The blue light of the System Shop illuminated Kaelen's tired face.
He sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor of the Crypt, the heavy bag of 2,000 gold coins resting in his lap. Vex paced nervously behind him, spinning a dagger, while Seraphina practiced her new [Solar Tyrant] breathing techniques in the corner.
"Twenty-four hours," Kaelen murmured, scrolling through the holographic list of skill books. "That's how long I have to learn how to fight like a human."
"Why not just bribe him?" Vex suggested, kicking a loose skull. "2,000 gold is enough to buy a small castle. Maybe the Paladin likes money."
"Brother Ezekiel likes burning people," Kaelen replied without looking up. "Fanatics don't take bribes. They take confessions."
He swiped past a row of Fire Magic scrolls. Useless. He couldn't out-firepower the Church.
He swiped past Necromancy. Suicide.
He needed something Neutral. Something that relied on physics and precision, not elemental alignment. If he used even a wisp of Abyss mana, the Inquisitors in the VIP box would jump the rail and execute him before the match ended.
His eyes landed on a grey, unassuming icon at the bottom of the "Martial Arts" tab.
[Manual: The Null-Breaker Style (Rank C)]
[Cost: 1,800 Gold Coins.]
[Requirements: AGI 20+, PER (Perception) 15+.]
Kaelen tapped the description.
[Description: A lost sword art developed by the 'Mage Hunters' of the Old Era. It does not use mana to create effects; it uses mana to disrupt effects. Technique: By vibrating the weapon at a specific frequency upon impact, the user can shatter mana constructs (Shields/Barriers) by destabilizing their structural integrity. Note: Highly effective against Order-based magic (Church/Academy).]
"Perfect," Kaelen whispered.
It was expensive. It would drain nearly their entire heist fund. But it was the perfect counter to a Paladin. Paladins relied on [Holy Shields] and [Light Armor]. They were tanks. The Null-Breaker style was a can opener.
"We're buying this," Kaelen announced.
"1,800?!" Vex choked. "Boss, that's our retirement fund! That's my hazard pay!"
"Your hazard pay is staying alive," Kaelen said coldly. "If I lose tomorrow, you don't get paid. You get hunted by the Inquisition as an accomplice."
He pressed [Confirm Purchase].
The bag of gold in his lap vanished in a pixelated shimmer.
[Ding!]
[Purchase Successful.]
[Item Acquired: Skill Book - Null-Breaker Style.]
[Current Funds: 200 SC / 200 Gold.]
A heavy, leather-bound book materialized in his hands. It smelled of ozone and iron.
Kaelen didn't hesitate. He opened the book.
Unlike normal reading, a System Skill Book didn't require study. As soon as he touched the pages, the book dissolved into particles of light that shot directly into his forehead.
"Argh!"
Kaelen gritted his teeth, clutching his head. It felt like someone was driving a heated spike into his frontal lobe. Memories that weren't his flooded his mind—years of muscle memory, stance corrections, the feeling of steel vibrating against magic.
He gasped, falling forward onto his hands. Sweat dripped from his nose.
[Ding!]
[Skill Learned: Null-Breaker (Level 1).]
[Active Ability: Mana Sever.]
[Cost: 50 Stamina per strike.]
Kaelen stood up slowly. He drew his Mithril Sword.
It felt different now. Before, it was just a sharp bar of metal. Now, he understood the grain of the steel. He could feel the microscopic vibrations in the hilt.
"Seraphina," Kaelen called out. "Put up a shield. Maximum strength."
Seraphina blinked, breaking her meditation. "Here? Now?"
"Do it."
She hesitated, then raised her staff. A golden barrier, reinforced by her [Solar Tyrant] trait, shimmered into existence around her. It was solid, buzzing with heat.
"It's a Rank D+ barrier," Seraphina warned. "You can't break it without a siege spell."
Kaelen stepped forward. He didn't wind up for a heavy swing. He held the sword loosely, relaxing his grip.
'Find the frequency,' the new memories whispered.
He saw the hum of the barrier. It was a wave. He just needed to create the anti-wave.
He flicked his wrist.
Snap.
The sword tip struck the center of the golden shield. It wasn't a heavy blow. It was a sharp, vibrating tap.
CRACK-SHATTER.
The barrier didn't just break; it disintegrated into glass-like shards of light.
Seraphina gasped, stumbling back as her defense vanished instantly.
"How..." she stared at him, wide-eyed. "You didn't use any mana. I didn't feel any magic."
"Physics," Kaelen said, sheathing the sword. A small smile played on his lips. "It's the one thing the Church can't exorcise."
He turned to Vex.
"We have twelve hours left. I need to spar. Vex, you're the target. Don't hold back."
Vex sighed, drawing her daggers. "I charge extra for bruises, Boss."
The Next Day. 11:55 AM.
The Celestia Arena was a cauldron of noise.
The stands were packed to capacity. Banners of the Noble Houses hung from the rafters. In the VIP box, Rian Valerius sat next to his father, the Count. They looked confident.
Below them, near the arena floor, a special section was reserved for the Church. Inquisitor Silas sat there, his blind eyes fixed on the entrance tunnel.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" the magical announcer's voice boomed. "Welcome to the Quarter-Finals of Block A!"
"In the red corner... representing the Church of Light... The Hammer of Dawn... BROTHER EZEKIEL!"
The crowd roared.
A massive gate opened. Ezekiel walked out. He was a giant of a man, clad in polished silver plate armor. He held a tower shield in one hand and a glowing mace in the other. He didn't wave to the crowd. He knelt and prayed.
"And in the blue corner..." The announcer paused, a hint of disdain in his voice. "The survivor of the Fissure... The Fallen Noble... KAELEN VANCE!"
Boos rained down from the student section. Rian had done his job well; the school hated Kaelen. They saw him as a cheater, a liar, a traitor.
Kaelen walked out of the tunnel.
He wasn't wearing armor. He wore a simple black combat uniform, tight-fitting and utilitarian. No cape. No flash. Just the Mithril Sword at his hip.
He walked to the center of the arena.
Ezekiel stood up. He towered over Kaelen by at least a foot.
"Heretic," Ezekiel rumbled, his voice amplified by his helmet. "My Master says you smell of the dark."
"Your Master smells like wet dog," Kaelen replied evenly. "You should bathe him more often."
Ezekiel's eyes narrowed behind his visor. "Insolence. I will crush your bones and burn the corruption from your marrow. Surrender, and I will make it quick."
Kaelen looked up at the VIP box. He saw Rian smirking. He saw Silas leaning forward, waiting for a slip-up. Waiting for a single drop of Abyssal mana.
Kaelen looked back at the giant Paladin.
"Surrender?" Kaelen scoffed. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
He didn't adopt a stance. He just stood there, completely relaxed.
[System Alert.]
[Quest Updated: The Saint and the Sinner.]
[Objective: Defeat Brother Ezekiel without using 'Sin Eater' or 'Abyssal Sun' skills.]
[Reward: Inquisitor Silas's Doubt.]
[Failure Penalty: Immediate Execution.]
"Start the match!" the referee shouted, backing away hastily.
GONG.
Ezekiel moved instantly.
"FOR THE LIGHT!"
He charged like a locomotive. The ground shook. He raised his mace, and it ignited with blinding white fire. [Holy Smite].
The crowd screamed. They expected Kaelen to run. They expected him to dodge.
Kaelen didn't move. He watched the mace come down.
'Too slow,' Kaelen analyzed, his [PER] stat slowing the world down. 'He relies on the AoE (Area of Effect). He thinks I'll dodge backward.'
Kaelen stepped forward.
Into the swing.
"What?!" Ezekiel gasped.
Kaelen slid inside the reach of the mace. He drew his sword in a blur of motion.
He didn't aim for the armor. He aimed for the shield.
[Technique: Mana Sever.]
PING.
The Mithril blade struck the center of the glowing tower shield.
The vibration traveled through the metal. The holy enchantment protecting the shield shattered with a sound like a breaking bell.
The force of Kaelen's strike, combined with the structural failure of the magic, blew the massive shield right off Ezekiel's arm.
It flew across the arena, embedding itself in the wall.
The crowd went silent.
Ezekiel stumbled back, staring at his empty arm. "My... my Aegis... How?"
Kaelen spun the sword in his hand, the steel singing a high, lethal note.
"You pray too much, Brother," Kaelen whispered, closing the distance. "God isn't listening today."
"I am."