In the heart of a training facility, a young silver-haired boy with piercing red eyes, Ryuk, clashed with a mysterious black-haired woman in her late twenties.
Their sparring session was a blur of motion, with Ryuk wielding a spear and his opponent brandishing a gauntlet.
The woman's speed was breathtaking as she lunged at Ryuk, her attack forcing him to stumble backward.
The air was filled with the sound of rushing wind as she closed the distance.
Ryuk's spear shaft creaked under the pressure as he blocked her strike, the impact sending shockwaves through his arms.
"Haaa!" Ryuk grunted, his feet scraping against the ground as he struggled to maintain his footing.
Undeterred, Ryuk counterattacked, his spear flashing in the light.
The woman dodged with ease, her gauntlet deflecting the blow with a shower of sparks."Zzt!"
The sparks flew everywhere, illuminating the training area. The woman didn't give Ryuk a moment's respite, striking a punch at him with a loud "Whoosh!"
Ryuk ducked, letting his spear spin as he jumped away. The spear's tip scraped against the ground, sending up a shower of dust.
"Huff...huff..." Ryuk panted, his chest heaving with exertion.
Landing nearby, Ryuk shot his spear outwards, the spearhead flying towards the woman with a deadly "Swish!"
The woman dodged, her gauntlet parrying the strike with a loud "Clang!" Sparks flew from the impact, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of ozone.
Rushing in close, she swung, hurling her fist at Ryuk with a fierce "Hyaah!" Ryuk swung his spear at her to deflect her punch, the spearhead meeting her fist with a resounding "Crash!"
The woman twisted her fist at the last moment, opening her hand and using her palm to take the blow.
"Ah..." Ryuk's eyes widened in surprise. "Impressive, Your Highness," the woman said calmly, "but not enough." She grabbed Ryuk's staff, her grip like a vice.
Ryuk felt himself being pulled off balance, and he tried to move away, but the woman grabbed his arm, her fingers digging deep into his skin.
The force from her grip was enough to keep him in place.
Moving in, her fist hit his gut with a sickening "Thud!" Ryuk's eyes bulged, and he felt his breath leave his lungs.
He flew across the room, crashing into the wall with a loud "Thwack!" The world spun around Ryuk as he slid to the ground, his vision blurring.
Pain coursed through his gut, and he pulled himself up, glaring at the woman. "Oh, fuck... You've done it now," Ryuk said with a growl from the sidelines.
The woman simply smirked, beckoning Ryuk closer with her hands. Not giving in to the obvious taunt, Ryuk decided to cover his weapon in flames.
The spearhead erupted into a fiery blaze, the flames crackling and spitting.
"Whoosh!" Ryuk launched the spear at the woman, the flames trailing behind it like a comet.
The woman dodged, but Ryuk had anticipated her movement. He conjured an ice and fire spear, the two elements swirling together in a mesmerizing dance.
"Haaa!" Ryuk launched the spear at the woman, the ice and fire swirling around each other with a deadly "Swish!"
The woman's eyes widened in surprise as she caught both the fire and ice spear with her gauntlets.
But Ryuk had accounted for that. He launched himself at the woman, his legs strengthened by his strenghtening skill.
"Hyaah!" He teleported behind her, the air rippling with his movement. He raised his spear up high and swung it downwards at her with full force.
The spearhead flew towards the woman with a deadly "Swish!"
However, with blinding speed, the woman disappeared behind him. Ryuk's spear bit deep into the ground, the impact sending shockwaves through the earth.
"Thud!"
The woman reappeared behind Ryuk, her voice whispering in his ear. "Very good, Your Highness, but it still wasn't enough."
Her foot connected with Ryuk's back, the kick sending him flying towards the wall.
"Haaa!"
Ryuk's body crashed into the wall, the impact sending him tumbling to the ground.
"F..u..ck..in..g m..o..n..st..er." He murmured, his vision fading to black as he lost consciousness.
*************
"Here, Your Highness," the black haired lady said, handing me a refreshing bottle of water and a towel to wipe away the sweat dripping from my brow.
It had been two weeks since my audience with Father, the Emperor, and he had kept his promise by assigning me a trainer.
But I hadn't expected him to send someone as exceptional as Justina Clyde. A level 8 Unique Type system holder, she was a force to be reckoned with.
Her military-style combat uniform was a testament to her affiliation with the royal guards, an elite group of system holders who prioritized the Emperor's safety and orders above all else.
As I accepted the water and towel, I couldn't help but think about the implications of having Justina as my trainer.
If the Emperor had ordered her to keep my awakening a secret from the Queen, it was likely that she would remain unaware of the truth for the time being.
But I knew that the Queen's intelligence network was vast, and it was only a matter of time before she discovered the truth.
Justina Clyde was a legend among gamers, renowned for her ridiculously overpowered abilities and sheer versatility.
Her arsenal included telekinesis, gravity manipulation, sound waves, body strengthening, weather control, and even future sight.
Gamers adored her for the very same reasons that made her a formidable opponent – her abilities were the stuff of myths, and her presence in the game was always a game-changer.
As I took a refreshing sip of water, Justina spoke up again, her voice calm and collected.
"Oh, by the way, Your Highness," she said, producing a small, sleek box from her storage ring.
"The Emperor asked me to give you this." With a flick of her wrist, she opened the box, revealing a pure black crystal that seemed to absorb the light around it.
I knew exactly what it was – a monster crystal, or simply a crystal, the source of experience points and level-ups for system holders.
As I gazed at the black crystal, a smile spread across my face. Finally, I was about to level up.
"He said you should head over to the assessment room later before absorbing it," Justina added, her voice a gentle reminder.
"I see. Thank you, Miss Justina," I replied, flashing a polite smile in her direction. She bowed slightly, her expression a mask of professionalism.
"The honor is mine, Your Highness." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me to my thoughts.
I let out a deep sigh, my mind racing with the implications of what was about to happen. "It's finally here," I muttered to myself.
But the fact that Father wanted me to absorb the crystal in the assessment room suggested that he wanted to evaluate my talent.
A shiver ran down my spine as I contemplated the possibilities.
"Hey, El," I whispered, addressing my system, which I had nicknamed Ella. "Do you think I'll be alright?"
I had grown accustomed to Ella's gentle, feminine voice over the past two weeks.
[With the assessment, I'm sure] Ella replied, her tone reassuring. [Just so you know, even if your innate talent isn't that high – which I'm sure it is, since Ryuk's was most likely high – you still have soul absorption. Meaning you will become stronger still, just...it'll be harder this time.]
I nodded to myself, processing Ella's words. "Yeah, but when I advance to level 1, the queen will become aware of me, huh?" I asked, a hint of concern creeping into my voice.
[Yes, that seems likely,] Ella responded, her tone neutral.
I let out a soft sigh, my thoughts drifting to the queen. Why was I so worried about her finding out?
It was simple, really. The queen had never liked my mother, and she had resented the fact that Father had always paid me more attention than her own children.
Jealousy had consumed her, and I suspected that she had been behind my mother's death.
A spark of anger ignited within me, but I quickly suppressed it. Now was not the time to let emotions cloud my judgment.
The queen was a level 8, and she had the backing of her family, the Marquis. My mother, on the other hand, had been from a high-ranking elven clan, equivalent to an Archduke in human nobility.
But her clan had never taken an interest in me, since I wasn't born an elf.
For now, it was best to stay under the queen's radar. If she considered me a threat to her children's throne, she would stop at nothing to eliminate me. I couldn't let that happen. Not yet, at least.