The blinding light swallowed grey whole, forcing him to shut his eyes against its intensity. He felt a sudden weightlessness, his stomach dropping as if the ground had disappeared beneath him. For a brief moment, it was like the world had turned upside down, leaving him disoriented. Then, with a rush of cold air against his skin, Grey opened his eyes.
He was falling.
The world spread out beneath him in a breathtaking panorama. He was high above, suspended in the sky as if he had been tossed into the heavens. Below, an island loomed, lush with greenery and craggy cliffs that jutted out into the sea. The water sparkled like sapphires under the sunlight, and the trees swayed in a gentle breeze. It was a beautiful sight, but Grey had little time to admire it. He was plummeting towards the island, and at this speed, a crash landing would surely mean his death.
Wind howled past his ears, a deafening roar that nearly drowned out his thoughts. Grey's eyes narrowed, scanning the terrain below for any possible way to survive the fall. He could see patches of dense forest scattered across the island. Trees—those could be his lifeline. His mind worked quickly, calculating the odds, the angles, the speed. He needed to aim for the treetops, using them to break his fall. It would be dangerous, no doubt, but it was his only shot.
Swish!
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned his sword from the rune. The weapon materialized in his grip, its blade gleaming ominously in the sunlight. Grey adjusted his body mid-air, angling towards the thickest cluster of trees. His plan was simple: use the sword to impale the tree, absorb the impact, and let the foliage soften his fall. It would hurt, and he might lose an arm or a leg in the process, but it was a far better alternative to splattering against the ground. In a world where potions could heal most injuries, losing a limb wasn't the end of the world.
Whoosh!
He pulled a towel from his storage rune and held it above him like a makeshift parachute, using it to adjust his trajectory toward the forest. The ground rushed up to meet him with terrifying speed, the scenery below growing clearer with every passing second. He could make out individual leaves, the texture of the bark, the shadows cast by the trees. His grip on the sword tightened, muscles coiling in anticipation of the impact.
Just as he was about to thrust the sword into a tree—
Tuk!
Grey halted in mid-air, the momentum suddenly and inexplicably gone. He dangled there, suspended a few feet above the treetops, his eyes wide in shock. but He didn't panic; he knew what happen. Slowly, he turned his head to look behind him.
The red hair beauty Elsa was there, holding him by the back of his hood as if he were a misbehaving puppy she had plucked from the ground. Her eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and curiosity; lips curled into a faint smile.
"What an interesting guy you are," she remarked, her voice carrying a hint of mockery. She dangled him there for a moment longer before slowly lowering them both to the ground, setting Grey down on his feet with surprising gentleness.
Grey dusted off his clothes, sheathing his sword. He threw her a sidelong glance, noting the mischievous glint in her eyes. He had piqued her interest.
Grey grin inwardly.
***
From Elsa's perspective, Grey's actions were both baffling and intriguing. She had watched him closely ever since they had set foot on this journey, her suspicions growing with each passing moment. The so-called 'mana-less failure' of the Ravenwood family was proving to be full of surprises.
She couldn't sense a single trace of mana from him, not even the faintest flicker of magical energy. And yet, the way he had faced her in the forest, the calmness in his eyes even when surrounded by danger, it all pointed to a level of skill that a mere 18-year-old kid would not be able to possessed. Beside from what she heard he never leaved his house ever since he was kid. This could only mean one thing.
'He is trained by the raven family'
That was the only explanation that made sense. But if he had been trained, why had they thrown him away and disowned him? Why would you discard a loyal dog after investing so much time training it? Elsa couldn't understand. Not for a moment did she believe that the Raven family didn't know of Grey's skill. After all, they were the leaders of the No. 1 guild, recruiting the best talent from all over the world. How could they miss such a gem in their own household? Hiding such a talent would be impossible; it was too overwhelming. The fact that he could stand his ground against her was a major achievement for someone who couldn't even use mana.
Afterall Elsa was an S-rank hunter, someone who could snuff out the life of a mere mortal with less than a thought. To stand in her presence and not be overwhelmed took a certain kind of resolve—one that she hadn't expected to find in a kid like him.
Her thoughts spiraled further. If it were anyone else who couldn't recognize Grey's talent, she could understand. Most people judged one potential based on mana and the authority they possess, without it, Grey would seem useless—a piece of trash. But how could the guild leader of the No. 1 guild be an ordinary person? There was no way he hadn't noticed Grey's potential. So why?
Was the rumour fabricated by the guild leader himself?
The more Elsa thought about it, the more her thoughts wandered. There had to be more to the story.
She had been studying his every movement, watching as the blinding light devoured them both and Grey had been thrown into the sky. She had watched with detached amusement as he fell, expecting panic, perhaps a scream or a cry for help. Instead, he had remained calm, disturbingly so. She saw the exact moment he decided on his plan, his eyes zeroing in on the forest below, his body adjusting mid-air.
'Is he insane?'
she thought, incredulous as he summoned his sword. He was actually planning to use the trees to break his fall.
'Does he want to die?'
She hovered in the air, watching the spectacle unfold with growing astonishment. The sheer audacity of the man was unbelievable. Most people would have been paralyzed with fear, unable to think clearly as they plummeted to their deaths. Yet here he was, showing no hesitation, devising a plan in mere seconds to ensure his survival. A crazy bastard indeed.
As Grey plummeted toward the treetops, Elsa hesitated, watching closely. Part of her wanted to let him crash, just to see if he could survive. She was curious—would he succeed, or would he fail? But another part of her couldn't let that happen. She needed him for her plans.
Even though there was something off about Grey, Elsa couldn't quite place it. It wasn't just his lack of mana—there was something deeper, darker. When he first attacked her, her instinct had been to kill him without a second thought. It would've been easy, expected even. But then she noticed his golden eyes, the unmistakable mark of the Ravenwood family. That stopped her. A Ravenwood, no matter how useless he seemed without mana, was still valuable.
After that the more she watched him, the more curious she became. There had to be something more to him. No one from a family like his could be truly powerless. That mystery kept her from letting him die here. beside He was important to her future plans.
Just before he collided with the trees, Elsa acted, unwilling to let this golden opportunity slip through her grasp.
Whoosh!
She appeared beside him in an instant, her speed surpassing even the wind itself. With a casual flick of her wrist, she caught him by the hood, halting his descent as easily as one might catch a falling leaf. For a moment, she let him dangle there, taking in his reaction. To her surprise, there was no fear in his eyes, only a glimmer of amusement and something else—gratitude? No, not quite. It was as if he had expected this outcome, calculated it even.
"What an interesting guy you are," Elsa muttered to herself as she gently lowered Grey to the ground. Any lingering doubts about him possessing mana were gone—he truly was mana-less. Yet, despite that, one thing was clear: he was far from ordinary. Grey had the mind of a tactician, the instincts of a survivor, and an almost reckless disregard for his own life.
As she watched his narrow escape, amusement flickered in her eyes, mixed with a darker, more possessive feeling. To her, Grey was like a toy—a plaything she could break and discard when she was done with him. Her fingers twitched as the urge to push him further, to apply just enough pressure to see him snap, crept in. There was a thrill in watching him navigate danger, but she restrained herself. She couldn't hurt him.
After all, Grey was still of Ravenwood blood, and that made him valuable. Cast out as the black sheep of the family for his inability to use mana, he still carried their name and legacy. In this world, connections often outweighed raw power, and the Ravenwood name carried immense weight. If Grey could be shaped, moulded into a tool, he would serve a greater purpose. And Elsa never let potential assets go to waste.
"Let's go," she said, her voice casual yet commanding.
Without a word, Grey fell in step behind her, his movements precise and disciplined, already focused on the next challenge. Elsa, leading the way, cast a subtle glance at him from the corner of her eye, quietly observing every detail—the way he carried himself, the unyielding calm in his expression.
Her lips curled upward into a faint, amused smile.
'This guy... he's just liked his father,' she thought to herself.
There was a striking resemblance in his demeanour—calculated, cold, and relentless. Just like the man who had once held power and instilled fear in those around him. The thought sent a thrill through her, igniting her curiosity about what secrets Grey might harbour.