As the young man killed the rest of the guards, a faint smile crept onto his face, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity. He seemed unfazed by the carnage, his movements economical and detached.
The young man continued to scout the area, his gaze sweeping across the compound. He stumbled upon a mysterious spell book, adorned with ancient runes and symbols. A quick glance revealed that it was a summoning magic tome, rumored to hold the secrets of unlocking a summoner's potential.
In this world, magic was wielded by three major races: humans, dwarves, and elves. Humans, though weakest in terms of magic, possessed high potential. Dwarves, skilled in blacksmithing, could use magic with moderate proficiency. Elves, with their innate affinity for magic, reigned supreme.
However, humans had an ace up their sleeve – Xania, an aura that covered their blades. Xania had three stages: beginner, expert, and master. Those who attained the master rank were revered as War Gods, capable of annihilating armies with a single, basic slash.
But what truly set humans apart were their abilities, gifts from the gods themselves. These abilities were ranked from F, the lowest, to S, the highest. F-rank abilities were relatively common, while S-rank abilities were extremely rare, often reserved for legendary heroes.
The young man's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. He turned to face the 5'ft commander of the royal guard, Zenith Arxen. The commander's smile sent shivers down the young man's spine.
"Ah, young Necros, you look surprised," Zenith said, his voice dripping with malice.
The young man equipped his daggers, his movements swift and silent. Zenith's smile faltered, replaced by a frown.
"You're a risk-taker, huh?" Zenith asked, his eyes narrowing.
The young man remained silent, his gaze locked onto Zenith. With a swift motion, he threw his dagger at the commander, coating the blade with Xania.
Zenith slashed at the young man, but the latter had already released a cloud of poisonous gas. The gas enveloped Zenith, and the young man seized the opportunity to strike, slashing at the commander's shoulder.
Zenith dodged, but the young man's dagger had already found its mark. The commander coughed up blood, his eyes widening in shock.
"Hydra poison, huh? You boy, what's your rank?" Zenith asked, his voice laced with pain.
The young man's response was a cold, calculated stare. "3rd star."
Zenith's eyes flashed with anger, and he summoned an ice spear, piercing the young man's chest. The young man's eyes widened in pain as Zenith's illusion ability took hold.
The commander's smirk returned. "Oh, how the tables have turned."
The young man glared at Zenith, his voice dripping with venom. "It's fine if you die by my hands. After all, I do have a B-rank ability. Maybe in the next life, you'll have at least a C-rank ability."
With a mocking tone, the commander bid the young man farewell. "Bye-bye."
The young man's life slipped away, crushed beneath the young man's ruthless blow.
But this was not the end for the young man. His ability, Life Balance, allowed him to return from death, resetting the clock 24 hours prior.
The young man found himself in the lobby, standing before Death herself.
"Ah, you're back. It hasn't been a week yet," Death said, her voice tinged with amusement.
The young man's gaze remained stoic, but Death's words struck a chord. She began to laugh, the sound echoing through the lobby.
"When will you accept me? I'm the one who gave you your ability. Why not smile when you're here? Hmm, you've died about 409,067,663 times by now. It's impressive that you still have your sanity."
Death's laughter faded, replaced by a warm smile. "Well, it was nice talking to you. Don't die, Aegis Diabolo."
The young man quietly entered the portal, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.
"My chosen saint is harsh on me these days."
Death's smile returned, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll see you soon, Aegis."
And with that, the young man vanished into the portal, leaving Death to ponder their next encounter.
The end of Chapter 3. Thank you for reading! Good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight to my readers.