[You Have Slain A [Rank 10] 'Big Wolflin']
[+4,600 Rank Points]
[Rank Up Progress:6 [11,800/15 000 Rank Points Required]
A guttural growl from one of the remaining Mana Beasts pulled Joe’s attention. He crouched slightly, fists clenched, and with a single explosive step, his figure disappeared into the air.
[You Have Activated The 'Branch Skill' (Death Punch)]
Joe reappeared before the beast, his fist crashing into its forehead with devastating force. A sickening crack echoed through the forest as the beast’s massive body was hurled backward like a ragdoll. It slammed into a tree, the impact splintering the trunk and filling the air with the unmistakable sound of shattering bones. Blood streaked down the bark like smeared paint as the beast slumped lifelessly to the ground.
[You Have Slain A [Rank 10] Big 'Wolflin']
[+4,600 Rank Points]
[You Have Ranked Up!]
[New Overall Rank: 7 [1,400/20 000 Rank Points Required]
[Updated Attributes]
• Physical Attributes: 15
• Mana Attributes: 25
• Psychological Attributes: 10
[You Have Deactivated The Skill (Outsider's Enhancement)]
Joe straightened, about to let a satisfied grin spread across his face when a sharp pain shot through his body. His body was forced into a paralyzed state for seconds on end. He couldn't do anything but endure the pain that refused to retreat. A few seconds rolled by before finally, he regained control of his figure and the pain escaped as suddenly as it appeared.
“Dammit! What was that?” Joe asked, moving his arms to ensure the discomfort subsided.
[This Is What Happens When You Overload Your Body With Mana. The Gap Between Your Mana And Physical Attributes Can Lead To Severe Injuries If Not Properly Managed.]
"You should've warned me Syr, what If I went numb a moment too early? That beast could've killed me!" Joe yelled, trying to bury the thought deep in his mind.
[You Should Think First Before Acting. Did You Really Belleve Your Body Could Handle That Much Mana Without Some Side Effects? You're Lucky Your Body Hasn't Broken Down Yet]
"I'm still new to this mana stuff ok? I may have gone a little overboard. Using mana is like taking a drug you know? It's an adrenaline rush that makes you feel alive." Joe had a smile on his face, similar to a junkie hyping up their favorite drug.
He observed his body checking if no bones were broken or cracked, "I'll try to control my mana, I can't afford another moment like that in a forest like this." Joe confirmed that everything was still intact and relief rushed down his entire figure.
The smell coming from the Wolfin he just smashed forced him to raise his eyes towards the direction of the smell. He took casual steps before he finally stood infront of the bloody beast.
He crouched and placed his hand on its corpse and from the palm of his right hand, black mana taking the form of a misty cloud, enveloped the beast. It absorbed it whole leaving nothing behind.
[Due To Devouring The Remaining Mana Of The Rank 10 'Big Wolfin' (+1, 700 Rank Points) To Your Mana Pool.]
[Current Mana Pool: 6, 125]
Joe felt the surge of the Wolfin's mana as it travelled his entire body. It was definitely a notable amount if mana, but it wasn't pleasant to devour. it tasted like a dog's vomit. All the Wolfins he had consumed up to this point had this after taste, but it intensified as the Wolfin he faced got more and more powerful. Joe got up to his feet wishing he could cleanse his insides with soap.
He turned around to face Ray and Shelly, he expected some kind of thanks—or at least relief—after his efforts. Instead, he was greeted with hostility.
“I asked you a question, dammit! Who are you?” Ray barked, his voice loud and demanding.
Joe noticed the small dagger in Ray’s hand, its blade engraved with strange, glowing inscriptions. They were similar to the ones on the his black blade, but Joe's inscriptions did not glow.
Ray’s eyes locked directly with Joe, they had an intensity that would scare most people. Joe's eyes just bounced between Ray's blade and face, he was more interested in the blade than their little starring contest.
“I mean you no harm, I promise. My name’s Joe!” he tried to smile, looking to ease the tension.
“Joe? Never heard of anyone by that name,” Ray retorted, narrowing his eyes. “Who sent you here? Are you here to finish off our par—”
[You Have Activated The Skill (Outsider’s Enhancement)]
[-10 To Your Mana Pool]
Before he could finish, Joe appeared beside him in a flash. Leaning close to Ray’s ear, he whispered, “If I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead.”
Ray’s eyes widened in shock. Staggering backward, he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. Joe saw the shift in his expression; the fire in Ray’s glare was snuffed out, replaced by something else entirely.
Fear
[You Have Deactivated The Skill Outsider's Enhancement]
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[Current Mana Pool: 6115]
Joe kept Syrs warning in mind. Instead of overloading his body—he planned to only use [Outsider's Enhancement] in short butsts. The less time the better.
He could see his approach was having the opposite effect that he wanted from Ray. How could he prove his not a threat when the man looked horrified of him? He scratched his head searching for a better solution.
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft mumbling. Turning his gaze to Shelly, he saw her still kneeling on the ground. She clutched her head, tears streaming down her pale cheeks as she muttered, “I’m sorry... I’m sorry... It’s all my fault...”
Her voice, faint at first, grew louder and clearer. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry...”
Ray’s expression hardened as he turned to Shelly. His fists clenched, and his voice was cold as ice. Suddenly, the fear in his eyes vanished. He marched towards Shelly in rushed steps, not even bothering with Joe. It was like he wasn't even there. His emotions were clearly in control of him.
“You think apologizing will bring them back?”
Shelly flinched at his tone, her trembling form looking up at him, her lips parting as though to speak—but Ray grabbed her by the throat.
Yanking her off the ground, he slammed her into a tree with a sickening thud. His grip tightened around her neck as Shelly choked and gasped for air.
“Kite and the whole party died because of you!” Ray roared, his voice breaking with rage. “If you’d just healed them like you were supposed to—!”
A sharp slap sent Shelly sprawling to the ground, a red handprint blooming on her cheek as blood trickled from the corner of her lips. Before she could recover, Ray delivered a brutal kick to her stomach, eliciting a piercing scream that echoed through the forest.1
“You don’t deserve to cry, you bitch! What about them? What about all the screams they made while you stood there and watched them die?”
Ray raised his foot, preparing to stomp her into the ground, but a light tap on his shoulder stopped him mid-motion.
“What the—” Ray turned, only to be silenced by a straight punch to the jaw. The blow sent him flying backward, his body crashing into a tree with a sickening crack.
The attacker, of course, was Joe.
Cracking his knuckles, Joe glared at Ray’s crumpled form. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but I can’t just stand by and watch while you beat someone to death. Didn’t your mother teach you basic manners?”
Joe turned to Shelly, his expression softening. “Are you alright?”
Shelly stared at him with wide eyes, unable to speak. She nodded faintly, brushing the tears from her face as best she could.
“Who are you?” she asked, her voice shaky and pained.
Joe offered a reassuring smile. “The name’s Joe."
Before Shelly could respond, Ray began to stir.
“You son of a bitch...” Ray muttered, struggling to his feet. He wiped the blood from his mouth and readjusted his broken nose, his glare sharp and filled with venom. “That one actually hurt.”
Ray caressed his jaw, then shot a hateful look at Joe and Shelly. “You’re siding with her? Do you even know what she’s done? She let our teammates die—Kite gave his life for her! I can’t accept that! I won’t accept that! I’ll kill her!"
His dagger flared to life, the inscriptions glowing red as he funneled his mana into the blade.
[The Mana Tool: Scorching Dagger (C-Class) Has Been Unsealed.]
Flames erupted from the weapon, the heat distorting the air around it. Tears streamed down Ray’s face as he yelled, “This dagger was a gift from Kite... How am I supposed to tell Kate her brother’s dead? How? This is all your fault, Shelly!”
Shelly began trembling again, Ray’s words cutting deep. Her lips quivered as fresh tears fell.
[Ray Has Activated The Skill (Shadow Step)]
Ray vanished, his footsteps silent as a predator in the dark.
Joe reacted instinctively. Grabbing Shelly by her dress, he yanked her behind him. She shrieked in alarm, but he didn’t have the luxury to explain.
Though Ray had disappeared, Joe's sharp senses tracked a faint, glowing orange outline—a trace of Ray’s mana signature betraying his position.
Ray reappeared in front of Joe, his blade carving a deadly horizontal arc aimed straight at Joe’s face.
Joe ducked just in time, the blade whistling inches above his hair. Without hesitation, Joe's right fist shot forward, slamming into Ray’s unguarded midsection. The punch drove deep, forcing the air from Ray’s lungs and spitting saliva from his mouth. A burst of concentrated mana exploded from Joe's fist as he followed through, sending Ray skidding across the ground.
The mana surrounding Joe’s hand dissipated immediately after the strike. He was careful to use [Outsider's Enhancement] efficiently, though precisely controlling his mana was a challenge. Letting it flow freely was far easier than concentrating it around a section of your body.
[Current Mana Pool: 6,105]
Joe noted that his burst-and-retreat strategy minimized mana expenditure—which was nice to see.
Ray clutched his stomach, blood dripping from his mouth and splattering onto the ground like glue. He grimaced but managed to straighten up, extending an unarmed hand toward Joe.
“Damn it... You’re better than I thought,” he admitted with a strained smirk. “Listen, I’ll forget what you did. Join me, and we’ll form a new party. Just the two of us. What do you say?”
Joe’s eyes narrowed. “Why would I join someone weaker than me? That’d be stupid.”
Ray’s expression twisted in fury. “That’s it! You’re dead!”
[Ray Has Activated The Skill (Shadow Step).]
Once again, Ray’s movements became eerily silent, his speed bordering on untraceable. But Joe’s eyes followed him. He looked up just in time to see Ray descending from above, dagger poised for a lethal vertical slash.
Mana surged around Joe’s feet, propelling him backward and creating vital distance [Outsider's Enhancement.] The dagger sliced the air where his face had been, the heat radiating from it brushing against his skin. One touch, and he’d be finished.
[Current Mana Pool: 6,095]
Joe skidded to a stop a few paces away. His eyes locked onto Ray, zeroing in on the intricate pathways of mana flowing through his opponent’s body. [Outsider's Perspective] painted a vivid image of Ray’s mana system—its source pulsing from his heart, branching into a network across his limbs.
Ray landed with a thud and immediately charged forward, his mana focusing around his dagger.
Something big was coming.
“Ignite!” Ray roared.
A wave of fire burst from the dagger, surging toward Joe like a living inferno.
Reacting instantly, Joe gripped his blade, his entire body shrouded in black mana. With a powerful swing, he unleashed a dark crescent slash that collided with the oncoming flames.
[You have Activated The 'Branch Skill' (Crescent Moon Slash).]
[Current Mana Pool: 6,070]
The clash produced a thick smoke screen, forcing Joe to slide back further. Heat scorched his body, searing the skin on his arms. He clenched his teeth, enduring the pain.
The sudden burst of mana from his entire body weighed him down, leaving him sluggish. Still, he knew it was necessary—without that protection, the burns would have been far worse.
Through the dissipating smoke, Joe’s eyes scanned for Ray’s location, his senses on high alert.
Through the haze of smoke, he couldn’t hear Ray’s footsteps, but he could see it—his glowing silhouette moving closer with unnerving speed.
Joe’s enhanced vision tracked Ray’s movements, watching the energy pulse through his arm as he prepared to strike.
At the last possible moment, Joe yanked his head to the left, narrowly dodging the fiery blade. The dagger grazed his cheek, sending a searing pain through his body, but he clenched his teeth and pushed through.
Ray overextended. It was the opening Joe needed.
With a swift, calculated motion, Joe swung his black blade, the shadows coating it humming with energy. The blade tore through Ray’s torso with brutal efficiency.
Blood erupted from Ray’s body, his scream cutting off as his lifeless form collapsed to the ground.
The smoke cleared, revealing Joe standing amidst the carnage. His blade dripped with blood, and his face was pale, his expression unreadable.
He had won.
But as he looked down at Ray’s body, the full weight of what he’d done hit him like a tidal wave. The split corpse, the pool of blood—it was undeniable.
For the first time in his life, Joe had killed a human.
The realization froze him in place, his bloodied hands trembling. The weight of the moment bore down on him, heavier than any battle he’d ever fought.