The festive atmosphere, which had moments before been filled with awe and laughter, had been shattered by the sudden violence. Alex stood frozen for a split second, blood rushing through his ears as he scanned every direction. His sharp blue eyes darted across the crowd, assessing the situation with lightning speed.
In his past life, nothing like this had ever happened during the festival. He had been certain that this day had been peaceful. So why now? Why was everything different? Did he miss something crucial, or had he simply forgotten an important detail? No, he was sure. He remembered everything perfectly.
A sharp whistling sound interrupted his thoughts. Another attack was coming.
A magic bullet cut through the air, striking several people. Screams of panic erupted from the crowd as more bullets rained down. One of the bullets shot directly toward Leon.
Alex's reflexes kicked in. He deflected the magic bullet with his sword just in time, sending it ricocheting harmlessly into the ground. "Leon!" he barked, his voice commanding. "Be more focused!"
Leon's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly recovered, drawing his sword as well. "Thanks, Alex!" he said, now on high alert.
Alex's gaze snapped upward, toward the source of the attacks. His keen eyes locked onto a figure sitting on the rooftop of a nearby building, a long gun in his hand. Without wasting a second, Alex dashed forward, moving at a speed most wouldn't even be able to follow. Within moments, he was standing face-to-face with the mysterious assailant.
The man smirked, lowering his gun slightly as he pulled out a dagger from his waist. His eyes were cold, calculating, yet there was a gleam of madness behind them. "Well, well," the man said mockingly, "you're a fast one, aren't you?"
Alex didn't respond. He lunged forward, his black double-edged sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. But the man was quick, far quicker than Alex had anticipated. He deflected each strike with his dagger, parrying Alex's moves with an almost effortless grace.
The clash of steel echoed through the air as the two exchanged blows. Alex's strikes were swift, precise, aiming for vital points, but the man deflected each one with ease. His dagger moved like a blur, cutting through the space between them with a dangerous finesse. Alex leaped to the side, swinging his sword in an arc toward the man's torso, but the man sidestepped and countered with a jab from his dagger.
Alex blocked the strike, pushing the man back slightly. Their eyes locked in a silent duel of wits.
"You've got talent, kid," the man said, his voice filled with amusement as he deflected another of Alex's strikes. "Are you an academy student?"
"Who are you?" Alex demanded, not lowering his guard for a second.
The man's face twisted into a manic grin. He started laughing—loud, harsh, and unhinged. "Who am I?" he repeated, his laughter echoing like a madman. "Oh, let me show you."
Suddenly, the man raised both his arms, and black energy began to pour out of his hands. Dark, swirling shadows coiled around his body like living tendrils. The air grew heavy with malevolent magic, thick with the stench of corruption.
Alex tensed, sensing the sheer power radiating from the man. But before he could react, the black energy shot out from the man's hands like a beam, arcing toward the ground near the memorial. It slammed into the earth with a deafening crash.
Leon, Sophia, Lila, the other students, and the citizens nearby stared in shock as the black energy spread across the ground. The earth began to crack and warp, and from the blackened energy, a massive gate began to materialize. The gate was dark and ominous, swirling with the same malevolent power the man had unleashed.
Then, with a loud, otherworldly roar, the gate opened—and monsters began pouring out.
The crowd erupted in terror. Panic spread like wildfire as monstrous creatures of all shapes and sizes emerged from the dark gate. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural, savage hunger, and their claws and fangs gleamed in the fading light.
One man screamed, "A gate! A gate has opened here! Hunters, prepare for battle!"
Chaos consumed the area as the hunters present immediately sprang into action, drawing their weapons and rushing to intercept the monsters. The air filled with the sounds of clashing steel, magic spells being cast, and the desperate cries of civilians trying to flee.
The academy students quickly reacted, using their training to help guide the civilians to safety. Leon, sword in hand, stood protectively near Lila and Sophia. "We need to help get these people out of here!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the commotion.
Sophia nodded, her eyes scanning the area as she moved to assist a group of frightened citizens. "Come on! This way, hurry!" she urged, directing them toward the safe zones set up by the academy.
Lila, her face pale but determined, began using her magic to create small barriers to block the monsters from advancing. "Stay behind me!" she called out to the group of civilians she was protecting.
Meanwhile, Alex's attention was still locked on the man atop the building, who stood watching the chaos he had unleashed with a twisted smile on his face.
Amidst the chaos of the festival, Alex suddenly felt a strange vibration ripple through his body. A familiar chime echoed in his mind, and a system notification appeared before his eyes:
[System Alert: Host has encountered the Final Villain: Dark Star.]
Alex's breath hitched. The man standing before him, the one who had unleashed chaos and death on the innocent crowd, wasn't just an ordinary criminal or even a rogue hunter—he was one of the three main villains of his previous life. Dark Star.
In his past life, Alex had crossed paths with Dark Star much later, when the villain had reached the pinnacle of his power. Back then, he had been a formidable foe—an unstoppable force of destruction. But now, in this timeline, Dark Star seemed less powerful, less polished. Perhaps this was a version of him still in development, still growing toward his ultimate, terrifying potential.
Alex's pulse quickened as he opened his system stats to assess his own growth since the last battle.
---
Name: Alex Reinheart
Age: 14
Level: 22
Hunter Rank: D
Strength: C+
Defense: C
Agility: C
Stamina: C+
Mana: B
Skills:
- Swordsmanship: C
- Weapon Mastery: D+
- Dash: C
- Moonlight Sword Dance: B+
- Blessing of Gaia: (???)
- Stealth: C
Attributes:
- Divine Essence: The power of Gaia's blessing courses through your veins, elevating your abilities and granting access to divine energy.
- Mana Resonance: Your body naturally attracts and stores mana, further increasing your magical potential.
- Enhanced Physique: Your strength, speed, and durability have been further enhanced.
- Weapon Proficiency: Your bond with the Celestial Shifter significantly boosts your proficiency with both swords and bows.
- Adaptive Body: Your organism has developed the ability to balance opposing forces of light and dark, enabling seamless use of divine and dark skills without conflict.
Weapon:
- Celestial Shifter (Shape-shifting Sword)
- Abilities:
- Gluttony: Absorbs mana and life force from defeated enemies to enhance both the weapon and the wielder's abilities.
- Shape-shift: Switches between different weapons at the user's command.
- Mana Absorption: Absorbs ambient mana to increase the wielder's mana capacity.
- Adaptive Evolution: Evolves based on the wielder's growth and battles, unlocking new abilities.
---
Though Alex had grown significantly over the past few weeks, he was still struggling to fully synchronize his skills. The divine abilities bestowed by Gaia's blessing and the dark skills he had acquired clashed within him, rejecting each other at first. But after relentless training, his body had adapted, forging a balance between the two forces.
He now possessed a unique skill: Adaptive Body—allowing him to harness both divine and dark powers without conflict.
The realization that his powers had come so far made Alex chuckle darkly. The sound was low, but it reached the man's ears, causing his eyes to narrow in confusion.
"What's so funny, boy?" the man spat, gripping his dagger tighter. "Are you losing your mind after watching all these people die?"
Alex's grin widened, a dangerous glint in his sharp blue eyes. He could feel the power building inside him, coursing through his veins. His sword, the Celestial Shifter, began to hum with energy. The particles of its blade started to disassemble and reshape, swirling around him until they reformed into a sleek, dark bow.
The man's eyes widened in surprise as Alex's body began to glow with a brilliant golden light. The sheer power radiating from him was enough to make the air around them tremble.
Alex calmly placed his fingers on the bowstring, and a glowing golden arrow materialized between them, crackling with divine energy. The man's smirk faltered as he stared at the arrow, his face twisting into astonishment.
"Divine energy…" he whispered, his voice betraying a hint of fear. "How does a brat like you wield that kind of power?"
Alex said nothing, his eyes locked onto the man. He pulled the string back, the arrow blazing brighter, and then let it fly.
The arrow shot toward the man with a speed that even Alex wasn't fully prepared for. The sheer force behind it made his arms tremble. The man tried to dodge, but the arrow was too fast. It grazed his ear, slicing through the flesh, leaving a deep cut as it flew past him.
The arrow continued its trajectory, disappearing into the sky before exploding in a massive golden blast. The explosion lit up the night sky, momentarily blinding everyone nearby. The shockwave was so powerful that it shook the very ground beneath them.
Alex blinked, his heart racing. "Holy shit," he muttered under his breath. "It's stronger than I thought…"
The man stumbled backward, clutching his ear, blood seeping through his fingers. His once arrogant demeanor shattered as his face twisted in agony. He fell to his knees, screaming in pain, his voice raw and desperate.