Kazuki stood at the edge of the ancient forest—an untamed abyss where only the strongest of creatures roamed. His eyes scanned the trees, and with a single flash of light, he vanished, appearing deep within.

  He activated his aura, a silent signal that radiated across the land like a call to war.

  And the monsters answered.

  From the shadows emerged a Razorwind Basilisk, its serrated wings cutting the air with shrill howls. A Crimson Fenrir, its fur ablaze with heat. A pack of Grave Howlers, spectral wolves that phased through trees. A Thunder Serpent, sparking with energy. Dozens of Fangroot Trolls, Mirage Manticores, and Arcane Stalkers—beasts that would tear apart any ordinary adventuring party—charged him.

  But Kazuki was far from ordinary now.

  He vanished and reappeared mid-air, slicing clean through the Razorwind Basilisk with one dagger and impaling a Grave Howler with the other. His movements were flawless, every motion calculated with his Total Concentration skill.

  The Thunder Serpent lunged, spitting arcs of lightning. Kazuki extended his hand and cast Reflector Dome, redirecting the blast into the approaching Fenrir. He dashed between the mages and flyers, slicing down creatures faster than they could register his presence.

  He summoned pillars of flame and torrents of water with hybrid-element spells, combining them into devastating waves. Every monster that fell became a part of his grand strategy.

  Finally, as the last Spectral Leech Drake shrieked and collapsed, Kazuki raised his arm and whispered:

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  "Come forth."

  Black mist swirled around the battlefield as the bodies of the defeated monsters shuddered. One by one, their souls were bound into his dark army. Some retained humanoid forms—knights in shadowy armor—others monstrous and unrecognizable, twisted into new power.

  Status screens popped before his eyes:

  > Dark Army Updated:

  563 Soldiers

  254 Mages

  123 Flyers

  54 Tanks

  He sealed them into his dimension.

  Just as he took a breath, the ground shook.

  A roar cracked through the forest like thunder, and an enormous silhouette descended from the clouds.

  Abyssal Tyrant: SS-Rank Skyfire Dragon

  Wings that blotted out the sun. Scales like molten obsidian. Eyes like a dying star.

  Kazuki’s cloak whipped violently as the dragon landed.

  It lunged.

  Kazuki activated Total Concentration. Time felt slower. He dodged its lunge, but the next hit sent him flying, crashing through trees and stone.

  Blood poured from his chest. The dragon appeared above him in an instant and impaled him through the torso with a talon.

  Kazuki's vision blurred. He focused—not on healing—but on knowledge.

  "The world… its rules… if I understand them… I can bend them."

  He recalled patterns of time and space, quantum fluctuations, the constants of reality.

  Then—clarity.

  > Aptitude Unlocked: Non-Elemental Magic

  He gasped. A beam of light burst from his chest as he cast Recovery. His body glowed, and his aura exploded outward with renewed intensity.

  He rocketed into the sky like a comet.

  The dragon recoiled.

  “You should be dead,” it rumbled.

  Kazuki didn’t respond. His daggers glowed with new energy. He sliced through the beast’s wing, spun mid-air, and cleaved through its chest. The dragon roared in agony, trying to heal—but Kazuki was already at its neck.

  One clean cut.

  Silence.

  He stood on the dragon’s corpse. And whispered again, “Come forth.”

  The SS-rank dragon’s body darkened. Its silhouette reformed into a Dark Dragon Soldier, keeping its majestic form. Its red eyes now glowed violet.

  > Dark Soldier Gained: SS-Rank Abyssal Dragon

  More screens appeared:

  > Combat Stats: 1250+

  INT: 400

  Kazuki lifted a hand. Concentrating, he summoned a pure orb of non-elemental energy. Lightning, heat, force—it all danced within.

  He launched it.

  Annihilation.

  The forest shook. Craters formed. Trees vaporized. Even monsters reduced to atoms had their lingering souls turned into soldiers.

  ---

  Back at the Duke’s Estate

  Kazuki arrived as the sun set.

  The Duke turned, astonished. “Did… Did you cause that quake?”

  Kazuki simply said, “The dragon’s gone. I’m ready for what’s next.”

  The Duke nodded grimly. “Then come. We must speak of the Seer… and R.I.S.K. has made their move.”