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
The outlaws were on the run, desperately fleeing from the wrath of the King of the Apes.In their haste, they stumbled upon a nearby camp where an inexperienced group had recklessly lit a roaring fire, its flames shooting skyward.It was clear their targets were either naive or foolish, as the blazing fire became the very beacon that drew the outlaws straight to them."Nobody move!" Viper, the leader of the outlaws, barked as he brandished his sword.His men swiftly encircled Vlad and his entourage, eyes gleaming with malice.Some began rifling through supplies, greedily devouring any food and water they could snatch."Why have you captured me? Who are you people?" Vlad demanded, his voice edged with defiance despite the fear flickering in his eyes."Shut up!" one of the thugs snarled, striking Vlad across the head before shoving him roughly toward Viper."Learn to bow your head to those more powerful."Viper chuckled, his gaze sweeping over Vlad's opulent attire. "Ah, a nobleman. You
When the giant centipede attacked, Sofie was paralyzed by fear.The monstrous creature lunged toward her, its venomous fangs gleaming menacingly.But Alex, seasoned by countless battles with beasts, sprang into action.He rushed forward, grabbing Sofie and pulling her away just as the centipede's fangs struck the ground where she'd been standing moments before.With lightning speed, Alex drew a photon gun from his space storage ring—one of the weapons he'd retrieved from the armory.He hastily powered it on and fired at the giant centipede.The photon blast hit its mark, burning a hole straight through the creature's body.Yet, despite the gaping wound in its head, the centipede refused to die, thrashing about in a wild frenzy.To Alex's horror, more centipedes began rushing out from the room—one after another, seemingly endless.Realizing the room had become their nest, he continued firing, his heart pounding.Each photon blast took down another beast, but his guns' batteries were de
Her indignation wavered as she realized he was only trying to help her.But that also meant Alex had seen her entire body while treating her injuries.Embarrassment gnawed at her, her cheeks flushing deeply."Thank you," she whispered, her eyes dropping to the floor.An awkward silence settled between them. Gathering her courage, Sofie finally asked, "Alex, do you... like me?"Alex knew that once he'd confided his feelings to his twenty-one commoner friends, the whole academy would soon find out.He looked at her earnestly."You are more precious to me than all the treasures on this earth. Your beauty shines brighter than any jewel."He took a deep breath and continued, "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride."Her heart skipped a beat at his heartfelt confession. Though part of her had suspected his feelings, hearing him say it so directly left her flustered.Taking a steadying breath, she said, "We're still young. We don'
“Everyone!” Mitchell called out, his voice echoing through the hall.Without waiting for any protest, he placed a firm hand on Alex’s shoulder.“Alex has officially passed the Master Alchemy test. He will be one of us, and you can speak to him later. For now, there’s some important paperwork that needs to be done.”Before the crowd could react, Kolin stepped forward. “But what about the high-rank potion?” he asked, clearly intrigued.Mitchell offered a measured smile.“That’s part of a secret project I’m working on. I’ll make an announcement when the time is right.”With that, he grabbed Alex’s hand and swiftly guided him away, leaving the onlookers in stunned silence.A flurry of whispers erupted, spreading like wildfire.“He’s only a child!”“Not yet twenty years old—and already a Master Alchemist?”Their disbelief was tangible.Before turning twenty, Alex had already surpassed achievements most people in their thirties or forties couldn’t attain.Those who had mocked him earlier fe
Previously, when Alex used the card key to enter Mitchell’s private alchemy room, one of Mitchell’s assistants, Claire—a bespectacled young woman of striking beauty and intermediate rank in alchemy—stared at him in disbelief.“Kid, why are you in the Master’s room?” She rushed over, barely hiding her alarm. “And where’d you get that key?”Alex frowned. “Didn’t Master Mitchell notify you?”She glanced at her smartwatch, then froze. “Master Mitchell did text me to assist… but I’m warning you—don’t make a mess. I’m the one who has to keep this place organized.”Alex’s frown deepened as he studied her face. “Didn’t he also say you should give me whatever I need?”Claire scoffed. “You’re just a kid. Letting you in is already a big deal.”Alex sighed and stepped inside.The room was large, lined with shelves that carried neatly labeled boxes of every alchemical ingredient imaginable.As Alex started reading labels and picking ingredients, Claire looked at him suspiciously. “Do you even know
“This isn’t over yet!” Brian snapped, turning back to his exam, trying his hardest to pass it.Alex laughed and turned to the Alchemy Master.“Can I use one of the alchemy room now? I need to make a potion for my friend.”Mitchell Hunt, the alchemy master shocked and chatted with Alex for a while and quickly realized that Alex wasn’t just skilled in the theories of alchemy—he was also familiar with actual refinement processes.Monstrous!Mitchell had spent decades in alchemy, only reaching the Alchemy Master level at fifty years old.Thinking about Alex’s age made him feel both impressed and embarrassed.It was frustrating! How old was Alex? Yet his knowledge was already on par with seasoned masters.It was proof that knowledge didn’t always come with age.“Sure,” Mitchell said finally, “I’ll let you use my alchemy room. You can use any ingredient inside. If something’s missing, you can ask my assistant.”“Here, take this card—it’ll grant you access, and I’ll inform my assistant. Mean
"Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll become a Master today," Brian said, shaking his head in disgust."You’d be better off running home and nursing at your mother’s breast."Alex responded with a nonchalant shrug. "We’ll see about that," he said softly."And when I prove you wrong, I’ll treat you as my proper servant."With those quiet, confident words, Alex turned and walked toward the examination chamber, leaving Brian seething in his wake.Brian glared at the boy’s retreating back, his mind spinning with disbelief.How dare this arrogant whelp even consider taking such a demanding exam?Shaking his head, Brian stepped into the assigned room, bitter resentment burning hot in his chest.Inside the testing chamber, Alex approached the Alchemy Master presiding over the exam.The old man’s face was stern, his gaze appraising as he studied the young stranger who dared to set foot here.He looked utterly perplexed. A boy? In the Master-level exam room?"Are you lost, lad?" the Alchem
Walking down a corridor lit by soft, enchanted lamp, Alex followed the attendant who had greeted him in the lobby.His thoughts drifted to the fallen Alchemist Association.He recalled how, in recent years, so many gifted minds had abandoned alchemy for the sword and spear, leaving a generation barely touched by the old art’s wisdom.In his previous life, he had witnessed the Alchemist Association’s last stand during the siege of Miracle City.They had given everything, each member perishing in the final defense.At least, he had no reason to doubt their honor; the Bolton Family’s hand had never tainted the alchemists’ good name.His guide, a sharp-eyed young woman named Lanny, studied him with open skepticism.“You’re here to take the apprentice examination, right? I hope you’ve prepared. Anyone worth their salt knows at least five foundational tomes by heart.”Alex almost laughed as he pictured one of those massive texts.It had been thick enough to topple a grown man if hurled with
In a split second, Alex pulled the gun from his pocket and fired at the attacker.It was an ancient technology, long lost to time, and only a handful of people still owned it.The other attackers froze, their eyes wide as they watched their leader—a silver rank—fly back nearly ten meters from the force of the laser shot.Smoke rose from his chest, where a searing burn now marred his flesh.The top silver rank was dead by one shot.The remaining four glanced at each other, panic spreading across their faces.They nodded in silent agreement and suddenly turned to flee.What was supposed to be an easy job—killing a bronze-ranked kid—had turned into a nightmare.That same kid had just taken down their leader, the strongest among them, with a single shot.They were only early silver rank—staying would mean certain death.Running was their only choice.As they bolted, Alex didn’t hesitate. He fired again.A beam of light sliced through the air, and one of the fleeing attackers collapsed to
Scarlet and Cassandra had fought twice before, and both times ended in a dead heat.This was now their third match, and even though Scarlet was a senior, with Cassandra had gained new strength, the outcome looked much the same.Neither girl would back down, neither would concede defeat.Their rivalry had ignited the very first time Scarlet flaunted her affection for Alex, and Cassandra had stepped in with a warning.Scarlet ignored it, and from that day on, the two had fought for reasons that went well beyond pride.Yet, there was something else about their fights—something that drew onlookers from every corner of the academy.The pair of goddesses remained completely unaware of the chaos they unleashed every time they clashed.They crashed into walls, toppled statues, and kicked up dust storms in the courtyards. And the students loved every second of it.They lined up, whispering and joking, placing bets as if watching a grand tournament.On this particular day, as Scarlet and Cassan
Previously, Alex and Sofie were on the truck, heading back to the city, when Renault contacted them.“Sofie, Alex! Thank God you’re safe! We’ve been searching everywhere for you,” Renault’s voice crackled through the communicator.Alex smiled, knowing Renault felt truly safe was knowing the princess was unharmed.His whole family could land in prison if anything happened to her.“We’re okay!” Alex replied straightforwardly.“But you guys need to hurry and get the stuff—then leave quickly!”“Why?” Renault asked, a note of worry in his tone.“I ran into some outlaws,” Alex explained.“They’re hunting for nobles. They’ll try to steal everything and might even kidnap all of you for ransom!”Renault’s breath hitched on the other end, clearly caught off guard.If the outlaws found them, it would be catastrophic.But Alex’s warning gave them an edge—if they knew trouble was coming, they could set traps and prepare an ambush.“Thank you, Alex. I’ll make sure you’re rewarded later.”“No need,”
Jareth furiously raised his head and glared at Renault.“What?” Renault snapped back, his eyes narrowing.“Don’t think I won’t destroy your entire family if you keep trying to harm Alex and Sofie!”The tension crackled between them. Renault’s voice was like ice, sharp and cutting, and his presence felt larger, as though he were towering over Jareth.Renault’s anger simmered just beneath the surface. Sofie was a princess of Miracle City, and if anyone dared to suspect her or interfere with her gains from the expedition, they’d answer to him.Perhaps even the King himself would inspect their family treasures tomorrow.How dare Jareth think he could threaten his family?For the first time, Jareth saw Renault this angry, making his own rage falter.He took a step back, feeling the weight of Renault’s family name.Renault was a member of the major DuPont family, a direct descendant, no less. They could crush his entire lineage with a mere word.Jareth clenched his fists but dropped his gaz