Seeing Sofie and Scarlet dismiss his library with no hint of warmth, especially the way they seemed to gravitate toward Alex, Jareth kept pressing his luck."No library, then tell me what you're discussing," he said, leaning in."We were just discussing inscription patterns," Scarlet replied, her voice clipped, her patience thin.She didn’t care for Jareth but was courteous, given his noble family in Miracle City."You should've asked me! Inscription patterns are my specialty!" Jareth boasted, pride gleaming on his face."My knowledge far surpasses that of this kid!"Sofie frowned at his arrogance. Jareth might be skilled, but could he compare to Teacher Tatiana, her master in inscriptions?Even her teacher recognized Alex as a prodigy!"Talent isn't bound by age," Scarlet countered coolly. "Some people transcend age limits; we call them geniuses. Like him."Her glance toward Alex was subtle yet unmistakable.Jareth sneered. "You think Alex is a genius? Everyone knows he’s got an F-ra
"Stop right there," Jareth managed to stand, though his face was pale and contorted with pain.He gulped down a potion that helped him heal faster.The laughter of people around him was humiliating.His eyes burned with anger."Fantastic," Alex turned and looked at him calmly. "You said you'd give me three moves. That was only the first. There are still two left."Jareth's vision blurred with rage.How could Alex expect him to endure more after that devastating blow?Renault and the others couldn't help but smile wryly.Jareth's arrogance had led to his downfall. Offering Alex three moves had backfired spectacularly.Sofie giggled softly. "Alex is so mischievous," she thought."You'll pay for this!" he shouted, leaping forward.He executed a military kick stance aimed at Alex.The air whistled with the force of his kick.His strength was around 300, while Alex barely reached 90.Yet Alex's experience in war was far greater; Jareth's kick was like an amateur bullying a professional.Al
Mana Force is an enigmatic, unseen energy that, with dedicated practice, one can learn to sense around them and gathering within themselves.According to legend, Mana Force is a divine gift from the gods themselves.A powerful Mana Force enables one to transcend human limitations and seek ultimate power.At the heart of Mana Force lies the Core Mana—the most essential element.The larger one's Core Mana, the more potent the Mana Force they can wield.Enhanced Fighters focus on building up their Core Mana to amplify their abilities.Jareth's heart pounded with terror as he felt Alex begin to drain his Core Mana."This can't be happening!" Jareth gasped, feeling his Core Mana being torn apart. His face drained of color as he desperately tried to pull it back.Alex wasn't even a 1-star Bronze rank—how could he possibly know the skill to drain someone's Core Mana?Normally, people avoided this technique; different mana core elements could act as poison to each other.No one would risk con
Scarlet couldn't believe it.How could Alex resist her charm? Not only resist, but see right through it.She was a 2-star Silver Rank Enhanced Fighter, wielding a secret charm magic taught by her mother.Usually, it was effortless to bewitch others at her level, especially those with less mana than her own.With just a glance, she could have men lining up to serve her. Her charm had never failed—until now.Not only did Alex see through her magic, but he also identified it by name with a single look.Was this boy more mysterious than he appeared?She stood speechless, feeling as if struck by lightning. The realization that her allure had no effect on him shook her confidence to the core.Little did she know that Alex's True Source Technique allowed him to neutralize many forms of magic by dissolving their energy.Moreover, his access to the Akashic Records enabled him to recognize the spells she used.Scarlet, realizing Alex might be more dangerous than she initially thought, suddenly
Vlad was clearly unsatisfied knowing Alex was leading the expedition."Renault, he is just a commoner and a big mouth. You cannot just accept what he says. I still think we should start by searching the house."Renault turned towards Alex and asked, "If we are going underground, where will we aim?"Renault took out the blueprint of the underground from his storage ring and spread it out on the big table.As the group studied the blueprint of the ancient refuge shelter that had eight floors underground, some struggled to understand it.But Alex easily pointed to potential locations where they might find specific hidden rooms. "We will try to check the storage rooms, armory, or command centers."He continued, "Looking at the blueprint, we'll enter from the west entrance. From there, we'll head to key areas like the storage rooms or command center. Can you help me check where they are?"Everyone leaned in, examining the map.Scarlet's eyes lit up. "Here! This is supposed to be the storag
Back inside the ruins, Alex and his companions faced new challenges on the second floor.A group of mutated apes—towering creatures with thick limbs—had been shadowing them.These beasts had transformed the storage area into their nest.Agile despite their size, these Silver-ranked creatures were biding their time.About five male apes were following them, watching for any sign of weakness."These apes are getting on my nerves," Renault muttered as they moved cautiously. "They're waiting for the right moment to attack."A sudden movement caught everyone's attention.An arrow whizzed through the air, threading through obstacles at an impossible angle.It struck one of the apes squarely in the chest.The beast let out a guttural roar before toppling from the high wall, landing with a heavy thud.Dust rose as it struggled but failed to stand.Without hesitation, Renault rushed forward and finished the ape with a swift strike of his sword.The group turned to see Alex emerging from the sh
Over twenty of the massive creatures now surrounded them, eyes glinting with hostility.A thunderous roar echoed through the air, causing the ground beneath them to tremble. The sheer volume made everyone's ears ring.Panic flickered across their faces."That's a Gold-rank demon beast!" Alex exclaimed, his voice edged with alarm.Their situation was dire.Alex's current abilities were insufficient against such a foe, and Renault's strongest team members were only at three-star Silver rank.The Alpha King Ape leaped onto a nearby wall, its fierce gaze locked onto them."Follow me!" Alex shouted, entering one of the dormitory rooms.Without hesitation, the group sprinted after him, entering the dormitory.It turned out that inside the dormitory room, it was connected to other rooms through connecting doors, and they used it to escape from the apes chasing them.The massive ape pounded its chest in frustration, its roar shaking the very walls around them.In response, the lesser Apes beg
As night descended upon the abandoned dormitory, shadows deepened across the fourth-floor corridor.Alex and Sofie raced through the dim halls, dodging and weaving to avoid the lurking lesser apes.The faintest glow filtered up from the atrium below, but darkness pressed in around them, heavy and foreboding."We should set up camp here," Alex whispered, casting a cautious glance at Sofie. "Moving around at night is too risky. There might be nocturnal ones out there."Sofie surveyed the area, her eyes settled on a closed door at the end of the hall, distinct among the other dormitory rooms."Do you think we could use that room?" she asked, nodding toward it.Alex followed her gaze, scrutinizing the door."Maybe," he murmured. "Let's check it out."Without hesitation, Sofie took the lead.They approached the door, which was sealed by an electronic lock—long inactive in the building's deserted state.Alex noted it was an emergency exit; theoretically, it should have unlocked when the pow