The world tinted a light red as the monster stood on top of the hill. It was like his sheer presence warped the world to bend and look at him. Even from a distance, Mahjit could make out every detail on the monster’s body.

  A trick with aura, something dragonslayers used, only, the monster wasn’t a dragonslayer.

  This was what the adventurers and the remaining apexes saw:

  A two legged creature in black hide, a shield on his back and a sword casually hooked to his belt. A hood hid most of his face, yet the lower half of the monster’s face was visible. A dark and sinister grin bared down at the lot of them, like everything had been meticulously planned.

  Including this very moment.

  Artigan brought his hands up and started clapping slowly, the sound carrying throughout the entire area, as if nothing else in the world dared to make another noise under his presence.

  Everything in Lazhen froze as they held their breath.

  “Well done! You are all true .”

  He mocked them, then took the first step down the hill.

  The apex snapeater turtle glanced at the portal, then back at Artigan. It made up its mind and leaped away and into the walls. A feat that startled all of the adventurers and monsters around it.

  Not a single one of them had realized it could move so fast.

  Such a monster chose to flee rather than take the opportunity.

  Mahjit’s lip trembled and he turned towards Valee.

  “What–what the fuck? Why does it feel like I’m looking at a dragonslayer?”

  She just had her arms crossed, unimpressed.

  “It’s a momentum based fear Epic. His aura is stronger the more he wins. He must have leveled it up since I saw it last.”

  “But that’s -”

  Mahjit realized his own voice was shaking, he looked at his hands and they kept trembling.

  The monster wearing the guise of a third realm continued his leisurely walk down the hill, each step becoming louder and taking more distance than his stride should be capable of.

  “B-boss?”

  His team’s [Rogue] looked at him for directions, they were in a worse state than he was. His [Rogue] was already stepping back while his [Warrior] had just frozen, his eyes that were ready for death had blanked over.

  Mahjit had interacted with dragonslayers from India before. He was better off, if barely.

  “You two leave now.”

  “But -”

  “Now! That’s an order.”

  The [Rogue] blinked then followed his captain’s orders, he dragged the frozen [Warrior] into the portal. Then his [Rogue] tried to get Mahjit to follow but he refused to leave, he couldn't leave. This was just a third realm and an Epic, he could deal with this.

  Valee threw a piece of rubble at his head. He barely noticed it bouncing off his head.

  “You should go too.”

  Mahjit looked at the orc woman who seemed to be completely calm, surely she was also suppressing the effects herself right? Was this the difference between having an Epic and not? The [Mage] shook his head then forced himself to stop shaking.

  It was easier when he wasn’t looking at the monster directly.

  “Logically speaking, we have four top tier adventurers on our side. He’s just a third realm with two Epics at most. We aren’t beasts. We can win.”

  As if hearing his words, three more apex monsters decided to flee.

  One apex was left, it slithered away to hide behind the rubble. Trying to break the line of sight of the third realm.

  Mahjit wasn’t going to flee now. Here were three adventurers at the top of their realm–four if you included him, this was the start of a team that could sweep the pre-class tournament and go straight for the tenth realm.

  Valee gave him a flat look, like she was reading his mind.

  “Logic? Logically speaking there’s nothing left here to fight for. Kenheart! Send this idiot back. He’s going to be a burden.”

  The [Assassin] slipped into the space next to him. Mahjit hadn’t even seen him coming.

  “Wait! Give me time, I can handle it.”

  Kenheart was cold, he cared little that Mahjit was known as one of the most promising [Mages] in the past five years.

  “No, she’s right, you haven’t maxed out your [Fireball] spell nor can you maneuver them mid flight. It’s hard countered by his anti-magic skill. But more importantly, look at your hands.”

  Mahjit looked at his hands, they didn’t stop shaking. He was trying his hardest to make it stop, but the loud crunching of the grass under Artigan’s boots was impossible to tune out.

  The last thing the self proclaimed [Savant Mage] saw as he was dragged was this:

  An orc [Rogue] laying back on top of the portal building, unimpressed by the impossibly large bloodthirsty aura. Kenheart, the early classed [Assassin] dragging him along, also completely unaffected, as if he’d embraced death long ago and feared nothing.

  These two he could almost understand, they were older and had more experience than he did. Valee had experienced Artigan’s fear skill in the Trials. That was all understandable.

  Yet the [Swordsman] stuck out the most.

  Zedart was at least three years younger than he was. The natural-born elf just looked ahead, like this moment was inevitable.

  Mahjit let himself be dragged and thrown into the portal. The [Mage] who was used to no equals amongst his age found himself outshadowed by his superiors. He was ashamed, scared and loathed himself.

  It was pathetic really. He truly was a fraud.

  –

  Ryan walked amongst the broken rubble of Lazhen, stepping over the mountainous corpses of beasts. He faced the adventurers as he stopped halfway into the town.

  “And then there were three. I must say, I’m disappointed by the [Savant Mage], I thought he’d stick around.”

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  Valee was no longer laying back, she was sitting cross legged and glaring at him.

  “Cut the bullshit, what was even the point of all this? So many people could have died, you’re lucky Zedart and I got here in time.”

  Ryan just spread his arms out.

  “Whatever could you possibly mean? Why do you expect me to care about the lives of the people here?”

  “You’re not fooling me, why send three waves?”

  Ryan tilted his head and grinned.

  “, you got me! The truth is I’m going for the system portal. The multiple waves were just to make sure you weren’t all incompetent enough to let a beast take it first.”

  “Bullshit, you’re not an actual monster, you can’t evolve from that.”

  “No,” he admitted, “but I don’t think anyone’s stolen a portal from the Guild in a long time. I wonder how much of an increase in my achievement score that would be. Heard there’s a title for it too.”

  Kenheart stepped forward, he was fully geared, this time with enchanted daggers and throwing knives at his sides.

  “So, all this for achievements and a mediocre title. I take it back. You really are committed to the villain route after all.”

  Ryan smiled thinly at Kenheart. He opened his mouth for a retort–but Zedart stepped forward, uncaring about the conversation at hand.

  “I want a rematch, one on one. Not to the death, just skills and basic gear. No artifacts, scrolls or guns.”

  All three of them blinked at the [Swordsman]. Zedart had just rudely cut apart the tension with little care for the theatrics.

  Ryan coughed.

  “, read the atmosphere. We’re all kind of having a thing right now.”

  Zedart turned to the others, then back at Ryan, confusion plastered on his face.

  “I’m sorry?”

  Ryan just slapped his forehead with his palm.

  “All of this effort, and the moment got ruined, just like that. I hate you so much Zedart.”

  Kenheart frowned at the interaction. Ryan could tell the [Assassin] was patiently looking for an opening, standing in between Valee and Zedart. The man knew exactly where to stand to be the biggest threat.

  Despite the break in his momentum, his aura was still at its peak. Ryan sighed.

  “Let’s make it simple so even you can understand, Zedart. You are all adventurers and I am the monster. There’s nothing more to be said.”

  And the monster kicked off.

  The ground cracked under his feet as he used all the momentum he’d built up. At this moment, Ryan was certain he was faster than any realm three in history.

  The [Rogue] flew with the speed of a jetplane.

  The shattering ground echoed out as a fist went flying at Zedart’s stomach.

  The [Swordsman] did not hesitate to use his Epic, he moved out of the way and tried to cut down at Ryan’s arm. Even with [Desperation Stance], Zedart was too slow. Ryan simply took a large step around and went straight past. The punch was a feint.

  Valee’s eyes went wide.

  “Oh shit, [Adaptive Terrain: Low Friction].”

  For the first time in the siege, Valee’s Epic buckled.

  Ryan’s own Epic had been building up for hours, it did not relent the ground below him to her. The orc gritted her teeth as she tried to force her skill.

  Ryan felt something pull at the ground beneath him.

  But he was at his peak and Valee was tired. He poured his aura through the ground and Valee’s eyes rolled in her head. She fell to the ground.

  Kenheart the [Assassin] threw five knives during that clash of Epics. They slowed as they reached him, his aura’s density actually slowing the knives a fair bit.

  Still fairly fast, but too slow for how quick he was now.

  The [Assassin] didn’t give up, he tried to use his [Dagger Arts: Spinning Grip] to flick a dagger but stopped himself as he realized it wouldn’t do any good.

  Ryan tried to give an approving nod at Kenheart but he was going too fast for even himself.

  He was already at the building that housed the system portal–it was too quick. He barely managed to stop himself in time.

  Ryan kicked at the broken side with all the force of his maxed out aura. The already weakened enchanted wall collapsed as all of the momentum traveled through his body and into his foot. Straight into the wall.

  His body screamed at the force he’d made it endure.

  Ryan refused to relent to the strain. He casually stepped through the building’s new entrance, leaving the adventurers behind him.

  He glanced back, Kenheart had chosen to pick up the fallen Valee from falling into the rubble instead of going after him..

  Good, that was a minimum.

  The building continued to collapse around him as his Epic kept thrashing wildly, completely out of control and savage. It was still building up with every step he took, relishing in his victory.

  Eager for this moment.

  The System portal was a pillar of light about fifteen feet in diameter. Now that the roof was broken the pillar reached to the sky, signalling to all around that the portal was exposed. It would have attracted all the beasts in the area.

  If they weren’t all already dead or fleeing.

  Ryan touched the pillar of light.

  Ryan pressed yes.

  He took out Felsley’s phone in front of the portal and took a selfie. Ryan gave a shit eating grin and then started recording the three ragged adventurers. Valee was barely conscious with her arm draped around the [Assassin]. Zedart looked at the orc girl then turned back to him when he was certain she’d be fine.

  Three of the greatest adventurers looked like they’d just lost a fight to him. Zedart stepped forward but Kenheart pulled him back.

  Ryan turned the camera back to himself.

  “Looks like I won. Who’s next?”

  He hoped Gamielle and the Witch Tyrant were having as much fun as he was.

  –

  “I’m gon-gonna, gonna kill him.” Valee slurred her words as she dribbled over the [Assassin], “he’sh recording ush right now. Ruined my life, smug elvish facsh–shoulda killed him.”

  Kenheart didn’t even acknowledge the drool on his shoulder, he was having a hard time keeping the [Swordsman] from killing himself.

  “We need to strategize, he can’t keep up his Epic forever. We’ll max out the timer then move in. Valee, when do you think you’ll recover?”

  Valee tried to stumble forward from his shoulder as Kenheart was forced to pull back both suicidal adventurers.

  “I can go right now. Jusht point me at him.”

  Zedart turned to her, then back to Kenheart.

  “I doubt she’s had her Epic long enough to know when she’ll recover from a backlash. It’s fine, I wanted a one on one match anyway.”

  Kenheart almost lost his grip on the [Swordsman].

  “Are you mad? You saw that speed, we need to cover each other and try to stop him from getting a good angle. That speed doesn’t look controllable.”

  Zedart shook his head.

  “I just need to get him to fight me in a duel, I believe I can handle his speed if he gets close enough. But we can wait. I’ll fight him when his body’s recovered.”

  That comment snapped up Kenheart’s attention. He looked up at the blacklister, he was sitting casually, grinning at them. Sitting too casually.

  “, of course he’s acting. A third realm body can’t handle that much power, that changes things. Zedart, do you think you and I could box him in that building and kill him right now?”

  Valee stopped dribbling on Kenheart’s shoulder, both she and Zedart turned to the [Assassin].

  Kenheart didn’t see the fist coming. Valee in the perfect position threw the strongest punch she could, right into his gut. The [Assassin] doubled over in both pain and surprise as the orc girl that had been slumping over him started to wrap her body around his.

  She didn’t need a good mental state, her grappling skills operated on pure instinct.

  “Shorry about this. Zedart help!”

  The [Assassin] tried to pull her off, he couldn’t use [Ghostly Dodge] when someone else was touching his entire body. He managed to get a grip.

  Only to find the pommel of a sword hit him in the back of his neck.

  –

  Ryan blinked at the weirdest betrayal he’d ever witnessed. They’d been whispering away and he wasn’t close enough to hear what they were saying.

  Zedart and Valee just dragged the unconscious [Assassin] over to him. He was still looking at them with absolute confusion as they just ignored him and threw Ken’s body into the portal. Kenheart would probably spawn outside the last portal it was keyed to. Ryan wasn’t actually too sure, he didn’t remember the last time someone took over a portal from another adventurer.

  Valee fell backwards next to him as she looked up at half a ruined ceiling. The skill backlash still impacting her.

  He swore he saw her pupils through her closed eyes.

  Ryan narrowed his eyes and shuffled away from her, not quite trusting that she wouldn’t suddenly grab him and do the same thing she did to poor Kenheart.

  Zedart was also burning a hole staring his head. Ryan turned around in annoyance.

  “What?”

  “I want another duel, not to the death. No magical scrolls or firearms.”

  “, you don’t give up. Did you not see me already? Even when I’m tired I can kick your ass.”

  “We’ll fight after you’re recovered. I believe I can win.”

  Now those were fighting words. Ryan opened his mouth, then closed them. He wasn’t going to get caught up in Zedart’s childish behavior.

  Valee put a hand up with a finger pointing up.

  “Was all of this really for achievements? You didn’t seem like the kind of guy to do all this for that.”

  Ryan looked at the mountain of monster corpses and destroyed buildings around him. There were monsters that had begun to creep up the hill but they quickly scattered as they looked at the battlefield… and at him.

  If that was it then Ryan would have said it was a resounding success.

  Unfortunately, at least five adventurers had died, possibly more. Then he looked at the two remaining adventurers. They weren’t in the best shape either, they had just survived a brutal beast tide where they were outnumbered ten to one.

  Mistakes to learn from for next time…

  What a stupid question.

  Ryan stood up on shaky legs and changed the cadence of his voice. Then he bowed.

  “Well done on making it this far adventurers, but you both know how it goes. Valee, do you want the truth? My reason for doing this? Then earn it. You too Zedart, you want a real spar? Then defeat me

  Ryan stood up straight and put his arms out wide as he stared at the results of his effort.

  “Both of you can defeat me now or go home with .”

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