even in love with each other!


    In the face of a flustered young girl, Jem repeated his words. "Date. Do you know?" There was no change in his expression when he asked her and his voice was as monotone as usual.


    "Eh, date?"


    "Yes. The current date."


    Just then, Hope realized that she overreacted. The person in front of her, although his way of asking could be easily misunderstood, in truth, he was just asking for the current date and not asking her for a love date.


    Geez! He almost gave her a heart attack, her thoughts.


    Hope sighed. No one knew if it was a sigh of relief or a sigh of disappointment.


    "It''s the 10th day of the second month."


    Although there was no change in his outward expression, he was surprised deep inside when he heard her reply.


    "I see." Jem muttered. Then, he continued asking, "Do you know a nearby shop where I can sell the monster''s remains?"


    After hearing it, Hope''s eyes glimmered.

 Chapter 48 - Old Aquaintance

    After hearing his question, just then she noticed the knapsack he was carrying on his back. Leanne Hope believed that inside it was the monster cores he gathered after killing the monsters in that dungeon.


    Even till now she still couldn''t believe such a young boy was able to clear that dungeon. He looked normal in her eyes. There wasn''t anything unusual about him as she looked at him.


    Normally, as young as them should have no means of clearing a dungeon.


    She sighed inwardly, if she kept on thinking about it, this would reach to no end.


    She inhaled, then mped her hands and moved a little bit closer at him. "In that case, juste along with us as we are also going there to sell the monster cores we gathered."


    He remembered this girl along with her friend also fought against the gobs outside the dungeon. Probably, they also gathered some monster cores with them.


    Jem stared at her for a couple of seconds, while Hope was waiting for his reply.


    "Just tell me the location," he said in the same tone as usual.


    "I don''t want to!"


    She pouted to the side.


    Jem started moving again and passed her. He had no time to waste on useless chatter.


    At that instance, Hope widened her eyes.


    "Wait! The shop you''re looking for is in the next town! You can''t find an open shop here at this time," she shouted on his back.


    "..."


    Meanwhile, Jem found himself sitting in front of the sleeping person inside the carriage. He decided to tag along.


    Wait. He remembered her. She was the girl he used as test material to test the efficiency of his new medicine.


    Looks like she got dried up and fell asleep. Even the red-haired girl was barely keeping her eyes awake.


    "Leanne, who is he? Your friend?"


    Unexpectedly, aside from the two girls, there was another person inside the carriage.


    Based on her face, he estimated that she was around 50-60 years old. Moreover, she was a nun based on her attire.


    "He''s our benefactor, Sister Ann. His name is Jem. He was the one who saved us from the monsters from the dungeon."


    "Ou." She produced a mutter before she looked at Jem. "In that case, please allow me to express my gratitude, noble young man. Thank you for saving these two reckless children."


    Jem''s expression was as stagnant as the water in a vase. No slight ripples could be found.


    "Sister Ann, we were not reckless, and much more not children. We''re just trying to help those people," Leanne Hope retorted while pursing her lips.


    "Fufu. Still, that''s reckless. If this noble young man did note to help you, I don''t want to imagine what would have happened to the both of you."


    ''But, how did this young man able to save them?'' Sister Ann thought inwardly.


    Hah~


    "I know."


    Hope pouted after a sigh.


    Jem was there, keeping his silence. He wanted to say that it wasn''t his intention to help them. But then, the conversation would only grow longer. He was sure that the nun would still insist on thanking him, nheless. No matter if it was intentional or not, he could not deny the fact that his action truly helped the four people on that site.


    Besides, he didn''t wish to waste his energy talking with fruitless conversation.


    "Don''t mind it. I just so happened to be there."


    With this reply, it could beprehended in many ways. Although he didn''t deny that he was their savior, he also did not directly admit that he saved them.


    Most importantly, there''s no room to chase the topic. It''s up to them now toprehend it in any way they want.


    Sister Ann slightly bowed her head towards him. Jem just nodded in response.


    At the corner of his eyes, he noticed the red-haired girl looked at him while donning a surprised expression.


    Right, the nun called her Leanne Hope. After hearing it, there was a feeling that it was familiar to him. Well, it must be that time when they introduced themselves to each other.


    On the other hand, the other girl was sleeping soundlessly while using the nun''sp as her pillow.


    Jem could not deny that the sleeping girl and Leanne Hope were both high-ss beauty, but. For the current Jem, in his eyes, they were like beasts, but of much better skin.


    Since the carriage interior was big enough to amodate six people, there was more space inside.


    Hope was sitting beside him. Though, they weren''t sitting so close. There was enough space in the middle of them.


    Perhaps the nun noticed the exhaustion of Hope, she did not engage in a long conversation with her.


    Maybe because of boredom, Hope tried to engage in a conversation with Jem, but after noticing his disinterested behavior, she gave up halfway. Also, exhaustion already got the better of her. Her eyelids slowly dropped down--- like the closing of the window''s curtain.


    Finally,


    Silence visited the interior of the carriage. This was the atmosphere he was used to. He didn''t feel any displeasure from it. He would even be d if this continued till they arrived at their destination.


    The only sounds were the soundsing from the friction of wheels and horse hoofs against the road. Although it sounded discordant, it was still more pleasing to hear than conversing with someone.


    But Jem''s wish did not happen. The nun called out to him and asked some trivial questions like his age or where he lives and such.


    He responded in the most simple and direct reply.


    Although she has a gentle aura, Jem''s trust issues towards other humans already plummeted to the lowest.


    "I live on the northern border of the Hillside teau."


    The Hillside teau was located north of Hillside City. Whereas their house, the farm, was located on the northern border of the Hillside teau. The Hillside teau can be found north of Hillside City. Then, Hillside City was located northeast of Seaside City, where they are currently at.


    They were currently traveling towards Mauve Town. It was located about 80 kilometers south of Seaside City.


    After hearing his reply, there was a noticeable change in the nun''s expression. "I see. This might be a coincidence. Or perhaps, God''s guidance. In truth, I have an acquaintance living in that ce."


    "I see."


    He just wanted to end the conversation.


    "Yeah. Perhaps you know him."


    "Although that ce only has a few residents, the distance of each house is by no means near."


    What he wanted to say is that there was a high chance that he didn''t know her acquaintance.


    "You''re right. In any case, if heaven guides you to meet him in the future, please deliver my regards to him. By the way, his name is¡­.. Joe, Joe Hansen."


    "....."

 Chapter 49 - Airboat

    The Ste Federation consisted of four districts, the south, north, west, and east district.


    Seaside City is one of the cities belonging to the East District.


    At the moment, Jem and the others were traveling towards the nearest town from the Seaside City, the Mauve Town.


    The reason that he agreed to tag along was, it was umon for a young person like him to sell materials like the monster cores.


    People would get suspicious of him if, out of a sudden, someone as young as him would sell several monster cores at once.


    He didn''t care about what others might think about him, but. He could not do things unreasonably.


    Although he became a little stronger after his conquest of thebyrinth, it didn''t change that he was a small fish in a giant pond.


    He was still ignorant of the world. He knew so little about it. That''s why. He should be careful of his actions.


    Nheless, not all shops in Seaside City were closed. But it didn''t mean that all shops would buy monster cores.


    Just because he agreed with Leanne Hope''s invitation toe along with them, it didn''t mean he trusted her. If he thought of it logically, his decision was a better choicepared to walking around while trying to find one shop out of many.


    Looking for one out of many was exhausting, physically and mentally, especially when you don''t know the exact location.


    That''s whying along with them was more beneficial to him. Just because he was betrayed before and suffered, it didn''t mean he had to act alone all the time. What he learned in thebyrinth was to be more vignt. Involving himself with other people was unavoidable. No matter what he did, at the end of the day, he was still one of that despicable race. So avoiding contact with them was difficult.


    Though, he never lowered his guard while in the presence of other people. He also tried not to get too involved with them. That''s why he would rather avoid talking to them and stay silent the whole trip.


    His view towards other people would never be the same as how it used to be before thebyrinth time.


    Regardless, he just needed to get done with it and get cash in selling the materials with him.


    About the danger of getting betrayed? Only heaven could tell. No one was omnipotent against betrayal.


    In this case, he just needed to believe in his luck. But, if that is going to happen. They must be ready for the consequences of their actions as Jem would not hold back in doing something that they would never wish for in their whole life.


    If things turn south for him, or if the other party is stronger than him, he has a way to escape.


    With his newly acquired power, the dimensional territory, he had a great chance to escape a difficult situation. Though, he would never say one hundred percent because that is outright hypocrisy. There''s no absolute one hundred percent in regards to one''s safety.


    After hearing the name that came out from the nun''s mouth, the nun finally noticed a slight change in his expression. It was a tiny change that happened in an instance only.


    The name she spoke of was not only familiar to him. It was the name of the person he held dear.


    His grandfather.


    "I see. I will ry it to the person if given a chance to meet," was his reply to the nun. Even with the slight surprise, he still managed to get back his calm.


    Though, he was curious. He wanted to ask how she knew his grandfather, but he decided against it at thest second. Anyhow, if he wanted to know, he just needed to go home and ask his grandfather about it.


    The nun could not help but secretly amazed, and at the same time, doubted him.


    His calm demeanor was unusual for a person of his age. How can such a young man have this level of calmness?


    At first, she thought he was the type of person with a few words. But as she was observing him, he seemed to be beyond that. In their conversation, he only replied in simple yet straightforward words, always attempting to put a stop to the conversation.


    She had no idea if he was hiding something or he just disliked conversing. This young man intrigues her for some reason. There was a weird simrity between him and that Oldman.


    "Fufufu. Thank you very much, then," Sister Ann said as she bowed slightly in his direction. The young man in front of her nodded slightly. She decided to put an end to their conversation. She could not provoke such a person, who was the savior of these two girls.


    The rest of their trip was finally a peaceful one. But in truth, not entirely. Who would have thought that the girl beside him would be snoring so loud?


    Jem was secretly amazed that she could sleep in such a situation. Probably, because of exhaustion.


    It also happened to him sometimes in thebyrinth. Whenever he survived a hard-fought battle, his body would fall asleep even in any kinds of situation.


    Contrary to Leanne Hope, the other girl was sleeping peacefully.


    Jem sighed inwardly.


    Then he focused his gaze outside. The scenery gives him a pleasant feeling. The falling snowkes were slowly embracing the canary fields and slowly painted them in white. But it didn''t take long. The snow was disappearing along with the white world.


    A few momentster, the sun peeked out, granting warmth to the country. It was evident that the winter season in the federation woulde to an end soon. Then, a new spring woulde to greet the country.


    ''I''m finally outside, huh,'' Jem thought in nostalgia.


    After almost an hour of travel, they could finally see the canopy of buildings ahead of them. It was the Mauve Town.


    However, a kilometer before they reached the town, they heard unusual sounds.


    Zooooom!


    Zooooom!


    Zooooom!


    CREAAAAK!!! The carriage came to a sudden stop, causing panic to the people inside.


    "Kyaaaahhh!!!"


    Leanne Hope shrieked when she suddenly felt pains on her face. Her face was forcibly pressed on the carriage''s frame, which she used to lean her head.


    "Ngh! W-What''s happening?" Sister Ann groaned and asked in a pained voice. She suffered the same as Hope. Fortunately, she was able to hold on to Meir.


    Because of Hope''s shriek, Meir woke up. "W-what happened¡­?" She asked. She blinked her eyes several times to clear her vision, but. Then, after clearing her vision, her eyes widened on the spot.


    She noticed a familiar face in front of her!


    "Ehhh!" But before Meir could open her mouth once again, they heard a piece of bothersome newsing from the coachman.


    "Sister Ann, t-the rebels!"


    "What!?"


    Sister Ann''s face instantly turned pale upon hearing it.


    The jolt caused by the unceremonious stop did not cause any displeasure to Jem. That moment when he was gazing outside, he noticed some people riding flying vehicles. They speedily overtake the carriage.


    Jem felt a foreboding feeling just looking at them. So, he subconsciously gripped the horizontal pole on the carriage ceiling.


    A second after that, the sudden stop happened.


    It wasn''t the first time he saw those vehicles. He saw some of those when he was still in the Academy. However, only rich people could afford to buy it.


    Based on what he knew about it, that vehicle was made of wood as its body, and metal as the frame. Then it was powered using a special artifact as the engine. The design was simr to a boat (Flying Jet Ski). But unlike a boat, it could hover half a meter above from the ground. Thus, the vehicle is called Airboat!

 Chapter 50 - The Rebels

    "S-Sister Ann, t-the rebels!"


    "R-Rebels?"


    "Yes, and they are blocking our way!"


    "What!?"


    There was a hint of panic when the coachman and Sister Ann mentioned it out loud.


    Even Jem, who knew so little about the world, knew what that word signifies. The rebels. They were bad news. They were an anti-government group that refused to follow the existing authority.


    But why would the rebels be targeting them? Even Jem could not help but ask the question to himself.


    "R-rebels¡­?"


    While massaging her swollen face, Hope, who was awoken untimely, muttered in disbelief.


    Then, "Eh? L-Luc?" Meir, who also had just opened her eyes, mumbled with a hint of nostalgia.


    The face of a familiar person greeted him. It was Luc, their supposed childhood friend in the orphanage when they were young. But weirdly though, why was he here? He left the orphanage when they were young when someone adopted him.


    Although her voice was barely a whisper, Jem heard it clear.


    He wondered if she was still half-asleep. She called him in a name he could not recognize.


    Nheless,


    Because of the sudden stop, her skirt uplifted, revealing her bare legs. It''s not his fault to see them. Really. Honestly.


    Jem was unaware of what was currently running in Meir''s mind.


    Meir thought it was strange to see their childhood friend here. She realized her vision was blurry. She blinked her eyes to clear it. When she looked at him again, the face of her childhood friend was not there anymore, however. In exchange, there was another familiar face.


    Out of a sudden. "Eh! Why are you--!" she eximed while hastily pulling her body to get up.


    However, after pulling her body, she gawked. At the corner of her eyes, she noticed her skirt lifted a little above, revealing her bare leg''s skin!


    "Kyahhh!"


    She instantly turned red. At the same time, she hastily pulled down her skirt. Then she red at him with puffed cheeks, half-crying.


    Unconcerned, Jem stared at her with his usual poker face. In his mind, he wasn''t even craving for it.


    Even though he experienced eating all sorts of beast''s meat in thebyrinth, he still had a slight reservation as a human being.


    He chose to remain silent to not sound defensive.


    Also, their current situation wasn''t good.


    Suddenly, "Do it!" They heard amanding from outside


    "??"


    They blinked their eyes in wonder. They wondered what it meant. A secondter, *Bam!* an explosion happened nearby that caused the carriage to shake terribly.


    "Kiyahh!!!"


    Since Meir was ring at him the sudden tremble of the carriage almost caused them to kiss each other.


    But Jem magnificently caught her shoulders before it happened. He pushed her away after that. Meir was flustered for a second before she realized they were in a bad situation.


    She had many questions in mind, but for now, "Sister Ann, Hope, what was going--!" She called out and was about to ask when, "You guys, inside the carriage! Come outside, or we will force you toe out!" She was interrupted by someone''s shout.


    Based on the shout, it wasing from outside. It was demanding someone-- toe out!


    And that someone was no other than¡­ them!?


    "Hope what''s going on?" She asked in worry.


    "R-Rebels are blocking the road!"


    She noticed Hope''s face turned pale. Meir''s heart sank upon hearing it.


    "Rebels?" She muttered despondently.


    "Mhm," Hope slightly nodded.


    "What!" Meir was terrified after confirming it.


    Leanne Hope turned her eyes to the person in front of her. "Sister Ann, what are we going to do?" She asked in worry.


    "Hmm¡­"


    The nun fell silent. She was thinking about what was going on. Why did the rebelse to block them? She did not remember doing any actions that could trigger their hatred.


    Meir''s eyes subconsciously wandered towards the person in front of her. ''Eh!'' As usual, he was wearing the same expression. He was calm even in such an emergency. Does this person even know what rebels are?


    When there was no responseing from the people inside, "Dammit, are they trying to challenge my patience?!" An angry spat from the person who was riding the Airboat in the middle.


    Currently, three Airboats are blocking the road connecting towards Mauve Town. Each of the Airboats had two people riding in tandem.


    He must be the leader of the group.


    Annoyed, he turned his gaze to the people riding the Airboat on his left. "Hey, Mags, are you sure there are those people in that carriage?"


    "Yes, leader. ording to the Locator, there are three of them," replied the person who was back-riding.


    "I see. So three against six, huh. Alright, we have the number advantage."


    "Uh, Leader. Isn''t that underestimating our capabilities? Also, based on our intel, they were freshmen academy students only. So, even alone, it''s easy to capture them," the rebel with the name Mags said with an exasperated expression.


    The leader frowned after hearing it. "Ha?! They were freshmen academy students?"


    "Yes!"


    "Dammit, why did you just say that!? Alright boys, get done with it. We can''t fail the lieutenant."


    After saying it, he nced to his right side.


    "You, go get them."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Before the two people who the leader sent to approach the carriage could walk half the distance between them and the carriage, they noticed people came down from it.


    The two rebels who approached the carriage stopped on their feet and looked at those people while donning a smirk on their faces.


    The rebel leader narrowed his eyes. Then a grin appeared on his face when he noticed that there were three youngsters among them. ''And a nun, huh,'' he thought mockingly.


    "Hey, Mags, are those three the ascenders?"


    "Yes. No doubt about it."


    "I see. Hehe. That''s good. Two beautiful young girls and one nonchnt boy, eh?"


    The two girls were noticeably frightened. But they were still putting on a brave face, trying to hide their fears.


    ''That''s good, that''s good,'' thought the leader. On the other hand, he noticed the boy in the group having a calm and expressionless face. ''Fufu. What a strange one,'' the leader thought again when his eyesnded on Jem.


    "Hehe. This would certainly be a smooth mission," muttered the leader. Then along with the person behind him, they got off the Airboat. They walked forward and arrived beside the two rebels who he sent to approach the carriage. Upon arriving beside them, they notice the nun stepping in front of the youngsters.


    "Y-you are the rebels, right?"


    The rebel''s leader knitted his brows before his mouth formed into a grin. "What do you think, sister? Hahaha!" The leader replied andughed mockingly.


    Hehehe!


    The other members were grinning along with their leader.


    Sister Ann frowned. Sure enough, there was a red bandana tied on their right arm. In that bandana was a uniformed insignia.


    "C-Can you tell me what you need from us?"


    Sweats were trailing on Sister Ann''s face as she was trying to put on a brave face. But the rebels knew that she was acting only. It was easy to see through her facade.


    Desiree Meir and Leanne Hope''s eyes were warily swimming around the rebels.


    The rebel''s leader lifted his hand to the side, gesturing his men to quiet.

 Chapter 51 - Escape

    "Shut up, old hag!" The rebel leader angrily yelled at Sister Ann. "We don''t have the time to waste on useless crap like you!" He added coldly.


    "Your action is more suited for bandits, not for rebels!" Meir snapped. Her hands were holding the hilt of the sword that was hanging on her waist. Although it was only a normal sword, it was better than none.


    She could be wrong about rebels, but. Based on what she understood about them, they were an anti-government group whose sole purpose was to overthrow the current government.


    But perhaps, these rebels have a different agenda that is different from others.


    "Right! Do rebels degenerate to such an extent as the bandits?" Hope also screamed in agreement to Meir''s statement.


    Although both of them were scared, Meir and Hope tried their best to calm themselves.


    "Heh~" The leader just sneered at them. Then, he ordered, "Do it, boys, before those fools at the town noticed our presence."


    They could not waste more time with needless chatter. If those soldiers on the town''s gate would notice them, there was a high possibility that they would send a group to rescue these people. That''s why he immediately ordered his men to conduct their mission. Their mission was to abduct the three ascender humans.


    Panic rose immediately after the rebel leader announced it.


    "Wait! Spare the children!" Sister Ann tried to persuade them, but.


    "Well, goodbye, sister. Hehe!" One of the rebels pointed his palm to the nun.


    Meir and Hope widened their eyes when they noticed a bright blue floating glowing ring materialized on the person''s wrist that resembles a magic array.


    That ring symbolizes the power level he had. It also meant that he had already achieved the first level of power attainment.


    "A level 1 attack is iing!" Hope alerted.


    Sensing a foreboding feeling, Meir hastily leaped in front of the nun while at the same time calling in a panic. "Sister Ann!"


    "Meir! Sister Ann!" Hope also shouted their names.


    Meir directly unsheathed her weapon and fortified it.


    A wave of magical energy was fast approaching them. The nun widened her eyes; her face was ashen.


    Meir shed the iing wave of energy using her fortified sword. There was a confrontation, but it only happened in a split second before Meir was thrown away.


    The sword was knocked away and disappeared from her hands. The power of the enemy''s attack was too much for someone like her. The disparity between a leveled ex-human and the under-level ex-human was like opposite ends of the straw.


    "Meir!" Hope and Sister Ann hastily ran to her side.


    "Ngh¡­" Meir groaned in pain as she tried to get up.


    "GAHAH! GAHAH!" She coughed blood.


    "Meir, are you okay?!" Hope asked worriedly.


    She gripped on Hope''s dress to gain an invisible support. "Y...yeah, I¡­ Am fine¡­" she said in difficulty.


    Hope and Sister Ann shot angry looks at the rebels. At this point, Meir understood that they were no match against these people.


    They have yet to regain their energy after the battle with the Green Gobs. Their physical strength was also yet to recover. On top of that, their enemies were too strong for them. And they also have the advantage in numbers. So basically, it was already a checkmate for them.


    "What do you want?"


    Sister Ann raised a question again.


    But the leader just red at her. "Heh! We''re not interested in an old hag like you, but. We do want to take those three ascenders with you. Ehehe!"


    The leader scoffed and scornfully announced their motive.


    What¡­?


    Upon hearing the rebel leader''s deration, everyone''s heart sank as fear began to creep out from within their souls, shuddering their bodies in that instance.


    "Now, everyone, take those three ascenders and kill the old hag and the coachman."


    After hearing it, the coachman, who was silently cowering on the carriage, turned pale.


    Hope nced around her. Amid a tense atmosphere, Hope found her eyes a target, she looked at him, unaware of the expression she was making. She was the boy she just met, but there was an indescribable nostalgic feeling she couldn''t exin that time when his voice resonated in her ears.


    With teary frightened eyes, "Sorry for dragging you along with us, Jem. Please, bring Sister Ann and Meir with you and escape this ce," she asked him in a voice just enough for him to hear.


    "Wait, Leanne, no. Please, Mr. Jem. Please bring these two with you and escape from here!"


    "W-What are the two of you talking a-about. H-hey! P-Please, I¡­ I beg you. Bring these two along with you and escape here!" Although she felt pain, Meir was still able to say the words.


    "....."


    The boy who was receiving it just stood there with a bored face.


    However, after hearing that single word, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere around him.


    He didn''t want to save these people. Nor, did he want to get involved with them? No, that''s nothing like that.


    But after hearing the word escape, it triggered an old memory in him.


    Hey, do you know?


    It was about his past in which a person he trusted escaped away along with others, leaving him alone in that dangerden ce.


    Jem slowly tied back his medium-length hair to the back of his head. His face was overcast with shadows, so it''s hard to tell what expression he was making on his face. But, since it was him, he probably had that poker face again. It was Hope''s honest thought as she was looking at him with wide eyes and gaping mouth.


    "No, Jem! Don''t go there! Please, escape from here!" She was urging him to escape. If it was him, perhaps he had a chance to escape and call help.


    After hearing their leader''s order, the two rebels began approaching them.


    However, before reaching them, one shouted a warning.


    "Watch out!"


    "Eh!?"


    Fwoosh! Fwoosh!


    Two knives were tearing the space as they traveled in the air at a hard to perceive speed.


    GAH!


    Plop! Plop! Plop!


    Blood dripped.


    "What?!" A surprised utterance from the person who had his shoulder pierced by a knife. "How did--"


    Everyone was stunned at the sudden development.


    He wasn''t able to finish his words becauseanother knife pierced his throat.

 Chapter 52 - Level 1

    Fortunately, he instinctively blocked the knife with his right hand. If not because of it, the knife would have already prated deep into his throat. But still, the knife pierced his hand, and the tip of it wounded the skin of his neck.


    "Ngh! Dammit!" The rebel groaned as blood dripped on his wounds.


    Everyone was dumbfounded at that instance. They looked at where the flying knives came from. They saw the boy walking unhurriedly to the front.


    A glint flickered in the rebel''s eyes. Then his face began to twitch into an angry expression.


    He looked ahead and saw the boy moving slowly towards them. But the boy stopped halfway. The expression on his face was indiscernible as it was overcast with shadow. Only his ring eyes are discernible at this moment.


    Anger rose within the rebel''s soul and caused a deep sense of killing towards the cause of his pain. The wounded member of the rebels angrily yelled. "Damn you, bast*rd!" Although he was bloodied, using his left hand, the rebel fired a wave of magical energy at Jem.


    The shiny ring magical array appeared on his left wrist this time, as he was using his left hand to shoot a magical attack at Jem.


    Seeing that one of his men lost control, "Idiot! Don''t kill him!" The rebel leader warned angrily. Their mission was not to kill the three young ascenders but to bring them with them.


    "Ah?" It was already toote! The wave of magical aura had been shot already before he realized it.


    Swoosh~


    "No, Jem!" Hope shouted in worry. If something terrible happened to him, her conscience would haunt her for the rest of her life, as she was the one who persuaded him toe along with them and dragged him along with them to this situation. Hope regretted.


    The attack traveled straight towards its intended target. Looking at its speed, it was impossible to dodge! And yes, that attack hit him, however. The expected result did not happen.


    "What!?"


    "H-how¡ª!"


    Everyone gawked in disbelief when the wave of magical energy disappeared at contact with him, as though the magical energy scattered into thousands of pieces like fireworks, then it went poof at that instance.


    Everyone turned silent. They could not process in their minds what had just transpired in front of their eyes.


    Yet, they saw Jem standing in the middle without an injury.


    How the hell did that happen!? That was an attack from a level 1 ex-human. All the present people understood how strong that attack was,ing from a level 1 ex-human.


    They also understood how unusual of a situation it was. Could it be¡­ the attack did not hit him? Their minds are trying to find excuses.


    However, it was different from the wounded rebel. It was his attack after all. Although there was a hint of relief that he did not end up killing him, for some reason, his pride could not ept the result. He could not ept that his attack was being looked down on by others. He''s a level 1 ascender after all! And to think that his attack did nothing against an underleveled ascender, the thought haunted him. His hand trembled slightly before he yelled, "AH! DAMMIT!"


    Summing up the frustration he got from the injury he suffered, he lost it!He fired another magical wave of energy.


    Swoosh~


    At that instance, everyone was looking with wide eyes.


    "....."


    Yet again, nothing happened. The boy was still there, standing without a hint of getting injured.


    "W-What¡­?" The wounded rebel stuttered as his lips began to tremble. Blood was still dripping from his wounds. And his breathing started to feel heavy.


    "E-eh? Jem?" Hope whispered his name in disbelief when she noticed he was fine after receiving that scary attack. Regardless, thanks he was fine.


    "Please, Jem! Escaped with Sister Ann and Meir!" Hope, once again, tried to persuade him. But the boy did not respond.


    "....."


    All the people present on that site were having trouble epting what was happening. There was reluctance in believing it the first time they saw it. However, when the same thing happened again, they finally understood that there seems something unusual about this boy.


    Taking advantage of everyone''s surprise, he slowly raised his hand. They were staring at him in wonder. He only stopped when his palm was facing the wounded rebel.


    The wounded rebel raised a brow, he wondered what this boy was trying to do.


    Nheless, he fired another attack of magical energy at him. Even the rebel leader had already stopped to stop him. He was curious why his subordinate''s attack did nothing to the boy. Is there some kind of mystery ying here? He must find the truth.


    [Light Wave!]


    The wounded rebel shouted the name of his spell. He usually fired the spell without shouting the name. But this time, his agitation caused him to shout it.


    Then again, nothing happened.


    [Light Wave!]


    [Light Wave!]


    [Light Wave!]


    He fired and fired until he got exhausted. The people around just staring without blinking their eyes.


    "For real?" Mags, who was still on the Airboat, mumbled in disbelief. The others too had the same reaction as him.


    Even the rebel leader could not believe that his men''s attack really caused no damage to the kid.


    "Hey, you! Help him! Capture him, now!" The leader turned to the other subordinate, who was in shock at the current situation.


    "Ahk," he shrieked upon hearing their leader''s agitated voice. "Y-Yes, boss!"


    He immediately summoned his weapon that was hanging on his back this whole time, a short sword.


    But in that instance, they noticed something in the boy''s hand.


    It glowed. The same glow as the wounded rebel has, but the boy''s magical energy was a little darker, then a magic ring array appeared on his wrist.


    What! L-L-Level 1!!!


    Everyone had almost the same reactions upon seeing the magic ring array on his wrist.


    Since Jem''s back was facing Hope and the others, they had no idea what was happening. But they noticed the surprise in the rebels'' faces at that moment. Also, they heard some of them exim the words¡ª Level one!


    Then, a cold voice resounded that took their attention.


    [Light Wave]


    The person who spoke it this time was not the wounded rebel.


    It wasing from the boy!


    His voice wasn''t loud. But it was enough for all of them to hear it.


    A strong magical aura shot towards the wounded rebel.


    While having a shocked face, the wounded rebel was knocked away when a little darker bluish magical aura hit him. He was sent flying until his figure collided with the Airbot behind him.


    Woosh~


    A gush of wind silently passed by when silence descended after that moment.

 Chapter 53 - Indomitable Body

    "W-What?"


    The rebel leader muttered in disbelief. He had not expected that the boy had already attained level 1. After all, it wasn''t amon urrence. It was rare to find a person who achieved such a feat at such a young age.


    ''Could it be that he was born so talented with such high growth potential?''


    This could only be the reason that the rebel leader coulde up.


    ''Fufu. In that case, he must be training passionately to attain his first level at such a young age. Well, it''s trulymendable. Hehe,'' heughed inwardly.


    ''In regards to having high growth potential, one must take advantage of it while he is still young. Then, he would have a better startpared to his peers. In that case, a bright future awaits him.''


    "Fufu."


    The leader secretlyughed amusingly.


    Still, it didn''t exin how he survived without getting an injury from hispanion''s attack.


    The wounded rebel directly lost consciousness when he crashed onto the Airboat. At this moment, none of them knew if he was still alive or dead.


    Seeing hisrade in such a state, "Damn, you!" The rebel, who was holding a sword, cried out. Then, he summoned an aura on his sword. After that, he rushed forward to avenge him.


    Jem reacted fast by aiming his palm at the charging rebel.


    "Wait!"


    A sudden shout froze both of them on the spot.


    They nced at the origin of that voice. It wasing from the rebel leader.


    "Boss?" While frowning, he asked their leader who suddenly shouted. He was about to take his revenge for hisrade.


    The rebel leader did not respond. His attention was on Jem.


    "Boy, do you want to join us? We can give you all the resources you need to advance to your next level a lot faster."


    "If youe with us, I might let go of those people behind you."


    Although those two girls were also a good catch, the boy in front of them was just too tempting. Well, he could also find a way to persuade those two girlster on to join them. Looking at how they were together in a carriage, they must be close to each other. The rebel leader thought so while grinning deep inside.


    After hearing it, "CEH!" The rebel with a sword in his hands clicked his tongue. He wanted to avenge hisrade, but he could not go against the leader''s decision.


    Out of a sudden,


    Bam!


    "GAH!"


    "!?"


    "Eh?"


    "WTF!"


    An explosion happened that stunned them. It was followed by a pained cry.


    Jem shot [Light Wave] to the rebel who was holding a shortsword without a warning.


    The person was unceremoniously sent rolling away. It stopped a few meters away from his previous position. Then it was twitching without the pupils in his eyes.


    It stopped moving a few secondster.


    The rebel leader and his other men looked at it with wide eyes and agape. A momentter, "Kiiiiid¡­" a cold eerie voice resounded at that instance. It wasn''t a shout, but that voice sent shivers to Hope and the others. Just hearing it alone, they could feel the anger from it. They shuddered.


    "Leader! Let us beat him!" The rebel known as Mags jumped off from the Airboat along with one other. They could not just watch any longer. Two of theirrades were already taken down.


    "No!"


    But their leader''s response stopped them on their feet.


    "Let me teach this kid what being insolent will bring him!" He said it while crossing his fingers against each other. Cracking noises could be heard from it.


    "Leader, you might kill him if you do that!" Mags said with a frown.


    "So be it. He''s asking for it, you see," replied the rebel leader.


    An ominous aura was exuding from his body.


    Hope and Sister Ann subconsciously hug Meir, who was in the middle of the two.


    "Y-you two¡­.. go escape w-while you still have a chance."


    Sister Ann muttered in a stuttering voice. But Hope and Meir were so afraid to react.


    The ominous nauseating aura the rebel leader was exuding brought unfathomable fear to them. It was on another level than the level 1 rebel a while ago.


    "What¡­ two?" Hope muttered upon seeing the two magic ring arrays on the rebel leader''s wrist.


    ''Level 2! He''s level 2!'' Her mind was screaming in fear.


    At this moment, they noticed the bandit leader''s body slowly expanding.


    While it was happening, the rebel leader started saying, "When ascenders reached level 1, they gained a boost on their physical and magical power¡­"


    Jem wondered if he was talking about ex-human. For some reason, these people were calling them ascenders the whole time.


    The rebel leader continued saying, "however, ascenders gained an indomitable body when they reached level 2."


    After saying it, his size has already doubled his original size.


    In the blink of an eye, *Swoosh~* the rebel leader''s figure suddenly disappeared from his position and appeared right in front of him.


    His whole figure towered on Jem, blocking the sun above. Then, his ring eyes were looking down at him, like looking at a puny insect.


    "What do you think, kid? Do you want toe with us? Or would you rather choose to die here? Though, if you die here, we will take with us those two girls behind you and kill the rest." His voice was thunderous and threatening.


    Mags only hope their leader would not end up killing him.


    Hope and the others were already quivering at this moment. They have yet to regain their strengths, so no matter what they do, it was useless.


    They wondered what the boy in front of them, who was receiving such an ominous aura at a close range, felt at this very moment.


    As though giving response to their question in their minds, they heard him whisper, [Light Wave].


    Bam!


    "!!"


    "Eh?"


    Smoke rose after the explosion. They noticed the massive figure in front of him skidded a few inches away to his back.


    However, "HAHAHA!" They heard a guffaw.


    "It''s useless, boy!"


    "This body is more than you can destroy!" Said the rebel leader.


    [Light Wave]


    Bam!


    [Light Wave]


    Bam!


    Without caring about his enemy''s taunt, he continued shooting.


    Mags shook his head. It was useless. The disparity of level 1 and level 2 was not that anyone could be treated so lightly. There''s also the disparity of experience.

 Chapter 54 - One Kick

    Mags and the other rebels were looking at Jem with eyes of pity. So pitiable that they thought he seemed like a kid who had his favorite toy stolen from him. In short, a kid and his tantrums.


    In their minds, there is no doubt that the boy was praiseworthy for attaining level 1 at such a young age, however. He was still young and ignorant of the world.


    No matter how talented you are, if youck themon sense you need, it only brings ruin to your future.


    He should have understood already that no matter what he did was useless. There''s no way to win against their leader, who was already at level 2.


    On top of that, their leader was a veteran level 2. And the boy-- he was likely a newbie at level 1.


    Mags shook his head lightly.


    With just that, the disparity in their power was alreadyprehensible.


    "HAHAHA! Is that all you''ve got, eh?"


    The rebel leader asked mockingly, though, deep inside, he was wondering how this kid was able to learn the [Light Wave] spell. It was supposed to be his subordinate''s specialty. Truly a mysterious boy!


    Now, he''s more motivated to get him to their side.


    "....."


    Jem finally stopped shooting the [Light Wave] spell after hearing the rebel leader. He thought the spell was amazing but looked like the ape in front of him was right. It could not damage him.


    Looking at the boy who finally stopped shooting at him, the rebel leader grinned broadly while pressing one of his fingers using his thumb. Then, a cracking noise could be heard.


    "Hehe," he chuckled. "Now, it''s my turn ..." he announced in a threatening tone. Veins popped up on his muscle.


    Cold sweats were pouring at Hope and everyone''s face and back.


    Jem lifted his hand in front of his face, disregarding the threatening words from his enemy.


    Just then, Hope and the others widened their eyes when they saw the magic ring array on Jem''s wrist.


    However,


    Although it was surprising to know that Jem was already level 1 at his age, his enemy was on another level. He was too strong. There''s no way for Jem to win against that monster!


    "J-Jem¡­" she whispered in a quivering voice.


    Swoosh~


    Tension rose instantly when the huge figure suddenly disappeared from his position.


    "You ask for this, so take it!" He bellowed.


    The next thing they noticed was a dull impact.


    Wam!


    Thump!


    KRASS!


    "Eh!"


    The rebel leader muttered in disbelief when he noticed his attack was utterly blocked.


    Jem crossed his arms across his face and blocked the punch.


    Nheless, although he slid a few meters away from his previous spot, the question is, was that the only effect that the powerful punch caused him?


    Everyone magnificently had the same question in their minds at that moment. After all, it was a punching from a level 2 person for god''s sake.


    Yet, the oue is just that? They wondered if the rebel leader held back in that punch.


    Honestly, even the rebel leader himself was astonished by it. Although it was true that he held back in that punch, the result should have been more than that!


    The rebel leader gnashed his teeth when he noticed the bored looking from the boy.


    ''Damn it! He''s looking down at me!'' The leader''s thought upon seeing it.


    Without a warning, he stomped the ground and disappeared on his spot. Then it was followed by a series of attacks.


    Yet, the boy caught every attack he sent. His eyes were silently saying there''s nothing to worry about.


    Grr!


    Jem noticed his enemy started to get anxious. Well, he was level 3 and his enemy was just level 2, but how would this idiot know about it? The moment he saw him he was already in the wrong belief that he was only a mere boy with talent. No one knew how he struggled in thatbyrinth except himself.


    Unless they appraised him right now, they would never know his real level. He also had no intention of telling them.


    Currently, he was only using a level 1 worth of magical energy to fortify his hands and arms to block the enemy''s attacks. He was also fortifying his feet and legs for support.


    In truth, he was used in fighting against enemies with a size that triples his size. His training partner inside thebyrinth was Solos and Solos'' mother. It was the beast who almost butchered him inside thebyrinth. In some weird turns of events, he was able to subdue it.


    Thus, it became one of his reliablerades inside thebyrinth. It was also his reliable training partner whenever he had free time. It was also the reason that he reached level 3 in the short amount of ti¡ª


    Wait!


    Although Hope told him the current date, she didn''t include the current year. Jem had no idea how long he stayed in thatbyrinth¡ª


    PAH!


    PAH!!


    PAH!!!


    His pondering came to a sudden stop when he noticed the punches bing heavier every time theynded on his palm. It looked like the enemy had started to get serious.


    Even though he was only using low magical energy to support his body using his fortification ability, it didn''t change the fact that he has higher physical strength for being level 3.


    At that moment,


    "What--!" The rebel leader muttered when the boy suddenly disappeared in front of him.


    Without even knowing what happened, *Bam!* a strong impact on his head took his vision instantly.


    Moreover, his face crashed on the ground and caused arge pit on it where his head was now buried in it.


    His body slowly shrunk until it returned to normal.


    At that moment when he disappeared from his enemy''s field of vision, he used an ability known as [Instantaneous Leap] at that time, to jump in mid-air. Then, he used his [Smite] ability to increase the attack power of his kick.


    He wanted to smash his enemy''s skull, however. He did not expect that it wasn''t enough to break it. It was truly an Indomitable Body. Jem was amazed for a second.


    He did not realize that around him, everyone was looking at him with dumbfounded faces.


    "O-one kick...?" Someone muttered in disbelief.

 Chapter 55 - A Monster In Human Skin

    After Jem took down the rebel leader, the three remaining rebels had bitter expressions, especially Mags, who thought their leader could not be beaten by a newbie level 1.


    It seemed like he just ate all the words he said in his mind.


    The three rebels nced at each other. At that instance, it seemed like all of them understood what everyone was saying.


    While looking down at the lying unconscious enemy, Jem noticed a spherical object rolled beneath him.


    He stared at it with question marks on his head. A secondter, it erupted. Waah! Hope and the others eximed.


    Whoosh!


    Smoke enveloped the area suddenly. Everyone had their visions obstructed by it.


    Though, after a couple of seconds, the smoke had finally subsided.


    However, they could not find the rebels anymore. They disappeared along with their Airboats and their defeatedrades.


    Jem blinked his eyes twice. He did not expect that those rebels had something like that prepared in case their n failed.


    A few minutester, after the eruption of smoke, about a mile away north from the road leading to the Mauve Town, Mags met up with the others inside the lull forest.


    After crossing the forest entrance, he saw a familiar figure. "Hey, Gai, where''s Dox and the rest?" Mags asked hisrade, who escaped ahead along with their injuredrades.


    "Don''t worry about them; they are currently resting in the temporary shelter. Dox already did a first aid treatment on the injured."


    "I see. That''s a relief then."


    The person named Gai nodded his head and soon noticed something. "By the way, Mags. Where''s the leader and the girls?"


    He noticed a frown on Mags'' face upon asking it.


    Their n at that time of escape was to use the smoke grenade to cover their motives. Gai carried one of their injuredrades and drove one of the Airboats. Dox also did the same. He carried one of the injuredrades and rode on another Airboat.


    Since his Airboat wasrgerpared to the others, Mags was tasked to retrieve their captain and the girls.


    There''s a guilty expression on Mag''s face at the moment.


    "About that. I, I failed. I failed to retrieve the leader and failed to take away the girls."


    "....."


    Noticing the other person''s silence, "Hey! Stop looking at me like that!"


    "Then exin how you fail."


    "CEH!" Mags clicked his tongue.


    "....."


    Gai red at him.


    Noticing it, he abruptly raised both hands, "Right! I get it," he gave up and continued telling Gai the reason for his failure.


    "When I entered the smoke to retrieve the leader and take away the ascender girls, my feet suddenly lost strength, I trembled. Then, I sensed an ominous aura that seemed like sucking me into the abyss. It seemed as though a feral entity was looking down at me. It seemed as though it wanted to devour me--"


    "Uh, no."


    Mags suddenly shook his head. Then he continued saying, "the truth is, it felt like I intruded in a dangerous realm that time."


    "....."


    "Hey! I''m serious!" He eximed when he noticed a doubt in Gai.


    "That boy is not human! He''s a monster in human skin!"


    Gai sighed. "I know he''s strong. Regardless, what are we going to do now? Since the captain is not here, we can''t proceed like this."


    Mags wondered if Gai believed what he said. Anyway, he''s not lying. That kid is certainly not human!


    "For now, let''s try to contact themander," he replied to Gai''s question.


    "I see."


    "Mhm!" Mags nodded. "Let''s go and meet the others."


    "Yeah. Sure."


    After the rebels escaped, silence had once again descended the road.


    Some people wearing town guard outfits arrived at the site not long after. They were astounded by what they saw. A person was lying unconscious on the ground, and a boy was standing nearby.


    Although Sister Ann was also in shock at Jem''s strength, she reacted fast and exined to the guards what happened.


    Fortunately, the guards knew Sister Ann. They greeted her and just asked minor questions without delving deeply. In truth, they saw what happened from afar using a scope.


    "Honestly, there have been many cases about the sudden disappearance of young ex-humans for a while now. Maybe they were the reasons behind it," said one of the guards to the group.


    "So, they are not rebels, but a criminal group?" Hope interjected with a frown after hearing the guard''s words.


    "Well, there are rebels whose main agenda was only to go against the government, but there are also those rebels whose agenda was more than that. We can''t say for sure if they are rebels or not."


    The guard replied.


    Hope and Sister Ann nodded their heads. They understood that it''s easy to disguise and hide one''s identity.


    "That makes sense,"she said in a mutter.


    "Don''t worry; we will tell you about our findings after we interrogate him," the guard said while pointing to the unconscious person, who is currently tied in a bamboo stick. They are probably going to carry him to the town.


    "Please do," Sister Ann was the one who said it.


    "By the way, Sister Ann. Who is that boy?" The guard curiously asked while pointing to Jem, who was currently retrieving his knives.


    They failed to witness the fight between Jem and the rebels because they were already on the run towards this ce when the battle happened.


    So they wondered how he defeated the rebels. Sister Ann stated that it was him who defeated the rebels.


    "He''s our benefactor. He saved us twice already. First is when he saved us from the monsters. The second is now. Aside from that, we don''t know much about him."


    It was Hope who replied this time. He also noticed the Sister nodding her head.


    "Oh, I see."


    The guard nced at Jem. He seemed to be an ordinary boy, he thought.


    "By the way, if it''s okay with you, we can escort you till the town."


    The guard offered help.


    Sister Ann thought it was reassuring.


    "Please. Thank you," she said.

 Chapter 56 - Tom’s Trading Shop

    Hope and the others repeatedly said their gratitude to him. He just nodded at it to put a stop to the topic. Honestly, he was also one of those people''s targets, so he decided to take care of them.


    Also, he needed these people''s help. That''s why he acted sooner before they suffered. It is also a good idea to nt more debts into these people.


    In this case, if by chance in the future he needed their help, they couldn''t say no without giving consideration to him. Jem believed that debt is a powerful trump card. Well, it also depends on the people.


    Regardless, it wasn''t a bad idea.


    When they arrived at the town, Hope went along with Jem to the shop. She would also sell their haul from the Gobs they killed.


    They went inside a shop with the name Tom''s Trading Shop. It was located in an enclosed area, after passing a corner. Jem wondered if what kind of shop hid their shop in a secluded ce. This seemed shady to be honest.


    "Uncle Tom, good day!" Hope greeted the chubby man, who was at the counter.


    Contrary to Jem''s expectation, the person at the counter greeted them with amiable smile. "Little Hope? How are you?"


    It seemed like the girl with him quite familiar with the person in the counter. He''s probably the owner of this shop as Hope was calling him Tom and it was also the exact name of the shop that he saw outside.


    "I''m fine, Uncle Tom! We came here today to trade."


    "Oh, I see. By the way, who is this fellow with you? Is he your boyfriend?" He whispered the second question with a little teasing tone.


    Hope became red in an instant!


    "W-w-what a-are you talking, Uncle Tom?" She stuttered. "We just met today. He was looking for a shop where he could trade his materials from monster drops, so I offered my help and brought him here, you see," she exined in a blushing face.


    "Ah, I see. Sorry for jumping to conclusions. Fufu."


    "Geez!"


    Hope peeked on Jem''s face. She couldn''t find any changes. ''Good grief,'' she thought.


    Although Jem heard what the merchant asked to Hope, he acted as though he didn''t hear it.


    "Okay, let me check your materials, then."


    Hope ced a small sack on the ss surface of the counter.


    When Tom unwrapped the sack, he saw familiar objects inside it.


    "Hm, essories and monster cores, huh. Did you go hunting mutated animals in the town outskirts?"


    "No, Uncle Tom. We just happened toe across a newly appeared dungeon."


    "Eh? Isn''t it dangerous?"


    "It is. Really. We almost got ourselves killed."


    Hope sighed.


    "Little girl, be careful next time."


    "Please, Uncle Tom, stop calling me little!"


    Tom noticed her eyes swimming towards the boy beside her as she said it.


    "Fufu. Right, right."


    He adjusted his spectacles then started checking the content of the sack one by one.


    "Five low-quality essories and fourteen low-grade monster cores," said Tom after counting all the materials in Hope''s sack.


    The trader told him that beast cores were also called monster cores, so Jem wasn''t surprised when he heard them calling them monster cores.


    Hope and Jem were waiting while Tom began counting the cash.


    "10 red coins each for the low-quality essories. And then, 20 red coins each for low-grade monster cores."


    "Here. Good job, for the hard work." Tom handed three silver coins and thirty red coins to Hope.


    One hundred red coins are equivalent to 1 silver coin. Whereas, 100 silver coins are equivalent to 1 ck federation money and 1000 ck federation money is equivalent to 1 gold federation money.


    Deep inside, Jem was a little surprised. He did not expect that it would cost that much.


    When he was in the Ex Soul Academy, a meal of rice and egg already cost him 20 red coins. His allowance for a month was only 600 red coins, which is equivalent to 6 silver coins. It was supposedly 12 silver coins, but because of his case of breaching thew of sh*t, it was deduced to 6 silver coins.


    Hope received the money with bright eyes.


    "Thank you very much, Uncle Tom. By the way, my acquaintance here also wants to trade his materials."


    Tom shifted his gaze to Jem. "Ohh! Is that so?" He asked him.


    "Yeah," Jem nodded.


    "Fufu. I''m always open for business for dedicated customers, you know. Now then, shall we start checking?" He asked.


    Jem stared at him for a second before cing the knapsack on the ss surface of the counter without saying anything.


    He was skeptical, but Jem knew he needed to gamble. He had no idea about the real price of monster cores or the essories in federation money, but the most important thing for him at this moment was to gain cash.


    Tom slightly frowned. He''s wondering what''s inside the knapsack. It was about to explode for how he saw it, seemingly full.


    Though, he guessed that it was full of less valuable materials such as broken weapons or armors.


    Although they were less valuable, they would still be a good material to earn money. If one is lucky, they might find a good quality one. These kinds of materials were also collectable in a dungeon. There are random things inside it that one could trade-off.


    Some herbs and stones could only be found in a dungeon. Although dangerous, the dungeon was a good source of ie.


    After opening the knapsack, Tom''s eyes widened in disbelief, as though they were going to pop out of his eye sockets.


    ''M-monster cores?!'' He eximed in mind when all that his eyes could see were monster cores.


    Trying to hide his surprise, he cleared his throat. *Erm!* Then, he checked the content one by one.


    There are truly monster cores and essories only! Tom eximed inwardly. Thest monster core he took out from the knapsack even stammered him.


    "Hh-high-grade monster core?!" He finally failed to hide his surprise.


    The high-grade monster core had a unique glint on it. So, he was certain that the object in his hand was a high-grade one.


    Jem and Hope even noticed Tom''s fingers and lips trembled slightly.


    Tom''s only doubt was how this kid was able to collect so many of them along with a high-grade one. Just looking at the number of monster cores and essories in front of him, he could tell that the number could represent a low-grade dungeon, but. As a professional buyer, who ran his business for a decade now, Tom remained silent.


    There were many types of sellers, but most of them rather hid their identity.


    Jem was surprised when Tom didn''t even question him. After counting all the materials, Tom paid him.


    He got 5 silver coins and 30 red coins from 53 low-quality essories, and 9 silver coins from 45 low-grade monster cores.


    Whereas he got 1 silver coin and 50 red coins from 3 high-quality essories, and 1 silver coin from a high-grade monster core.


    So, in total, he got 16 silver coins and 83 red coins.


    There was a different kind of feeling when Jem took the cash. It was the first time that he earned money on his own.


    On the farm, he had no use for money. He just needed to hunt in the wilds for animals and nt rice or wheat for their daily supply. His grandfather took the rest of the job.


    When he arrived in the city, he realized many things. One of them was that he needed money to survive in this kind of society.

 Chapter 57 - Year

    Before he decided to leave, Jem remembered something. He looked at Tom and asked, "where can I possibly buy Water of Identification?"


    The trader once told him that monster cores could give him random items such as ascendance points, abilities, and etcetera. But first, it needed the water known as Water of Identification.


    Hope stopped on her feet when Jem suddenly asked a question. But the next second, she repeated his words with a confused face, "Water of identification?"


    On the other hand, Tom had a surprised face.


    "Did you mean water of identification?" Tom questioned.


    Jem nodded without saying anything.


    "Uh, sorry, boy, I don''t know what it is."


    This reply surprised Jem. He nced at Hope, but he saw her shrugged her shoulders, seemingly to imply that she didn''t know as well.


    "I see." Jem didn''t say more. He bid farewell by promptly bowing his head to Tom''s direction. Then, he walked towards the exit.


    Seeing it, Hope hastily followed after him.


    Jem secretly asked his invisible partner, ''Trader, are you sure about that item?''


    <Yes, host.>


    ''I see. Perhaps not everyone knew about it.''


    <By the way, host. What is the current yea-->


    "Right, kid! If you''re looking for a mysterious item, try your luck in the Western District! There''s a shop there known as Sage Tower. You can find many kinds of mysterious items there."


    When he heard it, Jem nced at him and nodded slightly.


    ''Sage Tower? It''s the first time I heard of it,'' he thought.


    "Okay."


    After his short response, he went out of the shop along with Hope, but: "Right! You two, be careful on your way. There have been many gossips of crimes proliferatingtely, " they suddenly heard Tom say. Jem and Hope stopped on their feet and nodded at Tom: "Okay, Uncle Tom! Thanks for the reminder!" Hope said.


    Aftering outside, he looked around, seemingly wondering where to go next.


    "West District. Isn''t that far?"


    He heard a question from the girl beside him.


    Jem did not answer right away. He nced at her and said: "I don''t know. I have never been there."


    "I see. Uhm, right. What is--" she paused for a moment and peeked at his face, then, she continued saying: "... water Of Identification?"


    She asked.


    Jem turned away his gaze before he answered: "I have no idea. Someone just told me about it," he replied with an uninterested look.


    Hope stared at him. She was curious about it, but. The person beside her had a face that he wouldn''t tell her anything. She wondered about him. Jem seemed to be the type of person who wasn''t fond of conversation.


    She was curious about his personality. She thought Jem was a type of person who was out of the norm.


    "I see," she said in resignation of asking further.


    Jem was about to walk away, but then. He remembered something: "Right." He looked at her again.


    Hope blinked her eyes in wonder after hearing his seeming call: "What is it?" There was excitement in her voice when she questioned it.


    "Year. Do---" Jem paused for a moment and marveled if it was okay to ask her about it. There''s a possibility that she would think that he''s weird or even think he''s crazy.


    Although Jem didn''t care about other people''s opinions of him, it wasn''t good if they thought he was crazy. After all, it wasn''t normal to ask about the current year. Time, Days, and months might be fine, but about the year? That''s out of the ordinary.


    "Ah, never mind."


    He said and started walking away.


    She frowned.


    "Wait! It''s 251 NE!"


    ''What--!''


    Although he wasn''t showing it outwardly, Jem was surprised inwardly upon hearing it.


    Jem stared at Hope, but he noticed she was serious.


    "How did you know I was about to ask about it?" He asked.


    "Hehe. It''s easy to guess, you know. Remember you asked me about the current date a while ago? And, you mentioned ''year'' before turning away."


    "I see. Thank you, then."


    "Eehk!"


    Hope was taken aback after hearing his thank you. She wasn''t expecting it from him.


    "Mhm!" There was a bright smile on her face when she nodded. "Don''t mind about it."


    Jem continued walking away. The real reason for his surprise was not because Hopeprehended his question.


    It was: ''Year 251? Unbelievable. If my memory serves me right, we went to the frontline in the 11th month of year 250. Since in the Federation Calendar there are 13 months in a year, does it mean I was in thebyrinth for only four months?''


    When he was inside thebyrinth, he felt that 3-5 years had passed already. It was also the reason he breakthrough to level 3. For someone like him who merely has 4 Exo points till now, it was already a great achievement to level up to 3 in 3-5 years.


    However, in truth, it was only four months that had passed since then: In that case, he leveled up from zero to three in mere four months.


    Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable. Even the always calm Jem Hansen could not help but be surprised after knowing it. Perhaps the time inside thebyrinth has a different flow than the real world.


    However, it was not only Jem who was surprised after hearing the current year.


    <Year 251?>


    He heard the trader whispering it.


    ''What''s the problem, trader?''


    <I have a memory of my previous host. Although that memory is only limited to thest moment of the previous host''s life, I clearly remembered that the current year is 3055 CE.>


    "....."


    It made him confused even more. Just what is a guardian system? Jem thought.


    Regardless, 3055 CE? He never heard of it. Both of them were confused.


    Jem tried to ask the trader more about the memory the trader mentioned. But aside from thatst moment of the previous host''s life, the trader could not remember anything else.


    It seemed like the trader''s previous host sacrificed the previous host''s life to save what the previous host was trying to protect.


    Jem sighed inwardly and decided to keep it for now at the back of his mind. They could not find the answers to their questions with the current informations they have. If he wanted to know about it, he needed great knowledge about the world.


    Hope was looking at Jem''s figure going farther and farther.

 Chapter 58 - Clothing Shop

    Before his figure disappeared into the corner, she hastily pursued him. The two of them arrived at the main road where the carriage was waiting.


    "Wee back both of you."


    Sister Ann and Meir greeted them.


    "Thank you!" Said Hope with a bright smile.


    Jem slightly nodded his head before he bid farewell to them. Hope and Meir frowned. They wanted to say their gratitude onest time, however. He was already walking away without looking back.


    He needed to find an Inn or hotel before the night came.


    They were staring at his back until his figure disappeared at thest building in the distance.


    Just then, the carriage in which Hope and the others rode started running in the opposite direction.


    Even until now, Hope could not understand how Jem beat the level 2 rebel along with hispanions; Meir was also wondering about it.


    "Isn''t he a strong and charming boy? Fufu," said Sister Ann.


    Hope looked away, hiding the expression on her face, while Meir replied: "Indeed, but charming? I don''t think so." Honestly, she felt Jem was very mysterious. His strength wasn''t ordinary. Beating a higher-level opponent was just too inconceivable. And since he wasn''t an outspoken person, it''s hard to identify his personality.


    But since he saved them two times already, she could not feel bad towards him. However, theck of conversation was limiting her understanding of Jem''s personality.


    At that moment, "I-I think he''s a good person."


    They heard Hope say it in a stammering voice.


    "....."


    Meir stared at her doubtfully.


    After parting with the others, Jem found himself walking on the roadside.


    There were plenty of people walking along the street around him. It seemed like he arrived at the market area.


    He looked around him. There were stalls and shops on the opposite side of the street.


    After a few minutes of walking along the road, he finally stopped in front of a clothing shop.


    He needed to buy new clothes. The brown leather jacket he was wearing was an item from the Trader''s Shop. He unlocked it after trading quite a ton of leathers from the skins of the beasts that he killed in thebyrinth.


    After so long of practice, one day, he learned Wendy''s spell that let him use his ex-energy to clean the dirt.


    He avoided getting a bad smell because of it and maintained his clothes clean till now. It was a very convenient skill to have. He would have long died of infection or any hygiene-rted disease if it wasn''t because of it.


    Regardless, he needed extra clothes.


    Jem observed first if it was okay to enter the clothing shop without an ID. When he first arrived at Seaside City, he failed to enter the store because of it.


    Jem left most of his stuff inside his private room in the Frontline. So, he had nothing like an ID now. He was back to square one, unfortunately.


    Compared to that store in Seaside City, the shop in front of him was smaller.


    He noticed something while he was observing it. No person was guarding the entrance. In that store in Seaside City, a person was guarding the entrance. That person was responsible for checking every person''s ID who wished to enter the store.


    Nheless, it would be his first time entering a store like this one. It was different to the trading shop a while ago.


    Perhaps noticing his hesitation, the trader suddenly says,


    <What was there for the host to be so hesitant about?>


    <Host already overcame a big trial in host''s life.>


    <Compared to it, entering a store is nothing.>


    It looks like the trader was cheering for him to step forward.


    ''Y-you''re right.''


    After saying it, he stoned himself and stepped inside.


    When Jem entered the clothing store, "Good day, sir!" A young girl greeted him with a smile.


    Although he was slightly surprised when he heard it, his surprise never revealed on his face.


    Just looking at her uniform, he could guess that the person in front of him was one of the shop attendants.


    As usual, there was only his poker face. Although the girl was smiling, he noticed it wasn''t a sincere smile. It must be part of their job to greet their customers with a smile at all times.


    Though, he wasn''t bothered by it.


    "I want to purchase new clothes." He said in a calm voice without bothering himself in greeting back.


    "Uhm, what kind of clothes are you looking for, sir?"


    "Casual ones."


    "Okay, please follow me!"


    She brought him to one corner of the shop where he could see various styles of clothes.


    Jem did not choose longer. He picked a white t-shirt with a ck x print at the front. He also picked a ck t-shirt with a white X print at the back.


    He picked them without thinking much. They looked simple, so he decided on the spot. Also, he would be using them under his jacket anyway. His jacket has 5 percent resistance against physical attacks. So he needed to wear it, especially when he was roaming outdoors.


    Jem decided to buy pants as well. Perhaps because of her professionalism in her job, she asked him to try them in a dressing room to see if they were a good fit for him. She probably noticed him nkly staring at those two pants, wondering if they could fit him.


    The girl attendant guided him in the dressing room. He did not know there was something like that. Jem wanted to mock himself for being so ignorant of the world.


    Regardless, he sensed her presence outside the dressing room. Although it made him a little ufortable, it didn''t bother him that much.


    A minuteter, he came out of the dressing room and told the attendant girl he would be buying the two pants along with the t-shirts.


    "Is that all you want, sir?"


    The girl attendant asked him.


    "Mhm!" Jem nodded.


    "I see. You can proceed to the counter for the payment," said the girl attendant.


    A momentter,


    "5 silver coins in total, sir," said the female at the counter.


    ''The heck!''


    Jem cursed deep inside when he learned the total price for all of them.


    "Uhm, why are they so expensive?"


    "The t-shirts are limited editions, sir. There are only 10 of them around the world. And they were made of high-quality fabric from the Western Kingdom."


    "......"

 Chapter 59 - Blue Horizon Hotel

    After leaving the clothing shop, Jem continued walking towards the southeastern part of the town. He held in his hand his newly bought clothes and pants. They were inside a cartoon bag. He regretted that he left behind his knapsack at Tom''s shop.


    Anyway,


    His next task was to rent a room. Meanwhile, he has 11 silver coins and 83 red coins left. He just hoped that he could find a cheap Inn or hotel. Jem sighed inwardly.


    At that instance, *Growl!* He heard his stomach grumbling.


    ''I''m hungry,'' thought Jem.


    He could buy food using his T-points, but if possible, Jem didn''t want to waste it with things that could easily be obtained with another method. He looked around him.


    Honestly, it wasn''t easy to umte enough T-points to advance his Exo-points.


    His current T-points were 8,777. And he needed 10,000 T-points to advance his Exo-points to 5.


    "Hey,d! Have some fresh fruits!" He heard someone shout.


    Jem nced and saw a fruit vendor on the roadside.


    Looking at the different kinds of fruits in front of him, made him drool.


    "Fufu,e choose. I assure you they are fresh," said the vendor.


    He picked an apple. "How much for this?"


    "10 red coins each."


    ''Overpriced,'' thought Jem.


    If he remembered correctly, Apples just cost 5 red coins each.


    But even so, he pulled 30 red coins from his pocket and gave them to the vendor. The vendor put two apples in a carton bag and handed it to him. At the same time, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you very much. Pleasee again!"


    Said the vendor with a smile.


    Jem did not leave right away. He looked at the vendor and asked, "Uhm, where can I find a hotel for a stay for a night?"


    "Ah, a hotel? There is a nearby one when you go straight on that street. Then turn left when you reach the crossing. When you see a signboard with the name Blue Horizon, turn left again. You will find the Blue Horizon Hotel after a few steps."


    "I see. Thanks!"


    "A good customer is always wee."


    Jem followed the vendor''s instructions. He followed the street where the vendor pointed to him.


    <Why did the host buy more apples, even though the host knows that it''s overpriced?>


    He suddenly heard the trader''s seemingly curious question.


    "Hm, I wonder about that. Probably because I have a feeling that there''s a higher chance he will answer my question if I do that."


    <So there''s a chance he wouldn''t answer if host did not do that?>


    "Probably."


    <Oh, I see.>


    "Yeah. Regardless, it was only my intuition."


    *Crunch!*


    He started biting the apple in his hand after using the [Clean] spell. The apple was sweat. It didn''t take him long to finish it.


    After following the vendor''s instructions, Jem arrived in front of the building with the name Blue Horizon Hotel.


    It was a two-storey building with light blue as the base paint and paired with white paint as designs.


    The building''s size looks ordinary. Not big and wasn''t small either.


    Regardless, he noticed a person guarding the entrance.


    Jem muttered, "what a nuisance."


    He retreated first to find a secluded ce. He saw a narrow alleyway not far from the hotel. He entered it. The ce was quite dim and smelled like piss.


    When he couldn''t sense any human presence around, he lifted his empty hand and pointed his palm in front of him. A secondter, there was a space distortion in front of him.


    The next second, a void appeared. It looks identical to the dungeon entrance, though it was smallerpared to that.


    He could sense the presence of some monsters behind it. Jem threw all his hidden weapons inside it.


    He came back in front of the hotel after that.


    He directly walked towards the entrance and did not stay on his feet in front of it. There was a high chance that the guard would find him suspicious if he''d do that.


    As expected, the guard asked him to stop for a bit.


    Thankfully, he didn''t ask for an ID. It was a wise decision to store his weapons inside his Dimensional Territory.


    After learning that he only had some apples and clothes with him, the guard let him inside.


    He sighed in relief inwardly. He never thought that checking in the hotel was already a great trial for him.


    Jem''s eyes were greeted by a smooth and glossy interior when he stepped inside.


    Chandeliers that were giving off yellow brilliance were illuminating the reception area.


    Jem thought, ''Hm, this looks like an expensive hotel.''


    He went to the counter located at the left corner of the room.


    "Good day, sir. Do you wish to rent a room?" Greeted thedy at the counter.


    "Yes."


    "Uhm, you''re alone?"


    "Yes."


    "I see."


    "Then, please fill up this form."


    She handed him a paper. Good thing he could read and write.


    In the paper, it asked him to write his name, the number of rooms he wished to rent, length of time for his stay, and so on.


    It was his first time renting a room in a hotel. He wondered why the need for all of these. Perhaps,for security purposes.


    After filling up the paper, he returned it to the counterdy.


    After all of the process was done, she told him the price.


    "4 silver coins for a night stay, sir, with dinner and lunch."


    ''Ah, as expected,'' Jem thought.


    He already expected that it would be expensive. But still, this was beyond his imagination. He wondered if this town was in a drought. Everything in this town was so expensive.


    He also had a bad feeling about his materials. He had a feeling that Tom bought them underpriced. Well, he could not argue as he had no proof.


    Regardless, the most important thing for him now is to return home.


    He just needed to bear with it a little.


    He handed her exactly four silver coins.


    "Thank you very much, sir."


    After saying it, she handed him a key with room numbers on it.


    Jem did not say anything and just slightly nodded his head.


    But before he could leave, the counterdy suddenly talked.


    "By the way, sir, we have a resto in that area," she pointed to the door on his right side. "If you wish to rx or change your mood, just visit there. They''re serving good quality products in there."


    "I see."


    He nced at where she was pointing and slightly nodded.. Then, he continued towards the staircase.

 Chapter 60 - Source Of Transportation

    The first thing he did after entering his room was cing the things he was holding on a small table beside the bed. Then, he looked around the room. Fortunately, it has a bathroom.


    He decided to take a bath first. Although he had that spell the same as Wendy, taking a bath was still better. It gives a refreshing feeling.


    Inside thebyrinth, there were ces like falls andkes. But, he couldn''t enjoy them because his attention was always around him.


    After taking a bath, he wore his newly bought white shirt with x print and paired it with the newly bought pants.


    While waiting for his hair to dry, he opened the window and gazed at the sky. The bright blue color it had a moment ago was silently disappearing, turning the sky darker and darker every beat of a second.


    Following it, below the dimming sky, the house''smps or even the streetmps started to light up to bring brightness in their vicinity.


    ''It was truly the real world, huh,'' he thought again. Even until now, it was still hard for him to believe that he was finally outside that ce.


    It was truly unbelievable. It was a very long journey. He felt like he was fighting for eternity against those creatures.


    However, who would think that he would seed in the end? And to think that it was only four months. Even Jem himself could not believe it.


    "What do you think, trader? Does thebyrinth have a different time flow?"


    Jem suddenly opened up the question.


    <That must be the case, host.>


    Hearing the trader''s reply, Jem surmised that even the trader was not quite sure about it. But, Jem believed that it was the only possible exnation.


    As he was gazing outside while pondering, he lost track of time. He only noticed that it was already time for dinner when his stomach had made a growling noise.


    Jem decided to go down. He would be going to use his free dinner perks.


    He went to the restaurant that the counterdy told him about a while ago.


    When he entered, he saw rows of tables and seats. Some people were upying most of those. They were happily conversing while having their dinner. Some were having their dinner alone.


    He went directly to the counter to take his order.


    Jem ordered Pressure-Fried Lesser Bear Meat with sauce, Lesser Beef Soup, bread, and cheese.


    It was a random pick.


    He went to an avable table while waiting for his order to be served. Though, it didn''t take long for his order to arrive.


    Looking at the food in front of him, Jem could not help but gulp. There was a longing feeling when he was staring at the food in front of him. In his mind, finally, a properly cooked food.


    Honestly, he had no particr favorite food, but having been stranded in a ce in which he had to devour everything consumables just to quench his hunger, made him crave food that was cooked properly.


    He took a fork and knife, then sliced a piece of Pressure-Fried Bear meat.


    When the taste of meat and seasoning entered his mouth, there was no change in his expression. Deep inside, he was disappointed. His expectation shattered to pieces in that instance.


    It wasn''t because the dish was badly cooked, but because there was no response from his sense of taste.


    Even the apple he ate a while ago had the same blunt taste. His mind was telling him it was sweet, however. In truth, he was just fooling himself. He lost his sense of taste inside thebyrinth.


    All that was left to him was an empty taste.


    Jem forced himself to devour the food in front of him. He needed to satisfy his protesting stomach after all.


    Around him, he heard someone talking about the appearance of a dungeon in Seaside City. But Jem did not listen further. He concentrated on finishing his food.


    Meanwhile, in the orphanage, located in the northwest suburb of Mauve Town, Hope and Meir were sitting around the rectangr table along with ten children who were pestering them with questions in front of their meals.


    "Big sis Hope, how is your visit to the Ex Soul Academy?" One of the children suddenly asked the question.


    "Uhm, all is fine. There will be more events between the Ex Soul Academy and the Ex-Human Institution in theing semester," replied Hope.


    "Is that so? Did you fight against them in a duel?"


    Another child asked.


    "Meir did."


    "Really!?"


    Everyone was showing excited expressions when they saw Hope nodded. Also, curiosity was apparent in their faces.


    The orphan children''s heads simultaneously turned away from Hope and now they were staring at Meir.


    "Big sis, how is the duel!?"


    "Who''s your opponent!?"


    "I heard the Ex Soul Academy is the most prestigious school in the East District!"


    "I heard it''s the gathering of talented students from most of the noble families in the East District!"


    "Hey, did you win!?"


    Hope and Meir were being pressed with questions from the children.


    "Uh eh---" Meir was taken aback at the sudden rain of questions.


    "My, my, everyone, don''t go so far as bombarding your big sis with questions. Your big sisters are still not in good health."


    A nun came and said those lines.


    "Eyyyy¡­" the children responded in a somewhat dispirited tone.


    "Alright, everyone. It''s time to fix up yourselves and prepare to sleep. Sister Ann wille to check on youter on, you know."


    Hah~


    The children sighed.


    "Okay¡­"


    They replied in a less enthusiastic tone. Soon, they stood up from their seats, then reluctantly followed the nun''s words.


    Only Meir, Hope, and the nun were left behind.


    "Thank you, Sister Jane," Meir said, thanking the nun.


    "Fufu, don''t mind it. Oh, by the way, thanks for the donation money from both of you."


    "It''s nothing, Sister Jane," said Hope with a smile.


    Meir also nodded in agreement to Hope. She had a rxed smile on her face. "Once I reach my first level, I will join a guild and donate more money." Suddenly, Mier dered.


    "Yeah, me too."


    It looks like Hope had the same thought as Meir.


    "Fufu. You two, don''t be so rash, you know. Your safety is the most important thing. Right. you must go to sleep early as well. You still have to go to the institution tomorrow, right?"


    "Yeah, next week will be the end of the first semester. So, from tomorrow onward will be a busy day for me and Hope," said Meir.


    "I see. By the way, Sister Ann instructed that you are prohibited from training tonight. You have to sleep early. Remember that a woman''s appearance decides her future."


    "....."


    The two girls fell silent with a troubled smile.


    Hope suddenly pped her hands. "Right, what is Sister Ann doing?" She asked.


    "She''s currently talking to an officer from thew enforcer."


    "Could it be¡­" said Meir.


    "Yes. It seemed like the people who tried to abduct you were members of the new rebel group."


    "I see¡­"


    Meir and Hope fell silent afterward.


    "Be careful next time. The federation is currently at risk against those rebels. Their numbers are increasing every moment."


    "O-okay!"


    The two girls nodded at the same time. In their minds, the figure of a boy appeared.


    When morning came,


    Jem checked out of the hotel after lunch. He rode a carriage back to Seaside City.


    In the federation, carriages were the main source ofnd transportation. However, when ites to city-to-city trips, especially the longer trips, the lotive train was the better option.


    There were also other methods of transportation besides the carriages and trains. One example of it was the Airboats.. Another example was animals and tamed beasts.

 Chapter 61 - Foreboding Feeling

    After an hour of travel, he finally arrived at Seaside City. While walking along the streets, he heard some people talking about the appearance of the dungeon yesterday.


    Jem tried to listen to their conversation as he passed by.


    "Really?"


    "Yes! A member of the Red Wing guild said that when they arrived at the site, the dungeon was already gone. It seemed a mysterious person cleared it before them." Said the man on the street to the other person with him.


    "A mysterious person!?"


    "Yes."


    "Not a group!?"


    "Not.."


    "Eh? Are you sure about that?"


    "Of course. Do you think a member of the Red Wing guild would lie about it?"


    "....."


    Based on their conversation, it looked like they were talking about him.


    He decided to stop listening to them and continued walking along the street.


    Jem quickens his steps.


    When he passed by the market area, he noticed many people. Perhaps they already heard that the dungeon already disappeared, and now they areing back.


    Jem thought, ''Good thing that people are nowing back to this ce.'' He was hoping that the train station was operating now.


    Although not all, several business establishments are now open as well, including small and big shops, cafes, and etcetera.


    Jem, who was hurriedly walking towards the direction of the station, was unaware that right at this moment, a girl with pink hair was looking at him with wide eyes through the ss window.


    She could not believe it. That person, who was walking outside, looked a little identical to him, to that person that she knew.


    "H-Hansen¡­?"


    She whispered his name.


    Creak!


    "Wait! Wendy, what''s the matter?!" Desty asked. She was confused as to why Wendy suddenly stood up from her seat. It caused a slight creaking noise.


    Currently, they are having their lunch in a cafe. They came here because they heard about the dungeon. They heard that a low-grade dungeon appeared in this area. It was their chance to hunt low-ranking monsters and gain Ascendance points along with valuable materials.


    However, aftering to this ce, they learned that the dungeon was already cleared.


    They wondered if it was one of the guilds from the association who did it. However, they learned that a mysterious boy was the one who did it.


    They were in the middle of talking about the mysterious boy when suddenly Wendy stood up from her seat.


    Without responding to Desty, Wendy ran outside.


    "Eh? What''s up with her?" The person in front of Desty asked in wonder.


    "I don''t know. Wait, Miss Fate, I will go after here."


    Desty and Wendy joined Fate Margaret''s club. The three of them were the backbone of the White Rose club, in which the leader was Fate Margaret.


    "Sure."


    When Desty was about toe out of the cafe, she saw Wendy alreadying back with a somewhat despondent face.


    "Hey, what''s up, Wendy? Is there a problem? Why did you suddenly run?"


    "D-Desty!? Uh, ahem!" Wendy was a little startled. But she regained herposure instantly. "It''s n-nothing, ahaha. I thought I saw someone I know, but it seemed like I was wrong."


    Wendy remembered that time when she overheard Desty. Everyone believed Jem Hansen left the Academy. But in truth, Desty and his party suffered an ident and cost two lives. One of them was Jem Hansen''s.


    Right. That person couldn''t be him. Jem already died in the Deste Region.


    After hearing her reply, Desty stared at her for a couple of seconds before she opened her mouth again. "Geez. Let''s go back. Miss Fate was waiting for us."


    Wendy could not tell her that she saw someone a little identical to Jem Hansen. Desty was trying to forget about him. She was recovering from that incident. That''s why Wendy could not ask her directly about that incident.


    "Ahaha. Yeah, let''s go."


    When Jem arrived at the train station, he noticed that it resumed its operation. When he nced around, he realized that so many people wished to ride the train. Probably, most of them were the passengers who got stranded at the appearance of the dungeon yesterday.


    Luckily, he was able to ride it. He remembered when he first rode it. He was with someone at that time. But now, he was traveling alone. Now that he thought about it. It was more convenient to travel alone. There were no disturbing feelingspared to that time.


    After a couple of hours of travel, Jem finally arrived at the station of Hillside City. The first time he came here, he had no time for sightseeing because they were in a hurry at that time.


    Now that he had a look around him, although the Hillside City wasn''t as big as the Seaside City, it was also a lively city, huh. Though, notparable to Seaside City.


    He used his limited conversation skill to ask the people around him where he could rent a carriage.


    Jem arrived at the terminal, where he asked for a ride towards the Hillside teau.


    It took him a couple of minutes to arrive at his destination. He gave 25 red coins to the coachman.


    Jem walked several steps before arriving in front of their farm. He was excited to see his grandfather. Beyond it, he could see the shade of their simple wooden house. However, even from afar, he could see that it was so rundown.


    He also noticed something on the farm. The grains that were currently in there. They were the spring cereals fromst spring!


    He remembered he went to the Ex Soul Academy in the first month of Autumn.


    They usually harvested spring cereals in the first week of the second month of autumn. Then started nting winter cereals in the early week of winter.


    Jem felt a foreboding feeling about it. After all, his grandfather was already old.


    He quickened his steps towards their house.


    "Hey,d! Oh, wait. Is that you, Jem?" Before he could distance himself, he heard a call.


    Jem stopped for a moment and looked to his side, he saw a familiar figure, but it wasn''t his grandfather.


    He turned around and greeted him. "Mr. Barn, good day."


    It was Mr. Barn. He was a neighbor and a close friend of his grandfather.


    "Oh, ho ho! It''s truly you, Jem. I almost could not recognize you, you know. Lad, you looked very different from before. Is it true you went to the military academy?"


    "Yes, Mr. Barn."


    "Oh, how lucky. That''s good."


    "By the way, Mr. Barn. Is my grandpa in the house?"


    "Right. I am about to ask you the same question. But it turns out like you don''t have any idea as well, huh."


    "Wait, do you mean he wasn''t there?"


    "Well, it has been several months now that I haven''t seen him. I thought he came after you."


    Although it didn''t appear on his face, Mr. Barn''s reply bothered him.

 Chapter 62 - Searching For Happiness

    Jem rushed towards their house.


    "Grandpa!"


    He couldn''t find him in the s.


    "Grandpa!"


    He wasn''t in his room either.


    He searched in all corners of their house, but there was no shadow of his grandfather. Jem let a sigh escape from his mouth before letting himself fall on the shabby wooden chair beside the table.


    "Where could he be?" Jem mumbled. There was a hint of regret in his voice.


    .


    His grandfather wasn''t the type of person who would go away without letting him know where he would go.


    ''Wait! Could there be something that happened to him while he was gathering some herbs in the mountain?'' This thought crossed his mind.


    Jem stood once again and ran to the mountain. While on the road, a wild boar appeared and bolted towards him.


    "Get lost!" Jem spoke with cold eyes. As though his voice echoed, birds were flying away from the surrounding trees. And noise from scared animals could be overheard as they scuttered away.


    The wild boar suddenly stopped and trembled. But it only happened in an instance as Jem canceled his [Intimidation] skill right away. However, it was enough for the wild boar to understand the danger it was facing.


    The wild boar disappeared like a streak of lightning. It escaped away in fright.


    Jem had no time to deal with it. He needed to find his grandfather as soon as possible.


    Around him, a 25 feet Python Snake went back to hiding. A massive bear was trembling behind a tree. And a fierce-looking gigantic mutated bird flew away.


    The other hostile animals around did note out. They were scared toe out after witnessing that brief moment. This human was not someone they could threaten. All of them were trembling in fear as they were trying not to cause any sounds that could catch his attention.


    Although the [Intimidation] skill could only target his opponent in front of him, the murderous aura he was releasing a moment ago told them that he was in another leaguepared to them.


    He used to be scared to wander this part of the mountain as there was much gossip about hostile creatures appearing in this area. But the current Jem wasn''t afraid of them anymore.


    He continued searching around the mountain. He also went to the neighbors and asked about the whereabouts of his grandfather. Unfortunately, no one had seen him. And he could not find any traces of him.


    Jem was at a loss. He went back to the shabby house with crestfallen. He failed to find him. It seemed as though his grandfather disappeared like smoke.


    The sun was already setting to the opposite horizon when he came back home.


    He nced around.


    It used to be a happy house, albeit small. Now it was a gloomy house in which dust and pests were upying arge quantity of it.


    Creak!


    He threw his body on the chair, once again, without minding the dust on it. The room was dark and quiet, and he was sitting there for almost half an hour without doing anything. Jem was nkly staring at the space in front of him, reminiscing. Perhaps, if he didn''t leave that day, his grandfather would not have gone.


    "Grandfather¡­" he called out in a whisper, wondering where he went. He was so worried.


    After closing and opening his eyes again, he caught a glimpse of something white on the table.


    He looked at it and realized that it was actually a piece of paper covered by dust. It was under an old ceramic bowl beside an energymp.


    He took it.


    ''A letter?'' A question came across his mind. But since it was dark, he could not be sure about it.


    He reached out on the energymp. This energymp was with them for a very long time already. His grandfather bought it when he was still a little kid.


    Regardless, not all families in this ce owned this kind ofmp. The reason for it was because, to light it, he had to feed it with ex-energy. Exactly, only ex-humans could light it.


    Jem produced ex-energy on his hand and let it flow towards themp. The small luminous crystal in the middle had started to glow.


    Once it absorbed enough ex-energy, it would glow and give off pleasant greenish radiance on its surroundings.


    He remembered ying with it when he was still a kid. Since he had such a pitiable amount of ex-energy in his body, he always ended up depleting his ex-energy every time he tried to light it.


    Well, because of it, he ended up good at controlling his ex-energy. He also learned the fortification ability without someone''s guidance.


    He remembered his grandfather''s words at that time. His grandfather said that his learning talent was higher than normal ex-humans.


    So he shouldn''t be sad if others had a higher amount of ex-energy than him. He added that when the timees, he could be a great person.


    After a couple of seconds, the energymp finally delivered greenish radiance in its vicinity.


    He ced it back on the table. Then blow away the dust before he unfolded the paper in his hands.


    As expected, it was truly a letter.


    The handwritten was no doubt from his grandfather.


    The first line of the letter was to greet him. Then it was followed by some questions about him. Next, he instructed Jem not to search for him and instead search for his happiness.


    "....."


    But his happiness was to see his grandfather. Just what kind of happiness was his grandfather talking about.


    Just by reading the letter, Jem couldprehend that he left on his own ord.


    But where did his grandfather go? And why did he leave here in the first ce? He didn''t mention it in the letter.


    He needed to find him and asked him personally. Right. Since his grandfather told him to search for his happiness, he must search for him.


    He had to find him even at the end of the world. And one day, when he finally saw him, he would tell him his story.


    Regardless, he needed to figure out what to do from here on.

 Chapter 63 - Prelude Of Monster Invasion

    ''Looking at the condition of the letter, it seems it has been there for months now. Perhaps grandfather left here right after I went to the Academy.''


    ''I hope grandfather is safe wherever he is right now.''


    Jem heaved a sigh before deciding to keep the letter. It was his grandfather''s memento. After that, he stood up and went to his room, bringing with him the energymp.


    ''Hm, it''s fixed?''


    The broken door of his room returned to normal.


    ''Thank you, grandpa.''


    He whispered in his mind as he touched the door.


    When morning came, rather than letting the grains go to waste, Jem decided to visit Mr. Barn and asked his help in harvesting the grains.


    Of course, it wasn''t a nonprofitable help. He would be giving him amission.


    "I see. Sure, let me help you with that. By the way, Jem. Have you found that Oldman?"


    Jem shook his head. "No. But he left a letter saying he went to visit an old acquaintance."


    "Oh, I see. Damn. That Pal did not evene to bid farewell before he left."


    There was a hint of dissatisfaction from Mr. Barn''s tone as he said it.


    "Oh, by the way,d. Come with me to the house. You know, Miles? My granddaughter? She just came back."


    He said excitedly.


    ''That tomboy?''


    Jem thought inwardly.


    Right. Before he met and yed with Desty, the first person he yed with as a child was that girl, Miles.


    Since Jem was a wimpy kid before, she used to take the role of a noble knight whenever they yed.


    Miles has an outgoing personality. A big contrast to Desty when they first met.


    Using a wooden stick as her sword, they often roam around to search for antagonists. Speaking of antagonists, they were small animals such as rabbits, chickens, and etcetera.


    They only have one script.


    Whenever they yed, Jem always took the role of damsel in distress. And she would arrive with her wooden sword to rescue him.


    Regardless, Jem had many things he needed to do.


    "Sorry, Mr. Barn. I have lots of cleaning I have to do in the house. Maybe next time."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yeah."


    "It''s up to you,d. I wille to check the farmter."


    "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Barn."


    His grandfather mentioned in the letter to harvest them no matter the grain''s condition.


    After his talks with Mr. Barn, he went back to the house. Then, Jem started cleaning, keeping away the useless trash, and storing those with value. He wiped off the dust and got rid of the pests that were upying the house.


    It took him an entire day to make the house habitable again.


    Now, Jemid his back on the balcony, staring at the calm sky. He had to admit he missed this kind of mood.


    Soon, he would be leaving this ce again to search for his happiness. In short, his grandfather.


    The serenity of the world in front of him was making his eyelids heavier. Jem slowly closed his eyes.


    But not even a minute had passed since he closed his eyes when he heard a warning.


    <Host! Enemy!>


    His eyes shot open! However, what greeted him was dripping razor-sharp teeth and an ugly face with red predator eyes.


    ''Monster?!'' Thought Jem while hastily turned his head sideways.


    He was surprised to see it, but he had no time to think more about it.


    Shing!


    Just right when he turned his head away when ws came to tear him.


    The ws brushed the wooden floor and caused three long scratch marks on it.


    Jem sessfully evaded it!


    He quickly followed up with a punch. His fist hit the monster''s face and knocked it away. It wasn''t only an ordinary punch. It was a punch with both the fortification and smite ability.


    When Jem stood up, he saw the monster on the ground. Its head bent in the wrong direction, and its face was devastated. But it was still alive. It was squirming and twitching while groaning. He did not mindlessly approach to finish it unless he was confident of his defense.


    Jem summoned his Dimensional Territory and took his weapons from it.


    As expected, the monster was still capable of fighting. It managed to get up.


    "A troll, huh."


    Jem muttered the kind of monster in front of him. It was taller than him. The skin was dark green and was quite skinny in which its ribs and spines were noticeable on its body.


    It looks horrifying.


    Though, it wasn''t his first time to see this kind of monster.


    Even with its crushed face, it still came to attack him.


    Jem casually threw a knife at it. The knife hit its eye and caused the troll to stagger. Jem did not waste the opportunity and severed its head with a dagger.


    From the cut, blood spurted like a fountain. A stter of bloodnded on Jem''s face near his mouth. With a glint in his eyes, he licked it.


    He was already used to drinking beasts and monsters'' blood in thebyrinth. For him, water and blood hadn''t much difference. All were good instruments to quench his thirst.


    The headless body fell on the ground.


    Without sparing a nce at it, he focused his attention in front of him. A more astonishing thing was happening in front of him.


    The sky has the color of blood. And flying monsters were crossing everywhere.


    "What the hell was happening?"


    Jem mumbled.


    However, instead of a proper reply, he got a warning from the trader.


    <Be careful, host!>


    Five trolls were rushing towards him; they wereing from the grain field.


    A magical ring shone on his wrist.


    [Light Wave!]


    Jem fired his newly learned spell. The troll running in front of the group was hit and knocked back. And it crashed on the other one that was running behind it.


    The three remaining trolls managed to close their distance at him.


    He greeted the first one with a kick. Then, he evaded theing ws by swaying to his side. Next, he stabbed the third one who appeared behind him.


    [Light Wave!]


    Jem fired at the troll he kicked a while ago using his other hand to finish it.


    Garg!


    The troll groaned in pain. A secondter, its body disappeared into the grain field.


    He kicked the one he stabbed, at the same time, unburying his dagger.


    Thest troll sent consecutive attacks using its ws. But to no avail. Jem easily dodged the troll''s attacks with a little sway of his body.


    Looking at how he casually dealt with the trolls, speak of his experience in dealing with them.


    Well, it wasn''t his first time dealing with trolls. Inside thebyrinth, Jem fought with dozens of them. So, countering them was easy-peasy for him.


    Seeing that its attacks bear no sess, thest troll screamed eerily.


    GWAAARRR!


    It is supposed to be an intimidation ability. However, it was facing the wrong opponent.


    With a speed that is hard to perceive with naked eyes, Jem threw a knife at it. The troll did not even notice it.


    The knife went directly to the troll''s mouth and pierced its throat.


    GWAA¡ª-!!


    It choked the troll.


    Jem summoned ex-energy on his legs and kicked the ground. His figure disappeared in that instance, then reappeared in front of the troll. Before the troll could react, Jem already sent a palm to its stomach. The troll''s body bent into an inverted C.


    It was an instantaneous leap and directly attacking the enemy.


    With a super-fast movement, he followed up with an elbow attack at the troll''s jaw; the troll''s eyes almost popped out of its eye sockets. It staggered back, but Jem did not let it escape from his grasp.


    He used another instantaneous leap. His figure disappeared once again and reappeared in mid-air, above the troll. A kick from above came crashing into the enemy''s head. It was the same attack he used to defeat the rebel leader.


    GUH!


    Blood sttered when his kick smashed the troll''s head.


    It instantly killed thest troll.


    His expression never changed, even after killing all the trolls.


    Jem nced around. The sky was still blood red. And flying monsters were constantly passing by.


    "Trader, do you have any idea what is currently happening?"


    Jem asked the trader.


    <No, host.>


    "I see."


    "Regardless."


    "Do you think there''s a dungeon entrance around here?"


    Looking at the dead trolls, he believed something was amiss. There''s no way this type of monster could appear here. There were only two possible ways for them to arrive here.


    The first was through the dungeon entrance. And the second was by destroying the barrier that was protecting the whole country.


    Or even by weakening it.


    However, to destroy or weaken the Ex-Light Barrier, there were some circumstances that the monster needed to do.


    One of them was defeating the whole military and army group that was protecting the barriers.


    So, the first one was most likely the reason for their appearance. Jem concluded.


    <Yes, host. I sensed a malignant aura about half a kilometer away east of here. Though, I''m not sure if it was a dungeon.>


    "Wait, half a kilometer away east of here?"


    <Yes. That''s what I said, host.>


    "That''s where Mr. Barn''s house was."


    <Are you going to help?>


    "Well, I need his help too. Besides, we could gather more points if it''s truly a dungeon."


    <You''re right, host>


    Before leaving, Jem noticed the troll''s corpses were still there.. So probably, their source of existence was still out there.

 Chapter 64 - Miles

    Before leaving, a sudden transformation happened to Jem''s arm. His normal-looking arm a while ago has now be red. It looks like a devil''s arm. Especially that there were dark lines and thorns on it.


    It was the fruit from his sess in killing a devil subspecies beast inside thebyrinth.


    After staring at it for a moment, he pointed the palm to one of theying corpses. Reddish color aura was exuding from his palm a secondter. The reddish aura then envelops the corpse.


    Jem spoke in a mutter.


    "Trade."


    After muttering the word, a notification appeared in his vision.


    ording to the notification, he received 50 points after trading the whole corpse.


    The skill he used was only one of the unique abilities of the devil''s arm.


    With this skill, he did not need to trouble himself in butchering the corpses one by one.


    Though, he had to spend 20 ex-energy every time he used it. With his current amount of ex-energy, he wasn''t bothered by the energy cost of the spell. But still, Jem was limiting himself in using it.


    Regardless, he got 300 points in total.


    It only took him several seconds to trade them all. He then proceeded towards the house of Mr. Barn.


    <> <> <>


    GUWAR!


    With gushing saliva, a fierce troll came rushing to attack the Oldman Barn.


    "Come and take this Oldman, fool!" Mocked the Oldman Barn as he swung the rake in his hand towards the approaching monster.


    Swoosh~


    The troll stopped on its feet and barely avoided the sharp nails of the rake.


    Cih!


    Oldman Barn clicked his tongue. The troll sneered at him, then resumed its attack.


    Oldman Barn swung back the rake, but this time the troll caught it.


    Gorr!


    While showing its saw-like teeth, the troll grinned and raised its other arm in the air.


    Oldman Barn grimaced when he noticed the wsing down at him.


    Before the ws tore him apart, "duck!" he heard amanding voice. It wasing from behind him.


    Since the voice was familiar to him, he followed without a second thought.


    A flying shovel hit the troll in the face.


    Guh!


    The troll groaned and released its hold on the rake and caressed its face while stepping back. Blood was dripping on it.


    The rake fell to the ground with a nging noise.


    When Oldman Barn nced behind him, he saw a familiar figure. But his eyes turned wide a secondter.


    "Miles, why did youe back? I told you to escape!" He yelled in worry.


    "Sorry, grandfather, I can''t let you die!" Replied a girl with medium-length ck hair.


    Normal humans usually had ck hair while ex-humans had colored hair. Jem was a special case as he had a pitiful amount of ex-energy when he was born. That''s why instead of colored hair, he had ck hair instead, not different from normal humans. But after escaping thebyrinth, some strands of his hair turned to silver.


    Back to the scene. Miles ran to his side and helped him stand. "Let''s go!" She helped her grandfather to escape with her.


    However,


    He shook his head. "It''s useless. My leg lost strength," said Oldman Barn.


    Miles grimaced when she noticed a wound on her grandfather''s leg.


    "Now go! Escape from here while you have the chance!"


    Miles bit her lip before replying.


    "What''s the purpose of my studying to be a part of the Human Enforcer if I could not even protect a single member of my family!"


    "Tsk! What a silly girl! We are facing a creature that could not be defeated by normal humans. Please, escape now!"


    GWAR! GWAR! GWAR!


    However, after the Oldman Barn said his worries, three more trolls came. Now they are surrounded.


    "It''s toote!" Said Miles.


    She picked the rake on the ground and pointed it to the trolls.


    Fear was visible in Miles and Oldman Barn''s faces when the trolls began to attack. "Getaway!" Miles swung the rake to warn the trolls. Yet, it was cut to pieces by the troll''s ws.


    GWAR!


    One of the trollses to attack again.


    Miles spread her arms to use her body to shield her grandfather. She closed her eyes as she did it to avoid seeing her grim fate.


    "....."


    After a few seconds, she realized nothing had happened aside from an unusual groan and a series of dull, heavy sounds. She also heard some piercing sounds before those.


    "Eh¡­?" she heard a mutter that sounded like a question. It was from her grandfather.


    Out of curiosity, she opened an eye. What greeted her caused her to widen both of her eyes. Miles was dumbfounded.


    A young boy was standing with a nonchnt expression. And the trolls¡­? They were all dead, lying on the ground!


    "H-How did it happen¡­?" She mumbled.


    Perhaps hearing her mumble, the boy nced at her before turning his gaze to her grandfather and asked.


    "Are you okay, Mr. Barn?" His voice and features were somewhat familiar to her.


    "J-Jem¡­?" Oldman Barn muttered his name, somewhat astonished. He couldn''t believe what he just witnessed. Was it a dream? He wondered. How did this boy do that? He was questioning himself deep inside.


    The moment he mentioned Jem''s name, Miles snapped.


    "Eeeeyyy! Jem! Is that you?!" She eximed after hearing her grandfather.


    Jem turned his gaze at her and nodded.


    "Yes."


    Looking at the girl, he already figured out that it was Miles, his childhood friend. Although she grew up beautiful with round blue eyes and pearl-like skin, it was still easy for him to tell that it was Miles, his childhood friend, because of the mole on her face.


    "W-what!" Miles was a little flustered; she couldn''t believe it was her wimpy childhood friend.


    Anyway, she had many questions she wanted to ask. But before Miles could open her mouth again, Jem already turned his back on them.


    "So, the void is there, huh."


    Now he was facing the void several steps away from their location.


    <Right, calling it void after it touched the ground is inappropriate, host. The most appropriate name for it was the Dungeon Entrance.>


    The trader told him.


    ''Well, it''s all the same,'' He said, then started moving towards it.


    But,


    "Wait! Jem!"

 Chapter 65 - Supa-Duckling

    "It''s dangerous! Don''t go there! It''s a dungeon entrance!"


    Miles shouted.


    "D-D-dungeon entrance?" Oldman Barn stuttered. All colors left his face in an instant upon hearing it.


    It wasn''t the first time he heard about it, but it was the first that he saw one in person. Based on what he knew, Dungeon Entrance appears randomly. But mostly, they appeared in popted ces like the urban areas. Well, based on the history of their appearances, it seemed it was the case.


    However, how did it happen? How did it appear in this ce? Barn asked in his mind.


    He understood that it was a piece of bad news. No wonder these monsters suddenly appeared from out of thin air.


    A while ago,


    He just finished his daily chores when he heard an unusual eerie growl. When he nced outside, he saw some grotesque creaturesing closer to their house.


    He immediately shouted to his daughter and granddaughter to escape while he was going to obstruct the monsters.


    Though, he didn''t expect that Miles woulde back. What a silly girl. She almost perished along with him. Fortunately, Jem arrived and defeated the monsters while they were unaware of his presence.


    It was a sneaky move from Jem. But still, Oldman Barn could not even fully understand what thed did.


    He already knew that Jem was an ex-human. But Oldman Barn had no idea how strong an ex-human was. Most of the people in the federation treated them like humanity''s weapons. For him, ex-humans were no different from normal humans, probably because he hadn''t seen an ex-human in action until a while ago.


    After seeing Jem''s action just now, he could not help but gasp.


    But still, it was a dungeon he would be facing! He heard many rumors that dungeons were dens of monsters.


    Moreover, these monsters, he nced at the lying corpses around him; they weren''t easy opponents.


    If there were dozens of them inside that dungeon, no matter how strong Jem was, the monsters would overwhelm him. Oldman Barn believed so.


    Frankly, Jem was only able to defeat them because these monsters didn''t notice when he approached.


    Their whole attention was on him and Miles.


    "Right, grandfather. It''s a dungeon entrance. And looking at these monsters, it is probably an above-average grade dungeon! Not even the veteran guilds in the Clearing Association would be willing to enter them alone no matter the grade!"


    Oldman Barn had no idea about dungeon grades, but looking at his granddaughter''s reaction, it seemed to be a serious matter. Compared to him, his granddaughter knows a lot about monsters, dungeons, ex-humans, or the Clearing Association. Well, since she studied in a human military academy.


    "Lad,e back here! Let''s escape together!"


    Oldman Barn called out to him in a hurry.


    Jem stopped on his feet and looked behind him.


    "I''ll be fine," he said without an ounce of worry on his face. His voice was the usual calm voice he has all the time.


    Miles was surprised at him. No matter how she thought about it, she could not picture him as that childhood friend of hers in her memory. The current Jem was so different from that kid he used to be.


    He used to be a crying, whiny and scaredy-cat kid. That''s why she was looking at him like someone who needed her protection.


    Yet, the current him was so calm and confident.


    After saying his reply, he returned his gaze to the entrance and started moving again. Looking at him, she felt like whatever they said could not persuade him.


    Miles frowned and said, "W-wait! Let mee with you!" She gave up trying to stop him.


    Jem stopped again. "You can''t."


    No matter what the intention of Miles, he could not let here with him.


    "Besides, you need to bring Mr. Barn to a safe ce and apply first aid on his wound."


    Jem guessed Miles would say it. That''s why he didn''t use his medicine to heal Mr. Barn''s wound. So, he had a reason to refuse her.


    He had no idea how much she had changed after so long. But based on what he knew about her, she was difficult to persuade.


    "....."


    Miles fell silent from his reply. She knew he was right. "B-but¡­" she mumbled. She wanted toe with him. However, he was right. She needed to help her grandfather recover.


    Noticing that she understood him, Jem continued walking towards the entrance.


    Even though she was skeptical about leaving Jem alone, she decided to assist her grandfather in getting up. But her eyes kept darting towards Jem''s direction.


    <Host, I think that girl will being after the hostter on.>


    Jem heard the trader''s whisper. "I see."


    His reply was short.


    He was more interested in the dungeon than caring about other people. Unfortunately, he could not reveal his devil''s left arm to the other people, so Jem could not trade those dead trolls just now in the presence of Mr. Barn and Miles. It would surely freak them out. Moreover, exining was a bothersome thing.


    When Jem was about a few steps away from the entrance, they heard rapid stomping noisesing closer and closer. Along with it was the vibration of the ground.


    Instinctively, Miles stopped moving and looked around. Jem also stopped walking and looked to where the noises came from.


    What they saw when they looked in the direction of the noises was a giant duckling. It was running in huge strides towards their direction. They also noticed some people riding on its back.


    "Leader, over there!" Shouted one of the people on it while pointing her finger to the dungeon entrance.


    The bald man on the front squinted his eyes. "Hm, it even appeared here. Just what was happening in the world?" muttered the baldy while frowning.


    "Wait, there are some people!" One of their members pointed out upon noticing Jem and the others.


    Just a couple of secondster, they arrived while shouting to Jem, "Getaway from there! That thing is dangerous!"


    "....."


    Jem just stood there with a nonchnt expression.


    But inwardly, he was looking at the giant duckling in amazement.


    Jem understood that it was a mutated animal. Mutated animals were too magical, though some of them were fierce and hostile. Anyway, some of them looks amazing like this duckling. And looks delicious too. He secretly licked his lips while looking at the duckling. It looks very meaty.


    A bead of sweat appeared at the duckling''s head. It also shivered for a second. Perhaps, sensing his bad intent.


    "We are the Supa-Duckling Guild,"said the bald person.


    Although no one was asking, they introduced themselves anyway.

 Chapter 66 - Ex-human’s Ability

    The giant duckling subconsciously stepped back a step. Jem was only teasing it. He didn''t truly care if it looked delicious or not because it was useless for someone like him, who lost his sense of taste.


    Perhaps noticing the tense behavior of the giant mount. "What''s up, Feather Mama?" Asked the baldy while rubbing the giant duckling''s feathers.


    Ack!


    The giant duckling responded in a wail.


    "What? A dangerous aura nearby?" The baldy said as though he was conversing with a human.


    That surprised Jem.


    All the Supa-Duckling member''s faces turned serious at that instant. Their eyes darted around, inspecting the surroundings. They saw the lying corpses of what seemed like dead monsters. Their eyes turned wide upon seeing them.


    The leader jumped off of the carriage, following him were some members, they stoutly passed Jem.


    All of them were exuding a warrior''s aura. Even the look in their eyes when they passed by had a keenness of an experienced soldier. On the contrary, there was only a carefree look on Jem''s face.


    They went straight to where Miles and Oldman Barn was. But not all of them went in that direction. The other members warned Jem to stay away from the entrance before they walked towards it.


    There were a total of seven people from the Supa-Duckling guild. All of them were garbed in different customs.


    Nheless, four of them along with the baldy went straight towards Miles and Oldman Barn, while the other three walked towards the dungeon entrance.


    Jem remained silent. He has left behind along with the giant duckling. The giant duckling, however, was staring at him. But Jem already lost interest in it.


    He turned away his gaze from those people at the dungeon entrance. He looked at the Supa-Duckling guild members, who came towards Miles and Oldman Barn. He noticed Miles'' face brightened upon seeing these people from the Supa-Duckling guild.


    His understanding of a guild was that it was a group of people who work together, help each other, or something like that.


    In the academy, there were also groups known as clubs, but he failed to join one. Well, urate to say, no one epted him.


    Regardless, he wondered if the guild was also the same as those clubs in the Academy.


    Guild, huh. It was the first time he saw one. Desty mentioned it before. But at that time, he had little interest in them. So, he wasn''t seriously listening to her when she was talking about it.


    "Troll?!"


    He heard a sudden exmation. It wasing from the bald man.


    They seem to be surprised to see the dead monsters. There was a look of shock on their faces.


    "But who¡ª!" Their femalepanion seemed to want to ask something, but she suddenly stopped when she saw the bald man''s raised hand.


    "Why leader?" Asked their femalepanion.


    "Uh, ire, can you heal his injury first?"


    The bald man, who was also the leader of their group, said that. As he uttered those words his snout also pointed in the direction of Oldman Barn.


    "Okay, no problem."


    Without hesitation, the femalepanion named ire responded.


    When ire got close to Oldman Barn, she immediately focused her right palm on Oldman Barn''s foot where his injury could be seen.


    Oldman Barn blinked his eyes in wonder.


    "What are you doing?" He asked.


    "Don''t worry I don''t have bad intentions. We are all ex-humans. Each of us has our own ss of power. My power is, I can heal a wound or any minor injury," ire exined.


    "Just rx yourself, grandpa," Miles said suddenly as there was a smile on her face.


    "Ah, really? O-okay¡­"


    Although somewhat skeptical, he still followed the advice of his dear granddaughter.


    Jem was just watching intently when a ring appeared on ire''s arm. Following this, her palm gradually brightens. A bright light-green color covered her entire palm.


    The light seemed to reflect on the affected part of Oldman Barn''s injury.


    Jem also noticed that the clear expression on Oldman Barn''s face was slowly returning. The frown on his face caused by the pain of his injury was gone.


    After healing Oldman Barn''s injury, one can see its sheer amazement.


    "Haha! Ex-humans like you are really very mysterious," he said happily.


    The leader just nodded in response. ire came back to his side as if nothing had happened.


    Miles was overjoyed. She repeatedly thanked them.


    "Don''t mind it. We are also happy to cure your¡ª grandfather?" Said the leader.


    Miles nodded at his question at the end of his word. His true personality seemed to contradict his temperamental countenance. He seems kind.


    "I see. Uh, right. My name is Baxter and I am the leader of this squad. Can we know who killed these monsters?"


    Before answering, the two turned in Jem''s direction. When they noticed his nod, they sighed in relief.


    He really doesn''t care if everyone knows about him because he really doesn''t have anything to hide. His conscience is clear and he has no hidden stench.


    Miles first helped her grandfather stand up. When he stood up, he shook the dirt off the buttocks of his old pants before slowly opening his mouth.


    The old man tapped his granddaughter on the shoulder. "Let me¡­" he said. He meant that he was the one to answer.


    Miles nodded slightly.


    "The person who beat them is an ex-human like you. And he is here with us right now," the calm response of the old man.


    "Ah! Really?" When they heard the old man''s response, they immediately turned around. However, they do not see a personality that matches what they are thinking.


    Apart from them, only one adult and two youngsters are currently present in the area. It seems impossible that one of these children killed the monsters. In fact, they are not old enough to kill even one troll.


    If you count the amount of training and experience to reach a sufficient level to kill a troll, it seems that they are not old enough to do so.


    The troll belongs to the C-rank monster. Only level 2 ex-humans and abovehave the ability to kill them. Even if we assume that the trolls were just killed by luck, it seems impossible for that to happen because it wasn''t just a troll sprawling around them.. So, the only conclusion is that a strong ex-human did end them.

 Chapter 67 - Jem’s Mission

    Based on his conclusion, only one person fits his description of the three of them. Especially since he''s the only one who doesn''t have ck hair.


    "In that case, are you the ex-human you''re referring to?" Baxter asked as he looked at Oldman Barn. Maybe it''s because Barn''s hair is white due to old age so Baxter thought that maybe his hair color was different when he was younger. Even ex-humans are not exempted from this natural phenomenon. When a person grows old, even if they are exhuman, their hair will still be white.


    Oldman Barn and Miles blinked their eyes at Baxter''s question. "Ah? Eh? No! Not me!" The old man replied stutteringly.


    "What! Really?! " Baxter frowned at his false prediction. "If that''s the case. If not you¡­ who? "


    At that moment, they heard a gentle voice. "It''s me."


    Suddenly, everyone looked at where the voice came from. Everyone was stunned for a moment to see that it came from the young man. They don''t know if he''s serious or just joking. Baxter''s group''s reaction was natural because no matter how they look, the young man looks like a normal person.


    "Boy, this isn''t the time to joke," said one of Baxter''spanions. On the other hand, you can see the agreement of others with their colleague based on their nod.


    Jem took a breath before raising his hand slightly. When they saw the green aura creeping from his palm was,


    "Wha-! He''s truly an ex-human!" ire said aloud. Definitely because of the bit of shock.


    "Yes. And he also saved us from these monsters," said old Barn as he kicked slightly at a dead troll.


    "Eh, really? If so, is his level already high?" Baxter asked somewhat skeptically.


    "I don''t know what you mean by level, but he killed the monsters while they were busy attacking me and granddaughter," Barn replied.


    "I see. So it was a surprise attack. That makes sense," ire said as she touched her chin.


    They nced at the young man and saw him nodding his head.


    At that moment, their attention was immediately distracted when they heard a shout from one of theirrades who was guarding the dungeon entrance.


    "Leader! The next wave is about to begin! "


    Everyone noticed the brightness of the dungeon entrance.


    "I wish I could ask more questions, but we don''t have time to chat. The dungeon entrance began to light up again. This means that the next wave is about to begin, "Baxter exined. After saying this, Baxter''s group approached Jem. "Young ex-human¡­" Jem looked at Baxter upon hearing the call. When he noticed Jem''s gaze at him, "Are they your family?" Baxter asked him as he approached.


    "No. They''re just my neighbors." His answer was still calm.


    "Is that so? Then can you protect them? Or it would be better if you keep them away from this ce because this ce will be dangerous sooner orter. "


    Jem didn''t answer right away. A few secondster he said, "I''m sorry. I was nning to enter that dungeon," he said as he pointed at the dungeon entrance.


    "....."


    Upon hearing his response everyone seemed incredulous. All of them gawked in disbelief. Jem wondered about their reaction.


    Suddenly,


    "Ahaha!" Baxterughed out loud. "I like your spirit!" He said as he tapped Jem''s shoulder. "But, you will only die if you enter that ce. Do you know what¡ª "


    "Captain! We don''t have time." Baxter''s words were suddenly cut short when ire suddenly reminded him. He sighed before looking at Jem again. This time his face was serious.


    "Are you a member of a guild or any organization?" He suddenly asked.


    Jem stared at him when he heard his question. "I''m not. I''m a dropout of the academy, in fact."


    By the time he disappeared, Jem was sure that he had been dered missing. He was also sure that if Desty and the others had survived, they would have told the teachers what had happened to him. So it is impossible for Jem to return to Ex Soul Academy without causingmotion. Besides, he must first think carefully about whether he will return there or not.


    Upon hearing his answer, Baxter spoke again. "Ohh. I''m sorry. But you cannot enter the dungeon unless you are a legal member of the association. Only guild members have the right to enter that thing. And besides, the inside of that thing is dangerous. So it''s better for you if you just help those two get out of this ce."


    Jem didn''t expect what he heard. He didn''t know that there was such a prohibition on the dungeon.


    This time he heard Miles'' voice. "He was right, Jem. You can''t just go in there unless you are a legal member of the Clearing Association. "


    "....."


    Looks like he could not do anything about it. He just needed little points to be able to promote his Exo-points again. But, he also could not insist on what he wanted, even though he was doubting what they said.


    "I see."


    He just nodded slightly in agreement. Miles breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his reaction. Before proceeding towards the dungeon entrance, Baxter first leaves some advice for Jem.


    "It is better that you graduate from the academy first because our work is not a joke. And at least if you are an academy graduate you have many options to choose from. Though, in the end, we still have to protect humanity from these creatures. Hahaha!"


    Jem wanted to disagree with hisst line, but he could not argue with him at this time.


    Before stepping inside the dungeon, Baxter looked up at the sky and suddenly whispered. "It looks like it''s not just a simple attack¡­" after saying this they continued to enter the dungeon.


    Two members of the Supa-Duckling guild were left outside. While five entered the dungeon to clear it.


    On the other hand, Jem was left in charge of guarding Miles and Oldman Barn.


    Well, that''s fine for him. It was better if they could leave this ce immediately. Especially that he noticed powerful monsters flying above. He wondered what kinds of monsters were those. The most difficult enemy for him was the one he saw for the first time. Even Jem doesn''t want to fight those kinds of monsters if possible without taking precautions.


    Regardless, he must first secure the safety of Oldman Barn and Miles. Not because he was concerned about the two, but because he needed to do it.


    "Where do we go?" Jem suddenly asked.


    "For now, let''s find a shelter," Miles replied.

 Chapter 68 - Flying Monster

    As they were walking away from the area where the dungeon entrance was, Old Barn noticed something when he nced above. His forehead furrowed and his eyes narrowed. He watched carefully and tried to take a good look at what was flying in the sky.


    Old Barn thought. ''They don''t look like birds based on their appearance. Although they have wings like bats, they are muchrger than real bats. Unless they are mutated bats. But I never heard of mutated bats roaming our area. So, what are those things?''


    Oldman Barn called the two. "Wait, Jem, Miles. What are those things flying above us? " His granddaughter, Miles, looked at him when she heard her grandfather''s question. Seeing her grandfather looking up, Miles also immediately turned her gaze upwards. Her forehead furrowed at the sight and her eyes widened. "Monsters!" Suddenly fear registered on their faces after she uttered it.


    Exactly when Jem looked up they saw one of the flying monstersnds in the area where the dungeon entrance was. Its broad wings folded when its feet touched the ground. It rushed directly to the two people guarding the entrance. Since they weren''t very far away, the three were able to see the monster''s rush. But, due to the darkness of the surroundings, it was difficult for them to discern the whole appearance of the monster. Just so, although they find it difficult to discern its full appearance, it is not impossible to recognize it. Based on the shape of its appearance, they quicklypared it to monster trolls. Except for its wings, the monster''s appearance actually resembles a troll!


    "We have a visitor," said one of the guards at the dungeon entrance as he prepared his hand on the handle of his weapon with its wide and round head resting on the ground. The weapon he held was arge battleax.


    On his side stood one of hispanions while on the other side was the huge duckling. Thepanion sighed before stepping forward. "I''ll take care of it."


    He looked at hispanion and said, "Hm, even if it is only C-ranked, it''s much stronger than a normal troll," he said to hispanion.


    "I know that," he simply replied to hispanion without even feeling any fear or nervousness.


    After saying his reply, he addressed the monster. "It''s good that you finally came down here." There was no noticeable fear in his voice as he said this to the monster. But, the monster''s only answer was an unintelligible growl.


    Rawr!


    The monster produced an eerie noise as it stepped quickly towards him. He immediately reached for the hanging weapon behind him. After he held in his hand the sword he had taken from his back, three bright rings appeared on his arm. ''Level 3,'' Jem whispered in his mind as he watched from a distance. They saw the man''s energy feed on the sword he was holding. Suddenly the sword shone like a light after it absorbed his energy. Without wasting time, the man quickly met the monster.


    The monster waved its hands with sharp ws at the man. The man avoided the attacks with a few body movements. When he saw an opportunity, he did not hesitate to attack. They could see the drawing of light in the air as he struck his sword at the defenseless body of the monster.


    GWAR!


    The monster howled loudly when it hit it. Arge horizontal wound registered on the monster''s body, followed by the shedding of blood from its body. The monster fell after it cried out loudly. Jem realizes that those people were truly strong. They are good at fighting. And their level is also high.


    As he watched the fight, his attention was suddenly distracted from a shout.


    "There''s a monster in front of us!"


    This cry is from Miles. When he looked ahead again, he saw a monster. Based on its appearance, it looks the same as the flying monster that attacked the Supa-Duckling guild member. ''It really is a troll,'' Jem thought upon seeing it at a closer distance. But,pared to the ordinary troll, it has a longer tail and a pair of wide wings. Maybe calling it the Flying Troll is much better.


    The Flying Troll wasted no time afternding in front of them. It rushed at them aggressively. Miles and Oldman Barn subconsciously stepped back out of fright. On the contrary, Jem quietly stepped forward. "Eh ?!" Miles was shocked and immediately called the young man. "Come on, Jem! What are you nning to do?!"


    "Kill the monster," was his simple answer. As if it was an obvious matter.


    Miles gawked. "What are you saying? Let''s just run and ask those people for help!" She said, but Jem remained on his feet.


    "....."


    Jem didn''t answer as his eyes were just staring at the rushing monster.


    This was noticed by the people guarding the dungeon entrance. "Wait! It looks like those three are in danger! " Said the man holding the Battleaxe. The man with the sword also looked at Jem and the other''s direction. He had just dispatched a Flying Troll and now he was currently getting rid of the blood sticking to his sword. His forehead furrowed at the sight. "We won''t make it!" Based on his estimation from their distance, even if he speeds up the pace it seems impossible that they can actually save them.


    Although the monster is only C-ranked, they believe that it is not the kind of monster that can be defeated by someone like Jem.


    The man with the sword rushed to their rescue. The other person was left guarding the dungeon entrance. But, not even halfway through his run, he suddenly stopped.


    "What!?" He cried in shock.


    Seeing the monster rush, Jem calmly grabbed a knife from under his jacket and quickly threw it at the oing monster.


    Swoosh~


    The knife traveled fast, but the monster quickly evaded it. It only grazed on the monster''s shoulder, where a horn can be seen. But, even if it grazed it, there was no visible wound. The durability of its skin must be higher. Jem thought so.


    However, it was when the man with a sword stopped on his feet with his eyes widened. He saw the monster stop rushing after three steps. And on its forehead, he saw another knife buried and it fell down.. But how did that happen? The man was surprised.

 Chapter 69 - Town Of Tulg

    When the Flying Troll fell, Jem followed with a Light Wave attack. It exploded and the body was torn to pieces when it was hit defenselessly. Jem looked at his hand. He was a little surprised at the power of that Light Wave.


    He only turned around when he was sure that the monster was dead. He saw the shocked faces of the two with him. But Jem didn''t pay attention to it. He invited them to continue their escape before the other flying monsters came down as well. When the man with a sword saw Jem and the others were leaving, he did not continue to approach them, but simply returned to hispanion.


    "What happened?" Hispanion asked as he returned. His forehead furrowed. A sign that he was confused by what he saw. Later he also threw a question at hispanion. "Did you see what the young man did?"


    Hispanion shook his head and said, "No. I didn''t notice¡­" He stopped for a moment and nced in the direction where the three ran. He continued saying, "Why, what did he do?"


    He thought for a moment before answering. "Hm¡­ I saw him throw something at the monster. But I also saw it when the monster dodged it. But, the monster still... fell?" He said in a questioning tone. He could not grasp how the young did it.


    Then, he continued speaking. "I also noticed that something was stuck on the monster''s forehead before it fell. Then the monster''s body exploded when bright energying out of the young man''s hand hit it. Unbelievably, though, I thought I noticed three rings shining on his arm," he said thest line in a doubting tone.


    "Three rings?!" Hispanion was shocked to hear it. "Then he is level 3? Impossible! Are you sure about what you saw?!" Hispanion said in disbelief. Suddenly the man with the sword fell silent for a few seconds.


    "..."


    "I don''t know. Maybe I''m just deluded," he replied. Even he was unsure if he saw it right.


    "Hm¡­.. maybe. It''s so impossible, you know. Well, forget it. It''s good that nothing bad happened to them."


    "You''re right. But who is that young man anyway? "


    "Well, I don''t know either¡­"


    After they left the ce where Jem had encountered one of the Flying Trolls, he again asked them where they were going. Unfortunately, Oldman Barn had nothing to answer for. It was his first time he experienced this kind of situation in his entire life. Suddenly, Oldman Barn remembered something.


    "Right. Miles, by the way, where did your mother go? Is she safe?! " Barn asked his granddaughter breathlessly.


    "At the evacuation center! Mom is there! " Miles replied while also gasping slightly.


    "Evacuation center? Where is that?" He asked.


    "Tulg Town!"


    "Hm... Okay! Let''s go there!" Oldman Barn had no idea about it, but it wasn''t the right time to ask more questions.


    Miles nodded at what her grandfather had said as she secretly nced at the quiet boy, running beside her. She saw the calm on his face. Miles knows about the extraordinarily high physical power of ex-humans. So she wasn''t surprised that Jem has high stamina. But, his calmness was quite surprising for Miles. She couldn''t believe the extent to which Jem had changed.


    The Evacuation Center Miles refers to is right in the center of the town of Tulg. This town has a poption of just over 1500. But, the area is vast. Maybe because the center of livelihood of the people in this area is farming, so there are many extensive ntations around. So, although the poption is small, the area is vast.


    After running for more than half an hour, they finally reached the town of Tulg. It was located a few kilometers southwest of the Hillside teau. It was not easy for them to get here because they had to avoid being seen by the flying monsters that sometimes passed by.


    When they arrived in the town of Tulg, the chaos around was noticeable. Houses that could be seen around are dpidated while others are on fire, sending warmth to their skins. Although they did not see any dead people in their path, the strong smell of blood that mixed with their breath was noticeable.


    "It looks like monsters have recently invaded this ce," after Oldman Barn said it, they heard a shout from not far away.


    "Waaah! Help!"


    The three looked at each other. "What was that?" Miles asked. The two shrugged their shoulders in response. But, even before Jem and Oldman Barn could say something, Miles already dashed towards the source of the voice. "Let''s go and find out!" The two could do nothing but follow her.


    ''The voice came from the next corner!'' Miles thought while speeding up her pace. After turning into the alley, Miles almost fell when she stepped on something that was blocking her path. "Aww!" She cried out subconsciously. Because of this, her voice echoed and she was heard by other creatures present in the area. She inadvertently grabbed their attention. Suddenly, they look in her direction.


    Hehrr!


    Her ears picked an eerie sound. Her sight was instinctively drawn to the direction of that sound. She froze on the spot at what she saw. "Wha¡ª!" It seemed like cold water poured down her back at that moment.


    Sharp saw-like teeth peeked out when they saw her. They seem happy to see more potential victims. Their eagerness to taste fresh human flesh is obvious based on the saliva flowing into their mouths. Miles''s eyes grewrger when she saw them.


    When Jem and Oldman Barn reached Miles, the old man got worried when he saw his granddaughter almost fall. He immediately asked her, "Miles, are you okay¡ª" but Oldman Barn suddenly stopped speaking. Instead, "T-trolls!" He cried out in shock. He saw three trolls and two people.


    When Jem arrived at the ce, the first thing he noticed was the strong smell of blood around. He also saw lifeless people wearing town guard outfits. They all have horrible wounds on the body while bathing in their blood.


    However, his attention was suddenly grabbed when he heard a mumble from one of the people surrounded by monsters. "Eh? W-why are there still people¡­" they heard this trembling mumble from the man wearing a town guard outfit. One of two people surrounded by three trolls. The other was an elderly woman. Maybe an ordinary resident of the area. Based on his observations, it looks like these guards tried to rescue the residents in this area.


    Jem couldn''t help but be surprised at what he saw. He did not think that there were people who were willing to risk their lives to save others. Or perhaps, there are just people who are really selfish. But it is also possible that they just have no choice and they have to follow their duty.


    Whatever the reason, saving another person''s life in exchange for your life can be considered right and wrong depending on the situation.. But, saving yourself in exchange for the lives of others is a big mistake. He felt bitter in thinking about it

 Chapter 70 - [Oldman’s Resolve]

    Well, since he was the very victim of that notion, Jem was condemning it. Regardless, Jem thought it was reckless for Miles to run ahead of them.


    When they arrived, the situation in the area was suspicious. Just based on that, you will immediately realize that the environment is dangerous. But, Miles didn''t seem to mind.


    Jem thinks the situation is pretty familiar. It was the same when he joined Desty''s group. Due to the reckless move of one of them, their lives were put in jeopardy. And that was also the beginning of all his painful calvary.


    He was lying if he said that it never entered his mind to just leave Miles and the old man. And just save himself first. But, he still had a strong disgust at that idea. He didn''t want to be like those people. That will use other people as tools to save oneself.


    Honestly, he also didn''t want to interfere with others. But, because he needed the old man''s help, Jem had no choice but to try to save him. Of course, if the situation became dangerous for him, he would still be more willing to save himself, but he would not use other people for his personal gain. He will seek and find a way to survive any precarious situation as he did inside thebyrinth without stepping on other people. And if he gets to the point where he really can''t find any other way, it''s up to his luck to save him, if there is one.


    After hisplex experiences within thebyrinth, his belief in his luck increased. If it weren''t for this, he would definitely be a cold skeleton now. He could no longer count how many times his luck had saved him, so he had confidence in it. But of course, his perseverance also helped a lot. And his grandfather''s advice yed an important role as well. All of those served as the talisman that saved him.


    So far, they have found themselves in front of monsters. Seeing them, the monsters didn''t waste any more time. They are in a hurry to attack them. Two of them rushed at Jem while the other was left to finish the two people in front of it.


    Jem saw the town guard intercept his spear to block the monster''s attack. But the monster was too strong and the town guard was knocked back a little.


    Out of the corner of Miles''s sight, she noticed why she had almost copsed. She stepped on a piece of wood that was one meter and a half long, and it was as thick as her arm. Even with her muscles trembling in fear, Miles did not budge. She immediately picked up the wood lying next to her feet.


    "Heyah!" She shouted loudly to draw courage for what she was nning.


    Swoosh~


    As soon as the monsters approached, she immediately greeted one of them with the stick she was carrying. Seeing this, the monster just grinned. Maybe Miles'' movements were just slow for the monster. And the monster looks confident that it can precede her in the attack.


    "Be careful, granddaughter!" Oldman Barn eximed. He wanted to help her, but. He saw one of the monsters heading in his direction.


    Unexpectedly, the monster was startled. Miles did not continue her intended attack. Instead, she defended the monster''s attack by bowing slightly.


    Because of this, the monster''s hand only passed by and only the wind was hit. The monster was a little surprised at what she did. However, the monster was also able to adjust quickly. It immediately followed its attack. An attack from below! An uppercut full of sharp nails! And the second time, Miles avoided it again by retreating a little.


    Due to two consecutive attacks that the monster failed tond, Miles had found a hole from the opponent''s defense.


    She tightened her grip on the wood and hit the monster hard. Even though she was just an ordinary person, her determination was impressive. Luckily, her attack hit. They heard a dull sound when the wooden sticknded on the monster''s head. Miles'' movement is good. Her training at the Human Military School seems to have paid off.


    The monster retreats after receiving a brittle blow to the head. But, other than the lump and dizziness, the monster remained conscious. Although her move was good, she was not strong enough to hurt it.


    So even though she hit the monster on the head, it wasn''t enough for her to beat it. The monster shook its head slightly to get rid of the little dizziness it felt. After returning its sight, its face wrinkled and its red eyes red at her angrily.


    Miles subconsciously gulped down her saliva that was blocking her throat.


    It looks like it got really angry from Miles'' attack. Even though her chest was pounding hard, Miles didn''t budge.


    The other monster rushed at Jem and Barn. Barn panicky looked around, but he didn''t see anything that could be used as a weapon. If there are any, they are quite far from his position. It will be toote if he runs to pick it up. In addition, it seems impossible to run away from them. Especially since the monster is obviously faster than them.


    So, in the end, Oldman Barn just hardened his jaws. There was a mysterious glint in his eyes. Then, he shouted. "I am the elder! How can I rely on younger people to fight these monsters!?" While screaming this, he lifted the sleeves of the old long sleeve he was wearing.


    "Jem, take Miles and get out of here!" He said to the young man as he stepped in front.


    "....."


    Even though he is old, his arms are muscr. "Don''t underestimate this old man whose work is tough!" He added. After saying this, he approached the charging monster while raising his fist. It seemed he wanted to deal with the monster with his fist.


    However, the monster was not shaken by his shout. Its sarcasm can even be seen from the expression on its face.


    Well, Oldman Barn is just encouraging himself. He knew he had no match against the troll.. But, if because of his sacrifice he can save these children, it will also be a sess for him.

 Chapter 71 - Fast Settlement

    As expected, the monster troll is too strong for Oldman Barn. Before his blow hit the monster, its sharp ws rushed towards his face.


    As soon as he was about to be hit in the face, Oldman Barn suddenly felt a force pull at him from behind. "!!" Barn was shocked at those moments. Surprisingly he had no strength to resist the force that pulled at him. But, as a result, he was saved from the monster''s attack. The monster''s ws did not reach him. Only the wind was hit.


    "J-Jem!?" Oldman Barn said in shock as he looked his back and found out that it was the young man who had pulled him. Barn didn''t know that Jem didn''t follow his instructions to leave the area and take his granddaughter. Jem just stayed in his position until he thought he needed to intervene.


    The troll was also confused for a moment when its attack did not hit. But, it rushed again without hesitation. Again, it raised its hands and quickly advanced.


    This time, it was Jem himself who confronted it. He caught the monster''s hand and pulled it away. He followed its center of gravity and threw it in the direction of another monster.


    The monster was thrown and collided with the monster attacking Miles. It happened so quickly that Oldman Barn barely saw the full detail of how the monster flew.


    Miles didn''t expect what happened, so she was also a bit shocked for a moment. After the two monsters collided, they rolled to the ground. Jem immediately followed with a Light Wave attack to to each of them. This time, only one ring appeared on his arm.


    He was well aware of the weakness of ordinary trolls. And Jem also knows how strong they are. The troll immediately exploded when hit by a Light Wave attack apanied by a puff of smoke.


    No time wasted, Jem rushed to the remaining troll, who attacked the town guard. The troll was unaware when the knife hit the side of its head. The troll''s eyes widened when it felt pain. But, it died immediately after releasing a high growl.


    Since he also killed the two, he thought of killing them all. This may have caused his ascendance points to advance a little faster.


    Everyone looked at Jem almost dumbfounded at the sight. They didn''t expect him to finish the three trolls so quickly.


    "Y-You''re an ex-human?" The town guard said. A little confused as his eyes became round.


    Jem''s reply to his question was just a slight nod. At any rate, it is obvious that he is an ex-human.


    Oldman Barn just sighed. He thought it was the end of his life. ''This boy''s strength is real,'' Barn thought.


    Barn knows nothing about the ranking of monsters, or how weak or strong they are. But he knew that monsters were very dangerous creatures. This time, there was no doubt in the young man''s ability.


    ''What kind of people are ex-humans? Why are they so powerful? And why does something seem to have changed in Jem?'' Barn asked questions in his mind.


    "Jem¡­" Miles called softly to him, but the young man did not react. The expression on his face remained calm as he looked around. When he no longer felt the danger in his surroundings, he looked at the dumbfounded town guard.


    "Mister, why is this situation like this?" Jem''s voice was calm as he asked.


    Upon hearing his voice the town guard suddenly awoke from his shock. Holding the aching shoulder, he stepped once closer to Jem before turning around. It nced at the lying deadrades.


    The redness of his eyes, and the wrinkling of his face, were noticeable. He could not hide his sadness at the loss of hisrades. Oldman Barn and Miles also approached them to hear what the town guard had to say.


    "Yes guard, why did these monsters suddenlye out¡ª! W-What happened here? "


    "Eh?!"


    Barn suddenly stopped and paled at the sight. Only now did he notice the dead people around. Miles, on the other hand, couldn''t stop herself from vomiting in a sudden state of difort when she saw the corpses around her bathed in their own blood.


    "Are you okay Miles?" Concerned, the old man asked his granddaughter. "Y-yes, grandfather." Although she said she was okay, she still couldn''t stop herself from vomiting again.


    Bleurgh!


    Thest remaining guard darted his eyes at Jem and Barn and Miles. He saw the young girl trying to wipe her mouth after vomiting. When he noticed the young man''s eyes on him, the town guard began to answer their questions. But before that, he asked them questions.


    "Are you guys residents of this town?" He asked while knitting his brows. He wasn''t certain if he saw them before or not. But he wanted to know if they were truly residents of this area. So he could find out if there were still more people like them who were stranded somewhere.


    "We are from the teau." It was Oldman Barn who answered the town guard''s question.


    The town guard looked at them and noticed no lies from their eyes. "...I see," said the town guard. "Could it be that you were under attack by these monsters as well?" Another questioning from the town guard.


    The three nodded their heads. The town guard let out a deep sigh before opening his mouth once again.


    "I also don''t know what happened. All of a sudden these monsters rushed here. As we were patrolling around, we suddenly heard a shout from one of the residents. At first, we thought it was just a couple-fight. However, things are happening too fast. Next, we heard another shout and another. So we decided to check the situation.


    But halfway through our steps, we heard a loud ringing of a bell. Everyone stopped and looked at each other''s faces. We were suddenly rmed because this was not the right time for it to sound.


    After that, we hurriedly ran towards where we heard amotion. We did see people running. They were all pale and terrified. It was as if some scary creature was chasing them. When they saw us, some of them immediately reported that monsters had attacked. Of course, we were shocked and couldn''t immediately believe it. Even our leader was stunned for a few seconds. But, since they all say the same thing, we can do nothing but believe them.


    Our team split up to help. And our group faced these monsters."


    Based on the town guard''s reply, it was easy to understand that he didn''t know more than that.

 Chapter 72 - The Rampart

    After they heard what the town guard said, they asked him about the evacuation ce. The town guard immediately volunteered to apany them there. Apanied by the woman rescued by the town guard, the group headed straight to the evacuation area. It was not easy for them to get there because they encountered monsters on the way.


    "There are monsters ahead of us," said the town guard who goes by the name of Abel. He is also currently at the forefront of the group.


    They quickly found hiding ces, in the thick bushes that could be seen around. They watched and examined the monsters ahead. They waited for them to leave. But, it doesn''t seem to be that easy at all. The monsters did not leave immediately. They remain as if they were waiting for someone.


    When a few minutes passed and they noticed that the monsters were still there, "Eh? What are we going to do? Is there another route we can take?" Oldman Barn asked anxiously. If they wasted more time, more monsters mighte into this area.


    "I''m sorry, but this is the safest road we can take. We can go back to where we went and turn south where there is a long bridge we need to cross. However, I think it''s more dangerous there. There is also a high chance that many monsters are scattered in that area." Oldman Barn frowned as he listened to Abel.


    "And if we turn north, we will pass a wide za. If by chance the monsters suddenlye out, we have nowhere to hide. Besides, we have to travel farther from there to get to the evacuation area because there is no direct way from there," Abel continued.


    Oldman Barn''s brow twitched. "In that case, we have no choice but to wait for those sh*ts to leave," Oldman Barn sighed inwardly.


    When none of them spoke, "I''ll take care of it." Jem stepped forward and dered it. Because he was the only one who had the ability to defeat those monsters, he himself volunteered to fight the monsters.


    "Wait Jem!" Miles tried to call the young man, but he didn''t turn around and went straight towards the monsters. He even said, "Stay there." Miles couldn''t understand Jem''s kind of speech because it almost didn''t carry any emotion. Miles couldn''t figure out if he was ordering her or warning her not toe.


    "....."


    However, Miles thought that if she insisted on wanting to help, she might just be a hindrance to Jem''s fight. Though she refused to admit it, there was no doubt that she did not have enough strength to defeat the monsters. As she was looking at the young man from their hiding ce, Miles secretly swore to herself that she will be strong someday.


    As Jem killed the monsters one by one without difficulty, their admiration for the young man''s ability intensified. But, Miles was not happy with this incident. She was not happy that she could do nothing to help her childhood friend.


    But even though she wasn''t happy that she didn''t help at all, there was a part of her that was happy. It seemed to her that Jem was disallowing her to apany him to the fight because he was concerned for her safety. That''s why she obeyed him. All she can do is pray for Jem''s safety while ready to help him if she sees him in a precarious situation.


    Jem wasn''t worried about Miles'' safety. The reason why he doesn''t want her to join him in the fight is that Miles might be able to see that he secretly changed his body part. He also needs to be able to trade the bodies of the trolls he has killed. He needs to earn trade points and promote his Exo points again to increase his growth potential.


    Since he already knew how to handle the trolls, he quickly got rid of them. The Light Wave spell also helped a lot in the battle against the trolls. However, Jem cannot be neglected. Especially with his Ex-energy.


    After he leveled up, his Ex-energy increased drastically. Now his total Ex-energy is at over 3,000 Ex-energy. Based on his observation, depending on the strength of the spell he used the amount of Ex-energy needed to activate any spell or ability. For example, the basic cost of Ex-energy to his Fortification ability is only 10. But, if he activated his level 1 power to his Fortification ability, the value of Ex-energy needed to activate the ability bes x2. And it bes x3 if two rings shine on his arm, which is equivalent to level 2, and so on.


    Based on his knowledge, the equivalent cost of Ex-energy for beginner-tier abilities is lower than 20, while secondary-tier abilities have the equivalent of 20-39 Ex-energy.


    Since the basic cost of the Light Wave Ability is 20, it surpassed the beginner-tier and belongs to the secondary-tier ability. And since 20 Ex-energy is its basic value, it bes 40 if he activates a ring on his arm.


    Hypothetically, Jem believes that the tier of any ability increases depending on the level of the person using it.


    Regardless,


    After a few minutes of rushing, they finally reached the center of the town where the alleged evacuation center is located. It is inside the rampart where the town municipality is located.


    But they noticed a big problem. They immediately hid when they noticed that there were monsters scattered around the closed double doors gate made of thick wood.


    "This is bad. Looks like we can''t get in right away! " Town guard Abel said disappointed.


    "Tsk! It looks like there are even more monsters here," Oldman Barn just pressed his tongue between his teeth.


    "Wait, grandfather!" Miles called when she noticed a noise from inside the rampart.


    As soon as they arrived at the ce, Jem noticed it immediately. He heard criesing from within. It looks like those people inside are currently fighting.. There must have been Flying Trolls who were able to invade.

 Chapter 73 - Shallow Connections

    About a hundred monsters were trying to enter it! While bumping slightly his fist on the trunk of where they were hiding, "Tsk! How can we enter?" Oldman Barn muttered dejectedly.


    Everyone looked at Jem. Since all this time, it was him who solved any problems they encountered. Now, they are seeking his opinion. However, this time Jem shrugged his shoulders.


    All of them had crestfallen. Miles frowned from their reactions. She moved closer to Jem. "That''s okay. You''ve already fought hard, Jem. I''m sure Jem feels tired now." The amount of energy Jem released in those fights was not a joke. In fact, it was strange that he could still stand in this moment after he had spent a lot of energy. "Besides, with so many of those monsters, you can''t beat them all," Miles said so that everyone could understand that even Jem could get tired no matter how strong he was. Miles knew nothing of Jem''s true level of power. Like everyone else, she also based her belief on Jem''s age regarding his power level.


    Jem just nodded slightly from what Miles was saying. Honestly, he still has a lot of energy left and he also has a way to fight those monsters. But, he didn''t want to use that method in the presence of other people. He wasn''t sure how they would react to him when he used that method. So it would be better for him to just avoid possible disaster to himself. And one more thing, he wasn''t 100 percent sure he could defeat that many monsters.


    If unsure, it is better to avoid disaster. This is actually the better thing to do. But Jem was a product of thebyrinth in which he survived several ambiguous situations. However, this time Jem has reasons why he decided to avoid fighting those monsters even though he was sure he could umte a huge amount of points if he seeded.


    Upon hearing Miles'' words, everyone''s attention was turned to the present problem. They were currently hiding on the side of the mountain where they could see the rampart. But, although they were standing on high ground, they still could not see the inside of the rampart.


    So they have no idea what is currently going on in it. Only the shouts from within reached their ears. They hadn''t met any townspeople when they came here, so they were certain that most of the townspeople were already inside the rampart or had moved away from town. Everyone fell silent as everyone tried to think of what was better to do at this point.


    "Maybe it''s better if we just find another ce to hide or get away from the town," town guard Abel suddenly suggested.


    Miles and Oldman Barn frowned when they heard this. "I can''t do that!" Oldman Barn''s sudden opposition. "I need to get inside," he added in a hard voice mixed with intense emotions.


    Abel frowned. "But the ce is dangerous. You can see that there are many monsters around and it is also possible that many monsters are already inside the rampart. It''s already useless to insist on entering. We are toote." Abel tried to make the old man understand the obvious situation based on what they saw. He didn''t know why the old man still wanted to go inside even though the danger of the ce was obvious.


    Jem was silent as he listened to the discussion of the two. He thought there was a point in what Abel said. In this case, it was better if they stayed away from the town. If he was alone, he would also leave this ce. They better save themselves. However, there was another reason why Jem decided to help the old man and his granddaughter. On the back of his grandfather''s letter was a written puzzle. His grandfather pointed out that by helping others he may find his happiness.


    So, as Jem understands from his grandfather''s letter, it is possible that he could find his grandfather by helping others.


    Oldman Barn has a reason why he insisted on getting inside the rampart. "I''m sorry sir Abel, but we can''t leave without my mother who is possibly inside the rampart," Miles herself said their reason for going inside.


    Upon hearing what the girl said, Abel, as well as Oldman Barn, became silent. Everyone seemed to be thinking at that moment. At that very moment as well, they heard the middle-aged woman say, "I think I know a way to get in."


    "....."


    Suddenly, everyone looked in her direction. "Uh¡­ eh¡­ My name is Mona. I am an employee of the municipality¡­" she said stutteringly as she introduced herself.


    Miles approached her. "Miss Mona, can you tell us about it?" Miles didn''t say more and asked directly.


    "Okay!" Mona nodded. "Follow me," she urged them.


    "Okay!" Miles and Oldman Barn nodded at the same time.


    As they were about to step forward they noticed that Abel remained in his ce, so they stopped on their feet and looked at him.


    "It''s okay if you want to run away, Abel. Thank you so much for showing us the way here, "Oldman Barn said. Miles also nodded in agreement with what her grandfather had said.


    They had no right to restrain Abel if he wanted to save himself this time. In fact, he helped a lot and he could be considered a hero from the rescue he did to Mona. Mona also did not forget to thank him.


    "Thank you so much Abel for saving me."


    "....."


    Abel remained silent as the expression on his face was like that of a troubled man. Before the group could leave, Abel suddenly asked Mona. "Why do you want to help even though it is obvious that you are going to a dangerous ce?"


    Mona didn''t answer immediately and looked into Abel''s eyes first. "Because I want to repay you for helping me by helping others."


    "....."


    Abel was silent. Even Jem and the others didn''t expect Miss Mona''s kind of response. Jem did not expect that after he survived thebyrinth such scenes he would witness.


    Well, for him with limited interaction with other people it is difficult for him to understand each other. Only with his grandfather did he talk longer. Even Desty has only talked to him a few times. Miles, on the other hand, was when they were young. So he doesn''t understand that much about other people.


    Even when he was in the academy he could only count the number of times he talked to other people. In fact, he only talks to Wendy and Miss Sylva because since they entered the academy, Desty has ignored him. So Jem failed to forge a fine connection with other people. All his interactions with other people were as shallow as the saucer.


    "In fact, we are not sure if it is safe outside the town," Mona added.


    ''She''s right,'' Jem thought.

 Chapter 74 - Secret Tunnel

    "Hehe! I didn''t expect you toe!" Oldman Barn grinned as he said it.


    "I can''t leave you. Besides, I think Miss Mona was right," Abel replied honestly. Also, deep inside, he thought that it would be much safer around a reliable ex-human than escaping alone.


    Oldman Barn suddenly approached him. "Do you have a wife?" The old man suddenly whispered a question that could be considered out of the blue.


    This stunned Abel. "Wha-!" He was somewhat taken aback by that unexpected question. And his face turned red in an instant. When he saw the grinning face of the old man, he let a sigh escape from his mouth. "I am still single because I realized early on the reality of life''s difficulties. So I didn''t have time to look for a partner."


    Abel sounds so serious and made the old felt conflicted. The expression on his face expresses either pity or admiration to him.


    "Heh~ Don''t worry because people like you will definitely not be left behind by luck. I''m sure you''ll find a mate too. Hehe." Abel didn''t know if the old man was spouting nonsense or just encouraging him.


    "Sheesh, you two, keep quiet!" Miles warned them.


    "....."


    "....."


    The two people immediately turned quiet upon hearing her. They are currently in front of the passage of an underground tunnel at the riverbank, located on the north side of town. ording to Miss Mona, this tunnel leads inside the rampart.


    Abel has been in the service for almost a few decades and started living in this town when he was born. But he didn''t even know that there was a passage like this on that side of the riverbank.


    It was a good thing there weren''t many monsters there, so they quickly got into the tunnel. The entrance is so small that it can only fit one person. It was blocked by arge rock at the bottom of the bridge so it wasn''t very noticeable. The entrance itself was intentionally covered by a piece of plywood. Probably, to intentionally hide it.


    However, Miss Mona widened her eyes a little bit when she noticed that the plywood on it had already fallen down. It seemed someone had passed through it just a while ago.


    Although they were wondering, they thought that there might be people like them who were caught by the closing of the rampart entrance. Since maybe they knew about this passage too, they decided to use it. Everyone agreed with that idea without further discussion. Only Miss Mona was creasing her forehead and furrowing.


    Regardless, they have one problem entering the secret tunnel. The entrance was dark and narrow. "Let''s use this." At that moment, they heard Jem speak and produced a luminous object from under his jacket.


    It was a luminous crystal that provided enough light. However, everyone seemed to be stunned. The crystal he was holding was a precious stone that is rarely seen.


    Although they wanted to ask where he got that precious stone, it wasn''t an important issue at this time and they needed to continue with their objective before some monster would notice them.


    The crystal in Jem''s hand was the emerald crystal he found inside thebyrinth. He handed it to Miss Mona because she was leading their way.


    With the light of the emerald crystal, they entered the tunnel. They have to walk in line because of the narrowness of the space inside it. But, unexpectedly, its height is just enough for them to walk without having to bend slightly. Just that, the ce is a bit smelly. But they don''t care about the smell of the surroundings. Their attention was only focused on the front as they continued to walk.


    Only the sound from their footsteps could be heard. Ever since they entered here, they have not heard the noise from outside. Walking in front of them was Miss Mona, who guided them. Miles followed her and behind Miles was Jem. Behind Jem was Abel and behind Abel was Oldman Barn.


    "Be careful the road is a bit slippery here!" Miss Mona suddenly reminded them after they turned right. Just like she said, "Kyaa¡ª!" Miles freaked out when her foot slipped. Fortunately, Jem caught her quickly before she fell. Everyone stopped walking and looked at Miles.


    "....."


    Miles stared for a moment into the eyes of her childhood friend who was also staring at her while grabbing her on her waist and across her back. At that moment, Miles noticed the magnitude of change in Jem''s eyes. Its gentle and seemingly cheerful eyes were gone.


    However, Miles suddenly felt a strange throb of her chest as she stared into the young man''s eyes. Although the light provided by the emerald crystal was enough to illuminate their way, it was not enough to notice the slight reddening of the maiden''s cheek. But Miles could feel the heat on her cheek.


    Instinctively, "T-Thank you, Jem," Miles said her thanks stutteringly.


    "It''s nothing," Jem replied in a gentle and nonchnt tone. Even the expression on his face was unchanged. Although she was grateful for what the young man had done, Miles was a little discouraged by the unnoticed emotion from his reply. That it seemed only normal for Jem to touch her and it didn''t cause embarrassment or any special reaction to him. However, "Be careful, the road is a bit muddy," she unexpectedly heard an additional reminder. Miles was secretly happy because of it.


    "Miles, are you okay?" Her grandfather asked in worry.


    After hearing it, Miles quickly fixed herself. "Yes, I''m fine sorry for the dy everyone," she said her sorry before the group decided to continue their advance. This time, everyone was careful with their steps, especially Miles.


    They had already walked a few minutes and turned a few corners, but it seemed they had yet to reach the exit. "Miss Mona, is it still far?" Miles asked as she was panting. There was an indication of fatigue on her face and sweats were trailing from her forehead down to her face. It wasn''t easy to breathe in this kind of enclosed ce. Abel and Oldman Barn were also in the same state as her. Miss Mona herself was the same too.


    Jem, on the other hand, had no indication of fatigue or difficulty breathing. His condition is still normal. Everyone no longer pays attention to its strange and immeasurable physical advantage as an ex-human. Though, they wondered if all ex-humans were like him.


    "H-Hang on, we''re almost there. W-We''ll be at the spacious corner after another turn. And after that we''ll be at the exit," Miss Mona replied as she gasped for breath.


    Just as she said, after turning to a corner once again, everyone was surprised to see themselves in a spacious room. The size of the room in their estimation was about 40 square meters.. But they saw something unexpected that widened their eyes in that moment.

 Chapter 75 - Suspicious Individuals

    "What?!" Even without seeing the expression on their faces, the mysterious individuals inside the room were also obviously shocked by the exmation of one of them when they saw Jem and the others.


    Jem and the others did not expect that when they arrived inside the spacious room they would see some individuals hiding their bodies and faces in the long dark cloth worn from head to toe. Thanks to the torches hanging on the wall at every corner of the room, this made their vision clearer. So they immediately realized the presence of some suspicious individuals.


    Not only because of the torches but there were big 6 cylindrical objects that were also emitting off lights and were standing vertically while facing the back of the 6 individuals surrounding a shining circle on the ground. Jem wondered what those shining substances inside the cylinders were.


    Regardless, everyone''s attention was caught by Miss Mona. "Who¡­ who are you?" Everyone looked in her direction upon hearing her question. Their foreheads furrowed. "You don''t know them?" Oldman Barn was the one who asked her the question in a confused tone.


    "No!" Miss Mona shook her head in response to Oldman Barn.


    Like them, the suspicious individuals inside also seemed surprised. Jem and the others noticed the hands of those individuals were shining while being raised in the air. Jem wondered if they were ex-humans like him. However, he noticed that it wasn''t their hands that were glowing but the essories like small jade pendants that were tied in their hands.


    While narrowing his eyes, ''What are those essories?'' Jem wondered.


    Nheless, therge bright circr object at the feet of those people was also emitting light. So the inside of the spacious room was quite bright. On the side and inside of therge circle on the ground, some mysterious marks looked like ancient letters were shining in bluish colors.


    "C-could it be¡­ those are runes?" Miles whispered in a questioning tone. But, because her whispering was quite loud everyone heard it.


    Jem also looked at her. He had once heard about it from his grandfather. But, he has never seen it in person. If Miles is correct in saying that those are indeed Runes, then this is the first time he sees them in person.


    Jem suddenly thought about what his grandfather had said before. ''ording to my grandfather, during the ancient war, runes were often used in battle. It has many uses. Especially with magical stuff. However, when the ancient war ended, the runes disappeared at the same time.''


    Jem doesn''t know that much about runes. He was also less interested when his grandfather told him about it. So apart from what he mentioned in his mind, he knew nothing else about it.


    He looked at Miles. He thinks Miles knows something about them too. But, before he could open his mouth to ask her, he was interrupted when one of the mysterious people suddenly shouted, "Who are you people?!" It was almost the same as Miss Mona''s question. "How did you find out about this ce?! Argh! It doesn''t matter!" The person seemed to have lost his appetite to ask questions. He suddenly turned to the two suspicious people standing closer to the entrance where Jem and the others were. "You!" He called for their attention.


    The two stood on each side of the entrance like the guards should be. In their hands, they were holdingrge weapons. One was holding arge and wide sword, and the other one was holding a big battle-ax.


    After hearing the call from the person that seemed like their leader, the two armed individuals looked to the person who called them. The man who shouted immediately followed what he said. "What are you waiting for?! Kill them!" Suddenly, everyone''s eyes widened upon hearing it.


    Jem already anticipated that something wasn''t right upon seeing these people. But he didn''t expect that they were so hostile towards them. Jem and the others didn''t understand what was happening, but ordering the others to kill them directly without letting them exin their reasons foring was obviously telling them that these people were onto something shady and not friendly.


    When everyone heard this, "What?!" Oldman Barn and Abel eximed at the same time. At that point, everyone was immediately rmed.


    "Oi! What do you mean?" Oldman Barn asked in an annoyed tone.


    But it was futile. The two armed individuals were already approaching them. Obviously, to attack them without hesitation. Miles and the others'' faces turned white at that moment. They never expected this turn of events.


    Looking at the approaching two men, Miles and the others felt a chill run down their spines. Although the weapons in those two''s hands were just ordinary ones, they still deterred them. Since the two armed individuals were initially at a closer distance with them, they only took a few steps to arrive near Jem and the others.


    The two simultaneously raised their weapons above their shoulders. No need to guess what they were nning to do next as it was clear as day. With a strike of those tworge weapons, it would not be hard for them to eliminate them at once. Especially that they were standing closer to each other. Also, the shining aura on their hands told them that these two were no ordinary people.


    Without saying a word, the two armed individuals struck their weapons at the same time. Miss Mona and Miles who were at the front of the group widened their eyes in fright.


    If only Miles had a weapon she could have fought a little to save herself. But, this time she had no weapon in her hands. Besides, the two attackers were too fast for her, who was just a normal person.


    However, two figures leaped to intercept the enemy''s attacks. It was followed by colliding noises of weapons.


    ng! ng!


    "Jem!" Miles shouted when she saw the figure of Jem, facing his back at her. Before the enemy''s attack could hit Miles, Jem hastily summoned daggers and used them to block the armed person''s attack who came in front of Miles.


    "Mr. Abel!" Miss Mona also shouted Abel''s name when Abel used his short sword that was hanging on his waist the whole time. He was supposedly holding a spear.. But because the path inside the tunnel was narrow, he decided to leave it at the tunnel entrance.

 Chapter 76 - Notorious Siblings

    Although Abel was able to block the attack of one of the opponents, his strength wasn''t enough to confront him. The enemy was much stronger than him. So in a matter of seconds, Abel was knocked back from the force of impact.


    When Abel was sent flying, Oldman Barn quickly reacted. He followed up by charging forward with a piece of a short wooden pole in his hand. He swung it at the enemy. The enemy lifted the heavy-looking sword in his hand and effortlessly blocked Oldman Barn''s attack.


    Oldman Barn''s hand turned numb slightly. He clenched his teeth, then he swung it again. "Heyah!" He shouted under his breath. The enemy blocked his attack again. But Oldman Barn was relentless. He attacked again and again. However, the enemy blocked all his attacks with a grin on his face.


    "Tsk! Bastard! " Oldman Barn shouted loudly and drew strength from his hands and feet to thwart his attack. However, the opponent seemed to have noticed that he was just a normal person and nothingpared to him. The opponent retaliated using the t side of his sword. Because of this, Oldman Barn was also thrown away just like Abel.


    He bumped on Abel who was about to get up. "Agh!" The two of them groaned as they stumbled on the ground.


    "Grandfather!" Miles shouted. But she realized her situation was also not good. In front of them was also another person with a huge weapon.


    After getting rid of the old man''s attack, "Ptui!" The enemy spat on the ground. ''Tsk! Only weaklings, huh,'' he thought with a disappointed face.


    On the other hand,


    The enemy Jem confronted suddenlyughed. After Jem blocked its first attack, the opponent''s eyebrow under his hood rose upward. However, after he saw that the two who dared to block hisrade''s attack were quickly thrown away like scratched papers, he suddenly realized that they were just normal people. Especially when he noticed that the one who dared to block his attack was just a young man.


    "Haha!" Heughed. The next moment he tightened his grip on the handle of his weapon. "You''re courageous to block my attack! Boy!" He spat to Jem in a cynical tone. Then he added strength to his thrust to push the young man in front of him.


    However,


    "Ngh!" He groaned and frowned because he noticed something unbelievable. "What?!" He blurted when he noticed that the young man was not even shaken from his push.


    ''Impossible! With the level of strength I used in my pushing it was impossible to not budge this insect. Wait! Unless¡­'' At that moment, doubt lingers in his mind. His eyes widened and he bellowed. "You! Don''t say you are a¡ª!" Before he could finish what he was going to say, a ring appeared on Jem''s arm.


    "An ascender!" He eximed.


    Because of his shout, it grabbed the attention of his ally with arge sword. His ally''s intention to end the people in front of him has been postponed for a while. His ally saw that his feet were backing away from the young man''s push who confronted him. Then his ally''s forehead furrowed when he saw a bright ring on Jem''s arm.


    "Ascender¡­" his ally whispered with a slightly amused face. A secondter, he grinned like a madman as if seeing a wonderful toy.


    Jem intensified the push and he was able to carry away the opponent. The enemy was thrown back a few steps but managed to stay on his feet. Tsk! That was unexpected. The enemy wanted to retort.


    Without minding what the enemy was saying, Jem stretched out his hand. Swoosh~ Miles widened her eyes because Jem suddenly pushed her aside without saying a word. But right after he did it, she noticed a big shadow appeared from their side. After that, she heard a high-pitched tone along with shes of light particles.


    Ting!


    "Ha?" Miles muttered in disbelief. She noticed that it was the enemy who was confronted by Abel and her grandfather. It suddenly came and attacked Jem. But Jem managed to parry his attack with his daggers.


    The enemy was slightly surprised, but only for a second before his lips curled upward. "Heh!" After a sneer, the enemy sent a low kick attack to outbnce him. But Jem quickly dodged it by leaping backward. He managed to create a distance between them. "Not so shabby, kid," praised the man with a heavy-looking sword before attacking again. However, hisrade stopped him.


    "Hey bro! That one is my prey," said the man with arge axe in hands.


    "My hands are numb because of boredom. Let''s race to see who can kill this one first."


    It was actually a boring task toying with normal humans who couldn''t withstand his trivial attacks. Having an ascender as an opponent boiled his blood. This was the enemy worth his time.


    Not far from them, their superior was looking at them with a disgruntled face. "Tsk! These notorious siblings are ying again," the man who seemed to be the leader of the group muttered in an annoyed tone as he was looking at his two subordinates and the people who intruded the ce.


    Then he focused his attention again on what he was originally doing. He lifted his hands in the air like the others with him. The magical circle on the ground glows from bluish to a purplish color.


    Miles wanted to say thanks to Jem for saving her, but she knew that it wasn''t the right time for it. One of the enemies already made a move.


    "Tsk!" The person with arge axe spat on the ground after hearing his brother''s remarks. "Then it''s toote for yahhh!" He dashed forward while dragging along the massive axe. He attacked earnestly.


    "Uh-oh! That''s foul!" With a gleam in his eyes, the man with a heavy-looking sword also rushed forward. Each of them has two rings shining on their arms and their hands were enveloped with a magical aura which Jem believes is ex-energy. These two were no doubt ex-humans like him!


    Jem also summoned ex-energy and used [Fortification] ability to increase his weapons durability. Seeing it, "Jem!" Miles called out.


    She understood the danger these two enemies brought. She shouted as she reached out her hands to Jem''s back. Perhaps she wanted to tell him that they better retreat.. However, Jem''s figure already disappeared before her fingers could even touch him.

 Chapter 77 - Unbelievable Young Man

    "Yeah Boy! Come and y with us! Hahaha!" The axe wielder mocked when he noticed Jem rushing towards them. In a matter of seconds, they cut their distance. Seeing the young man in front of him, "You''re mine!" The axe wielder shouted as he attacked with a horizontal strike.


    In his mind, ''The boy is just a level one ascender. Just this... is already enough to cut him in half.'' He meant that his low-tier attack was enough to defeat the boy. He didn''t need to use fancy attacks for such an opponent.


    He was right to think about it because on Jem''s arm there was only one shiny ring. On the other hand, there were two shiny rings on his arm. So, the gap in level was unquestionable.


    Assuming that the boy was hiding his real level was out of the question either because of his age. So, considering that his opponent is so young, there is no doubt that he stillcks experience. So he was very confident that he could defeat him with only his weak attack.


    That''s why his eyes widened in disbelief when his horizontal strike was easily dodged. Jem bent his knees. The sword strike passed a centimeter from his nose.


    When the opponent''s attack just passed by, Jem didn''t waste the opportunity. He attacked quickly, causing a wound to the opponent''s arm. It was fortunate for the opponent that he was able to retreat slightly; otherwise, Jem would have cut off his whole arm.


    The opponent takes a few steps back when he feels pain in his arm. Blood spat out and dripped. Just then, he noticed he was wounded.


    He frowned and angrily turned to the young man. "Y-you¡ª!" But even before he could scold him, the tip of Jem''s dagger was already in front of his eyes. ''What!?'' The enemy''s eyes widened at that moment. His brain could barely process the speed of events. He definitely didn''t expect Jem''s speed so he couldn''t respond rightfully.


    But, before Jem''s follow-up attack could stab the enemy''s eyes, he suddenly withdrew his attack. Jem suddenly jumped back. After he did it, the area where he was a moment ago exploded. It was not an explosion caused by an explosive mass of energy. The explosion was due to the impact when therge sword failed to hit his target and hit the ground instead.


    "If you don''t want to die¡­ stop tolerating your opponent as an ignorant boy!" The person with a heavy-looking sword warned his brother. Looking at their slight exchange just a moment ago, he could tell that Jem wasn''t an ordinary boy. For some reason, his intuition was screaming.


    "Tsk!" His only response to his brother''s warning was a click of his tongue. He would make sure to kill this boy! His anger was surging.


    From the cloud of dust, two silhouettes were rushing out from it. Jem strengthened his grip on his daggers. He ran horizontally. The two were chasing after him, though they managed to catch up on him in a matter of seconds. Jem dodged and parried their attacks. The high-pitched noise rapidly rang out along with sparks.


    Miles and the others were watching the battle with dumbfounded faces. Although they wanted to help Jem, their strength could only drag his fight.


    Even the leader of the enemy group widened his eyes as well. He didn''t expect that the siblings had yet to finish their task. And wait¡­ who is that boy they were fighting against? The leader asked a question in his mind.


    The battle between Jem and the siblings continued for a while. The others could hardly follow their movements.


    "No way¡­ is that kid¡­ really a level one only?" Abel, who could not believe what he was seeing, mumbled in disbelief.


    While massaging his side, Oldman Barn turned to Abel and asked, "Eh? What do you mean?"


    "You see those rings on their arms?" Oldman Barn looked to where Abel pointed out. He saw the rings on Jem and the two opponents'' arms. "Those are the indicators of their level."


    "Ohh!"


    "The more rings they have, the stronger they are," Abel exined.


    "I see¡­ so it is like that, huh." Oldman Barn squinted his eyes. He saw that Jem only had one of those rings while the two enemies both had two rings on their arms! "Does it mean those two are stronger than Jem!?" He eximed after realizing it.


    "That''s for sure, but¡­"


    "Eh? What do you mean with... but?" Oldman Barn asked with a frown.


    "I mean it is strange that Jem is still alive till now against those two-level 2 ex-humans."


    "Now that you say that¡­ hm, y-you''re right!" Oldman Barn seemed to realize something. "Wait! Perhaps those bastards are just toying him! Damn it! Let''s go, Abel! Let''s help him! We can''t just sit here and watch while Jem is putting his life on the line just to save us!" Oldman Barn tried to get up by pushing his aching body. He could not let Jem suffer alone.


    But before Oldman Barn could rush forward, "Ah w-w-wait! Oldman!" Abel called out in a hurry.


    "What!?"


    "I don''t think that is the case. Look!" He pointed to the battle. Oldman Barn looked to where he was pointing. "What do you mean Abel?" He asked.


    "Those two level 2 seems to be exhausted already. On the contrary, thed seems to be still breathing normally." Abel''s observation was almost right on the mark. At the moment, the siblings seem to be running out of gas while Jem is barely exhausted.


    "Eh."


    "Damn it!" The axe wielder bellowed under his breath. He was aggravated by the fact that their attacks could not hit the boy. Moreover, the boy looks calm and seems to be still fine. It was unbelievable no matter how he thought about it. Also, it was a big insult to them! Two level 2 against level 1?!!! How the f*ck they were having a hard time in this battle?


    While gasping for breath, "Brother!" He shouted. His brother seemed to realize what he meant. "Okay! Let''s do that!" The two of them positioned themselves to Jem''s sides.


    However before they could attack him, Jem leaped to a nearby pir to escape from the enemy''s pincer attack. "Dammit! He knows!" He moaned. But a secondter, The axe wielder grinned menacingly. "Hahaha!" He ran towards the pir and shouted, "Die!" Boom! He smashed the pir with his axe.


    With the strength of a level 2 ex-human, the pir shook before it broke. Rubbles were flying away.


    One of the big debris flew towards Miles and the other''s direction. All of them were looking at it.


    "Miss Mona watch out!" Oldman Barn and Abel shouted when they estimated that the debris would crash right on Miss Mona.


    Fortunately, before the big debris could crash on her, Miles rescued her. The two of them rolled away on the ground. On the other hand, the big chunk of debris crashed right on where Miss Mona was just a second ago. The crash caused a thunderous impact that shook the tunnel.


    "Ngh! Miss Mona! Are you okay?!" Miles, who managed to get up first, asked in a hurry.


    Mona''s body twitched, then she groaned in pain. Seeing it, Miles and the others sighed in relief. Good that she''s alive. "Ugh¡­ I, I''m fine... t-thank you¡­" Miss Mona thanked Miles.


    "No, it''s nothing¡­" Miles assisted her in getting up.


    Before the whole pir fell down, Jem had already escaped from it. The axe wielder frowned when he noticed Jem''s shadow in the air. "Tsk! He managed to escape," he mumbled.


    Jem leaped in mid-air. The wielder of a massive sword stabbed his sword on the ground. Right after Jem''s feet touched the ground, "Take this, kiiid!" Multiple chunks of hardened soil were flying in his direction in rapid-fire.


    Fwoosh fwoosh fwoosh~

 Chapter 78 - The Same Ability

    Not only the hardened soils were shot at Jem, even the rubbles. It was an ability to manipte earth-based objects either to shoot them like bullets or just to levitate them. The size and degree of debris the caster could control depending on their level and the attainment level of their skill.


    Woosh~


    The area where Jemnded was now covered in dust because of that rapid-fire. Looking at the degree of that attack, one could only imagine a worse oue.


    "J-Jem..." Miles called out in a trembling voice. Herplexion was pale. They were staring as if in despair. On the contrary, there was a big smirk on the faces of the opponents.


    "Haha!" The axe wielder let out a hugeugh. "Bro, did you hurt him?" He asked after the attack.


    His brother frowned as he took back his sword. That skill was known as Earth Maniption. It took a lot of magical energy from him. But he had great confidence in its power and effectiveness. "I''m sure hurt is an understatement for that kind of attack. Even if only one of those bullets would hit him, he will definitely end up in the worst possible oue."


    "Ohh! Y-you''re right. Tsk! I''m yet to use my special ability¡­ what a bummer¡­" he muttered disappointedly.


    After saying it, the dust finally cleared. However, there was only a mountain of rubbles left where the young man received his brother''s attack. Those rubbles were of course from his brother''s attacks. Anyway, they could not find the young man''s body elsewhere nearby. "Perhaps he''s buried alive!" Said his brother.


    "That made sense. Hah~" he sighed while shaking his head. "I-It''s regrettable that I couldn''t even perform my full strength. I-I''m actually just p-ying around in that fight, hehe, hehehe," he said cynically.


    His brother disyed a scornful face. "What an Idiot¡­" he mumbled while shaking his head. He already warned him not to belittle that kid. If he didn''t use his ability, perhaps the fight would have continued till now. That kid undeniably had high physical strength.


    After noticing the noise from the battle had finally calmed down, their leader nced at them. ''Tsk! Those two fools finally finished with their usual skit!'' He thought when he saw that the situation seemed finally settled. It never even crossed his mind that those notorious siblings would get defeated. More or less they are just toying with that kid which is what they usually do with their victims. Perhaps because of boredom.


    Anyway, those two could handle the rest of those distractions while he was focused on his task along with the other casters. They needed to amplify the magic circle with more energy before the runes disappeared.


    Deep inside, the axe wielder was sighing in relief. ''Tsk! That brat was finally dealt. I didn''t think the fight wouldst this long. It''s painful to admit, but that boy gave us a slight challenge. Honestly, I expected the boy to onlyst a few seconds. Who would have thought that he actuallysted a few minutes? Damn it! Well, honestly, the reason for it was because I didn''t even use my full power in that fight.''


    He nced again at the pile of rubbles. But there''s no sign of life. "Ptui!" He spat on the ground. "By the way, bro¡­" he called out to his brother again.


    "Hmm?"


    Upon noticing his eyes were on him, "How do you want to deal with those leftovers?"


    They nced at Miles and the others. "Ceh! Do as you wish I lost my interest¡­" he could not feel any potential ascenders from them anyway.


    Looking at his brother turned around as he refused the task, "Hah~" he sighed. "Alright. Let me handle them."


    "What?!" Abel and the others eximed when they heard their conversation. It seemed like all the colors left their faces.


    Miles, on the other hand, shouted, "Jeeeem!" She couldn''t believe that he died. Or perhaps she chose not to believe it. Tears welled up from her eyes.


    Looking at their expression of despair, "Hehe!" The axe wielderughed menacingly. "Now people, let my axe be the reaper of your soul. Condemned as you might be, but the reality is cruel to the powerless like you. Hehe¡ª-hek!"


    Boom!


    "Ah¡ª!?"


    Everyone stopped and stared at where the rubbles at. There is a sudden noiseing from there just now. When they looked, they saw the dust was hovering once again along with some debris. But the dust quickly disappeared and only the debris remained in mid-air.


    Regardless, something in there made their faces dumbstruck.


    They saw a silhouette standing. In front of him was something resembling a shield. It has ck color and the surface was like that of snake scales.


    When they look at his face, "J-Jem!" Miles was the first to shout.


    "What? He''s alive! Jem is alive! Haha!" Oldman Barn also shouted with an indication of relief. The others also felt relieved.


    The two enemies widened their eyes.


    "He''s alive," said the axe wielder. His brother also muttered in disbelief, "How the hell did he survive!?" Anyway, it was useless to ask. The boy was in front of them looking alive as how they were seeing him. The only thing that baffled them was how he managed to survive that powerful attack.


    ''What the f*ck is that?!''


    The two eximed when they noticed the shield they thought it was, suddenly sank and turned out to be his arm.


    The two immediately ready their weapons when they notice Jem was lifting slowly his clenching right hand. Then it stopped after pointing in their direction.


    "For starters, let''s try how good this skill is," they heard him mumbling those words. Although there was a slight indication of exhaustion, his voice remained calm which is very unusual for someone of his age. They could not help but doubt if he was a real human.


    After unclenching his hand, the debris hovering around him suddenly flew like high-caliber bullets.


    Fwoosh fwoosh fwoosh~


    "What!" The enemy with a heavy-looking sword eximed upon seeing it. This is exactly the same ability as him!

 Chapter 79 - Dual Attributes

    "The fuck! Isn''t he a pugilist?!" The man with a massive sword eximed in bafflement. He initially thought Jem was a pugilist after seeing his arm transformed into a tough scaly that looked like a shield. But howe he could also manipte an earth element?! Other than that, like him, the young man used the same ability as him!


    ''Ceh! This is unbelievable!''


    "What is he saying?" Oldman Barn was surprised by the enemy''s words.


    "I think he means the kind of attribute the young man has," Abel replied. "The pugilist and maniptor are just some of the types of attributes an ex-human has," he added.


    "In that case, Jem has two attributes?" Oldman Barn said in amazement.


    "Sure. Uh-eh, I don''t know¡­ But it looks like that," Abel replied, obviously not sure what he was saying.


    Jem has no idea what they are saying. Honestly, he would have liked to hide his prosthetic parts, but the situation demanded him to use them. He has to defend himself from the strong attack of the opponent. His intuition was telling him to not underestimate the enemy''s power.


    He realized that it was even more powerful than the Light Wave ability. Since he needed to protect himself, Jem wasted no time and immediately used the Tough Arm to block the flying debris of sharp concrete with random sizes.


    Thanks to his Tough Arm, not even a scar could be seen on him. Moreover, he was able to replicate the opponent''s attack.


    Jem fired the debris of sharp concrete back to the enemies. One of the good results after Jem found himself in thebyrinth was the ability to mimic the ability of his opponent. But if his opponent is a monster or not a human, there are only a few percent chances that he cancopy its ability no matter the level difference.


    There is another way for Jem to imitate the monster''s ability. It was through killing. If he was lucky, the monster''s ability might appear in his Trading Shop that Jem can learn through Trade Points.


    For a human opponent, there was a certain condition that must be met to copy their abilities. He needed to be the target of the opponent''s ability who owns the ability he wants to copy. This meant that he could only copy skills that were fired at him. He developed this kind of ability because of the intensity of his desire to survive in thebyrinth. Other than that, there was another important condition to copy the person''s ability. He could only imitate the ability of an opponent with a low levelpared to him.


    Although they were shocked to see the familiar skill, a big grin could still be seen on the faces of the two opponents.


    Using their weapons, they defended themselves by hiding behind the t surface of their weapons. It was their only choice because if they dodge the sharp debris, the debris might hit the people who were amplifying the runes. Since the area has limited space, there was a high possibility that they might hit those people.


    The leader also noticed the rustling noise. He nced. But soon his eyes grew wider when he saw that the young opponent was still alive. For a moment, they stopped what they were doing for fear that the flying splinters might hit them.


    The leader reacted hastily. From his hand, the strange stone on its palm shone brightly. Momentster, a shield made of blue energy materialized around them in a dome-shaped. It repelled some of the debris that reached them.


    "Tsk!" He snorted. "What are you waiting for?! Kill the brat!" He bellowed towards the people who were tasked to protect them. He could feel the numbness of his hand every time the splinters hit on his blue energy shield. The leader believed that if those two wanted it, they could easily kill the brat. But those two seemed to be wasting time in prolonging the fight.


    The notorious brothers easily defended themselves from the flying sharp debris. Noises of collisions rang out one after another from the impact of debris on their weapons.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Jem''s attack didn''tst long. A few secondster, the debris stoppeding.


    "HAHA!" The man with the big swordughed out loud. "I was almost scared of what you did brat!" He shouted as he stabbed therge sword into the ground. The grin on his mouth grew wider. "Boss! This one is a gem!" A big smirk could be seen in his mouth as he said it to his boss.


    "What do you mean, Gart the notorious?" The leader asked while signaling to the other casters to continue what they are doing.


    "I mean¡­ I don''t think this young man is ordinary!"


    "Don''t beat around the bush! Say what you want to say!" The leader barked. He had more important things he needed to do instead of wasting his time conversing with this idiot.


    "Hehehe! That young man has dual attributes! We can use him in our next mission. If it''s fine with you, can I take him with us?"


    "What?!"


    Not only the leader but also his brother had a surprised face upon hearing his revtion.


    The leader''s eyes widened at what he heard. His eyes narrowed and he watched the young man carefully. He saw its strange left hand.


    ''Is that really a strengthening ability of a pugilist?'' The leader thought for a second before his face contorted into an ugly expression.


    "Stupid! Don''t be fooled! I think his hand is just custom-made. There''s a lot of that in Sage Tower, idiot!" Saliva was splintering away as the leader barked.


    Gart, the guy with arge sword, frowned when he heard their leader''s words. Well, he really had no idea about those custom-made arms or whatever. But because it was their leader who said it, it seemed like it was the case.


    "Damn! This brat made a fool out of me!?" A surge of magical energy burst out from his body, then ran through his sword with its tip still resting on the ground.


    But, even before he could react, "Hehe. I will finish him!" His brother enthusiastically shouted as he pressed his palm to the ground. After he did so, the ground was seemingly crawling towards his hand then continued to his shoulder, covering it entirely. Momentster, arge arm made of earth element was visible to where his right arm should be.


    It was big like a giant''s hand. "Hahaha!" Heughed so loudly that it rang into the distance. Tworge rings could also be seen surrounding that giant arm.


    "Tsk!" Gart pressed his tongue between his teeth when he saw his brother rushed without hesitation.


    Jem tried to attack the approaching enemy using his Earth Maniption. But the enemy was so quick. In an instant, it was already right in front of him. A massive punch came crashing on him. Jem resisted its blow using his Tough Arm.


    At first, they tried to push each other, but it didn''t take long before Jem crashed on the hard wall of the tunnel.


    "HAHAHA!" The enemyughed menacingly while looking down at the young man who seemed like a sculpture on the wall.


    However, hisughter froze when he noticed the young man stood up once again while trying to get rid of the dust and dirt, sticking on his body.


    "What the f*ck!" He was astonished by the fact that his attack didn''t cause any wound or injury to the young man.

 Chapter 80 - Ritual Gate

    "What kind of tough skin does this child have?!" Gart''s brother eximed upon seeing Jem unhurt. However, this was just the beginning of his shock because what happened next made their eyes widen even more.


    Jem mimicked what the opponent did. But, instead of tapping his hand to the ground as the opponent did, in Jem''s situation, the ground itself flew towards his hand to be arge arm just like the opponent''s. He used the Earth Maniption ability that he imitated from Gart.


    In a matter of seconds, they saw a copy of the opponent''s giant earth arm in Jem''s arm. Seeing the very ability he used by the opponent, "What the f*ck?!" Gart''s brother eximed once again. Even Miles and the others were surprised as well that Jem could also use the same ability as his opponent.


    But, Jem''s surprise didn''t end there. Seeing the ability he was struggling to learn where blood and sweat he invested was executed quickly by a younger opponent, it wasn''t funny for him. He felt betrayed by his hard work in training.


    With gleaming eyes, "Hm, I think this kid can copy our skill. T-truly a gem!" Beside him, his brother was gnashing his teeth as he was muttering. "Grr! It took me several years to master this ability and yet! This kid did it at ease!?"


    "Let''s recruit him!" Gart decided.


    However,


    "The f*ck are you saying, bro! I''m gonna kill him now! Don''t intervene!" Gart''s brother shouted and hurriedly rushed to Jem. "Grrr! Bastard! Let''s see who''s stronger!" He shouted bloodshot eyes. He was fueled by his anger. Be took pride in mastering the skill that''s why it pained him to see someone use it as though it was so easy to learn.


    Seeing the fast-advancing opponent, Jem did not disappoint him. He rushed too. At the speed of the two, they reached each other in an instant.


    Bang!


    Their gigantic earth fists collided. Everyone felt the force of that collision because of the sound of the impact. There seemed a strange pressure generated around them and swept the debris away from the two.


    Looking at the result of their collision, it seems that the two were just equal. However, their conflict did not end there. In the ensuing moments, it was followed by a series of collisions.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Although they look like they have equal strength, to Gart, he could clearly see that his brother was at a disadvantage. In the repeated collision of the two Gart noticed that his brother''s fist was slowly falling apart. He also noticed that before their fists'' collision, the kid''s giant earth fist made a faint gleam. Gart believed that the kid was enforcing some ability in his fist to strengthen it.


    Jem was actually applying his [Smith] skill in his fist to out-powered his opponent. Though, he had to spend more magical energy. But it didn''t matter as long as he won.


    Soon it was obvious that Jem was winning in their fists collision. The opponent''s gigantic fist was gradually crushing. He also outpowered him as every time their fists collided, the opponent backed away.


    "I-Is what I''m seeing is true? Our kid is gradually defeating the opponent?" Abel asked incredulously.


    "So it seems I''m not hallucinating, huh," Oldman Barn also said.


    "Jem! You can do it!" Miles cried out to cheer up his childhood friend.


    "Kid! I will really kill you!" With visible blood in his mouth, Gart''s brother shouted furiously. Then he attacked once again.


    But this time, he used an underhanded method.


    Bam!


    He used a faint and sessfullynded an attack at the young opponent. Jem was sent skidding on the ground.


    KRUSHHH!


    "Hehehe!" Jem heard a chuckle from his opponent.


    Miles, on the contrary, shouted in worry. "Jem!"


    He stood up a secondter. Jem''s face remained expressionless even though his opponent outfought him in terms of fighting technique and experience.


    Actually, that expressionless face of him started to creep out his opponent. Even Gart wondered if this kid knew no pain. Only higher-level opponents could withstand that attack from his brother and remain nonchnt.


    But this kid! How could he remain such a face? Could it be¡­ he was truly higher level than them? Gart started to believe it.


    While his opponents were wondering about his unnatural toughness, Jem, on the other hand, discovered his weakness.


    As the two of them continued fighting, there were some asions when his enemy hit him on some parts of his body and face. Jem understood that he had a low fighting capability against human opponents. Inside thebyrinth, he only fought against unintelligent monsters. So it was understandable that his hand-to-hand fighting capability wasn''t so great. More or less, he was only at the beginner level in terms of martial arts.


    To defeat his opponent, he fired debris at the opponent at a speed like an arrow. Taking advantage of the situation, Jem attacked him sneakily.


    Although the enemy noticed him, his speed was one thing.


    Bam!


    His punch sessfully hit the enemy.


    Guh! A groan escaped from his opponent''s mouth as his body bumped on the ground and rolled many times.


    KRUSHHH!


    Though his opponent outfought him in fighting experience, in terms of speed and power, no doubt that Jem outranked him. Even without activating the third ring, he has some skills capable of enhancing his body attributes.


    Without wasting the opportunity, Jem leaped in the air to shorten their distance in a shorter possible time.


    While in the air, he lifted his giant earth fist above. He aimed to finish him quickly. At this moment, the opponent was still lying on the ground. That attack from him must have shaken his consciousness.


    The opponent didn''t notice that Jem''s next attack wasing from above.


    Pulling up his body and getting rid of the dizziness, he heard a shout from his brother. "Watch out!" But,


    Bang!


    Jem''s giant earth fist hit where the enemy was lying. The underground shook as if an earthquake happened. To where his punchnded, there were two silhouettes lying on the pit. One of them was barely unconscious, while the other had already fainted. It was Gart and his brother. Gart came and blocked Jem''s attack before itnded on his brother. He used his huge sword as a shield, but it seemed like Gart underestimated the power of that punch.


    "Y-you''re not l-level 2, r-right?" Gart asked in difficulty as his vision started to turn murky.


    "....."


    After that, Gart lost consciousness as well and only silence remained.


    With widened eyes and twitching face, "What the hell!" The leader of the casters eximed when his two guards were defeated.


    At that instance, he heard hurried footsteps. When he nced to his side, it was already toote, "Wha-?!" He eximed. But, "F*ck off!"


    Bonk!


    After the yell, a wooden pole hit his wide forehead. Miles came with a wooden pole in her hands. She sneakily rushed towards the leader and smashed his head.


    "Phew!"


    She wiped the sweat on her forehead as she carried the wooden pole on her shoulder like a gangster girl.


    The caster leader immediately lost consciousness after receiving that attack. There was only white in his eyes. And it seemed like stars were rotating above his head.


    Seeing her acting like that, "Haha, Oldman, it seems like your granddaughter will be a furiousdy in the future," Abel said jokingly.


    "I know right. Though, I hope she grows into a properdy, hah~"


    Oldman Barn replied and sighed.


    After the defeat of their leaders and their guards, the remaining casters surrendered to them. Abel hastily took action. But he had nothing with him to bind them. Fortunately, the young man handed him a rope.


    "Thanks, kid. Eh? By the way, where did you get this?"


    Now that Jem thought of it, he wasn''t carrying anything because it wasn''t a nned departure. The monsters just came out of nowhere and he had to run to check on Oldman Barn.


    "I saw it lying on the corner. Maybe it''s their belonging," Jem lied.


    "Ah, I see. Damn! This looks brand new, though," Abel mumbled but still believed the young man.


    Abel tied all of them. He also tied the two guards. He made sure to tie them better, especially those two.


    After tying all of them, they collected the stones used by the casters.


    Jem and the others were looking at the magic circle on the ground.


    "It isn''t runes..." Miles muttered. It seemed like she was wrong at her initial thought.


    "Do you know about it?" Miss Mona asked.


    Oldman Barn and Miles shook their heads. "I only know how to farm and raise livestock. How about you Abel?" Barn said, then he passed the question to Abel.


    "I''ve never seen something like that in my whole life."


    Miles nced at Jem. "How about you, Jem?"


    Jem slightly squinted his eyes. He touched his chin as if thinking. "Hm, now that I''m looking at it from a closer distance, it really resembles the image I saw in a book when I was still in the academy. If I''m not mistaken it''s called Ritual Gate."


    "Ritual Gate?"


    Miles and the others repeated his words.

 Chapter 81 - Mana Core

    "Yes. And it is used to summon something from another dimension." Jem knelt down slightly to see the mark on the ground clearly.


    "Summon from another dimension? These people are very suspicious," Miss Mona said as she nced at the cylinder tubes. She saw humans in each cylinder. And based on their appearance, they seemed to be kids only. ''This is awful. How can they do this to these kids?'' She thought:


    "Maybe they are members of a bad organisation," Abel added with a frown.


    While everyone was suspicious of the persona of the people they had captured, Miles tried to touch the mark on the ground. Unlike before, it no longer shines.


    "Wait! Is it blood?" She asked when a red liquid stuck to her finger and smelled the fishy smell of blood.


    "As far as I know, blood is mainly used in drawing a mark to summon the Ritual Gate," Jem replied.


    "You''re great, Jem. You know about this," Miles said excitedly.


    "I just read about it in the academy library," Jem replied.


    "I see. I didn''t know you were very studious."


    "Of course not. Maybe I just have a lot of free time because I have nothing else to do other than practice and listen to the teacher''s lectures."


    "Eh? Don''t you even wander around with your friends? As far as I know, the city there is beautiful and the students are free to go for walks with their friends every weekend," Miles said happily while imagining herself in such a situation.


    Jem wanted tough from what Miles envisioned about the academy. But he remained calm. Jem opened his mouth once again.


    However, Jem''s response was contrary to what Miles wanted to hear. "The academy isn''t that good," after saying this, Jem never spoke again. Miles looked at him. Although there was no visible expression on Jem''s face, the girl felt a strange sadness in his tone.


    Jem approached Abel and looked at the stones he was holding. "Mr. Abel, can I touch one of them?" Jem asked.


    Abel looked at him and nodded. "Of course. Here," Abel handed him a piece of jade stone.


    After Jem touched on it, a holographic rectangr screen immediately appeared in front of his sight. And inside that rectangr screen was the very information about the jade stone.


    [Green Mana Stone: A mysterious stone that provides magical energy. The quality of the stone depends on its colour. White is the lowest followed by green, blue, purple, and red. The higher the quality the more magical energy it has. Normal people use it for any means while magical humans or also known as Ex-humans or ascendersmonly absorb the magical energy in it to enhance their magical energy capacity. Magical stones can be mined inside a dungeon orbyrinth. It says, higher rank dungeons usually birthed higher rank Mana Stone.]


    After reading it, Jem got interested in it. ''It can raise my magical energy?!'' Jem was surprised.


    <Yes, host.>


    Jem then got an idea. "Mr. Abel, can I have all of them?" He tried to ask.


    Abel was slightly taken aback when the young man suddenly asked him. But since it was the kid who kicked these suspicious people''s asses and saved the group, Abel nodded his head. "Of course, you can have all of them." He handed all the stones to Jem. Abel didn''t really know much about the stones.


    At that moment when he received all the Mana Stones from Abel, notification boxes came one after another.


    [You obtained Green Mana Stone]


    [You obtained Green Mana Stone]


    [You obtained Green Mana Stone]


    [You obtained Green Mana Stone]


    [You obtained Green Mana Stone]


    [You obtained Green Mana Stone]


    [You obtained Blue Mana Stone]


    Such notifications appeared in his vision one after another. The trader asked if he wanted to trade them into trade points. Jem thought it would be a waste to just turn them into trade points. Absorbing the magical energy in it would be the most ideal choice.


    Through mind-conversation, Jem asked the trader about the value of the Mana Stones.


    <It depends on the quality of the items, host.>


    ''I see. Fair enough. Nheless, how to absorb the magical energies from it? ''


    <You just need to release the hidden magical energies that are in the Mana Stone. To release the trapped magical energy, you just need to break the rock itself. After that, the magical energies will automatically find a new host. And a closer host is always their first choice. So if you want to absorb the energies, make sure you are alone or you are the one closest to it. Only people like you can absorb them because normal people don''t have something called Mana Core. The mana core is the centre and source of power of ex-humans. It''s inside the body of every single person like you, host. But even though it is inside the body of those like you, it cannot be seen by ordinary eyes even if the human body is butchered. Additionally, there are three cores within those like you, host. And one of them is the Mana Core. It is located in the abdomen. The Mana Core grows bigger with each time the amount of magical energy in your body increases.''


    ''I see,'' said Jem. But he felt a little anxious. ''Because it''s in the belly and growing, can''t my belly grow too if it grows big?'' He didn''t want his body to be plump.


    <No, host. Although the Mana Core is located on the abdomen, it does not affect your physical appearance. The Mana core is inside the so-called Ethereal Dimension.>


    ''Ethereal Dimensio¡ª''


    Before he could repeat the trader''s words, he heard Oldman Barn urged them to proceed.


    "Come on, we still need to call for help and report about these people and what they are doing here in the Underground Tunnel," said Oldman Barn.


    Everyone agreed, but before that, they freed the children inside the cylinders. The children were about 5-7 years old only. And all of them were naked. Jem also felt magical energies from them, so basically, they were ex-human kids. They must be used as experimental subjects. Jem didn''t tolerate this kind of act. Especially that he initially condemned this kind of inhumane acts against innocent children.


    After freeing them from the cylinders, the children seemed so weak to speak and walk.

 Chapter 82 - Stronger

    Looking at the children''s situation, "Here, have them drink this." Again, from out of nowhere, Jem produced something that dumbstruck all the people around him. It was a big mystery to them where he took these items. Nheless, Miles took the medicine from him and helped the children drink them. After a couple of seconds upon drinking them, the children''s countenance turned much better than a while ago.


    They continued towards the surface. Abel, on the other hand, was left to guard the captives. They could not let them disappear. Those people were more dangerous if they let them wander around.


    Jem and the others have yet to know of the reason why those people summoned a Ritual Gate in such a ce.


    On their way, Jem broke the stones one by one. As he broke the first stone, greenish energy was released from it. But right after that, they flew toward him. Then they entered his body like it was the natural thing to happen.


    Jem wasn''t surprised, though. He already expected this to happen because of the information given by the system. Every time those energies entered him, Jem could feel his ex-energy capacity growing slightly. It has the same feeling whenever his Ascendance Points rose. In the academy, Jem learned that the amount of ex-energy also affects the physical strength of the body. So, in this regard, the higher the ex-energy a person has, the stronger he/she bes.


    Jem decided to trade one of the stones. He wanted to know what it may unlock if this item was added to the Trader''s Shop. As expected, after trading it, a series of pop-up notifications appeared in his vision.


    After a couple of minutes, they finally reached the surface.


    "We''re here!" Miss Mona announced. Sweats were visible on everyone''s face.


    "Phew! Finally!" Miles swept away the sweat on her face. "Grandfather, are you okay?" She asked her grandfather. Oldman Barn was holding his knees as he was gasping for breath. "Yes yes. Don''t mind me. Although I look old, I am stronger than ten cows," replied Oldman Barn with a grin.


    "....."


    Miles knew her grandfather was just exaggerating. She sighed in relief. At least he still had a leeway to joke around.


    After saying that, Oldman Barn looked at the children and asked, "Hey, little fes! How about you, are you okay?"


    The six children were also gasping for breath. At first, these children were skeptical to follow them. Maybe because of their experience with those shady groups of people, they were wary to trust other people, which was to be expected. Even Jem had the same issue. But with Miles and Miss Mona''s counseling, they managed to persuade them.


    The children just responded with a slight nod. They came out of what seemed like an old room. Among all of them, only Jem looks wasn''t gasping for breath.


    "Are we inside the rampart yet?" Jem asked a question. At his question, everyone looked at Miss Mona. Noticing everyone''s eyes at her, Miss Mona took a deep breath before answering. "Yes, no doubt." She walked over and opened the door of the room.


    When everyone came out, they sawrger buildings made of mortar, bricks, and stone. The buildings here look bigger and betterpared to the buildings outside the rampart which are usually made only of cheap materials. They were mostly made of a timber frame.


    Well. To put it simply, the houses outside were made only of twigs, straw, and mud. On the contrary, the houses in front of them wererger and more durable, and better in looks. It just means that those who lived inside the rampart were people with prosperous lives.


    The area inside the rampart was quiterge so they could not view its total width from their standpoint. Although the buildings were not contiguous, there were quite a few buildings inside.


    They noticed that the building where they exited looked like an old warehouse. Aftering out,


    Help!


    There!


    Let''s go!


    Noooo!


    Wait!


    Arrggh!


    GWARRR!


    RAWR!


    From their vantage point, everyone could hear themotion from somewhere. They immediately noticed human shouts and what seemed like monster growls aftering out of the warehouse.


    "Miss Mona?" Oldman Barn called out.


    Miss Mona immediately understood what Oldman Barn meant by his call. "Yes. Here! Follow me. I''m sure the evacuees were brought to the center. At Silva''s hall. I''m sure there is where they brought the evacuees."


    "I see. Let''s go, then. We can''t waste more time," said Oldman Barn.


    "Yes!"


    As they were on their way to Miss Mona''s alleged ce, three monstersnded in front of them.


    Woosh woosh!


    Gwarrharrhaarr!


    The monsters squint their eyes, especially at the children.


    "Secure the children!" Oldman Barn yelled. He clenched his teeth after that.


    The children looked scared. They grabbed the hem of Miles'' one-piece dress. Miles couldn''t help in fighting at this rate. Miss Mona subconsciously takes a step back. Miles, on the other hand, was supporting the children.


    Jem hastily took action. Grabbing a knife from out of nowhere, his figure was rushing forward at the enemy. Looking at him, the monsters sneered at him, but soon they squinted when they noticed his speed was no ordinary.


    In an instant, Jem was immediately behind them. Even before the monsters felt what he had done, blood flowed from therge wounds on their bodies.


    GAAR!??


    The monsters'' eyes widened at that moment. Their sharp nails tried to catch up with Jem, but it was all toote. Their vision was darkened and their knees weakened. Before their nails could reach, they fell down and immediately lost consciousness with their eyes wide open in disbelief.


    Although Jem could defeat them with his newly learned abilities, Jem preferred to reserve his energy. He spent quite a big amount of energy in his fight with the monsters and the two-level 2 guards earlier. So, he couldn''t spend them mindlessly this time.


    He needs to save energy for emergency purposes. As long as he could defeat the enemy with normal means, he would rather do that. After quickly defeating the monsters, the surprised faces of therades can be seen immediately.


    Momentster,


    "Wow,d! You be even stronger! Hehe!" Oldman Barn eximed.


    The children were looking at Jem with wide eyes and an o-shaped mouth. It could also be seen on their faces that they seem to be moved by what Jem did. Admiration was visible on their faces. After defeating the monsters, Jem used the devil''s arm to trade the corpses. The group already got used to seeing him pulling out surprises, so didn''t question him any longer whatever he pulled out. Still, it surprised them. They wondered how strong he waspared to other ex-humans. He even defeated those two scary enemies a while ago. So they assumed that Jem wasn''t an ordinary ex-humans. But still, they could not tell as they were ordinary humans only.


    As they got closer and closer to the ce mentioned by Miss Mona, the noises they heard grew louder and louder. On their way, they encountered some people being attacked by monsters. So the group had to save them. Jem also helped in killing the monsters. He needed to umte enough experience after all. As of the moment, his Trade Points were more than enough to ascend his Exo points.


    After a while, they finally arrived in front of a mansion where they could see a gate.. Inside the gate was a spacious pathway towards the mansion''s entrance.

 Chapter 83 - Monster’s Weakness

    On second look, saying that it was a mansion was all wrong because it looked like it was a chapel. Right. The building in front of them was actually a chapel.


    "The evacuees must be there!" They heard Mona shout.


    Outside of it, humans, who they believed were members of town guards, were currently battling against some monsters. They must be trying to protect those civilians inside.


    On the ground, monsters and human bodies were lying. Blood was all over them. The dead humans had their bodies torn and pierced by the monster''s sharp ws, while on the other hand, the monsters only had their bodies pierced by arrows and spears.


    But, when they looked at the lying corpses, they saw that there were more human corpses than monster corpses. The corpses of monsters on the ground could be counted in one hand.


    As of the moment, four monsters were battling against twenty or more town guards. However, even if the town guards were numerous, they could see that the monsters were easily ying the humans one by one.


    At that moment, "WAAH! Help! " One of the town guards screamed when one of the monsters grabbed a person''s neck. Pulses could be seen surfacing on his face, a sign that the monster was holding him tightly. He also showed signs of struggle, but his strength was nothing against the monster.


    It was obvious in the expressions of hispanions that each of them was afraid to approach. Although each carried a spear and a sword, none of them had enough courage to help theirpanion. Add to that the low morale they feel at this moment.


    Still, the leader of the group forced himself to say amand. "A-A-Attack¡­" but his voice remained at his throat and was barely hearable. Like the other town guards, fear was also obvious in his voice.


    From where Jem and the others were standing, they could see some people peeping through the open windows of the chapel. Fear was visible on their faces. That was only natural because when the monsters defeat all the town guards they would definitely be the next target of those monsters.


    At the Troll''s back could be seen protruding arrows from the attacks of crossbows and bows carried by a few town guards. But, it seemed like they were running out of arrows and lost their attack power.


    Understanding the situation, "Jem! You take care of Miles and the others!" Oldman Barn kicked the iron gate.


    Miles'' eyes widened slightly when she heard what her grandfather had said. However, before she could speak, a loud noise rang out.


    KLANG!


    Barn was just an ordinary man, but his kick was strong enough. The closed-door made a slight gap, though the gap was just enough for a person to pass through.


    "Wait! Grandfather!" Miles shouted. But, her shout camete because the old man had already entered. Before rushing directly, the Oldman Barn first picked up a spear lying on the ground. Then he kicked the ground and bolted to help the town guards.


    Oldman Barn knew that if the town guards were defeated, there was no doubt that the next to be attacked by the monsters would be those inside the chapel. So he had to help.


    But, before he could get close, Oldman Barn was suddenly stopped at his dash because two monsters suddenly appeared in front of him. His eyes widened slightly. Even though he had seen these monsters up close a few times, he still couldn''t help but cringe at their frightening appearance.


    But, he was only stunned for a moment. Oldman Barn attacked with the spear he was holding.


    Swish~ Fwoosh!


    He attacked by stabbing the monsters. With a sudden stab, the tip of the spear luckily hit one of the monsters on the torso. However, it wasn''t enough to kill it. When Barn was about to pull back the weapon, he found out he could not pull it. He noticed the monster was gripping on its shaft.


    "Bastar¡ª" Barn clenched his teeth as he applied more force on his pull.


    Grr~


    The monster grinned at him. Oldman Barn couldn''t budge it. The gap in their strength was too wide. At that moment, the other monster lifted its arm to attack the old man.


    Then suddenly, everyone heard the sound of tearing an empty air. It wasing fast from behind the old man.


    Before the monster''s ws could reach the old man, a spike as big as an adult man''s palm prated the monster''s eye.


    OWRRRGH!


    The monster staggered while screaming. Blood spurted from its wound and some dripped on its grotesque face.


    The other monster that was confronting Oldman Barn nced at itsrade with question marks floating in the air. At that moment of losing its focus, Oldman Barn was able to pull back his weapon. When the monster noticed it, it nced back at the old man. But what greeted him was the sharp tip of the spear. It directly hit the center of its chest and prated the crystalline stone inside it. The monster then died after that, turned to a wisp of smoke.


    Oldman Barn was quite shocked seeing it. It was the first time that the monster disappeared right after killing it. Moreover, he felt an impact and it seemed he broke something inside the monster''s chest.


    Usually, the monster wouldn''t disappear after killing them. They remained as corpses. But this time, the monster disappeared like a wisp of ck smoke. In the position where the monster was standing just now, a broken crystalline stone could be seen.


    The other monster was easily killed by Jem. After hitting its eye with an earth element attack using his Earth Maniption Technique, he followed up by firing another spike, making countless holes on the monster''s body.


    Oldman Barn didn''t know what happened, but it seemed like he discovered a big weakness of these monsters.


    "Hit the center of their chests!" He shouted at the town guards who were facing the other monsters.


    His shout brought back the town guards from their stupor. They were quite surprised when they saw some people near the gate. It was obvious in their widened eyes. What was more shocking was the fact that they saw a dead body of a monster near those people.


    Nheless,


    "What? There are still some civilians outside?" One of the guards muttered.


    Without minding their expression and mutterings, Oldman Barn shouted again, "Hit the center of their chests!"


    "Eh what he''s talking about?" One of the guards asked.


    Then their attention was stolen by a sudden muffled scream.


    MURRFGGH!


    The monster who was grasping one of the town guards put more force on its grasp, making the person in its hand twitch in agony. They also noticed its huge mouth with razor-sharp teeth slowly approaching the person''s neck. There was no way to rescue him in this situation.


    "Father!"


    A younger-looking person wearing a town guard outfit shouted. Perhaps the man in the monster''s hand was his father. It was obvious in his face that he was so worried.


    But something happened before those razor-sharp teeth could touch the man''s skin.

 Chapter 84 - Unordinary Punch

    Another earth-spike hit right inside the monster''s mouth and pierced through it. The monster made guttural sounds and stepped back. Maybe out of pain, it reflexively released the person in its grasp. The man fell on the ground with his butt first. Although that was painful, it was nothingpared to the grim fate awaiting him in the hand of that monster.


    At that moment, Oldman Barn was still shouting the same line. "Hit the center of their chests!" His voice resounded in their ears.


    Seeing an opening, the younger town guard clenched the hilt of his iron sword. Then he dashed forward aiming at the monster''s chest.


    Maybe because the monster was still in pain, it didn''t notice his approach. His attacknded at the monster''s chest. Right at the center. The tip of his sword prated the monster''s chest and hit something hard within it. The impact transmitted in his hands.


    At that moment, the monster''s body glowed like it was creaking, then it disappeared like a wisp of smoke. The younger town guard stared at it with wide eyes.


    "I-it dissipate?" He couldn''t believe it. Hisrades behind him had their eyes widened in disbelief.


    "H-he killed it? George''s son killed the monster!" The leader of the town guards eximed in surprise.


    "Captain!"


    Called one of the town guards. When the leader looked at them, he noticed a speck of light in their eyes. Looks like what the boy did fuel motivation in them.


    Now that they had a clear idea of how to defeat these monsters much more easily, all of them were now eager to attack.


    "Alright! Focus your attack at the center of their chests!" The leadermanded as he pointed his sword at the monster. After saying it, he sent a nce at Oldman Barn and the others. He wondered how they knew about this monster''s weakness.


    Monsters didn''t usuallye in this town, so none of them had any idea how to defeat them. They were just lucky enough in defeating two of them after overwhelming them with countless attacks. However, that wasn''t an easy kill. They lost an estimated 50-70 men in the process.


    "Aye!" Everyone shouted as they attacked the remaining monsters.


    Looking at the town guards who were now madly attacking the monsters, Jem just remained calm. He knew all along about the monster''s weakness, but he didn''t disclose it as he needed them as corpses rather than dissipating them.


    He could only acquire a broken Beast Core if he killed them that way. But if he exhausted their lives normally, he could loot more valuable materials from them, which was very beneficial to his hidden trading ability. It was the reason he preferred killing them without damaging their Beast Core.


    Also, the trader told him that Beast Cores could be processed into different kinds of materials such as unique shapeshifting abilities or any valuable items. But, the problem was, he needed the item known as Water of Identification. Moreover, that item was still vague. It wasn''t that he didn''t believe the trader''s words. In fact, the trader''s information was very reliable even until now.


    In regards to the Water of Identification, maybe that item was very rare. That''s why even someone like Tom, who owned a trading shop, had no idea about it. Jem believed that if there was a person who should know better regarding that item, it should be someone like Tom. But when Jem asked him that time when he visited his shop along with that girl named Hope, it turned out that even Tom had no idea. Even Hope was the same.


    Tom mentioned the Sage Tower. Jem had no idea where that ce was. Tom also told him that it was located in the West District. But darn. Jem''s knowledge about ces in the federation was very limited. Summed up with his limited cash. Jem had no hope of reaching that ce very soon. He needed more money if he wanted to travel far.


    Nheless,


    After the town guards learned about the monster''s weakness, they attacked simultaneously. Though, even though they already know about their weakness, it was still not easy for them to hit those vital parts. The monsters were agile. And it seemed like they weren''t fully unintelligent creatures.


    ng!


    A town guard retreated with wide eyes. His sword-stab was greeted with metallic noise when his attack hit the tough part of the monster''s arm.


    "Tsk! They understood that we''re trying to hit their vital point!" He said in bewilderment when the monster unexpectedly crossed its arms to cover its chest from his attack. This reaction surprised most of the town guards. With a grinning face, showing most of its razor-sharp teeth, the monsters attacked back. With a swing of their arms, two town guards were sent flying away.


    Although that didn''t kill them, their consciousness was slipping away. After learning that their attacks weren''t effective, some of the town guards showed a hint of losing morale once again. In just a single retaliation, their courage was shattered into pieces right off the bat.


    "Don''t step back!" Warned the leader when he noticed that his men started taking a step back. They probably afraid. It was easy to lose morale in the face of a frightening enemy.


    GWAR!


    The monster howled, intimidating the town guards in a matter of seconds. Their eerie howls sent chills down their spines.


    The town guards'' hands that were holding their weapons were obviously quivering at that moment. Looking at them, it was easy to say that all of them were in a state of fear.


    The monsters took advantage of the situation. They rushed forward to tear the humans in around them. However, at that moment as well, a shadow passed through the crowds and directly went to confront the enemy.


    A strong punch, *Bam!* in the face, sent one of the monsters tumbling away.


    They noticed the monster''s head twisted in the wrong direction. The power of that punch wasn''t ordinary!


    "Wha-?"


    The town guards around gawked in disbelief at that moment.

 Chapter 85 - Reunion

    Everyone was surprised at what happened to the monster. At this moment they saw a young man standing in front of everyone.


    Who is he? Everyone''s question.


    But, none of them spoke. Jem''s sudden arrival surprised them.


    Seeing the oue of itspanion, the other monster rushed angrily to tear apart this young man who suddenly butt-in. However, before it could get close to Jem, it was met by Earth Spikes from his Earth Maniption ability.


    The monster was easily hit and its body was pierced, causing it to lose its life.


    Jem made sure not to hit its core so as not to waste the valuable materials he could get.


    The monster he had punched rose again. Looks like that punch wasn''t enough to kill it directly. But Jem already expected that result. Before it rushed again, the monster first adjusted its tilted head. It''s horrible to look at actually.


    After it adjusted the direction of its head, it rushed immediately. If it was another student from the academy who was in his shoes at the moment, they would certainly step back out of fright at this situation.


    However, since it was him, the bloodlust the monster was exuding was no effect on him. It was just greeted by Earth Spikes.


    Everyone who witnessed the fight gawked in shock. The monsters were easily defeated by a young man! It was amazing. They were about to approach him to ask about his identity, but before they could do so, they stopped walking when suddenly they heard a strange sound from above.


    "Be careful! More monsters areing!" The younger town guard shouted as he helped his father to get up on his feet.


    Everyone stopped breathing in fear when they saw the figure of more monsters above them.


    Five Flying Trolls jump in haste to attack Jem. They deemed him as dangerous, so they focused their attack on him.


    But, the same thing happened to them. Jem''s Earth Maniption ability overwhelmed them.


    Three of the monsters were prated with Earth Spikes, the other two were able to dodge, but it was still futile. Jem used LightWave attacks at them. The two explode when his LightWave attack hits them.


    Surrounded by flying debris of earth and rocks, Jem stood in front of everyone. The expression on his face was calm even though he had just finished finishing the monsters as if it wasn''t a big deal to him.


    "He''s an ex-human¡­" one of the town guards suddenly said after a long silence.


    "Yes, no doubt," replied another. When they saw Jem''s unique abilities, they immediately realized that he was no ordinary person. That he was one of the so-called ex-human.


    After killing all the monsters in the area, Jem used his Devil Right Hand to trade the corpses of the monsters.


    Everyone was just silently watching what he did. None of them even wondered about his Devil Right Hand.


    Jem was already expecting this to happen. He had a strong hunch that ordinary people would not give much thought to it.


    Although they might be curious about it, none of them were going to think that it wasn''t an ordinary ability even for an ex-human.


    As long as in their minds they know he was an ex-human, he could im that this was just one of his abilities as an ex-human. After all, ex-humans were known for their extraordinary abilities.


    Well. In truth, Jem wasn''t sure if he was the only ex-human who had these kinds of abilities. Perhaps some were like him.


    Noticing that there were no more enemies around, the town guards were about to approach Jem, but they stopped in their tracks because of a shout.


    "Jem!"


    They saw a beautifulss approaching with some children and a familiar face, Miss Mona.


    "Miss Mona!" They approached her. Mona then decided to talk to them. The guards mercilessly asked many questions.


    Miles went directly and approached Jem. Arriving next to him, she asked him, "Are you okay?"


    Jem replied, "Yes. I''m fine. " His voice was just calm.


    Miles smiled and said, "That''s good. By the way, thanks for the help."


    "It''s nothing."


    "Oh, right. I will excuse myself, I need to find Mom."


    Jem nodded. "All right," he said.


    Miles was hesitant to leave. But still, she stepped past him. The children followed her. But, after Miles passed Jem, she suddenly stopped walking. She looked back at Jem. As a result of her action, the children also stopped and turned to where she was looking.


    After Miles turned to look at Jem, she saw that Jem was also looking at her. Jem wondered why Miles looked at him, "Why?" He asked. He noticed Miles'' mouth open. "Can youe with us?" He asked.


    Surrounding them were the children. They were staring at them.


    Jem was silent and didn''t answer immediately. Eventually, he slowly opened his mouth. "I''m sorry, I still have to do something." He refused. After saying this, he walked away without hesitation.


    Miles frowned but she could not force him. She first looked behind Jem before continuing inside the chapel along with the children. Oldman Barn followed after them.


    "Miles!"


    With teary eyes, Miles'' mother shouted when she saw her. It must be tears of joy after finding out that her daughter was just fine.


    Miles caught her mother helping in applying first aid to the wounded civilians. When she heard her mother calling her name, she also called her.


    "Mom!"


    Miles then rushed to hug his mother. Oldman Barn also arrived and smiled at the reunion. He moved beside them and rubbed his daughter and granddaughter''s head.


    "I''m d that both of you are safe," said Miles'' mom.


    The children and the other people around were staring at their family reunion.


    After a while,


    Miss Mona and Oldman Barn went to speak with the town lord. They immediately told about the shady group they fought in the secret passage, on the Underground Channel.


    "I see. I''ll take care of it!" Answer by the mayor of the Tulg town.


    That time when Jem left Miles and the children, he went to ask the town guards if it was fine for them if he disposed of all the monster corpses around. He didn''t want to trade them without asking as it seemed like he was stealing them.


    To be fair, he told them that they could gain good amounts of money by looting the dead monsters with valuable parts and trading them in a trading shop somewhere in the city.


    But it seemed like most of the town guards already knew about it. However, none of them were willing to butcher these monsters. They told him that they would appreciate it if he would get rid of them.


    Besides, looking at the monsters, they wondered if there was any valuable materials they could get from them.


    Jem felt relief after hearing their reply.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!