Horiz keenly sensed the mounting anxiety within his soon-to-be-deceased comrades, their heartbeats accelerating in fearful anticipation. This was their final chance to change the course of their lives, to somehow escape the clutches of the gigantic Cobra.

With each step taken by the Cobra King, its majesty became more pronounced. The texture of its skin hinted at the pain it had endured, bearing the marks of torment upon its scales. Its immense black marble eyes emitted an eerie whitish glow, intensifying the aura of dread that enveloped its prey.

Alvin unleashed a barrage of spells, aiming for the head of the King Cobra. Yet, his efforts proved in vain, unable to leave even the slightest scratch on its formidable visage. A rank 5 beast was well beyond their capabilities. Its strength and impenetrable skin presented a challenge that required 5th rank spells to even make a dent in its defense.

Just a few feet away, the Cobra King poised to devour them. They watched in horror as its jaws opened before their eyes. The Cobra bellowed, and they caught a glimpse of its venomous glands. In a soft whisper, Hariz spoke a single word, "Door."

Instantly, a door materialized before their astonished eyes, a massive metal barrier lodged in the snake's mouth. The Cobra couldn't swallow it or dislodge it. The door became trapped, even as the creature thrashed its body and tail, wreaking havoc on the surrounding trees.

With boldness, Horiz stepped forward, fearlessly approaching the King Cobra. Alvin and Han realized that Horris harbored no fear of the enormous snake. They yearned to pull him to safety, but their courage faltered. A single strike from the snake's tail could mean instant death.

Hariz looked up at the sky. "Heavy Sword."

Out of thin air, a colossal metal blade materialized, hurtling towards the ground with astonishing speed. Gravity dutifully pulled it down. Alvin and Han stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the descending sword—headed straight for Horiz and the snake. They wanted to rescue him from the imminent danger, but fear held them back.

The heavy metal sword impaled the King Cobra's body. In the ensuing chaos, dust swirled, obscuring the aftermath of the collision. As the dust settled, the seniors witnessed the sight of the massive sword deeply embedded in the snake's body. It would take time for them to process and comprehend the extraordinary event they had just witnessed. It was an unbelievable occurrence, an experience they would struggle to convince others of.

Within seconds, the metal sword and the door vanished, leaving behind a serene silence. The seniors continued to gaze at the lifeless corpse, trying to understand how Hariz had accomplished the impossible. What astonished them the most was his reliance on basic spells, the ones even children could perform effortlessly. However, the mana consumption was incredibly high; summoning a substance from thin air required a significant expenditure of energy.

A first-rank mage had effortlessly defeated a rank 5 beast—a feat that seemed impossible but one they had witnessed.

Now, they knew that Horiz was more than just a privileged individual; he was destined to become a prominent figure in their realm. Although the incident had occurred only minutes ago, Horiz had vanished without a trace. His seniors had already formed a mental image of him as a formidable entity—a monster in their minds.

The colossal Cobra's carcass held immense value, worth thousands, yet they would be unable to prove their involvement in its demise. Horiz, unwilling to unveil his true strength, witnessed Albin and Han's helplessness as they struggled to even penetrate the creature's skin. Realizing that claiming the carcass would only bring trouble, Horiz persuaded them to abandon it, reluctantly leaving behind a valuable prize.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

After the chaotic events, the group called it a day. Albin and Han were filled with astonishment, their emotions stirred by the extraordinary occurrences they had witnessed. It had been an eventful day. The only thing Horiz gained from this expedition was the respect and admiration of his two senior companions.

To qualify for the next stage, they needed a minimum of three encounters with rank 2 monsters. The seniors comprehended Horiz's capabilities and strength. With Horiz on their team, they had a great chance of winning the summer hunt at the magic high. They understood that even for rank 5 mages, killing a King Cobra alone was nearly impossible. As long as Horiz remained a part of their team, they would be unrivaled in the summer hunt.

Horiz contemplated his current status, realizing that his growth had reached a standstill. He needed to discover new methods to enhance his power.

Horiz

Mage: High Rank 1

Artifacts: Divine Metal Door, exclusive Wooden door, Heavy metal sword

Mystic Art: Infinitly Reversible Worldly Mana (Rank 0)

Mana: 999

As Horiz examined his Mystic Art section, he grew displeased upon encountering unfamiliar terms. "Infinitely Reversible Worldly Mana" was a concept he had never come across. Despite thorough searches through numerous libraries and consultations with notable figures, he found no mention of it. How could anyone be aware of it when he was the one who had created this Mystic Art? It seemed like a feeble attempt at crafting a Mystic Art. Up until now, all Mystic Arts had been handed down from ancient humans.

Horiz had previously tried to learn various Mystic Arts but found none that suited him. This predicament was the reason he remained stuck at high rank 1, unable to progress. Breaking through this barrier and stepping into the next realm seemed impossible without knowledge. Consequently, his growth had reached a standstill.

Seeking alternative methods to enhance his strength, Horiz began exploring external means instead of relying solely on internal abilities. The results were astounding, and he achieved an incredible power, comparable to that of a middle rank 5 mage. It was akin to an ant possessing the strength of a tiger. However, even these external methods had now reached their limits, leaving Horiz once again at a dead end.

Returning to his extravagant basement, Horiz effortlessly transformed the lavish space into a simple, old basement. Though reminiscent of accommodations reserved for lower-ranked magic high students, it was surprisingly vast in size. In a moment, Horiz changed his attire to that of a spy or agent embarking on a mission. Wearing a large coat and a mask to conceal his face, he set off on his journey. Where was he headed? His destination was simple—to investigate the culprit before the upcoming assassination trial. A Cobra king would never leave its den or territory to hunt without external influence. This knowledge prompted Horiz to hide after killing the Cobra, hoping to lure out the perpetrator. Unfortunately, the culprit remained vigilant and refused to reveal themselves.

Now, darkness had descended. Confident that no one had witnessed his battle with the Cobra king, Horiz anticipated that the culprit would eventually appear to inspect the corpse and investigate how the Cobra met its demise. Determined, Horiz dashed to the hunting forest, arriving swiftly to find the corpse still intact. Conscious of his own safety, he understood that if he failed to eliminate this enemy soon, they would launch a more severe attack against him.

"There is someone on the tree," Horiz realized he had fallen under the detection of his stealth spell.

Intrigued and fascinated, Horiz marveled at the abilities of this individual, as ordinary rank 5 mages would not be able to see through his disguise. Aware of the advanced nature of his own spell, Horiz swiftly sought a new hiding place, determined to ascertain if this person could discover his whereabouts once again.