Rayliar's breathing grew ragged, each breath a labor.
The explosions... They're gone.
The thought flashed through his mind.
Worried, Rayliar turned back. Above Crownsville, a massive black cloud expanded, dark and ominous.
Please… Grandpa…
"There you are!" A voice cried out from behind.
Damn it… They never end!
For the past half hour, he had done nothing but run and fight wave after wave of enemies.
Long cuts covered his body, but despite the pain, Rayliar would never back down.
One of the men lunged, swinging a massive sword.
Shoom
Rayliar twisted his body, letting the blade skim past, then drove his thumb into the attacker's eye, wrenching him to the side.
A sickening sensation rippled up his arm.
"Kyahhh! My eye! My damn eye!" The man's scream shattered the forest's silence.
Instinctively, the man clutched his wound.
It was his final mistake.
Rayliar's axe swung, slicing the man's throat.
Splat
He collapsed, lifeless.
Without missing a beat, Rayliar pivoted, ready to flee again.
But it was too late.
Around him, a dozen men stared down from the trees.
A shadow cut through the air.
Splat
An excruciating pain shot through his right shoulder.
Even though he already knew what had happened, Rayliar looked down to confirm: there, lodged between his shoulder and collarbone, a metal object jutted out, blood spurting.
With a growl, he ripped out the blade, throwing it back toward its source.
It struck its mark, puncturing the man's skull.
The man's body hung from a branch, swaying briefly before plummeting, snapping his neck.
Shoom
Another faint whistle reached his ears.
Rayliar sidestepped, narrowly avoiding a second knife that embedded itself in the
ground beside his foot.
Bending down, he scooped it up, then launched himself at the two nearest enemies.
"Big mistake, kid!" one of them sneered, readying a punch.
Like a bullet, the fist shot toward Rayliar's face.
Time slowed as Rayliar watched the knuckles close in, covering his entire field of vision… the enemy's hair swaying under his hood… those bloodshot eyes…
And then time snapped back.
Shoom
Rayliar ducked low, the attacker's arm passing overhead, then sprang upward, knife in hand.
The dodge flowed seamlessly into a strike.
The blade shot up, plunging into the man's jaw and piercing through his mouth. His eyes rolled back, pupils vanishing into white.
With effort, Rayliar wrenched the blade free from the now-lifeless skull.
The sound of footsteps on grass drew closer.
Five meters.
The boy's thoughts raced.
Swiftly, he tossed the knife into the air, dropped to one hand, and kicked upward. His torso twisted, foot catching the weapon.
He felt the handle connect with his sole, launching it forward.
Shoom Splat
The knife buried itself in an assailant's chest, but the man charged onward, undeterred by the wound.
Light as a feather, Rayliar vaulted forward, reaching eye-level with his foe.
He bent his knee, grabbing the man by the neck.
Crack
Once again, the crunch of bones shattered the air.
Rayliar, thirteen years old, let go, gripping the knife embedded in his enemy's chest.
"Yaaah!" he growled, slashing downward.
The blade carved through flesh and organs, spilling the man's insides.
In a panicked attempt, the man tried to shove his entrails back into his body.
"Gurgh... Arrrgh…"
Without mercy, Rayliar thrust the knife into the man's temple, ending his suffering.
Three more men approached, leaping down from the trees, but Rayliar was ready.
His left foot planted firmly in the dirt.
His hips twisted sharply.
His back tensed, and his arm sliced upward.
"Chop!"
Rayliar yelled through clenched teeth. Blood splattered his face, making him look like a demon incarnate.
In an instant, the three men were torn apart.
The first, without legs.
The second, split in half at the waist.
The third, headless.
I… I did it…
The thought flickered through his mind as he clutched his shoulder.
But then, something stirred in the leaves.
"It's over, kid. Hand over the box. Now!"
A man stepped into view.
Rayliar felt a wave of disgust at the sight of the man's grotesquely scarred face.
"You… What did you do to my grandfather?"
"Oh, so you do recognize me… Let's just say he's having a long rest. But if you give me what I want, maybe… maybe you can still save him."
Ronan's voice was icy.
"Never!"
Rayliar's eyes burned with a fury he'd never felt before.
If Grandpa sacrificed himself for this thing… there has to be a reason!
Ignoring the danger, he lunged forward, arms tracing a semicircle before him.
"Cho—"
"Lightning Bolt."
Ronan's voice cut him off.
Shoom Splat
Rayliar felt himself fall.
In a panic, he looked down at his legs.
A small hole was drilled into his right thigh, his stance shattered as he fell to the ground.
"It's pointless. You'll share your grandfather's fate."
The man declared, as if passing judgment.
Gathering his strength, Rayliar tried to stand, ignoring the searing pain.
"Lightning Bolt."
Shoom Splat
A second bullet-like hole, this time in his left leg.
Rayliar felt his strength drain, his body collapsing into the dirt.
Terror twisted his face.
I'm sorry, Grandpa… I'm too weak…
"O-Okay… you win…" Rayliar reached into his bag, pulling out a small box.
"This is what you want, right?"
For a second, Ronan's eyes widened before returning to his usual indifferent stare.
"Hand it over, kid."
He stretched out his hand.
"Fine… take it then!"
Rayliar hurled the box as far as he could.
"Y-you fool!" Ronan lunged forward, catching it mid-air.
With hands trembling in excitement, he opened it.
Inside…
Nothing.
"What the hell…"
"Looking for this?"
Rayliar's voice rang out. In his palm, a golden orb gleamed, casting a faint glow across his face.
"Well… say goodbye!" He shouted, tossing it into the air and swallowing it whole.
"Noooo! What did you do!" Ronan screamed, aghast.
"I just stopped you from getting this—Kyahhhh!"
Rayliar screamed as a searing pain erupted within him, feeling as if every bone and muscle was disintegrating to dust.
A light flashed in his eyes, like a lightbulb under a lampshade.
And then, he was engulfed in a blinding light, like he was being set ablaze.
Rayliar gritted his teeth, struggling to hold onto his sanity. He felt his skin melt, only to rebuild in an endless cycle.
His organs crushed and healed within him.
The agony felt like an eternity, even though it was nearly instant.
Then, everything stopped.
_________
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE ACQUIRED THE SKILL "LIMIT BREAKER."
Limit Breaker: You are an entity without limits. You can grow infinitely, but each level will require double the experience. The skill can be activated to temporarily surpass your limits, but beware—it comes with a heavy penalty!