The night air was cool, the kind of breeze that cuts through the heat of the day and brings with it a sense of melancholy. I sat there, perched on the edge of an old, abandoned building, looking down at the city below. The streets were alive with people, their voices carrying up to me in a dull, constant hum. Cars zipped by, their headlights painting streaks of light across the asphalt. It was a scene I'd seen a thousand times, yet tonight, it felt different. Maybe it was the bruises on my face or the sting of defeat that had settled deep in my chest.
I touched my swollen lip, wincing at the pain.
"Damn it, Michael,"
I muttered to myself. My younger brother had always been stronger, faster...better. And today, he'd proven it again. I could still see his face, that mix of pity and determination as he landed the final blow. I'd tried—I really had—but in the end, I was no match for him.
The world felt unfair, but deep down, I knew it wasn't just the world. It was me. I hadn't put in the hours, hadn't pushed myself the way Michael had. I lacked the dedication, the endurance. And now, I was paying the price.
My thoughts drifted to Lesley. She used to tell me I was too soft, too passive. I remembered the day I found out she was cheating on me. The hurt, the anger...but most of all, the realization that she was right. I wasn't enough. She'd even said it herself, cold and blunt,
"You deserved this, John. You let this happen."
I chuckled bitterly, shaking my head.
"Yeah, maybe I did."
But that was the past. This world—my new world—was different. I wasn't that weak, defeated guy anymore. I had power now, strength beyond anything I'd ever imagined. And I was going to use it.
I stood up, the memories of the past fading as I focused on the present.
"System,"
I called out, feeling the familiar presence in my mind,
"how many of those insects are left?"
The system responded in its usual monotone voice,
"There are 4,702 remaining insects."
I nodded, my hand gripping the hilt of my heat dagger and the sword. 4,702. Looking down at the shore,That was a lot of insects, but nothing I couldn't handle. Not anymore.
Kireshaz's voice echoed from the peak, commanding the remaining insect soldiers to charge at me. They obeyed instantly, a tidal wave of chittering legs and snapping mandibles ascending upon me. I watched them for a moment, feeling the weight of the burning dagger and the broadsword in both of my hands, its presence comforting and familiar.
I began my descent from the mountain, first walking, then quickening to a run. The system hummed to life, my vision narrowing as I entered the flow state once again. Everything else faded—the sounds, the sights, even the feeling of the ground beneath my feet. All that mattered was the swarm rushing toward me, and the blade in my hand.
They came at me in droves, but I was ready. My sword sliced through the first wave with ease, the speed and precision of my strikes leaving them no chance to react. I moved like a specter, each swing of my blade more lethal than the last. My eyes turned white, and the world around me seemed to slow to a crawl. I felt like a silent, feral beast, driven by pure instinct and a cold, unrelenting fury.
The battle quickly turned into a massacre. The insects that had been so terrifying before were now nothing more than dust in the wind, scattered and swept away by the sheer force of my attacks. They had no purpose now, no reason to exist other than to be obliterated by my blade.
As the battle raged on, Lebuna watching from the distance. She looked relieved, her eyes bright with happiness that Johnatan had returned. But there was something else there too—shock, maybe even fear. She was seeing Johnatan in a new light, as if the person standing before her was not the same one she had known before.
Lemes was also watching, his expression one of awe and disbelief. He had seen Johnatan fight before, but never like this. An hour ago, Johnatan had struggled to take down five insects at once. Now, he was cutting through them like they were nothing.
the gears turning in Lemes's mind, his thoughts returning to the words the high chief had spoken to him years ago. The prophecy of a man who would rise from the ashes of darkness, a man who would save them from the discrimination of Alevion and the predation of Hailzard.
Lemes's expression hardened with resolve as he watched Johnatan. He knew, just as Johnatan did, that the prophecy was coming true. And in that moment, he made a silent vow.
"We will follow this man,"
he thought, his eyes never leaving Johnatan as he tore through the insect horde.
"We will swear our loyalty to him till the end."
Kireshaz couldn't believe his eyes. A mere mortal, a human, was standing against a primordial race like his. It didn't make sense. To him, Johnatan was like a demon, an unstoppable force that defied all logic. His disbelief quickly turned into rage.
With a snarl, Kireshaz lashed out, his spiky tail whip cracking through the air with deadly force. His primordial aura flared, amplifying his already exceptional strength as he charged at Johnatan. But Johnatan was ready. He countered with a flurry of double slashes from his heat dagger and one-edged sword, each strike cutting deep into Kireshaz's tough exoskeleton, leaving the monstrous insect heavily injured.
Despite the ferocity of Kireshaz's attacks, Johnatan remained calm and focused. Every strike from the insect leader was met with a swift and precise counterattack, frustrating Kireshaz more and more.
Enraged, Kireshaz roared and began to transform, his body swelling and twisting into a grotesque giant insect form. His primordial aura surged, boosting his power to unimaginable levels. The ground shook as he completed his transformation, towering over Johnatan and the entire battlefield.
Lemes, watching from a distance, felt a cold wave of fear wash over him. This creature, this monstrous form of Kireshaz, was unlike anything he had ever seen. The power radiating from the insect leader was terrifying.
Johnatan, however, remained unfazed. He assessed the situation with a calm, calculating gaze.
"Stronger than Krazukt,"
he muttered under his breath, acknowledging the immense power before him.
Kireshaz sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.
"You're just a mortal. You will never have a chance to defeat me. I'll devour you and your precious tribesmen, and I will prove my power to Hardes, earning my place as one of his dread warriors!"
With a roar, Kireshaz unleashed a massive black ball of energy, its surface writhing with poisonous tendrils. It hurtled toward Johnatan with devastating speed.
In that moment, Johnatan recalled a technique he had honed the day before, a skill that he had crafted through sheer will and determination.
I plunged back my dagger into the system and took a deep breath, crouching down into a stance that felt both familiar and powerful. I held my broadsword with both hands, positioning it horizontally before me. The world seemed to slow, my focus narrowing to a single point: the massive ball of energy hurtling toward me.
"GET DOWN!"
I shouted to the primevals behind me, their forms ducking for cover as my voice echoed across the battlefield. I turned my gaze back to Kireshaz, who was watching with a twisted grin of victory.
"Let me show you the true strength of the almighty slash,"
I said, my voice calm and steady.
"Pillars of Damnation."
With a single, fluid motion, I surged forward, my sword slicing through the air. The energy ball shattered as my blade passed through it, dispersing the deadly poison in a harmless wave of dark mist. I didn't stop. I pushed forward, my speed increasing as I closed the distance between Kireshaz and myself.
As I reached him, I unleashed the full force of my attack, a massive crescent slash wave that erupted from my sword. The sheer power of the technique split the air, creating a towering wave of energy that cut through the mountains behind Kireshaz and cleaved both kireshaz and the mountain behind him in two.
Kireshaz's monstrous form shuddered, his body beginning to disintegrate as the energy wave passed through him. His eyes widened in disbelief, his final moments filled with regret and rage.
"This can't be… You're just a mortal…"
he spat, his voice growing weaker as he faded into nothingness.
I stood there, sword in hand, as the battlefield fell silent. The towering figure of Kireshaz was gone, reduced to dust by the power of the almighty slash.
After the battle, the air is thick with the scent of blood and the weight of victory. I take a deep breath, the adrenaline still coursing through me. Suddenly, I feel arms wrapped around me. It's Lebuna. She's holding me tight, her grip strong yet trembling. I feel her warmth, her relief, but before I can even react, she pulls away. Her cheeks flush a deep red as she steps back, avoiding my eyes.
Lebuna mutters,
"I… I'm sorry, I just—"
Before she can finish, Lemes steps forward. He's holding his sword, but it's lowered, almost like he's offering it to me. Then, to my surprise, he drops to his knees in front of me. His head bows low, and the warriors around us watch in silence.
"Johnatan,"
Lemes begins, his voice steady but filled with emotion,
"you've saved us. You've done what none of us could. I ask you... No, I beg you. Please, be our new High Chief. Lead our tribe."
His words hang in the air, heavy with the weight of responsibility. I feel every eye on me, waiting for my answer. But I can't do it. I know I'm not the one for this.
I shake my head.
"Lemes, I can't. I'm not cut out to be a leader. I've never been one, and I don't think I ever could be."
Lemes looks up at me, confused.
"But you have the strength. You protected us, saved us when we were on the brink. That's more than enough to lead."
I sigh, feeling the burden of his plea.
"Strength isn't everything. A leader needs more than that—a vision, a connection to the people, the wisdom to guide them. I… I don't have that. You, Lemes, you've been with them through everything. You understand their needs, their fears. You should be their leader, not me."
Lemes opens his mouth to argue, but I cut him off.
"But that doesn't mean I'm walking away. I'll stay with you, fight alongside you. But I'll do it in my own way."
I pause, thinking about what I've seen, what I've felt.
"I want to create something bigger, something that isn't just about this tribe, but also about all the forsaken, the forgotten. There are so many out there, struggling, just like you were. I want to bring them together, give them a place where they can belong, where they can fight for something greater."
Lemes looks at me, his eyes searching mine.
"What are you suggesting?"
I take a deep breath.
"An organization, a faction that stands for those who have no place. A group that fights back against the injustices of this world. We'll gather strength from every corner, bring together the lost and the broken, and we'll make a name for ourselves—a name that even the gods will remember."
Lebuna steps forward, her eyes bright with hope.
"What will we call it?"
I look around at the faces of the tribe, seeing the same hope mirrored in their eyes.
"The Black Order of Revolution,"
I say, the name feeling right, as if it's been waiting for me to speak it aloud.
"We'll be the ones who change this world."
Lemes rises to his feet, a newfound determination in his eyes. He nods, accepting my decision.
"Then I'll follow you, Johnatan. We all will."
The tribe begins to murmur in agreement, their spirits lifting as the weight of the past begins to fade. I know the path ahead won't be easy, but for the first time, I feel like I'm where I'm meant to be.
I stand alone, away from the noise and bustle of the tribe preparing the boats. The weight of everything that's happened hangs heavy on me, and I feel the need to clear my head. I open my system, letting the familiar interface calm me, but before I can focus, Adolin appears in front of me.
"Congratulations, Johnatan,"
she says with a smile.
"You've evolved from a prime human to a superhuman."
I blink, trying to process what she's saying.
"Wait, what? Evolved? What do you mean?"
Adolin nods, her expression serious now.
"Yes, superhuman. It's a new character set for your system. It comes with a restart of some stats and, of course, new gifts."
I glance at my stats, feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Restart? So what does that mean exactly?"
"Take a look,"
Adolin urges, gesturing towards the system interface.
I do as she says, and the new stats and gifts appear before me:
- **Level**: 1
- **Title**: God Amateur
- **HP**: 10,000
- **MP**: 0 (no mana detected)
- **Hybrid Defense**: 2000
- **Damage**: 10.9 chaos damage (any damage dealt to any opponents)
- **Strength**: 1000 (lifting power, additional HP, endurance, and additional magic and physical defense)
- **Intelligence**: 1000 (mana, precision, thinking capacity, battle IQ, mentality, and flow state)
- **Agility**: 1000 (movement speed, striking speed, combat speed, and evasion)
**Gift: Prime Human Potential** has been replaced by **Warrior's Capability**
- **Flow State**: The moment the battle starts, the user will automatically enter flow state.
- **Adrenaline**: Enters adrenaline mode when HP is below 50%, increasing strength by 30%.
- **Nordraline**: Enters nordraline when the user's HP drops to 10%, doubling all stats.
**New Gifts Acquired:**
**Warriors capability**
- **Chaos Collector**: Gives chaos damage growth of 0.1 chaos damage per level.
- **Economic Mastery Athena**: Enables the user to learn and master any field of knowledge as long as the user has basic knowledge of it.
- **Lord of Selflessness Alldon**: The user can bestow any field mastery gained from the gift **Economic Mastery Athena** to anyone they choose.
I stare at the screen, trying to make sense of it all.
"Chaos damage? Why is it so low?"
Adolin smiles slightly, as if she expected the question.
"Chaos damage is incredibly destructive. It bypasses any defense, and even with just one point of chaos damage, you could destroy an army of a thousand average soldiers in an instant. It's low now, but as you level up, it will grow."
I nod slowly, understanding the gravity of what she's saying.
"And what about this 'Economic Mastery Athena'?"
"That one's simpler,"
Adolin explains.
"With this gift, any skill or knowledge you already have can be mastered. For example, if you know how to cook, this gift would elevate your cooking to the level of a master chef."
"And 'Lord of Selflessness Alldon'?" I ask, already guessing the answer.
"That allows you to share your mastered skills with anyone you choose," Adolin says. "You can bestow your knowledge and mastery onto others, helping them grow as well."
I nod, a slow smile spreading across my face.
"That makes sense. These gifts will help me build my faction from scratch."
Adolin smiles warmly, clearly pleased with my understanding.
"Exactly. These gifts aren't just for you—they're tools to help you lead and support those who will follow you."
I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of these new abilities and what they could mean for the future. "The Black Order of Revolution is going to be something the world has never seen before."
I stared at the interface, pondering over the gifts I had just acquired. Something about it felt overwhelming. "Adolin," I asked, "what exactly is this 'Warrior's Capability' gift?"
Adolin materialized beside me, her presence as calming as ever. "The 'Warrior's Capability' gift grants you a growth of 50 points in both strength and agility with each level you gain," she explained, her tone patient.
I frowned, feeling the weight of the power that had just been handed to me.
"This... this all feels too much,"
I confessed, shaking my head.
"I didn't earn any of this. It's absurd. I feel like I'm unworthy of everything I've acquired."
Adolin placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, her expression softening.
"Johnatan, you've suffered more than most in your past life. What you're gaining now is in exchange for that pain. You deserve it, but you must understand—you still have to put in the work to truly earn and master these gifts."
I wanted to argue, to tell her she was wrong, but deep down, I knew she was right. My mind wandered back to the tribe, who were nearly finished with their preparations. Lemes approached me, his face set with determination.
"Johnatan,"
Lemes began,
"I need to ask—how do you plan to build this... Black Order of Revolution?"
I took a moment to consider his question before responding.
"First, I need to know more about this island we're heading to. What can you tell me about it?"
Lemes nodded, understanding my need for information.
"It's an island with some of beasts and creatures—dangerous, yes, but nowhere near as deadly as the insects we just faced. The former High Chief discovered it before our exile. He said it's much easier to survive there compared to the continent of Hailzard."
I felt a surge of excitement.
"And the island itself? Is it large? Does it have abundant resources, like metals and stones?"
Lemes's eyes lit up as he responded.
"Yes, it's rich in resources. There's plenty of metal, stone, and other materials that we could use to build... well, whatever you envision as the High chief told us."
A grin spread across my face as I realized the potential.
"Perfect. We'll need those resources to build the infrastructure for the tribe and my planned organization."
Lemes looked relieved, clearly happy to see my enthusiasm.
"Then it sounds like we have a plan. We can start anew on that island."
As the final preparations were completed, I watched the tribe board the large boats, ready to set sail. I joined them, my mind racing with ideas and strategies. This island would be the foundation for something greater—something that would change everything for us.
The sails unfurled, and with the wind at our backs, we left the cursed continent of Hailzard behind.
In the desolate heart of Hailzard, where icy winds swept through the barren wasteland, stood the ominous stronghold known as the Black Citadel. The frozen ruins surrounding the citadel bore silent witness to the desolation that permeated this land, a stark reminder of the power held by those who ruled here.
A massive insectoid figure trudged through the frozen expanse, its every step heavy with menace. This was Kabushi, the Insect King, a creature of immense power and fearsome reputation. Despite his terrifying presence, his steps grew more measured as he approached the central chamber of the Black Citadel. The air grew colder, almost suffocating in its intensity, as he neared the throne of ice.
As Kabushi entered the throne room, the towering insectoid fell to one knee, lowering his head in submission. Before him, seated upon a throne carved from the blackest ice, was a figure cloaked in shadows. Only the faintest outline of the man was visible, but the oppressive aura that emanated from him was unmistakable. This was Hardes, the King of the Dead and Darkness, the undisputed ruler of all Hailzard.
Kabushi's voice, usually commanding, was laced with deference as he spoke.
"My lord, I bring dire news. We have suffered significant losses—20% of our forces have been wiped out by the Primevals. Krazukt, one of my generals, has fallen, and the remnants of our army have been forced to retreat from the shores of Darkaros."
Hardes remained silent for a moment, the cold in the room intensifying as he processed the information. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, almost dismissive.
"Hmm... I didn't expect the Primevals to be so formidable... to have slain one of your generals."
His tone carried a faint note of curiosity, as though the news was more intriguing than troubling.
"And what of the border seals?"
he asked, his interest piqued.
Kabushi shifted slightly before responding.
"The primevals managed to break them, my lord. However, there is more. The stone giant... have been slain within the Korgen dungeon."
At this, Hardes leaned forward slightly, the darkness around him deepening.
"The stone giant... Dead?"
His voice held a trace of surprise, though it quickly faded into contemplation.
"And who do you suspect is responsible for such a feat?"
Kabushi hesitated before answering.
"I believe, my lord, that the same individual who defeated the stone giants is also the one who killed Krazukt. This person possesses a power beyond our current understanding."
Hardes considered this for a moment, the silence in the room growing almost unbearable. Finally, he spoke, his tone decisive.
"Should we pursue them?" Kabushi ventured cautiously.
But Hardes, ever the strategist, waved off the suggestion with a dismissive hand.
"No. Let them go. They have done us an indirect favor by breaking the seal. We'll deal with them when the time is right."
Kabushi, though still uneasy, bowed his head in acknowledgment.
"As you command, my lord,"
he replied, before rising to his full height and retreating from the throne room.
As the massive doors of the Black Citadel closed behind him, the icy winds outside howled with renewed vigor, but within, Hardes remained seated on his throne, his mind already weaving the next strands of his dark plans.