*****
The day before the Obelisk Trial at Deviants Academy…
Bam—!
A boy was launched across the cavern with brutal force, his body crashing into the cold, jagged wall of stone.
The impact reverberated through the cave, leaving a crater etched into the rocky surface.
Dust and debris fell from the ceiling as the boy slid down the wall, a pained groan escaping his lips.
"Ughhh…"
His trembling hand clutched his side as he struggled to lift himself, his breaths shallow and uneven.
Yet, the echo of his opponent's approaching footsteps reminded him that the fight was far from over.
"Ah, shit! How strong is this mana beast exactly?"
He muttered, his voice strained as he exhaled heavily.
"It can't just be S-rank... no, this has to be an XX-rank!"
He finally steadied himself, forcing his body upright as his opponent's figure emerged from the shadows of the dark cave, its presence looming and oppressive.
There it was,
Standing before him was a towering 7'2" rock golem, its massive, jagged body composed of dense, unyielding stone.
Its eyes glowed an ominous crimson, piercing through the darkness as they fixed their unrelenting gaze on the boy.
"Dammit, not again!"
He shouted, frustration lacing his voice as he stared at the mana beast towering before him. Gritting his teeth, he barked,
"System, activate skill: Blink Step!"
[Skill: Blink Step Activated]
Click—!
He bolted away from the golem, his footsteps echoing through the cavern as he left its massive figure behind.
Step—!
Yet, even as he fled, he could feel its piercing red eyes locked onto his retreating form, unyielding and relentless.
He continued to run, pushing his skill to its limits as it drained his mana with every step, desperate to put as much distance as possible between himself and the golem.
Then, he skidded to a halt, his breath ragged and chest heaving, as his path abruptly ended.
Before him loomed a sheer, towering cliff—a dead end with no way forward.
Step—!
"Huh?!"
"Fuckkk!!!"
He yelled, his voice echoing off the cavern walls.
"So basically, the universe is telling me I have to survive that bastard's mana beast?!"
He growled, clenching his fists as frustration and fear twisted in his chest.
""Ahhhhh!!""
His scream echoed through the cave, a mix of panic and determination.
""System, open!""
The air around him crackled with energy as the system interface materialized before his eyes, glowing with an ethereal light.
Fwang—!
= = =[System]= = =
⟩Name: Silas Kingslay
⟩Age: 16
⟩Race: Human
⟩Level: 15↑
⟩EXP: (15/2500)↑
⟩Sage Limit: SSS+
= = = = = = = = = =
->Skill Passive: Body Strengthening {Always on✓}
->Skill: Blink Step
->Skill Information {Blink Step: Upgrade the speed and strength of the user twice for a certain period of time}
= = = = = = = = = =
⟩Elements: Fire, Ice, Water
->Tri - Elemental
⟩Elements Type: Fire{Manipulation}, Ice{Creation}, Water{Creation}
= = = [Statistics] = = =
->Strength: A-
->Speed: B-
->Agility: C-
->Stamina: A-
->Defence: A+
->Intelligence: C-
->Charm: S
->Mana Points: (220/700)
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
Sword Art: Kendoki Style {Level 2}↑
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
System Inventory: ∆
System Quest: Currently Ongoing
System Mail: (2)
System Store: ∆
System Points: 0
= = = =[System]= = = =
= = = =[Quest ongoing]= = = =
[Survive 15 minutes in an S-Rank Dungeon]
[Rewards: Perfected Lightning Affinity]
[Penalty for not Completion: Instant Death]
"The sole reason I'm enduring this absurd high-stakes death game quest is because the reward makes it worth the risk."
"If it weren't for the reward, I wouldn't have even set foot in this dungeon—no, I wouldn't have bothered to glance at the quest in the first place."
"This perfected Lightning affinity marks the first step on my path to becoming stronger."
He was driven to become stronger for a single reason, one buried deep within the shadows of his past—a memory so haunting that the mere thought of it sent chills down his spine.
It was a nightmare, an unbearable torment etched into his soul, one he vowed never to relive or even allow himself to connect with again.
Yet, it lingered like a distant storm cloud, pushing him forward with relentless determination.
But,
Why would he risk his life for something as seemingly insignificant as a common lightning affinity?
No, it wasn't just any ordinary affinity.
To anyone who dismissed it as useless, they were nothing but clueless fools blinded by their own ignorance.
Take a closer look at the tag preceding lightning—it clearly states perfected.
And anyone with even a shred of understanding knows the immense weight and value that single word holds.
To call it insignificant would only reveal their utter ignorance.
To put it simply, the Lightning affinity the system is offering as a reward isn't just any ordinary element—it's one that's already in a perfected and mastered state.
What that means is anyone who receives this version of the affinity won't have to go through the process of mastering it again.
Upon obtaining it, they'll instantly gain the knowledge and reflexes needed to use it flawlessly, as if they've been training with it for years.
"According to the botany book on Mana-beasts, every rock golem should be at the S-SSS rank—no lower, no higher,"
He spoke to himself, a concerned expression spreading across his face as he processed the situation.
"That's the standard, the usual range. But that rock golem I encountered? It was completely different."
He paused, his gaze distant as he recalled the creature.
"Its appearance alone was strange, but what really stood out was its eyes. Rock golems always have gray eyes. It's a constant. No exceptions. Yet, this one had eyes that were deep red... and they weren't just red—they were glowing. And those eyes… they were locked on me, staring directly at me without a hint of hesitation."
"It was as if its body wasn't under its own control, like someone, or something, was controlling it from the outside."
"I have to survive this, I need a pla—"
Step—!
Then,
The sound of footsteps echoed, interrupting his train of thought, each step sending a chill down his spine.
"Shit, what was I even expecting? The golem is at least at the XX rank. So yeah, I guess it makes sense that it's fast."
Silas, still wracked with pain, gripped his belly as he struggled to steady his posture.
Despite the agony, he forced himself to maintain his stance, eyes locked on the towering figure of the rock golem as it approached.
Like any other mana-beast, most were unpredictable, berserk, charging at humans and sages alike without hesitation.
But this one, this rock golem, was different. It wasn't erratic or wild.
It was calm, almost unnervingly so, as if its mind wasn't clouded by the usual chaos of its kind. It seemed to possess a certain intelligence, as if it were calculating its every move.
"Let's do this, damn it!"
He gritted through his teeth, his resolve hardening.
With a swift motion, he activated his Blink Step skill once again, propelling himself forward toward the rock golem at a speed so incredible that it was beyond the grasp of the human eye.
Click—!
Step—!
In the blink of an eye, he was upon it, charging with the force of determination.
Step—!
As the golem saw him charging at it, its deep red eyes flared with an unsettling intensity.
Without hesitation, it surged forward as well, charging at Silas with even greater force and speed.
Step—!
Step—!
The ground shook under the weight of its movement, and the gap between them closed in an instant, a collision course set in motion.
Then,
Their bodies were only inches apart when Silas, with all his remaining strength, delivered a powerful kick to the golem's rock-hard abdomen.
To his surprise, the golem didn't even flinch, its body unyielding as stone.
In response, it countered with a swift punch to Silas's left cheek, sending a shockwave of pain through his body.
"Uggh!!"
Silas, whose stamina was nearly exhausted, managed to pull his left hand up just in time, clenching it into a fist to block the golem's punch.
The blow connected with his forearm, but he barely absorbed the full force, his arm trembling as he struggled to stay on his feet.
Silas again with his last remnants of stamina, he summoned every ounce of strength he had left and threw a punch at the golem's legs, his other hand still clutching his aching belly.
But despite the desperate strike, the golem effortlessly deflected it with a casual swipe, its stone-like skin barely even budging under the force.
Silas staggered back, his energy all but spent, and the realization hit him he was outmatched.
Silas sank to his knees, the weight of exhaustion and pain dragging him down as the stone golem loomed in front of him.
"Haa.....ha....huff....haaa....hufff....."
"Ugh, damn it... just damn it..."
He muttered, frustration boiling in his chest.
"I should've brought my sword if I knew it was going to be like this, but it's not even my fault. The system just teleported me straight into this damn quest arena."
He paused, his breath ragged as he glanced at the golem.
"But... it's not worth saying anymore at this point,"
He added, his voice trailing off. There was no use in complaining now.
After a few agonizing seconds of staring down at Silas, the golem finally moved.
With terrifying speed, it swung both of its massive hands sideways, aiming to crush Silas's face with a single, earth-shattering clap.
"Ah, damn it..."
Silas grunted, his eyes filled with defiance despite the overwhelming odds.
"It can't end like this, not after everything... I haven't even had my revenge yet."
His voice trembled with frustration, the weight of unfinished business pressing on him, even as the golem's hands neared their deadly target.
Just as the rock golem's massive hands were a mere inch from crushing his ears, a sudden chime echoed in the air.
Ding—!
[15 Minutes Completed]
[Quest: Survive an S—Rank Dungeon: Complete]
In an instant, the world around him seemed to blur and shift, a rush of energy sweeping through the air.
Whoosh—!
With a white smoke covering his body.
Silas felt himself being yanked away from the golem, the crushing force just narrowly avoided as he was pulled out of the dungeon.
Whoosh—!
Creak—!
Clank—!
Silas blinked, disoriented as the sounds of shifting and clanking echoed around him. His surroundings had changed, and the oppressive weight of the golem's presence was gone.
"Huh?"
He muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he took in his new environment.
"I... am... back?"
He looked around, unsure if what he was experiencing was real.
Ding—!
[Reward has been sent]
The system's notification came through, and Silas let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
He was out, but the weight of his survival and the quest's completion settled in slowly.
*****
Ahh... umm... yeah, I know I'm super late... like, really, really late... but please forgive me this time, guys. I'm still learning how to write fight scenes, and honestly, I was caught up editing the whole physical assessment arc. I promise I'll do better next time! Thanks for reading btw.
And this chapter is about Silas completing his quest for the lightning affinity reward, and I gave him plot armor since he's an important character.
Thanks for following along with the story!