"Let’s do it."

  Victor’s voice rang through the gym, his excitement unmistakable.

  Cassidy nodded resolutely, echoing her father’s sentiment. "I agree with the fourth option."

  Rachel, Thomas, and Amelia exchanged hesitant glances before giving slight nods. The weight of what they were about to do still sat heavily on their shoulders. Unlike Jack, they had lived comfortable lives, untouched by the harsh realities that now demanded their participation. The thought of slaughtering entire families gnawed at them, but hesitation would only lead to death.

  Jack, however, had already abandoned his old moral compass. He had seen this scenario play out in novels and games before, but experiencing it firsthand had been a different matter entirely. His first taste of bloodshed in the White Portal alongside Nova had shattered any illusions he once held. That moment had been an awakening—a brutal lesson in survival.

  Yet, it was the aftermath of the Voss family massacre that solidified his transformation. He had stepped into that house of carnage, witnessing the gruesome remains of a once-thriving family. Their lives had been ripped away in a single night by a force they never saw coming. That force was Nova—his best friend.

  At first, Jack had struggled with the sheer brutality of it. He had returned, a sour expression on his face, wrestling with the weight of it all. But when he spoke to Nova, expecting a changed man, he realized something profound—Nova had not changed at all. He was still the same person, treating Jack no differently than before.

  It was then Jack understood: morality was a luxury he could no longer afford. If he clung to his old ideals, he would meet the same fate as the Voss family—slaughtered by those who had no such hesitation.

  Cassidy had begun to grasp this truth as well. She wasn’t as cold-blooded as Jack, not yet, but today had been a turning point. Those two organizations had sent them a letter with a simple ultimatum—surrender or die.

  In Cassidy’s mind, that meant they were no longer people. They were devils. And devils…

  ‘Devils were meant to be slaughtered.’

  She wasn’t sure if this mindset was a defense mechanism, a way to compartmentalize the horrors ahead, but for now, she clung to it with everything she had. If she faltered, if she let doubt seep in, she wouldn’t just die—she would drag her friends down with her.

  And that was something she would never allow.

  Samuel took it all in with a measured calm. He wasn’t as ruthless as Jack, nor did he see the world in stark black and white like Cassidy. He was pragmatic. If killing was necessary for survival, then so be it. ‘Is it either me or you? Then it has to be you.’ That was the extent of his reasoning.

  Without wasting unnecessary words, he steeled himself and spoke as firmly as he could. "I also choose the fourth option."

  Jack’s eyes swept across the room, taking in everyone’s reactions. A small, satisfied smile tugged at his lips before he declared, "It’s decided. We’re going with the fourth option. Before Nova returns, we need to prepare."

  His gaze then locked onto Victor. "Victor."

  Victor, still reining in the burning ambition that threatened to surge forth, took a deep breath and steadied himself. He couldn’t afford to show the younger ones the full extent of his hunger for power—not yet. "Tell me, what do you need?" His voice carried a lingering trace of the excitement that had ignited within him moments ago.

  Jack didn’t hesitate. "You will take everyone and challenge as many White èortals as possible over the next three days. By then, Nova should be back. If not, we’ll have to start without him."

  Victor nodded, already calculating their next moves. Still, curiosity flickered in his eyes. "And what about you? Why aren’t you coming with us?"

  Jack’s response was casual, almost indifferent. "I’m going into a Green portal."

  His tone was so light, so matter-of-fact, that it sounded as if he were merely stepping out for a leisurely stroll in the backyard.

  Amelia’s head snapped toward him, panic flashing across her face. "No, you can't!" she blurted, her voice laced with worry. "What if something happens to you? What am I supposed to do if my boyfriend dies?"

  Jack felt an immediate headache coming on. His lips twitched as a single thought echoed in his mind: ‘When the hell did I become your boyfriend?’

  Forcing himself to stay calm, he let out a slow breath and tried to reassure Amelia. "Don’t worry, it won’t be as hard as you think. If Nova can do it, who’s to say I can’t?"

  Victor’s lips twitched this time, his expression somewhere between exasperation and disbelief. ‘Why would you compare yourself to that monster?’

  But unexpectedly, Jack’s words made Amelia pause, her brows furrowing in thought. In her mind, Jack was better than Nova—stronger, smarter, superior in every way. And if that was true, then by sheer logic… if Nova could clear a Green portal, Jack should be able to do it effortlessly.

  Her eyes gleamed with admiration at the realization. Practically bouncing on her heels, she nodded fervently and declared, "Okay! I’ll cheer for you! Next time we meet, you’ll be the strongest man on Earth!" Passion burned in her gaze as she looked at him.

  Jack did a double take. ‘What just happened? Why did she change her mind so suddenly? …She actually believed that?’

  Stunned but unable to break her enthusiasm, he forced himself to nod confidently in return.

  Meanwhile, Thomas was buzzing with excitement. Finally, he could enter a White portal and escape training. The thought of real action thrilled him—though he had no idea what awaited him inside. Rachel shared the sentiment, grinning as she basked in the energy of their group. To her, every day was an adventure, something new and exciting waiting around the corner.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  But Cassidy had no intention of letting them ride that high for too long. Placing a firm hand on both their shoulders, she grounded them with a sharp dose of reality.

  "Portals aren’t ‘fun’ for most people" she said, her tone serious. "Once we enter, survival is the only thing that matters. If you let your imaginations run wild, you’ll be in for a rude awakening."

  Thomas’ excitement wavered as unease crept into his expression. "Y-yeah… I’ll take this seriously!" he said, forcing confidence into his voice.

  Rachel, on the other hand, let out an awkward laugh. "Uh… Can I not participate in this??"

  Cassidy turned her glare on her.

  That alone was enough to make Rachel gulp and quickly backtrack, forcing a strained smile. "Okay, okay… I’ll do my best too."

  Victor, seeing that everyone had finally made up their minds, gave a firm nod before turning to Jack. "I’ll take them to a White portal each before I pick one for myself."

  Jack met his gaze and nodded in return.

  Satisfied, Victor shifted his attention to the group. His tone grew sharp, commanding—the voice of a true family head.

  "No more distractions until you clear your portal. We have three days to complete as many White portals as possible. Don’t waste this time—our survival depends on it. Understood?"

  The weight of his words finally sank in. A sense of urgency and determination filled the air as the five of them responded, their voices ringing out—not just for Victor, but for themselves.

  "UNDERSTOOD!"

  Victor gave a curt nod. "Follow me." Without another word, he turned and walked away.

  Cassidy, Rachel, Thomas, Samuel, and Amelia cast one last solemn glance at Jack before rushing after him, their expressions steeled with newfound resolve.

  Jack stood there alone, exhaling deeply. A small smirk crossed his lips as he muttered, "Finally, some peace and quiet."

  For a brief moment, he savored it. Then, with a final look towards the distant horizon, he stepped forward, leaving the estate behind in search of a Green portal.

  One thought echoed in his mind.

  ‘I will not drag you down.’

  Meanwhile, deep within a Green portal, Nova stood atop a pile of smoldering ash—the remnants of the last mountain troll.

  A familiar chime rang in his mind.

  [Received 85,000 Stat EXP]

  Nova exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. ‘Finally done with this damn thing. If the next one has just as much defense, I swear—’ He cut off the thought with a groan, already tired of these drawn-out battles.

  Then, the endless cave before him… vanished.

  A frigid wind howled through the void as a realm of ice emerged on the other side, the very air sharp enough to freeze the soul.

  Nova sighed, shaking his head. "Now ice? Well… better than that damn cave or the mountain, at least."

  Without hesitation, he lifted his right arm and drove a blade into his flesh—a ritual that had become second nature to him by now.

  And then, he waited for the notification to ring.

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  With a single step, Nova left the mountain behind—only to find himself in the heart of a frozen wasteland.

  The wind howled like a beast in agony, a blizzard raging across the landscape. Jagged glaciers carved through the land like ancient scars, their ice-blue surfaces gleaming ominously under the dim, pale light. In the distance, a frozen lake stretched across the horizon, its surface locked in an unbroken sheet of ice.

  Nova let out a bitter sigh. ‘I miss the mountain breeze.’

  As if he hadn’t just been cursing that very mountain a moment ago.

  Shaking his head, he took a step forward—only to pause as a towering figure emerged from the swirling storm.

  It stood nearly six meters tall, its form blending seamlessly with the blizzard. Thick, jagged ice-like plates covered its body, serving both as armor and camouflage against the frozen wasteland. Its skin was a pale, bluish-white, cracked and rough like ancient permafrost, with veins that shimmered faintly—like frozen rivers running just beneath the surface.

  Then there were the eyes.

  Twin orbs of glacial blue, burning with a predatory menace.

  Icicle-like tusks jutted from its maw, jagged and sharp. And above its head, glowing in vibrant red, was a name.

  [Ice Troll]

  Nova exhaled through his nose.

  ‘Status.’

  [Ice Troll]

  Rank: 0

  Name: None

  Species: Troll

  Affiliation: None

  Level: 2

  Class: None

  Attributes:

  Strength: 124

  Vigor: 101

  Dexterity: 75

  Speed: 71

  Intelligence: 28

  Wisdom: 5

  Will: 0

  Luck: 0

  ‘Less defense than the mountain troll, but faster and stronger… Still not as fast as me.’

  A smug smile tugged at Nova’s lips as he advanced toward the Ice Troll. Each step deliberate, measured—until, in an instant, he pushed off the frozen ground with explosive force. The air cracked around him as he shot forward like a spear.

  The Ice Troll reacted, but sluggishly. By the time its glacial instincts kicked in, Nova was already in its face.

  Its glowing blue eyes locked onto him, tracking his every move with unyielding focus.

  Nova grinned. ‘Let’s try something new.’

  Instead of dodging the incoming strike, he surged toward the troll’s massive clawed hand, his grip tightening around his spear. He aimed for the wrist, planning to use both his momentum and the troll’s own force to sever its hand in one decisive strike.

  In a blink, the two forces collided.

  Neither emerged victorious.

  Nova’s spear bit deep into the troll’s wrist, nearly severing it—only a fragile strand of flesh kept the hand from falling away completely. But the cost was steep.

  The impact sent a violent shock through Nova’s body. His left wrist snapped on impact, the jarring force slamming him into the icy ground. A sharp pain lanced through his ribs—several had cracked. His legs trembled under his own weight, and each breath felt like he was inhaling shards of glass.

  ‘I fucked up.’

  Yet, despite his thoughts, a wide grin stretched across his face.

  Pain was proof of life. And nothing made him feel more alive than walking the edge of death.

  Both of them began to regenerate, but time was in Nova’s favor. Fractured bones healed far quicker than an almost-severed limb.

  That meant only one thing.

  Attack now.

  At full speed, Nova vanished from the troll’s sight. This time, its glowing eyes couldn’t keep up. It twisted its head, frantically searching the blizzard for its unseen enemy. Every nerve in its frozen body screamed—Find him before it’s too late!

  Too late.

  Nova reappeared behind it, spear thrusting forward in a relentless storm of attacks. He pierced through its thick hide, again and again, until—

  ‘There.’

  His spearhead struck something solid near the heart.

  Nova gritted his teeth and pushed forward with all his strength.

  The troll’s right hand was still in the midst of healing, its body now riddled with holes. It let out a furious, guttural howl, its head twisting around—just in time to see Nova’s spear drive clean through its chest.

  A heartbeat later, a glowing core emerged from the other side followed by the bloody tip of the spear.

  [Received 140,000 Stat EXP]

  The Ice Troll collapsed, its towering form disintegrating into a swirl of ash, carried away by the howling blizzard.

  Nova exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the frigid air. "I need to find a faster way to kill them… How can I bring out more power with my spear?"

  His grip tightened around the weapon, frustration gnawing at him. "I shouldn’t be struggling this much against these trolls…"

  The thought circled his mind like a predator, over and over, until—

  Suddenly.

  His eyes widened. Understanding struck him like a bolt of lightning.

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