I wasn't sure how to process what I had just done. I had killed actual humans.
They had respawned, but still—I had cut them down mercilessly, not hesitating as my sword tore through their bodies.
A sword that I had received from one of the many "Watchers."
This time, however, it hadn't been Anonymous who contacted me. It was someone with a name.
[Ferocious Lion wants you to face your enemies and overwhelm them with all your might.]
[You have received x1
[Long Sword]
[Rarity: Uncommon]
[Damage: 25]
[Durability: 98/100]
But the sword wasn't the only thing I had received. A quest had come alongside it, instructing me to kill everyone who approached.
[Quest from Ferocious Lion: Kill all your enemies.]
[Reward: 5000 EXP, Strength Potion.]
Obviously, I had followed through. I had eliminated every enemy climbing the stairs, and in return, I had gained the rewards.
And let's just say—5000 EXP was massive, especially at this stage.
Without even counting the level-ups from individual kills, I had leveled up ten times.
I was now Level 11.
Each level granted me a free stat point to allocate, but I chose to hold onto them for now. Without enough information on which stat would benefit me the most, I'd rather wait until we reached the Universal World before making my decision.
Still, I had no real way of knowing if reaching Level 11 during the placement game was impressive. But considering I had completely wiped out the enemy team on my own, I doubted many could have accomplished the same.
Now that my job was done, I decided to leave the Control Point.
My team was close. And the last thing I wanted was to run into Serena.
I already knew what she would do—twist the situation against me, make herself look like the victim. Even after our victory, she would find a way to turn everyone against me.
***
[Serena's POV]
[Anonymous wants to make you an offer.]
The messages had been coming nonstop ever since Levi wiped out the enemy team.
I wasn't sure who this "Anonymous" was or what they wanted, but there was no harm in listening.
So, I waited.
[Anonymous wants your team to kill Levi Smith. In exchange, she will give you 3 Rare Skills, 10,000 EXP, and 1 Rare Item.]
I halted mid-step, catching the attention of those around me.
"Serena? Everything alright?" Jake asked, his voice filled with concern.
I barely acknowledged him, raising a hand to silence him.
This was perfect.
There was no better opportunity than this.
By eliminating Levi, I would gain an early advantage once we arrived in the Universal World. I wasn't sure how much skills were worth, but having three Rare Skills before even arriving? That was a deal I couldn't ignore.
Not to mention, I had wanted to get rid of him from the very beginning.
But… how?
Even now, I still didn't know how he had killed so many enemies.
Was it luck? His stats weren't even that good.
Jake would be able to handle Levi easily. The enemy team must have been much weaker than expected.
I just needed to convince everyone that he was a threat.
Hiding my smirk, I turned to the group and put on my best concerned expression—pure, innocent, devoid of malice.
"I think Levi might be too dangerous if we let him run wild."
I spoke quickly, making sure my voice trembled slightly, as if I were shaken by fear.
"If he could kill an entire team on his own… what do you think he'll do to us? What if he decides we're his next targets? That would be horrible… a massacre."
The others hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances.
"But why would he do that?" someone asked. "He's on the same team as us."
"Yeah, there's no reason to attack him. If he's making sure we win, it'd be stupid to turn against him."
"True! We just need to be careful, and everything will be fine."
I clenched my jaw.
Manipulating them wasn't going to be as easy as before.
Their view of Levi had shifted.
They no longer saw him as an outcast. They saw him as a winner.
And I couldn't have that.
I needed to be firm.
"But there's always a 'what if.'" I took a deep breath, keeping my voice soft and persuasive. "We don't need Levi. His stats are lower than Jake's. It's better to deal with him now, before he becomes uncontrollable—just like at school."
Murmurs spread through the group.
Whispers.
Hesitation.
I could see the doubt in their faces.
And then—I saw her.
Ruby.
That little annoying bitch.
She was smirking.
She knew exactly what I was trying to do.
And then, in a voice louder than before, she spoke.
"Why are you trying to attack Levi again? He hasn't done anything to us. He's only tried to help. If anything, we should be wary of you."
The group fell silent.
A few nodded.
"Hm… that's true, actually. She's the one who turned us against him for no reason."
"Yeah… why did we even throw him out in the first place?"
They were turning against me.
Me.
The most popular girl in school.
I clenched my fists.
I needed to do something.
[Sneaky Puppeteer reveals himself and decides to help you.]
[To aid you in your quest, he has gifted you the
[Charm Staff]
[Rarity: Rare]
[Effect: By holding onto the staff, those who admire your beauty will be under your control, listening to your every word. The effect can be amplified with mana.]
[Durability: Infinite.]
I smirked.
Whoever this Puppeteer was, I liked them.
A long, polished staff materialized in my hands.
Gasps filled the air.
"Serena, how did you—"
"What the—"
Before anyone could finish their sentences, I saw it.
Their eyes.
Glazed.
Dull.
Empty.
Not all of them—but most.
Only a few weren't affected, including Ruby.
But it didn't matter.
I had them.
I had control.
I laughed internally.
This new world?
It was going to be mine.
I gripped my staff, raised my chin, and spoke my first command.
"Kill Ruby."
And just like that—they obeyed.
The group rushed forward, mindlessly charging at her.
I decided to stay a safe distance away from the Control Point—far enough to avoid immediate danger but close enough that I could intervene if my team needed help.
I knew it was only a matter of time before both teams arrived.
But then, as I patiently waited, an unexpected message appeared before me.
[One of your teammates, Ruby, has been killed.]
I frowned.
Ruby was killed?
The chances of the enemy team being responsible were slim—so slim that I dismissed the thought almost immediately. This had to be a betrayal. There was no other explanation.
Another message flashed.
[Three more teammates have been killed.]
[Click here to see their names.]
I clicked.
I recognized every name.
They were the few people in my class who weren't blindly following Serena.
Things have escalated since I left…
They were no longer a united team.
Thankfully, they all had a Reincarnation Stone, which meant they weren't gone for good. Still, this was worrying. If I didn't intervene, they could be permanently eliminated before long.
And I had no doubt Serena was behind this.
But how? How had she managed to kill them without the rest of the class stopping her? No one would allow such a thing without reason.
There had to be something else at play.
And, more importantly, I needed to make sure no one else died permanently.
I had no time to waste.
Without hesitation, I sprinted toward the respawn point.
It was only a few minutes away—but in situations like this, every second mattered. I had no idea how much time I had before Serena went for the kill again.
Leaving the Control Point unguarded was a risk, but this took priority.
I ran as fast as I could, my breaths growing heavy. But stopping wasn't an option.
Finally, as I neared the respawn area, I began to hear voices.
"Why are you doing this?!"
"Why are you trying to kill us?!"
"We never did anything to you!"
And then—I saw her.
Serena.
She stood at the center of the chaos, a twisted smirk playing on her lips. In her hands was a staff, a long, polished weapon with a pink sphere glowing at its tip.
I didn't know what the staff was capable of—but I knew where she had gotten it.
One of the "Watchers" must have taken an interest in her.
Ruby and the others stood defenseless, their expressions filled with confusion and panic.
Serena only had to give the order—and they would die.
Again.
"What the hell are you doing?!" I shouted, stepping out of my hiding place, positioning myself between Serena and her newly formed army.
I scanned the students surrounding her.
None of them reacted.
Their gazes were dull, vacant—empty. Even Jake, her ever-loyal boyfriend, had that same lifeless look in his eyes.
"Ah…" Serena mused, tilting her head. "The star of the show has finally arrived."
She slowly shook her head.
"The source of all my problems, finally here."
Then she laughed.
Loudly.
Wildly.
The laughter of someone who had completely lost it.
The perfect image she had always crafted—shattering before my eyes.
But the others?
They didn't react.
They just stood there, waiting for her next command.
"You're wondering what I did to them, aren't you?" Serena smirked. "Nothing! I did nothing!"
She raised her staff, twirling it in her hands.
"They worship me. They look up to me so much that they've become my perfect little soldiers, willing to listen to my every word. Isn't it beautiful?"
She looked insane.
Her eyes gleamed with an unsettling light, her lips curled into a delighted sneer.
"You don't believe me?" she chuckled. "Wouldn't it have been wonderful if you were affected too? I could have made you my personal little soldier. I would have forced you to do all kinds of things against your will… just to see how you'd react."
I stopped listening.
She was rambling.
Drunk on her own power.
But something about this felt off.
Then, I saw it.
The pink particles.
They drifted from the staff in thin, shimmering wisps, wrapping themselves around the heads of her followers.
Mana.
She can use mana too?
That was my first thought.
But no—that couldn't be it.
She wasn't that talented.
The staff itself was doing most of the work. It was controlling their minds.
That explained everything.
The blank stares.
The unwavering obedience.
They weren't following her by choice.
They were enslaved.
"You—just what the hell did you do?" I demanded. "Where did you get that staff?"
Serena let out a soft, mocking laugh.
"Why do you care?" she cooed. "Jealous? Is the GREAT Levi finally jealous of ME?"
Her expression twisted into something deranged.
She had completely lost her mind.
And I had no time to waste dealing with her nonsense.
I tightened my grip on my sword.
My eyes sharpened.
My stance shifted.
Serena's gaze flickered down, noticing my movements.
"Are you actually going to fight me?" she mused. "Alone?"
She laughed again.
"Your stats aren't even better than my boyfriend's! You're no match for me!"
She took a step forward, raising her chin with arrogant confidence.
"Give up and surrender," she said. "If you pledge loyalty to me, I'll consider sparing your life. Now—get on your knees and beg."
She truly didn't know.
She still thought my stats were weak.
She had no idea.
I smirked.
"Hm… I wonder," I mused. "Are my stats really lower than Jake's?"
Then, I activated my Mana Core.
A water sphere formed in my right hand, swirling with raw energy.
My sword rested in my left.
Serena's smirk vanished.
Her eyes widened.
"Y-You can use magic?" she whispered.
But unfortunately for her—
It was already too late.