Chapter 26 - Ranking

Dealing with small mobs or low-tier monsters was child's play for Vonn. As the strongest exorcist, he could handle these threats without breaking a sweat. The newly emerged creatures, lurking at the edge of his vision, barely merited his attention.

Ahead stood the Mother Tree, an ancient, towering entity rooted firmly in the heart of the Dark Land. Its branches stretched wide and crooked, twisting against the murky sky like skeletal fingers. The bark was rough, mottled with patches of dark moss that almost pulsed as if alive. Though there was a haunting allure to its form, the atmosphere it exuded was oppressive, crawling beneath the skin.

Vonn couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching him from the tree itself. Its deep shadows seemed to shift, and a subtle, relentless gaze followed him, prickling the back of his neck.

With a small exhale, Vonn steadied himself, brushing off the unease. His mission was clear, and he'd faced worse than unsettling surroundings. Stepping forward, he began a cautious circuit of the area, mapping it out in his mind.

"Groohh…"

A voice loomed from behind, and as prepared as he was, Vonn slowly turned around with his hands at the ready.

A humanoid figure stood there with the body of a child, a long pink tongue stretching out from its green form, with pointed ears. Its eyes were droopy, but its pupils emanated killing intent.

Vonn smirked. This wasn't the first time he'd seen this creature, and seeing it brought back a nostalgic feeling from reading the novel. This creature in the Biennial Dimension was one of the easiest to kill and yielded more rewards than others. The Dark Land, in reality, was a treasure trove but lacked the light needed to reveal its hidden spoils.

"Jackpot…"

Raising his hands in the air, he mumbled a few chants for a spell. His espera summoned a coiling green blade, twisting in the air. Swaying his hands to aim at the treasure goblin before him, he struck, and with a slash, the monster's head was decapitated, rolling forward as green, sticky fluid gushed from its beheaded neck.

After the successful kill, Vonn felt a slight relief, as if he'd just taken a refreshing drink after minutes of panting, rejuvenating his body a bit.

"This…?" Bewildered, he looked at his body to check. This wasn't supposed to happen. "This is not possible. Espera is not supposed to be extracted from other beings. Espera is for the soul, not the body…"

Thinking about it, he hadn't realized that his very existence was already an anomaly. His ability to perform exorcist spells, despite this world having no concept of espera, was shocking.

"So far… that should be it?"

He looked around, trying to convince himself there might be more, but his expectations had gotten ahead of him, leaving him disappointed.

"If I kill more monsters, then I can regain some of the espera I used before. I won't have to worry about draining my espera. If that means…" he pondered aloud, rubbing his chin thoughtfully like a wise man. In truth, he was more of a madman, seeing killing as beneficial. "I should kill more. The Biennial Dimension promises experience and power as well. If I can earn espera here, then there's nothing to question."

After gathering his thoughts, he looked up at the sky, waiting for the unique notification that marked this dimension. Here, leaderboards displayed those with the highest ranks. At the end of the year, the top-ranked children would receive a reward—something rare, not easily replicated or replaced.

The thought of that reward was motivation enough, inspiring children to push themselves beyond their limits, knowing they had a year until returning to the original world.

Vonn smiled, and a moment later, the sky appeared blue in his eyes as letters formed across it.

"Leaderboard Ranking," he read aloud. "First kill goes to Vonn! First rank: Vonn!"

Beaming, he turned and continued exploring around the Mother Tree. This was definitely not the last monster he could take down.

Being in the Dark Land was a gift, an opportunity to grind and raise his ranking. Surely, those who had thought the Dark Land should be avoided would be on their knees once they learned it was ideal for gaining experience.

Meanwhile, as the news spread through the sky, a young girl from the cold northern lands wore a sour expression. Known as the Golden Prodigy, she hadn't expected someone to kill a monster so soon after their arrival in the dimension, especially given how challenging the creatures here were.

Her own failed hunt had been against a giant minotaur, whose strength she hadn't been able to counter. Evading and deflectin its attacks had proved impossible, underscoring the fact that this perilous Biennial Dimension was not to be underestimated.

"I should have been the one to get first rank. But I know it must have been just luck. Who is Vonn, anyway? He doesn't even have a family name. He's just a commoner who got lucky and killed some monster that was already injured." She voiced her thoughts aloud, and the children who had been transported to the same area agreed.

They all looked up at the sky, reading the news, but they were skeptical. Could an unknown like him really have claimed first rank?

"Hmph! Obviously, the Golden Prodigy will be ranked first in the end. This Vonn just got lucky. He won't get more kills."

"Yes, if he managed one lucky kill, then the second and third kills will surely go to Young Lady Zarael."

"No one can surpass Young Lady Zarael. She's not only the most beautiful among us but also the strongest. She'll easily take first place."

Unbeknownst to them, the first through third kills—granting higher points and setting a strong foundation for long-term ranking—had already been claimed.

Seeing the name in the sky, Zarael's almond-shaped blue eyes flared with anger, a red glint flashing as she bit her lip and clenched her fists.

'Just who the hell is this Vonn?!'0