The battle with Dead Skull left Dexter bruised but sharper. His mind was already churning, preparing for the next trial. The system’s ominous message about the Midnight King echoed in his thoughts, but he knew better than to obsess over it now. There were missions to complete, skills to unlock, and a growing list of enemies ready to hunt him down.He was back in his apartment the next morning, wiping dried blood from his face when the system activated without warning:“New Mission: Locate and eliminate rogue awakeners infiltrating the Mage Academy.” Difficulty: High. Reward: Shadow Stalker Cloak.”Dexter raised an eyebrow. “Back to school, huh?” he muttered, pulling on his jacket. A mission so close to home felt off. Rogue awakeners? Infiltrating the academy? It reeked of something more sinister. But a reward like the Shadow Stalker Cloak—one of the rarest items in the system—was too good to pass up.He checked the clock. School started in an hour. With a sigh, he grabbed his bag, sli
Dexter stood in the eerie silence of the empty corridor, his mind still buzzing from the cryptic message left by the Midnight King. Shadows clung to the edges of the walls as if alive, whispering promises of more battles to come. His heart pounded, but not from fear—anticipation coursed through him. The Midnight King would come, and Dexter would be ready. But he knew better than to rush. First, he needed more power.The system pinged, a sharp sound that demanded his attention.“Mission Update: Survive three waves of elite hunters before confronting the Midnight King. Time limit: Seven days.”Dexter exhaled, the weight of the task settling over him. Elite hunters weren’t just regular fighters—they were enhanced, ruthless, and tasked with one mission: hunt their target to the ends of the earth.He smirked. Let them come.---The first day was deceptively quiet. Dexter returned to the academy, keeping his head low but his senses sharp. Every glance in his direction, every step in the hal
The sun had just begun to rise, casting a faint orange glow over the horizon as Dexter stood on the roof of his apartment, the wind ruffling his hair. His mind was still buzzing from the encounter with the three elite hunters—each fight had pushed him to his limit, but he had survived. He always survived. But the system had made it clear: the Midnight King was next.And this time, it wasn’t just about survival. It was war.Dexter pulled his hood over his head and checked his weapons—daggers sharp, energy reserves high, and system skills fully recharged. Yet, despite all the preparation, an uneasy knot twisted in his gut. He knew the Midnight King wouldn’t come alone, and he had a feeling that the next mission was going to test him like never before.He climbed down from the roof, grabbed his backpack, and headed out toward the academy. The streets were unusually quiet, as if the city itself knew what was coming. Today was supposed to be a regular school day, but Dexter doubted it woul
The weight of his battle with the Midnight King still hung heavily on Dexter’s shoulders as he returned to the waking world. Exhaustion gnawed at him, but there was no time to rest. He could feel it in his gut—Dead Skull wouldn’t let this insult go unanswered. The system’s cold, calculating voice echoed in his mind, urging him forward."New Mission Incoming: Survive. Eliminate incoming enemies. Prepare for Dead Skull's wrath."The air around him felt thick with tension. Dexter knew what it meant—Dead Skull, one of the most powerful awakeners alive, wouldn’t just sit back. And the worst part? This was only the calm before the storm.---At school the next day, Dexter forced himself to blend in, trying to ignore the growing dread gnawing at him. Despite everything, he hoped for just one normal day—no missions, no fights. But deep down, he knew better.The day progressed uneventfully until lunch. Dexter was sitting alone at a corner table in the cafeteria when a group of upper-tier awake
Dexter barely had time to recover after defeating Dead Skull. His body screamed for rest, but the system’s voice came through once again—cold and merciless."Warning: System recalibration in progress. New threats emerging. Prepare for next mission."Panting, Dexter sat on the edge of the battlefield, wiping sweat from his brow. Dead Skull had been his toughest fight yet, and he’d come dangerously close to losing. But as much as he wanted to celebrate the victory, he knew that things were only going to get worse.He didn’t get to enjoy victories—only survival.---The next morning, Dexter forced himself to attend school. He didn’t have many friends left, and with the rise in awakening incidents, the academy was a breeding ground for arrogance and competition. Students who had once ignored him now either feared or envied him, given his growing reputation.He walked into the classroom, hoping to avoid unnecessary attention. Of course, that didn’t last long.A familiar voice sneered from
The clash between Dexter and Virex intensified. Every strike from the King of Ruin sent cracks rippling through the ground, shaking the Core itself. Dexter’s energy reserves were running low, his muscles burning with every movement. Yet, there was no time to hesitate. The longer the fight dragged on, the slimmer his chances of survival became.Virex swung his massive obsidian blade, aiming to cleave Dexter in half. Dexter twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the deadly arc, and retaliated with Phantom Slash. His blade shimmered with dark energy as it carved through Virex’s side. The King of Ruin stumbled, letting out a guttural snarl, but recovered almost instantly, a cruel grin spreading across his face.“You’ve got spirit, boy. But spirit alone won’t save you.”Virex raised both hands, summoning a storm of black lightning that surged toward Dexter like a tidal wave. Dexter leapt backward, activating Shadow Shift to teleport out of the path, but the aftershock hit him hard, sending him
The sky trembled as Seraph, the Eternal, hovered in the air, radiating an overwhelming aura that made Dexter’s body feel like it was breaking under sheer pressure. The six-winged entity stared down at him, its voice a haunting melody."You survived Virex... but that was merely a test. Now, let’s see if you can last more than a breath against me."Seraph raised a hand, and a swirling sphere of black fire and golden light materialized, crackling with deadly energy. Dexter braced himself, muscles screaming in protest, but his will burned brighter. The system chimed in his mind, relentless."New Mission: Survive Seraph's assault. Rewards: Unknown. Failure: Death."Dexter rolled his eyes. "Yeah, thanks for the helpful advice."Before he could finish the thought, Seraph unleashed the blast. The ground shattered, and a shockwave rippled through the Core, flinging Dexter through the air like a ragdoll. He crashed hard into a jagged rock wall, coughing up blood as his ribs cracked from the imp
Dexter stood in the heart of the battlefield, panting, the echoes of Seraph’s defeat still ringing in his ears. The ground beneath him was cracked, glowing faintly from the residue of the magical onslaught he had endured. Blood trickled from cuts across his arms and face, his vision swimming as exhaustion began to settle into his bones.Then came that unsettling shift in the air—the very fabric of reality tearing apart. The vortex crackled with black lightning, swirling wider, as if it were alive and hungry.The moment Dead Skull emerged, the temperature seemed to drop. A wave of suffocating pressure rolled through the area, making Dexter’s knees buckle slightly. Dead Skull towered over him in a suit of jagged black armor, his crimson eyes glowing from within the skeletal helm that gave him his infamous name. This wasn’t just any opponent. This was a nightmare incarnate—a Grade S awakener, one of the deadliest beings known."You killed my men," Dead Skull rumbled, his voice a low grow