"Are these the only boxes you have?"

Levi asked. He had a frown on his face, something that he didn't portray much.

The boxes they were about to go in and infiltrate, were used to store yeast and other bread-making ingredients. And the smell...almost made Levi nosebleed.

Levi got onto the box, wrapping a scarf around his face, and their infiltration plan started.

As planned the baker would take them to Lark, and spit any lies to get the boxes inside . and it worked. His life was on the line, and the ever-hidden actor came out of him.

'This box….why do I always have to smell the nastiest stuff? .'

Levi thought, wanting to get out as soon as possible. According to Blake's plan at first, Kuma should get out. Simply because he was the strongest out of the three.

But Levi's nose had other plans. The beer-like odour was too much.

'My nose….fuck this.'

Levi got out of the crate, shocking the two culprits and his allies as well. He rubbed his nose through the scarf and pulled the scarf a bit down to let fresh air in. But the smell still lingered in his nose and now came from a different spot.

Levi's nose followed the smell and his eyes fell on Violet.

The shock on her face was clear as daylight, seeing Levi. She murmured something, which Levi couldn't get. All of his senses focused on getting that odour out of his body. He was frustrated to be bothered by just a weird smell.

"Haven't you taken a bath for a month? You smell like shit, no dead fish...no worse than both of those combined."

Next thing he knew, a cutlass, moved right, below his head, with such precision that cut him without any mercy.

*Ting*

The cutlass clashed with another sword, instead of Levi's neck. The hilt of the blocking sword had the logo of a phoenix standing over a mountain, and the metal shone brighter than the room itself.

"Well done, messing up the plan."

Kuma said as he looked back at Levi, not caring, and rubbing his nose. To the point, it had become redder than a clown's nose.

The plan wasn't that messed up. Kuma was supposed to fight the strongest and the battle would soon begin. It's just that, Levi almost lost his life.

"Another one and a big bear at that."

Violet mocked Kuma. Her body was moving back, as the force behind Kuma's attack increased.

"He is right. You do smell."

Kuma struck back with words and the mana around Violet became even more furious. The room started to shake. The ship behind, almost tilted over as the waves of the ocean resonated with the power these two have.

At that time, Blake also got out of his crate and struggled to breathe. Not because of the smell, but the mana those two were emanating.

Being able to handle an A-rank like Kuma meant that Violet also possessed the power of an A-rank…..maybe even more.

Without speaking, they knew whom to fight as Levi and Blake looked at each other and nodded. Levi checked the stats of Violet and Lark.

The smelly lady was A-rank, Her profession, like how she looked, was a pirate. The most striking part about her stats was the [Title]. Levi had only met four people in this world face to face who had titles. Siras, the pope, the Roman headmaster, Fiona and Duke Soron.

All of them were S-rank. Even Kuma considered one of the strongest, not just in the family but the world, didn't have a title.

[Tempestia] That was her title, and the name spoke enough to what she could do.

Having a skill and [Title] made a lot of difference in power. A skill doesn't grow. When an awakener reaches a new level, the skill doesn't grow. Because of the newly upgraded stat, only a part of it may grow. And a skill level never changes.

If it's a D-rank, it will always be a D-rank.

But a [Title] evolves with the awakener, giving them a new sort of power, each time it levels up and can also possess some sort of new power with it.

Lark's level also surprised Levi. Unlike how he carried himself and the aura around him, he was a B-rank awakener, with an odd profession.

'Sailor Swordsman. That's new.'

As Levi was analysing their strength, the clash between Violet and Kuma escalated very quickly. Violet started using [Tempestia] and the air around the room started to rotate in a clockwise direction.

The wind started to get smaller, trying to trap Kuma in a tornado, cutting him apart, like a mixer grinder. Before he was chopped, Kuma let out his mana in an anticlockwise direction.

The movement of air and mana opposite clashed and released a huge amount of force into the whole room.

*Boom*

Everything in the room was pushed. Every piece of furniture in the room immediately broke apart, flying anywhere the force took it. Levi held his ground, striking his weapon onto the ground and enforced his body with mana. Blake did the same.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Even after doing that, they felt like they were being driven at the speed of a car, without any seatbelt.

The two A-ranks in the middle of the storm, felt the most, as both of them were launched into the ship port, far from this room.

"Fucking Hell."

Levi cursed and looked at the causes of the explosion, thrown away into the ocean.

Violet moved her wrist in a circular motion. The air around her moved in unison, gently around her hips and then to her legs. And once she was about to land the wind lessened the fall. Truly, the power of [Temepestia.]

On the other hand, Kuma just rotated his body, slowing himself, and his landing wasn't graceful. The moment his feet touched the ground, the wooden port he stood on formed a crack.

"Don't destroy everything I own."

Violet said as she rushed towards Kuma, as the battle between the two began.

Blake wanted to shout and ask if Kuma was fine but he didn't. Letting his enemies know his identity wasn't the best option. And his knight stood amongst the best, so he didn't need to worry.

Instead, he needed to focus on the things he could do. The force in the room decapitated, letting everyone inside move freely.

"You pieces of shit. Why did you have to mess with me at this time?"

Lark shouted. Furious and annoyed. His two months of preparation, the game of hide and seek with the guards and other keen eyes. Everything led to this moment. And now some unknown stranger messed it up.

Lark's mana oozed out to his sword and it started turning darker and menacing.

Blake gripped his spear and looked at Levi holding a different weapon than usual. Not a bow but a poleaxe. An odd weapon where, the point was of a spear, on the side of it was the sharp edge of an axe and a small hammer next to it, on the same head.

He could understand Levi not using a bow. The room was too small and without speaking both knew, they had to team up, just like last time.

But when did Levi even learn to use a poleaxe? Blake had never seen him use it ever before.

As Blake was in his thoughts, Lark's anger kept on growing. Desperation and hopelessness had made him a madman. So close, he was so close yet. Now everything seemed to slip away from him.

He looked at Levi, the first one who came out, who started all of this. He ran towards Levi, thrusting his sword. Levi wanted to move his weapon, but it felt heavy. Something weighed him down.

'Gravitational Confinement. What a pain in the ass of a skill.'

Levi could barely even lift his finger. Blake wanted to move, but immediately felt something heavy.

Now, Lark's sword was right at Levi's neck, but instead of flesh being torn apart, the shattering of the mirror echoed inside the destroyed room.

Lark was momentarily pushed back and before he attacked again, a white magic circle formed just at his ribs.

A mirror spear came out of it, but Lark jumped back before being hit.

'I didn't want to use this, in front of someone that knows me.'

Levi turned at Blake, bewildered and shocked at what he had just seen. Magic circle that just formed weapons and was done by an archer nonetheless.

However, he didn't ponder on it too much. He needed to find a way to get out of it, fast. Cause he doubted Levi could form a magic circle that far.

Lark again attacked Levi. To him, Blake seemed a lot less threatening. But unlike before, Levi moved, well only his right hand moved, and the poleaxe blocked the sword.

'I can move.'

Levi had started chanting and with the heaviness, pain spread across his body. This is the reason he wanted to find a different way to use [Essence]. Because now he felt pain and every living being avoided it.

The force behind the attack pushed Levi back and the heaviness in his body disappeared.

'So that's how it works.'

The skill wasn't aimed at the user but at the space around him. If the enemy moved, the gravitational confinement stayed at the same spot.

Before Lark used the skill again, Levi ran to Blake and pulled him out.

"Keep running. His skill is to trap, not control."

Blake nodded and both started running in circles around Lark. They couldn't see but when their body felt heavy they would just turn away.

"Tsk."

Lark clicked his tongue. They had found a way to get out of this but not alone. If they don't kill or knock him out, soon the whole room will be under his gravity, with nowhere to run.

Blake rotated his body avoiding the gravity traps, and went for the attack.

'Dragon Slaying Spear: Scale Shatter'

His spear vibrated and covered in a golden hue, moved to Lark's chest.

*Ting*

The spear met Lark's sword and he was slowly pushed back. The attack was a lot stronger than he anticipated. Levi came in from the right and thrust his pole axe. Not with the same strength, but enough to kill Lark.

Before any of their attacks did their jobs, gravity weighed them down again. But this time, Levi could barely move his body.

'Even if it's just a touch.'

Levi extended his arm and caught Lark, off guard, giving him a small cut on his cheek.

Bewildered, he turned to Levi.

"How are you able to move in my domain?"

As he said that, Levi coughed blood. The force of gravity and the energy he was getting from [Essence] was taking a toll on his body.

'This is exactly what worried me.'

Lark didn't miss this. He swung his sword and Levi barely blocked it. But the force behind it again was too much. As he was flung across, his body passed through the Gravitational Confinement.

It exactly felt like passing through walls when hit by a super punch.

Lark turned to Blake, but instead, he got a kick in the stomach. He also had the same experience as Levi. A burning sensation spread through their body, especially to their back and head.

'I finally understand the clear difference between ranks now.'

Levi though had experience and even won against some A-ranks, now he was struggling against a B-rank. Mainly cause, he unlocked 'Pain'.

Pain caused him to hesitate, rethink his actions and overthink. But the psycho inside him wanted blood. To see Lark who caused him pain, bleed dry, cut him apart skin by skin and crush every bone in his body.

'Let it go, Levi. Breathe and let it flow.'

Levi chanted and [Essence] as usual started adoring his beliefs. Something, he needed something else, not entirely new, but a new beginning...a new perspective.

As he rose, Levi wondered what if…..he could use [Essence] like mana. He couldn't see it nor could others. But only he knew it existed and could feel it.

His eyes watched Lark walk towards him. Without any accuracy or power, Levi created mirror weapons around him and flung them towards Lark, who just simply destroyed them, with a simple swing or dodged it.

Even so, Levi couldn't care. He focused on something else.

'Strength comes with desperation and the will to overcome it.'

Levi then started chanting,

'I have the mana of an S-rank.'

'I possess the mana of an S-rank.'

Mana started building up in his body. So much, that he felt his heart trying to jump out of him.

But he didn't give up. He accepted pain, and let it go. In that process, he slowly threw the mana out of his body just like Yuki taught him and imagined the most important thing she said to him.

"Ummm...remember that mana is energy but how you use it is up to you and your imagination. The more vivid you imagine something, the stronger the output. And….never doubt what you can do. Because magic never falls into one's boundary. It was meant to destroy the meaning of limit itself. So let your imagination blossom…..and spark a light within you."

His hand moved as he opened his palm, trying to get something out of it. Lark didn't stop. He didn't sense any mana coming through it and thought of it as a mere facade.

'No doubts, no boundaries, imagine it, feel it and...…spark it.'

*Click*

"WHAT?"

Lark shouted and took a defensive stance, as a wave of flames engulfed him.