Zeke moved silently, every step deliberate.
A guttural roar cut the air—then a mutated boar crashed out of the brush, tusks gleaming like iron. It charged straight for him.
Time bent.
The boar's rush slowed, its tusks dragging through thick syrup. Zeke stepped aside, calm, and smashed a stone into its eye as it thundered past. The beast screamed, stumbling. Zeke pivoted, heel striking its jaw with a crack. Bone shattered. The boar collapsed, thrashing once before stilling.
System Notice
Hostile Defeated: Ironhide Boar (E)
New Talent Absorbed: Steel Skin (E) — flesh hardens slightly
Zeke flexed his fingers. A faint resistance lingered beneath his skin, subtle but present. Not much, but useful.
He kept walking.
The land grew rougher, ruins poking through the soil—old stone half-buried by vines. The air thickened, buzzing with raw mana.
That was when he saw it: a Lesser Void Serpent, body rippling with faint light, eyes glowing pale white.
It struck, jaws snapping for his leg.
Zeke twisted, Time Control bending the lunge into slow motion. His hands clamped the serpent's neck. It coiled around him, squeezing, but his flesh held firm under its crushing grip—Steel Skin taking the brunt.
With a sharp twist, he snapped its neck. The body went limp.
System Notice
Hostile Defeated: Lesser Void Serpent (D)
Dormant Talent Strengthened: Void Affinity (D) — spatial flicker unlocked
The world shimmered faintly. For a moment, Zeke's body seemed to slip sideways, faster than the eye could follow. Not teleportation—but close.
He exhaled. Now this is progress.
The air shifted.
Zeke froze, Beast Instinct prickling sharp under his skin. He wasn't alone.
Shadows moved between the grass and the ruined stones. Four figures stepped out, spreading in a half-circle. Kade was at the front, scar catching the moonlight. His smirk was wide, his voice dripping venom.
"Well, well. The orphan genius, sneaking out here all alone. Thought you'd play hero outside the walls? Without the academy to protect you, you're just prey."
The three behind him chuckled nervously. They were F-rank hunters, same as Kade. Weak in truth, but arrogance filled the gap.
Zeke's gaze swept over them once. Four bodies. Four mouths. Four talents waiting to be taken.
He said nothing.
"Don't ignore me!" Kade snapped, wind gathering faintly around his hands. "Hand over whatever tricks you've got, and maybe we'll let you crawl back to the city."
The grass shivered.
They lunged.
Time bent.
The world slowed into syrup. Every strike, every breath laid bare before Zeke's eyes.
The first came screaming with a crude knife. Zeke stepped past him like he was moving through water. His hand slammed into the boy's throat—cartilage collapsed, the scream cut short. The knife clattered uselessly to the dirt as the boy dropped, gagging on nothing.
System Notice
Hostile Defeated: Human (F)
New Talent Absorbed: Weapon Mastery (D) — skill with blades
Another rushed in from behind, swing wild, eyes burning with false courage. Zeke pivoted, heel driving into his knee. Bone cracked, the scream tore loose. Before it finished, Zeke's palm struck his chest. Ribs snapped, heart stilled. The body folded.
System Notice
Hostile Defeated: Human (F)
New Talent Absorbed: Battle Aura (C) — intimidation and combat boost
Shadows flickered—the third lackey blurred, feet vanishing into darkness. Shadow Step. Clever. But not clever enough.
Zeke reached into the blur, dragging him back into the light. One twist, a sharp crack, and silence followed.
System Notice
Hostile Defeated: Human (F)
New Talent Absorbed: Shadow Step (C) — stealth through shadows
Kade froze, bravado draining from his face. His wind flickered weakly, fear choking the flow.
"You—you monster—"
Zeke was already in front of him. A flicker of Void Affinity carried him forward. His hand closed around Kade's throat.
"I warned you," Zeke said softly. His grip tightened. Bone gave way. Kade's body slumped lifeless to the ground.
System Notice
Hostile Defeated: Human (F)
New Talent Absorbed: Wind Manipulation (C) — minor air control
System Notice
Quest Complete: First Blood
Reward: Absorption Tier II unlocked
The clearing was quiet. Blood soaked into the earth, sharp and metallic.
Zeke crouched, calm. Shadow Step tugged at the edge of his mind, and he obeyed. One by one, he dragged the bodies into deeper shadow, folding them into cracks and hollows. Grass bent back, footprints blurred. By the time he finished, the ground looked untouched.
No one would ever know they'd been here.
He dusted his hands, eyes sharp. No loose ends. Exactly how it should be.
The wilderness was quiet again.
Zeke stood still, listening. No patrols. No footsteps. No voices. Only the chirp of mana-twisted crickets and the rustle of leaves.
He called the System.
System Status
Active Talents:
• Time Control (SSS, Lv.1 → Lv.2) — slows time by 30%
• Beast Instinct (F) — danger awareness
• Steel Skin (E) — hardened flesh
• Void Affinity (D) — flicker movement
• Weapon Mastery (D) — blade proficiency
• Battle Aura (C) — intimidation, combat boost
• Shadow Step (C) — stealth through shadows
• Wind Manipulation (C) — minor air currents
Completed Quests:
• First Blood — Reward: Tier II unlocked
• Calibration — Pending
• Scout — Completed
New Feature: Shop (Basic Tier)
A new panel flickered open.
System Shop — Basic Inventory
Student's Stiletto (Uncommon): concealed mana blade — 40 points
Salvager's Band (Common): auto-collects monster drops — 10 points
Skinstone Powder (Common): temporary defense buff — 5 points
Void Seed (Rare, Locked)
Points: 0
Zeke closed it. Useful later.
He focused on the Calibration quest. Closing his eyes, he activated Time Control. The world slowed into syrup, the wind dragging heavy, the night stretching. Ten seconds crawled by before he released it, chest rising in a steady breath.
System Notice
Quest Complete: Calibration
Reward: +1 Perception
Time Control Upgraded → Level 2: slows time by 30%
Zeke opened his eyes. The world shimmered slightly, slower, clearer. Thirty percent wasn't much on paper. But in a fight, it was the difference between being struck—and already standing behind your enemy.
He smirked faintly. Progress.
The southern wall loomed in the distance. By the time Zeke slipped back through the gates, the city was asleep. No one questioned the quiet prodigy returning late.
On the academy rooftop, he sat cross-legged, the city's lights spread small and fragile beneath him. He opened the System one last time.
System Status — Summary
Rank: F (Hunter)
Talents Collected: 8
Strongest Talent: Time Control (SSS, Lv.2)
Features: Absorption Tier II, Shop unlocked, Fusion (Locked)
The screen faded. Zeke leaned back, staring at the stars.
Tomorrow, recruiters would swarm him. Factions would argue, teachers would bow, and classmates would stare with wide eyes.
They would think they saw a miracle.
But miracles were random. This was deliberate.
Trouble would come. He welcomed it.
He smirked at the night sky. They don't know yet. But they should be afraid of me.