Nova took a deep breath, his muscles tense and his mind focused as he prepared to push his mastery of Spear Thrust to level 15.

  He quickly fell into a routine: training relentlessly for 24 hours, stepping out briefly to eat, returning to rest for a couple of hours, and then repeating the cycle without hesitation.

  By the end of the first day and a half, he had achieved his goal—Spear Thrust had reached level 15. Without pause, he switched to Spear Jab. His relentless determination bore fruit in just four days, pushing Spear Jab to the same mastery level.

  Next, he transitioned to Spear Sweep with the same intensity and focus. Time blurred as his strikes became more fluid and precise, the movements etched into his body through sheer repetition.

  By the end of the seventh day, Nova finally stopped. His breathing was steady, though small beads of sweat dotted his forehead. The weight of his training session lingered in the air.

  ‘This session was quite good’, he thought before checking his progress ‘Status’.

  [Status]

  Rank: 0

  Name: Nova Grey

  Species: Human

  Affiliation: None

  Level: 3 (100/500)

  Class: None

  Titles: Goblin Exterminator, Kings Slayer, Survivor, Spear Novice, Troll Exterminator

  Stat Points: 126

  Attributes:

  Strength: 112 (+129)

  Vigor: 85 (+98)

  Dexterity: 135 (+158)

  Speed: 95 (+117)

  Intelligence: 51 (+54)

  Wisdom: 95 (+100)

  Will: 9

  Luck: 10

  Skills

  Active: Spear Thrust (15) (41/16384000), Spear Jab (15) (19/16384000), Spear Sweep (12) (687414/2048000), Spear Lunge (10) (789/512000), Spear Overhead Strike (10) (757/512000)

  Passive: Regeneration (8) (48359/64000), Keen Reflexes (2) (1874/2000), Momentum Streak (9) (178510/256000), One with the Spear (MAX)

  Seeing his status, Nova's eyes widened as a realization struck him. ‘How could I forget to increase Regeneration…?’

  Without wasting another moment, he removed his light armor and gripped his spear tightly in his left hand. With a swift, fluid motion, he slashed the blade in a clean arc across his right shoulder. His arm fell to the ground, severed completely.

  His jaw clenched as waves of pain shot through him, his teeth grinding so hard it felt like they might shatter. His knuckles turned white from the force of his grip. ‘This hurts more than I expected.’

  Despite the agony, Nova remained focused. Within moments, his body's natural regenerative ability began to work. The bleeding slowed and stopped entirely after just five minutes. Though the pain lingered, Nova’s gaze was sharp, determined to see how far his healing ability could be pushed.

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  “It should be enough to last a week” Nova muttered to himself as he made his way to the same room where he had met with his generals a week prior.

  On his way, several subordinates cast wary glances in his direction—fearful and confused. They didn’t dare stop him or ask questions as he strode past with his usual smile.

  When Nova entered the room, his generals were already waiting for him. However, their eyes widened in shock when they noticed he was missing an arm. Panic swept across their faces as fear gripped them.

  Who could have taken this monster’s arm?

  The thought was terrifying—if someone could defeat Nova like that, then a far greater danger must be looming.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Nova chuckled as he caught on to their expressions. “I cut it off myself. No need to worry.”

  His words had the opposite effect. A deeper fear settled into their bones, as if something had just snapped in their leader’s mind.

  “B-b-boss… why?” Adira stammered, struggling to form a coherent sentence.

  The others stayed silent, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

  “It’s for training” Nova replied with a casual smile.

  “Y-y-yes, of course… training. Right?” Adira muttered, trembling slightly.

  The rest of the group wasn’t far from breaking down. After all, who in their right mind would do something like this?

  Summoning his courage, Alaric finally asked, “Boss, what’s the test you wanted to give us?”

  “Thanks for reminding me” Nova’s gaze sharpened as he studied them. “You’ve grown stronger, right?”

  The sound of nervous gulps filled the room before they nodded, unsure of what Nova had in store for them.

  Nova nodded and continued, “Since you’re stronger now, here’s what you’ll do.”

  He turned to Alaric. “I’m giving you one week to take control of the Broken Chain.”

  Alaric’s eyes widened in disbelief. For a brief moment, he thought Nova was joking, but the dead-serious expression on Nova’s face wiped any doubts from his mind. He nodded bitterly, already dreading the monumental task ahead.

  Nova shifted his gaze to Darius. “You will go and clear a Green portal.”

  Darius felt the world collapse around him. A Green portal was no joke. He forced a weak smile and asked, “Am I even strong enough for that?”

  “I don’t know” Nova replied with a shrug. “Have you reached One with the Sword?”

  “No… but I’m close” Darius said, trying to sound confident.

  Nova’s grin was sharp and cold. “Then you’ll either achieve it or die inside the portal. Easy, right?”

  Darius could only nod, his bitter silence matching Alaric’s. Their gazes met briefly, both filled with mutual understanding and dread. They shook their heads slightly in shared resignation.

  Next, Nova turned to Hector. “You found some subordinates, right?”

  Hector nodded stiffly, his dread rising as he waited for his orders.

  “Your task is to guard this side of the city” Nova instructed. Seeing Hector’s confused expression, he elaborated. “No random killings. Keep this side safe for the civilians and make sure they respect the new rules. If someone breaks those rules, you can kill them. But if any civilian is killed by some random people, you’ll need to kill the offender and one of your own subordinates as punishment. Understood?”

  Monster.

  That was the only word running through the seven generals’ minds after hearing Nova’s commands.

  Hector, despite his dread, understood why Nova had assigned him such a task. But the method was as ruthless as it was effective. His gaze drifted to Nova’s missing arm, and he felt a bitter smile tug at his lips. He wasn’t the only one drowning in despair—Alaric and Darius looked just as defeated. With a resigned nod, Hector said, “Leave it to me.”

  “Good” Nova replied before turning his gaze to Adira. She immediately started trembling, her nerves fraying before she even knew what her test was.

  “Calm down. I don’t bite” Nova said with a smile.

  The attempt at humor did little to ease her tension. Seeing this, Nova added, “Your test is easier.”

  Adira’s breath hitched. The momentary panic in her mind began to clear, and she finally started thinking rationally again.

  “I want you to blind yourself—”

  “No, boss! Please don’t take my eyes!” she interrupted, pleading with all her might.

  Nova chuckled. “I don’t mean literally blind yourself. Just don’t use your sight until the others complete their tests. Also, you’re not allowed to stay indoors. Sleep outside and explore as much as you can.”

  Adira exhaled in relief. Compared to the others’ grueling tests, this wasn’t so bad. Sleeping outside was manageable, and training without sight was something she’d always thought would sharpen her senses. “Yes, boss!” she answered enthusiastically.

  Finally, Nova turned to Shira. “Your task: bring me every bit of information on anyone who wants to rebel. I want important names, numbers, and especially the number of people who picked ‘None’ as their class. Also, investigate if any of the lower and middle families on the east side are considering rebellion.”

  Shira nodded hesitantly, but before she could say anything, Nova’s smile turned more chilling. “If your information is unreliable, I’ll toss you into a Green portal.”

  Her body stiffened, and she trembled, nodding slightly in silent agreement.

  Nova’s gaze shifted to Nox, who swallowed nervously. Amused by his reaction, Nova said, “Your trial is very simple.”

  The words didn’t reassure Nox in the slightest. He had witnessed the severity of the trials the others had faced, and none of them had been easy.

  Nova pointed at Shira, catching her off guard. “Every time Shira uncovers rebels who refuse to follow the rules, you will kill them. Simple enough.” He turned back to Shira. “Update him daily with any new information. I’ll review the report at the end of the week.”

  Both Shira and Nox nodded. Nox didn’t mind the simplicity of his task, but there was a lingering uncertainty—how many people would he need to kill?

  Finally, Nova’s gaze landed on the last of the generals, Malachi, a sly smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Since you want power, I’ll grant you power.”

  Malachi remained guarded, knowing Nova seemed to never give anything without a catch.

  And, sure enough, Nova’s next words confirmed his suspicion. “You will take control of the Blades of Freedom. I want you to manage this organization and subdue the Iron Fangs, merging them into us. In short, I want you to unite the entire east side under my business. Use whatever means necessary—strength, wit, threats—whatever it takes. I want results in a week, but you have a year to bring everyone on the east side into the fold. Understood?”

  Malachi nodded, a smile creeping onto his face—a smile filled with the kind of ambition that only a person granted the freedom to unleash their potential could wear. He had been given the green light to chase after his goals with no holds barred.

  “That’s all for now” Nova said, his voice calm and composed. “Return in a week and update me on your progress. Don’t slack off on your training; I’ll personally check your progress next time.” With a smile, he turned and walked out of the room. “You’re dismissed.”

  The room fell into a heavy silence as the seven generals stood motionless. It wasn’t until Darius spoke that the stillness was broken. “Who exactly are we serving?”

  Alaric’s voice was laced with uncertainty. “I don’t know... but it feels like we were just playing house until he arrived. Now, I’m not sure I’ll even survive the week.”

  Hector added with a serious tone, “He’s not crazy, nor does he seem reckless. There’s something behind him—ordering me to kill my own subordinates if they fail to guard the city… It sounds insane, but there’s logic in it, too.” His words were conflicted, torn between respect and unease.

  Adira, her voice steady, spoke next. “Hector’s right. The trials he’s given us align with what we each want to specialize in. I’d rather face these challenges than waste time clearing a White portal.”

  Shira and Nox nodded in agreement, their expressions mirroring Adira’s sentiment. Malachi, however, wore a confident grin as he added, “I only know one thing—if I follow him, I’ll become stronger than I ever could on my own.”

  A unified nod of agreement rippled through the group, and soon they began to disperse.

  Unbeknownst to them, Nova hadn’t ventured far. He had overheard their conversation. Pausing, he grinned and muttered “Good luck.”

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