[You Have Slain A Native (+15,000 Rank Points)]

[You Have Ranked Up!]

[Rank Up Progress: 12 [0/45,000 Rank Points Required]]

[Updated Attributes]

• Physical Attributes: 30 (+15 Rank Points From The Black Sheep)

• Mana Attributes: 50

• Psychological Attributes: 20

[You Have Unlocked A New 'Passive Skill' (Weaponry)]

• Description: An Outsider’s Weapons Can Be Their Greatest Strength. Mastering These Tools Can Mean The Difference Between Life And Death.

• Effect: Your Ability To Use Mana Tools In Battle Has Improved, Allowing You To Perform More Precise And Swift Movements When Wielding A Mana Tool.

• Boost: +50 Rank Points To Your Physical Attributes When Wielding A Mana Tool (Note: This Is The Default Boost For Any Tool That You Wield, But It Will Increase As You Grow More Proficient With The Tool).

[Achievement Unlocked: Learner]

• Condition: Learn Your First Skill As An Outsider.

• Reward: 5,000 Rank Points.

[Rank Up Progress: 12 [5,000/45,000 Rank Points Required]]

[Your 'Passive' Skill Outsider's Perspective Has Developed To Stage 2]

[Main Quest]

• Objective: Slay The Native 'Big Daddy' Mikey.

• Reward: 18,000 Rank Points.

Out of all the notifications flooding his mind, only one burned vividly in Joe’s focus, his main quest. It stood as a stark reminder of his purpose here. He had come to kill the very man standing before him now—Mikey.

Joe's heart pounded like a war drum as he locked eyes with his target.

Mikey's massive frame exuded raw power, the scars crisscrossing his body serving as grim testaments to battles fought. His lazy, half-lidded eyes drilled into Joe, unsettling and unyielding. But Joe held his ground. He couldn’t back down—not after coming this far.

“I as—”

Before Mikey could finish, Joe cut him off, his voice sharp and commanding. "You don’t need to know who I am."

Joe's grip tightened on his black blade as his gaze flickered down to the lifeless body of Dan. Without hesitation, he thrusted the blade into the corpse.

The lazy indifference in Mikey’s eyes vanished, replaced by a cold, deadly intensity—the exact reaction Joe had hoped for.

[You Have Activated The 'Unique Skill' 'Unique Skill (Predator)]

A swirling black mist erupted from Joe's bloody blade, engulfing Dan’s corpse. Flesh, blood, and bone were consumed in an instant, leaving nothing behind. Joe snatched up his dagger and backed away cautiously, maintaining distance from Mikey.

[You Have Activated The 'Branch Skill' (Soul Consumption)]

[+1 Native Soul Has Been Stored Inside Your Body]

“I see now," Mikey growled, his voice a simmering boil of fury. "You must be the brat responsible for all this mess!"

A searing red aura burst from Mikey, cascading over his body like a geyser of raw power. “How dare you lay a finger on my children!”

"Your children?" Joe spat back, his voice trembling with equal parts rage and disbelief. "You dare call them that? You’re the monster behind their suffering! You and your friends —you're all nothing but heartless monsters"

Black mana erupted from Joe’s body like a fountain, he closed the distance between them in a blur of movement.

[You Have Activated The Skill (Outsider’s Enhancement)]

[You Have Activated The Black Sheep's Skill (Enhanced Charge]

[The 'Passive Skill' (Weaponry) Is Active]

[+210 Rank Points To Your Physical Attributes: Total: 255]

[+210 Rank Points To Your Mana Attributes: Total: 260]

[Mana Output From The Black Blade: 310]

Joe launched himself into the air, bringing his blade down in a powerful arc aimed straight at Mikey.

Mikey’s sharp eyes tracked Joe’s movement with precision. The mana surrounding him condensed, concentrating around his arms and hands.

[Mikey Has Activated The Skill: Body Enhancement]

[Branch Skill: Thick Skin]

Joe’s blade collided with Mikey’s forearm but failed to penetrate. His eyes widened in shock as Mikey’s iron-like skin absorbed the impact. A fraction of a second later, Mikey’s fist crashed into Joe’s gut.

[Branch Skill: Strong Right]

The force sent Joe hurtling across the room, crashing into the ground in a battered heap.

Joe tumbled to a stop, coughing blood as he struggled to rise. His arms trembled, his body screaming in agony as if he’d been struck by a truck. Blood streaked down his face, blurring his vision. One attack—that single blow—had obliterated all the momentum he had gained.

"Do you have any idea how I feel right now?" Tears streamed down Mikey's face, an ugly, jarring sight that clashed with his otherwise composed demeanor. He gestured to the bloodied bodies scattered across the field. "These kids..." His voice cracked. "These children were special to me."

Joe gritted his teeth, his fury barely restrained. He forced the words out through clenched jaws. "Stop pretending you cared, you heartless monster. You're the reason they ended up like this! You made them steal, suffer abuse, and starve. Every terrible thing that happened to them—it’s all on you."

Mikey stepped forward, his movements slow and deliberate. "Of course I cared for them. Why wouldn’t I? I was their father." His tone was chillingly calm. "The world cast them aside. They didn’t have academic licenses, and their Mana Signatures were pathetic. In this society, those two things define your worth. They were nothing—until I took them in.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I gave them shelter, healed their wounds, fed them when they obeyed. I gave them jobs, discipline, purpose. Everything the world denied them, I provided. These children were my treasures."

Joe staggered to his feet, his eyes darting to his sword lying a few steps away. "You can dress it up all you want, but you were using them," he snarled. "They were just tools to you, pawns to get what you wanted. They didn’t know any better—you used them!"

Mikey smirked faintly, his voice taking on a condescending edge. "And isn’t that what it means to be a parent? You guide your children, shape them. You nurture them so that one day, they can give something back. That doesn’t mean you don't care for them. That’s life, kid. That’s business."

[Your Have Burned Through You 300 Mana Pool Rank Points]

Joe's fists clenched so hard his nails bit into his palms. "Give me another 300, Syr. I'll kill this bastard."

[In Your Current State, That Much Mana Could Destroy You.]

"It's my body, Syr. I’ll handle it. My physical abilities are catching up to my mana output. I can last a little longer."

[What You Do Affects Us Both. You May Not Care About Risking Your life, But I do. I Need You Alive.]

"I'm not planning on dying, you idiot. I still have to find my family. Just do it—one more time!"

[Very well...]

A surge of energy coursed through Joe as their mental exchange ended. His body felt like it was on fire. Everyone of his muscles was under excruciating strain. Even then—he greeted his teeth, his glare unwavering.

[-300 Rank Points To Your Mana Pool]

[Current Mana Pool: 6,870]

Mikey’s eyes widened. "That mana…" he muttered, his calm veneer cracking.

Joe bolted forward, his speed near blinding but slightly off—a trace of sluggishness from his battered body. As he moved, he snatched his fallen blade from the ground and continued his relentless charge. He closed the distance, entering Mikey's close quarters.[,Outsider’s Enhancement]

Mikey reacted quickly, swinging a fierce hook at Joe’s face. [Branch Skill: Strong Right]

Joe’s enhanced vision kicked in, his perception sharper than ever. He read Mikey’s movements clearly, anticipating the attack. With a well-timed crouch, he let the punch whistle just above his head. His hands gripped his black blade tightly, elbows high as he prepared a devastating thrust.

But Mikey countered. His free arm shifted to guard his stomach, muscles hardening. [Branch Skill: Thick Skin]

Joe didn’t falter. He drove his blade forward, aiming not at the surface, but at something deeper—something new. His heightened senses revealed something within Mikey’s body. Tiny, glowing intersections where mana flowed and connected.

With precision guided by his vision, Joe plunged his blade into one of those points—a hole in the center of Mikey’s arm where his mana converged. [Outsider’s Perspective (Stage 2)]

Mikey howled in agony as blood erupted from his arm. Joe finally broke through his defenses, his blade sinking deep and true.

Joe wrenched his blood-soaked blade free, crimson dripping onto the cracked concrete. He readied himself for another thrust, his muscles screaming under the immense strain they felt.

Mikey reacted instinctively. His uninjured hand shot out, latching onto Joe’s right shoulder with terrifying speed. [Branch Skill: Tiger Grip] Mana surged through his fingers, amplifying his strength as they dug into Joe’s flesh like a predator's fangs. The sickening crunch of bone echoed through the space, barely masking Joe’s agonized screams.

A sadistic grin crept across Mikey's face, his eyes gleaming with malice. He hoisted Joe off the ground with a single hand, his fingers still embedded deep in Joe’s shoulder. Blood spilled freely, staining his hand and dripping onto the floor below.

With brutal force, Mikey slammed Joe into the ground, the impact cracking the concrete beneath him. Blood sprayed outward, filling the grooves in the floor like dark rivers. Mikey wasn’t done. He lifted Joe again, savoring the moment before tossing him aside. Joe’s body tumbled across the ground like a broken doll, leaving streaks of blood in his wake.

For a moment, Mikey stood there, staring at the crumpled figure before him. His smirk faltered as his gaze turned thoughtful.

"That mana... Where have I felt it before? That vivid darkness..." Mikey's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. Then, realization struck like lightning.

“Tell me, kid," he said, his voice sharp, "are you an Outsider?"

Joe stirred, his head lifting weakly from the blood pooling beneath him. His face was streaked with red, his widened eyes betraying the answer he couldn’t voice.

Mikey’s smirk returned, this time filled with triumph. “I knew it! I’m right, aren’t I? I can see it in your eyes.” He began to pace slowly, each step deliberate, like a predator circling its prey. “It’s the only explanation for how you can burn through so much mana in minutes. And not just that—this mana… I’ve felt it before."

His gaze flicked to his bleeding arm. He raised it, watching as the blood flowed from the wound, running along his forearm and dripping from his fingers. "You know, kid, it’s been a long time since anyone has made me bleed. You should be proud of yourself."

Mikey tilted his head, his tone almost conversational now. “Answer me this final question, who sent you here? Was it the Frozen Wing Party?” His eyes darkened. “Those pests have been on my ass for a while. If not for them, this entire town would already be mine!”

He paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Or… was it that bastard Darui?" He shook his head, muttering to himself. “No, it couldn’t be Darui. If it were him, he’d have sent those three instead.”

Joe couldn’t muster a single word. His vision blurred, fading in and out as he lay motionless, blood pooling rapidly beneath him. His breaths were shallow, labored.

“Syr… he’s too much…” he managed to cough out, blood spilling from his lips. “I don’t think my body can move right now. Dammit! We can’t win.”

[It’s Dangerous, But… There’s Still One More Thing You Haven’t Tried.]

Joe’s eyes fluttered weakly, his hope dimming.

[Outside Of The ‘Big Junk.’]

Meanwhile, Shelly’s eyes slowly blinked open. Her head throbbed, but she saw Viola’s face hovering above her, a relieved smile lighting her features.

“You’re awake!” Viola exclaimed, her voice tinged with excitement.

Shelly sat up, her body trembling with exhaustion. She winced, clutching her side. “Ouch…” Her muscles screamed in protest, refusing to cooperate.

“You need to rest. Your body’s in terrible shape,” Viola said softly. She gestured to the side. “But look! All the others… I was able to free them. And it’s all thanks to you.”

Shelly’s gaze shifted to the group of children nearby. Relief washed over her as she saw them embracing each other, their wounds healed. A small smile crept across her face.

Among the group, Ed approached hesitantly. His steps were slow, deliberate, his fists clenched tight. His expression carried anger, hurt. When he stopped in front of Shelly, his voice trembled.

“Is it true?” he asked, his tone harsh. “Is John… really dead?”

Shelly’s smile vanished. Her lips parted as she tried to respond, but her words faltered. “I’m sor—”

“It’s your fault!” Ed’s voice cracked as tears streamed down his face. “If you hadn’t chased us, none of this would’ve happened!”

Before Shelly could respond, Viola rushed forward, positioning herself between them. Her arms spread wide, shielding Shelly.

“No, Ed! Shelly isn’t who you think she is,” Viola said firmly. “She saved me when I was on the brink of death. I owe her my life!”

Ed froze, his anger momentarily replaced by confusion. “She… she did?”

Shelly looked at Ed with sorrow in her eyes. “I can’t bring John back,” she said softly. “But I swear to you, I won’t let anyone else die infront of me again. I’m truly sorry for what happened.”

Ed’s tough facade crumbled. He dropped to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. “Thank you…” he choked out. “Thank you for saving my sister.”

Shelly’s heart softened. Her smile returned, faint but genuine.

As Ed wiped his tears, the distant chaos of the battle inside the ‘Big Junk’ reached their ears. Viola glanced toward the noise, her face filled with worry.

“Shelly,” Viola asked, her voice trembling, “Joe… do you think he can win?”

Shelly’s expression turned resolute. “He will,” she said with conviction. “He’s definitely going to win!”

[Inside The ‘Big Junk’]

The air inside the room grew heavy. A radiant white glow enveloped the space, emanating from Joe’s broken form. Mikey’s eyes widened, disbelief written across his face.

Slowly, Joe rose to his feet, the light intensifying around him. His wounds sealed themselves, the blood drying almost instantly. Three orbs of white energy began to orbit his body, their presence pulsing with power.

When Joe fixed his gaze on Mikey, his eyes glowed pure white, radiating the same ethereal light as the rest of his body. His voice boomed, no longer his own—a blend of numerous voices speaking in unison, Joe’s faintly lingering beneath them.

“I told you, Mikey,” Joe declared, his words echoing. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done to those kids!”

He clenched his fist, and the light flared even brighter, almost blinding.

[You Activated The ‘Branch Skill' (Soul Charge)]

[Due To The Activation Of The Skill, The Souls You’ve Consumed Have Been Converted Into Energy.]

[You’ve Achieved An Incomplete Transformation: (Soul Host).]

[+200 Rank Points To All Attributes.]

[Souls Consumed: Total (3).]

[Physical Status: Unstable.]

[Psychological Status: Unstable.]

“Impossible…” Mikey whispered, his voice shaking. He staggered back, staring at Joe in disbelief.

The tide of the battle had shifted, and Mikey knew it.