The Awakened City was bustling with life. Hunters in heavy armor and mages in glowing robes walked through the crowded streets, trading monster cores and buying potions.
The grand doors of the Hunter's Guild swung open, but nobody paid attention to the boy in torn, blood-stained clothes who walked in.
Aryan ignored the stares of the low-level guards. His newly acquired 'Eye of the Sovereign' was passively scanning everything around him. He could see the exact levels of everyone in the room. Most were between Level 5 and Level 12. Weak.
He walked towards the main tavern area of the guild, guided by a very familiar, arrogant voice.
"...it was an absolute nightmare," Kael, the A-Rank Swordsman, was standing on a table, holding a mug of premium ale. A crowd of rookie hunters was listening to him with wide eyes.
Kael wiped a fake tear from his eye. "The Bloodfang Alpha ambushed us. We fought bravely, but it was too strong. Our F-Rank porter, Aryan... that brave kid. He threw himself at the beast so the rest of the Silver Fang squad could escape. Let us drink to his sacrifice!"
"To Aryan!" the crowd cheered, raising their mugs.
In the back, Kael's teammates were smirking, clearly enjoying the free drinks and the newly gained 'heroic' reputation.
"Wow. You guys almost make me want to cry," a cold, mocking voice cut through the cheers.
The tavern instantly went dead silent.
The crowd parted as a boy with messy hair and tattered clothes stepped forward. He didn't have a weapon drawn, but the sheer, oppressive pressure radiating from his body made the surrounding air feel heavy.
Kael's mug slipped from his hand, shattering on the wooden floor. His face turned as white as a ghost. His teammates jumped up from their chairs, their eyes bulging in pure terror.
"A-Aryan?" Kael stammered, his legs shaking. "H-How? You... we saw you get cornered! You're supposed to be dead!"
Aryan's eyes glowed with a faint, dangerous purple light. The 'Eye of the Sovereign' instantly read Kael's stats.
[Target: Kael Vane]
[Level: 18]
[Intent: Extreme Fear, Deceit, Panic]
[Weakness: Arrogant, slow reaction time on the left side.]
Level 18. Before today, Aryan would have been crushed by just Kael's aura. Now? Kael looked as harmless as a level 1 slime.
Aryan stepped closer, kicking a chair out of his way. A dark, terrifying smile spread across his face.
"I was dead," Aryan tilted his head, his voice echoing in the silent guild hall. "But the devil kicked me out. He said I had some unfinished business with a bunch of cowards."
Kael instinctively reached for his sword, but before his fingers could even brush the hilt, Aryan was already standing right in front of him.
Nobody saw him move.
"Drink to my sacrifice?" Aryan whispered, grabbing Kael by the throat and lifting the heavily armored A-Rank hunter off the ground with just one hand. "Let's see how much you can bleed for it."