NOTIFICATION
Exploration reached level 50… Enhance now? Yes. Dash skill upgraded to Dash II… (Dash II skill? What's this?) 1.5 seconds cooldown? Incredible… 50% faster than before… This will be so useful! And I never run out of skills. Maybe it's because of my infinite mana. Yes! I'll strengthen my Exploration skill further. I think I'll run even faster if I do.
Kazu began to run, but because of the word "run", a flash of memory stopped him in his tracks.
---
MEMORY FLASHBACK
The scene of his murdered parents unfolded before him.
Father screamed, "Run, son!!! AAhhghh…," as he was stabbed in the neck by the murderer.
Mother pleaded, "Please save yourself… my—child…," before being beheaded in front of him. The horror left him paralyzed, unable to act.
Rosalia's voice cut through his anguish, pulling him back to reality.
"Oh, you're here in front of the house. Come inside…"
"Mom Rosalia… don't leave me…," Kazu cried. "Please…"
"Of course, my child… I'll always be by your side. I won't leave you…"
---
The Next Day
Kaxu called out, "Hey! Kazu!!! Are you going to take a Job Quest too?"
Kazu responded, "Ah, yes… I will. I need to earn money. Missy said to only take weak Quests for safety. I think I'll stick to F-rank Quests…"
Kaxu shook his head. "What are you saying? An S-rank adventurer like you should not be taking F-rank Quests!"
Onlookers glanced at them, intrigued.
Kazike continued, "It's not right, Kazu. What about the F-rank adventurers? If a strong adventurer takes the Quest meant for them…"
"I-I see your point… but Missy said it was okay…"
Kazike sighed. "It might be allowed, but think of them. F-rank adventurers can't handle E-rank Quests, so you shouldn't take their jobs."
Kazu nodded. "O-okay…" He's right, Kazu thought. "Could you take me along on your Quest? I'd like to learn and get a feel for A-rank Quests…"
Kazike considered this. "Hmm, an A-rank Quest might be too easy for you. Let's try an S-rank", he replied. "hehe, this is the moment of truth….", he thought to him self.
Kazu asked, "Are you sure, Kazike?"
Kazike grinned. "Of course. I'll take care of everything! MWAHAHAHAH! Hey miss! Give me some beer! HAHAHAHA!"
Kazu nervously chuckled. "Eh... hehe... heh..." I'm feeling nervous about this, but it's a chance to test how strong I've become…
Status reveal…
"Exploration 50… Assassin 41… I got Dash II skill when my Exploration reached level 50. Maybe it's the same with Assassin… I'll test if I can handle an S-rank Quest…"
---
[STATUS]
Level: 51
Name: Kazu Gonomiya
Age: 12
Job class: God
[Passive]
DIVINE KNOWLEDGE
INFINITE MANA
MAXIMIZED SELF HEALING
[Active Skills]
Dash II
EXPLOSIVE BLINK
[Magic Spells]
Fire Pierce, Fire Spirit Flare
[Unique Skills]
Exploration level: 50
Assassin level: 41
Cooking level: 8
---
Kazike noticed Kazu lost in thought. "Hey Kazu! You always get lost in your thoughts… Is something wrong?"
Kazu snapped back to reality. "Ahh... umm... no, nothing. I was just thinking about how to complete an S-rank Quest. I haven't tried one yet…"
Kazike smiled. "Well then, let's find an S-rank Quest! Remember, you won't know unless you try it. thumbs up!"
Kazike pointed to a Quest board. "Here, this one should be suitable. 'Slay 5 Dragons wandering in Leafa Forest.' This is perfect for testing your skills with S-rank Quests! Right, Kazu?"
Kazu's eyes widened. "D-d-dragons?! I've only ever dealt with slimes and goblins since becoming an adventurer. Are you sure about this, Kazike?"
Kazike reassured him. "Don't worry! Killing dragons is easy. I've taken down two myself! It's easy for us. Nyehahahaha! I'll handle everything!" He put an arm around Kazu." He replied. "But in reality, I nearly died fighting those dragons…" he thought to himself.
Kazu hesitated. "S-sure, Kazike! Let's take it!"
Kazike announced, "NYAHAHAHA! Hey Missy! We'll take the 'Slay 5 Dragons' Quest!"
Missy's eyes widened in shock. "D-d-dragons?! ...… Are you really going to endanger Kazu? You know there are more dangers than just dragons!"
Kazu stepped forward. "It's okay, Missy! I want to test my strength. Kazike says I can handle it…"
Kazike chuckled, "Heh heh… It's fine. Don't worry! We'll be back safely…"
Missy sighed, "U-uhm… Alright, Kazu… But be careful. That Quest is dangerous…"
Kazu nodded. "Yes, Missy! I promise we'll return safely. Thank you…"
Kazike grinned. "Why didn't she tell me to be careful? Just Kazu?" He thought to himsekf. "Oh well, Missy, we're leaving. We'll be back right after the Quest." He replied to Missy while waving.
Missy waved, "Alright, take care… especially you, Kazu…"
Kazu waved back. "Yes, Missy! Thank you!"
---
Leafa Forest
While Kazu and Kazike wandering, the forest was eerily silent, save for the distant rumble of thunder and the occasional crackle of lightning.
Kazu felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. "Kazike, the ground... it's shaking…"
Kazike prepared his sword, his face set in determination. "The dragons are near…"
Kazu's eyes widened as he heard the roar of a dragon echo through the trees. "Dragons?! Behind you, Kazike!"
Kazike spun around just in time to dodge a dragon's fiery breath, using a Blink to reappear beside the beast. "Kazu, stay back! I'll show you how to deal with these dragons. Huff… WAHHHH!!! Blade Strike!"
Kazu marveled at Kazike's speed and strength as he effortlessly severed the dragon's head. The beast fell with a thunderous crash. Kazike's triumph was short-lived as he collapsed, exhausted. "Huff… huff… See how simple it is, Kazu!" thumbs up!
Kazu rushed to his side, concern etched on his face. "Kazike… Are you okay?"
Kazike groaned, barely able to lift his head. "Kazu… I might have overexerted myself. You take over… Hehe…"
"But, Kazike… there are four more dragons…" Kazu's worry grew. "This isn't good… I've never fought dragons before…" he thought to Kazike.
Kazike offered a weak smile. "You can do it, Kazu… You're an S-rank. You can handle it… Aahhh…" He fell asleep, his breath steadying into a deep, exhausted slumber.
Kazu felt panic rise. "WAAAH!! Kazike, why now?!"
Determined to prove himself, Kazu set Kazike down carefully and squared his shoulders. "Alright… Four dragons… I have to be stronger… I need to defeat them…" He focused, his mind racing as he activated **Explosion Blink** and dashed forward, casting **Fire Pierce**.
The dragons roared in anger, their flames and lightning striking Kazu. He grunted as the attacks hit him, but he pushed through the pain. "Dash… AaarghhhH!…"
"This is bad… I need to gather my strength… Fire Pierce…" Kazu began to sweat as he activated his **Bloodthirst** skill.
---
BLOODTHIRST STATE
The transformation was immediate and brutal. Kazu's muscles bulged, his vision turning a fierce crimson. "Where are the enemies… WHERE ARE THE ENEMIES!" He roared with primal fury, the ground shaking as his rage intensified. "I NEED TO KILL!"
His eyes locked on a dragon charging toward him. With a savage growl, he grabbed the dragon by the neck and twisted, severing its head with a single, powerful motion. One down… Wahahaha! The thrill is exhilarating! More dragons!
Another dragon unleashed a storm of lightning, its crackling energy hitting Kazu squarely in the chest. Kazu staggered, but his rage fueled his resolve. He charged forward, tearing through the lightning and slashing at the beast's side with blinding speed.
Kazike observed from the edge of consciousness, his eyes wide with shock. "K-Kazu… He's fighting four dragons alone… His speed… He's like a monster. Who is he really…"
Kazu turned to face another dragon. "You're next…" With a fierce determination, he dashed and slashed into the dragon's chest, the creature roaring in pain as it fell. "Two left… They're above!"
Kazu leaped high into the air, his body moving with a lethal grace. He grabbed one dragon by the head, using its momentum to hurl it into another. The impact caused the second dragon to crash to the ground, stunned. Kazu landed swiftly, his eyes locked on the final two dragons, who were now circling him.
He darted between them, his movements a blur as he dodged their fiery breath and lightning strikes. With precision, he struck both dragons with his blazing **Fire Pierce**, the spell igniting their scales and causing them to roar in agony.
The dragons retaliated with a coordinated attack, their flames and lightning converging on Kazu. He gritted his teeth, pushing through the assault, his Bloodthirst enhancing his strength and speed. With a final burst of energy, he charged at the remaining dragons, tearing through their defenses with a series of brutal strikes.
As the last dragon fell, Kazu collapsed, breathing heavily while his body turning back to normal. The forest fell silent once more.
---
BLOODTHIRST LOST EFFECT
Kazu plummeted to the ground, disoriented and exhausted. "What's happening… ergh…"
---
NOTIFICATION
[Assassin skill reached level 58: Damage through life forms increased]
[New skill upgraded: Bloodthirst to Bloodlust]
---
Kazu looked at his skills in confusion. "So many skills… what's this…"
Kazike shook him awake. "Kazu… Wake up…"
Kazu blinked, struggling to focus. "K-Kazike… What happened… huhff…"
Kazike helped him up, his face a mixture of relief and awe. "Shhh… Rest for now. Don't push yourself too hard. Once you're rested, we'll head back to the guild to claim our reward. Great job, Kazu! I told you, you could handle an S-rank Quest!". "Whatever I saw earlier, I'll keep it a secret. Kazu… He's an extraordinary person. I'm not sure if it was really him fighting earlier, but I know it was him. HAYYY… It's terrifying." He told himself. "Rest now."
Kazu nodded, his exhaustion palpable. "I'm okay now. Let's head back to the Guild…"
Kazike tapped him on the head with a grin. "You were amazing out there! Hmm, how should we split the reward… Maybe 60% for me and 40% for you! WAHAHAHAHA!"
Kazu shook his head with a smile. "It's fine, even if I get less. What matters is that we returned safely…"
Kazike chuckled. "Just kidding, Kazu. The reward is all yours. I got what I wanted for the day—seeing you fight. You were like a beast out there…"
Kazu asked, "Are you sure, Kazike?"
Kazike nodded. "Of course."
"Okay let's go back to the guild now" Kazike added while thumbsup.
---
Adventurer's Guild
Kazike proudly declared, "TADA!!!! We just completed the S-RANK QUEST! NYAHAHAHAH!"
Kazu scratched his head, feeling embarrassed. "Kazike, you're really something… Now I'm the one feeling shy…"
Guild members whispered among themselves. "Did they really complete it? Where's the proof…"
Kazike presented the dragon horns with a flourish. "Ah, Missy, here are the horns from the five dragons. Five pairs, since each dragon had a horn…"
Missy's eyes widened in disbelief as she examined the horns. "Dragon with H-h-horns?! … Well then, here is your reward… 400 gold coins…"
Kazike took the bag of coins and handed it to Kazu. "This is your reward, Kazu. You fought excellently!"
Kazu hesitated, his eyes wide. "Kazike, this reward is too much for me…"
Kazike waved it off with a grin. "It's all yours, Kazu! You saved my life today, so there's no need to split it. Besides, I just wanted to see how you fight. You were amazing! thumbs up!"
Kazu accepted the reward with a grateful smile. "If you say so… I'll head back to the orphanage now. This amount of gold… I could live for a year without taking any quests… but I need to become stronger…"
Kazike waved him off. "Take care on your way home!"
Missy added, "Be careful, Kazu!"
Kazu smiled warmly. "Thank you, Kazike, for taking me on the Quest… And thank you too, Missy!"
---
Orphanage
Kazu arrived, beaming with excitement. "I'm back, Mom! I have so much to tell you! Mom!" He embraced her, his heart full of joy.
Rosalia smiled warmly as she embraced him back. "Oh, you're so affectionate, my child! Come, eat up. I know you must be hungry…"
Kazu responded with a grin, "Yes, Mom! I missed your delicious cooking!"
---
Six Months Later
Kazu's progress continued to astound everyone around him. He had grown not only in strength but also in confidence and skill. His adventures had only just begun, and the future held even more challenges and triumphs.