It's Chloe—it has to be her.
Joe repeated the thought like a mantra as he raced through the forest at a breakneck pace. His body flickered in and out of visibility, shrouded in a swirling aura of black mana. He hadn’t deactivated [Outsider’s Enhancement] since the chase began.
[-25 Mana Pool Rank Points]
[Current Mana Pool: 550]
[Would You Like To Disable Your Skill? Continued Use Will Result In Further Deductions.]
Joe barely spared the notification a glance. “It’s fine. I still have mana to spare. I just need to move faster.”
The forest blurred around him, his figure leaving trails of black energy in his wake. He pushed his limits, striving to close the distance.
But just as he prepared to accelerate further, shadows shifted in his path.
[6 (Rank 5) 'Small Wolfins' Have Appeared.]
From the darkness, six enormous Wolfins emerged, their glowing eyes fixated on Joe with predatory glee. Their tongues lolled out of their mouths, and their claws gleamed ominously under the faint light.
Unlike the lone one he had encountered before, these Wolfins showed no hesitation. No fear.
If anything, they were thrilled—like children unwrapping their favorite gifts.
Without warning, they charged as one, their movements perfectly synchronized.
[The 6 'Small Wolfins' Have Activated The Skill (Mana Beast Charge).]
Red mana erupted around their bodies, propelling them forward like meteors. Joe recognized the skill—it was the same one the 'Small Woflin' from earlier had used against him.
Joe showed no sign of slowing down In his dash.
Gripping his blade in one hand, he continued his charge forward, dragging the weapon against the ground. The friction left behind a glowing black trail of pure mana.
“Syr, burn 100 mana pool rank Points. I want to end this in one strike!"
[Very Well.]
An enormous surge of mana poured into Joe’s weapon, the blade practically vibrated with power. It grew heavier in his grip, the sheer mana density palpable. But Joe welcomed the weight, his confidence unwavering.
With a single mighty swing, he unleashed the stored energy.
[You Have Activated The 'Branch Skill' (Crescent Moon Slash)]
A colossal wave of mana, shaped like a crescent moon, erupted from the blade and tore through the forest. It moved horizontally at impossible speeds, its edges glowing with lethal precision.
Its target: every single beast in his path.
[-100 Mana Pool Rank Points]
[+40 Rank Points To Your Physical Attributes. (Total:49)]
[+60 Rank Points To Your Mana Attributes. (Total:75)]
[Current Mana Pool: 450]
The strike was unstoppable—four times stronger and faster than anything Joe had unleashed before.
In an instant, the crescent wave cleaved through all six Wolfins.
Blood erupted from their bodies like geysers as they were split apart. The earth quaked when their massive forms collapsed lifelessly to the ground, but Joe’s momentum remained unbroken.
His balance never faltered.
Just before he went past their twitching corpses, Joe channeled another pulse of mana into his blade.
“I hope this works. I really don’t have time to stop... Chloe needs me.”
[You Have Activated The 'Unique Skill' (Predator).]
Joe swung his sword once more, this time releasing a mist-like cloud of black mana. It rolled forward in a wave, enveloping the fallen beasts.
The mist consumed their bodies almost instantly, devouring flesh and bone as if they had never existed.
By the time Joe dashed past the site of the massacre, there was nothing left behind.
No blood. No corpses.
Not even a trace that the Wolfins had ever been there.
[Quest Progress: 5/5 Wolfins Have Been Slain.]
[Sub-Quest Complete!]
Reward: 5,000 Rank Points.
[Rank Up Progress: Rank 5 (8,000/10,000) Rank Points Required]
The notifications flashed across Joe's vision like distant whispers. He registered them but paid them little mind. His focus was on the source of the scream he had just heard.
[+9,200 Rank Points For Slaying 6 (Rank 5) 'Small Wolfins'.]
[You Have Ranked Up!]
[New Overall Rank: 6 (7,200/15,000 Rank Points Required]
[Updated Attributes]
• Physical Attributes: 12
• Mana Attributes: 20
• Psychological Attributes: 8
[+6 Mana Beast (Rank 5) Cores Have Been Added To Your inventory.]
[Due To Devouring The Remaining Mana Of The 6 (Rank 5) 'Small Wolfins' (+4, 200 Rank Points) To Your Mana Pool.]
[Updated Mana Pool: 4,650.]
Joe knew those messages were important—he wasn’t an idiot—but now wasn’t the time to focus on them. He needed to find the source of that scream. Fast.
[-25 Mana Pool Rank Points.]
[Current Mana Pool: 4,625.]
Joe didn’t want to risk running into more Mana Beasts, so he improvised. Channeling his mana into his legs, he launched himself skyward.
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The wind rushed past his body as he landed deftly on a sturdy tree branch. Despite the force of his landing, the tree didn’t sway. Stable footing—perfect.
With a determined expression, Joe began leaping from tree to tree. His movements were fluid, like he’d done this a thousand times before. Ranking up had brought noticeable improvements to his agility and mana control. The endless flood of notifications from Syr, annoying as they were, had a visible effect.
[-25 Mana Pool Rank Points.]
[Current Mana Pool: 4,600.]
As Joe pressed forward, something unusual caught his attention. Glowing lights pierced through the dense canopy ahead. Despite the trees and branches obscuring his view, the lights were unmistakable.
Three dark orbs floated in his line of sight—Wolfins. He was used to those by now. What intrigued him were seven bundles of colorful flames. They flickered like candlelight, yet each burned in a unique hue.
“What are those things, Syr?”
[They’re Mana Signatures. They Measure Human’s Mana Quantity. Like Mana Beast Cores, The Bigger The Flame, The Greater The Mana. Humans With Strong Mana Tend To Have Powerful Mana Signatures. Skilled Humans Can Sense Another’s Mana Signature From A Fair Distance. Mana Signatures Are Often Used For Tracking And Gauging A Target’s Strength.]
“Why are you saying sense? Don’t you mean see? I can see them clearly, even with all these trees in the way. I can sense them too, but distinguishing them from the Mana Beast Cores is a mess.” Joe shook his head, deciding to rely on his eyes rather than his senses.
[Normally, Mana Beast Cores Are Visible, But Mana Signatures Shouldn’t Be. The Only Reason You Can See Them Is Due To Your 'Passive Skill' (Outsider’s Perspective). Without It, You’d Have To Rely On Sensory Abilities. But Since That’s Unecessary, Using Your Eyes Is More Efficient.]
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that skill. I guess because it doesn’t need activation or mana.”
[Passive Skill: Outsider’s Perspective.]
• Description: An Outsider’s Eyes Can See Even The Unseen.
• Effect: Improves Sight, Allowing You To Perceive Mana And Its Flow On Living Beings With Ease. Grants Perfect 360-Degree Vision With No Blind Spots. Can See Through Obstacles. Limited Only By Distance.
• Range: 100 Meters (Subject To Increase As You Rank Up )
• Boosts: None.
• Mana Cost (MC): 0
“So, it lets me see mana flow in my target’s body? That could be useful... I guess."
As he finished speaking, another scream tore through the air. This time, it sounded like a man.
Joe’s eyes widened as one of the colorful flames ahead flickered out.
[Mana Is Life. If A Human Runs Out Of Mana, They Die. The Same Applies If They Are Killed—Their Mana Dies With Them.]
The simple explanation sent a chill down Joe’s spine. Almost as if Syr had jinxed it, the flames began extinguishing one by one. Each death was marked by another agonized scream.
Joe quickened his pace, leaping from tree to tree with renewed urgency. Only three flames remained. One of them flickered weakly, on the verge of vanishing.
He pushed himself harder, maintaining a relentless speed for over a minute, until finally—he reached the source of the chaos.
[-25 Mana Pool Rank Points]
[Current Mana Pool: 4,575]
[You Have Deactivated The Skill (Outsider’s Enhancement)]
From above, Joe surveyed the scene below, and his breath hitched.
The scene infront of him was littered with five mutilated corpses. Their insides were exposed, spilling onto the dirt, and the stench was overwhelming—a suffocating mix of rot and death.
Joe instinctively covered his nose with his hand, but it was futile. The smell lingered, settling deep in his chest like a poison he couldn’t escape.
The sight was horrifyingly familiar, almost identical to what he had seen that day.
The day he lost everything.
His mind betrayed him, forcing memories to surface. Images of burning buildings, shattered ground, and lifeless bodies flashed in his head like rapid-fire snapshots. The chaos played out vividly, each frame more haunting than the last. Joe clutched his head with trembling hands, desperately trying to block it out.
He collapsed to his knees.
His chest tightened as panic gripped him. He gasped for air, but it felt like he was suffocating. The thundering beat of his heart drowned out all other sounds.
Then, one image burned brighter than the rest.
Chloe.
Her face appeared as if carved into his mind.
Joe’s hands moved to his chest, clawing at it as if trying to physically pull the pain out. The memory brought a torrent of emotion crashing over him—frustration, regret, denial. Tears spilled down his cheeks, mixing with the dirt and snot dripping from his nose.
The truth he had buried so deeply was undeniable now. Syr was right. Everything had been destroyed.
And Chloe... Chloe really had died that day.
Joe’s tears wouldn’t stop. The pain was too much. He reached for his blade, unsheathing it with trembling hands. He studied its edge, sharp and unyielding, then pressed it to his throat.
If Chloe was gone, life was meaningless.
He gritted his teeth and pushed harder, trying to end it all. But his hands shook violently. His body refused to obey.
Was it fear? Was he truly that afraid to die? Joe had no answer.
"Snap out of it, Shelly!"
The booming voice startled him. His wet eyes darted to the right.
There—a group of three people.
They were alive. Breathing.
Hope flickered in Joe’s chest.
At the front stood a boy with red hair, maybe 17 or 18 years old. He wore a red jacket and black pants. A thin silver sword was present In his right hand, but what stood out most about his appearance was the blood.
Three massive claw marks stretched across his midsection, from his stomach to the side of his ribs. Blood poured from the wounds, pooling at his feet. He was losing too much, too fast.
He wouldn’t survive.
Behind him stood another boy, younger, with black dreadlocks. He was tall and lanky, wearing the same outfit as the red-haired boy. Were they teammates?
Further back was a girl with long green hair cascading down her back. She was on her knees, her expression distraught. She wore a black dress that stopped just above her knees, paired with black heels. In her hands, she clutched a long black staff with a hooked tip.
Joe didn’t need long to realize she was the “Shelly" the boy had called out to.
A low growl diverted Joe’s attention to the left.
Three Mana Beasts emerged from the shadows, their fur marked with red streaks. Their size dwarfed the Wolfins he had fought earlier, and their fur was gradually turning crimson.
[You Have Discovered (Rank 10) 'Big Wolfins.']
[Evolution Stage: 2]
“Evolution stage?”
[Mana Beasts Evolve As They Rank Up. The Wolfins You Fought Earlier Were Stage 1. Think Of These As Their Older, More Dangerous Siblings.]
Joe opened his mouth to respond, but the red-haired boy’s voice cut through the tension.
“Ray! I need you to take Shelly and go!”
The boy with dreadlocks, Ray, protested. “But Kite, you’re in no condition to fight! Let’s try to escape—don’t throw your life away!”
“Look, Ray,” Kite said firmly, his voice unwavering despite his injuries. “I’m the party leader. My orders are final. I’m the one who couldn’t protect our fallen comrades. The least I can do is hold these Mana Beasts back. I can’t afford to lose any more of my friends.”
Kite turned to Ray with a wide, confident smile, one that didn’t match his situation.
“Look after Shelly, Ray. And don’t you dare die!”
Kite turned to face the beasts. “Now go!”
His body was enveloped in a fiery orange aura, his thin silver sword shimmering with the same energy. With a single step forward, Kite vanished from sight.
[Kite Has Activated The Skill (Mana Enhancement)]
Joe blinked in disbelief. Kite’s speed was blinding. The only trace of his movements was the trail of blood dripping from his wounds, painting a crimson path across the battlefield.
“Don’t do it, Kite!”
Ray’s desperate plea fell on deaf ears.
In an instant, Kite reappeared in front of the Mana Beasts.
[Kite Has Activated The 'Swordplay Skill' (Needle Thread).]
Kite’s sword moved with surgical precision, weaving through the beasts like a needle through fabric. With a single fluid slash, one of the creatures’ heads flew clean off. Blood sprayed into the air as the lifeless body collapsed.
But as Kite turned to strike the second beast, his body betrayed him. He coughed violently, blood spurting from his mouth at the worst possible moment. The moment proved fatal.
One of the remaining beasts seized the opportunity and lunged. Its massive claw swung with unrelenting force, severing Kite’s head in one brutal motion.
Kite’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, his blood pooling like a crimson tide. The beasts wasted no time, pouncing on his corpse. They tore into him viciously, their tongues lapping up his blood. Yet, oddly, they didn’t consume him entirely. His legs and stomach were left untouched, glistening with saliva in the aftermath.
Why? Joe couldn’t understand. Were they not hungry? Their actions defied reason, leaving him with more questions than answers.
The silence didn’t last long.
One of the beasts turned its attention toward Ray and Shelly. Its glowing eyes locked onto them, its tongue writhing with excitement. It roared, shaking the ground beneath its massive weight, before charging toward the pair with lethal intent.
[You Have Activated The Skill (Outsider’s Enhancement)]
[-150 Mana Pool Rank Points]
[+60 Rank Points To Your Physical Attributes.]
[Grand Total: 72 Rank Points]
[+90 Rank Points To Your Mana Attributes.]
[Grand Total: 110]
[Current Mana Pool: 4,425]
From the treetops, Joe descended like a meteor, his figure blazing with determination
[You Have Activated The 'Branch Skill' (Death Punch)]
His right fist collided with the beast’s skull, the impact echoing like a thunderclap through the forest. The creature’s head crumpled under the sheer force, its massive body crashing to the ground.
The earth quaked beneath the beast’s weight as cracks radiated outward from the point of impact. Blood gushed from its mouth, pooling beneath its lifeless form.
A small cloud of dust billowed around Joe as he landed. When it cleared, he stood tall over the fallen creature, the victorious figure of a man who had ended the battle with a single, devastating punch.
Ray, still in shock, could barely manage a stammered question.
“W-Who are you...?”
Joe glanced at him briefly before replying, his voice calm and resolute.
“I’m the man who just saved your lives.”