Veer Raheja had now spent several days in God's Sanctuary, his body and mind adjusting to the brutal rhythm of the place. Even though he appeared to other hunters as a regular contender, his Ass Freak persona had quietly begun making waves. Stories of a mysterious hunter with uncanny agility and precision—dubbed Ass Freak—were circulating among the shelters. No one knew his true identity, nor did they realize that behind the legend of Ass Freak lay a boy who, in the real world, was just beginning to uncover his latent potential.
The early morning mist clung to the stone paths as Veer approached a small glade, a hunting ground for beginners. Today, his target was a group of mutant mantises, creatures notorious for their speed and razor-sharp limbs. Donning the armor of the Sacred Black Beetle he had acquired, Veer felt an unfamiliar surge of strength. The armor clung to him like a second skin, enhancing his reflexes and amplifying his strikes.
His first encounter was swift. A mantis lunged at him, its claws slicing through the air. Veer pivoted, striking with the reinforced edge of his shield, sending the creature sprawling. Each movement was calculated, a dance of precision honed over weeks of observation and trial. With every kill, his power increased, yet the whispers of Ass Freak grew louder—none suspected the boy behind the mask.
Amid the carnage, Veer paused. Something about this hunting ground felt… unusual. His instincts, sharpened by countless fights, sensed a hidden presence nearby. Shadows shifted in the treeline, moving unnaturally fast. Veer's grip tightened on his shield. Not ordinary creatures… he thought.
A flicker of movement and then—Qian Xuan appeared, disguised as a strange animal. Veer's heart skipped. Memories of their first encounter resurfaced: the misfired stab, the chaos, and the nickname that had stuck. She studied him from a distance, her form shifting subtly, assessing. Veer realized she was observing him, testing whether Ass Freak lived up to the rumors.
Without warning, a mutant mantis sprang from the underbrush. Veer reacted instinctively, combining the precision of Ass Freak with the raw strength granted by the beetle armor. The creature was cut down in moments. Qian Xuan's eyes widened; she hadn't expected such lethal skill from a newcomer.
Veer ignored her gaze, focusing instead on a glowing black crystal embedded in the mantis's carapace. Memories of the Sacred Black Beetle's crystal surfaced. This will help me evolve… With care, he extracted the crystal, feeling a strange resonance. It pulsed like a heartbeat, syncing with his own energy. Each beat seemed to whisper possibilities—new moves, faster reflexes, stronger strikes. The growth was subtle but undeniable.
Later, in the Shelter's training hall, whispers of Ass Freak had reached a new level. Even seasoned hunters spoke in hushed tones, debating the identity of the boy whose kills were as precise as a shadow slicing through light. Veer remained in the background, quietly training, his presence unremarkable. None guessed that he held another identity entirely—Shadow Talon, a name whispered only among the most powerful, unknown even to the most observant hunters.
Veer's mind wandered. In the real world, his life remained simple—attending school, caring for his mother and sister. But here, every kill, every strategic move, every decision built a path toward something greater. Shadow Talon was still a secret, but the foundation of that power was being laid with each passing day.
As dusk fell, Veer ventured to the outskirts of the hunting ground. A pack of berserk creatures had been reported nearby, and though their threat level was high, the potential rewards—a chance to absorb Berserk Souls—were too great to ignore. Cloaked in his beetle armor, Veer moved silently, a shadow among shadows. The creatures didn't detect him until he struck, and even then, he was already retreating after a series of flawless maneuvers.
Breathing heavily, he stood among the carnage, the whispers of power around him growing louder. Ass Freak's legend was cemented, and yet, the true force—Shadow Talon—remained untouched, unknown. Veer smiled faintly, knowing that one day, the full truth of his abilities would shock the entire Sanctuary. Until then, he would train, evolve, and remain the mysterious hunter everyone feared and revered.
And somewhere in the distance, Veer caught a glimpse of a girl—an observer, perhaps. Her eyes were sharp, calculating, yet hidden behind a mask of curiosity. He didn't approach; instead, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only questions in his wake.
Veer's journey was just beginning. In God's Sanctuary, where power dictated survival and mystery dictated respect, he had begun to carve out a legend. The name Ass Freak was only the beginning. Shadow Talon, the true force hidden beneath, waited patiently, preparing to emerge when the time was right.