Noah leaned against his desk, his sharp crimson eyes narrowed as he turned the situation with Darius over in his mind. For weeks, the legendary hunter had loomed like an unspoken challenge in his life. Noah's careful misdirection had worked so far, but it wasn't enough.
The problem was not just Darius's scrutiny—it was Noah's ignorance.
"What is the height of power in this world?" he muttered to himself. Despite months of careful observation, leveling, and growing stronger, he had no true measure of how far the system extended. The rumors he'd heard suggested leveling became exponentially harder as one climbed, but Noah's progress had been alarmingly swift by comparison.
That disparity gnawed at him.
"For others, it's an uphill climb,"** he thought, his lips curling into a humorless smirk. **"But for me, it feels like I'm taking an elevator. Why?"
His [Vampire Bloodline] undoubtedly played a part, but even with such advantages, there were too many unknowns. His gaze flicked to his status window, the glowing "Level 9" mocking him with its seeming insignificance.
" If Darius is one of this world's true powerhouses,"** Noah mused darkly, **"then I may be overestimating how far deception alone can carry me."
---
The academy's faculty were an untapped resource Noah had largely ignored until now. The professors were scholars and warriors, each an expert in their field, and they might hold the answers he sought. Among them, Professor Geraldine Mallus stood out—a historian with a reputation for knowing the intimate details of this world's past and its most formidable figures.
Noah approached her office that afternoon, the faint scent of aged parchment and ink wafting from the half-open door.
"Ah, Noah Alaric," she greeted as he stepped inside. Her sharp gray eyes regarded him with curiosity. "To what do I owe the honor? It's rare for a combatant to seek me out. You're usually more interested in practical applications than theory."
Noah offered her a polite smile, hiding his true intentions behind an air of feigned curiosity. "I've been wondering about the true limits of strength in this world. How far can one climb?"
Professor Mallus leaned back in her chair, a bemused expression on her face. "A question that has plagued humanity for centuries. You're not the first to ask, and you won't be the last. Sit."
Noah obeyed, keeping his body language relaxed even as his mind sharpened like a blade.
---
"The leveling system is deceptive," Mallus began, folding her hands on the desk. "For most, the journey is a slow and grueling process. It's not uncommon for people to plateau in their mid-teens—levels 15 or 16—unable to gather the experience needed to push further."
"What about those who do?" Noah asked, his tone measured.
"Ah, those rare few." She nodded. "The threshold to greatness truly begins at level 20. At that point, classes evolve into something far more specialized, and the gulf between the average and the extraordinary widens dramatically. The highest recorded level in modern history is 52, achieved by the Archmage of Solis."
Noah's fingers twitched slightly at the number. **"Level 52…"** That was a far cry from his own meager progress, yet the very fact that it was a recorded number suggested there were limits to this system.
"And what about combatants?" he pressed. "Who are the strongest warriors alive today?"
Professor Mallus hesitated, her gaze growing thoughtful. "There are a handful. Darius Kain, the legendary hunter, is among them. His exact level is unknown, but it's rumored he's well into the thirties, perhaps higher. Then there's Lady Isolde, the Bladed Saint of the Crescent Isles, and General Tobias Ward of the Northern Coalition."
Noah processed the information carefully. The mention of Darius confirmed his fears. If the hunter was truly at that level, then any direct confrontation would be suicide.
"What separates them from the rest?" he asked.
"Time," Mallus replied simply. "Time, resources, and an unyielding drive. Power at that level isn't just about physical strength or mana reserves—it's about mastery. Those at the top have lived for decades, some even centuries, honing their craft and solidifying their influence. A single powerhouse can topple entire armies, reshape nations."
Noah's mind raced. The information was both daunting and exhilarating. If Darius was indeed a powerhouse, then Noah would need far more than raw strength to keep him in check. He would need strategy, manipulation, and most importantly, time.
---
As Noah left the professor's office, the weight of her words settled on him. The power structure of this world was clearer now, but it also underscored his vulnerability.
"Level 52," he murmured under his breath. " Darius in the thirties…"
The system favored those who accumulated strength over years, yet Noah had accelerated at an unnatural pace. He didn't know if it was his bloodline, his class, or some other factor, but the disparity between him and the rest of the world was growing too obvious to ignore.
He paused beneath the academy's towering spires, his gaze drifting to the horizon. Somewhere out there were monsters, warriors, and creatures of legend—each one a potential threat or tool in his pursuit of dominance.
"If I want to stand at the top, I'll need to test my mettle against all of them," Noah decided. His lips curled into a dangerous smile. "But first, I'll need to ensure Darius doesn't crush me before I'm ready."
---
That evening, Noah began formulating a plan. Confronting Darius directly was out of the question, but there were other ways to neutralize him. If he couldn't overpower the hunter, perhaps he could undermine him.
He thought of the academy's hierarchy, the alliances Darius maintained, the students who idolized him. Was there a way to chip away at his influence, to sow doubt or discord?
At the same time, Noah resolved to push his own progress even further. The whispers about leveling becoming harder at higher tiers didn't faze him—if anything, they excited him. His bloodline and class gave him advantages others could only dream of, and he intended to exploit them to their fullest.
"This world has its rules," Noah thought, his eyes gleaming with cold determination. "But I'll find a way to break them. One step at a time."
As the moon rose over the academy, Noah sat at his desk, his mind alight with schemes. The path to power was a long one, but he was nothing if not patient. And in the shadows, he would continue to grow, hidden from the watchful eyes of those who might oppose him—until the day he revealed the full extent of his strength and claimed this world as his own.